//------------------------------// // Paradise // Story: A Compass to the Soul // by CartoonNerd12 //------------------------------// *One Month Later* The island had never been better. Everything was thriving from flowers, plants, to the people that occupied the village. The children were running around playing and the adults were enjoying themselves with the company they kept. Scootaloo was the happiest filly in the world since she got her new parents. Rainbow Dash was the coolest mom while Soarin was awesome as a dad even if he did tell those awful jokes. The filly was currently hanging out with Sweetie Belle since Apple Bloom was gone along with Applejack and Big Mac and Sugar Belle. But they remembered her promise that she would return on occasion since now it was easy to visit the island. The craziest thing happened shortly after the wedding. According the hippogriffs the stormy clouds were gone and the waves were calmed down. Somehow the curse had been lifted and so now ponies were free to leave but while some left others stayed realizing this was a great thing they have especially with the friends they had made. Flash, Twilight and part of the Rainboom crew were the ones that stayed because of this. While others like the Apple family took back the ponies wanting to go home and that included Pinkie and Cheese. Rumble too was beyond happy to have his brother back and together they trained on the obstacle course becoming the best they could be. Thunderlane finally came to terms that the island was their home since Soarin told him that Rumble remembered the Storm King and decided that since Rumble was happier here after all they would stay. Plus he was no fool to realize that his little bro gain a crush on Soarin's adoptive daughter so going away now would be devastating on the little guy. The brothers had finished the obstacle course and panted heavily before going over to drink coconut milk to cool down. Rumble asked his brother, "Thunder… Can I ask you something?" "Sure bro, fire away." "Well… do you think I could become a bad guy?" Thunder frowned, "Thinking about that future orb?" "Uh-ah…" He sighed, "Aw, Rumble, we don't know what that thing was telling you. For all we know it was trick of some kind." "You… you really think that's what it was?" "Positive, because I know you don't have an evil bone in your body." "But what about when you went into that coma?! That was my fault!" "That was an accident and I think it was more Discord's fault for influencing you like that." Rumble tried to protest but even he was unsure if that's what happened or not. Then he asked, "Can I go play with my friends?" "Sure, just be back by dinner okay?" "Okay." he went but instead of heading toward the village he went to the waterfall to reflect. At that time Scootaloo was walking by with Sweetie and she spotted him. "Hey Sweetie, mind if we catch up later?" Sweetie just smirked and nudged her friend, "Sure I can give you some alone time with your boyfriend." Scoots went beet red, "He's not my boyfriend!" The unicorn foal taunted, "Not yet…" she giggled and went off. Scootaloo was still blushing but quickly got over it as she went toward him. "Hey Rumble." "Hey…" he solemnly replied. She awkwardly asked, "So um… whatcha doing?" "Thinking." "Thinking about what?" "The future…" "Oh, um, do you see yourself having a great one?" being careful from letting on that she already knew about his worries. "I wish…" he sighed. There was a pause between them before he suddenly asked her, "Do you see yourself having one?" "Well, kind-of, I mean I don't know what the future holds for me since I haven't gotten my cutie mark yet." "But that doesn't mean you have to let your cutie mark make the choices you want out of life." "Uh, I never thought of it like that." "What if… what if I can show you what your future could be like?" Her eyes widen, "You can do that? How?" even though she already knew how she still was curious to see the supposed magic orb that can let you see the future. "Just follow me…" he smiled. They found themselves sneaking around Discord's home and Rumble using his wings helped lifted Scootaloo up to a window and both got in. They were in a room where the Orb of Pythia sat on a pedestal. Rumble had swore he would never go near it again but he genuinely wondered what would happen if Scootaloo would touch the orb. They got closer to it and Scootaloo looked at it with awe and slowly moved her hoof to it then hesitated to look at Rumble but he encouraged her to go on. She did and touched the ball with her eyes glowing. Scootaloo soon saw her older self lying in a bed looking wore out like she been through a great ordeal. She saw another mare that looked like a nurse and she was holding a baby in her arms. Older Scootaloo begged to the nurse, "Please… let me hold him…" The nurse looked like she wasn't going to but then she did and gently placed the baby in his mother's arms. Younger Scootaloo could see the smile on her older self's face because even though she was in pain she still smiled for her child. This made the younger self feel proud of how strong she'll become and before she could see the face of her future child she was back to where she was. "Well? What did you see?" Rumble inquired. Scootaloo looked back to him not sure how to reply. "I… I saw…" "Yeah…?" She quickly turned away. "Scootaloo?" concern grew on his face and tried to reach out to her. "What happened? Is it that awful?" "No! It's something wonderful!" "Wonderful?" he frowned and turned, "Never mind I don't need to know more." She paused before slowly saying, "Rumble… I need to confess something." "What?" She sighed and closed her eyes before opening them again, "I know about what you saw in the orb…" His eyes widen in horror, "You… you know?" and demanded, "How?!" She made a guilty face, "I overheard you talking to Daring Do." He scowled further as she quickly continued, "Look I know that was wrong of me to do that and I'm sorry I did it but I want to help you. I want to help you from the fate you saw in this orb!" He was surprised at first but then his eyes welled and in a shocking turn of events he hugged her while crying. Scootaloo was shocked at first seeing him like this but she returned his embrace as he pleaded, "Please…" She smiled and had him face her making him smile too. Suddenly they could hear voices coming their way and with panicked expressions on their faces they quickly hid behind some sandy furniture as Discord's jovial voice said, "But that's not all! When I went to look for them again, they were on the ceiling!" Fluttershy laughed, "Oh, Discord, I've never known anypony as funny as you! I especially love that story about the time you tried to train your right paw…" she giggled, "To fetch your left leg!" He laughed with her, "Yes, it is quite the amusing tale, isn't it?" he snapped his fingers and a table with a tea set and two comfy chairs appeared before them. "Now our Tuesday tea can begin." he pulled the right chair out for her as he bowed, "Milady." She tittered as she sat down. Rumble and Scootaloo felt trapped knowing if they tried to make a break for the window then they would surely get caught. "Oh!" Fluttershy exclaimed, "Dear me I forgot the cucumber sandwiches! I'll be right back!" she rushed out. Discord sighed lovingly, commenting, "She's always so thoughtful…" before he smirked and called out, "You come out you know." The kids gawked hearing that before Discord popped behind them making them yelp. He clicked his tongue, "Such naughty children, trying to spy on a personal affair, now I understand you two want to take notes for when it's your turn to date but eavesdropping is not the way." "WHAT?!" they yelled as they both protested over each other, "NO! We're not- gross- you got it all wrong!" Discord just laughed before he crossed his arms and stated, "So… you came to see the Orb of Pythia again, trying to see if your future has changed no doubt." Rumble motioned, "Actually no, we came to see what Scootaloo's future was like." Discord's eyes widen in intrigue and stretched his neck to the filly, "Annnd?" Scootaloo stammered, "Well um… I don't how to put it, but it was amazing." "Like how amazing?" She tried to put the words together but she saw Rumble leaving and said, "Rumble where are you going?" He just replied, "It's a surprise, go ahead and tell Discord what you saw then meet me at the falls in half an hour." he zipped out without word. Scootaloo was confused but she faced the draconequus who made his ears larger and said, "Go ahead I'm all ears." She shook her head before outright saying, "I saw my older self have a son." Discord's jaw dropped all the way to the floor then shouted, "It showed you that?!" "Yeah! I saw myself lying in a bed and I was given a baby that was my son!" "Incredible… just incredible." the chaotic being was in the daze and then questioned, "Was that it?" "Yeah, pretty much." "I see…" She guiltily said, "I hope you're not too mad at us for sneaking in here." He dismissively waved his hand, "Pish-posh, I could care less about that. Now run along and find out what that boy is up to, I'm most curious as to what it is." She giggled and quickly hugged him before going. Discord was touched by the hug and was smiling before he got serious and eyed the Orb, saying, "Alright, what's your game here… I know you don't show futures unless it was for a reason why else would I or Soarin, or Flash or anyone else have tested you out to see if we could see our futures too. But now Scootaloo saw her future with having a son. The question is… why? Why show Rumble he might become a bandit and Scootaloo to have a child, what could it mean? Unless…" his eyes widen, "Their destinies are intertwined!" Discord was floored by the possibility but it made sense why else would Scootaloo and Rumble had met at such a young age? If Scootaloo's prediction was right then it was important that she has a son with Rumble but how did that fit to Rumble's future? It was a mystery. By then Fluttershy came back with the sandwiches and saw the troubled look on the draconequus's face, "What's wrong?" He turned to her and declared, "Change of plans, darling, we need to find Rainbow Dash and Soarin and tell them what I've just learned." She was confused but didn't question it as he teleported them away. Scootaloo got to the waterfall close to sunset and was stunned to see Rumble setting up a rope and harness made of vines on a tree branch. "What's this?" "You remember when we were turned into seaponies and you said that this must be what it's like to fly?" "Yeah…?" not sure where he was going with this. "Well it got me thinking and I've been working on this for over a month making sure it will work." "What works?" "Here I'll show you," he attaches the harness around her and then uses the rope in his mouth like a pulley to lift her up. She wasn't sure what was going to happen but she trusted Rumble that he knew what he was doing. Then he moved the rope around more and she began to move and spin around making her go, "W-Whoaaa!" Rumble mumbled out, "See?! This is what flying is!" She gasped at his words and looked ahead to see the view while getting the use to the feeling with her eyes gleaming. She exclaimed out of joy as he kept moving the rope. After some time, Rumble got tired and had to lower her down. Scootaloo still had that rush of adrenaline in her as she jumped around, "That was so amazing! I loved every bit of it!" The colt just smiled, "I'm glad…" "Thank you…" she uttered. "You're welcome…" he uttered back. The two ended up staring at each other until a bright glow interrupted them and they turned to see a sight that made them gasp. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Scootaloo saw she gets a son in the future?!" Rainbow yelled out while being in her and her husband's hut with all their friends there after Discord summoned them and just told them what he knew. "Correct Mrs. Soarin, as you know you and nearly everyone else in this room has tried the orb only for it to not work, and yet it only worked for the kids, go figure." "But why? Why would it show that to her?" Dash questioned. Discord shrugged, "That is the part I am uncertain about. I have a theory but I don't think you would like hearing it." Soarin scowled, "Why?" "Well… methinks there was a reason Rumble and Scootaloo met and since the orb showed their futures I can't help but think that they're connected, if you catch my drift." The couple's eyes widen, with Dash slowly starting, "Wait… you don't think that…" "Rumble will be the father?!" Soarin finished looking aghast. "That exactly what I think." "But how?!" Flash hollered out. Everyone gave him weird looks. He stammered and corrected himself, "I mean, I know how, I meant how is it that their futures are connected if it showed him becoming a bandit, maybe…" Twilight nodded, "Right, we can't say for sure if he'll be the father if there was no father present in her vision so it could be someone else instead." The draconequus challenged, "Then why did only they could touch the orb and see their futures? Care to explain that?" "I…" the unicorn faltered before letting out a grunt, "Look! I don't know okay?! I don't have the answers to everything just like you don't!" "Excuse me?! But I am a very powerful entity that knows a lot more than you! Why I have knowledge that you can't begin to comprehend!" The two went on a bickering session and as their friends were about to break it apart Scootaloo and Rumble rushed in doing just that as the foals panted heavily and Scootaloo went to her parents wheezing out. "Waterfall… Moon Goddess… Have to come see…" she fell to the floor in exhaustion. Everyone in the room stood there in shock not sure if they heard her right. Rumble wheezed out too, "Luna… she's here and she wants to talk to you…" and he fell to the floor too before falling asleep.