"Thank you both for coming on such short notice," Twilight said, smiling cordially to Angel and Shortstack. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, as you've noticed, and this is my housemate Starlight Glimmer." She gestured to Starlight, who waved. "And this is Dr. Sunshine Petals, PhD."
From her vantage point on the balcony, Rainbow squinted at the newcomer. Sunshine Petals was a buttercup yellow Unicorn with curly lavender hair; she wore a green apron the same shade as her eyes. Rainbow thought, Why did Twilight bring a total stranger into this?
"The pleasure is mine Miss Sparkle," Shortstack answered gruffly. "Although not everypony here is as pleasant company as you." He glowered at his wife.
"To what do we owe the honor?" Angel asked of Twilight sweetly. "I have all day, of course, but some ponies would rather be schmoozing with the secretary from work." She harrumphed and tossed her braid over her shoulder.
"That is exactly why Twilight called you here!" Starlight butted in. "She's the most experienced pony there is when it comes to friendship. And one form of intimate friendship is the bond shared between two married ponies."
"Simply put," Twilight continued, nodding graciously at her friend, "I heard you two were having marriage trouble. Infidelity and constant fighting that is damaging not only your relationship with each other, but with your young daughter as well."
"So what? It doesn't concern you," Shortstack answered, narrowing his grey-brown eyes.
Twilight took a steadying breath. "Listen, I'd hate to stand by while a marriage devolves. That's why I called in Dr. Petals. Sunshine, if you would explain."
Sunshine Petals waved shyly at the group. "My main income is from my flower shop, but my true calling is therapy. Marital therapy. Twilight Sparkle reached out to me and asked me to come from Manehattan to help you. And I plan on doing just that."
"Not if we don't agree!" Angel argued, flattening her ears against her head. "No offense, Twilight Sparkle, but if there's one thing Mr. Outflow and I can agree on, it's that you have no business in our life."
"I'm leaving," Shortstack said flatly. He and Angel turned around and began to fly off.
Rainbow's wings were flared, and she would have gone down and beat them up had Twilight not froze them in their tracks with her magic.
Twilight thundered, "Your life is my business when it affects my friends! When it affects my student! I have tutored Scootaloo and her friends, but I bet you didn't even know that!"
Even from a distance, Rainbow could see Twilight's nostrils flaring as she breathed heavily. That's my favorite egghead!
"In conclusion, you will attend the couple's therapy I have set up for you and you will do your best to reconcile with each other, or Celestia help me I will send you to her myself!" Twilight glowered, before coughing and releasing the couple from her magic field.
"Uh, alright, I suppose I can do this." Angel flashed Twilight a forced smile. "Lead the way, Dr. Sunset or whatever."
Once Sunshine Petals had led them into the next room, Rainbow flew down from the balcony. "That was your plan, Twilight? Have them do therapy?"
"Starlight and I figured that if Shortstack and Angel can get to the root of their problems and heal their relationship, it will help their relationship with Scootaloo as well." Twilight placed a supportive hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "And, if they still can't appreciate her, they might at least be more agreeable to letting your parents take custody of Scoots."
"Don't worry, Rainbow Dash." Starlight smiled softly. "If this doesn't work, I'll just brainwash them into giving up Scootaloo!
"Kidding," she added hastily, seeing the perturbed look on Rainbow's visage.
"Thanks for helping me, Bow," Scootaloo said, tucking her math worksheet back into her saddlebag. "Math is so boring sometimes."
"No problem at all, Scootaloo. I know you'll be a math genius if you keep it up!" Bow Hothoof answered genially, sliding a plate of cheese across the counter to Scootaloo. "You know, since you've been hanging around so much, why don't Winy and I build you a ladder? That's gotta be easier than slingshotting yourself up on a scooter every time you want to hang out with me." He winked. "Not that I mind the company."
"Nah, I don't mind," Scootaloo answered. "Sick tricks are kinda my thing."
"Rainbow Dash would probably say the same thing," Bow replied, chuckling. "I believe I still have her cast from the first time she broke a bone.
"Are you still mad at her?" he asked gently, noticing the disinterested look on Scootaloo's face.
"I'll get over it, I guess," Scootaloo answered. "I'm not saying I overreacted, because that's what she did. But I haven't seen my parents in days, so maybe things will get better."
"Rainbow is working hard to help us. You," Bow said, correcting himself hastily. "Don't worry at all. Hey, Windy will be back from the grocery store in a moment. Do you want to set up a board game?"
"Sure!" Scootaloo's wings flittered excitedly. Spending time with Bow and Windy was probably one of the best things happening right now.
"How are things going, Rainbow dearest?" Windy asked her daughter. She had stopped at Twilight's castle on the way home from the grocery store, her saddlebags laden with vegetables and cheese.
"I think it's going well?" Rainbow cocked her head. "Twilight had them go in for a couple therapy session."
"Maybe that will sort things out." An encouraging smile split across Windy's face. "Your father and I are really excited that Scootaloo might come to live with us! She's probably the sweetest filly I've ever met! Aside from you, of course." Windy giggled. "And even if things don't work out, we'll still be around to support Scootaloo."
"Thanks, Mom," Rainbow said, throwing her hooves over her mother's shoulders. "I'm sure Scootaloo appreciates it, too.
"More than she appreciates me right now," Rainbow added in a low tone.
"Don't beat yourself up, sweetie! What you did was, er, brash. Maybe a little reckless." Windy chuckled nervously. "Celestia knows how I'd feel if your friend barged in and told me that Bow was having an affair. I'd be so mad! But Scootaloo will come around, I'm sure of it."
"Thanks for the encouragement, Mom." Rainbow smiled and embraced her mother again.
Sunshine Petals' mouth was set in a soft line as she stared at the couple across from her. Angel and Shortstack sat on separate chairs, still ignoring each other.
Thirty minutes to go, Sunshine thought, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Mr. Outflow, can you tell us more about your relationship with White Lightning?" Sunshine asked, directing her gaze onto the stout stallion. "When exactly did you two become romantically involved? And as I've said before, there are no secrets here."
"Few years ago," Shortstack answered. "After the kid started school. As soon as she became secretary, she only had eyes for me."
"This entire time?" Angel's eyes were stormy. "What, because of Scootaloo? It's not my fault she's a disappointment! She probably got your faulty genes!"
"They're obviously yours," Shortstack retorted, folding his hooves. "No buts about it. I wouldn't have married you if I had realized you'd produce a faulty product."
"What was your expectation for Scootaloo?" Sunshine broke in, looking at both parents intently. "Twilight told me that your daughter has difficulty flying. Yet Twilight also informed me Scootaloo has accomplished some remarkable things. Apparently she carried the Ponyville flag in the Equestria Games a few years ago."
"She's wrong. She came out wrong. What's the point of being a Pegasus if you can't fly? She might as well be an Earth Pony," Shortstack grumbled.
"Before we received the diagnosis, Shortstack and I always thought she'd take over the business when Shortstack retired," Angel elaborated. "How can she do that now? Ponies will never take her seriously."
"Plenty of ponies take her seriously. Twilight, for instance. Shouldn't her word count for anything?"
Shortstack rolled his eyes. "She'll never be able to hold her ground in Cloudsdale. Who's ever heard of a disabled pony accomplishing anything."
"That's a rather... exclusive way of thinking, don't you think?" Sunshine pursed her lips. "A pony's worth does not depend on their abilities, but simply the fact that they are a pony and deserved to be treated as such. Plenty of Pegasus ponies never set hoof in Cloudsdale, and even if Scootaloo had been able to fly, who's to say she would want to take over the sewage plant?"
"Now listen here-" Shortstack began, but Sunshine paid him no heed.
"It seems to me that your preconceived notion of how your daughter would eventually contribute to society damaged your relationship with her when it became apparent she couldn't fit the mold you had set for her. You both blame each other for her shortcomings, and as a result, your marriage suffered. And finally, I've noticed you are stuck in the past and fail to notice how extraordinary your daughter is in the present!" Sunshine stood up. "Have you anything to say for yourself?"
Angel and Shortstack exchanged a glance.
"When I met Shortstack, somewhere in my gut I knew he was the stallion for me," Angel Pulse said. "I don't know what to say. You're right, that our marriage is failing."
"I loved you once, Angel Pulse." Shortstack paused, then continued, "I'm not sure how I feel about you now."
"You're at a crossroads," Sunshine broke in. "There's a lot of choices you can make. I'd love to hold more therapy sessions for you; these kinds of change don't happen over night. And there's the choice of what you can do for your daughter. Twilight informed me that there's another set of parents who would be awfully happy to raise her."
"We're at a crossroads," Angel repeated in a soft, dreamlike voice.
Sunshine spoke again. "Whatever you do, this a choice you have to make together."
"When are they gonna be out of there?" Rainbow asked, impatience filling her voice.
"They should be almost done," Twilight answered, pacing the floor. "I don't know what's going to happen, Dash."
"Can I ask you something? Why did you place your trust in a random therapist from Manehattan instead of Cadence? She's the Princess of Love, right?"
"She is also a very busy new mother," Twilight reminded Rainbow. "And Sunshine apparently needed the work."
"Ah." Rainbow nodded.
A few moments later, the doors creaked open, and Sunshine walked out, followed by Shortstack and Angel.
"So? What happened?" Rainbow asked anxiously, taking a step forward. "Are you gonna let my parents adopt Scootaloo?"