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// Bonus: ;) 
// Story: Smiles are easy; Happiness is hard 
// by IceQB 
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	"Well, you did ask if you wanted to see my family." Scootaloo sighed as she lowered her shoulders. "Here they are." She spoke with a tinge of happiness, but any pony could easily tell she was faking it; the high-pitched, nervous laughter that followed suit, as well as the fact she avoided eye-contact with Pinkie made the pink pony feel like she's stumbled upon some dark secret that should not have been unburied.

There were nothing but the grains and stones of the earth for a thousand miles. Dead tress littered the pathway, and it was creepily eerie. But to Scootaloo, she was at home.

"They... they look great!" Pinkie replied with the same nervous, jittery laughter, and forced herself to smile. There was nothing happy about this, as she learned. "I like her mane! It's all... green?"

Scootaloo preferred to stay silent. The air was chilly, but she didn't seem to mind. "This is my... second home, I guess. My family's a little weird too; they don't talk much. I do most of the talking, the dishes, the yard. They never seemed to mind me coming and going as I wish. Ain't that right, Pa and Ma?"

The two stone-cold parents simply stared at their daughter and her friend. None moved, but Scootaloo knew they agreed with her. "See? I told ya. Anyways, the one on the left is my dad. High Roper was his name, tight-roping was his game!" Scootaloo sang softly, hushing up quickly as she stopped herself from crying. "And the one on my right is Ma, Fire Fox. Pa, ma, this is my friend, Pinkie Pie. They said hi by the way."

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. parents-of-Scootaloo! It's a pleasure to meet ya!" Pinkie extended a hoof out, but realised how silly she looked and reeled it back in. "She's been a great filly!"

"I know she will be." Pinkie could barely hear the two voices which felt like they crept into her ears. She could almost sense their presence, and nodded her head gracefully.

"Aw shucks. It was you two who raised her up. You two should be proud." 

Scootaloo's ears perked up. Her lip curled upwards, and a smile was slowly forming.

"She's been a great source of motivation for her friends, and she's a really, really super-fun pony to be around with! Most importantly, she never gives up!"

"Yeah... I guess so." Scootaloo scratched the back of her head, with no attempts to hide the bright red blush on her cheeks.

"What's that? You want her to be the very best that she can be? Of course she can!"

"Now you're just being silly, Pinkie. You're using them to talk to me." Scootaloo rolled her eyes, but she kept her smile.

"Maaaaybe. But I like your home, Scootaloo. It's got a... grand feeling. It's like, I can hear a thousand voices speak, but at the same time, it's quiet. Like my second home."

"Do you know any one else here?" Scootaloo bit her lip.

"Yeah. Many of my friends live here too. Sometimes, I visit them, and throw them a small little party. Not the big ones like in Ponyville, but tiny, quiet parties." The thought of partying at her second home felt a little unsettling, but it was something she did not try just yet. Aside from sending flowers and chocolates to her parents, as well as leaving a bag of bits that mysteriously disappeared the next day, she had nothing to come up with.

"Pinkie, could you maybe... throw a party for them? It's been a while since I've celebrated their birthday."

"Of course I can! Parties are my specialty! Ooh this is going to be so exciting!" said Pinkie as she bounced around Scootaloo. "I need to do so much planning! Quick, Scootaloo, what's her favorite flower? Her favorite color! Wait! Don't tell me, hibiscus, and red! Red hibiscus! I can throw a flower-themed party, and invite all of Ponyville to come--"

"Keep it down, Pinkie! You'll scare them!" said Scootaloo as she urgently placed her hoof in Pinkie's mouth. "Besides, what about that nice, quiet, party you were talking about earlier? I think they'll like that just fine."

"Aww... but I was already planning colorful streamers, and balloons, and a folk-singing, guitar-playing pony that looks like he could be my next friend!"

"It's fine, Pinkie. It's about time I owe them a celebration." Scootaloo patted her parent's heads, and simply nodded. "It's nearly fifty years already, huh."

She planted her two back knees into the dirt, and stared at the ground under her. A single tear dropped. "Happy Fiftieth Anniversary, Pa and Ma. I love you."