//------------------------------// // The Return Home // Story: Fly Like You // by Jinzou //------------------------------// "A Crusader sleepover was a brilliant idea, Rarity." Applejack said. "I know we've been pushing Applebloom pretty hard with cider season coming up. And I'll bet Scootaloo missed her friends while hanging out in Canterlot and Cloudsdale." The orange filly in question was currently racing Sweetie Belle around the trees of Sweet Apple Acres as they waited for Applebloom to arrive. All five ponies were perched on the side of a hill in the eastern orchards. "Girls!" Applebloom shouted, running down from on top the hill. "It's great to see you again!" She embraced the other two Crusaders, then turned her vision to the mares. "Hey Rarity and Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow Dash waved as Rarity smiled. "Well hello there Applebloom. Nice to see you again." "But yeah, anyways, like I was saying..." Rainbow continued her thought from before, idly watching the three fillies playing tag. "Yeah, I can't stay. I promised Twi I'd meet her at Hayburgers after dropping Scoot off." Rarity grinned wildly. "She asked you on a date? About time!" "What? No." Rainbow fired back. "Nothing like that! It's just we've all been so busy with traveling around, and then that whole scavenger hunt when she found out Cadance was pregnant, it's all been going pretty fast recently. So we figured just getting some fast food and kicking back would be nice." "Sure... and she definitely had no ulterior motives." Applejack quipped. Rainbow Dash looked between the two mares questioningly. "What... are you guys talking about? Twi and I are just friends. Like she said, we're not like, technically married." Rarity's eyes gleamed. "Darling. I know you're sometimes oblivious, but think of the signs." "Well I'd probably acting different around you guys if I was raising a foal with you as well." Rainbow retorted. "Besides, I'm at least 90% sure Twilight isn't into mares." Applejack and Rarity shared unamused glances. Rarity rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, darling." "Oh man you guys should have been there! It was hilarious!" Scootaloo laughed. "Twilight spent the entire day prancing around like a foal. I mean, I was excited too, it means I get a little cousin, and that sounds cool, but really. It was hilarious!" "So that means your cousin is gonna be a prince or princess, right?" Applebloom pondered. "Is the daughter of a princess something else, or also a princess?" Scootaloo shrugged as Sweetie Belle suddenly gasped. "I can't believe we never figured this out! Scootaloo, you're royalty!" Scootaloo paused. Well I mean, I was adopted by a princess... "Now that I think about it, yeah! She is! She's also related to two of the four alicorn princesses through Twilight's brother." Applebloom noted. The three fillies reflected on this in silence for a moment, and then Sweetie Belle took a mock bow. "How may I serve you, my leige?" Scootaloo giggled and did her best to imitate a royal pose. "I require somebody to feed me peeled grapes. And uh... wine. Also deep tissue massages. Get to it, peasant." The three fillies chuckled together and stayed in a companionable silence for another few moments. "Well I'd probably acting different around you guys if I was raising a foal with you as well." The fillies overhead Rainbow Dash. "Besides, I'm at least 90% sure Twilight isn't into mares." "You know, not to insult either of your new parents Scootaloo, but they're both being kind of thick in this matter." Sweetie Belle claimed. "I mean, even given our track record on romance, we've all seen Twilight giving Rainbow all sorts of not-so-subtle looks and stuff, and Rainbow Dash is a bit more physically... open to her. Like, they hug a lot." Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. Well, to be fair, Rainbow has been a little more physically intimate ever since... Well, you know. That one Friday all those moons ago. But yeah, it seems the only two ponies that can't tell Twilight is acting different are her and Rainbow Dash." "Haven't they even slept in the same bed?" Sweetie Belle queried. "Yup!" Scootaloo confirmed. "After the trial Auntie Tia replaced their individual beds with one big one, so they didn't get much choice." Applebloom tittered. "What's it like being close and personal with all four princesses?" "Oh it's awesome!" Scootaloo chirped. "I mean, we all know Twilight, and I've only ever once talked to Cadance, the one time she visited Ponyville, but the other two are great! Auntie Luna is always so happy and bouncy when she sees me now! And she made me that Nightmare Night costume, did I tell you that?" "Only about two dozen times." Sweetie Belle interjected. "And Auntie Tia is always entertaining. She's really nice and she always seems like she's got some Discord-level chaotic plan brewing in her head. She seems to love causing little bits of chaos in her day." Sweetie Belle smiled. "I always pictured Princess Celestia as a more motherly figure, and less of a mischievous prankster." "She's a bit of both." Scootaloo clarified. "Alright, you three! It's about time for y'all to come back to the house. It's getting dark!" Applejack called, walking toward their house and motioning for the Crusaders to follow her. The Crusaders padded up to Applejack, content to let her lead them back. "And you should be off if you want to make that date darling." Rarity said, right behind Applejack. She turned to flutter her eyelashes at Rainbow Dash. "You don't want to-" Rarity's pupils shrank to pinpricks. "Rainbow Dash, LOOK OUT!" There was a soft thud as Rainbow Dash's unconscious body hit the ground. Scootaloo spun around instantly, and her breath caught in her throat when she saw what had knocked Rainbow Dash out. There was the silhouette of a stallion, and right behind him, the silhouette of a bipedal canine holding a large club in one of his paws. Scootaloo's heart dropped when the stallion stepped forward, allowing Scootaloo to identify him immediately. Oh no. Nononononono please no. The stallion had a tan mane and a light brown coat. Please Celestia no. The stallion walked with a slight limp, and from the side Scootaloo could make out one heavily scarred wing. Anybody but him... "Evening, ladies." The stallion growled in a low voice. Scootaloo felt her blood run cold and heard her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Oh please Celestia no. It's really him... "...Dad?"