//------------------------------//
// Chapter 19 - Flashbacks 
// Story: The Scoota Finale 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

Pianos, keyboards, synthesizers, music sheets, and photographs littered the giant room of a teenage Magenta Streak. The carpet was beige, her red bed in the corner underneath an overhanging floor where a desk lied, occupied by the musician herself. She often snored logs, evident by the black comforter covering her body vibrating per snore. The sunlight coming in never hit her body, leaving her to her peaceful snores.

It's been eight years since Scootaloo went missing from Ponyville, died, resuscitated, healed, then adopted by her nurse. Eight years since she met her sister-slash-best friend Bright Snow. Magenta was now nineteen, birthday declared from the date of death and hospital admittance when her mother—her nurse when she was a filly—realized that she didn't have one, and couldn't remember one. Magenta remembered that conversation as if it were yesterday. Bright's ninth birthday.


September 14th, Bright's Ninth Birthday 


Magenta watched in wonder as Bright ate a whole sandwich in one bite with her friends, all silent as she chewed at the dining table in Quick Hooves Orphanage littered with birthday items. Then burped loudly and fell back in her chair, sighing and patting her bulging stomach with a relieved smile.

Lightning Dust broke the silence by saying, "I'm just waiting for that sandwich to pop right back out as if it never went in her mouth." Her friends all groaned in disgust. Including Bright, who merely turned her head her way, messy food covered facial expression of horror and disbelief.

"That's gross!"

"Why would you say that?"

"You're honestly disgusting."

Lightning Dust raised her hooves and asked, "What? We all know that's not going to come out right—oww!"

Magenta shivered and got back to her own food before Goldhoof leaned in to her ear. "Magenta?" She turned around and met Goldspoon's lively eyes and beaming smile. "Do you remember your birthday?"

"Uhhh... No."

Bright burped again and pointed to her with a tired grin. "You need a birthday!" She yelled. "Because this is great."

And this coming from the pony in a confused stupor? Magenta chuckled a melody and commented, "You look funny, Bright."

Another burp. "What are you talkin' about, I look great!" Everyone turned to Bright Snow to double check. Bright had on a lopsided birthday hat with a crazy looking mane, a bulging stomach, and a lot of icing on her face.

"I....errr..." Bluebell turned to Yellow Diamond confused. She shrugged in return.

Magenta rolled her eyes and responded, "I take it back, you look awesome."

"See? Told ya'!" She yelled, then burped again. "Since you can't remember your birthday, we'll just give you one! Because you can't miss out on this, sister!"

"Bright, it's time to go to bed," Silver Swirl told her. "You're crashing."

Bright chuckled and waved her off. "No I'm not. I'm absolutely—" Bright slumped over and started snoring, confirming Silver Swirl's suspicions.

Magenta rolled her eyes but did nod her head. "Okay. A birthday would be nice."

Goldhoof scruffed the floor while she thought up a birthday. "How about... April Thirteenth? The day you came into our lives?"

"Sure, I guess," Magenta relented. "I'm not too big on birthdays. Then again, I did help Bright enjoy this one."

Everyone turned to "Dirty Bright," the only pony snoring logs at a party with a slice of cake in front of her. Lightning Dust chuckled and commented, "That's an understatement."


Current Morning, Eight Years Later


The alarm clock blared around her large room, rousing Magenta once it reached her ears underneath the covers. She moaned and moved one of her hooves out from underneath them to cut off the alarm. She banged her hoof on the top of the digital device, silencing it. Then opened her mouth wide and yawned with a high and loud tune, just to annoy her sister for fun. It had the desired effect.

"Oh my gosh, Magenta!! I'm trying to sleep!!" Bright yelled from the next room over. When her voice echoes around the mansion, you know Bright was irked.

"Come on, Bright, get up, you still have school." Magenta flipped the covers over and stretched out her scarred limbs, still there from over eight years ago. They would never go away, and she would never forget they were there. Her agent said that hiding her true identity was definitely marketable and that she should keep doing it. The mare with no past but filled with mystery. He had bought her a full blown leather jacket with straps around the hooves, along with a very long hood that only she could see through that revealed only her mouth. Just like her old black one when in middle school, just more expensive. Her music had captured the eyes of four out of every six ponies in Equestria, which was more than a lot. She'll never forget the day it all began.


Six Years Ago, High School


The cafeteria inside of Manehattan High was grand. More than big enough for Magenta, her sister, their friends from the orphanage and a few more ponies that Magenta met. The school was divided into cliques that Magenta classified herself.

"The emos". The ponies that got all dark when you talked to them and wore a lot of black. "The Natures". Or the ponies that did a lot of natural things. If they're sick, nature will cure their disease. "Embrace the rain," and whatever. "The Outlaws", or the rebel ponies. Enough said. Bright and Magenta's old orphanage bully, named Zephyr Diamond, and her sidekick Silver Sound, were among them. Not surprising.

Then you have "The Farmers". The ponies who do a lot of farmwork and hooves-on work. They originate from Appleloosa and come to Manehattan. Just because they can and know how to move all around Equestria taking up garden jobs, farmwork, and more on their own. One of them actually travels from Appleloosa to Manehattan every weekend for some reason. Nopony really knows her name. Babs-something. She has a pair of scissors for a cutie mark with an orange coat similar to Magenta's own, and a weird type of stringy short red mane that Magenta's never seen before.

Then "The Musicians", the group Magenta fit in with best. All of those ponies over there knew how to play at least two instruments. Magenta knew how to play four: Guitar, Piano, Violin, and Drums. Goldhoof had signed her up for Guitar lessons because they were appealing to Magenta when she heard the Electric Guitar on the radio. After that, the Piano was next. A little more simple, therefore it didn't take her much time to learn. Piano was by far Magenta's favorite. Because a Synthesizer was technically a piano that you use to create your sounds. You'll never catch Magenta without her Synthesizer on her back.

Then you have "The Dancers". Bright's group. Also known as The Cheer Squad. Manehattan High had a streak of winning every cheer competition in Equestria ever since Bright joined. Apparently, she moved very fast and jumps high. Completely understandable since she eats two scoops of Blueberry Ice Cream before every practice, and performance, and Hoofball game.

But Magenta couldn't fault her for her routine. She herself would listen to Hardstyle before every performance at a party. It would get her very... Pumped. Next you have "The Techies". The ponies who were all about technology. Television has progressed so fast within eight years and thus came knowledgeable magic, or Net. A mind made of magic, or what they called a computer in Equestria. Created by Princess Twilight. Magenta always wanted to meet her. From the boxes of digital displays to flat screens held up by the ceiling in the middle of the Cafeteria. A lot of shows and networks use them. Including Magenta and Bright for their YouHoof channel.

And finally, "The Cuties". They didn't give themselves a group name, but that didn't stop the rest of the school from giving them one. Everyone in it were all about vanity. Embracing their beauty and showing it off. One of the colts had actually asked Magenta out to a school dance, but stood her up for that flank kisser Zephyr Diamond. Boy, was Bright mad.

All that Magenta and Goldhoof, who chaperoned, remembered from that night that stuck out more than Magenta did while performing her songs were the colt yelling and running out of the gym with a cooler on his head and a plate of cake on his face. Zephyr was even worse. Nopony really knew what happened. Just that they came out of the back hallway screaming obscenities. It was a mess back there, and there were no cameras. They were saying somepony had attacked them and ruined their date.

Nopony knew who did it. But Magenta took Bright's signature Silver Braid Flip and wink when she walked past as a clue. Never mess with the fast Cheerleader's sister's feelings. Magenta smiled the rest of the night with her original Orphanage friends.

Speaking of fast, next up were "The Muscle Heads", or Lightning Dust's group. She was all about speed and fitness. You could spot her light blue coat inside the weight room benching three hundred next to a bunch of other muscle heads any day. All because "she wanted to". Her inspiration was some Wonderbolt named Rainbow Dash. The first known pony to ever complete the Rainboom, whatever that was. Whenever Lightning Dust was exercising, there was always a poster nearby of her that she'd look at. She was very determined, very tomboy-ish. Until Magenta's "cute colt friend" comes around. Then she's all marshmallows and feathers with hearts in her eyes and flapping wings. Can be swooned with only a rose. Not even a bouquet, a single flower. Her friends would only shake their heads. Marshmallows and feathers were more Bluebell's thing.

Bluebell, Yellow Diamond, and Silver Swirl were with The Techies, and could route a computer with anything Bluebell knows about. Bluebell helps out Magenta at her shows inside clubs, birthday parties, and more. Like that live online performance of her on top of one of those skyscrapers in West Manehattan, jamming it out with a few more musicians she's never met before. Bright and her cheer squad were the background dancers. They could definitely move. Magenta always knew her sister would help out with the dance section of things. The YouHoof channel helped out a lot too. It wouldn't have gotten her so many subscribers, let alone fans. Seven-hundred fifty thousand ponies loved her music up there. And if it weren't for Bluebell, she would still be at a staggering twenty-five.

So walking into the school cafeteria with Bright that Wednesday morning with everypony watching and waving at her wasn't new. Although they couldn't really see her because of her disguise of a full-body black jacket with a hood over her face that only showed her mouth, they knew who it was. But what had really taken her and Bright by surprise was the fact that everypony stood up, cheered, then ran right over to her.

"Wait, wait, what?!" She yelled before everypony reached out to her with notebooks, hats, CDs, even frickin' wallets with pens. Yelling, "Can I have your autograph? Please?" Or something similar.

"Er, uhh..." She and Bright shared a look before turning back to the huge crowd of talking and demanding ponies. Shrugging, Magenta replied, "Sure." She took one of the pens in her mouth and ignored the video recording of her and bright by some of their cell phones. All that stuff came out two years ago by some technology company named Brightlight. The Brighlight Z4 was strange and expensive, but easy to use. Magenta and Bright had one. And apparently, so did the Government. It made things a lot more easier for communication since it used Net.

Some ponies even wanted an autograph from Bright. Mainly because she was "so sexy in that video". Bright grimaced but did take a pen and write down her autograph. Not the first time a pony said that to her, and it wouldn't be the last if they continued with the music videos.

Magenta looked over and asked her sister, "So... what's happening? We've never gotten this much attention before."

Bright signed then hoofed back another item. Then turned and shrugged to Magenta with a pen in her mouth, absolutely clueless. "I don't know!" She yelled in confusion. "We just got here, you look the same, still carrying around that big board thingy—"

"—It's a synthesizer," Magenta interrupted. She grabbed a bag and signed her name. "This didn't happen on our way here, and we walk to school."

"Nopony was out, it's only six in the morning!" Bright hoofed the pen back along with another signed item. Then grabbed Magenta's hoof and turned around to leave, ignoring all the pleas to "stop and sign". Hooves ran across tiled floors as they ran away from the crazy fans. They turned a corner then ducked into a nearby room that just so happened to be the library that Bluebell and Yellow Diamond relax in before school starts, and hid behind a bookcase. They listened to the hooves run past then the silence that followed before looking through the window with Bright on top of Magenta's hood.

Yellow Diamond was brushing her white mane and batting her yellow eyes into a mirror and Bluebell was looking at a computer when they ran in, catching their eyes. Magenta took a deep breath, then trotted over to her friends with Bright right behind her. Both bearing expressions of intrigue, although nopony could tell because of Magenta's hood.

"What's going on?" She whispered. Bluebell and Yellow Diamond shared a glance. She didn't know? Must've been very awkward in that cafeteria.

Bluebell smirked and adjusted her glasses. Then crossed her hooves and asked teasingly, "You mean you don't know?"

Magenta groaned and rolled her eyes. It wouldn't be Bluebell if she didn't make her work for this. Magenta reached up and pulled back her hood, revealing her magenta eyes, and magenta hair with the middle dyed black. Her eyelashes were much longer and she had on light purple mascara.

"Come on, Bluebell!" She yelled. Magenta reached forward and squished Bluebell's cheeks together. "No time for games! School's gonna start soon and we'll be asked for more autographs and I don't wanna go and sign something if I have no idea what I'm signing for!!!"

"Okay, jeez." Bluebell removed Magenta's hooves off her cheeks, then chuckled at her look. "You should take your hood off more often, you look great."

Magenta rolled her eyes and put her hood back on while Bluebell started doing something on the touch screen computer she had. "You know I can't do that. It hurts my image. Nopony knows who I look like for my uniqueness."

"Yeah right," Yellow Diamond responded in her more than feminine voice. It sounded like she was somepony in the EUP. "You're just doing what Songbird Serenade does."

"Not even close," Magenta denied.

Bright stepped in and added, "Songbird Serenade only covers her face. Magenta covers her face and mane with the tail, her entire barrel including her cutie mark which I myself haven't even seen, and her hooves. Everypony has seen and will recognize Songbird Serenade on the street. But Magenta can walk right past without the jacket and you won't even know it's her unless you ask her name. Genius and totally unique!" Bright and Magenta shared a high hoof and a hip bump. "Gotcha' Back!"

"Yeah!" Magenta agreed. Then turned back to Bluebell. "So? What's it all about?"

Bluebell rotated the computer and showed Magenta the analytics for that roof performance. They skyrocketed in two nights. From a standard and normal twenty thousand views—which was the entirety of Manehattan in the recent years—to a shocking twenty million. Magenta ripped off her hood again and got in closer for a better look with disbelieving eyes. "No no no, this can't be right," she denied. "We just hit twenty thousand two days ago. Something's up."

Yellow Diamond tossed her mirror in her bag and walked over. "That's what I thought too. Until I did some research. Somepony recently released a song three days ago also titled Ready For Love. However, my theory is that when ponies searched for their song on YouHoof, yours was the first one to come up. That song was this one." She pointed to a song way near the bottom with only one hundred twenty five views. "Everypony in Manehattan has heard of you by this point, ever since that viral video with those street musicians in front of that music store you randomly sang with when you were like... Fifteen?"

"Yep, three years ago," Magenta confirmed. She pointed at the thumbnail and asked, "So I stole that pony's potential fame?"

Bluebell shook her head and answered, "Not exactly. You see, this pony was probably just starting out. I checked out their channel, everything was obviously new. Probably didn't even know how to use YouHoof yet. Net is still fairly young, so not a lot up there from him right now. He only has one hundred twenty-five views, and those are probably his friends and family. Not the public. Those friends and family probably saw your video, played it, then spread it around. Equestria is already a very friendly nation. And a young mare like you that wears a completely black jacket that only shows her mouth who can sing better than Serenade is something to talk about. So ponies saw it, then told their friends. Who watched it and told somepony else. Then they watched it, told somepony else, then so on and so forth. Word-of-mouth marketing."

Magenta stared at the chart from underneath her hood with an open mouth while she continued. "Your music, along with Bright's dancing, and those musicians on that rooftop have all infected Equestria. The entire nation. Including the lesser known parts. Ponies all over are doing remixes of that song, playing it at parties that are put online. DJs like PON-3 and Sea Creature play it at clubs."

Yellow Diamond grabbed the computer and scrolled down. "Now if you think THAT'S legendary, the original mix of that same song when you put it up here two years ago has even more views since yesterday." She turned around the computer and showed Magenta the Analytics of Ready For Love. It was at seventy million. Magenta gasped and grabbed hold of the tablet. Then showed it to Bright.

"They also like Bright because of her dancing!" Somepony announced from above. Bright and Magenta looked up at Lightning Dust who was hovering above with a smirk. "Some ponies made 'High Like Bright Challenge' where they try to do that hooves-in-the-air thing. You know, where you were upside down standing on one hoof while kicking your rear hooves like you were doing some fast old timey dance for ten seconds. I actually saw somepony try it at the skate park that Magenta goes to after school when she thinks no one's watching—"

"Creep."

"—and she just couldn't do it! I'm talkin' falling-and-rolling-over-hills failing! Nopony can do it like Bright. Girl got some moves." Lightning Dust leaned down and punched Bright's shoulder a little hard.

"Ow, jeez, Dust," she complained while rubbing her spot. "You're too strong for that."

Lightning Dust shrugged then turned back to Magenta. "So what now?" She asked. "You're right up there with Songbird Serenade, you have to make another song!" Her friends and sister all started shouting their agreements. After a few more seconds, Magenta caved to the peer pressure.

"Alright, alright!" They all quieted down. "I'll make another song. But only because I want to validate this." Magenta turned and began to make her way to the door before they unexpectedly burst open. The ponies who were asking for autographs gasped and shouted.

"There she is!"

"Sign me!!"

"Can I take a picture?"


Current Morning


After the signing of those autographs, and the end of the school hours, Magenta was bombarded by ponies out and about, all asking for autographs. Even cute little foals. She just couldn't say no to them. Her mother—and father—were greatly proud of the two of them. Speaking of father, Maximum Gold had finally asked for Kind Goldhoof's hoof in marriage when Magenta turned twelve. A year and some after dating. Bright was going through a phase at the time that involved a lot of hairstyles. Spikes, straight, emo, short. So when mom grabbed Max's hoof and said to them in the living room, "We're getting married" nearly two years after they were adopted, that spiked hair sure matched her face.

Pictures were taken and mail was in their mailbox the day Magenta became famous. Not to mention a lot of bits in her bank account. Nearly three years later, Magenta reached thirty million subscribers and was now ready to break the news to her parents and sister about her plans.

She crawled out of her soft bed and stretched her body, listening to the cracks and snaps of her joints, and sighing in relief. Then strode across the sunlit wooden floor to her large closet to change out of her pajamas.

Goldhoof poked her head into Magenta's giant room and smiled. "Good morning, honey," she greeted. "Breakfast is on the table. I have to get to my office." Magenta remembered her mother coming home that day years ago squealing in happiness. She was going back to med school and had finally got her doctorate in pediatric care. She was officially a doctor. The city-state approved her to have her own practice and was now doing her own thing in a section at East Manehattan Hospital.

"Wait! Mom! I have to tell you, dad, and Bright something very important!" Magenta yelled from the closet.

Goldhoof poked her head back in and asked, "It can't wait until this afternoon?"

"Nope!" Magenta walked out with a red designer style that had a bunch of sewn-on symbols. Like different colored lightning bolts, skateboards, and a golden pattern around the neckline and hooves. All on a red palette. Magenta smiled and added, "Bright and I are going shopping this evening when the heat dies down and I have to go to the studio this morning to lay down this new mix with the guys. But this can't wait."

Goldhoof sighed and nodded her head. Then ducked back in the hallway and yelled, "Everypony up! Magenta has to tell us something!" She looked in the room and told Magenta, "Brush your teeth before you go, okay? Morning breath isn't good. Especially for famous fillies."

Magenta rolled her eyes and moaned, "Mom, I'm not a filly anymore."

"Ohhh, you'll always be my little filly. Just like your sister." Goldhoof winked then left the room and allowed Magenta her time.

After brushing her teeth in her connected bathroom and breathing in the air from her balcony, Magenta walked down the wide stairwell of the residential wing of the mansion towards the moaning and groaning of Bright. Looks like somepony was cranky for having her sleep disturbed. She saw Bright slouch past the walkway with a spiky mane, looking more tired than usual. Either she didn't bother getting ready or is going through another phase.

It could've been both. Or it could've been the former. Or the latter. Bright was unpredictable. Walking in, Magenta chuckled and yelled, "Good morning!!" Bright and Max jumped and turned to her in surprise. Goldhoof and Magenta giggled then started on their breakfast. "Going through another phase?" Magenta teased her sister.

Bright rolled her eyes and sat on the couch next to Max. "Ha ha, very funny. For your info, I put a gel in my hair and it does this."

"Uh huh."

"What did you want?" She growled.

Magenta rolled her eyes and picked up her breakfast plate. Then made her way to the living room with Goldhoof behind her. "So I've been doing a lot of thinking..."

"Yeah?" Goldhoof took a seat on the other side of Bright, all three facing Magenta. "About what?"

"My life. I think it's time I moved on—"

"YOU'RE NOT GIVING UP YOUR MUSIC, ARE YOU?!" Bright yelled.

Magenta jumped and nearly dropped her breakfast. Once she got a good hoof, she glared at Bright, who winked right back. She knew what she did. "I'm not giving up singing, mixing, or producing," she clarified. Then took a bite out of her sandwich. "I meant moving on from this house. I'm moving out."

No words were said and no sounds were made as the family stared at Magenta in surprise. Bright's spiky silver hair suddenly dropped down into a straight look. Bright ran a hoof through it and stated, "Told you it was just gel." Then playfully stuck her tongue out.



As the sun peeked over the horizon, so did the rooster from her nest. It clucked first then looked around before letting its daily song ring, slowly waking the inhabitants of Sweet Apple Acres. Since Applejack was away on a friendship mission with Rainbow Dash, Applebloom's been assigned to do the work for her. So she groaned, kicked off the covers and rolled of the bed and onto the floor to wake her up. A daily routine.

"Ugh...I'm up, chicken! Shut up!" She yelled to the ceiling. The chicken quieted down when Applebloom sat up with the same hairstyle like eight years ago, then glanced around at her more than country room than before, once again eight years ago. She yawned and stretched her strong hooves. Then righted up and made her way towards the door to work. Those apples weren't going to buck themselves.

She heard Big Mac downstairs cooking breakfast. Possibly eggs and cooked hay, her favorite. He always knew how to cheer her up on a bad morning. Applebloom walked into the kitchen and greeted tiredly, "Good mornin', Big Mac."

"Mornin', Applebloom," he responded back. Her spot was already set. He glanced up and blinked at the bags under her eyes starting to show. There was only one explanation for that. "That dream again?"

Applebloom sighed and started on her eggs. He always seemed to know what she was thinking. "Yeah," she replied. "Can't really do anything about it."

"Ya' need to see a therapist," he suggested. Since the food was cooking, her turned around to face her. "It's been eight years. If you're still having these nightmares, then there's a problem. Same for Sweetie Belle. I'm surprised you two are still goin' strong. Anniversary comin' up?"

Applebloom smiled then swallowed her food. "Yep. Eight years. If I wanted to, I could marry her. But I'm waitin to move out first."

"Ah, okay." Big Mac grabbed his food then sat down across from Applebloom. He smirked, knowing that this was going to irk her, and asked, "Hear that new Magenta Streak song yet?"

Applebloom stopped eating and glared up at Big Mac with a nonchalant expression. "Big Mac? You know I don't like that pony."

"Why not though? She's really good. I haven't been to any of her shows because she's way on the other side of Equestria, but I heard that new song she released."

"The dubstep one?" Big Mac nodded. "I don't like her 'cuz she's a show off. Did you see that last video? Of her and her sister at that skatepark in Manehattan last week with those other celebrities? Songbird Serenade? Sea Creature?"

"Who is Sea Creature? Are they a real sea creature?" Grabbing a sandwich, Big Mac took a bite out of his food.

"No, it's this famous DJ. More famous than Songbird, but less than Magenta. Songbird mostly does features for Magenta now, along with acapellas. Anyway, Magenta was showin' off her moves on a skateboard and a scooter. I have to admit, the scooter was pretty cool. But she still showed off."

Big Mac rolled his eyes. "She's a pretty famous pony. I'm trying to figure out why she only performs in the cities instead of the towns. She performed—obviously—in Manehattan, Las Pegasus, and Canterlot. But never us small town folk here in Ponyville, Appleloosa, Dodge Junction, Cloudsdale, places like that. Why?"

"Ask her, I don't know." Applebloom stood up and made her way to the door. "Talk to ya' later, Big Mac. Gotta meet my girlfriend."

"Make sure those apples are bucked today!"

"Sure!"



As Applebloom walked up the path to Ponyville, now a little larger because of the growing populace, she cast a casual eye up to the CMC memorial site on her right. Hill of Greatness. The seeds Applebloom planted in the past have grown into a tree. Not fully grown, but big enough to sprout apples in the spring. The painting on the front was still fresh, thanks to that preservation spell Twilight placed on it after Sweetie Belle asked her.

"Still searchin', Scoots," Applebloom whispered. Then turned around and faced forward. "Still searchin'."

After a few more seconds Applebloom walked into town, watching a bunch of ponies carry a couch across the street. Digital stores were popping up all over Equestria to sell magic-powered televisions, those expensive computers, and some music stores. She passed one of them and saw a poster of Magenta Streak advertising a DJ set. She stopped and stared at it, slowly shaking her head.

"How can you be a singer, a producer, and a DJ?" Applebloom thought aloud. Then focused on more important matters. What to get Sweetie Belle for their eighth year. Eight years together as a couple. It's coming up next week. She remembered when they shared their first real kiss. On the lips. That Hearth's Warming.


Eight Years Ago, Hearth's Warming


After Rainbow Dash flew off to help with the blizzard, leaving the fillies on the castle balcony, Sweetie Belle laid on her stomach in the snow, continuing to stare out. "Lavender?" She turned her head to Applebloom who had trotted forward. Then sat down and laid beside her. "What is it?"

Sweetie sighed and said in her low voice, "I'm just thinking about a few things. Like... What if we never find her? What about our friends, what will happen to them now?"

Applebloom sighed and watched the snow fall in the distance. Sweetie was scared of the future. She was too, to be honest. "Sweetie...what I learned out of all of this, ever since the tragedy...was make memories and relish them forever. Because you never know when you'll see that pony again. So we make new memories..." She turned and faced Sweetie Belle with a supportive smile. "...with the ones we love."

Sweetie grinned back before darting forward and latching her lips onto Applebloom's. Whose eyes widened before she relished in the feeling of Sweetie's lips against hers. It was magical. Sweetie wrapped her hooves around Applebloom's neck as they kissed, completely forgetting about their friends in the back who watched awkwardly.


Current Day


Even though her father said no lip locking until they were old enough three months before, they continued doing so. Especially during their freshmen years. Since there wasn't a high school in Ponyville, they had to go to Canterlot and continue education there. That kiss meant everything to the two of them. And it would be forever sketched in Apple Bloom's mind. No matter how out-of-the-blue it was.

Applebloom walked past Town Hall and towards Carousel Boutique. It looked like Rarity was up. Business there had been steadily growing these past years. It was a wonder why Rarity didn't get a new home. Or at least a remodel. Applebloom pushed open the door and happily strode in, ignoring the line of customers and headed straight for the stairs in front of her.

"Mornin', Rarity!" She greeted without stopping. Then took one step at a time to head up to the second floor.

An alabaster hoof waved from over the head of one of the customers. "Good morning, darling! Now what size was that, dear?"

Applebloom walked onto the second floor and stopped in front of Sweetie Belle's door to knock. The last time she just opened the door to Sweetie Belle's room, it was during a little intimate alone time that caused a shoe to be thrown at Applebloom's face. They did hit puberty after all. After that, Applebloom always knocked.

The door creaked open and Sweetie Belle's nonchalant face poked out. Which turned into a smile when she saw Applebloom. "Howdy, Lavender," Applebloom greeted. Then leaned in and shared a kiss. "How'd you sleep?"

Sweetie rolled her eyes before the door was widened. Then made a gesture with her hooves, and motioned towards the room. "Masturbating again, okay," Applebloom assumed with a smile. Sweetie Belle gasped then reached for the nearest shoe to throw. Successfully hitting the top of Apple Bloom's head.

"Ow! Consarnit!" Applebloom yelped. Then rubbed the spot Sweetie Belle was pointing and giggling at. "What is it with you and high heels? I guess I'll just take these Lavender flowers back..." She reached behind her and whipped out a bouquet of flowers. Then turned and began to leave before she was pulled off her front hooves and dragged back by her rear hooves with magic. Sweetie Belle reached down and grabbed the bouquet out of her hooves, then took a big whiff. Then grinned over to Applebloom who stood up to mutter about how violent she was.

"These are perfect," she whispered in her hoarse voice. She rarely talked with her voice anymore. Instead chose to use sign language.

"I know. Just like the filly I gave 'em to." They shared a brief nuzzle, expressing their love and affection. After a moment, Applebloom pulled back and asked, "Ready to go? I know you like to watch me work."

Sweetie nodded and adjusted her diamond choker Rarity made for her years ago. Then closed her door and proceeded to walk down the stairs with Applebloom. Once in the lobby, Sweetie Belle reached up over the customers' head and did sign language so Rarity could see. "Okay, dear! I'll be here!"

Satisfied, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom walked out into the spring air of Ponyville. The birds were chirping, the ponies were busy, and the Princess of Friendship was eagerly waiting for them with a creepy grin. Applebloom and Sweetie shared a glance then looked back to Twilight. "Er, good mornin', Princess," Applebloom greeted awkwardly.

"Good morning, girls. So I got some news for you. Hang on." Before they actually could, Twilight teleported them into the Map Room back at her castle. There was a bunch of mail sitting on the map in front of where Twilight's throne was. But besides that, the room was seemingly empty. Twilight walked towards her throne while Applebloom got her land-hooves back. Sweetie was used to teleportation by now. "I know you girls have a busy day planned, so I'll keep this short." Twilight took a seat on her throne and grabbed a letter in her magic. "Scootaloo may have been spotted."

Sweetie Belle stopped shaking Applebloom to wake her up and stared at the Princess in shock. Applebloom no better. They both zipped around to both of Twilight's sides and eagerly motioned for her to continue. "Well after a few years of laziness, and some yelling from Cadance, the police decided to finally start the case a year and a half ago. Just like the time Babs and Gabby went to East Manehattan Hospital, they couldn't tell them where she was. However, there are some new clues that will help narrow down your search. A lot of ponies in Manehattan say that they have actually seen a mare with expensive clothing matching the description of an orange coat as much as they could see with a fully covered body with purple hair. On the East side of the city. East Manehattan."

"East Manehattan?!" Applebloom yelled. "As in luxurious East Manehattan?!"

Sweetie did sign language erratically, reading, "Are you sure?!"

Twilight nodded. "Yep. Scootaloo might not live there. But apparently, a young mare with an orange coat and a purple mane wearing clothes in the summer heat hangs around there a lot. Nopony knows her name though and she doesn't like to tell ponies."

"So she could be in Manehattan!" Apple Bloom cheered. Then turned to Sweetie and said, "Babs was on to somethin'!" Sweetie Belle cocked her head to the side, flipping her smooth bouncy mane. "Me and Babs send letters back an' forth a lot. That Net stuff ain't for us. Well she said that a pony that held Scootaloo's shape and head was walking around Manehattan. It was around five years ago. Babs decided to follow her and said she lived in East Manehattan. Well we brushed all that aside because there was no way Scoots could live over there. That's for really famous and rich ponies. Extremely private. But now that you said she was spotted over there a lot of times, she may actually be over there with a friend or somethin'!"

Sweetie Belle tapped Apple Bloom and did more signs with her hooves. Then turned and ran out the door, followed by Apple Bloom. Twilight watched them go, silently wishing them luck. Its been awhile since they were this eager.

A burp of flames made Twilight look to the left at Spike who was there the whole time eating a bag of rubies. He had grown a small amount in the last years and had gotten addicted to Magenta Streak in the process. Even now he was wearing one of her signature headphones listening to something loud. Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. Teenagers.



Everyone were still in shock, sitting on the couch and staring at the famous musician across. Goldhoof was taken back by Magenta's plan earlier that morning. Bright was a little worried and Max was concerned.

Finally, Goldhoof stood up and exclaimed, "What?! No~, you can't leave now, you're not ready. I'm not ready!" She walked over and pulled Magenta's head into her chest. "I don't want you leaving!"

Magenta mumbled something in her chest then broke away. "Mom, I'll be fine and you'll be fine. I'm just living at my studio downtown. You know, in the Penthouse."

"I just don't want you living alone," Goldhoof cried. Then pulled Magenta into a much tighter hug. "I miss my little filly!! Now you're nineteen, all famous! Grown up and graduated High School! News covering everything you do, relaxing with other elite ponies!"

Magenta sighed into her chest again. Then pushed her away. "Mom, you have got to let me go. You still have Bright and I promise to come around. Okay? Now stop crying, you know I love you. Now you have work, Dad has work, I have work, and Bright still has school."

Magenta proceeded towards the stairs while Bright moaned something about her bringing that up from the couch.  After a few more minutes, Magenta had taken off her regular clothes and donned it with her regular hood set, complete with her logo on the hooves. A gray colored "Magenta" with a purple slash going through it diagonally. She had a Synthesizer strapped to her back, much smaller than her past one, but just as powerful. Boy did that cause quite the ruckus with those media outlets. For two whole weeks.

She looked over to Bright who was back on the couch wearing a school uniform. She had her signature braid draped over the left side of her neck, wearing a sneaky smirk. Magenta motioned with her head towards the front door. "Let's go."

The birds in East Manehattan Unique were up. That much was clear. They were settled all over Magenta's scooter. When she first got it, it was mainly for that music video for one of her songs at the skate park downtown with Sea Creature, Bright, Songbird Serenade, and Sound Boost, the manager for all three of them. Pretty cool stallion. Magenta was the youngest in the whole label. Nineteen. Now she uses that scooter for getting back and forth to wherever she wants.

Magenta waved a hoof to get the birds off her scooter while Bright played with the controls for the two gates at the entry and exit of the loop. Then grabbed it and walked towards the magical gates of the property that kept out anypony from reaching the home that didn't have a key to them. They would encounter a shield in the shape of a cube that protected their entire property. The largest house in the neighborhood. Three stories, made out of stone with a balcony for every room, a total of six bedrooms, a grand kitchen...

It was a mansion. Their little family that consisted of two doctors, a famous dancer, and a famous producer, DJ, and singer, both of which are signed to a label. Bright too, because she actually, and surprisingly, knows how to DJ too. Not as much as Magenta though, because Bright spends most of her skills in dancing.

After Bright opened the gates, she and Magenta walked through the loop and out the entrance. Then closed and locked it back. Magenta put one hoof on her scooter and her front hooves on the handles. Bright hopped on behind her then raised her wings, wearing that smirk.

"Let's go." Bright buzzed her wings at Magenta's command, zooming off through the private neighborhood. It sounded as if a small motor was blazing through the streets. Leaves were pushed out of the way on the concrete street as they strode by, soon flying through the gates of their neighborhood and into the tall city of Manehattan. East Manehattan. Ponies were already out and about. Getting breakfast, reading newspapers. Overall business in the city built for business.

Magenta looked to the left at the statue in the river between Manehattan and the land that leads to Canterlot. Maybe one day she'll be able to go past it. Her contract won't let her at this time.

A few ponies on the sidewalk cheered Magenta and Bright's name when they sped past, flying through other ponies. Way too soon, Magenta spotted East Manehattan High coming up in her sights. As well as the slow down of the scooter. The two sisters enjoyed riding together whenever it was possible. It benefited the both of them. Bright, to release all her energy. And Magenta, because the wind felt great on her face. Sometimes she wished she had her wings. Let alone know what ripped them out in the first place.

Its been eight years. Yet she still can't remember what happened. Or how she ended up here in Manehattan, beached and bloody. She had no idea who her real parents were, where she came from, anything. Maybe it was best if it stayed that way. Magenta stopped the scooter in front of the school's stone steps and let Bright get off first before she followed along. Bright folded up the scooter and hefted it on her bag, tying it in the straps. Once secured, she placed the bag on her back and shared a huggle and nuzzle with Magenta. Their signature hello and see you later.

"Don't do anything stupid," Bright playfully chided.

"I never do." The two pulled back to high hoof and hip bump before going their separate ways. Bright up the quiet school stairs and Magenta down the street. She had a label to get to. Starfire Records. The label that manages her, Bright, Sea Creature, and Songbird. As well as a few more ponies in the popular industries. Not only musicians.

Along the way she waved and signed a few autographs to some ponies that were going to school and work. There were a lot of those. Delayed her by thirty minutes before she could continue even walking. But did eventually make it to the large office building made mostly out of glass save for the top four floors. Which were stone with a few glass windows. If you didn't know Magenta, and saw her staring up at the block of stone through her brown hood, you'd think she were crazy. But if you did know her, you'd know for a fact that that hood was a one way. She could see through it, you couldn't.

Blinking, Magenta broke out of her trance and trotted up the marble stairs towards the double doors. The ponies behind them already knew Magenta. So a mere wave and a "How are you?" was all she received when she walked across the glossy floors to the elevator. And she was glad for that. Sometimes the questions became annoying.

Magenta stopped at the elevator doors and pressed the large up arrow for the top floor. Then sat down and waited. She watched a few business ponies walk past looking at documents. Magenta always wondered what was on those papers. The elevator dinged open, allowing her access. She walked in, pressed the top floor key. Then waited. It was going to be maybe twenty seconds before she reached the very top floor.

After Magenta did, she stepped out of the elevator onto the glossy wooden dimly lit floors of the lobby. This was pretty much a relaxation area. There were some leather couches on the red brick walls, flanked by two high arc lamps on both sides of them. There was a glass table in between the three couches that had a few magazines on it. And there were awards on the walls for their label, Songbird, their manager Sound Boost, and Sea Creature. Magenta didn't have any yet. But Sound Boost said that it was only a matter of time.

Magenta had a sneaking suspicion that it was because she hasn't done any high-quality touring outside of Manehattan. Hopefully that would change. Ever since she woke up in Manehattan, she stayed in Manehattan. Magenta was ready to see the world. Hopefully they'd let her because the online concerts were getting a little old. Even if they were paying more.

"You're going on tour, kid!"

Wait, what? Magenta looked over at the far couch right across from her and behind the glass table where Sound Boost was sitting, wearing a business suit that covered his light yellow body. He had his dark blue eyes trained on a few reports that were keeping from view, and Magenta from him. But he knew when Magenta walked in because he could always see the tip of her hood.

"I'm sorry, what?" Magenta asked. Then walked over and hoof bumped Sea Creature. Sea Creature was called that because, well... She looked like a sea creature. More accurately, a swamp creature. She had a Dark Green coat with thick mud brown dreads that covered her face like seaweed, and mud-brown eyes. Sea creature. A creature that dwells at the bottom of the sea. And can rock the decks like she's eating pie.

Magenta walked over to Songbird Serenade and bumped her as well while the manager replied. "You heard me, young lady!" He lowered the papers with his magic and grinned at all of them. His voice was deep. "We're going on an All-Equestrian tour! We've been saving up millions of bits for this." He tossed the paperwork on the table so they could take a look.

He pointed in the middle of the sales graph, where all three directed their eyes. Sea Creature had to push her dreads to the side. "We were actually able to tour here, at forty million. But I doubled our goal for a backup. We raised eighty million for stadiums, speakers, DJ decks. And so much more. Limelights, the good stuff. So pack your bags, team!"

Magenta was staring at him in surprise. She was finally going on tour. An Equestria-wide tour! "We're leaving Manehattan?!" She asked in glee. Sound Boost nodded his head. Magenta raised her hooves and shouted, "Finally! When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow night!"

"Wait what?!" She looked at the reports then back up to him. "Why am I now just finding out?"

The others glanced at each other then back to Magenta. Sea Creature leaned in and whispered, "You really need to get outta your mom's house."

"I'm doing the PR," Songbird informed her. "I already had a few posters delivered to the stadiums we're going to as well as a lot more discreet ones." Then pointed to Magenta and added, "All we need from you are some new tracks. Hardcore is recommended. These ponies love it. Our parties are to get ponies moving, and your songs get them to do more than that. The second they hear Magenta Streak is finally leaving Manehattan, it all starts and your sales spike even more."

Magenta waved it off and said, "Oh I have around fifty IDs, no worries. They're ready for a test run. Bright's comin' too, right?"

"It wouldn't be the label without her!" Sound Boost replied enthusiastically. "Of course she's coming! Let me tell you the plan. We've already hit the big cities in Equestria. Manehattan, Las Pegasus, Fillydelphia, Canterlot. Now it's time for the smaller cities to shine. First up, Trottingham. It's right off the coast of Manehattan. Off the docks. Then we work our way back over Manehattan to the Crystal Empire. Nopony here has been there, myself included. So that's a really big deal. Impress the Princess, people. The next night, Vanhoover. A pretty relaxed, chill town. Not too much drama. Then finally, Ponyville and Cloudsdale. This is going to be a quick tour because it's our Grand Tour. We're doing full blown stadiums, lights, cameras, giant speakers! The whole deal. In the upcoming years after this we'll be doing small places too. A few more artists are trailing with us by the way. Not too many, just one or two bands playing a thirty minute long set. Then we do a two hour. So three hours per night. Can you do it?"

Magenta scoffed and bragged, "I did a fourteen day in Manehattan and still didn't crash. I know I can do a four day."

"Great. Just sign the form your mom definitely has by this evening and send it over. Then we can send out the message."



The examination rooms in the pediatric care unit at the hospital were dense this time around. Goldhoof knew she should've had Magenta tell her about her plans after work. For one, it made her sad. Her little filly was leaving the nest, what parent wouldn't be sad? And two, it made her a little unfocused. Especially when she spotted Magenta sitting in one of the chairs out in the waiting room. The television was blasting some children's show, keeping their eyes off of her and on the cartoons. But that didn't stop the parents.

Goldhoof lifted a hoof and loudly cleared her throat to catch their attention. Magenta turned her way and immediately stood up to make her way to her. "You have something that belongs to me, mother," she scolded quietly. Then walked right past her into the office.

"Yes, come right in," Goldhoof muttered sarcastically under her breath. Then turned and followed after her.