“Alright, y’all, is everypony ready?”
Six foals were lined up with saddlebags loaded with survival gear. Six adults were lined up, five looking happy and one looking very annoyed.
“But darling! I simply cannot fit everything into two saddlebags...”
“Rare, I told ya, ya ain’t gonna need any of that stuff! It’s called campin’, roughin’ it! Now get out there an’ quit yer belly achin’!”
“Well, I should say...”
“Alright, come on,” Rainbow Dash said, “I don’t want any fighting here.”
Blaze, his own saddlebags resting on his back, just rolled his eyes and turned to his marefriend. “Are they always like this?”
“Afraid so,” she sighed. “Thanks for agreeing to this.”
Blaze shrugged. “Hey, always promised I’d take Light camping.” Then, with a playful grin, he whispered, “besides, the only stallion in the woods with five cute mares? Sign me up!”
Twilight gave her coltfriend a playful smack. “It’s going to be none if you keep that up.”
“Alright, y’all, remember the rules,” Applejack spoke up. “Ya get in yer tents at lights out while we’re hikin’. Ya tell everypony when yer leavin’ the campsite.”
“And none of you foals better leave on your own,” Rainbow Dash added, giving Scootaloo a warning look.
“And that’s another thing. Each of ya has an adult here. Stick with ‘em, and do what they tell ya. These woods aren’t anywhere near as dangerous as Everfree, but it still ain’t a good idea ta just go off wanderin’.”
At this warning, Fluttershy scooted closer to Pip. The young colt looked up at the mare, who flashed him a warm smile. Gulping, Pip turned his attention back to Applejack.
“Keep yer pace, and carry yer own things. Ya hear that, Rare?”
“Yes, yes,” the unicorn sighed, though she seemed less than thrilled about it.
“Alright ya’ll, let’s get a-goin’. I wanna hit the first clearin’ by sundown.”
With that, the ponies marched onwards to their destination. Spike and Sweetie Belle walked alongside each other, with the filly wearing a constant smile on her face as she listened to her coltfriend’s experience with Blaze.
“... that’s really nice that you got to hang out with Blaze,” Sweetie Belle said merrily as she trotted alongside Spike.
“Yeah, now that I have some idea of who he is,” he said as he looked back for a second seeing his mother with Blaze. “I think he’s a good match for my mom,” he muttered, but stopped when he heard a giggle. “What’s that for?”
“I think it’s also because you want to have a dad in your life, Spike.”
Spike blinked rapidly as he blushed. “N-no! I just think he would be good for my mom!”
“I’m right, am I?” Sweetie asked mischievously as she batted her eyelashes to Spike.
“No comment...”
Meanwhile, Scootaloo and Light were chatting up a storm about his adventures in Canterlot with Twilight. Scootaloo frowned a little when she heard from Light how much of a disaster Spider-Colt was. “Well, at least now I know not to go and watch that the next time I’m in Canterlot,” she said plainly as she shrugged.
“There are other things to do there, Scoots,” Light assured her with his soft smile.
Scootaloo looked up and smiled broadly as she giggled. Why do I always feel so girly when he smiles at me? “I suppose,” she replied and gave him a quick nuzzle, but felt him freeze in the spot. “Something wrong?” she asked as she arched her brow.
Light shook his head as his eyes went skywards. “I just get the feeling your mom is watching us all the time...” he whispered and took a quick glance to his rear, where Rainbow’s eyes were keeping the two under constant surveillance. This ended though when Scootaloo turned around to see her mother’s eyes fleeing their assigned view.
The magenta-maned filly sighed as she shook her head. “This is getting ridiculous!” she told herself as she turned back to the road ahead. “I think what my mom needs is a special stallion in her life as well...” she said as her eyes suddenly went wide and sparkling. “That would be awesome! Maybe I can set my mom up with some stallion... and I could have a dad!” she paused suddenly when she heard Light chuckle. “What’s so funny!?”
“N-nothing,” Light replied quickly to quell his fillyfriend’s temper. “It’s just, I think that’s a good idea... cause my dad and Twilight were talking about it a few days ago.”
“Isn’t it weird calling Blaze ‘Dad’ now?”
“Kind of... but not really. I guess he’s always been my dad...”
“Aw... you’re sounding like Spike after Twilight adopted him...” She thought a minute. Then she smiled. “Ooh! That means Spike’s your brother! And Twilight’s your mom!”
He blushed. “Well, kind of... not really yet. I don’t even know if my dad is going to marry Twilight!”
“Hey, next to my mom, Twilight would be the coolest mom to get! She knows all three princesses perfectly, and she knows all that magic!”
“Well, yeah,” he admitted. “It was nice talking with the Princess...”
“You could be a member of the Royal Family!” she said happily. “Just think, Prince Light...”
Now he really blushed. “N-no comment.”
Behind the two foals, Rainbow Dash got a slight nudge from Applejack. “Now, come on, sugarcube. Ya can’t keep coddlin’ her like that.”
“She’s my daughter. I can coddle her all I want.”
“Dash, ya gotta look at this logically. She’s not some defenseless filly. She lived on her own fer years, an’ she escaped Bloodwing just fine... twice in fact. I think she could handle a colt that got too big for his britches.”
“Light doesn’t wear britches,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “Besides, she shouldn’t have to take care of herself. She’s a foal. Taking care of her is my job.”
“Well, part o’ that is knowin’ when it’s time to let her go free. I think you can trust her to keep her hind legs together.”
Rainbow Dash blushed at this. “I know she wouldn’t do that.”
“Then what’s the problem? Light’s an upright boy. It’s his bro... sorry, his pa that’s had run-ins with the law.”
She sighed. “I know...”
“Maybe yer havin’ the same problem Shinin’ Armor had? Ya don’t want her to grow up?”
Rainbow pursed her lips as she looked down. Her eyes suddenly became moist as she raised her head. “I guess...” she started, with her eyes looking back at Scootaloo and Light. Her lips started to quiver. “It’s just, she’s growing up so fast and I’ve only been her mother for such a short time it’s-”
“There there, Sugarcube,” Applejack chimed in, giving her friend a quick hug. “Ah know how it feels to see yer filly sprout up so fast,” she replied as she saw Apple Bloom with Pipsqueak. “What with me helping to raise Apple Bloom, Ah’m darn well the closest thing to a ma for the filly,” she said as she bit her lower lip and looked down on the ground with half-hooded eyes too.
Rainbow sighed, but smiled slightly as she looked back at how happy Scootaloo is with Light. “I guess I just need to let things flow for now, and if she needs me... I’ll always be there for her...”
“Exactly!” Applejack answered as she patted her friend’s back. “Ya know, maybe it’s about time ya get a stallion in yer life? Scootaloo could do with a pa in her life, Ah think!” Applejack said with a grin, seeing her friend blush and turn away.
“Darling, I think it was really kind of you for escorting little Pipsqueak on this trip,” Rarity told Fluttershy as they were walking alongside each other, the unicorn using groaning as she carried her saddle bag.
Fluttershy cocked her eyebrow at Rarity’s straining body. “Um, isn’t that saddlebag light enough?” she asked softly and curiously, receiving a head shake as her answer. “Maybe I could help carry your bag?”
“Fluttershy, dear! You are a saviour!” Rarity nearly bursted out in tears and gave her bag to the pegasus, who gladly took it and just walked on plainly onwards. “How is that much weight not bothering you?!”
“I work with animals Rarity, handling their food and giving them needed attention...” Fluttershy said with a soft smile, but her happy moment soon turned into worry as she placed a hoof to her mouth. “Oh dear, I hope Angel Bunny is taking care of things over there...”
“Fluttershy, you must relax... I am certain your animals are all safe and sound.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely,” Rarity spoke, but she looked away fast as she remembered the bunny’s reputation.
Despite everything, they managed to reach the campsite before sunfall. They had spread out the chores among them, and before the sun set the tents were pitched and the fire started. Marshmallows and chocolate were distributed, and s’mores were being cooked.
And of course, Rainbow Dash was telling her usual ghost stories. Or in this case, something much more terrifying.
“And as the camp counselors thought everything was safe, they went off into a nearby cabin. They were unaware that a rather large pony was coming for them. Wearing a hockey mask he retrieved from one of his previous victims, he carried a large machete with his magic. He came closer, saying nothing, because he never spoke. Still, these ponies had dared enter his territory, and they must suffer.”
The six foals and three grown mares shivered. Blaze had long since endured things that made any campfire story ineffective against him, and Twilight was the scariest thing in the woods, so the two were taking the opportunity to give quick kisses to each other.
“So, the large pony opened the door. The two ponies gasped, and before they could scream the large blade came down and silenced them forever. Some say this pony will come for you in the darkest of nights when you enter his territory. But nopony knows exactly where it is. It could be right... here!”
At that moment, a large axe swung down onto the ground near the campfire, being held in the wing of a large pony, flames erupting from behind him. Everypony jumped and screamed, beginning to dash into the woods. Dash laughed, falling off her log, Twilight laughed, and the masked pony laughed.
Removing the mask, Blaze laughed, extinguishing the flames behind him. “You’re right, that was fun!”
“That. Was. Not. Funny!” Rarity responded, coming back with gritted teeth.
“Then why am I smiling?” Rainbow Dash asked, smiling.
“Well,” Applejack said, trying to let her heart catch up with her, “I’d say it’s time to head to bed.”
“Aw, but I haven’t even gotten to the story about the pony with the clawed hooves!”
“That’ll wait until tomorrow,” Applejack said. “It’s time to turn in. We got another day of hiking ahead of us tomorrow.”
“Th-that sounds l-like a good idea!” Fluttershy said, dashing toward her and Pip’s tent. When she was inside it though, Pip was not there. She popped her head back outside and saw the little colt looking up at the stars. “Pip, it’s time to go to bed now,” she called out to him softly.
Pip turned his head to Fluttershy’s and sighed. “Al’ight,” he replied glumly and walked into the tent, where he immediately collapsed on his sleeping mattress positioning himself in a fetal position.
Fluttershy followed suite in lying down in her own mattress, but her eyes never left Pip’s body that seemed to be shivering even with the sleeping blanket on top of him. Remembering what her mother did for her when she was a filly, she scooted herself closer to the colt’s body and gently encased a wing over him. She could tell he was already asleep by his breathing, but he still accepted the wing gratefully in his slumber. Fluttershy smiled and slowly closed her eyes, welcoming the Sand-Pony to bring her into her dreams.
When the sun came over the horizon from the east, its beams of light traveled to the tents of twelve ponies waking each one in a different fashion. Everypony woke up refreshed and ready for the new day, all except one. The others heard a muffled splash from Rainbow’s tent, where she immediately came out looking mad. Mad yet hilarious.
Her face was covered in cream, along with her right front hoof. Applejack saw this and snickered before laughing out loud. “Talk abou’ a ‘Wake Up Call’, hey Rainbow Dash?!” she asked her friend who was busy washing away the cream with a bottle of water.
“Haha, very funny...” she muttered, and she heard her daughter giggle too. This in turn caused her to blush slightly before shaking it off and heading to her tent. “Breakfast time, everypony! After breakfast, we pack up and move out!”
Rarity’s face fell as her smile disappeared instantly from the words. “But Rainbow Dash! What about prepping for the rest of the day?! Shower, combing my mane, some makeup...” she paused when everypony was staring at her as though she grew an extra horn. “What?! It’s only natural for a lady to prepare for the day ahead...”
Sweetie Belle planted her hoof against her temple and groaned, and she leaned to Spike’s ear. “This always happens on every camping trip...”
Spike just shook his head. “I feel bad for you...” He furrowed his brow as he continued to watch Rarity’s ranting on ‘proper etiquette’. And to think I actually had a crush on her...
Luckily, Twilight was to the rescue. Via a book she levitated in front of Rarity’s eyes.
"Camping for the Novice," Rarity read out loud. "Whatever is this?”
“This book should help you get everything done without taking too long.”
“Oh goody!”
As Rarity started reading, everypony got back to work.
The hike was nearly unbearable. Not because of the effort in actually hiking, but because Rarity was whining the whole way through.
“They actually told me to skip the conditioner! Twilight, darling, how could you! I look like a wreck! So many hairs are out of place! I’m hideous!”
Blaze rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Twilight. “Is she always like this?” he asked curiously, still hearing her complaining.
“It can get worse...” Sweetie Belle chimed in as she decided to get away from her sister fast.
Twilight clenched her teeth as she frowned from the ranting. For the first time, Twilight felt sympathy for the Diamond Dogs.
By sunfall, they had set up camp again, and instead of a ghost story, they decided on a game.
“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash said, “Truth or Dare?”
“Hmm... Dare!”
“I dare you to... go jump in the lake.”
“... That’s it? Sure, no problem.”
“Uh, Twi...” Applejack began, but Rainbow Dash hushed her as Twilight headed toward the lake. Taking a deep breath, she jumped in.
Immediately she was out. “Eels! Eels! Ew! Ew!” She was back at the campfire breathing heavily while the group laughed.
“You should see the look on your face!”
“Okay, I dare you to take a flight through those briar patches!” Twilight said angrily, pointing to the mess of bramble.
Taking a gulp, Rainbow Dash flew up and, with as much speed as she could muster, she flew through.
She returned to the campsite with a few nicks and burrs, and wisely decided not to dare Twilight again.
“Ma turn!” Applejack waved her hoof in the air and she started to cackle as her eyes landed on Rarity. “Rarity!” she started, making the said pony jump in her place. “Truth... or Dare?”
“T-truth!” Rarity uttered out as she didn’t want to get into any dares with Applejack, remembering the fateful sleepover she had.
Applejack groaned as her ears drooped and her smile vanished. “Fine... Is it true you have a marshmallow addiction?” she asked her friend.
Rarity was silent for a moment, as the air became dead quiet around her. She forced a smile and started laughing. “O-of course not, Applejack, darling! Marshmallows are so not the treats of a fine lady such as I!” she pointed to herself smugly, closing her eyes and waving her mane around to emphasis ‘fine lady’.
Sighing, Scootaloo waved her hoof in the air until she got the attention of the other ponies. “My turn! Light! Truth or Dare?” she asked her coltfriend who was sitting next to her, eyeing him mischievously.
“Dare...”
“I dare you to drink a whole bottle of hot sauce!”
Light’s jaw was agape and he turned to his father, who only chuckled at the odd dare. He gulped and nodded. “Alright, gimme that bottle!”
When he was given the bottle, he held it with a shaking hoof and he looked to everypony who eyed him with curiosity and a few were looking at him as though he was going on a death march.
Scootaloo just smiled innocently at Light. “Better get started,” she cooed at him batting her lashes playfully at him.
“Yeah, yeah,” Light muttered and twisted the bottle open, gulping first before taking in all the contents of the bottle. He swallowed it down his throat, eyes becoming wet as his mouth was becoming a blaze. He then looked skywards before fainting.
“Light?” Scootaloo called out to him and scooted closer, only to see Light’s eyes wide open and not moving. “Light!” Scootaloo shouted again, and everypony was panicking. Scootaloo reached out to him and held him close shaking him slightly. “Light! Light! Please be ok! Light-” she jumped backwards suddenly gasping, his head turned sharply to hers with a massive grin on his face.
“Gotcha!”
“That wasn’t funny!” Scootaloo said angrily as she shoved him playfully.
“Then why am I smiling?” Light said.
Rainbow Dash leaned into Twilight’s ear. “Looks like they’re picking stuff up from us,” Rainbow Dash smiled seeing the foals interact.
“Maybe a little too much,” Twilight mumbled.
Blaze draped a wing around her. “Oh, come on, lighten up,” Blaze said. “They’re just having a bit of fun.”
“My turn! Scootaloo, truth or dare?” Light said.
“Dare.”
“Let’s see...I dare you to...” he thought a moment, and then gave a wicked smile. “Dance. To the most sappy, slowest song that Rarity brought on that phonograph of hers!”
Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “What?”
“You have to. Dare. No choice.”
Scootaloo huffed. “Fine.”
“Oh, I have just the record,” Rarity said happily, digging through the records and ignoring Applejack’s mutterings of, “I can’t believe you brought all that.”
“Here we are. The Classic Love Ballad, by Sweet Notes.”
Scootaloo shivered. “Just get it over with.” She stood by the fire, waiting.
Rarity put the record on and moved the needle to play.
The notes moved through the air as she began to dance.
Scootaloo closed her eyes slowly as the melody vibrated through the air and she slowly began to sway her body in accordance to the song’s rhythm. Only the sound of the music itself was heard from her, as no other noise distracted her from the movements she was doing. The only other feeling that was known to her that time was touch, as she felt the warmth of the camp fire brush against her. When the song became faster, so did her movement. She did not open her eyes one bit during her dance. If she had, she would have seen the others looking at her in awe and a shimmer of light appearing from behind her. Especially Light whose eyes were sparkling in appreciation for the filly before him.
When the song ended, she inhaled a deep breath before letting it out slowing. Her eyelids opened eventually and she was greeted with many eyes staring. Scootaloo blushed deeply, her eyes widening. “W-what?!” she squeaked out, feeling awkward with the stare.
“That’s was awesome...” Light said as he smiled broadly at her. “You never told us you could dance like that!”
Scootaloo turned her head away, pursing her lips as she furrowed her brow. “I-it’s not that great!”
“Oh yeah?” Light replied, and pointed to her flank. “Then what’s that?”
Scootaloo blinked twice before slowing looking to her flank, and she gasped before letting out a deafening scream. The ponies around her covered their ears as they kept their eyes shut of the sound. When it was over, Scootaloo was left smiling and pointing to her flank in joy. Where once there was only orange fur, a picture of red dancing shoes adored her flank now.
“I got my cutie mark!” she shouted out again, hovering in euphoria for the moment. When she was done, she flew over to her mother and hugged her tightly. The hug was returned as Rainbow held her close, a few tears escaping her eyes. She looked down on Scootaloo’s tiny form, not noticing the ‘d’aww’ around her.
“Well done, Scoots,” she spoke and kissed her daughter’s forehead affectionately, letting go of the filly.
Scootaloo went over to Light’s side and hugged him too. She nuzzled his cheek before kissing it softly, resulting with some of the colts whistling. “Thank you.”
Light’s pupils shrank as he blushed too, scratching the back of his head. “W-what for?”
“If you didn’t tell me to do that dare, I’d have never gotten my cutie mark.”
“M-my pleasure, then,” he replied before pecking her cheek.
Apple Bloom and Pip just sat there and shrugged at their friend’s accomplishment. Pip looked to Apple Bloom. “Well, this just leaves the two of us to find our cutie marks...”
“Eeyup...” Apple Bloom answered, smiling inwardly before looking to the flames.
Rainbow Dash, however, was both overjoyed and silent. She was happy for her daughter to finally gain her cutie mark, but she just stared at Scootaloo getting too comfortable with Light.
“Come on, Dash,” Applejack whispered, “don’t ruin the moment.”
“I won’t,” she mumbled. “I... this is her moment. And I guess Light did help her get her cutie mark.”
There was silence from the two mares as the rest of the cutie mark crusaders crowded around Scootaloo, giving their congratulations.
“You seemed to get along with Blaze better last night.” Applejack told her with a smile on her face.
“We just pulled a prank together, that’s all.” Rainbow Dash replied plainly.
“Pranks’re what brought you an’ Pinkie together,” she reminded her.
“I thought Pinkie was annoying, not that she was a felon that kidnapped my daughter,” she said, though it was clear her heart wasn’t in her protest. “I guess he’s okay.”
Applejack smiled. “I think everythin's gonna be better after the trip, you’ll see!”
Scootaloo dashed up to them. “Mom, you think I could get in some dance classes when we get home?”
She smiled. “Sure, I’ve got more than enough bits saved up. I think we can get you all set.” She pulled her into another hug. “I’m willing to bet you’ll be the best dancer around by the time you hit my age. You are my daughter, after all; you’re made of awesomeness.”
Excited talks of the joint cute-ceañera and cute-mitzvah faded into talks of all the things the newly marked crusaders would accomplish.
“I’m going to write the best book ever,” Spike says. “Something sci-fi, but even better than those Galaxy Battle books.”
“Right, you want them crazy fancolts hatin’ everythin’ you put out?” Pip jeered, earning a smack from Apple Bloom.
“I didn’t think that through,” Spike admitted. “Maybe fantasy...”
“What, fantasy? Don’t tell me you’re going to write about humans. After One Ring wrote those books, they’ve been done to death,” Sweetie moaned.
“And ya’d have Lyra whinin’ that ya got the facts wrong,” Apple Bloom pointed out.
“...Is there anything I could write that ponies wouldn’t complain about?”
“Probably not,” Twilight noted, making a mental note to start teaching Spike how to accept criticism. “Ponies like to complain about things.”
Spike shrugged as he rolled his eyes. “I suppose...” he admitted quietly. “Sweetie Belle, what about you?”
Sweetie Belle shuffled her hooves as she giggled. “I want to a be famous singer,” she told everypony as she looked up to the starry sky. “I want to sing for the whole of Equestria,” she then looked at Spike and smiled coyly at him. “And I wouldn’t mind having you write my lyrics, too...” she said softly as she batted her lashes to him, causing Spike’s cheeks to burn brightly. Everypony was chuckling at this, before Sweetie looked at Light. “How about you, Light?”
Light crossed his forehooves to the back and rested his head against them. “I’m going to be the best Wonderbolt ever!”
Rainbow Dash coughed out loud, getting his attention. “In your dreams, kid, that spot is already filled.”
Light cocked his eyebrow. “By who?”
“By me,” Rainbow replied smugly, closing her eyes and holding her head up high.
“Says who?”
“Says me.”
“Alright!” Blaze chimed in, putting his hooves between them. “Enough, geez!” he looked at Rainbow smirking. “You have yet to see how fast my boy can go,” he said to her as Rainbow calmed down. “And Light, you’re still a bit too young to talk about being the best Wonderbolt.”
“I know...” Light muttered as he looked away from his father’s gaze.
“But don’t worry!” Blaze reached out to his son and started ruffling his mane. “When I’m done with you, you’re gonna leave other ponies in the dust with your skills... got it memorized?” he asked rhetorically as he pointed to his head and smiled.
Light beamed and hugged his father.
“Apple Bloom and Pip are the only two left that need cutie marks,” Spike said. “It shouldn’t take too much longer, right?”
“It better not be,” Apple Bloom muttered, staring at her still blank flank. “I was one of th’ foundin’ members, I shoulda gotten mine by now.”
“I keep tellin’ ya, ya can’t force a cutie mark appearin’,” Applejack said. “Ya need to just be patient. You’ll find it. You’re about the age I was when I got mine.”
“Anything you’re hoping for?” Sweetie asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe a manticore tamer, or a changeling stomper, or a...”
“Uh, maybe ya ought to focus on somethin’ a little less dangerous,” Applejack said hopefully.
“What about you, Pip?” Sweetie asked. “I bet you’ve got some ideas on what you want your cutie mark to be.”
“...You know,” Pip flopped down onto his back, staring at the stars. “I never really thought about it.”
“Not at all?” Scootaloo asked him curiously.
He shook his head. “I figure it’ll come ta me when it comes.”
“Then what do you think about?” Fluttershy asked him innocently, staring down at the colt on the ground.
“Nutten’,” he said.
“Really? You have no idea where you want your life to go?”
He shook his head. “Gotta get a cutie mark first, right? I’ll worry about it, then.”
Twilight looked at Pip a moment before leaning over to Fluttershy and whispering in her ear. “Did you get anything out of him?”
“No, not yet,” she whispered back.
Everypony was fast asleep. It was late in the evening when the ponies decided to head off to their tents and sleep as the fire was beginning to die down. Every tent was sealed to keep the ponies warm. All except one. Fluttershy’s tent was still open, even with her not being awake. A gust of wind entered the tent and brought the mare out of her slumber with a shiver down her spine. She got up and investigated for the reason of the chill. As she went to close her tent, her eyes fell on a vacated sleeping mattress and bag.
“Pip?” she whispered as she looked outside, seeing no sign of the little colt. She quivered at the sound of an owl hooting and shot her head back inside shaking. Fluttershy gulped hard, leaning her head back outside and looking around. “Pip?” she called out again, but no response greeted her.
Fluttershy gently exited from the tent and walked toward the dying flame of the campfire, hoping to find Pip nearby. “Pip?” she called out, but all that greeted her was the sound of crickets and the wind blowing through the grass nearby.
Oh dear... where is he?
Suddenly, her ears twitched as the sound of humming could be heard nearby. She turned her attention to the source and walked towards it. The melody became louder as she pressed on in the darkness, before finally coming to a stop on a hill.
Fluttershy looked towards her to see Pip sitting on his haunches, encasing his hind legs with his forelegs. She saw the colt looking up the starry skies and heard him hum a tune. A rather somber tune.
The mare decided to walk up to him slowly, hardly emitting any sound of her hooves touching the soil beneath her. She stood behind him, not noticed by Pip as his eyes never left the skies above.
“Pip?” With a hoof, she reached out to him and touched his back.
The reaction the colt gave was sudden, as Pip jumped in the air and turned around sharply as he tried to scream. No sound came from his throat, as he was too scared to react. When his eyes met Fluttershy’s, she could see how frighten the poor colt was.
“Pip! It’s me! Fluttershy!” she tried to calm him down softly, placing her hooves on his shoulders.
Pip inhaled and exhaled deeply as he came to his senses, blinked a few times before furrowing his brow at Fluttershy. “You gave me a fright there,” he said as he sat back down on his haunches.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, sitting down next to him. “Are you okay?”
“You’ve asked me that a lot,” Pip reminded her, smiling a little without mirth.
“And what’s your answer this time?”
“...No,” he admitted.
Spreading out a wing, Fluttershy wrapped Pip in an embrace of feather. “Why don’t you tell me all about it?”
Pip sighed, looking down and away from her eyes. “...I know what I really want, more than a cutie mark.”
“And what’s that?” Fluttershy asked.
“...I think I’d like a family.”
He waited for a shocked reaction, but knew it was foolish. Fluttershy had figured it out by now, he knew. “You never had one?”
Pip laughed again, but there was no joy to be found in his laugh. “I did once... but they left me.”
Fluttershy gasped as her eyes became wider in shock.“Why would they do that?”
“I don’t know... I guess it’s because they couldn’t find anyone to adopt me.”
“They were trying to get you adopted?”
The colt shrugged. “I think so... dad was always tellin’ mum she shoulda got somethin’ that started with an ‘A’. I can’t think of what else it could be...”
Fluttershy felt her blood grow cold. She squeezed Pip tighter. “Sweetie, when was the last time you saw them?”
“A month before the NightMare Night when Princess Luna visited. They set me in this old shack outside town and told me to wait until they got back.”
The pegasus’ eyes became wetter with every word Pip spoke. “Oh dear. How have you been feeding yourself?”
“Th’ same way Scoots did. Mr. an’ Mrs. Cake are always givin’ free sweets away, an’ the Apples don’t notice a few pieces missin’.”
Fluttershy bit her lower lip as she continued to listen to Pip’s story. Her wing became more firm with each second, never daring to let the colt go. “W-where do you stay, Pip?” she asked curiously, yet her voice was tainted in dread.
Pip looked sideways as his eyelids became half-hooded. “At the shack they dropped me off...”
“W-Why didn’t you tell anypony of this?” Fluttershy asked as her voice became cracked and she sniffed to keep her composure.
The colt raised his eyebrow as though she asked an obvious question. “And be sent to some random orphanage away from the friends I made here?” he asked her rhetorically and just looked down. “Besides, nopony in Ponyville wants a ‘thrown-away reject’-”
His words were cut off, with Fluttershy bringing him to her chest and holding him tightly as both her wings cocooned Pip. He felt moisture on his head and looked up to see Fluttershy sobbing uncontrollably with her lips quivering.
“D-don’t you ever say that about yourself, please...” she said weakly to him, as she sniffed and blinked uncontrollably.
Pip was confused as he cocked his eyebrow at her. “Why are you crying, Fluttershy? I’m sorry if I made you-”
“No,” Fluttershy shook her head as more tears streamed down her face. “I’m crying for you, Pip.”
“For me?”
Fluttershy nodded as she gave a soft smile that was mixed in with her crying. “And you should, too...”
Pip tilted his head sideways as he raised his brow. “Sorry?”
“I’m telling you to cry...”
“Wha-”
“Please,” Fluttershy held onto him and nuzzled his head softly as her tears stained his coat. “Let it all out and cry...”
Pip was mute for the moment, staring at Fluttershy’s head before lowering it to be met by her cream coated chest. A myriad of images from past events before Ponyville flooded the colt’s mind . None of which were pleasant at all.
And he cried.
He cried hard, dampening Fluttershy’s coat with his tears. He felt both of Fluttershy’s wings wrap him in an embrace. He felt her kiss his forehead and give gentle reassurances.
“There, there, just let it out. You’ll feel better.”
It lasted another five minutes before he started to quiet. Fluttershy pulled apart and looked him in the eye. “There now, are you feeling better?”
He nodded. “...Can I have another hug?”
Fluttershy smiled. “Come on,” she said, leading him back to their tent. Once inside, Fluttershy got into her sleeping bag, and then pulled Pip into a hug. It was a bit of a squeeze, but they both fit, allowing Pip to experience a loving embrace.
“We can stay quiet about this until after the trip,” she whispered. “Once we’re back in Ponyville, we can go get your things. I can make room at my cottage for you.”
“R-really?” Pip asked hopefully.
She nodded. “It might be kind of a tight squeeze for a while, but I’ll manage. I’ve been wanting to add a room onto my home for a while for more animals, I’m sure making a room for you would work.”
“...Miss Fluttershy?”
“Yes?”
There was a long silence, so long that for a moment Fluttershy thought he had fallen asleep. But then it came.
“...Can I... call you ‘Mum’?”
Fluttershy smiled. Now she was crying. She kissed the colt... her colt... on the forehead. “Yes...” she whispered as she nuzzled him demurely with her eyes closed, streaming tears endlessly. “And Pip...”
“Yes?”
“...I love you.”