Balance within Harmony

It had been a busy few days for all the bearers, especially for Fluttershy and Rainbow dash. Doing any building work was stressful, but when you have hundreds of animals to look after, it becomes a royalguard-precision operation. In order to prevent disruption to the animals, Twilight had agreed to do all the final work by magic, but that meant that all the animals had to be removed for one day. And all the preparation work would have to be done the Earth pony way, by hoof first.

Rainbow and Twilight spent days working away with the wood provided by Applejack, and other materials Rainbow brought with his saved-up bits. Pinkie and Applejack had to look after the farm, but also helped out when they could. Rarity spent her time back at her boutique, juggling keeping on top of her orders and preparing all the furnishings for the new cottage. Fluttershy had to manage some very sensitive (awkward) animals during this time, and also provided the hard working colts and filly with refreshments - she wasn't suited to the big building work but more for the smaller details like Rarity.

Rainbow also had to go and arrange giving up his free cloud home, which he got for being the local weather team leader, and instead arranged for a small pay increase, the extra income he now needed. Besides, he had no intention of backing out now and so wouldn't need his own place anymore.

Everything was prepared in time for the weekend as planned. Twilight spent the day channelling very powerful magic in order to bring everything together as quick as possible, finishing mid afternoon much to everypony's delight. Fluttershy and Rainbow started moving all the furniture back in, and as night started to fall, the animals returned and Fluttershy could tell that they approved.

"Oh, Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie and Applejack...it's perfect" The yellow filly cried as she looked around the new cottage.

"And it's about to get about to get 120% cooler from tomorrow!" Rainbow excitedly hugged his filly-friend.

***

A collection of ponies walked out of Ponyville, towards Fluttershy's cottage. Applebloom was flanked by Applejack and Pinkie, with the pink pony seeming pretty much a permanent part of the Apple family now. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were being brought along by Rarity and Twilight, Scootaloo happy that the other families were willing to include her with their plans.

"So, are you looking forwards to today" Applejack asked

"I don't even know what we doing!" Sweetie replied

"We're off to see Fluttershy's new cottage. She is having a bit of a get together to say thanks for the help we all put in" Rarity explained to her sister

"So it's a party?" Applebloom asked?

Pinkies ears pricked up at this, but then quickly regained her composure "Not a full part-tay per-say, that would scare all her animals. I even had to leave my party cannon at home!"

"It's just a simple get together of close friends with some food and drink" Applejack explained

"Sounds like a Party to me" Scootaloo joked, causing Pinkie to nearly burst holding back her excitement.

A short while later the reached the edge of Flutter estate, and they walked up the path well worn with various animal prints from the night before. Flutter cottage looked the same from a distance, but getting closer it was obvious it was now bigger. There was an extra story but the whole cottage had increased in size keeping it's overall appearance the same rustic charm.

Fluttershy and Rainbow were standing in the open door of the new cottage, holding hoofs like the perfect couple, waiting for their friends to arrive. Fluttershy gave everypony a hug as they entered the flat, whilst Rainbow gave the older ponies hoof-bumps, and the foals a playful rub of the head.

The first thing the Crusaders noticed was the living room was set out for many ponies, rather then animal focused as before, with a couple of sofas in different style and a few other chairs, including Rainbow's old easy-cloud recliner. There was also Angel's special fluffy basket, and a combined basket/landing strip for Tank, depending what mode he was in.

This room led through to a proper separate dinning room, with a decent family sized table, and a kitchen which was twice the size of the old one. The two pegasi continued the tour, telling everypony that they had designed it together, having planned to move in together properly. This made Sweetie squeak in delight, Applebloom look over to her brother and Pinkie with a gleam in her eye, whilst Scootaloo looked a little sad. Rainbow and Fluttershy saw this, knowing the thought of more happy families must be hard on the lonely foal.

The tour continued on the first floor and the new second floor, showing off a mixture of rooms for animals, a study and a couple of bedrooms per floor. The whole house had a very unusual range of decoration - delicate shades that Fluttershy and the animals liked were mixed with more brash colours, and Wonderbolt inspired art, of Rainbows taste. The Crusaders did notice that one of the rooms did seem to be decorated a little different from the rest, almost like it was a little more foalish than any of the others.

Returning downstairs, it was a lovely day so Fluttershy took them all for a quick tour around her animal friends homes, some of which had also been upgraded during the week. She took great delight in showing off the chickens had a lovely new coup, the rabbits had a special new underground hutch built, and a new sty for the Pigs. This was a little boring for most of the other ponies, but turning the final corner of the tour Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo couldn't believe their eyes.

Out back there was a new outdoor patio area, with a outdoor oven and a picnic table. But that didn't surprise them, it was the cloud floating just 30 feet in the air.

"And this is cloud patio Twilight kindly made for us" Rainbow boasted, giving a thankful look to the unicorn "Well, I gathered the cloud but Twilight used his freaky magic to keep it here. There's some steps as well so both Flutters, and anypony else can join me up there!"

"Cool!" Scootaloo bounced "I've never been on a cloud, can I go up?"

Fluttershy nodded, and there was a blur of orange as Scootaloo jumped up the first first steps, and then turned around to notice her friends not following

"Hey girls, don't you want to come?"

"I would love to Scoots" Applebloom looked up "I've never been on a cloud either. But we're not Pegasi" and for effect jumped straight through the first step. Scootaloo looked down at her two friends, caught between the excitement of wanting to carry on, but not leaving her friends behind "Well, I guess if the three of us can't go, then won't go!"

That's exactly what everypony wanted to hear. Twilights horn glowed and the hoofs of Sweetie Belle and Applebloom glowed a soft purple. "Here you go girls, a temporary cloud walking spell" The three foals yelled in delight their thanks to Twilight and the two crusaders started jumping up the steps after their friend, quickly reaching the top. It was the first time any of them had stood on clouds, and they all loved it, bouncing up and down and making cloud angels. Fluttershy also walked up to supervise them, liking the feel of being on a cloud without any of the scary flying stuff required to get to it.

Rainbow looked at his friends "This is perfect you guys. This cottage is going to be a very loving place" the colt started to tear up a little, but quickly composed himself "Whilst you all worked hard, I have to tip my mane to you Twilight - without this cloud patio idea I'm not sure I could cope with being so...grounded"

The earth and unicorns looked at the colt with a bit of a fake glare, and they all burst out laughing, although the laughter was being drowned out by that from ontop of the cloud. After a while, Fluttershy managed to persuade the Crusaders to follow her down so they could all eat, promising that they would go up again later.

***

After a whole afternoon of playing, the three foals were starting to slow down a little, so Rarity decided it was time for Sweetie to go home, as did Applejack for Applebloom. Twilight said he and Pinkie would follow soon, and would ensure Scootaloo got home first. The three Crusaders said their goodbyes, looking forwards to seeing each other at school the next day.

As soon as her two friends left, Scootaloo felt a bit lonely with just four adult ponies, and many animals, around. The four adults took seats on two of the sofa's, and Fluttershy indicated to Scootaloo to sit between herself and Rainbow.

"So, what do you think of mine..I mean our...new home?" Fluttershy asked the nervous looking foal.

"It's awesome Fluttershy" she beamed back "It's is a wonderful place...for the two of you"

"So...how do you fancy sleeping here?" Rainbow asked

"What, like having another Crucasder's sleepover?" The foal asked, shocked they would ever be invited back after last time.

"Yeah...like that…except maybe just you" Rainbow said softly

"And instead of a sleepover...more...staying here with us?" Fluttershy added

Scootaloo looked around confused "What do you mean?"

"Well, we were thinking...if you want...and don't feel pressured or anything...that you may want us to adopt you?" Fluttershy eventually finished her sentence, tears started to form at the edges of her beautiful big eyes

"Wait, you mean, for real?” The young orphan stuttered “What about Mr and Mrs Whistle?”

Rainbow took this one "I know that the Whistles are wonderful Foal-Fosterer's, but they have a lot of foals that they help and...well, perhaps you would like to stay with us?" the colt explained, struggling to keep from crying.

Scootaloo looked at the two tearful ponies to her sides, and then over to Pinkie and Twilight in confusion. Twilight thought it was best to explain a little more to the confused foal "Scootaloo, I'm sure you love the Whistles and they care for you. But as you grow up you need your own family, and I can't think of two ponies better than Fluttershy and Rainbow to look after you. And the Princesses agreed..."

"The Princesses?" Scootaloo looked in awe, getting even more confused

"Why yes" Fluttershy put a wing around Scootaloo, who was starting to shake "We are a little young to normally adopt, but we got royal permission to do so!"

"Afterall, who would make better parents than the ponies that represent the very notional of kindness and Loyalty" Pinkie joined in, enjoying the growing joy filling everypony's hearts.

Scootaloo looked at Fluttershy my new mum and Rainbow Dash my new dad and simply started crying with joy. The two parents gave their new family member a hug. The two non Flutter-dash (Or would that be Rainbow-shy?) family members looked at the heart-warming scene, with the three ponies of the whole of town who least like hugging in a warm family embrace.

Twilight coughed a little to get everypony's attention "Now, sorry to go all official, but i have to tell you Scootaloo that its up to you if you want to be adopted, and you can try it out for a while first. The Whistle’s are ready for you to either go back to them tonight, or not..."

Scootaloo looked at Fluttershy, weeping "Of course I want to stay here!” as the family started hugging again. Rainbow asked Twilight to let the foster family know, and that he would be round to pick up Scootaloo's stuff tomorrow.

Twilight and Pinkie made their excuses and left the three family members together. As the two proud adoptive parents carried a tired and emotional Scootaloo up to bed for the first time, they didn't notice the cross bunny looking at them Great, more things to get in the way of the yellow one's salad making!

***

Twilight walked, and Pinkie bounced, towards town in silence for a while.

“So, do you and Rarity think you’ll have foals someday” Pinkie suddenly blurted.

Twilight blushed “Oh Pinkie, we haven’t thought that far ahead yet. Why, do you think about that sort of thing?”

“All the time!” Pinkie proudly laughed “Why, having foals of my own would mean I would always have ponies round me to make happy. And the parties...oh my the parties...”

Twilight looked over at Pinkie with a big grin “And is there any special somepony you want to have these foals, and parties, with”

Pinkie saddened a little “Nope, not yet…not yet. But currently I at least have Applebloomto look after. Now AJ’s a colt, I think Bloomy was missing a mare around the house…well, a young mare. We’re getting on better then cherries in a cherry-chinga”

Twilight thought about pushing what Pinkie felt about Applejack, noticing a small change in Pinkie’s voice when the filly mentioned the colt, but decided not to press it. Twilight went off to go speak to Scootaloo’s old foster parents, and Pinkie went to stay with the cakes for the night, secretly hoping pound and pumpkin would wake up early tomorrow so she could play with them before going back to the farm.

***

The next morning Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were waiting in the schoolyard for Scootaloo.

“Where is she” Applebloom lamented “School starts in a few minutes and she’s not here?”

Suddenly they saw Fluttershy, Rainbow and Scootaloo arrive together at the edge of the playground. The two crusaders’ watched in stunned silence as Scootaloo gave her two new parents a massive hug before skipping into the schoolyard, yelling “I’ll be home right after school, Mum and Dad”

Scootaloo approached her two friends who were just sat their confused and staring at their happy friend “Aren’t my new parents swell?” Scootaloo smiled at her fellow blank-flanks, and was greated by the biggest hug ever. The schoolbell rang and the three friends skipped happily into Cheerilees classroom, all delighted that Scootaloo finally had a family of her own…