It had been a long time since the Dashes had had one of their family gatherings. While they were not as tight-knit as, say, the Apples, they had always made a point to get together for some fun at least somewhat regularly. However, tragedy, family issues, near-death experiences, and other struggles always seemed to get in the way. There had been no time for lighthearted family fun with so much to deal with, at least not without something else clouding their minds.
 
Today, that was different.
 
Months had passed since Lightning’s wife had woken up and recovered from her coma. Life finally seemed to return to a sense of normalcy for everypony after that, even if it was different. And while there was somepony forever missing from the Dashes’ lives, things were pretty decent now. Decent enough for a family gathering, at the very least.
 
“Hey, who wants to play some hoofball?” Rainbow Dash called out.
 
”I do!” A chorus of voices called out.
 
Soon enough, everypony sprang up and started galloping towards the open field where Rainbow had led them, ready for some family fun. Well, everypony except two ponies.
 
”Dad!” Orange Soda waved. “Aren’t you gonna come?”
 
”Can’t, bud,” Firework replied. “Busted hoof, remember?” He lifted his bandaged hoof and winced.
 
”Oh yeah…well, have fun with Auntie Connie!” The colt shrugged and trotted off.
 
And so Firework watched his family run off into the distance, along with Confetti Surprise who had decided not to go as well. Well, less like decided and more like couldn’t. As happy as she seemed, Firework still felt bad for her. Even with a simple sprained hoof, he was going crazy from not being able to walk around normally. He couldn’t imagine how she felt.
 
“Mmm,” Confetti sighed, snapping him out of his thoughts. “It’s nice to see everypony happy and playing together again, don’t you think?”
 
”Yeah,” Firework popped open a bottle of soda while watching the scene enviously. “It’d be nice to be to join ‘em, though. Oh wait…”
 
You bucking idiot! Firework mentally berated himself as soon as he realized what he’d said. She can’t join them, ever! What were you thinking?
 
”Sorry, I mean…uh…y’know…”
 
”It’s okay,” Confetti smiled understandingly. “You don’t have to be sorry. I’m fine, really. As long as the kids are happy, I’m happy! I like watching them play.”
 
”I know, but, uh…yeah.” Firework but his tongue before he could make anymore stupid comments.
 
”Hey, if it makes you feel any better, it’s nice to have some company,” Confetti eyed his bandaged hoof. “What happened?”
 
Firework chuckled. “Sprained it a couple days ago while banging Dusky. Wild night, y’know? Had to get the first-aid kit and everything-“
 
”Oh.” She cleared her throat. “I’m…sorry that happened.” In a moment of awkward silence, she turned back to watch the game.
 
Oh shit, Lightning’s gonna kill me! Firework nervously sipped his soda, wracking his mind for something to break the tension. It seemed anything he came up with would only bring up past drama or just be super awkward. And it wasn’t like they had anything in common, either.
 
Wait. They did have something in common: their comas. Yeah, it would be weird to bring it up, but it had been nearly a decade and Firework just couldn’t get his out of his mind. The dark void, the voices, the vision of his sister, all of it was just unforgettable. Was the vision even real? Was it really her? Firework didn’t even know. Just once, he wanted to know what others had gone through to hopefully affirm that he wasn’t crazy. Starting with his own sister-in-law.
 
“So, uh…you know that coma you were in last year?”
 
”Yes?” Confetti turned her gaze back towards him.
 
”Well,” Firework took another gulp of his soda, “I was just wondering, uh, what was it like? Did you…see anything?”
 
”Hm,” she paused for a moment. “Well, I don’t know. Not really. I was in this endless black place—like a void, almost—but I could hear voices.”
 
”Voices?”
 
”Yeah, my family. Lightning, the kids, Mom and Dad, Cheesy and Creamy, some of my friends too. They weren’t very clear, I didn’t know what they were saying, but I knew it was them.”
 
“Huh,” Firework pondered. The black void, the voices of family…all of that was in his coma too. Maybe it was a coincidence, but he still wasn’t sure. “So, like, how did you get out of it?”
 
Confetti chuckled. “This probably sounds really strange, but I actually saw Paint Swirl.”
 
PPPFFFFFTTTT
 
She ducked her head just in time as Firework spat his soda out.
 
“REALLY?! No way!”
 
”Like I said, it sounds strange. I don’t even know if it was real-“
 
”I saw her too!!”
 
Confetti looked up to meet Firework’s eyes and, in a flash, everything clicked for them.
 
”How could I forget, you had a coma too! You really saw her?”
 
”Yeah! Everything you just talked about, I saw it too! This is crazy!”
 
”Oh my gosh! I thought I was the only one!”
 
”Me too!”
 
They both broke out into a fit of laughter.
 
After a good couple minutes, Confetti wiped a tear of laughter from her eye. “You know, as surreal as it all was, seeing Paint was the most vivid part of the whole experience. She was like a light in the darkness. She told me to wake up and go back to my family, and…Celestia, it felt so real.”
 
”Same!” Firework exclaimed. “She said the same thing to me! It was so great to see her, after everything that happened, but she wouldn’t let me near her. It was like she didn’t want me to die. Not…” he swallowed hard, “Not like her.”
 
”Yeah…” Confetti grew pensive. “She was the same with me. Said I didn’t want to go with her, not yet.” She looked up at him with tears forming in her eyes. “Firework, I think Paint saved our lives.”
 
A lump formed in Firework’s throat as it hit him. “Sweet Luna, she really did…” He stopped, taking a moment to regain his composure. “Y…you think it was really her?”
 
”I can’t say for sure,” Confetti smiled, “But it’s definitely something our Paint would do.”