Twilight’s Love Volume Two: Rainbow’s Love

All the students were surprised to see Scootaloo in a dress. Sweetie Belle knew about the Dash’s taking Scoot in and she’d shared it with Apple Bloom, but the two hadn’t had any time to talk to their other friends about it.

“Good morning my little ponies,” said Cheerilee.

“Good morning Miss Cheerilee,” replied the students.

“I trust you all had a good weekend and are ready to get to work,” said the teacher.

Groans were the reply. The teacher just smiled, it was as much part of the ritual.

“Before we get to today’s lesson, we need to welcome a new student.”

The kids looked around, not seeing any new faces.

“Come on in,” said Cheerilee.

Rainbow and Twilight Dash entered the class.

There were pleasant murmurs, both Twilight and Rainbow were very popular ponies, well known to even the children.

“We’d like to introduce our new daughter,” said Twilight.

“Come up here,” said Rainbow.

The kids looked around again. Scootaloo waited a moment then got up and walked to her moms with a big smile.

“We’d like you to meet, Scootaloo Storm-Cloud Dash,” said Rainbow proudly. “She was officially adopted this weekend.”

There were some happy murmurs from the class but then Diamond Tiara spoke up.

“She’s not a new student, she’s the same old blank flank!”

Scootaloo turned sideways and Twilight levitated the hem of Scoot’s dress to expose her flank.

“No way!” said Apple Bloom excitedly.

The rest of the class cheered, all but Diamond Tiara.

“We’ll let you get back to your class,” said Rainbow.

“I’ll be right back,” said Scootaloo to the teacher.

Cheerilee nodded.

The three exited the class, Scoot gave her mothers a kiss and had them take the dress home so it wouldn’t get dirty at school.

Scootaloo walked back to her desk and the class started.

All the ponies would glance at the new cutie mark, such a thing was always the subject of excitement with the school kids. Four ponies in particular kept looking at it. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Silver Spoon looked in admiration, Diamond Tiara looked in disbelief. She was certain it was a fake just like when Apple Bloom tried to fake a cutie mark with the Heart’s Desire potion. Diamond thought with Scootaloo living with that freaky Twilight, then there had to be some fake mumbo-jumbo going on.

At recess all the ponies circled Scootaloo congratulating her. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were beside themselves.

“You said you’d get your cutie mark by not having a home,” said Sweetie Belle. “But it looks like having a home is what did it.”

“I’m so jealous!” said Apple Bloom, “I wanted to be the first.”

The way she was laughing a pony could tell she wasn’t upset.

“It almost looks like Rainbow Dash’s,” said Sweetie Belle.

“And it’s how you can tell it’s a fake,” said Diamond Tiara, pushing her way through the crowd.

There were some murmurs.

Scootaloo knew the nice Diamond Tiara who helped her just this last Friday wouldn’t last. Scoot also couldn’t help but notice the look on Silver Spoon’s face showed she wasn’t in agreement with Diamond.

Scootaloo thought about what would be the best comeback, then she realized her new family would be of help.

“My new aunts are convinced it’s real,” said Scoot.

“You don’t have aunts,” said Diamond, “you’re an orphan.”

“I’m the adopted daughter of Rainbow and Twilight Dash,” said Scootaloo proudly, “their families are now my families, including my aunt Sunshine Dash, uncle Prince Shining Armor and his wife aunt Princess Cadence, but the aunts I said were convinced are my aunts; Princesses Celestia and Luna.”

All the kids looked at Diamond to see what her comeback would be. She looked lost and started grasping at straws.

“I... I still don’t believe you,” said Diamond, “you’ve no proof of what you’re saying. I bet it’d rub right off.”

“You’re welcome to try,” said Scoot with a smile Rainbow would be proud of, “if you think you’re filly enough.”

“Oooo...” said the ponies.

“Gross! I don’t want to touch your flanks,” said Diamond.

There was a moment of quiet as the ponies were waiting on the next move.

“I will,” said Silver Spoon.

Scoot was about to comeback with something, but something in the way Silver had said it and the look in her eyes showed she was wanting to prove it real, not fake.

“Go ahead,” said Scootaloo.

Silver walked up to Scootaloo and whispered:

“I believe you.”

Silver gingerly reached out and stroked the cutie mark, Scootaloo noticed how gentle Silver Spoon was touching her flank. She wasn’t trying to rub paint off as much as caressing her flank. It felt odd but not unpleasant.

Silver held out her hoof to Diamond, no trace of paint, ink or dye.

“It’s real,” said Silver Spoon, in the snooty voice she had used on the CMC in the past.

Diamond slunk off, she looked back at Silver Spoon, who just shook her head and stayed with the rest of the class mates.

After class, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked to Sugarcube corner for their after school snack. They had to hear every detail of Scootaloo’s weekend. They were so envious Scoot got to be around and now be related to Princesses Celestia and Luna. But they were beyond happy for their friend now she had a real family.

As they sat there, another pony entered. Everypony looked at who had entered. The pony walked to the CMC and greeted them.

“Hello everypony, would it be okay if I join you?”

The three friends looked at each other, not sure of this turn of events.

“No problem, Silver Spoon,” said Apple Bloom.

Silver Spoon went to the counter and ordered then sat down next to Scootaloo, it was hard to tell if she was sitting a little closer than just being friendly or not. None of the three friends had been around Silver Spoon in a friendly way to know her habits.

Soon Pinkie Pie brought four milkshakes to the table and left.

“I hope you don’t mind, I bought these as an ‘I’m sorry’ gesture for today and for much of the past,” said Silver Spoon.

It was almost strange to hear Silver Spoon talking to them without the condescending inflection in her voice. Everypony found her voice to actually be pleasant, especially Scootaloo.

“Why the change of heart?” said Sweetie Belle.

“Diamond Tiara has been my only friend for some time,” said Silver Spoon, “because of that, no other pony wanted to be around me. Diamond always told me it was because I’m so homely. And I was lucky she wanted to be around me.

Because I believed her, I always followed her lead.”

“You aren’t homely!” said Scootaloo, “that’s mean even for Diamond!”

Silver Spoon looked at Scootaloo and smiled a very warm smile as if appreciating the acknowledgment.

“So what changed?” asked Apple Bloom.

“For about a year now,” said Silver, “Diamond had been getting more and more pushy. Especially now she has a coltfriend she’s seeing a lot of.

We used to go to the movies on the weekend or out shopping. But now she wants to spend all her time with him, a high school pony. Plus she wanted me to go out with her coltfriend’s friends or relatives and do things they do. But I have reasons why I won’t go with them, aside from the fact I don’t what they’re doing is proper at their age.”

Silver blushed knowing her new friends should know what she was saying, she hoped she didn’t have to explain.

“I started to feel left out of everything. Our classmates wanted nothing to do with me, especially you girls, because of the way Diamond and I acted.

I’m not perfect, I listened to Diamond and so I believed she and I were better than everypony else. But then I started to see how much it was isolating me just because I wanted to fit in with my only friend.

Plus there was one other thing she held over my head. A secret she was sure if exposed I’d be disgraced, but I’m willing to face that possibility now.

Especially if I have real friends that’d be there for me.

So lately Diamond has let me hang out with her once in a while as if doing me a favor. Now I see she just wanted to make sure there was at least one pony to back her up.”

Silver then turned to look into Scootaloo’s eyes.

“Then last Friday, when we gave you a hoof in getting your bags to the Children’s Home, the respect and warmth you showed in gratitude did something for me. I could see ponies could respect me for me and not just because of Diamond.”

Silver Spoon put a hoof on Scootaloo’s shoulder and smiled.

“It’s why when you showed your new cutie mark and it put Diamond in her place, I knew it was time for me to make the break and get out of her shadow and see if I couldn’t find friends who’d let me be in my own light.”

“Thank you for the treat,” said Sweetie Belle, “and we’re always open to making new friends.”

“And we’d want Diamond to be a friend if’n she ever wanted,” said Apple Bloom.

“I think what we’re saying is,” said Scootaloo, looking into Silver’s eyes. “Would you like to hang out with us?”

Silver Spoon started to cry. Scootaloo put a foreleg around Silver’s shoulder.

“You’d really want to have me around after the way I’ve treated you?” asked Silver, “I’m so ashamed.”

“Don’t be,” said Apple Bloom, “forgivin’ is what friends do.”

The three fillies got up and hugged their new friend. They’d never seen this kind of smile on their onetime adversary.

The rest of the snack time went well and they told Silver Spoon she was welcome to join their study group at the library.

About a half hour later, the little group entered the library for their study time. Twilight heard the bell at the door and came into main room, there she found her daughter and friends plus one pony. They were setting up their table for their study time.

“Hello mom,” said Scootaloo seeing her mom enter the room. It still gave Scoot a thrill to have a ‘mom’, two in fact.

“Hi Sweetie,” said Twilight, “who’s your friend?”

“Mom,” said Scoot, “this is our new friend Silver Spoon.”

There was an odd look came over her face at the recognition of the name.

“I thought...” said Twilight, but she caught herself. She didn’t want to hurt the filly’s feelings if she was wrong.

“Yes, Mrs. Dash,” said Silver, blushing at being remembered for what she’d done in the past. It was nice Twilight was trying to spare her feelings. “I’m afraid I’m the pony you’ve heard of. And I’m sorry; but things have changed. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have shown me what real friends are.”

“I’m glad to hear it, and it’s okay to call me Twilight. All my friends do.”

Silver Spoon smiled at the acceptance.

Twilight couldn’t help but notice Silver Spoon was sitting close to Scootaloo, it appeared her daughter didn’t notice or at least, didn’t care. But she made a mental note to talk to her daughter later.

“So who needs help with their homework?” asked Twilight.

The friends worked through the word problems Cheerilee had assigned. Twilight was pleased her daughter’s new friend appeared to be quite intelligent and was able to help the others with some of the concepts.

In about an hour, they were finished and packed up their school things and were heading out.

“Mom, we’re going to the clubhouse,” said Scootaloo.

“Okay,” said Twilight. “Don’t be too late, your mother and I need to talk to you about something.”

“Okay mom,” said Scootaloo, going out the door. She was still amazed she had parents who cared for her.

At the clubhouse, the four just sat around and talked about the fate of the Cutie Mark Crusaders now they had one member with a cutie mark and another friend with their mark who wanted to be part of their group.

“So now what do we do?” asked Sweetie Belle, “our club was to help each other to find their cutie mark. But now Scootaloo has hers, does she no longer belong?”

“And Silver Spoon already had hers,” said Apple Bloom, “We don’t wan’a be friends who exclude friends from hangin’ out.”

“We created our club to help each other find our cutie marks,” said Scootaloo, “just because some of us have our cutie mark, it shouldn’t stop us from trying to help the others find theirs.”

“It might even be an advantage,” said Silver Spoon, “don’t you go to somepony who knows music when you want to learn to make music?”

They all found logic in what Silver Spoon had said. They were all glad to have a reason not to exclude their close friend and their new friend who they welcomed to the CMC.

“I never thought I’d be so happy to be considered a Cutie Mark Crusader!” Said Silver Spoon with a tear on her cheek.

They held their CMC induction (now abridged to be of a more reasonable length) and gave her a CMC cape. Silver Spoon was beside herself with pride and joy. She was being accepted as an equal and not just a toady.

There was a group hug with a pony they never expected to belong to the CMC. With so many forelegs around each other, it was hard to tell whose was whose. Scootaloo was not sure if it were just somepony having to adjust the position of their foreleg or if one of her friends was actually feeling her flank. However, it wasn’t enough to embarrass anypony, so she said nothing.

They sat around and gossiped for about an hour. It was nice to have a new pony to tell old stories to as well as hearing ‘dirt’ on Diamond and even some confirmation from their new friend about the truth of some of the things she was involved with.

Soon it was time to head home for dinner and everypony went their own way. Silver Spoon’s house was on the way to the library so Scootaloo walked with her.

Silver Spoon was walking very close to Scootaloo, she and Scoot were laughing at funny stories and Silver was enthralled by Scoot’s story about her trip to Canterlot, the relationship with Princess Luna. And was even was mesmerized but slightly frightened by the visit of her late ‘brother’ telling her to take care of Rainbow.

Soon they arrived at Silver’s home. It was impressive in size, a pool in the back and lots of yard. It was missing the wall of hedges and gate Diamond Tiara had at her home.

“Well,” said Silver, “this is where I live.”

“Nice,” said Scootaloo.

“Maybe you can spend the night one night,” said Silver.

“I’d like that.”

“So would I,” said Silver with a smile.

Silver gave Scoot a warm hug, which she returned. Silver loosened her grip, her foreleg still around Scoot’s neck. Silver looked into Scootaloo’s eyes and did something completely unexpected.

Scootaloo had seen movies and tried not to appear too sappy about emotions, but secretly she enjoyed love story movies, along with romantic books she’d hidden from other fillies at the Home.

So Scootaloo knew the mechanics and motivations when Silver Spoon kissed her; she wasn’t without guidance, although she was without experience.

It was a respectable kiss, held for at least a good minute. No tongue, but it wasn’t just a peck on the lips. Scoot didn’t fight it, she actually found herself liking it and tightening her embrace, to the thrill of Silver.

Silver broke the kiss and continued to look in Scoot’s eyes. Her smile would’ve lit up a darkened room. She was overjoyed that Scootaloo didn’t fight the kiss or become angry with her.

“See you at school,” said Silver Spoon who gave a slightly shorter kiss then turned and went into the house.

Scootaloo watched as the door closed. Then she noticed a curtain in a ground floor window open and Silver Spoon looked out. She blew a kiss and then waved; Scoot found herself returning the blown kiss. She’d never, in her short life, ever blew a kiss to anypony! Scoot waved back and the curtains closed.

Scoot stood there for another minute looking at the window, actually hoping Silver would look out it again. Then she turned to walk home.

Scootaloo was so lost in her thoughts; she was halfway to the Children’s Home before she remembered she didn’t live there anymore.

It started to form in her mind what Silver Spoon was talking about Diamond Tiara ‘holding something over her head’.

Was it Diamond knew Silver liked girls? Was Diamond so closed minded she had convinced Silver Spoon that her sexual choice was something shameful or unnatural? With Diamond’s actions in the past, Scootaloo wouldn’t put it past her.

‘I think I might be able to help Silver out from under that assumption. But does me liking her kiss make me a mare-lover too?

My mothers are mare-lovers, my best friend’s sisters are mare-lovers, so what if I’m a mare-lover!’ thought Scootaloo.

It was starting to get dark outside. At the library, Scootaloo saw the closed sign on the door and she went to knock. But then she realized she didn’t have to knock on her own door. The bell rang as the door opened and Twilight came into the room.

“Sweetie,” said Twilight, “I was afraid you were going to miss dinner.”

“I was just about to go fly and look for you,” said Rainbow.

“I’m sorry Mama Twilight, Mama Rainbow,” said Scootaloo. “We spent longer than normal just talking. We were getting to know Silver Spoon better and making her a Cutie Mark Crusader.

Then I walked Silver to her home.

After we kissed, I got confused and almost walked to the Children’s Home before I remembered I lived here...”

Scootaloo froze, her face went blank, and her eyes went crossed. She realized she was so distracted, she’d just confessed something she wasn’t sure of how to explain further.

“After you what?” said Rainbow and Twilight in unison.

“Oh, horse-apples!” said Scootaloo.