Maleah


                                            >"Hey, kid, wake up!"

                                            >She opens her eyes. "Huh? Rainbow Dash?"

                                            >"Don't you know the side of the road's no place to take a nap?"

                                            >Slowly, she rises to her feet.

                                            >"Where am I?"

                                            >Rainbow Dash stands proudly before her. "Equestria, of course!"

                                            >In awe of the world before her, she spins around, taking in the landscape.

                                            >"What's your name?"

                                            >"Maleah."

                                            >"Well, Maleah, you wanna go for a flight?"

                                            >Excitedly, she nods.

                                            >Rainbow Dash squats down. "Hop on!"

                                            >Maleah climbs onto her back carefully and slings her arms around her neck.

                                            >"Whoa, you're gettin' big! How old are you?"

                                            >She holds up four fingers in front of Dash's face.

                                            >"Four! I remember four. That was a fun age. Hang on!"

                                            >Dash charges forth and spreads her wings, taking off seamlessly into the air.

                                            >Maleah tightens her grip around her chest. It's just a little too snug to breathe easily, but for the girl, she powers through.

                                            >Higher into the skies the pair ascends, and together, they look over the pristine countryside below with a sense of wonderment.

                                            >"How do you like Equestria?" Rainbow Dash yells over the winds.

                                            >"Cool! I want to show my mama!"

                                            >"Oh..."

                                            >Dash beats her wings softly, bringing them into a gentle glide.

                                            >"I wish it weren't true, kid, but she can't come here."

                                            >Her voice gets a little shaky. "Why?"

                                            >"It's... complicated. But you'll get to see her again one day. I promise."

                                            >Silently, they drift through the air above Ponyville. Not being able to see Maleah's expression leaves her uneasy.

                                            >"Hey," she says, breaking the silence, "until then, you get to stay with Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner. Doesn't that sound awesome?"

                                            >"Really?" The excitement in her tone returns.

                                            >Thank Celestia for short attention spans.

                                            >"Really! Pinkie Pie's setting your room up now. It's ALL pink. That's your favorite color, right?"

                                            >"Yeah! And rainbow color too!"

                                            >"Wow, I'm honored!" she replies wholeheartedly. "I mean, rainbow's not really a color, but I love the enthusiasm. Tell you what, how about I put up an extra special rainbow for you later today? I'll even write your name in the clouds."

                                            >"You can do that?"

                                            >"Of course! You're looking at Ponyville's premier weather pony."

                                            >Steadily, they descend towards the town square, and Dash lands effortlessly onto the cobblestones, letting Maleah dismount.

                                            >"Remind me to introduce you to Scootaloo later. She's gonna want to meet you."

                                            >"I know Scootaloo! And Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom too!"

                                            >"You do? Maybe they'll let you join the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Wouldn't that be cool?"

                                            >"Yeah!"

                                            >Dash starts trotting down the street. "Come on. Let's see if Pinkie Pie's ready for you."

                                            >Together, they head over to Sugarcube Corner. Dash holds the door open, and Maleah eagerly runs up the steps into the bakery.

                                            >"Surprise!"

                                            >Balloons and confetti fall from the ceiling while party horns sound out.

                                            >Against the far wall, a banner unfurls, revealing a very special message.

                                            >Welcome Home, Maleah

                                            >Pinkie Pie pulls her in for a hug. "Oh my gosh, I've been dying to meet you! We're going to have so much fun here. I can do your hair, we'll stay up late watching movies, and I'll even teach you how to bake!"

                                            >Maleah joins the festivities as Pinkie Pie brings her over to the dessert table to stuff her full of sweets.

                                            >Dash breathes a sigh of relief and walks over to the side of the room, where Twilight is waiting for her.

                                            >"How did it go?" Twilight asks.

                                            >"Harder than I thought."

                                            >She looks over Rainbow Dash sympathetically. "She didn't take it well?"

                                            >"No, she did. She'll be happy here. I just... it was hard staying bright and positive the whole time, knowing the truth."

                                            >Twilight pauses before responding. "Are you sure about this? I mean, you're her favorite, you're taking her under your wing. It'll be years before she's ready to move on. That represents such a significant investment. Sure, here she'll get to grow up, but in her world, she can still be a kid forever. She'd be alright without you. Are you prepared to give your life up for a little girl you don't even know?"

                                            >Rainbow Dash watches over Maleah, cheerfully introducing herself to all the ponies in attendance alongside Pinkie.

                                            >"It can't end here," she whispers pensively. "Not like this. A girl needs a childhood."

                                            >After a while, Pinkie pulls Maleah aside. "Hey, kiddo. I have a present for you."

                                            >"Really?" she asks. "Where is it?"

                                            >"In your room. Wanna see?"

                                            >Already, she's running off up the stairs. Pinkie giggles and follows after her.

                                            >"Which room is it?" Maleah asks, peering around the upstairs hallway.

                                            >Pinkie brings her to a door at the end. Dramatically, she pushes it open, revealing a beautifully-adorned pink bedroom.

                                            >There's a massive toy chest, a walk-in closet, and even a lofted bed with a slide.

                                            >In the center of the room, arranged neatly on a table, is a beautiful assortment of flowers.

                                            >"They're from your parents," Pinkie says, leading her over to them.

                                            >"See, they picked me and Rainbow Dash to watch over you. Every time your mom leaves flowers, I'll bring them here to you at night. So when you wake up, you'll know that she's still thinking of you, and that she loves you very much."

                                            >Quietly, Maleah hugs her.

                                            >"I miss my mama."

                                            >"I know, sweetheart," she whispers. "She misses you too. Every single day."