//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Luna // Story: Princess Scootaloo // by RuinQueenofOblivion //------------------------------// "Concentrate on the object, imagine moving it around with your mind," Twilight said as Scootaloo's horn glowed a light purple and she tried to use basic telekinesis on a ball. "Be careful, make sure you only use as much energy as you need." "I'm trying..." Scootaloo said as she tried to focus on the ball with her new magic, Twilight had wanted her to get some practice in to get an idea of how powerful her magic was. "Don't worry Scootaloo, take your time, you'll get it," Rainbow said, she was watching the two Alicorns work. "I have faith in you, I know you can do it." Scootaloo smiled a little at that, it meant a lot that Rainbow Dash had faith in her. She took a deep breath and tried again, applying magical energy to the ball as she did, the light purple energy flowing around it and then... It broke apart into tiny pieces. "Uh, I think I might have used a little too much magic," Scootaloo said sheepishly as Twilight checked the gauge she had set up to check on the filly's magical power. "Did you get everything you needed?" "I believe so," Twilight said with a nod, honestly she still had no idea what to expect from this, she had no experience with a filly Scootaloo's age becoming an Alicorn. "These readings seem to suggest you have a lot of magical energy, which makes sense of course. You've got a lot of magical potential, its just a matter of being able to use it, which will require training." "Does that mean I'll have to stay in Canterlot?" Scootaloo asked, she was afraid of the answer because she didn't want to have to leave her friends behind in Ponyville. "For a few days probably," Twilight said and Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief. "And maybe I can talk to Celestia about letting Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom come visit." "That would be great!" Scootaloo says happily, then paused a little. "Uh, are we going to have to put that illusion spell on me again to hide my horn?" "We'll discuss it, for now lets just go join Celestia for dinner," Twilight said and the three ponies headed out of the room and towards the main dining area. 00000 "So, how did your first day of lessons go?" Celestia asked as the food was placed onto the table in front of them. "Fine, Princess Celestia," Scootaloo said as she kind of poked at her food. "Well, if you call accidentally making a ball I was supposed to be practicing on fine." "Do not worry Scootaloo, many young ponies have problems with their magic early in their studies," Celestia said with a smile. "In fact on her first day as my student Twilight got so frustrated she destroyed an antique dining set that my chef at the time had been setting up." "Did you really have to tell her that?" Twilight asked as Rainbow Dash just broke down laughing at the idea. "Its not funny Rainbow Dash!" "I'm sorry Twilight, but its just so funny," Rainbow said and Celestia and Scootaloo laugh as well, leaving Twilight a little annoyed. "Okay, so seriously I have a question. Every princess has some sort of sphere of influence right?" "Of course, I have the Sun, Luna has the Moon, Twilight has Friendship, and Cadance has Love," Celestia said. "And well Flurry is a bit young to have any sphere of influence yet." "Yeah, and you said Scootaloo was going to take her place as a Princess," Rainbow said, Celestia nodded in agreement. "So if I may ask, do we know what her sphere of influence will be yet?" Scootaloo blinked a little at that, she hadn't actually given that much thought because she was still getting used to this whole thing. That was actually a good question, what would she be the Princess of? There were some things that felt like they would fit her, but she had no idea exactly which one it would wind up being. "Honestly, I do not know," Celestia admitted. "It is something that is to be considered certainly, but its still too early to tell what it would be. That is something that she will have to discover for herself." "And what about Discord?" Rainbow continued. "He's the one who made her an Alicorn, while you said that she can't be turned back into a filly, we should still talk to him about it. Don't we deserve some answers about why he did this?" "You are right of course Rainbow Dash," Celestia said. "I will send a message to Discord to see if we can get him here to explain himself. In the meantime, we will continue with Scootaloo's training as long as you are okay with that." "Me your majesty?" Rainbow Dash asked surprised that the Princess would do that. "Of course, you are Scootaloo's legal guardian," Celestia said with a smile. "I was the one who helped speed along the foster process so you could take her in.I trust in your judgment about Scootaloo's education." "Okay, well... since Scootaloo has to remain an Alicorn, we should continue her training," Rainbow said with a nod of agreement. "Especially if we could move it to Ponyville, it wouldn't be fair to her if she had to leave her friends behind." Celestia smiled broadly and nodded. "Of course, Rainbow Dash I am really glad to see how you have grown since we first met so long ago. You have done well with Scootaloo, and for that I am happy, you are a great pony indeed." "Aww, you're making me blush," Rainbow said sheepishly as she took another bite. "I'm just trying my best to help her out." Celestia just smiled and they continued eating in silence. 00000 "Daring Do slowly creeped into the treasure room of the ancient temple, standing at its very center atop a pedestal was the golden idol that she had come all this way to get. Carefully, she took a bag of sand and in the blink of an eye switched the idol with it. All was quiet for a long moment and our hero breathed a sigh of relief, only to have it broken when the very ground under her hooves began to shake," Rainbow read from the newest Daring Do novel, Daring Do and the Sphere of the Gods, she then put the bookmark into it and closed the book. "And that ends chapter 1, we'll pick this up again tomorrow." "Aww, do we have to?" Scootaloo asked with a pout. "Shouldn't I be allowed to stay up longer?" "Scootaloo, you're still only just a filly, you still have a bedtime," Rainbow Dash said and ruffled the filly's mane. "I promise that I won't read any more of it without you, will that help?" "Okay, but you better not read even a word," Scootaloo said. "Yes oh great Princess Scootaloo," Rainbow Dash giggled as she nuzzled the filly gently, causing her to giggle too. "Sleep well Scootaloo, I'll just be in the next room with Twilight." "Okay Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo said with a yawn as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Rainbow smiled and made sure Scootaloo's covers were secure and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. She trotted into the other room where Twilight was sitting in a chair waiting for her. "How's she doing, Rainbow?" Twilight asked, she looked a little bit worried. "About as well as you can expect given what's going on," Rainbow said with a sigh as she took a seat. "She's a strong kid, she'll make it through this, I have faith in her." "You really have done a great job with her," Twilight said with a smile. "I've been trying to work through the red tape with the adoption process, but you'll have to give it time." "I know," Rainbow said with a nod, she sighed a little, ever since she had found out that Scootaloo was an orphan she had been working hard to help her out. She knew that the process would be slow, but for now she could just give Scootaloo a good home, that was all that really mattered to her. "Being her foster mom already took a lot of getting used to, being the foster mother to an Alicorn Princess... well, that's not something I really expected." "I know how you feel, remember when Flurry Heart was born?" Twilight pointed out, which got a light chuckle out of Rainbow when she remembered that. "Don't worry Rainbow Dash, you're going to make a great mom, I can tell. "Thanks Twilight, that really means a lot," Rainbow said with a smile as she leaned back in her chair. "Everypony has been really supportive since I took her in. You're all the best friends a mare could ask for." Twilight just smiled. 00000 "Presenting, Scootaloo of Ponyville," a guard pony said as Scootaloo trotted down the aisle toward where Princesses Celestia and Luna were waiting for her with Rainbow Dash. She looked out at the gathered crowd, seeing many of her friends from Ponyville like the other Crusaders, Rainbow Dash's friends, and her classmates from Ponyville Elementary. There were plenty of others of course, but she couldn't help but she was happy that her friends were here, that's all that really mattered to her. She smiled as she reached the head of the room before Celestia and Luna and took a deep breath, giving the two elder Alicorns a nod. "Scootaloo, you have been brought here to be named the newest Princess of Equestria," Celestia said. "This is a great honor and duty that is only to be bestowed upon the ponies that have earned it. Do you stand before the monarchs of this land and its inhabitants and swear that you will uphold the laws and represent Equestria to the best of your ability?" "I do," Scootaloo said as she tried to sound more confident than she really felt, it felt more like she was being rushed into this role. "Then I crown you Princess Scootaloo of..." Celestia started to say before the world around her froze, Scootaloo blinked as she looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. "What bothers you, Scootaloo?" A soft regal voice asked and she turned to see Luna, she was moving and trotted over to Scootaloo. "I, don't know to be honest," Scootaloo admitted. "I'm still kind of getting used to being an Alicorn and... really I'm afraid that everything will be forced onto me before I'm really ready." "Did Celestia say that you will have to take on any responsibilities yet?" Luna asked and Scootaloo shook her head. "Of course not, she understands that you are still getting used to this so she's not going to force you into something you're not ready for. It is why she is doing her best to ensure that you are ready for that day." Scootaloo smiled a little, she was glad that Luna had come to talk to her, when she did it always made her feel better. "Thank you Princess Luna... really I'm worried about this though, I mean, me a Princess? I honestly don't know if I'll ever be truly ready for that kind of responsibility." "Scootaloo, I know how you feel," Luna said reassuringly as she put a wing around the younger Alicorn. "When Celestia and myself ascended the throne, neither of us were truly ready. We did it because we needed to in order to help Equestria. I believe that you will be a great Princess someday, but only when you feel you are ready to do so." Scootaloo blinked a little at that, Luna really thought that about her? That meant a lot to her, she smiled and hugged Luna gently for a long moment and closed her eyes. "Thanks Princess Luna," she said with a smile. "You are welcome Scootaloo, and please, just call me Luna," Luna said as she stroked the filly's mane gently. "Now go on, enjoy your dreams, and your life. Tomorrow will be an important day for you." Scootaloo smiled and let go of the hug before running off, the dreamscape around her changing. Luna smiled and watched the filly for a long moment. "A great princess indeed," she said as she retreated back out of the dreamscape.