//------------------------------//
// At Last... 
// Story: Seasons Turning 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 14: At Last...

The park was beautiful this time of year.  While the grass was yellowing as the season turned, the trees had exploded in a riot of oranges, yellows, and reds.  Though there was a growing chill in the air, it was not enough that anypony felt the need to break out their winter clothing, aside from the occasional scarf.  Foals, released early from their schooling, and adults, enjoying the transformation of the scenery, frolicked and ambled about.
A fair-sized corner of the place had been cordoned off, where the scaffolding and raised tents could be spied, the foundations of a fairground that served as the center for the Harvest Festival.  Already, many eager foals were gathered at the boundary, staring in anticipatory excitement as they speculated what wonderful delights Pinkie Pie had managed to obtain for them this year.
It was for that reason that Dawn and Scootaloo decided to skirt the construction site, instead wandering deeper into the park, moving past tranquil ponds and down quiet paths.  Scootaloo took the lead, moving with a definite purpose, though she seemed to have no clear sense of destination.  Dawn noted that she seemed to be deliberately steering clear of areas where she saw other ponies gathering, instead shifting their course to areas less-occupied or, better yet, deserted.  And yet, no matter where they went, Scootaloo never seemed truly satisfied.
Ultimately, they ended up moving into a stand of trees, actually an outgrowth of the adjoining Whitetail Woods.  There, amongst the trees, Scootaloo seemed to spy something and bolted from the path, galloping across the open ground, Dawn following close behind her.  Their run ultimately led them to a glade in the forest, where the trees gave way to a more or less circular meadow of fading grass beneath an open sky.  With a laugh of relief, Scootaloo threw herself to the ground, rolling over to lay on her back and stare into the vast blue expanse above them, her eyes picking out various shapes amongst the white puffs of cloud that dotted it.
Dawn sedately laid down next to her, not bothering to roll on his back, instead choosing to direct his gaze downward at the filly, taken with the blissful expression on her face as she stared upward.  Unconsciously, a smile spread across his face to see her so relaxed and at ease, especially considering how much distress she had been in the night before.  For the time, at least, it was as though the dark affairs of the past day and the difficult discussions of earlier this very same afternoon had never taken place.
Furthermore, there was something about the sight of her, the way her mane spread around her head like a fuchsia halo, the contented smile on her face, and the far away look in her grayish-purple eyes that made Dawn's heart beat a little faster as he continued to look at her.  In all honesty, he found that he enjoyed watching her.  Her beauty in motion, when she lost herself in the practice of her forms, was enchanting to see.  But seeing her at rest like this, happy and relaxed, looking very much at peace with the world, had its own appeal, drawing Dawn to a surprising conclusion.  She's beautiful.
That realization sent a shock down his spine as the colt found himself pondering its significance.  It wouldn't be the first time he'd thought of Scootaloo as beautiful or pretty.  He especially liked to watch her during practice.  But it was perhaps the first time he found himself so vividly conscious of the fact.  He reasoned that this new viewpoint of his was at least partially owed to the events of last night.  Dawn remembered that moment of terror, now seeming all too fleeting to his memory, where he'd thought that she'd been hurt...or worse.  That fear of losing her, of not being able to see her smile, hear her laugh, or watch her practice again stood out more vividly to his mind than the half-remembered anxieties that once used to weigh down his soul.  His relief at seeing her unharmed had prompted Dawn to hold her close and tight.  And the colt didn't mind admitting to himself that part of him didn't want to let go.  He wondered if that was what Fluttershy and Caramel felt whenever they held each other.
Briefly contemplating the situation, Dawn reached the conclusion that this was a rare situation for them.  The vast majority of time he spent with Scootaloo was wrapped up in training.  The rest of the time, they were around their other friends, at work in the teahouse, or embarking on another of their increasingly rare crusades.  Dawn could only remember a scant number of times he and Scootaloo had ever simply settled down to enjoy a quiet moment with each other and, unfortunately, most of those times seemed to tie with personal difficulties, comforting Scootaloo after her father had cast her out, supporting her in dealing with the trauma of Willow's attack...Even now, it was in the wake of an incident that probably still troubled Scootaloo deeply.  As Dawn reflected, he felt somewhat disappointed in the fact that he'd neglected an important aspect of a relationship with someone who was very important to him.
"Dawn..."  Scootaloo's voice immediately drew the colt's attention back to the present.  She felt her cheeks flushing as his distinctive eyes looked directly into hers, attentive and patient.  She gulped nervously, her anxiety wreaking havoc on her ability to find the words she wanted to say.
All told, she wasn't certain she could or even should confess her feelings to him here and now.  She knew that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were probably scheming up some sort of perfect scenario for just such a moment, but Scootaloo strongly felt that this was something she needed to do on her own (the fact that she'd come to a sudden realization of just what it felt like to be the subject of one of her friends' crusades may have been a factor).  However, she knew she had to do it sooner rather than later, or Sweetie and Bloom would probably put their plan into motion at the worst possible time.
Furthermore, her heart was still troubled by the events of the previous night and her confrontation with Quicksilver, which had ended with his battered and broken body laying in the road outside her home.  Even though he'd survived and was out of danger, there was no denying that she had come dangerously close to taking a life last night, having only escaped that by virtue of the skill of Ponyville's doctors.  That hanging shadow was another reason why Scootaloo felt as though it might not have been an appropriate time.
In the end, there seemed to be too many factors in play, too many problems that needed to be resolved, before she could truly find the right time to tell Dawn how she felt.  Ideally, Scootaloo would have liked to have the perfect opportunity, untroubled by the specter of past incidents or the interference of her admittedly well-intentioned friends, a perfect time...
To hay with it!  If there was one thing that Scootaloo had learned over the past few months, it was the fact that there was always going to be something, whether it was in her life, Dawn's, or something completely unrelated, something that would interfere with any chance she had to find the prefect moment to clear the air with Dawn.  The truth was that there was never going to be a perfect moment.  I'll never be able to find the perfect moment with him, she realized as she seized upon her determination, So I'll have to take this one.  I can't make it a perfect moment, but I can make it our moment.
"Dawn, I need to tell you something," she said softly, rolling over and raising her head so that she could look at him eye to eye.
"Yes?" asked Dawn, still watching her placidly, clearly having no notion of where this conversation was going, but prepared to find out.
This was it..."Dawn, I..."  Scootaloo struggled, unable to find the words she was trying to say.  This was meant to be a confession, but Scootaloo wasn't normally one for wordy explanations.  Just how could she put into words how important Dawn had become to her, how the thought of losing him had galvanized her into the very actions that had given her her cutie mark?  "I w-wanted to say, you're one of the most important ponies in my life," she said softly, "For a while now, I've felt that way about you and I just didn't know what to say or do about it..."  She looked away.  "I guess I still don't know exactly what to say."
"Then take your time," said Dawn softly, "I'm not going anywhere."
"I...I..."  In the end, words just weren't cutting it.  Scrunching up her face, Scootaloo decided it was time for something more drastic.
A second later, she tackled Dawn, rolling him onto his back as she stared into his face, momentarily captivated by his eyes and the look of surprise in them.  For Dawn, this was a rather novel experience.  Certainly, it hadn't been the first time Scootaloo had tackled him to the ground as a gesture of affection.  However, there was something different about the look in her eyes as she stared down at him, something he couldn't quite place.
"Dawn!  I like you!"  Scootaloo's desperate tone fell just barely short of a full shout.  "Will you be my special somepony?"
With Dawn, those words finally snapped everything into perspective.  He remembered first meeting her, teaching her how to fly, walking her through the beginnings of the Gale King, how much it had hurt to bear the burden of her fear after what he had nearly done to her father, how happy he had been to rekindle their friendship, how desperately she'd held him when he'd left for Cloudsdale and when he had come back, how his presence had put her at ease after an uneasy night, and how she'd worked herself to the bone and even earned her cutie mark to prove to him how much he meant to her and everypony else.  He remembered watching her practice, getting lost in the beauty of her motions and being unable to look away, and looking down on her in this very clearing and realizing just how precious she was to him.  The bond of friendship that they'd begun with had grown into something deeper, something stronger.
Dawn felt his lips curl up in a smile as his heart began to beat faster.  Strangely, in spite of all that they'd shared, for some reason he'd never imagined or even given a thought to this moment occurring between them.  In spite of everything, all the evidence, something about it seemed completely unexpected.   And yet...Dawn knew what to say.
"I'd like nothing better."
Scootaloo's eyes widened at his answer, tears beginning to build in her eyes as her smile threatened to tear her face in two.  Dawn's answer completely dispelled the anxiety within her heart, replacing it with elation.  In her excitement, she knew there was only one way to react to Dawn's answer.  Scootaloo lunged forward and, in the next instant, both foals knew pain.
She'd meant to kiss him, that much was obvious.  Sadly, Scootaloo's overflowing enthusiasm and lack of experience led her to misjudge the distance between their lips.  Instead of coming together in a kiss, their muzzles instead smacked into each other painfully.
"Ow!"  Scootaloo reeled back, clutching her nose as it throbbed, while Dawn, slightly dazed by the impact, brought a hoof to his own muzzle, rubbing the newly formed tender spot.  After taking a moment to get over her pain, Scootaloo immediately decided that the best course of action was to try again.  She lunged forward...
...at exactly the same moment Dawn tried to sit upright.  The sudden change of distance between them and the resulting flinch, caused their foreheads to collide with a loud smack.
"Ouch!"  Scootaloo rolled off Dawn, now pressing her forehooves to her throbbing cranium as Dawn once again slumped back onto his back, now groaning as he rubbed his own forehead.
“Ugh!”  Tears, now from pain and frustration, leaked out of Scootaloo’s eyes as her forehead and muzzle throbbed unpleasantly.  What should have been something special for both of them had instead resulted in nothing but pain.  “Darn it!” she snapped, “I’m such a klutz.”
“It’s alright,” said Dawn, rolling back onto his stomach and taking deep breaths to steady himself.  “It was an accident.”
“Damn!  It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” lamented Scootaloo, “I’m such a screwup!”
Dawn lifted a hoof and rested it on her shoulder.  “None of that,” he said sternly, “You know better.”
Scootaloo sighed.  “Yeah but…”
“We simply have to try again,” said Dawn, giving her a smile, “Remember how we started when I first taught you the Gale King techniques.”
Scootaloo nodded.  “Yeah, we did it slowly first, to make sure that I got the motions right.”
“Exactly,” said Dawn, “It’s the same situation here.  The accident happened because you were trying too hard to rush things.”  He moved his hoof around to Scootaloo’s cheek, pulling her head around to face him.  “So why don’t we try again…this time, slowly.”
They leaned in towards each other, their lips inching ever closer, just about to make contact…
…Then, unable to contain herself anymore, Scootaloo began to snort.  She pulled away from Dawn’s grip and began to laugh hard.  “I don’t believe it!” she exclaimed, “You just had to turn it into another lesson, didn’t you?”
Dawn smiled wryly.  “Well, in a given situation, it’s best to apply what you know.”
Wiping her eyes, Scootaloo grinned and looked back up at Dawn.  “I guess you’re right,” she admitted.  Then, she tackled him once again, knocking him back onto his back and pinning him.  “Now then,” she said, “Let’s do it your way.”
Moving slowly and deliberately, the two of them inched their faces together until their lips met.
At that moment, it was like a spark leapt between them.  It was such a simple act.  But the the feeling of Dawn’s lips against hers made Scootaloo’s heart leap in joy, a feeling that was compounded as Dawn’s arms tightened their hold on her, his wings extending to join in the embrace.
After a long moment that seemed all too short, their lips separated.  Scootaloo pulled back so she could see Dawn’s face better, delighting at the look of contentment that marked his features.  Okay, she thought, Definitely not a perfect moment.  But it’s still our moment.
Relaxing, Scootaloo let herself lie down on top of him, gently tucking her head underneath Dawn’s chin, a happy sigh escaping her as Dawn’s hold tightened ever so slightly.  “Dawn…”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
Scootaloo felt the colt’s chuckle rumble through his chest.  “Shouldn’t I being the one saying that?” he asked softly.
Scootaloo didn’t answer.  She merely pressed herself closer and closed her eyes.  “Can we just stay like this?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” mumbled Scootaloo as days…weeks of tension seemed to bleed out of her over the next few moments, until she dozed off in Dawn’s embrace.



"Hmm..."  Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes and carefully scrutinized Scootaloo's house.  There wasn't exactly much to see at the moment.  A tarp had been spread over the massive hole that had been ripped through the wall to protect the exposed living room and the rest of the house from the elements.  The powerful winds that Scootaloo had unleashed had also torn the thatching away from a fair portion of the roof, exposing the slate shingles beneath.
It was a wreck, that much was for sure.
"What exactly are we doing here?" asked Sweetie Belle from behind Bloom.  After finishing their time at the teahouse, Apple Bloom had decided to immediately head to Scootaloo's home, her reasons a mystery.  With little else to do, Sweetie and Rumble shared a shrug before falling in behind her.
They weren't alone.  Standing diligently in front of the ruined front of the home was an earth pony from the Ponyville Guard, standing firmly at attention.  While looting was generally not considered to be much of an issue in Ponyville, Mayor Mare had thought it best to take preemptive measures to dissuade any opportunists, just to be on the safe side.  The fact that Melon Cream was an important and well-regarded member of her staff may have also been a factor.
Said Guard was currently standing still, her eyes surveying the street, occasionally sliding over the Cutie Mark Crusaders before moving along.  It was a testament to her dedication to her work that she showed barely the slightest trace of a response to the sight of three foals crowded at the ruined fence.  However, nopony would think less of her if they noticed the tiny twitching of her eyelid at the sight of several members of Ponyville's premier team of troublemakers scrutinizing her charge.
To Sweetie and Rumble's surprise, Apple Bloom stepped through the gap that Quicksilver had torn through the fence the night before.  Walking up to the edge of the house, Bloom all but ignored the Guard, who was now watching her actions very carefully.
Bloom lifted a hoof and pressed it to the side of the house.  With a deep breath, she stilled her thoughts and opened herself to the magic of the earth, drawing it into herself.  As she did, her awareness began to spread throughout the area around her, including the ruined front of the house.  Suddenly, Apple Bloom was fully and viscerally aware of the damage done to the structure, seeing it in her mind's eye as clearly as a set of blueprints.
The damage extended beyond the wall itself, a portion of the floor inside having been damaged as well.  Furthermore, with part of the structural support knocked away, the upstairs floor was sagging under its own weight, threatening to collapse, ruining the house further.  Apparently, somepony had already noticed and had braced the ceiling with a few wooden beams hidden behind the tarp, but the damage had already been done, with portions of the ceiling supports directly over the living room having cracked.  Those would need to be replaced.  Work to repair the damage Scootaloo's attack had done would go beyond replacing the wall itself and require a major overhaul of the front sections of the house before it was safely habitable.
Apple Bloom had a sickening feeling that it would cost a good chunk of money.  This kind of repair work, especially for such extensive damage, was not cheap.  Even if Mayor Mare wanted to help her employee out, there was only so much she could do when dealing with private contractors in a way that did not involve overstepping the bounds of her position.  While Melon Cream and Scootaloo certainly weren't destitute, a job of this magnitude was likely to make a severe dent in the savings Scootaloo's mother had stashed away.  Even if Melon and Scootaloo decided to cut their losses and relocate to a different house, they would still be considered financially responsible for the damage done to this one and thus be required to either pay for the repairs or pay to have it demolished and cleared...on top of whatever they ended up paying for their new house, a matter that was only further mired by how recently Scootaloo and Melon had moved into this house.
"Apple Bloom?"  Sweetie Belle and Rumble had cautiously followed her through the fence when it was clear that the Guard was not going to immediately evict her.
If only there was something Ah could do, thought Apple Bloom, ignoring her friends for the moment, Ah know what the problems are, but Ah don't know how to fix 'em yet.  This is more serious than any of the little projects Ah've tried so far.  Not even the clubhouse was this bad.  She sighed sadly.  She'd been reading up on construction projects like the one Melon was likely to be commissioning to fix the house.  While she didn't exactly bear any construction firms in Ponyville ill will, particularly since she'd never had to deal with any of them, she didn't like the idea that Melon and Scootaloo would have to part with a large portion, if not a majority, of their savings just to make their house livable again.
Bloom was thankful that she didn't have to worry about something like this.  The Apple Family did their own construction work after all.  They could even raise a barn in the space of an afternoon.  The family would just pitch in and do the work and they wouldn't have to worry about extra costs besides the materials themselves.
All of a sudden, Apple Bloom felt as though she was standing beneath the idea light in their clubhouse, which had suddenly clicked on.  "Ah've got it!" she shouted, her eager voice making her friends (and the Guard) jump.
"Got what?" asked Sweetie, eyeing Bloom carefully.  While she normally supported her friend's ideas, she didn't like the idea of turning Scootaloo's home into another crusade.
"Ah know how we can help Scootaloo and her ma get their house back," said Apple Bloom, whirling to grin at her friends.
''Um...I don't think we should try and fix the house for them," said Rumble, stepping back, "That could end badly."
"Ah'm not sayin' we will," said Apple Bloom, "Ah'll talk to mah family and we'll fix this place right up.  Compared to raisin' a barn, this'll be a walk in the park fer us Apples.  On top 'o that, we've finished the harvest, so we've got plenty 'o time."
Rumble and Sweetie looked Bloom over carefully.  The yellow earth pony was smiling, but it wasn't her usual "Ah've got another crusade idea" face.  Her smile was set and determined, with all the force of that famous Apple Family drive behind it.
Rumble and Sweetie mulled it over for a second.  "That actually sounds like a good idea," mused Sweetie, "We should tell Scootaloo."
"Not yet," said Apple Bloom, "Ah need to talk with Applejack and Big Mac before we can do anythin'.  Ah don't think they'd say no, but Ah'd better ask."  She'd learned the hard way what happened she made commitments for other ponies without actually consulting them first.  It wasn't pretty.
"Then what are we waiting for?" exclaimed Sweetie Belle, "Let's go!"
The trio scampered off towards the farm, leaving the Guard behind.  Without moving her head, her eyes looked left, then looked right.  When she determined that nopony was watching, the mare heaved a gusty sigh and sagged with relief.



Scootaloo felt her world swaying and bobbing as she came back into consciousness.  The first thing she realized was that she wasn't resting on Dawn's chest anymore, but on his back.  The second thing she realized was that they were moving.  Opening her eyes, Scootaloo yawned as the world swam into focus.  She began to notice buildings all around them and realized that they weren't in that isolated clearing anymore.
They were walking through town...or rather, Dawn was walking through town, carrying Scootaloo on his back.  The angle of the sun told Scootaloo that it was nearly evening.  It made sense to head home around this time, as mom (or Spike, probably) would be working on dinner now.  Other ponies had similar ideas and they shared the street with several ponies heading home after picking up groceries at the market or after getting off of work...
...Meaning that there were plenty of ponies to see Dawn carrying her.  She could already see more than a few staring, and still more smiling slyly.  Scootaloo's cheeks turned bright red.
"Wha-what are you doing?" she demanded.
"You looked so peaceful," said Dawn, giving Scootaloo a smile that she was almost certain was gloating, "I didn't want to disturb you.  So I decided to let you rest and take you back to the library."
"Well why didn't you fly?" demanded Scootaloo.  It didn't seem unreasonable.  He'd done so before.
"That would have been dangerous," replied Dawn, "Since you were asleep this time, I wasn't certain that you would maintain your hold and didn't want to risk you falling off."  There was no taunt in Dawn's tone, which meant that he wasn't simply using that as an excuse.
Not really able to come up with a retort for that, Scootaloo decided to change her angle of attack.  "I can walk you know," she said flatly, glaring at the back of Dawn's head.
"So you can," agreed Dawn, that teasing note back in his voice, "Yet you're awake, but I don't notice you making any effort to get off."
"Ugh!"  Her blush darkening by the second, Scootaloo pressed her face down between Dawn's shoulders, her arms, which had been dangling before, now reaching up to wrap around his chest as she desperately resisted the impulse to strangle him on the spot.  However, she couldn't exactly bring herself to contradict what Dawn had said...his back was just too comfortable.  "Fine," she groaned, lifting her face away and resting her chin between his wings instead, "But you are officially the least-awesome special somepony ever."
"I think I can live with that," said Dawn, not trying very hard to mask his chuckle, "So long as I'm still your special somepony when all is said and done."
In spite of her embarrassment, Dawn's words brought a smile to Scootaloo's face as what he'd said sank in.  She'd succeeded.  She'd told Dawn how she'd felt and he'd accepted her feelings.  He was her coltfriend now.  It all seemed so unreal that Scootaloo was having a hard time believing it.  She tried her hardest to stifle the giggle that built inside of her, but failed miserably and settled for nuzzling into Dawn's mane instead, her giddiness starting to overpower her awareness of the ponies around them, who were getting a free pass to see her sappy side.
"By the way," said Dawn, "Now that we are special someponies...what exactly do we do?"
"Uh..."  Scootaloo lifted her head away from Dawn's mane and looked upwards for a moment.  She'd gotten so wrapped up and worked up about asking Dawn to be her coltfriend, she had no idea about what they should do now.  However, her mind was jarred by something Apple Bloom had said the other day.  "We go on dates...I guess."
"Huh..." mused Dawn, "I'll have to ask mom what that entails."
"That might be a good idea," said Scootaloo.  She'd thought about asking her mother, but shelved the notion for the time being.  She wasn't exactly comfortable about asking about her father, given how their relationship had come to such a catastrophic end.
Their conversation was interrupted by a rush of wings as a blue and chromatic blur swooped over them.  Scootaloo's eyes flicked down the road to where Rainbow Dash was landing.  The sight of her idol, who'd clearly seen everything from above, was enough to set her cheeks to burning again.
"Hey kids," said Rainbow, grinning widely, "Have fun today?"
"More or less," replied Dawn blithely.  Given his typical lack of fear at displaying his tender and affectionate side, it was no surprise that Rainbow's presence and the imminent teasing it represented had no effect on him.
"Getting pretty huggy there.  You two an item now?"
Dawn raised an eyebrow.  "I'm not sure what you mean by that.  But, if by 'item' you mean special someponies, then the answer is yes."
Neither of them really noticed the slight twitch of Rainbow's right foreleg as she executed a mini-hoofpump, accompanied by a quiet "Yes!" or, at least, they were too polite to comment on it.
Clearly seeing that ribbing Dawn would get her nowhere, Rainbow shifted her full attention to Scootaloo, who braced herself for a solid round of teasing.  However, instead, Rainbow's smile became warm and affectionate.  "So you finally got it out in the open squirt.  I'm proud of you."
"Y-you are?" asked Scootaloo, her eyes widening with surprise.
"Hay yeah!" replied Rainbow enthusiastically, "You're too awesome to be all worried about what other ponies'll think when they see you with your coltfriend.  Life's too short for that junk, so you should enjoy every minute of it."
Surprised by her idol's encouragement, Scootaloo's smile returned.  "You're right."
Rainbow slipped in and grinned slyly, "But don't think that'll stop ponies from teasing you.  You're just too cute when you get all flustered."
"Wha-what?"  Scootaloo pulled back and stared wide-eyed at Rainbow.
Dawn chuckled.  "Yes she is."
"I am not!" protested Scootaloo, glaring at Dawn's poll once again, "You take that back!"
"Sorry," replied Dawn, "But you are cute when you're flustered...and very pretty otherwise."
Her entire face turning beet-red, Scootaloo settled for burying it in Dawn's mane again, her forelegs moving up from Dawn's chest to around his neck and tightening.
"He's right you know," said Rainbow, blissfully unaware of Dawn's developing predicament as she ruffled the filly's mane.
"Shut up!" groaned Scootaloo, tightening her hold further.
"Scootaloo!" croaked Dawn, "Having trouble breathing."
"Good!" snapped the filly, "That'll teach you to call me cute."
"Come on squirt," said Rainbow, switching to patting the orange filly's back, "It's all in good fun.  You know we love you."
With a sigh, Scootaloo slumped back down on Dawn's back and relinquished her stranglehold, the ebony colt drawing in a relieved breath.  "Yeah," she admitted softly, settling for rubbing her cheek against Dawn's neck.
"That's the spirit," cheered Rainbow with a grin, "Remember how much fun me and Soarin' had when he was here.  You get to have that kinda fun with Dawn."
"I guess that's true," agreed Scootaloo.
"I'll check with you later, okay," said Rainbow, leaning in to nuzzle Scootaloo's cheek.  She turned her gaze back to Dawn.  "You treat her right or I'll deck you."
"If I don't, I'll likely let you," replied Dawn in a surprisingly solemn tone.
Giving them both one last proud smile, Rainbow lifted off, leaving Scootaloo and Dawn to their own devices.
"I can't believe she saw you carrying me," groaned Scootaloo.
"And yet you still aren't getting off," Dawn noted dryly.
"Nope."



Applejack tapped a hoof to her chin thoughtfully as she considered Apple Bloom's suggestion.  Bloom could practically see the gears turning in her older sister's head, working out the logistics of a fairly complicated project.  They stood in the farmhouse living room, where Apple Bloom had made her proposal as they waited for dinner.  Sweetie Belle and Rumble hadn’t been able to accompany Bloom all the way back to the farm, as the waning day demanded that they return to their own homes.
Raising a barn was a simpler matter than making structural repairs to a heavily damaged building.  They would need to determine which parts needed to be replaced, remove them, and replace them without damaging anything further.  It would be a more delicate process than simply assembling a building that hadn't been broken yet.  It was a more intricate and involved task that would require a great deal of planning and careful attention to detail.
Apple Bloom shifted nervously, uncertain if Applejack would approve the plan.  Even if it was for a friend, they were talking about a serious commitment of time and labor.
It was to Bloom’s relief that Applejack’s face broke out into a proud smile.  “Ah think we can work somethin’ out,” she said, “I’m right proud ‘o ya, Sugarcube, fer wantin’ to do this fer yer friend.”
“So you’ll do it?” asked Bloom, wanting to be certain.
“That we will,” replied Applejack, quickly wrapping a hoof around Bloom’s shoulders and drawing her in for a hug.  Turning, Applejack grinned over at Big Macintosh, who’d also been listening to Apple Bloom’s suggestion from the couch, where Dinky was curled up against his side, napping.  “Think we can get it done.”
“Ah’ll have to see it fer mahself,” said Big Macintosh, “It sounds a bit tricky.  But if we work fast enough, Ah think we can manage it before the Harvest Festival.”
“Sounds like a plan,” agreed Applejack, “But we don’t rush neither.  Ah’d rather Melon Cream and Scootaloo cool their hooves at Twilights a little longer than do a shoddy job and have their house fall apart on ‘em when they move back in.”
“Then the only thing we have to worry ‘bout is materials,” Macintosh pointed out, “Those are still gonna cost a bundle.”
Bloom’s expression fell.  The materials were still expensive and, as much as she wanted to help Scootaloo and her mother save their money, it seemed wrong to simply shove that financial burden onto her own family.  However, there was a gleam in Applejack’s eye and the orange mare gave Macintosh a determined smile.  “Don’t ya worry ‘bout a thing, Ah know the perfect mare to help us out.”
“Who exactly?” asked Red River, coming in from the kitchen, where he’d been helping Granny Smith with dinner.
“You and Ah have a special job tomorrow, Sugarcube,” said Applejack slyly, “We need to go talk to some ponies.”
“Alright,” agreed Red, completely unfazed by the cryptic nature of Applejack’s statement.
“Wow!  This is great!” exclaimed Apple Bloom, “Ah can’t wait to tell Scootaloo ‘bout this.”



“We’re back.”  Scootaloo pushed open the door and walked in under her own power.  She might have enjoyed riding on Dawn’s back well enough, but she wasn’t about to let her mother and Twilight see Dawn carrying her over the threshold of their temporary home.  She had some standards after all.
“Welcome back,” said Twilight, looking up from a book she had been perusing, “Did you have a good afternoon.”
Thinking back over everything that had happened, Scootaloo grinned and let out a happy sigh.  “It was great,” she said.  She stiffened slightly when she felt something press up against her side before a warm wing draped itself across her back.  Scootaloo flushed, but didn’t pull away, instead leaning back against Dawn.
“So you did it,” observed Twilight, now positively beaming at them, “I’m so happy for you!”
“Did they now?”  Melon’s voice preceded her as she emerged from the kitchen.  Seeing her daughter relaxing easily against Dawn’s side brought a smile to her face.
“So does that mean Dawn’s your coltfriend?” asked Spike, peeking his head around the door, wanting to get in on the conversation, but not wanting to abandon his cooking.
“Yeah,” replied Scootaloo, trying hard not to slump in disappointment as Dawn pulled away.
“So what are you going to do now?” asked Twilight.
“Well, since we’re special someponies, I figured we’d go out on dates and stuff,” said Scootaloo, “I’m just not sure about what to do yet.”
“Don’t worry too much about it,” said Melon, coming further into the room, “You two are young yet.  You’ll be much happier for now if you stick to the things you’re comfortable with, especially if you do them together.”
Twilight nodded her agreement.  “The important thing is that the two of you spend time together and enjoy each other’s company.  Other than that, there isn’t much call for going out of your way unless there’s something special going on.”
“Something special…”  Scootaloo tapped her chin for a moment.  Then her eyes lit up.  “I know!  The festival!”
Twilight frowned for a moment.  "I'm not so sure-"
She was cut off by Melon.  "That's a wonderful idea."
Dawn’s eyes shifted between Scootaloo and the adult mares.  “I don’t understand,” he said finally, “What about the festival?”
Scootaloo turned her grin on Dawn.  “Would you go to the Harvest Festival with me?” she asked, her eyes shining, “It’ll be a great first date!”
Dawn thought for a moment.  Scootaloo’s smile faltered as she saw a certain degree of hesitation on his face.  Unlike her, Dawn wasn’t the sort to worry about other ponies seeing them be affectionate with each other.  If he was hesitant for some reason, it was likely something more serious.
In truth, Dawn was contemplating the possibility of running into any other members of the Cult Solar at the festival.  Blenheim and his workers were accounted for, but they still had no idea of who else amongst the hired hooves working at the various farms might also have ties to the Cult.
However, when his eyes turned back to her, his hesitation faded and he gave her a small smile of his own.  “I would be glad to go to the Harvest Festival with you.”  He figured that, depending on the situation, any other cultists might not try anything in public.  And if they tried something in private, he was more than prepared for that.
With an excited squeal, Scootaloo threw her arms around Dawn and pulled him into a tight hug, which he returned.
Meeting Twilight's eyes over Scootaloo's shoulder, Dawn could see that the lavender unicorn shared some of his misgivings.  However, he gave her a silent nod, which appeared to relax Twilight enough that she too broke out into a smile and decided provide her own two bits for the conversation.
“You should talk to Rarity about a dress,” said Twilight as the two of them disentangled.
“Do I have to?” whined the orange filly, not exactly enthused about the idea of being forced to stand still and wait while Rarity worked on her.
“I think it would be a good idea,” said Dawn, his cheeks coloring for the first time in a long while as Scootaloo watched.  Dawn remembered how lovely his mother had looked in one of Rarity’s dresses.  The thought of how one of Rarity’s creations might enhance Scootaloo’s natural beauty made his heartbeat increase drastically.
Seeing the result the idea was having on Dawn made Scootaloo reconsider her hesitation.  It might be worth the tedium to get fitted if she could get that kind of reaction out of him.  “I’ll do it,” she said.
As Twilight and Melon cheered, Dawn’s eyes turned to the clock and noted the time.  “I have to get back home,” said the colt, before turning to regard Scootaloo, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sure thing,” agreed Scootaloo, hesitating slightly, her eyes darting about before she quickly leaned in and placed a peck on Dawn’s cheek.  The sudden gesture of affection prompted a “awwwws” from Twilight and Melon and a quiet snicker from Spike.
Not missing a beat, Dawn returned the gesture, moving a bit more slowly and deliberately, apparently still applying his own advice from their first attempt at kissing.  The feeling of his lips lingering on her cheek made Scootaloo’s heart beat faster and her body warm from within.  The kiss was accompanied by a gentle nuzzle before he rested his neck over hers.  Scootaloo reciprocated so that their heads were resting across each other’s shoulders.
After a few more seconds, Dawn pulled away before nodding to Melon and Twilight.  Scootaloo watched reluctantly as he trotted out the door and took wing towards his house, her eyes lingering on the colt until he was just a black speck in the distance.
She was barely conscious of her mother’s approach until she felt Melon’s arms wrap around her and pull Scootaloo into a gentle hug.  “First your cutie mark and now this,” she said softly, “You’re growing up so fast.”
Relaxing in her mother’s embrace, Scootaloo smiled contentedly.  The events of the previous evening and even the tense interview from earlier in the day seemed like distant memories to her.



“Welcome home,” said Fluttershy from the kitchen as she heard the door to the cottage open and shut.
Dawn smiled and turned towards the sound of his mother’s voice.  However, he was surprised to note the presence of another pony in the kitchen as he entered.  Fluttershy was working on a daisy salad, while Caramel was at the stove, attending a bubbling pot.  Dawn’s nose twitched as he picked up the scent of caramelized onions lingering in the air, the smell drawing a small growling from his stomach.
“I asked Caramel to join us for dinner,” explained Fluttershy as she abandoned her preparations to give Dawn a welcoming nuzzle, “And he offered to make that french onion soup you like so much.”
“Thank you,” said Dawn earnestly, an eager smile spreading across his face.  In the past few months, as Caramel and Fluttershy had gone on more dates, both on their own and with Dawn accompanying, they had occasionally gone to Caramel’s home for dinner.  During one of those occasions, Caramel had made his onion soup, complete with the topping of cheese-covered toast.  After his first taste, Dawn had practically inhaled the soup, having found a new favorite food.
“I was worried when I heard what happened,” said Caramel, “I’d heard some kind of racket last night, but I had no idea it was Scootaloo.  How’s she doing?”
“Perfectly fine,” said Dawn, “We talked with the mayor this afternoon and settled the matter.”
“So she’s not in trouble is she?” asked Fluttershy.
“No,” said Dawn.
“Thank goodness,” said Fluttershy, taking the salad to the table.  Now that her work with dinner was finished, Fluttershy took a moment to take a good, long look at her son.  There was something different about Dawn’s demeanor.  As strange as it seemed for a pony whose coat was pitch-black, Dawn was positively glowing.  “Did something else happen?”
“Yes,” replied Dawn, his smile widening.
Fluttershy and Caramel exchanged a knowing look.  “Something to do with Scootaloo I’d guess,” suggested the stallion.
“Yes,” agreed Dawn, “She told me she liked me and we’re special someponies now.”
“That’s wonderful!” exclaimed Fluttershy.
“Good job,” said Caramel, looking over his shoulder as he ladled the soup into three crocks, which he then covered with a slice of bread, “You two do anything special.”
“Well, she took me to a clearing in the woods and told me,” explained Dawn.
“Did you kiss?” asked Fluttershy, leaning forward.  There was a note of excitement in her voice that made Dawn think of Pinkie Pie.
“W-we did,” he said, a bit surprised by the intensity of her interest.
“Eeeeeeee!” squealed Fluttershy, unable to contain herself anymore.  She lunged at Dawn and swept him up in her forelegs, her wings flaring to carry the two of them almost to the kitchen ceiling and executing a full spin before returning them both to the floor.
“Nice,” said Caramel, “You two plan anything for the future?”  He was now positioning a rack at the top of the oven.  After turning on the broiler, he put the soup crocks on the tray and slid them in.
Fluttershy rounded on her stallion.  “Now Caramel, Dawn and Scootaloo are both very young and very new to this.  That’s not exactly an appropriate question.”
“I think he meant something more along the lines of activities,” said Dawn, coming to Caramel’s rescue, “We are going on a date.  Scootaloo asked me to the Harvest Festival.”
"That's wonderful," said Fluttershy.
"I hope the two of you have a lot of fun," said Caramel.
"Would you two like to come with us?" asked Dawn.
Caramel and Fluttershy looked at each other dubiously.  "Uh...I don't think that's a good idea," said Caramel.
"Oh Dawn," said Fluttershy, giving her son a nuzzle, "I'd love to go with you to the Harvest Festival.  But Scootaloo asked you, so I think she wants it to just be something special between the two of you."
"...Oh."  Dawn blinked, staring off into space, clearly at a bit of a loss.
"Take it easy," said Caramel, reaching over to rub the colt's shoulders, "You're new to the whole dating thing.  Fluttershy and I have been at a few months and we still feel pretty lost sometimes.  You'll figure it out."
Fluttershy nodded.  "And you can always ask us for advice if you need to."
"Or Rarity," said Caramel.
"Or Rarity," agreed Fluttershy.  She paused before adding, "Just take what she says with a grain of salt.  Sometimes I think Rarity gets a little...uh...carried away when it comes to romance."
"Okay," said Dawn.  Caramel slid the crocks back out of the oven.  The heat had melted the cheese and toasted the bread to form a delicious lid over the soup within.  Moving carefully, Caramel set the crocks on the table while Fluttershy served out the accompanying salad onto small plates.  Dawn watched eagerly as the two of them finished setting up the meal.  He took a seat at the table and the family got down to the business of having dinner.