“I’m here… Scootaloo. I’m here.” Twilight continued to whisper.
For a moment, however brief Biollante was caught off guard. This… this pony thought that they could understand? In the back of her mind, something urged her. Something she was trying to push aside, and keep from returning from the depths.
A guttural voice rose up bubbling from Biollante’s throat, erupting in a: “H-Heeeellllllppppp meeeeee…” before that voice turned to a wail. Biollante shrieked and grabbed Twilight with one of her vines before sending her flying. Twilight smashed through several buildings and rolled into a park. She looked up, Biollante now uncomfortably close to Ponyville. The massive plant threw back it’s head and roared, limbs flailing about wildly.
“Oh boy…” Twilight thought to herself. She flashed back.
“I apologize Princess Twilight, but I cannot hold myself here that long,” the strange alicorn said. Twilight blinked and lit up her horn before easing off. Twilight didn’t quite know how, but she knew that this strange newcomer meant no harm. In the back of her mind, something whispered to her. Inspiration. Inspiration. Inspiration. Inspiration. But it couldn’t be, could it? Inspiration was just that, a myth. But then again, myths had an odd habit of coming true as of late. “Creating a physical form for myself is not easy. My plain of existence and yours are very different things. Holding a link between them is not that easy, even for one such as myself. But please, you must listen to what I have to say.”
“Who...? Who are you?” Twilight breathed out. But she knew, somehow she just knew. “But… no, you’re impossible. Simply impossible.”
“Impossible is just another word for extraordinary, isn’t it?” Inspiration asked. “You know who I am, don’t you?”
“Inspiration, the Mother of All…” Twilight breathed. “Some say it was you who gave life to both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. But… I thought you were just a myth!”
“Yes, well, all myths seem to be coming true these days don’t they?” Inspiration asked. All around them, the office faded away and images flashed through Twilight’s mind. Images of the mare’s many creations.
Far and away deep within a jungle on a perilous treacherous island, a massive ape came into view, looking back at Twilight with age-old eyes. Gruffly snorting, the ape walked into the misty mountains and vanished. Deep within a sea, Titanosaurus thrashed with a giant shrimp, grappling the creature and tossing him into a giant squid of similar size. The shrimp lunged forwards, -after freeing himself from the squid’s grip- only for Titanosaurus to rip off one of its arms and began beating him over the head with it. A world of violence and savagery, but a world of nature keeping the balance. And a world of beauty and wonder as well, as shown by the next image. Mothra, Mother of All raising her wings and taking a gentle fly over Honolulu to the awe of a crowd.
“My children are many, and some of them… need guidance,” Inspiration continued as Battra’s battle with Rodan was shown, before another image replaced it. Two Frankenstein-style monsters battling it out on a savannah, zebras looking on in wonder and in fear. “The problem is, not all of them understand that they no longer rule this world. Godzilla and Mothra can only do so much. They need a bridge if you will.
“So you brought back Scootaloo as a Titan, knowing she’d go on a rampage!?!” Twilight shrieked, her horn igniting itself in her anger. The very air began to crackle with magic. She didn’t care that this was Inspiration, a goddess. She was mad at her for using Scootaloo in her own personal chess match.
“Please do not misunderstand,” Inspiration said calm as ever. Raising a hoof, she touched it to Twilight’s horn and out with a flash went her magic. “I did not intend for all of… this to happen. There are certain rules of magic even I must follow to their fullest. What Scootaloo died with, she must be brought back with. Even I cannot subvert the laws of magic that are beyond even my control. If you have an issue with them, you can take it up with a higher deity.”
“Great…” Twilight mumbled sarcastically to herself.
“The one you call Scootaloo still exists in that mess of rage and confusion. You just need to find a way to bring her out,” Inspiration continued even as her body began to flicker and fade. “I’m sure you’ll find a way, I have faith in you.”
She had faith in her, great. Just great, Twilight thought to herself. So how was she supposed to stop a rampaging Titan?
This was what it’s like to be Twilight Sparkle right now. You’re the most intelligent mare alive, if not a little anxiety-ridden. Okay, maybe a lot anxiety-ridden. You just want to curl up under a blanket and go home.
But you cannot, at least not right now. Your kingdom, the one your teachers left you, is in need of your services. And you know you are one of the only ones capable of saving it.
So no pressure there, huh? But as I said, you are an intelligent mare. You know magic others do not, and you have your friends at your back.
Not to mention one massive pterodactyl known as Titanus Rodan. Arrogant beyond belief, a little bit stupid but powerful and courageous. He is the guardian of the skies, just as Biollante is the guardian of the earth itself.
A plan begins to form in your mind, you know every resource at your beck and call. You know exactly how to use them, you know exactly how to use the spells at your disposal.
You know there is a young mare relying on you at this very moment and that you cannot fail her no matter what you do. You know she is your subject, your friend and you know you have to save her.
And most importantly, you know exactly how to do so.
This is what it’s like to be inside Rainbow Dash’s head right now.
Your sister in all but blood, long thought dead is suddenly revealing herself to be alive and… well, not quite well but still alive. She’s a plant monster now, okay that’s kinda cool and you can deal.
One of your best friends say they have a way to retrieve her, and they require your help. Almost immediately, you say yes. You lost your sister once, and now you know you can get her back.
You don’t care if your sister is a giant plant monster and currently on the rampage. Your sister is still your sister. Nothing will change that.
So obviously you must pitch into help and save her. It’s the only right thing to do, it’s the only sisterly thing to do. But no, Twilight tells you. You don’t engage in battle directly, no you have to fetch someone. Someone who will be the only hope of bringing Scootaloo back. Someone who loves her more than you do.
At first, you wonder who this could possibly be, but then it hits you. Of course, who else could it possibly be? Then you rocket off in search of this pony.
Let it be said Rodan was never an easy Titan to catch by surprise, he’d seen plenty of shit all throughout his long life. Yes, he was rude, proud and hugely arrogant but he had every right to be one of these things. He was self-assured in his position, he had earned it throughout ages of battle. He was… well, I suppose you already know what he was by this point. And I suppose you already know how damn well proud of his position he was.
So when one of the Small One’s voices was inside his mind, well… Rodan was understandably caught off-guard. This was new. Was this one an Alpha of her kind? Was she like… him? The Golden Demise, whispering words of venom inside his head, wanting him to lash out against… No, no she wasn’t. An Alpha she may have been, but she wasn’t like the False King. She was more like the Queen of the Monsters in some regards. Kind, and gentle. An understanding sort.
More importantly, she needed his help. That must have taken some courage, a Small One bowing down to him and asking, no begging for his help. Well, after a display like that then, well… who was he not to oblige her? So, Rodan took to the skies and looped-de-looped around before tucking in his wings and dive-bombing Biollante. Pinning her to the ground, Rodan kept his mighty beak poised to strike. He didn’t want to rip open into her brain or rip open her core but he would.
“And stay down…” he growled lowly to the plant kaiju. Godzilla’s sister or daughter or whatever she was, he didn’t honestly care. He was just so done with her nonsense. Well, he supposed the King could have gotten a worse family member. At least this one bore a slight resemblance to his Majesty.
Rainbow Dash rocketed through the town, and nearly crash-landed inside Carousel Boutique where every dress was sweet chic and… oh Celestia, Rarity was rubbing off on her. Rainbow Dash did not do frilly frou-frou dresses and she did not dress in style. Righting herself at the last moment, the mare skidded to a halt with an almost comical screeching sound.
“Rainbow…?” Sweetie asked as she and Rarity peeked their heads out from behind cover. Rainbow wasn’t sure how that would have saved them, but whatevs. Least they were easy to find. The last thing Rainbow wanted to do was turn the entire shop or worse the entire town upside down looking for them. Time was not on her side right now. Or anyone’s for that matter.
“Right, sorry about the door, I promise I’ll repair it!” Rainbow said rapidly. “Right now I need Sweetie!”
“Um… pretty sure I’m a little young for you Rainbow…” Sweetie said and Rainbow looked somewhat embarrassed. She could have worded that a little better. Okay, way better. Sweetie gained an impish grin before saying: “Besides, not sure this is the time…”
Rainbow groaned, trolled by Sweetie Belle. Oh, that was humiliating.
“L-Listen, I uh… kinda maybe sorta need Sweetie’s help?” Rainbow asked hurriedly rather eager to regain her lost pride. “So, if you just…”
“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity snapped. “Whatever it is, I’m quite sure it can wait till after we’re done being ATTACKED BY A GIANT PLANT MONSTER! ...Oh, I’m never going to look at ferns the same way again after this…”
Indeed, all of the ferns had been in Rainbow terminology ‘yeeted’ out of the house. Rainbow then said, narrowing her eyes: “It’s about Scootaloo.”
This is what it’s like to be Sweetie Belle right now. You’ve been trying not to think about your lost friend for several months now, but then Rainbow waltzes back in and says her name. Her name.
You’re a whole mix of emotions, angry, sad, a hopeless wreck. But then Rainbow goes on to say both she and Twilight believe that you’re about the only way to save her soul.
You love Scootaloo, you hadn’t realized it until after her demise -painful irony there- but you’d realized it. So anything to help her, even the faintest hope you’d take.
You aren’t sure if you should, false hopes and all that. Or maybe you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak all over again. But then again, if if was Scootaloo and you were in her position you know she’d do the same for you.
You’re an idiot, maybe, but an idiot in love. An idiot in love with her best friend and you want to save her no matter what it costs you. Yeah, even if she has to come out half-plant. She’s still your marefriend to be right?
So you say these very simple words: “What do I have to do?” and Rainbow smiles in relief.
So the final phase of the battle began, Starlight contributing with her own considerable magical skill. She created whips and lashes of magical energy to hold Biollante down, and hold her down they did. Every time a vine tried to rise up to strike at Rodan or the two mages, another whip of magical energy wrapped itself around the vine ever tighter.
Starlight didn’t even look visibly strained by any of it. A testament to her fortitude indeed, the unicorn holding back globs of acidic sap with shields springing up to greet them.
Twilight as she calmly strode up to Biollante’s gaping maw, Sweetie and Rainbow following behind nervously had a flashback.
““Barely,” Maina replied. “Her soul’s there, but if we don’t act quickly, she’s going to be consumed by the hatred of the monster her soul inhabits now. Or worse, something else will rip her vessel apart and she’ll die once more and bringing her back will make her more of a poltergeist than a pony.”
“Then we talk to her,” Meadowbrook said regaining her composure. “First things first, we need to know her mental state, how far along she is, and how long we have before her Titan side consumes her.”
“Well, you’d better hurry up then,” Maina said in an icy cold tone. “If you don’t act really quick, you’ll lose your friend—again.”
No, that would not happen again here. No, this time she would not fail. She was Twilight Sparkle, student of Princess Celestia, regent of the Sun. She was Twilight Sparkle, currently Princess of Equestria and ruler of all that was. She was Princess Twilight Sparkle, the successor to the regent of the sun and this time she would not let Scootaloo’s soul slip away.
She hesitantly landed on the vine and trotted forward, her legs shaking. “I’m your friend, Scootaloo. I want to help you.”
“She’s right,” Miana said gently while Maina trembled. “You know her, even now she’s working away in her head on how to get you back to your original body.”
“He-eeeelp meeee?” a garbled voice, stuck somewhere between the innocence of a filly and the vehement disdain of a wrath-filled beast, asked. “Y-yes! Help me, Twilight!”
Not this time, that horror would not happen again. This was Twilight’s time, with a perfected spell and the faith of Inspiration herself behind her.
Suddenly, a roar filled the air; vines lashing out in every which direction. Poor Miana and Maina were nearly thrown off and eventually were before Twilight grabbed them in her hooves and pulled them close to her chest. “You cannot h-help her, no, us! She’s mine—MINE!”
She was not yours, Biollante, Twilight thought to herself. She never was. She was Scootaloo Dash Allgood, a pony just like everyone else. Inspiration may have intended Scootaloo to be a bridge between the two worlds, but right now the mare could suck it. Twilight was more concerned with saving her subject than the desires of a goddess. She could not, no she would not fail her ever again!
Sweetie Belle looked up nervously at Rodan, the massive pterodactyl eying them warily. She wasn’t sure if she could trust the Titan, it looked more like he was more interested in a light snack over helping them. One look at Rainbow seemed to confirm that she was thinking along the same lines.
“...Geez, never thought I’d see the day where we had to trust His Royal Highness,” Rainbow muttered as they clambered up plant matter. Rodan’s beak was looming dangerously above them, the talons digging into plant fiber. One vine poised to strike at Rodan’s back, but Twilight blasted it away, cleaving the top half off the vine entirely.
Rodan blinked in surprise, that was… shocking. Why would the Alpha Small One even begin to help him? Was it a simple matter of convenience? A ‘You die and I die as well’ type of deal? No, that wasn’t it. It seemed the Alpha of these ponies was actually interested in helping him. It was rather… well, he felt rather ashamed. He hadn’t actually done much to deserve their help. He’d ripped and torn into their society with giant claws and disrupted daily life. Oh sure, he’d helped Ocellus but in the grand scheme of things he doubted he was particularly welcome.
But then again… helping others who couldn’t help themselves was a Titan’s job, wasn’t it? They lorded above the small ones. They were gods to them. He supposed it was a god’s responsibility to look after those he ruled over. A humbled Rodan had a realization about then. Being good… well, it actually felt… sorta nice actually. So, he continued his part in matters and kept on holding his foe down.
Yes, sure she shrieked and wailed and she could do it all she liked but she was not moving any further.
“Don’t even try…” he hissed out at her. “That mare right there is a mare on a mission and she will not be stopped by the likes of you.”
This is what it’s like to be Rodan right about now. Your whole world has been turned topsy turvy.
In the span of a few months, you’ve been woken up from a long slumber, found your world has changed and had your mate slain by the Battle Moth a few moments after.
Then it changes again, with the arrival of a relation to the King. You soon find yourself aiding the small ones in stopping her. Then you find out you actually like doing it. What has your world come to?
You honestly don’t know, but you’ll figure it out. You always do. You hadn’t survived this long by not adapting to the changing times. Aside from that, you feel your mate would be proud of you for doing this. She always was the kinder one of you two. At first, you thought her an idiot for being like this, but then you discover you loved her even more for that.
Speaking of love, with a simple tap of her hoof atop Biollante’s head, Sweetie Belle was now inside the monster’s mind.
Rainbow was at her side, and really what they saw was a…. Jungle of sorts. Plant matter and magic mixed to create this place where wild things grew, ripping away at clouds. Vines stretched up to the heavens and pulled them down. It was remarkable that neither went insane.
But they knew they had to press on, Scootaloo was somewhere in here. The question was… where?
“F-Follow the clouds I guess?” Sweetie Belle squeaked out as she jumped onto a puffy white cloud, and then another using them like stepping stones. “Y-You know, if you ignore the wild vines it’s almost… heavenly.”
“Yes, well, when it stops looking like a demented version of that old beanstalk fable I’ll be happy,” Rainbow muttered. “Come on, let’s find the squirt.”
“Y-Yeah…” Sweetie agreed.
“You know, if we get out of this,” Rainbow said following alongside the mare. “I’m going to have to give you the whole big sister intimidation speech. You know the one, about how if you hurt her, I hurt you and all that.”
“Oh trust me, after all of this…?” Sweetie said gesturing around them. “I wouldn’t even dare to dream of that. Like, I wouldn’t even…”
“Yeah, didn’t think you would,” Rainbow said. “...Just needed to get that out there, you know right? I mean, hello it’s my job as her big sister.”
A few chuckles were shared between the two. They continued on. It soon became obvious where Scootaloo was, as memories passed by in a blur. The moment of Scootaloo’s first meeting with Rainbow, for once.
Rainbow wiped a tear from her eye, she remembered that memory well. It was… yeah, she didn’t recognize it at the time but that little filly had touched her heart. Her, the super ultra-cool lone wolf daredevil. Well, apparently as it turned out having a little sister was even cooler.
Then the fateful camping trip passed by, the one that cemented their relationship as sisters. More memories flew by, such as the Equestria Games. Scootaloo befriending Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Rainbow knew they were getting close, as the memories were getting more and more recent. They just had to be. Another memory, this one of Rainbow’s parents. Another, this one of Scootaloo’s parents returning after so long.
Truth be told… Rainbow was divided on the two. Yeah, they had big important jobs but coming into her life like that after so long? Demanding that she up her roots and go with them to God knows where? Rainbow… was less than pleased. Not to mention the timing, considering there had been plenty of invasions before. The Storm King had been more dangerous to Equestria then Sombra had. Scootaloo’s parents didn’t uproot their daughter then.
Part of her wondered if the two just wanted to be seen with the now hugely famous Cutie Mark Crusader. Maybe Rainbow was being salty, but it wasn’t a coincidence that the two appeared only after the CMC’s talents of helping others with their talents had really hit the gossip chain. Honestly, Rainbow knew she would make a better parent to Scoots over those two. At least in her mind. Maybe she was biased. Maybe she didn’t know the full story.
Or maybe Sweetie shared her views, considering the look on her face when she saw her best friend’s parents. It was… actually pretty condemning actually. Ouch. Like, serious ouch. Yeah, Rainbow knew she certainly wouldn’t want that look directed at her anytime soon! That was for sure.
“Hold her tight kid, and never let her go. She’s a keeper,” Rainbow mused, though who the thought was directed to… she wasn’t entirely sure. Maybe it was directed to both of them, probably was. If anyone deserved a happy ending out of all of this, it was these two.
Then, at last, they saw her. “R-Rainbow? Sweets?” Scootaloo whispered, looking a cross between half-plant and half-pony. Oh yes, sure the basic shape was there but Scootaloo’s fur had turned a dark earthy brown, and her mane was now a deep moss green. And then there was the pulsating orb in her chest. Freaky, but kinda cool. “Y-You came?”
“Of course we did!” Sweetie Belle squeaked out.
“What, you think we’re going to just leave you behind to get consumed by this monster?” Rainbow asked with a roll of her eyes. “Yeah, I didn’t think so! Now, come on kid, let’s get you out of here!”
“But… the others, what will they think of me?” Scootaloo asked in a moment of self-doubt. “I mean, I’m hardly normal now am I?”
“So what?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I… I don’t care. You’re still you right?”
“Kid’s right. You’re still the most awesome pony around right?” Rainbow added.
“And besides,” Sweetie Belle asked. “If we don’t get out of here, how are you going to take me out on that date you wanted?”
“D-Date?” Scootaloo asked.
“Yeah, duh!”: Sweetie said. “I… I care about you Scoots, I… oh, to hell with it!”
At this, she slammed her lips onto Scootaloo’s own. Scootaloo’s eyes widened, but she accepted the kiss just as the world faded to white. A shriek was heard, but neither cared even as plant matter began to die all around them. What was left of Biollante’s body was already beginning to rot. Neither cared, all they cared was getting lost in each other.
“Should… should we, uh, break them apart?” Twilight whispered to Rainbow.
“Those two?” Rainbow asked, ignoring the big gust of wind that was Rodan taking to the skies, his job done. “Nah, if anything I think they’ve earned the right to suck each other’s faces a bit. They’ve earned this. They’ve earned each other. Hey Scoots, I better be your best mare, alright?”
Scootaloo smiled and nodded before going back to kissing Sweetie again. Her Sweetie. Her Sweetie.
“Well, I guess that’s the end of that…” Meadowbrook said as the last of the rotting plants were burned away. The clouds were beginning to clear, revealing an absolutely beautiful sunset.
Big Mac walked up. “Yeah, it’ll take a bit, but Ponyville will move on and rebuild. We always do.”
“You’re more talkative than usual,” Meadowbrook noted.
“Yes, well, don’t expect me to make a habit of it,” Big Mac said and Meadowbrook giggled.
“I suppose I should be getting on home. My swamp hut sounds nice this time of year. I mean…” Meadowbrook said as she trailed off looking at Scootaloo and Sweetie. Then she looked at Rainbow. “I’m not exactly sure I’m welcome here really…”
Then Scootaloo walked on over, Meadowbrook had to refrain herself from staring at her new appearance. Then, to Meadowbrook’s surprise, Scootaloo hugged her.
“It’s alright.”
“...even after what I did?” Meadowbrook asked.
“Pfft, I don’t have it in me to hold a grudge, I don’t think most ponies do. It’s just not in our nature,” Scootaloo said, the orb on her chest pulsating softly.
“You know the murder victim shouldn’t be forgiving the murderer, right?” Meadowbrook asked, sounding near tears.
“Yes, well, I’m not entirely sure I’d call it murder really…” Scootaloo said. “You did what you thought was best. I can’t hold that against you. Besides, I came out smelling like roses right? ...Actually, I think I did that literally. Hmm, never was a perfume girl but…”
“I like it!” Sweetie Belle said nuzzling herself up against the half-plant pony. “You’re always smelling like you’re ready for love!”
Scootaloo nearly choked as Meadowbrook blushed red. Big Mac blushed even redder amazingly, now an interesting shade of crimson. “Um… yes, well…” Meadowbrook trailed off.
“Ah, how good it is to be young and in love again right…?” Big Mac said quickly changing the subject.
“Yes, well, you’re still young!” Meadowbrook pointed out.
“Not as young as I used to be!” Big Mac argued. In the background, Sweetie and Scootaloo made kissing noises until a glare from their sisters silenced them.
“So… uh, what now?” Meadowbrook said.
“I mean, I guess we all go back to our normal lives so…” Big Mac trailed off.
“No, I mean really what now? I mean, we shared a moment or two back there so…” Meadowbrook said. “I mean, we can’t just ignore it can we?”
“I… I’d have to talk to Sugar Belle about it, I mean I’m not sure she’d be happy about…” Big Mac trailed off when Meadowbrook kissed him on the cheek.
“Well, doll, when you figure it out, come talk to me. I’ll be a-waiting!” Meadowbrook said, sauntering off an extra sway in her step, Big Mac rubbing the spot where she’d kissed him.
Life went on as normal, okay a new normal but slowly but surely everyone was settling into it. Reports of Titans filled the newspapers, such as Godzilla paying a welcome visit to a cruise line of the coasts of Equestria. Rainbow had to chuckle at that, the King of the Monsters treated as an honest to goddess celebrity of all things. News of Rodan reached the reporters as well. Apparently, he’d settled onto a volcanic island off Haywaii and was currently nesting there. There were rumors he was nursing little chicks, but so far they seemed to be unconfirmed.
Mind you, what the reporters were focusing on nowadays was something else entirely. Take, for instance, Sweetie Belle, or Dame Sweetie Belle as the reporters called her. World-class fashion model and songwriter. The Princess of Ponyville if you like. Pop superstardom spurred on from encouragement by both Rarity and the former Countess Coloratura.
Rainbow looked at the picture on her wall, framed in a place of pride. It was something a reporter had snapped in the wake of the whole Biollante incident as it was starting to be called. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, lips locked in a kiss. Yeah, sure it was a bit mushy but it was sweet. Goddess knew the two deserved it after the whole thing was said and done.
“Rainbow, stop fussing!” Rarity said.
“This thing is uncomfortable, I can’t believe I let them talk me into this…” Rainbow groaned, mostly resigned to this by this point.
“Well you’re the one who lost the bet, now stop fussing and let me work,” Rarity huffed. “You want to look nice for the wedding, don’t you?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow said with a sigh. Never mind the fact that there was never a bet in the first place. More like a promise. Rarity just chuckled a little. She looked back at the picture for a moment and smiled again after a moment. “It feels like it was only yesterday that all happened.”
“I still can’t believe how hard it was to design a dress for Scootaloo, I mean what works with brown and green?” Rarity said. Rainbow remembered the… er, let’s say minor meltdown the fashionista had when she realized she’d have to be the one designing the dress for a half-plant half-pony. Several fainting couches were involved, along with a brown paper bag. Rainbow and Applejack happily provided, all the while rolling their eyes.
“Well, at least she’s back… that’s something at least,” Rainbow said softly. “I’m happy for her and Sweetie. Even if she’s changed, she’s still Scootaloo, that’s what matters to me… to us.”
“To us?” Rarity teased prodding her friend in the chest with a hoof. “Oh, dearie, are you confessing your love to moi?”
“What? No, no, no, I meant… all of us, who care about her, you know!” Rainbow said quickly, trying to correct herself.
“I know dear…” Rarity said with a giggle. “But a mare is allowed to have her fun, no?”
“You’re enjoying this way too much aren’t you?” Rainbow groaned. She muttered something about rather frilly frou-frou fashion horses who spent way too much time with their romance novels. Rarity gave her a small whack over the head for this. Rainbow laughed nervously.
“I can read what I want, someday soon my Prince Charming will come,” Rarity affirmed. “Just you watch and wait! You’ll see!”
“You sure it’s not a Princess Charming?” Rainbow leered wiggling her eyebrows in comical fashion.
“Yes, now hold still while I work,” Rarity replied with a roll of her eyes. “The longer we’re talking about this the longer it will take to finish you know.”
“Are you sure? I’ve seen the way you look at…” Rainbow started to say before Rarity silenced her with a hoof.
“Finish that sentence and I’ll sew your lips shut,” the Unicorn said as she glared at Rainbow Dash. She held up some fabric in a dangerous fashion, her horn aglow. “Do I make myself clear?”
“Yesh…” Rainbow said muffled.
“Good, now let me get back to work,” Rarity said as she continued to work on the dress. “Oh, I dare say this is my best work yet!”
She stuck a rose into Rainbow’s collar, which made the pegasus let out a little yelp of pain.
“Ooooof, stick it in a little harder why don’t you…?” Rainbow muttered wincing slightly.
“Oh, don’t be such a big baby. Be a big girl for Rarity, would you dear?” Rarity asked before narrowing her eyes. “You do want to pay tribute to your sister, right dear?”
“Yes, of course I do,” Rainbow answered. “I wouldn’t be putting up with this otherwise. But all I’m saying is, I have seen you making ‘the eyes’ at AJ. Now, as her best friend it is my job to tell you that if you hurt her I will toss you through a wall. You being my friend be damned, are we clear?”
“What was that?” Applejack asked, peeking her head into the room.
“Uh… nothing?” Rainbow asked nervously, sweating a little.
“Good, it better be nothing, because if I hear you playing protector on my behalf I’ll buck you into next week. I think if anyone hurts me, I can hurt them back.”
Rainbow swallowed and turned to Rarity saying: “Yeeeeeeah, you’re totally whipped.”
“Do you want me to put that rose somewhere else?” Rarity said as she looked at Rainbow sternly.
“I’ll be quiet now,” Rainbow gulped.
“Good!” Rarity said shoving Rainbow out of the room. “Now let us hustle! We have a wedding to attend to. And trust me, being fashionably late would not be good in this instance at all!”
Scootaloo swallowed as she sat atop the altar, fussing with the roses in her mane. Good grief, she hadn’t been this nervous since she graduated! Looking out at the audience, she smiled nervously and waved at Rainbow who was walking up.
“Come on squirt you got this.” the mare said.
“How much convincing did it take for Rarity to get you into that?” Scootaloo asked, raising an eyebrow. She snorted. “Love the rose!”
“Oh, you have no idea…” Rainbow muttered. “If I had my way I’d be going commando! But this is the one time you dress up so…”
“Admit it, you like looking pretty,” Scootaloo teased. “I’m sure at least someone likes it.”
“Yes, well, if I do, I’ll never tell,” Rainbow said before lowering her voice. “At least not in public.”
Scootaloo cast another glance out into the audience, where she saw Big Mac sitting with both Sugar and Meadowbrook. She chuckled, after much poking and prodding -from Sugar of course- the two had welcomed Meadowbrook into their relationship. A nice little three-way herd. In the back of the room was Vinyl along with another pony. Lemon something or other, she was really Sweetie’s friend. Scootaloo never bothered to catch the name. In any event, the two of them manned the DJ booth.
Princess Twilight strode up even as Vinyl began to play the first chords of the wedding march. Down the aisle came Sweetie Belle looking absolutely radiant. Scootaloo thought she might faint at the sight of her, petals literally falling off her dress.
“...gee, think we went overboard the flower theme?” Rainbow muttered and Twilight silenced her with a glare. For all of about five seconds. “What, just sayin’! There’s thematic and then there’s just plain tacky!”
“Hush!” Twilight hissed at her. She cleared her throat even as Sweetie Belle walked up. Rarity was dabbing at her eyes, her mascara already ruined. She blew her nose, Applejack muttering something like ‘oh brother’ to herself.
“Ladies and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of…”
The vows flew by in a blur, not as remotely terrifying as Scootaloo thought they’d be. Now came the fun part, the dancing and the party!
“Awwwwwwwwwrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiight!” Vinyl said as she punched the air, and put on some peppy pop song. “This is where the fun begins. This song, my peeps, goes out to our two special little lovebirds!”
As the two danced, Sweetie twirling Scootaloo along the dance floor ponies cheered them on. “So, this is where our life begins right? Like, our real life, right?”
“Sure looks like it doesn’t it?” Scootaloo said. “I still remember how you proposed, you were nearly falling over yourself. I thought the Princess of Pop had more confidence!”
“Yes, well, as it turns out I’m not entirely confident as I would have liked. I mean… uh, yeah sure I proposed to you on stage but…”
“You nearly dropped the ring into the crowd?” Scootaloo asked. “Yeah, I remembered. That was… yeah, frightening.”
“You weren’t the one who bought it!” Sweetie said as Scootaloo this time twirled her. “I mean, I’d have probably have just died if someone trampled all over it!”
“Nobody did, and if you died I wouldn’t be able to marry your cute face!” Scootaloo said kissing her on the nose. “And. that. would. have. been. such! a! shame!”
She punctuated each statement with either a kiss to the nose or the lips. Whichever she preferred at the moment.
“Someone’s getting frisky, aren’t they?” Sweetie teased.
“Hey, not my fault I can’t get enough of you…” Scootaloo said.
“True, and you’ll get plenty of me tonight!” Sweetie replied. Nearby, the other guests were sharing amusing stories and anecdotes with each other. All about Sweetie and Scootaloo, and all -of course- designed to embarrass the two lovebirds to the max.
“So, there she was okay?” Applejack said barely holding back chuckles herself. “Marx glasses, as a disguise! Not even sure what they were for, but I saw her with them. Never mind the fact that it actually draws more attention to yourself, right? She should have just gone as herself!”
A few chuckles and snorts came from the ponies nearby. Rainbow smiled at the memory before she looked out into the crowd and her smile faded. Scootaloo’s parents had… declined to attend. Somehow she suspected that might have been due to the fact that Scootaloo had cut them out of her life.
See, here’s the thing okay? As it turns out well, your parents suddenly become a lot more interested in you when you become half-plant. They’d meant well enough, at least starting out, but as scientists well… their own daughter was an interesting anomaly. Somewhere along the way, Scootaloo had thought that she was being treated more as a trophy rather than as a person. There’d been a big blowup, and probably some lingering resentment from being dumped with her aunts all the time had fed into things and… well, the less said about what happened next was probably for the best.
Sweetie had sent out the invitation, from what Rainbow had heard but neither parent had come to attend. Guess there was still too much bad blood really. Bit of a shame, really. Rainbow may not have been the world’s biggest fan of the two but they at least deserved to see their daughter’s wedding day.
“You alright?” Mrs. Cheerilee asked. Yes, Mrs. Cheerilee. No longer was the mare a single woman. She’d recently taken up residence with a nice stallion -nobody caught the name- but seemed to be fairly happy with herself.
“Yeah, just wish…”
“That Snap and Allgood could make it?” Cheerliee reasoned. “Yes, it is a damn shame but… well, nothing we can do about it. If they don’t want to attend, well they don’t want to attend!”
Rainbow nodded. Yeah, that was true. It was still a bit sad, at least for Scootaloo. Okay, maybe she may not have wanted to admit it but Rainbow had seen that look in her eye. That little disappointed look where she’d noticed her parents had failed to attend. Guess that really settled matters, she supposed. Her parents were out of her life, even after all the attempts to mend things.
Rainbow speculated, she honestly did. Maybe, just maybe something in Snap had… broken after Scootaloo’s ‘death’ and he’d given up trying to be a real parent. She could only guess. Rainbow knew nothing about Allgood, she’d barely said two words to the mare even before all of this.
“So, what will you be doing now?” Cheerliee asked as the two walked. “I know you plan on helping Applejack manage the family farm, but what about your Wonderbolts career.”
“I’m getting old Cheer,” Rainbow said, passing by Maina and Miana atop their tigers. A third tiger passed, carrying another pony. Their triplet, Bel or something. She’d apparently been dragged kicking and screaming from their little island. Apparently, Battra had been reborn into a new form and it was Bel’s job to care for her. Sure enough, there was a little grub atop Bel’s mount as well. Huh, that was interesting. “I’m no longer as fast as I used to be, I’m slowing down. Us athletes only have a certain prime time before we have to just hang up our flight suits. But I’ve achieved my dream, and hell I’ve inspired a new generation of flyers. That’s all a mare could ask for right?”
“Yeah, I suppose…” Cheerilee said sadly at the fact that the legendary Rainbow Dash would soon no longer be a staple of the Wonderbolts air shows. Nearby, an older and wiser Ocellus badgered a rather annoyed Bel with questions. The Mothra triplet just sighed and answered each as they came.
“Who’s a good little edgemoth, yes you are… Yes, you are!” Ocellus said as she rocked the Battra grub. Maina and Miana shared a giggle. There were rumors that the changeling would become one of the next guardians of Mothra’s temple. Nobody knew for sure, though looking at this sight did leave Rainbow to wonder...
Titans had changed the world around them. For example, King Kong, rather recently, had protected the city of Manehatten from an invasion of creatures called the Nebulans. They had a truly strange creature at their beck and call. A monster termed Gigan, covered in saws and blades. Really rather edgy. The battle was long and arduous, but eventually the Eighth Wonder of the World had triumphed. The Nebulans had been sent away packing. Some integrated themselves into pony society. They were welcomed, all things considered. Rainbow had dated one once. Once you got past the bug thing, they were sorta cool.
A low roar split the skies, and gasps echoed as Rodan flew overhead before ascending into the clouds once more. It seemed even the Lord of the Skies approved of this union. Or just wanted to stay on Scootaloo’s good side. Who knew, honestly? The Princess of the Titans was not one to be trifled with.
Speaking of the Princess of the Titans -as the news called her- she was now making her away to a carriage with her new and lovely wife. Royal Guards stood ready to life off. Scootaloo gave a wave, Sweetie Belle soon to follow. Scootaloo plucked a rose from her mane, and tossed it. Rarity caught it, and shared a grin with Applejack.
Then, the carriage lifted off into the sky. Scootaloo smiled, and turned to Sweetie: “You ready to face the world?”
“With you by my side? Always!”
The End