The Aftermath
Waxing On, Waxing Off
Discord lifted a foot and stepped from Sugarcube Corner to his windmill in a single bound. His furniture cheered at his appearance. “Settle down, settle down, it’s only me.”
He kept the objects dancing and cheering for a moment longer, before releasing them from his spell. They either clattered to the floor or settled into place. The fireplace lit itself as his easy chair scooped him up. A radiator and a bathtub played jazz in the corner.
He opened his scrapbook. Images from his time in Ponyville danced by as he flipped through the pages. About halfway through the book, he reached the first of the blank pages. He made a fist with his talon, which glowed with black light. Blue sparks and green embers drifted from between his claws as power built.
He opened his talon, and a moving picture appeared above it. It was a scene from earlier that day, playing out like a movie. Scootaloo jumped from one cloud to the other, her wings flapping frantically. He chuckled, snapped his talon, and froze the picture. He took in gently in his paw to set it on the blank page.
“It’s alright, little memory,” he whispered. “You’re safe. The chaos can’t take you anymore.”
A hoof knocked at the front door. He snapped the book shut. The bathtub hit a bad note. Discord glared at a clock whose hands were spinning rapidly. “Who on earth would visit at this hour?”
Discord teleported to the door and opened it. He glared down at his visitor, one Rainbow Dash. “You’re selling Fillyscout cookies, aren’t you?” he asked.
“It took me all summer, but I managed to put two-and-two together,” Rainbow Dash said. “We need a talk.”
Discord cupped his hands together. “Is this a two-way talk, or are you just going to yell at me?”
“Two way. I expect answers.” Rainbow wiped her eye with a rough motion. “Look, can I just come in?”
Discord shrugged. He stepped aside. “I’d offer you something, but I wasn’t expecting visitors.”
“Yeah, I figured.” Rainbow Dash pulled off her white scarf and let the coat rack take it. She gave the rack a careful glance and a wide berth. “Fluttershy always calls in advance, doesn’t she?”
“More or less.” A bowl rose from the ground with an ominous rumble. Discord picked something out of it and tossed it into his mouth. “Care for a shrimp?”
“Didn’t you just—?” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. She scooped up a shrimp and bit into it. “Been a while since I had griffon food.”
“Likewise.” Discord sat in his easy chair and motioned towards a couch made from clouds. “Give your derriere a rest.”
Rainbow took a seat and dipped her next piece in cocktail sauce. “You knew, didn’t you?”
Discord frowned. “Beg pardon?”
“About Scootaloo’s wings. You knew what the problem was from day one, didn’t you?”
Discord scoffed. “I’ll have you know that prying into a pony’s physical makeup without permission is a violation of personal privacy and is severely frowned upon by the legal system. I didn’t know until you two got back from that first trip to the hospital.”
Rainbow Dash hung her head and leaned on her forelegs. “You know, Discord, if you cut the horseapples this’ll be a lot easier.”
Discord crossed his arms. “Fine. How’d you know I knew?”
“When we found Scootaloo, after she ran away, you said you’d been in contact with the hospital.” Rainbow Dash rubbed a hoof along the cloud cushion. “I didn’t think too much about it at the time, ’cause of the whole ‘me being a big doody-head’ part, but it just hit me. Why were you, Discord, King of Chaos, in contact with hospitals at all? Let alone for a ‘while.’ The answer is that you wouldn’t have, unless you already knew about Scootaloo.”
Rainbow Dash spread her wings. “Unless you’d already figured out the solution.”
Discord bared his snaggletooth. “So what? Are you going to take me in for violating her privacy? Are you going to go tell Celestia on me?”
“I want to know why the heck you did it!” Rainbow Dash hovered in the air. “You could have just sat there, with your silly little jokes and your snarky comments, and done nothing. You could have even just waited to see what we found out before trying to fix it. No. You went out of your way to find out what was wrong, and then went way out of your way to make everything okay.”
Her four legs hung limp beneath her. “You know, I already know why you poked your nose where it didn’t belong. It’s ’cause you’re a jerk-face. But what I want to know is why you did something good with it.”
Discord drummed his fingers. “I could ask the same of you.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re Rainbow Dash. Wonderbolt. Hero of Equestria. Element of Loyalty. Darling of the cinema.” He shrugged. “What are you doing wasting your time with a flightless girl from Ponyville?”
Rainbow Dash grabbed him by the neck. “Excuse me? Who do you think you are talking about her like—?”
“It’s called an example. It has an acceptable amount of hyperbole.” Discord lowered her hooves. “I’m just saying, what reason do either of us have taking interest in Scootaloo?”
“Well, I just… you see…” Rainbow Dash scratched her neck. “I care about her, is all. She’s a good kid.”
“But why?” Discord popped up his footrest. “It’s hard, isn’t it? You really can’t think of a specific reason for loving and caring about this mare who isn’t even related. Don’t feel too bad, you’re not alone. It’s one of the fun little irrationalities in life.”
Rainbow snorted. “Twilight would probably say Scootaloo sets off a bunch of chemical reactions in my brain or something that tell my mind she needs protection.”
“Chemicals schlemicals. Rationality only helps you when life is rational.” Discord rested his cheek on his paw. “Did you really expect me to have a reason?”
“Yeah, even if it was as dumb as ‘her being able to fly will cause chaos!’” Rainbow Dash pouted. “There’s something there. I know it. You’re hiding something.”
Discord opened his scrapbook to a random page. “Maybe I just want to leave a positive impact on the world.”
Rainbow Dash nibbled on a shrimp. “Yeah. An impact like a carriage crash.”
Discord touched a picture of Rainbow Dash’s most recent birthiversary. Cheese Sandwich danced in the background of the frame. “Rainbow Dash, have you ever thought you were going to die?”
Rainbow Dash whipped her head around. Her muzzle scrunched. “Lots of times. Too many times. Probably haven’t seen the last time. Why?”
“Did you suddenly realize you had regrets?” Discord flipped a page and found one of Rarity’s fashion shows. “Did you remember things you hadn’t done? Things you wanted to do? When you were faced with the end, did you resolve that if you got out of it, you would do those things?”
Rainbow Dash brushed her mane back as she eyed Discord. “Yeah. And then I did them. Why?”
Discord let the book flop to the floor. “Because life’s too short to spend worrying about what’s going on inside my head, Rainbow Dash. Go home! Spend some time with your tortoise! See a movie! Take up knitting!”
The coat rack took her by the shoulders and wrapped her scarf around her neck. “Wait, what?”
“So long Dash,” Discord said as he carried her out the door. “It’s been a most pleasant conversation—”
“Stop it!” She scrambled out of his grip and flew high. They floated a few meters away, each scrutinizing the other. “Discord, are you dying?”
Discord ran his talons through his goatee. He inclined his chin. “No.”
He shook his head. “No. I’m not. I will most likely live until well after you and everypony else is dust.”
Rainbow Dash clenched her teeth. “Then what’s happening to you?”
“I’m getting a new lease on life.” Discord bent over and picked up his scrapbook. “I’m gathering a few worthwhile memories and stuffing them away in a very special place.” His ears drooped. “Why do you care?”
Rainbow settled down on the ground. She sat next to Discord and looked him in the eyes as best she could. “Because you did a really great thing for my little sister. That counts for something big in my book.” She lifted a hoof and hesitantly patted his arm. “If you ever need help, I got your back.”
She straightened her scarf and let herself out. Discord sighed. His radiator and bathtub switched to soft blues.
He turned the scrapbook to the first page. The first image he’d ever put in there was also the largest. Its cast was nearly as eclectic as he was. There were the six Element Bearers. The rest of the local Apple Family. The Cakes, long before they’d had their younger two children. The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Zecora and former mayor Merry Mare. Snips and Snails had even managed a last-minute photo-bomb.
It was from that second Summer Sun Celebration, then one where his plunder vines had awakened. A quick, spur-of-the-moment group-shot by a visiting Photo Finish. But also an inspiration.
He touched the picture where it depicted Fluttershy. He clicked his tongue. “Maybe it is time to tell her.”
Love According to Scootaloo
Apple Bloom threw a rock, which clattered against Scootaloo’s second-story window. She threw a second, then a third. She was about to wind up for the fourth when the window slid open.
“Alright, I’m up, I’m up!” Scootaloo yawned wide and looked at the moon’s position. “What the hay do you want at three in the morning?”
Apple Bloom danced on all four hooves. “Ah don’t know what tah do, Scoots!” she hissed. “It’s drivin’ me crazy! Ah can’t sleep a’tall!”
Scootaloo floated down on her lavender wings. She landed in a heap. “Gugh. Whazzat.”
Apple Bloom picked her up. “You’ve got a boyfriend, right?”
Scootaloo blinked rapidly. Her head dipped down until she caught herself. “’S not exactly a secret, Bloom.”
“Yeah, yeah, but how’d it happen? When didjya guys have that magic ‘Let’s get t’gether moment?’” She jumped at a sound that Scootaloo never registered. “Ah’m losin’ mah mind, Scoots. How did yah get his attention?”
Scootaloo snored.
Apple Bloom slapped her cheeks. “Hay, earth pony tah Scoots. Earth pony tah Scoots. Wake up, Scoots.”
“Sorry, sorry.” Scootaloo shook her head. “Um, what was your question?”
“How’d yah get Rumble’s attention?” Apple Bloom said. “How’d you guys get together?”
Scootaloo stared blankly. “I didn’t do anything. We just acted like we always do and we went to a movie and I dunno.” She gave a truly titanic yawn. “Dinner was probably the worst part of it. What’s got you interested all of a sudden?”
Apple Bloom pressed her lips together and scrunched up her nose.
Scootaloo’s eyes brightened. “Oh my gawsh. You have a crush.”
Apple Bloom waved her hooves. “Don’t you go tellin’ nopony.”
“Who is it? Is he nice? Is he handsome?” Scootaloo’s expression turned from a stupid grin to a sour grimace. “Cheese Louise, please tell me it’s not Featherweight.”
“No. What? No! What! No!” Apple Bloom rubbed her temples. “That fool colt practically worships the ground Twilight Sparkle walks on. It’s Spike.”
Scootaloo had a quick chuckle at Featherweight’s expense. The laughter died. “Wait. Spike?”
Apple Bloom tied the end of her tail in knots. “Ahuh.”
“As in, ‘Librarian of Ponyville’ Spike?”
“Yeah.”
“As in, ‘Spike the Dragon’ Spike?”
“Eeyup.”
“Um,” Scootaloo said. She rubbed her foreleg. “You know, Spike’s a nice dude and all, buuut… He’s kinda a dragon.”
Apple Bloom cocked an eyebrow. “Y’ think that ain’t obvious?”
“I mean, he’s a dragon.” Scootaloo spread her wings. “Like, really a dragon. A gem-eating, fire-breathing, gold-hoarding—”
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom breathed. She got a dreamy, far-away look in her eyes.
Scootaloo waved a hoof before her eyes. “Scoots to earth pony, Scoots to earth pony. Come in, earth pony.”
“Touché.” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Ah dunno. He’s strong, and gentle, and nice, and those eyes just beg tah be stared into. And he has a job. Gotta point that one out.”
Scootaloo’s body pleaded for the warm embrace of her covers. “Yeah, so great. You’ve got a crush on Spike. What’re you gonna do about it?”
“Ah don’t know! That’s why ah came tah you!” Apple Bloom grabbed Scootaloo’s shoulders. “You ’n Rumble ’ve been together fer three months now. What’s yer secret? Ah got the gosh-darn crush, now what they hay am ah supposed to do?”
Scootaloo scratched her ear. “Find out how he feels?”
“Ah can’t just go up and ask him! What if’n it scares him away?” Apple Bloom paced in a circle. “What if we ain’t right for each other? What if we have a messy break up that leaves us both broken an’ sorry? What if he don’t like me in the first place?”
“What if you don’t try to find out and you just live your whole life regretting?”
Apple Bloom winkled her forehead. “Yeah, ah know ah’m just spoutin’ hooey. But come on, this is terrifyin’.”
Scootaloo reached up to wrap her foreleg around Apple Bloom’s shoulders. When she realized she couldn’t reach, she flapped her wings and gained a little altitude. “What you do is calm down, go home, get some rest, and then tomorrow you can figure out a way to spend some time with Spike. Visit the library and say hi. Offer him an apple or something. You guys are good with apples. Just try to be yourself and not ‘Creepy Stalker Apple Bloom’.”
“Ah am not a creepy stalker!”
“Good, so it won’t be an issue.” Scootaloo gave Bloom a shove. “So go home and let your buddy have a good night’s sleep. See you when the sun comes up.”
Scootaloo flew up to her window and crawled back inside. Apple Bloom gaped.
“Hay! Hay, don’t just leave me out here!” she said “Ah don’t know what tah do!”
“Good night, AB.”
“You can’t just go abandon yer friend in her time o’ need!”
“Just be yourself!”
“Ah am mahself!”
“Then be yourself around him!”
A light appeared in a nearby house. Miss Mare poked her head out a window. “Whoever’s out there, shut the heck up! Some ponies are trying to sleep!”
Scootaloo ducked inside her room, while Apple Bloom ducked around a corner. They stayed like that until they heard the former mayor’s window shut.
Scootaloo glared down. “Fine, you want my advice? Just go up to him and kiss him. Bam, smack-dab on the lips. Hold it for a good long time, too, just in case there were any doubts that you meant to do it.” She narrowed her eyes. “Even better. Write an epic, hundred-stanza love ballad about him and sing it. Outside his window. At three-o’-clock at night.”
Apple Bloom’s face fell. Her ears drooped, her mouth curved down in a pronounced frown, and her eyes grew watery.
Scootaloo’s scowl softened. “Apple Bloom…” She held up a couple feathers. “I’ve had exactly two boyfriends. One of them turned out to be a pretty sucky person. I’m not sure it’s me you should be going to for advice.”
“What am ah supposed to do?” Apple Bloom asked. “Applejack’s never been interested in hardly anypony, and ah can’t really go to Big Mac.” She bowed her head. “Ah miss Granny Smith.”
Scootaloo tapped a hoof against her windowsill. “What about Cheerilee? She and Big Mac were making goo-goo eyes at each other for years before they did anything about it.” She coughed into her hoof. “Mostly our fault. Ask her how they got together. It looks like they’ve held up pretty well.”
Apple Bloom bobbed her head. “She is mah sister. In law. Ah guess ah could talk tah her ’bout it.” She turned around. “Thanks, Scoots.”
Scootaloo leaned her cheek on the window pane. “Hay, AB.”
Apple Bloom looked up.
“You’re pretty special, you know. Don’t go forgetting that.” Scootaloo winked. “I think Spike ’ll see it, too.”
Apple Bloom smiled. “Good night, Scoots.”
“Good night, Apple Bloom.”
Encore
Sweetie Belle stood backstage, polishing her glasses obsessively. She’d run through warm-ups again and again. She’d practiced for months. She’d gone over every line of every stanza of every verse. She was ready to perform.
She couldn’t stop her heart from wanting to burst out of her chest. She flashed back to her audition, five years before, that had only ended in tears.
She didn’t have to go on. If she told the director, they would just move on to the next act. Only a few people would be disappointed. She could easily explain her situation to them. She really didn’t have to sing again, much less in public.
She looked at her cutie mark of a swinging, silver bell. She flashed back nine years, to the day she’d promised herself… what, exactly? That she would sing onstage? No, that wasn’t it at all. She just remembered the song, the other ponies around her singing along, and how it felt as though all of their hearts were connected.
She promised herself that she would feel that connection again. She had, that night Scootaloo came to her house and nearly took her ambrosia. The night Scootaloo nearly died. When she sang, she felt her heart and Scootaloo’s connect. She felt that friendship bind them together.
She’d already fulfilled her promise. She didn’t need to sing again. She could just go back to Carousel Boutique and make clothes and—
Rarity walked backstage, wearing a simple, elegant, silvery gown. “Hello, Sweetie Belle.”
Sweetie took a deep breath and raised a regal forehoof. “Lady Rarity.”
Rarity lifted her hoof to match. She smiled and held her forelegs out. “Come here.”
Sweetie ran into her embrace. She rubbed her cheek against her older sister’s. “Rarity! Oh my goodness! I didn’t know you were coming all the way from Canterlot!”
“Of course! I couldn’t miss my sister’s first show in so very, very long.” A tear escaped Rarity’s eye. “I’m so proud of you, Sweetie.”
Sweetie Belle pulled away. She touched the purple flower in her mane. “I don’t know. I don’t know if I can do it.”
Rarity’s smile vanished. She blinked. “No? What’s the matter?”
Sweetie closed her eyes. “It hurts. After I got my cutie mark, I burned myself because my fairy strings failed. When I went for my audition, I failed because I was so stressed it just flopped. Things always get out of my control, and then the things I can control… I mess them up. Always.”
Rarity put a hoof to her lips. “Sweetie, I’m so sorry—”
“How do you do it, Rarity?” Sweetie Belle sighed. “How do you get life so perfect?”
Rarity shook her head. “My life is not perfect, I’m afraid. I still face troubles and my own selfish wants on a daily basis.”
“Yeah, but…” Sweetie adjusted her hemline with a spell. “But you’re living your dream. You’re part of Canterlot high-society. You own a whole chain of boutiques. You even have the ear of a princess.”
Rarity smirked. “Well, it’s not like Twilight was going to use it for anything else.”
Sweetie giggled lightly. She looked at the stage. Lyra Heartstrings was strumming away a haunting melody on her lyre. A shiver ran up Sweetie’s spine. “You’ve got everything you ever wanted.”
Sweetie just barely caught Rarity’s murmured “Not nearly.” She looked up and was about to respond, but Rarity hugged her from behind.
“Life doesn’t end after the dream is met,” Rarity said. “Struggles come just as often now as back when I was a simple seamstress from Ponyville.”
Sweetie Belle’s upper lip drew back. “And yet there you are, on the cover of every magazine from here to Fillydelphia.” She pulled away from Rarity and walked across the room. She peered around the large curtain at the crowds watching the show. It was a good turnout by Ponyville standards, though nothing compared to what larger cities would see.
Rarity gently puckered her lips. “You shouldn’t measure yourself against me like that.”
“No?” Sweetie Belle threw her hooves in the air. “I shouldn’t try to be like the top success story in Equestria? The most famous dress designer in the Allied Kingdoms? I shouldn’t try to reach your pinnacle of perfection because I could never be as good as you?”
“Because if you’re so focused on copying me, you’ll never reach your own potential.” Rarity fought to keep her voice level. “You were meant for so much more than to be another cookie-cutter, dime-a-dozen Rarity.”
Sweetie Belle turned away. She walked to the edge of the stage, where the edge of the sound-proof spell shimmered. Lyra was wrapping up.
“Sweetie,” Rarity said, “why did you agree to sing tonight?”
Sweetie hugged herself. “B-because I thought I could again. Scootaloo never gave up, and she found her dream. But… It hurt so much. It hurt so much to fail. What if I fail again?”
“Then it will hurt again.” Rarity appraised a few costumes halfheartedly. “It will continue to hurt. Every time you fail to meet some mark, it will be painful. It will hurt anew each time, too.”
Sweetie nodded slowly.
“But think,” Rarity said, “how much more will it hurt to not try? If you hold yourself back because you feel pain, that pain will never leave you. It will serve as a constant reminder. It will continually hold you down, telling you what you never accomplished. If you try again, you might fail, and the pain will be new. If you don’t try, the pain will fester.”
She put her hooves on Sweetie’s shoulders. “But can’t you see it? Out there, waiting? That’s your dream. There’s the opportunity to share beauty, to touch hearts, to spread love and friendship. There’s the opportunity to press onward and be everything you’ve ever hoped or dreamed of. There’s the chance to take charge, and be your own mare.” She gave a decisive nod. “When you achieve your dream—not if, when—then you will be able to look back on the hurt and say it was worth it.”
She nuzzled her cheek. “And look who came to support you. Your friends are there, in the second row. Mother and Father in the front.” She winked. “And do I detect a certain somepony off to the left?”
Sweetie Belle picked Button Mash out of the crowd immediately. She cringed. “Rarity…”
“All in good fun, Sweetie dear.” Rarity tittered. She laid a kiss on Sweetie’s forehead. “It’s up to you. If you want my advice, go for it. Take a leap of faith.” She walked towards the stage’s exit. “I’ll be out there. I’ll be waiting for you no matter what decision you make. You’ll always have my support.”
Sweetie Belle stood at the edge of the stage. She applauded alongside the crowd once Lyra had finished her piece. They nodded to each other as the lyrist exited stage right.
“Now the next artist is someone near an’ dear to mah heart,” Lord Mayor Applejack said into her microphone. “She’s got a voice like silver bells, an’ ain’t no mistake. Y’all are in for a real treat. Please welcome Sweetie Belle onto the stage.”
Sweetie trotted out to light applause. She waited before the microphone while Vinyl Scratch adjusted the sound board to the agreed-upon settings. The DJ gave the okay, and Sweetie spoke into the microphone. “This is for my friends, who never gave up.”
She bobbed her head as the music built up. When the opening was over, she added her own voice to the upbeat song. Her first notes were weak and nervous, but as she drew to the chorus, something touched her. Her heart felt light in her chest. She felt a smile creep across her face. Laughter bubbled up from her core and erupted as soaring notes.
“And you’ll know the magic is there!”
The crowd stood and pounded their hooves into the ground, nearly shaking the foundations of the stage. Whistles and cheers could be heard from the far side of Ponyville. Sweetie Belle bit back tears of joy.
Dead End
In a small motel in a small city, somewhere south of Ponyville, Diamond Tiara wept into a pillow. The pillow stank of smoke, as did the rest of the bed, but there wasn’t exactly anywhere else to stay.
Somepony pounded on the other side of the cardboard-thin walls. “Keep it down in there! There’s other people in this place, you know!”
“Go whine to somepony who cares, plothole!” Diamond shouted.
The words that replied were loud and angry. Diamond ignored them, focusing instead on forgetting that she was out of bits. Not near the end, not scraping the bottom. She was broke. Three months of hopping from town to town had drained her, especially since she hadn’t been able to keep a job anywhere.
Her door handle rattled. Diamond Tiara nearly leaped off her bed as the hairs on her back stood up. Her mind ran through emergency plan after emergency plan. She had a small knife stashed in her saddlebags. She was an earth pony, so maybe she could overpower an attacking pegasus or unicorn. Unlikely, especially if the unicorn knew long-range spells. The window was sealed shut, but she could break it with the busted radio on the nightstand.
The lock clicked. Instead of the feared angry fellow patron, or worse, the open door revealed Silver Spoon.
Diamond Tiara slumped to the bedspread. “Oh my Creator, I thought you were gonna kill me.”
Silver Spoon ran up to Diamond and hugged her neck. “I was so worried about you, Tiara! You just left without telling anypony! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for you?”
Diamond Tiara sniffled. “You were looking for me?”
“Of course. I couldn’t let my best friend leave like that.” Silver nuzzled the top of Diamond’s head. “You’ve very, very important. Don’t you know that? Now come back with me to Ponyville, things are—”
“I can’t go back.” Diamond pushed her way. “I’ve made too much of a mess. Everypony hates me.”
Silver Spoon shook her head. “Oh, Diamond. They hate the real you.” She tightened the straps on her silver-trimmed saddlebags. “The Diamond Tiara that’s coming back will be penitent, humble, and kind.”
Diamond Tiara sneered. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s like I told you, back before this whole thing started.” Silver Spoon looked at Diamond over the rim of her glasses. “You can’t just show the world what you think of it. Ponies don’t like that. They want everything to be nice and tidy. Friendly and compliant.”
Diamond Tiara walked past Silver. She poured herself a cup of lukewarm water from the bathroom faucet. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have a hard time doing that.”
“Well, it’s not your fault they don’t realize how special you are.” Silver Spoon removed her pearl necklace—which probably cost more than the entire motel—and slid it into her saddlebags. “It’s your father’s fault you lashed out like that. He’s the one who was going to force you to be a clerk.”
Diamond sighed. She looked at her reflection. Rumpled mane. Ragged coat. Baggy eyes. “I should have taken the job.”
Silver Spoon gave her a double take. “What?”
“Don’t you see? I screwed everything up.” Diamond downed her water. It tasted like dirt. “It wasn’t worth leaving Ponyville. Daddy would have taken me back, just like Scootaloo said. If I would have just swallowed my pride…” She smacked the countertop. “I wouldn’t be here.”
Silver Spoon reached into her bags. She pulled out a black choker. A gold chain hung from the front, at the end of which was a blue gem. She fastened it around her neck.
“I can’t go back. I can’t face Daddy after I hurt him like that.” Diamond Tiara moved to the bed and flopped down. “Best now to just try to start a new life. Maybe I’ll do better this time around.”
“Ahh-ah-ah, ahh-ah. Ahh-ah-ah, ahh-ah.”
The notes came from Silver Spoon’s mouth. The gray earth pony shut her eyes and swayed to the music.
Diamond Tiara wrinkled her nose. “Um. Is now really the time to sing?”
“Ahh-ah-ah, ahh-ah.” Silver Spoon opened her eyes. They flashed green. “Ahh-ah-ah, ahh-ah.”
Diamond Tiara shook her head. Her eyes grew unfocused. “Whoa. What the haaay…”
Silver Spoon placed her hoof under Diamond’s chin and lifted it up. She sang softly, yet clearly.
“We know that life can be so bitter
We know ponies can be so cruel”
“Silver, what are you—?”
“But I know how to live in splendor
It will be me that makes the rules”
Silver Spoon led Diamond Tiara out of the room by her hoof. The gemstone on her necklace glowed bright blue, spreading a faint haze of smoke around the dirty carpet.
“Why just live with hurt and pain
When you were born a fighter?
Take a stand and make your claim
We’ll solve the riddle and the cipher”
Diamond Tiara shook her head. Her mind was in a fog. Her eyelids hung low. “Don’ wanna.”
Silver Spoon pushed her along through the hallways. Ponies watched from their doorways, awakened by the noise. One look at Silver’s necklace sent most of the scurrying for safer pastures.
Outside, a carriage waited. It was black, with sharp edges and spiraling corners. Menacing carvings of grotesques, bats, chimeras, hydras, and all manner of other monsters shared space on the intricately decorated side panels.
“Your day’s coming, don’t forego it
You can pass the coming test
You’ll struggle through another hurt
And then become the very best!”
The two of them boarded the nightmarish carriage in the deepest night: the Witching Hour. The stallion at the reigns snorted, his head covered with a dark mask. He whinnied and raced off, away from the seedy motel in the small town, his cargo secure.
Diamond Tiara opened her eyes. The sun shone through the curtains, lighting the room with a hazy red glow. It was the apartment she and Silver Spoon shared.
She smiled. She was so glad to be back in Ponyville. Sure, it would be a struggle to pay Silver Spoon back her half of the rent, but it was a small price to pay for getting away from her father. She crawled out of bed and went to the vanity. She brushed her mane, glad to finally smell like something besides smoke.
If only she wasn’t trapped in Silver Spoon’s living nightmare.
She blinked at her reflection. Where had that thought come from? Silver Spoon had been nothing but her friend from the moment they’d reunited. She was totally cool.
She thought back to the nightmare she’d had that night. A black carriage with monsters all over it. Some mare with a magic necklace. Something about singing?
She had the same dream every night, but she couldn’t remember much.
“Diamond, are you up yet?” Silver Spoon called from the next room. “You’re gonna miss the morning radio show.”
The last tendrils of the dream vanished as Diamond combed her coat. “I’ll be right out! Leave some coffee for me.”
She scrutinized her profile in the mirror. She was a little skinnier after three months of barely scraping by, but that would go away with proper nutrition. Her mane was perfect, her coat was a glamorous shade of pink, and her eyes were hollow with horror.
She shook her head and took a closer look. No, her eyes were the same vibrant blue as ever. “Maybe I’m just tired.”
She jumped when Silver Spoon poked her head into the bedroom. “Come on, Diamond. Time’s wasting.”
Diamond held a hoof over her beating heart. She shook her head and smiled. “Sorry. Got a little distracted… by myself!”
They giggled together before sharing a hoofbump. Diamond headed for the sitting room.
Silver Spoon wiped the predatory smirk off of her mouth before following.
Shill, shill, shill, shill, shill... I'm going to shill...
First of all, in case these epilogues weren't a clue, this isn't the end. It's the end of Scootaloo Will Fly!, but not of the series. Each one's going to lead into another story, the first of which will either be Spike's one-shot Lightning Struck Home, or Sweetie Belle and Button Mash's adventure Rhythm and Rhyme. Expect one of those in the next few months.
Later down the pipeline, we'll have Diamond Tiara's Sugar, Snails, and What That Entails, and Discord's journey to cure himself.
If you need something to read right now, well, we got that, too.
Fahr Drill and The Unmitigated Disaster both act as prequels to this story, and the latter actually leads right into it.
While those take place in Ponyville, Lord Mayor Applejack takes a look at the world outside. When Applejack joins Celestia on a trip to the minotaur homeland, political shenanigans ensue. Can the world leaders band together to learn about a new sapient creature before they tear each other apart? The answer is "no."
If you're looking for things that take place after this story, check out Nature in the Wild, a simple story about a group of friends on a camping trip.
The next big story, however, is DayBreak. Celestia survived an assassination attempt, but she was severely injured. It's up to Twilight Sparkle to assemble a team of ponies to track down the assassin and take her out. Meanwhile, how do Celestia's injuries affect the ponies closest to her?
If you liked this story, I'd say you should give the others in the series a shot! 
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I...
need..
Siren TIARA!
Oh man, what an ending! Scootaloo the Patchwork pegasus is awesome! This wraps up a story that definitely earned it's sad tag, but also earned it's not-having-a-tragedy-or-dark tag, which is often a difficult balance to strike.
You were totally baiting anti-ascenders weren't you?
Smart, I always like to see characters doing the logical thing like this.
I loved this scene! I basically imagined Scoots as Winnie the Poo, stuck in a honey jar. After all the title is "Scootaloo Will Fly," not "Scootaloo Will Fly Well."
Man, that makes you wonder why more Pegasi don't run a taxi business, instead of Earth pony taxis we see in Manehatten.
Awwwwwwww.
I wonder where he gets his bits. That's not really a question this story is obligated to answer, I'm just curious.
Oh noooo, I guess patchwork wings aren't that chaotic after all.
KNEW IT!
Top Bronyiologists have recently identified these reactions as "the feels."
Great reference to the original Diamond Dog, David Bowwow!
Que Suprise!? I wish I had seen this coming!
Oh, she's got
baaaad. You know, I think this is the first romance you've written that starts with a mare pining over a male. Should be exciting to see how it plays out. Makes you wonder how Apple Bloom rates on the Cadance scale?
I love this line so much. No matter what happens, Mary and her allies and the Mane 6 are still neighbors in a small town who have to pass each other in the street a dozen times a day and probably buy things from each other frequently, even posing together in group photos. I hope they remember that down the line...
Now why can't Bloom go to her brother? Big Mac's a calm guy, and in this verse he's got a great relationship with Spike, and they're all adults. Surely he'd be understanding and give her good advice. Oh, and thanks for reminding us that AJ is basically married to those dang roads.
Man, Rarity comes out of nowhere at the end with the incredibly insightful life advice. Of course, it fits the big sisters theme of the fic though. I doubt Sweetie will actually be the next Sapphire Shores, but even if all she does is revive the Ponytones, hopefully she'll be happy this way.
Should have taken those dancing lessons as a filly!
Oh god.... How many chapters ago were we making jokes about witches? And then DT calls Silver Spoon a witch and I assumed it was just because you can't say the b-word in Equestria and keep that Y-7 Rating....
img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110705203442/glee/images/3/38/Orson-welles-clapping.gif
That is some masterful foreshadowing!
Gosh do I love that awesome carriage. And also the song, hard to say which I love more. I wonder how servants at Spoon manor don't notice that thing?
Wow, that whole last scene was full of horror. And yet, I now expect DT to have an inexplicable craving for Tacos.
Ok, there are like 20 questions that are eating me up here, mostly siren-related. At the end of Lord Mayor Applejack I was intrigued, now I am burning with curiosity, I truly hope the next fic is siren-heavy!
So... Siren or Changeling?
I don't really know what to say, other than this has been a journey. You write cute and fluffy really well while adding the perfect touch of drama and dark. And boy did this get dark at the end there. I was not expecting that at all! As always I look forward to reading more
Ooooo, good catch, Dash.
Heh, that is so Dash.
Yes, yes it is.
Heh, it takes all kinds.
Lady Rarity? Unimportant comment from Sweetie, or did Rarity really manage to get into the nobility?
Ahh, so that explains why Sweetie is living in the Boutique pretending to be her sister.
Hell yeah.
5363979
There will be sirens, and their will be Tiara. Keep on eye on character tags here and there.
5364930
Okay, okay, so this story probably should have a sad tag. I'll admit it. I just... didn't quite think it warranted one. I mean, we've got some real deep feels here and there, but also a lot of warm fuzzies and lots of silliness. I get that there are far less depressing stories with the sad tag, but I just...
Maybe I'm prejudiced against the sad tag. I dunno. Tell you what? Next story with heavy feels gets the sad tag. Sorry Spike, I'm dumping it on you.
I don't bait unless I intend to catch.
Pooh, dude. It's Winnie the Pooh.
And thanks. That's where I got my inspiration. Gotta love Pooh.
Man, you were calling it left and right during the endgame, weren't you?
It might even take a whole 'nother story to fix!
It's a story I've been putting off writing until I was sure I could write it well, too. Just so happened that The Heart's Promise is gonna make for a great avenue.
Well, it's not like I can deny it any longer.
Well, in Blueblood's Ascension...
Redheart liked Blueblood before Blueblood liked Redheart, so BlueheartRedblood counts. FlashLight was a mutual thing, as was PinkieBurn and SombRarity, so they don't count. LunaMac isn't quite a romance just yet, more of a good friendship.
I haven't quite designed a Cadance Scale, but if it was to mirror Shining Armor's...
Strong, Noble, Steadfast, and True
Strong: She's almost as tall as Big Mac. She does carpentry. She has a mile-wide stubborn streak. She has self-doubts, but she manages to overcome them with her friends. She's just below Applejack-level.
Noble: She was the pony who wasn't afraid of Zecora. She's sticking with Sweet Apple Acres until she's darn sure they'll be able to support themselves. We're looking at Celestial levels of nobility.
Steadfast: Again, there's that stubborn streak. If she's stubborn about good things, it'll lead her to awesome heights. She just has a few angry tendencies. She's probably at a "Spike, you're the new Rainbow Dash" level of steadfastness.
True: She's a true-blue apple. Need I say more?
Overall, Apple Bloom, I rate you as a Mistress Marevelous on the Suri Polomare<<<>>>Cadenza scale!
It's an awesome and hilarious situation, if I do say so myself. It's gonna be even more awesome to watch it all come together.
I'd like to point out that Rarity was mentioned in nearly every Sweetie Belle scene. I was building her up very subtly. Yeah, it was an eleventh hour appearance, but I see these last epilogues as mini short-stories, one of which co-stars Rarity. I make no apologies, only excuses.
Happiness is coming for Sweetie, but it may take a novel's worth of words to get there.
Wheels within wheels! I have so much fun hinting and prodding and watching it fly over everybody's head.
She doesn't park it at the manor. Muhuhahahahahaha!
A good story needs a scary moment or two.
No word yet on the tacos, but there's this tune she can't quite get out of her head...
Keep an eye out for suspicious activity in DayBreak. As well as the future Sugar, Snails, and What That Entails.
5365627
Siren. Those lyrics were rejigged from the song "Battle (of the Bands)" from Rainbow Rocks.
5366049
Thank you for saying so! I hope the journey's been a memorable one!
It's a little spooky, but it's leading up to something awesome. I hope to see you in the next story!
5367589
Rainbow Dash is still my favorite character to write.
I'm rolling with the headcanon thing that the Element Bearers were knighted at the end of "The Return of Harmony." She's sorta kinda in the nobility by virtue of that, but it's more a title of respect than station.
Ouch.
Spot-on, but ouch.
5374955
Headcanons are more like lice than moles, they are easily transferable, they cause you to scratch your head, and you can get rid of them with a special shampoo.
I really like how in the end, the focus wasn't on how successful Sweetie could be with singing, but how happy it made her.
That's why Discord's windmill reminded me of Don Quixote's hopeless cause...
I like the ending myself, and I really like that footnote where it benefits everyone, not just the protagonist.
I would also have loved a story where Scootaloo and Tinkling Bell abduct the Cake kids to Breezie Land, where they help a lost tribe of Buffalo fight off Griffon sky pirates and feed Captain Claw to a Cragodile.
5375155
Join the club! Seriously though, I thought this had the sad tag, I think the colors are similar to the romance tag. (If you think this is awkward, I've mistaken the comedy and tragedy tags as well). I will say though, that in general I think serious diseases and birth defects deserve a sad tag if they are the focus of the story, even with a happy ending.
DOH!
To be fair, I was predicting Discord was being sneaky and manipulative. He was actually more honest and straightforward than I expected, but then I hadn't factored in him thinking about his legacy.
You've been nailing Discord since Nightmare Entropy, I wouldn't worry. But Dementia probably calls for a sad tag.
Full Confession: About an hour after I posted that, I said "Howie you idiot! That poor nurse was chasing her Prince across two stories! Not to mention Peach bottom!" That does remind me though: What was Dark Shadow Lightning's rating on the Shining scale?
Spike is a lucky dragon. She's come a long way from: fimfiction-static.net/images/story_images/8252_r.jpg
To be honest, I expected Sweetie Bell to be perked up by a copy of Inspiring Life Advice/Fashion Monthly, with Rarity on the cover.
But then that gal does tend to insist on more lines, doesn't she?
She seems pretty happy now. Do you mean success?
All praise the cunning of the great Twisticorn!
Oh man, I had totally forgotten that in addition to excitement, Sirens bring lots of cool lyrics with them! I guess Ponyville is lucky somepony just remembered her own sweet, tintinnabular voice...
I suspect Silver bought it from Curio, that pony who sold Trixie her necklace. Speaking of, I bet these are the wheels that Trixie doesn't trust!
For now I just want to know how ponies are reacting to the prodigal daughter returning, and if she has a job.
5375179
...
Headcanon and Shoulders, I presume.
Success is a matter of perspective, I've found.
Hay, they might be giants. You never know for sure until you get run over by one.
Hmm. I dunno about putting Carrot Cake in the role of Mr. Darling. Though Pinkie makes for a bizarrely good Nana.
Pipsqueak would rock the whole Lost Colts gig. Or would they be the Lost Cutie Mark Crusaders? Is that too much of a mouthful? Have I already given it too much thought?
Point to you. I feel kinda weird about adding the tag now that it's complete. I'll have to ponder it and see if I can convince myself.
I managed to hide some plot twists, it seems!
Not just Discord, but writing in general. Every story I write is part of my personal training to improve one or two (or like a gazillion) aspects of my writing. For Dissy's day out, I held off because I wasn't sure I could write the story and keep it funny. I think I'm maybe a few novellas away from being confident enough to do it.
You're right, of course. Unless I manage to pull off a storytelling miracle and keep it light through the entire thing.
I forgot about Peachy myself!
I remember that Sombra came out as a Lickety Split, but Dark Shadow Lighting is (ironically enough) an entirely different individual. I'd say he almost equals Flash Sentry, if only due to his penchant for diabolical songs about dressmaking.
Plus, he's got a scene coming up in the next Background Ascension that's just great stuff.
You know, if Spike saw that, he might not know what his feels were doing...
"Well, of course, Howie dear, I delight in such dramatic reveals. I relish them. If they can result in a life-affirming conversation, then all the better! Now, call it selfish to request additional screen-time, but you can see the results were, as expected, most heartwarming."
EEeeeiiiiaaaaggghhh... Most probably I meant blissful. A step above, if you will. A way to secure the happiness.
You weren't supposed to figure that out until a couple of books from now.
All wheels are merely imitations of the wheels on display in all their malice before you now!
And for that, unfortunately, you'll have to wait for Sugar, Snails, and What That Entails. Which is surely coming sometime next year.
Of course he does, and of course he would. The problem, I feel, is that he's a dude. I feel there might be some embarrassment there.
Applejack has the curse of tunnel vision, bless her heart.
5384652
True, they could be as small as a particle or as large as the universe.
The Darling would only work if you switched Carrot and Cup. More importantly, I think you've figured out what happens to ponies who give up/can never figure out their cutie mark: They are abducted by Breezies and taken away, which is why we almost never see adult blank flanks. Oh, and I would go for Lost CMC, Lost Colts sounds like an awesome vampire movie.
Discord being straightforward, the who'da thunkit?
Well you know I think you could pull it off now, but yeah, a lighthearted story about dementia starring Discord? That's certainly a tall order.
To be fair, good old Peachy was less about romance and more about a crown and a pulse. Did she and Hoity ever work something out? (I hope we see a bit of her in that piece on Trixie the Mustangian.)
At first I thought DSL was just hilarious, but then when he's single-handedly standing up to all the shadows for love? His game grew three sizes that day.
I wonder if, to a dragon, wearing a lot of jewelry is like covering yourself in whipped cream?
Those pearls of wisdom were heartwarming indeed, Lady Rarity! (see Hobbs, you gotta watch that mare, if you had made her the movie star instead of Rainbow Dash at the beginning, Scootaloo would probably not have even deserved a character tag by the end of the story.)
....... You had her singing in a Ponyville concert here, and appearing on the Ponyville radio station one story to the left! Good to know I can still spot some plot twists. I promise to act all surprised if at some point, Sweetie Bell tosses off a leather jacket before the battle royale.
That made no sense, but then again it's Trixie.
I can't wait to learn about mustangian culture!
Le sigh.
As long as she keeps it to simple Yeeup or Nope questions, she should be fine.
5384941
I almost got that reference, but I can't quite place it...
The world makes sense now! Though that would be the most wishy-washy Never Neverland ever, if those ponies really can't decide on a cutie mark!
None but the least straightforward author on the site.
I think I mentioned something about them succeeding at failing their sanity roll? Maybe? I don't actually recall. Seems a rather large loose end that needs tying up somehow.
And yeah, current plans for Don't Tell My Parents give Peachbottom at least a side role. Hehehehee...
Alongside the lump on his head.
That's actually kinda brilliant in a completely skin-crawling kind of way... And maybe breaking the boarders of the teen rating...
Now you understand why I had to relegate her to the epilogue!
Well it's not terribly too much of a surprise that singing gets a wee bit important down the line.
In hopefully a surprising way.
Okay, bad sentence structure. All other wheels are merely imitating the malice-filled wheels on that particular cart. There. Trixie-speak has been translated into regular Equestrian. This has been your daily Rosetta Stone lesson.
I always have too much to write. Always. Sorry.
You trust Apple "Motor-mouth" Bloom to keep the questions simple?
Thus, the Ponyville subway system was implemented on account of a stray pun from Pinkie Pie...
Sorry, it's verses from Particle Man, my favorite They Might Be Giants song.
The Lost Colts feel lost about a lot of things.
Eh, I've always preferred the scenic route anyway.
Hey, you break the most dangerous criminal in Equestria out together, that's a bond that can't be broken!
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if a youthful encounter with Peachbottom is why we never see Blueblood leave Canterlot, except by airship. (I'm guessing Mustangians don't approve of air travel to anywhere you can walk to).
Brave but foolish, a true romantic.
Along with Apple Bloom's teeth.
I think all those magazine covers make it qualify as a celebrity cameo.
That's a fair point. For this story I should have guessed that Scootaloo will fly.
Thanks. The Great and Powerful Howard035 is practicing his Trixese.
Sorry for what? You write more words per day than any other writer I can think of, and you also write those meaningful daily thanks!
Hahaha!
"... and I want a special somedragon right Now! 
Eeyup.
...
Thank Twisticorn no one ever told Applejack "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. "
5611616
Well, i understood the underlying reasoning for it sure, but as I suggested, this is the same sort of reasoning behind things like 'orphaned royalty' and similar, the idea that you need to balance stuff out at the end, or reward characters for their suffering.
And beyond this, I'm not really convinced that what you've written here ever truly dips into 'depressing'. I mean, she's a teenager and she can't fly still, I suppose, but in generally she seemed fairly... happy, in general, even if she's determined to finally do it. Her family clearly loves her, and she doesn't seem disturbed or unhappy that she's adopted, and so forth. Indeed, if anyone should be depressed in the context of this story and this slice of time, it'd probably have to be Sweetie Belle, not Scoots.
See, what that's sort of what I mean about getting at about this comment from the doctor and contradicting what Rainbow was talking about; if everypony essentially has a specialization--presumably relatively unique at that--then how can anyone make reference to strength in this way?
I guess it just seems completely unnecessary to me, I can't see how it could change the nature of the story or future stories if it wasn't there.
5612079
It's really dang fanfic-y, isn't it?
After reflecting on your words, I've seen that yes indeed, you are correct about it not changing the nature of future stories. The Phenomenal Cosmicness literally and technically does not need to exist for the series to work. This is annoying, but thank you for taking the time to point it out.
More annoying to me, personally, is that I think you're right about the scene harming the story's themes. The story was already due for a few edits and TLC, so I think that scene will get some special care in particular. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
This I have an answer to, however unsatisfying it may be (mainly because now I'm just talking my own headcanon). Specialization still allows for differing skill level, basic strength, and overall knowledge within that particular specialization. Arguably, Twilight Sparkle and Trixie both have their specialization in magic, but Twilight holds far greater raw power, while Trixie is more suited to stage magic.
That doesn't change how right you are above, but I just wanted to share my thoughts.
6178980 Well, it was initially my idea, but I've given it to a friend who will be more likely to write it. That idea is front and center in the story, as well as it being AppleDash.
I must say, I like your longer fics a whole, whole lot more than your little one shots. Mind you, the humor in them is great (I dunno about Fahr though, didn't quite like it), but both this and Lord Mayor Applejack are absolutely fantastic.
The interplay of characters in Lord Mayor was great, as it is here with an entirely different but familiar cast. And the humor is wonderful, though I feel the need to stab you in the face for that bits and pieces joke. That was awful.
I'm jealous of your dialogue skills, I feel i need work before I can match how smooth this appears.
Yay for Scoots on all fronts! <3 (she does keep her super fairy strings in her hooves, right?)
Onwards to Daybreak!
6181780
Thank you for the compliment! I agree with you wholeheartedly about the one-shots. This is the story where I realized that unless I was going for a short, sweet, simple idea (random craziness and the like), I needed to take the time to develop the story. Expand it. And overall, it results in a way more satisfying tale.
I'm allowed one stinker of a joke per story, aren't I?
Thanks! I don't know how much it helps, but when I do dialogue, I do it entirely improv. I let the characters talk in my head and write down what they say. I edit very heavily afterwards, of course, but the basic flow of the conversation remains the same. If I notice a scene is going nowhere, I go back a few paragraphs and see where somebody got it off track, change their response, and then continue the conversation from that point.
It makes writing dialogue pretty slow, and I think my prose suffers a little bit from all the attention I give the talky bits, but I always told myself that it was one of the most important parts of the story. If you've got good dialogue, you're on your way to make really good characters.
Heck yes! Those water-flinging hooves of hers aren't going anywhere!
I just finished and I just have this to say: Either I'm an emotional wreck, or you're a string musician.
6267824
I can't plan an instrument to save my life; that's why I write! I'm certainly glad to hear it touched you. It was an emotional experience for me, too.
6282120 Time does not die, people do.
So, a fair while ago I saw "In the Absence of Sunset Shimmer" posted in the feature box, and it sounded interesting enough that it got dumped into the RiL box. Then a few days ago I looked to start reading it - only to find that it has a long string of continuity before it, and I don't like doing things out of order.
So I started reading.
And all I have to say is, how did I not know about these before now?
"Lord Mayor Applejack" was a startlingly original take on HiE, with the human being only the catalyst for the story rather than the focus, which allowed some beautiful world-building which has only been enhanced with this wonderful piece. Not only some amazing interaction between the main characters, but just those little bits and sequel hooks showing the way the greater plotline is coming together...
It's almost criminal that this hasn't gotten more attention than it has.
Thank you for a fantastic bit of fiction, and I'll be chewing through the rest of this continuity in short order =D
Good stuff. I love your world building and characterizations, especially with Scootaloo. She was a bit melodramatic for my taste, but I'll let it slide due to her being a teenager. I liked your choice of parents for her, and some of the scenes with her parents and with Rainbow were very heartwarming. Scoots' water tricks were awesome, and I'm wondering why I never thought of a pegasus having the ability to walk on water. I mean they can already walk on clouds, which are less solid - walking on water should be easy in comparison.
And it's now my headcanon that Apple Bloom will grow much taller than the average mare.
Her balloon juice was very inventive, even if it doesn't have any practical use yet.
I'm impressed that you made Discord sympathetic, helpful and a bit sad, while still keeping him IC. And Diamond Tiara is more fleshed out and complex than her one-note mean girl persona, although I wouldn't go so far as calling her sympathetic.
It's good that Rarity finally told Sweetie Belle to stop trying to be her. She seemed unhappy trying so hard to fill her big sister's shoes.
So far the only other fanfic of yours that I've read is "Lord Mayor Applejack," and I liked that one better. I think they are both well-written, it's just that "Lord Mayor Applejack" is more my kind of story. Both stories are limited to one character's POV, except for the epilogue, and I think the limited POV worked better when AJ stayed in the center of the action (for a certain degree of "action"). It also helps that AJ is a great deal more perceptive than Scoots. In "Scootaloo Will Fly," I wanted to follow other characters more than once. How did the city council meeting go? What happened with Bloom, Spike, and Sweetie at their dinner? Perhaps that's a tale for another day.
Also, while I appreciate subtlety and authors who don't talk down to their readers, I think this story could have used just a touch more directness at times. I was never quite sure what Roseluck's deal was. I guess she's just overprotective of Scoots because she tried so long to have a child, but I get the feeling there's more to it than that. I'm just not sure what. Also, what relation is Thunderlane to Rumble?
All that said, I'll be sure to check out at least some of your other fics.
I knew I could not be the only one who thougnt of that...
6341222
Because I'm terrible at self-promotion.
Thank you. Lord Mayor Applejack was an absolute blast to write, and to know that people still enjoy it is amazing! This whole series has been a training grounds for me as far as building a world, from exposition to dialogue to sheer characterization, so it's a pretty sure thing I'm not gonna skimp on it no matter what I write.
And the plot, well, here's hoping it thickens like a good oatmeal.
Perhaps, but I'll never complain about the attention the stories do get.
I hope you enjoy yourself! We've got a boatload of different genres ahead, from comedy to tragedy to romance to action. Fingers crossed you find something good.
6421429
Like many tropes, melodrama does have its place. Angsty teens being merely one of the many applications!
I strongly suspect you don't see it because the last guy who walked on water was kinda famous, and people don't want to be seen as a ripoff. That's just a guess, though.
There's also the question of why they would bother to walk on the water if they could fly over it? Scootaloo's probably the first pony to ever try.
Isn't it adorable? I think she and Big Mac get it from their mother's side of the family, since giant apple mares make me giggle. I'm looking forward to continuing her story.
I probably worked harder on these two than any other character. It was thin line I walked between "obnoxious headcanon" and "interesting characterization." Discord's main scene required a zillion rewrites all by itself.
With Diamond Tiara, the main question for her was "what happens to someone that refuses to take responsibility?" It's an ugly, scary thing that results from that. I didn't want to go the cliched rout of redemption, but I also wanted to finish off with a little slice of hope...
That gets promptly stuffed in a box by you-know-who, but that's beside the point.
Ha! That's fair. It's the reverse for me, kinda, since I consider this one to be the superior story. At least in terms of plotting, pacing, and having a fulfilling ending. I love both stories, though; they're fun, occasionally funny romps through the magical world of Equestria.
That's the danger of writing a third-person limited story: Keeping the center of attention focused on your protagonist. I think you're right about Applejack's perceptiveness aiding in the storytelling of LMA I think we could have used a few more inner thoughts from Scootaloo to spice things up. That goes back to her being a teenager, though. She's a bit less thoughtful because she's a bit less mature. Something for me to consider going forward.
If I feel a story missed out on having a fun scene, I try to add it to a future story. That council meeting, or one much like it, is gonna feature in the Discord story, and I'm always up for scenes featuring our favorite teenagers hanging out.
See, this is why I write in third-person omniscient so often. I can just hop to whichever scene's most interesting.
I'm always terrified including real illnesses in my stories, because I can never be quite sure if I've got it spot on or if I'm off base. She's suffering from some form of depression, as part of a lifelong battle. I never mentioned it in the story because, well, I haven't experienced it personally, I've just seen its effects on people. I was going for plausible deniability and just got confusion.
As revealed in "Hurricane Fluttershy," Rumble is Thunderlane's younger brother. Thunderlane and his wife Cloudkicker act as Rumble's legal guardians in this series due to some unmentioned past tragedy.
Thank you for your thoughts! I hope you find some gems in the pile.
6421429
Ah, ok. It's been awhile since I watched that episode.
Who's that one queer who disliked this?
This is incredible. This is top notch writing.
Whenever I come to this site I get reminded why I'm still around this fandom. I could barely consider myself a brony these days. The only reason I'm still here is because the fanfiction this fandom produces is outstanding...
I came across this fic when I was searching for stories about future Scootaloo, especially those where she's shiped with Rumble. It took a while until I found exactly what I searched for but I guess I hit the bullseye with this one. The reason I was searching for these is twofold. I was doing some research for an idea, that was dancing in my head for 2 years or so now and developping ever since, begging to finally be put on paper. An idea for a "20-years-later" fic set in Winningverse and following Scootaloo and Alula as main characters (no, not a ship... I mean it involves a ship, in a literal sense). However I was also interested in that character because the way she's depicted in fandom she's... me... there are very few characters I can relate to that much, two of them being MLP characters and these are Scoots and Twilight. I'm an Aerospace Engineering student, I wanted to become a professional pilot but I had to give up on that because of my health. I decided that if I can't fly a $100 million jet, I'm gonna make living building my own aircraft. I have regretted even trying this path many times yet I keep going. The dream is far away but it's still there. And I'm coming to grab it, no matter the cost...
This is exactly the way I imagined Scootaloo. She couldn't fly but never gave up on chasing the dream. You captured that perfectly. This is a commercial level writing right here. I spent the last 2 nights reading this fic instead of sleeping. The character interactions and dialogues are well written, and also realistic - which is something I rarely see in fanfiction. There were some moments, especially near the end that made my jaw drop, such as the final two confrontations between Scoota and Diamond (the mask...) or the description of Cloudsdale... and the epilogue, holy hell. I came here for Rumbaloo arc, I stayed for other character interactions and Discord/wings arc, and after reading all the worldbuilding you featured in this story as well as the epilogue, I know I'm not gonna leave until I read through all of the series. Great job MyHobby, you definitely deserve more views because you're one of the best authors on fimfiction.net.
Well, I clearly should've picked up this universe again far earlier. Fantastic arc for Scootaloo, especially as she drags her friends out of their sisters' ruts in her wake. Thank you for it.
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This is still one of my favorite stories, and quite close to the heart. I'm glad you enjoyed Scoots' adventure.
Fair warning. the next big book, DayBreak, is gonna make or break the series for you.
As much as I'm kind of curious to check out the rest of this universe, my read later list is already big enough that I can't really in good conscience add the other fics in this 'verse to it yet (except Rhythm and Rhyme, but I have a question about that fic that I'll put there) especially given how long some of them are.
However, I do want to see that Diamond Tiara fic, especially since Silver Spoon being a siren isn't something I've ever seen in any 'verse.
So Silverspoon's a Siren now, okay.
This story was an enjoyable read.
Scoots and Rumble had a pleasing number of cute scenes in there.
Awesome story!
I love these future looks at what the Mane cast get up to, and this has to be one of my favorites so far. The world building is a ton of fun, and seeing the kids growing up is so cute.
I can't wait to read the next in line!