The Favor that Changed it All

Esbins eyes shot open from the morning lights that stung him through his eyelids, he yawned plainly and smacked his dry lips. “What in Equestria happened,” Esbin groaned, he suddenly felt a soft shift from under his chest. He then found himself embracing Sweetie Belle, who was sound asleep on the couch; Esbin almost jumped right out of his skin but he managed to control himself. “What am I doing with… -gasp- OH no,” Esbin thought as he suddenly realized of the events that took place last night during the storm. At first he wasn’t sure what to do, just then Sweetie Belle yawned at look and to see the brown stallion behind her, she smiled and said, “Good morning my prince charming, did you sleep well?” The very first thing that rushed through his mind was that horrible dream that occurred, he struggled to think of something but only thing he could think was telling the truth.

“Sweetie Belle, I have to tell you something really important.” Esbin said.

“What it is?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Well, it’s just that I love you and all but the thing is am…” Esbin started but Sweetie Belle put a hoof to his mouth a smile innocently at him.

“It’s alright Esbin, I understand that you just want to be friends for now, and so do I. That’s what it told you -yawn- last night. I think I’m going to get some more sleep; you go do what you want, I’ll just help Rarity with her dress she missed yesterday. Hhmmm, you really took it out of me.” Sweetie Belle said as she drifted back to sleep on the couch, leaving Esbin stunned by her response.

“That’s not what I mean, I…Sweetie Belle?” Esbin said before he noticed that she was sound asleep again giving off a very light snore. He sighed with a little frustration, uncovered himself from the quilt, walked out of the room they were in, and made his way over to front door feeling especially conflicted. The door closed behind him and headed over to his house on the other side of Ponyville through the wet pavement. The air felt cool and invigorating as the whole town seemed to be empty and nopony was on the streets yet, probably because it was still early in the day. On he made his way down the same street where he lived on; he could see the clock tower above some of the other houses that read, 7:48 A.M. Esbin didn’t think that the door would be unlocked when he turned the nob pushed it open to see that his parents were at the kitchen table eating breakfast. “ESBIN,” Margret called out as she got up from her chair and dashed over to her son embracing him, “Where have you been? We were so worried about you sweetheart.” She walked him over to the kitchen where his father soon embraced his son and asked, “Did you get stuck in the storm or something kiddo?” Esbins eyes darted left and right as he quickly though of an excuse, “Uh, yeah by the time me and Sweetie Belle lunch was over I wanted to go but she insisted I stay a little longer and talk. But we didn’t realize how late it was until it was storming outside so she then insisted I stay over until the storm died down and I guess we fell asleep by accident.”

Charles and Margret gave an uncertain look at each other and then back at Esbin and both agreed that he was telling the truth to them. They walked him over to the kitchen table where a plate was already set out for him for when he got back; he served himself some apple slices, toast, some white daisy tops, and a glass of orange juice. Just as he was about to take bite of the apple slices, he stopped and instantly thought of Apple Bloom and all of the fun times they had together, as well as their private moment a few days back. He sighed as he placed the sliced apple down and decided to eat one of the daisy tops instead; again he soon stopped before eating it. The white colored pedals reminded him too much of Sweetie Belles white coat, Esbin hung his head in shame and sighed again a little louder than before. Both Charles and Margret took notice to their son’s distress; Charles placed his cup of coffee and asked, “Something wrong Esbin? You seem a little down.” Esbin perked up from his fathers’ response and answered, “Oh yah, I’m…-sigh- dad, what do you do when two of your best friends tell you to keep the same secret and not tell anypony else?” Charles raised an eyebrow and said, “Well I’m not entirely sure what to tell you son but if it’s nothing serious I suppose you can keep it a secret, just like you use to do when you were a little colt. But if it were serious, then suggest telling somepony about, but not just anypony you find walking down the street. Somepony you can trust, somepony like…like…” As Charles continued thinking of a name, Esbins eyes drifted toward his glass of orange juice and suddenly remembered a familiar orange Pegasus pony. “SCOOTALOO,” Esbin shouted out as he leaped from his chair, “THAT’S IT! She’s the perfect pony I can talk to. Thanks dad.” He trotted over to the front door to hear Margret call out, “Wait, you hardly touched you breakfast!” “That’s okay mom I’m not really that hungry,” Esbin said, but before he could step out his stomach gave out a loud growl, “Um on second thought, I think I’ll stick around for some toast.” He closed the door and trotted over back his spot on the table.

After a much needed, meaningfully breakfast, Esbin headed out into Ponyville to start searching for Scootaloo, he first went to the park, that’s she where she usually goes to practice on her tricks and maneuvers. There was barely a cloud in the sky, so there wasn’t that much to sleep on for the day, yet for some reason Esbin didn’t see her anywhere around the skies. Just as Esbin shrugged and decided to head an open field somewhere, without even the slightest warning, a bright orange and fuchsia colored blur slammed into him from the side to the muddy ground. After swiping off a clump of mud off his eyes was when he instantly recognized what just hit him. “Don’t you think you’re getting a little old for slamming into random ponies for some apparent reason Scootaloo?” Esbin asked with a scene of irritation in his voice. Scootaloo gave a nervous chuckle and help clean off the earth pony beside her by shaking a tree branch above them letting the loose rain water to fall on them both. “Sorry about that Esbin. I just got back from the Wonderbolts Training Academy with Rainbow Dash and I’ve been dyeing to tell somepony I know all about it.” Scootaloo explained with enthusiasm, Esbin patted himself off and quickly jolted up. “Wait a second?!” Esbin asked both curiosity and enjoyment. “You went to the Wonderbolts Training Academy?! Does this mean you’re with the Wonderbolts now?!” Scootaloo chuckled from Esbins questioning, she said, “Not yet I’m not, but Spitfire said that if I keep training like Rainbow Dash does, I’ll be in the Wonderbolts in no time! And yes I did go to the training academy.”

“WOW, NO KIDDING,” Esbin exclaimed.

“None what so ever,” Scootaloo replied taking a pose before letting him soak in the answer.

“That is so cool Scootaloo! I bet they teach you tons of super cool stunts.” Esbin said wiping off whatever mud was in his mane and tail.

“Well they didn’t show me everything they knew, just some of the tricks to pull off at some of their air shows, you know.” Scootaloo explained losing her pose and feeling her confidence drop a bit.

“And just think, with a little more training, you’ll be flying around pulling off those wicked stunts you only see at show and you…” Esbin stopped at mid-sentence after he just realized something.

“I’ll be?” Scootaloo asked with curiosity rising and eyebrow.

“You won’t be around as much as you are now.” Esbin finished, leaving his Pegasus friend stunned by his response. He didn’t notice that she gave a slight blush and she tried to hide it by facing away for a moment.

“Well, maybe I can arrange something.” Scootaloo said lowering her head slightly.

“If you could, that would be pretty neat. But still...” Esbin said with little enthusiasm before he was cut off by Scootaloo.

“Would you stop stinking thinking for one moment in your life Esbin, listen since I haven’t seen you for the past three days, how’s about I let you spend the whole day with me and we can both talk about our days, how’s about I meet up with you at say…Sugarcube Corner in about twenty minutes.” Scootaloo offered as she spread her wing preparing to take off, Esbin looked back at her to and gave a slight halfhearted smile.

“That sounds like a plan I’ll... wait didn’t you say you were just with Rainbow Dash earlier?” Esbin asked casually as he trotted alongside Scootaloo.

“But first I gotta ask Rainbow Dash something, you know Wonderbolt stuff, I shouldn’t be too long.” Scootaloo added taking a few steps ahead of Esbin so could get herself ready to take off.

“Oh sure, that’s okay. I’ll catch up with you later, I won’t keep you.” Esbin said as he waved goodbye to his friend, who also waved back before she took off into the sky. Just as when she was out of sight, Esbin sighed and said, “-sigh- Me and Scootaloo could be the only ponies in Equestria stuck together and I still wouldn’t understand somepony like her.”

Rainbow Dash was lying on her back resting on a medium sized cloud that she managed to scavenge together from several smaller clouds she found in the sky. She had just started to draft into a sleep on the soft and plush cumulus clouds, her eyes lazily opened and closed before she closed them completely. Suddenly Scootaloos’ head popped right from between her legs shouting out, “Rainbow Dash! Where…oh! Sorry.” Dash retorted from the sudden wakeup call and fell off the cloud she was on; Scootaloo pulled herself onto the cloud to see that Dash fluttered her wings back up to eye level with the young Pegasus smiling nervous at the frowning cyan blue Pegasus at her. “What is it now Scootaloo?” Dash asked her face with the same frowned expression. Scootaloo stepped aside so they both stood on the white cloud and said, “I need to ask you a few questions.” “What kind of questions kid, just shoot.” Dash replied her mood slightly easing up.

“Well, I was kind of wondering if the Wonderbolts have a part-time slot for members.” Scootaloo asked Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Well yah, of course they have part-time work areas for new members, but why would you want to do that? I thought you would want to go full-time.” Rainbow Dash said Scootaloo blushed when she asked for her reason, and she really didn’t feel comfortable telling her favorite role-model about it.

“Well, there’s this stallion…” Scootaloo started.

“AH YAH, I knew it! I knew you were looking for a certain special somepony, what’s he like? I bet he’s an athletic Pegasus like you.” Rainbow Dash cheered circling around Scootaloo with her wings. Scootaloo thought back to when she and Esbin where both still young ponies and Esbin would try multiple attempts at various races and challenges in beating her trying to get their cutie marks, yet each time they did try, Esbin would always lost to the young Pegasus. “He’s… athletic to a certain extent yah.” Scootaloo giggled, Dash chuckled and said, “I can see that. And it totally understand that you want to go part-time with the Wonderbolts when you pass the entrance exam. I had a run in’s with a few stallions in my time, what do you want to know?”

“I was wonder if there was some way I could impress him in anyway. I mean I kinda promised to spend the whole day with him.” Scootaloo inquired.

“Well that’s easy, talk to him, give him a few challenges every once and a while, and I guess race him to top it all off. And if that doesn’t work, you can always give him a private air show, I personally recommend ‘The Filly Flash’ to leave him speechless. I mean if you’re into that sort a thing. That should probably do it, anything else?” Rainbow Dash explained to Scootaloo who sat patiently listening to the blue Pegasus, she nodded occasionally up until Dash mentioned the Filly Flash part, and she just couldn’t help but blush. “Uh I don’t think so Dash, I think I got the information I need, again thanks you for taking me to the academy, it was seriously awesome.” “By the way what’s the stallions name anyway,” Rainbow Dash asked right before Scootaloo positioned herself for dive bombing her way down. “His name’s Esbin. Esbin Hoofwin.” Scootaloo answered and leaped from the cloud spreading her wings and glided down. “Heh that Esbin kid better get ready for a mare like her… wait…Esbin,” Rainbow Dash stopped at midsentence and though back to when she would see the young colt hanging around Scootaloo and her friends, “She going out with one of her fillyhood friends? Oh well, not my problem.” Dash soon went back to her previous position before Scootaloo interrupted her nap earlier today.

Esbin trotted in place waiting outside Sugarcube Corner as he scanned the area around him looking for Scootaloo. He considered himself fortunate that he hasn’t run into Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle today, even though he didn’t feel up to see them, he couldn’t help but think what they were doing. Sweetie Belle said she was going to help her sister Rarity with dresses from yesterday for leaving the Boutique to join in on some sort of party in Canterlot. But he noticed that he hasn’t seen Apple Bloom what so ever, not even when she stopped by to drop off that beautiful potted plant the day after the Apple Family Reunion. Scootaloo floated down right behind Esbin without him noticing, snuck right up to him, covered his eyes with her hooves and asked, “Guess who?” At first Esbin was startled but when he heard the familiar voice, he smiled and took Scootaloos hooves off his eyes to face her. “Always playing games huh Scootaloo,” Esbin gingerly said, “Hope you don’t lose that trait when you join the Wonderbolts.” Scootaloo chuckled and walked Esbin right in the bakery; they pulled themselves a seat over by one of the tables by the windows. Mrs. Cake walked to them with a note pad in her mouth and asked, “What could I get you lovely couple?”

“We’re not a couple,” Esbin and Scootaloo said simultaneously, glancing at one another after they did. Mrs. Cake gave a slight chuckle from them.

“Uh make it two cherry cokes Mrs. Cake I’m not feeling too hungry.” Scootaloo ordered, she knew that Esbin preferred that soda every time he came into Sugarcube Corner.

“Sure thing dearies, two cherry cokes, that will be two bits,” Mrs. Cake said as she wrote down the order on the note pad.

Esbin pulled out two coins from his pocket handed them the blue earth pony as she walked over to her husband behind the counter. “Two cherry cokes for the two love birds over there,” Mrs. Cake muttered to her husband as she pointed to both to Esbin and Scootaloo. “Right away honeybun,” Mr. Cake said with a chuckle keeping it quiet so they wouldn’t hear them. After about minute preparing the brown fizzy carbonated drinks, Mrs. Cake brought the sodas over the two ponies and said with a smile, “Enjoy you two.” They both thanked Mrs. Cake as both she and her husband walked back to the kitchen to work on more baked goods. Scootaloo wondered why Esbin liked this type of drink so she took a sip from the glass cup through the straw, it turned out to be pretty good, maybe a little sweet for her liking but still pretty delicious. She took another sip from her straw, while Esbin merely looked at his drink then at Scootaloo before gently sliding his drink to the side. “Uh Scootaloo, these something rather important I need to tell you, kinda the reason why I need to see you today.” Esbin said feeling a tight, sour knot in his stomach. Scootaloo suddenly coughed from taking too much of a sip from her soda and though, “AH JEEZ, is he really going to ask me to be his coltfriend right now, I haven’t even asked him out yet. Just stay calm, stay calm. No need to freak out JUST ACT COOL.” Scootaloo gulped hard and asked, “Yah?” Esbin looked around to see that no one was in the same room they were in and that Mr. and Mrs. Cake weren’t listening in on them, he leaned and said, “I…I…-sigh-I did something really horrible.”

“What did you do,” Scootaloo asked rising an eyebrow.

“I…I cheated on Apple Bloom.” Esbin said with an unrelieved sigh.

“Say what now?” Scootaloo asked nearly dropping her soda.

“You see, a few days ago after you left, Apple Bloom invited me over to her Apple Family Reunion and…” Esbin explained and continued on telling his whole situation to one of his best friend who sat patiently and listened to Esbin. She didn’t say a single word; she would occasionally show a different expression throughout different parts of his life in the past three days. “…and she said to keep it a secret and Apple Bloom said the same thing too and…and…now I just feel horrible about the whole damn thing you know. I just needed to tell somepony, just anypony about it and I thought it would make things feel at least a little better for me, but now I just feel even worst for telling you about this after I promised not to tell anypony! So…there you have it.” Esbin took a deep breath after his whole frantic, gut retching explanation, all the while Scootaloo stared at him with same vacant expression on her face, and Esbin could literally feel the tension in the air as he waited for Scootaloo to say something, anything really. “Well…” Esbin asked which seemed to snap her out of her deep thought and all of a sudden started to laugh hysterically at the stallion sitting in front of her; she fell out of her chair and held her side with her front hooves to keep her side from hurting. “What’s so funny,” Esbin asked feeling both upset and curious to see what was so funny that he revealed to her friend his dilemma. As Scootaloo stopped laughing completely only chuckle a little bit now as she said, “Hahahahha, -sigh- THAT was a great joke you came up with, how long did it take you to come up with that one Esbin?” Esbin only stared in complete shock, the only thing he was able to get out was, “JOKE?”

“Yeah a joke yah silly,” Scootaloo said as she pulled herself back onto the chair taking a thirsty sip of her soda, “I mean seriously Esbin, both Apple Bloom AND Sweetie Belle dating you in the past three days and as well as rutting your brains out! COME ON! How lucky could a stallion like you could get?!” He wanted to urge with Scootaloo that he was being serious, but he didn’t want to risk having the Cakes overhearing his outburst so he did his best to keep it inside. Esbin merely raised a hoof but to only lower do to try and say something, but he just couldn’t. Scootaloo then said with a friendlier voice, “But seriously Esbin great joke, now come, I have a hoofful of things I want show and tell you and I’d feel very much appreciated if you tagged along a listen to me, now let’s get going.” Scootaloo hopped out of seat and trotted over to the front entrance. “She…she didn’t believe me!” Esbin thought to himself, just then he heard Scootaloo call out, “Esbin, you coming or what?” Esbin turned his head gave a short sigh and said, “Coming.”

In a way Esbin did feel a little relived that he admitted to Scootaloo about his cheating dilemma between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, yet he still felt guilty for that fact that Scootaloo didn’t believe him even when to told her every detail of the story. A part of him hoped if they did, they would let live and forget. But the other side of his mind kept saying that they will never forgive him for what he did and that they never wish to see him, it just torn his heart just thinking about it. Scootaloo that Esbin started dragging his feet on the pavement and said, “Hey Esbin…Esbin…ESBIN!” He instantly snapped right back to reality when Scootaloo shouted his name out, Esbin looked up the see her ahead of him. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting like this since we’ve left Sugarcube Corner.” Scootaloo asked with concern. Esbin knew she probably wouldn’t believe the whole ‘joke’ again, so he decided to lie about it, he said, “Nothing, its nothing. I’m just a bit tired that’s all. You were saying?” “OH right, well after me and Dash went through the obstacle course a few times, Spitfire went to the Hall of Wonderbolt History. Man, you wouldn’t believe the amazing things about the Wonderbolts. There were old jumpsuits, recruitment posters, old air show films, and journal notes about the different stunts from famous Wonderbolt members.” Scootaloo went on and on about the amazing things she witnessed during her visit to the Wonderbolts museum, Esbin listen to the orange Pegasus as the trotted through the park with sun shining brightly above their heads as the day went by.

Even though Esbin paid attention to everything that Scootaloo said with all her pride, his mind couldn’t help but think back to when they were both pretty young. He though back to a time when Scootaloo would rather go jumping into danger finding various ways to earn her cutie mark, instead of thinking things through before doing it. She seemed more like an adult, yet she still was a young filly at heart with all her dreams and desires. Esbin smiled at the thought of how much that she along with his other friends was growing up pretty quickly, and yet that realization faded and the world around his soon picked up. “And that makes him the third pony in all of Equestria to create a sonic rainboom,” Scootaloo continued on, “Was there anything else you wanted to know?” “That sounded pretty cool, but hey how’s about we have an old hoof wrestle competition?” Esbin asked walking over to one of the picnic tables, where Scootaloo grinned excitingly and dashed right onto the other side to face Esbin who had his right hoof on the table. “Never seen Esbin be the competitive type.” Scootaloo though to herself while she took her seat, positioning her elbow on the table and grabbing hold of Esbins hoof. Once they were both settled in, Esbin asked, “Ready?” “Ready!” Scootaloo replied feeling confident.

“One…two…three,” Esbin counted down, he threw as much energy into his hoof to he could to force Scootaloo’s hoof to the table top, but to any avail. Scootaloo’s hoof barely moved from the where they began, she merely yawned with her other hoof and said, “Come on Esbin, you’d think after nearly ten years of trying to beat me at anything sports related you would have…” Esbin felt something snapped, as if all the anger from previous defeats, the pain he had for cheating on Apple Bloom and the fact that Scootaloo thought that he was joking with her about the whole situation. While Scootaloo seemed like she had things in the bag, she suddenly felt a sudden surge of force from Esbins hoof that nearly swung her off her seat. “WHOA!” Scootaloo blurted out; to Esbins surprise he decided to go along with the surge and threw his arm once again to end the duel they were in. Scootaloo’s hoof slammed on the table, making Esbin the winner, yet it left the both of them completely stunned and mouth agape. For the longest moment, none of them said anything they just sat at the table staring at their hoofs, “How…how did you do that?!” Scootaloo stuttered in shock. “I have no idea.” Esbin replied with same sense of fear I his voice. After a quick chuckle and a rub of his neck Esbin replied, “I…I guess you win some and you lose some.”

“But I…I never lose…” Scootaloo nearly muttered as Esbin walked behind her and helped her out of her chair, she hadn’t felt defeated since her days when she still tried to get her cutie mark. “I can’t believe you beat me.” Scootaloo said her expression loosening a little bit as she walked alongside Esbin who patted her on the shoulder and said, “Well theirs a first time for every…” Before Esbin could finish, Scootaloo blurted out, “I only let you win because you my friend you know!” He stared blankly at her and merely said with a shrug, “Okay whatever you say Scootaloo. I was just trying to have some fu…” “Whatever,” Scootaloo said with a flick of her head and mane, “It was just a fluke. I mean it’s not like you’re gonna win every single time you do some sort of competition or SOMETHING!” Esbin felt rather uncomfortable so he thought for a second as she trotted ahead of him, then he thought of something which would hopefully change her mood, “Hey Scootaloo, did you by any chance know how the Wonderbolts first started? I mean how did it all begin anyway?” Scootaloo stopped dead in her track and her expression changed dramatically, she turned to face him and said, “I…don’t think you want to know about Esbin. It’s way too…well, embarrassing?”

“Embarrassing? What makes you say that? I want to know.” Esbin relented trotting over to Scootaloo.

“Well, it goes like this, it started out in a way you wouldn’t think it would.” Scootaloo said blushing a bit while lightly shuffling her hoof.

“Really, well I promise not to laugh if you tell me, even if it is ‘embarrassing’ to you.” Esbin said confidently to put her at ease, she stared at the ground a bit then back at Esbin.

“Alright fine I’ll tell you. But so help me if you do laugh,” Scootaloo started angrily but the cooled off continuing, “I really didn’t read too much of it, just the kinda skimmed it. You see, the Wonderbolts didn’t start out as an air show group, it all started when male Pegasus from Cloudsdale fell in love with a female earth pony in Canterlot. The Pegasus was flying around Canterlot one day while he was pulling off some old school tricks, when he noticed and earth pony in the gardens and when they talked, they totally fell in love at first sight. Then the Pegasus started pulling off these cool tricks for her, but then other ponies started noticing his stunts and then others Pegasus started flying around to impress other ponies around, and it worked. It wasn’t until years later were the other talented flyers band together to start a group what is now formally named, The Wonderbolts. And that’s pretty much all I read, so there you have it, any questions?”

Esbin stood in front of Scootaloo with a shocked expression on his face until he finally said, “Wow…that’s probably the coolest story I’m ever heard. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of it, thanks Scoots!” Scootaloo smiled and thought about what Rainbow Dash told her about how to impress a stallion like Esbin and said, “If you think that’s cool, follow me I got something really sweet to show ya.” She jumped into the air, hovered for a bit and took off toward one of the open planes near the outskirts of Ponyville; Esbin took off in full gallop trying to keep up with her. “Hey wait up,” Esbin called out as he panted, “Not everypony can fly you know!” “Excuses, excuses,” Scootaloo taunted as she continued flying through the air leaving Esbin behind her, Esbin grunted as he galloped as fast as his hooves could go as he passed between buildings and other ponies in his way.

After a few minutes of racing over to the open fields of Ponyville, Scootaloo landed softly on the warm grassy ground and turned to see Esbin slowly making his way up the low hills she was on. “Come on slow poke.” Scootaloo said with a sly grin, Esbin panted heavily as he took his time trotting up the hill, he asked, “Is this about that hoof wrestling match we had earlier?” Scootaloo made a thoughtful face and said, “Maybe a little, but I really want you to see the tricks I’ve learned while I was out, there totally worth whatever strain you went through.” “I hope so.” Esbin thought as he collapsed in the ground panting softly and said, “Just give a moment -gasp- to catch my breath.” Scootaloo waited for about a minute before Esbin shuffled his feet to lie on the grass to get himself comfortable as the sun shone brightly on them both. “Okay,” Esbin said with a smile and not feeling exhausted, “show me what you’ve got Scoots.” Scootaloo slightly glared at Esbin for a moment and said, “Would you stop calling me Scoots?” Before she spread her wings, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and took off into the air as Esbin watched on the grassy hill.

As Scootaloo gained altitude with every flap of her wings, when she reached a certain height she said in a loud announcer-like voice, “For my first stunt, the Triple Flip Skidder!” After shouting out her stunt, Scootaloo flew straight up, when she seemed to be about over seventy feet in the air, she folded her wings back and let gravity take over. Esbin gasped by her sudden drop, while Scootaloo fell she back flipped three complete circles like a coin. Just when she dropped to about thirty feet, Scootaloo opened one of her wings to cause a spiral where she spun around Esbin once to return about ten feet in the air, when she was finished she struck a pose and shouted, “TA-DA!” Esbin shook off that quick winding from the loop around she pulled off earlier, she didn’t even touch him, and he actually thought she was going to crash into him. “WHOOOO,” Esbin cheered, “Way to go Scootaloo! That was AWESOME!!” Scootaloo proudly raised her head with confidence and bowed to Esbin while he stomped his hooves on the ground.

“If you thought that was something,” Scootaloo said, “well hold onto your mane and tail while I pull of the Solar Wind Slash!” “This is gonna be so cool,” Esbin said to himself as Scootaloo started whirling around and around like a tornado as gusts of wind was being sucked in. The rain water that was still on small spots around the ground was also being sucking into the gathering storm around Esbin. He could hardly see her as she spun around faster and faster until he spotted her at the very eye of the mini twister, she flew along down the side and landed in front of it as it slowly made its way toward her. “SCOOTALOO LOOK OUT!” Esbin shouted out to the Pegasus, she merely stared right straight at the twister in front of her. Scootaloo leaped into the twirling winds flew into the center about half way in between it and shot her wing wide open causing the twister to spiral out, spraying the little water it carried into a water mist which reflected by the sun. As Esbin witnessed to the mist rained down leaving behind a vivid, beautiful rainbow in the sky with the bright sun glittering behind it.

Esbins eyes widened as he cheered with excitement fueled by the sheer adrenaline from what he just witness. “AGAIN, AGAIN DO IT AGAIN WHOOOO,” Esbin cheered as Scootaloo landed, walked to him and said “Maybe some other time, I’m just getting really started, just you wait and see,” She flew into the air again and continued, “The Buccaneer Blaze!” “-Gasp- No way,” Esbin said in a stunned voice. He had only heard about the Buccaneer Blaze, never in all his life has he seen that astonishing air stunt, and he was about to see it in action. Scootaloo flew into position as she took off in high speed pulling off the complex maneuver with great ease; as a result a bright, brilliant explosion of light erupted in the sky as strikes of lightning shot through the air. No words could possible describe the amazing performance that Scootaloo pulled off like a professional, she literally leave Esbin with his jaw hanging wide open. “Hahahaahhaa, you should totally see the look on your face right now.” Scootaloo laughed at the stunned stallion that shortly fell on his back mouthing the words, “WOW!” he quickly got back up and started jumping in to the air and cheered loudly for Scootaloo.

“Thank you, thank you, you’re too kind.” Scootaloo said as she bowed as if there were stands of ponies cheering for her, she started to feel a little cocky then she normally was she announced her next stunt. “For my next stunt I shall perform one my teacher’s favorite stunts, the Filly Flash!” Scootaloo wanted to add her own little twist to old trick as flew up to gain altitude and reached over a hundred feet in the air, she flew straight down toward Esbin in an incredible increase of speed. She was diving down fast…a little too fast. Scootaloo realized that she was too low to perform this stunt and tried to pull out of it, but it was too late for that. The only thought that went through Esbins thoughts was, “Oh horseapples.” He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. The tow ponies crashed into each other, thankfully Scootaloo slowed down enough so that both weren’t severely injured or killed by the impact. Esbin knew it was Scootaloo that crashed into him, but he couldn’t help but think that a piano was dropped on him. The crash felt worst then the one time when Scootaloo and her friends tired zip lining before they met Esbin. “Uuughhgh,” Scootaloo groaned rubbing her head, “That was a REALLY bad idea, you alright Esbin…Esbin?” Scootaloo didn’t see Esbin around her, but she suddenly felt something warm between under her legs, she jumped off with a bright blush on her face to see what was under her and discovered Esbin nearly unconscious on the ground.

“ESBIN,” Scootaloo called out as she her embarrassment soon dissolved into panic as he tried to get back up, “I’M SO, SO SORRY ESBIN! I swear I thought I was high enough to pull that stunt off, I didn’t mean to crash into you! I just wanted to… oh Celestia I’m so sorry, please forgive me.” Esbin slowly rose up from lying on his back and smacked his lips, he tasted something familiar a quickly wiped his lips with his hoof and spat a little. “I’m okay, just a little dizzy that’s all,” Esbin said, he didn’t sound as upset as Scootaloo thought when she kneed down to him, “We all make mistakes…even me.” Scootaloo calmed down a bit and tried to help him up, but he said, “I think maybe I can just lay down for a bit, still feeling a little sore.” Scootaloo nodded, but then asked, “Is it alright if I lay down with you?” “Sure, I don’t see why not,” Esbin replied as Scootaloo got on her back and laid right next to him, as they did she noticed that several cloud were starting to fill the sky. Scootaloo still felt bad for the accidental crash and decide to change the awkward feeling she had in her stomach.

“Hey look, that cloud kinda looks like a flower.” Scootaloo said as she pointed to one of the dozens of clouds, Esbin turned his head to see what she was pointing.

“Oh yeah, it does. That one over their looks like a butterfly a little bit.” Esbin pointed to another cloud in the sky.

“Which one,” Scootaloo asked looking for the one he was pointing to.

“That one, you see it?” Esbin said as he moved his hoof over to Scootaloo to help her see where he was pointing.

“Oh I see it now, yah it does.” Scootaloo said, she smiled and asked, “Hey Esbin, remember that one time when we tried getting out cutie marks in bug catching down at Froggy Bottom Bog?” Esbin chuckled and said, “How could I forget. You, Sweetie Belle, and I got stuck in the muck after a frog landed on my face from out of nowhere and Apple Bloom had to go run back home to get Big Mac so he could fish our out of there like a bunch of trout’s.” They both laughed hysterically from the memory that they both started talking about different adventures they had together, Esbin didn’t notice that Scootaloo shifted one of her arms around his back as she snuggled closer to him. For the both of them, things seemed right, Esbin had his mind off things for a moment and not worrying about the cheating dilemma had between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo was spending some quality time with Esbin, almost like a date, it may have not gone the way she hoped it would, but she was fine with the way things were now. Neither one of them could care less of any of their problems at that moment.