The World Keeps Turning

by Dasponi

Hearth's Warming Chapter 2

The next week or so was a little tough for Scootaloo as she continued to pretend that she couldn't fly yet. She had to keep up the act in school as well as home in case anypony saw and told Star Shine. Luckily it wasn't very long at all until Hearth's Warming Eve as she might not have done what she planned if it was. She was only in school for a few more days which helped there. The house was richly decorated with everything from hoof-made (by Pegasi) tinsel to a wreath on the seldom used front door. There was also a fairly large tree in the lounge. The tree was also in a Pegasus made pot to keep it from falling through anything. Not decorating had been one of the hardest parts of Scootaloo's charade. She wanted to fly up and down the room and hang things with Star Shine and Rainbow Dash. She also wanted to be the one to put the little star on top of the tree. Star Shine had been nice enough to pick her up and carry her there so she still got to do it. Rainbow Dash also sneakily did some decorating when Star Shine was out and let Scootaloo fly around and hang things up, claiming she had done it all herself later. Star Shine was probably more excitable than the other two when it came to decorating. He had never really bothered to decorate back in Trottingham. He loved Hearth's Warming and the decorations, he just felt there was no point in decorating when there was no one around to appreciate it. He would decorate a little tree for himself and leave it at that. He was all about decorating this year now he had someone to share in it with. They had been putting off decorating in the hope that Scootaloo would be able to join in properly which was why they left it so late.

Scootaloo had told Rainbow Dash her plan and shortly before they decided to go through with it, Rainbow Dash came up with a way to make it even better. Scootaloo had giggled at Rainbow Dash's suggestion and agreed to it. Rainbow Dash wanted to hijack Scootaloo's present for her own means as well. She'd need permission for that one. Plus it meant that Scootaloo would still get to hang something on her own for Star Shine.

Setting everything up wasn't very difficult. Rainbow Dash was able to set up what she needed while Star Shine was picking Scootaloo up from school. It was Scootaloo's last day and she agreed to let Rainbow Dash stay behind and set things up and be picked up just by Star Shine. Rainbow Dash was supposed to be working too but that never stopped her from taking a nap. Why would it stop her from working on something? Other than her actual job. She was living proof that if you were efficient enough you actually could afford to be lazy. Her shift was almost over anyway. Scootaloo only required one thing; a small platform made out of clouds, preferably not very far from the house as Star Shine would have to take her there. She giggled and blushed a little herself as she thought about what she planned to do. One of the trickier aspects of the plan was that Rainbow Dash had to hide something underneath the cloud too. It wouldn't have been a very good idea for Scootaloo to carry something with her. It might have given the game away. This was also easily remedied in the end. It was something that could be hung from string, so she was able to hold it in place and use another piece of cloud to secure it all together. She just had to hope Star Shine didn't notice it. Rainbow Dash put a little bit of extra cloud to hide what she had attached properly. It would have to stay there for another few days.

“Ummm, Rainbow Dash? What's with the platform outside? Are you planning an extension or something?” Star Shine asked, looking out the window. Scootaloo was safely at home and curled up with Rainbow Dash on the couch. Star Shine was about to cook some dinner for them when he saw the platform out the window. Celestia only knew how he didn't notice it before. He got a little nervous as a thought occurred to him. “You aren't err...you can't...we haven't...” he asked, twitching a little. Of all the things to think it was, he thought it was a new room. Of all the rooms to think it was, he thought it was a nursery and that Rainbow Dash was pregnant, despite the fact that she couldn't possibly be. They hadn't exactly done anything together that would result in Rainbow Dash being pregnant.

“She's not what, dad?” Scootaloo asked, looking across at him. Rainbow Dash blushed a deep crimson before Star Shine even had a chance to respond.

“Pregnant.” Star Shine said simply, not even bothering to correct Scootaloo this one time. Contrary to Rainbow Dash, it looked like nearly all the blood had been drained for Star Shine's face.

“Of course I'm not pregnant you idiot! How can I be?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Now it was Star Shine's turn to blush. “It's for Scootaloo.” Rainbow Dash said, calming down. “She asked me to make it for her. It's part of your Hearth's Warming present from her.” she explained.

“Ohhhhhhhhhh...” Star Shine said. “...sorry. I'll just...go make dinner now.” he added quietly, skulking into kitchen and feeling very, very stupid. Rainbow Dash hovered over to him and gave him a little nuzzle.

“Hey, relax okay? I didn't think you'd say something like that is all. I made it when you were picking Scoots up earlier. She said it was okay for just you to pick her up so I could make it. If I was pregnant then I'd tell you first before building anything, and you'd INSIST on building it for me.” she reassured him. Star Shine laughed a little.

“Well of course I would. I wouldn't want you straining yourself by building something in that condition.” Star Shine replied, returning the nuzzle.

“Hey can I change my present?” Scootaloo piped up from the couch. Her quasi-parents looked across at her. “Can I have a little sister for Hearth's Warming?” she asked so sweetly that Star Shine briefly considered if it was possible. Rainbow Dash blushed again and Star Shine couldn't help but laugh at her reaction.

“'Fraid not kiddo. Maybe next year. Little sisters take a while to make and sometimes they're defective and you end up with little brothers instead.” Star Shine explained. Scootaloo giggled.

“It's okay, I can wait. I think I'd be okay with a little brother too.” Scootaloo said, causing Star Shine to laugh again.

“For now I'm gonna go work on dinner, which shouldn't take long at all. Okay?” Star Shine asked. Scootaloo nodded and he went back to his work. Not before giving Rainbow Dash a quick kiss.

“You're so lucky I love you...” Rainbow Dash said through gritted teeth. Star Shine was beginning to push his luck by teasing her along with Scootaloo. The kiss didn't help too much.

“Me, or Scootaloo?” Star Shine asked, walking into the kitchen.

“Both of you.” Rainbow Dash replied, looking back and forth between the pair. Star Shine was still laughing as he walked into the kitchen and got to work. Scootaloo wasn't looking as pleased with herself, feeling that Rainbow Dash was actually a little mad at her. Rainbow Dash jumped back over to the couch and went back to cuddling up to Scootaloo.

“Hey Squirt, you okay?” Rainbow Dash asked. She ruffled Scootaloo's mane a little which brought her back and put a smile on her face.

“Are you mad at me?” Scootaloo asked worriedly. Rainbow Dash would never have been able to resist that pout if she was mad. Luckily she wasn't mad at all anyway.

“Nah, I could never be mad at you.” Rainbow Dash reassured her. “I did mean it when I said I love you though.” she added, kissing Scootaloo on the cheek. “And don't worry, I'll get him back on Hearth's Warming.” Scootaloo buried herself in Rainbow Dash's chest and cuddled up to her. She was smiling properly again. Both at the love of Rainbow Dash, and her knowledge of what would be in store for Star Shine in just a few days. It was the first time she'd looked forward to Hearth's Warming for quite a while. The Orphanage had always cared about the holidays and she'd had some good ones there. The staff would run a donation drive where ponies could donate their old toys to give to the children. She had gotten some nice things but they'd been left behind when she ran away. She'd never gotten many presents after that when she was living on her own. Rainbow Dash had gotten her things and the Cutie Mark Crusaders did too. She never had anywhere to put them though. No matter how much she wanted to keep them, she couldn't leave things lying around the Clubhouse. She'd ended up selling most of it so that she could buy some food or something to keep her going. Now she had room to keep everything and better than that, she had the thing that not just Hearth's Warming, but every holidays was really about; a loving family to spend it with.

Author's Note:

I think the time is all over the place in this chapter. Oh well. Herp. I've decided to name each chapter after what chapter in the particular storyline they are, so you know when each individual story begins/ends. As I said, I plan to have several stories take place in this story.

I think there's going to be one more update to this story. It's going to be Star Shine's present, as well as something involving...something...DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUN. I might do another chapter after that detailing the rest of their Hearth's Warming together. That was the main reason I planned a Hearth's Warming story after all.

In any case, once this short story is done, I'll be putting the story on hiatus until I've started writing the next part. I've realised that's also a good approach to take. So, if the story is on hiatus, I'm working on my non-pony novel, and if it's simply "Incomplete" then I'm working on it. The ride never ends people. The ride never ends!

Comments

[Frankie2]

How sweet. I look forward to finding out what Rainbow and Scoot have planned for Star Shine.
Don't worry about how often you update after this little arc. As long as you let us know when you are working on it (Incomplete) or not (Hiatus). And don't worry about this party ending either,

[CoolB]

3612597
I've heard both tetralogy and quadrilogy for a 4 part story.

[Dasponi]

3613328
I'll make blog posts when I get new ideas. Or you'll just get an update notification If you think this was sweet you'll enjoy what's next. I changed my idea half way through writing this and was all "ERHMAHGAWD That's so sweet."

3614802
That was the discussion I had. I saw a quadrilogy and my dad said that it was technically inoccrect and that tetralogy was right.

[derpyhooves15]

Super cool!

[Dragon of Shadows]

It's going to be Star Shine's present, as well as something involving...something...DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUN.