//-------------------------------------------------------// Red Nose and a Rainbow -by spoonlol- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1 Red Nose and a Rainbow By Spoonlol Winter time had come to Ponyville. The snow fell on every rooftop, bench, trees and pretty much everywhere you could think of. The foals of the small town were making the most of it having snowball fights, making snow ponies, and somehow snails had gotten his tongue stuck on one of the lampposts just outside of the School. It was the last day of term before the children of Ponyville broke off for hearth's warming eve. So many of them just wanted the day to end, especially three curtain fillies, who I think you all know very well. “So, what kind of stuff should we do to get our cutie marks this winter?” said the orange Pegasus. Winter only came once a year and even then there usually wasn't this much snow, so they wanted to be ready for when the holiday started. All three fillies put their hoofs on their chins in great thought. What were they going to do? “O, how about sledding or skiing....” “Or knitting?” Sweetie Bell burst out, the other two cutie mark crusaders just stared at her, with faces that were a cross between confusion and a dumbfounded look. “What, I like knitting.” She protested “I know. How about snowball fighting.” Applebloom suggested “That could be fun.” “Great idea” Scootaloo replied picking up a hoof full of snow, with a bit of a crunching sound while she rolled it into the size of a tennis ball. “Watch this.” She threw it with all her might, although she forgot to aim the dam thing. It was heading straight for the door, which just so happened to open at that very second by miss Cheerilee. The ball of snow hit her in the left eye, causing all of her students to stare. She had that grumpy look on her face when you know you've gone too far in pulling a prank or cheating on a test. Are well, it was going to happen sooner or later, she thought to herself, giving her students one for her loving smiles. Although inside she just wanted to pick up the filly or colt that did that to her and kick them right to the moon. “Alright my little ponies, everyone indoors or the final couple of hours of the day.” she called to them with a sing song voice. “I must say that winter is my o so favorite time of the year” Rarity and Applejack had gone to the school yard to pick up Applebloom and Sweetie Belle from school. The two had decided to have some idle chit chat while they waited for their younger siblings. They weren't the only ones there our course. There was Filthy Rich, Derpy, Blossomforth, most likely there to pick up her brother Featherweight. In fact, it looked like every parent or sibling was there to pick up one or more of the children. “Na, I always preferred the summer, that’s just after we finish applebuck season. So me and the rest of the Apples have all the time to ourselves before we have to start bucking again” Applejack said adjusting her winter scarf, that Rarity had o so kindly gave her, for a price of 4 bits. “Well, I've always enjoy winter because of how beautiful it makes every look. It reminds me of the palace at the crystal empire.” “Yeah. And you don’t love winter just for that fact that everypony have to buy winter clothes from you, and that this is the best time for your business.” Applejack said, giving Rarity a cheesy look. “Well that may have something to do with it.” Rarity nervously giggled brushing her hoof along the bottom of her mane. Just them a purple unicorn, who seemed to be in a bit of a huff was trotting past, making a heavy clopping sound on the cobblestone beneath her hooves. AJ and Rarity knew their friend Twilight and she didn't seem to be in an angry mood, but more of a frustrated mood that they usually see when she’s got somethings on her mind that she can’t seem to fix. “Twilight, darling” Rarity called out getting the attention of her friend. “What’s the matter dear?” “You look like you pulled your tail off and can’t remember where you put it.” AJ added, giving Twilight a concerned look, while Twilight just looked at the ground. “O, it’s nothing. I just...” There was a small pause while twilight tried to bring up the courage to tell them what she had just done. “I just told Spike, that... You know, that thing you tell kids when they're old enough to understand.” She looked up with an expression of shame on her face, which court her two friends off guard. “Are, don’t worry about it Twi. We all have to go through that time when we have to tell our children, or in m’a case my younger sister about what happens to them when they grow up.” Applejack explained with a welcoming smile. Twilight seemed like she was going to protest to something before Rarity came in and said. “Indeed I do agree with Applejack but don’t you think Spike is a little young for that sort of thing?” Rarity intruded with a new look of concern on her face. “Anytime is as good as any” Applejack fired back like a cannon of a battleship. “Not when it’s something like this, I mean I’m not sure how dragons age but he is only a baby.” Rarity said softly trying not to turn this conversation into an argument. “Well i think that a bunch of....” Applejack was interrupted by Twilight yelling “It wasn’t about that.” The other two ponies looked at their purple friend. “I told him that Santa isn't real.” As soon as she finished that sentence, her two friend were looking at her with shocked wide eyes like she had just told them she was pregnant or something equally life changing. “Now why in the hoof would you tell him that?” AJ scrawled at her like she was telling Applebloom off for taking a slices of Granny Smith’s apple pies before asking, only much more serious. “Because I thought that it was time to tell him about that he’s just an old mare's tale.” Twilight said with a slight bit of anger in her voice. “I mean it’s kind of obvious. How in all of Equestria can a big fat minotaur with a giant white beard travel all around the world, including every small village and town, in one night delivering gifts?” Twilight voice was starting to raise now and some of the other parents that were near her were starting to take interest. “Twilight! It doesn't matter if it’s just an old tale that you tell foals at night. He’s still a big part in most of young fillies and colts foal hood and you only get that once.” It was Rarity's turn to fire back and answer, but this seemed to have a every little effect on the now raging Unicorn. “Well, it’s stupid. I felt stupid when my parents told me he wasn’t real because I should have seen the signs earlier.” It was at this point in time that ever mom and dad, brother or sister, were starting to stare. “We should treat foals like young mares and stallions. Not butter them up with thing they will later just find out what it isn't true.” “What’s not true” said a small voice that should have been the stopping point for this small argument. But that wasn't how it ended. “Santa.” She yelled at the top of lungs. “There’s no Santa, there’s no magic reindeer that pull a magic sled along. And it’s impossible for there ever to be one.” Twilight finally stop and noticed that everyone was looking at her. Including the children who had just came out of school. “Wha...what?” came the sniffling sound of all the children. It was at this point that Twilight turned around to see who she had just said it to. And that just had her feel worse. Dinky walked up her mother and asked “Is there a Santa mommy, there is, isn’t there.” Derpy could've said yes, and lift the children’s hopes and dream. If only Derpy was a pony who could look at the long term effects of saying something. “No, he’s not real muffin” She said with a soft and gentle voice, trying to tell her daughter that it was OK. “Santa comes to our doors and puts presents under our tree, right mom.” Another filly by the name of Berry Pinch said to her mother, only to be met by an unhappy face. “…Right” she said, being her one final plea to tell her there is a Santa. “No dear, I put thoughts presents there.” She brought her now crying daughter into a huge and gave an evil, you monster face to twilight. One by one, the fillies and colts of Ponyville started to cry over something, or someone that isn’t even real. To twilight, it was like they were crying over an imaginary friend, but....they were still crying, over a beloved icon throughout the whole world. Know Twilight started to remember something when her parents told her he wasn't real. She did beat herself up for not noticing it before, but now she remembered that she was also incredibly sad when she couldn't find a scientific way for him to be real, which just made her whole situation worse. The parents or guardian, of the now traumatized foals, started walking home, including Rarity who was now holding a Sweetie Belle at a pretty long distance, to make sure she wouldn't get her coat wet by Sweetie’s waterfalls of tears, although she was going to give her a big hug when she stopped. “What did he do?” AJ asked Twilight, who was now hanging her head in shame. Twilight didn't even lift her head but AJ could tell that she didn't know what she meant by that. “What did Spike do when you told him?” Twilight lifted her head, showing off her giant tearful eyes. “He ran to his basket and…” There was a bit of a pause before she finished the last part of her sentence. “And started to get all upset?” AJ finished for her before she and Applebloom started to leave. “Yep” she said hanging her head in what she had just done, she just stared at the hard white snow as she thought about how she could fix this, maybe by everypony a gift…which wasn’t from Santa, maybe dress up and us a couple of spells to…no, Santa’s a big fat minotaur, I Twilight wasn’t that good. “O, Twilight, what have you done to this town this time.” She accepted defeat, and started to walk home. Scootaloo was walking alongside her scooter as she walked home, the snow always made it harder to ride on. None of her parents came to pick her up today. They were both working all day till the night shift today, so she had her whole house to herself when she got home. Although she wished one of them was there today, to comfort her after hearing what Twilight said. There has to be a Santa, there must. She kept saying this to herself over and over but it never seemed to stick. How could there not be a Santa was starting to be replaced by, how could there be a Santa. It was then that she notice the shadow that was following her, like an eagle stroking its unexpected pray, until the prey notices that shadow and looks up, that is. After looking up she saw that it was none other than her older friend, and now mentor, Rainbow dash. “Hey, Scoot.” The cyan blue tom boy called down on her way to say hi to her number one fan. “You would not believe, what happened on weather patrol today. This one guy I know asked if, he…could” it was then that she realized the look on Scootaloo’s face. “Hay, what’s got you in a mood?” Scootaloo just looked up with the sad look in her eye that all the other children at the school had, she had just hidden the truth from herself longer. Twilight had gone to Sugarcube Corner after what had happened at the school, she didn't feel like showing her face to the rest of the town, but she didn't want to go back to the library, not after how she broke the news to Spike. “What do you mean he’s not real, of course he is, where else do all the presents come from?” Twilight had just told Spike thinking that this was a good time to tell him after he asked how Santa does it, think that with Twi’s amazing brain she would know. It’s hard to remember that the dragon was still a baby, and therefore, still a child. She had, for maybe the first time in a very, very long time, overestimated how much he thinks like one. “No Spike.” She thought at the time that he was old enough to know the truth…but sometimes, Twilight forgets to think about the happiness that lies bring. “You know the presents we get each other every year, well I kind of say that a lot of them are from Santa instead of me.” She said with a somewhat nervous smile, hoping he would understand why she had told him that, but what reason was there to understand, he wasn't real but why tell him now when there was no reason to. That was the last thing she could say to him before he ran up the stairs crying to himself, and he hadn't done that in a long time. How could she have been so stupid, Spike loved Santa, his very first hearth's warming eve, he was so scared of the gain thing that wasn't a pony, he had never see anything but ponies when he was born, apart from the odd griffin or donkey. Although he was terrified of the beast he still went up to him, and the bearded giant gave him a small candy cane that he sucked on for three days straight, even in his sleep. She thought that going to Sugarcube Corner would lighten her mood, and if not she knew Pinkie could, or at least try to. However, word of mouth travels fast and in a small town like this, it only travelled faster. “Twilight…Twilight…Twilight!” came the scream of a hyper Pinkie Pie bouncing from one side of the room to the seat next to her purple friend. It was then the Twilight noticed that her two other friends from earlier had come in and were right behind Pinkie. “Twilight, what happened at the school, the others won’t tell me.” “Well…” Twilight didn’t really want to talk about how she ruined the dream of every foal in Ponyville. “I kind of blurted out to the whole school that…well.” She was trying to find the way to say that she did, indeed, ruin the dream of every foal in Ponyville. What she didn’t notice though was that Rarity and Applejack were making hoof jesters behind Pinkie; tell her not to say anymore. “I kind of told every foal in Ponyville that Santa doesn’t exist.” “What!” Rarity and Applejack both face hoof behind Pinkie, why…well because. “Twilight, are you loco in the coco again, of course there’s a Santa, the big fat Minotaur with the white beard, he’s my ideal you know.” giving off an even bigger grin “Why would you say a thing like that?” “Because he’s not real Pinkie, I thought you knew that, you’re old enough to know this stuff. It’s impossible to do the stuff that he does.” Twilight did it again, blurted out the words to kill a childhood, although Pinkie didn’t seem to be changed. “Aw don’t be like that Twilight” she said with one of her overly sized smiles. “Santa must be real, who else puts presents under the tree.” “Are ya sure the cakes don’t just hide them in da closet till you go to bed?” Applejack final spoke up. As soon as she said this Pinkie gave a small thought and then suddenly dashed upstairs leaving only pink smoke behind. When she got back, her eyes were much bigger than when they left and her three friends could see that there were tears just about to shoot out. “It’s true!” Pinkie started crying out, waving her hoofs in the air frantically, but somehow still managing to keep her balance. ”The storage closet is full of stuff for me and the twins.” She screamed with waterfalls spraying out of her eyes. “Santa’s not real.” “That’s a bunch of horseapples!” came aloud cry from the doorway, where the rainbow mane mare of Ponyville stood, with a smaller orange filly standing beside her. “Of course there’s a Santa.” “Rainbow it’s just impossible.” Twilight slightly protested, not really trying that hard to keep up her argument because of the misery that it had already brought it herself and serial of her friends. “Didn’t you learn anything about that Pinkie sense fiasco you had a couple of years ago.” Rainbow growled. For some reason she was way more angry about this whole thing then most of the parents at the school. “Pinkie sense is one thing Dash but this is Santa. How could he travel around the whole of Equestria in one night, let alone the world?” Twilight said like it was the most obvious thing in the whole, which come to think of it, it was. “That’s easy, you get the strongest and fasted reindeer there are, there all about as fast as me, well almost as fast.” She said proudly, getting a couple of aw’s from her crowd of friends. “But even if he does, how in the name of Princess Celestia do they fly” Twilight being a little more stern is time giving her answer. “Reindeer magic” saying it like it’s the most obvious thing ever, which this time, it wasn’t so much. “There’s no such thing.” Twilight protested a little louder then she should have before giving out a hard sigh. “Alright, even if this is all true, where’s the proof that he’s real? No one has ever seen him, ever.” she lowered her head a little before continuing. “I know what you’re doing Rainbow. You’re trying to make me feel better by trying to convince everypony in Ponyville that there still is a Santa, but I think it’s a little late for that.” Twilight said lowering her head even more. “Twilight, if I was going that I would have gone to them and not you.” There was a more calmness in her voice know. She gave a small bit of thought before saying “Wait here.” Before anypony could say anything, she had zoomed off into a rainbow blur. Rainbow arrived at her house and drove right into her cupboard. Alright a Wonderbolts poster, she said to herself before throwing it out of the cupboard and grabbing the next thing she found. Daring Doo, tank’s flying hat, a Know Your Mares magazine. She paused after picking up the next thing. “Arr, here it is.” She dashed out of her house back to the bakery, holding the proof in-between her hoofs. When she got there, she held it up in the air and her face beamed with her signicher hero face and pose. It was a small snow globe with Rainbow herself inside it, along with somepony else. It looked like a stallion but none of her friends could make it out with all the snow flying around from all the shaking it must have taken during the flight. “He gave this to me” she said “O my gosh! You met him, Dashie.” Pinkie beam now smile her heart out. “What’s he like, is he as fat as they say, or is he just really tubby. Is his beard white or is it slightly grey like Rarity!” aloud “WHAT” could be heard for the fashionista as Twilight picks the dome up in her aura. “Rainbow, you can get theses at a gift shop, not that I don’t believe you but…this isn’t really evidence.” Twilight said making everypony around her start to frown again. Rainbow’s face just became one of shock. “Ok!” Rainbow spoke up running towards the door. “Where you going Dashie” ask a sad and confused Pinkie Pie. “If this isn’t proof enough for you, then I’m going to get more. In fact, I’m going to get proof so damn awesome, that it’s going to make everypony in Ponyville believing in him again!” before another word could be said dash zoomed off once again. “What’s got her so wound up” Applejack said making everypony stare at her. “Yay, ah know that everypony’s a bit upset about what Twilight said but ah didn’t expect Rainbow of all ponies to care this much…Pinkie sure but Rainbow?” “I do agree, that what was a bit out of character for her.” Rarity spoke up getting a sort of worried and agreeing look for Applejack before she turned to Pinkie Pie. “Now, what was that you said about my coat Pinkie dear?” she ask the baker with a, tell me or I kill you, sound in her voice. “Well, I better head home. It’s getting late and I guess I have to face Spike about this at some point” Twilight interrupted as she slowly walked towards the door, with a small sound of dread in her voice. “Ah guess I should too, I got to help Big Macintosh sweep the snow off the path to Sweet Apple Acres so we can get the apple cart to town tomorrow.” Applejack said walking along side Twilight “I’ll join you two in a in a moment, wait for me won’t you dears.” Rarity called out with her sing song voice, before turning back to pinkie with a more serious face on. “Now what was that you said about my coat going grey darling.” After what should have been a very short conversion, the three friends started trotting home, unaware of the bright red light that shining in the sky, just like another star above them, but this one was watching them go. “Are you sure this will get them believing in Santa again” ask a voice, which sound like a colt that was just starting to go into his stallion year. “Of course it will.” another voice replied, which came from the one and only Rainbow Dash. “Well, maybe except Twilight but she’ll come around, she always does…most of the time” she continued with a nervous giggle. “Well, whatever you say Dash” came the voice again, this time sound like he was a little less confident in what they were about to do, whatever that was “I just hope I don’t get in trouble with the big guy about what I’m about to do for you.” “Na, don’t worry about him.” Rainbow assured the voice “He still owes me one remember.” End of part 1 Author's Note Hope you enjoyed. This is my first fanfic on anything so please comment on mistakes and say if you like it or not. May continue with this if I get a bit of time, thx. //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2 Red Nose and a Rainbow By Spoonlol Twilight had spend the whole of the next day inside the library after what had happened at the school the previous day. This wasn't that unusual for Twilight, she often spend a lot of time lock in the library, especially when she was upset. She had passed the time by reading such books on forget me spells that she pulled out whenever she felt like she wanted to disappear. Thankfully, Spike didn't hold a grudge for too long, she had over estimate how old his mind work which let her to tell him that, Santa was not real, fortunately Spike still saw her as a sort of mother figure, and being a baby, he still depended on her but not to the point where couldn't couldn't make his own lunch, which is what he was doing that this very moment. "Come on Twilight. The mayor is turning on the hearts warming eve's light today, we can't miss that?" he called to her from the kitchen, making himself a jelly sandwich. "You can't stay cooped up in here for the rest of the holiday. It's not like the whole town is going to start throwing rocks at you or something." "Thanks for that thought Spike." she replied with a sarcastic tone. She knew she had to go outside but she did have a feeling that if she did that ponies would start throwing things at her. "I know I should but most ponies aren't like you Spike, there not all as..." "Forgiving?" he interrupted as he walked into the main hall of the library. It was true, Spike did forgive ponies to easily. "Yeah, that." Twilight picked up the book with her magic and put it back onto the self where she got it from. "Your right" she sighed. "I'll go see what the others are up to, it's better then sitting around here all day." She walked towards the door, lifted her hoof to open it and.... SLAM The door swung open smashing Twilight to the wall behind the boor. Standing in the doorway was a now happy as can be Pinkie Pie, not that that was unusual. She was bouncing in what seemed to be four or three different places at once as she entered the building, calling for her friend before she stopped at the purple dragon. "Spike, where's Twilight, she has to see this. It's like, the greatest thing you could even hope to see in the world thing great things to see." she paused for about half a second before continuing on. "Where is she, she's going to be soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, wow that's a lot of os mister writer, but yeah its amazing and you two have to come see it now. "Er...see what exactly?" Spike ask when he was sure that Pinkie had stopped. Completely ignoring the breaking of the fourth wall. "No time to explain, I need you to stop what your doing, help me find Twilight and follow me." She went back to her search, looking into every nook and cranny that library had, before popping out of one of the bookshelves. "O, and if Twilight is doing something, then stop her from whatever it is that she's doing" Just then the front door creaked a little, revealing Twilight smashed on the wall. "Found her." Spike called to Pinkie as a grin crept across his face. "O Twilight here you are." Popping up out of nowhere in particular. "This is no time to be playing hide and seek. This thing this just too awesome." "What thing Pinkie?" Twilight ask as she got to her hooves "Can't you just tell us what this thing is." "Of course not. If I said what it is then you wouldn't be surprised when is show you." Before Spike or Twilight could protest Pinkie grad then by the hoofs, or claw in Spike's case, and zoomed off into the streets of Ponyville. In the blink of an eye, they had gone from the library to Ponyville park, if a pony who wasn't Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash would walk there, it would have taken much longer then that, but lets move on shall we. There was a small crowd near the center of the park, which Twilight assumed that they were there because of the amazing thing Pinkie was talking about. It was only moments later that she noticed that most members of the crowd were either fillies or colts, there were a couple of adults but most of them seemed to only be there because either there children were there or that they were just pacing through. Twilight and Spike walked up behind the crowd, it wasn't that hard to see over the young ponies but they still wanted a better look. It was at this moment that she noticed that couple of her friends were standing in the crowd. "Applejack, Rarity" she shouted to get there attention, which proved successful as it got them to turn around. "What's going on, whats with this crowd?" The orange and white mares walked over to them and gave her a smile, Applejack a little smaller then Rarity's. "O Twilight, you would not believe who has just shown up" Rarity final replied with a lot of emphasis on the 'believe', almost like she was singing it. This gained more confusion from Twilight but gain some "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd. Wait, those couldn't have come from Rarity saying that. "What do you mean, who's shown up?" Twilight looked towards where the rest of the crowd was look and saw...nothing, just a plain spot of snow that covered most of the ground. This only frustrated her more. "What is everypony looking at?" She screamed putting her hoofs on the side of her head and clenching her eyes shut for a couple of moments. When she opened them she noticed that everypony was staring at her again, but they weren't looking at her like you would look at somepony who had just shouted out of nowhere for no reason, they were more of just staring at her. That or staring at something behind her. "What are you all looking at?" she asked while spinning around trying to find what they were look at, but all she saw was the buildings that one would except to see, this gained few giggles from the younger members of the crowd. She turn back around to face the crowd to ask what they found so funny. What she got was a somepony right if her face shouting "boo". She stumbled to the ground with a FUD, it was then that she looked up to give the pony who did that a piece of her mind. What she saw was not a pony, for this creature had antlers but besides that, looked like an ordinary pony stallion. He had a dark brown coat color, with a lighter type of brown at the tip of his hooves. His mane looked really scruffy, like it had never had a good comb in the creatures life, and was a more lighter brown to its coat, similar to it's hooves. Most of its body consisted of some short of brown, except for the noise, that was bright red. What this creature was doing behind Twilight's back was what one would expected to see in a children's cartoon. When a flying character floats behind the others head and turns with the character they are behind, making them almost invisible to that unsuspecting character. Before popping up in front of there faces and scaring the living daylights out of them, as this character has now done to Twilight. Speaking of which... It didn't take long for Twilight to realize that she was in the presents of a reindeer, or that the reindeer was hovering above her... upside down. She rubbed her purple eyes a couple of times to make sure she wasn't seeing things. The reindeer was still there but had turn itself right-side-up in the small speck of time. "Wh...who are you?" Twilight finally blurted out with a very shocked tone in her voice. Twilight had read about reindeer and had even seen a couple at big winter events, being the princesses personal student and all. She had learned that the only place you would usually see then is up north where the crystal empire now laid. Another thing that Twilight had read is that they couldn't fly... if by trying to prove this fact wrong the reindeer zoomed in close to twilight, face to face, with what seemed like an angry frown, before being replaced with a giant smile and laughter. "So!" It said with a loud voice but not at the point of shouting. "Your the pony that's responsible for me being here, ay" it laugh, hovering backwards a little bit. It had a sort of Canadian accent when it spoke (sorry I couldn't think of a pun for Canada). "Rudolph's my name, pulling Santa's sled and making the foggy nights clear is my game." He said pushing his nose up and his chest out, sounding really proud of himself, before looking back to Twilight "So, like I said, your the one pony who's the reason for why I'm here." this time talking in a Trottingham like Pin's. The change in accents confused Twilight a little more so she final decided to stand up and speak. "And like I asked. Who are you?" Twilight sound very serious when she asked this, wanting to get an answer. "I told ya lacy, my names Rudolph" this was going to get on Twilight's nerves, she could tell. If you can't tell why, the reindeer, now confirmed to be called Rudolph, had just changed into Trottish accent. (bad pun is bad, I'm not that good at this). "You got to have heard of my name before. I've been part of this holiday for years. Ya know, really snowy winter, ah used ma magic noise to clear the wai, and so on and so forth." when he finish he jumped into the air once again and started moving his legs like he was walking on solid group. "And what's this ah hear about you telling all them fillies and colts that there ain't no San'a. Why would ya do a horrid thing like that to the poor youngens." This time talking in a country accent that was similar to Applejack's. He turned to the foals and gave them a small wink, which got a couple of giggles. Twilight couldn't see this action of course, which just added to the fun. But as the reindeer turned his head, he notices that the purple unicorn was now giving him a fierce look, and before he new it, he was back on the earth with a poof of purple magic, before he notices he was eye to eye with her once again... "Why do you keep speaking if different accents? What are you doing this far south, and where the hay did you come from?" Twilight was almost at the point of screaming and was now heavily breathing in and out. In and out. Now she is calm, her breathing normal. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scream." backing away, Twilight looked around to see that once again in the last couple of days, everyone was looking at her, making her feel slightly embarrassed. "Na, it's okay." This time just giving off a none posh Canterlot voice, that Twilight had grown up around. "And to answer your questions...helping the big guy deliver gifts around the world you pick a couple of things up from the natives, especially if you've been doing it for as long as I have. I can't tell you where I come from, but most of you probable already know." Giving a small smile to the little ones who were hanging on the every word that he seemed to be saying. "And I'm here because, well I was invited, mostly because of what you said a couple of days ago though." Twilight gave off a small embarrassed laugh under her hoof, before Pinkie leaped over Twilight and got Rudolph in a massive bear hug. "Who cares whats he's doing here, he came to see us and to bring the Christmas spirit back to Ponyville." Rudolph gave a out a small breath of air that sounded like he was saying "Let go please." Pinkie released her grip with her smile still intact and not seeming to leave her face any time soon. In the small moment that Rudolph was catching his breathe, you could almost hear almost here him say "That's not the only reason" After he got his breathe back he walked up to the foal with a new smile on his face "So who wants a flying sled ride from the one and only red noised reindeer." He spoke out in a that way you would to a child if you want to somehow change the conversation. It worked. If that was its purpose, as it was met by a bunch of screaming kids yelling things like "me me" or "Yeah", Rudolph swore he heard one said "I wouldn't expect anything less." With the children taking him up on his offer, he lifted his head as though he was the Princess casting a powerful spell. And if by magic, a large red and golden sleigh had appeared out of nowhere. While all the children jumped aboard, Twilight but stared with a open mouth in wonder and confusion, only managing to mutter a "how". This was answered as a light blue pegasus popped down beside her. "What did I tell you, reindeer magic." Rainbow spoke up getting everyone's a tension. This got a look from Twilight so Dash decided to explain. "Look at his antlers." And they did. The group stopped and stared at the reindeer antlers. As they watched they saw that a green aura had appeared around them, which they also just noticed, matched the color of his eye's as he used it to attach a golden harness and saddle on his back. "Rainbow, where have you been dear." Rarity spoke up, someone finally establishing that dash had come out of nowhere. "I had to fill in for a couple members of the weather team who have got the feather flu." she answered "I said for Rudolph to make himself at home so with could do this really awesome performance showing him off to the town." she said this in a way that made it seem like it was a greatest idea sense sliced bread. "But I think he got a little board and decided to do it himself." "And how exactly do you know this fine fellow" Rarity, asking another question. This strangely made Dash a little unconformable. She pondered on this for a moment, could she tell them, they were her best friends and had been for a couple of years now. She was sure the big guy wouldn't mind if she told them...maybe even told them the whole story to go with it. "Well he's..." There was a small pause, which everypony thought Dash was just adding for dramatic effect. "He's kinda, sorta, in a way, my...second cousin." She final let out with a sheepish grin. This was responded with a lot of blank faces and a simple "What" from Applejack. "You know, when your mums cousin is your second cousin." "Yes, we know what it is Dash." Interrupted Twilight "But how could you not tell us about something like this, your cousin..." Pinkie quickly corrected her by yelling "Second cousin" above the conversation. "OK, yes I didn't tell you guys that much about my brother but this is bigger them that. Your second cousins with Rudolph the red noised reindeer. Why would you not tell us that?" "Well..." Dash replied, once again not seeming to sure of herself. "I was told not to tell anyone about it really, but when Scoot told me what Twilight did, I felt like I had to do something. And plus," she looked to the ground and gave out a small sigh. "I don't like to talk about it that much for." "Why's that?" Pinkie asked, oblivious to the fact the Dash seemed unconformable with it. She did quickly noticed this however and counteracted her question "O, I'm sorry, you don't have to tell us." "It's OK, the only person I've really told this to is Fluttershy, and she's off today helping some animals who didn't get enough food for the winter." It was at this point that a couple members of the group relished there was a lack of Fluttershy around. "but I think I can tell you guys. No, I want to tell you guys, the whole thing." "Oo, a flashback." End of Part 2 Author's Note I hope you guys are enjoying this, sorry it took so long, I've been busy and this is y first fic. Not sure what you were all thinking i was doing with this story but here it is. Hope you enjoy, and please don't tell me I've made mistakes without pointing them out of me please. thx //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 3 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 3 Red Nose and a Rainbow By Spoonlol Years ago when Rainbow Dash was about five or six The cold nights of winter was the worst thing about Cloudsdale. When Luna's great moon started to shine in the dark sky, the night were so cold and dark a pegasus could almost feel every individual feather freeze up. If you weren't in a worm house by the time the moon started to show itself, you were doomed. Luckily for this little filly, she had good hard working parents who loved her very much. Who by the way where standing at her door watching her sleep. Her mother was a pink pegasus with a blue main, who went by the name of Firefly, her daughter too after her adventurous and daredevil like ways. She got everything else from her father. Same coat, same mane, even their cutie marks were similar, except her father's lacked the cloud. They only saw it fit to name their first daughter after him sense they looked so alike, but they changed the second name of Blitz to Dash to make it sound more like a girl's name. The couple were muttering amongst themselves, before they had enough fun talking and decided to go have some more fun in the bedroom, wink wink nudge nudge. Rainbow Dash wasn't fully asleep, because like all fillies and colts her age she wanted to stay up to see if the stories were true. If a giant came down her chimney and put presents under her tree. She wondered like all fillies and Colts that if the legends were true, or just some old mares tale like the monsters in the moon or a pool of water that could make copies of ones self. The young fillies thoughts were interrupted when she heard a thud from downstairs. It could have been her parents, or could it be..... Did this filly dare look? Of course. Because for Rainbow Dash, the most awesome pony in the whole of Equestria besides her mum and dad, hearing a noise from downstairs was just another daring trick that she would master on her way to become the captain of the Wonderbolts. The blue filly got out of her Wonderbolt limited addition bed, walk past her bedside table which held a Wonderbolt lamp and a picture of the current leader of the Wonderbolt, Sky Blue... Maybe she liked them a little too much thinking about it... Nah. She slowly open the door and tiptoed to the end of her stair, being a silent as a jewelry thief about to steal her big score. She slowly moves to the end of the stairs, slowly lowered her hoof to the first step... Before she realized that she had wings and decided to fly down. What she expect to see was a giant minotaur with a large white beard, who looked like he had eaten too many puddings. What she saw was a stallion, laying on his flanks with what looked like a small brown sack on his head. He was sitting near the family's newly decorated tree and there cloud proof fireplace that still had a blazing red and orange fire sitting on top of some logs. Rainbow approached the strange figure, who looked like he was having some trouble with the bag on his head. She then taped him lightly on the should, which made the pony instantly stop what he was going. It looked like he final decided to use his magic to lift the sack off of its head. Now Dash knew it wasn't a pony in there living room but a reindeer...what, it had the antlers. They stare at each other for a moment before one of them final spoke final spoke up. "So...um hi." The reindeer spoke first, seeming to be a little nervous. "Hi" Rainbow replied, just as nervous "You must be Rainbow Dash. Santa's has told me all about you." This made Dash smile uncontrollably "Really? You know Santa?" the nervousness was gone from this conversation completely. "Yep, and he's told me that you've been a really good filly helping out your friend with thoughts bullies this year." He said while poking her lightly in the chest. "Yeah, well...no pony messes with my friends" She sounded a little bolder this time with he front hooves cross, with the tiniest bit of aggression in her voice. Before they could continue with whatever it was they were about to start talking about, they heard a voice come from the door frame that lead them into the main living room that they were in, from the stairs that Dash had just come down. "Dash what are you doing down here, I don't think Santa has come ye..." Firefly started but stopped when she saw who was standing there. Both parents where standing in the doorway looking at the out of place creature. "Dash...why is there a reindeer in our living room? And what's wrong with his nose." Before she could answer the Reindeer stepped in. "OK, now this is going to sound a bit strange, and you may not believe me at first but.... were cousins" this only got him a stern look from both parents. "Now why in Equestria should I believe that." She shot at the reindeer "Look. I said you probable wouldn't believe me and frankly I was just hoping to up these presents down and be on my way." "Your stealing our Christmas gifts?" Rainbow Blitz stepped in. "Dash get away from from him" he quickly told to his daughter . "What, no. I wanted to deliver them to you guys because your family, so I asked Santa if I could..." once again, another sentence interrupted, but this time by the smallest of the group. "How do with know you know Santa..." Dash quickly change to her meaner interrogator mode. "How do we know your telling the truth or making all up this manure?" She said to him face to face before being pulled back a little by her tail by her mother. "Dash, mind your language." Firefly couldn't help her motherly ways, but she didn't expect the reindeer to defend her. "Let the kid say what she wants. She's been good enough this year to get away with one or two bad words." the reindeer interrupted. "And what give you the right to defend my daughter in this kind of subject." Blitz once again interrupted, stepping in front of his wife for the first time sense they had been down stairs. "The fact that I'm her second cousin, maybe." he responded "And how is that. How could we be cousins if were different species." "Remember your Uncle Flash who took a trip to the north for a couple of months. Well guess who he banged up there." the reindeer almost yield. Then there was silents. He almost regretted saying that, as it got two shocked faces from Firefly and Blitz, while getting a, what the hell are you all talking about face from Dash. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't of taken it that far, and I wish you found out a different way." He say sadly hanging his head a bit. "I'll just leave." This, for some strange reason, made Dash feel a little sad inside. She wanted to protest, she wanted him to stay a little longer for some reason...and he did, because as he approached the fire place. They could hear something coming down the chimney. "Rudolph. What in blazes is taking you so long?" came a voice from a shadow that was coming down the chimney. The voice sounded old but also as if it's owner projected their voice to large crowds a lot of the time. The fire suddenly went out and as soon as it did, a large figure stood in it's place. It was large, wearing a large red coat, and as it stepped out while turning to face Rudolph, he showed off a large white beard. The family of three couldn't help but stare in wonder at the giant. Dash could almost be heard saying "wow" under her breath. It was then that Santa notice the family, not fast asleep like they should be. This was met with him facepalming. "I let you do one house...one house." "Look I came explain" Rudolph said back in a really....relaxed sort of way. "I had a little trouble with the bag and then Dash came down..." He wasn't aloud to continue his list. "O, don't worry Santa, it will be no problem. Just let me do this one house, please... pretty please." Santa mocked in a high pitched voice. "Hay I do not sound like that. And stop getting your beard in a twist, we still have hours to finish take gifts to the rest of the world and this family doesn't believe me anyway." He explained, like how a relaxed teen would say to their parents when they are asked to take out the trash. "I didn't bring that up, but sense you did, you've wasted about twelve minutes doing this, and we still have to get to the other side of the world before the sun rises over this side." "Are you really Santa" a little voice was heard in the mist of the chatter. The pare looked down to the small figure. It was them that Santa put on a smile and then knelt down on one knee to try get at better height with the filly, but he still towered over her. "Yes I am child, and this is my ash flyer Rudolph." They looked to the reindeer behind them, giving them a 'look at me' kind of smile. "And I know who you are, Rainbow Dash." this got a smile from the small figure. The happiness was once again interrupted. "This much be a joke, every pony knows that Santa isn't real." Blitz shot out, the stern face once again appeared on this face. It took him a second before he relished what he had just ask in front of his child. Santa looked over to them and responded. "O, and what about that pair of weather goggles you wanted for Christmas." This did get a surprised look from Blitz and his Wife. But he wasn't finished yet. "And what about you Firefly, still want another foal for Christmas." That was the turning point for them. It was as if this minotaur had just told them there how life story. It was one of the those moments when you think about whats in front of you, and that not matter how many times you've been told that the thing your looking at isn't there, you know that at that moment they were wrong. Like when Hans Lippershey, used his telescope and found out that the world moves around the sun, but everyone told him that it wasn't true, but no matter what they said to him...he knew they weren't true. Firefly stepped forward. "Yo...you are the real Santa." She stuttered. "I'm sorry, we didn't think that..." "It's OK." Santa tried to protest. "No it's not. Not a lot of adults believe you excited, we have to tell them." She was about to turn tail for the door and scream to the rest of Cloudsdale. Before she could however, a brown blur cut her off. "You can't, that would break that magic... oops" Rudolph stuffed his front hoofs in of his mouth at the shock of what he had just said. "Whats the magic." Blitz asked. "I can't say what it is. It much be discovered. Only them can I reveal myself to the world." Santa seemed to get a little down from this subject "Not many ponies believe in that kind of magic anymore though. But I must still wait for them to believe in it once more, even if it takes till the end of time." He said with his head held high, fully standing now. It was then that Dash noticed that Rudolph and her mother were next to each other, which brought the question to her head. "Wait a second. Does this mean that I'm really second cousins with your lead Reindeer." She ask. "Well yes. Yes you are." He explained looking down at the filly. "And he fits into your family's tree very well. He's fast, smart, a bit cocky." "Not to mention handsome, awesome and the bestest flier you've ever had the pleasure of pulling your slay." Rudolph interrupted "Don't push it" this was meat by a quick and quick "Sorry" for the reindeer "So...my uncle flash really did..." "Maybe I'll tell you the details when Dash is asleep." Rudolph quickly responded. DING DONG It was then that they looked at the old grandfather clock sitting in the room and noticed what the time was. "Holy smocks. It's midnight, and we still need to get all these present to everyone before sun rise." It was then at Santa had a plan, not to get the present delivered on time, but to make a bond. One that he knew Rudolph needed. So he knelt down to the Rainbow maned filly once more. "Rainbow Dash, I'm going to need your help to deliver the rest of the presents on time." "Really?" She asked with giant eyes, like she had just been accepted into the Wonderbolts, made Captain and got married in the same day...Wait, cut that last one, Dash is a one woman show. "Wait on a second." Blitz interrupted "You think that were going to let our daughter go off with someone she has only just met, even if it is the real Santa." This was met with a frown my Santa. Of course they wouldn't, what was I thinking. At the same time though, a smile crept onto Rudolph's face. For it was his turn to make a plan. "Of course not." It was then that he teleported behind them in a puff of green magic. "That's why your coming with us." He started to push them lightly, trying not to hurt them with his antlers. This was meat by the pair shouting "what" in unison. And all Dash wanted to say was... "This... is.... so.... AWESOME" The couple had taken a place at the back of the giant golden and red sled. It looked like it was made from any kind of ordinary metal, but really it was a mixture of magical cloud mixed with steel, giving it's power to float, the same stuff that the rainbow factory was made out because if it was made out of normal cloud then the rainbows would just fall right through the floor. The sled was being pulled by Rudolph and his co-workers. There was Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blixem, with Rudolph at the front using his red noise to light most of the way. Rainbow was helping pull the sled with a junior practice harness next to Rudolph, which was still too big for her, but she didn't care. Those moments in the air were just amazing. It wasn't about racing or winning, which is what Dash loves but it was the fastest that dash had ever gone. They were going so fast she was sure she couldn't breathe for a small section of the trip. Thankfully the Junior harness was magic and kept her from loosing her breathe. If she ever fall a little behind Rudolph would give her a little nudge forward to keep up. It was amazing to see Santa do his stuff. He usually took three to five seconds with each house, depending on how big the family was. The pegasus family amused that it much have been magic some how, but with how long it took that their house, they had no idea. After they had finished Cloudsdale they all went back to the roof of the families home, so that they could bid their farewells. Dash was starting to look very sleepy and she need her energy for the next day when she got to open all of her presents that Rudolph had left under the tree. "Thanks for your help Dash, I owe you one." Santa said in the happy tone you would expect from a man like him. Wow, Santa owed Dash one, imagine that. Of course he didn't really owe her one, he was just being friendly to the child. "It was nothing, really. Or you can keep the IOU and just make me a Wonderbolt already." She asked with a cheesy smile. "haha, yep. Your defiantly related to Rudolph." He said with a smile, but you could still here a "I heard that" from the red noise reindeer's direction. He was talking to Firefly and Blitz near the sled, before Dash went up to him and ask. "Will I see you next year?" which made Rudolph think. He wanted to see them again, to know how this part of the family were getting on and then they could have a proper catch up on what happen over the years that they never even knew about each other. But he still had his job to do, and his responsibility to Santa and the rest of the world. He looked to the other Reindeer, who just gave him confused faces, this whole time they had had not idea who that family was or why they knew about them but really....they didn't seem to care. Rudolph then look up at Santa, and he could see it. With a small nod coming from his boss, Rudolph answered ... "Yes, every year." And he did. He stopped by on the 24th of December every year. The family talked and played games until he had to go and help pull Santa's sled again, before he returned to the arctic north. Dash grew closer and closer to him every time they met. Dash only every told one friend because she knew Fluttershy wouldn't tell a living soul, and she was moving to a place called Ponyville later that year so she didn't have to worry about that conversation every coming up again. As Dash grow older, it became less about the gifts and more about seeing Rudolph again. She even got to see him a couple of times when it wasn't winter, he had to drink a lot of water though and put on some sunblock most of the time. He would always be there at her best races, getting her flying graduation, and at the toughest of times. The first time she was in her new place she was terrified that he wouldn't know where to find her, or that he wouldn't come at the risk of being seen by any of the other foals, but he still came every year all the same. That year was the hardest for Rainbow, but when she was at her neighbors that night while the authorities decided what would happen to her, he was right there beside her the whole time, and held her as she began to cried in his chest. He hadn't seen her that unset before, but what else would you except from somepony who's just been through something like loosing there parents. Until the day Dash moved out of the home she was staying at and found a place for herself. Setting up residence in Ponyville where her old friend Fluttershy had gone to live. The first time she wasn't sure if he new where to find her, but he new about it when she moved the last time, so why not this time. She waited all night until her eyes couldn't take being open any more. Sometimes it felt like magic was forcing her to sleep. One time she was going to stay awake all night and she had taken serial long napes that day to make sure she was going to stay awake, but she never managed to stay up all night. She would always wake up with presents under her tree, with the Snow Glob that Rudolph had given her one year, clenched tightly between her hooves. This started to happen year, after year...after year, until she got fed up of waiting. And until the day she made him come to Ponyville, she hadn't seen him for five years, give or take. End of part 3 Author's Note I had fun writing this chapter but I'm still not shore what to think about it. Hope you all enjoy. Now I wanted to finish this story before Christmas or whatever it is you celebrate, but as you can see that's probable not going to happen. So in the mean time, have a Merry Christmas, and I'll try finish it before new years. //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 4 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 4 Red Nose and a Rainbow By Spoonlol Rainbow just stood there for a minute after she had finished telling her story. It was a lot to say and for the ponies listening, probable a lot to take in. Her friends where all standing around her trying to think of something to say, before Applejack finally spoke up. "So, you kept seeing him for year, even after your parents passed away?" She asked with a slightly annoyed for some reason, this confused a couple of the others. Why could AJ get annoyed by a story like that? They didn't have to wonder that long after Dash nodded in reply, hanging her head a little. "And then after all that, he just suddenly left ya’ all alone with not so much as a goodbye, or a reason for why he never came back?" Her annoyance now turning to anger, which didn't surprise that many of her friends. Family was everything to Applejack her kin, so hearing something like this, was bound to get under her coat. "Well in that case, wait here while ah go buck the answers out of him." "O Applejack. I understand where you’re coming from but please." Rarity protested and grabs Applejack's tail with the magic before she when and did anything she would most likely regret later. “Not in from of the children." AJ looked over to where Rudolph was. He had just come back from giving the foals a flying sleigh ride. He was just unhitching himself from the slay when it suddenly disappeared. "It's nothing guy, really." Rainbow spoke up, lifting her head. "It was hard the first couple of holidays but I got through it in the end. And besides I turned out OK, I'm still the most awesome pony in Ponyville." Dash hovered up into the air, returning back to her normal proud tone of speaking. "But wait a second." Twilight said, getting everyone's attention "If you haven't seen him in all that time. How did you get him to come here?" Good question...let’s just get this plot hole wrapped up quickly. "O, I wrote him a letter asking him to come." Rainbow answered. "Then why didn't you write to him years ago." Twilight fired back, you would think that after Twilight almost ruined hearts warming eve, that she would be happy that a way to solve the problem had just appeared out of nowhere. But as always Twilight always wanted to hear things from the "logical" point of things. "I did, every year." The others could see that Rainbow was starting to get irritated by her friend's constant question about the subject. "Except this year I told him about what you did at the school." Rainbow was getting angry. "So if you think about it, I have you to thank for him being here." She was face to face with the unicorn. Twilight could feel the hot steam of air coming about of Rainbow's nostrils. "I'm...I'm sorry Dash." This made Dash back away, waiting for her breathing to slow down. "Sorry about that." Dash apologized. "This isn't one of my favourite things to talk about." "No, it's my fault. I know something like that must be hard to go through, I shouldn't have pushed you that hard." Twilight put a hoof on Dashes shoulder. Before they both when in for a hug. "I don't get it" Pinkie whispered to Rarity "I didn't see Twilight puss Rainbow Dash." Rarity just responded with a dead pan look. This got a “What?” from Pinkie. This was where Rarity got an idea. Not from the delightful moment she had just had with Pinkie, but just a random idea. She walked up to the Reindeer and pocked him on the shoulder. This made Rudolph jump a little and instead of falling back down, he just stayed floating in the air curled up into a small ball, before turning around to see what had poked him. "Hello, I don’t mean you scare you, but I couldn't help but notice the time and I'm afraid that it's time for the fillies and colts to be heading home." Rarity lied, it was only five past four, and in a friendly town like this nothing was bound to happen after dark. Thankfully the children didn't seem to notice as they all gave off an annoyed "aw" noise, which Rudolph joined in. As the children started to leave to go home, one of the fillies ran up to Rudolph and gave him a small hug on the leg "Thank for the ride. Will we see you tomorrow?" "Sorry kid, but I got to get home to Santa tonight." His answer brought a small frown to the filly's face. "Don't be sad kid, you don't need me to enjoy Christmas do you." "Don't you mean heart's warming eve?" Rarity corrected him. "Same thing really." he replied "Now you." turning his head to face the filly once more. “Get home to your mother, before she starts to worry." this was met by a small nod as see started to trot away. Being the child loving fellow Rudolph was, it pained him to just leave someone like that. "See you around, Berry Pinch" she shouted. The filly's head shot up as she heard her name "He knows my name." she whispered. "He knows my name" She repeated, this time almost shouting the words. The filly then started bouncing away like Pinkie usually did saying those four words over and over to her as she skipped along the path. "Gets them every time." He said to himself, slightly waving his head side to side. The only ponies left were the CMC and the rest of the main six, besides Fluttershy. They all got back together in a group before Rarity spoke up. "Well we should take these one’s home." "But Rarity it's only four, why do we have to go now?" Sweetie Bell asked. "Because, well we..." Rarity had to think fast, or this plan could be blown higher then Canterlot castle. "Because we need to... get your room ready for the others to sleep over." Rarity finally answered, giving off a large fake smile, trying to hide the lie. The CMC just looked at each other of split second, obviously not having a clue what she was talking about. But as they looked at each other, they just smile and shouted the classic "YAY, SLEEPOVER AT RARITY'S HOUSE". Then they just ran off to the boutique with smiles on their faces while the rest of the group thought about what was happening. "O, OK then." Applejack answered, a bit confused to what just happened but seemed to be okay with it. "Make sure Applebloom behaves herself." then turned to the home. "Pinkie, Twilight while you two accompany me home?" She asked showing a small smile. Fluttering her eyes a bit "Rarity you’re so silly, your house is the opposite direction to Sugercube Corner." Pinkie stated. This was met by a shape "go home Pinkie" from Rarity, she smile completely faded, replaced by a flat look on her face. Even so, Pinkie still kept the large smile on her face as she replied. "Ok, see you all tomorrow." Before bouncing to Rudolph and gave him a large hug "Thanks you coming out of nowhere and proving Twilight wrong." She said to him before bouncing off home. "Coming Twilight?" This was quickly replied with a nod. As the two talked off Rarity looked behind her and called "See you to, it was nice to meet you Rudolph." they disappeared into the snow and fog as they walked away. Leaving just Rainbow and Rudolph alone together. There was small silent before they noticed that all they were along. Both of them new they needed to start talking about something, but by the look on Rainbow's he could tell she was having a hard time thinking of what to say, who could blame her, they hadn't really spoken in 5 year. Even yesterday when he first arrived at her cloud house they didn't really say anything in the short time Dash was the three. So the task fell to Rudolph to break the ice. "I hope you don't mind me saying this...." he pauses as she looked at him. “But all your friends are really hot." He burst out with a smile. "Yeah, they are." This got a raised eyebrow from the reindeer. "Friends, I mean...their all really good friends. Just friends." Rainbow tried to correct herself when she realized what she had just said, and was now tripping over her own words trying. Way to go Rudolph. "Stop it. I know what you mean." he interrupted her. "I see you’re in good hands here in Ponyville." "Yeah, I mean they’re all really cool in their own way." Dash told him like a daughter would tell their father if something excited happened at school. "They make me laugh, smile, we go on awesome adventures together...they’re always there for me." That last statement made Rudolph's smile fade. "Unlike me then?" He stated as he started walking off. Dash noticed how that much of sounded and flow to front of him, hovering in place. "Hay, that's not what I meant. I was just saying tha..." She was stopped by a hoof being held up to her face. "I know what you meant Rainbow. I just...."he sighed "I just wanted the conversation to head this way." They got a small shocked face from Dash. "Come on. I've always preferred have a conversation while walking. Makes me feel like were going somewhere with the conversation." "How in the hay does that work?" Dash asked "Well, when a conversation ends, the journey usually end or changes direction. Have you ever noticed that when somepony meet their destination, something else starts to happen. Well that's why I like walking and talking, because every conversation is its own little journey." "You've changed; you sounded like an old grandpa telling just them." Rainbow giggled. "And so have you, I don't think they Rainbow Dash I used to see years ago wouldn't be that concerned about anypony but herself." Rainbow moved her head to one side, in embarrassment in knowing that she did used to be linking that. "But look at you now. Element of loyalty and everything." He say we a smile She turned her head back to him with a smile, before it faded for a moment. "Why did you never come back?" He could hear her voice cracking. He started to walk away, motion with his head to follow. Most likely to go on that conversational walks he was talking about earlier. They walked in the snowy fields of Ponyville Park for a small while. The night and moon were starting to awaken, as the moons light shone onto the white, frozen water that lay beneath him. They both heard the crunching of snow beneath their hoofs was they walked along. It was a little while before they started talking again, as Rudolph spoke up first. "Rainbow, remember the day your parents die?" she gave him a small nod "Well, I watched you that whole day before we met up at your neighbour’s house and well..." Dash could tell his was starting to become hard for him to say, but she didn't interrupt him. "I noticed you didn't show any signs of sadness to anypony, not even to your friend Fluttershy. You just bottled it all up until you started crying in my arms." "I don't see how that's why you never came back." she stated with her head tilted to one side. "I'm getting there." He gave off a quick sigh to give him time to find his place again. "Well, that day I noticed that you never opened up to anyone, sometimes not even to yourself. So I stayed with all the way through your time at the orphanage. But when you got your own place, I started to think about something. You know I was born with this nose right." she nodded " Well when it was coming up to that time, I was told that a reindeer who is blessed with the gift of a red nose is said to be able to live for as lone as the princesses, that that reindeer will stay by Santa's side for millenniums to come." They noticed they were starting to walk across the frozen ponds but they hovered just above it so they wouldn't fall in. "And then I noticed that you were getting older, and that you were starting to rely on me to comfort you, even if we did only see each other once or twice or three times a year. But then I noticed that you had grown up, and that you were at the age of not needing someone like me anymore. So I stop coming to you." "So you left because you thought I was getting old?" Rainbow wasn't buying this; there must have been something else. What was that about him being as old as the princesses? "No, I stopped showing up because....because I was starting to rely on you for comfort as well." He hung his head for a minute before continuing “I never got along with the other reindeer, most likely because of my nose and that I'm a half breed. So I didn't want us to just be living our live till the next day that we saw each other, especially if was going to outlive you a thousand fold. Don't you see Dash, I didn't just leave you...I gave you up. So that you would have a life without me, and that you could started to open up to others." "So you left me, so that I wouldn't need you anymore." She was about to continue as she opened her mouth to say something like "of course I still needed you," or "that's sounds like a load of horse poop". But he interrupted her before she could. "But it worked, just look at you now. On the road to almost become a Wonderbolt. Part of the elements of harmony, who have saved Equestria a couple of times, might I add. And you didn't need me to do all that." "I see what you mean, but why didn't you just tell me this some other time before." she asked him. "I don't know, I tried to a couple of times. But I guess I was just scared to tell you something like that." He brought his head back up to face her. "I'm sorry Dash." "It's okay. But I guess you plan did work, I'm a lot more open now." she said with a small smile. Rainbow never liked to show tears or her stage fright or anything like that but she did still opened up to her friends about some of the problems she had. Heck, she was even mentoring Scootaloo now about stuff like this. "Yeah, I've had my eye on you," He smile "Still not a fan of opening up to the opposite gender though." He gave a devilish smile and a wink. But he had already taken things too far. She jumped on top of him, making sure to avoid the antlers. Pushing him to the ground were the rolled around laughing for a bit. Rudolph climbed off of Rainbow and they just lade there for a good while. They talked about how their lives were getting on, and what was new. Rudolph couldn't watch Dash all the time when he was at the north pole but he did see some interesting bits, like how she kick that dragon in the face or that sonic boom trick she hadn't been able to perform sense she was a filly. As time went on, it was getting late and Rudolph had to leave so he could get back in time for their practice run. "Well I guess this is it." He sighed. "Yeah...Same time next year." She asked. He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. Did she really just say that after what they had talked about? "Dash look..." This time it was his turn to get cut off. "I didn't mean like that." She said quickly. I just meant that maybe you could just come and spend some time with me and my friends. That what hearths warming eve is truly about right?" He thought about it for a moment and then a smile crept onto his face. "Right, next year. and then maybe before that." He smiles. As his green aura shined around his antlers. He started to fly off into the moonlight. Then he suddenly stops and turned around. "Hay!" He called down to her "Before I go, how about a race." Now that was music to Dash's ears. End of part 4 Author's Note Okay, I have no idea what you guys think of this chapter. There is probable going to be a lot of mistakes in here, so please point them out to me. As always, I hoped you enjoyed.