"Thirty years... Gosh, has it really been thirty years? Man... I mean it feels like yesterday we were still just kids. Playing, having fun. Heck, you and the CMC were doing the craziest stuff to find your cutiemarks!"
Here I am, Pipsqueak. Ten years older, talking to Sweetie Belle who last year sang at the grand galloping gala... She really grew up. She has these... This... Gosh I really can't explain it... She's just magical... Oh and Apple Bloom was here too. We'd gotten here a little early.
"Hehe, ohhh... I remember, one time, Apple Bloom, Scoots and I were being babysat by fluttershy-"
"Ohhh not that one again Sweetie Belle! Gash, I mean, that's alwaaays the first story you tell! C'mon Pip, I'll tell you about the time at the sister hooves social when-"
Applebloom looks good too, not quite like Sweetie but... More handsome I suppose. Shes put Sweet Apple Acres on the map from what I hear. There's a stall or vender in every city across the nation. Great sales women too, they say she could sell you an apple for a hundred bits. Half eaten.
"Oh Apple Bloom, You look good."
"Well thanks sugarcube, yer looking alright fer the runt of the litter haha!"
Yup. Definitely an apple.
"Shhhh! Applebloom! Don't tell him that! That's embarrassing!"
"Oh? You want embarressin'? I'll give you embarressin'! Pips, you know who this little philly had the biggest crush on once we were in high school?"
"Ohhh this outta be good. Who?"
"Scoots! Haha! Can you believe it!"
Sweetie Belle, pulling a lavish loveseat out of almost nowhere, fell on it melodramatically. These ponies were crazy.
"I was young, and in love! It is truly THE WORST POSSIBLE THING that could happen to a girl my age! Scootaloo was there to comfort me! What could I possibly do against such an advance in my fragile state! Oh woe is Sweetie!"
"Ok. Now I know you has been takin wayyy to many lessions from yer sister."
"Oh woe is me that my dear lover! Forsuth! I will call her! Scootaloo, scoot-scootaloo!... Oh... Wait... That's my chicken call."
"Hahahaha ohhhh yer still cold Sweetie."
"I... Don't get it."
"Oh that's fine Pip, but seriously. Where is scoots anyway?"
"She said she had business ta take care off 'fore she got here... Rainbow and all..."
"Oh... Yeah... That's right... I forgot about Rainbow..."
"How'd she even survive that crash?"
"Tank was tied to her head, she fractured her skull on his shell but had he not been there... It woulda been allot werse."
"Is it true? She can't fly any more?"
"Aeyup. Well, she can flutter about, but that's it. No sonic rainbooms for that speed demon."
"..."
"My word..."
"Aeyup..."
clop clop clop
clop clop clop
"Pip?"
"Pip?"
"Snips, Snails? Man! I thought Trixie had you guys on assignment?"
Snips and snails had just trotted through the door, almost surprised to see anypont here. Those two were like white and rice. They stuck together like glue, which was kinda funny because they once had their horns stuck together by glue... I still don't know the whole story behind that...
"Well she did-"
"But we told her we needed to comeback."
"She agreed and-"
"Here we are!"
"My stars and garters, Snips and Snails. What do yall do for Trixie?"
"We get magical animals-"
"Wrangle 'em up-"
"And bring 'em back so Trixie can use 'em in the show."
"Wait...The phony actually has a show still?"
"She's not a phony anymore Sweets."
"Yeah, after ponyville she 'reinvented herself' Now she runs a big top circus thing in Trotingham."
"Well that's just lovely! Good for her, and good for you!"
"Hey uhh... Sweetie, uhh well, this is kind of embarrassing to ask but uhmm... Silver spoon and I, well... Our daughter just loves your music and I promised her I'd-"
Sweetybelle giggled. She really has a great giggle. It's like... Gosh, I can't describe it...
"Of course I'll sign it for her. What is it? An album? A poster?"
"Oh no! Nothin like that. It's uhhmm... Well It's that magic paper? Ya know the kind that puts your voice in the message?"
"Ohhh I heard about that stuff! Is it any good? I was thinking of wrighting a book about life on tour and I'd reach sooooo many more ponies if that stuff actually works!"
"Oh no it's legit! The Flimflam company has a money back guarantee on all their goods."
"The FlimFlams! Those no good, lousy- Ya know they almost bought Appleoosa? They was gonna turn it into a big 'ol factory! Break the treaty with the Buffalo! Those rotten, no good-"
"It's just good business. I don't see what's wrong with-"
"Yeah, well you wouldn't Snails! You were always slow!"
"Applebloom!"
There was a long silence. Then, under his breath. Snails laughed, and then Snips, and then me and Apple Bloom and Sweety Belle. There was only five ponies here and the first argument had already took place. Well it wasn't an argument so much as an annoyed insult, but still... It was Sweety Belle to politely break the chortling to move us on to more interesting matters.
"So... Snails... How's Diamond? Is she still-"
"No. No she's come down to earth. I don't think she expected Filthy to cut her off and kick her out. I guess she grew up in business school or something. She really changed."
"That's wonderful!"
"'Bout time."
"Yup. We're getting married in the spring. We're keeping it quiet till then... You guys are all more than welcome to come!"
"Ohhh We'd love to! Right Pip?"
Did she just say we?! We're a we now?! Yay!
"I'll try. Can't promise much, but... She's inheiritin her paws business, I should try to keep up appearances huh?"
"That's the spirit Apple bBoom!"
"Awesome! I can count on you guys showing up then?"
"Aeyup!"
"Absolutely!"
"I'm always there for you pal!"
"I'll go, sure! Sounds like fun!"
"That's... That means allot... Cause... I hate to say it... Not allot of others are. Diamond was... Well, we all know... Nopony really wants to come...
"Ohhh... How sad."
"That's karma."
"I know buddy... I know."
"Sorry to hear that..."
I wasn't really picked on by Tiara, but I heard she was pretty mean... I do remember when she took over the school newspaper though. Featherweight still says to this day if it hadn't been for her royal skrew up, he would never have had the drive to pursue a career in journalism. We kinda just stood there in silence for a little, I swung my front hoof back and forth and tried not to look at Sweetie Belle too much...
Tried being the operative word.
"Soo..."
"Yeah..."
"Aeyup.."
"Hows things..."
It was Apple Bloom who decided to ask me what I had grown up to do... I don't like bragging but I was feeling left out of the 'humble beginings, major success' circle.
"So Squeak. What do you do for a livin?"
Thank Celestia.
"I'm one of Luna's personal guards. I get a creepy title and everyhting."
"Wait... You mean those fellas that pull that scary chariot o' death of hers?"
"Yeah, you know it's actually pretty cool. We get this medallion and it and it gives us those bat wings. It's Zebra magic if you can believe it. On duty ponies have to Call me Captain Nocturnus or Luna will gobble them up. It's pretty entertaining."
"Wow!"
"Really?"
"Zebra's have magic?"
"Course zebra's got magic ya idit! It's called alchemy!"
We all took a look at Apple Bloom. Alchemy? What was this gypsy magic?
"What? After College I spent some turn learning from Zecora... I was talkin in rhymes for a mounth..."
Again, we all had a good laugh, I guess the picture of Apple Bloom trying to rhyme with her accent was funny to all of us. More so to me as I imagined her reciting apple themed haikus.
"Oh yall thinks that's funny? I'd like to see you try it, dummy!"
We all looked at applebloom... It took awhile to register that she hadn't actually insulted us, but fed the joke. Sweetie Belle was the first to get it, then Snails. Snips either got it just after, or just wanted to laugh with his pal. It was really awkward because I got it after everypony had almost finished laughing... Yeah, some elite guard I was.
"We're here early right? I try to be early, Rarity says fashionably late isn't fashionable anymore."
"Well... Maybe nopony else is comin'"
"Well that stinks."
"Well that stinks"
Those two could read each others minds, I swear.
"Well hey! If nopony else is coming who's gonna be able to marvel at my awesome new trick?"
We all turned, in the doorway of our old little school, was it's resident flightless pegisus... Formerly flightless that is. She took over the wonderbolts after Spitfire retired. It didn't take a blink for the orange mare to be embraced by her two long time friends.
"Scootaloo!"
"Scoots!"
"I missed you girls! I missed you sooooo much!"
Watching them embrace made me think back. I didn't actually have that. I mean, Feather Weight was a great pal, but his mom never let him leave the house. So... It was really just me in those days... Well... I did have Luna but she was a princess and uhmmm... I was just a kid. We could only have fun at night and I had an early bed time... I... Never really got to do stupid stuff to find my cutie mark...
I started crying a little, Snips n Snails were bro-hugging it out. I just had... Me...
"Hey! Why's everypony being a baby?! C'mon! I gotta show you guys something!"
We all followed Scootaloos long purple mane out the door. I saw a worn out scooter in the sandbox, and a worn out rainbow dash leaning against the school's wall.
"Hey Raindow"
"Hey RD"
"Hello Rainbow"
"Dash!"
"Dash!"
"Kids. What's up Scoots, ya called me out here to see some new trick. You should know, I know all the wonderbolt tricks already."
"Well DUH! I KNOW that! No... I been working on this for a while now. In private. I want to incorporate it into one of our shows but I want your approval first, and I want all my closest friends... And Sweetie Belle to be the first to see it."
We were all perplexed. I could see it on everyponies face. Sweetie's face was the best perplexed face.
Scootaloo reached into a saddle bag she had brought with her and dusted off what looked like Rainbow dashs' mane.
"Hey! I remember that! You wore that when you ran my fan club!"
"She also used it in every Nightmare Night costume she ever had. What's the point?"
"If you shut up I'll show you."
She slipped on the wig, she looked a little ridiculous with that wig meant for a filly around her head but it didn't break surprisingly. She streched out like we'd seen rainbow dash do so many times as children. Preparing for a big race or some epic trick to chase away the monotony of a boring day.
"Ready?"
"Aeyup."
"Sure."
"Yeah."
"Uh huh."
"Just go already."
"You got my attention kid."
"Alright... Here goes..."
She took off in what seemed like an explosion of thunder. She was quite the flyer now, her wings seemed to cut the air like a knife... Or some other metaphor that escapes me right now. She was just going straight up...
Up and up and up
Up
Up
Up
Up
I could be wrong but It doesn't seem to be hard for pegasi to go up, so what was-
Oh sweet lunar eclipse...
She...
She shot straight down. Her body seemed to curve as a silver lining framed Scootaloo, turning the knife into a bullet. The air seemed to moan as she dropped through it with professional grace and flare. Then... About half way down...
An explosion of immaculate light, followed by a sound that could deafen thunder.
Beauty in it's purest form, I looked and saw Scoots friend cheering, but I couldn't hear them, Snips n' Snails had their mouths on the ground and Rainbow Dash... Well she was crying...
So was I...
A sonic rainboom...
From the girl who was out flown by a new born baby...
Who would have... I don't even...
Man...
Sweetie looks good in this light...
Scootallo had to leave after that. Snips n Snails too. Scoots needed to tend to wonderbolt stuff and the dunder-head duo were actually on assignment, turns out that ursa they lured into town way back when was now G-A-P's prime target, for irony's sake I guess. Apple Bloom had left too... I... Don't know why though. So...
It was just me and Sweetie...
Not sure if best day of my life, or most awkward moment ever.
"So pip. How is the princess doing?"
"She's good..."
"You know my sister made a dress for her and hasn't exactly gotten payment yet so-"
"Yeah I'll pass on the word. Sure it just lost in the mail."
Dinky... Just like her mom...
"Hehe... Yeah... So..."
"Uhmm... You don't have any place to be?"
"I'm not touring sooo... No. I was thinking of taking a break. Settling down for a moment you know?"
"Yeah... I get what you mean."
"I plan on writing that book you know. Life on the road, life of fame... It isn't what it's cracked up to be."
We were just sitting in the doorway of the little school. Looking up at the sky.
The moon was so big tonight, so bright...
Wait...
Did that shadow just-
Wink at me?
"She does a great job. The princess I mean."
"Yeah... Uhhh yeah."
Awkward silence, why is it that whenever I'm near her I can't think? And I get butterflys in my stomach, and my throat closes up but its more of a foggy feeling and it suddenly becomes a chore to swallow and I begin taking extended inner monolouges to talk about this stuff but I mean it's love (I think) and everypony knows what it's [supposed/i] to feel like but it never prepares you for how it really feels... Why?
"Hey pip."
"Yeah?"
"I was wondering, would you mind helping me write my book?"
"Sure. Uhmm... Once upon a time, in a land called Equestria?"
"Look at me a minute."
I turned to her, she was shorter than I was and-
...
SHE KISSED ME!!!!
"I'd like you to write it with me."
SHE KISSED ME!
Shekissedmeshekissedmeshekissedme
"Y-you k-kissed-"
"I did. What? I can't be your first kiss."
"Y-you..."
She rolled her eys and did it...
AGAIN!
"Pip. I can kiss you all night, but that doesn't answer my question. Would you like to-"
"Yes! Yesyesyesyesyes!"
She giggled, THAT giggle, and I felt my heart pound against my chest, luna was I dreaming? Please don't tell me I'm dreaming."
...
"Could you-"
"Sure"
Kissed again!
Yes!
Life... Life is good...
Time is funny
And life is good.