Chapter 13 - Adjusting to a Normal Life

Scootaloo's eyes slowly opened to the world around her. She found herself wrapped in the usual comforting embrace of fabric and pillows, she also noticed that she had managed to turn away from the light that was advancing through the shut curtains on her bedroom window.

As she slowly regained her conscience she started to remember the previous day, however one thought came into her mind and her eyes widened, 'did I actually fly?' she thought to herself.

Scootaloo decided to ask that question to her mother and set to the task of finding her hooves. She soon had all four planted on the cloud surface of her bedroom and the filly happily trotted out of the room silently closing the door behind her. It was then Scootaloo heard noises from downstairs, it sounded like her mother and sister.

Scootaloo raced downstairs to see the yellow and cyan pegasus's eating breakfast on the kitchen table, their conversation had stopped when they heard Scootaloo come down the stairs of the cloud home and both their faces shared equally large smiles.

Spitfire got up and went over and hugged her filly, "Well done on your first flight sweetie, mummy's very proud of you" she said with a big smile.

Scootaloo gasped, "you mean it wasn't a dream?" she asked slightly shocked.

Dash smirked, "yep, when those wings of yours grow you'll be flying like a Wonderbolt!" she exclaimed as she trotted up and joined in with the hug.

Scootaloo grinned at the thought, "does that mean I can have some more waffles ?" she asked. Spitfire and Dash started laughing, Scootaloo started to giggle before joining with the bigger laughter.

After the laughter died down Spitfire shook her head playfully and ruffled her filly's before saying, "maybe after dinner sweetheart" she said before letting the orange filly back down onto the cloud layer and trotting back into the kitchen.

Dash smiled at the orange pegasus, "so are you ready for school squirt?" she asked as she headed over to the cloud stairs.

Scootaloo nodded, "yeah, I don't think I had any homework" she replied as she put a hoof to her chin, after a few more minutes she shook her head again confirming her thoughts. Dash smiled and trotted up the cloud steps.

Suddenly Scootaloo felt a hoof on her back, she turned around to see her mother. Spitfire smiled, "breakfasts's on the table sweetie" she said happily before trotting up to her room.

Scootaloo trotted into the kitchen to see a bowl of oatmeal sitting on the table, she smiled and sat up to eat. When she started to gulp down the first few mouthfuls she started to think how fast her life had changed since Spitfire had adopted her.   Scootaloo could only have dreamed a few months back that she would be having a life like the one she was living, and she felt even more lucky that she was being able to share it with her two biggest idols. Scootaloo then started to think about the first time she had met the yellow pegasus face to face on her birthday and how Rainbow Dash had been nice enough to bring her along. She chuckled when she remembered what happened with those drinks that Spitfire and her had swapped. It was then the filly released she had completed her breakfast. she sighed happily as she took the bowl and put it away in the sink before trotting up to her room to get sorted.

A little while later Spitfire opened the door to her daughters bedroom to see her just packing the rest of her books into her back pack.

Spitfire smiled, "hey sweetie you ready for school...again" she said smirking.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, "yeah I think I'm ready" she said with a smile. Spitfire trotted over and inspected her foal to make sure she was presentable.

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, "hey mum, you didn't spike your mane up" the filly said noticing her mothers more natural style.

Spitfire nodded running a hoof through her newly styled mane, "yeah I let it down today, do you think its okay?" she asked hesitantly. Spitfire was slightly relieved when the filly nodded her head and smiled

"yeah I like it, makes you look more... motherly I guess" Scootaloo said smiling sheepishly.

Spitfire giggled as she ruffled her dauther's mane, "So is school still okay ?" she asked politely. Scootaloo nodded happily in response

Spitfire raised an eyebrow, "how's Diamond Tiara?" she asked sitting down on her daughters bed as Scootaloo climbed up to sit beside her mother.

Scootaloo again smiled happily, "Its okay I guess, she doesn't give me any troubles now so I think me and my friends are finally of the hook" she replied.

Spitfire nodded and hugged her filly. No words were spoken, but Scootaloo returned the favor as the pair sat there for a few moments together smiling happily as the sun radiated of the faces from Scootaloo's open window. Suddenly the warm silence was shattered by the sound of a third voice

"Hey come on you two, the clouds aren't gonna bust themselves" Rainbow whined from the front of the cloud home.

Spitfire and Scootaloo giggled at Dash's impatiences and soon left to go downstairs to join her.

           -  an hour later -

Spitfire was now trotting through the market side of town, she had dropped Scootaloo off at the schoolhouse and left Dash to manage the weather team. She was now trotting through the small town looking at all the stalls that were stacked up with endless amounts of fruit and vegetables.

Spitfire then recognized a certain orange mare who was managing the stall to her far right. She raised an eyebrow as she pondered who the mare could be. Spitfire couldn't seem to jog her memory for anything on the country pony, but she did manage to remember that she needed some apples for tonight's dinner.

Spitfire trotted over to the stall. The orange mare smiled at Spitfire as she came over, "well howdy there partner, you lookin for some apples?" she said smiling at the mare.

Spitfire nodded, "yeah I just need a few for tonight" she replied. The orange mare nodded and started taking some apples of the stall. Spitfire felt the question burn a whole in her head and finally gave in

"um, I hate to ask this but have I seen you somewhere before ?" she asked leaning closer to the mare.

The orange mare also leaned in and inspected the mare in front of her before shaking her head, "sorry cant say I have miss" she said continuing with the order.

Still Spitfire persisted with the matter, "Well I know this sounds weird but imagine me with a spiked mane and a blue and yellow jump suit" she asked.

The orange mare stopped her actions and again pondered slowly scrunching her snout as she tried to envision the idea, suddenly her eyes widened, she looked both ways before leaning forward and whispering, "is it you Spitfire?" she asked not wanting to give away the game to the rest of the town.

Spitfire grinned and nodded, it was then the orange mare smiled, "well of course I know ya, I was at the best young flyers competition last year in Cloudsdale" she said reaching out her hoof and continuing, "the names Applejack, pleased to meet ya" she said as Spitfire gladly shook the farm ponies hoof.

Spitfire gasped, "now I know who you are, you're a friend of Rainbow Dash right?" she asked curiously.

Applejack nodded, "sure am sugarcube, pleasure to finally meet ya, so may I ask why it is that your here ?" she said raising an eyebrow.

Spitfire smiled, "I um adopted a foal" she said.

Applejack's eyes widened, "wow sugarcube, wasn't expectin that one" she said smiling as she finished putting the apples on the counter and pushing them towards the yellow mare

"that'll be 10 bits Mrs Spitfire" Applejack said kindly. Spitfire smiled and handed the mare ten gold coins as she started putting the apples into her saddlebags.

"Well it was nice meeting you again Applejack, will i be seeing you at the gala this weekend?" Spitfire said as she put the last few apples in her bag.

Applejack smiled, "darn tootin, all though I might think twice about sellin my apples at that place again" she said with a wink. Spitfire smiled and waved goodbye to the farm pony as she walked the rest of the way back to the cloud home.

'I think I could get used to this' Spitfire thought to herself sighing happily as she walked along the dirt road.

Since Spitfire had moved to Ponyville she never once had to think about anything else other than herself and her daughters lives, she smiled as she realized that she didn't have to worry about planning shows or practicing flight routines or even having to shout at people back in the academy.

For the first time in years Spitfire felt something she would never want to give up. 'Freedom'

    -meanwhile in a dark and unsuspecting room-

A stallion was furiously working on a new project in his study, he wouldn't rest until it was complete and he even felt his own mind going slightly insane from the endless work.

Suddenly a knock came at the door and with a flash the stallion hid the paper in his desk draw as a mare walked in with a cardboard package.

"Here is your order from ponyzon Mr Broad" the mare said walking back out of the room.

The stallion said nothing to the mare as she left the room. He then looked back to his desk and took the piece of paper back out from under it as he continued to write, "I will make sure that you'll be begging for mercy when I'm finished with you" he said quietly as he started laughing evilly as he drew a red circle around a picture of an orange filly from cloudsdale orphanage.