In the early morning, on the outskirts of the small town known as Ponyville, sat a sleepy home not yet touched by the sunrise. Inside the little Wonderbolt-decorated bedroom on the second floor slumbered a young tangerine filly, wings gently fluttering intermittently between snores as she dreamed of her idol mare performing outstandingly in a race against Spitfire around Cloudsdale, with the occasional strange occurrence dreams typically had far and few in between.
Her bedroom door gradually opened with a gentle creak, a lavender-pink pegasus mare peeking through, smiling softly at the sleeping filly. She could not have been more proud of her daughter, knowing the long path she has come down to achieve wonders most foals would not ever dare to perform, all for one simple reward—her cutie mark.
The mare gently swept a hoof across her forehead, moving a curled strand of her auburn-brown mane from her eyesight. She pushed through the door quietly, hoping not to abruptly wake the little orange filly. Stepping up to the small bed, the mare spoke in a gentle, low voice.
"Scootaloo..." She reached a hoof up, stroking her slightly messy, fuchsia tomcolt-styled mane, only being replied with more snores and wing flutters.
She giggled quietly to herself, continuing to weave a hoof through her mane. "You should wake up, Scootie..."
The small filly changed the side she laid on, maw parting to let out a low yawn. Her eyelids gradually cracked open, the light purple irises meeting her mother's as she tucked one hoof beneath her blanket.
"Moooom, it's too early... go back to sleep!" Scootaloo replied tiredly. "It's summer, remember?"
"Not anymore, my little Scootie. Take a look outside," her mother, Melody, said softly once more as she pulled a string, opening the curtains that flooded the room with warm, golden light.
Scootaloo winced at the light, tucking her head beneath the bed sheets to shield herself from being blinded by the evil sun that now threatened to prevent her from sleeping in on this—wait a minute, the sun was out!
The tangerine pegasus filly leaped out of her sheets and jumped to the windowsill, the sunlight kissing her entire self as it rose above the distant horizon. But it wasn't the sunlight that brought Scootaloo to awe, it was the sight around their home.
The trees—almost each and every one of them—were a multitude of colors. Orange, yellow, red, and every shade in between. Leaves floated down to the ground in a gentle breeze, some landing in left over water puddles from recent rains, the trees waving in wind as it swept across this sleepy town.
Scootaloo's wings spread, fluttering and flapping with excitement as she bounced up and down, landing on the floor and hopping around her mother. "It's the first day of fall!" She squealed out.
Melody giggled softly, motioning her hoof for the filly to settle. "Ssshh, Dad is still asleep!"
Scootaloo immediately froze in place, blushing with embarrassment as her muzzle wrinkled, holding her mouth shut from further squeals.
"Come on, let's go make some breakfast. We'll surprise him," Melody said, lifting Scootaloo onto her back and nuzzling her cheek.
***
Cracking the shells open and splitting the ends, the contents of the egg inside dropped onto a sizzling pan, crackling and bubbling at the touch as they cooked alongside rising pancake batter as it was poured in neat circular shapes of perfect size.
Scootaloo stood on the counter, holding the mixing bowl carefully while her mother worked the stove. Their family tradition included fresh eggs, pancakes, and biscuits every year on the first day of the autumnal equinox. Although, it was tradition to Melody and Scootaloo, for Chrome Blade had been away for too long and never experienced this annual breakfast.
Taking in a large whiff of the wonderful scent, Scootaloo licked her lips, eager to get a taste of her favorite breakfast. She reached a hoof forward, only to be stopped by Melody shaking her head and gently pushing the filly's back.
"Ah, ah, ah, Scootaloo, don't want to burn yourself, now do you?"
Scootaloo let off a small laugh. "Sorry, Mom. It just smells so gooooood!"
"Just a few more minutes, Scootie. Dad should be up by then, I hope."
As if summoned by magic, the auburn-maned white pegasus rose out of bed, nose latching on to the phenomenal smell of eggs and pancakes cooking. He smiled softly with his eyes still shut, stretching his hooves out and groaning.
Afterward, the stallion brushed a hoof over his bed-ruined mane, opening his aqua blue eyes to look out at the colorful foliage outside their window. Smile remaining, he pushed the sheets off of his lower half and eased onto all fours, stretching his wings out and flapping them to straighten the feathers enough to settle with until he could preen them again.
He followed the source out of the room, around the short hallway, and down the stairs corridor, exiting out into the living room and kitchen with a slightly tired smile.
"Good morning, Melody, Scootaloo," Chrome yawned softly. "Something smells amazing."
"Good morning, honey!" Melody turned, hoof on the pan handle with a welcoming smile. "Scootie, would you care to tell your father what we are doing?"
Chrome chuckled. "Making breakfast?"
"Not just any breakfast," Scootaloo began. "The first-day-of-fall-breakfast-spectacular!" She said really fast, bouncing on her forehooves.
"The first-what?" Chrome smiled, picking up the tangerine filly with no issue and hugging her in one hoof gently.
"The first day of fall breakfast spectacular!" Scootaloo repeated, looping her hooves around Chrome's neck, just short of completely wrapping around.
"Is that so?" He smiled, glancing to Melody, who turned off the stove burner and set the pan aside, then nuzzling Chrome's cheek.
"It's a tradition me and Scootie have had since you left. We figured it would be a good idea to introduce you to it now that you're home with us again."
"Sounds like a lot of fun," Chrome smiled, pecking Melody on the forehead. "I sure did miss a lot, didn't I?"
Both Melody and Scootaloo nodded. "But now we have all of the time in the world to get you caught up!" Scootaloo said with a mixture of determination and excitement.
"Well, I cannot wait," he smiled some more, setting Scootaloo down gently. "I'll make some coffee," he said to Melody, who nodded in response.
***
The family of three sat at the dining table, happily eating their breakfast together. Pancakes in sticky maple syrup, sunny-side up eggs, and warm, fluffy buttered biscuits fresh out of the oven.
None said a word as they enjoyed their meal, also basking in the sunlight seeping through the windows as it provided plenty of light in the whole house. It truly was the best first day of autumn either of them have ever had.
Chrome took a light sip of his coffee, brewed to perfection with just enough cream and sugar in it. He smiled warmly to his wife, and to his beautiful foal as they ate.
He surely could not have been happier to be home with them, seeing just how much his little Scootaloo had grown while he was gone. Even more so, her long first journey had come to an end. She finally received her cutie mark just a month prior, a three-shade pink shield with a pegasus wing in the center, matching her two best friends' cutie marks.
Thus, it began a new journey for her—a journey to help other foals across Ponyville find their destinies and their cutie marks. She was, after all, a Cutie Mark Crusader. Ah, yes. He could not be more proud of his little Scootaloo.
Chrome finished his breakfast, taking a napkin and wiping his muzzle free of any mess that may have been there and silenced a quick burp as it came out. "'Scuse me," he said. "That was delicious, honey."
"I concur!" Scootaloo said as she finished hers as well, sipping some apple juice from a glass.
Melody giggled with a blush. "I'm glad you two enjoyed it."
"I just wish I could have helped you two with making it," Chrome smiled a bit awkwardly.
"Oh, come on, we wanted to surprise you!" Scootaloo fluttered her wings. "Were you surprised?"
"Of course," Chrome nodded. "But next time, I will help with something at least, alright?"
Melody nodded, giggling. "Of course, honey."
Slightly interrupting their conversation, a knock came at the door. Chrome stood from the booth table, striding to the door. "I'll get it, it must be the mail."
Sure enough, Chrome was met with the cross-eyed mailmare who held a few envelopes in her teeth, handing them to Chrome. "There ya go!" she gave a salute, then darted off, immediately crashing into something out of sight. "Oops, my baaaad!"
Chrome playfully rolled his eyes and sipped coffee from the mug in his hoof, using his wing to cut open the first letter. It was from the school Scootaloo attended.
"Hey, Scoots, it's from your school!" Chrome called from across the room, pulling the paper out from inside and unfolding it.
"Oh, what's it say, Dad?" Scootaloo bounced up. "Is it my grades?!"
"Your grades came last month, Scoots," Chrome chuckled. "It's just a newsletter saying school starts next week."
"WHAT?!" Came an ear-piercing screech from the little tangerine filly. She immediately cleared her throat, eyes darting side to side. "I mean... Oh, how unfortunate."
"Don't fret about it, Scootie. School isn't that bad! Besides, you get to see your friends a lot more. Even Diamond Tiara!" Melody said as she sipped from a coffee mug of her own.
"Yeah, I guess. I still don't like it, though," Scootaloo replied with a roll of her eyes.
"What else is there, honey?" Melody asked Chrome.
The white pegasus sorted through a couple more envelopes, some being ones that could be thrown away, before he came across one directly from the Canterlot Palace.
"Huh... there's one from the Royal Guard."
"A paycheck or something, perhaps?" Melody pondered.
"It's from Central Command..." Chrome tensed a little, slicing open the top of the envelope and pulling the letter out, eyes scanning over it slowly.
A sudden noise of glass shattering on a wooden floor forced Scootaloo and Melody to snap toward Chrome, seeing his mug now in pieces on the floor and coffee spilled around the impact spot in a puddle that flowed up to Chrome's hooves.
The white stallion stared the letter down as if it were an animal, body tense like a rock as he read over the message on the paper.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Melody asked with a tone of concern, promptly setting her cup down and quickly getting up, running to his side. "Chrome, what happened?!"
The stallion slowly handed the letter over in a shaky hoof, Melody taking it and reading over it quickly, before her hooves gave out beneath her, the mare collapsing into a fit of tears.
"No... no... no!!" She sobbed, Chrome gently taking her in his hooves and sitting to comfort her. Melody bawled into his chest, tightly holding him in a hug, the letter slowly floating down to the floor behind them.
Scootaloo ran to their side, resting a hoof gently on Chrome's wing, eyes moving to the letter and reading over it.
Only the first few sentences were enough before she realized what was now going on.
***
This was it. The first day of school. Scootaloo was now minutes from reconciling with her fellow crusaders and the other foals she knew well. But today was far different.
Melody walked alongside Scootaloo, and Chrome on the other side. This would mark the first time he would see his daughter go off to school. The mood was mixed as well.
Stopping at the foot of the schoolyard, the three watched as foals kissed and hugged their parents before running up to the red schoolhouse with Miss Cheerilee at the door welcoming them.
Chrome smiled warmly, pulling Scootaloo into a hug, Melody joining in. "Have a wonderful first day, my little Scoots."
"I will try..." Scootaloo returned the tight embrace, sniffling once, but then smiling.
The hug broke after a few moments, and the tangerine filly skipped off, an earth pony filly and a unicorn filly in her sights. "Girls!"
"Heya, Scoots!" Sweetie Belle waved, the three hugging each other before walking in unison to the door. The unicorn filly briefly noticed her parents, waving to them, noting Chrome's presence being the first since he returned. The stallion and mare waved back, before turning and heading home.
***
By lunch, the Crusaders sat beneath their favorite tree outside of the schoolhouse, munching on sandwiches prepared by their parents or siblings and chatting, catching up with each other since the last time they met.
"So, Scoots," Apple Bloom began. "Ya ever plannin' on askin' yer pop if he'll come fishin' with us?"
"Haven't had much of a chance," Scootaloo sighed softly, frowning slightly.
"What's wrong, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow, looking at her friend with worry. "You've been down all morning."
"It's nothing, girls. Really."
"Is it yer dad?" Apple Bloom shot up.
Sweetie Belle tossed Apple Bloom a glare. Scootaloo slowly nodded, the two girls gasping.
"What happened? I saw him and your mom walk you up this morning, so he wasn't hurt, was he?"
"He's leaving again."
"What?! Why?" Apple Bloom's eyes opened wide.
Scootaloo looked off to the side, down at the leaf-covered grass. "The Royal Guard is calling him back."
"He's going overseas again?" Sweetie Belle blinked.
"No, he's staying in Equestria. But this time, he won't be able to stay with us... again."
"Oh... Scoots, ah am terribly sorry..." Apple Bloom said with a look of worry, her ears falling back.
"It's... fine, I guess..." Scootaloo turned away, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
Sweetie Belle set down her lunch, scooting closer and pulling the tangerine pegasus in a gentle hug. Apple Bloom joined in moments after.
"You know, Scootaloo, if there's anything you think we should do... don't ever be afraid to bring it up."
"Yeah, we've gone to the ends of Ponyville and beyond before, ah don't think there's anythin' that could stop us, even if we're not searchin' for our cutie marks no more!"
Scootaloo slowly wrapped her hooves back around her friends, tucking her head in and closing her eyes as she quietly sobbed into their shoulders.
"I can't lose him again... I just c-can't."
"Maybe you won't have to..."
Their heads popped up from the huddle. Standing there was Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara, both looking concerned for the three.
Scootaloo, still having second thoughts on their change, wiped tears away. "What do you want, Tiara?"
"I overheard about what's going on with your father, and... first off, I am sorry that he is leaving you again. I know that must be tough to think about," the pink filly approached.
"Perhaps... you could talk to him, ask him not to go?" Silver Spoon suggested.
"Would that even work?" Sweetie Belle wondered, tapping her chin with her hoof.
Apple Bloom stood. "Only one way to find out..."
Scootaloo sniffled again. "H-how?"
The four looked at the filly, all standing now. This gave her plenty of an idea now.
***
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked with Scootaloo to her home, leaves crunching beneath their hooves while more floated down to earth in the cool breeze. They chatted some more, bringing their friend away from what had been trapped on top of her mind the entire week prior.
As they approached Scootaloo's house, something wasn't right. The front door was wide open, and the faint noises of a mare sobbing could be heard. Scootaloo gasped, running toward the house. "Mom!!"
The three fillies galloped up to the door, stopping just inside and seeing Melody sitting on the floor, sobbing into her hooves with no sign of Chrome anywhere. Scootaloo was brought to tears, running up and grabbing her mother in a tight squeeze.
"M-Mom! W-where's Dad?"
"He's g-gone... t-they came and took h-him, he's leaving today!" Melody sobbed, holding Scootaloo tightly.
"When did he leave?!" Scootaloo pulled back, looking her mother directly in the eyes with tears sitting in them.
Melody sniffed and wiped the water away from her cheeks. "F-five minutes ago..."
Scootaloo gasped, turning to Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. She quickly turned back to Melody. "There's still time!"
"T-time for what?"
Before she could get a response, Scootaloo raced up the steps, coming back down with her favorite scooter and the trailer that was tied to it.
"Hop in, girls!" Scootaloo waved her hoof, fluttering her wings and preparing to go, strapping her helmet on.
Her two friends hopped in the back, hanging on to the sides of the trailer. Melody's eyes widened, and as she opened her mouth to speak, the three fillies were gone.
***
Reaching the train station on the far opposite side of Ponyville, Scootaloo and the others hopped off of the Crusader-mobile and ran around to the platform, just as the train was pulling away.
"No!" Scootaloo cried, stopping in the middle of the tracks.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle soon caught up, panting, all watching the train speed away from where they were, disappearing over a hilltop.
"We were too late..." Sweetie Belle sighed, her ears pinning back.
Apple Bloom looked down, before a lightbulb lit up in her mind. "Not yet, we can catch 'em at the next stop!"
Scootaloo sniffed, slowly glancing over to the light yellow filly to her side. "A-are you sure?"
Apple Bloom nodded. "Whitetail Woods, we can tail the train until it gets there!"
"But doesn't it... go through the Everfree?" Sweetie Belle shuddered.
"Oh, right," Apple Bloom lowered her head.
Scootaloo stood, her wings spreading. "That shouldn't be a problem."
"What?" The two fillies said together, looking at the tangerine pegasus.
Scootaloo now stood with a look of determination. "We're chasing that train, even if it's through the most dangerous forest in the world!"
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged looks of concern, but then turned back to Scootaloo and nodded.
Once more, they were off on the Crusader-mobile.
***
Screeching to a halt, the train pulled up to the small station in the forestry town of Whitetail Woods, a layover between Canterlot, Manehattan, and other eastern cities across Equestria. Stepping off with a fellow guard, Chrome sighed, staring down at his hooves. The guard glanced to him, raising an eyebrow.
"Is something wrong?" The guard questioned.
"I never said goodbye to my little Scoots..." Chrome answered reluctantly.
"Your little... Scoots?"
"My daughter, Scootaloo. I came back out of the blue and now I'm gone again. Worse yet, she never knew I was leaving today."
Chrome let out a deep exhale, his heart hurting deep inside. "I just hope she doesn't hate me for not—"
"Dad!"
Chrome's ears perked, standing up straight and snapping in the direction of the voice. His aqua irises grew, the sight he saw made him think twice if he was dreaming or not.
Coming down the side of the railroad tracks zipped a tangerine pegasus filly, her two friends tailing in a small red wagon. The filly threw off her blue-white striped helmet, running up the wooden platform to her father with tears in her eyes.
"S-Scoots?" Chrome gasped, kneeling and taking in the filly's momentum as she hugged him tightly. "Sweet Celestia... did you... follow me all the way here?"
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle climbed the platform stairs, responding for her with a nod.
"We walked with Scoots home and found her mother sobbin'. We decided to try'n find ya, and ended up all the way out here," Apple Bloom smiled.
Chrome teared up, chuckling, eventually turning into a low sob as he grasped his little filly tighter.
"I'm so sorry, S-Scootaloo... I wish... I-I wish I could have said goodbye sooner..."
"D-don't worry about it, Dad... N-now is your chance..."
Chrome sighed deeply, sniffling. He pulled back from the hug, looking Scootaloo in the eyes.
"I am sorry th-that I have to go... again... I hoped I never would have to. I have no choice... I'm a horrible father, a-aren't I?"
Scootaloo stared, eyes glassing up further. She shook her head. "No, Dad... no. I-I understand. It's your duty. You are a royal guard. Mom understands, why couldn't I?" She smiled weakly.
Chrome huffed out a breath, smiling back slightly. "But you understand that I never wanted this to happen... right?"
Scootaloo nodded slowly. "Of course, Dad," she then reached into a bag she carried with her, pulling out a picture of her, Melody, and Chrome all together, their first family photo ever—a recent one, at that. "I want you to take this."
Chrome froze, gradually reaching out a shaky hoof after a few moments and taking the small picture, looking at it as more tears gathered.
Scootaloo dove in for another hug, her smile gone once more. She began quietly bawling into his chest.
The large stallion looped his hooves back around the filly, tucking her in as he too broke down. Just in front of them stood Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, wiping at their own eyes as the scene unfolded before them.
Behind them, the conductor walked out of the station, pulling out a stopwatch from his vest. "All aboard!"
"Scootaloo..."
"Y-yes, Dad?"
"I love you. I love you so much. Don't e-ever forget that, alright?"
"A-alright."
Moments of silence later, Chrome gently let go of Scootaloo and stood. He turned to the guard, nodding once after wiping his eyes free of tears. The guard nodded back, and the two started toward the conductor who led ponies onto the train.
Scootaloo stood in place, sniffling heavily, her friends walking up to her sides, watching Chrome board.
He turned toward them, giving one final smile, before disappearing into the train car.
"I'll miss you, daddy," Scootaloo weakly said.
The conductor was the last to board, and with a jolt, the train began moving forward. The Crusaders further observed through a small steam cloud that enveloped them as the train pulled away.
Within just a few seconds, it rounded a bend, disappearing into the thick forest.
Scootaloo's hooves trembled, a final tear streaking down her wet, patted down cheeks. She sniffed, then spoke.
"Come on, girls. Let's go home."
Author's Note
Not exactly the sequel I expected for Where's Daddy?, but the one I ended up making!
I wanted to make it sad again, although I don't know if it is nearly as good as the first story. Either way, I decided to write this since today is the first day of the autumn solstice (or equinox, hence the name of the story). 
