> My Inspiration
>  by gwg
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Cutie Mark Chronicles 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
In a tastefully decorated bakery in Ponyville sat three mares who used to be the bane of the small town’s existence; one an earth pony, one a unicorn, and the last a pegasus.  The Cutie Mark Crusaders were having their weekly get together at Sugarcube Corner.  They would talk about the usual things: how’s life, how’s the family (or, in Scootaloo’s case, how’s Rainbow Dash), how’s work treating you, etc.

They would talk about these things on a normal Wednesday, but today was not a normal Wednesday. On this particular Wednesday, a simple question from a young colt would have great importance for two members of the trio.

The former trouble-makers were in mid-conversation when a shy pegasus walked in with her six-year old colt. Fluttershy and Big Mac were the proud parents of young Jonagold Apple: a cream colored pegasus like his mother with his father’s mane color and emerald eyes. Unlike his parents, he wasn’t shy at all; his hyperactive behavior was seconded only by Pinkie Pie. The colt and his mother were at the bakery to pick up a quick treat when he spotted his favorite aunt and her friends.

“Auntie Bloom!!” shouted the youth from across the store, making most of customers within the establishment wince at sheer volume of the yell.

“Well howdy there Jonny! How’s mah favorite nephew doin’?” responded Apple Bloom in a more mature pitch than that of her days as little filly, though it was still higher than her sister Applejack. The architect still had her famous pink bow adorning the top of her head and now she carried around a saddlebag filled with sheets of paper and drawing supplies should inspiration strike at any moment for a new design of a building. Many of the new buildings in Ponyville were designed by her and she even had a few contracts to design new buildings in Canterlot, thanks in part to a certain lavender princess.

“Isn’t he your only nephew?” snickered Scootaloo with the same old raspy voice. The only difference from her filly self besides her height and the presence of a cutie mark was the flight goggles hanging around her neck; she was never without the prized gift from her idol and honorary sister. The stuntmare had taken Dash’s old job as weather team captain when the prismatic pegasus was welcomed into the Wonderbolts. Ponies around town believed that she was also a Wonderbolt hopeful, but her friends knew that wasn’t what she wanted to do with her life.

“Awwww, look he’s growing up so fast!!” squeaked Sweetie Belle while ignoring her friends. The singer had gotten a better handle on this adorable quality, though she still does it on rare occasions when she is excited or flustered.  She wore less makeup than her sister Rarity, though only to appease said sister. Sweetie worked as a well-sought-after wedding singer; she sang for free at Applejack and Rarity’s wedding and there were rumors that Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle would be asking for her services in the near future.

From where the colt stood he could easily see the mares’ cutie marks, and at that singular moment, the infamous question popped into his young head:

“How’d y’all get yer cutie marks?”

The trio shared a look, a silent conference that resulted in Apple Bloom starting off.

“Well it all happened on a day like this five years ago…”

-GWG-

It had been five years since the three fillies started their grand crusade and still they had not found their special talent. On a day like this one the trio would be out trying to earn their cutie marks but today Sweetie Belle was foalsitting the one year old Jonagold (his parents weren’t keen on having Apple Bloom do it) and Scootaloo was busy having flight practice with Rainbow Dash and Twilight, leaving Apple Bloom to find something to do at the farm.

At the moment, she was sitting at a picnic table by the old barn house, pencil in her mouth scribbling on the sheet of paper in front of her. It may not have earned her cutie mark, but Apple Bloom thoroughly enjoyed three-dimensional art, having learned how to do it at school. She was no expert but she was showing some skill in the art form.  She could not have been more prepared for this brush with destiny.

The quiet atmosphere was violently disturbed by an all too familiar explosion, the shockwave of which made the old barn collapse, thankfully with no one inside. The destruction stunned the youngest Apple sibling and summoned the elder sister, a worried look upon her face before it became irate.

“DARN IT (censored for the little colt hearing this tale) RAINBOW!! When Ah get mah hooves on that no-good rat with wings, Ah’ll buck her intah next month!” Applejack screamed, her face as red as her brother’s coat in rage. The barn may have been old but there was at least another decade of use left before it would have needed to be scrapped.  They had the bits to build a new one, but it would cause ripples in the budget which could mean more problems later on. She was none too pleased that her best friend would cause this damage.

Apple Bloom looked on in sadness. Sure she felt awful about the barn, but she felt worse seeing her sister upset. She knew how stressed out Applejack could get over the farm’s finances, and with Big Mac in Canterlot with his wife for the day and Rarity in Manehatten for a fashion show; she had very little support at the moment. Bloom struggled to think of a way to help her sister; though it just so happened that destiny was not done with its date with the filly.

A second yet unfamiliar explosion ripped across the sky, causing Apple Bloom to simultaneously jump and find a solution to her family’s woes.

“What in tarnation?” Applejack asked the sky, observing the strange wave of color and ignoring her sister’s furious scribbling. Apple Bloom looked like a mare possessed as she drew and erased lines until a familiar shape began to emerge. Next to the structure she would write numbers and draw arrows. She drew lines connecting certain parts of the structure with quickly written yet legible notes. She didn’t know why but for some reason she signed her name in the bottom right hoof corner of the paper. She jumped from the table and dashed to Applejack, hoofing over the piece of paper that would define the mare Apple Bloom would become.

“Apple Bloom, Ah don’t have time fer yer lit-,” Applejack began before getting a good look at what was presented to her. In her hooves was not just a blueprint, it was the answer to all her problems. The design was of a barn but the dimensions were different: it could hold more supplies and was sturdier than its predecessor. The materials listed in the notes Applejack knew were cheaper to come by and stronger than the wood they used for the last barn. What really sold it was the fact that this structure would last twice as long as any barn before it before they would have to take it down. The happiness she felt, however, was outdone by the unbridled joy she felt when she looked at her little sister. “Apple Bloom, look, your flank!!” Applejack stuttered in barely contained elation.

Apple Bloom looked at the flank in question, her excitement putting Applejack’s to shame. On her flank was the image of a ruler, a pencil, and a hammer connected to form a triangle over the image of a red apple. She began bouncing up and down in glee, shouting in pure joy before she stopped, face scrunched in confusion. “What’s it mean?” Apple Bloom asked, looking at her sister with confused eyes.

“Ah think it means yer gonna be an architect.”

“An archiwhat?”

“An architect. It means you design buildin’s and stuff like that. Apple Bloom, Ah’m so proud of you.”

“Will that help?” Apple Bloom asked when she remembered the blueprint.

“Help!? Apple Bloom, this here design will save the farm a fortune!” Applejack shouted with pride. She picked her sister up in a bone crushing hug and then the two ran inside the house to inform Granny Smith of the news.

-GWG-

“So you designed the barn?” Jonagold asked at the end of his aunt’s tale.

“Eeyup,” responded Apple Bloom in a perfect imitation of her brother and the colt’s father, “though that wasn’t the only important thing that happened that day. Right, Sweetie Belle?”

“Right,” the unicorn responded, accepting that it was her turn to tell the story, “and you had a big part in it Jonny boy.”

“Ah did?” the colt asked, pointing at himself in confusion.

“Yes, you did. It began that morning when your mom and dad asked me to foalsit you…”

-GWG-

“Are you sure you can handle this Sweetie Belle?” Fluttershy asked for the millionth time that morning. She was nervous wreck just thinking of leaving her little foal with anypony, she wasn’t concerned with the fact that the foalsitter was a certain unicorn that could burn toast to such a degree it could be mistaken for apple sauce. No, not concerned whatsoever.

“’Shy, Ah’m sure she’ll do a fine job,” Big Mac tried comforting his wife.

“Mackey, she burnt juice,” the pegasus said in such a way that only her husband could hear. Nope, not concerned at all.

“Don’t worry Fluttershy; I’m great with foals and the animals like me, so everything will be fine. Trust me,” Sweetie gave an adorable smile to seal the deal. She almost won over Fluttershy.

“Are you sure? My little Jonny can be a hoofful sometimes and he can get real cranky if he wakes up from his nap before he’s napped fully, it takes hours just to get him calm again.”

“I got this, you two have fun on your date in Canterlot,” Sweetie gave another smile before she started looking around the room, “Just to be safe, where do you keep the fire extinguisher?” Fluttershy became the slightest bit concerned.

Before she could all out panic, Big Mac began rubbing his wife’s back in between the wing joints, a spot he knew would get her to calm down and relax.

“It’s in the kitchen next to the sink, ya can’t miss it,” the work horse responded to the unicorn’s earlier question, “We’ll be back this evening, try not to get in too much trouble.” He carried his happily muttering wife on his back as they exited their home, Sweetie waving them off from the threshold.

“I won’t, you just worry about having a good time. See you later.”

Two hours later

The unicorn had just gotten her charge down for a nap. She may not have gotten her cutie mark in foalsitting, but she was skilled enough that she could have a small job of it. It made her sad though that it kept her from crusading with her friends; and when she could crusade, the one she would miss the most would be busy with flight practice. She had no idea why she preferred Scoots over Bloom, she just did. She didn’t know what that meant yet.

It was quiet once everything was settled, peaceful. She felt she could relax a bit before doing other things around the house, being so quiet she could finally think in peace. While thinking about movie quotes, a particular one unnerved her greatly; so much so she felt like she had to say it out loud in order to make sense of it.

“It’s too quiet…”

As if on cue, destiny stepped in in the form of rainbow colored explosion. The sound wave caused the once quiet home to erupt in a cacophony, the one grabbing the unicorn’s attention were the shrieks of an infant foal. She began to panic as her charge continued to cry.

“What do I do, what do I do?” she paced around the room trying to find a way calm the foal; she wanted to do a good job and it’s hard to get repeat business if the client’s foal cries the whole time. 

“Shh shh, it’s ok, aunty Sweetie is here.” More crying. She tried rocking him back and forth. More crying. She tried making funny faces at him. He quieted for a moment before crying harder. “WHY IS NOTHING WORKING!!” Sweetie Belle cried.

Destiny decided to throw her a bone with the second explosion of the day, sounding much different than the one before. She nearly shouted ‘aha!’ when an idea arrived a few seconds later. She began to sing:

Hush now, quiet now, 
it’s time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now, 
it’s time to go to bed
Drifting off to sleep
Leave the days excitement behind you
Drifting off to sleep
Let the joy of dreamland find you

Unlike the last time she sang this song here, she sang the actual lullaby in such a sweet tone. She sang so well that not only did she put the foal back to sleep; she put the animals in the house to sleep as well. She put little Jonagold back in his crib before she noticed the flash behind her. Turning around, she noticed what was now adorning her flank. Her cutie mark was that of a microphone surrounded by three music notes. She knew what this meant instantly: she was destined to become a singer. She had to stifle her shouts of glee lest she wake the sleeping foal. She continued working, hardly able to wait to tell Scootaloo. 

…And Apple Bloom of course. We can’t forget Apple Bloom can we?

-GWG-

“So ya got yer cutie mark ‘cause of me?” the colt inquired.

“Yep…well not exactly. See you were part of it, the real reason is sitting right next to me.” Sweetie Belle nodded to Scootaloo—and perhaps stared at the pegasus for far longer than necessary—for her to begin her story.

The flyer blushed, thinking she might have been caught staring at the unicorn, but played it off as a reaction to the praise. “Yep, now it’s time we get to the radical part of the story…”

-GWG-

Scootaloo and Twilight were lying on the same cloud as they waited for their instructor/friend/idol/honorary sister/possible marefriend to arrive so they could continue with their flight training. While Twilight was reading the latest addition to the library, Astrological Phenomena: A Reference Guide, Scootaloo was thinking about her friends; or, if she was being honest with herself, a certain unicorn filly that has been plaguing her thoughts as of late. If she could resent one thing about the flight practice sessions, it would have to be how it limits the amount of time she could hang out with Sweetie Belle. If she wasn’t practicing, Sweetie was working; Scootaloo was wrong to think that time away would dim the way she felt, it just made the feelings stronger.

She was brought out of her reverie by a gust of wind brought on by the mare the filly and the princess had been waiting for had finally arrived in her usual showboat manner. She had to fly by them at top speed, slow down with a flip and come to a hover in front of them. Scootaloo applauded while Twilight rolled her eyes. Rainbow Dash was wearing her coach’s hat on her head and her whistle around her neck, which she took into her mouth and let loose loudly. The trainees gave her their undivided attention (though the older of the two for reasons other than training purposes).

“ALLLRIGHT, MAGGOTS,” Dash doing her best impression of Spitfire when she’s at the Academy (it would probably earn her laps around the grounds), “You’ve both been working hard lately, and I think you’re both ready for a real test. SQUIRT!!”

“YES MA’AM!”

“Front an’ center.” Dash waited for Scootaloo to hover in front of her instructor. “I’m real proud, kid. You went from completely flightless to being the second greatest flyer in Equestria after me in only a coupla months. I think you might be ready to pull off the trick that only I have pulled off: the Sonic Rainboom!!” 

Both Scootaloo’s and Twilight’s jaws went slack when they heard this. “Rainbow, that is far too dangerous. Scootaloo could easily get hurt,” Twilight tried to caution, but it fell on deaf ears.

“I’m ready coach!” Scootaloo yelled.

“That’s the spirit! Alright, first I’ll give you a few pointers then I’ll show you how it’s done.” Dash said all this in her usual tone of voice, but then shifted to deadly serious and got closer to the young pegasus so that only she heard what was said. “Alright, for this you’re working with gravity but against the sound barrier. Don’t let it throw you off course. Keep as straight and streamlined as possible, otherwise you’re gonna get hurt like Twi’ said. Lastly, you’re not doing this for the sake of doing the trick; you’re doing it for somepony. The first time I did it, I was protecting Fluttershy’s honor; the second time I was trying to save Rarity; and every time since then I did it for…” Dash glanced at Twilight, who was reading her book, before returning her gaze to Scoots, “…a certain princess’s heart. You can’t do it for fame or for yourself; it has to be somepony who means a great deal to you, who holds a special place in your heart. Do you have somepony in mind?”

Scootaloo thought for a few moments before nodding; she had somepony in mind.

“Good. You don’t have to tell me; I think I have an idea of who it is,” Rainbow said while giving a knowing grin. She flew over to Twilight, slipping the whistle around a lavender neck before placing the hat atop her head. Dash thought she looked adorable with the coach’s gear on; Twilight was enjoying the look she was getting from the prismatic mare. After a few moments of staring into each other’s eyes, they both looked away with blushes adorning their faces. Finally Dash broke the silence: “You, uh, might not want to miss this, Princess.”

“It’s Twilight, Dash, I’ve told you not to call me that,” she said weakly, still blushing.

Scootaloo let out a sigh; she knew the two of them had fallen for each other. Months of training with them had shown her this: from certain gestures to comments to scenes like this that would have Sweetie shouting ‘Oh, Come On!’, when the tension was so great and they wouldn’t kiss. It was starting to annoy the young pegasus; any more of it and she was going to take action.

Scootaloo took her spot next to Twilight as Dash bolted to reach an appropriate height for the trick. Twilight waited until Dash was way out of earshot before she said: “Isn’t she amazing?” a dreamy look to her eyes.

The young pegasus rolled her eyes before responding in deadpan: “Yeah she is.” Either Twilight didn’t hear or chose to ignore her tone as she continued to gush. Meanwhile Dash was beginning the maneuver, her descent building up speed. Her calculations were off however as she passed the point where she was supposed to have broken the sound barrier; the cone hadn’t even formed yet. She passed the cloud the two trainees were on as the cone began to form. Seconds before she was going to abandon the trick she pulled it off, the boom going off too close for the small town’s comfort, causing minor damage in parts of the town and the destruction of one barn.

Dash pulled up and rejoined the two in the clouds. Twilight looked rather worried though she was relieved to see the flyer was ok. Scootaloo was relieved as well and began planning out how to avoid going too low.

“What happened? That was dangerous and what about the damage you probably caused?” Twilight began her onslaught of questions to the brash mare.

“Don’t worry, I just didn’t go high enough for the descent is all, I’m fine. And there isn’t any damage to the town I bet.” (Dash would later curse herself because of this comment after being bucked in the chest by an irate apple farmer and sent to the hospital for a week.) “Alright, Squirt, it’s your turn. You ready?”

Scootaloo brought down the goggles Dash gave her over her eyes. “Ready.”

She took off while Rainbow took her place next to Twilight.

“Do you want me ready to catch her with my magic should she spin out?” Twilight asked, still wearing the coach gear.

“Nah, she is gonna pull it off. I know it.” She then glanced at Twilight before gently draping a wing over the alicorn’s body. Not meeting any resistance she took this as a good sign. All of Twilight’s thoughts of Scootaloo’s safety were jettisoned out the airlock when she felt the wing across her shoulder. There were no thoughts going through the usually-thoughtful princess’s head at this point in time. All she did was focus on the sensation of the wing.

High above the scene, Scootaloo was ready for her descent. She began. She was building speed while thinking of Sweetie Belle. She resorted to saying these thoughts out loud to give her a boost.

“I like Sweetie Belle,” the cone began to take shape.

“I have a crush on Sweetie Belle,” the cone began to narrow.

“I love Sweetie Belle,” her hooves were nearly touching the tip of the cone.

“I’M IN LOVE WITH SWEETIE BELLE!!” the barrier broke.

There was a nanosecond of silence that was only observed by Scootaloo before a loud boom that sounded nothing like a rainboom shattered all other noise in the area. Looking behind her she noticed the wave was not like the multicolored explosion she’s used to; the blast behind her was an expanding ring of fire: orange on the outside, purple within. She also noticed she had a trail behind her that looked like she was producing orange and purple flames. She let out a whoop before joining the two awestruck mares. It took them awhile before they regained their senses; Dash being the first to break the silence.

“That…was…AWESOME!! You did it! You pulled off a Sonic Rainboom! I knew you co-”

“That wasn’t a Sonic Rainboom,” Twilight said, cutting off the future Wonderbolt.

“What?! Of course she did. You saw it with your very eyes; she pulled off a Sonic Rai-”

It was Scootaloo’s turn to interrupt her idol: “She’s right, it wasn’t your trick; it was different, it looked and sounded different.”

“Alright then what was it?” Rainbow Dash asked, not really knowing what to think in this situation.

It was Twilight who spoke after looking at her book: “It’s called a Super Nova. Before you ask, it isn’t a trick from legend; I just came up with the name. It’s rather fitting, no?”

“Super Nova…I like it!” Scootaloo shouted before there was a bright flash from behind her.

Dash was the one to point it out, “Congratulations, Squirt, ya got your cutie mark.”

On her flank was a purple fireball under a pair of orange wings in the shape of a ‘V’. Scootaloo leapt for joy; she couldn’t wait to tell Sweetie Belle.

“What does it mean?” Twilight asked, unable to make heads or tails of it.

Dash snickered, “Duh, it means she’s destined to be a stunt flyer, she’s gonna be a Wonderbolt like me.”

“No, Dash,” Scootaloo stated, conviction in her eyes, “it means I’m destined to be a stuntmare, but I follow my own path. I want to be Scootaloo, not the second coming of Rainbow Dash. I thought my path lied in your shadow, but now I know I’m meant to have my own spotlight. I’m not living your dream, Dash, I’m living mine.”

Dash was the epitome of proud, for once not of herself but of this filly before her. “That is what I wanted hear kid. Can’t say I’m the best flyer anymore, cause now we’re tied for first,” she extended her hoof, “May the best mare win.” When she finished there were tears rolling down her face.

Scootaloo accepted the hoofshake. Smiling with pride, she lifted off from the cloud. “I gotta go tell my friends the good news. Thanks again Dash.” She headed towards Ponyville.

Twilight finally spoke after Scootaloo left. 

“So what do I have to do for my test, coach?”

It wasn’t what was said, but rather how it was said and the look she gave Dash that made the pegasus’s legs feel like jelly and had her stuttering like an idiot.

“I…uh…would…I mean…wanna…go-”

“JUST KISS HER ALREADY!!!” Scootaloo shouted before taking off again, leaving two furiously blushing mares on the cloud.

Rainbow was too stunned to do anything, so it was Twilight who took the initiative. The pegasus was again too stunned to react right away to the Princess kissing her passionately, but once she regained the ability to move she kissed back with equal passion. Minutes later they separated to catch their breaths.

“Best. Day. Ever.” (Rainbow would redact this statement after being kicked in the chest by Applejack) “Come on let’s go tell Applejack the good news!" (She still claims that was the worst mistake she has ever made in her entire life).

-GWG-

“Wow that’s amazin’” stated the awestruck colt.

“Alright Jonagold Apple, it’s time to go home, say goodbye to your aunt and her friends,” called his gentle mother after having finished talking to Pinkie.

The hyperactive colt said his goodbyes before leaving with his shy mother. After they left, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were brought back to a memory of great importance to both of them.

-GWG-

“I still can’t believe we all got our cutie marks at the same time, and all because of you,” Sweetie squeaked and blushed slightly, turning towards the setting sun to hide it. It was at this point that she discovered what her feelings meant; she had a crush on her flying friend.

Apple Bloom had headed back to the home after hearing what sounded like a pained cry from the farm. It was just the two of them now; they would have used this time to confess their feelings had it not been for what Apple Bloom said before she left. She had mentioned that she already had drawn twenty or so blueprints for buildings, and that she was going to head to the library the next day to pick up some architecture books to get some inspiration. This had led them to simultaneously think the same thought.

We have our cutie marks…now what?

They both realized that in order to proceed with their dream, they needed to be creative. Scootaloo needed to build up a list of moves; she couldn’t rely on the Super Nova, it would become less special. Sweetie Belle needed to write new songs; she couldn’t just stick to singing already existing songs, she wouldn’t get far like that. They both decided without the other’s knowledge that they would be closer to achieving their dreams before taking a chance at a relationship. Never had they been more foolish.

Scootaloo finally decided to respond Sweetie’s earlier comment, “It’s no big deal. Well it’s getting late, I should head home. Have a good night.”

“You too.”

They hugged each other before departing company, though the hug lasted longer than one between two friends; it was more like one between two lovesick ponies looking for any reason to extend the contact. They vowed that they would be further along the path towards their goals before starting a relationship, believing that they would be there in a matter of weeks.

-GWG-

They painfully realized that was five years ago to this very day, and both were no closer to their goal. They weren’t even the same goals anymore. Now Scootaloo just wanted to create one new trick; it didn’t even have to beat the Super Nova, which she hasn’t done since that fateful day five years ago. Sweetie Belle just wanted to write one song, just one; it didn’t even have to be an amazing single, just as long as she wrote it. And five years have only made the building emotions worse; it was sheer agony holding back the emotions now. Back then they thought they only wanted a simple relationship, just seeing where it takes them. Now, each was sure that the other was her soul mate; they were meant for each other and EVERYPONY could see it. But the vow they made still stood in the way.

The CMC were about to continue their earlier conversation when Pinkie Pie interrupted them.

“Sorry ladies but I’m gonna have to ask you to leave; the author is very tired and he wants to go to bed,” Pinkie Pie said sadly; she liked where this story was going.

“What?” the three mares asked simultaneously.

“I need you ladies to leave; gwg is very tired and he wants to go to bed,” Pinkie Pie repeated to the trio, listening intently to make sure they heard the hyper baker right this time.

The three mares left without further hesitation; it’s best to just let Pinkie Pie be Pinkie Pie. Apple Bloom left the group first, heading back to her home on the farm.

“Who knows; Ah might find inspiration along the way.”

This was Destiny (or Discord, depending on who you ask) rearing his head into business again by dropping that key word in their friend’s sentence. As they did five years ago, they simultaneously had the same paradigm shifting thought; a thought that would bring them closer to their dreams and to true happiness:

I need to find my inspiration!
> Dramatic Dialogue with a Dressmaker
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The life of a wedding singer, no matter how successful, is not a grand one. A pony sings songs that other ponies wrote to the best of that pony’s ability, and for what; some meaningless bits and some equally meaningless future contracts. The songs aren’t their own; they can’t feel the passion of singing something they created with their own hooves. They feel that they are simply an easily forgotten entertainer.

This was how Sweetie Belle felt after doing this job for three years. She didn’t regret the experience; she got to use her talent to make ponies feel happy, especially on their happiest of days. Without this job she would not have come to work with her cousin Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Melody, her mentors in the musical arts and her closest friends after Scoots and Bloom. The couple would provide the instrumental backup for the singer when they weren’t busy with their own careers. Vee and Octy were the only ponies that knew of Sweetie’s goal; to write her own song before confronting Scootaloo with her feelings.  They tried to help her however they could but Octavia had yet to have written her own material and Scratch was more familiar with wubs than she was with lyrics.

No, Sweetie could not regret the experience and the friends she made over the years, but she couldn’t help the emptiness she felt now. Despite the joy she felt when singing for the happy couples, the bliss she felt when the happy couple was her sister with her new wife Applejack, or the pure love she felt whenever she spotted the mare of her affections watching her sing, it was all meaningless; she was no closer to her goal than when she made the accursed vow.

She thought that if she sang professionally, she would eventually write a song and finally be able to be with Scootaloo. She thought she made progress only one time: when Vinyl and Octavia agreed to provide the background for whatever song she wrote. She had been so happy that day; thinking that her goal was within reach and that she was a few steps from being in Scootaloo’s embrace. That all she had to do now was take quill to scroll and her dream will be complete. And so she sat that night, a burning candle to her left, an ink jar to her right, as she stared at a blank scroll for hours. And she repeated this process the next night, and the next night, and the next. She had done this ritual every night for the past three years with nothing to show for it besides melted stubs of candles.

She thought that tonight was going to be the same as all the nights before it, but after leaving Sugarcube Corner she knew it would be different. She left with the goal in mind that she was going to ask her mentors how they got inspiration for the songs they made. She rushed to their apartment full of hope…

…Until she remembered that they were both on tour presently. So she turned around and headed towards the home of another mare whose career depended upon inspiration.

-GWG-

Sweetie Belle didn’t need to knock on the door of Carousel Boutique since it was as much her home as it was Rarity’s and Applejack’s. She had been living with her sister for four years now on a more permanent basis ever since their parents decided that the two should move in together. Rarity was happy to welcome her into her home and Applejack, who had just moved in herself, had no objections. Their only condition was that when they asked her to find something to do outside that she obeyed without question. She had learned the hard way why they wanted her gone, so now whenever they asked her to leave, she complied, albeit with a blush upon her face. A certain song came to mind later that evening as she thought ‘I wasn’t prepared for this.’

As she entered the shop, the bell above the door chimed, alerting the two mares upstairs that they were no longer alone.

“Ah, darling, it appears we have guests,” called a voice from upstairs, the Manehattenite accent sounding nothing like her sister’s usual Canterlot accent; though there was a little southern tint to it.

“Well, why don’t we see who it is, Sugarcube?” came the second voice, butchering a southern twang; sounding foreign compared to the familiar accent of the Apple family.

If what she heard confused the singer, then what she saw next made everything she knew a lie. She had expected that this phenomenon was the work of changelings replacing the couple, and that she was next. What she saw was much more frightening. An orange earth pony mare descended first, her blonde mane and tail done in way similar to Rarity’s; she performed a small curtsey before the other mare arrived. The alabaster unicorn had her mane and tail straightened and tied at the ends, similar in style of a certain apple farmer; upon her head was said farmer’s Stetson, which was tipped in the direction of the guest in greeting.

“Well, howdy Sweetie Belle. How’re y’all doin’?” Rarity asked after readjusting the prized hat.

“Yes and how was your little rendezvous with your friends, darling?” Applejack inquired before standing next to her wife.

Sweetie couldn’t take it anymore. “What the hay is going on?!” she shrieked.

“Well you see dear, your lovely sister and I are in the middle of some friendly competition. We each have to act like the other until one of us submits.” Applejack had a mischievous glint in her eyes as she said this.

“Eeyep, an’ tah loser has to do whatever the winner wants ‘em tah do. No complaints.” Rarity had a sly grin upon her face; Sweetie could tell that her sister was sure she was going to win. The singer knew otherwise.

“Little does my charming wife know that I use this accent all the time whenever I try to strike up contracts with restaurants in the fair city or when I attend soirees held by my beloved aunt and uncle. Whereas I believe that this is the second time Rarity has tried to mimic my preferred accent and is about to break.” Sweetie saw a look she only saw Octavia give Vinyl whenever the DJ fell in one of the cellists witty traps.  She never imagined she would see it elsewhere, let alone on Applejack.

“Ah…Ah…I…” Rarity stuttered before sinking her head in defeat, “You win. By Celestia, it was so frustrating talking in such an uncouth way…I-it’s quite charming when you talk like that, though. Hehe,” She quickly corrected herself while Applejack was doing a little victory dance.

“That’s not how Ah talk by the way; Ah know how tah say ‘the’. That was jus’ insultin’.” Rarity was ashamed and was about to apologize when Sweetie interrupted.

“Alright; well, I came here to talk to you, Rarity. It’s important,” Sweetie Belle piped in after they were finished with post-game activities.

Both mares stopped what they were doing to give the singer their full attention.

“What is it, dear? You know I’m here to help you however I can,” Rarity said with concern; her ridiculous appearance countering how serious she was.

Now was the time to get answers, and Sweetie Belle wasn’t going to wait another moment.

“How do you find inspiration?” She finally asked, her eyes burning with determination; she had wasted enough time on this quest.

Rarity pondered for a moment. If she wasn’t aware of the true reason for this question, she would have answered rather vaguely, saying things like ‘inspiration is all around you; you just have to know where to look’. However, she was quite aware of her sister’s true goal and of the mare this was all for; she had known since her wedding about her sister’s vow when Octavia had told her. During a break in the performance the cellist came to Rarity, prompting the bride to look at the wedding singer and her stuntmare friend. The dressmaker knew immediately that the two were in love but could tell something was in the way. Octavia elaborated on that something and said she was doing this to help her pupil and friend find the same love that she and the DJ had. Rarity knew it was her duty as a sister to help in any way she can; with that in mind she knew how to proceed.

“Sweetie, do you remember my fall line for last year?”

“How could I forget? It is your most popular line yet; ponies are still ordering dresses from it and the fashion magazines are saying it will be what everypony who is anypony will be wearing this fall,” the singer replied in excitement.

“Want to know what my inspiration for that was?” Applejack knew what was going to happen next as a smile came to her face.

“Yes, that would help me so much!” at this the farmer drew attention to herself by taking a small bow. Rarity saw that this had the desired effect as Sweetie’s eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

“That’s right, dear sister, my inspiration for that fantastic line was none other than my lovely wife, though their beauty fails to compare with you, Jackie.” Rarity stated happily, slightly misty eyed as she looked to the farmer.

“How?!” Sweetie needed to know; the dresses didn’t make her think of her sister-in-law whatsoever, there was nothing that screamed “Applejack” in the line. The singer thought it was clear what the inspiration was for a piece of art: be it a painting, a dress, or a song. 

“It’s simple really. I thought about how she made me feel throughout the years.” She stood up to go get a magazine which had pictures of all the dresses. She pointed to the first dress in the gallery, “I created this when I thought about the months before we got together. If you remember I would make sure to put on some blush if I knew we were going to meet up in order to hide my real blush. She had the worst poker face whenever Rainbow would accuse her of having the ‘hots’ for me; it was precious. This one I came up with when I remembered when we first started dating; or more importantly, when she confessed she loved me. At that moment I felt the happiest I had ever been in my life and I thought I couldn’t be happier. This dress shows how wrong I was; this represents when she proposed to me years later. I had been suspicious that she was hiding something; like seeing somepony else, that’s how shifty she was being about the whole thing. Here’s the one for the wedding; and there’s the one for the wedding night. I’m not going to tell you about that.

“All I did was think about these events and what they meant to me and it’s almost as if the dresses drew themselves. That is how you know you have your inspiration; it feels like some outside source is guiding your horn as you create. You feel out of control as something else takes hold; unleashes your raw emotion onto the paper. I wasn’t even trying to come up with anything; all I did was think about my Jackie and then inspiration struck. You don’t interfere with it, just let it flow freely; don’t dare stop until it has run its course. Think about how somepony makes you feel and you will understand, and may indeed be struck by this force we artists call inspiration.”

As Rarity was finishing her speech, Sweetie Belle began to wonder. How does Scootaloo make me feel? I know I love her, but why? We’ve been friends for the longest time and we stood up for each other when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon picked on us all those years ago. We met Apple Bloom together and formed a bond that still exists today. She was instrumental in getting our cutie marks; I don’t think I could ever thank her fully for what she did, I can only hope that my love for her will be enough. She is beyond a doubt the most beautiful mare I have ever seen, and she does it without any makeup. She could have any pony she wants, but, I think she at least likes me more than most. I can work with that. These feelings are tearing me up inside, it hurts to have to hide it all the time. If I can just write this one song, then I can confess my feelings; whether they are returned or not. I know I love her and I want her to know it too.

As Sweetie was in her reverie, she began to hum a tune. To the married couple it was slow paced; sounding sad and yet hopeful. It sounded like it could be a love song. But most importantly, it sounded like a powerful and completely original song.

Rarity was happy, but she had to hold herself back from leaping with joy; she knew something was missing. She has the melody for the song, but she doesn’t have the lyrics. Poor dear, she’s so close. But there is nothing I or anypony else can do for her now. Nopony; except for her heart’s desire. I know Octavia said that at this point Sweetie is just trying to come up with any song; but this, this is powerful stuff. I don’t know how well this song will do, but I know it will be the most important thing to her, just as this line of dresses is the most important thing to me. I know she worries about how her love will receive it, but I saw how Scootaloo looks at Sweetie Belle; it’s identical to how Rainbow looks at Twilight, or how I look at Jackie; knowing that this pony is my soul mate. I know she will love the song, second only to how much she loves Sweetie Belle. Sweetie is composing her Ode to Scootaloo, and I think fireworks will go off if she finishes it tonight.

The sisters were broken out of their own little worlds by a voice with a southern accent. “Would either of ya like somethin’ tah eat? Ah’m just ‘bout tah make some grub; should Ah make enough fer three?”

“That would be lovely dear, thank you,” Rarity responded happily, though inwardly she was cross at the farmer. Sweetie Belle’s flow had been interrupted; it would take something, or somepony, important to get her back into that flow once more.

“I would love some!” shouted Sweetie Belle, her outer enthusiasm hiding her inner turmoil. She knew she was so close; she had a tune for Celestia’s sake; that was more than she ever had towards a new song. So close; she could almost taste Scootaloo’s lips. That thought sent a shiver down her spine; she wanted to kiss that pegasus so badly, it was driving her mental. It was worse when they would hug; their muzzles so close to touching only diverge at the last second to bring their heads to the other’s shoulder. And of course the hug would last too long were it between two friends, but Sweetie always thought that it was not long enough. She hated her younger self for making that vow five years ago; she wished that she never made it or that Scootaloo would force her to break it with her own actions, but alas, despite all the signs that stuntmare liked her back, she took no action towards dating the singer. The flame of determination to take action tonight was now merely burning embers, but it was far from extinguished.

-GWG-

The trio enjoyed a fantastic dinner prepared by Applejack; especially since she was a far better cook than the sisters. The couple still had their manes styled like their partners’ and Rarity still wore the hat for some reason. Sweetie Belle had grabbed her saddle bag with her notebook inside of it and brought it to the table; she wanted to be ready should inspiration strike again. She tried to think about Scootaloo again, to refuel what once was a powerful bonfire in her heart. Her actions only kept her determination alive; she just couldn’t bring it back to its former glory.

Rarity looked at her saddened sister; though she felt her pain, she also felt her hope. She wished that Sweetie would hold onto that hope, because with it Rarity felt that tonight still had potential for great things. There was a general air of importance about tonight; similar to the one felt on the day Applejack proposed. 

-GWG-


Two years earlier

It was a day like any other; Applejack wanted to go out for a picnic, which there was nothing unusual about since they went for one every week. However, there was something in the air that day; a feeling that today was going to be special. Rarity had felt this twice before; once when Sweetie got her cutie mark, and the other time was the day Fluttershy informed her friends that she was pregnant; so she knew to listen to it this time as well.

The picnic started like all the ones before it; they found a spot, set up the blanket and food, and began eating. Halfway through the meal, Applejack pointed up to the sky saying, “What is that feather-brain up to?”

Rarity stood up to get a better look before she began her response, “I believe she’s writing something in the clou-,” she halted when she began to see what was being written out. She felt tears form in the corner of her eyes when the sentence was finished, though it was more of a question:


Rarity, will you marry me?-AJ


The tears she held back were let loose when her eyes fell upon her marefriend of four years, kneeling before the unicorn with one hoof clutching her Stetson while the other held a small purple velvet box. Inside was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen; it didn’t matter that it didn’t appear that expensive, or that it wasn’t the largest diamond she had ever seen (nothing could ever compare to Tom). All that she cared about was that it was her Jackie asking for her hoof in marriage; that is what made it all the more beautiful.

“Oh, Jackie. Yes, yes of course I’ll marry you; you’ve made me the happiest mare alive.”

“Not as happy as you made me, Sugarcube.” They shared a tender embrace for some time. When they separated they continued with their picnic, though they were a lot closer than they were before.

“How did you get Rainbow to write the proposal in the sky for you?” Rarity asked after finishing their happily interrupted meal, engagement ring adorning her horn.

“Ah bought her off with a barrel of cider and a promise to never buck her in the chest ever again. She did her job so Ah’ll hold up my end of the bargain.” The engaged couple shared a laugh before they wrapped up their picnic.

-GWG-

The dressmaker was brought out of trip down memory lane by a knock at the door. She was about to rise, but Destiny (Applejack was more for Team Discord) intervened by having Sweetie Belle get up first.

“I’ll get it!” The younger unicorn rushed to the door to turn down the customer who couldn’t read the store hours outside. “I’m sorry but the Boutique is closed for the night. Come back between the hours of eight and six if you want a dr-” She stopped when she opened her eyes expecting to see the confused customer, only to find a face she had been dying to see again since she left the bakery earlier that day. “Scoots?!”

The stuntmare stood at the threshold of the store, smiling sheepishly and scratching the back of her head. She had a slight blush on her cheeks, matching the intensity of the singer’s though less noticeable due to her coat’s color. After a moment of silence she spoke, “Hey, Sweetie Belle, I was going to go practice some tricks tonight and I was wondering if my number one cheerleader wanted to come watch and cheer me on.”

“Sure, let me just grab my things and we’ll head out.” She ran back to the kitchen and grabbed her saddlebag, its only contents being her notebook and a pencil; she knew she was going to need these, she felt it in her gut. Before she left she hugged the couple saying her goodbyes; when she hugged Rarity she whispered into her ear, squeaking with barely contained excitement.

“Wish me luck!”

“Break a leg, dear. You have quite the performance ahead of you,” Rarity whispered back, tears at the ready. She watched as her younger sister left for her date with Destiny; practically skipping to the door in a similar fashion to Pinkie Pie. Rarity sat at the table, looking back and forth between her wife and the door. Finally Applejack sighed.

“Go on, go after her. Ah’ll handle the dishes, you jus’ make sure she doesn’t muck this up; Ah’d rather not owe Big Mac fifty bits.”

“Are you sure? I don’t have to go after them.”

“But ya want to. And Ah ain’t gonna stop ya. Just be back before late; you and Ah have a lot of apple buckin’ to do tomorrah.”

“What?!” Rarity exclaimed in an unladylike manner. She was about to complain when her wife held her hoof up.

“AH, no complainin’ remember the deal?” Applejack stated with a sly grin on her face.

“Damn!” Defeated she headed towards the door. Before she left she turned saying “I’ll see you later tonight with good news.”

“Ah hope so.” The farmer said once her wife was gone. After which she finally remembered that Rarity still had her Stetson.

> Wonderful Wordplay with a Wonderbolt
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It isn’t easy being a solo stuntmare; it’s difficult to garner the attention of the masses when ponies want to see the skill of the Wonderbolts. How does one even begin to compete with the greatest stunt team in all of Equestria? What is needed is a trick that the Wonderbolts could never dream of pulling off; a certain something that overshadows all else. What is needed is nothing short of a masterpiece; something that will talked about long after the pony who pulled it off is nothing but dust and legend.

This is the challenge that Scootaloo once dreamt of overcoming. She dreamed of being a performer that rivaled the Wonderbolts and all of their feats of wonder, aspiring to be the greatest flier in all of pegasus history. But most of all, she envisioned doing all of this with a certain unicorn by her side, supporting her through everything.

The years, however, have begun to eat away at her goal. The brash pegasus now lacked the determination she knew she would need to become the best. Five years ago she felt ready to ask the mare of her affections out on a date, having successfully overcome her nerves when she earned her cutie mark. But she had foolishly made a vow to be further towards a career fitting her talent, setting up an obstacle that would deny her happiness. She now sought a way to dismantle this obstacle without breaking her vow; but to do that she still needed to create a trick, a task which still eluded her.

Scootaloo was not without occupation, however; she held the position of captain of the weather team in Ponyville. She had been a part of the team for four years, and had been promoted to Captain when Rainbow Dash retired to join the Wonderbolts. The townsfolk say that Scootaloo has done a better job than the previous captain, though the orange pegasus would never say so herself. Captain for two years and there have been no incidents involving the weather; it always occurred as forecasted and there was never any need to compensate for missed rainfall with a massive storm. Princess Twilight noted an increase of 10% in the efficiency of the weather team during Winter Wrap-up the year Scootaloo took over as team leader. Dash was never upset that her protege outshined her in this regard; rather she was proud of her decisions.

When she wasn’t performing her duties or hanging out with the CMC, Scootaloo was practicing her stunt skills. She hadn’t been able to perform the Super Nova since the day she got her cutie mark, but she wasn’t as concerned about it as Dash was when she couldn’t perform the Sonic Rainboom. Instead of her unique trick, Scootaloo would run through a routine that was a mixture of some basic tricks, Dash’s pre-Wonderbolts maneuvers, and some tricks the prismatic Wonderbolt allowed her to have a peek of, keeping her skills sharp. She would always ask for both of her friends to cheer her on while she practiced, but she prefered it when Apple Bloom couldn’t make it, allowing her to have some alone time with her number one cheerleader; a fact Scootaloo was never afraid to let Sweetie Belle know. Apple Bloom knew this and wasn’t always truthful when she would say she was busy; she wanted to give them time to be together. Scootaloo always performed with much more enthusiasm whenever Sweetie was watching from below.

There were some nights, when she was feeling at her lowest, that Scootaloo would question whether it was a good idea not to follow in her idol’s hoofsteps. She wondered if she had become a reflection of Dash, would she be holding her Sweetie Belle in her arms that very night, snuggling close and appreciating the warmth they radiated? She would imagine herself in a Wonderbolt flight suit, her lips locked with those of her singer, isolating themselves in their own little world where nothing mattered except their embrace. But this moment of weakness would pass when Scootaloo would realize that she wouldn’t be herself; it would be a copy of Rainbow Dash with her Sweetie Belle. After that she would go to bed, not admitting to a soul that she cried herself to sleep.

She needed to create a new trick; Scootaloo did not know how she was going to do this and before she had gone to the weekly get together at the bakery the pegasus believed that it was going to be another low night, but Destiny’s intervention that day made her change her plans. Now, her goal for this evening was to find out how to find inspiration. She could clear the clouds later; right now she headed to the castle, though not to seek an audience with the princess of friendship.

-GWG-

After spending a half hour trying to find the royal couple, the pegasus found Starlight Glimmer, who informed her that they were up in the private library but that they probably shouldn't be disturbed. Despite this, the stuntmare determined that she needed to speak to her idol and that they wouldn't mind. Just as she was about to enter the library, Scootaloo heard something on the other side of the door. She was certain that someone was talking, but couldn’t make out the words. It didn’t sound like a whole conversation, since only one pony was speaking. Scootaloo had no idea why she was just standing there trying to listen, but she did. There was a gasp from beyond the door, followed by what sounded like a question; she didn’t hear what was asked, but heard the response loud and clear.

“YESYESYESYES! OF COURSE I WILL!” came the excited scream of one Princess Twilight Sparkle. Scootaloo recognized this excited tone: Twilight sounded exactly like she did when she was telling the CMC the tale of how she got her cutie mark; whatever happened had to equal or top that. It was at this moment that Scootaloo remembered her mission and that this was a public library; with this in mind she opened the door.

What greeted her was the sight of her idol and the aforementioned princess kissing passionately. Perhaps I should try another time. Her blind escape was interrupted by her flank bumping into the nearest book case, knocking several books onto the floor.

“Sorry, sorry. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” The red-faced pegasus apologized to the equally red-faced couple in the middle of the room. Slowly they separated and then faced the new arrival, the blushing only dimmed slightly.

“Uh…haha, hey Squirt. No, you’re not interrupting anything.” Rainbow replied while scratching her head, her voice cracked the entire time. Once Twilight discovered the power she had over Dash, she abused it to no end. The alicorn would always get a kick out of teasing her pegasus lover, seeing and hearing how flustered she would get. The innocent words combined with the not-so-innocent tone would always get the Wonderbolt to blush furiously and her voice to crack in the most adorable way; sometimes she would even pull off a Fluttershy impression. But Twilight’s favorite part was how Dash’s wings would always shoot up. It didn’t matter that the pegasus expected it, there was nothing she could do to stop it; and why would she.

“Uh, yeah, there’s nothing to worry about.” Twilight followed, ears flat against her skull as she smiled sheepishly. The princess wasn’t safe from teasing either; Rainbow knew just how to make the bookworm forget her extensive vocabulary and could get her out of a study block like no one else could. All it took was one tiny nibble on her left ear (nothing would happen with the right, Rainbow had already tried) and the Princess of Friendship was mere putty in Dash’s hooves. Twilight didn’t care how important the material was, whenever this was done she was happy to take a break.

“So what happened if you don’t mind me asking?” Scootaloo inquired, breaking the awkward silence that had developed.

“Well, I asked Twi’ to marry me…” Rainbow Dash began.

“...And I said yes!” Twilight finished, drawing attention to the diamond ring adorning her horn.

“Congratulations! I knew it was a matter of time before you two got hitched.” The orange mare stated happily with the tension no longer present, distracted from her mission until Rainbow reminded her.

“So what brings ya here? Come for a book?” Dash gleefully asked, though her attention was drawn to a familiar feeling.

“Oh yeah! Dash, how do you find inspiration?” Scootaloo mentally berated herself for forgetting something so important; how could she forget about the discussion that would bring her closer to her own happiness?

Rainbow put her previous thoughts aside as she contemplated how to answer her little sister’s question. She knew about Scootaloo’s feelings for Sweetie Belle for the longest time, being probably the second pony to figure it out after Pinkie Pie (she didn’t know that the baker knew, but just assumed so because Pinkie Pie). She also knew about the vow. Dash had been approached by Vinyl during Rarity and AJ’s wedding, where she told the pegasus about Sweetie Belle’s feelings and her goal. Rainbow figured that Scoots was doing something similar and vowed to help her honorary little sister in any way she could; besides, the new weather captain probably saved the couple another month of awkwardness when she stepped in to help. She now knew exactly what to tell the curious mare.

“Wanna hear how I became a wonderbolt?” The cocky mare asked with a smirk; she knew this would work.

“Again!? I’ve heard it like a hundred times.” The years had diminished Scootaloo’s enthusiasm towards her idol’s bragging. “Can’t you just tell me your point?”

Rainbow muttered something about an ungrateful brat before she replied with “Fine! But no complaining about it being boring!”

“Ok, so remember the tricks I pulled off that day?” Without waiting for a response she continued, “Well I completely forgot the routine I had planned as I started flying. I had a whole routine of new moves for the show, and my mind just went blank. Before I could panic I saw Twi’ in the royal box of the stadium and as I thought of her inspiration struck. I just performed; I flew, I didn’t think and everything just happened. I finished my run and heard the applause; I knew I had gotten in and Twi’ told me later that what I did up there was ten times better than what I had planned before. She was more than a little happy when I told her I thought of her as I did it.

“That is how inspiration works. It is more of a force than anything else; it is an artist, the sky is the canvas, and we are the paintbrush. It just uses our bodies to create and the magic of creating something new just happens. Just do whatever it tells ya without question, like I told you when you pulled off the Super Nova; you just have to keep someone in mind and it will work for ya. What about you Twi’?”

Nodding, the alicorn replied, “When I created the counter spell that sparked my ascension, I felt that force that Rainbow was talking about. Thinking about how I brought my friends back to their normal selves, inspiration used my body to create it. I just did as it told me and when I was finished I was a princess. In situations such as that you don’t think, you just let it act through you, knowing the product will be nothing short of amazing. That is how it is done.”

The couple looked to their guest, noticed that she was deep in thought. They left her to her thoughts while they prepared dinner. I just have to keep someone in mind and it will work for me? But I always think about her when I try to come up with something. Wait, she said that she was looking at Twilight when inspiration struck, and Twilight had her friends around her when she created her spell; they said that they just did what they were told and inspiration used them to create. Maybe I need Sweetie Belle with me when I try to make a new trick. No planning, cause Dash went into the tryouts with nothing and wowed them with her performance. So I think of Sweetie Belle while trying to perform a new move; what do I think of her? Well she is hooves down the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria. It doesn’t matter if she wears makeup or not, nothing can top her beauty. And that voice, like an angelic chorus. I know that at those weddings she is singing for all the ponies there, but in my heart I feel that she is singing just for me. If she sang just for me, not for anyone else, just me, I don’t know what I would do. It’s her eyes though, that eclipse all else. Those emerald pools, be they half-lidded when she’s singing or open wide in awe when she watches me fly, they see into my very soul as I see into hers. Those eyes have haunted my dreams for over five years now, and I don’t regret that; I just have to do this and then we can finally be together. I will be with you soon, my Sweetie Belle.

As Scootaloo’s thoughts changed to debating whether or not she was spending too much time in the library given the descriptive words she used, Rainbow Dash was in the middle of her own mental monologue. You’re real close, Squirt; I can tell. And given this twitch in my wing, I’m guessing me and Twi’s engagement isn’t the only big thing happening today. I think you’re gonna do it. She watched as Scootaloo got up and picked out a book; the very same one Twilight was reading on that day five years ago. Dash felt that twitch again and thought back to another time she felt it.

-GWG-


Two years ago

The day had arrived; she had been training hard and Dash knew she was going to get into the Wonderbolts. She was prepared for celebrating her achievement; her part in AJ’s proposal the day before had been rewarded with a barrel of cider from the Apple family’s own stash (though the real reward was Applejack’s promise to never buck her in the chest ever again, the cider was just a bonus). She knew her routine was perfect; she had spent months planning it. But what made her 100% certain of her chances was  this twitch; she felt it the day Fluttershy gave birth, and the day that Twi and herself got together. I got this.

All of her friends were at the Cloudsdale Cloudiseum ready to cheer her on; her closest friends were with Twilight in the royal box, ready to outdo all others in the volume of their cheers. A few minutes were used to congratulate the newly engaged couple and to ask them when the wedding was. They were silenced when it came time for Rainbow’s run.

She approached the starting area. I got this. She readied herself for takeoff. I got this. She took off in the air. I got...nothing!?

Blank. There was not a trace of routine left in her brain. I know it involved...flying. That’s helpful. Twi’, I need help; you’re good under pressure, what would you do? As she looked to her marefriend for any help whatsoever, ideas began to rush into her mind; far too many to think through each one. So she did what she did best; she just acted. She assigned all of her thoughts to her princess while her body just moved. 

If something told her to go left, she went left. Right, right. If something told her to form clouds into balls, she made sure she had the right number. If something told her to do a Sonic Rainboom, she did it. If it said to do it again, she was cool with that. If it said to form a six-pointed starburst with her rainbow trail, she did not deviate from her task.

The crowd saw as Dash pulled off a Double Rainboom and then use her trail to form Princess Twilight’s cutie mark. Said princess was too overjoyed to note that wasn’t what Rainbow had planned to do, impressed that the cloud balls from earlier were used as the five stars surrounding her center starburst. And nopony had ever pulled off a Double Rainboom before; Rainbow didn’t even think about it before but here it was.

As Dash landed, she noted that her wing was still twitching; so her performance wasn’t the important thing. It wasn’t long before she discovered what it was. Spitfire herself landed next to the still panting pegasus before giving her a Wonderbolts flight suit. “Welcome to the team, Dash. Training starts up next week and we start touring in two months. Now go celebrate.”

The ecstatic pegasus hardly noticed that the twitching stopped.

-GWG-

The prismatic mare stopped her recollection when the food was finished. Together, the three of them had a nice pasta dinner (the only meal the couple could cook without filling the library with black smoke). They ate in silence and each were left to their own thoughts; Scootaloo was developing a plan of action, Rainbow was discerning the meaning of this wing twitch, and Twilight was thinking about what to do to her fiance later on tonight. Then she contemplated telling her friends the next day.

“I can’t wait to tell the others. Who should we tell first? Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Applejack are the closest to us.” Twilight began to ponder, ignoring her fiance’s reaction.

Rainbow shivered at the last name. Though she had her word, Dash was still wary of the farmer. Worst mistake in my life. “Why don’t we hold off until later and we’ll tell ‘em all at once?” she asked nervously.

Scootaloo, meanwhile, remembered that Sweetie Belle would be at the Boutique tonight; her plan was set and she was determined to go through with it. “Hey, thanks for the dinner but I gotta go see if Sweetie wants to hang out tonight. I’ll see you guys later and congratulations, again.”

The couple said goodbye to her and started cleaning up as she was leaving. They had finished putting away the dishes and were about to head up to living area when Rainbow’s wing started twitching again. She was conflicted; she wanted to make sure Scoots makes it through okay, but she also wanted to spend time with Twilight. The alicorn could sense her indecision and made the decision for her.

“Well, what are you waiting for, featherbrain? Make sure she gets the mare.” Twilight said while making a shooing motion with her hoof.

“You sure? It’s our anniversary and I don’t want to ruin it by ditching you.” Rainbow replied unsure.

“You’re not going to ruin it. Go!” Twilight headed towards the bedroom; before she entered a sly grin came to her face and she turned to look at Rainbow with a half-lidded glance. “But don’t stay out too long; I still need to give you your anniversary gift.” The tone had the desired effect.

Pomf

“Eep.” Twilight didn’t need to see the erect wings or the flustered face as she headed into the bedroom, giggling. “You better have her swooning kid!” It was hard to sound threatening when her voice cracked. She walked out of the library to follow her honorary sister, her wings too stiff to take off into the air.

> A Song of Fire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The hopeful pair were making their way to a large field just outside of Ponyville, a familiar location  being Scootaloo’s practice field. It was perfect for a stuntmare: there were no buildings that she could potentially crash into, it was close enough to the town for quick trips to the clinic in case of emergencies, and yet far away enough to grant privacy. The potential lovers were engaged in only the most serious of conversations.

“Why was Applejack’s mane done up like that? And why was Rarity wearing her stetson?” Scootaloo asked, being too focused on the task at hoof and too disturbed by the scene to ask when they were at the Boutique.

“They told me it was for a bet, and I believe Applejack. But I think I may have interrupted their alone time.” Sweetie shuddered, not wanting to think about what she would have seen if she walked in later than she did. “I think they’re thankful to you for getting me out of their manes. Thanks for asking me to hang out by the way.” She added with a slight tinge of pink dotting her cheeks.

Little did the mares know that they had an audience. The two mares hiding in a nearby bush were focused primarily on their mission; engaging in quiet conversation to pass the time with topics of utmost importance.

“I knew you were up to something kinky! Never thought you would be into roleplay!” Rainbow Dash accused, barely able to contain her laughing fit. When she had seen the designer in the streets of Ponyville, she nearly had a panic attack thinking AJ was out and about. Thinking that, just like when Dash and Twilight started going out, AJ was here to rain on her happiness parade by sending her to the hospital again. Her fear was replaced with confusion followed by laughter when she discovered that it was actually Rarity wearing the hat; the snickering had not ceased since.

“I-It was just a bet to see who could portray the other the longest. Nothing more! And what we do in the bedroom is none of your concern, Ms. Rainbow Dash!” Rarity sputtered, clearly flustered and hoping that her fellow spy would believe the lie. She noticed a change in her friend’s attitude, from jovial to bashful, when she emphasized her name; a predatory grin came to her face at the gossip potential. “Details.” 

After some hesitation, Rainbow gave in and spilled the beans. “...It appears that I won’t be Ms. Rainbow Dash for much longer.” The wonderbolt took preemptive action against the excited squeal that was going to come from the designer by inserting her hoof into Rarity’s open mouth. “SSSHH, we don’t want ‘em to know we’re here, remember? Yes, you get to design our dresses, you’re gonna have to ask Twi’ about being her mare-of-honor, and I don’t know if I’ll have AJ as my best mare as she did send me to the hospital for a week.” Rainbow tried to answer the assumed questions of her friend before removing her hoof.

“Seriously, darling, I thought you had gotten over that by now. It was five years ago.”

“She broke two of my ribs, and I can’t go to Sweet Apple Acres without having painful flashbacks of that day! She’s lucky we’re still friends.”

“Actually, I think it is you who is lucky you’re still friends. She told me she held back some force because you are her friend and you played a role in Apple Bloom getting her cutie mark. But enough about that trifle, I want to know what happened.” Rainbow began her tale after she stopped shaking in fear.

-GWG-

Far away in the capital, two alicorns and a draconequus were discussing matters of national security.

“Allllll right ladies, place your bets. Who will kiss who first? Will it be the brash stuntmare or the lovely singer that takes the prize?” Discord inquired behind his podium. He was wearing a top hat and behind him was a chalkboard with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle’s names on it next to the odds of either being the first kisser. It was 50/50.

“Seriously, that’s why you had us come here?! I was in the middle of organizing the stars for tonight and for what? A foalish wager?” Luna complained to the Lord of Chaos, none too pleased that this is what was distracting her from her ‘art’ as Twilight and herself called it. “Besides, we don’t have bits for that except in the treasury, and we’re not spending it on whatever game you’re playing!”

“Ok then how about the losers have to do something they don’t like and the winners get something they want. What do you say to that?” Discord compromised, hoping the royal sisters would be on board.

“I don’t know…” The Princess of the Night began before her solar counterpart interrupted.

“Oh, come on Lulu, this sounds like fun. Besides, what harm could come from a friendly wager? I’m in, but I don’t know what I would want.” Celestia was very pleased at the prospect of having something fun to do; of late she had become quite bored, with very little to do around the castle. The last fun thing she did was a month ago when she visited Twilight; the Solar Princess had it so that all the books in the mystery section of the library had their spines facing the inside of the bookcase and in random order. Celestia and Dash were laughing their flanks off while Twilight spent hours rearranging the section, twitching most of the time.

“Hmmm, how about if you win I’ll get Pinkie Pie to become your personal baker,” Discord enjoyed seeing Celestia go from calm to actively drooling in seconds, “And if you lose, you have to go without cake for a month.” He doubly enjoyed her reaction change as she went from drooling to wide-eyed panic.

“I second it!” Luna shouted, now very interested in this wager. Everyone knew about Celestia’s weakness for cakes. Luna and Discord also knew that though her punishment too great, her reward was too good to pass up.

“FINE! Those are my terms.” Celestia finally submitted after much hesitation. She knew that if she lost this bet, it would be a month remembered in infamy by all of Equestria.

“Now what do I want?” Luna pondered for a short period of time before giving her answer, “I want my own nightclub here in Canterlot. And I want that mare Apple Bloom to design it.”

“That seems fair if a little dull. And if you lose you have to spend a month with…” Discord paused for dramatic effect, smirk dripping with mischief, “Cadance!!”

“I second it!” Celestia shouted, giving a smirk to her sister that was a perfect clone of the one on Discord. The trolling deities knew that Luna hated Cadance, which was the real reason why she had skipped the royal wedding all those years ago. The fact that Cadance now had a foal did not improve Luna’s attitude towards her fellow princess; having to spend a month with the infuriating Princess of Love and her “precious” foal was the closest thing Luna could imagine to being tortured.

“I’d rather be imprisoned on the moon for another thousand years than spend even a day with that bi-” Luna began.

“Remember, she’s our niece.” Celestia scolded, though she was having fun at her sister’s expense. “Besides, you’re not supposed to like your punishment. So mare up or shut up!”

“Fine fine, let’s just move on.” Luna accepted her wager, still brimming with rage.

“This should be entertaining. Ok, if I win I want one day of uncensored chaos, absolutely no restraints. When the day is up I’ll return everything to how it was. And if I lose I’ll-”

“Be our butler for a month!” The royal sisters demanded, hoping his punishment would be equally terrible; they were right. Though the Lord of Chaos already answered to the Princesses, the position he held was respected by ponies. He knew that being their butler would mean doing everything they asked of him. Everything. This was a punishment that meant more punishment; but for a chance for a day where he cut loose. Worth it.

“Deal. So who are your picks?”

“I’ve seen from their dreams that both really want this, though Scootaloo slightly more than Sweetie Belle. I wager on Scootaloo.” Luna answered after pondering for a few minutes. She had seen both of their feelings develop from their dreams, both pleasant and nightmarish. The pegasus had dreamed of the two kissing more often than the unicorn, though the difference wasn’t great.

“That’s not creepy at all,” Discord said sarcastically, “And you ‘Tia?”

“I’m wagering on Scootaloo as well. She is like Rainbow, a mare of action.” Celestia was just giving a false reason to support her answer. In truth she had known about the two of them since Rarity’s wedding, when Cadance pointed out that they had feelings for each other; though the flier’s were slightly stronger. She agreed that the one with the stronger feelings will be the one to initiate the kiss.

“Well, just to be different, I’ll wager on Sweetie Belle. I have no reason for this whatsoever.” This was a lie. While he had no evidence to support his claim, he simply didn’t want to be a butler when Celestia was without cake, so he was going to choose the opposite of her choice no matter what. It was a bonus that Luna made the same decision as Celestia. “Well come on, the main event should be starting soon.”

With a snap of his fingers his podium was replaced with a large couch, and in his paw was a bag of popcorn. On the wall in front of them was a large screen television, which displayed two mares talking in a field; they were also able to hear as well as see them.

“Does the sky look weird to you?” Scootaloo questioned.

“Yeah, it looks like the stars are only half finished.” Sweetie Belle responded, looking up at the half-empty sky.

“Horsefeathers!” In a flash Luna was gone, the two remaining assumed that she went to finish her work. Comments from the screen affirmed their suspicions.

“Now you aren’t going to interfere with this so you win, are you?” Celestia asked seriously; her cake was on the line.

“Now ‘Tia, I would never do such a thing. I only made sure that whatever happens happens tonight.”

-GWG-

“Ah, that’s better. Guess Princess Luna wasn’t done with it yet.” Sweetie Belle said once the sky filled up before turning to the pegasus, “So what tricks are you going to do, Scoots?” The singer used this time to get a good look at her friend’s face, with most of her focus on the lips. Soon they will be mine, I hope.

“I don’t know. Dash suggested I should just fly around and do whatever comes to mind. Heck, it might even be a new trick. Who knows?” Scootaloo had not noticed that the sky had returned to normal; her attention had been on the mare next to her, making good use of the distraction. It was during this ‘appreciation’ that Scootaloo saw the saddlebag and decided to ask about it. “So what’s in the bag?”

“Just a notebook and a pencil. Earlier this evening I was coming up with a song, but I didn’t write anything down. Now I’m ready to write one.” Sweetie replied, her eyes burning with determination.

“Can I hear it? I always love it when you sing.” Did I really just say that?! I’m not denying it but I don’t want to scare her away.

The singer’s determination was replaced with bashfulness at her friend’s words. “When it’s finished, I’ll sing it just for you.” She loves my singing? Oh, there is no way she can’t see me blushing right now. Was she staring at me earlier? I would be a hypocrite if I said I didn’t like that...and I’d be lying as well.

Sweetie’s words were echoing through Scootaloo’s head. ‘I’ll sing it just for you.’ Ohmygosh yes! I never thought that would ever happen, or at least not unless we’ve been dating and I asked. This is one dream come true; let’s see about the others. “I’d like that.”

With that she took off in the air, feeling ready to begin. Down on the ground, Sweetie Belle began to think of the flier that had captured her heart. She is always so graceful when she flies. I wonder if she’ll take me flying someday; that would be so romantic. And I would sing for her, only her, as we would watch the sunset while we sit together on a cloud. It would be so perfect; I love you, Scootaloo. It was at this point that she noticed that she was humming the tune from earlier. With an excited gasp, she reached for notebook and pencil with her magic and jotted down the notes for the tune; now she wouldn’t have to worry about forgetting it. I’m definitely close now; I just need the lyrics. We’ll be together soon, love.

Up in the air, Scootaloo was thinking of the stunning mare below her. She wants to sing to me, so I’ll show her my sky. We’ll fly together, watch the sunset, and then gaze at the stars. It would be perfect. I love you, Swee-. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt it; an urge. This was different than anything she had ever felt before. It felt foreign and yet came from within; like she had already been taken over. This urge did not have a voice but she felt that it was telling her something.


‘Do the Super Nova’


She knew what this was. She chose to obey and respect the force that was now inside of her, and chose to bring her thoughts back to Sweetie Belle. She really didn’t need to think at this point, for she had found it.

Inspiration.

She flew up as high as she could; high above the clouds that dotted the evening sky. When she reached her highest point, she began her descent. She was heading straight down when she felt the force again; but this time it had a voice, one that was somewhat familiar but she couldn’t place it.


‘Say what you said last time you did this.’


Down on the ground Sweetie could see an orange dot coming closer and knew who it was. Before she could panic that her friend was falling, she heard Scootaloo shouting. Each shout was accompanied by a thought from the unicorn.

“I LIKE SWEETIE BELLE.” I would hope that she likes me at this point, I mean we’ve been friends for over ten years for Celestia’s sake.

“I HAVE A CRUSH ON SWEETIE BELLE.” Well that’s a little disappointing but I can work with that. Who knows maybe sh-. 

“I LOVE SWEETIE BELLE.” This shout interrupted and silenced her thoughts. Before she could even begin to comprehend that, she was stunned once more.

“I’M IN LOVE WITH SWEETIE BELLE!!!” 

The singer had not noticed that she had been writing or that she stopped at this moment; though she knew what she wrote. She managed to whisper “She’s in love with me!?”

The world was silent for a brief moment before the sky exploded in a wave of orange and purple, clearing all the clouds in its path. Sweetie Belle had heard the explosion before five years ago, but now she was in awe after having actually seen it.

“What was that?” Rarity asked her fellow spy, her eyes not leaving the sight before her.

“It’s called the Super Nova; it’s the result of Scoots trying to perform the Sonic Rainboom.” Rainbow replied, liquid pride running down her cheeks.

Still descending Scootaloo saw the look of awe and of love on the unicorn’s face; it was in this moment that the voice spoke to her again.


‘Do it again, but this time go up instead of down.’


Scootaloo recognized the voice this time. It belonged to a pony very special to her; a friend, her best friend, the pony that had captured her heart. The voice belonged to Sweetie Belle.

She’s my inspiration.

She obeyed without hesitation, repeating the steps only this time she ascended. Sweetie Belle took this moment to look at what she had written and added to it, incorporating more of what she just saw into this piece. It’s still missing something though...It doesn’t have an ending. I’m just a few words away from completing my song. She looked to the sky as Scootaloo was entering a second cone. An idea came and she wrote the last words, finishing just as the barrier broke; she was glad she didn’t miss this.

The sound barrier broke again around the area where it had before. A familiar silence was followed by an unfamiliar sound; it sounded like the inverse of the first wave. The wave was its usual orange and purple, but it was faster this time and left something amazing behind. The wave would leave behind a beautiful sight; it looked like the Northern Lights but it was orange and purple like the waves. This made an amazing filter for looking at the stars. The new wave was so fast that it caught up with the first wave; when it did the waves exploded into smaller explosions, looking and sounding like fireworks. The sight could be seen and heard throughout all of Ponyville.

At the castle, Twilight looked up at the strange phenomenon and wished that her fiance could see it with her. Though if she were here, we would be too busy to see this, Twilight thought with a grin.

At the Boutique, Applejack was startled out of bed by the explosions. Pretty sight; the explosions are too high cause any damage to mah farm. Good, I don’t have tah break any ribs. Applejack chuckled before returning to bed.

At the bakery, the explosions interrupted Pinkie Pie’s contemplation of the Universe, followed by a combo. Let’s see: knee twitch, numbness in left foreleg, spasm of right hind leg, and ear flutter. “Somepony owes me fifty bits? Cool, thanks Mr. Author person! To the apple orchard!!” Pinkie Pie shouted before bouncing towards the farm. “Ooohh, fireworks!”

Inside the bush, Rarity was stunned into silence while Rainbow was gushing over how awesome that was; though she stopped when she saw that Scootaloo had landed.

“That was amazing!!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, nearly giving all witnessing ponies a heart attack, “You’re amazing! What was that called?”

Scootaloo waited a moment to catch her breath before answering. “The first trick I did is called the Super Nova; it was what I did that got us our cutie marks. The second…” She paused, not having a name for the second trick. She was going to call it the Double Nova, but the second explosion was very different from the first. She thought back to the book she read at the library, Astronomical Phenomena; she had a name. “It’s called the Big Bang. Can only be done shortly after a Super Nova, and if I do that when I’m tired it would probably kill me.” Scootaloo looked down at notebook on the ground, noticing it had writing in it. “Did you finish your song?” She asked, her heart rate rising; Sweetie Belle merely nodded in the affirmative before she began to sing.

        “I used to think it easy
        And my dreams quick to reach
        But soon I found myself queasy
        Learning something only time can teach
        Will this love stay?”

Sweetie Belle began to walk closer to the entranced pegasus with her eyes half-lidded as she continued her song.

        “Explosion of sound
        High above the ground
        My heart won’t be denied
        A flash of light
        Burning love so bright
        These feelings never died.”

Rainbow Dash looked to the necklace around her neck, a silver chain with Twilight’s starburst for a charm, with a warm feeling. The gift her fiance gave her before Dash’s first tour with the Wonderbolts always made her think that no matter the distance, Twilight was by her side; much like how she felt now.

        “I let you go without a fight
        Hidden love out of sight
        There’s no turning back
        So I’ll try and pick up the slack
        Can love find a way?

Scootaloo’s heart rate was increasing with Sweetie’s every step; and couldn’t remember when she sat on her haunches.

        “There’s an explosion of sound
        So very high above the ground
        My heart won’t be denied
        Sudden flash of light
        A burning love so bright
        These feelings never died.”

Rarity had taken off the hat in order wipe her teary eyes, feeling joy for her sister and love for her wife. Before she put the hat back on, she noticed a picture sitting within the hat. The picture was from a photo booth they had went to on their first date; she noticed that her side of the picture had been kissed often. She put back on the hat as her tears and the love for her wife increased tenfold.

        “I see you there
        Flying high up in the air
        I heard your shout
        I never should have doubt
        That Love will find a way.”

Sweetie was so close to her now; she could feel the heat radiating off of her cheeks, but she didn’t care. She closed her eyes as she sat down in front of Scootaloo.

        “I hear the explosion of sound
        Taking place so high above the ground
        My heart won’t be denied
        Watching the flash of light
        Feeling a burning love so bright
        These feelings have never died.”

In Canterlot, Luna was sitting on the edge of the couch, waiting for the moment. Discord and Celestia were sitting back, enjoying the song. Celestia didn’t understand but she felt the urge to rest her head on his shoulder; and when she did it felt...Right.

        “Can you see me here
        Eyes wide without fear
        Our love can find a way
        Now I must do my part
        You’ve laid bare your heart
        And all I have to say…”

Sweetie brought her face closer, till their noses were mere inches apart.

        “is…”

She opened her eyes to stare into the violet pools, as she whispered,

        “I love you…”

They were inches away from each other, looking deeply into the other’s eyes. They listened to the other’s breathing, noticing they were in sync with each other; they could feel the breath of the other on their muzzles, both enjoyed the sensation. Both mares felt blushes on their cheeks, but were unable to care in the slightest. It felt as though an eternity passed between them, and for the two annoyed mares in the bushes it was an eternity.

“JUST KISS HER ALREADY!!” Shouted a raspy voice and a flustered Canterlot accent from the shrubbery.

The stuntmare was frozen in place, too stunned to move; so, finally, the singer released her pent up desire and kissed her Scootaloo. It didn’t take very long for the pegasus to reciprocate. This wasn’t a dream come true. Oh no. No illusion of the mind could ever recreate the sensation they felt. They lacked experience, but both knew that they would have plenty of time for practice. The aurora faded away as they broke the kiss.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that.” Sweetie claimed still out of breath, happy tears trailing down her cheeks.

Scootaloo kissed the tears away and finished with another peck on the lips before responding, “I would have to guess about five years since you got your cutie mark and made a stupid vow to hold off until you made a new song. Am I close?” She asked with a smirk.

“How did you know?” The singer asked, stunned with the idea that Scootaloo knew all along.

“Because I did the same thing.” Scoots chuckled bitterly before continuing in all seriousness, “If we’d confessed years ago, we could have avoided all that pain and ache. I spent years searching for my inspiration, when she’s been with me the entire time.”

This brought on two waves of tears; one wave was full of emotion and sincerity, the other was overly dramatic.

“That was so roman-an-an-tic!” Rarity sobbed, clutching her hat to her chest.

“That was so sappy!” Rainbow spat in mock disgust. Then she became incredulous, “Why is it always the unicorns that kiss first? What, do you guys have us other ponies under some sort of spell or somethin’?” Rarity chose to ignore her questions. The spying pair decided to give the new couple some space and return to their respective other halves.

“I thought they would never leave!” Sweetie exclaimed once she knew their audience was gone. “So now what are we gonna do?”

“Well I was going to ask if you wanted to come back here tomorrow for a picnic lunch.”

“That sounds like a good idea, but...Umm...Can we go back to your place for the night? I don’t want to wake up alone tomorrow and think this was all a dream.” Sweetie asked crestfallen, depressed at the idea of such a thing occurring.

Scootaloo lifted her new marefriend’s chin so that they were looking into each other’s eyes. She kissed Sweetie tenderly before giving her answer. “I wanted to ask the same thing, but I was afraid that you would think I was just trying to get you to sleep with me.”

“That isn’t necessarily a bad thing…” Sweetie hinted before heading towards town, swishing her hips more than usual; Scootaloo smirked before running to catch up.

-GWG-

The picnic had to be rescheduled due to a freak chocolate milk rain storm the next day.

> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


One Year Later

It was in the Canterlot Royal Gardens that the reception for Princess Twilight Sparkle and Duchess Rainbow Dash (a title was required)was held. All of their friends and family were in attendance, while a few even had jobs for the occasion; Pinkie was in charge of the reception, Applejack provided the food, and Vinyl, Octavia, and Sweetie Belle provided the music for the event.

The singer was honored to do this free of charge; she wouldn’t accept payment from friends and  was not in need of bits ever since her career took off. ‘A Heart Denied’ was a huge success, appealing to all couples though it was more popular amongst couples that had at least one pegasus in it. It was the most requested song whenever she performed at weddings; she refused to give up the opportunity to see love first-hoof, even if she didn’t earn the bits for singing at the weddings. Sweetie would always have the couple of the hour choose when the song will be played rather than the choice belong to anypony else. True to their word, Vinyl and Octavia composed the background for ‘A Heart Denied’, free of charge. Sweetie felt that she was truly happy and content, qualities she shared with her lover.

Scootaloo would not have missed this event for the world; how could she miss the wedding of her idol, honorary sister, and mare instrumental in launching Scootaloo into the spotlight? After that unforgettable night, Rainbow Dash had gotten a hold of her agents, requesting that they arranged for Scootaloo to be the opener for the Wonderbolts shows. Ponies now got to see the Super Nova and the Big Bang before every performance; it got to the point where they came just to see her and the Wonderbolts were just a nice bonus. Rainbow Dash didn’t care that she had to share the spotlight, she was happy with what she had. Scootaloo decided to keep her position as Weather Team Captain, though her salary went to charities that helped with orphans. Her only regret in all of this was that she and Sweetie Belle waited for so long before getting together; they could have had true happiness sooner.

When Sweetie Belle finished her song, she was given a break to enjoy the celebration; she headed towards her pegasus, who wasn’t standing too far away from the stage.

“Hey beautiful; you were great up there, as always!” Scootaloo said after they shared a quick kiss, a familiar smirk adorning her face. She was wearing a specially designed dress made by Rarity. It was similar to Rainbow’s aerodynamic dress that she wore to the Gala, except the color scheme was purple with orange and lacked the head piece. She was asked to perform the Big Bang for when the newly married couple had their first kiss, thus requiring this particular dress. She would have worn something simpler but Rarity would have none of it; she had considered ignoring Rarity’s command, but one comment from Sweetie Belle ensured that it would be worn this evening. Like I could say no to her.

“You always say that, but thanks. I still think you look fantastic in that dress.” Sweetie blushed as she said this, still not used to all the praise from her marefriend. Her own dress was more suited for this event; more elegantly designed than Scootaloo’s practical attire; it was pink with purple and its design was not too simple as to look bland but not too extravagant to upstage the newly weds’ or Rarity’s. Flustering each other had become a small game between the two and so it was Sweetie’s turn to try and gain the advantage. “Though I think it would look better at the foot of our bed.” She suggested in a low whisper, her eyes half-lidded; causing the desired effect.

“I-uh-um…” Scootaloo stuttered uselessly, blushing madly. She was finally able to control her wings and find her tongue after a few moments and tried to change the subject. “Hey, why don’t we go mingle for a little bit; I think I saw Apple Bloom earlier.” Sweetie Belle smiled and followed her lover’s lead, smirking mentally.

1:1 tied, I wonder who will win tonight?

It didn’t take long to find their moping friend; it wasn’t surprising that she would be depressed, it had not been the best year for Apple Bloom financially. She claimed it all started when she lost a bet to Pinkie Pie and learning, along with many other ponies, that one does not simply bet against Pinkie Pie. Granny Smith’s gambling habits weren’t helping matters; she was spending more bits than Apple Bloom could put into the account. She had also learned from Discord that Luna had wanted to build a nightclub with Apple Bloom as the architect, but that opportunity evaporated when Luna lost her bet. No, not surprising at all really.

What was surprising was her company.

“Cheer up, Apple Bloom! When you’ve completed the contract with Diamond Tiara, you’ll be back to earning bits like before,” Silver Spoon comforted her friend, a friendly smile adorning her face. “And maybe Princess Luna might decide to go through with her nightclub, you never know!” Scoots and Sweetie still weren’t quite sure how one of their tormentors from fillyhood had become friends with their fellow crusader, but they came to accept it; the glasses wearing mare had a way of cheering up the architect most of the time. It just took more effort sometimes.

“Well Ah’d be done with the contract if that brat would stop rejectin’ every single one of my designs! Ah worked hard on those dammit!!” This is how Apple Bloom was ever since she started working for Diamond Tiara; though she no longer went out of her way to put ponies down, she still antagonized others to no end. Apple Bloom would admit that the only good parts of the job were Silver Spoon and the promised bits she would receive upon completion of the project.

“I know you worked hard on those designs; and if it helps, I thought they looked fantastic. Unfortunately, our employer doesn’t share my tastes.” Spoon said reassuringly, nopony noticing her shifting eyes. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle didn’t know that their former bullies had a falling out, and Apple Bloom was only aware of when Silver Spoon stopped referring to Diamond Tiara as a ‘friend’ and started calling her ‘our employer’ for reasons unknown.

“You mean she has no taste. Bloom, all of your designs are amazing, don’t let some snob tell ya otherwise!” Scoots exclaimed in her usual excitable manner.

“Yeah, if she doesn’t like what you come up with, then she isn’t worth your time. Honestly, you should just quit.” Sweetie Belle would have gone on but was distracted by the panicked look on Silver Spoon. I wonder why she looks worried. Before she could contemplate the reason for panic, Apple Bloom decided to speak.

“Nah, Ah can’t quit; Ah need the bits. Besides while I’m working for her she is giving me a salary; it isn’t enough to get me back to where I was, but it’s enough to live with some comfort. Hopefully Granny will get back from Las Pegasus soon; this is gettin’ outta hoof.”

“And if you needed to, you could live with me while you’re working on this project.” Silver Spoon suggested with a slight blush on her face.

“Thanks for the offer, but Ah doubt that will be necessary, Silver.” Bloom responded with a small blush of her own, much to her friends’ confusion. She turned to face them before shooing them away. “Why don’t y’all go and enjoy yerselves rather than listenin’ to me wollowin’ in self pity; there are plenty of other ponies tah see.”

The couple wished them well before departing to find other guests to mingle with. Their search brought them face-to-face with an excited baker; far too close for the couple’s comfort.

“Hey girls! Isn’t this the bestest best best wedding reception you ever been to? You two should try the cake before I eat it all. So are you having fun? Huhhuhuhuh?” The bouncing Pinkie Pie was almost too much for the two to handle.

“Yeah, we’re having fun, Pinkie. Who else is here that we can talk to?” Scoots asked as she draped a wing over her singer, much to Sweetie’s enjoyment. She could never get enough of her feathery blanket; in fact she can’t sleep without it, though the stuntmare didn’t mind that at all.

Pinkie Pie thought for a moment, which for some reason required that she balance on her tail, before answering. “Well the author wants you to talk to Rarity and AJ then Scratchy and Tavi, followed by Twi and Dashie. He wants to show off the next few stories by having you two talk to those couples.” Pinkie smiled wide as she finished, certain that she earned that cookie for a job well done.

The couple nodded before walking away from their strange friend; still confused but used to this sort of thing. Once she was sure they were out of earshot, Scootaloo decided ask her marefriend a serious question.

“Do you ever wonder what Pinkie is?”

“DON’T SAY THAT OUT LOUD!” Sweetie Belle tried to warn, but it was too late. Their path was blocked by a pink obstacle as it began to bounce and sing.

        “The wonderful thing about Pinkies
        Is Pinkies are wonderful things
        Their tops are made of rubbah
        Their bottoms are made of springs
        They’re bouncy trouncy flouncy pouncy
        Fun fun fun fun fun
        But the most wonderful thing about Pinkies
        Is that IIIIIIIIIII’MMMM the only one!”

Thank Celestia for that. Never before in the history of Equestria have so many ponies shared the exact same thought. By the time the couple regained their senses, Pinkie Pie was already at the food table, ready to pounce on unsuspecting treats; they decided to continue their journey without doing anything that could possibly summon the pink menace.

They found Rarity and Applejack sitting at a table not too far from the stage, where Vinyl and Octavia were currently playing. The married couple were in mid conversation when Rarity noticed the condition of Scootaloo’s dress.

“Darling, do you know how long I worked on that dress? Now it’s dirty and wrinkled and...Is it burned at the hem?”

“Well I am on fire when I perform the Big Bang. If you want me to wear a nice dress when I perform that trick, you’re gonna hafta make it fireproof.” Scootaloo responded with some slight annoyance; Rarity had talked her ear off for an hour about how to take care of the dress. She was prepared to get another lecture when Applejack saved her from impending doom.

“Aw, give her a break, sugarcube. It’s not like she knew she was going to singe the dress or that she did it intentionally. Besides, working with fireproof materials will be a new experience for ya.” Applejack tried to calm her wife with words and by rubbing behind her ear, her weak spot. The ploy worked perfectly.

“Alright, Jackie dear; I shall not delve further into the matter. I’ll just make a new one some other time.” She stated calmly before turning to her sister. “You better not ruin your dress at least; there shouldn’t be any cause for it to be ruined.”

“Oh don’t worry, I have no intention of ruining this dress…” Sweetie Belle said sweetly before she smirked. “...Until tonight,” she finished with a low whisper to Scootaloo.

Pomf.

2:1 my lead, Sweetie Belle thought, you have to step up your game, love.

Rarity gave her sister a furious glare while Applejack chuckled at Scootaloo’s expression.

Upon her recovery Scootaloo decided it was time to move on to the musicians; she had no idea why but she didn’t want to disrupt the schedule laid out by Pinkie Pie. Vinyl and Octavia were taking a well deserved break from providing the entertainment, the music continuing on a specific playlist. Vinyl noticed the younger couple first.

“‘Sup Sweets? Scoots? Enjoying the party? I know you’re both enjoying MY music at least.” Vinyl was wearing her usual shades and a loose red neck tie; she had directed her last comment to Octavia, though the young couple knew it was just in jest.

“Please, you could hardly call that noise music. It sounds like you recorded a carriage collision.” When she finished her retort she pecked her marefriend on the cheek, silently calling for an end to the pseudo-hostilities. “I do hope you two are having a fun time.” She said to the pair after she finished showering Vinyl with affection.

“Yeah, we’re having fun; though the real fun starts later tonight.” Sweetie answered with an evil smirk. Scootaloo blushed furiously as the musicians laughed. 3:1 match point. This is almost disappointing Scoots. Maybe I should lay off and let her get a point.

“Oh, jeez, her face is turning the same color red as my eyes. Ha.” Vinyl lacked the same grace as Octavia or even the subtlety of Applejack, and rolled on the floor in laughter while Octavia was able stifle her own laughter. When she calmed down she decided to scold her protege.

“Sweetie Belle, save that for the bedroom; that is hardly appropriate for current company. Besides you’ll break the poor dear if you keep it up.”

“Alright, alright. We still have to offer our congratulations to the happy couple anyways; see you later.” Sweetie Belle spoke for the two of them, since Scootaloo was still muttering to herself. 

They arrived at their last destination of the evening. The newlyweds were wearing complimenting wedding gowns, just like their personalities; each wore a necklace with the other’s feather hanging from it like a charm. The two looked exhausted but they also couldn’t have been happier as they sat next to one another. Sweetie was about to speak when Scootaloo dragged her feathers along her marefriend’s side, causing her to gasp and blush furiously. 3:2, now you’re playing dirty. I like that. Scootaloo wasn’t completely defenseless against Sweetie’s advances; she knew that the singer’s sides were very sensitive, especially to feathery appendages. Scoots took the opportunity to speak to the newlyweds as Sweetie tried to recover. 

“Congratulations Princess Twilight; Congrats’ Dash.” Scootaloo began, but was interrupted by one of the brides.

“That’s Duchess Rainbow Dash, Squirt; and don’t you forget it!” Dash said in mock annoyance, before getting whacked in the head by her new wife’s hoof.

“Be nice, or ‘first night’ doesn’t happen tonight.” Twilight warned coldly before smiling warmly at the couple. “Thank you both for coming, I hope you are enjoying yourselves? Scootaloo, I must say that trick was fantastic.” Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle nodded their agreement.

“It was nothin’, but thanks.” The stuntmare smiled sheepishly before whispering to her lover. “I could show you some sweet tricks later on tonight.”

A sparking horn was added to the blushing from before. Ooohh cheeky, I like this. It’s 3:3, deuce; and I’m sorry babe, but I’m going to win this. The newlyweds both chuckled at this display as they were reminded of the early years of the relationship. 

“Get a room you two; there are little fillies and colts here, ya know.” Rainbow said in a tone she hoped was stern, but it came out as amused. She was so pleased to see Scootaloo so happy; everything felt right with the world.

With that Sweetie had to return to the stage to continue singing.

-GWG-

Soon the reception began to wrap up; all that was left to do was to throw the bouquet and one last dance while the married couple made their way home. Twilight turned her back to a small gathering of mares and tossed the flowers over her shoulder; before it could reach them it was halted by an electric blue aura. It floated over to a blushing Octavia while Vinyl wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. With the last of the wedding features out of the way, the musicians began to play the last song of the night.

“May I have this dance, madam?” Sweetie asked her lover while bowing before her.

“When did you become the colt in this relationship?”

“When I kissed you first a year ago.” Sweetie Belle answered as they headed to the dance floor together. When they got into position, the singer tried to gain the advantage. “And after this you and I can have our own little ‘tango’.” She said the last word in the low whisper that she perfected over the past year; she grinned as she observed her work.

“Eep,” was the only response Scootaloo could utter before the song began.

Hehe, advantage: Sweetie Belle. One more point and I win.

The song didn’t really matter to them; the young couple danced to their own music. Both mares were lost in each other’s eyes as they swayed back and forth. They felt as though they couldn’t be happier than they were right now; just embracing their one true love. They kissed deeply as they sensed that the song was coming to an end. Scootaloo had her eyes closed as she was kissing, but Sweetie’s were slightly open, just enough to see the approaching wing. Trying that again, love? Well, I can play dirty, too. Sweetie Belle pulled out of the kiss only to bring her muzzle to Scootaloo’s neck, nibbling where the neck connected to the jaw; Scootaloo’s response was somewhere between a sharp gasp and a pleasured moan as she nearly collapsed in Sweetie’s arms.

Game. Set. Match. Time to collect my prize. The flustered pegasus tried to regain her footing, but the singer would have none of that. Sweetie Belle lifted her Scootaloo in her magic as she guided her back to their hotel; both mares knew they wouldn’t get much sleep tonight and they were looking forward to it.


Fin