Chapter 1

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Twilight, after having entertained the Cutie Mark Crusaders with another session of magical tutoring, cleaned up the tools that were used and made her way up to her room.

"Spike, would you get dinner ready for us please?" she called out. A nonchalant 'Yeah' was her reply. She smiled at the dragon who was in another room and made her way inside. To call it a room would have been an understatement. Magic truly was astounding. And Twilight kept finding that the magic of Friendship had no bounds, much like her chambers, which at the time was the size of a small cave. She'd learned that the rooms in the castle were bigger on the inside, and actually changed sizes to suit the users' needs. When Twilight first discovered her room, it was as large as her old room, but since she began moving things in, she found the room expanding, despite there being no physical changes to the exterior of the castle.

As she closed the door behind her, she made sure to lock it. Once she felt safe enough, she went over to her bed and pulled out from under the mattress, a small brown book with a leather strap tied around it. It was about the size of your average journal and was very well maintained. But the separation of the pages could be seen, even when pressed together as they were. This indicated that the book was well used and had been written on. The covering of the book was brown leather, much like the ones archaeologists and explorers used. At a first glance, anypony seeing this book would believe it to be a book containing Twilight's Case studies. But contained within was something far more precious to her, and ultimately damning.

The lavender alicorn went over to her mahogany desk and sat down, placing the book dead centre before her. As she unbound the book, she opened the cover, revealing the title page.

The Diary of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight then turned to about a third of the way into the book and revealed another title page.

Study Notes

She then turned another third of the book's contents and found the third and final title page.

The Secrets Within Me

The book held three separate purposes, divided into three sections. Twilight sighed and pondered which part of the journal to write today's exploits in. She'd made no strides in experimentation lately, so the second one was out of the question. But the others were another story. She ultimately decided to save the best for last and returned to the front of the book, skimming through a few dozen pages until she found the next blank page.

Dear Diary,

Today came with a nice surprise. Sweetie Belle has been making excellent strides in her magical studies. She's expressed her concern for being magically impotent. A concern I immediately dismissed. Negativity would only serve to hinder her progress further. Generally, it's up to the family to train the fillies in the ways of magic, but it appears that between the parents' tourism hobby and Rarity's business, she never received such training, meaning she's had a late start. The same may be said for Scootaloo, though her situation is slightly more understandable, though ultimately irrelevant in this case.

As it stands, the task has fallen to me to do what their families are either too busy to or incapable of doing. That being said, Applebloom has no real need to be present, however, I've found that her emotional support helps to further the others' progress. As far as I know, Applebloom is just like any other Earth Pony filly. She doesn't lack for strength and is a major help in the apple farming industry.

The only thing she lacks is a cutie mark, a trait they all seem to share. It's obvious to any pony with a brain cell what their cutie marks will represent, but as a rule, it's up to them to discover it for themselves. When they do, I just know they'll set a new standard for extraordinary.

Applebloom has shown an affinity for construction. Coincidentally, a useful trait in the farming business as certain farms have been known to be damaged during particularly heavy storms. I must remember to suggest to the Apple family if they might guide Applebloom towards carpentry and repairs.

Sweetie Belle has a rather high voice, but then again, that's something that could prove crucial in her eventual singing career. When I think about Sweetie Belle singing, my mind gets drawn to Vanessa Ammareossi. Her voice betrays it's limits as she can sing high enough it would rattle ear drums. Again, i should urge Rarity to guide Sweetie towards a singing career.

Finally, there's Scootaloo. The subject of many ponies' pity. But pity won't help her to fly. I have total faith in her untapped potential and in Rainbow's ability to teach her. If she can teach me to fly, then Scootaloo should be no problem. Her cutie mark could go two ways. A cutie mark doesn't represent what you're good at, but what you love doing. Scootaloo loves the idea of flying but the one thing she loves equally so is her scooter. I've noticed the way she rides it. Some ponies might miss it, but I see a beauty to her movements that rival Rainbow Dash's, which leads me to conclude that she is as talented on a scooter as Rainbow is in the air. I'd advise Rainbow to spare some time to observe Scootaloo's skills on a scooter. Perhaps she'd come to the same conclusion I did. Whether or not she'll be able to fly, her cutie mark may not have anything to do with it. I believe with all my heart that Scootaloo could become the next Pony Hawk.

Not exactly the purposes they had in mind, I believe their only disappointment would be that they would not discover their cutie marks together. Though I doubt that would change anything between them.

Returning to my original point-

"Twilight, Dinner's ready!" she heard Spike call out from below. Twilight stopped writing her diary entry and put her quill down.

She closed her book and redid the strap around it. "Coming, Spike!" she called back. It had been a long day, and the alicorn was starving. In a rush to get to her dinner, she was careless with how she returned her book. Having only placed it part way under the mattress, it fell from under and landed on the ground between her bedside table and the leg of her bed.

...THE NEXT DAY...

The day was dragging on forever as the history class was about as boring as they got. The only time it had been interesting was when Scootaloo, along with her friends found out Applebloom's family were the founders of Ponyville. What truly made their day was the immediate cessation of Diamond Tiara's insults.

Alas, today was nothing like that day. Scootaloo struggled to stay awake as Miss Cheerilee regaled the class about the history of Equestria. Scootaloo would have much rather been training to fly with Rainbow Dash, or even learning some useless facts from princess Twilight. At least her brand of boring wasn't sleep inducing. At least Twilight offered snacks and drinks to those she planned on teaching. Scootaloo used to think Miss Cheerilee was the best teacher in Equestria. While, yes, she was certainly kind, understanding and tried to suit each student's individual needs, Twilight had a way with words. Scootaloo noticed it early on when she and her friends began going to Twilight's little study sessions. The way Twilight spoke of the history of Equestria and the facts surrounding it, was the exact same way Rainbow Dash would describe what she remembered of the Daring Do novels. There was an excitement to it that Miss Cheerilee lacked.

"And now we come to princess Twilight." Miss Cheerilee said, getting Scootaloo's attention at last.

" A unicorn until recently, Twilight Sparkle has managed to save not only Equestria, but the world as a whole from beings such as Nightmare Moon, Discord and even Changelings. Not to mention her efforts in the Crystal Empire. An enemy that was ultimately defeated by her charge; our resident dragon, Spike. It speaks to princess Twilight that she is not one to seek glory, but instead share it with her friends. I don't know about the rest of you, but that spells a true princess of Equestria to me."

Scootaloo took pride in the fact that her idol, Rainbow Dash played a part in those accomplishments. She couldn't have picked a better pony to idolise.

"Miss Cheerilee, what about the Tirek incident?" Silver Spoon asked.

"A good point. Why don't we ask the Cutie Mark Crusaders? I'm to understand that they've been spending time with our local princess. Surely, you can inform the class, girls?" Miss Cheerilee offered. Scootaloo was about to answer when she realised something. She only knew how Tirek was defeated, but she'd never learned how Twilight managed to fight Tirek alone. For one alicorn with the power of four, to fight against a creature with the combined magical potential of Equestria in its entirety, it would have been an immense battle. But Scootaloo didn't know how it played out. She'd asked Rainbow Dash about it once, but all she said was that it was the worst time of Twilight's life. Scootaloo hadn't pushed for an elaboration, but now that it was out there, she wanted to know.

"In the end, the magic of friendship overpowered even Tirek. The Elements of Harmony were reborn and erected the crystal palace that is now our princess' home." Applebloom and Sweetie Belle said together. Scootaloo remained silent until one question in particular was asked.

"What about her battle with Tirek, before the Elements of Harmony were used?" Diamond Tiara asked.

Scootaloo would be the one to answer this one. She could tell from the looks on her friends' faces that they were told the same thing. "It was the worst time of her life." she said. There was an eerie silence in the classroom afterward. Nopony dared speak, even to ask for clarification, which they wouldn't be able to give.

After school, Scootaloo found herself wondering just how much she truly knew about Twilight. She knew nothing beyond her time in Ponyville. She knew that she was princess Celestia's student, but why did she choose to stay in Ponyville? Surely she had friends back in Canterlot that she missed.

As she thought about Twilight, she found herself at the doorstep of the crystal palace. Acting on instinct, she knocked on the large doors. It was a few seconds before somepony answered. Scootaloo was greeted to the face of the purple dragon whom was mentioned as the saviour of the Crystal Empire.

"Hey, Scootaloo. What's up? Did you forget something yesterday?" he asked.

Scootaloo paused for a moment, registering the question. Why was she here? She shook her head clear of all thought and decided to let her mouth run free. "Hey, Spike. No, nothing like that. I was wondering if I could talk to Twilight, is she in?" she asked. Spike smiled at her and opened the door further for her to come in.

"Of course... Come on guys, it's a filly! What's she gonna do, smack Twilight to death?" Scootaloo wondered what he was talking about until she followed his gaze. Her eyes met a spear pointed directly at her. A Royal guard in what was once symbolic of princess Celestia's Guard Captain's Uniform (Now princess Twilight's regular Guard attire) was assessing her as a threat. Scootaloo hadn't even noticed the guard, let alone the spear.

Almost immediately afterward, the guard removed the spear from her personal space. Scootaloo heard the same thing from the other side, indicating that there was a second guard to her right. Scootaloo paid no attention to this and stepped inside past Spike who closed the door after her. He then moved in stride beside her.

"So what did you want to talk to Twilight about?" he asked. Scootaloo thought about the answer. Truthfully, she didn't know. What could she talk to Twilight about? The Weather? Too cliche. Her royal duties? Too dull, even for her. Surely, a visit from a friend should warrant something more interesting than weather or politics. But could she really call herself a friend to Twilight without knowing anything about her past? That was it!

"I wanted to get to know Twilight better. She's been so nice to us, letting us learn from her, I thought the least I could do was get to know about her past." she replied.

Before Spike could comment, a scream pierced the castle. "AHHH!!! WHERE THE HAY IS IT?!" Twilight screamed. Spike huffed at the interruption.

"That basically sums it up." he chuckled, earning the same from Scootaloo.

Twilight came gliding down the stairs, zooming over to the bookshelves in the room Scootaloo and Spike were standing in. She failed to notice Scootaloo in the slightest. "Spike! Did you find a brown book with a leather strip tied around it?" she asked, scanning the books like a thing possessed.

"No. You know I don't touch the books in your room. You go crazy like... well this." he commented. "Oh, by the way, Scootaloo's here." he said. Twilight gasped and turned around, slamming into the bookcase like she was trying to hide something.

"S-Scootaloo! What a surprise... what brings you here?" she asked.

Scootaloo approached Twilight with a smile. "I was hoping we could talk?" she asked as innocently as she could. Like Rainbow Dash, she hated being mushy in front of her friends, and she considered Spike a friend. She considered getting to know Twilight better as borderline mushy, so she wanted to get Twilight alone. Though she began to think that it was a bad time, because the princess began to get a rather manic look in her eyes.

"S-sure! Uh... Spike would you please get us some...thing?" she asked.

Spike sighed and made his way to the kitchen. "Well that narrows it down." he muttered. Scootaloo watched Twilight with a certain amount of interest in her behaviour. She hadn't seen her like this since that day she drove Ponyville insane over that doll.

"So... uh, wanna take this into the lounge?" Twilight offered, leading the way. Scootaloo followed close behind. She began to grow worried about Twilight.

"Did I catch you at a bad time or something?" she asked. "Because I can come back later." she offered. Twilight immediately shut the offer down and reassured Scootaloo that all was well.

"No, it's fine! Just stressing about my missing book. It's my diary, you see." she said. Scootaloo understood then why Twilight was acting the way she had. She'd probably go mad too if she found her diary missing. What if it's contents had gotten out for all the town to see? She'd be ruined. It made her wonder what secrets Twilight had that she didn't want getting out.

The two ponies reached the castle's main lounge and Twilight offered Scootaloo a seat by the fireplace, the princess taking the adjacent seat. A lovely fire was going at the time. It was like one of those lounges that the rich ponies had. All that was missing from Twilight was a silk robe and pipe.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked. Scootaloo wondered how to bring up the topic. Surely she couldn't just flat out ask about her past before.

"It occurred to me during class today that I know very little about you. Sure, I know that you're the princess of Friendship, the bearer of the Element of Magic, the most powerful Unicorn since Starswirl the Bearded, an accomplished scientist, geologist, philanthropist, etcetera. But what I don't know is who you really are.

"You see, we were learning about the history of Equestria, and we got onto the topic of you as a princess. Your achievements up to and after becoming an alicorn. But I realised that beyond what I'd mentioned and your victories over Equestria's enemies with your friends, I know nothing about you." Scootaloo began.

Twilight seemed to have relaxed and had adorned a more casual expression. She said nothing and waited for the filly to continue.

"Twilight... What I'm trying to say is... Can you tell me about you before you came to Ponyville? Your life in Canterlot, during and before you became princess Celestia's student?" she asked. Twilight smiled sweetly at Scootaloo.

"I'd be happy to tell you, Scootaloo. But I have to ask, why do you want to know? Is it some sort of school report that you have to do?" she asked. Scootaloo was quick to shoot down that theory.

"No! No... It's just that you're my friend, Twilight. I know my friends' lives like the back of my hoof, but that's because they've all lived in Ponyville alongside me. But you... you've only been in Ponyville for the better part of a year. That leaves your whole childhood and then some years to the imagination. Who were you before coming here? Why did you decide to stay here in Ponyville? I just want to know about you."

Twilight listened to Scootaloo state her desire with an ever calm and gentle expression. It was something she'd practiced since becoming a princess. After all, having been Celestia's student, it only made sense that she take a few traits from her mentor.

"You're a very special pony, Scootaloo. Had events not happened the way they had, it's highly likely that you and your friends would have become the bearers of the Elements of Harmony instead of me and the girls. And I can't help but wonder if you'd represent Kindness or Loyalty. Nevertheless, I'm glad that things happened the way they did, otherwise I'd never have gotten to know you." she said casually. Scootaloo blushed slightly under the praise. Very few had ever praised her, and even then they were praising her accomplishments. Twilight was the only pony to ever praise who Scootaloo was as a pony. It was more than idle curiosity. Now, she truly wanted to know Twilight.

"This is who I am, Scootaloo. I'm not a princess, I'm not an alicorn. Those are nothing but labels. What I am, Who I am is somepony who is grateful for the things she has in life. I have terrific friends who would do anything for me, and I them. I have a faithful dragon whom cares for my needs and whom I consider to be my younger brother. And then I have you and your friends, Sweetie belle and Applebloom. I've taken to thinking of Sweetie Belle my student in magic, but you, Scootaloo. I consider you my student in friendship and nothing would make me happier than to tell you about myself."

Scootaloo listened intently to every word Twilight said. She recognised the way she said it. It was the same way she taught her about general knowledge. the hint of excitement in every word spoken. Only this time, Twilight was talking about how important Scootaloo was to her. Her, the flightless pegasus was treasured by an Equestrian princess. It was almost enough for Scootaloo to start pining for mushiness... almost.

"Tell me everything." Scootaloo said.

It was approaching nightfall and Twilight had regaled Scootaloo with as much information as she thought Scootaloo could take. She tried to tell of the more interesting situations between her and princess Celestia, like one time when Twilight asked her about sex education, a lesson she'd been taught by her biology instructor. It was the only time Celestia's poker face had faltered. And the only time she'd ever stammered.

Scootaloo enjoyed hearing about Twilight's life. She understood why she chose to live in Ponyville. Being a shut in with next to no friends would have made it easier to choose friends over loneliness.

Scootaloo had even been bold enough to ask about the fight between herself and Tirek, explaining that Rainbow Dash and apparently everypony else had the same answer.

"It was the first time in my life I'd been given such a heavy burden to carry. The sum total of four alicorns' worth of magic at my disposal. It was frightening I'd been warned that that much power could corrupt one's heart, and it scared me. What if I didn't want to give that power up? What if I became the next threat to Equestria? Then, the fight itself was the first time I had to face such a threat alone, without the help of my friends. The girls say it was the worst time of my life because of those reasons. My fear of corruption and the loneliness of fighting without them by my side. I could have become the next Nightmare Moon."

That was what Twilight had said. It made sense to Scootaloo. Loneliness and power were what corrupted princess Luna, which meant even an alicorn wasn't infallible. She respected Twilight a lot more after learning she'd endured such a hardship. "But I'd bet the battle was epic, right?" she'd asked.

Twilight wasn't one to belittle things, and when she agreed that it was the most awesome battle in history, she reminded Scootaloo of Rainbow Dash at that moment.

The evening came to a close with a bit of unfortunate news. "Hey, uh. It's past curfew for the orphanage. The gates will have closed for the night." Spike interrupted, offering them both some hot chocolate.

"Aw, man! Now I gotta climb the fence. It'd be so much easier if I could fly." she muttered. Twilight chuckled and sipped her chocolate.

"Don't be silly, Scootaloo. You can stay here for the night. Spike will set up the spare room for you." she said. Scootaloo sighed in relief. She'd hoped Twilight would offer, but didn't want to put her out after asking about her past.

"Thank you Twilight. And thank you, Spike." she said, turning to the dragon glaring at the princess.

"You're welcome, Scoots. At least somepony appreciates what I have to do around here." he replied, walking off to prepare the spare room. Twilight chuckled lightly before setting her mug down.

"Don't be like that. I'll give you a hoof. Scootaloo, why don't you go and take a bath? I find that a bath during stormy nights is quite relaxing." she suggested. Scootaloo smiled, choosing to ignore the possible implication that she offended Twilight's nostrils.

"Thanks, Twilight." With that, Scootaloo hopped off her seat and made for the upstairs bathroom. It wasn't until Twilight had pointed it out that she realised that the weather outside was stormy at all. It was complete with lightning and thunder.

She found her way to the bathroom and noticed that the room was illuminated by glowing crystals. It set a rather romantic ambiance. She couldn't help but try to imagine Spike enjoying a romantic bath. The thought made her giggle. "Maybe with Rarity on the other end." she said to herself. She closed the door behind her and the crystals changed colour. It was a blueish hue with a hint of yellow, giving the room a general contentment feel. As scootaloo admired the changing crystals, she watched again as the colour changed to that of a pale blue, emitting a sense of wonder.

Scootaloo realised then that the crystals changed colours depending on the tennant's mood. It made Scootaloo wonder whom had been here last to leave with a romantic feeling in their hearts?

She placed the train of thought to the side and concentrated on drawing her bath. As the hot water began to humidify the room, she began to feel just how unbathed she really was. It was true, she had a tendency to work out a lot. Between riding her scooter and trying to fly she'd worked up quite a sweat today alone. To think Twilight had put up with the smell of sweaty pegasus filly for five hours, made her both further admire and feel sorry for Twilight at the same time.

As the bath reached the preferred depth for Scootaloo, she turned off the taps and tested the waters. She could smell something in the water. She remembered Sweetie belle talking about how water with a nice smell would be enchanted to act as a soap and rinse, and how Rarity would gush about the spa having the same thing. It also meant that she'd have no need to physically wash her body, a task she didn't mind until it came to her wings. Like all Pegasi, her wings were sensitive, and she hated treading lightly around them, especially since they were so useless.

As she settled into the water, she let out a content sigh. The castle's magic knew no bounds. It knew just how she liked the water to be. Hot enough to draw goosebumps, but not so hot as to think you were sitting in a giant boiling kettle. Scootaloo leaned back into the tub, letting the curved part support her back as her legs just splayed out along the length of the tub. Were somepony to walk in it would be so embarrassing to be seen in such a situation, but Scootaloo felt so good, she didn't care. Really, it was only Spike she had to worry about, and he wasn't likely to barge in without knocking. He was a well mannered dragon. Scootaloo realised she could learn a thing or two from him. They all could.

Scootaloo, although knowing the enchantment in the water, didn't fully trust it and decided to assist the spell as best she could. She grabbed a loofa and began scrubbing various areas, leaving the wings alone. She trusted the water for that at least. Having given herself a thorough scrub down, she played like a submarine and went under the water, coming back up a few seconds later after shaking her head around a bit to make sure the water reached all the way to her skin.

When she came back up, she sighed again and just lay there for a while longer. The orphanage would really suck after tonight. Still, it'd be a stretch to ask Twilight to adopt her. Scootaloo let out a chuckle. She wasn't sad about being an orphan, she just wished there weren't so many of them. Communal bathrooms were not the highlight of the day.

Scootaloo began to wonder what it would be like to have Twilight as a mother. She imagined all sorts of things. Fancy food, pompous dresses, business meetings. Not exactly pros for such a lifestyle, but what would be worth it would be to call a place home, to go to that home and find somepony waiting there for me and me alone, to have my own room, my own bed and a loving parent who would kiss me goodnight. Scootaloo couldn't think of a better mother than Twilight. But it would just be a dream. She'd have to settle for Student of Friendship. That was good enough. Maybe she could ask to live in the castle like Twilight did with princess Celestia. Though Twilight had been an official student of Celestia's, while Twilight had only said that she and Sweetie Belle were like her students. It was a nice thought though.

Finally, Scootaloo had soaked in the bath enough and got out. She then noticed that the tub had no drain hole, yet somehow, the water was disappearing by itself. She smiled at the marvel before her, the room changing colour to resemble an ambiance of admiration. "Cheeky." she said to the room which changed in turn to give off a bashful feel. A bashful bathroom, that's...I don't even know what that is. Scootaloo thought to herself. She toweled herself off, giving herself some terrible spiky mane. She giggled at the sight in the mirror and patted it down with her hoof. It wasn't like before, but it'd do.

Leaving the bathroom feeling clean and fresh, she walked across the walkway. "Twilight?" she called out, receiving no answer. Surely, she's finished with the spare room by now? she thought to herself. She made her way to the rooms and stepped into the closest one. She found herself in a large room with books cluttering the place. Parchment and books and even quills cluttered the floor, walls and even the roof. Scootaloo dared not go into the en suite for fear of finding documents on indoor plumbing pinned to the walls. How you pin something to a wall made of crystal was beyond her. She wondered how Twilight could live like this? So unorganised, so messy. It was like her but with books and paper. As she scanned the room, she sat down on the bed. After doing so, she heard a slight thud coming from between the bedside and the table. She peered between them to find a book, leatherbound, brown with a leather string keeping it closed.

Twilight's Diary! she thought.

Chapter 2

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She didn't know what to do. She'd found Twilight's diary of all things, the one object of Twilight's woe prior to Scootaloo's visit. What was she supposed to do? She could have called out to Twilight and told her that she'd found the diary, but how would she explain being in her room in the first place? She could have casually pointed it out in her next conversation, which would mean having to leave the room first.

As her mind began to stick to that idea, she grabbed the diary, tucking it under her wing, which was just big enough to hide it. As her legs carried her over to the exit, another idea began to form in her head; one that didn't have time to formulate as Scootaloo almost bumped into Twilight herself. Feeling like she'd just been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar, Scootaloo panicked, much the same way Twilight had earlier that day.

"Oh! H-hey, Twilight. What's up?" she asked, eyes wide and ears perked.

Twilight just looked at the filly with uncertainty. "Uh... nothing? What are you doing in my room? You get lost or something?" she asked. Scootaloo saw this as an opportunity to escape suspicion. It was also an opportunity to give Twilight her diary. But something in the back of her mind stopped her from doing the latter.

"Uh, kind of. I was looking for you and thought you might be in one of the rooms. I didn't know which was which, so I started with this one." she said, putting on a fake smile. It wasn't entirely a lie. In fact, it wasn't a lie at all. That was her intention from the beginning, she just omitted the truth about the diary, which really hadn't even been brought up.

Scootaloo quickly realised that she was panicking. Too much to even realise what she was panicking about. "That makes sense." Twilight said, getting her attention. "Even I have trouble navigating this place. It's still so new to me. Come on, I'll show you to your room." she said. Scootaloo let out a relieved sigh and followed the Princess to the room next door. A short trip to be sure, but Scootaloo found it long enough to compose herself. She didn't like lying to Twilight, but for some reason, she felt she had to know what was in Twilight's Diary. She was still a filly after all. Surely if Twilight caught her, she'd understand idle curiosity.

Scootaloo marvelled at the sight before her as Twilight opened the door to reveal the room she was going to be staying in. The place was as large as the room the orphans stayed in together. Such a large amount of space. To say that there was elbow room would be like saying there was water on the planet. It just didn't do the real thing justice. Scootaloo was in such a stupor at the sight that she almost dropped Twilight's Diary from under her wing.

"It's amazing!" she said, choosing to sit down in the middle of the room and just take it all in. Twilight giggled and sat down next to her.

"I'll admit, it's a major improvement to the Library, though I do miss the smell of oak that came with the place. I guess the spoils of war don't quite make up for what was lost. Still, the place does make my life just a bit easier." she said, standing up again to lead the filly to her bed. It was a king size four poster bed with that drapery hanging overhead that rich pony beds were famous for. It was all just too much for Scootaloo. She felt like she didn't belong, but at the same time, she wanted to belong. It was the same feeling she got when she saw Rainbow Dash flying overhead, defying gravity and physics. Scootaloo wanted nothing more than to be up there with her, conquering the skies with her idol.

Twilight helped Scootaloo up onto the bed and moved the covers away for her to slide into. Scootaloo made sure not to unravel her wings as she wriggled her way under the covers. Were it her bed in the orphanage, she would have given her feathers all kinds of hell, but the silk just slid past her, leaving the feathers unharmed and her pain receptors silent. She sighed at the good feeling she got from it all. As the covers were placed over her, Scootaloo found herself looking up to Twilight with sleepy eyes.

"Thanks, Twilight." she said. Twilight just smiled sweetly at the filly and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. It was an unusual gesture that Scootaloo wasn't familiar with, but she found herself liking it all the same.

"Goodnight, Scootaloo." sh said with a gentleness that Scootaloo instinctually compared with that of a mother. As Twilight was about to leave the room, Scootaloo found herself addressing the mare.

"Hey Twilight?" she called, earning another glance from the alicorn. She had the kindest smile Scootaloo had ever seen on a pony, even more so than Fluttershy, and that was saying something. "Do you... wanna hang out tomorrow?" she asked.

A gentle chuckle left Twilight's lips as she looked at the filly. "Tomorrow's Saturday. What better time is there for friends to hang out together?" was all she said before leaving, the door closing behind her. Scootaloo smiled at the prospect of a day out with Twilight and immediately went to open her diary, hoping to find something that would give her a hint as to what they might both enjoy doing tomorrow.

As she opened to the first page, she discovered that the crystal wall in the room began to illuminate just enough for her to be able to read the words while the rest of the room darkened. It was official, she loved this place.

The Diary of Twilight Sparkle

Entry: 1 - Date: 1/3/1001 A.L

Dear Diary,

With the destruction of the Golden Oaks Library, my previous diaries have all been burned with it. Thus, this marks the beginning of a new era. I miss my old Library. It wasn't a castle, but I'm not exactly one for extravagance. That's more Rarity's schtick. Still, I find myself mystified by the features this castle has. It seems to change and expand to the will of those within it without any changes to the outside. In short, this place has the potential to literally be bigger on the inside. It reminds me of what Derpy said about 'The Doctor' and his big blue box. I suppose now that I live in such a place, spacial distortion within a hollow construct is possible.

Beyond that, The Cutie mark Crusaders visited for the first time. I had to stifle a laugh as they found themselves getting lost within minutes. It was only after I found them all that I realised that all four of us were lost.

Scootaloo chuckled, remembering that day. When Twilight found her, she'd never been so happy to see somepony in her life.

The girls asked me if they could continue their lessons in magical studies/cutie mark crusading. Of course I agreed. With Sweetie Belle as the younger sister of one of my best friends, how could I say no? Not to mention, If I'm overseeing their studies and crusades, the chances of another incident are severely decreased. I also hope to have Spike's personality rub off on them. The dragon has proven himself to be a mature and responsible young drake when he needs to be. Something the three fillies severely need.

They don't lack for humility, however they don't learn from it either. Applebloom tends to have a defensive attitude with her friends. No doubt stemming from wanting to be more like Applejack who has a proud presence about her. Applebloom tends to be the voice of reason among the trio. However, she lacks conviction, which causes her concerns to go ignored. This weakness of will is the primary reason for their destructive reputation. However, the others share the blame themselves.

Scootaloo read the entry and realised that Twilight was right about Applebloom. She often was the voice of reason, the cautious one. Perhaps she should listen to her more, or perhaps back her friend up some. She read on.

Sweetie Belle possesses a take charge attitude. The source may be the lack of compromise Rarity gives her. If a filly can't have her own way at home, they tend to lash out at their friends and become the dominant member of the party. I feel sorry for Sweetie Belle in a way. Would she just express her frustration with Rarity, her leadership skills may better be refined and the fillies' failures would become less frequent.

Scootaloo realised that once again, Twilight was right. It made her scared to read on. What was her fault in the group?

What can I say about Scootaloo? An ordinary Psychologist would say that her rebellious nature stems from her being an orphan, but I know better. When Scootaloo smiles, it isn't one of those pained smiles that is a poor attempt to hide the sadness in her heart. I honestly believe that she doesn't mind the orphanage. In a way, she may see it as another kind of family. What Scootaloo's true vice is, is her inability to fly. A sensitive subject for any pegasus. As a Princess, I've had the privilege of seeing her medical records. From what I can tell, there seems to be no problem with her wings. They're as healthy as can be, no doubt a result of Rainbow Dash's training, yet somehow she is still unable to fly.

This leads me to conclude that the problem is more emotional than physical. If she believes that she can fly, then I've no doubt that one day, she will. However, her current inability is clearly the source of her borderline masochistic nature. Being a tomcolt doesn't help the issue. Most of the crusaders' attempts at earning their cutie marks end in dangerous bone breaking stunts that Scootaloo is the first to volunteer for. It's a miracle that she hasn't been hospitalised.

Scootaloo put the journal down and sighed. "She's right. I'm not sure what a masochist is, but I am first in line to hurt myself. Maybe that's what it is?" she thought aloud. Believing she wouldn't find anything that would help her decide what they both could do together in the beginning of the book, she skipped ahead a few pages only to find they went blank after a while. "What? No way! She's been here longer than that." Scootaloo protested, flicking through the pages. She spotted another section filled with writing. She flicked back to the first of the pages and read the title.

Study Notes

Scootaloo knew there'd be nothing of interest in there, so she tried for further ahead, and came across the same problem, a blank section followed by a final title page. It was this one that caught her interest.

The Secrets Within Me

Scootaloo paused for a moment. Twilight's secrets. Those two words opened up a whole new world in Scootaloo's mind. Were they her secrets? Or were they secrets of other ponies that she kept secret for their sakes? She remembered how Twilight had acted when she discovered the book missing. Could this book contain Princess Celestia's secrets? Or perhaps secrets about the Princess? Scootaloo was no stranger to fillyhood crushes. Practically every filly in her class had a crush on Rumble.

Another thought came to Scootaloo. If Twilight had written down all that stuff about her and the cutie mark crusaders, then perhaps the secrets were about her friends, in which case, she'd be able to get some dirt on Rainbow Dash that nopony else would know about. But the title page suggested otherwise. Twilight would have no reason to hide secrets about her friends. No, these were clearly her secrets. Maybe they'll give me some clue about what to do with Twilight tomorrow. It may be a guilty pleasure that she'd like to eat, in which case, I could suggest going out to lunch. she thought to herself.

Flipping over to the next page, she discovered Twilight had written a little note about the content beyond. Scootaloo read it.

The following passages are my darkest desires that I simply could not contain within my mind. I find writing it down helps, but should this book be lost, it would ultimately be damning. I almost hope to be killed long before anypony ever finds this. Celestia forgive my dark nature.

Scootaloo noticed that the page was harder in areas and had slightly darker shades to it that were circular in nature. Was she crying? she thought. Scootaloo remembered when she'd first tried to write in a diary. It was before she'd come to terms with her role as an orphan. Some nights were harder than others, and she'd left tear stains on the pages.

Whatever was beyond this page could change Scootaloo's opinion of Twilight for better or worse. Now she had to make a choice; read on and risk hating Twilight's guts as well as incurring her wrath once she found out? Or leave the book forever and live on in blissful ignorance of Twilight's greatest desire and worst fear?

As the filly struggled with the decision ahead, a thought came to her. Maybe I could help Twilight with this? Certainly Twilight realised she had a problem, else she wouldn't have written that foreword. And as those stories always told, the first step on the road to recovery was realising you had a problem. Of course, that was about alcoholism and drug addiction. she realised.

"I won't know if I can help until I find out what it is. But on my word as a Pegasus, I vow not to reveal Twilight's secrets to anypony." she declared to herself. She realised then that she'd spoken out loud and looked towards the doorway, keeping both eyes peeled on the light shining through the bottom, searching for any hint of a shadow. Her ears scanned for any sound from outside.

Nothing but silence. Twilight was not within hearing distance. Scootaloo let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding in and looked back to the passage. "Even if Celestia won't forgive your dark nature, Twilight... I promise that I will!" she whispered, placing a hoof on the corner of the page. "That's what friends are for." she concluded, turning the page.

As a filly, I was told that love came in many shapes and sizes. I didn't understand what that meant at the time. All I understood was that I loved my parents, I loved my brother, and I loved Princess Celestia. It was as simple as that. As I grew older, and learned about the biology of love, namely sex, curiosity got the better of me and I of course explored, beginning with myself. To say it felt good was an understatement. The euphoria one receives from such exploration eclipses that which I received whenever Princess Celestia would praise me. Something I used to live for.

It wasn't until I was in my teens that I learned where the different shapes and sizes came into play regarding love. Growing up in Canterlot, the ponies are often stuffy purists. It was just coincidence that my family had only ever fallen in love with other unicorns. They had no preferences regarding species, it was just true love, pure and simple. I'd learned that beyond Canterlot, unicorns would marry earth ponies or pegasi. the three pony races had become more than allies, but were in fact copulating. I know now that it was something that had been commonplace for hundreds of years, but one must understand that as a shut in young mare who barely knew her own body, it was quite a revelation.

As I grew older and wiser, I learned that although ponies preached declarations that love was boundless, that didn't stop the higher ups from doing their best to limit it. Until a few decades ago, Same sex relationships were frowned upon, and to this day, marriage between two same sex parties is still outlawed. Not to mention that as we grow as a species, the minimum wedding age of a mare grows as well. Once there was a time when fillies no older than thirteen would be married off to middle-aged stallions. Of course, such changes sound sensible, however, why not allow it on certain conditions? If the filly loves the stallion, then why not let them be together?

Love is boundless, love cannot be contained... except by the laws placed upon the ponies that feel such love. It's a general rule that ponies have lived with for centuries, and it's next to impossible to change laws that have lasted for as long as Equestria has stood. As the princess of love, I expect Cadence would understand the plight of those whose love must go unrequited because the law prevents it.

Scootaloo had trouble understanding where Twilight was going with this. What did her secret have to do with love?

Unfortunately, I am among those who must keep their romantic desires hidden from society as a whole. Neither my friends, nor my family can know what kind of pony I am. I didn't even know until I came to Ponyville. I am not a mare who loves stallions, nor do I love other mares. I don't even love both. My outlawed version of love is borderline criminal. After all, who in their right mind would allow a love that could corrupt the next generation?

"What does that mean; the next generation?" Scootaloo asked. cautiously, she read on, hoping to get some clarification? As far as she understood it, Twilight was in love with a type of pony that the law considered illegal.

They spend most of their days in certain buildings, and those few hours they spend amongst each other afterwards teases me to no end. When they play amongst each other, the subtle and unintended suggestiveness of it all drives me crazy. It gets easier when others are around me, for I instinctually manage to suppress my desires in public. This comes at a cost however, as I'm often mistaken for going over something in my head relating to brainiac stuff (as Rainbow Dash would put it). At times I wonder, how can I possibly have such feelings for ponies of that particular age range? And when I have these thoughts to myself, I cry inside, screaming how could I not?

Why must my love of fillies be considered as polluted as the Everfree?

Scootaloo understood now why Twilight was panicking. She was young but even she understood that somepony as highly respected as Twilight would be ruined and run out of Equestria, should she be found out. But Scootaloo had vowed never to tell anypony, and she never broke a promise... or vow as the case may be. Besides, Twilight had made some interesting points earlier. If love was free, then why was the law containing these things?

I understand of course. To love a foal of any gender is considered morally wrong. It is my duty as an adult to guide the next generation to a better tomorrow. But still. Couldn't a better tomorrow involve unrestricted love? Why must the desires of only a certain few go unanswered? I've saved Equestria thrice over. So why must I be alone? Sure, one could argue that I give stallions or mares my own age a try, but what would be the point if they couldn't satisfy my true desire?

As Scootaloo read on, she didn't find herself repulsed by Twilight's secret, but instead felt sad for the princess. She had given so much for Equestria. And while she'd been given the privilege of becoming an Alicorn, it was not what she'd asked for. But what she wanted to ask for was out of the question.

Scootaloo turned to a few further pages, reading the next entry.

I've been hearing from my friends that their sisters have been the victims of bullying. While such a thing is commonplace in the world, even a small town like this, I find myself caring about one filly in particular. Scootaloo has never known anything but heartbreak, and while Rainbow Dash does her best to brighten up her world, I realise that at the end of the day, she returns home to a place that she may call home, but she doesn't truly believe it. She does not know love in any true sense other than friendship, and while I am the princess of friendship... I find myself wishing I could introduce Scootaloo to a different kind of love.

Scootaloo's eyes widened and her breath got stuck in her throat. No way... she thought as she read on.

That filly is brave and strong. She's endured loneliness the likes of which I don't even want to imagine. In a sense, I feel like we are kindred spirits. She is lonely in every sense of the word. I am lonely as I am now. Hiding behind a mask known as the perfect student. I've a lot to live up to, but I wish I could just let my mane down, and if I had to choose, I'd choose Scootaloo to let it down to.

The filly in question bit her bottom lip as she realised where Twilight was going with this. Her love for fillies and the connection she'd felt between them. Scootaloo realised that Twilight had fallen in love with her. It was a... not bitter pill, but certainly hard to swallow. How could somepony like Twilight love her? And in that way?! It made no sense. She'd understand Twilight falling for another filly; maybe one of her friends, Sweetie Belle or even Applebloom. Sweetie Belle would have been the most realistic choice, given that she'd chosen to study under Twilight in the field of magic. But Scootaloo? What qualities did she have that would make Twilight love her?

I've been monitoring Scootaloo's progress since they began coming to the Library to learn under me. At first, it was uncomfortable. Three fillies placing their trust in me. I wanted nothing more than to avoid letting them down. I hid behind my mask and played the good teacher, trying to keep them interested. And as time went on, I began to feel more at ease with them around. I always noticed how Scootaloo was always the last one to leave. It was like she wanted to stay here. And to be honest, I wanted her to. But what purpose would that serve other than to torture me?

I ask myself every day; why do I love Scootaloo? The answer is always the same. I love her because she wants to be loved, and I want to be the one to love her. I'd have settled for wanting to love her as a parent loves their child, but my nature will always get the best of me. It's in my nature to be a monster that parents should lock up their houses to. Twilight Sparkle, inspirational princess by day... disgusting pedophile by night.

Scootaloo couldn't breathe. Everything she knew about Twilight had changed, warped into something... different. Twilight had always been truthful, but hid one important factor. Scootaloo understood why. Ponies had been executed for less. But she didn't want Twilight to be executed.

I'm a monster...

As Scootaloo found the last part of the entry, she covered her mouth with her hoof to avoid letting a sob escape. The filly only had a basic understanding of love, romance and sex. But even she could understand why Twilight thought this way.

"...You're not a monster. You're... just stuck with a choice you can't make. Don't hate yourself for that." she said to the diary, picturing it as Twilight's inner self. She shut the book and hugged it to her chest. She knew that there was more to read, but she needed to think things over. After a minute, she placed the book under her pillow and lay back, looking towards the ceiling.

As her little mind worked things out, she wondered what it was about Scootaloo that Twilight found physically appealing? Sure, she was a filly, but there had to be more to it than that. Was it the colour of her mane? Her coat? did she possess a more shapely form than the others that she hadn't realised? Was it her eyes? Her lithe form? Or did the thought of little wings on a Pegasus somehow appeal to Twilight?

Or was it a more sexually based? Looking past the covers over her body, she locked her eyes on the general area between her flanks. Could Twilight be that...not shallow, but...simple? she thought.

Without a thought, Scootaloo slipped a hoof under the covers and found the area she'd begun imagining Twilight looking at. As she touched the surface, she found it to be hot, like a slither of sunlight had been shining on it for a long period of time and had brought that area to a hotter temperature than the rest of her body. In turn, she could feel her hoof through her heated area and the sensitivity left something to be desired.

She began to gently slide her hoof over the sensitive place and found a tingling sensation that was highly addictive. She tried to go faster, and she was rewarded with a twinge that caused her to suck in air and arch her back. She'd hit a particular spot at the top that sent a wave of pins and needles spiraling throughout her entire being. Scootaloo knew exactly what she wanted to do. She remembered Twilight's journal mentioning the euphoria received from exploring her body. While Scootaloo didn't know what euphoria meant, she had a good idea, and she wanted to experience it.

Keeping to the tradition of Twilight teaching her and the CMC, she began to imagine Twilight nestled at the foot of her bed, watching Scootaloo experiment. The image of her smiling down at the filly as she did something so embarrassing somehow gave Scootaloo cause to work harder at the task.

The little filly rubbed at the nub that had formed at the base of her fillyhood. She went faster, and harder, receiving thanks from her body with each flick of the switch. She could feel something in her lower body building up, but no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn't stop building up. Eventually, she tried to change the image she'd imagined for herself. In her mind's eye, she imagined that it was Twilight's hoof giving her this immense pleasure instead of her own.

Within seconds, Scootaloo caught her breath and arched her entire body. She understood what 'euphoria' meant at that moment. The sudden release of energy that had built up made her entire body explode with sensitivity. She couldn't stop rubbing now. She wanted it to last as long as it could. But she'd neglected to hold her tongue as she suddenly screamed.

"AHHHHH!!! TWILIGHT!!!" she cried out. She suddenly stopped, her mind registering what had just happened. She gasped in shock and sat up, panting. Her body was sweating and shaking. She heard the sound of rushed hoofsteps and Twilight immediately burst through the door. Scootaloo didn't know what to do after seeing her. A blush spread across her face.

"What's wrong?!" Twilight asked, looking around the room before seeing Scootaloo exactly where she'd left her. To Twilight she looked terrible. Her fur was matted, the area around her bed was coated in sweat and the filly was shaking like a leaf and breathing heavily.

"Scootaloo, did you have a nightmare?" Twilight asked, approaching her guest. She sat down on the side of the bed, wearing that same smile she'd done all day since Scootaloo had asked to talk about her.

Scootaloo's blush deepened as Twilight approached. If she was honest with herself, she didn't want to associate what she'd just done with a nightmare, but in order to save face, she bit the bullet and nodded, sheepishly. As she made eye contact with Twilight, she noticed that the smile she wore at that moment wasn't like the one she'd imagined her with during her... investigation. Scootaloo had imagined Twilight's expression to be more... what was the word Sweetie Belle used? ...predatory. That was it. Imagination Twilight's expression was predatory, she hungered for what Scootaloo was offering. The Twilight before her showed none of that hunger. Scootaloo noticed instead, a motherly figure who had genuine concern for her.

The next thing Scootaloo knew was a pair of hooves and wings wrapped around her, dragging the filly closer to the princess. Twilight had pulled her into a hug. "You poor thing," she said. Scootaloo took notice of how warm Twilight felt. "would you like to sleep with me tonight?" she asked. Scootaloo began to cry. If Rainbow Dash were there, she'd be twenty percent more embarrassed than she already was. She wasn't crying because she was sad, or scared. She was crying because she was confused. Somehow, after having read about Twilight's deep seated love for her, Scootaloo realised something. She'd developed a foalhood crush on her.

Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around Twilight and rested her head in the crook of her neck. "I'd like nothing more." she sobbed.

Chapter 3

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Scootaloo awoke to a pair of lavender hooves around her body. Confusion set in her mind as she tried to remember what had happened to land her in the situation she’d found herself in. It must have been early in the morning. The light of the sun was barely peeking through the window. And despite her school hours, Scootaloo was not a morning pony.

She gave up trying to figure out what had happened and just relented to letting the comfortable situation remain as such. She wriggled closer to her spooning partner and sighed. Taking in the scent of the pony who made her feel so safe and happy, her calm morning was about to be interrupted by her mind as the memories came flooding back.

Scootaloo’s eyes snapped open. She remembered everything. Twilight’s diary, the enclosed secret love that the princess held towards her, her first masturbatory fantasy and the following revelation that she’d developed a crush on Twilight in turn. And finally the offer to sleep with Twilight in her bed, the very bed that she was in at this moment.

She looked down at the hooves that protected her from the outside world. As she’d failed to register earlier, they were in fact the same shade of lavender that Twilight was known for. Scootaloo realised that she was being held in Twilight’s arms. That this was a fantasy that the Princess no doubt entertained, or perhaps the aftermath of a fantasy. And she realised that it would have been the same for her as well.

Scootaloo blushed as she realised that she was being held by the pony who loved her. It in no way reminded her of Rainbow Dash. In fact it reminded her of how not like Rainbow Dash this was. She wasn't a mushy kind of pony who held public displays of affection. Scootaloo began to wonder why that was. After all, it felt good. Though Scootaloo began to wonder if that might have just been a result of her being held by her crush.

Scootaloo blushed again. It was strange referring to Twilight as her crush. But she was happy. She had a chance at love; a shadowy, secretive and ultimately illegal love, but a love all the same. And it wouldn't be possible if it weren't for…

THE BOOK!!! she screamed in her mind, eyes widened to the size of dishes. She’d left Twilight’s diary under the pillow in the spare bedroom. Spike would no doubt come along sooner or later to strip the bed. He’d wind up finding the book and put two and two together. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that Scootaloo had taken the diary, and that would cause Twilight to panic beyond the point of calming her down. Scootaloo didn't want to do that to her. No, She would allow the relationship they both desired to form naturally. Or as naturally as possible when she’d planned on rigging it for success and she had what was essentially a walkthrough guide at her disposal.

But first, she needed to get that book. Being careful not to wake Twilight, Scootaloo slowly slid herself out from underneath the princess' clutches. Although slow, the action still caused Twilight to stir, but thankfully, she did not wake up. Scootaloo fought the urge to sigh in relief, not wanting to risk waking her up. She waited for about half a minute before moving again, slowly crawling backwards off the side of the bed.

Touchdown; the hard part was over. Now all she needed to do was sneak around the bed, leave Twilight's room, enter the spare room and grab the diary. All while making next to no noise at all. She audibly gulped at the task ahead. With a single step, she was on her way. As she crept, she kept an eye on Twilight at all times, ready to freeze if the mare stirred again. As Scootaloo turned her head to see how far from the door she was, she found herself rearing back as the door was less than an inch from her face. She sucked in air and held it for a moment before exhaling quietly. She reached for the handle and turned it, flinching as it made a squeaking sound. Why couldn't the doors be made of crystal too? she whined to herself as she heart Twilight turn in her sheets. Scootaloo looked back to find Twilight facing her, but still asleep.

The silence was deafening. This was taking too long. With a quick tug, the handle lowered all the way and the door opened. As it moved, Scootaloo suddenly found herself wondering if it squeaked or not. She couldn't remember hearing anything last night. To her relief, not a sound came from the door. She released the handle and stepped through the archway, reversing the process on the other side. She was quicker this time, making sure that the noise was minimal. She looked around and saw the place was empty.

Scootaloo repeated her sneaking stride to the spare room and opened the door haphazardly, forgetting the rest of the plan and hurried over to where she'd left the book. She lifted the pillow and saw it. In the light of the morning sun, it seemed far more imposing. After all, it contained a deep dark secret, yet it was unphased by Celestia's light.

A shiver ran along Scootaloo's spine as she picked the book up and looked at it. She'd succeeded in obtaining it. But...Wait, where the hay am I gonna hide it?!

A cold sweat broke in Scootaloo's forehead as the realisation that she had nowhere to hide it became clear to her. She knew she couldn't hide it under her wing. Pegasi were known for emphasising their emotions through the use of their wings. And with Twilight as smart as she is, she might pick up on the fact that I'm not using them.she thought. The orphanage gates weren't open yet and there'd be nowhere within the castle that would be safe from Twilight's ever seeking eyes. Scootaloo thought about hiding the diary outside the castle, but remembered what it said about it potentially ruining the princess' good name. If somepony were to find it and read it, Twilight would be ruined.

That realisation made Scootaloo's heart twist in her chest. She could wind up not being a princess anymore... and I wouldn't be allowed near her. Scootaloo began to panic. She looked around frantically for anywhere to hide the book. If only she could fly, she'd be able to dash to the orphanage and hide it there. Oh, but the others might find it. she thought.

With a defeated sigh, she decided to hide it underneath whatever was in the bedside table drawers. She opened the top draw and found it empty. She blinked before closing it and opening the middle one. Empty again. She repeated the action with the third one and found it empty also. The gears in her head were working overtime to try and figure out what to do.

So... these drawers aren't used. And if they're not used, then nopony would open them. And if nopony would open them, then that means... she opened the top drawer again and placed the book inside, closing it again. She closed the bottom drawer as well, leaving everything as it was. With a relieved sigh, she made her way out of the room, closing the door behind her. It was as she was descending the stairs, she spotted Spike leaving his own little room downstairs.

"Hey, Spike." she said casually. Spike yawned and waved to the filly, none the wiser about what had happened upstairs. As the two met, Scootaloo decided to ask Spike about what Twilight might enjoy doing for their day out.

"Dunno. Twilight's always been a rather indoorsy pony. Unless it's a symposium or a lecture on magical studies, she's not exactly what you'd call relatable." he replied. Scootaloo sighed, wondering what they might be able to do together.

"Can you think of anything that we both like?" she asked him. She watched as Spike's mind went into overdrive... or as close to it as a half asleep dragon could go.

"I suppose you could try the theatre. Twilight's a Daring Do fan, and apparently they're showing some musical parody of her first adventure. Twilight's been talking about seeing it, but her and Rainbow's calendars haven't exactly been in sync lately." he replied. Scootaloo beamed at the smart young dragon. She pulled him into a big hug.

"That's perfect! Thanks Spike." she said, squeezing him tightly. The young dragon was still too tired to fight her off, so he just went with it.

"Careful, Scootaloo. Spike's the only one here who knows how to cook. I'd like breakfast before you break him." a familiar voice jested. Scootaloo released Spike and turned to Twilight, smiling at her with a mixture of awe, envy and lust.

Twilight returned the look with a similar mixture of love, care and... veiled lust. Nevertheless, the two were happy to see each other. "Hey, Twilight. Thanks for letting me stay here last night." the filly said, opening with a casual show of gratitude. Twilight just made one of those humming chuckles. "Of course. It was my pleasure." she replied. I don't doubt it. Scootaloo thought as the two of them made their way to the breakfast table.

As Spike cooked, Scootaloo and Twilight filled the time with idle chatter. Scootaloo wanted to save the offer of the theatre performance for something to talk about over the actual meal. Fortunately, the wait wasn't long as Spike emerged with a large stack of pancakes for everypony in one hand, and a large helping of maple syrup. Scootaloo envied the dragon's ability to balance so well. No doubt his tail had something to do with it.

As the meal began, Scootaloo took the chance to suggest the theatre as a potential place to go. "So I was talking to Spike earlier, asking him what he thought we might like to do together today; and he suggested the theatre. There's supposed to be a Daring Do musical showing." Before Scootaloo could ask if that was a viable option, Twilight put her cutlery down, her mouth full of pancake and started waving her hoof at Scootaloo with excitement. She took a moment to swallow what was in her mouth before answering.

"Yes! I've been wanting to go and see that or a while now, but Rainbow's always been busy when I was free, and vice versa. I'd have gone by myself, but the theatre isn't exactly something you go to alone." she said. Clearly, she was excited by the prospect of finally seeing it.

"You just wanna deliver a scathing review." Spike said, causing the table to chuckle.

"Let's go see it then." Scootaloo said, making the outing with Twilight official.

"Alright then. Spike, would you like to join us?" Twilight asked.

Spike smiled at them and waved his claw to decline. "Thanks, Twilight. But I'm not that big a fan of Daring Do. Besides, I promised Rarity I'd help out at the Boutique when I got the chance, and weekends are the hardest for her." he replied.

"Fair enough. Tell her I said hello?" she asked, receiving a a nod of confirmation from the dragon as he dug into his meal. "The show starts at midday, which works out well, because there's some business I need to take care of that I don't think can wait. Is it alright with you if I take some of our time away to do this?" she asked Scootaloo who seemed curious but wrote it off as Princessly duties. The filly nodded and continued to eat her pancakes.

"It's fine. I wanted to tell the girls I wasn't going to be free today anyway. Did you want to meet up somewhere before the show so we could go together?" she asked. Twilight smiled and thought about it for a moment.

"How about we take an early lunch at Sugarcube Corner? Say around Eleven? That'll give us a good two hours to do what it is we need to do first." Twilight offered.

"Sounds good to me. Should we head off after breakfast?" she asked. Twilight nodded and went into her breakfast.

Twilight had plans, but none of them princessly. She'd been contemplating it for a while, but she believed that certain things were preventing her, but now she felt secure in her decision. She walked casually towards the southern end of town, wondering how Scootaloo would react to the news.

It didn't take Twilight long to reach a metal fence with the gates open. There was a sign above the fence that created an archway. The sign read as follows:

Ponyville Orphanage
cura aeternam

Twilight smiled and stepped through the gates, following the cobblestone path up to the front door of the small mansion-like building. It was well maintained for an orphanage, certainly more so than the ones in Manehattan and Trottingham. Twilight knocked on the front door and a beautiful chocolate coated mare with a cream coloured mane and tail that had been styled beautifully to the left, a loose ponytail tied with a blue band on her mane and tail both.

The caretaker, Twilight assumed, was surprised to see her local princess visiting unexpectedly. "P-princess Twilight? My word, what an honour it is. Please, come in." the caretaker said, opening the door fully to allow Twilight access.

"Thank you, Miss..."

"Oh, Guylian, your highness. Guylian Seashell." the mare replied.

"Like the chocolate?" Twilight asked, hoping not to have offended. Nevertheless, Guylian smiled and even deigned to chuckle.

"Exactly like the chocolate, your highness. My mother had a particular sweet tooth for them." she replied.

"Please, just Twilight. It still feels strange to be called things like Princess and your highness. Half the time, I turn around thinking Princess Celestia or Luna have appeared beside me without my notice." Twilight said, earning a sympathetic giggle from Guylian.

"As you wish, Twilight. So, what brings you to our humble little orphanage?" Guylian asked, leading Twilight to what she assumed was her office.

"Just one thing, divided up into two sub-things... if you get what I mean." she said with a sheepish grin.

"I believe so."

Twilight cleared her throat before speaking again. "First off, I wanted to let you know that Scootaloo stayed in the castle with me last night." she began earning a relieved sigh from Guylian.

"Thank goodness. It always worries me when my foals don't come back in time. Were it up to me, we wouldn't have that gate, but being so close to the Everfree Forest, we have the curfew for their own safety. I tend to patrol the perimeter before midnight, but last night would have been pointless. The rain made it difficult for me to even see what was in front of my nose."

Twilight nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry to have worried you, but Scootaloo had expressed an interest in me prior to my life here in Ponyville, and I couldn't rightly turn her down. Long story short, our conversation went on for longer than we'd anticipated, and by the time it ended, the storm had already begun." she said.

"Well thank you for taking care of her, Twilight. Where is she now?" Guylian asked.

"She's probably with her friends. I've made plans to have an early lunch with her and then we're going to the theatre to see the Daring Do Musical." she replied. Guylian chuckled at the sound of the musical.

"No doubt she'll enjoy it. She's always raving on about Daring Do, when she's not gushing about Rainbow Dash. I swear, everypony here knows the characters of the series like the backs of their hooves." Guylian laughed.

"Which brings me to the other sub-topic; having Scootaloo spend the night has made this morning a lot livelier than usual. I'd been considering it for a while, but I knew she was holding out for Rainbow Dash to be the one." Twilight began.

"You wish to adopt Scootaloo?" Guylian asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice. Twilight smiled. She knew that a Princess adopting would be cause for the foal to live up to great expectations, but Twilight was not like other princesses. She was noble, but not nobility. She had no intention of using Scootaloo for any political attention. She just wanted Scootaloo, period. But that would be difficult to convey without it sounding rather taboo.

"Scootaloo is a special filly who has touched the hearts of everypony around her. Her wings are small and weak, but that hasn't stopped her from dreaming big and pushing herself farther than any other pegasus. I believe that Scootaloo will make a name for herself in Equestria as an idol to other challenged ponies, not just pegasi. I see her potential and I wish to nurture it, to invest in it. What comes if it will make no difference to me because she will be my daughter." Twilight said, blushing as she realised she'd gone off into a little speech.

Guylian just stared at Twilight, awestruck. "You know... most parents tell me they want a foal because they can't conceive or because they're lonely and believe that a foal will brighten their life. But you, are the first one ever to make me believe that you have what it takes to be a good parent. Ponies have come and gone wanting to adopt because they're just going through the motions, playing the game that is life and family. I worry how my foals have turned out whenever I sign off on the adoption. But I know I won't have to worry about Scootaloo."

"I promise, I'll take good care of her. I'll bring her back here after the theatre performance so you can tell her the good news yourself and say goodbye. Clearly, you love these foals, otherwise you wouldn't call them yours." Twilight said.

Guylian failed to stop a tear from escaping her eye as she sniffed. She stood before the greatest thing to happen to Equestria since the Alicorn Sisters took the throne over a thousand years ago. "Bless you, my princess... bless you." Though Twilight had asked her not to refer to her as Princess, she knew that Guylian wasn't able to help herself this time. She let it go as she wrapped the caretaker in a gentle hug. She could feel it. Guylian had become her first loyal subject outside her circle of friends.

Our Temptations

by The Grimm Reaper

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3