“...It is advised that all pegasi relocate to a new city.” The radio was clicked off by Tricolor Dash, who blew a huff. Tricolor was cyan, with a mane of red, green, and blue.

“What do they know about the weather?” He said, putting the radio away in a cloud trunk. He lived with his wife and daughter, Monochrome and Rainbow Dash, in an enormous cloud mansion. It was highly colorful, with rainbow fountains strewn about all over. It was a pretty simple abode, despite its size.

“Honey, are you certain it’s a good idea to blow them off like this? They aren’t always as wrong as you think...” Monochrome reasoned, receiving a glare from her husband. His eyes shared the same shade of magenta as his wife and daughter.Monochrome merely brushed her black and white hair over her head at this, and scoffed.

“Mono, they’re just watching some stupid diodes and lights, they don’t have to go through it all!” He yelled, pointing a hoof at some seemingly harmless clouds forming in the distance. “I was assigned to those clouds, and they’re perfectly normal!”

Rainbow Dash sat idly by on the couch, watching her parents fight. They did so frequently, and she wondered why they even got together in the first place. Ever since the very beginning, they’d argue and yell.

“Please, I don’t want to take the risk! Think of Rainbow!” Mono argued, much louder than before. When on the topic of her daughter’s safety, she tended to raise her voice.

“I... I-Well....” Tricolor had been beaten. This also happened frequently when the two argued. “Fine, we’ll wait and see if it gets bad. Happy now?”

Monochrome nodded with a sly smile, winking at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow winked back, giggling with glee at how mommy was so good at arguing. Tricolor didn’t like this little show, and he whipped his hoof to his mouth with fire in his eyes.

After a long silence, the family sat down around their cloud table for lunch. Not having anything to talk about, they all ate in silence, listening intently for any thunder cracks. It was a pretty tranquil scene, despite the fear each pegasus felt, including Tri.

“So... Mono, one of the guys over at the weather team is getting married some time.”

“The shy one?”

“Yeah, it’s with this beautiful yellow mare with pink hair.”

Monochrome giggled a little at the odd pair. She knew Rays from fillyhood, and never thought such a bold mare would end up with a shy little colt. “Now, don’t be getting any ideas, cassanova!”

“Yeah, daddy! No ideas!” Rainbow dash cooed, echoing her mommy.

“You get ‘im, Dashie!” Mono laughed, seeing the bold look on her daughter’s face. “She’s gonna be a real fighter in the future, eh, Tri?”

“Heck yes, she will! That’s my girl we’re talking about!” The couple shared a laugh, and told Rainbow to get ready for bed.

“Now, sweetie, me and your father will wake you up if anything happens, okay?”

Rainbow Dash nodded groggily, struggling to keep her eyes open.

Monochrome placed a kiss on Rainbow’s forehead, and left the room with her husband. “Good night, my little Dashie.” All became dark, and Rainbow closed her eyes.

“Good night, mommy...” she whispered, feeling herself go into sleep paralysis.

“Mommy!? Daddy!!!” Rainbow Dash screamed, being rudely awoken by the loud crash of thunder. Lightning struck the rainbow pool directly next to her bedroom, allowing her to feel the vibrations.

“Mommy!!! Daddy!!!” She screamed louder, finally hearing heavy footsteps descending the cloud staircase. The steps were faster than usual, meaning that something had happened.

“Rainbow Dash, you need to get up now!” It was the voice of her father, in a panicked frenzy. “Hurry! I was dead wrong about the clouds...” He shook Rainbow hard, ducking when another strike of lightning shattered a window.

Rain poured in through the hole, soaking into the cloud they stood on. Lightning struck again, forcing Tricolor to his haunches in ear pain. “Rainbow Dash, get to your feet! We’re leaving, now!”

Rainbow Dash rolled over to the floor, feeling the static of more lightning coming on. “Daddy, I’m scared!” she screamed, barely audible over the crash of more thunder.

“I am too, honey... but, trust me! You need to—” Another crash of thunder muffled his voice out, and he gave up instructing his flailing daughter. He scooped her up with his forelegs and flew to the front door of the mansion, meeting up with his wife at the entrance.

Hail the size of a filly was dropping from the sky, barely missing the family. Lightning was striking everywhere, leaving no silence in the cloudy night sky. Rain was soaking into the coats of them, making them shiver.

“Tricolor, you,” thunder clapped loudly, “you got us into this mess, now you’re getting us out of it!”

“Shut up for three Celestia-blessed minutes! Unless you want to be struck down!” Tri yelled back, over the thunder.

Rainbow Dash looked over to the darkness of the clouds, seeing something strange. Everything else seemed to grow quiet, as lightning lit up something in the distance. It roared monstrously, spinning around and collecting clouds in a funnel of destruction. Rainbow’s parents were too busy arguing to see the forming twister.

“Mommy, daddy! Spinny cloud!” Rainbow Dash said excitedly, finally able to see the twister she so yearned for her whole life. Little did she know how dangerous it was.

“What?” Tricolor said, looking over in the direction of Rainbow. “Oh, flub.”

Tricolor scooped up Rainbow once more, and grabbed his wife by her scruff with his teeth. Flying madly through the hazy darkness, it was a wonder they made it anywhere. The panic in his eyes fogged his mind, keeping him still for the clouds.

“Honey, look out!!!” Mono screamed, breaking free from Tri’s grip and grabbing Rainbow.

In a flash of brilliance and static, the smell of burnt feathers spread through the sky. Rainbow Dash, too young to know what was happening, only felt the rain on her head. she couldn’t tell, however, if the rain was water, or tears.

Monochrome dove through the clouds with Rainbow now in her forelegs. She descended to the ground, sobbing lightly.  “Mommy?” Rainbow asked, “Where are we going?”

“Our new home, Dashie.”

“What about daddy?” Rainbow asked in a sweet tone.

The only response was a sniffle, and Monochrome softly stroking her daughter’s hair. “I’m sorry, honey,” she started, but was unable to finish.

The clouds cleared from the sky, allowing Mono to find the path to Cloudsdale.

Seven Years Later...

“Have fun at flight camp, dear!” Mono cheerfully gave her goodbyes to Rainbow before she headed off to flight camp. This was the normal yearly routine, saying goodbyes after a final breakfast and waiting months for a chance to see each other again. Mono hated having to say goodbye to her daughter, yet she sufficed with seeing her every so often.

“You got it, ma! I’ll try not to start any trouble this year!” Rainbow laughed, kissing her mother lightly on the cheek. Mono shot Rainbow a look of disapproval, worried that she might actually start another fight. She put it behind her, though, still having hope that it wouldn’t happen again.

“Okay, okay, Rainbow Dash. You have yourself a good time! Love you to bits and pieces!” She said, waving her hoof to Rainbow as she closed the cloud door. “Heaven knows your father did...”

Monochrome stared at the picture of Tri on the wall of the dining room, seeing his cheerful face as Rainbow Dash threw a cloud-ball at him. She remembered that day, too, the first time Tri taught her that little foal’s trick. She chuckled a little at the sight of the exasperated filly playing with her father.

“You know she still misses you, right, Tri?” She said to the picture, as if he could hear her. “She talks about you every day to me. Celestia, I wish you were still here...”

The months passed quickly, and Mono was met with terribly unnerving news. At about noon, one week before the scheduled visit with Rainbow, Raindrops knocked loudly on Mono’s door. It was urgent-sounding, with a quickly fading extra few knocks.

“Come in!” Mono yelled in a sing-song tone, not expecting company this early on.

“Mono, come quick! Your daughter is in huge trouble!” Raindrops frantically stated, motioning for Mono to follow. Without hesitation, Mono dropped the tray of food she had, and sped off with Raindrops.

Mono and Raindrops came to a halt at a police-taped cloud. “Rainbow? Rainbow!?” Mono screamed into the buzzing of the cloud, looking for any sign of her cyan baby. There she was. Being pulled away from the bleeding body of a dark brown pegasus colt, with hair long enough to cover his eyes.

“Oh my Celestia...” Mono said, covering her mouth with her hooves.

Rainbow had her wings strapped with rope, and hooves covered with cuffs. Though it wasn’t a serious crime, this could mean the end of her flying forever.

“Honey,” Mono began, “You know I still love you! With all of my heart! It’s just... it was a very dishonorable thing to do. You know better than to hit others!” Mono was a very lenient mother, rarely raising her voice to her filly. Only Rainbow’s stubborn attitude was beginning to get annoying.

“He deserved it! He was making fun of Fluttershy!”

“Who?” Mono asked.

“The little yellow, shy one. Looks kinda like her mother? Anyway, he was calling her names and all, so I just... socked ‘im!” Rainbow redid the scene with a hoof.

“I understand you were defending a friend, Dashie, but you can not hit another pony. I want you to go to your room while I file these papers. You’d better hope you can still fly freely after today.” Mono shot her hoof to the stairs, and Rainbow walked off with her head hung low.

With tears in her eyes, Rainbow apologized quietly. Mono sighed, looking back down at the pile of papers on the dining room table. “Dammit, Rainbow...”

“Oh look, fellas! Rainbow Crash is back for more!” a big brown stallion with basketball cutie mark taunted. “How was your break, Crash?”

This name was starting to become stale. The first few hundred times it sort of panged, but now it was just another word. Rainbow turned to the stallion, glaring at him with a terrible fury. It, in fact, was so enraged that it shut them up instantly. Rainbow Dash trotted off triumphantly, getting ready for her daily exercise.

It was going relatively well for her first day back, seeing as nopony was bothering her or berating her. She stretched her wings, flew through some rings, and went to her cabin to rest for the next day. This went on for several months, until one particular day.

“Rainbow Cr― I mean, Dash. I have some bad news...” Hoops came in to Rainbow’s cabin, with a sullen look plastered on his face.

“Well, what is it?” Rainbow urged, stepping over to Hoops. He’d never been sincere to Dash before, so she thought this was all a big prank.

“Well... uh... Maybe you should just follow me.” Hoops motioned his hoof for her to follow him. The sky was covered in a gray haze of clouds, letting a light drizzle soak into the coats of the two pegasi.

“What’s going on, Hoops?” Rainbow asked, putting her hoof on Hoops’ shoulder. The soft feathers of his wings pushed it away, and he simply told Rainbow to keep going.

Minutes had passed while the two pegasi slowly approached Cloudsdale Hospital. Rainbow’s flying grew erratic as her wings twitched wildly. “Hoops...” Rainbow started, “What’s going on?” She finished slowly, as if she believed Hoops a fool.

“J-just keep going, Dash.” The two landed at the front doors, pushing past a huge crowd of the media ponies. Dash’s legs were growing weaker as her imagination flung around in a torrent of situations.

“Hoops! Have you brought Rainbow Dash with you?” the secretary of the hospital asked sweetly. “Oh! Looks like you have. She’s in there, sweetie.” She motioned to the door to her left.

“C’mon Dash.” Hoops put a foreleg around Dash’s neck, in a semi-hug. They came to a stop in front of a door labeled “I.C.U.” Dash gasped and covered her mouth, eyes glazing over with salty tears.

“R-rainbow? D—” Monochrome sputtered into her rebreather, staining it red. “My... little Dashie?” She moaned, trying her best to make herself heard over the loud machines. Blood stained the sheets that covered her pale body.

“W-what... h-happened to you!?” Rainbow yelled, in a panic. Her eyes were turning red, and her nose began to drip blood. “P-please, mom!”

A doctor, by the name of Red Cross, stepped behind Rainbow and laid his large hoof on her shoulder. “Do you know Monochrome Dash, miss?” he asked, turning Rainbow’s face to meet his.

Rainbow nodded slowly, quivering.

“She was beaten badly. We got a call from Cloudsdale Law Offices earlier this morning, reporting her body. We’re surprised she actually made it this long.” He said coldly.

“M-mom?” her mother let out a pained grunt in acknowledgement, “Wh-who did this?”

“S... Soar...” Monochrome sputtered again and coughed, making her heart rate monitor fall flat briefly.

“Miss Dash, I think it’s best you go.” Red Cross said, trying to usher the stubborn Rainbow out the door.

“Wait! M-mommy... I promise, I’ll make something of myself! I’ll become a Wonderbolt, just like daddy was!” Rainbow yelled behind her while being forced out by two hefty stallions. Hoops walked out behind them, waving goodbye to Mono.

“Hoops... why did you come to me? Why did she ask you to get me?” Rainbow Dash asked, finally calmed after her crying fit earlier.

“Well, you know my dad?”

“Yeah?”

“When he was caught with drugs, she defended him in court. If it weren’t for her, my dad would be in prison, and I’d be in a foster home. I didn’t know until today that you were her daughter.” Hoops said, embracing Rainbow Dash.

“You know that I’m still going to be callin’ ya Crash, right?” Hoops said with a chuckle. Rainbow elbowed Hoops, also chuckling.

“Yeah, just... go a little easier on me, ‘kay? It gets a little annoying.”

“No promises, Dash!” Hoops said, smiling. The two sat outside the hospital for a while, waiting for the final news on Mono’s state. Finally, Red came out of the front doors, a piece of paper in his mouth.

“Your muffer vanted you to haff dis.” he said through the paper.

“Thanks, doc.” Rainbow replied, reading the paper.

Dear Dashie,

I hope you know how much me and your father loved you. I know it must be hard for you, seeing me like this, but I want you to know I’m very proud of you. Performing the Sonic Rainboom was a big accomplishment, and I really do hope you get into the Wonderbolts. It would mean a lot to me and your father. Time is short, sweetie, but remember: We’re always watching you, from the very skies you fly in.

Love you to bits and pieces, Mommy.

Rainbow Dash looked at the crowd, butterflies flying frantically in her stomach. Today was her big day.

“Knock ‘em dead, Kid.” Rainbow Dash turned to see Spitfire walking up, smiling. With a newly achieved fervor, Rainbow sped out into the skies.

She performed loops, dives, and found herself doing a double rainboom. The crowd covered their ears, yet cheered loudly with wide grins. Dash was soon joined by other members of the Wonderbolts, whom she taught a new Super-Move.

Splitting up and creating an enormous storm cloud, the Wonderbolts were ready to start their newest move. The Lightning Jumped Super Turbo Rainboom! Rainbow Dash soared to the peak of the sky, and dove down, readying herself for a real jolt. The crowd cheered wildly.

“Perfect! The great Rainbow Dash has done it again!” The announcer yelled, jumping wildly with his hooves in the air. The shock from the rainboom rung throughout the sky, echoing past Canterlot, Appleoosa, you name it.

Rainbow Dash steadied herself with her team, beaming proudly. Tears welled in her eyes as she saw her parents hovering beside her. “I did it, guys... I told you I could!” She said, blinking away her tears. Yet, when she opened her eyes, the only ponies she saw were Spitfire and Soaren, smiling and nodding.