It's Been Too Long
One day prior to the birth of Fluttershy's foal...
Aerial quietly snuck out of the Dash home. That wasn't exactly a difficult task given that she was walking on clouds. She pushed open the door and walked to the edge of the porch. She looked in the direction of Fluttershy and Soarin's cottage and dove off. She was made aware that the two were married just a day prior. That stallion had some explaining to do...
Soarin sat in his living room with his wife. The two ponies smiled and rubbed at her stomach.
"It won't be long now," Soarin said. Nothing could make him happier than the foal in her womb.
"The wait is still too long," Fluttershy said sadly. Soarin chuckled.
"Maybe we should enjoy this peace while we still have it. It's gonna be gone in a couple weeks." Fluttershy thought about that. She was still lost in thought when a knock at the door caused her to squeak in surprise. Soarin chuckled and walked to the door. He opened it and couldn't believe his eyes.
"Aerial? You're... alive?" Aerial didn't respond. Not with words anyway. Instead a hoof hit Soarin just below the chin. Fluttershy yelped and slowly made her way to her husband's side.
"D-don't hurt him. P-please." Aerial softened.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that somepony hasn't tried to make contact with his half-sister ever since he became a famous Wonderbolt!"
"Never tried to contact you!? Are you kidding!?" Soarin was back on his hooves. "Ever since your mule husband's brother died I never got a single response to any of the letters I sent you! I thought you were dead too!" Aerial stepped back.
"I'm sorry. Jade always moved us around before we ever got settled. When he finally kicked Scootaloo out here in Ponyville-"
"Scootaloo is your daughter?" Soarin was stunned. Then he face hoofed. "Uggh, this feels like a bucking soap opera."
"L-language Soarin." Fluttershy was now curled up in a ball at the far end of the kitchen. The argument between her husband and apparently her sister in law scared her. Soarin gently walked over to her.
"I'm sorry 'Shy. I didn't mean to scare you." Soarin sat on his haunches next to Fluttershy and extended a comforting wing around her. "Where are my manners? Aerial, please make yourself at home. We have some serious catching up to do."
After catching up with Soarin, Aerial flew back to the Dash home. Despite being eleven years older than Soarin, the two had done almost everything together during their foalhood. When Aerial got married and Soarin joined the Wonderbolts, their lives drifted apart. They managed to keep contact up until Scootaloo's birth. Soarin had no problem sharing his less than pleasant feelings about Jade to his sister, so he was never very welcome in their home. After Scootaloo's birth and the death of Jade's brother, all contact with her brother had been cut. She missed Soarin greatly, but her daughter was a much higher priority. It was almost time that she would get home from school. As Aerial landed on the porch of the Dash home, she hoped that the two mares that had taken her in were on weather patrol and wouldn't have noticed that she left the house. She pushed the door open to be greeted by by a familiar voice.
"About time you got back. What were you doing at Soarin and Shy's place?" Rainbow asked. Aerial sighed and decided to be honest.
"Soarin is my half brother. After I found out about there-why did you just face hoof?"
"Of course he's your half brother. Why is it that ever since we took Scootaloo in our life has been a bucking soap opera?"
"What's the drama about now?" Spitfire asked.
"Soarin is Aerial's half brother." Spitfire face hoofed and walked back to the kitchen. She too was grumbling something about a soap opera.
"Why does everypony keep talking about soap operas?" Aerial asked.
"Because although we love Scootaloo to death, ever since we took her in everything about our lives is proving to be unrealistically dramatic. Like a soap opera. In fact, I'll give it thirty seconds before the doorbell rings and Jade is outside with a knife ready to kill me and Spitfire and confess his love to you through a heartfelt apology."
"That makes no sense," Aerial said flatly.
"That's her point!" Spitfire called from the kitchen.
"You guys are the strangest bunch of ponies I have ever encountered."
"You'll be just like us if you stick around Ponyville long enough."
"Just wait until Pinkie invites you to a party for the first time," Spitfire added. She was in the living room now.
"Remember Soarin's reaction to her invitation to us?" Rainbow chuckled.
"More memorable was when she first realized he was there. I don't get how she never once noticed him until after Scootaloo was taken to Canterlot's Magic Hospital."
"Maybe that was more memorable for you, I was in a coma."
"Oh yeah. I guess I tend to forget my wife's injuries after a while. They happen so much they all just kinda blur together."
"Probably because you never get out of the kitchen long enough to get yourself hurt."
"Do you two always share insults like this?" Aerial had opted to listen to the conversation, but she couldn't fathom two people in love speaking so harshly towards one another.
"Yeah. It's how we pass the time when we're not having sex." Rainbow was, as usual, very straightforward. Aerial shifted uncomfortably.
"Given your lack of virility I'd say trading insults does a better job," Spitfire challenged. Rainbow caught on.
"Not my fault you're quicker than a jackrabbit on speed."
"Please, I'm married to the fastest pony in Equestria. If I want real satisfaction I have to do it myself." Rainbow wrapped a hoof around around Spitfire's neck.
"Excuse us Aerial. I need to teach somepony what satisfaction means." With that the two young mares left Aerial on her own. As the door to their room slammed closed the front door opened and Scootaloo walked in. The first thing Scootaloo noticed was the look of horror on her mom's face.
"My parents are screwing aren't they?"
"I just watched a married couple insult each other to the bedroom."
"Yeah, they do that. It's kinda funny after a while. Usually Mom wins."
"How does somepony 'win' that?"
"Being the last pony to throw an insult before the other pony gives up and drags her to bed."
"And this is normal around here?"
"Yeah. Those two have sex drives that can't be controlled."
"I see. I'm going to go lay down. I... think I need some rest." Aerial had forgotten entirely about her meeting with her half brother that morning. She didn't realize she never would tell Scootaloo that she was related to Soarin. She didn't realize at the time that she would never get the chance.