Project Erroria Arc Part 12: Consideration / Determination
Scootaloo brushed and scrubbed her teeth as much as she could, squeezing out the toothpaste until it looked like a shriveled up raisin, gargling mouthwash until the bottle was bone dry, and every time she stopped to look at herself in the mirror, her teeth sparkled and shined with a pure white that, if she were to walk outside into the sunlight. Scootaloo was fairly sure she’d create a blinding light from the rays reflecting off her pearly whites.
And yet, after all the scrubbing and gargling, Scootaloo could still feel the tingling sensation of Rainbow’s lips pressed against her, and it didn’t help that in that moment, all her senses were heightened, so everything was more vivid and lasted longer in her mind. The feeling of her lips, her natural scent, the hooves that were placed against Scootaloo’s cheeks, not to mention that dreamy look on the older mare’s face when she pulled away.
Scootaloo shuddered, remembering that look of both attraction and excitement in Rainbow’s eyes. The young filly growled and threw her forelegs into the air, it wasn’t Rainbow Dash’s fault, she couldn’t blame her surrogate big sister for kissing her, because she had no idea that Scootaloo and Shazam were one and the same. Had she known, Scootaloo was sure Rainbow Dash would never had done that.
“But she did…and now I can’t stop replaying that in my head!” Scootaloo smacked her lips. “Damn! I can still feel them!”
The pegasus filly broke out another tube of toothpaste, squeezed some onto her toothbrush and began scrubbing away, for what was either the tenth or fifteenth time, she lost count around eleven.
This was so not what she needed right now. On top of figuring out what to do with a broken hearted Apple Bloom, now she had to deal with a mare – who she loved and cared about like a big sister, and looked up to – who was in love with her superhero alter ego.
There were soooo many things bad with this situation, especially if Twilight or Cheerilee found out about it, considering what Scootaloo had told them about her past they might take this the wrong way with Rainbow Dash. The last thing Scootaloo wanted was for Rainbow Dash to get in trouble over a misunderstanding.
This was definitely a problem that needed to be resolved quickly and post haste. But first thing was first…
“CELESTIA, THEY DON’T MAKE TOOTHPASTE OR MOUTHWASH STRONG ENOUGH TO BRUSH AWAY THE MEMORY!”
Cheerilee was concerned, very concerned, Scootaloo had come back home but immediately had flown straight into the bathroom, and hasn’t come out for two hours now. The mulberry earth pony walked up to the bathroom door, raising her hoof and preparing to knock. She paused though, wondering if it was a good idea to do that.
Scootaloo is nearing that age for young fillies to…ahem…explore themselves…I mean, you were a young teenage filly once, too, Cheerilee.
There was one thing that made Cheerilee suspect that it wasn’t that, the sound of running water, and the scrubbing noises. Taking a deep breath, Cheerilee knocked three times against the bathroom door.
“Scootaloo, sweetie, are you alright? You’ve been in the bathroom for a good two hours now, I was getting a little worried,” said Cheerilee.
“I’m fine! Just fine, I promise!” Scootaloo assured.
A pensive look befell the teacher, she really didn’t like this, but neither did she want to ruin her relationship with Scootaloo. It had been weighing on her mind lately, Scootaloo disappearing at different times of the day, her frequent trips to Twilight’s castle for…Celestia knows what. Twilight had always told her that it was for tutoring or “Twilight Time” like they used to have before her old home was destroyed by Tirek. Was it just that she liked Twilight more than her?
“No that’s silly, why I am even thinking like that!?” Cheerilee whispered to herself. “Scootaloo, I’m going to go see Twilight for a bit, I should be back later.”
“Yeah, that’s good! You should totally go see Twilight!”
Cheerilee blinked, a little more worried at how fast that response was. Despite this, Cheerilee decided that she probably, really, needed to talk this out with Twilight.
LATER, AT CASTLE CONCORDIA…
Twilight considered herself a calm, rational, logical, and above all, understanding and kind mare. So she thought nothing of it when Rainbow Dash came bursting through one of her castle windows – a habit she had not grown out of since the days of Golden Oak Library – but the Guards did nearly attack her out of instinct, which kind of scared her straight from then on.
For some reason the speedster mare had a very excited expression on her face, and she was blushing to boot. Twilight admitted, she was curious as to what could have garnered such a reaction out of Rainbow Dash. The mare who tried to always act cool under pressure and not betray her air of “awesomeness” as she put it.
“So Rainbow Dash, what brings you here? Seeing as you decided to ignore the front door and just zoom on in during a heightened state of alert?” Twilight inquired.
The cyan pegasus rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. “Y-Yeah, sorry about that…I forgot that the Dusk Guards are on super alert right now. But I couldn’t wait, especially since you were the one I told about it first! I thought about telling Fluttershy, but since you’re close to this subject you might be able to give me more feedback.”
Twilight quirked her head to the side curiously. “Feedback? On what?”
“Okay, okay, I was at the Wonderbolts Academy ‘cause Spitfire wanted me to help with the training of the new recruits,” said Rainbow.
Twilight walked over to the sofa and took a seat, watching as Rainbow hovered about the room as she continued on.
“So I got there and everything was going alright, and then the cloud generators go haywire and create this big storm at the Academy!”
With eyes wide with fear, Twilight quickly shot up and stood upon the couch. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t know! Are the other pegasi alright!? Do we need to dispatch relief to the Academy!?”
Rainbow Dash quickly put her hooves in a stopping motion. “Twi, chill, chill, everything’s okay! I mean, some of the Bolts are a little shaken up and a few are banged up, but nothin’ life threatening or anything.”
The alicorn mare took a deep breath and sat back down, taking Rainbow Dash’s word for it that everything was alright.
“Anyway, the storm was stopped, by none other than Shazam!” Rainbow exclaimed with an extra squeak of joy.
Thank goodness Scootaloo got there in time, thought Twilight.
“So what happened next?”
Rainbow Dash went into detail on how Lightning Dust appeared at the Academy, brandishing some bracers that were similar to the Alicorn Amulet. Twilight had to admit she was intrigued by this information, the fact that the pegasi created an item similar in power, and apparently with the same corrupting effect, was fascinating. Now she wondered if they should be on the lookout for an item for the earth ponies.
The story continued with Rainbow detailing Shazam transferring her magical might into her, and transforming Rainbow Dash, temporarily, into an alicorn. To which, Rainbow gave Twilight props and apologized for the times she poked fun at the awkwardness of getting used to an extra appendage.
Further in she told Twilight of the great battle she had with Lightning Dust, learning of her past by delving into her memories, and in the end getting her to remove the bracers.
“Sounds like you and Shazam had your hoofs full, I’m glad you two were able to help Lightning Dust,” said Twilight with a smile.
Rainbow Dash mirrored her smile, genuinely glad that she was able to help Lightning Dust, and hopefully could steer her towards the right path as not only a good friend, but also a future role model for other Wonderbolts. Although glad, that wasn’t the full reason why Rainbow was excited.
“Well, that wasn’t even the best part!”
“Oh? Really? What else happened?” Twilight asked.
The cyan mare opened her mouth, but stopped when she heard a knock at her foyer door. One of the unicorn Dusk Guards cracked open the door and poked his head in.
“Begging your pardon Princess Twilight, but there is mare by the name of Cheerilee waiting, should I send her in?”
“Cheerilee? Yes, you may. Um, you don’t mind if she comes in, right?” Twilight asked.
Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No way, bring your marefriend in, I don’t mind if she hears this.”
The Dusk Guard bowed and used his magic to open the door fully to allow the mulberry mare to enter. Once inside, the Dusk Guard closed the door behind her. Twilight got up from the couch and walked over to meet Cheerilee, both gave each other affectionate nuzzles before pulling back.
“Cheerilee, it’s good to see you, what’s the occasion?”
“Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you about something, but I didn’t know you had company over, sorry,” said Cheerilee.
“Ain’t a problem, now, hold on your saddles, because…!”
“Because…?”
“I KISSED SHAZAM!”
Cheerilee’s jaw dropped, showing an expression of awe that she did this. Which was in severe contrast to Twilight’s expression, whose jaw was hanging open, with a look that was warring between disgust, anger, and disbelief.
“YOU DID WHAT!!!??” Twilight shouted.
“I know, right!? I mean, I-I never thought I’d be able to! But this is me, after all, so I couldn’t just not do it! I needed to show her how I feel! You know I’m not good at…wording how I feel,” said Rainbow Dash as she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.
Twilight was still stunned, trying to take this information in as best she could. Rainbow Dash had kissed Shazam, who is in fact Scootaloo, so Rainbow Dash really kissed Scootaloo. A filly, an underage filly, a filly who Rainbow Dash had adopted as a little sister, a filly who has been through a traumatizing experience involving somebody she trusted taking advantage of her. Twilight wanted to scream, wanted to shout and yell at Rainbow Dash at how irresponsible and how furious she was with her.
Alas, she knew Rainbow Dash well. The loyal mare would never knowingly do that to Scootaloo, in fact, she was a hundred percent sure that Rainbow would beat herself into the ground for doing something like that, had she known about Scootaloo’s more traumatic past. And yet Twilight couldn’t help herself from mentally throttling Rainbow Dash and that happy, elated look on her face.
“Oh my, Rainbow Dash, I had no idea you had a crush on Shazam like that! How did she take it, the kiss I mean?” Cheerilee asked.
Rainbow shook her head and brought herself back to her two friends. “Oh, right, well after I kissed her she was blushing like crazy! And it was cute, although I couldn’t see all of her face, that magic hood kept me from seeing her fully…”
Twilight was doing everything she could to keep herself from throwing up right now.
Cheerilee walked up and patted Rainbow Dash on the shoulder. “Well, while not the most conventional way to tell somepony you like them, I must admit I’m glad you were at least able to tell this mare how you feel, or rather showed her.”
Rainbow Dash felt a little better after hearing Cheerilee’s encouragement. “Thanks Cheerilee, I mean…I wish I could’ve said it right, but it was like that was the only thing I could think of how to tell her! If I had just said it, she’d think I was a fanfilly or something, at least this way she knows I’m serious about how I feel about her!” Rainbow declared with confidence. “Say, do you think it’s possible to have kids with two mares?”
Cheerilee and Rainbow turned around and saw Twilight hunched over the backside of the couch, making what sounded like retching sounds. Which made both mares raise an eyebrow in both curiosity and disgust. There was a flash coming from behind the couch that had the same rosy-violet tint that Twilight’s magic usually had.
The alicorn mare came back up, her face looking a little haggard, but she tried to maintain an air of calmness. Although, Cheerilee and Rainbow Dash weren’t buying it.
“Are you okay, Twilight?” Cheerilee asked.
“F-Fine! I-I’m just fine!” Twilight insisted, left eye twitching as her right flicked.
“Oooookaaaay, because you kinda look sick,” said Rainbow Dash.
“Sick? Why would I be sick!? I’m not sick!”
Cheerilee and Rainbow Dash did not look convinced, deciding not to stick around in case it was spreading, Rainbow Dash casually glanced towards a clock. “Well, look at the time! I gotta go find Scoots, I kinda owe her a flying lesson since I forgot I had Wonderbolt duties today! Later!”
Twilight watched as Rainbow Dash zoomed out of the room, and breathed a sigh of relief that she did. Her dueling emotions were beginning to frazzle her. She had never felt such a strong combination of anger, sympathy, and slight disgust all at once, Twilight could only imagine what Scootaloo was going through with this whole thing. Having your idol/surrogate sister kiss you romantically had to be some kind of traumatic for Scootaloo.
“Twilight are you sure you’re alright? I could come back later,” said Cheerilee, noticing the strange look on her marefriend’s face.
The alicorn mare snapped out of it and focused her attention to her marefriend. “Oh, yes, yes! I’m fine, Cheery, nothing’s wrong, really,” she lied, “I’m just a little…shocked, still, at how Rainbow Dash…kissed Shazam.”
“Shocked that she’s attracted to mares or shocked because she kissed a superhero?”
“The latter,” responded Twilight. For more than one reason.
Cheerilee smiled coyly at the purple mare and with a raised brow. “Oh, are you jealous that Rainbow Dash kissed Shazam? Perhaps you entertained fantasies of doing just that? I wouldn’t blame you, from the encounters I’ve seen and heard, you both seem to be on friendly terms. Perhaps you were playing the long game, Twilight? Twilight?”
Twilight’s mind was becoming riddled with thoughts she didn’t want, she knew Cheerilee wasn’t saying these things to be mean or gross, she was just honestly teasing her like any marefriend would. Although, the fact that it was Scootaloo who was Shazam is what made all the insinuations all the worse.
Maybe it really is time to tell her…? I shouldn’t keep something like this a secret from Cheerilee, considering how important she is in Scootaloo’s life! In my life…!
Twilight’s face tinted red at that last thought, it was true, she really did feel that Cheerilee was important to her. Despite all the teasing Scootaloo would do and bring up marriage, the thought of marrying Cheerilee wasn’t too far from her mind whenever she was around the school teacher.
“Alright, if you want, maybe later this week we can plan a little ‘role play’? Do you want to be Shazam or should I?”
Smoke bellowd out of Twilight’s ears, followed by a thudding sound when Twilight fell over, her right hind leg twitching.
Okay, DEFINITELY need to tell her!
ELSEWHERE, SWEET APPLE ACRES…
Babs had worked up her courage, had talked to Sweetie Belle, and had the support of Scootaloo to boot. The only real hurdle here was the one she was planning to confess to. Either this was just going to end with the two of them looking back on this as an awkward little time in their young lives, total ruination of their bond as both friends and as family, or - the more hopeful route - Apple Bloom could say yes.
The Manehattan filly shuddered at the second option, at most she was hoping for the first, the third being best best case scenario. Babs Seed walked back to Sweet Apple Acres, with most of the other Apples going about their daily farm work. She thought about heading to Apple Bloom’s room, but was worried about actually finding her there. Confessing in the house where anypony could drop in would be bad, so on a hunch, Babs opted to check the CMC Clubhouse.
A short walk through the orchard brought the bronze filly to the Clubhouse, the very place where she started a new chapter in her life, with real friends. Babs walked up the ramp until she reached the door, turning her ear in that direction to hear any movement inside. Sure enough, she heard the thud of a small hoof against the wood. Almost symbolic that this would be the same place she would start something else new in her life, well, it was now or never.
Babs raised her hoof and knocked on the door.
“Go away,” said Apple Bloom, her voice a little lack luster.
“Heh, not much of a greetin’ Cuz,” said Babs.
“Babs? Ah’m sorry, but can ya just leave me alone?”
The door to the clubhouse opened and Babs gave her cousin a sad smile.
“Sorry Cuz, no can do. Especially with you lookin’ all sad like that,” said Babs.
Apple Bloom glanced over her shoulder, her eyes looking a little red a puffy. Babs felt a pang in her heart at seeing her friend, and crush, looking this sad. Given that Apple Bloom always seemed like the strong willed leader, it was times like this that made Babs aware that as strong a filly as her cousin was, she still a filly like herself.
Babs slowly walked in and closed the door behind her. She then made her way to where Apple Bloom was lying down, and plopped down next to her. The red maned filly looked away trying to keep her cousin from seeing her “crybaby face”.
“Wanna talk about it, Cuz?”
“It ain’t worth talkin’ about…”
“C’mon, Bloom, don’t act like that. Remember what happened with me when ya didn’t tell yer big sis about the…stuff I did, and how it got from bad to worse?” Babs asked, feeling a little sting in her heart remembering the terrible menace she was to her cousin and friends.
Apple Bloom’s ears drooped, but she understood what her cousin was getting at.
“Ah’m sure Scoots told ya by now, right? How Ah…Ah like-like her.”
Babs nodded. “Yeah, she did. Ya know she’s still your friend right?”
Apple Bloom wiped her nose and sniffled a little. “Ah course I do! At least…Ah hope we still are…”
Babs nudged Apple Bloom’s shoulder with her own and smiled at her. “Hey, you three have been friends for a long while now, a little thing like this ain’t gonna mess all that up! Okay, it’ll be a little awkward between youse two.”
“Yeah, it will…Ah’m just worried that it’ll get more awkward later on…but mostly, Ah’m still just…UGH!” Apple Bloom shot to her hooves, and started pacing back and forth. “Ah’m mad at mehself because Ah didn’t say nothin’ sooner! Ah’m sad ‘cause she’s already got special somepony and it ain’t me! And…And…!”
Babs tilted her head forward waiting for her to get that last word out.
“H…Happy…that she has somepony like that…Is that weird?”
Babs shook her head. “I don’t think so, you want yer friends to be happy.”
Apple Bloom sighed and fell on her haunches staring down at the floor, her eyes glanced up at Babs, still in the same spot across from her. A thought crossed the filly’s mind as she realized everything she was saying.
“Babs…do ya…do ya think Ah’m weird, fer likin’ fillies Ah mean?” Apple Bloom asked with a little trepidation in her voice.
The bronze filly stood and walked over to Apple Bloom, sitting next to her and placing a hoof on her shoulder for comfort. “Nah, you aren’t weird, Cuz. Ya like who ya like, ain’t nothing more or less…”
Apple Bloom noticed how Babs’ gaze drifted away from her when she said that, and if she wasn’t mistaken, it sounded like there was a little shame in her voice, but not at Apple Bloom herself.
“Ya ever like somepony like that, Babs?”
“Yeah…still do,” she replied.
Apple Bloom turned her head towards Babs, a little surprised that she admitted to actually liking somepony the way she did.
“Have ya…told ‘em?”
“Nah…I haven’t…for more than one reason,” said Babs, keeping her gaze lowered.
An indignant look befall the yellow filly. “Babs, ya can’t just not say nothin’! Don’t do what Ah did and wait! Just tell him – or her! Ah mean, not that Ah’m sayin’ that yer like me, and…ahem, Ah’ll shut my yap now.”
Babs chuckled a little and sighed. “Yeah, I know, Sweetie Belle already gave me a talkin’ to about sayin’ how I feel…guess I’m still scared of what’ll happen, between me and…her.”
Apple Bloom blinked, catching on that she said “her”, feeling a little better that she hadn’t offended her favorite cousin, and fidgeted with her hooves. “Well, don’t let what happen to me stop ya, it doesn’t mean that it’ll turn out better for you.”
“Problem is Cuz, this filly I like, she’s hurtin’. Kinda heartbroken kind of stuff, I just don’t want her to think I’m takin’ advantage of her, y’know?”
Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow at the way Babs was describing her crush. Heartbroken, a filly…Apple Bloom’s eyes widened, she wanted to flinch but she managed to keep herself from moving. She had to be reading too much into this, that was it. There was no way Babs was talking about her, right? They were cousins, and cousins don’t’ feel that way about each other…right?
Although…Babs is kinda cute from this angle and all…Darn it Apple Bloom, stop it! Ya can’t think that way! But…
“What do ya think, Cuz, should I just hold off?” Babs asked earnestly.
Apple Bloom gulped, if this was her Babs was talking about, her next words could determine the course of their relationship, as friends, favorite cousins, as family. With deep sigh, Apple Bloom decided to stand firm and speak what was in her heart.
“Honestly, Ah don’t think she’d think that of ya,” said Apple Bloom.
Babs turned her head to Apple Bloom with a look of surprise. “Y-You really think so?”
“If anythin’, if Ah were her Ah mean, Ah’d be happy knowin’ that there was somepony else who like-liked me that much, and was willin’ to be there for me…Ah know it sounds mushy and stuff…” Apple Bloom rubbed the back of her head, her cheeks tinting red. “But Ah know Ah wouldn’t say no, at least not without seein’ if it would work!”
A confident smile broke out on Babs’ lips, she leaned forward and gave her cousin an affectionate nuzzle against her cheek. Apple Bloom’s heart rate skyrocketed from the show of affection, although, she did not shy away from it. It felt nice.
The yellow filly nuzzled back, both having their eyes closed and just basking in the comforting feeling of it. Without realizing it, or by some subconscious act, their muzzles slowly gravitated towards their lips, until their lips accidentally brushed the others’. Babs and Apple Bloom quickly pulled away, faces red as the apples in the orchard.
The Manehattan filly blew a puff of air up to get her hair out of her eyes. “Well…I-I’m glad that she’d feel that way…but that’d only be one problem, on top of a bigger one…”
“Y-Yeah, and what’s the other problem?” Apple Bloom asked.
“We’re related…and I don’t want to mess up what we have if it’ll hurt her, anyway…sorry, I’ll leave you alone,” said Babs as she got up and began walking towards the door.
Just then, she felt a tug at her tail that made her stop suddenly. Babs turned around and found her cousin had bitten down on her tail to prevent her from leaving. She then released her and stood up to face her.
“S-So what if we are…? Ya like-like me, right?”
Babs turned around nodded her head.
“Well, Ah can’t say Ah haven’t felt somethin’ when yer around me. Sometimes, Ah think it’s more than just family bond and stuff –”
“Cuz,” Babs interrupted, “ya don’t have to just for my sake or nothin’. I know it’ll just be messed up for ya, I mean…yer sister, my folks…the family…if they knew…”
Apple Bloom snorted and marched up to Babs Seed, making the bronze filly gulp as she looked into those narrowed amber eyes. Without warning, Apple Bloom pressed her lips against Babs, making the freckled Manehattanite turn an even brighter shade of red than before. She stood there, stunned, afraid, and happy, her brain still trying to process all the emotions she was feeling in this moment that seemed to drag on for much longer than time perceived.
When Apple Bloom pulled away, she looked down, bashful like, and moved closer to nuzzle under Babs’ chin. “Well…tough horse apples, Ah don’t care. Ah do like ya Babs, and Ah feel somethin’. A-Ah’m willin’ to see how this goes…if you are?”
Babs didn’t know what to say, it felt like this was a dream, like she was going to wake up right now right next to Apple Bloom. But this felt real, it was real. Babs cautiously raised her left hoof and wrapped around Apple Bloom, bringing her into a half-hug.
“I-I am, I mean, as long as you are.” Babs replied.
“Do ya mind if…if we stay here like this for a bit longer?”
“As long as you want, Cuz.”
PONYVILLE, NEXT DAY…
The marketplace was always busy, with ponies walking about, and vendors hocking their wares, it was a veritable hub of activity, even in a quaint little hamlet like Ponyville. Currently, two fillies were walking through the crowd of ponies, Alula and Aura. The – currently unicorn – filly focused her magic, levitating a bag as the two of walked.
“Seriously Alula, what did you get her?!” Aura asked.
“I’m not telling you, I was saving my allowance that Mrs. Milano gives us, and I finally had enough to buy Scootaloo a present, and thankfully it was before her birthday! Which will make this even more special!”
The vanilla filly peeked into her bag and then turned to Aura with a worried look. “Do you think she’ll like it?”
“I don’t know, because you won’t show me!” Just then, a pervy grin spread across the young filly’s face. “Did you buy her something naughty?”
Alula’s face turned beat red, both out of embarrassment and anger as she huffed. “AURA! NO!”
The lavender filly bumped her shoulder against Alula’s and chuckled. “Relax, I know you wouldn’t do that! Of course, when we’re older then…”
Alula shook her head back and forth. Her knowledge of such things was limited, but they had already gotten a lesson about the “Birds and the Bees” a while back. “Jeez, now I know how you can write those stories. I’m almost afraid of what you’ll be like when you’re grown up.”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe a famous writer, I do love to write! Maybe I’ll be as big as A. K. Yearling! Writing awesome fantasy adventure stories, and much more…grownup stories,” said Aura with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
Alula shuddered. The day Aura gets her cutie mark is a day we will all fear.
“Anyway, don’t sweat it. I know Scootaloo will like whatever you got her, she’s your fillyfriend after all, as long as it’s from you, she’ll love it.”
Alula blushed, but smiled nonetheless. “I just want to give her something to show her how special she is to me…considering all of my problems lately, with my weird shifting and whatever it is that makes me hurt. I mean, any other pony would probably think I’m a bother or something.”
Aura bumped Alula’s shoulder again and smiled confidently at her. “Hey, you’re not a bother! You’re my friend, and Scootaloo’s fillyfriend, you two are going to grow up, be happy, and have a lot of cute foals together!”
The vanilla filly scoffed. “Aura, please, fillies can’t have foals with other fillies.”
“An older unicorn friend of mine said there’s a spell for that~” Aura spoke in a sing-songy voice.
Alula blushed to the point steam was coming out of her ears.
“Had a naughty thought, didn’t ya?”
“You know, there is a word for ponies like you. It begins with a P and ends with ‘vert’.”
Aura held her head high and smiled widely, taking the implied accusation as a badge of honor. Realizing that Aura would probably never stop being, well, Aura, but then again, that wasn’t entirely a bad thing, the two of them continued on their little shopping trip. It was the same for her fillyfriend, Alula liked Scootaloo for who she was, even she never had superpowers.
“AAAAH!” Aura yelled.
Startled, Alula nearly lost her hold on the gift for Scootaloo, but just as quickly caught it in her magical grasp before it hit the ground. “What?! What is it Aura?!”
“We need to head back! That VIP is supposed to be coming today and Mrs. Milano wanted us all to be there to greet her!”
Alula’s eyes widened. “Oh pony feathers, I forgot too!”
With that established, the two fillies made a mad dash for Wayward House. Zigzagging between ponies, and weaving in and out of alleyways and vendor stalls. The orphanage was on the other side of Ponyville, and even at their current rate of speed, there was no way they’d make it in time to meet the VIP.
It was then that Aura remembered another important thing. She quickly came to sudden stop, her hooves digging into the earth as she ground to a halt and quickly did an about face to make Alula stop as well.
“What’s wrong now?!” Alula asked.
“We can’t keep running! How could I be this stupid? You got released just a few days ago, the doctors said not to strain yourself!”
“I’m fine, Aura, really, we can keep running.”
Aura shook her head. “Uh-uh, Scootaloo would kill me if I made you go into another episode!”
Alula opened her mouth to argue, but stopped when she thought about how bad the last one was. The last thing she wanted to do was make everypony worry about her, especially Scootaloo.
“Okay, fine but what are we going to do?! You don’t want me to run, and there’s no way you can carry me,” said Alula.
“Hey, I’m an Earth pony, I could so carry you!” Aura stated with a huff.
Alula raised an eyebrow, although she knew she wasn’t that heavy, and yes Aura was an Earth Pony, that didn’t’ mean she was Apple Bloom strong.
“Okay, point made, still…”
Suddenly, both fillies heard the stomping of hooves approaching rapidly behind them. Both turned around and watched as a carriage drawn by four strong Earth pony stallions came up the road. Alula and Aura moved out of the way, but once they had, the carriage slowly came to a stop. Both fillies glanced to each other as the door opened up and revealed a brown unicorn mare.
“Young fillies, would you be kind enough to point us in the direction of Wayward House? I am supposed to make a visit today and fear we may be lost,” said the mare.
Both fillies’ eyes widened, this was the talked about VIP that Mrs. Milano was talking about, Thorn Blackforest.
“Uh…Uh…Uh…Uh,” was all that Aura could say at seeing the famous mare.
“Oh my, is your friend alright?” Thorn asked.
“Y-Yeah, she’s fine, um, actually we’re from Wayward House! We were heading that way now!”
Thorn smiled at the two fillies. “Wonderful! If you wish, I could give you two little ones a lift?”
Aura shook her head back and forth to snap herself out of her awestruck state. “That would be great! My friend’s not really supposed to be doing anything too…what’s the word…strenuous!”
Thorn placed her hoof to mouth in worry. “Oh my, well then, by all means, come in!”
“Cool!” Aura exclaimed.
With near Pinkie Pie levels of speed, Aura had moved Alula into the carriage and went to close the door before Alula called out to her.
“Aura what are you doing?!”
“I’m going to give these guys directions, you just relax, is that okay Ms. Blackforest?”
Thorn nodded with a happy smile.
“Excellent! We’ll be there in no time!” Aura closed the door, and what they heard next was the sound of scampering hooves crawling over the carriage and into the driver’s seat. “Alright guys let’s get a move on, hyah!”
In less than a second, the carriage was underway. Alula sat on the opposite end, her gift placed next her, and Thorn Blackforest in front of her. Alula tried not make direct eye contact, not wanting to make Thorn Blackforerst feel uncomfortable, or annoy her.
What Alula didn’t know was that Thorn was looking at her with a critical gaze. There was something strange about this filly, something familiar that she couldn’t put her hoof on. Her magical senses as a unicorn were picking on an energy that she knew all too well, but it didn’t make sense, a filly could not be in control of the Xanthos magic.
“Um, Ms. Blackforest?”
Thorn shook her head to snap herself out of her reverie. “Sorry, yes little one?”
“Thank you for letting my friend and I ride with you to the House, sorry if we’re inconveniencing you,” said Alula.
“Not at all my dear, but I must ask, is your health really that out of sorts?” Thorn asked.
Alula fidgeted a bit. “Well…I’ve had to go to the hospital a few days ago, and before that I was in bed for while…”
“Goodness, that sounds awful…If I may ask, why ales you?”
“Well…sometimes I get these headaches that makes it feel like my head is going to literally split open. And this last time…it felt like my whole body was going to tear itself apart…it was scary…Mrs. Milano said I had a magic surge and coughed up…blood.”
Thorn’s eyes widened with horror at hearing what the young foal had been through, and she could see that there was pain in talking about it. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you relive that…”
“It’s okay, Ms. Blackforest, it was scary, but some good things happened from it,” said Alula with a cheerful smile.
The brown unicorn raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Oh? What might that be?”
“I…ahem…I met my special somepony, and she cares a lot about me, and I do too!”
Thorn looked to the bag sitting next to the filly and pointed towards it with her hoof. “I take it, that that is a gift for this special somepony?”
“Yep, she was an orphan like me, but she was adopted and still lives here Ponyville, and the pony who adopted her is really nice too!”
Thorn reached out and patted the filly’s head gently. “It sounds like you have a good life little one.”
As Thorn patted Alula’s head, she ever so gently brushed her hoof against Alula’s horn. For a brief moment, a surge of mana sparked off the tip of the short horn, and at the same time, a similar spark went off on Thorn’s horn. Her heart raced and her pupils dilated to pinpricks. This was more than familiar, this was a connection. Without drawing too much attention, Thorn pulled her hoof away, still tingling from the surge she had felt.
“Um, sorry little one, I never caught your name?”
“Oh, my name’s Alula, and my friend’s name is Aura.”
“Alula…Alula…it’s a pretty name. Did your parents give it you, or did the orphanage?” Thorn asked.
“Actually – and I know it’ll sound weird – but I saw it in a dream.”
“A dream?”
“As far back as I can remember I’ve had this dream of being surrounded in green water, like an endless ocean or something. And sometimes I can see letters, some look worn, but the best I could spell them was A, L, U, L, and A. So that’s been my name, and it feels right.”
“WOAH!”
Thorn and Alula felt the carriage come to a sudden stop, sending Alula flying towards Thorn. But the aristocratic unicorn quickly enveloped the young filly in her magical aura and caught her, bringing Alula into her forelegs to embrace her and keep her from getting jostled around. Once the carriage came to a full stop, Alula looked up and saw Thorn smiling down at her.
“Are you alright, Alula?”
Embarrassed, Alula was gently released back to her seat. “Y-Yes, sorry about that. Aura! Could you please watch where you’re going?! You almost launched me out the other end of this carriage!”
“Sorry, got a little carried away there, anyway…” Aura opened the door and gave an exaggerated bow. “We have arrived your ladyship.”
Alula rolled her eyes, and Thorn chuckled at Aura’s playfulness.
The mare and filly disembarked, with Aura walking beside the VIP mare. When they approached the house, they were greeted by Mrs. Milano, who looked at Aura and Alula with astonishment that they were with Thorn Blackforest.
“Ms. Blackforest, welcome!” Mrs. Milano greeted. “Aura, Alula, I thought you were in town shopping?”
“We were, but we sorta forgot Ms. Blackforest was coming today, so we hurried over,” said Aura.
“But Aura didn’t want me running, so we stopped to try and figure something else out. Fortunately, Ms. Blackforest picked us up and we showed her the way to Wayward House,” finished Alula.
Mrs. Milano gave a slight bow in gratitude to the unicorn mare. “Thank you, ma’am, for ferrying them all the way here.”
Thorn smiled kindly at the matron of Wayward House. “Oh no Mrs. Milano, it’s no trouble at all…” her eyes briefly glanced over to Alula, and for that brief moment, Black Rose looked upon her, “…believe me, none at all.”
I’ve found you…I don’t know how, but it is you, a mother never forgets. My little Alpha.
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Hmmm. I think both Cheerilee and Rainbow Dash both need to have been told several days ago. I feel sorry for Rainbow Dash as she will never forgive herself after she is told.
um....
What the hay did i just read?!
pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw10698_medium.jpg
7052363 Agreed. But Twilight's Hilarious reaction was worth it.
Give it 24 hours after they tell Dash before her and Scootaloo are joking about it.
If Twilight tells Cherilee I fear for Rainbow's health.
But I agree. Everyone's reactions were hilarious.
I get a feeling we'll get a repeat of the toothbrushing scene with Rainbow when she finds out.
The cure for mental scarring is liquid rainbow mixed with diluted bleach, don't worry its safe to drink as long as you use no more than 5 teaspoons of the bleach. The rainbow can be substituted for Barn Burner's famous hot sauce: "Its so hot that even Princess Celestia can't finish a single bottle!" Warning may burn hole in throut take appropriate precautions.
It would appear that my against-the-grain prediction a few chapters back (4.5 months in real life updates terms) about Thorn being Alula's mother (possibly not biological but as a 'creator') was correct.
I would hope that Twilight Sparkle respects Scootaloo's privacy and her well-meaning attitude as Shazam to consult with her before she reveals Scootaloo's alter-ego to Cheerilee. Besides, the more ponies who know, the higher a chance of Shazam's true identity being accidentally released to the public.
Babs and Apple Bloom really shouldn't worry about being cousins. A large part of the societal revulsion against incest comes from the inbreeding. Of course, Aura mentions a spell later on, but being Earth ponies raised in 'respectable' families, I can't imagine Babs and Bloom would know of such a spell in the first place anyways.
Sure they do, Scootaloo. It's called "whiskey".
7097727
They have whiskey in equestria?
7665770
They have something better than whiskey, they have Applejack.
http://www.liquormart.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x650/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/1/1/11629_46.jpg
the shit shall soon hit the fan