> A Rainbow on the Horizon
>  by Foal Star
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A Rainbow on the Horizon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windy Whistles slowly woke up early in the morning feeling somewhat groggy as she went to the bathroom to prepare for the day. After showering, the light blue-coated mare brushed out her orange mane, doing her best to make it presentable. The mother-to-be then looked over at her reflection, touched her face, and saw the wrinkles under her dark violet eyes, showing her age. The mare then went to the kitchen and made herself a sandwich for breakfast, with two slices of sourdough bread mixed with pasta and potato salad. She started to chomp on it and then squeaked as she felt some light kicking in her belly. "She's quite fidgety this morning."

The pegasus then rubbed the side of her belly and whispered, "Still a few more months, okay? I can't let you out yet, and already you're the best little kicker ever!"

This got another kick, making her laugh. She then heard somepony laugh, "I can tell she's going to be quite hopeful when she gets out," She turned to see her husband, a massive burly, greyish blue colored pegasus, slowly trotted over. Windy looked somewhat worried, seeing the bags under his orange eyes, and his usually shaved rainbow mane was growing rather wild and frizzled; his usual five o'clock shadow was now a subtle beard.

As the stallion started making himself a bowl of cereal, the mare asked, "You look horrible. Are you ok?"

The stallion yawned as he stretched his wings and said,  "Yeah, the rainbow drainage system was clogged, and we spent the whole night trying to unclog it; then, after that, we still had quite a mess to clean up."

Windy got somewhat worried as she got up and asked, "Oh dear, please, I can come help."

Her husband then put a hoof on her shoulder. "Nope, the doctor said you need to stay at home. You're on paid maternity leave."

Windy got somewhat annoyed. She liked her job at the weather factory and didn't want to be treated like some helpless filly, so she said, "I wish I weren't. I'm so bored being stuck here all day. I need to occupy my time with something."

"Why not visit Posey Shy? She needs help with her garden since having Fluttershy."

Windy considered that, as the two had gotten relatively close, but she had other plans. As she said,  "I should, and I probably will, but I have something else I need to do today."

The pegasus then pulled her head down, and she could feel her heart in her chest as she whispered, "I haven't told my mother about our daughter."

Bow stopped mid-spoonful of cereal in his mouth, paused, and asked, "Do you have to?"

Windy nervously looked away, seeming unable to look her husband in the eye. "I feel like I should; it's only fair she's my mother."

"Who disowned you?"

Windy felt a pang of guilt at the words "disowned," feeling the need to defend her a little, and said, "I left without her consent."

"You were sixteen! And she threw you aside when she learned you were dating me. Why does she need to know about our daughter!?"

"I…I don't know; I feel like I owe her that she's still my mother…maybe she's changed, you know?"

Bow gave an exhausted sigh as he took another bite of his cereal, seeming to munch on it for a bit, then said,  "I think it's a bad idea, but I won't stop you."

"What about you? Should you tell your folks?"

This time, he looked somewhat surprised and abit worried as he grumbled, "I guess I haven't talked to them since I left home; maybe you have a point. I should probably give them a second chance to see how they are."

Windy came over smiling as she hugged her husband. "Even if they didn't, I'm happy you'll try to see them. You know? We want our daughter to meet her grandparents."

Bow winced as if stuck by a mosquito and added, "If they changed, I don't want them near her if things are the same as when I left."

Windy then kissed him on the lips as they held each other close. He nuzzled her back, his eyes went wide seeing the clock overhead, and said, "Alright, I gotta get to work. Keep our little number one kicker safe."

Windy chuckled as she nuzzled her husband, "Oh, she'll be fine. You take care of yourself. She needs her best dad ever happy and healthy."

The stallion blushed and laughed, "Well, we'll see about that."

As Bow left, Windy prepared herself for her trip, taking her daily vitamins and drinking some herbal tea before finishing her breakfast. She got a purse for some bits and exited the house, standing over the clouds, wondering if this was a good idea. She and her mother didn't part on good terms, and she struggled for a long time ever to come back to see her. The mare took a hoof to her belly and rubbed it a little. "Maybe she's better, you know?"

She didn't feel a kick this time, wondering if that was a sign. Windy then spread her wings and took off, heading over the sea of clouds as she flew across Cloudesdale. 









It took a while to get to her parents, who were wealthier pegasi living in the fancier part of town. The houses were more prominent, and the pegasi wore fancier clothes, going about their leisure walking dogs, painting, or doing basic flying exercises. It was exactly how she expected things were here, except that as she trotted across the clouds, various pegasi here eyed her as she passed. The mare started feeling self-conscious about her appearance, seeing she was wearing only her orange blouse. Despite cleaning up, the thought of her wrinkles and gaining weight from the pregnancy made her feel like a blob compared to the model pegasi trotting around her. She pushed those thoughts aside as she came upon a familiar home and knocked on the door. She waited patiently as a mare wearing a fancy purple gown opened it. The mare in question had a light blue coated mare with dark purple eyes, glasses, and a bright yellow mane curled around her face. She raised her head, being a bit surprised, then asked. "Windy? Is that you?"

The younger pegasus's insecurity grew as she waved a hoof and said,  "Hello, Mom."

The pegasus smiled as she hugged her and chirped, "Oh, Windy, it's so good to see you."

The older mare led her daughter through the manor. It was ancient, with massive white columns towering over her, the ground covered in a turquoise-colored carpet feeling firmer than the clouds she usually trots on. Then, as they crossed into the dining hall, she looked up to see a portrait of her father, a stern-looking pegasus wearing the royal guard armor, those cold dark violet eyes, blue coat, orange and red mane striped mane. She shivered under the gaze of his disappointment in her, lowering her head, feeling that cold stone glare despite him being dead for years now. 

Her mother approached her and asked,  "What is happening here? Your mane is dry; are you caring for it? You should be using conditioner."

"Yes, Mother."

She then poked her belly, making Windy step back in reaction. She snapped, "You're also gaining weight. Hopefully, you're keeping your figure."

Windy wanted to shout that she was pregnant in her face but held her tongue and instead grumbled, "I'm fine, Mom."

"You need time to go clean yourself up? You should use makeup to cover those wrinkles under your eyes."

"Mother, please."

"You should also buy some dresses. They'll help cover your flab."

Windy could feel her patience waning, but she decided to hold it in and see if she could salvage her relationship with her. As they sat together for lunch, they ate tiny portions of salad despite having a big breakfast. Windy was starving for something more substantial but decided to wait to eat something after her visit. Her mother just gave her an inquisitive look as she asked bluntly, "Now, what brings you back? Did you ditch that low-life earth pony yet?"

Windy winced as her mother mentioned her husband and asked, "You mean Bow Hothoof?"

"Yes, that's his name Bow Hothoof? What a strange name for a halfbreed."

Windy eyes widened, realizing her mother had just said and cried, "Mom!" 

The older mare scoffed and waved a hoof, "Come now, nopony is around; how in Equestria could an earth pony ever be allowed to marry anyone outside their own kind is beyond me. Princess Celestia has lost her marbles and has been for centuries."

Windy was stunned, unable to believe the words her mother was spewing. She thought maybe she would have gotten better over time, but she's gotten worse!? At least growing up, she was more subtle with her speciesism against Earth Ponies, but now she's just blatantly calling her husband a halfbreed. She could feel tears welling in her eyes as she said, "He's my husband, and I don't care that he's half earth pony."

"Oh, you will when you have his spawn. Hopefully, if you do have kids, they're pegasi, and then you can divorce him and find a suitable suitor…I heard that The Feather Family has a son who is still single, and I heard he's quite handsome."

Tears flooded Wdind'y eyes as she whispered. "Mother, I came to tell you that…"

"What?"

Windy paused, unable to speak the words, wondering if she had even told her she was pregnant. Knowing she was having a daughter could change things and flip that switch to make her better. "That…"

"Speak up; you know when I hate it when you mumble under your breath."

Windy finished her drink, slammed her hooves, and shouted. "I'm going to say that I wanted to have you meet your granddaughter! But now I just wanted to say I hope you'll never see her!"

Her mother stepped back, looking quite surprised. "Excuse me!?"

Windy couldn't hold back her emotions, tears flooding her eyes as she cried, "Calling my husband a half-breed, pointing every flaw on me, that's all you and Dad ever did! You never saw me as your daughter, just some trophy to be married off!"

Her mother laughed, "So what!? That's what I was. I never loved your husband and did my duties as a wife."

She gasped, seeing that her mom was set in her ways and that this visit was a waste of time. "You're never going to change, are you?"

The older pegasus scoffed as she threw a hoof, "Of course not. I'm just telling the truth about whether you like it or not. You are a spoiled brat who did nothing with her life, being nothing more than a no-name factory worker. Have your halfbreed spawn. Just don't come begging for bits when that halfbreed leaves you."

Windy wiped the tears from her face and cried, "Don't worry, you'll never see me or your granddaughter again. Goodbye, Mother."

She ran out of the dining hall at the massive portrait of her father, unable to stop the tears from her eyes. She left as she slammed the doors behind her and continued to bawl like a baby, unable to stop as she ran off toward her home, wishing she had never come.








Meanwhile, after his shift at the weather factory, Bow Hot Hoof finished his shift, ensuring the control settings for the rainbow were well-regulated. The gauges were all. Then, a sweet cream-green-coated pegasus with his mane looking like a cloud on his head with a little mustache over his muzzle flew over as he waved a hoof and said, "Well, it seems everything is back to normal thanks to you, the factory is back up and running."

"It's no problem, mister shy. It seems everything is going rather smoothly."

"Well, it's about time you head home, Mr. HotHoof. You look absolutely exhausted."

Bow turned towards the stallion and saluted, "Yes, sir! Thank you!"

"I'm getting off shift, too. Do you want to hang out for a bit after work? I was thinking of hitting the golf course for a few rounds."

Bow considered saying yes, but he had something else to do. "Oh, I would love to, but I need to see my folks."

"I see? Was there any reason in particular?"

Bow shook his head, then said, "Just uh, well…I feel like I gotta tell my parents they have a grand foal on the way."

Mr.Shy beamed a smile and said, "I heard about that. Congratulations."

"Thank you. How about a rain check on that golf game?"

"Of course! See you around Bow!"

Bow waved as Mr Shy left. He then went across the factory and took off flying for about an hour or so from Cloudsdale and heading towards the outskirts of Ponyville to a massive farm. There were fields of crops of all kinds, from cabbages, carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes, and around them were filled with ponies picking them and placing them in wheel barrels. Many smiled and waved as Bow slowly crossed over, bowing his head a little and waving back now and again. He then came upon a fancy-looking manor with a massive field of cabbages and carrots. The stallion then came upon the doorway and knocked, waiting patiently. Then he heard loud stomping, making him quiver as a massive dull blue-coated stallion opened the door. An enormous pair of Magenta-colored eyes peered down a dark grey colored stallion and scoffed, "So you finally returned?"

Bow lowered his gaze and grumbled, "Yes, Dad, I came to see you."

The stallion waved a hoof as Bow followed him, seeing the massive earth pony his father was in his fancy suit with his mane curled-back black mane. He followed his father silently, like a foal being punished, and trotted through a rather fancy manor. The palace itself was old, with statues of his forefathers and mothers spotted across the hallway, and old paintings filled the walls of old stern families and pegasi. This farm was passed from generation to generation and filled with various servants doing their duties, dusting, and cleaning. Then, as they made it to the dining room, a stern-looking white pegasus mare slowly trotted over, her silky rainbow mane greyed from age trailing around her as Princess Celestia had hers. Still, unlike the princess, she had cold blue eyes staring at him. "Bow, it's really you, huh? Didn't expect to see you again."

Bow stood back as he said, "Well, it's good to see you too, Mother."

She threw a hoof and scoffed, "As if," she flew off to the dining room as his father gave a loud grunt and sat at the head of the dining room table. Bow silently sat down at the far end of his father rather meekly and kept his gaze mostly downward. As they sat down to eat dinner, he looked up at his father and asked, "So how have you been since I uh left?"

The other stallion scoffed and took a bite from his meal, "We are doing very well. We made a couple thousand bits this past quarter. How about you? What do you do for a living again?"

"I, uh, ya know, help make rainbows at the rainbow factory."

"Good to know you abandoned us for some menial job; how much do you make ten bits an hour?"

Bow winced, lowered his eyes again, feeling ashamed a little despite being content with his life, and said, "I didn't abandon you. I told you I'm good at making rainbows and didn't want to take the farm."

"That's easy for you to say; now I'm getting old and readying to retire and will have to sell it to my cousin. Do you have any idea how that feels!?"

Bow quivered a little, hearing the anger growing in his father's voice. "I… couldn't, but I don't want to talk about the farm, Dad!"

The stallion rose, slamming his hooves on the table. "And who are you to give me orders, huh? You and your good-for-nothing flank wouldn't be where it is without me!"

He turned to his mother, dabbing her lips with a napkin as she snapped, "Don't stare at me; listen to your father! We built this farm with our hooves and asked that you take over! What did you do? Run off to be a factory worker." She snickered as she sipped a glass of wine.

Tears filled Bow's eyes, feeling that familiar sense of guilt forming inside as he said, "I had to…I got my cutie mark helping make rainbows! And I get paid well. I wanted to prove I could make it on my own."

His father gave him a look of disgust as he waved a hoof. "He's crying again!? How could a grown stallion cry like that?"

Bow was trying to hold himself together as he finally said, "I…I didn't come here to fight; I just wanted to tell you that my wife and I were having a daughter."

His mother stopped, eyes growing wide as she asked,  "Daughter, huh?"

"Yes, a daughter, at least that's what our doctors said."

The mare took another sip of wine and sighed, "Well, if anything, hopefully, she won't turn out to be a disappointment like you." 

Everypony went wide-eyed, even his father, as she placed a hoof over her mouth and, with a smirk, replied, "Excuse me, that must be the wine talking."

The pegasus stepped back at the response from his mother as his father laughed as he sat back onto his chair and threw a hoof, "You're having a daughter!? Is that it, huh? I guess you're lucky you're not having a son. If that's all, then leave unless you come to change your mind and take the farm."

Bow realized that coming here was a mistake and got up like a foal and said, "Well, that is all. I'll be on my way."

The stallion then ran out of the manor, unable to hold back the tears flowing from his eyes. His heart was beating in his chest, feeling as if he just sprinted a marathon. It felt like he had just returned for no reason but to realize that his parents were the same old bitter ponies he remembered. Once outside the manor, he threw out his wings and flew off, secretly vowing never to return. 








Back at home, Windy was recovering from her visit from her mother by eating a bowl of ice cream and reading a Daring Do novel. It was fun and engaging, keeping her mind off her mother's words. Other than that, the constant kicks from her belly made her feel better, rubbing it slowly, feeling the form of her baby. Windy was much more relaxed and content than she was earlier. Her ears perked up as Bow walked through the front door, rubbing a hoof over his eyes and giving a painful smile to his wife as she asked, "Hey honey, uh, how was visiting your parents?"

She looked up and didn't even need to ask how things went. Her husband would give that sheepish smile, unable to say a word. Whenever she saw him like that when they were dating, she asked if he was "okay" after finding him wanting to sleep in her bedroom. "It went as well as I expected; how was your visit with your mom?"

Windy opened her mouth, wanting to tell him how horrible the visit was, but was too emotionally wrecked to really say anything as the words came out, "She's the same old bitter mare I always knew."

The mare then started to sob as Bow sat by her, holding the mare close with his wings wrapping around her. He then sat close to his wife; they just sat there with each other as he rubbed a hoof over her belly. "Still kicking, huh?"

"She hasn't stopped all day." The instant she felt her husband's wings come around, her tears started to flow again, this time not from pain but out of joy being with the stallion she loved and feeling the words her mother shouted at her vanishing from her mind. Windy then looked at her belly and said, "We have to be different than our parents; we need to make sure our foal never feels like she has to win our approval."

Bow gave a cheerful smile and chirped, "Yeah! We'll support her through thick and thin; even if she fails, we'll support her, and she'll never have to feel like she owes us anything!"

Windy smiled at her husband.  "We'll be her little cheerleading squad even if nopony else is around to cheer for her…now all that leaves is a name?"

Her husband chuckled as he came over and said, "We keep avoiding that, huh? It has to be perfect."

Windy pressed her hoof to her belly, thinking it over in silence for quite some time, "Normally, most ponies wait until their foals are born before naming them to see how they are, but I don't care what she does if she works at the weather factory or some hero, if she turns out to be a boy if she's an earth pony, a pegasus, unicorn, a dragon I don't care. She's perfect the way she is, and nothing will ever change how I feel."

Bow held her and added, "You're making naming her quite a stumper, especially if she turns out to be a boy?"

Windy laughed slightly, then said, "The doctors' have assured me it's a girl…but you never know. Why don't we name her Rainbow?"

Her husband was abit surprised and asked, "Rainbow!?"

"Rainbow can be for a colt or a filly?"

Bow tapped a hoof to his chin, "but it needs something else added to it, like Wind?

"Rainbow Wind!? No, that's silly."

"How about something like…Rainbow Bright?"

"Seriously!? No way!"

"Ok, ok then how about Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah! That's perfect!!" Then, with a kick, Windy clutched her belly and laughed, "It looks like she agrees Rainbow Dash it is!" The mare then got up, groaning as she stretched her limbs. Bow then got up and assisted his tired pregnant wife to their bedroom. As they went under the covers, he nuzzled her and whispered, "Glad you didn't let your mother get to you."

Windy nuzzled next to Bow as she looked up at the ceiling and said, "She did for a while; despite her cruelty, a part of me wants to win her approval." She curled up against her husband and held her belly, rubbing it as she gently said, "But you and little Rainbow Dash helped me realize what's important."

"Me too, you and little Dashie. That's all that matters to me, nothing else."

"We'll make a family here and cherish every moment with her."

"And one day, all of her dreams will come true."

"Even if they don't, we'll be here for her no matter what."