//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom // Story: Princess Scootaloo // by RuinQueenofOblivion //------------------------------// "Oh my gosh Scootaloo, is that really you?" Scootaloo turned to look at the voice and smiled when she saw Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom approaching her. They galloped over and hugged her tightly and she hugged back with a smile. She was glad to be able to see her friends again. "When did you get here?" Scootaloo asks as she loosens up on the hug a little. "Just a few minutes ago," Apple Bloom said. "Princess Celestia sent a carriage ta come pick us and our sisters up. How did yah become an Alicorn?" "Uh, well, its a long story," Scootaloo admitted as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "See, Discord found out that I won't ever be able to fly..." "You won't be able to fly?" Sweetie Belle asked and hugged her friend again. "That's terrible, that's been your dream for as long as we've known you!" "Yeah, I know... which is why Discord made me an Alicorn, in hopes that it would help me be able to fly," Scootaloo said with a shrug. "Crazy isn't it? Apparently he felt he owed me since we freed him from stone." "Wow, that's crazy," Apple Bloom said and blinked a little in surprise. "Ah wonder what he'd do ta repay me and Sweetie Belle." "Probably not make us Alicorns, I don't think Celestia would allow that again," Sweetie Belle pointed out and Scootaloo nodded. "So, what's it feel like?" "Well, other than trying to figure out how to use magic and controlling occasional magical surges, I feel, really about the same," Scootaloo admitted as she rubbed her horn a little. "I haven't even been able to do much magic, I've managed to explode a ball and levitate a fork, and that's about it." "Hey, that's something at least," Sweetie Belle said with a smile. "Is Twilight helping you out?" "Yeah, though she said she'd see about getting Princess Cadance to come help me since she was originally a Pegasus too," Scootaloo says with a shrug. "So I kinda have the day off I guess, I'm just glad they sent for you two." "So does this mean you're going to be a princess?" Sweetie Belle asked and Scootaloo nodded. "Cool, I wonder what you'll be princess of, this is going to be great!" "Yeah, we're still kind of figuring that out, or I am at least," Scootaloo said with a shrug. "Celestia said that I was going to have to discover that for myself, so, honestly I have no idea." "Heh, maybe yah will be tha princess of adventure," Apple Bloom says. "Or Cutie Marks maybe," Sweetie Belle suggested. "Destiny?" Apple Bloom continued. "Okay, that's enough speculating on what I'll be princess of, can we just have some fun?" Scootaloo asked with a laugh, she was happy to have her friends here. "Come on, I'm still me." Her friends smile and nod before they go to play. 00000 "So how are yah handlin' this, Rainbow?" Applejack asked as she and Rarity came over to where the Pegasi were sitting. "Ah know that if Ah was in yer situation Ah'd be goin' crazy." "I won't lie, its been crazy, but we've been working through it," Rainbow said with a shrug. "Really, Twilight and Celestia have been a lot of help, but its really a matter of making sure that Scootaloo is okay." "Well I'm glad that everything is fine," Rarity said with a smile. "Is there any word on the adoption process? Though, this probably won't make things much easier." "Well, we're still kind of figuring it out, but Celestia said that it shouldn't delay the process," Rainbow said with a shrug. "I'm glad really, its been a good month, I just want to make sure she's safe and happy, Pegasus or Alicorn." Fluttershy smiled and gave Rainbow dash a hug. "So, Pinkie Pie didn't come?" "Oh she had to watch the twins again," Rarity said. "She sends her best, knowing our luck she probably knew this was going to happen." Rainbow just laughed at that, while she was Pinkie's friend she couldn't help but admit that the pink mare was, crazy sometimes... okay a lot of the time. She did however have an uncanny ability to know what was going on before she was told. Honestly she had no idea how she did it, but she wouldn't put it past her to know what was going on. "Which means of course she's probably plannin' ta throw Scootaloo a party ta celebrate her becomin' an Alicorn," Applejack added with a shake of her head. "Maybe ya'll should get ready fer that when yah head back ta Ponyville. Unless yah want ta get Pinkie here, although that might not be a bad idea." "Yeah, might be fun to have a Pinkie Party, beats hanging around with a bunch of stuffy nobles," Rainbow said with a chuckle. "Might even get them to stop being so stuffy. Its something to consider at least, and honestly I think it would be good for Scootaloo to have some more fun." Fluttershy smiled and nuzzled her gently. 00000 "Bringing them here was a good idea," Twilight said as she and Celestia watched the two groups of ponies. "Cadance sent a message back, she says she'll be here in a couple of days." "That is good, it is unusual for anypony to become an Alicorn, let alone a Pegasus," Celestia said with a nod. "Though there is still the matter of her flight. It is hard to tell whether or not Discord was actually successful based on the information we currently have." "I don't see the problem about whether or not she can fly," Twilight commented. "Sure its rare, but its not unheard of, especially if its just a natural disability. Wouldn't it be a good thing if Discord's interference helped her?" "Perhaps, but it is possible that doing so interfered with her natural destiny," Celestia said. "We do not know all the consequences of his actions yet. As strange as it is, it may actually be best if she can't fly, it may depend on what her sphere of influence winds up being." Twilight paused at that, Celestia did have a point as much as she hated to admit it. It didn't help that they didn't know what it would be yet, and they didn't really know when they'd learn it. "What do you suggest we do then?" Twilight asked. "She's got to be wondering about it." "You are right of course, I will leave it up to your judgement, but it may be best to find out sooner rather than later," Celestia said with a slight nod. "She is your student more or less, give her the chance to at least try and fly, and decide where to go from there." "I will later," Twilight said with a nod and a smile, she was glad that Celestia was trusting her judgment in this matter. "I think right now she needs time to just have fun with her friends." "Yes of course," Celestia said with a nod and then she looked sad for a moment. "It is a shame that her parents didn't live to see this." "You knew her parents?" Twilight asked and Celestia nodded slightly. "What were they like? What happened to them?" "I knew them yes, they were important ponies in Cloudsdale many years ago and they visited Canterlot on several occasions," Celestia said with a tinge of regret in her voice. "They were good ponies who just wanted to help out, sadly they died in an accident. Scootaloo is fortunate that she found a pony kind enough to raise her, her parents would be proud of her." Twilight smiled a little, she hadn't ever heard any stories about Scootaloo's birth parents, but she could recognize the respect in her mentor's voice. She wished that she could learn more about them, maybe she would ask more about them at some point. Though really, there was one pony that deserved to know about them more. "Maybe you should tell Scootaloo about them sometime," she suggested, Celestia looked at her thoughtfully. "I mean, she never really got to know her parents did she? So, you'd be able to help her know more about were she came from." "I know," Celestia said with a nod. "If you think it would help her, I will make it a point to speak with her about it soon. Is there anything else?" "No, that's about it, I'd like to go see my friends," Twilight said and Celestia nodded as Twilight walked off to meet up with the others. She wondered if she had been making the right choice by doing this, Scootaloo had a long way to go before she was really ready to become a Princess. Twilight had the right idea by wanting to get Cadance's help, but she just wished that things had been different. Maybe if this had happened when Scootaloo was older... "Cruising, Wild Wind... I wish you could see her now, she's become a wonderful little pony," Celestia said with a sigh as she thought about the two Pegasi that she had known so long ago. 00000 It was getting close to dinner time, so the group headed towards the main dining hall. Things were pretty normal now, other than the surprise that Scootaloo was an Alicorn, everypony seemed to just accept that for the most part and just treated her like normal. "So Scootaloo, have you had a chance to test your wings yet?" Rarity asked as Scootaloo took a bite of her food. "Honestly, not yet, Twilight said I should just keep things as normal for now," Scootaloo said with a shrug. "Though to be honest, I really do want to try, I mean, this might be my only chance." "Well, its ultimately up to Rainbow," Twilight said which made Rainbow pause a little. "Well you are her legal guardian Rainbow, your judgment is what matters to me. I think she's ready, but its up to you." Rainbow looked at Scootaloo for a long moment. "Scootaloo, its up to you, do you think you're ready?" Scootaloo looked thoughtful for a long moment, was she really ready? Heck was she ready for any of this? This was her chance to fly, to do what she had always wanted to do, but was she ready to take that chance? She looked at Rainbow, then at her friends who all gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll, at least try," she said and got down from her chair, moving into a more open space of the room, she took a deep breath and started to flap her wings. For a brief moment it felt like she was about to get lift, only to have herself fall to the floor unceremoniously once more. It was no use... she still couldn't fly.