Rarity woke up in a daze. A terrible scream was in the air. Springing to her hooves she rushed towards the frightful sound. It seemed to be coming from Scootaloo's room? Forcing the door open with her magic she barrelled inside. In front of her the little filly was lying in bed, kicking the covers off her and with that awful noise still erupting from her lungs like tea-kettle screeching as it goes off the boil.
'Scootaloo?' Rarity says as she shakes the filly. Her gentle shakes do nothing to bring Scootaloo out of her nightmare.
Rarity can hear some words fearfully mumbled from Scootaloo's lips as a thick rivulets of sweat dribbles down her face. She hopes that just misheard them but she somehow doubts it. Now she knows that her worst fears are being confirmed with each nightmare-fuelled admission.
'Scootaloo?' She calls again this time shaking harder, wanting desperately for her wake up and this nightmare to be over. She can't even think what this filly has went through and wants even less for her to relive it.
Rarity is still shaking her when Scootaloo screams a final time, a screeching fearful noise
'Rarity!' Scootaloo is wide-eyed and frantic as her breath comes in thick ragged gulps.
Rarity picks her up in her forehooves and hugs her close to her chest, the sweat sticks close to her fur but she doesn't care. All that matters right now is the filly in her hooves.
'There' she croons 'there, there. It's alright now. I'm here and you're safe, my darling. You're safe'
Scootaloo's heavy breathing slows as she closes her eyes and buries her head into Rarity's violet mane;her hair is warm and frizzed, odd for the usually perfect mare. The smell of her light perfume and the soft soothing assurances help to calm Scootaloo down but she is still shaken from the dream.
'I thought...' Scootaloo begins but cannot finish.
'It's ok Darling. I am here. You are safe and so am I. Everything is ok.' Rarity says quietly.
It was a tree. Just a tree.
To most anypony else, it was simply that. A tree.
To Big Mac and his kin it was his mother's tree. Old Bloomberg had been on this spot since before the apples were. Nearly every tree for as far as the eye could see was of her blood.
Wood Big Mac supposed.
Whenever he needed to clear his head he always came here, to his momma's tree. In truth Diamond Jubilee wasn't buried anywhere near here but it always felt that here is where she resided. The ancient gnarled bark seemed more loving and warm than any hunk of rock in Manehattan, Big Mac seemed to think. She was always so full of life, hard to think of Dj apple cold and unmoving as the stone that topped her instead of the growing and protecting apple tree that she cared for like a sister. It's branches seemed to stretch out over the fields, reaching out over the hills and valleys as if to shield it from some harshness unseen, that would never be seen as long as Bloomberg had a say in it.
Course, that was a while ago. When Diamond finally died it seemed so did the tree. As if it just gave up. No matter what Big Mac tried when he was a colt, the tree never seemed to respond. The once strong branches seemed withered and crooked, bent with age and sickness. The thick bark crusty and damp, riddled with critters that ate it from the heart out. Turning a once mighty tree into a living husk.
The tree looked how he felt back then, after she died. Dead inside, trying to protect and nurture the farm but it all felt hollow.
Not like when he first met the tree.
He had gotten his Cutie mark on Bloomberg back when he was colt. He was barely older than Applebloom is now when his mother took him out for Applebucking. He strode purposefully, wearing his harness (a mite big on such a small colt) to Old Bloomberg. When they had gotten right up beside it Diamond had lay down her hat and embraced the tree, all beatific smiles and warm thoughts as she almost cradled it.
'Momma, why are you doin' that for?' the cherry red colt asked.
Diamond just turned and hugged her boy. 'It's all part of the magic son.' she said happily. 'Try it.' she gestured with her hoof towards the tree as she let go of the hug. 'I think you and she should get better acquainted.' She tittered.
Nervously Big Mac walked up to the giant tree, that seemed to tower over him, it's imposing height that stretched skywards.
'Uh, hi ma'am, uh tree.' He said feeling a little foolish.
'Bloomberg, darling.' Diamond supplied. 'Her name is Bloomberg.' The love was thick in her voice.
'Bloomberg' Big Mac repeated the awe creeping into his voice. For the first time Big Mac actually saw Bloomberg. Her sturdy trunk, her all encompassing limbs that shouldered the burden of protection and providing for farm, the red apples like on momma's flank that shone like natures jewels, just ready to be picked and eaten.
His eyes wide with wonder he softly leaned forward and hugged the massive tree in his tiny arms. A mouse hugging a elephant. 'Hi Mrs Bloomberg ma'am' he said as his arms tightened around her.
His rump felt warm but he didn't want the hug to end. It was as if he understood it, understood her and everything that she did.
'You know what's special about earth ponies don't you Macintosh?' His mother asked from behind him, the grin was audible in her voice.
'No momma' he replied not breaking the hug, instead doubling the intensity of it. Whatever she was going to say would be important, somehow he knew that.
'What makes earth ponies so strong and dependable, what makes our own magic work and grow all this food for our friends and family, why we have such a deep tie to the land, son?'
'Eeyup, ah think ah do momma.'
'Go ahead son, say it.' Diamond encouraged, proud of her first born.
'It's …'
Thunk.
Something struck Big Mac square on the head, fishing him out of his day dreams.
'What in tarnation?' Big Mac asked, shaking his head to dispel the knock he received. Looking around he found the offending instrument. A bright green apple.
Picking it up in his right hoof he looked closer at it, as if unbelieving what it was. It was a Diamond Jubilee, the same kind that adorned his flank. He swept his gaze around to see if he could spot where it had come from, if anypony had thrown this at him as some kind of prank but there was nopony around. Just him and the trees.
That thought caused him to glance up, as another apple struck him on the snout. This time a smaller red apple. He knew what this apple was, as sure as he knew most apples. This little red apple he thought was a beauty when allowed to ripen fully, the sweetest apple you could ever eat once it was ready. Course, it was always tricky to grow them. Raritan apples are fussy things.
But wait, Big Mac thought as he looked back into Bloomberg's foliage. There above him like stars across and emerald sky hung the most delectable apples he had every seen. Raritan apples grew in bunches side-by-side with the large Diamond jubilees, proudly looking over them it seemed to him.
Two, different breeds growing on the same tree? It was a miracle, it was magic, it was...
Big Mac knew then what was mother was saying all those years ago, what makes earth ponies different, what makes them strong and dependable. What makes them who they are.
It could be their greatest weakness but it was also their greatest strength. It had wounded him when his mother died, making a walking shell of a stallion but it had helped him with his family, with Twilight. It could move mountains and travel distances, it could heal the wounds in his heart. Not entirely but it could give him the strength to carry on, to live.
He knew what the magic was now, as he did all those years ago and now he was going to fix it. First he had to see Twilight then onward to his sister.
Time to repair the damage that was done. As Big Mac knew, friendship was a powerful magic. It stopped Discord and Sombra. But it wasn't his magic and it paled behind this magic. In fact friendship was nothing without it. Merely the first hoof towards the destination.
He was going to fix this problem with his sister with the most magic he knew. Time to heal the wound.
And love heals all wounds.
It was a rock.
Slate grey with words etched onto its surface below a symbol of two thunderbolts.
“Here lies Firefly. She died as she lived. Riding the lightening.”
That was all it said. It didn't say how she got her cutie mark during the great storm of Cloudsdale. It didn't say how much she used to laugh, snorting like a buffalo. It didn't mention how much her eyes shone with and intangible zest for fun and adventure. What else could it have said? How she was the youngest mare ever to audition for the Wonderbolts and be accepted, only to turn it down for mysterious reasons. That when she died she was stuck in a dead end job barely making ends meet, the life grounded out of her by harsh reality and loneliness. Maybe it should have mentioned the reason for all these choices. Why a mare in the prime of her life would turn her back on the bright lights and money.
It could have least mentioned her daughter.
Scootaloo sat in front of the gravestone just staring at her mothers cutie mark.
She had never been here before. She hadn't even known they had buried her. She thought... she didn't know what she thought about what had happened to her. She had pushed it all from her mind. Never wanting to know.
But she had to know. She knew Rarity now knew about her mothers death but she had never told her how it happened. What happened after or why she ran away to begin with. Things had changed so much in the past few years. She had only moved to Ponyville when it happened. The accident and why she kept running.
She wasn't signed up for school yet and with just moving to the small town nopony noticed her. Her mothers death was chalked up as a tragedy by the council but she was never mentioned. As far as anypony knew she didn't exist. It was tough those first weeks. Hiding in her old house too scared to leave. The lightening had claimed her mother and she was frightened. She had lost the only Pony who cared for her. Her mother and only friend. She never wanted to leave the house if she could help it. How could she? Everything out there was cold and hurt. Here she was safe. She had food and everything she needed right here.
It didn't last long as strange ponies soon came around the house on the edge of Ponyville. Scared of what they might do to her if they found her she hid from them in a cupboard under the stairs. But she could still hear them.
“And here we are.” A male pony with a all too sweet voice said as a door swung open. “The lot in question.”
“What do you want me to do boss?” A gruff voice asked. He trotted into the house following his 'boss'.
“My lowly freight crate, I want you too pack all this crap while I inspect the place. It goes on the market next week to recoup the towns losses. And anyway where Firefly is she doesn't need the bits hmm?” he laughed while Scootaloo shivered in her hiding spot.
“You got it boss. But uh don't you think we should wait until some family come forth or sumthin'”
Another laugh broke through the air again. A great booming laugh dipped in sugar it was that cloyingly sweet to Scootaloo's ears. This was a bad pony the little filly thought.
The laughter stopped as a thwack sounded throughout the house and Scootaloo gave a little frightened yelp. Luckily the painful scream of Freight drowned it out.
“Think idiot.” The sugar pony said angrily. “ We don't want any relatives to come forth. We want to sell all this rubbish. If we do that then we'll swell the public coffers immensely not to mention my own. And besides I doubt this failed wonderbolt had any family. If she did I would take care of it.”
Scootaloo trembled with fear at that. A hundred thoughts screamed through her brain. Most telling her to run, to abandon the house and get as far away as possible. But she couldn't. She was rooted to the spot with fear. She stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, her breath coming in rapid and shallow, too scared to do anything but listen for what she knew was coming. He'd find her. Surely he would.
Her breath quickened even more and her blood thundered through her veins. He'd find her. He was going to find her and take care of her. This thought reverberated inside her skull as the ground shook with slow hoofsteps. Each step resonated through the wood, wobbling them and Scootaloo. He was going to find her.
Then the front door closed. A key turned in the lock and all was silent.
The only noise was her own breathing.
She didn't know how long she lay there. An hour, two. It didn't seem to matter as she waited to see if he was trying to trick her. As if her knew all along she was there and was just toying with her.
But no sound came. She was alone.
Ever so slowly she crawled towards the door of the cupboard. Nudging it gently open with her forehoof she peeked out expecting to see the smiling face of the sugar pony.
“Gotcha” crowed the triumphant Sugar pony as his soulless eyes stared at Scootaloo.
She threw her head behind her hooves as she cowered, waiting for him to do whatever he had planned.
Nothing happened. She looked up and saw only darkness. Relieved at the fact it was only her imagination playing tricks on her she stumble unsteadily to her hooves. Quickly she thought as she raced around the house trying to grab what she could. Checking each room she saw that everything had been cleared out, all except for a few snacks left lying in the trash. It seemed rather than packing them up Freight had just tossed them.
Grabbing the discarded food Scootaloo opened a window and ran. Ran as far as her hooves would carry her. Ran away from the house she had lived in all on her own, away from where her mother should have lived and away from the sugar pony.
Scootaloo blinked the tears away. She hadn't thought about that night in a year. The day she ran and kept running until she found friends.
Still looking at her mothers gravestone she didn't hear Rarity approach her.
“Are you ok Scootaloo?” she asked softly.
“I'm fine Rarity, I needed to see it.” She bit back tears as she talked. “ Could you maybe give me some time with her? Alone?”
Rarity nodded her assent. “ Of course. I will be over there by that tree if you need me.” And just like that she was gone. Not for good just for now as she hovered at the edge of the graveyard waiting for Scootaloo. Her new mother.
When she knew she was far enough away Scootaloo broke down in racking sobs, hot salty tears cascaded down her cheeks as she rocked forward.
She was dead. She knew that of course and had known it for a long time but there was something so final about seeing the gravestone.
Crying she lifted her front hoof to touch the stone.
“I'm sorry mom.” she choked out “ It's all my fault. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me.”
Babbling now through her tears she continued.
“You'd be a Wonderbolt if it wasn't for me. A high flying daredevil pleasing thousands. Not here under the cold ground. You'd be up there in the clouds wrestling lightening and playing with thunder. I ruined your life. You gave up everything for me. And what do you have to show for it?” Her voice became agitated now but still carried on, her eyes misty with tears. “Dead. And me? I replace you. You did everything for me and now I replaced you. Oh Celestia, why? I'm sorry. I love you mom but I have a new one now. I'm sorry. I'm suh-ruh-hy” she smacked her little hoof off the hard unforgiving stone as she collapsed into her grief and guilt.
Rarity rushed over, from where she stood she could not help but hear what Scootaloo was saying.
Lifting her in her magic she hugged the orange filly close to her chest and allowed her to cry herself out.
They sat like that for a long time, the only sound being Scootaloos sobbing and Rarity's consoling shushing.
“Scootaloo.” Rarity said moving Scootaloo back to look into her eyes. “You aren't replacing her. She is still your mother.”
“But Rarity...” Rarity cut in not allowing Scootaloo to finish.
“Ah ah ah let me finish dear. Do you think that she'd want you to be alone? The mare who gave up so much for you doesn't want you to have a family? No. I think she knows that for now you need somepony to look after you. I love you Scootaloo as if you were my own daughter. You are my own daughter but I'm not replacing anypony. She isn't truly gone if you remember her. She is still your mother. It's just now I am as well.”
“We won't forget her Scootaloo.” Rarity said fervently.
“ I promise. Mom.” And with that Scootaloo hugged Rarity, her mother. She wasn't here to replace Firefly nor could she. But she could be there. She could be a mother.
The sat there in silence holding each other close before Rarity broke the silence.
“Tell me about her.” was all she asked.
So Scootaloo told her about how she had gotten her cutie mark, the way she would laugh like a snorting buffalo, how her eyes sparkled full of life, how much she gave up including being in the wonderbolts just to raise her. She told her everything and Scootaloo and Rarity remembered it all.
When they turned to leave Rarity cast one spell upon the gravestone.
Below the epitaph lay a new etched sentence.
“Loving mother of Scootaloo. Never Forgotten.”