//------------------------------// // Chapter 33: The Plan // Story: Happiness and Tears // by flaminkomage //------------------------------// Happiness and Tears Ink Mage Chapter 33: The Plan "So you're telling me..." Sweetie Belle said, walking with her two best friends, "you used to be a childhood friend of Speeder Skies, one of the most famous hoofball players in all of Equestria?" Scootaloo shrugged, stepping into the café. "I guess. I mean... we didn't start off on very good terms." She stopped to chuckle, "but after a few misunderstandings and some arrangements with his brother and my sister, I guess you could say we became really close friends." Sweetie Belle and Applebloom gaped at her. "Hoo damn, Scoo," Applebloom said, "I didn't know you were associated with such important ponies! I mean, you're brother in-law is Soarin Skies! Ex-Wonderbolt!" Scootaloo smiled softly. "Though I am wondering why he decided to show up here of all places," she said thoughtfully, "and why did he come here of all places? Was it just to see me?" Sweetie Belle nodded. "Of course it was, Scoo! You guys were so close as fillies and colts, I'm sure he traveled all this way to meet up with you again!" she exclaimed, clapping her hooves together and dreamily sighing. Scootaloo chuckled. "Yeah, right... I doubt it, but it's always a possibility," she said. "When did he say he would be here?" Applebloom asked, looking around the outdoor café, "it's already been ten minutes. You hate ponies that come late for appointments." "He probably got lost or got caught up in something else, I don't know. I trust him enough," Scootaloo said. Sweetie Belle bit her lip nervously. She looked at her best friend. "Really? Even after all these years?" she asked. "Yes, of course. Why?" Scootaloo asked. "Well," Sweetie Belle started, "he is now a super famous athlete and stuff... attention in the media can change ponies. You saw the way he greeted you before school today." "Hmm... I guess we'll just have to wait and see, right? I mean, there isn't really anything I can do about it until he comes clean about why he's here," Scootaloo explained. Applebloom suddenly perked up as somepony approached. "He's here," she whispered to the others. Speedy was indeed walking towards them with a friendly smile. He looked at Scootaloo for a while, before shifting his gaze towards Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. "Good afternoon," he greeted. The two nodded before looking back to Scootaloo. "We'll... we'll be on our way now, Scoo. Bye!" Sweetie Belle said, before pulling herself and her friend out from the café. Scootaloo looked after them until they were out of sight, before turning back to Speedy. "Shall we get a seat?" she asked, gesturing towards the outside tables. Speedy nodded, following his old friend outside. They picked out a table and sat across from each other. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions on your mind," Speedy started off, leaning in his seat. Scootaloo nodded. "Yes actually, I do." "Go on, then," Speedy said. Scootaloo breathed, looking him straight in the eye. "Why are you here?" she asked bluntly. Speedy sighed, closing his eyes and pushing his hooves together. He turned back towards her with a serious expression. "A few weeks ago, I came home from ten years of boarding school," he started, "when I did, I was greeted by my friends and my parents, but one thing was missing." "Your brother," Scootaloo said softly. Speedy could only nod. "Yes, my brother. Soarin still hadn't come back from his so called 'trip', and I still didn't know why, or where he had gone," he continued. Scootaloo nodded to show that she was listening. "My mom told me a few things that day... a few truths I had been held back from practically my entire life. She told me that my brother was adopted, and that he had been kicked out of the house almost ten years ago by none other than my father." Scootaloo sniffed gently. She placed a hoof on his shoulder as he looked down at his hooves. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. Speedy shook his head. "It isn't your fault... my father is just far too stubborn for his own good," he said, "when I saw my mom start crying that day... I knew I had to do something. I knew I had to save her from the pain of not knowing her son was alright." Scootaloo sighed. "So you came here? To make amends?" she asked. "Not exactly. I'm here to bring my father and my brother back together," Speedy said. Scootaloo blinked. "You... you want to get them back to talking terms? Why?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "What I mean by that is... why now? Don't you know it's already too late?" Speedy tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean? It's never too late for an apology. Soarin didn't do anything wrong! He just fell in love with your sister! Don't you think it's time for everything to be resolved?" he asked. "Of course I do," Scootaloo said, "but it's a dream that'll stay a dream, Speedy. Soarin... he's really changed, you know? He... he's become a lot more reserved. He doesn't talk when he's not supposed to, and I can't even remember the last time he made a joke just for the fun of it! Sure, he's put up a picture of Cloudy Quartz and Spectrum Skies in the house, but that's all it is. Merely one picture. Small enough that he barely notices it is even there." Speedy didn't say anything. "Do you know, Speedy," Scootaloo started again, "Rainbow Dash always said to me that when I grow older, I'll become a wife and a daughter in-law. She became a wife... but she never got the chance at being a daughter in-law." Speedy's mouth opened in surprise at her words. Tears were beginning to surface. "And Soarin? There's not a day that goes by in which he doesn't remember Cloudy and Spectrum. Not a single day. But he knows those memories are just that... memories. And they'll always stay that way, at least in his mind." Speedy clenched his jaw. "I want to fix that. I want to fix the mess this has become, Scootaloo. Will you please help me?" Scootaloo looked at him incredulously. "Are you serious? You want me to help you?" she asked. Speedy could only nod. "Well who else? I can't do this alone, Scoots. I need your help with this... please help me... I can't stand the thought of my brother and father like this anymore. I haven't seen my brother in so long, Scoots! I... I need to do this, and I will whether you help me or not... so please do, I'm begging you," Speedy said, putting his head on the table. Scootaloo smiled softly. "Of course I'll help you, dummy. Why wouldn't I? I want this just as much as you do," she said. Speedy cracked a smile through his teary eyes. "Thank you, Scoots. Thank you so, so much." Scootaloo grinned, her eyes shining. "No problem... but how are we going to do this?" she asked. Speedy gulped. "I have a vague plan..." he said. "What is it?" Scootaloo asked. "Well, I'm going to come to your house, and live with you," Speedy said, just as Scootaloo's eyes widened, "let me finish. I'm going to meet my brother again, without him knowing it's me. I'll need a disguise." Scootaloo's eyes stayed wide. "What are you planning to do?" she asked. "You'll know soon enough... but do you have anything I can use? I need to look unrecognizable to Soarin..." Speedy said. Scootaloo sighed, nodding her head as she opened her purse and spilled it's contents. Boxes of makeup tumbled out, making Speedy's eyes go wide. He gaped as she opened cartons of things he didn't even know the name's of. Finally, she held up a bright pink tube. "Do you know what this is?" she asked, opening the tube to look at the cleary pink content. Speedy shook his head. "No clue," he said. "These are pink contacts," she said, carefully measuring out a drop. Speedy's eyes widened. "Contacts? You mean... you're coloring my eyes that... that pink?!" he exclaimed, gripping the edges of his seat. Scootaloo merrily chuckled. "Without these, Soarin will instantly know who you are. Truth is held in the eyes, Speedy. By seeing your eyes this morning, I knew exactly who you were. We can't risk that happening," she explained. "I... I guess that makes sense," Speedy groaned, flinching as Scootaloo rubbed his eyes with her hooves. "This might burn just a smidge," she said, before plucking his eyelids open and dropping the contact in place. Speedy hissed as it made contact with his pupil. "Aah..." "Now just blink slowly. The feeling will subside in a few seconds," Scootaloo said. Speedy nodded, following her instructions and grinning. "How do I look?" he said, fluttering his eyelids. Scootaloo giggled. "You'll look better once you get the second one in," she pointed out. Speedy muttered something under his breath. "Damn Celestia for giving us two eyes." "It'll be over in just a minute," Scootaloo said, repeating the procedure of inserting the contact in Speedy's other eye. Speedy blinked a few times once it was in, before smiling. "That's better," he said, before gazing at the rest of her makeup. "Now I'm scared again." Scootaloo laughed. "Don't worry, I won't be using all of this," she said, picking out an eyeliner and plucking it open. She smirked, holding it close to his eyes. "H-H-Hey!" Speedy squealed as she started drawing around his eyes, "that... that tickles!" "Close your eyes..." Scootaloo said in a breathy voice. Speedy immediately quieted down, closing his eyes as she finished her work. "All done! You look like a brand new person!" Speedy grinned, looking at himself in her compact mirror. "Alright! This really does make my eyes look bigger... in a totally manly way, of course." "Of course," Scootaloo smiled, before opening her foundation brush and slowly moving it in circles around his face. "Atta boy," she joked as she applied the makeup. Scootaloo nodded once she was satisfied with her work. "Are you some sort of pro at this?" Speedy asked, looking at himself in her small mirror again. Scootaloo shrugged. "Well, I mean, I pick up a few things here and there. So yeah, I guess that makes me some sort of pro," she said with a glint in her eyes. Speedy laughed. "Also, we need to head to the salon after this, we're gonna add a streak of green through your main and tail." "Alright! Good idea!" he exclaimed, running a hoof through his hair. "Oh!" he said just as he realized something, "I almost forgot!" Speedy then promptly pulled out something from his saddlebag. "What's that?" Scootaloo asked, trying to take a look. Speedy grinned, before showing her the object. "No way!!!" Scootaloo yelled, slapping his arm. "Yes way!" Speedy said back, putting the object on. "No! Stop!" "Yes! Continue!" "My eyesssss!!!" Scootaloo wailed, covering her eyes, "they burnnn!" "Oi! I happen to think I look smashing!" Speedy replied with a wink. "Why do you even have something like that anyway?" "Who doesn't carry around a fake mustache?" Speedy asked, showing off the bright piece of fake yellow hair sticking out of his upper lip. Scootaloo grimaced. "You look ridiculous!" she exclaimed, "take it off!" "No way! This just adds to the disguise factor!" Speedy said, picking up his bags and starting to walk out the door. "Hey! You come back here right now, Mister!" Scootaloo yelled, though in a teasing manner. She laughed as he strutted out the door. Sweetie Belle was wrong, she realized. Speeder Skies hadn't changed one bit. Not one bit at all.