The Struggles of Radiance
Chapter Four
I have about a five days before I go to Canterlot. I am spending as much time with the other crusaders as I can before I have to leave. Earlier today, we tried to get our cutie marks in Aerospace Engineering. We 'acquired' a bunch of wood from the old barn at Sweet Apple Acres, and started building our flying machine. Applebloom made a great design for it, a wooden box with a small fan and a giant canvas corkscrew thing on top, and it is powered by pedals. We had it built and it looked great. I am a bit surprised that it actually flew. We were in the air for about five seconds before the control shaft broke and we spun into a crash. We landed all the way in Whitetail Woods, and there was a lot of tree sap…
We did not get our cutie marks in Aerospace Engineering... After we got cleaned up, we tried to get them in Daredeviling. We asked Pinkie Pie to help us make jetpacks, and after about an hour, we had three baking soda and vinegar rockets strapped to our flanks flying through the air. It was a shame that we couldn't control our flight, we ended up smashing three mailboxes, two fruit stands, and five street signs. We also had about twelve near misses with other ponies. Our jetpacks finally ran out of fuel when we crashed into 'Pine Needles and Tree Sap'. The owner of the store was surprisingly sympathetic to our cause, and didn't make us pay for the damages, as long as we tell other ponies about his store… Why is there even a store that sells pine needles and tree sap? …Never mind, we didn't get cutie marks in Daredeviling anyways.
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When mom found out about our crusading yesterday, she told me 'With all the collateral damage you three cause, your cutie marks should just be wrecking balls and explosives', and gave me double chores for today. The other crusaders and I will be meeting at Sugarcube Corner at noon for cupcakes, so today isn't gonna be too bad.
I think mom was just as confused as I was about that store we crashed into yesterday. She asked me how we got cleaned up after that, I told her that with all the times we get covered in tree sap and pine needles, we have cleaning up down to a science. Mom was even more confused after I said that…
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"Hey Applebloom, do you know why there is a store that sells pine needles and tree sap? I can't figure it out."
"Ahm not quite sure Radi, mahybe we should go ask tha owner. Wha da ya think Sweetie Belle?"
"I don't know either, but I feel like it's only real purpose is to have given us something to crash into yesterday. Almost like there is some invisible force that causes all of our crusades to end with us covered in tree sap… What do you think Scoots?"
"I don't know Sweetie, but you do realize that you sounded like a total egg-head when you said that, right?"
"HEY!"
"Scootaloo, why do ya always call Sweetie Belle a dictionary or egg-head, its not very nice. How would ya like it if ah called ya a feather-brained dodo?"
"Don't call Scoots a dodo, dodos are ugly."
"So ya think Scoots is pretty then? OOOOH!"
"Radi has a crush on Scootaloo!"
"Sweetie Belle! I do not have a crush on Scoots!"
"You're blushing worse than when my sis gets to juicy parts of her romance novels Radi."
"Sweetie, Scoots is blushin too! They like each other!"
"That's it! I'm out! Gonna go see if Rainbow Dash can show me some tricks or something."
"I'm leaving too, I do not have a crush on Scoots. You guys are delusional."
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I don't have a crush on Scootaloo. Sure she is pretty and cool and fast and confident, not to mention her eyes are hypnotising and her mane is fabulous… wait, what did I just write? ...her eyes are hypnotising? Ehh never mind… It's not like thinking that her amethyst eyes sparkle with the radiance of a thousand tiny gems means you like somepony right? Ugh, that sounds so sappy…
Okay, I am not sure, but I may like Scootaloo… Maybe… I'm not sure… I should probably ask mom…
What if I do have a crush on Scoots though? If I ask mom and I do, she will do all she can to embarrass me, I just know it. I could always ask Aunty Cadence, but she would probably just try to set me up with her… Aunty Twilight is oblivious to things like love and stuff… Rarity might know… THAT'S IT! I will go ask Rarity tomorrow.
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"Hello there Radiance, what can I do for you today?"
"Hi Rarity, is Sweetie Belle here?"
"Sorry, she went to go see Twilight about for her magic lessons."
"Good, I needed to ask you something."
"Come on in darling, I'll go make tea and then we can talk."
"Thanks Rarity."
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"So you said you think you might have a crush on somepony? May I ask who?"
"Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony?"
"Of course darling. Cross my heart, hope to fly."
"I think I might have a crush on Scootaloo, whenever I she is around I just feel happier, and a little nervous."
"Can you tell me exactly what you feel about her?"
"Well, whenever I talk with her I get a little fluttering feeling in my chest. Whenever I look into her eyes I feel like I can get lost in them for hours. I see how hard she tries with everything she does and it makes me just want to help her no matter what, and when she fails I feel like I should be right there with her to help her. I know she can't fly, yet she tries so hard. I feel like I should be there to be a shoulder for her to cry on, to be there to give her a hug when she needs it most, to help her up whenever she falls down. I know she acts all tough, but I know she is a lot more sensitive than that. I know she does the best she can, and I know how she tries to fly even though she knows she will never fly like a normal pegasus."
"What do you mean? I saw her flying the other day."
"I shouldn't tell you. It is her secret."
"I won't tell a soul darling, it is okay if you tell me."
"Fine… One day a few months ago, I found her out behind the old clock tower broken down in tears. She apparently went to see some doctor about her wings, and he did some tests. He told her that he was sorry, but she would never be able to fly. Something about her wing structure has a defect, the bone grew like a bat's wings, but the wings themselves tried to grow into a normal pegasus wing shape. She actually wouldn't be able to fly at all if I hadn't taught her how to use her innate pegasus magic. But back to the point, when I found her like that, it absolutely broke my heart. After she told me about the doctor, I just went up and held her for three hours until she finally stopped crying. I Pinkie Promised her that I would find a way for her to fly, and after a little research, I discovered that she could use her innate pegasus magic."
"She flies by using her pegasus magic? How did you find that out?"
"When I was researching, I found something about a pegasi martial art called the Gale King. Apparently it allows it's user to channel their innate magic to manipulate wind and lightning. I thought that if she could channel her magic to cause wind, she could make her wings work, even though she wouldn't fly like a normal pegasus. After she finally was able to fly, she told me that she was going to learn the gale king martial art. She is actually getting pretty good at it."
"Wait, so Scootaloo is getting lessons about some pegasi martial art? Who is teaching her?"
"Actually, the Gale King style is incredibly hard to master, and the last recorded user died several hundred years ago, Scootaloo is actually figuring it out on her own."
"So Scootaloo is actually bringing back a long dead martial art and learning how to user her pegasus magic?"
"Pretty much… Wow, we really got off track. Back to what we were talking about, do I have a crush on Scootaloo?"
"Hmm… Well from what you told me darling, I think you have much more than a crush, you have full blown romantic feelings for her. You are in L-O-V-E 'LOVE', and you have it pretty hard."
"Dangit, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were teasing us saying I had a crush on Scoots… I am never going to live this down…"
"Oh who cares darling, I just want to know how you plan on wooing your dream mare."
"Whoa, slow down there Rarity, I don't even know how she feels about me."
"IDEA~! I can have her come over because Sweetie Belle is going to apologize for teasing her. I will have her come over, make Sweetie apologize, then tell Scootaloo that I need to talk to her about what happened, after sending Sweetie over to apologize to you as well."
"That actually sounds like a good plan, when would we do it?"
"We should do it tomorrow darling, I know you need to go to Canterlot in a few days, so the sooner the better. In fact, I am going to talk to Scootaloo's parents about how she is apparently learning this martial art that is long dead, and ask them if she could be taken to Canterlot with you so she can tell the Princesses about it."
"That… Sounds… PERFECT!"
"Indeed it does darling, now I am afraid that I am going to have to send you home, as I have work to do. You can't woo the mare of your dreams without a proper dress after all."
"Thank you Rarity, I don't know how I can repay you."
"Don't you dare think about repaying me. I am doing this because you are practically my niece, and I love a good romance story, which I know that you no doubt will experience."
"Whatever you say Rarity. Bye."
