Applebloom stood up from inside the chariot she shared with her friends and stared up at the grand and great Golds Mansion while they slowed at one of the gates. Then came to a silent stop.
"Scoots lives here?!" She asked in astonishment. Lightning Dust didn't answer.
Instead she jumped out of the chariot and waved a hoof in the air, yelling, "Bright!" Atop the building there stood a figure, a slowly twirling speck of white with wings doing motions on the roof. "Bright!!!" The speck stopped moving and bunched up before jumping off the roof, aiming, and gliding down towards them.
Bright landed on the concrete road behind the gates wearing a pink ballerina outfit with a big grin and greeted excitedly, "Hi, Lightning! You decided to visit, yay!! And you know, you could have just pushed the doorbell." She pointed a shoe-covered hoof at the white circle on one of the bars of the gate. Lightning Dust smirked and shrugged. She honestly didn't see it, it sort of blended in.
Bright rolled her eyes but smiled and said, "Just come on in. And bring in your—WHOA!!" Rainbow Dash guessed Bright wasn't expecting all these ponies. Bright pointed from behind the gates and asked, "The Princesses? Captain of the Royal Guard? The Element Bearers? Sweetie Belle, I thought you were bringing regular small-time ponies, not Royalty and law enforcement!"
Everyone looked at each other before Bright added, "I don't even know if Magenta even wants to hear it now. But come on in." Bright touched the back of the keyhole for a few seconds before the gates started pushing in her way. Then turned around and flew back to the grand mansion. The guards pulled the chariots through them and onto the nice property of the Gold family. Just like the rest of the neighborhood, the lawn was perfectly cut and the fountains were beautiful. But all eyes were on the huge house they were approaching. They rolled to a stop in front of the doors where Bright was standing.
She reached behind one of the decorative columns and fiddled with something so the gates for the mansion loop could close.
"Mom and Dad aren't home," she explained as they jumped out of the chariots. Then slowly trotted up the steps to the doors so they could fully take in the sights. "They're at work at East Manehattan Hospital. Magenta's inside with Sea, working on a new track, and I was doing some roof dancing. Come on in."
Bright walked towards one of the doors and pushed it open by the solid gold G, revealing the world within. Red carpet, grand staircase, two chandeliers above, and a large hall on the left, right, and two up ahead behind the staircase. Just a few of the things first noticed when those who haven't been there before walked in. The Grand staircase in front of them led up to a space that branched off into two opposite halls that were probably the wings, just like directly below it. There were large paintings on the walls of their family, as well as Magenta without her hood on. Smiling and hugging Bright. Other than that, the foyer was clear. And the house was quiet. Nothing like they were expecting.
Bright closed the door behind the four princesses after they walked in with open mouths. "Like it?" She asked. "You guys got here a little early, it's only one-thirty. Don't be alarmed if you hear a bass drum bumping."
Cadance turned her head with a gaping mouth and answered breathlessly, "It's beautiful."
Bright grinned and skipped around to the front. "I know right? Follow me and I'll take you to her." The group did as told and followed Bright through the quiet area as she moved. Then turned left onto one of the wide first floor halls. There were rooms there but they were definitely very spacious.
"I see Lightning got you in here without trouble," Bright commented over her shoulder, grinning at Lightning Dust.
Celestia nodded and responded, "Yes. I didn't know your family was part of The Manehattan Elite."
Bright waved a hoof around and said, "Eh we're not really a part of them like you think we are. It's complicated. Like I said earlier, Magenta's in the middle of a session with Sea Creature creating a collaboration for their next concerts. A lot of bass. You may have to wait." She turned down another hallway on the right and began to move. Twilight could hear voices in one of the rooms a little ways down near two glass doors. Right before a bass drum started hitting, loud and proud, forcing a jump out of all of their coats except Bright.
"Yeah, looks like they're going through another track," Bright announced before a fast distorted eight o' eight started kicking. Bright stopped at one of the doors that had a sign above it reading Magenta's Studio. She gripped the handle and pulled it open. Then motioned for them to go inside the room blasting bass and synths. When Rainbow timidly stepped in first, she saw Scootaloo in the center dancing over a massive mixer with Sea Creature beside her, back facing them, with green and yellow lights coming from meters. The room they were in was dimmed down with small lights, fit with speakers in the corner. There was a stack of technology on the sides, as well as padding on the deep red walls. The mixer they were in front of was hooked up in front of a large flat screen television hanging from the ceiling displaying an electronic studio, while a built in computer was in the middle of the mixer with a microphone. Behind the mixer was a large glass panel that held a larger room fit with a few microphones, a large video camera, and a smaller computer.
"Alright, up the bass on the dirty synths," Magenta instructed.
Sea Creature moved over to the far left of the mixer and slowly turned a knob on a seemingly random channel, bringing the strange dance sounds closer to the front of the mix.
"Aw, yeah! That's perfect!" Magenta pressed a button on the mixer, pausing the track then turned to Sea Creature grinning. "We'll mix in a few vocal effects then master it."
Magenta plopped down into one of the many seats in front of the built in computer, focusing on that before Bright cleared her throat. Magenta turned around and yelped. Then jumped back up out of the chair and stared at the group in surprise, who in turn stared back. She wasn't wearing any makeup right now, fitted only with the black streak in her mane. Her purple tail didn't have it, implying her look to be dyed. It was definitely Scootaloo. Rainbow eyed her up and down. It was so strange seeing her all grown up and she didn't even get to see it.
"Sea Creature, let's take a break," she suggested without taking her eyes off. "Save the project. You guys can...have a...seat, I guess. " She pointed towards the left while a loading icon was placed on the television, indicating the project was saving. The group moved towards the fancy couches on the right and took a seat. Bright was messing with her Tutu beside her sister, who stated, "I don't think I even wanna know now."
Applebloom nearly choked on air. "Huh?" She asked. "What do you mean?"
"It's just....I knew you guys knew something about my past," Magenta responded. "I just... Ugh." She grabbed her chair and faced it towards them. Then sat down while Sea Creature made her leave. She crossed her rear hooves while Bright sat in the chair next to her. Then it all got into an awkward silence.
The only sound was the clock ticking in the corner for maybe a full minute before Magenta buried her face in her hooves for a moment. She took a deep breath and sighed deeply, then poked her face out through them with saddened eyes on the visitors.
"Ah, jeez...do you guys know everything that happened to me?" She whispered in dismay. Twilight nodded. "And was it so bad that four princesses, the Royal Guard Captain, and the Element Bearers got involved?"
"Yeah," Diamond Tiara whispered in a sad tone. "Yeah, it was a very bad day."
"Oh, wow." Magenta sat back and looked at Bright, who in turn looked back. She turned back to their guests and decided, "You know what? Yeah, don't tell me."
Applebloom's brain clonked out. She calmly repeated, "Don't tell ya'?"
Magenta shook her head. "Yeah, don't tell me. Apparently, this was really serious to the point that an obvious investigation was started. But nopony ever got anywhere I guess. So all the Princesses were called in and got involved. It's better I don't know. To be honest, earlier I was expecting like regular ponies. Gardeners, an author, a technician, somepony like that. Not Princesses, Princes, and the Primary Defense of Equestria. Was I attacked by a monster or something? Royalty?"
Rainbow shook her head and answered, "No. You actually—"
"Don't tell me!" Magenta quickly interrupted. "Please don't tell me. You can tell Bright, Mom, Dad, even my doctors. But not me. Don't even hint at it. I said I don't wanna go back to wherever I was before last night, and if I find out what happened to me, I'll know and it'll be at the front of my mind. Won't even be able to focus on my music."
The guests glanced at each other then back at Magenta. Bright mouthed "Told you" to Sweetie Belle before Magenta said, "But I do want to know a few things. What's my real name?"
Applebloom smiled and answered proudly, "Scootaloo. Your name was Scootaloo."
"Where'd I come from?"
Sweetie Belle made a sign that Bright interpreted, "Ponyville. Wow, we just wow'd the crowd in your hometown, yeah!" She lifted a wing and slapped Magenta's shoulder.
Magenta rolled her eyes and felt the bones underneath her wing removals move, dragging up another question. "So uhh... Could I fly?"
Rainbow Dash decided to take this one. It seemed even as a different pony and a grown mare, she would always cherish flying. "You had wings, but they were too small to lift your body. You were pretty kick butt on a scooter though."
Bright and Magenta shared a knowing smile. Lightning Dust stood up and made her way around Magenta towards all the music stuff. "So... what's this?" She pointed towards the long board that was the centerpiece of the room.
Magenta looked over behind the chair at where she was pointing, then swiveled her entire body around to face her with a look mixed with humor and disbelief. "You don't know what this is?!" She asked. Lightning shook her head. "Seriously?! I never told you?" Magenta turned to Bright and asked, "Did I ever tell you?"
Bright shook her head and smiled. "I know it connects to your computer, that's it."
Magenta scoffed then pushed the chair back with her rear hooves, rolling over to the middle of the equipment. Then laid her hoof on it and said, "Dudes, this is my mixer to create my projects! You know the mixer in between my turntables? My decks? This is just a much larger version for when I create my songs. Much better than doing it virtually. It helps me silence tracks, load tracks up, solo out a track, equalize, and so much more. It controls eighty tracks. I use a minimum of twenty-five, Sea Creature uses like thirty, and Songbird uses a minimum of two or three. Her voice when she sings is so good that she doesn't really need like drums, bass lines, all that beauty. And I can assign these different knobs and pads to different functions. I can't believe I never told you guys about this. I remember buying it, having it brought home and installed, but I never told you what it was? Wow. Yeah, our mansion is pretty kick-flank huh?"
Rainbow Dash nodded and said, "Your mansion is huge!"
Bright chuckled and added, "Yeah. Our tours and such are good. But most of our income is through merch and YouHoof. We're with Starfire and all, but we just use them for good album releases and shows. We do like live shows on YouHoof once every week which gives us an average of... How many?"
Magenta removed her hoof from in front of her mouth and answered, "Seventy-five thousand."
"Seventy-five thousand in ad revenue per show. Manehattan is a really big city-slash-island in Equestria. Ponies like my dancing, and everypony enjoys Magenta's singing and performances. Our next one is going to be much larger than four though. Tomorrow."
Sweetie Belle signed, "Why?"
"Because nopony is going to have to really pay to see Magenta without her hood. They're all using Net or in body. This would be the first time anypony has seen her in the day without her suit. Online, and in person. We got back here earlier by private chariot. We're doing a live street vlog interview with the team from YouHoof who actually help us film, and Magenta will be switching instruments."
Based on their looks, Magenta guessed they didn't understand. So she stood up and made her way towards a room by their couches right beside Rainbow, who was really tempted to just pull her into a hug but didn't want to make things awkward. She slid the door open and said, "Ponies can spot me from yards away. If you see a pony with a piano-shaped object or something on their back, it's Magenta Streak. They all know I know how to play the piano. And I have a feeling I'm going to be interviewed about it soon. What they don't know is that I can play Piano, Violin, Drums, and Guitar. During the street interview, just for fun and attention, I'm bringing out my guitar."
Sweetie gasped and stood up. This she just had to see. She eagerly walked around everyone and stood beside Magenta, facial expression, happy eyes, and wagging tail just begging to walk in. Magenta smiled and raised a hoof, inviting her in her instrument room which she quickly bolted into. Synthesizers lined one wall while Guitars lined another. Violins on the one across and Sweetie guessed the drums were somewhere else.
She turned to Magenta and made rapid Hoof Signs, then pointed repeatedly to a dark red synthesizer with more knobs and sliders than the one at her show. "Bright! Interpreter please?" Magenta called. Then told Sweetie, "Bright knows like twelve different languages. She went through so many phases as a kid."
Bright walked in and Sweetie did her signs again. "She asked, 'What is this?'"
"That is a Supersynth. It creates many sounds at that same time. It's polyphonic, which means multiple notes van be played at once, called voices. I can use a total of twenty voices on it with a max of eight oscillators and waveform generators. Complete with an oscilloscope so I can view the waveform, and three envelopes to create hooks, basslines, and plucks. My best Synthesizer yet. I only use it when I make Big Room, Hardstyle, Uptempo, and Melodic Dubstep. Cost four thousand bits."
Sweetie grinned and tapped her hooves together excitedly. Bright chuckled and said, "Now I see what Applebloom sees in you. You're a cute one."
Magenta rolled her eyes and said, "Don't go falling in love, she's already taken. I hope this isn't a sore subject Sweetie, and if it is feel free to shake your head, but what happened to your voice?" She and Bright led her back out of the instrument room and into the frozen visitors who had heard her question. Sweetie wasn't one to really talk about it. It was a very dark moment in time.
Applebloom responded, "Sweetie doesn't really like to—" Sweetie plugged her mouth with a hoof, slightly humoring their superstar friend. Then turned back to Magenta and made a few hoof signs.
"It happened a few days after you left our lives in Ponyville," Bright interpreted. "Applebloom, Babs, and Gabrielle—"
"Gabby!!" Applebloom yelled, startling them and interrupting her girlfriend. She turned to Sweetie Belle and yelled, "We didn't tell her we found Scootaloo!" Babs gasped and turned to Princess Twilight. Magenta and Bright were trying to figure out who Gabby was. Who names their foal Gabby?
"Do you have any scrolls with ya'?" She asked.
Twilight shook her head and answered, "No. And I can't change anything in here into any scrolls."
"You guys need scrolls?" Magenta asked. They looked back and nodded. The two sisters stood up and waved for them to follow out the studio. "You look funny in a Tutu, Bright."
Bright scoffed and wiggled her rear when they turned right, heading back the way they came with the rest of the group. "I think I look cute."
"Say that to the boyfriends we both need and wish we had." They turned right once at the end of the hall and moved towards a pair of wooden double doors at the end of this one, opposite the foyer. "We need some cutie pies to swoon us and not shy away."
"I know!" Bright agreed. "Even the cute ones at school run when I talk to them. It's utterly embarrassing! Especially when somepony's watching! I mean, it's high school! All the ponies there are watching me! So you can only imagine what happens when I'm turned down!"
Babs and Lightning flanked their sides and smirked their way. "So... The stallions, huh?" Lightning teased. "Somepony wants to have a good time."
Magenta grinned and motioned to her sister. "Bright is the one who pulls most of them."
"That's because you never took off your suit," Bright deadpanned. They stopped in front of the doors and pushed them open, revealing a large relaxation area with a library. The ceiling reached higher than they could have ever existed. "I bet that when we hit North Manehattan now all those boys and girls will be hitting on you." The other mares behind them chuckled at their conversation. They were still teenagers. Especially Bright Snow.
Magenta pointed to a table in the center of the room and said, "There are your scrolls. Brightlight, I am drenched in scars. I mean utterly drenched. Like everywhere, if you catch my drift. That High School dating episode pretty much traumatized me."
Bright rolled her eyes and retorted proudly, "I stuffed his stomach with cake, he's more traumatized than you are. Probably still in therapy. And Zephyr just wouldn't look me in the eyes ever since." Bright faced the Princesses and clarified, "Magenta was traumatized in High School when a stallion duped her for our old orphanage bully, Zephyr Diamond. It was Magenta's first date. She promised to never go dating ever again and hasn't so much as even smiled at one that isn't daddy or Sound Boost since. It really hurt her feelings."
The mares fawned over, including Scootaloo's old friends who came back after sending the letter. Applebloom tapped Magenta's shoulder to get her attention and said, "Come on, Scoots... Er, Magenta—"
"You can call me Scootaloo if it makes you feel better," Magenta interrupted, smiling.
Applebloom returned it and said, "Well, Scootaloo. It never hurts to try again. We never stopped trying until we got our cutie marks. And when we did, we helped other ponies get theirs. It was just what we did. When Sweetie gets mad at me, I usually go out of my way to find something to make up for it. Which usually ends up with more... Intimate things."
Magenta snorted and turned to Sweetie Belle who had gone off to check out the books in the library. "Aw, jeez. TMI, Applebloom."
Babs brushed up to Magenta and added, "Just keep flaunting your stuff and you'll get a stallion, or a mare in no time. If that's your thing. You look great, I'm surprised no one has."
Scootaloo shrugged and said, "I really don't actually have 'a thing.' Having stopped dating years ago and refusing any sexual attraction to anypony, I just... Switched off I guess. So I don't really know if I like stallions or mares. I'm pretty much asexual." She leaned into Babs' ear and whispered, "I've signed way too many teats that I'm not even attracted to those anymore."
Babs giggled before Magenta pulled away. Celestia smiled and said, "Well at least we know you are okay. A lot of ponies were greatly saddened when you...left."
"Yeah I'm alright. Anypony wanna hang out? Mom and Dad won't be home for a few hours and they make things a little awkward."
Rarity pointed to her sister and said, "I know Sweetie Belle would like to as well as her friends. However, the rest of us must take our leave. We all have our own duties to take care of."
"And I have to get back to working out," Lightning and Rainbow said at the same time. They glanced at each other then nodded in an unspoken agreement.
"Oh! Well...okay, Lightning, we'll see you later sometime," Bright receded. The others could tell that Bright and Magenta were obviously disappointed by that. "Stop by though, okay?"
"Sure! Come on, Rainbow! You and I have work to do!" They turned around and left the library, followed closely by the sad gazes from Magenta and Bright. Diamond Tiara had a suspicion something was going on between them. But didn't get a chance to question it when Magenta took the stage once again.
"Well Bright'll show everyone out that doesn't want to hang," Magenta said suddenly, grabbing everyone's eyes. "I have to go let them out." Magenta followed the same path that Lightning and Rainbow took, leaving Bright with the visitors. The room sat in an awkward silence for a moment, a drastic change from around fifteen to thirty minutes earlier. Before it was of fear. Now it was of a tense uncomfort.
Bright cleared her throat and broke it with, "Well, if you'll all follow me, I'll take you to the front." She quickly walked towards the doorway while the others shared a knowing look, then followed after.
While they walked, it was somber and quiet. Nopony talked. But Twilight bet her bits that whatever that was about back there had the root of a friendship problem. Thing is, no one's flank was flashing or glowing. Strange. Twilight needed verification.
Breaking the silence, she drawled, "So Bright Snow. You, Magenta, and Lightning Dust are pretty close huh?"
Bright sighed and slowed into the foyer. "Me and Magenta became close the second I snuck into her hospital room when we were fillies. Lightning Dust and the others came in at Quick Hooves, and we stayed tight until graduation. They all left Manehattan a few months afterwards. They see us all the time because we're on TV, magazines, advertisements, interviews, music videos, vlogs, everything. But them?"
Bright opened the door and sighed with a shake of her head. Then turned back and answered, "Never. The Mega-Show in Ponyville was the first time we actually got to speak and see them in over three years. We send them letters and photos, but never get a response. We know they're still kicking it out there because the letters never return. So having Lightning Dust actually come over the next day after the show is a huge relief. But for her to leave in less than thirty minutes..."
She walked out the door and onto the steps of the mansion, where the Royal Guard and Magenta were waiting, watching Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust look at the fence. Magenta pressed a button on the back of a nearby column, opening the gates and letting them out. They couldn't fly inside of Manehattan Unique.
Bright turned back to the others and added, "So I really don't even think we're...close, let alone really friends anymore. The only ponies Magenta and myself are really close with are our parents, a few ponies at East Manehattan Hospital, Quick Hooves, and Starfire. Even Fuchsia Winds, the manager for the group we toured with. We met in the hospital when we were foals then met up again in middle school. After that, not a zip or a buzz."
Celestia stepped up and asked, "Why don't you go to them? Do you have their addresses?"
"We have all of them, but we can't leave Manehattan unless we're touring."
"What?" The visitors asked at the same time. Magenta turned around and nodded.
"Yeah," she replied. "Our contract with Starfire states that we are not to leave Manehattan so we don't become late to any shows or anything. The only time we actually leave is when we have a show or something out of town. Starfire's reputation is punctuality. They're always on time, all their clients are on time. Every single one of my shows have been on time or even early. No delays. Same with Bright at her dance recitals, and with Songbird and Sea. So we can't just leave town and check on those guys. They have to come to us. That's why we gave them clearance cards and everypony else calls them Honorary Guests. But they never do. We don't even get a response when we invite them through letters. From any of them."
Sweetie Belle stepped into her sights and made a sign that Twilight interpreted. "Can't you just make new friends here in Manehattan?"
Magenta and Bright both shook their heads. "Not when you're us," Bright answered. "We're the top performing artists in all of Equestria. Each time we walk outside of East Manehattan Unique it's autographs, pictures, and music. Pretty much everyday work and questions. Crazy fans asking us to sign teats and then brag about it to their friends. The only friends we really have are rich too and go through the same thing we do. So all we really do is talk business, success, and bits. Questions fly around like, What are we going to do next? Anymore contracts? Nothing small like what's the next movie coming out, a new exciting product from a company, a new cast member on a show. We end up already knowing that stuff wayyy before anypony else because we live in the same neighborhood with the ponies we have questions about. A newsletter comes into our mailbox, spoiling us with early information."
"Bright has a few friends at school," Magenta added. "But even then, it's just to use her for their own potential fame. Bright likes to send in good words for them, then they leave. So this big ol' mansion behind us?" They all followed Magenta out from under the cover of the steps to the loop. Then turned and looked at it. "It stays this way. Quiet, serene, alien. Alone. Everypony knows we live here all over Equestria. But nopony bothers to show when we invite them. It's like they're scared of us or something. Of course being in The Manehattan Elite gives you a pretty bad reputation automatically ever since that guy blackmailed all those innocent ponies. But nopony bothers to know the truth. My family's not in their circle like it seems we are, we just live here and own the biggest house in Manehattan that just happens to be in East Manehattan Unique.
"Mom and dad actually have friends, even at the hospital. But that's because all those ponies actually have simple lives. Worries, frustrations, problems. Simple drama that doesn't hit the television and cause ponies to run up to them in the street. They can go somewhere, sit down, and have a simple and fun conversation. Without like fifty ponies running up and asking for autographs and photos. It's going to become much worse now because everypony wants a photograph with the megastar who finally revealed her face to the world."
Bright shook her head and said, "So, since we can't really hang out with friends and relax with other ponies besides each other, we bury ourselves with work. Getting more bits until we're the richest ponies in Equestria. And just to go out, we donate like millions to orphanages, hospitals, and companies. Homeless ponies, medical bills, all that jazz. Whenever we get home, we either make music in Magenta's studio, practice performing in my dance studio, or make a vlog post in the video studio.
"Relax in the pool in the back, go skating or scootering in the back, or just relax on the balcony or patio, drinking fine beverages that are more expensive than a diamond while watching a few other ponies play golf in the distance. Just for fun, we sometimes try on different clothes to make fun of mom, dad, each other.
"But at the end of the day?" Bright gestured between herself and Magenta. "It's just me and her. Sitting on the balcony in the back and watching the sun set and the moon rise before we go to sleep, then wake up and do it all again the next day."
Nopony said a sound. Even the breeze stopped blowing. Until Magenta pointed a hoof at one of the younger mares. "It's probably nothing, but your butt is glowing." Babs followed her hoof and blanched at the glowing pair of scissors. Her friends gasped and stared at her in astonishment. Then slowly turned to Bright and Magenta. "So uhh... what's it mean?"
Twilight gulped and answered, "Well it means somepony just got the biggest Friendship Mission in history since I became Princess."
After the Princesses and Element Bearers boarded the chariot and rode out of the loop, the gates were closed, leaving the Gold family. Rarity was looking over her shoulder at the immense size of the mansion, which looked even bigger from the sides. It didn't even deserve the term mansion, a castle seemed more like it.
"Thus the life of a megastar, or megastars," she muttered.
Applejack sighed and added, "Yep, that's what fame will do to ya'."
"And it's Babs responsibility now to fix that," Twilight announced. "Oh, boy."
Celestia sighed and said, "I am certain that Babs Seed will figure it out and help them. She is not alone in this. As for Magenta and Bright's situation, the most you can do is help Scootaloo's friends get to her. I know they will want to spend as much time with her as possible now that they've found her."
"They primarily came here to apologize," Pinkie Pie said, finally talking again. "So far, none of that is really working out."
"Then we can at least tell their parents," Cadance suggested. She made a motion with a hoof towards the area in front of them where an orange pegasus with a pink mane wearing a lab coat with a stethoscope around her neck was walking with a gold themed stallion with pretty much the same attire.
Celestia nodded and ordered the guard to slow down the chariot to stop next to them. The two were having some kind of conversation regarding philanthropy or something when they looked up at the large chariot containing the princesses and the Element Bearers. Kind squeaked and immediately pushed her face to the ground. "Hello, your highness!"
"Er... Hello, Kind Goldhoof," Celestia greeted awkwardly. Now she and everyone else could see what Magenta and Bright meant when they said they were far from being like The Manehattan Elite. "We would like to have a word with you two regarding your daughter...Magenta Streak."
She and Maximum shared a look then back up to the Princesses and Element Bearers. "Uhh...okay," Max responded.
"Please jump in," Luna requested. "We have a lot to discuss."
~✶~
After the Princesses left, Magenta and the girls quickly walked back into the mansion and calmly shut the door behind them. Sweetie looked around while Magenta walked forward towards the hallway they were just at. "So what do you girls like to do for fun?" She asked.
"Well I usually like to go out and have a little game of some sort," Diamond Tiara responded in glee.
Magenta and Bright looked at each other. Then back to Diamond. Bright asked, "And what's your name?"
"I'm Diamond Tiara and this is Silver Spoon." Diamond pointed to the gray and silver maned mare beside her, waving wildly and grinning like a mad pony. "We were friends of yours back in Ponyville when we were foals."
"Oh okay. Well how about we show you guys around first. Yeah?" Bright happily skipped away from the group towards the grand stairs. "We'll start with the studios! Because that's where all the action is!!" Magenta chuckled and then waved for the other girls to follow after them.
"You'll have to excuse Bright," she whispered to Babs. "She gets really excited when we meet ponies that don't ask for autographs. Yes, Sweetie Belle you can have one later." Sweetie Belle tapped her hooves together in glee. It was like Scootaloo knew her unasked question by heart!
They walked up the red staircase and then turned right on the walkway into another wide and grand hall filled with photos and more spacious rooms. Apple Bloom stuck her head inside of one and gaped. It was as big as her own, plus the kitchen, and the living room back home in Ponyville!!
Bright stopped for a moment and said quickly, "We're like the smallest family here in Manehattan Unique with the biggest house thanks to big sis."
"So how'd you two actually meet?" Applebloom asked before they continued walking.
Magenta hip bumped Bright and answered, "She snuck into my hospital room and started asking who I was and where'd I come from. Well she was highly disappointed when I told her I couldn't remember. So I asked her if we could just be friends and she immediately perked up. A sad and devastated Bright is the most saddest thing you will ever see. A bright, happy, and way too excited Bright is the one you want."
Bright jumped up and cheered, "YAY!!" Then landed and walked faster towards the double doors at the end of the hall. "Okay! THIS is our video studio. Where we make all of our videos and other things with a few more ponies in the neighborhood. Whenever we're bored, Magenta and myself would usually bring in all types of toys and things, then use those to create something fantastic!" Applebloom could tell Bright Snow was the life of the family here.
Bright walked forward and pushed the doors open into what was definitely a glass room in the back of the house. The second they looked inside, they were looking out of a completely glass wall that displayed the nearby Golf Course, the pool in the backyard, and surprisingly the skate park connected to their house that held tunnels, ramps, and bars to do all sorts of tricks on.
"Come on in! YAY!!" Bright cheered. Then strode right in. But the guests stayed still. Magenta rolled her eyes and then used her head to push them all in. "You know, Magenta actually recorded one of her popular original songs in here. The one you sang when you were in the hospital to mom, 'member sis?"
Magenta nodded and made her way towards the red and blue couches in the center of the room, facing the wall and a bunch of cameras. It looked like the glass wall was the background. "Yep, called Wake Me Up. You helped me put that down on paper when we were at Quick Hooves and I couldn't write yet." Magenta jumped onto the couch before her sister jumped on top of her, right on her back. "Ow! Bright!"
Ignoring her, Bright turned to the mares waiting. "As you can see, we have like the best view in Manehattan Unique. The sun rises and sets right behind the Golf Course. We have a balcony right above this room that Magenta and I usually go to watch it. Immediately after, we head in and hit the bed because I have school and everyone else has work."
Magenta groaned from underneath Bright and grunted, "Yep. Producing and mixing tracks is my job, Bright's is dancing and writing material for our videos. You know, you guys could stay the night if you want."
That was a surprise. Sweetie walked around into Magenta's view and made some hoof signs. Bright nodded and answered, "Yeah! We have like ten guest rooms on the residential floor directly above us. If you do decide to stay, try to keep it down with all those kissing sounds, 'kay? Hey, wanna see our rooms? C'mon!" She finally hopped off of Magenta's back and walked back towards the door. Well skipped was more of an appropriate word.
Magenta sighed and rolled her eyes. But sat up and buzzed the bones in her back then jumped off to lead the others.
When the Princesses said they needed to talk, the Gold family parents were not expecting a flight out of Manehattan and over Canterlot to Ponyville. The parents shared an unsure look as they landed on the road that led up to the train station and to Sweet Apple Acres.
Max turned and asked, "I'm sorry everypony, but why are we here?"
Twilight sighed and answered, "Because this is where everything really began." Everyone piled out of the chariots and gathered in front of the royal one. Twilight cleared her throat. "Walk with us, and we'll tell you everything."
The two shared another glance before they did beside Twilight, followed closely by the others and headed towards town.
"Years ago, there were a band of three fillies," Twilight began the tale. "Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. They had met by chance because they didn't understand Cutie Marks."
Applejack trotted up and said, "Applebloom came in later after Scootaloo and Sweetie caught her at a cutecenara trying to understand what made Cutie Marks special and why she didn't have one. Well those two didn't either. So they banded together and created a secret society."
"Dubbed the Cutie Mark Crusaders," Rarity added. The group walked into the town and waved at a few ponies. "They got into a lot of mischief trying different things to force a Cutie Mark on themselves. And not the small kind. A few known examples were Cutie Mark Crusader Alligator Wrangling, Cutie Mark Crusader Skydiving, things of that nature that were really dangerous."
"Oh my," Kind Goldhoof stated. "Were they ever hurt?"
"Not by any of those crusades, believe it or not," Twilight answered. They turned left onto a road that led towards some pretty dangerous woods cut off by a tall metal gate. "Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were pretty close. I can't recall how they met, but they were friends maybe two years before Applebloom came along. They soon became unbreakable, the friendship of all friendships. Scootaloo had a wing deformity and couldn't fly. So she idolized a friend of ours named Rainbow Dash."
"Element of Loyalty," Max completed. "The first pony to do a Legendary Rainboom. I've heard of her."
"Yes. She and Rainbow Dash were pretty close. So much so that Rainbow decided to teach her how to fly before she actually could. They were all friends. The CMC eventually did get their cutie marks in—ironically—helping other foals find theirs."
Goldhoof chuckled and commented, "How cute."
"Yes. They were all the best of friends. Until one day, a catastrophic event tore them all apart. One almost literally." Twilight lit her horn and walked everyone through the gates into the scary and dark forest. Max draped a protective wing over his wife as they continued, warming Cadance's heart.
"It happened a day before my twenty-first birthday. I was doing my duties at the time so I was not there, but the story was that Applejack had assigned the three to help put up banners for a surprise party. Now these are foals, remember that when I tell you this. Scootaloo was using her hoof to pull up banners while Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were using their teeth. Well the two became jealous and upset that Scootaloo didn't tell them. So they 'pranked' her by flinging her into the air with a banner and starting a chain of events that I will skip."
They ducked underneath a overhead vine. The sound of rushing water hit the ears of the parents before Twilight continued. "It ended up with Scootaloo flying into the square in front of the entire town. Who laughed."
"WHAT?!" Goldhoof yelled. She stopped and stared at her in disbelief. "They laughed at her?!" She turned and faced the Element Bearers who held guilty gazes. "Why would you do that?! What is wrong with you?!!!"
"Anyway!" Twilight said loudly before things could get out of hoof. Thus the scorn of a mother, the basin of anypony's existence. "Scootaloo became—we suspected—utterly embarrassed and humiliated, then ran away. At the time, the town didn't even realize she had disappeared. Until something rocked the entire city to its core that paused all movement."
Max focused on her and asked tentatively, "What happened?" He saw Twilight swallow deeply.
"...a scream. A loud, pain and agony-filled scream. And it was a filly's. I remember working on another form when I heard it and immediately ordered all the foals to be centered in the square so I could do roll call. All of them were there... Except Scootaloo."
"She was the one who screamed," Goldhoof whispered. Twilight led them through a tree line and towards a stream of fast moving water. That's what they suspected.
"Yes, Scootaloo screamed. I immediately requested Celestia and Luna's presence along with fifty Guards. We all began looking for her. A guard spotted her hoofprints in the dirt that led into these very woods along this same path, called the Everfree Forest. Nopony comes in here anymore. We followed those hoofprints, hoping she was okay. What we found devastated everypony in town."
"Our theory," Cadance stated. "Was that Scootaloo ran in here and either fell or jumped in this very river—"
"Oh my faust," Kindhoof interrupted. She and Max faced them and she asked desperately, "Are you saying she could have committed suicide?"
"Highly unlikely, but it was placed on the table. Either way, Scootaloo had gotten in these waves." Cadance pointed at the rapids in front of them, splashing water and sounds onto the shore. "Twilight, Luna, Celestia, and Rainbow Dash had tracked her down the river after Rainbow Dash spotted an abnormality. At the end of these waters are filters, used to chop up items that would clog up the water channel. At the moment, they were stopped up. Rainbow Dash had spotted a small... Orange wing."
"Oh no," Max whispered.
"We immediately tore it apart," Twilight continued. "I peeked inside and saw... Nothing but blood and a second wing. Blood in copious amounts. Scootaloo had been swept downstream, and that scream was when she... Flew into the filters." The parents didn't even breath, allowing that knowledge to sink in.
"We declared her deceased," Luna added. "And this forest was cut off from the rest of Equestria. Her friends, as well as Rainbow Dash, took it the hardest. You met all of them yesterday. They all descended into sadness, depression, then desperation until an attempted suicide."
"It started with Sweetie Belle, Rarity's sister," Twilight added. "The white mare you met who does sign language instead of actually talking yesterday."
"That was Sweetie Belle?" Max asked. "We never asked who she was."
"Yes. And the orange one with the red mane is her lover, Applebloom, Applejack's sister. The same friend. After the tragedy, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle decided to build a memorial." Twilight lit her horn and teleported them all back out of the forest and in the square once more of Ponyville. She pointed a hoof towards the single Apple Tree in the distance on the top of a massive hill that held four paintings. One blue and yellow, the others mainly purple shields. Glowing brightly. "We had retrieved Scootaloo's wings and placed them in a box to at least bury what remained. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle buried them themselves at the top of the Hill of Greatness. And planted apple seeds as a start of a new beginning. Then they deprecated the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The next day, Applebloom informed two other friends in the past that you may or may not remember. A pony and a Griffin named Babs Seed, and Gabrielle. They couldn't believe it, and wouldn't believe it. They managed to bring back hope to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, who then ran away by following where that water channel went, which was in Manehattan.
"But the worst was yet to come. Sweetie Belle had been degrading and punishing herself because of what happened. So much so that the thought of suicide was on her mind. The night before they left, Sweetie left a suicide note. We immediately sent out a purple note and mobilized the Guard in every city to lock them down and find those fillies. They were spotted in Manehattan. We found Applebloom first, who was looking for Sweetie Belle herself. A few minutes later, we found Sweetie in a terrible position.
"She had somehow gotten her hooves on a magic absorber and was using it to stop us from stopping her from dropping a rock from off the top of a bridge that had a rope wrapped around it and her neck, suffocating her. Sweetie was going to commit suicide in front of us, her family, and friends. Because she felt responsible for getting Scootaloo killed. She felt she didn't deserve to live.
"Rainbow Dash had managed to get her down by telling her own story about thoughts of suicide. The rope had managed to leave a groove in her throat, at the top of the esophagus where the vocal box is. Permanently damaging her throat. She can no longer talk or sing at full volume and resorted to sign language to communicate. None of them were the same after that. Having given up the false hope that Scootaloo was still alive. Until Babs and Gabby confirmed that she was. I don't know if you remember Mrs. Goldhoof. But many years ago, a young Appleloosan filly and a Griffin had shown up to East Manehattan Hospital and asked about a pony that matched Scootaloo's description. You supposedly said she was recently released. Ever since then, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Gabby, Babs, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon who were friends of theirs, have been searching non stop. Finally, after eight years of searching, she came to us. But not as we suspected. She came here..." Twilight looked to Kind Goldhoof. "Because she was touring Equestria."
"...no," Max and Kind whispered.
"Scootaloo is Magenta Streak. Fastest rising star of Electronic Dance Music, Vlogging, and DJ millionaire in Equestria. And the richest teenager in Equestrian history."
Max and Kind looked at each other then at the town around them. The story, Magenta's Cutie Mark that they could see was the biggest on that hill, Magenta's missing wings and all those scars...
"It all makes sense," the two whispered.
"We were at your home earlier after Magenta and her sister suspected those mares were hiding something when she saw them here this morning."
That caught their attention. Kind looked up and asked, "What?"
"They wanted to apologize," Celestia explained. "But your daughter didn't even want to know what happened. Though she and Bright did request that they stick around to hang out."
Kind and Max blinked, glanced at each other, then immediately turned around and took off, heading back to Manehattan. After the dust and coughing cleared, Rarity sighed and exhaled, "I wasn't expecting that."
"I kind of was," Fluttershy responded.
Magenta pushed open the double doors for her large two-floor bedroom. Her actual bed was on the bottom floor while what appeared to be an office sat at the top on a balcony on the side. It was messy with lyrics, instruments, and a lot more things like clothes and underwear littering the floor. Just like a regular teen's.
Bright poked her head in and made a face of disgust. "Ew," she deadpanned. "Magenta you have to clean your room, mine is spotless."
Magenta walked inside and casually used a rear hoof to kick back one of her underwear onto Bright's muzzle. "Ack—yuck! Stop it, Maggy! Gross! These have been in your lady bits!"
Magenta chuckled while Bright threw it back at her. "I need to wash my underwear," she stated. The other girls poked their heads inside and looked at the large area. Magenta stood up and spread out her hooves like at her concert. Then sang in a sing song voice, "Welcome~ to Magenta's lair~! Where dreams come true~~!"
"And where you mastur—" Another pair of underwear were thrown at Bright's face.
Ignoring that, Sweetie made a sign. "You have an office job?" Applebloom translated.
Magenta shrugged then ran up the stairs for her office. She flipped a switch to turn off the lights in the room then turned on a lamp for the desk. She grabbed some gold rimmed glasses and popped them on her face. Then smiled down from behind her desk.
"I have to read analytics and stuff for our videos that I print out," Magenta replied. "I do this at night so I know what we can make next. Along with viewing comments on my computer." She pointed across at the large black square hanging on the wall away from her desk on the opposite side of the room. She pressed a button somewhere up there and turned it on, displaying an animation for a Z27.
"You have a Z27 Mega?!" Babs asked.
Magenta nodded and answered, "Mainly used for business, but Bright and I watch movies on it. I don't make music with it. Come up here, er...."
"Babs."
"Babs Seed! Yeah, we went to school together! Come up here!" Ignoring the looks from her friends, Babs tentatively walked up the stairs and sat down in front of Magenta's desk. Magenta folded her hooves and positioned the lamp on Babs. "You have a lot to explain," she said in mock seriousness.
Babs smirked and asked, "Oh I do?"
"Yes. Tell me, Babs." Magenta sat back and kicked her hooves up on the desk with her eyes still trained. "Why didn't I know your name in high school?"
"Because you stuck with the musicians?" Babs answered, as if it were a dumb question. "Farmers and Musicians don't mix."
"Hmmm... Yeah, that adds up," Magenta responded. "But riddle me this... Is your name really Babs? Or is it Babs Seed?!" Bright sighed and shook her head down below.
Babs glanced around and answered, "It's...both."
Magenta chuckled and shook her head, "No, it's not."
"Maggy makes the lamest attempts at jokes," Bright muttered.
Magenta stood up and glared down to the others over the railing. "Shut up, Bright! And what did I say about calling me Maggy?"
"And what did I say about calling me Brightlight?" Bright fired back. Magenta reached back and picked up another pair of underwear and threw it down on top of Bright again. "Aw, come on!"
While Magenta chuckled, they heard yelling outside the door. "Bright? Magenta? Where are you?"
"Mom? Why is she yelling all of a sudden?" Bright asked. Magenta shrugged before the door burst open. Goldhoof and Max strode into the room and looked around. Then focused on Bright, who still had underwear on her head.
"Uhh... Dear you have... Take those off," Goldhoof instructed. Then locked eyes with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.
"Mom?" She and Max looked up towards Magenta's office, who was staring down with a confused expression. "Dad? You guys okay?"
They didn't answer. Instead, turned back to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Goldhoof slowly walked up with narrowed eyes then loudly stomped her hoof at the last step, making the two jump. "Let me make this very clear," she snarled. Then leaned in really close that they themselves had to lean back. "I will make your life a living tartarus if you ever hurt my daughter...again. Understand?"
Applebloom and Sweetie quickly nodded.
"Yes, ma'am," Applebloom responded.
Goldhoof looked around and pointed to the others. "That goes for the rest of you. Am I clear?"
"Mom, you're embarrassing me," Magenta groaned.
"Am I clear?!" Goldhoof repeated much more sternly. The other mares quickly nodded. Goldhoof nodded once and then smiled again, completely changing personalities. "You're welcome to stay the night. Don't make a mess, and baby please clean up your room and stop throwing underwear at your sister."
Goldhoof turned around and quickly made her way out of that bedroom. Max continued glaring at Applebloom and Sweetie Belle before he too turned and calmly walked out.