Flirt to the Finish

by Mudpony

Rating: everyone
Tags: Cutie Mark Crusaders, Scootaloo, Diamond Tiara, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Silver Spoon
Length: 10886

Silver Spoon has a plan to make sure the CMC will not become Ponyville's flag carriers.

When it looks like the CMC might actually have a shot at becoming Ponyville's flag carriers for the Equestria Games, Silver Spoon comes up with the ultimate plan to throw the Crusaders off their game: Have Diamond Tiara flirt with Scootaloo.

An alternate take on "Flight to the Finish".

Published 2014-02-13 23:10:06 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-13 23:10:06 UTC

Got the Moves, Got the Mojo

Commander Hurricane could see the bend in the river and the bridge which crossed it far below her. Had she not been breathing heavily due to the pace she had set, and had she been a less composed mare, she might have let out a sigh of relief at seeing there was no sign of the royal coach, but that was not her way. She was the iron warrior, and the only concession she made to her aching body was to extend her wings fully and slowly glide in a circle.

As she turned, she checked in the direction she had come. Her eyesight was as good as a griffon's, but even so, she could see no trace of the Elite Guard. She allowed herself a quick chuckle, here where nopony could see, at the thought that she had pushed herself so hard that she had outstripped even Sergeant Silverwing. She'd make sure to rub that in once this mission was over.

A flash of sunlight reflected off metal on the road below caught her eye, and she swore. The princess was ahead of schedule, traveling as if she had not a care in the world, in an open carriage no less. Commander Hurricane swore again, for just past the bridge, she could see the black clothed shapes of the gazelle assassins moving into position. She knew the unicorns had no clue about what they were heading into, no reason to expect this, but they should have known better. What sort of foals left their leader exposed in an open carriage, one that would provide so little cover from any hostile attack?

She scanned the sky again, hoping for some sign of her soldiers, but the sky was clearer than a newborn's flank. Uttering a stream of profanity that would have done a drill sergeant proud, she tucked in her wings and dove down, barreling groundward like a thunderbolt. At the last second, she spread her wings, turning her body so that rather than slice through the air, they caused her to rapidly bleed off speed.

The unexpected sight of her armored, and armed, self, plus the sound of her wings catching the air startled the unicorns pulling the carriage. One instinctively tried to throw himself to the side, but the harness held him in place. The other screamed in terror as she flew inches above their heads. Once past, she reversed direction in mid-air and hit the ground. She reared up, wings wide, forelegs out.

"Stop the carriage!" she ordered.

The unicorns dug their hooves into the ground and skidded to a stop, just a hoof's width before her.

"Commander Hurricane! What foul treachery is this?" Princess Platinum demanded, as she stood up, her forelegs resting up on the front seats. Her crown sat askew upon her head, no doubt due to the sudden stop.

Scootaloo turned the page, her eyes sparkling with delight, eagerly anticipating what was to follow. She knew exactly what was going to happen, of course, having read the book twice before, but that did nothing to dampen her enthusiasm. If anything, it heightened it. This was her second favorite part of the book after all. It had it all. Flying, excitement, fighting, and just a hint of mu—

"You ready, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked, poking her head around the corner. "We're up next!"

Scootaloo leapt to her feet. "You betcha. I was just reading this book on awesome skateboarding tricks. You know, seeing if there were any good ideas in there I could do with my scooter." She paused, a large, toothy grin upon her face, as she checked to see if Sweetie Belle was buying it, then rushed on. "For our flag-waving routine." She held up the book she had been reading, showing off its dust jacket. "See? Skateboard tricks."

"You've sure been reading that book a lot lately."

"Well, you know those things Twilight is always saying: 'Knowledge is power', 'I've only regretted not reading a book, never the ones I've read', and all that. Though I think if she had to read some of the stuff Miss Cheerilee makes us read, she wouldn't say that one again."

Sweetie Belle's head bobbed up and down in agreement. "So, did you learn anything?" Sweetie asked, walking into the room.

Scootaloo gave the book a quick glance, thinking of all the non-skateboarding related things she had learned from it.

"Um… Maybe a thing or two I wouldn't mind trying, someday. When I'm older. More experienced. Which isn't now." She shoved the book into her saddlebag, away from prying unicorn eyes that may wish to look inside. "We're up, right? Can't keep Dash waiting! I just know she's going to love our routine, and then we'll get to represent Ponyville at the Equestrian Games!"

Sweetie Belle leaned to the side, trying to get a better angle to look inside the bag, but Scootaloo countered by shoving it behind her with one of her rear legs. Sweetie Belle cocked her head, her eyes narrow, as her eyes shifted repeatedly between Scootaloo and the saddlebag. The pegasus deftly avoided any eye-contact. She grinned, then half-heartedly started to hum, which turned into singing.

"Hmmm… mmmm… mmmm... on the flag-waving scene!"

Apple Bloom popped her head around the corner. "Y'all comin' already? We're up!"

Diamond Tiara stared at the stage. That had not been the disaster she and Silver Spoon had been expecting to see. It had actually been… okay. No, better than okay.

"Did you see that?" Diamond Tiara asked. "I can't believe I'm saying this: They could win."

"But how do we stop them? We already called them blank flanks..." her friend replied, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Then we need to find a new way to get under their skin."

Diamond Tiara stared at the crusaders, looking for a weakness. First, she contemplated Apple Bloom. Diamond knew she was a liar, cheat, and general waste of space, but none of that was useful right now. Next, she considered Sweetie Belle. Perhaps her fear of performing in front of a crowd might do the trick. Probably not though, since that only seemed to be an issue when someone wanted her to be the star. She filed it away just in case and moved onto the third member. Scootaloo, the reckless menace to all things pedestrian, always racing around at insane speeds on her little scooter, her wings buzzing rapidly. She felt an idea start to form, her eyes narrowing as she focused on Scootaloo's wings.

"Or maybe we just need to get under her skin…" Silver Spoon said softly.

"Huh?" asked Diamond Tiara, her own thoughts now scattered to the wind.

"I've got the perfect idea!" Silver Spoon squealed. "We hit them where they are weakest: Scootaloo."

"That's what I was thinking too!" Diamond Tiara said. "We're, like, so in sync."

"Bump, bump, sugar lump, rump!" the two chanted in tandem.

"Okay," Silver Spoon said. She leaned in close to her friend and whispered, "Here's the idea: You pretend you're all interested in Scootaloo. That'll completely throw her off her game, and we'll be sure to win!"

"Right, I'll just— Wait! You want me to what?!"

"Flirt with her. She won't know what to do. It's truly brilliant, huh?"

"You want me to— Why do I have to? It was your idea."

"Oh, I know that, but you're so much better at all that social stuff than me," Silver Spoon said. "It's like you always say. I got the book smarts, but you know ponies. That's why we're such an awesome team! Besides, it's not like you actually have to go out with her or anything."

"Yeah, I only have to convince her I'm interested in her."

"Exactly. Easy-peasy."

"Easy-peasy?"

Silver Spoon giggled. "I know, totally lame. Remind me to never say that again."

Diamond Tiara waggled her hoof in front of Silver Spoon's face. "Never say that again."

Silver Spoon stared at Diamond Tiara, eyebrows raised, before slowly blinking her eyes.

Diamond Tiara booped Silver Spoon on her nose. "You totally deserved that for what you're asking me to do. And you owe a milkshake. Make that two."

Silver Spoon tried to sternly glare at her friend, but couldn't hold the expression for more than an instant before breaking up into laughter. "Fair enough. But if it works, which I just know it will, you owe me a milksha— Two milkshakes, okay?"

Diamond pondered it for a couple of heartbeats, then shrugged. It was win-win, she realized. If she won, she got free milkshakes, and the only thing better than milkshakes were ones somepony else paid for. And if it worked, then she and Silver Spoon were guaranteed to assume their rightful place as Ponyville's flag carriers. That would ease the sting of losing slightly.

"You're on," she said.

"Sweet. Now, shall we?"

"Might as well get this over with," Diamond Tiara said. She hopped over the bush and headed toward the stage. As she reached the steps, she turned to Silver Spoon and said, "Actually, this could be sort of fun. Just follow my lead."

Diamond Tiara quickly used a hoof to brush a stray strand of hair back into place, as well as to make sure that her tiara was perfectly in place. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, before proceeding up the steps and onto the stage toward her target.

"Girls, we just wanted to say your act was quite impressive."

"Wait... what?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Um, thanks?" Apple Bloom said.

Silver Spoon gave Apple Bloom a slight nod. "Oh, but of course. As a matter of fact, we think—"

"That Scootaloo's part was absolutely amazing. The way she did that thing."

"And then that other thing," Silver Spoon said.

"And the finale where she practically flew through the hoop…" Diamond Tiara brought her forehooves together and sighed. "It was all so dreamy."

"It was way cool," Silver Spoon said. "The sort of thing we would do, if we were to use a scooter in our routine."

Diamond Tiara took a step closer to Scootaloo and leaned close. "Don't tell anypony, but I've… always had a bit of a crush on you," she whispered into Scootaloo's ear, loudly enough for all the ponies on stage to hear. "You're so… athletic, and…" Diamond Tiara gulped. "Talented."

Silver Spoon gasped in mock surprise, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stood with their mouths hanging open, and Scootaloo took a step back.

"You sure pick a funny way of showing it," Scootaloo snarled.

"I've just never been able to say it, what with how we completely got off on the wrong hoof at my party that Apple Bloom ruined." Diamond Tiara quickly used her hoof to stop Scootaloo from talking. "And I guess teasing you was safer than telling the truth. But after your show, I just couldn't stand to not tell you anymore."

"So let me get this straight," Apple Bloom said. "You expect us to believe that all this time you've been pickin' on us because you've got a crush on Scootaloo?"

"Of course not," Diamond said. "I've been picking on you because you're a loser."

"Yeah, such a loser," Silver Spoon echoed.

"But Scootaloo, well, she's different. So much more…" Diamond sighed and leaned close to Scootaloo. "Why I could just…" Diamond Tiara held her hoof to her forehead and breathed deeply.

"Jus' what?" Apple Bloom asked.

Diamond Tiara leaned forward and wrapped her forelegs around Scootaloo, kissing her passionately. Breaking off, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. The little pegasus stood there, unmoving other than the occasional blink of her wide-open eyes.

"Did I just do that?" Diamond Tiara asked, looking around in mock horror at the other ponies on the stage. "Sil, please, please, tell me I did not just do that."

"You so did, Diamond," Silver Spoon replied.

Diamond Tiara brought a hoof to her forehead, copying a move she had seen Sweetie Belle's sister use on occasion. "I can't believe I did that. It must have been because of your totally awesome performance. I just couldn't help myself!" She took a moment to dramatically regain control. "Still, I suppose it could have been worse. I guess I was lucky this was still a rough version, and not all polished and refined."

"You'd probably have used tongue," Silver Spoon said helpfully.

Diamond Tiara shuddered and two quick steps back. But as quickly as she stepped back, she seized control, and gave a curt nod to her friend. "You're probably right, Sil. I might well have." She looked longingly at the still dazed Scootaloo. "I still might," she said, taking a half-step forward, before tearing herself away. "No, I can't. Come, Silver. Let's be out of here, before I embarrass myself even more."

At the edge of the stage, Diamond stopped and looked back. "She's so cute though…"

Then, with a slick of her tail, she left the stage. Behind her, Silver Spoon followed, nearly tripping on the stairs as she looked back and forth between her friend and Scootaloo.

"Um, like, what what was that?" Silver Spoon asked once they were far enough away. "Why'd you kiss her? Just… Eeew!"

"It was your plan!" Diamond Tiara hissed. "I just did what felt right at the moment to make it work. And what was with that tongue line? That nearly did us in! Still, I guess it was a good thing I was doing the flirting." She waited for Silver Spoon to nod. "Besides, can you just imagine how freaked Scootaloo is right now? There's no way she'll want to improve on her act. Not after that."

Silver Spoon thought about it for a second, then she giggled. "She's probably running for the hills as we speak."

Diamond Tiara glanced back in the direction of the stage, before grinning at Silver Spoon. "I know, right? She'd probably be halfway to Cloudsdale if she could actually fly."

"We'll be sure to win now!"

"Snap out of it, Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom pleaded. "We can drop out of the competition, Ah swear! There's no need for you to risk this."

"Let me handle this," Sweetie Belle suggested. "I've got experience with Rarity."

Apple Bloom looked at the unresponsive Scootaloo and nodded, stepping aside.

Sweetie Belle moved in front of Scootaloo. First, she waved a hoof in front of her friend, ignoring Apple Bloom's "I already tried that" stare. When that failed to get a reaction, she moved on to phase two, tapping her hoof on Scootaloo's forehead. Nothing changed, other than a strand of drool that had been dangling from the pegasus's mouth dropping to the ground.

"Oh boy, this is serious. Time for Phase Three," Sweetie Belle said.

"What's Phase Three?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Snap out of it!" Sweetie Belle yelled as she slapped Scootaloo hard across the face.

The blow nearly knocked Scootaloo down, but years of near disasters had finely honed her reflexes, and she somehow managed to retain her balance. She gave her head a quick shake. Slowly, she rubbed her cheek with a hoof, all the while glaring at Sweetie Belle.

"Sorry," Sweetie squeaked.

"You really do that to your sister?" Apple Bloom asked.

Sweetie Belle shrugged. "Only when it's really necessary. It works one hundred percent of the time half the time. Though with Rarity I'd be running for my parents right about now. But Scootaloo wouldn't hurt me, right?"

Scootaloo's lunge forward was stopped before it had so much as begun as Apple Bloom firmly placed a foreleg against her chest. "She was just trying to help, Scootaloo. And Ah reckon it worked. No hard feelings, right?"

Scootaloo let out a deep breath and turned to face Apple Bloom. "She'd probably bite me anyway. She's a biter, you know."

"I'm not a biter!" Sweetie Belle protested.

"Then why did I have bite marks on my ear for a week after that Canterlot Gardens field trip?" Scootaloo asked, pointing a hoof accusingly at Sweetie Belle.

"That was just that one time! And that might have been Apple Bloom that did that!"

"Total biter," Scootaloo said to Apple Bloom, who was glancing back at her right rear leg, her long unasked question as to who was responsible for the bite marks it had acquired in that same kerfluffle. Before Sweetie Belle could protest again, Scootaloo continued. "Our routine: it needs work. It needs to be better, like… better. My part is lacking something. Right now, it is awesome, but it needs—" Scootaloo looked around, trying to find the right word. "It needs radicalness."

"Radicalness?" Sweetie Belle asked, cocking her head. "What's that even mean?"

"It means…" Scootaloo started. "Well, I don't really know what exactly it means. It's just something Dash says when something isn't right with one of her routines. Look, we've got to make it better. Even more impressive."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other, each hoping the other could make sense of what Scootaloo was saying. The filly in question sat on her haunches, staring at the hoop she had burst through on her scooter as part of their routine.

"If I wanna win, I'm going to need to do an even more impressive scooter trick. Do you think that'll be enough?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued, "No, you two are right. We need something more. I-I need to... fly. I'll fly! That'll impress her!"

"Do you think you hit her too hard?" Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Belle.

"I bet if I fly while doing tricks with the flag, it'll be so awesome she'll be putty in my hooves."

"Maybe not hard not enough?" Sweetie asked. "Should I smack her again? Do you think I'll need to run for my parents if I do?"

Apple Bloom pursed her lips. "Hmmm," she said, turning to look at her pegasus friend. "Equestria to Scootaloo! Anyone home?" she asked as she waved a hoof in front of Scootaloo's face. When Scootaloo blinked several times, Apple Bloom brought one eye up close to Scootaloo. "Yer not seriously wantin' to impress Diamond, are you?"

"What? I, um, why would, I mean, of course not!" Scootaloo's eyes shifted rapidly from side to side. "I was, um, talking about Miss Harshwhinny."

"You want Miss Harshwhinny to be putty in your hooves?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo nodded rapidly. "Well, our hooves. So she votes for us and stuff," Scootaloo explained.

"I don't think it means what you think it means," Sweetie Belle said, cocking her head slightly.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Why would I know anything about mushy stuff? You know what I mean. And now's not the time for dictionary lessons. We got a routine to work on! Maybe if I try to fly twice as hard..."

Diamond Tiara crouched, readying herself. A short distance away, the record player played "The Rite of Spring". It, like her and Silver Spoon's routine, was nearing its finale. What had started as a calm and gentle piece now soared to booming crescendos, as the music did its best to encapsulate the triumph of a plant growing from a tiny seed into a blooming flower. Or at least, that's what Silver Spoon had said it was all about. Diamond Tiara supposed it sort of made sense. If Silver Spoon was right about that, then it did fit their chosen theme of 'growth' rather well. And if she wasn't, it still made good use of lots of kettle drums.

She took a deep breath as she felt Silver Spoon climbing into place. At the first thumping of the bass drums, she reared up, bringing her forelegs up beside her head as she did so. With the next series of thumps, Silver Spoon climbed upon Diamond's shoulders before shifting her hooves onto Diamond's. Silver teetered slightly, but managed to steady herself using the flag staff. With the next thump of the drums, Diamond lifted Silver Spoon upwards.

Diamond took a few gulps of air. Her eyes closed as she concentrated on staying perfectly balanced for the last part of their routine. As the music reached its crescendo, Silver Spoon raised the staff up, waving the flag back and forth one last time. Then, grabbing a pole with each hoof, she pulled the ribbon that held them together and pulled the two halves apart, perfectly timed with the last drum beats. The flag, its two layers held together by buttons, popped open, transforming into a banner.

As the final notes faded, Silver Spoon jumped down, landing on her rear hooves. Diamond Tiara let out a sigh of relief and quickly reached out to hold Silver Spoon steady as she brought the two halves together again. Only once the end of the flag staffs rested on the ground did Diamond Tiara let go, moving beside Silver Spoon and took hold of one of staffs. Together, the two ponies bowed to the imaginary judges.

"Perfect!" Silver Spoon squealed with delight.

"If we can do that at the contest, we'll be sure to win. Well, as long as the crusaders don't steal our victory."

"We should probably see how my plan is working." Silver Spoon paused thoughtfully. "And maybe provide some more incentive for Scootaloo. You know, just so that they'll think it is actually serious."

Diamond Tiara frowned. "You really think that's necessary?"

"Uh-huh. If we want to be sure to win." Silver Spoon looked up from fastening the banner back into a flag. "You want to win, don't you?"

"Well, duh."

"Then better safe than sorry."

"Fine," Diamond grumbled. "But if we ever do something like this again, you get to do the flirting."

"Okay, maybe if I just try eight times harder!" Scootaloo exclaimed. She took a moment to ready herself, then, with a mighty push, flung herself upward into the air and flapped her wings as hard and fast as she could. She grunted with the effort and pushed her tired wings harder. For her efforts, she was rewarded with an extra inch of altitude.

"Gah!" she screamed as she let herself drop to the ground.

"Maybe you shouldn't be worried about all this flying stuff right now," Sweetie Belle said. "After all, Dash already said we have a shot."

"No, she said it was okay and that we might have a shot. It needs to be better if I want to impress her. I mean, if we want to win!"

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "But what if you can't learn to fly in time? 'Cause that's how it's looking right now. How's that gonna impress Rainbow Dash?"

"I thought it was really great how it was," Sweetie Belle said.

"Sweetie is right about that. If you could make that better, Ah'm sure we'd win."

Scootaloo sat on her haunches and glared at her friends. Maybe they were right, she thought. After all, if she couldn't learn to fly in time, then she was putting their whole act in jeopardy.

"Okay, fine. You guys win. I'll give up on the flying thing."

"You're going to fly?" Diamond Tiara asked, squealing in delight. "That would be totally, amazingly awesome!"

All three members of the CMC spun around to face the two fillies walking up the stairs. Apple Bloom brought her hoof to her head, while Sweetie Belle moved to close ranks, and all three waited for the cutting barb that was sure to follow.

"There's just something about flying, you know?" Diamond Tiara said, pointing toward a bird in the air. "To be free as free as a bird. To see the world passing below, the wind rushing through your mane, and your tail whipping gloriously behind you." Diamond Tiara paused, as if to think, before letting out a slight gasp. She took a step toward Scootaloo. "Do you think that's maybe part of why… of why I'm interested in you? That that's why the sight of you sends my heart aflutter?"

"It is so true," Silver Spoon said, dramatically rolling her eyes. "She's all, like, 'my spirit soars whenever I but see her.' And then I go, 'But it's Scootaloo!' and then I have to hear about how she's cute and how she just wants to give her a hug whenever Looloo, that's what she calls her, makes that expression when a math problem is giving her trouble."

"That look she makes is cute!" Diamond Tiara protested.

"See what I have to put up with?" Silver Spoon said, with another roll of her eyes. "You're not going to kiss her again, are you, Diamond? Can't you save your swooning over Scootaloo until after the competition? Right now, we really need to be concentrating on our routine." She spun to face the Crusaders, giving both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle a quick tap on the chest. "Don't think that just because Diamond's got a crush on Scootaloo that we're gonna make it easy for you."

Silver Spoon flicked her head, causing her ponytail to fall to the other side, and turned toward the stairs. Diamond Tiara followed slightly behind her, stopping once to look back and look longfully at Scootaloo.

"Maybe I just have to try smarter, not harder," Scootaloo said. She sat down to think it over. "I know. I'll try that power of positive thinking thing. If I imagine myself flying, my body will know what to do and it'll actually happen."

Scootaloo sat down, her legs crossed, and began a series of breathing exercises. Feeling the calm overtake her, she closed her eyes and cleared her mind of all distracting thoughts. Once the canvas was prepared, she began adding elements to it. The stage, her friends, the blue sky, the gentle wind that was slowly moving a solitary cloud across the sky, and last but not least, herself. A serene smile slowly crept across her face as her imaginary self launched into the air and flew.

Her inner calm achieved, she climbed to her feet. Her eyes she kept closed, and she reset the vision to before she had taken off. Spreading her wings, she took off into the air. She worked her muscles and could see herself flying upward, leaving the stage behind. Setting her sights on the cloud, she headed toward it and touched down upon its hard surface.

"I did it, guys!" Scootaloo shouted down to her friends. "I flew all the way up to the cloud."

"You're right here, Scootaloo," came Apple Bloom's voice from right beside her.

"How'd you get up on the cloud?" Scootaloo asked.

"Ah didn't. We're on the stage. You barely moved."

"It's true," Sweetie Belle said from her other side. "But you did get a whole four inches off the ground! Well, maybe three. Definitely at least two though."

Scootaloo opened one eye and looked around. She uttered a few words unfit for filly ears, let alone to come out of filly's mouth, and collapsed to the ground.

"I guess that explains why the cloud wasn't very fluffy," Scootaloo said, lifting her head up slightly from her forelegs. "And I was so sure that was going to work." She lowered her head back down, frowning. "Maybe you guys are right and I should just stick to scooting."

"Ah'm sure you'll be able to fly later, Scootaloo. Jus' not now is all," Apple Bloom said. "'The trees blossom when the time is right,' mah granny always says."

"And I'm sure Miss Harshwhinny and all the judges will be impressed by your awesome scooting!"

Scootaloo's face shifted to one of harsh determination. "Or maybe… maybe I just need to try nine times harder." She stooped to pick up her saddlebag and slipped it on. Pointing to a spot on the grass, she said, "I'll be over there reading my book a bit while I rest up for my next attempt."

Apple Bloom watched as Scootaloo walked off. Frowning, she turned to Sweetie Belle. "Ah think there's something goin' on with Scootaloo."

Sweetie Belle pursed her lips, thinking. "You don't suppose she… actually wants Diamond's attention?"

"Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom laughed at the thought. So caught up was she that she didn't notice that Sweetie didn't join her, instead continuing to sit, gazing at the pegasus who was determined to fly, yet reading a book on skateboarding.

Silver Spoon rolled onto her back onto her back and giggled.

"What's so funny?" Diamond asked.

"Scootaloo. I'd figured she'd be flustered or maybe even refuse to perform, but I'd never expected she might actually try to sabotage their act by insisting she had to fly." She froze as the town's clock tower chimed away the hour. "Ooh, three o'clock. Our costumes should be ready."

"We're totally going to score major points for cuteness in those."

"I know, right? Let's go pick them up!"

Silver Spoon hopped forward, then skidded to a stop as quickly as she had started. "Actually, maybe I should go get them by yourself, and you go check on the crybabies. You know, just to make sure that my genius plan is working."

Diamond Tiara bit her lip, then nodded. "Good thinking, Silver. We wouldn't want those babies to screw up our plan."

"I'll just have to try fourteen times harder," Scootaloo declared. With a fierce and determined scowl upon her face, she started to ready herself to try again, but a tap of Apple Bloom's hoof on her shoulder startled her before she could hurl herself upward.

"What?" Scootaloo demanded.

"What's with all the wantin' to fly all of a sudden, Scootaloo? Seems like all you've done this last day is fly and read your dog-gone skateboarding book."

"Because if I can fly, we'll win this for sure!" Scootaloo said, the lie rolling off her lips with practiced ease.

"There's something more, isn't there?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Maybe something to do with this?" Sweetie Belle held up the book.

Scootaloo's jaw dropped and her eyes shot toward her backpack. It was laying where it should be, but open, its contents, minus the book, half-in, half-out of it. Turning back toward Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo snarled.

"Give that here!" Scootaloo yelled, trying to grab the book.

Sweetie Belle jumped backwards, warding off her friend with one hoof while keeping the book out of Scootaloo's reach with the other. "Stay back or… or I'll bite your ear! I'm a biter; you said so yourself," Sweetie Belle threatened. For good measure, she snapped her teeth together.

"Will someone please explain what in tarnation is goin' on?" Apple Bloom asked, after pushing the two apart.

Scootaloo sat silently, glaring at Sweetie Belle. The unicorn took another bite out of the air in Scootaloo's direction, then stuck her tongue out.

"Well? What's a book on skating got to do with flyin'?"

"Nothing, and that's the point," Sweetie Belle said. She sat up straight, quite proud of herself for figuring it out. "See, I asked myself the same question: Why, if Scootaloo is trying so hard to fly, is she reading a book on skateboarding? Shouldn't she be reading on wings or something? It doesn't make sense… unless this isn't a book on skateboarding. So naturally I asked myself, what sort of book would it be that Scootaloo would try to hide from us?"

Sweetie Belle slipped off the dust cover, revealing the cover of the book within to her friends. The image of Commander Hurricane was on the cover, a sword held in her mouth, the flag of the newly founded Equestria in one hoof, and Princess Platinum embraced tightly in the other. Scootaloo did her best to shove her head under her wing in shame, as Sweetie Belle continued on.

"And just as I suspected," Sweetie Belle said, glancing at the cover herself, "it's a... a romance?! I was so sure it was going to be a book on training goldfish to do household chores. Although I guess this makes more sense."

Apple Bloom's head shifted from side to side, as she alternately looked at the book, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. "How so? Ain't no fruit off my tree if Scootaloo wants to read a romance book. An' what's that got to do with—" Apple Bloom's eyes grew side and her jaw dropped. "Are you sayin' what Ah think yer sayin'?"

"Okay, fine, yes," Scootaloo said. "I like to read romance books, okay? But just the ones with adventure and stuff in them, not the all mushy ones like your sister reads, Sweetie." She sighed. "It all started when Dash got to be Commander Hurricane for the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant. I got really interested in the commander. Read everything I could get my hooves on about her. And, well," Scootaloo said as she glanced at the book, "that included that book. Turns out I liked it. Like, really liked it. It's my favorite book, okay? I've read it three times already."

She reached for the book, and this time Sweetie held it out to her. Holding it up for her friends, Scootaloo explained. "It's all about Commander Hurricane and her adventures, and how she argues with Princess Platinum all the time and then suddenly…"

"Hold up there. Are you sayin' Diamond's your Princess Platinum?" Apple Bloom held her head at an almost unnatural angle

Scootaloo shrugged and said, "Well, she is kind of a stupid, arrogant…"

"Pig-headed," Apple Bloom threw in.

"...Tyrannical, self-centered, jewelry-obsessed meanie, just like Princess Platinum." The other crusaders nodded in agreement. "But later in the book, Commander Hurricane learns there's more to her than that, that she does care deeply about her people, and they quit fighting all the time and even start working together to stop this evil bad guy, Lord Maleficus, who wants to take over the land. And there's this terrific battle scene, and Commander Hurricane gets hurt, and then they kiss." Scootaloo nearly swooned at the thought, but pulled herself together with a shake of her head.

"So I thought what if I could be like Hurricane and take the skies, winning a mighty victory to impress her, and then she turns out to be more than we think?"

Sweetie Belle sat still, a huge smile on her face. "That'd be so cute!"

"Cute? It's against all laws of Equestria and Nature. It's…" Apple Bloom shuddered. "...Diamond Tiara! Remember? We formed the 'We Hate Diamond Tiara (and Silver Spoon) Club', Sweetie, of which you're the vice-president!"

"Oh yeah." Sweetie Belle frowned and looked down at the ground. "But it's still cute, even if I don't like her," she grumbled.

"Look, guys, I know it's Diamond Tiara and all, but… I just gotta impress her, okay? And to do that, I have to fly."

A sound halfway between a snort and a cough came from beside the stage.

Scootaloo asked, "What was that?"

Diamond Tiara pushed the bush out of the way and peered through it at the stage.

She paused, taking a second to try and listen. All she could make out was something about a hurricane. Unable to figure out what that had to do with anything, she decided to move closer.

On her tips of her hooves, she quickly moved closer, pressing up against the side of the stage. Putting her ear against the wall, she smiled as what they said came through clearly.

"Cute? That's Diamond Tiara we're talking about. We formed the 'We Hate Diamond Tiara (and Silver Spoon) Club', Scootaloo. You're the vice-president!"

The thought that the losers had formed another club, as well as its nature, nearly made Diamond Tiara laugh out loud. Wait until I tell Silver Spoon about this, she thought.

"I know, but… I just gotta impress her, okay? And to do that, I have to fly."

Before Diamond could stop herself, she let out a gasp of disbelief. As soon as she did, she quickly held her hoof in front of her mouth, hoping the Crusaders had not heard.

"What was that?"

Silently, she cursed to herself. She looked around for a place to hide. Seeing a gap under the stage, her mind warred between trying to find another location and risking spiders and other icky things that no doubt existed in the crawlspace. The sound of approaching hoofsteps made her decision for her, and with a grimace of disgust, she rolled under the stage.

She willed herself not to breathe too loudly and clamped her eyes closed, lest she see the crawling creatures that were no doubt taking advantage of this opportunity to swarm all over her. Just the thought of it was enough to make her shiver.

Nothing to see here. Just go away, she willed.

"Guess it was nothing."

The hoofsteps retreated back towards the center of the stage. She let out a breath she had not even been aware she had been holding. As quietly as stealth would allow, she left her hiding spot. Once free, she carefully moved away from the stage. She had heard enough. Silver's plan was working, if not quite how she'd imagined it.

It was only once she was sure that she was completely free from the risk of discovery that she ceased crawling and resumed walking.

"Guess it was nothing," Sweetie Belle said.

Apple Bloom licked one of her hooves and held it up in the air. "Probably just the wind."

"Probably," Scootaloo said.

The three crusaders returned to the main part of the stage. Nopony spoke a word, but each knew the conversation from before was not over. It was only a matter of who would bring it up first. Each made themselves busy doing little things of no importance.

"Look—" Apple Bloom started.

Scootaloo held up her hoof. "I know. You still think I'm being a fool. But…" Scootaloo fidgeted, rubbing one forehoof against the other. "Look, I didn't really want to bring this up, because we worked so hard on the act, but there's another reason: Rainbow Dash..."

"What's she got to do with it?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Besides being our coach and all," Apple Bloom added.

"Well, she's friends with your sisters, right? So surely you've seen how she gets when she's excited about something?" Scootaloo asked. Her friends nodded. "And was she that way after our performance?"

The two fillies sat down, a frown upon their faces. With a shake of their heads, they admitted that Rainbow Dash had not been her usual self.

"Exactly! Our act isn't good enough." Scootaloo sunk to her haunches and pleaded with her friends. "Don't you see, we've got to make our act better. Much better. And the best way to do that is for me to fly."

"Ah hadn't thought about that," Apple Bloom said. "Do you really think she thought our routine wasn't good enough?"

Scootaloo shook her head. "As her biggest fan, I know how she would have reacted if she'd really like it, and that wasn't it."

"But what if you can't fly?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I've just got to. Everything depends on it."

"So, how is it going? Is their act completely in ruins yet?" Silver Spoon asked.

Diamond Tiara gave her friend a wicked grin. "Good and bad news about that."

"Uh-oh. Bad news first?"

Diamond Tiara nodded. "Scootaloo's not trying to sabotage their act."

"She isn't?" Silver Spoon deflated. "But I was sure my plan would work. Hey, wait a minute. You said good and bad news. What's the good news?"

"She trying so hard to make the act better, she's doing it anyway."

"Why would she—" Silver Spoon stopped and her jaw dropped. "Oh my. That's so rich! She actually thinks she has a chance?" She tried her best to resist it, but she couldn't help but giggle. It took her a bit to calm down, but eventually, she managed it.

"Uh-huh. It seems we might have underestimated how charming and special I am. She's determined to impress me." Diamond Tiara grinned. "And she's convinced herself the best way to do it is by flying."

Silver Spoon dropped to the ground, slamming her hoof down repeatedly as she laughed. "Can't… breathe… laughing…. too hard…" She suddenly sat up, all trace of hilarity fading. "She's not actually getting close to flying, is she?"

"Well, it sort of looks like this…" Diamond Tiara stood up on her tips of her hooves, arched her back, and hopped around several times, before collapsing to the ground. "It'd almost be cute how hard she's trying if it weren't so pathetic."

Silver Spoon giggled. Backing away from Diamond Tiara, she readied herself to jump forward. "Bzzzzt!" she said before bouncing toward her friend. "Be mine forever! Bzzzzt!"

"Eeek!" Diamond yelled. She raced way, taking care not to outrun the bouncing Silver Spoon behind her.

The chase continued back and forth across the area, until at last Silver Spoon put on a sudden burst of speed and tackled Diamond Tiara, bearing her to the ground. "Gotcha!"

The two friends laughed, laying side by side on their backs. They watched the clouds pass while catching their breath.

"It is sort of flattering though, you know…" Silver Spoon said at last.

Diamond Tiara rolled onto her stomach and rested her head upon her forelegs. "What is?"

"What Scootaloo is doing… trying so hard to impress you."

Silence reigned while Diamond Tiara took her time to ponder the thought. "I guess it is."

"I wouldn't mind if someone did that for me. Someone acceptable, I mean." The two fillies sat contemplating the thought, until Silver Spoon broke the silence. "It's too bad we didn't know that sooner. We could have told her you've got a thing for wings."

Diamond Tiara thought of Scootaloo and her furiously pumping wings. She wondered what would it feel like to have them brushing against her, to feel the soft caress of feathers upon her face, or maybe to have one wrapped around her like a blanket. A small blanket. But sometimes a small blanket was plenty cozy enough.

"Yeah," Diamond Tiara said, just the slightest hint of longing tinting her voice. "That would have been funny."

"Okay, let's go again," Scootaloo said.

"Ah'm tired, and look at Sweetie Belle. She can barely even stay on her feet."

As if to emphasize the point, Sweetie Belle picked that moment to lose her grip. Only a quick move by Scootaloo saved the unicorn from falling over. Sweetie shook her head, trying to clear it, but her eyes remained half-closed. Her mouth opened to utter an apology, but all that came out was a yawn.

"Ah'm going to get some sleep," Apple Bloom said. The mention of the word was enough to trigger a yawn of her own. "And Ah suggest y'all do the same."

"Sweetie?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm just too tired," Sweetie Belle said as she shuffled off after Apple Bloom. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Scootaloo watched her friends fade into the darkness. With a sigh, she lay down, her head upon her legs. They were right to go, she knew. They were not the ones that needed the practice. She had worked hard at flying all day, but her flying had not improved. Try as she might, she just could not burst through the paper stretched across the hoop. At this rate, she would never be Commander Hurricane, would never find out if Diamond Tiara could be her Princess Platinum, and if all that wasn't bad enough, she was failing her friends.

"No!" she said, lifting her head. "I just need to try twenty-one times as hard!"

She climbed back to her feet and spread her wings. Looking at each in turn, she focused her mind, doing her best to will them into being flight capable. With a couple of snorts, she pawed the ground. She shouted as she launched herself into the air. Up! she willed herself.

"Scootaloo?"

The unexpected voice made her lose her concentration, and she lost her balance, hitting the ground on her side. Rolling onto her back, she found herself looking up at a mane of rainbow-colored hair peeking out from underneath a dark blue baseball cap.

"What are you still doing here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Scootaloo lay down on her stomach, her forehooves hanging over the edge of the stage. "Just practicing."

Rainbow Dash looked around for the other fillies. "All by yourself?"

"They went home," Scootaloo said. "I stayed because… because my part is holding them back."

"Are you kidding me?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Your part was—" She paused for a second, reminding herself to be professional. "Solid and showed excellent potential." Dash sat down next to Scootaloo, letting her leg dangle over the edge of the stage. "I'm sure that with all the practice you put in today it'll be the best thing since saltlicks. And there is such a thing as too much practice, you know?"

"I suppose so," Scootaloo said. She sighed softly. Her gaze turned up to the sky. "Hey, Dash?" she asked at last.

"What's up, squirt?"

Scootaloo said nothing, just sitting, slightly fidgeting, but otherwise still.

"Come on, I can tell you got something eating at you. Surely you can tell your coach," Rainbow Dash said, nudging the little filly. "That's what coaches are there for, right?"

"There's this filly who maybe sort of likes of me, and I think, well, maybe..." Scootaloo stopped and blushed.

"Say no more!" Dash said. "You want to know how to knock her right out of the sky." Rainbow Dash leaned in close. "Well, kid, I'll tell you what I'd do. I'd put on a performance so impressive that they'll teach classes about it at the Wonderbolt Academy, and then, while the crowd is still cheering my name, let that pony know that I did it all for them.

"No way anypony could resist that. They'd practically be begging me to go out with them." Dash lightly rubbed Scootaloo's head. "And there's no way any filly could resist you doing some sweet tricks either."

Scootaloo nodded, barely suppressing a yawn.

"Best get some sleep though, kiddo. You're going to need it. You've got a big day tomorrow… and a filly to impress?" Rainbow Dash nudged Scootaloo with her wing.

"Sleep…" Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash, eyes wide open with renewed hope. "You're right! I just need to get enough rest. Then I'll be able to try twenty-two times as hard and it is sure to work!" She threw her hooves around her mentor. "Thanks, Dash!"

Watching the little filly scoot off into the night, Rainbow Dash gave her head a slight shake. "To be that young again. Those were the days." Looking at the saddlebags upon her back, she frowned. "No paperwork, for starters. Being professional is way too much work," she grumbled.

Alone in her room, Diamond Tiara lay in her bed, the covers wrapped snuggly around her. She stifled a yawn and idly rubbed her neck, hoping to ease some of the soreness from today's practicing of the routine. With her other hoof, she flipped to the next page of the photo album. The book was usually kept downstairs, but she had brought it up.

Somepony rapped gently on the door, and she quickly turned the lamp down to its lowest setting. The door opened a crack, and her father stuck his head in.

"Pumpkin, you asleep already?"

"Almost, Daddy. Tomorrow's the big day, and I want to make sure I'm well rested."

"That's my girl," her father said. "I'll leave you to it then."

He pulled his head back and started to shut the door, but she called out to him. "Wait!"

Her father's head reappeared and she asked her question. "How did you and mom meet?"

"Ah, well, that's a bit of a story. You sure you've got time?"

She nodded, and he opened the door and came inside. Seeing the photo album, he motioned for her to turn up the lamp, climbed onto the bed to lay down beside her, and flipped through its pages. Finding what he sought, he pointed to a picture.

"It was at the Canterlot College versus Manehatten U. debates that I first met your mother. I remember it well. We're supposed to wear something a bit more formal, not something super flashy, but your mother… Now, you can't see it here, but your mother's dress was this stunning red, that perfect shade that reminds you of roses and red wine."

"So it was love at first sight?" Diamond Tiara asked as she peered over her father's leg at the old black and white photo.

Her father laughed. "Oh, I'd say it was anything but. Our colleges were fierce rivals and our debate teams were in the running for the national championship. And your mother, well, you know how she hates to lose an argument…"

Diamond Tiara nodded knowingly. "Do you suppose that's why she's so good at it?"

Filthy Rich shrugged. "Maybe. In any case, it's a good thing for us that she is, huh? Imagine if she was always as grouchy as on the rare cases when she loses." He gently rubbed his daughter's head and gave her a wink.

Diamond Tiara giggled.

"No, we argued every time we met. It seemed like whenever our teams competed, she'd always be matched up against me. I'm not sure how she arranged for that to happen, but I'm pretty sure she did. I'm not even sure why. I wasn't the best debater on the team. I suppose I should ask her sometime."

"So what changed, Daddy?"

"Well, we both happened to show up at this restaurant at the same time, and so naturally we started arguing over who should be seated first. I insisted she should, and she, of course, insisted it should be me." Filthy Rich made a show of looking around to make sure the coast was clear, then whispered in a conspiratorial tone to his daughter, "I think if I'd agreed with her, she'd probably have have changed her mind just to be contrary. Don't tell her I said that though."

"Oh, Daddy. You're so silly!" Diamond Tiara squealed with glee.

"Anyway, finally the waiter had had enough and told us we could either sit together or leave together. I think he was expecting the latter, but your mother, well, she winks at me, before turning to him and saying, 'We'll sit together, of course.' You should have seen the waiter. He went nearly as pale as a ghost."

He laughed at the memory, idly flipping pages of the album.

"So we spent the whole evening together, and when we weren't arguing, we found out we actually had quite a few things in common. And eleven months later—"

"You had me?" Diamond Tiara asked, her eyes wide.

Filthy Rich snorted. "Um, no, pumpkin. That was a few years down the line still. No, eleven months later she moved to Canterlot to attend law school. That's when we started dating."

"So just because you're always fighting with someone, doesn't mean you can't like them?"

"It certainly seems to be the case. Why do you ask? Got your eye on a special somepony?"

She blushed. "J-just curious is all." She opened her mouth wide and gave a huge yawn. "Night, Daddy. And thanks for telling me."

Filthy Rich looked at his daughter, not believing for a second her fake yawn. He wondered who the lucky colt was, if he would be worthy. He contemplated asking again, but decided against it. When she felt the time was right, she would tell him. He turned the lamp back down to its lowest setting, closed the photo album, and kiss his daughter's forehead. "Night."

Picking up the book, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"This isn't working, Scootaloo. We used to be a team. Now what are we?"

"But I've got to impress her!"

"You care more about her than us?"

"And what about representing Ponyville?"

"What does Ponyville matter if I can't share it with her?" Scootaloo asked.

"I'm starting to really dislike her even when she isn't here," grumbled Sweetie Belle.

"This has to stop," Apple Bloom declared. She placed herself squarely in front of Scootaloo. "Time to decide, Scootaloo. Do Sweetie and Ah matter more to you than her or not?"

"You're making me choose?" Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at each other, trying to reach a decision. Simultaneously, they nodded. "Yes, yes we are," Apple Bloom said.

"Fine, then I choose her!"

"Yeah, well, good luck winning her at the flag-waving competition all by yerself!" Apple Bloom yelled.

"I wasn't going to go anyway! I'm just going to stay here in Ponyville and get Mr. Biceps to help me learn to fly. And then when Diamond gets back after winning, I'll impress her and she'll turn out to not be a complete jerk and we'll be happy. You just wait and see!"

"So how's my little sister and her friends?" Rarity asked as she entered the car.

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle screamed in delight. "You're going to the competition?"

"Of course, my dear. You didn't think I would miss my little sister becoming a celebrity, did you?" Rarity said with a smile. "Are you girls all ready?" She stopped and looked around. "Where's Scootaloo?"

"We sorta had a fight," Sweetie Belle admitted. "She wanted to make a big change to our act and it was ruining it."

"And then Ah might've sort of kicked her from the team," Apple Bloom said. "Although, without her, we have no chance of winning at all."

Rarity gasped. "This will not do! My sister deserves her chance to shine." Rarity took a moment to imagine herself as her sister basking in all the adoration. The thought passed, and she shook her hoof at the two fillies. "And shame on the two of you for letting things go so far."

"We're sorry," Sweetie Belle said.

"Don't tell me that. Tell that to Scootaloo."

"But she's not here," Apple Bloom said.

"Then we'll just have to go to her," Rarity said. "Let's see…" She looked around the room and smiled as she found what she was looking for. "Ah-ha!"

With a tug of her magic, she yanked the emergency brake cord. The train's wheels screeched in protest, ponies struggled for balance, and various items slid forward as the train slowed to a stop.

Apple Bloom dug herself out from under several bags that had fallen on her. "Ow," she said, rubbing her head. "That hurt!"

Rarity nodded in agreement. "I don't know why somepony hasn't invented more pleasant sounding brakes. That noise…" Her ears twitched as a shudder ran through her body. "But no time for that now. Girls, get ready. I just need to have a quick word with Twilight and we'll be off!"

"Sorry you can't make it! We'll take a picture for you from the winner's circle!" Silver Spoon called out after the departing fillies. Turning to Diamond Tiara, she grinned. "My plan worked perfectly!"

She noticed that Diamond Tiara wasn't as excited as she was, instead looking to be lost in thought. She gently rapped her friend on the head, causing Diamond to swat her hoof away and glare at her.

"My plan worked! We're so going to win!" Silver Spoon gazed at Diamond. "Aren't you happy?"

"It's just… I'd have liked to see her perform."

Silver Spoon started to frown, but it quickly turned into a grin. "Oh my. That would have been so perfect. Could you just imagine it? To fail in front of so many ponies? Bzzzt… Bzzzt… Thump!"

Diamond Tiara blinked. "Yeah, that's exactly what I meant. I mean, how embarrassing would that be?"

"I know, right? Luckily, our performance is going to be perfect," Silver Spoon said with a giggle. She turned her attention to the dress that lay on the seat beside her, carefully smoothing it out. "I so love our matching outfits."

"Me too," Diamond Tiara said, though she didn't so much as glance at her own. Instead, she rested her head upon her hoof and looked out the window, back toward Ponyville.

"Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asked, peaking her head into Scootaloo's bedroom.

"Go away!" Scootaloo shouted, flinging the book she was reading toward Apple Bloom.

"My, my," Rarity said as she stepped into the room. "That's no way to treat a friend." She looked down at the book, scanning its cover. "Or such a delightful book. That's one of my favorites, you know. The way Commander Hurricane grips Princess Platinum and kisses her with such passion…" Rarity took a moment to fan herself. 'Well, Twilight might not agree, but if you ask me, that's the best sort of book."

Scootaloo stared wide-eyed at the unicorn. "Rarity? What are you doing here?"

"When I heard that you girls had a fight I just had to come." Turning to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, Rarity asked, "Girls, would you mind waiting outside for a bit while I talk to Scootaloo?"

The two fillies nodded and left, closing the door behind them.

"Now, dear," Rarity said, "care to tell me what's going on?"

When Scootaloo didn't say a word, Rarity used her magic to float the book back over to the pegasus.

"I'm guessing, based on what my sister has told me and this here book, that you've got your eye on someone and your friends don't like it… So who is he?"

"It's not a—" Scootaloo started, before she turned away, blushing.

"Ah, a she then. Well, nothing wrong with that. Now why don't you tell me all about it?" Rarity asked as she settled on the bed next to Scootaloo. "Come now, you've probably been dying for somepony to talk to about all this… and here I am."

Scootaloo looked at the book, running her hoof over the cover. With a deep sigh, she started to talk. Over the next five minutes, she told her story, of her love of the book, her hopes that Diamond Tiara might be her Princess Platinum, how she wanted to fly, and of the fights it had caused. Only once she was done did Scootaloo turn to look at Rarity.

Rarity nodded her head slowly, biding her time as she thought of what to say. Using her magic, she brought over a hoofkerchief and gently dabbed away the tears on Scootaloo's cheeks.

"There. That's better." She gave the pegasus a little smile. "You know, there's nothing wrong with wanting to become a better pony, but…" Rarity paused to think. Her eyes settled on a picture of Scootaloo with her two best friends. Memories of her own friends rushed through her, and she knew what she wanted to say. Settling down in front of Scootaloo, she began.

"Ever since I can remember, I've dreamed of making it big in Canterlot. To be the pony everyone wants to know. And for a little bit, thanks to Twilight arranging for me to stay at the palace, I was just that.

"It was everything I'd ever dreamed of. I was the belle of the ball, the toast of the town, and I'm afraid I let it all go to my head. I got so caught up in it all that I did not finish a dress I was working on for Twilight and... I lied to my friends just because I wanted to attend the Canterlot Garden Party more than I wanted to go to Twilight's birthday party.

"But since they believed I could not attend the party, my friends decided to bring the party to me. And so my friends crashed the garden party. You should have seen Twilight," Rarity said with a laugh. "I love that filly dearly and she has many talents, but dancing isn't one of them. And then there was Applejack. She was actually trying to garden at a garden party. It was all dreadfully embarrassing.

"When I was asked if I knew these ponies, I'll admit to my great shame that I considered, for just the briefest instant, denying that I knew them. But then I thought of all my friends meant to me, how they had come all the way from Ponyville because they wanted to share Twilight's birthday with me. And so I proudly stepped forward and stated that, not only did I know them, but that they are my best friends and the most important ponies I know.

"And it all turned perfectly fine. But even if it hadn't, I wouldn't have regretted saying what I did. Ponyville and my friends are part of who I am, and I am not ashamed of that."

Rarity gently lifted Scootaloo's chin up with her hoof. "Do you see what I am saying?"

Scootaloo pondered the story. "I think so," she said. "You're saying that I shouldn't need to be something else and that I really shouldn't risk destroying my friendships over it?"

Rarity nodded. "That's right. If this filly you like doesn't like you for who you are, then she isn't worth knowing. And if she does like you, then whether you can fly or not will not matter." Rarity took a hoof and tapped Scootaloo's chest. "It is what is in here that matters. You've got so many good traits. You're strong, brave, and you've got heart—"

"As strong as horses!" Scootaloo sang.

Rarity winced at the sound. "Maybe don't try singing for her just yet, okay?" Rarity gave Scootaloo a little wink and the filly nodded. "Now, what do you say we get you to the Crystal Empire?"

"Okay!" Scootaloo said. She leapt of the bed and raced over to her toybox. Opening it, she began to toss its contents aside.

"What are you looking for?" Rarity asked.

"Something to make pulling Sweetie and Apple Bloom easier."

"Don't be silly, dear. If you do that, you'll be way too tired to perform by the time you get to the Crystal Empire. That's why I made it a point to talk to Twilight before we returned for you. There should be a train waiting to take us at the station. After all, what's the point a knowing a princess if you can't order up the occasional train now and then?"

"Contain your excitement, Ms. Harshwhinny," Rainbow Dash said. "Remember: professionalism."

The three fillies giggled, and Rainbow Dash couldn't help but join in as the properly chastised Equestria Games coordinator struggled to regain her composure.

"You know what this means, right?" Scootaloo asked as she searched the competitors.

"We're going to get our cutie marks in flag carrying for sure!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"What?" Scootaloo asked. She quit searching just long enough to glance at her still blank flank. "Oh, yeah, that too, I guess. But that's not important right now."

"Our cutie marks aren't important?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Of course they are, but… Don't you get it? We won! And… ah, there they are!" Scootaloo pointed to a pair of fillies in matching dresses attempting to sneak off of the field.

Tossing her scooter down, Scootaloo leapt upon it and took off. Ponies scrambled out of her way, often with a scream of panic, and the entire stadium went quiet as it watched one of the winners go racing off. Scootaloo though noticed none of these details, her attention focused solely on her goal. Her wings buzzed and her scooter's wheels whirred, occasionally shifting to a screech for very tight corners. Catching up to her quarry, she leapt off her scooter and landed directly in front of them.

"You didn't think you'd be able to just sneak out of here, did you?" Scootaloo asked. "Not without getting what is coming to you."

Silver Spoon sighed and rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. You guys, like, won, okay? But don't get used to it, because next time, we're—" Silver Spoon froze in shock at the sight of Scootaloo forcefully kissing Diamond Tiara and Diamond Tiara doing nothing to dissuade the pegasus filly.

As the kiss ended, the stadium erupted in cheers. Diamond Tiara looked around, wide-eyed, at the thousands of ponies who had for some reason shown up to watch the flag waving try-outs, and who were now all watching her get kissed by the blank flank. Scootaloo, on the other hoof, merely held up a hoof in the air, grinned, and gave the crowd a little bow.

Turning her attention back to her paramour, Scootaloo asked, "Wanna catch a movie sometime?"

"You want to… with me?" Diamond asked.

Scootaloo nodded.

"I… well… Ah, to hoof with it." Giving up on words, Diamond Tiara wrapped her forelegs around Scootaloo, pulled her closer, and gave her a quick kiss.

As it ended, Diamond Tiara pulled her head back, smiled briefly at the pegasus, before pulling her even closer, so close their bodies almost touched. Then Diamond rested her head upon Scootaloo's shoulder, letting out a content sigh. A second later, Scootaloo followed suit, sigh and all.

"Aaaaaw," Sweetie Belle said as she slid to a stop. Excitedly, she clapped her hooves together, adding her own support to the crowd's. Beside her, Apple Bloom stood, an uncertain look upon her face.

Silver Spoon blinked, then blinked again, before looking askance at the farm filly. "What just happened?"