Author's Note

Because of me making Discord want to keep a close eye on things in case Zanth shows up, the original version of this episode where Twilight & Cadence help a sick Discord would not be a thing. I'm half-convinced that Discrod just made himself sick because come on, how would someone whose completely chaotic get sick in the first place unless they did it to themselves on pupose? However, the title of the episode gave me a different type of "three is a crowd" motif. Bet no one saw this coming~

Chapter 47 - Scootaloo's True Parents (Three's a Crowd AU)

It was a seemingly normal day in ponville when two specific ponies suddenly showed up.

"So, shall we get looking for Scootaloo now dear?" An earth pony stallion said.

"Yes. I bet the poor dear is all in woe at her aunt's home all alone, thinking she can take care of herself." A Pegasus Mare said. The two ponies then went to the former house of Scootaloo's deceased aunts: Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty. However, to their surprise, the home had become foreclosed upon.

"Oh dear. I guess the town didn't waste time foreclosing this place." The Earth Pony Stallion said.

"We must find Scootaloo Snap Shutter. Otherwise, who knows what torment she's enduring at the Orphanage if they believe she didn't have parents." The Pegasus Mare said.

"I agree Mane Allgood." Snap Shutter said.

"Hmm, Scootaloo, Scootaloo, Scootaloo..." The Ponyville orphanage caretaker a gentle and kind mare known as Sweet Thing was saying. "...Nope. Sorry. I have no records of a Scootaloo ever being accepted into this orphanage." She confirmed.

"But how can that be possible? Surely some pony must have realized she was in her aunt's house." Mane Allgood said.

"Well, there's a high chance that some pony adopted your daughter before she even arrived at the orphanage. You'll need to go to Town Hall and see Mayor Mare for that." Sweet Thing said.

"Thank you for the advice." Snap Shutter said.

"Scootaloo? Oh yes. She was originally going to be sent to the Canterlot Orphanage actually, since we had no way of contacting the two of you." Mayor Mare said.

"Wait, why not the Ponyville Orphanage instead?" Mane Allgood asked.

"There just wasn't enough room there for her. Budget cuts at the time you see thanks to the previous orphanage owner being the cause for those budget cuts. It's been three whole years since Scootaloo got adopted, and the new owner who bought the place out has done a much better job running the Ponyville Orphanage." Mayor Mare said.

"Then who is it? Who adopted our daughter?" Snap Shutter asked.

"Keep up the good work Scootaloo." Rainbow Dash encouraged her daughter.

"Thanks for supporting me so much. Especially with everything." Scootaloo said.

"Hey, that's what being a mom is about after all. No way I'd leave you hanging." Rainbow Dash said. The two pegasi soon parked on a cloud. "Keep this up, and soon you'll be just as good as I am. Tartarus, maybe you'll even join a flight team." Rainbow Dash said.

"Speaking of, have you decided on if your going to join Princess Luna's Shadowbolts or Princess Celestia's Wonderbolts. Because I want to join what you join." Scootaloo said.

"Still having a hard time deciding Scoots, I'll be honest. Never in my life have I been so conflicted. And it's mostly because of Soarin." Rainbow Dash said.

"Yeah. I've noticed things between the two of you have gotten serious. So, when can I start calling him dad?" Scootaloo asked.

"Heh. Probably soon after the Equestria Games and I settle on my answer." Rainbow Dash said. "...Hold up, is that..." Rainbow Dash noticed Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood down below with Princess Celestia.

"...My biological parents..." Scootaloo said, though there was obvious disdain in her voice.

"So, you've been the one looking after Scootaloo since everything." Mane Allgood said. "Ugh. If only news of Scootaloo's aunts reached us sooner." She added.

"Doesn't matter. You obviously didn't care three years ago." Scootaloo said.

"Now Scootaloo, don't say that." Snap Shutter said.

"Oh yeah? Then tell me right now 'dad', who's the one that's been taking care of me for four years straight?" Scootaloo asked.

"It's more like three years." Mane Allgood said.

"Actually, the fourth-year anniversary of when I adopted Scootaloo is in two days. Pretty sure Pinkie Pie's going to throw a huge party because of it too." Rainbow Dash said.

"Pinkie Pie? Whose that?" Snap Shutter asked.

"One of Rainbow Dash's friends and Ponyville's premier party planner. And I must say, her skills are nothing to scoff at when it came to organizing last year's grand galloping gala at the last minute." Princess Celestia said. "And to think, she got everything ready two days before it would happen." She added.

"Yeah, that sounds like Pinkie Pie alright." Rainbow Dash said.

"Even still, you can't just keep our daughter." Mane Allgood said.

"Oh yes she can. Rainbow Dash has been taking care of me for almost four years now. All by herself. And where have either you or Snap Shutter been 'mom'?" Scootaloo asked.

"But that's not a fair comparison. We'll take this to court if we have to." Snap Shutter said.

"And I can garentee you'd lose that case, no matter which court you went to." Princess Celestia said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mane Allgood asked.

"The court would look at the accountability of you and Snap Shutter versus Rainbow Dash who has been doing a fine job of raising Scootaloo alongside her various friends; one of whom is even an alicorn princess. There is no court in Equestria let alone the world that would ever grant custody to the two of you over Rainbow Dash." Princess Celestia said. "That said, if you want visiting rights, that can be arranged." She added.

"We don't want visiting rights; we want our daughter back." Snap Shutter said.

"News flash Snap Shutter, but I haven't BEEN your daughter for almost FOUR YEARS now. I've been Rainbow Dash's daughter and nothing is going to change that. It's too little, too late." Scootaloo said.

"And your choices aren't very good: Either you accept visitation rights, or you lose Scootaloo entirely." Rainbow Dash said.

"But what about when you have to be away from her? Do you have any pony trustworthy to look after her if you and all your friends are away?" Snap Shutter asked, hoping for something to nail Rainbow Dash with.

"Already covered: Unless she informs me of other plans, then whenever I'm away, she stays at Thunderlane's place. And he's retiring from the Wonderbolts at the end of the month. Forcibly though." Rainbow Dash said. "Details are classified though." She added.

"...You've got to be kidding me. She knows one of the WONDERBOLTS?!" Snap Shutter exclaimed.

"Two of them actually: Her coltfriend is Soarin Winds." Scootaloo said.

"ARE YOU BUCKING SERIOUS?!" Mane Allgood exclaimed.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Princess Celestia exclaimed, ceasing the counter arguments. "This is your last chance: Either take the visitation rights, or I will personally have you unable to ever see Scootaloo ever again." The white allicorn warned.

The two biological parents of Scootaloo gulped. "...I suppose this is a losing battle at this point." Snap Shutter said.

"We'll accept the visitation rights. Bregrudendly mind you." Mane Allgood said. "Scootaloo, no matter how much you want it, you'll always be my daughter." She added.

"...Just go now. I'm sure you've got some job to do." Scootaloo said. Her biological parents then left.

"You going to be okay Scoots?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"...I'll be fine mom. Just fine." Scootaloo said before hugging Rainbow Dash close.

"...Yeah. I think you will." Rainbow Dash said, smiling. You've made your decision on who your true mother is squirt; now it's my turn to make my decision on where I want to go to become a stunt flier. She thought to herself.