A paper-thin silence fell across the room. I almost didn’t want to breathe for fear of breaking it. Instead, I searched across the discarded skateboard parts, the posters on the walls, the photos scattered at my feet; looking for any scrap of something to give me the courage to find the words.

I jumped when Scootaloo’s nose nudged my cheek.

“How ‘bout you just start with her name?” she whispered.

Right. I was freaking out over nothing. We were just going to talk a little. And it was Scootaloo. She would understand. Or at the very least, she wouldn’t judge. Everything was going to be okay.

I took a breath to steady myself.

“It, uh… Sarah. Her name was… Sarah,” I said, letting out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I’d expected pain or regret or… something. But there was nothing. Maybe Scootaloo was right and I would feel better after I talked about it.

“You must have been close,” she said.

I laughed weakly at that. “Not really. We fought all the time growing up. She always knew exactly what to say and do to get on my nerves… There were so many times I thought I hated her. It got better as we got older, especially once we both moved out of our parents’ house. Of course, after that we didn’t talk much at all.”

“No? Why not?”

“Several reasons,” I said, sighing. “She went to college, for one. I was still in high school when she left and I think we were both just happy to be away from each other for a while. And then she got busy with friends and college life and well, I was still a stubborn teenager that didn’t think he needed anybody but himself. I was a bit of an arrogant jerk back then. Like that one old friend of Rainbow’s; the griffin. I forget her name.”

Scootaloo laughed at the comparison. “I’m sure you weren’t as bad as Gilda. She was a piece of work.”

“I was, though!” I said, laughing as well. “I got in trouble all the time for mouthing off to my teachers and I didn’t have a whole lot of friends. And the ones I did have were the same kind of punk that I was. Looking back, I think we only tolerated each other because no one else would.”

Scootaloo let out a sudden barking chuckle. “I can just see you in a black leather jacket and with one of those dumb bandages on your nose! Maybe with a black eye from your latest fight. What a little tough-guy!”

I gave her an unamused glare. “Ha. Ha.” I couldn’t bring myself to admit it, but she was a lot closer than I cared to admit. Minus the jacket, she was actually spot on. Well, and the tough part, too. I was a wuss.

“So… Is that why you fought with your sister so much? Were you unhappy or something?” she asked.

“It probably didn’t help. And really, I didn’t have any good reason for being unhappy, either. I had two supportive parents, an older sister that was actually pretty cool despite what I thought at the time and I had just about every opportunity that I could have wanted. We weren’t exactly rich or anything, but our parents could mostly manage to provide us with whatever we wanted. I was just one of those stupid, selfish kids that feels like the world’s out to get him and no one understands.”

“A lot of ponies go through that. I know a lot of the foals in my class did. Hell, I did, too!” Scootaloo said.

“Really?” I asked, unbelieving. “You went through the spoiled brat stage?”

“Well, yeah! That whole time I was struggling so much with learning to fly? Well… let’s just say I didn’t handle it as well as I could have. My dad and I fought a ton back then, even though none of it was his fault. He was just doing his best to look out for me and I gave him nothing but a hard time. And yeah, things are better now, but he still didn’t deserve how I treated him.”

“I’m sure he understood. He really loves you; I doubt he held it against you,” I said. Neither of us said anything for a moment as we simply leaned into each other. Afraid of losing the momentum we’d built, I asked, “So, did you wear a leather jacket? ‘Cuz that would have been cute as hell.”

She laughed aloud. “No, I didn’t. I wore way worse.” She hesitated, her eyes flicking to mine and searching me over before she groaned and clapped both forehooves across her face. “Oh, what the hay. I’ve already given you enough things to make fun of tonight; what’s one more?”

She hopped up and weaved her way around skateboard parts to her closet. Throwing open the door, she began rummaging around inside until, apparently finding what she was looking for, she turned and trotted back over. With a flick of her neck, she tossed whatever she’d found at me.

It was a worn and slightly-dusty black collar. It was made of the typical faux-leather that was used in Equestria –I’d become familiar with it after working with Rarity for as long as I had– and had several small silver studs uniformly spaced along it.

It took every ounce of my willpower not to laugh as I looked the thing over. “Y-you, uh… You wore this? In public? You’re… far braver than I am.”

She buried her face in her hooves again as she returned to her spot at my side. “Urgh, I know! It was cool at the time!” She fell silent for just a moment. “Okay, it wasn’t cool even at the time, but a lot of foals in my class were wearing that kind of thing!”

“Well, don’t feel too bad,” I said, condescendingly patting her shoulder. “Everyone followed stupid fashion trends when they were younger. At least you grew out of it sooner than I did. I was still a few years older than you before I realized how much of an asshole I was. But now,” I said, putting a sense of importance in my words, “there is something we have to do. I need you to let me get a picture of you with this on.”

She paused to look at the collar I held out to her before springing away, her eyes wide and hooves waving frantically. “Oh, I don’t think so! There is no way I’m putting that thing on again!”

“Aww, c’mon! I gotta see this!”

“No!”

“But I never got to see you back then! Please? I’ll do anything!” I begged.

“I, uh… But it’s so embarrassing! Urgh!” she wailed. Finally she went quiet, giving me a piercing stare. “Alright, fine! But on a few conditions! One: you have to do any one thing I say, whenever I want. Two: you can take a picture, but nopony ever sees it. Not Dad, not Rainbow Dash, nopony! Even if Princess Celestia herself asks to see it, you better not. As a matter of fact, protect that photo with your life, do you understand?”

I didn’t even have to think about it. Having to do one favor for her sometime in the future was nothing compared to missing out on seeing her in that collar.

“Alright, yes; I get it! Nopony ever sees it, I swear on my life. Anything else?”

She nodded. “No laughing,” she mumbled.

I swore I wouldn’t and with another groan, she swiped the collar from my hands. After fussing with the buckle to make it a little longer, she eventually managed to get it on and snap the button to fasten it in place. She stood and took a few steps forward before turning to face me and striking a dour pose. Even her mane and tail seemed to droop along with her ears.

“There, happy?” she grumbled.

She struck the most hilarious sight; this tiny, orange-coated pony with huge violet eyes wearing a black, silver-studded collar. She just needed some thick mascara and black eyeliner and the picture would be perfect.

Thankfully, I restrained myself from laughing as I grabbed my camera and took a couple of shots. It was funny enough, but she was wearing a frown that could freeze the blood of a lesser man.

“Don’t be like that! It’s just a picture. Can’t you give me a smile?” I asked, purposefully teasing her a little.

She proceeded to give me a ridiculously over the top toothy smile that looked more like a deranged grin that I managed to snag a shot of before she burst out with a round of giggles. While she was distracted, she finally let slip a genuine smile that, dare I say… was actually pretty beautiful.

It was definitely going in the scrapbook.

“Now see, it’s not so bad. Actually, it’s a good look for you!” I said, putting the camera aside.

She tried to glower, but the corners of her mouth kept bouncing back up. “Yeah, well… Don’t get used to it.”

I was about to open my mouth to make… some other joke at her expense when another voice spoke up.

“Huh. Never thought I’d see that old thing again.”

We both jumped as Flip leaned against the doorframe. He quirked an eyebrow at Scootaloo while not even bothering to hide a tired grin. “It’s like you’re thirteen all over again. Need me to pick up your heat suppressants from the drug store like I used to?”

“Wha–! Shut up, Dad!” Scootaloo shouted, blushing crimson.

“What about if I get you some of those gummi bears you used to love so much? Or a nice strawberry milk? You used to beg me to bring you home a bottle every time I went out shopping.”

Scootaloo finally broke, her body deflating as she gave her dad a dull look. “Really, Dad? Do you really have to embarrass me in front of all of my friends?”

He laughed. “Yup. Life’s tough; get a helmet. I just wanted to see if you kids needed anything. Like, something to drink or… maybe a snack or something.”

“Dad, we’re not five. We don’t need you to bring us snacks.” A knowing look came over her. “You’re just checking up on us because you think we’re—“ She trailed off, glancing uneasily at me.

Flip gave a breathless chuckle. “You’ll have to forgive an old stallion for worrying after his flighty scamp of a daughter. Once you become a parent, it seems all you can do is worry. You’ll understand one day.” He paused to give Scootaloo a stern frown. “One day far in the future, am I understood?”

“Dad, please…” Scootaloo whined.

“Alright, alright; I’ll leave you two be. Let me know if you need anything.”

He lingered for just a moment, glancing between Scootaloo and myself before nodding slowly and leaving. Scootaloo sighed once he was gone and rubbed her temple.

“Why do I get the feeling he’s going to keep bothering us all night?” she asked.

“Because he loves you and is scared of the fact you have a boy in your bedroom?” I punctuated my question by poking her side just under her wing. She squeaked and hopped upward, puffing herself up like a bird and swatting my hand away.

Oh, it looked like somepony was ticklish. I was going to have to remember that.

Scootaloo, meanwhile, seemed content to ignore her little outburst. “Well, he needs to get used to it! I’m allowed to have colt friends if I want!” She blinked. “W-wait! I meant friends that are colts! ‘Colt friends’, not coltfriends! Of course, since… that’s what we are. Friends, that is! Yes.”

“Well, wait. Now I’m confused. Are we friends or coltfriends? ‘Cuz if it’s the latter, that only brings a few more questions to mind.”

My wisecrack earned me a playful shove. “Oh, shut up! You think you’re so funny, don’t you? You’re just trying to get out of talking about your sis—“ She cut off as her expression fell.

The levity in the air died out as reality crashed back in. That’s right; we were talking about my family. Joy.

“I, uh… I’m sorry,” she mumbled. Her ears drooped pitifully as she scratched her cheek with a wing.

“Don’t be. We did get pretty off-track. Where were we?”

“Something about you being some kind of wannabe punk when you were younger. Which I’m still not certain I believe, by the way. You’re too nice for that. Too… non-threatening.”

I laughed. “Well, I never said I was very good at it.”

“You also said her name was Sarah,” she said.

“Right…” I said, suddenly breathless. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat while I searched for the words I needed. Nothing came to mind. How are you supposed to sum up the most important person in your life in just a few words? Every good memory I had of her fought for space in my mind’s eye with ever bad one.

“Hey, why don’t we go for a walk?” Scootaloo suddenly asked. I fought to speak as my mind struggled to switch gears.

“Uh, what? Why?” I managed to splutter out.

“A nice walk always works great to clear my head. Well, usually I go for a fly nowadays, but before I could fly I would go for a walk around town. Besides, it’s nice out and at this time of day, most ponies are already heading home so the town’ll mostly be deserted.” She cast a surreptitious glance at the door. “We can talk without anypony bothering us.”

The thought of Flip coming back in the middle of talking about Sarah… well, I wasn’t sure I could keep going if I got interrupted. This wasn’t something I wanted to think about any more than I had to, and I really didn’t want to have him be part of the conversation. Besides, a chance to clear my head would be great. I still wasn’t sure how I was going to explain the whole mess to her.

“You know what? A walk sounds great. Lead the way, Scootaloo.”

We told Flip that we were heading out for a while, and after a quip about having Scootaloo back before midnight, we were out in the pleasantly cool evening air and weaving our way between streets and houses towards a destination I wasn’t privy to.

She led us through the nearly-deserted town, not to the park like I’d half-expected, but seemingly on just a random road leading out of town-limits. We waved to the few friendly faces we saw, but for the most part we were left uninterrupted.

Eventually we came to a bridge passing over the river that curved along the border between Ponyville and the Whitetail Woods. She hopped up onto the stone railing and sat down. Wondering why she had brought us there, I took a spot next to her, leaning my chest against the cool stone and propping myself up with my elbows.

The spot she had chosen gave us a great view of the sun slowly making its descent towards the horizon over the hills and trees. With picturesque Ponvyille laid out to our right, a beautiful late day sky above us and forest birds singing their songs to our left, it really was a nice spot.

“What do you think?” Scootaloo chirped. “Not too bad, huh? This road only leads to the Woods, so almost nopony ever comes out this way. It’s quiet, ‘cept for the birds, but that’s kinda nice. I like to come out here when I need to get away from everypony.”

“Do you come here often?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Not as much as I used to. Just when I have a bad day or when I’m not feeling good. I like to watch the sun set sometimes. It’s… there’s something kinda soothing about it, you know?”

“Yeah. Sarah and I used to watch the sunset together when we were younger. There’s this lake about ten minutes away from my parents’ house, and we used to go swimming there a lot. There was this huge rock outcropping along one side that was great for diving off of, but if we were there ‘til sundown, we’d sit at the top and watch it go down over the trees.”

I jumped when something grazed my arm, only to find it was Scootaloo’s feathers. I scooted closer to allow her easier reach, savoring her touch. I’ve never been a touchy-feely kind of person before, but I’ve grown rather fond of such casual contact lately. Maybe I’m just changing as I get older.

“What was she like? Tell me about her,” she whispered. “You can start small, if you need to.”

“O-okay. Umm… Well, she has curly brown hair… a few shades lighter than mine. She’s a little shorter than me. ‘Bout one head shorter, but I’m kinda on the tall side for humans, so… What else…? She’s a teacher. Elementary art. She always loved working with kids. I never understood how she had the patience,” I said, trying to chuckle but instead letting out a breathless whimper.

Scootaloo’s wing rubbed up and down my arm consolingly. I took a breath to steady myself and rearrange my thoughts.

“She used to babysit a lot when she was younger, and she even volunteered at this youth center in our town teaching arts and crafts to younger kids. You should have heard her brag about every little thing ‘her children’ made. You’d have thought each one of them were the next Warhol or something. Talk about annoying!”

To my surprise, I actually found myself chuckling at the memory of Sarah glowing in pride as she ranted and raved about how well her class had gone while shoving the pictures her students had made for her under my nose.

“She had this photo album… Every drawing and painting or whatever she was given she put in there. Kept it going the whole time she worked there. She had a pretty big collection by the time she left.”

“Sounds like she really liked it. Why’d she leave?” Scootaloo asked.

“College. I think she was ready to be a teacher after her first day of classes, so it wasn’t a surprise when she dual-majored education and art. Talk about another thing I wouldn’t have patience for. I barely made it through one major, let alone two.”

Scootaloo perked up beside me. “You went to college? Huh.”

“Yeah, I went to college. What’re you trying to say?”

“Just that I’m amazed they let you in. Colleges on Earth must not have any standards,” she said with a smarmy grin. Rolling my eyes only got me laughed at. “No, I just forget you're Rainbow Dash’s age sometimes. Talking to you feels like talking to Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle. You don’t talk down to me or treat me like I’m stupid or anything. It’s nice.”

“Who treats you like you’re stupid?” I asked, worried. I couldn’t imagine anyone actually thinking that about her. Sure, she was a little headstrong and excitable, but she was far from stupid.

“Most adults still treat me like I’m a little filly. They talk to me like I can’t possibly understand adult things. Like my dad!” she said, stomping her stone perch. “He thinks I can’t even look at a colt without jumping his bones!” The fervor in her gesture faltered as she realized what she said. She didn’t lose her steam, but a blush did grace her cheeks. “Or Rarity and Applejack always treating me like nothing more than their little sisters’ tomcolt friend. Like, just because I don’t like fashion I must not like art or anything like that. Or just because I don’t like manual labor like the Apples I must be some kind of lazy delinquent!”

I had more than a little difficulty imagining either Rarity or Applejack acting like that. Sure, Rarity thought the current trends were what made the world turn and Applejack valued a hard day’s work a little more than was probably healthy, but neither struck me as the sort to go to that extreme. Even the few times they’d mentioned Scootaloo in passing to me was always done very fondly. But I couldn’t deny she’d known them longer than I had. Maybe she saw a side to them that I didn’t. And the last thing I wanted to do was upset Scootaloo by implying I didn’t believe her.

In the end, I decided to be cautiously neutral.

“I’m sure they don’t mean to make you feel like that. When you’ve known someone for a long time, especially from when they were young, it’s hard to realize how they’ve grown up on you.”

Scootaloo just rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but…” She paused before tsk-ing and deflating somewhat. “You’re right. I know they don’t mean to. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get annoying. I may not like dressing up or any of that fancy-schmancy stuff, but I like cultured things. I like music and concerts. I’d like to go to a play someday. Miss Cheerilee taught us about some based on the ancient pegasi clans that sounded really interesting.”

“Well, Rarity always has an ear on what’s going on in the bigger cities. I’m sure if we asked, she could find out when the next production of one of those plays was being put on. Give me time to get the bits together and we can go, if you’d like.”

Rather than the over-excited acceptance I’d been expecting, Scootaloo instead gave me a calculating stare.

“You’d really want to go with me?” she asked.

“Well, yeah. I went to a few plays put on by the theatre department at my old college and I really liked them. And I’d love to learn more about the old pegasi clans. I’ve heard they were pretty militaristic; I’d bet that’d make for a pretty exciting play. We could take a whole weekend and look around whatever city we go to for it. Sounds like it could be a lot of fun.”

She considered that for a moment but ultimately shook her head.

“No way. I mean, I’d love to go with you, but you’re not paying. I’ve looked into it before. Between the train fare, the show tickets themselves and a hotel room it’s going to run us almost two-hundred bits at least. I’m not having you pay all that by yourself. I graduate in a few more months and then I’ll be working full-time. Once I can get my share of bits together, then we’ll talk.” She paused to look out at the horizon and laughed. “Can you imagine me telling my dad I want to spend an entire weekend miles away and with a colt? All unsupervised? He’d have a conniption!”

I couldn’t help but join her in laughing at the thought. “I could move to the Crystal Empire and I doubt I’d be safe from him.”

“Heehee, yeah! Even Princess Celestia herself couldn’t protect you. You’re just doomed, I guess!”

I shrugged. “Eh, I’ve lived a good life. Never got to meet the Wonderbolts, though. That sucks.”

She cocked her head in confusion. “I didn’t think you were that big of fan of the ‘Bolts.”

“Oh, I’m not. But have you seen those flight suits they wear? Leaves nothing to the imagination!” I said, waggling my eyebrows. She rolled her eyes and turned to face away from me, but I caught a peek at her smile before she did. I elbowed her playfully. “Speaking of, I saw that poster of that one Wonderbolt you have. Whatsername? The one Rainbow Dash loves so much…” I wracked my memories but I just couldn’t think of her name. I remembered it was something that I always thought was obvious in hindsight…

“Captain Spitfire,” Scootaloo said hesitantly. Oh yeah, duh. Fiery mane and personality, Spitfire; you’d think I could remember that. “Rainbow Dash bought me that poster when I was fourteen. What about it?”

“Well, I just figured you’d want one of the vice-captain. The pretty-boy stallion. Looks like he could be a model. You know who I’m talking about.”

She groaned. “Soarin? You know, I can have a poster of somepony who I think is cool and not just because I think they’re hot. Maybe I just think Captain Spitfire is an inspiration! And a good role model! Maybe I keep that poster up to remind me of the kind of pony I want to be one day.”

Her voice rose in volume and passion as she spoke, and by the time she was done I half-thought I’d actually upset her. But then she turned to me with a small, guilty smile and rosy cheeks.

“And as for Soarin? Maybe I have a particular issue of the Swimsuit Edition of Wonderbolts Weekly under my mattress.”

Moments passed as I processed what she said and she waited tensely for my reaction. It started with a snort, then a snicker, and soon we were both falling apart with unbridled hysterics. We laughed at the ridiculous topic we’d managed to wander onto, we laughed about how odd the night had gone after getting so serious, we laughed at the tension melting away between us but most of all: we laughed at each other. Just as one of us would begin to wind down, the giggles of the other proved infectious and it would start over.

By the time we were breathless and reality reasserted itself, we found ourselves pressed together, her back against my chest, and my chin atop her head. My arms were wrapped around her body with her wings making a blanket on top, shielding my skin from the cooling evening air. I had no intention of pulling away, and apparently she agreed as she only snuggled deeper against me.

We stood there, silently watching the orange sky begin to turn purple as the sun continued its descent behind the horizon. Soon, the stars began poking out one by one and the crickets chirped their lullabies to the day.

“You know, you still haven’t told me the rest of the story,” Scootaloo suddenly whispered.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You told me a little about Sarah, but you never got to the important part. The only part that matters, really. Not that I didn’t like hearing about her, but none of that’s why you’re really upset.”

Suddenly the cold pierced through the protective embrace of her wings. I should’ve known she’d see right through me. I just prayed she wouldn’t go where I thought she was going.

“You never told me why you felt so guilty,” she said.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” I tried to say, but she shook her head, cutting me off.

“You miss her; yeah, I’ll buy that. Of course you do. And I don’t doubt that hurts a lot. I can only imagine how much it’d suck if I suddenly lost my dad or Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle. But you aren’t just missing her.”

She paused, humming as she put her thoughts in order. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her and see her expression. I didn’t trust myself to not give away any more than I already had.

“I didn’t notice it when I brought it up the first time, but when Rainbow asked at lunch I did. You were more than just missing your family. You were scared. Scared to tell us whatever was bothering you. That says it was something really big. And despite what you think about yourself, you’re a sweet colt. A really sweet colt. So I figure for something to bother you this bad, you must feel like you hurt someone else. Someone close to you. Someone like your sister.”

It felt like the wind had been knocked out of my chest. I was starting to shake, and though I tried to calm myself, I could tell it was a losing battle. Scootaloo starting murmuring quiet comforts as her wings rubbed my arms.

“Shh, it’s okay. Just tell me what happened,” she said.

I took a deep breath and coughed to clear my throat. “J-just before I came to Equestria, the whole family had gathered at my parents’ house. First time outside of holidays in three years. My sister, my aunt and uncle, their two kids… and Sarah’s fiancé. Y-you see, she was getting married.”

Scootaloo’s small hoof suddenly found its way into my hand and I held on for dear life. The world felt like it could drop from underneath me any second and I needed something solid to cling to.

“It was a week before the wedding. We’d… been fighting. Just stresses of getting all the details worked out at the last minute piling up. I… thought I’d take some time out to get away. Let things cool off before either of us really got into it, you know? Thought I’d take a swim in the old lake like we used to. Turns out that was the one day the portal was open.

“There was this flash of light as I dove in. I saw all these swirling colors, and I felt like I was falling for hours. It’s all kinda blurry and I don’t remember a lot of it. Next thing I knew I was waking up in a freezing pool in the crystal caves below Canterlot. And, well… you know the rest.

“Twilight says there are all kinds of portals to different worlds all over Equestria. They only stay open for so long, and nopony knows when they’ll open again. Could be ten minutes from now, could be a thousand years. I know I swam in that lake hundreds of times in the nearly twenty years I lived with my parents. I could be another twenty years before it opens again. It could be even longer. For all I know, it may never open again.

“And I missed Sarah’s wedding, lost my family, friends and everything I’ve ever known… because I had one stupid fight with my sister!”

The dam I had built up over the last several months started to rupture and a few tears dropped onto the top of Scootaloo’s head. I needed to believe that she didn’t notice, but I knew she did. I hate crying in front of others. I haven’t since I was kid, and there was nothing that made me feel more pathetic. In turn, the shame then did little to make me feel any better.

I was thankful that while I tried to get myself back under control, Scootaloo said nothing. She just hummed some tuneless melody and squeezed my hand in the crook of her hoof.

“Sorry about that,” I said as soon as I could, my voice audibly thick even to me.

She squirmed around until she was facing me and I noticed her eyes were misted over, too. I fought the urge to shy away from her sight as she wrapped her forelegs around my neck and hugged me tightly.

“Don’t be,” she murmured in my ear. “If anything, I should be sorry. I really thought talking about it would help you feel better. I knew you had to be hurting but… I didn’t realize it was that bad. You do realize it wasn’t your fault, right?”

I couldn’t bring myself to tell her I disagreed.

“It’s not your fault. You can’t blame yourself for having an argument. You said it yourself; you were both stressed out. Getting away for a while was probably the right thing to do. There was no way you could have known what was going to happen.”

“I know, it’s just… N-no, you’re right. I know it’s not. Doesn’t stop me feeling guilty anyway.”

She blinked in surprise, likely not expecting me to agree so quickly.

“Well, you’re right it’s not but I guess I can understand how you feel. Have you just been dealing with this on your own this whole time? You’ve really not told anypony else?”

I tried to give a care-free smirk, but I doubt it came out as more than a grimace. “I’m not a fan of asking for help.”

“Not even Rainbow Dash?” My silence was answer enough for her and she sighed. “I guess I can’t judge you or anything. I do the same thing sometimes. But you don’t have to shoulder things alone. Anytime you want to talk about your family or whatever… Or if you just want to hang out, you just let me know, okay? I’m not gonna judge or think you’re weak or whatever you’re afraid of. I just don’t want you stewing in it all alone, okay? Besides,” she said, pulling back a little and smiling. “I like hanging out with you, so it’s not exactly a hassle.”

I’ll admit I felt a little bit lighter at her words. I wasn’t better, all the crap wasn’t suddenly gone, but… it didn’t seem so heavy, at least. I wasn’t sure my pride would ever let me actually take her up on her offer, but just knowing it was there helped. Enough that I could actually return her smile.

“Even when I’m being a whiny bitch?” I asked. She laughed.

“I prefer fun-loving Will, but I’ll settle for mopey Will if he needs me to. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?”

“Still a pretty good one. I’m damn lucky to know you, Scoots. I’m really glad Rainbow brought you over that day.”

“Heh. Yeah, me too.”

We watched the sun sink the last few inches before it disappeared behind the trees and the moon took its place in the sky. Majestic purples gave way to navy blues and silvery wisps of stardust painted the night in a brilliant tapestry. Scoots and I stayed on that little bridge until it was too cold for comfort, and only then did we reluctantly begin the trek back to her house. We stopped just outside her door to turn to each other.

“I meant it, you know,” she said, looking up at me. “Anytime you need somepony, come find me, okay?”

I gave her a scratch behind the ears. “Only if you do the same.”

“Deal!”

We both fell silent, neither of us knowing what to say but not ready to let the night be over. We both settled for watching the stars twinkle for just a few moments longer. But nothing can last forever, and eventually it was time to part.

Instead of heading inside, Scoots lifted herself into the air and for a brief second pressed her lips to my cheek. I unconsciously pressed my fingers to the spot as she lighted back down.

“What was that for?” I asked.

“You looked like you needed it. But don’t tell anypony, okay? I do have a reputation to maintain after all.” She paused to give me a cock-sure grin that barely hid her sarcasm. It faded and was replaced by a small, if genuine, smile. “Keep your chin up, Will. Don’t give up.”

“I won’t, I promise,” I said, holding out a fist for a hoofbump that she gladly gave. “Night, Scoots.”

“Night, Will.”

Our eyes met, and for one final moment we just stood there looking at each other before she finally turned and disappeared inside. Only once she was out of sight did I finally exhale, suddenly overcome by how exhausted I felt. I’d gone over to her house expecting to watch some scootering and maybe have an awkward dinner with her and her dad. I never imagined I’d tell her all the things I did.

With only a desire for a hot bath and then bed in mind, I began the long trudge back to my cottage. The night was cold and silent, everypony having long disappeared into their homes and leaving the day behind. It left me with little to think about but what had happened.

Memories of my family had been eating me up inside for so long, I almost believed I would have a full-on breakdown if I had to talk about them. And though thinking about them still just reminded me that I may never see any of them again, I at least knew that I could share my memories of them without losing it. More than ever, I was thankful that of all the worlds that I could have fallen into it had been this one.

After I got home and soaked in the bath, I realized that I’d left my camera and all of my pictures in Scoots’s room. Oh well, I’d get them back eventually. If anything, I took solace in the fact that it would give me an excuse to see her again.

As I got into bed, I was filled with a special sort of ache. A lot like the kind that comes after a long workout that tells you that you did something worthwhile.

Though I did feel guilty I hadn’t told her the full truth. If she’d known what Sarah and I’d really fought about, she wouldn’t have been so quick to say it wasn’t my fault. I couldn’t deal with that. Not yet. It was too soon. Maybe one day when the pain had dulled a little I could tell her. She’d understand.

I hoped.

But that was a worry for another day. I’d lived with what I’d done for months. I could live with it a while longer. Tomorrow was Friday, which meant a morning of running errands around town for Rarity. It was easy work, but more importantly it was something I could focus on without leaving me a ton of time to think about much else. I could use the distraction. After that would just be an entire weekend off to recharge.

I felt like I was going to need it.

Author's Note

I'll admit, I don't think this is my finest chapter. I had a lot of struggle with it, sometimes feeling like I was going over the top and other times playing the emotions too lightly. I certainly don't think it's perfect, but it needed to happen and I think that was as good as I can get it. If you liked it, awesome; if not, well at least we're past it and hopefully the quality will pick up again.

So thanks for reading everyone! See you with the next chapter.