//------------------------------// // The Visitors At Cumulus Court // Story: Scootaloo's Sunrise Surprise // by MythrilMoth //------------------------------// "Hey, Apple Bloom?" "Yeah, Sweetie Belle?" The two Crusaders were patching the roof of the clubhouse, which had been damaged by a fallen tree limb after a heavy storm. Scootaloo had left a few minutes earlier, saying she needed to be home early. "Where does Scootaloo live?" Sweetie asked. Apple Bloom paused in the middle of hammering a nail. "Umm...you know, Ah ain't really sure," she said. "Ah heard somepony say she was an orphan, but...there ain't even no orphanages in Ponyville!" "Maybe she lives at an orphanage in Cloudsdale?" Sweetie Belle asked. "That's just silly," Apple Bloom replied dismissively. "If she lived in Cloudsdale, what would she be doin' goin' t' school in Ponyville? 'Specially since she can't fly an' all." "Oh yeah. Huh." Sweetie frowned. "So where DOES she live then?" "Why don't we ask 'er tomorrow?" * * * * * As soon as Cheerilee dismissed class Friday afternoon, the Cutie Mark Crusaders immediately gathered in their customary spot. "So, what're we doing to earn our Cutie Marks today, girls?" Scootaloo asked eagerly. The other two glanced at one another. Sweetie Belle tilted her head in Scootaloo's direction. Apple Bloom nodded, turned to Scootaloo, and asked, "Actually, we was thinkin'...we should meet up at your place!" Scootaloo flinched. "Um...my...place? As in...my...house? Where I...live?" "Yeah!" Sweetie Belle said. "I mean, you've been to my place and Apple Bloom's place plenty of times, and we've even slept over at Fluttershy's place and the library, but...we've never even been to your place! We don't even know where you live!" Scootaloo giggled. "Aheh...well...um...I'm an orphan, of course! Everypony knows that! I don't have a home!" Apple Bloom frowned. "Scootaloo...there ain't no orphanages in Ponyville. An' no orphans, neither." Scootaloo's ears dropped. "S-sure there are! It's um...it's..." "It's where?" Apple Bloom challenged, stepping forward. "Go on, tell us where the orphanage is." Scootaloo dropped her head. "Okay, you got me." Her friends glanced at one another. "So...what's the real story, Scoots?" Apple Bloom asked. Scootaloo sighed. "It's...hard to explain." "But you really DO have a home and a family, right?" Sweetie prompted. "Yeah, I do," Scootaloo said unenthusiastically. "So take us to your place and let us meet your folks!" Apple Bloom said. Scootaloo shook her head. "It's...not that simple." "You don't want your family to meet your friends?" Sweetie Belle asked, face scrunched up in a perfect imitation of her sister's best pout. Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "It's nothing like that. It's just..." She sighed. "Tell you what. Meet me at Princess Twilight's castle tomorrow morning, and...and then we'll go to my place." The others looked at each other. "Why can't we just go now?" Apple Bloom asked. "Because...it's...well...just wait until tomorrow, okay? Please?" Scootaloo pleaded. "Oh, alright," the others pouted. * * * * * When Scootaloo was through playing for the day, she rode her scooter out to an empty field to the southwest of Ponyville. After a few minutes' wait, a beautiful carriage of gold-painted mahogany draped in silk finery descended from the sky, pulled by a stately grey pegasus with a white mane and mustache who wore a stuffy tuxedo jacket and black bowtie. "Did you have a good day, Young Miss?" he asked. Scootaloo sighed. "Yeah." She stepped into the carriage. "But tomorrow may be kinda bad..." * * * * * The instant Scootaloo stepped through the front door, a bright yellow pegasus mare in a navy blue maid outfit descended upon her. "Welcome home, Young Miss," the maid said. "Let's just make you presentable..." "Do we gotta?" Scootaloo asked with a disgusted groan. "Yes, we 'gotta'," the maid clucked, rolling her eyes. Ten minutes later, Scootaloo was clad in a gown of fine gold silk which fell about her in great waves, pooling around hooves which were shod in soft slippers of the same material. Her mane had been restyled into a series of tight ringlets. To the sound of constant subtle prompts from the maid ("A-hem", "Tsk...",) Scootaloo gracefully ascended a long, winding spiral staircase framed by glistening rainbow falls and pristine columns. After fifteen minutes of climbing, she emerged into the cavernous foyer of her family home. The butler, who had simply flown up to the mansion proper while she was being dressed, cleared his throat and announced, "The Young Miss has returned from school." "Thank you, Silverbolt," a clear, crisp female voice echoed in the foyer. A silver-white mare with an artfully styled pile of powder blue tresses, draped in fine silver silks, glided into the room. She smiled at the filly. "Welcome home, Sunrise. How was school?" "School was fine, Mother," Scootaloo said. She fidgeted. "Is something the matter, dear?" The little orange pegasus sighed. "My friends...want to come over tomorrow." The elegant mare's eyes gleamed, a smile blossoming on her face. "How delightful! I do look forward to meeting your friends. I will clear my schedule for tomorrow so that I can learn all about the fillies you spend so much time with." Scootaloo grimaced. "There...are a few things I need to tell you first, Mother," she said. * * * * * The early morning was crisp and bright when Scootaloo met up with her friends at the castle. "Okay, we're here!" Apple Bloom said cheerfully. "We're ready t' go t' yer place, Scootaloo!" Scootaloo looked at her friends and swallowed nervously. "We'll need to see Twilight before we leave," she said. "Huh? Why?" Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo rubbed the back of one hoof with another. "Well...the thing is...I live in Cloudsdale. You two can't...actually even walk in my house." The other two fillies exchanged a glance. "You really live in Cloudsdale?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Yeah," Scootaloo said. "But I know that Twilight knows a cloud-walking spell that'll let you two spend the day in Cloudsdale." "Awesome!" Apple Bloom said. "Well, let's get right to it!" She knocked on the door. After a moment, Spike answered. "Oh, hey there," he said. "What's up?" "We need to ask Twilight for a favor," Scootaloo said. Spike frowned at her. "Princess Twilight," he amended. "Show some respect." Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Just let us in already." Upon hearing their request and the reason for it, Twilight was all too happy to accomodate them. She also insisted on accompanying them, partly out of curiosity and partly to make sure the spell held up for the full duration. Despite Scootaloo's panicked protests, a grand chariot had soon arrived, pulled by two of the Canterlot Royal Guard, and Twilight and the three fillies had boarded. With a sigh, Scootaloo supplied the guards with the address for her home in Cloudsdale. One of the guards glanced sharply back at her, eyes wide. "But that's—!" "Just...get us there already. Please?" Scootaloo asked resignedly. As the chariot lifted into the sky, headed for Cloudsdale, a rainbow-maned shadow trailed behind it... * * * * * "So Scootaloo," Twilight asked as the chariot soared through the morning sky, "why do you go to school in Ponyville if you live in Cloudsdale?" "It's complicated," Scootaloo said. "Is it 'cuz you can't fly?" Apple Bloom asked, concern in her voice. "Do the fillies an' colts in Cloudsdale tease you?" "Oh, no...they wouldn't dare," Scootaloo said. "Er, I mean..." "Hey guys! What's up?" Rainbow Dash's voice intruded. Scootaloo let out a squawk of panic. "Oh, hi Rainbow!" Twilight said pleasantly. "We're headed for Scootaloo's house. Why don't you join us?" "The squirt's place, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, grinning. "Yeah, I'm down with that." She plopped herself in the front seat next to Twilight. "Ack!" Scootaloo yelped. *Not good, not good...* "We're almost to Cloudsdale," one of the guards said. As the sprawling cloud city drew near, the guards swung the chariot around, rising above the cloud lanes where dozens of pegasi soared to and fro, and glided toward a section of Cloudsdale Twilight couldn't remember having visited on her previous trip. They ascended gently; before them lay a massive pile of fluffy clouds, the highest, tallest clouds Twilight had ever seen. Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "Uhh...why're we goin' to Cumulus Court?" she asked. "Because that's where I live," Scootaloo said simply. Rainbow's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?!" Scootaloo looked away, eyes downcast. Twilight frowned at her. "What's wrong?" "It..." Scootaloo sighed. "I'll explain it when we get to my place." She looked up, and nodded. "We're almost there." Her friends gasped in awe at the immense cloud mansion which stood at the apex of the tall cloud bank. Seventeen separate layers of cloud, stacked in a seemingly haphazard pattern, supported by pristine pillars and connected by dozens of spiral staircases. Each layer sported rows of immense, open windows. The entire structure was dotted by dozens of pools of shimmering morning mist, fountains that sprayed fine sheets of rainbow dozens of feet into the air, and a large pond full of a golden, glowing substance Twilight couldn't immediately identify. The chariot approached the lowest layer and glided to a halt. "Okay, everypony out," Scootaloo said tonelessly. Apple Bloom gasped. "Scoots...this is where you live?!" Rainbow Dash was staring speechlessly at Scootaloo, wings rustling. The massive front door opened, and a grey pegasus in a tuxedo glided out. "Welcome home, Young Miss. These must be your...friends..." He trailed off as he espied Twilight. His mouth worked speechlessly. "Your Highness," he said, kneeling. "This...is most unexpected." "Escort our guests to the receiving room on the third strata, Silverbolt," Scootaloo said. "You know April Showers won't even let me upstairs until I'm...decent." The butler nodded absently. "Y-yes...right away, Young Miss." Turning to the others, he said, "If you would all please follow me...right this way..." "Scootaloo? What's going on here?" Sweetie Belle whispered as they trotted through the door. Scootaloo hung her head and turned away, trotting glumly away from her friends and toward an anxious-looking maid. "Ah don't understand any of this! Where th' hay are we, an' why th' hay is Scootaloo orderin' this guy around?" Apple Bloom demanded loudly, earning a cross look from the butler. "This place is like a palace," Sweetie Belle said, staring all around at the high ceilings, gleaming columns, and fine tapestries. "Rainbow Dash," Twilight asked quietly, "is Scootaloo's family...well...important?" Rainbow Dash swallowed nervously. "You have no idea, Twi," she said. "And I had no idea either. If I'd known the squirt was..." She shook her head. "But...it doesn't make sense!" The butler, Silverbolt, coughed. "Perhaps I should explain while we wait for the Young Miss and the Madame?" "Please do," Twilight said gently. Silverbolt remained silent until they reached the top of the second spiral staircase, turned right, and walked into a large room lined with plush sofas and chairs. Two maids stood by, a tea service already prepared for the guests. As the maids poured tea and the mares and fillies seated themselves, the butler finally spoke: "The Young Miss is the daughter of Summer Storm, owner and general manager of the Wonderbolts, and Commandant of the Pegasus Guard Academy." * * * * * Scootaloo, once again in her fine golden silk gown and slippers and with her hair rearranged, stood nervously outside the receiving room doors. Her mother stood beside her, a gentle yet eager smile on her face. "Why so nervous and glum, Sunrise?" "In about five minutes, my two best friends in the whole world and the pony I look up to as my idol are going to hate me forever," Scootaloo replied glumly. "Oh, now..." her mother chided. "I'm sure it won't be as bad as all that." She pushed open the doors and was about to step in when she caught sight of a guest she hadn't been expecting. She gasped and retreated quickly. "Sunrise! Why is Princess Twilight Sparkle here?!" "Um...she wanted to come with us?" Scootaloo offered. Her mother took a deep breath, and her gentle smile returned to her face. "I wish you had warned me sooner, dear." Steeling herself, she pushed the doors open again and strode in, Scootaloo at her side. Silverbolt coughed. "Madame Morning Dew and Young Miss Sunrise," he announced. "Here to receive the Princess Twilight Sparkle and entourage." "Thank you, Silverbolt," Morning Dew said. She approached Twilight and knelt. "Your Highness." "There's no need for that," Twilight said. She looked at Scootaloo. "Sunrise?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Scootaloo shifted nervously. "Um. Yeah. Thing is..." She looked over at her friends. "Scootaloo isn't my real name. It's just...a nickname, kinda. My real name is Sunrise." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle blinked. "Huh?" Apple Bloom asked, tilting her head. "Why wouldn't you tell us your real name?" "Because she didn't want anypony in Ponyville to realize how rich and important she really is," Rainbow Dash said, voice full of wonder and realization. "Am I right?" Scootaloo nodded. She looked around at her friends, then looked down at the floor. "My dad...he's the most important pony in Cloudsdale." She gestured at herself. "Ever since I was a little foal, every day I've had maids dressing me and teaching me how to be a refined high-society pony. "But...I just wanna be a normal filly," she said. "With normal friends and doing normal things. But I could never have a normal life here in Cloudsdale. I'm the daughter of Summer Storm. It's..." She frowned. "I'd be like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. You know...somepony you only hang out with because they're important." "Scootaloo..." Apple Bloom said quietly. "So I talked it over with Mother," Scootaloo said, "and we worked out a way that I could have a normal life, with normal friends." "It was mostly her idea," Morning Dew said. "She even chose Ponyville specifically because it was the most ordinary town she could find." "Hold up," Sweetie Belle said. "So...you're the daughter of a really rich and important pony here in Cloudsdale, and you have this whole other life here where you wear fancy dresses and have butlers and maids and stuff, and then you come down to Ponyville every day to go to school and hang out with us and do crazy stuff and get covered in tree sap?" "Yeah, that about sums it up," Scootaloo nodded. Twilight frowned. "Wait. Rainbow Dash, how is it you never recognized Scootaloo as Sunrise?" Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her head. "Honestly? I've only ever heard the name Sunrise before. She's...never actually been in any newspapers, or..." She shrugged. "I've never actually seen Summer Storm's daughter." "We do like to have some privacy where possible," Morning Dew said. "And Sunrise spending her days living anonymously in Ponyville does help keep her out of the same spotlight her father and I share." Scootaloo gave her friends a pleading gaze. "Are...are you mad at me?" "Heck no!" Apple Bloom said. "Why would we be mad at you?" Sweetie Belle asked. "You're still our Scootaloo, even if you're super-rich and have a crazy double life." Scootaloo smiled gratefully at her friends...then looked over at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash, I..." Rainbow Dash looked slightly away, a sheepish expression on her face. "Heh...I guess you don't really need me to look out for you after all, huh?" "Are you kidding?" Scootaloo asked. "You're STILL the most awesome pony I know!" She dug her silk-shod hoof into the floor. "Please...please don't stop being my 'big sis'?" "She does respect and adore you quite a bit, Rainbow Dash," Morning Dew said. "You're practically all she talks about...when she's not talking about her little friends." Rainbow perked up, smiling. "Well then...that settles it. We'll just have to keep hangin' out and doing stuff together like sisters, won't we?" "Hooray!" Scootaloo cried, throwing her hooves up in the air and rushing over to hug Rainbow Dash. Her friends joined in the hug a moment later. * * * * * At the end of the day, Scootaloo bid farewell to her friends and Twilight as they boarded the carriage to return to Ponyville. Rainbow Dash had decided to stay overnight. "Please don't tell anypony the truth," Scootaloo pleaded as she said goodbye to her friends. "I don't want my life in Ponyville to change." "Don't fret none. We won't say a word," Apple Bloom said. "We already told you half a dozen times...it don't matter who your family is or how fancy your house is. You're still our Scootaloo."