//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 - Ready? // Story: To Cross a Broken Bridge // by RainbowShyBrony //------------------------------// Chapter 6 A week went by and Twilight and Luna were waiting in the library they called home going over what Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy need for their dangerous quest. "Luna, are you sure you have everything they need?" Asked a worrying Twilight. "Yeees." Answered a less than enthusiastic Luna. "Do you have the maps?" "Yes." "Do you have their compass?" "Yes." "Do you have their royal medallion?" "Yes." "Do you ha-" "Yes." Interrupted Luna. "Luna!" "Yes?" "Stop that!" Shouted a highly annoyed Twilight. "You know I don't like it when you interrupt me. Or when you repeat yourself." Luna sighed, got up from her chair and walked over to Twilight. "We're sorry Twi-bear, but you've been asking us these questions sense we arrived home." She said as she hugged the stressed mare. "And you still have yet to reward us like you said you would.” Twilight pulled away from the embrace with a blushed smile on her face. "You were the one who said that, Moon!" Retorted Twilight using the translated version of her marefriend's name. "Aren't we brilliant?" Luna said jokingly. Twilight laughed. "Fine. I'll reward you." With that Twilight got up and walked into the kitchen. Knock. Knock. Knock. While Twilight was still in the kitchen there was a knock at the door. Luna got up and answered it to find an expected guest. "Ah. It's you. Welcome. It's been far too long." ---------------------- "Fluttershy, are you sure we need all this? If I know Twilight she probably has all the stuff we need packed and ready for us to pick up." Argued an uncooperative Rainbow Dash carrying two heavy saddlebags. Both she and Fluttershy were in front of the cottage making sure they had everything they needed. "Dashie, come on. It's not that heavy, is it?" Fluttershy tried to lift one of the saddlebags off of her wife but was unable to even raise it one inch higher than it was. "Oh my. Maybe we should leave one of them." Immediately, Rainbow Dash released one of the saddlebags, literally taking a load off, moaning in relief. "Now this I can handle! Alright, let's only take what we need in this one so that you can carry it." Rainbow rummaged through the saddlebag on the ground throwing things out of the bag that seemed useless. "Don't need this, don’t need that... I don't even know why we have this..." This went on for about a minute before Rainbow put the lighter saddlebag onto her un-expecting wife, making her jump. "Relax. It's only the pony you trust most.” "O-Oh." Fluttershy blushed from embarrassment. "W-Well... Is everything done? Do we have food?” "Check." "Water?" "Check." "First aid kit?" "Che--" Rainbow stopped mid-word and quickly stuffed something into Fluttershy's saddlebag. "Check." "Are my animals gonna be looked after?" "Applejack's lookin' after them." "Is Scootaloo with your dad?" "Yes!" Came a voice from behind the two of them. The two mares turned around to see who it was. It was Rainbow's dad and he had Scootaloo riding on his back. He walked up to them. "You two goin' through your final checklist?” "Just about finished." Replied Rainbow Dash who gave her father a quick hug. "OH! I forgot to ask you this last time. Dad, did you talk to Mom yet?” "Uh, yeah. Well, about that... she came over one day and... Well..." Replied a nervous Blaze Burner. "Dad? Are you telling me that--?" Blaze interrupted his daughter. "Yes." "...And she's--?" "Yup." "...So you're--" "That's right." "...And she's gonna--" She pointed to Scootaloo. "Surprise!" He said in a hushed yet cheerful tone. "She's waiting for us right now. Probably getting Scootaloo's room set-up or maybe baking a pie. Oh, I hope she's baking a pie." Blaze began to drool in the idea of eating one of Winter Breeze's delicious, home-made pies. "Dad? Dad! And we lost him." Rainbow let out a sigh. "Oh Dad. You and you're food." Rainbow turned to the younger filly on his back. "Hey Scootaloo, were you listening?” "I was trying to until you started speaking in some weird code. And is he gonna be alright?" Scootaloo asked poking his face. "He'll be fine. Just give him a minute and he'll be back to normal. Anyways, long story short, you're gonna get to meet Grandma.” "Wait, I have a Grandma? How come you've never told me about her?" Asked a surprised Scootaloo. "Well, I only really have two memories of her. A good one and a bad one. I don't really know much about her except for the fact that she loves all of us." Replied Rainbow Dash who finished by looking directly into the eyes of Scootaloo. "Besides, if anything happens he'll be there too." She pointed to Blaze. "I'll be where now?" Asked a confused Blaze. "Welcome back Blaze. How was your trip to Pie-land?" Asked Fluttershy trying to join in on the conversation. "Oh, ha-ha. I get it. Tease the only guy here." Blaze noticed all three of them staring at him and began to panic. "I... I don't like my odds here. I'm gonna leave before I say something I regret. Good bye girls. I'll see ya when you get back.” Scootaloo reached out and hugged her moms starting with Rainbow Dash. "Bye Mom." "Later Squirt." Rainbow hugged her back. Scootaloo shifted over and hugged Fluttershy. "Bye Momma." "Bye Hunny." Fluttershy hugged her back. "We'll be back in a few days, okay sweetie?" "Okay. Just come back in one piece." Scootaloo replied. "I love you." "We love you too, Scootaloo." The married couple returned. "Take care dad." Rainbow hugged her father. Then she pulled away and gestured to Scootaloo. "And make sure this one doesn't get into trouble." "Hey!" Protested the little orange filly. "Don't worry; she won't give me any trouble. I took care of you when you were little. How bad could she be compared to you?" Blaze said jokingly. Rainbow laughed. "Bye Dad." "Bye Rainbow." Fluttershy came over and gave Blaze Burner a hug. "Good bye Blaze. Do take care.” "Don't worry, Fluttershy. It's us who should be worried about you. So you take care. And make sure my daughter is safe," replied the older pegasus. "Alright. This 'Good-bye' is long enough. I'm off,” with that Blaze Burner and Scootaloo were off to Cloudsdale, leaving Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash by themselves. "We should get going, too." Fluttershy suggested. "Right." Rainbow agreed and they began walking to the PonyVille library. ------------------------ Twilight Sparkle exited the kitchen with a plate floating in her magic after finally finishing her task. "Okay. Luna, here's your reward." Twilight levitated the plate over to a patiently waiting Luna who had been sitting at the table reading a book she pulled off one of the shelves. "As promised, one moon pie. Just the way you like it.” Luna looked at the chocolaty, marshmallowy dessert in a completely elated state. She just stared at the moon pie as she seemingly tasted it with her eyes. She momentarily took her eyes off of the beautiful dessert to stare at the mare who created it. Luna found her equally, if not, more beautiful than the dessert itself and, without warning, pulled Twilight over to her in her magic and embraced her with a loving hug. "Oh. Twilight, we thank you greatly for the reward you have granted us. However, no matter how beautiful a treat you may create, it is nothing compared to your own beauty.” Twilight accepted the hug, wrapped her legs around her midnight blue marefriend and let a blush cross her face. "Oh, Luna. Surly I'm not-“ Knock. Knock. Knock. A knock at the door interrupted Twilight. "Oh! That must be Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy." The lavender mare said as she exited out of the embrace. "You enjoy your reward while I get the door." Twilight said as she walked away from her royal marefriend. When Twilight reached the door she opened it using her magic. When the door opened Twilight was able to see her two pegasus friends. "Hello FlutterDash.” "Urgh! You too?! Pinkie Pie's been telling everypony to call us that." Claimed Rainbow Dash in an annoyed tone. "Oh Dashie. It's not that bad." Fluttershy reassured her. Rainbow let out an aggravated breath before walking into the library and saying, "Whatever. So, where's Princess Lu-" After Rainbow walked into the library, she noticed Princess Luna wildly devouring a now disfigured moon pie. Luna hadn't noticed the cyan mare until she finished her chaotic eating habit. When she did notice Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, who had joined her wife in her nearly unconscious stare, she froze in place. The embarrassment of somepony, besides Twilight, watching her eat like some sort of wild animal was so potent no one dared talk. That is, except for Twilight. "So... You girls ready to start this adventure?" This statement brought everyone out of their statuesque state. Rainbow was the first of the three to speak. "Uh... Uh... Yeah... We're here like you said." Luna worked quickly to wipe off as many crumbs from her face as she could. "Ah yes. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, we believe that everything you would need is in..." Luna levitated a saddlebag over to the couple. "...here. We both thought of everything you might need on your trip. You are ready to head off on your quest. You do still wish to go, correct?" Rainbow turned her head to look at Fluttershy. "It's still your call Shy'. We don't have to go if you're not ready." Fluttershy nuzzled her wife's neck. "Thank you Dashie. I appreciate you looking out for me but..." Fluttershy suddenly took on a serious attitude. "...I still want us to go. Nothing will stop us as long as we have each other." Luna nodded in understanding. "Very well. If you are ready, we will escort you to the edge of the Everfree Forest. But that is as far as we will take you. The rest is up to the two of you." Luna then proceeded to walk to the door. Rainbow looked over to her wife and quietly asked, "Ready to go, ‘Shy?" Fluttershy let out a sigh. "Ready as I'll ever be." Then they followed the Princess out of the library, leaving Twilight alone. Twilight gazed at the now closed library door. "I hope those two will be alright." She then looked at the table where her marefriend was eating and noticed the mess left by said marefriend. "Urgh! She could have at least cleaned up before she left!” Just then the remains of the moon pie floated up in a blue aura and flew over to a trash bin. Twilight smiled. "Hmph. That's more like it." She trotted over to one of her book shelves, pulled out a book and proceeded to read it. ----------------- On the outskirts of PonyVille, near the edge of the Everfree Forest, stood three winged mares, each staring into the depths of the darkened forest. "This is where we part ways." Announced Princess Luna, breaking the silence. "May you travel safely." Fluttershy was first to respond. "Thank you Princess." Fluttershy turned to look at her wife and noticed that she was staring into the forest with a not so determined look. "Dashie? Everything okay?" Rainbow turned to her wife quickly, as if she had suddenly been released from a trance. "Oh! Um, uh, y-yeah. Everything's awesome. Come on, we should get going." Just then Rainbow jumped up and started to head above the forest. Fluttershy started to follow suit when she stopped and shifted her attention towards the Princess. "Goodbye Princess and thank you again." "Good bye and safe travels, my little pony." Luna then looked towards the ground and sighed. "You may need it."