Long Time
It was like walking underwater, Fluttershy decided. The energies of the rift swirled around her, mane waving like Celestia’s, as she put one hoof in front of the other. Ahead of her, Applejack helped Rarity keep her hooves under her, while Pinkie brought up the rear. Twilight was at the front, head down as she kept the worst of the wild magic at bay.
Rainbow Dash followed immediately behind Twilight, ears flat and eyes set in determination. She scowled, the temptation to take the lead gnawing at the back of her mind. She reminded herself that Twilight knew what she was doing, and they’d make it through if they took their time. ’Just a little more,’ she thought to herself, ’and we’ll find ‘em. Everypony, you better be okay.’ She repeated the little mantra over and over, trying to ignore the itching in her hooves and wings.
“Rainbow, did you say something?” Rarity asked, and Rainbow realized that she’d started muttering aloud.
“Just… a little worried. Not a lot, because I know everyone’s okay, but still…” Rainbow trailed off, ears flicking.
“I know, dear,” Rarity replied, bumping a shoulder against Rainbow’s. “We’ll see them all, and everything will be just fine, you’ll see.” She tried to sound upbeat, but a note of her own desperation crept in.
“Now don’t you two get started,” Applejack said firmly. She moved up between the two, giving each of them a pointed look. “Twilight’s been there, the town is safe, and if I know Apple Bloom, she’ll be ready and waitin’. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo too.”
Rarity and Rainbow nodded, their nervousness fading, and together the three pushed onward.
Twilight closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she kept her magic up and searching for the exit aperture. The tunnel of the rift pulsed around her, but for some reason it felt even more stable than when she’d made the trip home. “Everypony okay so far?”
“Sure am, Twilight!” Pinkie chirped. “Though that big floating snakey dragon thing keeps looking at me funny.” She tilted her head at a portion of the tunnel wall that gleamed like a mirror. “Wonder what he’s thinking?”
“Wait, what?” Twilight practically shoved past the others, peering into the reflective surface. Strange, half-formed buildings floated in an inverted, endless plane, but she couldn’t see anything. “What did you see, Pinkie?”
“I dunno, but he was big and pointy and with a bunch of squiggly tentacles coming out of his back!” She peered through the opening with a frown. “Aw, where’d he go?”
“If you say so…” Twilight replied, disbelief plain in her voice as she returned to the front of the group. She squinted as the tunnel ahead of them flashed white. “There’s the exit, let’s hurry!”
“But I really did see him!” Pinkie pouted as everypony started moving forward. “Oh well, I’ll see you later maybe bye!” she shouted into the opening before hurrying after the others.
After Pinkie was out of sight, Giratina let its distortion field slip, eyes glowing as it floated closer. The tunnel still reeked of unknown energy, and it hissed as its aura was rejected. For now, it still couldn’t enter the rift, or the world that lay beyond. But gradually, it was adapting. It could feel its sibling’s energies doing the same as this new world blended more with theirs.
Apple Bloom pressed against the window as the train started to decelerate. “I can see the farm, Sweetie! We’re almost there!”
Sweetie laughed. “I did happen to hear the conductor when he announced we were almost there, AB.” She settled her saddlebag over her back and stretched. “You going to go see Mac and Granny first?”
“Yeah, haven’t visited in…” she thought for a second, “three years? Has it really been that long?”
“I guess so,” Sweetie mused. “Well, we’re here now, at least.”
The train lurched slightly as it came to a stop and Apple Bloom beamed. “Come on, I’ve been looking forward to this!” She threw her saddlebag on and took off at a gallop, dodging other passengers as she jumped through the door onto the platform.
“Sorry about that,” Sweetie said as she made her way down the aisle, “she just forgets her manners sometimes.” She squinted as she stepped off the train, taking a deep breath as the familiar smell of home washed over her. “Ah, it’s good to be back.”
“Hey Sweetie, you want to come to the farm with me?” Apple Bloom asked, ears flicking with her excitement. “I’m sure we could whip up an extra spot at the table for lunch.”
Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Nah, I was going to go see my mom and dad. We all want to be together when Rarity comes.”
“And you’re sure that they’ll come to our side?”
“Well, why wouldn’t they? Knowing them, everypony’ll be chomping at the bit to come see us!” Sweetie replied as the pair made their way off the platform and down the street. The town was just starting to wake up, ponies trotting to and fro, with only an occasional human to break up the riot of color. “It’s weird, being back among ponies again,” she remarked. “And even weirder that I’m saying it.”
Apple Bloom laughed, “I know the feeling.”
“Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle! You’re back!” A voice shouted from behind them. As they turned around, a pair of pony-shaped missiles hurtled into their chests, while hooves fastened around their necks in crushing hugs.
Apple Bloom laughed and noogied her assailant. “Well hey there, Pumpkin! You’ve gotten awful big since the last time I saw ya! Just what are your parents feeding you?”
Pumpkin rolled her eyes and released her hug. “Nothing special; just good old Ponyville food. Maybe you ought to stick around and have some, I think you’ve gotten shorter.”
Sweetie Belle in the meantime hugged Pound Cake firmly. “It’s so good to see you two! I still remember when you were begging your parents to let us foalsit you.” She released the hug and beamed at the twins.
“Yeah, town’s been really quiet without you three breaking something every other week,” Pound replied with a grin, though that was quickly replaced by curiosity. “Wait, where’s Scootaloo?”
Apple Bloom glanced up, “Knowing her, probably still over the ocean with Dragonite. Shouldn’t be too much longer though. At least we’ll know when she shows up, those two like to make an entrance.” she looked back down, and her eyes brightened as she spotted the pokeball hanging from Pound’s vest. “So you got your startin’ Pokemon, I take it?”
Pound blinked, then grinned wider. “Oh yeah!” The grin shrank a bit as he dug at the ground with a hoof. “Though, I kind of overslept, so had to pick last and got Turtwig…”
Apple Bloom scowled good-naturedly. “Now don’t go puttin’ down Turtwigs, they’ll surprise you. I know mine pulled my hide out of the fire on more than one battle.”
“Looks like you called that one, Apple Bloom.” Sweetie Belle glanced at Pumpkin. “So who’d you pick then? Me, Bloom, and Scootaloo were all taking bets on who you and Pound would end up choosing…”
Pumpkin beamed, grabbing her pokeball. “I went with Chimchar!” She tapped the release, and Chimchar appeared in a blaze of light. Blinking at the two new ponies in front of him, he scrambled atop Pumpkin’s back to get a better vantage point.
“Dangit, I could have sworn you’d have taken Piplup,” Apple Bloom muttered. “Scoots isn’t gonna let us hear the end of it.”
Pumpkin’s eyes suddenly brightened. “Hey, I have an idea!”
Pound snorted, “Oh boy, here we go…”
Pumpkin glared at him, then continued with an eager grin, “Since we’re all trainers now, we should have a battle! You and Sweetie Belle against me and my brother!”
Several ponies passing by on the street stopped, muttering in surprise as they recognized Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. A couple hurried off excitedly, while other ponies began to wander closer, attracted by the shouting.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie glanced at each other. “Are you sure?” Sweetie asked. “Apple Bloom and I are experienced trainers after all, and our pokemon are pretty strong. It’ll be tough for your pokemon right out of the gate to fight against them.”
“She does raise a pretty good point, sis,” Pound said.
Pumpkin frowned. “Well, I… guess that makes sense, but—”
“Tell you what though,” Apple Bloom interrupted. “How about instead of you two battlin’ us, you watch me and Sweetie have at it.” She grinned at Sweetie. “Besides, I’ve been wonderin’ just how strong your Empoleon’s gotten since I last saw him.”
“Are you sure, Bloom?” Sweetie asked with a sly smile. “You do remember the thrashing we gave you last time.”
Apple Bloom tossed her head. “Oh, we remember.” She grabbed a pokeball off her vest. “Torterra, let’s show Sweetie just how much we remember.” She tossed the ball skyward, and shot Pound and Pumpkin a glance. “I’d back up a bit if I were you.”
The pokeball opened in a blaze of white light, materializing into the form of a massive tortoise. The last thing to take shape as the light faded and gravity reasserted its hold was an apple tree, fresh in bloom. The ground shook as Torterra landed squarely on her feet, shaking her head to clear the dust. She saw Sweetie Belle, and a spark of recognition ignited in her red eyes. “Torterra!” she bellowed in challenge, digging at the ground with a foot.
The crashing impact reached practically throughout the town; ponies, humans and wild pokemon alike starting to make their way toward the disturbance. Many of the older crowd recognized Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle from their time before leaving on their journeys, while the younger onlookers realized the famous trainers from their TV sets were about to battle right in front of them.
Sweetie Belle sighed, grinning as she levitated her pokeball from its hanger. “Alright, if you insist. Come on Empoleon, it’s time to shine!” She tossed it up into the air, a torrent of water and stars gushing out. It splashed across the ground as the stars coalesced into Empoleon’s shape, the penguin pokemon blinking as she looked around.
Spotting Torterra, her eyes narrowed, body tensing in readiness for battle. “Empoleon!” The razor edges of her wings flashed as she raised them to a fighting stance, scuffing her feet along the dirt.
“Glad to see she’s ready,” Apple Bloom said, planting her hooves firmly. “Though it’s not gonna be enough to stop us!” She took a breath, and Torterra narrowed its eyes. “Torterra, let’s start things off with Earthquake!”
“Tor—” Torterra slammed its feet into the ground, claws glowing bright, “—terra!” The ground began shaking, before fractures started forming, homing in on Empoleon. Jagged chunks of rock broke free, a large piece smashing into the penguin and knocking it back.
“Hang in there, Empoleon!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “Use Aqua Jet to escape and counter-attack!”
“Empoleon!” She crossed her flippers, water splashing around her into a shielding cone. It shoved the boulder aside as she surged upward, trailing water as she adjusted her trajectory. She gathered more water around her, before rocketing downward like a missile.
“Brace, Torterra!” Apple Bloom shouted, throwing a leg up to shield her eyes as Empoleon collided with Torterra in an explosion of water. The two pokemon were knocked apart; Empoleon skidded to a stop, flippers up, while Torterra stumbled and fell to one knee for a moment.
“Good, Empoleon!” Sweetie Belle grinned. “Don’t let them get their footing back, hit them with Ice Beam!”
“Counter it with Stone Edge!” Apple Bloom shouted frantically.
Empoleon concentrated, streams of ice forming into a sphere in front of her beak. Once she had it large enough she fired, jagged trails of ice arcing toward Torterra.
Torterra pushed to her feet, claws glowing as the broken rocks surrounding her began to lift into the air. Pointing them at Empoleon, she fired them in successive volleys, targeting the ice coming her way. The two attacks collided in a cloud of whizzing fragments and ice chunks, causing the assembling onlookers to duck for cover.
Despite being so close to the struggling titans, the crowd cheered, the noise rivaling the battle. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle practically soaked in the enthusiasm, their Pokemon following suit as they readied themselves for another clash.
Pound and Pumpkin were among the loudest, stamping their hooves in excitement. Their pokemon were equally enthused; Chimchar jumping up and down on Pumpkin’s back while Turtwig watched Torterra with open jealousy.
“Okay Torterra, we’re gonna end this right here!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Give it everything you got and use Leaf Storm!”
Torterra braced itself, the vegetation on its shell starting to glow. Its tree glimmered, the leaves multiplying and taking on a sheen like fresh-sharpened knives. Once the light became almost blinding, the leaves detached in a blizzard of green, hurtling toward Empoleon.
“Empoleon, stand your ground!” Sweetie Belle cried against the howling wind. “Blast right through it with Hydro Pump!”
Empoleon crossed her flippers, eyes narrowed as water began to swirl in front of her. Rapidly building it into an enormous sphere, she slapped it with a flipper, straight into the throat of the tornado.
The two attacks were inches from colliding when a third struck from above.
The rainbow-colored comet slammed into the ground, blasting a crater along with an explosion of noise, knocking back everyone present while the multi-hued smoke and a burst of wind shattered both attacks in the process.
As the smoke started to clear, all they could do was gape in awe as the rainbow mushroom cloud dissipated in the sky above.
Apple Bloom pushed herself to her hooves, coughing as she felt Torterra trying to right itself beside her. “What the hay was that? Sweetie Belle, you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she called back. “I think that was—”
“You two got about five seconds to explain to me why you were fighting like that,” a harsh voice cut them off. From the center of the cloud, a hazy, winged form shook itself, dust billowing away with a few short flaps. “I mean, come on, I get you might be mad, but you could have hurt somepony like that, let alone your… pets.”
“Hey, Empoleon’s not a pet!” Sweetie Belle stamped her hooves angrily as she helped her pokemon stand up. “Besides, if anyone was gonna hurt them, it’d be youuuuuu…” she trailed off as the cloud cleared. “Y-you’re…”
“What?” Rainbow Dash asked, ruffling her wings to shake the dust out. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something.”
Sweetie Belle gaped. Apple Bloom gaped. Their pokemon, and everyone else on the street gaped. The street was utterly silent, the rainbow mushroom cloud looming overhead. Rainbow Dash shook her back and wings, flinging dirt everywhere before realizing that everypony was still staring.
“Um, okay… starting to get a little creepy now,” Rainbow Dash muttered, before she recognized the two-toned mane of the mare in front of her. “Wait… Sweetie Belle?” She took a hesitant step forward, reaching out with a hoof. “Wow, Twilight wasn’t kidding when she said it’d been ten years…”
“Rainbow Dash… Don’t poke me in the chest,” Sweetie said firmly, stopping the encroaching hoof with her own. “Yes, it’s really me.”
“Then who were you fighting…?” Dash asked as she glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, that makes sense.”
“Nice to see you too, Rainbow,” Apple Bloom muttered.
“Jeez, AJ’s gonna flip when she sees you. Same for Rarity,” Rainbow tossed her head. “So, where’s Scoots? Figured she’d be here with you two around.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shared an awkward glance. “Well, it’s a little complicated,” Sweetie started, before the distant thunder of hooves became audible. Her ears perked up, and she felt her stomach flutter as she looked down the street. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Oh yeah, forgot to mention that,” Rainbow smiled sheepishly. “Hope you two were ready for a reunion.”
“That Rainbow, always goes charging into things,” Applejack grumbled as she skidded around a corner. Fortunately, the rising mushroom cloud made it easy to tell where she’d gone, and her course adjusted accordingly as she wove past passerby.
“Well, one can hardly blame her,” Rarity replied, panting at the exertion as she kept pace with Applejack. “She might not be related to Scootaloo, but she does care about her and the rest of the town.” She glanced about at the buildings, marveling at the sleek, rounded appearance. “I do wonder what sort of culture influenced this kind of design?” She almost stopped as she passed a fashion shop, but forced herself onward. “Priorities Rarity, your sister comes first.”
Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy were right behind them as the group finally entered Main Street. Ahead of them, a large crowd could be seen surrounding the base of the cloud, and they slowed down, hesitating briefly at the mix of ponies and outlandish creatures.
Applejack snorted. “Alright AJ, don’t let them get to you.” She started to push her way through the crowd. “Rainbow? You in there?” she called, trying to see past the press of bodies.
“Applejack?” A voice called back, hauntingly familiar.
Applejack froze, her ears alert as she tried to process what she’d just heard. “A-Apple Bloom?” She pushed past the remaining ponies, not even noticing as she shouldered aside Sweetie Belle to emerge into the center of the crowd. Rainbow Dash stood just in front of her, and seemed to be saying something, but she barely acknowledged it.
Time seemed to stop as she stared across the crater. The enormous tortoise glowering at her would on any other occasion have given her pause, but the mare standing beside it occupied her entire focus. It was almost like staring into a reflection, with only the colors to tell them apart. If she had to guess, they stood roughly the same height, maybe an inch or two difference. This other mare’s mane was similarly cut short in front, the back braided into a ponytail.
But what confirmed her identity beyond a shadow of a doubt was the red bow atop her head, almost comically small compared to how it used to be.
Applejack took a step forward, legs starting to shake. “Apple Bloom? Is it really you?” She felt tears forming, but didn’t move to wipe them away.
Apple Bloom nodded weakly, tears of her own welling up. “Applejack, I—” she stopped as Applejack broke into a gallop, and found her legs doing the same. The two crashed together in the middle, hugging each other tightly.
Applejack hadn’t truly cried since she was a filly, but wept openly as she held Apple Bloom. She could feel tears soaking her neck but didn’t release the bearhug for a moment. “I missed you so much, Bloom.”
Apple Bloom sniffled, trying in vain to keep from dripping mucous on her sister’s coat. “I missed you too, sis.” Finally, she released the hug and took a step back. “You look just like I remembered.” She couldn’t help the hiccuping giggle at how silly she sounded.
“I wish I could say the same,” Applejack replied as she looked Apple Bloom over. “You sure grew into your own.” She wiped at her eyes, taking a few short breaths. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you might actually be taller than me.” The grin that crossed her face felt like it was going to split it clean in two.
Sweetie Belle was trying her best to keep from bursting into tears herself, when she spotted a hoofkerchief floating beside her. “T-thanks,” she muttered, taking it and wiping her eyes, then blowing her nose.
“No problem at all, Sweetie” Rarity replied quietly, another cloth rapidly losing the battle to keep her composure.
“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle shouted, throwing her legs around her sister, bawling as she buried her head in her sister’s neck.
Rarity rested her head on Sweetie’s, giving up on the cloth as she let herself cry in earnest. She didn’t care if her makeup was ruined, it could always be reapplied. She wrapped a leg around Sweetie’s shoulders and just held her. “We were positively frantic, Sweetie. I’m so relieved to see you’re okay.”
Twilight and the others finally pushed through the crowd, falling silent as they watched their friends reunite with their lost siblings. Twilight ducked her head behind her wing to wipe her own tears away, while Fluttershy let them stream down her cheeks unimpeded.
Pinkie sniffled, pulling an oversized hankie from seemingly thin air. “Come on Pinkie, you told yourself you wouldn’t cry—”
“PINKIE!” Pound and Pumpkin cried in unison, the twins charging headlong into her and knocking her to the ground. The tangled mess of ponies tumbled head over hooves, Pinkie managing to wrap her legs around both of them in a crushing hug.
“Hey you two, your Aunt Pinkie’s back, and she’s going to throw both of you the biggest party that… that…” She stammered and gave up, opting to start crying profusely, clutching the two like they might vanish if she let go.
“Pinkie, we can’t breathe,” Pound managed to gasp out, and Pinkie relaxed her death-grip slightly.
“Sorry,” Pinkie said, giggling in spite of her watery eyes. “You know I have to make up for all the missed hugs.”
“I didn’t think you all would have come so quick,” Apple Bloom finally said as she got to her hooves.
“Heck, was all I could do to not come charging in once Twilight opened that portal,” Applejack replied.
“It’s true, we almost had to drag her out of the room,” Rainbow said, bumping Applejack with a shoulder as she trotted over. “But you didn’t answer my question, where’s Scootaloo?”
Apple Bloom glanced at Sweetie Belle, then sighed. “Look, Rainbow, there’s no easy way to say it, but—” her ears flicked as the faint echo of thunder rang across the sky. She sighed, “Of course, she’d pick now to show up.”
“What is that?” Rainbow asked, glancing around. “There’s not a storm cloud in sight.”
“That’s ‘cause it isn’t one,” Apple Bloom said, looking almost straight up. “You see her, Sweetie?”
“No, she might still be too high. She was trying to perfect that dive— Wait!” She pointed at a faint speck in the sky, a thin trail of white behind it. “I think that’s her!”
Rainbow looked up, eyes narrowed as she tracked the incoming dot. As it grew bigger, she could make out a heavyset body, wings tucked close and twitching to adjust its descent. “Wait, that’s Scoots? The wings are the right size, but I guess she really let herself go—”
“Not exactly, Rainbow, and I’d keep your head down if I were you,” Sweetie Belle started waving to the crowd. “Take cover everyone, she’s coming in hot!”
The crowd seemed a little indecisive, but the shout shocked them into motion. Within moments everyone was pressed against the buildings, leaving an improvised landing pad in the road. The freefalling shape spread its wings wide, beating the air hard as it fought to slow its approach.
“But that doesn’t make any sense, there’s no way something could reach that speed and survive,” Twilight protested as she was dragged into cover alongside the others. “Let alone something built like that!”
“Trust me, there is,” Sweetie Belle replied as the draconic shape flipped right-side up, bleeding the last of its speed. “That’s not even anywhere near her top speed.”
Twilight snorted. “Just who is her, if it’s not Scootaloo?”
“That’d be Dragonite,” Sweetie said just before the creature dropped to the ground, flapping its wings once more to arrest its fall. A small hurricane of dust and dirt swirled up, briefly blinding the crowd before another flap cleared it away. Twilight coughed, rubbing at her eyes as her vision returned.
The first thing she saw was scales. Broad, smooth plates covered the expansive belly and chest of the dragon, narrowing as they marched up its neck. She barely noticed the harness criss-crossing its chest to loop under the arms and around the back, or the orange legs strapped into it. Stubby, almost comically small wings flapped idly, though she had to squint against the wind they displaced. A pair of antenna waved on either side of the short horn atop its head. The head was equally small for its size, though the eyes stopped her. These were not some creature's eyes, but regarded her with intelligence easily the equal of her own.
Twilight gaped, brain trying to process the intensity of that stare. She was vaguely aware of her friends doing the same, but couldn't tear her focus from those calm pools of razor focus. The closest memory she had to compare it to was her foalhood professors or Princess Celestia in a relaxed mood.
Dragonite warbled, tilting her head as the ponies in front of her continued gawking. They all smelled unfamiliar, lacking any scent of the region, though the purple one at their head interested her the most. Since she'd chosen Scootaloo as her trainer, she'd seen many different ponies, but never had one possessed both wings and a horn. Finally, she couldn't stand it and reached out, poking the purple one on the nose.
Twilight half-squeaked, half-shouted, tried to bolt in three different directions, and ultimately settled for falling on her rump. She scrabbled to get to her hooves as the dragon reached for her, clawtips glinting in the sunlight.
“She’s not going to hurt you,” a voice called from over its shoulder, a windblown mop of purple mane rising atop an orange head. “Just has a bad habit of poking things she’s never seen before.”
Dragonite grunted innocently, crossing her arms as she stood upright.
“Oh don’t even give me that? Remember that nest of Beedrill? You were like a walking collection of lumps for days,” Scootaloo replied, dripping sarcasm as she pushed her goggles onto her forehead. “Now come on, let me down. Gently this time.”
Dragonite rolled her eyes, but crouched down and undid the front buckle, shrugging her shoulders to loosen the harness. With practiced ease, Scootaloo slid off to the side and tugged her legs free of the straps. “So, what’d I miss?” She glanced at the ruined street in front of her. “Looks like you two couldn’t wait to have a rematch, huh?”
“Scootaloo, is that you?” Rainbow asked, tentatively taking a step closer. “You… wow, you grew up.”
“Yeah, that does tend to happen,” Scootaloo replied as she started bundling up the harness. Tucking it into her saddlebags, she stretched her wings. “Hey Sweetie, Bloom, sorry to show up and bail, but I think I’m actually going to go catch some sleep. Long flight and all.” She didn’t wait for a reply before she took off. “Come on, Dragonite.”
Dragonite fluted and shook her head, waving an arm around at the assembled crowd.
“Alright, you can stick around and say hi to everyone. Just lock the door when you get home, okay?” Scootaloo wheeled about and flew off over the rooftops. Dragonite watched her go with a warble, antenna lashing with her agitation.
“Hey, Scootaloo, wait!” Rainbow called, spreading her wings when Scootaloo didn’t reply. She started to take off, only for a tug of magic to yank her to the ground. “Hey, what gives?”
Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Just give her a little space, Rainbow. She’s… gonna need some time before she’ll loosen up.”
“Well what the hay does that mean? I mean, she used to worship the very clouds I napped on!” Rainbow glanced the way she’d gone. “Sure, it was a little weird at times, but still, even if it’s been ten years for you...” She trailed off as the realization started to sink in.
“Think about it, Rainbow,” Apple Bloom said quietly. “For the first couple months, everyone was holding on to hope that Equestria would show up, that everything would go back to normal.”
Sweetie Belle continued, “And before we knew it, it’d been an entire year with no sign at all... and we just sort of moved on. But Scootaloo… well, she clung to hope longer than any of us. In a way, it sort of became her thing, something you could count on.”
“When did she… y’know, move on?” Applejack asked, moving to stand beside Apple Bloom.
“I think it was around the second year here, just after me and Sweetie got our cutie marks,” Apple Bloom mused. “She just came out and told us that she couldn’t keep lying to herself anymore, that Equestria wasn’t coming for us.” She ducked her head, ears flat. “And to be honest, it seemed like she was right.”
Applejack drew her sister into another hug. “I know it may not count for much, but we never gave up on ya, sis.”
“Not even for a second,” Rarity agreed, leaning slightly against Sweetie Belle.
“We believe you,” Apple Bloom hugged Applejack back. “Scoots is just gonna need more time before she does too.”
“Well, I’m gonna go talk to her,” Rainbow declared, throwing dust everywhere as she leapt skyward.
“Always charges into things,” Applejack muttered, before her brain caught on something Apple Bloom had said. “Hold on a minute, did you just say you got your cutie mark?
Rarity was having a similar reaction, mouth hanging open as she stared at her sister. “Sweetie, did you use magic a second ago? And you got your mark too?”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glanced at each other sheepishly. “Umm, surprise?”
Many thanks to both Skeeter the Lurker and Aegis Exemplar for putting up with my endless delaying and revisions, as well as to all of you for your patience 
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Hooray, surprises for everyone! And I guess a quip about the story updating maybe. I dunno.
judgmentbuy.com/giphy.gif
Uuuuupppdateeeeee!!!
Lovely, but they are going to need to talk about Pokemon and their roles.
Excellent, there's more. Hopefully, Scootaloo will listen to somepony. She may just see the time discrepancy as an excuse.
Also, Pinkie may be the only thing that could keep Giratina from shattering reality. I'm not sure whether or not I should be worried.
In any case, looking forward to more.
Wait, what are their cutie marks again?
4709166
You'll just have to tune in next time to find out
4709300
I coulda sworn you mentioned them earlier....
The Cutie Mark Crusaders got their Cutie Marks?! HOORAY! This calls for a party!
... why do I get the feeling there's going to be one mother of a shouting match between Scoots and Dash?
... that being said, I get the feeling Pinkie's going to be the fastest to adapt, especially given Pumpkin and Pound.
4708993
How do you know that Giratina isn't a good guy?
4714758
Whether or not he's a good guy is irrelevant. Giratina leaving the Distortion World is not good for reality. Remember, he's half Satan, half Yog-Sothoth. His very presence is inimical to stable space-time, regardless of his disposition towards it.
Though if anyone could make him safe, it'd be Pinkie...
4714921
Well, as I define him, he's more like the movie versions.
4714921
True.
It's only made worse by the fact that Giratina's not Balance or Death, but freaking Antimatter.
...Does Pinkie have any Antimatter shields for an Antimatter Emergency?
Every time.
nice story
more please
so....um.....is this dead?
6102013
Not really, just life and other interests have pulled me away from pony for now
6102575
Ah ok, just making sure
Went back and read this story again, and I had almost forgotten how much I loved it. The sequence of the Cutie Mark Crusaders 'getting the band back together' was especially memorable and lovable though, and is definitely the reason I went back and read this. That leads into, as strange as it is with some of the most powerful Pokemon in the multiverse in play, perhaps the most intriguing part of this story for me is finding out just what's happened to the Ponyvillians over the last ten years.
I don't know if you have any plans to continue this, but if you do know that at least one person is looking forward to an update.