What Mommies Do

Chapters

Rainbow Dash: Age Three
Rainbow Dash: Age Seven
Rainbow Dash: Age Thirteen
Rainbow Dash: Age Seventeen
Rainbow Dash: Age Eighteen
Rainbow Dash: Age Twenty-Four

Rainbow Dash: Age Three

What Mommies Do

Part 1

A cyan pegasus filly, with a rainbow mane, giggled to herself. Her rose colored eyes fell on the earthen cookie jar resting the counter where her mother thought it would be out of reach. She grinned. Little did her mom know that she had been practicing her flying when she was supposed to be asleep.

The little filly loved to fly. She would fly all the time if she could, even in her sleep. Nothing beat the excitement she felt when she beat her wings, feeling nothing but air beneath her hooves as she accelerated upward. A few months ago, she was only able to hover. But after months of practice, she was finally able to fly upward a little bit before she got tired.

Now, she was going to put her super awesome flying skills to the test and get to the cookie jar. Her mom had told her that she couldn’t have any cookies before dinner, but she was hungry, and half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich wasn’t nearly enough lunch for a starving pegasus filly!

The pegasus spread her wings and the muscles in her back tightened as she began to flap them. She beat her wings as fast as she could, causing little currents of wind to form. Slowly, she began to rise from the ground, upward toward the cookie jar. Her eyes got wider as her goal got closer.

Closer and closer she came. She could feel the burning strain in her muscles, but she didn't give up. She wanted those cookies, and nothing was going to stop her. She slowly rose, higher and higher. Her breath started to come more quickly, and her heart pounded against her chest. Slowly she inched up, until finally, she was at eye level with the jar.

This is so awesome, she thought, as she reached out with little forehooves and grabbed the jar, pulling it off of the shelf with a mighty tug. Right after the jar was in her hooves, gravity gave it a powerful pull downward. She strained and tried to keep her grip on it. The pegasus didn’t think it would be this heavy. It didn't look so heavy when her mommy picked it up.

The fluttering pegasus fought a tug of war with gravity. She groaned, tightening all of the all of the muscles in her body, rapidly fluttering her already tired, aching wings. She started to wheeze, her forelegs that held the jar began to shake, hot fire shot through her wings each time she beat them. In the end, gravity prevailed.

The cookie jar fell to the ground, taking her with it. The container broke against the floor, sending shards flying and cookies rolling in many directions.

The pegasus hit the ground, belly first, and felt an ensemble of sharp stings dance through her body. She gritted her teeth as her eyes welled with tears. She was not going to cry, no way, only baby ponies cried!

Not long after, her mother, a dark blue pegasus with an orange mane named Star Shine, rushed into the room. Her worried visage soon became stern as she saw her daughter lying among many cookies scattered about the floor. “Rainbow Dash!” Her mother scowled. “What in Equestria happened here?”

Star Shine’s sharp tone pierced Rainbow’s ears. She was used to her father yelling at her for doing bad stuff, so that didn’t bother her. But when her mother scolded her, it felt like cold picks were being run through her stomach. Rainbow huffed and fought back the tears in her eyes. “Nothin’.”

Star Shine’s eyebrows arched, “It sure doesn’t look like nothing to me. How did these cookies get on the floor? How did the cookie jar break?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think you do, young filly. Now are you going to tell me what happened here?”

Rainbow definitely looked up into her mother’s deep red eyes, but then quickly looked away. “No.”

The elder pegasus took two steps toward her daughter, broken pottery scraped against the floor as she moved it aside. “Rainbow, I’ve had a very long day. I don’t have time for this. Work has been hard as usual. Your dad’s gone again, and...”

Rainbow’s mother sighed and shook her head. “Little one, did you do this or not?”

The little filly quickly looked to the ground. “No.”

“Then who did?”

“I don’t know, the wind?” Rainbow said quietly.

“The wind did not do this, you know better than to lie. Now, tell me the truth.”

Rainbow looked up at her mother. Her lip quivered and her eyes glimmered with tears. Her cheeks puffed out in a pout.

Rainbow’s mother moved closer, moving a few cookies and debris out of her way. “Are you going to tell me the truth?”

“Are you gonna be mad?” A tear trailed down her cheek. She hated it when her mommy was mad.

Her mother’s visage softened. “Rainbow, did you do it?”

Rainbow’s lip quivered more. She started to shake, and hid her face in her hooves. Her mommy couldn’t see her cry...only little baby fillies cried... “Maybe...” came the strained, muffled response.

Rainbow’s mother felt her heart being squeezed by an invisible force. She quickly reached down, scooped her up daughter, and placed the young filly on her back. She left the mess behind and took her filly into the living room where she sat down in a rocking chair, and placed the Rainbow in her lap. Slowly, she began to rock as the filly started sobbing into her mother’s chest.

After several minutes, a red eyed filly looked up from her mother’s soaked fur and sniffed. “Are you mad at me mommy?”

Her mother put on a loving smile and sighed softly, “A little bit, I told you to stay out of the cookies before dinner.”

Rainbow looked away, she felt burning tears in her eyes again. “Do you hate me now?”

Rainbow’s mother was visibly taken aback. “No dear, that is silly. Why would I hate you?”

“Daddy said he hated me after I accidentally chased him with his cloud mower.”

Her mother remembered the incident. He had let Rainbow play on his cloudmower while he went to get the mail. Rainbow, being the rambunctious little filly she was, figured out how to start the mower and started riding it around the front of the house. Dash’s father heard the machine behind him and was just able to jump out of the way before the machine ran him over. The laughing filly hopped up and down on the machine, joyously telling it to “giddy up.”

When Star Shine came outside, she heard her husband yelling at their daughter. Star put a stop to his rage, and told him to go inside and cool down. She didn’t know that he had said something so callous to his own daughter. Rainbow’s mother felt seething rage. That wasn’t something to say to your daughter, even when you’re angry.

Her mother bit her tongue, and held her daughter close. “Well, daddy is just silly. He doesn’t hate you, he just says silly things he doesn’t mean when he’s upset. He loves you very much.” Rainbow’s mom looked out of the window at the cloudy city beyond. Other incidents of her husband’s latest exploits, most caused by drinking, came to mind. “Daddy says silly things...” She paused and held her daughter close to her chest. “Daddy says a lot of silly things..”

“Are you sure he doesn’t hate me?”

“I’m sure of it dear, he’d never hate you.”

Rainbow sniffed again and looked at her mother. “You promise you’ll never hate me too?”

Her mother was called back from her trance and looked down at her daughter, once again putting on a smile. “Let me tell you something that my mommy told me when I was your age.”

Rainbow’s mother began to rock in her chair, and recited words that she remembered from her past.

You will do things that make me sad
You will do things that make me mad
You will do things that puzzle me
and things that I wish wouldn’t be

You will make my hair turn all gray
with the things you do everyday
and you will make me all wrinkly
a long time before I should be

But no matter the things you do
something will always be true
your mommy will always love you
because that’s what mommies do

Rainbow’s mother continued to rock her daughter, gently stroking the little filly’s rainbow mane, until she fell asleep.

“I love you Rainbow,” she said sweetly as she leaned down and kissed the cyan filly’s forehead.

Rainbow Dash: Age Seven

Part 2

Four years later, Rainbow Dash was sitting in a chair opposite a lime colored adult pegasus behind a desk. His bushy eyebrows were sewn together and he spoke in a husky voice, “Miss Dash, do you know why you're here?"

“No,” the filly crossed her forelegs.

The elder pegasus wrapped his hoof on the table. “No what, Miss Dash?”

“No, I don’t know why I’m here,” she replied indignantly.

“The correct answer was ‘No, sir, Principal Arrow,’ young filly. We here at Cloudsdale Flight Academy do not tolerate rudeness at all.”

“Then why do they let you teach here?” Rainbow smirked.

The pegasus behind the desk ruffled his feathers. “Watch it Miss Dash, you are in enough trouble as it is.”

The adult pegasus waited for a response from Rainbow, but all she did was scowl up at him. “As the principal of this school,” the pegasus drew himself up proudly, “we cannot have our young colts and fillies behaving like heathens. I have written to your mother about your behavior and she has responded quickly, telling us that she is on her way. She should be here any minute.”

Rainbow shrugged, and the two stared at each other. The silence buzzed around them as they continued to wait, neither one willing to look away from each other, as if they were having some kind of staring contest. After fifteen minutes, the door to the principal’s office slowly opened. In the room walked a dark blue pegasus, her face contorted with worry. “I came here as fast as I could, Principal Arrow. From the sound of your letter, things seems serious with my daughter.”

“Oh they are indeed, they are indeed.” Principal Arrow cleared his throat, “The letter requested that both you and your husband attend this meeting. If I'm not being too nosy, is there a reason Miss Dash’s father chose not to attend?”

Rainbow’s mother dug her hoof into the brown carpet. “He had important issues at work that he had to deal with.” Her voice was strained.

“Very well ma’am, please take a seat so we can begin. As you know, your daughter is in some very serious trouble.” The Principal drew out the last three words to add emphasis. “We have tried every disciplinary action we can think of, but her behavior has not changed. The school wanted to contact you before we decided to take any serious action.”

“I’m glad that you did Principal, would you mind telling me what it is my daughter has done?”

Principal Arrow stretched and popped his wings. “Well, why don’t we let Miss Dash tell you?”

As if on cue Rainbow Dash glanced at her mother and then sank further into her seat. Icy fear ran through her veins, but she wouldn’t show it. She continued to glare at the principal, her mouth done up in an angry pucker.

“Well if Miss Dash refuses to tell you,” the Principal said stiffly, “then I guess it's up to me. Miss Dash has been exhibiting some very appalling behavior in the past two months. She has been ignoring her teachers, sleeping during class, not doing her flight exercises, and just being, well...a very difficult filly.”

“I wouldn’t sleep during class if the teachers weren’t so boring,” said Rainbow Dash snidely.

“Young filly,” the Principal said with a gasp, “that will be enough, I am not warning you again.”

Rainbow’s mother took a seat in a chair next to her daughter and looked down at her hind hooves. “This sounds troubling.”

“The school shares your concern.” The Principal put on his best concerned face. “We really want little Miss Rainbow here to be a part of our program. Just between you, me, and her, she is one of the best fliers in her class.”

“The best,” Rainbow corrected.

Rainbow’s mother hushed her and the principal continued, “However, if she continues to act in this way, she can’t keep coming to school here. She is a bad influence on the other colts and fillies.”

Rainbow’s mother sighed, her nerves were tied themselves into knots. “So what do you suggest we do, sir?”

“Before we take any extreme action, I suggest we put Rainbow in a remedial training camp. The teachers... there are a bit... um, bit more firm...with the students. Miss Dash will learn proper manners while learning to become a better flier.”

“I already am a better flier than you, and all the teachers in this school,” Rainbow said with a growl.

Rainbow’s mother put a hushing hoof to her mouth.

“Little filly,” said the Principal, “I will not tolerate you insulting me, or the fine teachers of this school.”

“I wasn’t, I was just saying what’s true.” Rainbow’s mocking tone made the principal’s face contort with anger.

The principal felt the temple on his forehead pulse. “You are in very hot water Miss Dash.”

Before Rainbow could respond, her mother placed a fore hoof on her daughter’s fore leg. “Please darling,” she whispered to Dash.

The principal looked at Dash's mother, and then straight at her. “Young filly, you best do as your mother says. Were I not a patient stallion, you would be out that door right now.” The Arrow pointed a hoof toward the door for emphasis.

“Fine by me,” muttered Rainbow Dash out of the principal’s range of hearing.

“Mrs. Shine,” continued the Principal, “what are your thoughts on my proposal?”

Rainbow’s mother sighed. “I’m not sure, Principal, are you sure she needs remedial training camp? Perhaps you’re just not challenging her.”

Rainbow smiled and the principle huffed. “I assure you Mrs. Shine, that our flight academy has one of the most challenging curriculums in all of Equestria.”

Rainbow’s mother tapped a hoof on her chin. “I didn’t say that it wasn’t a challenging program. I was just thinking that perhaps it isn’t challenging enough for my daughter.”

“Not challenging enough for your daughter? Do you know how many amazing fliers started their learning careers here? Many! I remember Flashfire, the current captain of the Wonderbolts, when he was just a little colt, walking through these fine halls.”

Rainbow’s mother shook her head. “Please Principal Arrow, I wasn’t trying to degrade your school’s reputation. It is a fine school.”

“You insinuated that it was not challenging enough for your daughter.” Rainbow’s mother envisioned Arrow as a pompous, talking turkey as he said those words.

“No I didn’t, I just think you may need to take a different approach with her is all.”

A snarl formed on Principal Arrow’s face. “Ma’am, we have used the same curriculum here for one hundred years. It has worked for everypony else. Do you suggest that we break a tradition like that, just for your daughter?”

Rainbow’s mother huffed and fought hard to keep her voice calm. “I thought perhaps, being the esteemed school you were, you might take a little time to help my daughter instead of sending her to some remedial camp. I don’t think she needs it.”

Principal Arrow smirked. “I think we must disagree. I have had many years of dealing with young fillies and colts with delinquent behavior patterns, I think this is a good option for her.”

“Well, I think you’re wrong,” Rainbow’s mother said with a growl. “I think she is a gifted flier and you don’t know how to deal with that.”

“Ma’am, do you have any idea who you are talking to? I have taught students for thirty-one years, and this school has been here for over seventy years longer than that. I think we know how to deal with talent, and know the difference between a talented flier and a delinquent.”

Star Shine’s face reddened. She was about to speak but Rainbow beat her to it. “Shut up. You’re just mad because this school is old and crotchety like you.”

It was the Principal’s turn to get red. He took took deep breaths as his heart rate increased. “Do you see what I mean Ma’am, this girl needs remedial training.”

“Training? Don’t talk about my daughter like she is some mindless animal! She does not need remedial training, she just needs to be challenged.”

The principal humphed. “Ma’am, I grow tired of your insinuations that our school is not capable of teaching your daughter, and is not up to your standards.”

“I am not insinuating that at all. I’m insinuating that you are too lazy to break ‘tradition’ to reach out and help a student in need.”

The principal’s face was completely flush at this point. He stood up from his desk, his chair slamming against the wall. Rainbow flinched, the loud bang scared her a little more than she would ever admit. “That is quite enough. I suggest you enroll your daughter in another institution if you don’t think this one is good enough for her.”

Rainbow’s mother immediately stood up from her chair. “That sounds like an excellent suggestion. Come on Rainbow honey, I think we need to leave.” Rainbow’s mother briskly walked out of the Principal’s office, her daughter trotting behind her with a smile on her face. Once both mother and child had left, Rainbow’s mother slammed the door shut.

Two hours later, Rainbow was sitting on the carpet in her home, having a staring contest with the floor while her mother rocked in the rocking chair.

“Rainbow,” her mother said in tired exasperation, “why do you keep doing this to me?”

Rainbow wouldn’t lift her eyes to meet her mother’s. “Keep doing what?”

“You know what I mean young filly, this is the third Flight Academy that you’ve been kicked out of in two years. You seem to have a gift for this sort of thing.”

“I would stay if the teachers weren’t so dumb.”

Rainbow’s mother sighed. “Dashie, please stop doing this.”

“I’m not doing nothing,” Rainbow scowled and crossed her forelegs, “they just don’t know how to teach.”

“What do you mean?”

“They keep trying to teach me things I already know, I tell them I already know it but they don’t listen.”

Rainbow’s mother shook her head. “Then just listen to what they have to say, it never hurts to have a fresh perspective on what you already know.”

Rainbow looked up to her mother with a puzzled expression.

Her mother sighed. “I mean, it never hurts to learn something over again, just in case you missed something the first time.”

“But I didn’t miss anything the first time, I already know it. I know I do. You see me fly, I know all that basic stuff!”

“I know you do.”

“Then why do you keep saying I have to relearn it.” Rainbow threw her forehooves up in frustration. “I know things those teachers don’t even know. I can do the Sonic Rainboom! They can’t even do that.”

Rainbow’s mother pressed a fore hoof against her head. “I know that honey, no one but you can do that. But you are missing the point.”

“What point?”

“All ponies know things in different ways. Even though you know about the subjects that those teachers are trying to teach you, they might know how to do something in a different way, and you might end up learning something from it.”

“But why do it a different way if my way works?” Asked Rainbow pragmatically.

“Because, learning things in different ways can help you understand the subject better, and you learn about other things as well.” Her mother responded with a sage smile.

Rainbow looked puzzled. “I don’t understand, if they are teaching me about one thing, how can I learn something about another?”

“Because when you get older, you’ll understand that some things relate to others.”

Rainbow shook her head. “Well if I have to wait until I’m older, why do I have to worry about it now?”

“Because the sooner you learn these things, the wiser you become.”

“What’s wiser?”

“It means understanding things. Anyway, the point is, you need to go to school.” Her mother said firmly.

“Why? They can’t teach me nothing.” Rainbow’s tone was derisive.

“Because if you don’t go to school, I’ll go to jail for being a bad parent.”

“But you aren’t bad, they’re bad.”

Despite being frustrated, Rainbow’s mother smiled. “Thank you dear, but that doesn’t change the fact that you have to go to school.”

“But I don’t want to go to school,” the filly whined.

“I know, but you have to, the same way mommy has to go to work.”

“Do you like work?”

Rainbow’s mother chuckled. “No, I like it just as much as you like school.”

“Then why do you go?”

“Because I have to, if I don’t, we don’t get money so we can eat,” her mother said practically.

“Doesn’t daddy get money so we can eat?”

Rainbow’s mother turned away, ignoring the heavy weight that just slammed her in the chest. “Sometimes.”

“Sometimes? Is daddy going to be here for my birthday this year? He missed it last year and he said he was gonna be here this year. He said he was gonna get me a super awesome birthday present.” Rainbow bounced excitedly.

Rainbow’s mother shook her head and heaved a sigh. “I wish I knew Rainbow. He’s supposed to live in this house and he’s hardly around.”

“I miss daddy,” Rainbow said sadly.

“I miss him, too.” Star Shine’s voice sounded a little choked.

There was a long pause as Rainbow watched her mother stare off into space. Soon her mother cleared her throat. “Next week, I’m gonna see if I can get some time off of work so I can find you another flight school. There are a few other flight schools here in Cloudsdale.”

Rainbow stared hard at the ground. “I’m sorry I got kicked out of school again, mom.”

“I am too honey, but what’s done is done. There is no use dwelling over it.” Rainbow’s mother opened her forelegs as an invitation for her daughter to crawl into her lap.

Rainbow looked up at her Mom’s invitation then shook her head. “Only little fillies crawl in their mommy’s lap.”

“Who said?”

“All the other fillies and colts at school, they said only babies do it.”

“Well, you’re my baby.”

Rainbow pounded the ground with her fore leg. “I am not a baby.” She angrily articulated each word.

“Okay Rainbow,” her mother looked down at her, “you’re not a baby. But you want to crawl in my lap anyway, don’t you?”

Rainbow looked away, and then gruffly nodded.

“I’ll tell you what, I promise I won’t tell anyone if you crawl into my lap.”

Rainbow cautiously looked to her mom. “Promise?”

“I promise,” her mother said with a smile.

The young filly rose from the ground and crawled into her mother’s lap. Her mother gently began to rock her daughter and hum a lullaby.

After a few minutes Rainbow looked up at her mother. “It’s gonna just be me and you at my birthday again, isn’t it?”

Her mother screwed her eyes shut and rested her chin on her daughter’s head. A tear escaped her eyelash and trailed down her cheek.

“You won’t get mad and leave too will you?” asked Rainbow.

“No, never.” Her mother’s words were firm, and they comforted the icy chills in Rainbow’s stomach.

After a few minutes, her mother began to recite the words to the poem she sometimes told Rainbow when she used to rock her to sleep.

You will do things that make me sad
You will do things that make me mad
You will do things that puzzle me
and things that I wish wouldn’t be

You will make my hair turn all gray
with the things you do everyday
and you will make me all wrinkly
a long time before I should be

But no matter the things you do
something will always be true
your mommy will always love you
because that’s what mommies do

“I love you, little one.” Rainbow’s mother hugged her closely.

Her only response was a peaceful snore from Rainbow.

Rainbow Dash: Age Thirteen

Part 3

Rainbow Dash leaned against the wall of her room. She was a little taller now, and her mane was as wild as the teenager that wore it. There were many posters on the walls of the Wonderbolts, sporting their blue suits that had lightning bolt insignias on their flanks. Most of the posters in the room had wrinkled and torn edges.

There was a knock on the door and the cyan pegasus turned toward it and sighed. “Yeah?”

The puffy white door was pushed to the side and into the room walked Star Shine. There were a few silver strands in her mane, and she’d gained some girth around the middle. Heavy bags were under her eyes. “Rainbow, I heard about what happened at school.”

“Yeah? What about it?” Rainbow scowled.

Her mother sighed and shook her head. “Rainbow, why did you hurt that sweet filly? What did she do to you?”

“She tried to steal my stallion,” Rainbow said with an angry edge.

“Your stallion? Aren’t you a little too young to have a stallion?”

“I’m thirteen, I’m not too young to do anything.” Rainbow flared her wings.

“You’re thirteen, just a little too young to be considering a having a serious coltfriend.”

“You had a coltfriend when you were thirteen.”

“Who in the world told you that?” Rainbow’s mother cocked an eyebrow.

“Dad did, last time he was here.”

Star Shine gritted her teeth. “What did I tell you about listening to what that stallion had to say?”

“You said not to pay attention to what he says,” Rainbow hollowly reiterated her mother’s words.

“So, what do you think you should do?”

“I think I should do what I think I should do,” Rainbow said haughtily. “I’m not going to let you decide what I listen to and don’t listen to.”

“I’m not trying to tell you what to listen to Rainbow, I’m trying to protect you from that worthless stallion’s lies.”

Rainbow stomped her hoof on the soft, cloudy floor. “Don’t talk about my father like that!”

“Your father isn’t a father,” Star Shine’s speech was underscored by a growl, “he’s never around!”

“So,” the cyan pegasus shrugged, “he’s still my father.”

Star Shine let out a long breath through her nose, trying to put a lid on the boiling anger in her stomach. “Look, I’m not here to talk to you about your father, I’m here to talk about what you did to that poor filly. Do you know they had to give her stitches?”

“Damn right they did,” Rainbow said with a grin. “I made sure she’ll never mess with my stallion again.”

“How did she mess with your stallion anyway?”

“I caught them bucking in the locker room, he was laying down against the bench...”

Star Shine gasped and cut her daughter off. “They were what?”

“She was bucking him in the middle of the locker room! That’s why I beat her down.”

The elder mare rapidly worked her mouth, shocked that her daughter could speak about such a thing so matter-of-factly. “They were having sex? Oh my goodness uh...I...you shouldn’t have beat her down, you should have beat him down!”

“Why would I beat him down? She was the one bucking him.”

“It takes two to tango dear...and..." Star Shine shook her head. “Either way, that makes no difference. You shouldn’t have done anything at that point, except to just walk away. No stallion is worth getting in trouble over.”

Rainbow’s muscles stiffened. “You’re wrong, he didn’t buck her, she bucked him. I’m not gonna just let some mare take my stallion. If I do, then all the fillies at school will just walk all over me.”

“It doesn’t matter who did who,” Star Shine said with a frustrated sigh. “She didn’t force him to have sex. Believe me, she didn’t. Unless she knocked him out and tied him down. Was whoever this colt was knocked out and tied down?”

Rainbow dug a fore hoof at the floor. “No.”

“Then she didn’t force him. If I was a gambling mare, I’d say he was probably more excited about the prospect than she was.”

“No he wasn’t, he was all sorry and everything.” Passion was creeping into the filly’s voice.

“Now if you keep talking like that you won’t have to worry about the fillies walking all over you, it’ll be the stallions that will walk all over you. You can’t let yourself be so gullible Dash.”

“I am not gullible!” Dash growled through gritted teeth.

“You sure aren’t proving your case by me,” her mother said sarcastically. “Some stallions will do anything they want to a mare and lie to their face about it. Take it from somepony who knows. Take whatever a stallion tells you with a grain of salt. Look, this stallion you call your ‘coltfriend’ cheated on you, pure and simple. When they do that, and you let them get away with it, then they’ll do anything to you. The best thing to do at that point is to walk away.”

An icy realization begin to crawl into Star Shine’s mind. “Rainbow,” her voice became a croaky whisper, “you haven’t been...having sex, have you?”

Rainbow shrugged. “Yeah, what about it?”

Star Shine had to fight to keep her jaw from falling to the floor. “Rainbow! Why? Why in the hell would you do that?”

“Because I love him,” Rainbow said seriously.

“You’re thirteen Rainbow, thirteen! You are way too young to know what love is, and you are way too young to be having sex!”

“I know what love is,” Rainbow shouted, “and besides, you had sex when you were thirteen!”

Star Shine’s anger was about to bubble over, she knew the stallion who told Dash that piece of information. “Yes, and I regret it every day of my life. I wish I wouldn’t have done the things I did.”

“Then who are you to tell me what to do?” Rainbow snidely asked.

“First of all, I’m your mother. Secondly, I don’t want you to end up like I ended up when I was a few years older than you.”

“I won’t be like you, because I won’t get pregnant at seventeen.” Rainbow’s words were rapiers.

“You don’t know that Rainbow, you don’t know anything. Those condoms don’t always work. I got pregnant because one of those little things broke.”

Rainbow scowled. “Wait, what? You getting pregnant was an accident?”

Star Shine nodded sadly.

“So, you’re saying I’m an accident? I shouldn’t exist?” New anger rose in Rainbow’s voice. “I knew it, I always knew it! You never wanted me.”

Rainbow’s mother shook her head. “I never said that at all.”

“You might as well have, because it’s what you meant,” Rainbow shouted.

“It’s not what I meant at all,” her mother shouted back.

“You lie.”

Rainbow’s mother turned away from her daughter and faced the wall. A faraway look came into her eyes. The anger in her stomach quickly evaporated, and was replaced by a sudden calmness. “Did I ever tell you I thought about having an abortion?”

The anger fell from Rainbow’s face. “What?”

“After I found out I was pregnant,” Star Shine said slowly, “I thought about having an abortion. Your father urged me to, and at first I thought it was a good idea.”

“That’s what I thought,” Rainbow growled.

“Let me finish.” Star Shine held up a hoof. “But after I thought about it, I realized having a foal was a blessing, and it would be stupid to get rid of a blessing. I knew it was going to be hard raising you, but felt it was the right thing to do. I hoped that, maybe, I could be a better mother to you than my mom was to me. I hoped,” her mother swallowed heavily, “that I could be a good mom and raise you to become a good mare.”

Rainbow looked away, failing to ignore the squeezing in her chest guilt brought. “Well you’re not doing a great job.”

Star Shine closed her eyes and lowered her head. A single tear slowly ran down her muzzle, as she faced her daughter. “I’m doing my best Rainbow, I’m sorry it’s not good enough for you.”

Star Shine slowly walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. Rainbow Dash threw herself on her pillow and started to cry.

She started punching her cloud bed, wailing into her pillow so her mother couldn’t hear her. What the hell? Why was she feeling this way? She knew she was right and her mom was wrong! She knew that she was smarter than anyone that would get pregnant at seventeen and have a baby! Right? Dash found it very difficult to lie to herself. The icy tendrils ravaging her stomach told her she was wrong, but she didn’t want to admit it.

After several minutes, she slowly rose from her tear stained pillow, opened the door to her room, and walked to the front room where she thought her mother would be.

Sure enough, when she arrived in the living room, her mother was sitting in her rocking chair, looking off into space. When Star Shine heard her daughter enter the room, her anger returned. However, the crestfallen look on her daughter’s face made her rage vanish. “Is there something you need?” her mom asked curtly.

“Uh..yeah..I...” Rainbow had a million thoughts in her mind, but she didn’t know how to vocalize them. Her mother calmly looked at her daughter, letting her continue.

“I’m...er...sor..um..I just wanted to tell you that...you’re not a bad mom,” Rainbow said, fumbling over her words.

Rainbow’s mother felt her throat tighten, but she stiffened her muscles to keep her emotions at bay. “That really wasn’t the apology I was looking for.”

Rainbow scowled and turned away.

“But,” her mother said with a small smile, “that will do.”

The room was quiet for several minutes as mother and daughter looked at each other, not knowing what to say. The rainbow maned pony slowly took a couple of steps toward her mother and her rocking chair and then froze.

Her mother smiled. “You know, there’s no one around.”

Rainbow’s head drooped and she slowly nodded, covering the rest of the distance between her and her mother. She then crawled into her Star Shine’s lap and her the elder mare slowly began to rock. After a few moments, Rainbow quietly spoke. “So, is your and dad’s divorce final yet?”

Her mother shook her head, hugging her daughter close. “Not yet, it will be in three days though.”

There was a little more rocking before Rainbow spoke again, “I’m gonna miss dad. I know he wasn’t around much, but he was fun when he was. I guess...I guess he loved me.”

Star Shine sighed. “Maybe he did love you in his own way, he tried to anyway. I wish you had a better dad Rainbow, you deserved a better father.”

“That’s okay.” Rainbow smiled a little. “I got a cool mom.”

Rainbow’s mother felt warmth enter her chest. They both rocked together, listening to the squeak of the old wooden chair. This time Star Shine broke the silence. “I don’t want you talking to that colt again.”

Rainbow looked down at her mom and shook her head. “I won’t. I guess you’re right about...all that you said.”

Her mother nodded. “I am, and I hope you’ll never have to learn the hard way like I did.”

Rainbow looked into her mother’s eyes. “Will you be mad at me if I uh...accidentally...you know, get pregnant?”

Star Shine closed her eyes and smiled, and recited the verse that Rainbow had heard so many times before.

You will do things that make me sad
You will do things that make me mad
You will do things that puzzle me
and things that I wish wouldn’t be

You will make my hair turn all gray
with the things you do everyday
and you will make me all wrinkly
a long time before I should be

But no matter the things you do
something will always be true
your mommy will always love you
because that’s what mommies do

Even though Rainbow thought the old rhyme was corny, this time it made her feel special and warm. She hugged her mother tightly as Star Shine continued to rock her in the chair.

Rainbow Dash: Age Seventeen

Part 4

Four years later, found Dash scowling across the living room at her mother. The younger mare had grown several inches over the last few years. Angry rose eyes were sharply interlocked with equally angry red orbs.

“Dash, what in the name of Celestia did you think you’re doing?” Star Shine took a step toward her daughter. She shook her mane, revealing some of the gray hairs that had been added over the past few years.

“I thought I was doing what I wanted, that’s what.” Rainbow Dash puffed up proudly, something her mother noticed her doing more often than usual.

“I’m aware of that. I mean specifically, why did you drop out of flight school?”

“Because those stupid teachers didn’t have anything else to teach me, I fly better than any three of them combined.” Rainbow scoffed.

Rainbow’s mother stamped her hoof against the puffy white floor, “Rainbow, this is absolutely silly. How many times have we gone over this? I know you’re good, half of Cloudsdale knows you’re good. But that doesn’t mean you can blow off your school or your teachers.”

“I wouldn’t if they didn’t blow so much,” Rainbow chuckled.

“Dash, this is serious. You need to go back to flight school and tell them you aren’t dropping out.”

The cyan pegasus rolled her eyes, “Why?”

“Because, there are still things you need to learn. You’re fast but your teachers say you crash a lot, and they say you need to work on your work ethic, you sleep too much during class.”

“I sleep a lot in class because I’m bored, and I don’t crash as much as I used to, I’m getting better on my own. I told you, none of those wannabes at the flight school can tell me how to get better. Probably because I fly too fast for them to keep up with me.”

Star Shine let out a long, deep breath. “Dash, maybe they can’t teach you anything at that flight school. Maybe you know it all and are the best flier in Equestria! But until then, you need to get your degree so you can get a good job.”

“How do you know?”

“Because that is the way the world works Dash, you need to have a diploma so you can get a good job.”

“That’s not the way the world always works.” Rainbow let out an exaggerated huff, “every adult I talk to says that’s how the world works, but its not. Witherwing has a diploma from flight school, and he’s just the school Janitor.”

Rainbow’s mother shook her head, “There are a few exceptions to everything Dash.”

“Well, there must be a lot of exceptions, I remember that boring field trip to the weather factory a year ago. Half of the hydrology team, a lot of the snowflake manufacturers, and a whole bunch of the workers didn’t have their degrees. We even had weather teams come talk to our class and a lot of them didn’t have their flight school degrees either”

“I bet none of them were in management.”

“Four of the ones that didn’t have degrees were team captains and shift managers.”

Star Shine felt the heated frustration in her chest, “Maybe there are more exceptions than I realized, but having your degree will ensure that you have a better chance in life. Having a degree will make you stand out even more than you already do now.”

Dash brushed back her unkempt, rainbow colored mane, “I don’t need a piece of paper to tell someone how good I am. I can do that on my own.”

Star Shine dug her hoof into the cloudy floor, “I know you are good at selling yourself Dash, but the first thing a lot of employers look for in a potential employee is if they have a degree or not.”

Rainbow’s eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t want to work for somepony who hires me just because of some stupid piece of paper, I want to work for somepony who hires me for what I can do.”

“Dash, the world doesn’t work that way.” A stern tone worked its way into Star Shine’s voice.

“No, it doesn’t always work that way, but it sometimes does.”

“I want you to get your degree so you’ll be okay when it doesn’t.”

Rainbow blew a raspberry, “I’ll be fine no matter what. If some place doesn’t want me, I’ll move on to another place. There are lots of places in Equestria, you know.”

“But by doing this,” an imploring tone was in Star Shine’s voice, “you may be keeping yourself from having the chance to live in the best places or do fun things.”

“I don’t want to live in the best places and I don’t need a lot of bits to do fun things. The best places are just filled with snobby ponies that think they’re better than you.”

“That isn’t necessarily true, but honestly, I don’t feel like arguing the point. Listen, I am your mother and I am telling you to go back to flight school.” Rainbow’s mother was stern.

“And I’m telling you that I’m not going back.” Rainbow Dash said with steely defiance.

“Rainbow, I am sick and tired of this,” Star Shine fought to keep her tone even. “Everytime I tell you to do something, you refuse to do it.”

“That’s because what you tell me to do is dumb and doesn’t make sense.” Rainbow raised her voice.

“Everything I try to get you to do is because I want you to have the best in life.” Her mother’s voice rose also.

Rainbow snorted, “That is what you want, but you never ask what I want.”

Star Shine huffed a sigh, “I ask you what you want and the only thing you tell me is that you want to join the Wonderbolts.”

“That’s because it’s what I want.”

“I know that dear, but you have to have a backup plan, just in case that fails.”

“I don’t need a backup plan, because I’m not going to fail.”

“You don’t know that, unless you are a psychic along with being a speedy flier.”

Rainbow smirked, “No, but I don’t need to see into the future to see that I’m going to be the best flier in Equestria.”

Rainbow’s mother shook her head, “Being cocky and bragging isn’t going to get you anywhere darling.”

“Who said I was being cocky? It ain’t bragging if you do it and you back it up!” The cyan pegasus smugly tossed her mane to the side.

The dark blue pegasus gritted her teeth, “Look, all of this aside, tomorrow I want you to go back to that flight school and tell them you don’t want to quit.”

“Well that’s not what I want. So I’m not going to do it.”

“If you want to live under this roof young mare, you will do as I say.”

Fire burned in the younger pegasus’ eyes, “I will not do as you say. So I guess I won’t live under this roof then.”

Rainbow flapped her wings and flew past her mother. Star Shine flew after her, “Where will you go then?”

“I’m going to live with my friend Gilda out in Phillydelphia,” Dash called over her shoulder.

“Phillydelphia? Gilda? You mean the Griffon?”

“Yep, her. You know her, the friend you hate.”

“She’s nothing but bad news for you Dash,” Star Shine shouted after her. “I knew mares like her...erm, females like her. Trust me, she won’t do anything but get you in trouble.”

Rainbow Dash spun around and looked her mother in the eye, “You know what? I am so tired of you putting down me and my friends. You never cared about my dreams, you never wanted me to do the things that made me happy.”

Star Shine gasped, “I do care about your dreams Rainbow, how dare you say that. I just want to make sure that you go about chasing your dreams the right way.”

“Well I don’t want to go about it the right way,” Rainbow shouted, “I want to go about it my way.”

“Honey, I know how you do things, your way will likely lead to a dead end.” Rainbow’s mother put on a sympathetic face.

“You see, there you go again. You know what, just forget it. I’m tired of you and I’m tired of Cloudsdale. I’m tired of living the way you want me to live. I’m gonna get out of here and live the way I want to live for once.”

“But Dash-” Star Shine began to speak but Rainbow cut her off.

“No, no more. I’ve had it up to here,” Rainbow Dash motioned over her head with a forehoof. “You and this place can buck off for all I care. I’m gone.”

Rainbow Dash turned to her room, and then turned back around. “Oh and by the way, Gilda and I are dating. We’ve been going out for three months.”

Star Shine blinked, “Wait...what?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m going out with another female, and a Griffon. Wanna know something? The sex is awesome.” Rainbow quickly walked to her room before her mother could follow and slammed the door.

The dark blue pegasus stood at her child’s door with tears in her eyes as jagged tendrils tore her heart apart.

Rainbow Dash: Age Eighteen

Part 5

The sun peeked through the bedroom window of Rainbow’s apartment. The thin white bed sheet, decorated with lightning bolts, she used as a curtain did a terrible job of keeping out the light.

The mattress that she slept on was grey and smelled of molded cheese and pickles, or perhaps it was the wall, Dash could never figure out which it was. The bed squeaked as she rolled over and rubbed her left eye, wincing as her hoof grazed across the bruise around it. Gilda and she had gotten into another fight.

Rainbow shifted her weight in the bed and felt the stinging bruises and scrapes that she had earned the night before in her main event matchup with Gilda. What were we arguing about again? Dash thought as she struggled against gravity to get out of bed.

The pegasus won the battle, scrambling to her feet and flexing her wings. They gave a satisfying pop, and then a twisting pain at the base of her wings made her cringe. Oh that’s right, I flexed my wings and knocked her cookie jar off of the counter. Dash chuckled as a memory of her early childhood flashed before her eyes.

On the semi-circular, scuffed brown side table by the bed, was a picture of a smiling Rainbow Dash and a grinning griffin with one foreleg wrapped around each other. The pegasus sighed, turning away from the picture before dwelling on her recent past brought back the familiar twisting in her gut.

Her eyes ran over the claw marks and dents in the wall, remembrances of her and Gilda’s past few fights and other events. Dash had a personal game she played where she liked to name each wall deformity after a fight she had with her marefriend. The oval shape dent was when she and Gilda fought over Gilda’s drinking problem. That hole was called “Boozey.” The really long scrape on the wall was when she spent too much money on records, that one was called “Blood Death,” after the band whose records she bought. The three small holes that formed a right triangle were called “Really, Bad, and Breath” after the fight Dash started when she offhandedly insulted the brown feathered griffon’s breath.

There was one long scrape on the wall she called, “Oh, Yeah,” that was made during a very passionate night of lovemaking. Rainbow felt that familiar twist in her stomach again. She and Gilda hadn’t gotten it on for some time now. Even though Rainbow had convinced herself it totally wasn’t an emotional thing, she missed her intimate moments with Gilda.

A familiar slamming noise came from the front room of their small apartment. Gilda was back home, and from how hard the door slammed, she had another miserable night on the job.

“Hi Gilda,” Rainbow smiled as Gilda made the short walk to their bedroom.

Gilda huffed at Dash, “You and I need to have a little talk.”

“Another one?” Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow and smirked, “We had a little talk last night that lasted for hours, and after all that yelling, we still didn’t have any make up sex.”

“This isn’t funny Dash,” Gilda growled, “this is serious.”

“It’s always serious Gilda.”

“Well this time it’s double serious.”

“Oh no,” Rainbow said with mock dismay, “did I accidentally break two of your stupid cookie jars this time?”

“That’s enough Dash.” Gilda growled, “I just got a notice from the apartment, we’re getting evicted.”

“Huh?” Rainbow flicked her mane out of her face, “Didn’t you pay them?”

“I would have paid them, but we don’t have any bits in the bank.”

“What do you mean we don’t have any bits in the bank, I just put some in a few days ago.”

“So did I,” Gilda said suspiciously, “but there aren’t any in there now.”

“Well then I wonder what could have happened?” Dash asked accusingly in return.

“I don’t know Dash, what could have happened?” Gilda came back.

“It couldn’t have been those twelve bottles of Buck Daniels you threw back this week could it?”

“Maybe it was the Wonderbolt Tickets and those stupid souvenirs you bought at that show.”

Dash bristled, “Take that back, the Wonderbolts aren’t stupid!”

“The Wonderbolts are just a bunch of pegasi that are so far up the Princess’ butt, Celestia would have to open her mouth for them to see sunlight.” Gilda scoffed.

“Well at least they aren’t always passed out on the couch when I get home!” Rainbow puffed out, her wings spread a bit.

Gilda snarled defensively, “You have no idea what it’s like working with those stupid ponies at the delivery service.”

“Oh,” Rainbow’s raspy voice gained an edge, “so you are saying ponies are stupid?”

“I wasn’t talking about you Dash, I was talking about those damned ponies at work, they’re so annoying.”

“You know, instead of drinking, you could just talk to me about it.”

“I do talk to you about it.”

Dash shook her head, “No, we don’t talk. We haven’t talked for about a month. Not since we last did it. The only way I can get you to talk to me is if I screw you, and that kinda gets old.”

“Well, screwing you does get old Dash. You’re a little fast for me, if you know what I mean.” Gilda’s words were laced in venom.

“Oh look who’s talking miss ‘I’m too tired right now.’” Anger was etched on Dash’s face, “You’re always too tired, even if it’s just for a little cuddling. It’s like you don’t even want me near you sometimes.”

“It’s not that I don’t want you near me Dash, I just want my space when I’m tired.”

“You always want your space. Would it kill you to talk to me every now and then?”

“Celestia,” Gilda said with a sigh, “alright, alright. I will Dash. But right now we have something more important to worry about. We don’t have any bits in the bank and the rent is due.”

Dash hoofed at the floor, “I don’t know, maybe I can sell my records or something. Some of my old rock records are worth some money.”

Rainbow brightened up, “Oh and that one statue you have, that bust of..uh”

“Evil Boll Weevil?” Gilda raised a talon, “Hell no Dash, no chance. That’s special, I got that from my dad.”

“Well, my Dad gave me those rock records.”

“But you hate your dad.”

“That’s beside the point.” Rainbow sighed. “Look, if we want to keep this apartment, we gotta sacrifice. Okay?”

Gilda sidestepped two carpet stains left after an angry impromptu food fight between the couple, got close to Dash. The griffon’s towering form was imposing, but Rainbow didn’t flinch. “I don’t want to get rid of that statue, it’s special.” Said the griffon.

“Fine then, maybe there’s something else of yours we can get rid of. How about that lingerie I got you that you um...grew out of.”

“I told you that I would lose the weight and wear it again.” Gilda snarled and she clawed at the floor, leaving a scratch mark.

“Well, you won’t do it sitting on the couch eating twinkies and drinking Daniels” Dash’s back hoof came into contact with a glass bottle on the floor.

“I need some time Dash.”

“You’ve had months to try and lose that weight, but you won’t exercise. Remember when we used to do those flying routines together?”

“Remember when we used to go pranking together, we don’t do that anymore either.”

Rainbow sighed, “We don’t go because we used to go late at night, but you’re working during that time. When you aren’t working, you’re drunk.”

“Lay off of it Dash, I know I drink, I’m trying to stop.”

“You sure haven’t shown me any proof this week, or the week before that. You know,” Dash scowled, “I don’t honestly mind that you drink so much. I don’t give a damn if you pickle your liver. But you can at least make an effort to spend some time with me. Hell, we can even go do something you like. I know, we can get sloshed and passed out on the couch together!”

Right after she finished her quip, Gilda punched Rainbow with a strong talon. Rainbow was usually able to easily dodge the Griffon, but she was caught by surprise. The Cyan pegasus tumbled back onto the bed. Gilda was on her in a minute, pressing the pony’s shoulders down with her clawed talons. Rainbow groaned, trying to ignore the explosive sting in her cheek. “I said lay off of it Dashie.” Gilda growled.

“Why don’t you lay off of the booze Gilda?” Rainbow said defiantly, “Get off of me!”

Gilda rose and allowed Dash to get to her feet. Rainbow brushed herself off with a hoof, and then drew back and struck the griffon. The griffon backed against the wall. “Don’t hit me again bitch,” Rainbow growled, “you know I don’t put up with that. Do it again and I’ll do what I did to you last night, except this time I’ll really pull your beak out.”

“You wouldn’t dare try it.”

“You know better than to challenge me to anything Gilda,” Rainbow stood firm as the Griffon came toward her.

The two stood, staring at each other, Gilda’s golden eyes were raging pyres. Neither moved before Rainbow finally spoke, “We have a problem we need to take care of.”

Gilda took a deep breath and looked around at the damaged walls of their bedroom. “Yeah, I know.”

The two were quiet for a time longer before Gilda spoke again, “There’s not enough paint in Equestria to cover up all of the holes in these wall.”

Dash nodded, “I don’t think we can patch them up either.”

Gilda calmly popped her wings, “I’m gonna go pack my stuff Dash, you need to do the same. They want us out in a couple of days.”

“What about all this mess?” Rainbow motioned around the room with her hoof.

Gilda shrugged, “It’s not our problem anymore Dash. I’m just gonna leave it. There’s no point in cleaning it up if we’re not going to live here, is there?”

Rainbow looked down and nodded. As Gilda left the room, the pegasus gently kicked a whisky bottle under the bed. She cringed when the bottle clinked against another.

* * * * *

Rainbow was sitting on the bed in her motel room, the red blankets were rough against her skin. The pillow case, made of cheap, rough cotton was not wet because she had been crying into it for the past two hours. She’d beat the crap out of anyone that said differently.

The past year and a half had not been kind to Dash. She fought and had gone a long way, only to fail. This wasn’t fair! This wasn’t right! This wasn’t how things were supposed to be! Except that they were.

The pegasus lay down on the bed, trying to figure out her next move, when she spied something on the table beside her. It was a sheet of parchment and a pink feather quill. She guessed it was left for guests who wanted to take notes.

An empty feeling entered in the pit of her stomach. Thoughts of her teary eyed mother looking toward the sky as Rainbow flew away flashed before her eyes. She reached out with her mouth for the quill, but stopped. No. No she wasn’t going to write her. All her mother wanted to do was run her life, that was it.

Rainbow nodded in affirmation. Then her stomach started to twist itself into knots. Ice slid through her veins. Maybe her mother wanted to run her life, at least she thought that her mother just wanted to run her life. She never wanted her daughter to make her own decisions. Her mother shot down all of her decisions! Well, not all...maybe just most of them.

The cyan pegasus thought back to the actions her mother disagreed with. Most of them usually ended up in some kind of disaster.The pegasus let out a self depreciating chuckle when she looked at the motel room and her stuff piled in the corner.

The pegasus closed her eyes and thought. Was it because her mom thought her decisions were wrong? They obviously were, but that didn’t give her mother any right to impose a decision on her daughter. Did her mother force her to do things? No, if she did then she would have called the cops and stopped her daughter from running away.

So why did her mom get mad when she did what she did? It wasn’t her business what her daughter did. So why did her mother get so frustrated and upset? A clawing sensation wormed through Dash’s stomach. Why did her mom cry?

Rainbow rested her head against the headboard and let out a pained sigh. Her mother had nothing to lose through Dash’s decisions. Why did she care? Visions of Dash’s youth swam through her mind. All of those nights in the rocking chair, all of those consoling words her mother told her when she cried, and all of those sleepless nights her mom endured when Dash would sneak out with her friends. Did she care because she just cared?

Dash didn’t understand why her mother cared so much, but to Dash it didn’t matter. Her mom cared. Even when the world was crashing down around them, her mom still cared. She hoped her mom still cared.

Dash gritted her teeth and swallowed the hard lump in her throat. She grabbed the quill in her teeth and took a piece of parchment. Slowly, she began to write.

Dear Mom,

How are you? You probably don’t want to talk to me again, and that’s fine. You can just throw this letter away if you want. I just wanted to finally write and tell you I’m okay. I hope you’re doing okay too.

If you wanted to know how I’m doing, not so hot. Me and Gilda broke it off. We didn’t work out. I guess you were right, I’ve made a pretty bad mess of my life. I guess I deserve it. I didn’t do anything but give you hell when I was a filly, and now I’m paying the price. Oh well, that’s the way it goes.

I think I understand why you got mad those times I did things you didn’t want me to do. You wanted me to end up with a good life so you’d know that I could take care of myself. You didn’t want me to end up in the kind of mess I’m in now.

Right now, I’m in a motel room, and pretty soon I’m gonna look for another apartment. Hopefully I can find a cheap one somewhere. I’m gonna sell off some of my junk so I can pay a deposit.

I know it’s too late to say it, but I’m sorry for all the stuff I said. I’m not sorry for moving out, because I felt that was the right thing to do. If I had never left the house like that, I wouldn’t understand the things I understand now. But anyway, I’m sorry for what I said, and for what it’s worth, I love you. I hope you still love me too.

Take care,

Rainbow Dash

The next day, Rainbow flew to the post office and mailed her letter. That afternoon, as she tried to take a nap, there was a knock on her door. When she opened it, a very young, wall eyed mare with a blond mane handed her a letter. The mailmare saluted her with a goofy smile and flew away. Rainbow Dash looked at the front of the letter and immediately noticed her mother’s mouthwriting. The pegasus opened the letter and read.

Rainbow,

I was so shocked to see a letter from you, that I had to write back as soon as I could. There is no way I would just throw away a letter you sent me. I am sorry that you and Gilda didn’t work out. Initially, I was upset about the relationship, but as I thought about it, I was just happy that you were with somepony (or somegriffin) that made you happy.

It probably hurts the same way it hurt when your father left us. I wish you didn’t have to feel that pain, but I guess we all have to feel it at some point.

Instead of selling your things, why not come back home for a little while? You can stay in your room until you find a permanent place to live elsewhere.

I was hurt by you leaving Rainbow, but we all have to make our own way. I just hope that life’s road from here on is a little smoother for you.

As for me still loving you, I guess you don’t remember what I always told you.

You will do things that make me sad
You will do things that make me mad
You will do things that puzzle me
and things that I wish wouldn’t be

You will make my hair turn all gray
with the things you do everyday
and you will make me all wrinkly
a long time before I should be

But no matter the things you do
something will always be true
your mommy will always love you
because that’s what mommies do

It’s still true and it always will be.

I love you Rainbow, I hope you will reply soon,

Your Mom

Rainbow read the letter over and over again, gritting her teeth and taking deep, ragged breaths. After several minutes, she was finally able to control herself.

She knew what she had to do. She walked over to her pile of things and started packing them inside of a black military duffle bag she carried with her. She made sure to pack things evenly so that it was comfortable to carry. It would be a long flight to Cloudsdale.

Rainbow Dash: Age Twenty-Four

Part 6

The years came and went, as years tend to do. Star Shine helped Rainbow find a job on the weather team in a little place called Ponyville. It wasn’t easy at first. In fact, at first, Dash thought it flat out sucked. Rainbow got a job with the weather patrol. The hours were bad and the way wasn't that great either. There was nothing to do in Ponyville, other than practice her flying stunts. That part was okay though, because it gave her a chance to hone her skills for when she tried out for the Wonderbolts!

It wasn’t all bad though. Rainbow met up with her old friend Fluttershy, and later, some other “cool ponies” along the way. She didn’t want to admit it, but she felt twice as "cool" with them around.

Things got better as time went on. Her hours on the weather patrol got better, and eventually she was promoted to captain because of her “totally radical flying skills.” Rainbow got a nice house, made more friends, and had adventures, both wondrous and mundane. Eventually she caught a break, and a few years after she had moved to Ponyville, she achieved her dream and became a Wonderbolt.

Rainbow Dash was sitting in the dining hall in the Cloudsdale Cloud Stadium after a training session one day. She was sitting around a table in uniform with the other Wonderbolts, when there was a knock on the door. One of her teammates, a light blue pegasus stallion with dark blue hair, named Soarin, answered it. At the door was the gray pegasus that Rainbow recognized.

“Hi Ditzy, what’s up?” said Rainbow with her mouth full of salad.

With a somber look, Ditzy walked over to Rainbow and placed a letter on the table. The cyan pegasus looked at the letter and saw that it was from her mother.

“Uh, is something wrong Ditzy?” Asked Dash.

Ditzy only responded by wrapping her forelegs around Dash’s neck in a tight hug. The other ten Wonderbolts in the room watched this spectacle and were a little put off by the mailmare’s curious display of emotion.

Rainbow returned the hug and felt a cold, nagging feeling in her stomach. The wall eyed mailmare silently looked at Dash and then walked away, leaving the room as quietly as she came in. The attention of all the Wonderbolts turned to the recipient of the letter. Soarin walked over to Dash, “What was all that about?”

The cyan pegasus swallowed hard, “I don’t know, but something tells me I don’t want to know.”

Rainbow slowly opened the letter and read.

Rainbow,

Right now I am writing you from the hospital here in Cloudsdale. I passed out in the living room a couple of days ago, the neighbor came by and found me. Luckily, her and I were supposed to go shopping that afternoon. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have been found and I might not be writing this letter now.

The doctors did some tests and they found out I have lung cancer. I never smoked a day in my life, can you believe it? I wanted to write to let you know where I was on the off chance you came to Cloudsdale and didn’t find me there.

I need to stop writing because I’m starting to feel tired.

I love you so much dear, I look forward to hearing how cool your next performance will be.

Mom

Tears streamed down Dash’s face. Acid churned and tore at her gut. The bemused looks from her teammates because of the incident with the wall-eyed pony had turned to looks of worry. Soarin placed a forehoof on Rainbow’s shoulder. “What’s the matter Dash?”

“I need to go. I need to leave right now.” Rainbow quickly said.

“Rainbow, what is it?” Soarin asked in a gentle tone he reserved for Dash.

The cyan pegasus sniffed and tried to say something, but words wouldn't go past the lump in her throat. So, she showed the letter to Soarin, who quickly skimmed over it. The Wonderbolt’s green eyes watered. “Go see your mom. Our next performance isn’t for another three days and I know you have the Rainboom routine down pa, so just go. If Spitfire says anything, I’ll cover for you.”

Rainbow quickly hugged the stallion, then quickly walked out of the room and flew toward Cloudsdale Hospital.

* * * * *

Rainbow saw her mother lying back peacefully on the fluffy cloud hospital bed. A bright green mare pegasus ushered her into the room and closed the door behind her.

Dash slowly walked up to her mother, who opened her eyes when she heard the door close. The elder, dark blue mare slowly rolled over and smiled weakly at Rainbow, “Hey Dear.”

“Hi Mom,” Rainbow said softly, “Are you doing okay?”

Star Shine grinned, “Oh I’m a little tired, but your stubborn old mom is hanging in there.”

Dash swallowed, “I came as soon as I got your letter.” The young pegasus wanted to say more, but no words that conveyed the many emotions she had running through her.

“You didn’t have to come dear, I know you’re busy with training.”

“I’m never too busy to come see you ma. Besides, I know how crappy these places can be, I didn’t want you to be in here alone.”

Star Shine chuckled, “Oh, don’t worry about me, I have some books to keep me company whenever I get bored.” She motioned over to a small pile of touchy feely stories that made Rainbow want to hurl.

“Yeah, but I’m more awesome than all those boring old stories!” Rainbow said with her signature gusto.

Star nodded, “Yes you are dear. How are things with the Wonderbolts?”

“They are awesome, as always! I keep wowing the crowds with my super amazing Sonic Rainboom. During the next show, I’m going to be performing a trick where I do a Double Sonic Rainboom, followed by a Prismatic Shower. It’s never been done before, but everyone who’s watched me says I’m gonna pull it off.”

“That’s wonderful dear, I had no doubt. How are you and that Soarin’ stallion doing?”

“Mom, we do not have anything going on.” Rainbow’s smile faded.

“Is that why the last time I went to your show you talked about him for two straight hours?”

“Uhh..I was just, impressed with the tricks he pulled that day.”

Star’s sharp eyes didn’t leave her daughter’s face, “So impressed that you had to kiss him in the locker room?”

Rainbow’s face fell into a sheepish smile, “Oh...you saw that?”

“Spitfire and I did. She led me back into the locker room after your performance so I could see you. The door was cracked. Inside, we saw you and Soarin’ against those lockers. We decided you two needed some private time.” Rainbow’s mother grinned at her.

The cyan pegasus sighed, “That big idiot told me he closed the door.”

“Honey, sad to say, but as they get older, they don’t get too much smarter.”

Rainbow smirked and hoofed the floor, “Damn, well I hoped he might get just a little smarter.” Her tone was playful.

“Don’t worry,” Star Shine said with a chuckle, “stallions like that are always trainable.”

The two shared a chuckle and continued talking over the next two hours. After which, Rainbow’s mother placed a hoof on her daughter’s foreleg.

“Rainbow, I’m feeling a little sleepy. Would you mind if I took a nap?”

“No way ma, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Rainbow watched her mother roll over on her side. She was shocked to see how many gray hairs were in her mother’s orange mane. For a mare of only forty-four, she was graying a little faster than most. Then again, Rainbow remembered the trails her mother suffered. Having to hold down a full-time job and raise a rebellious daughter was hard work.

Regret made her heart twinge. She hadn’t made it any easier on her mother. Rainbow took a seat beside the hospital bed and sank into the soft cloudy padding. The pegasus looked back and realized how hard it had been to raise her. Dash chuckled and didn’t even know if she would ever have been able to raise a filly like herself.

She heard her mother roll over. Rainbow tuned and saw her mother’s smiling face as she slept, Star Shine’s stomach rose and fell rhythmically.

Dash’s heart exploded with warmth. She smiled. No matter what trials she put her mother through, no matter the pain, her mother still loved her. Her eyes looked far away and Rainbow’s mind played back the times of her youth. Suddenly a verse came to her.

She looked back at her mother with watery eyes and smiled. Rainbow gently recited the poem her mother told her time and time again, except she added her own spin to it.

I did things that made you sad
I did things that made you mad
I did things that puzzled you
and things you wished weren’t true

I made your hair turn all gray
with the things I did everyday
despite it all, you’re not yet wrinkly
even though you thought you would be

But no matter what I did
or the stupid things I said
you never, ever stopped loving me
that’s the greatest thing that’ll ever be

“I love you mom, I always will,” Rainbow smiled and felt pressure squeeze at her chest. She looked toward the door of the room, and began to reminisce on her childhood once more.

Star Shine smiled. Despite it all, her daughter grew up to be a wonderful mare.