//------------------------------// // Part 4: Sisters Forever (RuinQueen and The Bricklayer) // Story: Poison Whiskey // by The Bricklayer //------------------------------// "I want you to know we're brothers forever, If the bottom drops out we'll hold on for the ride. Castles may stand but they don't last forever, Save what you can, let the rest of it slide." -Brothers Forever, Scooby Doo and the Loch Ness Monster: 2004 (Unknown Artist) Friendship Castle: Ponyville "Scootaloo, are you okay?" Rainbow asked as she poked her head into the room where Scootaloo was staying in, the filly looked up at her with a weak smile. Fluttershy was still fast asleep, which was normal. Rainbow knew she liked to sleep in late at times. It was a… habit she’d picked up from Rainbow, just as Rainbow had become a bit more sensitive than she was before marrying Fluttershy. "Hey Rainbow... I'll live," she said and added with a cocky smile. "It'll take a lot more than that to get rid of me." Rainbow smiled and trotted over to Scootaloo, the filly didn't want to worry her, that was at least something. Something at the back of Rainbow's mind was starting to press her to tell Scootaloo the truth, but she pushed it aside. No, this wasn't the time, not after what she had been through. But that didn't mean that she couldn't be there for her as a friend. "That's great," Rainbow said as she ruffled Scootaloo's mane gently. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you." “Something mind blowingly stupid, probably.” Rainbow thought to herself. “Celestia knows I’ve already done that once this week with her so called parents!” Rainbow mentally smacked herself in the forehead. “Honestly, what was I thinking? That could count as assault, for crying out loud! I hate to admit it when Twi’s right, but she is once again for the umpteenth time in this case. That’s not going to reflect well on me in the upcoming trial. Stupid, your dad, damn his soul to Tartarus, was right all along! I do break everything I touch! I really am worthless! I mean, look at me, dropping off my own daughter to ponies I didn’t even know because I was afraid I’d turn out like him, and then it turns out those ponies are EXACTLY like my parents!” “Rainbow, you alright?” Scootaloo asked nervously, snapping her mother back to reality. “Yeah… Yeah. Everything’s just fine.” Rainbow lied, knowing it would be best not to tell Scootaloo there was a very good possibility that she could be sent back to those ponies who dared call themselves parents. Suddenly, a very nice smell that she knew quite well reached her nostrils. “Anyways, I smell Twilight’s famous chocolate chip pancakes!” Rainbow exclaimed in excitement. To her surprise, when she looked back Scootaloo didn’t share her excitement and a tear was slipping from the orange filly’s eye. “I… I never had any pancakes for breakfast. M-My dad said they were only for good little fillies.” Scootaloo whispered, her voice quavering and close to tears. Rainbow brought her into a warm hug, snuggling her daughter close to her chest with her wings as she thought to herself “Damn them! Damn them both! One of the few things that my own parents got right when raising me was giving me a good breakfast every morning!” “Well, that’s about to change, I promise.” Rainbow reassured. “Pinkie Promise?” Scootaloo whispered, looking up at her eyes still glistening with tears. “Pinkie Promise.” Rainbow said before doing the sacred motions before adding in a teasing tone. “Now come on, breakfast will be getting cold soon and I don’t think we want that, now do we?” Scootaloo giggled and together, the twosome walked into the kitchen where Twilight was using her magic to flip the pancakes. “Morning!” Twilight said in a cheery tone. To Rainbow’s surprise, Twilight wasn’t the only Princess in the room. There, sitting at the table was a dark blue mare with a mane seemingly flowing in a non existent wind with stars in it eating some Prench toast while beside her was a black furred unicorn with a grey mane and yellow, almost wolfish like eyes with the armor of the Night Guard’s captain adorning his body. “Morning!” Princess Luna greeted cheerfully while the Captain gave a gruff nod. “P-Princess Luna, what are you doing here?” Rainbow stuttered out in shock while behind them, Fluttershy walked sleepily into the kitchen yawning as she did so and in an almost zombie like fashion went to the fridge and grabbed a glass of milk taking seemingly no notice of the two new arrivals. “I thought it… prudent to come and see Scootaloo after recent events.” Luna answered before transmitting a mental thought towards the adults in the room. “I thought it would be a good idea for you to know both Icy Wind and Last Drop are sitting in a holding cell in preparation for the trial in a few days.” “Good.” Rainbow thought, her voice coming out as almost a growl. “Those bastards deserve anything that’s coming to them.” “RAINBOW!” Both Twilight and Fluttershy scolded. “LANGUAGE!” “Well, it’s not like anypony besides us can hear it.” Rainbow argued. “Be that as it may, you’re in the presence of Princess Luna so show some respect, and I don’t tolerate that sort of language in my castle anyways.” “And you know how I feel about it, Rainbow.” Fluttershy reminded, mentally smacking her wife in the back of her head. Neither Luna nor her Captain said a word for a moment before he leaned over to Luna. “Should we get involved?” He asked. “No, this isn’t anything of our worries. Besides, who are you to lecture one on language considering half the words you spout off in my presence. Last night was a good example when you heard what Scootaloo’s adoptive parents did.” “And you brought down a meteor shower I should point out, so you’re no pony to talk about going over the top with one’s anger.” Her captain deadpanned. “Point.” Luna admitted. “Still, we all need to relieve ourselves of stress in one way or the other.” “I know the feeling all too well.” The captain said with a smirk towards Luna who only rolled her eyes. Scootaloo listened to the whole exchange and smiled. “Yep, I’ll bet my whole life savings those two are dating at the very least.” She thought with a chuckle even as she hopped up on a chair and Twilight levitated the finished pancakes over to the table. “Hey, where’s Spike?” Fluttershy asked as she poured milk into a glass for Scootaloo. “He’s been in Canterlot for the past few days spending time with Princess Celestia along with my parents. He said he missed them, and so I let him go.” “Yes, this is true. Tia said she missed her adoptive grandson a few days back.” Luna added in as she took a part of the stack of pancakes for herself and poured maple syrup all over them. “Aww, that’s sweet.” Fluttershy cooed as Rainbow and Scootaloo both faked gagging sounds in unison from the mushiness of it all. “That reminds me, I need to visit my parents sometime soon. Haven’t seen them in a while.” “Long as Zep’s not there, fine by me.” Rainbow muttered, and Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow. “Who’s…?” “Zephyr Breeze.” Rainbow stated with an audible groan. “Fluttershy’s brother and a complete narcissist. Still hasn’t gotten the memo that I’m not into him and seems to think I’m only faking being a fillyfooler just to quote “Hide my true feelings from him” unquote.” Rainbow stated sarcastically. “Say, did this Zephyr Breeze happen to think you and Trixie were a couple, Twilight? I heard rumors of a green pegasus seeming to think you and Ms. Lulamoon were… Oh how do you call it nowadays.. An item? Some book titled “A Twixie Love Story” has been going around of late…” Luna trailed off. “Zep’s Gaydar is a little off, as you might guess.” Rainbow deadpanned. “And then there was that book titled “To Romance a Magician”...” Luna continued, ignoring Rainbow entirely and in a teasing tone of voice said. “Not to mention all those short stories you find in the Canterlot newspapers.” “And the rather… Ahem, nicely drawn art to put it delicately that shows up every so often as well.” Luna thought to herself privately. “Ugh, don’t remind me…” Twilight said as she facehoofed. “That was just a rumor, and a complete and utter exaggeration. Why do those novels about me and Trixie keep coming out? I’d never date someone as ego filled as her! Honestly, whoever thought opposites attract is a complete and utter moron.” “Fluttershy and me are opposites, and look what happened to us.” Rainbow said proudly as she wrapped a wing around her wife and kissed her on the cheek. “Besides, it’s probably some stallion getting his-” “Getting his what?” Scootaloo asked, and Rainbow clammed up at once and Fluttershy shot her a glare and said to Scootaloo “You’ll know when you’re older.” Meanwhile, Luna looked completely innocent. “I wouldn’t think too much of it, Ms Sparkle.” The Captain said. “Ponies talk. Why, I suspect if Mrs. Rainbow and Mrs. Shy were not married, there would be rumors about you dating either one of them. Probably are anyways. Actually, I think I spotted a book in a store the other day about you and Mrs. Rainbow titled “I'll Always be Here for You”. Even had you adopting Scootaloo in it. Think there’s a sequel coming out…” Twilight with a huff, got up off her chair and stomped off muttering to herself about needing to go on a book burning spree. “...Think we went a little too far?” Luna asked. “Nah, just give her a few hours and she’ll get over it.” Rainbow responded casually. Then there was the sound of somepony teleporting. “...On the other hoof…” She trailed off while Fluttershy let out a small “Oh dear…” Later that afternoon, Rainbow, Fluttershy and Scootaloo went off to the market for some much needed shopping. Both Fluttershy’s animal feed and the food for themselves had been running low of late and so a restocking was in order. “Let’s see… A few parsnips, a few fish for both me and Pen-Pen, and some tomatoes…” Rainbow muttered to herself as she looked through Carrot Top’s stand and what it had on offer before she turned to Fluttershy. “Hey Flutters, is a tomato a fruit or a veggie? I’m honestly confused here.” Rainbow asked, scratching her head. Fluttershy thought about it for a moment, before shrugging. “I never thought about it to be honest.” She answered with a blush. “Why do I feel in some universe a tomato would be one sexually confused food?” Rainbow thought to herself. Then Carrot answered. “The tomato is the edible fruit of Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as a tomato plant, which belongs to the nightshade family, Solanaceae.” She said in a matter of fact tone of voice, causing all three members of the Shy-Dash family to stare right at her. “What? Twilight loaned me a book on the subject. ...Plus, I really know my plants.” She said smugly. Rainbow just gaped, her mouth opening and closing like a fish for several moments with no words able to be formed in her mouth. As Fluttershy bought animal feed from a traveling member of the northern Caribou kingdoms Rainbow noticed Scootaloo staring longingly at a full set of Wonderbolts plushies from a toy shop window. The older pegasus walked up to her secret daughter. “...They never gave you anything growing up did they?” Rainbow asked softly. Scootaloo shook her head sadly and wiped a tear from her eye. “No, not even my scooter. I found that in an old alleyway just waiting to be picked up by the garbage ponies.” She replied and Rainbow put a hoof on her shoulder. “You know what? I’ll buy that entire set for you. I know Flutters probably won’t be too happy for breaking my budget for this month, but to be honest you kinda deserve something good in your life. Plus, I’ve got my cash fund from the Wonderbolts anyways. And as I’m your sister forever, I think it’s my duty to give out some of that good.” Rainbow stated, and Scootaloo looked up at her with widened eyes. “Sisters… Forever?” Scootaloo whispered. “Yeah, squirt. Sisters forever.” Rainbow stated, even if she felt hollow and completely low just saying it and lying right to her daughter’s face about the true nature of their relationship. “Now come on, those plushies aren’t buying themselves.”