“That was a delightful meal, I shall have to stop by the kitchen later to offer my appreciation. Now I believe you said something about wanting to ride your scooter in the halls?” Celestia asked, handing her plate to one of the waitstaff.
“Yeah!” Scootaloo shouted excitedly. “Aww I left my scooter at home,” Scootaloo said, as her expression fell at having remembered her decision not to bring her scooter.
“This is a problem we can easily remedy. Ponyville is perhaps a bit far to travel to fetch your scooter. However, you could send Vanilla to get you a new scooter or you could go to the toy store to pick out one for yourself. We do have the F.A.O Schwartz flagship store here in Canterlot,” Celestia said, laying out the two most obvious solutions to Scootaloo’s problem.
“A new scooter? But wouldn’t that mean using my powers for my own benefit instead of Equestria’s?” Scootaloo wondered aloud. “It’s not really fair that Equestria pays for a new scooter just because I decided not to bring my old one.”
“Perhaps Luna was right,” Celestia muttered under her breath. “It is commendable that you weigh the well being of the citizens of Equestria against your own desires. However, being a Princess means that, on occasion, you can indulge your own selfish whims. My sister has been trying to teach me that lesson. If it will set your mind at ease I shall purchase the scooter myself. Consider it a gift from me to my new friend.”
Scootaloo brightened up both at the thought of a new toy and the idea she could use the smooth marble floors of the castle as the world’s most exclusive skate park. “Can Princesses go outside? Won’t there be a crowd?” she wondered, wanting to select the scooter herself, rather than risk Vanilla picking out the wrong one.
“Perhaps elsewhere, but in Canterlot my presence is not so novel as to cause a commotion. Come Scootaloo, F.A.O Schwartz awaits,” Celestia said lowering her neck so that Scootaloo might climb aboard.
Not considering that some might find the idea of a princess serving as a glorified cab undignified, Scootaloo happily scampered atop the most powerful mare in all of Equestria and the pair happily flew to the toy store.
Princess Celestia was right, though there were some murmurs as they walked through the aisles and the occasional well wisher, their presence in public was not so intrusive as to be disruptive and they were left in relative peace. The most annoying disruptions being from the staff’s constant queries of “Is there anything else we can do for you?”
In aisle eight, Scootaloo stared with wide eyes at the impressive, and vast, selection of scooters available. At the general store in Ponyville there had been only two models to choose from, and one of them had been designed for yearlings rather than fillies. But here there were scooters with accessories and features she had only read about. There was one with the wheels positioned on the interior of the board and encased in a plexiglass cover, presumably to cut down on wind resistance. Another had wheels that rotated on both axes for all 360 degrees, allowing for greater maneuverability and a third had handlebars that looked to be constructed from some sort of flexible polymer that allowed them to bend in any way imaginable while still retaining enough rigidity to function as stabilizers for the rider.
Scootaloo chose a bright red scooter with the fully rotating wheels, and then looked back towards the wall. “I was thinking, could we maybe buy a bunch of scooters and give them to a school or something,” she said as she reflected on how much she enjoyed her own scooter.
“A most noble idea Scootaloo. I believe there is an afterschool program here in Canterlot that would very much appreciate the donation.”
Scootaloo selected a few of the more basic scooters, since not everypony could handle the advanced models like she could, and the two princesses went to check out.
The smooth marble floors of the south wing made for an almost frictionless scooter course, and Scootaloo happily skidded around the spacious wing on her new scooter. Celestia used her magic to create cushions, preventing a few of the more serious crashes. Furthermore the fully rotating wheels allowed her to maneuver in ways she simply couldn’t do on her old scooter. By the time she had finished riding she had already invented three new tricks to practice.
“That was awesome,” Scootaloo gasped out between breaths as her aching muscles finally persuaded the rest of her to put the scooter aside for a little while.
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself Scootaloo,” Celestia replied as Vanilla Sky walked into the cordoned off hall.
Vanilla gave a polite bow first toward Celestia and then toward Scootaloo. “Your highnesses. Princess Celestia you have a meeting of the small council in five minutes and Scootaloo you are scheduled for a nap.”
Scootaloo balked. “But I don’t need a nap. Naps are for foals. Why can’t I go to the small council meeting?”
“The small council meeting is best left for grown-ups,” Celestia replied, choosing to emphasize Scootaloo’s age rather than her lack of a security clearance as the reason she could not attend the most private government conclave in Canterlot.
“Luna has requested that you join her on her rule. Since she rules at night she thinks it would be best if you took a nap so that you aren’t too tired. But if you’d rather not I can pass along that message,” Vanilla added.
“I guess a nap isn’t that bad if it means I get to stay up late.”
“Excellent. Do you require a glass of warm milk? Perhaps another blanket?” Vanilla asked, doing her job of ensuring that Scootaloo wanted for nothing during her stay.
“I think I’m okay.”
“Well then it appears we must go our separate ways for now Scootaloo. I had a most enjoyable day with you,” Celestia said with a smile.
Scootaloo smiled back, and Celestia bowed before turning to exit.
Vanilla escorted Scootaloo back to her chambers. In short order Scootaloo laid her head down on her pillow and found herself drifting off to sleep. For the first time in a while the familiar ache of loneliness that accompanied her dreams was muted.