//------------------------------//
// Summer Sun Celebration: A very special welcome. 
// Story: A Game of Homes. 
// by Lethrael 
//------------------------------//

Summer Sun Celebration A very special welcome.

The day began like the both before.
“Scootaloo wake up. I've to go. The breakfast stays on the table.
Please put it all into the sink, if you're eaten up.”
Sunny Rays voice reached through the closed door and sounded a little scampered. Before the pegsus filly was more than half awoken, the front door closed 
and fast hoofbeats receded from the house.
“Good Morning and Goodbye, aunt Sunny.”
The little filly called so loud as she could, but she wasn't sure, that Sunny have heard her.	She opened her sleeping back, yawned and rose slowly. 
She stretched herself and the shaky legs tölted carefully forward.  Scootaloo pouted and suppressed another yawn. Goosebumps went through her coat and she felt that it protruded in her mane. She shivered and wiped over her mane.
“Why I couldn't have a cloudbed?”
She spoke in a low voice into the silence around her and sighed. Scootaloo missed the tender fluffyness, but Sunny didn't want clouds in her house.
“They affect the wood and are cooling down everything. 
In the summer it's fine, but in my first winter I'd even snow in my bedroom.”

Scootaloo remembered her voice, as she left the bathroom. The breakfast, a daisy sandwich and a glass of milk, stood at her place and she climbed into the high chair. Sunny has promised, that she got a bed 	and suitable furniture soon, but the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration has taken her full attention and so Scootaloo had to sleep on the floor for a few days. She has taken a bed on her own, but aunt Sunny would do it on herself. Scootaloo ate up and took pensive the glass of milk into her hooves. Today was the day. 
Today was the celebration and she was able to see princess Celestia. At home in Cloudsdale the celebration was always overcrowded, 	because many families would celebrate it together. She closed her eyes and bit her lips. The glass trembled in her hooves and she spilled a drop of milk on the table. It was the first time, that she celebrated it without mum and she felt a little gloomy about it. She looked through the window and in the sky. It was two days without any answer. She has written immediately after her arrival, even has pleased the mailpony to deliver the letter faster as usual. But she hasn't gotten an answer besides mum has promised to write her every day. Her thoughts were interrupted by a stroke of the clock. Scootaloo leapt up, drank the milk and held the glass with the mouth. She put it into the sink and cleared the table. Then she whipped her saddlebacks on her flank and galloped out of the house.
Ponyville were crowded this morning, dozens of ponies, familiar or not, have hastened around, have cleaned up or have moved things around.	Murmur and laughter were overlay the tohubohu of ponies and the bustle pushed even Scootaloo. She wasn't noticed now, quite different to her first exploration of Ponyville. Neither the ponies greeted her or stepped beside. She felt herself peculiar, like a stranger amidst strangers. It was right, the ponies here weren't like the pegasi. Even the pegasi weren't like those in Cloudsdale. Scootaloo couldn't explain, what the difference was, but it was something. She was uncertain, what she has thought about it. Even her first day was so strange.

Aunt Sunny had fetched her from the Cloudsdale Balloon landing field, placed her little bags in her home and shown her around in Ponyville. Sugarcube Corner and the school was her prime locations. Miss Cheerilee, the new teacher, welcomed her and was very kind. However Scootaloo had barely settled down, then aunt Sunny was go to work and let Scootaloo alone found a way back. She stumbled reluctant through the town and tried to orient herself. Snippet of conversation and laughter shrouded her and as she finally retrieved Sugarcube Corner, she was welcomed by a pink whirlwind.
“Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie and you should be new here, right. 
Cause I know everypony around and I don't know you, so you must be new. 
I hope you like cupcakes, I'm loving them, or do you like muffins?
What's your name, where are you from and what's your favourite drink? 
What's your favourite colour and...”
She spoke so fast and without any interruption, that Wingdaloo had much struggles to understand her questions as a question. She waited until the elder pony had to breathe and finally she could answer.
“I'm Wingdaloo from Cloudsdale.”
She couldn't went much further with her answers, since Pinkie shook her hoof with her own, left a muffin in it and pushed her with the other one into the bakery. Two huge earthponies smiled and nodded to her. Wingdaloo noticed only their main colour, brilliant amber and  light cerulean, before Pinkie Pie again focussed all attention onto her.
“Mister and Misses Cakes, this is Wingdaloo and she's new here. 
I'm inviting her to her first welcome party here. I'm hoping we celebrate here and.”
Wingdaloo interrupted the gabbling pony with a loud exclamation.
“But I don't know everypony here.”
The pink pony hadn't allowed anything to interrupt her line of speaking and smiled.
“That's just perfect. Leave it to me and you will find a bunch of friends.”
Before Wingdaloo could answer, a male gentle voice interposed. Slowly and calm he contrasted the jittery gibberish from Pinkie Pie.
“Pinkie, that's a great idea really, but with so scant time to the summer sun celebration, 
which we have to prepare. So a party so shortly before it isn't good, right?
Besides the filly has to gain time to come across and settle in. If she then has found friends, a party will be great. Isn't it?”	
Wingdaloo turned around to the source of this speech and viewed closely the brilliant amber stallion. The pistachio eyes laid only for one second on her and looked then to Pinkie Pie.	Besides his eyes his toque and a white pinny was unique for him Wingdaloo nodded and smiled hesitant. Pinkie sighed and loosed a little volume from her puffy mane.
“But I'm thinking it will be best, if we.”

“Hello Wingdaloo, did you find some friends for your later welcome party?”
The pegasusfilly was sudden ripped out of her memory, as the pink ball of energy obstructed her way and blazoned out this question. Scootaloo recoiled, bumped against another pony and stumbled an excuse. The incipient voice sounded vague familiar to her.
“N...n...no worry. I've alarming you in a second. I've a letter for you.”
The mailpony with the droll eyes! Scootaloo turned  around smiled to her and forget Pinkies question totally. Her extended hoof trembled with barely repressed excitement, as Derpy laid the letter in it and the other stroked nervously over the ground. She was unable to thank her, or even to speak, and drifted just away. She let a shortly disappointed Pinkie Pie and a smiling mailpony left behind.

Dear Scootaloo,

I'm very pleased to hear from you and I'm relief, that you're arrive safely.
I'm pleased to get your picture, too. I'm missing you and thinking always of you.
Your room is as you have leaved and will await you, if you got homesick.
Just write me, if you don't tolerate it much longer and I will meet you.
If you will be happy there, I 'll send you some of your posters.
I'm a little upset with your idea to change your name so fast.
I'm always find Wingdaloo very pleasant and fitting for you, no matter the circumstances.
If you like to change it, I'll not get in the way for your decision,
but you're always be my little Wingdaloo in my heart.
Excuse me, I've not sending you a letter yesterday. I'm just feeling bad, 
because you have telling me, that I've to stay in Cloudsdale and should not to accompany you.
Do you know, that I do anything for you? I'll move with you to Ponyville, if you let me.
I hope you will change your mind and wish my company.
I'm always loving you, Wingdaloo and await your answer.

Lots of love
Mum.

Scootaloo sat an her place in the school and had hastily opened the letter. Her hooves trembled more and more, as longer she read the lines. Finally she let sink the letter on her school table. She bit her lips and constrained her eyes.	Mum wanted her back in Cloudsdale. So often she had written it in the letter, Scootaloo was sure about that. She had made the wrong decision. Mum wasn't happy with it. What should she do now?
Again she looked to the lines and tried to conceive a clear thought, 	but how longer she saw this letter, then more she became tangled thoughts. After all she wiped the letter into her sattlebag half angry, half sadly. Why didn't she tell her so in Cloudsdale? Why hadn't Mum tell her, that she could move with her? Why?
The clearance and the school hours flight past her. The other foals didn't bother with her, as she didn't answer any questions, but seemed to be happy about the celebration. Scoot, no Wingdaloo wasn't sure anymore, if she wanted to be happy about this. Miss Cheerilee dismissed the class and she trotted alone, after all foals left, through Ponyville and headed  home. No she walked to Sunny Rays house, unsure whether to write a letter or to pack everything directly.
“Scootaloo, please wait.”
A classmate ran nearby to her and tried to get her attention. Wingdaloo darted her a look and tried to remember her name. The two coloured mane and the green eyes together with the white coat were quite unique in her class and as a unicorn it was a simple task.
“Sweetie Belle, right?”
The pegasusfilly whispered and tried to sound calm, but the unicorn hold in and viewed her a little suspicious, than she smiled. She tried to run as fast as Wingdaloo and trotted with her in the direction of Sugarcube Corner.
“I've just thinking, if you like to accompany me 
and go to the Summer Sun Celebration with me.
You look quite so, as you need somepony to accompany you.”
Wingdaloo lowered her head and sighed. She stopped and considered.	She could hole up home and has been thinking around Mums letter, or she could just make a nice evening with a friend.
“I believe, I've to ask my aunt, if I want to. Are you making a slumber party?”
Her voice still sounded higher and faster as usual, but Sweetie Belle should misconstrue this as excitement.
“No I'm not allowed to do such thing. But you've nopony to celebrate anyway.”
Wingdaloo interrupted the little white unicorn and her voice fluttered louder.
“How do you know this?”
Sweetie Belle recoiled and smiled fast.
“I knew, Sunny Rays can't be your mother. And she is always committed, so I just thought, you know?.”
Wingdaloo shook her head free from her thoughts and tripped her left hoof multiple on the ground.
“Yes Mum lives in Cloudsdale and works there. I...
You know what, I'm coming with you. When do you want to meet?”
Before her voice again said goodbye and went higher, or worst tears were able to gather in her eyes, she pledged.
Only that she could free herself form her thoughts. A grin appeared at the face of Sweetie Belle and she raised her left front hoof to lay it at Wingdaloos shoulders.
“I'll meet you. I have to sleep a little, thereby I'm able to witness the celebration awake. 
How about four in the morning? Here?” 
Wingdaloo nodded silently, wiped off the hoof and ran away.
“See you tonight, Scootaloo.”
She didn't answered and ran even faster. Now she had to convince aunt Sunny, that she went with a friend to the celebration.
Afterwards was it really easy, because she found just a letter in the house.

“Dear Scootaloo,
I've to work an additional shift.
Somepony will supervise our work and Pinkie want to please her with a party.
Please take your supper from the fridge and go to bed early.
I'll send somepony to wake you up.
Raritys little sister, Sweetie Belle will come and meet you here.
See you at the Summer Sun Celebration.
Aunt Sunny.”

Wingdaloo deposited the saddlebags and ignored the letter from her mother. She hoped, if she let it in the saddlebags, she had never to thing of it again. But her thoughts circuited around it the whole evening. First her supper, bred with bramblejelly and an apple, distracted her from it and gave her a little anticipation for the celebration. Certainly as she snuggled in her sleeping back, her thoughts drifted back to the letter and kept her away from sleeping.
“That's not fair. I won't return. I won't be looked so pitiful.
How can I explain all other ponies, that I'm just want to be like every other?”
This question circuited again all feelings, however she hadn't find any answer. Wingdaloo turned around and tried to all blank out, by staring against the wooden wall, but it wasn't successful, she couldn't rid her thoughts.
“I've to return, then Mum is going to be happy again.
That's my only choice, I'm going to do. 
But I won't go back, all other pegasi are looking so different up there.
Here down they look different, not like them. They're just not interested in my wings.”
She mumbled quieter and quieter and then she drifted away into sleep.

A loud rap and calling ripped her from her sleep and she struggled herself out of the sleeping back. Whereof she has been dreaming she didn't remember, 
but she felt tears gliding over her face and sensed her heart beating really fast.
“Scootaloo wake up. We're late”
Sweetie Belle knocked against her bedroom door. As she heard Wingdaloos hooves, she called:
“I'll be waiting outside. Hurry up, please.”
Wingdaloo hurried and laved her sleepy eyes with cold water. She drove with her hooves through her mane and went yawning outside. Sweetie Belle tripped nervously around and  pulled Wingdaloo with her,	as she saw her. Together they galloped to the town hall, only there light shined brighter in the dim part of the night.
“Hurry, we will miss the princess.”
Sweetie Belle shouted over her shoulder and bounced into the bright ballroom. Wingdaloo followed her harried and tried to shove through the expected crowd, but.

Everypony stood still, pointed one spot and seem being puzzled.
“Where is she? Where is princess Celestia?”
Somepony beside her mumbled this words and as Wingdaloo looked to the source, she recognized the mailpony with wide eyed look.	She tried to look forward, collided with a freezing Sweetie Belle staring up to the balcony. Wingdaloo followed her glimpse and saw the gathering shadows too.	An obscure figure appeared and all of her shape reminded the filly to a recent suppressed nightmare.	An image rose out of her subconsciousness and was so familiar. The long marvellous horn, the dark blowing mane and the even darker coat, all were alike her last dream. How could she forget?
The aura of these creature was so graspable, that the fillys thoughts circuited again, but now around her fears and she wanted to go only to one place, home. But Sweetie Belle, pulled her under the balcony, as if it was easier for her, as long as she didn't see this terrible creature. But the gloomy voice sounded even there and Wingdaloo nuggled firmer with her companion, but she was blindfolded for the surroundings.
“Oh, my beloved subjects.
It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little sun-loving faces...”
Wingdaloo tried her best, but the fear let her no other choice, she just trembled	and pressed herself tighter against Sweetie Belle after this words. As well she saw a pony, that wasn't overwhelmed by fear. Wingdaloo didn't know who this blue pegasus mare was, but she starred at her. The rainbow mane played with her almost scornfully face and the filly opened her mouth in a gasp, as she tried to swoop down the creature, but a yellow earthpony with a hat hindered her. Why was she not afraid? Who was she?
Wingdaloo saw, that she was fighting against her restriction and the hindering earthpony, she wanted something to do, fight back. A unicorn with purple coat and three coloured mane walked between her line of sight and named the creature.
“...I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon – Nightmare Moon!”
Wingdaloo gasped and congealed again. This old maretale was true? Thunder and lightning let her tremble once more and all huddled in fear. She searched in her fear the only heroine she knew, the blue pegasus mare. She was unimpressed and tried to break away one more time. Finally the major sent the royal guards against Nightmare Moon, but everyone was defeated by the lightnings. With a guffaw Nightmare Moon disappeared and her dark shadow burst through the door. Now the fighting pegasus mare came loose and chased her. Wingdaloo broke away from Sweetie Belle and galloped after her, admittedly to the door. She wanted to see, what was happening next. 	The pegasus stopped and stared into the darkness. Somepony jumped through the door, the purple unicorn leaved the town hall, and Wingdaloo tried one step out, to follow her.
“Scootaloo wait, stay here.”
Aunt Sunny caught herself and laid a hoof on her shoulder.
“Where, by all clouds, do you want to go? You shouldn't even think about it.”
Sunny pushed her forward, as they leaved town hall.	Everypony were simply in blind panic and also Wingdaloo sensed this fear, but the remembered courage from the blue pegasus mare with the rainbow mane calmed her feelings and she could keep her bouncing heart in check.
“I want just chase after the blue pegasus. I think she knows, what she is actually doing.”
Aunt Sunny led her fast along the way and into the house.
“That would surprise me. Rainbow Dash does never ever know, what she is doing.”
Wingdaloo mumbled the name a few times to remember it. Aunt Sunny led her to her room and closed the door.
“We're packing, Scootaloo. Take everything you want. We're flying to...”
She interrupted herself, looked through the window and sighed.
“tonight back to Cloudsdale. Your mum will be very worried about you...”