*Two Weeks Later*

“I can’t believe that worked,” as I stepped off onto the clouds Rainbow’s house was built upon. Granted, her house was made of clouds as well, but there was just enough of a flat landing for us to touch down on.

“I told you it would work, Will!” Scoots said, kicking away the cloud she’d carried me up on. It was about the size of a beanbag chair and had felt half as stable. As I clutched the new cloudwalking amulet Twilight had given me, Scoots headbutted my hip. “You need to start trusting me more!”

“I trust you plenty, babe. I just don’t trust clouds,” I grumbled as she led the way up to the front door. Rainbow’s house was exactly what I imagine the ancient Greeks’ houses would have looked like if they could have made them out of clouds. Swooping curls and spirals, columns everywhere, and like Cloudsdale she even had rainbows falling like waterfalls among the different levels where it dissipated into the air.

Though I’d seen her home several times before –there’s almost nowhere in Ponyville you can’t see it– I’d never been inside. This was a special occasion, though, so we didn’t feel bad asking Twilight for another cloudwalking enchantment.

While I’d been appreciating the architecture, Scoots had gone on ahead and let herself inside, so I hurried to catch up. Instead of leading into a living room like most peoples’ house would, Rainbow’s seemed to lead straight into a show room. Trophies, medals and statuettes lined shelves on the walls amidst posters and pennants and other Wonderbolts paraphernalia.

“Yo, Rainbow! You here?” Scoots called out while leaning over the railing on the stairs leading up to the second floor.

“Yeah! Be down in a sec!” came Rainbow’s voice back from upstairs.

Scoots nodded to herself and turned back towards the room. She clicked her tongue in thought as she trotted back over to me and leaned against my leg. In return, I reached down to scratch behind her ear and she hummed in delight.

It didn’t take long for Rainbow to blaze down the stairs. Part of me wondered why she even had them as I doubted she’d ever even used them. She landed in a small puff of cloud before us, a loaded pair of saddlebags on her back. She huffed as she laid them down next to her.

“Hey guys,” she said, hoofbumping both of us in turn. “Thanks for coming.”

“Like we weren’t going to see you off!” I said. “Not every day somepony leaves to go fulfill their dreams.”

Rainbow smirked and gave a weak laugh. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“You’re gonna be great, Rainbow Dash!” Scoots cheered. “You have to tell us when your first show is so we can be there!”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” I agreed.

Rainbow’s smirk grew a little warmer and she nodded. “Yeah. Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“So, need any help getting packed or are you all set?” I asked.

“Nah, I pretty much got everything,” Rainbow said, kicking her bag. “But I, uh… wanted to ask you both a favor, if you don’t mind?”

“Of course not,” I said. “What is it?”

“Scoots, could you… take care of Tank while I’m gone?” she asked, gesturing to one side. I followed her gaze to see what looked like a cat bed tucked to one side of the room with a large green turtle shell sticking out the top. “I was going to have Fluttershy do it, but I wanted… I thought he might like… I know you can do it. Do you mind? And Will, would you help her out?”

In a flash, Scoots threw her forelegs around Rainbow’s neck. “Of course I will! I promise, Rainbow Dash, I won’t let you down! I’ll take the best care of him!”

“We both will,” I chipped in.

Scoots trotted off towards Tank as Rainbow raised an eyebrow at me. “I appreciate it, but… ‘you both will?’”

I let out an embarrassed chuckle and crouched down so that we were a little closer. Dropping my voice so that it wouldn't carry to Scoots who was chatting happily with Tank, I said, “Scoots will be eighteen in two weeks.”

“Yeah. I promise I’ll be back for the party.”

“We know. But two months after that she’ll be graduating. I told her if she wanted to… she could move in with me afterward. She said yes.”

“Moving in together already?” Rainbow asked cautiously. “Isn’t that a bit fast?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, probably. But if there’s one thing I know, it’s that I’m tired of being passive. I’m not letting the things I want slip me by anymore.”

She smiled mockingly like I’d just done something silly. With a little laugh, she leaned forward and bumped her forehead against mine. “Just don’t beat yourself up anymore, alright?” she whispered.

“I won’t if you won’t.”

She laughed again, a little louder than before. “Yeah, I’ll try not to. Hey, listen… you’re my best friend, okay? But don’t tell any of the girls I said that. They’ll get all jealous.”

She lifted a hoof, expecting another bump, but instead I grabbed it. Then, hand and hoof still clasped between us, I pulled her into a hug.

“You’re my best friend, too. And I’ll never let anything come between us like that ever again.”

She let out an amused sigh right into my ear but returned the hug full-force. Before she pulled away, she placed her lips on my cheek. I hadn’t felt her kiss in ages. Even when we were sleeping together, she’d never been overly fond of it. But spurred by the sudden affection, so long deprived of it I’d been, I returned one to the top of her head, relishing in the smell of ozone and fresh rain hanging about her mane.

“Ah-hem.”

We both jumped apart when Scoots cleared her throat, but to my relief she was grinning knowingly. She sidled up to us and stopped to nuzzle Rainbow before leaning against my side. “It’s not gonna be the same without you.”

“Aww, c’mon Squirt, what’d I say about those waterworks? It’s all gonna be fine! I’ll be off having fun with the ‘Bolts and you two will have each other!”

“Y-yeah…” Scoots said, hanging her head.

“Oh, c’mere,” Rainbow said, pulling them into a hug. “Look, can you do me another favor? Will has the tendency to laze about and not do anything fun if you don’t make him. So make sure he gets out every now and then, alright? Take care of him for me.”

Despite herself, Scoots giggled. “Alright. I promise!”

“Good! So buck up!” With her signature cocky grin, Rainbow backed away and tapped Scoots on the chin with her wingtip. Then she picked up her bag and shouldered it once again.

Soon enough we were all outside once again; Scoots and I by the cloud I’d rode up on with Tank whirring nearby with his helicopter thing while Rainbow stared off into the distance.

“Guess this is it,” I said.

In return, Rainbow only shrugged. As she stood there before us, her wind-ruffled mane flowing in the breeze and the sun shining around her like a golden halo, I didn’t feel sad. I knew I’d miss her, yes, but she was off to better things. Off to do exactly what she was meant to do. Fly high and fast while the adoring cheers of her fans sounded around her. And though she was flying out of my life, I knew it wasn’t forever.

So what need had I to be sad?

Instead I grinned.

“Catch you later, Rainbow.”

Then she turned that cocky grin on me and for the first time it wasn’t an act. No trace of bravado or the façade she so dearly loved to put up. It was her in her most bare, most unmasked. It was like seeing her for the first time.

“Catch you later, Will. Squirt.”

And with only a single wave of her hoof she took off and was gone once again. My little rainbow, coming and going as the moment demanded. It may not have been perfect, but it was exactly as things were meant to be.

As Scoots shouted her goodbyes to the winds, I patted Tank’s shell and watched Rainbow disappear into the distance.

A home. Friends. Love. Maybe even my family one day. I had all these things and more now.

And in that, I had everything.

Because finally, the storm had passed, and I had found my rainbow.

Author's Note

That's it, folks. It's been a long ride, but it's finally come to a close. I only have one last thing to say.

Thank you all so much. I couldn't have done this without you.