The Park

The air was much warmer today than it had been over the past few days, giving the residents of the town a real chance to get out and enjoy the rare afternoon sun at this time of year. Through the bustling crowds, Rainbow and Soarin were making their way towards Sky Heart’s home.

“Pretty eager, aren’t we?” Soarin asked with a smirk, seeing Rainbow pushing ahead of the crowd.

Dash rolled her eyes, “Says the stallion who was up all morning talking about it,” she said, giving him an amused look in return. The stallion only folded his ears back and blushed slightly in response, making Rainbow smile as she turned back to see the house not too far away. Sky was already waiting outside with Scootaloo as both parties spotted one another. Scootaloo made an attempt to run for her idol, but Sky managed to hold her back from the crowds as Soarin and Dash entered the small front yard.

“Hey, Squirt,” Rainbow announced, embracing the excited filly who ran up to her as Soarin and Sky Heart traded glaces.

“Who might this be then?” Sky asked, looking to the stallion with a curious expression.

Rainbow looked up from Scootaloo and smirked, “That’s Soarin,” she said, trading looks with the Wonderbolt, “he’s the goofball.”

Sky rolled her eyes playfully, “Well, nice meeting you, Soarin, I’ll head to the orphanage now,” the mare said, ruffling Scootaloo’s mane on her way out, “I’ll see you later, Scootaloo!”

The filly waved her relative goodbye as she followed Rainbow and Soarin closely through the crowds on their way to the park. They weren’t far from it, conveniently, only being a bridge walk away from the large field.

“So, Scoots, what kind of crusading are you planning on doing?” Dash asked, looking over at the filly, slightly worried if she should have brought a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit.

“We’re gonna try and get our cutie marks in kite flying!” Scootaloo beamed happily. Letting the mare and stallion breathe an internal sigh of relief.

“Sounds like a plan, squirt!” Dash said agreeingly as they trotted over the bridge and into the park. Scootaloo made a straight dash for her friends who were already waiting in the park for her. The vast green had many ponies bustling within it that day; a few families taking a picnic and others enjoying a nice stroll along the dirt road which weaved around it. In the heat of the day it seemed like most of the town had headed out for a nice day at the park.

“Hey, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo shouted excitedly as she cantered over to the ponies.

“Scootaloo!” both fillies replied happily.

“Okay, girls, you go have fun, but stay in sight of me and Soar, alright?” Rainbow warned, heading over to an empty spot with Soarin under a large tree. Scootaloo and the others nodded before taking off and giggling playfully.

“So, Soar” Rainbow asked, laying down with her coltfriend under the shade, “You warming up to the idea now?”

“Slowly,” Soarin said, stealing a nuzzle from his mare, “But are you sure we can handle taking care of a filly and doing our usual routine?” he asked hesitantly.

Rainbow knew that was a valid point, and struggled to think of an answer for a few moments as she caught sight of Scootaloo playing with her friends. Taking a deep breath she spoke; “It would have to change, for both of us… but it’d be worth it,” Rainbow said happily, turning to Soarin with a determined look.

The stallion nodded happily, “Well, I guess… I just need to see if I myself am a good parent… do you think I am?” he asked.

“I don’t know what the hell you did in the house, Soar,” Dash said with a smirk, “but I heard you before I left, you guys are good together.”

“Yeah, never really gave you an explanation about that...” he said with a grin, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof.

“Now’s a better time than ever,” Rainbow said, inviting him to open up.

“Well…” Soarin began, “I kinda offered to make Scootaloo and I a smoothie...” he said, Rainbow facehoofing as he spoke.

“Lemme guess, you forgot to put the top on the blender again?” she asked, fully knowing the answer, Soarin only gave a sheepish smile.

Meanwhile, not too far away, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were rapidly fixing up their kite in a large patch of free space in the park, each getting more excited as the creation neared its completion. Apple Bloom was just tying up the last of the strings when the competition of who got the first shot started.

“I want to fly it first!” Sweetie announced.

“I have wings though; I’ll be able to run faster!” Scootaloo interjected.

“Y’all’re forgettin’ I made the darn thing; I should get to fly it first!” Apple Bloom argued.

Suddenly, a pair of sniggers in the background noise caught their attention. Each filly sighed as they knew the sound like it was a call from their mother.

“Well, well, well,” Diamond Tiara said trotting over gracefully with her accomplice Silver Spoon closely behind, “If it isn’t the blank flanks,” she started, grinning evilly as she arrived on the scene.

“What is it this time, Tiara?” Scootaloo shot back with an annoyed glance, not wanting to tolerate the filly for a second.

“Oh, nothing,” the pink filly said innocently, “I just saw the three of you hopelessly failing at making a kite and thought I’d come over to watch the fight.”

Apple Bloom turned to the bully with a glare, “Now just y’all go on your way, Tiara, we don’t need ya here.”

“Oh, but of course you do!” Diamond replied in a knowing tone, “There needs to be at least one level headed filly to watch over this group of headless chickens, right, Silver Spoon?” she asked her friend, who nodded with her own snicker.

“Just leave us all alone!” Scootaloo shouted, making her point clear and punctuated.

“Hmm, no,” Diamond spat as she went muzzle to muzzle with her, “make me!”

Back over by the tree, Soarin and Dash were in a fit of hysteria as they talked about a recent event Soarin had encountered at a previous show.

“So then,” Soarin continued, just keeping his laughter to a minimum, “Fire Streak stumbles out of the bar and into the street singing the Equestrian national anthem!” he snickered.

Rainbow shares her own giggles to the conversation, her eyes momentarily going back to watch Scootaloo as a scene in front of her catches her attention.

Soarin looked over and noticed an angry pink filly knocking Scootaloo to the ground. His mind immediately switched, seeing a filly he’d bonded with in distress made his thoughts change to something he’d only ever thought of when being in the Wonderbolts; no matter the cost, he was going to protect that filly. Dash quickly got up, but Soarin’s hoof gently mets her chest.

“I got this,” Soarin announced calmly as he flew over. Dash thought about waiting, but instead decided to trot over just to make sure.

Over at the scene itself, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had just jumped in to help Scootaloo trying their best to stop it themselves.

“Diamond, get off her already!” Sweetie said, trying to push Diamond off the orange filly. Tiara only fought back as Apple Bloom turned to shout at Silver Spoon. Suddenly though, all was silenced by a loud thud, the vibration was enough to send Diamond rolling off Scootaloo and onto her back, only to stare up in fear at the Wonderbolt looming over her.

“Is there a problem here, Scootaloo?” Soarin asked calmly, but still keeping a hard stare on the pink filly.

“It’s just Diamond being her usual self,” Scootaloo replied as Silver began to back up a little.

“Hey! At least I have a purpose in life!” Diamond quipped, only to be met by the slam of Soarins hoof next to her.

Soarin leaned down a little lower, his brow furrowed as he spoke in an angry tone, “Don’t you dare say that in front of ponies, especially my Scootaloo!”

Rainbow smiled as she heard Soarin speak those words, cantering around to Scootaloo who looked with a shocked smile. Soarin looked up for a brief moment to give Scootaloo a wink before giving his hard stare again at the filly, “Do I make myself clear?!”

Diamond only whimpered in response, nodding her head. Soarin only growled as he made his final words clear, “Now you don’t bother Scootaloo or her friends again, you understand?”

The bully only nodded quickly before Soarin lifted his gaze back up, giving the filly a chance to trot off with her friend, scuttling away from the scene and out of sight. Luckily for Soarin and the rest of them, the minimal shouting hadn’t caused the park full of ponies to notice.

“You guys all okay?” Rainbow asked, making sure each filly was accounted for. Each gave a happy nod and a smile to the two adults, letting them know that no further action was needed, “Well, in that case, we’ll leave you to it. If they come back, you know where we are.”

As Rainbow began to trot back to the spot under the tree, Soarin began to turn back too, but he quickly felt a pair of legs wrap around his forehoof. He looked down, smiling back at Scootaloo beaming up at him.

“Thanks, Soar,” Scootaloo said wholeheartedly. Soarin took the opportunity to grab the filly in his hooves, picking her up and placing her near his chest.

“No problem, Scoots,” Soarin said, ruffling the filly’s mane, “Anytime. Now go have some fun!”

Scootaloo nodded before Soarin let her down to run off with her friends. His mind spun for a little while as he realised that, in that moment, he had cared for her. A small, gratifying smile spread on his muzzle before he turned around and made his way back with Rainbow, and could see his marefriend had a knowing grin attached to her muzzle.

“Well, how did you find that?” Dash said as Soarin caught up.

“I dunno,” Soarin replied, “Just doing my bit to help?”

Rainbow giggled, “You're such a goofball,” she retorted. Soarin didn’t get a chance to make a comeback as Dash turned to kiss him, “You did a great job. Trust me; I wouldn’t have done it much better.”

Soarin smiled, “Well… I guess in that case, I’ve made up my mind,” he started happily, “I’ll give it a shot.”

“You sure?” Dash asked, the pair coming back to their spot under the tree as they sat down.

Soarin draped a wing over his mare and nodded, “I’m willing to give it a try; it’s only for the best,” he confirmed, giving Rainbow the same determined look she’d given him earlier. Rainbow felt her heart swell for a moment as she smirked back at him.

For the next few hours, Rainbow and Soarin both had fun helping and watching the fillies try their utmost to get their marks. Even though like usual, it never happened, everyone still had their share of entertainment for the day. As the sun slowly began to set back down once more, Rainbow decided it was time for everyone to pack up. Scootaloo waved goodbye to her friends as Dash and Soarin trotted back to Sky Heart’s home with her. As they went over the bridge, Rainbow began thinking about her idea; now she’d gotten Scootaloo and Soarin to agree, there was only one more thing to do and now she was more determined than ever to see it through to the end.