Golden Hearts, Steely Nerves, Silvery Manes
The customers were few at Sugarcube Corner. So it was with an easygoing pace the Pegasus walked through the swinging, saloon-style doors into the dining area. The treats were carried on the silver tray with practiced ease as he passed the other customers, finally stopping at a table with three mares. They smiled at his approach, the corners of their mouths disappearing into their armies of wrinkles.
“Here’s your milkshakes, girls. One vanilla for Sweetie Belle-”
“Thanks, Pound Cake.”
“-one strawberry for Apple Bloom-”
“Much obliged, Pound.”
“-and one chocolate for-”
“The most awesomest Pegasus around?”
“No one else but Scootaloo. Enjoy!”
As he walked away, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but squint her eyes above the rim of her glasses. “Ya’ll ever notice Pound’s got himself a limp?”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes as she slurped, before swallowing down the mouthful of chocolatey goodness. “Apple Bloom, he’s had that limp for over a week.”
“He has?” she asked, eyes widening.
“Mm-hmm,” Sweetie Belle added, lips around her straw.
“Apple Bloom, have you been taking-”
“Scoots, ya know I don’t like takin’ that stuff. Makes me gotta use the bathroom a lot.”
“Be that as it may, do you remember what happened the last time you neglected to take your medication?” Sweetie Belle raised her brow with a smile. “Or do we need to remind you?”
“How can I forget when ya keep remindin’ me?” Apple Bloom huffed, propping her forelegs onto the table.
Scootaloo took another sip before talking again. “I don’t get what the problem is. So what if you have to pee more often?”
“Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle blushed.
“Oh come on Sweetie! It’s not like ‘pee’ is a bad word or anything. Here, I’ll prove it.” She raised her voice, “Excuse me girls, I need to go pee. In the bathroom. Where I’m supposed to pee.”
The other customers, which totaled a massive four, gave the old Pegasus mare looks of confusion. But after a moment they shrugged off the announcement and went back to enjoying their conversations and confections.
Scootaloo smirked at Sweetie Belle’s cherry red face. “What’d I tell ya? Nopony cares.”
The blushing Unicorn groaned before looking away and waving off her friend. Scootaloo grinned all the way to the bathroom.
Apple Bloom snickered. “Gotta admit, that was pretty funny.”
“Oh not you, too,” she scowled.
“Ya alright, Sweetie Belle? Ya seem kinda ornery today. C’mon, it’s the Cutie Mark Crusader anniversary fer gosh sakes. We’re supposed to be havin’ fun!”
“I know,” she sighed. “It’s just… never mind.”
Apple Bloom gently nudged her with an elbow. “I know ya wanna tell me. How long’ve we been friends?”
“Seventy years, today.”
She smiled. “So…?”
Sweetie rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth did turn up just a little. “Okay. But can we wait until Scootaloo comes back? I want her to hear this, too.”
“Ya read my mind,” she grinned.
Scootaloo walked back half a minute later, softly humming a song. After taking her seat, Apple Bloom tapped her shoulder.
“Sweetie Belle’s got somethin’ she wants to share with us.”
“Cool. What’s up?”
She tapped her hooves together a few times before starting. “Well, first things first. Scoots, I’m sorry about acting the way I did. I’ve just been stressed lately.”
Scootaloo winked at her with a smile. “No biggie. I figured something was up.”
Sweetie Belle’s smile wrinkled the corners of her eyes. “Thank you. To start things off, I’ve been thinking about this a lot, but more often since our anniversary was coming up. Girls, I think it’s about time I retire.”
Her friends shared a look with each other before looking back. Scootaloo went first.
“Wow, um… I really didn’t see that one coming. I mean don’t get me wrong it’s not like it’s a bad idea or anything it’s just… why?”
She took a deep breath. “We’ve done so much and come so far together. The Cutie Mark Crusaders have clubhouses all over Equestria, even in Griffonstone and Yakyakistan. We’ve tackled problems from understanding cutie marks to saving the world.”
Apple Bloom chuckled. “Ya’ll remember that time-”
“When Rainbow Dash introduced us to Daring Do?” Scootaloo cut in, grinning.
“Eeyup. We helped ‘em out with that old doomsday puzzle thingy-”
“And found out they were both cousins!”
Scootaloo’s finishing line set each mare off to her own explosion of laughter. Scootaloo herself rocked back and forth, clutching her stomach with both hooves. Apple Bloom banged her hooves against the table, while Sweetie Belle turned to her right to giggle into an upraised hoof.
Since she was the first to catch her breath, she waited for Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to regain theirs. “See what I mean? We’ve been through a lot together. Each of has gotten married, had children, not to mention grandchildren. Speaking of which, Apple Bloom, aren’t you a great-grandmother now?”
She bopped her hoof against her chest, smiling proudly. “Got four of ‘em now.”
Scootaloo smirked. “Gee AB, didn’t realize you were a great-great-great-great-grandmother.”
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes as Apple Bloom gave the cheeky Pegasus a poke in the ribs, before continuing.
“Each of us has led an active life, and we’re getting on in years. With all the responsibilities as a president of Cutie Mark Crusaders International, I’d just like to spend some more time with my family, is all. Besides, I think it’s time somepony new took my place.”
Apple Bloom leaned back in her chair, placing her hooves behind her head. Scootaloo tapped her own hoof to her chin as she stared at the ceiling. They gave each other a sideways glance, then shared a smile.
Scootaloo turned her smile onto Sweetie Belle. “Sounds like a good plan.”
“Eeyup. We’re in,” Apple Bloom smirked.
“Huh?” Sweetie’s jaw dropped open.
“Well, like you said. We ain’t youngsters anymore.”
Scootaloo nodded. “And it’d be really nice to spend some time together with family. All three of us barely had enough time to take today off. Seriously, we’re the original Cutie Mark Crusaders for crying out loud! You think we’d be getting more perks for the stuff we’ve pulled off.”
“Looks like all of us were thinkin’ the same thing. How ‘bout we retire next month?”
Sweetie Belle smiled as her eyes went wide as saucers. “Hmm. That would give us enough time to find suitable replacements…”
“And enough time to train them, too,” Scootaloo flung her hooves open wide, nearly smacking Apple Bloom in the process.
But Apple Bloom ducked under the flailing hoof, wrapping her own leg around Scootaloo’s shoulders as her other leg did the same for Sweetie Belle’s.
She closed her eyes as she held her friends close. Half a second later, they hugged her back. For two minutes they didn’t say a word, just taking comfort in the silence and warmth.
Apple Bloom spoke first. “I love ya, girls.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Ditto,” Scootaloo whispered.
Barely three seconds passed before an explosion rumbled through the floorboards and the panicked screaming started. The three friends froze in surprise, then gulped down their milkshakes. One trio of brain freezes later, they rushed to the door, only to be stopped by a unicorn who ran into them.
“Oh thank goodness you’re still here!” she sobbed.
“Pumpkin Cake, what’s going on?”
“There’s a pack of Diamond Dogs outside, Sweetie Belle! They’re kidnapping ponies left and right!”
“Who in their right mind would-”
"Stupid ponies!” rang out a raspy, nasally voice.
Scootaloo smacked her face with a hoof before sighing, “Great. Another one. Cue the evil monologue.”
“We be Underdogs! We always under you, but nothing under us! Now we take away ponies’ peace and happiness! Soon, all ponies be miners for pretty gems!"
Apple Bloom turned to Pumpkin. “Where’re the New Elements of Harmony?”
“Th-they’re o-on a mission in the Dragon Lands!”
"What about Princess Twilight?"
"V-i-isiting family in Canterlo-ot!"
“And me without my Battle Scooter,” Scootaloo grumbled.
Sweetie Belle narrowed her eyes, walked up to the door, and took stock of the situation outside.
“Thirty-eight. That’s how many are out there.”
“They shoulda brought more,” Apple Bloom snorted.
Scootaloo nodded. “How about we show them Ponyville’s not a place you should mess with?”
Sweetie Belle smiled as she turned back to her friends, her hoof outstretched. “One more adventure?”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo touched their hooves to hers, both of them mirroring her smile.
“For today, anyway.”
