It seemed like just another typical day in Ponyville. The weather was fine and there didn't seem to be any signs of trouble. But the peace was soon disturbed by a rather excited unicorn colt named Skeedaddle, who was rushing through the streets while shouting "Cutie Mark Crusaders!" over and over again!
Suddenly, Scootaloo called out to Skeedaddle! "We're at my house!"
Skeedaddle quickly rushed over to a house defined by its large, Cloudsdale like columns in the front. And he scampered up the steps, bursting through the front door as he could barely contain his excitement! "I did it! I got my cutie mark! And it's all thanks to you!"
The Crusaders all rushed over to see the colt. "Did you really?" Sweetie Belle asked.
When Skeedaddle nodded all three Crusaders cheered together! "That's great, Skeedaddle!"
Scootaloo then asked. "What's it for?" As she eyed the cutie mark, which depicted a rope tied up in a particular fashion.
Skeedaddle happily explained. "Knot-tying of course!" And beamed with pride he declared. "And I never would've gotten it without all of you! Now I'm just like Kettle Corn, wait til she hears the news."
But Apple Bloom was rather confused as she questioned to her fellow Crusaders. "Did we suggest knot-tyin'? I don't think we did."
Skeedaddle just explained while pointing to Sweetie Belle. "Well, first I tried sailing, like you said," He next pointed to Scootaloo. "Next, I tried fishing, like you said," And finally he pointed to Apple Bloom. "Then, I tried rowing, like you said. And while I was rowing, my oar broke. So I used my fishing line to tie it back together and presto, I got my cutie mark!" Happily kicking his back legs he then declared! "I can't wait to tell everypony!" And he zoomed away, shutting the door behind him.
Two ponies had heard the entire conversation, and they could only smile. One was an earth pony mare of medium build, her coat was a beautiful green in color and it neatly complimented her blonde mane and tail that had been styled up all nice and pretty. Her red eyes matched her cutie mark of a red ribbon perfectly, and she wore a lovely orange scarf around her neck. The other was a sturdy pegasus mare. Her coat was a lovely cream yellow, not unlike Bon-Bon's. She had a wavy mane and tail in alternate shades of pink and purple, purple eyes, and a cutie mark depicting two purple puffs and two pink balls of yarn. She wore a lovely purple scarf.
Scootaloo knew them as her aunts: Aunt Holiday (who was her dad's older sister) and Auntie Lofty. The two had been together for as long as she could remember, and often foalsat her whenever her parents were busy with work.
Aunt Holiday was the first to speak up. "Oh, how exciting. Reminds me of the time Lofty and I spent in the filly guide together when we were your age," And she smiled anew. "You three Crusaders truly have a gift for helping ponies, and even non-ponies from what I hear."
Scootaloo tried to act modest. She usually didn't mind the praise and affection her aunts gave her, Auntie Lofty in particular. "Aw, thanks, Aunt Holiday. But I'm not sure if we can really take credit for this one. It seems like a happy accident."
"Hey, if it weren't for 'happy accidents' I might never have met your Auntie Lofty," Holiday pointed out. "You three most definitely can take credit for Skeedaddle's cutie mark. You encouraged that colt to try new things. And because you all believed in him, he succeeded. Just like Lofty and I believe in you and all the things you do."
Auntie Lofty was busy working on a quilt as she remarked. "I could sure use that kind of help right now."
Scootaloo found it hard not to chuckle. "Ah come on, Auntie Lofty. You already have your cutie mark."
Auntie Lofty nodded even as she sighed. "Lot of good it's doing me right about now. I always enjoy sewing, but I can't decide what theme to give this quilt I've been working on. I hate to say it, but I've plum ran out of inspiration."
Apple Bloom was quick to propose some ideas for themes. "How about apples? Puppies? Kites! You can't go wrong with any of those!"
Sweetie Belle suggested. "Or cotton candy! Or ballet! Or even singing!"
"Ooh! Ooh! What about a Wonderbolt quilt?" Scootaloo proposed. "And no, it's not just because Rainbow Dash is one of them."
Lofty gave a hearty laugh. "See? That's what I'm talking about! Leave it to you three to come up with more ideas than I've had in a year! Now, that's talent to be proud of."
Just then, however, Holiday looked up a clock on the wall and seemed to be stricken with worry. "Oh my goodness, is that the time?! Gosh, it sure has flown hasn't it," And she gestured to Lofty. "Come along, dear, it's time for us to go."
"Guess the new quilt's gonna have to wait." Lofty declared as she carefully folded it with her wings and then tucked it underneath one of them.
The tomboyish pegasus filly realized what was going on as she whined ever so slightly. "Do you really have to go now? Mom and Dad aren't back yet, and won't be for a couple of days still."
"I'm afraid we do, Scootaloo," Holiday told her niece. "But Lofty and I have jobs too. We're lucky they afford us so much time off to tend to our favorite niece, but we can't stay away from them forever," She then reassured her. "But this isn't the first time this has happened, we've got a system worked out. I left you plenty of healthy food for the weekend."
"And I left you cookies." Lofty said with a grin.
Holiday and Lofty proceeded to pack their bags as they made their way to the front door, Holiday explaining to Scootaloo. "Now, Rarity should be stopping by soon to check up on you. And then the Cakes will come over tonight to stay with you for the weekend. Remember, Lofty and I have our cottage just a few stops from Ponyville if you need us for anything."
Lofty just smiled as she nuzzled her niece's mane with a hoof. "She knows, Holiday. See you next week, slugger. And stay out of trouble, okay?"
"I will!" Scootaloo promised and then watched her aunts depart, calling out to them. "Bye, Aunt Holiday! Bye, Auntie Lofty!" And she waved to them until they were out of sight, the door closing behind them.
Sweetie Belle smiled. "Your aunts are super nice, Scootaloo. You're so lucky to have them watch over you whenever your parents are busy with work," Her smile faded as she let out a sigh. "I wish my parents were around as often as yours, or even your aunts. It feels like it's been ages since I last saw Mom and Dad at all."
"Well, chin up. Their latest vacation has to be coming to an end soon," Scootaloo proposed. "And maybe you could get your mom to take cooking lessons here. Nopony bakes like Auntie Lofty." She dreamily sighed at the last part.
Just then, the door knob slowly turned and in strolled Rarity who had a letter held up in her magic. "Sweetie Belle, thank goodness you're still here!" She exclaimed! "I just received this letter from Mother and Father! They're coming home today for an important announcement!"
Sweetie Belle could hardly believe her ears! At long last she was going to see her parents again! What she didn't know, was that it wasn't going to be under the most ideal of circumstances.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were practically ecstatic at the news, though Sweetie Belle was still in a state of shock and didn't quite know what to think just yet.
"It's been a long time since your parents were around. I don't think they even showed up when you got your cutie mark," Scootaloo commented. "Or maybe they did and I just wasn't paying attention. The whole cute-ceañera celebration is kind of a blur."
Apple Bloom added. "The last memory I have of them was them givin' us a sleigh ride durin' that Hearth's Warmin' party at Twilight's castle, and that was a few years ago."
Sweetie Belle finally managed to find the words she wanted to say. "Yeah, it has been a long time. They've been going on vacations and they never seem to bring me along, they always say I'm 'too little'. So mostly I just stay with Rarity at the boutique."
Scootaloo then encouraged. "Well, maybe that big announcement is your parents coming home and staying home for a change?!"
Rarity, however, coughed into a hoof. "Whatever the letter says, it's not anything you two fillies should be worried about. It is strictly for Sweetie Belle and I," And she instructed to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. "You two run along and find something else to do around here."
The two fillies reluctantly obeyed, even though they were quite curious as to the letter's contents. That left Sweetie alone with her big sister as the letter was opened and unfurled. Rarity reading it aloud:
Dear Sweetie Belle,
Our vacation to Trottingham has given us a lot of time to think about some recent developments, particularly concerning Ponyville.
With all that's been happening recently: The destruction of the Tree of Harmony, the invasion of the Everfree Forest and the prospect that you'll soon be too old to continue attending classes at the Ponyville school house among other things, we believe it might be best if you were with us.
We'll be cutting our vacation short so we can catch the first train back. We intend to pack everything up and move to Canterlot. Not only do we believe you'll be safer there, but it also has a much greater selection of schools to look into for your continued education.
If all goes as planned the move should be completed within a week. Now might be a good time to say goodbye to your friends and find a way to keep in touch. Trips to Ponyville by train are too expensive to be done regularly.
Love,
Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles a.k.a Mom and Dad
It didn't take long for the bombshell contained within the letter to be felt. The little unicorn quickly found herself tearing up. "They can't do that!" She protested! "If they take me away it'll be the end of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" And she immediately threw herself at her big sister as she pleaded! "Please, Rarity! You can't let them take me away! You've gotta stop them somehow!"
But Rarity could only shake her head. "I'm afraid this situation is out of my hooves, Sweetie Belle. There is little I can do to change their mind when they come back," And she cautioned. "It's not like you could just come live with me either. There are adjustments that would have to be made."
"Then I'll run away from home! If I never come home, Mom and Dad can't make me move away!" Sweetie insisted.
"That won't work either, I'm afraid. Applejack once tried to run away from her problems and they still caught up to her," The fashionista pointed out. "I don't exactly like it either, and I intend to give Mother and Father a piece of my mind for not consulting with me on this before coming home. When I said I wanted them to spend more time with you, this is not quite what I meant." And she snorted a bit in protest.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo came rushing back to the kitchen where Sweetie Belle and Rarity were still discussing the letter. They had heard a few things, noticeably their friend's comment about "The end of the Cutie Mark Crusaders" and were rather troubled as a result.
"Sweetie's parents are makin' her movin' super far away from Ponyville?" Apple Bloom questioned as she and Scootaloo trotted upon the scene. "They can't do that! Can they?"
"They're only moving to Canterlot according to the letter," Rarity explained. "And I'm afraid that unless they change their mind, they most definitely can. Sweetie is still young enough to be in their care, even if more often it's been my care."
Scootaloo swallowed hard. "That's so unfair, though. When my mom and dad got new jobs, they didn't force me to move back to Cloudsdale! And Sweetie's parents are always on vacation. What do they know?"
The fashionista could only shake her head. "I wish I knew, and I wish I didn't have to be the bearer of such bad news," Then she looked to her younger sister. "'I'll do what I can to convince Mother and Father against the move, but it might not be a bad idea to start saying your goodbyes to your friends anyway just in case. If the worst does happen, I'll take the liberty of delivering your letters to them and getting their letters sent to you."
However, Scootaloo boldly declared! "We can't give up so easily! We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" And she stomped a hoof down. "Sweetie Belle belongs here, in Ponyville! She was the first friend I ever made when I moved here."
Sweetie hugged her friends even while she still had tears in her eyes. "Thanks, Crusaders. But if Rarity can only try to talk some sense into Mom and Dad, there's not much you can really do. Maybe this was meant to be. We were all probably going to go our separate ways eventually."
"Not until we were all older and had our lives figured out. And even then we were always gonna be the Cutie Mark Crusaders come rain or shine!" Apple Bloom vowed. "If we were willin' to lets Babs Seed and Gabby stay on despite them livin' far away from us, there's no reason why we the foundin' members should have to break up."
It was then that Scootaloo had an idea. "Maybe your parents just need to understand how much your friendships really mean to you, and how much their decision is hurting you. Grown-ups don't always realize what they think is best for their kids isn't really the case."
At that, the unicorn filly blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by that, Scootaloo?"
The tomboyish pegasus filly answered. "Well, have I ever told you the story of how Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty started foalsitting me? I went through a lot of the same things you're going through."
"But your parents weren't moving away and taking you with them." Sweetie protested.
"I know that!" Scootaloo pointed out before continuing. "But it sure felt like I was going to be seeing them less and less often. And I was worried what it would mean for my family. Applejack once said family can be like friends. So in a way, it was like I was risking the possibility of never seeing friends again. I mean, I was wrong. But that's not what's important." And she began to tell her story, reflecting back to the events as if they'd just happened yesterday.
"Scootaloo," A lovely and sweet female voice called out from the ground floor. "Scootaloo, come down here now. I need to talk to you about something very important." It had only been a few weeks since Scootaloo had performed along with her fellow Crusaders to earn the right to carry the flag at the Equestria Games in the Crystal Empire.
Scootaloo made her way downstairs, soon finding herself face to face with her mom: Dizzy Twister. Dizzy had an amber colored coat, sported a loosely curly pink mane, and a tail that was just as curly and was pink with pale raspberry highlights, moderate rose eyes and a cutie mark depicting three tornadoes. "What is it, Mom?" She asked her female parent. "Am I in trouble? Is something wrong?"
Dizzy shook her head. "No, my little Wonderbolt. Everything is fine. But there's something we need to discuss," She motioned for her daughter to have a seat at the kitchen table, and she explained as best she could. "You know how your father and some of his friends created Cloudsdale's only hockey team, and how he now not only plays for them but also manages the team?"
The tomboyish filly nodded her head. "Yeah, I remember. And the Cloudsdale Windigos are right in the middle of a promising season. They might actually win this time!" She buzzed her tiny wings in excitement of the prospect!
"Yes, Scootaloo, I know," Dizzy gestured a hoof to calm her daughter down. "And you already know that that means he's often away at this time of year. But I need you to know that I've recently accepted a new job in Cloudsdale that will require me to work away from home quite often."
Scootaloo's excitement faded quite quickly, as though somepony had let all the air out of a balloon. "What?!" Her eyes widened in disbelief! "We're moving back to Cloudsdale, then?! But I like it in Ponyville, I've made so many friends here!"
Dizzy was quick to explain. "We're not moving, Scootaloo. I know how much your friends mean to you, and Ponyville has a much better quality of schools compared to almost anywhere else in Equestria."
"Then why are you taking up this new job?" Scootaloo questioned. "How come you didn't ask me first? Aren't we making enough money with just Dad's job?"
"Yes, but only barely. This way I can ensure we still have a roof over our head should anything happen to your father," Dizzy continued in her explanation. "And since I'll be away from home quite often now, there's going to have to be some changes. You're going to need a foalsitter."
The little pegasus frowned. "Can't I just sleep over at Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom's place? I'm sure they could make room for me."
"No, my little Wonderbolt," Dizzy protested. "What I need the most is somepony who can watch over you, and make sure the house is safe. I don't know how long I'll be away or how often, so I can't just leave you a key to get into the house."
Reluctantly, the tomboyish filly sensed that there was not much she could do in this situation. She wasn't opposed to the idea of a foalsitter, though. "So, who's gonna be my foalsitter?" She asked and then excitedly declared! "Oh, I hope it's Rainbow Dash! Or even Twilight, that'll be fantastic!"
But Dizzy shook her head. "I already have a suitable pony, or I should say ponies in mind," Then she asked her headstrong daughter. "You remember Aunt Holiday, right?"
"Dad's older sister? Didn't she get married a while back or something?" Scootaloo questioned as she tried to recall where she'd heard that name before.
The older pegasus nodded in confirmation. "Indeed she did. And when I was considering candidates for the foalsitting job, she was the first pony to come to mind. She and her special somepony should be here any minute."
As if on cue there came a knock at the front door. "Ah, that must be them now," Dizzy smiled as she got up from the kitchen table and went to the front door to open it. "Hello?" She called as her daughter could hear her conversing with a pair of ponies, but couldn't hear what those ponies were saying in reply. "Yes, she's here and I told her everything," Then she instructed. "She's just down the hall and in the kitchen. I'll call her."
But Scootaloo didn't need to wait for the call. She got up and trotted to the front door, finding herself staring up at an earth pony mare and a sturdy pegasus mare (they were of course Holiday and Lofty, but Scootaloo didn't know this yet).
Dizzy smiled as she gestured to the earth pony and pegasus respectively. "Scootaloo, meet your Aunt Holiday and your Auntie Lofty. They'll be foalsitting you whenever your father and I are busy with work. They'll be in charge of making sure you get to bed on time, go to school every day and things like that."
Holiday was the first of the duo to speak up. "Scootaloo! My my, it's been so long since I've seen my favorite niece," She greeted with a sincere smile and a warm and welcoming tone. "Goodness, you're getting to be so big!"
Lofty then spoke up, nuzzling Scootaloo's mane with a hoof. "Hi ya, slugger! I've been looking forward to meeting you. Your Aunt Holiday's told me so much about you, and your Cutie Mark Crusader friends," She gave a chuckle. "Reminds me of all the misadventures Holiday and I got into when we were in the filly guide together. I'll have to tell you the stories sometime."
Unsure of what to say, Scootaloo just answered. "Um, hello Aunt Holiday, Auntie Lofty. It's um... nice to meet you."
"There's no need to be shy, Scootaloo," Holiday reassured her niece. "Lofty and I will take good care of you. Lofty was quite insistent she tag along when I agreed to foalsit you."
Lofty smiled and said to Dizzy Twister. "The kid's in good hooves with us, Dizzy. I'm quite good with foals."
Scootaloo buzzed her tiny wings in protest. "I'm not a foal! I can take care of myself, you know."
"I'm sure you could, Scootaloo," Dizzy sincerely smiled. "Holiday and Lofty are really more housesitters than foalsitters. They're just there to make sure you don't get into any trouble. Well, any more trouble than you usually get into."
"Mom!" Scootaloo whined.
Dizzy brushed it off, giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be thinking you about every day while I'm at work. And I've instructed your aunts to write to me so I know you're okay," Then she explained. "This weekend is going to be a trial run. I'll try to be back by the time you come home from school on the first weekday."
Holiday was quick to instruct. "Well you'd better get going, then. You don't wanna be late for the first day of your new job."
The pegasus mare with an amber coat nodded. "Right, I don't!" She quickly gathered up some saddlebags full of supplies and then took off, soon taking to the sky and flapping her wings until she disappeared from sight of her daughter.
The front door of the house was soon shut, as Holiday and Lofty opted to set their heavy suitcases that they'd brought with them down. "I hope the guest bedroom is big enough for the both of us, Lofty." Holiday commented.
Lofty grinned. "Hey, if we have to take turns it's your turn to sleep on the couch."
Scootaloo remained silent as her aunts went about unpacking and moving all their things to wherever the two mares felt they belonged. She had only faint memories of her Aunt Holiday from when she was little, and this was her first time seeing Auntie Lofty since learning about her marriage to Holiday. She was thinking about a lot of things in silence and didn't know what to say.
Auntie Lofty broke the silence as she offered. "Hey, slugger, you must be hungry. Why don't I fix you up something to eat? I'm no slouch in the kitchen, just ask my darling Holiday."
Aunt Holiday commented. "A healthy snack does sound nice. I've been trying to watch my figure. What do you think, Scootaloo?"
The tomboyish filly reluctantly spoke up. "I... guess I'm hungry, just... just a little. But I could just help myself to some cookies."
Holiday rejected the idea. "No, Scootaloo. You're a growing filly and you need nutrition. It's not good to have cookies all the time."
Lofty teased. "Don't listen to her, slugger. She totally eats cookies when I make them for her, especially when she takes them to that travel agency she runs," Then she added. "Me? I'm more of a homemaker. But I make plenty of money just selling my wears," And she offered. "If you ask nicely, I could totally make you a nice new blanket. I'll even make it Wonderbolt themed if you want. But only if you behave."
"I'm good with what I have now," Scootaloo defensively replied. "I even know how to wash my own bed sheets, Mom showed me how."
The earth pony mare smiled. "It seems you've grown more than I thought since I saw you last, Scootaloo. How about filling me in on the details during snack time?"
Scootaloo shrugged her hooves. "Sure, I guess. But I'm not telling you everything, somethings you don't need to know about 'cause I'm sure Mom and Dad already told you." And she thought to herself. "Please don't bring up the baby pictures!"
Lofty grinned as she trotted to the kitchen. "I'll bet you were a real stinker when you were a foal, slugger."
The tomboyish filly huffed. "You don't have to call me slugger all the time! I have a name, you know."
Lofty replied in a sincere tone. "I know, Scootaloo. I know. But you'll always be my little slugger. Because someday I know you're gonna make all your dreams come true. The things you and your friends do, it puts anything your Aunt Holiday and I did in our youth to shame." Then she set to work on preparing a snack for herself, her special somepony and her niece.
Snack time passed uneventfully over a specially prepared salad. Scootaloo had to admit it was better than anything her mom ever made, and the less said about the times her dad cooked the better (though it was nowhere near as bad as the kind of cooking Sweetie Belle's parents had).
Soon afterward, the tomboyish filly asked her aunts. "Can I go out and play with my friends? We're trying to find our cutie marks, and Sweetie Belle has something she thinks is a guarantee."
"As long as you're home by dusk, Scootaloo," Holiday agreed. "Even if it's a weekend it's not good for you to be staying out after dark without somepony watching you."
"Unless it's Nightmare Night, but that's a different story." Lofty chimed in.
Scootaloo was glad she would have a chance to get out of the house for a while. She really need some time to think about anything other than her aunts. They seemed to be fairly nice ponies, though a bit more "hooves off" compared to her parents. But there was something that just felt... "off" for lack of a better term. The idea that these two mares were going to be watching her from now on was something that was going to be difficult to accept.
Oh well, it was nothing a good afternoon spent searching for her cutie mark with her fellow crusaders couldn't push to the back of her mind and make her forget. She wasn't even going to tell her friends about it. No reason to concern them. And if they happened to ever stop by her house they'd learn anyway.
Still, there was a nagging thought lingering in the back of the little pegasus' mind. "If Mom and Dad love me so much, why are they now constantly spending so much time at work? I know we need money to have a house to live in, but do we really need to be spending so much time apart? We were doing just fine before, weren't we?"
That thought didn't go away even as Scootaloo arrived at the Crusaders' clubhouse at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres just in time for roll call. The rest of the afternoon and early evening were spent mostly doing "artistic" things, which Scootaloo was never the greatest at (though she was better at it than she was at singing).
As dusk fell, Scootaloo bid farewell to her fellow Crusaders and made her way back home as promised. She parked her scooter, removed her helmet and trotted inside.
"Scootaloo, you're just in time for dinner!" Holiday declared. "Lofty's been working extra hard."
Lofty called from the kitchen. "I'm making my specialty: Homemade hayburgers. You'll never taste anything better."
And Holiday instructed. "Go wash up and meet me in the kitchen. The hayburgers will be ready any minute now." And she trotted away while licking her lips.
The hayburgers made by Lofty were indeed one of a kind and very special! Scootaloo came away impressed.
However, Holiday took notice of something else by the time dinner had ended. Namely the fact that her niece's face was full of crumbs. Seeing it caused the earth pony mare to frown, as she retrieved a wet rag to wipe Scootaloo's face. "Goodness, Scootaloo! Are you always such a messy eater all the time?" She questioned.
"I couldn't help myself," Scootaloo whined in protest as she tried to resist the wet rag. "I'm sorry I made such a mess. I won't next time."
"It's quite alright, Scootaloo. But you have to let me clean you up." Holiday instructed as she moved the green colored rag closer to the tomboyish filly's messy, crumb stained cheeks.
Lofty couldn't help but laugh heartily. "It's no use trying to fight back, Scootaloo," She told her niece as she watched the scene unfold. "Not only does Holiday run her own travel agency, but she also provides etiquette lessons on the side."
"All part of the job. It's important to know your clientele," Holiday replied as she finished the wiping job. "There we go, Scootaloo. All nice and clean. Now was that worth making such a fuss about? I think not."
The little pegasus just sighed. "I could've cleaned myself up just fine. Besides, it's my bath night tonight anyway."
The earth pony mare only replied. "Even so your table manners could use some improvement. Good thing we've got the whole weekend together to work on them together.
The sturdy pegasus mare added. "And when you're done with those, Scootaloo, I'll teach you a few things about flying. Nothing too serious, just how to pace yourself and build up stamina."
Scootaloo liked that idea a little bit more. It sounded way more fun than etiquette lessons which just brought back unpleasant memories of the time she'd "volunteered" to be a model for Rarity.
And these and other thoughts lingered in Scootaloo's mind when the filly went to bed later that night, waiting until her aunts had left her bedroom before diving under the sheets to talk to her Rainbow Dash plushie. "They do seem nice," She said to the hoof stitched version of her idol and honorary big sister that she always liked to snuggle with. "And I'm really looking forward to Auntie Lofty's lessons," The plush was silent. "But I don't want to get too attached, they're not going to be here forever. Besides, I still love Mom and Dad, even if they're far away right now."
Nodding off to sleep a short time later, the tomboyish pegasus filly just hoped to make it through the weekend and then hopefully things would go back to normal with school. Maybe with some convincing her mom could be talked out of that new job of hers?
Unfortunately for the filly, the weekend seemed to take its sweet time in passing. Every moment seemed to last ten times as long as it normally did, as though daring the pegasus to get closer to both of her aunts despite Holiday having a slightly prim and proper attitude in the way she carried herself and Lofty being more patronizing (even if unintentional).
To make matters worse, both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were too busy to come out and play. Scootaloo now knew what it must've felt like when Apple Bloom believed she was the only blank flank in her entire class.
Eventually, however, the weekend came to an end and it was time for Scootaloo to go back to school. She was woken up earlier than normal, largely so her aunts would have time to say goodbye to her. "If you ever want to come visit us, Scootaloo, you're quite welcome to. We have a lovely little cottage in Trottingham that Lofty and I bought just after we were married."
Lofty added. "It's bigger on the inside too. Next time Holiday and I come over, we'll have to bring pictures so you can see," Then she added. "Now remember what I taught you, slugger. Take good care of your wings and don't try to push yourself too hard."
"You should probably get going now, Scootaloo," Aunt Holiday encouraged to her niece. "Remember, your mom will be here when you come home from school. Even if you decide to hang out with those wonderful crusader friends of yours you should check in with her first. Knowing my sister-in-law she's bound to work herself into a tizzy otherwise."
Those words were enough to set something off deep inside Scootaloo, something she'd been keeping all bottled up inside of her over the course of the weekend. It started out small as a faint sniffle, but eventually it progressed into full blown tears that she couldn't stop.
Holiday and Lofty were both at their niece's side in a minute as Holiday asked with concern. "Is something the matter, Scootaloo? Are you not feeling well?"
"No, Aunt Holiday, it's nothing like that. I feel fine," Scootaloo insisted even as she struggled to stop the water works. "You and Auntie Lofty are nice ponies, really nice ponies. And that's the problem. It feels like if I love you I can't love my parents. And I don't want to stop loving my parents!"
Auntie Lofty put a hoof to her niece's chin so they were eye to eye. "Come on, slugger. That's crazy talk. We're not trying to replace your mom and dad any more than any other pony."
"But why?" Scootaloo continued to sob. "If Mom and Dad love me so much, why do they always have to be away all the time? It feels like I never see them together anymore, and now I'm not even gonna be seeing my mom very much. It's just not fair!"
Aunt Holiday did her best to reassure the filly. "Scootaloo, you'll still be seeing your mom and your dad. It's not like they're going to be moving away forever or anything like that. If they tried to move away and take you with them, Lofty and I would pull up our roots and come here to live with you."
Auntie Lofty agreed. "Ponyville's such a nice place. We might just keep a summer home here. Besides, I'm feeling rather inspired by that wonderful club you and your friends made."
Holiday then encouraged. "You should tell your mom how you feel about this. I can't say for sure she'll change her mind, because she has a lot of things to think about. But no matter how far away she and your dad may be, you'll always be in their heart. And in the mean time, Lofty and I are more than happy to watch over you."
Lofty chimed in with a nod. "Even if you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, you'd get pretty lonely if you had this house all to yourself all the time. Your mom knew that, and that's part of the reason why she asked my darling Holiday to come foalsit and housesit."
Scootaloo managed to dry her eyes as the crying ceased ever so slowly. "Thanks Aunt Holiday, thanks Auntie Lofty. You're right, I really need to talk to Mom about how I'm feeling more often," And she then asked her aunts. "Do you think you could come to the Equestria Games at the Crystal Empire? My friends and I got picked to be the flag bearers for Ponyville."
"We'll have to see, Scootaloo," Holiday cautioned. "Lofty and I have jobs too. And we're already taking a considerable amount of time away from them as it is to be with you."
"Still, if we can we'll definitely come to the games to cheer you on!" Lofty promised. "And if we can't, you can write to us all about it and anything else in your life," With a wink she added. "You never know, you may just give me the inspiration I need in a pinch. It never hurts to have more of it in life." Then she and Holiday embraced their niece in a hug.
When the hug ended, Scootaloo began to trot out the door as she now felt better about the whole situation. It was still going to be hard to cope with her parents not being around as much, but if she had foalsitters like her aunts it might not be so bad. She might even get used to it.
The flashback ended as Scootaloo concluded her story. "Even though they couldn't come to the Equestria Games like my mom did, or attend my cute-ceañera celebration, my aunts have been incredible caretakers. Yet Mom still tries to come home when she can. And whenever there's an off-season or he needs to rest, Dad comes home too. And we always try our best to let each other know how we're feeling," To Sweetie Belle she added. "It could probably work the same if you told your parents."
"Tell them what?" Sweetie questioned.
After thinking it over for about a minute or so, the tomboyish filly answered to her friend. "Something like: 'I love my family, but I love being with my friends, too. I don't want to have to choose.'"
The unicorn filly let out an unhappy sigh. "I wish it were that simple. They may vacation a lot, but Mom and Dad really want me to be with them and I definitely want to be closer to them," She then frowned. "It's just not fair. All those things they mentioned in their letter weren't even my fault. And in the end I never got hurt."
Rarity sighed too as she lamented. "That's my parents for you I'm afraid. They were quite protective of me when I was Sweetie Belle's age, perhaps even more so. Honestly, I'm surprised they're changing their 'hooves off' approach now of all times."
"Maybe it's like my parents," Scootaloo suggested. "They got new jobs but in Canterlot. They probably just forgot to mention it."
The fashionista remarked. "Father did say he was possibly looking for a better paying job, but I thought little of it. He and Mother have been quite content with their work here in Ponyville, whenever they're working anyways."
Just then, Apple Bloom seemed to get an idea as she shouted! "That's it!"
"What's it?" The pegasus filly asked. "Please tell me it's not another potion idea like last time."
The farm filly just shook her head. "No. No potions are gonna be necessary this time," And she explained. "We can't do the jobs of Sweetie Belle's parents for them any more than we could do the jobs of any of our big sisters, at least not right now."
"And the point is?" Sweetie Belle pondered.
Apple Bloom pointed a hoof to her flanks, more specifically to her cutie mark. "Well, just take a look at our cutie marks! They're livin' proof that we have a job all our own. And ever since we took Diamond Tiara's advice, it's more or less actually been a job, even if we ain't gettin' paid for it."
Sweetie seemed to realize what her friend was saying as she gasped! "You're right, Apple Bloom! Our job is to help other ponies find their purpose in life! And not just ponies either!"
Scootaloo smiled. "And nopony else can do what we do. Even Twilight says our cutie marks are special."
Rarity nodded in agreement. "That's part of the reason why she gave you three the position of friendship counselors in the first place. And if Mother and Father were to force Sweetie Belle to move away now, it'd render the rest of you unable to do your jobs."
The Crusaders all cheered together at the news! But then the question soon presented itself to them as Sweetie wondered aloud. "Okay, but how do we explain that all to them, and on such short notice too?"
The solution came when Scootaloo remembered her Auntie Lofty's comments about the quilt she was stuck trying to find a theme for. "Hey, I think I have an idea!" She beamed with pride. "And I'll bet my aunts can help, Auntie Lofty anyway." And she whispered her plan to her fellow crusaders.
"Ah, I see now," Apple Bloom commented. "You think we can pull it off before the big move?"
"With a little help from your friends, of course you can," Rarity declared as she trotted forward. "I already know more than a few ponies who'd be willing to help. And I'm willing to play my part in ensuring its success as well."
Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles arrived back in Ponyville later that same day, unaware of anything going on behind the scenes. Sweetie Belle and Rarity were there to greet them, and after a heartfelt reunion the two unicorn parents led their youngest daughter home to begin packing.
Several days came and went as boxes were packed up, the house by the lake was put up for sale and Hondo and Cookie prepared to bid farewell to years worthy of memories. It almost seemed like they were going to call the whole thing off at the last minute, but they decided against it.
At last, the big day arrived. The train to Canterlot would soon be arriving to take Hondo, Cookie and Sweetie away to Canterlot and to their new home. Everything was ready, or so it seemed.
"Feeling better about the move, Sweetie Belle?" Hondo asked his daughter. "I'm sure you'll make plenty of new memories in Canterlot. And you'll love our new home, it's way more cozy!"
Sweetie Belle appeared to nod her head in agreement. "Well, before we go, there's something I wanna show you two."
Cookie replied. "All right, but it can't take too long. That train won't wait."
"Trust me, it won't take long at all!" Sweetie promised and trotted away as fast as she could. "Everything should be in place!" She thought to herself as she led her unsuspecting parents along.
The trio of unicorns reached the center of town shortly, and Hondo and Cookie could hardly believe their eyes! It seemed like everypony in town had shown up and even some nonponies too! Purple and pink banners hung overhead, and a podium had been erected in front of the town hall.
"Sweet Celestia's slippers!" Hondo gasped in amazement!
"I've never seen anything like this before!" Cookie added in equal amazement as both her and Hondo felt their mouths drop open in shock!
Rainbow Dash then swooped down. "Just a little something these three talented fillies thought up: Cutie Mark Crusader Appreciation Day! But we couldn't start without all of them here."
Amidst chants of "CMC!" the Cutie Mark Crusaders made their way up to the podium as Mayor Mare gave a speech she'd prepared just for the occasion. "These three ponies share a rare and unique ability to help others find their true purpose. It's a job only they can do, and only together."
Neither Hondo or Cookie said a word as they began to realize what was happening. Only now did their actions seem so rash.
Mayor Mare continued. "In honor of all they have done and continue to do for the ponies of this town, I would like to present the Cutie Mark Crusaders with a special three-handled key. It may not be as glamorous as some of their other titles or rewards, but it's the highest honor I can bestow upon them."
The three fillies accepted the key as a loud whooshing noise drew everyone's attention! Looking up to the sky they saw several Wonderbolts fly past overhead, leaving behind trails of colored smoke that were formed into the shape of the badge that each CMC had on their cutie mark.
Hondo Flanks gave a whistle. "Would you look at that? A full Wonderbolt salute!"
Meanwhile, a familiar pink coated earth pony filly was stepping up to the podium. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders are truly special, and there so many ponies in town who owe them a great debt of thanks. I am one of those ponies," She explained. "You all know me as Diamond Tiara, and for the longest time I was quite a rotten pony. I wasn't able to see what my cutie mark could truly mean, what I could truly put it to use for. But thanks to these wonderful fillies I saw the light. They helped me even after everypony else had given up on me," And she couldn't help but brag. "And I like to think it was because of them helping me that they got their cutie marks."
Skeedaddle then took to the podium as he added. "Yet even after they got their cutie marks and turned their club into a business, these wonderful crusaders still found time to give back to the community. Using their free time they set up a camp to help blank flanks find our cutie marks. The Cutie Mark Crusaders see the best in everypony, no matter who that may be."
"So you see, it's way more than just some club," Cheerilee explained to Hondo and Cookie. "Sure, it may have started out that way, but as time went by it blossomed into something much more. I've seen many talented students in my time, and I think the Cutie Mark Crusaders have truly brought out the best in my students. Their encouragement and advice has done wonders for every colt and filly in school."
A hippogriff with an apple greenish white coat then landed with a green and gray feathered griffon landing beside him: Terramar and Gabby. "The CMC's talents go beyond just ponies. They've helped countless creatures, like myself and Gabby," He explained. "Heck, they even helped my big sis and her friends stand up to a no good changeling queen who tried to take over. I know I could've never been that brave even if I wanted to."
Gabby then chimed in. "Whether it's encouraging others to discover their special talent or inspiring them to do what's in their heart, these three wonderful ponies offer the town something no other pony can."
And then Rarity commented. "I must side with all of these esteemed guests, Mother and Father," And she declared. "You may think you have Sweetie Belle's best interests at heart, and perhaps your hearts are in the right place. But I don't think you truly realize just how much Sweetie has grown here. Taking her away from Ponyville after everything she's experienced and everything she's done, it just wouldn't be right."
Cookie Crumbles looked across to her husband as she sighed. "I suppose maybe you're right, Rarity. After the recent events, Hondo and I started to realize we hadn't been as close as a family as we should've been. Knowing that you'd achieved your dream of opening a boutique in Canterlot, we felt that it would be best if Sweetie Belle moved with us to Canterlot and then maybe you'd join us. But clearly, we were wrong."
Hondo sighed in shame as he removed his hat. "We really should've thought of that before we sold the house and I took up that new job."
"Well, since it's probably too late to change your mind, I suppose now would be as good a time as any to make my own announcement." The fashionista declared. "I've gone through all the paperwork to have Sweetie Belle come move into Carousel Boutique with me full time."
And then a familiar earth pony and pegasus couple appeared as the sturdy pegasus announced. "So you're the ones we have to thank for that new house we just bought," And she explained. "Holiday and I figured, since the CMC make Ponyville such a nice place, we're going to move here. We'll finally have that summer home we dreamed about."
Holiday declared. "You'll get to see us all the time now, Scootaloo. And guess what? Lofty finally finished that quilt of hers, it's Cutie Mark Crusader themed!"
Everyone seemed to be excited, before the shrill call of a locomotive's whistle broke up the happy mood. "We'll come back and visit you as much as we can, Sweetie Belle," Hondo promised and then apologized. "We're sorry we couldn't see just how special your bond with your friends was sooner."
"And as soon as we're able, we're going to find a way to move back to Ponyville! That's a promise." Cookie vowed.
Sweetie rushed up to both of her parents, giving them one last tearful embrace before they had to leave. Fortunately, she knew she had some very supportive friends to back her up. "CMCs Forever?" She asked them.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded. "CMCs Forever. Always."