A Meaty Lunch
Lunch time had arrived and while they had been eating with Colgate since they arrived, that day would be something special. Because of Dark Night's promotion, Colgate had decided that more than a mere meal would be served, but a feast. As their food was being brought in Scoots and her friends were amazed by the amount of food they were being given.
Scoots was the first to say anything, "Wow Colgate, I have never seen this much food on one plate before in my life!"
Colgate replied, "Well given that Commander Dark Night received his promotion today, I ordered that the chefs prepare all of us a feast of epic proportions."
Colgate's guests looked down at their plates and saw something that they were completely unfamiliar to them. Rainbow asked, "Colgate darling, what is this brown thing on my plate with this red stuff running out of it?"
Colgate replied, "It is a delicacy for some of us in Equestria." She looked over at Dark Night and saw him devouring his. She continued, "Dark Night, are you even tasting that?"
Dark Night replied, "Of course I am! Just because I eat my steak fast doesn't mean I don't taste it."
Almost immediately Scoots knew what is was that they were being served. Just like it was in her fantasy books, the ponies of Equestria were omnivores. She exclaimed, "Wow, just like in my books! Ponies eat meat!"
Almost immediately thereafter Scoots tore into her steak and began to devour it. While she had never tasted meat before, the moment she began to eat it, she loved it and began to think to herself, "Hmmm....I wonder! I wonder if I could find this anywhere at home."
She saw her friends sniffing their steaks and it was obvious that they did not like the smell. Suddenly it hit Rainbow what they were being served, "Colgate darling, you're serving us meat? Ponies in this world eat meat?"
Colgate replied, "Yep, most of us do." While she was not expecting that some of her guests wouldn't even want to touch it, it did not anger her. She continued, "I take it the ponies of your world do not eat it?"
Cheerilee replied, "Goodness no! Killing a poor animal just so we could eat it? That is mean!"
Pinkie sniffed her steak again and went, "Yuck! Not to mention nasty!"
Rainbow asked, "Darling, how can you stand to kill something just so you can eat it? Doesn't it bother you when it is screaming in pain?"
Colgate laughed, "Well it is normally the ranchers that slaughter the livestock and prepare it for consumption."
The three sat there with sick looks on their faces just imaging an animal being slaughtered while Scoots, who had finished her own steak, was looking at Rainbow's and licking her chops. She asked, "Rainbow, if you're not going to eat yours can I have it? I'm still hungry."
Rainbow pushed her plate to Scoots and sighed, "Ewww....how can you stand to eat that darling?"
Scoots replied, "It tastes good. I hope I can eat meals like this when we get home. It is so tasty."
Her friends gagged over her comment while Colgate could only smile. She thought to herself, "Oh boy, I have a feeling she's going to go killing things to get the meat she craves now!"
As their lunch drew to a close her guests, Rainbow in particular, were giving Colgate an intense look and things went silent. Finally it hit Colgate as to what was running through their minds. Colgate asked, "I take it you ladies are ready to return home?"
Rainbow replied, "Yes darling, we are. We are wondering if you could lead us to the portal?"
Colgate said, "Yes, I can. Follow me."
A Fond Farewell
As Colgate led her guests towards the portal, again they became unnerved as they crossed from the wide open spaces around Ponyville into the dark confines of the Everfree. While Rainbow, Cheerilee and Pinkie walked close together, Scoots walked closer up to Colgate. Colgate saw this and couldn't help but wonder what was up with her. She asked, "Scootaloo, is everything ok? On the way to Ponyville you were very nervous but now you seem just fine."
Scoots motioned for Colgate to lean down and whispered, "I don't know what it is Colgate but I'm not scared. Maybe it is because I know you're here or I'm becoming more accustomed to a world where not everything is completely safe."
There was something about the way Scoots looked at Colgate that seemed odd, very odd. She could tell something was running through her mind but did not wish to ask her about it right then. After a couple hours of walking the five finally reached the portal. Colgate knelt down and said, "Well we're here. We have reached the portal."
Her guests rushed to her and hugged her. Rainbow was the first to say anything, "Thank you for everything darling. While your former commander did scare me a lot, I find your world really fascinating."
Pinkie added, "Yeah and everypony here seems so friendly."
Cheerilee added, "I have enjoyed it here as well but I will admit, I'm ready to return home."
Unlike the others who seemed happy that they would be returning home, Scoots looked glum, very glum. Rainbow saw this and asked, "Scootaloo, why do you look so sad? You were able to visit a place just like those in your fantasy books!"
Pinkie added, "Yeah and aren't you excited to go home?"
Scoots just sighed and looked up at Colgate with a look of sadness in her eyes. Colgate had a feeling as to what she was wanting and simply gave her a smile, which caused her to smile as well. When her friends saw this Cheerilee asked, "Scootaloo, what is up with the sudden smile?"
Scoots replied, "Well I have realized that while many things in life are wonderful, that sometimes they have to come to an end and I will always have my memories."
Rainbow looked towards the cave and portal and asked, "Well everypony, oops I mean everybody, shall we return home?"
Her friends nodded and Colgate knelt down and pulled them into an embrace. Well my friends, I guess this is goodbye. I will always have fond memories of you and Scootaloo, again I would like to thank you on behalf of all the ponies of this world for doing what you did to stop another war." She paused for a minute and continued, "Well ladies, once I know you are safely back in your world I will drain the portal of its power."
Scoots's ears shot up at this, "Colgate, please don't drain the portal. I don't want our worlds to be separated and besides, what if we was to want to visit one another?"
Unlike her, her friends weren't in the same mindset. While they knew that no war would erupt in Equestria or the lands beyond, they still had their concerns. Cheerilee was the first to mention this, "While we know your world will be safe and calm now, I still have my concerns about that portal. What if someone found it, came through and did something to...."
Scoots interrupted, "Cheerilee, nopony has come through yet and besides, Colgate said that she is the only pony who has ever dared to venture this deep in the forest."
Cheerilee sighed, "That is true."
Scoots continued, "And besides, I don't want to never see my friends again."
Something about what she said struck the three, they began to wonder what was really going through her mind. Finally it hit Rainbow, "Scootaloo darling, are you saying that you're staying here instead of coming home?"
Scoots looked up at Colgate who gave her a smile. She replied, "Yes, I have decided to stay in Equestria. While I will miss the three of you, the time I have spent in this world has not only changed me some, I feel a true connection to it. I honestly don't know if I could readjust to our world knowing that this amazing land really exists."
Rainbow asked, "But darling, where would you live?"
Colgate replied, "There is a spare bedroom in the tower that I will give to her. After all, I consider her a very dear friend and she saved not just your world but our world as well. Ponies like that do get extra perks."
Cheerilee asked, "But what will she do for a living? Where will she......"
Colgate interrupted, "Cheerilee, all she has to do is enjoy life. Unless she wishes to engage in a form of employment, she can just kick back and relax."
Scoots asked, "Really Colgate, I won't have to do anything if I don't want to?"
Colgate replied, "No, you will not."
Scoots could see tears developing in her friends' eyes before they broke down crying. Never could they imagine that, especially given her initial reaction to Colgate when she first met her, that she would remain in Equestria and live with her. Scoots too began to cry and ran to her friends, "I know this is hard ladies but I just feel like this is where I belong, this is where I want to be."
While her friends were still having a hard time coming to terms with this, they finally gave Scoots their blessing. They engaged in one final group hug before Scoots and Colgate would return to Ponyville and her friends would return home.
Scoots said, "I'm going to miss all of you but Colgate and I will come and visit!" She looked up at Colgate and continued, "Right?"
Colgate replied, "Of course! Besides, I would love to get to know more about your world."
Rainbow said, "Well darlings, I guess this is farewell."
Pinkie added, "We're really going to miss you Scootaloo."
Cheerilee finished, "Goodbye Scootaloo, goodbye Colgate."
Scoots interrupted, "Hey, you act like we're never going to see each other ever again! This isn't good bye, it's more of a 'see you later.'"
Colgate added, "Scootaloo is right, this is more of a see you later moment. Do not worry ladies, Scootaloo and I will come to visit and naturally if you wish to come back for a couple of days when we visit you, you're more than welcome to do so."
The three gave her a smile before Rainbow asked, "Well darlings, shall we head home?"
The other two nodded and headed through the portal. As they returned to their own world Colgate looked down and could sense two emotions from Scoots, one of a little bit of sadness but another of a great amount of happiness. Scoots asked, "Well Colgate, shall we return home?"
Colgate replied, "Yes, I think we should." She levitated Scoots up onto her back and ordered, "Hold on though. This time we're flying back, it will make the trip much quicker."
Scootaloo couldn't help but smile as they headed back towards Ponyville and the tower. While she would miss seeing her friends every day, she knew there were plenty of friends to be made in Ponyville and Equestria, which she now considered her home.
The End