Flying to the Future

by moguera

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Drama, Original Character, Scootaloo, Fluttershy, Sex, Main 6, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 175915

Dawn and Scootaloo face new challenges and difficulties as they reach adulthood and build their own lives.

The final story of the Savage Skies series.

The world has been saved and the years have passed. But for Dawn Lightwing, not every challenge is behind him. He finds himself faced with something possibly even more difficult than a murderous cult or a mad scientist performing a world-ending experiment, finding what it is that he truly wishes to do with his life. Both Dawn and Scootaloo will go through experiences that challenge their desires for the future and their relationship with each other as they navigate along the final stretch of the convoluted path to adulthood.

Published 2016-06-09 06:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-07-01 04:48:52 UTC

Hidebehind

Chapter 2: Hidebehind

Carrot Top breathed in deeply as she trotted down the path. The morning air in Whitetail Woods was fragrant with the smells of trees, flowers, and other sundry vegetation. In the mid-summer, the air was warm, with just the faintest chill left over from the night; perfect for a light morning jog. Her pace was brisk, but fairly slow as she followed the paths that ran through the woods. These were the less-used paths, narrower and less worn than the ones used for the Running of the Leaves in autumn. They wound out farther from Ponyville, deeper into the woods, where the sounds of birds and other animals were even more prevalent as they gathered in the areas less frequented by ponies.

This had been Carrot Top's morning routine for years since moving to Ponyville to open up her carrot farm near the Apple Family's orchards. For years, she had enjoyed a sort of friendly rivalry with the Apples, though comparing carrots and apples was like...well...comparing apples and oranges. There wasn't any real competition besides the gentle ribbing she and Applejack engaged in every once and a while. She'd even had an eye on Big Macintosh before he and Ditzy had made their relationship official.

Now was a time for quiet contemplation and a little exercise to help get her blood moving and fully wake up. She enjoyed the peace and the quiet of the woods in the time before more ponies made their way in over the course of the day.

The quiet...

Carrot Top hesitated, her steps faltering. Now that she thought about it, it was a little too quiet right now. The air should have been filled with the sounds of birdsong and small creatures moving through the underbrush. But that was suspiciously absent right now. In fact, the only sound she heard was the faint rustling of leaves as the wind moved through them.

Carrot Top slowed down a little bit more, listening more intently. What she heard at that moment sent chills down her spine. She picked up a faint sound as her pace slowed. The sound of steps. For just a second, she heard the sound of an extra set of steps before whatever it was slowed down a beat behind her to match her pace, the sound blending in with that of her own steps. Carrot Top came to an abrupt halt. This time, she heard the sound even more clearly, the sound of something else walking, a sound coming from right behind her. She heard exactly one extra step when she stopped, then the noise of whatever was shadowing her vanished as well. Whirling around, Carrot Top searched the woods behind her intently, looking for whatever the noise's source was. However, she only saw trees.

Frowning, Carrot Top turned and resumed her jog, picking back up to her usual pace as she made her way along the paths. She trotted for a few minutes before halting suddenly, her ears perked up as she listened intently.

There!

Her eyes went wide as she heard it even more clearly this time. Whatever was following her had been thrown off by her sudden stop and continued for three more steps before the noise vanished. Again, Carrot Top spun around, searching for the source of the noise, but saw nothing but trees.

"H-hello?" she called out, her eyes searching for any sign of her shadower. Nopony or nothing responded to her. All was silent.

Trembling now, Carrot Top once again resumed her jog, this time picking up her pace a little more, moving more quickly down the paths, already taking a more direct route back to Ponyville than she usually did. After a few more minutes, she again stopped abruptly, spinning in place to try and catch her pursuer in the act.

Whoever-or whatever-it was proved to be a bit more canny than that. Carrot Top couldn't see anything. But she still heard those steps. Again, another set of steps before her stalker ceased to move. Carrot Top's blood was like ice in her veins, her whole body shaking as she tried to figure out what to do.

It wasn't merely the strangeness of the sound. She got the distinct feeling that whatever was following her was up to no good. She didn't want to hang around to find out what its plan was once it got tired with just following her. Turning back around, Carrot Top broke into a gallop, racing for home as fast as she could manage. Though her legs ached and her lungs burned, she didn't stop until she was well out of the woods. Coming to a halt, she spun around and looked at the line of trees a fair distance behind her.

She stood, panting for breath, looking for any sign of the thing, for she was definitely sure it was a thing, that had been following her. Despite being winded, she held her breath, trying force down the thunder in her ears that was the sound of her own heart hammering in her chest. Her ears perked upright as she listened intently for the slightest trace of sound from pursuing steps...
...
...
...

Nothing.

Carrot Top's breath exploded out of her in a relieved whoosh and she resumed panting, slumping to the ground, feeling tired and drained. Her body quaked and trembled as she thought about what had just happened. Though she'd never seen anything and nothing had happened to her, she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd just escaped a horrible, painful death. What was that?

"Hi, Carrot Top!"

Carrot Top let out an earsplitting shriek of surprise, leaping to her hooves, spinning around. The pony behind her squeaked in surprise and fell back onto her rump, amber eyes spinning round as she tried to recover.

"Ditzy!" exclaimed Carrot Top between breaths. "What are you doing, sneaking up on me like that?"

"It's fun," replied Ditzy, closing her eyes and smiling widely at Carrot Top. The light-gray mare's expression was benevolent, clearly indicating she had no idea what Carrot Top had just been through. Opening her eyes again, Ditzy looked at her friend. Though they weren't whirling about wildly in her sockets, those eyes were still fairly misaligned, giving her concerned expression an unintentionally humorous look. Clearly this was one of Ditzy's better days, as her ongoing pregnancy sometimes left her incredibly lethargic and ill. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Carrot Top tried to force herself to calm down for the second time already that day. Ditzy meant well and she couldn't have known what Carrot Top had just been through. There was no real reason to be angry at her. "I didn't see a ghost," said Carrot Top, her tone low, "But I think I heard one...There's something in the woods."

She half expected Ditzy to laugh and scoff at the idea. But Ditzy was still giving Carrot Top a concerned look. Great, she thinks I've gone crazy. Next thing I know, she'll be suggesting I go see a psychiatrist or something.

Instead, Ditzy gave Carrot Top a reassuring smile and walked forward to drape a wing over her friend's back, pressing Carrot Top's side up against the bulge in Ditzy's stomach as she did so.

"Come on," said Ditzy. "Let's go talk to a friend."

"Who?" asked Carrot Top.

The teahouse wasn't open yet. The door and the shutters were all closed, giving the place the impression of a home that was locked up while the family that lived there was away. Despite that, Ditzy didn't seem discouraged in the slightest, walking right up to the door before rapping lightly on it and pushing it open. Carrot Top frowned as she watched Ditzy casually walk in, not sure how she felt about her friend walking into other ponies' businesses during their off hours. Still, she followed Ditzy in.

The inside of the teahouse was still dark, with only a few lanterns providing light, throwing stark shadows around the room. Carrot Top shivered, still on edge after her frightening ordeal in the woods. She bit back a scream when she saw one of the shadows actually moving, just barely realizing that it wasn't a shadow, but a pony with a black coat. Fortunately, Dawn Lightwing's silver mane and tail set him apart enough from the shadows that he didn't look as though he'd melted straight out of the darkness.

Hearing the sound of Ditzy and Carrot Top coming in, Dawn turned to look at the door. He'd been in the middle of wiping down tables and setting out cushions before going in the back to prepare everything in the kitchen. After working so long in the teahouse, he could open and close it without Arkenstone's help and occasionally did so. This was one of those days, given that Arkenstone was still over in the library with Twilight.

"Hello Ditzy," said Dawn, smiling pleasantly, in spite of the intrusion. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yeah," said Ditzy. "Carrot Top here had something really scary happen to her in Whitetail Woods. I thought you might be able to help her with it."

Despite the fact that Dawn had been a resident of Ponyville for years, Carrot Top couldn't quite suppress the shiver that ran down her spine as his catlike eyes looked at her. However, the feeling was brief before Dawn broke his gaze away from her and nodded at Ditzy. "Have a seat and give me a moment." He went back into the kitchen.

Ditzy and Carrot Top sat themselves down at one of the tables, Carrot Top glad to be off her hooves, now that the adrenaline was out of her system. Her limbs were still quivering after her terrifying ordeal. A few minutes later, Dawn emerged from the kitchen, balancing a tray on each wing.

Carrot Top wouldn't call herself a frequent customer of the teahouse. She had occasionally come with Ditzy or some of her other friends when they went. However, she was a more frequent visitor to Berry Punch's bar. For some ponies, the thing that hit the spot after a hard day's work wasn't a cup of hot tea, but a mug of cold beer. Granted, though alcohol would be welcome after what she'd just been through, Carrot Top figured that drinking herself into a stupor and trying to forget what had just happened was not the ideal way to cope.

Dawn slid the tray off one wing and onto the table before turning around and doing the same with the other. Carrot Top always found herself marveling as she watched the young stallion deftly use his primaries to manipulate the implements much more easily than most ponies could with their mouths and hooves. Dawn had prepared pots for each of them. Ditzy pulled the lid off hers and breathed in the scent wafting out and humming with pleasure before putting the lid back and pouring herself a cup.

Dawn poured Carrot Top's tea for her, setting the cup under her nose. Taking a sniff, Carrot Top was surprised to find, not the smell of tea that she was used to, but chamomile, with a substantial amount of lavender and vanilla. The smell was floral, sweet, and pleasant. Holding the teacup between her hooves and taking a sip, Carrot Top found that the herbal blend had been sweetened with just a little bit of honey. Taking a longer sip, she felt her heartbeat slow and her tremblings ease as the taste and scent relaxed her, her body sagging a little as she let out a breath and set the cup down.

"Thanks, I needed that," said Carrot Top.

Across from her, Dawn took a sip from his own cup, keeping his eyes on it, rather than her. Carrot Top realized that he must have noticed his eyes unsettled her and was trying to keep her from feeling uncomfortable. He's a good kid, she thought, not that she'd ever really entertained any thoughts to the contrary.

"What happened?" asked Dawn, finally looking up at her, though lowering his gaze to keep her from having to meet it.

The memory of what she'd just experienced made Carrot Top shiver. Ditzy extended a wing and used to gently brush up and down her back. Carrot Top smiled gratefully at her friend before returning her attention to Dawn.

"Well...I was in Whitetail Woods for my morning jog when..." She began to describe her experience. When she got to the part about hearing steps behind her and how they would continue after she stopped, Dawn dropped all pretense of politeness and stared at her openly, the expression on his face nervous and tense. By the time she had finished, she noticed that his black coat was looking a shade lighter than it had when she had started.

"Dawn?" asked Ditzy, giving the young stallion a nervous glance. She was more than a little distressed by the troubled look on her friend's face. Dawn had faced down deranged cultists, the lethal agents of manipulative nobles, a dangerous stallion with razor-sharp wings forged from pure mithril, and a stallion who'd been planning to rend reality asunder just to see what was on the other side. He had taught her how to read the wind with her wings, the feel the contours of the objects around her, helping her to avoid obstacles her faulty eyesight would miss routinely. To Ditzy, Dawn was a rock of stability and calm even during the most trying of times. The fact that Carrot Top's story actually made him pale was very disconcerting.

"Are you sure that's what happened?" asked Dawn, his voice tight. "You heard something behind you, but saw nothing."

Carrot Top expected some measure of disbelief in his tone. She was surprised that instead, he looked like he believed her completely...but desperately wished she might have been mistaken. However, she shook her head. "I know what happened. I know what I heard. I know it seems like some silly ghost story, but..."

"Then this is a very serious matter," said Dawn, swallowing hard. He looked over at Ditzy. "I need you to take a message to the Mayor. This is urgent."

"What is it?" asked Ditzy.

"Tell her to close off access to Whitetail Woods," he said. "We need to keep ponies out of there. It's too dangerous for anypony to go in right now."

"Why?" asked Ditzy.

"Because, if what Carrot Top described is accurate, then I believe that a hidebehind is in Whitetail Woods."

"A hidebehind!" exclaimed Twilight Sparkle, looking up sharply from her book as Dawn spoke. "Are you sure?"

"Fairly," said Dawn. "Carrot Top's description is consistent with its behavior and what I've experienced."

"You've been stalked by a hidebehind?" demanded Twilight, her expression shocked. From her place behind him, Carrot Top also stared in surprise at Dawn. She'd been surprised to that he'd recognized a real threat from her vague experience. But to find that he'd actually been through the same thing once was even more amazing. If the haunted look on his face was anything to go by, his experience had been much worse.

After sending Ditzy out to inform Mayor Mare of the situation, Dawn's next destination had been the library, residence of one Princess Twilight Sparkle. She, Spike, and Arkenstone had been in the midst of enjoying a quiet time reading after breakfast when Dawn had burst in. Both Arkenstone and Spike waited off to one side, listening as Dawn explained the situation.

"That's bad," admitted Twilight finally, her wings twitching agitation as she began to pace around in circles. She had changed little over the years, though observers occasionally thought she might be growing a bit taller and more slender, a possible sign that she would someday gain the same statuesque figure sported by the other three Princesses. However, for the time being, she appeared to be mostly the same lavender-colored unicorn she had always been...albeit, with a pair of wings to go with her new status. Her violet eyes were troubled as she searched out a book on the shelves. "Spike! Where is Volume 3 of Hazards of the Everfree?"

"Second to the top shelf, just left of center in the outdoors section," replied Spike without the slightest hesitation.

Dawn's eyes went to the young dragon and he found himself chuckling, in spite of the dire situation. Spike had changed the most out of their close group of friends, having grown considerably larger in the years, from a small, slightly pudgy dragon small enough to ride on Twilight's back to a size that allowed him to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Big Macintosh. In fact, with his elongated neck, Spike was, overall, just a little bit taller than Ponyville's most massive stallion.

He'd grown out of his infantile roundness, his body elongating, and front legs extending. Spike now went about on all fours nearly all the time. Time spent helping his fillyfriend in the Apple Family's orchards had built up a pretty impressive layer of muscle underneath those purple scales. His head now perched atop a snakelike neck, sporting curved green spines that ran down its length and proceeded down his back, tapering as they ran down the length of his sinuous tail. His face had changed quite a bit as well, narrowing and lengthening. However, instead of the beaklike shape Dawn had seen most other mature dragons sport, it ended in a more rounded muzzle, the overall shape of his head not being all that different from a pony stallion’s. That, combined with a pair of friendly, twinkling green eyes was probably the main reason Spike's current appearance caused little stir whenever he went out and about Ponyville.

However, his most impressive features were, without a doubt, his wings. Dawn remembered when the pair of wings had been little more than tiny growths on the dragon's back. But now Spike sported a pair of broad, leathery, bat-like wings that extended far wider than any pegasus'. The membranes were a pale green that matched the scales running down his belly. Despite their size, Spike proved to be a surprisingly agile and precise flyer, able to manage flying within the confines of the library with little trouble, once he had learned how to maneuver.

Perhaps it was a part of his draconic instinct, or possibly a simple manifestation of him having worked as Twilight's assistant for so long, but Spike had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of the library's contents. He hadn't read every book, but after years spent shelving and re-shelving them, Dawn wouldn't have been surprised to find that Spike knew the exact location of every single title there.

"Thanks," said Twilight, the aura of her magic collecting around the book in question as she drew the volume down from the shelf. Dawn eyed the hefty tome appreciatively. That it was third in a series of such tomes, all of similar girth, was a testament to the variety of threats that called the mysterious Everfree Forest home. Dawn had had plenty of encounters with those threats, including some that hadn't been in Twilight's original volumes. Plumbing the depths of Dawn's experiences during the year he'd spent living alone in the Everfree had resulted in an expansion to the newest edition of the books to be published after Twilight had sent the notes she'd taken from Dawn's stories into the publishers. Even then, the series could hardly be considered complete, as both Dawn and Twilight strongly suspected that there were still plenty of strange (and deadly) creatures that neither of them, nor anypony else for that matter, had ever encountered.

Flipping the book open, Twilight paged through it until she found the entry she wanted. The page depicted a black creature, looking like a monstrous mishmash of wolf and lion, peering out from behind a tree, its malevolent gaze focused on some unseen prey outside the boundaries of the picture.

"That's what you think was stalking me?" gasped Carrot Top, her body beginning to shake all over again as she stared at the terrifying creature.

"It's an artist's best approximation of it," replied Twilight. "Nopony knows exactly what a hidebehind actually looks like because they're almost never spotted. The truth is, if you did see a hidebehind, odds are that you're already its meal."

Carrot Top's stomach began to rebel, threatening to eject her breakfast at the thought of what she had come within a hair's breadth of experiencing.

"We're lucky that hidebehinds are one of the more well known hazards of the Everfree," said Twilight.

"Well known, despite the fact almost nopony's seen them?" deadpanned Carrot Top.

"Unfortunately, their notoriety comes from the fact that they've claimed plenty of victims over the years," Twilight deadpanned back. "They're pretty much the reason nopony tries logging the Everfree anymore. They became famous for picking off unwary lumberjacks all up and down the forest."

"But they live in the Everfree," protested Carrot Top. "What's one doing in Whitetail Woods?"

"I have no idea," said Twilight, glancing over at Dawn, who merely shrugged. "Hopefully we can find out. I don't want to think that they might start moving into our territory. We can only hope this is an isolated occurrence."

The door swung open to reveal a panting Ditzy. "I told the Mayor," she said. "She agreed, but we can't actually close off the woods. The best we can do is have the Weather Team distribute emergency flyers through town and hope everypony listens."

"That makes sense," said Twilight. "The border of Whitetail Woods is a lot of ground to cover, particularly given how small the Ponvyille Guard contingent is. Given some time, I could set up some wards to help warn us if anypony tries to go in, but it'd be faster, hopefully, to just take care of the hidebehind itself...assuming it’s the only one."

"What exactly are we dealing with here?" asked Arkenstone, coming forward to stand next to Twilight. Gently brushing his beige coat up against her as he lifted a hoof to run it over the text on the page.

Arkenstone's presence was a reassuring one. Beneath his beige coat rippled supple muscles, the envy of nearly every stallion in Ponyville. Despite the fact he was average in size, there was no question that his build was powerful and solid. Even though his sightless eyes were nearly always hidden behind closed lids, he acted as calmly and naturally as though he knew where everypony and everything was, even though he could see none of it. Few ponies, however, knew that Arkenstone was one of the seven Knights of the Celestial Order, in direct service to the Princesses of Equestria and empowered with the authority to act on their behalf in their absence. The Knights were the highest caliber of warriors known to Ponykind, their power being enough to route entire armies. They were the stuff fables and stories were made of and, to Equestria at large, they were nothing more than a myth. Only a privileged few ponies knew that the existence of the Knights was very much a reality.

Twilight glanced at her coltfriend, looking a bit reassured by his presence. "The hidebehind is a predator. We don't know exactly what kind of predator, given that ponies have only ever caught fleeting glimpses of them. Like the name suggests, they are notoriously good at hiding behind things, possibly supernaturally so. It's been suspected that they can contort their bodies to hide behind obstructions as small as saplings."

"Could they maybe be invisible?" asked Ditzy.

"Nope," said Twilight, shaking her head. "All sightings clearly report spotting them ducking behind something or vanishing out of sight, but never into thin air. They're quick though, especially when it comes to getting behind cover."

Dawn nodded. "I think they have some heightened sense of awareness, possibly even a form of clairvoyance that enables them to perceive the limits of their prey's senses, such as their field of vision. The ones that hunted me were always far too good at getting out of sight, just when I would have seen them."

"They're also good at shadowing their prey," said Twilight, nodding in agreement before looking pointedly at Carrot Top. "It's what you experienced when the one in the woods followed you. It mimicked your steps almost perfectly and didn't give itself away until you started stopping suddenly to throw it off. And even then, you still couldn't get a look at it." She gave Dawn a curious look. "How do you figure they're clairvoyant, though?"

"When I was followed by them in the forest," explained Dawn, "They would follow me constantly. However, once I perfected my wind-sense, they backed off and left before I could find them. They never followed me after that."

"I see," said Twilight. "Even though there was no visual indicator, they were apparently aware that you'd expanded the scope of your senses and that there was no way to approach you."

Carrot Top had only a slight idea about this wind-sense was. Ditzy had explained it to her a couple of times in the past. She got the idea that it was something that allowed Ditzy and Dawn to sense the things around them without needing to see them. It seemed silly to her, but the fact that Ditzy could fly her rounds without crashing after learning the trick from Dawn spoke volumes about how effective it was. "How did you keep from getting eaten before you could sense them?" she asked.

"I kept to the trees," replied Dawn, "Fortunately, hidebehinds are apparently purely terrestrial predators. They never seemed able to follow me up there."

Twilight turned her attention back to the book. "We have a few factors on our side. Hidebehinds may have a lot of unusual qualities, but they are pretty typical predators when all is said and done."

"Why is that a good thing?" asked Ditzy.

"Because it means they're cautious," replied Twilight. "Most predators are like that. Hunting always carries the risk of injury and, since animal predators don't have some kind of special hospital for hunting wounds-"

"Unless they go to Mom," Dawn cut in wryly.

Twilight giggled and continued. "-an injury could mean serious problems for a predator. It inhibits their ability to hunt, which makes it harder for them to get the nutrition they need to heal the injury, which can become life-threatening because of that. That's why so many predators either use ambush tactics or hunt in packs. The hidebehind is the same way. It's so cautious that it will hesitate to attack if it realizes its prey is aware of its presence. That trick you pulled by suddenly stopping so you could catch its footsteps...that might very well have saved your life. The hidebehind refrained from attacking because it realized you knew it was there and might have injured it if it had attacked."

The revelation didn't exactly comfort Carrot Top very much. if anything, the revelation clued her in that she had been even closer to a messy, unpleasant death than she'd first thought.

"So what do we do about it?" asked Spike, looking at the page nervously. "We can't keep Whitetail Woods closed forever. But we can't let ponies go in there while that thing is skulking around."

"I'd hate to say it," said Dawn, "but we may have to kill it. There's only one other alternative I can think of and I don't really want to risk it."

"You mean...have Fluttershy try and talk to it?" asked Twilight.

Dawn nodded. "I know from experience that hidebehinds are persistent predators and not easily dissuaded. If this one chooses not to listen to Mom, it might well decide to try and eat her instead."

They thought about it silently for a little while. "Still..." said Twilight, "I don't think Fluttershy would forgive us if we didn't let her try to reason with it first. The hidebehind might be lost and could have simply wandered into Whitetail Woods by mistake. If there's any chance that we can get it to leave peacefully, especially since we found out about it before it killed anypony, she would want to take that chance."

Letting out a resigned sigh, Dawn lowered his head. "I'll go talk to her and see what she wants to do."

Dawn was stooping down for a landing outside the cottage when sensed a familiar pony approaching him from behind. Stopping and turning around, he saw Scootaloo as she rushed down towards him.

"Dawn!" she shouted. "Is it true that there's a monster in Whitetail Woods?"

"A hidebehind, yes," replied Dawn. "I take it you helped deliver the fliers then."

Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah. Raindrops asked that some of the Weather Team spend their time keeping an eye on the border to make sure nopony tries to sneak in. But we can't keep that up forever."

Dawn nodded in agreement. The Weather Team had their own work to do. Having them play border guards for Whitetail Woods would stretch them thin before long. Besides that, ponies wouldn't want to stay out of the woods forever. For one thing, some townsponies had sources of revenue in the forest. The maple syrup brewers harvested the sap from the maples that grew in Whitetail, for just one example. At some point, someone was bound to get tired of the restrictions and risk going in. Then...at some point...ponies were going to start vanishing...never to be seen again. If they wanted to avoid that, they were going to have to be proactive and deal with the hidebehind before the residents of Ponyville lost their patience.

"What are you planning to do about it?" asked Scootaloo, looking anxiously at her coltfriend.

Dawn jerked his head towards the cottage. Scootaloo's eyes widened and her mouth opened in a silent "oh" as she realized what Dawn meant. She didn't look happy about it, but then, Dawn wasn't exactly happy about it either.

Opening the door, Dawn spotted his mother, humming as she moved about the living room, dusting off furniture, helped by a few of her animals as they did their part in maintaining the cleanliness of their collective home. Over in one corner of the room, a playpen had been set up. Inside it, little Pepita was crawling around, his teal eyes solemnly watching the animals as they flew or crawled about the house, clearly fascinated by their activities.

On a clear space of the floor outside the pen was Larksong, singing wordlessly to match her mother's hums as she stacked a series of blocks as high as she could reach. When she stacked them as high as she could, she stepped back and giggled, clapping her hooves together. A second later, Angel Jr. came barreling into the blocks, knocking over Larksong's tower and scattering them across the floor. Far from being distraught at the destruction of her creation, Larksong laughed and clapped her hooves together. "Again! Again!"

"Maybe you're destined for demolition work, Li'l Sprout," commented Scootaloo wryly as she came in behind Dawn.

Larksong gasped and gaped up at Scootaloo and Dawn. "Big Bro! Sista Scoot!" Squealing excitedly, she flung herself in their direction. It was Dawn who caught her. He gave her a quick hug and a nuzzle before passing her to Scootaloo, who began to lightly tickle the little filly as Dawn went over to Fluttershy.

"Is everything all right?" asked Fluttershy. "You're home early...Oh dear..." Her smile fell when she saw the grim look on her son's face. "What happened?"

"We think there might be a hidebehind in Whitetail Woods," explained Dawn.

Fluttershy let out a small gasp. "Oh my! That's terrible. Was anypony hurt?"

"Not yet," replied Dawn, "Though Carrot Top had a close call, which was how we found out about it in the first place."

"Is she all right?" asked Fluttershy.

Dawn nodded. "Very frightened, but she managed to escape without injury."

"I...I see..."

"Mayor Mare has agreed to close off Whitetail Woods," explained Dawn. The Weather Team hadn't been able to distribute the fliers out this far yet, given that they were probably still being printed.

"But...we can't keep that up forever," said Fluttershy. "Some of our animal friends live in Whitetail Woods. We can't go visit them with a hidebehind in there."

Dawn nodded. For a moment, silence descended on the cottage. It was clear that Fluttershy was thinking about the situation as she gazed pensively at the floor. "You want me to try and talk to it, don't you?"

Dawn nodded slowly. "I don't want you to. But I figured that you would want to. The only other certain alternative is killing it, because simply driving it out might lead to it coming back at some point." He looked down, scuffing his front hoof against the floor. The room had gone strangely quiet. Even energetic little Larksong watched silently from Scootaloo's arms, clearly understanding that her mother and brother's silence meant something that was possibly bad.

"It's up to you, Mom," said Dawn. "I know everypony will understand if you don't want to." After all, Fluttershy had two foals to help raise. Nopony would judge her harshly if she balked at the idea of risking her life trying to communicate with a creature that might very well simply kill her from behind before she even knew it was there.

Fluttershy closed her eyes, standing there silently for a while. Secretly, Dawn prayed that she chose not to go. He didn't want her in harm's way if he could prevent it, knowing she often felt the same way about him. However, she had been through similar trials working as an Element Bearer with Twilight and the others, so the choice was ultimately hers to make. Dawn wouldn't decide for her any more than she would decide for him.

Finally, Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes and smiled calmly and serenely at Dawn. "I'll go," she said. "I don't want you to kill it unless you absolutely have to. Maybe there's a way to convince it to return to the Everfree."

"If you're sure..." said Dawn.

Fluttershy nodded.

Gnawing at the inside of his lip, Dawn met her eyes before sighing. "I'll go let Mayor Mare know and get Dad to come look after the foals."

"Okay," said Fluttershy.

Scootaloo hoofed Larksong back to her mother before following Dawn out. "Are you sure about this?" she asked pointedly. "I don't like the idea of sending Fluttershy in there alone, not if this thing is as dangerous as you think it is."

"I don't plan on letting her go alone," replied Dawn as he took to the air. "In fact, hopefully we can help Mom force the hidebehind into listening to her, or at least put it in a position where we can stop it if it decides to attack." He looked pointedly at his fillyfriend. "I'm going to need your help..."

A few hours into the afternoon, the ponies responsible for dealing with the issue of the hidebehind assembled near the border of Whitetail Woods. The woodland park looked as it always did, contrasting sharply with the imposing Everfree Forest. It was hard to imagine that such a dangerous creature could lurk within it.

"Are we certain that this will work?" asked Mayor Mare, looking dubiously at the woods.

"Not entirely," admitted Arkenstone. "But we wanted to take the chance to end this without bloodshed. Fluttershy will hopefully be able to negotiate with the creature. It's a rather rare occurrence for a monster from the Everfree to try and reside in an area outside of it for any length of time."

"Why is that?" asked Mayor Mare, looking curiously at the blind stallion.

"Whenever circumstances bring you near the edge of the Everfree, I'm certain that it exudes a rather foreboding atmosphere to you," he said.

Mayor Mare shivered. "Yes. I never go anywhere near it if I can help it. Luckily, my job affords me with plenty of reasons to stay away from that place."

"That is because the Everfree is governed by its own magic," commented Arkenstone. "It is not directly harmful to us, but it does contrast sharply with our own innate magic, which generates an unpleasant sensation. Likewise, our lands have been Cultivated over the years through the application of earth pony magic with influence from the other two tribes as well. As a consequence, the aura of magic that pervades our lands is as...unpleasant...to the inhabitants of the Everfree as the Everfree's is to us. That is why something like this is such a rare occurrence. Monsters might occasionally strike out from the forest if they they are in the midst of a chase or if they are pursuing a vendetta, but they almost never try to take up residence in Cultivated lands."

"Thank Celestia for that," muttered Mayor Mare.

"Which means that this hidebehind might be an aberration of some kind," continued Arkenstone, as though he hadn't heard her. "There might be some quality to this monster that allows it to ignore the aura of our lands or something drove it out of its normal habitat."

"The latter possibility is an unpleasant one to consider," muttered Mayor Mare.

"Either way, hopefully we can find out," said Arkenstone, shifting his attention to the woods. "Are we ready?"

"I-I think so..." said Fluttershy, shifting nervously. Beside her, Dawn leaned up against her and rested a wing on her back.

"Scootaloo and I will be as close as we can manage," said Dawn softly. "We don't want to let the hidebehind slip away, but we can't let it know we're close until it's time."

"I understand," said Fluttershy.

"Be careful," said Dawn, nuzzling his mother, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I will be," said Fluttershy, giving him a smile. "Hopefully we won't need to kill it either."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Twilight, frowning. "Not that I don't think you can...You managed that dragon after all. But the hidebehind might not even give you a chance to talk to it."

"We'll see," said Fluttershy. She wished her other friends were there to see her off. It always felt better when the six of them were all together. But Rainbow Dash was still off with the Wonderbolts. Rarity was in Canterlot, overseeing one of her boutique's branches out there. Applejack and the rest of her family were busy with the latest harvest. Even Pinkie Pie was off visiting her family's rock farm. Right now, she and Twilight were the only Element Bearers present.

Still, Dawn and Scootaloo were there, watching over her. Arkenstone stood behind her, waiting next to Twilight. They would move to help once things started. But, once she was in the woods, Fluttershy would be on her own with the hidebehind, possibly for several minutes. She could only hope that she could reason with it.

"Let's go," she said softly, moving forward and heading straight for the edge of Whitetail Woods.

Dawn and Scootaloo immediately took to the air, flying well above the canopy to hover apart from one another. They both extended their wind-sense as far as possible, until their awareness brushed against the topmost leaves of the trees. If Dawn's suspicions about the hidebehind's ability to detect the range of other creatures' senses, then they wouldn't want to drive it away before it approached Fluttershy.

Fluttershy didn't bother with any of the actual paths through the woods, instead walking straight through the undergrowth, her hooves crunching on fallen leaves, pine needles, and the other myriad objects that made up the layer of organic debris that covered the forest floor. She was no graceful stalker, making enough noise to easily be heard for several meters. As she moved, she was relieved to be surrounded by the voices of her animal friends as birds and various small rodents called their greetings from hidden holes and branches. Their presence reassured Fluttershy. From what Carrot Top had reported, if the hidebehind was near, they would fall silent.

Fluttershy continued to walk until the trees completely obscured the view outside of the woods. She couldn't see Twilight and the others anymore and the branches and leaves overhead completely obscured her view of Dawn and Scootaloo. She still didn't feel quite alone yet...until she did.

The animals abruptly fell silent, their sudden hush making Fluttershy's skin crawl. It must be here, she thought. Carefully, she reached for the object Twilight had given her. Tucked beneath her wing was a small gem. When Fluttershy dropped it and it hit the ground, it would release a magical signal that Twilight would be able to detect. That would be the signal for the others to close in.

As she walked, she thought she could hear a second set of steps mirroring her own. She came to an abrupt halt, listening intently. Her ears picked up an extra step after she stopped. The sound came from behind her.

Swallowing hard, Fluttershy turned around, facing where she had heard the noise coming from. "H-hello..."

Silence, smothering and absolute, greeted her words.

"I-I know you're there," said Fluttershy, stepping back a little. "Please come out. I want to talk to you."

Still nothing...

"Please," repeated Fluttershy. "If we don't talk, my son and his friends are going to have to do something drastic. I don't want you to die if we can avoid it."

The sounds of leaves crunching came from behind her again. With a startled squeak, Fluttershy spun around. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but the hidebehind must have managed to move around behind her when she turned around. In her surprise, she dropped the crystal, which hit the ground.

Fluttershy couldn't feel the magical pulse that the crystal released, but Twilight did. "Move in!" she told Arkenstone before lifting her horn and firing a spark of purple magic into the sky. It was silent, but glowed brightly enough that Dawn and Scootaloo were able to easily see it from their positions.

The two pegasi immediately dropped toward the ground, staying just far enough apart that the respective ranges of their wind-sense only barely overlapped. Meanwhile, Arkenstone advanced from the forest edge, all three of them coming together roughly where they knew Fluttershy to be.

"Oh dear!" exclaimed Fluttershy, looking down at the crystal. Looking up again, she continued searching for the hidebehind. "Please! My friends are coming. If we don't do something...they'll kill you. Please talk to me!"

Something large and heavy slammed into her from behind, knocking Fluttershy onto her back. When she landed, a pair of heavy paws landed on her forelegs, pinning her to the ground. Her eyes widened in terror as she saw the hidebehind looming above her.

She couldn't see the rest of its body, but it looked as though somepony had merged aspects of a wolf, a cat, and a bear together. Its blocky, thick muzzle was lined with curved teeth that protruded down from its upper lips. It was covered in black, wiry fur and looked at her with eyes that were completely pitch-black. The sight of those eyes made Fluttershy want to scream. Its paws were broad and heavy, much like those of a bear, mixed with a big cat. Fluttershy could feel it's long, hooked claws, just barely missing piercing the skin underneath her coat.

The creature's lips curled back to reveal even more of its fanged maw, streams of drool dangling down towards Fluttershy's face. Its breath was fetid with the smell of old meat. Though it made no sound whatsoever, Fluttershy could practically feel the thing's eager growl as it got ready to savor its next meal. Its eyes met with Fluttershy's own...

...And that was the hidebehind's mistake. Fluttershy had been dealing with predators ever since she'd begun working with animals. She understood better than anypony in Ponyville the nature of...well...nature. Some animals ate other animals. That was the way of the world. There was nothing wrong with that. It was just the way they were born. She had come to accept that fact to the point that, when she had discovered the bones of Ferdinand the Vole in an owl pellet, she could only shake her head and remember that she'd warned him he was too reckless about going out of his burrow at night. A pack of timberwolves might be too much for her to handle all at once, but a single predator could not overwhelm or mystify Fluttershy. She might be frightened or terrified, but no longer to the point of being paralyzed by fear and panic.

Her eyes narrowed as they met the hidebehind’s. She projected her will out through her gaze, implementing her infamous Stare. "Stop that right now," she said firmly, frowning sternly at the hidebehind.

The monster froze, its jaws hovering mere inches away from her. "You need to listen more carefully when ponies are talking to you," scolded Fluttershy, the force of her gaze actually driving the hidebehind back. She got to her hooves, careful not to break her gaze. "You shouldn't be in these woods. Your home is the Everfree Forest."

Though the hidebehind made no sounds, in fact Fluttershy was certain that it was incapable of vocalizations, she was able to get a sense of the creature's feelings. It liked these woods. The strange aura that permeated pony lands was a little bothersome to it, but it kept all the rival predators of the Everfree away. The creatures in these woods, especially the ponies, were less cautious, less dangerous, and more plump. Here, the hidebehind could hunt all that it pleased without having to worry about strong rivals.

"Absolutely not, Mister," said Fluttershy, doubling down with her will on the hidebehind, who quivered beneath the weight of her gaze, "You are not going to eat any ponies under my watch. You are going back to the Everfree and you're staying there. That's that."

Again, the hidebehind's lips curled back in that soundless snarl. It didn't want to go. It didn't want to listen to her. It wanted to eat her, to bite into her sweet, tender flesh. It wanted to hunt the ponies that wandered through the woods without a care. It wanted to pick off the little, juicy ones that always played in the clearings or amongst the trees. Ponies were delicious and easy to catch.

The bottom fell out of Fluttershy's stomach as she realized what the hidebehind's response meant. "Oh no," she whispered softly. "You've already killed ponies, haven't you?" It was her worst fear. The hidebehind was already a complete mare-eater.

That wasn't so odd in and of itself. After all, ponies who wandered carelessly into the Everfree were pretty much fair game for any monster that happened upon them if they couldn't handle themselves. However, the hidebehind's behavior indicated that, not only had it killed ponies before, but it had hunted in pony lands. It obviously hadn't hunted in the vicinity of Ponyville before. The town's residents would have noticed if somepony had vanished over the past few years. But the hidebehind had clearly ventured out of the Everfree to hunt ponies before and was planning to do so again.

She'd heard about this from other animal experts. Some predators got a taste for pony flesh and, when they did, they became acclimated to hunting ponies and did so almost exclusively. When they reached that point, it became necessary to put the creature down, lest it kill any more ponies. She remembered reading about such an incident with a bear outside Baltimare.

The hidebehind was growing more agitated. Though her gaze held it in place, it wanted to run, not because she had gotten through to it, but because it sensed the approach of Dawn, Scootaloo, and Arkenstone. It could feel their collective awareness closing in on it like a trap. It needed to bring down its prey and escape before all avenues were closed off.

A strangled whimper wormed its way out of Fluttershy's throat. She knew there was only one way this could end now. Even if they drove the hidebehind away, it would simply find some other pony settlement to settle near and begin hunting ponies all over again. It had come to like their taste too much and it found hunting outside of the Everfree much too easy to pass up. She knew what she had to do. She just wished it wasn't so hard.

Leaves cracked behind her on two sides, while a heavier tread sounded out from the direction she had come from. With a sad sigh, Fluttershy closed her eyes. With the force of her Stare broken, the hidebehind surged towards her, its jaws wide open, aiming to take her throat before she could even think of escaping.

A loud crack echoed through the forest, actually making Fluttershy's ear pop. Her fur stood on end as a bolt of electricity surged past on her right, the bolt of lightning striking the hidebehind clean in the chest. Its mouth opened in a soundless cry of pain as electricity played across it, burning away its wiry fur and searing the skin underneath. The attack ended, leaving behind the smell of ozone and the stench of cooked flesh. The hidebehind fell limply to the ground, lifeless and unmoving.

"Mom!" shouted Dawn, immediately galloping to her side. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Fluttershy, a hitch in her voice indicating that she might have been somewhat untruthful in that respect.

Resting a wing over her back, Dawn pressed his side against hers and began to nuzzle into her neck. "I'm sorry," he said. "You tried..."

"I know," said Fluttershy, looking at the hidebehind's carcass. "I'm sorry too."

Author's Note

So...yeah, I had the sudden urge to write a chapter that came off a bit like a Monster of the Week episode of The X-Files. This wasn't meant to connect to any larger story arc, though I considered it. I just felt like writing a bit of a suspenseful interlude. It's inspired by this video from youtube...
(Warning! Do not watch if you are reading before bedtime)

Next chapter: A visitor shows up with a bang.

Invitation to Entry

Chapter 3: Invitation for Entry

"Are ya sure this is safe?" asked Apple Bloom, watching Spike with her orange eyes as she and the dragon made their way through the woods.

"As houses," replied Spike casually. "That hidebehind was a onetime thing. Besides, even if there was another one, it wouldn't be stupid enough to attack you while I'm here." He grinned and straightened up to his full height, posing dramatically. Then Bloom elbowed him in the side, causing the breath he'd drawn in to puff out his chest to whoosh out in one burst, bringing his whole body sagging right back down. Darn it! Right in the dignity!

The young mare giggled, the sound seeming like music to Spike's ears, even though she was laughing at his failed attempt to impress her with his heroic disposition. Bloom had grown up quite nicely. The years she'd spent helping her family in the orchard had added layers of muscle underneath her yellow coat. Her mane, still tied up with her trademark bow, was much longer now, cascading down her neck in a river of red locks that bounced and swished as she walked.

Giving up and chuckling at his own silliness, Spike spread out a wing and wrapped it around Bloom's back. The soft, leathery expanse of the appendage was like a blanket over her as he pulled her up against his side so that he could nuzzle her mane, breathing in the scent of wood chips and sawdust that seemed to have become permanently imbedded there after she'd taken on an apprenticeship with the local carpenter. According to her master, Bloom might not have had much of an eye for aesthetics yet, but her work was some of the most solid and durable the experienced craftstallion had ever seen.

"Yer incorrigible," said Bloom, laughing as Spike's breath tickled her neck.

"And you're not?" asked Spike wryly as she pulled away from him, sticking his tongue out at her.

Bloom giggled before returning to press up against Spike's side. "Seriously though, thanks fer all yer help with the harvest. Big Mac and Applejack say the work's gone faster than ever since ya started helpin' out."

"I aim to please," said Spike with a wink. "Whether in the library or the orchards, this dragon is the greatest assistant that Equestria has ever seen!" He froze, posed dramatically, one arm lifted upwards with a single finger extending towards the sky. He was quickly returned to normal with another elbow to the ribs (and his dignity).

The two of them continued to wander about the paths of Whitetail Woods, chatting and snuggling at every opportunity. The trip to the woods had been Twilight's suggestion to Spike, both as a possible place for him to take his fillyfriend on a date to help her relax and to reassure the Ponyville residents that the woods were safe. On the off chance they were wrong about the safe part...well...Spike was a dragon.

Their quiet stroll was interrupted by a group of three ponies coming up the path towards them. A trio of young stallions cantered up with the path, looking to all the world as though they were out for a stroll of their own. Yet Spike suspected that these particular ponies rarely went for walks in the wood. They were a trio that preferred to spend their time around town, usually abusing their newly acquired adult status by causing a ruckus (or was it a fracas?) at Berry Punch's bar. Nature lovers they were not. Spike knew them better than he would have liked, and he suspected that their being here now was not at all coincidental.

"Oh! Hey there Sugar Maple," said Bloom, "Ah didn't expect to run into ya out here."

The leader of the trio grinned and waved at Bloom. "Hi," he said back, laughing. The movement caused the bangs of his dark-red mane to fall over his eyes, which he then had to brush back with the hoof he'd been using to wave. The dappled light of the sun filtering through the canopy cast a variety of shadows over his pumpkin-orange coat. The look in his forest-green eyes was friendly as he met Bloom's gaze. The two ponies on either side of him grinned and chuckled the two of them elbowing their friend in the sides. One of the young stallions leaned over to whisper something into Sugar Maple's ear that caused him to smirk before he looked at his companion and nodded.

Sugar Maple was the son of Bloom's master and had been studying carpentry since he'd been old enough to hold the same kind of wood chisel that decorated his flank. Because of that, he had seniority over Bloom in terms of their respective apprenticeships. In some ways, he'd served as a supplemental instructor for Bloom whenever his father was short on time or too busy to provide instruction himself. His two companions were also student artisans, sent from other towns to study under Maple's father.

Spike eyed the trio warily, but also making sure to keep anything from his face. From what he knew, Bloom enjoyed a good working relationship with all three of them. Apparently they'd invited her to go carousing on them, but Bloom always had to decline, usually due to her commitments on the farm, but also because of the occasional date with him. Spike thought it was for the better, as he'd seen one or more of the trio stumbling about in a drunken haze on more than one dark night. According to Berry Punch, they were rowdy drunks, whose antics often got them thrown out of the bar.

Spike also got the distinct feeling that the three of them, Sugar Maple in particular, didn't like him at all. That was fine with him, because he felt he didn't like them all that much either.

"What are y'all doin' in the woods?" asked Bloom. "Last Ah heard, ya weren't the sort to go hikin', Maple."

Grinning a little too widely for Spike's taste, Maple answered. "Well, Pa wanted us to examine some of the different trees that go into our products. He wants to make sure we know where our best woods come from."

Bloom tilted her head in confusion. "Shouldn't ya be goin' to the lumber seller then. They know all 'bout the trees."

Spike's eyes narrowed a little. Bloom was right. If these apprentice carpenters were supposed to learn about the trees their wood came from, wandering through Whitetail Woods was not the way to do it. They were up to something.

Maple laughed off Bloom's inquiry, grinning sheepishly. "Actually, we heard you were coming out here today and we thought maybe you could help us. You know all about those different trees, right?"

That much was true at least. Unlike Sugar Maple, Bloom had opted to do her homework in the field of carpentry. She'd gone to talk with the ponies who harvested and sold the lumber used for her projects, learned what the trees looked like, how they matured, where they grew, and a variety of other things she would find useful for her future work. It helped that, as an Apple, she already had a fairly comprehensive knowledge about trees and wood to begin with, thanks to a lifetime working on the farm and helping with everything from raising barns to making use of old apple trees that needed to be chopped down.

Spike worried that he'd have to come up with some excuse that would allow Bloom to turn these chumps down. He could tell they were up to something. It wasn't readily apparent, but he fancied that Sugar Maple's grin hid something unpleasant. He wouldn't want to fabricate something, which would probably make Bloom angry with him, but he also didn't think she was the type to say no to a request for help.

"Sorry, Maple," said Bloom with an apologetic smile. "Spike and Ah've got plans fer the day. But if ya head over there now, Ah think the lumberyard's still open. Ole Chippy'll be happy to talk yer ear off."

Spike gave Bloom a surprised look, but managed to conceal it quickly again. She looked up at him and blushed, gently bumping her hindquarters against his. Spike returned the gesture by swinging his tail around to tap her cutie mark from the opposite side. Then he turned his attention back to the three stallions. When he did, Spike felt a chill. There was an absolutely ugly look in Sugar Maple's eyes, one that promised trouble in the future. Uh oh.

The look was gone in less than a second and Spike was left to wonder if he'd simply imagined it. Instead, Sugar Maple had replaced it with a disappointed look. "Oh well," he said with a shrug, "I guess I'll see you back at work, Apple Bloom."

"Sure thing," said Bloom, her smile back in place.

The three stallions continued walking, heading past Bloom and Spike, moving down the trail the couple had just come up on. As he walked past, Sugar Maple glared sidelong at Spike. "Watch yourself, lizard," he hissed, his voice barely audible to Spike, continuing on without breaking stride.

When they were gone, Spike shuddered and felt the tension drain out of his body. "Ya okay, sugarcube?" asked Bloom, giving Spike a concerned look.

"Yeah," said Spike, not sure how much he should give away.

Bloom sighed. "Ah'm glad nothin' happened. Ah gotta tell ya, Ah've got a bad feelin' 'bout Maple."

"Y-you do?" asked Spike in surprise. He'd thought Bloom genuinely liked Maple (as a friend and coworker, of course).

"He's good at what he does and he's been helpin' me a lot," said Bloom. "But...He makes me uncomfortable."

Spike tensed again. This was new. "Uncomfortable how?"

"Well...whenever he's givin' me instructions, he starts standin' real close, lookin' over mah shoulder. He's always askin' me to go drinkin' with him and the others. But Ah hear things 'bout the shenanigans them three get up to and Ah wonder just what they might do if Ah was there." Bloom shuddered.

"He hasn't harassed you or touched you inappropriately?" asked Spike.

"No!" exclaimed Bloom. "Ah mean, he gets real close to it sometimes and it makes me uncomfortable. Sometimes Ah wonder if it's all in mah head."

"Have you tried talking to him about the things he's doing that are making you uncomfortable?" asked Spike. In his mind, that would be a good litmus test of Sugar Maple's intentions. His response to it would help determine just how bad the problem was, or if they were just imagining things...though Spike was absolutely certain that he wasn't imagining Maple's words to him a minute ago.

"Ah..." Bloom averted her eyes, looking down at the path nervously. "Ah want to, but...his Pa is mah master. Ah want to finish mah apprenticeship and Ah don't want to cause trouble."

"You're afraid that it'll upset Ebony if you start suggesting that his son is harassing you?" asked Spike. "That doesn't sound like Ebony to me." Old Ebony (yes, Old really was part of his name) was a fairly stern master, though not overly strict. He was firm about apprentices finishing their work on time and learning what they needed to. He was one of the best carpenters in Ponyville and had had several other apprentices in the past. All of those who'd completed their apprenticeship under his tutelage had gone on to find plenty of success in other towns. He was also extremely reasonable and a good listener, as evidenced by the fact that he took Bloom's commitments to the farm in stride and didn't object that it made things a little harder for him.

"Maybe," said Bloom, sounding quite unsure. "But Ah ain't so sure. He's got a mighty soft spot fer his son. Sugar Maple's been late plenty 'o times and even come back from the jail after bein' arrested fer bein' drunk and disorderly and all 'o that, but he ain't done much to try and set Maple straight."

Spike pursed his lips, thinking that Bloom had a point. Even perfectly reasonable ponies had pretty glaring blindspots when it came to their kin, particularly their foals. Almost every parent (except the absolute worst ones) wanted to believe that their little colt or filly could do no wrong. It was a natural aspect of parenthood. However, there were some who took that desire a little too far and refused to believe that their foal could do wrong, in spite of all evidence to the contrary. Filthy Rich had been willfully blind to the worst aspects of his daughter's personality for years, which had allowed Diamond Tiara to become one of the worst thorns in the sides of Bloom and her friends until Rarity had finally forced him to face facts. It was easily possible that Old Ebony was of a similar stripe.

Matters became even more complicated, considering that Ebony was Bloom's master, which meant all kinds of bad things for her apprenticeship if he decided he didn't like her anymore. Given how much respect he held amongst ponies of his craft, Ebony's word had a lot of sway and, if he decided that Bloom was in the wrong and terminated her apprenticeship because of that, it would be much harder for her to find another master.

Still... "I think you might still want to talk to him," said Spike.

"Are ya sure?" asked Bloom.

"I think so," said Spike, "Let me ask you something. Whenever Maple's propositioned you about going out drinking with him and his friends, has he ever tried to use his dad as a form of leverage?"

"No," said Bloom, blinking. "But what does that say 'bout him?"

"To me, it says that there are limits to how far Old Ebony's willingness to accommodate his son's shenanigans go," said Spike. "Drunken antics are one thing, but using your dad's name to force a mare to do something she doesn't want to do might be a line that Maple knows he can't get away with crossing. More importantly, it'll be a lot easier if you bring these problems to Ebony's attention now instead of waiting until after something happens, 'cause I can practically guarantee that Maple will go to his dad and try to make you look like the bad pony and Ebony will be a heck of a lot more likely to believe him. The bonds of apprenticeship might be temporary, but double standards are eternal."

Bloom snorted. "That's true, Ah guess. But...Ah just wonder if maybe Ah'm readin' too much into things."

"Maybe not," said Spike, thinking about Maple's whispered warning. "But if what Maple's doing is making you uncomfortable, then you need to let Ebony know if you don't think Maple will listen. Obviously, you shouldn't blow it out of proportion, but you should tell Ebony about behaviors that you think need to stop."

Bloom sighed and leaned against Spike's side, nuzzling into his shoulder as he tightened the hold of his wing around her. "Ah guess yer right, sugarcube." She looked up at him, her expression contemplative. "Ah thought ya were gonna go off and threaten to beat Maple and those other two stallions up. Ah'm a bit surprised. Ya sure know how to keep yer cool, Spike."

Chuckling, Spike reached up and scratched the base of his spines, just behind his head. "Well...keeping my cool is something I kinda have to do," he admitted. "If that jerk actually does anything to you, I plan on tearing him so many new ones he'll be able to go to the bathroom in just about any position. But, otherwise, I have to think about things a lot more carefully."

"How so?" asked Bloom, tilting her head.

"Well...I may be a dragon, but I'm also Twilight's personal assistant, that means the things I do reflect back on her. When she first became a Princess, there were quite a few ponies who were critical of her 'cause she kept me on as her assistant instead of taking on somepony more...worthy...I guess is the word they were using. Then again, a lot of ponies were pretty sore about Twilight moving back to Ponyville, despite being a Princess." He shrugged. "In any case, if I start getting into fights, regardless of the reason, it'll reflect badly on her decision to keep me on as her assistant.

"Besides that, ever since our lives got a bit more public, there's been some uproar over the fact that a dragon like me is living around ponies, especially after I really started getting bigger. Fighting would reflect pretty badly on me, no matter what my reasons for doing it might be. I know that Twilight and Princess Celestia will take my side, but I'd rather not cause a ruckus if I can avoid it."

Finally, he looked back down at her. "And, most importantly, I can't let whatever I do reflect badly on you."

"Me?" gasped Bloom, her eyes going wide.

"Yeah," said Spike. "If I picked a fight with your coworkers over their treatment of you, I'd be causing you a lot of trouble unless there was a legitimate reason for it, like if he actually did do something to you."

"That's sweet of ya," said Bloom, nuzzling against Spike's shoulder again.

"But enough about that jerk," said Spike with a grin. "What say we take a flight."

"Really?" exclaimed Bloom, her eyes sparkling. "Ah'd love to."

Crouching down, Spike extended his wings. "Hop on," he said.

Bloom wasted no time leaping onto Spike's back, eliciting a slight "oof!" from the dragon in the process. She wrapped her arms around the base of his neck and settled herself between his wings. Though his spines were long and looked sharp, they were actually quite soft and bent beneath her weight so that she barely even noticed them.

Spike broke into a run, beating his wings and taking off, aiming for a nearby clearing and the break in the forest canopy it provided. When he reached it, he swooped upward, carrying a laughing Apple Bloom with him, the two of them soaring upwards into the sky.

Stifling a yawn, Scootaloo edged open the door and made her way into the teahouse. Another day spent observing the Weather Team and helping them with various tasks was behind her. According to Cloud Kicker, Raindrops, and Storm Front, she would be fit to take the certification exam in a week. Storm had already sent in the paperwork with both Raindrops and Cloud Kicker's approval. The thought of finally working professionally made Scootaloo giddy. She wasn't sure it was what she really wanted with her life, but it was a step in the direction she was aiming for.

To her surprise, Dawn was already sitting at a table with another mare whilst Arkenstone bustled about in the background. When he saw her come in, Dawn waved at her, the gesture drawing the attention of the mare sitting across the table from him. She turned to look over her shoulder, her cyan eyes meeting Scootaloo's and a gentle smile breaking out across her face.

"Hey there, Coco," said Scootaloo as she slid in next to Dawn, noting with appreciation that Dawn had apparently already anticipated her presence and prepared her favorite blend for her.

"Hello Scootaloo," said Coco Pommel, her quiet, polite voice nearly a match for Fluttershy's.

Coco had hardly changed at all over the years. She was a little older, but still very much the same quiet, polite, gentle mare that Scootaloo had met when Coco had first come to Ponyville. Her coat was a beautiful off-white color that contrasted nicely with her two-tone cyan mane, cut in a short bob. She still wore the flower-shaped hairclip and the sailor scarf around her neck, accessories she'd worn most of her life.

Coco had originally come to Ponyville as Rarity's apprentice. Due to varying circumstances, she had been forced, against her will, to act as an agent of Baron Elderflower, assisting him in his schemes to manipulate Twilight Sparkle. After a rather tumultuous series of events, she had come to settle back into Ponyville, finishing out her apprenticeship under Rarity. At that point, Rarity had surprised the younger mare with an offer of a partnership, requesting Coco's assistance in running the Carousel Boutique, which was undergoing an almost explosive expansion, thanks to Rarity's possession of the Royal Warrant. Rarity had opened branches in Canterlot and Manehattan. Much of her time was spent going back and forth between Ponyville and those two cities with her accountant/husband, Flaxseed, in tow. Coco had gleefully accepted her idol's offer and remained as acting manager of the original Ponyville branch, as well as making a name for herself as a designer in her own right.

"Good of you to join us," said Dawn, giving Scootaloo a peck on the cheek, "I was a bit worried your tea might get cold."

"Yeah right," said Scootaloo, rolling her eyes. She still shifted closer though, snuggling up against Dawn as he wrapped a wing around her side.

Coco giggled at them and sipped from her own cup. "Is your apprenticeship going well?" she asked.

Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah. It's going great. What about you? How are things going at the boutique?"

"She got another love letter this morning," said Dawn, his tone teasing as Coco's cheeks flushed.

"Oh!" exclaimed Scootaloo, her ears perking up, "Who was it?"

"I'm not saying," said Coco, her smile fading slightly. "I already had to hurt his feelings by turning him down. I'm not going to embarrass him any further."

"Aww...come on!" protested Scootaloo. "We're mares. We're supposed to gossip about these sorts of things."

A quiet cough and throat clearing from the stallion next to her made Scootaloo stop. "So I'm a mare now?" inquired Dawn wryly. That made Scootaloo snort and elbow her coltfriend in the side.

Coco had become rather popular with the stallions. Her beauty was of the more modest, cute variety than Rarity's, which, combined with her sweet demeanor, made her infinitely more approachable. Despite that, Coco had turned down every offer she'd been given, the reason for her actions being something Scootaloo and Dawn knew all too well.

"Speaking of love letters," said Scootaloo, "have you heard from Perlin lately?"

Coco lowered her eyes, her smile fading completely. "No," she admitted softly. "I haven't heard from him in almost a month. The last I heard, he was up in Baltimare."

Dawn reached across the table and gently patted Coco's hoof. "He'll be fine," said Dawn. "Twilight told me that his sentence is almost up."

"I know..." said Coco, shifting worriedly, "But I still can't help but worry...what if we...what if we don't have anything anymore? I haven't seen him in over a year. All we have are occasional letters. That isn't really enough."

"If you don't, then you don't," said Dawn simply. "But...I think you wouldn't be so adamant about turning down all those offers from other stallions if you didn't still have strong feelings for him. Besides, I think he's matured considerably. He'll be able to move on if you can't return his feelings anymore."

"Yeah, besides," said Scootaloo with a grin, "I remember what he looked like the last time he visited. He's probably a total stud right now. If I wasn't with this chump, I might take him for myself." She grinned cheekily at Dawn, who merely responded with a snort and a roll of his eyes. Instead of responding verbally, he curled one of the feathers of the wing he'd wrapped around Scootaloo, slipping it under her own wing so that it tickled along her ribs, eliciting a squealing laugh from her. Scootaloo ended up wriggling out of his hold and slugging him in the shoulder before the two of them kissed again.

Coco found herself laughing at their antics, her worries clearly lessened by the playfully affectionate pair of ponies in front of her.

The three of them fell into chatting quietly as they enjoyed their tea together. Scootaloo enjoyed having Coco join them. When Coco had first come to Ponyville, she'd stayed with Dawn's family at the house Caramel had once owned in town. During that time, Dawn had become something of a brother to her, though who was the older or the younger sibling between the two of them was debatable. She was also a good friend of Fluttershy and Caramel as a consequence and had acted as a foalsitter for Larksong on the rare occasion that Scootaloo, Dawn, or one of his parents were unavailable to look after the filly. She had said that she was available to do the same for Pepita, though the need had not yet come up.

About an hour later, the three of them had finished their tea. Dawn had cleaned up and returned to work, now moving about the tables with Arkenstone while Scootaloo and Coco continued to gossip. Coco listened eagerly to the news Scootaloo had to share about Sweetie Belle and Rumble. In return, Coco shared the news regarding what was happening with the branches of the Carousel Boutiques that Rarity was currently operating. Scootaloo didn't have much of an interest in the affairs of fashion, but it was interesting to listen to the stories of some of the silly things that had occurred at one branch or another.

Their talk was interrupted by a loud boom that made the shutters rattle. Cups and teapots danced on the tables, though, thankfully, only a few drops of liquid scattered here and there. The light of the sky outside seemed to dim, then shift. Looking out through the window, Scootaloo gaped as she saw a ring of coruscating color spread across the sky. All around her, ponies had stopped their conversations and were also staring in unabashed awe at the spectacle. Even everypony going about their business outside the teahouse had frozen where they stood.

Scootaloo's heartbeat sped up. There was only one pony in all of Equestria who could do something like that. Forgetting completely about Coco, she bounded outside and took to the air, shooting upward, her eyes seeking eagerly for the rainbow contrail, which punched through the center of the Sonic Rainboom like a ribbon. She followed its trail, looking for the end and the pony that had produced the explosion.

Her eyes barely found the pony before the object of her search barreled into her like a cannonball. Strong arms wrapped around Scootaloo in a tight hug and the young mare found herself laughing loudly as the two of them shot through the air, wrapped in an enthusiastic embrace.

"Rainbow Dash!" she shouted excitedly as the cerulean mare finally released her.

"Hey there, squirt," said Rainbow, her cerise eyes twinkling with silent laughter. "Good to see ya."

"I thought you weren't supposed to be in for another month," said Scootaloo. "Why are you here now?"

Rainbow smirked and tossed her head, bouncing her mane from one side of her neck to the other. Rainbow wore her mane longer now and actually combed it back to keep her bangs out of her eyes. Sometimes she even tied her mane in a simple tail. Today, though, she wore it loose.

"Spitfire gave me the go ahead to come over," said Rainbow. "She said that all the indicators are that it's gonna be a disaster-free month. We don't have any more shows to do and she wants to get a jump on reviewing the next group of candidates for the Wonderbolt Academy. So she turned me and Soarin' loose."

"Speaking of Soarin', where is he?" asked Scootaloo, looking around for any sign of Rainbow's betrothed.

It took her a few seconds, but she finally spotted the pale-blue stallion swooping down towards them. Soarin' wore his trademark goofy grin as he approached, his green eyes bright as he saw Scootaloo. "Well, hello there, young lady. How are you this fine day?"

"Just fine, thank you," said Scootaloo flying over to meet the stallion and giving him a quick hug.

"So...how's the coltfriend?" asked Soarin' as the three of them made their way over to a convenient cloud. Already, Rainbow was distracted by several members of the Weather Team, which she had once led, coming over to greet their old manager.

"Dawn's doing fine," said Scootaloo. Her voice dropped a little. "He still hasn't found his cutie mark though."

"Hey, give it time," said Soarin' encouragingly. "He'll get it when he's ready. After everything he's been through, I don't think anypony will begrudge him for taking his time on that."

"Yeah," admitted Scootalo as they settled onto the cloud.

Soarin' was a well-muscled stallion, though not bulky like a bodybuilder. His dark-blue mane was combed back into a smooth wave over the top of his head. He almost always seemed to have a smile on his face and a joke in his throat, ready to leap out at the slightest opportunity. Scootaloo had always found him to be enjoyable company and honestly didn't mind sharing him her honorary big sister with him.

Soarin' had been second-in-command of the Wonderbolts for many years by the time Rainbow had joined the group and the two of them had started a relationship. However, during the battle in Canterlot a few years back, Soarin's lung had been pierced by an enemy attack. Though he'd been successfully healed, it eventually became apparent that there had been complications that the healing hadn't been able to take care of. Soarin's endurance wasn't what it used to be and he found himself running out of breath much more easily than he used to. Within a year, he'd retired from his position of second-in-command and given it over to Rapidfire. A year after that, he retired from the roster of active Wonderbolts, though he was still a member of the reserves. Nowadays, he primarily worked as an administrator and supervisor, helping Spitfire hammer out the details of their tours of duty, arrange, and plan their air shows. A year ago, he'd proposed to Rainbow Dash and she had gladly accepted, though the two of them had yet to set a date.

Rainbow finished greeting her old friends from the Weather Team and settled onto the cloud next to Scootaloo, giving the younger mare a quick hug and nuzzle. "So, how's your mom doing, squirt?"

"She's doing just fine," said Scootaloo with a smirk.

"She still...?"

"Yep."

"Wow...that must be weird as all get out."

"You have no idea." Scootaloo sighed. "I guess I'm kinda getting used to it. He's nice enough, in a weird sort of way, but there's no way I'm ever gonna call him 'Dad.'"

"No kidding," agreed Rainbow with a laugh. "I bet even he would be weirded out by that."

"Well...it's not like they're super serious about it right now," Soarin' pointed out.

"I'm not sure they'll ever be capable of serious," said Scootaloo. "But he makes Mom laugh and she's pretty happy with the way things are now. I don't feel so guilty about moving out if it means they can spend more time together."

Rainbow shook her head. "I'm gonna have to take Melon out to lunch sometime in the next week or so. She's probably got a few stories to share."

"She'd like that," said Scootaloo.

Rainbow smiled and draped a wing over Scootaloo's back. "By the way, squirt, have you and Dawn considered signing up for the Best Young Fliers Competition?"

"Um..." Scootaloo blinked. "Oh horseapples! I'd completely forgotten about that! That's like in a month, right?"

"Two months, actually, but you only have another couple weeks before the deadline to enter," said Rainbow. "It's been getting pretty busy, so they aren't going to accept any last-minute entries."

"Okay," said Scootaloo, settling down a little into the cloud, thinking about what kind of routine she'd like to put on.

"You think Dawn would like to enter?" asked Soarin'.

"I'm not sure," said Scootaloo with a shrug. "Maybe. He's not really all that into the whole public display thing so he might not be interested."

"Huh..." mused Rainbow. "That's funny. I was sorta thinking that, maybe..."

Scootaloo didn't get a chance to hear what Rainbow was about to suggest. Instead, she sensed the approach of a familiar pegasus. Looking up, she spotted Dawn just as he landed next to her. Soarin' and Rainbow yelped at Dawn's unexpected appearance. Dawn merely smiled, his catlike eyes twinkling with mischief, making Scootaloo giggle.

"It's nice to see you again, Rainbow Dash," said Dawn politely before turning his attention back to Scootaloo. "Coco said to tell you that she'll see you later."

"Ack!" choked Scootaloo, her eyes bulging as she realized she'd just run out on Coco without a word, "Shoot! I completely forgot about her."

"It's fine," said Dawn reassuringly, "She understands. Nopony else would use a Sonic Rainboom just to say hello."

Rainbow laughed and grinned sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, I guess that was a pretty loud way to make an entrance."

"At least you remembered to raise the altitude," said Dawn. The last time Rainbow had done a Rainboom to announce her visit, she'd unleashed it a little too low and had broken several windows around Ponyville. The damage hadn't been severe or difficult to replace, but she'd annoyed several ponies, even the ones that were happy to have her back. The memory made Rainbow blush and lower her eyes.

"So where is everypony?" asked Rainbow, looking around. "I half-expected Twilight to pop up here at least."

"Pinkie Pie and Rarity are out of town," replied Dawn. "They should both be back in a couple of days, Pinkie Pie probably sooner. Applejack is up at the farm, obviously."

"Obviously," agreed Rainbow with a smirk.

"Mom is at the house. She has Larksong and Pepita to mind, so she can't exactly leave on short notice. As for Twilight Sparkle..."

"Twilight's in the middle of a dissection." Spike swooped down from above, pulling up sharply and flaring his wings to kill his momentum so that he could settle onto the cloud with the group of pegasi. Though dragons lacked the innate ability to walk on clouds, Spike had learned a great deal about his natural draconic magic in the past few years. Working with Twilight, he had been able to ultimately develop a "spell" of sorts that granted him the ability to walk on clouds, eventually learning to use it as naturally as though he were a pegasus himself.

"Dissection?" asked Rainbow, feeling a bit queasy in the stomach at the mention of such a thing.

"She's examining the body of the hidebehind that Dawn killed the other day," said Spike, his words causing Dawn to wince. "She's been positively giddy. Nopony's ever gotten the opportunity to actually study a hidebehind's body before. It's a pretty big breakthrough. She's practically making history."

"I'm glad somepony is getting some good out of that," muttered Dawn, frowning. He wasn't all that troubled about having to kill the monster. But he knew that it hadn't set well with Fluttershy, though she had acknowledged the act's necessity. Even when it was necessary, Fluttershy still couldn't fully accept the need to kill an animal that she had tried to save and tended to regard it as a failure on her part. Knowing that she was unahppy about it made Dawn feel unhappy about it...and guilty, no matter how much Fluttershy tried to assure him that he had done the right thing.

As Spike settled onto the cloud, a yellow mare clinging to his back lifted her head up enough to grin at the rest of the group. "Howdy, y'all," said Apple Bloom cheerfully, though she declined to disembark from her drakefriend's back.

"Hey there," said Scootaloo with a friendly wave.

They spent a few more minutes chatting amiably before Dawn nudged Scootaloo. She looked at him and nodded.

"Sorry everypony," said Scootaloo, getting up and stretching her legs, "Dawn and I have training now."

"That's cool," said Rainbow, her ears shooting up, "Actually, I kinda wanted to watch and see how you two are doing."

"I wouldn't mind watching too," commented Soarin'.

"Heck, Ah haven't watched ya train fer a while Scoots," said Bloom. "Ah think we could make a day of it."

"Sounds like fun to me," said Spike.

"Geez," muttered Scootaloo. "I'm not sure..."

"It'll be fine," said Dawn, brushing her back with his wing, "You can manage. Once we start, you'll forget they're even there."

Scootaloo looked over at him. Dawn gently leaned and rubbed the end of his muzzle against hers, ending the gesture with a quick kiss on her lips before pulling away. With a sigh, she relented.

Dawn turned back to their friends. "Remember to keep your distance. Our sessions get rather...turbulent."

Turbulent, huh? thought Rainbow as she stared at the display. That's one way to put it...if you like understatement.

Watching Dawn and Scootaloo spar was like watching a hurricane square off against a tornado. The two of them were blurs, sweeping through the sky, pulling the wind in with their wings and directing it against each other. Lightning flashed, jumping from one to the other, then jumping back again. Bolts of condensed plasma flashed through the air like meteors, smashing into the ground and scattering chunks of molten rock in their wake. Razor arcs of vacuum blades, completely inaudible amidst the general cacophony and all but invisible from most angles, sliced effortlessly through the air. Only Dawn and Scootaloo's complete trust in one another and their years of practicing together kept them from hurting each other.

Even though they were technically practitioners of the same style, Dawn and Scootaloo each had their own distinct forms. Dawn's movements were sharp, powerful, and precise, each attack focused and honed. He zipped one way then another, sometimes even appearing in two or three places at once. Scootaloo, on the other hoof, was another story altogether. She moved as though her body was liquid, often flowing gracefully around Dawn's attacks and counterattacking in the same graceful motion. She moved like a dancer in the air, each motion almost artistic, an artistry that actually increased the speed and power of her blows.

Despite the differences in their styles, to Rainbow, it looked as though the two of them were in perfect synch with one another, completely matching their moves so that neither moved too fast nor hit too hard. Winning was not the object of this sparring session. Rather, it served as an active form of exercise, the two participants practicing their techniques against an opponent in a dynamic situation, forcing them to adapt on the fly and tailor their moves to the necessity of the situation. Dawn was taking the lead, using his movements to determine Scootaloo's attacks and his counters to further test her defense. Rainbow could see it clearly. Though they moved together, Dawn was still in charge, still the instructor.

But Scootaloo wasn't far behind...

Yeah, thought Rainbow, thinking back to the suggestion she'd been about to give Scootaloo about the Best Young Fliers competition, I think that's the best thing for them. But will Dawn agree to it?

Up above, Scootaloo and Dawn came together one last time, both of them sweeping their wings forward and slamming opposing columns of air together, compressing them until the light bent in the space between them, giving the impression of a lens. The the two of them broke away from each other as the blasts of air rebounded explosively, the shockwave pushing them back apart. The came to a stop, hovering for a few seconds before turning to come in for a landing.

"Holy guacamole!" said Spike, letting out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. "I forgot what it's like when you two really go at it. That was something else."

"Ah'll say," said Bloom, grinning at Scootaloo and offering a towel from the orange mare's saddlebag. "Ah'm amazed the two of ya don't have ponies watchin' ya all the time."

Scootaloo sighed, her legs shaking as she reached for the towel and used it to wipe away her sweat. "You think ponies would come all the way out here just to watch the two of us smack each other around?"

"They're a little bit intimidated," said Spike. When the others looked at him, he merely shrugged. "Well, can you blame 'em. Watching the two of you fight is like watching a natural disaster unfolding. I know you two would never hurt each other or anyone watching, as long as they keep enough of a distance, and my heart was still in my throat. It's a scary thing to watch."

"Too true," agreed Rainbow Dash. "Though it's a pretty big thrill. That's exactly the sort of thing you need to win the Best Young Fliers Competition."

"Competition?" asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow and looking at Scootaloo.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, blushing a little under his gaze. "It's coming up and we're eligible this year."

"That's true," Dawn conceded, cupping his chin.

Scootaloo and Dawn would have been old enough the previous year, but their birthdays fell after the cutoff date for the competition, meaning that they would have to wait until this year. Although Scootaloo was uncertain that Dawn would be interested in participating.

"I guess I could try to wow them with a Gale King demonstration," said Scootaloo. "It's certainly something nopony has ever done before at the competition." She looked over at Dawn, wondering if he was interested in participating. If he did, his display would probably be similar to hers. Two ponies doing, more or less, the same thing would probably not go over well with the judges, even if said judges were Spitfire and the Wonderbolts.

"I think I'll sit it out," said Dawn, giving Scootaloo an encouraging smile. "I know you've been excited about this, since you weren't able to compete last year."

"Yeah...I guess..." Scootaloo looked down, not certain how to identify the feeling rising in her gut. It made sense. Dawn wasn't the sort to show off in public, so she wasn't surprised in the slightest. But she felt discouraged for some reason, like it wasn't really worth it unless Dawn was going to be there too.

"Actually, I think you should both go," said Rainbow, a small smirk finding its way onto her face. "You two should consider performing together."

Author's Note

For those of you wondering who Scootaloo's mom is dating...It's a surprise. :trollestia:

Next chapter: Scootaloo takes a test.

Planning Phase

Chapter 4: Planning Phase

For a moment, silence reigned as everyone tried to figure out the meaning behind what Rainbow Dash had suggested.

"Oh!" said Soarin', breaking out into a grin and thumping one hoof into the other. "I get it. That's what you were talking about on the way over. You want them to do a tandem performance."

"Huh?" Scootaloo canted her head as she looked at Rainbow. "You mean like what you and Rarity did when you competed?"

Rainbow's smirk vanished, replaced by an embarrassed smile as she blushed fiercely and averted her eyes. "That's not exactly what happened," she demurred. "They were pressed for time and Rarity and I were the last competitors to go, so they ended up having us go out together and do our performances at the same time." Rainbow remembered it not exactly being her finest hour, as her performance anxiety had caused her to flub trick after trick. Ironically enough, said embarrassment had immediately preceded her finest hour, when she had successfully executed her Sonic Rainboom to rescue Rarity and the Wonderbolts (including her future coltfriend). However, the fact that she'd recovered and performed the legendary maneuver never quite took the sting away from the memory of her previous mistakes.

"A tandem performance is a different thing altogether," said Soarin', taking over Rainbow's explanation even as he wrapped a wing around her, allowing Rainbow to cool her face in his shoulder. "You two would be performing a coordinated routine and be judged as a single participant, rather than as two separate competitors."

"Huh," said Apple Bloom,. "That sounds like a great idea. How come Ah've never heard 'bout this tandem stuff before?" She might not have been a flier, but Bloom had always followed the news of the competition every year, if only out of basic curiosity.

Rainbow had finally mastered her embarrassment and pulled her face away from Soarin's shoulder, though she continued to lean against him as she spoke. "Because almost nopony ever tries to do it. There hasn't been a tandem performance since before my run in the competition. Because the group is judged as a single entity, it means that, if they win, both ponies are essentially 'the winner.' Most pegasi don't exactly want to share the glory."

"Also, it's a lot harder than it sounds," added Soarin'. "A tandem performance is held to a higher standard out of necessity. What's being judged isn't just the quality of your individual performances, but how well you work together and coordinate your actions. Both participants have to be in synch with one another. If it's just two ponies doing different routines at the same time, they'll bomb big time.

"On the other hoof, because coordinated formation activities are important to the Wonderbolts, a well-coordinated pair who can execute a performance in synch with one another is sure to get high marks even if their tricks aren't top-tier." He raised an eyebrow as he looked Scootaloo and Dawn over. "I can see why Rainbow thinks this is a good idea. The two of you can throw out some real jaw-dropping tricks and I bet you have the skills to really coordinate your actions. You'd probably blow the competition out of the water."

Scootaloo's mind reeled at the possibilities. Before now, she'd been thinking about how to put on a show with the Gale King skills she knew. She had to admit, she was at a bit of a loss as to how to turn her skills to something performance oriented. Only lightning could really be considered flashy enough to really turn ponies' heads and only if she was absolutely certain she could keep it under control. But if she and Dawn went out there together...

It's perfect! she thought eagerly. What was more, she knew that she and Dawn could coordinate flawlessly. They had trained together for years now. When they practiced their forms at the beginning of each practice session, they moved in perfect synch with one another, their wind-sense allowing them to even synchronize their breathing. They could fly in tandem, matching each other right down to their individual wingbeats. If the two of them performed together, they could easily move as a single pony. That was a surefire way to beat out the competition.

"That sounds great!" she exclaimed, excited by the prospect and whirling about to grin eagerly at Dawn, "Let's do it!"

Dawn blinked and leaned slightly away from her, taken aback by her enthusiasm. "Um..."

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeassssse!" begged Scootaloo, her eyes shining.

Dawn sighed quietly. "All right," he said, giving her a small smile. "I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea. We could certainly do some...interesting...things together."

"Awesome!" exclaimed Scootaloo, throwing her arms around Dawn and pulling him into a tight hug. At the same time, she felt something like a shudder in her heart, as though something was a bit out of place. But she ignored it.

"So what do you think you're gonna do?" asked Rainobw.

Scootaloo let go of Dawn and thought it over. "I don't know yet," she admitted. "We're gonna need to take some time to plan this out..." She shifted nervously. "Actually...We're gonna have to wait a week or so," she said, her tone reluctant. "I need to focus on my certification exam. The competition is great and all, but making sure I have a real job comes first."

Rainbow laughed. "Yeah, I guess that's true. Don't worry, I'll coach you. By the time I'm done, you'll pass that exam in nothing flat."

"If memory served, you almost bombed the written portion," commented Soarin' slyly before coughing as Rainbow sharply elbowed him in the side.

"Hush, you," she said, her cheeks burning as everyone giggled.

Rainbow and Soarin' happily settled their things in the guest room of Scootaloo's cloud house, then went off to visit all their Ponyville friends. After that, they joined Dawn and Scootaloo for dinner with Fluttershy and Caramel. They were more than welcome in the little cottage. To Larksong, Rainbow was an honorary aunt (the possible confusion of her aunt technically being her favorite big sister's big sister fortunately being something that was a bit over the filly's head). After dinner, Rainbow and Soarin' returned to the cloud house with Scootaloo, where they chatted late into the night.

Afterwards, Rainbow helped Scootaloo with her apprenticeship work, drilling the young mare in her weather-working skills and giving Scootaloo some useful pointers that Rainbow had acquired over her years with the Wonderbolts. At the same time, Soarin' also assisted Scootaloo in preparation for the written exam, the two of them going over the kind of questions that were likely to appear and the best way to answer those questions, including things the examiners were looking for and would actually rate her on. He prepared mock-written exams for Scootaloo to take in the evening to help her get used to the circumstances of taking the test, something Scootaloo had never experienced before.

Scootaloo got an inkling that this was the reason Rainbow and Soarin' had come to visit when they did. She was grateful for the help in preparing for the certification exam, even though everything she'd heard and seen indicated it wasn't all that hard. That said, getting a high rating on the exam would help her with finding weather work if she ever looked for work outside of Ponyville, looking extremely good on her resume.

The days seemed to whirl past in a blur to Scootaloo. She polished her practical skills with Rainbow Dash, trained with Dawn, practiced for the written exam with Soarin' and rested with her friends and family when she could. It was a busy time for her, but Scootaloo loved every minute of it.

The day of the certification exam dawned bright and clear. Scootaloo stepped out onto the porch of her cloud house and stretched her wings. She yelped in surprise when a black shadow swooped over her, then calmed when Dawn touched down on the clouds next to her. "What are you doing here?" she asked, already having an idea of what he was up to.

"I got the day off," said Dawn with a small smile. "I figured I would accompany you to Cloudsdale for the exam. I can't go in with you, but I figure I can at least keep you company on the way there and back. We can also eat together during lunch."

Thinking it over, Scootaloo nodded. "Sounds like a plan," she said, leaning over to kiss Dawn on the cheek. "Thanks. It's sweet of you."

"I want to do what I can," said Dawn, returning the gesture, "Are Rainbow and Soarin' coming?"

"Nah," said Scootaloo, waving a hoof dismissively, "They're gonna take a day for themselves and their friends here. They just came over from Cloudsdale, so they're not interested in going back so soon."

Dawn chuckled. Their decision not to go was also a silent sign of their confidence in Scootaloo's ability to pass the exam, so much so that she didn't even need them for moral support. It emphasized the fact that the exam was actually a very simple thing that countless ponies, many who didn't come close to Scootaloo in ability, had passed before.

"Let's go," said Scootaloo. The two of them leapt off the cloud and began the flight towards Cloudsdale.

There was no need to rush. The exam would start at ten, when Scootaloo and the other applicants would take the written exam. After lunch, they would fly for the practical exam, demonstrating their ability to put the the things they had written about to work in a real world setting. The two exams were flexible in their rating. A pony who wasn't necessarily very good at the written part could still pass if she showed strong practical skills, while a pony who had difficulties in practice due to physical limitations could still pass if she showed a strong theoretical knowledge of the principles behind weather manipulation. The results might affect what kind of weather work they were suited for, but passing and getting a general certification was easy. Beyond that, there were specialist certifications for particular weather forms that required advanced skills, such as handling volatile thunderheads or working with delicate cirrus clouds. However, Scootaloo was only taking the general certification exam.

They took their time during the flight to Cloudsdale, taking it easy so that Scootaloo could conserve her energy for the practical exam. They flew in silence, neither of them really needing to say anything. That was one of Scootaloo's favorite parts of their relationship. Dawn was a quiet pony by nature. The silences between them weren't awkward, but comfortable, with neither of them needing to say anything to fill it. They could drift together like this for hours, simply enjoying the breeze and the feeling of the sun warming their backs.

They arrived in Cloudsdale and made their way towards the exam site. As they approached it, Scootaloo's eyes narrowed. The exam was being held at Cloudsdale's exclusive Flight School, where Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had gone to school before...circumstances...required them to leave. Back then, the attitudes promoted at the school were shaped by the tribalist bent of Cloudsdale's old pegasus clans, who had used their influence to control who was hired to work at the institution and ensure that their worldview was promoted. Then, just a few years back, a member of one of those old families, Meadowlark, had attempted to engineer a tribalist uprising, forcefully seizing control of the Weather Factory and Cloudsdale's own Guard for her purposes. The Wonderbolts, with help from Rainbow and Dawn, had put the uprising down and, as a consequence, had netted a large portion of Cloudsdale's old clans in the process.

The Flight School had been temporarily taken over by Spitfire and the other Wonderbolts, who oversaw a massive revision of its staff and curriculum, bringing in new administrators and teachers and setting up new standards by which the students were to be evaluated. By all accounts, the school was a much better environment than it used to be. Scootaloo had spoken to a few of its more recent graduates in the last couple years and noticed a distinct lack of horror stories concerning tribalism and Cloudsdale elitism. Pegasi who came from mixed parentage or outside of Cloudsdale were no longer bullied mercilessly and the image of pegasi as militant warriors, ready to fight at a moment's notice, was no longer being promoted. Still, Scootaloo was glad that she'd ended up not going, happy with the course her life was currently taking.

Landing at the entrance to the school's main building, Scootaloo and Dawn followed the signs pointing the way to the exam. Even if the signs hadn't been there, Scootaloo reckoned that they still wouldn't have had much trouble finding the classrooms where the exam was being held, as they joined a stream of other pegasi heading in that same direction, following the signs down halls and up stairs. A few minutes of wandering brought them to the exam's registration desks, a series of tables lined up in the hallway outside the classrooms. The desks were manned by stern-faced ponies who checked each applicant's name against a list on their clipboards and then directed the applicant to their designated exam room.

Non-applicants weren't allowed any farther than this. Scootaloo turned to Dawn, feeling a little bit shaky in spite of all her careful preparations. "I guess I'm on my own from here," she said nervously.

Dawn kissed her. Her wings fluttering, Scootaloo returned the gesture. There was nothing overly intimate about it, but the feeling of Dawn's lips against her own somehow seemed to leech away Scootaloo's stress and anxiety. She felt her heart slow down and her head clear. When Dawn pulled away, he had a warm smile on his face. "You'll do fine," he said. "I'll see you for lunch."

"Okay," said Scootaloo, giving him a much more confident smile now. Turning around, she got in line to sign in.

As she looked over her shoulder, she saw Dawn heading off down the hallway. More than a few ponies were giving him odd looks. Others, particularly her fellow applicants, were giving her strange looks as well, some of them even bordering on hostile or disgusted, like the look being worn by the stallion who signed her in, his expression almost looking like somepony had left a mound of rotting garbage right beneath his nose.

Huh? What's their problem? wondered Scootaloo. It wasn't as though she was the only applicant with a special somepony seeing her off. She saw several couples going through a similar ritual that she and Dawn had gone through, but none of them were getting dirty looks...

Then it dawned on her. Oh! Right! His eyes. Years spent living in Ponyville had made her forget just how distinctive and attention-getting Dawn's eyes were. The residents were so used to him, they barely gave the young stallion a second glance nowadays. The fact that he frequently served them in the teahouse helped acclimate them to his unique appearance even further, with only the occasional out-of-town visitor causing a stir. With the issue of the Cult Solar already fading into obscurity, most ponies had forgotten about the infamous article that had outed Dawn to Equestria at large.

Seeing ponies react to him, now that they were outside of familiar territory, reminded Scootaloo that, even if they weren't members of the Cult Solar, many ponies found Dawn's eyes to be unsettling. They weren't the kind of eyes that you expected to see on another pony. They were a predator's eyes. However, despite knowing that, Scootaloo couldn't help but feel a little miffed that ponies seemed to hold it against her that her coltfriend had such a unique look. And here she'd thought that Cloudsdale attitudes were supposed to have improved now that the tribalists were mostly gone.

Still, most ponies were too busy worrying about the upcoming test to waste too much time staring or glaring at her as they filed into their assigned classrooms. Scootaloo took a seat at her desk, readying her pencil and stretching her wings. Her fellow applicants said little, after all, the test being as strictly monitored as it was, no pony wanted the observers to think they might be preparing to cheat.

After a few minutes of waiting for the last applicants to file in, the test was passed out and the rules laid down. When the clock struck ten, Scootaloo bent her head, gripping the pencil in the feathers of her right wing as she went to work...

Dawn was meditating, resting near the entrance to the building. The sound of a bell ringing filled the air and he looked up. A couple of minutes after the bell rang, he could faintly hear the sound of hooves on the packed clouds approaching where he and a few other ponies waited. The air surged ahead of the oncoming ponies in a wave, their numbers displacing it like the bow wave before a ship. Ponies chattered as the pegasi streamed out of the hallway, seeking out friends and family before heading off to lunch.

Through the wind, Dawn could feel the air currents bending around Scootaloo and sense her own awareness filling the air around her. Their respective senses brushed against each other, allowing the two of them to effortlessly zero in on each other.

"Hey," said Scootaloo as she came up to him. "First part's over."

"How do you think you did?" asked Dawn as they headed out the door.

"It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, plus I finished early," said Scootaloo.

"Wing-writing goes faster," said Dawn.

Scootaloo nodded with a smirk. Amongst pegasi, mouthwriting was still the common practice. However, Scootaloo and Dawn had learned to use the feathers of their wings to manipulate writing implements, a skill that had been taught to them by a mercenary named Storm Front, who had pioneered the skill while working for the Civil Service in the far-eastern nation of Guoxia. Since he had settled in Ponyville, he had taught the skill to several of town's resident pegasi. Once it was learned, it was much easier and faster than regular mouthwriting, allowing Scootaloo to write down her answers to various questions much more quickly, giving her additional time on the exam to check her work over.

"Any place you'd like to go for lunch?" asked Dawn as they strolled down one of Cloudsdale's streets, the puffy cumulous clouds folding under the weight of their hooves.

"Well, since we're here, how about that place?" asked Scootaloo, pointing eagerly towards one small diner. Wafting out of it, he could smell the scent of grilled fish, a delicacy to pegasi. Fish were hard to come by in Ponyville, so Dawn and Scootaloo rarely had the chance to enjoy some. Meeting Scootaloo's eager gaze, Dawn smiled and nodded.

They took their time with lunch, having a full two hours until Scootaloo needed to report for the practical segment of the exam. She ate a light meal, not wanting to stuff herself, but also not wanting to run out of energy in the middle of the test. Fortunately, fish was the perfect dish for that. Restaurants all around them were packed with pegasi who were eating eagerly, some of them stuffing themselves full. Scootaloo winced when she spotted a stallion across the way wolfing down a hayburger and potato fries like there was no tomorrow. She'd seen him in the classroom for the written portion earlier, looking nervous. He's gonna cramp up something awful when the next phase starts, she thought.

The other thing she noticed as she and Dawn ate was that they were still attracting stares from nearby ponies. Twitching her ears, she could pick up faint whispers from ponies who looked at them before turning back to their conversations. Though she didn't try too hard to listen in, she picked up faint utterances of words like "freak" and "unnatural."

Inwardly, she bristled with anger, desperately wanting to single out those ponies and give them a piece of her mind. Heck, they owed Cloudsdale being free from tribalists to Dawn. He was the sole holder of the Full-Moon Medal of Merit, the first time such a medal had been awarded since Celestia and Luna created it, following the latter's return from the moon. He'd done more in a single year than most of them would accomplish in their entire lives. Just where did they get the right to spread poison like that?

Dawn's hoof rested over hers and Scootaloo found herself looking up into his blue-green eyes, those same eyes that were drawing such a negative reaction from the ponies around them, those eyes she had fallen in love with. Dawn said nothing, but simply smiled, his expression calm and relaxed, even though Scootaloo suspected that he could hear what was being said about him even more clearly than she could.

Of course he'd be calm about it, thought Scootaloo, giving him a wry smile. Dawn had dealt with such reactions, even worse ones in fact, for most of his life. Before he had come to Ponyville, the Cult Solar had hounded him mercilessly, inciting mobs to violently chase him out of any town that Dawn chose to settle in. It got to the point that Dawn felt that the only option open to him was to avoid equine contact altogether, which he did by retreating into the Everfree Forest. He dwelt there for a full year before meeting another pony again, braving the forest's myriad dangers and finding them a lesser evil compared to what ponies were capable of. Given what he'd been through, a few ponies whispering behind their backs and some dirty looks were hardly even worth noticing.

They finished their meal in silence, taking their time. Finally, Dawn escorted Scootaloo back to Flight School. There, they followed another set of signs, this one directing them to the school's athletic fields, where the practical exams were being held. Looking at the flat expanse of padded cumulous clouds, over which hovered all manner of obstacles and cloud constructs, Scootaloo felt her breath hitch. It was here that Rainbow Dash had once practiced and even earned her cutie mark. It was also where she had gotten into enough trouble to finally be expelled from the place.

The exam administrators flitted about above the field, laying out the clouds to form a basic racetrack. Also set up were rings, fans, and other hazards. Here, Scootaloo would be tested on her speed, strength, endurance and precision. They all looked like relatively basic tests for her, things she'd done over and over again during her apprenticeship.

"Looks like this is gonna be pretty easy," said Scootaloo.

"It would seem so," agreed Dawn. "But I suspect the specialist tests are more difficult."

She nodded. Fortunately, that wouldn't be an issue today. It was likely that there weren't going to be many ponies who failed certification exam. All the preparation she'd been through seemed like overkill, compared to how simple it was.

They headed over to the registration desk, where the other applicants were signing in. Once again, Dawn stepped aside to let Scootaloo proceed on her own. This time, he and the others who had accompanied the various applicants would be free to watch the tests from the bleachers situated around the athletic field.

This test promised to be shorter than the written exam, but they would only be able to evaluate a few ponies at a time, so Scootaloo had a fairly long wait until it was her turn to take off. The first tests were simple speed and endurance, flying a set number of laps around the track, trying to beat a set time. Scootaloo made the time easily, her years of training with Dawn giving her plenty of strength to work with. Next came the tests for flying under adverse weather conditions. Fans were used to create crosswinds and there was a tunnel of dark clouds that rained constantly. Once again, Scootaloo passed through those obstacles with ease, barely taking long enough to even get wet as she emerged from the other side of the course with plenty of time to spare. She wasn't the fastest, but most definitely up near the top of the pack in terms of time.

The rest were basic weather-skills tests: positioning clouds, manipulating rainfall, proper storm construction. All of it was simple basics and all of which Scootaloo had gone over thoroughly with both Cloud Kicker and Rainbow Dash. Between those two, she had plenty of practice, so those parts of the test went easily as well.

As Scootaloo came in for a landing after the last test was over, she went to sign out at the registration desk and received a promise that the exam results would be out in a week. As she wandered away, Dawn was already waiting for her, a smile on his face as she sidled up next to him and tucked herself under his wing.

"Should we find someplace for dinner?" he asked as they strolled.

"Sure," said Scootaloo. "But I want to drop off our application for the competition while we're here."

Dropping off their application was the work of just a few minutes. The receptionist at the desk gave them an odd look and actually did a double-take when she saw that Scootaloo and Dawn were signing up for a tandem performance. After being assured that, no, it was not a mistake and, yes, they did know that the criteria for judging a tandem performance was different from a solo performance, she took the application and filed it away.

With that done, they went to look for a place of have dinner before making the flight back to Ponyville. Dawn had brought plenty of bits with him, so they were able to enjoy a meal at an upscale restaurant, treating themselves to fish for the second time that day. All throughout the whole thing, both before, during, and after dinner, Scootaloo tried her best to ignore the odd looks directed their way.

"Ah...that was delicious," said Scootaloo with a yawn as she leaned against Dawn. The two of them slowly made their way along one of Cloudsdale's roads, Dawn's wing a comforting warmth over her back, gently rubbing back and forth, the contact lulling the young mare into a relaxed state that was nearly a trance.

"I liked it too," said Dawn. "Maybe we should try and come to Cloudsdale more often."

"Maybe," said Scootaloo. "But it's hard. Not all of our friends can make it up here without that spell Twilight uses and it is a ways to travel just to get some fish."

Dawn nodded. "Still...it's a nice thought. The only thing better would be living near the sea."

"True enough," agreed Scootaloo, knowing just how much Dawn liked the sea.

Shortly after saving the world from Wight Shade, Scootaloo, Dawn, along with their assembled friends and family embarked on a vacation to the small oceanside town of Gallopoli. Much to the surprise of everypony close to him, Dawn had been entranced by the sea, both the sound and smell of it. That, along with the fact that fish was much more abundant, had given him a great fondness for the town. Scootaloo suspected that, given a good enough reason, Dawn would be glad to settle in a town like Gallopoli, though she doubted he'd want to live very far away from Ponyville and his family.

The idea of Dawn settling down somewhere made her think about other things, namely the question of settling down. They had been in a steady relationship for years and were still going strong. But Scootaloo didn’t see herself “settling down” anytime soon. Even though she’d just completed her certification exam and would be licensed to work with weather professionally, that was only another step up to bigger and better things. Unlike Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo didn’t necessarily need to try and join the Wonderbolts, but it was a career path she was seriously considering. One thing she did know for sure, the idea of “settling down” was not in her immediate future. But what did that mean for her and Dawn? He seemed perfectly content working at the teahouse. But the fact that he hadn’t yet gotten his cutie mark seemed to indicate that it wasn’t what he really wanted to do. Whatever it was, would it allow them to stay together if they ended up choosing wildly different paths in life?

Maybe I’m overthinking it, she mused. They were still plenty young and those kind of commitments were matters to consider in the future. But right now, she realized she probably should be content with what they had.

The sky was getting darker and the sun was slowly sinking towards the horizon, dying it with a tapestry of pinks, oranges, and yellows, all swirling around. In the course of their wandering amble, they’d ended up near the outskirts of the city. Dawn tapped her shoulder and nodded towards a cloud that drifted nearby in the sky. Scootaloo nodded in agreement with his silent suggestion and the two of them flew out to alight on the cloud and watch the sunset, curled up against one another.

With a happy sigh, Scootaloo rested her chin across Dawn’s forelegs and felt him lower his head to rest it over hers, his wing once again wrapping tightly around her, pressing their sides together as their tails curled around each other. Yeah, worries for another time, thought Scootaloo blissfully. I’m too happy to care about them right now.

Dawn’s presence settled over and around her, enfolding her, not just with his wing, but with the air around them, wrapping around Scootaloo like a warm, comfortable blanket, the kind she wanted to curl up under and never leave. She absolutely loved this aspect of Dawn’s personality. He was a cuddler, who loved to simply hold her quietly, nuzzling and snuggling the time away. She suspected he got it from his mom…not that she minded. Dawn was great to snuggle up against.

Warm from his presence and drowsy from her full stomach, Scootaloo found her eyes drooping and she began to drift off, watching the sunset in almost a trance as the yellow orb drifted below the horizon, the colors around at first intensifying, then fading as night continued on.

With a tired sigh, Scootaloo leaned into Dawn, pressing her head up against his chest. “I guess it’s time for us to head back,” she said reluctantly. It wasn’t too long a flight, but it would still be pretty late by the time they got back.

“Actually…” Scootaloo pulled away as Dawn spoke so that she could see his face. To her surprise, he was blushing.

“Actually…what?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

“I…I booked a room for us at a hotel,” explained Dawn, smiling shyly at her. If his mane were longer, he’d probably be hiding behind it, like his mother did so often.

“You got a room for us?” repeated Scootaloo, her eyes widening. She hadn’t expected anything like this. True, she didn’t have work scheduled for tomorrow, on account of her apprenticeship being finished. But she figured that Dawn, at least, would want to head back. What was more, he had said “room”…singular…suggesting that he wanted to…

Scootaloo blushed as well. “You mean you want us to sleep together?” she asked nervously, trying to clarify.

Dawn nodded. “I know we haven’t gotten to go on many dates lately. So I wanted to spend the night with you.”

“Um…wow,” said Scootaloo, smiling. She realized that it had been a long while since the two of them had gone on a proper date. Their lives were so busy nowadays, her with her apprenticeship and Dawn with helping his parents care for two foals. They saw each other every day, trained together, frequently ate dinner or lunch together, often with their families. In all honesty, it had been months since they had done anything that could be called a real date.

She realized that, aside from the certification exam, that’s what today had been; a date with her coltfriend, enjoying Cloudsdale together. So that’s why they helped me, thought Scootaloo, remembering the preparation she had done with Rainbow and Soarin’. If she hadn’t had the confidence boost she’d gotten from working with them, she’d probably have been drowning in her anxiety right about now, wondering whether or not she’d passed her exams. Being prepped by a pair of Wonderbolts had reassured her that she was more than prepared so that she could take her tests with the utmost confidence and enjoy the rest of the day with Dawn without any worries.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” asked Scootaloo.

Dawn nodded. “Mom and Dad said they can look after the foals on their own for one night,” he said with a wry smile. Scootaloo couldn’t help but giggle at his tone. It was clear that he was the one who’d needed the most convincing that his parents could handle his younger siblings for an evening without his help.

“They’re right,” she said, punching his shoulder lightly. “They’ll be fine, you big worrywart.”

Dawn chuckled and rested his head over hers again as she relaxed against him once more. Now that she knew they didn’t have to fly back to Ponyville tonight, Scootaloo could relax and enjoy what was left of the sunset in peace.

By the time they left their cloud and started heading to the hotel, night had well and truly fallen. They took their time, walking slowly and simply enjoying being close to one another. Dawn kept one wing over Scootaloo, holding her up against his side as she leaned her head against his shoulder. They ambled along in silence.

Then she felt it, swirling currents of air that were like heralds, announcing the approach of ponies from all directions. The currents surged out from nearby alleyways and pushed down from above. Scootaloo tensed against Dawn and felt his wing tighten its hold around her. Dawn had probably sensed the approach of the strange ponies even before she had, but had barely reacted at all. Instead, he silently urged them on at the same relaxed pace they were already traveling at.

A set of muffled thumps ahead of them heralded a pony touching down on the clouds. Similar sounds came from all around them. In the soft light cast by the lightning-lamps that lined the street, Scootaloo could see ponies surrounding them, mostly stallions, though she thought she spotted a couple of mares hanging near the back of the group. The stallion who’d landed in front of them stepped into the light, Scootaloo wrinkled her nose in distaste at the condescending smirk plastered across his face. His eyes focused on Scootaloo specifically and she fought to keep from grimacing as he leered at her.

They’d stopped now, unable to continue forward while this pony blocked their way. Scootaloo eyed him up. In the light from the lamps, it was hard to make out his colors, but he sported a dull-red coat and a black mane that was slicked back over his head, probably with the liberal application of gel. His eyes were hard to pick out against the poor light, but she fancied they were gray.

From the smug looks on their faces, she could easily imagine what these ponies were thinking. However, it bugged her that something about the stallion blocking their path was familiar. He looked to be a couple of years older than her and Dawn. But she wasn’t sure. I think I’ve seen him before…

The stallion spoke, not to them, but another stallion at his side. This one was a dark-blue color, with a tangled, gray mane. He was a hulking brute, easily larger than any of the other ponies surrounding them, almost as big as Big Macintosh by Scootaloo’s reckoning. Through the air, she could feel the contours of his body, hard slabs of muscle, the hallmark of a pony who worked out a lot, mostly by lifting weights.

“You see, I told you they were here somewhere,” said the red stallion triumphantly.

The hulking stallion snorted and nodded in confirmation. “Hard to believe a fine mare like her was taking the exam too,” he said, his tone making Scootaloo snarl.

That’s where I saw him, she realized, taking another look at the dull-red stallion. He’d been in the same classroom as her, taking the written exam. She’d thought he’d looked at her a few too many times whenever he thought he could get away with it during the test.

“Hard to believe she’d be with a freak like this,” continued the stallion who had been her fellow examinee. “Look at his eyes. Do you think he’s under some kind of spell?”

“Probably not,” said the big stallion, beginning to walk, tracing a path around them, his movements reminding Scootaloo of a shark circling before going in for the kill. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. A perfectly good evening was being spoiled by a band of toughs. She wanted to thrash them so that she and Dawn could move along, but decided to hold her tongue. Provoking a confrontation when it wasn’t necessary would be the wrong thing to do. If they could get the ponies surrounding them to leave peacefully it would be for the best. Scootaloo didn’t hold out hope that these ponies would be dissuaded by a few words though.

“Hey!” said the red stallion, who’d started circling the other direction. “Look at this! He’s a blank flank. Crazy, huh!”

The big one laughed. “Yeah. That’s pretty crazy. That mean’s he’s still a foal.” By now, his circling had brought him back around to the front of them. He grinned at Scootaloo. “A fine mare like you must have it rough, being with a big baby like this. I guess good stallions are kinda scarce wherever you’re from.”

An angry growl wormed its way out of Scootaloo’s throat and she tensed. However, Dawn’s wing refused to budge, keeping her up against his side.

“You should ditch this loser and come with us,” said the red one, coming back to stand beside the big one again. “I saw you during the practicals today. You’re a wizard in the sky. There’s no need for you to hang out with a loser like this. I bet he can barely get off the ground.”

That actually almost startled a laugh out of Scootaloo. Instead, she stopped herself, forcing it down with a choking noise as she entertained the thought of telling these jerks that Dawn was the one who’d taught her how to fly. He might not have gone through an apprenticeship in weather work, but he could still fly rings around her easily.

Apparently, the red stallion took Scootaloo’s aborted chuckle as a sign of agreement, because his grin widened. “Yeah, why don’t you come with us, babe? We know how to have a good time.”

Finally, Scootaloo couldn’t keep a smirk of her own from her face. “Thanks, but no,” she said. “I’m not interested in going with you.”

Several of the stallions around them chuckled, while the mares tittered. Off to one side, she could hear somepony mutter, “Oooh! Shot down.”

The grin dropped off the red stallion’s face and his teeth were now bared in anger. “What? No mare says ‘no’ to me.”

“I must be hard of hearing,” commented Dawn, “Because I could have sworn that was exactly what she said.”

“Shut it, freak!” snapped the red stallion, “I’m not talking to you.”

“Too bad,” said Dawn. “Because I’m talking to you. I suggest that you go on your way and take your friends with you.”

“Yeah,” said Scootaloo, glaring directly at the big one, showing that he didn’t frighten her in the least. Even if all these ponies charged in together, either her or Dawn could wipe the clouds with the lot of them without even trying. These were thugs who thought they’d found an easy pair to intimidate, anticipating levering Scootaloo away from Dawn for a “night of fun,” possibly with a beatdown of Dawn thrown in. But they had no idea who they were up against.

“Like I said,” continued Scootaloo, “I’m not interested. So if you girls would step down, my coltfriend and I are trying to enjoy our date and you’re spoiling it.”

“I bet you’ll sing a different tune once we pound your blank flank coltfriend through the street,” snarled the big stallion, clearly not enjoying being brushed off so casually.

Scootaloo’s lips curled back, baring her own teeth in a snarl as she prepared to give the thug a piece of her mind. However, Dawn’s wing tightened its hold on her, keeping her up against him. She looked at him in confusion and was surprised to see him wink conspiratorially at her, flashing a quick grin before returning to a neutral expression so quickly that, in the poor light, nopony else would have noticed the silent exchange taking place.

“You’re welcome to try,” said Dawn calmly, his entire posture relaxed and at ease as his catlike eyes focused on the big stallion, “I very much doubt you could succeed. You don’t look like the type who could manage it.”

“What?” snarled the hulking stallion, clearly not being used to being addressed as though he were some scrawny weakling.

“Since you brought so many friends, you might want to ask them for help,” continued Dawn, the corners of his lips curling up in the tiniest of smiles. “I know you probably have a hard time doing things on your own.”

That made Scootaloo stifle another giggle. She could see what Dawn was doing. Technically, they could easily take the whole gang with their hooves tied behind their backs. But he was putting the big stallion on the spot, ensuring that the oncoming confrontation would be with him alone. Called out like this, there was no way the big guy could call on his cronies to help and not lose face in front of them. But she found herself wondering why Dawn was actually calling him out instead of trying to de-escalate the confrontation. It was almost as though he actually wanted to fight. But she knew that he was even less confrontational than she was. What’s he up to?

“You think you’re tough, little guy?” snarled the big stallion, advancing. He stopped and flashed his gaze around, glaring at all the other members of the gang. “Nopony step in. This runt’s mine.” He settled back on his haunches and began flexing his fetlocks, grinding his hooves against one another. “I’ll pound you so thoroughly that you’ll get your cutie mark for getting your ass whupped.”

“Yeah! Show the baby who’s boss, Slab!” shouted the red stallion, still glaring at Scootaloo.

“By all means, please try,” said Dawn casually.

With an angry growl, the hulking stallion bounded forward, beating his wings to clear his legs off the clouds so that he was free to punch Dawn with a powerful right hook. As he came in, Scootaloo couldn’t help but roll her eyes. The stallion might have known something about fighting in the “beating on helpless opponents” sense. But it was clear that he didn’t know how to handle an actual battle. His movement was way too slow and his swing was so wide she could have dodged it in her sleep.

She felt Dawn’s left wing stir from where it rested against his side. It opened and swept forward, then returned to his side, moving so quickly that, in the dim light provided by the lamps, it would be all but invisible to their audience. Even under better lighting, it would be an almost imperceivable blur to anypony who wasn’t used to Dawn’s attacking speed.

She was surprised by how little power Dawn was using, wondering if he’d misjudged how much force he needed. The big stallion-Slab was name, she guessed-continued on, apparently not even noticing the gentle surge of air that he plowed through, his swing continuing unimpeded…

…Only to fall short as his hoof swiped past Dawn’s nose with barely an inch to spare. He dropped down to the cloud, clearly confused by his inability to hit an unmoving target, staring at his hoof in confusion.

Scootaloo snorted quietly.

“Ha! Giving the little guy a taste of fear?” speculated one of the mares off to the side, apparently thinking that Slab had deliberately missed his first punch.

“Uh…Heh…Y-yeah!” said Slab, his grin twitching a little as he seized on the proffered excuse. “Just wanted to let the little baby know what he was in for.”

“Thank you for your consideration,” said Dawn, now smiling openly. “Feel free to give me a taste of the real thing anytime.”

Slab’s grin dropped. “I’ll show you the real thing!” he snarled, rearing up and lunging forward, trying the exact same move again.

Once again, Dawn’s wing blurred into motion, meeting Slab’s attack with a gentle surge of air, so subtle that he probably didn’t even notice the increased resistance to his lunge. Scootaloo could actually sense his hooves skidding backwards against the street’s cumulous padding as his wide swing once again fell just short of the mark.

Scootaloo snorted a bit louder this time.

Had Slab been on solid ground, he would have undoubtedly noticed that he was being pushed back. But the clouds offered far less resistance and wouldn’t drag against his hooves as he skidded backwards. Between that and the lack of light, Slab probably didn’t have the slightest idea what was going on.

“Again?” snapped the red stallion. “Quit trying to scare the runt and hit him!”

“Shut up, Rusty!” snapped Slab, “Don’t tell me what to do!”

“If it’s too hard for you, it’s okay to admit it,” said Dawn, his tone still even and relaxed, not even sounding taunting. “Your hooves are probably pretty soft. It would be a shame to chip them after all.”

With another angry snarl, Slab reared up and lunged forward, swinging with his left this time. Again, Dawn’s wing blurred into motion and, again, Slab was subtly pushed back just far enough that his hoof missed Dawn with less than an inch to spare.

Scootaloo couldn’t stop herself from giggling this time.

“Sorry,” said Dawn. “It looks as though you missed.”

Slab said nothing, staring in confusion at his hoof. Confused mutterings came from the darkness all around as the rest of the gang wondered aloud why he wasn’t pounding Dawn into a bloody pulp yet.

“It must be the light,” prompted Dawn. “It’s hard to judge distance properly when it’s this dark out. Try again.”

“Shut up!” snapped Slab, rearing into another punch.

Again, Dawn pushed him back.

Scootaloo giggled even harder, practically shaking under Dawn’s wing, her restraint near it’s limit.

“I’m beginning to think you don’t want to hit me,” said Dawn again. “It’s no shame to ask for help.”

“Quit talking!” yelled Slab, trying to punch Dawn again, only to fall short…again.

Scootaloo tried to plug the stream of laughter that threatened to explode out from her lips with a hoof, only barely managing it as her cheeks bulged.

Slab stared, wide-eyed, at Dawn as the muttering around them increased in volume, ponies beginning to wonder if he was actually afraid of attacking Dawn.

He tried again, rearing and swinging. But the result was the same. The last of Scootaloo’s restraint fled and she burst out laughing, long and loud, as Slab stared at Dawn, this time clearly in fear.

“Come on,” said Dawn, still in the same relaxed tone as always. “Keep trying. You’re bound to hit me one of these days.”

Yelling wildly, Slab reared up and swung one foreleg, then the other, launching several wide punches in succession, all of them falling short as Dawn pushed him back again and again so subtly that the hulking stallion couldn’t even feel it. Slab dropped back down onto all fours, panting for breath, still not having so much as brushed his hoof against Dawn’s skin.

Even as her Scootaloo’s mirth threatened to knock her legs out from under her, she found herself marveling at Dawn’s finesse. She could do something similar if she wanted, but Slab would definitely notice it. Dawn’s control was so fine that he was completely abating the big stallion’s momentum and pushing him back with Slab none the wiser.

Slab’s expression was one of uncomprehending terror as he stared, aghast at Dawn, completely unable to understand why he couldn’t land a single hit.

“What’s the matter?” asked Dawn. “I’m sure you would have hit me by now.”

Slab panted for breath as he gaped at Dawn. Scootaloo could practically feel his fear through the air. Now she understood Dawn’s strategy. The biggest, burliest stallion in the group was swinging away at him, missing every time, and was completely clueless as to why. If Dawn had been doing something that Slab might have actually noticed, then, at least, Slab would know why his swings were missing, which would mitigate the fear. But the complete lack of knowledge as to why his swings were falling short was actually magnifying the large stallion’s terror.

“Would you stop foaling around?” shouted Rusty. “Just hit the kid already.”

“Shut your mouth!” retorted Slab. “I…I-it’s some kind of trick.”

“Oh come off it!” shouted somepony off to the side, “The brat isn’t even moving.”

“What’s the matter, Slab? Going soft?” taunted another.

“SHUUUUT UUUUUUUP!” roared Slab, bulling forward, intending to simply tackle Dawn off his hooves and pin him against the clouds before pounding the living daylights out of him.

Dawn’s wing snapped out again, this time slashing down and up so that it was pointing directly ahead of him before he swept it quickly to the side. Again, the motion was so fast that nopony, save for Scootaloo, actually saw it. At most, they would see a circular blur off to the left side of Dawn’s head. The cross-current he created gently nudged Slab to the side so that his charge missed Dawn by a hair.

He had to notice that, thought Scootaloo as she tried to regain her breath. She wondered exactly when Slab would clue in to what was going on and what he would do about it.

Slab had indeed noticed that something was wrong. As he’d tried to charge Dawn, he’d thought Dawn had slipped to the side so that he would miss, but hadn’t seen any signs of motion from the ebony stallion’s legs. Dawn hadn’t slipped to the side, Slab had. How is he doing it?

“I think you’ve had enough fun for the evening,” observed Dawn, not even bothering to turn to look at Slab, but instead glancing over his shoulder. “You and your friends should leave before you humiliate yourselves any further.”

“Enough gawking!” yelled Slab, glaring at his cronies, “Get them!”

Ponies shuffled and hesitated, looking at one another in uncertainty, clearly confused by the strange state of affairs. Their leader, a rather dangerous and intimidating pony to say the least, had gone from arrogant confidence to wild-eyed terror, ordering them to attack in his stead.

“What are you waiting for?” demanded Slab.

“For you,” replied Dawn calmly. Beside him, Scootaloo had recovered from her bout of laughter and was settled against his side once again, smirking as she surveyed the confused and nervous faces of the gang around them.

“What?” snapped Slab.

“They are waiting for you,” repeated Dawn, “After all your bluster and bravado, you were unable to land a single hit. I think it’s beginning to sink in for them as well that they have even less of a chance than you did, even if they attack all together.” As he spoke, a few ponies stepped back, others started growling and tensing, apparently not liking Dawn saying they didn’t have a chance against him.

Dawn slowly extended his left wing out, holding it straight out from his side, spreading his feathers to their fullest extent. The air around his wings began to hum, then buzz. Crackling and popping filled the air and sparks leapt back and forth between the feathers. The sparks grew into full arcs of electrical energy that crawled up and down Dawn’s wing in a web of crackling bolts. Then the electrical energy began to merge with the air itself, wrapping the wing in a flowing, white haze that blazed brighter than any of the lamps around them, throwing the surrounding ponies into stark relief as they backed up, wearing expressions of shock, fear, and awe. Even Slab was backing away.

“You do not have the ability to harm us,” said Dawn. “What came before was just a bit of harmless fun, nothing hurt except your dignity. What comes after is less harmless. I highly recommend you go on your way and, if you have any sense, you will reconsider your behavior.”

Scootaloo’s mirth was forgotten as she watched Dawn manipulate the lightning, focusing on the haze of energy that surrounded his wing. She frowned, not in anger or frustration, but concentration. She had an inkling of something…an idea possibly…but she wasn’t sure what.

Slab and the others were quickly backing down. But Rusty was less easily swayed, glaring at Dawn before turning his eyes to Scootaloo. “And you’re okay hanging out with this guy, knowing he’s some kind of monster?”

Scootaloo smirked at Dawn, who nodded slightly and pulled the wing resting over her back in just enough to allow her to extend her right wing. After a few seconds, her wing was swarming with arcs of lightning running up and down its length.

“I’m not as good at it as he is,” she said, taking satisfaction in Rusty’s flabbergasted look. “But I’m good enough to give you a solid thrashing. Walk away.”

With a defeated whimper, Rusty backpedaled before taking to the air. The rest of the gang were following suit. Soon, Dawn and Scootaloo were alone once more.

Giggling one last time, Scootaloo leaned over and planted a kiss on Dawn’s cheek. “That…was awesome.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” said Dawn, once again using his wing to pull her close. “Now that we’ve had our entertainment for the evening, we should be on our way.”

“Yeah,” agreed Scootaloo.

Author's Note

God, I gotta stop leaving off this until the middle of the night. I have work tomorrow and I need my sleep.

Next chapter: Dawn gets his act together.

Lightning Skies

Chapter 5: Lightning Strikes

Scootaloo hummed, or purred rather, as she kissed Dawn slowly, their lips lingering against one another. His wings and arms were completely wrapped around her, holding her close pressing their chests together. His hooves gently stroked their way down her sides as Scootaloo wriggled in an attempt to, impossibly, get closer, her own wings flexing against Dawn’s from within so that their feathers caught and pulled on one another. She realized she was probably going to need a thorough preening in the morning, but, at the moment, Scootaloo couldn’t care less.

Dipping her head, Scootaloo began to trail kisses up and down Dawn’s neck as he nuzzled into the top of her head, occasionally nibbling on one ear or the other, the light, tickling sensations making her giggle against Dawn’s fur, which caused him to chuckle in turn.

It had been so long since they’d had a chance to do this, to lie in bed and simply snuggle, cuddle, and kiss each other until they were content, which could be hours. She couldn’t thank Dawn enough for taking the time to do this. It was the perfect way to cap off her day after the exam. He was right. It’d been too long since they’d last had a proper date.

“I love you,” she said as she lifted her head again, this time looking into Dawn’s turquoise eyes. Whatever else ponies might have thought about him, Scootaloo still thought they were the coolest eyes she’d ever seen.

Dawn smiled back at her and leaned in so that they could press their foreheads together. “And I love you,” he whispered back.

Content for the moment, Scootaloo tucked her head under his chin and settled in with a sigh, letting the softness of the hotel bed embrace them both, though she hardly felt it, as she was currently preoccupied with the feeling of Dawn’s embrace rather than the bed’s. Instead, she turned her mind to the things that had happened that day, starting with the exam and ending with their altercation with a bunch of Cloudsdale street toughs.

In her mind’s eye, she pictured the haze of energy swirling around Dawn’s wing, electricity charging the air, merging with it until wind and lightning were one and the same. She was good, but not quite that good. She could condense plasma and handle the deadly orbs with ease, but she had yet to reach the same point Dawn had, that mysterious point at which the difference between distinct techniques of the Gale King broke down and all became one.

In contrast, Dawn’s magic was at another level altogether. He could merge the techniques of the Gale King together and command a shining wind that could obliterate anything, even substances that would normally be considered indestructible or beyond the interference of mundane forces. It was a skill he had continued to perfect until he could do it with ease, having spent the better part of a lifetime on it.

But that wasn’t what she was focused on. Instead, Scootaloo thought about the look of that haze of energy, of the light and the way it had captivated her. If it could captivate her, then what about an audience?

“What are you thinking about?” asked Dawn.

“Huh?”

“You’re thinking about something,” he said, smiling wryly at her. “You always rub your forehead against me whenever you’re thinking at a time like this.”

“Oh!” Scootaloo blushed. “I was thinking about lightning.”

“What about it?”

“I was thinking that…maybe that’s what we need to start with when planning our performance,” she explained.

“You want to do a lightning demonstration for the Best Young Fliers Competition?” asked Dawn, raising his eyebrows.

“Sort of,” said Scootaloo. “I mean, when it comes to the Gale King, that’s probably the most visible thing we can do. The audience wouldn’t be able to see enough of our basic wind manipulation, unless we did something like make a tornado, which might not go over well.”

“Probably not,” agreed Dawn. The Cloudeseum where the competition was held was big, to be sure, but not big enough that either of them would feel comfortable trying to create a visually impressive tornado without worrying about the risk to the audience.

“And, obviously, the vacuum blades are out,” continued Scootaloo.

“Obviously,” replied Dawn.

“So lightning is the way to go,” she concluded. “We just have to figure out how to…I don’t know…give it more…flare…I guess…”

“Flare?” asked Dawn.

“Well, lightning’s cool and all,” explained Scootaloo. “But I think we should aim to try and do something really impressive with it, something cool looking…I don’t know…”

“Hmmm….” mused Dawn, the sound resonating through his jawbone, which was resting on top of Scootaloo’s head, prompting a giggle rom her.

She thought about it too, trying to think about what their performance needed, thinking about all the things she could do with lightning. Sure, they were pretty awesome to look at. But, as a product of the Gale King, their primary purposes were attack and defense. They were more practical than impressive in her mind. Sure, pegasi who could control lightning the way that they could were almost completely unheard of, thanks to how difficult such a skill was to acquire. Maybe tossing around glowing balls of plasma and whipping around chains of lightning would be impressive enough, but Scootaloo wouldn’t be satisfied that easily.

“Why don’t you sleep on it,” suggested Dawn, kissing the top of her head and then nuzzling the spot where he kissed. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

Scootaloo nodded and began to close her eyes, ignoring the brief lurch in her chest when Dawn had said “you” instead of “we.”

The next morning saw the two of them rising bright and early, old habits triumphing over the relaxed nature of their situation. Satisfied with a night well spent, they checked out of the hotel and made the flight back to Ponyville. Dawn banked off to head to his home, where he would, no doubt, be greeted by a distraught Larksong, desperate to know where her big brother had gone. Scootaloo, meanwhile, went back to her cloud house and tell Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ about her experience taking the exam.

They met again for lunch before heading out to the quarry. Though they went through their usual forms and a quick sparring session, Scootaloo cut the training a little short so that they could focus on developing a proper routine for the competition. With her, Scootaloo carried a list of the regulations and rules, provided by Rainbow.

“So we can perform with the floor open or closed,” she explained, reading off the list. “We can request special arrangements of the clouds for our performance. Only basic building clouds are allowed…no specials.” She paused, looking up from the list. “I guess they’re a bit expensive to waste on an amateur competition.” She looked back down at the list again. “Routines have a minimum requirement of three minutes and a maximum of six. If the performance endangers the audience in any fashion, it will be halted and the competitor disqualified. Competitors will be numbered according to order of arrival.”

“Griffons and other naturally-winged creatures are allowed to participate,” observed Dawn, reading over her shoulder, “but not unicorns or earth ponies using magically conjured wings. Did Spitfire make that rule?”

“Yep,” said Scootaloo. “That’s what Rainbow said. Right now, the only spell that can stick wings on a non-pegasus conjures them out of gossamer and morning dew. Apparently Spitfire doesn’t want to get whacked upside the head again. Rainbow says she’ll reconsider if somepony makes a spell that’s more reliable under duress.”

“Sensible, I suppose,” noted Dawn. “Anything else worth noting?”

“Nothing that Rainbow hasn’t already said,” remarked Scootaloo, folding up the list and depositing it into her saddlebag.

“So…how do you want to start?” asked Dawn, canting his head as he looked at her.

“Um…from the beginning…I guess…” Scootaloo frowned and settled onto her haunches. “We’ll start from the opening and plan out the moves we want to use then…figure out where to go from there.”

“All right,” said Dawn. “Let’s begin then.”

Scootaloo nodded and pondered what they should do, occasionally bouncing her ideas off of Dawn. It was of limited help. Dawn deferred to her as to whether a particular display was suitably dazzling, whether they should start out small and simple and then work their way up to grander demonstrations, or how ponies might react to what they say. He was only truly useful when it came to technical matters, what they could manage with the skills they had, which Scootaloo already had a good idea of. Still, even just using him as a sounding board while she brainstormed verbally helped her get her thoughts in order. It was all perfectly well to imagine putting on a grand display full of awesome moves. But it was a whole other thing to actually plan out those moves, work out the timing for them, and, ultimately, put together a functional routine.

For Scootaloo, it painfully illuminated just how little she understood about putting on an air show and how much work it must have been for the Wonderbolts to plan all the ones they performed. And she only had two ponies to work things out for. She couldn't begin to imagine how Spitfire managed the same thing for more than twenty.

Before she knew it, the sun was dipping and it was getting dark. She had gotten so absorbed in their planning that she'd failed to notice the passage of time. They were both late, Dawn for dinner with the rest of his family and Scootaloo for her usual time to return home. She didn't exactly have an obligation to go back at an early hour, but she did want to spend some time with Rainbow and Soarin', if only to plumb them for additional advice for her planned routine.

"Sounds like you've got a doozy of a performance, squirt," said Rainbow with a chuckle and a grin.

"I guess," said Scootaloo uncertainly. "But it's hard to take something that you see in your head and bring it out and actually make ponies do it."

"You've grasped the understanding that a lot of flight planners have to come to in order to do their jobs properly," said Soarin' with a chuckle. "You have no idea how many competitors at that competition show up, expecting to throw an assortment of random tricks together and assume that will wow us. Careful planning takes a lot of work. We keep our air shows fairly routine for a reason. Doing tricks and formations that we're familiar with helps streamline the planning process and we just bridge the gaps and figure out how to link it all together. Coming up with something genuinely new requires a lot of planning and plenty of trial and error in rehearsals to figure out the timing. Sometimes we've needed to simply start over from scratch."

"Ugh," groaned Scootaloo, rubbing her head.

Chuckling, Rainbow leaned over and gently prodded Soarin' in the ribs. "Come on, you goof, quit teasing her and start giving her some pointers already."

Soarin' sighed and shook his head. "Fine," he said. "I can't really give you any advice on what tricks to do. You have to work that out for yourself. But I can walk you through the basics of planning out a routine." He raised an eyebrow at her. "You do realize that some ponies spend years in dedicated schools learning how to do this stuff, right?"

"Yeah," said Scootaloo. "But Rainbow Dash never went to a school for flight planning and she came up with her own routine."

"Yeah," said Soarin', now smirking at his fiancee. "And I remember how well that went."

Rainbow blushed, glared, then socked Soarin' in the shoulder. "I was tense and nervous. Shut up."

He laughed and turned back to Scootaloo. A few minutes later, they had a large sheet of paper laid out on the table, upon which they drew a rough circle, representing the area encompassed by Cloudsdale's Cloudeseum as viewed from the top down.

"So I just draw it out?" she asked, looking down at the image, "But how can I show where we need to go up and down?"

"Congratulations," said Soarin'. "You've just grasped the first conundrum of flight planning. We're talking about planning a three-dimensional activity using a two-dimensional surface."

"Oh shut up," quipped Rainbow, punching his shoulder again. "You cheat."

"Hey, we make sure we know how to do it with pen and paper," protested Soarin'.

"Quit being dramatic about it and give the kid her advice, Soarin'," said Rainbow flatly, her eyes narrowing in a half-glare that showed she wouldn't take any further arguments.

Soarin' sighed dramatically. "Fine..." Twitching his head off to one side, he muttered under his breath. "Killjoy." If the next punch to his shoulder was any indication, Rainbow had heard him clearly enough.

"What do you mean he cheats?" asked Scootaloo, looking at Rainbow.

Rainbow smirked at the younger mare. "The Wonderbolts who plan the flight routines have a whole room dedicated to it at Headquarters. They actually sculpt the venue out of clouds and then use more clouds to draw the flight routine in three dimensions.

"But, like I said, we know how to do it on paper," said Soarinn' again, "We're always adjusting and modifying the routine when we're on the road. No two venues are alike. In any case, this is how it works..."

He walked Scootaloo through her routine, guiding her pencil as she drew it out on paper. He showed her how to mark ascent and descent by drawing arrows along the inscribed flight path. The shape of the arrows dictated whether the marked path was ascending or descending. A chevron meant up, while a shaded in triangle meant down. How close the arrows were to one another indicated the steepness of the angle of climb or descent.

"Wow, it's like making a topographical map," said Scootaloo, remembering her lessons from a few years back. For all that they were geography lessons, which were, by definition, obligated to be boring, that particular lesson had actually been kind of fun. They had worked in groups to fill small, glass aquariums with rocks of varying shapes and sizes, which were then covered with plaster to create a sort of artificial terrain of hills and valleys. They'd then filled the tank up in increments with water and drawn the outline of where the plaster met the water to create their own miniature maps. While Soarin's lesson might not have included any plaster or water, it was interesting to Scootaloo in much the same way.

"It's pretty close," said Soarin', nodding in agreement. "Of course, things get a little bit more tricky. After all, we're not drawing landforms. Your flight path can veer back over old territory, overlap itself from a different altitude, and any number of other complications. For longer routines, you could probably draw until you'd pretty much scribbled everything in and we'd have to break it down by timeframes to make sense of what's going on."

"But you're only planning out a six minute routine at most," said Rainbow. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, a faintly relieved tone in her voice. Just working out six minutes or so of a routine was going to be hard enough. She would probably plan it out to be shorter, just to have a margin of error should some tricks run longer than she thought. They also had a couple of months to practice the routine and put it through its paces.

"Don't get too worked up about it, squirt," said Rainbow. "They aren't expecting a professional-level job. What's important is that you and Dawn do something the two of you are cool with."

"Okay," said Scootaloo, looking down at the paper.

"Oh, so that's what you're working on," said Fluttershy after listening to Dawn's explanation for his late arrival.

Dawn nodded. Right now, he cradled a sleeping Pepita in his arms, gently rocking the colt back and forth. He was seated in a chair situated next to the couch where Fluttershy and Caramel were relaxing in the living room. After dinner, Larksong had been put to bed for the night and the rest of the family settled into the living room to chat.

"Sounds like Scootaloo's really gung-ho about this," observed Caramel.

"She's quite enthusiastic," agreed Dawn. "She's been looking forward to performing at the competition."

"And you're not?" asked Fluttershy.

Dawn looked down at his sleeping brother and frowned. "Not really...I've never been all that interested in putting on a performance."

Caramel and Fluttershy shared a frown of their own as they glanced at one another. It was understandable that Dawn was a little crowd-shy. In his younger years, the majority of his experience with crowds generally involved the kind that came with torches and pitchforks as obligatory accessories. Such traumas did not fade easily. However, that didn't seem to be the source for the lack of enthusiasm he was expressing. More than anything else, it simply seemed to stem from a simple lack of interest.

"If you're not interested, then why are you helping Scootaloo?" asked Caramel.

"Ever since Rainbow Dash suggested it, she seems to have taken to the idea of this tandem performance," said Dawn. "I didn't really see any reason to object.”

"So you're just going along with it?" asked Fluttershy worriedly.

"I...guess..." Dawn shrugged, careful not to jostle Pepita with the gesture.

"Dawn, if you're not really up for this, you should let Scootaloo know," said Caramel. "If you really don't want to perform at the competition, you shouldn't have to just because she expects it of you. I know she won't hold it against you."

"But..." began Dawn, trying to find an appropriate reason to protest.

"It's about more than standing up for yourself," said Fluttershy. "We all know that Scootaloo is too good a pony and cares about you too much to simply accept you just going along with what she wants to do. If this keeps up, she's only going to feel guilty for pulling you along and she'll lose her enthusiasm. But this means so much more to her."

Pursing his lips, Dawn asked, "So what should I do?"

"The way I see it," said Caramel. "You have two obvious choices. Either you tell Scootaloo that you aren't really interested in participating and let her do a solo performance...or you at least try to take an interest in this and act as an actual partner for her."

Fluttershy nodded. "I think Scootaloo likes the idea of a tandem performance so much because she wants to create something special with you. She wants it to be a shared experience where the two of you can create something amazing together."

"So either let her know you're not up for it or genuinely try to engage with her on this," said Caramel, getting off the couch. He walked over to where Dawn was sitting and rested a hoof on his son's shoulder. "There's more to being a good coltfriend than simply being passive and doing what your fillyfriend tells you to do. You have to take some initiative and assert yourself, one way or another. It's pretty much inevitable that you and Scootaloo won't share all the same interests or want to do the same things in life. That's the way it is for all couples. But you need to show respect for the things she loves and try to at least meet her halfway."

Fluttershy nodded in silent agreement to her husband.

Once again, Dawn looked down, staring at Pepita as he gently rocked the colt some more. "I guess you're right," he said. "I just wish I knew where to begin."

"Maybe think about the things you love," suggested Fluttershy. "Find a way to make them a part of what Scootaloo is doing."

"That's a start, I suppose," admitted Dawn.

A few hours later, Dawn lay in bed, reclining on his back and staring up at the ceiling, thinking about what his parents had suggested. He wondered how exactly to put a part of himself into their performance.

The things I love... he mused silently. Dawn was rarely concerned about his lack of cutie mark. We was very much content with the way things were. Sometimes he noticed a certain nagging emptiness, the ennui that came with a lack of definitive direction in his life. Certainly, working at the teashop was fulfilling and enjoyable...But was it really what he wanted to spend his life doing? Was it a true source of passion for him?

Not that brewing and serving tea would have any application to an airshow...unless it was to fly out and serve tea to the judges and participants. But that was outright silly.

Dawn decided to take stock of the things that were important to him. There were his friends and family, Scootaloo, the teashop...and the Gale King. That last item was obviously the one that was being worked into the air show. That had been what Scootaloo had wanted to do anyway. Dawn hadn't really thought of turning the Art towards performance, however...

He remembered what he'd learned from his own Master and the things he'd taught Scootaloo. Martial arts and dance shared a close relationship, with concepts shared between one another: the application of rhythm, controlling the space between participants, synching with and reading another's motions to act appropriately. There were numerous connections. What mattered was that dancing was a performance and something that connected integrally with the martial arts. He'd seen that connection frequently in the way that Scootaloo practiced her forms, the fluid grace with which she went from one movement to another, and the way she could mold the air so smoothly. He was always captivated whenever he had the opportunity to simply sit back and watch her go through her forms...

Forms... he thought. Suddenly, his eyes shot wide open. Forms! That's it! I understand now!

Dawn's excitement was such that it actually took a considerable effort to calm himself down enough to go to sleep, eagerly awaiting the chance to share his idea with Scootaloo when he saw her tomorrow.

Scootaloo looked over the rudimentary flight plan that Soarin' had helped her put together and sighed. Even though it was the product of at least a couple of hours' hard work, it didn't feel quite right to her. She knew that, when she showed it to Dawn, he wouldn't hesitate to follow it and they could practice hard to make sure it worked out. But it left her feeling slightly empty. Without Dawn's input on it, it felt like she was just dragging him along behind her.

Maybe I shouldn't have pressured him into doing a tandem performance with me, she thought. With another sigh, she folded up the plan and slipped it into her saddlebag. Now that she was waiting for the results from the certification exam, her apprenticeship with the Weather Team was officially over. Technically, while Scootaloo could continue to work with them, she wouldn't be able to actually draw full wages until her license came through and she was hired officially. Raindrops had advised her that, until that time came, she should probably take advantage of the lull to continue planning her performance for the competition, saying that there would be an open spot on the Weather Team when she was ready.

It made Scootaloo glad that her mentors and soon-to-be coworkers were supporting her. But, unfortunately, it was proving to be a bit unhelpful. It was going to be a tandem performance after all. She couldn't adequately practice with only one half of her team present.

She was drawn out of her reverie by the quiet thud of hooves against the cloud behind her. Whirling about, her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped when she saw Dawn standing there, waiting patiently. "Dawn! What are you doing here?"

"I came to help," he said, smiling.

"But what about the teashop?"

"I asked Arkenstone for the day off. He granted it. He also said he wouldn't mind if my attendance was a little...sparse...for the next couple of months."

Scootaloo blinked. Given that Arkenstone essentially ran the teahouse as a hobby, she wasn't exactly surprised by his lackadaisical approach towards his only employee. However, the last thing she'd expected from Dawn was for him to essentially ditch work to help her work on a flight performance, especially when he seemed so disinterested in it earlier.

Her surprise and confusion were compounded when Dawn leaned in and kissed her on the lips, lingering for a moment before pulling away. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I know that this is important to you, but I haven't done much to help you."

"No," said Scootaloo, hugging him around the neck. "I'm the one who should be saying sorry. I dragged you into this without really making sure it was okay with you, just because Rainbow suggested it. I should have thought more about what you want."

"I want to help you," said Dawn, pulling out of her arms only so that he could kiss her again. "And I think I know how."

"How?" asked Scootaloo.

"Follow me," he said, spreading his wings and leaping off the cloud, gliding down to the quarry below. Scootaloo did as he suggested and fell in behind him, landing silently and waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Let's go through the First Form," said Dawn abruptly, making Scootaloo freeze.

Why does he want to start a regular training session all of a sudden?

Nonetheless, trusting that he had a reason for this, she did as she was bid, assuming the starting position, standing calmly, her wings half-spread, her eyes closed, her breathing even. Beside her, she could feel Dawn assuming the same position through her wind-sense. For a moment, the two of them stood there silently. Scootaloo wondered what Dawn was waiting for, but then realized that he apparently wanted her to be the one to start them off.

She went into motion. As she did so, she felt Dawn move in perfect unison with her. They went through the sequence of motions, moving together, even breathing together, performing each strike in perfect synch. Scootaloo realized that Dawn was following her, but, at the same time, he was moving in concert with her, letting her lead, but not simply following along passively. The two of them moved as one, dancing together through the motions of the familiar form. When they came to a rest, Scootaloo opened her eyes and looked at Dawn.

"That was..." She took a moment to breathe. "...wow." She knew that this had been what Rainbow had been getting at when the older mare had been pushing for the two of them to do a tandem performance. This was their skill, their ace in the hole that would allow them to get high marks for their ability to perform together. But, at the same time, Scootaloo knew this already. While it was nice to get confirmation, it didn't exactly explain what Dawn was getting at.

"So...what are you suggesting?" asked Scootaloo, waiting to hear Dawn's answer.

Dawn smiled more widely than Scootaloo had seen ever since they'd started planning for this...or rather...ever since she'd started planning for this and had been tugging him along. "I was thinking that, if we can move together like that for a form, then perhaps that is what we should do for the performance."

"A form?" asked Scootaloo, canting her head, "You want us to do a form? Don't get me wrong. The First Form is cool and all, so are the others. But just doing one of our forms doesn't feel..."

"Actually, I was thinking we should create a form of our own," explained Dawn, his words making Scootaloo's jaw snap shut. "Rather than think of it as an air show or flight performance, we should think of it as an extended form. What is more, the forms we know already are all for single ponies. We can do them together, but the fact remains that we are two ponies who happen to be doing the same thing in synch."

Scootaloo began to realize what Dawn was getting at. "You want to create a form for us to perform," she said, "a form for two ponies in concert with one another. That's what you're saying?"

Dawn nodded.

She said nothing for a moment. Instead, she reached back into her saddlebag and pull out the flight plan that she'd come up with the previous night, looking at the hours of hard work wasted. The sound of paper tearing echoed surprisingly loudly through the empty quarry as Scootaloo tore the paper into scraps, the action making Dawn gape at her as she scattered the pieces into the air around her and threw herself at him, tackling him into a tight hug.

"I love it!" she exclaimed. "It's amazing!"

"B-but your flight plan..." protested Dawn, even as he returned her embrace.

"You said it yourself, what we need isn't a flight plan," said Scootaloo, grinning eagerly as she met his eyes. "We're gonna come up with a form and show off what we can do." Leaning her head in, she rested her face against his chest. "You are the most awesome coltfriend ever."

Those words made Dawn smile as he extended his wings and wrapped them around her. "And I'm still yours."

"Yep," said Scootaloo, glad that her position below Dawn's head kept him from seeing the happy tears leaking out of her eyes. "Still mine."

Spike twisted lazily through a roll as his flight carried him over the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, relishing in the warmth of the sun as it caressed his scales. Ponies had sometimes wondered how a dragon, who could bathe in molten lava without a care in the world, could even notice something as comparatively gentle as the sun's heat. Spike always chuckled when they asked him that.

Dragons felt all the differences in temperature that ponies did. But to dragons, it wasn't quite in the same way. To them, differences in temperature registered more like textures. Lava's heat didn't burn him and it didn't actually feel hot. Rather it felt like being immersed in...a heavy...liquid...blanket...was probably the best description that Spike could use for the sensation. The sun's light and heat felt more like being stroked by a continuous wave of soft silk. A dip in the cold water of a lake was like running his entire body through smooth, light oil. He actually liked that last sensation quite a bit, given that it left him feeling like his scales were being polished. That was the best way he could put it, as it was difficult to describe how he felt different temperatures in words.

The rows of trees gave way to a clearing. In that clearing was erected a simple farmhouse with a vegetable garden out behind it. Nearby was a large, classic red barn. Both of these Spike had come to know quite well, especially since he'd started dating Apple Bloom. However, they weren't his intended destination today. Instead, he zeroed in on another building, this one a much more recent addition to the area. It was a broad, low building of a single story, laid out just a short distance away from the farmhouse. Spike stooped in for a landing, transitioning easily from flying into a steady trot as his feet touched the ground.

The new building was made of lighter-colored wood than the barn or the farmhouse. Three of its four walls consisted of sliding wood screens that could be pulled back to open up the interior. Right now, they were all slid shut. Walking up to them, Spike hooked his fingers around the edge of one of the sliding panels and pulled, careful not to gouge the wood with his claws.

The inside of the building was just as austere as its outside. It consisted of a single large room. The floors were wood, polished and lacquered to a shine, feeling slick and smooth beneath Spike's feet, his claws tapping lightly as he stepped inside.

Looking over, he saw the east wall, which was the only wall not composed of sliding screens. In the wall was set a small, rectangular alcove. Hanging from the back of the alcove was a paper scroll with an ink painting depicting rolling hills and flowing streams that ran down the length of the scroll, which itself hung nearly to the bottom of the alcove. At the base of the alcove, just below the scroll, was a tray holding a small arrangement of flowers. This was nothing like the bouquets of colorful blossoms that the Flower Trio sold at their market stall. Like the room itself, it was austere, using very few flowers and showcasing the stems and leaves as much as the blossoms themselves.

On the wall to either side of the alcove were spears, hanging from racks so that they stretched horizontally along the wall's length. The spears near the bottom were practice weapons, shafts of waxwood, the end of which was fixed with a small, padded ball where the blade would normally be. However, the top weapon in each rack was real, with a blade of gleaming steel extending from the end of the shaft. Each live weapon was different in design. Some had differently shaped blades, others had shafts carved from different types of wood. Some were longer, others shorter. Nearly all of them were made by the stallion sitting in front of the alcove.

The stallion was a deep, royal-blue color, which contrasted nicely with the crimson of his mane and tail. At the sound of Spike's approach, he stirred and looked over his shoulder at the dragon, watching him with a pair of unremarkable blue eyes. A purple iris resided on his flanks. His body was lined with powerful muscles, compact and flexible, the same kind of build that Spike had seen on Dawn or Arkenstone.

"Hello Spike," said Red River cheerfully, getting to his hooves and turning around to face Spike fully. "You're a bit early. Our next session isn't until tomorrow."

"I know," said Spike with an apologetic smile. "But I wanted to ask your help on something."

Seeing Spike's sober look, Red's smile faltered. "Perhaps you should tell me what's going on," he said softly.

The two of them sat down and Spike began to explain the situation.

Red River had been one of a pair of mercenaries, who had been hired to help protect the town after Dawn arrived. Back then, Dawn had been hounded by a group of ponies known at the Cult Solar, who saw Dawn's eyes as a sign of demonic possession and had attempted to kill him every time they had seen him. Worried that his presence might draw those ponies to Ponyville and that Ponyville's own residents might be pulled into the conflict, Twilight had asked Princess Celestia and her brother, then Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor, for assistance. Shining had turned to his friend, Arkenstone, who recommended Red River and Storm Front, the current Assistant Manager of the Weather Team, for the job. The two ponies had come to Ponyville and taken up residence there. The lives they built for themselves were so appealing that they ended up giving up their mercenary careers to settle down with the homes they'd made and the ponies they'd bonded with.

Red River had initially started working for the Apple Family as cover for his mercenary work, running the market stall for Sweet Apple Acres down in Ponyville. His particular passion was flower arrangement, a meditative practice that he used to inform his spear techniques. He also used it when running the stall, arranging items to draw the customers' eyes and incite their interest. As Red continued to work for the Apples, he'd begun a relationship with Applejack, which had prompted him to give up his wandering days. The two of them ended up marrying just last year.

With Applejack and Big Macintosh's blessing, Red River had constructed the training hall that he and Spike were currently sitting in. Red's skill with a spear had enticed several young ponies from Ponyville and he gave regular classes, which allowed him to further supplement Sweet Apple Acres' income.

In point of fact, Spike had become one of his students. Though Spike didn't see himself running around the country with a spear, working as a mercenary, he found the training to be good exercise and helpful for developing his focus and coming to an understanding with his innate magic as a dragon.

Dragons, like ponies, were powerfully magical creatures, though their magic manifested differently from a pony's. Dragons' magic was found within their flame, which could be used to achieve a variety of effects. It worked both internally and externally, empowering Spike's body and wings, allowing him to fly, but also able to project his will out into the world in the form of his breathing fire. For the longest time, the only "spell" of sorts that he was capable of was the magic that allowed him to burn scrolls of paper, sending them to ponies that he knew. For unicorns, there was a spell that allowed them to send letters back, which then emerged out from his flame. However, through diligent study and careful experimentation, with help from Twilight, Arkenstone, and Red River, Spike had been expanding his magic's repertoire over the years.

Spike hoped that this training would help him with his current problem, which he had just finished describing to Red. "So I'm a little worried. Sugar Maple and his cronies are mostly loudmouth drunkards. But I don't want to get caught flatfooted if their liquid courage gives them enough gumption to try and jump me some night."

"And you're certain that they're threatening you?" asked Red.

"Pretty sure," said Spike with a nod. "Whispering 'watch yourself lizard' is something I consider to be a threatening remark."

"It's definitely not a promise of specific action, but threatening all the same," agreed Red. "So what do you seek from me then?"

"Well..." said Spike, looking down slightly, "Ponyville's a little too small for me to be able to avoid them all the time. I figure the only time I really need to be careful is during the evenings, when it's dark and there aren't many witnesses and those three have probably been out drinking for a while. That's not too bad, but, at the same time, I do go out during those hours and sometimes I'm out with Apple Bloom and the others. While I hope they don't try anything stupid with me, I want to be ready, just in case."

"That's a reasonable explanation," said Red. "That being the case, I suspect what you require then is to develop your awareness and defense."

"Right," said Spike. Given the kind of ponies Maple and his friends were, he wouldn't be surprised if one of them came up with the bright idea of trying to clock him in the back of the head with something hard as the prelude to their intended attack. That was the sort of tactic jerks like them frequently resorted to. Spike would be darned if he fell for it.

Red walked along the wall, stopping at one of the racks of spears. Turning his back to it, he kicked backwards with one hoof, which made all the spears on the rack jolt. The one at the very top actually bounced off of the hooks it had been resting on and fell right into Red's outstretched pastern. Looking at it, Spike gulped. It was one of the real spears, not the padded practice weapons. It was decorated with a long, slender blade at the very end, a narrow blood channel running down both sides. A red tassel hung from the point where the blade joined the shaft. Furthermore, the wood of the shaft was darker, denser. Spike knew it well because he'd helped track down the wood for that particular spear. It was lignum vitae, a dense, heavy wood, sometimes referred to as ironwood. Its heft made the weapon formidable enough, even without the razor-edged steel on the end.

Dragon scales were strong. Some ponies speculated that dragon scales might be even stronger than steel or, possibly, even mithril. Nopony was keen to test that hypothesis though, seeing as that would involve taking a weapon to the hide of a dragon, which was rather ill advised, given the likelihood that the dragon would probably not want to go along with the experiment and object...violently. However, Spike was not a full-grown dragon. Thanks to the innate draconic magic that altered his shape and size to better suit his environment, Spike probably wouldn't get any larger than he already had. But, by dragon terms, he was still in his early adolescence, still younger than even the teenage dragons he'd encountered during his joining of the dragon migration had been back then. He wouldn't be an adult for centuries yet. Thus, Spike's scales, while certainly a good bit stronger than a pony's skin, were not exactly the impenetrable barrier they'd be a few-hundred years from now. A blunt weapon swung hard enough or a sharp blade with enough power behind it could get through.

Fortunately for Spike, he'd learned some interesting things that his magic was capable of. The fire that he breathed out flowed through the inside of his body as well. The heat it generated granted him buoyancy that allowed him to take to the skies. He found that he could also channel his fire through his limbs, infusing it into his scales, hardening them, increasing their durability; not just his scales, but the membrane of his wings as well. When channeled out through his claws, they became capable of slicing through solid steel like it was butter. However, the focus required for such applications made it a work in progress for Spike.

"You know the basics of what you need to do to defend yourself," said Red, whipping the spear through a couple of swift spins. The weapon made a harsh whirring noise as it spun, its impressive weight managing to be conveyed even through the sounds it made. "What you need is the practice and the experience required to defend yourself when circumstances demand and when you don't necessarily have time to prepare yourself." He leveled the spear at Spike, his focus sufficiently intense that it was tangible to the dragon, who was still a couple meters out of the weapon's reach.

"So how do we do this?" asked Spike, licking his lips nervously.

"It's relatively simple," said Red. "Think of it as a sparring session. I attack. You defend. If your defense falters or you allow me to catch you off-guard, you will receive a reminder."

Once again, Spike swallowed hard. The blows dealt by the shaft of lignum vitae were no laughing matter and he didn't want to think of what Red might do with the blade of the spear. All the same, he knew he could trust Applejack's husband not to actually injure him...he hoped.

"Let's step outside and begin," instructed Red.

Spike nodded. It was typical for Red to train him outside on the dirt where the dragon could sink his claws into the ground for extra traction. Red never discouraged the practice, seeing as a fighter should take advantage of every asset he had and Spike's claws seemed well-suited to the purpose, not being threatened with damage by it at all. However, Red did want spare himself the repairs he would have to make to his floors after each session. Thus, they trained outside.

On the ground outside the training hall, Red hefted the spear and leveled it at Spike again. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," said Spike with another nervous gulp.

"Then defend yourself." Red lunged forward, his spear thrusting for Spike's chest.

Author's Note

One of the conflicts I wanted to explore in this series was a relationship conflict between Dawn and Scootaloo. I'd already done the out and out fight sort of conflict a couple stories ago, where the two of them get into a serious argument walk away from each other for a while (it lasted about one chapter, if I recall properly, so my definition of "a while" is kinda loose). For this story, I wanted to do a quieter and (I hope) more mature sort of conflict, the kind that emerges from that friction between people who are clearly going different directions in life and have to confront whether that makes or breaks their relationship.

Next chapter: Pinkie Pie plans a pleasant picnic. :pinkiehappy:

Fierce Competition

Chapter 7: Fierce Competition

For the remainder of the time leading up to the competition, Scootaloo and Dawn practiced diligently, refining and adjusting their routine and making sure they knew it back to front. They worked together so that they were able to read one another's moves and adjust naturally without even thinking about it, so that they were able to react to any changes in their environment automatically without throwing off their synchronization. Their years of training together, moving in a common rhythm, formed the basis for their skill at cooperating.

Scootaloo's results came back about a week after the certification exam. She'd passed with top marks in both the written and physical tests, the transcripts of her work proving to be a nice extra for her resume. Despite that, she decided to hold off applying for a full position on the Weather Team until the competition was over. Raindrops and Storm Front were understanding, encouraging even.

Though Dawn, as he had told the Mayor, did not make it a regular thing, he and Scootaloo did, on occasion, take Larksong to the park where they could fly her and other foals. As he or Scootaloo maintained the updraft that kept the foals aloft, the other would keep an eye out for trouble in the event that somepony tried to interfere and endangered the foals. Fortunately, nothing happened, though Dawn did see one or two adults watching with disapproval whenever the foals were in the air. Nopony tried to interfere...except to request that their own foals be allowed to join in the fun.

The two months leading up to the Best Young Fliers Competition passed quietly and uneventfully.

On the day of the competition, Dawn met Scootaloo at her house, where they planned to set out to Cloudsdale from. Rainbow and Soarin' had departed the previous day, heading back to Cloudsdale to meet up with the rest of the Wonderbolts, who would be doing flybys before and after the competition, as well as spending a day with the winner (or winners).

"Ready?" asked Dawn, smiling at Scootaloo as she shifted nervously on the cloud porch next to him.

"Ready as I can be," she said back, her smile a little bit weak. In the past few days, she had gotten a little bit uncertain about their routine. Was it perfect? Was it really the best way to showcase their skills for the judges? Would they really have a chance of winning?

Dawn looked the very picture of serenity, though, on the inside, he was almost as nervous as Scootaloo. Personally, he wasn't very interested in the outcome of the competition. But he understood just how important it was to Scootaloo and didn't want to do anything that might undermine their chances of winning. To that end, he had reviewed the form they had created several times over the past two months. All indicators were that they were going to do very well. Ultimately, Dawn decided to have faith in Scootaloo and in their ability to move together.

"We'll be fine," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Let's head out."

The pair of them took to the air and swooped up away from Ponyville, winging their way towards Cloudsdale. As they did, they could see other pegasi heading towards the cloud city, both from Ponyville and other locales. In fact, they weren't the only competitors from Ponyville. A few older ponies from the Weather Team as well as a courier were entering the competition as well.

When they got there, both Dawn and Scootaloo balked at the sheer number of pegasi swarming about Cloudsdale. The cloud city was already a hub of activity at the slowest points of the year. But now the air was practically packed with pegasi flitting about. It gave the whole place an impression of a hive of insects that had been kicked. As the two young adults watched the hordes of pegasi heading into the city, flying in from every direction, they shared a nervous look and steeled themselves to enter the throng.

"Scootaloo! Dawn!"

The couple froze in place, their ears perking up as they looked around. "You heard that too, right?" asked Scootaloo.

"Yes," said Drawn, his eyes roving as he stretched out with his wind-sense. "But...shouldn't he be in Canterlot?"

As if in answer to their question, they both sensed a pegasus their age diving towards them. Looking up, they saw a young stallion with a light-gray coat, sporting a dark-gray mane swooping down towards them. He was dressed in a pale-green shirt of light silk with white embroideries and loose, hanging sleeves. Dawn and Scootaloo broke into excited smiles.

"Rumble!" exclaimed Scootaloo. "What are you doing here?"

Rumble pulled up at the last second, flaring his wings out to kill his momentum so that he could settle on the cloud the two of them had been standing on. He exchanged quick hugs with Scootaloo and Dawn before grinning at them.

"I've got the next couple days off," he said. "Rainbow Dash helped set things up with the Ministry so that I could come out here."

"Really?" asked Scootaloo, gaping.

"And it's not just me," said Rumble, grinning like Pinkie Pie during somepony's birthday. "Come on!"

With that, he took to the air. Dawn and Scootaloo scrambled to follow as he led them throughout the crowds of pegasi filling the air. At times, it was hard to track him with their eyes, but both Dawn and Scootaloo were able to easily sense Rumble's position, even when other ponies cut off their line of sight. As they moved about, Dawn sent gentle waves of air to ruffle Scootaloo's wings, just enough for her to notice the contact, but not enough to disrupt her flight, giving her a feeling akin to what it was like to have his wings themselves brush over her back.

Rumble led them in the direction of the Cloudeseum, ducking between buildings and weaving through all the aerial traffic with ease, flying as though he'd been born in Cloudsdale.

"You sure know your way around here," observed Scootaloo, pulling up on Rumble's left close enough to be heard.

"Yeah," he said. "I've been doing courier runs for the FPS office out here in Cloudsdale and they've been telling me to get familiar with the area."

Turning a corner, they came out into an open area and the massive white bulk of the stadium loomed in front of them. Ponies were already swarming through the entrances, though it would be another couple of hours before the competition officially started. A long, single-file line stretched out from one of the smaller entrances, where Scootaloo could see the competitors signing in and receiving their numbers.

"I wonder how many ponies are trying today?" she mused aloud.

"A lot," said Rumble, "Last I heard, there were nearly a hundred applicants."

"We still have plenty of time before the sign-in closes," said Dawn. "Making sure that we're at the tail end shouldn't be any issue."

"Anyway, we need to go over this way," said Rumble, tilting his wings and banking, taking them away from the line and towards the broad plaza of clouds outside the stadium. There were several groups of ponies there already, milling about as they waited for friends and family or jockeyed for position to get in the lines to get seats. Rumble led them towards a crowd of very familiar ponies.

Scootaloo's face lit up and Dawn broke out into a small smile as they saw all their friends and family from Ponyville. Fluttershy, Caramel, and Larksong were there. Fluttershy was even carrying a silent Pepita, the young colt watching everything around him with silent, but eager interest. Melon Cream stood beside them. Dawn noted that her boyfriend wasn't with them, which he was mildly grateful for, as he usually caused quite the stir wherever he went. The rest of their Ponyville friends were there as well: Twilight Sparkle, Arkenstone, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Mayweather, Spike, Apple Bloom, Red River, Storm Front, Flitter, Cloud Chaser, Thunderlane, and Coco Pommel. Even Cloud Kicker had shown up in support of her now-former apprentice.

As the three young pegasi came in for a landing, the white form of a unicorn detached from the group and rushed at them. Sweetie Belle's pink and pastel-purple mane bobbed up and down and her pale-green eyes glittered with excitement as she threw herself at Scootaloo. She hadn't changed much over the years, her mane and tail still resembling clouds of cotton candy more than anything else. But she'd gotten taller. Sweetie would probably never have Rarity's stunning figure and elegant looks without a lot of work and makeup, but she had an adorable appeal all her own.

"You came too?" asked Scootaloo as she rocked back from the impact of her friend's enthusiastic tackle.

"Of course I did, silly," said Sweetie, giggling melodiously as she turned to hug Dawn as well. "I wouldn't miss this for the world. Rainbow Dash said your performance is going to be a real doozy."

Scootaloo and Dawn exchanged an enlightened glance as they realized what had happened. Fluttershy had told Dawn about Rainbow Dash's own run in the competition, where her friends, at Rarity's instigation had roused the means to come to Cloudsdale to watch and cheer her on. The beaming look on Twilight's face as she stood off with the others marked her as the unquestionable source of the cloudwalking spells that had been used on their non-pegasus friends.

Dawn went over and exchanged a loving nuzzle with his mother before leaning down to gently brush his muzzle across Pepita's forehead as the colt smiled up at him. Dawn smiled back before looking up at Fluttershy again. "He has a cloudwalking spell too, right?" Given that his young age meant that Pepita wasn't very mobile yet, Fluttershy, Caramel, or Dawn usually carried the young colt everywhere he needed to go. He could see Twilight missing the little fellow, who, at times, seemed more like a piece of luggage than a pony in his own right. Dawn's head flashed with a quick waking nightmare of Fluttershy setting the little earth pony aside to attend to something, only for Pepita to fall right through the clouds.

"Of course, silly," said Fluttershy, giggling at his concern. "I made sure to remind Twilight myself."

"Okay," said Dawn, some of his tension bleeding away. A familiar weight descended on his back as Larksong jumped up and settled between his wings, laughing as she nuzzled his mane. Chuckling, Dawn reached up with one wing to rub her back, stroking her with his wind currents as well.

Scootaloo was over chatting animatedly with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, the three of them having been apart for quite a while after so many years of being nearly inseparable. Rumble stepped up next to Dawn, while Spike came up on his other side. Dawn traded a quick hoofbumb with Rumble before nodding to Spike.

"Thanks for coming," he said to his friend.

Rumble grinned. "You're welcome. The ponies at the Ministry were kinda reluctant to let me go right now, but Softhoof changed her mind when she knew you were involved."

"Oh..." said Dawn, raising an eyebrow. The first time he had met Softhoof, she had come to Fluttershy's house to inspect Fluttershy for her suitability to be his mother. Their first meeting hadn't gone very smoothly and Dawn hadn't acquitted himself very well, having seen Softhoof's presence as an unwanted invasion. However, circumstances had mellowed his opinion and taught him to see her in a more positive light as she had proved to be a significant ally in warding off the Foal Protection Services continued inspections, which had been instigated through the machinations of a member of the now-defunct Noble Court. The fiasco had ultimately ended with the department director resigning and Softhoof rising to take his place. Dawn hadn't realized that she still thought so well of him as to allow Rumble an opening in his normally busy schedule to watch him and Scootaloo perform at the competition.

Looking over at the line for competitors to sign in, Dawn noticed it was beginning to dwindle. "I think it's best if we get ready," he said, nodding to Rumble. As he did so, he extended one wing and sent a gentle burst of air to ruffle Scootaloo's feathers and get her attention. When she looked up, he used his head to indicate the line.

Scootaloo nodded and excused herself from her friends. The two of them promised to meet the others for dinner, after the competition, and made their way to the line to sign in. As they had planned, they were near the back of the line, though a couple of other ponies lined up behind them. Given how many were there, Dawn didn't feel as though they had anything to worry about. With the sheer number of competitors present, it would probably be plenty dark by the time they went out for their routine. In past years, the competition had had a shorter time limit. However, it had continued to grow in popularity, attracting more and more performers. As a consequence, the organizers had taken to increasing the competitions duration, with some ponies predicting that it was only a matter of time before the competition started marking its duration in days, rather than hours.

When they signed in, the mare manning the desk asked them a few questions about their routine, what clouds they would need and where they should be placed, along with any other special conditions that they needed to perform properly. Dawn and Scootaloo laid out their needs and received their number, getting an odd look from the mare as she realized that they were doing a tandem performance.

After they had signed in, the pair made their way into the waiting room. Already, it was packed with other pegasi, all of them going through various preparations for their performances. On one side of the room was a balcony that opened out into the stadium, giving them a perfect view of the open air and the crowds filling the seats. From there, the competitors could proceed directly to the staging area to begin their routines.

Scootaloo made her way to the balcony, Dawn following only slightly behind her as she went up to the railing and looked out at the seating. Already, the seats were being filled in as countless ponies, mostly pegasi, but also with a smattering of earth ponies and unicorns, settled into place. The air was buzzing with the sounds of their voices as they chatted with one another and called over concession carriers for food and drinks. The stadium hummed like a fully-charged storm cloud, making the hairs of Scootaloo's coat stand on end. She licked her lips as she surveyed the clouds realizing just how many ponies were there.

She remembered hearing Rainbow's story about her performance at the Best Young Flier's Competition; how Rainbow had been so overcome with performance anxiety that she'd been reduced to a quivering wreck before her turn had come. Looking out over the crowd, Scootaloo understood how even a confident pony like her idol could be overcome with nerves with so many witnesses to what could be a horrible failure. It wasn't a feeling she liked at all.

Despite her best efforts, her mind began to taunt her with the thought of failure, with the idea of screwing up in front of all of these ponies, in front of the Wonderbolts, in front of the Princesses, in front of her friends, who had come all this way to give her their support and encouragement...

Dawn's draped itself across her back and pulled her up against his side. Not even thinking about it, Scootaloo bent her head down as Dawn nuzzled her, his warm breath tickling her ear as he spoke. "We'll be fine."

Scootaloo nodded and allowed herself to lean against him, letting the feeling of his warmth against her blot out the sound of the crowds outside and all the participants around them. A second later, she realized that the sound actually was being blotted out, thanks to Dawn skillfully manipulating air currents to deflect the bulk of the sound around them, creating a little bubble of quiet and calm.

"Thanks," she said.

Dawn smiled and simply continued to hold her close. Feeling more encouraged, Scootaloo lifted her head up to survey the crowds again. On the far side of the stadium, she could see the Royal Box, where the Princesses would be watching the competition. To her surprise, she saw her friends filing in there before quickly checking her astonishment. Right...Twilight's a Princess. Given that Twilight acted like barely anything had changed since her ascension to alicornhood, it was always a bit jarring to be confronted with a reminder that she was, in fact, an Equestrian Princess now, with all the perks and privileges that went with such an honor.

"Excuse me..."

"Huh?" Scootaloo was broken out of her observations by the inquisitive voice of a pony behind them. She'd apparently entered into the space being shielded by Dawn's wind currents if they were able to hear her. Dawn and Scootaloo turned around to look at the speaker.

The pony in question was a pegasus mare with a dandelion-yellow coat and a deep-green mane that ran down the side of her neck in long strips, not quite long enough to reach past, except at the very tips, a fairly common pegasus manestyle. On her flank was a fairly basic-looking cloud. She was studying them with a pair of grayish-blue eyes...or rather, studying Dawn.

Scootaloo's hackles rose immediately as she thought that this mare would be another of the judgmental idiots that seemed so common around Cloudsdale, possibly judging Dawn for his eyes or his lack of cutie mark. However, upon closer inspection, she realized that this mare was studying Dawn with an air of curiosity and...familiarity, as though the sight of him was jarring some half-remembered past event for her. The mare tilted her head, regarding Dawn even more intently, prompting him to shift nervously.

"You look familiar..." she said, tapping her chin. "Were you in Cloudsdale a few years back...during that whole craziness with the tribalists?"

Dawn blinked. "I was...in fact."

The mare's eyes went wide and she gasped. "It is you, isn't it? You're that colt who fought the tribalists with Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts, aren't you?"

Now it was Scootaloo's turn to blink in surprise as she stared at the mare, barely comprehending the fact that a pony had actually noticed Dawn's involvement in the whole affair.

"Y-you...you remember that?" asked Dawn.

"Of course I do!" exclaimed the mare, breaking out into a jubilant grin at the confirmation of her theory. "How could I forget! You came down into the stadium, like BOOM! Then you slapped that one guy across the whole place and through the wall-WHAM! It was the coolest thing ever!"

"U-um...thanks," said Dawn, wrong-footed by such adoring praise. His flustered behavior forced Scootaloo to cover her mouth with a hoof to stifle her giggles.

"Wow! I can't believe it," she said, leaning in closer, causing Dawn to lean back a little. "So that's what your eyes look like up close. They look neat."

Dawn's cheeks turned red and Scootaloo felt a faint flare of jealousy stir in her chest as she looked over this mare.

"Th-thank you very much," said Dawn, trying to figure out how to respond to this unexpected situation.

"My name's Sunflower. What's yours?" asked the mare.

"Dawn Lightwing," answered Dawn.

"And I'm Scootaloo," said Scootaloo, feeling very much like she was being forced out of the conversation.

"So you're performing in the competition too," observed Sunflower, looking over the two of them. As she did, her eyes passed over the numbered tags that had been stuck to their flanks. "Wait! You two have the same number? Is that a mistake?"

"No," replied Dawn, resting his wing on Scootaloo's back again. "We're actually performing together, in tandem."

"That's right," said Scootaloo.

Sunflower blinked. "Together...can you even do that?"

"Yep," replied Scootaloo, grinning. "The rules cover tandem flights too."

"Cool!" said Sunflower, breaking out into a grin again. "I never knew that!"

"Apparently, quite a few ponies don't," said Dawn ruefully, remembering the number of double-takes that their application and sign-in had received when it was revealed that they were performing in tandem. Apparently Rainbow Dash had not been exaggerating when she'd said that tandem performances were almost unheard of.

"Sunflower! What are you doing talking to those two?"

Sunflower let out a derisive snort and rolled her eyes as the voice of another mare carried over the murmurings of the other competitors. "Great, the Little Princess is here."

The press of pegasi nearest to them shifted slightly as another pony shouldered her way through the group. Her coat was a brilliant, alabaster-white, easily a match for Rarity's, while her mane was a shining gold, brushed to perfection. That, combined with her bright-blue eyes and elegant figure made Scootaloo do a double-take of her own for a second. This mare was practically a female version of Prince Blueblood in appearance, though not in attitude. Her lips curled back in an arrogant grin that revealed shining white teeth that practically sparkled in the sunlight streaming in through the balcony. Her cutie mark was a black gyroscope.

Sunflower's moniker of the "Little Princess" was an apt nickname for this pony, for she carried herself like she thought she was royalty. She approached the three of them with all the swagger of a member of the Noble Court (ironically enough, nopony in the actual Royal Family carried themselves with remotely a trace of arrogance this mare was displaying). She looked over both Dawn and Scootaloo with an expression of deliberately ill-concealed disdain, her sneer widening with each successive second. More to the point, Scootaloo noted that this mare's eyes were looking at her with greater interest than they were at Dawn.

"Sunflower," she said, looking at the mare she was addressing as she drew up alongside her, "you shouldn't be bothering with incompetent fools like these."

"Shut up, Cyclone," said Sunflower with another roll of her eyes. "I can talk to them if I want. Besides, they're not incompetent."

"They most certainly are if they are trying to put on a joint performance," said Cyclone with an indignant sniff. "It shows that they lack confidence in their own skills and think that banding together will help them put on a better show." She smirked at Dawn and Scootaloo. "I look forward to seeing the two of you trip over each other's tails in front of the judges."

Scootaloo yawned, feeling bored. Compared to the teasing and insults she was used to being on the receiving end of (usually by proxy of her association with Dawn), simple pre-competition trash-talking was beyond dull. "Feel free to think that if you want," she said. "I can understand why you'd think that. You certainly wouldn't be able to fly with another pony, given how much airspace your ego must take up."

Cyclone's cheeks turned bright red and her eyes narrowed in an angry glare, the arrogant smirk deserting her face altogether as Sunflower tittered next to her. "Shut up, you low-class twit." She was going to say something else, but stopped as she took a second look at Scootaloo, her eyes narrowing. "There's something about you...tell me your name."

Scootaloo bristled at Cyclone's demanding tone. "I don't jump because you tell me to," she snapped angrily. "I don't have any reason to give my name to you."

"Give me your name or I'll just go over to the listings and look it up myself," Cyclone snapped back.

"Go ahead and do that," said Scootaloo, rolling her eyes. "While you're over there, you might want to reserve a second spot so that your attitude can take a turn in the stadium too."

An angry snort burst forth from Cyclone's nostrils and she whirled about sharply, inadvertently slapping Sunflower across the face with her tail in the process. She then stalked angrily through the crowd, shouldering ponies aside without any regard for anyone but herself.

"Sorry about that," said Sunflower, rubbing the tip of her muzzle with a hoof. "I'm just about the only pony who can stand her for more than sixty seconds, so she thinks I'm her lackey."

"And she doesn't take it well when you suggest otherwise?" asked Dawn.

"She doesn't take it at all," grumped Sunflower, her ears falling. "Whenever I say something that contradicts her or suggests that I'm not a member of her entourage, she develops spontaneous deafness. It's like she can't hear a word that comes out of my mouth when she does that. You have no idea how hard it is to make friends when she can come up at any moment, swinging that ego around like it's a broadsword."

"And ponies actually let her get away with that?" asked Scootaloo, gaping at Sunflower.

"Well...she gets away with a lot more than she should," said Sunflower, averting her eyes slightly and slumping down to her haunches. "She may not have friends, but she's got...connections."

"Connections?" asked Dawn, tilting his head.

Before Sunflower could answer, Cyclone came tramping back, once again pushing through the packed pegasi without so much as an "excuse me." Her look of arrogance was gone, replaced by one of cold anger as her eyes homed in on Scootaloo.

"I was right," she said as she came within speaking distance again, "It is you."

Scootaloo sighed dramatically and raised a hoof. "Okay. You've got me. You're totally right. It is me. I've always been me and I've never been anypony else but me. Your powers of deduction are overwhelming, oh great detective."

Sunflower had to push both of her hooves against her mouth as her cheeks bulged. Beside Scootaloo, Dawn snorted, then began coughing into his hoof.

Cyclone's eyes narrowed and she glared pointedly at the bright-orange mare. "Very funny. I know who you are, Scootaloo."

"Wow," said Scootaloo, rolling her eyes again. "You know my name. Congratulations! That means you can read words. Good for you."

"They warned me you'd be like this," muttered Cyclone petulantly.

Her words actually caused Scootaloo to pause and she canted her head. “Who warned you?”

“You really have no idea, do you?” prodded Cyclone. “Unbelievable!”

“Uh…What the hay are you talking about?” asked Scootaloo.

Cyclone opened her mouth to respond, but was abruptly cut off by a shout from across the room as one of the competition organizers began belting out instructions. “We are beginning in ten minutes! The first ten competitors need to report here immediately!”

Cyclone snorted, apparently frustrated that she didn’t have time to say whatever it was she was going to. The number over the cutie mark on one side of her flank was seven, so she was in the first group of competitors. “I’ll deal with you later,” she snarled at Scootaloo before stalking back through the crowd.

“See what I mean,” said Sunflower with a sigh. Her number was thirteen, so she would be with the next group of competitors.

“She’s certainly a hoofful,” observed Dawn in a bemused tone. “But I wonder what her problem with Scootaloo is.”

Sunflower could only shrug. “I didn’t even know who you were until a couple minutes ago. I have no idea how she knows who you are.”

“Are you stuck with her or something?” asked Scootaloo, craning her neck to look over the crowd. She could see Cyclone taking her position in the line arranged in front of the event organizer. They appeared to be going over final checks for anything the performers needed.

“You could say that,” said Sunflower. “When we graduated from Flight School, we both went into work as cloud wranglers. She used her connections to get us on the same team, the team that handles some of the really high-profile jobs, like taking clouds to Canterlot or Manehattan.”

“That doesn’t sound too much like a bad thing,” said Scootaloo, raising an eyebrow.

“But I’m guessing you don’t want to ride on her coattails,” guessed Dawn.

“Yeah,” agreed Sunflower. “But it’s less riding on her coattails than her tying her coattails around my neck and dragging me around behind her. It’s a pain. I’ve been trying to get a transfer to another team-any other team. But I keep getting told that there are no options open.”

“Wow,” said Scootaloo grimly. “That sucks.” She noticed Dawn tilting his head and eying Sunflower speculatively. “What’s up?”

“I’m just thinking,” said Dawn. “Were the other teams you applied for Cloudsdale teams as well?”

“Well…yeah,” said Sunflower.

“Have you considered, maybe, applying for Weather Teams in another town?” asked Dawn.

“You mean…leave Cloudsdale?” asked Sunflower, her eyes going wide. “That’s…”

“A bit hard for a pony who’s just gotten her certification and started working,” said Scootaloo, rolling her eyes and jabbing Dawn with her elbow. “Not everypony can just pick up stakes and move on the way you used to. Imagine if somepony asked you to move away from your family right now.”

Dawn blinked and worked his mouth for a second. “Oh…sorry.”

“It’s okay,” said Sunflower, giving him a sad smile. “I might consider that. But the process of transferring to another town’s Weather Team is a little hard for a newcomer, especially because I’d have to work out moving to the town in question.”

“Sounds like you’re stuck with her for now,” said Scootaloo, giving Sunflower a sympathetic look. “I wish there was something we could do to help.”

“Well, it’s my problem anyway,” said Sunflower. “I wouldn’t want to drag you two into it.”

“Scootaloo seems to be a part of it already,” Dawn pointed out, “tangentially, at least.”

“That’s true,” admitted Sunflower.

“Actually, now that I think about it, there is something we can do to help,” said Scootaloo, her grin returning.

“What’s that?” asked Sunflower anxiously.

“You said you have a hard time making friends while Cyclone’s around,” said Scootaloo. “But we can be your friends. Even though it’ll be a little tricky, since Dawn and I live in Ponyville, we’d love to be friends with you.”

Sunflower’s eyes went wide. “Really? You would?”

“Sure,” said Scootaloo. Beside her, Dawn nodded his agreement.

“Wow! Thanks,” said Sunflower. “This is great!”

Scootaloo took a moment to look for Cyclone again, now seeing her at the head of the line, speaking imperiously to the organizer. The look on his face indicated he would have much rather slapped her upside the head for her attitude. But he reined in his temper, an impressive feat in Scootaloo’s eyes. “So…” she said, looking back at Sunflower, “she any good?”

A tired sigh escaped Sunflower’s mouth. “It’d be great if she was all talk and no show, but she’s got real skills. In fact, she probably has a pretty good chance of winning this, especially if she does what I think she’s doing.”

“What’s she doing?” asked Scootaloo.

Sunflower drooped. “You’ll see.”

At that moment, the sound of trumpets echoed throughout the stadium. The crowd broke out into a roaring cheer as a voice boomed across the venue. “WELCOME FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS TO THIS YEAR’S BEST YOUNG FLIERS COMPETITION!” The crowd’s roars of approval redoubled, making it a little bit harder to hear the announcer as he continued. “I’M GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL SO EXCITED. PLEASE PUT YOUR HOOVES UP FOR OUR SPECIAL GUESTS AND ESTEEMED JUDGES…THE WOOOOONDERBOOOOOOOLTS!!!”

As the cheers and applause rose to ever more tumultuous heights, a formation of twenty ponies streaked overhead, leaving behind contrails of clouds of various types, from pure white to crackling thunderheads, and, in one case, a trail of sizzling flames, and, in another case, a shining rainbow. The Wonderbolts, with Rainbow Dash soaring near the center of their line, executed a simple flight straight over the top of the Cloudeseum. As they passed over the Royal Box, three of them, including Spitfire, peeled off and dipped down to land in the seats just below the box. The rest, Rainbow included, continued their flyover until they passed over the stadium wall, disappearing from sight.

The announcer waited for the cheers to die down before speaking again. “NOW, PLEASE GIVE A CHEER FOR OUR OTHER GUESTS, PRINCESS CELESTIA AND PRINCESS LUNA!!!”

More cheers filled the air, though they weren’t as loud as they had been for the Wonderbolts. Scootaloo doubted that it had anything to do with lingering resentment that had fostered the tribalist uprising in the first place. The Wonderbolts were a Cloudsdale favorite, since that was where they were based. The Princesses were rarely seen outside of Canterlot. Still, there was plenty of respect and adoration as the two older alicorns strode out into the Royal Box.

“IN ADDITION TO OUR ESTEEMED RULERS, WE HAVE ANOTHER DISTINGUISHED GUEST!” continued the announcer, “FROM PONYVILLE WE HAVE NONE OTHER THAN THE NEWEST PRINCESS, THE PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP AND MAGIC HERSELF, TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!!”

Though there was no way to see it from where she was, Scootaloo fancied that Twilight was probably blushing furiously as she gave a shy wave from where she had been sitting. Twilight always got self-conscious whenever ponies publicly made a big deal of her rank.

As the first contestants began to line up for their turn, the announcer relayed the stakes. "REMEMBER EVERYPONY, THE WINNER OF TODAY'S COMPETITION WILL NOT ONLY BE HONORED WITH THE TITLE OF BEST YOUNG FLIER, BUT WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A DAY WITH NONE OTHER THAN THE WONDERBOLTS!" This time, the crowd's reaction was supplemented by the competitors themselves, who cheered wildly at the idea of spending time with the famous aerial team, maybe even making a good enough impression to join. Both Scootaloo and Dawn knew better, having gotten to know the Wonderbolts quite well already.

"You two okay?" asked Sunflower as the cheering died down. She'd been doing her own fair share of shouting, forgetting her previous melancholy over Cyclone's good chance of walking away with the victory. "You weren't cheering at all."

Scootaloo grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head. "Uh...well...we've met the Wonderbolts before."

"Huh?" Sunflower's jaw dropped. "You've gotta be kidding me! You know the Wonderbolts?"

"Not all of them," said Dawn, chuckling at Sunflower's astonishment. "But Scootaloo here is Rainbow Dash's sister."

"Wha-...Rainbow Dash? The Rainbow Dash? As in...the only pony in Equestria who can do a Sonic Rainboom? That Rainbow Dash?"

"Y-yeah...that's her," said Scootaloo, blushing even harder as she elbowed her coltfriend in the ribs. Dawn responded with a tiny, spinning gust that tugged and twisted a few of her mane-hairs together.

"Sh-she's your sister?" gasped Sunflower.

"Sort of," said Scootaloo. "We're not blood-related, but she sorta adopted me as an honorary little sister. She even gave me my house."

Various emotions flickered across Sunflower's face as she processed this information. "That's so cool! I'm so jealous!" She began to pout.

"Hey," said Scootaloo. "If it's any consolation, I can probably help you meet Rainbow at least. We'll probably all get together after the competition, regardless of which way it goes."

"You'd do that?" asked Sunflower, her eyes widening. "That would be awesome!"

"Sure," said Scootaloo, giggling at Sunflower's enthusiasm. A breeze Dawn sent across her back signaled his approval of the idea.

Their attention was drawn out into the stadium as the competition began and the first of the competitors took her starting position. The first few fliers were a mixed bag. Their routines were fairly standard flight routines; intense barrel-rolls, tight loops, sharp turns, all executed at high speeds and with careful precision. There were a couple whose performances were fairly sloppy, making Scootaloo suspect that their routines had been thrown together at the last second.

Then Cyclone's number was called and she flew out to the staging area. The staff had cleared away the clouds that had served as obstacles for the previous contestant, not setting up anything in their place. It seemed that Cyclone wanted to perform in a completely open space. To Scootaloo's surprise, there was no overconfident swagger to Cyclone's flight. She flew with smooth, efficient wingbeats and settled into a steady ready-posture at the staging area, her previous arrogance nowhere to be found her eyes steely and her expression determined.

When she got the signal to begin, Cyclone launched herself into the air and launched into one of the most whirling, acrobatic routines Scootaloo had ever seen. Far from simple rolls and loops, Cyclone went into wild-looking spins that rotated her body across multiple axes at blinding speed, turning her into a blurred dervish against the sky. However, she came out of every one of them in complete control, freely maneuvering into another that would launch her in another direction in an equally-dizzying manner.

"Very impressive," observed Dawn, raising an eyebrow.

"You weren't kidding when you said she's good," said Scootaloo, glancing sidelong at Sunflower, who was looking crestfallen at her chances of winning.

"I told you," she replied sullenly.

"I don't get why she keeps stopping though," observed Scootaloo, turning her gaze back up as Cyclone went into yet another twisting spin and backward flip.

"If she simply spun wildly from beginning to end, it would be easy for observers to assume she was just throwing herself into it pell-mell," answered Dawn. "By stopping periodically, she's showing that she remains in complete control of her motions even when they are at their most intense. You can see in how smoothly she pulls out of every move that she's not just recovering from out-of-control spins."

"Yeah, that's her specialty," said Sunflower. "When it comes to handling turbulent weather, there's pretty much nopony in our group whose as good at keeping her head as Cyclone. No matter how crazy things get, she always knows up from down."

"Yeah, that's a sweet talent," agreed Scootaloo.

"I don't think it's just talent," said Dawn. Even as he watched the show with his eyes, he was also following it with his wind-sense. He could feel how Cyclone moderated her motion in little ways to keep her head as steady as possible to avoid being beset by the dizziness such spinning would normally impart. It was the smooth, controlled motion of a pony who practiced diligently.

A minute later, Cyclone's routine ended with her coming out of yet another spinning flip to land perfectly on the staging area on all four of her hooves, with her wings spread upright in a dramatic flare, her muzzle pointed sharply to the sky. The crowd broke into enthusiastic applause and cheering as she held the pose for a few seconds before finally relaxing. Looking over at the Royal Box and the Wonderbolt seats below it, Scootaloo could see that the special guests, including Spitfire and her fellow judges, leaning forward with keen interest after having been underwhelmed by the first few entries.

Once the applause started to fade, Cyclone began winging her way back to the waiting room. This time, her flight completely oozed with her smug demeanor as she flew with her head held high and her legs outstretched, but slightly curled in a continuous rearing pose. As she came in for a landing on the balcony, she shot Scootaloo a smug look. Scootaloo returned the look merely by rolling her eyes and smirking. Though she'd found Cyclone's routine impressive, she believed that her and Dawn's would come out on top.

In the meantime, the competition staff flitted about the stadium, positioning clouds for the next act. At the same time, the organizer called for next set of ten contestants to line up for their routines.

"Good luck," said Scootaloo, giving Sunflower an encouraging smile as she headed for her place in the line.

"Thanks," said Sunflower, smiling back. As she made for her place, Cyclone sauntered over and began speaking to her. Scootaloo and Dawn saw that Sunflower was giving her "friend" a quietly-attentive, if reluctant, listening ear, barely managing to pry herself away from Cyclone to line up.

Cyclone looked over at Scootaloo and Dawn and glared pointedly at them. They briefly worried that she was going to come over for another round of insults, but relaxed when Cyclone instead marched to another section of the balcony, apparently determined to keep as far away from them as she could while still having the best possible view of the competition.

After Cyclone's dizzying performance, the next few routines were comparatively unimpressive. Number Eleven showcased some very impressive cloud-sculpting skills, using a rapid, circling and looping flight to carve an elegant column out of a wad of construction-grade cloud that had been placed in the center of the stadium. However, the others were fairly typical.

Then it was Sunflower's turn. Scootaloo and Dawn leaned forward, eager to find out what their new friend was capable of. In preparation for her performance, several pony-sized clouds had been set out in concentric rings. Sunflower flew out to the staging area with a look of trepidation. Once she settled in, they could see her take several deep, calming breaths, very much like the breathing exercise that Twilight Sparkle sometimes practiced.

"What do you think?" she asked, glancing over at Dawn.

"Her flight is interesting," he said. "Did you feel how she moved when she flew up to the stage?"

Scootaloo blinked and thought it over. "Now that you mention it, her slipstream is pretty strong. That's not a good sign, is it?"

"Only if it isn't deliberate," replied Dawn with a small smile.

Both of them turned their full attention back to Sunflower as she began her routine, leaping off of the stage and straight into the center of the cloud formation, going through a swift, but powerful roll exactly at the instant she passed through. To Scootaloo's amazement, she felt Sunflower's spin pull at the air around the mare, matching her spin perfectly. The clouds of the innermost ring were swept up in the rotating current and began to revolve around the center.

But that was only just the beginning. Sunflower smoothly and efficiently pulled out of her ascent and stooped right into a flight along the clouds forming the second ring out from the center, setting them on a revolving path moving in the opposite direction from the central ring. She then repeated the process with the rings all the way to the outside, alternating the direction of each one. Upon reaching the outside ring, Sunflower pulled her circling flight back inwards, this time flying in tight circles that led her weaving back and forth between the rings in sets of two so that the clouds on the outside ring instead began to individually circle with their partners on the next ring in. The audience gasped in awe as she essentially set the clouds to dancing.

"Whoa! How's she doing that?" Scootaloo exclaimed, flaring her wings in excitement, managing to catch Dawn's feathers with a small gust in the process, prompting a chuckle from him.

Dawn slightly spread his wings and simply allowed his awareness to spread out through his wind-sense, feeling the winds that moved the clouds that Sunflower had set into motion. "She's created air-currents in concentric rings," he said. "Rather than generating a cyclonic motion, she's instead created what might be called low-speed, self-contained jet-streams. She's even isolated them so that they don't interfere with one another."

"That takes a lot of focus," said Scootaloo, feeling out the winds for herself. "I don't think either of us could do that."

"Probably not," agreed Dawn, "Mainly because it's a different type of wind-control from what we practice. Her unusually strong slipstream is a result of her constant practice in this kind of flying."

Sunflower's routine continued from the inside again. This time she pulled pulled each ring up to a different altitude, expanding or condensing the diameter of the rings until they whirled in a stacked column over the stadium. The rings of clouds were now spinning in the same direction. Sunflower flew up through the center of the stack and started with the topmost ring, working her way down, she pulled all the clouds into a single line behind her before she looped back, crossed down, then looped back and crossed down again, leading all the clouds into a continuous infinity-sign path in the sky above the stadium.

Finally, Sunflower pulled up through the center of the infinity sign, spinning rapidly, drawing all the clouds around her into a clumped, whirling mass that blurred together as they spun faster and faster around her. Feeling the winds that Sunflower was stirring up, Scootaloo worried that she might have been trying to make a tornado. But then, Sunflower stopped her spin, coming to a complete halt in the air, snapping her wings out wide, dispersing the winds and the clouds themselves, sending them flying out past the edge of the stadium and out of sight.

As Sunflower came in for a landing, the crowd roared its approval. Spitfire and the other Wonderbolts were visibly impressed by the display. Scootaloo was cheering quite loudly herself as Sunflower took her bow and flew back to the balcony.

"That was awesome!" she exclaimed as Sunflower landed.

The bright-yellow mare was panting hard. "Thanks," she said between breaths.

"That was very impressive," added Dawn, smiling at her. "You show excellent control."

"Of course she does," snapped Cyclone, strutting over haughtily. "Now, if you'll excuse us, she needs some rest...away from riffraff like you." She pulled Sunflower with her, leading her away from the two of them.

"Jerk," muttered Scootaloo.

"Though," said Dawn contemplatively, "she seems genuinely concerned about Sunflower's wellbeing...even if she goes about it in a rather arrogant way."

Scootaloo looked around, seeing the throng of competitors yet to take their place on the stage. "So what do we do now?"

Dawn shrugged. "Wait for our turn, I suppose."

Author's Note

And so the competition begins. I wanted to create a couple of competitors who could put on impressive performances of their own, potential rivals, you might say. Cyclone and Sunflower are yet another example of how some of my characters sometimes take on a life of their own beyond what I initially planned for them. You'll get to see that as the story moves on.

Next chapter: Dawn and Scootaloo do something that would make Jamie Hyneman very happy.

Lighting Up the Sky

Chapter 8: Lighting Up the Sky

The competition stretched on through the day. Scootaloo and Dawn watched the other competitors attentively. But very few of them came close to Cyclone's acrobatic display or Sunflower's dancing clouds. After a few hours, the competition was briefly halted for lunch. Cyclone quickly towed Sunfower away to eat together, so Scootaloo and Dawn missed a chance to introduce Sunflower to their friends. Nonetheless, they enjoyed themselves, eating and chatting with the others as they waited for the performances to resume. Then it was back to the waiting area to wait for their turn.

The afternoon waned, the sun drooping lower and lower towards the horizon as their turn neared. Dawn estimated that the sun would have set by the time they began, which was for the best, considering what they had planned. As the sun dropped below the horizon completely and the last of the colors of sunset began to fade, powerful lights switched on throughout the Cloudeseum, giving the audience a clear view of the competitors.

"We're gonna have to ask them to tone down the lights," Scootaloo noted, shifting nervously. With each minute that their turn drew closer, she was growing more and more anxious.

"That should be simple enough," said Dawn, his eyes tracing the path of another performer as she rocketed around the circumference of the stadium as fast as her wings could carry her in an effort to show off her speed to the audience before winding her way through a series of close-set rings in the center of the stadium in a blur, showing off an impressive amount of control for the speed she was going.

"All right! Time for the last group of competitors. Report here," called out the staff member, holding up a clipboard.

"That's us," said Scootaloo.

Dawn nodded. Together, the two of them stepped into the line, finding that they were actually third-from-last. That was good enough for their purposes. They talked to the organizer, confirming their planned cloud layout and also adding the request that the lights be dimmed slightly.

From there, they returned to the balcony to watch the acts that preceded theirs. As their time approached, Scootaloo felt herself growing more and more anxious. Her wings twitched nervously.

Then Dawn wrapped a wing around her back and pulled her towards him. He turned her so that they faced one another. Then Dawn gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and pressing their foreheads together. His wings extended to enshroud her, enveloping Scootaloo's senses and blocking out the outside world. The sounds of the audience and their fellow competitors faded away.

"Remember," said Dawn softly, "we can do this. Just relax and breathe."

Scootaloo nodded, leaning into the embrace. She closed her eyes and took deep, slow breaths, letting her breathing match Dawn's. They breathed in unison and she could even feel their hearts beating in the same rhythm. Her mind cleared of extraneous thoughts. Her worries drained away, leaving a blissfully peaceful sensation behind, her mind becoming blank.

Finally, it was their turn and Dawn let her go. Scootaloo was once again beset by the sounds of the outside world. However, it seemed distant and she felt she could perceive everything much more clearly now. Her senses extended through the air and she felt the contours of everypony and everything around her with ease. She felt Dawn. She knew, without even having to think about it, that he was about to spread his wings and take off. She didn't miss a beat, spreading her wings alongside him. Flapping their wings in unison, the two of them flew out to the staging area to wait for the signal to begin.

For their performance, the Cloudeseum floor had been closed and layered with malleable, construction-grade cloud that could be easily shaped with their skills. The lights of the stadium were dimmed somewhat to give the audience a clearer view of the night sky above. Scootaloo could sense the gazes of her friends and family. That feeling warmed her and filled her with a sense of confidence and peace. Her friends would be with her, no matter what. More importantly, she felt Dawn standing next to her, ready to follow her lead as they started the form they had created for their routine.

At the signal to start, the two of them kicked off of the staging area, drifting into a low swoop that carried them over the floor and across the breadth of the Cloudeseum. It was a moderate, easy flight, something that they could both do in their sleep, something that nearly any pegasus could do for that matter. However, few pegasi, if any, could match their synchronization, as they beat their wings in perfect time with one another.

They reached the inner wall of the Cloudeseum and broke apart, flying along opposite sides of of the stadium until they reached the halfway point, where they were directly across from one another. Abruptly, they launched themselves away from the walls, accelerating so suddenly that they seemed to vanish, only to meet again in the exact middle of the stadium. Dawn and Scootaloo had already turned so that they were facing in opposite directions as they met, sweeping the wings on the sides that faced each other in wide circles, creating opposing waves of air pressure that clashed between them. The space between the two of them appeared to ripple. Then their techniques rebounded, pushing them away from each other. At the same time, it created a shockwave that washed over the stadium floor, picking up the clouds layered over it and pushing them back away from the center of the Cloudeseum until they reached the inside wall and crashed against it, spraying upwards like the waves of the sea over the rocky shore.

Dawn and Scootaloo closed with one another again. This time they went into flat spins, spinning in the same direction as they came at each other. Scootaloo's spin drifted upwards slightly, carrying her directly over Dawn's back. As she moved above him, she extended her left wing. Down below her, Dawn extended his left wing as well, though he was facing in the opposite direction she was. In unison, they both swept their wings back in a wide arc, putting the strength of their whole bodies into the movement. Their motion pulled in the air, drawing it up into a small, but powerful tornado that pulled the clouds that had been pushed outwards by their initial collision back in towards the center of the stadium. When they had initially been planning their performance, they had dismissed the idea of a tornado as too dangerous to perform within the confines of the Cloudeseum. However, they had come to the conclusion that, if they kept it small enough, they could control it so it didn't become a threat to the audience. With the construction-grade clouds to work with, it allowed them to produce something visually spectacular with comparatively little power.

They rode the currents of the tornado, moving with it as it pulled both them and the clouds upwards into a smooth column. As they flew, they used their wings to carve a rising spiral into the side of the column, decorating it as they moved up its length. The tornado petered out, leaving the new cloud construct behind it. From the top, Dawn and Scootaloo circled back down. Even though the cloud column blocked each other from sight, they could still feel each other through the wind. With their hearts and minds working in unison, they didn't fall even slightly out of synch as they descended.

With a loud snap, lightning began to crackle back and forth across Scootaloo's wings. The buzzing from the other side of the column told her that Dawn had called forth his lightning as well. When they reached the base of the column, they touched their hooves to the stadium floor before kicking off with another powerful flap, shooting up the length of the column, trailing wide veils of crackling electricity behind them as they flew. They met again at the top. This time, Scootaloo snapped both her wings towards Dawn, thrusting her leading primaries out at him like spears. Dawn mirrored the motion perfectly and lightning jumped between them with a thunderous crack. They caught each other's bolts and maintained their own, binding them together with what looked like a pair of ropes of solid electricity.

They circled one another, maintaining their posture and the lightning that connected them together. With each revolution, they drew closer and closer to one another, until the tips of all four of their wings were on the verge of touching, the lightning between them condensing together into a tiny orb of pure energy that blazed between the four primaries pointing inward at each other. Giving one last, sharp push, Dawn and Scootaloo made the tiny orb of lightning burst outwards with a loud boom, reminiscent of a firework going off. It exploded into countless, colorful sparks that scattered like a halo across the night sky.

Again, the explosion pushed them away from each other. They resumed circling the same point, lightning once again crackling across their wings. This time, they each channeled the energy into a more confined space, letting it circulate more and more fiercely. The electricity began to charge the air around it, changing its quality, forming to orbs of plasma that dangled from their outside wings like ripe fruit.

Rolling her body, Scootaloo swiped the wing that was holding her plasma orb towards Dawn, lobbing it straight at him. Across from her, Dawn did the same. They caught the orb that the other had thrown, rolling them across and around their wings much like the jugglers Scootaloo had once seen at a carnival do with balls. As they juggled the orbs they'd caught, the lightning sparked across their wings again to create a second, so that they were now juggling two orbs of volatile plasma each.

Through the humming buzz of the accumulated electrical energy that filled the air, Scootaloo could feel the faint buzz of tension from the audience below as they leaned forward in their seats, most of them stunned by the dangerous feat that she and Dawn were performing. Her continued practice and training in the Gale King had made Scootaloo somewhat inured to the practice of generating and controlling lightning. It had become a mundanity for her. However, to most pegasi, it was practically an impossible feat, one that many of them had never expected to witness in their lives. Their excitement was palpable in the air. It surged through Scootaloo, filling her with exhilaration.

Even as she basked in the excitement of the moment, Scootaloo's body was already moving onto the next steps of the form of its own volition. The past couple months of endless repetition allowing her to act and move without thinking, responding automatically to any moves that Dawn made.

In the course of their circling, they had moved closer and closer, to the point where their wingtips were only a meter away from each other. Simultaneously, Scootaloo and Dawn rolled one plasma orb each across the length of the wing on the inside of their circle. They directed the orbs so that they met in the center. Rather than clashing, Scootaloo and Dawn worked carefully, molding and merging the orbs together until a new one hung, suspended in the air between them, blazing like a miniature sun.

Scootaloo whipped her body into a roll that carried her over the top of the plasma, while Dawn went into a roll that carried him beneath it, the hairs of his mane nearly grazing the top of the cloud column as he did so. The roll brought the small orbs they held in their outside wings around so that they could then add those orbs to the larger one, merging them together and increasing the size of the orb again. It now blazed atop the cloud column like the lantern of a lighthouse, throwing out its radiance in all directions, easily eclipsing the recently-dimmed stadium lights. Down below, ponies in the audience shielded their eyes, squinting now that Dawn and Scootaloo were shadows dancing between them and the small sun.

This was the most difficult part of their performance. Though Dawn and Scootaloo looked as though they were doing the same thing, calmly circling the large plasma orb, they were in fact working on separate tasks. As he circled around, Dawn moved to a slightly higher altitude, using his magic to increase the orb's charge while still maintaining its shape. Down below slightly, Scootaloo began to forcefully direct air into the charged mass, compacting and energizing it. The whole thing was dangerously close to exploding in dramatic fashion. This close, both she and Dawn were at serious risk. They'd practiced this move thoroughly and had gotten it to work...seven out of ten times. Thankfully, their skill with the Gale King allowed them to avoid injury. However, failure of the move would nip their finale in the bud, as it always left them tumbling after it happened. There was no way they would be able to pass it off as just "part of the show."

The key lay in breaking off at just the right moment. Scootaloo completely let go of her conscious thoughts, forgetting about the crowd far below, her aspirations, and her desire to prove herself. She lost herself completely in the feeling of the two things that truly mattered at this moment: Dawn and the plasma approaching critical mass between them.

Then she sensed it, the instant the orb was on the verge of exploding across the sky. Abruptly, she broke off feeding air into it and moved up on the same level as Dawn. She felt him push down slightly on the orb and it exploded...exactly the right way.

With a low boom that resounded for miles, the orb exploded outward, blooming across the sky like a massive flower, the shockwave blowing away the cloud column it had formed above. The petals of said flower dissolved into whipping veils of shimmering light that danced in the sky above the stadium, shimmering blue and green, with flashes of purple, pink, and orange. The artificial aurora writhed above the Cloudeseum, performing a dance of its own.

Still circling, they dipped their flight down. Scootaloo was unable to keep from giggling as she passed through the aurora and it swept across her, leaving a faint tingling sensation behind it that tickled slightly. After this, it was a simple, slow, continuous circle back to the floor and a smooth landing at the staging area...

Then Dawn broke from the routine. A tingle of panic swept through her as she sensed him break off from the circle they'd always practiced. Was something wrong? Had she missed something? However, Dawn maintained his rhythm, keeping his wingbeats in synch with her, telling her that this was deliberate and that he was improvising something. It also told her to continue on as usual.

Dawn swooped upward, passing through the flickering veils of charged air and went into a series of rapid, tight rolls. To Scootaloo's amazement, she watched as the aurora wound about his body, swirling about him like he'd just flown through a massive spider web. Dawn pulled his ascent into a tight loop that brought him in a sweeping descent, pulling the aurora he'd wrapped around himself down with him. The even strokes of his wings reassured Scootaloo that there still wasn't anything wrong. The confidence that instilled in her kept her from flinching as Dawn's arcing flight carried him directly across her flight path so that she flew directly into the auroral veils he was pulling behind him. They settled across her skin, once again covering her body with a gentle, tickling sensation.

She knew what Dawn was doing now. Scootaloo reached out with her magic. The veils of their aurora were streams of atmospheric gas, charged by the intense energy of the plasma they'd gathered. Reaching out with her magic, she held on to the tingling feeling produced by the aurora, causing the glowing streams of light to cling to her body, whipping about in her wake as she continued her circle. At the same time, Dawn was pulling out of his descent and again climbing upward, flying up to gather even more strands of the aurora and pull them down, intersecting Scootaloo's flight at a different angle, once again draping the auroral veils across her body like so much cloth. Scootaloo was now clothed in a dress of shimmering light, the aurora's veils whipping about in her wake like strips of a long skirt.

A grin found its way onto her face. If Dawn could improvise, then so could she. As Dawn made a third pass, drawing most of the remaining aurora behind him, she flew through it as usual, but altered her course until she was flying parallel to Dawn, twisting and rolling until they were flying nearly belly-to-belly, their hooves scant inches away from one another.

Scootaloo guided their flight from there. She began to execute a tight barrel roll, using a nudge of wind to direct Dawn into the same motion, causing the two of them to wind around each other as she brought them into a steep descent. Her auroral dress now swirled around both of them, resembling a shimmering, glowing tornado as they descended down to the staging area. At the last second, the two of them pulled away from each other, just above the clouds, and landed simultaneously, flaring out their wings and dispersing the aurora so that it dissolved into streams, then motes of light, then faded out altogether, leaving the two of them facing away from each other, wings raised, their performance unquestionably concluded.

Complete silence greeted them. Panting slightly, Scootaloo held her pose, able to sense Dawn doing the same behind her. Her wing twitched the tiniest bit, sending a gentle breeze that brushed across his feathers. Dawn returned the gesture of silent assurance.

It began gradually. From the Royal Box, Scootaloo could hear Sweetie Belle suddenly screaming her lungs out, the sound of her voice powerful enough to be heard across the Cloudeseum as she cheered wildly. The rest of their friends were only a beat behind her. The cheering caught on and the crowds surged to their hooves, bellowing and shrieking their approval, clapping hooves together fiercely or smacking them into the cloud floors as hard as they could. The crowd's roar of approval thundered throughout the stadium, making Scootaloo's bones thrum as a grin broke out across her face. She lowered her wings, relaxing. Dawn did the same and they turned to face each other.

"We did it," she said, still scarcely believing it.

"That we did," said Dawn, walking over to within reach of her and kissing her on the lips.

They leaned in and pressed their necks against each other, Scootaloo reveling in the sense of Dawn's nearness, of just being able to rest up against him for a minute. They held it for a little bit, but then Dawn whispered into her ear, "We should probably get out of the way so they can send out the next pony."

Scootaloo nodded against him and they headed back to the waiting area. As they closed in, they could see several of their fellow competitors gaping unashamedly. More than a few of them were cheering along with the crowd, not seeming to care that their performances had been spectacularly outshone. Sunflower reared up, resting one forehoof on the railing to support her weight as she waved frantically with the other, grinning from ear to ear as they came in for their landing.

"That was the coolest thing I've ever seen!" she shouted, barely able to make herself heard as the three of them were swallowed up by a crowd of other competitors, many of them slapping her or Dawn's back in congratulations for the incredible display.

Though she was hemmed in by exultant ponies on all sides, Scootaloo could feel beyond the reaches of the crowd with the wind. She could tell that a few ponies weren't joining in on the congratulations. Some were sulking at having their performances blown out of the water. Others appeared angry. Probably, she reasoned, because they didn't notice that tandem performances are allowed under the rules. There was one in particular she could sense, a pony whose outline felt especially familiar, Cyclone. She stood on the fringes of the crowd, the tension in the lines of her body and the faint trembles making their way up and down her legs betraying her rage. Serves her right, thought Scootaloo before turning her attention back to Sunflower.

The excitement was so overwhelming that the last three competitors progressed through their routines virtually unnoticed by their fellows. It was hard to tell, given their current circumstances, but she suspected the audience's response to those last few performances was decidedly lackluster as well. She felt a twinge of sympathy for those ponies, feeling that she'd inadvertently reduced the appreciation they were due for the hard work they'd undoubtedly put into their routines.

Still, as Dawn wrapped his wing around her once more, it was hard to feel down considering all the praise they were being showered with. Besides, she felt that they had more than earned the response they had received. Even if certain other ponies felt otherwise.

As the competition drew to a close, ponies waited with baited breath for Spitfire and Princess Celestia to announce the winner and the runner-ups. As they deliberated, the staff closed the floor and shaped some clouds into a raised stage, along with a podium where the announced winners would stand when their names were called. In the meantime, the participants were assembled on the rest of the stadium floor, waiting eagerly for the competition results.

Celestia and Luna descended from the Royal Box, stooping gracefully, they landed off to the side of the winners' podiums. Spitfire landed a beat behind them, the two Wonderbolts that had been sitting next to her following in her wake.

Celestia swept her eyes across the group of pegasi assembled in front of her. "I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your participation. You have all performed exceptionally well and this has been on of the finest competitions I have seen in many years." She smiled fondly at them, her warm approval making the speech genuinely encouraging, rather than patronizing for all of those ponies who would not be flying home with the victory this evening. "And now, Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts will announce the winners."

Spitfire stepped to the fore and coughed to clear her throat. "Now then, the third-place winner is Cyclone of Cloudsdale with her incredible acrobatic display."

The sounds of applause, clopping hooves, and cheers accompanied the white pegasus as she stepped up onto the lowest platform of the podium. One of the Wonderbolts that had accompanied Spitfire fluttered over to hang the bronze medal around her neck. Cyclone smiled politely and nodded to the Wonderbolt as he gave her his congratulations, but her eyes told a different story, glittering with frustration and anger.

"In second-place, with her impressive skill at cloud control, we have Sunflower of Cloudsdale," continued Spitfire.

Sunflower yelped with surprise. Dawn had to gently nudge her in the direction of the podium before she got the idea and flew over, applause and cheers following her the entire way. There, the second of the two Wonderbolts with Spitfire hung the silver medal around her neck. Sunflower stood there, dazed, clearly having trouble taking in what had just happened. Scootaloo was surprised to see Cyclone look over at Sunflower and give her an approving smile before turning to face forward once more.

"Finally...in first-place...for the most incredible display I've seen since Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom...Scootaloo and Dawn Lightwing of Ponyville!"

Dawn and Scootaloo flew to the podium and alighted on the tallest of the three platforms. The space was a little cramped, but they managed to both fit on there without edging each other off. As they got settled, Spitfire herself fluttered over, Princess Celestia walking up behind her. Celestia hefted a pair of gold crowns, shaped to resemble laurel wreaths, in her magic. Spitfire took one and settled it onto Scootaloo's head and then took the other to settle onto Dawn's. She grinned at them, pride clear in her eyes. "It's with great pleasure that I hereby pronounce you two the Best Young Fliers of this year's competition."

The audience and their fellow competitors erupted into cheers, with the notable exception of Cyclone, who glared at Scootaloo in quiet fury.

"That was awesome, squirt! I'm so proud of you!" Rainbow Dash wrapped Scootaloo up in an enthusiastic hug, her wings flapping to lift them both off the clouds and spin them around through the air before letting her go.

"Aww...thanks, Rainbow," said Scootaloo, blushing fiercely.

"I knew you two could do it," said Rainbow, settling back onto the floor again.

"You two were perfect together," added Soarin', also grinning widely at them. "I think Spitfire's eyes were about to pop from her head."

Nearby, Fluttershy was nuzzling Dawn lovingly as he held Larksong in his forelegs. The filly had tried to give him an energetic congratulations, but was too tired and had fallen asleep shortly after the competition had ended. Depositing her on his back, Dawn nuzzled his mother back before dipping down to gently nuzzle Pepita, who was asleep in his sling.

"You were incredible," said Caramel, gently rubbing a hoof along Dawn's back, careful to avoid disturbing Larksong. "I'm glad the two of you managed to work things out."

"Yeah," said Dawn. "Me too."

"I'm so excited!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, bouncing in place. "We need to celebrate. It's time for a party!"

"Hay yeah!" agreed Rainbow, pumping a hoof excitedly.

"Easy there," said Twilight, laying a hoof across Rainbow's shoulders. "Let's not get carried away." She gave Fluttershy, Dawn, and Caramel an apologetic grin. "We should get the little ones settled first."

"Oh..." said Rainbow, grinning sheepishly, "...right."

Scootaloo yawned. "I'm feeling a bit sleepy," she admitted. "Maybe we should just get dinner and call it a night. We've got our day with the Wonderbolts tomorrow so...maybe we should hold off until then."

"Um...that's just for you and Dawn," Twilight pointed out.

"Actually, I think it's fine if we bring a few guests," said Scootaloo. "I don't think Spitfire will mind. Besides, there's another friend I want to bring with me."

"Who?" asked Twilight, canting her head.

Grinning, Scootaloo looked over her shoulder in the direction she knew the other mare was. "Come on out, Sunflower. What are you doing hiding anyway?"

Cautiously, Sunflower crept out from behind a pillar. "B-but th-that's Princess Twilight Sparkle," she protested.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, mimicking Twilight's gesture as her head tilted. "So...?"

"I-is it okay?" asked Sunflower.

"Sure," said Scootaloo, trying her hardest not to giggle. Beside her, Dawn was not being nearly as restrained, though he was at least resorting to his trick of pretending to cough. "Twilight's a cool pony. I've known her since I was a little filly and since before she was a Princess. Trust me, she's just a fussy librarian underneath it all."

"See if I ever give you another extension on your late fees," muttered Twilight, giving Scootaloo a mild glare and a snort.

Seeing Twilight grumble and her friends gently needled her, as though she were a normal pony, seemed to encourage Sunflower to come closer. To her surprise, Rainbow Dash trotted past Scootaloo to come right up in front of her.

"So you're the mare who got second-place," observed Rainbow, smiling. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Rainbow Dash."

"I know-I mean...Meased to pleet you," said Sunflower, her words failing her as she tried to overcome the fact that one of the Wonderbolts was talking to her as though it were a perfectly normal thing.

Rainbow couldn't help but laugh at Sunflower's awkwardness before holding up a hoof. "That was a great routine you put on, by the way. It's way better than anything I could do when I was your age...except for the Sonic Rainboom, of course."

"O-of course," said Sunflower, her expression growing dazed again as she shook Rainbow's hoof.

"If she's like this now, how do you think she'll handle the others when she meets them tomorrow?" asked Dawn, smirking as he shared a glance with Scootaloo.

"I don't know," admitted Scootaloo, returning his smirk. "But I kinda wanna see it."

"So," said Rainbow with a wry grin, "since you already know who I am..." She chuckled at Sunflower's embarrassed "eep!" "...I'm guessing you already know my soon-to-be husband and perennial goofball, Soarin'."

"I'll have you know that I'm only an annual goofball, thank you very much," said Soarin' sardonically as he came up to stand next to Rainbow, only to receive an elbow to his ribs in response.

Sunflower let out a startled giggle. She quickly covered her mouth, mortified that she'd laughed at two of her idols. However, both Soarin' and Rainbow gave her warm smiles and stepped up to either side of her, gently draping their wings across her back.

"Take it easy, kiddo," said Rainbow, "We're normal enough as ponies go. You don't have to worry about appearances with us."

"Relax and have fun," added Soarin'.

Looking from one to the other, Sunflower gave a hesitant nod.

"All right!" said Rainbow. "Who's hungry?"

"I know just the place," said Soarin'.

Keeping Sunflower between them, they led the way out of the Cloudeseum.

The restaurant was plenty decent. Even though it was already a little crowded with participants in the competition, their friends and family, and ponies who had come to watch the whole affair, the staff still managed to put together a group of tables large enough to host everyone in their group. Scootaloo imagined that she and Dawn being the winners of the tournament might have had something to do with it. She felt like a celebrity, the way ponies gawked at her and Dawn as they walked past. At least, this time, it was the good kind of gawking, rather than the kind they usually got.

The menu was plenty diverse. Scootaloo was elated to discover that they had a decent selection of fish, but also foods that would better appeal to the earth ponies and unicorns in their group. She and Dawn sat next to Sunflower, who, despite Rainbow's assurances, still clearly felt a little out of place amongst these ponies she'd never met before. Fluttershy settled down over on Sunflower's other side while Coco Pommel and Flitter sat across from her. The three mares, more commonly the quieter ones of the group, were able to strike up a conversation with Sunflower and get her talking about herself.

Once her barriers fell, Sunflower became more animated, happily chatting with the older mares. At one point, she even took a sleeping Pepita in her arms and cooed happily as she rocked him back and forth, unable to stop talking about how adorable he looked.

Smiling at the adorable sight, Scootaloo turned her attention to the couple who were sitting across from her and Dawn. Rumble and Sweetie Belle were speaking in hushed tones so that, despite straining her ears, Scootaloo was unable to make out what they were saying. She picked up the occasional word or phrase, but wasn't able to figure out what they were talking about. She figured it had something to do with the secret project they'd been writing about in their letters.

"All right, you two," she said, "I want to hear it."

"Hear what?" asked Sweetie, blinking in confusion for a moment.

"Your big project," replied Scootaloo. "You've been teasing about it in your letters for months. What are you two up to?"

"I must admit that I am quite curious," added Dawn with a small smile.

"Me too," agreed Spike, who was sitting next to Rumble.

"Add me to that," said Apple Bloom, who was sitting next to Dawn and across from Spike.

Rumble and Sweetie exchanged uncertain glances. "We just weren't sure it was going to go through," said Sweetie. "Rumble and I are still working on presenting the idea to Softhoof. I need to finish my thesis before we can do that so that we have something definite to give to her. I mean...we did already run the the basic concept past her, but she said we need to make sure that we have everything in order and that all our work backs us up before we submit a formal proposal."

"What are you proposing?" asked Dawn, leaning forward.

"Well...I've been looking into cases regarding the foals who end up in the Foal Protective Services' care," explained Rumble. "Some of them come from homes where they've been abused and neglected...sometimes in some pretty terrible ways." He shook his head vigorously. "You have no idea some of the backgrounds these colts and fillies come from. Their parents can make Scootaloo's dad look like a saint."

The remark drew a wince from Scootaloo and an odd look from Sunflower, who was now listening in along with their closest neighbors.

"Sorry," said Rumble, giving Scootaloo a sheepish look.

"It's okay," she said, wrestling down the unpleasant feelings the memory of her father evoked.

Rumble coughed awkwardly. "Anyway. Once they get the foals away from their abusers, they either get put into an orphanage or into a foster home, depending on their location and what resources are available."

"The problem," said Sweetie, "is that, in a lot of these places, it's hard to meet the foals' needs because there are more than a few of them and not all of them need treatment for their traumatic experiences, but the foals who go into the system for other reasons have needs too. It's hard to minister to everypony's needs all at once. Sometimes the problematic foals, the ones who go through serious trauma get sidelined and don't get the treatment they need."

"Or sometimes there just aren't relevant therapists available," added Rumble. "The Ministry of Welfare does their best, but it's hard to look after the needs of everypony when there are so many others who need to be seen to."

"That's where our idea comes in," said Rumble, "Sweetie and I proposed opening up a home specifically for foals who have gone through severe abuse or neglect, the ones dealing with serious trauma."

"When the foals arrive, I use my musical therapy techniques to help treat them," said Sweetie. "We're breaking new ground over at the university in all the ways we can help ease the difficulties of foals who are suffering from abuse in their old homes."

Rumble smiled and nodded. "We'll have other kinds of therapists available, so that we can provide for more diverse needs and draw from a spectrum of different treatments."

"Sounds big," said Spike.

"Well...it's kinda big," admitted Rumble. "We aren't looking at anything the size of a full-scale orphanage. But it's going to be a fair bit bigger than a regular foster home. There could be anywhere from fifteen to twenty foals living there at a time."

"That few?" asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow.

"Fortunately, cases of abuse aren't exactly rampant," said Rumble, "And this is primarily for the foals who would fall through the cracks otherwise."

"And if it works well, we can start setting up similar places in other towns," said Sweetie, a wide grin on her place. "This could be the start of something huge!"

"That's pretty neat," said Scootaloo, smiling at her oldest friend. "I really hope it works out."

"Me too," said Dawn.

The group chatted more, taking the opportunity to catch up. By the time dinner was over and dessert had been consumed, Scootaloo's eyelids were drooping. Looking next to her, she could see that Dawn was starting to look sleepy too. "I think it's time for us to call it a night," she said.

"Yeah, you two could probably use your rest," said Rainbow Dash, smiling fondly at Scootaloo. "You worked hard today."

"I'll go with you," said Fluttershy, once again taking up Pepita's sling. "It's time to put the foals to bed anyway."

Dawn nodded and settled Larksong back onto his back. She had woken up long enough to enjoy dinner and have some dessert, but had quickly been lulled back to sleep by the comfort of a full stomach. As they headed out of the restaurant, Caramel joined them. As they walked, they talked in soft tones to avoid waking the foals. Arriving at the hotel, Caramel took charge of Larksong so that he and Fluttershy could put her and her little brother to bed. Dawn went to help them while Scootaloo went to the room that she and Dawn would be sharing that night.

Looking around the room, Scootaloo grinned. It wasn't much larger than the room Dawn had rented for them when they had come to Cloudsdale for her Certification Exam. There wasn't much in the way of decor. But that didn't really matter. After all, they would only be in here for a single night. As long as she could share it with Dawn, she didn't really care if the bed was the only feature in the room.

On the far side of the room from the entrance was a door leading out to a balcony. Stepping out onto it, Scootaloo breathed deeply, savoring the night air, thinner and a little bit colder at Cloudsdale's altitude. The stars twinkled brilliantly above and the vistas of cloud buildings stretched out before her. She had to admit, a pegasus cloud city was a spectacular place to watch. However, she much preferred her home in Ponyville all the same.

Her wings twitched and lifted away from her sides as she felt an errant breeze pass over her. Scootaloo frowned, her good mood fading as she recognized the signs of an approaching pony. What was worse, as the pony, who had just passed over, banked around to approach the balcony, Scootaloo could tell exactly who she was.

"It's getting way too late for this," she said, turning to face Cyclone as the other mare came in for a landing.

"This won't take long," said Cyclone, her tone just as flat and dark as Scootaloo's.

"What do you want?" asked Scootaloo, her eyes narrowing. She wasn't in the mood for exchanging barbs with the Little Princess (as Sunflower so aptly called her). She was tired and she wanted to go to bed.

"I want what's mine," said Cyclone. "You cheated in the competition today. I want you to admit it, give up your crown, then disappear back to that dusty hick town of yours and never come back."

"Cheated?" Scootaloo had to fight to keep the word from coming out in a sputter. "How?"

"You and your coltfriend collaborated," replied Cyclone in a matter-of-fact tone. "It's wrong for two ponies to work together in an individual competition."

Scootaloo couldn't stop herself this time, not that she didn't try. As it was, the laugh forced itself out from between her pursed lips before she nearly collapsed against the balcony railing with the force of her mirth.

"Oh my gosh!" she shouted. "That was pathetic! That's your big accusation? Dawn and I cheated by performing together? I don't even..."

"The Best Young Fliers Competition was created for young pegasi to display their skills and strength," said Cyclone in a lofty tone. "Weaklings and clumsy amateurs who have to rely on others to get by have no place in it."

"Wow...Who's been feeding you that manure?" asked Scootaloo. "'Cause I'm pretty sure my friend, Apple Bloom, would love some fertilizer." She took a second to get herself back together. "You didn't have any idea did you? You didn't realize that the competition rules cover tandem flights."

"Those dusty old rules are relics of a different era," declared Cyclone. "They have no place in the competition as it stands in this day and age."

"You're gonna have to take that up with Spitfire and Princess Celestia," said Scootaloo. "Because they certainly had no problems with those 'dusty old rules.' Just because nopony wants to do a tandem performance anymore doesn't mean that it suddenly became a rule that they couldn't be done. If that was the case, Dawn and I wouldn't have made it past the registration desk."

Cyclone snorted angrily, her nostrils flaring. "Your argument has no basis, considering that the judges were clearly biased in your favor."

"Huh?"

Cyclone smirked at Scootaloo's confusion. "Did you think ponies wouldn't notice? I know that you're very close friends with Rainbow Dash and that you've met Spitfire before. Obviously the judges were prepared to come down on your side, no matter how pathetic your performance was."

"Obviously," deadpanned Scootaloo. "Wow...So that's your trump card, huh? You're saying we won because I'm friends with Rainbow Dash and she got Spitfire to pick us as the winner."

"Of course," said Cyclone, her nose rising. "There's absolutely no way a low-class mare like you would have won otherwise."

"Uh huh..." Scootaloo stared hard at Cyclone. "I wonder what it's like to live where you are, 'cause you sure don't live in the real world."

"What?" Cyclone took a step back, apparently confused that Scootaloo hadn't admitted defeat.

"Go ahead and say whatever you like," continued Scootaloo. "Dawn and I won the competition fair and square. If you don't like it, go ahead and take it up with Spitfire. I dare you." She smiled thinly at her adversary. "I hope you're wearing something fireproof when you do. I know Spitfire doesn't like it when ponies lob accusations like that at her."

"Y-you won't get away with this," snapped Cyclone. "I won't be outdone by failures like you or your father."

That gave Scootaloo pause. What does Dad have to do with this?

"If you're not going to cooperate, then fine," continued Cyclone. "I'll take what's mine however I have to. You'd better watch your back." She leapt over the balcony railing and spread her wings, swooping away.

"Hey! Wait!" shouted Scootaloo, reaching out with a hoof. If she wanted to, she could have given chase. However, she decided it wasn't worth it. After all, Cyclone had made it perfectly clear that she would be back. But Scootaloo wanted to know what had Cyclone referring to her father all of a sudden.

"That was...different."

Turning around, Scootaloo saw Dawn standing at the door to the balcony, watching Cyclone leave with an impassive expression.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo. "She takes being a bad sport to a whole new level."

Dawn tilted his head, his eyes still fixed on Cyclone's retreating figure. "Did you sense anything odd about her?" he asked.

"Odd...?" Scootaloo blinked for a second. "You mean, aside from the obvious?" After all, Cyclone had just shown up and insisted that they should turn over their crowns to her as though it was her natural right. Scootaloo wasn't entirely sure that there wasn't anything odd about that.

"She was arrogant, yes," admitted Dawn. "But there was something different just now, underneath it all."

Scootaloo's ears lowered. For all that she had learned about the Gale King, Dawn was still a good bit more perceptive than she was. He attributed it to his practice of feeling the breath of other ponies through the wind, something about how it connected their Inner World with the Outer World. Scootaloo had yet to understand it perfectly. However, she had no doubt of his skill. "What did you sense?" she asked.

"Desperation," replied Dawn. "She hid it well, but she feels as though our crowns might mean life or death for her...or something close to it, in any case."

That gave Scootaloo paused. She'd thought Cyclone wanted their crowns, but had never thought that Cyclone wanted them that badly. "Why?"

"I don't know," said Dawn. "But, in due course, I am certain we will find out."

"Yeah," said Scootaloo. She was still wondering where Cyclone's bringing up her father came into all of this.

Then she sighed. "This is ridiculous. It's not like she can do anything to us. I'd feel sorry for her if she tried."

Dawn nodded and smiled. "That's true. I don't think we have anything to fear." He walked over to drape a wing across Scootaloo's back. "Let's get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow."

Smiling at the thought of hanging out with the Wonderbolts, Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah." Tomorrow was going to be an incredible day and there was no way that Cyclone could ruin it.

Author's Note

I will begin this note with a disclaimer. I am not an expert on physics, so I hope you can understand if I don't know all the nuances that go into generating an aurora. Fortunately, when it comes to ponyfiction, we have the best trump card to fall back on...

...and let's leave it at that shall we. My lack of understanding of the nature of thermodynamics already triggered a massive discussion in the comment section of the bonus chapter for Dark Matter that I completely lost track of after a while. I'd really rather not burry the comments section of this story under a similar discussion.

While I'm sure there a few actual errors, I would like to highlight that Sunflower's little spoonerism when meeting Rainbow Dash was intentional. I was actually inspired during the editing process by Scot Lang's intro-scene in Civil War, which got me thinking that it would be fun to insert a line like that in here. It actually makes me remember how much I miss having Terry Foy visit our local Renfair and tell stories entirely in spoonerisms...fun times...

Next chapter: Scootaloo really ought to know better than to hoof the universe a straight-line like that.

Family Reunion

Chapter 9: Family Reunion

Scootaloo woke bright and early the next morning, accustomed to the habit of getting up when the sun was only just barely rising above the horizon. She opened her eyes, blinking slowly. She felt wonderful. Granted, that was to be expected. The performance, while an intense exercise, required less exertion than one of her and Dawn's usual sparring sessions. The anxiety that had led up to it meant that her fatigue had been more mental than physical.

Of course, even if she had still been tired and sore after her night's sleep, Scootaloo figured that waking up in Dawn's arms, his chin resting on top of her head and his wings wrapped around her, was almost as good as a soak in a long, warm bath for soothing her aches. Pulling far enough away from him that she could raise her head and look him in the eye, she saw that Dawn was already staring back at her. She was not at all surprised to see that he was awake before her.

"Good morning," he said softly.

Scootaloo kissed him before answering. "Good morning." Then she yawned. Dawn might have long ago mastered the art of coming instantly to wakefulness, but she still needed a few minutes to get her brain running at full speed when she woke up. Then again, if she had spent an entire year in a monster-infested wilderness by herself, she'd probably be quick to wake up too. "You gonna get up?"

In answer, Dawn's forelegs tightened their hold on her, pulling her back against him and tucking her head back under his chin. "Nope," he replied flatly, making Scootaloo giggle. She snuggled up closer still and relaxed, closing her eyes, not quite going back to sleep, but still basking in the warmth of Dawn's arms and wings as he held her. After what they'd done yesterday, she had absolutely no problem with having a lie in until the rest of their group got up.

They enjoyed an hour of peace and contentment before they figured they'd best get up and get ready. Scootaloo took the first turn in the shower. Once she had gone and Dawn had finished and they'd finished the rest of their morning routines, they adjourned to the hotel lobby to wait for the others, sipping at glasses of juice as they waited.

Gradually, the rest of their group streamed into the lobby, coming singly or in pairs. When Rarity, the last of their group to come from her room, joined them, they went across the street to a diner that Soarin' recommended for breakfast. Ultimately, not everypony was going to join Scootaloo and Dawn for a day with the Wonderbolts. In fact, after breakfast was finished, most of the group returned to Ponyville. By the time Soarin' and Rainbow led the way to the Wonderbolt Headquarters, only a few remained, mainly Dawn's family. The rest ended up returning to Ponyville (or Canterlot and Trottingham in the respective cases of Rumble and Sweetie Belle), feeling the weight of their own commitments and not wanting to crowd the Wonderbolts too much. Fluttershy and Caramel brought the foals, figuring that this would be a fun experience, especially for Larksong.

When they arrived, Scootaloo and Dawn both felt the faint buffeting sensation of approaching wingbeats. Looking up, they spied a familiar and welcome mare as she swooped down to join them.

"Hey," said Scootaloo as Sunflower came in for a landing in front of them. "You made it."

"Thanks for having me," said Sunflower, her cheeks reddening.

"Huh, and here I was expecting you to bring the whole gang."

They looked up to see a an orange mare with a yellow and orange-striped mane waiting for them at the top of the stairs leading to the headquarters' main entrance. Spitfire smiled wryly as she surveyed the group. "Nice to see you kept the numbers manageable."

Scootaloo and Dawn exchanged a quick glance before looking back at Spitfire and shrugging in unison. "Not for lack of trying," Dawn replied just as wryly.

"Considering everyone who was hanging out with Princess Twilight in the Royal Box, that makes me happy," said Spitfire with a sardonic smile. "Come on in."

Sunflower's eyes roamed over everything as they entered into the compound, taking in everything that she could, certain that this opportunity would never come again. It took her a moment to realize that the only other ponies doing the same were Larksong and Pepita, the former squealing and bouncing on her brother's back, while the latter observed his surroundings with the same quiet interest that he did everything else. Scootaloo was already chatting quietly with Spitfire while Dawn listened in, occasionally giving his younger sister a fond look as she let out another excited squeal and bounced on his back.

"You've been here before, haven't you?" she asked, coming up next to Dawn.

"Occasionally," said Dawn. "We've visited Rainbow once in a while, so we are somewhat familiar with the place."

"That's kinda why they asked you along," said Rainbow, coming up on Sunflower's other side. "I worked hard to win the competition in my day and the chance to spend a day with the Wonderbolts was a big deal for me too. Dawn and Scootaloo are kinda used to it by now, for more reasons than one, so we figured that you should at least get the benefit of something that you don't get to do on a regular basis."

"But I..." Sunflower found herself looking down.

"Hey. Any other year and you'd probably have come in first," said Rainbow. "Scoots and Dawn just happened to put on one hay of a show. They've spent years polishing the skills they used last night. What you accomplished is nothing to be ashamed of. You've earned your right to be here in my book."

"Thanks," said Sunflower.

Spitfire slowed down so that she could move behind Scootaloo and Dawn and come up alongside Sunflower. "I have to say, that was a very impressive display yesterday," she said, giving Sunflower a warm smile.

"Th-thank you!" Sunflower blushed brightly, amazed that the Captain of the Wonderbolts was praising her performance.

"To be honest, I've never seen a pony with so much skill for complex wind current manipulation," continued Spitfire. "There's nopony in the Wonderbolts who could do what you did."

"Huh?" That got Sunflower's attention. "B-but...you're the Wonderbolts. You're the best fliers in all of Equestria."

"For a given definition of the word, 'best,'" said Spitfire, "Sure, the Wonderbolts are trained to fly longer and harder than anypony else. We're also able to handle the absolute worst weather imaginable, among other things. But we all have our own specialties, the things we're really good at. But nopony on my team currently has skills like yours."

Sunflower's cheeks burned an even brighter red. Spitfire couldn't help but chuckle and drape a wing over the younger mare's back. "You have a lot of potential kiddo. If you aim high, I'm pretty sure you've got the skills to get there."

"Thank you," said Sunflower, her voice barely audible.

"Come on," said Spitfire. "Since you're a special guest, you get to see all the things that aren't on the tour. Let's get started."

Sunflower was fairly certain that her eyes would explode from everything that she saw as they made their way through the Headquarters. Many parts of the cloud compound, which sprawled over a fair-sized corner of Cloudsdale and towered impressively over many of its neighbors were fairly mundane in nature. There was a mess hall, lounges, indoor training rooms, some packed with obstacles, while others featured heavily padded walls, ceilings, and floors. There were multiple lounges, with large, soft, cumulous couches for tired Wonderbolts to rest on between practice sessions, performances, and their regular duties.

On an average day, ponies might be led on tours through these sections of the building. If they were lucky, they might catch a glimpse of an actual Wonderbolt as she made her way from one section to another or relaxed on a lounge couch. However, that was the extent of what the average ponies got to see.

Spitfire led them deeper into the compound. Sunflower got to see the formidable stormnaseum, the fearsome construct of nearly black storm clouds that hovered at the rear of the compound. The stormnaseum interior could be set to mimic any number of countless weather patterns, simulating everything from severe thunderstorms, to tornado-force winds, to even the conditions of volcanic eruptions (with chili powder in place of volcanic ash).

To Sunflower's amazement, she got to see even more of the compound than she'd expected. They got to see some of the Wonderbolts' private rooms, which were, in their own way, even more amazing than what the rest of the compound had to offer.

Spitfire's room was relatively modest, with a nice, homey look to it. What got Sunflower's attention was the phoenix who rested on a perch in one corner of the room. The bird was a magnificent specimen, somehow managing combine the features of a peacock, swan, and eagle into the same body. His long, arched neck, suggested a swan, while the jewel-like plumes of shimmering colors that dangled from his tail were reminiscent of a peacock. Finally, the bird's hooked beak was most definitely like that of an eagle or another bird of prey. The plumes aside, the feathers along his wings also shimmered with a variety of colors that danced, almost making them seem as much like tongues of fire as anything else. He turned his intelligent gaze on the visitors and cooed a greeting.

"Hey there," said Scootaloo, raising a hoof. "Long time, no see."

The bird trilled a response and voiced several sounds as he turned his attention to Fluttershy.

"I'm doing very well, thank you," said Fluttershy with a happy smile. "Thanks for asking."

"Um..." Sunflower gave Dawn a questioning glance.

"Mom can communicate with animals," he explained. "It's one of her special talents. She's in charge of Ponyville's wildlife management."

"Oh..." Sunflower gave the phoenix a dubious glance. "But you can't?"

"Not naturally," said Dawn. "I've learned to understand a little of what Ouranos says, but I'm not exactly fluent. Scootaloo neither."

"Fluent?" Sunflower blinked. "He's just a bird, isn't he?"

The bird whipped its head around, having apparently heard Sunflower's words, despite her low tone, and cawed harshly. The grating nature of the sound causing Sunflower to squeak and take a step back.

"Easy," said Dawn levelly, giving Ouranos a careful smile. "She's never met a phoenix before. Please don't judge her too harshly."

Ouranos's feathers, which had begun to fluff angrily, subsided and he let out one more indignant squawk at Sunflower before turning his attention to other matters.

"Did you understand that?" asked Sunflower.

"Yes," replied Dawn.

"What did he say?"

"You don't want to know." Dawn closed his eyes. "Birds have an amazing vocabulary, especially when it comes to profanity. Suffice to say, it wasn't very flattering at all."

"Oh..." Sunflower drooped. She hadn't meant to insult the phoenix.

"Don't let it get to you," said Dawn with a reassuring smile, "You're not the first pony to make that mistake and you won't be the last. Phoenixes are fully sapient and intelligent as any pony...often more so." He chuckled. "But they are also very prideful and don't like being belittled, even unintentionally. I can't speak for all of them, seeing as I've only met two, but I know that Ouranos can be particularly...touchy about the subject."

"Ah," said Sunflower nodding in understanding.

Dawn opened his mouth to speak some more. But he instead uttered a startled "oof!" as Ouranos' weight suddenly settled onto his back. Ouranos had landed directly on his haunches, looking down curiously as Larksong spun in place on her perch between Dawn's wings to stare in gleeful awe at the phoenix.

"Oooooh!" gasped the filly, looking up at Ouranos with wide eyes, "Pretty!"

Ouranos trilled and preened, clearly pleased with the praise before dipping his head to use his beak to comb through Larksong's mane, the sensation causing the filly to giggle happily. She moved along Dawn's back until she could nuzzle against Ouranos' chest as the bird continued to run his beak through her mane.

"That's so cute," squealed Sunflower, her hooves flying to her mouth.

Dawn gave Ouranos a curious look over his shoulder. "I had no idea you were so good with children," he said.

"He loves foals," said Spitfire, raising a hoof. Ouranos gave the top of Larksong's head one last tap with his beak before fluttering to Spitfire's outstretched foreleg, prompting Dawn to sigh in relief as Ouranos' weight left his back. Ouranos wasn't extremely heavy. But between his weight and Larksong's, Dawn had found himself feeling a little overburdened. Spitfire continued her explanation. "Phoenixes don't reproduce very often. Their mating cycle takes centuries to come around. Thus, they often have a fondness for children of all types."

"So he's your p-" Dawn's hoof over her mouth cut Sunflower off before she could utter the dreaded P-Word.

"Ouranos is one of my oldest friends," said Spitfire, giving Sunflower a knowing smile. "He's also my partner in the field."

"Oh! But I've never seen him during your shows," said Sunflower.

"He's not one for performances," said Spitfire, "But he's with me whenever we have to respond to an emergency."

Sunlfower nodded, a bit surprised by Spitfire's explanation. From the looks Dawn and Scootaloo exchanged with Rainbow Dash and Soarin', she got the distinct impression that the kind of emergencies Spitfire was talking about didn't just involve the odd out-of-control storm system.

After introductions had been made, Ouranos was left to his own devices and Spitfire took the group to see the rest of the Wonderbolts' private quarters, with the permission of their occupants, of course. The Wonderbolts' personal rooms had been modified by their occupants to suit their personal tastes, leading to some eclectic and fascinating developments. Estelle, the Wonderbolts' high-altitude flight and aerial reconnaissance expert had turned her room, the highest one in the compound, into a full observatory, complete with a telescope that offered spectacular views of the stars, with its position at such a high altitude. Silver Lining's room was practically an art museum, featuring the numerous cloud sculptures he had designed. But perhaps the strangest and most amazing room belonged to Wave Chill, the Wonderbolts' resident expert in marine weather patterns. His room was home to a massive aquarium, designed to be a self-sufficient ecosystem, populated by a wide variety of colorful fish and even a few species of relatively small sharks.

They spent quite a bit of time in Wave Chill's room, not in the least because Pepita and Larksong were especially fascinated by the fish, cooing and laughing as Dawn and Fluttershy hovered above the tank, holding the foals just above the water's surface so that they could get a view of all the fish swimming below.

Sunflower's mind was reeling by the time the adjourned for a late lunch in the mess hall. "So what do you think?" asked Spitfire, settling across the table from Sunflower.

"It's incredible," admitted Sunflower.

Dawn and Scootaloo settled in next to Sunflower, setting their trays on the table. Fluttershy and Caramel took seats next to Spitfire, sitting across from them. Rainbow and Soarin' also took seats, sitting on Sunflower's other side.

"That's good," said Spitfire, "You think you have what it takes to be a Wonderbolt?"

"Um...I don't know..." admitted Sunflower.

"Are you interested in being one?"

"Maybe," said Sunflower, looking up from her food. "But I'm not sure."

To her surprise, Spitfire's expression wasn't disappointed, but curious. "May I ask why?"

"Um...well..." Sunflower prodded her food nervously. "I'd kinda thought the Wonderbolts were performers. But it sounds like there's way more to it than that. It's almost like...I don't know...You obviously handle dangerous weather a lot, but...I think there's something else too." She gave Spitfire a speculative look. "It's something you don't talk about to ponies like me...outsiders, that is."

To her surprise, Spitfire was smiling. "You hit the nail on the head," she said, "Yeah, some of our work is extremely dangerous and also the kind of thing we don't tell the public about. You catch onto that a lot quicker than most of our fans." She gave Rainbow Dash a wry smile, prompting the cerulean mare to blush and avert her eyes. "I won't say that you should be a Wonderbolt. But, I definitely think you have what it takes to be one of us in the future."

"Really?" gasped Sunflower, her wings flaring in surprise.

"Yep," said Spitfire, "Which is why I'm extending a special invitation to you three..." She nodded to Dawn and Scootaloo to include them. "...to attend the Wonderbolt Academy's next session."

Scootaloo and Sunflower both gaped at Spitfire. "Are you serious?" demanded Scootaloo.

She had good reason to be skeptical. The Wonderbolts Academy was a very exclusive institution. In the normal course of things, a pony would have to apply and then wait while her physical capabilities and her work history were evaluated in order to determine her fitness. Countless pegasi applied every year, but only a small hoofful made the cut. Being issued an actual invitation, by Spitfire herself no less, was an unprecedented occurrence.

"Yep," said Spitfire, "I think you three are more than up for it."

"Wow!" gasped the two mares in unison. Beside Scootaloo, Dawn looked at his food pensively. Spitfire noticed his silence and raised a curious eyebrow, but otherwise said nothing.

After they finished eating, Spitfire continued their tour. There wasn't a whole lot left to see, so she instead gave them a crash course in some of the ways the Wonderbolts trained. Dawn, Scootaloo, and Sunflower, all got to take a turn inside the stormnaseum on some of its less dangerous settings, trying some of the different tasks Spitfire walked her trainee Wonderbolts through. This was actually something they wouldn't experience at the Academy, but she figured it would give them a good idea of what the Wonderbolts dealt with fairly regularly.

By the time they'd finished their experience, the sun was starting to set. Scootaloo, Dawn, and Dawn's family had to make the trip back to Ponyville, so it was best that they got going while it was still light out.

"Thanks for bringing me along," said Sunflower, smiling at Scootaloo as they made their way to the entrance.

"No problem," said Scootaloo, "I'm glad you got the chance. We should write to each other."

"Sure thing," said Sunflower her cheeks heating up. It had been a while since she'd last made new friends. Cyclone often hanging around her had made that extremely difficult at times, as Cyclone would often actively chase away anypony she deemed unfit to associate with them. Thus, the only ones that usually did were the ponies who were toadying for Cyclone's favor.

As the main entrance to the Headquarters came into view, they could see some sort of commotion. A pair of pegasi from the Wonderbolts' staff had interposed themselves between a trio of ponies standing at the doors and the rest of the building. From the gestures they were making and the tone of their voices, it was apparent they were trying to get the intruding trio to leave, with little success.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but your presence has not been authorized. You aren't permitted to go any further in."

"Get out of my way. If they can let ponies like her in, then they can certainly let me through."

"Not without approval from the Captain. We have to ask you to please leave and send a request for a meeting."

"I will not be shooed away as though I were some lowly paparazzi. I insist on speaking to Spitfire immediately!"

Scootaloo's group paused, watching the scenario unfold. Looking past the staff members, Scootaloo's eyes widened as she saw that one of the three ponies was none other than Cyclone. In what was perhaps the strangest thing Scootaloo had seen from her, Cyclone actually looked nervous and embarrassed as a much older mare, standing a little in front of her, fiercely berated the staff members barring their entry. The mare stood a little bit ahead of and off to one side of Cyclone. Cyclone was also flanked by an older stallion on her other side, also standing a little ahead so that he was abreast with the mare currently causing all the ruckus.

Scootaloo stiffened as she looked at the older ponies, a sick feeling churning in her gut. The mare was an older matron with a regal baring, standing with a flawless posture of superiority, her head held high, her wings calmly tucked against her side, despite her angry tone. Her face was framed with wrinkles and stress lines, clearly visible through the pale-gray color of her coat. Their presence gave her physique a wiry quality that reflected strength, in spite of her advanced age. Her mane was an icy blue and rolled into tight curls in a much more conservative version of the style that Rarity frequently wore. Likewise, her tail was also curled into a tight, elegant style, not so much as twitching as she glared at the staff with flat, gray eyes. Her cutie mark was a trio of clouds linked by lightning bolts.

The stallion's rust-red coat, especially around his face, was just as lined with wrinkles as the mare's. His grayish-blue eyes seemed perpetually narrowed in an angry glare, his nostrils flared in a perpetual arrogant snort. His mane and tail were a silvery gray that was a reflection of his age, rather than their natural color, his mane having been buzzed down so that it scarcely rose an inch above his head and neck. His body was much more heavily built than the mare's, taut and fit, despite the wrinkles, without a single sag or bulge of fat to be seen. His cutie mark was similar to the mare's, being a single cloud with a trio of lightning bolts striking out from it in three different directions.

Scootaloo stared at them, utterly flummoxed by the sight of these ponies. What truly disturbed her was that she knew exactly who they were. She'd never actually met them in pony, but their picture had stood on the mantlepiece above her family's fireplace throughout the years of her early childhood, a photo that had disappeared along with her father when he had been forced out of her family and out of Ponyville.

What the hay are they doing here? she wondered. And why in Celestia's name are they with Cyclone?

The mare, finally noticing the presence of Scootaloo's group halted mid-monologue, pausing her argument with the flustered staff member to shift her eyes to the group and Scootaloo specifically. Her eyes narrowed fractionally and Scootaloo felt as though she were an apple for the mare's inspection, an apple with quite a few worms if the mare's attitude was anything to go by. "You!"

Scootaloo narrowed her eyes in return. "Yeah, it's me."

The old mare ignored the staff members completely, shouldering her way past them, blocking out their startled protests. Behind her, the stallion did much the same, his expression as dark and angry as his companion's, although he seemed content to let her do the talking.

"I see the years haven't improved your attitude one bit," said the mare.

"Like you would know," retorted Scootaloo. "You didn't want to have anything to do with us."

"You haven't learned any respect for your betters, at least," said the stallion, his voice dry and gravelly. He looked as though he wanted to pound the defiance out of her with his bare hooves and was restraining himself only by a slim margin.

"When I meet my betters, I'm sure I'll respect them just fine," sniped Scootaloo. "I certainly don't see anypony like that now."

"Arrogant..." hissed the mare. "It figures that being raised in that pathetic middle-of-nowhere town would leave you with no respect."

"Um...Scootaloo...do you know these ponies?" asked Fluttershy, tentatively stepping forward. Caramel currently held both Larksong and Pepita and had retreated behind the corner of the hall they'd come in from to keep the foals out of sight. Sunflower stayed back with him, clearly unhappy with the thought of a confrontation with Cyclone.

The mare glared at Fluttershy then snorted derisively. "By all means, Scootaloo, introduce us."

Scootaloo snorted in reply, just to show that she wasn't about to do it simply because she'd been told to. "Fluttershy, Dawn, these are my grandparents, Nimbus Stratus and Alto Stratus."

Dawn blinked and stared at them in confusion. "Your grandparents?"

"Yeah," said Scootaloo flatly, "from my dad's side."

Both Dawn and Fluttershy were taken aback by that statement. Scootaloo's father had not been the most pleasant of ponies, relentlessly pushing his daughter in between berating her for failing to live up to his expectations or follow the life path he'd set for her. Ultimately, things had come to a head with Scootaloo's mother leaving him and the stallion himself ultimately being banished from Ponyville for attempting to abduct her. Nopony that they knew had seen him in years.

"It's just as well that you're here now," said Nimbus. "We have a great deal to discuss about your actions these past days."

"We don't have anything to discuss," replied Scootaloo.

"That is not for you to decide," said Alto, his eyes narrowing as he stepped forward next to his wife. "You should not have even been part of the Best Young Fliers competition. Your presence and your actions have turned it into a farce and an insult to Cloudsdale."

"Uh huh," Scootaloo deadpanned, "Whatever floats your boat, gramps."

Alto bristled at her casual dismissal. "How dare you, you little..."

"I think that's enough," said Spitfire, having had enough of watching the drama unfold. She stepped up to stand next to Scootaloo and Dawn, her dark expression enough to make most ponies tremble. Cyclone let out a barely audible whimper and took half a step back, but neither Nimbus nor Alto was cowed.

"Ah, Spitfire, just the mare I was looking for," said Nimbus, turning to address Spitfire as though Scootaloo and her friends weren't even there anymore. "We need to talk about yesterday's competition and address some errors in your judgment."

"Good for you," said Spitfire. "You can leave now."

"Excuse me!" snarled Nimbus, drawing back in surprise. "I believe I was perfectly clear. We. Need. To. Talk."

"Oh, you were plenty clear, just like I'm being clear right now," replied Spitfire. "Leave. We are not talking."

"How dare you?" snapped Nimbus. "I am not some tourist to be shown the door. We have important matters to discuss."

"I don't care," replied Spitfire blithely. "I have a policy against having discussions with mares who think they can get their way if they throw a temper tantrum and flaunt an entitlement complex in my lobby. It sets a bad precedent."

Alto let out a low growl, his body tensing. However, Spitfire met his glare and narrowed her eyes the tiniest bit. Alto abruptly froze in place, his entire body locking up as a feeling of terror washed over him, complete with the sensation that his life was about to meet a very violent end.

"Don't even think about it, bucko," said Spitfire in a cool, dispassionate tone. "You may be old enough to be my dad, but I will not hesitate to beat the tar out of you if I think you're gonna try and force the issue." The force of her gaze actually drove Alto several steps back.

Spitfire snapped her gaze back to Nimbus. "You come waltzing in here like you own the place to try and dictate to me how I should use my judgement. You insult my guests and my friends. That's not gonna fly. You may think you're Celestia's gift to the world, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna take your complaints and your ideas about how things should be and you're gonna walk out the door with them...Now!"

This time, Nimbus was driven back by Spitfire's glare as well. She looked as though she wanted to argue or press her case. However, Spitfire's unyielding gaze brooked no argument and Nimbus backed down. Instead, she settled for directing one last glare at Scootaloo. "This is not over, you little upstart brat. There will be a reckoning for your insulting behavior."

"Whatever," said Scootaloo with a snort. "I'm quivering. Can't you see?"

Nimbus looked as though she wanted to continue volleying insults, but a cough and a pointed glare from Spitfire stopped her cold. Spinning about so sharply that her tail snapped like a whip when she stopped, she marched toward the door. "Come," she said sharply to Cyclone as she walked past the younger mare.

Cyclone's usual haughty attitude was nowhere to be found and she instead fell in meekly behind the two older ponies as they strutted out the door.

When the door swung close, Scootaloo let out a slow sigh and sagged slightly. Dawn wrapped a wing around her and gave her a concerned look. She met his eyes with a tired smile. "That was tense," she said.

"Those two are a couple pieces of work," said Spitfire as the rest of the group came out of hiding to join them. "They've been harassing me at every opportunity since they found out you two were entering the competition: trying to get me to change the rules to disallow tandem performances, talking about how important it is to preserve Cloudsdale's pride, yammering about my potential bias..." She sighed and shook her head. "It must suck to be related to them."

"To be honest, it didn't," said Scootaloo. "This is the first time I've actually met them in pony. They went out of their way to have absolutely nothing to do with us for longer than I've been alive. I don't think they ever forgave Dad for marrying Mom...It's kinda complicated."

That was putting it lightly. It wasn't as though Scootaloo's father and mother had been in some star-crossed romance. In fact, her grandparents' disapproval over his choice of wife had been, more or less, why Cirrus Stratus had married Melon Cream in the first place. Unable to meet his parents' high expectations throughout his life, Cirrus had dealt with their scorn and disappointment over his "failings" by choosing to marry Melon as a way to punish himself, rather than have a wife who met the standards his parents had. Learning that had been the final straw for Melon and their relationship, ultimately resulting in their divorce.

"Yeah," said Spitfire with a wince. "They keep reminding me of what a disappointment their son was and how you would never achieve anything worthwhile in your life."

Rainbow Dash barked out a harsh laugh. "Oh boy! I'd love to see their faces if they knew what the squirt here's already accomplished."

Scootaloo flushed at Rainbow's praise. The major accolade she'd received before the Best Young Fliers Competition was something she typically didn't flaunt, not because she was adverse to being recognized for her accomplishments, but mostly because it would involve explaining the very messy circumstances under which she had earned it.

"It's kinda creepy, really," said Soarin'. "It's almost like they needed Scoots to fail."

"In a sense, they did," said Spitfire quietly. "They made a bunch of predictions about her future and they can't bring themselves to admit they might be wrong about anything concerning her, considering that they'd already rejected her long before she was born. Any evidence to the contrary has to be whitewashed out of existence."

"Are they tribalists?" asked Rainbow.

"Sort of," said Spitfire. "They're of a different stripe than Meadowlark and her cronies. They're loyal to the Princesses and they don't talk down about the other tribes. But they have a 'keep to their own' attitude that borders on isolationism at times. They don't like the idea of pegasi sharing living space with the other tribes, especially if it means living on or near the ground, and they really don't like the idea of mixed marriages."

"Hence why they never talked to Dad," said Scootaloo dryly.

Dawn glanced sidelong at Sunflower, who was staring after the departed ponies with a sad, resigned look. "So they were the 'connections' you mentioned Cyclone having."

Sunflower nodded. "Yeah," she said sadly, "Those two still have a lot of pull with the Weather Bureau. That's how Cyclone managed to get us assigned to the same team and why I can't transfer to a different one."

"So they're...what...sponsoring her?" asked Rainbow.

"Pretty much," said Sunflower, "The way Cyclone put it, they've basically offered to sort of adopt her."

"Sort of...?" asked Dawn, raising a concerned eyebrow, "She's not an orphan, is she?"

"Not really," said Sunflower, "Cyclone has a family. They're not too bad, I guess. The problem is those two. They disowned their son-"

"My dad," Scootaloo put in.

Nodding, Sunflower continued. "And they're too old to have any more kids. So they picked out a few 'promising prospects' and basically set them to compete against each other. The winner will have all the Stratus Family assets signed over to them as an inheritance, along with all the perks that go with it."

"Let me guess," said Scootaloo, "Cyclone came out on top."

"Pretty much," said Sunflower. "But she has to keep living up to their expectations. If she doesn't then they'll pretty much toss her out and focus on another prospect."

"Geez, that's harsh," said Caramel with a wince.

"No wonder she's such a prissy nightmare," muttered Scootaloo. "Now I feel kinda sorry for her."

"I thought she seemed desperate last night," said Dawn, scratching his chin, "I am guessing that winning the Best Young Fliers Competition was one of the hurdles they set out for her."

"Maybe," said Sunflower with a shrug, "She doesn't exactly tell me what they want her to do all the time."

Scootaloo nodded, while Dawn gave Sunflower a concerned glance, raising an eyebrow. Given the circumstances, had he and Scootaloo not been competing then Sunflower would have been the winner of the competition, given the fact that she had been in second place to Cyclone's third. He wondered what the response of the Statuses would have been to that...and what Cyclone's response to their demands would have been. As it was, Cyclone's insistence that Dawn and Scootaloo turn over the accolade of Best Young Fliers over to her also counted as a demand to be elevated over her "friend" in order to be granted first place in the competition. Yet he had also noticed that Cyclone had left any mention of Sunflower or her place out of the conversation any time it had come up.

Glancing past Sunflower at Scootaloo, Dawn used a breeze to gently tug at one of her feathers, letting her know he wanted to talk. She met his gaze and nodded, the two of them deciding to save the conversation for a later time.

"It's getting late," said Fluttershy, taking Pepita from Caramel, who was carrying Larksong on his back. "We should head back to Ponyville."

"Sure," said Scootaloo.

"I guess I'll see you later," said Sunflower, giving Dawn and Scootaloo a wan smile.

Dawn was about to nod when he twitched, his ears pricking upright and his wings extending slightly. The actual movements were tiny, but Scootaloo was the only pony who noticed. Spitfire, Soarin', and Rainbow were too wrapped up in saying goodbye to each other to notice, while Caramel and Firefly were seeing to the foals. At the very edge of the range of his wind-sense, Dawn felt the faint stirrings of moving air from multiple directions, the approach of several ponies, lingering outside his range.

Gently, he sent a breeze that stirred over the tips of Scootaloo's feathers, washing from one side of her back to the other. She blinked and extended her own senses, picking up the same cues that he had.

That was fast, thought Dawn. They only left a couple minutes ago.

He and Scootaloo shared a look and an incremental nod. Under the circumstances, they knew what to do.

"Actually," said Scootaloo, giving Sunflower a grin. "Why don't we fly you home. I'd like to see where you live."

"We'll catch up to you," said Dawn, nodding to his parents, Rainbow, and Soarin'.

"Are you sure?" asked Rainbow. Dawn gave her a serious look and nodded. In the fading light, it was hard to see enough to be sure, but he thought she paled a little under her coat. The faint hitch in her breath he felt through the air. She nodded back at him. Soarin' had not missed the little exchange and, together, they began to herd Dawn's parents and siblings back towards the city's edge, where the balloon was waiting to take them down.

Sunflower, Dawn, and Scootaloo took off. Sunflower led the way towards Cloudsdale's residential districts. They passed over countless cloud houses of an endless variety of shapes and sizes. Thanks to the malleability of cloud construction, pegasi were free to exercise much more individual variation in the designs of their homes, so long at they conformed to certain rules that kept the casual flier from being snagged from some jutting cloud construct or that the houses themselves didn't intrude into the space of their neighbors. Unlike Scootaloo's cloud home, which floated free over Ponyville, the homes of Cloudsdale were joined together along streets and avenues, almost like the kind one would find in a ground city, the clouds merged into a continuous, solid surface. The reason was fairly obvious. Homes meant families. Families meant foals. Open spaces between buildings would mean an oblivious foal, too young to fly, tumbling off to a messy demise.

As they flew, Dawn and Scootaloo could feel the stirrings of the air shifting around them. Their shadows were indeed following them. In fact, just a few minutes into the flight, the pursuing ponies drew in closer, within the reach of couple's wind-sense and allowing them to know exactly where their pursuers were.

Sunflower's flight led them to just one house of many. There was nothing overly distinct about it, though Dawn fancied that it was a bit puffier and fluffier than its most immediate neighbors, giving a softer, milder impression. On either side of the front door were a pair of cloud couches that were little more than puffy pieces of molded cumulous, hovering a few feet above the tamped down clouds that formed the front porch. All told, it seemed a nice place to come home to.

"Good night," said Sunflower, grinning at both Dawn and Scootaloo. "Today was amazing. I hope we get to see each other again. I'll try to write you as often as I can."

"Us too," said Scootaloo, returning the smile. She hugged Sunflower and stepped back so that Dawn could do the same. Sunflower gave them one last wistful smile before she turned and made her way into her home.

"She's nice," said Scootaloo.

Dawn nodded in agreement. The two of them walked away from the door and into the street outside. They stood there for a moment, working out what to do.

"They aren't getting any closer," Scootaloo noted.

"They're waiting for us to get away from the residential district," said Dawn, draping a wing over Scootaloo's back and gently tugging her into a walk, guiding them in the general direction of the section of the city the others would be leaving from. To even the most dedicated observers, the two of them were just a couple seizing a quiet moment together, enjoying the Cloudsdale evening before making their way back to Ponyville, strolling along without a care in the world.

"What do you think they're planning?" asked Scootaloo.

She felt, rather than saw Dawn's shrug. "It's difficult to say. They might simply be planning to attack us and try and take the crowns by force or simply attempt to force us to say we cheated...or something along those lines. We won't know really until they act."

"How should we do this then?" asked Scootaloo. "Head out and pick a nice place for them to try and jump us?"

"As sensible a plan as any," said Dawn with a chuckle. "Though, it's tricky to know where anywhere like that is in Cloudsdale. The best approach would probably be to let them decide. At some point, they will start herding us towards a particular destination. It's best if we let them."

"Okay," said Scootaloo.

The two of them took off and almost immediately saw the 'herding' begin. A pair of particularly burly-looking pegasi swooped in from above, their fetlocks curled around heavy truncheons. They cut across Scootaloo and Dawn's flight path with menacing glares and a brandishing of their weapons, cutting them off from being able to get any higher.

Taking their cue, the couple went into a descent, once again returning to street level. As they landed, another intimidating pony emerged from a side street, while still another brought up the rear. One of the ponies menacing them from above dropped down on the street ahead of them, leaving a break left as the only option.

Dawn and Scootaloo broke into a gallop, turning sharply left and ducking down the side street that had been left open as the only route for them. As she ran, Scootaloo found herself fighting to keep a giddy grin off her face as she realized that their harassers were buying the act hook, line, and sinker. The stallion menacing them from above continued to fly overhead, keeping the aerial route cut off. Another of their pursuers brought up the rear to continue urging them on. The couple could also sense the remaining two of the fearsome foursome taking to the air to move up and cut off other routes of escape to continue adjusting their path.

And so it went. Scootaloo and Dawn galloped along streets, down alleys, and through intersections, two of their pursuers hounding them from behind and above, while the remaining two leapfrogged about to continue cutting off specific routes in order to force them to take another one. At the same time, they sensed other ponies hovering around further out, following the progress of the entire affair at a distance.

Finally, the thugs chased Dawn and Scootaloo into a section walled off from the street. The two of them came to a halt as they saw that they'd been directed into a construction site near the edge of the city.

"Looks like we're here," said Scootaloo, glancing sidelong at Dawn, who smiled back.

Author's Note

I've always had the impression that birds have some pretty filthy mouths. I remember learning once that most "birdsong" is actually very territorial in nature, the avian equivalent of shouting "You want some 'o this, mutherf@*#^!" So I thought it stood to reason that birdspeak actually has quite a bit of profanity.

Next chapter: The beatdown commences.

Exercise in Futility

Chapter 10: Exercise in Futility

Cloud construction looked a good bit different from ground construction. Having visited Manehattan a couple of times, Dawn and Scootaloo had seen big-city construction sites; heavy-girders interlocking into a skeleton of the building-to-be, whilst scaffolding ran up and down its sides like so much red and brown moss. In contrast, Cloudsdale construction was surprisingly clean and tidy. There were no scaffolds, as befitted construction workers who could fly between levels without the need for ladders. In place of girders, flat panels of stiff, construction-grade stratus clouds were shaped into walls, waiting for the layer of cumulous padding that would go over them once the building's shape was complete. Even though the building was, perhaps, only halfway finished, it looked far more complete than its ground-bound cousins did. Clouds, having no applicable weight, didn't require the support that surface buildings did, so upper floors jutted out at angles that would have been just plain wrong for a building made out of steel or wood. The carved cloud columns favored by Cloudsdale architects largely served a purely aesthetic purpose.

Even as they approached, the two young pegasi could sense the presence of additional ponies lurking behind walls and in the upper floors of the unfinished structure, including a few familiar ones.

Scootaloo smirked and chuckled, striding confidently forward. Now that they had clearly reached the destination intended for this confrontation, there was no need to fake being frightened, herded prey. "Really, Cyclone? You're going this far over a couple of gold laurel crowns and a fancy title?"

"There's way more on the line than that," said Cyclone, striding out of the unfinished structure, coming out where the front doors would stand, once it had been completed.

“Yeah, I've heard," said Scootaloo, raising an eyebrow. She glanced over at Dawn again and saw that he was simply standing by impassively, letting her take the lead in this.

"You've heard?" asked Cyclone, her cold, haughty demeanor fading, replaced by a shifty nervousness.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo. "Gramps and Granny are planning for you to inherit and you've gotta prover your worthiness and yada yada..." Scootaloo waved a dismissive hoof. "It's annoying that they're so stupidly picky that they'd make a pony jump through a bunch of hoops for all that stuff."

A pair of shadows moved in the upper stories of the building before leaping out to glide down. Alto and Nimbus Stratus landed on either side of Cyclone, their eyes blazing with anger as they glared at Scootaloo. Whatever plan they had been following had clearly been forgotten.

"Don't you dare refer to us so casually, you little brat!" snapped Nimbus. "We've been more than lenient with you and that mutant freak you've been consorting with. But the time for games is at an end."

Scootaloo bristled at the way Nimbus talked about Dawn, her wings twitching with a desire to strike the arrogant witch down where she stood. However, a gentle breeze teased her primaries on one side, drawing her attention back to Dawn. She didn't need to see him to know he was looking at her. Likewise, without having to take her eyes off of her grandparents, she knew he was shaking his head.

Right, she thought. Don't let them get to you.

Instead, Scootaloo took a breath and let the anger caused by Nimbus' remarks slide off her, like water from the surface of a stone, trickling down to pool somewhere around her hooves. There it waited for the time that anger was needed, for when she needed her passion to fuel her strength. She suspected that time was coming soon.

Instead, she narrowed her eyes and speared Nimbus with a flat stare, one devoid of anger or fear or just about any other emotion for that matter. "What's the big deal anyway? I know the Best Young Fliers Competition is famous and all...but why in the hay would you go all organized-crime over this?"

It was a legitimate question. The Best Young Fliers Competition drew interest and participants from all across Equestria and its results would be related across several countries. As the winners, Scootaloo and Dawn were essentially famous. The gold laurel crowns that they had been given looked wonderful in a trophy case and the title of Best Young Flier looked very good on work applications and resumes. But aside from that and a day to spend with the Wonderbolts, there wasn't all that much else that went with it. Some champions had been sought out for endorsements in the past, but never aggressively and, unless there was some sort of gambling operation involved, there wasn't an expectation of a lot of money changing hooves over who the winner was. Scootaloo got the distinct impression that her stiff-necked grandparents were not running a secret gambling ring and trying to fix the odds. So it begged the question of what else was at stake?

In response to her query, Alto lifted his head and sniffed sharply. "There is no need to explain anything to a half-breed runt from a backwater earth pony village. You have no comprehension of the importance of our city's pride, of promoting the right ponies."

"Uh huh...?" said Scootaloo.

"Forgive me if I'm wrong," said Dawn, actually looking at Scootaloo as he spoke, making it clear to everypony that he was addressing her, "but I seem to remember that Rainbow Dash won the competition a few years back."

"Yep," agreed Scootaloo.

"Did she ever tell you about getting jumped by a bunch of thugs trying to take her crown from her?"

"Nope."

"Huh..." said Dawn, turning his attention back to Nimbus and Stratus. "It seems that was never an issue in previous competitions. Are you sure that there's nothing personal going on here?"

The two elder pegasi winced and shuffled back slightly. Their reaction, however understated, was all that Dawn and Scootaloo needed to confirm Dawn's guess. "Sh-shut up, you freak!" snapped Alto.

"We allowed the issue of Rainbow Dash to slide because she was originally from Cloudsdale," added Nimbus, clearly improvising the excuse on the spot.

"Riiiiiiight," said Scootaloo dubiously. She turned her gaze back to Cyclone, who still stood between Alto and Nimbus, looking out of her depth. As the conversation had gone on, it was ovious that the Little Princess had been sidelined. She was looking back and forth between Nimbus and Stratus in confusion, clearly thrown off by their vehemence.

"And what do you think, Cyclone?" asked Scootaloo. "Are you okay with being used like this? Is the Stratus name and everything that comes with it really worth being used in acts of petty oneupmareship?”

"You're talking to us, you brat," snarled Nimbus. "This does not concern her."

"Are you sure?" asked Scootaloo, canting her head and injecting a taunting tone into her voice. "'Cause I'm pretty sure you two were leaving it up to her until you jumped in." Ignoring their sputtering response, she focused on Cyclone again. "What about you? Are you okay with this? Is being made the winner of the competition on somepony else's say-so really that big an achievement? What about Sunflower?"

Sunflower's name drew a visible wince from Cyclone, prompting her to cringe.

Scootaloo pressed on, sensing a chink in the arrogant mare's armor. "If Dawn and I were to concede anything, that would make Sunflower the winner of the competition. Are you okay with that, or are you supposed to step over her too?"

"I..." Cyclone's mouth worked, but she apparently had no idea about how to answer that.

Scootaloo felt the corners of her mouth turn up into the tiniest of smiles as she realized the reason for Cyclone's hesitation. Even if she's an arrogant priss...she really does care about Sunflower.

Instead, Nimbus answered for her. "Of course she is! That low-class waif is just another tool in Cyclone's arsenal. A tool can never be allowed to outshine its wielder."

"Uh huh...?" said Scootaloo, noting that Cyclone didn't seem to happy with that. She wasn't exactly furious at what Nimbus had just said, but she clearly wasn't comfortable with it either. Scootaloo narrowed her eyes to focus on Cyclone. "Is it really worth it, Cyclone? This is what these ponies want from you, to be somepony who throws away anypony else, tramples your closest friends if they happen to be in your way, and destroy anything you care about so you can get ahead. And maybe that's worth something. Maybe you'll get their inheritance, whatever it is, and maybe you get their pull and influence. But will that really do you any good?"

Scootaloo narrowed her eyes and glared at Cyclone. "When Sunflower sees the pony you're willing to become in order to get what these two feathering jerks have to offer, are you gonna be happy with the look in her eyes?"

"That's none of your business," snarled Alto. "The weight of all that we accomplished, the purpose we bear. We need a pony worthy of that. We need a pegasus with the strength to stand on her own, to accomplish great things with her strength of body and will. She needs the power to bend other ponies to her will so that the necessary things get done. A weakling who relies on friends to help them accomplish anything, who can't manage anything on her own, is worth nothing."

Nimbus' eyes narrowed as her glare intensified. "You are not worthy of the honor you currently bear. A half-breed freak like yourself wouldn't have been able to win that competition without assistance. So you turn to the filthy mutant beside you to give you the edge you need, denying ponies with the strength to compete on their own their rightful chance at victory."

Scootaloo didn't need to fake the yawn that escaped her. In the past, a tirade like this would have had her bursting with simmering anger. The pain of being insulted for the fact that her mother was an earth pony or that her coltfriend sported an unusual set of eyes was still a stinging one. Her grandparents' attitudes weren't all that different from her father's. When she had been a foal, her father's disappointment and disapproval had been like a weight on her back, pinning her down. Every time he scolded her for not living up to his expectations, every time he berated her for wasting her time because she was spending it with her friends, had driven shards of pain into her heart like daggers. The old Scootaloo, the filly under her father's domineering hoof might have been cowed by the angry words and cold stares her grandparents were giving her. But the mare she was now didn't even flinch, because she understood the ponies in front of her.

"Whatever," she said. "I obviously ain't gonna get through to you senile morons. Dawn and I are gonna head home now." She gave Cyclone a serious look. "You really need to think about what you really want and what you're gonna have to give up if you want what these idiots have to offer. But ask yourself, is it worth becoming ponies like them?"

Cyclone's gaze flickered uncertainly from Alto to Nimbus, her expression more uncertain than ever, almost as though she were seeing these two ponies for the very first time and comprehending what they really wanted from her. From the look on Cyclone's face, she was not very happy with the idea of being a pony like them.

"You aren't going home," said Nimbus, pulling the tattered remnants of her haughty demeanor around herself like a ratty cloak. "You will be going to the hospital and your saddlebags will be a little bit lighter. After our ponies are finished with you, I think you'll see the wisdom of admitting your defeat. We can get that in writing at a later date."

Alto nodded to one of the thuggish ponies looming at the entrance to the construction site. "Get them," he said.

Through their wind-sense, Scootaloo and Dawn felt Stratus Family's hired hooves close in. There must have been around twenty of them in total. Faint stirrings in the wind at the edge of her range suggested to Scootaloo that there might be more still. Idly, she wondered just where people like her grandparents found so many thugs to act as muscle for them.1) For most ponies, it would have been impossible odds. Even for skilled fighters, it would have been long odds. For her and Dawn, it was hardly even worth bothering over.

"I'll take 'em," she said.

"They're all yours," replied Dawn with a chuckle.

With a beat of her wings, Scootaloo launched herself into the air. Her attackers did the same, charging at her from all directions. A couple flew low to the clouds and rushed straight at Dawn, who seemed to hardly even notice them. Oh well, she thought wryly, it's their hides.

The air between her feathers buzzed and snapped. She snapped one wing straight out. A bolt of lightning lashed out with a whiplike motion and equally whiplike crack, striking her nearest attacker, who screamed shrilly as arcs of electricity danced across her body, making her muscles spasm. She dropped in less than a second, twitching until she hit the clouds with a dull thud. Thankfully, the cumulous padding around a construction site was a little fluffier and thicker, in case of accidents, so she was unlikely to be severely injured by the impact, though the burns across her skin and the tattered state of her scorched wings indicated she wouldn't be flying for a while.

Scootaloo hadn't even paused after launching her first strike. She whipped the wing she'd just used to launch that lightning bolt around in a tight arc, throwing her body into the motion so that it spun her in a complete circle, the crackling bold of energy trailing along like a streamer. Scootaloo swept it across another six ponies with the attack, knocking them away, screaming in pain and sparking loudly.

The rest of the gang had closed in. A pony came at her from behind and above, his fetlock curled around a heavy truncheon that he swung straight at the back of her skull. Scootaloo ducked without even looking, the wind of the bludgeon's passing teasing her mane as it missed her by mere centimeters. Her wings blurred, moving so quickly that the motion was almost invisible to the naked eye, as she drove a column of air directly up into the stallion's gut. His breath exploded from his lungs and the truncheon dropped from his grip. Wasting no time, Scootaloo used a wing to direct another blast of air across her back, smacking the stallion and launching him into one of his comrades, the next pony who had been closing in on Scootaloo. The two collided with a thud and the crunch of broken bones.

Scootaloo paid them no mind. Another pair of ponies were closing from below, trying to catch her from either side. With a grin, she whipped her wings up, then rapidly, down, swinging them in tight arcs, even as she kicked straight down with her hooves, pushing off of the air itself. Her body seemed to vanish as she abruptly accelerated upwards. At the same time, she used wind currents to gently nudge her two ventral attackers just slightly closer to each other, so that their clubs smacked into each other's faces instead of just whipping through empty air.

"Ouch," she said with a since as she heard still more bones break and the two ponies drop to the clouds, their bodies limp.

The two that had ignored her in the favor of attacking Dawn had closed in on him at that point. The young stallion barely seemed to even notice their presence. Neither of his would-be attackers reached him. Instead, they were slammed straight down into the clouds, as though flattened by powerful hammer-blows. They hadn't even seen Dawn's wings move.

The remaining ponies tried to surround Scootaloo as she rose higher into the air. Scootalo extended one wing out in front of her, then swept it around in a broad arc, putting the strength of her entire body into the motion. Her magic pulled in the air around her and directed it into a small, but powerful tornado. The roaring winds sucked in her remaining attackers, whirling them around her, the screams barely audible over the tornado itself. Scootaloo flared out her wings, forcefully breaking the tornado and sending the thugs flying. A few hit hard against the rigid stratus sheets that formed the structure of the cloud building in front of her. The luckier ones slammed into the padded clouds at the structure's base or were thrown all the way out of the construction site to slam into nearby buildings.

All her current attackers out of commission, Scootaloo exhaled and allowed herself to descend, settling back onto the clouds and regarding Nimbus and Alto with a smirk. "You were saying," she taunted.

Nimbus and Alto stared at her as though she'd grown a second head. They clearly hadn't expected their cadre of thugs to be effortlessly thrashed to within an inch of their lives.

Nimbus was the first to rally, blinking and shaking her head, as though she were trying to clear her vision. "You..." she snarled.

"Let me make this clear," said Scootaloo. "You can't make us do anything. It doesn't matter whether you have twenty toughs or a hundred. They'll go down just as easily. All it does is show exactly what kind of a pony you are."

"This isn't the end of this," said Alto. "You will regret defying us."

"I don't think I will," said Scootaloo. "Why don't you call the rest of your thugs and see what happens?"

The two elderly pegasi froze and blinked. Scootaloo wondered what had caused them to tense up so suddenly. At first, she thought it was surprise at the fact that she'd known about the other ponies waiting in the wings. But then she looked more closely at their faces and realized they were confused.

They don't know what I'm talking about, she realized, which meant that the ponies hovering just outside the reach of her wind-sense didn't belong to the Stratus Family. They were with somepony else. Scootaloo wondered who else would be involved in this whole affair.

She got her answer a few seconds later, when the ponies that had been waiting suddenly rushed in. Once again, there were about twenty of them. But they moved much faster than the last batch of thugs, dashing in with incredible precision and grace as they swooped into cut off all routes of escape. A few of them were armed, but none with the heavy truncheons wielded by the Stratus Family's enforcers. As she felt the thin, supple, mail uniforms they wore over their coats, Scootaloo realized exactly who was moving in, especially once she sensed a certain pony taking the lead.

Spitfire dropped down directly in front of Scootaloo and Dawn, positioning herself between the younger ponies and Scootaloo's grandparents. Cyclone's ears went back and she backed away even further, almost to the point of retreating back into the half-finished building. However, before she could make it, a pair of ponies in gold and blue flight suits landed behind her, cutting off that route of escape.

"Well well," said Spitfire, a smirk on her face. "And here I thought we'd have to wait a lot longer before you two finally showed your true colors."

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Nimbus. "How dare you interfere with us?"

"You interfered first," replied Spitfire blithely. "Besides, I'm well within my rights to have the two of you arrested for attempted coercion through force, among other things. We got to watch the whole thing. It's gonna be enough to put the two of you away for a long time."

"Ridiculous!" shouted Nimbus. "You would support these two brats over us, after everything that we have done for this city."

"These 'brats' have done way more than you have, not just for Cloudsdale, but Equestria itself," replied Spitfire. "And even if that weren't the case, I still think the two of you are overprivileged scum. True, you might have done great things at one time. But you've spent too long basking in the glories of your past accomplishments and think they give you license to do whatever you please. I'm here to educate you otherwise."

"We won't stand for this," protested Alto. "Captain Spitfire, it's clear that your judgment in this situation has been compromised. We are holding you accountable for the bias in your judgments. Since you refuse to take action, we decided to take matters into our own hooves. The Wonderbolts' standards are-"

"None of your concern," replied Spitfire, her voice rumbling like thunder, actually making the clouds around her shake. Her wings flared and her body flashed, releasing a wave of flames outward. The clouds beneath her hooves roiled and turned to steam with a loud hiss as Spitfire stalked forward towards Alto and Nimbus, her anger a palpable force that held them in a vice grip, leaving them with barely enough strength to breathe as she came in closer and closer.

"Let me make this clear," said Spitfire. "I am not accountable to you. There are only about ten ponies in this entire country with the authority to hold me accountable for anything and neither of you are on that list. The standards by which I judge others are mine. The Wonderbolts are mine. You can scream and wail all you want, but nothing will change those facts, least of all a pair of ponies like you."

Alto and Nimbus were reduced to quivering wrecks as they cowered away from Spitfire. Cyclone was even worse off, tears streaming from her eyes as she sank down into the clouds, almost as though she was hoping she could phase through them and disappear.

"Get these two idiots out of my sight," said Spitfire, giving the Wonderbolts standing behind Alto and Nimbus a commanding look. "Turn them over to the Guard with a complete report of the situation. The rest of you..." She looked around at the thugs that had been beaten down by Scootaloo and Dawn, "...take care of these morons. Get medical treatment for the ones that need it and make sure that they're all in custody."

The Wonderbolts snapped into motion to carry out Spitfire's orders. As they did, Spitfire walked the rest of the way up the steps until she stood over the prone and shaking Cyclone. "We need to talk, young lady."

Cyclone squeaked unintelligibly as she stared up at Spitfire with wide eyes. Seeing her fearful look made Spitfire sigh. "Come on. Get up. I'm not gonna hurt you."

Slowly, Cyclone stood up on shaky legs. As she did, her gaze went from Spitfire to Scootaloo, then Dawn, as the latter two came up behind the Wonderbolt Captain.

"Right now, Cyclone, we're gonna have a serious talk about your future," said Spitfire, her voice soft, but her tone firm. She wasn't going out of her way to be intimidating, but she was making it perfectly clear to Cyclone that she wasn't playing around. "As things stand, we have enough evidence to put Nimbus and Alto away for a long time, probably for what's left of their miserable lives. Their assets are gonna end up being seized. Their influence is going to be kaput. The way things are right now, you aren't going to get a single thing from them.

"Where that leaves you is your decision. At the very least, you're gonna be outta the running for any inheritance from them because, once this is all over, there isn't gonna be anything left for you to inherit. In the worst case scenario, you could end up being implicated as an accomplice to their crimes and end up in prison right along with them. Your sentence won't be as severe, but you'll still lose several years of your life and end up with a blemish on your record that's gonna be dogging you for what's left of it."

Cyclone whimpered. As Scootaloo watched the interrogation unfold, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the other mare, despite her previous attitude problems.

"Wha-what do I do?" asked Cyclone.

"You have a few options," said Spitfire. "If you truly feel that you stand behind the Stratus Family and everything that they stood for, you can go down right along with them. But, if you're willing to accept that you were on the wrong path, you need to cooperate with us and the Guard. That means that you'll probably end up testifying against them in court."

"T-testify..." Cyclone's eyes went wide. Her head turned and she directed a horrified glance at Nimbus, who was still going through the process of being restrained by a pair of Wonderbolts. The older mare turned and gave Cyclone a commanding glare, clearly threatening dire consequences if Cyclone spoke out.

"There's a spectrum of options available," said Spitfire. "But cooperating fully and giving your testimony is the only way you're gonna get off the hook without anything more than a slap on the pastern," said Spitfire. She hadn't missed the nonverbal exchange between Cyclone and Nimbus. "Whatever else, you need to know that there's nothing those two can do to you if you decide to speak out. When I'm finished, they won't have any influence at all."

Dawn's ears perked up, prompting Scootaloo to look at him. A second later, she understood why when she sensed another pony approaching through her wind-sense. What was more, she recognized the contours of this pony and the rather unique slipstream she produced as she flew. "Sunflower! What are you doing here?"

"Eek!" squeaked Sunflower, stumbling through her landing, perturbed by the way Scootaloo had addressed her by name, even before turning around to look at her. "Geez! How do you do that?"

"There's a trick to it," said Scootalo with a wry smile. "Again, what are you doing here?"

"I..." Sunflower paused and took a moment to survey everything around her. "I'm not stupid. I knew something was up when you two decided to fly me home. I decided to see what was going on." She sighed. "But I lost you for a little bit. Then I heard thunder and wind over here and..." She waved vaguely at the construction site, where Wonderbolts were still working to restrain and move the thugs that Scootaloo and Dawn had beaten down.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, giving Sunflower an apologetic smile. "Things got a little crazy here for a minute. Cyclone's sponsors decided they weren't gonna take 'no' for an answer and tried to use their hired hooves to force the issue."

"Cyclone, is this true?" Sunflower looked past Scootaloo, Dawn, and Spitfire at Cyclone, "Did you really try to force Scootaloo and Dawn give up their crowns? Are you really that desperate to win?"

Cyclone sniffed and whimpered, shying away from Sunflower's gaze. "I..."

"It sounds more like Nimbus and Alto forced her into it," said Dawn softly, giving Cyclone a small smile. "More than anything, it was clear that they were running the show."

"Given the circumstances, it would be easy to call Cyclone a victim of coercion as well," said Spitfire. "It's obvious that she was mostly trying to follow the demands that Nimbus and Alto laid out for her."

"I...It's true...partly," said Cyclone, sinking down. "Everypony still talks about what they did. Alto and Nimbus have their portraits enshrined in the Flight School's Hall of Fame. Their names are in our textbooks as the ponies who helped revolutionize weather production. They're two of the biggest names on the donor roll for the school." Sunflower nodded in agreement with Cyclone's words.

Cyclone continued apparently unable to stop herself from talking. "When I...When I made it into Flight School on a full scholarship, they came to me. They offered to sponsor me, to help me get ahead once I graduated. They said that I could be like them, that I could engrave my name in Cloudsdale's history. They told me they needed to entrust their inheritance to somepony worthy of it.

"But I wasn't the only one. There were a few others. They told me that only one of us could come out on top, that a pony who wanted to get things done had to be able to make the hard choices and do what was necessary. So I did. I made sure that, no matter what, I was the one who won."

Standing beside Scootaloo, Sunflower shivered. She had known that Cyclone had gone to pretty extreme lengths to keep her standing in Flight School and remain worthy of the Stratus Family's esteem. However, she'd never realized just how far Cyclone had gone.

"And after Flight School?" prodded Spitfire.

Cyclone was weeping openly now. "I guess I satisfied them. After I graduated, they got me and Sunflower top spots as cloud wranglers. When the competition was coming up, they naturally said that a pony worthy of their inheritance would come out on top. Then, a couple months ago, they really started getting pushy about it. They said that I had to do whatever it took to ensure that I took home the crown for Cloudsdale, that I had to make sure that nopony else stood in my way. They said that, if it was necessary, I should do whatever it took to make sure any other contenders weren't able to get the top spot."

"Did they give any names?" asked Spitfire. "Did they list anyone they specifically wanted you to beat out."

"N-not really," said Cyclone. "I recognized Scootaloo's name because they were always ranting about her and her father. After that, I put two and two together."

Spitfire nodded. "Let's get to the Guard station. We'll get the rest of your testimony there."

"I'll come too," said Sunflower.

Cyclone froze in place and stared openly at Sunflower. "Y-you will?"

Sunflower smiled ruefully. "Even though you're a pain in the flank sometimes, you're still my friend. At the very least, I owe you for all the clouds you helped me get so that I could practice my routine."

"Thank you," said Cyclone, her head dropping. "I'm so sorry."

"It'll be okay," said Sunflower, coming up alongside Cyclone and draping a wing over her back. The two of them began to follow the Wonderbolts out.

"As for you two," said Spitfire, grinning at Dawn and Scootaloo, "I'm guessing your friends and family are wondering where you've gone off to."

"Yeah, we should probably get back," said Scootaloo, using a breeze to playfully ruffle Dawn's feathers. "I bet your Mom's getting worried."

Dawn nodded soberly and the two of them said their goodbyes to Spitfire before taking to the air.

About an hour later, the two of them caught up with the rest of their group. Explanations were required, especially since Rainbow had seen the lightning in the distance and had determined that they were fighting someone. Fluttershy and Caramel were shocked to learn that Alto and Nimbus were willing to go so far in order to wrest the Best Young Fliers title from them.

"That seems so...petty," said Caramel.

"That's my grandparents in a nutshell," replied Scootaloo with a sardonic grin. "Oh well. It's all over now. I doubt they're gonna be out of prison soon and they're not gonna have any influence after this."

"I'm glad that everything turned out all right," said Fluttershy as she gently rocked Pepita back and forth. She and Caramel were riding in one of Twilight's hot air balloons, while Rainbow and Soarin' towed the craft along at a decent pace. Both of Dawn's younger siblings were asleep in their parents' arms, snoring gently as the balloon began its descent.

"Either way, I'm ready for bed," said Scootaloo. "It's been a long day."

"Yeah...don't count on it squirt," said Rainbow, giving her younger sister a mischievous smirk.

"What does that mean?" demanded Scootaloo.

"You won the competition, you beat your grandparents' plans, you met the Wonderbolts," said Rainbow, "but there's one big mistake you made."

"Huh? What?" Scootaloo canted her her head as she looked at Rainbow.

"You gave Pinkie Pie a whole day's head start."

Scootaloo's eyes bulged in their sockets and she whipped her head around to stare at Dawn, who was giving her a similarly shocked look. "Um...do you think I can hide out at your place for...like...a couple months or something?"

"I don't think that will help us," replied Dawn.

"We could run away."

"You think that would work?"

"...No."

"Oh well."

"Yeah, time to face the music."

Rainbow's assessment of what lay in wait for them at Ponyville had been impressively accurate. Sure enough, the party was already in full swing when they arrived. Dawn always wondered just where Pinkie managed to procure such a volume of fireworks. Fortunately, Fluttershy and Caramel were able to break away to settle the sleeping foals back into the cottage. Dawn and Scootaloo weren't so lucky, as they were rapidly snared by Pinkie Pie and planted securely in their positions as the guests of honor.

"And don't you even think of running," scolded Pinkie as Rainbow and Soarin' snickered behind her back. "I have a very particular set of skills, skills that make me a nightmare for party ditchers like you. If you stay and enjoy the party, that'll be the end of it. I won't look for you. I won't pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will throw your party."

Dawn and Scootaloo glanced at one another silently. Finally, Dawn looked back at Pinkie, his ears pressed up flat against the sides of his head. "Okay."

Pinkie's extremely serious expression vanished, replaced by her usual look of complete joy and excitement. "Yay! Let's have tons of fun!"

All told, the party was very enjoyable, even for Dawn, who wasn't a big fan of such affairs. After all the years he'd spent living in Ponyville, he'd more or less acclimated to Pinkie's ways though. The games were fun, he had plenty of friends around town now, and Pinkie always made sure that there was something that he could enjoy eating. Dawn no longer go queasy from eating particularly sweet or rich foods, but he still didn't consider them his favorites, something Pinkie Pie and Bon Bon, his father's business partner and co-owner of their candy store, took as a personal challenge.

However, Dawn was more than happy when the party finally wound down well past midnight, much later than he usually stayed up. Both he and Scootaloo were fighting to keep their eyes open by that point. Convinced that they were sincere in their tiredness, Pinkie Pie finally released them from the party to go home and rest. Dawn and Scootaloo shared one last kiss goodnight before heading to their respective homes. Dawn barely had the presence of mind to go through his evening routine of washing and brushing before climbing into bed and pulling up the covers. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

The next day, the competition, the weeks of preparation that had led up to it, the conflict that had followed after, and the party of the night before all seemed like a distant dream as Dawn and Scootaloo settled back into their routines. Dawn returned to working in the teashop and Scootaloo went back to working on the Weather Team, this time as a full employee, rather than an apprentice. Rainbow Dash and Soarin' returned to Cloudsdale, their leave at an end.

Dawn enjoyed the peace while it lasted. The announcement declaring him and Scootaloo the victors of the competition had gone out across Equestria through the papers. A few days later, it was followed by the announcement of Spitfire's invitation for them to participate in the next session of the Wonderbolts Academy, making him, Sunflower, and Scootaloo the youngest ponies to attend the Academy since Spitfire had taken over the Wonderbolts, to say nothing of the fact that they’d been invited without even needing to apply. Much to their surprise, they learned that Spitfire had extended an invitation to Cyclone as well.

The news caused quite a stir. But, thankfully, the reporters seemed more interested in asking Spitfire for details than Dawn and Scootaloo and, consequently, generally didn't cause much of a disruption to their daily lives. That wasn't to say that they were completely ignored. A particularly intrepid reporter from Manehattan had come to ask them about the competition and the invitation. Upon his request, he even got to see a demonstration of their training regimen.

The resulting article had generated some interest, but nothing overly invasive. The paparazzi stayed clear of Ponyville. However, Dawn and Scootaloo were surprised to occasionally receive letters asking one or both of them to train some aspiring martial artist or other. They were always careful in their replies, Dawn in particular, since he had been officially recognized as a master of the Gale King. He was hesitant to share the art's skills frivolously, reflecting that he'd been marvelously lucky to have a student like Scootaloo. If he ever thought about sharing his skills with others, he felt he would have to be very careful about selecting potential students. The destructive power that even a novice student of the Gale King could wield was not something to be taken lightly.

Dawn and Scootaloo soared over Ponyville at a slow pace, cooling down after their latest training session. Scootaloo had another invitation for dinner with Dawn's family, something she'd gladly taken advantage off. Her mother's boyfriend was over again and Scootaloo was happy to give them some privacy. Seeing her home drifting a little ways above the town, Scootaloo said her temporary goodbye to Dawn and banked away from him, intending to get a shower in before heading over.

Dawn continued on his way home, reveling in the feeling of the cool evening air. It was getting chillier. Autumn was around the corner. Scootaloo had told him that the Weather Team was already planning out the snowstorm schedule for winter. Twilight Sparkle was organizing the Running of the Leaves and Pinkie Pie was planning the Harvest Festival. Everypony was going through their familiar routines as the months and seasons danced by like a fleeting dream.

Consequently, Dawn was in a contented mood as his family's cottage came into sight and he swooped in for a landing, touching down right on the front porch. "I'm home," he said as he came in the door.

"Big Bro!" squealed Larksong as she launched herself at him. Dawn caught her up in a hug. A second later, the filly pulled back and wriggled her nose. "Stinky!"

"Big Bro needs a shower," said Dawn with a laugh as he set her down.

"Wanna play!" exclaimed the filly.

"We will," promised Dawn. "But let me get my shower first. Remember, your Big Sis will be coming over too."

"Sista Scoot!" shouted Larksong, jumping into the air.

"Remember to behave," said Dawn with a teasing smile. "Sister Scoot only plays with good fillies who behave themselves."

"I good!" said Larksong urgently.

"Welcome home," said Fluttershy as she came to the door of the kitchen.

Dawn went over and nuzzled her and said hello to Caramel in the kitchen before going to greet Pepita in his playpen. After that, he took his shower. A few minutes later, Scootaloo arrived and the two of them spent a hefty hour and a half playing with Larksong, flying her high into the air and juggling her between them before coming in for dinner, eating while Caramel and Fluttershy quizzed Dawn and Scootaloo about their day. Everything was going perfectly.

During the conversation, Caramel happened to glance out the window and stared. "Did anypony call a fancy carriage?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?" asked Fluttershy before following her husband's gaze. When she did, her jaw dropped. "Oh my."

Dawn and Scootaloo had to lean across the table to see what was going on. As they did, they saw a rather large, ornate carriage on approach to their front yard. Its body was assembled from ebony, while the wheels shined with plated gold. Further gold designs ran across the sides of the carriage, gleaming in the light of the setting sun.

The six pegasi pulling the carriage were large, muscular specimens, the kind that gave Dawn an ominous feeling, which was only exacerbated by the slender swords they wore at their sides. Flying alongside the carriage was an officious-looking old mare with curling white hair. Her faded-yellow coat was concealed by the ostentatious blue and red livery she wore. Clutched between her forehooves was a bundle of cloud.

Dawn and his family, along with Scootaloo, temporarily abandoned their dinner to see what was going on. They reached the front door just in time to see the carriage come to a landing in the front yard, scattering animals as the wheels clattered against the ground, churning up the sod, mixing black dirt with the green of the grass. One of the pullers had landed too close to a birdhouse mounted on a pole, knocking it over with a bump from his shoulder. The robin couple within fled, screeching obscenities at the intruders, which were ignored as the stallion turned to unhitch himself from his harness.

Dawn saw Fluttershy flinch, her eyes narrowing at the group. He was silently glad that the robins hadn't had any eggs or chicks in the house at the time. Where her animals' babies were concerned, Fluttershy was more than happy to confront ponies who dared disturb their abodes.

The six pullers disentangled themselves from their harnesses with practiced ease, swiftly moving to take up their positions, forming two rows that flanked the pair of doors on the side of the carriage, standing with the same rigid attention that one could find in the Royal Guards keeping watch in the corridors of the Royal Palace. Dawn observed them carefully, noting that they seemed plenty competent, apparently comfortable serving as both transportation and muscle.

The old mare who'd followed the carriage landed between the two rows of stallions and set the cloud she had been floating so that it hovered about a foot off the ground. With smooth, practiced motions, she molded the cloud, spreading it out so that there was enough space for at least two ponies to stand comfortably on its surface.

Her chore complete, the mare moved to the doors themselves. She cleared her throat dramatically before speaking in a surprisingly resonant voice with only a faint hint of raspiness. "Announcing Swift Bolt and Moonstone Gust of the Gust Clan."

"Who?" Dawn cocked his head in confusion and looked over at Scootaloo and his parents. They all shrugged in return. Apparently it was one of the old pegasus families descended from their pre-unification culture. However, none of them had heard of it before. Granted, none of them were experts on the various pegasus families who had once wielded tremendous power and political clout over the pegasus cities.

The doors of the carriage swung open to reveal a pair of ponies who stepped out onto the cloud platform that had been prepared for them, holding themselves with all the poise and arrogance Dawn remembered seeing in Scootaloo's grandparents. He could easily see these ponies as being contemporaries of the Stratus family or Meadowlark, the leader and public face of the tribalist uprising a few years back.

The mare was a few years older than Fluttershy or Caramel, though nowhere near as venerable as Scootaloo’s grandparents had been. Her body and face were immaculate, devoid of any wrinkles that might have accompanied age. She had a healthy figure that suggested regular exercise, but only so much as to prevent her from accumulating any fat, rather than to build any real strength or endurance. The setting sun shimmered off of her silvery coat and practically shined through her white mane, which cascaded smoothly down the left side of her neck. Her cutie mark was a cluster of scattered, dark-gray feathers. Her pale-blue eyes reminded Dawn of chips of ice as they zeroed in on him. Her lips curved upwards in a smile and she affected an expression of happiness so plainly forced that Dawn thought he could have pulled it off her face like a mask.

The stallion’s coat was a much darker gray, bordering on black even. Like his wife, he too was in excellent health and shape. His mane was a silvery color that was nearly a match for his wife’s coat. Like his wife, it had been combed out straight, though it had also been parted neatly in the middle so that each side ran about halfway down his neck, silvery bangs framing a pair of light-green eyes. The stallion’s flank was decorated with a cloud column. He was the more reserved of the pair, regarding Dawn and his family warily and shifting uncomfortably as he stood a little behind his wife, clearly letting her take the lead in this situation.

Dawn expected them to use the cloud platform as a step to descend the rest of the way to the ground and then proceed through their pullers-turned-guards. However, neither of them made a move to descend any further, instead treating the edge of the platform as some kind of absolute boundary that they could not cross under any circumstances…almost as though they loathed the idea of actually touching the ground.

Moonstone Gust smiled at him for a long, silent moment, which stretched out long enough to become uncomfortable as he wondered what it was that they wanted. Finally, like an actor suddenly remembering a missed cue, she gasped and threw her hooves up to her mouth. “Oh! It really is you. Didn’t I tell you dear? I told you it was him.”

“Ha!” laughed Swift Bolt lamely, grinning in a plainly forced fashion. “Yes…you did.”

“The moment I saw your face in the papers, I knew it had to be you,” said Moonstone.

“And who am I?” asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow, beginning to feel a little annoyed with the inane theatrics Moonstone was bombarding them with.

“Why you’re Storm Shadow,” said Moonstone, “our son.”

Author's Note

1) Mooks 'R Us: Supporting all your cannon fodder needs. Don't forget our bulk discount on disposable minions...now available in colors other than yellow.

Jeez, I just can't let my characters catch a break, can I? A lot of you were predicting that this would come up and I did say that I was going to be wrapping up quite a few loose ends in this story. Oh well, you all seem to love assholes getting their comeuppance, so I guess it's all right.

Next chapter: Guess who's back, back again.

Family Reunion Redux

Chapter 11: Family Reunion Redux

The reaction to Moonstone Gust’s announcement was mixed. Fluttershy gasped in shock. Caramel’s eyes bulged in their sockets. Larksong, who was perched on Scootaloo’s back, tilted her head innocently, not really understanding the situation at all. Scootaloo twitched her wings nervously and focused her attention on Dawn, watching for his reaction.

She had good reason to be nervous after all. She’d heard Dawn’s story about his life before he’d come to Ponyville. Shortly after he had been born, he recalled being thrown out of his biological parents’ cloud house, sending the flightless foal plummeting towards the ground. Only the barest chance had preserved him, as the pony who became Dawn’s Master and his first caretaker had been the one to see his plight and rescue him. He had then brought Dawn to the manor in order to try and return him to his family only for the family in question to deny having a foal at all.

By Dawn’s own admission, he had been too young to remember the event with perfect clarity. But one thing that he had been absolutely certain of, even many years later, was that the pony who had thrown him out had been none other than the mare who had birthed him, his biological mother. Any mention of her by Dawn was laced with potent venom that suggested all sorts of unpleasant things for her, should he ever meet her again.

And now, here was a mare openly claiming to be Dawn’s mother, announcing herself boldly, right in front of him. Her delight at seeing him was so over-the-top that Scootaloo could plainly see that she was putting on a show, though to what end she couldn’t quite guess.

She expected Dawn to react angrily, to see his eyes narrow dangerously and his wings begin to spread. She expected his ears to angle backwards slightly and his lips press together in an expression she knew quite well, but actually saw quite rarely. She let her senses reach out into the air around her, fully expecting the wind currents around Dawn to become agitated and turbulent. If not outright anger, she at least expected that stoic expression of Dawn exercising his control over his anger before it got the better of him.

Instead, all she saw was an expression of mild bemusement on Dawn’s face as his raised eyebrow remained up, as though he didn’t quite know what to make of the situation. “Is that so?” he said.

Moonstone nodded fervently, the gesture as overdone as everything else about her behavior so far. “That’s correct. We thought we had lost you for years and resigned ourselves to never seeing you again. To think that we would find you in some backwater earth pony village. Why it’s a miracle.”

A faint growl rose in Scootaloo’s throat. Dawn might not have been angry at these ponies, but she didn’t like their attitude one bit.

“I’m sure,” said Dawn. “And what is it that you want?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” asked the mare rhetorically. “You’ve been lost for far too long, my dear Storm Shadow. We’ve come to bring you home.”

Scootaloo’s jaw dropped. Hers wasn’t the only one as both Fluttershy and Caramel were also gaping unashamedly.

Larksong, of course, was too young to appreciate what was being said and instead fixated on a different source of confusion. “Mama, why strange mare call Big Bro weird name?”

“Um…uh…” Fluttershy was completely at a loss as to how to answer Larksong’s question. Larksong didn’t yet understand concepts, such as adoption or biological relation. It would be very difficult to explain to Larksong that she wasn’t Dawn’s sister by blood. At least Fluttershy understood the difference in names. Dawn’s name had been given to him by his Master, while he would have been born under a different name. If these two ponies really were Dawn’s biological parents, then Storm Shadow would have been his birth name.

However, that revelation played second fiddle to the bombshell that Moonstone had dropped, namely that they weren’t just here to announce themselves as Dawn’s parents, but that they were here to take him away. As ridiculous as it was, just the thought of it made Scootaloo shiver.

Dawn, however, remained as calm and collected as before, merely tilting his head inquisitively, almost as though he was actually considering going with them. When he spoke, it wasn’t to Moonstone or Swift. “Mom,” he said, turning his head to indicate quite plainly that he was addressing Fluttershy when he said that, “could you take Larksong inside? I don’t think she needs to be here for this.”

“I’ll take her,” said Caramel instead, coming up to Scootaloo. “Come on, honey. Let’s go inside. This is all boring, old pony stuff.”

Larksong’s expression showed that she wasn’t certain that she agreed. However, the fact that the conversation so far was completely bewildering to her was enough to turn her off to it and she readily agreed to return inside and to the promise of her toys and animal friends.

Moonstone’s smile faltered slightly and Scootaloo could see that happy facade cracking. “I’m sure that mare has done much for you, but she is not your mother,” she said insistently. “You belong with us. It’s time to come home and embrace your future.”

“My future?” inquired Dawn, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

“Yes,” said Moonstone. “We are so proud that you’ve gained the favor of Captain Spitfire. Obviously, you are on the fast track to joining the Wonderbolts. We’ll help you with that. I shall provide you with the best equipment, the finest trainers, all the resources you need to excel at the Academy so that Spitfire won’t hesitate to choose you as a member of her team. We’ve also arranged for meetings with several sponsors who can further support your efforts. We are even arranging to find you a proper mare so that you don’t have to consort with this scruffy waif any longer.”

Scootaloo growled, her wings flaring out as she sank into a crouch. Moonstone’s attitude had already been grating on her, but this was taking things way too far. However, a gentle breeze wound its way through her feathers, caressing them. Scootaloo realized that the breeze had come from Dawn. Looking at him, she saw him give her a small smile, which he quickly hid as he turned his attention back to Moonstone and Swift. However, the breeze remained. Scootaloo relaxed, pulling her wings back in and standing up. She used one wing to generate a breeze of her own, curling it around to entwine with Dawn’s, making them swirl and eddy together, their presences and awareness interlocking, filling Scootaloo with a sense of comfort and ease.

Instead, she decided to throw her two bits in. “You threw him away years ago and now that he might be a Wonderbolt, you want him back?” she growled.

Moonstone’s snout drifted upward so that she had to roll her eyes downward to actually see Scootaloo, looking as though the idea of even merely conversing with her was degrading. “That was an unfortunate accident caused by one of our servants. We’ve spent the last several years looking desperately for our son. We were on the verge of giving up when we finally saw him in the paper.”

She’s lying through her teeth, thought Scootaloo scornfully, disappointed by such a transparent ruse. After all, Dawn had been in the papers long before the Best Young Fliers Competition. Back when they were still foals, Dawn and Twilight Sparkle had come up with a plan to bait the Cult Solar into action by printing an article about Dawn and his history in a nationally-circulated paper. Said article had included a picture of him and everything. And yet, back then, these two were nowhere to be found. But now that Dawn seemed to be on the way to fame and fortune, they had popped up and claimed they’d been looking for him all along.

“Now then, we have a great deal to take care of,” said Moonstone, having completely missed, or ignored, Scootaloo’s agitation. “Your schedule will be quite busy for the next few months, so there isn’t a moment to waste. If you absolutely must say your goodbyes, make them fast and we’ll be off.” She began to turn around so that she could climb back into the carriage, Swift hesitating, his eyes flickering uncertainly from his wife to their “son.”

“No,” said Dawn. There was no anger in his tone, no sign of hostility, only a firm declaration.

Moonstone flinched, reeling as though Dawn had struck her a physical blow. “I beg your pardon,” she said.

“I said no,” said Dawn. “I’m not leaving and certainly not with you.”

“This is not up for debate,” said Moonstone, turning to face him again. “I will not have a son of mine squander his potential in some forgotten backwater earth pony hamlet. Get in the carriage.”

“No,” said Dawn. Scootaloo could have sworn that she saw the smallest hint of a smile forming on his face. He was having fun with this. “I am staying here and you cannot do anything to make me.”

“Dear,” suggested Swift nervously, “this is all very sudden. I am sure that our son needs some time to cope with this new knowledge. Perhaps we should be a bit more-“

“Absolutely not!” snapped Moonstone, her eyes blazing with anger. “I will not have my carefully laid plans derailed by a fit of foalish stubbornness. I am your mother and I am telling you to get into the carriage.”

“I’m still not going,” said Dawn. “That wasn’t foalish stubbornness, but adult stubbornness. I am legally of age right now and free to live where I see fit. You do not have any custody of me and no authority over me. Besides, you are not my mother.”

Dawn extended a wing and wrapped it around Fluttershy, pulling her up against his side. The warmth of the gesture made Fluttershy coo and lean against him, nuzzling near the top of Dawn’s head. “This is my mother. She may not have been the one to give birth to me, but she gave me a home, a family, and all the love I could ever desire when I had been alone and left with nothing. She is the only pony I will ever acknowledge as my mother.”

Scootaloo didn’t know what kind of response Moonstone had been expecting, but this clearly wasn’t it. Her mouth worked frantically as she fought to find a way to respond to what Dawn had said. Swift was looking more nervous than ever, his gaze rapidly shifting between “mother” and “son,” as though he expected a fight to break out any second.

Finally, she found her tongue again. “You ungrateful brat!” she hissed, flaring her wings and nearly knocking Swift off their cloud. “I carried you and gave birth to you. How dare you insult me like this? I am your mother, your real mother. I will gladly demonstrate that with a proper blood test.”

“You are missing the point,” replied Dawn blithely. “I don’t care if you are the mare who birthed me. You are not my mother and you never will be.”

“Well, I never…!” snapped Moonstone. “I did not come to this hovel to be insulted. It seems I will have to school you in proper behavior, you little swine.”

“I advise you not to try,” said Dawn. “It won’t end well for you.”

Moonstone’s nostrils flared and she reared. “Guards!” she shouted. “Teach this impertinent brat a lesson. He’ll change his tune once his precious ‘family’ is on the ground bleeding.” The two lines of guards who had been standing silently during the whole exchange turned to face the cottage and advanced, their gazes fixing mercilessly on Fluttershy and Scootaloo.

Scootaloo winced internally. Ooh! You shouldn’t have done that. You’re in for it now. She cautiously took a few steps back. Dawn removed his wing from Fluttershy’s back and let her step back as well.

“Please be careful,” said Fluttershy, looking nervously at Dawn.

“Don’t worry,” said Dawn, giving her an encouraging smile. “This will take just a second.”

Dawn turned back to face the guards and, behind them, the figures of the ponies claiming to be his biological parents. “I’ll warn you one last time. It’s best for you if you leave. If you try to force the issue, it will only end badly for you.”

Moonstone only said nothing. Her guards likewise ignored Dawn’s warning, striding forward, their hooves going to the sheathed weapons they wore.

Dawn vanished from where he had been standing and reappeared directly in front of the advancing guards, his wings a pair of indistinct blurs. Before their eyes could even begin to track him, the air rang out with the sounds of six impacts in rapid succession as each one was slammed by a burst of compressed air that knocked them off their hooves and sent them flying.

Two went sailing past the front of the carriage, out over the front yard’s fence to land in the meadow beyond. A third plowed a furrow through the ground behind the carriage. A fourth was sent hurtling over the carriage’s roof to land with a dull thud on the other side of it. The last two were slammed bodily into the ebony wood of the carriage itself, one of them barely missing the officious-looking mare who had announced the Gusts. The carriage rocked from the impact, nearly tipping all the way over before it rocked back down onto all four wheels, dislodging the ponies that had been imbedded in its side and sending them spilling onto the ground on either side of Swift and Moonstone. The wooden panels on the side of the carriage were cracked and splintered where the guards had hit.

Both Swift and Moonstone stared, wide-eyed at the tableau before them. The six guards they’d brought with them had been taken out in less than a second. Dawn now stood where they had been, not even breathing hard from the exertion. “As I said,” said Dawn, “it will end badly for you.”

Moonstone and Swift gaped, unable to believe what they had seen. Their guards groaned and twitched. Dawn had moderated the force of his blows to avoid giving them any serious injuries. In a few minutes, they would at least have the capacity to fly again. Moonstone opened her mouth, anger flaring in her icy-blue eyes, preparing to berate Dawn for his actions. However, her jaw snapped shut with an audible click of teeth as Dawn’s eyes narrowed and the weight of his will dropped on her like an anvil.

“This is my home,” said Dawn. “This is my family. You are not a part of it, you will not replace it and you will not try to take it from me or you will regret it for the rest of your days. You came to me in service to your own selfish ends, not because you actually care for me as a son. Whatever it is you want, I will not be a part of it.”

Dawn relaxed and released the hold his will had over Moonstone. “Now, our business is concluded. See yourself out, if you please.”

“After you ruined our carriage-“ growled Moonstone.

Dawn had already turned around, but his wings immediately blurred into motion. The only warning of what was coming that Swift and Moonstone managed to perceive was a faint whistling noise. Of all the ponies present, only Scootaloo was able to truly sense what Dawn was doing as she sensed a thin stream of alternating air currents that stretched out from Dawn’s wing, bending and flexing as it moved. It came within inches of Moonstone and Swift without touching them, instead striking the carriage behind them.

A second later, the carriage crumbled to pieces, sliced by a blade so sharp that the cut sections looked as though they had been polished to a perfect shine.

“Now I’ve ruined your carriage,” said Dawn flatly. “You have wings that work just fine. Use them and get out.”

Continuing on, Dawn marched into the cottage, not sparing another glance for the couple behind him. Fluttershy and Scootaloo exchanged nervous glances before deciding to head in as well. As she shut the door, Scootaloo could hear an enraged Moonstone berating the guards into motion so that they could leave, trying her hardest to present it in such a way that it didn’t look like she and her husband were fleeing with their tails between their legs.

“Well…” said Scootaloo, settling next to Dawn on the couch, “…that was a thing.”

“I…can’t believe it,” said Fluttershy, shivering as she settled next to her husband. “Do you think they…that they really are your…?”

“Perhaps,” said Dawn with an indifferent shrug. “If she was willing to go through with a blood test, maybe Moonstone’s claim is legitimate.”

“Unless she was hoping that nopony would be willing to call her bluff,” said Scootaloo.

“It’s irrelevant anyway,” said Dawn. Getting up, he made his way over to Fluttershy and Caramel. “Even if they are the ponies who gave me life, you are my real parents. Nothing will ever change that.”

Caramel and Fluttershy reached out and pulled Dawn into a hug, Fluttershy wrapping her husband and her son in her wings. Larksong didn’t quite get what was going on, but she too tried to join in the embrace and was immediately welcomed as Dawn pulled her into the center of their little huddle.

Scootaloo smiled. It always warmed her heart to see this. Dawn might not have been born to Fluttershy and Caramel, but his love for them and their love for him was every bit as real as any bond of blood. Getting up, she moved to join the embrace as well. It went on for several minutes until Pepita, upset that he wasn’t getting any attention, started wailing. Caramel was quick to fetch him and include him in the nuzzling and hugging. Soon, the youngest member of Dawn’s family was cooing and laughing as his parents and his older brother nuzzled and tickled him in turns.

Finally, the hug-fest broke up and they returned to their respective seats. Fluttershy relaxed, feeling much calmer now that Dawn had reaffirmed his love for them all. Cradling Pepita, she leaned against Caramel and watched as Larksong resumed playing with her blocks on the floor.

“It’s a bit weird though,” said Scootaloo.

“What is?” asked Dawn as he wrapped a wing around her.

“When they said they were your parents, I was half expecting you to blow up at them,” she said. “It’s only natural, considering what they did.”

Dawn sighed. “Truth be told…I sometimes wonder if I misremembered what happened back then. I’ve been so sure, but…I was so young that everything seems blurry and indistinct. Maybe there’s some truth to their claims and Moonstone wasn’t the one to throw me out the window. However…”

“Yeah,” said Scootaloo, “if they really did care about you and were looking for you all this time, they would have shown up after that article was published in the Equestrian Times. But that was years ago and they only found you now?”

“In other words, they only decided to ‘find’ you after they learned that you and Scootaloo had won the Best Young Fliers Competition and that Spitfire had invited you to the Wonderbolts Academy,” summarized Caramel. “I’m surprised that they thought that approach would work.”

“I’m not,” groused Scootaloo. “That Moonstone had the look of a mare who’s used to getting her way. Did you see that platform of theirs?”

“Yeah,” said Caramel. “I was wondering about that.”

“They’re High-Sky pegasi,” she said with a snort. “Even my grandparents aren’t that stuck-up and that should tell you something.”

Fluttershy nodded in agreement while Dawn and Caramel shared a confused glance. “High…Sky?” asked Dawn.

“Most of the old pegasus families and clans are very tribalist,” said Fluttershy. “You know that much already.”

“But High-Sky pegasi take that arrogance to a whole ‘nother level,” said Scootaloo. “They absolutely refuse to touch the ground directly if they can avoid it. They think that being made to touch earth is a dirty act. That’s why they brought along another pony specifically to make a cloud porch for them when they got off the carriage.”

“And yet they wanted me to go back with them,” observed Dawn. “Given that I live on the ground, one would think that that would make me extra profane in their eyes.”

“Oh they’ve got something for that,” said Scootaloo with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “It’s some kind of pseudo-religious gobbledygook ritual or something. It’s complete horse-“ Scootaloo cut herself off, remembering that there were foals in the room. “It’s really stupid and pointless. Even most hardcore tribalist families don’t follow that claptrap anymore.”

“Yeah, that sounds pretty crazy,” said Caramel. "Although, given how keen they were to have Dawn back, I think maybe they're going through the motions more than they actually believe in that stuff anymore."

“Well, whatever the case, they aren’t an issue any longer,” said Dawn. “I’ll only worry if they remain persistent about their desire to take me away. Otherwise, it’s best not to bother with them.”

“Um…If we’ve identified them, shouldn’t we tell the Guard?” asked Scootaloo. “I mean, they did try to kill you when you were a kid.”

Dawn shook his head. “There’s no proof and it was a very long time ago. All I have are recollections, not evidence. I won’t waste my time trying to trick or wrangle some sort of confession from them. If they remain out of my life, I won’t involve myself with theirs, regardless of what they’ve done to me in the past.”

Scootaloo sighed. “I guess that’s fine,” she said. “This conversation was getting pretty dark anyway. Let’s just enjoy the rest of the night.”

“I agree,” said Fluttershy, leaning against Caramel with a tired sigh.

Scootaloo chuckled and nudged Dawn’s ribcage with an elbow. “Geez, first my grandparents and now those two; just what is it with our luck, huh?”

Dawn snorted in amusement before shrugging in reply.

The remainder of the evening had gone quite well. They’d chatted, played games, read to Larksong before putting her to bed, and generally did all the activities that normally came from a get-together like this. Dawn saw Scootaloo off at the door with a kiss after a short discussion. Normally, he would have flown with her to her house, but Dawn wasn’t sure he wanted to leave his family unprotected at the moment. While he might have been overcautious, he wouldn’t have put it past Moonstone to use his family as a means of putting pressure on him. Dawn planned to keep a closer eye on his parents and siblings in the coming days, just to make sure that Moonstone didn’t try something with them. Scootaloo also planned on keeping an eye on things where she could.

Finally, with a tired sigh, Dawn climbed into bed, thinking about what had occurred that evening. Moonstone Gust and Swift Bolt’s visit seemed like a distant thing, surreal in its presence. Still, they weren’t much of a weight on his mind. He couldn’t imagine being happier than he was now, with the family that he had.

Just as Dawn was about to drift off to sleep, a faint knock came from the door to his bedroom. With another sigh, Dawn slid out from under the covers and opened the door to see Larksong standing there, looking half-asleep herself.

“Did you have a bad dream?” he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

“Uh huh.” Larksong nodded. “The bad ponies came to take you away.”

Dawn couldn’t help but smile. “Come in,” he said, stepping aside so his little sister could come into the room.

Climbing back into bed, Dawn lifted the covers so that Larksong could join him and cuddle up against him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “Don’t worry,” he said. “The bad ponies can’t take me anywhere. I’m staying right here.”

“Good,” said Larksong sleepily. “Don’t want you to go.”

“I’ll never leave,” said Dawn, a teasing smirk hovering on his face. “I’ll stay here all the time, even when you’re a big pony. I’ll come with you to school. I’ll be right there when you get your special somepony-“

“Eeeee! No!” squealed Larksong, squirming in his grip, even as she laughed at his silliness.

Dawn laughed. “Okay. I won’t do that to you. But nopony is going to take me away from my favorite little sister.”

Calming down, Larksong yawned and closed her eyes. “Yay!” she whispered sleepily.

Dawn relaxed and held Larksong a little tighter, kissing the top of her head as she fell asleep. How could he ever be tempted by what those ponies had to offer when he had all this?

“That impertinent brat!” snarled Moonstone, pacing back and forth across the sitting room. “How dare he treat us like shyster salesmares! I’ve never been so insulted in my entire life!”

Swift Bolt sighed and simply downed another gulp of his brandy. Right now, all he wanted to do was take a shower and go to bed. The flight back to their manor had been far longer than he was used to. He reflected that they were out of shape, having gotten used to having the carriage ferry them around, not that they could give the guards or their chief stewardess the idea that using their own wings was an arduous task. They had their pride as members of the Gust clan after all.

Despite their fatigue, Moonstone had insisted on convening in the cloud mansion’s sitting room so that…apparently so that he could listen to her rant for a few hours. Rather than draining her energy, the long flight back seemed to have only stoked Moonstone’s agitation and outrage, leaving her perfectly fit to vent it all in front of her husband.

“I told you that he wouldn’t accept it so easily,” said Swift. In truth, he would rather drop the matter altogether. He’d known from the outset that Storm Shadow…no, that Dawn Lightwing would want nothing to do with them. What was worse, he now knew that Dawn remembered what happened on that day all those years ago.

In the years that followed learning about what his wife had done, Swift had found himself wondering if they had made a mistake that day. Certainly, Dawn’s presence had been a threat to their family’s status. If word had gotten out that they’d had a foal so disfigured, they would have been excised from their social circles like a malignant tumor. Businesses associated with their peers would have refused to deal with them. It could have cost them millions of bits. But, at the same time, murder was murder. Even if Swift couldn’t stand behind what Moonstone had done all those years ago, he could bring himself to forget, forget that he’d ever had a son, until recent news forcefully reminded him.

He’d hoped that Moonstone would do the same. They could live and let live and their reputations would be safe. Nopony needed to know that they were the ones that Dawn had described in that article a few years back. However, when she’d learned that Dawn had won the Best Young Fliers Competition and had received an invitation to the Wonderbolts Academy from Spitfire herself, Moonstone had seen opportunity and had refused to be dissuaded.

“How could he refuse us?” snarled Moonstone, whipping around to glare at her husband. “How could anypony be satisfied living in a filthy menagerie in the dirt like that? He would have to be blind to not see how great we can make him.”

Or capable of holding a grudge, thought Swift ruefully. Even if it was beneficial to them to do otherwise, ponies tended to be enormously stubborn when it came to holding grudges against those who had wronged them. Case in point, he thought, eying his wife, who had not taken rejection well.

“We should back down,” said Swift. “He does have a point. Forcing a confrontation will only hurt our image.” Even if he couldn’t toss around our highly-trained guards like leaves.

“No!” snapped Moonstone. “I gave that filthy gutter rat life. I carried him inside of me for months, suffered through every ache and illness and what do I have to show for it? He had the audacity to come out of me deformed so that his very existence was a threat to our stature. He left us with no heir for our clan. And now that he finally has a use, he refuses to do his part for us. I won’t accept it. Either he comes back to our house or I will tear his life down around him.”

This isn’t going to end well, thought Swift, his ears lying flat. Though having another foal wasn’t beyond them, Moonstone had insisted that she never wanted to go through the experience of pregnancy and birth again. Swift hadn’t really argued. After all, it wasn’t like he’d been the one to suffer through the cramps and morning sickness for months on end, only to go through the disgusting experience of giving birth at the end of it all. If Moonstone didn’t want to put herself through that again, then he had no intention of forcing her to. However, Swift also secretly thought that Moonstone was afraid that, even if they did try for another foal, it might come out the same way. He kept such thoughts to himself.

After all, he hadn’t really had any concern for the Gust Clan, even though he’d married into it. He’d just done as his parents had told him to and married into a prestigious old clan for their sake. Otherwise, he simply wanted to manage his affairs and enjoy the finer things in life. Was that too much to ask?

A low chuckle brought Swift out of his reverie and he saw his wife, now sitting in the middle of the floor, smirking. Oh, that’s bad. Nothing good ever happens when she has that look on her face. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that we’ll recover our wayward son soon enough,” said Moonstone with a grin. “I have some letters to write.”

She turned and stalked out of the room, her tail swishing back and forth with each imperious shake of her flanks. Swift watched her go before looking back down into his empty glass. I’m going to need a whole barrel of this stuff if she keeps this up.

Dawn’s routine was mostly unchanged for the day. Before he left for work, though, he’d stopped to pay a visit to his neighbors, a certain pair of griffons, to ask if they could afford keep a closer eye on his mother and siblings while he was out. Skan, the ebony-feathered male, and Zhan, his brindled mate, had been happy to help. In the past, they had served as bodyguards to Fluttershy when a particularly dangerous stallion who’d once tried to rape her had been on the loose. One or the other of them was usually at home, tending to their cubs, who were also some of Larksong’s favorite playmates.

Content that his family was as safe as he could make them, Dawn had gone to work feeling less burdened. There was always the risk that somepony might try to harass Caramel at the candy store. But they would have to be willing to cause a major commotion in the middle of town to do so. On top of that, Scootaloo had promised to take weather jobs in the vicinity, just to be on the safe side.

There was one other change to Dawn’s routine, though that had been present ever since he and Scootaloo had gotten back from the Best Young Fliers Competition. Now that Scootaloo was a full-time member of the Weather Team, she worked a full day as well. Unfortunately, this meant that she couldn’t spend the afternoon at the teahouse, something that Dawn had gotten used to. She would, however, drop by for her lunch break to enjoy a pot of tea before going back up to work in the clouds. Once they both got off work for the day, it was time for training.

In the meantime, Dawn worked studiously, being careful to serve all the customers he could to the best of his ability. Arkenstone also bustled about, the two of them moving with practiced efficiency from the kitchen to the tables and back again as they took orders, prepared them, and subsequently delivered them.

Dawn looked up from dropping off a tray at another table as his ears picked up the sound of the door swinging open. Turning to face the door and greet the incoming customer, Dawn found himself smiling more widely and warmly than usual as he watched the cerise mare come in. “Ms. Cheerilee, it’s good to see you.”

Cheerilee’s curled and puffy mane bobbed slightly as she tittered. “Oh Dawn, you don’t have to be so formal with me anymore.” Her grayish-green eyes sparkled and she wrapped her forelegs around him in a hug, which Dawn gladly returned.

Seeing his former teacher to a seat, Dawn went back to fetch the blend of tea he knew she liked. Cheerilee might not have frequented the teahouse as often as some ponies, but Dawn knew her well enough to still count her as a regular. When he returned with her pot and cups, Cheerilee had a request for him.

“If you don’t mind,” she said, “I would like to talk to you about something.”

Dawn blinked, a little surprised. Still, seeing as he had one of his breaks left, he saw no reason not to join her a few minutes, after clearing it with Arkenstone first.

Dawn settled down on a cushion across the table from Cheerilee so that they were face-to-face. “What is it you want to talk about?” he asked.

“I’ve heard some interesting things from some of the parents,” explained Cheerilee. “Apparently you’ve been using your skills to give young pegasi a taste of flight.”

Dawn nodded. “Yes. Scootaloo and I started it as a game to amuse my sister. The doctors even said that it was beneficial, since it helps her exercise her wing muscles. I’ve gotten the occasional request to do it for other foals at the park.”

“So I’ve heard,” said Cheerilee. “And because of that, some of my pegasus students’ parents have become very interested in the activity.”

“Have you been getting complaints?” asked Dawn, tilting his head quizzically. He wondered why ponies would take their complaints to Cheerilee, seeing as Dawn wasn’t her student anymore.

“Curiosity actually,” said Cheerilee. “The parents of those students have been making several inquiries about the activity. I don’t have much information to give them about it though.”

“You can direct them to Dr. Hearthfeather at Ponyville General,” suggested Dawn. “He was the one Scootaloo and I consulted when we first came up with the game.”

“That helps a little,” said Cheerilee. “However, I’m not just after information. A couple of them did consult the doctors and got the same information you did. They were wondering if there was some way I could work it into the curriculum and make it available for my students on a regular basis.”

Dawn blinked. “I’m not sure I understand.”

Cheerilee took a long sip of her tea. Peering over the rim of the cup, she lowered it away from her lips so that she could speak. “Basically, I was wondering if you would like to come to the school and make that a regular activity for my students. The young pegasi in my classroom are generally in need of activities that can exercise their wings and help them better develop their flight skills. I checked with the Mayor and found that you even had the activity cleared with the Department of Foal Protections.”

Dawn was taken aback, surprised by the request. Flying his sister was something he and Scootaloo had done for Larksong’s enjoyment. He’d been glad to provide the opportunity to other young pegasi when he had the time. But he’d never considered making it a regular thing. But now that he thought about it, it made sense to give that opportunity to as many foals as he could, especially since it did more than just build up their wing muscles.

“In essence, you would become a supplementary instructor for young pegasi,” said Cheerilee. “We can work out the particulars later. Are you interested.”

Dawn stared down at the table, deep in thought for a moment. “I…would be interested,” he said.

“That’s wonderful,” said Cheerilee, beaming. “Do you think we could talk about it after you get off work?”

“I guess so,” said Dawn.

“That’s great. Would you like to meet me at the school or is there someplace else you’d rather meet?”

“The school will be fine,” said Dawn. I’m going to have to tell Scootaloo that I won’t be training with her today, he thought.

“Thank you and have a nice day,” said Caramel, grinning as he watched the mare leave through the door. He’d been doing a brisk business in the store. It had been a fairly busy day as, apparently, there were plenty of ponies interested in satisfying their sweet tooth. Bon Bon had been in the back ever since they’d opened, working to make more candy to replenish their dwindling supply.

Caramel turned to checking the stock behind the counter when the sound of the bell over the door ringing told him that a new customer had arrived. “Hello and welcome,” he said, popping his head up to look at the newcomer. “Can I help you with anything…?” Caramel’s voice trailed off as he stared at the pony who’d come in.

The stallion smiled politely at Caramel, regarding him with bright-yellow eyes that reminded Caramel of a hawk. His coat was cream colored, speckled with gray flecks. His blueish-gray mane rested in a tousled mess on top of his head and neck, errant strands drifting across his eyes at random intervals. As he shifted, his wings shimmered in the store’s lights, their color and shade similar to his mane and tail, but slightly shinier, almost metallic.

“P-Perlin!” gasped Caramel. “I didn’t know you were back.”

Perlin Bluestreak grinned cheerfully. “I just got here from Canterlot. My sentence is finished and I’m officially a free stallion.”

“Th-that’s fantastic,” said Caramel. In truth, Perlin had always made him a little nervous, even though he had turned over a new leaf. After all, a few years ago, this stallion had been Dawn’s biggest rival and the two of them usually ended up trying to kill each other whenever they met, save for one notable occasion. Caramel had met him very rarely and only after Perlin had decided to reform himself, but he still found himself a little unsettled.

If Perlin noticed the hitch in Caramel’s voice, he was too polite to comment on it. Instead, he turned the talk in a safer direction. “How’s Dawn doing? I heard he and Scootaloo won the Best Young Fliers Competition.”

“He’s doing fine,” said Caramel. “He’s at the teahouse if you want to see him. I’m sure the two of you have plenty to talk about.”

“I’m sure,” agreed Perlin.

“What about Coco? Shouldn’t you be seeing her first?”

To Caramel’s surprise, Perlin blushed. “Actually…that’s why I came here. It’s the first time we’ve seen each other in a while and I was hoping to get something for her.”

Seeing the former mercenary and polished killer blush and hesitate like a bashful colt put Caramel at ease. Though he was at least a couple years older than Dawn, Perlin was still young. He’d made mistakes and he’d learned from them. Besides, if Dawn was vouching for Perlin, Caramel couldn’t really bring himself to object.

“So you’re looking for a romantic box of chocolates,” said Caramel, smiling slyly. “Hold tight for a sec and I’ll sic Bon Bon on you. She knows all of Coco’s favorites.” Bon Bon was also a hopeless romantic, which was one of the reasons she loved running a candy shop. In a few minutes, she’d have Perlin’s face dyed completely red. That’ll be a show worth watching.

Caramel was just about to head back when the bell rang again and he looked up to greet the new visitor. However, his voice caught in his throat as he saw the hulking stallion step through the door. The huge, dark-blue pegasus cast his eyes around, taking in the shelves, stacked with candies and chocolates of all shapes, sizes and descriptions. He broke into a sadistic grin as his gaze focused on Caramel, who swallowed nervously.

“Looks like you’ve got quite the place here,” he said, his voice a thunderous rumble. “A pony like you should be more careful about who they upset.”

“C-can I help you?” asked Caramel, already guessing where this was going.

“I’m here to deliver a message,” replied the brutish stallion. “But you see…you’re not the recipient. You and your shop are gonna be the stationary.”

“That’s a creative way to threaten somepony,” observed Perlin wryly. He glanced sidelong at Caramel. “Has Dawn been rubbing ponies the wrong way again?”

“You could say that,” said Caramel with a nervous shrug as the hulking stallion looked back and forth between them, a bit confused by their conversation.

“Oh? Who is it this time?” asked Perlin.

“A couple from a high-class pegasus clan,” said Caramel. “They’re claiming they’re his biological parents.”

Perlin blinked. “Well…that’s a new wrinkle.” He turned to regard the large stallion again. “What was your name, by the way?”

“Slab,” replied the brute. “Stay out of this, pal. If you aren’t careful, I’ll add you as a post script.”

“Oooh! Somepony’s been brushing up on their threats,” said Perlin, smiling. “I should write that one down. The whole delivery has a literary quality to it.”

“I bet Twilight would enjoy it,” suggested Caramel, unable to keep from chuckling.

Slab’s lips curled upward, baring teeth. “A couple of jokers, huh? I can see why somepony would want to shut a couple of smart mouths like yours. I’m being paid a good fee to make an example out of you, but I’d almost do it for free.”

“Now now,” said Perlin, adopting a consoling tone. “As someone who’s worked as hired muscle himself, I can appreciate a certain degree of professional pride in carrying out your assignment. However, I’m afraid I can’t let you run amuck in here. It would cause a mess. So I’m going to have to ask you to step outside.”

“Ha!” crowed Slap, rearing up, displaying all the formidable muscles his body had at its disposal. “Try and make me! A mess is exactly what I want to cause!”

Perlin shrugged. “All right then.” He shot forward, closing the distance between him and the hulking pegasus in an instant.

A startled Slab hadn’t even settled back onto all fours when Perlin reached him. Before he could raise a hoof to attack or defend, Perlin twisted his body around, one blueish-gray wing extending, its feathers slashing through the air like knives. Slab lunged forward, swinging a hoof the approximate size and weight of a large brick. However, to his shock, the hoof disappeared into the space between him and Perlin. Thrown off by the lack of resistance, Slab stumbled forward, his entire body disappearing. At the same time, Perlin allowed his own momentum to carry him into the space he’d just slashed so that, for the briefest of seconds, the two of them seemed to merge together until they both vanished into the invisible line that had been apparently carved between them.

Caramel blinked and stared at the space where the two pegasi had been. It was the first time he’d seen Perlin’s wings in action. Dawn had described the phenomenon, but seeing it was something else entirely. His ears perked up as he heard a low thud and a muffled exclamation from outside.

“Caramel? Is something wrong?” Bon Bon poked her head out from the back, looking in confusion at the now empty store.

“Um…I guess not,” said Caramel. “A stallion just tried to wreck the place. Luckily, Perlin was here and took him outside.”

“Really?” Bon Bon blinked and stared at the untouched store. “Wait! Perlin’s back?”

Caramel strained his ears and heard an angry shout, followed by the muffled sounds of somepony being struck repeatedly. “Yeah. He wanted to pick up some chocolates before going to see Coco.”

Bon Bon’s eyes went wide. “Oh! That’s wonderful! I’ll help him with that.”

“I figured you would,” said Caramel with a chuckle, still trying to follow the commotion outside. “Give him a minute and I think he’ll be back in.”

The sounds of the scuffle terminated and Perlin came back in through the door, not even looking winded, though his mane appeared to have gotten a little more tangled. “Okay. That was simple enough,” he said. “I had to mark that message ‘Return to sender’ though.”

Caramel burst out laughing. “That’s fine. Thanks.” He grinned at Perlin before turning to head back. “Well Bon Bon, he’s all yours.”

Author's Note

Somehow, I love the idea of ponies going asking if Dawn stirred up trouble with influential ponies as though it were some casual thing.

Next chapter: Dawn hangs a lampshade.

Warm Welcome

Chapter 12: Warm Welcome

Rusty didn’t bother trying to fight the grin that stretched across his face. He and his crew enjoyed stirring up a bit of trouble here and there. However, it was even better when one was being paid to stir up trouble. To be honest, he’d been looking forward to an opportunity to vent. He and Slab hadn’t yet lived down that little escapade after the certification exam. Getting brushed off by a mare and her blank flank coltfriend had been humiliating, given that Slab hadn’t even been able to land a single punch.

Therefore, it had been a blessing when a strange pony had come ambling into their usual hangout with a request for them to go to Ponyville, rough up a few ponies, and smash a few businesses, all for a healthy sum of bits. Rusty didn’t know who was actually asking for them, but their money was good and the job promised to be fun. Ponies in small towns like these were so easily cowed by a little bit of muscle flexing.

Come to think of it, isn’t there supposed to be a Princess in this place? mused Rusty as he descended towards his target, a small teahouse situated next to the town’s library, with several of his cronies in tow. He remembered that there was supposed to be a new Princess a few years back and that she’d ended up living in Ponyville. She hadn’t really made headlines all that much since then, not that Rusty was the most avid follower of current events. Oh well, so long as she doesn’t find out about us before we’re gone, we’ll be fine.

Rusty deliberately landed a lot harder than was necessary, his hooves smacking into the ground outside the teahouse door with a low thud that was then echoed by his friends landing behind him. A few ponies who’d been hanging around near the teahouse’s entrance scattered to get out of his way, while the ones already inside looked up from their cups and nervously watched the new arrivals through open windows.

Rusty grinned broadly. He loved a good entrance. Striding forward, he thrust open the door so that it slammed against the wall as he stomped in. “I hope you ponies are ready for some fun, because we’re about to bring the house down!”

“Welcome,” said one of the servers, slowly turning around to greet them. “How can I help you?”

Rusty’s eyes bugged and his jaw dropped as he recognized the ebony colt who’d made fools of them that night in Cloudsdale, his turquoise eyes glimmering in the low light of the establishment as he turned to look at them. When he saw who had arrived, he smiled slightly. The expression made Rusty’s heart leap into his throat.

“Please, take a seat and I’ll fetch you a menu,” said Dawn with an air of perfect politeness that didn’t sound remotely forced.

“Um…wrong place…” Rusty began to edge backwards, hearing his friends also moving to beat a retreat. “We’ll just…be…uh…on our way…yeah…”

Dawn’s wing flickered and Rusty felt a faint breeze pulling on him. However, the true effect was the door leaping away from its position on the wall and slamming shut behind them with a sound of terrifying finality. The breeze then seemed to circulate around the entire shop, pulling the windows closed with equally terrifying effect. Rusty and his friends stared in horrified awe at the closed door before whipping their heads around to stare at Dawn, who was still smiling at them.

“Please…” repeated Dawn, his smile widening, giving him a fierce, predatory look, like a lion staring down a lamed gazelle, “…Take. A. Seat.”

A strangled whimper forcing its way out of his throat, Rusty nodded.

Pearl Scarlet took a second to check himself over before knocking on the door of the Carousel Boutique. The unicorn’s pearly-white coat was immaculately groomed and gleamed in the afternoon sun. The crimson locks of his mane and tail were impeccably styled after he’d spent an hour on them this morning. His hooves were filed and polished to a perfect shine. His cutie mark, a pearl set into a gold, heart-shaped pendant, was proudly displayed. Satisfied that he looked his best, Pearl let his wine-colored eyes drift shut and took a deep breath to calm himself down. Easy does it, he thought. It’s no big deal. You’re only confessing your feelings for the most beautiful mare you’ve ever seen.

Perhaps calling Coco Pommel the most beautiful was an exaggeration, though not by much. Certainly, she didn’t have the elegant beauty of Equestria’s queen of fashion, Rarity. But she had a down-to-earth appeal that was a beauty all its own. Combined with those big eyes and that kindly smile and just the thought of her was enough to make Pearl’s heart beat faster. It helped that she was also one of the nicest ponies he’d ever dealt with.

Pearl was no stranger to dealing with Carousel Boutique, both as a buyer and seller. A jeweler by trade, he’d made quite a few pieces to serve as complements for Rarity’s (and, in more recent years, Coco’s) creations. He’d also been a customer of Rarity’s, though not for her garments. Back before the Boutique had expanded and Rarity had done her own gemstone digging in order to provide gemstones as accents for her dresses, Pearl had often bought her unused gems for his own business, often at a discount, even while selling one of his creations to better complement one of her designs. Rarity had always been a generous business partner and had never tried to shortchange or overcharge him, something that Pearl appreciated, especially given the demanding attitudes of some of his clientele. Coco had proved to be just as business-savvy as Rarity, though her sweet personality made every transaction a pleasure.

Pearl took one last chance to go over his looks, also checking to make sure that the bouquet of roses clenched in his fetlock were in perfect shape. You can do this, he coached himself. She’d be crazy to say no.

His friends had warned him otherwise, pointing out that Coco had turned down several stallions and mares in the past. Some even suggested that she might already have a special somepony of her own. Still, Pearl was firm in his belief that he would be different. He already had an excellent working relationship with Coco. They got along quite well with each other, even when they weren’t talking about business. Pearl felt a real connection, something he could use to steer their relationship in a more romantic direction.

Gathering up his confidence, Pearl strode up to the door with as much poise as he could manage on three legs and rapped sharply on the wooden surface.

“Come in,” called that sweet, musical voice from within, its wonderful lilt making Pearl’s heart dance. Pushing against the door, he swung it open and marched in, putting on his most winning smile as his eyes locked on the mare of his dreams, who was currently fussing with the hem of one of the dresses on display.

Coco Pommel looked up from her work to see her visitor and she smiled cheerfully. “Oh! Welcome back, Pearl. I wasn’t expecting you today.”

Her smile was like an arrow to his heart and Pearl had to stop himself from seizing up. “Y-yes, well, I’m sorry to come in so suddenly,” said Pearl. “This is a most personal affair.”

Coco canted her head as she regarded him, her eyes going over his well-groomed appearance before fixing on the bouquet of roses he held. Her smile faltered slightly. “What can I do for you?”

Pearl, oblivious to Coco’s discomfort, strode forward, confidence in everything from his expression to his posture. “Coco Pommel, we’ve enjoyed a cordial business relationship over the years and I have found you to be one of the most beautiful and wonderful mares that I have ever had the pleasure to associate with. I came today because I would like to make our relationship about more than business.” He held out the flowers he’d brought. “Coco Pommel…would you do me the honor of becoming my special somepony?”

Coco’s eyes trembled and her smile disappeared as she instead chewed nervously on her bottom lip. Reaching out, she took the offered flowers, as was only polite and put on her most apologetic smile. “Thank you,” she said. “You are a wonderful stallion. However, I’m afraid I can’t return your feelings. I’m very flattered, though.”

She watched as Pearl’s expression underwent a transformation into something akin to a kicked puppy. She always hated this part. A few of the stallions who approached her were, as Rarity had so aptly termed them, “uncouth louts.” But most, like Pearl, were decent stallions, some of whom she considered to be good friends. She had nothing against Pearl personally and, had things not been different, she might have seriously considered accepting his request. She really wished there was an easier way to let them down. But the most she could do was acknowledge that she understood their feelings and couldn’t return them. At least Pearl had shown the initiative to come in pony, rather than sending her a letter, which often forced her to track down the sender so she could let them down herself.

“I…I see…I’m sorry,” said Pearl, his gaze drifting downwards. “I suppose I’ve been too forward.”

“It’s not that,” said Coco, setting the roses aside on a nearby desk. “Please, you are a wonderful stallion. But I’m…waiting for somepony.”

“Oh…” Pearl’s ears drooped. I guess the rumors were true then, he thought.

Coco stopped in front of him and gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m really sorry that you and I can’t be special someponies. I hope that we can still be friends, at least.”

Pearl nodded sadly. Sure, there would be a twinge in his chest every time he spoke to her from now on, but he sincerely believed that they could still maintain a friendly relationship. She’d done him the decency of being honest and not leading him on, something he could genuinely appreciate.

The Boutique door opened behind Pearl. Both he and Coco turned to look at the newcomer, Pearl privately horrified that somepony was about to be privy to their extremely awkward moment. The young, cream-colored pegasus who’d come through the door was carrying a box of chocolates tucked under one grayish-blue wing, his face looking just as nervous as Pearl had felt when he’d been standing outside the boutique and still working himself up to come in.

Poor guy, thought Pearl sympathetically, I’d warn him off, but I can’t do that in front of Coco. It saddened him that he was just about to watch another pony go through the rejection that he’d just suffered. Maybe they could bond over their sorrows at the bar later. Misery loved company after all.

Pearl’s ears perked up when he heard Coco’s gasp. He whipped his head around to see that she’d fallen back onto her haunches, her forehooves up in front of her mouth as her eyes trembled, glimmering with unshed tears as she stared at the stallion who’d just come in. Her gaze went right past Pearl, as though she’d completely forgotten about him in her shock.

“P-Perlin!” gasped Coco. “You’re…!”

“I’m back,” said Perlin Bluestreak softly.

“I-I see,” said Coco. “A-are you visiting or…?”

“I’m here to stay,” said Perlin, a shy smile spreading across his face, “if you’ll have me.” He carefully held out the box of chocolates to her.

Pearl had to jump back out of the way as Coco barreled past him to throw her hooves around the newcomer’s neck, hugging tightly. It was so abrupt that the box of chocolates that Perlin had brought with him dropped from his hoof as he rushed to return the embrace.

Thinking fast, Pearl caught the box in his magic before it could hit the floor and send its contents scattering across the showroom. He watched in fascination as Perlin’s wings extended to wrap around Coco, drawing her into a deeper embrace as she clung tightly to him, pressing her face against his neck and letting her tears soak into his coat. I guess he’s the one she was talking about, he thought ruefully. What were the odds the guy she’d been waiting would walk in right after he’d been turned down?

He watched them hold each other for a moment. He had to admit he had his doubts about this Perlin fellow. He seemed like a scruffy rogue for the most part. But Pearl couldn’t question the tenderness of their embrace. Coco looked more blissfully happy than Pearl could ever remember seeing her.

The moment went on a little longer and Pearl began to shift awkwardly. I think I should give them some privacy, but it’s a little awkward to get around them right now. Perlin had been right in front of the door when Coco had tackled him. The two of them were now blocking the primary exit of the room and Pearl knew the other doors were for employees only.

Deciding he had to do something before things got really awkward, he coughed politely. “Um…”

Coco jumped in surprise, only just remembering that Pearl was still there. She blushed brilliantly as she realized what she’d done in front of him. “Oh! I’m so sorry Pearl, I…”

“Lost yourself in the moment,” Pearl suggested.

“Y-yes,” said Coco, looking down and feeling a bit ashamed that she’d started ignoring him all of a sudden. It was just that she was so surprised to see Perlin and she was so happy to have him back…

Pearl coughed again, getting her attention. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll just get out of your manes,” he said before using his magic to hold up Perlin’s box of chocolates. “You dropped this.”

“Thank you,” said Perlin, giving Pearl a curious look as he took the box in hoof.

“Perlin, this is Pearl Scarlet. He’s a business associate of Rarity’s and mine. He’s also a very good friend.”

“Uh…Nice to meet you,” said Perlin.

Pearl chuckled. “It’s nice to meet you too. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.” He carefully navigated around Perlin and Coco as they moved to open the way to the door. As he walked past Perlin, Pearl glanced sidelong at him. “Take good care of her.” After that, he was gone, the door clicking shut in his wake.

“A friend, huh?” said Perlin, raising an eyebrow as he stared at the door. “I get the feeling that he wanted to be something more than that.”

“Yes,” agreed Coco. “In fact, he was just asking to be my special somepony right before you came in.”

Perlin’s eyes widened. “Oh! I thought the situation seemed a little awkward. But he seems like a pleasant fellow.”

“Oh yes, he’s very nice,” said Coco. “He even caught your box when you dropped it.”

“I noticed.”

“Are those for me?” asked Coco, looking up at Perlin with shining eyes.

“They are,” said Perlin, smiling at her. “Bon Bon helped me pick them out. She said she knew all of your favorites. I know it’s been a while so I wanted to get something nice for you.”

That made Coco giggle. “That’s so sweet of you.” She took a second to go over to the door and flip the sign so that the Boutique was now closed. Then, turning around, tensed as she eagerly surveyed Perlin. The years had added layers of supple muscle to his body. His mane was a little longer than she remembered and definitely in need of brushing. Still, the wild look it imparted made her heart quicken a little.

Her cyan eyes met his yellow ones. There had been a time when those eyes of his had struck terror into her heart, when she dreaded seeing them. But now, when she looked into them, she could only feel relief, as though a part of her that had been missing all this time was finally back in its proper place. After he’d been gone for so many months since the last time he’d visited, Coco had been afraid that what they’d had might have faded, that there wouldn’t be any kind of connection between them. She was glad her fears had proved baseless.

Her restraint was hanging by a thread now. “Perlin,” she said, having to work to get her voice out, “put the box down. I don’t want you dropping it again.”

Perlin nodded and put the box on a table, incidentally setting it right next to the roses that Pearl had brought. He turned around to see Coco already rushing at him. Perlin rocked back as she threw her arms around him once more. This time, she pressed her lips to his. Perlin’s wings enveloped her like a warm, downy blanket. A few seconds later, balance failed them both and they fell to the floor with a muffled thump, too caught up in each other to even notice.

Over an hour and several cups of, admittedly delicious, tea later, Rusty and his friends were finally free to go. Dawn had made no threats, had been unfailingly polite, and provided them with excellent service. In doing so he had been nothing less than utterly terrifying. Finally, once they’d finished their tea and paid for it, Rusty and his crew made their hasty departure, their wings beating furiously as they fought to get away as fast as they possibly could. Dawn came to the door to see them off, his unfaltering smile still in place as he watched them dwindle in the distance.

A few seconds later, he felt Scootaloo’s approach and turned to face her as she came in for a landing next to him. “Hey, were those the guys from that time in Cloudsdale?” she asked.

“Yep,” replied Dawn.

“Okay…What was that all about then?” she asked, tilting her head, shifting her gaze from Dawn to the departing thugs and back again.

“The beginnings of a running gag, I think,” said Dawn absently.

“Huh?”

“I mean, I think that was most likely Moonstone and Swift’s attempt to get back at me,” said Dawn a little too quickly.

“I thought so,” said Scootaloo. “So they came here too?”

“Where else did they try?” asked Dawn.

“Well, there was this trio who tried to steal some of our thunderheads and make a little noise over Sugarcube Corner,” said Scootaloo.

“I take it you took care of them,” said Dawn.

“Heck no!” said Scootaloo, grinning. “Cloud Kicker took care of them…by herself. Those idiots forgot that the Weather Team here has to handle the stuff that comes from the Everfree. They’re beefier than your average weather worker.” She paused and tapped her chin. “I also checked with Caramel. Some big brute pegasus came in and tried to wreck the shop. Maybe he was the big one that was with that gang. What was his name again?”

Dawn shrugged. “Given you don’t seem worried, I assume that Dad’s okay.”

Scootaloo blinked and her eyes went wide. “Yeah, he’s fine, which is why I wanted to tell you! Guess who saved him.”

“Who?” asked Dawn.

“Perlin! Perlin’s back!” said Scootaloo, grinning once again.

“Really?” asked Dawn, his eyebrows going up. “How is he?”

“Caramel said he seems to be doing fine. He was actually there to pick up a box of chocolates for Coco.”

“I see,” said Dawn, smiling. “Maybe we should go see them.”

Scootaloo froze in place and stared at Dawn for a second, blinking once, then twice. “Um…I don’t think we should. We don’t want to walk in on them while they’re in the middle of something.”

Now it was Dawn’s turn to stare at Scootaloo with wide eyes. “Oh?…Oh! Yes. I suppose that would be a good idea.” He sighed. “I suppose it can wait. Besides, I only have a few more minutes before I’m supposed to meet Ms. Cheerilee.”

“Cheerilee? Why do you need to see her?” asked Scootaloo.

Dawn took a minute to explain what she’d asked of him and Scootaloo found herself getting excited. “Wow! That sounds totally awesome. I wish there was some way I could help.”

“Could you perhaps check with your friends on the Weather Team?” asked Dawn. “If I’m flying more than one foal at a time, I’ll need a couple extra sets of wings to act as spotters in case something goes wrong.”

“Yeah, I can do that,” said Scootaloo. “There are a few who’d probably like that. Maybe I can join you once in a while and we can maker a bigger session of it.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll talk it over with Ms. Cheerilee,” said Dawn.

“Guess I’ll be training on my own today, though,” said Scootaloo, her face falling a bit.

“I’m afraid so,” said Dawn. “I’ll join you later if we can wrap up the meeting quickly enough.”

“I hope I’ll see you then,” said Scootaloo. “If not, give the Li’l Sprout my love, okay.”

Dawn leaned in to kiss her. “I promise,” he said. Scootaloo kissed him back. A minute later, they each took to the air to go their separate ways.

Rusty landed on a cloud outside of the town boundaries, panting for breath. His three companions landed behind him, doing the same. Casting his eyes about, Rusty looked for any signs of pursuit or the rest of his crew. “What the hay was that monster doing there?” he asked rhetorically.

“I don’t care,” said the mare who was standing behind him. “I’m not going back to that town ever again.”

Rusty and the rest nodded emphatically in agreement. A few minutes later, another three ponies settled onto the cloud. Rusty wondered if their job had been any easier. When he saw the bruises each of them sported, he figured that the answer had been “no.” “So what happened with you?”

“We were trying to get the clouds so that we could zap the bakery,” explained Foggy Breeze with a grimace. “This one weather mare takes exception and she beats us to within an inch of our lives. We’re lucky we got away from her. I thought she was gonna follow us to Tartarus and back.”

“What about Hazy Twister and his team?” asked Rusty.

As if on cue, another quartet came in for a landing. Rusty looked at them and saw battered bodies, bloody noses, and even a few patches of singed fur and feathers. “Do I even wanna know?”

“The farm was supposed to be easy!” snapped Hazy, his eyes blazing with anger. “'Go in,' the instructions said. 'Turn loose a couple of twisters in those orchards. Pull up a few rows of veggies. Mess up a barn or two…'”

Rusty merely raised an eyebrow. “And…?”

“The guys who tried doing anything at ground level got thrashed by this crazy earth pony waving around a spear,” said Hazy, his eyes rolling madly. “So we try to get a good twister going, you know, something to wreak some havoc and were jumped by-get this-an honest to Celestia fire-breathing dragon!”

“You’re kidding!” snapped Rusty.

Hazy lunged forward and grabbed Rusty’s shoulders, pulling him in so that they were face-to-face. “Do I look like I’m kidding?” he asked, glaring at Rusty with bloodshot eyes. “They have a freaking dragon! Why in Celestia’s name would a town like this have a dragon? What in the hay is wrong with these ponies!?”

Rusty grunted and pried Hazy’s hooves off. “So that was a bust,” he muttered. “What about Slab? Has anypony seen him?”

A few seconds later, the entire cloud rocked as the large stallion landed roughly on it. Rusty and the others took in Slab’s battered body, complete with bruises, scrapes, and cuts. Rusty opened his mouth, but snapped it back shut when Slab fixed him with a furious glare.

“Don’t. Say. A. Word.”

Coco and Perlin collapsed, panting, in her bed. Her mane and tail were now just as tangled as Perlin’s had been. Her coat was matted with sweat and…other…fluids. It had taken all of her willpower to suspend their amorous activities until they made it up to the bedroom, Coco discarding what few pieces of clothing she wore along the way. After so long apart from him, she hadn’t been able to hold herself back any longer, so it was important they didn’t do anything in the showroom, where customers might smell traces of it later. It was a good thing that she now lived at the Ponyville Boutique as she wasn’t sure that they would have been able to last the journey from there to the house where Coco used to live.

“Did we move too fast?” asked Perlin, catching his breath first. “I didn’t think you’d be ready to do that so soon.”

“I…” Coco had to take another second to find her words again. “I was tired of waiting. When you were gone…I was…afraid. I was worried that we wouldn’t have anything between us anymore, that you would come in that door and that…that spark would be gone.”

“I’m glad it wasn’t,” said Perlin.

“Me too,” said Coco now nuzzling up against him, sighing contentedly as his wings wrapped around her once more. “When I realized that and I heard that you were staying…I just didn’t want to hold back anymore.”

“Me neither,” admitted Perlin. “After…after everything with Elderflower and Wight Shade, I realized just how empty my life had been. You gave me something worth living for, a reason to be strong.”

Coco smiled and clung tighter to him. “I love you, Perlin Bluestreak.”

“And I you,” Perlin replied tucking her head beneath his chin. “I suppose you’ll have something to gossip with Rarity about when you see her again.”

Coco giggled, her eyes beginning to drift shut, the intensity of their lovemaking taking its toll. When they woke up, she would undoubtedly need a shower and a good grooming before she was presentable. But she didn’t mind.

After all…Perlin might be willing to take a shower with her.

“I’m impressed,” said Cheerilee as she looked over the first draft of their proposal to submit to the School Board. “I didn’t realize you’d thought things out so thoroughly.”

Dawn shrugged. “Call it a concession to experience. After having Softhoof evaluate Mom’s suitability of a parent because she let me go to Cloudsdale to fight those tribalists, I began thinking about how situations like this could arise. Scootaloo sometimes says I overthink things.”

Cheerilee giggled. “Not that I think you are in this case,” she said. “When it comes to foals in an environment where ponies like us are entrusted with their care and wellbeing, you can’t be too careful or too thorough about making sure that the parents are aware of and willing to accept any risks that they might undertake.”

Dawn nodded. He’d never had any formal training as a teacher, but he understood that few things could be more daunting than a pair of angry parents worried over their foal’s wellbeing, whether such worries were justified or not.

“Still,” said Cheerilee. “From the look of things, I don’t think the Board will have any issues with the proposal. What about the spotters? Do we need some special certification for them?”

Dawn shook his head. “Basic rescue is part of the certification process for weather work. Any active weather pony has enough training to rescue a falling foal with minimal risk.”

“I’ll make sure to include that in the proposal,” said Cheerilee. “I’m submitting it at the Board meeting next Sunday. Do you think that you can be there?”

“I’ll make time for it,” Dawn promised. It wouldn’t be hard. Arkenstone was an easygoing pony as employers went. It helped that the teahouse was more a case of him indulging in a favorite hobby than it was an effort to turn a profit. In addition, Dawn got the distinct impression that Arkenstone would probably approve of Dawn branching out and exploring other interests.

In all honesty, he was a bit surprised by his own eagerness to do this. What had started as an activity to reward his sister for good behavior had expanded well beyond his original plans. The thought of working with those foals, being able to provide them with an experience that was not only enjoyable, but actually useful, filled him with pride.

Cheerilee favored Dawn with a proud, almost motherly smile. “I’m glad,” she said. “I’m also happy you’re so excited about this.” She reached across the desk to pat his hoof. “I’ve chatted with your Mom occasionally and she’s been a bit worried.”

Dawn’s ears perked up. “She has?”

Cheerilee nodded soberly. “I don’t think she’s the only one. I mean, I know we don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for, but ponies can’t help but notice you still don’t have your cutie mark.”

Dawn blinked and looked back at his flank. “Oh, that?”

Cheerilee nodded. “I know how much you enjoy working at the teahouse and your parents aren’t worried about your ability to provide for yourself once you finally move out. But everyone seems to think that you’ve just been…staying in place, like your entire life is in a holding pattern. You may enjoy working in the teahouse, but I don’t think that’s what you really want to do.”

Dawn frowned, a bubble of frustration welling up within him. He was happy where he was. Why was everypony constantly questioning that? Was it because he didn’t have some fancy picture on his flank? But, at the same time, he couldn’t help but acknowledge that, maybe, they were right. Certainly, he was happy in the teahouse. But that was partly because working there felt…safe…familiar…easy. It didn’t require him to try something he wasn’t familiar with. He was able to easily go through the motions without much effort. But was that truly fulfilling to him? Would he truly be happy to spend the rest of his life there?

He had to admit, Cheerilee did have a point. Despite enjoying what he did at the teahouse, Dawn hadn’t gotten his cutie mark yet, not that its absence bothered him overly much. He had to admit, the idea of working with Cheerilee’s foals was exciting. He’d actually found himself feeling very passionate about working with her to come up with their proposal to the School Board. He also found himself hoping very much that they accepted the proposal. Perhaps he had been staying in place for too long. “You…you might be right,” he admitted.

Cheerilee smiled. “Even if you aren’t in my student anymore, I still look forward to seeing you grow.” She began to gather the pages of writing that they had created over the course of mapping out their proposal. “I’ll get started on the final draft and see you on Sunday.”

Dawn nodded and bid farewell to his former teacher. Heading out the door, he noted that he still had time to meet Scootaloo in the quarry for at least part of their usual training session. He set out, his heart feeling simultaneously lighter and heavier; lighter because he felt that they were truly on the cusp of something exciting, heavier because he realized he had a lot of thinking to do about his future and where he wanted it to go.

The next day, Scootaloo and Dawn got to see Perlin for the first time since he’d returned to Ponyville as he entered the teahouse alongside Coco. Scootaloo came in only a few seconds behind them, fresh off her latest shift. Dawn was also finishing up for the day so that he and Scootaloo could go to their next training session, but suspended that for the moment so that he could speak with his old rival.

They settled themselves at a table and Arkenstone provided them all with tea before bustling off to see to the other customers. Scootaloo took one look at Perlin and Coco, her eyes narrowing in silent scrutiny. A sly smile broke out across her face. “Somepony got lucky last night, didn’t he?”

Perlin and Coco broke into simultaneous blushes and pointedly looked away from Scootaloo and each other. Naturally, Scootaloo reacted as any mature, cultured mare would and broke out laughing, barely able to stop herself from pounding on the table, lest she spill their tea.

Dawn glanced sidelong at her and raised an eyebrow before sighing. He instead smiled across the table at the two lovers. “Sorry,” he said with a shrug. “I blame her big sister.”

“I can see that,” said Perlin wryly, managing to recover some of his composure. He stretched out his wing and wrapped it around Coco, pulling her up against him. Coco sighed and relaxed a little, leaning into his embrace.

“In all seriousness though,” said Scootaloo, finally recovering from her humor, “welcome back. We’ve missed you, Perlin.” She grinned at Coco. “Although, I think some of us missed you more than others.”

Dawn sighed and flicked his wing slightly, sending an errant breeze that worked through Scootaloo’s feathers against their grain, making her squirm. “Behave,” he admonished sternly.

Scootaloo glared at her coltfriend before grinning sheepishly at Coco and Perlin. “Sorry,” said Scootaloo. “But yeah, we’re glad to have you back. I’m really happy for you, Coco. While he was gone, you always seemed a little bit…lost.”

“I did?” asked Coco, her ears folding and her head titling.

“I have to agree,” said Dawn. “I think you look much more at ease now. Also, I’ll bet you’re happy that you won’t have to deal with any more proposals.”

“Proposals?” Perlin blinked and looked at Coco. “So that stallion yesterday wasn’t an isolated incident?”

Dawn chuckled into his hoof and Scootaloo giggled. “Are you kidding?” she asked. “You actually came in while another stallion was trying to ask her out? I think you missed out by being a mercenary, Perlin. You could’ve gotten your cutie mark for comic timing.”

Even Coco giggled at that one, while Perlin grimaced.

Scootaloo continued. “Coco was probably the most sought-after mare in town for a while. It seemed like every single stallion and mare wanted to try their luck with her. I think Rarity might have been a little jealous of just how popular she was.”

Perlin glanced at Coco and raised an eyebrow. “Does this mean I’m going to fend off other contenders?”

Coco blushed again and nuzzled against his neck, gradually moving her head up so that she was rubbing against the underside of his jaw. “Of course not. Most of them were very polite and were willing to stop after I told them I wasn’t interested. There were a few who didn’t stop, but Dawn took care of them.” She sighed happily. “After last night, I know you’re the only pony for me.”

“Geez, everypony is gonna freak when they see you together,” said Scootaloo. “This is the cutest thing I’ve seen since Caramel and Fluttershy got together.”

Once again, the two lovers blushed furiously. Dawn swooped to their rescue by changing the topic. “So,” he said, looking Perlin over carefully, “now that your sentence is up, what will you do now?”

“I…” Perlin looked down, staring pensively into his cup of tea. “I haven’t thought about that to be honest. While my time was finishing up, all I could think of was coming back here.” His wing tightened its hold on Coco. “I hadn’t thought beyond that.”

“Take your time,” said Arkenstone, who’d been walking past them at that moment. When Perlin had been answering Dawn’s question, the blind stallion had paused to listen in. “Don’t worry overly much about the future at the moment. You have plenty of time to decide what you want to do.”

“I will,” said Perlin, smiling. “A lot of my time will involve making up for my absence with Coco for a while.”

“By the way, Twilight will want to see you,” added Arkenstone. “She’s been saying that you’re due for another checkup.”

Perlin’s eyes rolled upward thoughtfully. “I knew I was forgetting something. I haven’t had one since my last visit.”

In fact, besides Coco, Twilight Sparkle had been the other reason Perlin visited Ponyville over the years. His sentence, passed down by Celestia and Luna for the crimes he had committed at the behest of his previous employers, involved him traveling across the width and breadth of Equestria, acting as an agent of the Crown’s justice and dealing with some of Equestria’s most dangerous criminal elements. According to the reports Dawn and Arkenstone had read, Perlin had acquitted himself quite well on these missions, for which he generally received the opportunity to visit Coco in Ponyville as a reward.

However, those visits were also regularly scheduled so that he could be examined by Twilight. Perlin’s wings were composed of a variety of materials known as Dark Matter. Created by a powerful, brilliant, and morally compromised mage by the name of Morning Star, Dark Matter was matter that did not ordinarily exist within the world of Equestria, matter that was subject to its own laws of physics that, when interacting with the matter and physics of the existing world, resulted in incredible phenomena. A few years ago, Twilight; with the help of Dawn, Arkenstone, her friends, and many others; defeated Morning Star, or Wight Shade as he had chosen to call himself, and had absorbed Morning Star’s knowledge of all the Dark Matter he had created.

Twilight had taken to examining Perlin’s wings on a periodic basis to chart their growth and look for any signs of possible problems that might arise from the foreign material bonded into Perlin’s very flesh and blood. His wings were formed from fully organic Dark Matter that grew along with him. Twilight wanted to be sure that no complications arose. She had been using her understanding of Dark Matter, including what she had learned from studying Perlin to delve into the possibility of using Dark Matter to create prosthetic limbs and organs for ponies who had lost those things. While her research was making headway, she wanted to be absolutely sure of the safety and viability of such replacements.

“I suppose I could come over after we finish here,” said Perlin with a little small shrug of acknowledgment.

“I’ll come with you,” volunteered Coco.

“So what are the two of you going to do…?” asked Scootaloo, pausing before quickly adding, “…besides the obvious, I mean.”

“W-well,” said Coco, blushing furiously yet again, “I-I’m not sure. I guess…maybe…I’d ask Rarity for some vacation time. Then Perlin and I…” She paused. “We haven’t really decided what to do, I suppose.”

“How about the Polyneighsian Islands,” suggested Dawn. “They’re supposed to be awesome this time of year. Mom absolutely loved it when she and Dad went there on their honeymoon.”

“Oh…that’s maybe a bit far,” said Coco nervously.

“Maybe you two can save it for your own honeymoon,” suggested Scootaloo with a sly grin.

Dawn called up another breeze to tease Scootaloo’s feathers to admonish her as Perlin and Coco flushed red yet again.

“Right, sorry,” said Scootaloo with a groan. “How about Gallopoli, you really liked it when you went with the rest of us, Coco.”

Coco thought about it carefully. After the whole affair with Wight Shade had concluded and the commotion of Twilight’s coronation had calmed down, Rarity, all her friends, including Coco, along with several others, had gone to the town of Gallopoli. The main reason was to give Flaxseed an opportunity to visit his parents after having been separated for several years, due to the persecution he had suffered at the hooves of the Cult Solar. But they had also used it as an opportunity to take a long overdue vacation, as the seaside town was a beautiful locale and a popular tourist attraction. Coco remembered loving it there.

“That…sounds nice actually,” she said, before turning her attention back to Perlin. “What about you?”

Perlin nuzzled her. “As long as I’m with you, we could go to Yakyakistan and I wouldn’t mind in the slightest.”

Coco giggled and nuzzled him back.

Scootaloo faked a gagging noise and rolled her eyes. “Ugh…so sappy.”

Dawn elbowed her. “It’s sweet,” he replied.

“Geez,” she muttered, “you are such a softy.”

Dawn smirked. “I blame my mother. Besides, you know you love it.”

Scootaloo snorted in amusement. I can’t really argue with that, she thought before nuzzling against Dawn with a sigh, the two of them almost mimicking the pair across the table in their display of affection.

Seeing the other couple in action sent Coco's ears perking up. "Oh! I know!" she squealed. "We should go on a double date sometime."

"Yeah, that sounds like fun," agreed Scootaloo, nodding eagerly.

Dawn and Perlin shared a dubious glance before looking around at the teahouse. "Change the scenery a little and you could say that's what we're doing now," suggested Dawn.

"This isn't a date," protested Scootaloo, "it's a gossip session."

"I thought stallions didn't gossip," Dawn said

"You don't," replied Scootaloo. "You're accessories."

"It's so lovely to be appreciated," said Perlin with a chuckle as Coco stifled her giggles. Deciding to change the subject, Perlin recalled his experience right before heading to the Boutique. "By the way, Dawn, your dad tells me that you've peeved off someone in influence again."

Dawn frowned and sighed. "Yes, the current heads of the Gust Clan are claiming to be my biological parents."

"Yeah, I heard about that," said Perlin. "Given what you've told me about that, I figured you'd be madder at them."

"I know, right?!" exclaimed Scootaloo, waving her hooves.

"Well, aside from issues concerning the clarity of my recall, I did feel that getting truly outraged at them was a rather pointless endeavor. They clearly do not see what they did as being wrong and they see nothing wrong with trying to sweep it all under the rug now."

"Except now they're hiring thugs to harass your friends and family," added Scootaloo. "Spike told me a few of them were trying to cause trouble at Sweet Apple Acres. Cloud Kicker said the group that was messing with the thunderheads was moving them over Sugarcube Corner. That big fellow went after your dad in the candy store and the rest of them tried to hit the teahouse."

"It sounds as though she's trying to get to you peripherally," said Perlin, averting his eyes. "I'd been asked to take assignments like that when I was a mercenary."

"Y-you were?" asked Coco worriedly.

Perlin nodded, his expression grave. "When a target is perceived as being too dangerous to threaten directly or if she can't be coerced to whatever end through physical violence used against her, you target those close to her to weaken her emotionally. I usually turned those jobs down, though."

"Less likely to encounter anypony capable of giving you a good fight on jobs like that?" mused Dawn.

Perlin nodded. "Besides, targets too dangerous to be threatened by me were largely absent in my experience." He gave Coco an apologetic look, knowing that bringing up his past history as a mercenary with no compunctions against killing his opponents was something that made her uncomfortable. It didn't help that saying their relationship had gotten off to a rocky start was a serious understatement, as Coco had first drawn Perlin's attention during that period of his life. Due to his complete inexperience with anything resembling romance, Perlin's interest in Coco had generally made him come off more as a creepy stalker than a genuine romantic prospect.

Coco responded with an encouraging smile and began to nuzzle against Perlin again. "It's okay," she whispered.

Perlin nodded and turned back to Dawn. "As for the Gust Clan, I remember that name from my time working as Meadowlark's enforcer."

"They're certainly tribalist enough to be friends of hers," said Dawn thoughtfully.

"Well they weren't, not exactly," said Perlin with a shrug. "Actually, Meadowlark was pretty upset with them because they refused to support her uprising."

"Huh?" Dawn raised an eyebrow.

Perlin nodded. "Apparently they told her that her plan was 'completely idiotic' and 'didn't have a snowflake's chance in tartarus of succeeding.' As you know, Meadowlark didn't really take criticism well, even when it was much more well-reasoned and tactfully-worded. I think she was actually considering sending me to 'encourage' them shortly before Rainbow Dash arrived."

"So they were smart enough to figure out that Meadowlark was a few apples short of a full barrel, but not to realize that they had about the same chance of getting Dawn to come back to them?" asked Scootaloo skeptically.

"Or they didn't share Meadowlark's overall vision," suggested Dawn. "After all, given that they waited until we won the competition to come after me, I guess they're more interested in their personal gain than any larger cause."

"In any case, I'm worried," said Scootaloo. "I mean, you weren't exactly gentle in seeing them off and now they're coming after everypony close to you. Should we go to the Guard about this?"

"I informed them," said Dawn. "Arkenstone is also aware, so that counts for a great deal more."

Across the room from them, the blind stallion turned his muzzle in their direction and nodded.

"Those two are probably too clever to leave any evidence that might incriminate them," said Dawn. "They were here only a couple of days ago, but they already managed to send somepony back after I rejected them. It means that they have experience with this sort of practice and probably had the necessary contacts available ahead of time. It also means that they probably know how to cover their tracks."

"We could have at least made sure that those thugs she sent won't come back," said Scootaloo.

"They won't," said Dawn, giving her a smile. "After all, we're already plenty familiar with them and they've probably seen more of us than they can stand. They won't take this job again and they'll be warning off their peers and friends against the same. It's going to cut down on the ponies willing to take Moonstone and Swift up on their offer."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," said Perlin. "Random toughs are bad enough, especially when there are enough of them and they're being told to attack multiple targets. But the Gust Clan probably has connections to mercenaries of the kind that I used to be. Those ponies are even more dangerous. Will you still be able to protect everypony if the Gusts resort to those?"

Dawn's eyes slid towards Arkenstone, who nodded at him. "I think we have a better chance than most. There is quite the sizable pool of fighting talent in Ponyville these days, including you. Thanks for saving Dad, by the way."

Perlin grinned and nodded.

Dawn smiled. "The important thing is that more overt measures are going to draw more attention. A group of thugs like the ones from yesterday can be passed off as a gang from Cloudsdale deciding to run amuck in a random earth pony town. Mercenaries are more obviously the result of someone's direction. They'll begin to draw scrutiny and ponies are going to start looking at the Gusts much harder, particularly since we know that they have motive to resort to such measures. Furthermore, I suspect that the more frustrated they get, the more overt their efforts will be."

"He's got a point," said Scootaloo. "When that Moonstone mare saw she wasn't gonna get what she wanted from Dawn, she practically threw subtlety out the window. I don't think she's the kind of pony to back off when her first plans don't pan out."

"That and, given the fact she is clearly holding a grudge, she probably wants to be sure that you know that she is the author of your misfortune," observed Perlin, "even as she tries to take measures to ensure that it can't be proved officially."

Dawn nodded. "Hopefully, we can draw her into making a mistake and outing herself as the mastermind behind this. Once that happens, we can turn her over to the Guard and she'll be out of our manes for good."

"One can only hope things will go that smoothly," said Perlin.

Dawn smiled. "I think we can manage, so long as we're vigilant."

Author's Note

Poor Pearl. He seems like a nice guy. I'm sure he'll get lucky sometime.

Next chapter: The world's most awkward father-son conversation.

Drunken Antics

Chapter 13: Drunken Antics

"Hmm..." mused Twilight Sparkle, passing a lens over the point where the grayish-blue of Perlin's wings blended into the creamy color of his coat, "...I don't see any signs of contamination or mutation in the cells around your shoulder joints. I worried there might be some DNA recombination issues with the cells in those areas that could lead to cancerous developments or cellular degeneration, but you seem all right."

"That's a relief to know," said Perlin blithely, even as Coco paled as she waited a short distance away.

"It looks as though Kombu and Wight Shade knew their business," said Twilight. "I'm glad Kombu was willing to cooperate with us, at least."

"I am sure that the promise of leniency was a pleasant incentive," commented Arkenstone wryly.

Twilight nodded. "In any case, it looks as though you get a clean bill of health again, Perlin. You're free to go."

Perlin bobbed his head politely to her. "Thank you for all your help."

Twilight found herself smiling as Perlin and Coco prepared to take their leave, heading up the stairs that would take them out of Twilight's lab. Her smile widened when she saw Coco tuck herself beneath Perlin's wing and lean against him. "Those two are adorable together," she said, once they were out of earshot.

"Just about everyone agrees," said Arkenstone with a smile as he leaned against Twilight. "By the way, when do you want to tell the others about that?"

Twilight pursed her lips. "Soon," she said. "I'm not sure how long I can keep it a secret from Pinkie. I'm amazed she hasn't sniffed it out yet. But we'll be seeing Cadance and Shiny at the Grand Galloping Gala. I wanted to let everyone know there."

"You want to make the announcement at the Gala?" Arkenstone raised an eyebrow. "You're braver than I thought."

"Knock that off," Twilight retorted, elbowing him in the ribs. "It's not like I'm going to blurt it out in front of everypony. I was going to get all our friends together, maybe after the Gala, and let them know."

The basement door opened, prompting Twilight to look up and Arkenstone's ears to twitch. Spike stuck his head in. "Hey, Twilight. Guess what Princess Celestia just sent me."

"The tickets?" asked Twilight.

"The tickets," said Spike with a grin. "Although, ticket is probably a better description for it. She wrote that it was easier to just send you one and let you work out the size of your party."

"Yeah, that works better," agreed Twilight. "We'll have to let everyone know."

"Well, I'll be seeing Bloom and Applejack at the farm in a little bit. I can tell them," said Spike.

Twilight nodded. "I think I can handle the rest, especially if we rope Pinkie Pie into it. Have fun at the farm."

Spike grinned and nodded, pulling his head out of the doorway and closing it behind him.

Twilight smiled and turned to organizing the notes she had taken over the course of her analysis of Perlin's wings. "It looks like everything is in order. All things considered, I think that we can rule Perlin's experience as a successful trial-run."

"Are you sure?" asked Arkenstone. "The Dark Matter used for his wings was a variant specifically designed to be weaponized. You'll have to change its makeup considerably in order to produce an effective prosthetic."

"That would actually simplify things," said Twilight, moving her notes to a folder, which she then slid into a file drawer. "Since we don't want a herd of ponies with weaponized limbs running around, the final designs would end up stripping things away, rather than adding them. That reduces the number of variables in play and the number of complications that could arise."

Twilight's examination of Perlin's wings was part of her ongoing project to develop new prosthetic limbs for ponies who had lost theirs to accidents and violence. Current prosthetics were impressively functional, but were still well short of achieving the same level of functionality as an equine limb, to say nothing of the fact that they were generally composed of inorganic components that wore out and had to be replaced. However, thanks to the development of her understanding of Dark Matter, Twilight realized that it was possible to create prosthetic limbs, organic ones that would function as nearly perfect analogs to the limbs that they replaced, limbs that would grow along with their recipients and even heal damage and wear on their own, just like regular limbs.

Of course, working with material that operated according to its own distinct laws of physics had the potential to result in plenty of complications if one wasn't careful. Fortunately, Twilight had the complete body of Wight Shade's work to draw upon, which gave her a head start. On top of that, she had one of the ponies that Wight himself had modified acting essentially as a test case. The results were promising and would change the lives of countless ponies.

"Well, that's it for the day," said Twilight, giving Arkenstone a nuzzle. "I guess we should get ready for dinner."

Stepping out of the library and into the fading light of the evening, Spike yawned and stretched, spreading his wings and arcing his back in a catlike manner, whipping his tail back and forth the to work a few cricks out of it. The weather was perfect, warm but not overly humid. It was the perfect time for a flight out to Sweet Apple Acres.

Spreading his wings, Spike leapt into the air, sweeping the leathery appendages in a powerful downstroke that carried him aloft. The ground dropped away as he caught a warm updraft that sent him surging upwards to an altitude that had all of Ponyville sprawling out below him. Shifting his weight, Spike banked toward the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. He was so used to this flight, he could have probably managed it with his eyes closed. As he flew, he let his eyes wander across the ponies below, watching them as they went about their business.

As Spike flew, his glance brushed over Berry Punch's bar, where he could see a familiar trio of ponies, led by an orange and red stallion, going in. He frowned. Looks like Sugar Maple and his friends are gonna be spending another evening in the drunk tank, he thought. He silently reminded himself to be careful on the way home, Maple's muttered threat not having faded, despite the time that had passed since it was uttered. Spike had felt the young stallion's baleful gaze more than once and got the distinct impression that Maple was waiting for his opportunity.

However, Spike decided not to worry for the time being. Instead, he let his gaze continue to wander, even as his flight took him way from Ponyville's center and out into its more rural districts, where the streets of homes and shops gave way to meandering roads that led to farms, pastures, and orchards, just like the orchard he was currently heading for.

Dipping down, Spike let his flight take him low over the treetops, savoring the scent of ripening apples as they passed beneath him. The Apple Family farmhouse rose up in front of him. Behind it, he could see Red River's training hall. Backwinging to kill his speed, Spike dropped down onto his feet in the front yard of the farmhouse and trotted up to the front door, knocking politely on it.

The door swung open and Spike grinned as his eyes met another pair the same emerald-green as his own.

"Howdy there, Spike," said Applejack, grinning up at the young dragon.

"Hey there, AJ," said Spike with a grin. "Is Bloom ready."

"Almost," said Applejack. "She's brushin' down that mane 'o hers before ya two head out." She stepped back and beckoned. "Don't stand out there on the porch like a big purple lump, come on in."

Chuckling, Spike made his way into the farmhouse. As he did, he allowed his eyes to take in the rest of his friend. Applejack's orange coat was the same as usual, stretching as though it could barely contain the taught musculature built up over years of working the orchards. Her trademark stetson looked a bit more worn and faded, but Applejack still refused to give it up.

"Have any more trouble after yesterday?" asked Spike.

"Nope," said Applejack. "All quiet today. Ya find out what those varmints wanted."

Spike nodded. "Yeah, Arkenstone told me. Apparently Dawn's biological parents tried to force him to leave with them."

"Are ya serious?" asked Applejack.

Spike nodded. "Pretty much. Although it's a bit of a dubious claim on their part. The problem is that they're a couple of pegasus bigwigs from one of the old clans. Dawn thinks they hired those thugs to attack a bunch of places throughout town to try and put pressure on him."

"So we weren't the only ones?" asked Applejack.

"Nope," said Spike. "They didn't cause any damage though. It looks like the ponies around here were a lot tougher than they were ready for."

That got a chuckle out of Applejack. "Do ya think them buzzards are gonna try anythin' else."

"Dawn and Arkenstone think it's a possibility," said Spike. "They're gonna keep an eye out. I wouldn't worry too much though."

"Worry 'bout what?" asked Apple Bloom as she descended the staircase.

Spike turned to face her and found his face breaking out into a goofy grin as his eyes found her. Bloom wasn't wearing anything special for their date, but she'd brushed her fur and combed her mane, both of which shined under the lights. Her orange eyes glittered playfully as they met Spike's and she fixed him with a sultry smirk.

Applejack chuckled at Spike's smitten expression. "We're just talkin' 'bout those varmints from yesterday," she said.

"Oh," said Bloom. "Do ya think they're gonna come back?"

"If what Arkenstone and Dawn say is true, then probably not them specifically," said Spike. "Don't worry about it. I think those two have everything under control."

Bloom smiled and sidled up to her drakefriend, nuzzling up under the long arch of his neck, which Spike curled around so that he could return the favor, nuzzling into her mane, but careful to keep from making a mess of it after Bloom had gone through the trouble of brushing it.

"All right ya two lovebirds," said Applejack with a wry smile. "Off with ya now. Ya've gotta date to get to, don't ya?"

"Yep," said Spike. Wrapping his wing around Bloom's back, he led her to the door. As he did, he twisted his neck around so that he could look at Applejack one last time. "By the way, Twilight's invite to the Gala came in. It's pretty much an open invitation to everypony, though."

"Ah guess Ah'll have to break out mah dress," said Applejack. "Go on now." She made a shooing gesture with her hooves, ushering Bloom and Spike out the door and shutting it behind them.

"So Princess Celestia ain't sendin' us our own tickets?" asked Bloom.

"Technically no," said Spike. "Since Twilight's a Princess now too, she can technically bring whoever she wants and it counts as her entourage, if you're going by purely technical terms. It isn't as though they're gonna treat us like that. But, given how hectic some ponies' schedules have been getting, it saves Twilight the headache of trying to come up with an actual headcount to give Celestia so that she knows how many tickets to send."

"That makes sense, Ah guess," said Bloom. "So where are ya takin' me to dinner?" she asked, batting her eyes and grinning up at him.

"I've got reservations at the Porcini Palace," said Spike. "Twilight tells me that they're really good and she hasn't stopped raving about it since Arkenstone took her there."

"Sounds like a plan," said Bloom, her stomach rumbling. It had been a long day in the shop for her as she worked on several orders for her master. As hungry as she was, she suspected that Spike could take her just about anywhere and she'd be happy, so long as she had something edible in front of her.

The two of them chatted and laughed as they ambled into town, eager for the night ahead.

"Those imbecilic thugs! How could those fools botch such a simple job?"

Swift Bolt looked up at the sound of his wife's angry screech, sighing as he placed a bookmark in the novel he'd been reading and set it aside. Contemplating the contents of his whiskey glass, he decided he was going to need the extra boost to his morale and downed the whole thing in a single gulp, taking solace in the fiery sensation as the beverage drained down his throat.

Moonstone Gust stamped into the into the sitting room, a letter tucked underneath one wing. She came to a stop in front of her husband, who looked up at her expectantly. She pulled the letter out, holding the crumpled sheet of parchment clenched in her fetlock as she waved it in front of Swift's nose. "Not one...not a single one of them did their jobs! And just look at this parade of excuses...!"

Swift sighed again, his ears folding flat against his skull as he tried to tune out her rant. When she was like this, she could go for several minutes while barely even needing to pause for breath. Well, that's what you get for sending your solicitor to recruit a bunch of toughs from one of Cloudsdale's bars, he thought glumly. You weren't exactly investing in a quality product with that.

Granted, under most circumstances, quality was hardly a concern, seeing as the job that had been given out to those ponies had largely consisted of a list with the instructions to cause as much damage and trouble as possible. Yes, it was a simple order. But Swift had seen the reports on the ponies that Dawn associated with. They weren't your average civilians who could be handled just by sending in a few thugs. Not to mention he'd also pointed out that threatening and harming them was not likely to make Dawn any more acclimated to the idea of coming back to them.

Returning his mind to the present, Swift noted that his wife had switched from ranting to fretting. "What do we do?" she muttered. "At this rate, there's no way we can get Storm Shadow back before the Gala. This throws off all our plans."

All your plans, don't you mean? thought Swift, knowing better than to give voice to those thoughts. His wife was always all too happy to ignore any objections he might have whenever she had her mind set on something, but was just as quick to still include him as an accomplice to whatever decision had been made.

In this case, Moonstone had concocted a rather intricate (and rather farcical from Swift's perspective) plan to take full advantage of Dawn Lightwing's current celebrity status. It included, among other things, a "tearful reunion" attended by as many members of the press as she could assemble, accompanied by their official debut as a family reunited at the Grand Galloping Gala. From there, they could take advantage of the event to bring in sponsorships and endorsements from any number of figures in the world of business.

Of course, that was all predicated on the idea that Dawn would happily adopt the mantle of their lost son, which he clearly hadn't. "Dear," he said, feeling that he was obligated to at least make a token attempt to curb her wild ambitions, lest she get both of them in a lot of hot water, "don't you think we should maybe back down? Threats and intimidation are only going to make the boy more obstinate." In reality, Swift already considered Dawn something of a lost cause. However, he knew better than to dare say that straight out. His best hope lay in getting Moonstone to back down for the time being and then, hopefully, work her around to giving up in the extra time his suggestion bought.

Moonstone glared at him. "Absolutely not!" she snapped. "We need to bring back our son soon or the Gala will be..." She paused.

For a short second, Swift Bolt dared to hope that Moonstone had finally seen reason. But those hopes were dashed when he saw the diabolical smile blossom across her face. "Of course, the Gala," she said. "What better occasion could there be? It's the perfect opportunity. We can kill two birds with one stone."

"Dear? What are you planning?" asked Swift Bolt, leaning forward nervously.

"Never you mind" said Moonstone. "I have work to do. I need to write some more letters."

Wonderful, thought Swift with a groan.

"That sure was delicious," said Spike, rubbing his stomach as he and Apple Bloom left the restaurant. For a place whose menu was built entirely around mushroom-based dishes, it was amazing that the chefs had been able to create a selection with such a wide variety of flavors.

"Eeyup," agreed Bloom emphatically. "Ah'll have to take the girls there when Sweetie finally gets back from the Academy."

"Maybe we could all go," said Spike. "We could make it a Cutie Mark Crusaders reunion."

Bloom giggled at the idea. "That sounds like fun."

"It wwwould be even more fun if you'd ditch the dragon," slurred a voice from in front of them as the familiar orange and red figure of Sugar Maple stepped into the circle of light cast by a streetlamp.

Spike clamped his jaws together, biting back the angry growl threatening to rise in his throat, along with the pithy insult that would have followed it. Maple's body swayed a little bit. Given the look in his eyes, Spike figured that he was all the more likely to seize upon any excuse he could find to try and start a fight.

"Um...Hey there, Maple," said Bloom, apparently noticing the same thing that Spike had. Spike silently applauded her willingness to be diplomatic about the situation, especially since Maple was clearly in a bad mood and looking for a fight. She had a lot more to lose if her drakefriend ended up in a brawl with her fellow apprentice and the son of the pony overseeing said apprenticeship.

"I keep telling you, A.B, dump this chump and hang out with us," said Maple, swaying a little to one side, but managing to keep himself upright. "Ponies and dragons ain't natural together. Do you really wanna be a lizard-lover?"

Spike had to fight even harder to keep the next growl from working its way out of his throat. It wasn't like Maple to be so provocative. For whatever reason, he was primed for a fight. Spike also noted that, for all that he was still drunk, he wasn't as drunk as he usually got on nights out with his friends. I'm guessing that Berry Punch had enough of their antics and cut them off early.

The reminder that Maple had friends sent a jolt down Spike's spine as his ear fins perked up. He very much doubted that Maple's two buddies had called it a night early if Maple hadn't. Odds were they were lurking somewhere in the vicinity. It looks like the training I did with Red is gonna pay off, he thought, I hope...

Bloom, however, had already run out of patience. "Ah don't care what ponies think about it," she said harshly. "Ah ain't dumpin' Spike and Ah sure as hay ain't ditchin' him fer a drunken troublemaker like you. Ya make me sick, Maple."

"Easy there, Bloom," said Spike, gently brushing his wing along Bloom's back. Turning his gaze back to Maple, Spike sighed. "Sugar Maple, we don't want any trouble. You've had a bit to drink and I get that you're probably not in your best mind right now. Why don't we just go our separate ways and call it good for the evening. Let's not blow things out of proportion."

"Stow it, you walking suitcase!" snapped Maple. "You don't want any trouble? Well...too bad. You're a sick freak, thinking you can hook up with my mare."

"Ah ain't yer mare!" shouted Bloom, sinking into an angry crouch. "Even if Ah wasn't with Spike, yer the last pony Ah'd think of datin' Maple."

"Bloom," murmured Spike, "take it easy." He was still trying to keep his ears open, looking for any sign of Maple's friends, even as he kept his eyes focused on Maple.

"You're breaking my heart," said Maple rearing back dramatically. "How could you, Apple Bloom? You're picking this overgrown monitor lizard over your own kind. How could you play with my heart like that, stringing me along, playing with my feelings? Dad'ssss gonna be pissed when he hears about how you've been toying with me."

"Why ya damn varmint...!" Bloom lunged forward, planning to buck Maple's face in.

Only by wrapping his arms around her was Spike able to keep her from doing something that she'd really regret later. "Bloom! Stop!" he shouted. "Don't let him get to you. He's trying to make you angry."

"Well he's succeedin'," growled Bloom, still struggling to escape Spike's grip.

"And you," said Spike, snapping his gaze back to Maple, "I know you're drunk, because you're usually too smart to try a threat like that. Old Ebony knows that Bloom and I are together. We've never made a secret of it, just like he knows that she's been turning down all your invitations and advances. If you try that, he's going to see it for the lie that it is and you'll be the one in a heap of trouble." It had helped that he'd taken the occasional opportunity to chat with Bloom's master, just to make sure that Ebony didn't have any misgivings about Spike's relationship with Bloom.

Maple did not look happy to have his bluff called. He growled angrily and pawed at the ground. Spike tried to divide his focus, working to keep Bloom restrained, though she was calming down now, even as he tried to make sure he kept his eyes and ears out for Maple's friends, who Spike suspected were closing in. All three of them were earth ponies, which discounted the likelihood of an attack from above or a magical assault from long-range. If Maple and his friends wanted to throw down, they'd do so up close and personal at ground level.

Sure enough, Spike's ears picked up the sound of a hoof scuffing against the packed earth of the street behind them. Twisting his head a little, he caught sight of one of Maple's friends trying (emphasis on the trying part) to creep up on him from behind. The young stallion was hefting a fairly heavy plank of wood in one fetlock. However, he was at least as inebriated as Maple, which, along with the fact that he was already in an awkward position walking on three legs, wasn't doing his efforts at being stealthy any favors.

There's one, thought Spike. So where's our third contender?

His eyes picked up motion in a gap between a pair of nearby buildings. He saw Maple's second crony tensed and prepared, probably looking to charge out and buck Spike right in the ribs the second he spotted an opening.

"Bloom," hissed Spike, barely moving his lips and speaking quietly enough that only she could hear him. "Calm down. He's trying to ambush us."

Bloom's mouth snapped shut and her struggles ceased as she shot Spike a worried look. Setting her back down, Spike gently trailed his claws through her mane. "If they come at me, get clear," he said.

"But Spike," protested Bloom.

"Don't worry," said Spike, still speaking in a whisper. "I think I can work out how to keep this from getting out of hoof. But you can't afford to get into a fight with them if you don't have to."

"Are ya sure?" asked Bloom.

"Positive," said Spike with a wink. Raising his head back up, he gave Maple a level look. Maple was glaring at him, trembling with anger. "Look Maple," said Spike, "let's walk away from this and nopony needs to get in any trouble. That goes for your friends too." He looked pointedly at both the would-be ambushers to let them know in no uncertain terms that he'd spotted them. "If you try to make a fight of this, you guys are the ones who are gonna be in the wrong and you're the ones who are gonna end up hurt."

"I've had it with you, you damn lizard!" shouted Maple. "You think you're special, just because you work for the prissy pony princess in her little library? We're gonna teach you a lesson!"

Spike took a deep breath, feeling his fire kindle within him. Rather than breathing it out through his nose and mouth, he instead let it flow out into his scales, heating them and hardening them. Using his right elbow, he gently pushed Bloom away from him. She gave him a worried look, but stepped away, giving Spike some room to move.

It wasn't a moment too soon. Maple's first friend came in from behind, rearing up to grasp his weapon in both fetlocks so that he could swing it with even more force, bringing the chunk of wood at the back of Spike's head. Spike's height advantage put his head a little bit out of reach, so the blow instead landed on his neck, just above his shoulders.

At the same time, Maple's other friend bounded out of the alley, spinning around and bucking out with his hind legs, slamming them into Spike's ribs, just as he expected.

The plank of wood snapped off on impact. Its wielder fell back, yelling in pain as the jolt of impact was supplemented by splinters being driven into his legs. He dropped his weapon almost immediately. The other attacker was spared injury by his own drunkenness. His buck had been off-balance, so the recoil of his hit sent him sprawling across the ground. Had he been properly braced, the impact would have probably split his hooves down to the quick.

Maple, who had rushed forward to join his friends, came up short, stopping when he saw the ambush fall apart.

"Told you so," said Spike soberly. "Let's stop this before somepony gets hurt."

"Too late," came a strangled whimper from behind the dragon.

Maple bared his teeth. "Not a chance! Get up you two!"

The stallion who'd tried to buck Spike got up with a dizzy groan, but the other one remained where he was, whimpering in pain as his efforts to stand only aggravated the pain caused by the splinters lodged in his forelegs.

"Maple," said Spike warningly, "if you do this, nopony is going to believe that you were in the right."

"They ain't gonna take the word of a dragon over a pony!" shouted Maple. He charged forward.

With a sigh, Spike reached out, letting Maple's charge carry his neck right into Spike's clawed hand. Maple might not have been as drunk as he usually was, but that was drunk enough to slow his reflexes to the point that he didn't even think about trying to dodge. Spike's fingers closed around Maple's neck and Spike lifted, completely killing Maple's forward momentum and lifting his forelegs off the ground. Maple let out a strangled gurgle as his forelegs flailed.

Easy, thought Spike. Don't squeeze too hard. You don't want to choke him.

Maple's friend tried to help him, trying to charge into range for another buck. However, Spike's tail lashed out, snapping just in front of the stallion's muzzle and prompting him to come up short and then fall back a couple paces.

"Don't even think about it," said Spike cooly. He turned his attention back to Maple. "You really aren't making things any easier for yourself. Give it up."

Maple's response was to glare and swing his hooves futilely in Spike's direction. Unfortunately for him, his swings fell plenty short of the mark, thanks to Spike's longer reach.

"Geez, what am I gonna do with you?" wondered Spike. He wasn't like Dawn or Scootaloo. He didn't have the skill to knock a pony out without potentially hurting them. Sugar Maple's attitude was making it painfully clear that he'd accept nothing less than the complete reversal of their current positions. "Hey Bloom," said Spike, looking at his fillyfriend, "do you think you can go get the Guard?"

"No need for that," declared an authoritative voice. "Let him go."

Looking for the source of the voice, Spike saw a pegasus mare clad in gray armor with purple highlights hovering overhead. Nodding at the Guard, he set Sugar Maple down on all fours and began to back away, keeping a careful eye on Maple in case his drunkenness outweighed his situational awareness.

Maple coughed and gasped, sucking in air through his slightly-abused throat, glaring at Spike. "You're in for it now, lizard," he hissed before whirling around to look up at the Guard. "Officer, this dragon assaulted me and my friends. Arrest him!"

The Guardsmare merely raised an eyebrow. "Really? Getting an early start on your usual mayhem aren't you, Sugar Maple?"

Maple's mouth worked silently as he faltered beneath the skeptical gaze of the Guardsmare. Reassured by the authoritative presence, Apple Bloom edged back to stand next to Spike again, warily eying Maple's two friends, one of whom was still groaning in pain from the splinters driven into his legs.

"In any case," said the mare, "I'll hear all your stories when we get you lot to the station." Producing a whistle, she blew it, the sharp screech echoing through the night. They only had to wait a couple minutes before the rumble of hooves reached their ears and more armored ponies galloped into view. Four earth ponies and one unicorn surrounded the group.

Maple's injured friend was tended by the unicorn, who used her magic to extract the shards of wood from his fetlocks and then bind them, while the earth ponies and the pegasus made sure that no one else tried to cause any more trouble. Spike shared a glance with Apple Bloom and sighed. "Sorry," he said, "I didn't think our night would go like this."

Bloom chuckled and shrugged. "Oh well. If there's anythin' Ah can say 'bout ya, sugarcube, it's that ya know how to make things interestin'."

The trip to the Guard station only took a few minutes. In the past few years, Ponyville had expanded, necessitating a larger Guard contingent. Of course, with a Princess in residence, Mayor Mare had found getting approval to expand the town Guard's current marepower to be a surprisingly easy task. Twilight had avoided weighing in on the issue as much as possible to ensure that the Guard clearly served Ponyville and the Mayor, not her.

"So...can we expect an angry Princess to come breaking down our door once she hears you're in custody?" asked Featherduster, the pegasus Guard who'd first appeared on the scene.

"I hope not," said Spike. "I'd like to think Twilight trusts me more than that, especially since I'm older now. Besides, she tries to be careful to not step on any hooves where Guard jurisdiction is concerned."

"Which I appreciate," said Featherduster, removing her helm, revealing a dark-gray coat and a black mane. She observed Spike with a pair of keen brown eyes.

"How's Featherweight, by the way?" asked Spike.

"Doing fine, thank you for asking," said Featherduster. "He's almost out of school and the Times has offered him a position on their staff."

"Wow! Good for him," said Spike, grinning.

"Thank you," said Featherduster. "But we should stay on task. I understand this is a little troublesome, but I need you to go over the events of the evening."

"Sure thing," said Spike. "Um...Bloom isn't giving you girls any trouble, is she?" He worried that Bloom might be upset at being separated from him under these circumstances.

"She's being very understanding and is patiently waiting her turn," said Featherduster. "So, by all means, let's get down to business and not keep her waiting any longer than necessary."

"Okay," said Spike.

It took a little while for him to recount the evening. Featherduster allowed him to mostly skip over dinner and focused on the confrontation. By and large, she listened quietly to Spike's retelling, only chiming in with questions when she wanted to clarify a point or suspected that he forgot or left out some detail or another.

After that, Spike was left to cool his heels while he waited for Featherduster to do the same with Apple Bloom. A short while later, Bloom came out of the interrogation room, looking a bit worried.

Spike nuzzled her and shared a brief kiss for her as they waited for Featherduster's permission to leave. A few minutes later, the mare left the interrogation room, tucking a few sheets of paper she'd been taking notes on under her wing. "Okay, you two are free to go."

"Thanks," said Spike.

"What 'bout Maple and the others?" asked Bloom.

Featherduster sighed. "They're next on the docket," she said. "We're giving them some time to sober up and see if that changes their tune any. From the sound of things, it looks like Maple's gonna try and paint you as the aggressor, Spike."

"I figured," said Spike. "You must think that's a pretty shaky charge if you're already letting us go."

"Pretty much open and shut," said Featherduster with a smirk. "The scene speaks for itself after all. You were flanked on two sides and one of your assailants was near a chunk of wood with injuries that suggest he was trying to use it as a weapon. You'd think a senior apprentice to a woodworker would be a better judge of that sort of thing."

"They're slackers," said Bloom dismissively.

Featherduster snorted in an effort to abort her chuckles. "On top of that, given the fact that they're the ones intoxicated and have pretty extensive records of Drunk and Disorderly charges, while the two of you have records that are pretty much spotless...barring one time..." She gave Spike a stern look while he blushed and Bloom giggled. "... I think you're gonna be in the clear. I'm gonna have a word with Maple's father about this. Maple isn't getting off easy this time. It's not the sort of thing Old Ebony can just bail him out of. He's looking at a few months in prison at the very least."

Spike shared an uneasy glance with Apple Bloom. The two of them were more worried about this particular fallout as consequence of the incident. They weren't sure how Ebony would react to what his son had done or to the fact that Bloom and Spike had been involved. They could only hope that he'd finally be forced to face facts about his son. Hopefully Bloom's apprenticeship wouldn't be jeopardized as a consequence.

"Oh well," said Spike with a shrug. "We'll take it as it comes." He wrapped a wing around Bloom. "Let's get back to the farm. I think Applejack is gonna tan my hide when she hears what happened."

"Don't worry, Ah'll protect ya," said Bloom with a merry twinkle in her eye before kissing Spike's cheek.

Fortunately, things worked out all right for Spike and Apple Bloom. Ebony had initially been reluctant to accept the fact that his son had done something so heinous. But, once he'd finally accepted the truth, he'd also accepted the fact that his son had been in the wrong and that he'd been far too lenient in dealing with Maple. Sugar Maple and his two cronies were shipped to the prison in Fillydelphia, Ponyville not having accommodations for long-term imprisonment.

Having been forced to acknowledge his son's guilt, Ebony retained Bloom as his apprentice. He was even rather apologetic to her, regarding his enablement of his son's antics. Simply happy that her career had not been derailed by the incident, Bloom returned to her work and applied herself even harder, especially since the absence of the three senior apprentices meant that there was more work for her to do.

Likewise, Twilight had managed to take news of the affair without panicking, much to Spike's relief. In spite of his assurances to Featherduster, he had been a little worried that Twilight might try to pressure the Ponyville Guard for his sake. But, mercifully, she kept out of it and allowed Spike to handle himself.

Aside from that incident, things remained quiet in Ponyville. There were no further attempts at vandalism on behalf of the Gust clan. The only news of note in the days leading up to the Gala was the fact that a relatively unfamiliar stallion had moved in with Coco, his presence and relationship with her sending several hopeful suitors flocking to Berry Punch's bar to drown their sorrows.

Perhaps the most significant occurrence in that period was Dawn and Cheerilee submitting their proposal to the School Board.

Dawn and Cheerilee left the schoolhouse in high spirits. The Board had unanimously approved their proposal for the new program for young pegasi. "You did an excellent job," said Cheerilee, grinning at Dawn as they made their way down the street.

"Thank you," said Dawn. "But I don't think we would have been anywhere near as successful had you not worked so long on editing that proposal. It must have been quite a bit of work."

"It was fine," said Cheerilee. In truth, she was looking forward to a little extra sleep now that that project was out of the way. Writing and editing the proposal in and of itself wasn't all that difficult. But doing so in the midst of trying to keep up with her students' assignments and teaching class during the day had not been fun in the slightest. Still, she was glad she'd done it.

"We'll start the program next semester," said Cheerilee. "We're actually shifting the schedule to incorporate a number of developmental programs. Princess Twilight is starting a program for our little unicorns and your friend from Sweet Apple Acres..."

"Red River?"

"Red River," agreed Cheerilee with a nod, "is going to be helping the earth ponies learn about their magic. I think this is the biggest change we've made to our educational system in decades. Maybe it'll start drawing interest from educators outside of Ponyville. We could end up starting a revolution!"

Seeing the giddy grin on his former teacher's face made Dawn chuckle. In her own way, Cheerilee could be just as enthusiastic about education as Twilight Sparkle was about any of her research projects. Dawn liked the idea of working with her. He didn't even mind that it would mean less time spent working in the teahouse. Arkenstone had been plenty understanding.

After a few minutes of walking and chatting, they arrived at Cheerilee's house. Dawn bid her a good evening and took to the air as Cheerilee went inside. Flying up above Ponyville, Dawn allowed a contented smile to wash across his face. Life was good.

Or it was...until Dawn sensed the rippling currents that heralded the approach of another pegasus. At first, Dawn thought it was a Weather Pony working the late shift. However, he felt the pony swerve and adjust his path directly towards him. As the stranger got closer, Dawn frowned as he recognized the interloper. He'd gotten a good feel for this pony's contours when he'd come to the cottage, the stallion who'd been standing beside Moonstone Gust the entire time she'd been attempting to cajole, threaten, or order Dawn to come back with them.

"Swift Bolt," said Dawn, coming to a stop and turning in place to view the approaching stallion, "you'd best turn around and take your leave. Nothing you say is going to change my mind. It's best to quit while you're ahead."

Swift bolt fanned his wings to kill his speed, hovering in front of Dawn. "I know that," he said simply. "I came here because I wanted to warn you."

"Warn me about what?" asked Dawn.

"My wife. What else?" growled Swift with an angry roll of his eyes. "Listen, can we find a place to land? My wings are killing me. I'm not used to hanging around like this for so long."

Dawn led them to a nearby cloud and the two of them landed on either side of it, watching one another warily, as though each was expecting some form of treachery from the other. Dawn sighed. "Well, we're not going to get anywhere by staring at each other. What is it you wanted to warn me about?"

"Listen," said Swift, "I'm not about to apologize for what happened when you were a foal. I had no part in it, but I also did nothing to stop or rectify it. I understand that I'm just as guilty as my wife in that sense." He sighed and lowered his head. "An apology can't make up for that, which is why I know that you'll never come back to us, no matter what my wife tries."

Dawn nodded. "I sense a 'but' somewhere."

Swift grimaced. "My wife is...stubborn is putting it mildly. When she sets her sights on something, she doesn't let up until she gets what she wants. I know you aren't coming back to us, but she doesn't care. She'll do whatever she thinks it's going to take.

"I don't know what she's up to, but she's doing something involving the Grand Galloping Gala. I think she wants to make a public announcement declaring that you're her son there. That way she gets all kinds of attention and praise...or, at least, that's how she thinks it's going to work."

"I imagine, given your sterling description of her many virtues, that she would not take my refusal to go along with her plans all that well," observed Dawn. "I'm surprised that you would even be there. I had thought that ponies of your station regarded as touching the ground to be a profane act."

That got a snort from Swift. "There's an exception clause for the floors of the Royal Palace," he replied. "It's a lame excuse, I know. But anyway, you're right about my wife. Moonstone's obviously planning to have some form of leverage to force your compliance. I'm not sure what it is, but she's a nasty mare when it comes to planning those sorts of things out."

"Why come to me at all?" said Dawn. "Not that I don't appreciate the warning, but perhaps you should have gone to the Guard and reported her. Whatever she's doing is probably not going to fall within the bounds of what is legal, especially if her plans are anything like what she tried a little while ago. I know he sent those thugs."

Swift winced. "Are you kidding? Report my wife? Have her arrested? Disgrace the head and name of the Gust Clan? I'd sooner put my head on a chopping block than risk the fallout of that. I've seen how Moonstone and her relatives get when someone jeopardizes their clan's reputation. Suicide is a much more reasonable option."

"And so you'd rather risk being found an accomplice if her illicit activities backfire?" asked Dawn.

Swift shrugged. "I can't say I'd like that, but it's better than the alternative."

"What about your conscience?" asked Dawn.

"I married that mare," replied Swift crossly. "What makes you think that I have any?"

Dawn smirked. "You said that you were afraid to cross your wife and her clan. And yet, here you are. If she would react badly to your reporting her to the authorities, I can't imagine how she'd react to finding out that you came here to warn me that she was up to something. You're taking a tremendous risk...and for what? What gain could you possibly hope to realize from doing this?"

"I..." Swift looked down. "I should be going." He looked up at Dawn again. "I know I don't have any right to say this. You aren't my son...not anymore...but...take care of yourself. Good luck." Swift leapt off the cloud and flew away into the night.

Dawn watched him go, his smile widening slightly. There might be a decent pony underneath that somewhere. With a chuckle, he took flight and made his way home.

Author's Note

Mushrooms are delicious...and now I'm hungry.

Next chapter: Spitfire asks a few questions.

A Gala Affair

Chapter 14: A Gala Affair

"Now hold still, Scootaloo," said Rarity firmly, needles and scissors hovering in her magic, menacing the young mare from almost every conceivable angle.

"Yes ma'am," said Scootaloo, standing rigidly at attention. She had stood for a few dress fittings over the past few years. Despite that, she'd never found the experience to be any less daunting. The fact that Rarity seemed to approach the task with renewed enthusiasm every time only made it more difficult.

Rarity grinned as she worked and manipulated the fabric she was currently draping over Scootaloo's form. "It's your own fault, you know. Your performance at the Best Young Fliers Competition inspired me. I haven't seen such a magnificent sight since Rainbow Dash learned the Wings of Light. It was only natural that my muse would drive me to create."

"You have my deepest sympathies," deadpanned Scootaloo.

"Tut tut, dear," admonished Rarity. "You shouldn't complain. After all, I wonder just what sort of reaction your coltfriend will have when he sees you. This should be a treat for his eyes, among other things."

Scootaloo blushed. "Yeah, I guess that's true," she admitted. In spite of her reservations about being used as a living ponyquin, she had to admit that she was more than a little eager to see the finished design of Rarity's dress. She just wished she didn't have to spend so much time posing in order for it to be finished.

It took another hour of waiting while Rarity measured, snipped, and pinned, carefully shaping the fabric to fit Scootaloo's body. Finally, Scootaloo was freed from her confinement and allowed to step off the pedestal and take her leave with a reminder from Rarity that she was due for a final fitting in a few days when it was time to head up for the Gala. As she was leaving, Scootaloo passed Coco Pommel, who was hard at work on her own dress. Coco and Scootaloo shared a friendly smile before Scootaloo took her leave.

"And what about you, dear?" asked Rarity, coming up behind Coco to watch her former apprentice at work. "How is your dress coming?"

"Wonderfully," said Coco with a happy sigh. She took a step back to examine her handiwork with a smile of satisfaction.

"Are you making a suit for your wonderful coltfriend as well?" asked Rarity.

Coco nodded, blushing, still feeling a bit new to the idea of being in a committed relationship with Perlin Bluestreak. Being with him made her giddy, but every time she set hoof outside of the Boutique, speculative whispers and strange looks, varying from jealousy to disappointment and disapproval, seemed to follow her everywhere.

Perlin's circumstances were known only to a scant hoofful of ponies and would probably never be made public. Because of that, there were at least a few judgmental ponies who subtly scorned Coco for "shacking up with a random stallion" after turning down so many potential suitors who said ponies judged to be infinitely more worthy. Coco wasn't exactly in a rush to correct their views of Perlin, since revealing his history would only make things more complicated for them. But it didn't change the fact that their looks and mutterings were discomforting.

"I'm a bit surprised that Perlin would agree to come to the Gala," said Rarity. "I imagine that being in the Royal Palace could be a rather uncomfortable experience for him."

"Actually, he's been to the Palace a lot of times since he was sentenced," said Coco. "He had to report to the Princesses regularly so that they would be satisfied with his progress."

"I see," said Rarity, blinking. "Where is he now, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm not sure," admitted Coco. "Perlin doesn't always tell me where he goes. I think he's helping Arkenstone and Dawn keep an eye on things in case that Moonstone mare tries sending more thugs to Ponyville."

"Very helpful of him," said Rarity. "Do you know what he plans on doing, now that he's completed his sentence?"

Coco shrugged. "Not yet. I don't think either of us really thought all that far ahead. I think he might be interested in continuing to work as the Crown's agent."

"Interesting," said Rarity, the corners of her mouth turning up in a smile. "It almost sounds as though he might have the makings of being a Knight, if he so chooses. He's apparently spent the past few years fulfilling their duties, even if he doesn't have their authority and autonomy."

"I'm not sure he plans on going that far," said Coco. "I think Perlin believes he might not be worthy of such a prestigious position."

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about it," said Rarity. "Whatever course he chooses, I imagine that he'll settle on one that will allow him to stay close to you." She paused and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Actually, I imagine it might be a good idea, concerning Carousel Boutique's growing popularity and your increasing renown as a designer, to hire a bodyguard of sorts, a pony whose job is to ensure your safety and security. I think we even have a promising prospect in that regard."

Coco giggled and nodded. She supposed that such a job would work as a placeholder until Perlin settled on whatever he wanted to actually do with his life. Not that Coco actually thought she was in that much danger. For all that she was making a name for herself as a fashion designer and as Rarity's partner, she figured that the odds of herself being foalnapped or threatened were rather low, considering that she no longer had ties to a certain Baron (on account of said Baron being dead).

Rarity wrapped her arms around Coco's shoulders and hugged her tightly. "Ooh, I'm so happy for you, darling. Ever since your stallion came back, you've been positively glowing. In fact, I think your designs have become even bolder since he came back. Case in point..." Rarity looked over Coco's latest design with an approving eye.

Coco flushed redder at her mentor's praise. "Thank you for saying so."

"Well now," said Rarity, "I think our work for the day is concluded. Shall we pay a visit to the teahouse for some refreshment?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," said Coco.

Finally, the day of the Grand Galloping Gala dawned. One of the perks of Twilight Sparkle's new status as a Princess of Equestria was that she was able to call upon pegasus-pulled chariots to ferry herself and her friends to Canterlot for the Gala.

Naturally, Twilight was going with Arkenstone. Pinkie Pie and Mayweather would also be attending, as would Applejack and Red River. Rarity and her husband joined them, along with Fluttershy and Caramel, the latter couple having arranged a sleepover at Sweet Apple Acres, where Larksong and Pepita would be watched over by Ditzy Doo and Big Macintosh, with the help of an enthusiastic Dinky, who absolutely adored little Pepita in particular. Rainbow Dash and Soarin' would meet the rest of them at the Gala, along with Spitfire and the rest of the Wonderbolts.

Dawn and Scootaloo would also be attending, albeit somewhat reluctantly on Dawn's part. Spike, naturally, was accompanied by Apple Bloom. Bloom felt somewhat troubled by the prospect of attending such a high-class affair, but was reassured by Spike that everything would be fine. Riding along with them were Coco and Perlin. In spite of her normally shy demeanor, Coco was actually a veteran of a few previous Galas, having attended as Rarity's partner in the running of the Carousel Boutique. It helped that Coco got on rather well with Princess Cadance, who was frequently in attendance as well. Like Rainbow and Soarin', Sweetie Belle and Rumble would be meeting up with the group in Canterlot.

Thanks to the time being saved by traveling via pegasus-drawn chariot, the group made it to the Palace before noon, giving them plenty of time to get ready for the Gala, which would start shortly after sundown. Rather than risk their dresses and suits getting ruined by wind and turbulence on the chariots, Rarity had insisted that their garments be packed away and carried separately so that their owners could change into them when they arrived.

Celestia and Luna were on hoof to greet them personally as they stepped off the chariots. "Friends," said Luna, smiling widely, "it is good to see you again. How go things in Ponyville?"

"As well as can be expected," said Twilight, sharing a nuzzle with Celestia and Luna. "Things have been fairly quiet. There have only been a couple minor disturbances lately."

"Yes, I heard about the episode with the hidebehind," said Celestia, her smile faltering slightly. "I am sorry that it had to be put down." She gave Fluttershy a sympathetic glance.

"So am I," said Twilight. "Still, we gained a wealth of knowledge by studying its remains."

"Indeed so," said Celestia, "The professors in the Department of Cryptozoology are considering awarding you another principle for your work."

Twilight blushed profusely at the thought of receiving yet another accolade to go with the number that she'd already accumulated over the years. As the group headed into the Palace, she whispered to Celestia. "By the way, after the Gala is mostly over, do you think we could have a chance to get everypony together? I have something I want to tell them."

"That shouldn't be difficult to arrange," said Celestia. "So you have an announcement to make? Does this mean that your parents and I are finally getting our wish?”

Twilight flushed redder still. "You'll have to wait and find out," she said teasingly, though she figured her nearly luminescent blush gave things away pretty well.

Behind them, Luna was bending an attentive ear to Dawn as he spoke to her. "So you've been warned that this mare is planning something during the course of the Gala?" she inquired.

Dawn nodded. "If my source is correct about her intentions, then she will meet my refusal with some sort of reprisal. However, I can't say how far-reaching said reprisal will be? Certainly my family and friends might be targets. However, I think it's possible that her response could be even more indiscriminate."

"Perhaps," said Luna, "However, from what you have told me of the situation, I imagine that she could be quite discriminating. After all, she is interested in advancing her status. Being too indiscriminate would instead serve to damage what status she has.

"It's particularly showing that, in her reprisal for your initial refusal, she left the library and Rarity's boutique out of her list of targets. What ponies and businesses she did target shows that she has a fairly extensive knowledge of your associations. Twilight Sparkle's status as a Princess naturally would be reason enough to not target her..."

"Rarity tells me that she has done business with members of the Gust Clan, including Moonstone herself," said Dawn.

"Rather hypocritical, considering that this mare and her ilk are supposed to be ardent tribalists," said Luna with a sniff.

"Having a dress made by Rarity is a mark of status in most circles," observed Dawn. "I think that means more to them than clinging too stubbornly to their ideology."

"Indeed," Luna. "That said, it means that Moonstone should not be too indiscriminate in any retaliation she tries to take tonight, as it would tread on a great many hooves that would threaten her present and future status. However, I agree that we should arrange security to prepare for the worst-case scenario."

"That's all I can ask for," said Dawn with a grateful smile. "I would much prefer it if we could intercept any agents she might send in before they enter the Gala."

"That will be difficult," said Luna. "Naturally, we do our best to provide security for everypony. But with so many ponies entering and leaving, it becomes almost impossible to track them all, even with the Royal Guard on high alert. The best we can do is ensure that nopony comes to harm." She snorted. "Besides, my sister is probably of the opinion that such an event would liven things up, so long as no innocents are harmed as a consequence."

"That last clause would be the sticking point," said Dawn, shifting nervously.

"If you believe you can protect the ponies you need to protect, the Guard can handle the rest," said Luna. "That will reduce the division of labor between you and them and will ensure that nopony is harmed...save for those that are trying to perpetrate said harm."

Dawn nodded. "I will do my best."

The members of the group were no strangers to staying in the Royal Palace. As it was, Celestia had a suite of rooms set aside for them, enabling Rarity to set up and make any final adjustments to dresses or suits before their wearers entered the Gala.

As the day progressed, the common areas of the Palace began to fill as guests and staff arrived. Decorations were set up. Musicians tuned their instruments. Caterers set up tables loaded down with all manner of delicacies, including offerings from Sweet Apple Acres, which had scored an impressive contract for the event, thanks to Applejack's status as a holder of the Royal Warrant. This year, nopony would be snubbing the Apple Family products. If anything, the absolute snobbiest of ponies would be tripping over themselves to praise Applejack's work in order to secure favor for future purchases.

Ponies arrived, dressed in a plethora of outfits, many of them purchased from Carousel Boutique. More than a few had been designed either by Rarity or Coco. Granted, as the franchise expanded, the increased demand meant that the number of dresses they could provide was exceeded by the number of ponies that wanted them. Now that the Boutique had branches in Manehattan and Canterlot, Rarity had been required to hire ponies to mass produce her most popular products.

If there was one thing that Rarity regretted about her success, it was that she could no longer simply produce a custom design for every pony that came in through her doors. However, she nonetheless did what she could. Inspired by her experience in helping to mentor Coco, Rarity maintained connections with multiple Trade Schools, always on the lookout for ponies with talent and vision. Carousel Boutique had gained a reputation as an excellent place for Trade School students to intern and hone their craft, many of them staying on after their graduation.

The sun made its way serenely across the sky, slowly dipping towards the horizon. The day gradually drew to a close and the Gala's beginning loomed ever nearer.

"Rainbow Dash!" squealed Scootaloo, throwing herself at her honorary big sister.

Rainbow laughed and caught Scootaloo in a tight hug. "Good to see ya, squirt. How's Ponyville's Weather Team been treating you."

"Not bad," said Scootaloo, backing out of the embrace.

Hugging Rainbow when she was in uniform felt a bit weird, mostly because Scootaloo felt her fur brushing against metal rings linked together to form a suit of mail so fine that it almost felt like cloth. In fact, Rainbow Dash's flight suit was forged from links of pure mithril, a metal renowned for its lightness, its strength, and its capacity to resist magic and electricity. Every Wonderbolt's uniform was made out of the same material. It afforded them protection that exceeded that of the heavy plate armor worn by the Guard without compromising their mobility in the slightest.

"And how's Dawn doing?" asked Rainbow, her smile dropping. Scootaloo and the others had kept Rainbow informed about Dawn's altercation with his biological parents.

"He's doing okay," she said with a shrug. "I'm worried though. Dawn says that they're going to try something tonight." She was a bit dubious, especially considering who Dawn's source had been. But it didn't hurt to be cautious.

"It sounds like he's got everything in hoof though," said Rainbow. "Last I heard, the Royal Guard is being primed to keep an eye out for suspicious characters. Even us Wonderbolts are supposed to keep our eyes open."

"Which I notice you are using as an excuse to avoid being fitted by continuing to wear your outfit instead of changing into a proper dress after your performance," said Rarity sardonically as she worked on Fluttershy nearby.

"What can I say?" said Rainbow with a grin. "I have to stay on my guard after all."

"Spitfire is going to be wearing a dress," retorted Rarity, smirking triumphantly as she saw Rainbow falter and fumble, now that her initial excuse had been shot down.

"Um...well...With all the Wonderbolts stuff I have going on, I didn't have time to get anything fitted." Rainbow grinned sheepishly, shrinking back away from Rarity a little.

Rarity gave Rainbow a pointed stare before sighing. "I suppose you have a point and I would never allow you to entrust one of my dresses to some random tailor."

Rainbow chuckled awkwardly. Turning back to Scootaloo, she decided to change the subject. "By the way, squirt, are you excited about coming to the next Academy session? Spitfire's been looking forward to it."

"You bet!" exclaimed Scootaloo.

"Just remember to take it easy," said Rainbow. "If you get too caught up in being competitive, you could end up like Lightning Dust."

Scootaloo blinked and canted her head. "But isn't she your wingmare now?"

Rainbow laughed. "Yeah, but remember that she had to take the Academy over again because of what she did the first time. Do your best and remember that it's not about showing the others up."

"I know," said Scootaloo.

"What about Dawn?" asked Rainbow. "Is he excited?"

Scootaloo's face fell. "I don't really think so," she said. "He doesn't talk about the Academy all that much. I don't think he's really all that interested. I think he's just going because I'll be there."

"I see," said Rainbow, frowning. She wasn't exactly surprised. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure Dawn will do fine."

"Yeah, but...what if he doesn't want to go?" asked Scootaloo. "What if he feels that I'm forcing him to go just because I'm so excited about it?"

"Whoa there!" protested Rainbow. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Scoots. I know that Dawn wouldn't feel that way. He knows that you'd never force him into anything. If anything, he's going as a favor to Spitfire, since she was the one who issued the invite."

"Maybe..." said Scootaloo, her mood falling further. What is wrong with me? I'm turning into one of those mares who can't be satisfied no matter what the answer is. If Dawn's going because of me, I'm upset because I'm afraid I'm forcing him to go. But if he's going because of Spitfire, I'm upset because he isn't doing it for me. Geez...

"A-anyway..." said Rainbow, looking for a new topic, seeing as the current subject was being something of a mood killer, "...that dress of yours looks totally awesome. I see Rarity liked your performance at the competition."

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, her ears rising and her smile returning.

Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief. Love can be tough sometimes, she thought ruefully. Even ponies who clearly cared for each other and were as wonderfully compatible as Dawn and Scootaloo were had their ups and downs.

A rumbling boom shook the everypony down to their bones, drawing their gazes upward as a ring of shimmering color washed across the sky. As the sound and color faded, fireworks shot upward to explode against the backdrop of stars, their dissipating clouds of sparks and significantly smaller booms seeming a meager followup to Rainbow's trademark Sonic Rainboom. From her position on a balcony, Luna made a mental note to revise the opening ceremonies for next year's Gala to put the Sonic Rainboom after the fireworks show. In any case, the Grand Galloping Gala had begun.

Yet another advantage to having the privileges accorded to being with a Princess, Twilight and her friends were able to skip the line, having already been in the Palace to begin with. In fact, Twilight stood with Celestia at the top of the entryway stairs, standing beside her as Celestia greeted numerous important guests. Thankfully, the number of guests waiting to be greeted by the Princesses was smaller than it had been the first time that Twilight had gone to the Gala. The absence of the Noble Court meant that there was an absence of preening, self-important stallions and mares to clog up the whole affair.

The absence of the nobles also meant that many of the stodgy old traditions that had dogged the Gala for centuries were finally dispensed with. The musicians were able to play a wider selection of pieces, even using the Gala as a stage to debut some of their own compositions, no longer bound to simply replaying the same "classic" songs over and over again. In place of the nobles, Celestia solicited Luna's input in inviting promising artists and artisans, who were then free to showcase their creations to dozens of potential sponsors. In the years since the fall of the Noble Court, the Grand Galloping Gala had become enlivened and reinvigorated.

Dawn appreciated the artistry on display, but his eyes kept returning to his date. Scootaloo, in his opinion, was unquestionably the most stunning thing there. Rarity had outdone herself with her latest creation, inspired by the finale of their performance at the Best Young Fliers Competition. Scootaloo's body was wrapped in loose, light fabric that seemed to float off the floor as she moved, drifting around her like an ethereal current. It shimmered with spectral blues and greens, the light making it seem to flicker like the veils of aurora that Dawn had draped across Scootaloo's body during their performance. The bodice clung to Scootaloo's chest, curling up over to her shoulders, looking almost as though it was held there by the pressure of the air itself. The loose ends of the train trailed behind Scootaloo, twisting and dancing in her wake as she walked.

The fabric was a refinement of Rarity's shimmersilk, the fabric that she'd developed that, among other things, had helped her to win the Royal Warrant. It responded to a pony's innate magic, which could be used to alter its form and color by the wearer at will. In the years since she'd debuted it, Rarity continued to refine the design with the help of Twilight. In the past, the dresses could only be created with the assistance of unicorn magic, which was used to "set" each of the different forms the dress could take. Likewise, it had only responded to unicorn magic to initiate the change between forms. With further development, Rarity had enabled ponies of other tribes to work with the fabric and even broaden the range of potential effects. Coco Pommel now worked with the fabric regularly, though, owing to her preferences, she often went with more subtle alterations and shifts. The variant Scootaloo wore was not designed to shift between different forms, but to instead react to her natural pegasus magic, lightening it and inducing it to move as if it were constantly being caressed by a light breeze.

As she noticed Dawn's captivation, Scootaloo couldn't help but smile. Being fitted for a dress was a pain, but the results were well worth it, especially when she saw her stallion shiver every time she let the drifting strands of fabric brush against his body, tantalizing his coat with feather-light touches, the faint scent of mingled spices rising from it teasing his nose.

She giggled and kissed him on the lips. "You look like such a dork every time you do that," she admonished playfully.

"I can't exactly help it," said Dawn. "It's your fault."

"You're a dork," Scootaloo repeated. "You have to be the dorkiest coltfriend ever."

"But still yours" said Dawn.

"Still mine," agreed Scootaloo, leaning in and kissing him more deeply.

The two of them lingered like that, briefly forgetting everything that was going on around them. Their behavior wasn't inviting all that many stares (as opposed to those drawn by Scootaloo's spectacular dress). Couples using the Gala as a scene for romance had become even more frequent in recent years and attendees had grown used to seeing happy couples wandering the halls of the Palace.

Their kiss ended, but Dawn and Scootaloo were content to take a few seconds to simply rest their foreheads together, eyes blissfully shut as they breathed in unison.

"I can't ever get over how cute the two of you are together," observed a familiar voice wryly.

Scootaloo and Dawn pulled away from each other to look at the source of the voice. Spitfire stood there, clad in a scintillating dress that seemed to be woven from tongues of flame, primarily orange and yellow, but flashing with tints of blue, green, and vivid purple, reminding Dawn of Ouranos' colors, which, admittedly, was probably the whole idea.

"Hey," said Scootaloo, lifting a hoof in greeting.

"You look brilliant," said Spitfire, grinning. "Another Rarity original?"

"Yep," said Scootaloo.

Chuckling, Spitfire fell in beside them as they continued to wander the Palace halls. "I imagine some mares here are jealous," she observed. "You're wearing a dress that most of them would pay a small fortune for."

"Yeah," said Scootaloo blushing. "I keep saying that I can pay, but Rarity always turns me down. I think she does that for most of her friends."

"Part of the privilege of being the one running your own business," said Spitfire. "Though, from what I hear, she doesn't discourage her designers from doing much the same for their friends. It's one of the benefits of being in the business for the sheer artistry of it, rather than just profits."

"I think having the Royal Warrant grants her a lot of leeway in that regard," observed Dawn. "She can afford to indulge her muse and allow the designers working under her do the same because so many customers are simply drawn by reputation alone."

"That's part of it," said Spitfire. "It helps that her friends, including you, Scootaloo, are basically walking advertisements. After seeing you wearing that, you can bet that Rarity's gonna be raking in commissions by dozens of ponies who'll want to wear the same kind of dress."

"Even though none of them will wear it even half as well as she does," Dawn noted, making Scootaloo blush.

"So sappy," she groaned, despite her evident pleasure at the compliment.

"So, how have things been going in Ponyville?" asked Spitfire.

"Actually, they've gotten rather interesting," said Dawn.

"Rainbow mentioned that," said Spitfire, "something about your biological parents showing up."

"There's that," said Dawn, inclining his head. "But I was actually speaking about something else."

"Really, what?" asked Spitfire.

Dawn told her about the program that he and Cheerilee had been working on, including its adoption by the Board and the fact that he would be becoming a supplemental instructor at Ponyville's school, starting next semester.

"That sounds really exciting," said Spitfire after listening, a grin spreading across her face. "I actually think there might be quite a few pegasus foals who could benefit from that. I'm curious. Would you be interested in maybe expanding the program to include Cloudsdale foals?"

Dawn blinked and tilted his head. "Maybe," he said. "But I'm still just one pony. Even if Scootaloo helps, there are only so many ponies we can do this for at a given time. It took us years of practice and refinement of the Gale King's techniques to reach the point where we can safely do that, so it's not as though we can easily teach the method to other ponies."

"Maybe not," said Spitfire. "But there are ways besides obscure martial arts techniques to generate and sustain a stable updraft capable of lifting a young pegasus. Also, rather than having you move around to other locations, it may be better to arrange things so that foals are brought to you. You might consider looking into a staff position at a beginners' flight camp. This sounds like a really good exercise to help foals get a feel for getting off the ground."

"It's actually based on the first exercise he taught me," Scootaloo said. "I remember having to hold my body and wings like that the first time Dawn talked me off the ground. It's basically a beginner flying lesson."

Dawn nodded. "It's the best way to ensure their safety and stability while they're in the air."

Spitfire tapped her chin. "Yeah, this is sounding even better the more I hear. How about this, why don't we see how the program pans out in Ponyville and what it does for the foals there? We'll keep an eye on their development and see how well your work pays off and then we'll look into expanding the scope."

"I like the sound of that," said Dawn with a smile.

They continued to chat, winding their way through the Palace halls. Plenty of ponies watched them, amazed by the sight of Spitfire chatting with the pair of young pegasi. However, it didn't take ponies long to recognize Dawn and Scootaloo from the papers, so there weren't any objections.

"So," said Spitfire, "have you two been giving thought to that other thing we've talked about?"

"I have..." said Dawn, lowering his eyes. "...But I'm still not sure that it's for me."

"So have I," said Scootaloo. "I'd like to, but...I'm not sure."

Spitfire nodded. "A little hesitation is understandable. I'd just like to clarify that you don't have to go wandering about the width and breadth of Equestria if you don't want to. Those of us that do generally do it because that's the way we are. I think Swift Stride is one of us specifically because he can use it as an excuse to go traipsing all over the place. I haven't seen the jerk in years."

"I thought you'd like that," noted Dawn.

"I do," said Spitfire. "But I was using that as an example. He doesn't do that because he has to. He does it because he wants to. Look at Arkenstone. He's so settled now that nothing short of a direct order from the Princesses could probably budge him."

"I'm not sure he's that settled," said Dawn.

"My point is that you don't have to be the kind of pony who goes all over the place looking for trouble. The Knights who choose to stay put are just on call for if they're needed. If anything, they're more essential to preserving Equestria's safety than the wanderers. If an emergency comes up and Celestia needs a pony there fast, it works better to have a Knight she knows she can reliably contact, instead of having to track one down wherever they happen to be." Spitfire smiled. "I understand that it's still a lot of responsibility to undertake. But I think that it's a good choice for you two. It's a lot of responsibility and I think you're both up to it. More to the point, I think you'll need it because you're not the kind of ponies to stand around when others are in need of help. This gives you the power and authority to do something about it."

"I do like the sound of that," admitted Scootaloo.

"Look...I don't want you two to rush this decision. I just want you to keep thinking about it." Spitfire grinned. "You're adults now, but you're still young. I was at least three years older than you two when I took my vows."

"Okay," said Dawn.

"We'll talk some more after the Academy," said Spitfire. "It's probably the next chance we're gonna have."

"Right," said Scootaloo. "By the way, how are Cyclone and Sunflower doing? Since they live in Cloudsdale, they must be getting more press."

"A little," said Spitfire with a chuckle. "But they weren't the ponies who won the competition, so the spotlight doesn't come down on them all that much. It balances things out. They're doing okay. Now that your grandparents are out of the picture, I've noticed a considerable improvement in Cyclone's attitude. I don't think you'll recognize her when you see her again. Sunflower is doing just fine. Last I saw, she's been working hard. I'm looking forward to seeing all four of you at the Academy."

"I can't wait," said Scootaloo. "It's gonna be awesome. I'm gonna try and break every record there."

"You'll have to break all of Rainbow's records then," said Spitfire wryly. "Last I checked, she held most of them."

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to pay a visit to the snack table," said Dawn, looking from Scootaloo to Spitfire. "Can I get anypony anything?"

Scootaloo paused, giving her coltfriend a worried look. It wasn't like him to try and disengage from the conversation so awkwardly. Going to the snack table sounded like an excuse...

Then she felt it. Her range wasn't as broad as Dawn's, but she was getting close. Ponies crept around at the edge of her wind-sense. They moved through the crowd, mingling with the guests, but they were undoubtedly moving in a broad circle that had the three of them at its center. Scootaloo shifted her weight nervously and glanced at Dawn. He smiled and lightly flicked his wing, sending a breeze that caressed her back, reassuring her.

Spitfire looked back and forth between them. She might not have had wind-sense, but she did have a heightened sense of awareness that came from years of training and fighting as a Knight of the Celestial Order. Though she couldn't pin down their locations exactly, she felt the presence of ponies watching them. "Sure," she said in answer to Dawn's question. "I love those little salmon pinwheels. Bring me back a few of those please."

"S--some for me too," said Scootaloo, swallowing.

"I'll be right back then," said Dawn, turning to head towards the tables carrying the food for the Gala attendees, which were in another room. Actually, there were several such tables scattered throughout the Palace rooms being used for the Gala. Dawn was simply heading to the closest ones.

As he walked, Dawn could sense a few of the ponies that had been circling their little group break off and head after him. In addition, there was one other pony he sensed, one whose shape and presence he found familiar. Having met only once, Dawn still found it all too easy to recognize the mare who had given birth to him. Any "might" there might have been about it had been put to rest by his conversation with Swift Bolt. However, that meant little to Dawn. No matter what she said, she was not his mother.

Dawn stepped out of the hallway he'd been traveling down and into another room. Over in the corner, he saw a familiar quartet playing. In particular, he recognized Octavia, playing her trademark cello. Glancing down at the base of the stage, Dawn saw a familiar white-coated unicorn watching her with enraptured attention. Prince Blueblood, ex-duke of the Noble Court went to as many of his wife's performances as he could manage. Had his circumstances been different, Dawn would have considered passing by to greet Blueblood and Octavia, once her group finished their current set. However, now was not the time.

Dawn turned and moved along the wall, watching the doorway he'd entered through in order to see his pursuers as they came through. He marked each one of them, getting an idea of what they looked like. He didn't really need to, but Dawn wanted to be absolutely certain. He also wanted to observe Moonstone Gust with his own eyes.

She came through the door, wearing a beautiful dress, composed of a single piece of smooth fabric that looked as though it had been made out of nacre. The lights hit the fabric's surface, sending pearlescent colors washing across it. He blinked in surprise, remembering that the dress was actually one of Coco Pommel's designs. He found it hard to believe that a tribalist would willingly wear a dress that had been designed by an earth pony.

Moonstone turned to regard a sculpture that had been set up near the doorway, pretending to examine it, even as she sent furtive glances in his direction. Dawn sighed and rolled his eyes, wondering how long it would take for her to work around to "accidentally" bumping into him, given how subtle she was trying to be. The other ponies that were following him were also moving about the room, some of them even starting up conversations with the other guests and doing a much better job of tracking Dawn without making it look like they were trying to keep track of him. Professionals then, he thought.

Dawn was reaching the point where he was about to head over to the snack table and start loading up a couple of dishes, simply for the sake of keeping up appearances. But it seemed that Moonstone had finally grown tired of pretending to be subtle. Breaking off from looking at a painting mounted on the wall, Moonstone sauntered over in a curving walk that brought her around to approach Dawn from what would have been his blind spot, had he not been able to track her every move through the wind.

"My goodness," said Moonstone, coming to a stop almost directly behind him, "I had no idea that we would bump into each other here. What a wonderful coincidence, Storm Shadow."

Dawn rolled his eyes, turning around to regard the mare, seeing her once again wearing that plastered-on smile that couldn't look more forced if she tried. "I would have preferred it if you had bumped into me two rooms ago, if only so that we could get this farce over with."

"What on earth are you talking about, dear?" asked Moonstone, trying (and failing) to affect an expression of innocence.

"You need to work on your stealth skills," said Dawn, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure that you've had all manner of instructors in all kinds of subjects over the years, as befits a mare of your status. But it's quite clear that none of them taught you the basics of tailing a pony."

Moonstone's smile remained fixed rigidly in place, but the flaring of her nostrils betrayed her anger. Dawn could also feel the quickening of her breath. "I can assure you that I have no idea what you're talking about," she said. "I'm surprised to see you at such a distinguished event. I figured that, given the caliber of the ponies you associate with, you're probably more accustomed to going to a barn social than the Grand Galloping Gala."

"Clearly you don't actually think that or you wouldn't have arranged to 'run into me’ here," said Dawn. "I know that you've done at least a small amount of research on the ponies I associate with, though, obviously, you didn't bother to investigate in-depth."

Moonstone's smile was so rigid that Dawn was amazed that it wasn't cracking and flaking off of her face like old plaster. "In any case, I'm glad that we were able to meet again," she said. "I have some very good friends of mine who I would like to introduce you to. They would all be thrilled to learn that I've finally found you, my dear son."

"No thank you," said Dawn, drawing a small degree of satisfaction in the sight of Moonstone's facade finally breaking as her lips curled back in a silent snarl. The lapse was brief and her smile forced itself back into place quickly. Dawn continued, "I'm going back to my fillyfriend right now. I've kept her waiting long enough."

"That will not be necessary," said Moonstone imperiously, as though Dawn had not outright refused her. "As it so happens, I will also be introducing you to a lovely young mare of much better stock. Once you meet her, I'm sure you'll forget all about that lowly waif you've been spending your time with."

"Again, no thank you," said Dawn. "I am not going anywhere with you and you are not introducing me to anypony, least of all as your son. You are not my mother and my name is not Storm Shadow." He leaned in closer. When he spoke again, his voice was a low, angry growl. "If you wish to salvage anything from this farce, you should leave and do your utmost to not appear in my sight again. Your presence is a blight and an insult to my friends and family, my real family. Begone!"

Moonstone's eyes widened and she reared back, fanning her wings, barely managing to settle back on all fours before her display of outrage caught everypony's attention. Her cheeks were ruddy with anger and embarrassment. "I should have known it would come to this, you ungrateful whelp," she hissed. Her anger faded, replaced by a superior smirk. "It's such a pity that I doubt you'll have much of a future then."

"I have no need of your influence or wealth," replied Dawn.

"Oh, I wasn't speaking about that," said Moonstone. "I was speaking of particular mistakes you've made, mistakes that could reflect very poorly on you."

She must have had some form of pocket or bag hidden within or beneath her dress. As Dawn watched, her wing tucked in and returned with what looked to be a phtograph of some sort pinched between her feathers. "Take a look for yourself." With a flick of her wing, she sent the picture spinning through the air so that Dawn could catch it between the feathers of his own wing.

Dawn examined the picture and, immediately, his eyes narrowed in anger. The image was of him and his sister, standing outside their home. Larksong was hovering high in the air over Dawn's back. The photographer apparently had a very good camera, as the picture clearly captured Larksong's expression of excited joy. Judging by the distance, Dawn figured that the picture had been taken from outside the range of his wind-sense, which was most likely a helpful coincidence for the photographer. It would have been a lovely picture, had the implications of the fact that Moonstone possessed said image not been clear. Dawn examined the scene, trying to place the day and time, but wasn't able to figure out exactly when the picture had been taken.

"Such an adorable scene," said Moonstone, evidently enjoying her position now. "It's unfortunate that foals don't have a proper appreciation for the dangers of a situation. The poor dear has no idea of just how much danger she is in. I shudder to think what kind of parent would permit somepony to take such dangerous liberties with her daughter. Why, it's a case of simply disgraceful negligence on the part of...what was that mare's name again?"

Dawn pursed his lips, annoyed that Moonstone was insulting his mother without even bothering to remember her name.

"Clearly, such a mare is unfit to call herself a mother if she cares so little for her foal's safety. Nor can you be called much of a brother for endangering her so. Why, if this little thing found its way into the hooves of the diligent ponies working in the Department of Foal Protections, then your mother might even lose custody of her daughter, though that would probably be doing her a favor."

"And what do you want?" asked Dawn, now trying to keep his angry expression in place and having to fight against the urge to laugh.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Moonstone. "You come with me, meet with the ponies I want you to meet, break off any contact with that false family of yours and return with me to Cloudsdale. Be the grateful, obedient son that you are obligated to be and I will...shall we say...lose track of this lovely little piece of incriminating evidence."

"I...see..." Dawn was barely able to contain his mirth. "Well...I'm going to have to refuse your generous offer."

"I see you have no regard for your 'mother's' wellbeing," said Moonstone, her breath hissing through clenched teeth. "I send this to Foal Protections and she is finished. The scandal will destroy that pretend family of yours and bury both her and your reputations. You'll have no hope of getting into the Wonderbolts after this gets out. I'll see that every newspaper in Equestria gets a copy to help things along."

"Well, seeing as you have so many copies, do you mind if I keep this one?" asked Dawn, waving the photo pinched in his feathers. "It really is a cute picture. I think Mom and Dad would love to see it framed and put on the mantlepiece."

"Don't you care at all?" demanded Moonstone. "I thought you adored those filthy peasants you've taken up living with. How could you allow something to ruin them?"

"The mistake is yours, actually," said Dawn. "I'd thought you'd done some research on my living conditions, but not nearly enough. You could send that picture to Foal Protections, but nothing will come of it. I obtained their approval when I first conceived of the activity. It helps that the current director is a good acquaintance of mine and that one of her proteges is one of my best friends. I've had the activity reviewed by doctors and I've even made arrangements to expand the practice to help young pegasi at Ponyville's school, starting next semester." His smile widened at the shocked look on Moonstone's face. "What's more, Spitfire has shown an interest and has actually asked if I would be willing to take on a staff position at a flight camp to provide the activity for even more foals."

Moonstone's jaw worked silently, her wings flicking out to retract to her sides again. She'd clearly invested a lot in this threat, hoping to use it to guilt Dawn into returning to the Gust Clan out of a desire to protect his Ponyville family. She obviously hadn't expected it to be utterly worthless.

"The papers!" she snapped, snatching up any scrap of hope of salvaging the situation that she could. "Even if you say that, the papers will still tear you and that mare apart. You'll be savaged in the court of public opinion. Her friends will abandon her and you and your name will be poison. Spitfire won't even want to hear your name mentioned in the same sentence as her own after that."

Dawn rolled his eyes. "Again, a pointless threat. My mother does not care about the public opinion of ponies outside of Ponyville and will always have the full support of her close personal friends, including one Princess Twilight Sparkle I might add. I would also like to add that Spitfire does not bow to the fickle currents of public opinion. Her associations are not beholden to their approval." He sighed. "I have already wasted enough time on this farce. If you don't mind, I will be on my way."

"You'll regret this," snarled Moonstone. "Your stubbornness will cost you everything you care about, starting with that precious 'family' of yours." She lifted her head up and flashed her gaze about the room. "Get him!"

Author's Note

And this is why it's important to do your homework before you attempt blackmail kids. :twilightsmile:

Next chapter: An unexpected hero arrives on the scene.

Livening Things Up

Chapter 15: Livening Things Up

At Moonstone's order, the ponies that had been lurking amongst the other guests at the Gala broke from their cover. They were wearing a variety of clothes had allowed them to blend in with the crowd of well-dressed ponies. At the signal, they shed the ungainly garments, some of them managing to abandon their dresses and suits so smoothly and quickly that the clothes were briefly left standing, as though somepony was still wearing them, before collapsing to the floor. They were all pegasi, which allowed them to surge up into the air of the high-ceilinged room, rising up above the heads of the guests and heading straight for Dawn.

Dawn didn't even bother trying to track them with his eyes. He could feel them moving through the air from every direction. He could feel them drawing knives and daggers, which they held ready to plunge into his flesh. Even as the mercenaries attacked, one of them pulled out a small cylinder, which he pointed upwards. The cylinder discharged a flare that exploded over the heads of the attacking ponies with a loud crack.

Dawn pursed his lips. The only purpose of such a move could be to signal other mercenaries hidden amongst the Gala's guests. As he had feared, Moonstone had targeted his friends and family, planning to exact retribution through them if her threats failed to sway him.

The feathers of Dawn's wing buzzed and began to shine white. A single flick sent a ribbonlike stream of plasma whipping through the air. Spinning about in place, Dawn swung the humming whip so that it lashed about him in a complete circle, striking every one of his would-be attackers. The armed mares and stallions screamed and fell, dropping their weapons and spasming as crackling arcs of electricity washed over their bodies. They hit the floor hard and Dawn heard more than one bone crack from the abrupt, uncontrolled landings.

"That was disappointing," he said, turning to regard Moonstone once again as she regarded him like a terrifying monster.

Her fear and surprise quickly faded and a manic grin took its place. "You think you've won, you fool. That was only the beginning. I will burn the life you've built to the ground."

"I don't think so," said Dawn. "You should have worked out a better signal for your mercenaries, one that wasn't so obviously incriminating. Isn't that right, gentlecolts?"

The clank of plate armor behind her told Moonstone that a pair of Royal Guards were now flanking her. Turning to regard them, her pupils contracted sharply as she saw the stern glares they leveled at her. She whipped her head back around to glare at Dawn. "This means nothing," she hissed. "No matter what you do, you'll end up losing someone precious to you before the night is out." She gave him a malicious grin. "We're going to play a little game. You get to decide who lives and who dies. My ponies have orders to kill your 'mother' and your fillyfriend. Last I checked, they were not very close together. You'll only be able to save one of them. Which will you choose?"

Dawn smacked his hoof into his face. This is pathetic, he thought. Still, I'd best make sure that Mom and Dad are okay. He looked over at the Guards. "If you would be so kind as to take her into custody, I have to go save my parents."

"We'll make sure she doesn't go anywhere but the dungeon," promised one of the stallions, giving Dawn a small smile.

Dawn nodded and took to the air. He wondered if Fluttershy and Scootaloo were the only targets of Moonstone's wrath or if she'd spread her retaliation to other ponies. If the latter was the case, he hoped that Princess Luna's preparations were up to the task of ensuring that nopony got hurt.

Knowing exactly where his parents would be, Dawn flew out the nearest window, heading towards the gardens.

Fluttershy giggled as she exchanged gossip with a friendly lorikeet. The little parrot was an animated chatterbox. Silently, Fluttershy thanked the groundskeeper who had shown her how to win the trust of the garden's inhabitants a few years back. Her...breakdown...during the first Grand Galloping Gala that she'd attended was a memory that still made her wince whenever she recalled it. All of the animals in the Palace gardens were her friends now.

Caramel stood by politely, listening in on the conversation, though he only understood about two thirds of it. Years spent with Fluttershy had familiarized him with birdspeak. However, each species of bird seemed to have its own specific dialect, which sometimes made them almost impossible to understand. He could work out some of what Fluttershy's current conversation partner was saying, but only a little.

Instead, Caramel contented himself with seeing his wife's gleeful expression as she listened to the bevy of news the little bird conveyed. Fluttershy cut an absolutely stunning figure tonight, garbed in a silky-smooth, pink dress that flowed like liquid when she walked and smelled of wildflowers. Her appearance had earned many appreciative looks, while Caramel, dressed in a more unassuming black suit-jacket, had earned plenty of jealous glares.

Finally, Fluttershy bid the lorikeet a cheerful farewell.

"Sounds like he had a lot to talk about," observed Caramel.

Fluttershy nodded. "He wanted to tell me everything that the birds in all the neighboring territories were getting up to. He did have a lot of complaints about trespassing though."

Caramel nodded. "They usually do."

In fact, Caramel suspected that most animals, if they became ponies, would be real-estate agents. Birds had a plethora of terms for articulating their perception of defining and declaring ownership of a particular space. The majority of the rest of their vocabulary seemed to consist of very colorful insults and profanity, some of which Caramel could only wish he had the words to express in Equestrian. The small remainder of their language seemed to cover just about everything else that birds might have to communicate.

The two of them turned and ambled down the path. The number of ponies wandering about the gardens was small. Most guests of the Gala preferred to mingle indoors, thinking the activity more "civilized" than walking through trees, bushes, and flowers; or they were simply afraid that they could get fur and droppings over their expensive clothes. Whatever the reason, Fluttershy and Caramel had the gardens almost completely to themselves...

...Which made it almost impossible to not notice that they were slowly gaining more company. Caramel noticed when they entered a clearing and saw a suited stallion staring at a flowering bush, affecting an expression of interest, while a couple sat on a bench, giggling and nipping at each other playfully. That would have hardly been out of the ordinary. But Caramel noticed because he remembered seeing the same stallion earlier, staring at a different bunch of flowers in the same way, while the same couple had parked themselves on a different bench.

Tensing, Caramel stepped closer to Fluttershy, pressing his side up against hers. The contact got her attention and she looked up at him inquisitively. Caramel wondered what to do or say. Fluttershy wasn't all that skilled at masking her feelings and he wasn't exactly an expert in covert affairs. He didn't want to let their mysterious watchers know that he was onto them. There was no telling what they might do. I guess this is what Dawn warned us about.

He was still trying to figure out what to do when a crack, like a late firework, echoed through the evening air. The ponies who had been following them suddenly no longer cared about being discreet.

Fluttershy squeaked nervously as the stallion that had been staring at the bush turned around and fixed them with a determined glare. The couple on the bench also abandoned their conversation and foreplay, their heads orienting like the needles of a pair of compasses, coming to point directly at Fluttershy and Caramel. They stepped off the bench and moved apart from one another, spreading out so that the three ponies could keep Fluttershy and Caramel entrapped between them with the thickest of the garden undergrowth at their backs, precluding any hope of escaping that way. The fact that all three ponies were pegasi also meant that Fluttershy was unlikely to escape by flying as well.

"W-what do you want?" asked Fluttershy, shaking as she drew closer to Caramel.

None of the ponies answered. Instead, they moved in closer. The mare of the couple reached up with a hoof and undid a couple of straps, letting her dress fall free, revealing a harness that held a long dagger. Wrapping her fetlock around the handle, she pulled it free and leveled the tip at Fluttershy and Caramel. The stallion that had been on the bench with her pulled a short sword from within his suit. The other stallion reared up, the cuffs of his jacket pulling back to reveal a pair of bands wrapped just below the fetlock of each foreleg. Each band sported a thin metal rod with a tiny, leaf-shaped blade on one end. With a flick of his fetlocks, the stallion set the rods to spinning before bringing them to a stop so that the blades pointed straight out in front of his hooves.

We're in trouble, thought Caramel. Dawn had told them not to worry about it, but Caramel couldn't help but worry when the situation was like this.

The ponies were smooth and professional, moving with practiced ease and showing a great deal of familiarity with their weapons. Their expressions were calm and focused. Caramel could see that these ponies knew what they were doing.

However, something was odd. Why aren't they attacking? After drawing their weapons, the three mercenaries had remained in place, their bodies tense and ready. They seemed to be waiting for something. Caramel remembered the noise that seemed to signal their abandoning their disguises. Are they waiting for a different signal...or something else?

He and Fluttershy had now backed up to the edge of the clearing. Behind them were trees and bushes, a screen of foliage that kept them from seeing anything beyond the clearing's edge. Even the other paths through the garden weren't visible from this point. As his hind hoof scraped the edge of the clearing and brushed up against a tree root, Caramel had a sudden realization. They were herding us here! he realized. They had been backed up to this point by design, not because it cut them off from escape, but because they were trying to get Caramel and Fluttershy to develop a false sense of security at the thought of having the wall of undergrowth at their backs.

That means somepony's gonna come at us from behind! thought Caramel frantically, whipping his head around to watch for any signs of the impending attack...

...But none came. The first indicator that something wasn't going to plan for the mercenaries was when the stallion with the spinning blade weapon shifted uncomfortably, shuffling on his hind hooves. It was a tiny motion, but it betrayed his unease.

Caramel stifled a chuckle as he realized the observations he was making. I guess Dawn's been rubbing off on me, he thought. But there was no telling what that observation meant. He and Fluttershy stood no chance against the three ponies in front of them. A strategy to put a fourth pony, or more, at their backs was overkill for a wildlife manager and a candy maker.

A drifting cloud, probably left over from the day's weather, floated across the moon, plunging the clearing into even deeper darkness.

Moving soundlessly, a black figure rushed out from the bushes behind Caramel and Fluttershy, not even rustling the leaves as it passed. Caramel lunged to put himself between Fluttershy and the newcomer. But the pony rushed right past him in a blur of motion, silent wings beating the air, taking her straight for the three mercenaries.

All three of them immediately spread their wings and took to the air, straining to gain altitude. However, their reaction wasn't quick enough. The silent figure was already airborne, her flight taking her right past the mare in the center of the trio. Her foreleg lashed out and the mercenary mare dropped with a scream of pain, one wing trailing limply along with a stream of blood. Before the other two mercenaries could react, the new pony spun about, sweeping her wing towards the sword-wielding stallion. Two thin objects that could have easily been mistaken for feathers flashed through the air, burying themselves into the base of each of the stallion's wings. Like his companion, he dropped with a cry of agony.

The stallion with the tiny rod-shaped weapons closed in. The shadowy pony whipped around, sweeping out the wing opposite the one she'd attacked the other stallion with, sending two other feather-shaped blades flying at him. The with a flick of his fetlocks, the stallion set the two tiny rods to spinning and swept his forelegs up. The spinning rods caught and deflected the long, thin throwing knives. Not hesitating for a second, the stallion darted in, punching out, the rod in that hoof now pointing straight forward as he aimed for the throat of Fluttershy and Caramel's rescuer.

The mare responded by whipping out her own foreleg, a large knife clenched in her fetlock. The knife easily deflected the tiny blade of her opponent's weapon. The two of them went into a rapid exchange of thrusts and slashes, their weapons moving with lightning speed. The mare was quick and precise, but her opponent used his weapon's ability to spin to freely change the orientation of the blade, allowing him to shift the angle of his attack on the fly and rapidly strike from unexpected directions.

The speed and ferocity of the stallion's strikes drove the mare back. The mare pulled back, cocking her arm back for a powerful thrust. The mercenary charged in, aiming to catch her before she could try to overpower him with her heavier weapon. A strong thrust would be difficult to deflect with his lighter weapons. As he closed in, he missed the mare's fetlock tightening around the handle of her weapon. With a click, the knife's blade leapt forward, even though the mare had not actually tried to thrust yet. The knife flew forward to bury itself in the mercenary's right shoulder. His arm went limp and he yelled in pain. Before he could recover, the mare spun about and lashed out with her hind hoof, slamming it right into the side of his head.

The stallion dropped to the ground and did not move. Fluttershy and Caramel watched in shock as the mare who'd saved them landed, her hooves touching the ground without making the slightest noise. She turned to face them. Fluttershy and Caramel tensed, trying to be ready for anything.

There was a rushing noise and an ebony figure seemed to practically materialize in front of them, his silver mane and tail standing out starkly in the darkness.

"Dawn!" exclaimed Fluttershy.

Caramel sighed, relief flooding into him. Now that Dawn was here, hopefully there wouldn't be anything else for them to worry about.

Dawn's turquoise eyes seemed to glow with a faint luminance as he surveyed what had taken place in the clearing. Ironically, the darkness actually made them more closely resemble the eyes of a normal pony, the pupils having expanded to aid his night vision. His gaze took in the three wounded mercenaries and then the mare who had put them in that condition. Dawn relaxed, sinking out of his crouch and folding his wings.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," he said, giving the mare a small smile. "I didn't know you'd re-enlisted, Shade Steel.”

Dawn's parents gasped. The cloud finally passed by overhead, letting the moonlight stream down once more, revealing a mare of charcoal gray, from coat to mane to tail. The armor she wore vaguely resembled that used by the Royal Guard, but was thinner and lighter, with a dull-gray finish that failed to reflect the ambient light. She regarded Dawn and his family with deep-blue eyes and and she returned his smile with one of her own.

The first time Dawn had met Shade Steel, she had been an assassin, acting on behalf of the Cult Solar and trying to kill him. She had formerly been a member of the Royal Guard's Special Equine Service, elite Guardsmares especially skilled in covert operations and close combat. She had lost to Dawn, but not before nearly succeeding in her attempt to kill him. After her arrest, she had been turned over to the Princesses for her punishment and had been forced to serve as a member of Princess Luna's staff for several months. Then, when a member of the Noble Court had foalnapped Twilight Sparkle, Shade had been asked to locate her, in exchange for commuting her sentence. Shade had cooperated and, in doing so, had won her freedom. Dawn, along with his friends and family, had hardly seen or heard of her since.

"After that whole affair with Wight Shade, the Princesses offered to let me back into the SES," she said with a nod. "Actually, until recently, I'd been acting as a handler and contact for your friend, Perlin."

"Really now?" said Dawn raising an eyebrow.

"Um...is it really okay to be talking like this?" asked Caramel.

"The Royal Guard will be here momentarily," said Dawn. "They just haven't caught up. I wasn't expecting Princess Luna to detail the SES to protect Moonstone's potential targets, but I can't fault her choice."

Shade's smile widened at that.

"What about the others?" asked Caramel. "If Moonstone sent these mercenaries after us, she probably sent others after the rest of our friends."

"I wouldn't worry," said Shade. "She didn't bring in that many ponies with her. We managed to mark them all when they came in. About six of them were sent after you two, all the rest were following Dawn and Scootaloo."

"Only a few of them followed after me when I left Scootaloo and Spitfire," said Dawn. "I'm sure the rest of them are still with her...or they were."

"So anyway," said Scootaloo, flicking a wing and catching a mare hurling herself at her with a thin bolt of lightning, "got any tips for the Academy?"

Spitfire didn't even glance at the stallion charging her flank. Whipping up her forehoof, she caught the stallion's foreleg with her own, sweeping his lunging strike out wide before he could even touch her with the dagger he'd been thrusting. Disengaging her foreleg from his own and moving faster than he could react, Spitfire clenched her fetlock around a portion of the stallion's mane before using her grip to drive his face into the floor with enough force to knock him senseless. "Nuh uh, kiddo," she said teasingly. "No spoilers. Don't want you to have an unfair advantage over the other cadets, now do we?"

"You're no fun," grumbled Scootaloo as she directed a burst of compressed air at another mercenary who'd tried to come at her from above, the impact of it driving the air from his lungs and tossing him to the side, where he fell in a heap.

The two of them continued to chat, even as more mercenaries charged for them, only to be thrashed in turn. One or two of the would-be assassins saw the writing on the wall and tried to make good their escape, only to find that the exits had been blocked by grim-faced ponies in golden armor. These ponies quickly dropped their weapons and put up their hooves in surrender.

Finally, Scootaloo and Spitfire were standing alone amongst a litter of fallen mercenaries, who twitched and groaned in pain. The Gala's guests that had been in the room with them had withdrawn to the walls when the attack had begun. Now that the fighting was over, they started cheering and applauding, as though it had been nothing more than a brief bit of entertainment.

"So I guess that was Moonstone's idea of trying to be persuasive," said Scootaloo with a smirk as she watched the Guards move to round up the unconscious mercenaries.

"Seems like it." Spitfire looked to the highest ranking Guard in the room. "Did they attack anypony else."

"It seems that Dawn Lightwing was targeted," reported the Guard, saluting smartly as he addressed Spitfire. "Aside from that, there's no sign that anyone else inside the Palace was attacked. However, there was a commotion out in the gardens. I'm told that Dawn rushed out there."

"That was where Fluttershy and Caramel went," said Scootaloo, shifting nervously. "I hope they're okay."

"I'm sure they're fine," said Spitfire with an easygoing smile, gently patting Scootaloo's withers.

Moonstone was still in the room when Dawn returned to it, grinning savagely from between the two Guards standing on either side of her. "I knew you didn't care about that mare. You should have taken my offer when you had the chance."

Dawn chuckled. "Obviously you haven't been paying attention," he said. "I've been teaching her the Gale King since the both of us were foals. A reporter even did an article on it. She's quickly approaching my level of skill. Your mercenaries wouldn't be able to touch her if there were a hundred of them."

Moonstone blinked. "Horseapples! That mare should be dead by now."

Looking past Moonstone, Dawn found himself smirking. "See for yourself," he said, nodding in the direction of the door behind her.

Moonstone twisted her head around and her jaw dropped as she saw Scootaloo and Spitfire strolling in, both of them looking as though nothing interesting had happened. "Moonstone," said Spitfire, as though doing nothing more than politely greeting the other mare, "still a greedy witch, I see."

"Spitfire." Moonstone's voice ground its way out from her clenched jaws and she swayed in place at the realization that there was no way for her to profit from her schemes now.

"You disgust me," said Spitfire. "I know all about your history with Dawn. Heck, all of Equestria technically knows. Still, he was willing to live and let live. But the moment you decided there was a way you could profit from him, you tried to backtrack an evil and stupid decision and tried to pretend it never happened. Now you're going to have nothing."

"Indeed." Princess Luna's voice seemed to almost echo ominously about the room as she strode in, flanked by several members of her personal Guard. Behind her, Dawn could see Shade Steel drifting in her wake, almost like a shadow of Luna herself. "Celestia and I are most disappointed in your behavior, Moonstone Gust."

"All I was doing was reclaiming what was mine," protested Moonstone.

"You lost your claim to me when you decided that I was better off dead," said Dawn. "You threw me away, because of my eyes, didn't you?"

Something almost seemed to snap inside of Moonstone and she whirled on Dawn. "Of course I did!" she shrieked. "Imagine what it would have done to my reputation if I allowed a deformed freak like you to live in our home and inherit our name."

"And yet you still tried to bring me back as soon as you decided there was a way you could benefit from me," noted Dawn.

"That's right," said Moonstone. "You should be glad that I found a use for you. When you were born, you were nothing more than a burden and a threat. But when you finally had a way to repay your mother for carrying and birthing you, you dared to reject me. You should be honored to support the one who gave you life!"

"Children do not exist to profit their parents," said Luna gravely, fixing Moonstone with a stern, angry glare. "The enrichment they provide is not material in nature. Those who scorn that fact are unworthy to be called parents. You will rot in prison for your crimes. Throughout Equestria, your name shall be remembered with naught but scorn and derision, feelings that you have most rightfully earned." Luna addressed her Guards next. "Take this mare away and allow her to enjoy the fruits of her labors."

The Guards moved to direct Moonstone out of the room. The livid mare cast her eyes about, looking for any sign of support or understanding, but found none. Finally, her gaze settled on Fluttershy, who had come to stand next to Dawn. "You witch!" she shrieked, throwing herself at the yellow mare. "You took what’s mine!"

The Guards rushed to restrain Moonstone before she could strike Fluttershy. However, Moonstone froze in place, one hoof raised for a punch. Her body quivered, locked in place as she was held fast by the power of Fluttershy's Stare. Fluttershy's expression could almost be called sad as she looked at Moonstone. The Stare held Moonstone in place long enough for the Guards to restrain her. Only when Moonstone's legs were shackled and her wings strapped down did Fluttershy relent.

"Dawn is not your son," said Fluttershy. "He's mine." Then she actually smiled at Moonstone. "But I will thank you...for giving birth to him. Goodbye."

When the Guards moved to take Moonstone from the room, she did not resist. Her mind appeared to have been broken, almost as though Fluttershy's expression of gratitude had completely shattered her will and resolve.

When Moonstone was gone, Fluttershy let out a sigh and sagged down slightly. "That was scary," she said.

Dawn rubbed up against her and nuzzled under her chin. "Thank you," he said softly. "I love you, Mom."

A smile graced Fluttershy's face and she turned her head down to gently kiss Dawn's forehead. "I love you too," she said softly.

A wave of applause and clopping hooves washed across the room. Fluttershy and Dawn looked up to see the rest of the guests clapping and cheering for them. Mother and son quickly flushed red and looked down in almost perfect unison, bashfully scraping their hooves on the floor.

Scootaloo burst out laughing, almost falling over in the throes of her mirth. Spitfire was more restrained, but only by a small margin as she bit down on one hoof to keep from doing the same thing. Luna smiled cheerfully as she watched the tableau unfold. Caramel tried to do what he could to assuage his wife and son, nuzzling them both.

Her amusement back under control, Spitfire smirked up at Luna. "Well, I would say that livened things up."

"Aye, verily," agreed Luna. "I believe my sister will be pleased with the outcome."

"It sounds as though Moonstone's plan has been thoroughly thwarted," observed Celestia as she listened to the whispers of gossip sweeping through the ballroom like a flowing tide.

"I figured you'd want to see it for yourself," said Twilight as she walked alongside her mentor and peer. "It made things much more interesting."

"I decided to let Luna have the fun part," said Celestia. "Still, Moonstone put on a very nice show."

"A lot of ponies could have been hurt," said Twilight, looking around at all the guests, chatting and dancing.

"The SES had already marked Moonstone's mercenaries from the moment they entered and they were poised to ensure that they would be unable to harm anypony," said Celestia. "If anything, I think our guests found it to be a most entertaining interlude."

"I'm sure they did," agreed Twilight. She had to admit that ponies were looking much more animated, now that the story of Dawn's fight against his biological mother and her mercenaries was circulating about the Gala. Moonstone's behavior was sufficiently scandalous to keep even the most callous gossipers well-engaged.

Twilight suspected that there may have been more to Celestia's plans than just an evening's entertainment. Moonstone's behavior would reflect back upon her clan, in the off chance that her clansmares weren't implicated as accomplices to Moonstone's criminal actions. In any case, the Gust Clan's influence would be broken and the few remaining diehard pegasus tribalists would lose another bastion of their worldview. Soon, Moonstone and the pegasus clans' hypocrisy of seeing Dawn as a liability because of his appearance, only to change their tune when they thought he might be useful to them, would drag them down further. Even unicorns and earth ponies would receive a stark reminder of just how foolish and pointless tribalism was, so foolish that even its ardent supporters couldn't hold themselves to it completely.

"Well, I for one have had enough of schemes and plots for the night," said Arkenstone as he came up to stand next to Twilight. "Right now, I intend to ask my lady for a dance, if she doesn't mind."

"I'd love to," said Twilight, giving Arkenstone a kiss before allowing him to lead her out to the dance floor.

Celestia tittered as she watched them go. I think we can consider this a successful evening.

"I didn't know you could dance," said Coco breathlessly as Perlin led her towards a table and helped her settle onto a cushion.

"Um..." Perlin blushed and looked away. "During my free time between missions I...I took lessons."

"Really?" Coco stared at Perlin in surprise and amusement, trying to imagine that formidable stallion being led through the steps of a classic ballroom dance. The mental image made her cover her mouth to stifle the giggles that threatened to emerge.

"Well...it was Shining Armor who suggested it to me," said Perlin. "He said that, if you can cook and you can dance, you won't have any trouble winning over a mare."

"I think that may be a bit of an exaggeration," said Coco wryly. "Besides..." she added, fluttering her eyelashes at him, "...I loved you before I knew you could dance." She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.

"I know," said Perlin as she pulled away. "But I know that you have to go to events like this fairly often. I don't want to embarrass you."

"Oh Perlin," said Coco leaning up against him with a sigh, nuzzling into his neck. "You don't have to worry about embarrassing me."

Perlin wrapped his wing around her and pulled her close. For a long moment, the Gala around them seemed to fade away, leaving them alone with each other, even though countless other ponies were in the room. The two of them created their own little island of quiet serenity amidst all the noise and activity.

There were multiple active ballrooms throughout the Palace that were being used for the Gala. Ponies with differing tastes in music or dance had their pick of several different options, as each ballroom had its own musicians. The one Coco and Perlin were in had an ensemble playing more classical music, waltzes in particular.

Coco's dress was a sight to behold. It seemed more like a broad cyan scarf that had been wrapped about her entire body, hugging her form and leaving one shoulder and the haunch opposite to it enticingly bare. The two ends of the wrap formed the dress's train, which drifted about in Coco's wake, swishing musically in time with the sway of her flanks. Perlin, who'd spent the last half-hour pressed up against Coco on the dance floor, had been entranced by the fabric's texture. One side was slightly rough, but not irritatingly so, while the other felt nearly as smooth as glass. The wrapping of the broad strip of fabric, pinning and stitching it together into the form of a dress, had artfully twisted it so that one side or the other was facing outward at different points across Coco's body, creating a contrast of textures that made the experience of holding or touching her different each time, whether Perlin was pressed against her on the dance floor or holding her with his wing.

She'd made Perlin's suit as well. Perlin was clad in a pale-blue jacket over a dark-gray shirt, with a tie of darker blue. His mane had been trimmed and combed until it hung neatly over one side of his neck. Coco secretly relished the jealous looks she'd received from many of the other mares in the room, knowing that, if they had seen Perlin before she had gone through the trouble of grooming him, they would have dismissed him as a scruffy rogue at best.

"Well now, you two seem to be doing quite well." Coco looked up to see a familiar white stallion with an azure mane and distinguished mustache settling across the table from them. Beside him was a white mare with a pink mane, wearing a crimson dress that Coco recognized as one of her own designs.

"Fancy Pants! Fleur!" Coco broke out of Perlin's hold to scamper around the table and throw her arms around the slender mare in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you," she said.

"It's good to see you too, Coco," replied Fleur De Lis, pulling back far enough to give Coco a light kiss on the cheek. She looked across the table at Perlin, who averted his eyes. "Is this the mysterious stallion you were always telling me about? He seems quite handsome."

"Y-yes," said Coco, letting go of Fleur and returning to her seat by Perlin. "This is Perlin Bluestreak."

"My, it's nice to finally meet you at last," said Fancy Pants, dipping his head towards Perlin.

Perlin politely returned the gesture. "Likewise," he said.

"I would love to hear the tale of how you two ended up together," said Fleur, giving them both a charming smile. "Given how long you've been waiting for him, Coco, I imagine that it is a fascinating story."

"It certainly is," said Coco.

"That's putting it lightly," agreed Perlin. "But I'm not sure that this is the proper venue for it."

"Then let us be off," said Fancy Pants. "I know that you two must have been given quarters in the Palace, since you came with Princess Twilight. We can adjourn to them and you will have the privacy you require."

Coco and Perlin shared a glance before nodding. "That would be fine," said Coco.

"Huh...I like it," said Spike, twisting his head one way, then another as he scrutinized a stone sculpture that reminded him of water fountaining out of a smooth stone. At one point, he twisted his head around to the point of inverting it so that he was looking at the sculpture from an upside-down perspective.

"Me too," said Bloom, "It looks like it could keel over any second, but it's as solid as Granny's old rockin' chair." Said chair had been in its designated corner of the farmhouse since before Bloom or even Applejack or Big Macintosh had been born. Rumors suggested that it might have even been there as long as Granny smith was. In any case, it was certainly high praise.

Bloom's application of her earth pony magic allowed her to extend her awareness through the materials around her. Her natural attention to detail allowed her to zero in on the points where a structure was joined together and she could also locate weak points and faults just as easily, like being able to feel when a nail was splitting one of the pieces of wood it was supposed to be holding together. Over the course of her apprenticeship, she'd been honing that skill until her creations had been some of the most structurally sound that her master had ever seen.

Knowing this, Spike had decided that they should tour some of the different sculptures that were on display by up-and-coming artists who had been invited to the Gala to showcase their works. In the past couple of years, the event had turned into an opportunity for minds to meet and for artists to find potential patrons and even earn extra renown for themselves. Apple Bloom definitely appreciated the sculptures much more than the paintings. While she might not have had any idea what a painter might be suggesting through the use of shading or a creative application of asymmetry, she was definitely able to enjoy the more three-dimensional pieces on display, often in ways their creators might not have realized. She could feel out the delicate balance that kept one sculpture upright and praise the clever joining of pieces that held another sculpture together as solidly as the girders of a skyscraper, even though it looked as though it might break if a pony breathed on it too hard.

They had a fun evening, visiting room after room. At the same time, they'd enjoyed the music being played by various bands. One ballroom was even hosting a square dance that they'd paused on their art tour to join.

Bloom was a sight to behold, wearing a slim, red dress that matched the color of her trademark blow, with pale-green trim around the hem. It had a texture like soft velvet and Spike particularly enjoyed the scent of Bloom's namesake that rose up from it.

Spike was clad in a dapper-looking suit, a black jacket with a white shirt underneath, with a red tie. It was a classic affair, but one that Spike wore well. He'd been wearing more or less the same kind of suit every time he'd come to the Gala. Several ponies that had passed them in the hallways had stopped to do a double-take when they realized that the handsome stallion accompanying that beautiful young mare was not a stallion at all. Furthermore, he picked up startled whispers when ponies identified him as Twilight's assistant. Spike found it somewhat amusing how his notoriety had increased after Twilight's coronation, with numerous news outlets asking just who the young dragon that seemed to follow Princess Twilight everywhere was.

Of course, some of the scrutiny that resulted was not of the pleasant variety. As a whole, dragons did not exactly have a sterling reputation in pony society. Having seen what some dragons, or at least juvenile dragons, could be like during his participation in the Dragon Migration, Spike couldn't exactly say that the reputation was wholly unearned. For that reason, a quite a few ponies had raised concerns about a dragon living in such close proximity to one of Equestria's Princesses. Spike had even heard that petitions had circulated, demanding that Twilight Sparkle fire him and take on an assistant "more suited to her station." Naturally, such petitions never made it far when they came to Twilight's attention.

Still, from the way some mares had been eying him, Spike figured that ponies' sentiments towards him weren't so negative anymore. If anything, quite a few of them seemed jealous of Apple Bloom. Of course, he thought, they're jealous of the wrong pony. If anything, they should be jealous of me. The thought made him extend a wing and drape it over Bloom's back. She gave Spike a questioning look, but he merely smiled warmly in response.

"There you two are," called Sweetie Belle's voice musically. Bloom and Spike looked up to see Sweetie and Rumble both picking their way through the crowd. Sweetie was wearing an airy, mulberry-dress that matched the darker color of her mane. Rumble was wearing a silk shirt, not all that different from the one he usually wore, though this one was a vivid, jade color with gold embroideries.

"Hey there," said Spike. "Sorry. We lost track of you after the Gala started."

"It's okay," said Sweetie, beaming. "I got to talk with Octavia for a while when she was between sets."

"Sounds like the two 'o ya are havin' fun," said Bloom.

"We sure are," agreed Rumble, pausing to nuzzle Sweetie's cheek.

"So how's your thesis going?" asked Spike.

"Almost done," said Sweetie. "I'm actually working on the final draft right now. Just a few more revisions and it'll be ready for submission. My professors are all really excited about it."

"Apparently, there's even been talk about Sweetie getting a Principle," added Rumble.

"Th-that's just speculation," said Sweetie, blushing fiercely.

"What 'bout you, Rumble?" asked Bloom. "Ah think yer nearly done too."

"Yep," said Rumble. "According to Softhoof, I should be able to go straight into the Ministry after I graduate. They've got a position ready for me and everything. We're even working on the preliminary arrangements for our little project. Softhoof's agents have been identifying prospective candidates, helping us work out the logistics, and even find staff."

"And then you two will be coming back to Ponyville?" asked Spike.

"Yeah," said Rumble. "Though I'm gonna be going abroad fairly often. Softhoof wants me to be a field agent, so I'll be looking into cases where we suspect foals might be neglected or abused. She says that I'll definitely be good for situations where there's a likelihood that the ponies with custody of the foals in question might be likely to react violently."

"Is that really a big possibility?" asked Spike.

"Well...it's not a constant threat," said Rumble. "But sometimes the foals were born into a family with connections to the local Guard or somepony with wealth and influence. Softhoof has had one occasion where she had to rescue a foal from a father who was a member of a town Guard with considerable combat experience. Over the course of her investigation, he actually tried to kill her."

"What?" gasped Bloom.

"She survived," said Rumble. "Softhoof is a lot tougher than you'd think she would be. She knows quite a few tricks. She's also had to deal with wealthier parents hiring thugs to try to scare her off or even kill her."

"Sorta like what that Moonstone mare tried with Dawn earlier," said Sweetie.

Spike and Bloom nodded. By now, reports of Dawn's encounter with his biological mother and the mercenaries she'd hired had gone round the entire Gala.

"Sounds like it'll be a rough job," said Bloom.

"Yep, but somepony's gotta do it," said Rumble. "I've gotten to see and read about some of the situations where the Department has to step in and rescue foals from abusive homes. It can get downright horrifying what some of those little colts and fillies have to go through. If I find somepony in a situation like that, then I'll at least be in a position to do something about it."

"Ah'm sure ya will," said Bloom, grinning. From where she was standing, she could see Sweetie watching Rumble with an expression of adoration. It was Rumble's best feature, his desire to help other ponies in need.

Back when they were still foals and he'd been completely inexperienced in combat, he'd still accompanied Scootaloo and Arkenstone to Canterlot in order to help rescue Twilight Sparkle from a scheming baron. Rumble had done it specifically because he'd felt that he needed to do something to help if there was something that he could do. It had been an extension of what Bloom and the others had seen him doing for as long as they'd known him. Rumble had always been a helpful colt, always looking for times when others needed assistance, even when it meant doing something difficult or dangerous that had him completely out of his depth; like the time he'd helped with Tornado Day after the majority of Ponyville's pegasi had fallen ill due to feather flu.

Glancing up, Spike could see that the night was getting late. More importantly, the Gala was winding to a close. "Hey, let's get going," he said.

"Where to?" asked Rumble as Spike started leading them down a hallway.

"Twilight wanted us to get everypony together because she has a special announcement to make," explained Spike, smirking. "She figured that the Gala was the perfect time because Cadance and Shining Armor would be visiting from the Crystal Empire."

"Huh, Ah wonder what all the hubbub's about," mused Bloom, giving Spike a curious look.

Sweetie thought things over for a moment before sucking in a deep breath in an excited gasp. "Oooh! I think I know what Twilight wants to say," she said in a singsong tone, prancing excitedly.

"What is it?" asked Rumble.

"IIIIIIIII'm not tellllliiiiiiing," sang Sweetie before stopping with a giggle.

"Good idea," said Spike. "We don't want to spoil the surprise."

Rumble and Apple Bloom shared a dubious look. "I hope we aren't about to get blindsided by something," said Rumble.

"Eh...if Sweetie's so excited, it can't be anythin' bad," Bloom pointed out.

"That's true, I suppose," said Rumble with a shrug.

"Might as well find out," said Bloom.

The hour was late and many of the Gala guests were taking their leave. As the crowds thinned out, Celestia, Twilight, and Luna were finally free to withdraw from the Gala at large and move into a more private space. For their purposes, Celestia had proposed that they use the Royal Dining Room. Twilight and her friends had been there before. As far as Palace rooms went, it was private enough for their purposes, as Celestia and Luna tried to take their meals in as quiet and relaxing a setting as possible. It was the perfect venue to discuss anything short of topics labeled Top Secret.

As Celestia led Twilight and Arkenstone into the dining room, Twilight gasped and bounded forward to eagerly hug her brother and her sister-in-law. After disengaging from the excited embrace, Twilight and the pink alicorn engaged in their classic greeting, though Cadance's performance was less exuberant than usual, owing to the large bulge in her belly. At the same time, Arkenstone and Shining exchanged a casual hoofbump.

"It's so good to see you," said Twilight, wrapping Cadance in another hug.

"Well, you could visit more often," suggested Cadance. "You'd be especially welcome if you brought Spike with you."

"I don't know," said Twilight. "Spike's been getting pretty handsome these days. I don't want a bunch of crystal pony mares trying to run Apple Bloom off out of jealousy."

That made Cadance laugh. As she did, Twilight leaned down to inspect the bulge in her stomach. "And how is my precious niece coming along, hmm?"

"Well...pregnancy is no treat," said Cadance, her smile fading slightly.

"You can say that again," said Shining Armor in a hollow tone. When Twilight looked over at him, she saw him staring into the distance with a vapid gaze that suggested he'd seen things that he'd never wanted to see.

"A-are you okay?" asked Twilight, looking nervously between her brother and his wife.

Cadance gave Twilight an apologetic smile before nuzzling Shining. "Well...in the first few months, my mood swings and my cravings got a bit...intense."

Shining nodded in silent agreement, still staring off into the distance.

Cadance sighed. "Really, I'm so jealous of Fluttershy. She had such an easy time during her pregnancies, both of them."

"Personally, I think it's because Fluttershy's spent so long mothering all kinds of creatures that her foals learned to be obedient even when they were gestating," said Twilight with a wry smile.

Less than a minute later, Fluttershy herself arrived, with Caramel, Dawn, and Scootaloo in tow. Behind her came Spike, Bloom, Sweetie, and Rumble. After them came Pinkie Pie and Applejack, along with their respective mates. Rainbow Dash and Soarin' were next. Finally, after a few more minutes' delay, Rarity and Flaxseed arrived, accompanied by Coco and Perlin.

"I'm terribly sorry for the delay," said Rarity. "It was a little bit troublesome to track these two down, seeing as they'd been in their room with Fancy Pants and Fleur."

"Um...Do we really belong here?" asked Coco nervously. "I-I don't want to intrude."

"I'm fairly certain I don't belong," said Perlin, rubbing a leg nervously.

Twilight strode up to them and pulled Coco into a tight hug, kissing her on the cheek. "I want you to be here," she said, pulling away from Coco and giving her a smile. She looked over at Perlin. "I'm glad that you came too. You're one of our friends now."

Mayweather gave Perlin a sardonic grin. "And she means that in the most proactive way possible. There's no escape for you now, bucko." Her words made Perlin swallow nervously.

"Twilight Sparkle," said Luna. "I am desperate to know. Just what is it that you wish to announce?"

"Oh! Right!" Twilight grinned and stepped back from Coco. She made her way to the head of the dining table, where Arkenstone joined her. The two of them looked over their assembled friends (well...Twilight looked). "Everypony! I want to announce that Arkenstone and I are engaged to be married!"

Author's Note

And so the issue with Moonstone comes to its somewhat predictable close. I have to own up to making my villains in this particular story somewhat generic. In fact, throughout this series, I have to admit that Wight Shade/Morning Star and Perlin are probably the only antagonists I can really take any pride in. In this story, at least, it's primarily because the antagonists are largely here for accent, while the main thrust of the conflict is developing Dawn and Scootaloo as they move on to adulthood. In that respect, the upcoming arc should, hopefully, be the most interesting one. I did say that this was essentially an extended epilogue to the series as a whole after all.

Next chapter: Twilight regrets a rather obvious oversight.

Academy Days

Chapter 16: Academy Days

"Quit struggling and this won't take so long!"

"Quick! Tie her legs!"

"That's not her leg! That's my tail!"

"Don't let her get away! If she does, then everypony will know!"

"Bar the doors! Don't let her out of this room!"

"Since when have doors ever stopped her?"

"Less jawin' more lasooin', boy!"

"Why wasn't that on the checklist?"

"Why are you asking me? You wrote the checklist!"

"I think we've almost got her!"

"Get that gag on tighter! I've seen how wide she can open that mouth when she wants to!"

"Mmmph phmph hmph mrrf!"

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor all looked on with bemused expressions as Twilight Sparkle and her friends worked desperately to subdue and restrain a struggling Pinkie Pie. Had they all not already been familiar with the pink party pony's antics, they would have found the titanic struggle to restrain her and keep her from bolting to be a ridiculous sight indeed.

Mayweather had been first to notice their peril when she looked over at Pinkie to see her fillyfriend twitching in place. Though she couldn't be sure, Mayweather would later swear she'd heard something that sounded vaguely liking ticking. The implication had dawned on her immediately and she'd pounced on Pinkie. Naturally, once Pinkie's party proclivities were aroused, restraining her was a task no single pony could hope to accomplish. Even when Twilight and her friends all joined in on the effort to keep Pinkie restrained, it had been a desperate battle, as Pinkie's abilities seemed to exceed those of any earth pony, pegasus, unicorn, or alicorn.

Finally, Twilight stepped away, her horn shimmering with its typical violet aura, mixed with hints of gray and white. Her study of Dark Matter and her acquisition of the ability to control it had been among the things that had led to her ascension. She could even create Dark Matter at will and devising new forms of it was not beyond her. At the moment, the matter she was creating took the form of an ebony strip, like a ribbon, that she wound tightly around Pinkie's entire body, practically cocooning her in the material. For a finishing touch, she affixed a mask over Pinkie's mouth, keeping her voice from getting out.

"Phew," said Twilight, wiping away her forehead, "that was a close one. Good call, Mayweather."

"I'm starting to get the hang of her...maybe," said Mayweather with a sheepish grin.

Bound in unbreakable Dark Matter or not, nopony really trusted Pinkie's bonds to hold. They made it a point to keep at least one set of eyes on her at all times until they worked out a solution to the problem.

Twilight sighed and walked up to Pinkie, who was still wriggling like a landed fish, her eyes going wide and her cheeks bulging as she desperately tried to talk or shout through her mask. "Pinkie, I know you're excited, but we don't want everypony to know yet. Arkenstone and I don't want a big hubbub."

"Or another Royal Wedding," added Arkenstone with a wry chuckle. "No offense," he added, his ears twitching in the direction of Shining and Cadance. "I'm sure your wedding was a lovely affair, but we could do without getting half the country involved."

"Do you understand, Pinkie?" asked Twilight.

Pinkie's only response was to continue to try and shout through her mask, apparently completely oblivious to what Twilight had been saying.

"Ugh...How can we get through to her?" asked Twilight. "There's gotta be a way to calm her down."

"Calm her down? I can do that." Mayweather grinned and stepped forward, rolling Pinkie onto her back and settling above her. "When I give you the signal, get that mask off."

"Are you sure?" asked Twilight nervously.

"Yep," said Mayweather, giving Pinkie Pie a sultry smirk as she lowered her muzzle down. "Now!"

Twilight did as she was told. Her horn flickered and the mask over Pinkie's mouth dissolved. Immediately, Pinkie opened wide, prepared to shout...something. Whatever it was was lost as Mayweather immediately covered Pinkie's mouth with her own, capturing Pinkie's lips in a passionate kiss, tangling their tongues together. The words Pinkie had been planning on screaming were supplanted by low moans and wet slurping sounds.

The rest of the group watched, shifting awkwardly as the kiss went on...and on...and on... As Pinkie's moans grew deeper and more euphoric, they began to blush and avert their eyes, one by one, feeling more like voyeurs than concerned friends. Of them all, the only pony still watching with complete attention was Princess Cadance, who had produced a paper and pen out of somewhere and was now taking notes.

Finally, Mayweather pulled away. Below her, Pinkie was practically catatonic, her eyes rolled upward, strands of her frazzled mane sticking out at awkward angles, her tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth.

"Wow!" said Cadance. "That was four minutes and thirty-seven seconds. Where'd you learn to do that? And can I get some pointers?"

Shining Armor shuffled a few steps away from her.

Mayweather wiped her mouth with her foreleg before chuckling. "That was my Personal Patented Pinkie Pie Pacification Pucker. It took lots of practice, but I've learned how to deliver a forty-two-hit knockout kiss."

"Is she okay?" asked Twilight, waving a hoof in front of Pinkie's eyes. Pinkie's glazed expression didn't change in the slightest.

"Sure," said Mayweather with a grin. Leaning down, she put her lips next to Pinkie's ear. "Okay honey, time to wake up."

Pinkie jerked with a snort, her tongue retracting back into her mouth before her jaws snapped shut. Pinkie blinked and looked around. "Wha-Where am I?" She looked up at Mayweather. "Why am I tied up like this. Are we having some special playtime again, Mayweather? Did you invite everypony else so that they could watch or-"

Mayweather's hoof plugged Pinkie's mouth while Mayweather herself blushed fiercely and coughed awkwardly, conscious of all the curious looks she was receiving. "Um...no."

"Oh..." Pinkie's ears drooped. "That's too bad. I love getting tied up and these are really comfy."

Mayweather sighed.

"Huh," said Pinkie, her eyes rolling upward thoughtfully. "I just woke up from the most amazing dream. Twilight and Arkenstone said they were getting married and then-"

"They are getting married," said Mayweather, before putting her hoof over Pinkie's mouth again, preemptively stopping Pinkie from letting loose the squeal held behind those lips. "But right now they don't want it to be announced to every corner of Equestria before they're ready. That's why they had us all in here, so that we'd be the only ponies to know."

"Aww," protested Pinkie as Mayweather withdrew her hoof, "but what about the party. If there's going to be a wedding, I need to plan the reception."

"Of course we'll want you to plan the reception," said Twilight, coming forward. "But...we kinda want the party to be on our terms. We haven't settled on when the wedding is going to be and what we're going to do for it."

"Given Twilight's status, letting the population at large know would only make things more difficult," said Arkenstone. "A wedding involving a member of the upper-class is sure to attract all manner of ponies, looking to pressure her into doing it one way or another. A wedding for a Princess would be even worse."

"That's why Shining and I put off our announcement until the last minute," said Cadance with an apologetic grin, thinking back to their wedding. "I know we kinda sprang it on you out of nowhere. But for us, that was the best way to settle on planning things so that they would go the way we wanted them to."

"Given that Arkenstone's true status is a close-kept secret," said Celestia, "the fact that a Princess of Equestria will be marrying a common teashop owner will ultimately cause quite the uproar."

"I was Captain of the Royal Guard and ponies were giving Cadance grief for marrying me," groused Shining. Cadance brushed her wing across his back.

"So, basically, we do want you to help plan the reception," said Twilight, "But we don't want too many ponies to find out about it before we're ready. We haven't even fully decided on a date or where we want the wedding to be."

"So we'd like to keep the fact that we're engaged a secret for the time being," said Arkenstone. "You'll need to make your plans quietly. Think of it as a surprise party for all of Equestria. We'll just be telling you when it's time to yell 'surprise.'"

Pinkie thought it over for a minute. "Okay. That sounds like a ton of fun. I can make all kinds of super-duper surprise plans."

"You know, I think we had a good idea until you gave her the notion of making it a surprise party for all of Equestria," Twilight muttered to Arkenstone.

"Knowing Pinkie, she'd be able to pull that off," replied Arkenstone with a chuckle.

"That's what I'm worried about," said Twilight wearily.

"Well, in any case, congratulations to both of you," said Dawn, giving Twilight and Arkenstone a smile.

"It's certainly about time," said Rarity nodding in agreement. "Considering that you've had a crush on Arkenstone since you were a foal, I'm amazed it actually took this long for the two of you to finally get engaged."

"Rarity!" gasped Twilight, turning red.

"I apologize for my lack of promptness," said Arkenstone clearly not meaning a word of it.

"I'm so happy for you two," said Fluttershy, drifting over to give Twilight a hug.

"This is totally awesome!" said Rainbow, grinning. "Maybe we should have our weddings together, make it a double affair..."

"Rainbow Dash!" admonished Rarity. "That is simply unacceptable. Why, what would ponies say if a Princess of Equestria were upstaged at her own wedding...Twilight...what is it?"

Twilight was standing there, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Well...it would certainly make the logistics simpler. We wouldn't have to worry about the issue of having two separate weddings."

"But think of the dresses!" wailed Rarity. "Do you have any idea how hard it will be to design to separate ensembles so that they don't clash but don't make it look like all four of you are getting married to each other. Herds are so outdated!"

"I don't know," said Rainbow, grinning teasingly. "Maybe you're afraid you just can't do it."

"I beg your pardon," said Rarity, the tone of her voice dropping the ambient temperature by at least ten degrees.

"Maybe you're scared that there's an occasion you can't design a fashion for," replied Rainbow. "I know you're worried that my awesomeness will make me outshine Twilight on her special day. But I guess you're just not up to the task of doing it. I guess your creative juices are running dry."

"Excuse me!" gasped Rarity, her pupils contracting. Everypony in the vicinity was certain they were seeing ice crystals dancing in the air now.

"Oh well, I guess it comes with getting old," said Rainbow.

Rarity was at a complete loss for words, her mouth working, but utterly unable to voice anything but strangled grunts.

"I guess we'll just have to find somepony who can handle it," continued Rainbow, "somepony with drive, talent, vision...youth."

The sound of something snapping echoed through the room. Rarity's eyes blazed as she marched right up to Rainbow Dash, the sheer ferocity of her gaze matching the murderous intent of a trained martial artist. Rainbow fell back onto her haunches with a startled squeak as Rarity raised a hoof and thrust it at her chest.

"If that's the way you want it...Fine! I will happily design dresses for you and Twilight on your wedding day. I will show you the true depths of my skill as a designer so that you will rue the day that you dared question me about my artistry. I will make the most spectacular ensembles you have ever seen! Just you wait!"

Turning around with an angry snort, Rarity thrust her snout upwards and stalked away from Rainbow, her tail swaying in long, sweeping motions. She was joined by Flaxseed, who was doing his level best to keep from laughing even as he tried to calm her down with caring nuzzles.

"Aw yeah!" exclaimed Rainbow, pumping a hoof into the air. "The double wedding is on!"

"Why did I even think that was a good idea?” groaned Twilight, dropping her face into her hooves. "This is going to be a disaster."

"Agreed," said Arkenstone. In spite of his words, he was smiling widely. "I can't wait."

Twilight groaned again as her friends swarmed around the couple once more, offering their heartfelt congratulations.

"Aw, now I get to plan a double reception for two of my bestest best friends in the whole wide world!" exclaimed Pinkie, throwing her arms around Twilight.

"I'm glad you're onboard with this, Pinkie," said Twilight before freezing and looking over at where Pinkie had been only a few seconds earlier. Sure enough, the Dark Matter ribbon that had held her bound was now lying limply on the floor, with no trace of the pony it had once restrained to be found...except hanging from around Twilight's neck.

"I don't even..." Twilight groaned. It's Pinkie Pie. Never mind.

"By the way, Twilight," said Pinkie, dropping her voice down to a whisper. "Do you think you could tie me up again?"

"What?" gasped Twilight, whipping her head to look over at Pinkie, who was now standing by Mayweather again. To her surprise, the normally shameless Pinkie Pie was actually blushing lightly, wearing an expression that would have looked more at home on Fluttershy's face than Pinkie's.

"Er...In my bedroom I mean," clarified Pinkie. "I was so excited about the Grand Galloping Gala that I didn't even think about bringing some rope and so I was wondering if you could tie me up so that Mayweather-"

"Too much information!" yelled Twilight, her face burning bright red.

With Twilight's announcement out of the way and Moonstone Gust safely behind bars, the Grand Galloping Gala came to a satisfactory conclusion. The investigation into the Gust Clan's doings was headed by none other than Spitfire and the majority of the clan's members ended up joining Moonstone in Canterlot's prison. Despite his willingness to warn Dawn about Moonstone's plan, Swift Bolt was also held to account, though his cooperation with the investigation resulted in a lessening of his sentence.

After the conclusion of the whole affair, Dawn made another quick trip to Canterlot to see Swift one more time.

When he arrived at the prison, Dawn was shown into a small room. The room was empty, save for a single table and a cushion on either side of it. One side of the room was dominated by a sheet of glass that Dawn knew to be a one-way-mirror, which would allow anypony on the outside to watch and listen to the conversation, while the ponies in the room couldn't see who was outside. This room was normally used for interrogations. If he remembered correctly, Perlin had been interrogated in one of these rooms, following his capture after the events surrounding Wight Shade's takeover of the Royal Palace.

With a click, the door opened and Dawn watched as Swift Bolt was led into the room by a pair of Guards. His expression was neutral, tightly controlled. Dawn canted his head, studying the older stallion intently as the Guards stepped back out, leaving the two of them alone.

Swift's eyes met Dawn's and he smiled sardonically. "So...Here we are."

Dawn nodded.

"What did you want to talk about?" asked Swift.

"I'm not sure that talking was what I intended to do," admitted Dawn. "I am unsure what to say...what to ask. I'd hoped that seeing you would give me some idea in that regard."

"And has it?" asked Swift.

"Perhaps," said Dawn. "I'm a bit surprised. After what you told me about fearing retaliation from your wife and her clansmares, you were apparently quite cooperative with the authorities."

Swift shrugged. "Well, from the look of things, it seemed they were going to net everypony anyway. I figured I should simply do my part and make sure that none of them got away. I'm just glad that they managed to get everypony I was worried about."

"I imagine that your wife won't take that well," said Dawn.

Swift nodded. "Oh she didn't. Luckily, she and her kin are being held in a different block, which minimizes the risk that I'll run into them. I'm still putting in for a transfer to another prison though."

"You gave up everything that you had to help me," said Dawn. "You knew that your wife and her clan wouldn't survive this affair. You also knew that you would be held to account for your culpability in this. Why?"

Swift looked down at the table. "My whole life, I've just gone through the motions. I married Moonstone because that's what my parents wanted. I sired a son with her because that's what she wanted. You know how that worked out. Other than that, I simply lived life without really caring about anything. I enjoyed my luxuries and I simply sat back and let others decide everything for me. When Moonstone told me that she'd 'disposed' of you, I...I just sat back and accepted it. None of it mattered to me."

He sighed and shook his head. "When Moonstone first proposed that we try and bring you back into the Clan, I realized that it wasn't going to work. I remember the article about you from a few years ago. You remembered what Moonstone did. I told her it wouldn't work, that it was a hopeless effort and that things would turn out very badly for us. She didn't listen, of course." He looked up at Dawn, meeting his eyes and holding his gaze. "When I saw you there, in Ponyville, with your family, I saw something that we never had. Your mom and dad married each other because they loved each other. You were adopted because you were loved. If Moonstone hadn't thrown you out, you wouldn't have had any of that.

"After that first meeting with you, I started to think...about what kind of pony you would have been if we'd kept you, what kind of life you would have had if you'd lived with us. I started to think about what kind of father I would have been. I thought about it and I understood...it made me sick. In the end, throwing you out our window, trying to send you falling to your death, and then looking the other way like I did; that ended up being the best thing that Moonstone and I ever did for you."

Swift looked down again. "I'm scum, no question about it. But, when I realized how different your life would have been had you been with us, I decided I couldn't simply sit back and let Moonstone make all the decisions anymore. I decided to do at least one thing...because I feel that we owed you that much."

Silence fell between them. Dawn looked at the pony across from him, studying him even more intently than before. In Swift's coat and mane, Dawn could see traces of his own colors. Looking at the figure of the stallion in front of him gave Dawn the impression of something akin to looking in a mirror. He could see a lot of himself in this pony. He could easily believe that this was the stallion that had sired him.

"So..." said Swift hesitantly, "...now what?"

"I think we're finished here," said Dawn.

The door opened at the Guards stepped back in. Swift nodded to Dawn and stood up to go with them. As he turned to go, Dawn felt his throat seize up. He knew the words he wanted to say.

"Swift Bolt."

Swift paused, the two Guards stopping as well. He looked over his shoulder at Dawn, their eyes meeting one more time.

"I already have a Dad," said Dawn. "I love him very much. He will be the only pony I ever acknowledge as my Dad."

Swift nodded slowly.

"But," continued Dawn, "someday, I might be willing to call you Father."

Swift's eyes widened and his jaw trembled, as though he were suddenly on the verge of holding back tears, which he might well have been. He stared at Dawn for a long moment. "Thank you," he said finally, before leaving through the door with his escort. The door shut behind him and Dawn was left alone in the room.

Dawn stayed there a little while longer, alone with his thoughts as he tried to puzzle out his feelings about what had just taken place.

When Dawn returned to Ponyville, his heart was lighter and he happily returned to his daily routines. However, they didn't last long. A couple weeks later, the time came for him and Scootaloo to attend the Wonderbolt Academy arrived. The two of them said their goodbyes to their friends and family. Dawn, in particular, had a difficult time, as he was loathed to separate from Larksong and Pepita. Poor Larksong clamped onto Dawn's leg and had to be pried off, crying the entire time, wailing that she didn't want her brother to leave. All assurances that Dawn would be coming back were ignored by the filly.

Finally, they were on their way, soaring through the blue skies, taking a drifting flight in the direction of Cloudsdale with nothing but the saddlebags they wore on their backs.

"Finally," said Scootaloo, rolling her eyes. "You took forever."

"Larksong was very insistent," said Dawn. After it had finally become clear that all the tantrums in the world weren't going to make her brother and Scootaloo change their minds about leaving, Larksong had insisted on one last hug before going...and then another one...and then another one...and then another one...

"Yeah right," said Scootaloo with an amused smirk. "I noticed you weren't exactly trying too hard to resist-and don't go trying to blame it on her cuteness."

"Well...I'm worried," said Dawn. "I mean, I'm sure Mom and Dad will be fine but..."

"You are such a worrywart," teased Scootaloo with a laugh. "Most parents don't need a third pony to help look after their kids all the time. Your Mom and Dad'll look after the Li'l Sprout and Peppy just fine." Looking back and seeing Dawn's worried look, Scootaloo chuckled. "Maybe we should have packed her in your bags. You're like a little colt who's upset he had to leave his favorite blankie behind."

Dawn sighed. "You're right. I'll miss her though."

"It's only for a month. You'll be back before you know it." Scootaloo grinned. "Now buck up. We're about to go learn the tricks of the trade from the Wonderbolts!"

Dawn smiled albeit with a little less enthusiasm than Scootaloo had. Still, he had to admit that he was looking forward to the Academy a little, if only to see what methods Spitfire used to test and teach her cadets.

A few hours later, they arrived at the Academy. Looking up, Scootaloo could see Cloudsdale, and the Wonderbolt Headquarters specifically, hovering of in the near distance. The Academy itself was housed on a long plateau. In order to reach it, they first had to make it through the Privacy Screen, a network of clouds holding together a veil of condensation between them. From the outside, it gave the impression of the Academy grounds being perpetually shrouded in fog. From the inside, however, the air was clear and the blue sky above perfectly visible, reminding Dawn of the one-way-mirror in the interrogation room, only inverted, as the ponies in the Academy could see out with perfect ease, but anypony trying spy through the veil of the Privacy Screen would be unable to see a single bit of what was going on within.

The top of the plateau was covered in manicured, green lawns, dotted with trees and posts with rings on top. A runway divided the grounds, somewhat unevenly. A fair-sized stream also meandered across the plateau's top, before descending down into a hole and pouring out in a waterfall from the side of the landform. The plateau was surrounded by a level of clouds, hosting several buildings, including living quarters and the mess hall, as well as administrative offices.

Dawn and Scootaloo looked around as they descended towards the runway, which was where the new cadets were told to assemble when they arrived. All around them, they could see staff going through the process of preparing equipment and warming themselves up with their own exercises. They all looked like serious, no-nonsense ponies, the kind of ponies who would scrutinize a cadet's every move, looking for any faults. Scootaloo found herself starkly reminded that this would not be like her apprenticeship on the Weather Team.

"You need to remember, squirt," Rainbow Dash had told her, "Spitfire's a different pony when she's working the Academy. When she's there, she's in charge and she takes things seriously. I know you've seen how casual the Wonderbolts and Spitfire herself are when they're at headquarters, but she doesn't put up with any of that from the Academy cadets. When she tells you to jump, you do it. Asking how high will just get you in trouble, so just jump as high as you can. It's gonna be jarring, but discipline is a big deal, so make sure you don't get thrown off."

Coming in for a landing, they spotted the rest of their fellow cadets. Scootaloo swallowed nervously, remembering that she and Dawn were special cases. All of the other ponies already assembled and waiting were older than them. She could tell that many of them were hardcore flyers. A few had the builds of professional racers. They sported toned muscles, flawless postures, and perfectly preened wings, not a feather out of place. Even as they took in the wondrous surroundings, they affected an air of disinterest that managed to be convincing, however feigned it might have been.

Scootaloo swallowed. She and Dawn set down their luggage and settled in to wait for Spitfire to arrive. A moment later, a shout from above prompted her to look up.

"Hey!" Scootaloo broke out into a happy grin as she saw Sunflower and Cyclone flying towards them.

"Hey there, Sunflower," said Scootaloo, waving as the two of them settled on the asphalt next to them. "I'm glad you made it."

"Of course we did," said Sunflower excitedly, bouncing in place. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Scootaloo nodded her agreement before focusing on Cyclone. "It's good to see you too," she said.

Cyclone looked a bit confused by the friendly greeting. Granted, the last time they'd seen each other, things had been...complicated. Cyclone shifted awkwardly until Sunflower bumped a shoulder against her. "H-hello."

Scootaloo nodded. "It's nice to have you two here. For a little bit, I thought Dawn and I were going to be the only younger ponies in attendance."

"Hmph, like I'd turn down an invitation to the Wonderbolts Academy,” said Cyclone, straightening her posture, a little bit of her old bluster coming back.

Behind her, Scootaloo could hear Dawn chuckling softly. She was having a hard time keeping from laughing herself. "Well, let's do our best to blow them away."

"I always do my best," said Cyclone. She leaned forward and locked her eyes with Scootaloo. "You should be worried that I'm gonna do my best to blow you away."

So she's still feeling a bit competitive with Scootaloo, thought Dawn. At least it's in a good way this time.

Scootaloo narrowed her eyes and she fired a cocky grin back at Cyclone. "Oh yeah...Bring it!"

"Aw, can't we just get along," pleaded Sunflower, looking between Scootaloo and Cyclone.

Dawn came up next to her and patted her shoulder with his hoof. "So long as they don't get carried away, it'll be good for them. A fierce rivalry goes a long way towards encouraging ponies to push themselves further than they would otherwise."

Sunflower gave Dawn and confused glance, realizing that he was speaking with the weight of experience and wondering just what his rivalry had been like.

"What they hay!" The four of them were distracted by a gruff voice as the biggest stallion yet came in for a landing just a short distance down the runway. He wasn't a massive hulk, like that Slab stallion that Dawn and Scootaloo had dealt with on occasion, but he was still very heavily built. His bags thunked heavily as they hit the asphalt, giving the impression that they'd been packed with training weights; although why anypony would bring their own training weights to a fully-outfitted athletic training facility was anyone's guess.

"When the hay did the Wonderbolts Academy become a daycare center?" demanded the stallion, his gray eyes hardening as he glared at the four youngest cadets. As he walked, heavily veined muscles stretched and bunched beneath his dark-brown coat. "Are you serious? One of you doesn't even have a cutie mark. Are you some kind of overgrown baby or something?"

He snorted, the harsh exhalation actually stirring Scootaloo and Cyclone's manes as he approached them, glaring down at them like their presence was a personal insult.

Dawn perked one ear up, noticing that the stallion's exclamation had set off a chain of whispered mutterings that went throughout the assembled ponies. Apparently, he wasn't the only one troubled by their presence at the Academy. Spitfire had caused quite the uproar with her invitation, which was already unprecedented in and of itself, given that ponies normally had to apply and then be approved to attend the Academy.

Naturally, the ponies who had submitted applications and been approved upon review of their records would probably find it unsettling for four ponies, so much younger than them, to have been essentially hoofed an opportunity that they'd felt they'd sweated and bled for.

"All right, you brats," growled the stallion, "get lost. This ain't no playground."

Sunflower squeaked and settled back behind Dawn, cringing as she watched nervously over his shoulder.

Scootaloo glowered at the stallion, not intimidated in the slightest. When push came to shove, he had no idea just how thoroughly outclassed he was. Beside her, Cyclone returned the stallion's glare with one of her own, his attitude and posturing drawing back old habits built up over the years of confrontation between her and her old rivals back in Flight School.

The stallion clearly did not like that they were not about to bow to his orders. His nostrils flared and he pawed the asphalt angrily, looking as though he might charge them. Scootaloo's wings twitched, but she felt a tugging sensation through the air and realized that it was Dawn, manipulating the air to pull gently at her feathers, a silent reminder to restrain herself. She realized he was right and took a deep breath to calm herself down. Using the Gale King on another pony under these circumstances would only get her in trouble. More importantly, she couldn't allow her anger to get the better of her. Petty confrontations like this weren't what the Gale King was for.

"Didn't you babies hear me?" demanded the stallion. "I said, get lost."

"We're not going anywhere," replied Cyclone coldly. "You don't get to decide who stays and who goes, so shut up and get in line or get lost yourself if you can't handle it."

"Why you...!" The stallion lifted a forehoof slightly and gave the distinct impression that he might swing it.

Scootaloo tensed, this time feeling no remonstration from Dawn. Using the Gale King to settle a petty argument was wrong. Using it to defend another pony from an attacker was perfectly justified.

"LINE UP!" Spitfire's voice boomed across the Academy grounds, its power making everypony flinch and jump to obey. Dawn, Scootaloo, Cyclone, and Sunflower immediately stepped into line. Their antagonist got into position a few ponies down from them, still glaring at them sidelong.

"Let me see what we've got here," said Spitfire, wearing her dress uniform, strolling along with her head held high. Her eyes were shadowed behind her sunglasses, though the shaded lenses did nothing to hide the force of her glare as her eyes swept across the line of ponies. "Let me get this straight, you sorry lot all think you're Wonderbolts material."

"Yes ma'am!" replied the assembled ponies sharply. Even Dawn felt compelled to answer more forcefully than usual. Spitfire's presence was just that commanding. He could feel her force of will, the will of a Celestial Knight as it washed over them, reinforcing the fact that she was in charge.

"I have my doubts," said Spitfire as she paced along the line's length. "If you lot were Wonderbolts material, you'd already be Wonderbolts. Seeing as you aren't..."

She stopped and glared specifically at Dawn. "You don't look like you could fly more than a mile before you pass out."

Dawn said nothing and simply stared straight ahead. Fortunately, he had considerable practice in that respect.

The tiniest upward twitch at the corners of Spitfire's mouth was the only indicator of her approval as she moved on to her next victim. "You don't look like you've got what it takes," she said to Scootaloo. "I bet you'll wimp out before today is out."

"No ma'am," replied Scootaloo firmly, fighting to keep her expression from changing.

"And what about you?" asked Spitfire, coming next to Cyclone. "I bet you'd trip over your own wings if you tried to pull off a simple loop."

"No ma'am," replied Cyclone, her expression not faltering.

"And I don't think you could bust up a cloud if it came with written instructions," said Spitfire as she came to Sunflower. "Think you're hot stuff?"

"No ma'am." said Sunflower, her voice cracking just the tiniest bit, betraying her nerves. Still, Spitfire said nothing and moved on, prodding the other cadets with similar taunts and predictions of failure. None of the cadets responded with anything more than a simple "yes ma'am" or "no ma'am" as Spitfire's remarks warranted...save one.

A faint snort could be heard amongst the line. Spitfire whirled around, zeroing in on the source with incredible speed and precision, her gaze burning as it fell upon the large, muscular stallion. Dawn, Scootaloo, Sunflower, and Cyclone all recognized him as the one that had been badgering them earlier.

"You think something's funny, cadet?" asked Spitfire, getting right up in the stallion's face. "If it's a joke, then perhaps you'd like to share it with us. I'd love to hear a good joke."

"Your selection's the joke," replied the stallion curtly. "I didn't apply to the Academy so that I could play with a bunch of babies, fresh out of elementary school."

"And I didn't accept your application because I wanted to hear your opinion," replied Spitfire. "You're not here to play or talk or make decisions. You're here to train. You train however I tell you to train, whenever I tell you to train, with whoever I tell you to train. And guess what! You don't get any say otherwise. If you can't handle that, then this is your chance to bail." She leaned in so that her right eye was almost pressed directly up against the stallion's left. He was rigid now, his face drawn and tense with nervous fear as he felt the bulk of Spitfire's wrath. "Since I'm feeling very gracious, I'll let you choose, just this once. You can either stay here and agree to follow orders without complaint or...you can get lost. This is the one time I'm letting you decide. If I hear so much as a peep of complaint later on, I'll toss you out with my own hooves."

A heavy silence descended on the group. All eyes and ears were, discreetly, on the stallion. "I'll stay," he said softly.

"Good," said Spitfire. "Now shut up and do as I say."

"Y-yes ma'am," he stammered.

"Any other complaints?" thundered Spitfire as she whirled around to survey the other cadets. Nopony made a sound. "Good," said Spitfire. "Then it's time for a little introductory exercise. Seeing as mister Big Britches here seems to think that this training is so easy a bunch of kids can do it, let's start things out real nice and gentle." Her smile took on a malicious quality. "Two-hundred laps around the track...NOW!"

The cadets immediately spread their wings and took to the air, rushing to make for the starting line of the track that ran around the Academy's perimeter, outlined by cloud rings that circled the outbuildings. Several of them pulled ahead, obviously aiming to do the allotted number of laps as quickly as they could manage. The large stallion was among them, his wings powering him up to the front, where he took the lead on the track.

A blur of white flashed past Dawn and Scootaloo and they saw Cyclone rushing to keep up with the heavily built stallion. The two of them glared at one another as they began their laps, flying neck and neck.

"They're gonna wear themselves out before they make it halfway," muttered Scootaloo.

Dawn said nothing, but Scootaloo could feel him nod in agreement beside her. By her reckoning, the two of them were near the front of the middle. Sunflower flew along behind them, clearly aiming to pace herself as well. For Dawn and Scootaloo, two-hundred laps wasn't such a difficult flight. Their strong affinity for their pegasus magic allowed them to fly easily through the air, covering a great deal of distance with each flap of their wings, while still maintaining a decent speed.

As they flew, the starting line of the track went by again and again and again... By the time they'd reached their fiftieth lap, Scootaloo was struggling to keep count. For her, boredom was a greater opponent than fatigue. They were just flying in circles, an exercise so simple and mind-numbing that it was threatening to put her to sleep. Still, she and Dawn maintained their pace as they continued around. Behind them, she could feel Sunflower, still going strong, though she'd fallen a little farther behind. She wasn't the only one though.

Several of their fellow cadets were now slipping behind them. Some had worn out their strength early by pushing themselves too hard at the start. Others were adjusting their pace and most were unable to keep up with the two martial artists as they continued their gliding flight around the track at a respectable speed.

The only ones that hadn't slowed down yet were Cyclone and their stallion antagonist. They were both going strong. By this point, they'd lapped the rest of the pack several times, still straining against each other, their rivalry apparently making them forget the limits of their own endurance.

As time wore on, however, their bodies remembered their limits, even if their minds didn't. The stallion was the first to flag, his legs sagging downward as he found it more and more difficult to maintain an aerodynamic posture while flying. Cyclone kept on pushing and forged on ahead, her wings beating hard as she struggled to widen her lead. The stallion's flight began to flag further and he fell back. Per Scootaloo's predictions, they hadn't even passed the hundredth lap yet.

Past a hundred laps, more and more ponies began to lag and slump. Even Sunflower was clearly starting to feel the strain as she dropped farther and farther behind. Then, to Scootaloo's surprise, the large stallion, who'd been slowing down even more, finally threw in the towel, turning sharply and descending towards the runway. She wasn't sure how many laps ahead he was, but he should have been nowhere near two-hundred. Is he giving up? she wondered.

He wasn't the only one. He was the first, but soon, a few other pegasi began to trickle away from the track to follow him. Scootaloo frowned. Some of those ponies had been hovering near the back of the pack. They shouldn't have been pushing themselves nearly that hard. She herself felt her wings straining a little, but no more than usual after a vigorous warmup during her and Dawn's regular afternoon training.

Maybe we should push it, thought Scootaloo, remembering Rainbow's stories about the Wonderbolt Academy. The purpose of training here was to push the envelope after all. What better time than now? This was their chance to show Spitfire what they were capable of and shut that arrogant stallion up once and for all.

Scootaloo raised her wings up a little higher and beat them down with more force, picking up her pace. Suddenly, she felt Dawn, who'd been beside her and matching her wingbeat for wingbeat the whole time swirl one wing in a circular motion, producing a backwards current that flowed over Scootaloo and dragged at her, slowing her down forcefully. It wasn't powerful, so slight that she would have hardly noticed had she not directly sensed Dawn doing it. But Scootaloo realized that Dawn was telling her to slow down. She threw him a questioning glance and he responded with the barest shake of his head.

Scootaloo frowned, wondering what her coltfriend was thinking. However, she decided to let him set the pace for now.

Up ahead, Cyclone was finally beginning to run out of steam. She'd kept up her murderous pace a bit longer than the stallion. But she was finally beginning to feel her limits. Though she was still several laps ahead by this point, she'd slowed down considerably. Nonetheless, she was still pushing forward with a determined look on her face.

Behind them, Scootaloo could feel Sunflower straining as well. She was panting for breath and her wingbeats were beginning to get erratic. She had fallen even farther behind. Hang in there, Scootaloo silently thought at her friend. Still, she was going faster than Cyclone now.

They began to lap Cyclone, eating up her lead little by little. Most of the rest of the cadets had dropped away, unable to go any further. Only a couple remained aside from the four youngest participants. At around a hundred and eighty laps, Scootaloo reckoned that they'd nearly caught up with Cyclone's count, lapping her yet again. Cyclone was straining, barely able to make forward progress anymore, but doggedly pushing herself forward all the same. Sunflower's flight had become one of ups and downs as her course dipped before she had to beat her wings extra hard to make up for lost altitude.

For Scootaloo, her wings were finally beginning to get sore. She wagered that Dawn was feeling the same amount of strain as her. However, they were still a long ways from being completely worn down as they crossed the line for the two-hundredth time and banked their flight back towards the runway. Sunflower and two other cadets were a little less than a minute behind them. Poor Sunflower was gasping for breath and struggling to remain aloft. But she managed to maintain her control, stumbling a little on the landing. Dawn spread out a wing and gently held it out in front of her chest to catch her before she could pitch forward onto her face.

"Thanks," said Sunflower breathlessly, grinning up at Dawn.

"Think nothing of it," said Dawn with a smile.

Sunflower struggled and stumbled for a moment, but she managed to get her legs back under her and stand up. However, she ended up leaning against Dawn to keep from toppling over. Scootaloo watched them, feeling a sense of irritation bubble up inside her. What the hay am I getting angry about? she wondered.

Meanwhile, Cyclone was still struggling. By this point, she'd actually fallen behind the others. Now, finally, gasping for breath, barely able to keep flying at all, she lurched over the finish line and bent her flight into a glide that angled back towards the runway.

Sunflower squeaked, her fatigue momentarily forgotten as she rushed forward to catch Cyclone as the white mare came in for a clumsy landing.

Spitifre looked over the group smugly. While the big stallion had been catching his breath, she'd come up right behind him. "Well now, what's this here? I asked for two-hundred laps, but the only a few of you could deliver. What happened to you, Mr. Big Britches? You were complaining about having to train with kids, but it looks to me like you're the one who needs to go back to kiddy-grade flight school."

The stallion opened his mouth to retort, but managed to remember Spitfire's threat just in time.

Spitfire, seeing him cut himself off, smirked. "Good to know you can learn," she observed teasingly. "Let's see what we have to work with, shall we." She began to trot around the group. "Some of you just plain have a ways to go if you wanna make it through here. We have a few reckless amateurs who wore themselves out too quickly. There are a few of you who fit the bill though." Her gaze landed on Sunflower. "We have a promising rookie who shows some guts and perseverance to get the job done." She turned her eyes to Dawn and Scootaloo. "We've got a couple of youngsters with the skills to go the distance." Finally, her eyes landed on Cyclone, who barely looked conscious. "And we've got a reckless fool who overreached, but had the guts to give it everything she had until the very end."

She looked out over the group as a whole. "Some of you have promise, some of you, not so much. The reason you're here is because I think you might have what it takes to get through the Academy program. Even if you do, that doesn't automatically mean that you're a shoo-in to be a Wonderbolt. This is just an intermediary step. I'm looking at a lot more than mere physical performance."

She looked them over, taking in their physical condition after the grueling series of laps she'd just put them through. "Get your things and report to the dorms. You're going to be assigned rooms. After that, you have lunch and then we'll move on to the next exercise of the day. So you lot had better get your wind back pretty darn fast."

She turned and began to walk away before pausing and smirking over her shoulder. "Oh...and welcome to the Wonderbolts Academy."

Author's Note

Warning, when making big announcements, like your engagement, always make sure Pinkie Pie is properly restrained.

This is the second-to-last arc of this story and probably the most important one overall. I mean, we had Scootaloo and Dawn's grandparents and parents introduced respectively earlier, but they were largely throw-away villains. This ended up being the story arc that I put the most thought into. I hope you find it interesting.

Next chapter: Scootaloo gets the opposite of what she wants.

Training Partners

Chapter 17: Training Partners

"Geez, how did you two do that?" asked Sunflower as she slumped into her seat across from Dawn and Scootaloo.

"Do what?" asked Scootaloo, after swallowing her mouthful of vegetable stew. Fortunately, the mess hall of the Academy was easily comparable to the one in the Wonderbolt headquarters. At least they would be well-fed for the duration of their training.

"You two flew through those laps like they were nothing," elaborated Sunflower. "I mean, you were barely even winded after all of that."

Dawn and Scootaloo looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Flying that way had become so natural that it had actually become a little difficult to articulate how they did what they did.

"We've trained to use our pegasus magic to its fullest extent," explained Dawn after a moment's thought. "Because of that, we've learned how to fly more efficiently without expending excessive energy on flapping, which also lowers the strain on the muscles."

Sunflower blinked. "Oh! That's right. I remember now. You two had that newspaper article written about you. You study some kind of martial art, right?"

"It's called the Gale King," said Scootaloo with a smile. "We used that during our performance at the competition too."

"Wow!" said Sunflower. "No wonder flying those laps was so easy for you."

"It was pathetic, if you ask me," said Cyclone as she lurched into her seat.

"Nopony asked you," snarked Scootaloo.

Cyclone brushed a hoof over her chest, rearing upright in her seat. "What Spitfire is looking for is effort, ponies who are willing to push the envelope."

"You mean she's looking for ponies who blow themselves out early and end up finishing last?" asked Scootaloo with a sardonic smile, her words immediately wiping the smile off of Cyclone's face.

Dawn glanced sidelong and sent a stiff breeze running through her feathers in an awkward fashion that made Scootaloo wince. Looking at him, she saw quite plainly the stern expression on his face and slumped down a little.

"You did put out an excellent effort," said Dawn, looking straight at Cyclone. She shifted uncertainly wondering where he was taking this. "However," he continued, "as Scootaloo, rather tactlessly, pointed out, you ended up expending your energy needlessly and ended up completely losing the advantage you gained over the rest of us."

"Hey, what was I supposed to do?" asked Cyclone, her wings flaring.

"Pace yourself," replied Dawn. "Spitfire asked for two-hundred laps. Nothing she said or did indicated that it was a race, that she wanted one or the other of us to prove we were the fastest. It showed her whose abilities are currently lacking, according to her standards. It shows her who will persevere..." He looked pointedly at Sunflower, who blushed under his gaze. "...and those who lack discipline..." His gaze transferred to Cyclone. "...but not determination."

"Oookay," said Cyclone dubiously. "So what?"

"Well..." said Dawn, "...you finished two-hundred laps. But have you thought about what we'll be asked to do after lunch?"

Cyclone froze in place, her eyes going wide.

Dawn's eyes narrowed. "You got too wrapped up in what you were doing, primarily because you let that stallion provoke you. You thoughtlessly expended energy you didn't need to. Not only did you end up being the last one to complete your laps, but your performance later today may suffer, depending what is asked of us, which would only lower your standing in Spitfire's eyes."

"Oh," said Cyclone, her voice emerging as a squeak.

Scootaloo and Sunflower were both staring at Dawn in surprise. "I didn't think about that," admitted Scootaloo.

Noticing both their gazes, Dawn blinked and then blushed, lowering his head a little. "Well...that's what I was thinking, anyway."

Spitfire's teeth deftly moved the pen across the paper in front of her as she filled in the thoughts about each of her cadets. By and large, they were a promising bunch. As she'd expected, Dawn and Scootaloo had given the best showing so far, though she appreciated that both Sunflower and Cyclone were earning high marks as well, albeit each for different reasons.

"Two-hundred laps, huh," commented Soarin' as he leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "That's quite the ringer you put them through, Captain."

"Don't you have a wedding to help your mare plan?" asked Spitfire, smirking up at him.

Soarin' snorted. "And you think she'd want a stallion's input on that? She'd just ask me about half a dozen things she's already made up her mind on and then let me have it if any of my answers contradicted her."

"Eh, true enough," said Spitfire with a shrug.

"So what was up with pushing them like that?" asked Soarin'. "You don't usually hit them with a workout like that first thing on the first day."

"I figured I'd shake things up a little," said Spitfire. "Pushing them to their limits right off the bat lets me know which ones need to improve, which ones have insight, and which ones have guts."

"I guess it works out when I think about it like that," said Soarin', his gaze drifting upward. "I like that Cyclone girl. She's got grit."

"Sunflower isn't bad," added Spitfire. "I guess, since she'd been hanging around Cyclone during her time as the Stratus' favorite, Sunflower got pulled into a bunch of her training regimens."

"But it looks like Dawn and Scootaloo are the best by a pretty wide margin," said Soarin' with a smirk. "Not that I'm surprised."

"They've been through things most ponies could never dream of experiencing in their worst nightmares, especially Dawn," said Spitfire. "It's only natural. But they can get better. And I intend to make them better."

"How?" asked Soarin'.

"Simple," said Spitfire, "I'm gonna shake things up for them."

Fortunately, their afternoon workout proved to be much less strenuous than they'd feared. Spitfire put them through a few different exercises, before observing them through a simple obstacle course. As Dawn had predicted, Cyclone's performance suffered considerably, thanks to the fact that she was still sore and tired from her overexertion earlier. However, she still managed to acquit herself well, though no Academy records were broken that day.

As the sun began to dip towards the horizon, Spitfire called an end to their activities and sent everypony in for showers and dinner. When they arrived at their room, they were met with their own special cadet uniforms. The uniforms were in the same blue and gold pattern as the Wonderbolts' actual flight suits, but only covered the front half of their bodies, leaving the legs bare and ending partway up the neck. Needless to say, they were made with a thin, breathable, but durable fabric, rather than being composed of the artfully fitted mithril-ring mail of the flight suits the actual Wonderbolts wore. They also came with a pair of gold-rimmed goggles.

The next morning, Dawn and Scootaloo rose early out of habit. Despite being at the Academy, Dawn did not see it as a reason to scrimp on their Gale King training. He and Scootaloo ran through their forms a few times before joining the other cadets in the mess hall for breakfast. There, they were met by Spitfire, who warned them not to eat too much.

"Why do you think she'd say that?" asked Sunflower.

"I think I know what's coming," said Scootaloo grimly. "You really don't want to eat too much."

"What is coming?" asked Cyclone, raising an eyebrow.

"The Dizzitron," said Scootaloo, remembering Rainbow's stories about her time at the Academy.

"What's the Dizzitron?" asked Sunflower nervously.

"You'll see," said Dawn.

Just as Scootaloo had anticipated, they assembled in front of the large machine, which looked more at home amongst a bunch of carnival rides than the middle of the prestigious Wonderbolts Academy. It consisted of a large, wheel-like apparatus. A single metal arm was connected to the center axis, which rotated along the circumference of the wheel. At the end of the arm was another wheel, along with a clamp to hold a single passenger. Just for flare, the main wheel was engraved with a green and purple spiral design to make the whole thing even more nauseating, once it was in motion.

"Welcome to the Dizzitron, my little cadets," said Spitfire with sadistic glee as she paced in front of them. "This is our patented spinout simulator. What we're going to do is strap you in, set you spinning, and then let you fly."

Several cadets gulped nervously.

Spitfire continued. "Your objective is to regain your control and come in for a smooth landing as quickly as you can manage. You'll be timed from the release to the instant your hooves touch the ground. Let's see who goes first."

Spitfire started at one end of the line and began working her way down. Each pony was strapped into the small wheel, which started spinning rapidly, even as the arm it was attached to ran in a circle around the larger wheel. Upon Spitfire's command, the cadet was released and sent spinning into the sky. The order they were lined up in had Dawn, Scootaloo, Sunflower, and Cyclone going about midway through the process.

Of the first few ponies who went, most were able to get their flights under control in at least twenty seconds. Two, including the large stallion, were unable to regain control and ended up landing haphazardly, only barely coming short of crashing.

Then it was Dawn's turn. As he strapped in and put on his goggles, Dawn thought about what he had seen from the ponies who had gone before him. Most had tried to immediately counter or stall their spin, which often strained their wings and disrupted their efforts or simply added newer and more dizzying axes to their spins. Thus, he reasoned the best way to pull out was to move with his spin and then ride it into wider spins to expend the excess momentum, allowing him to regain control efficiently.

Spitfire started up the machine and the world around him began to whirl around.

“Release!”

At Spitfire’s command, the strap released and Dawn felt himself being flung through the sky as the world continued to whirl around him. Immediately, he followed through with his plan, angling his wings to guide his motion, cooperate with his spin and quickly ride it out into a series of widening loops before he guided himself into a descent and landed on the runway, coming to an easy stop.

“Eight seconds,” observed Spitfire calmly, one of the staff members beside her noting the time on his clipboard. “Respectable,” she added.

Dawn returned to his place in line pulling his goggles off so that they rested over his forehead. Now it was Scootaloo’s turn. She strapped in, put on her goggles and waited. Dawn watched as she was launched through the air. To his amazement, she turned her spin into a graceful pirouette, guiding herself into the landing even before she’d stopped spinning completely, landing with all the poise and grace of a dancer. His jaw dropped and he was struck by the incredible ease and grace with which she had performed. Wow… His heart thudded alarmingly in his chest and his cheeks colored.

“Six seconds,” said Spitfire with a smirk as she checked her stopwatch. “On the dot. So close…”

“Aw, dang it,” muttered Scootaloo petulantly, having secretly hoped that she managed to best her idol’s record. Still, at least she’d managed to match it.

Sunflower’s turn was next. Dawn watched with interest as she was launched into the air. To his surprise, she copied his tactic of simply riding the spin out into a series of loops before coming in for a landing, though she hadn’t worked it out quite as well. She ended up straying a bit too far and having to scramble for the runway, as though she’d momentarily forgotten that time would only be stopped once she actually landed.

“Twelve seconds,” said Spitfire, which made Sunflower wince. Dawn raised an eyebrow. All things considered, twelve seconds wasn’t a bad time. It certainly put Sunflower amongst the top quarter of the ponies that had gone so far.

“I guess I couldn’t do it as well as you,” she said as she settled in next to Scootaloo, glancing past her at Dawn.

“Did you get the idea from watching me?” asked Dawn.

Sunflower’s cheeks reddened and she looked away. “Yeah…I thought it looked pretty awesome and it worked better for me than trying it Scootaloo’s way.”

What the hay does that mean? thought Scootaloo, her nostrils flaring as her eyes darted back and forth between Dawn and Sunflower, once again feeling that strange sense of irritation as she watched the two of them.

“Let me show you how it’s done,” said Cyclone in her haughtiest tone, snapping her tail in front of Scootaloo’s nose as she walked past, her head held high.

Cyclone strapped in and pulled on her goggles, smirking confidently as Spitfire started up the machine. When she was launched, Cyclone went spinning through the air. However, instead of trying to end her spin, she in fact began to spin faster, using it to tighten her arc and go into a descent without even stopping, rapidly sending her straight to the ground. Just as she would have impacted, Cyclone came out of her spin, executing a perfect four-point landing, head raised, wings stretched upward, just as she had during her performance in the Best Young Fliers competition.

“F-four seconds,” said Spitfire after a moment’s hesitation. “That’s a new Academy record.”

A line of shocked mutters ran up and down the line as the other cadets stared in awe at Cyclone. The large stallion glared openly but kept his mouth shut as she marched past. As she came past Scootaloo, Cyclone smirked triumphantly, which made Scootaloo snort angrily. Sunflower beamed at her friend as she took her place in line once again.

“That was amazing, Cyclone,” said Sunflower earnestly.

To Scootaloo’s surprise, that actually seemed to cause Cyclone to tone down her pride. “Thanks,” she said, sounding almost shy.

“Most impressive,” added Dawn, prompting Scootaloo to give him a shocked look.

“So she can spin herself into the ground, big deal,” grumbled Scootaloo.

“The point of the exercise is to see how quickly we can regain control of our flight,” said Dawn softly. “But, from the moment she was launched, there was never actually a time when Cyclone was actually ‘out of control.’ Instead, for her, it was a matter of finding the quickest way to land.”

Scootaloo frowned, not liking the idea of her coltfriend complimenting the skills of somepony who annoyed her so much. But, at the same time, she had to admit that Dawn had a point. And, for all that she was annoyed, it really was impressive that Cyclone had beat Rainbow Dash’s record by a full two seconds.

Even as she put the remaining cadets through the exercise, Spitfire kept one eye on the youngster foursome, fighting to keep from grinning. Oh yeah…they’re gonna make this the most interesting session I’ve ever run.

A short while later, most of the cadets were either lying on the ground, groaning, or standing in place in line. Some had taken to the Dizzitron better than others. Spitfire chuckled and grinned as she stood in front of them. The ones who were lying down managed to force themselves to stand up and face her, doing their best to remain at attention, even when the ground still felt like it was turning beneath their hooves.

"All right, you sorry lot, I've got an announcement before you go to your lunch...well...if you can keep your lunch down anyway. After analyzing your performance so far, I will be placing you into pairs. One of you will be assigned the roll of lead pony. The other will be assigned wingpony. These will be your teams and roles for the remainder of your session here. There will be no complaints about your assignment or your position. Am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am," said everypony sharply...or as sharply as they could manage.

"Your assignments will be posted in the mess hall at breakfast tomorrow," said Spitfire. "Dismissed!"

The cadets filed into the mess hall, most of them hoping that they would be able to eat their meals without throwing them up later.

"This is awesome!" said Scootaloo eagerly. "I wonder which of us is going to be lead pony, Dawn."

Dawn blinked and gave Scootaloo a sidelong look. "I'm not entirely sure we should be assuming that we'll automatically be assigned together," he said dubiously.

"Of course we will," said Scootaloo assuredly. "Spitfire saw our performance. We can fly like we can read each other's mind. We'll make the perfect pair together and it'll be easy."

Dawn frowned, not entirely sure that making "perfect pairs" was the point of assigning ponies together. He got the distinct impression that Scootaloo was in for a rude awakening, come tomorrow morning.

"Well, if Spitfire pairs you up," said Cyclone, smirking at Scootaloo, "then she's definitely going to pair us up too." She stretched out her wing and wrapped it around Sunflower, the yellow mare flinching at the unexpected contact, but not pulling away either. Dawn noticed the faintest tinge of pink on her cheeks. "We'll leave you two in the dust," Cyclone proclaimed proudly.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try!" retorted Scootaloo.

"I already left you in the dust once today," said Cyclone, her grin widening. "You're looking at the new record-holder for the Dizzitron after all."

"Yeah, but you still finished dead-last yesterday," countered Scootaloo hotly, Cyclone's smirk jumping from her lips to Scootaloo's.

"Oh yeah!" snapped Cyclone. "Just watch! I'll make you eat my contrail in our afternoon exercises."

"Ha!" barked Scootaloo. "Do your worst."

Dawn and Sunflower exchanged glances. Dawn raised his eyebrow. Sunflower shrugged in response. The two of them slumped and sighed as they continued to silently observe their friends' antics.

The afternoon exercises were a mix of obstacle course runs and cloud-busting exercises. As they had boasted, Scootaloo and Cyclone threw themselves into the exercises with a vigor, competing fiercely and trying to one-up the other and get the faster time or the higher score. For the most part, it was a dead heat. Scootaloo's skill in the Gale King was of limited use under these circumstances. The greatest advantage her training lent her was the increased efficiency with which she used her pegasus magic. It didn't improve her speed, but it turned to her advantage as the day waned and Cyclone began to run out of steam. Cyclone, on the other hoof, was agile and adaptable with a lot of hooves-on experience in working with the weather in Cloudsdale, allowing her to quickly complete her exercises until she began to wear down as evening came on.

Dawn and Sunflower watched the two of them compete with a mix of bemusement and exasperation. Occasionally, Dawn would look over at Spitfire and see her watching Cyclone and Scootaloo with interest and amusement. He also noticed that she often had them go one after the other so that they had an easier time comparing times and scores. "Uh oh," he said.

"What is it?" asked Sunflower, who was busy watching Scootaloo and Cyclone race one another through their latest obstacle course run.

"I think I know at least one of the pairs Spitfire is going to assign," said Dawn.

Sunflower followed his gaze to Spitfire and her eyes widened. "She wouldn't..."

"I think she would," said Dawn. He sighed. "I don't look forward to seeing Scootaloo's reaction tomorrow."

"I'm not looking forward to Cyclone's either," replied Sunflower with a wan smile.

"Come on Dawn, let's hurry," said Scootaloo as she trotted ahead of him to the mess hall. "It's time to see which of us Spitfire made lead pony."

Dawn kept his mouth shut as he trailed behind her, figuring that Scootaloo was probably not going to be happy with what she saw when they got to the mess hall. He had been unwilling to disabuse her ironclad belief that they would be paired together, figuring that she either wouldn't listen or react with anger. He wondered if doing so would have spared him from her response this morning.

When they got to the mess hall, Dawn looked for their names on the board and found his suspicions confirmed. The pairings had ended up, more or less, how he'd expected...Scootaloo had been paired with Cyclone and he had been paired with Sunflower.

"Huh! Wha-what?" Scootaloo could barely form words, her mouth working itself open and closed as she stared at the board in disbelief.

"Hmm...It seems we've both been made lead pony," Dawn observed, wondering if the jest would circumvent the angry outburst he felt was coming on from his fillyfriend.

"What the hay!" exclaimed Scootaloo, her wings flaring, sending out a wave of air that actually scooted several chairs away from her and made a couple of the mess hall tables jump. "What is Spitfire doing?"

"What she thinks is best," said Dawn levelly.

"How could she think that pairing me with that loudmouth is what's best?" demanded Scootaloo, glaring at him.

"Hey, you think you're unhappy?" asked Cyclone as she and Sunflower came up behind them. "How do you think I feel about being wingpony when I'm clearly the better flyer."

"In your dreams!" shouted Scootaloo, whirling around to glare at Cyclone, a glare that the other mare gladly returned, to the point that Dawn and Sunflower could actually hear sparks flying between them.

"Scootaloo!" said Dawn, his tone surprisingly sharp to Sunflower's ears. She jumped in surprise, seeing Dawn looking reproachfully at his fillyfriend. His tone jolted Scootaloo out of her glaring contest with Cyclone and brought her attention back to him. "Calm down."

Scootaloo winced. This was Dawn's instructor tone, the tone of voice he used when he needed her to listen to him because she was about to do something stupid, dangerous, or both. It had been a while since he'd employed it so forcefully with her. "But Dawn..." she protested.

"You heard Spitfire yesterday," said Dawn. "You can't complain about your assignment." He looked at Cyclone. "That goes for you too," he added. "The two of you are just going to have to work together as best you can."

"But aren't you upset?" asked Scootaloo. "I was so sure that we'd be paired together."

"I was fairly certain that we wouldn't," said Dawn softly.

"But we're perfect together," protested Scootaloo. "We're so in-synch that we don't even need to signal each other."

"I think that's entirely the problem," said Dawn as he guided them to their seats at one of the tables.

"What do you mean?" asked Scootaloo.

Dawn sighed and looked at her. "We do fly perfectly together. Doing that is easy, which is the reason that Spitfire split us up."

"I don't get it," said Scootaloo.

"Look," said Dawn, frowning, "she wants us to push the envelope, to give more effort, correct?"

"Yeah..." said Scootaloo.

"There's more to that than simply going for a faster time or a higher score," said Dawn. "It also means stepping outside of our comfort zone. It means that you'll be obliged to work with a pony who's been antagonistic towards you and vice-versa."

Scootaloo and Cyclone looked at each other, their expressions souring for a second before Dawn coughed and reclaimed their attention. "It also forces us to work with ponies who can't interact and communicate as we do. We've learned to read each other's movements through the wind and react without needing to talk or openly signal each other. But learning signals is part of the curriculum here. We need to know them and we need to use them. That's why we were both made lead ponies, because as wingponies we wouldn't need a lead pony to signal us because we can read their moves so easily. It forces us to polish our communication skills."

Scootaloo's ears twitched as she listened. Dawn wasn't entirely sure that he was getting through to her. "Aren't you the least bit upset?" she asked again. "I want to be paired with you. We belong together."

"What we want doesn't necessarily enter into it," said Dawn softly. "Just because we're together as fillyfriend and coltfriend doesn't mean we should be together on a flight team."

Scootaloo pouted down at the table. Even if she couldn't exactly find any holes in Dawn's responses, that didn't mean that she liked them. Only moments ago, she'd been confident that the two of them would be together throughout the Academy session, wowing Spitfire and the staff with their skill and technique. It would have been simple. It would have been easy...

Oh! The realization struck Scootaloo with the force of a freight train. Of course it would have been easy if she'd been paired with Dawn. But easy wasn't why they were here. They hadn't come to the Wonderbolts Academy to do things the easy way. That's what Dawn had been getting at. That's why Spitfire had assigned her a different partner.

"Ugh!" groaned Scootaloo, smacking her face down into the table. "I'm an idiot."

"You're not," said Dawn, smiling at her and draping a wing across her back. "You just got a little carried away."

"I know," said Scootaloo, tilting her head so that she could focus one eye on her coltfriend's face. Even though the anger and hurt had faded, there was still a faint, niggling sense of discomfort at the back of her mind. Even if Dawn had expected and understood Spitfire's decision, it still hurt a little that he hadn't been at all troubled by it.

Neither of them noticed a familiar stallion, who'd discreetly tucked himself into a corner of the mess hall, listening to their exchange with interest. Once it seemed that their discussion was over, he'd edged away from the table and slipped out, making his way in the direction of Spitfire's office.

Spitfire was in the middle of finalizing her itinerary for the cadets' morning training session when she heard the sound of somepony rapping on the doorframe. Looking up, she spotted Soarin', grinning at her as he leaned against it. "I take it you just caught the early show," she said.

"Yep," said Soarin' with a chuckle. "I gotta say, it was a heck of a performance. Scootaloo looked fit to burst."

Spitfire chuckled. "I figured that would happen. She's good, but she can fall into the trap of complacency as easily as anypony. I knew that pairing her up with a different pony would shake things up for her."

"But pairing her up with a pony with whom she has a pretty rocky history is probably a masterstroke," noted Soarin' with a chuckle. "Those two are gonna be growling and snapping at each other non-stop. I wouldn't be surprised if they drop to the bottom of the rankings right away."

"That's probably gonna be what happens," agreed Spitfire. "Those two started off with a huge edge over the other cadets, despite being so much younger than them." She smirked. "The friction between them is going to interfere with their efforts and hold them back. Scootaloo's gonna be forced to figure out how to work with a pony even if she doesn't like said pony. Cyclone's gonna have to learn to check her ego, once and for all. The two of them are going to have to put out a serious effort if they want to make a good showing."

Soarin' was practically cackling now.

"How did Dawn take it?" asked Spitfire.

"Like a champ," said Soarin'. "He was the one who talked Scootaloo down after she got all worked up. He hit most of the points you made. I think you've got him pretty well pegged."

"After doing this as long as I have, I should," said Spitfire. "One thing's for certain...they're about to have a rough few days."

"All right, Cadets," snapped Spitfire as she paced in front of them, "this morning, we're gonna have a little fun. We'll be playing a game of Capture the Flag. You'll be divided into two teams; red and blue.1) You'll be hunting for the opposing team's flags all around the Academy. However, you must spend the entire exercise flying in pairs. That means that wingponies have to stick with their lead ponies. If they don't, you're disqualified. We'll be watching carefully to make sure that you do. The team that manages to acquire the most flags from the other team at the end of the time will be the winner." She smirked expectantly at them. "Get ready..."

Sunflower shifted nervously as she stood next to Dawn, who was eying the golden lead pony badge on his uniform as though it were a curiosity. "I'll try to keep up with you as best I can," she said.

"Let's not do anything too daring," said Dawn, looking at her. "We should use this exercise as a chance to get accustomed to flying together. We'll take it easy and work on keeping close. I don't think that we'll get any real penalties if our team doesn't win."

Sunflower flinched, feeling several angry glares come to rest on them. She realized that the other pairs on the red team were not happy with Dawn's attitude towards the exercise. Clearly, they thought that winning was very important and were not happy with a pony who wasn't aiming for nothing less than victory.

Sunflower glanced across the runway at the blue team, where Scootaloo and Cyclone had been assigned. She hoped that they were doing better. However, from where she was, she could easily see the two of them arguing fiercely, probably over some disagreement over strategy. She desperately hoped that they remembered Spitfire's orders to stay together.

"All right!" shouted Spitfire. "Both teams get ready. When I blow the whistle, it's go time."

The cadets lined up and spread their wings. Sunflower was a beat behind Dawn, keeping one eye trained on him. Across from her, she could see Scootaloo and Cyclone doing the same, though they were still primarily interested in trading glares with one another.

Spitfire's chest swelled as she inhaled deeply before putting the whistle to her lips. It unleashed a screech that was probably audible all the way up in Cloudsdale. The cadets sprang into motion, their speed stemming almost as much from how startling the sound had been as their own eagerness to get started.

Dawn's wings swept downward in a single, graceful stroke that immediately launched him upward. Right away, he realized that they had a bit of a problem. His ascension had been easy and graceful. Thanks to his wind-sense, he was able to feel Sunflower flying behind and a little off to the side of him, the typical position for a wingpony, without needing to turn his head to look at her. Sunflower was only slightly behind him, but she had needed several wingstrokes to reach the same speed and altitude as him. In the short term, it wasn't much of a problem unless they wound up in another endurance contest like the two-hundred laps on their first day. But it did mean that she would have trouble keeping in synch with him.

For the time being, Dawn decided to take things easy and keep things slow. The main purpose of this exercise was to put them through their paces and get used to each other's way of flying. He could feel her watching him, which reassured him. He hoped that, even as she watched him, Sunflower was still paying attention to her surroundings.

With a tilt of his head towards her, he signaled her to head into a bank that would take them circling around the perimeter of the plateau. Behind him, he could feel Sunflower waggle her wings in an affirmative response. All around him, he could see and feel the other pairs doing much the same, some responding faster than others. He felt Scootaloo and Cyclone rushing straight across the plateau, heading right for the edge. Even though they were supposed to be flying together, the way Scootaloo and Cyclone seemed to continually alternate who was in the lead made it seem more like they were racing each other.

Dawn and Sunflower followed a broad curve, stooping down along the side of the plateau, looking amongst the rocky outcroppings for the other team's flag, flying in a slow spiral that would take them all the way around it. Their eyes raked across the stone, searching for any hint of blue.

"I see it!" shouted Sunflower, pointing off at an angle. Not bothering to look at her, but following the angle indicated by her hoof, Dawn could see the blue flag fluttering in the breeze. It was sticking out from a rocky spire at an angle so that it hung in the narrow space between the spire and the wall of the plateau.

Dawn nodded and angled his flight towards it, quickening their pace a little as he went. Not too much though, he thought. The narrow space and the odd angle would make the approach tricky, especially if they weren't careful. It would be easy to clip a wing on a rocky edge, which could be extremely painful, if not deadly dangerous.

A surge of air from above told him that another pair of pegasi were coming down. Already, he could feel their contours and realized that they were another pair of red team members. They had apparently heard Sunflower's shout and had decided to try and rush in to claim the flag for themselves.

Dawn's next wingbeat came down a little harder, speeding him up so that they could make the gap before the other pair did. As he did so, her pulled at the air under Sunflower's wings, signaling her to speed up. When they got to the gap, he would adjust the airflow under one wing and over the other and guide her into the approach as she followed behind him. With that, they were sure to reach the gap before the other pair and claim the flag for themselves. Dawn prepared to accelerate more...

...And slowed down abruptly as he remembered that his partner was not Scootaloo. Sunflower had no training in the Gale King. She probably thought the air pulling at her wings was minor turbulence. She wouldn't be able to read his signals through the air the way Scootaloo could. Dawn would have to guide her through verbally.

But they were going too fast. He hadn't thought how to communicate the angle quickly enough for her to adjust before they reached the gap. If he slowed down, the other pair would get the flag first. Dawn's ears flicked back and forth as he waffled on whether or not to push through and hope that Sunflower could keep up with him. She'd fallen directly behind him, so it would be up to her to read his movements and react in time. She couldn't see the width and angle from this position.

Dawn's eyes narrowed...then widened. "Break off!" he shouted over his shoulder, already pulling them into a turn that would carry them away from the flag and out of the path of the other pair.

Sunflower followed him faithfully. But he felt her wince when the other pair hurtled through the gap, shouting positions and angles to each other the whole time. The wingpony snagged the flag with a triumphant "Ha!" and the two of them quickly pulled their flight upward, back to the top of the plateau, to deliver their prize.

His ears folding flat against his head, Dawn drew in a shuddering breath. Even though I knew what Spitfire was trying to do, I had no idea it would be so difficult, he thought. Still, they needed to keep going. They wouldn't get better unless they kept at it.

Spitfire smirked and blew into her whistle, signaling the end of the game. She watched as the pairs came flitting back from all across the Academy grounds, taking a second to look over the three pairs that had been disqualified after their members had separated from each other. Scootaloo and Cyclone were there, both looking absolutely furious and refusing to look at each other.

They'd managed to snag a couple of flags. Scootaloo's skill at the Gale King allowed her to react quickly whenever Cyclone threatened to go haring off on her own. But, at the same time, her own resentment at the fact that Cyclone kept ignoring her lead pony led to Scootaloo pushing herself harder. The two of them had, at one point, spotted two separate flags. Rather than trust Scootaloo to lead them to one of them, Cyclone had made a break for one, not noticing (or caring) that Scootaloo had gone for the other. In her eagerness to grab the one she had spotted, Scootaloo had ignored her wingpony until it was too late and the two of them had strayed far enough from each other for Spitfire to ground them as soon as they returned with their flags.

Meanwhile, Dawn and Sunflower had only managed to capture a single flag over the course of the exercise. They'd spotted at least three others. But the flags had been contested by other pairs on their team and Dawn had backed down, rather than try to get the flags first. The only one that they managed to get was one that was sticking out from underneath a log bridging a gap between two sections of stone. Because it was only visible from below, not many pegasi had thought to look up to find it (a common blindspot for pegasi). That one they'd managed to get before any of the other pairs had realized where it was.

Spitfire said nothing, only tallying their scores and announcing the winner. The red team won, mostly because two pairs on the blue team had been disqualified. Dismissing the teams, Spitfire sent them to the mess while she got everything ready for the afternoon training session.

"Ha! Looks like you aren't such hot shots now," crowed the large stallion as he and his wingpony made their way to the mess hall, brushing past the four younger cadets along the way. "Stupid amateurs don't belong here."

Scootaloo's jaw clenched and she glared at the stallion's back. Cyclone growled angrily under her breath. Sunflower ducked her head in shame. Dawn, however, didn't so much as twitch. Already, he was lost in thought.

"Looks like I was dead on," said Spitfire, looking over the scores compiled after the Capture the Flag exercise.

"I kinda expected it with Scootaloo and Cyclone," said Soarin', reading over her shoulder. "But I didn't think Dawn would be hamstrung so badly."

Spitfire smirked. "Oh, he knows what's up. But he's too careful. It's one thing when it's his life and future on the line. Put another pony's on the chopping block though and he gets very cautious. He didn't have faith in his ability to lead Sunflower into any tight spots with enough speed to foil their competition. So, if another pair ended up going after the same flag they did, he'd break off rather than risk Sunflower hurting herself because he couldn't communicate the approach properly."

"On the other hoof, Sunflower got carried away and kept shouting out flag positions for anypony to hear," noted Soarin'. "After they got the impression that Dawn was treating the competition too lightly, most of the cadets on his team would jump on the chance to snatch any flags they could from him."

"But it wouldn't have made that much of a difference if Dawn wasn't so timid," said Spitfire. "The observers saw everything. Even when they had a pretty decent lead, Dawn wasn't willing to take the risk if they had to speed up more than a little."

"So we've got one pair who are too careless with each other and one pair that are too careful," said Soarin' with a chuckle. "This session is gonna be rough if they don't get their problems ironed out."

"We'll see," said Spitfire. "I didn't just pick those four because I thought they had a few fancy moves, you know."

"This is all your fault," Scootaloo said sharply, glaring across the table at Cyclone.

"My fault?" demanded Cyclone. "What kind of lead pony doesn't take responsibility for her failures."

"You were the one who kept rushing off on her own!" retorted Scootaloo. "If I'm the lead pony, then I lead. It's your job to stay with me."

"Who's gonna stick with a pony who can't do a halfway decent job?" Cyclone fired back.

"A pony who doesn't want to get disqualified before we're even halfway through the exercise," answered Scootaloo hotly.

Dawn and Sunflower sat on the fringes of the exchange, listening from their seats next to Scootaloo and Cyclone respectively. Sunflower only looked at them occasionally, when she could be bothered to glance up from her food. She couldn't even bring herself to meet Dawn's eyes. She wasn't stupid. In hindsight, she'd realized that it was her impetuous shouting that had cost them so many flags when Dawn had gone through so much trouble to be careful and keep them together.

Dawn also didn't bother to look at Scootaloo or Cyclone very often, being preoccupied with his own thoughts for the moment. He'd been fairly confident of his ability to coordinate with Sunflower. He'd understood perfectly well the reason Spitfire had paired them up. However, understanding what he needed to do objectively was a very different thing from being able to do it. He hadn't trained with a Weather Team. He'd never flown with any number of other flyers (aside from Scootaloo) in coordinated fashion. So he'd never really bothered to learn more than the basic signals and communication methods used between two flyers.

With Scootaloo, the fact the that they had trained together for years as practitioners of the same art, combined with their ability to sense one another's motions through the wind, allowed them to coordinate faultlessly in the air. Their years spent developing the skill of being able to sense the world around them through the air and being able to manipulate the air itself had resulted in the combined skills evolving, merging together, allowing them to create what almost amounted to a shared language with one another, a language that only they were capable of using or understanding. They'd grown so used to using this second language as a supplement to their voices that Dawn had almost forgotten that nopony else could possibly understand it.

So what to do then? he wondered. One option was seeing if he could teach Sunflower how to use the wind-sense. After all, he'd done the same with Ditzy Doo to help her with the issues caused by her faulty sight. However, it had taken Ditzy a few months to get used to using that sense. In contrast, he had much less time with Sunflower. There was no way she could learn it in time for it to be of use to them during the Wonderbolts Academy.

Furthermore, the language between him and Scootaloo was completely informal. It had no design, no grammar, no syntax. Their communication was drawn from their familiarity with one another. Dawn knew which way stirring the wind against Scootaloo's feathers would produce what effect. He knew how to produce a soothing, comforting breeze to communicate affection, or an agitating zephyr to communicate displeasure. With Sunflower, they would have to create an entirely new vocabulary of signals for Sunflower to learn. But she wouldn't be able to communicate back unless she learned the Gale King herself. In which case, what about after the Academy? Dawn would have spent Sunflower's time teaching her a skill that would have been useful only for so long as she was with him. That wouldn't be fair to Sunflower at all.

Sunflower and Dawn finished their meal in silence and brought their trays to the dishwashing station. It had been a good idea to pick a table off in the corner of the mess hall, where Scootaloo and Cyclone could blow off steam and have their argument with one another, away from the other cadets, who would probably weigh in to make the situation even worse.

Though they'd finished their lunches, there was still a full hour until the afternoon session, giving them some time to digest and recover from the morning exercises. They wandered out of the mess hall and onto the Academy grounds.

"I'm sorry," said Sunflower, her voice barely a whisper.

"Why?" asked Dawn, glancing at her.

"I kept shouting out where the flags were, like an idiot," said Sunflower. "I didn't have to get so worked up about it. I kept giving away their locations to the other pairs."

"That wouldn't have been an issue if I had been a better lead pony," said Dawn, giving Sunflower a sad smile. "I don't really have any experience with using signals to coordinate with another flyer."

"Huh?" Sunflower blinked at him. "But you and Scootaloo can fly together perfectly."

"Because we don't need those signals," replied Dawn. "I helped her to learn how to fly and I taught her the Gale King, even though I was still learning it myself. We've trained together, morning and evening, for years. Without saying anything or needing to look at each other, we can communicate our thoughts and intentions and coordinate our actions. We've sparred so often that we've completely internalized each other's rhythms and are able to act as one."

"Wow," said Sunflower.

"But I don't have any formal training in flight signals the way Scootaloo does," continued Dawn. "She apprenticed herself to Ponyville's Weather Team and they taught her all about that there. On the other hoof, I work in a teashop."

"Then why are you here?" asked Sunflower, looking at Dawn in confusion. "I mean...don't get me wrong, but this doesn't exactly sound like your cup of tea." Her use of the phrase go a snort of from Dawn.

He turned his eyes up and stared at the city of Cloudsdale, floating not too far away. "To be honest...I'm not sure why I came. Spitfire invited me, so it's partly as a favor to her, I suppose."

"I thought it was weird," said Sunflower. "You two have a history, don't you?"

"We do," said Dawn. "Spitfire has taken a certain interest in me and Scootaloo, for reasons not necessarily related to recruiting future Wonderbolts. Captain of the Wonderbolts she may be, but that is not her only position."

"I'm not sure I understand," said Sunflower.

"Don't worry about it," said Dawn. "I may have said a little too much already. It's an important secret."

"Ooookay..." said Sunflower, sounding a bit dubious. "You aren't interested in being a Wonderbolt, are you?"

"Not particularly," said Dawn. "What about you?"

"Maybe," said Sunflower. "I mean, it's kinda hard to grow up in Cloudsdale, in a neighborhood that's practically a stone's throw from the Wonderbolt Headquarters and not fantasize about becoming one yourself. Being a Wonderbolt means that you're the best of the best. Everypony knows who they are and what they can do."

I very much doubt that, thought Dawn, not risking saying it. In fact, most ponies didn't have even the vaguest idea of what the Wonderbolts were truly capable of or what they were ultimately trained to do.

Sunflower continued, oblivious to Dawn's train of thought. "Anyway, even if I didn't want to become a Wonderbolt, going through the Academy is a big deal. It's a serious heavy-duty training course. Having that on your resume can get you your pick of weather jobs across the country. At the very least, if I can do that, I won't have to be depending on Cyclone all the time."

"I thought she tried to make you depend on her," said Dawn.

Sunflower sighed and looked down. "Sort of. I kinda resent it that she took me with her into whatever job she chose, but I can't exactly complain about it. Because of her, I'm doing a lot better than most ponies my age, fresh out of Flight School without a lick of real job experience to their name. Besides, I wouldn't have done as well as I did at the Best Young Fliers Competition if it hadn't been for her."

"What did she do?" asked Dawn.

"She was the one who helped me assemble the clouds I needed to practice my routine," said Sunflower. "She helped me set everything up and reset it all after each run through. If she hadn't done that, if she'd just focused on refining her own routine, I probably would have been the third place finisher."

"Maybe," said Dawn. "But don't sell yourself short. Cyclone's routine was flawless and worthy of its placing."

"Yeah, but..." Sunflower looked down. "First her, now you. I keep ending up getting paired off with ponies and dragging them down."

"And we're back to that again," said Dawn with a sigh. "I told you that the failure is my fault. I have no real experience as a lead pony and none at using signals, like I told you earlier. I didn't have the confidence to take the initiative or do anything that might put either of us at risk while we're still learning to operate as a pair."

Sunflower blinked and stared at him. "Sure, that's true. But you're so much better than me when it comes to flying and doing stuff in general. You have to slow down and think things through because I'm there. If I was better, then maybe I wouldn't need signals."

"I doubt that," said Dawn. "Like I said, what Scootaloo and I have is borne of years of experience training and flying together." He scratched his head. "Besides, it's pointless to argue about this. All we're doing is going in circles. What we need to do is figure out where to go from here."

"Where do we go?" asked Sunflower.

"Well, we're not that good at communicating with each other yet," said Dawn. "So we have to get better at that. The issue is...I'm at a bit of a loss as to how."

Sunflower groaned and rubbed her face with her forehooves. "If only there was somepony who knew a lot about this that we could ask."

Dawn's head jerked up, his eyes bulging and his ears standing straight up. The sudden movement caught Sunflower's attention and she looked at him. "What?"

"Maybe there is," said Dawn.

Author's Note

1) It feels like this section is missing a joke...something about a bunch of morons in the middle of a box canyon...probably just my imagination.

Heh...I'm evil. Once again, we have an example of a character that grows and develops on her own. When I first created Cyclone, I didn't plan for her to be anything but a tool for Scootaloo's grandparents. They'd end up getting arrested, maybe she'd see what a pair of jerks they were, and that would be it. Instead, partly because I created Sunflower along with her, Cyclone ended up developing in ways I didn't expect and her role in the story expanded. That definitely worked out for the better. I absolutely love the idea of Scootaloo and Dawn initially expecting to just leave everyone in the dust, only to have their skills handicapped by the partners they're paired with, which forces them to confront their personal weaknesses and overcome them.

Next chapter: Ten stories in and it finally happens.

Mark of Wisdom

Chapter 18: Mark of Wisdom

Spitfire's ears barely twitched at the sound of somepony's hoof thudding against her door. "Enter," she said, not even looking up from the forms she was stamping.

Her ears picked up the sound of the door opening and somepony coming in. It wasn't Soarin' again, but somepony smaller and lighter, a young stallion...

"Here to complain about your partner?" asked Spitfire with a mischievous smirk as she looked up.

Dawn looked at her and blinked before taking a second to remember that he was a cadet speaking to the chief instructor of the Academy. "I have a request, Ma'am."

"Is that so?" said Spitfire, her eyes narrowing and her smile widening. "Close the door."

Dawn turned and shut the door before turning back to Spitfire. "At ease, kiddo," she said. "You're good now. This room is pretty well soundproofed."

"All right," said Dawn, his posture relaxing a little.

"So what is it you wanted to request?" asked Spitfire, resting her chin on her hooves.

"Our first exercise this morning impressed upon me how unprepared I am for the Academy," said Dawn. "I was confident at first, because I thought I understood the point of the exercise. But our performance suffered all the same because I lack a practical understanding of how to effectively communicate with my partner."

"So what do you want from me?" asked Spitfire.

"Help," said Dawn. "I want to learn how to be an effective lead pony."

"Just what I was hoping to hear," said Spitfire. "We're gonna need a lot of extra practice to get all this into your noggin. It's gonna cut into what little free time you have here and it won't do you any good unless you bring your wingpony along. You have to be in this together or you're not going to get anything out of it."

"I understand," said Dawn. "I've already talked to Sunflower about it. She agreed, but believed that you wouldn't agree to help us."

"Probably because she's thinking about a different definition of 'help,'" said Spitfire. "Report to the runway at eighteen-thirty, this evening."

"Yes Ma'am," said Dawn snapping his hoof up in a salute.

"Dismissed, Cadet," said Spitfire, the formality of her tone matching Dawn's.

Dawn dropped his salute and left. Spitfire sat there for a moment, staring at the door, her gaze piercing through the empty space where Dawn had just been. Then, she threw back her head and laughed loudly. "Oh that kid is way too much," she said after she calmed back down. "Now...here's hoping that Scootaloo can get her head on straight too."

The afternoon exercise consisted of another obstacle course. However, this one was considerably different than the one they'd run on their fist day. It was longer, with many branching paths, all offering differing obstacles and hazards. It was the job of the lead pony to pick out and navigate the path and work out how to approach each obstacle. The wingpony's job was to keep an eye out for any unexpected surprises and warn her leader as efficiently as possible. Naturally, runs through the course were timed to test how good each lead pony's decision-making capability was and how good their wingpony was at keeping a lookout.

Once again, the pairs were forbidden to separate on the course. If they got more than ten meters apart from one another, they would be disqualified and forced to start over again, with an additional penalty to their time.

Scootaloo and Cyclone attacked the course fiercely. With her wind-sense, Scootaloo didn't really need a wingpony looking out for her. However, her irritation and frustration left her uncaring about what Cyclone did. Cyclone repeatedly challenged her decisions, insisting that one way or one approach would be faster than the other. Before they were halfway through the course, they'd broken off from one another and were forced to start over again.

By contrast, Dawn and Sunflower did a good job on staying together as they navigated the course. However, Dawn insisted on taking things slowly, still not trusting his ability to maintain communication with Sunflower, taking each obstacle carefully. As a consequence, their time was the slowest out of all the cadets, only to be surpassed by Scootaloo and Cyclone's dismal performance after finally making it through the course on their fourth try with all their accrued penalties.

Dinner was yet another sullen experience, not helped by their large antagonist and some of the other cadets making pointed jibes at the "Academy Babies" as they had been dubbed. Scootaloo and Cyclone were too subdued and upset to even feud with one another anymore, reduced to picking at their meals and wincing at every derisive comment that came their way.

As they left the mess hall, Scootaloo was just happy for the day to end. She wanted to go through her evening exercises with Dawn and then get to bed. Maybe tomorrow would bring a way for her to get Cyclone to actually listen for a change. Of course, that might've been too much to hope for.

"Ready to go, Dawn?" asked Scootaloo.

"Actually," said Dawn, fidgeting nervously, "Sunflower and I are going to get some extra training from Spitfire. Maybe you'd like to join us."

"Huh? Why are you and Sunflower training with Spitfire?" asked Scootaloo.

"We're trying to get a better feel for working as a team. I wanted to improve our communication skills," explained Dawn. "I think it would be a good idea if you and Cyclone joined us."

Scootaloo's jaw dropped. Dawn was going to go train with Sunflower and not with her. He wanted her to train with Cyclone. What the hay? The rational part of her mind told her it made perfect sense. Dawn was right about his shortcomings at the very least. His suggestion that she and Cyclone join him and Sunflower as also perfectly sensible. But that was overshadowed by a part of her mind that was less rational, a part that flared up every time she saw Sunflower standing near Dawn, every time she saw Sunflower blush around him. It was a part of her that wanted lash out at Sunflower, that saw her as a threat.

Scootaloo quashed that part down mercilessly. She knew better than that. Even if Sunflower did like Dawn that way, there was no way that Dawn would just up and abandon Scootaloo for her. Their bond was stronger than that. But that didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

"No thanks," said Scootaloo duly, turning and heading for her room.

Dawn watched her go, tilting his head in confusion.

To Dawn's surprise, Spitfire brought them back to the obstacle course they had run earlier that day. "There's no question that this is the best way to go about it," said Spitfire. "Part of bonding as partners is to fly together as much as possible. It's also important to go through situations where you have make a call and stick to it. I'm gonna walk you two through the signals you need to be using so that you can coordinate properly.

"Sunflower, as wingpony, you have a tricky job. Dawn's going to be making the calls. But you're there to watch his back. So, in addition to keeping an eye on him and being on the lookout for his signals, you need to be on the lookout for any hazards coming in from unexpected directions. That's why, ideally, the wingpony is always a couple beats behind the lead pony. It divides your attention and means that, as wingpony, you need to keep up an even greater situational awareness than Dawn does."

Sunflower raised her hoof. "But doesn't Dawn have that sense that lets him sense things from any direction? Why isn't he wingpony then?"

Spitfire smirked. "Because that's too easy," she said. "I'm sure Dawn has told you something similar. As a wingpony, it would be easy sailing for him. You wouldn't need to signal him at all for him to know which way you're gonna go, sometimes before you do. But, as a lead pony, he's a bit out of his depth and he doesn't really know how to coordinate with a pony that he hasn't spent years training with and who can read his moves as well as he can read hers. That won't cut it. Being a Wonderbolt means being part of a larger group. You could be assigned to be a wingpony or a lead pony at any time and end up paired up with anypony else on the team depending on the situation. Partners have to be ready to work together from the get-go or they won't manage in the field."

Sunflower glanced at Dawn, remembering him telling her that he wasn't really interested in being a Wonderbolt. Of course, that didn't make the skill that Spitfire was trying to help him acquire any less vital.

"Any other questions?" asked Spitfire.

"Just one," said Sunflower. "Is it really okay for you to be helping us like this? I mean, you already invited us to the Academy without needing to apply, even though were younger than the norm...isn't this preferential treatment?"

"Is it really?" asked Spitfire. "I don't recall every saying that the cadets couldn't ask for help. It just depends on what kind of help you're asking for.

"What most ponies think of when they talk about preferential treatment is stuff like longer break times, or easing up on the assessment criteria, maybe cutting ponies some slack when they screw up on the course. You're right that I don't go for those horseapples. But if a cadet or two show that they're willing to go the extra mile to learn additional stuff, that kind of help I have no trouble giving. You two are going to be putting in a solid two hours of additional work in before bedtime. Those are extra hours you could be using to rest and laze around. Given how hard you've been working during the day, that isn't an easy thing to give up. But here you are."

Spitfire grinned. "This is all part of becoming better. You need to learn how to realize when you're at a loss and how to move forward. You need to learn how to use the resources you have available to you. After all, what use are we as instructors if we don't actually instruct?"

Sunflower nodded, relaxing a little. Spitfire had a point. Sunflower had been worried about what the other cadets might say, but it looked like Spitfire hat the perfect answer to any such accusations."

"Now let's get started," said Spitfire. "After I walk Dawn through the signals, you two are gonna hit the course and I ain't letting you hit the hay until you shave at least twenty seconds off of your time today."

I regret this decision, thought Sunflower, her ears drooping.

Two hours later, Dawn and Sunflower staggered into the cadet quarters, exhausted and covered with sweat. In spite of the fact that they had run through the obstacle course during the day, their subsequent runs through the course hadn't been any easier. The course was designed so that it was possible to take multiple routes to reach the end. Some were longer than others, which was deliberately not considered when actually timing a run. The shortest way through was not necessarily the best one after all. The most direct routes were more likely to have more obstacles that could slow down or even separate the pair as they flew, which would force them to start over from the beginning. Furthermore, the design of the course was modular, so that the instructors could switch its configuration in between runs to keep Dawn and Sunflower from memorizing any of the routes.

After Spitfire had taught Dawn the signals he'd needed to learn, she sent them through the course. For their first run, Dawn had led them through at a cautious speed, moving no faster than they had during the afternoon session. Then, with each subsequent run, he began to speed up, tackling the course faster and faster. It was a gradual process. Sometimes they lost time because he picked a longer route or they were delayed by certain obstacles that Sunflower missed as she followed in his wake. However, by the time they had finished, Dawn was definitely getting more used to signaling her, knowing what to say and when.

Of the pair, Sunflower was the one more physically tired. She envied Dawn and his ability to cover impressive distances on a single wingbeat. She had to work much harder to keep up with him, even moving at a relatively moderate speed. He could also turn on a dime, apparently using his hooves to push off the air itself, not simply relying on angling his wings and shifting his weight. The issue was that he sometimes forgot that Sunflower couldn't do that, which left her scrambling to keep up with him when he made an unexpected turn. On a couple of occasions, it had thrown her off enough for them to get separated and end up starting over again. She was amazed at Dawn's endurance. By the time they finished their final run, she was just about ready to throw herself down and give up.

Dawn, by contrast, wasn't as physically fatigued as Sunflower was. However, mentally was another story. Every run of the obstacle course had been a struggle for him against his muscle memory as he was forced to remind himself again and again that the pony following him was not Scootaloo and couldn't do all the things that Scootaloo could do. He had to remind himself that Sunflower couldn't pull of the same maneuvers he could because she hadn't been trained to use her hooves to interact with the air in addition to her wings. When they started moving faster, he still had to remember to signal, still having to work out what signals to use and when.

It was extraordinarily difficult for him. It was a far cry from battle, where Dawn was able to allow his awareness to slip away and engage his enemies through the instinct and reflexes cultivated over years of training and experience. This exercise required him to think on the move and think quickly. It required him to make conscious decisions and then communicate those decisions to his partner. The mental load required to do that at even a fairly moderate speed was quite substantial for him.

Still, as he stepped into a shower stall and turned on the water, Dawn was smiling. He was actually quite exhilarated by the challenge facing him. It's been a long time, he thought, since I've actually had such a difficult time learning something.

Thus, when he crawled into bed, Dawn was feeling quite satisfied with how the day as gone. Even as he closed his eyes and let sleep take him, his mind was still whirling with ideas as to how to build upon what they had learned this evening. He had a particular idea of what to do when morning came.

Scootaloo yawned and stretched, working her legs and wings as she limbered up for the morning training routine she and Dawn were about to go through. Following her usual habits, she had woken up early and gone out to join Dawn so that they would run through their forms together. Even though yesterday had been a miserable experience, this morning, Scootaloo was smiling. After all, training with Dawn almost every morning since he'd started teaching her the Gale King had become their routine for years now. Not even coming to the Wonderbolt Academy could derail it. Even if she was at the back of the class (which was entirely Cyclone's fault, she was sure), the feeling of spending an hour with Dawn, running through their forms together, synchronizing their movements, just the two of them with no distractions, would be more than enough to ensure that she was ready to face the day.

She smiled as she saw Dawn step out of the cadet quarters. Then her heart lurched to a stop when she saw that he was not alone.

"What is she doing here?" asked Scootaloo, not trying very hard to conceal her irritation when she saw Sunflower standing there, blearily rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"I want her to join us," said Dawn. "I'm going to teach her the First Form and then we'll run through it together."

"Wha-why?" asked Scootaloo, her jaw hanging free.

"Yesterday, she helped me learn the signals I need to be an effective lead pony," said Dawn. "This morning, I'm going to teach her the First Form so that she can get a feel for how I move so that we can better synchronize while flying. It won't be quite as effective as teaching her the Gale King in its entirety, but that's not exactly something we can manage over the course of an Academy session."

"Wait! Then what am I going to do?" asked Scootaloo.

Dawn blinked as he looked at her. "I was actually hoping you might help us," he said. "As somepony who also learned the First Form, I'm sure there are plenty of pointers that you could give Sunflower, things that I might overlook." He paused and tapped his chin. "Actually, I think it would be good if Cyclone joined us too. It would be a step towards the two of you learning to work together more effectively."

Something snapped inside Scootaloo. It was bad enough that Dawn had brought Sunflower into what should have been something special, just between the two of them. But now he was suggesting that they actually get Cyclone involved...She couldn't take it anymore.

"Forget it," she growled, spinning in place. A powerful sweep of her wings sent her rocketing off the ground and flying away, heading to the edge of the Academy grounds as fast as her wings could carry her.

"Scootaloo...?" Dawn stared off after her, his eyes wide in confusion. "Was it something I said?"

Sunflower winced and looked down, masking a sigh. She had an idea as to why Scootaloo was angry and felt more than a little guilty, seeing as she was the cause. However, she was especially worried that Dawn didn't seem to realize what he had done to make Scootaloo so upset. His expression wasn't one of guilt, but of confusion. It was apparent he had no idea what was going on with his fillyfriend.

"You should go after her," said Sunflower. "I mean, I understand that you want us to be better partners, but you hurt her feelings and I think she needs you more than I do right now."

"But why?" asked Dawn. "What did I do?"

"Um...You two do this a lot, right?" asked Sunflower.

"Almost every morning," said Dawn.

"Just the two of you?"

"I haven't had any other students yet, so yes."

Sunflower sighed and planted her hoof against her face. "I figured as much." Raising her eyes, she met Dawn's, forcing herself to suppress that instinctual shudder that came from meeting those strange draconic eyes that looked so out of place set into a pony's face. "I think Scootaloo sees this as something special between the two of you. You've done this together so much that she doesn't like the idea of you bringing another pony into it." Especially if the pony in question is a mare, she thought silently. "To her, it's almost as though you brought along a completely unrelated pony along for one of your dates."

Dawn stared at her, his eyes wide for a moment, as though he couldn't quite fathom what she had just said. Then his jaw dropped, just a tiny bit. Sunflower's ears barely caught the tiny "oh," that escaped his mouth. He blinked and looked down at the ground pensively, scuffing his forehoof.

"You should go after her," said Sunflower. "I know it isn't what you had planned, but..."

"No," said Dawn, looking back up. His face was forlorn, but also resigned. "I'll talk to her...tonight probably, if I can manage it."

"B-but..." protested Sunflower.

"I think you're right," said Dawn with a sad smile. "I haven't been thinking enough about Scootaloo's feelings. This is something that is very special to us and I suppose I did violate that by bringing you in on it. However, it was never my intention to make our training something so exclusive." His eyes narrowed. "Besides, I still have my responsibilities as a lead pony."

"Um...I don't think that's such a big deal..." said Sunflower, averting her gaze again.

"But it is," said Dawn. "As a lead pony, I'm not merely responsible for my performance here, but yours as well. If I don't do everything in my power to bring us together as an effective team, then I'm failing in that responsibility and, worse, jeopardizing your future here by letting personal issues interfere with that."

Sunflower felt Dawn's hoof touch the side of her muzzle, gently guiding her face back up and around so that her eyes were meeting his again. This time, there was no flinching as she met that gaze. Dawn's eyes, as alien as they appeared, were filled with warmth and kindness. "Even if you aren't my fillyfriend, you're still important to me," he said. "Because, for as long as this Academy lasts, you are my precious partner."

"O-okay," said Sunflower.

Dawn's smile widened slightly. "Good. I promise I'll talk with Scootaloo about things. But for now, let's do what we came here to do."

"Okay," said Sunflower, smiling back.

Dawn nodded and stepped away, spreading his wings slightly. "All right then. I'm going to demonstrate the form for you once, then I'll walk you through the individual techniques that go into it. After that..."

For a little while, Scootaloo was at a loss to decide what to do. She felt she couldn't go back, not while Dawn and Sunflower were still there. She couldn't face them right now. Shame and anger warred inside of her as her rational mind pointed out that Dawn hadn't meant anything bad by bringing Sunflower to their morning practice. They had never decided that such an activity was exclusive to them. She had merely come to that conclusion through the assumption born of years of routine. Dawn was trying to do his best as Sunflower's lead pony and was taking his responsibilities as a cadet at the Wonderbolts Academy seriously, something she should have been happy for, given the lack of interest Dawn had initially expressed in coming.

However, another part of her hissed irritably at how clueless Dawn could be at times. He seemed completely oblivious to how much her feelings had been hurt. Even after all the years that they had been together, Scootaloo sometimes found herself amazed at how dense her normally perceptive coltfriend could be at times. She still loved him. She still wanted to be with him. But, at the same time, Scootaloo wondered if Dawn really wanted to be with her.

No...she couldn't go back right now. She wasn't in any shape to face Cyclone either. Things were too bad between them for Scootaloo to allow Cyclone to catch her in what Scootaloo knew would be a moment of weakness. That would only make Cyclone all the more sure that she should be lead pony. Scootaloo pondered about where she should go, her eyes ultimately falling on the Academy offices.

Spitfire's ears perked as she heard hoofsteps coming up the hallway. She took these few quiet hours of the morning to finalize her plans for the first training sessions of the day and collect herself as she fell into the role of an Academy instructor, which was so much different than the one she played as the Captain of the Wonderbolts. The rest of the Academy staff were generally happy to leave her to it. Looking up, Spitfire raised an eyebrow as Scootaloo stepped through the door.

"It's a little early for a counseling session, isn't it?" asked Spitfire, taking in Scootaloo's forlorn face.

"Sorry, Ma'am," said Scootaloo softly.

Spitfire looked more carefully, seeing the hurt and confusion in the younger mare's eyes before sighing. "Close the door."

Scootaloo nodded and shut the door behind her. Spitfire rubbed her eyes and let herself relax. "So...I'm guessing something unpleasant happened. Colt troubles?"

Scootaloo smiled wanly. "You could say that," she said. She proceeded to recount what had happened earlier.

Spitfire listened intently, unable to decide whether she wanted to laugh at the silliness of it all or smack her face against the desk. Kids and their drama, she thought sardonically.

"So..." said Scootaloo as she came to the story's conclusion, "I just don't know what to do. I mean...I feel...I don't know...betrayed, I guess."

"Let me ask you a question, kiddo," said Spitfire. "How do you think you'd have felt if, on that night at the Gala, Dawn had come rushing over to help you when those mercenaries attacked?"

"I'd be pretty pissed," said Scootaloo. "I mean, I can handle myself fine. If he came to help me, that would mean he'd be leaving Fluttershy and Caramel to fend for themselves. That just isn't right."

"It would be like he thought you needed protecting," said Spitfire, "that he didn't trust you."

"Yeah," agreed Scootaloo, nodding fervently.

Spitfire's smile became warmer. "That's good," she said. "It means that Dawn doesn't see you as just his student anymore, or even as a student who also happens to be his fillyfriend. He sees and trusts you as an equal, somepony who can stand beside him during the difficult times, somepony whose strength can be relied on. That kind of trust is important in many relationships, especially romantic ones."

"But why did he have to bring Sunflower into it?" groaned Scootaloo.

"In a sense, he didn't," said Spitfire. "You did. He may have brought Sunflower into your morning training session, but you're the one who made something more out of it." She giggled. "You're actually jealous. Dawn has been spending more time on Sunflower and giving her more attention than he's been giving you lately."

"Well yeah," said Scootaloo.

"In a sense I can understand why," said Spitfire. "It's because Dawn is putting Sunflower into the same place he put you all those years ago when the two of you first met. He's treating Sunflower like a student, teaching her and guiding her, helping her develop. That's the place you used to occupy."

"That's right!" snapped Scootaloo, her wings flaring outwards. "How could he do that?"

Spitfire chuckled and shook her head. "Because that's not the position you occupy anymore," she said. "I don't think he's seen you as his student for a while now. Sure, in terms of mastery, he's still a little ways ahead of you, but you're closing the gap fast. You haven't needed anything resembling direct instruction for a couple years now. All you two really need to do is continue to clash and polish your skills with one another.

"Don't you get it? Dawn can bring Sunflower in on your morning training sessions because he sees you as an equal, a fellow master of the Gale King. You're somepony whose insight and understanding is valuable in its own right."

Scootaloo snorted and lowered her eyes. "But why didn't he say that? I think I'd have taken it better at least."

Spitfire snorted back. "Because he didn't know that it needed to be said. He's a stallion, not a mind reader. However used he's become to being around other ponies and however close he might be to you, there will be times where he just won't get things unless he's told them straight out. He's not exactly blameless in this, but he never meant to hurt your feelings and I hope, at least, that he intended that gesture as one of affirmation."

Scootaloo's wings sagged. "I guess we need to talk then."

"That you do," said Spitfire. "I'll be honest. I'm really jealous of you two. I hope I can find somepony to settle down with one day, like Rainbow and Soarin' have. But, even if I did, I don't think we could get as close as you and Dawn are. There are long-married couples who don't have the level of connection you two do. Don't think I've missed the fact that you two are using your Gale King skills to add an extra level of communication to your relationship. That's an amazing thing. But you aren't always going to be of one mind. In fact, you'll probably never be like that. You're different ponies and you always will be. But that doesn't have to be something that drives you apart."

Scootaloo stared pensively at the floor, not saying a thing. When she looked up, Spitfire could still see the hurt and uncertainty in her eyes. But Scootaloo was thinking. She'd listened to what Spitfire had to say and she was thinking very hard about it. That's good, at least, thought Spitfire. "Anything else you'd like to say?"

"I guess not," said Scootaloo.

"If anything," said Spitfire, "I'd say that Dawn is taking this Academy more seriously than you are right now. I'd like you to think about that, because, of the two of you, you're the one who really wanted to be here. Now...if you're done moping in my office, you can see yourself out and mope someplace else. But don't be late to roll call."

"Yes Ma'am," said Scootaloo, saluting sharply before heading out the door.

As she heard Scootaloo's steps recede down the hallway, Spitfire chuckled for a moment, then sighed, leaning back in her seat. "These kids are gonna be the death of me," she muttered.

Scootaloo barely made it back in time for breakfast. Dawn and Sunflower were already there, Cyclone too. As Scootaloo took her seat, she felt Dawn spread one wing and send a gentle breeze that seemed to wrap around her. Filled with his presence, it was like a warm, comforting blanket. Smiling, but not looking at him, Scootaloo returned the gesture, creating a breeze of her own and meshing it with his. She could feel Dawn's warmth, his affection, his care. That hadn't faded in the slightest. I'm such an idiot, she thought.

She was glad she made it for breakfast, because the morning session was the most strenuous exercise yet. It was another obstacle course. But this one was much more straightforward. There was only one path from beginning to end. However, the obstacles this time were much more potent. Powerful fans generated extreme crosswinds that cut across the course at a variety of angles. Rainclouds unleashed a torrential downpour that the winds subsequently blew about wildly, sometimes sending the rain directly into the faces of the straining cadets. Without their goggles, they would have been blinded. Dark storm clouds were positioned to reduce the light, making it difficult to see the gates that marked out the course.

"Miss one and you'll have ten seconds added to your time," promised Spitfire. "Oh! And don't forget to stay with your teammate. If you get separated, you have to start over." She gave Cyclone and Scootaloo a pointed look.

Scootaloo sighed and looked at her partner. Cyclone was looking over the course. "Hey, can we talk?"

Cyclone snorted and glared at her. "Whatever you have to say, you'd better say it quick. It's gonna be our turn soon."

"Look," said Scootaloo, "I know we didn't get off to the best of starts when we first met in Cloudsdale and we sure as hay aren't friends. We might never be. I get that. But, if we really wanna show that we belong here, then we've gotta stop with all the posturing and arguing and take this seriously. We need to do our jobs."

"Speak for yourself," said Cyclone. "I'm gonna show Spitfire who the best pony is here."

"That's not the point," said Scootaloo. "You can set all the records you want and go at it until you're blue in the face, but nothing you say or do is gonna make Spitfire promote you to lead pony. It doesn't matter which of us has the better time in what exercise. We've been given our positions and we've gotta do them to the best of our ability."

Cyclone's eyes narrowed. It was clear she hadn't liked what Scootaloo had said at all. However, at the same time, she couldn't exactly find anything to say against it.

"Look," said Scootaloo with a sigh, "let's stop thinking about it as a competition for a moment. Let's just look at this as a routine weather assignment. We've gotta navigate through this storm and we've gotta do it fast."

Cyclone frowned and stared at her hooves. Scootaloo's words reminded her about what Sunflower had said the previous night.

"You're back late," Cyclone observed as Sunflower came stumbling into the cadet quarters' common area. The accommodations of the Wonderbolts Academy were surprisingly homey. Cyclone had been expecting a common barracks, with everypony sharing bathroom facilities and all of them sleeping in bunks in the same room, like the Guard training camps she'd seen. Instead, everypony had their own, albeit small, room, and shared a pair of bathrooms. They also had a common area where they could relax...in what little off-time they had.

"Dawn and I went to Spitfire to get some extra help," said Sunflower, stripping off her cadet uniform. "We were running the obstacle course all evening."

Cyclone huffed. "You're not gonna make an impression if you're always asking for help. You can't let that stallion make you soft. Ponies like that don't understand the importance of achievement."

She expected a snort and a dismissal from Sunflower. Instead, Cyclone jolted as a wing smacked the back of her head...hard.

"When are you going to grow up?" demanded Sunflower, her voice hissing with anger.

Cyclone sat bolt upright and stared at her longtime friend with wide eyes. She couldn't remember seeing Sunflower this angry, much less angry at her.

"I've tried to talk some sense into you before, but I've almost given up," snarled Sunflower. "So this time you're going to shut that mouth and listen for once."

Cyclone opened her mouth, only to snap it back shut as Sunflower raised a wing again. In general, pegasi were discouraged from using their wings as combat implements because it exposed them to potential damage. So Sunflower's wing couldn't hit very hard, but she didn't need it to.

"Get it through your skull, Cyclone, because I'm sick and tired of your attitude, especially towards Scootaloo and Dawn. The Stratuses are in prison, you aren't getting any kind of inheritance from them. You've got nothing to gain from acting like they still matter. They're in prison and Scootaloo and Dawn are here. What does that tell you about who's more worthy?"

Cyclone pressed her lips together, unable to find a thing to say.

"That manure might've gotten you ahead back in Flight School and at work, but look where it's gotten you here," continued Sunflower. "You're at the back of the pack now. All the stuff you did to try and get ahead before, it's holding you back. I like Dawn and Scootaloo. They're amazing ponies. There's so much I can learn from them. But it's more than that. Dawn's willing to admit when he can't do something and that he needs to learn how. That's why we were going to Spitfire for help earlier. Scootaloo's like that too. You need to get your head out of your rump and do your part. Like it or not, you're part of a team now and you need to be the best teammate you can be."

"But..." Cyclone still wasn't quite sure what to say.

"Look, I know you and Scootaloo have a lot of baggage between the two of you," said Sunflower. She walked right up to Cyclone and pressed their necks together, draping her head over Cyclone's shoulders. "But please...do it for me. I know you wanted us to be together as partners. But the fact that we aren't shouldn't be the reason you fail. I don't want you to flunk out. I want to go through the Academy with you...even if we aren't on the same team."

Cyclone said nothing. She remained where she was, her eyes closed. However, she leaned back against Sunflower, returning the affectionate gesture. For Sunflower, that was all the reassurance she needed.

"...Okay," said Cyclone as she ended her reverie.

"You are so st-Wait! What?" Scootaloo blinked out of her reflexive retort when she realized that Cyclone had actually agreed with her, not simply fired back with a pithy argument.

"Let's do our jobs," said Cyclone, setting herself for takeoff, glaring at the course, but not at Scootaloo. "I'm tired of being in last place anyway."

Scootaloo pursed her lips, feeling somewhere between confused and elated.

"Looks like it's time for the Academy Babies to go," taunted the big stallion, speaking softly to avoid being overheard by Spitfire. "Are you sure you don't want the teachers to hold your hooves while you go through?" His comment earned more than a few chuckles from the other older cadets.

Cyclone snorted. "Whatever." She sank into a crouch and spread her wings. "Let's show these chumps how it's done."

Scootaloo grinned fiercely and matched Cyclone's posture. "Now you're speaking my language."

Their turn came and Spitfire's whistle sounded. The two of them launched skyward in almost perfect synch. "Stay with me!" Scootaloo shouted as they went into the first crosswind. Feeling the flow of the current, she allowed the wind to sweep her up into a roll that actually allowed them to accumulate speed that they would have otherwise lost trying to fight against it. Cyclone stayed with her, going through the roll just as effortlessly, surprised at just how easy the maneuver was.

As she did, she still managed to spot one of the obstacles concealed amongst the artificial storm conditions. "Impediment at two-o-clock!" she shouted, already angling her wings to correct her course. Scootaloo was matching her movements before Cyclone even finished speaking, allowing them to take an easy curve around the cloud column that had been cunningly concealed amongst the rain torrents.

Scootaloo led, reading the wind with her wings, moving with the flow of currents, giving them extra speed and time. No matter how twisting or disorienting their course became, Cyclone had no trouble keeping an eye on their surroundings, spotting obstacles and giving Scootaloo their locations. At some point, Cyclone unconsciously realized that she didn't even need to actually say anything to let Scootaloo know where an obstacle was. She would angle her wings or shift her body to go around it and Scootaloo would match her in a heartbeat.

Finally, the two of them surged through the last gate in a final sprint that left purple and gold streaks trailing behind them. As they passed, Spitfire hit the timer on her stopwatch then gaped at the results. "A minute and thirteen seconds...that's an Academy record!" she exclaimed.

"Oh yeah!" exclaimed Scootaloo gleefully as they pulled away and began to loop back towards the rest of the cadets, many of whom were staring openly at them. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Cyclone couldn't help but smile herself, finally able to bask in the satisfying feeling of a job well-done. Glancing beside her, she saw Scootaloo coasting, holding one wing angled up.

"Come on," said Scootaloo, "don't leave me hanging."

Cyclone chuckled and rolled her eyes. But all the same, she extended her wing and the two feathered appendages slapped together. "Aww yeah!" crowed Scootaloo.

As they landed, Cyclone couldn't believe how elated she felt. It was the best she'd felt since she'd learned that she'd been paired with Scootaloo. It was an incredible feeling. She was amazed that, in the end, it had been so easy. The idea of letting Scootaloo take the lead had been grating. But when Cyclone had finally decided to do her part and let Scootaloo do hers, she realized just how smoothly things had been gone.

If I hadn't been so stubborn, we could've been dominating since yesterday, she thought. Sunflower's right. I'm a stubborn idiot.

Up above, Spitfire watched the pair with a smile of her own, having to fight the urge to break out into an exultant grin. Now that's what I'm talking about.

Now it was Dawn and Sunflower's turn. Scootaloo and Cyclone watched them intently, trying to see if their training with Spitfire yesterday had borne any fruit. Spitfire blew the whistle and they were off.

Dawn had many of the same ideas that Scootaloo had when it came to approaching the crosswinds, often reading the currents and using his skill to slip through them without losing speed or even gaining it sometimes. However, he was more cautious of his approach than Scootaloo had been, always being careful to make sure that Sunflower was able to follow him through the maneuvers. Still, the two of them were working a lot faster than they had the previous day. Scootaloo could see that Dawn was still adverse to taking risks while he was guiding Sunflower though. That's no good, she thought. He's gotta learn to trust her skills or they're not gonna be able to do their best. Knowing that he's holding back for her sake will make Sunflower's confidence take a dive too.

The bottom dropped out of her stomach when she realized that she could've given him that advice already, if she hadn't been too busy being jealous over Sunflower's presence. Perhaps they could be doing even better than they were now. Scootaloo resolved not to make the same mistake again.

Spitfire watched Dawn and Sunflower, having much the same thoughts that Scootaloo had. However, the pair was at least doing much better than they had at the previous day. While they didn't come close to matching Scootaloo and Cyclone's time, they were no longer dead last. It also seemed that the other cadets had noticed that the Academy Babies were pulling up through the ranks, now that they had gotten their acts together. This might just work out after all, thought Spitfire with a smirk. Good. It was touch and go there for a little bit.

Lunch was a much quieter affair than usual, though it wasn't a bad sort of quiet. After all the fun they'd had laughing and scoffing at the "Academy Babies," it was clear that the older cadets had been mostly cowed by Scootaloo and Cyclone's showing on the obstacle course. Of all their antagonists, only the large stallion who'd confronted them the first day remained openly hostile.

"Looks like you brats got lucky," he teased while his partner gave him a dubious look.

"Wait until this afternoon," Cyclone retorted, "and we'll show you just how lucky we can be."

Scootaloo snorted and smirked. A low, rumbling growl worked its way out of the big stallion's chest, but he remained silent otherwise. The four youngsters went to their usual table and enjoyed their lunch, no longer burdened by the frustration of their previous failures.

The afternoon session consisted of a strenuous exercise regimen that tested their strength and endurance. This wasn't a team-based exercise, but based off of individual performances. Scootaloo and Cyclone competed fiercely with one another, though Sunflower and Dawn both noted that the anger and resentment that had hung between the two of them earlier was now missing.

Dinner came and went. After dinner, Dawn and Sunflower reported to Spitfire once again for additional practice to enhance their coordination with one another. Finally, tired and sweaty, Dawn and Sunflower returned to the cadet quarters, ready to head to bed.

As their hooves thudded against the packed clouds that formed the courtyard in front of the cadet quarters, Dawn could feel a familiar pony in front of him, the ripples and eddies formed by her presence entwining with his own in a comforting feeling that helped drain the tension from his mind and body. Looking up, he saw Scootaloo standing at the entrance to the cadet quarters, giving him and Sunflower a warm, friendly smile.

"Hey," she said. "How'd it go?"

"It went well," said Dawn, smiling back. Sunflower continued to walk, going right past Scootaloo and into the building, leaving the two of them alone.

"Good," said Scootaloo. Her smile faltered. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," said Dawn, his own smile slipping. "Can you wait a minute while I get a shower?"

"Sure," said Scootaloo. "Don't take too long. We've gotta get up at the usual time tomorrow."

Dawn nodded. Going into the building, he stripped off his cadet uniform and stepped into the shower. In spite of his promise to Scootaloo, he did linger a little longer than usual, letting the warm water sooth his body and relax his muscles before finally drying himself off and proceeding outside, where Scootaloo was still waiting for him.

"Let's go someplace a little more private," said Scootaloo. Taking to the air, she led them out towards the edge of the Academy grounds. There, they settled on a patch of clouds that left them with a stunning view of the landscape stretching out bellow. In the rapidly fading light of evening, the lands below were being plunged into darkness, save for small, island-like clusters of light that looked like swarms of stationary fireflies from this distance; small towns and villages that resided in the area.

As Scootaloo settled in, squirming to make a nice little indent for herself in the soft clouds, Dawn laid down next to her, draping his wing over her back and pulling her up against his side. For a moment, neither of them said anything, simply basking in the silence and relaxing against one another. They hadn't been able to do this since they'd come to the Academy, so they savored the feeling. But Scootaloo knew that they had to start talking sooner or later. Lights-out wasn't far away and they'd get in trouble if they were spotted outside after curfew.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Why?" asked Dawn. From the tone of his voice, she knew that he had an idea of what she was apologizing for, but wanted to hear the reason from her, in her own words.

"I've been a jerk," said Scootaloo. "You've just been trying to help Sunflower and do your job as her partner and lead pony. You're doing an incredible job."

"I could be doing better," said Dawn.

"But that's the point," said Scootaloo. "Sure, your times today were nothing to write home about, but you're making a real effort, which was more than Cyclone and I could say before today." She sighed and looked down. "I was...jealous."

"Of Sunflower...why?"

Scootaloo sniffed. "I...I didn't like it that you weren't upset that we weren't paired together. It felt like you didn't care. I understand that isn't really rational. This Academy isn't about our relationship. Spitfire wouldn't put us together just because we're coltfriend and fillyfriend. She wouldn't separate us because of that either. You saw that so easily...

"And then you were really gung-ho about working with Sunflower, improving yourselves, working together to be better partners. You even brought her in on our morning practice sessions without a second thought. It was like I was being replaced."

"Nopony could ever replace you," said Dawn, nuzzling the top of her head.

"I know that," said Scootaloo glumly. "But I let my frustration get the better of me. Spitfire had to spell it out for me to figure out what was happening and then I just felt stupid." She let her head slump down onto her forelegs and sighed. "I haven't been a very good fillyfriend or Academy cadet because I let those things get in the way of each other."

"I'm not exactly blameless," admitted Dawn, resting his head on top of hers. "I...I got wrapped up in thinking about how to work with Sunflower and raise our performance. I stopped worrying about your feelings because I figured you'd understand eventually. You were the one who really wanted to be here after all. I got...complacent."

"Complacent?" asked Scootaloo.

"When I brought Sunflower to our morning practice, I didn't even think about how you would feel about it. I was excited by the idea because I would have the opportunity to work with another pony. I've already taught you everything that you needed to learn, the rest is up to you. So...it felt good to have somepony to teach again." Dawn sighed. "I got so wrapped up in it that I didn't even think about your feelings."

Scootaloo smiled wanly. "First your sister and the foals back in Ponyville, now Sunflower. I guess you really like teaching, don't you?"

"I suppose I do," admitted Dawn. "You were my first student. When you asked me if I could teach you to control the wind like I could, for the first time, I forgot my caution with other ponies. I got excited and interested in interacting with another. Mom brought me out of the forest, but, by asking me to teach you, you brought me out of myself."

Scootaloo smiled, a warm sensation welling up in her stomach. She felt silly for doubting Dawn's feelings for her. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a faint flash of light. "What was that?"

"What was what?" asked Dawn looking around.

"Some kind of light flashed," said Scootaloo, her eyes also seeking the source.

"It's probably nothing," said Dawn. "You maybe saw light from a door or window back at the Academy..." His voice trailed off an he found himself staring at the last place he would have expected light to come from.

"What is it?" Asked Scootaloo, trying to follow the line of Dawn's eyes. "What did you see...?"

Dawn Lightwing was a blank flank no more. There on his haunch rested a new image. It was a symbol, a pair of lines. One was silver, like his mane. The other was turquoise, like his eyes. They were looped around each other in a shape that reminded Dawn of a square knot.

"Huh..." said Dawn, blinking. "So that's what it was."

He turned back to Scootaloo, who was still staring at his flank. "Anyway, I guess we'd better head back it's almost time for lights out and-why are you looking at me like that?"

Scootaloo stared at Dawn's face now, her cheeks puffed out. "Pffffffffft!" Finally, unable to restrain herself any longer, she burst out laughing, rolling onto her back and kicking her legs in the air.

"Only you," she forced out between guffaws. "Only you...Dawn. You're the only pony who could get his cutie mark and carry on as though nothing happened."

"Um...I'm glad you're so amused," he said.

Scootaloo rolled back upright and wiped tears from her eyes. "Geez! You have to be the goofiest coltfriend ever."

That brought a smile to Dawn's face and he leaned in towards her. "But still yours."

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, wiping her eyes again before leaning towards Dawn. "Still mine." She pressed her lips to his.

Author's Note

Spent today at the Colorado Renaissance Festival. I go for the shows and the food (but mostly the food). It was fun, save for a freak half-hour storm that dumped a shit-ton of hail on us. It was freaky because it apparently didn't hit anywhere else except the festival. Maybe I pissed off a pegasus somewhere...

With characters in the type of relationship that Dawn and Scootaloo have, where they're romantic partners, but also have a teacher-student relationship, the conflict I've usually seen arise from such a relationship is where the teacher-member of the pair has difficulty trusting their student as an equal, which lead the student-member thinking that s/he will be forever stuck in a position as the one who is protected. For my approach, I wanted to kind of invert that conflict a little and take a more novel approach. I like how it worked out.

For the record, this is the symbol that forms Dawn's cutie mark.

The colors don't match, I know, but I'm too lazy to make my own, so...

This was another moment I'd been waiting several years to write, since I started working on this story. I've always envisioned the scene of Dawn getting his cutie mark as being Dawn getting it, realizing he got, then carrying on like nothing happened...it's so hilariously him. As for what it means...well...we'll get to that.

Next chapter: A table gets flipped.

Rising Through the Ranks

Chapter 19: Rising Through the Ranks

Dawn and Scootaloo barely made it back to the cadet quarters before lights out. Scootaloo rose in the morning, feeling a bit tired after staying up later than usual, but feeling energized and happy, as though a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. With a yawn, she sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. After a quick trip to the bathroom to wash her face, she went outside to wait for Dawn and Sunflower so that they could go through their morning training session.

Dawn was about a minute behind her, leading a still tired Sunflower out through the doors. To Scootaloo's surprise, Sunflower wasn't the only one. Cyclone, in a blinking, half-asleep state, was there as well.

"I asked Cyclone to join us because I thought it would help," said Sunflower, giving Scootaloo a worried smile. "I hope that's okay."

"Um..." Scootaloo's eyebrow began to twitch. Sunflower was one thing, but having Cyclone suddenly join their morning session threw her for a loop. "It's okay...I think."

Cyclone blinked blearily and yawned, not awake enough to remember that she and Scootaloo weren't supposed to like each other. "This had better be worth it," she grumbled. "I could be getting some extra sleep right now-aaaaaaand when did you get your cutie mark?"

"Last night," said Dawn after a second's pause. He'd almost forgotten that he'd gotten his cutie mark last night.

Cyclone's sleepiness was forgotten as she found herself staring at the mark that now decorated Dawn's flank. She was so shocked that she didn't even notice Scootaloo's amused smirk.

"Wow! Congratulations!" said Sunflower, grinning widely.

"Thanks," said Dawn. "We should get started. We only have so much time to work on this before we have to go to breakfast."

Cyclone looked from Dawn to Scootaloo to Sunflower. Finally, she sighed. "All right. Walk me through what it is that we're doing out here."

Scootaloo and Dawn both smiled widely and began to explain.

While Cyclone and Sunflower weren't going to become actual students of the Gale King, they did find the practice of learning the First Form interesting and quite challenging. It required them to move their wings in ways that they were unaccustomed to. They also watched with keen interest as Dawn and Scootaloo went through their remaining forms together, noting the impressive degree of synchronicity between the two.

By the time they adjourned to join the rest of the cadets at breakfast, both Cyclone and Sunflower found their shoulders aching from exercising their wings in such unusual ways. The ache had faded by the time the morning session began, which suited them just fine. Spitfire, evidently satisfied with how the teams were coming along, stepped up the training, making each session more grueling than the last. The courses became longer, the activities became harder. The pace got faster. They were required to make quick judgments on the fly and communicate effectively with their partners.

There were advanced weather manipulation drills, rapid cloudbusting exercises, and jolting lightning wrangling practices. The cadets were forced to push themselves harder than ever just to keep up. While most exercises still emphasized working in pairs, there were a few that were individually oriented, mostly fitness exercises.

Now that they'd gotten into their groove, Scootaloo and Cyclone were dominating the courses, setting records the whole way. Dawn and Sunflower might not have been at their level yet, but their times and scores were improving with each session. Dawn was cautious and meticulous, which matched well with Sunflower's modest demeanor, the two of them quietly encouraging each other, using their growing mutual trust as a platform to boost their performance. In contrast, Scootaloo and Cyclone were incredibly competitive with each other, exchanging taunts more often than encouragement. But their competitiveness lacked the bitter, angry edge it had when they'd first been partnered together.

Dawn and Sunflower continued to attend extra sessions with Spitfire to improve their teamwork. After another day, Scootaloo and Cyclone joined them. With the extra training, their performance in later sessions improved even further.

Spitfire hadn't failed to notice Dawn's cutie mark. However, she decided not to remark on it, seeing as the young stallion had not made a big deal of it. But she couldn't quite conceal a self-satisfied smirk when she recognized the symbol on his flank, silently patting herself on the back for seeing where Dawn's real passions lay. I wonder if he actually knows what that mark means yet, she mused.

With regards to his new cutie mark, Dawn and Scootaloo had quietly agreed to keep the information out of their letters home. It wasn't as though Dawn was ashamed or embarrassed. Far from it. However, they knew that if they shared the fact that he'd gotten his cutie mark with their families, it would only be a matter of time until a certain mare learned about it. Pinkie Pie had once rallied her friends to fly to the Wonderbolt Academy in a balloon because she'd gotten too antsy to wait for Rainbow Dash's letters, which had resulted in the five of them blundering right into the middle of a weather training exercise and nearly getting killed by an out-of-control tornado. If Pinkie Pie learned that Dawn had gotten his cutie mark, she would probably rush out to the Academy and try to throw him a cutecenera on the spot. Not that Scootaloo would mind all that much, but she was fairly certain Spitfire would object.

Their session progressed and the days passed by in a blur of exertion. Before they knew it, two weeks had come and gone. Scootaloo and Cyclone were sitting comfortably at the head of the cadets, with Dawn and Sunflower just behind them. It was around that time that some trouble started, courtesy of a familiar stallion.

Lunch was a tricky meal in some respects. After a morning of heavy exercise, the cadets were often quite hungry. Of course, with an afternoon of heavy exercise ahead of them, eating too much would be a bad idea. Depending on the type of exercise, the conditions could be disorienting, if they were doing crosswind training or the Dizzitron again for example. It was difficult managing to eat enough food to keep them going until dinner without overindulging and ending up puking in the middle of practice.

It was also a time for the cadets to rest and regather themselves after the hellish morning training. Thus, they relished the time to simply sit and rest for a while, which was why Scootaloo and Cyclone were especially irritated when they saw a familiar stallion stalking towards their table, a few of the cronies he'd gathered over the course of the Academy session in tow. They didn't bother to get in line for their own food, deciding that their business was too important to waste time on eating right now.

Scootaloo took a moment to chew the mouthful of couscous she had before swallowing it down. "Okay," she said, "I'll bite. What do you girls want?"

The stallion snorted and reared up, slamming his hooves down on the table. The dishes jumped in place. For a moment, he stayed there, his muscles tensing, veins bulging. Both Dawn and Scootaloo noticed his posture and moved quickly. The stallion hooked his hooves under the edge of the table and thrust upward, using a pump of his wings to add to the motion. The table flipped end-over-end, crashing down on its neighbor, which was fortunately unoccupied.

In quick movements, using skills that they'd honed in Arkenstone's teashop and reflexes developed over years of training, Dawn and Scootaloo slid the feathers of their wings underneath their dishes and the dishes of their partners, quickly lifting the plates out of the way as the table went flying and saving their meals.

"Cute," said Scootaloo, cutting off Sunflower's gasp of shock and Cyclone's sputtering indignation, "your point?"

The large stallion (they'd never bothered to learn his name) snorted and strutted between the benches, now walking through the space the table had occupied. "The point is that the free ride is over, you brats. We're through with having babies like you bring us all down."

"Uh huh," said Cyclone, who'd recovered her composure once she'd realized that Scootaloo had saved her food. "That's rich coming from the guy who can't keep up."

The stallion's eyes bulged and the veins on his neck stood out even more sharply. "You wouldn't be able to do squat if Spitfire wasn't holding your wings through this session. Don't think we haven't noticed."

"Noticed what?" asked Scootaloo.

"We've seen you four out with her every evening," said the stallion. "You're getting special treatment. But now that's going to stop. We've had enough of it."

"Well that's too bad," said Cyclone, "'cause that's not something you get to decide."

"Like hay we don't!" snapped the stallion in rage. "Spitfire's made it clear you little brats are her favorites. She's been bending over backwards to help you, on top of giving you runts a free pass to come here in the first place. We worked hard for the right to come to this Academy and we're not gonna let these insults pass."

"May I make a suggestion?" said Dawn quietly.

"Huh?" The stallion balked and stared at Dawn. This was the first time that Dawn had actually spoken to him, the younger stallion generally falling quiet whenever he was taunting or berating them.

"Rather than end this, would you perhaps instead join us in the evenings?" asked Dawn. "Spitfire has never said that the sessions were exclusive to us and we have benefited greatly from them. Perhaps you could as well and you would have less to worry about."

Scootaloo, Cyclone, and Sunflower all stared at Dawn in surprise. Scootaloo opened her mouth to protest, then cut herself off as she realized that Dawn was right. Spitfire had never said anything about the extra sessions being exclusive to them. And if it got the big stallion and his cronies to give up whining about their "special treatment" it would be worth it to extend the offer to the other cadets.

Behind the stallion, his fellow cadets were murmuring and muttering. Some of them seemed genuinely interested in joining in the evening session. Others balked, feeling that they worked hard enough during the day that they shouldn't have to give up even more of the precious little free time that they had.

Their chief antagonist, however, looked positively livid at the suggestion, his nostrils flaring in rage. "I'm not here to parley with you brats. I'm here to tell you what's going to happen from now on."

"And what is that?" asked Dawn, frowning, mainly because he was getting tired of sitting there while balancing his and Sunflower's plates on his wings.

"You're going to stand in line with the rest of us," said the stallion. "You're not going to speak to Spitfire. You're not even going to look at her unless she's giving you an order. You're gonna come back with us to quarters every night and stay there. You're gonna stop trying to show off how special you brats are and you're gonna stop stealing the glory from the ponies who worked to be here."

Dawn sighed and bowed his head slightly. He glanced at Sunflower, Scootaloo, and Cyclone. Scootaloo and Cyclone were livid at the stallion's attitude, with Cyclone looking like she was just about ready to rush the brute herself. Pursing his lips, he thought the situation over. A fight, even if they weren't the ones who started it, would reflect very badly on them. Clearly, the stallion was not interested in negotiations unless they ended in his favor.

Dawn realized that their antagonist had essentially backed himself into a corner. He'd set himself up as the "leader" of the "regular cadets," whom he was rallying against what he saw as clear favoritism towards the Academy Babies. Dawn supposed that Spitfire's having taken a special and personal interest in the development of the four of them could be construed as showing favoritism. However, it was favoritism of the sort that he was certain Spitfire wouldn't mind sharing with the rest of the cadets, had any of them thought to ask for it.

But the large stallion had put himself into a bit of a bind. By taking such a forceful stance on the matter, he felt that walking back his words, even by the slightest bit, would lower his standing amongst his peers, even if Dawn's offered compromise was perfectly reasonable. He had set himself up for a situation where he needed to "win" his confrontation with Dawn's group. A situation where Dawn and his friends did not end up giving up anything could not be considered a victory in this sort of confrontation. If Dawn's group wasn't going to back down, then a fight was inevitable.

So defusing the situation seemed to be out of the question at this point, which both saddened and annoyed Dawn. The only alternative was to remain on top of the situation and stall for time. The stallion had started this whole affair in spectacular fashion by flipping the table. While none of the instructors were currently in the mess hall, there were plenty of staff, including the cooks, their assistants, and the janitorial staff. One of them would have sent for one of the instructors or even Spitfire herself. So the best thing to do was wait until somepony with authority showed up and took the stallion to task for his antics.

Which was looking less likely with each passing moment. Despite Dawn's efforts, tempers were flaring. In order to keep this whole situation from spiraling out of control, Dawn needed to check the stallion, along with his own hot-tempered fillyfriend, and her possibly even more hot-tempered teammate.

"Like hay we'd agree to those terms!" snapped Scootaloo, a bit too busy being angry to notice Dawn's desire to de-escalate or prolong the situation. "You don't make the rules around here pal. Get lost. We've got a lunch to eat."

The stallion looked as though his face was about to explode from the sheer force of his rage. Even his followers were stepping back. They'd expected the four Academy Babies to be easily cowed by this display of strength and ferocity. However, instead of backing down, the targets of their intimidation efforts had responded with contempt, indignation (on Scootaloo and Cyclone's part) and unconcern (on Dawn's part). Objectively, they knew that starting a fight was a bad idea just as well as Dawn did. However, their self-appointed leader looked as though he was past caring.

"Be careful," cautioned Dawn, looking up at the stallion. "The Academy staff and Spitfire herself will take a very dim view of us fighting. Please do everyone, including yourself, a favor and stand down. We can discuss this matter another time."

"Shut the hay up!" roared the stallion, rounding on Dawn, swinging his right foreleg around in a clumsy, hooking punch.

Dawn flicked his wings, tossing the plates he was holding backwards and a scant inch upwards as he rolled backwards off the bench, the stallion's swing missing his chin by a wide margin.. He flipped in the air without gaining so much as a millimeter of altitude so that, when he landed, his wings were positioned to catch the plates again, which he did with such smooth ease that the food on them wasn't even jostled by the motion.

Before the stallion could even register that his swing had missed, Dawn skipped backwards so that he backed up against the table in the row behind him. Sweeping his wings backward, he effortlessly slid the plates onto the table, finally freeing his wings up to defend himself as needed.

The stallion was staring at Dawn as though he'd grown a second head. Dawn canted his head as he regarded his would-be adversary. "That was uncalled for," he said. "Stop this now or you're only going to end up in trouble."

"I'm not the one who's going to be in trouble," snapped the stallion, lunging forward.

His hoof went straight through Dawn's head, which vanished as the stallion realized that he'd only managed to hit Dawn's afterimage. Dawn's dodge had taken him several meters down the aisle between the two rows of tables. With an angry howl, the stallion bounded after him, spreading his wings so that he could take to the air and fly above the level of the tables. As he reached Dawn, he stooped downwards to try and put his hooves through the young stallion's head. However, Dawn merely slipped backwards again, easily escaping the stallion's clumsy attack. Strong and athletic though he might have been, he was no trained fighter and had none of the experience that Dawn did. Dawn didn't even bother trying to follow his opponent with his eyes, instead choosing to track his movements through the air.

Scootaloo watched them go and sighed. Her anger faded as she watched the stallion's laughable efforts to catch and hit Dawn.

"Here," she said, sliding Cyclone's plate into her hooves and transferring her own plate to her own hooves. She then guided Cyclone and Sunflower across the aisle to the table where Dawn and Sunflower's dishes were.

"Shouldn't we help him?" asked Sunflower, glancing back at Dawn and his opponent before shifting her gaze to the rest of the stallion's cronies, who were watching the "fight" with amazement as Dawn continued to calmly evade the large stallion's attacks.

"Nah, he's fine," said Scootaloo, resuming her meal. It annoyed her that Dawn had taken over things. But she'd realized what he was doing when she saw that he was leading their chief antagonist away from the rest of them while refusing to strike any blows in return. he was doing his utmost to keep the confrontation from escalating any further. Had Scootaloo been in his position, she would have probably been doing the same, but would have been unable to resist the temptation to trick the stallion into tripping over furniture and covering himself with other ponies' meals as she evaded him.

The scene extended for several minutes. Finally, a heavily-panting stallion slumped down, glaring at Dawn, who didn't even look winded. "Are we done yet?" asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow.

"Not by a long shot, you brat," snarled the stallion.

"No...I think you are done," said Spitfire as she came in through the door, casting a searing gaze throughout the room.

The cadets, Dawn and his opponent included, immediately dropped what they were doing (some quite literally if the sound of utensils clanging against tables was any indication) and stood at attention, none of them daring to move.

"So..." said Spitfire as she began to walk down the aisle, "...we have here the finest up-and-coming fliers from all around Equestria, ponies who stand at the peak of their respective careers and sports, ponies who are supposed to embody the very best traits that pegasi have to offer...and I find that at least one of you has instigated a juvenile brawl in the middle of my Academy, as though you were still a bunch of elementary students. What's next, a food fight?"

Scootaloo's ears drooped a little. She had considered that possibility.

Spitfire looked at the table that had been flipped over, considering it carefully. "Who did this?"

All eyes immediately went to the large stallion. However, nopony said anything. Apparently, Spitfire didn't need anypony to say anything. "I'm guessing it was you then," she said, striding up to the large stallion, who was now sweating profusely. Her eyes narrowed as she brought her face to within inches of his own. "Was it?"

With a swallow, the stallion nodded.

Spitfire pulled back and considered him carefully. "Well now, care to tell me why you saw fit to toss around my Academy furniture?"

"I lost my temper," said the stallion curtly.

"I hope you have a better explanation than that," said Spitfire. "Because that's just telling me that you have no self-control and ponies with no self-control have no place in my Academy."

"We were getting tired of some ponies getting special treatment," said the stallion.

Spitfire raised an eyebrow. "Special treatment? Care to elaborate, cadet?"

Dawn briefly wondered in the stallion was completely cowed by Spitfire, but he was surprised when the stallion decided to continue. "You've been giving those four brats extra lessons, helping them when they should be succeeding on their own merits. It's an insult to the rest of us."

"Really?" said Spitfire, smirking now. "So...in this Academy, where the most important trait I've emphasized is the willingness to push harder, reach further, to go the extra mile, in this Academy, cadets who want to put the time and effort in to work longer and harder each day, when they could easily be loafing around otherwise, is suddenly a bad thing?"

The stallion took an unconscious step back, Spitfire's rebuttal clearly finding its mark as his ears laid flat against his head.

Spitfire pressed forward to match his retreat. "I don't recall saying that you ponies couldn't ask for additional lessons. I never said that was a special privilege afforded only to them. Any of you were free to join in those extra sessions. Instead, you apparently decided that loafing around after dinner was more important to you. And now that they're reaping the benefits of the extra work they've done to get ahead, you want them to hold themselves back so that you can look better."

"B-but you never said anything about extra sessions," protested the stallion.

"So?" asked Spitfire rhetorically. "The most important part of getting better is recognizing the things you can do and the things you can't and then learning how to do the things that you couldn't. Those four, the young stallion behind you in particular, had the initiative to seek me out in order to address their limitations and improve their skills and teamwork. They never asked me to let up on them. They never asked for me to up their scores. Instead, they asked me to work them longer and harder than I already was. None of you had the wherewithal to do the same and, instead of trying to do the work necessary to pull yourselves up to their level, you'd instead rather pull them back down to yours."

Her words completely took the wind out of the stallion's sails. What she said next was the final straw. "Go pack your bags," she said. Her hoof swiped out and, before the stallion could react, she'd ripped the lead pony badge off of him, tearing a chunk of his uniform out along with it. "I gave you your warning. I know what you've been saying about those four. I've let it pass because you didn't escalate it until now and because I trusted the four of them to handle themselves. How's that for special treatment, by the way? But, for all that you've been calling them the Academy Babies, here you are, throwing a temper tantrum like an oversized baby yourself."

The stallion reared up, his nostrils flaring. "I won't be insulted like this!" he yelled. "I've worked too hard to be thrown out on behalf of a bunch of foals!"

His world flashed white. A wave of heat washed outward from Spitfire, blowing over him. In an instant, the feathers of his wings burst into flames, followed by the hairs of his coat. Fire seared away his skin, exposing the tissues beneath it, before scorching them away as well. His eyes boiled in their sockets and his vocal cords turned to ash before he even had a chance to scream. Finally, only his bleached skeleton was left, before being charred black and crumbling into ash.

The stallion jolted as his forehooves hit the the floor, his legs too stiff to properly absorb the impact, sending a shock through his body that knocked him back into awareness. His flesh was whole and untouched. The mess hall still stood around him and all the other cadets were still looking on in amazement.

His legs were unable to hold him up any longer and he flopped down to the floor. A second later, he sucked in a gasp of air as he realized that, in his fear over his perceived death, he'd forgotten to breathe.

Looking up, he found himself staring into Spitfire's eyes. The memory of the illusory death he'd just experience slammed back into him and the stallion began to quiver.

"Now then," said Spitfire, her volume softer, but her tone no less hard, "are you going to do the smart thing and get out or am I going to have to make what you thought you saw a reality?”

A strangled squeak was the only sound the stallion could make. However, he nodded his head.

"Good," said Spitfire. "Now get out of my Academy."

The stallion bolted through the doors as fast as his hooves could carry him, so terrified, he briefly forgot that he had wings.

Spitfire turned her attention to the rest of the cadets. "Now then, does anypony else have any complaints that they want to lodge...? Anything...? This is your last chance. If you don't say anything now and I find out that you flipped another of my tables, I'll skin you and use your hide as a rug in front of my fireplace."

Silence greeted her. Had the cadets not been standing at attention, they would have probably averted their gaze when Spitfire looked at them. As it was, they stared determinedly into the middle-distance, sweating as her eyes landed on one, then the other.

Finally, Spitfire grinned malevolently. "Good. Now that we have that out of the way, I'll go ahead and inform you about your new workload."

All around her, ponies tensed to keep from crying out in shock. Her grin widened fractionally. "Since you all seem to be so upset about the 'special treatment' certain cadets seem to be getting, rather than doing the silly thing and stopping it, I'll give you all the same 'special treatment' by making our evening sessions mandatory for everyone"

She actually heard a few agonized cries that were stifled in the throats of a few of those ponies. That only made her grin wider still. "Starting tonight, you will all report to the runway at eighteen-thirty, on the dot. You'd better be ready to give it your all. How's that for special treatment?"

She got no answer, which was what she'd expected. "Good," said Spitfire, turning around. "At ease. Finish your lunches and report for the afternoon session. Eat well...You're going to need it."

She strode past Dawn, heading straight for the exit to the mess hall. When she left, the cadets relaxed. Some slumped down into their seats. Others went back to eating, many of them only picking at their food, anticipation of the grueling work that awaited them draining away their appetite.

Dawn let out the breath he'd been holding and relaxed. He made his way to the table and settled onto the bench next to Scootaloo. "That was touch and go for a little bit," he said softly.

"I get the feeling we're going to be a lot more popular now," said Scootaloo sarcastically, looking around and seeing many of their fellow cadets leveling glares at them. She didn't mind really. They'd brought it on themselves.

The afternoon session was even more grueling than they'd been expecting. Dawn suspected that Spitfire might have intensified it as a sort of punishment for the brawl in the mess hall. For all that he hadn't been the instigator and had done everything in his power to prevent it, Dawn felt it wasn't right to complain. It was important to abide by Spitfire's judgment and submit to the extra work.

That evening, after dinner, with many a suffering groan, the cadets filed out to the runway for the new evening sessions. There, Spitfire worked them hard for another two hours before finally turning them loose to go to bed. Granted, it wasn't any harder than she'd usually worked Dawn and his group in the evenings. But for the rest of the cadets, who had yet to acclimate to the additional workload, it was excruciating. Many of them were moaning and groaning as they made their way back into their quarters. The showers were hotly contested that evening.

The large stallion wasn't the only one to leave the program. One mare was dismissed by Spitfire for her problematic attitude. Another pair of ponies fled in the middle of the night, unable to stand the strain of the workload that Spitfire had given them. Most of the rest were clearly not happy with Dawn and his group for instigating the evening sessions, even though it had been their complaining that had resulted in those sessions being made mandatory. Fortunately, they limited their expression of their unhappiness to surly glares and hissing whispers in the mess hall and in the cadet quarters. However, their complaints began to die down as they started realizing the benefits of the extra work they were doing as their times and scores improved markedly.

In time, the Academy session came to a close. Scootaloo and Cyclone finished at the top by a comfortable margin. Dawn and Sunflower actually ended up as the third-ranked pair in terms of overall scores. Dawn's more modest, cautious approach to coordinating with Sunflower had allowed the two of them to remain a short ways behind their friends with the scores of individual events, but wasn't sufficient to make up for their initially poor performance after the teams had just been formed, which was compounded by the other teams closing the gap with remarkable speed once they joined in the evening sessions.

On the final day, they gathered at the runway, their belongings all collected, ready for their journey home. Spitfire paced up and down the length of their line. "I'll admit, when you first got here, you were the sorriest lot I've ever had the misfortune to call cadets," she said cooly.

Several ponies flinched. Their animosity towards the "Academy Babies" had disappeared eventually and they'd grown to accept the four youngsters as peers, even going so far as to join them at mealtimes, sometimes soliciting advice, other times giving it. However, they hadn't forgotten their lack of work ethic during the early days of the Academy.

Spitfire's expression softened and she smiled at them. "However, after you finally adjusted, I'm glad to say that you are one of the best batches of cadets I've had the benefit of training. You've come a long way in a very short period of time. It is with pride that I officially declare you graduates of the Wonderbolt Academy. Hold onto your uniforms and badges."

"Yes, Ma'am," said the cadets in unison, saluting smartly.

"Now then," said Spitfire, "dismissed!"

She took to the air, her assistant instructors and other staff members following behind her. The cadets' line dissolved as they spoke with one another, saying their goodbyes and preparing for the flight to their respective homes.

"I guess this is it," said Scootaloo, smiling as she and Dawn turned to face Sunflower and Cyclone.

"It doesn't have to be, just yet," said Sunflower. "You two don't have to leave for Ponyville right away, do you?"

"Not really," said Dawn, exchanging a look with Scootaloo.

"Why don't you come back to Cloudsdale with us for a little while?" inquired Sunflower. "It's almost lunchtime and we could visit a nice restaurant to celebrate."

"You okay with that?" asked Scootaloo, her smile becoming a smirk as she turned her attention to Cyclone.

"Yeah. I'm fine with it," replied Cyclone, returning Scootaloo's smirk. "A cool pony like me can always make the sacrifice to help less-cool ponies look more-cool."

Scootaloo cackled. "Now you're actually starting to sound a little like Rainbow Dash. Maybe we can drop by and visit her while we're there."

"Do you think they'd let us?" asked Sunflower, glancing at Dawn.

"I don't see why not," said Dawn, "so long as we ask politely."

Sunflower giggled at that, Scootaloo laughing along with her. She no longer felt so worried about Sunflower spending so much time with Dawn. She trusted in Dawn's affection for her and she had been even less worried when she saw Sunflower and Cyclone sneaking discreet kisses when they thought nopony else was looking. I thought there was a reason Sunflower stuck with that mare, despite Cyclone being such a pain in the rump.

Their plans settled for the time being, the four of them took off, winging their way towards the nearby floating bulk of Cloudsdale. Flying upwards, Dawn and Scootaloo led the way, taking the group around to the front entrance of the Wonderbolt Headquarters. Getting in was surprisingly easy, much easier than Dawn had expected. The security ponies let them through with hardly any questions, leaving Dawn and Scootaloo free to escort their friends to Rainbow's quarters, which she now shared with Soarin'.

Knocking on the door brought the sound of hooves. It swung open to reveal Rainbow's husband-to-be. He grinned excitedly as he looked the four of them over. "Hey there, kids. I almost forgot the Academy finished today. How'd it go?"

"It went great," said Scootaloo as she and Dawn walked in. Cyclone and Sunflower hesitated behind them, both of them a little busy staring slack-jawed at Soarin', even though Sunflower had met him once before already.

"Come on in," said Soarin' with a chuckle, beckoning Cyclone and Sunflower, who quickly scrambled through the door.

Compared to some of their fellow Wonderbolts, the home Soarin' and Rainbow Dash had made for themselves in Headquarters was quite modest. They had no eccentric additions to match Wave Chill's aquarium or Silver Lining's cloud sculpture gallery. The entire floor and the walls were formed from solid-state clouds, primarily for the sake of Tank, who had his own little pen of grass and earth in one corner of the living room. Since the reptile routinely wore his propellor and went flitting about the room like an oversized dragonfly, Soarin' and Rainbow had gone out of their way to ensure that everything was well and truly turtle-proof to keep Tank from accidentally blundering through a wall.

Aside from that, the only other major addition was a room off to one side of the living room, which housed the form of a miniature stadium, made from sculpted clouds. This was where Soarin' and the others worked through their flight plans at various venues.

"I checked up on you for the first few days," explained Soarin' as he led the quartet of youngsters through the living room. "Sounds like you had it rough for a little bit there."

The four of them blushed profusely, not happy to be reminded of just how far behind they had been once they'd paired up. "Y-you could say that," said Scootaloo.

Soarin' chuckled, leading them into the kitchen. Even though he and Rainbow could have easily gotten something to eat at the Wonderbolts' mess at any time, Soarin' had taken on cooking as something of a hobby in his spare time...though the results of his experiments varied. Going to the icebox, he retrieved a few bottles of juice, which he distributed to his visitors.

"From the sound of things, the four of you managed to iron out your issues," he said. He raised an eyebrow as he caught sight of Dawn's flank. "And you finally managed to get your cutie mark. Not bad, kiddo."

"Thank you," said Dawn, looking around for the apartment's other occupant.

"Rainbow's out on maneuvers with a few of the others," said Soarin'. He tossed Cyclone and Sunflower and a wink. "Don't think making the team means you have to stop working. Staying ready for anything is a continuous process."

Sunflower and Cyclone nodded rapidly, the two of them still a little overawed by being in the presence of a Wonderbolt, even a retired one (Spitfire not really counting, given her position as the head of the Academy and the month-long period they'd spent under her supervision).

"From the sound of things, you had a bit of an uphill struggle at the beginning," said Soarin'.

"That's putting it mildly," said Scootaloo sourly.

Soarin' laughed. "Spitfire was predicting the sparks would fly when she paired you up like that," he said. "But, from the look of things, you managed to come out on top, huh."

"Yeah, I guess that's true," said Scootaloo, exchanging a look with Cyclone.

"So...I have to know," said Soarin', looking to Dawn, "just what did you do to get your cutie mark?"

"I'm...I'm not entirely sure," admitted Dawn, giving his flank a dubious look. "I'm not even sure what this means."

Rubbing his chin, Soarin' scrutinized the symbol. "Hmmm....It looks familiar, but I can't place it exactly. I'm sure Twilight could tell you all about it when you get back to Ponyville."

"I'll remember to ask her if I can survive Pinkie Pie," said Dawn in a deadpan tone.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo with a chortle. "She's been sitting on your cutecenera for so long she'll probably explode...twice."

"You've kept her waiting for a long while," added Soarin'. "I get the feeling you're gonna be in for one hay of a party when you get back."

"Joy..." groused Dawn, while his friends laughed.

"I've been thinking," said Sunflower, after taking another sip of her drink, "I want to see what kind of place Ponyville is. Maybe we should come with you when you go back."

"Sure," said Scootaloo. "That would be fine. It's a great town. I mean...it's not big, like Cloudsdale. But it's the nicest place you could ever want to live."

"It's weird though," said Cyclone. "Don't you have a Princess living down there or something?"

"Yeah, that would be Twilight," said Scootaloo.

"Wouldn't the town be booming because a bunch of ponies want to move in to live near her, or something like that?" asked Sunflower. She remembered meeting Twilight with the rest of Dawn and Scootaloo's friends the night after the Best Young Fliers Competition. She'd been shocked by just how...normal...Equestria's newest Princess was...in a distinctly nerdy sort of way.

"I'm not exactly sure how that would work," said Scootaloo with a shrug. "I mean, it's not as though Twilight is doing anything especially princess-like. She runs a library for Celestia's sake."

"She does tend to keep a low profile," added Dawn. "She's also been working with Mayor Mare to handle any issues of Ponyville experiencing a sudden boom in population."

"She certainly sounds interesting," said Cyclone dubiously.

"Eh, you'll like her," said Scootaloo with a laugh. "She's a really nice pony. We've all known her since before she was an alicorn, but she hasn't changed a bit."

"Except she has wings now," Soarin' pointed out.

"Yeah, except for that," Scootaloo conceded.

They chatted some more about a variety of topics, covering everything from their respective homes to their plans for the future. Encouraged by Soarin's easygoing nature, Cyclone and Sunflower quickly forgot that they were speaking with a retired Wonderbolt. However, their awestruck status returned when Rainbow Dash made her entrance. After a brief freakout over Dawn finally gaining his cutie mark, Rainbow joined in the conversation with a gusto.

In the meantime, Soarin' puttered around the kitchen, putting together a meal after the group had abandoned their idea of going to a restaurant for lunch. Fortunately, today's creation was one of his more palatable ones. It wasn't exactly restaurant-quality, but it was tasty and filling and Sunflower and Cyclone both devoured their shares without complaint. Afterwards, Rainbow took them on another tour of Headquarters, mostly for Cyclone's benefit, as this had been the first time she'd been so deep inside the place. She also took them to a few places that hadn't been shown to Sunflower the previous time they'd been through.

By the time they'd finished, evening was coming and the light was fading. Dawn and Scootaloo decided to escort Cyclone and Sunflower home before heading out for Ponyville, the two Cloudsdale mares deciding that it was too late to make a trip to Ponyville now, deciding to visit Dawn and Scootaloo at a later date. It would probably be fairly late by the time they reached the town. But, by this point, both Dawn and Scootaloo were longing for their respective homes. After a month spent in the Wonderbolt Academy, they were more than ready to sleep in their own beds.

Still, they didn't feel any need to rush as they strolled through Cloudsdale. Scootaloo sighed as she snuggled up against Dawn. Secretly, she wished that they could spend another night here, like they had the night after her certification exam. She would have loved to cuddle up with Dawn until morning. At the same time, she knew that Dawn was very interested in getting back to his family, probably missing his younger siblings something fierce. It amused her that he was probably one of the few ponies in Equestria with such a mindest.

As they walked, Scootaloo couldn't quite keep the smirk from her face as she saw that Sunflower was snuggled up against Cyclone in a similar manner. They had been discreet about it during the Academy. But now that it was over, they apparently weren't worried about keeping their developing relationship a secret, though how far along it was was anypony's guess. It made sense to Scootaloo. It explained why, for all Cyclone's selfish interest in advancing her standing while trying to earn the Stratus Family's approval, Cyclone had been extremely reluctant to throw Sunflower under the carriage, so to speak, along with how clingy she had been when they'd first met her.

She felt them come before the first shadow flitted across one of the street lamps. She knew that Dawn had sensed them too, probably before she had. However, he continued to walk along, his wing resting on her back as easily as ever, as though he hadn't noticed at all. Though Scootaloo tensed a little, she kept calm as the pegasi around them swooped in. Her smile vanished, replaced by an angry grimace as she recognized one of them, having become extremely familiar with his contours over the course of the Academy.

The big stallion, their persistent antagonist throughout the Academy session (until he'd been expelled, of course) landed in front of them, his hooves impacting with a muffled thump that sent wisps of cloud exploding out from their points of impact. All around them, other pegasi were descending, landing in a loose circle. Cyclone growled and used her wing to pull Sunflower closer to her, while Sunflower cringed away from the stallion's baleful glare.

Scootaloo could understand Sunflower's fear, even if she didn't share it. After all, at the Academy, they were protected by the rules and regulations that invited punishment if any sort of fight broke out. However, out here, the stallion was free to act as he pleased, so long as he wasn't caught by the Guard doing it. Spitfire wasn't here to act as their shield.

"Well well," said the stallion with an angry sneer, "if it isn't the liddle Academy Babies. Do you brats think you're all grown up now that school's out?"

To Scootaloo's surprise, it was Dawn who retorted. "It seems to me that we were more grownup than you, given you were the one who got tossed out."

Scootaloo blinked in surprise and gaped at Dawn like he'd grown a second head. It had been a long time since she'd heard him act so openly provocative.

The stallion's nostrils flared and he snorted with such force that the clouds in front of him actually stirred from the force of his angry exhalation. "You've gotten a pretty big head, brat," he snarled.

Dawn tilted his head, regarding the stallion like a curiosity on a dusty shelf. "I can't help but wonder what you hope to accomplish here," he said. "Naturally, inciting a mob beating is not one of the things that would encourage Spitfire to change her decision."

"I don't care what she thinks," growled the stallion. "She's clearly lost her touch if she thinks that giving brats like you special treatment is fair."

"Oh come on!" exclaimed Scootaloo, her patience fraying. "You're still going on about that? You were too much of a lame wimp to do a little extra work, that's all. We gave you a chance and you ignored it 'cause you didn't actually want to push yourself."

Around them the pegasi the big stallion had apparently recruited were beginning to edge in. However, Scootaloo soon realized the reason Dawn was less worried about restraint when she sensed something familiar about them. The sense of deja-vu she was getting wasn't just because the situation itself was familiar.

"You can use whatever pathetic excuses you want," said the stallion, stamping a hoof down. "I don't care about the damn Academy anymore. We're gonna beat you brats into pulp and then dump what's left on the steps of the Wonderbolt Headquarters. We'll see how special you are then."

"Oh really?" said Dawn, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure your friends are up to the task?"

"Absolutely!" snapped the stallion. "My cousin is the toughest pony this side of Canterlot. Slab! Come give these brats a spanking!"

"With pleasure," grumbled the huge stallion as he lumbered forward, only to freeze in place as his eyes met Dawn's.

"Hello again," said Dawn, his tone dangerously congenial. "I understand you met a friend of mine when you came to Ponyville. It's a disappointment that I wasn't able to see you while you were there. Next time, you should visit the teashop. Right, Rusty?"

An inarticulate squeak was the only response that came from the stallion that hovered at the edge of their circle. A collective wince went through several ponies present. Dawn remembered them as the ones who had decided to visit the teashop that day. More importantly, most of the ponies currently present seemed to be from that same gang that had waylaid them the night after Scootaloo's certification exam.

"So..." said Dawn, giving Slab a thin-lipped smile. "Are you still planning on teaching us a lesson?"

A heavy silence descended on the scene. Slab had gone completely still, his body as rigid and unmoving as a stone statue, his eyes wide. Finally, he came up with a response.

"Nope!"

Before anypony else could move, Slab was gone, taking off so quickly that the clouds beneath his hooves exploded upward and outward, like water splashing. His departure was like a signal to the rest of the group. Rusty was the first to follow suit, taking to the air at the same instant that Slab had. The rest of them, seeing their leaders bolting, quickly joined them. A few seconds later, their stallion antagonist stood before them...alone and utterly confused.

"What the hay?"

"So," said Dawn, still wearing that same smile. "What about you?"

The large stallion shuddered and took an uncertain step back.

What Dawn did next shocked Scootaloo to the core. His wing lifted off her back and he vanished, crossing the distance between him and the stallion in the blink of an eye. He stood in front of the large stallion, one wing raised and pointed forward. With a crackling hum, a slender blade of pure white extended from between Dawn's two leading primaries, almost like an extra feather itself.

The stallion was frozen in place, completely cowed as the tip of the faintly buzzing blade leveled itself right at his throat, its mere proximity making the fur of his coat smoke slightly.

"Let me be perfectly clear," said Dawn cooly. "The only reason we did not give you the thrashing you so richly deserved back at the Academy was to keep from causing a disturbance, which would have brought Spitfire down on us as surely as she came down on you for the one you did cause. Do you understand? The rules and regulations and even Spitfire herself were not protecting us. They were protecting you. We were invited to the Academy for a reason. Likewise, the fact that we are no longer bound by the Academy's rules means that you are the one bereft of any protection.

"As long as you do not push the issue, that will not be a problem for you. However, as you have proven to be a rather imprudent pony, it's clear you need a more objective lesson."

Dawn's eyes narrowed. "So I will be completely clear with you. My patience with your stupidity has reached its limits. You will leave us and go back to whatever life you had before you came to the Academy. You will have nothing to do with any of us. If there is any sort of trouble for us and I have any reason to believe you may have had a hoof in it...even the slightest, tiniest inkling of a suspicion...then I will find you and I will show you precisely what this..." He traced the tip of the blade beneath the stallion's jaw, bringing it up to the tip of his nose and raising it so that it now hovered right in front of the terrified pony's eyes. "...can do to a pony's flesh and blood. Am I clear?"

"Y-yes," stammered the stallion, whose body had locked in place, as though the murderous intent focused along the tip of Dawn's blade of charged air had pinned him in place.

"Good," said Dawn.

Dawn pulled his wing and the blade back, which crackled and dissipated into a few scattered arcs of electricity and motes of light. Dawn turned around and began to walk with deliberate ease and slowness back towards the others. "I believe that it is now time for you to leave."

The stallion left so fast that he didn't even bother to check his angle of ascent, clipping his wing against the edge of a nearby building, he was sent spinning off into the night, barely managing a recovery before he smashed face-first into another structure. From there, he quickly winged away into the open sky, rapidly leaving the radius of Dawn and Scootaloo's wind-sense.

Dawn sighed and relaxed as he faced his friends, who regarded him with wide eyes and open mouths. "Well...now that's over."

Author's Note

I admit to planting the big stallion into the story largely for the sake of the running gag. Worth it. :trollestia:

Next chapter: Dawn suffers and Scootaloo loves every minute of it.

A Long-Expected Party

Chapter 20: A Long-Expected Party

Sunflower and Cyclone were understandably wary of Dawn after his demonstration, despite driving off their old foe from the Academy once and for all (they hoped). They were almost too afraid to ask him about what he'd said and done as he and Scootaloo finished walking them back home. Even though Cyclone had seen what Scootaloo could do a couple months ago, it wasn't anything like what she had seen Dawn do. Part of her was terrified that she'd been antagonizing such a dangerous pony.

Still, they were able to relax after a short bit. Even after what he'd done, Dawn was still Dawn and nopony had been hurt. They made it back to their homes without incident and Dawn and Scootaloo took to the air to begin the flight back to Ponyville.

"So what was that all about?" asked Scootaloo as she flew alongside her coltfriend. "It's been a long time since I've seen you scare a pony like that."

Dawn sighed. "Well...we don't have anything to fear from ponies like him, even if he did bring friends who wouldn't run at the sight of us."

"Yep," agreed Scootaloo.

"But the same is not true of Cyclone and Sunflower," said Dawn.

"Oh..." said Scootaloo, the other horseshoe dropping.

"Those two might have some self-defense training or the like," said Dawn, "but I highly doubt that they've been trained well enough to handle the kind of attack that stallion attempted on us tonight."

"Yeah," admitted Scootaloo.

"So the main issue is that, once we separated from them and left them in Cloudsdale, they would be vulnerable. That stallion might not even really see them as the weaker pair, they would just be the two ponies closest and, thus, the most convenient to take his anger out on. That being the case, I wanted to take the opportunity he gave us to encourage him not to attempt to harm any of us."

"That makes sense," said Scootaloo, shivering. She'd probably never admit it out loud, much less to the mare in question, but she'd grown to like Cyclone and she'd always liked Sunflower, issues of jealousy aside. The thought of the two of them getting hurt or injured was something that she didn't want to entertain. It probably was a good idea to head that kind of incident off before it could occur.

She giggled. "I have to say, it was pretty cool to see you put that guy in his place," she said.

"Thank you," said Dawn, actually blushing slightly.

With another giggle, Scootaloo banked over so that she could kiss his cheek, letting her course sweep over him as she did so, allowing her to to come up on his opposite side. "Come on," she said. "Let's get home. We've got family to see and you've got a cutecenera to suffer through."

Dawn's flight wobbled and his wings beat erratically. "I just thought that I need to go back and speak with Sunflower some more. I think there are some things we forgot to cover at the Academy."

"Oh come on, you big baby," said Scootaloo with a roll of her eyes. "Let's just go and get it over with. It'll only hurt a little bit. Besides, you know how she gets if you try to avoid her."

Dawn sighed. "Fine," he groaned.

Scootaloo laughed and the two of them continued on to Ponyville as the moon climbed its way into the sky.

Pepita and Larksong were both in bed by the time Dawn got back home. All the same, he got a plenty enthusiastic welcome from his parents. After much hugging and kissing, they sat him down in the living room and quizzed him about his experience at the Academy. Naturally, they were ecstatic to see his new cutie mark, though they too were stumped as to its meaning.

In the morning, Larksong got up, brushed her teeth and combed her mane. She'd been less energetic ever since Dawn and Scootaloo had left. Though she still played with Pumpkin and Pound, as well as her griffon-cub friends, and her parents brought her to the park where she could enjoy time with other foals her own age, she missed her big brother and sister. She missed being flown in the evenings. She missed cuddling up with them. She even missed the dreaded tickle-time.

Still sleepy, Larksong made her way down into the kitchen to take her place at the table. As she did, she caught sight of a familiar pony sitting in the living room, waiting patiently for her.

"Good morning," said Dawn with a teasing smile.

Larksong's eyes went wide and her drowsiness vanished. "Big Bro!" she shrieked, throwing herself at her brother with reckless abandon.

Dawn laughed as he caught her, hugging her close and nuzzling into her mane as Larksong rubbed her own muzzle against his neck. "I missed you," she said.

"I missed you too," said Dawn, wrapping his wings around her. "Were you a good girl while I was gone?"

"Yes," said Larksong. "I good!"

"Wonderful," said Dawn with a smile. "That means you won't have to face the dreaded tickle monster."

"Yay!" shouted Larksong.

"Breakfast time," said Fluttershy as she trotted into the living room. Pepita was resting in his sling. His eyes went wide and he squealed excitedly as he saw Dawn, his short arms reaching out in an effort to get to his older brother.

With a chuckle, Dawn carefully removed Pepita from the sling and cradled the colt in his arms, gently rocking him back and forth. "I missed you as well," he said fondly before returning Pepita to his mother's care.

As they made their way to the table, where Caramel had set out Dawn's favorite breakfast of potato pancakes and sour cream. Larksong barely had time to eat, words tumbling out of her mouth in between every bite of food as she eagerly informed Dawn about everything that had been happening in the time since he'd left...at least, everything that was important to her.

After they finished breakfast, Fluttershy and Caramel took care of the dishes while Larksong eagerly followed Dawn into the living room.

"Fly now!" she pressed eagerly.

"Not yet," said Dawn calmly.

"Aww," protested Larksong, sagging. "But I wanna fly!"

"I know you do," said Dawn, nuzzling the top of her head. "You really want to fly? I guess you want to fly more than you want to see your big sister."

Larksong gasped, her little eyes opening up wide. "Sista Scoot back!?"

"Well I'm back, aren't I?" said Dawn. "You didn't think I would come back without Scootaloo, did you?"

Larksong shook her head vigorously.

"So I guess you want me to fly you instead of taking you into town to see Scootaloo," said Dawn teasingly.

"No!" squealed Larksong, leaping onto his back. "See Sista Scoot now! Fly later!"

"My, you've become such a bossy filly while I've been away," said Dawn as he headed for the door.

"Have fun, dear," said Fluttershy as she came to the kitchen door to see them off.

Dawn nodded and took to the air, heading straight for Scootaloo's cloud house as it drifted sedately above the Ponyville skyline. Scootaloo was already up and waiting on the porch for him as Dawn came in for a landing.

"Sista Scoot!" squealed Larksong, jumping off of Dawn's back before he'd even touched down. The resulting kickoff sent him plowing, face-first, into the cloud porch with a startled "Oof!"

"Hey there, Li'l Sprout," said Scootaloo, struggling to maintain a stern demeanor, despite how funny Dawn's little crash had looked. "You've gotta be careful. You could've hurt your Big Bro doing that."

Larksong spun about with wide eyes as she saw Dawn pulling his head out of the trench it had dug through the clouds. "I sorry!"

"It's all right," said Dawn with a smile. "I'll be fine. Just remember to stay put until we've actually landed. Understand?"

"Yes," said Larksong, lowering her eyes and kicking at the clouds.

"Hey," said Scootaloo. "We're just worried, you know." She allowed her face to break out into a smile. "Now...where's my hug, squirt?"

Squealing happily, Larksong turned and flung herself at Scootaloo. The young mare laughed as she caught Larksong in her arms and held her close, twirling the two of them through the air before landing.

"It's good to see ya, Li'l Sprout," said Scootaloo as she set Larksong down.

"Fly now?" asked Larksong, her eyes shining eagerly.

Scootaloo snorted and traded a resigned, but amused, look with Dawn. "Sure...why not."

They made their way down to the park, where they spent the rest of the morning giving Larksong what she'd wanted and what she'd missed while they'd been at the Academy. The filly laughed and yelled as she drifted on the uprising currents generated by Dawn or Scootaloo. It wasn't long before other young pegasus foals wanted to join in the fun. Soon they were tending to the amusement of a half-dozen foals in the air with another eight or so waiting for their turn.

During that time, the adults had lined up to welcome Dawn and Scootaloo back from the Academy and congratulate Dawn on his new cutie mark. Every time somepony did so, Scootaloo gave Dawn and dubious look.

"You know you're going to have to pay the Pie-per sooner or later," said Scootaloo.

"I have a plan," said Dawn with a faint air of smugness, glancing upwards at Larksong as she drifted above.

"You're gonna sacrifice your own sister?" gasped Scootaloo in mock-horror. "Dawn! I had no idea you could be so callous."

"I am merely going to offer her up as a distraction," said Dawn in a lofty tone.

"Sure you are," said Scootaloo with a roll of her eyes. "And the fact that you've started this portable amusement park here isn't because you want to put off going to Sugarcube Corner as much as possible.

"I will deny any such claims vigorously," said Dawn with a look that practically screamed that Scootaloo had hit the nail on the head.

"You are such a big baby sometimes," she teased with a snort of laughter. "I'm giving you one more hour and then I'm dragging you there myself."

"And you called me cruel," muttered Dawn petulantly.

"Oh get over it," said Scootaloo, laughing openly. "She's only going to throw you a party. It's nothing to be so anxious about. Geez! You have to be the wussiest coltfriend ever."

Dawn sighed, rolling his own eyes before smiling warmly at her. "But still yours."

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, "still mine." She leaned over to kiss him on the lips before returning her full attention to the foals above. "Now come on. Let's make sure these kids have the best hour of their lives."

Scootaloo's decision of an hour hadn't been an arbitrary demand. An additional hour of play put them solidly within the boundaries of lunchtime, giving them and the parents of the foals they'd been entertaining a decent excuse to bring the activity to an end, however much the foals might have enjoyed it. With many disappointed groans, the young ones were towed off for the midday meal. At least Dawn and Scootaloo had made sure that they all had multiple chances to go up.

With the deadline reached, Dawn could do nothing but follow reluctantly as Scootaloo brought him to Sugarcube Corner, an exultant, but tired, Larksong riding on his back. They found themselves standing outside the admittedly delicious-looking building. Dawn looked at the doors as though they were the Gates of Tartarus themselves.

"Come on," said Scootaloo, swatting his rump with her wing as she walked past him. "Get it over with."

With a defeated sigh, Dawn stepped forward and pushed the doors open, going into the bakery.

Little had changed over the years. Cup Cake and Carrot Cake sported a few new wrinkles and the streaks of gray that had formed in the stallion's mane had grown a bit more prominent. But otherwise, they seemed just as energetic and enthusiastic about their work as they always had. When they saw who had come in, the pair of them burst out in ear to ear smiles.

"Dawn! Scootaloo! Welcome back dears," said Cup Cake enthusiastically as she stepped out from behind the counter. "Did you have a good time at the Academy."

"Eh...you could say that," said Scootaloo. "It was a little rough at first. But we got into the swing of things before too long."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Mrs. Cake. Her eyes widened as she saw the mark that now decorated Dawn's flank. "Oh my! Dawn...you-!"

She was abruptly cut off as Dawn's hoof lodged itself in her mouth, his eyes wide with momentary panic.

"Oh! For crying out loud!" groaned Scootaloo, slapping Dawn's hoof down. She looked towards the door that led back into the kitchen. "Hey Pinkie Pie! Dawn got his cutie mark!"

Dawn let out a faint whimper that she couldn't help but giggle at.

"WHAT!!!" Pinkie's voice was a shriek that seemed to rock the building to its foundations and rivaled even the power of the Canterlot Royal Voice. "Dawn got his cutie mark! Let me see!"

The doors flew open as Pinkie burst through them, slamming against the wall on either side. She bounced effortlessly over the counter to land right in front of Dawn and Scootaloo, startling Mrs. Cake and causing her to jump to the side. "Let me see!" she demanded, immediately rushing to Dawn's side and pulling a magnifying glass out of...somewhere...and using it to examine the mark on his flank.

"Hmmm...." she hummed as she moved to examine it from every angle with a level of scrutiny that made Dawn feel a bit nervous and Scootaloo feel a bit uncomfortable. After all, Pinkie was an attractive mare, so it was a bit troubling for her to be taking such an intense interest in the haunches of Scootaloo's coltfriend.

"So...what's the prognosis, doc?" asked Scootaloo sarcastically. "Is he gonna live?"

"Hmmm...I've concluded..." Pinkie finally pulled away and jumped back so that she could face both of them at the same time. "...that this is definitely a cutie mark!"

"Well thank goodness," said Scootaloo with a smirk and a roll of her eyes. "I guess I wasn't seeing things when it popped onto his flank from out of nowhere."

"Yep," said Pinkie, grinning. "Naturally this means it's time for a-"

"Inside voice," said Mayweather calmly as she stepped out of the kitchen, moving sedately and going around the counter rather than over it. "You've got customers, remember?"

They all froze and looked around, suddenly remembering that there were tables throughout the bakery and that most of them were occupied during the lunch rush. Sure enough, the ponies that had come to Sugarcube Corner for their midday meal were now watching the drama unfolding with a great deal of interest, which made Dawn and Scootaloo blush. Pinkie, however, didn't seem to mind the extra attention one bit.

"Well...I'll just get back to work," said Mrs. Cake, nodding to her husband behind the counter. She threw Dawn a sympathetic look. "I trust you'd like the usual."

"Yes please," said Dawn.

"One for me too," said Scootaloo. "And let's get a mini-cupcake for the Li'l Sprout's dessert."

"Coming right up," said Mrs. Cake, heading back to the kitchen.

"I'll come help," promised Mayweather before giving Pinkie a stern look. "Be gentle with him."

"Okay," promised Pinkie, still wearing her head-splitting grin that seemed to sparkle under the bakery lights.

"Aunty Pinkie!" shouted Larksong, bounding up to Dawn's shoulders, making the young stallion grunt as she reared up and planted her hooves on the top of his head, forcing it down.

"Larky!" Pinkie squealed back, rearing up and snatching the filly off of Dawn's head and wrapping her in a tight hug. "How's my favorite little niece?"

Seeing the two of them laughing and hugging, Dawn glanced sidelong at Scootaloo with a smirk. "Exactly has planned," he said smugly.

Scootaloo giggled and rolled her eyes.

"I'm so glad you're here," said Pinkie, lifting the filly up. "Now you can help me plan Dawn's cutecenera!"

"Yay!" exclaimed Larksong, flinging her hooves out in excitement.

Now it was Scootaloo's turn to smirk as she glanced sidelong at her coltfriend, finding no shortage of amusement in his falling expression as he realized that he'd essentially hooved Pinkie an enthusiastic coconspirator.

"I'm doomed," muttered Dawn petulantly.

"Oh quit being such a baby," said Scootaloo with a snort.

Much to Dawn's relief and Scootaloo's endless amusement, the cutecenera ended up being a rather simple affair. Pinkie Pie had long ago learned to adjust the parties she planned on Dawn's behalf (whether he wanted them or not) to his sensibilities. She knew what foods to bring, what colors to decorate with, the music Dawn liked, even how large she could safely make the guest list before Dawn would refuse to come.

They ultimately opted to hold the party in the schoolyard. It had actually been Cheerilee who'd offered it up as a venue, given that Dawn would soon be joining her as a coworker. As a location for a cutecenera, it held several advantages. The school wasn't exactly located on the main thoroughfare, which meant that there weren't a large number of ponies passing by all the time. At the same time, it was an open space, where ponies could come and go with ease. Thus, even though the number of ponies that had actually been invited was relatively small, it was laid out so that it was easy for a number of Dawn's acquaintances throughout town to stop by to congratulate him for his cutie mark. Over the course of working at the teashop, Dawn had become a rather well-liked citizen of Ponyville, which meant that his party attracted a number of unofficial guests, who were welcomed just as warmly as any of the official ones, even though most of them only stayed long enough to offer a few words and snag a cupcake before they were on their way again. Surprisingly, none of them seemed at all put off by the fact that a pony as old as Dawn was had only just gotten his cutie mark a couple weeks ago.

The invited guests naturally included Dawn's close friends and family. Rumble and Sweetie Belle were unable to get time away from their respective commitments, but sent heartfelt letters in their stead. Likewise, Rainbow Dash was away on another Wonderbolt tour, but Soarin' was able to show up with her congratulations in addition to his own. He was accompanied by none other than Cyclone and Sunflower, both of whom were excited at the opportunity to visit Ponyville. Soarin' also carried a message from Spitfire.

Dawn spent most of the time off to one side of the party, occasionally indulging in games or activities. At one point, he and Scootaloo had started up another flying session as they were visited by several of the young pegasus foals from the park. Despite their parents and Cheerilee telling them that this was supposed to be Dawn's party, they were most insistent...not that Dawn actually minded.

"It looks like you've found your calling," observed a familiar voice as Dawn stood beneath the foals alongside Scootaloo, using his magic to generate a consistent updraft to leave them hanging in the air.

"Maybe..." said Dawn, turning his head so that he could look at Perlin. Coco Pommel was there too, standing right beside him. The two of them seemed almost inseparable at this point. The sight of them made Dawn smile, glad to see how happy they were together.

"Maybe?" Perlin raised a confused eybrow.

"I've found my cutie mark," said Dawn. "But my cutie mark and my calling are not necessarily one and the same."

"Is that so?" asked Perlin.

"Well...you've had your cutie mark for much longer than I have," Dawn pointed out. "Have you found your calling yet?"

"At one point...I thought I had," said Perlin, looking down.

"At the time, I'm sure it was. It was the calling best suited to the kind of pony that you were," said Dawn.

Perlin nodded in agreement. "But I've changed. That's not what I want to do with my life anymore. I'm not sure what I do want to do."

"It could be anything," said Dawn, his smile widening. "Your cutie mark doesn't exist to pigeonhole you into a specific profession. A wise pony once told me that it serves as a fixed point. A compass needle only points north, but that doesn't stop you from being able to navigate in any direction you want. As ponies, we are infinite."

"That sounds a little too deep," said Perlin, "even coming from you."

"Like I said," replied Dawn, glancing towards Red River, where he was currently dancing with Applejack, "a wise pony once told me that."

"By the way," said Scootaloo, jumping into the conversation as she leaned forward to look around Dawn, "have the two of you taken that vacation yet?"

"Oh..." said Coco, "not yet."

"We weren't sure when a good time might be," said Perlin. "We were going to leave after the Gala. But the dresses Rarity and Coco made for everypony were very popular, so there was a sudden flood of orders."

"I couldn't leave them all to Rarity and just leave," said Coco.

"And with the harvest season coming up, we decided to stay and help with the Harvest Festival and the Running of the Leaves," added Perlin.

"Come to think of it," said Scootaloo, "the time between the Harvest Festival and Nightmare Night is a pretty good time for traveling. Not many ponies head out of town around then."

"Except that the Boutique will be flooded with orders for Nightmare Night costumes," said Coco with a defeated sigh.

"Then leave after Nightmare Night," suggested Dawn. "The orders for the Boutique will slow down, given that most of the social events will be over by then. There won't be anything major until Hearthswarming comes around. Also, given that it's the beginning of winter, it's the perfect time to go someplace warm, like Gallopoli."

Perlin and Coco exchanged looks with each other. "That sounds...like a good idea," said Perlin.

"I think so too," said Coco, her smile returning. She seemed to suddenly think of something. "I know! You and Scootaloo should come with us."

"Are you sure?" asked Scootaloo a bit dubiously. "I mean, I'd love to come. But shouldn't this vacation be a romantic getaway for just the two of you?"

"Well, we were talking about doing a double date," said Coco. "We could make it a double vacation instead."

"That actually sounds pretty awesome," said Scootaloo, a grin forming across her face. "Dawn and I could use a vacation and the season after Nightmare Night is the perfect time for me. Up 'til then, we'll be swamped with the preparations for the first winter storms."

"I do like the sound of this," said Dawn, nodding in agreement.

"Well...if you're for it, then how can I object?" said Perlin with a chuckle.

Coco glanced upward at the foals frolicking in the column of rising air that Dawn and Scootaloo were creating. "Um...by the way...should we be distracting you like this?"

"Naw, we've got it covered," said Scootaloo with a laugh. After all, she and Dawn were tracking the foals through their wind sense, rather than their eyes, to say nothing of a few of the other attending pegasi acting as spotters, just in case a foal wandered out.

Finally, much to the disappointment of the foals, flying time came to an end. However, many of them stayed around, naturally enjoying the chance to participate in a Pinkie Pie party.

The greatest surprise came when Princess Luna soared down from the sky, accompanied by a loose formation of her Guards. As she came in for a landing, everypony went into a low bow.

"Please rise," said Luna with a smile as she approached Dawn. "Dawn Lightwing, I have come to offer my congratulations to you, as well as that of my sister. 'Tis most wonderful to see that you have finally obtained your cutie mark."

"I'm honored by your presence," said Dawn, ducking his head shyly.

Luna smiled and tilted her head as she regarded Dawn. "It seems only a short time ago that you were a young colt that Fluttershy had only just coaxed out of seclusion. To have seen you grow into such a fine young stallion, blessed with so many friends and such a rich life warms my heart. I see that your cutie mark is quite fitting."

"Is it?" asked Dawn. "I'm still not sure what it means."

"I would have thought you would have asked Twilight by now," said Luna with a chuckle.

"Um..." Dawn rubbed the back of his head. "Once Pinkie Pie found out, she caught me up in planning the party and everything became a sort of blur. I'm not sure what day it is, to be honest."

Luna let out a loud, booming laugh. "Yes, Pinkie Pie does seem to have that effect on ponies."

"So what does my cutie mark mean?" asked Dawn, directing a confused glance at the mark in question.

"It's called a nyansapo," said Twilight, coming forward. "It's an old Zebrican symbol, also known as a wisdom knot. It conveys the idea that a wise person knows the best means to achieve a goal and that being wise implies broad knowledge, learning, and experience, and the ability to apply those things to practical ends."

Dawn blinked and looked at his cutie mark again. "I'm not entirely sure that such a mark suits me."

"It makes sense to me," said Sunflower. "When we were floundering at the Academy, you were the one who figured out what we needed to do to improve our performance."

"You're the one who helped me figure out how to move forward whenever I had a block during our training," said Scootaloo. "That includes when we'd just started and I was still working out how to control my magic."

"But I..." said Dawn uncertainly, "...I've made so many mistakes, so many bad judgments..."

Dawn felt Arkenstone approach him. The blind stallion gently ruffled Dawn's mane with a hoof. "The wise don't not make mistakes," he said. "They make mistakes and learn from them. Some learn faster than others, but such learning, however fast or slow it may be, is the true foundation of wisdom."

"That is quite true," said Luna. "Ponies often call me and my sister wise. That is because we have made our own mistakes as well."

"I think it's perfect for you," said Cheerilee, who also joined the conversation. "Those traits are ones that are ideal for helping guide young ponies towards a goal, whether it's graduating from school or learning to fly. I'd always thought that was the sort of thing you were passionate about."

"Hmm..." Dawn looked upward thoughtfully. "You might be right."

"Of course she is," boasted Scootaloo, nuzzling against Dawn's neck. "I think it's a perfect mark for you too."

Luna stayed at the party for an hour before returning to Canterlot. As evening came on and the party wound down, ponies began to return to their homes. Dawn and Scootaloo helped Pinkie clean up, in spite of her protestations that, as the guest of honor, Dawn shouldn't have to. They were assisted by Cyclone and Sunflower.

After the cleanup was finished, Scootaloo put up Soarin', along with Cyclone and Sunflower, in her cloud house.

Soarin' left the next morning. However, Sunflower and Cyclone stayed behind, making good on their promise to visit Ponyville and see the town for themselves. For the next week, Dawn and Scootaloo took the opportunity to show their friends from Cloudsdale around Ponyville, showing them several of the shops that they frequented and the things they did for fun. They also visited the library, where Sunflower and Cyclone excitedly made (or re-made in Sunflower's case) the acquaintance of Twilight Sparkle.

The girls made it a point to visit Dawn at the teahouse during the day, once Scootaloo had gotten off from her weather work. Cyclone was especially impressed by the tea that Dawn and Arkenstone served.

At one point, they even went to the Carousel Boutique, where Rarity, proudly declaring that any friends of Scootaloo and Dawn were friends of hers, enthusiastically fitted Cyclone and Sunflower for their own dresses, a fact that stunned them utterly, given that Rarity's name was well known, even up in Cloudsdale.

Naturally, they visited Sugarcube Corner and Sweet Apple Acres as well. Neither of the girls from Cloudsdale were prepared for the whirlwind of energy and good cheer that was Pinkie Pie, despite having seen her at Dawn's cutecenera earlier. They found Applejack and Apple Bloom to be much easier to hang around, to say nothing of the bevy of treats that they were able to sample from both locales. Cyclone complained that her figure was going to be ruined by the time they left to go back to Cloudsdale.

They also spent plenty of time with Dawn's family. In fact, they had dinner at his home no less than three times over the course of the week. Not even Cyclone could resist the bundle of weaponized cuteness that was Larksong and, before long, was showing off all her best skills to the little filly's melodic cheers and applause. Sunflower, on the other hoof, was quite taken with little Pepita, happy to sit and rock him for as long as she was allowed.

"We're going to have to check your bags before you leave," observed Dawn wryly one evening. "I have a feeling that, if we aren't careful, you'll try to smuggle him out with you."

Sunfower blushed furiously, but noticeably made no effort to let go of the little colt, who indeed seemed to enjoy the attention.

Finally, the time came for Sunflower and Cyclone to head home. They met with Dawn and Scootaloo on a cloud hovering near the edge of town to say their goodbyes.

"This is a nice place," said Cyclone with a grin as she surveyed the town from the sky. "I'd like to come back again."

"Me too," said Sunflower. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if your Weather Team has any openings."

"L-let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Cyclone with a laugh before turning to Scootaloo with a serious expression. "By the way...I'm sorry."

Scootaloo blinked. "About what?"

"About...about the way I was before," said Cyclone, "back during the competition."

"Oh," said Scootaloo, "that..."

"I won't try to tone it down. I was a huge jerk back then and I probably deserved to be locked away with your grandparents." Cyclone looked down at the cloud. "I nearly screwed up the second chance I got by being a jerk to you at the Academy too."

"Hey, water under the bridge, as they say," said Scootaloo cheerfully. "I won't pretend that I'm not upset about that. But you've turned it around now. You're my friend and somepony I wouldn't mind having for a wingpony anytime."

"I don't know," said Cyclone teasingly. "Next time you might be my wingpony."

"Like that'll happen," retorted Scootaloo. However, her tone was playful and she was grinning. She and Cyclone rapped their hooves together.

Sunflower and Dawn watched the interplay between the two of them and laughed at their competitive antics. "It seems our special someponies are quite the hoofful," noted Dawn wryly.

Sunflower giggled at that, before blushing at what Dawn had said. Despite the fact that she and Cyclone were a couple, they were still a relatively new one and not used to being publicly acknowledged. However, she couldn't exactly disagree. She gave Dawn a hug, then another one to Scootaloo.

"Next time, the two of you should visit us," she said.

"That sounds like a plan," agreed Cyclone, trading a hoofbump with Dawn.

"Catch ya later, girls," said Scootaloo, waving as Cyclone and Sunflower took off to begin their flight to Cloudsdale.

Dawn and Scootaloo remained on the cloud, watching until the two girls had disappeared into the distance. Dawn blinked and looked at Scootaloo. "We remembered to check Sunflower's bags for my little brother, right?"

Fortunately, Sunflower had not tried to smuggled Pepita out in her saddlebag, much to Dawn's relief and Scootaloo's amusement. From there, they were swept up into the preparations for the major events of the autumn season.

First came the Harvest Festival, celebrating the completion of the autumn harvest, the biggest harvest season of the year for Ponyville. Neither Dawn or Scootaloo had much of a role in this particular event, given that the planning was done almost completely by Pinkie Pie.

The Running of the Leaves was second, with the Weather Team tasked with organizing the weather conditions for the event, as well as laying down preparations for the winter storms. The trees were awash with color, painted in swirling hues of orange, red, brown, and gold.

Even though he wasn't on the Weather Team, Dawn found himself quite busy in the teashop. As the seasons progressed and the colder weather began to set in, more ponies were coming by, hoping to enjoy a warm cup of tea. For the Running of the Leaves, he and Arkenstone would be selling tea to the spectators out of a small stand, not unlike the ones used by sellers at the market. For simplicity's sake, they were forced to limit themselves to only about five of their most popular blends. However, as the chilly day of the Running progressed, they found themselves doing a brisk business.

After that came the unofficial holiday that was the Apple Family's Cider Season. This particular season was extra special, considering that it would be the first time that Perlin was participating. They made him feel more than welcome. Scootaloo and Fluttershy had their hooves full keeping their eyes on Dawn to ensure that he didn't overindulge on the Apple Family's famous spiced cider, like he had during his first year.

Finally, Nightmare Night came to Ponyville, which was once again blessed with a visit by Princess Luna. Despite the fact that her popularity was on the rise across the nation, Luna always returned to Ponyville to spend Nightmare Night with the ponies that had helped her learn to appreciate it in all its glory. Larksong gleefully joined the other foals in going from door to door, begging for treats, while Dawn and Scootaloo supervised. This year, Fluttershy and Caramel opted to spend the holiday at home, looking after Pepita.

After the evening had had passed, the first snows of winter began to fall on Ponyville. Overnight, the town was blanketed in a thick layer of white. With the first major snowstorm out of the way, Scootaloo and Dawn were finally free from their obligations, as were their friends. After helping his parents by clearing the road into town of snow, Dawn joined Scootaloo, Perlin, and Coco at the train station, their friends and family coming to see them off.

"Wanna go!" shouted a distraught Larksong as she clung tightly to her brother. "Wanna go with Big Bro!"

"Larksong, it's only going to be for two weeks," said Fluttershy quietly, gently trying to pry her daughter off of Dawn, though she noted with no small amount of amusement that Dawn seemed quite reluctant to let go as well.

"Make sure ya don't get yerself in trouble over there," said Apple Bloom, exchanging a hug with Scootaloo. "Ah wanna make sure the weather's nice and cold over the wintersilk grove. Yer the pony Ah trust to do that."

"I thought that kind of work was Flitter's specialty," said Scootaloo with a snort. "She's an expert at positioning the clouds just so."

Apple Bloom frowned at her friend. "Ya know Flitter hates handlin' them snow clouds. Ah hope ya ain't gonna let them force that on her."

"Of course not," said Scootaloo.

Nearby, Coco and Perlin were also saying their goodbyes.

"Have a wonderful time, dear," said Rarity, hugging Coco tightly. "I'm sure that you and your coltfriend will find it a most romantic experience."

"Thank you," said Coco, blushing slightly.

"Could you do me a favor and say hello to my parents for me while you're there?" asked Flaxseed as he came to stand next to his wife.

"Of course," said Coco, nodding.

Rarity turned her gaze, now stern, on Perlin. "And I trust you to take good care of my dear Coco."

"Naturally," said Perlin without batting an eyelash.

Fluttershy finally managed to pry Larksong away from Dawn. With a small laugh, she hugged the filly to her and leaned over to kiss Dawn's cheek. "Have a good time," she said.

"I will," said Dawn, smiling back and then kissing her as well.

A few minutes later, the train pulled into the station. Dawn, Scootaloo, Coco, and Perlin gathered up their luggage, of which there wasn't very much, and boarded the train. Unlike Rarity, Coco was more than willing to travel light if the situation did not require her to bring the implements of her business with her. The four of them presented their tickets and settled into their compartment, relaxing as the train got underway.

"Do you still get sick from train food?" asked Perlin, smirking at Dawn, remembering their journey to Diamond Mountain.

"I'd like to think I've acclimated," replied Dawn.

"Oh quit poking each other," said Scootaloo with an amused snort. She glanced sidelong at Coco. "We're gonna have to keep an eye on them for the entire trip, aren't we?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," said Coco with a giggle. "Boys will be boys after all."

"I guess," said Scootaloo.

The train rattled along the tracks and the four friends conversed quietly, enjoying their time together.

"So have you figured out what you're going to do?" asked Scootaloo, looking at Perlin curiously.

"Well..." Perlin looked down at the floor. "I've thought about it, but I haven't arrived at any conclusions yet. I still don't know what exactly to use my skills for."

"In the meantime, Rarity suggested I hire him as my bodyguard," said Coco.

Scootaloo laughed. "Your bodyguard coltfriend, that's so cute and classic."

"Ideally, you wouldn't be in a relationship yet and you'd fall in love while he was defending your life," added Dawn with a wry smile.

"Yes...well this isn't a storybook," said Perlin, smiling back. "In real life, such things occasionally happen out of order. I've also had offers from the Flash Sentry. He says I might even be able to be inducted directly into the SES."

"That would be a privilege," said Dawn.

"But I'm not sure about it," said Perlin. "Coco and I have already waited for so long, I don't really want to leave her again, especially not so soon."

"Then take your time," said Dawn. "I'm sure that your path will ultimately reveal itself to you, even if that is merely remaining where you are. Even great warriors retire, assuming they live long enough. You've seen enough of the warrior's life to warrant that if you wanted to."

"I suppose," said Perlin. "I still feel a bit restless. I'm not sure that retirement would leave me content yet."

Dawn shrugged. "You'll know sooner or later."

"Any thoughts?" asked Scootaloo, looking to Coco.

"I'm happy to have Perlin as my guard," said Coco fondly, leaning over to nuzzle him. "Our business is growing. We're even branching out into other countries. Rarity's been looking at expanding to Saddle Arabia and even a few griffon aeries we think might accept a business run by ponies, though we'll also be looking for griffon designers to market to them."

"Such expansions sometimes create friction," said Perlin. "There are ponies who will be jealous of Ms. Rarity's success and seek to stymie her growth by any means necessary. Some griffons would see such expansion as an intrusion and react violently. There are also a few groups in Saddle Arabia that would object.

"Rarity and Coco will be making trips to these locations at some time or another, which would leave them vulnerable. I'd be more than happy to accompany them to ensure that nothing happens."

"That might be a fine calling for you," said Dawn. "Seeking to keep the ones you love safe is a fine aspiration."

Scootaloo nodded in agreement.

"What about you?" asked Coco, looking at Scootaloo. "Are you planning on joining the Wonderbolts, like Rainbow?"

"Maybe," said Scootaloo. "I've been thinking about that, but I'm not completely sure. I like the idea of flying alongside Rainbow, doing shows or fighting alongside her if we have to go into battle. But, at the same time..."

"You feel like you might prefer to have a line of work that affords you more autonomy," said Perlin.

Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah. I kinda like the idea of sticking with the Weather Team for the time being. It's a steady job that'll give me more than enough for a good life."

"While serving as a suitable cover for a more covert profession," observed Perlin, giving her a small smile. "I see you've been thinking about what Spitfire and Firefly have been saying very carefully."

Scootaloo nodded. She looked at Dawn. "We've both been thinking about it. We're not sure, but I feel that I'm leaning in that direction."

"And you're not?" asked Perlin, turning his attention to Dawn.

Dawn shrugged. "I've...considered it. However, I'm not certain that's the kind of life I want. I've had growing obligations lately. Now I'm going to be working with Ms. Cheerilee and Ponyville's foals. If Spitfire approves, I might end up to working with foals in flight camps. That kind of work takes commitment."

"I wonder if commitment is the only reason," mused Perlin, eying Dawn carefully. The younger stallion shifted his gaze to the window.

"Hey, don't worry about it," said Scootaloo, gently bumping her shoulder against Dawn's. "We're going on vacation for crying out loud. Let's not waste a ton of time worrying about big stuff. Let's just have a good time."

"That's right," said Coco, leaning against Perlin's side. "We can worry about your futures later."

Perlin nodded and extended a wing, wrapping it around Coco and hugging her against him.

The train rattled on through the night, making a few more stops along the way. The travelers pulled out the beds in their compartments and settled in to sleep. Scootaloo snuggled up against Dawn and sighed in contentment as she drifted off to sleep in his arms. Coco likewise tucked herself up against Perlin, who enfolded her in his wings. Their journey continued on through the night.

Author's Note

The title was originally different, but I decided I couldn't resist the shout out. I considered having Dawn make a speech where the listeners wouldn't be able to work out whether they'd been complimented or insulted, but I decided not to.

And thus begins the final, very brief arc of the story. We're getting near the end here, folks.

Next chapter: Perlin and Dawn decide to reenact some good old times.

Dancing Along the Line

Chapter 22: Dancing Along the Line

Scootaloo didn't need to say anything. When Dawn and Perlin started moving, everypony saw it. Only a second before, there had been nothing. Then, without the slightest pretext or warning, she saw a faint blurring of motion from Dawn and both he and Perlin were swallowed up by the massive whirlwind he'd created. The swirling vortex drew up water from the ocean below, transforming into a vicious waterspout that climbed up into the sky.

"My word!"

Scootaloo grinned, just barely catching the Mayor's gasp over the roar of wind and water. A second later, the waterspout exploded outward, shattering and scattering a rain of water for miles around. The spectators gathered along the cape sputtered in surprise as they were hit with a stinging, salty spray. Scootaloo flicked her free wing, creating a slight buffer to deflect the water coming at her and Coco, expanding it to encompass the Mayor, for politeness' sake.

Where the ocean had been smooth almost to the point of being like a glass mirror a few seconds earlier, ferocious waves now roared, crashing up against the cliffs, throwing even more sprays of white into the air. Meanwhile, out over the sea, where the waterspout had first emerged, thunder cracked and lightning flashed in a cloudless, blue sky.

The powerful tornado swept Perlin into it before he could even react. There had been no warning, no rise of intent before Dawn had gone into motion. One second, the younger stallion had been still, the next he'd seemingly turned the world upside down. The winds dragged Perlin inwards. He had the presence of mind to know better than to fight them, riding the currents, letting them carry his body.

His eyes picked up a flash of motion off to one side. He whipped around, one wing flashing out. There was Dawn, doing much the same thing. Dawn had extended one wing, which was surrounded by a shining haze that seemed to extend outward. Perlin's wing blazed with light, even as the air around it turned darker by comparison. He clashed with the shining hammer of wind Dawn wielded, the impact between the two of them creating a shockwave that exploded outward, obliterating the massive tornado Dawn had created in an instant.

Perlin was sent scudding backwards through the air. As he did, he swept his wings around him, detaching his feathers. They vanished into rifts cleaved through space itself, emerging all around Dawn, closing in around him from all sides, shining brilliantly as they cut swaths of darkness through the air. Though there should have been no space for evasion, Dawn's body seemed to blur and become indistinct, flowing between the blades. He slipped out of Perlin's enclosure-style attack with seemingly perfect ease, coming out in a roll and sweeping one wing up at Perlin. Arcs of white electricity crawled across its surface, converging down to focus at the tip of this leading primary.

The orb of condensed energy exploded outward with a crack like thunder, an upsweeping wave of energy that threatened to take Perlin from below. Perlin flicked one wing off to his side, sliding into the rift he'd carved. He emerged off to the side and slightly behind Dawn, one wing already poised to attack. However, Dawn continued his roll, bringing his opposite wing around another shining orb of light hovering at its very tip. Dawn jabbed it at Perlin and the light extended into a lance of concentrated energy, charging towards Perlin like a spear, sending another crack of thunder ahead of it.

Perlin's body blurred as he swung his wing across him, moving it so fast that the appendage itself released a small boom. The line of darkness it cleaved through the air intensified directly in the path of Dawn's attack, suddenly exploding outward in a sphere of pitch-black. Dawn's shining lance impacted that sphere and was seemingly sucked down within it, vanishing from the world.

"That's a new trick," observed Dawn.

Perlin smiled. "I've had years now to plumb the depths of what my wings can do. I'm constantly discovering new things about them."

"Then please show me all that you have learned," said Dawn with an eager smile as he snapped his wings outward, lightning once again crawling across their surfaces.

"Gladly," replied Perlin, several of his feathers detaching once again.

This time, the lightning on Dawn's wings condensed into six separate orbs that floated up to hover in an arcing formation above his back. A sweep of his wing sent them whirling in a circular path around his body. Across from him, Perlin's detached feathers vanished into spatial rifts and emerged in circular spinning formations in front of him, their tips pointed outwards and their quills pointed inwards. They spun rapidly in place, forming shining circles of light within wider disks of darkness.

Dawn surged forward, a sweep of his wings sending the white orbs of lightning flying at Perlin, their paths twisting and curving along multiple vectors, as though they were dandelion seeds being carried upon swirling gale-force winds. Perlin tilted his wings and twisted his body, the movement translating itself to the feather formations in front of them, their positions changing to meet the paths of Dawn's attacks. Their rotation intensified even further and low booms echoed through the air as orbs of darkness erupted into being in front of them, swallowing Dawn's plasma orbs and erasing them.

Perlin's feathers scattered before quickly retreating back into his wings. It was just in time. The miniature pseudo-black holes had not merely swallowed Dawn's attack, they'd actually created a powerful pull that yanked Dawn straight towards their position like he was attached to a tether. Now Perlin surged forward, riding the pull of his own attack from the opposite side, the residual effects of it bringing the two young stallions together once again.

Dawn didn't try to resist the pull. Instead, he used it to lend momentum to his movements as he once again kneaded the air around his wing, condensing it in, infusing it with his will and the image in his heart and mind, the image of a shining wind that would wipe away everything before him. Perlin met him head-on, his own wing shining brilliantly, leaving a path of shadow as he swept it before him to meet Dawn's attack. Perlin's wing accelerated sharply, the motion approaching the speed of sound. An ebony void, a violation of the laws of nature and existence, swept out like a wave, meeting Dawn's shining wind. The waves of black and white met and exploded across the sky with a roar.

Down below the two combatants, the surface of the ocean pressed down and exploded outward, throwing up sprays of white froth in every direction. Above the them the sky itself seemed to fracture.

"This is madness!" said the Mayor, having to yell to be heard over the surging crash of waves against the shore and the echoing booms of thunder as white and black exploded in the air above the sea.

"We warned ya," said Scootaloo a trifle smugly.

All around them, ponies were shouting in surprise and amazement, some in fear. Ponies who'd come expecting to enjoy a leisurely picnic while they watched the match were forced to hurriedly pack away their blankets and food. A few of them were too late and Scootaloo saw a couple blankets yanked up by the wind and sent sailing across the cape before they fell down into the waters of the bay on the other side. Likewise, a few baskets of food were scattered across the park as their owners scrambled to clean them up.

Even though, at this distance, the winds weren't large enough to dislodge a pony, more than a few spectators were hunkered low against the ground. Some were even clinging tightly to the trunks of trees or the poles of pavilions. Others huddled behind benches. All around, manes were damp with seawater as each new exchange between Dawn and Perlin threw up new waves, making the ocean seem to boil at times. Only Scootaloo, Coco, and the Mayor were still dry, shielded by the wind barrier Scootaloo had put up in order to deflect the spray.

"They're monsters!" gasped the Mayor.

"Hey, that's my coltfriend you're talking about," said Scootaloo, flicking her eyes in a sharp glare at the Mayor, who flinched. "And Perlin is Coco's coltfriend."

"My apologies," said the Mayor. "That was quite rude of me. I'm sorry to have doubted their statements about their skills. Otherwise I would have urged the spectators to take quite a few more precautions."

"They know not to do anything that would get anypony over here hurt," said Coco softly, giving the Mayor a gentle smile. "Though I'm afraid there might be a few complaints about lost property later."

"I'm afraid I opened myself up for that," said the Mayor, casting her gaze around to take in the ponies scrambling to recover scattered items before the next surge of wind sent them flying away altogether.

Scootaloo opened her mouth to say something more. However, she completely forgot what she was going to see as white and black exploded outward, two halves of a sphere that seemed to be pushing against one another. The sea and the sky seemed to split entirely. The force of the explosion was such that even Scootaloo was almost overwhelmed, barely managing to strengthen the wind buffer she'd created as an even more intense barrage of spray washed over the cape. The explosion vanished and the split seas rushed back inwards, collapsing together and unleashing a jet of white foam upwards with a low roar of its own.

"That was something else," said Scootaloo, grinning wryly at the Mayor.

Light and darkness faded from the sky. Dawn emerged unscathed, his entire world surrounded by a torrent of swirling air that obscured everything from view. The light from the explosion had been such that he'd been force to squeeze his eyes shut to avoid being blinded. However, even now that they'd faded, his vision was still blurry and he couldn't catch sight of Perlin. The winds roiled unceasingly around him, completely distorting everything.

Then Dawn felt the air split behind him, like a clean line suddenly drawn across countless random swirls on a page. Perlin emerged from the rift in a flat spin, a wing sweeping out to slash at Dawn's neck. Dawn's legs kicked out and he threw his entire body into a roll, sweeping up and around so that he was now above Perlin. In the course of his roll, he drew the swirling, turbulent winds around him, winding them around his body, adding to their force, infusing them with his will and magic so that, when he emerged from the roll, he directed a sweeping wing downward, unleashing the wind in the form of a spearlike tornado that thrust directly down at Perlin's back. Perlin, seeing Dawn's maneuver to escape his attack, continued his spin, barely bringing up his other wing, just in time for his shining appendage and the nimbus of darkness that surrounded it to meet Dawn's concentrated whirlwind as it stabbed down at him.

Perlin was driven down towards the ocean's surface. Gritting his teeth, Perlin strained against the whirlwind and let out a roar of his own, slashing upwards with the very wing that he was using to block Dawn's attack. A black line slashed up and along the length of the whirlwind, splitting it and scattering streamers of white across the sky. Dawn jumped to the side to avoid being split in the same way his own attack had been.

Perlin rolled over backwards righting himself and arresting his fall barely above the surface of the water. The surging waves actually lapped at the tips of his hooves before he launched himself skywards with a mighty sweep of his wings. Dawn dove down to meet him, a white haze clinging to his wings. Just as the two of them were about to collide, Perlin slashed one wing in front of him and disappeared into a rift, Dawn's attack blazing through the space he'd just vacated.

Through the air, Dawn felt another rift open up to one side of him. Whirling to meet it, Dawn swept one wing around in a circular motion, creating a swirling disk of shining wind that deflected the feathers that lanced out from the rift like arrows. At the same instant, another rift opened above Dawn. Perlin dropped out of the opening, descending towards Dawn's back, twisting his body around to bring his wing in a wide slash.

Dawn rotated his own body, using his wing to guide the same whirlwind he'd just used as a shield upwards so that it's edge collided with the feathers of Perlin's wing, buzzing against them like a circular saw. Behind it, Dawn went into a full roll, gathering as much air as he could around his opposite wing, infusing it with all his will and intent. Completing the roll, he thrust it upward, sending a shining column hammering up through the disk of his own shield, its trajectory forcing Perlin to use the recoil of his own attack to bounce away before it slammed into his head. In the same movement, he slashed the wing opposite his attacking one out behind him and vanished into yet another rift.

He emerged almost immediately a little below Dawn. However, Dawn could sense that the feathers of one of his wings were missing and immediately directed a wave of charged air behind him, deflecting the feathers as they slashed out at him from more rifts. At the same time, Perlin slashed upward with his wing, sending a wave of darkness washing out towards Dawn. Dawn lunged forward, sweeping his wings ahead of him so that his primaries pointed out in front of his head. A massive, shining column of air and light slammed into the edge of Perlin's slash and another explosion rocked the combatants, sending them tumbling away from one another again.

As Dawn allowed his momentum to play out and righted himself, he smiled, realizing just how much he'd missed this sensation, the feeling of testing himself against an equally strong opponent. However, he couldn't afford to lose himself in the wave of nostalgia as Perlin emerged from a rift behind him.

"This is all stuff I've seen before," teased Perlin with a grin as the feathers of his attacking wing blazed brilliantly and seemed to stretch outward toward Dawn as he stabbed the appendage at him. "Show me something new."

Dawn smiled back and flicked his wing. Perlin caught several flashes of light out of the corner of his eye. He went into a rapid roll, surrounding himself in a spiral of darkness and using both his wings to deflect a rapid series of attacks that clashed against the shining feathers of Dark Matter. Amidst all of that, Dawn charged straight at Perlin, thrusting at him with the feather of one wing in a motion that was eerily similar to the one Perlin had been using just before. Just like Perlin, the feathers of Dawn's wings seemed to shine, though from their own luminance, rather than light drawn out of the air, lengthening and stretching out towards Perlin, threatening to impale him.

Perlin swiped up one wing, managing to deflect the attack. However, the force behind the blow knocked him backwards, sending him tumbling across the sky. Coming out of it, Perlin gaped as he stared at Dawn.

Dawn's feathers and wings hadn't changed at all. Rather, it was as though Dawn had sprouted additional feathers, feathers forged from pure light (most likely plasma). They sprouted from the spaces between Dawn's outstretched primaries and secondaries, with additional rows fanning out through the air behind those and even more hovering in layers both above and below them, giving the impression that Dawn had suddenly sprouted several extra wings, wings composed almost entirely of magic and will.

"The Wings of Light?" asked Perlin, stunned by the sight. The Wings of Light, the pinnacle of pegasus magic, was a technique that had only been mastered by two ponies in Equestria. Dawn was not supposed to be one of those ponies.

"Not exactly," replied Dawn, not bothering to hide his smirk. "You might call this my critique of that technique."

Perlin found himself grinning again. "Now this is what I'm talking about!" he said eagerly. "Show me what you can do!"

"Gladly," replied Dawn.

He and Perlin surged towards each other once more. The feathers of light seemed to swarm about Dawn's wings and then scatter on the wind. However, that lasted less than a second before they converged on Perlin slashing through the air like blades, coming at him from nearly every conceivable angle.

That's no good, thought Perlin in amusement, slashing the air in front of him and vanishing into a rift. His technique allowed him to ignore one of the most important issues of combat, the passage through space. While it behaved differently, his technique had a similar function to a unicorn's teleportation spell. It allowed him to move from one point to another without passing through the intervening space. Closing off every angle of escape to try and confine him would not work, because his technique allowed him to create an angle of escape that did not naturally exist within the world.

Perlin danced out of the rift off to Dawn's left, aiming to attack him while he was busy directing his feathers of shaped plasma on the attack. However, as Perlin emerged from the rift, his eyes widened as he saw the feathers converging on him, almost to the point of striking him already, as though he hadn't moved an inch when he'd dodged.

Sweeping his wings out, Perlin detached his feathers on both of them, sending them out through rifts of their own, where they emerged on a variety of paths to counter Dawn's feathers. Light trailing darkness met humming plasma and the air was filled with the cracks of electrical discharge and the claps of thunder. Dawn's light feathers did not dissipate upon being countered, but were knocked away. However, to Perlin's amazement, more feathers swept in, moving almost like wind-blown leaves, homing in on his body with incredible speed.

Desperate to avoid them, Perlin recalled his feathers and dove through another rift, barely managing to escape before the humming blades cut into his flesh. He emerged again, only to find that more of Dawn's plasma feathers were already swirling about him and closing in, their motion once again reminding him of leaves caught on a gale.

Perlin went into a rapid spin, using his wings to bat away the feathers as they came at him. However, more of them seemed to converge on him in their place. As he fended them off, Perlin caught sight of the feathers he'd deflected actually circling back around and coming back at him. If anything, he felt as though he were caught in the center of a whirlwind that was always drawing the shining blades back to him.

A surge of much more substantial motion drew Perlin's attention and he saw Dawn coming right at him, even more feathers forged from that shining plasma formed up around his wings, forming several extra rows extending from his regular feathers. As Dawn passed through the scattered feathers that had been attacking Perlin from a variety of angles, they were drawn back towards him, forming up above and below Dawn's wings, actually making him seem to grow two extra pairs of wings in the process.

I suppose he probably wouldn't be flattered if I pointed out that he looks somewhat like Wight Shade now, thought Perlin wryly. On the other hoof, that might be where he got the idea from.

Perlin released his own feathers, sending them off through rifts in space to attack Dawn from different directions. Just as he expected, Dawn's extra wings whipped around, easily deflecting the incoming strikes and confirming Perlin's suspicions. I don't believe it! What Wight Shade did with his unique magic, Dawn's managed to do with pure technique.

The brilliant mage and architect of Perlin's wings had created more than just the appendages on Perlin's back. Wight Shade's primary weapons had been a sextet of wings built from feathers of Dark Matter to act both offensively and defensively for him. Because Wight himself was not particularly skilled in combat, he had used his magic to create an auto-defense program for his wings, allowing them to respond to attacks and aggressors, even if Wight himself was unaware of them. The responses written into the magic of the program surpassed even a master martial artist's reflexes in terms of sheer speed.

Dawn's feathers of solidified plasma were probably governed by Dawn's wind-sense, responding to the electric potential difference created by shifting air currents that allowed them to automatically trace a path towards their target or incoming attacks. They reacted automatically when Perlin emerged from one of his rifts, even faster than Dawn normally did, riding the currents of air Perlin himself created to close in on him.

Perlin found himself grinning as Dawn lunged at him with his physical wings, sweeping those rows of blazing feathers at him in an imitation of Perlin's own attack. Perlin responded by actually mimicking one of Dawn's attacks, sweeping one wing around in a wide arc, putting the force of his entire body behind the motion. His feathers left a black line in their wake. At the apex of his swing, when the speed and force behind the motion were at their highest, that line exploded outward into a black void that swallowed the feathers of light that Dawn had created, disintegrating them completely. In fact, the extra wings of those feathers on the right side of Dawn's body vanished as well.

If Dawn was surprised by what his opponent had done, he didn't show it. Instead, he immediately attacked with all the feathers on his left side, including the two extra wings on that side. Almost as though he were answering Perlin's imitation of his technique, Dawn swept his right wing, which had been stretched forward to attack Perlin, around and back in a wide arc, twisting to put the force of his body behind the motion. However, he did it at an angle so that the resulting whirlwind extended directly towards Perlin like a massive, whirling spear. The wind drew in all those plasma feathers that Dawn had created, merging them together and then merging them with the wind itself, transforming it into a tornado of crackling energy and light, something that seemed to sit somewhere between fire and wind, blazing white as it accelerated at Perlin, producing its own sonic boom in the process.

Perlin went into a rapid roll, spinning his body along the axis of his spine over and over, going faster with each revolution. As he did so, he released the feathers on his wings with sharp sweeping motions. The feathers, shining from the light they drew in from the air around them, emerged in a circular formation, like the spokes of a wheel, directly between Perlin and the incoming attack. For the briefest of instants, they shined together inside a larger disk of pitch black, the image of a star twinkling in the night sky before they vanished and another spherical, black void exploded outwards, swallowing the force of Dawn's attack, breaking it down completely as the alien laws that governed Perlin's Dark Matter mixed with the laws of the mundane world and clashed against the force of Dawn's will and magic, which were able to evoke otherworldly phenomena of their own.

The black orb shattered like glass, the pieces of darkness scattering before resolving back into Perlin's feathers, which quickly retracted back through rifts and returned to Perlin's wings. However, behind that first wheel of feathers Perlin had defended himself with was a second one that had been spinning in the opposite direction. A second, smaller void burst into being. However, having none of Dawn's attacks to draw in, it abruptly collapsed upon itself. The black orb shrank into a black dot, taking Perlin's feathers with it. There was a brilliant, blinding flash from the point where it had been, like the strobe of a camera, but millions of times brighter, even brighter than the sun itself. It lasted for less than a second, but the flash completely blinded Dawn, who hadn't been prepared for its emergence. Back on the cape, the onlookers who had been trying to keep up with the battle found themselves dazzled by the flash as well.

However, that was only the beginning of what Perlin had unleashed. The flash blinded Dawn, but that was the least of his worries as his wind sense told him that it was accompanied by a massive explosion that sent a shockwave rushing straight at him. The force of the attack was so great that the resulting blast pressed down the surface of the ocean below into a bowl shape even as it rushed straight for Dawn.

There was no time to think, no time to analyze the attack. The energy that had been released was of some indefinite nature. It was all but invisible to the naked eye, save for the faint ripple caused by the refraction of light resulting from the bow-wave of compressed air the explosion pushed ahead of itself. Even that was moving at supersonic velocity...not that Dawn would have seen anything, given that he was still blinded by the flash of light that had accompanied the explosion.

Dawn reacted automatically, sweeping his wing out vertically, the feathers splayed out as he slashed it through the air like a blade. A crescent-shaped wave of pure white stretched out from his feathers, meeting the shockwave of Perlin's attack and splitting it in two. Down below, the concavity in the ocean split as well, forming a pair of trenches in the water that flowed around Dawn on either side.

Perlin had been sent spinning and flipping by the recoil of his own attack. It was one that he'd experimented with in the past, but was unable to practice extensively, particularly because it required him to sacrifice some of his feathers to execute. While the feathers would grow back eventually, it ultimately hampered him if he couldn't take down his enemy with the attack itself, reducing his effectiveness for the remainder of the fight.

Though he was whirling around, Perlin saw the ebony blur of Dawn as he closed in. Relaxing his body, Perlin cooperated with his own spin, bringing it back under control and coming out of it, just as Dawn came into striking distance, a shining white wind gathered at the tip of one of his wings. Perlin met Dawn's wind with his own feathers, which drew light out of the air around them. They met as the concavity in the ocean created by Perlin's attack flowed closed, throwing up a towering wave of white spray that nearly reached the two fighters themselves. They collided together before separating, then coming back together again, dancing through the skies, leaving ripples of distortion and motes of dancing light in their wake as they exchanged blows at a pace that was impossible for the untrained eye to follow.

Neither of them spoke. Neither of them even thought about what they were doing. Their surroundings, their audience, even their loved ones in said audience all dropped away, leaving nothing but the two of them, dancing alone in the endless sky. The excitement of battle, the sensation of dancing along the line between life and death made their veins and bones thrum with excitement. A second's indecision, an instant's miscalculation, anything could spell instant death for one or the other of them. Yet, in that very moment, they never felt more alive.

They reared back, shining wind gathering around Dawn's feathers as he surged forward, sweeping his wing back in a wide arc, putting the force of his whole body behind it. Perlin met him head-on, a wave of black erupting from his wing as he ironically mimicked Dawn's motions. Their attacks collided, forming a twisting column of white and black that only vaguely resembled a tornado, but took on strange, otherworldly connotations as the water drawn in by it seemed to evaporate into nothingness, the column stabbing straight down to the ocean floor. It cracked and shattered like glass, leaving a momentary vertical tunnel stabbing straight down through the ocean, revealing the rocky seafloor below before the waters finally rushed in, sending a geyser of white spray rushing up as the two young stallions collided once more.

They froze in place. A shining blade of white plasma, extending out of Dawn's wing like an extra feather, rested less than an inch away from Perlin's throat. One of Perlin's feathers extended through a rift in space, emerging a similar distance away from Dawn's throat. Neither of them moved, their eyes locked with one another.

"Looks like a draw," said Dawn.

"I'm fine with that," replied Perlin.

By unspoken agreement, they both relaxed their wings. Dawn's plasma blade dissipated into the air, while Perlin retracted his feather through the rift he'd created. The two of them backed away from each other.

"That was fun," said Perlin cheerfully. "When was the last time we fought like that?"

"Canterlot," answered Dawn.

"Oh...right," said Perlin as they began their flight back to shore. "We should do this more often."

"Though we may want to find a different venue," said Dawn, sweeping his gaze across the cape to take in the stunned visages of their audience. "I think we left a rather troubling impression."

Perlin chuckled. "They were the ones who wanted to make an event out of it."

For a moment, Dawn was a bit worried about what kind of reception they would have, once the sense of stunned awe wore off. He wouldn't have been surprised if many of the ponies who had come to watch them that day were frightened or even petitioned the Mayor to ask them to leave. He was glad they'd decided to wait until the final day of their vacation before he and Perlin had fought.

As Dawn and Perlin drifted in, landing gently on the grass of the cape, the assembled ponies exploded into cheers and whistles, clopping the ground hard in a show of adulation that left both Dawn and Perlin stunned.

Perlin leaned over, smirking as he spoke to Dawn. "I think they liked it," he said.

Scootaloo and Coco rushed over to them. Scootaloo wrapped Dawn in a tight, enthusiastic hug before pulling back and kissing him fully on the lips. "That was awesome!" she exclaimed as she pulled back from the kiss.

"Thanks," replied Dawn.

Coco and Perlin were a bit more understated in sharing their affection. Coco pressed her neck against Perlin, gently nuzzling up its length, running her muzzle along the contours of his head and face, as though trying to reassure herself that he was all right. "It was beautiful to watch," she admitted when she pulled back. "You looked so happy out there."

"I was," said Perlin, leaning in to steal a quick kiss from Coco.

"I must say, that was quite the show," said the Mayor as she approached the group. "This has probably been the most exciting thing to happen to our little town since that hurricane two years back."

"An apt, if troubling comparison," said Dawn, raising an eyebrow as Scootaloo and Coco giggled.

Much to their relief, it appeared that nopony bore them any ill will over lost or destroyed property that had resulted from the fallout of the battle. The docks and the boats moored to them had been effectively sheltered by the cape. A few houses had lost shingles from the intense winds that had raged, but the worst of it had been abated by the harbor's sheltered location. Dawn, Perlin, Coco, and Scootaloo returned to the village proper, finding themselves to now be minor celebrities. They were the recipients of enthusiastic attention wherever they went. Ponies were happy to offer them free food and souvenirs. Dawn and Perlin wound up turning down quite a few invitations to various bars for free drinks, while Scootaloo made sure she headed off any mares who showed any definitive interest in the two young stallions, making it absolutely clear that they were already taken.

Worn out after the intense fight, Dawn and Perlin retired to the cottage with their fillyfriends for their final night in Gallopoli. As he laid in bed, Scootaloo curled up against him, Dawn stared at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Something on your mind?" asked Scootaloo.

"I was just thinking about the fight," said Dawn.

"Was it fun?"

Dawn smiled. "It was. I think it's the most fun I've had in a long time...not that being with you isn't fun. It's just different in a way. It felt good to be out there and to use everything I had against an opponent."

"I thought you were having fun too," said Scootaloo. "I can't wait until the day we can do that with each other. It makes me think..."

"Think of what?" asked Dawn.

"It makes me think about what Spitfire keeps talking to us about," said Scootaloo. "I mean, we've always considered it, becoming Knights. I've kinda wondered if it was the right thing for either of us. But...now..."

"Yeah," agreed Dawn, tightening his hold on her. "I think you might be right. Let's think it over some more and, hopefully, the next time we see Spitfire, we might have an answer for her."

"Right," said Scootaloo, tucking her head into Dawn's neck and drifting off.

The next day saw the four of them at the train station as the Mayor, along with quite a few of the townsponies, bade them an enthusiastic farewell. The Mayor made a point of inviting them back again, possibly for another fight. Dawn could tell she was hoping to make a regular event out of it, possibly even using it as a hook to attract more tourists. He wasn't sure he wanted to be a tourist attraction though, even temporarily.

They spent their time on the train chatting and resting, whiling the hours away as the train made its way back to Ponyville. Outside, the landscape changed, going from the warm climes around Gallopoli and back to the snow-covered scenery that decorated most of the rest of Equestria. After spending so much time enjoying the warmth and sunshine of the seaside town, it was a bit jarring to be reminded that the rest of Equestria was in the midst of winter. Dawn idly wished that they had scheduled a bit more time to spend in Gallopoli, though that wish vanished when their train pulled into the Ponyville station and he saw his family and friends lined up on the platform.

They were subjected to an enthusiastic greeting as Larksong leapt happily into Dawn's arms before quickly transferring her affections to Scootaloo. Rarity intercepted Coco and Perlin, already trying to grill them for the details of what they had done on their vacation, if the flushed looks on the two lovers' faces was any indication. Naturally, Pinkie Pie proposed a Welcome Back Party, though Dawn and the others were quick to dissuade her.

As they traded greetings with their friends and family, Dawn looked over at Scootaloo, who looked back at him. Their eyes met and Dawn sent a gentle breeze to caress Scootaloo's back. She returned the gesture and the two of them traded fond smiles before turning their full attention back to the others. Be it ever so jumbled, thought Dawn as he observed more of Pinkie's antics, there's no place like home.

Author's Note

I had been getting to the point in writing where I figured I wanted to throw in one last big action set piece for the heck of it. For Perlin's new tricks, I drew some inspiration from the Miroku clan from the GetBackers manga series.

I'll be heading to Austin tomorrow. With any luck, I'll have one more night to update. I may just go ahead and finish things off. After all, there's only one more chapter and the epilogue left and then I'm done.

Next chapter: The moment you've all been waiting for...I reveal Melon's boyfriend.

Life Goes On

Chapter 23: Life Goes On

The remainder of the season passed quite leisurely for Dawn, despite the fact that there was a swell of business in the teahouse, as many ponies craved a warm drink of spiced tea after time spent out in the bone-chilling cold. Scootaloo's season was a bit more frantic, as she was forced to spend her time working on setting up snowstorm after snowstorm.

Both of them were preoccupied with their thoughts on the matter of Spitfire's offer. Their families didn't fail to notice that Dawn began to spend more and more evenings at Scootaloo's house, the two of them talking, often late into the night.

Hearth's Warming came and went, followed by the Midwinter Gala that celebrated the longest night of the year. As usual, Twilight, along with her friends and their families, were invited to Canterlot to attend the festivities. It had been a couple of years since they had participated in the traditional Hearth's Warming pageant as actors. Celestia and Luna had decided that it was suitable for a different group of actors to display their talents at the show. Besides, with her wings, Twilight no longer fit in the classic Clover the Clever costume.

After an enjoyable few days spent in Canterlot, they returned to Ponyville for the remainder of the season. As per usual for events organized by Twilight, Winter Wrap-Up went like clockwork. There were some ponies, mostly from out of town, who protested the idea of a princess of Equestria organizing such an antiquated affair for an earth pony village. Just like every year, Twilight was all too happy to ignore them, happily stepping in to handle the logistics of the whole thing, assisted by Mayor Mare, who was all too happy to turn things over to Twilight. As it turned out, deferring to the authority of a Princess necessitated less paperwork, which made for happier bureaucrats all around.

Shortly after Winter Wrap-Up, Rumble and Sweetie Belle returned to Ponyville to begin setting up their special home for abused and neglected foals. Softhoof had given the pair her complete support, throwing the full weight of her authority behind the project. Rumble spent the next few weeks on the move around Equestria, looking at prospectives in orphanages, foster homes. At the same time, he was performing his duties as one of Softhoof's field agents, examining the situations of foals in their homes.

The arrival of spring also meant the beginning of the new school year and, with it, Dawn adopting his new role as a supplemental instructor for Ponyville Elementary, assisting young pegasi with exercising their wings and learning how to get off the ground. Dawn actually found himself reveling in the opportunity to nurture the young fliers. Before he even realized it, he was gravitating from facilitating an exercise in wing-development to full-on flight lessons, often at the request of grateful parents, who were more than happy to pay Dawn for his work. Realizing just how much he enjoyed this, Dawn soon began talking with Cheerilee and making plans to set up a Ponyville-based flight school.

The idea would take a few years to get off the ground, given that Dawn had no real pull or influence as an educator outside of Ponyville. However, Spitfire was willing to work with him to go through the necessary training, as well as building the necessary credentials. Dawn would probably spend several months out of the year teaching at a beginner-level flight school at first before successfully setting up his own flight school. But it was a start.

Before any of that, as summer rolled around, another major event took place, the dual weddings of Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash...which ponies had to be careful not to accidentally misconstrue as the wedding of Twilight Sparkle to Rainbow Dash (sadly, success on that front was somewhat limited, much to their embarrassment). Twilight would have preferred a quiet wedding in Ponyville, possibly out in the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. However, given it was effectively a Royal Wedding and the other mare getting married on the same day, in the same ceremony, was none other than Rainbow Dash of the Wonderbolts, and the chief organizers of said wedding and its following reception were none other than Rarity and Pinkie Pie, it was only natural that things quickly ballooned beyond Twilight's wildest expectations. Ponyville, for a brief couple of weeks, experienced a boom in population that temporarily catapulted to the position of third-most populated city in Equestria (despite still being a village according to all other forms of classification). Matters were not helped by the fact that Princess Cadance, her husband and daughter in tow, insisted on coming down from the Crystal Empire to officiate.

Any objections to the fact that Arkenstone, still known as the humble proprietor of a Ponyville teahouse to the vast majority of Equestrians, was marrying a princess were quickly swept away in the festival atmosphere that Pinkie stirred up, the excitement of her party cooling even the hottest of tempers and blunting the sharpest of tongues. There were plenty of ponies willing to wish them well, including a few of Arkenstone's fellow Knights, many of whom stopped by the pass on their blessings or (in Sunset Shimmer's case) taunts. Even Swift Stride visited, according to rumors anyway (as nopony actually saw him there), delivering a wedding gift for Twilight in the form of an exotic Zebrican tome unearthed from an ancient ruin that, much to Arkenstone's surprise and relief, was not booby-trapped in any way. It didn't do much to amend the mistrust Arkenstone had for the shifty stallion, especially considering that Swift was the chief suspect for placing the whoopie cushion on Arkenstone's seat at the reception, right before he finished his speech and sat down to an attentive audience (The subject was a matter of some debate as a few ponies opined that Rainbow Dash was looking suspiciously innocent at the time).1)

With all the hubbub surrounding Twilight's wedding, it would have been considered miraculous that Rainbow's wedding to Soarin' didn't fade into the background. Fortunately, Rainbow had her own advantages. She was escorted into the wedding with her own honor-guard of Wonderbolts, doing a ceremonial flyover before finally landing at the altar, looking spectacular in the blue wedding dress with gold embroidery laid out in a style matching her Wonderbolt uniform that Rarity had designed over weeks of painstaking effort (nopony dared to suggest that Rarity might have developed a few gray hairs in her mane as a consequence). As it was, her appearance lost no impact next to Twilight, resplendent in a pale, lilac-colored gown that shimmered and sparkled as though tiny stars had somehow been caught in the weave.

After Cadance gleefully performed her duties and married the two couples, the party was on. The central participants were invited into the large pavilion that had been raised in the open space between Sweet Apple Acres and Ponyville, while the rest of the celebration spilled out into the remainder of the town itself.

Amidst all the excitement and cheer, Dawn and Scootaloo settled into a corner of the pavilion that had been set aside by Pinkie for some of the quieter ponies in attendance. They sat at a table, snacking their way through the food they had fetched from the buffet tables while they watched the revelry, particularly as Twilight and Rainbow danced with Arkenstone and Soarin' to the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd, even switching partners for a brief bit.

"Pretty crazy, huh?" asked Scootaloo, smirking as she watched Rainbow whirl Soarin' around in a spin that took both of them in the air and had the poor stallion hanging on for dear life.

"I thought that was the norm for this place," said Dawn with a shrug.

"Think we'll ever go through that?" asked Scootaloo, looking on wistfully as Rainbow set Soarin' down and then pulled him into an enthusiastic kiss.

"I thought we'd been dancing before," said Dawn with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Stop that, you goof," said Scootaloo, giggling as she slugged him in the arm. "Marriage, I mean."

Dawn's expression turned contemplative. He turned his gaze to Twilight and Arkenstone as the two of them danced much more slowly with one another, leaning against one another, seemingly lost in their own world. "I...think we may," he said. "Unless, of course, you've been looking at other stallions while I'm not around."

"Of course not!" protested Scootaloo. "Like I'd ever cheat on you."

"I thought all mares still looked, whether they're in a committed relationship or not," said Dawn with a chuckle. "There's nothing wrong with looking, is there?"

"You dolt! It's stallions who are always looking." Scootaloo's eyes narrowed as she fixed Dawn with a playful smile of her own. "Or are you just saying all that because you want to justify the fact that you're looking when I'm not around?"

"I look, but no mare ever seems to compare favorably to you," replied Dawn.

Scootaloo faked gagging, letting her tongue hang out of her mouth. "Ugh...That was so sappy and cheesy. You've got to be the sappiest, cheesiest coltfriend ever."

"But still yours?" asked Dawn.

Scootaloo sighed and leaned up against him. "Yeah, still mine."

"So...should I be looking for a necklace then?" asked Dawn.

"Not yet," said Scootaloo, pulling back and tapping his rump with a tiny burst of compressed air, making him jolt in surprise. "We don't have to rush into anything. Look at how long Twilight and Arkenstone waited before getting hitched."

"Admittedly, that was accompanied by many complaints by ponies who were worried that a literal geologic age might pass before they actually went through with it," noted Dawn.

Scootaloo giggled. "True."

Dawn opened his mouth to say something more, but grunted as something...or rather, somepony...landed on his head, nearly driving his chin down into the plate of food set in front of him. "What are you talking about, Big Bro?" asked Larksong eagerly.

"Grownup pony stuff," said Dawn as he rolled his eyes upward to look at his little sister.

"Aww...that's boring," said Larksong. "Can we do something fun? Mom and Dad are too busy with Peppy."

Dawn glanced down the table, where Caramel and Fluttershy were carefully minding Pepita as he toddled along the table between them, moving from one parent to the other. Having only recently learned to walk, Pepita's family was most greatly concerned with him wandering off and getting into trouble, as his inquisitive nature seemed to naturally attract him to potentially troublesome situations when nopony was looking. He always seemed a little too fascinated with Caramel's kitchen implements for anypony to feel safe looking away from him in the house.

"Sure," said Dawn, glancing back up at his sister again. "Wedding or not, it's still a Pinkie Pie party. I'm sure she's got something fun set aside, just for ponies like you."

"Yay!" squealed Larksong, bouncing up so that she could clap her hooves together.

Scootaloo giggled and flicked her wings, launching herself up into a graceful roll and spin that allowed her to snatch Larksong off of Dawn's head. "What's this?" she teased. "You're not thinking of making secret plans with your big brother to run off and leave your big sister behind, are you?"

"Never!" shouted Larksong, her protest ending with a shriek as Scootaloo blew a raspberry into her belly.

"Well, come on then," said Scootaloo, tossing Larksong up before landing, using an updraft from her wings to slow the filly's fall so that she settled gently onto Scootaloo's back. "Let's go find some fun games. If you're a good filly, we'll even fly you later."

"Yay!" shouted Larksong.

Dawn smiled as he prepared to join Scootaloo and Larksong. An inquisitive coo drew his attention back to the table, where he saw Pepita looking at him with a pleading expression. "Did you want to come with us?" he asked, smiling as he approached his little brother, who had finally wandered past Fluttershy so that he was between his parents and Dawn.

"Ya!" shouted Pepita, settling back onto his haunches and raising his hooves. He was still getting the hang of that whole talking thing. But his intentions were plenty clear.

"Well, I'd never want to leave my favorite little brother out of the fun," said Dawn, taking Pepita off of the table and settling him between his wings.

"Have fun," said Fluttershy as she and Caramel leaned against each other, all too happy to have a moment to themselves, grateful that their eldest was more than willing to mind his younger siblings for them.

"We'll probably take them straight home and put them to bed when we're done," Dawn said as he traded nuzzles with his mother.

As he and Scootaloo set off, Fluttershy sighed and settled her weight against Caramel, wrapping her wing around him and nuzzling his cheek. She looked back at the rest of the reception, where Rainbow and Twilight were still having the time of their lives with their respective husbands. "I can see it already," she said.

"You mean when Dawn and Scootaloo are out there?" asked Caramel.

Fluttershy giggled. "Yes. Although, I suppose that's still a ways off. But I don't doubt that I'll see them there someday."

"Me too," said Caramel.

"By which point, the boy will finally be ready to move out of the house," commented a familiar voice that was practically sarcasm incarnate.

Fluttershy didn't bat an eyelid, merely sliding her placid gaze along until she beheld their visitor, a familiar-looking asymmetric creature seemingly stitched together from various animal parts. "Hello, Discord."

"Hello to you too," said Discord cheerfully.

"And will we see you out there too?' asked Caramel with a smirk, looking past discord to the other guest that joined them at the table, a familiar earth pony mare with an orange coat and fuchsia mane.

"Oh heavens no!" protested Discord, waving his paw and claw emphatically. "Marriage is not for me. It's so static and...committed and..."

"Oh?" asked Melon, smiling playfully as she nuzzled up against Discord's side. "Does that mean you're calling me static?"

"N-not at all, my dear," said Discord, shivering as Melon seemed to once again find that special spot...which should have been impossible as he kept moving it around.

"It looks to me like she's got you wrapped around your hoof," Caramel noted wryly.

Discord grinned and shrank down to a fraction of his size and curling around Melon's raised forehoof like a bizarre bracelet. "Lies, I tell you, lies!" his now-squeaky voice protested. "It's not an addiction! I can quit whenever I want!"

"Oh, I don't think you can," said Melon, leaning down and planting a kiss on the top of Discord's tiny head.

Caramel and Fluttershy laughed as Discord's minuscule cheeks burned red. It was a bit bizarre, and, perhaps fittingly for a living manifestation of chaos, completely unprecedented for Discord and Melon of all...creatures...to develop a relationship. It seemed like yesterday that, at Celestia's behest, Fluttershy and her family had supervised Discord's reformation. Much to the amazement of everypony, a part of that process had apparently included hitting it off with Scootaloo's mother of all ponies, something that Scootaloo herself still found unsettling to no end (which, of course, left Discord tickled pink, often literally).

Fluttershy leaned against Caramel with a happy sigh, content that she had everything she could ever hope for in life. As Discord and Melon continued to tease one another in the background, she settled down to watch the remainder of the reception as her friends celebrated this most momentous of days.

Author's Note

1) Pinkie Pie, while normally known as a prankster most prodigious, was also a stifling stickler for proper party protocol, which prohibited pranks by official organizers while working the wedding of her best buddies.

This chapter is brought to you by Denver International Airport, where I'm waiting for my flight to board. The security line was long, but moved really fast, which is nice. On the downside, it does mean that we essentially have two hours to cool our heels before our plane boards...Still better than waiting until the last minute, I suppose.

So...Why Discord? Because Discord for the most part. I mean, it was something completely out of left field with no real precedent in the series itself...which is appropriate, considering that it is Discord. That's my reason and I'm sticking to it. Now you know why Scootaloo finds her mom's new relationship weird as all get out.

Admittedly, this was a very short chapter, primarily because I was running out of things to write at this point. If I had gone through the trouble of fleshing out the task of Rumble and Sweetie setting up their new home for abused foals or Dawn going through the necessary hurdles to set up his new flight school, this story might have stretched on for another ten or so chapters...which might have been another installment. Granted, I imagine some of you might not complain, but I felt that future developments were largely procedural in nature, not really all that narratively engaging. So I figured this was as good a way as any to bring this series to a close. This final story ended up being a lot longer than I'd initially planned anyway.

Next chapter: Dawn and Scootaloo say "I do."

Epilogue

Epilogue:

Dawn Lightwing stared at his reflection in the mirror, wondering why he was even in this room. It wasn't as though he needed any more grooming than what he'd already done beforehoof. He supposed it was mostly for the sake of keeping him safely out of the way until preparations for the ceremony were complete. Still, he couldn't imagine a worse place to confine a pony as he was about to take one of the most important steps in his life. Isolating him in this tiny room instilled a feeling of claustrophobia that only served to magnify anxiety. Years of training kept him calm and relaxed, but he could easily understand why some ponies could lose their nerve if they were kept in a room like this.

The door opened behind him and Dawn found himself smiling as his mother walked in. Fluttershy still had yet to change much over the years, aging with the kind of grace and ease that left Rarity flabbergasted with jealousy. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and on her cheeks were a little deeper, her mane was slightly paler than he remembered the first day he'd ever encountered her, but, all in all, Fluttershy still remained the same pony who had taken Dawn in, given him a home and a family of his own.

"How are things going out there?" asked Dawn.

"Twilight says they're almost ready for you and Scootaloo," said Fluttershy, sidling up next to him and planting a kiss on his cheek. "I'm so proud of you," she said in a whisper as she leaned up against him, a gesture Dawn was happy to return.

"Thank you," said Dawn.

"Are you nervous?" asked Fluttershy. "I know you and Scootaloo talked a lot before deciding, but..."

"We'll be fine," said Dawn. "We're absolutely certain about this."

"That's good," said Fluttershy.

"Are you worried?" asked Dawn.

"Of course I am," said Fluttershy. "As long as you're my son, which will be always, I'll always worry about you, Scootaloo too. And this is something you used to be so unsure about."

"Thank you," said Dawn.

"Although," said Fluttershy, "I think Princess Celestia's the most anxious. She said all the times she's performed this ceremony, she's never had such a large audience before."

"I guess there are quite a few precedents being set," noted Dawn. "How's Scootaloo doing?"

"Melon says that Scootaloo's doing just fine. She has Larksong to keep her company."

Dawn grinned. "That's good. I still don't get why they're keeping us separate. It's not like they can claim it's tradition."

Fluttershy giggled. "Well, Princess Celestia did say she wanted you two to reflect separately on your decision."

"And yet she lets all of you come and visit us as you wish," Dawn pointed out.

Fluttershy shrugged. "That's just what she said. Maybe she has other reasons."

Dawn nodded and turned back to the mirror. Fluttershy raised a hoof and gently stroked it along his mane. "You'll be fine," she said, "you and Scootaloo both, so long as you have each other."

Dawn nodded and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before letting it out, letting the exhalation carry all his concerns and worries out of him, dispersing them in the air. His mother's presence by his side carried a reassuring warmth to it that almost lulled him to sleep. She stayed with him, saying nothing more, the two of them needing no more words between them as the time seemed to slip away until, finally, Caramel knocked at the frame of the door.

"They're ready," he said.

Dawn smiled and nodded at him. Fluttershy planted another kiss on his cheek before heading out with her husband. Dawn took one more deep breath and walked out on his own. By all rights, he should have been grateful that he didn't need to wear anything. But having a suit with a collar and maybe a tie to fiddle with would have been nice, giving him something to fidget over.

As he came out of his room, his eyes met Scootaloo's across from him. As usual, Dawn felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of her as her glimmering eyes met his own and her face blossomed into a smile that was equal parts affectionate and mischievous. They met outside the doors of Luna's audience chamber with a kiss, gently nuzzling each other and taking a moment to simply wrap themselves up in their own little world briefly before turning their concerns to the larger one beyond.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey yourself," she retorted. "You ready for this?"

"As I'll ever be," said Dawn.

"Let's do it then," she said.

Together, they opened the doors and stepped into the soft lighting of Luna's audience chamber, the dark, granite walls seeming to absorb most of the light cast off by the torches and chandeliers, giving the room a cavelike ambiance that was warm and comforting, like a thick, downy comforter on a cold winter's night. Just being in the room was generally enough to make a pony's eyes droop, which made staying on alert an exercise in discipline, something they both needed for what they were about to undertake.

Ahead of them, Celestia and Luna awaited on the dais, dressed in their full regalia. Twilight Sparkle, wearing magenta armor crafted from the arcanasteel ring she wore, stood a little to Celestia's left and behind, more of an observer than a participant. Beside her waited Arkenstone, his posture so relaxed that, combined with his perpetually closed eyes, one could imagine that he'd fallen asleep standing up. Straining his ears, Dawn swore he heard something that sounded faintly like snoring coming from the blind stallion and wondered if he actually had.

Fluttershy and Caramel waited off to the right of the room from where Dawn and Scootaloo had entered. With them stood Larksong, now well through her time at Ponyville Elementary. Even at this fairly young age, she was already showing the full measure of her mother's genes, somewhat taller than most other ponies her age, but with a slender, graceful build, and a rich, flowing auburn mane and tail. His heart swelled with pride as he saw the image on her flank, a pink lightning bolt topped with the head of a microphone. Larksong had been amazingly quick to discover her passion, as she realized she absolutely loved singing, which was supported by her clear, lilting voice, another thing she'd inherited from her mother.

Her talent, combined with her warm, friendly, and caring personality had made her one of the most popular ponies in class, a popularity that, Dawn was amazed to note, never seemed to go to her head as she used her position to promote one of the most harmonious and well-behaved classes that Cheerilee had ever had the pleasure to teach.

Between Caramel's forelegs stood Pepita with his green coat and dark-green mane, watching everything with alert interest. Ever curious and inquisitive, Pepita was remarkably quiet and observant for a colt his age, always investigating something or other, usually something that involved food. He'd grown into the habit of experimenting with his food at dinner, mashing different parts of the meal together on the plate before trying them, which didn't always turn out for the best. Still, Caramel was already excited for the day when Pepita would be old enough to try his hoof at cooking.

Beside Dawn's family stood Scootaloo's mother, watching with tears in her eyes as Scootaloo and Dawn made their way into the the room. Though he was nowhere to be seen, Dawn was certain that her boyfriend, the strange and mercurial draconequess, was somewhere close by. Both Dawn and Scootaloo had worried that Discord would ultimately grow tired of a relationship with a single pony, yet the mismatched couple showed no signs of growing apart.

Beside Melon was Rainbow Dash, standing tall with her husband. Rainbow was dressed in her Wonderbolt mail, beaming at her honorary little sister as Scootaloo came past. Rainbow wore her mane surprisingly long these days. Like Fluttershy, she showed few real signs of aging. Her performance as a Wonderbolt had yet to flag in the slightest.

Next to Rainbow and Soarin' were Rumble and Sweetie Belle, both grinning in excitement. Their project, opening a home for traumatized orphans in Ponyville, had been a resounding success and the Ministry of Welfare was already planning opening additional homes in other towns across Equestria. Together, the two of them had changed the lives of numerous foals for the better, placing them in a loving, caring environment where their wounds, both physical and mental, could be healed and they could grow up to live full and productive lives.

Down from them was Rumble's family. Cloud Chaser and Thunderlane shifted slightly uncomfortably, clearly wondering if they should be here. Compared to them, Flitter and her husband, Storm Front were considerably more settled. Storm's stance was a little lopsided, courtesy of his leg brace. Despite that, he looked comfortable and at ease, which made Dawn glad, worried that the trip might have been a bit too much, given Storm's physical state, as he'd never fully recovered from the battle that had essentially crippled him several years ago.

On the left side of the room were Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack, accompanied by their respective spouses. Applejack even cradled the small bundle that was her recently-born daughter. Beside them stood Big Macintosh, Ditzy Doo, Dinky, along with Ditzy and Mac's new son, a year younger than Pepita. All of them were watching with excited smiles on their faces.

Next to them were Spike and Apple Bloom, both waiting eagerly. Now that she’d finished her apprenticeship, Bloom had become a highly-sought after craftsmare, building everything from furniture pieces to entire buildings. Surprisingly, her expertise was especially sought after by ponies seeking to rebuild towns that had suffered from natural disasters, jobs that Bloom often took without regard for pay, though she was sufficiently successful that it didn’t cause her any financial issues. She had even built a new home for her and Spike on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres nearest Ponyville, allowing Bloom to continue her business and help her family with the farm, while Spike had no issues acting as Twilight’s assistant.

After them were Cadance and Shining Armor, both watching with proud smiles as they divided their attention between the ceremony and attending to their own foal, who looked ready to rush off exploring the chamber the moment she had an opportunity.

Behind everypony on the left side, Dawn could make out Perlin as he hung in the background, accompanied by Coco Pommel. Perlin was clearly somewhat uncomfortable to be here. But Dawn counted him as a friend now and somepony he wanted to have with him on this day. Dawn's eyes met Perlin's and Dawn gave him a small nod, which Perlin returned.

Dawn and Scootaloo continued, making their way up the center of the room to the dais. Celestia and Luna stared down at them, their faces stern and resolute. Dawn and Scootaloo came to a stop right at the edge of the raised platform and looked up at the diarchs of Equestria, meeting their gazes firmly. Neither member of the couple bowed or offered a single gesture of deference.

Celestia took a deep breath before beginning. "Dawn Lightwing, Scootaloo...On this day, you shall enter into a secret and sacred pact, promising to live your lives for the sake of Equestria, devoting yourselves to serving and protecting our ponies and standing against injustice throughout the world. As the sun illuminates the day and the stars guide us through the night, you shall exist to illuminate and enlighten the world. Your strength does not exist for yourselves, but for others."

Luna picked up where Celestia left off. "By agreeing to this pact and entering this sacred Order, you shall be devoting your lives to the application of strength with wisdom, to know when not to use your strength as much a when to use it. You stand before us as subjects now. But, when we are finished, you shall stand beside us as equals, with the same power and authority accorded to us. Once again, such authority is entrusted only to those deemed to possess the wisdom not to exercise it without the utmost need."

"Lower your heads," said Celestia.

Dawn and Scootaloo did as they were bidden, lowering their heads in a slight dip towards the ground, closing their eyes.

“Do you swear,” asked Celestia, “to embrace the path of humility, to humble yourselves as equal to the lowest, so that you might be their champion?”

“I do,” said Dawn and Scootaloo in unison.

Now it was Luna’s turn. “Do you swear to hold in your hearts compassion for all, to seek not to be served, but to serve?”

“I do,” replied Dawn and Scootaloo.

Celestia spoke next. “Do you swear to wield your power for the sake of others, to put their needs ahead of your own?”

“I do,” they answered.

Luna spoke once again. “Do you swear to do right, whatever that requires of you, even if it requires that, one day, you turn your strength against us?”

“I do.”

Celestia and Luna spoke in unison. “Then, by the authority vested in us, we hereby sever the ties that bind you to us as subjects and welcome you into the Celestial Order of Knights.” Magic, sunny-yellow from Celestia’s horn and silver, tinted with blue, from Luna’s, streamed out from their horns, merging together above their heads until a pair of beams stretched down to touch the bowed foreheads of Dawn and Scootaloo. A faint sizzle was heard as the hairs of their coats at the base of their manes was burned away and the flesh beneath it lightly singed. The brand would fade fairly quickly as the skin healed. But, for the time being, the starburst-shaped marks on their foreheads stood out, starkly visible.

“Rise, Sir Dawn Lightwing,” said Celestia.

“Rise, Dame Scootaloo,” said Luna.

Dawn and Scootaloo raised their heads and once again met the gazes of the two Princesses.

“Welcome to the Celestial Order,” said Celestia.

“May you live and serve well,” added Luna.

“Now turn and show your loved ones,” added Celestia with a warm smile.

Dawn and Scootaloo turned and were greeted by cheers.

The party that followed was no Royal Wedding, but it definitely served their purposes. The fact that the ceremony was secret (for a given value of secret, considering the number of ponies that had been invited) meant that it was naturally a small and relatively quiet affair. As the ponies of the hour, Dawn and Scootaloo were at the center of the festivities, their friends and family swarming around them and congratulating them. It was only after a couple of hours that the rest of the guests grew absorbed in enjoying themselves that Scootaloo and Dawn finally had the chance to excuse themselves to a quiet balcony that overlooked the Palace gardens.

“So we did it,” said Scootaloo softly.

“So we did,” agreed Dawn.

Scootaloo leaned against him and giggled. “After all this, after everything we’ve been through, I kinda wonder what’s left for us. I mean, we’ll still have our duties as Knights. You have your flight school. I’ve got my weather work. But…I guess…I wonder where we go from here.”

Dawn shrugged. “Well, we could always get married.”

Scootaloo flinched and pulled away so that she could stare at him. “What?”

“We could always get married,” Dawn repeated, giving her a teasing smile. “Being your coltfriend is an adventure in and of itself. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’ll be like being your husband.”

“Oh yeah?” asked Scootaloo, mock-glaring at him. “Well, I ain’t proposing to you, bucko. If you wanna get married, you’re gonna have to ask me.”

“I’m not so sure,” said Dawn. “I think I can wait you out.”

“Try me,” said Scootaloo.

Dawn opened his mouth to answer before hesitating. “Wait a minute,” he said. “Are we making this a competition over who can make who propose?”

Scootaloo opened her mouth to retort, but also hesitated. “Yeah, when you put it like that, it does sound kind of silly.”

“There’s no need to rush or hesitate,” said Dawn, leaning in and nuzzling her cheek. “We’ll do it in our own time, like we always have.”

“Yeah,” agreed Scootaloo, returning the gesture. “I know we’ll do it someday. After all, you’re the most wonderful, amazing coltfriend a mare could ask for.”

“And I’m still yours,” said Dawn, drawing his lips up past her cheek.

“Yeah,” agreed Scootaloo, moving her own lips to meet his. “Always mine.” Their lips met and the two of them lost themselves in a deep kiss as the moon shined bright overhead.

The End

Author's Note

And...done...

Thank you, everyone for all your views and support, from your patience with the issues involved with the production of this series and all the little errors scattered throughout it. It has been a long, hard journey, but it was well worth it in the end. Is this the complete end of the Savage Skies verse...no. I have plans for one last thing and will have a bonus chapter to post for this particular story in the near future. Aside from that, however, I do not have any more plans for the immediate future. To be honest, folks. I need a break.

Stay tuned for my follow-up blog, coming soon. I'd write it tonight, but I'm just too damn tired. Once again, thank you, everyone.

Peaceful Days

Chapter 1: Peaceful Days

"A little higher...Okay! Good!"

Scootaloo let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding and pulled her hooves away from the cloud. Angling her wings, she slid away from it without disturbing it any further.

"Good job," said Cloud Kicker, swooping down from above to hover off to Scootaloo's right. "That should do it for today. You're dismissed."

"Okay," said Scootaloo with a relieved smile. Flapping her wings once, she leaned back into the motion, drifting into a backwards loop that brought her swooping down low and well under the shade clouds she'd just spent the better part of the morning putting into position. She had to admit, from below, her work made for a wonderful sight, with the clouds generously sized and carefully spaced so as to provide ideal shade spots over benches, along paths, and in nearby meadows. They were set up so that they would be in the ideal position to catch the sun's rays when the day was at its hottest, providing those lovely spots of deep shade where ponies could relax during the mid to late-afternoon.

As she touched down, she heard and felt Cloud Kicker coming in for a landing next to her. "You're doing good work, Scootaloo," said the older mare with a wink. "A few more sessions like that and I think you'll be ready to take the certification exam."

"Great!" said Scootaloo, her ears perking up in her excitement. Getting her certification would mean the end of her apprenticeship and would mean that she could start working real hours and earning some real money. She drew a small wage now, but certification would mean she could join the Weather Team as an actual member, not merely as an apprentice. Being an apprentice also meant she wasn't allowed to work full shifts just yet. Instead, she was relegated to half shifts actually spent working, while the rest were spent observing the rest of the Weather Team at work and taking notes on their activities to show that she understood why they did what they did with the clouds. All of this would be examined by the certification office in Cloudsdale before she would be considered ready to work professionally.

"So, where are you heading now?" asked Cloud Kicker, looking at the young mare expectantly. "You gonna head for the teashop?"

"Yeah," said Scootaloo. "Dawn and I are gonna head out for training after he gets off of work."

Cloud Kicker chuckled and gently ruffled Scootaloo's fuchsia mane. "Have fun kid. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"I don't think we'll be doing anything that wild," Scootaloo teased back, her grayish-purple eyes twinkling as she watched her friend and supervisor take to the air. Cloud Kicker was about the best supervisor an apprentice like Scootaloo could hope for. She was exacting, but not overly demanding. She was easygoing, but not lazy or negligent. She made sure Scootaloo learned what she needed to learn and that she learned it well, never content with satisfying the bare minimum requirements of the supervisory position. Thanks to her, Scootaloo was certain that passing the exam would be a piece of cake.

With the rest of her afternoon clear, Scootaloo decided to head for the teahouse. A nice cup of spiced tea after a hard day's work had become a serious vice for her, one that she nourished as often as possible, visiting the teahouse nearly every day, only skipping when something important came up, such as her mom getting a new boyfriend (there was no way Scootaloo would ever call him a coltfriend). The tea was excellent and always a good way to relax at the end of the day. That it also afforded her an excuse to visit her coltfriend at work every day was a major plus in her eyes.

The years had done well by Scootaloo. As they had passed by, she had grown from a filly into a young mare, her ceaseless training in the Gale King martial art having granted her a body of lithe musculature, making her a sight to behold, whether on the ground or in the sky. Her mane, once a tousled mess of purple locks, had grown out. She wore it longer now, with most of it bound up in a simple tail behind her head, though a few wild locks spiked out over her forehead and eyes, sloping slightly upward. Even her tail had been brushed and untangled. She tended to put a little more effort into her looks than she had in the past. Her real pride was her set of wings, broad and powerful from years of constant training. They were the envy of pegasi everywhere. Wherever she went nowadays, Scootaloo tended to draw envious looks from other mares and appreciative ones from stallions. Not that Scootaloo cared overly much about what other ponies thought of her appearance. After all, she only had eyes for one stallion and he only had eyes for her.

As she pushed open the door to the teahouse and stepped into its cool confines, she felt his presence before she saw him. Dawn Lightwing deftly maneuvered between the tables, trays balanced across the top of his outstretched wings as he moved from one table to the next, depositing his burdens and then turning to attend to the needs of another customer, moving as gracefully as a gentle breeze winding through a forest. As Scootaloo took her seat, her eyes followed the flowing silver stream of Dawn's tail as it disappeared into the kitchen. When he returned, he was carrying another set of trays for delivery.

The years had been kind to Dawn too. He'd grown fully into a lean, muscular body, fully visible beneath the ebony of his coat. He wore his silver mane a good bit shorter than he used to. His bangs were trimmed back, putting his unique, vivid turquoise eyes on display. Those catlike, slit-shaped pupils were still there. Some ponies who didn't know Dawn still found them unsettling, but the only shivers they gave Scootaloo were the happy kind. The smile on Dawn's face was warm and genuine, a sharp contrast to the dour, stoic look he'd worn as a foal. She certainly seen a few mares around town giving the young stallion appreciative looks, the kind that would have made her incredibly nervous and possessive had she not already known that Dawn's heart belonged to her.

As she had come in, Scootaloo felt her own awareness, carried on the wind, brush up against Dawn's own, the breezes the two of them generated entwining and mingling in a silent greeting. Thus, even though most ponies would have probably assumed Dawn hadn't noticed her arrival, they would have been proven wrong when he drifted past her table, not even pausing as he slid a tray with its pot, cup, and hourglass timer, off his wing and onto the table. Her favorite tea was already in the pot, brewing. She caught Dawn's eye and they exchanged smiles before he moved on to the next customer.

When all the sand in the hourglass had drained down into the bottom, Scootaloo removed the basket of tea leaves from her pot and poured herself a cup, her primaries deftly manipulating the pot with ease, a skill both she and Dawn had learned quite well over the years. Taking the cup in hoof and steadying it with her feathers, Scootaloo took a long sip and sighed, letting the aroma of the tea, mixed with various spices, rise up into her nose through the roof of her mouth. The flavor was perfect, the tea at just the right temperature and steeped for the perfect amount of time. This was one of the highlights of her day. Seeing her coltfriend at work was a bonus.

The next time she saw Dawn, he was settling onto a cushion next to her. "How was work?" he asked softly after they exchanged a quick kiss.

"Tough, but good, as usual," said Scootaloo. "Cloud Kicker says I should be almost ready to take the certification exam."

"Excellent," said Dawn. "Are you still coming over for dinner tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it," replied Scootaloo. Caramel's cooking was not a thing to be missed after all, especially since Scootaloo's mother was having another "date night."

"In other news, I got a letter from Rumble," said Dawn.

Scootaloo's eyes widened and she blinked. "Really? That's kinda weird. I just got a letter from Sweetie."

"Do you think they're colluding to send their letters to us simultaneously?" asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow.

The two of them considered it for a moment before bursting out simultaneously. "Nah."

Chuckling, Dawn kissed her cheek. "We can talk about it some more when we leave for training."

"I look forward to it," said Scootaloo, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Dawn returned to his work and Scootaloo returned to enjoying her tea. As she did, she let her eyes sweep around the teahouse. Built from dark wood, stained an even darker color, the place had a comfortably cozy feel to it. Right now, the lamps that normally lit the place were extinguished, as the shutters had been opened to let in the afternoon sunlight and breeze. The wide open windows afforded Scootaloo a wonderful view of Ponyville. The day was almost perfect.

Sighing contentedly, Scootaloo settled back to enjoy her tea.

The skies above the quarry were awash with noise. Rushing sounds and loud cracks filled the air as an orange and purple blur collided with a black and silver one. Scootaloo and Dawn came together, sweeping their wings towards one another, directing powerful gusts of air at each other as they simultaneously defended. The space between them seemed to warp and bend as the density of the air increased to such a degree that it bent the light passing through it before it exploded outwards, pushing the two of them away from each other.

The backwash from their colliding attacks was much less threatening than the directed force of an actual attack. Scootaloo and Dawn easily rode out the powerful gusts of wind sweeping through the skies, spinning about to take their next position. As she dipped one wing down and swept it towards Dawn, Scootaloo's feathers began to crackle and pop, arcs of electricity jumping between them before she snapped her wing up, pointing her outermost primary at Dawn. A bolt of lightning leapt out from her extended feather, spearing through the air at Dawn.

Dawn didn't even blink. He'd already been extending his own wing to match Scootaloo's movement. His skill at reading the wind in order to sense his opponent's position and movements, even when he couldn't see them, had already allowed him to deduce the nature of her next attack. Rather than prepare lightning of his own, Dawn simply interposed his wing between him and Scootaloo, positioning it so that the lightning would immediately jump into it when it came. When it did, Dawn let the crackling power flow through him. He guided it down his wing, across his back and up the other wing, using his own movements to add to its power as he snapped the wing out and redirected it straight back at Scootaloo. The return strike was easily twice as powerful as Scootaloo's own effort.

Scootaloo caught the returning lightning bolt across the feathers of the wing opposite the one she had just used to launch the original bolt. She directed the energy to collect and circulate among her feathers there, almost seeming to cradle the cycling energy as she caught Dawn's counterattack, concentrating the power and melding it with the air her wing was drawing in until the electrical power changed the very quality of the air itself, forming into a rapidly rotating sphere of plasma that Scootaloo now volleyed directly back at Dawn.

Rather than try to catch the incoming plasma, Dawn rushed forward, kicking back with all four of his legs, pushing off the air itself with his hooves. In the same motion, he swept his wings in tight arcs from the front of his body to the back, dividing the air and shifting it to lower his resistance as he moved. As a consequence, his body seemed to vanish in a blur as he rushed forward, the path of his flight taking him directly at the orb of plasma. As he was about to barrel right into it, Dawn tilted his body, extending one wing and spreading the feathers, holding it as though it were a wide blade. Slashing his feathers though the air, Dawn created a crescent shaped blade of vacuum formed between layers of air that split the sphere of plasma in two, parting it so that his body could slip between the two halves. Rushing past them, Dawn continued his forward charge even as the two halves of the plasma exploded behind him.

He came right at Scootaloo, once again holding his wing to slash at her with his wind blade. Scootaloo ducked under the first slash, spinning her body around so that she could return Dawn's blow in kind, aiming her own blade at his legs. Dawn kicked down with his hooves, darting sharply upward, his ears picking up the faint whistling noise of Scootaloo's vacuum blade as it passed just beneath his hooves. Rolling onto his side, Dawn swung his wing again, directing another slash straight down. However, Scootaloo had used the momentum of her own attack to move herself out of the way.

The two of them danced through the skies, sometimes moving apart from one another to attack from a distance, oftentimes coming in so close that their forms blurred to the point that it would have been all but impossible for a casual observer to pick out one from the other. Though they exchanged blows with a ferocity that battered the landscape below them, leaving mounds of crushed stone and boulders cleaved cleanly in two, neither of them drew a speck of blood from the other.

Though they clashed fiercely and rapidly, their exchange never left the boundaries laid out by the old, abandoned quarry that had served as their training ground for so many years. At this point, it scarcely resembled the place it had once been before it had been abandoned. Dawn and Scootaloo's constant training with gusts of wind that could shatter and crush stone drew furrows through the earth, then smoothed them out again over the course of days upon days of constant training. At times, their efforts had even unearthed the abandoned tunnels that had once been used by the diamond dogs that had infested the quarry well before either of them had started training before collapsing those tunnels again.

Finally, Dawn and Scootaloo collided in the skies once again, sweeping their wings out in broad arcs, twisting to put the force of their bodies into the motion, creating a pair of tornados spinning in opposite directions that slammed into each other the instant they formed. The two tornados slammed together and then exploded outward, throwing boulders, branches, and tree trunks through the air, scattering them across the landscape all over again. The powerful winds dissipated, leaving two winded pegasi hovering where they had been spinning only seconds before.

The two of them settled onto the ground, panting for breath. Sweat streamed down their sides, matting their fur and binding the strands of their manes into wide strips. Scootaloo's legs shook as they took her weight and her wings relaxed. In front of her, Dawn was also shaking a little. He shook his head, scattering some sweat into the air and rolled his wings, stretching them to keep them from cramping up after the heavy exercise. Taking her cue from him, Scootaloo mimicked his motions.

"Good work," said Dawn, smiling approvingly.

"You too," Scootaloo complimented back, flashing Dawn a proud smile of her own as she tried to fight down the quickening beat of her heart. Every time he complimented her progress made her feel a little giddy.

She was feeling quite proud of her progress as well. In the course of the few years they'd spent training, they'd progressed from practicing the forms and then basic techniques to participating in very low-speed sparing sessions to get Scootaloo better acquainted with exchanging blows with a real opponent, as well as providing Scootaloo with practice at moderating the power of her blows in a dynamic situation. As she grew more familiar with the techniques and applying them, they had increased the speed of their sessions. At this point, the two of them were so skilled at the practice of trading blows that their motions were practically indistinguishable from a real battle to outside observers. Their friends who had come to watch their training sessions had commented as much.

However, Scootaloo knew full well that she still had a ways to go before she reached Dawn's level. For all that their sessions were moving at blistering speed with powerful blows flying every which way, Dawn was still in full control of the exchange. His movement dictated the pace of their session, how fast they moved, how hard they hit. No matter how good she got, Scootaloo couldn't shake the impression that she was always moving the way Dawn wanted her to. Every session ended with her thoroughly exercising every part of her body and feeling like she had pushed herself to the limit. Dawn might be sweating and panting now, but Scootaloo harbored no notions that he couldn't push himself harder and longer. Of course, she figured that their sessions were helping him improve as well.

All of which confused her to no end; not because Scootaloo was unsatisfied with her progress, but because of Dawn's second most notable feature after his eyes. However good Dawn was at the Gale King, however long he practiced, whatever difficult techniques he mastered...his flank remained as blank as ever. She'd heard of ponies who hadn't obtained their cutie marks until adulthood, but Dawn was the first such pony she'd ever seen. The only thing that seemed odder about him having no cutie mark at his age was Dawn's complete seeming lack of concern over it. In his place, Scootaloo was fairly certain that she would be in a near constant panic, looking continuously for her cutie mark.

Despite that, Dawn seemed to have little interest in actively seeking his cutie mark, continuing to do what he enjoyed, namely training and working at the teahouse. Strangely enough, neither of those things seemed to be where his true passions lay, so Scootaloo wondered what his cutie mark would ultimately be.

Their session over for the day, they headed to the edge of the quarry, where they kept the items they brought with them, which they kept well out of the way of the powerful winds unleashed by their sparing matches. In the packs they'd brought, they withdrew some towels and bottles of water. Scootaloo drank hers down almost immediately and turned her attention to wiping away the sweat that had accumulated over the course of their workout. Dawn wiped himself down first before drinking his water in slow sips.

"Are you going back to your place first?" he asked, glancing sidelong at Scootaloo.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, wiping off the last of the sweat to her satisfaction. "I'm gonna take a shower before I head over. I don't want to stink up the table at dinner."

"You could always take a shower at our house," Dawn offered.

Despite the fact that it was an offer to use their shower, not share the shower with him, Scootaloo couldn't quite keep the blush from rising in her cheeks. She and Dawn certainly weren't ready for that level of intimacy yet and his offer had been made in the ordinary spirit of saving her the trip to her own home. That knowledge didn't exactly keep her from getting ideas though.

"No thanks," she said, fighting down her blush. "You know the little squirt is gonna want to glomp me when she sees me. I don't want to get my stinky sweat on her."

"You don't stink to me," said Dawn. As if to prove his point, he began to nuzzle her neck at the base of her mane, pretending to take in her scent.

Scootaloo couldn't quite keep the snort from escaping her nose and she giggled. "That was so lame. You have got to be the sappiest coltfriend ever."

"But still yours," prodded Dawn.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo, stepping back so that they were face to face. "Still mine." She kissed him on the lips. "I'll see you in half an hour."

"I'll be waiting."

With that, they went their separate ways, Dawn heading for the cottage he shared with his family, while Scootaloo headed for her own home, the beautiful cloud house that hovered above Ponyville. Once upon a time, it had belonged to none other than her idol and honorary big sister, Rainbow Dash. But when Rainbow had left Ponyville to officially join the Wonderbolts, she had gifted the house to Scootaloo. Until just last year, it had been held in trust by Scootaloo's mother. But, when she had officially come of age, Scootaloo had finally moved into Rainbow's former home.

With a happy sigh, Scootaloo landed on the front porch and headed in to deposit her things and take a shower.

Less than a half an hour later, Scootaloo was landing in front of the picturesque cottage that looked as though it had come out of the pages of a country-living magazine. A path from the gate meandered through the front yard, transitioning into a bridge where it intersected a shallow brook that ran through the property, the sound of water running over the rocks below adding to the peaceful ambience of the place. The property was occupied by a variety of constructs. Birdhouses jutted up on posts like weirdly-shaped sunflowers. Others dangled from nearby trees like ripe fruit. Numerous dens, pens, and hutches of every shape and size dotted the ground around the house, some of them actually being built into the structure of the cottage itself. From those small abodes came the various squeaks an calls of the menagerie of animals that called the place home.

Scootaloo was used to those sounds and barely heeded them as she walked up the path to the house. She had gotten so used to visiting Dawn's home that she'd learned to note whenever something was unusual about the animals' behavior, which generally meant that something was up. When one was this close to the edge of the Everfree Forest, one learned to pay attention when something strange was afoot. However, all she could hear were their normal noises.

Knocking on the door, Scootaloo perked up her ears and grinned as they picked up the sound of tiny hooves dancing against the floorboards on the other side. Bracing herself, Scootaloo stood ready as the door slowly opened. A brown blur rushed out through the open door and the tiny filly tackled Scootaloo with a surprising amount of force, considering her size.

"Sista Scoot! Sista Scoot!" squealed the filly as Scootaloo rocked back on her haunches and wrapped her arms around the little bundle of joy in a hug.

"Hey there, Li’l Sprout," said Scootaloo, ducking to nuzzle the excited filly as she spoke. "How's my favorite little sis?"

"Happy as ever," commented the pony who opened the door and was now watching as Scootaloo and the filly cuddled. "She's been so excited ever since she heard you were coming." She was tall and slender for a pegasus, her coat a warm, butter-yellow, which was nicely complemented by her flowing, pink mane that draped down the sides of her neck and framed her face, including a pair of teal eyes that practically radiated kindness and affection.

For a mare already raising her second foal from infancy, Fluttershy looked surprisingly at ease. If anything, she seemed even more settled and serene than she had been since Scootaloo had first met her. While she had adopted Dawn, his already being well past the infant stage and very mature for his age meant she had been able to skip many of the associated headaches that usually came with being a mother. She had weathered her pregnancies more gracefully than any other mare Scootaloo had ever known (not that Scootaloo had actually met all that many pregnant mares). Despite the years and the strain of not one, but two pregnancies, the only wrinkles Fluttershy had accumulated were at the corners of her mouth and eyes.

"Hi Fluttershy," said Scootaloo, meeting the eyes of Dawn's adoptive mother with a warm, affectionate smile. "I take it she's been a hoofful all day. I know she gets like that when she's excited."

Giggling coyly, Fluttershy nodded. "Oh yes," she agreed. "She was running all around the house. I think poor Angel Jr. was at his wits' end."

Secretly, Scootaloo refrained from feeling any sympathy for the rabbit. Angel Jr. was every bit the the annoying and demanding little white ball of fluff his father and namesake had been. The thought of him harried and distraught from the task of helping to look after a little filly he didn't dare mistreat for fear of offending his caretaker gave Scootaloo a little bit of satisfaction.

Still, she put on an expression of mock-sternness and hefted the filly in her hooves so that they could look eye to eye. "And what do you have to say for yourself, Li’l Sprout?" she asked, keeping her voice low and even, but a slight smile on her face. "Have you been giving your mama problems?"

"But Sista Scoot here!" exclaimed the filly, wriggling excitedly in Scootaloo's grasp, reaching out for the young mare with her little hooves. "I wanna fly!"

"You wanna fly, huh?" asked Scootaloo, raising an eyebrow. "I only fly good little fillies who don't give their mamas trouble. It sounds to me like you were a little bundle of trouble today. If I fly you, will you be good for your mama?"

"I be good!" squealed the filly almost immediately.

"Hmm..." said Scootaloo in a mock-serious tone, pursing her lips as she rolled her eyes upward thoughtfully, "I'm not suuuuuuure..."

"Pwease!" exclaimed the filly, looking at Scootaloo with blue eyes that practically sparkled and a pleading look that was so adorably heart-stopping that it should have been classified as a deadly weapon, "Pwease fly me! I be good!"

"Cross your heart and hope to fly?" asked Scootaloo, setting the filly down.

Even at such a young age, the little one knew the motions of the Pinkie Promise by heart and faithfully went through them with cutest expression of sobriety a foal her age could manage before grinning eagerly up at Scootaloo. "I pwomise! Fly now!"

"What's the magic word?" asked Scootaloo, returning the grin.

"Pweaaaaase!"

"Okay," said Scootaloo with a sigh. "What about your big bro? Is he gonna help?"

"Big Bro is a little busy looking after Little Bro," said Dawn as he sidled up next to his mother. He wore a white sling over one shoulder, which wrapped around his barrel and under his wing before coming back up from the other side. Inside the sling was a small bundle, from which Scootaloo could see the barest hint of a light-green muzzle, accompanied by the faintest wisps of a darker-green mane.

"Hey," said Scootaloo. "How's the little guy?"

"Sleeping like a log," replied Dawn, smiling fondly down at the bundle. "He'll wake up as soon as he smells Dad's cooking though."

"I guess that means it's flying time," said Scootaloo, turning her eyes to the little filly. "Are ya ready, Larksong?"

"Yay!" squealed the filly, though Scootaloo noted she kept the volume down to nearly a whisper out of consideration for her napping brother.

"Right, let's go then," said Scootaloo, leading Larksong out into an open space in the yard.

In many ways, little Larksong was practically the spitting image of her mother. Already, she was showing signs that she'd fully inherited Fluttershy's slender build and flowing mane. However, her colors clearly drew more from her father's side of the family. Her coat was a pale-brown, her mane a deep, rich auburn, and she also sported her father's cerulean eyes. Her voice, though still slightly squeaky, had a light, clear quality that made her a joy to listen to. Even her wailing and crying as an infant had been some of the most musical sounds Scootaloo could remember hearing. She had no doubt that, when Larksong grew up, she would be a gifted singer with looks that would make stallions and mares fall for her right and left. Who knows, maybe her cutie mark will be singing related.

Already knowing how things went, Larksong clambered up onto Scootaloo's back and settled right between the young mare's wings and spread her own wings as wide as they could go. Scootaloo fanned her own wings and shifted them upwards ever so slightly, letting her magic flow out with the tiny motion, generating a firm, but gentle updraft that caught Larksong's wings and lifted her clear of Scootaloo's back. Larksong shrieked with joy as Scootaloo's wind lifted her higher in the air until the filly was hovering a good twenty feet up, suspended on the continuous stream of air Scootaloo was directing upwards.

Fluttershy looked on with a happy smile, not at all the look one would expect from a mother who was watching her still flightless foal hanging in midair, drifting like a dandelion seed. She had complete trust in Scootaloo's skill at keeping Larksong aloft and catching her if the filly fell. Both Dawn and Scootaloo had trained very carefully to perfect the trick so that they could easily lift Larksong without the risk of hurting her. Even the height served its purpose, as it gave Scootaloo ample time to react and catch her in the unlikely event that Larksong did fall.

According to the doctor, it was even healthy. The activity helped Larksong to exercise her wings and develop the muscles in the wings and shoulders that would someday help propel her in flight. It also apparently helped attune her to her pegasus magic by feeling the flow of another pony's pegasus magic through the air. Finally, it helped the filly grow accustomed to heights, apparently something of an issue some pegasi from ground-bound families had to deal with. Though she had showed the usual bursts of uncontrolled flight in the months shortly after her birth, Larksong clearly would not be a prodigy of flight as Rainbow Dash and Rumble had been. But exercising her wings like this would help her to be better than average when she finally did start flying for real...though the doctor might have balked had he known just how high they regularly lifted Larksong into the air.

Fluttershy watched Scootaloo "fly" Larksong a few minutes before her nose picked up the faint aroma of Caramel's cooking drifting out of the kitchen.

Turning to Dawn, she held out her hooves. "Let me take him. Peppy will be waking up soon."

With a soft chuckle, Dawn shrugged off the sling and hoofed little Pepita over to his mother, helping her work the sling over her shoulder. As he did so, they both heard the faint sounds of the infant colt stirring from his rest. Apparently, Pepita smelled his father's cooking too. Though still only a few months old, Pepita had a very strong sense of smell and taste and, more importantly, he thoroughly enjoyed the smell of Caramel's cooking. Whenever Caramel started cooking nearby, Pepita wanted to be there to watch and would start crying if he couldn't. From the look in his eyes whenever Fluttershy held him up to watch his father in the kitchen, Pepita apparently found the act of cooking to be utterly fascinating.

Relieved of his little burden, Dawn turned to Scootaloo and Larksong. Beating his wings, he took off and flew towards his little sister. Stretching out his arms, Dawn caught her and snatched her out of the sky, drawing a surprised shout from the filly before he rolled over and tossed her upwards, using a pump of his wings to direct the air up and lift her even higher as Larksong spread her wings out to catch the updraft, laughing gayly the whole while.

Grinning like Pinkie Pie in full party-planning-mode, Scootaloo took off and joined them, taking her turn to catch Larksong and toss her even higher. Working in tandem, both she and Dawn juggled the little filly, who made a game of snapping out her wings as soon as she was released to best catch the breezes Dawn and Scootaloo created, leaning her body slightly to glide in the direction of whoever's turn it was to catch and toss her next.

The game continued for nearly an hour until Fluttershy came trotting out to call them in for dinner. Dawn quickly caught Larksong and held onto her as he and Scootaloo came in for a landing. Little Larksong was panting from laughing and yelling so hard, clearly enjoying her time in the air. Maybe she'll be a Wonderbolt, thought Scootaloo with a wry grin. It was a possibility, albeit a minor one. She wasn't sure if Larksong enjoyed flying for flying's sake or if she enjoyed it because it was her favorite game with her older brother and sister.

They trotted in for the meal, Larksong riding on Dawn's back and affectionately nuzzling his mane with small giggles. The little filly absolutely adored her older brother and he returned the feeling with a vengeance. In fact, Scootaloo was certain that the main reason Larksong's birth and infancy had been so easy on Fluttershy was the fact that Dawn had been smitten with the filly as soon as he'd laid eyes on her and had gladly taken on more than his share of all the burdens associated with her raising. He did them well too...much to Scootaloo's surprise the first time she'd seen Dawn smoothly and effortlessly change Larksong's diapers as though he'd practiced the task countless times (which, in fact, he had).

When Dawn had first learned that he was about to have a younger sibling, he'd actually gone and pulled a Twilight by checking out a stack of books from the library about raising foals, including a step-by-step manual on proper diaper changing (even Twilight had thought he was going a bit overboard). His friends had joked that, with all the preparation Dawn was doing for helping to raise the foal, he might as well have been Larksong's father.

Thus, with three ponies competently sharing the burden of raising the filly, it was no wonder that Fluttershy and Caramel had decided to try for another so soon. Pepita was quite a different infant from his older sister. Where Larksong had been a shouter and a screamer from birth, Pepita was quiet and, when he was awake, observant. The little earth pony cried occasionally, but it was a soft sound and he was quite easily calmed by any of the three adults in the household...unless Caramel was cooking, in which case, the only thing that would satisfy the infant colt was watching his father work.

He'll be a daddy's boy for sure, thought Scootaloo with a giggle and a smirk as they filed into the kitchen. Pepita was already seated at his high chair at the kitchen table, positioned to give him the best view possible of the counter and his father as Caramel worked, his teal eyes attentively following Caramel's every move as the tan stallion brought food to the table. Unfortunately, little Pepita was not ready for real food just yet, still mostly drinking from the bottle or from Fluttershy. Still, Caramel always made sure that Pepita could watch him mix the formula before bringing it to him, something that the little guy always seemed to like.

In a few minutes, they had situated Larksong in her own high chair and gotten all the dishes to the table. Settling next to Dawn, Scootaloo prepared to tuck into the impressive spread.

"So," she said, "you got a letter from Rumble?"

"You got one from Sweetie," Dawn prompted. "Trade you?"

"Sure."

"Rumble says they're working him hard," said Dawn with a shrug, "He's just interning at the Ministry of Welfare right now, so he's mostly doing gofer work, though Softhoof is letting him accompany an agent on an inspection whenever she can afford to send him."

"That makes sense," said Scootaloo.

Rumble had discovered his cutie mark while helping Scootaloo and Arkenstone rescue Twilight and a friend of Rarity's from a scheming noble. During the course of that experience, he'd come to realize that the one thing that was truly important to him was helping other ponies in need, particularly those who were in dire situations. At the recommendation of Arkenstone and Storm Front, Rumble had gone on to study in the University of Canterlot course for ponies working in the welfare system. In between semesters, it seemed he was getting actual hooves-on experience interning at the ministry.

"Does he know when he'll be done?" she asked.

"I think he has another semester before he officially graduates from the program. Then he'll go into the Ministry directly from there. He worked with Softhoof to map out his career path pretty thoroughly," explained Dawn. "What about Sweetie Belle?"

"Same old same old..." said Scootaloo with a shrug, "She's causing quite a stir at the Academy and her professors are saying her thesis on the effects of magically-produced tones could revolutionize the field of auditory cognition...or something like that. She's getting almost as bad as Twilight when it comes to throwing around crazy jargon that you can't even half-understand."

"It sounds as though she's doing well at least," observed Fluttershy with a giggle.

Sweetie Belle was currently attending the Academy of Arts and Sciences on a full scholarship, the primary focus of her studies being the field of musical therapy, based on her interests in using her skill and talent for music to help ponies going through emotional trauma. It seemed that she was right at home in the Academy.

"She and Rumble are still keeping in touch, right?" asked Caramel. "I hope they're not using you two as go-betweens."

"Nah," said Scootaloo, waving a hoof. "Sweetie and Rumble are sending letters to each other every couple of weeks and they visit each other whenever they can get a chance. That's the main reason they hardly ever come back to Ponyville."

"Apparently, they're collaborating on something," said Dawn. "Rumble thinks it could really change the way the Department of Foal Protections handles abused and neglected foals."

"That sounds amazing," said Fluttershy, "What is it?"

"No idea," said Scootaloo. "They're being coy with the details."

"I'm sure they'll tell us about it when they're ready," said Caramel with a grin. Changing the subject, he asked, "So how is your apprenticeship going?"

Eagerly, Scootaloo launched into a summary of what was going on at work. Dawn had heard it all already, having been talking with Scootaloo about her work going to and from their training sessions, but this was a chance to get Fluttershy and Caramel caught up. Larksong listened attentively, despite not understanding even half of what Scootaloo was talking about. Whenever the conversation flagged and she began to lose interest, Larksong began to toy with whatever food was still on her plate. But a raised eyebrow from Scootaloo would always remind the filly of her Pinkie Promise and she would resume eating, the exchange between the two of them always putting a smile on Fluttershy's face.

When dinner was over, Dawn helped his father clean the dishes while Scootaloo helped by keeping Larksong occupied and quizzing the filly about her day. After Dawn and Caramel finished the cleanup, they adjourned to the living room. By that time, the sun had already set and both Larksong and Pepita were beginning to yawn.

"Looks like it's time for bed," observed Fluttershy as she gently rocked the infant colt in her arms.

"Don't wanna," grumbled Larksong halfheartedly. "Wanna stay up."

Scootaloo looked at her again and raised an eyebrow. "Remember your promise, Li'l Sprout."

The look made Larksong immediately switch gears from tiredly defiant to quietly contrite as her ears laid back. "Sowy," she said. "I be good."

"Good," said Scootaloo with a grin and a nod. "Tell ya what, squirt. You be good and brush your teeth and get ready and Big Bro and I'll read to you. Would ya like that?"

"Daring Do?" asked Larksong her eyes wide and hopeful.

"Sure thing, Li'l Sprout," said Scootaloo with a giggle. "Now go get washed up."

"'Kay," said Larksong eagerly before heading for the bathroom.

"Come on, Dawn," said Scootaloo, gently brushing her tail against his flank as she walked past him. "You can show me which book she's on."

A few minutes later and the three of them were in Larksong's room, positioned next to Fluttershy and Caramel's room. Originally, it had been part of Fluttershy and Caramel's room. Shortly after Larksong had been born, they'd realized that she would need her own room eventually. However, Dawn already had the room downstairs, which had been a storage room before Fluttershy had repurposed it after adopting him. So Caramel had built a partition in their room, along with a door, giving Larksong a room of her own, now that she was old enough. Hopefully, by the time Pepita was old enough to need his own room, Dawn would have moved out.

Scootaloo and Dawn settled Larksong between them, draping the filly with a tent of their wings as Scootaloo read from the Daring Do book that Larksong was currently working through, using a feather to help Larksong follow along. They read for nearly and hour before Larksong's eyelids closed all the way and she fell asleep between them. Scootaloo marked the place she'd left off and she helped Dawn tuck Larksong in before turning out the lights and heading back downstairs.

Fluttershy had already settled Pepita into his crib for the night. She and Caramel were in the living room, cuddling together on the couch. Dawn and Scootaloo joined them, the four of them basking in the quiet of the evening, now that the foals were in bed.

"Thank you so much for being such a good big sister," said Fluttershy. "She really loves you."

"Well, I can't help but love her," said Scootaloo with a giggle. "She's hard not to love."

"Very true," agreed Fluttershy. "But I'm glad that you help her with her behavior. She does get very excitable at times. You do a lot to help her keep calm."

"It's the least I can do," said Scootaloo. "We don't want her growing up to be a spoiled little filly, now do we."

Fluttershy shook her head. "I could do without that, thank you. Fortunately, I don't think we'll need to worry. You and Dawn take such good care of her."

They chatted a little while longer as the night darkened outside. Finally, Scootaloo decided it was time to head home. She had to go back to work in the morning and Dawn had his own job. Dawn volunteered to escort her back home. Though she could easily handle herself, Scootaloo never declined. It gave them a little bit more time together before they had to part for the night.

The flight was short, ending with the two of them on the front porch of her cloud house. Scootaloo and Dawn kissed and held each other for a few minutes, neither of them speaking to the other. No words were needed really. Finally, it was time for Dawn to head back. Watching him fly off into the distance, Scootaloo stifled a yawn. When she couldn't see him any longer, she went inside and got ready for bed, falling asleep beneath the cumulous comforter with a blissful smile on her face.

Life couldn't get much better than this.

Author's Note

And here we are...the first chapter of the last chapter of my epic series. Dawn has two younger siblings now and they're both as dangerously adorable as any foals of Fluttershy would naturally be. I've been excited about being able to introduce you folks to Larksong and Pepita for a while now. I hope that you find them as cute as I do.

Next chapter: This story briefly becomes an episode of the X-Files.

As a reminder, be sure to visit and help edit the TV Tropes page for this series. The summary is longer than the list of tropes, so I'm hoping we can work some wiki-magic on it. I'd edit it myself, but it seems kinda like cheating.

Mother Necessity

Chapter 6: Mother Necessity

Despite the fact that Dawn and Scootaloo knew what they were trying to do, that didn't necessarily make it easy for them. They had mapped out the first few moves of their new form, but neither of them had much experience in developing a form for two ponies. The fact that it was longer and broader in scope than any of the five basic forms they practiced for the Gale King only served to complicate matters. The forms were compressed sequences of attacks and techniques, generally performed within a small area in order to get the practitioner used to stringing several techniques together in sequence, rapidly changing direction, and adapting to the frenetic conditions of the battlefield.

However, what their performance required was sweeping flights that could encompass the entire area contained within the Cloudeseum. A single "step" of their form could necessitate a swoop from one end of the stadium to the other, or an ascending spiral taking them hundreds of feet into the air. In a way, it made things more difficult and easier. Neither of them was used to planning out a form over such a broad area, but sequencing those large maneuvers as single steps allowed them to spread out the power of a Gale King technique over a larger area and a longer period of time, making it less potentially dangerous to the audience.

"So...if we have enough cloud at the base," said Scootaloo, sketching a circle in the dirt with her hoof. "We should be able to use the double spiral to pull it up, sculpt it, sort of."

"That seems logical," said Dawn. Using the winds they could generate to shape and mold the clouds was a good way to showcase their skill without putting the audience at risk by calling up a tornado in the middle of the stadium.

As it stood now, the form was a mixture of techniques from different parts of the Gale King. Some of it was wind manipulation, some of it lightning. Though they were technically performing in concert, the basis for their motions had been found in their sparring sessions. The performance would essentially be a sequence of "exchanges" of attack and defense, the two of them trading blows back and forth in such a fashion that it would come off more as a perfectly choreographed dance than a fight.

They carefully worked their way through each move in the form individually, testing it out and perfecting it before setting each technique into the sequence. Then they began to run through those techniques together, seeing how best to move seamlessly from one step to the other. It was difficult work, demanding careful observation.

"The question is what to do for the finale," said Scootaloo, frowning. "We need something to really cap things off. I know it's not quite how a form's done but..."

"We just need to work out the appropriate technique," said Dawn. "Let's run through what we have already."

A few minutes later the two of them hovered high above the ground, a sphere of plasma suspended between them as they circled it, maintaining its shape with their concerted magics.

"This is pretty impressive," noted Dawn between breaths, careful not to allow the circulation of power to get out of control.

"But how do we finish off from here?" asked Scootaloo.

"I think I have an idea," said Dawn. "I've been reading about something."

Scootaloo couldn't help but smirk at that. Dawn might not have been an egghead on the level of Twilight Sparkle, but he was still an egghead nonetheless. He enjoyed checking out books on a variety of topics from the library, both fiction and non-fiction. "What do you want to do?" she asked.

"Let's go down and talk about it," said Dawn.

Scootaloo nodded and the two of them carefully dissipated the sphere of plasma before descending back to the ground. There, Dawn went over his plan.

Once Scootaloo heard it, her eyes went wide. "That's completely nuts!" she said. "Do you think that'll even work?"

"It's only an idea right now," said Dawn. "But, given the chance, I think we can make it work. We simply have to alter our techniques for maintaining the plasma sphere. I will maintain and shape the charge, while you feed air into it from below."

"Worth a try," she said, "I just hope it doesn't blow up in our faces."

"At least we know how to avoid being killed if that happens," Dawn pointed out.

Scootaloo frowned sourly at him. All things considered, she would definitely prefer to not risk being flash-fried. It felt a bit strange. Normally she was the one to take reckless risks. When it came to training or anything not related to actually going into battle, Dawn was usually quite thoughtful and methodical, which made it quite odd that he was willing to suggest something so...untried.

But it'll stay untried until we try it, thought Scootaloo with a mental shrug. "Might as well give it a go."

"Okay. Everything's been dropped off," said Rainbow Dash as she came in for a landing at Sugarcube Corner.

"That's great!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, jumping up and down. "Let's get going. I can't wait to see everypony!"

"You've only been away a few weeks," Rainbow pointed out.

"So?" asked Pinkie, tilting her head slightly. "That's still three weeks without my super-bestest friends in the whole wide world."

Letting out an amused sigh, Rainbow could only shrug in the face of that logic. She'll never change.

That was an understatement if ever there was one. In fact, Pinkie Pie, whilst most adept at giggling at the ghosties, was apparently just as inclined to laugh in the face of the inexorable advance of time. Her pink coat shined and her mane and tail were as poofy as ever. Her crystal-clear blue eyes gleamed brightly and her teeth, when she grinned, gleamed brighter still, which seemed completely unfair considering the amount of sweets she was prone to devouring wholesale. The fact that those sweets never seemed to have much of an effect on Pinkie's physique was another thing her friends were endlessly jealous of as well.

"Let's move out!" exclaimed Pinkie, shooting off in a streak of pink for the park, leaving behind a cloud of dust where she was standing.

"And she's off," observed another mare, stepping out of Sugarcube corner, yet another picnic basket hoisted onto her haunches. Her coat was bright-yellow, while her mane and tail sported alternating streaks of blue, green, and magenta. She smiled congenially at Rainbow, who returned the gesture.

Mayweather chuckled and set off for the park at a more sedate pace, with Rainbow trotting alongside to keep her company. "So how was the family?" Rainbow asked Pinkie's fillyfriend.

"Pleasant as always," replied Mayweather. "Maud's married now."

"Huh?" gasped Rainbow, whipping her head around to gape at Mayweather. "Sorry...Did you say that Maud got married?"

"Yep," said Mayweather with a smirk.

"Was it to a rock?" asked Rainbow, not altogether joking. If there was one thing that could be said about Pinkie's placid and dour sister, it was that she was fascinated by rocks...sometimes to an unsettling degree.

That got a chuckle from Mayweather. "You'd think it, but no. He's actually an artist, a landscape painter actually."

"Huh? One of those artsy types? That's one of the last guys I'd expect Maud to marry. What's he look like?"

"Skinny, like he was made out of twigs. I swear, Pinkie's mother stuffed him every opportunity she had; something about 'the poor boy clearly being one of those starving artists.'"

Rainbow winced. Pinkie Pie might have been a culinary genius, especially when it came to the art of baked goods. However, she didn't inherit that trait from her family. Having made the occasional visit to the rock farm with her friend, Rainbow would have instead said that the Pie family, Pinkie's mother in particular, made bland an aspiration in their cooking.

The two of them chatted and shared news and information as they made their way to the park. Upon returning from visiting her family, Pinkie reacted rather predictably to the news that Rainbow and Soarin' had returned early from their latest tour with the Wonderbolts and had planned a party, inviting everypony from their circle of friends, including Rarity, who had just happened to return from Canterlot at around the same time. Pinkie had settled on a large picnic lunch in the park, where they could enjoy the summer afternoon in each other's company.

As Rainbow and Mayweather reached the edge of the park, there was a distant boom from the direction of the quarry, drawing their gaze over in that direction. Rainbow frowned as she looked over. Is it me or is the sky green over there? However, the glow she'd seen on the horizon quickly faded. Frowning, she started walking again, wondering if she'd just imagined it.

"Whoa!" gasped Scootaloo as they settled onto the ground once again, "That was awesome! That'll cinch us the win for sure."

Dawn nodded. "It's certainly striking. I'm glad it worked out as well as we thought it would. But it's less distinct during the daytime."

"Well...if we go late enough, we can hit the finish while it's getting dark and then ponies'll be able to see it real easy," suggested Scootaloo.

"That should work," agreed Dawn. "It also should be fairly easy to arrange. Performances are scheduled by order of arrival, so if we go in as close to the deadline as possible, we should be far enough down the queue to take advantage of it."

"Works for me," said Scootaloo. She glanced up at the sun. "Oh ponyfeathers! Look at the time! We need to get to the park."

"Let's towel off first," said Dawn, going to their saddlebags. "I don't think everypony will thank us if we stink up the place."

Scootaloo wrinkled her nose and chuckled. Dawn was right, of course. It was a party, after all, which meant that it wasn't a big deal if they were a couple minutes late.

A few minutes later, they were winging their way back to Ponyville, swooping low over the town until they reached the broad, green expanse of the town's park. They drifted above pathways of packed dirt that meandered amongst rolling hills. Parked on one of those hills was a fair-sized group of ponies, their families and friends.

Fluttershy, Caramel, and the little ones were there already. Larksong was frolicking about, kicking a ball with Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake, the older foals laughing and enjoying themselves as they passed the ball to Larksong and each other. Fluttershy and Caramel lounged in the shade of one of the park's trees, Pepita contentedly sucking on a bottle as he laid atop his father's folded forelegs. Settled next to them was Scootaloo's mother, Melon Cream.

Pinkie Pie bounced about eagerly, laying out blankets and spreading food across them in a haphazard manner that should have left it scattered all over the ground, yet, somehow, managing to do it without spilling so much as a crumb. Nearby, Mayweather was setting out plates, moving much more carefully, working alongside Carrot Cake and Cup Cake.

Twilight Sparkle chatted amicably with a pegasus stallion sporting a gray coat with dark-purple highlights, his coloring bringing to mind a storm cloud in the sky. Storm Front was just as heavy a reader as Twilight and the two of them often enjoyed chatting about the different texts they perused. Nearby, Storm's fillyfriend, Flitter, was chatting softly with Coco Pommel.

Rarity was there too, have produced a lounge chair from somewhere. She reclined on it now, a broad hat resting over her elegantly-coifed, deep-violet mane, her elegant figure on full display. Resting on the blanket next to her was her husband/accountant, Flaxseed, a gold-colored stallion with a black mane, shot through with streaks of gray. He was dozing lightly in the summer sun.

Nearby, the Apple Family were busily setting out even more food: apple pies, tarts, and muffins. Big Macintosh and Spike unloaded the wagon they'd pulled up while Applejack, Red River, and Ditzy Doo set everything out. Ditzy was moving delicately, clearly not looking her best at the moment. Her amber-colored eyes spun and swiveled in their sockets even more randomly than usual and her fluttering sometimes had a drunken, lurching quality to it. Beside her, Ditzy's daughter, Dinky, fussed over her mother constantly, pleading for Ditzy to settle down and take things easy. The telltale bulge of Ditzy's stomach made the source of her condition clear. Though Ditzy's pregnancy was anything but easy on her, she was determined to do her part to help in the preparations. It took a firm hoof from Applejack to finally get her to settle down and relax.

"I'm glad you two made it," said somepony from behind Scootaloo just as her hooves touched the ground. The young mare leapt into the air with a startled yelp, whirling about to see Arkenstone standing there with an amused smile on his face.

"Dang it!" she snapped. "Stop doing that!"

"You need to keep your wits about you," teased Arkenstone as he strode past her, chuckling. He walked over to join Twilight and Storm.

Looking to the side, Scootaloo glared at Dawn as he pressed his mouth up against his foreleg, his stifled laughter coming through as a series of faint coughs. With a resigned sigh, Scootaloo shook her head and simply decided to take her lumps. She had been able to sense Arkenstone's physical presence with her wind-sense, but her consciousness had simply passed over him without the slightest acknowledgment. He might as well have been completely invisible to her.

"Glad ya made it, squirt," said Rainbow as she and Soarin' trotted up. "How are things going with your performance?"

"Pretty good," said Scootaloo, grinning, "I think we have a pretty good shot at winning this."

"I'm looking forward to it," said Soarin'. "Pity I don't get to judge this time."

Part of Scootaloo wanted to tell Rainbow and Soarin' all about what she and Dawn had just come up with. However, she quickly put a lid on her eagerness, wanting to save it for the actual competition. As it was, she was distracted by something small and fuzzy tackling her left foreleg. Looking down, Scootaloo couldn't quite hide a fond grin when she saw that Larksong had abandoned her game with Pound and Pumpkin to come over and latch on to Scootaloo.

"Sista Scoot!" yelled Larksong, clinging like a limpet to Scootaloo's foreleg, nuzzling into it.

Lifting up her leg, Scootaloo laughed and gently pried Larksong off. "Hey there, Li'l Sprout." She lifted Larksong up in her arms and kissed the little filly on the tip of her nose. "Are you still being a good girl for your mama?"

"I am!" squealed Larksong, wriggling eagerly in Scootaloo's grip.

"Reeeaaallllly?" Scootaloo raised an eyebrow and gave Fluttershy an inquisitive look. Seeing Larksong's mother nod, Scootaloo relaxed and looked back down at the filly. "Okay then," she said, quickly pulling Larksong back in for another hug.

"Fly please?" asked Larksong, looking up at Scootaloo eagerly.

"Hold on there, Li'l Sprout," said Scootaloo. "It's almost time for lunch." Seeing Larksong's crestfallen expression, Scootaloo kissed her on the nose again. "Hey. I'll fly you after lunch. I promise."

"Okay," said Larksong, her smile returning, though slightly weaker.

Dawn snatched her away and hugged her back against his chest, chuckling as he nuzzled into the top of her head. "Larksong. If you're too sad to smile properly, then maybe you're too sad to fly."

"No!" exclaimed the filly, wriggling in her brother's grip. "I happy! I happy!"

"I'm not so sure," replied Dawn, "I think we need to give you some happiness treatment."

"No! No!" squealed Larksong, struggling even harder as she saw Dawn's wings reach around and curve towards her, his primaries delicately teasing her ribs. "EEEEEEE!" Her protestations gave way to peals of laughter as Dawn tickled her fiercely.

"Sista Scoot! Help!" yelled Larksong, reaching out plaintively to Scootaloo.

"Sorry, but Big Bro is right," said Scootaloo, smiling slyly as she came at Larksong from the front. "You need some happiness treatment." Leaning in, she blew a loud raspberry against Larksong's stomach, prompting another round of laughter from her as she wiggled desperately in an attempt to escape her tormentors, to no avail.

A few minutes later, Dawn and Scootaloo let up in their coordinated assault, letting a panting and exhausted Larksong go. She immediately slumped down. Dawn ended up picking her up again, hugging her against his chest as he nuzzled her mane again, his wings reaching out to now enfold around her completely. It was the same way that Fluttershy had used to cuddle with him.

"See, you feel a lot better, don't you," said Dawn.

"Yeah," said Larksong, nuzzling one of his arms.

"Good," said Dawn. "Remember not to eat too much during lunch or you'll get sick when we fly you."

"Okay."

Lunch was an easygoing affair, Pinkie Pie, the Cakes, and the Apple Family having brought an assortment of sandwiches and salads, along with drinks of every stripe. Naturally, this being an affair overseen by Pinkie Pie, there was no shortage of sweet treats. Both Dawn and Scootaloo kept a careful eye on Larksong to make sure that she didn't eat too much lunch or dessert. As she usually did, the little filly snuggled up between them, leaving Fluttershy and Caramel free to mind their youngest.

Once the food had been eaten, Dawn and Scootaloo took Larksong out to a nearby hill and began flying her once again, Scootaloo generating a constant updraft to help keep the filly aloft as she squealed and shouted happily.

"They're so good with her," observed Ditzy, smiling before swaying slightly, "Oooh..." She had only picked at her food throughout the meal, her appetite coming and going in random spurts throughout her pregnancy. Big Macintosh gently nuzzled her, doing his best to help her remain comfortable.

"Yes, they really are," agreed Fluttershy, carrying on the conversation as though Ditzy hadn't had a sudden attack of nausea, which the gray mare appreciated. "They both do so much to keep Larksong happy and they helped take care of her when she was a baby."

"They doin' the same with Peppy?" asked Macintosh, gently nudging the green form resting up against Caramel's chest. Pepita was watching his older siblings in his usual quiet, attentive manner,

"Dawn does," said Fluttershy. "He changes Peppy's diapers and even gets up at night when Peppy starts crying. It's nice having another adult in the house."

Caramel snorted, the jerk of his chest bumping Pepita slightly and eliciting a tiny giggle from the colt, who snuggled up against his father. "I was worried that the two of them were going to spoil Larksong rotten." He chuckled again.

"They don't?" asked Twilight, settling down next to Fluttershy on her other side.

"No," said Fluttershy. "They're always careful to make sure that Larksong's been behaving before they play with her. She's well-behaved because of that. She hardly ever causes trouble, even when Dawn and Scootaloo aren't around, because she knows they will always check with us first."

"Those two'll probably make pretty good parents themselves," observed Applejack wryly as she settled next to her brother and her sister-in-law.

That made Fluttershy giggle. Melon Cream joined in. "It's probably best if we keep that little observation to ourselves," Scootaloo's mother pointed out.

Dawn was watching as Larksong laughed and danced on the continuous updraft that Scootaloo was generating when he felt somepony tugging on his foreleg. Looking down, he was surprised to see Pound Cake looking up at him plaintively. "Can I fly too?" asked the colt, watching Dawn eagerly.

Pound Cake and his sister, Pumpkin, were a little older than Larksong, now attending the earliest grade at Ponyville Elementary. They were frequent playmates of Dawn's little sister as Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie often brought them together.

Dawn smiled down at the colt. "You need to get permission from your mom and dad. But if they say yes, then you can fly too."

"Okay," said Pound, quickly rushing off to find the adults in question. A minute later, he was back, bouncing with eager excitement to get up in the air with his friend.

"I need you to pay attention," said Dawn, getting down onto Pound's level. "If you can't do what I say, you can't fly. Do you understand?"

"Okay," said Pound, quickly settling down to listen to Dawn's instructions.

"Start by opening up your wings and spreading them out as much as possible," said Dawn.

"Okay," said Pound, doing as he was told. His wings couldn't stretch very far, of course. But that was hardly any impediment.

"When I send you up, I need you to keep them open," said Dawn, "Do not try to close them or flap them. That will only make it harder to keep you up. Once I start flying you, you can move by tilting your weight, but don't try to fly too far away from me or you won't be able to stay up. If you do something dangerous, I won't fly you anymore. Do you understand?"

Pound nodded furiously.

"All right," said Dawn, smiling again. "Let's see how well you can keep your position. Open your wings again."

As Pound did what Dawn told him to, Dawn opened his own wings and directed a flow of air downwards, bouncing it off of the ground to create an updraft beneath Pound, lifting him up a few inches above the ground, not even as high as the colt could jump.

"Wheeeee!" squealed the colt, even though his hooves were still clipping the grass. He might not have been high, but the feeling of moving upwards, even if it was just a little bit, and staying there, the feeling of flying, was truly exhilarating for such a young pegasus. Shifting his weight, he found that he could move his body forwards, backwards, or even side to side. It wasn't exactly a match for the speed a pegasus' actual flight could manage, which was just fine, in Dawn's opinion, as that made it easier for him to maintain control and keep the updraft under Pound's wings.

Finally, Dawn was satisfied that Pound could maintain the position. "All right," he said, abating the flow of air, "it's time to fly for real. Are you ready?"

"Yeah!" shouted Pound eagerly.

Dawn lowered himself onto the ground. "Then climb on and spread your wings."

"Okay!" exclaimed Pound, doing just that. He settled between Dawn's shoulders and opened his wings.

Standing up, Dawn snapped his own wings out and directed a swift updraft into Pound's wings. The colt laughed long and loud as the flow of air lifted him up and up, until he was hovering at the same level as Larksong. The two of them laughed and shouted as they drifted about, using their weight to shift their flight around one another, but, mindful of the warnings they'd been given, never coming too close together. Scootaloo's and Dawn's efforts merged together, forming a single column of rising air that broadened the play area that Pound and Larksong had. Dawn and Scootaloo maneuvered carefully to keep their updrafts beneath their charges.

The game continued for nearly half an hour when Dawn's attention was drawn by a mare's polite cough. Looking for the source of the noise, his gaze met that of a lime-green earth pony mare. Looking near her hooves, Dawn could see a little pegasus filly, somewhere around Larksong's age, looking nervously up at him.

"Excuse me," said the mare politely, her gaze flicking upwards towards Pound and Larksong. "May I speak to you about what you are doing?”

Dawn nodded and looked over to Scootaloo, flexing the primaries of his wing, indicating that it was time to bring Pound and Larksong down. Scootaloo nodded and, together, the two of them slowly reduced their updrafts until Pound and Larksong gently drifted down towards the earth, setting them down gently and producing simultaneous calls of disappointment from them.

"Come on kids," said Scootaloo, gathering Pound and Larksong to her, "Let's go play with the ball until Dawn is done." She led them towards Pumpkin Cake, who had been looking slightly downcast at the loss of her playmates, though Pinkie and Dinky had taken it upon themselves to keep Pound's twin occupied and amused.

Dawn turned his full attention to the mare and smiled politely. "How may I help you, Ma'am?"

"What you were doing with those two..." the mare said, her tone nervous and hesitant, "...is it safe?"

"As safe as we can make it," said Dawn. "I will not say that there isn't a certain amount of risk to such an activity, but Scootaloo and I have done our best to anticipate any problems that might arise and made sure that we are able to handle them."

"I see..." said the mare, her tone somewhat dubious. "Is it really safe to raise them that high?”

"Safer than holding them at a lower altitude," Dawn explained. "It gives Scootaloo or I more time to catch them if they fall. Too low and they would still fall far enough to be hurt, but we would have less time to catch them before they hit the ground."

"Oh..." said the mare, going a little pale at the idea. "And...do their parents know about this?"

"Larksong is my little sister and we have been doing this with her for over a year now," replied Dawn, "with my mother's full approval." He titled his head to direct the mare's gaze over to where Fluttershy was lounging with the rest of their friends. Dawn's mother waved happily in their direction when she saw them look at her. "As for Pound Cake, I made sure that he asked his parents' permission before we sent him up."

"All right..." said the mare, nodding slowly, still looking very uncertain. She cast a glance down at the filly crouched behind her foreleg. "And you're sure it's a good idea to do that with such young ponies?"

"It's actually good for them," said Dawn, meeting the filly's gaze and giving the little one an encouraging smile. "We checked with the doctor and he says that it's good exercise for their wings and helps young pegasi develop their affinity for flying." Turning his gaze back to the mother, he gave her a bit more sober look. "May I inquire as to why you are asking about all of this?" He had a good idea as to why this mare was asking him all of these questions. But he wanted to hear confirmation from her own mouth.

"Well...my daughter has been watching you and..." The mare licked her lips nervously and glance down at the filly again, clearly feeling indecisive about this whole affair. "And she was wondering..."

"I see," said Dawn, smiling again and lowering himself down to her level. The little yellow scrap of a pegasus shrank away from his disconcerting gaze for a second before hesitantly meeting it. "You wanted to ask if I could fly you as well."

Very hesitantly, the filly nodded. "Uh...huh..."

Standing up, Dawn turned his attention once again to the filly's mother. "And you are uncertain if you should allow her or if you should even ask."

"Yes," agreed the mare readily enough.

"I understand," said Dawn. "Just to make it clear, Scootaloo and I are probably the only two ponies in this corner of Equestria, possibly the entire country, who could manage something like this. There are no standards governing an activity like this and no laws concerning applying our skills in this way."

In truth, there had been some possibility of the two of them, along with Fluttershy or anypony who consented to having their foals "flown" in such a manner being slapped with charges of reckless endangerment or possibly even abuse if ponies thought to accuse them of such. Fortunately, he and Scootaloo had taken steps to prevent this.

"That said," Dawn continued. "We have developed 'standards' of our own to ensure that this activity is as safe as we can make it. They have been approved by the Mayor and I have even consulted with a friend in the Department of Foal Protections to make sure that everything is as legal as we can make it." Said friend had been Rumble, who was still only interning at the department. But, at Dawn's urging, Rumble had run it past Softhoof, who had given her own agreement after being shown the body of evidence that Dawn had gathered to show that the activity was not only reasonably safe, but actually good for the foals who participated in it.

"I see," said the mare, still shifting nervously. "Then...my daughter can..."

"With your permission," said Dawn, nodding fractionally. "I wouldn't dream of doing this if she did not have your approval." He smiled at the mare. "If you feel at all unable to trust us with your daughter's safety, let us know and we will return her to you."

"All right," said the mare, nodding. She lowered her head and gently butted her daughter forward. "Ask the nice stallion, Little Star."

"Um...can I...can I..."

"May I," her mother corrected.

The filly nodded. "M-may I f-fly too?"

"You may," said Dawn, looking up at the filly's mother and catching her nod.

Dawn partly extended a wing in a slow but powerful motion, sending a gentle stream of air out so that it reached out to Scootaloo over where she was playing with the other foals and brushed up against her feathers, catching her attention before pulling his wing back, sweeping it in the direction of his own body rather than simply folding it up, gently using the wind to create a tugging sensation in his direction.

Feeling his summons, Scootaloo flapped her wings, rising just high enough to cross the distance between them in what almost looked more like an extended jump than an actual flight. "What's up?" she asked, "We ready to start again?"

"Almost," said Dawn, using a flick of his wing to designate Little Star, "She would like to join Larksong and Pound. I think we should use the method we agreed on."

"Okay," said Scootaloo, nodding, "I'll get the Li'l Sprout and Pound. You give her the primer."

Dawn nodded and crouched down to give Little Star the same instructions he had given Pound Cake earlier. After that, he did the same low-level test flight he'd done with Pound to assure himself that she could manage in the air. Little Star performed to his satisfaction and Dawn had her join Larksong and Pound around Scootaloo. This time, their starting procedure was a little different. Dawn had Scootaloo start her updraft and then had the three foals crawl onto his back, one by one, before using his own wings to boost each into the stream of rising air that his fillyfriend had created. Once that was done, he settled back to observe, tracking the foals through his wind-sense.

Little Star was nervous at first, this being the first time she had gone so high without another pegasus to directly carry her. But soon she was laughing and drifting about with the other two, clearly enjoying the sensation of flight. Down below, Scootaloo deftly manipulated the air, creating small gusts to nudge the foals back towards the middle of the column if they strayed too close to its edges.

"It's amazing," said Little Star's mother, watching attentively as her daughter banked and glided about the column of flowing air with the other two, "She's so happy."

Dawn nodded. "We worked it out the first time Larksong asked if she could fly with us. It's a good reward to keep her behaving."

"I'll bet," said the mare. For a moment, they watched in silence. "How many foals could you fly like this?" she asked suddenly.

"Like this..." Dawn tilted his head slightly. "Scootaloo or I could easily lift more than a dozen foals around that size. But we would want to keep it to about half that to keep the space from getting too crowded. If the two of us work together, we'd have room for even more than that easily, but then we'd want to recruit other pegasi to act as spotters."

"I see..." said the mare, pursing her lips. She cast her gaze around the park. Dawn did the same, looking at what she was looking at. There were several other families out, enjoying the beautiful afternoon. A few of them were parents with pegasus foals. Many of those foals were watching the trio that Scootaloo had suspended in the air eagerly, whilst their parents looked on, many with expressions of concern. There were even a couple who were clearly showing expressions of disgust, obviously believing that Dawn and Scootaloo were endangering the three foals currently up in the air.

Oh my, thought Dawn, seeing all the interest their little game had drawn. He even noticed a few parents edging closer, nervously considering inquiring about their own foals participating.

In the end, Dawn and Scootaloo received requests from parents to fly eighteen young pegasi. They recruited Rainbow Dash and Soarin' to act as spotters whilst they worked together to create an updraft wide enough to keep all the excited foals suspended in the air. They spent the afternoon flying the young pegasi about whilst their parents looked on with varying degrees of trepidation and excitement. Dawn and Scootaloo had originally planned to continue working on their performance plans after the picnic had concluded, but instead spent the afternoon amusing the little ones.

Finally, after spending nearly three hours keeping the rambunctious little ponies aloft, it was time for them to go home. Carefully lowering them to the ground, Dawn walked them through some exercises to help ease the strain caused by wings that had been held open for an extended period of time. Afterwards, the little ones were sent back home, babbling excitedly about their experience. Dawn saw Scootaloo and her mother off before walking home alongside his own family, a tired, but happy, Larksong napping on his back as they walked.

"You made those kids' day," observed Caramel with a chuckle, shifting his shoulders to gently rock Pepita in his sling as they ambled, prompting the colt to coo pleasantly.

"It was fun," said Dawn, nodding in agreement. Some of the foals had been a bit frightened at being up so high...at first. But soon they were enjoying themselves with the rest. Practically all of them had been reluctant for the experience to end and had pressed him and Scootaloo to fly them again sometime as their parents pulled them away to go back home.

"I think that was a wonderful thing you did," said Fluttershy, nuzzling her son's cheek. "Maybe you could make it a regular thing."

"Maybe..." said Dawn, rolling his eyes upward thoughtfully. To be honest, the thought actually appealed to him. Seeing so many young pegasi being made so happy through his skills had left him feeling quite good. Though he and Scootaloo had skipped their afternoon practice session, he couldn't consider it time wasted.

"It might be something for you to consider," suggested Caramel. "I mean, you obviously can't do it too much right now, what with you and Scootaloo getting ready for the competition. But maybe when that's over..."

Dawn thought about it. It didn't seem like such a bad idea. Sure, his job at the teahouse would still be there for him after he and Scootaloo finished with the competition. But, while he'd been content with that, it didn't quite leave him as fulfilled as he felt after spending an afternoon with the foals, giving them a taste of real flight. Instead, working at the teahouse left him feeling as though his life was locked in a sort of holding pattern. It was a stopgap, something to do until he found what he really wanted to do with his life.

But spending his afternoon playing flying games with foals...Was that really what he wanted to do? It was nice, even better than learning about, making, and serving tea. But Dawn still felt there was something...more...he could be doing. Still...it's something worth thinking about, he mused silently.

A new day came and, with it, a new practice session. This time, Dawn and Scootaloo dedicated their entire day to refining their routine, carefully walking through the steps of the form one at a time before working on stringing them together. With permission from Raindrops, Scootaloo had even borrowed a few clouds from the Weather Team to help simulate what they would be working with when they actually performed at the Cloudeseum. Already, Scootaloo felt extremely confident about their routine. It was an excellent showcase of their skills and the finale, if they could pull it off reliably, would completely enthrall their audience.

They worked through the morning before pausing to enjoy the packed lunches they had brought with them. As they resumed their practice through the afternoon, Dawn noticed a pony approaching from the direction of town. Pausing their practice, he looked down to see the familiar figure of the Mayor as she made her way along the rough, overgrown path leading to the quarry.

Dawn swooped down and landed in front of her. "Ms. Mayor," he said politely, bobbing his head in greeting.

Mayor Mare smiled when she saw the young stallion. She looked good for her age. Her wrinkles were a little deeper and her pace a bit slower, but she was still every bit the distinguished older mare Dawn had met when Fluttershy had taken him to Town Hall to finalize his adoption. Though she had never really radiated authority, she carried herself with the pride and confidence of a pony truly dedicated to her work, having overseen Ponyville through many of its crises, a few of which had been a consequence of Dawn's presence. Still, she had taken everything in stride and had never borne any ill will against him for some of the problems that had resulted from his presence, even when the town had been partially destroyed as a consequence.

"Hello Dawn," said the Mayor. "You and Scootaloo are hard at work I see."

Dawn nodded. "As are you. You really didn't have to come out this far to talk to me. I'd gladly meet with you at your convenience."

"Bah," she said, waving a dismissive hoof. "I already have my aides chatting me up about how I'm 'getting too old for this nonsense' and saying that I'm 'not as young as I used to be.' I'm not in my grave yet, so I'll thank you to not suggest that I'm decrepit."

"Sorry," said Dawn quickly, feeling a bit cowed by her speech. "What is it you wish to talk about?”

"I understand that you and your fillyfriend have apparently developed a new pastime with the local pegasus foals," she said blandly, her expression suddenly not giving anything away.

"I suppose..." said Dawn with a shrug. "We did give you a rundown on how it works and how we're doing our best to make it safe. I also don't think that it'll become a regular thing...yet."

Mayor Mare nodded, her smile returning. "Yes and you've gotten the approval of Foal Protections. All of those are reasons that why I am not here with a Cease and Desist Order on grounds of endangerment. But I thought that you should know that some ponies are raising...concerns."

"Is that so?" asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow. Given the way she'd hesitated at that last word, he got the distinct feeling that the ponies in question had probably been quite vocal about their "concerns."

She nodded in agreement, then in greeting as Scootaloo landed behind Dawn. "I'm afraid so. There weren't very many, about five of them. But they were quite vocal about their belief that you are endangering the lives of foals. Some of them are calling for very close scrutiny of your actions."

Dawn winced at that. He'd had quite enough of close scrutiny in his lifetime, thanks to the dogged efforts of the Cult Solar to cut said lifetime short. That was no longer a problem, of course, but the last thing he enjoyed was the idea of ponies peering over his and Scootaloo's shoulders because a few ponies objected to an activity for foals because they thought it was much more dangerous than it was.

"Naturally, I told them that they had nothing to be concerned about, that you had consulted me about this activity before undertaking it and had organized sufficient safeguards to satisfy even the ponies of Foal Protections. That didn't exactly satisfy them, but they didn't have much to say after that."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Dawn. "Is that all you came out here to talk about?"

"No," she said. "I also wanted to warn you that, while I won't take any official action, I can't control the actions of those ponies. I worry that they might take matters into their own hooves. If they try something while you're flying your sister or other foals, I want you to be extra careful. I don't want foals getting hurt because they distracted you in some way."

"You don't think they'd try to do that on purpose?" asked Scootaloo, her eyes wide in shock at the idea.

"I certainly hope not," replied the Mayor calmly. "Since they are basing their accusations on concern for foals' wellbeing, it would undermine their efforts if they endangered said foals, either directly or indirectly, through their actions. That said, one can never underestimate the recklessness of zealous ponies."

Dawn nodded, knowing full well how zealous some ponies could be.

The Mayor's expression softened, now that she had apparently delivered her warning to her satisfaction. "Now then, on to other matters. I understand that you two will be performing at the Best Young Fliers Competition."

"That's right," said Scootaloo eagerly. "We're working on fine tuning our routine right now. After that, we'll practice it until we can do it in our sleep."

"I'm pleased to hear it," she said. "Maybe, after the competition has ended, you'll share your routine with the rest of Ponyville. I think it would be quite the treat."

"Sure," said Scootaloo. "We'd love to do that."

Dawn said nothing, but noticeably made no objection to Scootaloo's words.

"Excellent," said Mayor Mare, chuckling at the younger mare's enthusiasm. "I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labors. I'll leave you alone now. I know how important it is to keep from giving away the secrets of your performance."

Scootaloo and Dawn waved goodbye as the Mayor headed back towards town. "She's a pretty cool pony," observed Scootaloo as she put her hoof back down.

"That she is," agreed Dawn. "Back to training?"

"You bet!"

Author's Note

The comments...they dog me...I see them in my sleep...

It's not the comments themselves that I'm complaining about. I love that you all are so invested in this story and have so much to say about it. Even if I don't respond to many (or any) comments most of the time, I still try to read them all, since a lot of you have interesting things to say. But still, to come back after posting a chapter and see anywhere from twenty to sixty comments in a period of less than twenty-four hours, across ten different stories...:ajsleepy:...yeah, it can be exhausting keeping up with them all. But it's encouraging to see that there's so much enthusiasm for my work. Now if I could write something actually original for a change, instead of perpetually playing in someone else's sandbox, I might actually have a chance for success as an actual author, with help from an editor, of course. Seeing the various corrections I still need to make even after reviewing a chapter two or three times before posting shows I have my limits in that regard.

But, enough about that. Onwards!

Next chapter: Dawn and Scootaloo meet the competition.

Recreation Between Life and Death

Chapter 21: Recreation Between Life and Death

Dawn spread his wings, letting a surging wave catch them, the rush of water carrying his body towards the shore. His hooves trailed over the sandy bottom as the wave pushed him in. Nearby, Scootaloo was doing the same, the two of them competing to see who could get the farthest on the wave. It was a game Scootaloo had taught him the last time they'd visited. Up on the beach, Coco lounged under an umbrella while Perlin was out getting food for everypony.

Dawn's hooves sank into the sand once again and he looked over to see that Scootaloo had beaten him, not that he minded all that much. This game was simply a matter of who could read the flow of the waves with their wings the best and move with the flow of the tide, riding it inwards. Scootaloo's innate sense for such things was considerably stronger than his. Besides, it was all in good fun.

At times, Dawn simply enjoyed the feeling of drifting amongst the surf, losing himself in the feeling of the ebb and flow of the waves until, even when he was asleep in bed, he still felt as though his body was adrift. Dawn had to admit, as much as he loved Ponyville and acknowledged it as his home, he truly adored the sea.

Gallopoli was a quaint seaside village. The climate was warmly temperate, but not to the point of being completely tropical. However, it was sufficiently warm that, even when most of the rest of Equestria was currently covered by snow, here, there were only sunshine and warm breezes. In fact, Dawn felt that it was the perfect temperature, sufficiently warm to keep the water from being too chilly, but not so hot as to be sweltering whenever they stepped out of the waves.

Beyond the beach were rows of small cottages and simple houses, interspersed with larger buildings. Street markets flourished, both along the main cobblestone thoroughfares of the town itself and along the dock where the boats that supported the town's fishing and kelp industry were moored. In a lot of ways, it was very much a seaside counterpart to Ponyville. Gallopoli was a bit more developed, thanks to a modest, but thriving tourist industry. However, it wasn't so popular as to be overwhelmingly crowded, even during the peak of the season.

The four of them had rented a small cottage located along the seawall a short distance away. After a day spent playing on the beach or exploring the town, they'd gather and watch the sunset from the porch before going to bed, the sound of waves crashing against stone like a soft lullaby to their ears. Truly, this was paradise.

That night, they had dinner at a local eatery. Dawn, Scootaloo, and Perlin all enjoyed different fish, freshly caught that day. Coco was satisfied with an excellent kelp stew, not begrudging her pegasi friends their chance to indulge in a delicacy that was rare for them in Ponyville. They talked about the things they had done during the day and the things they planned to do tomorrow. Finally, content with their meal, they paid their bill and made their way back to the cottage.

Dawn sighed and relaxed back into a pile of cushions, looking at the sun as it descended towards the sea, a wash of pastel colors reflected across the water and sky, the light seeming to dance as it passed through the waves. Down below, past the seawall, was a narrow strip of beach, broken by large sections of rock. The waves foamed as they dashed against the stones, the conditions making this an unsuitable place to swim. However, the conditions had created several tidal pools filled to bursting with tiny fish, colorful sea urchins, and other small lifeforms.

Scootaloo wandered amongst the tide pools, eagerly looking at all the different creatures to be found there. Coco wandered the narrow strip of sand, picking through it, looking for seashells, sea urchin spines, and sand bits. She was apparently looking for some inspiration for an ocean-themed line of dresses.

Though this was supposed to be a vacation, Dawn didn't begrudge Coco her efforts to indulge her muse. He and Scootaloo still did their morning training together, though they'd put off their afternoon sessions for now, not certain what places in the area might be suitable for a sparring session. He'd considered the possibility of sparring over the sea, but wasn't sure what repercussions there might be from using their techniques over open water. He didn't want to accidentally wreck the boats used by the town's residents.

"It really is nice, isn't it," said Perlin as he settled down next to Dawn with a contented sigh.

"I love it here," said Dawn, "almost enough to wish that Mom lived here instead of Ponyville."

"I can understand the sentiment," said Perlin. "Perhaps I can convince Coco that this town needs a branch of the Boutique, one that she can run herself."

"That would be tricky," said Dawn with a chuckle. "She likes Ponyville a little too much for that, I think. Gallopoli isn't really an earth pony town anyway."

It wasn't to say that the residents were prejudiced. They'd seen a fair few earth ponies throughout the place. However, the two major products of Gallopoli were fish and kelp. The majority of earth ponies that lived in the town worked the kelp farms. Aside from them, earth ponies, who generally disliked the taste and smell of fish, had apparently decided that life in Gallopoli was not for them. Instead, the majority of the town's residents seemed to be pegasi and unicorns, with numbers favoring the former.

"So what do you think we should do tomorrow?" asked Perlin. "Should we make another trip to the beach? I've seen a couple of boats that offer excursions into the ocean. One apparently goes along the coast to visit a few coral reefs in the area, where we can dive if we want. The other goes out into the open for whale-watching tours."

"There's also the fishing tour," suggested Dawn.

"I'll pass on that one," said Perlin. "I wouldn't subject Coco to that and I don't want to leave her behind."

Dawn nodded. He settled back and considered their options. There was plenty to do around town, but they had plenty of time to enjoy their visit. There was no need to rush through a list of activities (something Twilight Sparkle had done the last time they'd visited).

They sat in silence for a little while, listening to the crash of waves against the rocks and sand and the cheerful voices of Scootaloo and Coco as they continued to explore the strip of land on the other side of the seawall, though their time there was growing short, as the tide was beginning to come in.

"I want to fight you," said Perlin suddenly, making Dawn jolt out of his blissful daze.

"What?" Dawn's head swiveled around as his catlike, turquoise eyes met Perlin's hawklike, yellow ones.

"I want to fight you," repeated Perlin, "not a tame sparring match, but a real fight. I want to do that again."

Dawn blinked and then turned his eyes upward thoughtfully. Now that he thought about it, he and Perlin hadn't fought a serious battle since that day in the Royal Palace, those few years ago. When he'd visited Ponyville in those brief instances while he was living out his sentence, they'd sparred occasionally, but never seriously, barely more than a few minutes spent exchanging mild blows at a pace that hardly counted as light exercise.

To fight, as they had fought back then in the Royal Palace, their lives hanging in the balance, dancing on the razor-thin edge between life and death... As Dawn thought about it, his heartbeat quickened. Though it had been a few years, the memory had not faded. It filled him with a sense of exultation. Despite the fact that their lives had been on the line, or perhaps because of it, Dawn found himself longing for that feeling once again.

"I would like that too," he said.

Perlin's smile widened. "Then we're agreed."

"But when and where?" asked Dawn. "Should we wait until we get back to Ponyville?"

"I thought it might be fun to do it while we're here," said Perlin.

"Um..." Dawn frowned. "Given that we aren't residents, I don't think we should risk destroying their property simply for the sake of our amusement."

"I've been looking into it," said Perlin. "We might be able to do it out at sea."

"I'm not too keen on the consequences of unleashing what amounts to a small storm system in the ocean near a town that's heavily dependent on boats," said Dawn. "We'd have to go a pretty far ways away in order to do it safely."

"From what I've been told, the harbor is fairly safe," said Perlin. "Hurricanes blow through here occasionally, but there's never been any severe damage. Apparently the Mayor and some of the residents would be interested in allowing us to fight. You have a bit of a reputation."

That made Dawn cant his head. "I do?"

Perlin nodded. "You were one of the young ponies specifically invited by Spitfire to participate in the Wonderbolt Academy without even having to apply. That reporter also did an article on your martial arts. Apparently, the Mayor thinks it would make for an interesting spectacle."

"I thought you wanted to fight for real, not an exhibition match," said Dawn.

"I do," said Perlin. "I was just pointing out that the town wants to watch. They seem to think that we'll give them quite a show."

"Have you told Coco about this?" asked Dawn.

Perlin's smile vanished. "I haven't," he admitted. "I'm worried that it would scare her."

"If you really want to do this, you'll have to tell her at some point," said Dawn. "I won't fight you unless you agree to do that."

"I understand," said Perlin, ducking his head.

A few minutes later, Scootaloo and Coco joined them on the veranda. The sun had already set, but they were happy to simply spend the remainder of the evening cuddling as they watched the stars come out. During that time, Dawn watched Perlin quietly as the older stallion exchanged whispered words with Coco in between nuzzles. Scootaloo noticed Dawn's scrutiny, but decided to keep her questions to herself until they were alone.

"Okay, what's up with Perlin?" she asked after they had gone to bed. She was currently cuddled up against Dawn, resting her head on his shoulder as his wings surrounded her.

"He wants to fight again," said Dawn.

"You mean like a real fight?" asked Scoootaloo, frowning.

"Yes," replied Dawn.

"Is that what you want?" asked Scootaloo.

"I think I do," said Dawn. "To be honest...I've been missing that feeling. It's been so long since I've had the chance to really fight against an opponent at my level."

"I'm sorry," said Scootaloo.

"It's not your fault," said Dawn, hugging her a little bit more tightly. "You'll get there soon."

In truth, when it came to technical skills and the basics of the techniques of the Gale King itself, Scootaloo completely matched him. What she currently lacked was the spiritual development to take the Art to its highest levels. It was understandable. Dawn's development had been accelerated by his continuous exposure to life-or-death circumstances, starting with his year spent in the Everfree, followed by the continuous fights between strong adversaries who had pushed him to the limit of his abilities time after time, often in different ways. Perlin had been a major factor in that. Because of that, this particular aspect of her training was taking longer than it had for him.

Not that Dawn had taken it easy on her. In intervening years, he had even occasionally taken Scootaloo for extended stays in the Everfree Forest, where he could teach her the survival skills he'd learned from his Master. It was during those periods that she got more exposure to the forest and all its dangers, which helped her learn to adjust and maintain her alertness. It had also exposed her to plenty of real danger to help her get a feel for what true life-or-death situations might be like, absent an opponent on his or Perlin's level.

The other reason Dawn had never really considered fighting all out against Scootaloo was fairly obvious. He couldn't bring himself to unleash his full strength against the mare he loved and actually fight her in a life-or-death scenario. He supposed that was his weakness as an instructor who had fallen for his student.

"It does sound like a fight between the two of you will be awesome to watch," said Scootaloo. "I could probably really learn something."

"Perhaps," said Dawn.

"So when will you be doing it?" she asked.

"As soon as Perlin works up the courage to tell Coco," replied Dawn.

"Ooh! That could take a while," said Scootaloo with a chuckle. "I hope he can manage it before our vacation is over."

"...and so that's what I was wanting to do," said Perlin, wrapping up his explanation.

Coco had listened to him silently. She was silent for a few seconds longer, during which Perlin found himself breaking out into a mild sweat.

"I don't see anything wrong with that," she said finally. "Just make sure you don't cause any trouble for the ponies in town."

"You're okay with this?" asked Perlin, feeling genuinely surprised.

Coco gave him a sober look. "Were you worried I wouldn't be?"

Perlin sighed and looked away from her. "Well...yes."

Coco sighed and cuddled up against him. "I can understand that," she said softly, nuzzling against his neck, relishing in the warm feeling of the feathers of his wings as they wrapped around her. "I know I was afraid of you when we first...met...and I had to live with that fear for a while. Even after I got to know you better, even after I started to realize I liked you too, that fear was still there sometimes."

"I'm sorry," said Perlin.

"Perlin, you changed for me, but you don't have to become a completely different pony," said Coco. "I understand that being able to fight and use your skills are part of who you are. It was a little difficult to get used to that, but I did. What I realized was that, so long as you were using those skills for the right reasons and the right ends, it shouldn't matter. I love you and that won't change." She planted a kiss on his jaw. "I learned not to be afraid of you, so you don't have to be afraid of me."

"Thank you," said Perlin. "I'm really lucky to have a mare like you in my life."

"And I'm lucky to have you," said Coco.

"Is that so?" asked Perlin, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"Perlin? What are you-Eep!" Coco squeaked in surprise as Perlin suddenly rolled them over so that she was on her back while he hovered over her.

"I think I need a reminder just how lucky both of us are," he said, grinning.

"Oh you," said Coco with amused exasperation. "Are you sure we should? What if Dawn and Scootaloo hear us?"

"I think this place has decent soundproofing," said Perlin. "Besides, we're on vacation. Let's not worry about things like that."

"I suppose I can't argue with that," said Coco. She stretched up even as Perlin lowered himself down onto her, their lips meeting...

...The next morning, a blushing Dawn and Scootaloo informed the mortified couple that the cottage's soundproofing was not as good as Perlin thought.

"Well now, I'm quite glad to approve this," said Gallopoli's Mayor cheerfully, looking across the desk at Perlin and Dawn. "I must admit that there were quite a few ponies who have been most curious about you, Mr. Lightwing. There has been a growing stir ever since you came to town."

"Scootaloo and I are that famous?" asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow, unable to take his eyes off the mare in front of him.

"Winning the Best Young Fliers Competition is quite a good way to earn recognition," said the Mayor, "until the next one anyway. Then, of course, it became known that Spitfire specifically invited you two and two other young competitors to her Academy on the basis of your performance alone. Amongst many ponies, especially other pegasi, you've become quite the talk of the nation now."

The realization that so many ponies were interested in him was something Dawn still felt was disconcerting. Then again, he supposed there had to be a reason why his biological mother would go to such lengths to try and lure him back into her clan. He traveled outside of Ponyville so rarely that it had become rather easy for him to be blindsided by the fact that his name was known to so many other ponies.

"Now, as for the location, if you hold your match outside the cape, our harbor should be quite sheltered from any inclement weather your...match...might generate." The Mayor's words made it clear that she was a bit skeptical about Dawn's claims regarding what a battle between him and Perlin would create.

"What would be the best time for us to have the match?" asked Perlin.

"At the earliest, I think I can get things set up for the day after tomorrow," said the Mayor. "That's the time I'll need to make arrangements with the fishermares and the kelp farmers. All the farms are inside of the cape, so they should be quite safe from the...weather. However...unless you want to spend the rest of your vacation being hounded like celebrities I suggest you hold off until the day before you depart. A spectacle like the one you two will most likely create is likely to get ponies quite stirred up. They most likely won't leave you alone for the remainder of your time here."

Dawn and Perlin exchanged glances. "I don't think the girls would like that," said Dawn. "Can you wait?"

Perlin raised a wry eyebrow at Dawn. "Why are you looking at me like I'm an addict who can't control himself until he gets his next hit?"

"You're saying you're not?" asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow back.

Perlin's eyebrow twitched. "Of course I'm not," he protested. "It's not an addiction! I can quit whenever I want."

"Sure..." said Dawn with a smirk before turning back to the Mayor. "I think that will work out fine with us. That should give you some extra time to make arrangements with the townsponies."

The Mayor giggled and clapped her hooves together. "Oh my! This should be quite the spectacle. I'm looking forward to this almost as much as everypony else out here."

"That's good to hear," said Dawn, tilting his head.

"Is there something wrong?" asked the Mayor, tilting her own head quizzically. "I feel like you've been staring at me quite intently."

"Um..." Dawn blinked and tried to figure out how to phrase his question.

The Mayor of Gallopoli was an older mare, a pegasus. While she was a ways away from being called elderly, she was probably on the older end of middle-aged. What confused Dawn so much was how familiar she looked, from the wrinkles on her face to her elegantly curled mane of distinguished gray. Aside from her pale-blue coat, brown eyes, and the fact that she had wings, he would have sworn that she could be a dead ringer for a certain civil servant in his own hometown.

"You wouldn't happen to be acquainted with the Mayor of Ponyville?" asked Dawn.

"I don't believe I am," said Gallopoli's Mayor. "In fact, I'm quite sure of it."

"You've never met her?"

"That's quite correct."

"Never mind then. It's just an idle curiosity."

"Oh that's quite all right."

"Now then," said Perlin, rising from his seat, "I believe we promised the girls a whale-watching excursion this afternoon. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Mayor."

"And thank you for going through the trouble to arrange this with me," said the Mayor. "We should all have quite a bit of fun."

Dawn and Perlin left the office, Dawn idly musing about the fashion trends of small-town mayors. Maybe there's some kind of magazine for them, he thought. I was almost on the verge of asking if gray was her natural color. It's probably for the best that I didn't.

"Is it just me, or did she like that word quite a bit?" asked Perlin idly.

Dawn nodded. "Quite," he agreed.

The remaining days of their vacation passed in a blissful haze. The whale-watching tour had been an enjoyable excursion and even Perlin was in silent awe of the massive bulk of the whales that made their way up and down the coast. They were equally fascinated by the pods of dolphins that came to frolic around their boats. Both Scootaloo and Dawn wished that Fluttershy had come with them. They were certain that she would have had plenty to talk about with these remarkable animals, who some held were as intelligent as ponies in their own right.

They took diving trips several times, with their guides taking them up and down the coast to visit a variety of colorful reefs populated by equally colorful fish. The rest of the time was spent strolling along the quaint streets of the town or playing in the waves of the beach. The locals were friendly and more than willing to chat, happy to share special places to visit that weren't in the tourist brochures. As Dawn had come to learn, many of them recognized him and Scootaloo on sight, which might have been a factor in their friendliness. However, they were polite enough not to make a scene.

In a way, it felt strange to Dawn. Back in their home town, everything was buried under a layer of cold white. Yet here, everything was warm, green, and gold. He went to sleep each night with Scootaloo in his arms and the sound of the ocean in his ears. It would be worth it to come back here more often, he sometimes thought.

The day he and Perlin had decided upon for their match dawned bright and clear. The local Weather Team had apparently cleared out all of the clouds in anticipation of the storm to come. Despite the evident skepticism some of them had towards Dawn and Scootaloo's claims of what they were capable of, they had taken all the warnings to heart and removed anything that could have been thrown into disarray by the battle. Even the boats in the dock had been secured a bit more thoroughly than usual, a precaution normally taken when the occasional wild hurricane swept down the coast. Even the waves of the ocean seemed lower than normal and had a certain glassy quality.

"Looks like a good day for a fight," observed Scootaloo with a wry grin as she joined Dawn on the porch.

"It does," agreed Dawn. "Perlin and Coco...?"

"Still sleeping it off," said Scootaloo, her grin becoming a touch mischievous. "They must've been going at it pretty hard last night. I'm glad they warned us about the ear plugs."

"Let them sleep," said Dawn. "We weren't planning on starting until the early afternoon at the earliest."

"From the sound of things, everypony in town is gonna make a day of it," said Scootaloo. "Everypony's planning on go out on the cape to watch."

"We're going to be a ways out," said Dawn. "I doubt they'll be able to see us."

"They'll see plenty," said Scootaloo. "When you two get serious, you can really put on a show. Coco and I'll sit with them. I've also helped the weather team prep a platform to bring out to you two once you're finished. I don't want my coltfriend and Perlin drowning because they wore themselves out several miles away from shore."

"That's good. I was a bit worried about that," admitted Dawn with a sheepish smile.

"That's why you've got me," said Scootaloo, kissing his cheek. "Come on. Let's get some breakfast. We can pick up something for the lovebirds to eat, once they wake up, while we're at it."

Dawn ate a solid breakfast, enjoying the variety of fruits, fish, and grains that the restaurant had to offer. After that, he spent the remainder of the morning at the beach, doing nothing but simply drifting in the waves. By the time he returned to the cottage for a shower and lunch, Perlin and Coco were up. Coco was happily helping herself to all the food that Scootaloo and Dawn had brought back from their own breakfast excursion. Perlin, mindful of the upcoming exertions, was eating a lighter meal. Dawn joined him, picking up a few fruit to munch on.

"Any reservations?” he asked as he settled down on the veranda next to his former enemy.

"None," said Perlin with a smile.

"I'm glad you didn't have to work so hard at telling Coco," noted Dawn.

Perlin ducked his head slightly. "It feels silly of me to still be treading so lightly around her. We know each other so well now. But I sometimes feel that it would be too easy to lose her."

"Maybe it is," said Dawn. "Scootaloo and I have fought over the littlest, silliest things over the years. During our session at the Academy, there were a few times where I felt a genuine disconnect with her, when I felt we might never look at something the same way. Fortunately I was wrong."

"What if you aren't wrong about that someday?" asked Perlin.

"I've wondered about that myself," said Dawn. "I think that it will be inevitable. Ponies are different. Even when we're in love and close as can be, we'll never see eye-to-eye on everything. There's nothing that can be done about that. But that doesn't change the fact that I love her and that I want to be with her. There will probably be things that I will never understand about her, like how she can still eat so many sweets on Nightmare Night and not get sick."

Perlin snorted. "I suppose you have a point. I feel lucky though. I'd be happy to put my skills to use protecting Coco."

"That's good to know," said Dawn.

The two of them waited a little while after lunch, digesting their meal before heading out. Per their request, their battlefield had been prepared for them. Two small clouds had been set out a short distance away from each other at the point where they intended to begin their fight. The strip of land that was the cape that blocked off the view of town loomed up, filling the horizon on one side. On all others, the blue sea stretched out endlessly, the waters seeming even calmer than they had been during the morning.

Dawn had worried about the whales, dolphins, and the reefs. The Mayor informed him that Gallopoli had its own wildlife managers, who had warned the local cetaceans away from the area. Likewise, by moving their fight far enough off shore, they avoided causing any more disturbance to the reefs than the average hurricane did. They had selected their position for the fight carefully in order to minimize the risk.

Dawn settled onto his cloud and took a deep breath, spreading his wings out partially, breathing in and out in a slow rhythm, letting the feeling of each breath flow through his body, sweeping away extraneous thoughts and sending them outward each time he exhaled. Slowly, he stripped away his worries and concerns, his musings and ponderings, anything and everything, each coherent thought that wandered through his head.

Over the years, practice allowed him to perform this exercise on the fly to truly sink into the depths of nothingness very nearly at will. However, it truly felt best when he was able to take his time and slowly let everything go. Everything that he was, everything that was him flowed out and away, leaving only emptiness behind. The world, everything it was, rushed in to take its place, filling him up to the brim...to overflowing. Each breath of air carried with it the smell and taste of the sea, salty and fresh. His feathers were teased by each swirling motion of the ocean breeze and his ears felt as though he could pick up the sound of each dancing wave down below.

He felt Perlin across from him. Even with his eyes closed, Dawn could still see him. He could feel Perlin through the swirling eddies in the air that he generated. He could sense every breath of air that Perlin drew in and breathed out. His awareness followed those breaths down into Perlin's lungs, through his heart, his arteries and veins. Dawn felt as though he knew Perlin inside and out. More than that, Perlin's sheer presence blazed before Dawn's senses, its intensity making him smile. Perlin had gotten much stronger than he had been the last time they'd fought.

Excitement welled up within Dawn, rising like the tide. He let it. He let the feeling sweep through him set his feathers to tingling life and send shivers of anticipation running down his spine. He'd never thought he'd missed the feeling this much. Dawn realized that he was happy, that he'd been looking forward to this. The feeling fell into place like the missing piece of a puzzle, completing and fulfilling him.

Smiling, Dawn opened his eyes. They met Perlin's on the other cloud and Dawn could see that Perlin was smiling too. The other stallion mimicked his stance, standing with wings partly outstretched. Their bluish-silver color seemed more vivid than usual and the air around them seemed to darken slightly as the wings developed a faint luminance. The air between the two of them began to hum, vibrating against their wings.

Perlin grinned eagerly. Dawn's smile widened slightly. He took another deep breath and the faint buzz in the air vanished like an illusion dispelled. Everything went still. Even the water down below went flat and smooth, polished like a sheet of endless glass.

"Show off," said Perlin smugly.

Dawn merely closed his eyes again and continued to breathe slowly and evenly.

"Whoa!" gasped Scootaloo, her eyes going wide. "Just when I think I'm catching up to him, he goes and does something like this."

"Is it really that amazing?" asked Coco as she settled next to Scootaloo. The two of them rested on a bench, watching as their respective coltfriends prepared for their battle. The cape was a well-known scenic spot, one that Scootaloo, Dawn, Perlin, and Coco had visited their third day into the vacation. Because of that, there were benches and gazebos scattered up and down its length to let ponies enjoy the spectacular ocean views. This was a favored venue for outdoor parties when the weather was fair.

"Yeah," she said. "It's hard to put it into words what he does. It's sort of like...uh..." She paused and tried to think about what to say. "It's like a river, right? There's all that water moving and its always flowing down. It hits rocks and it makes a ton of noise."

"Yes," said Coco, urging her friend to elaborate, though she didn't quite understand where Scootaloo was going with this.

"Then it's like having that river fall into a humongous lake," said Scootaloo. "I mean a huge lake! It's so huge that all that water coming in gets swallowed up and then there isn't a single ripple left. Everything just gets really quiet."

Coco frowned, not remotely sure she understood what Scootaloo was saying at all. But, then again, it seemed that maybe Scootaloo wasn't sure that she understood what she was saying.

All around them were other ponies, the citizens of Gallopoli, settling in to watch the fight. The idea made Scootaloo smirk. These ponies had no idea what they were in for. Some of them were even laying out blankets and setting up picnics, clearly hoping to enjoy their lunches as they watched the fight. They probably figured they'd see some fancy hoof-to-hoof combat. Some of them were even complaining that there was no way they'd be able to see what was going on with Dawn and Perlin so far out from the cape. However, once the boys got going, Scootaloo knew that there was going to be plenty to see.

Her ear twitched. Even at this distance, she could feel the change through the air. Dawn seemed to vanish to her senses, blending in completely with the air around him. Perlin tensed. She could feel it all the way from where she was, as though she were merely standing a few meters away from the two of them. Neither of them had budged an inch, but Scootaloo could feel that the battle had begun.

"They're starting," she whispered to Coco.

Coco nodded, not letting her eyes leave the two specks that were Dawn and Perlin in the distance. She trembled slightly, worried about what the next few minutes would bring. However, Scootaloo's wing came to rest over her back and Coco was able to relax.

"I must say, this wasn't quite what I was expecting," said the Mayor as she came to stand next to Scootaloo. "I thought a fight was supposed to be quite a bit more...dynamic."

Scootaloo smirked. "You'll see that soon. They've already started."

"Then why aren't they moving?" asked the Mayor.

"Because they aren't ready to move," said Scootaloo. "They're both waiting for their chance." In her mind, she went back to that day so long ago, back when she and Dawn were still foals. She remembered the battle in the quarry, where Dawn had fought with Storm Front and Red River, the two mercenaries that had come to Ponyville. The battle had begun in a similar manner back then, with all participants standing eerily still.

Ignoring the Mayor for the time being, Scootaloo settled back and enjoyed the show.

"How many times has it been?" mused Perlin.

"Cloudsdale, Ponyville, Canterlot...three," said Dawn.

"It feels like we've been at this for much longer," said Perlin.

"It does," agreed Dawn.

"Don't hold back," said Perlin.

"I don't intend to," said Dawn. "I begin."

Dawn swept one wing around and the sky roared.

Author's Note

Well, at least this should be the last time I pull this stunt.

I think vacationing with Twilight would be a lot like going on vacation with my mother. Whenever we go on a vacation of some sort, we end up visiting a ton of destinations that my mother insists on hitting up, trying to see/do as much as possible, scheduling things as tightly as she can manage. She doesn't exactly know how to sit back and relax unless it's a place we've visited several times. It drives my sister absolutely nuts.

In other news, on Thursday, I will be departing for Austin Texas and RTX/SGC. It's the first actual convention I'll have gone to since I was in college. I wish I could actually get away for more of them, but my paycheck is lean enough...I need to find another job. I will warn you that I'll be trying to do as much as I can while I'm there, which means my update schedule might end up being a little bit spotty...but nothing to severe...I hope...

Next chapter: Dawn and Perlin put on a show.