Finding Your Family

Scootaloo pulled the waffle from the press and tossed it onto the plate just as the doorbell rang. Not knowing who it could be at this hour, she unplugged the press, in case this took too long.

When she came to the door, she was met by Gridline, one of Cudgel's new friends. "Hi, miss Scootaloo. Can Cudgel come out to play?"

Scootaloo shook her head. "He's not up yet. Even if he was, he hasn't had breakfast yet." She squatted down and placed her claws on her knees. "Would you like some waffles?"

"No thanks, I ate at home."

"I see." She stood back up. "Well, you can wait in the dining room. I'll go wake him up so he can have breakfast, and then you can go play."

She went upstairs and knocked on every door but her own. Spike had left an hour ago to tend to Twilight, so there was no need. Once she'd received a response from them all, she went back to the kitchen and resumed making waffles.

A week and a half had passed since they had all come back to Ponyville. The day after the dinner party, Pinkie had announced the block party, and the day after, they'd all attended, though Spike was back at Twilight's side by then. Still, with Twilight being in attendance, the kids were able to meet a princess that wasn't Ember, and more importantly, other kids that lived nearby.

That was a real boon, as they'd all stopped moping around as soon as they had friends to hang out with. Cudgel had found a group to play Ogres and Oubliettes with, Rainbow Slash had found somepony who was good at carnival games and won her a giant stuffed badger, and Barb had fallen in with a board games club.

Scootaloo had met their neighbors, too, and some of them were visibly concerned at the fact that she was a dragon. Granted, they'd been living next to Spike for awhile, but one dragon that was known for being friendly was different than the other four who were less well-known.

One of them that was particularly fine with his neighbors being a family of dragons was a familiar face: Rumble. He'd been a few years younger than Scootaloo, but now he was all grown up and splitting a house with two other ponies. He'd even offered to help her find work when the kids started school again. Since he worked in the post office, and sometimes the weather team when necessary, he had an in with both places, and could put in a good word for her.

Had she remained a pony, she could only be a part of the postal service, as she could scoot around with her malformed wings, but as a dragon... Rainbow Dash started her career as a weather pony, and was now a headliner in the Wonderbolts and one of the harbingers of harmony. Working up in the clouds would be wonderful.

Still, for now, she needed to be able to stay home and watch the kids, so she had thanked him for his offer and said she would take him up on it later.

Cudgel rushed through his breakfast and ran out the front door with Gridline. Barb left shortly after, but stayed within view of the dining room, as the park in which her board games club was meeting was cata-cornered to the house. Only Rainbow Slash stayed, as her friend had come over just as Barb was leaving. The two of them would spend the next few hours in Slash's room, playing with their stuffed animals and chattering.

Scootaloo sat down on the couch with a book, and made it a few pages before the doorbell chimed again, and she moved to the door to answer it. "Apple Bloom. Good to see you."

"Glad ta see you, too," answered Apple Bloom. "The kids around?"

"Slash is upstairs, but otherwise, no."

"Good." She walked in and sat down on the couch. "Because Pinkie sent me over to plan out your bachelorette party."

Scootaloo sighed. "We're not having the wedding for another month. Plus, I'm not sure how I feel about having a bachelorette party."

"That's just stinkin' thinkin'," waved Apple Bloom. "Bachelorette parties are great. The whole point is to enjoy one last freedom before you're hitched to the same pony for the rest a' yer life."

Scootaloo scrunched up her nose. "Yeah, that's what I mean. It's kind of bleak, isn't it? Like, if I marry Spike, my freedoms are all going to disappear; that being bound to the dragon I fell in love with is going to cage us together and lock us in place."

"Well..." Apple Bloom sighed. "When ya put it like that, Ah guess it does sound kinda rough." She shook her head. "Forget the prospect of being stuck to Spike forever. He's great, we can all agree on that. Just remember what Pinkie says: Parties are for havin' fun with yer friends. We'll just have this be the last all-girl party before the wedding."

"That's better," nodded Scootaloo, "but I'm still on the fence about having a party like this."

"Girl, Ah painted a lotta fences in my day. And somethin' Ah know you ain't never done was paint a stallion's fencepost. This kinda thing is expected of bachelorette parties. Ah guarantee Spike will understand."

Scootaloo took a deep breath, then shook her head. "No. I don't like it. And I especially don't want to end up pregnant again, or turning back into a flightless pegasus. I'm perfectly happy to spend the rest of my life with Spike. If we're dead set on having a bachelorette party, we need to find something else to do."

Apple Bloom sighed. "Okay, fine. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking we could skip it and go right to the bridal shower..." Scootaloo tossed her head back and spat a small, harmless tuft of flame from her nostrils. "If I've learned anything since coming back to Ponyville, it's that I'm terrible at parties. My own kids have detailed out for me how awkward their birthdays have been, and seeing Pinkie's block party welcoming us back held up a mirror to my inadequacy." She leaned forward. "I'll probably go along with whatever she suggests, but... No strippers, no hookers, no mentioning anything that even suggests that marriage is a bad idea. Otherwise, I'm open to suggestions."