//------------------------------// // Solid Rainbow // Story: The Love of a Family // by Asterid //------------------------------// Chapter 19 – Solid Rainbow Time marched forward for the next couple of days. Scootaloo continued training with both her parents and spending time with her friends. By the time the weekend rolled around, Scootaloo was relaxed, but ready to finally finish the task set for her by Rarity. Rolling out of bed to the sound of her brand new Daring Doo alarm clock, she brushed her teeth and finished a quick preening before trotting down the hall to her parents room. Knocking on the massive door with Mama Twilight’s Cutie Mark on it, Scootaloo waited a few minutes expecting a response. They know I would be getting up early, She thought, Why aren’t they answering. Knocking again, Scootaloo waited a few more minutes before deciding she needed to take matters into her own hooves. Butting her head against the massive door, Scootaloo struggled to push the door open wide enough for her to slip through. Entering the room, the young filly was met with the cacophonous sound of Mama Dash snoring loudly. Tip-hoofing over to the bed, she fluttered her tiny wings before jumping quietly into the air and landed on her mothers’ bed. Twilight lay on her side with ear plugs in her ears, her hooves curled against her body which was pinned against Dash who had one of her large wings wrapped around the slightly larger Princess. Imagining herself and Sweetie Belle in a similar position, a small blush spread over Scootaloo’s face. Gently walking along the squishy Princess sized bed, the younger Pegasus poked Dash’s flank with her hoof, trying to wake the older speedster. “Mama Dash…come on…wake up,” Scootaloo whispered. Kicking her back leg gently, Dash’s breathe hitched before once again falling into a gentle, sleepy rhythm. Trying twice more, Scootaloo received the same response which caused a pout to spread over her muzzle. You brought this on yourself Mama Dash, Scootaloo said with a wicked grin. Focusing her magic, she spread her hooves wide before bringing them together, producing a loud thunderclap that echoed off the crystalline walls of the room. Dash’s eyes flew open along with her wings as she leapt into the air and began scanning for danger. Seeing a laughing orange filly on the bed, Dash scrunched up her face and landed back on the bed. “Dude, so not cool, Squirt,” Dash scolded, “You scared the Tartarus out of me.” “I know,” Scootaloo said, trying to look as innocent as possible, “Payback is fun though.” “This is for me crowing over your bed, isn’t it?” Dash asked. “Oh yeah,” Scootaloo said, “Why didn’t that wake-up Mama Twilight though?” “When she has her ear plugs in she’s dead to the world,” Dahs replied, “Don’t know why she wears them every night though.” “Could it be because you sound like an angry manticore when your sleeping?” Scootaloo joked. “Ok enough comments from the peanut gallery,” Dash said, poking Twilight in her side. As the lavender Alicorn opened her eyes, Dash motioned for her to remove her ear plugs. Pulling them out gently with her magic, Twilight slowly rolled out of bed. “Well, I see someone is excited about finishing her test today,” Twilight said with a yawn. “You bet I am,” Scootaloo said, “So come on, let’s get some breakfast and then we can bust out the remaining goop.” “Alright, alright,” Twilight said, wrapping her wing around Dash, “Let’s get this filly fed. Come on girls, we’ll wake Spike up on the way.” As the trio walked down the out of the room, Twilight loudly knocked on Spike’s door, rousing the young drake. Family all together, they walked through the halls of the castle before arriving in the Palace kitchen. As Spike pulled out a large pot, he began making a hearty breakfast of oatmeal and fruit while Dash sat reading the paper and Twilight began making two cups of coffee for the older mares. Rushing through the meal, Scootaloo began bouncing in her seat while she waited for the rest of her family to finish. “You ok over there, Scoots,” Spike asked, “You’re practically vibrating.” “No different than you over preparing for your little chat with Big Mac,” Scootaloo quipped, “I’m just excited that I’m almost done. I kinda wish all I had to do was talk to Sweetie Belle’s dad.” “Oh yeah, like that would have happened,” Rainbow Dash said before freezing up and throwing her hooves over her muzzle. “What do you mean, Mama Dash?” Scootaloo asked, cocking her head to the side. “I don’t mean anything, what are you talking about,” Dash rambled, “Isn’t Mama Twilight pretty in the morning. Hey look, a squirrel!” As all three of her family members turned to look out the window, Dash flared her wings, preparing to take to the air and shoot out of the room…or she would have, had Twilight not wrapped her in field of magenta energy. “Why don’t you two go get the rest of the supplies while Dashie and I go get your Liquid Rainbow from the safe room.” Twilight said, her voice filled with motherly authority. As the filly and drake left the kitchen, Twilight levitated the dishes into the sink before laying a wing gently over Rainbow Dash’s back. Guiding the speedster through the castle, the two stopped in front of their bedroom door. Pushing it open gently, Twilight pushed Dash through the doorway before glaring at the cyan colored mare. “You know something don’t you?” Twilight asked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Twi,” Dash replied, sweating a little, “I’m just a goofy jock speedster, I don’t know nothing.” “Ok, one, we both know that’s not true,” Twilight deadpanned, “I’ve seen you pull off next level aerodynamic calculations on the fly in your head, so you’re not ‘a goofy jock speedster’. Two, you have a tell when you’re trying to hide something. So please, tell me what you’re hiding.” “Ok, so only reason I’m telling you this is because it’s gonna come out as soon as the squirt gives Rarity this Celestia forsaken diamond she asked for and I wasn’t asked to make a Pinkie promise,” Dash said, sitting on her flank, “Rarity is Sweetie Belle’s mom.” “Ok…don’t understand why she wouldn’t be able to ask Sweetie’s dad for permission if they were Earth Ponies though.” Twilight asked. “He’s no in the picture…since like ever,” Dash replied, “Now that she’s Miss Fashion pony as well as being a member of your court she doesn’t care who judges her anymore and she’s gonna make an announcement at the presentation.” “That makes a lot of sense,” Twilight said, walking over to the bookcase and opening the hidden door, “I always wondered why Rarity’s parents were so hands off with Sweetie Belle.” ******** Sequestering themselves in the same room Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash had both previously used for their Aeromancy experiments, the filly and the drake busied themselves with preparing the small room for the end of Scootaloo’s test. As Spike closed the drapes to keep out the light, Scootaloo set up the small metal she had been using as well as the small beaker stand Twilight had given her. Her work space set up, Scootaloo sat on her flank and began going through the calming exercises both Twilight and Dash had taught her. Slowly, she began mentally going through her checklist while mumbling her centering mantra. “What on Equestria are you saying over there, Scoots?” Spike asked. “Hmm, what?” Scootaloo asked, opening her eyes, “Oh just my focusing mantra. ‘I am a Pegasus. I dominate the skies. I weigh less than a slice of bread.’ You know, that sort of hokey, self-empowerment mumbo-jumbo.” “Does it help?” Spike asked. “Hasn’t hurt so far.” Scootaloo said with a smirk, “So how are things going with you and Bloom?” “Really good actually,” Spike answered with a smile, “Just yesterday she was teaching me to buck apples.” “You, Spike the Dragon, were bucking apples on the farm,” Scootaloo asked, “I mean, your legs aren’t really that long, how did that work.” “It was rough at first,” Spike answered, “But then I realized I could use my tail to whap the tree and knock down the apples.” Hearing her brother say this brought a large smile to large smile to Scootaloo’s face as uncontrollable laughter bubbled up inside her. “What are you laughing at?” Spike asked, tilting his head to the side. “It’s like in this game I like to play about teenagers training monsters,” Scootaloo giggled, “’Spike used Tail Whip! Its super effective!’” “I am not Pokemon!” Spike shouted, smoke curling up from his nostrils, “For one thing, I can say more than just my name.” “So could Meowth,” Scootaloo joked, poking fun at the young dragon, “Are we sure Mama Twilight didn’t just lose your Pokeball?” “I didn’t lose his Pokeball, Scootaloo,” Twilight said, as she walked into the small room, “I left it in my room in Canterlot because her would never stay in the dang thing.” “E Tu, mother?” Spike asked dramatically. “Enough teasing the poor Drake,” Rainbow said, trying not to laugh, “He might use Dragon Rage and wipe out half the castle.” “You all suck,” Spike said, “Can we get on with this?” “As much fun as this has been teasing Spike,” Scootaloo said, “I do kinda want to get this finished. Then I can give Rarity this stupid gem. Did you bring the last of my liquid?” “Sure thing,” Twilight said, levitating the nearly finished gemstone in front of Scootaloo before placing the last vial of liquid rainbow in the beaker stand. Closing her eyes, the little orange filly sat on her flank and held her forehooves apart over the vial of dark purple liquid and began focusing her magic. What had previously been a taxing procedure was slowly becoming easier for the young filly. Slowly the violet liquid rose gently into the air between her outstretched hooves. Motioning with her wings, the nearly finished gemstone slowly rose into the air before it toughed the liquid violet. With a gently twitch of her eyes, a small jolt of electricity jumped form her wings to the gemstone which instantly solidified into a rough, irregularly shaped gemstone which shone with all the colors of the rainbow. “It’s done,” Scootaloo said with a touch of finality creeping into her voice. “It looks amazing, Scoots.” Rainbow said. “Yes, it does, it’s so different than the ones I’ve seen in the palace.” Twilight said, “I think I prefer the rougher design of yours.” “Your just saying that because you’re my mom,” Scootaloo said, a blush staining her muzzle, “But, thanks. So, what do I do now?” “Well, later today, you and I are going to go to Barnyard Bargains and get something nice to put it in while Mama Twilight and Spike go get Pinkie to send invitations to all the girls and the rest of the Crusaders.” Dash replied. “Does it have to be some big thing?” Scootaloo asked, “Can’t we like just go to the boutique and give it to her all-quiet like?” “Normally, it would just be something private,” Twilight said, “But because your part of the royal family, things have to be a little more…extravagant.” “But Mama Dash didn’t need to do that,” Scootaloo pouted. “The Tartarus I didn’t,” Dash replied with a laugh, “I had to go to the Day Court and present that infernal Moon Pearl to Aunt Luna. Im just glad no one was petitioning the court that day. For now, lets get some training in before lunch, see if you can beat you time from yesterday.”