Author's Note

Chapter. Woo! It came along slow, but once it got going it was pretty fast. So yay!

Enjoy the chapter!

Till Further Notice

Rainbow Dash made it through the hallway, and into her room again before she broke. She curled up on her bed and started to cry. Thing was, she didn’t know why she was crying. Although she wanted to know the reason, another part of her dismissed it. Foals cried all the time for all sorts of reasons, sometimes even for no reason. She just laid there and cried.

Spitfire came over to her foal and curled around her. She stroked her mane with one hoof and patted her back with the other. “Shhh baby bolt. It’s okay. He won’t be able to hurt you anymore, I promise.” She soothed. Rainbow didn’t reply, just feeling her Mama’s presence by her was a relief. She rolled onto her other side and snuggled into her Mama. She felt safe. At last.

It took a while, but eventually she calmed down, and the sobs were reduced to occasional sniffling.

“There we go. That’s better.” Spitfire cooed. “Just let it all go.” There was a faint hissing sound, and Spitfire knew what that meant. She blinked. “Not what I meant, but alright. Let’s get you cleaned up, bug.” She was about to get up, but Rainbow whined and pulled her back down.

“Stay, Mama.” She whined.

“Don’t you want a change, baby? You don’t wanna get a diaper rash, do you?”

“Dun wan diapee wash, Mama. Buh I dun wan changie yet. Jus wan howd me.” It was a whine. Spitfire melted under her sad gaze.

“Okay, little one. But not too long, okay? Mama doesn’t want you to have a rash.” She went back to hugging her.

“‘Kay, Mama.” She replied, cheerfully. A few minutes passed, and Rainbow was happy. Her diaper began to cool, going from warm and comforting to cold and clammy. The second she started squirming, Spitfire was up and moving, despite Rainbow’s whines of protest. Spitfire hushed her and got up, pulling the duffel bag (or, she supposed, diaper bag) out from the bed. She pulled out changing supplies and made short work of changing her. When she was done, she smiled at her. “There we go. All nice and snug, ready for some bonding time with Mama.” She cooed. Rainbow giggled as Mama threw out the used diaper, and then got back into the bag. She cocked her head curiously as Mama pulled something out of it, then hid it behind her back.

“Baby Bolt, Mama has a surprise for you.” She said in a sing-song voice. Rainbow’s eyes lit up.

“Wha? Wha is it, Mama?” She asked.

Spitfire grinned and pulled a Daring Do plushie from behind her back. Rainbow squealed delightedly and pulled the doll into her hooves, clutching it to her chest. Spitfire laughed a little.

“I couldn’t let my little filly be without her best friend!”

“Whewe ou get hew?” Rainbow asked.

“Mama did a little shopping after her interview yesterday. I went back to the grounds after and put her in the duffel bag. It must have been before…” She paused, then shook it off. “Anyways, I just wanted you to have a friend. I was saving her as a surprise for you. I wanted to wait until all the tests were done to give her to you, so you two had time to play.”

Rainbow flung her hooves around her. “Tank ou Mama.” She said.

“You’re welcome.” She said.

Just then, Soarin and Thunderlane entered, as Celestia’s guards had taken off. Supposedly because Celestia had returned from Tartarus and they had to go serve her. With them gone, the two Wonderbolts knew Wind Rider was out of there, and that their little sister was safe.

Rainbow squealed at the sight of them. “Bwodews!” She cheered.

“Hey little bit!” Said Soarin.

“‘Sup, mini mare?” Asked Thunderlane.

Rainbow held up her doll. “Wook! Mama gabe me Dawin’ Do! She my bestest fwiend!”

Soarin pouted dramatically. “Really? She’s your best friend? Not me? Or Thunderlane?”

Rainbow giggled. “No, siwwy! Ou bwodews. Dat bettew.” She explained.

Soarin smiled. “I see.”

Thunderlane was quick to butt in. “So, that’s Daring Do, huh?” Rainbow nodded. “Well, what adventures have you gone on together?” He asked. He used to read the series to his little brother when he was younger and liked stories.

Rainbow babbled excitedly about what they had done together, including the temple that she had gone to with her friends. Thunderlane and Soarin listened as she jabbered on, and found themselves smiling at her joy, her creativity. When she finished, Soarin spoke.

“That’s really cool, little bit.”

Thunderlane asked, “Think she could take us on an adventure right here?”

Rainbow giggled. “Siwwy Bubba! She can do anyfing!” She declared.

“Alright then, where are we going?” He asked.

Rainbow looked contemplative. Then, “We goin’ to da fowest!”

“Really?” Asked Soarin. “What’s there?”

She put the Plushie to her ear like she was talking to her. Then, She nodded. “Dewe’s a tweasuwe dewe!” She said. “Dawin’ says we gotsa fin’ it. ’S in da cave.”

“We better get going, then.” Said Thunderlane.

“Yeah!” She turned to Spitfire. “Ya comin’ Mama?”

“I wouldn’t miss it, bug.” She smiled.

“Wet’s go!” Rainbow cheered, and began the journey into the forest. The four Wonderbolts and their plush leader trekked through brambles and thickets, vines and leaves. They ducked between branches, and finally reached the cave. Daring Do lit the way through the cave, leading them on their dangerous quest. The cave seemed to go on forever. But finally, it split into two paths.

“Which way do we go?” Asked Soarin.

Daring Do spoke up. “Let’s go left. It’s too dangerous to split up.”

“Right.” They all chorused. The Pegasi were all flying. Occasionally, They were hit by a few rocks or falling debris, but otherwise, it was peaceful. But then, everything began to shake.

“The cave is collapsing!” Exclaimed Daring.

“Everypony fly!” Spitfire ordered.

They started trying to fly low, dodging rocks as they fell. However, one caught Rainbow right on the wing.

“Rainbow Dash!” Called Thunderlane. Everypony turned to her.

“Go on without me! Save yourselves!” She said.

Spitfire, Soarin, Daring, and Thunderlane went over to her.

“No pony gets left behind.” Said Spitfire. They all pushed it off of her together, and Spitfire helped Rainbow onto her back. They all ran together, and finally huddled into a nearby hole. The rocks crashed down, and then it was quiet. They poked their heads out of the hole, and saw rocks blocking their path.

“How do we get out?” Asked Soarin.

“I don’t know.” Said Spitfire.

“Hey guys, I think there’s another hole here.” Said Thunderlane. He started digging with his hooves, and everypony else joined in. Soon, the hole was big enough to fit through, and they each made their way in. There, stood the treasure.

“We found it!” Rainbow cheered.

Daring pulled the chest into her hooves. “Now all we have to do is find our way out.”

“Follow the trail.” Suggested Spitfire. Daring nodded.

“Good idea.”

They followed the cave’s trail in the opposite direction, following it diagonally, and then found it straightened out. When they looked back, they realized that they were on the other side of the fork they had gone through. They followed it, until at last, they saw daylight. Finally, when they made it out, they cheered.

“We did it!” Exclaimed Rainbow Dash from atop Spitfire’s back.

They all chuckled. “Yes we did, yes we did.” Said Spitfire.

“Thanks, Daring.” Said Rainbow.

“Anytime.” She replied.

Back in the hospital room, they were all chuckling.

“That was pretty fun.” Said Soarin.

“I’ll say. Haven’t done that in years.” Thunderlane added.

“How was it for you, baby bolt?” Asked Spitfire.

Rainbow responded by wrapping them all in a group hug.

“I wuv dis famiwy.”

The moment was broken when the door opened, and Fleetfoot and the rest of The Wonderbolts came in.