What a night...

Sitting up in bed, I let out one of the longest yawns I'd ever produced in my life. I groggily scratched my mane, listening intently to the faucet of the shower turning on.

It had been one week since we'd sent Rainbow Dash home to recover from her operation. Thankfully, it'd been a fairly uneventful seven days for Ponyville. We had received some ponies seeking refuge, but Aj was able to welcome them in Rainbow's stead. Other than that, there wasn't anything worth mentioning.

Today, though? Today was the day we'd been waiting for. It was the reason Twilight and I had celebrated so... vigorously last night.

That's why you're so, I yawned again, possibly somehow longer this time. Tired now. I tossed the blanket off of myself, standing to my hooves and lumbering over to the restroom, only half-awake.

Today, Twilight and I would find out if the Hard-light had taken to Rainbow's internal systems. Since we hadn't heard anything from the pegasus, I was confident everything was going smoothly, but getting to verify her condition meant we could move forward with the process.

We might even be able to branch out.

If Rainbow was fast enough to go beyond our borders we might be able to check on the rest of Equestria, and that means we might be able to help more creatures.

I pushed the door to the restroom open, treading as softly as I could as I moved towards the shower. Last night may have been magical... but I was more than ready for round two. And besides, it would save time.

It's just a coincidence I get to have more... fun with Twilight.

I jerked the curtain open, the sight that met me causing my mouth to water.

"Mind if I... join you?" I had to wipe some saliva from my chin.

"What do you mean, Star?" she asked me, a devious grin on her lips. "I was waiting for you." She grabbed me roughly, pulling me into the shower and locking her lips with mine.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Think she's excited?" I asked Twilight as the two of us stared at the doors of the lab. After our fun, we'd finished washing up and ate a small meal before coming directly to the lab.

We'd told Rainbow to come first thing in the "morning" -- kind of just a formality considering it was always night -- so knowing her and her sleep schedule, she'd arrive sometime around noon. It was already approaching ten so needless to say, I was getting a little restless.

"Not as excited as you," she chuckled as she prodded me in the side with a hoof. She wasn't wrong. I was practically vibrating with anticipation. She must've noticed my giddiness because she drew much closer. "You're way too stimulated still, Star," she whispered into my ear, her suddenly husky voice sending shivers down my spine. "Maybe we should've played with each other a little longer..."

I turned to face my love, kissing her with all of the passion I had on our first night together. Even after all this time, none of those feelings had waned at all. To be perfectly honest, they'd only grown since then.

She was looking especially dazzling today, her mane and tail brushed and styled much better than usual. Even her eyes were only a little bloodshot today, probably due to the few hours of rest we'd gotten after our bedroom antics.

"Don't tempt me, Twilight," I said after we separated, unable to wipe the satisfied grin from my face. "I'll drag you back to our room right now and forget all about everything else we have planned today."

"You know we can't do that," she pecked me lightly on the lips. "Not to-"

The doors of the lab slid open, a chipper looking Applejack trotting in with an exuberant smile on her face. "Howdy, gals. It's uh fine mornin' tuhday, dontcha think?"

"Good morning Aj! / Morning Applejack!" Twilight and I greeted the orange earth pony with just as much gusto as the farm mare.

"Uhhhh, hold on uh sec," a dark crimson blush spread across her cheeks. "Ah know them looks. Rares gives em to me all thuh time," she pointed a hoof at us. "Ah didn't interrupt anythin' did ah?"

Twilight and I looked at each other knowingly. We were still holding each other, so it would be easy for anypony to come to the same conclusion Applejack had.

"No. No," Twilight smiled at the earth pony. "We were just talking," she laid a hoof on my thigh. I smiled at her, knowing exactly what she wanted and delivering immediately.

"Speaking of your better half," I scooted away from my wife to speak to our friend. "Where is Rarity? Did she decide to sleep in?"

"Nah, y'all know Rares. She's almost as dedicated as thuh two of y'all," she shrugged while shaking her head. "She wanted tuh come too, but duty calls, y'know?"

"Yeah, I most definitely do," I looked at my lovely Twi, a sad smile on my face. She noticed my state quickly, gently stroking my cheek with a hoof and offering me a sympathetic smile.

"So Dash ain't here yet?" Applejack took a seat next to the operating table after glancing at The clock hanging on the wall. She was in prime position to be next to the cyan pegasus... when she finally got here.

"Did you honestly think she would be?" Twilight laughed. "I doubt she'll be here for another two ho-"

Once again the doors slid open. Once again a mare coming through with a smile on her face.

"R-RAINBOW DASH!? / RAINBOW!?" Twilight and I shouted, both gawking at our friend with mouths hanging wide open.

"Hey girls!" she smirked at the two of us. "Yo Aj! Didn't expect you to be here too." She was clearly in high spirits, but the fact that she was actually here early -- or at least, early for her -- was why I, and I assume Twilight, was so surprised.

"Hey, Dash! Glad tuh see yer so chipper tuhday!" Applejack clopped her hoof with Rainbow's before she smiled our way. "Bet y'all didn't think she was takin' this stuff serious, huh?"

"Has she ever taken anything seriously?" Twilight shrugged, a cocky grin coming to her face.

"Fair point," Applejack conceded.

"I'm standing right here," Rainbow shoved the orange mare playfully. "And I take lots of things serious," she pointed an accusing hoof at Twilight, though it was given with a smile on her face. "Like taking care of you nerds."

"And we love you for it, Dash," my beloved smiled back with all her heart as she waved her over. "C'mon, let's get you up and flying."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"This is... insane, Star," Twilight pointed at the screen that had the results of her scan. Rainbow was lying on her side on the operating table, a small machine clinging to her withers. With the device, we were able to see just how much the Hard-light had altered the pegasus' internals.

"I can't believe it..." I gaped at the monitor, just as dumbfounded as my significant other.

"Y'all mind fillin' us in?" Applejack sounded like she was trying to hide her concern. It was apparent she was having trouble doing so. She was sitting in front of the cyan pegasus, her stetson on her best friend's head.

The Hard-light had taken to her body better than even I thought possible. While I'd expected a slow adaptation -- that she might be able to unfurl her wings in a few months -- the exam was showing she could possibly be ready to fly this very moment.

"What are you thinking?" Twilight had drawn close, whispering to me.

"I don't know what to think..." I answered honestly, whispering back. I still stared at the flickering screen, trying to make heads or tails of what I was looking at. "Twilight... could this... could this actually be possible?"

"From what we're looking at..." she grinned and kissed me on the cheek. "I'd say anything is possible for you, Star."

I felt tears stinging at the corners of my eyes, my jaw trembling slightly. "Twilight... I love you so-"

"Uhm, girls? Not gonna lie, you're kind of freaking me out here." Rainbow couldn't move due to the machine attached to her back, but she could voice her concerns. "I'd really appreciate it if one of you could fill me in on what's going on."

"S-sorry, Rainbow!" Twilight and I both reached for the switch to shut off the monitor at the same time. We shared a slight giggle before I moved to detach the machinery from the pegasus.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"So! We've got some good news and..." Twilight was glowing, but as soon as she saw the flushing of Rainbow and Applejack's complexions she decided an off color joke wouldn't be appropriate. "Well, honestly we only have good news."

The visible relief on both our friends' faces that information brought was equal parts funny and sweet.

The four of us had moved to another part of the castle once the examination was over. To be more specific, to the main hall where the Cutie Map was still kept to this day. It was a useless relic, no longer serving the purpose it once had, but I think Twilight decided to keep it around as a reminder.

A reminder of what we once were. Of what we once represented. We couldn't forget that. We could never forget that. We had to remember. We had to return Equestria to what it once was.

We have to... and it all starts with...

"Rainbow," I smiled brightly at the blue pegasus sitting on her throne. "Everything is looking better than we initially expected."

"R-REALLY!?" Both her and Applejack lit up, the mares faces reminiscent of the star we'd long lost.

"Much better," Twilight grinned. "In fact, Star and I wanted to... test something." Rainbow looked hesitant, her head tilting slightly.

"Something like what?" she asked with a raised brow, her hesitation clear on her face. Twilight and I looked at each other, nodding in agreement before turning back to the cyan mare.

"We want to see if you could..." I wasn't sure what the correct term to use was. Probably cause there was no term for it yet. "energize your wings."

"Ener... gize?" she was confused.

"Let's... move over here." I got off my throne, walking over to the less cluttered part of the room. Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack followed suit, trotting up behind me. While my love and I gave the pegasus a wide berth, Applejack stood right next to her. "You're... probably gonna need to give her a bit more room than that, Applejack."

"OH! Heck, ah'm sorry, Starlight!" she shuffled away from the mare, standing behind Rainbow and next to Twilight.

"Don't worry about it," I chuckled. "I just don't want you to lose an eye... oooor your head."

"Mah head!?" Applejack rubbed her neck with a hoof.

"You serious, Starlight?" Rainbow cocked an eyebrow, a look of doubt on her face.

"Serious as a heart attack," I nodded. "As I'm sure you're aware, your wings are completely gone." I walked up next to the pegasus.

"Doesn't take a Light to see that," Rainbow sighed, staring longingly at her withers.

"You still call us that, Dash?" Twilight giggled.

Rainbow shrugged. "It's what you two are."

"Dang right," Applejack agreed with a firm nod of her head. Twilight's smile grew, as did my own.

"Right, so, these..." I pointed a hoof at the two round pieces of Hard-light on Rainbow's back. Each was about three inches in diameter and had a glossy, flat surface. "are light absorbing panels."

"Light absorbing?" Rainbow rolled her shoulders. "So do I have to charge myself or something?"

"Generally, no," I shook my head. "They're working all the time, even now. They'll absorb any kind of light. So stuff like that," I pointed up at the lights on the ceiling. "or moonlight, or even light from something as small as a candle will help fuel the Hard-light inside of you."

"So I just..." she stared at the lights above, a frown on her face. "stand under them, or..."

"Not exactly," I shook my head before explaining further. "The sensors are very... sensitive," I tapped one with a hoof, a light tinging sound coming from it. "You should have enough juice to last for a few weeks... depending on how much energy you decide to use."

"How much I..." she placed a hoof against her head, glaring at me with displeased eyes. "I gotta be honest here, Starlight, I'm not understanding a word you're saying."

"Sorry, Dash." I couldn't help but laugh a little. Not at my friend but at the fact that I always had trouble explaining more complex things to anyone other than Twilight. "I'll try to keep it simple. First, your body is always taking in light from any source that is in view of your sensors. Second, you use that energy to power your wings. Third, the more energy you use when powering your wings, the faster your reserves will run dry."

"That... sounds easy enough. But-" I raised a hoof to cut her off.

"The Hard-light is connected to the same chip in your brain, so you manipulate it with your thoughts." I tapped her temple gently with a hoof. "It'll probably feel a little strange at first, only using your thoughts to control your wings, but I'm confident someone as talented as you will get used to it quick."

"Haven't I always thought to control my wings?" she scrunched up her face.

"Yes and no." Twilight interjected, drawing her gaze.

"I thought you said you were gonna keep things simple," Rainbow scowled at the purple alicorn. Twilight shrugged, a slight smirk on her face.

"Think of it like this, Dash. You're breathing, right?" I took back the cyan mare's focus.

"Uhhh, duh?" she looked at me as if I was an idiot. "I'd be dead if I wasn't, Starlight."

"And do you typically think of breathing when you're doing it?" I asked, raising a mocking eyebrow.

She glared at me, thoroughly annoyed by my employment of logic."... No, I guess I don't."

"Bet you are now though," my wife chuckled.

"Ah think we all are now," Applejack groaned. "Such uh dumb lil trick."

"It won't ever be like that with your wings, Rainbow," I placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Your breathing is regulated by your involuntary nervous system. Your wings couldn't be linked to that system, they're connected to the chip that controls all of your tech, like your vision."

"So then-"

"So then you'll have to consciously think whenever you want to manipulate them," Twilight filled in the blanks for me. "It won't be that hard, but stuff like fighting will probably be a bit... different."

"And that's why ah'm here," Applejack grinned.

"I figured," Twilight smiled as well, wrapping her forelegs around Aj's neck and pulling her into a hug.

"If that's the case, then I want to start practicing as soon as I can!" Dash declared with so much confidence she nearly shoved me away. "Oops. Sorry, Star."

"Don't worry about it, you're gonna need the space anyway," I walked several more paces away from her. "Can you please close your eyes, Dash."

"For what?" she asked defiantly, a grimace coming to her face.

"We're gonna see if you can manifest your wings," I answered. As soon as I was done speaking, she'd already shut her eyes tightly, a slight smirk coming to her muzzle.

"You're gonna have to be real careful, Rainbow. We waited a week for your body to recover, but we also delayed so you'd have an acceptable amount of light." Twilight had let go of Aj and was moving into position to get a better vantage point. "You have to control how much energy you're going to use. Preferably not too much or you might end up... uhm..."

"Killing us," I finished the sentence my love couldn't.

"WHAT!?" Rainbow's eyes shot open. Applejack took a cautious step away from the pegasus.

"You've got a massive amount of energy stored inside of you," I said. "The only way it'll come out is if you use it for your wings, or if it becomes... too much for your body to handle."

"Too... much?" she looked at me incredulously before looking at her own chest.

"Trust me, it should never get that bad," I waved my hooves in front of myself in an effort to placate the mare. "You'd have to store energy for years without using any of it."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Okay... so how do I do this?" Her panic was quickly replaced by that same determination she usually possessed.

"You just have to think of unfurling your wings," I replied. "I suggest you close your eyes so you can completely focus on the task. Outside stimuli can influence your thoughts, so it's probably best... not to chance it."

"Alright," she shut her eyes again, taking a deep breath before relaxing her posture. "Get ready to h-have your minds blown," she stated, but there was clearly doubt in her voice as she lowered her head.

The silence that filled the room as she began to concentrate was so thick a pin dropping to the floor would sound like a cannon blast.

...

As soon as Rainbow lifted her head a network of light flowed outward from her withers.

Like a collection of Hearth's Warming lights decorating a home, at first the Hard-light was simply speckles of multicolored sparks hovering above her. Almost instantly, the dots were connected by solid Hard-light, a mixture of different colors, obviously due to the absorption of light from so many different sources.

The wings themselves were sharp and edged, dangerous enough to cut through almost any material.

She must be thinking of her more recent pair.

If she'd wanted, they would've taken the form of her normal wings. That not being the case, what she really wanted must've been the upgraded version Twilight and I had made for her. And she must have wanted them to be a bit larger because currently they were almost triple the size of her body. The luminescence of her new appendages was almost too much to take, the spectrum of colors forcing me to shield my eyes.

Well, she can change them whenever she wants.

I smiled at Twilight, her eyes twinkling in appreciation of our success. Applejack was stunned, her own mouth agape.

"Am I... am I doing it?" Rainbow's eyes were still closed tight.

"Yer doin' sumthin mighty impressive!'" said Aj.

"You're doing great, Dash. Jus-" As I slowly approached the cyan mare something truly strange occured.

Her mane and tail began shimmering, countless twinkling stars appearing all over both.

She almost looks like-

"S-Star... what's going on?" Twilight was just as stunned as I was, her eyes never leaving the pegasus.

"It must be a side effect of releasing so much light," I replied, though it was just as much directed toward myself as at the purple alicorn.

"Can I... can I open my eyes?" Rainbow rightfully asked.

"Go ahead. Just don't freak out, okay?" I advised. Just because she was currently in control didn't mean she couldn't flip out and cause a horrible accident.

Her reaction upon seeing her new form was priceless, like a foal's on their first birthday getting the best present ever. I walked up next to her, gently closing her mouth for her with my hoof.

"Cool, aren't they?" I smiled.

"Lookin' good, Dash!" Applejack joined us, but kept a few paces between herself and Rainbow Dash's massive wings.

"How are you feeling?" Twilight got much closer than our orange friend.

Rainbow Dash was positively glowing, her smile lighting up the room even moreso than her wings, mane, or tail. "Honestly, Twilight?" she laughed. "I'm feeling amazing!"

Author's Note

Someone's reading this. Lol. I sure hope so.