"Psssttt... " Rainbow Dash whispered quietly, into her fan's ears. When the orange pegasus didn't immediately respond, she raised her voice slightly. "Hey, ~~kid~~ ~~Squirt~~ Thunderbolt!" The cyan pony whispered louder, her voice slightly hissing as she tried to get Scootaloo's attention without waking the turtle who slept on the floor nearby. Sometimes her cloudominium could feel a wee bit small, especially with Scoots, and her impressive new set of wings (Of course, her wings weren't as awesome as Rainbow's, but they were still really, really, nice.)

"What is it, and why are we doing it at five in the morning..." Scootaloo asked as she woke with a start. She quickly stopped herself, when she remembered where she was and who was talking to her -- this was The Rainbow Dash! Cloudsdale's number one flier! The best young fliers champion! Wonderbolts reserve, and soon to be official Wonderbolt Rainbow Dash! Her idol Rainbow Dash. "I mean!... What's up, Dash! What cool things have we got planned at... five in the morning..." She said, her ears slightly drooping as she said 'five in the morning.'

"Not much ~~squirt~~ whirlwind..." Rainbow replied, nonchalantly, using her powerful wings to float around, upright, as she examined one of her hooves -- for maximum effect. "We're going to have to leave early if we're going to get to Cloudsdale in time for... Wait for it..."

"For what?" Scootaloo asked, getting excited. What kind of fun had Rainbow planned for their first day in this marvelous week of 'grounding'? Flight lessons? A trip to Cloudsdale? A chance to see the ancient sites of old Pegastopholis? The old pegasus tribal pantheon? Ohh!!! Rainbow was going to take her flying with the Wonderbolts!

"Oh don't worry ~~squirt~~ east wind..." Rainbow said, with a wink. "I have a decent idea of what you're currently imagining, and we'll get to all that stuff this week -- and more. But today I thought we'd take it easy, and get you accustomed to things slowly." She said, softly, as she walked away.

"Because today we're only doing one thing: -- " she explained nonchalantly, earning the young pegasus' attention. "Heck yeah! We're going to the one-and-only original Wonderbolts derby!" She exclaimed, turning around -- with tickets.

Scootaloo gave an excited squeal, her wings buzzing, like a bumble bee -- her normal way of 'flying' or 'hovering.' Unfortunately, her new, not lame, wings didn't respond quite as her old lame ones did and promptly sent her careening into the ceiling and embedding her head, in the next floor.

"Woah there, Rainbow Jr" Rainbow said, with a chuckle. "Not so fast! Otherwise, I'm going to have to give you high altitude flight training," she said, with a giggle as Scootaloo attempted to free herself from the ceiling, with her front hooves. "Here, kiddo, let me help you out," Rainbow said, giving Scootaloo's leg a firm tug to free her from the ceiling.

"Thanks, Rainbow," the ~~filly~~ mare said, trying to keep her cool. "But I could've taken care of it eventually," Scootaloo said, her face cracking slightly.

"Sure thing, wild wings," Rainbow replied, with a silent chuckle, as she turned away. Hey, the squirt was too big now for Rainbow to scruff her mane now. Oh well! She was sure she'd come up with something else quick enough. "Ok, get ready, we need to be heading out to Cloudsdale soon, consider that your first flying lesson."

"Sure thing, Dash!" Scootaloo chirped, buzzing her wings again, which sent her, once again, crashing into the ceiling, creating a second hole.

"Oh squirt..." Rainbow muttered, rolling her eyes. "I'm pretty sure you don't fly that way..."

"All right Scoots, are you ready for your first flight lesson from The One, The Only, Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow asked her number one fan, who stood just next to her, wings extended, on the cloud just outside her cloudominium -- ready for her first official take off.

"Am I!?" Scootaloo asked eagerly, buzzing her wings again. "Watch this stunt, Rainbow Dash!" She exclaimed, attempting one of the moves that she had seen her father perform, on occasion, to impress his 'very important' friends. "I can do this even without lessons," she said, swallowing the sinking feeling, inside of her, that made her think she'd look bad in front of The Rainbow Dash, as she flared her wings and shot up at a high arc.

"Good for you, steel wing," Rainbow replied, with a proud expression. Her 'honorary sister' reminded her a lot of herself, whether she cared to admit it, or not, right down to the habit of being too proud to ask for help, even when she desperately needed it -- a trait that both she and Applejack shared.

The orange pegasus proceeded into a loop and began to corkscrew in a tight angle, starting at the apex as of her loop.

"Oh... but wait, we need to take care of something first, " Rainbow replied, interrupting the other pegasus a quarter of the way into her second, even higher loop, having, just now, remembered something that Twilight had demanded she do before they got to Cloudsdale.

"What's that?" The orange pegasus said, swallowing a squeal, as she shook her head and tried to recover from the nausea of her aborted loop. Something awesome, she bet! Like Wonderbolts jackets from Rainbow Dash's secret stash of Wonderbolt memorabilia, or maybe one of Rainbow's trophies, or the inside dirt on her mysterious parents, or --

Rainbow drug out a very girly looking makeup kit from inside the cloudominium that looked like it had been shoplifted directly from the -- ugh -- 'feminine' part of Rarity's little shop of horrors...

"Makeup?" Scootaloo asked, in horror, her ears dropping fast. "But Dash! You know I hate that girly stuff!" She protested angrily, staggering backward at fairly impressive speeds.

"Relax Scoots, " Rainbow replied calmly. "I'm not going to pull a Rarity on you squirt," she said, holding her hoof up in the Pinkie Promise position. "Trust me!"

"Phew!" Scootaloo replied, wiping the sweat from her brow in relief. She froze suddenly, for a second, giving a startled expression. "... I mean.. " She said, her eyes darting slightly, her smile forced. "I wasn't worried... even for a minute! Because... I knew you wouldn't let me down, 'Dash!" The filly said, gesturing 'nonchalantly,' with her hoof. "So what's the makeup for, Rainbow?" She asked curiously. "Are we going to tag Rarity's place or something?"

"Maybe later..." Rainbow replied, with a healthy chuckle, having already considered the designs that 'Thunderlane' was going to draw on Rarity's shop. You know, with the makeup 'he stole.' "And the makeup kit?" Rainbow replied boastfully. "It's so you can 'have a mark' during our little trip!" She replied, dragging out an array of colored coat paints. "BAM!!!" She exclaimed, holding them out, in her hooves. "Instant cutie mark!"

The orange pegasus mare gave a loud squeal. "So what's it going to be?" She asked, eagerly, as she began to hop up and down. "A fireball? A thunderbolt? A bad *buy more apples* sword? A flaming skull?" She asked, the words coming ever, and ever faster, as she hopped around Rainbow Dash. After all, with Dash at the helm, she was sure that her 'mark' was going to probably be at least 20% cooler than whatever her real mark was even going to be.

The answer came in the form of a very basic design, which Twilight had supplied, of course.

"A pink butterfly?" She asked, in utter terror, as she turned tail to run. "Why did it have to be something girly, and cheesy like that?" She asked, falling to a pleading position. "Please don't make me wear something stupid like that! I'll look like a dork!"

"Awwww..." Scootaloo sighed in defeat, looking down. She scuffed her hoof, knowing, full well, that Rainbow would probably go through, with this one.

"'Sides ~~squirt~~ Whirlwind, my ability to draw flaming skulls is kind of..." she paused, looking around anxiously, "less awesome... then my butterflies, ok?" She said, twiddling her hooves nervously. Of the many things, including being awesome, that Rainbow excelled at, art wasn't one of them. "And we kind of need this mark to be convincing, ok? Besides, " Rainbow said, shaking her hoof nonchalantly, "swords, skulls, and flaming... well anything... cutie marks aren't that common this side of The Commander..."

"Besides, this can be your punishment, ok?" Rainbow replied, trying to soften the blow.

"Alright ~~squirt~~ Cumulus." Rainbow said, dipping the brush in some paint, a serious expression gracing her face. "Let's get this over with...." She said, her tongue resting firmly against her upper lip, her eyes squinted in focus.

"There, we're done." Rainbow Dash plainly stated as she tossed the brush over her withers, and gave it a quick buck into the waiting bucket of paint.

"Great, I can't wait to --" Scootaloo started only for her to stop suddenly, her eyes dilating and her wings standing flared out, as a blur slowly flew by underneath.

"Scootaloo?" Rainbow Dash asked with a deep curiosity as she stared deeply into the orange pegasus' now distant eyes, and began waving one foreleg in front of the orange mare's face. That's... unusual... Rainbow Dash pondered.

"Wha!" Scootaloo shouted as she jumped a few inches in the air, her wings now both flared and jittering. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo apologized with a large, and very noticeable blush, "I was just a bit distracted... "

Rainbow Dash's began to show a small amount of concern, as she curiously looked over her withers, to try to see what could have distracted Scootaloo so thoroughly. "What was that all about?" She asked, curiously.

"What's, what?" Scootaloo asked again as she vigorously shook her head with her cheeks turning red in embarrassment. How could she have spaced out right in front of Rainbow Dash? The one and only Rainbow Dash! Apparently, Rainbow Dash had managed to catch her in another moment of distraction.

A stallion and a colt walking down the street, on the other side of the cloud, quickly seemed to answer Rainbow Dash's question. "Ah! I think I see." Rainbow Dash hummed, her lips curling into a mischievous grin, as a catty smirk crossing her lips. "You're just now noticing Stallions, aren't you." Rainbow Dash added as she made sure to poke Scootaloo, a little, with her left foreleg's knee.

"I am not!" Scootaloo protested, loudly, with a huge blush, her whole face turning almost entirely red. "It's just hard to focus today!" The orange pegasus ~~foal~~ mare objected, her mind already starting to fade as her eyes seemed to be pulled magnetically towards a passing Thunderlane. "You know... because of all your awesome, 'Dash!" She said, violently shaking her head to get it back into the game.

"It's ok Squirt." Rainbow Dash said with a gentle smile, and a pat on Scootaloo's withers. "A mare is more easily distractible when she's in heat." She continued, sympathetically.

"When a mare's in what?" Scootaloo asked, curiously. She couldn't remember ever hearing that before. Then again, that might have been one of Cheerilee's lectures that she'd slept through.

"Don't worry about it Squirt." Rainbow Dash said with a shrug. "It's one of those adult things that you won't need to worry about until you're older," she pointed out, calmly. "At least that's what I'm hoping, anyways..."

"But, I am older!" Scootaloo whined, quickly causing Rainbow Dash to regret her last words.

"I know, Scoots," Rainbow Dash admitted with a sigh. "But, you don't want to know the gory details of what heat is... Believe me!... Let's just say: you'd better watch yourself around stallions, or you might do something you'll regret later." Rainbow Dash cautioned, ominously.

"Why's that?" Scootaloo puzzled, her mind currently unable to grasp what Rainbow Dash was warning her about.

"Kid!" Rainbow exclaimed. "You do not want to grow up too fast!" Rainbow Dash stated sternly, causing Scootaloo's ears to drop, in a visible sign of regret. "Let's just say that you've got new urges to go with your new body... and move on from there."

"Urges -- you know -- like, the kind you feel when you are hungry or need to sleep. But, these can be a bit more powerful..." Rainbow Dash stated with the utmost seriousness, her usual cockiness suddenly missing.

"A-Are they that bad?" Scootaloo couldn't help but ask, a deep anxiety growing in her chest. What had she inadvertently unleashed on herself?

"They're manageable." Rainbow Dash pointed out, her voice growing cooler and less stern. "You just need to keep your head about you. And act like an adult -- you know, be responsible." Rainbow Dash added, nonchalantly. "And whatever you do. Do not allow yourself to be alone with a stallion!" Rainbow Dash said with finality, although she knew that wasn't entirely accurate.

"But..." Scootaloo asked, curiously tilting her head. "Why wouldn't I want to be alone with a stallion? Haven't you been to Mr. Breezy's shop, all alone?" Scootaloo asked, her eyes going crooked, as her mind boggled out this paradox.

'Stop asking questions, ' Rainbow Dash thought bitterly with a huff... This conversation was starting to become uncomfortable. "Listen, Squirt. I'll say this once, and only once." Rainbow Dash grumbled with a long sigh, "You, me, most mares." She said, one hoof gesturing at the other, repeatedly, in a counting gesture. "We all find Stallion's attractive. And, during heat, our bodies tell us to go to mate with them. But do not do that!" Rainbow Dash explained with a stern voice, and a stomp of her right hind leg. "Champions do not sleep around." Rainbow Dash said with one final huff. "And we... are champions!"

"What's mating? What do you mean sleep around?" Scootaloo pondered, her young juvenile mind, still not grokking the adult subject matter.

Rainbow Dash groaned. "We're going to make a stop by Twilight before we go." Rainbow Dash said with a long sigh. "'Cause I am not going to tell you about the birds and the bees." Rainbow Dash said with utter, total, and complete finality.

And after some more time, and more than a few boring lectures from Twilight -- with colorful pamphlets, they were off. And, was it just Scootaloo, or did Rainbow's face turn various shades of green, at different points during the lecture.

"How are you doing back there, Thunderbolt?" Rainbow asked, taking a quick glance over her wither, as Scootaloo shot forward to catch up, her wing control still resulting in her shooting forward, like a rocket, at random times, and places, while flying.

Not that Rainbow could complain, though. The squirt's new crazy wings caused her to either fly at full speed, or not all, which allowed Rainbow, in turn, to use her full speed, as well -- something she much preferred to having to take frequent breaks, as she did with some of other pegasi. *cough cough* Like Fluttershy *cough cough*, who's legendary flying problems tended to drive the cyan pegasus to madness some days.

"You need to take a break, squirt?" Rainbow asked, having taken too long a break, as the squirt now rocketed ahead of her.

"Good for you squirt!" Rainbow shouted, as loud, as she could, for the squirt to hear, as she sped forward, at top speeds. This trip might be fun. Though she really should warn Lightning Bolt to be careful in Cloudsdale. The place still harbored its own set of troublemakers, ne'er do wells and pegasi supremacists.

"Hey, Squirt!" Rainbow shouted, as she finally started to catch back up. "We need to talk for a minute!" She shouted finally catching back up to Scootaloo's side.

"What is it you wanna discuss Rainbow Dash?" The ~~younger~~ older pegasus asked, still suffering from a bad case of fandom, her view of her idol still, very much, unmarred by reality. "How awesome I am as a flier?"

"Oh Steel Wing, you don't need me to tell you that!" She shouted to the orange pegasus, a proud expression on her face. "But I do need you to be careful and stick with me, in Cloudsdale. You may look like a full grown mare, but you don't think like one yet, ok!" She asked, with a smile, as she shot ahead of her ~~number one fan~~ apprentice. "And Cloudsdale can be a very dangerous place if you don't know what you're doing..."

And just like that the gleaming white pillars of 'The Jewel of the Skies' began to come into view...

"And here we are ~~half pint~~ Sky Rocket -- your ancestral second capital: Cloudsdale," Rainbow announced, waving her hoof, as the extravagant gleaming city slowly came into view over the cloud line.

"Wow!" Scootaloo gasped, turning her head towards her mentor. "It's everything I imagined it would be!" She said, into her hooves, as her eyes slowly filled with wonder.

"What?" Rainbow asked, in dismay. "Your folks never took you to visit Cloudsdale before?" she continued, the disappointment apparent in her voice.

Scootaloo shook her head. "My folks have always been too busy building their political empire, " she said, tilting her head down. "And then there was the 'small matter' of my 'flying problems,' " she said, her eyes starting to 'sweat' a little.

"Ahh squirt!" Rainbow said, putting a hoof on her number one fan's withers. "I'm sorry to hear that!" She said, with pity, her face turning away -- her hoof shaking slightly. "But not to worry!" Rainbow said, vehemently, her bravado returning, in a flash. "You'll get to see it with me now!" She said, confidently. "And we're going to see everything! From our ancestral shrines to the Wonderbolts!"

Yeah, the cyan pegasus may have had an ego, but her boasting had the desired effect this time, as Scootaloo's mood quickly perked up. "So what are we going to do first?" She asked, with enthusiasm. "See the ancient shrines? The old capital? Oooh! Oooh!" She shouted, starting to get more, and more enthusiastic.

"Whoa, half pint!" Rainbow explained, waving her hooves. "We have a Wonderbolts rally to see, first!" She said, waving her two tickets. "Remember!" She announced, with a smile.

"And at the biggest stadium of all!" Scootaloo chirped. "And I bet you scored the tickets because of how awesome you were!" She exclaimed proudly.

"Of course, " Rainbow boasted proudly. "How else?" She asked, puffing out her chest. 'And Rapidfire being such a fan of my 'hard work,' 'diligence,' 'persistence,' and 'dedication to the team' didn't hurt either, ' she thought, her cheeks blushing, an almost imperceptible light red. 'Soarin better be careful, because he has competition...'

"Wow, newbie!" Shouted a bemused Spitfire, who was, just then, trying to get Rainbow's attention. "You here to see Soarin, and Rapidfire perform at the Derby?" She asked, with a catty grin.

"Who me?" Rainbow asked, her cyan cheeks turning a bright red. "Of course not!" She exclaimed looking away. "I'm not here to watch the squirt or anything! I'm here to show the stallions the famous original Wonderbolts Derby!" She blurted out, immediately facehoofing, mentally, at what she had said. Unfortunately, it was already too late seeing as she had already said it.

"Uh huh..." Replied, Spitfire, calmly. "What you do with your own time is fine by me, " Spitfire replied, formally. "Just remember that the Wonderbolts have a strict morality code... " She said, using her captain's speech. "Oh and Dash... " She said, getting close to the other mare's ear. "You can have Rapidfire, but stay away from Soarin, he's mine!"

Rainbow Dash nodded, rolling her eyes. Spitfire had lost a lot of respect, in the eyes of the cyan pegasus, after that whole Rainbow Falls/Equestria Games fiasco. But the two had remained close friends, though Rainbow tended only to follow her orders only to the point that it was required her as a proper Wonderbolt, not in an attempt to impress the other mare, any longer. "So what brings you here captain?" Rainbow asked, curiously. "You here on official Wonderbolts business?" She asked, with a smile.

"Oh no, rookie, " Spitfire said, with a proud smile. "I'm here to show my little cousin the show... maybe instill some pegasus pride in her, " Spitfire announced, proudly. "So you're here to show that fan, of yours, around?" Spitfire asked, dismantling Rainbow's Freudian slip from earlier. "Where's the little tyke?" She asked, looking around.

"Um... Rookie?" Spitfire asked, with a perplexed expression. "That mare is older than you are!" She asked, looking around, scratching her mane periodically. "Have you been performing unauthorized stunts, again?" She asked, take a not so discreet look at Rainbow's head.

"Dang it!" Rainbow exclaimed, to herself, stamping her hoof. "I forgot about that..." She said, looking around to see if anypony other than the three of them heard that.

"Hey squirt, feel free to mingle for a second while I have a conversation with the captain here, " she said, putting a hoof on the Wonderbolt captain to take her off to the side somewhere. "You know... Official Wonderbolt business. I'll be back in a flash, " She exclaimed, waving her hoof confidently, as she forcefully drug the Wonderbolt captain around the corner. "Just don't wander too far, ok?" She said, peeking her head around the corner one last time, with a wallpapered smile.

A brightly colored red pegasus filly, with an orange mane, and a red shooting star for a cutie mark came around the corner, popcorn in hoof. "Ok cap -- " She started saying, stopping suddenly to look around for a second, a look of confusion, on her face.

After a few laps around Scootaloo, the red pegasus frowned. "I swear I was supposed to meet the captain back here at this time," she said, with dismay. "I'll get a demerit on my record if I'm not back at my post on time."

"Affirmative, " the little pegasus replied, snapping to attention. "Have you seen her cadet?"

"CADET?" The older pegasus asked, snorting angrily. "I'll have you know kid, that -- " She stopped herself. She didn't want to get into another brawl, not after the last time, when Cheerilee gave her a strict warning of the implications if she did. And though she didn't know what those 'implications' could be, she suspected that, by Cheerilee's tone, Scootaloo probably didn't want to find out (though she still thought Archer had it coming for mocking her, and her 'flying problems.') She sighed, best leave it be.

"Sorry!" The red filly replied. "I forgot that you weren't in uniform, " she replied, losing her formality. "So how'd you get stuck with that lame purple butterfly mark?" She asked, eating some of the popcorn that she had brought back, from a nearby vendor.

"Lame?" The orange pegasus asked, her tail covering her mark, a motion learned by instinct (mostly to avert the prying eyes of snooping stallions.).

"I'd cover that mark too, civilian." The pegasus replied, haughtily. "It looks like a bad child's drawing, " she replied, puffing her chest out, and, at the same time, unknowingly mocking Equestria's best pegasus. "I'd be mortified if that had been my mark, " she replied.

"Mortified?" Scootaloo replied, looking around at the very basic purple butterfly mark on her flank. Could she be too lame for Rainbow Dash?

"Oh yeah, it's the most emb-- Ahh!" The pegasus replied, with a smile, as Spitfire, and Rainbow Dash returned from around the corner. "The captain's returning," she said, to herself, as she returned to attention. "Looks like she's bringing that new reserve with her."

"Ok squirt..." Rainbow said, stamping her hoof. "What's got you concerned?" She asked, sternly. The kid had been jittery all show so far like a spider had jumped into her saddle or something! And it was time to get to the bottom of this!

"Nothing, Rainbow," Scootaloo lied, trying to hide the sweat that was now dripping down her brow. "Everything's fine."

"Ok, squirt, " Rainbow replied, rolling her eyes. The pegasus had been nervous all rally, and it showed, but she was an honorary sister, and she knew the orange pegasus would just dig in her hooves if she felt her mentor was meddling. "But feel free to let me know if something comes up," she replied, giving Rapidfire her best nod, as she turned her attention back to the game. Rapidfire had been trying his dangdest to get her attention, and she felt that she should probably give him something, in return. After all, he had purchased such excellent tickets for her, 'and one guest' (yeah, like her father, or her mother, or a close friend, or her boyfriend, or...)

"What makes you think anything's wrong, Dash?" The orange pegasus replied, with a cold sweat, as she, waving around her hoof.

"Well, for one thing, you're doing that thing you did back at Winsome Falls," Rainbow replied nonchalantly.

'Oh no!' Scootaloo thought to herself, in dismay.'Rainbow thinks I'm a total tool!' She thought to herself, her eyes darting around to find something.'I need to demonstrate to her that I'm cool, like her!'

"Now is the point in the show where -- " The announcer started saying, immediately drawing the young orange pegasus mare's attention, with an ~~frightening~~ awesome obstacle course.

This would be a terrific opportunity, she thought, barely keeping herself from shooting up from her eagerly flapping wings.

She stopped herself, but her parents would never permit this 'uncouth, unbecoming, and downright dangerous behavior,' and that even that rebel Dash would probably agree with them...

Unless, of course, she could find a distraction that would last long enough to get her in the air.

Like Rapidfire. She thought to herself, with a smirk, waving to the pegasus, as he slowly trotted back to the benches, and quickly shouted his name. "Hey, Rapidfire!!!"

"What did you do that for?" Rainbow asked, her cyan face getting a slight crimson tone.

"Well, I -- " Scootaloo replied, unable to finish her sentence before she got bumped out of the way by the absently minded pegasus stallion with a very goofy expression on his face.

"Why hello there Rainbow!" Rapidfire announced, with a cocky smile. "I'm glad to see that you were able to make it, " he said, borrowing those lines in that book his mother had given on that strange 'etiquette' thing. You know, that thing she had admonished him to use when talking to the mares, instead of his customary ~~chauvinism~~ dialogue.

The cyan pegasus wings quickly snapped to attention hitting Scootaloo's empty seat, and the face of a nearby pink pegasus mare with a light blue mane, and two large lightning bolts, for a cutie mark, who responded by giving the cyan pegasus a furious scowl.

Rainbow didn't even need a moment to hesitate as she fluidly transitioned into full face-saving mode, bursting into riotous laughter. "You should just see the look on your face, " she shouted, pointing to the pink pegasus, who's face was now a very violent shade of red, and who now looked like she wanted to give the cyan pegasus a quick hoof to the mouth

Yeah, she loved the thrill of a dangerous stunt, but this Wonderbolt training course looked like something different entirely, with all its sharp turns, and pointy edges. And that was ignoring the fact that she had to fly this course, and she had just flown for the first time last night...

She shook her head. Focus! This ~~death trap~~ obstacle course was just like any of her stunts! She couldn't let it get into her head! Especially not in front of Rainbow Dash! Remember! It was perfectly safe! She was up for this, after all, from what she could tell, it was just some kind of obstacle course! This was her territory; she'd done it hundreds of times before.

Except this one was HUGE! And, it contained all kinds of dangerous looking equipment, like flaming hoops, giant crushing pistons, and pools of mysterious bubbling liquids. And Scootaloo couldn't help but leave her mouth wide agape at the pure, unadulterated, awesomeness before her. If she could pull off some amazing stunt here, she would prove herself worthy of a day with Rainbow Dash.

On the other hoof, she was pretty sure that neither Rainbow nor Scootaloo's parents, for that matter, would approve of her pancaking herself against solid granite, a mile above Cloudsdale.

Luckily that little stuck up pegasus-Tiara's voice began to boom in her head, encouraging her to continue. "I'd cover that mark too, civilian... It looks like a bad child's drawing, I'd be mortified if that had been my mark, " the runt's echo continued, mercilessly mocking Rainbow's protegé.

She shook her head. She needed to do this. After all, all she needed to do was figure out how to control her new wings, and then pull an amazing stunt or three -- all while avoiding the endless collection of ~~doomsday weapons~~ obstacles! Easy! Right!? She quickly breezed by a sign that screamed:

Welcome to everypony who's Super Tremendously Ultra phenomenally incredibly daring. Are you awesome enough to run the Daring, Electrifyingly Awesome, Dangerously L33t, Yonder obstacle course?
If you are, then prove how awesome you are!.

No Minors allowed.

'Oh horseapples!' Scootaloo thought bitterly, as she came to a screeching halt, and a frustrating realization. This course was for adults only! And she was only 7, which meant that she wouldn't even be able to look at it for several more years. If only she were --

Scootaloo's attention was drawn away from her frustration, as a rather large orange wing slapped her side... 'Duh!' Scootaloo thought, slapping her forehead with one of her hooves. 'I am an adult, now!' Scootaloo thought eagerly, as she continued, full throttle, towards the big sign that read ~~"Admissions"~~ "Awesome-issions".

Scootaloo drew closer, and couldn't help but gasp. The closer she got, the more impressive the whole course seemed! 'There's no way that Rainbow Dash could be ashamed of me once I ace this course.' Scootaloo giddily thought as she pulled up to the ~~Admissions~~ Awesome-issions counter. 'Heck, I bet she's run this one a ton of times.' Scootaloo added merrily.

"I'd like to apply to run the Daring, Electrifyingly Awesome, Dangerously L33t, Yonder obstacle course, please, " Scootaloo shouted out, as she dropped three months of allowance on the counter... a total of 3 bits. Patiently she waited for somepony to pull up to the counter. Her hopes not being dashed, as a stallion with a greasy mane and earrings slowly trotted up to the counter. His eyes seemed magnetically attracted to Scootaloo's wings as he finally noticed her existence.

"What, do you want?" The stallion asked, his eyes still, strangely, staring at Scootaloo's wings. Was he judging whether or not she'd be able to carry out the course? His words coming out somewhat mumbled as he chewed on a stick of gum. Scootaloo couldn't help but feel both mystified, and a bit agitated, at the stallion's obsession with her wings, and not her eyes. She just couldn't fathom why he was staring at them in the first place. Did he not think she was capable of doing this?

"I'd like a to run the Daring, Electrifyingly Awesome, Dangerously L33t, Yonder obstacle course, please." Scootaloo reiterated herself, her temper fraying. "And I'm assuming that I need to pay to run it, so -- "

He remained motionless, his eyes still firmly magnetically attracted to her wings.

Scootaloo blushed, nervously, was she doing something wrong? Why wasn't he saying anything? And why was he still staring at her wings?

The stallion gave her a strange look, his eyes only briefly leaving her wings so that he could stare at her in agitation, which diminished as he shrugged and looked at the money that Scootaloo had just plopped on the table. He seemed to stare at the money for a nerve-rackingly long time.

'Oh no! I don't have enough; he's going to laugh at me.' Scootaloo thought with a nervous smile crossing her face. She carefully resisted the urge to stare down at the table. Instead, she stared at the stallion, just waiting for his response.

"What's the money for?" The stallion finally asked, with a quirk of his eyebrow, his voice breaking the awkward silence. His eyes slowly wandered back towards Scootaloo's wings. Scootaloo couldn't help but feel uneasy returning. She knew her wings were bigger than normal but were they that freakish that he needed to stare at them?

"Oh, you want me to get you change... Sorry, but we don't do change." The stallion said with a bland voice.

"Uhh, I wanted to pay for a run of the course," Scootaloo said with a nervous grin. Her mind desperately trying to shake off the unease that she felt from the stallion's obsession with staring at her wings.

The stallion shrugged. "Listen... The course is free," The stallion stated in the most condescending manner possible, his eyes rolled, and his face turned into a frown. At which point, he finally gave her eye contact. But, they were filled with a certain level of arrogance, like he felt like she was below him. "It's for supremely super 'fantab-ulish-ish' Wonderbolts fans who are willing to risk the gravity defying, mind wrenching excitement, " he said, robotically. Why did these events always bring out the stupidest ponies to attempt the course?

"Then what are you here for?" Scootaloo asked, hiding her embarrassment behind a veil of agitation.

"I'm here to keep an eye on all of the participants, in case I need to call the hospital." The stallion casually said as if it was the most obvious answer. "or something." He continued, waving his hoof around like talking to her was a chore. "Just go ahead." He continued, with a wave of his hoof. Scootaloo gave a nod, grabbed her bits, and took off for the course. Scootaloo didn't see the stallion's eyes wander towards her tail as she hastily trotted away. The stallion's eyes did not leave her wings until she was a bit down the path. At which point, the stallion shook his head and groaned. "Dumb bimbo, all wings and no brains..." He grumbled, before he pulled out a magazine, and began to read it intently.

Scootaloo trotted forward, and took another look, and immediately froze as a flaming mace flew within inches of her head, followed immediately behind by an oversized battleax.

Scootaloo had been excited a few moment ago, but now that she was about to take off, she felt her heart stop. All of the jagged spikes and dangerous objects were looking a bit intimidating. 'Don't wimp out now Scootaloo...' Scootaloo encouraged herself. 'Adults do stuff like this all the time.'

Scootaloo whimpered a little, and then she lowered herself into a take-off position. She then buzzed her wings, mostly out of habit, and not because it was the proper flight method.

"Well, " a stern voice shouted, drawing her back to attention. "Are you going to do this or not?" A very stern looking pegasus stallion asked, his eyes only briefly veering towards her wings again -- why did nopony believe that she was capable of doing this? Was there something wrong with her wings? "There are ponies behind you, so if you are going to do this, civilian, then you should start now..."

Scootaloo looked down again her mind crippled with self-doubt. If she didn't go, then Rainbow might think she was lame, and disown her, not just as an 'honorary sister,' but as a fan too. On the other hoof, she liked living too much to go on. Besides, this was not just for Rainbow Dash! No! This was for her! Stunts were her thing! She was cool! She was awesome! She wasn't going to --

"We have a choker!" Shouted the stallion, with a facehoof, to a rather large white pegasus stallion, with a blond mane, and comically small wings.

"Yyyeeeaah!!!" The large white stallion shouted eagerly, startling the orange pegasus clear off the cloud.

"I only needed you to move her out of the way, " his boss said, with exasperation, turning to his muscle-bound friend.

And, just like that, without warning, and with only a quick scream, Scootaloo rocketed up towards the sky her head slamming into a cloud above her head.

And if the situation wasn't bad enough already, and much to Scootaloo's frustration, her magic seemed to be kicking into overdrive, making the white puffy cloud into a rock hard block, entombing her in the white cotton candy looking cloud. 'Hey let go!' Scootaloo bitterly thought as she tugged and struggled to free herself from the cloud.

'This is embarrassing.' Scootaloo finally thought with a hint of surrender. 'I can't get out... I hope Rainbow Dash doesn't see me --' Scootaloo's thoughts were interrupted as her white tomb suddenly disappeared in a puff of white.

"Well, I best be going, " Rapidfire replied with a rather stuck up wink, significantly lowering his eligibility, in Rainbow's eyes. "I'm in the next race, and I best be there early, " he said, turning around to leave. "You know how Spitfire is, Dash," he said, with a smile, as he started to trot off.

After about a dozen steps, he turned around. "By the way, Dash," he said, with a sincere smile. "If you ever need a reference, let me know," he continued.

Dash gave him a nod, not she'd ever need one of those, she thought to herself, with a curt eye roll. But she should give him at least a little break, after all, he did give her and Scoots these sweet spots, right next to the --

'Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!' She thought to herself, stomping up and down, in dismay. Scoots' parents would never forgive her if their bundle of joy disappeared. Heck, she would never forgive herself if the twirp got squished, impaled, smashed with a flaming mace, or any number of a hundred horrifying possibilities, which came to mind as she contemplated that ~~death trap~~ obstacle course!

She couldn't have attempted the obstacle course. She wouldn't try the obstacle course. Rainbow thought, stomping up and down.

'Would she attempt the obstacle? --' She asked herself. Of course she would...

"SCOOTS!" Rainbow announced, quickly taking flight. The answer was, very much, obvious, at this point.

"I'm coming squirt!" Rainbow Dash shouted, flying at full bore. A flaming mace attempted to sideswipe her, but she effortlessly evaded it -- she wasn't Cloudsdale's self-proclaimed fastest pegasus for nothing. The flaming mace, which followed from behind, however, not so much. The collision of steel against the pegasus sending her spiraling downwards

After a quick dive, she shook her head, and quickly recovered, shooting upwards at high speeds, effortlessly dodging a fleet of flaming clubs, but completely failing to notice the fleet of flaming bricks that hid right behind them.

"Oh come on!" She moaned, spinning to avoid. "For Celestia's sake! I swear these ~~death traps~~ obstacle courses get more overwrought every day!" She shouted, shaking her hoof for a second in frustration, as she turned downwards to face Ponyville. "Stop making me learn things I don't care about!" She screamed angrily below, shaking her hoof at her friends, and their 'innovative' ways of teaching her things she didn't need to know...

Whoops! She waited too long and was forced to dodge around a flock of flaming birds in an aerobatic wide arc.

Rainbow needed to talk to Spitfire about turning down the difficulty on this obstacle course she meant --

'Yeah!' She thought, brushing herself off as she spun to wake herself, flapped her mighty wings, got the lead out, and shot up to the cloud Scootaloo was embedded in, reaching speeds just short of her legendary rain-boom. Why the rush? It was all she could do to dodge all the flaming *buy more apples*! What in the hay were Spitfire and the upper brass thinking? This deathtrap was going to get somepony killed someday!

The pegasus legs and wings flailed futilely on the underside of the cloud as she pushed against the cloud with her front legs. Soft whimpers came from her mouth.

"Don't worry --" A flaming hammer bashed Rainbow in the rear. "Ooof! Kid -- " A flaming flail batted her to the side. "Oof! I'm here to -- " The flaming birds made another pass. "Oof! Help -- " Rainbow wasn't sure what hit her that time, but knowing this death trap, she was pretty sure it was on fire, "Ooof!" She grunted, finally losing her nerves, as she began to pull, trying to tug the other pegasus free from the cloud, getting bashed the whole time, in the plot, by what she could only describe as 'flaming giant q-tips.' "WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE ON FIRE!" Rainbow screamed, angrily, thinking about all the singed wings, fur, and hair. She just knew that she was going to have to pull, and cut a bunch of them later. And she was sure Rarity would probably be happy to redo her mane style completely. But she was also sure that she was probably going to be not as happy.

After a few moments, some tugging to get Scootaloo free from the cloud, and a lot of Rainbow being smashed around by flaming maces, and the occasional flaming flail. The younger pegasus was free.

"What the heck are you doing?!" the rather angry voice of Scootaloo's long time idol sternly shouted. And, despite her better efforts, Scootaloo couldn't help but look up to see a very peeved looking Rainbow Dash, flying a bit over her head, wearing her hooves on her hips, motherly stance, occasionally taking a moment to put out her wingtips with her hooves, which now smoked slightly.

"Don't tell me you were going to run the obstacle course." Rainbow Dash said, slapping the side of her head with her hoof. Scootaloo could only nervously nod in an admission of guilt. "Who boy, I got here just in time... Scootaloo, look at me! You aren't S.T.U.P.I.D. enough to run the D.E.A.D.L.Y. obstacle course." Rainbow Dash said with a chastising voice.

"Look kid! That obstacle course is dangerous! You need to have years of experience, like me, to run that thing." Rainbow Dash said with a raised voice, her shouting, at least, marginally decreased.

"No 'but's squirt, " Rainbow replied, putting on her serious face. "You need to know what your limits are before you act." Rainbow Dash chastised her, despite the fact that Rainbow Dash was equally known to do just that, act without thinking. Her own words echoed in her head as she remembered the dozens of times that she had done the exact same kind of thing...

Maybe she should express her fears to Rainbow as she did back at Winsome Falls. Scootaloo slapped herself, internally, at this point, she swore Rainbow was glaring at her -- maybe now wasn't the right time to bug her.

"Hey Scoots," Rainbow said, finally calming down. "Let's finish the show, "she said, finally softening. "But I'm going to need you to stop doing dangerous stunts, ok..."

Scootaloo nodded. 'Dang it! Now I'm going to need to do something twice as awesome to prove myself!' She thought, covering her false mark, with her tail.

"That... was... AWESOME!!!" The orange pegasus exclaimed, buzzing her wings exuberantly, as she hovered in place, held in place, like a balloon, by her tail, which Rainbow Dash held firmly in her mouth.

"See, didn't I tell you, kid?" Rainbow replied, self-assuredly, accidentally letting go of the other pegasus' tail. "See! Isn't this a lot better now, when you aren't trying to do whatever it was you were trying to do earlier!?" She asked, with a smirk.

Scootaloo blushed slightly and nodded. Yeah, she was feeling a little small now. She guessed it was kind of silly to think that she wasn't cool enough, for Rainbow Dash, right? A bead of sweat glistened against her head, as she contemplated matters further.

"Hey 'Dash!" Shouted a steel blue stallion with a dark blue mane, still dressed in his uniform, as he flew in slowly. "I didn't know you were going to be in Cloudsdale this week!"

Rainbow Dash shrugged slightly. "I wasn't originally planning to, but I thought since Rapidfire gave me these primo tickets, -- " Rainbow said nonchalantly.

"I thought I'd go ahead and take my..." Rainbow said, taking a discrete look at her number one fan, who was frantically shaking her head back and forth and violently waving her hooves. " ... Apprentice here to the Wonderbolts show..." she said, nonchalantly. "You know... so she can see some of the other pegasi in action!" She said, raising one hoof to the other Wonderbolt, unwilling to reveal too much of her real reason for being there.

"Nothing, " he replied back, pausing for a moment or seven. "Say! How do you like wrestling, because I was just wondering if your apprentice, and you, would be interested in seeing the Griffon Wrestling exhibition at The Paradise Estate bar?" He said, sweating only slightly. "On me!"

"We'd love !" Scootaloo squeaked deciding that this might be an excellent way to prove how adult she was.

"But Wave Chill -- " Rainbow protested, being interrupted by the pegasus stallion.

"Great!" He exclaimed, eagerly. "See you there!" He said, with a rather creepy smile, his eyes continuously darting to the left, for some reason.

Was it just Scootaloo, or did his eyes seem drawn to her wings like the ticket sellers were?

"Nice work 'Chill! This is some really choice seating," she said, testing the seat by softly bouncing from leg to leg. "You buy this in advance for us?" She asked, shooting him a snide expression, her lip curled under the other in a catty expression.

"... I called on some... favors," the stallion replied, playing with his collar with his hoof. "So..." the stallion replied, with a nervous cough, turning to Rainbow's young protégé. "You're Rainbow Dash's apprentice?" asked the Blue Wonderbolt, as he looked Scootaloo up and down with his scrutinizing glare.

"I sure am!" Scootaloo said with a proud grin, as she made sure to stand tall, eager to enhance the overall image that she was projecting. "She's promised to teach me all of her best stunts," Scootaloo added, although that wasn't entirely true. Rainbow Dash had, indeed, promised flight lessons, but she never promised to teach her any stunts.

The stallion returned an intrigued expression, his eyes shooting over to her wings again. What was with everypony and her wings? "You must have a tremendous amount of talent for her even to consider you worth her time." He added, his gaze never wondering from Scootaloo. The more the stallion talked, and the more he looked, the more Scootaloo felt like the stallion was judging her very worth. And Scootaloo was beginning to wonder if her value amounted to much at all.

"Well, I do have some amazing Scooter stunts," Scootaloo said, as she desperately swallowed the bitter taste of fear in her throat.

The stallion puckered his lips and broke out into boisterous laughter. "Scooter stunts?" The stallion asked, laughing harder. "What are you a filly?" The stallion croaked, with tears streaming down his face, as he seemed to laugh longer and harder with each passing second. "That's a good one," he said as he wiped a tear from his eye, "You do seem to have Rainbow Dash's sense of humor."

An outside observer could swear that a dagger passed within inches of the stallion's heart, originating somewhere from the roundabouts of Rainbow's eyes.

"Well, if Rainbow has that much faith in you, " he said, his voice softening (though it might have been hoarse from all the laughing, one can never tell.) "I can't wait to see how you progress, newbie." The stallion said with an approving nod, as he began to trot away. "Scooter stunts." The stallion added with one final laugh as he slowly exited earshot.

Scootaloo stared back blankly. She'd never thought about that before... 'Maybe he's right.' Scootaloo thought, shivering slightly. 'Maybe Scooter stunts aren't awesome enough for Rainbow Dash!' Scootaloo thought, to herself, the uncertainty's tendrils grasping at her heart. 'She's probably already interested in ditching me after that... I need something to put me more over the top. Something to prove I have some worth, that makes me worth tutoring by THE Rainbow Dash ™ © ®.' Scootaloo thought, as she desperately looked around for something that would fit her needs.

What did rainbow say they were doing today? Maybe there was something on the docket that --

"And, ~~squirt~~ Sonic Boom, " Rainbow said, getting the ~~filly's~~ mare's attention. "After the ball game, and our trip to the museum -- "

Rainbow shrugged. Twilight had required Rainbow to insert some 'grounding approved activities' on their list of activities, under threat of some ancient unicorn curse. Some superstitious gobbledygook about what the punishment inflicted on the ancient unicorns, by the gods, if they didn't finish some pointless rainbow ritual on time -- something about her turning into 'Grey-bow Dash,' a name that Spike had interjected, with a chuckle. "Besides, kid, we have to pace out the awesome, so we don't burn ourselves out on awesome!" (oh.. that and the fact that she was still trying to get the charred bits off her wings after that little ~~death trap~~ obstacle course a few minutes ago...)

Scootaloo nodded, good point. Cloudsdale couldn't handle Rainbow's full blown awesome for very long! And if they continued at full speed, something bad might happen, like Cloudsdale blowing up, or something!

"And then..." she said, bringing out the Griffon Wrestling tickets that dork Wave Chill forgot all about on his way out... (She was already planning the pranks she would be pulling on the jerk afterward to get back, at him, for mocking the squirt's scooter stunts!)

A smile, practically, exploded on Scootaloo's face as she saw it. The most awesome thing next to that obstacle course -- Griffon Wrestling!

Scootaloo gave a mischievous chuckle, as she turned back to Rainbow Dash, feeling particularly proud of herself. "Nice job getting away from that crowd of angry ponies, 'Dash!" She said, feeling like she'd finally managed to sneak her way into Rainbow Dash' circle of pranksters with that last stunt.

Rainbow gave a returned a hearty laugh, seeming not too upset with the whole situation herself. Though she supposed, that, she should probably chastise her protégé for her weird behavior again. But she found it hard to do so considering that the game was probably the most fun she'd had since the Wonderbolts show, just before, and decided that she'd probably just let it slide this time. "Yeah, but there was no way those slow pokes were going to keep up with us Rain-bolt!" She said, a satisfied expression gracing her face like she was a cat that just ate the family canary.

"I know right!" Scootaloo said, already considering how she'd follow up on that last stunt. She was finally in! She just needed to do a little more; maybe she could prove that she was worthy of Rainbow Dash!

An usher passed by, and gave them both a murderous expression, as he slowly, and quietly, trotted off towards a phone booth -- probably to alert the angry mob of Rainbow's whereabouts.

Rainbow looked back, just for a moment, before returning her focus to the discussion at hoof. "Word to the wise though, half pint, " Rainbow said, her expression going stern, and her voice turning cold. "Don't turn a pop-fly into a home run!" She cautioned, her eyes growing narrow. "Especially when it gives the Alpacas the win, " she said, without a trace of jest in her voice. "Ok, kid?" She asked, her cheerful tone returning.

"Now then, squirt!" She said, reading the tickets. "Apparently Black Wind, Iron Claw, and Lead Bottom -- the one with the dumb name -- are about to take on the champ, Vigo the Destroyer, in a three on one match for the ultra-heavyweight griffon wrestling belt!" Rainbow said, partially forgiving Wave Chill for giving Scootaloo a hard time earlier (this was, after all, an almost impossible event to get into, and it wasn't every day that somepony got to see The -- capital T -- Big Match!)

And, like that, without even so much as a section break, the match was over -- although it was, as much as it pained Rainbow to admit it, the most awesome five minutes in the history of sports...

"Dangs it!" A fat canary griffon exclaimed from the back of the lounge where they kept all the dirty mob money. "That there match was too good!" He squawked, at one of his ~~lieutenants~~ subordinates. "Now they'ves gots them the taste of blood in their mouth-es and wants them an encore!" He cawed.

"But what are we gunna do, boss?" The ~~lieutenant~~ ~~goon~~ ~~subordinate~~ ~~lackey~~ employee, asked, turning back to his boss. "They only lasted five minutes, and the champ's already flat-in-ed -- "

"I don'ts care!" The boss crowed. "Gives 'em a chance at the champ!" He squawked, as a loud thump, most likely the sound of a chair, that was no longer bolted to the floor, hitting the wall, with excessive force.

"Roight boss!" The ~~lieutenant~~ subordinate, replied, rushing to the announcer.

"Goid luck Mug-say..." The boss said, quietly as the goon rushed out the door. "Yoir goin' ta need oit..."

Meanwhile, back at the stage, the announcer held tightly to the hanging microphone, as he barely held back the bloodthirsty crowd with the only thing he had on talon -- a half-eaten churro.

A young gray griffon pushed his way through the crowd of onlookers, and whispered something into the announcer's ear -- you know, moments before a mob of ponies grabbed him and promptly pulled him into the teeming crowd of angry wrestling fans -- probably for a stiff beating.

"Good news ponies!" The announcer shouted, at the top of his lungs, for all to hear.

"This is the part of the show where we... um..." he said, rubbing the churro against his collar. "Give you your chance at the champ!" He squeaked, into the crowd.

A grand cheer went up from the crowd, as ponies lined up for their chance at the champ! Even many members of the angry band of stadium goers that just, moments before, burst their way in through the front door, complete with torches, and pitchforks joined in -- carefully, placing them, at the torch and pitchfork racks, for later retrieval.

Rainbow Dash, gave a hearty laugh. "Do you hear that, squirt!?" She asked, the tears streaming down her cheeks, as she talked to the empty seat. "Like there's anyone stupid to take on the -- "

'I have to get to the stage before Rainbow notices I'm gone!' Scootaloo thought to herself, as she galloped as fast as she could to get into the short line coming out of the ring. 'It's the only thing awesome enough to follow up on that hoofball 'prank'!' She thought, excitedly -- she knew Rainbow wouldn't take long. Besides, she was an adult now, and had finally decided to do something cool and adult like wrestle full grown griffons!

Thankfully, there were only a few ponies in front of her. Though she could have sworn there were a bunch, just a moment ago. Although Scootaloo couldn't help but notice that almost all of the ponies in line were super tough ponies like weight lifters, bikers, and lumberjacks. ~~and malpractice lawyers...~~

The line was, fortunately -- and strangely -- quick moving, and now there was only one pony in front of Scootaloo. It was at about this point that Scootaloo could hear the next pony in line standing by the ring.

"Are you an adult?" Asked the pony with the clipboard to the pony in front of Scootaloo. Scootaloo couldn't help but perk an ear in curiosity.

The burly pony returned a belligerent expression. "Do I look like a FOAL to you!?" He exclaimed, looking like he might take on the pony with the clipboard instead of the monstrous griffon.

The pony, with the clipboard, played with his collar, nervously. "Doe...doe...does th..th..that m-m-m-m-m-m-mean you want to take on the champ?" He stammered, a few octaves higher, bending his back-back at an impossible angle, in an attempt to avoid the angry daggers flying from the challenger's eyes.

The burly pony nodded eagerly. "What do you think?" He asked, bending forward for every inch the bureaucrat bent backward.

Finally, the challenger relaxed, having made his point. "I'm ready to beat Vigo the Destroyer and earn that million bits!" The pony added with a loud, and strong shout.

"O-o-o-o-o-o.k., " the bureaucrat stammered. "P-p-p-p-please sign this waiver removing all responsibility for any harm that might occur during the match with Vigo the Destroyer." The pony with the clipboard said blandly, his hooves, and clipboard, quivering as he spoke. Scootaloo couldn't help but wonder how many times this pony had said stuff like this before.

Hastily the large pony in the front of the line signed on the dotted line with an outrageously large 'X,' and began to crawl into the ring. "Now remember." The pony in the suit explained, suddenly sounding a lot calmer. "Griffon Wrestling is the standard rules as regular wrestling, except: You are allowed to use anything as a weapon as long as it's within reaching distance of the ring, and you didn't bring it into the ring with you. Kicks and punches are allowed as long as --"

"I know the rules!" The stallion interrupted, with a huff, as he started pushing the manager to the side so that he could get into the ring. "Sheesh! Stupid pencil pusher thinks I'm a foal!" He grumbled, taking a moment to size up the ~~mountain~~ champion in the center of the ring.

And with the count of three, the match was on. The burly pony that had been in front of the line was standing off against a griffon that must have been a hundred times bigger than any Scootaloo had ever seen, and that was hard considering how tall he had appeared in the match earlier. And to make matters worse, the griffon had to have been as at least as tall, or even taller, than Big McIntosh. Scratch that, he must have been taller than Mac, and that was saying a lot, especially considering how big Mac was! And, that was ignoring the fact that the griffon looked like he was at least as bulky as Bulk Biceps himself, if not bulkier, making his shorts and shirt seem, almost, comically small.

Meanwhile, back at the head of the line, Scootaloo began to wonder if this was such a smart idea. The feeling only became stronger, as the pony in front of her, in line, quickly reached out and grabbed one of the folding chairs -- with a pony still in it, from the audience and swung it at the massive griffon.

The improvised chair-bat, however, didn't get very far before the griffon punched said stallion with one of his tree trunk-sized arms, knocking the pony off balance with an earth shattering punch. Scootaloo could feel her tail and ears drop as she suddenly had a bad case of cold hooves. Perhaps because of the growing sense that she might be in trouble.

While the large stallion remained on his feet, somehow, he didn't seem to be moving very fast. The griffon, however, wasn't showing any mercy, as he jumped up into the air, slamming into the stallion with both hind legs, in the most powerful jump kick Scootaloo had ever seen. While Scootaloo wasn't sure the bulky stallion could even get up after such a devastating attack, the griffon zoomed in to mercilessly pin the stallion in a hold that Scootaloo doubted was even natural, and proceeded to tie every part of the unfortunate stallion into hideous knots. Several of the stallion's joints seemed to be bent in odd directions -- and appeared to be making some very disturbing noises.

"Next." Said the pony in front of the ring, telling Scootaloo the match was over.. practically before it started.

Scootaloo looked back, Rainbow hadn't noticed her stunt yet, but she was probably on her way... maybe she should turn --

Heck no! This was her chance to prove to Rainbow just how awesome she was! 'It's now or never'. Scootaloo thought with a gulp. She could either wimp out now proving she wasn't worthy of Rainbow Dash's time, or she could -- Now it was!

The pony in the suit opened their mouth, only to be interrupted by Scootaloo. "Yes, I heard all that stuff, just get me in the ring before I have cold hooves," Scootaloo snarled, her voice hiding the tremble she felt all the way from her hooves to her mane. 'Maybe this is not -- ' "SHUT UP VOICE!" She shouted mentally trying to silence the traitorous 'voice of reason' in her head.

"Don't get snippy." The suited pony blandly said as she pulled the ropes up to allow Scootaloo quick entry.

"3," The voice finished. Scootaloo felts her ears pin, and her eyes look upwards towards the griffon, who seemed even more impossibly large in person.

The griffon started laughing maniacally. "YOU'RE MINE!" He growled in a monstrous octave. No, wait! That was just in Scootaloo's head.

"G--" the voice started only to be interrupted as a cyan blur blew into the ring, and whisked Scootaloo out of the ring in its grasp, faster then the announcer could say the two letter word.

"Stop the match!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she flew off with Scootaloo in tow. "She gives up!"

"But Rainbow -- " Scootaloo protested, seemingly unheard by the cyan pegasus, who now wore the most severe expression Scootaloo had ever seen.

Within moments Rainbow Dash had landed some distance from the ring and put her hooves to her sides.

"Thunderbolt, what were you thinking?!" Rainbow Dash chastised Scootaloo. "Griffon Wrestling is a sport with barely any rules. You need to be the most awesome of the most awesome to even hope to survive it!" Rainbow Dash said with a hint of frustration in her voice.

"But Rainbow, I wanted to try it out." Scootaloo lied, her heart unable to take the rejection from Rainbow Dash, that she knew would happen if she admitted that she wasn't good enough yet. Not to mention the fact that she was so close to finally making it into Rainbow's inner circle after that epic baseball 'prank' earlier...

"Listen, Awesome junior. You're not there yet. You're only junior awesome right now." Rainbow Dash blustered. Scootaloo couldn't be sure if Rainbow Dash meant that, but she had her doubts. "You need more awesome experience before you've leveled up enough to be ready for that." Rainbow Dash continued. "Plus Griffon Wrestling is stupid dangerous..." she said, whispering in Scootaloo's ear...

"No 'but's squirt!" Rainbow retorted. "I don't know what's been into you today, but it smacks of Winsome Falls, and I don't like it!"

"Ok, squirt!" Rainbow said, turning to her young apprentice. "No weird stunts! Ok, kiddo!" She said, sternly. "I don't know what rat got into your stable, but you've been off all day! So knock it off, ok?" She said to her young apprentice, whose eyes now seemed distracted on a pony that Rainbow could have sworn, was a winged version of that weird doctor that maintained all the clocks back in Ponyville.

"Yeah... sure..." The ~~filly~~ mare said, her eyes following the stallion as he slowly left her field of vision.

"Great!" Rainbow said, feeling distracted herself as she sized up the unbearably long line she would have to deal with. 'Why did I want to see something stupid, and boring, like die Feder des königlichen Prunks again?' She asked herself, her eyes noticeably flopping as she looked at the entire endless horde standing in front of her in line (there must have been a good ten or twenty ponies there to see the opera! This was going to take FOREVER!!!!)

Meanwhile, the younger foal wondered off, unnoticed in search of the adventure. (After all, that line of five to nine ponies was going to take FOREVER to clear out! She'd be back long before Rainbow even noticed she was gone!)

Ahead of her, she noticed one of Cloudsdale's more amazing, and adult, activities. In this case, a steam powered race. And Scootaloo couldn't help but hold a massive grin. Unlike her previous misguided attempts to impress Rainbow Dash, this was right down her alley. Heck! Rainbow would be pleased! This race didn't look dangerous or unsafe at all. Instead, it just looked like good clean adult fun. Heck, they even had a sign saying "any racer welcome."

As she trotted closer to the event, her excitement only seemed to grow as she got a look at the various karts. They were so cool looking. From the Double Zero, a sleek and pointy kart with wings and some giant firecrackers that had been ~~sloppily~~ carefully strapped on the back. To a kart that looked like it was a haunted barn on wheels. And even a the kart made of dense clouds, that almost resembled stone. Heck, it reminded her, distantly, of the Applewood Derby back in Ponyville -- maybe this year Cheerilee would finally let her join.

Her smile only grew like a garden weed as she looked in awe of the awe-inspiring sight before her, to the point where she failed to notice a granite wall right in front of her, and promptly bumped into it. "Ooff" she whimpered as she stumbled backward, her foreleg now covering her now sore nose, as she stumbled backward, tripping on a sign that somepony had left on the ground, and promptly landed on her back.

"Stupid sign!" Scootaloo grunted quietly, to herself, as she gave the sign a good kick with her right foreleg, and couldn't help but smile, proudly, as the sign wobbled back and forth. However, her mirth was short when, much to her surprise, she noticed the writing on the sign.

"Race sign up, over there ->" It proudly read. "Any kart is welcome, anything you can provide," the sign read, continuing where it left off.

And, just like that, Scootaloo's smile quickly dissolved, and she could only shake her head in disappointment. She just realized that she didn't have a kart. And there was no way that she'd --

"What do you mean the Gravel Sisters can't make the race?!" screamed somepony, from just off screen.

"Feather Flu?!" The voice angrily shouted to somepony else, off camera. "I thought I told them to get immunized!" He screamed, in retort to somepony Scootaloo couldn't hear. "I mean, -- "

"Yes, I know, but they listen to that stallion on the radio. That and they're afraid of needles!" The pony said, responding to something he heard. "But -- "

"Yes, I know that they were frozen, in ice, for 30,000 years! But come on, they need to get with the times! It's just an itsy, bitsy needle." The pony continued to rant. "I mean, who are we going to get to drive their kart, on such short notice?" The stallion continued to shriek, his voice getting louder as he approached Scootaloo's current location.

'I might get to do this after all!' Scootaloo beamed as she quickly got to her feet, and took a quick hop into the stone car, and started to drive.

Um... or rather tried to. Scootaloo kind of didn't know how to drive those things!

'Wait, does stone float on clouds?' Scootaloo asked herself. Her question quickly being answered as she noticed that the ground seemed to be growing higher and higher around the car, all of a sudden like she was --

Scootaloo only had enough time to scream, as the stone car slowly sank through the clouds, on its inevitable date with the ground below... 'Why did I have to think about it.' Scootaloo thought, bitterly, as she panicked -- and promptly forgot that she could fly now.

"Gotcha!" Rainbow Dash shouted, as she swooped out of the sky, and caught the falling mare -- all while hoping that that rock car didn't fall on anything important. "Thunderbolt! What was I telling you earlier about crazy stunts?" Rainbow Dash chastised her, as she flew towards the nearest cloud.

Scootaloo blushed. She didn't want to tell her mentor that she'd kind of not noticed due to being distracted by that handsome specimen of a -- uck!!! Why was she all of a sudden thinking of... Stupid spell!!!

"Let me jog your memory, " Rainbow continued, sternly. "I said not to try any crazy stunts!" She said, pointing at the cart, which continued to fall further and further from their field of vision.

"Oops... " Scootaloo replied. "But at least I wasn't trying to impress -- " She said, quickly stopping herself.

"What's that squirt?" Rainbow asked, panning her ear, maybe this was the opportunity she'd been waiting for all day!

Rainbow sighed, contemplating hog-tieing the troublesome filly, she was sure that's what Applejack would do! Ok! She guessed that's what she imagined Applejack would do.

Sheesh! She needed a drink. She just couldn't figure out what could have possibly possessed the squirt to think that she belonged in a reenactment of The Battle of Cloudsdale, or that real live tornado exercise. It was like she was trying to impre-- nah! They'd already covered that ground a couple of times now!

"Hello Rainbow!" A prissy male voice announced from somewhere in another section of the bar. "I was not aware you were visiting Cloudsdale this beautiful day!" The voice said, sounding like a bad mix of the worst parts of both Rarity and Prince Blueblood.

"Sorry ~~squirt~~ firebolt, " Rainbow said, letting her apprentice down lightly. "Different Firefly, old Golden Firefly's here's not related to that Firefly," Rainbow said, nonchalantly.

"He's from the line of 'royal' Firefly's, " a regal looking purple pegasus stallion said, cantering in 'majestically.'

The pegasus and his mane were both almost entirely purple, except for the light purple, and chartreuse highlights in his mane that 'came from poor family decisions over the centuries.' His tail was almost entirely chartreuse, another result of 'poor family decisions.' He was sleeker than most ponies, almost matching the build of that unicorn mare that kept dropping by Rarity's shop, along with her Husband -- Fleur Dis something. And was a good head above most of the adults she had seen over the course of her life.

"Well..." Rainbow said, with a smirk. "That was our nickname for him back in Flight Camp, squirt but -- "

"That was long ago, my lady, " he replied, politely. "The family hasn't been quite the same since The Commander took control of the pegasi tribes many centuries ago..." he said, with a nervous chuckle. "So what brings you here, this day, Rainbow?" The stallion asked, giving the mare a polite bow.

"I've brought my... um.... Number one fan... urr... apprentice, Scootaloo, " Rainbow said, motioning to her number one fan.

"Ahh yes, but the tyke seems a fair amount older than you described her, Rainbow, " he said, in his usual snooty tone.

"Long story, Golden," Rainbow shrugged nonchalantly. "But, first, I want to know what the current standing 'Prince Firefly' is doing in a place like this, " she said, motioning over to the wall of passed out drunks.

"Working... Same as always, " the purple pegasus stallion said, with a painted on smile.

Rainbow, once again, waved her hoof around an incredulous expression that just screamed 'Oh really!'

The purple pegasus sighed, looking down. "Father has, once again, spent the family... ehem... 'fortune' on one of his ... urm... 'business ventures' again..."

"Ouch..." Rainbow said, sucking on her bottom lip. Golden's father was legendary for his 'creative investment schemes,' and that usually left Golden to pick up the pieces... "Tell you what, Golden, first drink's on me, " she said as she pointed to the bar.

"Hey Scootaloo, " Rainbow said, turning to her fan, and tossing a couple of bits at her, with her mouth. "Can I trust you to grab something nonalcoholic while 'The Prince' and I catch back up?"

Scootaloo nodded eagerly, as she was halfway to the bar. Rainbow had finally given her 'responsibilities'!

"But ~~kid~~ Scootaloo!" Rainbow said, sternly, getting her apprentices' attention. "I want you to come right back when you grab it, ok!

Scootaloo nodded, eagerly, having already reached the bar multiple times, in her head, already. But what's good here? Maybe the mare behind the counter would know?

"Do you see that fine filly over there." Wandering Eyes said to his friends, as he pointed lustfully at Scootaloo.

"You mean the one with the big flappers?" The gray stallion asked his mottled brown friend, pointing not so discretely at Scootaloo's wings, and giving off a loud wolf whistle, and a perverted laugh.

"Shh!" Wandering Eyes responded, looking around to see if the mare, or her friend heard them. When it became apparent that nopony noticed, he leaned over his friend's ear. "I'm going to go score her!" he whispered quietly, to his friend, as he set his drink down and pushed his seat away from the table.

"Heh heh, good luck with that!" The gray stallion replied, with a chuckle. "She's with Rainbow Dash... That means she's... one of those!" The gray stallion said as he raised his foreleg, but drooped his hoof.

"Don't be so sure yet, Spade!" The mottled stallion replied back, still feeling very confident in his abilities. "I'm pretty sure I saw her giving 'the goo-goo eyes' to that stallion from the Wonderbolts," Wandering Eye retorted. "So, I think I've still got a good chance." He continued, braggadociously.

"Yo so sure 'bout that, bro -- " Spade responded back, incredulously. "I pretty sure, if anypony, Rainbow Dash was the only one giving any goo-goo -- " Spade asked with a bemused face.

"You wish! As far as I can tell, " Wandering Eyes replied back. "Both of them were busy fawning over the same guy! Weren't you paying any attention, Spade?" Wandering Eye said gruffly, as he scowled at his drinking buddy.

"Well, I think you're clueless." Wandering Eye relented with a long sigh, and a shake of his head, as he took one final sip from his glass. "Well then, if you're so sure of it, how about a wager, then, Mr. Smarty Hooves?"

The mottled stallion nodded back, looking more confident than ever. "Now, if you don't mind I'm about to show off my moves." He added jumping out of his chair, onto his four hooves, and confidently trotted down to the other side of the bar where Scootaloo currently sat, her head woozily bobbing, as she fought to not pass out from the effects of a few of 'the recommended beverages' she had already consumed. "If you watch carefully, you might learn something." He whispered.

"Well, if you happen to score her, send her my way! I'd like a piece of that action." Spades agreed with an immature cackle, just before his friend left whispering range.

The mottled brown stallion slowly snuck up to his pray... And pounced! "Hey babe, wanna let me show you how to use those wings of yours?" Wandering Eyes said gleefully, as he recited his favorite pickup line.

The orange mare barely responded back, as she clumsily turned her head in a haze. "Ahhhmmmm Fiiinnnne T'anks... Rainbow Dasssshhhh ish gunna shooow me Flight shtuff." Scootaloo hiccuped, her head bobbing as she began to lose the struggle to stay conscious.

"Oh, you know! You wanna go home and play twister." Wandering Eye said with a flirtatious blink of his eye, this was his chance! She was putty in his hooves! Heck! It looked like she'd had more than enough drinks to make her sufficiently 'pliable'! He thought, feeling quite good about himself.

"Noooo T'ankz. Mommmmz gunna kill me if Ahhhmmm naught home by Eight --" Scootaloo slurred, finally losing consciousness, her head slamming into the bar table.

Wandering Eye looked around nervously, and carefully, and 'subtly' lifted Scootaloo's head with one wing, and raised it back and forth to make it look like she was nodding.

"Don't worry, babe! I'll give you a ride over to my place!" Wandering Eye announced, rather loudly, as he carefully picked her up, and put her on his back.

I hope Spades buys this. He thought nervously, as he carefully shot his friend a forced grin. I'd hate for him to think I blew it. Wandering Eye silently added. And then, some --

Was this bi*buy more apples* talking to him? And was she back sassing him!? "Why I'm just giving my date a ride to my house! You have a problem with that?" Wandering Eye grumbled as he looked over his shoulder. His anger quickly turned to frozen fear as he looked Rainbow Dash square in the eyes. The cyan mare's face spoke volumes about her plans. She was going to skin him, and then kill him, and then have her freaky princess friend bring him back to life, just so that she could kill him again! Heck, from how well her cyan fur was turning red, Wandering Eye suspected that Rainbow Dash would kill him seven times.

"Because she said no." Rainbow Dash said, as she grabbed Scootaloo with one hoof, and punched the stallion in the face sending him flying, with the other. Wandering Eye went tumbling backward until his head hit the floor. "And for crying out loud! She's only seven!" Rainbow Dash shouted into the downed stallion's face.

"Wha' cha' mean by --" The stallion replied back, pretending that he still had this... He could B.S. His way out of this! He could B.S. his way out of --

"Excellent we are fortunate to have you nearby!" Golden Firefly announced, to five guards from the corner of Rainbow's eye. "Could you please arrest this stallion, good sirs, " he said, pointing to the now downed mottled brown stallion. "I'll explain the charges in a moment!"

The guards nodded and quickly pounced on the grounded pegasus, what came next can only be described as a cloud of dust, and flailing white hooves. And a mix of odd tapping sounds and high-pitched grunts.

Halfway into the scuffle a rather rotund green pegasus with a white stocking cap, which covered his eyes, and the most obnoxious giant necklace anypony had ever seen jumped into the fray -- literally landing on top of the cloud of dust.

Meanwhile Rainbow carefully placed the unconscious mare onto her back, and furiously stormed out of the bar. 'Ok, I need a place to let the kid rest this off,' she thought to herself waving at Golden Firefly, who waved back, an apologetic look on his face. 'Much as I think this trip has gone on long enough, I'd have trouble getting her all the way back to Ponyville in this condition, and we don't have enough bits for a hotel...' She thought, to herself, weighing her options. 'Well, we were going to visit my folks later on, but maybe now's as good a time for her to meet them, as any. So long as I can keep her from talking about the Wonderbolts...' She thought, looking around nervously as she thought about her folks.

She took a moment and made her smoothest takeoff -- hating every moment of the slow and arduous process, preferring to shoot herself up in the air, like a rocket. The ~~foal~~ filly on her back barely noticed as she mumbled something incoherent silently.

"That must have been the best party ever!" Rainbow's dad, Bow Hothoof, exclaimed eagerly, ripping his shirt to reveal a white shirt with Rainbow's cutie mark on it.

"How long have you been -- ?" Rainbow started asked, shaking her head mid-sentence -- she probably really didn't want to know.

"Our daughter sure knows how to party!" Rainbow's mom, Windy Whistles, interjected, waving a flag with Rainbow's symbol ever.

"That's nice mom, and dad!" Rainbow grumbled under her breath. Sheesh! Did her parents ever stop making fools of themselves? She meant, why couldn't they just shut up! Embarrassing her was one thing, but driving all her friends off with their 'enthusiasm' were another...

"Oh!" Rainbow's mother said, paring back on her usual facade as she looked at the sleeping pegasus. "She reminds me of you when you were young!" She exclaimed, waxing nostalgic.

"And what do you mean by that!?" Rainbow replied back, turning her head at a funny angle.

"Why dear, you were always doing crazy stunts just like that!" Windy Whistles said, with a smile.

"I went ahead and laminated the hole in the wall you left after your BEST STUNT EVER!" Bow exclaimed, moving a family portrait to one side to reveal a giant gaping hole in their wall.

"We even left the portrait where you left it!" Windy Whistles continued, waving her hoof over the hole.

"You mean except for the kid, you mean, right?" Rainbow asked, looking down at her ~~number one fan~~ apprentice.

Rainbow didn't get a chance to reply before the mare on the floor began to stir. "Ahh, squirt, you're waking up!" Rainbow said, sounding relieved.

"Yeah you were always doing crazy things to try to impress your peers.." Rainbow's mother continued, where she left off.

"Here's some water, squirt, " Rainbow said, carefully handing her a glass of water.

"Thanksch" Scootaloo replied back, taking a moment, to slowly sip the liquid down. After a few precious moments, she began to look around the room. "W-Where are we?" Scootaloo moaned, between her throbbing headache. "And, what happened?" Scootaloo continued, as she rubbed the ridge of her muzzle in a futile attempt to rub away her migraine. It was all of a blur to her. She remembered drinking that cider that the nice bartender had recommended saying it was his best 'adults only drink' (it had sounded so good at the time! Some more adults-only fun!) Followed by everything becoming fuzzy. Then she could vaguely remember her head hitting the table. Nothing else came to mind. She vaguely thought she remembered somepony talking to her, but she hadn't understood what he was saying at the time. At least she didn't think she understood him.

Rainbow shook her head and turned to face the crusader as her face grew cold and stern. "Were you trying to impress me again, kid?" She asked, point blank to her fan, her voice sounding more stern than angry. "You've been off all day! Life-threatening stunts, Griffon Wrestling, dangerous races, and now drinking. What's going on with you?"

"Spitfire's niece called me a foal..." Scootaloo said, averting her gaze away from her biggest mentor and hero. "I didn't want to look bad in front of you, and then I got carried away with all the cool adult things I could do..."

"Ahh, kid!" Rainbow said. "We can do those adult things together, but not if you get yourself killed. And as for needing to impress me: you don't need to, kid! I'm impressed enough already!" She said, putting a hoof on her fan's withers.

"BEST PEP TALK EVER!" Bow Hothoof exclaimed, jumping into the air, for a moment, his mini Rainbow Dash head visor, and rainbow vest, and waving his favorite flag with Rainbow Dash's cutie mark on it.

"YEAH!!!!" Windy Whistles cheered eagerly, wearing her creepy Rainbow Dash hat, and rainbow vest.

Rainbow put one hoof on the bridge of her muzzle and shook her head. Not in front of her number one fan 'apprentice'...

"But seriously kid, " Rainbow continued. "Did you think about what could have happened? Any of those stunts could have killed you." Rainbow Dash pressed, the anger in her voice giving way to a more sympathetic warmth. "And don't get me started on what was about to happen to you! Some stallions like to take advantage of drunken mares, and you're in season. You would have been very lucky not to have ended up a single mother." Rainbow Dash continued to press, her eyes not failing to notice as some tears began to pull in Scootaloo's eyes.

"Look, kid, I'm done being mad, ok?" Rainbow asked, her frown turning to a smile. "I just want to make sure you stay safe, ok!?"

"Sure, kid, " Rainbow replied. "I'm sorry that I didn't let you join me in some adult fun..." She continued. "And I promise that we'll do some, together, but you need to stick with me when we do, ok?" She said, with a smile. "Deal?"

"Spike!" Twilight shouted, over the calm of the day. "Bring over a copy of Magic Star's almanac!" She announced, hoping for a rare tomb that she'd managed to scrounge up from the Sister's old castle. The book choreographed the research of a semi-legendary earth pony magic scholar, from the first age, who happened to share a special talent for magic.

"Where do you want it?" Spike asked, taking the long way around the towering stacks of books that Twilight had stacked in the center of her library during her long week of continuous research.

"Put it over there!" Twilight said, to a corner near the base of the stairs, with a yawn.

Spike nodded dutifully, carefully placing the ancient book in the prescribed corner.

"Thanks -- " Twilight said, giving another yawn. "Spike!" She shrieked, remembering that she needed to cross reference Magic Star's almanac against Twilight the Great's Tomb of Magical Insights.

"Twilight, you need a break, why don't you take a rest?" Spike asked, looking at his mother/sister's vacant expression.

"Can't Spike!" She said, closing her eyes for a moment. "Sweetie Belle's going to be looking to cast that counterspell in the next couple of days, and I still haven't fully figured Starswirl's spell out yet!"

"It can't hurt if you -- " Spike started saying, only to be interrupted by a bell, as the door slowly opened, and a unicorn with a pristine white coat, 'the mark of a unicorn of the highest breeding,' and an elaborately groomed fuchsia mane slowly trotted in.

"I can't help but agree with your assis -- " the unicorn mare said, returning a subtle sour expression when she was interrupted by the young drake.

"Oh, terribly sorry about that!" The mare replied back, bowing her head apologetically. "I hope you weren't too offended at my mistake, " she said, to Twilight.

"So, " Twilight said, swallowing a yawn. "What brings you here to the Golden Oaks today?"

"Oh, I'm looking for a gift for my daughter, " the unicorn said, politely. "She's out of -- "

"Wait!" Spike said, returning with a copy of Deep Magical Insights, that Twilight had rush ordered from the Trottingham library two days before. "You're Scootaloo's mom!" He said looking the mare up and down.

"Oh, " Twilight said, apologetically. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you, Mrs. Sunbird."

"Oh no worries, dear!" The mare replied back, with a sweet tone. "By the looks of things you've been very busy, Twilight!"

"But first dear, " the white unicorn continued, I was hoping you could help me find a book I can send my daughter, while she's in Cloudsdale."

"Certainly!" Twilight replied back, hobbling towards the far shelves. "Like the newest Daring --"

"I was thinking more like -- " the white unicorn replied, grabbing a book from the middle of a particularly mountainous stack of research books.

"No! Mrs. Sunbird!" Twilight shrieked, teleporting between the white unicorn and the collapsing pile of books.

Twilight awoke an hour later, in a sea of books, with a book jammed onto her horn, and a dozen nurses nearby, who had, apparently, been contacted by a frantic Mrs. Sunbird.

'Dang it!' She thought to herself. 'I must have forgotten to deploy a shield.' she thought, shaking her head. How could she possibly have forgotten something so basic? It was basic instinct to put a barrier up! Maybe Spike was right! She probably needed a good night's rest after all.

"Ready to go, Wonderbolt junior!?" Rainbow asked, putting a bag around her shoulder.

Scootaloo nodded, the trip had been an awful lot of fun since she'd stopped trying to impress Rainbow, and started just enjoyed herself. Too bad it was coming to an en--

"Congratulations, Rainbow!" Rainbow's mom said, foam finger firmly in hoof. "Your first letter from a Very Important Pony (VIP)!" She said, taking a snapshot of the letter.

"Can we keep it after you read it?" Her dad begged, on hoof and wither, his eyes fixated on the letter, a new trophy already in hoof to immortalize it in.

"Who's it from?" Scootaloo asked eagerly. "Princess Celestia? Princess Luna? The King of -- "

"It's from your folks!" Rainbow said, her eyes darting back and forth over the letter.

"They apparently want us to spend another week in Cloudsdale!" She said with an obvious confusion in her voice. "They gave us a large check for -- " She said, as a check with a surprising number of zeros slowly drifted down. "Wow! That's a lot of zeros!"

"Don't be upset, " Rainbow said, confidently. "They don't want you gone forever, or anything. They apparently heard we were having fun and wanted to give us another week, ok."

Growing Up

by mintgreenconspiracy

Chapter 6