My Little Pony: An Unexpected Return

"Moonshadow! Where are you?!" Rainbow Dash cried as she flew through the streets of Cloudsdale. How do you lose an alicorn with dragon wings and a boomerang horn? she thought, looking around her.

"Okay, think," she mumbled to herself. "If I was Moonshadow, where would I - "

Suddenly, she heard laughter behind her, then a voice that said, "Oh, there she is. I told you I'd find her. Hey, Rainbow Dash!"

The pegasus turned to see Moonshadow flying alongside another pegasus, one who just so happened to be another of her friends.

"Flash? What are you doing here?" Rainbow asked, gliding up to them.

"Well, I originally came here to see you," Flash Magnus said, smirking. "I was at Canterlot when I heard you were gonna be here, so I thought it would be nice to visit you. I went to the track to see if you were there, but then I heard a bloodcurdling scream come from the runway. Landing, I was shocked - yet pleased - to see Moonshadow, alongside Fleetfoot and Spitfire."

"Oh, so you already met two of the Wonderbolts, huh?"

"Wait, WHAT?!?" Moonshadow cried, looking at her in horror. "Those...were WONDERBOLTS?!?"

"Um...yeah? What's wrong with that?"

"They're one of the strongest military forces Equestria has ever known. Now there... SHOW PONIES?!"

Flash laughed, then slugged his friend's shoulder. "Things have changed quite a bit since we were last here, Moonshadow."

"Guess he already told you his story?" Rainbow asked, looking at him.

"Yeah, we had the time to spare while trying to find you." He looked at Moonshadow again and laughed. "I can't believe you're back! We gotta tell the others!"

"The others? Are they here?" The dragon-pony cried in joy, looking around, then slapped his head. "Oh. Right. We're on clouds...can't be up here."

"Bingo." The two stallions cracked up again.

"Come on, fellas," Rainbow Dash said, putting her hooves around the two ponies, blushing as she did for Moonshadow. "Let's continue this conversation over lunch."

...

"So you knew the Pillars when you were in Equestria the first time, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked as she sipped her milkshake.

"Knew them? I was practically one of them, I fought alongside them so much!" Moonshadow guffawed, biting into his sapphire.

"You got that right, Meteor," Flash agreed, then looked at a confused Rainbow. "Do you want me to explain? Or do you want to find out for yourself?"

As Rainbow flushed, the two stallions couldn't help but laugh. Soon, however, the blue pegasus couldn't help but join in.

"You know what, why not? I got the time," she said, still chuckling.

"Well, it all started when we got word of a new creature in the very heart of Canterlot," Flash started. "This said 'creature' turned out to be Moonshadow. He looked as shocked as we felt, but we soon became acquainted, and after seeing his abilities, we asked him if he wanted to join us.

"Although he turned down the offer - he had just became the Commander of the Royal Guard at the time - wait..." Flash stopped when he noticed Rainbow staring at Moonshadow in shock. "You didn't know he was Commander?"

"N-No.. I didn't."

"Still Commander, Flash," Moonshadow said, grinning. "Please continue."

"Alright. Even though he turned down the offer, he requested that we ask for his assistance when needed - and to come visit often. We agreed, all sharing a good laugh, then we departed ways.

"We came to visit him at least once a month, the whole day filled with stories, fun, and nothing but laughter." The orange pegasus sighed, remembering the days they spent together, then looked at the dragon-pony seriously. "That confirms it. We are definitely meeting back up."

"But first, how about a race?" The two stallions turned to look at Rainbow Dash slyly. "I've been trying to challenge you to a race for a while now, but this was the only time to actually do so."

Moonshadow looked at Flash, who shrugged and grinned, then looked back at Rainbow Dash. "You. Want to race. Me?"

"Well, yeah. I saw how fast you launched this morning. You're clearly a challenge if I plan on holding the 'fastest pegasus' title in Equestria."

"Oh, really? Why do you say that?"

"I'm the only living pegasus who can successfully pull off a Sonic Rainboom. What can you do?"

"I can move so fast I can smash into a mountain and have it explode on impact, for starters."

Rainbow Dash laughed, but stopped when she noticed Moonshadow's face remaining the same. 'You're - You're serious?"

"Very much so. There used to be a giant mountain of black crystal surrounding the Crystal Empire, back when Sombra ruled. I flew into it as fast as I could, causing a massive explosion as the shards flew everywhere. You can ask Celestia or Mom - or even Lazuli, now that you think about it - if you don't believe me."

"Oh..." Rainbow Dash coughed, then grinned. "Still not backing down, though."

Moonshadow sighed. "Fine. Because you asked so kindly, I will accept you're challenge and race you."

Rainbow Dash quickly said, "I need to go to the bathroom," before speeding to the mare's restroom and beginning to blush furiously. He said yes, she thought giddily. HE SAID YES!!! she giggled and looked at herself in the mirror - her flushed face, her lively eyes. Is this what love feels like?

She took a deep breath, then sighed as she stepped out of the bathroom to hear Flash laughing and say to Moonshadow, "looks like you got a race going on, buddy."

Oh, you got that right, Flash, Rainbow thought as she began to blush again.