//------------------------------// // A Long-Expected Party // Story: Flying to the Future // by moguera //------------------------------// Chapter 20: A Long-Expected Party Sunflower and Cyclone were understandably wary of Dawn after his demonstration, despite driving off their old foe from the Academy once and for all (they hoped). They were almost too afraid to ask him about what he'd said and done as he and Scootaloo finished walking them back home. Even though Cyclone had seen what Scootaloo could do a couple months ago, it wasn't anything like what she had seen Dawn do. Part of her was terrified that she'd been antagonizing such a dangerous pony. Still, they were able to relax after a short bit. Even after what he'd done, Dawn was still Dawn and nopony had been hurt. They made it back to their homes without incident and Dawn and Scootaloo took to the air to begin the flight back to Ponyville. "So what was that all about?" asked Scootaloo as she flew alongside her coltfriend. "It's been a long time since I've seen you scare a pony like that." Dawn sighed. "Well...we don't have anything to fear from ponies like him, even if he did bring friends who wouldn't run at the sight of us." "Yep," agreed Scootaloo. "But the same is not true of Cyclone and Sunflower," said Dawn. "Oh..." said Scootaloo, the other horseshoe dropping. "Those two might have some self-defense training or the like," said Dawn, "but I highly doubt that they've been trained well enough to handle the kind of attack that stallion attempted on us tonight." "Yeah," admitted Scootaloo. "So the main issue is that, once we separated from them and left them in Cloudsdale, they would be vulnerable. That stallion might not even really see them as the weaker pair, they would just be the two ponies closest and, thus, the most convenient to take his anger out on. That being the case, I wanted to take the opportunity he gave us to encourage him not to attempt to harm any of us." "That makes sense," said Scootaloo, shivering. She'd probably never admit it out loud, much less to the mare in question, but she'd grown to like Cyclone and she'd always liked Sunflower, issues of jealousy aside. The thought of the two of them getting hurt or injured was something that she didn't want to entertain. It probably was a good idea to head that kind of incident off before it could occur. She giggled. "I have to say, it was pretty cool to see you put that guy in his place," she said. "Thank you," said Dawn, actually blushing slightly. With another giggle, Scootaloo banked over so that she could kiss his cheek, letting her course sweep over him as she did so, allowing her to to come up on his opposite side. "Come on," she said. "Let's get home. We've got family to see and you've got a cutecenera to suffer through." Dawn's flight wobbled and his wings beat erratically. "I just thought that I need to go back and speak with Sunflower some more. I think there are some things we forgot to cover at the Academy." "Oh come on, you big baby," said Scootaloo with a roll of her eyes. "Let's just go and get it over with. It'll only hurt a little bit. Besides, you know how she gets if you try to avoid her." Dawn sighed. "Fine," he groaned. Scootaloo laughed and the two of them continued on to Ponyville as the moon climbed its way into the sky. Pepita and Larksong were both in bed by the time Dawn got back home. All the same, he got a plenty enthusiastic welcome from his parents. After much hugging and kissing, they sat him down in the living room and quizzed him about his experience at the Academy. Naturally, they were ecstatic to see his new cutie mark, though they too were stumped as to its meaning. In the morning, Larksong got up, brushed her teeth and combed her mane. She'd been less energetic ever since Dawn and Scootaloo had left. Though she still played with Pumpkin and Pound, as well as her griffon-cub friends, and her parents brought her to the park where she could enjoy time with other foals her own age, she missed her big brother and sister. She missed being flown in the evenings. She missed cuddling up with them. She even missed the dreaded tickle-time. Still sleepy, Larksong made her way down into the kitchen to take her place at the table. As she did, she caught sight of a familiar pony sitting in the living room, waiting patiently for her. "Good morning," said Dawn with a teasing smile. Larksong's eyes went wide and her drowsiness vanished. "Big Bro!" she shrieked, throwing herself at her brother with reckless abandon. Dawn laughed as he caught her, hugging her close and nuzzling into her mane as Larksong rubbed her own muzzle against his neck. "I missed you," she said. "I missed you too," said Dawn, wrapping his wings around her. "Were you a good girl while I was gone?" "Yes," said Larksong. "I good!" "Wonderful," said Dawn with a smile. "That means you won't have to face the dreaded tickle monster." "Yay!" shouted Larksong. "Breakfast time," said Fluttershy as she trotted into the living room. Pepita was resting in his sling. His eyes went wide and he squealed excitedly as he saw Dawn, his short arms reaching out in an effort to get to his older brother. With a chuckle, Dawn carefully removed Pepita from the sling and cradled the colt in his arms, gently rocking him back and forth. "I missed you as well," he said fondly before returning Pepita to his mother's care. As they made their way to the table, where Caramel had set out Dawn's favorite breakfast of potato pancakes and sour cream. Larksong barely had time to eat, words tumbling out of her mouth in between every bite of food as she eagerly informed Dawn about everything that had been happening in the time since he'd left...at least, everything that was important to her. After they finished breakfast, Fluttershy and Caramel took care of the dishes while Larksong eagerly followed Dawn into the living room. "Fly now!" she pressed eagerly. "Not yet," said Dawn calmly. "Aww," protested Larksong, sagging. "But I wanna fly!" "I know you do," said Dawn, nuzzling the top of her head. "You really want to fly? I guess you want to fly more than you want to see your big sister." Larksong gasped, her little eyes opening up wide. "Sista Scoot back!?" "Well I'm back, aren't I?" said Dawn. "You didn't think I would come back without Scootaloo, did you?" Larksong shook her head vigorously. "So I guess you want me to fly you instead of taking you into town to see Scootaloo," said Dawn teasingly. "No!" squealed Larksong, leaping onto his back. "See Sista Scoot now! Fly later!" "My, you've become such a bossy filly while I've been away," said Dawn as he headed for the door. "Have fun, dear," said Fluttershy as she came to the kitchen door to see them off. Dawn nodded and took to the air, heading straight for Scootaloo's cloud house as it drifted sedately above the Ponyville skyline. Scootaloo was already up and waiting on the porch for him as Dawn came in for a landing. "Sista Scoot!" squealed Larksong, jumping off of Dawn's back before he'd even touched down. The resulting kickoff sent him plowing, face-first, into the cloud porch with a startled "Oof!" "Hey there, Li'l Sprout," said Scootaloo, struggling to maintain a stern demeanor, despite how funny Dawn's little crash had looked. "You've gotta be careful. You could've hurt your Big Bro doing that." Larksong spun about with wide eyes as she saw Dawn pulling his head out of the trench it had dug through the clouds. "I sorry!" "It's all right," said Dawn with a smile. "I'll be fine. Just remember to stay put until we've actually landed. Understand?" "Yes," said Larksong, lowering her eyes and kicking at the clouds. "Hey," said Scootaloo. "We're just worried, you know." She allowed her face to break out into a smile. "Now...where's my hug, squirt?" Squealing happily, Larksong turned and flung herself at Scootaloo. The young mare laughed as she caught Larksong in her arms and held her close, twirling the two of them through the air before landing. "It's good to see ya, Li'l Sprout," said Scootaloo as she set Larksong down. "Fly now?" asked Larksong, her eyes shining eagerly. Scootaloo snorted and traded a resigned, but amused, look with Dawn. "Sure...why not." They made their way down to the park, where they spent the rest of the morning giving Larksong what she'd wanted and what she'd missed while they'd been at the Academy. The filly laughed and yelled as she drifted on the uprising currents generated by Dawn or Scootaloo. It wasn't long before other young pegasus foals wanted to join in the fun. Soon they were tending to the amusement of a half-dozen foals in the air with another eight or so waiting for their turn. During that time, the adults had lined up to welcome Dawn and Scootaloo back from the Academy and congratulate Dawn on his new cutie mark. Every time somepony did so, Scootaloo gave Dawn and dubious look. "You know you're going to have to pay the Pie-per sooner or later," said Scootaloo. "I have a plan," said Dawn with a faint air of smugness, glancing upwards at Larksong as she drifted above. "You're gonna sacrifice your own sister?" gasped Scootaloo in mock-horror. "Dawn! I had no idea you could be so callous." "I am merely going to offer her up as a distraction," said Dawn in a lofty tone. "Sure you are," said Scootaloo with a roll of her eyes. "And the fact that you've started this portable amusement park here isn't because you want to put off going to Sugarcube Corner as much as possible. "I will deny any such claims vigorously," said Dawn with a look that practically screamed that Scootaloo had hit the nail on the head. "You are such a big baby sometimes," she teased with a snort of laughter. "I'm giving you one more hour and then I'm dragging you there myself." "And you called me cruel," muttered Dawn petulantly. "Oh get over it," said Scootaloo, laughing openly. "She's only going to throw you a party. It's nothing to be so anxious about. Geez! You have to be the wussiest coltfriend ever." Dawn sighed, rolling his own eyes before smiling warmly at her. "But still yours." "Yeah," said Scootaloo, "still mine." She leaned over to kiss him on the lips before returning her full attention to the foals above. "Now come on. Let's make sure these kids have the best hour of their lives." Scootaloo's decision of an hour hadn't been an arbitrary demand. An additional hour of play put them solidly within the boundaries of lunchtime, giving them and the parents of the foals they'd been entertaining a decent excuse to bring the activity to an end, however much the foals might have enjoyed it. With many disappointed groans, the young ones were towed off for the midday meal. At least Dawn and Scootaloo had made sure that they all had multiple chances to go up. With the deadline reached, Dawn could do nothing but follow reluctantly as Scootaloo brought him to Sugarcube Corner, an exultant, but tired, Larksong riding on his back. They found themselves standing outside the admittedly delicious-looking building. Dawn looked at the doors as though they were the Gates of Tartarus themselves. "Come on," said Scootaloo, swatting his rump with her wing as she walked past him. "Get it over with." With a defeated sigh, Dawn stepped forward and pushed the doors open, going into the bakery. Little had changed over the years. Cup Cake and Carrot Cake sported a few new wrinkles and the streaks of gray that had formed in the stallion's mane had grown a bit more prominent. But otherwise, they seemed just as energetic and enthusiastic about their work as they always had. When they saw who had come in, the pair of them burst out in ear to ear smiles. "Dawn! Scootaloo! Welcome back dears," said Cup Cake enthusiastically as she stepped out from behind the counter. "Did you have a good time at the Academy." "Eh...you could say that," said Scootaloo. "It was a little rough at first. But we got into the swing of things before too long." "I'm glad to hear that," said Mrs. Cake. Her eyes widened as she saw the mark that now decorated Dawn's flank. "Oh my! Dawn...you-!" She was abruptly cut off as Dawn's hoof lodged itself in her mouth, his eyes wide with momentary panic. "Oh! For crying out loud!" groaned Scootaloo, slapping Dawn's hoof down. She looked towards the door that led back into the kitchen. "Hey Pinkie Pie! Dawn got his cutie mark!" Dawn let out a faint whimper that she couldn't help but giggle at. "WHAT!!!" Pinkie's voice was a shriek that seemed to rock the building to its foundations and rivaled even the power of the Canterlot Royal Voice. "Dawn got his cutie mark! Let me see!" The doors flew open as Pinkie burst through them, slamming against the wall on either side. She bounced effortlessly over the counter to land right in front of Dawn and Scootaloo, startling Mrs. Cake and causing her to jump to the side. "Let me see!" she demanded, immediately rushing to Dawn's side and pulling a magnifying glass out of...somewhere...and using it to examine the mark on his flank. "Hmmm...." she hummed as she moved to examine it from every angle with a level of scrutiny that made Dawn feel a bit nervous and Scootaloo feel a bit uncomfortable. After all, Pinkie was an attractive mare, so it was a bit troubling for her to be taking such an intense interest in the haunches of Scootaloo's coltfriend. "So...what's the prognosis, doc?" asked Scootaloo sarcastically. "Is he gonna live?" "Hmmm...I've concluded..." Pinkie finally pulled away and jumped back so that she could face both of them at the same time. "...that this is definitely a cutie mark!" "Well thank goodness," said Scootaloo with a smirk and a roll of her eyes. "I guess I wasn't seeing things when it popped onto his flank from out of nowhere." "Yep," said Pinkie, grinning. "Naturally this means it's time for a-" "Inside voice," said Mayweather calmly as she stepped out of the kitchen, moving sedately and going around the counter rather than over it. "You've got customers, remember?" They all froze and looked around, suddenly remembering that there were tables throughout the bakery and that most of them were occupied during the lunch rush. Sure enough, the ponies that had come to Sugarcube Corner for their midday meal were now watching the drama unfolding with a great deal of interest, which made Dawn and Scootaloo blush. Pinkie, however, didn't seem to mind the extra attention one bit. "Well...I'll just get back to work," said Mrs. Cake, nodding to her husband behind the counter. She threw Dawn a sympathetic look. "I trust you'd like the usual." "Yes please," said Dawn. "One for me too," said Scootaloo. "And let's get a mini-cupcake for the Li'l Sprout's dessert." "Coming right up," said Mrs. Cake, heading back to the kitchen. "I'll come help," promised Mayweather before giving Pinkie a stern look. "Be gentle with him." "Okay," promised Pinkie, still wearing her head-splitting grin that seemed to sparkle under the bakery lights. "Aunty Pinkie!" shouted Larksong, bounding up to Dawn's shoulders, making the young stallion grunt as she reared up and planted her hooves on the top of his head, forcing it down. "Larky!" Pinkie squealed back, rearing up and snatching the filly off of Dawn's head and wrapping her in a tight hug. "How's my favorite little niece?" Seeing the two of them laughing and hugging, Dawn glanced sidelong at Scootaloo with a smirk. "Exactly has planned," he said smugly. Scootaloo giggled and rolled her eyes. "I'm so glad you're here," said Pinkie, lifting the filly up. "Now you can help me plan Dawn's cutecenera!" "Yay!" exclaimed Larksong, flinging her hooves out in excitement. Now it was Scootaloo's turn to smirk as she glanced sidelong at her coltfriend, finding no shortage of amusement in his falling expression as he realized that he'd essentially hooved Pinkie an enthusiastic coconspirator. "I'm doomed," muttered Dawn petulantly. "Oh quit being such a baby," said Scootaloo with a snort. Much to Dawn's relief and Scootaloo's endless amusement, the cutecenera ended up being a rather simple affair. Pinkie Pie had long ago learned to adjust the parties she planned on Dawn's behalf (whether he wanted them or not) to his sensibilities. She knew what foods to bring, what colors to decorate with, the music Dawn liked, even how large she could safely make the guest list before Dawn would refuse to come. They ultimately opted to hold the party in the schoolyard. It had actually been Cheerilee who'd offered it up as a venue, given that Dawn would soon be joining her as a coworker. As a location for a cutecenera, it held several advantages. The school wasn't exactly located on the main thoroughfare, which meant that there weren't a large number of ponies passing by all the time. At the same time, it was an open space, where ponies could come and go with ease. Thus, even though the number of ponies that had actually been invited was relatively small, it was laid out so that it was easy for a number of Dawn's acquaintances throughout town to stop by to congratulate him for his cutie mark. Over the course of working at the teashop, Dawn had become a rather well-liked citizen of Ponyville, which meant that his party attracted a number of unofficial guests, who were welcomed just as warmly as any of the official ones, even though most of them only stayed long enough to offer a few words and snag a cupcake before they were on their way again. Surprisingly, none of them seemed at all put off by the fact that a pony as old as Dawn was had only just gotten his cutie mark a couple weeks ago. The invited guests naturally included Dawn's close friends and family. Rumble and Sweetie Belle were unable to get time away from their respective commitments, but sent heartfelt letters in their stead. Likewise, Rainbow Dash was away on another Wonderbolt tour, but Soarin' was able to show up with her congratulations in addition to his own. He was accompanied by none other than Cyclone and Sunflower, both of whom were excited at the opportunity to visit Ponyville. Soarin' also carried a message from Spitfire. Dawn spent most of the time off to one side of the party, occasionally indulging in games or activities. At one point, he and Scootaloo had started up another flying session as they were visited by several of the young pegasus foals from the park. Despite their parents and Cheerilee telling them that this was supposed to be Dawn's party, they were most insistent...not that Dawn actually minded. "It looks like you've found your calling," observed a familiar voice as Dawn stood beneath the foals alongside Scootaloo, using his magic to generate a consistent updraft to leave them hanging in the air. "Maybe..." said Dawn, turning his head so that he could look at Perlin. Coco Pommel was there too, standing right beside him. The two of them seemed almost inseparable at this point. The sight of them made Dawn smile, glad to see how happy they were together. "Maybe?" Perlin raised a confused eybrow. "I've found my cutie mark," said Dawn. "But my cutie mark and my calling are not necessarily one and the same." "Is that so?" asked Perlin. "Well...you've had your cutie mark for much longer than I have," Dawn pointed out. "Have you found your calling yet?" "At one point...I thought I had," said Perlin, looking down. "At the time, I'm sure it was. It was the calling best suited to the kind of pony that you were," said Dawn. Perlin nodded in agreement. "But I've changed. That's not what I want to do with my life anymore. I'm not sure what I do want to do." "It could be anything," said Dawn, his smile widening. "Your cutie mark doesn't exist to pigeonhole you into a specific profession. A wise pony once told me that it serves as a fixed point. A compass needle only points north, but that doesn't stop you from being able to navigate in any direction you want. As ponies, we are infinite." "That sounds a little too deep," said Perlin, "even coming from you." "Like I said," replied Dawn, glancing towards Red River, where he was currently dancing with Applejack, "a wise pony once told me that." "By the way," said Scootaloo, jumping into the conversation as she leaned forward to look around Dawn, "have the two of you taken that vacation yet?" "Oh..." said Coco, "not yet." "We weren't sure when a good time might be," said Perlin. "We were going to leave after the Gala. But the dresses Rarity and Coco made for everypony were very popular, so there was a sudden flood of orders." "I couldn't leave them all to Rarity and just leave," said Coco. "And with the harvest season coming up, we decided to stay and help with the Harvest Festival and the Running of the Leaves," added Perlin. "Come to think of it," said Scootaloo, "the time between the Harvest Festival and Nightmare Night is a pretty good time for traveling. Not many ponies head out of town around then." "Except that the Boutique will be flooded with orders for Nightmare Night costumes," said Coco with a defeated sigh. "Then leave after Nightmare Night," suggested Dawn. "The orders for the Boutique will slow down, given that most of the social events will be over by then. There won't be anything major until Hearthswarming comes around. Also, given that it's the beginning of winter, it's the perfect time to go someplace warm, like Gallopoli." Perlin and Coco exchanged looks with each other. "That sounds...like a good idea," said Perlin. "I think so too," said Coco, her smile returning. She seemed to suddenly think of something. "I know! You and Scootaloo should come with us." "Are you sure?" asked Scootaloo a bit dubiously. "I mean, I'd love to come. But shouldn't this vacation be a romantic getaway for just the two of you?" "Well, we were talking about doing a double date," said Coco. "We could make it a double vacation instead." "That actually sounds pretty awesome," said Scootaloo, a grin forming across her face. "Dawn and I could use a vacation and the season after Nightmare Night is the perfect time for me. Up 'til then, we'll be swamped with the preparations for the first winter storms." "I do like the sound of this," said Dawn, nodding in agreement. "Well...if you're for it, then how can I object?" said Perlin with a chuckle. Coco glanced upward at the foals frolicking in the column of rising air that Dawn and Scootaloo were creating. "Um...by the way...should we be distracting you like this?" "Naw, we've got it covered," said Scootaloo with a laugh. After all, she and Dawn were tracking the foals through their wind sense, rather than their eyes, to say nothing of a few of the other attending pegasi acting as spotters, just in case a foal wandered out. Finally, much to the disappointment of the foals, flying time came to an end. However, many of them stayed around, naturally enjoying the chance to participate in a Pinkie Pie party. The greatest surprise came when Princess Luna soared down from the sky, accompanied by a loose formation of her Guards. As she came in for a landing, everypony went into a low bow. "Please rise," said Luna with a smile as she approached Dawn. "Dawn Lightwing, I have come to offer my congratulations to you, as well as that of my sister. 'Tis most wonderful to see that you have finally obtained your cutie mark." "I'm honored by your presence," said Dawn, ducking his head shyly. Luna smiled and tilted her head as she regarded Dawn. "It seems only a short time ago that you were a young colt that Fluttershy had only just coaxed out of seclusion. To have seen you grow into such a fine young stallion, blessed with so many friends and such a rich life warms my heart. I see that your cutie mark is quite fitting." "Is it?" asked Dawn. "I'm still not sure what it means." "I would have thought you would have asked Twilight by now," said Luna with a chuckle. "Um..." Dawn rubbed the back of his head. "Once Pinkie Pie found out, she caught me up in planning the party and everything became a sort of blur. I'm not sure what day it is, to be honest." Luna let out a loud, booming laugh. "Yes, Pinkie Pie does seem to have that effect on ponies." "So what does my cutie mark mean?" asked Dawn, directing a confused glance at the mark in question. "It's called a nyansapo," said Twilight, coming forward. "It's an old Zebrican symbol, also known as a wisdom knot. It conveys the idea that a wise person knows the best means to achieve a goal and that being wise implies broad knowledge, learning, and experience, and the ability to apply those things to practical ends." Dawn blinked and looked at his cutie mark again. "I'm not entirely sure that such a mark suits me." "It makes sense to me," said Sunflower. "When we were floundering at the Academy, you were the one who figured out what we needed to do to improve our performance." "You're the one who helped me figure out how to move forward whenever I had a block during our training," said Scootaloo. "That includes when we'd just started and I was still working out how to control my magic." "But I..." said Dawn uncertainly, "...I've made so many mistakes, so many bad judgments..." Dawn felt Arkenstone approach him. The blind stallion gently ruffled Dawn's mane with a hoof. "The wise don't not make mistakes," he said. "They make mistakes and learn from them. Some learn faster than others, but such learning, however fast or slow it may be, is the true foundation of wisdom." "That is quite true," said Luna. "Ponies often call me and my sister wise. That is because we have made our own mistakes as well." "I think it's perfect for you," said Cheerilee, who also joined the conversation. "Those traits are ones that are ideal for helping guide young ponies towards a goal, whether it's graduating from school or learning to fly. I'd always thought that was the sort of thing you were passionate about." "Hmm..." Dawn looked upward thoughtfully. "You might be right." "Of course she is," boasted Scootaloo, nuzzling against Dawn's neck. "I think it's a perfect mark for you too." Luna stayed at the party for an hour before returning to Canterlot. As evening came on and the party wound down, ponies began to return to their homes. Dawn and Scootaloo helped Pinkie clean up, in spite of her protestations that, as the guest of honor, Dawn shouldn't have to. They were assisted by Cyclone and Sunflower. After the cleanup was finished, Scootaloo put up Soarin', along with Cyclone and Sunflower, in her cloud house. Soarin' left the next morning. However, Sunflower and Cyclone stayed behind, making good on their promise to visit Ponyville and see the town for themselves. For the next week, Dawn and Scootaloo took the opportunity to show their friends from Cloudsdale around Ponyville, showing them several of the shops that they frequented and the things they did for fun. They also visited the library, where Sunflower and Cyclone excitedly made (or re-made in Sunflower's case) the acquaintance of Twilight Sparkle. The girls made it a point to visit Dawn at the teahouse during the day, once Scootaloo had gotten off from her weather work. Cyclone was especially impressed by the tea that Dawn and Arkenstone served. At one point, they even went to the Carousel Boutique, where Rarity, proudly declaring that any friends of Scootaloo and Dawn were friends of hers, enthusiastically fitted Cyclone and Sunflower for their own dresses, a fact that stunned them utterly, given that Rarity's name was well known, even up in Cloudsdale. Naturally, they visited Sugarcube Corner and Sweet Apple Acres as well. Neither of the girls from Cloudsdale were prepared for the whirlwind of energy and good cheer that was Pinkie Pie, despite having seen her at Dawn's cutecenera earlier. They found Applejack and Apple Bloom to be much easier to hang around, to say nothing of the bevy of treats that they were able to sample from both locales. Cyclone complained that her figure was going to be ruined by the time they left to go back to Cloudsdale. They also spent plenty of time with Dawn's family. In fact, they had dinner at his home no less than three times over the course of the week. Not even Cyclone could resist the bundle of weaponized cuteness that was Larksong and, before long, was showing off all her best skills to the little filly's melodic cheers and applause. Sunflower, on the other hoof, was quite taken with little Pepita, happy to sit and rock him for as long as she was allowed. "We're going to have to check your bags before you leave," observed Dawn wryly one evening. "I have a feeling that, if we aren't careful, you'll try to smuggle him out with you." Sunfower blushed furiously, but noticeably made no effort to let go of the little colt, who indeed seemed to enjoy the attention. Finally, the time came for Sunflower and Cyclone to head home. They met with Dawn and Scootaloo on a cloud hovering near the edge of town to say their goodbyes. "This is a nice place," said Cyclone with a grin as she surveyed the town from the sky. "I'd like to come back again." "Me too," said Sunflower. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if your Weather Team has any openings." "L-let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Cyclone with a laugh before turning to Scootaloo with a serious expression. "By the way...I'm sorry." Scootaloo blinked. "About what?" "About...about the way I was before," said Cyclone, "back during the competition." "Oh," said Scootaloo, "that..." "I won't try to tone it down. I was a huge jerk back then and I probably deserved to be locked away with your grandparents." Cyclone looked down at the cloud. "I nearly screwed up the second chance I got by being a jerk to you at the Academy too." "Hey, water under the bridge, as they say," said Scootaloo cheerfully. "I won't pretend that I'm not upset about that. But you've turned it around now. You're my friend and somepony I wouldn't mind having for a wingpony anytime." "I don't know," said Cyclone teasingly. "Next time you might be my wingpony." "Like that'll happen," retorted Scootaloo. However, her tone was playful and she was grinning. She and Cyclone rapped their hooves together. Sunflower and Dawn watched the interplay between the two of them and laughed at their competitive antics. "It seems our special someponies are quite the hoofful," noted Dawn wryly. Sunflower giggled at that, before blushing at what Dawn had said. Despite the fact that she and Cyclone were a couple, they were still a relatively new one and not used to being publicly acknowledged. However, she couldn't exactly disagree. She gave Dawn a hug, then another one to Scootaloo. "Next time, the two of you should visit us," she said. "That sounds like a plan," agreed Cyclone, trading a hoofbump with Dawn. "Catch ya later, girls," said Scootaloo, waving as Cyclone and Sunflower took off to begin their flight to Cloudsdale. Dawn and Scootaloo remained on the cloud, watching until the two girls had disappeared into the distance. Dawn blinked and looked at Scootaloo. "We remembered to check Sunflower's bags for my little brother, right?" Fortunately, Sunflower had not tried to smuggled Pepita out in her saddlebag, much to Dawn's relief and Scootaloo's amusement. From there, they were swept up into the preparations for the major events of the autumn season. First came the Harvest Festival, celebrating the completion of the autumn harvest, the biggest harvest season of the year for Ponyville. Neither Dawn or Scootaloo had much of a role in this particular event, given that the planning was done almost completely by Pinkie Pie. The Running of the Leaves was second, with the Weather Team tasked with organizing the weather conditions for the event, as well as laying down preparations for the winter storms. The trees were awash with color, painted in swirling hues of orange, red, brown, and gold. Even though he wasn't on the Weather Team, Dawn found himself quite busy in the teashop. As the seasons progressed and the colder weather began to set in, more ponies were coming by, hoping to enjoy a warm cup of tea. For the Running of the Leaves, he and Arkenstone would be selling tea to the spectators out of a small stand, not unlike the ones used by sellers at the market. For simplicity's sake, they were forced to limit themselves to only about five of their most popular blends. However, as the chilly day of the Running progressed, they found themselves doing a brisk business. After that came the unofficial holiday that was the Apple Family's Cider Season. This particular season was extra special, considering that it would be the first time that Perlin was participating. They made him feel more than welcome. Scootaloo and Fluttershy had their hooves full keeping their eyes on Dawn to ensure that he didn't overindulge on the Apple Family's famous spiced cider, like he had during his first year. Finally, Nightmare Night came to Ponyville, which was once again blessed with a visit by Princess Luna. Despite the fact that her popularity was on the rise across the nation, Luna always returned to Ponyville to spend Nightmare Night with the ponies that had helped her learn to appreciate it in all its glory. Larksong gleefully joined the other foals in going from door to door, begging for treats, while Dawn and Scootaloo supervised. This year, Fluttershy and Caramel opted to spend the holiday at home, looking after Pepita. After the evening had had passed, the first snows of winter began to fall on Ponyville. Overnight, the town was blanketed in a thick layer of white. With the first major snowstorm out of the way, Scootaloo and Dawn were finally free from their obligations, as were their friends. After helping his parents by clearing the road into town of snow, Dawn joined Scootaloo, Perlin, and Coco at the train station, their friends and family coming to see them off. "Wanna go!" shouted a distraught Larksong as she clung tightly to her brother. "Wanna go with Big Bro!" "Larksong, it's only going to be for two weeks," said Fluttershy quietly, gently trying to pry her daughter off of Dawn, though she noted with no small amount of amusement that Dawn seemed quite reluctant to let go as well. "Make sure ya don't get yerself in trouble over there," said Apple Bloom, exchanging a hug with Scootaloo. "Ah wanna make sure the weather's nice and cold over the wintersilk grove. Yer the pony Ah trust to do that." "I thought that kind of work was Flitter's specialty," said Scootaloo with a snort. "She's an expert at positioning the clouds just so." Apple Bloom frowned at her friend. "Ya know Flitter hates handlin' them snow clouds. Ah hope ya ain't gonna let them force that on her." "Of course not," said Scootaloo. Nearby, Coco and Perlin were also saying their goodbyes. "Have a wonderful time, dear," said Rarity, hugging Coco tightly. "I'm sure that you and your coltfriend will find it a most romantic experience." "Thank you," said Coco, blushing slightly. "Could you do me a favor and say hello to my parents for me while you're there?" asked Flaxseed as he came to stand next to his wife. "Of course," said Coco, nodding. Rarity turned her gaze, now stern, on Perlin. "And I trust you to take good care of my dear Coco." "Naturally," said Perlin without batting an eyelash. Fluttershy finally managed to pry Larksong away from Dawn. With a small laugh, she hugged the filly to her and leaned over to kiss Dawn's cheek. "Have a good time," she said. "I will," said Dawn, smiling back and then kissing her as well. A few minutes later, the train pulled into the station. Dawn, Scootaloo, Coco, and Perlin gathered up their luggage, of which there wasn't very much, and boarded the train. Unlike Rarity, Coco was more than willing to travel light if the situation did not require her to bring the implements of her business with her. The four of them presented their tickets and settled into their compartment, relaxing as the train got underway. "Do you still get sick from train food?" asked Perlin, smirking at Dawn, remembering their journey to Diamond Mountain. "I'd like to think I've acclimated," replied Dawn. "Oh quit poking each other," said Scootaloo with an amused snort. She glanced sidelong at Coco. "We're gonna have to keep an eye on them for the entire trip, aren't we?" "I wouldn't worry about it," said Coco with a giggle. "Boys will be boys after all." "I guess," said Scootaloo. The train rattled along the tracks and the four friends conversed quietly, enjoying their time together. "So have you figured out what you're going to do?" asked Scootaloo, looking at Perlin curiously. "Well..." Perlin looked down at the floor. "I've thought about it, but I haven't arrived at any conclusions yet. I still don't know what exactly to use my skills for." "In the meantime, Rarity suggested I hire him as my bodyguard," said Coco. Scootaloo laughed. "Your bodyguard coltfriend, that's so cute and classic." "Ideally, you wouldn't be in a relationship yet and you'd fall in love while he was defending your life," added Dawn with a wry smile. "Yes...well this isn't a storybook," said Perlin, smiling back. "In real life, such things occasionally happen out of order. I've also had offers from the Flash Sentry. He says I might even be able to be inducted directly into the SES." "That would be a privilege," said Dawn. "But I'm not sure about it," said Perlin. "Coco and I have already waited for so long, I don't really want to leave her again, especially not so soon." "Then take your time," said Dawn. "I'm sure that your path will ultimately reveal itself to you, even if that is merely remaining where you are. Even great warriors retire, assuming they live long enough. You've seen enough of the warrior's life to warrant that if you wanted to." "I suppose," said Perlin. "I still feel a bit restless. I'm not sure that retirement would leave me content yet." Dawn shrugged. "You'll know sooner or later." "Any thoughts?" asked Scootaloo, looking to Coco. "I'm happy to have Perlin as my guard," said Coco fondly, leaning over to nuzzle him. "Our business is growing. We're even branching out into other countries. Rarity's been looking at expanding to Saddle Arabia and even a few griffon aeries we think might accept a business run by ponies, though we'll also be looking for griffon designers to market to them." "Such expansions sometimes create friction," said Perlin. "There are ponies who will be jealous of Ms. Rarity's success and seek to stymie her growth by any means necessary. Some griffons would see such expansion as an intrusion and react violently. There are also a few groups in Saddle Arabia that would object. "Rarity and Coco will be making trips to these locations at some time or another, which would leave them vulnerable. I'd be more than happy to accompany them to ensure that nothing happens." "That might be a fine calling for you," said Dawn. "Seeking to keep the ones you love safe is a fine aspiration." Scootaloo nodded in agreement. "What about you?" asked Coco, looking at Scootaloo. "Are you planning on joining the Wonderbolts, like Rainbow?" "Maybe," said Scootaloo. "I've been thinking about that, but I'm not completely sure. I like the idea of flying alongside Rainbow, doing shows or fighting alongside her if we have to go into battle. But, at the same time..." "You feel like you might prefer to have a line of work that affords you more autonomy," said Perlin. Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah. I kinda like the idea of sticking with the Weather Team for the time being. It's a steady job that'll give me more than enough for a good life." "While serving as a suitable cover for a more covert profession," observed Perlin, giving her a small smile. "I see you've been thinking about what Spitfire and Firefly have been saying very carefully." Scootaloo nodded. She looked at Dawn. "We've both been thinking about it. We're not sure, but I feel that I'm leaning in that direction." "And you're not?" asked Perlin, turning his attention to Dawn. Dawn shrugged. "I've...considered it. However, I'm not certain that's the kind of life I want. I've had growing obligations lately. Now I'm going to be working with Ms. Cheerilee and Ponyville's foals. If Spitfire approves, I might end up to working with foals in flight camps. That kind of work takes commitment." "I wonder if commitment is the only reason," mused Perlin, eying Dawn carefully. The younger stallion shifted his gaze to the window. "Hey, don't worry about it," said Scootaloo, gently bumping her shoulder against Dawn's. "We're going on vacation for crying out loud. Let's not waste a ton of time worrying about big stuff. Let's just have a good time." "That's right," said Coco, leaning against Perlin's side. "We can worry about your futures later." Perlin nodded and extended a wing, wrapping it around Coco and hugging her against him. The train rattled on through the night, making a few more stops along the way. The travelers pulled out the beds in their compartments and settled in to sleep. Scootaloo snuggled up against Dawn and sighed in contentment as she drifted off to sleep in his arms. Coco likewise tucked herself up against Perlin, who enfolded her in his wings. Their journey continued on through the night.