//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: The Later Years 
// by Ophelia2513 
//------------------------------//


                                Chapter Two

Rainbow Dash slept soundly on a fluffy cloud. Soarin flew up to the cloud and looked at her then glanced at the sun. He poked her. She jumped up instantly awake.
 “Still sleeping in until the late afternoon I see.” 
 “Soarin!” She hugged him. He smiled.
 “How’s Snow?” He asked letting go of her hug and putting her hooves in his.
 “She’s good but what are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked stepped back into reality.
 “Well we have a few days before we have another show, so I thought I’d come say hi and stay for a bit” He said smiling at her.
 “Alright..” She agreed hesitantly. “I need to go hang with the girls though..”
 “I’ll stay here”
 “You sure?” She asked glancing at Snow’s door to see if she had woken up yet.
 “Yeah why not” he said kissing her cheek. She blushed. Snow peeked out of her door.
Dash saw her.
  “Snow here please” She said gesturing with her hoof. Soarin looked behind him and saw Snow wearing a cute blue hoody. He smiled.
 “There’s my princess” He said flying over and hugging her.
 “Thanks dad but I gotta get to school..” She said slumping down a bit.
 “Alright, fine Princess.” He said kissing her forehead
 “Want me to walk you to school?” he asked her
 “Uh no... I’m walking to school with my friends” She replied “Bye” She said stepping off the cloud and barely saving herself by flapping a bit and taking a somewhat harsh landing.
 “will she be okay?” Soarin asked looking at Dash. Dash nodded smiling, confident her daughter would be fine.
                        

                                        ~~~~

 “Who was that at your house this morning?” Scootaloo asked rolling along slowly on her scooter
 “Oh uh Soarin..” Snow replied a bit quietly.
 “Soarin??? As in The Soarin of The Wonderbolts?” Scootaloo asked stopping. Lilly crashed in them and dropped her book.
 “Scootaloo!!! I need to study and now I’ve lost my page!” Lilly screeched.
 “Geez Lil’ calm down.” Scootaloo said calmly. Lilly paused and took a breath then looked at Scootaloo.
 “Okay do you have a solution?” She asked trying to keep her cool. Scootaloo scoffed.
 “Solution? No just skip around pages I dunno” Scootaloo said not truly caring. Anger blazed in Lilly’s eyes as she grabbed her book and stormed off slowed a bit by the other books in her saddlebag. 
 “Geez what’s up with her?” Scootaloo asked almost chuckling nervously. Snow looked at her for a minute
 “You’re kidding right?” Snow asked her. Scootaloo looked guilty
 “We should get to school.” Scootaloo said pushing her scooter again slowly.

                                        ~~~

         The Unicorn fillies walked a bit slower as they stopped now and then to try and pick something up with their magic or try an easy spell.
 “I bet I can lift that rock!” Emerald said pointing at a large heavy looking rock with her hoof.
 “Can not!” Sweetie Belle giggled.
 “Can too!” Emerald protested. Twinkle quietly listened.
 “What do you think Twinkle?” Sweetie Belle asked looking at her.
 “um.. I.. uh.. I.... don’t know...” Twinkle mumbled quietly
 “What?” Emerald asked as she stopped walking and looked at her. Twinkle knew no pony understood her but if they could just give her some space and stop staring at her it’d be so helpful. They stared at her expectantly.
 “Twinkle?” Sweetie Belle asked. She realized they were putting too much pressure on her, Sweetie Belle held her hoof and pulled her along gently and slowly. Twinkle’s bangs were  covering her eyes as well as the tears. Sweetie Belle knew she was crying and decided it was better if they kept walking instead of stopping and reminding her of her tears          Emerald followed cluelessly. Emerald had a bit of trouble telling when some pony needed assistance with something. 
 “So  what did your mom do  about the hole in the wall...? I-if it’s no too personal I’m sorry.. .Now I feel terrible for asking... “ Twinkle said nervously.
 “Oh no no no! It’s fine we just covered it up and went to sleep really.” Sweetie Belle replied. Emerald saw the school. 
 “I bet I can beat you there!” She said already running. Sweetie Belle giggled and ran after her. 

Twinkle looked up and smiled. She started walking enjoying the nature. Angel ran up to Twinkle from behind. She glanced up.
 “Angel bunny what in Equestria are you doing here??” She asked staring at Angel. Angel cocked his head. Twinkle smiled and picked Angel up with magic. 


He struggled in the air for awhile as Twinkle walked to Fluttershy’s home. Angel eventually gave up the struggling. Twinkle paused then knocked her hoof on Fluttershy’s door somewhat quietly. Fluttershy opened the door.
 “Twinkle? Angel there you are!” Fluttershy picked up Angel and rubbed his head. Angel looked somewhat angered with a grumpy expression on his fluffy white face. His ears were flattened. Twinkle stood awkwardly in front of Fluttershy as she hugged and cuddled Angel.
 “Thank you for bringing him back. Where was he?” Fluttershy asked looking at Twinkle and smiling. 
 “I was on my way to school and he came up to me.. I should probably get going.. I’m gonna be late for school...”Twinkle said quietly. Fluttershy looked at the clock
 “Oh gosh school started 20 minutes ago. I’d better come with you to explain...” Fluttershy said putting Angel inside and closing the door behind her. Twinkle started walking to her school with fluttershy. 

                                                ~~~

 The Earth ponies were particularly slow today for some reason. They trotted to school in a fast pace they saw Fluttershy and Twinkle ahead. The Earth ponies looked at eachother then ran ahead to catch up with them.
 “Hey! What are you two doing?” Candy asked slowing to a trot after catching up to them. Both Fluttershy and Twinkle jumped a little at the sudden inquiry. Fluttershy turned.
 “Oh hello girls. I was just bringing Twinkle to school. She found Angel for me but she’s late for school.” Fluttershy replied in her normal quiet tone of voice. 
 “Oh well we gotta get to school too mind if we walk with you?” Candy asked Fluttershy.
 “No I don’t mind do you Twinkle?” Fluttershy turned to face Twinkle. Twinkle looked up
 “Uh no I don’t mind.” Twinkle replied to Fluttershy quietly with a slight nod. They all walked to school with quiet chatting ignoring their lateness.