True to her word, Pinkie Pie had already set up a big party at Sugarcube Corner to celebrate Scootaloo's all-but-assured adoption. Everything was ready, not a streamer or banner out of place, party favors had been hoofed out to all invited, and the cake had just come out of the oven.
Suddenly, the party pony felt a slight tingling sensation. It started at her hooves, and reached all the way up to her head. It took her but a moment to deduce exactly what it meant. "Quick, everypony, hide!" She instructed, as she rushed to the light switch and turned it off, casting the ground floor into darkness. Then she dove for cover behind a table, for there was no time to find a more suitable hiding space.
The Cakes, with their newly adopted daughter in tow, came trotting right up through the front door. Mrs. Cake flicked on the light switch.
"Surprise!" A chorus of joyful voices shouted, as all the party guests emerged from hiding!
Pinkie was the last one to emerge, but this time she'd planned for that to be the case. "Congratulations, Scootaloo!" She excitedly shrieked! "You're now officially part of the Cake family! And now we really are sisters!"
Scootaloo, for her part, was rendered speechless. She glanced up at the huge banner hanging from the ceiling, which said in bold, bright letters: 'Welcome to the Cake Family, Scootaloo!'. The streamers were all done in various shades of orange, purple, and light pink, matching her coat, eyes, and mane and tail. And all around her, were familiar faces. Among them were her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, their big sisters, and of course Rainbow Dash.
Mr. and Mrs. Cake didn't say anything at all, they just smiled. They had expected this sort of thing from the moment they'd told Pinkie of their plans to adopt Scootaloo. And now it had all come to pass.
At last, Scootaloo found the words she wanted to say. "H-how, but... I mean..." She trailed off, still trying to determine whether this was all some kind of dream. It felt too real to be that, but a small part of her kept ignoring that fact.
The pink coated earth pony just excitedly pronked up to her little sister, giving her a much less smothering hug this time around. "It's okay, Scootaloo. I know it's a lot to take in right now," Then with a grin she happily added. "I was hoping to bring Pound and Pumpkin Cake down, so they'd get a chance to meet their new big sis. But they're down for their naps right now, and they get really cranky if they don't get their rest."
"How did you get all of this done so fast, Pinkie?" Scootaloo wondered, her eyes full of amazement.
Pinkie just winked. "I have my ways. I'll have to show you one of these days. Hey, that rhymed." And a giggle escaped her lips.
"You're so lucky to have Pinkie Pie for a big sister, Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle commented to her oldest and closest friend. "Frankly, I'm a little bit jealous."
"Hey, ya know what?!" Apple Bloom eagerly chimed in. "Since Applejack and Pinkie Pie are kind of related now, that means you and I are fourth cousins twice removed, Scootaloo! We're officially as good as family!"
Applejack just chuckled. "Simmer down there, Apple Bloom. We don't know for sure either way. Not that it matters, we always have considered Scootaloo an honorary Apple. And regardless of family tree, we're might happy for ya. Ain't that right, Big Mac?"
"Eeyup." Was all Big Mac bothered to say in reply, and it was all he needed to say.
Rainbow Dash spoke next. "Sorry I couldn't be the one to adopt you, squirt. It's not like I didn't think about it, because I did, really."
Scootaloo only shook her head. "It's okay, Rainbow Dash. I know you tried. And you'll still be my big sister no matter what, right?"
Rainbow nodded, lightly ruffling Scootaloo's mane. "Of course I will be. You didn't even have to ask."
Pinkie then clapped her hooves together, commanding everypony's attention. "Come on, everypony. It's time for the cake. And then we can really get this party started!" She zipped away into the kitchen, returning a second later with a huge chocolate cake complete with purple frosting on it and several candles.
"Go ahead, Scootaloo," Mr. Cake encouraged. "You know what to do. Make a wish, then blow out the candles."
"But I don't need to make a wish, I already have everything I could ever want, a loving family." Scootaloo declared emotionally, though she still blew out the candles anyway. Everypony cheered.
"Alrighty then!" Pinkie excitedly declared. "Now it's time to get this party started!" And right on cue, a record player cranked to life. Happy party music started to fill the air.
However, the party had barely begun with a familiar snooty voice called out. "Well isn't this just sweet? Looks like the blank flank finally found a home."
Everyone stopped what they'd been doing and spun around. Sure enough, there stood Diamond Tiara in all her glorious unpleasantness.
Scootaloo growled, narrowing her eyes. "What do you want now, Diamond Tiara? We were having a good time until you showed up. So why don't you do us all a favor, and just leave?"
Diamond only laughed in return. "Oh come now, Scootsy-wootsy," She taunted in an overly embarrassing tone. "Father told me the importance of attending social events like parties, it's how you make the best connections."
Scootaloo just continued to snarl lightly. "Nopony invited you, Diamond Tiara."
Tiara giggled. "Precisely, I invited myself. And you know it's rude to turn away a guest in the middle of a party, just because you don't like 'em," She proceeded to comment. "I must say, I'm actually surprised you let yourself be adopted by the likes of the Cakes."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Scootaloo questioned.
"Oh, nothing, really," Diamond remarked in a not-so-innocent tone of voice. "It's just... after all that bravado and boasting, I expected you to have much higher standards about who you'd allow the privilege of adopting you. I mean really, The Cakes? I thought you were holding out for somepony like Rainbow Dash or the Wonderbolts? Guess I gave you too much credit. Oh well..."
The pegasus filly felt something hot begin to boil up inside her, she had to grit her teeth to keep herself from lashing out. "W-why you!" She angrily remarked.
Tiara took no notice, she was fully in her little zone. "Still, I suppose it could be worse," She added. "You could've been adopted by one of those Apples, or even Sweetie Belle's parents. All the same, it's a pity you had to turn down my wonderful offer. If you'd come with me, you could've lived a life of luxury. Instead, you're stuck with the common folks. And that makes you every bit as average as you were before."
Scootaloo immediately tried to rush over to Diamond Tiara, determined to teach the bratty filly a lesson she wouldn't forget. But to the pegasus' surprise, her big sister appeared in front of her and stopped her. "Let me take care of this," She pleaded, and then without receiving a response, the party pony approached Diamond Tiara. "You know, I wouldn't be saying that to my little sister if I were you." She commented in a surprisingly ominous tone.
The pink coated filly rolled her eyes at the statement. "You're not actually related, not even now that Scootaloo has been adopted by the Cakes. I don't have any reason to be afraid of you."
But Pinkie looked the filly firmly in her cornflower blue eyes and told her. "Oh believe me, Scootaloo and I are indeed related. I even have the scroll to prove it. And I don't take kindly to you picking on my little sister like that."
"Is that so?" Tiara teased with fake worry. "And just what are you gonna do about it?"
Her eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly, Pinkie maintained eye contact as she added. "Trust me, there are many things I could do to you. But I'm going to opt for the more simple approach. Unless you apologize to my sister this instant, I'll never throw you a single party ever again for as long as I live."
"Big deal," Diamond scoffed. "That supposed to intimidate me?"
"Did you forget already? I was the one who planned and hosted your cute-ceañera," Pinkie explained to the headgear wearing filly. "And at your father's request no less. You can bet that I'll also be telling him just what his daughter has been getting up to behind his back. Something tells me he'll be anything but pleased to hear his precious little princess is really nothing but a brat."
That did the trick, Diamond's confidence shattered completely, like her namesake. Very few things truly frightened her, but the idea of anypony telling her father about her behavior was one of them. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen her father get angry, and the filly didn't want to find out what would happen if he did. She gulped. "A-alright, alright, I'll apologize!" She frantically insisted.
"Good," Pinkie smiled, reverting back to her cheerful self in the blink of an eye. "You can start right now. And remember, it has to be sincere."
"I know, I know," Tiara remarked with a sigh. She proceeded to trot over to Scootaloo, and looking the little pegasus in the eyes she forced. "I'm... sorry... about... well, you know."
Scootaloo just folded her hooves across her chest and said nothing.
Diamond struggled to resist the urge to groan. "Look, I'm really sincerely sorry, okay. I went too far, I realize that now," Then without even thinking, she confessed. "I was just jealous of you, okay."
Scootaloo spun around in shock. "Wait, you? Jealous of me? Since when?"
The pink coated filly sighed, adding onto her confession. "Ever since Rainbow Dash became your honorary big sister. At least prior to then we had something in common, we were only siblings. But now, it seems like I'm the only pony without some kind of older relative or something. Even Silver Spoon has a big sister. The most I have are little cousins the twins' age, and even then they don't visit often," And then she whispered to Scootaloo. "Plus, at least now you have two parents. Three if you count Pinkie Pie."
Scootaloo whispered back. "What are you talking about? You don't have a mother?"
Tiara shook her head with sadness and murmured. "No, Father is the only parent I have. I don't even know what happened to my mother, or if I ever had one. There's no pictures of her around the mansion, and Father refuses to tell me whenever I ask."
The tomboyish pegasus was surprised to hear such a confession from the filly she'd previously considered her sworn enemy. It sure was an unexpected (though not unwelcome) change of heart. "Wow, I'm... sorry to hear about that, really." And without even a second's hesitation, the filly ended up pulling Diamond into a hug.
Diamond broke it off but a second later. "It's alright, you couldn't have known," Then, looking at the filly she'd tormented on so many previous occasions, she asked. "Do you think it's too late for us to start over? To be friends?"
The tomboyish filly sighed. "I want to say yes, but I get the feeling my new family would want me to say that we can be friends. So, maybe eventually, but not right now."
"That's alright, I kind of expected that sort of response for now," Tiara replied. "Guess I'll see myself out now. You enjoy your party though." And without any further fanfare, the pink coated filly departed Sugarcube Corner, and the party resumed uninterrupted.
The party went on for several hours, and Scootaloo wished more than anything that it could've lasted forever. Alas, all good things must come to an end eventually. The party was no exception, it drew to a close just as Luna's moon was starting to rise into the dark night sky.
Once Sugarcube Corner had been vacated of all other ponies, Mr. and Mrs. Cake led Scootaloo upstairs and down the hall from the twins nursery. "I hope you don't mind the guest bedroom for the time being, Scootaloo," Mrs. Cake offered. "Sometime this week we can decorate it and make it your own."
"Sounds nice." Scootaloo commented, as she trotted over to the modest-sized bed that actually looked a bit big for her. She carefully climbed in.
Mr. and Mrs. Cake took the liberty of helping their new daughter pull the bed sheets up to her neck. Then they both kissed her goodnight, before they turned off the light and left the room.
The next morning, Mr. and Mrs. Cake were surprised to discover that Scootaloo had already made her bed by the time they came to check on her. "I always made my bed at the orphanage, everypony did," She explained confidently to her new parents. "It was kind of expected of us. I didn't really like it at first, but I got used to it," Then her stomach let out a loud rumble, prompting the filly to ask. "So, what's for breakfast?"
"Well, what do you usually eat for breakfast?" Mr. Cake asked his new daughter.
"Oatmeal, or sometimes waffles if I'm lucky," Scootaloo commented. "But the oatmeal was always lumpy. So I'd often skip breakfast and just grab something to tide me over til lunch. That's the one I didn't like about living in the orphanage, the food wasn't the greatest. I mean, it wasn't horrible or anything, but it just didn't taste great to me."
Mrs. Cake smiled at her filly. "Well I have a feeling you're going to like my oatmeal, Scootaloo. Come on, let's go downstairs. I think it's time you finally got to meet your new little brother and sister."
Pound and Pumpkin Cake were already in their highchairs in the kitchen, when Scootaloo came trotting down with their parents. The twins looked at the newcomer with suspicion, just who was this filly and what was she doing with their mommy and daddy? They'd seen her around a few times, but never with their parents.
Scootaloo nervously waved a hoof, sensing that the twins were judging her.
Fortunately, Mrs. Cake broke the tension. "Pound Cake, Pumpkin Cake, this is Scootaloo. She's going to be your new big sister, just like Pinkie Pie."
Pound and Pumpkin eyed Scootaloo carefully for a second, then they broke out into happy coos and babbles. Whatever they were trying to say, Scootaloo was sure she knew what they meant. They accepted her.
Scootaloo took a seat at the kitchen table, just as Pinkie came trotting in with the twins' bottles. "Hiya little sis!" She cheerfully greeted to Scootaloo. "Ooh, I'm so so so SO happy to finally call you that!"
"Pinkie, you don't have to call me that," Scootaloo commented, blushing a bit. "I mean, you can if you want to I guess. But I'm fine with you just continuing to call me plain old Scootaloo."
"Scootaloo, little sis, either one works for me! I'm just so glad you're finally in a loving home!" Pinkie proudly declared, even as she gave the twins their bottles. "Trust me, you're going to love living with the Cakes! They're a super sweet family, I guarantee it!"
"Speaking of living," Mrs. Cake declared, coughing into a hoof to attraction attention. "There are a few things we need to address now, Scootaloo. Namely, if you're going to live with us, you're also going to have help us."
Scootaloo whined just a little. "Aw, that's not fair!"
Mr. Cake simply replied to Scootaloo. "Well you don't have to help us run Sugarcube Corner. But that means no allowance."
Scootaloo pouted with her hooves crossed. "That's even less fair," Then she let out an unhappy sigh. "But fine, I guess I can help out a little. I'm not gonna have to do anything really gross like clean the bathrooms, right?"
Mrs. Cake shook her head. "No no no, of course not, silly filly. But you will have to help with the baking, and tending to customers behind the counter and at tables."
"Don't worry, I can teach you all the ins and outs of that!" Pinkie proudly declared. "Before long, it'll be like second nature to you, Scootaloo!"
"And you're also going to have to share in the responsibility of caring for your younger siblings," Mr. Cake added. "And I think you know what that means."
The tomboyish filly looked across to the twins, the two toddlers sucking down the milk in their bottles like there was no tomorrow. They looked so cute. But the filly knew from experience that their cuteness was deceiving. "Do I really have to?" She lightly complained. "Foals are cute and fun to play with, but taking care of them is anything but."
"That's why you won't have to do it alone, Scootaloo," Mrs. Cake smiled. "Pinkie Pie's an experienced foalsitter, and I'm sure if you ask nicely she'll be more than willing to lend you a helping hoof."
"Besides, when you see their smiling faces, it'll all be worth while." Pinkie beamed. And she demonstrated this by picking up the twins (who had just finished their bottles), and patting their backs until they both let out tiny burps. The whole thing seemed so easy.
"But you can worry about all of that later," Mrs. Cake declared to her new filly, lightly booping her on the nose. "For right now, let's get that hungry tummy of yours all nice and full."