//------------------------------//
// New Developments  
// Story: If You Hear Me, Let Me Know 
// by SolidFire 
//------------------------------//


New Developments


Kitty's eyes slowly fluttered open, and it took her a couple seconds to remember where she was. When she had successfully oriented herself, she assumed she was alone due to the lack of sound in the room. She looked around, and her eyes eventually came to rest on two ponies she knew very well sitting on the floor. She also noticed that their lips were locked in a very passionate embrace.





Sweetie Belle was lost in the ecstasy of the moment. So this is what a kiss feels like when emotions are involved, she thought to herself. Now I see how Scootaloo barely managed seven years with Lightning without sex.

Jimmy's heart was pounding in his chest. He had never felt so much passion from a kiss before. This is the most amazing thing I have ever felt, he thought to himself. I could get used to this.

"Umm... If you guys would like it I can pretend to be asleep and that I never saw you two making out," Kitty said with a sly grin. She could see that those two were interested in each other for years, even though neither of them would admit it to anypony. Not even themselves. Though Kitty wasn't one for romance, she knew that her brother had wanted to be with Sweetie Belle for a long time and was happy he finally had that opportunity. Sweetie Belle and Jimmy froze, their lips still locked together. Their eyes shot open. Kitty didn't know how they managed it, but somehow they rocketed to her bedside at Pinkie speed.

"Kitty! You're awake!" Jimmy said happily, although he did let a nervous chuckle slip. 

"How are you feeling Kitty?" Sweetie Belle added. Kitty laughed.

"I'm fine. But you two are nervous as hay about what I saw. Don't worry, it's nothing to be scared of. We'll all be happy for you as long as you two stay together."

"I think we'll need to have a conversation to figure out just what exactly happened there," Jimmy said with a sheepish glance at Sweetie Belle.

"Would you like me to explain?" Kitty asked sarcastically. "You sucked on Sweetie Belle's face. Not much to it."

Jimmy and Sweetie Belle blushed hotly.

"I'm hoping there was a little more to it than that," Sweetie Belle said. "It sure felt like there was more." Sweetie Belle couldn't understand why, but she couldn't take her eyes away from Jimmy's.

"You know, I think I do as well," Jimmy said and rested his hoof on Sweetie Belle's. Both ponies blushed madly. Kitty rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. You know, if I'm going to rehab, it's going to be a while before I get any sort of action. Can I pack a vibrator for my stay?" Kitty laughed as the two new lovers relocated their hooves to their faces.

"You always know how to ruin a bucking moment, don't you?" Jimmy said.

"Fuck yeah I do!" 

Jimmy and Sweetie Belle gave her a strange look.

"What the buck does 'fuck' mean?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"You know, I was trying to say 'buck', but now that I said it like that, 'fuck' sounds a lot better doesn't it?" explained Kitty.

"Not so much Kat."

"Come on Sweets, open your mind to new additions to your vocabulary!"

"It actually does roll off the tongue a little better," Jimmy added. Sweetie Belle thought about it.

"Buck... fuck... buck you... fuck you..." Sweetie Belle facehoofed again. "I hate to admit it, but she's right. It really does flow a lot nicer."

"Fuck yeah! We've created a new word! Buck is no longer profane!" Kitty exclaimed and threw her hooves in the air.

"As much as I like it, we should stick with what works," Rainbow butted in as she stepped into the room. 

"How are you feeling Kitty?" Spitfire asked.

"Better than I was last night. I'm guessing Scootaloo told you what happened?" Kitty gave the ground a sheepish stare. She had always looked up to Rainbow and Spitfire as if they were her own parents. Everypony in the band did. She hated to disappoint them.

"Yeah, she did," Spitfire responded. Rainbow remained silent. She wasn't so good at these situations.

"I'm sorry. I—"

"You've already been forgiven, Kat," Scootaloo interrupted. "We still love you, which is why we're getting you the help you need."

"What she said," Rainbow added. She then noticed the bag on the floor.

"What's in the bag?"

"Oh, just a little something I got for Jimmy. He wouldn't leave the room, so I brought him food," Sweetie Belle responded.

"You mean you didn't just come here to make out with him?" Kitty asked. All eyes were immediately locked on Sweetie Belle and Jimmy. The two ponies facehoofed simultaneously.

"Really Kat? Really?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"You guys didn't seem afraid of me finding out. What's wrong with these ponies knowing?"

"You two... made out?" Scootaloo asked.

"We... kissed... a little..." Jimmy said while staring at the floor.

"That's wonderful! I always knew you two were made for each other!" Spitfire said happily. Jimmy and Sweetie Belle continued staring at the floor, hot blushes adorning their faces.

"It just kinda... happened. I don't think either of us actually expected it," Sweetie Belle explained. Spitfire and Rainbow looked at each other. They flew behind Sweetie Belle and Jimmy and pushed them out the door.

"What are you two doing?!" Jimmy shouted.

"You two come back when you've figured out what in the hay happened," Spitfire said.

"But-" Sweetie Belle didn't get to say anything else before the door to Kat's room was shut in her and Jimmy's faces.

"Well this is awkward."





Spitfire and Rainbow, satisfied with their efforts, turned their attention back to Kitty.

"What was that about?" Kitty and Scootaloo asked simultaneously. 

"That sounded almost exactly like our first kiss," Spitfire responded. "We didn't plan it, I just kinda jumped on Rainbow and did it."

"Yeah, pretty much. It was awesome. Although we were a bit less blushy about it.”

"Blushy? Rainbow, I don't think that's a word,” Spitfire said with a condescending glance at her wife.

"When legitimate words can't describe what I want to say I make words up. Don't buck with my method."

Spitfire chuckled and rested her head on Rainbow's shoulder. 

"Don't worry Rainbow. I love your method."

Scootaloo and Kitty smiled. Scootaloo looked over at her friend.

"AHA!" Scootaloo shouted, startling everypony in the small room.

"Scootaloo, what in the hay was that about?" Kitty asked.

"I knew your emotional side would come out sooner or later Kat!"

Kitty swallowed. She knew right then that she had been caught. What was wrong with her? She had never been one for romance. She still wasn't... right? She just smiled at seeing two happy ponies... right?





Lightning landed at the edge of the Sky Track and quickly spotted the pony he was there to see; the pony he hated to see more than anypony on the planet. The one who made his life a hell of numbers ever since he started his career in racing.

His manager. Being one of the top racers in the most renowned league in Equestria was a dream come true for Lightning. At least he thought it was until he found out it meant selling his soul to the highest bidder. Advertisements, appearances, sponsorships, anything to put a bit in his manager's pocket. And he knew what this conversation was about.

"Lightning! A pleasure to see you." Lightning knew his manager was lying through his teeth.

"Cut the crap Moneybags. What do you want?” Lightning asked frankly. 

"Well, seeing as you don't feel like doing this pleasantly, I'll put it bluntly. You need to get rid of that mare of yours. She's bad for business."

Rage filled Lightning. The only thing stopping him from beating the sleazy pegasus in front of him was the possibility of an assault charge.

"No. I am not throwing away Scootaloo for the sake of money."

"Now, now, don't think about it like that! Think about it as a boost to your public image. Everypony knows that you're with a rebellious rocker mare and it looks bad. Think about your fans, Lightning. They don't want to see—"

"I don't care what they want to see. I'm sick of holding back on her because of my damn career. I asked her to marry me three days ago. She said yes. You're going to have to deal with that."

Moneybags' face went cold. He spread his wings.

"Mr. Spark, you are to break off that engagement right now. What's more important to you? Your career or some mare? If the press finds out—"

"If the press finds out it will be a blessing." Lightning spread his own, much larger wings. "Do you have any idea how long I waited to propose to her on the account of YOUR miserable flank? I wanted to propose to her five years ago! FIVE. YEARS. So if the press finds out about it I'll be happy! If I get assaulted by reporters trying to get a story, I'll be happy to tell them that I asked the mare I love to spend the rest of her life with me! And I won't give a rat's furry ass about what it does to my image or your little economic empire!"

Lightning pressed his face very close to his manager's. "If you're giving me a choice between this job and her, you can nullify my contract at any time. Now if you'll excuse me, my fiance's friend is in the hospital. I want to be there to comfort her if she needs it." With that, Lightning headed to the edge of the Sky Track's lobby and dove off.

Moneybags watched Lightning fly away. He glanced at his own wings and sighed.

I always was inadequate compared to my racers, he thought to himself. 





Lightning landed in front of the Ponyville Hospital's entrance. It didn't take long for him to notice Applebloom, Applejack, and Big Macintosh heading towards the hospital as well.

"Howdy Lightnin'!" Applebloom called out. "Where's Scoot?"

"She's already inside. I had to go to a meeting with my favorite jackass today, so I'm arriving late."

"Ahh. How'd that go?" Applebloom asked.

"About as well as I expected. Anyway, it's a surprise to see the two of you here," he said to Applejack and Big Mac.

"Now why's that?" Applejack asked. "Ya know full well she's as much family ta us as she is ta all o' y'all."

"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed, verbose as always.

"Good point," Lightning said. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go inside and see how she's doing." Lightning pushed the doors open and held them for the Apple family. They each nodded and thanked him as they walked through the doors. As soon as they entered the lobby they noticed Sweetie Belle and Jimmy leaning against one another. 

Sweetie Belle gave them a look that clearly said "Don't say a bucking word, I'll explain later." Lightning and the Apple family in turn gave her looks that said with equal clarity "I look forward to it. 7:00 tonight?" Sweetie Belle huffed. The look she gave them next was as clear as the first. It said "Fine. 7:00." 





Lightning and Scootaloo stepped onto their front porch. It had been a long day for both of them. Lightning pulled the door open and gave a bow to Scootaloo.

"After you M'Lady." Lightning managed one of the worst fake Trottingham accents Scootaloo had ever heard. She laughed and took a bow. 

"My my, what a gentleman." She stepped inside and noticed immediately that a letter had been slid in under the doorway.

"You've got mail," she said to Lightning. Lightning looked at the unopened envelope in Scootaloo's hoof. He reached for it, but she pulled it away.

"What are you doing Scoot?" Lightning asked.

"Why is your boss sending mail to this house? You just moved in a couple days ago."

"Your guess is as good as mine, Scoot. Now let me read that." He reached for it again, but Scootaloo pulled it back farther. Lightning caught on and pretended to reach for it again. Scootaloo again pulled it away. Lightning leaned in and kissed Scootaloo.

"You caught on pretty quickly that time," she said with a smile after their lips parted.

"Were you expecting me to take longer?" Lightning asked.

"Quite frankly, I was."

"I win."

"You win wha- Oh you ass." Scootaloo and Lightning laughed. Lightning took the opportunity to snatch the letter from Scootaloo.

"Hey! Cheater!" 

"It's only cheating if you get caught," Lightning responded.

"I DID catch you."

"Oh. Then yes, I am a cheater." Lightning tore open the letter. He wanted to get whatever it was over with. As he read the short note, a wide smile spread across his lips. When he got to the bottom, he walked over to the trash can and threw the letter away. As soon as he saw it hit the bottom, he jumped in the air and shouted for joy.

"What did it say?" Scootaloo asked, her curiosity very much piqued.

"Moneybags just fired me. I'm free at last!"