Octavia's Gift, Revisited
The girls marched up the stairs and stopped in the doorway. Octavia stood on her hind legs, towering over them and glaring down. She didn’t shake with anger, she didn’t tremble with outrage, she just looked at them with disappointment in her eyes.
Scootaloo cowered under the look. She was half-wishing Octavia just started shouting already. Instead, the mare pointed to what remained of her cello and posed a simple question. “Care to explain what happened?”
Scootaloo opened her mouth. Sweetie Belle stopped her and stepped in through the door. “It was my fault. I was on the chair, I fell down and knocked that crystal ball off its stand. I’m the one who broke your cello.”
Apple Bloom nudged her friend and stepped in after her. “No, it’s not. I knocked the chair when I tripped on the rug. I’m the reason you fell, I broke it.”
Scootaloo sighed and walked in to stand in between the two. “No, it’s my fault. I didn’t pay attention for a second, and I didn’t notice you two went to Octavia’s room instead of aunt Vinyl’s. I should have stopped you. I’m really sorry, Octavia, it was an accident.”
Octavia nodded solemnly. “So you all take responsibility for smashing my cello to pieces, then? That’s why you were so quiet tonight, that’s why you sounded so interested in what I had to say?”
Sweetie Belle took another step forward. “We’re really sorry, we just didn’t want you to get mad. We know we get in trouble sometimes, big trouble, but we just wanted you to like us the way other grownups like us. We didn’t want you to hate us just because of one accident. We’ll pay to get it fixed, we’ll do anything.”
Octavia stared at them more. “Careful what you say, Sweetie Belle. Do you speak for Scootaloo and Apple Bloom as well? The three of you will do anything to get it fixed? You’ll do whatever I say for as long as it takes to get my instrument repaired?”
Scootaloo gulped. There was a tightness building around her neck along with a chill on her back. “Y-yes, ma’am.”
The other two nodded in agreement. Octavia cocked her head towards the crystal ball still embedded in the thing. “Sweetie Belle, please pick up my crystal ball, then.”
Sweetie Belle slowly went forward and picked up the crystal ball.
Octavia arched an eyebrow up as the ball began to glow. The girls gasped.
The ball glowed more brightly, then hovered. Strands of light flowed forth from its core, tickling along the strings and the wood, moving the pieces closer together.
The wood fibres reached out and intertwined, the strings fused back into place, and before the girls could even blink the cello had been restored to its pristine state. Octavia picked it up and deposited it against a far wall, before taking the still floating crystal ball and putting it back on its stand. The girls’ jaws, though, she let lie on the ground. “All right, girls. I hereby consider your debt to me paid. My cello is fixed, you can stop worrying about it.”
Scootaloo blinked and rubbed her eyes to check if she wasn’t seeing things. “Did we do just do that? Do we – quick, check it!”
The girls all turned to display their rear ends, but to their dismay and confusion found no cutie marks of any description.
Octavia groaned and pressed a front hoof to her forehead. “Unh, no, Scootaloo, you did not do that. The spell on the crystal ball did that.”
Sweetie Belle’s ears perked. “Wait, that ball has a restoration spell on it?”
Octavia smiled petulantly. “Ah, I take it your sister uses that, too?”
Sweetie Belle looked on in confusion. “Umm, no. Restoration spells are really, really hard to do. Only a few unicorns can do it, and even then most of those have a talent for it.”
Scootaloo snapped out of her reverie. “Aunt Vinyl can do a restoration spell?”
Octavia nodded. “A delayed one, yes. And one that requires the broken object to be away from anything keeping its pieces apart, like that ball did.”
Apple Bloom nodded in kind. “My sister told me about that spell once. It’s like a seal you put on something before it gets broken, and then when it breaks the seal fixes it. But it really puts a drain on any magic you try afterwards, it’s kinda risky.”
Scootaloo frowned, confused. “Really?”
“Yeah, she said Twilight tried it once to stop from getting hurt when she was researching Pinkie Pie. Applejack told me it made Twilight just jump out of her bandages after she got injured, but she couldn’t so much as lift a quill for days after that. Vinyl Scratch can do that?”
Octavia nodded solemnly. “She can and she does. Her father is a true master of the spell, and he insisted Vinyl learn how to cast it as something to fall back on. Keep the family business going, so to speak. Mister Pieces taught his daughters well. One knows restoration spells, the other’s a safety expert in Cloudsdale.”
“Oh, no.” Scootaloo planted a hoof on her face and groaned, plopping her rump down at the sheer obviousness of it. “Of course, grandpa Zee knows how to do that kind of spell. I just didn’t think aunt Vinyl would know it, too.”
Sweetie Belle shook her head, still confused. “Wait, what? Your family business needs restoration spells to work? Then what is your family's business, what does your grandpa do?”
Scootaloo threw her head back in defeat. She sighed. “Grandpa Zilean sells insurance.”
Scootaloo yawned. Sweetie Belle, then Apple Bloom, followed suit. Octavia plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote. “Think you have another movie in you, girls?”
Though their eyes were bleary and the drink had taken a lot of their usual energy out of them, they all nodded. Scootaloo stopped Octavia from hitting the ‘play’ button, though. “Are you really not mad at us?”
Octavia ruffled the girl’s mane. “I’m really not mad at you, Scootaloo. You’re only a child, after all. You can’t be expected to get through life without accidents.”
Scootaloo’s ears drooped. “Oh.” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom pouted sadly.
Octavia spread her arms to embrace them all. “Listen, girls. You’re still little. You don’t know how everything works yet, and you can’t know if no one explains it to you. You’re not supposed to be perfect little angels, you’re supposed to be learning. And it’s my job as a responsible adult to make sure you can do that without hurting yourself.”
Sweetie Belle shuffled closer to the mare. “Would you mind telling my sister that sometime?”
Octavia smirked and nodded. “That’s different, Sweetie Belle. Adults have schedules, they have things to do, things to take care of. The only difference between me and your sister is that I had time this weekend, and I made an effort to spend it with you. Sometimes grownups just can’t find the time, that’s nothing to do with you.”
Apple Bloom yawned again. “But what if you couldn’t fix your cello? What would have happened if you didn’t have that restoration thingamajigger?”
Octavia sighed. “Girls, try to understand. You’re used to growing up in Ponyville. Things might break, accidents can happen, but ponies have gotten used to it. They accept that sort of thing. I, however, was born and raised in Canterlot, where everything is both fragile and expensive. If it were up to the Canterlot nobles, ‘childproofing a house’ would be considered Equestria’s national sport. I know you girls can cause accidents, and I know you can’t always help it. So… if you must know, if I hadn’t had that restoration spell handy, I’d have had the foresight to lock my bloody door.”
Silence fell. Octavia smiled and nodded to Scootaloo, who hit the button. “Really, girls. You might think the adults in town get angry with you sometimes because of what you do, but if you ask me I think you should consider how angry they are at themselves for letting you.”
The mood lightened, the movie started. The Cutie Mark Crusaders felt a load fall off their hearts, and Octavia smiled to herself for a night well spent.
Now all she had to do was wait for the ninjas to burn down the palace, wait for the vengeance story to be resolved, and then put the girls to bed.
She looked at Scootaloo and rubbed her back while the opening credits rolled. A feather got stuck on her hoof. Scootaloo looked up and winced. Octavia just kept up the charade without a word.
They don’t know. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle don’t know. Right then, guess I’ll just have to jump a few hoops to keep it hidden.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom slipped into Scootaloo’s bed, Scootaloo following suit. Octavia tucked them in with a smile. They were exhausted, the lot of them. They hadn’t gotten a baking cutie mark or a movie critic cutie mark, but the attempts had been better thought out than usual, at least. They had that look of satisfaction on their faces, like it didn’t matter if they’d failed.
Just as planned. Octavia walked out and bade them good night before switching the light off. She stopped in the light of the doorway. “Oh, bother. Scootaloo, darling? I almost forgot that thing your mother wanted you to do. Just hop out for a moment, and I’ll put it on.”
Apple Bloom frowned. “What is it?”
Octavia waved away the girl’s concern. “Just a beauty cream, nothing more.”
Scootaloo slowly clambered out of bed and walked out. She rounded the corner to find Octavia standing ready with the cream and a fresh T-shirt in hoof. She sat down and presented her back, twitching already at the spreading itch. “Thanks for… you know…”
“That’s quite all right, dear. If you don’t feel your friends need to know something that personal, I’m not about to ruin it for you.” Octavia rubbed the girl’s back in, then dropped the oversized T-shirt neatly over her front legs. Then she nudged Scootaloo forward. “On you go.”
Scootaloo sighed. She walked into the dark room and joined her friends in bed. Octavia closed the door behind her, sending the room into full darkness.
Sweetie Belle, lying in the middle, sniffed the air around Scootaloo. “Your mom wants you to put on beauty cream?”
Scootaloo shuffled nervously under the sheets. “Um, yeah. It’s just something she does.”
Apple Bloom smelled the odour of the salve as well. “And where did Octavia put that cream?”
Scootaloo bit her lip and turned her back to her friends. “She put it on my back and my wings.”
Sweetie Belle prodded said back with a hoof. Apple Bloom did the same. “So your mom wants you to pretty up your back? Is that a pegasus thing?”
Scootaloo heaved a deep sigh. “No. Shedding your feathers is a pegasus thing. So is getting an itchy back if you don’t put cream on it.”
Sweetie Belle moved closer, close enough for Scootaloo to feel her warmth. “So that cream is to stop you from turning ugly when you shed, then?”
The pegasus filly clenched her eyes shut. I can’t keep doing this. They ought to know. “Promise you won’t tell anypony? Especially Diamond Tiara?”
Even in the dark, Scootaloo could tell they both nodded. “We promise.”
“Okay. The truth is that I don’t have to put on a beauty cream just because my mom doesn’t want me to get ugly. I have to put a medicinal cream on because every once in a while, I shed my feathers and it can turn my skin red overnight. I get the worst rash you’ve ever seen, it really hurts. That’s why Octavia waited ‘till the lights went out. I just didn't want you to see it.”
Apple Bloom leaned over Sweetie Belle to reach. “So that cream is for your wings? That’ll help you fly?”
Scootaloo shook her head. “Nothing will help me fly. The doctor said my wings should grow really big one day, but not anytime soon. The cream just makes it so it doesn’t hurt as much growing up. It's part of what I am, part of my breed of pegasus pony.”
Apple Bloom rubbed over that covered back. “But… Applejack told me pegasus ponies can’t sleep when their backs are wet. It’s an instinct, makes their bodies think they’re bleeding out, or somethin'. How do you sleep, then?”
Scootaloo shrugged. “I don’t. I get nightmares, okay? And really bad ones if my muscles are tense, which is most of the time. I’ll probably get them tonight, too.”
Sweetie Belle got even closer, pressing her chest against that chilled back. “Is that why you fall asleep in class? Is that why you never try to fly? Because you have to wait anyway?”
Scootaloo grunted. “Yeah. I didn’t want to tell you guys because… I just didn’t want to you to think –“
“I wanna be on the side.” Sweetie Belle crawled over Scootaloo and pushed her into the middle of the filly sandwich.
Scootaloo perked up, surprised at the interruption. “What are you doing?”
Apple Bloom wriggled into position. “Keepin’ you warm so you sleep well tonight. Unless you feel like trying to get a cutie mark again.”
Scootaloo relaxed and let the warmth spread over her body. “I don’t think that’d be such a good idea. I’m pretty sure Octavia’s standing right out the door, waiting for us to go to sleep.”
“Your aunt would do that, I guess.” Apple Bloom looked at the crack of light coming from underneath the door.
Scootaloo wriggled in between her friends, smiling contently. “She’s not my aunt. But she’s something, all right, and she’s mine. That’s all that counts.”
Right outside the door, Octavia suppressed a chuckle.
“So you don’t mind keeping me warm tonight? You don’t think I’m, you know… handi—“
“No.” Apple Bloom shook her head. “If your doctor says you just need time, then you just need time.”
Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement, stifling a yawn. “Exactly. And if you need us to keep the nightmares away, we will. We know you’d do the same thing for us.”
Scootaloo smiled and finally let her eyes drift shut. She went silent, wriggled her wings for just a moment, then nodded off. When no sound came from the room, Octavia got up from her sitting position and headed to bed herself.
The girls are asleep, Scootaloo’s worked things out about her condition, and everything in the house is still in one piece. That could have gone a lot worse.
Octavia slipped into bed and closed her eyes.
I suppose those girls do take quite a bit of time and energy to manage. Can't get them tipsy all the time, after all.
Oh well, suppose we can loosen things up some more in the morning.
The End.
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Seems a little too soon for this story to have ended. Ah well. Still enjoyable.
A nice finish to the story, even if I don't like the idea of Octavia using alcohol to make them manageable. However, the cuteness of how the CMC sticks together - and the idea that Octavia anticipates children being destructive balls of energy and has planned around it - outweighs that a good deal.
I'd almost like to see an epilogue where the older sisters come to pick up the other two CMC and are in awe of Octavia over it...right up until Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle start reciting the events of the night.
Generally a nice sweet story although Ocatvia did come off a little perfect. The autofixing Cello came off rather deus ex machina and although yes Octavia could have locked her door the CMC should have been more careful they had no idea the fixing spell was there.
The bit with the other CMC accepting Scoots medical needs was very nice although I do wonder what nightmares her brain might come up with sandwiched between the other fillies.
Nice ending, although seems cut short.
...Wow. This was great to read. I suppose that what Octavia would want them to learn would be that if there's an accident, they shouldn't keep quiet about it. They should tell the adult responsible for them as soon as possible to avoid any form of bad confrontation about the situation.
That was great to watch and I'll say it again: I absolutely loved Octavia in this story. Most present her as haughty, stuck-up and gets tetchy around Vinyl. Here, it's like that, but with the touch of humility and a dash of experience of living with a foal. That's what made this great, Octavia have this haughty air around herself, but when she deals with foals, she throws ponies' expectations out the window and shows genuine care for them. It may not be the right way or a good way, but she knows that fault would lie with adults as well as foals. Some would say that she comes out a little bit perfect, but she does have faults of her own. I leave it to readers to find them out.
Wish there were more of these kinds of stories.
Wise, I have one word to say about this fic and its conclusion, and one word only:
D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!
P.S. This headcanon is now fully mounted and calibrated. Yay!
Now say this three times, as fast as you can.
Seriously, though: This story was awesome, Can't find anything wrong with it.
If you don't feel like writing after this, just take a break. I'll wait, in case you ever decide to start writing again.
3500630
I LOL'd and I can't stop.
Time/Restoration puns? I've got a Zilean of them!
I have to respectfully disagree. This worked out quite well. A fantastic slice-of-life story that treats every character involved like an actual person rather than just a means to the narrative end.
Also, thank you for making the punchline more accessible. I may be a fan of most everything, but that doesn't cover League of Legends. It's not that I don't like it; I just haven't played it.
In any case, thank you for this story. It was excellently done. And yes, Scootaloo's family being in the insurance business does make an astonishing amount of sense.
3500626
I have to agree with this. It was a good story while it lasted, though.
Well, I enjoyed the story, and it had plenty of fun moments. I'd have liked to see more, but that's hardly a bad thing. Of course, this story does hit a bunch of things I like. I'm sure you'll notice the thumbs up coming in from everyone that reserves judgement until a stories complete, though...
--arcum42
3501168
Bad! Bad Blue and Orange! That pun burns! xD
Seriously, did no one else mention that Zilean is a time wizard in League of Legends, and his ultimate spell is a delayed resurrection spell that restores an ally after they've been killed? Kudos on the reference, and making him an insurance salesman is hilarious.
3502968
halolz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/halolz-dot-com-leagueoflegends-zilean-puns.jpg
Love your Octavia! And one responsible adult would make the world a much safer place, HA!
A bit of pacing issues in this chapter. And frankly, this whole resolution seemed to have come out of no where... rather, it's too convenient. There was no previous clues or hint at all that Scoot's granddad was an insurance sellspony. I personally do not see how a close family being involved in insurance makes "perfect sense". They were just as likely to be anything else as that. Otherwise, why can't Sweetie Belle's dad be an insurance sellspony as well? After all, sports people definitely need some form of insurance in case of injuries.
And one thing I can't quite put my finger on is what was the point of this story then? Was it a story about Scootaloo finally opening up about her secrets to her friend? Was it a story about Octavia learning to deal with the CMC (as the title would suggest)? Because if it was the former, then there was not much setting up for it, it came almost out of no where at the end. Like, no anticipation, no buildup, she just thanked Octavia for not revealing that secret, then a couple of paragraphs down, she spills the beans. And there was no previously shown issue with Scoots trying to keep it secret. And if it's the latter, then Octavia did a little too well in taking care of the CMC. There was no conflict in the story.
Is this story about Scoots getting over her fear of Octavia? This one seems the most likely of the three so far, and yet... there was not much buildup to it anyway. Or rather, the whole situation was resolved a little too easily, a bit like a solution came out of nowhere. And nothing happened that would actually make Scoots get over her fear of Octavia. What if Octavia did not have that restoration orb? What then? I think that would have made for a much more interesting story, maybe a slight oversight in Octavia's plans.
The part where Scootaloo spills the beans felt unnatural, a bit forced even. The dialogue did not come naturally, Scoot's decision to confess about it was non-sequitur, or at least her reasoning. "Can't keep doing this"? You've only been doing "this" for a couple minutes, and it's not like the lie is harmful or they "need" to know. Scoot would more likely just say "drop it" than spill the beans in that way (Sleepless in Ponyville shows she's much more willing to face things on her own than to admit something's troubling her). And her friends did not seem to react at all when she let slip that she sheds feathers (not something I believe others are wholly aware of).
Of course, this particular issue would be fixed if you also fixed the pacing issue.
The thing that really bugs me, though, is Octavia herself... I dunno, I might be going a bit far, but I get the feeling this characterization is coming very close to Mary Sue level. I will not say she is one outright. But she doesn't seem at all fazed by anything. She never lost control of the situation (therefore, there's little conflict from her point of view).
The way she was in this story, was kinda like "everyone else are idiots who don't know how to take care of the CMC, this is how you do it". Hence why I get the Mary Sue-esque feeling out of her. There's no "figuring out" anything, she had pretty much everything planned right from the get-go. There was no struggle, where so many others have struggled before. Now yes, just "child-proofing" would resolve the foalsitting problem, but I'm fairly certain the others would also have thought of that as well, and the CMC would make a mess despite that. There was no "new unexpected development" to adapt to.
Throughout the whole story, I was expecting something to go wrong, and then it'll be a story of them trying to resolve that issue. Not just dismiss an issue like it was absolutely nothing, as smashing her Cello apparently was. And another question, if Octavia could have had the sense to lock the door, why didn't she? It's not a matter of letting them think they broke the cello, it's about letting them do so in the first place. Did she deliberately let them break her cello? If so, why?
In short: Pacing issue, ending felt unnatural and rushed, Octavia took everything way too well.
Am I being unduly harsh here? Or am I missing something, and therefore the only one who gets that impression?
On a completely unrelated note, I highly doubt Octavia would say "foresight to lock the bloody door." That is akin to saying "lock the fucking door", not the kind of language you would usually speak with around children, and especially not the kind of language a sophisticate like Octavia would use.
3503156
That's why it burns! surprised no one else but us caught it. xD
Actually as far as I can tell for the most part the CMCs actual parents do a good job keeping them in line individually, it's as a group that's a problem. Though maybe it's more of being okay in their actual homes, since AJ's house is still standing. Rarity is mainly the one that really needs to think of childproofing her house, she's way too generous with the rules when Sweetie is visiting.
As to outwiting grown ups? Not really. The problem is most of the grown ups just don't know how to deal with them. In Fluttershy's case it was assuming they would actually go to sleep. Probably because of course Fluttershy was a good little girl who went to sleep whenever she was asked. Zecora's house on the other hoof probably can't even be child proofed, since it's bassically an alchemy lab on top of everything but her bedroom, since there doesn't seem to be a bed in that main room. Zecora also assumed Applebloom wouldn't take anything, no matter what.
I don't think this is a comedy and doesn't need that tag. It has jokes and some laughs, but the setting, plot and characters are realistically portrayed and stay well with in the slice of life genre. You had the possibility of making it a comedy and the buildup with cmc staying at the rule bound octavias house, but it was all taken with a very realistic and serious perspective. Nothing was exaggerated or accented, which is required for comedy. So the tag should be removed so readers don't go in expecting somethinng that's never gonna happen.
3504204
This is well thought out and I completely aggree. I was actually surprised to see the authors note on the last chapter saying it was complete since I was expecting so much more to happen. Likened someone starting a joke and then fading into mumbles before they get to the punchline.
3511492>>3504204
So it's bad. Duly noted. Just have to try harder next time, then.
Well that was a fun romp, I'll have to check out some of your other stuff now. Your pacing was no worse than the show itself, lots at the beginning, a little rushed at the end.
Aw, shucks... I was a little sad to see this complete; I very much like your Octavia, and was hoping to see what she had in mind for the next morning. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle snuggling with Scoots to keep her warm and keep the nightmares away was just so heartwarming, too. Well done, and I'll watch for more or your writing.
All I have to say is "Bravo. Bravo, maestro!".
3511502 Swiftest Shadow has several good points, but there are also a few that aren't so concrete. I believe the curiosity of Scootaloo's friends came off rather smoothly. I will admit that there was a bit of unnecessary pressure when Scootaloo decides she has to tell them; however, if we remember, Scootaloo's condition has been ongoing for some time now, and if she's been hiding the situation entirely from her friends, then we can see how she may be tired of keeping it bottled up inside. One could also insert some blame on alcohol here. Also, I'd assume her friends would have had a bigger reaction if Scootaloo didn't shed feathers.
As for Octavia being "Mary Sue-ish", I really have to disagree. Octavia acts like all the other adults are idiots because, in her eyes/from what she's seen, they pretty much are. Also, just because a character actually knows what they're doing doesn't make them Mary Sue-esque; it's actually a refreshing difference to the mainstream of everyone pretty much being lost. Another point I'd like to make is that Octavia generally scared the defiance out of all three fillies during the first instance she had the chance.
Since this was a SoL story, didn't require a full-scale problem to be complete. I honestly thought seeing how Octavia takes care of fillies was a rather engaging and entertaining story on its own. Besides that, if she had a way to fix what could have been broken in her room, then she didn't really need to do something about it, at least from her point of view. If the fillies were good, nothing would go wrong. If something did go wrong, then it would be remedied easily. As to how Octavia takes everything, since nothing really went out of line with the fillies (another hearken back to Octavia scaring them), she took things like she was in control--which she was. When the Cello broke, she used more of the intimidation factor to get an answer, then proceeded to remedy the problem as was fitting.
I will admit that I don't the correlation to Scootaloo being tied into the insurance industry, and the resolution would have come out of nowhere if not for the situation being explained like it was. I can also admit that the story didn't come to a 'head', or have a general 'point' to learn from. However, I stand by the idea that SoL stories don't really need one, since they're basically just centered on looking at an instance in a character's life. A character walking down a dark street and reminiscing about their past could very easily fit the SoL idea. I DO see a valid point in Scootaloo having the personality of someone who doesn't let their troubles out easily, but then we can assume she's been working with these troubles on the inside for a long duration, and that may have slowly deteriorated the wall she'd built up for them.
I believe the quality of the pacing would be a mater of opinion, but I didn't find any problems there. Lastly, I don't see much of a problem with Octavia's use of bloody. It's true that it might be a bit strong for use around fillies, but at the same time there could be some stress and alcohol loosening to blame there.
Overall, I found the story very enlightening as to Octavia's character, and I'm glad I found it.
That was quite the story I must say!
I bet Grandpa Zed's business boomed in Ponyville once they started offering CMC coverage.
3910359
?
Never mind that. Imagine how much money rock stars save by having a unicorn on standby that can with the guitars they smash on stage
And yes, that was sort of the idea. Glad you liked the story.
3912542
. I know that chapter kinda pushes people's buttons, but it has a purpose. Don't worry, the good feels will be all the better later on, I promise. 
Sorry for making you cry
Wow, very good story. Loved Tavi's character, and the CMC were great and on point. And I'm a big Scootaloo fan and I loved what you did with her in this. Wish the story kept going, but it ended on a very heartwarming note, so I'm mostly satisfied. Very well done.
I loved this fic. A part of me wants to see more someday, but as is, it's a good heartwarming fic. Well done.
4025296
I've said this before and I'll say it again: it's not so much that I'm looking to delete any fics, it's more that if I ever do delete any stories, it'll be this one and Empathy. But I guess I'd better edit those warnings, given how they set some people off. You're not the first to comment on Empathy, I think you are the first on this one, though. Really, blame that on general irl negativity getting to me.
Glad you like it, at any rate
Also, about the Quorum Sensing sequel... err, I'm kind of debating what to do about it, but don't tell anyone. I can't promise anything, but there might be more than one coming.
Absolutely loved this story.
4964911
Table beer in and of itself isn't that common, I'll admit, but here in Flandersland, Belgium, you can get it in any supermarket. It doesn't have a lot (if any) alcohol in it, it's basically beery lemonade. Consider it an attempt at stealth education
I'd actually love for this story to get some kind of followup
5868156 no I think berry pinch is the canon name for her unless I'm mistaken.
5869328 I'm not sure to be honest I've seen her called Ruby Pinch every time I've seen her name until I started to read this story. You might be right, either way it's cute though. Ruby Pinch, Berry Pinch both are adorable names.
4027829
I was re-reading this fic, and it turns out that your reply never got into my notifications. Just like how this was dropped from my favorites list.
So I'm adding it to my favorites group so that it doesn't get lost again.
Seriously though. This is an amazingly, heart warming fic. I think everyone (or those who count) that's looked at this story has enjoyed it. Since it really is a touching, funny, and well done fic. Could use a sequel some day. To make it somewhat bigger. But then again, every good fic out there people want sequels for. Or for the story to be longer.
As is though, it's a good ride, and I'm glad I refound it. It's one of those stories that have a great deal of re-readability.
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Error found and fixed, thankchu.
As for sequels, I didn't have any planned at the time of publishing, and currently I'm working on a trilogy based on the girls trying to 'help' Rumble get his cutie mark, so writing another, older version (so one I wrote earlier) of Scootaloo might be a bit awkward.
But with Slice of Life being an episode, there are a few angles to go down, I suppose. Octavia and Vinyl might get caught up with this Scootaloo's parents in some sort of shenanigans. I've got a few spare OC colts I'm not using for anything, but they're mostly conceptualised to play off Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo at the Sisterhooves Social might work, with Octy or Vinyl, but then that's already happened with Rainbow Dash canonically.
I suppose I could consider the Great Equestrian Bakeoff idea (everyone's in pairs: adult and foal), but that one's got Doldrum Whimper in it, and would sooner be be Flight Camp sequel. It would be pretty funny to see Sweetie and Scoots compete for who can make the best charcoal biscuits. Especially if Spike then beats them both
Yeah, Bakeoff is the most likely contestant to this, I think, but then I'd end up introducing Whimper into another canon. Suppose it doesn't need him in it... I'll consider it once the other stuff is done.
Anyways, thanks for the feedback, glad to see the story still works.
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But everyone knows that Scootaloo takes after her "sister". And her sister is known for doing the most mind breaking things when near an oven.
Scoots is more likely to summon a flock of flying pigs, or make a bread that turns everyone plaid color with cute pink polka dots. Than make Charcoal ^_^. But still be awesome to see just how much she picked up from Dash. [The linked fic is so awesome and funny it's became unofficial head canon. Well something close to head canon.]
But the Sisterhooves Social could work. Since this was from what I've gathered unicorn Twilight. Dash and Scoots only happened after Twilight became an alicorn, and after Tirek.
So with two winters canon before Dash blows up Cloudsdale. Tavi and Octy taking Scoots to the Sisterhooves Social after the one with Rares [which came before the first Winter episode] and Sweets. Could be do able.
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Sisterhooves Social with Scoots and Vinyl.
"Aunt Vinyl, would it be okay if we did the Sisterhooves Social together?"
"
-"Sure, but why? I ain't your sister, exactly. I mean, not that I wouldn't act like it if I had to, but..."
"I just want to do something sister-y sometime, and maybe show off my moves to the rest of Ponyville."
-"... You want me to make Rainbow Dash jealous so she'd be your big sister. Okay, I can do that."
"I love you, Aunt Vinyl.
That's a possible angle, yes.
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Vinyl is Best Aunt. *Dies laughing*.
And that's how Sleepless in Ponyville came to be.
Ahhh, so that's what the alcohol was for. Clever mare, Octavia. Kinda hard for kids to be balls of energy that refuse to go to sleep when depressants are wearing down their system just enough without getting them drunk. Plus, getting a proper idea about alcohol from a responsible adult will give those fillies some solid ideas about how to handle themselves later in life.
EDIT: I just downloaded the story. I still say please, please don't delete it, because it's absolutely beautiful in every possible way... but now I won't lose it if you do. I'm gonna show everyone I can!
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No worries; that message was posted in a moment of weakness. I've since become inoculated to the kind of comments that got that sort of response, and don't let it bother me anymore.
Edit: I've actually removed that blurb now, no need to worry other people with it.
Thanks for the feedback, I really enjoyed writing this story and it was a good starting point for fics in a similar vein. Once this Rumble thing and Warrior Meet (3-ish years in the making) is done, there is a concept for a sequel involving Scootaloo and Vinyl at a Sisterhooves, so watch out for that.