All the Ways to Love

Chapters

Let’s Count Them My Dears
Sweeter than Sugar are We
When Heads Spin and Hearts Flutter
A Giving of Heart Most Sincere
A Lifetime to Savor, Dance, and Gift. Shall We Keep Count Together?

Let’s Count Them My Dears

The living room was dark, curtains drawn and lights turned off as three mares cuddled on a couch, their eyes glued to the tv screen across from them. Movie night was a weekly tradition and this time it was Sweetie Belle’s turn with one of her favorite rom coms - When Berry Met Cherry.

Scootaloo groaned as she threw popcorn at the screen, “Oh come on just kiss already!”

Sweetie caught the projected puffs in her magic and tossed them in her mouth, throwing a glare over at Scootaloo for daring to waste good food. Apple Bloom, who sat in the middle, seemed to have the same idea as she shifted the popcorn bowl away from the pegasus’s blindly grasping hooves.

“Wha- Hey! I wasn’t done booing the movie.”

“Well I’m tired of you wasting good popcorn. Apple Bloom spends a lot of time making it perfect only for you to throw half the bowl on the ground when it’s my turn to pick a movie.”

“Well it’s only cause you always pick gross romantic movies. I wanna see some action!”

Sweetie rolled her eyes, “Well it’s your turn next week so-”

“Are you two just about done? I’m trying to watch the movie.”

Sweetie and Scootaloo looked at the slightly irritated Apple Bloom situated between them and started to giggle. Sweetie nuzzled Applebloom’s cheek and grinned at Scootaloo with a look that said, see? Someone likes my taste in movies.

Scootaloo stuck out her tongue in retaliation before huffily turning back to the movie, though she did have a small smile on her face.

The movie continued and finished without further argument, though as the credits rolled Scootaloo stretched with another groan. “Ugh, that was soooo boring. Why didn’t they just hook up from the start? Even I could see they had a thing for each other.”

Apple Bloom shrugged as she stood up, the empty popcorn bowl in hoof as she trotted to the kitchen. “Sometimes you just wanna be friends without worrying about all the feelings with sex and stuff. Some ponies have a hard time being attracted to their friends.”

Scootaloo draped herself over the back of the couch, her face scrunched in thought as she watched Apple Bloom while upside down. “I guess. But, dating a friend is like, the best thing that can happen! You already know each other and know all the good and bad, so it makes a relationship waaaaay easier.”

Sweetie grinned and leaned over to kiss Scootaloo’s exposed stomach, making the pegasus squawk indignantly as she suddenly curled up to protect herself. The unicorn giggled and winked, “You mean like how it happened with us?”

Scootaloo grumbled at the ticklish kiss but nodded. “Yeah! I mean, we haven’t even really gone on a date but-”

“WAIT WHAT?!”

Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo winced at Sweetie’s shrill outburst. She began to mutter, “But I thought, we had to have, did we seriously just start dating without going on a date?! We had to at least have gone on a first date…right?”

Apple Bloom turned away from the sink and rubbed her head with her hoof, thinking back. Of course, the three of them had done couply things together like dinners and going to see a movie, but none of those outings had been specifically referred to as a date, much less any sort of first date. “I guess we haven’t. I don’t think we needed to. We just sorta started… Dating.”

“And kissing and saying ‘I love you’, yeah. I honestly can’t even remember the last time I looked at you guys and thought ‘friends’ rather than ‘marefriends’.”

Sweetie now sat with her mouth agape, dumbstruck with this revelation. “I can’t believe we never went on a real date.” She leapt up from the couch and struck a dramatic pose, “We have to fix that!”

“What, like, tonight?”

Sweetie’s pose faltered a bit and she tapped her hoof on her chin. “No, no not tonight. We need to plan something special, something unique…” She gasped and her eyes lit up, “We need to do a triple date!”

Apple Bloom leaned on the back of the couch and raised an eyebrow. “A triple date?”

Sweetie grinned and clapped her hooves together, “Yes! We each organize a date night and we can finally have our first date together!”

“Why though? We just established that we are fine dating without having a ‘first date’. We already know we love each other, do we really need to do that?”

Scootaloo regretted the words as Sweetie slowly craned her neck around, the pegasus almost able to hear an ominous creak with the movement. She gulped at Sweetie’s intense stare. “Yes, Scootaloo, we have to do this.” Sweetie blinked and added, much sweeter, “Please.”

“Ugh, I can’t argue when you make that face. Alright fine. Who wants to go first?”

Sweetie perked up,“Ooh I can! I already have the perfect idea. Think you guys can come up with good date ideas over a weekend in Canterlot?”

Apple Bloom perked up, “Canterlot huh? Well, next weekend is a holiday so we can leave Friday after class and come back sometime Monday and be fine.”

Scootaloo let out a dramatic sigh, “You guys just loooove making me think huh? I can’t believe I actually have to try and plan something, much less in Canterlot.”

Apple Bloom chuckled and reached over to ruffle Scootaloo’s mane. “Oh I’m sure you’ll think of something. In fact, I already know what to do.”

“Of course you do.”

Apple Bloom playfully rolled her eyes and pecked Scootaloo’s forehead. Sweetie giggled and hopped on the couch, nuzzling each of her wonderful marefriends.

Sweeter than Sugar are We

It was nearing evening as the three mares made their way through Canterlot to a fancy hotel, something Rarity had insisted on paying for to make their first date(s) ‘absolutely perfect!’

Scootaloo nudged Sweetie as they walked, “So are you going to tell us what your date is or we are going to have to find out when we get there?”

Sweetie smiled as they walked into the hotel lobby, the place reeking of old money with its warm wood tones and gold accents. “You will find out soon enough. Good things come to those who wait, Scoots.”

As Sweetie stepped forward to check them in, Scootaloo hung back and whispered into Apple Bloom’s ear, “She does know I’m terrible at being patient right?”

Apple Bloom snickered and pecked her cheek, “Oh I’m sure you’ll survive. Remember, this is special to Sweetie, so just go along with it. That said, I think this weekend will be even more fun than either of us expect.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I trust Sweetie won’t have anything boring planned at least.”

“Exactly!”

Sweetie turned towards them, three room cards floating in her magic, “Alright, we are all checked in. Let’s go ahead and get to the room, we don’t have a lot of time to get ready.”

“Oh geez, I didn’t think you meant I would be finding out this soon.”

Sweetie glanced back at Scootaloo as they walked towards an elevator, “Well yeah. I know you have a hard time waiting so I timed our arrival so we would have just about an hour to get ready and go.”

Scootaloo wrapped her wing around Sweetie and hugged her, “Have I ever mentioned how amazing I think you are?”

Sweetie giggled and nuzzled Scootaloo as a bellhop opened the ornate elevator doors for them. She floated over a small gem as a tip, the bellhop nodding his head in thanks before closing the doors and sending them up.

A soft ‘ding’ announced their arrival and they walked down a hallway to their room. A quick swipe of a keycard unlocked the door and the group stepped into their room for the weekend.

All three gasped once inside. The room was large and well decorated, with fancy wallpaper and plush carpets, a large, four poster bed along with a couch by the window. There was a bench in front of the bed and on the wall directly opposite, a large cabinet.

Scootaloo went over to open the doors and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she revealed the largest TV screen any of them had seen.

Apple Bloom whistled lowly as she nudged open the door to an equally grand bathroom, “Golly...How much do you think Rarity spent on this?”

“I don’t think I want to know. I know my sister loves me and wanted this weekend to be really special but this, this is almost too much!”

Scootaloo nodded as she stepped back from the TV cabinet and eyeballed the large bed. “I’ll say. I’m kinda scared to touch the bed.”

Apple Bloom tilted her head, “Why’s that?”

“Because if it’s too comfortable, I won’t want to leave.”

Sweetie giggled as she tossed her suitcase on the bed and began to dig through it. “Well we can’t have that.”

She pulled out a beautiful, emerald green dress and pranced excitedly. “Oh I just can’t wait! This is going to be so much fun. You guys brought your fancy dresses right? The place we are going to has a pretty strict dress code from what Rarity told me.”

Scootaloo coughed awkwardly as she pulled out a light purple summer dress. “Uh, we were supposed to bring fancy stuff? I know this is Canterlot and all but this is the only dress I got.”

Apple Bloom pulled out a pink plaid dress, “Same here. But, these were made by Rarity so they should be fashionable enough right?”

Sweetie pulled her hoof away from her face and chewed on her lip, “Yeah… I mean, sis is pretty well known here and, besides, all of our sisters are Elements of Harmony. I don’t know a lot about Canterlot, but most of the time you just have to know the right ponies.”

Scootaloo pumped her hoof in the air, “Yeah! We know important ponies, they’ll have to let us in!”

“What do you mean you can’t let us in?!”

The door pony, an immaculately dressed stallion, raised an eyebrow as a patronizing tone crept into his voice. “Exactly that miss. I apologize, but the Canterlot Opera has rules, and one of those rules is that all attendees mustbe properly dressed.”

Sweetie scoffed, “But we are.” She turned her nose up slightly, attempting to copy his tone, “These ensembles are made by none other than my big sister, Rarity. I assume you’ve heard of her?”

“But of course, anypony who’s anypony knows of her. She does run one of the most successful boutiques in the city.”

“Then you should let us in! All of our dresses are made by her. Did I mention she’s my big sister? Cause she is.”

The door pony sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. “Well, any little sister of Rarity should understand and respect a simple concept such as a dress code then, no?”

Sweetie’s cheeks flared red as she sputtered, “What, well, I-”

Apple Bloom wrapped her hoof around her and pulled her away, flashing an apologetic smile at the door pony. She cleared her throat, adopting her own ‘cultured’ accent. “My apologies sir, I know you are just trying to abide by the rules. We’ll get out of your mane now, have a good night.”

He snorted softly and shooed them off with a hoof before addressing the ponies behind them. Scootaloo pressed in on the other side of Sweetie to help lead her away.

They started back to the hotel, an awkward silence following. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shared glances over Sweetie’s hunched withers, each unsure what to say.

Apple Bloom opened her mouth but Sweetie interrupted her. “I’m sorry girls. I should have asked Rarity to, to make us appropriate dresses.” She added in a bitter tone, “No matter that we know important ponies, oh no, no we had to be dressed right.”

Apple Bloom frowned as she glanced around at the street signs, trying to place where they were in the city with the map she had memorized on the train.

Scootaloo sighed, “It’s not your fault Sweetie. I should have realized that Canterlot meant fancy dresses instead of, well, just dresses.”

“And I should have told you guys I got tickets to an Opera but noooo, I just haaad to keep it a surprise!” Sweetie huffed and scuffed the ground. “Let’s just…go back to the hotel and get room service or something.”

Apple Bloom nuzzled Sweetie,“Well, we can do that or I can lead us to donuts.”

Scootaloo licked her lips, “Oooh, yeah! Even in Canterlot a donut shop won’t have a dress code.”

Sweetie brought her head up, eyes wet with tears and an incredulous look on her face. “A donut shop? While we are all dressed up?”

Apple Bloom grinned, “Why not? This is probably the only night we are gonna see Scoots in a dress for a long time, may as well make the most of it.”

Sweetie glanced over at Scootaloo, who nodded in agreement. “Pretty much. I can handle wearing this for a couple more hours for you. So, what do you say Sweetie? Donut date?”

Sweetie smiled and wiped her eyes before pecking each of them on the cheek. “Yeah, let’s have a donut date.”

Scootaloo whooped in excitement and Apple Bloom looked around before pointing down the street. “The donut shop is this way.” She glanced at Scootaloo and Sweetie and, with a devilish smirk, took off, shouting, “Race ya!”

Scootaloo reared up before shooting off after her, “Hey no fair!”

Sweetie glanced down at her dress, which thankfully was loose fitting enough she could run in it, but Rarity would probably have a fit if she found out.

But what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, right?

Sweetie looked back up and with a joyous laugh started after her marefriends, sprinting to catch up with Scootaloo as her tail disappeared around a corner.

The mares laughed as they ran, dodging the creatures on the sidewalk and ignoring the scoffs and glares thrown at them.

Sweetie panted as she shakily caught up to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, the two engaged in a game of ‘I got here first! No, I got here first!’

“Girls.” Sweetie wheezed, trying to catch her breath, but she went unnoticed. She took a deep breath and tried again, “Girls.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were muzzle to muzzle now, though heated as their voices seemed, there was still an air of playfulness.

Sweetie cleared her throat, “Girls!”

They swiftly turned their heads towards her with an innocent ‘yeah?’ and ‘what?’.

Sweetie shook her head with a smile, “You guys are blocking the door. Come on, let’s go in.”

They jumped apart, Apple Bloom chuckling awkwardly as she held open the door for Scootaloo and Sweetie.

They made their way to the front counter, where an older unicorn stallion wearing a flour stained apron waited. He smiled at them, “What’ll it be ladies?”

Sweetie glanced over the large menu, noticing that Scootaloo and Apple Bloom seemed as lost as she was, “Um, can we just get an assorted dozen?”

“One assorted dozen. Any drinks? We have coffee, hot chocolate, water or cider.”

Apple Bloom perked up, “What kind of cider?”

The stallion smirked softly, “Apple family brand of course, wouldn’t carry any other.”

Apple Bloom nodded, “Darn right. We’ll take two ciders and a coffee, light cream and three sugars please.”

The stallion rang them up, pointing them towards an empty booth and promising their order would be ready soon.

They slid into the booth, Sweetie between Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

Sweetie sighed, “I really am sorry about the whole Opera mess.”

Scootaloo scoffed and waved a hoof, “Again with this? Sweetie, it wasn’t your fault.”

Apple Bloom nodded, “Yeah, so don’t sweat about it. I know you wanted to have a perfect first date but all that matters is that we are together. Even something as silly as wearing fancy dresses and eating donuts is a good first date in my books.”

“Heck yeah! Donuts are the best things in the world. You know why, Sweetie?”

Sweetie glanced over at Scootaloo with a raised eyebrow, “Because they are delicious?”

Scootaloo grinned and pecked her nose, “Because they are sweet and soft and amazing, just like you.”

Sweetie wrinkled her nose, “Scoots, I think that is the sappiest thing you have ever said to me…” She giggled and kissed her, “And it was perfect. Thank you.”

Before Apple Bloom had a chance to pout, Sweetie turned her head and kissed her as well, “Both of you, thank you.”

Apple Bloom chuckled and rubbed at her cheek self consciously, “Aww shucks, I’m blushing aren’t I?”

Scootaloo snickered, “Like an apple.”

The group shared a laugh and Sweetie felt herself finally relaxing. “You know, I still think the Opera would have been fun but this is a good second choice. Food, drinks, and time with my marefriends…What else could I ask for?”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nuzzled her on either side, and then cheered as their orders were floated onto the table. “Hope you enjoy it ladies.”

Sweetie smiled, “I know we will, thank you.”

The stallion nodded at them before walking back to the counter and the trio descended on the plate of donuts.

They spent nearly two hours in that booth, eating donuts and reminiscing. At one point, the owner, Donut Joe himself, came over and told them a story of their big sisters after their first gala; how they had sat in their ruffled dresses and had donuts in a similar manner.

Sweetie nearly keeled over as he described the state of Rarity’s dress and mane, almost unable to believe her big sister had gone out in public like that.

When asked about what led them there in their get up, Sweetie sighed, “I tried to make my date a surprise, so I didn’t tell these two we had to wear fancy dresses for an Opera. Apparently my big sister being a famous fashion designer and Element of Harmony didn’t grant us entry.”

Joe chuckled as he cleared their table, floating over their third drink refills. “Well, my place may not be as fancy, but I do hope you are enjoying yourselves.”

Scootaloo grinned, her wings fluttering as a donut fueled sugar rush buzzed through her. “Heck yeah, this place is awesome! You make really good donuts.”

“Thanks, glad you like them.”

Apple Bloom raised her mug, and Sweetie and Scootaloo followed, “To Joe and his awesome donuts!”

“To Joe!”

Joe blushed with the toast, chuckling in embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Aww jeez, you sure know how to make an old stallion blush.” He then excused himself as the bell above the door chimed with another late night customer.

After draining her cup, Apple Bloom leaned back with a content sigh. “Eyup. This was a mighty fine first date.”

Sweetie smiled and looked down into her cup, “Yeah. A bit of a rocky start but that seems to be how most of our adventures go.”

Scootaloo nodded, “At least this time we didn’t break anything.”

Apple Bloom suddenly sat up and tapped on the table, “Now now, don’t jinx it.”

Sweetie yawned and tapped her hoof on the table too, “Yeah, knock on wood.”

Scootaloo shrugged and did it as well. “You getting tired Sweetie?”

Sweetie tilted her head, “You mean you aren’t?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “Nope. Not yet anyways. I got a sugar rush that won’t be fading anytime soon.”

Apple Bloom stretched her hooves above her and let out a half yawn. “Same here, but we should probably get going anyways. I don’t want to have to drag you back to the room.”

“Drag me? You are the two yawning a storm over there.”

Sweetie giggled and followed Apple Bloom out of the booth, “Yeah but it’ll only be a matter of time before you start to too.”

Scootaloo slid out of the booth as well, “Eh, you are probably right. Besides, we want to get a good night's sleep for tomorrow.”

They bid farewell to Joe and headed back to the hotel, the walk just long enough to work the rest of the sugar buzz out of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom.

All three sleepily shuffled through the hotel lobby and to the elevator, Sweetie once again tipping the bellhop before he sent them up.

Dresses were thrown off as soon as they made it in the room, a burst of magic from Sweetie’s horn hanging them in the closet. Longing looks were cast at the bed as they shambled to the bathroom to brush their teeth and wash their faces.

Finally, the group collapsed on the extremely comfortable bed. Sweetie gasped, “Oh my gosh…Scootaloo was right. I don’t think I could get up again if I tried.”

Scootaloo groaned happily and pressed her face into the plush pillow, the ability to speak words escaping her. Apple Bloom stretched out, and even with Sweetie and Scootaloo somewhere next to her, her hooves didn’t come close to reaching the edge. “This bed is so big I can’t even come up with a countryism.”

Sweetie tittered and threw a hoof out to Apple Bloom, “Here, follow the sound of my voice Apple Bloom, find me in the ocean,” her voice cracked and she descended into sleepy delirium. “Of, pfft, b-BLANKETS! Ahahaha!”

Scootaloo started to crack up as well, her body convulsing as the pillow muffled her laughter. Apple Bloom chortled, blindly grasping and wiggling towards the sound of their laughter until finally her hoof touched Sweetie’s.

This stilled their laughter for a moment but the sound of Scootaloo, whose face was still buried in a pillow, brought them back into a giggle fit.

It felt like ages before they started to calm down, and it didn’t help that when two of them calmed, a third’s giggle broke all three again. Eventually, their exhaustion caught up and the sounds of laughter faded to mumbled ‘goodnight’s and ‘I love you’s, to finally soft snores as they fell asleep.

When Heads Spin and Hearts Flutter

Scootaloo pulled back the curtains of the carriage and frowned at the traffic jam. “Jeez, is everyone heading to the roller rink today?”

Apple Bloom shrugged, “Maybe? It is Saturday after all.” She rubbed her chin with her hoof, “You know, I can’t tell if I am surprised or not that youmanaged to find a roller skating rink within the city limits.”

Scootaloo leaned back, stretching her hooves above her head in a ‘nonchalant’ manner. “What can I say, I know how to find creatures who know how to find information.”

Sweetie rolled her eyes with a smile, “Oh please, we all know you just asked Spike.”

Scootaloo’s cheeks puffed out as they reddened with a blush and she mumbled, “So what if I did?”

Sweetie giggled and leaned over to kiss Scootaloo’s cheek. “You are so cute when you pout.”

This only intensified Scootaloo’s pouting and blushing, much to the amusement of Sweetie and Apple Bloom. Thankfully for Scootaloo, the carriage began to move again shortly after, and they were on their way to her date.

Scootaloo jumped out of the open carriage door, “Finally! Come on girls, let's go!”

The driver coughed gently and Scootaloo turned towards him, digging bits out of her saddlebag, “Oh right, here. Thanks for driving.”

Apple Bloom hopped out of the carriage next, stretching out after the long drive. “Yeah, thanks mister.”

Sweetie was the last to depart, stepping out of the carriage in the delicate manner her sister showed her. “Thank you, I hope you have a good day.”

The driver nodded his thanks to them and took off. Sweetie looked over the outside of the roller rink, the large building painted with soft blues and purples in a surprisingly chic and modern look.

There wasn’t even a neon sign like most rinks. Instead, there was a simple sign on top with a flowing script. “Huh, Canterlot Skate Club. It’s…huh. You know, I don’t really know what I was expecting.”

Scootaloo scratched her head, “Yeah, me neither. But hey, a roller rink is a roller rink. Even fancy ones in Canterlot.”

“Eyup.”

They trotted up the sidewalk to the entrance, where engraved glass doors greeted them. Scootaloo went ahead to open them when they magically opened, a unicorn mare dressed in a red polo shirt smiling at them from inside.

“Welcome to Canterlot Skate Club. Party of three?”

Scootaloo blinked before nodding and hesitantly walking in, “Uh, yeah. I’m sorry, did I need to make a reservation or something?”

“Not at all, we welcome walk-ins. How long do you plan to skate? We have many packages ranging from one hour to all day unlimited access, which includes in and out privileges.”

Scootaloo glanced at her marefriends before shrugging, “Eh, let’s go ahead and do the all day package.”

“Wonderful! Follow me and I’ll get you three all set.”

They followed her to the right, where she stepped behind a counter and rang them up on a till. Scootaloo dug out more bits to pay her and then she floated over three purple and orange bands. “These will let the staff know that you have in and out privileges and also that you are in one party together.”

Sweetie placed her hoof on the counter and the mare wrapped the band around it. “Why do you need to know if we are together?”

“In case of emergency. We have multiple rinks and some of them are quite large, so we use color codes to mark which ponies are together in case of separation or injury.”

Apple Bloom got her band put on, “Do y’all really have enough colors to do that?”

The mare smiled as she put on Scootaloo’s. “If we are ever so busy we run out of color combinations, we have patterns.”

“Wow, that’s awesome!”

“We do pride ourselves on safety. Now then, just head down this hall and you’ll come across a set of doors that lead to our main rink. You’ll find access to the food court and other rinks.”

They thanked the mare before starting down the pointed out hallway, each buzzing with excitement. They came to a large entryway and trotted through to a huge room.

The main rink was large, with scores of creatures both off and on. Small stadium seats were set against the walls and benches were pushed against the rink walls on the outside.

There were more doors with signs above them set in the outside wall, leading to places like ‘food court’, ‘kids rink’, and ‘glow in the dark’. The soft purples and blues from the outside were continued here, accented with swirls of oranges and yellows and pinks.

Sometimes the patterns created vague shapes; outlines of ponies and dragons and griffons and hippogriffs, while other spots were reminiscent of spiraling towers and landmarks found in Canterlot. Music was playing from speakers, loud enough to be heard and understood, but soft enough that conversation could be had at a regular volume.

Scootaloo gasped, “Oh.my.gosh! Look at this place! This is awesome!” She turned to Apple Bloom and Sweetie with a smirk, “Do I know how to pick a good date or do I know how to pick a good date?”

Apple Bloom chuckled as Sweetie scrunched her nose, “That doesn’t make any sense, Scoots.”

Scootaloo scoffed and waved her hoof, “It doesn’t have to. Come on, let’s go get skates.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie shared a glance before following Scootaloo to a skate rental counter. After getting their skates from the employee behind the counter, they walked over to a bench to put them on.

Sweetie stuck her tongue out as she focused her magic to pull on the laces of her skates and tied them all into a neat bow. Beside her, Scootaloo grunted as she pulled hers tight with her teeth. “Ey Thweetie, thome help pleathe?”

Sweetie smiled and did the same for her, Scootaloo smacking her lips to get the taste of the laces out of her mouth. “Thank you. I always have a hard time getting them tight enough.”

Sweetie pecked her cheek, “You’re welcome. Hey Apple Bloom, you need help too?”

“Nope.”

Sweetie and Scootaloo looked over at Apple Bloom, who was already standing proudly with her skates on and laces tied well. “But thanks for the offer. Come on, let’s get on the rink!”

The three headed towards a cut out in the rink wall, Sweetie a bit unsteady on her hooves but Scootaloo and Apple Bloom walking like pros.

They paused at the entrance, waiting for an opening before all three stepped onto the polished wood floor. Sweetie’s front skate immediately shot out from under her and she cried out, “Whoa!”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were there to catch her though, steadying Sweetie between them. Apple Bloom nuzzled her, “Easy now, it’s alright, we got ya. Just take it slow, it’s just a little slide to the side and pick up, you see?”

Sweetie nodded and watched as they demonstrated and did her best to copy. She let out a shaky laugh as she managed to do it, albeit sloppier than Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, but she didn’t really care.

“I’m doing it! Girls, look I’m doing it!”

“Yeah! Great job Sweetie. Apple Bloom and I are going to move away a little now okay? We will still be close enough to catch you before you fall though.”

“O-Okay.”

Sweetie stumbled a little without their support, but steadied herself and began to skate. It was slow going, something Sweetie felt a little guilty about as she knew Scootaloo and Apple Bloom could, and probably would prefer to, go much faster. However, they didn’t seem to mind as they looked around the impressive rink, taking in the designs on the walls and the overall atmosphere.

Scootaloo began humming as an old Sapphire Shores song came on, “Oh jeez, I haven’t heard this song in forever.”

Apple Bloom nodded, “Yup. I haven’t heard Sapphire Shores in a while in general.” She snickered and glanced at Sweetie, “Remember when we had to sneak into her practice to fix a head piece?”

Sweetie blushed, ducking her head in embarrassment as she groaned, “Ugh, don’t remind me. I still can’t believe I almost ruined Rarity’s career.”

Scootaloo grinned as she skated ahead slightly and turned around to face Sweetie, skating backwards now. “Oh come on, that was fun! It was like a spy mission.”

Sweetie shook her head, “Maybe for you. If it wasn’t for Luna telling me Sapphire’s ‘lucky animal’ was a dolphin, I don’t think she would have kept sis as her designer.”

Scootaloo flipped around and ended up beside Sweetie again, putting her wing over her. “Hey, don’t be down about it. Everything worked out in the end didn’t it?”

Sweetie cracked a small smile and opened her mouth to respond when someone interrupted her. “Well hello there, what’s a group of fine ladies like yourselves doing in a dump like this?”

Sweetie scrunched her nose and glanced to the left, where two pegasus stallions that were old enough to be her father were leering. Another one came up beside Apple Bloom and leaned in. “Yeah, this place is no place for such pretty gals like you.”

Scootaloo gagged loudly, “Oh buck off, we aren’t interested in a group of creeps.”

The one who spoke first draped his dark brown wing over Scootaloo’s back, “Aww come on, there’s no need to be rude.”

Scootaloo growled and sped forward before turning around and flaring her wings out. “Don’t. Bucking. Touch. Me.”

“Ooh, feisty. I really dig that in a mare.”

Sweetie cringed towards Apple Bloom as the other skated closer to her, “Aww, there’s no need to be shy babe, I’m not gonna bite.”

Sweetie stumbled as Apple Bloom wrapped a hoof around her and firmly pulled her towards an exit from the rink. Scootaloo was already there, wings flared, feathers fluffed up, and lips pulled back into a snarl as the stallions bugging them backtracked to follow.

Apple Bloom held Sweetie close as Scootaloo stepped in front of them, ready to throw hooves if they weren’t left alone.

The apparent leader of the group looked over them and a lightbulb seemed to go off as he started laughing. “Oh, oh this is too good. Boys, it seems we’ve found ourselves a genuine herd of lesbo-“

He didn’t get to finish the slur as a magical aura grabbed his lips. He snorted angrily as two bulky stallions, a unicorn and an earth pony, walked up, wearing black shirts emblazoned with ‘Security’.

The unicorn dispelled his magic and shook his head in disappointment. “You boys just wasted your last chance. You are all hereby banned from the Canterlot Skate Club. For life. Come with me.”

The group grumbled, the brown one looking back at Scootaloo and snarling, “This place was lame anyways, full of stuck up bit-“

This time, the unicorn kept his lips closed with magic as the earth pony walked behind the group and ushered them away.

Sweetie let out a shaky breath and nuzzled Scootaloo, murmuring gentle words of comfort as Apple Bloom gently pet her wings, smoothing the feathers down.

A mare walked up, wearing the red polo shirt of a staff member, “Oh goodness, are you alright? I am terribly sorry about that.”

Scootaloo exhaled, wings sagging as she finally calmed down. “It’s, it’s fine. I’m just glad security got to them before I did.”

The mare cracked a small smile, “Yes, they were bothering other guests earlier this week so we were watching them closely. Again, I sincerely apologize on behalf of Canterlot Skate Club that they bothered you. Is there anything I can do?”

“Nah, it’s all good. Things happen and ponies are stupid sometimes. Thank you though.”

The mare nodded and floated up three cards, “Very well. Please at least take these food vouchers. They are good for any item on the menu in our food court.”

Sweetie took the cards and smiled, “Thank you.”

“You are very welcome. I do hope you enjoy the rest of your stay here.”

Scootaloo raspberried as the mare walked off and looked over the vouchers, “Well, do we want to go ahead and take a break or skate for a bit longer?”

Sweetie shrugged, “We didn’t really get to skate long, I want to try and get a couple more laps in. Maybe I’ll even be able to go a bit faster now that I know what I’m doing.”

“I can’t believe I am about to say this but…It’s okay if we don’t go fast.”

Sweetie and Apple Bloom gasped, staring at Scootaloo as if she had grown a second head. Scootaloo shuddered and stuck her tongue out, “Yeah, yeah, I know. Let’s just get back on the rink.”

Sweetie giggled and kissed Scootaloo’s cheek, “It’s okay, we won’t tell Rainbow Dash.”

“You better not, or else.”

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow, “Or else what?”

“Or else I’ll…I’ll…Ah ha! I won’t kiss you goodnight anymore!”

Sweetie gasped again, raising her hoof to her chest, “Oh goodness, that is a serious threat. I don’t know what I would do without your goodnight kisses.”

Apple Bloom snorted, “Get them from me instead?”

“But it wouldn’t be the same.”

“Wouldn’t it?”

“Nu-uh. Your kisses are warm and soft, like a cup of warm cider while sitting in front of a fire during winter. Scootaloo’s kisses are cool and exciting, like pop rocks or fireworks.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom blushed, both unsure how to respond. Sweetie giggled and pecked their lips before starting back to the rink and calling out over her shoulder, “You coming?”

Sweetie stuck her tongue out as she concentrated on moving her hooves, stepping on the rink with confidence and starting to skate. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo joined her, catching up quickly and settling into a steady rhythm.

Sweetie laughed joyously as she picked up speed enough to feel some wind on her face. “Whoo!”

Scootaloo laughed as well, “There you go! Though, seriously, we can take this slow.”

Apple Bloom nodded, “Going fast is fun, but it hurts more if you trip or crash.”

“Oh I know, this is probably the fastest I’ll be going. Feels good though.”

Scootaloo spread her wings slightly, enjoying the rush of air over her feathers. “Yeah, it feels really good.”

They skated for a couple hours, though they didn’t recognize the time for what it was. When their stomachs started to growl though, they decided it was time for a break.

Sweetie’s legs wobbled as she stepped off the rink, but she didn’t stumble. She did let out a groan as she sat on a bench though, eyes wide as her legs tingled and ached and hurt. “Okay I uh, I think I probably should have taken a break before this.”

Scootaloo chuckled as she sat down and gently elbowed Sweetie. “Ahh, good old post skate shakes. You’ll be fine, just gotta sit down for a bit. Might be a bit sore tomorrow.”

Apple Bloom, still standing somehow, nodded. “Eyup. It’s a good time for a break though, let’s put those vouchers to good use!”

Sweetie tried to bring her hoof up for a cheer but quickly abandoned that idea as the weight of the skate made itself very well known. She coughed and with a burst of magic undid all her and Scootaloo’s laces before pulling the skates off.

Now unburdened, she lifted her hoof and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom followed. Sweetie pondered how Apple Bloom could have already had her skates off, but, ultimately, it wasn’t as important as they pulled off the perfect three way hoof bump.

Sweetie giggled with the movement, and after glancing at her marefriends, they gleefully shouted, “Cutie Mark Crusaders roller skate date…yay!”

They laughed and shared kisses before returning their skates and heading to the food court. They found a surprisingly varied menu, from crepes to pasta, hayburgers to soups, there seemed to be something for everyone.

In the end, the group decided on hayburgers and soon sat with their lunches. They talked about the day so far; Scootaloo scowling and muttering some choice words about the creeps that had bugged them, Apple Bloom expressing surprise that the burgers were so good as Sweetie agreed and tried to keep the conversation on lighter topics.

Scootaloo huffed, “I just, I can’t believe there are still assholes like that roaming around.”

Apple Bloom snorted and tossed her straw wrapper at the pegasus, “Stop letting them get in your head, you aren’t here on a date with them.”

Scootaloo shuddered, “Ugh, don’t even put that idea in my head, they were so old!”

Sweetie smirked, “Well maybe you like them old, you’re dating us aren’t you?”

“Only cause you are like, a few months older than me. Those guys were ancient.”

Apple Bloom grinned and elbowed Sweetie, “I don’t know, maybe you are right, after all, Scoots is still thinking about them.”

Scootaloo pursed her lips, effectively trapped in a Catch 22. She grumbled as she tossed the wrapper back at Apple Bloom. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop bringing it up. We still have a whole day of skating ahead of us and I want to check out the other rinks.”

Sweetie nodded, “The glow in the dark one sounds fun, let’s try that one after lunch.”

They spent the rest of the day there, skating to their heart's content and singing when songs they knew came on (even when strange looks were thrown their way). As it neared evening, the group returned to the hotel and ordered room service before settling in for an action movie, at Scootaloo’s insistence of course.

The three snuggled together under the covers and eventually drifted off to sleep.

A Giving of Heart Most Sincere

The morning was pleasant and the sun was shining, but a light breeze promised it wouldn’t get too hot. Perfect, fluffy clouds drifted through the sky and overall it was promising to be a very good day indeed.

Apple Bloom hummed happily as she led Sweetie and Scootaloo to the castle gates. The guards outside gave them a curious look, but let them pass without any troubles.

Sweetie furrowed her brows as Apple Bloom continued down a hall and seemed to know exactly where to go. “Uh, Apple Bloom?”

“Hmm?”

“…Why are we in the castle?”

“Not that it isn’t awesome and all, but yeah, even I’m a little confused here.”

Apple Bloom grinned as she looked over her shoulder, “Oh don’t worry, you’ll see soon enough.”

Sweetie pursed her lips but didn’t say anything else. She looked around and took comfort in the fact they seemed to only be in the outer halls of the castle, places usually open to the general public.

The hallway was stunning, with high ceilings supported by marble columns and multiple stained glass windows depicting beautiful renditions of important figures or places in Equestria.

Eventually, they came to another set of doors, the guards at this one stopping them. Apple Bloom dug through her saddlebags and presented a laminated pass. After a quick inspection, the doors were opened and they were let through.

Sweetie gasped as they walked through the entrance to the Royal Gardens. Beautiful hedges surrounded them, creating a feeling of seclusion as they trotted down the path and further in.

Even Scootaloo was moved by the sights, a soft ‘whoa’ escaping her as the hedge path opened into the main garden area. It was large, open, and full of life. There was flora and fauna of all kinds, trees and flowers and animals that they had never even seen before.

Sweetie sputtered, “Apple Bloom, how, this is, I mean…”

Apple Bloom was grinning madly as she trotted over to a pond and whisked a picnic blanket out of her bags. She sat down on it and gestured Sweetie and Scootaloo over, waiting until they had settled down before answering Sweetie’s unasked question.

“Well, we do know the current reigning princess. It only took one message to let her know our plans and ask for a favor.”

Sweetie blushed and shifted on the blanket, “Gee, kinda wish I had thought of that. Maybe then we could have actually seen the Opera…”

Scootaloo shrugged, “Eh, I don’t think we really missed out there. No offense Sweetie, but I think the donut date ended up being way more fun than an Opera would have been.”

Sweetie pouted for a moment before sighing and nodding, “Yeah, you’re right.” Her lips twitched into a smirk, “Either way I got to see you in a dress, so it was all worth it.”

Apple Bloom snickered as she pulled out tins and boxes full of treats. “Yeah, that was the best part I think.”

Scootaloo stuck out her tongue, “Well maybe if you ask nicely I’ll put it on more often.”

Sweetie gasped, her voice reaching an almost ear piercing octave as she squeaked, “Really?!”

A flock of birds scattered from the trees near them and Scootaloo winced as she took her hooves away from her ears. “Yes, so long as your voice never does that again.”

Sweetie grinned widely and, not trusting her voice, simply nodded. Apple Bloom chuckled and waved her hoof over the opened food containers. “Well, help yourselves. I had Sugar Belle help me with some of the baking.”

Scootaloo licked her lips and shifted through a box of turnovers, finally selecting one and taking a bite, “Mmm, yum!”

Sweetie carefully cut into a fruit tart, ‘oohing’ as she placed her slice on a small plate. “Yeah, this looks amazing, thanks!”

Apple Bloom smiled and cut herself a slice from the same tart, “No problem. I’m happy to bake for y’all.”

They lounged and snacked on the various desserts, enjoying the beautiful day and delicious food. Little conversation was had, and what was what had was to point out animals and compliment the food further.

Scootaloo flopped onto the blanket with a satisfied sigh and looked up at the sky. After clearing away some of the containers, Apple Bloom and Sweetie joined her, their heads next to each other.

A comfortable silence settled over them as they watched the sky. The weekend had had its fair share of crying and laughter, fun and not fun moments, and it felt nice to take a moment and forget about it all.

Sweetie hummed in thought, face scrunched as she seemed to debate something before she rolled onto her stomach and threw her hooves around Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. They turned on their sides and snuggled into her without question, though both wondered what triggered this sudden bout of affection.

Sweetie let out a deep breath, “Do you ever stop to think how lucky we are? How a single, random chance event brought us together and started us on this path? And, and then every decision, every argument and every time we came back together…What if one time we didn’t? Where would we be?”

Apple Bloom lifted her head and kissed Sweetie. “I don’t rightly know, but I can’t say I never thought about it. It’s a scary thought, to imagine a future without the two of you. Even a future where we just stay friends don’t feel right.”

Scootaloo raised her head as well and kissed them before sighing. “Yeah. You girls are just, you are the best things to ever happen to me. I don’t know where we would be, but I’m happy with where we are now.”

Sweetie sniffled and wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes. “I’m really happy with this too. Even though our first two dates didn’t go perfectly to plan, they turned out well.”

Apple Bloom kissed away a stray tear on Sweetie's face and smiled, “When has anything ever gone perfectly according to plan with us?”

Scootaloo chuckled, “Yeah, we are like, the definition of ‘not perfect’. And you know what, I don’t think I would have it any other way.”

Sweetie tilted her head, “You mean ‘imperfect’?”

Scootaloo groaned, “Sweetie, I’m trying to have a moment here, stop being such an egghead.”

Sweetie smirked, “I thought you liked me how I am?”

Scootaloo deadpanned her and Sweetie giggled before pecking her lips. “I’m sorry, you are trying to be sweet and serious, please, continue.”

Scootaloo huffed, though a smile pulled at her lips after the short kiss. “Anyways, mushy romance stuff, love you through the good and the bad, life wouldn’t be the same without you, yada yada yada. There.”

Apple Bloom snorted, “That was about the most Scootalooest way to say it.”

“Oh yeah? I’d like to see you do better.”

“I can’t, so I won’t.”

Scootaloo sat back with a blush, feeling strangely flattered. “Oh.”

Sweetie laughed and nuzzled both of them before standing up to stretch out. She let out a soft groan as her back popped and shifted around a bit. “I think my legs are still sore from skating so much yesterday.”

Scootaloo shrugged as she stood up, “I told you you could take more breaks. I don’t feel anything.”

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as she stood up, “Oh don’t tease her like that, Sweetie isn’t used to that much exercise in a day.”

Sweetie sniffed and held her nose up, “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of that.” She then looked around, “Hey Apple Bloom, is all of the Garden open to us?”

“Most of it. There are some private areas we aren’t supposed to go, but they are roped off.”

Sweetie nodded, “Cool. You girls want to go and explore a bit?”

Scootaloo shrugged, “Sure. Is there anything interesting in here we should try and find Apple Bloom?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“Cause you are super good with maps and stuff.”

Apple Bloom opened her mouth to retort, but instead sighed. “I guess. Oh! Actually yeah! There’s a maze around here filled with flowers from all over Equestria and beyond. Twilight set up a sort of scavenger hunt thing for guests to fill out as they go through.”

Scootaloo perked up, “A scavenger hunt? Do we get a prize?”

Sweetie snickered, “Knowing Twilight, it's probably the knowledge we gained by going through.”

Apple Bloom nodded, “Yeah that's pretty much it. But it’s really pretty and I think it’ll be fun.”

Scootaloo pouted at the thought of not getting a prize but shrugged it off. She wouldn’t admit it out loud, they had just finished all the mushy love talk, but maybe, just maybe… her prize would be time with the two ponies she loved most.

Apple Bloom packed up the remains of the picnic and the blanket into her saddlebags and pointed towards a large set of hedges, just around the pond. “That’s the entrance over there.”

Scootaloo looked around with a sly grin, “Do you think Twilight will be mad if we…” she dropped down into a runners starting pose, wings flared out, “…raced there?”

Apple Bloom matched her grin and dropped down too, “What’s that saying about asking for forgiveness rather than permission?”

Sweetie face-hoofed, “Ugh. You guys can race but I’m gonna walk there. Want me to take your bags, Apple Bloom?”

“Sure! That’s awful sweet of you. Almost as sweet as knowing I’m gonna win.”

“You wish! I beat you to the donut shop and I’ll beat you here too.”

Sweetie rolled her eyes as she took Apple Bloom’s saddlebag and put it on her own back. She started towards the maze entrance at a casual trot, ears flicking as she heard Scootaloo count down from three.

There was the sound of hooves beating against the ground and a strong breeze that washed over her as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom took off past her, sprinting as fast as they could. She sighed and shook her head, wondering if the frequency of their impromptu races would only get better or worse the longer they were together.

She turned her face to the sky and smiled as the warm sun beamed down on her. She thought to the other night, when Apple Bloom instigated the race to Joe’s and how much fun it was. Then to today, when she was too sore to think about running. She wouldn’t always participate in Apple Bloom’s and Scootaloo’s races, but she was glad they didn’t seem to mind when she did.

Sweetie furrowed her brow as she looked back to the ground, to the distant shapes of Apple Bloom and Scootaloo prancing around the entrance, no doubt having another round of arguing who got there first.

She found herself thinking about their relationship. Three very different mares somehow coming together as friends, and, eventually, lovers. They had the same disagreements and spats, but there was a different feeling when it was with someone you loved.

She thought about their love language, how they each showed each other they cared. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were very physical, and these sorts of races were commonplace, even if the situation was slightly inappropriate.

Sweetie’s love language was also fairly physical, though more with touch. Yet, she also loved to give and receive gifts; no matter how small. A box of chocolates here, a flower there, even a pretty rock found while walking was greatly appreciated.

What all this said about her relationships, she wasn’t sure at the moment. What she was sure of though, was that she loved those mares more than anything and was grateful they agreed to this date weekend.

She was smiling again by the time she got to the entrance. She pecked her marefriends cheeks before turning her attention to a table set up with cards and pens and a sign explaining the rules.

Scootaloo picked up a card, “Looks like we get a prize after all, the card!”

Sweetie giggled and picked up one for herself, “Well, it is a lovely looking card.” She peered closer at the pictures and names of the flowers they would try to find. “Oh wow, I’ve never heard of half of these.”

Scootaloo gasped dramatically, “But I thought you knew everything?!”

Sweetie’s deadpan didn’t last for long as Apple Bloom’s snicker made her lips tremble back into a smile. “Ugh, I just can’t stay mad at you.”

Scootaloo’s grin was downright devilish as she retorted with a smug, “I know.”

Apple Bloom coughed to get their attention, waving a hoof at the maze entrance. “Y’all ready to try and find flowers?”

Sweetie nodded, “Yeah, let’s go!”

Apple Bloom led the way as they passed through the entrance and into the maze. Hedge walls towered on either side as they trotted down a grassy path and delved deeper into the confusing twists and turns.

At seemingly random intervals, there were small alcoves with pots of flowers, some of which Sweetie was happy to point out were on her card.

Scootaloo scratched her neck as she stared at a hanging pot and looked down at her card, “Wait, do we all have different flowers?”

Apple Bloom compared her card to the pot and marked it down, “Looks like it. I’ve got this…” She squinted at the writing, “Blue Bacopa? Yeah, I think that’s what this is.”

Sweetie nodded, “Yeah, I don’t have this one, but I did have Oxalis Triangularis and Rhododendron.”

Scootaloo scrunched her nose as she reached out to the lower hanging flowers and took a closer look, just to make sure she didn’t miss it on her card. “And those are in ponish…?”

Sweetie giggled, “The ‘false shamrock’ and azaleas.” She frowned slightly as Scootaloo sneezed, and then coughed. “You okay Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo nodded, sniffling and rubbing her nose as she stepped back from the pot. She coughed again, “Y-yeah, I think it’s just all the pollen.”

Apple Bloom frowned in concern, “I don’t know Scoots, your voice is sounding kinda bad. There’s a first aid station somewhere around here, maybe we should go try and find it.”

Scootaloo lifted a hoof to wave off Apple Bloom’s concerns, but stumbled and fell down. Her breathing became labored, raspy gasps and she clutched at her throat, which was feeling weird all of a sudden.

Apple Bloom cursed and grabbed Scootaloo, throwing her over her back and pointing at Sweetie. “Twilight said to send a flare up if we ran into any trouble, there are guards everywhere and they’ll see it and come help.”

Sweetie nodded, trembling as she focused her magic enough to send a flare into the sky. Almost immediately, a guard teleported in, eyes scanning around to assess the situation and check for danger. His eyes widened as he saw Scootaloo, “Allergic reaction?”

Apple Bloom nodded, “We think so. It’s getting worse so I’m worried it’s severe.”

The guard nodded, “We have a hospital wing for staff and injured visitors. I’m going to teleport us out. This may feel weird.”

His horn lit and with a flash of light and loud ‘pop!’, they were outside the maze. Apple Bloom shook her head to clear it and looked at the guard, “Alright, where to now?”

“Follow me.”

They took off at a quick canter, Sweetie following behind with a worried look on her face. The hospital wing wasn’t too far away, and soon Scootaloo was on a plain white hospital bed with nurses fussing over her.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie stood in the corner of the room, trying to stay out of the way. Apple Bloom had her hoof wrapped around Sweetie, comforting the shaking unicorn.

“Apple Bloom…She’ll, she’ll be okay, right?”

“Eyup. She’s in good hooves Sweetie.”

Once Scootaloo was stabilized with an oxygen mask and IV drip, the nurses stepped back and sighed in relief. One of them turned to Apple Bloom and Sweetie, smiling softly. “She’ll be okay, you got her here in good time. She’ll need to stay here for a few hours just to be safe, but she should make a full recovery.”

Sweetie sat down hard, tears rolling down her cheeks, “Oh thank Celestia. Thank you. Is it okay if we stay here?”

The nurse nodded, “Of course, just be respectful to the patient on the other side of the curtains. Just flag down a nurse or push the call button if you need anything.”

A Lifetime to Savor, Dance, and Gift. Shall We Keep Count Together?

Scootaloo groaned as she opened her eyes, squinting under the bright lights. “Ugh, what...what happened?”

She heard a gasp and glanced over at Sweetie, whose face was red and puffy from crying. Apple Bloom was beside her, her eyes wet as well. Scootaloo lifted her hoof and Sweetie grabbed it, squeezing gently. “You had an allergic reaction, Scoots, a pretty bad one. It’s okay though, you are in a hospital wing in the castle.”

Apple Bloom leaned forward and delicately brushed away Scoot’s bangs, “Nurse said they want to monitor you for a few hours, so we should be able to go home soon.”

Scootaloo groaned again, “Put in the hospital because of a flower...Please don’t tell Rainbow Dash about this.”

Apple Bloom chuckled and Sweetie cracked a smile, “Of course we won’t.”

Scootaloo nodded, “Good.” She then sighed, looking down at the IV drip in her other hoof. “I’m sorry.”

Sweetie blinked and tilted her head and Apple Bloom jerked her hoof back as she frowned, “‘Sorry?’ Just what are you apologizing for?”

Scootaloo winced at Apple Bloom's tone, refusing to look at her. “Cause, well, this was your date and it was going so well but then-”

“Then nothing. You can’t help an allergic reaction.”

Sweetie nudged Apple Bloom and the earth pony sighed, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped. But seriously, you got nothing to be sorry about. Just like it wasn’t Sweetie’s fault about the Opera falling through, this ain’t your fault.”

Sweetie nodded, “Yeah. This weekend has had a lot of ups and downs and even though something bad happened on every date doesn’t…” Sweetie frowned and looked down for a moment, speaking quietly now, “Wait, what if it does mean something?”

Apple Bloom groaned, “Of course it doesn’t. Life happens, sometimes you get a bruised apple or find a worm. It’s not a big deal.”

Sweetie huffed, “Okay but just think about it! We were doing fine but then I insisted we had to do this and now look at us. I didn’t tell you to bring fancy dresses so we couldn’t go to the Opera. Those creeps bugged us at the roller rink and now, Scootaloo had a bad reaction to flowers in the maze. Each of our dates have gone wrong in some way.”

Apple Bloom huffed in return, “But we still made it work didn’t we? We got donuts instead, those creeps got tossed and we got free food, and we had a good time earlier and soon we can go back to the hotel and hang out again.”

“But it’s still not what we planned.”

Scootaloo glanced over at her marefriends, who were frowning at each other now. Her voice was uncharacteristically small and vulnerable, “So, what does that mean?”

Sweetie gulped, eyes watering again as she spoke in a hushed tone. “What if it means we aren’t supposed to be together?”

Apple Bloom scoffed, “Now that’s just nonsense.”

Sweetie opened her mouth to retort, but an elderly voice interrupted her. “Excuse me, I hope you don’t mind me intruding, but I couldn’t help but overhear.”

The trio turned their heads as the thin curtain separating the room into two was pulled back by magic. On the other side, in a bed of her own, was an old unicorn mare, her coat a pale shade of yellow with curly brown hair. One of her ankles was wrapped and elevated. “It sounds like you’ve had quite the weekend so far. Might this old mare offer some advice?”

Sweetie and Apple Bloom glanced at each other before shrugging. The mare smiled, “You are young and I can tell quite in love. You are right that sometimes things happen for a reason, life has ups and downs, but would you stop eating apples if you found one or even two with a worm?”

Sweetie shifted in her seat, “No, I guess I wouldn’t.”

“And you, would you stop appreciating the storms and rain because all you see is the sun ahead?”

Apple Bloom furrowed her brows, “I think I understand and, no, I know that sometimes we need a little rain.”

“There are signs to look for, and then there are explanations imposed on events to make ourselves feel better. Life isn’t some equation you can solve with chalkboard my dear, and neither is love for that matter. If you spend time picking apart every little thing that you define as having gone ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, you won’t get to enjoy any of that time.”

The three sat back in awe of the wisdom of the words. Sweetie let out a deep breath, “I never thought of it like that.”

The mare chuckled, “Not many do. Now, you girls have been dealt some bad hands, but you are still at the table aren’t you?”

They nodded and she continued. “Then that’s all that matters. Even when the world stops making sense, even when you are down on your luck and at rock bottom...As long as you have each other, well, then you can make it through anything.”

Sweetie smiled and bowed her head at the older mare, “Thank you. I think that was just what I needed. Oh, uh, my name is Sweetie Belle and this is Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.”

“A pleasure to meet all of you. My name is Fine Line.”

Apple Bloom leaned over and tilted her head at the mare, “Say, how did you figure out all that stuff? It sounds like something you might learn from experience.”

Fine nodded, “Something like that. My late wife, Luna bless her, and I met at a Gala years ago. You might know it as the first one Twilight Sparkle attended with her friends. Oh that whole night was a disaster, yet, something good and right came out of it. After that, little things like changing a date plan or dealing with rude ponies seemed like just that...little.”

She nodded towards Scootaloo, “Even something as scary and challenging as a medical emergency was dealt with swiftly and calmly. You three have good heads on your shoulders and hearts full of love for each other. Don’t let little ripples turn into big waves and capsize you, okay?”

Sweetie looked at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, mulling the words over. Finally, she smiled and pecked their cheeks. “She’s right. I’m sorry for almost losing my head there. I love you.”

Apple Bloom squeezed Sweetie, “It’s alright, I love you too.” She then leaned over to gently headbutt Scootaloo, pressing their foreheads together. Scootaloo closed her eyes, squeezing Sweetie’s hoof and pressing into Apple Bloom. “I love you girls. We got this, we can get through anything.”

Fine Line wiped away a tear at the affectionate display, memories of her own love, Charm, and the hard times they had faced together dancing through her mind. “You girls truly have something special.”

The group separated, smiled and happy tears reflected in their faces. Sweetie chuckled softly, “Yeah, I guess we do.“