The Cutie Mark Crusaders have graduated filly school and are growing up. However, when they feel themselves drifting apart and making new friends, Scootaloo is determined to fix their friendship.
After graduating filly school and saying goodbye to everyone else, the Cutie Mark Crusaders talk about what their futures will be like. Of course, they imagine their future being with each other.
But when time passes, the clubhouse is abandoned. The Cutie Mark Crusaders only meet about once every six months. As they make new friends, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are happy. But what about Scootaloo? Her life seems to be hitting rock bottom. Scootaloo has had no luck meeting new friends. She feels alone now that Rainbow Dash is busier than ever as a Wonderbolt and preparing for her marriage amidst her engagement to Soarin Skies. So, Scootaloo only sees one solution: fix the broken friendship.
Cover Art By CrescentSparkleMoon
Update: This was changed to Teen for intensity. It also changed to adventure because I decided to add an original villain into the story. Thanks for understanding!
"She won't stop," Apple Bloom said to her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. "I've never seen her look like that before."
The Cutie Mark Crusaders had been watching Applejack for a while now. She stared off into space with a strange smile they had never seen her have before. It sort of scared Apple Bloom, but not too much.
"Should we ask her if she's okay?" Scootaloo asked, worriedly.
"Nah," Apple Bloom said. "She's fine."
They looked back over at Applejack who seemed to be coming back to reality with a quick shake of her head. She then reached over into the saddlebag and pulled out a video camera watching the stage eagerly for the event. However, the Cutie Mark Crusaders wanted to know now what was going on with her, so they shuffled awkwardly over towards her.
"Hey, AJ," Apple Bloom said. "Are you alright?"
Applejack laughed. "Yes, sugarcube. I'm just so excited that you're graduating. My little sister is growing up so fast."
Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle exchanged an excited look.
"Can I tell you something about growing up?" Applejack asked.
"Sure," Apple Bloom replied. "What is it?"
"Stop it," Applejack snapped firmly, but only jokingly.
Apple Bloom chuckled. "Nice try."
Applejack grinned as she watched her sister trot away with her friends. She walked with a newfound confidence. One that she had seemed to learn over the years. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed in the same confident walk. They had also learned how to do it with passing time.
Today was their graduation from filly school and no one in the school was more excited than the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle all planned their speeches together in the CMC clubhouse on Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom had worked on including all of the adventures she had and thanking her teacher, Cheerilee, who she thought was possibly the best teacher there was in Equestria. Scootaloo had practiced a small flying routine with Rainbow Dash. It had taken her months, but she finally learned to a small little trick with her wings. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo both knew she was making progress with her flight. She planned on performing it after everypony had given their speeches. Sweetie Belle was wearing a dress that Rarity made her just for the occasion. It was in the style of a graduation robe, but it had some added flair to it to make it stand out.
After waiting around for a while, the graduation started.
Cheerilee stood on the podium and tapped the microphone a few times to make sure it worked. It screeched a little, but stopped quickly.
"Welcome to our graduation!" Cheerilee announced warmly. "I'm sure you're all very excited for the family member or friend you see graduating on the stage today. This class has been such a pleasure to me and surprised me in various ways. So many have discovered their true destinies." She looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders and smiled at them. "They've learned so much and worked so hard. And so now I present the speeches of the students in the Filly School of Ponyville!"
Snips and Snail's speeches were short. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were surprised they were even graduating in the first place. Snips thanked everyone in the school and Snails talked about anything, but what was happening at the moment.
Twist's speech was about earning her cutie mark and everyone who supported her throughout her years. She thanked Cheerilee for teaching her and Apple Bloom for being friendly to her and Sweetie Belle for taste testing one of her baking creations for the end of the graduation.
Many spoke and thanked all the ponies who got them to where they were now. But one that the Cutie Mark Crusaders loved was Diamond Tiara's.
As the former bully stood on the stage, many watched her with disapproving glances. Diamond Tiara frowned and looked about ready to back down, but Silver Spoon gave her encouraging smiles. She took a deep breath and began her speech. "I... know I haven't been your favorite pony throughout the school years. I admit that I was bossy. I admit that I was demanding and rude. I admit I acted like a spoiled brat... which I am spoiled. But I didn't want to be a brat. I just didn't know how to be the pony I wanted to be. And I'd like to thank the Cutie Mark Crusaders." She looked over at them and they grinned. Apple Bloom nodded to encourage her to continue. "They were the ones who helped me stop being rude to others and helped me become the pony I really wanted to be. I became someone to help the school and help others. And thank you Cheerilee for being such a great teacher. You really did teach the best lessons."
As Diamond Tiara stepped away, the crowd roared with cheering. Diamond Tiara went over and the Cutie Mark Crusaders gave her a hug.
"That was so nice of you," Sweetie Belle said. "Thank you so much!"
"Of course," Diamond Tiara replied. "It felt wrong not to include the ponies who helped me find myself when I was younger."
Silver Spoon nodded. "Thank you for helping me, too. I forgot to include that in my speech."
"Aw, no worries," Scootaloo reassured. "We weren't really expecting to be mentioned."
"Could I have everypony stand on the stage?" Cheerilee beckoned.
Everypony stood on the stage. One by one, each student got their diploma and stood in a row on the stage. They cheered and threw their hats into the air in unison. The crowd went wild and rapidly snapped pictures and took videos.
As everyone stepped away from the stage, Scootaloo flew into the air. She only did a front flip, but she felt proud and accomplished for being able to even fly. The crowd was stunned. All the ponies thought Scootaloo couldn't fly for so long. They were amazed that she overcame her obstacle and cheered for her.
Rainbow Dash ran up to the stage and gave Scootaloo a giant hug. "I'm proud of you, Scoots. You did it! You're growing up faster than Pinkie Pie can blast her party cannon!"
"That's pretty fast," Scootaloo said with a giggle.
Applejack and Rarity gave their sisters a hug.
"I can't believe it's your graduation," Rarity said. "Didn't you just meet your friends this morning?"
Sweetie Belle shook her head and laughed. "No."
"Impossible," Rarity breathed.
"Great job, Apple Bloom!" Granny Smith exclaimed, hobbling over to Apple Bloom. "You finally graduated!"
"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed happily.
"Aw, thank you," Apple Bloom cried in joy.
The Apples group hugged.
Apple Bloom trotted back over to her friends with a big smile. "So, what now?"
"Huh?" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle asked simultaneously.
"We're graduated," Apple Bloom repeated. "So, what now? What do we want to do now that we're finished?"
"I don't know," Scootaloo claimed.
"We should continue to meet in the clubhouse," Sweetie Belle suggested. "We can make plans about how to help others with their cutie marks and talk about what our futures will be like."
"Together!" they all exclaimed in unison.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity looked at each other with a smile and continued to watch their graduated sisters as they happily squealed and talked.
Sweetie Belle groaned. Her alarm clock seemed to be ringing in her ears. She yawned, reluctantly got out of bed, and switched off the alarm clock. She felt like crawling back into bed to go to sleep, but she knew that she set her alarm for a reason. It was time for school.
As soon as she started heading downstairs for breakfast, a smile spread across her face as she realized... she was graduated. Once Sweetie Belle rushed down the stairs eagerly, she met Rarity at the bottom.
"Hello, darling," Rarity greeted her. "You're up early. What's on your mind?"
"I thought I had to go to school," Sweetie Belle admitted with a laugh.
"Oh," Rarity replied returning a chuckle of her own. "Well now you have a full day of freedom. What are you going to do?"
"I'll go see my friends!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
"Great idea," Rarity complimented.
Sweetie Belle finished her breakfast and burst out the door. She felt the wind brush her coat as she ran. She didn't mind the feeling of the wind most of the time, but the excitement made the rush of the wind feel amazing. As she looked across Ponyville, the buildings and ponies were a blur as she rushed by. She didn't know how fast she was going, but she did know it was at least a gallop. Most of the ponies she knew were different. She could still make out some blatant features. Like the Cake Twins who were now 4 years old. Pumpkin Cake was very calm and collected and tended to be very smart. Pound Cake, on the other hoof, was playful and labeled as a bit over the top.
Sweetie Belle arrived on Sweet Apple Acres. As she entered the clubhouse, she spotted a disappointing sight. The clubhouse was dark and empty. Papers of cutie mark crusades from years ago lie scattered on the floor. Sweetie Belle felt a rush of nostalgia run through her body, but she tuned it out desperately.
"Maybe... I can just hang out with Twist instead," Sweetie Belle said to herself with an obvious disappointment.
Sweetie Belle hesitated, but then left the clubhouse without her walk of confidence. It was slow and sad and a bit confused.
"They'll be there tomorrow," Sweetie Belle surmised. "Time couldn't have passed too much... right?"
That's where she was wrong.
About 6 years later, the clubhouse was almost abandoned completely. Once in a while, one of the crusaders would visit it hopefully, but they weren't on the same page on the same days anymore. After just a bit more time elapsed, the clubhouse was deserted. None of the crusaders dare go in because they knew their friends wouldn't be there.
Apple Bloom had adjusted to this very slowly, but she learned to live with it. She worked hard on the orchard, but secretly wished her friends were there to help. Applejack was there to help when needed, but it just wasn't the same.
Sweetie Belle just accepted the fact and began to help Rarity. When she asked for help with fashion, Sweetie Belle was by her side in no time flat. Spike was also there and Sweetie Belle had begun working with him. Spike always wanted Rarity to fall in love with him, but she seemed too distracted. Sweetie Belle was there to give him comfort every time he was left with a gemstone not to eat, not to give to Rarity.
Scootaloo had gotten used to it much faster, but that's because she hung out with Rainbow Dash almost every day. They had become closer now that Scootaloo was grown and had much more free time on her hooves. They continued to work on flight, but Scootaloo's progress seemed to move like a slug. After 8 months, she only knew how to do a front flip and a back flip and couldn't go more than 7 inches off the ground. At least, she had Rainbow by her side... until the one day her special somepony changed everything.
It started as a normal day.
"No, that's flapping too hard," Rainbow Dash advised. "Don't strain yourself. Make them work together in unison to lift you off the ground."
"Aw, come on!!" Scootaloo hollered. "I've tried!"
"Don't worry," Rainbow Dash said. "You'll get it!"
"Of course she will," a voice encouraged.
Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash turned to see none other than Soarin Skies, one of the other Wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash's special somepony.
"Soarin!!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. She flew over to him and gave him a short embrace.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash," Soarin said with a chuckle. "Scootaloo, you've been making so much progress in your flying."
Scootaloo sighed and a faint smile appeared on her face. "Thanks, Soarin."
"No prob," Soarin replied. He turned back to Rainbow Dash. "Hey, Rainbow? May I ask you a question?"
"Ask me anything," Rainbow Dash said.
Soarin kneeled down and Rainbow Dash arched one of her eyebrows, a bit confused. Once he pulled out a box, Rainbow Dash felt all of her feelings go crazy. All her happiness floated to the front of her mind and circled around it. Scootaloo was a bit shocked, but extremely excited for Rainbow Dash.
Soarin opened a box and revealed a beautiful 20 karat ring with a chain around it, so a pony could wear it as a necklace. "Will you marry me?"
Rainbow Dash just stood there in disbelief. She never expected the question anywhere in her fillyhood and now she stood here being asked the question in her adulthood. But a smile quickly lit up on her face. "YES!!!" she exclaimed.
Scootaloo clapped. "I'll come to your wedding!"
"I'd love to see you there!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
Soarin gave a nod of agreement. He had grown to know Scootaloo since Rainbow Dash was so close to her.
Scootaloo watched as Rainbow Dash and Soarin walked down the street eagerly talking about the wedding. She smiled genuinely happy for the couple. But she didn't know how wrong it could go.
It was now 8 months after the wedding and Rainbow Dash and Soarin's love still burned as strong as a forest fire.
Scootaloo still couldn't fly very well, but she could lift herself 4 more inches off the ground than before. She came up to Rainbow Dash and Soarin who were sitting at a table talking.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo greeted. "Hi, Soarin! Can we hang? Work on my flying?"
"Of course!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed eagerly rising from her seat. "I'd love to work on---"
Rainbow Dash was cut off by Soarin. "I'm sorry, Dash, but remember the Wonderbolts performance in 20 minutes?"
Scootaloo's heart sank. Soarin and Rainbow Dash had been busier than ever now that they had settled into their married life. Rainbow Dash rarely had time for Scootaloo now that the Wonderbolts was more popular than before.
"I'm sorry, squirt," Rainbow Dash said sincerely. "I really am. But I've gotta go. Maybe, next week?!"
Soarin and Rainbow Dash flew away until they shrank away into the distance. Tears filled Scootaloo's eyes and before she knew what was going on, they spilled down her cheeks.
"What can I do?" Scootaloo asked herself. "What do I do?"
"Why?!" Spike cried. "Why must I fail at every attempt to get Rarity?!"
"I think you deserve her," Sweetie Belle said.
"Me too," Spike replied. "Which is way I keep trying... and then failing. What am I doing wrong?"
Sweetie Belle looked at Spike and was reminded how many years had gone by. The once very small baby dragon had hit his growth spurt and was almost taller than Rarity. At the moment, Spike and Rarity were the same height. Sweetie Belle knew Spike wasn't done growing yet and would most likely surpass his friends.
"It's okay, Spike," Sweetie Belle comforted. "Rejection can really hurt. But it'll be alright. You'll find somepony else. Or maybe there's another dragon."
"Another dragon?" Spike asked. "Like who?"
"There's that Ember girl you told me about," Sweetie Belle suggested. "I think you two would make a cute couple."
Spike rolled his eyes. "That's never gonna happen."
Sweetie Belle sighed. She no longer knew what to say to Spike. She wanted to say something to make him feel better or at least smile a bit, but her mind went blank. All her thoughts went swirling down the drain of her mind. So, instead she said, "Okay."
Apple Bloom was upset by the fact that her friends weren't coming to the clubhouse anymore. She asked for Applejack's help in taking it down, but she refused.
"Keep it," Applejack had said. "You'll be sorry if you take that memory down."
However, Apple Bloom liked to talk to Granny Smith a lot more than usual lately. She had some great words of advice that she hadn't taken the time to listen to before. But Granny Smith was very notably much older. She no longer had a single day where she didn't need her walker and she wheezed a bit and hobbled around. It scared Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Big Mac. They didn't know how much time she had.
One day, Apple Bloom noticed Granny Smith on her rocking chair looking out at the farm with tears in her eyes. There was a faint smile on her face.
"Granny?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Huh?" Granny Smith said. "Oh, Apple Bloom. Come have a seat." She motioned to the other rocking chair.
Applejack and Big Mac looked at each other with worry. Apple Bloom pulled the rocking chair next to Granny Smith and sat down. She felt a bit better as she felt the chair sway back and forth.
"How are you doing, Granny?" Applejack inquired. "Are you doing alright?"
"I'm doing better than ever," Granny Smith replied without hesitation. She looked out across the orchard again and sighed with a strange happiness. "I'm so glad we've come so far."
"Granny, promise me you'll stay as long as you can," Apple Bloom pleaded.
Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac all looked at her waiting for her response. Granny Smith sighed and responded, "I promise."
Apple Bloom gave her grandmother a hug. "Thank you."
"Well, now that that's out of the way," Granny Smith said veering the subject off of her condition. "Let's talk about the apple family reunion."
The familiar words filled Apple Bloom's heart with joy. She loved the apple family reunions.
"There's another one coming up?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed in surprise. "There's another one coming up!"
Apple Bloom held Applejack's hooves and the two sisters spun around and laughed.
"Here comes the family now," Granny Smith said with a smile.
They turned to see most of their family arriving on the farm huge grins on their faces, ready for the event.
Apple Bloom saw a familiar face and ran over to her cousin. "Well if isn't Bad Seed," she said teasingly.
Babs Seed chuckled. "What you gonna do?" she asked playing along.
"I have some activities!" Applejack exclaimed.
Babs Seed and Apple Bloom looked at each other. The last time she had planned the activities it had gone wrong. "Applejack, please..." Apple Bloom began, but she trailed off.
"Hey, I promise they're not hard this time," Applejack assured.
Babs Seed and Apple Bloom nodded and decided to try the activities. Applejack had planned an apple toss. The objective was to get the most amount of apples into your barrel. Babs Seed won that.
"Yay! I won!" Babs Seed cheered.
"That wasn't fair at all," Apple Bloom claimed.
"You'll like the next activity then," Applejack told her.
It was bobbing for apples. Apple Bloom dipped her head into the bucket and her mane was sopping with water when she came up, but an apple was in between her teeth. "Hey! I got one!" she said, words muffled by the apple in her mouth.
Babs Seed came up. Her mane was soaking wet, but she didn't have an apple in her mouth. "Wait! I don't think I did that right!"
Apple Bloom and Applejack laughed as Babs Seed plunged her head back into the barrel of apples floating in water.
The next activity was a simple ring toss. Babs Seed's great aim had let her win that one. Apple Bloom sighed. "Oh well. What's the next?" she asked.
The next activity was a much shorter relay race. There was a few obstacles, but they were somewhat simple obstacles. Apple Bloom won the race and Babs Seed was a good sport about it.
In the middle of the reunion, some familiar faces arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. It was Applejack's friends. Even Rainbow Dash had found the time to visit.
"Hey, Applejack!" Twilight exclaimed. She looked around to see the Apples having their reunion. "Oh, sorry. Are we interrupting?"
Fluttershy began to apologize profusely and rush away with embarrassment.
Applejack just giggled. "You're forgetting one thing, girls. Friends can be family too. Come join us."
Applejack's friends broke out into grins and Pinkie Pie let out a whoop. The Apples welcomed them warmly. Especially Pinkie Pie since Applejack found out she could be related to the Apples.
Amidst all the laughing, singing, and dancing, there was a faint frantic yelp. "Stop! Stop! Everypony, stop!"
Everyone reluctantly stopped what they were doing. Apple Bloom and Applejack turned to see Apple Split with a horrified expression on his face.
"Apple Split, what's wrong?" Apple Bloom inquired worriedly.
"Apple Bloom, it's your grandmother," Apple Split answered. "She's fading!!"
Apple Bloom ran into the barn as fast as her hooves would allow. Applejack and Big Mac followed. Applejack's friends gasped and decided to join the rest of the family in going to see her in her last moments.
As they arrived upstairs, Granny Smith looked terrible. Her green had turned a pale color and her breathing came in short skips.
"Granny..." Apple Bloom said tears filling her eyes.
The Apples and the Mane 6 were about ready to join Apple Bloom in crying. But Granny Smith looked up and gave her family a weak smile.
"Applejack, Big Mac, Apple Bloom," Granny Smith croaked. "I want to give you some words before I go."
Granny Smith whispered some words Apple Bloom couldn't hear to Applejack and Big Mac. They just nodded in understanding and gave Granny Smith a hug before backing away to the family.
When it was Apple Bloom's turn, she leaned down to hear her Granny's voice. It pained her to see how her voice had once been so strong and happy, but now it was soft, quiet, and raspy.
"Apple Bloom," Granny Smith rasped. "I want you to know who you are inside and who you want to be. Do you know who you are?"
Apple Bloom was stumped by this question. She had never given it any thought. "I---"
Apple Bloom thought she could answer that when she earned her cutie mark, but this moment told her otherwise. She didn't know who she was anymore. She could only figure out cutie mark problems with her friends and now she could no longer follow the path that had been set out for her.
Granny Smith smiled. "Think about it."
Granny Smith closed her eyes and looked peaceful. She took one last shaky breath and it stopped completely.
Applejack's friends comforted her as she desperately held back tears she didn't want. Big Mac wanted to cry as well and he was comforted by other family members.
"Let's go," Apple Split told everyone sadly.
Everyone, except for Apple Bloom left.
"You coming?" they had asked.
"I'll be down in a minute," Apple Bloom had replied.
After they left, Apple Bloom turned back to Granny Smith who lie on her deathbed with a faint smile. Tears filled Apple Bloom's eyes. "Who am I?" She thought for a moment. "I am a girl who loves my family. I'm a girl who loves to see where I go." Apple Bloom leaned over and hugged Granny Smith again with tears running down her cheeks like rain. "Don't worry, Granny. I promise I'll make you proud."
Apple Bloom began to leave and she looked back at her grandmother. "And I won't break it." Apple Bloom left.
Apple Bloom felt grief for the first time. It wasn't like the time she thought she had to leave her farm. It was worse this time. It felt more real than that.
She would describe it as drowning, but seeing everypony else around her breathing. She felt an array of emotions. Denying that it happened, anger at anyone who seemed to try to comfort her. She tried to do something that could bring her back. She'd lay Granny Smith's bandana on her favorite rocking chair and talk to it as if it was her. She also constantly cried and felt devastated at the loss. Applejack and Big Mac seemed to have an easier time, but they still felt the same emotions.
Since it was Apple Bloom's first loss, she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to control the emotions that arose from her. She tried to be happy like her family wanted her to, but she couldn't. The mask she tried to wear seemed to slip off her face faster than Rainbow Dash could do one of her tricks.
Apple Bloom desperately wanted her friends to come tell her it was okay, so she waited hopefully. But they never came.
So, Apple Bloom told herself to let go. To accept what had happened to Granny. To accept that her friends and her had drifted apart. To accept that time had run away from her and she had to grab a new present.
It was then that Apple Bloom, for the first time in months, could genuinely smile.
Scootaloo was bored. Rainbow Dash no longer had any free time. Scootaloo continued to practice flying, but she improved little by little. After a year, she could only fly a foot off the ground and could only do a front flip and a back flip. She was trying to learn to do a loop by herself, but her attempts were futile on her own. She always fell back to earth and every one of her knees was skinned.
Scootaloo rode her scooter to pass the time. She did the familiar tricks that she knew.
However, her scooter hit a bit of a rock and went flying. Scootaloo screamed and tried to use her wings, but she was dragged back down by fear. She landed on her scooter and it did a full flip in the air. Scootaloo held tightly onto the handlebars and managed to stay on. As her scooter landed, she was awarded with applause and cheers from some citizens of Ponyville. She patted her scooter with a relieved sigh. "Thank you."
"Hey! Nice moves!"
Scootaloo whirled around to see a stallion about her age standing against a building. He smiled at her.
"Thanks!" Scootaloo replied. "That's nice of you!"
The stallion walked up to her and checked on her. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes," Scootaloo assured him. "I'm fine. I just didn't expect that."
"Me neither," the stallion replied with a chortle. "I'm Rumble. What's your name?"
"Scootaloo."
"Scootaloo," Rumble practiced the name. "That's such an awesome name!"
"Wow, thanks."
"Do you want to be friends?" Rumble inquired.
"That would be nice," Scootaloo said. "I've been needing friends."
"Me too," Rumble admitted. "I guess that's something we have in common already."
Scootaloo's spirits lifted up. It felt nice to know she had a new friend by her side.
Spike was pretty much done trying to win Rarity's heart, so he only worked at her boutique to help out as a friend. He was a bit taller now just a little bit taller than Rarity.
Now, he mostly talked and played with Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle started considering Spike one of her closest friends. Spike also started considering Sweetie Belle a close friend.
Rarity had noticed how distant Spike had become. He only responded and talked to her when she asked for favors. Rarity felt that the problem was her, so she tried reaching out to him.
"Spike, darling?" Rarity called. "Are you here?"
"What do you need?" Spike asked, pleasantly.
"Do you want to talk to me?" Rarity inquired him. "I'm here if you want to say anything."
Spike shrugged. "I don't really know what to say."
"Oh, I'm sure you do," Rarity replied with a giggle.
Spike knew what he wanted to say, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings either. So, he kept his mouth shut and didn't say anything. He just cleared his throat and rocked back and forth on his feet.
Rarity was confused. Spike used to love talking to her. Was was he acting so strange?
Rarity frowned. "Fine then. Don't say anything."
Spike was a bit shocked by her cold tone. It hadn't been firm, yelling, or mean. It had just been slightly hurt and cold.
Spike nodded and left the room not wanting to further argue with her. He met Sweetie Belle and sat down by her.
"I'll never understand girls," Spike admitted.
Sweetie Belle stifled a huge laugh. "It's alright. You can talk to me."
"What are you working on?" Spike asked.
"A drawing," Sweetie Belle replied.
"What for?"
Sweetie Belle clenched a crayon in her mouth and began to color in the picture. "Just for fun, really. I like drawing. It's one of my favorite things to do besides singing. I also love to crochet, but I like drawing better."
"Can you teach me how to draw? I want to make something for Twilight."
Sweetie Belle looked at him in surprise, but then a smile appeared on her face. "Of course."
Apple Bloom took a walk around Ponyville. It was now a year later. A lot had changed in that year. She discovered she no longer enjoyed anything about her birthday. It didn't feel right to her anymore. In fact, this year she had insisted on not having cake. Surprisingly, Applejack and Big Mac didn't argue. She opened a few gifts. They made her smile a bit, but they were nothing that she got excited for anymore.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had birthdays, but didn't throw a party. Pinkie Pie offered parties to them, but they rejected them as nicely as possible. Rumble gave Scootaloo a gift. Scootaloo had smiled and accepted the gift. It felt good to have a friendly gift from someone. Sweetie Belle had received a gift from Spike. It was a topaz he found out in the mines. Sweetie Belle cherished the topaz. It was beautiful and Spike felt like her only true friend nowadays.
The Cake Twins celebrated their fifth birthday. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were invited as well as Pinkie Pie's friends. Rainbow Dash was too busy and missed it. Applejack, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity gladly came. However, Apple Bloom was distant the entire time at the party. She didn't seem to be enjoying herself. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle skipped the party completely. Spike came to get his claws on the cake, though.
As Apple Bloom walked, she smiled. Talking walks was one of the things she enjoyed. She liked seeing familiar faces around Ponyville and giving them a wave.
One day as Apple Bloom was out on one of her daily walks, she had stumbled upon somepony. Literally stumbled upon. Apple Bloom and the pony accidentally bumped into each other and Apple Bloom fell forwards onto him.
"I'm so sorry!" the stallion cried.
"No, I should've watched where I was going," Apple Bloom replied with a laugh.
The stallion jumped up. His coat was orange and his mane was purple. His eyes were a light purple and his cutie mark was a top hat with a spotlight shining on it.
"There's something familiar about you," Apple Bloom surmised.
"Really?" the stallion asked. "I could say the same thing about you."
They took a closer look at each other and gasped in realization.
"Tender Taps?"
"Apple Bloom?" Tender Taps asked in shock. "Is that really you?"
Tender Taps was somepony Apple Bloom helped get his cutie mark as a colt. She had tried to enter a ballroom class, but turned out to be terrible. Tender Taps wasn't the best at partner dancing either, but he had gotten his cutie mark in tap dancing after some encouragement from Apple Bloom and her friends.
"Yes!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "It is me!"
"Wow, it's nice to see you again," Tender Taps told her. "How many years has it been?"
"At least 8 or 9," Apple Bloom guessed. "How has the tap dancing been going?"
"Great!" Tender Taps exclaimed. "I love tap dancing! I've done many performances! It feels nice to be cheered for by so many ponies."
"It does," Apple Bloom agreed. "I've been practicing partner dancing over the years. I've gotten much better."
"Wow!" Tender Taps said in awe. "Can you teach me some time?"
Apple Bloom smiled. "Yeah! I'd love to! When do you want to meet?"
"Let's meet Saturday," Tender Taps said.
"Okay," Apple Bloom agreed.
They waited for a moment. It was an awkward silence. Apple Bloom didn't like it, so she broke it.
"Can we be friends?" Apple Bloom asked. "I currently don't have mine anymore."
"What happened?" Tender Taps asked concerned.
"We just drifted apart," Apple Bloom said. She didn't go into detail. "So, will you?"
"Of course," Tender Taps agreed.
Apple Bloom and Tender Taps waved goodbye.
Apple Bloom smiled. Somepony she had helped in her youth would now be her best friend.
Scootaloo and Rumble continued to hang out. They got along very well. Rumble seemed to be an expert flyer and even helped Scootaloo.
"That's great," Rumble said. "You're doing awesome! Now, to do the loop, you have to fly backwards, do a backflip, come back forwards afterwards."
Scootaloo kept Rumble's advice in mind. After a few months, she had succeeded in learning to do a loop. Rumble encouraged her to keep learning new tricks. She still made very little progress every month, but she still continued to get better. She also learned to fly with confidence.
One day, Rainbow Dash and Soarin interrupted their practice.
"He's a brand new Wonderbolt!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, frustrated. "He has to be here!"
"Rainbow Dash---" Soarin tried.
Rainbow Dash spotted Rumble. "Rumble, where's your lazy brother?!?!"
"At home," Rumble replied. "Doing lazy things."
Scootaloo and Rumble looked at each other and snickered. Rainbow Dash nodded in thanks and knocked on the door to Rumble's house.
Rumble's older brother answered. "May I help you?"
"That's right!" Thunderlane remembered, slapping his forehead. "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash! My memory---"
"It happens," Rainbow Dash assured him. But Scootaloo could hear her trying to hide her stress. "Let's go."
Thunderlane followed Rainbow Dash and Soarin.
Scootaloo looked at Rumble. "What was all that about?"
"Thunderlane was just asked to be a real Wonderbolt," Rumble replied with a smile. "It's already going downhill."
Spike continued to talk with Sweetie Belle. Rarity continued to feel a bit hurt by this. Rarity knew Spike for loving to talk with her and tell her everything that he had to say. It was different now that Sweetie Belle was the one he did that to.
"Spikey?" Rarity asked.
Spike turned to her. "What do you need?"
Rarity wanted to address her concerns, but she didn't want to be blown off again. So, she sighed and instead asked, "Can you find me some emeralds in the mines?"
Spike nodded. "Of course."
As he left, Rarity watched him sadly. "What might have been if I just paid attention?" she wondered.
Tender Taps rushed through the town. He didn't exactly know how late he was running. He just knew that he was late. Better late than never, Tender Taps tried to convince himself. However, it just didn't sound right to him.
"Apple Bloom!!" Tender Taps exclaimed throwing himself in front of her. "I'm so sorry I'm late!"
"It happens to all of us," Apple Bloom assured.
Tender Taps breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know if Apple Bloom was the type to forgive and forget, but it seemed like she was.
"Are you ready?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Ready?" Tender Taps replied in confusion.
"To dance?" Apple Bloom reminded him. "We're doing the salsa."
"Right," Tender Taps remembered.
Tender Taps had never danced with a partner before. He had attempted before as a colt, but he had never actually got the hang of it. The filly he tried to dance with was named Jazzy Blitz. Tender Taps remembered when he had fallen over and Jazzy Blitz had accidentally fallen on top of him, twisting his forehoof. He couldn't dance for a week. He could just barely start dancing again when Apple Bloom had come in and asked to dance.
Apple Bloom seemed to notice how nervous he was. "Are you alright?"
Tender Taps nodded. "What happens if I mess up?"
"Hey, we'll get better at it," Apple Bloom reassured. "Honestly, it took me ages to learn. I'm still not the best."
That made Tender Tap's confidence come back. "So, how do we do the salsa?"
Apple Bloom helped him position himself. Tender Taps felt a little awkward when he positioned himself, but Apple Bloom gave him a smile that made him shrug it off.
"Okay," Apple Bloom said. "Take a step to the left."
Tender Taps followed her directions and soon he started to get the hang of it. As they danced, they laughed and had a good time. Apple Bloom realized that she had a new friend that made her happy.
"Well, looks like it's time to go," Apple Bloom said looking out.
"Already?" Tender Taps asked. He looked out across the horizon. Sure enough, the sun was beginning to set. To them, time had flew like never before.
"Can I see you tomorrow?" Tender Taps pleaded.
"Of course," Apple Bloom said with a smile. "Meet at the same place?"
Tender Taps nodded. "And the same time."
They both smiled, reluctantly turned, and walked home.
"You're so close," Rumble encouraged Scootaloo. "You can do it!"
Scootaloo struggled with her wings. Her body and her wings worked against each other. Her bones seemed to drag her back down to the ground while her wings flapped desperately to get her into the air. All at once, she crashed back down and groaned miserably.
Scootaloo laughed, bitterly. "Getting this? I can only fly 1 foot off the ground!"
"But you can do a loop," Rumble said. "That's a huge improvement from when you were young."
Scootaloo sighed and nodded. She had to admit she'd gotten much better. When she tried to fly when she was a filly, she couldn't even get herself more than 2 inches off the ground.
"Look on the bright side," Rumble advised. "Flying is becoming a reality."
"It used to be something I could only do in my dreams," Scootaloo admitted.
"And now it's real," Rumble comforted. "Let's try this again."
Scootaloo looked up with a new determination. As she lifted again, she found it was a bit easier than the last time she tried. She did a loop and smiled at Rumble. Rumble clapped and was genuinely happy for her. Scootaloo did another loop. However, it still felt heavy to her when she flied and she wondered how Rainbow Dash lifted off the ground so easily. In fact, it seemed all pegasi didn't have weight to lift when they flew.
"Why does it feel so heavy?" Scootaloo wondered when she landed.
Rumble looked at her in surprise. "Heavy? Scootaloo... it's not supposed to feel heavy."
Scootaloo was surprised. She finally knew the problem wasn't with her ability to learn. It was something in her bones.
"Maybe, we can get an xray," Rumble suggested nervously.
Scootaloo agreed and Rumble led her off to Ponyville Hospital.
When they arrived through the doors, Rumble explained the problem to Nurse Redheart who listened carefully.
Nurse Redheart took Scootaloo and led her to Doctor Stables.
"Hello, Scootaloo," Doctor Stables greeted her kindly. "Would you like an X-ray?"
Scootaloo nodded. "Yes, please. I'd like to know if something is weighing me down."
Doctor Stables had her lay inside the X-ray machine. As it scanned her, Scootaloo began to feel nervous. What would the results be? Would Doctor Stables tell her something upsetting?
As Scootaloo sat up, she watched Doctor Stable's face. Doctor Stables looked at the pictures in worry.
"Oh my!" Doctor Stables exclaimed in shock.
Scootaloo felt sick to her stomach. "What?" she choked out.
"Just... just wait here!" Doctor Stables told her.
As he rushed out of the room, Scootaloo peeked at what he was doing. She thought she deserved to know what was wrong with her.
"Rumble, it's about your friend," Doctor Stables said. He showed Rumble the X-rays.
"What's wrong with them?" Rumble asked in confusion.
"Scootaloo is a pegasus," Doctor Stables explained. "But these bones belong to that of an earth pony to help with strength. Pegasus bones are supposed to be light to allow an easy flight. Scootaloo's bones... they're weighing her down. She got the bones of the wrong species."
Rumble gasped. He was shocked. He couldn't believe it. Scootaloo was making so much progress and then he got the news she had the wrong type of bones.
Scootaloo's heart sank and her eyes filled with tears. Scootaloo didn't like being her. Not one bit.
I can't fly or do anything, Scootaloo thought, teary-eyed.What kind of pegasus am I?
Doctor Stables and Rumble watched Scootaloo run from the hospital as fast as her hooves would carry her.
The moving darkness grew closer and closer to her. It didn't want to leave her alone. It was almost as it found Twilight appetizing. Twilight could see the exit. The light at the end beckoned Twilight to safety. She was just about to reach it.
"Twilight! Twilight, help!"
"Spike?!" Twilight could hear Spike yelling desperately to be saved.
"Hang on! I'm coming!" Twilight yelled.
Twilight ran to find Spike terrified on the floor. He was huddled against the wall and he didn't look like he wanted to move ever again. Twilight picked up Spike and ran towards the exit. But it was now too late. The darkness took form in front of them.
"Girls! Are you out there?! Anywhere?! Help!" Twilight called.
Spike was laying in Twilight's arms. He seemed to be lifeless.
The darkness clouded over Twilight, so she couldn't breathe. She sobbed. She was afraid. Her assistant was dead and she was about to die too. She didn't know where her friends were and she never would.
I wish this was just a bad dream, Twilight thought.
Twilight screamed. "No!!"
She shot up in her bed and she realized she had been crying in her sleep as tears still poured down her face. The tears changed into tears of relief as she realized it was just a nightmare.
Spike sat up and looked at Twilight in worry. "Twilight? What's wrong?"
Twilight looked over and was overjoyed to find that it was truly a bad dream that Spike had died. She ran out of bed and gave him a hug.
"Spike! Spike! Spike! Spike!" she cried in joy. It went on like that for awhile.
"I'm happy to see you too?" Spike replied.
Twilight realized what she was doing, laughed nervously, and forced herself to stop.
Spike got his things and went off to Rarity's. Twilight was a tad upset that Spike was helping at Rarity's more than her castle, but she recognized that he deserved to choose where he wanted to be and let him.
As Twilight got out a book, she saw a shocking familiar sight. She never remembered owning the book before, but what she saw next terrified her. She saw the darkness on her dream on the front cover. She suppressed a scream, grabbed the book, and rushed off to find her friends.
Scootaloo sighed.
"You can do it," Rumble encouraged her.
"No, I can't," Scootaloo cried. "I can't. Did you hear the doctor? I can't fly."
"But what about all the progress you've been making?" Rumble protested. "You can do it! I believe in you!"
Scootaloo's eyes welled up with angry tears. "Stop trying to make me feel better."
"Why?" Rumble asked a little hurt.
"Because I don't want to feel better," Scootaloo replied.
"Fine," Rumble agreed quietly.
They sat next to each other in silence. That was all the progress they made on Scootaloo's flying.
"Crimson Arrow?" Applejack asked in surprise. "Who's Crimson Arrow?"
"He's a dangerous villain that has never made appearance in Equestria before," Twilight replied. "Just Saddle Arabia and Germaneigh." She paused and then continued. "Crimson Arrow isn't a normal pony. He's not an umbra like Sombra. He is purely made of darkness."
Twilight's friends were shocked.
"How can somepony be made of darkness?" Rainbow Dash wondered.
"That's what I asked myself," Twilight answered. "But the book says he's pretty big."
"How big?" Fluttershy asked in fear.
Twilight looked through the book and her friends crowded her to see the answer the book held.
"20 feet at his regular height," Twilight said. "But he can grow or shrink to the size he pleases due to not having a certain structure."
"20 feet?!?!" Fluttershy squealed. Fluttershy felt weak at the knees and shook in fear. "But that's huge!"
"Then we have to find a solution before it's too late," said a determined Twilight.
"But Twilight---" Spike began.
But she had already shut the door to her castle library.
Apple Bloom and Tender Taps had got the salsa down. They could do it with little mistakes and they had lots of fun doing it together.
However, Apple Bloom realized the more she met with Tender Taps, the better she felt about everything. It was as if she could forget about what had happened and just have fun. They learned more partner dances: Waltzes, tangos, additional salsa moves, and even square dancing together.
"Hey, Apple Bloom?" Tender Taps said.
"Yeah?" Apple Bloom answered.
"I was wondering if we could perform together sometime," Tender Taps admitted. "You know, if you want to."
"I'd love to," Apple Bloom replied. "Which dance should we do?"
"I like the tango," Tender Taps said. "Could we do that?"
Apple Bloom smiled. "Of course."
"Okay!" Tender Taps exclaimed. "See you tomorrow to start practicing!"
As Apple Bloom watched him trot away, she felt her heart skip a beat.
Scootaloo opened her door and burst into relentless tears. She didn't care how many ponies heard her cry. She just wanted to cry as long as it took her to feel better. However, it took Scootaloo a long time to stop. No one knocked on her door to ask if she was feeling alright or wanted somepony to tell her it would be okay. When she did stop, she looked up in realization.
"That's it," Scootaloo said to herself. "I know what to do."
Scootaloo knew once and for all. She would fix the long broken friendship with her best friends.
Scootaloo knocked on the door to Apple Bloom's house. It was Big Mac who answered the door.
"Hello, Big Mac," Scootaloo said. "Is Apple Bloom here?"
"Eeyup," Big Mac replied.
"May I see her?" Scootalo asked.
"Eeyup," Big Mac invited. He signed for Scootaloo to enter the house.
Scootaloo came inside the barn and looked around. It was good to see Sweet Apple Acres again after a year. She even saw some new things that the Apples put up. Apple Bloom had told her they had a memory wall for ancestors and she saw Granny Smith's picture added.
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack called. "Come downstairs! Scootaloo is here to see you!" She paused. "Apple Bloom?!"
Scootaloo's heart began to pound. She knew Apple Bloom would always answer when she was called.
Scootaloo, Applejack, and Big Mac climbed the stairs and opened the doors.
"Apple Bloom? It's me, Scootaloo."
Scootaloo gasped. Apple Bloom was in the corner of her room frantically hiding from a shadow of darkness.
Applejack's heart sank. She knew exactly what it was.
After helping Apple Bloom escape, they moved onto Sweetie Belle's house.
"Sweetie Belle? Are you home?" Scootaloo asked from outside.
Sweetie Belle answered the door.
"Girls?" Sweetie Belle asked in confusion. "What are you---?"
"Shh," Apple Bloom whispered. "We're needed at Twilight's. She'll explain why when we arrive."
