# The Scootaloo Diaries

ImJustAnotherBrony

Entry: Cheerilee

Rainbow Dash quickly flew up to the safety of the clouds, clutching in her hooves a book of interest. She held a diary, one she managed to swipe from Scootaloo's saddle bag without her knowing. Now she rests atop a cloud, eager to invade her little friend's privacy in the most intimate of ways. With a light chuckle and a lick of the tip of her hoof, she opens the book and turns the first page.

Today was an exciting day. I finally got to have fun with my latest crush, Cheerilee! My grades were slipping so Cheerilee decided to punish me. Today after school, I had to stay behind and help bring the toys and balls back inside off the playground. It was really hot out today, and I could feel sweat already dripping down my forehead and sides. Cheerilee was the only other pony out there helping me, and she looked just as hot, if not hotter. I couldn't help but stare at her flank and curved back as she lifted each playground item with her teeth.

I think at some point she saw me looking because she gave me a wink right before she started behaving even more sexily. I wiped the sweat off my head with a forearm. I remember what she said right then too. "You feeling okay Scoot? It's really is hot out here, you might want to take it easy."

I just laughed and told her that I can handle anything. As soon as the last toy was collected, I followed her back inside. I asked if I could go now, and she, of course, said no. She told me to take a seat, so I sat at my desk and waited for her to lecture me. I sure was surprised at what she said next.

"We need to get a few things out in the open. First of all, I heard the things you've been saying about me to your little friends."

I was stunned, I didn't know how to react to this. What did she hear? Is she trying to get me to confess to something? I had no clue, but wasn't about say anything stupid. I just said, "What do you mean? I haven't said anything bad about you."

She once again failed to reply the way I thought she would. She said, "Oh, that's just it, Scootaloo, I know you haven't been saying bad things about me. What you have been saying is disturbing none the less."

Okay, I'll admit it, I was really nervous at this point, I didn't know what to say, but I was sure she knew my secret. "Wha-what things did you hear about?" I asked her, but I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

I blushed more than I'd ever blushed before, especially when she smiled and lowered her eyebrows. She began trotting towards me and I almost freaked out and ran away. For some reason I made myself stay cool. She placed her hoof on my face and asked me the weirdest question I'd ever expect her to ask. "So, you said I have the nicest flank you've ever seen, right? Even nicer than Rainbow Dash's?"

I gulped, being honest with myself, she really did have the nicest flank I've ever seen.

"Hey come on!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she smacked the page she was reading.

She stood up and looked at her flank, wiggling it provocatively in the air. "My flank's... nice." She said with a pout before collapsing back down on the cloud and continuing to read.

"Yes Miss Cheerilee..." That was all I could say, I wanted to tell her exactly how sexy I thought that flank of hers really was.

"Mmn, that's good. So, the reason you're here right now is because your grades have been slipping lately. Maybe you're not motivated enough, what can I do to motivate you?" Those were her exact words, and I had the perfect answer, even though I could never bring myself to say it.

I sat silent, knowing what she was getting at. I wanted so badly to tell her what she could do to 'motivate' me, but I just couldn't. Then, another surprise, she did it for me. I felt her hooves touch each side of my face and pull me into hers. Her lips brushed up against mine and before I knew it, we were kissing! She quickly pulled away and left me silently begging for more.

"This is what's in store for you if your grades improve, Scootaloo, is this what you want?" She told me as she backed up into her desk.

I just nodded, my hooves were shaking and I could hardly breath. She pushed everything off of her desk with her front legs, sending papers and desk ornaments scattering across the floor. Then she climbed on the desk and laid on her back. I just stared and felt my heart begin to race. Then, she signaled me over with her hoof. As I trotted up to her she licked her lips and ran her hooves down her long slender body. By the time I reached the desk, she had arched her back and placed a hoof between her legs.

I was losing my cool, but I knew this would be my only chance with Cheerilee. I couldn't blow it.

Rainbow Dash wiped a bead of sweat from her head and nervously looked around, feeling a bit awkward. She cleared her throat and ensured that she was completely alone, then turned the page to continue reading.

I made eye contact with her and quickly lost myself. I jumped up on the desk next to her and placed my hoof on her chest. She winked again and pulled me on top of her.

"If you get an F or a D on your next test, I'll send you home. If you get a C, you get this." She said as she pulled me into another kiss.

I didn't answer, I hardly heard her words. I felt her tongue slip into my mouth and my heart exploded. I've never kissed anyone like this before, I wasn't sure what to do. Cheerilee didn't seem to notice, she just kept kissing and swirling her tongue around in my mouth. I felt her start to bite on my lips as her hooves ran down to my flank. With a smack where my cutie mark should be, she spoke again.

"Now, want to know what you get to do when you get a B on your next test?" Before I could answer that question, she pushed my head down between her legs and placed her back hooves on my wings.

I gulped and felt chills shoot up my spine. This was really too much, but I couldn't say I didn't want it, I loved the thought, it was something I imagined every night at home before I fell asleep. There was no way I'd pass this chance up. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and let instinct take over. I stuck my tongue out and licked her the way I imagined I wanted to be licked. I think she liked it because I felt her back hooves running up and down my wings and sides, pulling me in closer. I kept licking her and felt her getting wetter. I'm not sure if it was from my saliva or her getting closer to coming. All I know is the taste was exciting, I'll never forget it.

She leaned up and placed her front hooves on the back of my head and pulled me tightly up against her. I felt my tongue slip inside as she squeezed it with her tight pulsing muscles. At this point, all I wanted was to make her come, I wanted to hear her scream it out.

"That's the spot kid, right there. Right there! Yes!" She said something along those lines as I felt her squeeze me one last time before she soaked my muzzle with her orgasmic fluids. It was amazing.

Rainbow threw the book down on the cloud. "No way! No way this is real!" She looked over the cloud and spotted a few random ponies looking up trying to determine the source of the shouting.

She placed a hoof on her head and tried to consider the possibility that Scootaloo made all of this up, but the explicit detail indicated otherwise. She turned the page and read on.

Cheerilee lifted me up and stuck her tongue back in my mouth, I couldn't believe this was really happening. I don't think I once grasped on to the reality of the situation the entire time I was there. Only now am I able to reflect on what happened. I realize what she was doing, what she wants to do, because of what she said next. "Once you get an A on your test, I'll do you. Would you like that, Scootaloo?"

There is nothing more motivational than the thought of Cheerilee going down on me. I'm definitely going to get an A on my next test, I have to!

~ Scootaloo, signing out-

Rainbow closed the book and fell over on her back. That was much more than she'd ever imagined. She lifted the diary with her hoof and read over the front cover. "Property of Scootaloo, stay out or Rainbow Dash will kick your flank!"

With a chuckle, she considered what the next entries could be. Being perfectly honest, she was enjoying this way too much.

Entry: Study Buddy

The sun was beaming down and Rainbow Dash was feeling more than a bit uncomfortable. She wiped another bead of sweat from her brow and stretched out her wings, allowing the faint breeze to glide beneath them and cool her body, if only a little. With a few quick flaps, she laid back down and got comfortable once again. She smiled and looked up, wondering what she might read next. Without further hesitation, she quickly opened the diary back up and flipped through the pages until she arrived at the next interesting entry. Blah blah, boring boring... Ooh, nice. Rainbow's interest was caught. With a grin, she began to read.

Today was awesome! Well it started out bad but ended great! Cheerilee assigned everypony a study partner. Lucky Applebloom and Sweetie Belle got paired, and I got stuck with Silver Spoon. Of course I protested, hay, I'd rather be with Snails than that know-it-all Silver Spoon. And of course, Cheerilee wouldn't hear it. I felt weird fighting with her anymore anyway, after what we did a couple days ago. All I knew was I really needed to study my hardest to make sure I got an A on this next test. I couldn't let Silver Spoon's bad attitude get in the way.

After class I walked out with my buds, but we parted ways and I headed over towards Silver Spoon's house. She met me about half way and we started talking. All she talked about was how sad she was that Diamond Tiara left to stay the summer in Manehatten early, she couldn't even wait for school to let out for the year.

Then she said, "It really sucks, I really wanted to go stay the summer with her, but my dad wouldn't let me. He was like no you can't miss two whole weeks of school just to go stay with your little friend all summer. I was like why not, he wouldn't hear it. Now I'm stuck with you as a study partner, you better not be dumb. You're not dumb are you?" She was annoying the hay out of me.

I just rolled my eyes, I knew this was going to be a long and awful night of studying, but I needed it. "I'm not dumb, okay?" I wanted to say so much more, but figured it would only make things worse.

"Good, and don't think you're replacing Diamond, she'll always be my best friend." Once again, I was forced to roll my eyes. Like I'd ever want to be best friends with a gray little mule like Silver Spoon.

"Whatever I don't care. Lets just hurry up and get inside, it's hot out here."

She just tilted her nose up and trotted ahead. I didn't care, I just followed her towards her house. While we were trotting, I couldn't take my eyes off her cutie mark. I was watching it bounce and sway back and forth while we walked, it was pretty. I was jealous, I really wanted one but whatever. I didn't have time to worry about that today.

At some point she noticed me staring at her flank. "What do you think you're looking at you little weirdo?"

"Ugh, nothing, sorry..." I was embarrassed but forced myself not to blush.

Then we were there. Her house was huge! I've seen it before, but I've never really noticed just how big it was. She pushed the front door open and I followed her in. It was nice and cool inside, I never thought I'd feel relieved to be inside Silver Spoon's house. She told me to follow her, then she headed up some stairs. I looked around for a minute, it was really weird inside. Lots of fancy stuff decorating the house, I wonder who her family is.

I followed her upstairs and went into her room. It was ten million times nicer than mine, and her bed was gigantic. Her dresser had a huge mirror attached to it and there was even a fountain near the back wall. I was feeling good about this, it was cool to be somewhere really nice for a change, then she talked and ruined it.

"So, blank flank, you read our text book out loud while I lay down and listen. We'll both get all the information we need that way." She had taken her glasses off before climbing into bed, she had no intention of reading anything with me.

I ground my teeth and wanted to say something, but held it inside. "How about we take turns quizzing each other using these pretests Cheerilee gave us?" I kept my cool, I knew what I was doing.

"How about no..."

"Do you want to fail the test? Is that it? What will your dad say?" I needed to find something to motivate her.

"Do you really think I care? That's a laugh." It wasn't working. I knew there had to be something to get her motivated.

I looked up at her, she was sprawled out across her bead staring out the window with a frown. There was a picture of Diamond Tiara on her night stand right next to the bed. Clearly she missed her friend, I never realized just how close those two were. I decided to go out on a limb here, so I jumped up on her bed and laid down next to her. Then we had an interesting conversation.

"You really miss Diamond don't you?"

"Of course I do, what kind of stupid question is that?" She was making this difficult.

"I just mean, I know how you feel. I had to go stay in Appaloosa for a summer last year, I really missed Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. So I can relate is all." That was a lie, I just hoped I could get her to open up to me.

She stayed quite for a minute, then let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, you never realize how much your friends mean to you until they're gone. I didn't know I would be this lonely without her."

It was working, now all I needed to do was to cheer her up, then we could get this studying started. "You know, if you're lonely, you can always hang out with me. I realize we don't usually get along, but that can change. I think you're really nice and would like to be your friend." I almost gagged after saying that. I feel bad for lying to her face like that, but hay, a mare's gotta do what a mare's gotta do.

Rainbow smiled. "That's my girl, Scoot. I taught you that." A small sense of pride filled her heart as she turned the page and continued reading.

"Really? You think I'm nice? But I'm always so mean to you." This was really getting on my last nerve, I couldn't keep it up much longer.

"Yeah, I mean, I can tell you're a really sweet pony, you just don't always act that way." This was it, I was done after this, no more fake compliments.

She rolled over and looked at me. I could see something strange in her eyes. At first I thought it was because she took her glasses off, but I realized there was something more. She looked genuinely happier. "So, are you ready to study with me or what?" I hoped, but doubted it.

"I don't know. I'm sorry, I just don't care about passing this test and don't feel like studying. You can go study with someone else if you want. I'll be fine." I was angry, I wanted to yell at her, but something inside was keeping me from doing so. I couldn't explain it, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

I thought for a moment, I knew she was sad about her friend being gone, so I needed to take her mind off that. If I could simultaneously take her mind off what was making her sad and motivate her at the same time, then I could get her to study. I don't know why I cared so much, I just felt like I needed to do this. Then it hit me, Cheerilee. She successfully motivated me to study, and I was the last pony who wanted to study. I needed a way to try this method on her, hopefully I didn't just freak her out and get kicked out.

"So, Silver Spoon, is there anything I can do to help 'motivate' you?" I asked, raising my eyebrows in quick succession hoping to get the point across.

I'm not sure, but I think she immediately got the hint. I heard her gulp then she said, "Like what?"

"Well, I don't know. Is there anything you and Diamond used to do together that you didn't think you could do with anypony else?" I really hoped I was bucking at the right apple-tree, so to speak.

She blushed and looked away. "You know what? I feel like studying after all..."

Hay, I wasn't about to complain. I was just glad to get this study train moving.

"Sweet, lets get started then."

I jumped off the bed and grabbed my stuff. She followed me down and we started working on our practice test sheets. It wasn't what I had hoped, she was doing a crappy job studying. Every time I asked a question, she just looked away and shrugged or sighed and said she didn't know. She didn't even try to answer or think about any of it.

I had enough, she was wasting my time and the test was tomorrow. "Look, we need to study and I need you to try. If I don't get an A tomorrow then..." I almost blurted out my secret. Cheerilee said if I told anyone at all then she'd know about it and I'd never get another prize again. I couldn't risk that.

"I just need an A, okay? And I need your help." I hated putting it that way, but it was true.

"Maybe I'm just a little too depressed right now. I don't know..."

"Can I help you take your mind off of Diamond? Maybe I can, you know... Help you relax?" I really had no idea what I was saying. I mean, I've only ever had my first real kiss a couple days ago, and I was talking about this like it was nothing.

"What do you mean? What are you getting at Scootaloo?" I didn't know how to answer that. This was getting too awkward.

"I don't know. How about we talk about what's got you so depressed then? Maybe I can help." I had to change the subject.

"Well, I just miss her, you know that. Also, I'm pretty sad that I don't really have any other friends. I know you aren't really my friend, I just can't figure out why no one else likes me. Is it because of my stupid glasses? I wish I didn't need them." She was probably fishing for compliments, but I didn't care, whatever it took to cheer her up was fine with me.

"It's not your glasses, you just need to open up to ponies more often, and stop being so mean to us all the time. I can take it, others take it personally. Also, just sayin', but your glasses are actually really..." I stopped for a second, not sure I wanted to finish my sentence. Then I figured, what's the worst that could happen? I cleared my throat, "They're actually really sexy."

I hoped I made her feel good about herself, she blushed and narrowed her eyebrows. I was sweating even though it was nice and cool in her room, the anticipation was killing me, I had to know what she thought. Then, to my greatest relief, she broke a smile.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and shook her head before turning the page. "Come on Scoot, confidence. You gotta show her that you mean what you say! Sheesh." She cleared her throat and looked around, feeling a bit embarrassed at how easily absorbed she could become in such a simple story.

"You really think so?" She asked, I knew then that I liked where this was going.

"Definitely, you're probably the prettiest mare in class. Okay, fine, you ARE the prettiest mare in class. The glasses are just icing on the cake, making those awesome purple eyes of yours really stand out." At this point, I think I wanted to kiss her, just because she really was cute, I guess I never really noticed without looking for it.

"You have awesome purple eyes too Scootaloo..." She seemed even more nervous than I was, which I think was a good thing.

I kind of forgot about studying for a while, instead I sat my papers down and trotted up to her. I put my hoof on the bottom of her chin and made her look up at me. She didn't resist me touching her or anything, so I could only assume she wanted me to touch her. I leaned in closer, my heart was sinking. She stared back up at me, her eyes were wide and showing off a timid side of her that I'd never seen before. Our noses touched and she closed her eyes. I could feel her warm breath licking my cheeks as I pressed forward.

This was different from kissing Cheerilee, Silver Spoon had no confidence, I was in complete control, and I had no idea what to do. Once again, I just went with my gut. I pressed my lips up against her's and felt her shudder. I wondered if she ever kissed Diamond before, I wasn't sure, and I knew it should have been the last thing on my mind at the time. I wrapped my forearm around her neck and pulled her in tighter. She kept her eyes closed, and to my surprise, she parted her lips and pulled me over on top of her.

I could feel her hooves running down my back and beneath my wings, it was really exciting. I couldn't believe this was happening again, especially with her. I knew this could be good practice for when I get to be with Cheerilee again, so I needed to take advantage of it. I decided to experiment in anyway I could think of, just to try things out and see what worked. I pulled away from her and crawled up to her ear. I bit down on it as softly as I could, I felt her body press up against mine just then, so it must have felt good. I stuck my tongue inside and licked all around, letting my teeth brush up against the back of her ear. Her shoulder was pressing up against my jaw, I know she loved it from the sounds she was making, and I'd definitely use that on Cheerilee next time.

Suddenly I felt her bite down on my neck. It made the fur on my spine stand up, it was amazing. She kept biting and sucking in different spots, it was all tingly and almost made me giggle. Her kisses and sucking started moving lower and lower as she wiggled down beneath me. I didn't stop her, I desperately wanted to know what it felt like to be licked down there. This way it won't be such a surprise after class tomorrow.

I arched my back and leaned up to make room for her. Before I knew it, she was between my legs, kissing along my lower stomach. It almost felt like she was teasing me at the time, now I think she may have just been nervous and working up the will to go all the way down. Next, I gasped loudly. A strong lick went straight up the center of my legs, she did it. It was probably the best thing I've ever experienced. I could feel her tongue swirling all over me, I like to think she enjoyed the taste. My eyes rolled up in my head when she stuck her tongue inside, I can't even describe how amazing it felt. Like the most awesome tingling pleasure imaginable shooting through my entire body.

I placed my hooves on the floor next to her head and pressed my hips forward instinctively. Her tongue went in deeper and I started making embarrassing noises. I couldn't control myself, they just came out without me thinking about it. I told her how much I loved it and begged her not to stop. I couldn't help but think she'd done this before, because she seemed too good at it for it to be her first time. Her teeth were rubbing up against the spot I usually touch when I'm alone at night, but the tongue inside felt way better. I'm going to have to figure out a way to put something inside next time I'm imagining Rainbow doing that to me.

Rainbow Dash sat the book down, a cocky grin crept it's way onto her face. "I knew it..."

Suddenly I began to feel something, I was about to come. My face was probably completely flushed, and I can't even remember all the crazy things I said. All I know is that it was by far the most intense orgasm I ever had. I bit down on both my front hooves and tightly closed my eyes. I could feel myself pouring out across her muzzle and then I heard her giggle.

"Wow Scoot, you're a lot faster than Diamond." I'm honestly still not sure whether that's a compliment or an insult.

"Uh, thanks?" Was all I said.

She giggled again and wiped her face off with her front hoof. Then she rolled me over and started kissing me. I could taste myself on her tongue and it was surprisingly exciting.

"Now it's my turn, right?" She asked,  I was actually looking forward to tasting another mare, it was really fun.

"Of course, wanna get in bed first this time?" I laughed, hoping to keep her feeling lighthearted.

She nodded and climbed into bed, I followed. Silver Spoon was laying on her back and she sensually licked the tip of her hoof and began running it down her chest. It was the sexiest thing I'd ever seen, I wanted to taste her. I made my way between her legs and started licking the same way I did Cheerilee. She liked it, I could feel her squirming beneath my tongue and she was squeaking and moaning, which almost got me off again on it's own. Then she pushed my head away.

"Wait, I want you to do something." I was confused and just nodded.

She reached over and pulled a blanket over us. "I want you to do this..." I wasn't sure what she was getting at but I let her guide me.

She pulled me on top of her again, but she positioned me so that I was sitting on her face and mine was between her legs. I was open for anything, so I enjoyed it as much as I could, which was a lot. I loved feeling her nose tickling me while she licked all over my thighs and my already dripping crotch. At the same time I was going all out between her legs, causing her to jerk around and gasp. It didn't take too long for her to come. I felt her back hooves pressing me head down tightly against her as she pulsed and writhed.

Exhausted, I rolled off of her and turned around to lay next to her in bed. It was warm under the blankets, and she wrapped her hooves around my back and held onto me.

"Thanks for helping me feel better, you really are my friend, Scootaloo." That was good enough. I was just glad she would want to study now.

I let out a deep yawn. "No problem, I really really like cheering you up. Yum." I quietly chuckled and lost track of time.

Before I knew it, I was asleep and neither of us woke up until late in the evening. I never did get to study with her. I had to rush home before I got in trouble, and even now I haven't studied yet. I tried but can't take my mind off of her. This is bad, I think. I still want that A, so I'm gonna go study now.

~Scootaloo, signing out-


Rainbow closed the book and her eyes. She couldn't help but feel that Scootaloo was setting herself up for trouble in the future. She looked at the dates of the entries in this diary. The first one she read dated back to nearly a year ago. She wondered how everything worked out. Before reading on, she took a deep breath and considered the influences she's been having on her young admirer. This sudden sense of responsibility didn't last long. She laughed and opened the book back up, then began flipping through the pages once again.

Entry: Friends With Secrets

Rainbow Dash let out a mild yawn as she finished her usual mid-afternoon nap on the cloud she fell asleep on. She looked over the edge of the cloud she was so comfortably perched upon. School was letting out, and dozens of young fillies and colts scurried across the school grounds. Among them, she spotted Scootaloo and her two closest friends trotting down the road. Rainbow was certain that her little friend was aware of the missing diary by now - but she knew there was no way that she would ever be suspected.

With a quick stretch, she bit down on the diary and jumped over the edge of the cloud. She fluttered her wings near the ground and fell into a graceful trot. Tucking the diary safely beneath her wing, she approached her little friend.

"Hey there Scoot, what's up?"

"Oh, hi Dash!" Scootaloo glanced over to her friends, then gave them a nod, urging them to continue walking. "Oh, nothing - actually, I'm looking for something. Have you seen a book with my name on it?" She gave a few glances around her, hoping that she would see it. "I can't find it."

Rainbow grinned. "You mean, like a diary?"

"No!" Scootaloo puffed her chest out, sure not to seem girly in front of her idol. "Like, a journal that I record my daily activities in."

"Whatever you say," Rainbow said waving it off, "And no, I haven't. I was just wondering about something. I saw you hanging out with Silver Spoon the other day. Is something . . . going on between you two?" The prying pegasus grinned wider.

"No, we're just, uh, friends." Scootaloo was getting incredibly nervous. She couldn't believe she was lying straight to the face of the pony she looked up to. "Sometimes, uh, when Diamond's not around, she wants to hang out because she's, uh, lonely and I can cheer her up." Scootaloo looked down and away. Worries of how Rainbow would respond if she knew the truth filled her mind.

"Oh, well that's cool too, I guess..." Rainbow was trying to push for a confession.

"What, you... Wait," Scootaloo had been taken aback by the tone in Rainbow's voice. "Do you want there to be something going on?"

"Well," Rainbow, pressed, a devious grin rising to her face.  "If there was something going on, I'd definitely have to give you some props. I think that Silver Spoon is maturing into a pretty sexy little mare." Rainbow raised her eyebrows, waiting for the right response.

"You really think so?" Scootaloo looked around suspiciously, making sure the two were completely alone and no one was eavesdropping. "I'll let you in on a little secret... I hit that already."

Rainbow's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with a hoof, hardly containing her laughter. "You hit that?" She completely lost it. She fell over on her side in a fit of laughter at the little pegasus in front of her.

Scootaloo blushed and looked away, waiting for her idol to calm down. But, as Rainbow held on to her sides and laughed, the diary slipped out from beneath her wing. Scootaloo's eyes widened in disbelief. She darted forward and grabbed the journal off the ground with her teeth before the cyan pony could react.

She held it between her hooves. "You took it?! You already knew!" Her eyes were misty, yet narrowed with rage.

Rainbow suddenly stopped laughing when she realized what just happened. She gulped nervously, quickly thinking ahead. With a quick lunge, she snatched the diary out of Scootaloo's mouth and flew a few meters into the air. "Sorry Scoot," Rainbow apologized, "But I still have quite a bit of reading to catch up on. This is good stuff."

"Give it back Rainbow... Or I'll... I'll..." Scootaloo was having a hard time thinking of a threat.

"You'll what, tell on me?" Rainbow teased. "Who're you gonna tell; Cheerilee?" Rainbow grinned as wide as ponily possible.

Scootaloo blushed and looked down. "Fine... You know..." The orange filly hesitated, trying to find the right words. "I would have let you read it if you just asked. You don't have to make fun of me about it. It's just... Not finished yet, okay?"

Rainbow felt her friend's words ring in her head as remorse touched her heart. She held the diary out in her front hoof, a strange combination of guilt and humility washing over her. "You would have?" She asked, her heart sinking as she fell gently to the ground.

"Well yeah. Honestly, I kind of had you in mind when writing it." Scootaloo gave a little bit of a smirk. "That's why it's so descriptive, unlike a regular diary. I figured I would let you read it eventually. Everything in there is true, except..." Scootaloo hesitated as her blush grew deeper.

"Except what?" Rainbow couldn't help but ask.

"Well, I think you have the nicest flank in all of Equestria." She froze, anxiously awaiting her friend's reaction.

"Ha, you got that right. That Cheerilee's pretty damn hot, but not compared to this." Rainbow stated as she turned around and wiggled her flank.

Scootaloo resisted the urge to trot up to her and smack it. "I knew you'd get mad at that part. You're too easy, Dash."

Rainbow winked. "You wish I was easy. You haven't seen me yet."

Scootaloo simply shrugged. "So how far have you gotten?"

"Just to Silver Spoon. I found it in your saddle bag this morning and couldn't resist." Rainbow laughed and hoofed the diary over to her friend.

Scootaloo gave a small smile. "I was looking for it because I needed to write another entry," she explained. "I figured I'd fill it up and accidentally leave it somewhere for you to find, but this works too I guess." Scootaloo sighed as she realized Rainbow Dash, her idol, has been reading all about her private experiences. She sat down, really trying to think. "So, Dash, what do you think? Is it really a 'good read'?"

"Yeah," Dash answered, sitting down next to the filly. "It's really hot, but - I was worried about you and all of this. I know it happened a while ago, but it seems like a lot of trouble. I can ask you how things are going, or I can just... finish reading that, it's up to you. I just came down here to make sure you were doing okay still." Rainbow placed a hoof on Scootaloo's head and playfully messed with her mane.

"I'll be honest with you, balancing these secrets is getting really hard." Scootaloo rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I think I'm running out of leeway with Cheerilee, and I'm definitely about to get confronted by someone. I'm pretty much living lie to lie between my friends lately, and I don't know how to fix this." Scootaloo let out a sigh, relieved to finally get some things off her chest.

"So you want me to help you fix your personal life, huh?" Rainbow though for a moment, before giving a firm nod. "I can probably do that." Rainbow tilted her head, a question arising. "So why did you write this diary for me anyway? Isn't that actually really weird?"

"Actually, I wrote it at first because I wanted to have a way to brag to you about Cheerilee without directly telling you... Then it sorta turned into what it is now." Scootaloo frowned and looked down the road towards Silver Spoon's house. "Tell ya what Dash... how about you keep this and read it, then maybe you can tell me what you think about what's going on. I'll talk to you later okay?" She hoofed the diary back over.

Her friend hesitantly took it. "Alright, I'll read this, then I'll save your social life. I'm pretty much the best friend a pony could ask for, aren't I?" Rainbow put on a smug grin and turned to trot away.

Scootaloo quickly jumped up and hugged her. Rainbow was surprised by the move; nevertheless she returned the hug. "Don't worry kiddo, I got your back in all this, you know that. And what you've been doing lately.... It's awesome, you're young, you should be having fun. I'll admit, from the sounds of things you may have gotten a little carried away, but hay, we all make mistakes right? It's the will to fix them that matters."

Scootaloo stared at her hooves and nodded. "Thanks, Dash." She trotted away towards home.

Rainbow felt joy and genuine happiness creep up from her chest as she watched her young friend trotting away. She then flew down the road towards Twilight's Library. It didn't take long to arrive, upon entering she was immediately greeted by her friend.

"Hello Rainbow," Twilight greeted. "What brings you here?" Already assuming the answer, she levitated the next Daring Do book off the shelf. "Ready for the next book quickly this time, aren't we?" Twilight asked rhetorically.

"No, actually." Rainbow responded. "I have a new book to read for now. It's really hot, so I figured I'd come here for a while. Is that cool?" Rainbow had already invited herself in; she was comfortably sitting down in a couch, taking out the diary.

"Don't mind me," Twilight said absentmindedly, as she simply sat back down and continued flipping through the pages of a book of her own. "I have quite a bit of reading to catch up on myself."

Rainbow nodded mindlessly as she opened up the book and skimmed through the pages. She flipped through the Silver Spoon entry and found her place. The entry after was regarding the test. Rainbow chuckled at the thought and began reading.

This was it, my big day. I knew I absolutely had to get an A on this test no matter what. Cheerilee slowly trotted from desk to desk, passing out paper tests. She paused at my desk to give me a wink before setting my test down. I blushed and gulped, feeling more pressured than ever. I looked down at my test, all the words and problems were blurring together. I had tried cramming as much information into my mind as I could before I went to sleep last night, but nothing seemed to be there now. I might as well have not studied at all.

To top it off, Silver Spoon kept glancing over at me from across the classroom. It couldn't have been more distracting. I let my face fall flat on my desk without thinking about it. I didn't know how much that would actually hurt until I actually did it. Ouch.

Cheerilee came up to me and placed a hoof on my shoulder. I looked up at her and she was smiling but didn't say anything. I knew I could do this, I had to. I just took a deep breath to clear my head, and I started working.

Sure I skipped a few questions and just guessed off the top of my head on others. It all seemed to be going well enough. I went back through like twenty times and kept spotting mistakes after I filled in the blank answers. I'll admit it, I was sweating this test, I never cared so much before. I was definitely not used to this.

"Time's up, everypony. Place your tests on my desk on your way out and I'll see you all tomorrow." Those words came too quickly. I wasn't ready to pass my test in yet. ~ Heh, came too quickly... Sorry, oh Celestia, what's happening to my mind.

Anyway, I waited til everyone else left and placed my test on her desk last. "Can you grade mine now?" I knew I wouldn't get sleep tonight if she didn't. It was a question I just had to ask.

"Eager are we? You'll have to wait like everyone else, alright?" She stood up and came around the desk, then she wrapped her hooves around my head and pressed her lips against mine.

My heart exploded, her kiss was amazing. I let her tongue slip past my lips and I rubbed mine against her's. This was something else, something different than before... it felt so real, like she actually wanted me. Before it was just her trying to improve my grades, but I didn't really care that she's hot, but now... well, now I can't explain how I feel.

Rainbow sat the book down and swallowed a lump in her throat. She was caught somewhere between anger and pity. Scootaloo was clearly being taken advantage of and that didn't sit right with Rainbow. Loveless sex as a reward was exciting, toying with a young and sensitive filly's emotions just wasn't right. I wonder if she knows, Rainbow thought, glancing over to Twilight before continuing.

As she pulled away, I nearly died. My stomach felt like it was about to explode when I spotted Applebloom peeking in the window from outside. Her eyes were wide and her jaw was hanging open. I panicked, my heart was still racing after that kiss, but I knew I couldn't ask for more, especially not with stupid Applebloom about to ruin everything! I had to get out of there and make sure she didn't talk.

"That was great Cheerilee, thanks. I have to go now, I really hope I got an A. See you tomorrow!" I hoped I had covered everything and I cantered out of the classroom as quickly as I could.

"Uh, bye, Scootaloo." Cheerilee said. "See you tomorrow, I guess." She sounded strange. I really had no idea what was on her mind, but I'd love to be able to spend all day and night with her trying to figure it out.

I pushed through the doors and rushed around the corner of the building. Applebloom was heading in my direction as I rounded the corner and I crashed into her, tumbling across the grass.

"Scootaloo! Did I just see what I think I saw?!" She shouted, I needed to come up with something quick.

"Uh, yes and no. Follow me and I'll explain everything, not here though." I bought myself some time to think.

Applebloom of course didn't let up that easily, she slammed me with questions the entire time we were walking towards Sweet Apple Acres. I couldn't think, my mind was racing and all I wanted to do was tell her that I was falling for my teacher. I couldn't do that, there had to be something to get her to let this go, but what.

"So, are we friends Applebloom?" I knew we were, but I decided to ask anyways.

" 'Course we are, why would ya even ask that?"

"Can I trust you to keep a secret?" Sadly, I knew I couldn't.

She just nodded rapidly.

"Okay good, well the reason I was kissing Cheerilee is because..." I paused for a moment, quickly making a lie. "I asked her to help me practice kissing. She didn't want to but I begged her, that's why. Now you can't tell anyone or she'll get in trouble, you know that. Don't tell ANYONE, Applejack, not even Sweetie Belle can know, alright? I'm really trusting you with this." I hoped I was being stern enough Applebloom is a good friend, but she's a loud mouth. I needed to get something on her so that she'd keep my secret just to protect her own.

"Okay, Scootaloo, I promise I won't tell no one no how no way!"

"That's too many negatives Applebloom. I have no idea what you're saying. Are you trying to trick me into thinking you promised you won't tell my secret when you're actually promising you will tell it? Is that it?" I hated the thought of manipulating my friend this way, but I had to. Secrets must be protected at all costs.

"NO! You know that's just how I talk, I won't tell your secret. Promise." Applebloom proceeded the do the Pinkie swear.

I was still not convinced. "Well, maybe we should make a secret of our own. That way I can keep one for you too and we'll be even." This was it, I had her.

"Okay sure, what kinda secret?"

I grinned, "Let's kiss." I know her family would freak out if they knew she kissed anyone, much worse another mare. Just where I wanted her.

"Kiss, for real?" She looked hilariously shocked.

I didn't really want to kiss her, but considering everything I've done lately, kissing another friend was nothing. "Yeah, why not, we're friends, and it'll be our little secret."

"Well... I don't know." She was blushing and looking away now. I knew what she was thinking, and she was right.

I didn't feel like wasting any more time. I trotted up to her and put my hoof on her cheek, turning her head to face me. I saw her close her eyes right before I closed mine. At least this wasn't her first kiss, I'd hate to take something that special from her. I love that mine was with Cheerilee. She told me about kissing some colt in the grade ahead of us, not interested, but at least she was happy about it.

Our lips touched and it started out as a simple peck. Then I went back for more, I'm not sure why, I just did it without thinking. I kissed her again, and again. Each time was a bit more aggressive. I could feel her returning my kisses and before I knew it her hooves were around my neck. She pushed forward as our tongues made contact. I lost my balance and backed up for a while before falling into the grass off the side of the road. I knew there was a chance someone might spot us, but I didn't care.

She fell on top of me and swirled her tongue around behind my teeth while I massaged it with my own. Our eyes were closed, but I could see her face clearly in my mind, she was beautiful and I never imagined wanting her this way. Especially not this badly.

I think I'm starting to learn something interesting. There was a big difference between this kiss, the one I had with Cheerilee, and the one I had with Silver Spoon. They were all very very different. This time, I'll be honest with myself. I wanted to do Applebloom, that's all that was on my mind. With Silver Spoon, I felt bad for her and just wanted to make her feel good. With Cheerilee, I just want her to love me, I want her to want me around. More than anything I want her to teach me how to love her back, because I really don't know how to begin. There's lust, there's friendship, and then there's love.

At this point, Cheerilee was not on my mind, all I wanted was taste Applebloom. I think she wanted me back because she stood up and helped me to my hooves then led the way back home quickly. She guided me into the orchard where there were a bunch of apple trees with no apples in them. There was a big soft patch of grass and she assured me no one would be coming out this way since this area of the orchard had already been cleared.

I didn't care anyway. I felt like a different pony, I wasn't in my right mind. I pushed her over on her back and licked straight up her stomach to her neck. She giggled and my muzzle brushed across her cheek as I made my way up to her ear. I knew Silver Spoon liked it, surely Applebloom would as well. I licked it and bit it just like before, she shivered motioned the same way Silver did. Interestingly enough, it would seem all mares like the same things. I wonder if I'd like it too. I didn't want to do this the way I did before. I really didn't care so much about making Applebloom feel good, at least not today. I wanted to satisfy myself, so I skipped all the pointless kissing and touching and went straight between her legs.

She didn't seem to mind, her trembling body quivered beneath my tongue. I felt like some kind of expert while I did this, enjoying all the sweet tastes of a new mare while doing an awesome job making her cum. She pressed her hips up into my face and wrapped her hind legs around my head. I was getting used to this, the feeling of another mare having an orgasm. It was definitely something I was learning to love, and it made me feel accomplished. Everything was going just how I wanted it to, only way better. This was definitely a secret Applebloom wouldn't want out, so mine was safe for sure.

Just when I thought things couldn't get better, they didn't. She brought my world crashing to the ground with what she said next.

"Scootaloo, that, was... That was great. I, I think I love you." She smiled and her face was completely flushed. Then she hugged onto me, pressing her face into my chest while I laid next to her in the soft patch of grass.

I put my hoof on her head and brushed it through her mane. The sun was shining brightly overhead, but it wasn't nearly as hot today as it had been. I was comfortable, and relaxed. I didn't even feel aroused after what had happened, I just...

I don't know I just couldn't wrap my head around what was going on. I didn't love Applebloom, and I didn't want to hurt her. She's my best friend, and in that sense, I love her very much, but not the way she was talking about. I felt her light breathing warming my coat. I laid staring at the sky, comfortable, watching the birds over head between the trees. My best friend was asleep in my arms, and my life couldn't be more complicated right now.

~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow Dash wore an awkward smile, her usual demeanor nowhere to be seen. Scootaloo was very important to her, nothing was more precious to her than that growing filly. With another painful lump in her throat and an empty pit in her stomach, she turned the page.

Entries: BML, Extra Credit

Rainbow's hoof mindlessly flipped the next page back and forth as she wrapped everything Scootaloo had been doing around her mind. The thought of such an innocent filly and what she's become hung heavy on her heart. She began to recall her own behavior at that age, how she often represented herself in a promiscuous manner, but never really acted on those implications. Sure she had her fair share of fun, but Scootaloo was getting way out of hoof far too quickly for her own good. Such a young little mare getting carried away so quickly was a bit of a surprise, and more of a heartache.

"Something on your mind?" Twilight interrupted her friends' thoughts.

Rainbow quickly shut the book and glanced up. "No, nothing. How about you?" She sat the diary down on a small stand next to the couch and made her way over to her friend who she hadn't properly greeted yet.

"Nope, just wondering what has you looking so lost in thought." Twilight smiled and offered her friend an easy opening to talk about what was bothering her if she chose to do so.

Rainbow looked away and attempted to come up with a way to change the subject. She glanced around the room for something interesting to refer to.

Twilight realized Rainbow was uncomfortable. "So, what have you been reading? That doesn't really look like a book, more of a journal. Is it yours?" Her eyes were on the book but Rainbow made her way in between it and her line of sight.

"No, it's Scootaloo's journal, she wanted me to read it so I can help her with some personal problems she's having." Rainbow smiled and leaned over onto Twilight's desk.

"Well that's awfully nice of you, when did you two become so close?" Twilight smiled at the endearing sentiment.

Rainbow wasn't so sure about the meaning behind it. "What do you mean? We've always been kind of close, I think."

"Well, someone trusting you with that kind of material is a big deal. I'd never let anyone see my private journal, not even Spike. Clearly Scootaloo is very open with you and wants you to be a bigger part of her life." Twilight grinned and felt she was pointing out the obvious.

"I guess so. Well, anyway, what are you reading? Something boring, right?" Rainbow chuckled and made her way behind her friend and peeked over her shoulder.

"No, not at all. This is actually really interesting. It's a study on merging the magical fields of several unicorns to cast powerful spells that no single pony could ever imagine casting. If this research proves successful, it could quite literally change the face of..." Twilight was cut off by Rainbow, who had lost interest shortly after she began talking.

The pegasus had placed her hooves across Twilight's cheeks and down her neck. She then ran them across her shoulders and rubbed them down towards her chest.

Twilight let out a sigh and closed her eyes. "Rainbow, I..."

"Shh, just take it easy. Stop thinking so much for a change." Rainbow's voice was quiet, her warm breath filling her friend's sensitive ear.

Twilight took a deep breath and shuddered as a soft pair of warm lips made contact with her neck, sending chills up her spine. "Rainbow please, I can't right now. I'm sorry." She jumped up from behind her desk and trotted upstairs.

Rainbow plopped down in her seat and let her head fall down on the open book. "What a load of hayseeds." She muttered to herself. Maybe I should be asking Scootaloo for advice. She considered it, and then began to laugh at the thought.

"Sorry Twilight, I guess I let myself get carried away!" She shouted upstairs.

With no response from her friend, she sighed and returned to the couch. She drearily fell onto her back and flipped through the pages once again, lying in a comfortable position. Upon finding her spot, a deep sigh escaped as she continued reading the journal.

Today sucked! Nothing went my way, I don't even feel like writing in this stupid thing. But I do feel like venting and this is all I have right now. First off, Silver Spoon had to go all bitch-tastic on me. She says one of her friends told her that someone told them that they saw me kissing Applebloom. Sure, it's true but that's none of her business anyway. I lied and said I didn't, just to shut her up. I don't see why she cares so much anyway, it's not like she's with me or anything. She's apparently still with Diamond and just waiting, using me until her precious little fillyfriend gets back home. Buck her! I don't need this kind of drama, I have enough to worry about.

So then, Cheerilee comes up to me and says I got a B on my stupid test, but I can do some extra credit to make it an A. I say buck that extra credit! I worked hard on that test and I think she's full of it. I don't even want to know what kind of boring crap I'm going to have to do to earn that A, and get this, she didn't even give me my B reward. I'd eat her out again, it'd be some serious stress relief. To make things worse, Applebloom won't leave me alone. She keeps acting like we're dating, nonstop bugging me to spend time with her and go visit the Acres, I don't want to. I don't like her like that, I wish I knew how to break it to her without messing everything up. I don't want to lose her as a friend, I don't want to lose Silver Spoon either, I like the little relationship we have going on. It's fun and easy, we make each other's lives a little better and have fun doing it. Why can't she just be happy with that the way I am?

So I'm trying to cheer Silver up right? I go down on her, she loves it, blah blah, I get nothing. Seriously? Nothing? It's not fair, I get her off and she suddenly wants to sleep? Selfish little mule if you ask me. I guess I'll have to take care of myself later...

I don't feel good, I'm going to take a nap or something. No more diary today.

~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow Dash wiped a crooked frown off her face. Then, just as she began to turn the page, Twilight called out to her. "Hey Rainbow, can I see you up here for a second please?"

Of course the hopeful pegasus was quick to jump at a chance with her friend. She made her way upstairs and into Twilight's bedroom. "Hey, what's up?"

"We need to talk, Rainbow." Twilight was lying in bed above her blankets. Dash could hardly take her eyes off her body as she laid sensually sprawled out, ready to be had.

"Uh, what about? About what? What did you want to talk about, I mean." Rainbow stumbled around her words as she attempted to focus.

"It's just that... Well I want to make sure you realize that what happened before was just a onetime thing. I'm not trying to have this kind of friendship with you. I love you, and your definitely one of my best friends, but this isn't going to happen anymore, okay?" Twilight frowned and rolled over on her back, letting out a deep breath.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yeah, sure. Sorry."

"It's alright, and you're welcome to stay if you want. You're always welcome here." Twilight climbed off her bed and trotted up to her sulking friend.

She wrapped her hooves around Rainbow's neck and squeezed her tightly. The rejected pegasus felt a bit uncomfortable with how warm and tight this hug was, it definitely wasn't helping calm her urges. She returned Twilight's hug and placed her hooves on her lower back, lightly rubbing. Rainbow was ready for this hug to break for what seemed like several minutes to her, but Twilight kept on squeezing.

"You know I love you, right Rainbow?" She asked, still hugging tightly.

"Yeah, I do." Rainbow answered with a slight sense of sincerity in her voice.

"I'm sorry for overreacting and went running upstairs on you like that."

"I forgive you, the whole thing is your fault after all." Rainbow laughed.

"How so?"

"That's what you get for looking so damn sexy all the time." She inappropriately joked, causing Twilight to let go.

The modest unicorn blushed and backed away. "Yeah, heh, sorry about that?"

Dash rolled her eyes again and waved a hoof at her silly friend. "Don't mention it."

Twilight appreciated how easily Rainbow was able to lighten the mood. Then she realized she may be over thinking things a bit. It's just two friends having fun, where's the harm in that? She thought as she looked over her sexy friend standing in the doorway.

Twilight cleared her throat. "So, um... What were you trying to do to me earlier anyway? If you don't mind me asking."

Rainbow cocked her head and tried to think of an answer to that question. "Uh, what do you mean? Isn't it obvious what I was trying to do?"

Twilight smiled and crawled back into bed. "Well, not really. I mean, were you just trying to give me a nice little massage to relieve my stress?"

Rainbow grinned. "Of course, what else would I have been doing?"

"Well in that case, feel free to continue. I have a terrible knot in my shoulder here." She rolled over on her stomach and gestured her shoulder towards her friend.

Rainbow licked her lips and made her way over. She crawled into bed and placed her front hooves on Twilight's back, rubbing them up and down her neck and shoulders.

"Hmm, that's nice." Twilight closed her eyes and lost herself in the gentle strokes, relaxing all her muscles.

Rainbow began to press harder and move lower. Her hooves dug into her friend's sides with small circular motions. Twilight felt chills shoot up her entire body, she wanted more.

Rainbow Dash had her right where she wanted her, completely relaxed and open. She crawled up next to her limp friend and placed a hoof around her back. "So, how'd you like your little massage?"

Twilight smiled, her eyes still closed. "Mhm." Was all she was able to say.

"That's good." Rainbow pulled her in closer.

Twilight partially opened her eyes and whispered, "You can touch me anytime you want, Rainbow."

Several minutes later, the relaxed mare was fast asleep. Rainbow ran a hoof down the back of her mane and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Not you, but someone's gotta get me off, I need it. Rainbow thought about it, and considered who to turn to.

She then stood up and quietly headed downstairs, making her way back to the diary. The last entry wasn't exactly satisfying, but definitely revealed a bit of the problems Scootaloo's actions were causing.

With a quick skim through pages, Rainbow found her spot once again and read the next day's entry.

Well... I'm going to have say that today didn't go the way I expected it to at all. I don't know where to begin, so I'll begin at the beginning. I got out of bed, looked in the mirror and stared at myself for about ten minutes with a blank expression, then headed off to school. Class was dull as usual, Silver Spoon didn't even look at me the whole time. She just kept her over-privileged little nose in the air and acted like I owed her. I had half a mind to write Diamond a special letter if she didn't stop this.

Applebloom seemed to be calming down, I felt terrible about ditching her yesterday. Oh that's right, I didn't write that part down. I promised I'd meet her in the same empty part of the orchard but I fell asleep instead. She didn't seem to mind when I talked to her this morning, but who knows with that one. She's probably plotting against me, I really don't know for sure. Okay I doubt that.

Cheerilee seems unusually upbeat today, I mean, she's normally pretty upbeat so that's saying something. She kept flicking my mane around with her hoof while she trotted around the classroom. Later right as class was about to let out, she was sitting at her desk with her chin resting on her front hooves, staring at me. I couldn't help but cringe a little while I waited for the clock to strike three. After a few minutes that felt like a few hours, the bell rang and everyone trotted out, except me, who had to stay behind for this extra credit. I suppose I should be grateful that she's giving me the chance to do this. I was thinking about it yesterday while I was trying to fall asleep. The fact that she's doing this for me and no one else means something. Applebloom got a C and she didn't get offered extra credit. I figured it'd be best not to mention this to anyone, so I just went with it.

Then she surprised me, not surprisingly, she's always doing that. She pulled my test out and slammed it down on my desk. "Look Scootaloo, you didn't get a B, you got an F. Now lets get started with this 'extra credit'. What year did Celestia establish the Palace's Empirical Counsel?"

I looked down at my test, I had written 481. I thought for a moment and looked at her with a blank face. I had no idea. She smacked herself in the face with a hoof. "Eight forty one, Scootaloo. Year eight hundred and forty one."

She erased what I had written and filled in the correct answer. I laughed, like I knew it all along.

"Now, next question. Who attempted to separate the union between the two main palace halls?" She looked at me like the answer was obvious. I just shrugged.

"Come on Scoot, didn't you study that practice test I gave you? Scrollkeep, it was Scrollkeep the Betrayer." She erased my wrong answer and filled in the correct one again.

"Next question, Which neighboring nation merged with Equestria, making it the largest empire in the world? You should know this, we talked about it two days ago. Come on!" I just looked at her with a grin, I was golden. None of this mattered, she wanted me to get an A, she wanted to be with me, that's all that mattered right now.

"You're not even thinking about this are you? It's South Equidous, seriously Scoot, you need to learn these things. I'm not going to be your teacher forever."

That was true, but I didn't care at the moment. I had time to learn this pointless crap later.

"I don't know if I should even bother asking, but the next question is, Why did the two nations merge?" I think I kind of knew, but didn't want to embarrass myself if I got it wrong so I just stayed quiet.

"It was part of an agreement concerning the Consolidation of Equid Rights Act. Celestia allowed the neighboring nation to merge in order to eliminate the discriminating city-state leaders. Memorize this test and I'm going to retest you next week, okay? You better pass, I'm really saving your hide right now."

Rainbow's jaw dropped and she angrily flung her hoof into the air. "That lucky little... Why couldn't I have had it that easy in school?!" She rolled her eyes and turned the page.

Maybe that was true, but I probably won't memorize those questions and answers. I just copied them down into the journal off the test then lost it.

Anyway, she came up to me after that and lifted my chin to meet her lips. I instinctively glanced at the window to make sure no one was peeking inside this time. I'd have to kill a pony... Luckily the blinds were closed and we were alone. I could relax and enjoy this as much as I wanted to. She did it again, when she kissed me, I felt my heart pounding in my chest. It was so much more than anything I felt with Silver Spoon or Applebloom, it was just perfect. Her hooves were around my back and pulling me into her, I could tell that she really wanted me. It was probably the most amazing feeling any pony in the world could ever possibly feel.

I wonder how long she's wanted me, I remember the last couple of years were always fun with her. She'd always offer to help me with my homework and made sure I was well cared for at home. She knows about the bad situations my family went through and she was always quick to comfort me. I used to see her as a big sister, or as my mother. It wasn't until recently that I realized how pretty she was and just how much I wanted her to like me. I think she started liking me this way before I started liking her, before I even knew how to like anyone this way. These are just my thoughts as I'm recalling the day, nothing definite yet.

So yeah, we were kissing again. I loved it as usual, I actually think I was starting to love it more and more each time. This time was definitely the most amazing experience yet. She pulled me off of my desk and laid me on the floor. She kept kissing me harder, it was so intense. At some point her tooth brushed against mine, it felt funny but I loved it for some reason. I never wanted that amazing tongue of hers to leave my mouth again. Sadly, it did. She pulled away and looked down at me. She was blushing and wore an expression I'd never seen on her before, she looked shy, or tentative. Then she spoke.

"So, you got an A on your test now. You know what that means right?" I gulped, I wanted it so badly.

I just nodded and brushed the mane out of her face. She smiled and pressed her cheek up against my hoof for a minute. It was strange, at this point I stopped viewing her as my teacher, it felt like she was just another student my age with a crush on me the same way I had a crush on her. I loved it, a new connection on a different level. Any other time of day, she'd be my superior, my elder, my boss, my teacher, above me. But here and now, while we were laying on the floor kissing, we were equals.

Then she went down to my neck and began working her way to my stomach. Suddenly it hit me like a bale of hay, I hadn't showered today. This was really the last thing I expected to happen today, and I couldn't let her do it right now. I freaked out and jumped up. Probably less cool than I could have been, but I panicked.

"So I should probably get back home soon. I really can't wait for reward for getting an A. I'm looking forward to that for sure, I have to go. I lo... I'll see you later." I remember almost saying something stupid, I'd be just like Applebloom, maybe I am... That'd have to wait til later, right now I needed to get home.

I remember the look on Cheerilee's face as I trotted towards the door. Like I just kicked her puppy or something. She stood up and lazily waved a hoof while I quietly shut the door behind myself. I hated leaving her there like that, I bet she felt rejected, even though that couldn't be farther from reality. I wanted her so badly, I hated myself for screwing this up. I probably would have been okay with it if I hadn't 'pleasured' myself before falling asleep last night. I wish this didn't keep happening, I'm beginning feel desperate for more of Cheerilee's affection. I need her to touch me again, I want it.

So on my way home, who do I run into? Silver bucking Spoon. What does she want?

"There you are, come over to my place, I need cheering up." I don't know why I didn't tell her to screw off, but I didn't. I rolled my eyes and followed her home.

We trotted up into her room past her dad and shut the door. She started playing some music to cover the sounds. "Let's just get this over with."

She laid down and opened a magazine of some kind, I crawled into her bed and went down on her again. Being honest with myself. I did enjoy doing it, it would be nice if she'd return the favor some time, but I didn't expect her to. After a few minutes of tonguing, she dropped her magazine and wrapped her hooves up in my mane. She came quickly today, I suppose that was good. I got a taste and she was happy. Win win, right? I'm not sure why, but she always insisted that we kiss afterwards, even if only for a minute or two. I guess she's such a narcissist that she even likes the taste of her own crotch. I shouldn't say that, it was actually pretty tasty. Who could blame her?

She fell asleep and I laid in her bed for a while, I wondered what Applebloom was doing. I haven't talked to Sweetie Belle in a couple of days, I wonder how she's been. I also wondered what Cheerilee was doing, maybe I should have blown Silver Spoon off then showered quickly and headed back to school. It didn't matter at that point, it was late and I was comfortable. I guess I'll wait and see what tomorrow brings, hopefully another opportunity with Cheerilee, maybe I can talk to Sweetie Belle. I feel terrible for thinking this, but if I don't score with Miss. C tomorrow, I'm probably going to go pay Applebloom a visit. I need someone to get me off, I'm tired of doing it myself.

~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow Dash closed the book, saving her spot with a fabric bookmark attached to the spine. Something about the mare Scootaloo was becoming reminded her of herself. Especially considering the thoughts she just had with Twilight. She let out a mild yet insincere laugh then opened it back up and turned the page.

Entry: Yup, She's Nasty

Rainbow glanced at the title to this entry, it stuck out to her and sparked her curiosity more than ever. She tried to imagine what it could mean, but realized instead of wasting time doing that, she should be reading.

I started off today with my hopes up and a positive attitude. That didn't change as I gave myself a nice thorough shower and imagined what I might be doing later today. I guess I should say, what might be doing me later today, or who might. That doesn't really matter, I was getting done today and that was for sure, and I really hoped it would be Cheerilee doing the doing. So I grab some breakfast and head out to school. As usual I see Applebloom already on the road and about pass my house. What's unusual is that Sweetie Belle was with her, I hadn't seen her in a while and I was in a good mood so I figured I'd say what's up.

They gave me their typical greetings, nothing special. Applebloom was being annoying, she kept brushing up against me and stuff. I figured I shouldn't say anything just in case things didn't go well with Cheerilee today. I'd need a backup plan. I could tell something was up with Sweetie though, she kept glancing away and looking down and all that. I smiled and whispered to Applebloom, telling her to go on in without us so I could talk to her.

She ran ahead like I told her to, normally I'd expect her to argue with me just for the sake of arguing. I think I like this bit of control I have over her lately though.

"So what's got you so bummed out?" I figured I'd be blunt with her.

She said there was nothing wrong, I told her I could clearly see that there was, blah blah, eventually I got her to talk. It took a bit of convincing but I didn't let up and she's not one to fight with me for very long anyway.

"It's just that I think I like Applebloom and she says she's got a crush on somepony but won't tell me who."

I gulped, of course it was me, and I didn't know what to say about it. I just kind of shrugged it off and kept walking, I told her that sucked and maybe we'll find out later. How could she like Applebloom anyway? It doesn't make any sense, it's all silly little fillies and their pointless crushes...

I wonder when I stopped being one of them and became what I am now. I wonder what I am now anyway, I feel like a tramp. Whatever, moving on.

So class was interesting, we don't have assigned seating but we usually all sit in the same spots anyway. Today, Silver Spoon decided to cram up next to me. She even scooted the desk over a bit. I don't know what got into her today, but I'm not sure I like it. At least she isn't ignoring me or shooting snotty remarks off at me anymore. I'll admit, it was better at least.

Okay, this is where I felt really uncomfortable. Cheerilee wasn't saying or doing anything for like the first thirty minutes of class. She was just staring at all of us. The chalk board says to read some page of our text book, so I just opened my book up to a random page and tried to figure out what was up. She kept her head down on her front hooves and flicked her tail back and forth. Every now and then she'd glance up at me or the clock. Then it got scary. She stood up and slowly walked around her desk and put her front hooves on Silver's desk and glared at her. Then she forcefully slid it back into place breaking the silence of the classroom with a loud grinding noise. Silver Spoon shrieked and her glasses fell off onto the book.

Cheerilee didn't flinch, she looked her in the eye and said, "These desks are lined up for a reason young lady."

I kind of wanted to defend Silver for some reason but just chuckled in her expense. I'm kind of a... eh, I'm not the best friend a pony could ask for I guess. Anyway, then Cheerilee went back to her desk and looked at the clock for a strangely long amount of time. She let out a sigh and told us that we had a free day today, so we could all just do whatever we wanted. I was fine with that, but I felt really bad for her and wondered what was on her mind. I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask, its not like anyone was paying attention to me anyway. They were all busy laughing and playing like a bunch of foals.

"So, something on your mind?" I really wasn't sure what to say, but I needed to start up a conversation.

"Yeah Scootaloo, we need to talk about some things. In private of course." She looked depressed about something.

"Are you sure? I don't think anyone's paying attention to us anyway."

She looked up at the students and smiled. "Early recess everypony. Go play outside!"

I laughed as they all rushed outside. "Well that works, so what's up?"

She sighed again and brushed her hoof across my cheek. "I was just thinking about you and how this little relationship of ours is going to work and how it'll end."

I didn't like the sounds of this, but I had to know. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well I'm sure you know I'll get in a lot of trouble if anyone finds out about us. My life would be over, I'd be imprisoned and I'd never be able to teach again. If you get mad at me for any reason, all you have to do is tell somepony what's been going on between us. Scootaloo, you basically own me." She had a weird grin and glimmer in her eyes.

I sat back for a minute and took what she said in. I mean, sure she was probably right, but why is she telling me this? It's like she wants to make sure I know just how badly I could mess things up for her if I wanted to, but that doesn't really seem like something she should be saying. Especially not that I own her, I kind of feel like she's wanting me to abuse the fact that I can hurt her, even though I could never imagine doing anything that would take her out of my life.

I liked where this was going.

"You're completely right Miss. C, I was just thinking that same thing. So, in that case, I want my reward for getting an A." I smiled, I bet I could get her to do this any time I wanted her to now.

"Of course Scootaloo, you've earned it." That was so not true, I didn't earn anything, but I wasn't about to argue. I'm guessing she wanted to do this just as much as I did.

She picked me up and laid me down on her desk, then she locked the door and shut the blinds. I couldn't help but smile, I felt like I was on the verge of laughing hysterically, I was just so happy. I know it might sound bad, but there was so much more to this than the sex. I love Cheerilee and I think she loves me too. She pretty much just hoofed her life over to me, I have her in my hooves, and that feels amazing. I wish I could show her the same level of trust that she just showed me. It was there, I just didn't have a way to prove it.

My thoughts were quickly cut off when she came back to me. She stood off to one side of the desk while I was laying on my back. Her eyes were directly above mine. I stared into them feeling all the emotions she felt for me pouring out into my chest. I could see so deeply into her heart through those beautiful eyes. I wanted her to hurry up and kiss me. She did, she leaned down and pressed her lips against mine once again. As I've come to expect, it was just perfect. I'm going to have to assume that she's kissed a lot of ponies before me, because compared to the others I've had, hers were so much better. The way she lightly sucked and flicked her tongue made my heart explode. I hope my kissing was at least able to satisfy her a little bit, although I highly doubt that I'm anywhere near as great as her.

She leaned up and winked. "Oh, that's right, I don't have much time before those students interrupt us. Let's move on then."

I didn't mind hearing those words. We'd have plenty of kisses in the future, and I really didn't want to wait for this. The second I felt her breath on my lower stomach, I nearly lost it. I wanted to force her head down and thrust myself into her face, but I somehow managed to control my impulses. I just pressed my hooves into my eyes and waited. It didn't take long before I felt a long wet lick right up the center of my legs. I felt this fluttering bubbly feeling course through my entire body starting in my stomach. It almost made me feel like I wanted to cry, I've never really felt so emotional about anything like this before, but I really couldn't have been happier to be sharing these moments with this amazing mare.

There I was, laying on my back, on my teachers desk, getting orally pleasured. My wings knocked some papers onto the floor and kept twitching and jerking as she licked me. Her tongue was amazing, I thought her kissing was good, but this was just indescribable. She swirled her tongue around on the outside, flicking my little sensitive nub and brushing her teeth up against me. I felt like I was about to come already, which probably would have been embarrassing, so I held myself back. Then she started licking me deeper with long licks all the way from the base of my tail up. I could only imagine the look on my face, I was practically shivering. Then, she shoved her tongue inside. I think I said something but don't remember. I know I squeaked pretty loud.

She started tonguing me really roughly, I liked it though and I knew I was about to explode on her face any second now. Each stroke of her experienced tongue made me squeak again and brought me one step closer to the most intense orgasm I'd ever feel. And there it was, I felt myself squeeze her tongue while she shoved it in as deep as she could. My back hooves wrapped themselves around her neck and I...

"Hey Dash, you still down there?" Twilight yelled from upstairs.

Rainbow shook her head and let out an annoyed sigh. "Yeah, just a minute and I'll go up there." She returned to the entry.

She started tonguing me... Each Stroke... And there it was... shoved it in... wrapped themselves around her neck and I screamed at the top of my lungs. I just hoped no one outside could hear me. I'm not sure exactly what happened down there, but Cheerilee was breathing really heavily and kind of giggling while she licked up every drop. She smiled and rested her head on my stomach. I could barely breath, but then she gave me a choice I couldn't refuse, and all I can say is wow. This was probably the strangest most amazingly sexy thing I've ever done or ever will do. Cheerilee really is a nasty one.

So yeah, she says we probably have time for a little more fun. She opened up a large drawer at the bottom of her desk and pulled out a...

"Dash, what are you doing?!" Twilight shouted, growing impatient.

Rainbow groaned, "Hold on will ya?!" She had lost her spot and tried to quickly find it again. Before she could, Twilight came trotting down stairs.

"Really? Is Scootaloo's diary really more interesting than me? That's fine, I'll just go back upstairs... alone." Twilight grinned and turned to head back to her room.

With a deep breath, Rainbow marked her spot and set the diary down to join her friend upstairs. A strange thought entered her mind. Wow, was I really more interested in a little sex story than a hot mare calling me to her bedroom... She shook it off and headed into the room.

"So I see you finally put down that riveting diary." Twilight giggled.

"Yeah, sorry, I was at a... a good part." Rainbow blushed a bit and looked away.

"A good part? You act like its a novel or something." Twilight rolled her eyes and fell over onto the bed. "So anyway, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Rainbow was glad to be off the subject. "Yeah? What did you wanna talk about?"

"Well I woke up a while ago and was thinking. Remember the last time we were... together? Well, I know it probably wasn't a big deal to you, but it was to me. It was my first time with another mare." Twilight looked down, she blushed and wondered if this talk was a good idea after all.

Rainbow put on a crooked frown and felt a pang of guilt in her chest. "I'm sorry if I hurt you Twilight. I would never... I mean, if I did, I didn't do it on purpose. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do, but I'll be honest and tell you that it did hurt when I realized you didn't want to be with me. I know it was just my stupid emotions getting the better of my judgement, I shouldn't have read so deeply into something so simple. It was fun, and that was it. Just two friends having fun right?" Rainbow easily read right through Twilight's fake smile.

"You know, even though I didn't plan on being in a relationship with you, it still meant something to me. You're my best friend, and sharing that time with you was really, um, special to me. Look I'm not good at this mushy stuff, but believe me when I say I'm trying. If anything that should show you how much you mean to me. And that night was probably the best night of my life, not because of the sex, but because I never felt so close to you before, and getting that close was great." Rainbow was blushing and her breathing was uneasy. This was hard for her on several levels.

Twilight placed her front hooves across her chest, staring up at the ceiling. "Why did you leave then? When I woke up, you were gone and the next time I saw you, you acted like nothing happened."

"I don't know. I just kind of acted without thinking. I woke up before you and you were hugging me, I just don't know how to deal with a relationship, and I didn't want to hurt you if things got out of control. I'm sorry, okay?" Rainbow looked up and over to the window, it was getting dark out.

Twilight yawned then let out a small laugh. "So... you left me because you didn't want to hurt me?"

Rainbow placed a hoof on her face and leaned in the doorway.

Twilight looked over and realized that what she was doing is wrong. She knew Rainbow really did have the best intentions, although they may not have been the best choices. "I'm sorry, Dash, but I have to ask... Would you, well... Would you like to stay with me tonight?" She closed her eyes and rolled back over.

Rainbow's eyes widened. She stood straight up and trotted over to the bed. "I'd like that, actually."

Twilight let out a deep breath. "Really?! I mean, you don't have to if you don't really want to."

"Oh I don't have to? Well I'll just be going then." Rainbow stood up off the bed. "Of course I'll stay, do you really think I'd be here at all if I didn't want to?"

Twilight let out a sigh of relief. "Right, of course." She yawned again and stretched her limbs. "I'm sleepy, let's take a nap together."

Rainbow smiled at how adorable her friend was as she stretched out, then climbed into bed. Twilight instinctively wrapped her back leg around Rainbow and her front ones around her neck. Their bodies were touching and their muzzles were overlapping one another. She knew she wanted to be with Twilight again tonight and hoped the feeling was mutual. She also knew she couldn't count on Twilight to make the first move.

The aroused pegasus resisted the urge to move quickly, she didn't want to upset her friend and cause her to back out or have second thoughts about spending the night together. On the other hoof, she didn't want her to fall asleep either. Rainbow carefully ran her hoof down Twilight's back and rubbed it across her flank, slowly inching it between her legs. The purple mare's grin grew wide and she didn't resist. Rainbow licked her lips again and prepared to show off her rubbing skills once again. Twilight kept her eyes closed and let Rainbow do whatever she wanted to.

Rainbow pressed her hoof up gently against her friend, slowly rubbing in small circles. Twilight partially opened her eyes and made eye contact with Rainbow as she lifted her leg. Her breathing began to quicken as the hoof between her legs rubbed faster and faster. She let out a small squeak as a sudden jolt of pleasure hit her. Feeling embarrassed due to her involuntary noises, Twilight covered her mouth with her hoof and blushed. She narrowed her eyebrows and her breathing continued to grow more frantic as Rainbow's hoof rubbed up and down across her clit and between her lips.

Rainbow bit her own lip and continued hoofing her friend. She loved the look on Twilight's face, she was blushing and nearly gasping for breath. Suddenly Rainbow felt Twilight pressing down on her hoof and rocking her hips. The next thing she knew, Twilight's lips were interlocked with hers. Her tongue was quick to venture out and greet Rainbow's. A few moments later, Twilight was loudly moaning into her friend's mouth as she began to approach an orgasm.

She bit down on Rainbow's lip, sucking it into her mouth. The wild pegasus loved this sort of behavior from her usually more timid friend. Twilight seemed to be losing control of herself as she wrapped her hoof into Rainbow's mane and pulled her face into her chest.

"You're making me come Rainbow, don't stop. Do it harder, and faster." Twilight begged with her eyes closed, clearly out of breath.

"Harder? You wanna come for me?" Rainbow began to rub as fast as she could, creating a wet smacking noise. "That's it Twi. Come for me, I wanna feel you come all over me."

Twilight lost it, she bit down on her hoof and attempted to control her loud moans that bordered screaming. Rainbow reached around and pulled Twilight on top of her, who began to rub herself up and down the blue mare's stomach and chest as she came. Rainbow's hooves gripped her friend's flank as she helped her work her way back and forth, soaking her body.

"That's amazing, you are so bucking sexy Twi..." Rainbow let her tired forearm fall over on the bed as she closed her eyes and absorbed the sweet sensation Twilight's orgasm had to offer her.

Twilight giggled and laid down on top of her friend, her lover. She gave her a kiss on the cheek, then tightly wrapped herself around her warm and wet body.

Rainbow took in a deep breath, reveling in the sweet scent of Twilight's soft mane. "So, are you gonna return the favor this time or just fall asleep again?" She joked, recalling what happened last time the two shared a moment like this.

"Come on, I was drinking that night, and... and I was tired. Don't worry Dash, you'll get yours. But we do it my way and no complaining, deal?" Twilight wore a devious grin.

"You got it. You do whatever you want, and I'll do whatever you want. Just get me off and I'll be happy."

Twilight grinned wider. "Alright, but remember, you said I can do whatever I want."

Rainbow lost her smile and began to wonder what this mare had in store for her. Before she could ask, Twilight produced a magical gag that wrapped around Rainbow's face and filled her mouth. Beneath the gag, Rainbow was smiling and muttered the word "kinky". Twilight nodded and proceeded to bind her hooves together with magically conjured cuffs.

She was in complete control of her normally controlling friend. Rainbow's eyes were wide and full of emotion. Twilight pressed her up against the headboard and spread her back legs. She made her way between them and looked up into her friend's eyes. Then she lowered the gag.

Twilight brushed her muzzle against Rainbow's already wet lips and held eye contact. "Do you want me to lick it?" She asked with a wolfish smile.

"No I want you draw a picture of it..." Rainbow sarcastically remarked. "Of course I want you to."

"Oh really? Well I want you to beg me to do it." Twilight tilted her head and waited.

Rainbow tried to move her hoof and protest, but realized she was still tightly restrained by the magical cuffs. "What? I'm not going to beg you, just do it."

"Hmm, I don't know. I really want to, but I'm not sure how badly you want me to." The teasing purple unicorn lowered her head and let a hot breath gently brush across Rainbow's widely spread crotch.

The pegasus gulped and felt herself quivering. Suddenly she felt a drop of warm liquid gently rolling down her lower stomach and onto her down to the base of her tail. It was Twilight's saliva, she stuck her tongue out and let it drip down. Rainbow blushed, she felt as if she were already about to have an orgasm simply from the sheer sensuality of her situation. Twilight's eyes were wide and gazing up into Rainbow's. She had all she could handle, she broke down and began to beg.

"Twi, lick me, please lick me. I want your tongue inside of me, I want you to make me come. Please Twi, shove it inside, I wanna squeeze you and come all over your face." Rainbow closed her eyes and blushed, eagerly awaiting her reward.

"That's good Dash, keep going." Twilight stuck her tongue back out and ran it up Rainbow's lips, taking a large amount of pre-come into her mouth.

She continued licking and sucking on Rainbow's lips and sweet spot. Then just as she felt the mare began to tremble and indicate all signs of an orgasm, she stopped. "Whoa there, Dash. I don't want this to be over quite yet. I want to make sure you really really come hard."

"NO! No, no no no, you can't stop now. Please Twilight, I'm so close. Come on, just one more lick, please." Rainbow attempted to press her hips forward to make contact with her partner's face but failed to do so.

Twilight giggled and crawled up to give her friend another kiss, extra heavy on tongue. After several minutes of rough kissing, she decided Rainbow had enough time to lose that rapidly approaching orgasm. She returned between her legs and smiled. With a flash of her horn, a long and thick magical shaft appeared. It was very long and strangely curved, Rainbow saw it and blushed deeply, knowing exactly what to expect. Twilight gently worked the tip of the shaft into Rainbow, then quickly forced the rest inside, causing the shocked mare to gasp and moan loudly. Then she returned the gag to Rainbow's mouth.

Twilight positioned herself above the other half of the shaft, allowing it to penetrate her as she lowered her plot until it was tightly pressed up against Rainbow's. She then began to gyrate her hips, swaying the shaft around inside each one of them. She felt herself being hit in a specific spot inside and began gyrating faster and faster. Rainbow was sweating and her eyes were wide open. She continued to bite down on the gag as Twilight  moaned and rubbed herself up and down against her friend's sensitive and slippery crotch.

Twilight lifted herself up a bit, backing a few inches off the magical shaft. Then, with her horn, she began to slide the shaft all the way inside herself, then all the way inside Rainbow, repeating the motion. Twilight leaned forward and bit down on the other half of Rainbow's gag, pulling it away from her mouth. Her horn was glowing brightly and she placed it on Rainbow's lips. She bit down on the horn, taking it in her mouth and letting it slide across her tongue. Twilight began to moan louder than ever, she lost control of her magic and all her spells were released as she had another orgasm.

Dash felt her hooves were free and quickly pushed her friend over onto her back. She then crawled up on top and pressed herself into Twilight's face. Glad to be back in control, she reached around Twilight's head with a hoof and wrapped it up in her mane as she pulled her up. Rainbow was caught between laughing and moaning as Twilight shoved her tongue back inside, biting down on her friend's clit. Seconds later, Rainbow came. She fell over on her back, panting with her eyes rolled up.

"Twi, you... you're really good at that, amazing actually... Especially for an egghead." She tried to calm her frantic breathing.

Twilight laughed and slowly made her way up to the pillows. "Well, at least I'm your egghead, right?"

Rainbow opened her eyes and gulped. "Yeah, and... I'm all yours this time."

She hugged onto Rainbow and pressed her face into her chest. "So, you'll be here when I wake up?"

"Yeah, I will."

"I love you, Rainbow Dash."

"Yeah, uh, me too Twi."

Soon Twilight's soft breathing turned to light snoring as she held onto her new lover. Rainbow laid on her back, staring up at the shadows on the ceiling. She ran her hoof through Twilight's soft mane and wondered what she just got herself into.

Entry: Yup, She's Nasty pt. 2


tick... tick... tick...

Rainbow laid wide awake, staring at nothing. Her eyes wondered aimlessly along the dark shadowy ceiling, the monotonous ticking of a wall-clock hammering at her patience.

tick... tick... tick tock, tick tock, Tick Tock, TICK TOCK

Rainbow let out a disgruntled groan and placed her hooves over her ears. She jumped out of bed, unable to sleep or concentrate on her thoughts. She stood over Twilight for a moment; the gorgeous mare was subtly smiling and breathing through her mouth. Rainbow leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek before quietly heading downstairs.

On her way down, she noticed a dim light flickering around the corner into the kitchen. Intrigued, she went to investigate. Spike was holding a small lantern with his tail while digging through the refrigerator.

"Hey Spike, where have you been all day?" Rainbow asked, her voice louder than she intended.

Spike jumped and hit his head on a shelf, knocking a few things down. "Whoa! Rainbow Dash? I uh, I just got back from helping Rarity with some stuff. What are you doing here so late?" He was quick to change the subject.

"Oh you know, just hangin' out, scoring with Twilight, doing a little reading; the usual." Rainbow put on a smug grin and trotted back into the other room.

Spike hardly paid any attention to what Rainbow was saying, he carried an unhealthy amount of junk-food in his claws and followed her into the front room. Then it hit him. "Oh that's cool I gue... wait you what?!"

Rainbow chuckled as she made herself comfortable on a sofa and grabbed the diary. "Shh, keep it down, she's sleeping, alright?"

"Dude, nice." Spike walked up to her and held his fist out, balancing his abundance of sweets in one arm.

Rainbow grinned and bumped her hoof to his fist. "I know right?"

Spike walked upstairs and Rainbow laid back and sighed, her mind cleared and her heart filled with an unfamiliar sense of bliss. She licked the tip of her hoof and opened the book, eager to finish reading her interrupted entry. She skimmed for a few minutes and found her spot.

So yeah, she says we probably have time for a little more fun. She opened up a large drawer at the bottom of her desk and pulled out a yardstick. I was like, "No way, let me guess what you want me to do with that."

She confirmed my suspicion when she set it down next to me and bent over. I'm not going to lie, this was just too awesome for me. I laughed and jumped up to grab it with my teeth. She was looking back at me with her head near her front hooves and her plot waving in the air. Her tail flicked back and forth and her grin started growing when I cocked my neck. I swung my head forward and smacked her flank with the long wooden ruler.

She closed her eyes and gasped. "That's right, I'm a bad teacher aren't I? Teach me a lesson Scootaloo!"

I felt my wings spread as wide as possible. This was too much, who would have guess that my teacher liked this kind of crap? Not me. But hay, I liked it too and probably never would have discovered that about myself if not for her. So, I figured I'd play along, this was hot, and she seemed to be liking it enough for both of us anyway. I swung my head again and smacked her a bit harder in the same place. She started laughing with her mouth closed, like "Mmmhmmhmm".

I was enjoying it way too much now. I hit her again and again. I started hitting the other side too. At some point her tongue was hanging out and she was drooling on her hooves. This was intense, I could see her flank reddening beneath her coat. Even if she wanted more, I decided she had enough. I sat the yardstick down on her desk then trotted up to her and started rubbing her flank with my hooves. "That's a good girl, you've been punished enough for one day."

"Mmm, thanks for teaching me a lesson Scootaloo, you should teach me to behave more often."

"Maybe I like it when you're bad sometimes." I couldn't resist saying that.

"Well if I get out of control, just use that ruler to keep me in line." She stood up and turned around.

She touched her nose to mine and I blushed. Just then I heard a bell ring and she gave me a quick kiss before trotting over to the door to unlock it. All the students came back inside and I took my seat. Silver Spoon took a seat next to me and started asking why I stayed behind and stuff. I just lied and said I got in trouble. She smiled and reached her hoof over towards me. Cheerilee was sitting at her desk and leaning on her front hooves. She watched what Silver was doing with a raised eyebrow. I wasn't sure what I was allowed to do or not, but I mean, there really wasn't anything Cheerilee could do to me. If she remembered, I 'owned her'.

Just to avoid a future confrontation with Silver Spoon, I reached out and touched her hoof with mine. I glanced over to Cheerilee and smiled. She didn't move or say anything, she didn't even blink. I felt a bit creeped out but hay, what's the worst that could happen? At least this way I didn't have to listen to Silver complain about anything. She seemed back to normal as she started writing some notes from her textbook down. She'd periodically glance over to me and smile or wink. It seemed like she was over the Applebloom crap from earlier, which was a huge relief for me.

I looked back at Applebloom, she was sitting right behind me. She had a cheerful smile and was drawing something. Maybe I should try and set her up with Sweetie Belle, I bet they'd be happy together for a while. That might be hard to do, but I bet I could convince Applebloom eventually, I'd set her up and get her off my back simultaneously. I didn't really need a backup mare anymore anyway now that I got things settled with Cheerilee. I wonder if we'll have anymore class work at all. I know that last test was the last one of the year since there was only a week of school left before summer break. I wonder how I'll see her during the summer, maybe I can go to her house, that'd be fun.

Well, after the bell rang, I stayed behind for a while and let everyone else leave. Silver Spoon stood in the doorway for a minute staring at me and nodding for me to follow her. I told her to wait and I'd be outside in a minute. She wasn't moving, then Cheerilee stood up and slammed the door in her face. I jumped, it was really loud. She put on a wide smile and asked me, "So what's on your mind, Scoot?"

I smiled, her overreacting was kinda cute. Plus, I bet the look on Silver's face was priceless, I could only imagine.

"Nothing, what's on your's? You're the one who seems a bit uneasy." That was such an understatement.

"Nothing, I just don't like Silver Spoon. What, I'm not allowed to dislike a student? She's snotty and spoiled, almost as bad as that Diamond Tiara. I'm glad she left class early, good riddance if you ask me."

I just laughed a little, silently agreeing with her.

"I have some things to do today Scootaloo, but I think you should come by my house sometime. During the summer we'll have all day to do anything you want, I'm sure you know what I mean. I can become your personal tutor." She winked and stuck her tongue out.

I wanted to jump in the air and scream, I was so happy. I decided to play it cool though. "Yeah, I'd like that. I'll catch you later then."

I stood up and walked past her without looking back. I was as happy as could be as I cantered down the hallway towards the exit. Silver Spoon was silhouetted near the exit door and I could hear her crying.

I rolled my eyes, she's too sensitive for her own good I guess. "What's wrong?"

I acted like I really cared and trotted up to her. She looked up at me, holding her broken glasses in her hoof, one of the lenses was cracked. Her cheek was red too. I think the door hit her when Cheerilee slammed it. I looked back and saw her trotting towards us. Cheerilee glared down and Silver cowered and dropped her glasses as she trotted past us and headed outside. This is where it really hit home, I did care about Silver Spoon. When I saw her crying because she got hurt, it hurt me as well. I saw Cheerilee leaving the school grounds through the glass doors, then I picked up Silver's glasses and tucked them under my wing.

"You okay?" I had to ask.

She sniffed and wiped her tears. "Yeah, thanks."

She needed cheering up today, so I led her back home and took care of her. I already had mine today so I didn't expect anything in return from her. I was just glad to take her mind off everything that had happened. I never expected Cheerilee to behave that way, but I guess it's understandable. I'd probably act the same way if I saw someone who wanted her attention the way I did. Something definitely felt wrong about all of this, but I'll wait until I make any solid decisions on what to do or how to handle this.

For now I'd just lay there with Silver and hold onto her, she needed affection. I figured once Diamond came home for the summer she wouldn't need me anymore. At first I was looking forward to that day, but now, I'm not so sure. I think I'll miss this a lot, but I need to focus on Cheerilee anyway. She deserves all of my affection, but I can't just abandon Silver Spoon. I got myself into this and she needs me now, I have a responsibility to take care of her until she doesn't need me anymore. Yeah, that's a good excuse Scoot, let's go with that.

Well, ~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow was suddenly heavily torn. She looked over the last bit of the entry several times. Cheerilee was already out of control in her opinion. She had half a mind to confront her, then she recalled that these events took place nearly a year ago. She could only imagine what's been going on since then.

She turned the page and skimmed through a short entry. Nothing interesting in this one. With a yawn, she decided to read one more. The next entry was short and boring, it just talked about her efforts to make Applebloom fall for Sweetie Belle to no avail. Just one more, she thought. She then skipped to the most recent entry and it caught her interest. It was dated a week ago and it was about her...

I know you're going to read this someday, but it doesn't matter. This is for you, Rainbow Dash.

I've been going through some tough times this past week, I lost this diary during the week and I really don't remember enough specifics to write what happened down. That doesn't matter anyway. What matters is that I'm back on track now. You probably won't read this for at least another couple of months, but I'm sure everything I'm about to say will still be true.

I've been watching you, and you're exactly who I want to be. You're so cool and fast, and everyone loves you. I know I'm far from that, but I'm trying to be just like you. I can't tell you how lost I'd have been if I didn't have you to turn to. You helped me make the biggest decision of my life so far. There's a way to fix everything I've done, and I know you'll be the one to guide me through the rest of my life. I can't tell you how important you are to me, all the time we've spent together the last couple of months has been life changing.

I've always thought that I wanted to be you, but now I know I just want to be me. Coincidentally, I'm just like you. If that makes sense, then I think you can teach me how to be a better version of myself, like you are. If I was more like you, then I wouldn't have all of these problems. You're always so happy and carefree, I'd love to be just like that. I know I can be, I just need to fix all of this first. I'll figure it out eventually.

I think I only have one more big entry to write in this thing before it'll be done, in a few weeks Diamond is going to be coming home from her usual summer trip. She's throwing this huge party or something to celebrate her coming home. This year I got invited and I'm bringing Sweetie Belle and Applebloom with me, I think some serious drama is gonna go down. I feel terrible for Silver Spoon, but I don't think there's anything I can do.

Don't forget, I love you Rainbow Dash. You're my best friend and you mean the world to me. If I could relive the time we spent together for the rest of my life, I would. That's how much it meant to me, I know it sounds silly, but it's true.

~Scootaloo, out-

A tear slipped down Rainbow's cheek as she read the last paragraph, she laughed and quickly wiped it away. She knew Scootaloo was close to her, but never really thought about it very much. With a deep yawn, she found her original place in the middle of the book and marked her spot before closing it. She stretched out and closed her eyes. In a few short minutes, she was fast asleep on the couch with the book sitting on her chest. About an hour later, it fell off of her and onto the floor as she rolled over to get comfortable. The diary was laying on the floor, wide open.

Entry: Summer Lovin'


Rainbow laid still, her eyes closed and the soft sunlight warming her muzzle. Vague remnants of her recent dream slipped away from her memories as she began to slowly inch her eyes open. Suddenly the air was knocked out of her as a journal forcefully dropped onto her stomach.

"Oof." Rainbow's eyes shot open and she grabbed onto the diary. "What the hay was that for?!" She shouted, still groggy.

Twilight stood over her with blazing eyes. "You promised you wouldn't leave me alone this time, but you did, and for what? So you could come down here and read this porn?!"

"Wait, what? I fell asleep down here on accident. And that's not porn, I swear!" Rainbow's eyes were wide as she searched for the words to calm her irritated friend.

"Yeah that's right, it's just your little friend's sex diary. Much better." Twilight rolled her eyes and trotted away.

Rainbow let her head fall back down on the couch as she thought about what was happening. "Wait, you read Scootaloo's diary? You can't just read someone else's diary without their permission." Rainbow hypocritically pointed out.

Twilight blushed and frowned. "No, I didn't read it. I just saw the page it was opened to. What kind of diary is that anyway, it's not written like any diary I've ever seen."

"Oh really? How many diaries have you seen?" Rainbow gladly attempted to change the subject.

"Well, I... that's not the point! Why would Scootaloo describe herself having sex with her friends in a journal, then tell you to read it? That's not normal by any means." Twilight was clearly very concerned about what exactly was going on with Scootaloo, but wasn't the best pony to calmly handle a situation like this.

"I don't know. I'm not a mind reader, but maybe you should relax. Look, she wants me to help her fix the mess she's gotten herself into and I'm reading this so I know exactly what's been going on." Rainbow looked away and scoffed at the fact the she was being forced to explain herself despite it not being anypony else's business.

"Rainbow, no offense, but I hardly think you're qualified to help her right now. She needs to see a counselor or something, she needs psychological help." Twilight seemed serious, her eyes were as sharp as her voice.

Rainbow didn't take her seriously. She just waved a hoof at her and opened the diary back up. "Here, let me finish reading this, then I'll see what I can do. If I can't help her, then we'll take her to a counselor or something. Okay?"

Twilight huffed and considered the solution. "Fine, but I'm keeping tabs on this. What I read in there was really bad Dash, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that being around Spike."

Spike walked downstairs letting out an obnoxiously long yawn. "What aren't you comfortable with being around me?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "She doesn't want you reading my porn."

"It's not porn!" Twilight shouted.

Spike's eyes widened. "Whoa you have porn?"

"Twilight called it porn earlier. I guess it's not porn though. Here, you read and decide for yourself." Rainbow hoofed the diary towards Spike.

Twilight quickly snatched it away in an aura of magic. "Sorry Spike, this is not appropriate reading material for a baby dragon. Here, read this instead." She levitated a random book off her bookshelf towards him.

"Aw... This is just H-J of your stupid outdated magic encyclopedia." Spike rolled his eyes and protested, still interested in whatever Rainbow had to offer.

"Too bad, either read that or go make breakfast." Twilight scolded.

Spike mumbled as he returned the book to it's spot on the shelf and walked into the kitchen.

"What was that Spike?" Twilight thought she heard him swearing under his breath.

Rainbow laid back and laughed quietly to herself as she grabbed and opened the diary back up and continued reading.

Spike held his breath for a moment, then turned around to face his condescending friend. "I'm tired of the way you treat me. I'm not a baby okay? I'm not that much younger than you and I'm mature for my age."

Twilight rolled her eyes and trotted back up to Rainbow Dash. She shoved her face into her friends warm blue coat and breathed into her stomach. Rainbow laughed and placed a hoof on Twilight's head as she read.

"You're always over thinking things. Just relax, I can help you with that if you need me to." Rainbow rubbed her hoof down Twilight's back.

"I'm not over thinking things... I'm thinking exactly the right amount. This is serious stuff here, you know how impressionable Sweetie Belle is." She spoke into Rainbow's stomach, tickling her a bit.

"Wait, I haven't read anything about Sweetie Belle yet, nothing bad anyway." Rainbow looked confused and started flipping through pages.

Twilight looked up and tilted her head. "Well you will soon enough. I have some things to do today. When I get back I'm definitely going to want you to help me relax." She winked and stood up.

Rainbow's smile widened and she lowered the book. "Sure thing, it'll be our pleasure."

Twilight smiled and gave her a kiss on the nose before heading towards the door. She paused for a moment and considered giving Spike a directive for whenever he was done doing whatever he was doing in the kitchen, which certainly wasn't making breakfast. Deciding not to mess with it right now, she trotted off.

Rainbow grinned knowing she was about get some more action, but let her curiosity get the better of her. If Twilight was telling the truth about what she read, then Scootaloo was really digging herself into a deeper hole than Rainbow ever imagined. She skimmed through a few more pointless entries. Then found a interesting entry. As she skimmed over the words, this seemed to be what Twilight read. She restarted from the beginning and took a deep breath as she carefully read the entry and tried to figure out what Scootaloo could have been thinking.

Alright, today was a huge success, I think. This summer's been nothing but a pain in my flank so far, and I haven't even gotten to see Cheerilee at all yet since school let out almost a week ago. It's driving me crazy, at least I have Silver Spoon to keep me satisfied until I can see her again. I'm glad she's opened up to me so much more lately, she's almost never mean to me anymore, and she's always willing to return the favor after I take care of her. Maybe someday I'll get her to go first, ha. Maybe.

So anyway, I think I finally had the perfect plan to get Applebloom to notice Sweetie Belle. If I could make her jealous of Sweetie, then she'd at least start paying attention to her, and then I could help push them together. It feels risky, but I think I can pull it off. So I headed over The Carousel Boutique and found Sweetie Belle hanging out with Spike. I shoved myself between them and wrapped my arm around Sweetie to lead her outside without any delays. I promised Applebloom I'd meet her at our usual spot for some fun again and figured I could mess that up by dragging this oblivious little mare along.

When we got there, Applebloom was already waiting. She was laying out in the sun lookin' all sexy and stuff. I'll admit it, I do find her pretty darn attractive most of the time. But I'd rather have her as a best friend than anything else. Plus I had Cheerilee, and Sweetie Belle wanted her anyway... Why do I always do this?

So yeah, we're there and Applebloom looks pissed. I can see it in her eyes while she's staring me down like she's about to jump on me. Sweetie Belle can probably sense the tension, she's being all quite and awkward and stuff. I decided to break the silence.

"So guys, it's been a while since we've all hung out together. So what should we do?" The first thing that popped into my mind when I said that was both awful and awesome at the same time.

Applebloom huffed and rolled her eyes. "No offense Sweetie Belle, but I thought it was just gonna be me n' Scootaloo today."

Sweetie looked down and her white cheeks were turning red. I could tell she was hurt that Applebloom didn't want her around, but I needed to work on that right now. That was the whole point of today. I wrapped my arm around her and started my plan.

"Come on Apps, Sweetie and I have been spending a lot of time together lately and I like her a lot. We miss when it used to be the three of us, not just the two of us taking turns hanging out one at a time." I hoped this was working.

She looked furious, her evil glare stabbed into Sweetie Belle's innocent confused eyes.

I led the nervous little unicorn into the center of the clearing right next to Applebloom and laid down with her. I reached up and pulled Applebloom down next to us and wrapped my arms around them both.

"This is nice, right? Just the three of us snuggled up together like the good ol' days." This was stupid, but I needed them to warm up to one another after causing this potential drama headache.

"So, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, why don't you two hang out anymore? We haven't done any Cutie Mark Crusading in like a month." This was at least something we could all relate to.

"I haven't felt like it is why. I've had... other things on my mind. Ya know?" Applebloom was annoyingly keeping us on the wrong topics.

Sweetie Belle finally spoke. "I wouldn't mind doing some Crusading, I miss hanging out with you Applebloom." I was glad she finally opened up.

"You do?" Applebloom sounded better, at least she wasn't angry.

"Well, yeah. You're my best friend, of course I miss you when we don't spend time together. When I stayed the night at your house a couple weeks ago, it was the most fun I've had in a really long time." This was going well.

"I had a good time too. I'm sorry I've been ignorin' ya lately, I don't mean to." I wiggled out from between them and tip-hoofed around them.

I pushed Applebloom and slowly slid her across the grass until she was right next to Sweetie Belle. She didn't seem to mind, then I trotted around and lifted Sweetie's hoof with mine and placed it over Applebloom's shoulder. They kept talking and I laid down beneath them, waiting for a chance to suggest that they stay the night together again.

"I don't really feel like doing anything today, but we should get together soon." Sweetie Belle gave me my chance.

"I know, how about the three of us stay the night at Applebloom's tonight?"

They both quickly agreed and I laughed. "Awesome, let's go now." Applebloom suggested but I couldn't let that happen, Sweetie wasn't ready. I needed to be sure that she seize the opportunity if it was presented.

"Can't, first me and Sweetie Belle need to go get permission. How about you go ask AJ if we can stay, I'm sure she'll say yes, and I'll go with Sweetie Belle to convince her parents." I'm impressed at how awesomely I can think of these kinds of things, this was too perfect.

"Alright, great! I'll meet you guys back at my place then." Applebloom seemed happy about this, which was definitely a necessity.

As soon as she was out of sight, I pushed Sweetie Belle over onto her back and pinned her hooves down. I needed to make sure she knew I was being serious. This was going to be the only chance I could give her.

"You're going to have to do this right. I need you to lay the romance on Applebloom hard if you want her to notice that you really like her okay? At the right time, I'm going to slip out and leave you two alone. You're going to seal the deal by going all the way with her once she's ready. Trust me, it's the only way." I hoped Sweetie was ready for this, I especially hoped she was ready to handle the clingy mare she had this crush on.

"Wait, go all the way? I don't know if I like the sound of that." I rolled my eyes.

"You don't like her enough to do that?" I knew she did, but I needed to make sure she knew what was up. Since I already did that with Applebloom, I knew that she'd expect Sweetie to do the same, and knowing her, she'd be offended if Sweetie didn't accept her invitation.

"Of course I do, but I mean, we're not even together or anything. I don't want to move too fast. Rarity warned me not to jump right into sex when I start dating ponies. She says it's bad for the relationship in the long run, and patience is a virtue." I wanted to smack her in the head. This was different, it was Applebloom we were talking about, not some random pony from school or something. They've known each other for years now and might as well have already been dating as friends the whole time. I couldn't explain that though, I needed to hurry up.

"Trust me, it's for the best okay? You have to trust me, I know for a fact that this will work if you do it right. Now, when you go down on her, be sure to let her know you like it just as much as she does. That'll make her feel good about herself then you're all hers." I hoped she took that little piece of advice the way I meant for her to.

"Okay, I'll trust you, but... What if... what if I do it wrong and she doesn't like it?" Lack of confidence will kill her chances.

"You can't say that, you have to believe in yourself. Just stay confident and I'm sure she'll love it."

"Have you ever done it before? Because I haven't and I don't know how to learn." I face hoofed. I needed to do something to make her feel more confident about this. Maybe a quick lesson or something.

"I've done it before, yes. Let's go get permission for you to stay the night. I'll explain some stuff on the way."

I did my best to tell her what to do while we trotted back into town. We stopped in front of the Boutique and I tried to show her what to do with her tongue when she finally penetrated with it. I stuck it out and wiggled it up and down and tried to talk at the same time. I probably looked like an idiot but she did her best to mimic me. Her tongue was hanging out and she attempted to speak. I think she tried to say, "Like this?" But it came out so wrong.

Just then Rarity opened her front door and saw us. "What in Equestria are you two doing?" I blushed and quickly put my tongue away.

"We're wondering if Sweetie can stay the night at Applebloom's tonight."

"Yes, of course she can. Just stay out of trouble, okay?" She trotted past us and headed towards the center of town.

That was easy, I led Sweetie Belle inside. It was quiet and empty. Perfect.

"Look, this isn't working. I'm going to have to show you what I mean, okay?" I hated the thought of doing this with her, but I couldn't risk her offending Applebloom by backing out.

Her eyes widened and she backed up. "Wait, you want to show me how?"

"Yes, it'll be the easiest way to make sure you're confident in what you're doing. Now lay down on that couch and we'll get started." I figured it'd be best to be as blunt as possible so she didn't start getting emotionally attached too.

She did what I told her to, then I made my way over. I couldn't tell if she was more nervous or excited. "What's with that big smile? I thought you'd be nervous."

"Well I heard Rarity talking to somepony about this, and she said it's the best feeling in the world. I can't help but be excited." Ha, well Rarity was right about one thing.

I just smiled at her and made my way between her legs. "First you want to do a bunch of kissing and touching and stuff like that, but we'll skip to the complicated part. You need to keep touching her while you do this, that way she's not only focused on one thing."

I started rubbing my hooves along Sweetie's sides and down her thighs. Then I stuck my tongue out and licked the insides of her legs, making sure she was properly aroused before we got started. I looked up and she had a hoof over her mouth and was breathing pretty heavily. I figured that was good enough. I let out a deep and hot breath right in between her legs, just to build up some anticipation. Then I lightly flicked the sensitive little ball on top her lips with the tip of my tongue. She squeaked and it was adorable.

"You gotta make sure and lick this thing. She loves it." I paused and gulped after saying that. "I mean, she'll love it. You know what I meant."

She didn't say anything but I figured it'd be safe to assume she didn't really read into it. I went back down and started licking her some more. I licked up the center of her lips and enjoyed the taste of a new mare. It was weird how everypony seemed to taste different. I imagined that they'd all be a bit more similar, but I was wrong. Sweetie Belle was particularly delicious and sweet. Like she was sugar coated or something. I really wouldn't mind doing this to her more often, but I couldn't.

I knew I should have stopped sooner, but I kept at it. I bit down on her and sucked as much of her into my mouth as I could. Then I started to shove my tongue all the way in. She tasted so damn good it was crazy. I couldn't get enough. I started tonguing her as hard as I could, pulling as much of her sweet tasting juice into my mouth as I could. I felt like I was using her instead of helping her like I initially wanted to. I just couldn't help it, she was gasping and moaning, which only made me want to do it harder.

Then I heard a noise, like two quick knocks. I jumped up and sat down like nothing was happening. Sweetie Belle curled her legs up and put on a nonchalant grin as we both stared at the door. Her face was completely flushed and she looked insanely sexy. Then freakin Opalescence came casually walking into the room. She must have jumped off of something to make that sound.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Well, um... That's how you do it." I blushed, realizing I got carried away.

"Oh wow. That Scootaloo's a wild one isn't she." Spike interrupted Rainbow's reading.

Rainbow looked back to see Spike reading over her shoulder. "What are you doing?! Twi'll kill us both if she finds out you were reading this!"

"Who says she has to find out." Spike raised his brow's in quick succession. "Huh? Huh?"

"Yeah yeah, I get it. Look, I'll let you read as long as you promise to keep it a secret okay?" Rainbow looked back at him with wide eyes.

"Really?!" Spike enthusiastically shouted.

"No of course not! Are you crazy? Get out of here and do some chores or something. Maybe you should lift those weights I bought you, Mr. Scrawny arms." Rainbow laughed and shooed him away with a hoof.

Just then Twilight walked in and Spiked's tail sprung straight out. He casually walked upstairs and Rainbow greeted her. "Hi there, what took you so long?"

"I wasn't gone that long, was I?" She looked up at a clock and shrugged.

"Nope, ready to relax? I sure am." Rainbow winked and marked her place in the diary.

"Yes actually, let's go." Twilight smiled and trotted upstairs.

She entered her room to find Spike with his ear pressed up against an air duct, attempting to eavesdrop to no avail. "What are you doing now? What's gotten into you lately, will you get out of here?"

Spike muttered under his breath once again and angrily trotted past Rainbow who laughed in his expense. This time she carried the diary with her tucked under her wing. She sat it down on a table and shut the door. Twilight was already comfortably stretched out in bed and ready to be soothed by Rainbow's gentle touch.

"Alrighty then, let's get started." Rainbow eagerly climbed into bed.

Twilight didn't let her lead the course of events like she knew her friend wanted to. Instead she wrapped her hooves around her back and pulled her into a deep kiss. Rainbow's mane fell across her face but she didn't stop to move it, she actually enjoyed the sensation of it softly sliding across her cheek. After a moment of passion, she pulled away.

"I've been thinking about all of this Dash, and I'm going to trust you to take care of Scootaloo. Just do it quickly before things get too far out of control for those kids alright? I know you've grown really close to Scoot after what happened with her family a few months ago. She needs you to be the one to take care of her, it'll probably mess her up in the head even worse if anyone else takes control of her life." Twilight really had put a lot of thought into what was going on in Scootaloo's mind.

"Thanks for trusting me on this one Twi, it means a lot. So where did you go anyway?" Rainbow had to ask.

"Well... I kind of went to take Scootaloo somewhere that she could get help. I stopped before I reached her home though. I know I do things on impulse sometimes, but I don't want to do anything behind your back. I'm going to be serious about this relationship, and even if I feel you might be doing something the wrong way, I'll back you up and support your decisions. It's not my call this time, it's yours, and you might be right." Twilight hoped her partner wouldn't be angry, she blushed and pressed her face into Rainbow's chest.

"Well, I'm glad you saw it my way..." Rainbow hugged onto her tighter. "Scootaloo's in a big mess and a shrink would only make her feel worse about it."

"That's probably true." Twilight knew better than to argue at this point, she leaned up and locked lips with her lover once again.

The two kissed for a while before Rainbow rolled over on top of the seductive purple mare. Twilight wrapped all four legs tightly around her and their tails intertwined. Rainbow began to kiss her neck and ears, licking and sucking vigorously all over Twilight's most sensitive areas. Originally Twilight had planned on teasing Rainbow and ending with a massage and a nap, but she quickly lost sight of that little plan.

Rainbow was biting down on her neck when Twilight whispered, "I love you."

She stopped for a moment and let out a sigh. "I love you too..."

Entries: Summer Lovin' pt. 2, Teach Me

Rainbow laid as still as she could, panting and wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. Twilight held onto her tightly, flushed and exhausted. The two were blanketed by a state of near euphoria as they laid together after another amazing sexual encounter. Rainbow held her hoof up to her nose and took a deep inhale, reveling in the erotic scents it had to offer.

Twilight was quick to fall asleep as usual. Sex seemed to put her into a near coma. Rainbow was still trying to catch her breath as she laid next to her lover, she began to stroke her mane then slid her hoof down to her back and pulled her slightly tighter into the warmest most comfortable hug she's ever experienced. Although Twilight was fast asleep, she subconsciously returned the hug and lightly kissed Rainbow on the neck.

Looking down, the captivated pegasus saw the pony she loved beautifully basking in the sunlight as she slept. Her gorgeous mane nearly glowed in the intense warming rays that shined so brightly through the window. Her soft purple coat radiated the warmth it was absorbing and created an aura of perfect comfort. At this moment, Rainbow realized just how lucky she really was to have landed herself such an amazing mare.

She looked up and down Twilight's amazing body. Sure she wasn't the most fit or toned mare, but she was perfectly slender and well in shape. Such a balance of intellect and beauty certainly must be a rarity in itself, not to mention she was an amazing lover. In Rainbow's infatuated eyes, this was the perfect mare.

After a few more school-filly sighs and bursts of blissful heartache, Rainbow focused her mind on something else. She glanced over behind herself and spotted the diary on a small table near the bed. She looked back over to Twilight who was still hugging her tightly, a hoof underneath and one above. There was no way to get up without waking her. Rainbow thought of a solution, she leaned over as far as she could and stretched her wing out. She lifted her free leg and tried to balance herself as she slid her wing beneath the decently heavy journal.

Success. She had the book resting on her wing, now all she needed to do was lift it back over to the bed. She strained and struggled, desperately waving the hoof around in the air as she tried to keep her balance. The book was off the table now, wobbling up and down as Rainbow forced her wing to hold the weight. It was surprisingly heavy as she held it on only a wing fully stretched out. Moments later, she managed to hoist the book over to the bed.

She had to catch her breath once again. Retrieving the book proved to be quite the arduous task without waking her friend. But like anything Rainbow puts her mind to, she pulled it off. Tucking the sore wing in, she opened the book and found her spot. She was eager to figure out how this one ended, a little surprised that she actually cared so much. A little ashamed as well.

...I let out a sigh of relief. "Well, um... That's how you do it." I blushed, realizing I got carried away.

Sweetie Belle covered her mouth and started giggling. "That was amazing Scootaloo! I hope I can do that to Applebloom."

I felt pretty bad, I had half a mind to go back down on her just because I wanted more. I knew it was wrong, but at the time I didn't seem to care. I do that a lot, I behave strangely when I'm really turned on. I assume that's part of what led to all the bad choices I made, like with Silver Spoon and Applebloom. I hope I didn't mess their lives up with my faults.

Then I decided to make another bad decision, I guess that's just who I am sometimes. "So Sweetie, wanna practice on me before you try it out on Applebloom? I'll tell you what you're doing wrong so you can make sure you're ready." At the time that seemed like a great idea, now I feel bad for taking her first time away from her in a completely loveless setting. She might regret this for the rest of her life. I know I would.

"Sure, so where should I start?" I laid back on the couch and spread my legs.

"Right here." She crawled forward, eager to begin.

I put my hoof on the back of her head and pressed her down, I felt her tongue come out and start curiously licking and tasting me. I knew this was her first time so I let her take it slow, she wanted to get used to the taste of another mare. I wonder if she liked me nearly as much as I liked her. After a minute I got impatient and pressed my hips up into her face. She didn't seem to mind, she just stuck her tongue out and did what I did to her. Surprisingly enough, she was actually really good. I loved it, she was licking with long straight licks right up the middle and onto my sensitive spot.

I felt her try to press her tongue inside but she couldn't do it. She got it part way in and started wiggling it around. I laughed and helped her by thrusting myself forward. When I did that, her tongue slipped all the way in and her teeth brushed up against me. It was awesome, if she did it like this with Applebloom then there wouldn't be any problems. I came pretty quickly. Partially due to the fact that I was excited about being with her for the first time. The first time I'm with a mare is always the most exciting time. I always come the quickest that way too.

I looked at her and and asked if she wanted to get off that way too. She of course said yes, and I didn't really care about getting her off, I just wanted another taste since I knew this would probably be my last chance. As soon as she agreed, I pushed her over and went back down between her legs. I used my front hoof to prop her back hoof up and made a good angle to dig in deep with my tongue. I closed my eyes and went straight in, it was awesome. I think she loved it too from the noises she was making. It only took a minute until I felt the familiar squeeze of a mare having an orgasm. Not only that, Sweetie took it upon herself to let me know that she thought she was coming.

I didn't take my tongue out though, I just slowly swirled it around, savoring the flavor for the last time. I kind of put myself in that mindset I think. I don't know, but Sweetie Belle was definitely a special mare, and Applebloom was lucky. So after too much hesitation, I finally slid my tongue out and wiped my wet cheeks. I realized we were pretty dirty and a bit sweaty since it was so hot out today. I figured we should probably take a shower.

Since I felt like we were in a rush, I pulled Sweetie into the shower with me and we hurried up and cleaned ourselves. Well we cleaned each other, I had fun pushing her down and spraying the shower head all over her. Then we hung it up and soaped up and started wrestling, it was pretty fun. Sweetie Belle is actually a really cool girl, I hope Applebloom can see it too. I had to resist kissing her, even though I wanted to really badly, I couldn't welcome that kind of emotion between either of us. I think it'd be bad news for me too at this point.

Well after that, we toweled off and rushed out into the hot sun. We cantered down the road to The Acres. It didn't take too long to get there and Applebloom was waiting for us on the farmhouse porch with a grin.

"Come on in ya'll, she said yes!"

I knew she would. Applejack never says no. We went inside and settled down, I made sure to push them together as much as possible during the course of the day and evening. I was being pretty mean to Applebloom and really nice to Sweetie Belle. I think they both picked up on it pretty quickly and Applebloom began to take comfort in Sweetie Belle's kindness. It was all going according to plan. I'm a genius.

After it was dark out, I noticed the two holding hooves and nearly touching muzzles. I grinned, for some reason an empty pit filled my stomach while I watched a smiling Sweetie Belle stare into my best friend's eyes. They were falling, it was too easy thanks to me. I just wish my life could have a helping hoof, guiding me in the right direction from time to time. I guess that would be too much to ask, at the very least, I was able to help ensure my friends were going to be happy from now on. Maybe that's the route I've chosen, a guide shouldn't need to be guided. I can do this on my own, and as I learn from my mistakes, I can help others avoid them.

I quietly backed out of the door, closing it just as they were about to kiss. I sighed and forced myself to smile and be happy for them, then I headed out into the night. Applejack tried to stop me and ask where I was going, but I ensured her I would be fine and just wanted some air. I actually headed home and climbed into bed. It was pretty late and I was tired after a long day.

Now that I think about it, I really need to see Cheerilee, I miss her a lot. I hope she wants to see me too. I'll pay her a visit tomorrow.

~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow smiled, despite the pain Scootaloo was falling into, she was a smart filly. She was wise beyond her age by far and it was likely thanks to everything she's experienced in such a short amount of time. It wasn't exactly fair for her to miss out on the blissful years that foalhood had to offer, but that's often the path a troubled youth is forced to take. Rainbow of all ponies could relate to that.

She glanced over to her still snoozing marefriend. Twilight had grown up in a very different way than Rainbow and Scootaloo, she was well cared for through her younger years and had every opportunity presented to her. In a world as unrelenting as Equestria, if you miss those opportunities you'll be doomed to the life of a lower class pony. Clearing the skies of clouds, gathering apples every year for the rest of your life, struggling to find that stroke of luck and get noticed, caring for an over abundance of wildlife, working in a simple bakery, these were the lives of the unsuccessful. Twilight was going to go far, she had everything she needed hoofed over to her from birth.

Rainbow felt a sense of resentment creeping into her chest but quickly swallowed it. Twilight did work very hard for everything she's achieved. All that studying and learning would drive most ponies insane. Rainbow silently apologized and kissed her on the cheek again, unable to control a smile that insisted on growing wide.

She cleared her mind and opened up to the next entry. She figured this one would be interesting.

So today had me nervous from the second I woke up. Cheerilee lived somewhere on the East Side of town and I was going to have to ask around to find her, which made me a bit uneasy in itself. I considered paying Sweetie and Applebloom a visit but figured they probably had a late night and wouldn't  be up this early. It wasn't really that early, I was probably just making excuses. I'll visit them later, it really doesn't matter.

I made my way down the road and trotted past the school. I never really come down this road because I don't know anyone who lives over here except Fluttershy. I don't think she really likes me so I try to avoid her as much as possible. Anyway, thinking about her gave me an idea, it wouldn't seem weird for me to ask her where Cheerilee lives since I know her and she know's that she's my teacher. I didn't really like the thought of it but figured it was my best option.

I trotted up to her cottage and knocked. She opened the door and put on her usual shy and overly polite facade that could sicken anyone. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes when she talked to me. I asked her where Cheerilee lived and just wanted to move on quickly.

"Oh, well, I'm pretty sure she lives down Wooden Bridle Drive. It's the big house with the daisies in the front yard."

I just nodded and turned to trot away. Then I stopped for a moment and sighed. "Thank you!" I couldn't be that rude to her, it's not like she's ever wronged me in any way.

So, Wooden Bridle Drive, I trotted down the road again and kept an eye out for the sign. It didn't take too long before I spotted it. One house did stand out as being a bit bigger than the rest, and sure enough, there were daisies in the yard. I guess Fluttershy's good for something after all. I knocked on the door and waited. It was really quiet in this unfamiliar neighborhood, I almost felt the eyes of strangers running up and down my back like knives, I just wanted her to hurry up and let me in.

I heard some strange sounds coming from inside, then she finally opened the door. She looked like a zombie or something. Her eyes were hardly open and she was all wobbly. I pushed past her and she shut the door behind me. It was really dark inside, all the curtains were closed and there was the dim flicker of candlelight coming from the other room.

"You okay Cheerilee?" Clearly something was wrong with her.

"Yeah yeah, I uh. I have a headache." She placed her hooves on her head and stumbled over to a couch.

"Have you been drinking?" It seemed obvious, my mom often drank and this is what she turned into when she did.

"Yeah, maybe a little... too much." She laid down and closed her eyes.

It was actually a pretty pathetic sight. I couldn't judge her though, I needed to know why she was doing this to herself, but I needed to tread softly to make sure I didn't upset her. It would be best to let her relax for a while and we'd talk when she felt better. I sat down next to her and brushed her thick mane out of her face. She was in pretty bad shape, I could tell she had been crying and something was obviously driving her to behave this way, but I had no idea what it could be.

She wasn't looking at me or saying anything, she just laid there staring at the wall. It begin to break my heart, I couldn't stand seeing her like this. She's usually so cheerful and upbeat, she's always fun to be around and talk to, I wish I had known what was wrong. I've been down in the dumps before, and she's always been there to cheer me up when I felt bad. I needed to return the favor this time, I just didn't know how. I'd have to try.

"So what's on your mind?" I really couldn't think of anything to say.

She stayed quiet for a while and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry Scootaloo, I never wanted you to have to see me like this."

She started crying and that made me start crying. I was actually really pissed that she did that, but I couldn't say anything. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. I felt terrible for her. "It's alright, just try to cheer up okay? I'm here for you now and you can talk to me about anything. I love you."

I felt my heart sink when I said that, but it was true. She rolled over and hugged me, pulling me down. She was still crying but she seemed to be feeling a little better, which made me a lot happier. "I love you too. I'm so glad I found you Scootaloo."

I wasn't sure exactly what she meant by that, but she was talking to me, and she said that she loved me, which was more than I ever could have asked for. Her breath was pretty bad but I didn't care, I kissed her. I think she realized that she wasn't very clean or presentable and embarrassment began to sink in. She stood up and brushed her matted coat down. With a familiar cheerful smile, she winked and told me she'd be right back.

I crashed down onto the couch, letting my head land on the soft and still warm cushions. I put my hooves over my chest and tried to stop this nearly overwhelming feeling of simultaneous pain and bliss flowing from my heart through my entire body. I let my arms fall limp on the couch and I stared up at the dark ceiling. A subtle sense of sweet serenity was washing over me while I waited. This is exactly where I wanted to be, and she was about to make this dream come true.

A few minutes later she came trotting into the room again. My eyes had just finished adjusting to the darkness when she trotted up to the window and opened the curtains, letting the sun flood the dark room. I squinted for a second before she came into focus. She was simply beautiful. Her mane was still wet and she had it brushed to one side. When she turned to face me, the sun illuminated her brilliant green eyes. I sat up and stared at her while she slowly trotted towards me. The beaming light shining on her right side cast shadows that perfectly accented her amazing body while she walked. I was breathing strangely, I could feel it.

She was an inch away from my muzzle before I stopped thinking about things. I just closed my eyes and pressed forward. Her hooves wrapped around me and she laid me down on the couch. The feeling in my chest took over my body and mind. I was in love and wanted to express the emotions I felt for her in the most physical way I could. This was the first time I've ever felt so passionate about anything in my life. Our first times together weren't like this, I felt connected to her in a different way now, like we were a serious couple, like we were long term lovers. I wasn't her student anymore, but she was definitely about to teach me how to love her.

Rainbow let out a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a minute and tried to decide exactly how she should feel about this. She glanced down at the words and, as expected, all the explicit details were recorded. She skimmed down, paying little attention to that portion of the diary until she skipped the love scene. It didn't feel right to her. Reading about Scootaloo sexual experimentation and random fun was one thing, but this felt different. Rainbow knew she wouldn't want others reading about her private love life with Twilight. What was recorded in this entry was a moment meant to be shared only by the participants, it was far too personal, even for Rainbow.

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes while she held onto me. Her bed was so warm and felt like home. I never wanted to leave again, and I knew that I didn't have to if I didn't want to. Cheerilee loved me and would take care of me if I needed her to. And I'd always be here to take care of her in any way that I could. I'd say goodbye to Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, even Silver Spoon if I had to. I'd spend the rest of my life here in this bedroom if I could. As long as she was by my side, I didn't need anything else.

Rainbow forcefully closed the book, something just didn't feel right to her. The sound of the book being slammed shut caused Twilight to stir in her sleep. She leaned over and sat the book back down on the table, then leaned in to hug her friend. The warmth Twilight had to offer was definitely something to take great comfort in. The cute little mare peeked up and inched an eye open. She smiled and closed it again as she hugged her lover tighter. Rainbow sighed again, she felt the urge to do something she's never done before.

"I love you Twilight." She said it first.

The tired unicorn gave Rainbow a kiss on the neck and whispered, "I love you... too."

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and brushed her muzzle across Twilight's horn. The sun wasn't shining so brightly anymore, it had lowered beneath a nearby building and cast a shadow into the room. It was comfortable lighting and very relaxing.

She calmed her mind and considered everything she's read so far. Rainbow wanted to hurry and finish that diary so she could drag Scoot out of her mess, or maybe... help her work through it. Scootaloo really seemed to care about Cheerilee at this point in the diary, and if Cheerilee really loved her back, then... Well stranger things are happening in the world and who's to say that they couldn't actually be happy together, whether or not it was morally acceptable was up to them and no one else's business. One thing was for certain, Cheerilee was very confusing to Rainbow, and she needed to talk to her about this.

Entry: The Morning After

Rainbow woke up, cold and alone. She reached over into the darkness to find only the comfort of a cold pillow lying on an empty blanket. The feeling of waking up alone was nothing new to Rainbow, but this time it felt different. She pulled the pillow closer and hugged onto it, wishing it was Twilight. Her chest ached and her stomach sank, she couldn't help but wonder why she was feeling this way.

With a groggy huff, Rainbow crawled out of bed and made her way towards the stairs. After opening the bedroom door, she was met with a series of subtle sounds. These were the sounds of Twilight conducting her latest magical experiment. The test subject stood shivering with his tail between his legs and a disgruntled expression.

"Why does it have to be so c-c-cold, Twi?" Spike inquired to his dissatisfaction.

"Stop complaining will you, I already explained. The cold air around you will make sure your body doesnt rapidly expand causing combustion during the transformation. Do you want to combust Spike? Didn't think so." Twilight was clearly growing impatient with her test subject.

"Why am I always the guinea pig in your little experiments anyway? I'm sure Rainbow would let you try this out on her." Spike pointed out, still shivering.

"Nuh-uh, I don't think so." Rainbow chuckled and made her way downstairs to enjoy the show.

Twilight smiled and waved at her marefriend. "Anyway, don't act like you don't want this, Spike."

"Fine, you're right... just do it already." Spike closed his eyes, still shivering.

Rainbow's curiosity was piqued. Her eyes widened as Twilight's horn was set ablaze with over charged magical energy. She focused on Spike, then sent a jolt of magic straight towards him, piercing the cold-sphere that contained him.

It hit him square in the chest. The cold-sphere condensed around him, compressing his body. He began to radiate a searing light, blinding the two mares around him. His silhouetted body began to morph behind the veil of light. The cold-sphere reformed around him then collapsed and pressed against his body with a second wave. Moments later, a veil of steam from evaporated condensation filled the library. From behind it emerged an unexpected sight.

Spike stamped the ground with a powerful hoof. He let out a deep and hot huff through his wide nostrils. His shining horns gleamed in the bright lighting as he stood strong with a rippling muscular stance. However, despite these bullish attributes, he still only stood just above half a meter in height.

Rainbow laughed. "Why is he a tiny bull?!"

Twilight trotted in circles around him. She went over everything in her mind several times before arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. "I must have over done the cold-sphere compression and prevented him from growing to full size."

Spike attempted to stand up on his back hooves. "Wa-wa-whoa!" He fell over backwards, then stood back up on all fours before trotting around the room and over to Rainbow. "What do you think of me now, Rainbow?" His voice was very similar to his dragon form, only a bit deeper.

Rainbow Dash placed her hooves on his horns and pushed his head down. "I think you're cuter as a tiny dragon, but something tells me Rarity would like this."

"Really?!" Spike shouted out with glee.

"Yeah, you should head over there." Dash placed a hoof over her mouth and chuckled.

Twilight intervened. "No, he can't leave like this. I need to make sure he stays stable as the spell wears off. It only lasts about half an hour."

"Bah, you guys have fun. I'm gonna go read now." Rainbow went back upstairs and made herself comfortable in bed as she grabbed the journal.

She flipped back to the page she left off at and noticed a strange transition from entries. This one went straight into the next day without starting a new entry, none of the others have done that so far. It seemed she wrote these two days in one sitting, and the title seemed like she stayed the night at Cheerilee's house.

I woke up feeling more refreshed than ever before. Cheerilee was holding onto me and still sleeping. This bed was so comfortable, especially compared to my cheap pile of hay I call a bed. The sheets were insanely soft, I bet they cost a fortune. Well at least a fortune as far as sheets go, not an actual fortune. What I mean is, I bet they were expensive. Anyway, after I woke up, I couldn't help but take some time to admire the situation I was in. The most beautiful mare in the world was hugging onto me and I was surrounded by warmth and comfort.

I wanted to kiss her, but I didn't want to wake her. I knew I needed to get home and take care of some things, but I didn't want to leave her sight ever again. My heart was pounding and I kept gulping and sighing. Every so often, she'd let out a deep breath or her eyes would shift while she dreamed. I watched every little movement and loved each second I got to spend with her. I couldn't help it any longer. I leaned down and kissed her on the nose, causing it to crinkle up a bit. Cheerilee smiled and her eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning sweetheart." Were the words she said to me, I nearly died.

I've never been called anything like that before, it was the best feeling in the world. I reached around and hugged her as tightly as I could. "Good morning."

I didn't know what to say, I didn't want to call her the same thing, it felt funny, like I'd be mocking her or something. I wasn't sure what else there was though. It didn't seem to bother her, she hugged back and we were able to share more kisses. Kissing her felt so right, I've never been more sure about anything in my life. This was love and I'd do whatever it took to preserve it.

Cheerilee rolled out of bed and made her way towards the door. I just laid back and watched her walk. She was so graceful and perfect. I laid there for a few minutes waiting for her to come back, but she didn't. I heard her call me into the other room. She was sitting on the couch and had some breakfast, I was pretty hungry so that was good I guess.

Then she wanted to talk. "So how are things going for you at home?"

I didn't want to answer that, but it's not like I could surprise her with anything I had to say anyway. So I told her. "The usual, my dad's still nowhere to be found and my mom is in Cloudsdale's rehabilitation clinic. I got a letter yesterday saying her mental condition isn't improving after what happened. I don't know how much longer until she'll be able to come back home."

"That's terrible. Is her insurance still paying the bills?" I wasn't sure how much I should actually tell her, but at the time I felt like an open book.

"I still have water, but the rest is off. The insurance got cut last month." It was embarrassing to admit that to her. I wished I could take better care of myself.

"Sweetheart, that's awful. You're going to stay here with me alright? I'll take care of you til your mom gets better, okay?" I loved that idea.

"That would be great! Can I move my stuff in today?" I was so happy, but I spoke too soon.

"Not quite, first I need to get temporary custody of you that way no one suspects anything unusual is going on between us. You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like until then, but you can't actually move your stuff, not yet." I didn't care, it's not like I had a lot to move anyway.

I didn't say anything else, I just hugged onto her as tightly as I could.

"So Scootaloo, are you seeing that Silver Spoon?"

"Seeing her?" I pointlessly asked, I knew what she was getting at, of course.

"You know, dating her." My heart sank, I planned on stopping at the end of the summer, but I didn't plan an falling into this kind of love with Cheerilee this deeply so quickly.

I couldn't bring myself to lie. "Yeah, kind of, but I planned on stopping before I got serious with you. I definitely plan on stopping immediately now."

She had a strange frown on while she ate some carrots. Suddenly I didn't feel so hungry. I couldn't read her expression, I wished there was some way I could read her mind or at least have some clue as to what she was thinking, her silence was killing me. I had to speak up, and hopefully make her feel better.

"Hey, I'm going to go break it off with Silver Spoon now okay? I love you Cheerilee... I just want to be all yours, okay?" She smiled an awkward smile and nodded at me.

"I love you too Scootaloo. I trust you too. Remember, I'm in your hooves, you own me." She giggled and continued eating.

I just backed out the front door and headed down the road. Silver Spoon didn't live too far from here, it was a straight shot across town from the road that Cheerilee lived off of. I had no idea what time it was or what Silver Spoon would be doing, but something told me that as long as Diamond Tiara was away then she wouldn't be busy.

I trotted up to her door an knocked a few times. I backed up and looked up towards her window. I saw her open her curtains and spot me. She smiled and waved before trotting downstairs to let me in. I was surprised when she opened the door, she wore the widest smile I'd ever seen on her. Then she hugged me and told me how much she missed me. She was definitely going to make this as hard on me as possible. I really cared about her, and I didn't want to hurt her.

I followed her inside and into her room. She showed me a picture she had taken during one of the times I stayed here with her. We were laying in her bed, smiling. The sun was shining through her window and cast very heartwarming shadows across our cheerful faces. It was a nice picture. She sat it down on her nightstand next to the bed and smiled at me. I wondered what had her in such a good mood today.

I looked around and noticed everything was really neat and organised, it was always a bit messy before. "So you seem pretty happy today."

"I am, I'm glad you're here too. I didn't expect you to come over today, but I'm so glad you did. I missed you and I've been thinking about you." She looked too happy, she kept grinning at me and looking away and blushing, but I couldn't forget why I came here today.

I knew I had to break this to her somehow but I didn't know where to begin. I was searching for a way to do this without hurting her. If I could make it seem like it was her idea, then this would be way easier for both of us. Then suddenly it popped into my head: Diamond Tiara. She loved her as far as I could tell, I needed to remind her of that, then she'd feel guilty for cheating on her and want to end this little thing we have going on.

"So when is Diamond coming back home?" I jumped straight into it.

"Um, at the end of next month. Why?" She looked sad, I thought it was working.

"Oh, well, aren't you looking forward to it?" I smiled and acted as encouraging as possible, I didn't want her to think I'd be hurt, even though this was surprisingly painful for me.

She climbed onto her bed and patted a spot next to herself, I joined her. Something strange was happening to me. It was like all that amazing love I felt for Cheerilee disappeared when I was with her, it didn't make any sense to me. I could still feel it there, but it was like a fading echo that wouldn't go away. Silver Spoon somehow managed to take priority, I couldn't help but want to make her feel good and happy. I don't know why I care so much, I just hate seeing her down. She put on a grin and placed her hoof on my cheek.

"As long as you're with me, I hope she never comes back." Then it happened, my heart broke.

I was in love with Silver Spoon, but in a different way than I was with Cheerilee. I brushed her mane over and placed my hoof on her cheek where she got hurt a couple weeks ago. I remember her crying and how bad she felt, and I was to blame for that happening. When I took her home to cheer her up that day, I think we fell for each other. I think I've been falling for her for a while now without realizing it. I knew I dreaded the day Diamond would come home, but I thought it was because I wouldn't be able to have sex with Silver anymore. Right now, sex is the last thing on my mind and I still can't stand the thought of not seeing her anymore.

I closed my eyes and brushed my muzzle against hers. I wished there was a way I could keep her in my life, but I don't think Cheerilee would be comfortable with it. I still couldn't help but wonder how our relationship would change once Diamond came back. I think Silver would completely ignore me afterwards and this would be a lot easier to deal with then. I just need to keep balancing this relationship around the one with Cheerilee until the end of next month.


Rainbow smacked herself in the face with a hoof. "You little idiot!" She groaned and turned the page to continue reading.

"So, you like me more than Diamond?" I felt a surge of confidence at the thought.

"Yeah, you're so much nicer to me, and way easier to talk to." She brushed her cheek across my face, I was starting to get those all too familiar urges.

"Is she mean to you? I can beat her up if you want." That'd be too rewarding.

"She's mean to everypony, but she doesn't deserve to get hurt." I wanted to laugh, Silver Spoon was probably too sweet for her own good. What am I saying? She's hardly ever sweet.

"Alright, I'll let her live then." I kissed her on the nose, at this point all thoughts of Cheerilee were gone. I don't know if I should hate myself for that or not.

She looked up at me with her wide purple eyes being magnified by her glasses. I felt her looking right through me, she knew what I was feeling. "Do you love me Scootaloo?"

I wanted to say no. I tried to force myself to say no, but I didn't say anything. I closed my eyes and swallowed my tongue. Silver Spoon's voice was echoing in my mind, singing, coaxing me into returning the loving affection she continued to share with me.

She brushed up against me again, closing her eyes and breathing across my cheek. "It's okay, you don't have to say anything."

Then I lost it. "Yes, I do love you." I knew this was wrong, and I felt my heart ripping in half.

"You do?! I love you too Scootaloo!" She seemed so happy, it was strange for me to feel so good yet so terrible at the same time.

I started kissing her, it was so different from Cheerilee. It was the cutest thing to feel someone I loved kissing me like that. The difference in experience between her and Cheerilee was huge, but the kiss was still very enjoyable for different reasons. Silver Spoon and I were learning together, we were sharing and gaining experience with each other. The way she flicked her tongue and bit my lips showed how into this she really was. It was an indication of how much this meant to her, she was giving this moment all of her effort, and she was making it obvious.

I started losing myself as I always do in these moments. I pushed her down onto her back and started kissing her harder. Unlike before, this wasn't me cheering her up. For the first time, we were about to make love. I licked her ear and bit down on her neck. She was thrusting herself up against me. I loved the passion and way she looked at me. She wanted me just as badly as I wanted her. I pressed myself up against her crotch as our legs interlocked.

She was really warm and wet up against me. I was probably wet too and the thought of mixing it up with hers was pretty sexy to me. I started kissing her again as I rubbed myself up and down on her. I began to wonder what it would be like if I were a stallion, if I had something to put inside of her like that. Those thoughts started to build into a strange fantasy while I rubbed myself against her as hard as I could. She was blushing and moaning while I did it, it was adorably sexy.

I decided to get a taste. I went down on her and lapped up the slippery mess between her legs. All the while I let my own hoof slip between my own to take care of myself while I finished her off. The thought of being able to bend her over and buck the crap out of her intrigued me. I wondered if there was a way I could ever do that, like with magic or something...

Rainbow stopped reading. She skimmed over the rest of the page, it just described the rest of their sex and she was hardly interested due to her current distraction.

Rainbow Dash closed the book sat it down while she thought about the possibility of Twilight being able to magically produce a stallion's appendage for her. She thought about that particular sentence in the diary. ...to bend her over and buck the crap out of her... She decided it was worth asking about. As she made her way downstairs she noticed Spike laying on his back panting. The library was a mess and Twilight was clearly flustered.

"What happened down here?" Rainbow asked.

"Spike decided to go on a rampage when I told him not to leave the library. It seems the transformation gave him a bullish mind as well. Now someone's got a library to clean." Twilight crossed her hooves and looked down at Spike.

"I'm sorry Twilight, I didn't mean to lose control, I couldn't help it." Spike shrugged while he laid on the floor.

Rainbow Dash laughed. "So, you better get started. Wanna come upstairs with me Twi? I have something I want to ask you about."

The two made their way upstairs and Twilight asked, "So, what's on your mind?"

Rainbow simply grinned.

Entries: The Morning After pt.2, What to do...

Rainbow looked up and away with a modest grin. "So, I was thinking about something."

Twilight smiled. "And what would that be?"

"Well, do you think you could give me some stallion parts with your magic?" Rainbow grinned wider.

"Sure but why would you wan... Ohhh..." Twilight blushed and looked down between Rainbow's legs.

Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows and stood up on her back hooves. "See? How am I supposed to buck you like I mean it if I don't have the proper tools?" She gestured between her legs with her front hooves.

"Yeah, right. Maybe tomorrow, I'm tired after Spike's transformation." Twilight climbed into bed and laid down.

"Yes! Tomorrow, we're doing it!" Rainbow leaped into bed and grabbed the diary.

Twilight laughed and hugged onto her, easily allowing herself to get comfortable and doze off. Rainbow had just woken up and wasn't about to fall asleep anytime soon. She opened the book and turned the page, starting back where she left off.

Silver Spoon fell asleep pretty quickly, she seemed exhausted so I wasn't surprised. I wasn't about to sleep though, my mind was running a mile a minute. I stared up at the ceiling while I laid on my back, Silver hugged onto me and a cool summer breeze caused her curtains flutter around a bit. It felt nice on my face, like a relaxing brush through my coat massaging my cheeks in the gentlest way. Occasionally a glimpse of the sun would be caught through the parting curtains, but I never took the time to readjust myself or to shield my eyes, I couldn't bring myself to move.

Silver snuggled up nice and close, she buried her muzzle in my chest and I wrapped an arm around her neck. I looked down at her and saw that precious subtle smile while she nuzzled me. This kid was happier that I'd ever seen her before, and I wasn't about to take that away from her, not for Cheerilee's sake. I just needed a plan, a way to keep these two relationships balanced until everything just worked itself out. At the end of next month, Diamond will be back home, then I can push those two together and solve their problems for them. In the mean time, Silver needs me, that's all there is to it.

I rolled her over onto her side and stood up off the bed. She was a heavy sleeper, I felt like I could do anything to her and she'd sleep through it, which gave me some bad ideas. I'd never act on those ideas though, at least I don't think I would. Yeah I didn't give myself a chance to, I headed outside and back to my house before I tried something stupid.

It was really hot out so I hurried home before I got all sweaty. The sun was glaring down on me the whole way, but the cool breeze felt nice against my moistening body. When I finally made it inside, it was nearly as hot in my room as it was in the sun. I couldn't last here all summer, this place was falling apart and without mom was unlivable. I'm so lucky I have Cheerilee right now, I'd be lost without her. I grabbed my diary and a few other things and stuffed them into a bag before I headed back out.

It was a pretty long walk from my place all the way across town. I was feeling awful the whole way and the sun was burning into my back. My stupid cheap scooter had a busted wheel or this would have been so much easier. I knew I shouldn't complain though, things could be worse. I could be stuck in my hot room with nowhere to go and no one to take care of. I'd be alone lying in a pool of my own sweat and possibly dying of heat exhaustion. Who knows?

By the time I reached Cheerilee's house, I was dripping. I tapped on her door before letting myself in. It was like instant relief when I entered. There was a cool breeze blowing through the entire house from a really nice looking fan in the corner. I took a second to stand in front of it and let it blow through my mane. I couldn't help but smile, it felt awesome!

Cheerilee trotted up behind me without me noticing, then she wrapped her arms around me and lifted me into the air. The fan blew onto my stomach and between my legs. It was so soothing.

"Did ya miss me?" Cheerilee whispered into my ear.

I felt a bit awkward after what happened at Silver's house, but I decided to keep it a secret before I even came here. I hated keeping secrets but I had to this time. "I didn't see her, she wasn't home so I just grabbed some things and came back over."

"That's not what I asked, but okay." I smacked myself in the face with a hoof.

"Sorry, I just thought you should know. And of course I missed you, I missed you the second I left the house." I'm such an idiot. I don't know how I could have blurted it out like that. It would have been best to not have to discuss it for the longest amount of time possible.

"It must be really hot out there, you're soaked." I felt her hoof running down my stomach.

"Yeah, it's really really hot, like crazy hot. You should go check it out." I wiggled down out of her arms.

She smiled and trotted up to the front door then opened it for a second before agreeing with me. I jumped up on the couch and anticipated an awkward conversation. I was surprised when she didn't immediately bring it up. She took a seat next to me and brushed her muzzle against my chest, pushing me over gently. She ran her two front hooves up my stomach across my chest and through my mane. I could feel the sweat was still there, although it was definitely not as bad as a few minutes ago thanks to the fan.

"You're so sweaty and dirty Scootaloo. What am I going to do with you?" I felt uncomfortable with that, but hay, she's said weirder things.

"Should I shower?" I thought that's what she was getting at.

"No, you're fine. Come with me, I want to try something." She stood up and wrapped her hoof around mine, dragging me to the bedroom.

When we were in there she put me on the bed and shut the door. I felt the breeze from the rest of the house get cut off. She opened the curtains and shut the window, allowing the sun to shine in but not the air. I felt the temperature immediately rise drastically and then it dawned on me. She's a really dirty mare sometimes. She liked me being sweaty and wanted me to sweat more. Her eyes were narrowed as she made her way onto the bed with me. She was feeling the effects of the heat too, I could see it on her forehead and chest.

She crawled up next to me and ran a hoof across my mane. I put mine through hers and pulled her into a kiss. I felt her warm body press up against mine and begin moisten. I wrapped my legs around her and felt her do the same, she pulled me in tightly with her back leg and rolled on top of me. As time went by, the room continued to get hotter. I could hardly see straight between the heat and the sensuality. Her body was glistening as she continued to rub herself against me, and I was falling into the moment. I stuck my tongue out and licked her cheek. She was salty, but I loved it.

This was dirty, I know, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love every second of it. I pushed her over and climbed on top. My mane was soaked and dangling much farther down that it would normally. I saw a bead of sweat drip off my forehead and onto her cheek. She pressed her hoof against it and grinned. I went down and kissed her again, sucking her bottom lip into my mouth. She seemed thrilled for a while. Then she pushed me onto my back and started rubbing her hooves all over me. My entire body was wet and slippery with a mixture of both our perspiration soaking my coat. She pressed her face up against my chest and stuck her tongue out.

I felt her long warm tongue part my coat and brush across my skin as she licked up from my chest to my neck. I imagined that I probably tasted awful at the time, but it seemed like she couldn't get enough. She went back down and did it again, this time starting at my stomach. She went all the way up to my ear and pressed her body up against me as she did so. Then she went back down and started lower. She left a trail of saliva across my lower stomach as she licked in circles around my entire lower body. Tingles shot through my spine when she brushed her tongue across my upper thighs and between my legs.

I felt like I was already about to come immediately after she bit down on my lips and pulled them into her mouth. Cheerilee was an expert at making love to me. She knew how to make be beg her for an orgasm and at the same time wish I'd never come just so we wouldn't have to stop. Sweat was pouring down my face and my mane was completely soaked as I laid there, panting and gasping. My body quivered beneath her tongue and she knew I was done. I felt her kiss up every inch of my body as she made her way back to mouth.

"Your body is delicious Scootaloo. I could eat you up all day long." I smiled, feeling confident.

"I'd like that, actually." She giggled and rolled over onto her back.

I felt like eating her out, but I didn't want to move. With my front hooves I wiped the mane out of my face again. Sweat dripped off the tips of my hooves afterwards. Cheerilee noticed and stood up.

"Come on, lets go lay in front of the fan." She pulled me off the bed and held my hoof as we entered the front room.

It was just as awesome the second time. I was in love with this fan, it was so powerful and refreshing. Cheerilee pointed it down so we could lay on the floor right in front of it. After a few minutes of relaxation, she talked to me.

"So are you going to stay here tonight?" I knew I wanted to, but I wasn't quite sure if she wanted me to.

"Can I?" I figured I'd best choose my words carefully or I'd risk embarrassing myself again.

"Of course you can, I want you here every night and all day. I love you, Scootaloo." I felt her pull me in tighter.

"Then yes, I'll stay here as long as I'm welcome. I love you too Cheerilee." I closed my eyes. Things seemed like they were going smoothly.

After that not much else really went down. We laughed and talked with each other for the rest of the day. She told me about college and why she became a teacher. I also learned that I was the first mare she's been in a serious relationship with. That feels really good to know, I'm glad she's all mine. I love her so much, and I can't stand the thought of sharing her.

Oh, another thing she talked about that kind of bugged me was her crush that she says she never really got over.

"I was just a little older than you when she moved to Ponyville. She got kicked out of flight school in Cloudsdale and had no choice but to attend Ponyville High. I liked her immediately, she was the first mare I ever had a crush on, but I wasn't really her type. I tried to flirt, but I wasn't good at it. I don't know if she ever even really realized how I felt, and I've always wondered what would have happened it I were a little less shy at the time. I can't complain though, I have you now and you're perfect for me. In a couple small ways, you actually really remind me of her."

Bah, I don't wanna hear about that stuff. Anyway, Cheerilee is waiting for me, so...

~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow stared at the page with wide eyes. She scanned back over that section. I was just a little older than you when she moved to Ponyville. She got kicked out of flight school in Cloudsdale and had no choice but to attend Ponyville High. Rainbow gulped.

In a couple small ways, you actually really remind me of her. She cleared her throat and sat the book down. Her mind filled with memories of attending school with Cheerilee, who was a couple grades ahead of her.

She closed the book and sat it down, a painful realization filling her mind. Cheerilee was desperate, and likely using Scootaloo to fill a void in her life. If it were anyone but Scootaloo, Rainbow would have laughed and encouraged the lucky student, but this was different. Ever since those days the two spent together, they've been more than friends. Those days filled her mind, they were good times and both enjoyed the carefree hours spent together.

She decided to see what Scootaloo had written about them if anything. Not wanting to miss anything, Rainbow skimmed through the other entries and their titles to make sure nothing too exciting or revealing happened in between. If she recalled correctly, the time they spent together was during that summer just before Diamond came back home, so there wasn't much time left to go.

An entry stood out: What to do...

Rainbow took a second to glance down through the entry for anything of interest. Scootaloo's writing was unusually sloppy. Her eyebrows narrowed and her heart sank deep into her stomach. She covered her mouth with a hoof and started over from the beginning to make sure she had the entire story. She looked more closely, there were small circular crinkles dotting the page, they appeared to be dried tears.

I don't know what to do. I'm freaking out right now, I can't even think straight. My hooves are still shaking. I just don't know what to do. I'm at home again and it's storming out so I can't really go anywhere now. I need to go see Silver Spoon and make sure she's alright. I really need to think all of this over, I know it's my fault, but I have to do something. I'm going to take a minute and sort this out.

So the day started off normal. I was with Cheerilee as usual and we had breakfast together like we do everyday. I told her I was going to go check on the house and that I'd be back before the storm hit. Of course it was just an excuse to go check on Silver Spoon like I always do. I'd spend a couple hours talking to her and making her happy, everything was normal and balancing out perfectly. Diamond would have been back in a week and I could have started a normal life with Cheerilee.

I was happy to see her and she was just as happy to see me. We kissed but that was it, I didn't want to have sex with her anymore even though we did almost every time I came over. This time was different. We felt like best friends more than anything, and she wasn't too sad when I left. She waved me off with a smile and blew a kiss. I put a hoof over my heart and winked at her. It was a nice visit, she was wonderful.

I figured I should actually go ahead and swing by my house to make sure all the windows were closed. When I got there I almost died. Cheerilee was standing at the front door with a crooked smile.

"Oh, hey there Scootaloo. How was your little visit with Silver Spoon?" I was caught, I just didn't know what to say.

"I..." I just froze up.

"Shh, don't say anything yet. I closed your windows for you. Lets go get Silver Spoon. We'll all go back to my house and work this out. Sound good?" I nodded. This was going to kill Silver Spoon. The worst part is that it was my fault.

We started heading towards Silver's house when Cheerilee stopped me. "I think it'll be better if you go wait at my place, and we'll meet you there, okay Scoot?" Without thinking about it, I just nodded and obeyed.

She smiled and waved while she trotted on ahead without me. I turned in the opposite direction and followed the same road back to her place. I waited for a really long time, wondering what was going on. It felt like hours before Cheerilee finally walked in. The only problem was that she walked in alone. I asked her where Silver was but she wasn't talking.

"I'm sorry Scoot, I didn't really think about what I was doing." She trotted into the kitchen and came out with a bottle of some kind of hard liquor.

"What do you mean?" I asked, I never could have imagined what had happened.

She took a long drink from the bottle then slammed it down onto a table. It was really loud and made me jump. "I've been bad Scoot. Go on, punish me." She laid down and lowered her head onto her hooves.

I didn't know what to do or say. "What happened to Silver Spoon? Where is she?" I had to ask.

"She's um... Home by now, probably. Maybe not. I left her behind the school, not too far from where she lives. She's just so... bitchy and annoying ya know? I lost it." My stomach churned, I didn't know what she was telling me.

"What did you do?" I knew I didn't want to know.

"Okay, maybe I hit her. I don't know. I'm sorry okay?" She got up and took another long drink.

I felt the tears welling up. I turned around and rushed out. I heard her yelling and begging me not to leave her, but I had to go check on Silver. She's really sensitive, and she's probably very hurt even if she didn't get hit hard. I ran as fast as I could to the school. It was getting dark and really windy due to the storm blowing in. When the school finally came into view, I spotted a small gray pony curled up into a ball near the corner.

I cantered over and slowed my pace into soft trot. She was crying, and much worse off than I had predicted. I fell over and hugged onto her, my own tears escaping despite my best efforts to stay strong.

"Silver, what happened?" I asked her as I spotted her glasses on the sidewalk, completely smashed.

She didn't answer me. Her face was red and her lip was bleeding. She was holding one side of her ribs with both hooves and her flank was badly scraped up.

"You need to tell me what happened!" When I yelled she jumped and cowered. I felt terrible.

"Cheerilee hit me. I was walking with her and she seemed happy. One minute she was smiling, then she turned around and pushed me over. I slid across the side walk and she started stomping on me. I don't know what happened or what I did. I told her to stop and that I was sorry, then she just stomped on my glasses and ran away."

She was still crying and my heart was completely shattered. I know it's my fault, and that makes it hurt so much more. Silver Spoon didn't do anything wrong, I'm the one who deserved this, not her. I was crying, I had to think of a way to work through this, but I was running out of ideas.

"Silver, you can't tell anyone what happened okay?" It nearly killed me to say that, but I had no choice. Cheerilee would be arrested for sure if Silver talked.

"What?! Why not?!" She wasn't happy that I said that, and that's understandable, but I had to convince her.

"I can't explain now, but promise me you won't tell anyone. If you love me, you won't tell, okay?" I am the worst kind of pony, I know it. I had to do this though, I couldn't lose Cheerilee, I know she didn't mean to do this and I had to help her figure out what was wrong with her.

Silver Spoon just hugged onto me and cried. I could feel her body jerking as she let her tears fall, and I had no idea how to make this right. I needed guidance, but I had no idea where to begin looking.

I sent Silver home and considered going back to Cheerilee's, but figured I didn't want to see her drunk right now. I'd probably kill her. I needed to relax at home and clear my mind while I work all of this out.

That's it, I just don't know. I just want to run away from all of this, I wish I could start over and do this right from the beginning.

~Scootaloo, out-

Whoa, that was some really loud thunder. This storm is pretty scary... Okay Scootaloo is actually out this time. -

Rainbow let out a painful sigh, she recalled this storm. There was an accidental tornado that destroyed Scootaloo's home that day and put her in the hospital. It was Rainbow's fault for getting carried away when compressing the storm-front, and the guilt was killing her. A few days later when Scoot finally left the hospital, was when she decided to spend more time with her, especially since she knew how much Scootaloo looked up to her.

The next entry was about that day. Rainbow put on a warm smile and tried not to think about that last entry as she read the next few.

Entry: My Hero

Rainbow glanced down at Twilight, who was happily snoring away. She calmly smiled and laughed under her breath, the events Scootaloo faced pushed Rainbow towards a new sense of appreciation for what she's found. She ran her hoof across Twilight's cheek and brushed the mane out of her face. Such a gentle and warm side of Rainbow Dash was a rare sight, and she was sure to keep it that way. She was beginning to realize that maybe Twilight brought out the best in her.

Putting her romantic thoughts aside, she decided to continue reading before she got too tired. These next entries were of particular interest to her. She turned the page and lost her smile as she began reading away.

I woke up today in a strange yet familiar place. It was terrifying, I had no idea where I was or why I was in so much pain. I looked around and didn't recognize a single face. It was a horrible feeling, to be surrounded by ponies but still feel completely alone. I didn't realize it at first, but I was in the Ponyville Emergency Room. I could barely see and my wing was killing me. I leaned up and looked at the lights overhead, they were blindingly bright and I couldn't focus with them shining into my eyes. I laid back down and covered my face with my hooves, then a doctor came up to me.

"Hello there little one, my name is Doctor Stitch, and I'll be taking care of you today." Doctor Stitch? That sounded like some kind of serial killer or something from a horror film.

That's when it hit me, I was in a hospital. I felt my left wing throbbing as I tried to lean up. The doctor yelled at me to take it easy but I was determined to get a look for myself. When I saw it I nearly fainted, there was blood everywhere, soaking my bed-sheets. I could feel a tear between my wing and my body as I stretched it forward. The thing was nearly entirely ripped off, well at least it felt that way. I felt like I was about to cry but held it in as I tucked my wing back down.

"Please Scootaloo, don't do that. You need to leave your wing down while the tear heals. The stitches can only hold so much pressure, I don't need you popping them, alright?" My mind was racing trying to figure out what happened, I couldn't remember anything.

I felt dizzy, my head was spinning like a record and I couldn't get a grasp on reality. I had to ask, "What happened to me?"

Talking was difficult, I felt like I was about to drool while I attempted to form words. Apparently I'd been dosed with quite a bit of pain meds. I glanced around the room. There were two others in here with similarly brutal injuries. I realized something terrible had happened.

"There was an accident with the storm. A tornado formed and did a lot of damage to Southern Ponyville. A few houses were demolished, yours included. You're lucky to be alive, Scootaloo." Lucky to be alive? I think I grinned, I felt like grinning anyway. That was a laugh.

"Is Cheerilee around?" I hoped.

"Sorry, but no visitors are permitted to enter the ICU at this time." I still wanted to know.

"I just want to know if she's here or not, can you tell me?" I don't know why I cared so much, I guess I just wanted to know if she was worried about me.

"Um, I'll go check. Just a moment." A nurse trotted out and came back a few minutes later.

"Yes, there are quite a few visitors trying to see you right now. They'll have to wait, but among them is Cheerilee." That was a relief.

I felt like writing, so I asked for a notepad or something. I really hoped my journal was still intact after the storm. I'd have to go digging as soon as I could get up. I jotted down my feelings and everything, then copied them down into this later.

The next day I got moved into the recovery unit. I was able to see my friends and everyone. It was pretty great. I really missed Cheerilee after spending last night alone. I just wasn't used to that anymore. The biggest and best surprise I got was Rainbow Dash coming to see me. I was so happy, I still can't believe she came. It felt so good to know that she cared and was worried about me. I expected Cheerilee to care, but Rainbow Dash... It's just different, it was the best feeling I could imagine.

I remember when she crashed a couple summers ago. She was unconscious for three days, and I kept sneaking out of the house so I could spend as much time next to her as I could. I just wanted to make sure that she didn't wake up alone. I felt terrible when I woke up alone, I'm not sure how much time has passed, but I bet if she could have, she would have been here for me.

When she woke up, I was the first pony she saw and I started crying. I was so glad to see her eyes again, it was scary seeing her so hurt. I hugged onto her and she hugged me back, I was happy to have been there for her like that. I wonder if she knows how much that moment meant to me.

Now that she was here, she was able to return the favor and make sure I didn't feel alone. Cheerilee disappeared right after Rainbow came in for some reason, but I didn't really mind. It was nice that it was just the two of us for a while.

"Hey kiddo, how's the wing?" She spoke pretty quietly and something was clearly on her mind.

"Been better." I laughed, trying my best to make her feel comfortable.

She seemed to have tears in her eyes and her lip was quivering. I never could have imagined why. She trotted up to me and placed her hoof on my cheek.

"I'm so sorry Scootaloo. I didn't mean it..." She was crying and she hugged onto me tightly.

All I could do was hug her back. Seeing her like this broke my heart but I needed to know what was going on. This wasn't the Dash I knew.

"It's alright, don't worry about it. What happened though?" I asked, hoping to find some answers.

"I... I caused the tornado. I didn't mean to, I was just trying to... trying to hurry." Her sobbing was getting in the way of her words.

"Shh shh, it's alright Dash, I know you'd never hurt me on purpose." Seeing such a strong pony brought to tears like this was tearing me up inside.

I wished she didn't feel so bad, I never once blamed her for anything that happened. Even if it was her fault, I could never hold it against her. She's my friend, and I care about her too much to ever let anything come between us. As long as she was there for me, I had a home and someone to confide in. I just want her to know how I feel. I know she's usually too busy for me, but when she's around, my life is just better. I really do love her, I've never cared for a pony the way I care for her. She's everything to me, she's like a distant goal that I strive to reach, a mare that I hope to become. She represents a point in my life when I'll know exactly who I am and who I want to be. She's who I am and who I want to be, she's me, only perfect.

I know I have to push through these hard times on my own, but once I get past them, I'll be a better mare.

Rainbow's tears dotted the page. She wiped her face with a hoof and laid down on the pillow. Why didn't you ever tell me this Scoot? I'd have taken you in. I'd have done anything you needed me to, you never have to be on your own, you know that...

Rainbow turned the page and wiped her eyes again. These recalled emotions were much stronger than she anticipated.

"Well I'm here for you now Scoot, if you need a place or anything, just... just let me know and I'll take care of you." Those words made me feel at ease, to know that I'll have a place to go and someone to take care of me if I need it.

I wished I could return the favor, but I didn't have much to offer. "Thanks Dash, that really means a lot to me."

She just nodded and stood next to me looking sad for a while. After a while she ended up taking a seat and looking around. It felt awkward but I didn't know what to say.

Then she decided to break the silence. "So how's school going?"

"Dash, it's the middle of summer."

"Oh, yeah, right."

Then back to silence. It didn't take too long before she said something else, then we had small conversations about a few things. She asked how my mom was doing, I really didn't want to talk about it but I figured I might as well. I explained where she was and what was happening. Then once again we were both silent.

I felt bad, I know she wanted to make me feel comfortable, but she was doing the opposite. I hated the thought of her feeling obligated to stay here with me even though she didn't want to.

"Go ahead and leave if you want to, I'll be fine." I really hoped she'd want to stay, but I wasn't about to make her.

"Oh are you sure? I can let you get some sleep if you want." It seemed like an obvious excuse, just her way of leaving without feeling guilty.

"Yeah, I could use a nap." Considering I had only been up for a few hours, I really wasn't tired at all. But she was quick to jump up and head out anyway.

Then I was alone, it was pretty late after Rainbow left and visiting hours were over. It was fine at first, but then my stupid thoughts started ruining the comfortable silence. It seemed that Rainbow didn't really care after all, that she was only here because she felt guilty. I kept fighting those thoughts, trying to convince myself that they weren't true, but the more I thought, the more obvious it became. That's why she was so quick to leave me alone, and all she wanted to talk about was how she could make up for what happened. Offering me a place to stay and telling me how sorry she was.

It was a painful revelation, but who am I kidding?

I spent the rest of the day alone and I'm tired of writing. My wing is killing me and I need more sleep.

~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow wanted to shout at Scootaloo through the pages that it wasn't true, she really did care but she was just uncomfortable and not used to that sort of thing. Frustrated, she turned to the next entry.

Today started out pretty crappy, they cleaned my wound and reset my joint. I guess they found me beneath an old bookshelf buried under a pile of debris. It was really painful but I knew it had to be done. Afterwards, to my surprise, Rainbow came back. She trotted in bright and early, it was just after eight in the morning. I could hardly believe it, I guess she did care, or maybe she was feeling guilty again. I don't know, but I was glad to see her.

"Good morning Scoot, feelin better today?" She asked letting out a long drawn out yawn, I could only smile and nod.

She came up to me and wrapped a hoof around my head to give me a quick hug after setting a saddle bag down next to the visitor's chair. I was able to sit up now while I ate my breakfast. It was some pretty gross stuff, but I was starving. Rainbow had a grin on her face while she watched me choke down that cheap hospital food.

"What are you lookin at?" I'm not sure where my attitude was coming from, but I felt pretty irritable.

"Nothin', so when do you think you'll get to leave?" I just shrugged and kept eating.

She was staring at me strangely so I stopped mid-chew to answer. "I'm not sure, they haven't really said anything, but I'm feeling better so probably soon." I hoped that was true, I had a lot of things to attend to as soon as I got out.

Just then a nurse came trotting in and Rainbow decided to ask her. She said soon depending on my next examination. I sighed and assumed I'd be here a while, just my luck. As she trotted off, Silver Spoon came trotting in. I had a pit in my stomach and wasn't quite sure how to react. I wondered what she had to say now.

She trotted up to me and kept looking down. "Are you okay?"

I put on a bright smile patted her mane. "Of course I am, I can handle anything."

It felt funny. I was bandaged up in a hospital bed with a torn wing and I was still the one doing the cheering up. She looked terrible though, I guess she was worried. I can relate because I know I'd feel awful if it were her or Cheerilee that got hurt. I hugged her and hoped Rainbow wouldn't find it strange.

"I'm glad you're alright, I was really worried about you Scootaloo." She really touched my heart, and I'm glad the Cheerilee incident seemed to be off her mind.

"Don't worry about me, I've got Rainbow Dash watching my back. Go ahead and go home now so I can get some sleep. I'll go see you as soon as I can, alright?" I just wanted to get her out of here before she got too touchy in front of Dash.

"Oh, okay." She leaned up into my ear and whispered, "I love you."

I held onto her for a little longer and resisted the urge to kiss her. Then she trotted off and wiped her eyes after looking back, probably making sure I didn't change my mind and want her to stay. If it weren't for Rainbow I'd have made her stay with me all day.

Once we were alone I told Dash to shut the door, I was really looking forward to spending time with her, and I was curious as to what she brought with her.

"So what's in the bag?" I had to know.

"A surprise, this helped me get through the boredom when I was stuck in the hospital. I figured you'd like these too." She reached into the bag and pulled out a book.

I was a bit skeptical at first. "Daring Do?" I read the title, it sounded awful.

"Save it, I know what you're thinking because I thought the same thing." She pulled the chair up next to the bed.

I rolled my eyes and scooted as close to her as I could. She was sitting on the arm of the chair and wrapped her hoof around me as she rested the book on her leg and turned the first page. Then she cleared her throat and began reading.

I don't know if it was as enticing a book as she thought it was, but it was alright. More than anything, I loved the fact that she was here with me, taking time out of her life to make mine better. I can never truly tell her how much that means to me, especially during this part of my life. Not the injury, but my depression. The things that I've been doing lately really weighed in on my heart, and the way my friends have been getting hurt and hurting themselves made it worse. But as long as Rainbow was with me, none of that mattered. She took my pain away, and replaced it with solice.

It was a wonderful day thanks to her, and it flew by. The doctor said I looked good and was healing nicely. As long as my next checkup went well then I'd be able to leave tomorrow morning.

Well here's me hoping, ~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow brushed her hoof across the page with a teary eyed smile. At the time she was only trying to make Scootaloo's stay at the hospital easier, she never realized how much of an impact she actually made on the filly's life. Now more than ever, she felt like visiting Scoot again. It had been a while since the last time they spent any time together, and if their time together was that meaningful, then surely their time apart was hard on her.

She recalled the next day quite vividly, and always wondered what Scootaloo thought about it. Excited to find out, she turned the page and kept on reading.


Entry: The Time of my Life

Rainbow yawned and stretched her hooves out as she prepared to read the next entry. She was getting pretty tired but could't resist reading about that particular day. With another yawn, she wiped her tired eyes and read on.

Today was the best day ever, well it was great but it had its downs too. I got to leave the hospital this morning, but that wasn't the best part. I was still really glad to get away from their stupid physical therapy. There were a few times that I was pretty close to just walking out on my own, but then they'd pull my wing and make me stretch it and that crap hurt. Anyway, my time there in between the agony gave me a chance to think about some things. I really needed to talk to Cheerilee about what she did to Silver Spoon. At least Silver seemed to be dealing with it pretty well, and she still loved me, which was another issue on its own.

First and foremost, I needed to make sure Cheerilee wasn't about to do anything that crazy again. I headed straight to her house after I left the hospital. I felt confident at first, but nervousness began to sink in as I approached the door. I knocked and stood still for a while, then she slowly opened the door. I was greeted with a wall of stench and a halfhearted hug.

"Mmm, Scoolaloot, I missed you soooo much." She slurred her words and started using me to balance.

I pushed her inside and shut the door behind myself. I'm not sure if I was more angry or disappointed. I trotted up to her and smacked the half empty bottle out of her hooves. I spend days in the hospital, she hardly visits, and this is how I see her when I'm finally out?!

"What the hay do you think you're doing like this?!" I couldn't help but yell at her.

"I'm so sorry Scoo, I saw the, read the... I just needed to..." I waited but she couldn't be bothered to finish her sentence.

"Needed to what?!" I shouted, she wasn't making any sense.

She just groaned and pressed her face into the couch cushion, then started crying. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. I sat down on the couch and put my hoof on her head, stroking her mane.

"Shh, it's alright. I'm sorry I yelled at you." It almost felt like I was talking to a little foal, it was pretty pathetic.

She leaned up and kissed my leg, then pointed towards her bedroom. "I got your stuff, your thing, your things for you."

I patted her on the head and immediately questioned myself as to why I'd do that, then trotted into her room. A pile of stuff was sitting in front of her dresser, I noticed all of it piled up and on the dresser was my diary. Then it hit me, she must have read it and that's why she was so depressed right now. I flipped through it, the pages were all messed up but everything in it was still completely legible.

I left it there and trotted back to her. I lifted her up and let her rest on my good wing to help walk her to her bedroom. I helped push her into bed and covered her up. She was in no condition to talk about this right now so I figured I'd let her sleep it off. After I tucked her in I headed through her pantry and cupboards to get rid of all her drinks. I decided to use some of the hold I had on her for a change. If I owned her, then she'd have no choice but to listen to me, and I didn't want her drinking anymore.

Next I figured I should head over to Silver Spoon's and check in on her, make sure she's still doing okay and everything. Cheerilee was being a total piece of crap right now but I know she's a better pony than that. She's just dealing with a lot, especially if she read this diary. It was going to be hard, but at least we were both on the same page now... So to speak.

I knocked on Silver's door, she was really quick to answer, almost like she was expecting me. As soon as the door opened, I got pushed backwards by a powerful hug. She started kissing me on the cheeks and told me how much she missed me.

"Come on come on, lets go inside." I followed her as she happily trotted upstairs and into her room.

She kept looking back and smiling, her tail was cheerfully flipping back and forth as she cantered. This was nice, this was what a greeting after I got out of the hospital should feel like. I was happy to be there, and felt welcomed. Silver Spoon was a good friend, not only that, she was a good marefriend. I hate that I wrote that, Cheerilee has been good to me too, she gave me a place to live, and she's been taking care of me all this time. I'd freak out too if I read her diary and found out she had been cheating on me this whole time. I can't really blame her for what happened, but it seems like she forgave me for it.

Silver pulled me onto her bed and laid me down on my back. She laid on her side and placed her hoof on my hurt wing. The tip of her hoof gently rubbed around the healing wound and she put on a worried expression.

"Feeling better?" Her concern was cute.

"Ouch!" I shouted to scare her and it worked. She jumped back and her eyes widened beyond belief.

"I'm so sorry Scootaloo, I didn't mean to!" I started laughing.

"You're too easy Silver Spoon." She let out a sigh and blushed.

Then she hit me in my other wing. "Ouch! That really did hurt."

"Good, it was supposed to!" I guess I deserved that.

"I really missed you too, being alone in the hospital sucked. Being away from you was the hardest part of it all." Part of that was true, I really did miss her, but I couldn't really say for sure what the hardest part was.

She put on a warm and gentle smile, it was really nice and relaxing to look at. Her smile was probably the prettiest I'd ever seen. The sunlight was warm and shining through the window, brightening her already bright purple eyes. She started to lean in, inviting me to kiss her. I couldn't resist, I really wanted to. It felt like our first kiss all over again when our lips touched. This amazing little mare was always quick to remind me that I was in love with her, even when I'm still so certain that Cheerilee's the one for me.

"I love you Silver Spoon." I needed to let her know, even though it felt so wrong to say it.

"I love you too." She smiled and flicked the mane out of my face.

"I have to go, there are a few things I need to take care of at home. I'll see you soon okay?" She quickly frowned.

"Can I come too?" I felt bad, but I couldn't let her.

"No, I need to do this alone, I can't really explain." That would have to satisfy her. I stood up and gave her another kiss before leaving.

She followed me to the front door and gave me another before I headed out. I don't even know why I decided to go back there. Cheerilee had already gotten my things, I guess I just wanted to see for myself. On my way across town, I noticed a lot of fallen branches and other debris piled up along the road. The town was still a mess after that storm.

My house came into view, well, what was left of it anyway. The back wall was still standing and there was caution tape surrounding it. 'Do Not Cross', yeah right. I crossed under it and started going through the piles of wood and all my old belongings. I found a broken picture frame, inside was a soaked photo of me and my mom. I looked really stupid with my mane brushed to one side and a crooked smile on my face. She looked okay, she was smiling at least. Even if it was fake, it was probably one of the last ones she got to experience. We were standing in front of this house, my dad took the picture. This was starting to bring back memories I didn't feel like remembering.

I dropped it and turned to head back into town. "Hey! No crossing the tape!"

I froze and cringed, I thought I was going to be in some kind of trouble. Then she chuckled.

"Heh, you're too easy Scoot." Rainbow Dash came fluttering down from a cloudtop and trotted under the tape with me.

"I hate you, so what are you doing here anyway?" I regretted saying that I hated her, but it was done, might as well play it cool.

"You weren't at the hospital and I figured I'd be able to find you here." I couldn't believe she wanted to see me out of the hospital.

"Yeah, so, what's up?" My heart was racing with excitement, but I knew I had to stay cool so she'd like me.

"I just figured we could hang out for a while, and if you need a place to stay just let me know. I have plenty of room." Living with Rainbow Dash everyday... I don't know if I'd love that or lose my mind. I'd probably drive myself crazy trying to make sure I didn't disappoint her in some way.

"So what do you want me to do? I mean, us to. Us to do, that is." I smacked my face with my hoof, why do I always stumble over my words when I'm around her?!

She laughed again and said that she had something to show me. We left the house, turned down a small road and trotted off towards the edge of town. Then she pointed to the sky with a hoof.

"See that? That's my house. I almost never use it, but if you ever need it just let me know and I'll fly you up there." I wanted her to fly me up there just so I could know what it felt like.

"Take me up there now, just so I can check it out." I put on my biggest smile, hoping it would encourage her.

"Sure thing kiddo." She grabbed onto me and took off.

The house seemed a lot closer than it really was, it took a long time to get here. I loved the way it felt though, a new and amazing experience being shared with the one pony in the world I'd want to share it with. I closed my eyes and fluffed my wings while she carried me into the sky. The wind rushed through my coat and mane while we flew, and I could feel her warmth on my back. Her hooves held me tight, but it didn't hurt, everything was just perfect. Flying was an awesome experience, even if I wasn't technically flying. I'd imagined what it would feel like so many times, I'd even tried to compare it to ramping with my scooter, but nothing I'd ever tried before even came close. I spread my front hooves far apart and felt the rush of air flowing across my chest.

I never wanted this flight to end, but it did. She dropped me onto the cloud porch and led the way inside. I felt dizzy, the rush of flying with her like that still lingered and I couldn't get my balance. The cloud was soft and cushy, I wasn't used to walking on it. I bet I looked funny hopping along through the doorway and into the small house. It was pretty much empty in there, a few pieces of furniture and fixtures lined the walls. Other than that it seemed pretty much abandoned.

"Welcome to my home Scoot." Not much of a home.

She walked over behind the front door to see a pile of mail. There were a few letters, but one stood out. It was dated for today and addressed from Cloudsdale Weather Factory. She gave me a funny look and opened it up. Her eyes scanned over the paper inside several times, clearly reading and rereading to make sure she was reading it correctly. I could tell it was bad news by the look on her face, but I had nothing to say.

"Looks like I'm in trouble." She grinned and scratched the back of her head.

"The tornado?" That seemed obvious enough, I don't know why I asked.

"Yup, they want to see me immediately. I think I'll pass on that for a while, so, what should we do today? Wanna hang out?" Uh, duh. I wanted to fall over backwards, but didn't.

"Yeah sure, we can do whatever you want Dash." I felt myself smiling way too widely for comfort, but I couldn't control it.

"So... wanna... um..." She was looking around, apparently there wasn't much to do around here. Who am I kidding, there wasn't much to do anywhere.

I just shrugged.

"Well what do you wanna do?" Honestly, the only thing on my mind was flying, I wanted her to fly me everywhere all day.

I wasn't sure if she'd like that, but it was worth a try. "Maybe you can fly me somewhere. Anywhere would be cool, I just want to fly again. I loved it."

She sank down a bit and sighed. Her smile seemed really warm and comforting, her eyes were half-closed and relaxed-looking too. I wonder what was on her mind.

"Sure, I'd like that too." She trotted out the front door and signaled me to follow.

When I made it out there she picked me up and took flight. She soared straight up and I felt all the same feelings as before, it was just amazing.

She leveled out and we glided over Ponyville, I could see all the treetops and roofs beneath us. I thought I should feel scared, but I didn't, it all felt so natural, like I belonged in the sky. We flew for what felt like hours, even though it was probably only a few minutes. I loved the way it felt when she made a sharp turn, I'd close my eyes every time and enjoy the butterflies in my stomach that followed. I wished we could fly together forever.

Eventually, she landed. We were both resting atop a small cloud. It was getting pretty late in the afternoon, the sun was starting to set. The sky was turning orange and Sweet Apple Acres was silhouetted in the distance. It was a nice view, but it was a lot nicer to be sharing it with her. She was breathing a little faster than normal, I guess she was out of breath.

"You okay there Dash?"

"Yeah, I'm just not used to carrying someone for such a long time." I felt like something was a bit off. It seemed like she was breathing faster and faster the longer we sat there.

I didn't want to pry, but I hoped she was alright. "So what's on your mind?"

"Nothin', you?" I took a minute to actually thing of something to say instead of just replying with a pointless answer like she did.

The first thing that came into my head was my situation with Cheerilee. I really wasn't sure what to do with her, I mean, first she attacks Silver, now she's drunk off her plot. I know I love her, but I just don't know how to handle this. I really don't want Silver Spoon to be in danger of getting hurt again, especially now that Cheerilee read my diary. Basically, I needed to tell someone about Cheerilee so she can get the mental help she clearly needs, or I needed to try and help her myself. Those were really the only two options I had, there was no way I was about to leave her on her own.

The problem with the first option was that she'd lose her job, probably get put in jail, and I'd never see her again. The problem with the next option was that I'd probably fail miserably if I tried to help her at all, she'd probably get more drink, and maybe even try to hurt another pony again. Even so, I can't stand the thought of being away from her forever. My heart aches every time I think about that, about her being locked away, especially since it'd be my fault for telling.

This was it, I needed advice. "So, Rainbow. I wanted to ask you something pretty personal, but very hypothetical."

"Um, okay?"

"So I have this friend." I felt like facehoofing for opening with such a generic line, "She has an older marefriend, one that's way too old for her, but they still seem to get along really well and they're probably in love. But that same friend has another friend who she loves in a weirder different way. The older marefriend has a lot of issues to work though and she even beat up the younger friend for spending too much time with... my friend." I knew I was going about this the wrong way, but my stupid mouth wouldn't shut up.

"Um, well... I'm not sure what you're asking me." I couldn't blame her, I wasn't even sure what I was asking to begin with.

"What should my friend do? Her older marefriend is hurting herself by drinking all the time and overreacting. Her other friend that she really likes or loves is going to get hurt too because she won't break it off with her and be faithful to the older marefriend. Also the older marefriend read my friend's diary and knows about the affair, which put her into some kind of depression and I don't know what to do. To do about my friend, to help her with it." I was getting nowhere with this.

"Well, I say that your friend should mare up and stop being such a two faced little hayseed. If she loves her older marefriend then she needs to stay loyal to her. Why would she string her other friend along anyway, what kind of friends do you have? Is it Sweetie Belle? Because I'll teach her a lesson."

"It's not Sweetie, Dash. And thanks, I think you helped my friend out a lot just now." I guess she was right, I needed to break it off once and for all with Silver Spoon. That was much easier said than done.

"Well that's good then. Hey, I need to get going okay? I have a date tonight. We'll hang out again tomorrow, right?" I hated the thought of her leaving me, but she had her own stuff to do. I understood.

"Yeah, anytime you want Dash. Just let me know and I'll drop everything." I bet I sounded desperate, was I? I don't even know, all I did know was that I wanted her around.

She flew me to the ground and made sure that I had a place to stay. I told her like a million times that I did, but she still seemed skeptical as she flew off. Then it was all gone. All that happiness and those feelings of bliss and comfort went flying out of reach when she did. I was left with an empty pit in my stomach and a heavy heart. I stared down the road and saw the side street that led to Cheerilee's house. I considered seeing Silver Spoon first, but it was getting late and her dad didn't really like me being there after dark.

I stared down the road a bit longer and felt some kind of sickness in my stomach. The thoughts that filled my mind sickened me, it was a terrible feeling, going from being so happy to this. I wish Cheerilee could be strong for me the way Dash was. It was a breath of fresh air, being able to be carried. Be it literally or not, it was a nice change for me not to be the one doing the carrying. I figured I had to be the strong one now, and Dash would be proud if she knew just how strong I was. I hope the advice she gave me works out, I hope Cheerilee is worth it.

So I headed down the road and trotted up to the door. I raised my hoof to knock, but I decided to just let myself in instead. She was laying on the couch staring at nothing.

"Oh hey there Scootaloo. You're home." Those words really affected me that night. You're home... you're home... I couldn't stop thinking it. Was this really my home?

Maybe Rainbow was right. I know I love Cheerilee, and I need to love her for who she is. Everypony has problems, she's no exception, and I know with me by her side she'll be able to go back to the way she was. The good old cheerful Cheerilee I fell for. She actually seemed better already.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't come back sooner, I went back to see my place and Rainbow Dash saw me there." I don't know how she'll take that, but I can't keep secrets anymore.

"Oh, that's lovely."

I figured the sooner I got this over with, the better. "So, you read my diary. We really need to talk about that."

She rolled over onto her back. "What's there to talk about, hmm Scootaloo? You can do whatever you want whenever you want, and use me as you will. I'm yours, and you can do what you want with me. I won't stop you if you want to go out and play with your friends."

I wasn't sure how to take that at first. I felt really awkward, this was definitely not the kind of relationship I wanted with her. "Look Cheerilee, enough with the owning you crap. That's ridiculous, and I'd never do anything to hurt you on purpose. I'm really sorry about Silver Spoon, I messed up there okay? You messed up too when you hit her, we all mess up, it's just pony nature. The point is, I love you, and I want us to have a real relationship together." I really hoped I was getting though to her.

"You do?" She leaned up and looked at me with an off smile.

"Yes, I do love you, and I do want a real relationship with you. I want us to be happy together, and I want you to be the way you used to be. I hate seeing you all depressed like this." I bit my tongue and forced myself not to cry, I don't even know why I wanted to.

"I'm sorry, I know I've been bad lately, you deserve better." I just rolled my eyes, I was done and wasn't about to throw a pity party.

"Yeah well get up and let me help you through this. I think I have a way to take your mind off those troubles." I winked and nudged her off the couch, guiding her towards the bedroom.

I'll admit, I didn't really feel like sex, but I figured it would relax us both and probably open a window for a little much needed communication.

So we headed off into the bedroom and...

Rainbow looked up and away, feeling more guilty than ever. Whether or not Scootaloo and Cheerilee being together was the right thing, it felt right to her after this entry. Sure, Cheerilee was pretty messed up, but who was she to judge? She, like everypony else, had made her fair share of bad choices. So long as Scootaloo was still happy, she was worth her time.

The sun was beginning to rise, turning the sky a deep and slowly brightening blue. Twilight would be waking up soon, and Rainbow had been up all night. She decided it'd probably be best to try and get some sleep.

She had big plans for the day to come.

Entry: Lessons Learned

Rainbow left the book open and face-down on her chest. She leaned back and looked out the window, noticing that it was getting brighter out. Twilight was still comfortably snoozing as the stars faded in the twilit sky. Rainbow lay still and rested her eyes for a moment. In what felt like seconds, she opened them back up to see the brightly shining sun glaring at her. She covered her face with a hoof and tried to adjust to the bright lighting while realizing Twilight wasn't in bed. She quickly placed her hooves on her chest and lowered them to her stomach. The diary was gone.

Rainbow Dash's eyes shot open as she jumped off the bed and began frantically searching for the book. Did Twilight take it?!

She began to trot towards the door to ask her friend about the missing book but stopped when she spotted a note taped to the door.

Rainbow, I've put Scootaloo's diary away for now. I want us to spend some time together today, and if we're going to be in a relationship, then you need to learn to prioritize. If you want to keep reading that diary, then you can go read it somewhere else, but otherwise I expect you to trot downstairs with a positive attitude and ready to spend the day with me.

Rainbow crumpled the note up and tossed it over her shoulder with a groan. She pushed the door open and headed downstairs. Twilight was sitting at her desk taking notes on things Rainbow was sure she'd be completely uninterested in.

"Hey Twi! So what do you wanna do today?" Rainbow tried to sound as cheerful as possible, despite her near-desperation to continue reading the diary.

"Good morning Dash, or should I say, good afternoon." Twilight giggled and stood up to hug her lover.

Rainbow wearily returned the hug with a yawn. "So, you wanna get breakfast? Or should I say lunch?"

Twilight smiled. "Lunch sounds good."

The two headed out to start their day together. Twilight had been up for several hours, but felt that her day had slipped by quickly while taking such long and thorough notes. She was just happy to finally feel like the two were in a real relationship, something more than lust-based romance.

Rainbow's mane was unusually messy as she trotted down the street next to her lover. She was lost in thought as she tried to recall what would happen next between her and Scoot in the diary. She began to imagine what had gone on, and where exactly her little friend was with her relationships. There was still so much she wanted to know and her mind wouldn't give it a rest. She was a bit obsessive when something sparked her curiosity: she just couldn't rest until it was satisfied.

"We're here," Twilight pointed out.

The pair stood in front of a small diner on the east side of town. Twilight took a look at her partner before entering. She grinned and her horn lit up. An aura of magic brushed lightly through Rainbow's mane, neatening it into a more presentable state.

The pegasus laughed and messed it back up with her hoof before following Twilight into the diner. Once inside, Rainbow cleared her mind and decided she had to focus for Twilight's sake - she was worth it. The two took a seat by the window and began to chat.

"So Rainbow, what's on your mind?" Twilight asked thoughtfully, staring into her friend's eyes.

Don't say Scootaloo don't say Scootaloo... Don't say the diary... Rainbow cleared her throat. "Um, Cheerilee?"

She face-hoofed.

"Cheerilee?" Twilight asked with a sense of disdain in her voice.

"Yeah, you know. School, I wonder when the last day of school is." Dash nervously shifted her eyes to the left.

"Really? I somehow doubt that... Why don't you tell me what's really on your mind? I promise I won't be mad." Twilight let out a deep breath and placed her cheek on a hoof.

Rainbow tapped the table a few times and sighed. "Fine... I'm just really trying to figure out what's up with Scootaloo, and what I should do to help her."

"I thought so. Want to tell me what's going on, exactly?" Twilight leaned up and smiled.

"Not really... Well, not right now anyway. Let's just try and have a nice date - this'll be our second one, right?" Rainbow was eager to change the subject.

"Yes, I suppose that's true. But if you do want to call this a date, then it'll be our first date as a couple." Twilight blissfully pointed out.

"That's kinda funny..." Dash thought for a moment wearing a mischievous grin.

"How so?" Twilight wondered.

"Well, first we had sex, then we told each other that we loved each other, and now we're having our first date. Seems kinda backwards if ya ask me." Rainbows grin grew wider as she watched her lover blush.

"Heh, I guess it does seem backwards... but I wouldn't change it if I could." Twilight leaned forward and brushed her hoof across Rainbow's cheek.

"You wouldn't want a normal relationship? Date for a while, fall for each other, then take it further... You know, like we're supposed to." Dash looked skeptical, and thoughts of having stolen something from Twilight that should be important to a mare began to invade her mind.

"You mean by the book? I do everything by the book, but this time I'm glad to have done things differently. You're different Dash, and our relationship is different, but that doesn't make it any less special to me. This is how you are. We rushed into it, probably way too fast, but I can't imagine you taking things slow. And I'm glad you didn't - I've been so overwhelmed with these amazing emotions lately that I hardly know what to do with myself." Twilight was blushing and smiling brightly as she rambled on.

Rainbow put on a gentle smile and listened to the mare she loved continue to talk about her feelings. Despite her genuine attempt to pay attention, her mind began to wander. Soon she wasn't listening at all anymore, and instead she found herself beginning to wonder how to approach Cheerilee and Scootaloo in the future. Cheerilee's reaction might not be pleasant: it could be bad, violent even. Scootaloo's current mental state was unknown though, so Rainbow decided it would be best to talk to her first, then Cheerilee.

"... Just this morning I was taking notes and started writing your name instead. I realized that I had completely forgotten everything I just read and was only focused on you. That's when I decided we needed to spend more time together, at least for today. I realize the Scootaloo issue is important to you, so I'll let you get back to that as soon as we get back to the library." Twilight finally stopped talking when her food arrived.

"Yeah, cool. Actually as soon as we're done here, I need to go take care of something, then I'll be right back over." Rainbow spoke with her mouth full of carrots.

"You do what you have to. I'll be waiting." Twilight winked and took a big bite of lettuce.

"Right. Oh, and that reminds me: how about that little something between the legs we talked about last night?" Rainbow grinned.

"I don't remember mentioning it being little." Twilight smiled and narrowed her eyelids.

"Make it as big as you can handle." Rainbow's gaze met her lover's.

"Fine, but you better make this worth my while. I don't want you wasting a perfectly good spell." Twilight licked her lips and slowly blinked. The thought of the spell was beginning to excite her.

"I think this is more for me. I'll probably like it a lot more than you anyway." Rainbow stuck her tongue out.

"I guess we'll see about that. I'll prepare it while you're out doing what you need to. Don't keep me waiting too long." Twilight stood up and left a few bits on the table. She kissed Rainbow and trotted out the door to begin working on the spell.

Rainbow leaned back and looked down at the table, there wasn't a bill yet and Twilight had left more than enough to cover both their meals. She rolled her eyes and headed out, giving their blue-maned waitress a nod of approval before exiting. Heading towards the school grounds, she wondered if there was anything important left in the diary. Namely, what happened when she broke it off with Silver Spoon. She considered reading more before talking to Scootaloo, but decided to just ask instead.

As she made it to the playground behind the school, she heard a bell ring and students began trotting out. Perfect timing, she thought.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle came trotting out together, their sides nearly touching as they trotted. "Hey, you two! Where's Scootaloo?"

Sweetie Belle shrugged. "I dunno, she missed school today and we haven't heard from her yet."

Applebloom nodded in agreement. Rainbow frowned and looked behind them in time to see Cheerilee trotting off down the street towards her home. "Alright, let me know if you find her. I'll be at Twilight's Library."

Rainbow trotted off as Applebloom yelled back, "Will do! See ya later Dash!"

In order to catch up quickly, Rainbow took flight and hovered just out of reach of her target. "Hey there teach."

Cheerilee jumped, having been startled. "Oh, Ms. Rainbow Dash. Can I help you with something?" she asked with a crooked smile.

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you about a few things. That's all." Rainbow landed and began trotting next to her.

"What did you need to know?" Cheerilee's eyes shifted nervously towards the ground.

"I'll cut the chase: I know all about you and Scootaloo, I know what you did to Silver Spoon, and I know what you think of me." Rainbow pointed out arrogantly.

Cheerilee stopped dead in her tracks. Her face was losing color beneath her coat and her throat was clogged with a growing lump. She opened her mouth to speak, but choked on her own words. In silence, she stared at Rainbow Dash, who was happily smiling.

"No need to be scared - your secret's safe with me. I just need to know a few things is all. Let's talk more at your place." Cheerilee stepped back and nodded.

The two continued down the road while Dash tried to work out exactly what to say as they trotted side by side. Moments later, they arrived. Cheerilee unlocked the door and entered, Dash following close behind. Thoughts of everything Cheerilee had done over the past year filled her mind and heart with anger. She knew it was important to stay calm though - she wasn't here to fight, just to resolve.

"So Cheerilee, I think you're using Scootaloo. It's not right to take advantage of such a young and naïve pony. You know that, right?" Rainbow was harsh and straight to the point. Sugar-coating wasn't her speciality.

"No, I love her, I really do. I don't know what you're doing or why you care. Just leave us alone and everything will be fine." Cheerilee spoke softly and quietly.

"You love her, huh? Somehow I doubt that." Rainbow smiled and pushed every button she could. She was hoping to cause a breakdown in order to figure out exactly what Cheerilee was thinking. However, being perfectly honest with herself, she believed Cheerilee really could love Scoot, and that the two could be happy together.

"Who are you to doubt anything of the sort Rainbow Dash? You wouldn't know love if you crashed into it and broke your big nose." Cheerilee spoke up, her passionate side becoming more apparent.

"Big nose? Who do you think you're talking to?!" Rainbow's quick temper easily overtook her motives. She began to lose sight of her original intention.

"Will you just leave? If it's money you want, I'll give you everything I have. My bits don't matter to me, just please leave us alone! I don't want anything else to come between us. I can't stand the thought of losing her, just please Dash - tell me what you're after and then stay out of our lives." Cheerilee was losing it, caught somewhere between anger and a nervous breakdown.

"I'll never stay out of Scoot's life - she's like a little sister to me! I'm here to make sure your crazy flank doesn't hurt her. Look: if you two have issues, I'm here to help. Trust me when I say you aren't going to find another pony willing to help you two work things out." Dash focused, calming her mind and trying to sound as sincere as possible.

"Our issues are none of your business! I have everything under control!" Cheerilee shouted, standing up.

"Under control? That's why you beat the crap out of an innocent little filly?" Dash pointed out with a harsher tone.

Cheerilee stood silent for a moment, then began to breath heavily. "That little hayseed had it coming... I'd do it again if I could..."

Dash's eyes narrowed as her anger began to fester into a boiling hatred. "Had it coming? Why, because Scootaloo cared about her too? Maybe you should mare up and learn to control yourself." She did her best to stay calm.

"Maybe you should get out of my house. What I did in the past doesn't matter anymore. You can't prove that I did anything to Silver Spoon, her bruises are long gone. And if you care about Scootaloo at all, you'll stay out of our relationship. If you tell anypony about us, she'll never forgive you. Now scram before I get mad." Cheerilee crossed the line.

"That's it! I tried to be nice, I was going to help you out, but now I see you're nothing but a worthless psychopath!" Rainbow reared up on her back hooves and prepared to fight.

Cheerilee stepped back and shielded her face with a foreleg as Rainbow approached her. Dash placed her front hooves on Cheerilee's leg and lowered her defenses. "We're just talking right now, I'm not gonna hurt you."

The stunned mare looked Rainbow in the eye with sheer skepticism. Rainbow smiled. "So when's the last day of school? Is it, by any chance, today?"

Cheerilee narrowed her eyebrows and nodded, confused. Rainbow grinned wider. "So you won't be going out in public for a while, that's good to know."

Cheerilee's expression reflected her confusion. Dash looked at her front hoof and licked the tip, then forcefully swung it across Cheerilee's muzzle. "I was just wondering if I should hit you in the face or not."

The stunned mare grabbed her nose and scurried across the floor into a corner. She knew she was outmatched, and deeply regretted provoking a pony known for her short temper. "I'm... I'm sorry Dash."

"Sure, now you're sorry." Rainbow trotted up to Cheerilee and looked down at her.

She was bleeding from the nose and curled up. It was quite a pathetic sight. Dash looked back over her shoulder and noticed a large bottle of whiskey. "Mind if I have a drink?" she asked with a devious grin.

Cheerilee simply nodded. Rainbow trotted over to the bottle and grabbed it with her front hooves. She took a seat next to Cheerilee and wrapped her hoof around her neck. Taking a quick swig, she let out a deep sigh and sat the bottle down next to the trembling teacher. "Come on, relax. I'm sorry for hitting you, but you really got on my nerves."

"Well, you really got on mine!" Cheerilee shouted then immediately recoiled, anticipating another attack.

"I know, I came on a little strong... I guess..." Rainbow attempted to stay calm and remember her intentions.

Cheerilee was surprised that Rainbow would admit such a thing. "Yeah, well, it's not really all your fault that I got so mad... I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"I can imagine: I've been reading Scootaloo's diary. She's really upset about everything that's been happening and asked me to try and help. I really do want to help you two, but first I need to know a little more about you. Scootaloo isn't a mind-reader and she seems just as confused about what you really want as I am."

"What do you mean by that? I want to be with her! I know it's wrong and she's too young or I'm too old for her, but I want what I want. I can't change that." Cheerilee's eyes were teary and she sounded very sincere.

"Believe it or not, I'm totally okay with the age difference thing - what is it, like, fifteen years?" Dash laughed.

"Eleven. I'm eleven years older than her." She looked down and bit her lip.

"Well, that's not so bad right? In ten more years it'll actually be considered normal." Dash tried to lighten the mood. She felt like she was getting somewhere.

"Ten years is a long time, and I still have six before this thing between us is even legal." She continued staring at the floor and let her hooves fall limp.

"Who cares about that? Well, not me anyway. What I care about is whether or not you're actually taking Scootaloo seriously. I know about your crush on me, and Scootaloo is like me in a lot of ways. I don't want you using her as some kind of replacement for an old crush you used to have." Dash smiled, her ego subtly being stroked.

"Rainbow Dash, that's crazy. Do you really think that I'd be able to do something like that? I mean, sure, you two have some similarities, but then again, so do you and most pegasi. It's not about that at all. I love Scootaloo for who she is: she's a fun little ball of energy with an amazing mind. I see potential in her far beyond any of her classmates. I know I started off with her the wrong way, using her crush on me to better her grades, but I never expected to actually fall for her. I just didn't want to see that potential go to waste because of her carefree attitude. I wanted to give her a reason to study that simultaneously satisfied her need for self-gratification. It got out of control pretty fast, but I don't regret a bit of it. I wouldn't change it even if I could." Cheerilee's words struck a chord in Rainbow's heart. She seemed to be speaking in a manner very similar to Twilight, which, hopefully, indicated a sincere form of love.

Rainbow took another drink, thinking about everything for a moment. Judging Cheerilee for going straight into a sexual relationship and still falling in love would be extremely hypocritical, and in Rainbow's personal experience, it was completely plausible.

"Cheerilee, you have my support. I believe you love her. Just don't make me regret this decision to help you through this. Now, tell me what's on your mind that has you so irritable."

"I don't know if... I mean, I probably shouldn't..." With a groan, she wiped the blood off her nose and took a deep breath. "It's Scootaloo - she's seeing Silver Spoon again."

Dash choked on a mouthful of whiskey. "What?! Since when? I thought those two broke it off or whatever!"

"They did, but Diamond Tiara went on her summer trip and now they're seeing each other again. I asked her not to, but... Well, we kind of have this thing going on... She owns me and I do whatever she says. I begged her not to, but she was persistent and reminded me that I really don't have a say in the matter." Cheerilee smiled and looked down as tears began to escape from behind her fragile walls.

"Wait, what?! I thought she stopped that too!" Dash placed a hoof on her forehead.

"You didn't read the entire diary did you? She made me write a couple entries in there a few weeks ago. I just wrote as she spoke, so I know for a fact that her new-found dominance is recorded."

"Right, well... Yeah, I didn't finish it. I hadn't realized... I can do this, I can fix all of this. Just sit tight and let me talk to Scootaloo. Any idea where she is?" Dash asked as she stood up.

"Try Silver Spoon's bed, they both skipped class today. I can only imagine why." Cheerilee took a long drink from the bottle Rainbow had left next to her.

"Right, I'll see ya later then. No hard feelings, and don't let Scoot being an idiot get you down. She's terrible at making decisions, and she hates letting her friends down. I know this must hurt a lot, but I doubt Scoot realizes what she's doing to you right now. Let me talk to her, and I'll do my best to get you two back on track." Dash smiled and trotted out the front door.

"Thanks..." Cheerilee said drearily as Rainbow left.

Rather than head to Silver Spoon's house, Dash decided to return to the library. She had some reading to do first so she could find out exactly what Scoot had been thinking lately, and not only that, but Twilight might very well be ready for some fun. She trotted through the door to see Spike happily skimming through the pages of a book while sitting in Rainbow's spot.

She looked over and saw Twilight's nose buried in a book while she wrote something down simultaneously with an aura of magic. Resting on a bookshelf above the intently studying mare, was the diary. She smiled and flew up to grab it, then made her way back to the couch that she had claimed as her own at some point. She wedged herself between the back of it and Spike, forcing him over the edge.

"Hey, what gives Rainbow?!" Spike shouted from the floor.

"Oh, sorry, didn't see ya there." Rainbow chuckled as she settled in her seat.

Spike mumbled under his breath and walked away. "You'll pay for that..."

"What was that?" she asked, not really interested in a response.

She opened the book, deciding to try and find out what had happened when Scoot tried to break up with Silver Spoon. She looked down at the entry's title and laughed. If only...

Entry: Lessons Learned

Entry: Lessons Learned pt.2

Heh heh, Scootaloo learning a lesson... I wonder if that's possible. Rainbow laughed to herself as she prepared to begin reading. "How long do you think you'll be?" she asked Twilight, looking over and hoping for an estimate as to how long she had before she'd have to stop reading.

"I think the question is, how long do you think you'll be?" Twilight smiled and winked before going back to her project.

Rainbow detected herself blushing and quickly washed it away. "Right, well I'll just be over here, so let me know when you're almost done."

Twilight nodded and didn't reply, so Dash went back to the entry, eager to begin reading.

Last night was awesome! I think Cheerilee and I both really needed that. My wing was kind of buggy though, it hurt a bit while I was in some pretty awkward positions, but that's alright. First thing this morning, I jumped out of bed before Cheerilee woke up and grabbed myself a couple apples. I felt unusually sure of myself and figured now would be the time to go talk to Silver Spoon.

I trotted outside and started down that long road to her house. It was still pretty early in the morning and I hadn't realized that until now. I wondered if she'd be awake yet. As I continued down the path I began to doubt myself. I kept imagining her sleeping the way she does. All tucked in with that cute little smile, quietly breathing through her nose. All that confidence in my decision was completely gone by the time I reached her door. I was hopeless.

I didn't even want to break it off anymore, and it was killing me. I knew I had to, but I just didn't know what to do or say. I raised my hoof to knock and just held it there for a few minutes. I took a deep breath and turned away. I didn't know where I was going or why, I just knew that I had to leave.

I found myself back at my old house and took a minute to dig for a while. Most of the stuff was more neatly piled up than I remembered and a lot of the lumber seemed to have been moved. I guess they're cleaning the area up now or something. It didn't take long to start to depress me, so I decided to leave, still not sure what to do or where to go. I trotted away, and after a minute, I figured I could go see how Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were doing. I'm not sure why, but I just didn't feel like going back home yet. Or rather, back to Cheerilee's home.

Anyway, I made my way to the Acres. It was getting later in the morning so I guessed Applebloom would be up by now. As I made my way down the old dirt trail, I heard Sweetie Belle's voice. She was singing.

...

The day my loneliness died, was when you let me inside

And I said I loved you, its true

I really do love you, Applebloom

I really do love you~

"Sweetie Belle, that was amazing!" I knew she was talented, but I'd never heard her sing quite like that before. As cheesy as it was, it was pretty nice.

She blushed and looked down. "Oh! Scootaloo, I didn't realize you were listening."

"I'm glad I was, it was really nice. I just wish I got to hear the whole thing." I didn't really know what to say, and Applebloom was still quiet. I could tell she was much more moved by the song than I was for obvious reasons.

She stood there with a faint smile and wide eyes. I'll admit it - she was really cute, but that was beside the point. "So yeah, I just came to see how you two were doing, and you seem to be getting along nicely."

I'll also have to admit I did feel a little jealous. I wished Cheerilee would sing to me like that. Then again, I also wished Cheerilee wouldn't beat up my friends and get drunk all the time, but hay - we all have our kinks, right?

Applebloom finally spoke up, leaning over and tightly hugging Sweetie Belle. "We couldn't be happier, ain't that right?" She grinned and kissed her marefriend on the cheek.

"It's true, we couldn't be happier." She smiled and looked me in the eye. I got the feeling she was trying to thank me at that point, but I wasn't about to say anything. I felt more envious of those two than ever. I wanted to just be happy for them, but it was hard.

"I'm glad you guys are happy. Hopefully we can all hang out together more soon." I wasn't sure what we'd do anymore.

Applebloom looked at me strangely. I wasn't sure what she was thinking. "Yeah, we should. Oh, and I'm glad to see ya outta the hospital - how's that wing feelin' anyhow?"

"It's alright as long as I don't stretch it too much." I'm not sure why, but at that moment I stupidly decided to demonstrate stretching my wing too much and hurt myself. "Ow..."

"Careful, you. Well, I hope you feel better soon. Anyway, do you wanna hang out with us now? We were about to write a play!" Sweetie Belle looked over to Applebloom with a wide grin. Then they both shouted in unison, "Cutie Mark Crusaders Play Writers!"

I didn't really want to, so I figured it was time to make my escape. "Actually guys, I have to head back now. See ya later." I gave them each a hug and headed off. Suddenly I felt like going back home again.

On my way, I realized I still needed to talk to Silver Spoon, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I went back to her house and forced myself to knock on her door. She answered pretty quickly and looked surprised to see me.

"Oh, hi Scootaloo! What's up?" She seemed to be calm and cheerful, but I knew this was going to be really hard, so I stayed outside, ready to run.

"Look, Silver Spoon, I'm really sorry but - I have to break it off with you..." I looked down. I knew what was coming and I knew I couldn't take it.

"You're breaking it off? What are you talking about Scoot?" I had no idea what to say. I had tried to prepare for this but I still couldn't.

I should have tried harder.

"Yeah Silver, I'm so sorry. I don't know what else to say." I knew that wasn't enough, but I was about to lose it. Every word inched me towards the edge of a breakdown, and I couldn't do that in front of her.

She just stood there and stared at me, likely in disbelief. I looked into her teary eyes and felt myself beginning to crack, I didn't really want to go through with it anymore. I just spoke without thinking, like I always do...

"Ha, I'm just kidding. You should have seen the look on your face! You're too easy Silver." I cringed and felt my eye twitching.

"Scootaloo! That's not funny... Ugh, what's wrong with you?!" Silver trotted back inside, leaving the door open.

She rounded the corner and headed upstairs. I groaned and started smashing my face into the side of the house. Why am I so stupid? I'll probably never know...

I followed her inside and shut the door behind myself, rubbing my nose as I trotted upstairs. She was laying on her bed with a quill in her mouth, writing something down. I climbed onto the bed next to her and tried to put my hoof on her shoulder but she smacked it away. "No, I'm mad at you."

She stared at her page and I put on a sad face. I saw her glance up at me and quickly look back down at her paper. She started blushing and smiling. When she looked back up at me I was still making the same face. "Stop it... That's not fair..."

A second later she pulled me over on top of her and kissed me. Why do I love this mare so much? When I'm not with her, I feel like I'd be able to leave her, but during moments like these I can't imagine losing her. I'm still not sure what to do - I need to help Cheerilee, but I can't leave Silver Spoon. I just don't have it in me. Maybe things will work themselves out once Diamond Tiara gets back home in a couple days. I guess I should have written this next part down first.

"So what are we gonna do when Diamond gets back home?" I think this was the first time I had actually wished the other filly would stay away forever.

"Who cares? What difference does it make if she's here or not? It's just you and me now. Sure I had a thing with Diamond, but I'm in love now. You know, I never once told her I loved her. But with you, it feels right. She'll get over me, and I won't let anything come between us." She was tearing me apart from the inside out. I wished I could tell her the same thing she just told me, but I couldn't.

I don't deserve this from her. I know I'm the worst kind of pony, but I don't know how to get out of this. The worst part is that I don't even want to get out - I love these feelings and I love being with her. It's just... I wish the world didn't work the way it did. I wish I could stay with both Silver Spoon and Cheerilee and not hurt either of them. That's definitely asking for way too much.

"I'm glad you feel that way Silver Spoon. I wasn't ready to have to say goodbye." I didn't know what I was saying, but I said it. Like an idiot.

"Then don't. You'll never have to. And I'd never let you anyway." She smiled and pulled my face down into her shoulder. She'd never let me... I could hardly bring myself to do it in the first place, and with her trying to stop me, I'd never tell her no.

Since the day that I met her, I'd never really been able to tell her no. I'd never wanted to - as long as she's happy, I'm happy. I can't explain it, that's just the way I feel when I'm with her.

So anyway, I decided to change the subject. "So what are you writing anyway?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to write a song." She grabbed the quill and started writing again.

I desperately wanted to see it for some reason. "Ooh, let me see!" I tried to look but she hid it immediately.

"Nope, you can see it when it's done." She closed the notebook and placed it on her nightstand. For a moment I considered taking it, but then she distracted me with another kiss.

I still wish I knew what she wrote. I hope it's a love song for me like the one Sweetie Belle wrote for Applebloom, I'd really like that a lot. I'm not good at this whole thing. I'm actually terrible I think. Life, love, relationships, friends, I just keep messing everything up and pushing myself into a deeper mess.

"I love you Silver Spoon. I'm sorry about, you know... earlier." There was a pit in the bottom of my stomach after I said that. I wanted to leave after I told her I loved her.

"Mm, I love you too Scoot. And don't mention it - you actually really had me going for a second there." She giggled and let out a deep breath.

Even now I can still feel her on me. Her scent and her warmth are still here, trapped in my mind. Even as I'm about to crawl into bed with Cheerilee, she'll be on my mind. I can't leave her. Even when I wanted to I couldn't, and now more than ever I want to be with her forever. But that doesn't mean I don't want to be with Cheerilee too. If I really had to choose, I think I'd choose Cheerilee. Not because I love her more than I love Silver Spoon, but because I think she needs me more. I can't leave her alone right now - she's so close to the edge and she's slipping. If I leave, I might as well be pushing her into a mental breakdown.

I guess sometimes you just have to try and let things work themselves out on their own. I can't change the way things are going myself, so I'll just stay on this path and see where it takes me. Who am I to try and make my own path, one that leaves somepony I love behind, alone? I couldn't do that. I have two amazing mares that both love me - I should be happy. So why does this hurt so much? Maybe it's because I feel like I'm lying to Cheerilee's face every time I tell her I'm all hers just like she's all mine. Maybe it's because when Silver Spoon tells me she'd never let anything come between us because she loves me, I can't say the same back.

My life is a wreck, and I can't do anything to fix it on my own.

I spent most of the day with Silver Spoon, and I had a lot of fun. We didn't have sex - I didn't even think about it the whole time I was there. We just talked and played around, like she was my best friend, but more than that. As soon as I left I wanted to go back, but I knew Cheerilee would be waiting and wondering where I went. I needed to come up with something to tell her. I figured I could always say I was off with Rainbow Dash, since she probably wouldn't question that.

I trotted inside and she was sitting on the couch like she always was. "Welcome home Scootaloo. I missed you this morning."

She smiled and closed her eyes. Being welcomed home wasn't something I was used to, but it really meant a lot to me. "I missed you too. So, what have you been up to all day?" I trotted in and made myself comfortable next to her on the couch.

"I cleaned your stuff up for you, took care of some important things, and started dinner. There really isn't much to do around her in the summer, ya know?" I cuddled up to her and felt a sweet warmth coming off her thigh.

"Well, there's always me." I grinned and ran my hoof up her leg.

She placed her hoof on mine and surprised me. "Do you want to go out with me? I want to go on a date, or something. I just think it would be nice."

"Cheerilee, are you sure? I don't think we should. You know, I'm technically a filly or whatever, and I don't want you getting in trouble if somepony catches on." Truthfully, I'd be more worried about Silver Spoon catching on somehow.

"We don't have to go out around other ponies, it could be something private. Maybe we could have a picnic somewhere private, or we could go out and stargaze tonight. Oh, or we could take a trip to Canterlot and walk through the garden labyrinth - I hear it's romantic and we'd be alone." It seemed to me that Cheerilee was developing a case of cabin-fever. She'd been cooped up in this house for days.

"We can do whatever you want then, Cheerilee. As long as you think it's safe. I just don't wanna risk losing you - I love you." I felt so warm and comfortable, and the thought of going out on a romantic date with her was actually really nice.

A trip to Canterlot? Just the two of us? It really would be an amazing experience. I'd only been there once, a few years ago on a field trip. I never imagined back then that I'd be here now, with Cheerilee. My little crush that I had held onto for so long had really turned into something worthwhile.

"I love you too Scootaloo. Oh, and I should mention that while you were out today, I started taking care of a few things. I headed down to Town Hall and gathered up all the appropriate paperwork to gain legal custody of you. I sent a notarized letter to your mother asking her to make me your temporary legal guardian and letting her know that I volunteered to take you in after the natural disaster." I guess she had kept herself busy while I was gone after all.

"That all sounds great! Hopefully it works out - I think I have an uncle or something that my mom wanted me to go live with though. I hope she isn't going to try and be as stubborn as usual about that." I'd run away before I had to live with him.

"I know; I noticed he was listed as your next closest blood relative. However, he lives across Equestria in Las Pegasus, and I won't allow you to live so far away from me. I couldn't." Well, at least she'd be backing me up if it came to that.

"Don't worry about that - I'll stay here with you no matter what anypony else wants."

I think I just realized something. Maybe I am choosing my own path after all, or I'm on a path that I haven't chosen, but I'm unable to leave it. Like fate or something. What I'm trying to say is that I'm on this road with Silver Spoon and Cheerilee, and when I try to break away from it I fail. I guess the point is: I have to learn to accept what I've done and where I'm going. The pain that follows is just a natural part of my life and a new lesson for me to learn.

Whatever, I really don't know, but I'm tired and Cheerilee is waiting so,

~Scootaloo, out-

Rainbow cleared her throat. This entry brought up new questions that she felt needed answering immediately: Did Cheerilee get legal custody of Scootaloo? Did Scootaloo ever stop seeing Silver Spoon at all? Is she really powertripping and taking advantage of her situation with Cheerilee? What the hay is going through that little mare's mind? Rainbow's mind was racing in search of answers she didn't have.

She shook her head to clear it, and thought about something more enjoyable. "So Twi, how's that spell coming along?"

Twilight leaned up with a hoof on her forehead. "I'm actually not sure... I think I need to do a few tests first, then I'll have the data necessary to perfect it."

Dash looked at her cock-eyed and placed a hoof on her chin. Twilight glared. "What? Don't look at me like that! Creating spells isn't easy... Experimentation is the key to perfection, and you're going to have to be my test subject. If you don't mind, that is. I'm preparing a few experiments now and I'll be ready to try them out in a few hours. Sorry this is taking so long, just please be patient."

Rainbow shrugged. "Sure thing Twi-Twi, you do what you gotta do. Just let me know, I'm really dying to try that out. In the meantime, I'm going to go pay Scootaloo a visit. I have a few questions for her."

"Really, Dash? Now?" Twilight rolled her eyes.

"Look, we need to get something straight: Scootaloo's life could fall apart any second now and time is ticking away. Twilight, I... it's just... We have the rest of our lives to spend together doing whatever you want, but right now Scoot needs me. That little squirt has really dug herself a hole that she can't climb out of on her own, and I promised I'd be there for her if she ever needed me. I can't break that promise, not to her." Dash took a deep breath and looked her lover in the eye.

"Alright Rainbow, I understand. You're right, I just really have no idea what you're talking about or how much trouble Scootaloo might be in. If it's really that urgent, go ahead. I'll be here when you get back." Twilight smiled and decided to give her lover her full support.

"Thanks Twilight, I knew you'd understand." Rainbow trotted up to her and gave her a hug, then headed out to Silver Spoon's house where she hoped to find her troubled friend.

Here I come kiddo...

Entry: Taking Charge

Rainbow Dash trotted down the road to Silver Spoon's house. It was getting late in the evening now and whether or not she'd be able to find her friend there wasn't certain. What she knew for sure was that Scootaloo had a lot of explaining to do, and was going to end up getting a beating if she didn't change her attitude.

Rainbow stood back and looked up at the large house in front of her. It was one of the larger houses in town, and obviously the home of Silver Spoon and her highly renowned father. The house even boasted a plaque displaying the family crest.

She knocked on the front door and was quickly answered by a large blue-gray stallion with a white slicked-back mane and a pipe in his mouth. "Mmmmyes, can I help you?"

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm looking for Scootaloo. She's a small orange pony with a pink mane - maybe it's purple? Or red... Yeah I don't know, I can't remember. Anyway, she's orange and way too old to still not have a cutie mark. Ring a bell?"

"A bell has indeed been rung, however the one you seek is not here. She isn't welcome after six in the afternoon and unless my eyes deceive me, it's nearly seven," he said, glancing over his shoulder to a huge grandfather clock.

"Right. Well, has she been here at all today?" Rainbow asked, feeling a bit awkward.

"You don't really expect me to keep tabs on all of Silver Spoon's friends running in and out all day, do you? I really can't say. Now if you have no further business here, please excuse me. I have matters to attend to." His voice dropped into a tone of sheer disdain as he inched the door closed in Rainbow's face.

What a total... Rainbow was flustered as she trotted away with a growl and a hint of red resting on her nose. Where could that little squirt be? she wondered as she continued aimlessly trotting down the city streets.

"Scootaloo! Scoot-Scootaloo!" she shouted, hoping to catch her attention.

Maybe she went back to Cheerilee's, Rainbow thought.

So she began to make her way back towards the other end of town. Tired of trotting, she took flight and made the trip in under a minute.  She tapped on the door and waited for an answer.

Cheerilee opened the door with a bright smile that quickly dropped into a worried frown. "Oh, it's you Rainbow Dash. I didn't expect to see you again today."

"I can't find Scootaloo. Did she come back here yet?" Rainbow asked, ignoring Cheerilee's attitude.

"No... no she didn't." Cheerilee walked in and took a seat, leaving the front door open.

Rainbow let herself in and shut the door. She took a seat next to Cheerilee and sighed. "Any ideas?"

Cheerilee snorted. "Nope, she just disappears from time to time. I guessed she was with Silver Spoon. I can't imagine where else she'd be. Are you sure they aren't out together?"

"Yeah I'm sure. Well... I'm pretty sure. I guess I didn't ask if Silver Spoon was home, but it kinda seemed obvious that she was," Rainbow said.

"Did Silver Dollar tell you that Scootaloo wasn't there?" Rainbow nodded and Cheerilee sighed. "You know, it seems more than likely to me that Silver Spoon told her dad to tell anyone looking for Scootaloo that she wasn't there. Fly up to Silver Spoon's window and peek inside, then you'll know for sure."

Rainbow groaned. "Seriously? That's kinda creepy ya know..."

"You can always wait until she comes back home. She'll show up eventually, she always does." Cheerilee looked down with a crooked smile.

Rainbow lowered her eyebrows and placed her hoof on the sulking mare's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll get all of this worked out. Scootaloo really does love you, she just doesn't realize what she's doing." Rainbow hoped that was true.

She stood up and headed back out. "I'll be back in while."

She flew down the street and made her way back to Silver Spoon's house. There was a light coming from a window on the second floor, so she decided to start there. Silently fluttering just outside the window, she peeked in. Sure enough, Scootaloo was there with Silver Spoon. The two were rolling around in bed, wrestling or something. Rainbow tapped on the window and both ponies looked over simultaneously. Rainbow put on a smile and waved. "Psst, open the window."

Scootaloo blushed and shrugged while Silver Spoon scowled. The little orange mare made her way to the window and let her friend in. Rainbow gently and quietly fluttered to the floor. "Scoot, I need to talk to you about your dia- uh..." Rainbow glanced down at Silver Spoon, not sure how much she should say in front of her.

The gray coated mare lowered her eyebrows. "You need to talk to her about her what?"

Rainbow nervously glanced over to Scootaloo. "I uh, I needed to talk to her about her, um..." Rainbow struggled to make something up off the top of her head. "Her diary, uh... yeah, her diarrhea... Come on Scoot, you need to get checked out immediately." Rainbow grabbed her wing and pulled her out the window.

"The hay Rainbow?! Seriously!" Scootaloo shouted while Silver Spoon yelled out of the window.

"Bye Scootsy, I'll miss you. Good luck with your... problem." She giggled and closed the window.

Scootaloo smacked herself in the face and trotted next to Rainbow towards the sunset. "So what the hay are you doing? What do you want?"

Rainbow lost her smile, took a deep breath and prepared to be serious, despite her urge to continue teasing her friend. "Scootaloo, we really need to talk about a few things. I don't know what's gotten into you, but this isn't the mare I care about. I never imagined you living like this."

Scootaloo blushed and looked down. "I know..."

"That's it? You know? If you know what you're doing is wrong then why are you still doing it - have you been with Silver Spoon all year?" Rainbow stared straight ahead, unable to stop the shame from worming its way into her heart.

"You didn't finish the diary yet? Well, yeah, I've been with her. We never broke up because I couldn't make myself leave her." Scootaloo continued looking at the road beneath her hooves as she trotted.

"If you can't leave her, maybe it's because you love her. Why don't you leave Cheerilee instead?" Rainbow attempted to push Scootaloo into evaluating her relationships.

"I can't do that either! I love her and she needs me. I need her too, I just... can't. It's not that easy Dash - if it was then I wouldn't need your help." Scootaloo pointed out.

"Right... Okay, let me make this easy for you Scootaloo. What you're doing right now is wrong. Sure, it's fun for you, and yes, those two need you, but you need to make a choice right here and right now. No thinking about it: just choose." Rainbow put her hoof down and looked at Scootaloo.

The little orange mare gulped. "But... what if I make the wrong choice? What if I choose Silver Spoon and then Cheerilee gets hurt? I think she'd take it way too hard."

"Is that the only reason you want to be with her? Because you don't want her getting hurt?" Rainbow asked harshly.

"NO! I love her, I just... What I just said was completely hypothetical. I'm just trying to get you to see why this is so hard for me." Scootaloo began to tear up, her emotional distress starting to unravel her composure.

Rainbow put a hoof on Scootaloo's mane. "I know it's hard, but that doesn't matter. Life is hard. Now make a choice or I'll choose for you."

Scootaloo's eyes widened. "You can't... you... what?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter who you choose now, but you can't have both. If you choose the wrong one and then realize you'd rather be with the other, then you can try to work that out at that point. Step one: come clean to both of them. Tell them both the truth and see who still wants to be with you, if either do."

Scootaloo's stomach was churning. What Rainbow was telling her to do dug deep into her heart and mind. "I don't think I can do that..."

"I'm not giving you a choice Scootaloo. You wanted my help and this is it. I'm sorry to have to be so harsh on you, but you got yourself into this and you are the only one who can get yourself out. I'm just here to push you in the right direction." Rainbow pushed Scootaloo back towards Silver Spoon's house.

"Are you sure this is what I have to do?" Scootaloo looked more uncertain than ever.

"Do it Scootaloo. You have to set this right. I know you want to. Tell Silver Spoon the truth and maybe she'll make your decision for you. I bet you two could have been perfect together, but you might have bucked that up with your stupid choices. I don't know her, but maybe she'll forgive you. Who knows?" Rainbow thoughtfully looked up to the stars as they slowly appeared in the darkening sky.

"I guess you're right... I knew I could count on you to set me straight Dash... Thanks, I think." Scootaloo slowly headed back towards Silver Spoon's house and prepared herself for what she knew she had to do.

Her mind began to turn on her, prompting her to back out and run away. Everything seemed to be going so smoothly for her right now. She didn't want to see it end.

"Ya know Dash, what if this isn't as bad as it seems? What if they're both okay with this?" Scootaloo's naïvety began to shine.

"You don't want that, Scootaloo. That isn't love. You'll never really be happy until you stop tearing your own heart in half. Plus, Cheerilee is miserable right now, you know that. I talked to her, and she's really struggling to pull herself through this. She's clearly lonely, and you're to blame. Nopony deserves to be strung along or walked over like a doormat while you run around with your other little marefriend. I'm really ashamed of you for this, but I still love you, and that's why I want to help. You have to let me help. Just stop with these stupid little fantasies and ideas of yours, and get it done. The sooner the better. And no matter what happens Scoot, I'll be here to help you through it." Dash let out a deep breath and stared into Scootaloo's watery eyes.

"Okay, Dash. If... if you say so..." Scootaloo gulped again, and slowly stepped towards her destination once more.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and took flight. She snatched Scootaloo off the ground and flew her to Silver Spoon's window. She tapped on it and the little gray mare opened it up. "Back already? Yay."

Rainbow let Scootaloo climb inside before twisting to stare at the filly as she slowly backed away into the darkness. Scootaloo groaned. "Silver, I have to tell you something. You're probably not gonna like it, but I can't keep this from you any longer."

Dash stayed a few meters away from the window, out of sight, but close enough that she could still hear everything that was happening. She hated violating her privacy, but she wanted to make sure Scootaloo actually went through with this.

"What is it Scootsy? You can tell me anything, you know that." Silver Spoon smiled and placed her cheek on a hoof as she lay in bed.

"I have another marefriend... I've been seeing her for about a year now, since about the same time we got together." Scootaloo sat down and took a deep breath.

Silver Spoon's smile went away. She leaned up and nervously looked her partner over. "Why are you telling me this? Did that Rainbow Dash put you up to it?"

"Yes and no. I've been really depressed lately, and it's because of this double life I've been living. Rainbow told me to tell you the truth, so here I am." Scootaloo felt as if she were trying to swallow broken glass as she made her confession.

Silver Spoon placed a hoof over her mouth and didn't attempt to hold her tears in. "You're breaking... you're breaking..." Uncontrollable sobbing interrupted Silver's words.

Scootaloo placed her hooves on her eyes. She couldn't imagine the pain her lover must be feeling, but she knew she didn't deserve an ounce of it. "I tried to tell you that I was seeing Cheerilee before, but I..." She didn't know how to complete that sentence.

She stood up to leave, feeling beat and devastated. Silver Spoon reached out and grabbed her shoulder with a hoof. "Wait..."

Scootaloo looked back with tears in her eyes. "What is it?"

"Is this really it? You're leaving me for our... our teacher?" Silver Spoon coughed and began to cry harder at the thought.

"I'm not leaving you for her - I should never have let myself fall for you when I was already taken. I'm sorry that I let this happen, I just couldn't bring myself to end it sooner. I loved it so much. I thought that when Diamond came back last summer you two would get back together, and we'd end it then, but then I didn't want that anymore. I fell in love with you. I have to end it though - I don't have a choice. Us being together isn't right." Scootaloo looked down and watched her tears dot the carpet beneath her hooves.

"Isn't right? Isn't right?! You being with our teacher isn't right! That's what's wrong - you're supposed to be with me! You can't do this to me! You said you loved me! Why would you lie to me about that?!" Silver Spoon's emotions took control of her actions as she threw a fit on the bed and cried.

"I didn't lie about that: I do love you Silver, I just loved Cheerilee first and she needs me. I can't keep sneaking off to be with you behind her back. I tried to tell her that I was going to see you, but it didn't work out the way I thought it would." Every bit of Scootaloo's body was urging her to run away, but her legs wouldn't move.

"Please don't go Scootaloo! We can talk about this... We can work this out... Please, it can't end like this! Not here... Not now." Scootaloo turned around and was met by the teary eyes of a mare she loved.

Her heart cracked as she once again lost sight of her intentions. "Okay..."

Silver Spoon suddenly smiled through her emotional agony. "Okay? Really?! You'll... you'll stay with me then?" She allowed a small bit of laughter to break through her crying.

Scootaloo didn't smile; she stood still, staring at her partner with a frown. She nodded and trotted over to the open window. "Yes, I'll stay with you. I... I love you Silver Spoon. I'm sorry I tried to break up with you. I couldn't live without you in my life... I don't know what I was thinking. But I need to go talk to Cheerilee now, okay?"

Silver Spoon began wiping her still-flowing tears. "It's okay, Scootsy. Just... please never do that again. And we'll talk about this, right? You'll leave Cheerilee? If you need a place to stay I can make my dad let you stay here."

"You're not mad at me for... for what I did?" Scootaloo asked, confused by her lover's reactions.

"Yes, I'm very mad at you. But that doesn't mean I want to break up with you. I can't. I just... Remember when I said I'd never let anything come between us? I meant it, and I want to work through this with you." Silver spoke calmly, holding back her tears.

"I'm so sorry Silver - I never meant to hurt you. I just got carried away with everything. I need to make this right. I don't know... I feel like you deserve better than me: I've been so horrible to you behind your back and you've always been so faithful and wonderful to me. It's just not right. I need to figure this out." Scootaloo jumped out the window and fluttered to the ground.

She quickly trotted off before Silver could come downstairs and chase her, but instead Silver called out the window, "I love you Scootsy!"

Scootaloo stopped for a moment and quietly returned the words of affection. Rainbow landed by her side the moment they were out of sight.

"That didn't go like I thought it would," Rainbow stated as she trotted next to her heartbroken friend.

"You were listening?" Scootaloo looked up at her idol with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, I thought you were gonna break it off. What happened? We had a plan," Rainbow reminded her.

"I couldn't."

"You couldn't? Come on Scoot, I already explained it to you - you can't keep this up. You can only have one marefriend at a time, and I don't care if they're okay with it. I'm not okay with it, and you shouldn't be either. Mare up and take care of your screw-ups." Rainbow took a harsh tone and stood in front of her little friend.

"Mare up, that's what you have to say..." Scootaloo scoffed and slowly walked around Rainbow.

The easily-angered mare huffed through nose. "You wanted my help Scootaloo? Well, here it is - if you don't want it now then that's your problem!"

Scootaloo stopped and turned around with a fierce glare. "It's not as simple as 'break it off with one of them'! If it was, I wouldn't even need your help, because I tried that a year ago! Do you really expect me to tell her no when she's begging me not to break her heart?! I love the mare - I can't do that to her! I don't want to break up with her. Can't you understand that?"

"Yeah, I guess you really do love her, huh." Rainbow placed a hoof on her head. "But what about Cheerilee?"

"If I talk to Cheerilee it'll go down the same way. I just can't do it on my own." Scootaloo sighed. "I need to be alone tonight. Can I stay at your place?"

"Yeah, fine. I'll take you there, and I'll tell Cheerilee where you are and why, if that's alright with you. Then I'm gonna finish that diary so I know all there is to know." Rainbow sighed as well as she grabbed her friend.

Scootaloo didn't enjoy the flight nearly as much as she did the last time. She attempted to smile as the weightless sensation washed over her, but it didn't truly inspire her the way it once had.

Rainbow dropped her off at the front door on the cloud tops. The pair hugged. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright Scootaloo?"

"Sure thing, and tell Cheerilee whatever you have to. I don't mind." Scootaloo let out a deep breath.

Rainbow raised a hoof to scratch her head and Scootaloo instinctively flinched and recoiled with a quick breath. "Whoa there squirt, settle down! Are you aright?"

Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry."

Rainbow lowered her eyebrows and stared at Scootaloo awkwardly for a minute. "You sure about that?" She looked closely at her face, tilting her chin up with a hoof.

Scootaloo smacked the hoof away. "Yeah, I'm sure. I'll see ya later. Goodnight Dash."

Rainbow nodded and flew off. Damn, Silver Spoon wasn't supposed to be this way... She should have wanted to break up after... ugh. She wiped her eyes and kept flying, disappointed by the turn of events.

In a few short minutes she reached Cheerilee's house. With a couple quick knocks, she attempted to let herself in, but the door was locked. "Cheerilee, it's me - Rainbow Dash!"

There was no answer. She knocked louder and waited for a while, but with no answer she decided to fly up to an upstairs window with a light shining through. Rainbow spotted Cheerilee laying face-down on the floor with a spilled bottle of Buck Daniels laying next to her. Her mane was dampened by the puddle of liquor beneath her.

She rolled her eyes and lifted the unlatched window open. Slipping in, she heard Cheerilee begin to groan. "You awake?" she asked softly.

"Mhm..." Cheerilee nodded, still facing the floor.

Rainbow trotted up to her and placed a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "It's alright Cheer. Here, let me help you." She lifted the inebriated mare up and let her lean on her shoulder.

The two clumsily walked over to the bed and Rainbow hoisted her onto it. "Get some sleep, and don't worry - I won't let Scootaloo see you like this. I won't tell her either. Just rest up, and trust me: you two are gonna be fine, and Silver Spoon will be out of the picture soon enough. I'm letting Scoot stay at my place tonight. She wanted to be alone for now. Which is probably lucky for you."

Cheerilee smiled and closed her eyes. "Thanks, Rainbow." Moments later she was fast asleep.

Rainbow rolled her eyes again, shaking her head. You're pathetic. You better not buck this up...

She took a deep breath and wiped the mane out of her face, then decided to head back to the library.


Scootaloo paced the room, her mind running faster than it ever had before. She was left with an impossible decision that would have devastating ramifications. Her small heart couldn't take the stress. She began to breathe deeply, and felt the urge to just run away from it all.

She closed her eyes and thought of her solution. A one-way ticket to Las Pegasus. It was her backup plan if Rainbow couldn't fix this. She'd borrowed money from Cheerilee without explaining its purpose, and purchased the ticket yesterday.


Rainbow flew quickly and made good time. The door was still open so she let herself in. Twilight was asleep with her face resting her desk. It was much later than Dash had realized. She tapped on Twilight's shoulder and guided her upstairs. "Where've you been Rainbow?" the sleepy mare asked.

"Helpin' Scoot out. She's worse off than I thought, and I have more reading to do tonight." Rainbow expected a negative reaction, but Twilight just nodded and gave her a kiss.

"Alright Dash... come to bed soon though. I love you." Twilight yawned and made her way to the bed.

Rainbow covered her up and gave her another kiss. "I love you too. By the way, how's that spell coming along?" She blushed and felt awkward.

Twilight simply nodded and and began quietly snoring. Rainbow smiled and kissed the tip of her horn before trotting downstairs to grab the diary. She took her seat on the couch and lit a couple lanterns, settling herself to begin reading. She flipped through entries describing Scootaloo's double life. All through the school year she'd spent nearly every day with Silver Spoon and every night with Cheerilee. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had each gotten their cutie marks and Scootaloo began to fall into a depression soon after that. Rainbow continued to skim, before landing on an interesting entry. This one was really short and clearly not written by Scootaloo, and there were several missing pages torn from the book before this entry.

Entry: Taking Charge

Entry: Taking Charge pt.2 - Silver's Song

Rainbow wondered about the missing pages, what they could have been, and why they were gone. She closed her eyes and tried to consider all the possibilities that were plaguing her mind. The image of Scootaloo cowering beneath her hoof was like a stain on her imagination. The possibility that somepony had hit her recently seemed more than likely. Would Cheerilee? No, Silver? No... Cheerilee? Ugh... Rainbow refused to jump to conclusions despite the evidence she was creating in her mind.

She forced the thoughts away and decided to read on. Surely if any entry was going to take her in the right direction, it'd be this one.

Cheerilee has been getting on my nerves lately. She won't stop bugging me to do things I don't want to do. I like spending my afternoons with Silver Spoon, and she wants me to come straight home after school so we can do things together. I know it sounds bad, but I don't want to just abandon Silver like that. She needs us to hang out or she'll get depressed. Diamond Tiara doesn't even acknowledge her anymore, not since Silver broke up with her. They've stopped talking altogether and it's my fault. I can't just up and abandon her after she left her marefriend for me.

Cheerilee'll just have to understand. I hate to do it, but I might have to remind her of our situation. I know I'm hard on her, but she's just going to have to deal with this until I can figure out what to do with Silver. I know she might read this, but it'll be easier than actually telling her anyway. I don't care. I really love her so much, but I can't make myself choose between her and my best friend.

I guess I should probably try to push Silver and Diamond together somehow, but I don't know for sure if I want to do that. I'd hate to never get to see her again, but I think I'm running out of leeway with Cheerilee. I don't know what I'm doing with her anymore.

Okay, I just reread what I wrote and that's terrible. I should want to spend every second of my life with Cheerilee! I love her, so why do I want to leave? I wish I knew somepony who could just give me all the answers. I wish I knew for myself, but I'm too blind to see where I should go next. The things I've been thinking about really scare me, like I shouldn't be this way. Sometimes I think the right answer is obvious, but I'm just too weak-minded to make myself do it. Sometimes Cheerilee's face is blurry when everything around her is clear, like I'm looking past her, or through her. Maybe it's just my tears blurring the source of my broken heart.

I'm slipping away from what I used to be. It's hard to find what I can't really see, and when the worst is all you can see, sometimes things just begin to seem worse than they really are. Who is Cheerilee to me? I used to think she was just a mare I fell in love with: my teacher and my lover, my home and my provider. But she's something else. She's something I fell into - not quite what I used to think. She's a malicious wretched wraith devouring my innocence, disguised as a magnanimous provider of care and refuge. Is that me? The wanderer caught in her web of lies, as she feasts on my naïvety and ignorance?

Maybe I'm just the foolish lover, a foal too young to realize a good thing when she has it. Who am I to ask for more? For anything for that matter? I'm a nopony, a loser, a mistake spawned from a series of mistakes much older than I. I'm just part of a never-ending chain of mistakes, meant to continue carving the path of failure and misery. I've learned a lot this past year. Cheerilee has helped me study, helped turn me into a better mare and a better student. She says I can go far in this world. That I have amazing potential, and that an aptitude for learning new things only goes as far as my willingness to pursue a career and an attitude to match it.

She's taught me to look at things in a way I never did before. When I really put my mind to it, things become clearer and choices seem obvious. When I put my mind to my own life problems, I can see the answers in the distance, but my will to reach them disappears. I almost think I'm subconsciously forcing myself to avoid a solution, because I'd rather live this way forever. I can't say that though. It's not true. I hate living this way.

I've learned so much, and my cutie mark still refuses to appear. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both have theirs. It's just not right. I've learned so much, and I'm so good at so many things, but I can't seem to make anything my own. I can't worry about that right now though. I need to make more solutions and stop creating so many problems.

It's almost time for Rainbow to read this I think. She might be able to pull me out of this mess. In the meantime, I need to take charge around here and make sure Cheerilee stays in her place. I'll have to do it, I'll use my situation against her and make her let me do what I want. Sometimes I wish I didn't love that mare. I'd leave her in a heartbeat, but I can't make myself. I'd never get over it. I'd never make it on my own. I need her and she needs me, I love her and she loves me too. It's a simple relationship if you don't think about it.

I'm gonna go do what I gotta do now.

~Scootaloo, out-

***

Scootaloo stood over the edge of the cloud Rainbow's home rested upon. She stared at the ground that seemed so far away. With three deep breaths, she jumped. Her wings instinctively spread and she began to frantically flutter. She knew she was able to safely jump out of windows and off trees, but this was by far the highest distance she'd ever jumped from. As she approached the ground, she began to flutter more urgently. She landed in a full stumbling gallop as she hit the ground. After a few steps, she toppled over and rolled across the road.

"Ow, my head..." she said as she held onto a suddenly sore spot on her flank.

With a few quick shakes, she brushed the dust off herself and began to trot down the road. She made her way back to Silver Spoon's house. It was dark and all the lights were off. She considered knocking but decided against it. Looking up, she noticed Silver's window was still open.

"Psst, Silver, can you hear me?" she whispered as loudly as she could.

Moments later, a little gray head peeked out the window. "Scootaloo? What are you doing here?"

"Just let me in. I'll explain later." She stood there, nervously shifting back and forth on her hooves.

Silver Spoon trotted downstairs and opened the door, before turning and leading the other filly back up to her room. Scootaloo immediately placed her hoof on Silver's cheek and pulled her into a kiss. The two stood still for a moment, enjoying a moment of affection as if nothing had happened. Once the kiss broke, Scootaloo saw the pain that remained in Silver Spoon's eyes.

"I'm so sorry about earlier. I don't know why I wanted to leave you. You were right - it's Cheerilee that I need to break up with. I just... well, before I... Silver, are you sure you love me and want this to be a 'forever' kind of thing?" Scootaloo bit her lip and looked at the floor.

"Scootsy, you know I do." Silver smiled and place a hoof on Scoot's cheek.

"How do I know for sure?" Scootaloo asked.

"How do you know for sure that I know for sure that I love you? You're just going to have to trust me Scootaloo." Silver giggled and kissed her lover on the muzzle.

Scootaloo smiled and turned away. "How do you know for sure?"

Silver Spoon dropped her smile and looked over to her bookshelf. "Remember that song I wrote for you Scootaloo? I've never written anything before, never even tried. I never wanted to, but after I fell in love, I just felt like I had to sing for you."

Scootaloo wore a crooked grin, guilt beginning to overtake her once again. "I do remember, I loved it..."

Silver Spoon trotted over to the bookshelf and opened her notebook. The song was somewhere in the middle, so she skimmed through the pages until she found it.

"Ahem... I wrote this when I fell in love - the falling inspired it." Silver cleared her throat and blushed, then began reading from her notebook as she sang her lyrics.

There's this thing in my chest just like pain, except it feels good

And if I could explain this to you, you know that I would

There's this thing in my life scaring me, but it means me no harm

It just stays here with me all night long, and brings me your charm

Now tell me it's obvious, tell me that I should have known

Is this what you meant when you said, I'd never be alone

Is this, love

Is this really love~

Because I can't catch on

Can't give in

Can't get up

Can't sit still

I just can't believe

Can't reach out

Can't let you

Make this true

There's this thing buried deep in my heart, I saved it for you

It's the only thing I have to give, not sure if that's true

There's this thing in the back of my mind, a question or two

Only you have the answers I need, now tell me, Scootaloo

Tell me it's obvious, tell me that I should have known

Tell me what you meant when you said, I'd never be alone

This thing in my chest, my life, my heart and my mind

It finally makes sense to me now, I think I've been blind

Because I just caught on

I gave in

I got up

Found my will

I just made believe

Love received

I'll let you

Make this true

So tell me it's obvious, tell me that I should have known

Is this what you meant when you said I'd never be alone

I didn't ask for this, I didn't even want this to start

But you held out your hoof, and I, just gave you my heart

Is this really love

You made it true

It's obvious now

Scootaloo

Each young mare looked the other in the eye. The rekindled relationship burned stronger than ever, after having survived its greatest trial so far. Scootaloo's heart pounded in her chest as she recalled all the wonderful moments she had shared with her amazing lover over the past year.

Silver placed the notebook down and smiled. "So do you believe me? I don't have to write a new song do I? Because I will."

"I believe you. I'm sure about everything now: I want to be with you Silver, and only you. I love you." Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around her lover and began spinning in circles while standing on her back hooves.

Silver clumsily allowed her partner to guide her around the room in loving twirls with a smile. "What are you doing Scootsy?"

"We're dancing, duh." She laughed and began spinning faster, now only holding Silver's front hooves.

"Dancing... You're so weird sometimes." Silver blushed and continued to let her lover guide her through a series of twirls and sidesteps.

"I can't sing, but I can do this. This is like my version of singing to you, ya know?" Scootaloo wrapped a hoof around the filly's hips as she pulled her in closer and slowed down, interlocking her other front hoof with Silver's.

"It's beautiful, love." Silver Spoon rested her head on Scootaloo's shoulder and began to hum her song.

Scootaloo slowed down a bit more to match Silver's rhythm and closed her eyes. "I couldn't sleep knowing you were hurt. I had to come see you, and I'm really glad I did. This is just so right. How could I have been such an idiot for so long?"

"Shh, don't worry about that. You're here now, and that's what matters. Stay the night with me. Stay forever." The two began to slowly sway.

"Okay..." Scootaloo smiled, finally feeling at ease.

She stood tall on her back hooves and span Silver around beneath her foreleg, then lowered her down gently to the carpet. The little gray mare had her breath taken away as Scootaloo's hoof rested softly behind her head. After a moment of intimate eye contact, the two began to kiss. More passionate than before, they easily lost themselves in a sea of sensuality.

Rainbow continued skimming through chapters, absorbing all the information she could as quickly as possible. She soon reached the end once again. Scootaloo's entry for her stood out. Rainbow recalled having helped her make a big decision - apparently she was responsible for Scootaloo staying with Cheerilee in the first place. If only the time they had spent together last year could have completely pushed her in the right direction.

Rainbow sighed and placed her hooves over her eyes. Why are you so undesirable Cheerilee? She realized she had quite the arduous task ahead of herself if she wished to convince Scootaloo to choose Cheerilee.

She flipped through the entire diary again, her mind wandering. Twilight Sparkle had brought a new kind of priority to light: there's more to life than a mare as young as Scootaloo could ever realize.

"Oh Scootaloo, you're gonna hate me for this. But you'll thank me in the end." Rainbow spoke aloud in the middle of the dark and empty room.

She decided to head upstairs and get some sleep. Twilight was sprawled out across the sheets, her blanket on the floor and her tongue hanging out. Rainbow couldn't help but chuckle under her breath at the sight. She pulled the blanket over her lover with her teeth and climbed in. Twilight cuddled up and hugged onto her partner. Rainbow took great comfort in having a warm bed and a mare to call her own. This kind of love was the best thing to happen to her. It had given her a new appreciation for the things life had to offer, and a new perspective on what was truly important in the world.

As the sun broke the horizon, Twilight let out a deep yawn. She rolled over and kissed Rainbow on the forehead, then climbed out of bed to prepare for the day. Only an hour later, Rainbow woke as well. She stretched and yawned before cracking her neck and heading downstairs.

"Mornin' guys," Rainbow groggily greeted her friends as she yawned yet again.

"Good morning, I didn't expect you to be up so early." Twilight smiled and sat her book down.

"Me neither. But hay, what can ya do? Sorry I can't stay, I have a lot of stuff to deal with today, and the sooner the better." Rainbow waved her lover down and trotted outside.

Twilight just shrugged and went back to reading. She'll be back to her old self soon... I hope.

Rainbow flew straight to her old home to check on Scootaloo, but the mare was nowhere to be found. "Scootaloo?!" Rainbow shouted through the house.

She trotted through and realized she was alone. Confused, she flew down and made her way to Cheerilee's home. Rather than using the front door, she went straight through the still-open upper window. Cheerilee groaned loudly as Rainbow pushed the curtains aside, allowing the piercing sunlight to flood the otherwise dark room.

"Good morning sunshine!" Rainbow shouted ruthlessly.

The hungover mare placed her hooves on her throbbing head. "Please Rainbow, what is it? Speak quietly."

"Oh, you know. It's just me trying to save your sorry excuse for a relationship. Get up and stop being an idiot for a while - you have an amazing little mare who's way out of your league to try and impress. She's probably going to leave your worthless, pathetic ass if you don't straighten up, and then I'd have to kill you." Rainbow casually trotted around the room, invading Cheerilee's privacy.

"What? What do you mean? Leave me? She'd never..." Cheerilee leaned over the bed and dry-heaved.

"Need a bucket?" Rainbow couldn't resist rolling her eyes as Cheerilee shook her head. "You're a real catch aren't you? I can see why Scootaloo likes you so much."

"I'm not always... I'm... always, not always like this." She wiped her mouth and headed towards the shower.

"You have one day to convince me that you're worth this kid's affection. Otherwise I'm taking her away from you." Rainbow sounded harsh and serious.

"You can't do that, I have custody of her." Cheerilee listlessly pointed out.

"And I have a diary recording lots and lots of sexual activity between you two." Rainbow grinned.

"Right... So what do I have to do?" Cheerilee asked with wide eyes.

"Just be yourself, the way you used to be. You're a wreck right now, not something anypony wants to deal with. Stand up to Scootaloo's selfish crap and remind her that you're a pony full of love and feelings too. She's still a kid in a lot of ways, but with a little push, she'll come around." Rainbow seemed to have had a complete change of heart, her tone brightening with her smile.

"You're right... It's just hard to be myself when I'm so depressed. I can't explain how it feels. Imagine if you loved a pony, and they openly cheated on you every single day. I love that little filly so much, I can't make myself leave her - I just want her to stop. She has to feel something for me, but I think she's just using me because I help her though school and give her everything she needs. I'm just glad she comes home to me every night, I couldn't do this anymore if I didn't have her to hold me while we sleep. I'd, I'd lose my mind. I can't... I just can't explain properly." Cheerilee broke down into a fit of tears.

"It's alright, you don't have to explain. I can imagine. That'll stop though. I'll make sure you and Scootaloo have an awesome relationship. She doesn't get it right now, but she's learning. This is what you get for getting with such a young mare; she has a lot to learn and you're going to have to stick with her through it all." Rainbow placed her hoof on Cheerilee's shoulder and looked her in the eye.

"I can't thank you enough for this, Dash." Rainbow patted her on the head and went back over to the window.

"Don't mention it, but you can thank me by making sure I'm not wasting my time alright? Remember, when I get Scootaloo over here with you, be yourself. Stop all this wussy depression stuff. Nopony wants to be around that, and Scootaloo isn't good at dealing with it. You need to convince her you're worth loving and want to be loved. Trust me, it's gonna work - just play your part and smile." Rainbow nodded to the teacher and turned to fly out the window. Cheerilee laid back down and sighed, hoping this would be as easy as Rainbow said it'd be.

Making Decisions

Warm sunlight washed over Scootaloo as an early morning breeze parted the curtains. She felt a chill and realized Silver Spoon was asleep in her arms as she tried to pull a blanket over herself. The calming sound of birds chirping and the sweet smell of the morning air put Scootaloo in a welcomed state of mind. She felt completely at ease, as if for the first time in her life, everything was the way it was meant to be.

Her ticket to Las Pegasus trotted into her thoughts. She figured living in Ponyville with Cheerilee might prove troublesome once she had broken it off with her. Scootaloo took a deep breath and rolled over to face her lover.

"Psst, Silver. You awake?" She nudged the sleeping mare with her muzzle.

Silver Spoon opened her eyes and attempted to focus before reaching over to grab her glasses. "Good morning Scootsy, what's up?"

"What would you do if I ran away from Ponyville? Like really, really far away?" Scootaloo stared at the ceiling, hoping she was making the right choice with her approach.

Silver's smile dropped immediately. "Why would you ask that? I thought you were happy here with me again."

Scootaloo let out another deep breath and hugged her partner. "I am happy. I was just asking, um, rhetorically. Like, 'what if?'"

Silver hugged back, closing her eyes to try to imagine how she'd honestly react. "Well, I'd run away with you. I'd follow you anywhere Scootaloo."

Satisfied with that answer, Scootaloo changed the subject. "I'd do the same for you Silver. So, what do you want to do today? It's summer: no school, no responsibilities. I say let's have some fun."

"Fun, huh? I agree, let's have some fun." Silver Spoon rolled over on top of her lover and began to kiss her.

Scootaloo decided to let her mind rest while she enjoyed the little things the day had to offer. There'd be plenty of time to worry later, but for now, Silver Spoon deserved all of her attention.

Rainbow flew out the window of Cheerilee's home and figured she should begin her search for Scootaloo. The little orange mare couldn't have gone far. She did a quick fly-by over Scootaloo's old home and the town park, but there was no sign of her there. Then it hit her: she was obviously with Silver Spoon again. Rainbow pulled up mid-air, before swooping down to land on the road. She began to trot slowly while her mind wandered. Maybe, just maybe, Scootaloo's better off being happy with Silver Spoon, just enjoying her youth...

Rather than continue to Silver's house, Rainbow decided to head back to the library. She made her way back to Twilight, figuring that asking one of the smartest ponies in Equestria for her opinion on the matter might not be a bad idea. She trotted in and let out a sigh of relief as the cool air in the library hit her. It was surprisingly hot out, considering the more mild summer temperatures of the week so far.

"Twi, I need to talk to you about something. Wanna head upstairs with me?" Dash asked, glancing down at Spike.

He rolled his eyes and stood up. "Don't bother, I'm heading out anyway." He snapped his tail and stomped out the front door, slamming it behind himself.

"I don't know what's gotten into him lately... Anyway, what did you need to talk about Dash?" Twilight smiled and put her book down.

"Advice, actually. I need your opinion on something before I make a terrible mistake. Basically, what do you think is more important for a young mare? Enjoying herself and having fun while she's young, falling in love and spending all her time with another pony? Or sacrificing a potential relationship to focus on studying and making sure she'll get into a good college and succeed in life? I just hate to imagine Scootaloo living like me because she made the same mistakes I did at her age. Right now, I'm really leaning towards making her stay with Cheerilee until she finishes school. Cheerilee has the means to get her into college, and she clearly has the money too. With her help, Scootaloo really has an amazing opportunity to go far in the world... She's a smart kid, she deserves better than what I have. I want to see her succeed." Rainbow looked down with her mane hanging in her face.

Twilight frowned and leaned her cheek on her hoof. She looked up into Rainbow's eyes before coming up with an answer. "Dash, I can honestly say that I regretted living in a shell, studying all the time while my friends had fun and fell in love. I hated it, and wished I had been like them, but I convinced myself I was better off without them. That learning and studying were the most important things in the world. I used to regret it, but look at me now. I have a promising career, I'm being mentored by Celestia herself, and I get to live in a library and study whatever I want while learning about how great it is to have friends. Best of all, I now have you. Last year I started to fall in love with you, and then you fell in love with me. Now we're together, and I couldn't be happier. Dash, what I'm saying is that sometimes what seems bad and hard pays off in the end. I can't make the decision for her, but if I compare it to my life, I'd never change anything I did back then, because a few years of suffering turned into a lifetime of happiness."

Rainbow leaned back on her couch. "Thanks Twilight. I knew I could count on you to make things clear." She trotted up to her lover. "You're too smart, ya know that?"

The two shared a kiss and Rainbow put on a cocky grin. "So, you started to fall for me last year huh? Our first time?"

Twilight blushed. "Yes Dash, you were just that good."

Rainbow looked up and smiled wider. "So good, in fact, that you went straight to sleep and didn't return the favor after I took care of you. By my count, you owe me one."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Right, just one."

Rainbow backed up and looked her lover in the eye. "I'll be calling that in soon. For now, I should probably go find Scootaloo."

The little orange mare lay panting in bed with her lover collapsed next to her. Silver Spoon hugged onto Scootaloo's side while she ran a hoof in circles on her chest. "So Scootaloo, did you ever, you know... with Cheerilee?"

Scootaloo gulped and cringed. "I don't really wanna talk about that."

"So you did then, didn't you..." Silver Spoon lowered her head, wondering why she had brought that upon herself.

"Yeah, I did... I'm sorry, okay? I wish I could go back in time and erase the past, but I can't." Scootaloo attempted to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Forget it, I'm sorry I said anything. I shouldn't ask, it's none of my business." Silver brushed the mane out of her face and closed her eyes.

"I should head out, I need to break up with Cheerilee now..." Scootaloo felt tears welling up in her eyes already.

"Okay... hurry back, love. I'll be waiting." Silver lifted her hoof to allow her lover to get up.

Scootaloo looked back and smiled, before leaping out of the window and fluttering to the road below. As she began to trot down the long road to Cheerilee's house, Silver came running out the front door. "Scootsy! Wait!"

Scootaloo turned back to see her lover galloping up next to her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you. I think I should be there by your side, just in case... well, you know." Silver lowered her eyes and matched Scootaloo's pace.

"I don't know if I'm comfortable with you being there - I don't want you getting hurt... Physically or emotionally." Scootaloo slowed down and stopped.

"Don't worry, I'll have you there to make sure I'm safe. I want to be with you when this happens, okay?" Silver seemed adamant.

"Alright, have it your way. Just don't provoke her. I want this to be as easy as possible." The pair continued on their way to their teacher's house.

Dozens of possible scenarios ran through Scootaloo's mind as they walked. By the time they reached Cheerilee's front door, her mind was a wreck. She knocked and waited until Cheerilee answered the front door with a bright smile that immediately vanished when she saw Silver Spoon.

"Um, hello girls. What brings you here Silver Spoon?" Cheerilee held her positive attitude as best she could.

Scootaloo stepped forward. "I need to talk to you Cheerilee. I'm leaving you to be with Silver Spoon. I've made a lot of choices in the past that I regret, and I need to try to fix some of them. I can't have you both, and I really love Silver Spoon with all my heart. You've been good to me, Cheerilee, and I'll always love you for that, but this is it. Goodbye."

Cheerilee's eyes shifted back and forth between the two young mares in front of her. "Wait..."

Scootaloo placed her hoof on Silver's shoulder and turned to walk away. Cheerilee stood still in the doorway, not yet fully come to terms with what had just happened. "Wait! Scootaloo, wait! Please wait, just a minute."

The two fillies continued trotting away as Cheerilee began to break down. "Get back here right now, Scootaloo! Right now!"

Cheerilee fell down in her doorway and began to cry. Rainbow Dash, you liar...

As the two young mares trotted out of sight, Scootaloo began to feel guilty. "Silver, I can't just leave her like that. I need to make sure she doesn't hurt herself or something. I love you, but I have to go back. Okay?"

"What? No, she'll be fine!" Silver protested.

"Okay, I'm not asking, I'm telling you what I have to do." Scootaloo sounded unusually stern, something Silver wasn't used to.

"Ugh, fine Scootsy, but will you at least walk me home? I don't want to go back." Silver stood closer to her lover, knowing she'd be unable to refuse.

"Yeah, sure - we're almost there anyway." Scootaloo let out a deep sigh and prepared her mind to confront Cheerilee again, alone.

As Silver Spoon's house came into view, they spotted Rainbow Dash at the front door with Silver Dollar. Rainbow was cautiously backing away and the stallion sounded furious. "... and I don't want you or your kind near my family ever again!" He shouted as the two fillies approached the home.

Rainbow seemed shocked and she backed away, spotting Scootaloo. Silver trotted up to her dad to investigate his not-so-unusual anger. "Dad, why are you yelling?" she asked with the softest of tones.

"You have much explaining to do, child. Now get to your room, and we'll discuss your punishment in due time!" Silver Dollar shouted, nudging his daughter inside.

"And you, you little orange scum. Stay away from my daughter, you hear me? You and your kind aren't welcome here any longer. I've been far too lenient, and this is what it got me... You all sicken me..." He slammed the door behind himself and a series of clicks from an overabundance of locks followed.

"What the hay was that all about?!" Scootaloo demanded as she began trotting away with Rainbow.

"I guess he didn't realize you two were a couple. I asked him if you were there and it kinda slipped out. He was yelling at me for thinking you were there all the time, so I told him why. Well... he asked, I guess." Rainbow attempted to explain herself.

"Wait - you told him we were dating? Are you insane?!" Scootaloo groaned and placed a hoof on her face.

"Sorry, I didn't realize he'd freak out like that. Well, the good news is that he made your decision for you. He's not gonna let you two hang out anymore, so now you can just be with Cheerilee." Rainbow tried to point out the positive side to the situation.

"Yeah, if it wasn't too late. I already broke up with her." Scootaloo sighed and tried to figure out what to do.

Rainbow stopped trotting and looked up. "You broke up with her? When?" she asked, trying to make a time frame in her mind.

"Just now. That's where me and Silver were coming from."

"Crap..." Rainbow shook her head before grabbing Scootaloo and quickly flying over to Cheerilee's.

The door was shut and it seemed quiet. Dash knocked. "Hello, it's me - Rainbow Dash. I brought Scootaloo, open up!"

There was no answer. She flew up to the bedroom window, but it was locked shut with the curtains drawn. "Open up Cheerilee!" Rainbow shouted into the glass, to no avail.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes from the ground. "I don't want to be with Cheerilee anymore, Dash. I already decided on Silver Spoon."

Rainbow flew back down. "Well that's not gonna work, so Cheerilee's your only choice."

"I'll figure something out - I need your help though. I'm going to run away with Silver Spoon." Scootaloo looked up with wide, watery eyes.

"Whoa there kiddo - run away? I don't think so. You're gonna work things out with Cheerilee, and you two will be happy." Rainbow ignored her friend's request and continued knocking.

"Dash, I'm serious. Even if you don't help me, I'm still running away." Scootaloo stamped her hoof and put on a determined face.

Rainbow sighed and rolled her eyes. "And where will you two go, hmm? You gonna go live on the streets of Manehatten? That'll be nice. The pair of you can get raped and murdered, but at least you'll die with the one you love - right? Stop being such a foal and grow up. Sometimes things don't work out. There's no need to go bucking both your lives up to chase some silly little dream of true love. Trust me."

Scootaloo glared at her idol, her heart broken and her intentions belittled. "Fine! If you don't want to help me, then I'll just do this on my own!" She began galloping away as fast as she could.

Rainbow groaned and turned to chase the filly, but just then, Cheerilee opened the front door. "Really? Now you answer?" Rainbow looked after Scootaloo as she sped over a hill and out of sight.

"Alright Cheer, we gotta talk." Rainbow made her way inside and sat down with Cheerilee.

Scootaloo panicked, feeling lost and alone. She made her way to Rainbow's old house. For a cloud home, it seemed unusually low, but still so far out of reach. She climbed a nearby tree and stood on the highest branch she could get to. With three deep breaths, she began shaking the branch up and down, preparing to jump. Alright Scootaloo, you can do this, you can do this, you can do this...

With another deep breath, she used the movement of the bouncing branch to give her more momentum as she jumped as high as she could into the sky. She began frantically fluttering her wings, desperately trying to fly to the cloud surface. For several seconds, she held herself level in the sky, neither getting higher nor falling. She cringed and started flapping harder and harder until she felt herself gaining altitude. The wing that had gotten injured last year was weaker, and even though she had made a full recovery, she'd never properly rebuilt the muscle tone she once had.

She looked back down. The tree seemed so far away now, and the cloud above was nearly in reach. She stretched her front hooves out and touched the base with their tips. With only a few inches to go, she was able to grasp onto the edge of the cloud. With a exhausted groan, she pulled herself onto the base and attempted to catch her breath. Yes, you did it...

After taking a moment to recompose herself, she trotted through Rainbow's cloud home. On the bedroom nightstand, she found her ticket to Las Pegasus. She recalled seeing pictures of the amazing city once before. It was near the ocean, which was something she had always wanted to see. It was a huge mass of clouds, at least twice the size of Cloudsdale and had two large waterfalls pouring over each side. Beneath the huge cloud-city were the Flats of Las Pegasus, a city on the ground where most of the lower class factory workers lived, including her uncle. She tried to picture what that new lifestyle would have in store for her, but couldn't imagine it.

She collapsed on Rainbow's bed and pushed her face up against the pillow. She wanted to trust her idol so badly, but it seemed that just when things were finally beginning to make sense, they had started falling apart more than ever before. Rainbow seemed to be helping to make things worse, and it seemed like the only one she could trust... was herself.

Scootaloo knew Rainbow would never think to look for her in her own house. She felt tired and emotionally exhausted. After a few moments of relaxing on the bed, she began to drift off to sleep. An image of Cheerilee stained her mind - angry, with a bottle of alcohol in one hoof, and the other raised, ready to strike. Scootaloo cringed in her state of half-sleep and hugged onto the blanket.

Rainbow watched as Cheerilee frantically paced through her home, periodically take a swig from an unmarked bottle. "Settle down there, it'll be alright. I heard what happened, but what I said earlier still stands."

"Face it Rainbow, she doesn't want to be with me anymore. Silver Spoon is her own age, and she's much better... much better off..." Cheerilee allowed her depression to take control of her actions as she leaned against a wall and slid easily to the floor.

Rainbow let out a deep breath and took a seat, contemplating her next move. "Okay, you need to stop. Look, don't worry about Silver Spoon. I sabotaged their relationship already. I lied to Silver's dad, and he took care of the problem for us. I told him some things that might have been a little harsh, but it was worth it. He said that Silver's too good for Ponyville anyway, so I think he's gonna take her out of your school too."

Cheerilee wiped her eyes and looked up. "Really? So, Silver's gone?"

"Not quite yet. But she will be, and Scoot will realize how much she loves you." Rainbow walked over to her and placed a hoof on her cheek, before pulling the mare to her hooves.

"Clean yourself up Cheer, and get your smile ready. I'll be back with Scootaloo tomorrow morning. Just make sure you want this kid in your life, and make sure you're willing to take a little more pain or stress. Scootaloo's a great kid, you just gotta have a little patience with her. Remember what I said earlier. I'm gonna talk to Scootaloo and set her straight today, so she'll be good by the morning." Rainbow looked up, making sure she had covered everything.

"Okay, Dash... Please make this work, because I can't do it on my own..." Cheerilee sniffled and wiped her eyes again.

"You're just as much of a kid as she is, aren't you? Don't worry, it'll all be fine." Rainbow trotted out the door, shaking her head.

Cheerilee stood up and attempted to fix her mane, before heading into the kitchen to pour herself a drink. She lifted it to her face and stared for a moment, then dropped it to the floor, allowing the glass to shatter. In a fit, she tossed the bottle across the kitchen making a much bigger mess. This is good, I can handle this. This is nothing...

Entry: Just Let Me Go

Scootaloo woke up late in the evening, a kink in her neck, and her wings feeling worse than sore. She flopped out of bed and stretched herself out, spotting a small saddlebag in the corner of the room as she did. It was empty, so she tucked it under her wing and placed her train ticket inside. Wiping her tired eyes, she made her way outside and considered all she'd have to do in preparation to leave town. First, she needed to talk to Silver Spoon.

Taking a moment to steel her mind, Scootaloo leaned over the edge of the cloud. She counted to three and jumped over the edge, forcing herself to flutter safely to the road. Once again, she gained too much momentum and stumbled across the road, although this time she at least managed not to topple over. After regaining her balance, she headed down the dimly-lit night road toward Silver Spoon's house. Upon arriving, she began quietly calling up towards her lover's bedroom window. "Silver! Open up!"

Scootaloo took a few steps back and looked up. The window was shut, with curtains drawn. It was dark, but she could just make out the image of an arrow drawn on notebook paper stuck behind the glass, pointing diagonally down. Scootaloo looked where it pointed and trotted around behind a bush. There was an envelope tucked within. Scootaloo quickly grabbed it and moved under the nearest street light so she could read what was inside.

Scootaloo, I knew you'd try to come see me. I'm so sorry about my dad, you know how he gets. He locked up the doors, so I can't open them, and I know he's about to lock my window too. So I'm just gonna write this quickly and toss it out before he comes in here.

I guess Rainbow Dash told him some bad things about us. I don't understand why she hates me so much. All I wanted was for us to be happy together. I wish I knew why she wanted to break us apart, I'd have tried to reason with her. This hurts so bad Scootaloo... I really wish you were here with me right now.

My dad said he's gonna send me to stupid Neighstrum Academy with Diamond Tiara. He says I need to stay with my own kind and away from the "filthy trash" in Ponyville. I don't know how I'll do it, but I'll run away and I'll definitely see you again soon. I love you Scootaloo, please wait for me. I'll be in your hooves again as soon as I can.

Love and Kisses ~ SS

Scootaloo pressed the letter up against her chest and let her tears dot the gravel beneath her hooves. "This isn't fair!" she shouted as she stomped on the ground.

Sniffling, she headed towards the train station. It was still the middle of the night, but now she had nowhere else to go. There was no way to get a hold of Silver, and Rainbow would be able to find her anywhere else. She decided she'd just wait there, since her train was scheduled to leave just before noon. It was a fourteen-hour train ride to her destination, without any stops. The express ticket cost extra, but hay, they weren't her bits anyway. Scootaloo curled up on the bench inside the station and held onto her aching stomach.

Thoughts of Cheerilee filled her mind. She wanted to say goodbye, to tell her that she'd miss her, and to thank her for everything she'd done. Scootaloo felt that it was wrong to be thinking of Cheerilee as she waited to leave town. A thought occurred to her: everypony would wonder where she had gone. Scootaloo leaned over and decided it would be best to leave a message. She didn't want anypony trying to stop her from leaving. Hmm... I guess I should sneak in and grab some stuff from Cheerilee's before I go... I'll also probably want a-

Scootaloo's thoughts were cut off by the sound of tapping outside the station door. Rainbow Dash stood there, lightly silhouetted by the street lights behind her. "Heya kiddo. Can I come in?" Rainbow spoke through the glass door.

"Uh, sure..." Scootaloo looked down and placed her front hooves between her legs.

"So, how ya feelin'?" Dash took a seat next to her little friend.

Scootaloo looked up with tears in her eyes, staying silent.

Rainbow placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Come on Scoot, it's not as bad as you think. Now, before you start yelling at me, just listen for a minute. I know you're practically grown up now, and you can make all your own choices. But, just take a step back and look at the big picture, the entire picture. I brought you this. You asked me for answers - well, they're all in here." Dash took the diary out from beneath her wing.

"I marked a couple of entries I really think you should reread. By the way, what are you doing here anyway?" Rainbow asked as she hoofed the diary down to her friend.

"I'm just, you know... hiding out. I don't really have anywhere else to go." Scootaloo looked back down and sighed.

Rainbow smiled softly and pulled Scootaloo into a hug. "Really? You know as long as I'm around, you'll have a place to stay. I got you covered. Come on back to the library with me. Twi won't mind."

Scootaloo nodded and stood up. "Which entries did you mark?"

"Just wait til we get to the library. I'll get you a lamp and you can read them then. It'll give you something to sleep on. I really want you to think this over carefully, Scoot. It's not just your well-being that's at stake here." Rainbow looked down sternly, her expression betraying the sense of responsibility she felt as she walked Scootaloo down the road.

"What about Silver Spoon? She's... she's not gonna be able to leave the house... I'm never gonna see her again. I never even got to say goodbye, or tell her how much I love her. She needs me - what about her well-being?" Scootaloo cried.

Rainbow rolled her eyes at the filly. "You'll get your chance to say goodbye - I'll make sure you do, okay? And she'll be fine. Where's her dad taking her anyway?"

"Some boarding school in Manehatten." Scootaloo sobbed as she spoke.

"Sounds nice. I bet she'll do just fine there. No distractions, ya know?" Rainbow patted her friend on the head.

Scootaloo sighed and took Rainbow's words for what they were worth, despite the hurtful undertone she could have focused on instead. "When will you take me to see her?" Scootaloo asked.

"We'll figure it out soon, alright? Let's just get some rest tonight. I'm exhausted after searching for you all day and night." Rainbow yawned and pushed the library door open.

She grabbed a lantern and lit it up, setting it on a shelf above the couch she had claimed as her own. Scootaloo took a seat and opened the diary as Rainbow trotted upstairs. She began to read, instantly recalling the day she had recorded the entry.

Today was complete crap. Silver Spoon decided to get all whiny and stuff, but what the hay am I supposed to do? I already told Cheerilee I'd go with her on this little date thing she wants to do. I knew I had no choice, since this seems really important to her, and I can't just blow her off because Silver Spoon's being all clingy over nothing. It'd probably break Cheerilee's heart if I told her no. I can't do that, it's not fair to her. Silver will just have to deal.

I went to her house and figured I should set her straight. This morning I had told her that I'd think about not going, even though that wasn't true. I also told her that I'd be going with my mom. That's a laugh. Now that I think about it, she knows I haven't seen my mom in almost a year, and she knows that my mom would only rarely get an opportunity to spend time with me like that, if ever at all. The more I think about it, the more angry I'm getting at her.

Anyway, things got worse once I got there. It seemed the more she thought about it, the more angry she got too. I knocked on her door and she opened it, rolling her eyes and immediately trotting back up to her room.

"What gives Silver?" I asked, already sick of her attitude.

"What do you think Scoot? You wanna ditch me all weekend to go spend time with your crazy mom? We were supposed to spend the weekend together at Applebloom's, like you promised." That was true, but I hadn't counted on Cheerilee making plans for the same weekend.

"Plans change, Silver. We can do it later, okay?" I knew why she was so upset, but still, she was being really bad about this, I think.

"Change yours then. You know how much I've been looking forward to this. We've never been able to sleep together at night, and I..." Silver blushed. I was starting to feel terrible at that point.

"I know, I was looking forward to it too. But you know, we can always do it another weekend." I tried to be reasonable.

"No, Scootaloo! I wanna do it this weekend!" She started yelling at me, and I was quickly losing my patience.

"Well, too bad!" I yelled back, almost ready to fight.

"You can't do this to me Scootaloo!" She teared up, probably just overreacting.

Scootaloo shook her head. "You can't do this to me..."

She reread that line several times, recalling what had happened when she tried to break up with Silver a couple of nights ago. She also recalled Rainbow having heard their argument that night. Scootaloo chuckled. Is this it Rainbow? Your big sign? Silver's just an overreacting little kid, right?

"I'm not doing anything to you, Silver. You can't change my mind. Look, I'm going. Okay? That's all there is to it." I turned to head back outside. I had had enough of her for today.

"Fine... Be that way!" she yelled at me from her window as I trotted back home.

Before turning the page, Scootaloo cringed and felt her heart ache. Come on Rainbow, this was just one fight... You can't just... you can't base your entire life off of one fight.

As she turned the page, she saw a small note stuck between the pages. Scootaloo opened the note and started reading.

Look, I know you think that this was just a little fight and no big deal, and honestly, that's all it was. I'm just trying to show you that you're both still really emotional little mares, and this is what you do. You guys will fight and fight, again and again. The only difference is, Silver Spoon will leave you eventually. She's young like you, and she's gonna get curious, especially now that she knows you cheated on her already. She might seem fine now, she might say she doesn't care, but she will eventually.

She'll meet somepony else she likes, and if you guys get in another fight, she'll use it as an excuse to go to them for comfort. Okay, so I don't know that for sure. I'm just saying that it wouldn't surprise me at all, and you know it could and probably will happen. The point is, I don't want you throwing your life away for something as uncertain as Silver Spoon. You loved Cheerilee first - remember that, and stay faithful. That mare has been through hell for you, and even now, after you broke her heart again, she's trying her best to stay strong, and hoping with everything she's got that you'll come back to her. If that ain't love, then I don't know what is.

Rather than finish the entry, Scootaloo shut the book and lay down. Rainbow's letter had to mean something to her, she knew it did, but couldn't quite place its significance. She closed her eyes and saw Cheerilee, lying in bed alone, crying and brokenhearted. She started to wish she could be there to comfort her, but another image came to mind. Cheerilee in her room, sitting on the bed with a bottle in her hoof, angry, knocking things over and crying. Scootaloo cringed as the image washed over her, filling her mind and haunting her dreams as she drifted off to sleep.


As the sun crept over the windowsill, Rainbow's eyes shot open. She shook her mane out as she jumped out of bed and quickly trotted downstairs. Confirming her fears, Scootaloo was gone. Rainbow groaned and headed outside, wondering where Twilight could be. She stretched her wings for a moment, then took flight to search the usual areas for her little friend.

With no luck, she made her way back to Cheerilee's house to check in on the mess of a mare. She tapped on the door and got no answer, although this time she found it unlocked as she attempted to let herself in. Rainbow quietly walked through the house. She covered her nose as she walked into a wall of stench. The house reeked of cheap liquor and vomit. There were three empty bottles of Everfree-Clear on the coffee table in front of the couch. Rainbow imagined drinking that was similar to drinking gasoline. As she trotted into the kitchen, she noticed a mess of broken glass piled up against the wall.

"Cheer? You in here?" Dash called out. No answer.

"Hello?! Cheerilee?!" she shouted through the silent home, before deciding to head upstairs.

As she slowly pushed the bedroom door open, she was struck by the shocking sight that met her. The bed was made and the rest of the room was clean. However, there was nopony to be found within. Dash scratched her head and backed out of the room. Where the hay is everypony? she wondered.

Rainbow Dash slowly trotted back outside, shutting the door behind herself. The sun was veiled by a thick layer of gray clouds as she made her way back down the street. She decided to head back to the train station, figuring it was as good a place as any to begin her search once again. It was a short flight to the station, and sure enough, Scootaloo was sitting on the same bench Dash had found her on last night. This time though, there were several more ponies crowding the station, each impatiently shifting their weight and checking the large clock hung on the wall behind them.

Rainbow walked through the glass doors and caught Scootaloo's attention. "Hey kid, what do you think you're doing here?" she asked with a worried expression.

Scootaloo jumped, quickly tucking her ticket beneath her wing. "Wha- what do you mean? What are you doing here?" she nervously replied.

"I'm looking for you! Come on, we need to go find Cheerilee." Rainbow urged her friend to follow her, pulling on her wing.

"Cheerilee's not home. She's probably out buying more alcohol," Scootaloo scoffed.

"She might be in trouble, come on." Rainbow attempted to forcefully drag Scootaloo out of the station.

Scootaloo pushed Rainbow away and stood strong. "No, Dash. I'm not going anywhere."

"What are you talking about? I don't have time for this Scoot," Dash retorted, the anger and pent-up frustration visible in her eyes.

"I'm leaving. I'm... I'm going to live with my uncle in Las Pegasus." Scootaloo looked away, biting her tongue.

"Wait, you were gonna leave? You... you weren't even gonna say goodbye?" Dash looked down with tears in her eyes, feeling betrayed.

"I left a note..." Scootaloo pointed out, shame filling her heart.

"A note... Why wouldn't you tell me to my face?!" Rainbow shouted, masking her pain with anger.

"Because I knew you'd act like this. I'm sorry Dash, I should have told you anyway." Scootaloo let out a deep breath, hoping to calm her friend down.

"I'm sorry too. For yelling, I mean. Seriously though, Scootaloo - this is crazy. Come on, I'll take you back to the library and we can talk about this. Please, Scoot?" Rainbow pleaded, hoping for the best.

Scootaloo let out a deep sigh. "Dash, I already got the ticket, and my train's leaving soon. I can't go back, alright? I've made my mind up. Silver's gone, and Cheerilee might as well be. Her mind is long gone, and the drinking is only pushing her farther away everyday. I don't want to hurt her anymore. I just get so angry when she drinks, and I can't control myself. When I went to her house today, I just wanted to... I wanted to kill her. I searched, and I scared myself. Look, Dash, this is it. Okay? I have to go, and I'll be fine."

Rainbow began to tear up as she heard a faint roar of thunder in the distance. "Scootaloo, I'll help you and Cheerilee work through your problems. You can't go - running away is not the answer. Don't make me beg you Scoot, because I will if I have to."

"I'm going, Dash. And don't beg, just treat me like a grown mare and let me make my own choices. I'm sorry I tried to make you fix my life for me, that was wrong. This was never your mess to clean up, so I'm making it right myself." Scootaloo hugged her idol one last time. "I love you Rainbow Dash. You really are my best friend, and I'm gonna miss you a lot."

"Scootaloo, you can't... I won't let you go..." Rainbow held onto her little friend tightly, attempting in vain to hold her tears back.

Scootaloo stepped back, pushing Rainbow's hoof away. "Dash, remember when you said that if I ever needed anything, just to let you know?"

Rainbow nodded, and Scootaloo took a deep breath. "Well, I need you to let me go."

Rainbow Dash took a few steps backwards, staring at the ground. Scootaloo closed her eyes and turned away, heading back towards the platform.

"All aboard!" the train conductor shouted as the group of ponies lined up outside the passenger cars.

Rainbow looked up to see Scootaloo boarding the train. The little orange mare looked back, her deep purple gaze meeting Rainbow's from afar. She looked down and walked through the train doors - out of sight, and out of her best friend's life. As the train began to roll away, Rainbow felt her heart cracking into pieces. There was another roar of thunder and rain began to pour down. She stared into gray-veiled distance as the train disappeared over a hilltop. The rainwater dripping down her face masked her tears as she finally stopped holding them back. Her heart was broken, her intentions shattered, and the one pony she had tried so desperately to help was on her way into an unknown world.

"Scootaloo, I'm so sorry. I let you down..."


Entry: A Walk in the Park

Scootaloo sat next to an empty seat as she stared out the train window, watching her home slip away behind hilltops and trees. Beads of rainwater slowly dripped down the glass, periodically catching her drifting attention. After everything she'd ever known had slid out of sight, the pain of loss began to sink in. Regrets began to wrack her fragile mind and heart. Thoughts of how her friends would feel once they realized that she had left without so much as a goodbye hug or a wish for luck filled her with remorse. Before the tears could begin to pour, she decided to occupy her mind.

Reaching into her saddlebag, she pulled out her diary. She lightly rubbed her hoof over the cover. "Property of Scootaloo, stay out or Rainbow Dash will kick your flank!" Upon reading those words, the pain struck her heart like a searingly hot knife, easily slicing through her skin and twisting.

She angrily wiped a tear away, and opened the journal to the next marked entry. Her eyes widened as she read over the title, her mind becoming filled with images from that particular day. She wiped her nose and sniffled before going on to reread her entry from what felt like years ago. Immediately, she noticed that there were several words strongly underlined throughout the entry.

Today was the most amazing day of my life. I can't even begin to describe how I feel right now. It's like, as I was lying in bed with Cheerilee, I was just so happy, I was exactly where I wanted to be. I felt like I could just die and everything would be okay, because after this feeling, life didn't have anything else to offer. Nothing could compare. I'm in love, and every second of this indescribable bliss continues to become more and more powerful.

I'm just gonna start over from the beginning.

Today was the day Cheerilee had planned for us to take a trip to Canterlot together. I was a bit iffy at first, since it sounded really boring and like a perfectly good day that could have been spent staying at Applebloom's was about to be wasted. I knew I had to make myself do this and stay happy about it for Cheerilee's sake though. I've been horrible to her lately and she needed this. More than anything, it would hopefully be a way for us to connect again, like we used to.

We packed our bags for a one-night stay and hopped into a carriage. It felt like a really long trip, but it only took a few hours. We talked about a lot of things on the way there. Mostly just how sad she's been feeling lately, and how she wishes we could do more things together. I figured it'd be best to change the subject before I got mad.

"So, do you know what we're gonna do when we get there?" I asked.

"Well, there's supposed to be a really important lecture on pegasus psychology I was hoping we could catch." I looked at her with a raised eyebrow for a moment before she started laughing.

"Oh, come on Scootaloo, you know I'm just kidding. So, um, was there something you wanted to do?" Cheerilee blushed and looked out the window.

"Uh, not really. I don't really know what there is to do. I've only been there once, on that fieldtrip we took a few years ago." I wasn't sure why I was trailing off topic, but at the time it didn't seem important.

"Oh right, how could you have gone otherwise? Well, I usually visit the beautiful city at least once a month. I've never done anything romantic there before though, so it'll be a fun learning experience for us both." I saw a glimmer in her eye as she spoke. She was really excited about this. I just wondered why, exactly, this was so important to her.

All I knew for sure was that she was the happiest she'd been in a long time. I scooted over and leaned up against her, resting my head on her shoulder. She placed her hoof around me and held me in a warm hug as we rode down the long road to Canterlot. I could hear her heart beating as I cuddled up against her chest. I remember making strange observations and mental annotations at that moment. Then I was thinking about how our hearts beat, Cheerilee's in particular, and how eventually it'd stop. It hurt when I thought about it, so I started trying to convince myself that it would never happen, that she would live forever. I squeezed her tighter and pressed my cheek tightly against her heart, appreciating it for working nonstop to keep her alive. I'm really not sure exactly why these things were running through my mind. I didn't quite feel like myself.

Despite the emotional discomfort I was bringing upon myself, it was a nice moment, and I was happy. The next thing I knew, we were there. We each stood up and stretched our legs, and I stretched my wings as well.

"Whew, that took a lot longer than if we had gone by train," Cheerilee pointed out.

"Then why didn't we go by... never mind." I realized mid-sentence that we wouldn't have been as comfortable or able to be so affectionate on a public train.

"Right, follow me Scootaloo. I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Cheerilee rubbed her stomach with a hoof, then began slowly trotting down a sidewalk.

The carriage stallion tipped his hat to us and pulled the wagon beneath a large awning full of others. I turned around and quickly caught up to Cheerilee, but then it got a bit awkward. She smiled and started walking really close to me. There were strange glances coming from all the ponies around us, but I didn't want to say anything because she seemed so happy. I took a step away and tried to be casual about it, but she followed me and stayed close. I just sighed and figured it'd be fine.

"So where are you taking us?" I asked, hoping to distract her.

"There's a nice little diner just up the street from here. I thought we could grab lunch, and then I'll show you around Mountain Way." She smiled and pointed with her hoof.

I looked forward. We were standing atop a large hill, and Cheerilee's outstretched hoof pointed down a long, wide and busy street, leading all the way through a vast sea of buildings and side streets to the base of a large mountain. Perched high up on the side of that mountain was the palace and Equestrian Capital, Canterlot. The sun was high in the sky and silhouetted the palace beautifully. Just beneath it to the right, you could see a flattened, grassy section of the mountain. There were several buildings there I couldn't quite make out, and a large garden labyrinth.

"Wow, I don't remember it being this beautiful last time I was here." I leaned into Cheerilee, disregarding the pedestrians around us.

"Everything seems to be a bit more beautiful now that you're in my life, Scootaloo." Cheerilee looked down at me and smiled with a light giggle.

I made eye contact, and it took everything I had not to lean up and kiss her. She was gazing down at me still, and I know she felt the same way I did. I agreed with her, my life really was more beautiful with her in it. I was beginning to see the world in a different way. I couldn't help but smile as she continued to lead the way down that busy city street. It was nice to have something to feel happy about again. This beautiful mare loving me and being happy was more than enough of a reason to just let myself enjoy this little trip for everything it was worth. Her smile was worth everything I had to offer, and probably so much more. I only hoped my love would be enough.

We went into the diner, took our seats, and were soon given menus. It was pretty busy in there, so I don't think anypony was really paying much attention to us. I wished I could kiss her, or just touch her. I really hated that I couldn't. I wonder what she was thinking.

As I looked over the menu, a painful lump filled my throat. The prices were outrageous. I'd never seen such expensive yet seemingly simple meals. I sat my menu down and looked up at Cheerilee. "This stuff's a bit pricey, don't you think?"

She smiled and waved her hoof casually in the air. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. I'll cover your half of the bill." She smiled and stuck her tongue out at me.

I put on an awkward grin and continued browsing. Eventually something caught my eye that was relatively inexpensive compared to the other prices. We placed our orders and waited. Cheerilee kept winking at me and kissing the air. I hoped nopony was watching us, but all I could do was blush and smile.

While we were eating, I began to lose sight of what was happening around me. Cheerilee just seemed so happy, so unusually happy. At least, it was unusual for her to be this happy lately. Ever since she read my diary, she's been a mess, but all that seemed to disappear while she ate her favorite lunch and chattered away about the city. My face felt hot and my hooves were restless as I watched her talking and waving her hooves around while she described things. I can't remember a word she said - all I remember was how gorgeous that smile of hers was, and how much I'd missed it over the summer.

"I love you Cheerilee," I said without thinking, and immediately covered my mouth with my hooves.

We both looked around to see that nopony was paying attention to us. She blushed and smiled, then spoke silently so I could read her lips. "I love you too, Scootaloo."

Her eyelids lowered, and she reached across the table with a hoof. I placed mine on hers and they interlocked. It felt nice to touch her again. I'd never felt so isolated from her before. Being in public like this was a lot more stressful than I had imagined it would be, but it was totally worth it to see her smiling again. Not only that, but I think knowing that I couldn't kiss her just made me want to so much more. There's something about her when she's like that... That cheerful smile that suits her name so well really lights a fire in my chest. I could almost feel it burning from the inside. I just wanted to leap across the table and bite her lips, but I couldn't.

I hoped we could go somewhere more private after we left here. "So, where are we gonna stay tonight?" I asked, hoping to check in sooner rather than later.

"Stabler's Inn, right around the corner from here. Let's go, I'll show you." She dropped a large bag of bits on the table, then cheerfully trotted out the door. I stayed close behind.

After a short walk down the street, she pushed the front doors to the inn open and let me walk in first. As she followed, the receptionist greeted her. Apparently she recognized her. "Good afternoon, Cheerilee. The usual?" she asked, glancing down at me and hesitating.

"Nope, I need two beds today ma'am," she said, patting me on the head.

"Oh, I see. So, who's your cute little friend?" she asked in the most condescending of tones.

Cheerilee glanced down at me with a crooked grin and spoke quietly to the receptionist. "Her home was destroyed in a freak accident and her mother can't take care of her, so I volunteered to take her in for now. I thought this little trip would help cheer her up." I had to contain my laughter.

If anything, this trip was cheering Cheerilee up. She reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a little plastic card with her teeth, sliding it along something before the desk-mare gave her a key. I followed her to a small stairwell and we made our way to our room.

"If you want to go to the garden labyrinth, why are we getting a room way out here?" I couldn't help but wonder.

"If you think these prices are high, wait till we get downtown. Inner Canterlot is for the rich, and let me tell ya: the rich love to spend their money," she said as she placed the key into our door.

"That makes sense I guess." I looked around and noticed how nice the place seemed with its fancy pictures and lamps decorating the halls.

As she opened the door, the first thing I realized was how huge this room was. I trotted in and looked around. It was just as nice as Silver Spoon's room, and there was a huge window overlooking all of Mountain Way. Then Cheerilee stretched out and sprawled across one of the beds.

I smiled. "Well, I guess this one's my bed then, right?" I climbed onto the other bed and made myself comfortable.

She rolled over onto her side and stared at me with a pouting lip. I just smiled. "Aw, what's wrong?"

"I'm lonely, come keep me company," she said sternly, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," I joked, jumping across the gap between the beds and landing directly on top of her.

Our eyes met, and our lips instinctively connected. It was obvious that we were both longing for the kiss, this explosive release of pent-up passion after an amazing time spent together. I could feel her pressed up against me, the familiar scent of her mane lingering in my mouth, and every fiber of her coat brushing up against mine. It was like our first time in her bed all over again, and she seemed just as happy as she did back then. I had missed the feeling more than I ever could have realized on my own.

I leaned down and started biting her neck, and she seemed to be loving it, but then she groaned and pushed me away. "Scoot, you're amazing and I love this, but I want to hold out for a while, okay? I think it'll make the whole day and night that much more special for us."

"Ugh, you're such a tease Cheer..." I smiled and kissed her again before rolling off of her.

I didn't need more, even though I wanted her pretty badly. It was more than enough to just be able to hug her like that. I ran my hoof down her stomach and back up to her chest. She was perfectly beautiful. Part of me just wished we could stay in that room all day. I didn't want to have to resist touching her anymore.

"I wish I was older. I don't like having to hide like this." I wasn't trying to be negative, but I couldn't help but tell her how I felt.

She wrapped her hoof around my neck and held me tighter. "Sweetheart, in a few years none of that will matter. Ponies won't care if we're together, and everything will be fine. I know it sounds like a long time, but it'll come around faster than you realize."

"I hope so - I really hate wanting to kiss you and not being able to." I pressed my muzzle into her chest lovingly.

"I hate it too Scoot, but a few short years of this is a price I'm willing to pay in order to spend the rest of my life with you. This is easy, actually, and there's not a thing in this world that could make me feel any differently about you. I'll always love you just as much as I did the day I fell for you. I can only hope that you'll always be here for me to love." I think I wanted to cry at that moment. I wasn't sure exactly sure how hearing her talk to me like that made me feel. All I know for sure is that I'd never felt more at home than when I was in her hooves, listening to her telling me how much she loved me.

I sat up and let my back hooves dangle over the edge of the bed. "Do you really think we'll spend the rest of our lives together?" I asked, still trying to process just how long that really was.

She got up and stood directly in front of me, her eyes level with mine. "I really do. I know we've hit our bumps, but it's best to get those out of the way early, right? This relationship we have isn't an easy one to manage. I know, trust me. But it will be worth it in the end, Scootaloo. And when you get older, things will be even better. All we need is to wait a little while. I have big plans for the future, and I want you to be a big part of those plans."

She tilted her head and smiled, placing her hoof on my shoulder. I could feel the sincerity in her eyes, gleaming like...

Scootaloo's heart nearly stopped as she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked up to see an older stallion sitting across from her. His long gray mane flowed down over his tan coat and he wore a train conductor's hat. "Somethin' botherin' ya love?"

Scootaloo wiped her eyes, realizing she was crying quite a lot. She opened her mouth in an attempt to speak, but nothing came out. She cleared her throat and sniffled. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be worryin' about that. It's just that you've been cryin' pretty loudly for the past few minutes, and some of the other passengers are beginning to feel a tad concerned," he said with lowered eyes.

"...I'm really sorry," Scootaloo said, feeling a combination of shame and embarrassment growing inside her.

"Ah sure, you're grand." He placed his hoof on her shoulder once again, hoping to encourage the filly. "Now, d'you want to tell me what a wee lass like you is doin' on my train all on her own?"

Scootaloo looked him in the eye, and then back out the window as she closed the diary. "I'm just trying to leave the past behind, and start over someplace else."

"Well, it doesn't sound to me like you're ready to let go just yet. Would ya like to share what exactly's on your mind?" the conductor asked, trying to offer some sort of comfort.

"I don't know. I just... I can't..." Scootaloo couldn't finish her sentence before having to cover her mouth with a hoof to stop an emotional outburst.

"Do ya regret leavin' Ponyville already?" The conductor's smirk looked familiar.

Scootaloo nodded, and the stallion let out a long sigh. "If I had a bit for every time I saw a young mare in your place, just as brokenhearted, just as full of regrets... Some young colt break yer heart?"

Scootaloo looked down and stared at the floor. "Not exactly."

With another deep breath, the conductor removed his hat and placed it on the seat next to him. "I have to ask: do your parents know where you are?"

She silently nodded and looked back outside.

"Ya got family in Las Pegasus?" he asked, hoping to trust the little mare a bit more.

Once again, Scootaloo nodded and continued watching the trees pass by.

"Well, I'll leave ya to yer thoughts then if ya'd like."

As he stood up to leave, Scootaloo shot him a pained glance. The conductor chuckled and sat back down. "You don't wanna be alone then?"

Scootaloo shook her head. "I'm sorry, you can go if you're busy."

"Ah, I've plenty of time. Let's have a chat," he said, patting the dust off his hat. "You won't feel this way forever - you'll meet somepony new sooner than ya think."

Scootaloo shook her head. "I'll never fall in love again. It wouldn't be worth it."

The conductor wore a crooked smile. "Sounds like you were serious about this colt, huh?"

"She was a mare," Scootaloo pointed out.

"Oh, a filly eh? Well, that's a bit different now ain't it love?" He laughed and scratched his head. "You know what they say though - young love never lasts anyway, right?"

"Actually, she was my teacher." Scootaloo cringed after speaking.

"Yer teacher? Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't ya? And that sounds serious indeed." His shocked expression matched his tone.

"Yes, my teacher. And yes, it was very serious, but more complicated than you could ever imagine," she said in a stern voice.

"Try me," he said with a grin.

Scootaloo looked up with wide eyes. "You sure? It's a really long story."

"We've got another ten hours before we reach our destination love, so talk away. By the way, my name's Coal," he said, lifting his hat.

The little orange mare smiled. "Scootaloo."

"It's a pleasure to meet ya, Scootaloo."

Not sparing the conductor any details, she proceeded to to explain from the beginning.

Rainbow Dash slowly trotted down the long road to Cheerilee's home, the steady rain soaking her coat. As she reached the turn, she noticed a carriage parked in front of the house. Cheerilee climbed out and rushed inside, holding a newspaper over her head. Rainbow picked up her pace and quickly made it to the front door. Rather than simply opening it, she knocked. Cheerilee opened the door, greeting Rainbow with a smile.

"Hello Dash. I hope I wasn't out too long. Oh, don't mind the mess. I really need to clean this place up. So, where's Scootaloo?" she asked, still smiling as she trotted into the other room before returning with a towel.

Rainbow wanted to speak, but felt as if she had swallowed her tongue. She shook her head and looked down as she dried herself off.

"Where is she?" Cheerilee's smile dropped and she sounded more concerned.

Rainbow forced herself to speak, her voice broken and barely audible. "She... she left. She took a train to Las Pegasus."

Cheerilee crumpled the paper she was holding against her chest. She took a couple steps back and sat down on her couch, staring at the floor. "Why, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash joined her, placing her hooves over her eyes. "She thought it was the only way to stop hurting you two."

Cheerilee looked at Rainbow with glistening green eyes. "Why in Equestria didn't you stop her?!"

Dash pulled back. "I tried! Don't you think I tried?! She wouldn't listen to me! I begged her to stay, but I couldn't force her. It was her choice, but I... I wish I had just grabbed her and taken her away. I didn't know what to do. I should have stopped her, but..." She broke down into tears once again, unable to control her emotions.

Cheerilee surprised Rainbow, wrapping her hooves around her and giving her a warm hug. "It's alright Rainbow, I... We all make mistakes."

Dash sniffed and bit her lip. "I'm sorry I let you down Cheer..."

"Shh, it's alright... We can get her back, right? We'll go get her. I'm sure she'll miss us - at the very least she'll miss you. I just want her back in Ponyville, so I can keep an eye on her if nothing else." Cheerilee stared at the ceiling as she patted Rainbow on the back.

Rainbow Dash was at a loss for words. She felt that she should be the one trying to comfort Cheerilee, not the other way around. Her weakness for Scootaloo wasn't something she felt she should be ashamed of, but it still lingered in her normally confident heart.

"You want to go get her? What if she doesn't want to come back?" Dash asked, looking up.

"Then I'll stay with her, and I don't care if she objects to it. If Scootaloo wants me to respect her decision to leave, then she has to respect mine to follow. Las Pegasus is not known for its outstanding educational facilities, and I don't want to see her potential go to waste just because she's mad at me. I can help her succeed, even if only as a student, and not a lover." Cheerilee stood up and trotted into the kitchen, wiping her eyes.

Cheerilee's composure struck Rainbow as odd. "Where did you go this morning?" she asked.

Cheerilee trotted back from the kitchen with a basket of apples in her mouth. She placed them down, and urged Rainbow to eat. "I took care of something I've been meaning to do for a while. Sometimes depression makes us the worst procrastinators."

"What did you do?" Rainbow asked, taking an apple.

"I... Well, I took what you said seriously. I'm cleaning myself up for Scootaloo... I checked myself into Alcoholics Anonymous and talked to a therapist. My session lasted a lot longer than I'd planned, but... but I feel like a different pony. Well, I feel like myself again." Cheerilee balanced an apple on the tip of her hoof, staring listlessly at it.

Dash looked over at the mare. Her eyes were full of pain and sadness. She placed a hoof on Cheerilee's shoulder, realizing she wasn't the only one who needed comfort. "I'm proud of you Cheer. I said you had a day to convince me you were worth Scoot's love, and I think you are."

Cheerilee looked over at Rainbow with a broken smile. "Thanks, but... I don't think I can do this without her. I need to see her, and I need her to see me too. She's my only motivation - I can't afford to lose her."

Rainbow's eyes widened. "I think I can help - I can bring her back. I'll catch the train. I just have to figure out a way to stop it."

"You'll catch the train? But how? It's hours ahead of you, and I know you fly fast but... Dash..." Cheerilee looked down with lowered eyebrows.

"Trust me: I can catch it. Las Pegasus is on the Eastern Coast, so I'll use that to my advantage. I've done something like this before, just not as far." Dash stood up, her sadness replaced with determination.

"Hurry then. And Dash, don't do anything too reckless to stop the train. I don't want you getting in trouble with the law." Cheerilee looked up with a concerned frown.

"Ha, don't make me laugh. You're telling me not to do anything reckless that could get me in trouble with the law? That's funny, really funny coming from you. Anyway, don't worry about me. I can handle myself." Dash headed for the door, looking back with a smile.

She nodded and took flight straight into the rain, leaving the door open behind herself. Cheerilee rushed over and waved her off, shouting a hopeful "Good luck!" into the air as she shut the door. Rainbow stopped at the library, something important on her mind.

"Twilight? You home yet?" Dash trotted through the library, looking for her lover.

The purple unicorn came trotting downstairs as soon as she heard her marefriend's voice. "Hey Rainbow, I've got some interesting news for you."

"Not now Twi, I don't have much time. I just have to ask you something right now, and please tell me the truth, or the closest thing to the truth that you can imagine." Dash placed both hooves on Twilight's shoulders and stared into her eyes. "If I lost my job and became homeless, what would you do?"

"Dash, what are you talking abo..."

"Just answer the question! Please Twi," Dash interrupted.

"Um, okay... Well, I'd tell you to stay here with me, of course. I wouldn't leave a friend on their own with nowhere to go, especially not you. You should know that Dash." Twilight looked as sincere as could be.

"I just needed to hear it Twilight. I'll be back in a few hours." Rainbow rushed to the front door once again, looking back at Twilight's adorably bewildered face. "I love you Twilight," she said as she flew straight out the door and high into the sky.

Rainbow flew straight up through the clouds. As she flew above the top of the storm, a fierce chill pierced her coat. She closed her eyes and kept flying as high as she could, and as fast as possible. After a few minutes of flying straight up, she looked down. She could see the end of the blanket of clouds and a thin black line along the ground, which she was sure were the train tracks. Pressing forward, she found what she was looking for. There was a rapidly flowing eastbound current of air in the sky. With three deep breaths, she dove inside.

The current carried her much faster than she could ever have flown on her own. It was cold enough that she could feel her body beginning to tremble and her teeth beginning to chatter. She closed her eyes and pressed forward as fast as she could, only one thing in mind.

"And then I just got on the train. I didn't even tell her goodbye, or how much I appreciate everything she's done for me. She took me in and cared for me when I was on my own. She dug through the remains of my destroyed home and gathered my things for me. She even took me on an amazing trip to Canterlot, which probably cost her a fortune, but never complained or even slightly indicated that it wasn't worth the time we spent together. She did all these things, not because she had to or felt bad for me, but because she loved me." Scootaloo wiped her eyes and stopped herself from breaking down again.

"Well, that was a touching story love. Sounds like you've got a lifetime of experiences under those wings already, don'cha? If you ask me, Silver Spoon's gonna be just fine. You were her first love, and a first love is a hard thing to let go of. But if your heart belongs to another mare, then there's not much of a choice to make. The heart wants what it wants." Coal scratched his chin with a hoof.

"The heart wants what it wants? What about what I want? I have no idea what I'm doing or where I'm going, but I can't help but feel like this is the right thing to do." Scootaloo stared out the window once again.

"Is this what you want? To leave your friends and lover behind, just so you don't have to face them with your mistakes? Listen lass - I've said this a dozen times before, to a dozen broken hearts, on this very train. Runnin' away isn't the answer. You'll always wonder what could have been." A glint of sunlight caught the conductor's eyes as Scootaloo looked up.

"I just thought this would be easier for everypony... For me," Scootaloo confessed, shame finding its way into her words.

"Easier for you, in this case, is gonna be a lot harder on the ones that love you."

Scootaloo looked into his eyes, and asked, "Have you ever done something you regret? Something like this?"

"Sure haven't we all? This train has kept me runnin' away from my problems my entire life. I've been takin' her back and forth across the country for thirty-five years now. I almost never set hoof on the ground. As long as I'm in this here train, I can forget about my regrets, because they're always a thousand miles behind me," he said with a drier tone and raspy voice.

"What happened?" Scootaloo pried.

"I was a little older than you when I fell in love for the first time. A beautiful mare named Dandelion stole my heart. She was as smart as a whip too, and she was gonna go far in the world, I could tell. I knew I didn't have much goin' for me - I come from a long family of train conductors. It's what my family does: trains are our life. I knew Dandy would want more than what I could offer, which was only my heart. She'd want a family and a home, but runnin' this train would keep me away for too long, and that's no way to raise a family. So I told her I didn't love her, and never wanted to see her again. It seemed like the best way to handle things at the time, but I've regretted doing that my entire life. I regret not knowing what could have been, and I regret never going back to tell her I lied, and that I still love her today."

Scootaloo placed her hoof on his shoulder and looked down. He took off his hat and patted her on the head. "Don't be like me little one. Live your life without regrets, and don't spend your years wonderin' what might have been."

"So you don't think it's bad that I'm with my teacher?" Scootaloo asked, concerned for Cheerilee's safety.

"Love comes in all forms. Over the years I've spent talkin' to ponies on this train, I've learned that the most unique relationships with the most hardships always prove to be the most promising. I think you two will have a long and beautiful life together once you get back to her."

"But I'm already here... I can't afford another ticket to turn back now." Scootaloo frowned.

"Tell ya what - when we reach the station, I'll buy you a ticket back home." The conductor smiled and put his hat back on.

"You'd do that?" Scootaloo was taken by his kindness.

"Of course I would. I won't have ya wastin' yer life in a dump of a city like The Flats of Las Pegasus. Now, if you'll excuse me dear, I've got an engine to tend to." He stood up and began to trot away.

Scootaloo wanted to express her sincerest gratitude, but couldn't find the words. Instead, she looked back out the window to see that the rain had stopped, and the sun was beginning to shine through. She placed a hoof on her cheek and smiled, hoping that this time alone was all she needed to clear her head, and to find herself.

Smile, We're Home

Rainbow continued to fly as fast as she could, the cold air stinging her face. She looked back to see the train was quite far behind her now. With a sharp dive, she exited the wind-current, and flew down towards the ground. The warmer air immediately soothed her aching body as she curved back up and spotted her destination. Just in sight over a large hill, the city of Cumulumbus floated. She pressed forward, exhausted from the long flight and powered only by her determination to help her friends.

She looked back again, panting. The train disappeared behind the large hill as she flew over a station just outside the city walls, and she knew that she had all the time she'd need to make her plan come to fruition. After a minute of attempting to slow herself down, she crashed into the city walls, finding herself wedged into the middle of a dense cushion of clouds. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she gently eased herself free and flew over the wall. Once over, she spotted a large weather factory producing several thick, black storm-clouds for the next scheduled rain. There was another wall meant to keep pedestrians safely outside the assembly area.

Rainbow grinned and rubbed her hooves together. Here goes nothin'.

With a powerful kick, she forced herself over the factory wall and darted towards the production line, a vivid rainbow left in her trail. A factory worker's attention was caught as Rainbow flew into a mass of black clouds. She pushed the pile of freshly made, dense storm-clouds off the line and into the air as the worker yelled, urging her to stop. She whipped them through the sky as forcefully as she could, causing them to rapidly expand overhead. Flying through the outer edge of the newly formed storm-front, she created a rotation as it continued expanding and growing. Once it reached maximum height, thunder began to roar and rain began to pour.

Several workers chased after Rainbow as she made her escape. Once the storm was set in motion, there was no stopping its growth. Rather than continue their impossible pursuit, the workers turned back to warn the city of the surprise storm. Rainbow attempted to slowly lower herself to the ground to rest, but her exhaustion got the better of her and she lost her bearings, crashing into the ground. The wind began to pick up, stronger than Rainbow had anticipated. The rain pelted her sides as she attempted to find cover, stinging and soaking her through her thin coat. She made her way beneath a tree and looked around to try and spot the train tracks.

After a moment of searching, she spotted the tracks, and followed them through the raging storm to the train station just outside the city limits. She pushed through the doors into the empty room beyond, collapsing onto a bench. The windows shook as powerful gusts of wind slammed into the side of the building. Celestia, please let this work... Rainbow thought as she rubbed her hooves on her aching face.

Thoughts of being forced to travel to Las Pegasus filled her mind. She considered the possibility that she might still have to if this turned out to have been a wasted effort. Standing up, she headed to the window and looked to the sky. As she predicted, the storm was producing severe winds, but wouldn't be particularly dangerous. She began to pace inside the station. The fact that she was alone was a clear sign that no train was scheduled to stop there today. There was a map on the wall that caught her attention, and she approached it, realizing the train routes were marked. On the map, she spotted Ponyville, and seemingly right next to it in the opposite direction to Cloudsdale, was Cumulumbus. However, Las Pegasus was much farther away.

Rainbow backed away and looked out the window again, wondering if the train would stop here or not after all. The wind was still going strong, and the storm would be traveling east, hopefully encouraging the conductor to wait it out here. She let out a deep sigh. The express train only left Ponyville once each month, and traveling there by wing would be impossible. Glancing back over at the map, she noted that there were several switches to make at stations all across Equestria, along with many possible overnight delays. She rolled her eyes and plopped down on the bench, wondering what was taking the train so long.

Just then, a light flashed on from inside the building and a radio from behind the conductor's room could be heard. "This is the Express to LP. Care to explain this unscheduled storm? Ah, forget it. I'm rollin' in."

"Some crazy pony broke into the weather factory and tossed our storm reserve into the sky. We'll switch the tracks for you."

Rainbow stared at the tracks, watching them switch over. She smiled, then jumped up and squeaked. As she landed, she looked around, checking to make sure nopony had seen, and cleared her throat. From over the hill outside the city, the train appeared. Rainbow's heart began to pound in her chest as she waited. She hoped Scootaloo wouldn't resist returning home, but expected her to.

Fiddling with her hooves, Rainbow began attempting to rehearse what she'd say when Scootaloo exited the train. She'd need an explanation and an alibi. Frustrated, she began pacing again as the train slowly approached. She backed into the corner behind some storage lockers as the passengers scurried into the safety of the indoors through the fierce wind, before calmly blending into the crowd and finding her way over to Scootaloo.

"Hey there kiddo," she said as she placed a hoof on the filly's shoulder, startling her.

Scootaloo jumped and quickly turned around. Her eyes widened, and she forcefully hugged onto her idol. "Rainbow?! What are you doing here?!"

"I came to rescue you. Um, I mean, take you home." Rainbow scratched the back of her head and blushed.

Scootaloo hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry I did this... Dash, I need your help. You were right about everything. You were right about Silver Spoon, and you were right about Cheerilee. I promise I'll listen to you from now on, and I know I've been an idiot this whole time."

"Shh, shh." Rainbow patted Scootaloo's back in an attempt to comfort her. "You're fine Scoot. Come on, let's get you home. You didn't really think I'd let you leave forever, did you?"

Scootaloo grinned and fell to her hooves. "So, how are we getting home?"

Rainbow placed a hoof on her chin. "Well, it'll take us about eight hours to walk, or three hours to fly."

"What?! Are you crazy? It's freezing out there, and that wind makes it worse!" Scootaloo protested.

"Can it Scoot, we don't have time to hang around here – I'll get in trouble. We've gotta go now. I'll explain on the way, alright?" Rainbow backed up towards the exit.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and followed, wondering exactly how responsible Rainbow was for the storm. Rainbow grabbed Scootaloo, and took flight into the windy sky. The other passengers looked up in horror as Rainbow carried the young mare away through the powerful storm. The wind caused her to sway violently back and forth as she used every bit of her experience to stay in the sky.

After a few minutes of struggling, Rainbow felt the winds calming down and she leveled herself out. She flapped her wings periodically, maintaining a comfortable height, with Scootaloo grasped tightly beneath her. Rainbow's breaths were short, and her wings were already aching with fatigue.

"Dammit!" Scootaloo shouted, startling Rainbow.

"Whoa, what the hay Scoot?!" She steadied herself and laughed lightly.

"Ugh, it's just... I forgot to thank somepony. He really helped me out on the train, and I... I should have at least said goodbye." Scootaloo's ears drooped as she found another thing to regret.

Rainbow sighed. "Do you want me to go back?"

"No, he knows... It'll be fine." Scootaloo stared at the ground beneath them.

"Well, try not to sound so happy, will ya?" Rainbow quipped.

"What am I gonna do when we get back? I don't even know where to begin."

"I really think you should go see Cheerilee first. She has some good news to share with you." Rainbow smiled as the sun began to shine through the clouds, warming her sore wings.

"What news?" Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow's chin.

"See for yourself when we get there."

"What should I do about Silver Spoon?"

"Write her a letter or something. I don't think her dad'll let us anywhere near her anytime soon," Rainbow chuckled.

"What did you say to him anyway? You got Silver in a lot of trouble you know..." Scootaloo frowned and looked back down.

"I just told him that I thought she was cute, and you were gonna hook us up." Reflecting on her actions, Rainbow realized that might not have been the best approach.

Scootaloo sighed, and wiped the disdain from her expression with a hoof. "Good job..."

"Sorry, I just made something up off the top of my head, jeez." Rainbow attempted to defend her actions in spite of her realization.

"It's fine. I just wish she didn't have to suffer because of all this. None of it is her fault, and I should be the only one suffering here. Silver didn't do anything wrong at all." Scootaloo groaned, and placed her hooves over her eyes, recalling the reasons she ran away in the first place.

Rainbow didn't reply, straining to keep flying, and her wings beginning to feel like they were on fire. She dipped suddenly, and cringed as she struggled to stay aloft.

"Are you okay Dash?" Scootaloo asked, feeling a bit concerned.

"Yeah, yeah. My wings are just trying to give out on me... Lazy wings." Rainbow forced herself to stay level as they approached a large hill.

"Just drop me," Scootaloo said, sounding apathetic.

"What?"

"I'll be fine. I can glide for a while so you can rest up. Actually, we could walk for a while if you want. I'm in no hurry to get home, are you?" Scootaloo offered her friend some rest.

"That actually sounds good." Rainbow let go of Scootaloo, and stayed close as the little orange mare fluttered safely to the ground.

It felt like she had just dropped a thousand pounds as she dove down to the hillside. Rainbow stretched out and slowly folded her wings in, tucking them away and allowing them to rest. She reached forward and touched her nose to her front hooves, popping her back.

"Thanks for this Dash. It seems like you've been through a lot because of me, and I'm sorry if I hurt you." Scootaloo offered her sincerest gratitude and apology.

Rainbow leaned up and hugged her friend. "Just consider yourself lucky that I love you, or your selfish little flank would be stuck in Las Pegasus forever."

Scootaloo wiped her nose and laughed. "Thanks again, Dash."

"Uh-huh. So, where's your diary?" Rainbow asked, realizing Scootaloo didn't have it.

The filly began to frantically pace around, lifting her wings and breathing heavily. "Oh no... I think I left it on the train!"

Rainbow looked up and laughed. "Well, that's too bad Scoot – we aren't going back now."

Scootaloo stamped her hooves and huffed. She let out a deep breath and hung her head. "It's fine I guess... I really don't need it anymore anyway."

"Look, Scoot." Rainbow pointed her hoof down a long road from atop the large hill. "See that huge cloud over there? That's Cloudsdale, which means just over that hill is Ponyville."

"Ugh, it looks so far away..." Scootaloo began slowly trotting down the long road home, and Rainbow laughed before joining her. The two trotted side by side, discussing what steps they'd take once they got back home.

The sun was setting as the two mares made their way through the Ponyville streets to Cheerilee's home. Scootaloo lightly tapped on Cheerilee's front door and Rainbow stood back, letting out a deep breath. "The things I do for you, kid."

Scootaloo smiled and snorted. As the front door opened, Scootaloo's heart fluttered. Cheerilee stood still with a hoof over her chest. "Scootaloo, thank Celestia you came back! I was so worried about you."

"I'm sorry Cheerilee, I don't know what I was thinking." Unsure how to react, Scootaloo slowly inched closer to her teacher, hoping for a hug.

Rainbow shifted her weight, tired from the trip and finding the road uncomfortable. Fed up of waiting, she pushed past Scootaloo and made her way to the couch. "Sorry Scoot," she said as she forced her friend's muzzle into Cheerilee's chest.

Unable to control herself any longer, Cheerilee tightly embraced Scootaloo in a heartwarming hug. "I'm so glad you came home, Scootaloo. You have no idea how much I missed you. It's just not the same around here without you anymore. It doesn't even feel like home when you're not here with me. I can't really explain it, I just hope you understand."

"I don't understand at all, but I'm gonna trust Rainbow from now on. I'll stay loyal to you, because I love you Cheerilee. I don't feel like I deserve to be here though. I don't feel like you should even want me anywhere near here." Scootaloo pulled away and looked over to Dash, who wore an awkward frown.

Cheerilee gulped and cleared her throat. "Um, look Scoot: I cleaned up." She gestured with her hoof across the front room, pointing towards the kitchen.

"Huh, I was wondering why it smelled like lemons in here." Scootaloo looked around, successfully distracted.

Rainbow yawned. "Guys, I'm exhausted and I need to get back to my mare. Scootaloo, you need to go break it off with Silver Spoon. Don't buck it up this time."

"I can't though, she's on lockdown. Also... I..." Scootaloo groaned, putting her hooves on her face.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed. "I can get you in there easily enough. What else is wrong?"

Scootaloo looked up at her lover, and closed her eyes. Cheerilee placed her hoof across the troubled mare's shoulder and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry Scoot, I'll be okay. You can say anything you need to."

Rainbow smiled, glad to see her old friend being as encouraging as ever. "She cleaned herself up too – no more booze, no more depression. She did it for you, Scootaloo, so the least you can do is be honest with her."

Scootaloo's eyes widened as she met Cheerilee's gaze. "Really? You... No more drinking?"

Cheerilee smiled and nodded. Scootaloo swallowed a lump in her throat and thrust herself into her teacher's chest, tightly hugging her once more. Letting out a deep sigh, she spoke again. "It's just that, I'm afraid when I get to that point with Silver Spoon again, I'll just freeze up and do what she tells me to. No matter how badly I want to leave her, I always end up staying. I've done this several times before, and fail every single time."

Rainbow smiled and placed her hooves on Scootaloo's shoulders. "It's because that's just who you are. You're the kind of pony who'll take a beating to make sure her friends don't have to feel an ounce of pain. You're really something special Scootaloo, but right now, that part of you is getting in the way. You're stopping yourself from letting Silver get hurt, even though that's the only way you're ever going to set her free and let her move on."

"I'm sorry Dash... I always feel so bad when I do this, and when I try to make things right. I know this is all my fault. Sometimes I just wish I was alone. I messed up big time, and I keep making it worse. I don't know why you love me Cheerilee – you could do so much better," Scootaloo said, turning to face her teacher.

Rainbow Dash stepped away, and Cheerilee stood in front of the sulky filly. "You know Scootaloo, you aren't the only one who's made mistakes in this relationship..." she said as she placed a hoof on her cheek, slowly brushing the mane out of Scootaloo's face.

Scootaloo cringed and looked away. "How are you gonna get me in there Dash?"

Rainbow watched Cheerilee's actions closely, not sure whether to believe what she felt was true. "Let's go, I'll explain on the way. We'll be back in a little while, alright Cheer?"

Cheerilee nodded, and nervously trotted over to her couch. "Hurry back."

"We shouldn't be long. Right Scoot?" Dash asked, glaring down at the filly.

"Heh, right..." Scootaloo answered, making her way to the door.

Dash grinned as she followed, but a few questions were weighing heavily on her mind.

"Scootaloo, I love you..." Cheerilee leaned forward on the couch. "Don't keep me waiting too long, please. I've already missed you too much these past couple of days."

"I love you too... I'll try to hurry back." Scootaloo waved and trotted out the door as her lover blew her a kiss.

"So, how are we gonna get in?" Scootaloo asked as soon as the front door was closed behind them.

"Later. Right now I need to know something." Dash looked around as they trotted down the road, then lowered her voice. "Has Cheerilee ever hit you?"

Scootaloo's eyes widened. "Whoa, no. She'd never..."

Rainbow stared skeptically. "Don't lie to me Scoot. I need to know."

The nervous little mare felt as if her heart skipped a beat, and she lowered herself beneath Rainbow's harsh gaze. "I wouldn't lie to you, especially not about that... I promise."

Rainbow was far from convinced, but she felt she had no choice other than to trust her friend. With a groan, she gave in. "Fine... I'm sorry Scootaloo. It's just, well... you know I worry about you. I love ya kiddo."

"Thanks Dash, you're the best." Scootaloo offered a hug before the two carried on down the road.

Rainbow decided to let it go. Scootaloo clearly didn't feel as if she was in any danger. Worst case scenario, she'd deal with it when it presented itself.

The two walked down the road silently, admiring the night for what it had to offer. The air was cool yet humid, and everything was still quite damp from the afternoon rain, allowing the vivid moonlight to reflect off of every surface. A light fog seemed to layer the ground in the distance, and the summer-night sounds were enough to put anypony's mind at ease. Water dripped from the leaves into puddles, and crickets chirped, filling the quiet night with their song as Scootaloo's thoughts began to get the better of her again.

"Dash? What if you can't get us in there? What then?" Scootaloo looked up as she trotted, worry filling her eyes.

"It'll be fine Scoot, trust me."

Scootaloo's heart sank as Silver Spoon's house came into view. Her bedroom window was wide open. "Whoa! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Scootaloo asked as she pointed it out.

"Well, that was easy. What'd I tell ya – always trust Rainbow Dash." With a cocky grin, Rainbow lifted Scootaloo up and flew her towards the window. "I'll drop you off and leave you two alone. Don't disappoint me this time, please. Just get this over with, and get home to Cheerilee. I'll be at the library if you need me for anything, alright?"

As they approached the house, Scootaloo attempted to steel her nerves. "Alright Dash, I can do this. I won't let you down again." Scootaloo fluttered inside, and was immediately greeted by Silver Spoon.

Rainbow backed away before she was seen, and flew out of sight. "Good luck kiddo..."

"Scootaloo! I knew you'd come!" Silver exclaimed as quietly as she could.

"Yeah, but why is your window open? I thought you were on lockdown or whatever."

"Somepony told my dad that they saw you leave on the express train to Las Pegasus. It worked, you're a genius Scootaloo! I told him I needed fresh air, and he let me open the window. I just knew you'd show up, I knew it!" Silver Spoon tightly hugged onto to the little mare she had missed so much.

Gently pushing her away, Scootaloo worked up the courage she needed to speak. "Silver... I know we've been here before, but... well..."

"What is it?" Silver Spoon asked as she went in for an overdue kiss.

Before their lips met, Scootaloo turned away. "Silver, please. I need to tell you something. I don't want to fight with you about it, and I know it's gonna hurt, but... We need to break up, and you need to go be happy in Manehatten."

"Scootaloo, no no no, why do you keep doing this to us? You can't end it like this, you know that. We're in love. You can't simply 'break up' with me, we're so far past that." Silver took a few steps back and took her glasses off.

"No, we're not, and yes, I can. I just did. I'm sorry Silver. I really do... did... I do love you, a lot. I'll miss you too, but I belong with Cheerilee." Scootaloo did her best to maintain her composure. Breaking down in front of Silver Spoon was the last thing she wanted to do.

"So what are you saying? I'm.. I'm just supposed to sit here alone and miserable while you go live happily ever after with your precious teacher?!" Silver's voice continued getting louder as she let her emotions take control. Tears welled up in her eyes and she stamped the floor with her hooves.

"I'm sorry Silver... I'm gonna go now, I'm really sorry." Scootaloo quickly made her way back to the window.

"You can't just run away from me like this Scootaloo – I deserve answers! Talk to me!" Silver Spoon grabbed Scootaloo's tail in her mouth as she tried to jump out the window.

Not expecting the resistance, Scootaloo slipped on the windowsill and landed on her stomach, her front hooves and upper body dangling over the edge of the second story window. Silver shrieked and instinctively let go of the tail, allowing Scootaloo to slip all the way out. Panicking, the terrified pegasus attempted to gain flight by frantically fluttering her wings, but it was no use. She crashed full force into the ground, her head landing on one of the many garden stones lining the yard.

She attempted to stand, but immediately lost her balance and fell back down. She could see Silver Spoon's face looking down at her from the window and yelling, but Scootaloo couldn't make out the words. Her vision was beginning to fade. She touched the back of her head with a hoof, causing a strong stinging sensation. Holding the hoof in front of her face, she blinked at the amount of blood which dripped down her foreleg. There was a sharp ringing in her ears for several seconds, and then there was only darkness.


Scootaloo's eyes inched open, and she was immediately blinded by bright lights overhead. A silhouetted pony loomed above her, keeping pace with several other ponies who were pushing the bed she was laying on down a long corridor. Soon Scootaloo realized the pony was Rainbow Dash. Dash wore a small smile, and wiped her teary eyes as soon as Scootaloo made eye contact with her. She looked like she was speaking, but the words sounded like a faint, distant cry to the injured filly.

"Rainbow?" she whispered under her breath.

Moments later, Scootaloo closed her eyes, and passed out once again.

***

Monotonous repetitive beeping echoed in Scootaloo's ears as she slowly regained consciousness. She opened her eyes, then quickly shut them, and placed a hoof over her forehead with a groan as she rolled over to face away from the lights, her head pounding. She carefully opened one eye again to try and take in her surroundings, hoping to at least figure out exactly where she was, and why.

The first thing she saw was a blue pegasus slouching in a recliner. She had a newspaper over her eyes, and was drooling on her own shoulder. "Rainbow?"

The startled pegasus jumped and fluffed her wings as she recalled where she was, knocking over a cup of water in the process. "What? I'm not sleeping! I'm just relaxing!"

Scootaloo closed her eye and lightly chuckled. "Good morning, sleepy head," she said, coughing slightly.

Rainbow stood up and trotted over to her small friend. She put a hoof on her foreleg and gently kissed her cheek. "Finally! I thought you'd never wake up."

"How long was I out?" Scootaloo tried to lean up and adjust the lighting.

"Uh... Eight days, I guess. The Doctor thought you should stay out for a while. I told him to wake you up right away but he thought he knew better. I tried to wake you up when they left, but... Then they tried to throw me out! I'm not crazy! But now you're talking! You can talk! This is great, wait 'til I tell Twi!" Rainbow's eyes widened, tearing over, and she quickly shut them, hugging her injured friend.

"Dash, are you alright?" Scootaloo pushed her away and made eye contact.

Rainbow had huge bags beneath her eyes and her mane was a mess. Scootaloo sighed and squinted as the light began to bug her. "Dash, I think you need some sleep. How long have you been up, and why did you think I wouldn't be able to talk?"

Rainbow stumbled backward towards the chair. "I think I'm supposed to tell somepony that you're awake..."

"Dash, answer me please." Scootaloo grimaced and rolled over onto her back.

"Um... I haven't had a full night's sleep since you got hurt, and I..." Rainbow trailed off.

"You what?"

"Uh... I... Oh, um, the doctor said you might have had permanent brain damage, and we'd be lucky if you could still talk when you woke up. He said it would be better to let you sleep while you healed to prevent stress or something stupid like that. They put something in your IV that kept you from waking up. I tried to take it out, but they acted like I wanted to kill you or something. I said I was sorry and eventually they let me back in, because I just had to be here when they woke you up. They said they were going to do that over twelve hours ago though." Dash looked up at a clock, noting that it was now just past three in the morning.

"Brain damage?" Scootaloo lifted a hoof to see several tubes coming out of her legs.

"You hit your head pretty hard."

She moved her free hoof up, and felt a bandage wrapped tightly around her head. "What happened?"

"I don't know... She says you fell, but... did she push you?" Dash leaned forward, suspicion and anger burning in her tired eyes.

"Silver Spoon? I don't think so."

"You really don't remember?" Rainbow leaned back with a sigh and closed her eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. She's gone now."

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"She's in Manehatten with Diamond Tiara's family now. Oh yeah, there's this letter. She dropped it off before leaving." Rainbow searched around for the letter, finding it beneath her saddle bag.

She trotted over to Scootaloo, holding the letter in her mouth. The annoyed filly snatched it away with a hoof and unfolded it. She attempted to read but couldn't focus her vision. Letting out a sigh, she hoofed the letter back over to her invasive friend. "Will you read it to me? I can't really see properly right now."

Dash was worried about that fact, but chose to let it go for the moment. She opened the letter, and cleared her throat.

"Scootaloo, I'm really sorry and I want you to know that I didn't mean for this to happen. I never wanted you to get hurt. I love you, and only wish to see you well and happy. I tried to be there with you, but I couldn't. My dad is taking me to Manehatten today, and I don't know if I'll be able to see you again anytime soon. I'll be staying with Diamond Tiara at her uncle's house until we get enrolled in school there. I don't know what to do, I really don't. I don't want to go, but I know you don't want me to stay. Maybe someday you'll change your mind, so I'll wait for you, and continue to hope with all my heart that you'll make your way back to me.

Don't forget, if you ever need a friend, don't look to a stranger. Even if we're not lovers, I'll always be a part of you, and I will always hold onto the love that I still have for you. When I close my eyes, I can feel you breathing and your heart beating just as if you were still lying next to me. You became my life, my whole world. Our hearts became one and the same, and I never want to lose that. It hurt when you chose her over me, and I can forgive, but I'll never forget. And don't worry, I won't tell anypony about you two, even though that worthless excuse for a mule deserves to rot for everything she's done to us.

Tell Rainbow Dash that a part of me hates her for what she said and did, but I do forgive her. I know she only had you in mind, so I can't really blame her. I hope she continues to protect you, and I know she'll take Cheerilee down if she has to, which makes me feel a lot better. Now I suppose this is just me saying goodbye, Scootaloo, and that I love you. Maybe I can write a cliché sad song about how much I miss you, or how brokenhearted I am, and you'll come running back to me. If only it were that easy. My dad once told me that my cutie mark represents my ability to get what I want. I'm supposed to have a way with words or something, but I doubt it. I lost the thing I wanted most, so my talent must still be far from discovered.

I almost feel like this is the last time I'll ever get to talk to you, and that as long as I'm writing this letter we'll be connected. This is the fifth time I've tried to end it, but I just keep writing. Well, my new address is on the envelope if you ever want to write me back. Once again, I love you Scootaloo. Please don't forget about me.

~Love, Silver Spoon"

Rainbow placed the letter down, and wiped Scootaloo's tears. "Don't cry kiddo. She'll be fine, and so will you."

"I hope so." Scootaloo wrapped her hoof around Dash's and calmed herself down. "So where's Cheerilee?"

"I don't know... I haven't heard from her in a few days. She was here for a really long time though, and I think she blames me for this happening. She said I shouldn't have let you out of my sight. I wanted to hit her for saying that, but it's true. I should have been there."

"It is your fault. You shoulda taught me to fly better." Scootaloo chuckled, allowing herself to smile.

"Come on now, it's not my fault you have those stubby little wings," Rainbow mocked, spreading her own wings wide. "You rest now, okay? I'm gonna go get a nurse."

"Dash, wait."

"What is it?"

"It's just... Thanks for this. Thanks for being here. I..." Scootaloo felt herself tearing up again, her words cut off by her own emotions.

"Don't mention it kiddo – I'm glad to be here. I'd hate for you have woken up alone... Ya know?" Rainbow Dash smiled.

"Right. Of course." Scootaloo let out a deep breath and lay back down.

Rainbow trotted back to the bedside and gave her another warm hug. "I'm going to head home after this, okay? I've been up for way, way too long if you couldn't tell. I feel like I'm about to collapse any second now. I'm just glad I got to be here for you like you were there for me when I got hurt. You're like a sister to me, and I always want to be there for you. Don't forget that. I'm always going to be there for you no matter what happens. You can talk to me about anything, especially Cheerilee, or anything else that's on your mind."

"I know that Dash, and thanks again."

Rainbow turned to leave. "Love ya kiddo."

"I love you too Dash... Come back soon, okay?"

"You can count on it."

Rainbow trotted out of the room, and a nurse entered shortly after. Scootaloo calmly allowed the snow-white pony with the neatly done bright pink mane to check her over. "Nurse, why is it so bright in here?"

The nurse looked around and shrugged. "It's actually pretty dim in here. Open your eyes dear."

Scootaloo forced her eyes open, and the nurse bent close to examine them. "Hmm... It seems your pupils are completely dilated, which is likely causing your sensitivity to the light. It's most likely a side-effect of your medication."

"Oh... So, how long before I can leave?" she asked, hoping for the answer she knew she'd never hear.

"I can't say for sure, but not any time soon. You've got a long recovery ahead of you, my little pony. As soon as you can eat solid foods, we'll begin your physical therapy." The nurse jotted down a few notes on a clipboard, then went to exit the room. "If you need anything, just let me know with the call button on your bed there. The doctor will see you first thing in the morning."

"Nurse? Can... Um, I want to write. Can I have something to write with, and could you help me lean up?" Scootaloo blushed, feeling weak and a little embarrassed.

"Sure thing, I'll be back in just a minute." The nurse trotted away, and soon returned with a notepad and quill. She sat them down next to the bed and grabbed a few extra pillows from a cabinet in the corner.

"Alright now, I'll just prop you up with these." Scootaloo leaned forward as best she could, and made herself comfortable.

She squinted and tried to get her eyes to adjust. The nurse noticed her straining and smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry, your eyes will be back to normal soon enough. Focusing on writing should help quicken the process, but be sure not to strain yourself too much. Now, I'll be right around the corner Scootaloo, so if you need anything at all, page for Nurse Redheart."

Scootaloo nodded with a smile as the nurse cheerfully trotted away. She took the quill in her mouth and turned the first page of the notebook. Them, clasping the quill with her ankle, she thought for a while, then began writing until the sun rose.

Annoyed by the slowly rising sun, Rainbow Dash rolled over to face the wall. She forced her eyes to stay closed, hoping to get more sleep. With no success, she groaned and rolled back over to face her lover. "Twi, you up?" she asked as she nudged the snoozing mare with a hoof.

"Yeah, I'm up, I'm up." Twilight stretched and yawned. "How's Scootaloo doing?"

"She's good, she's awake and seems fine. I'm gonna go find Cheerilee and let her know, then I'll be back home." Rainbow smiled at the thought of referring to the library as her home.

"Hurry back, I'm not quite ready to get out of bed yet." Twilight yawned again, and pulled the blanket back over herself.

"I'll try." Rainbow stood up from the bed and headed downstairs.

"Hey Dash," greeted Spike.

"Hey there, you're up early."

"You should talk..." Spike sounded unusually serious.

"Jeez, what's up with you today?" Dash wondered.

"Nothing... Look, I'm sorry for snapping lately. It's just that my back has been killing me." Spike turned around to reveal two large bumps on his back.

"Whoa, you should probably get that checked out. It might have something to do with that growth spurt of yours," Dash said before trotting out the door. "Well, talk to ya later Spike."

She wiped her tired eyes and headed out into the crisp morning air. After taking a moment to stretch her wings, she took flight and headed straight towards Cheerilee's home. She wondered if the unpredictable mare would even be there. After landing, she ran a hoof through her matted mane and cleared her throat before knocking on the door. There were no sounds coming from within as she waited. She couldn't help but awkwardly shift her weight and glance around. Her heart was slowly sinking into her stomach as she began to suspect that Cheerilee might, once again, have resorted alcohol to soothe her troubled mind.

Her thoughts were abruptly cut short as the door began to open. Cheerilee stood uneasily with a messy mane and red eyes.

"Hey, Cheer. Good news. Scoot woke up." Rainbow smiled and nudged the quiet mare's shoulder.

"Is... Can she, you know... How is she?" Cheerilee opened the door fully and pressed past Rainbow into the refreshing morning air, shutting the door again behind herself.

"She's good. She was talking, and she seemed pretty normal to me. The first thing she did was ask about you though, so you should probably go see her." She nodded her head towards the hospital.

"She did? Oh, and I'm so glad to hear she's okay. I was... I was just so worried. I couldn't imagine..." Cheerilee  began to wipe at her eyes before tears could begin to fall.

"Yeah, she's doing great. How about you? How have you been holding up?" Rainbow couldn't help but ask. Her suspicions needed clearing.

"I've been a mess, I won't lie. And I know what you're thinking, Dash: I didn't drink anything. I'll admit I wanted to, but I didn't." Cheerilee grinned and looked Rainbow in the eyes, hoping to keep the skeptical mare's trust.

"I'm proud of you. I had a few drinks when I couldn't fall asleep, but I can only imagine what you were feeling. Come on, let's go pay Scoot a visit, I'm sure she'll be glad to see us." Rainbow smiled and Cheerilee began to fix her mane as they trotted along the road.

"Ahem." Rainbow forcefully cleared her throat without slowing.

Cheerilee frowned and looked over. "Something on your mind Dash?"

"Heh, kinda. I just wondered something. Uh, well, I'm not trying to be mean or accuse you of anything, I just wanted to know if you or Scootaloo ever, you know, hit each other?" Rainbow smiled nervously and scratched at the back of her mane.

"Dash, I..." Cheerilee looked stunned. Her eyes were wide and her jaw hung open. "Look, that's none of your business, okay? I'd never hit Scootaloo, and I resent you for asking such a question." Cheerilee huffed and strode forward.

"Uh... Yeah, sorry.. I just..." Rainbow groaned and caught up to the angered mare. "Look, I'm sorry. No need to go see Scootaloo mad. Just forget I said anything, okay?"

Cheerilee paused and closed her eyes. She let out a deep sigh and calmed herself. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't act like that after all you've done for us." She leaned over and hugged Rainbow.

"It's alright Cheer, I just felt like I had to ask. For Scootaloo's sake."

"Right."

They had arrived at the hospital, and Cheerilee led the way inside. Rainbow followed close behind as they made their way towards Scootaloo's room. They approached the reception desk and requested to see her, and were given permission. Upon entering the room, they both saw that Scootaloo was asleep again.

"Isn't she just the most adorable thing?" Cheerilee whispered, looking over at Rainbow with watery eyes.

With a gentle smile, Dash nodded. "Yeah, she really is. Hey, I'll go ahead and leave you two alone for now. I promised Twilight I wouldn't keep her waiting too long. If anything happens, or if you need anything, you know where to find me."

Cheerilee nodded and took a seat as Rainbow exited the room. She scooted her chair close to the bed and wrapped her hoof around Scootaloo's. She leaned in and placed her lips on the sleeping mare's forehead, then whispered. "I'm so glad you're okay sweetheart. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Cheerilee looked down and noticed a notepad sitting at the foot of the bed. Glancing around, she picked it up, curious about its content. She leaned back and began reading, despite her better judgement telling her not to.

Hey Silver, I just wanted to say that I don't blame you for me getting hurt. I know you'd never let me get hurt on purpose. I hope you like it in Manehatten, and I doubt it'll be as bad as you think. Maybe you and Diamond can work things out? I know you two were really close before I got in the way. I'm guessing her coming home party is cancelled now though huh? I was kind of looking forward to it... No big deal I guess. Worse things have happened.

Alright, I'm sorry things went bad between us like this. I want you to know that I really did love you while we were together. It's just that I also loved Cheerilee, and my love for her ended up outweighing what I felt for you. It's not because there's anything wrong with you either. You are an amazing mare, and anypony would be more than lucky to be with you, even me. I never once felt like I deserved the love you had for me, and I still don't. Silver, you have so much going for you, and worrying about me is just going to hold you back.

I can't say I won't miss you – even now I wish you were here with me, holding my hoof and keeping me company. But as much as I miss you now, I know we're better off this way. Cheerilee deserves all of my heart, and anything less just isn't fair to her. I'm so sorry that I did this to you, that I made you feel this way and then broke your heart. If it's any consolation, I broke my own as well. The love I felt was real, and leaving you was just as hard for me as it was for you to take. I'd be lying if I said I regretted being with you though. I've shared some of the happiest and best moments of my life with you.

I'll miss you, and I'll never forget you. You'll always be a part of me, and even when you're so far away, you can always take comfort knowing you have a friend waiting for you in Ponyville. I hope to hear from you soon, as a friend.

My best friend.

~Yours, Scootaloo.

Not sure how she should feel, Cheerilee sniffed and turned the page. It was clearly Scootaloo's writing, and a lot of it resembled a very long diary entry. She skimmed through the words and placed the pad back down. This proved that Scootaloo's motor skills and ability to process information weren't impaired due to the injury.

As Cheerilee lost herself in her thoughts, Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes. "Cheer?" She reached up and squeezed her teacher's hoof.

"Oh, you're up." Cheerilee glanced around to ensure they were alone before leaning down and giving the little mare a loving kiss.

Scootaloo looked down and realized her notebook had been moved. "Uh, did you read my letter?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, I did Scoot. I'm sorry but I couldn't resist." Cheerilee giggled. "I'm not mad or anything. You're a good mare, a much better pony than I am. You seem to know how to handle other ponies' emotions well. It's like you dance around them so carefully and gracefully, always sure to be as delicate as possible, while still getting where you need to be. You've grown a lot in the last year, and I can see why anypony could fall for you so easily, even myself. You're simply wonderful." Cheerilee ran her hoof across Scootaloo's stomach.

"Right... Uh, thanks." Scootaloo blushed and smiled.

"I wish I could bring you home today. I miss you so much." Cheerilee leaned her head down, resting it on the pillow next to her lover.

"I wish I could go home too. I hate hospitals, they're so boring. I even started a new diary since I lost my old one. Did you read that?"

"Nah, I just skimmed over it."

"Too boring, huh? I wrote about a pony who really changed the way I see things. He's a train conductor called Coal, and he's really nice. I'm glad I met him, I just wish I was able to do something for him, to return the favor." Scootaloo looked down and closed her eyes.

"Well, maybe you will someday. I suppose I owe him as well if he had anything to do with you coming home." Cheerilee brushed her hoof across Scootaloo's cheek. "So, how are those legs of yours working?"

She stood up and uncovered the little mare. She lifted her legs and bent her joints. "How's that feel?"

Scootaloo laughed, and did her best to flex her muscles. "I'm so weak..."

Cheerilee joined in her lover's laughter and continued teasing her. "We'll get you back to normal soon enough. Now, how does this feel?" She began tickling Scootaloo's sides beneath her wings.


Rainbow Dash grinned and let out a deep sigh, leaning against the wall in the corridor just outside the room. They're gonna be fine, she thought, slowly trotting towards the exit. Rainbow met the warm sun with a sigh as she slowly walked back home. A sense of relief filled her heart as she realized that now she'd have all the time in the world to spend with her new lover; no more distractions, and so much to explore. A certain spell came to mind and she picked up the pace, more excited than ever to get things back on track at home.

The future was looking bright.


Epilogue: A Story Never Truly Ends

"Alright Rainbow, I think I've perfected it this time." Twilight grinned and closed the bedroom door behind herself.

Rainbow pulled the blanket down from over her head, chuckling as she spoke. "Ha, I've heard that one before. What is this? Like, the hundredth test?"

"It's the nineteenth test, Dash. And I don't want to hear you complaining. Unless you don't want to be my test subject anymore?" Twilight winked and made her way to the bed.

"Whoa! Nope, no complaining here. I just figured you'd be done perfecting it by now – it's been years, Twi." Dash stood up and puffed her chest out, ready for the spell to be cast on her.

Twilight nodded. "That's what I thought. And don't say it like that, it takes a long time to get such a complex spell right. Besides, it gives us something to look forward to between tests. This sort of thing is completely unprecedented, and similar spells have taken upwards of twenty years to perfect. I'm making great time if I do say so myself."

"I guess you're right. Oh, and is Spike actually gone this time? I don't want him walking in here again, pretending he doesn't know what's going on." Rainbow rolled her eyes.

"No, ever since he sprouted wings last year all he does is hover around Rarity's all day," Twilight said.

"That didn't stop him a couple months ago, did it?" Dash chuckled, rubbing the back of her mane.

"I'm sure he won't be coming back this time, okay? Now if you're ready, let's get started."

She stood back and ignited her magic, carefully focusing on everything she had been working on. The glow from her horn became a concentrated aura, wrapping around Rainbow's entire body. She focused and fine tuned every ounce of her concentration as she carefully began constructing the spell.

Rainbow looked herself over as she felt the spell beginning to take effect. She felt her body changing – her wings becoming heavier and her stomach churning. She felt something between her legs growing, and instinctively covered herself with her tail. As the spell came to completion, Twilight rested. She took a deep breath and made her way to the bed.

"Wow, that took a lot this time," she said, panting.

"Um, Twilight? What the hay is this?!" Rainbow shouted as she stood on her back legs and looked down.

"That's your new colthood. We'll have to call you Rain-boner Dash now." Twilight giggled and stared, feeling impressed with her own work.

"No, I mean these!" Rainbow reached down with a hoof and bounced a large sack back and forth. "These are new."

Twilight couldn't help but laugh, letting out a light snort as she attempted to contain her outburst. "It'll take forever to explain, but I'd love it if you wanted to listen. First off, I changed a chromosome in most of your body, then reversed and accelerated the re-composition of your body's natural form. After that, I made sure to break down and reshape the organic material, replacing what was once your..."

"Twi, it's magic – you ain't gotta explain it. I just wanted to know why I have a sack, but I'm not complaining." Rainbow dropped to all fours and made her way onto the bed.

"It's because every time before, I just created an artificial attachment to your body or reshaped your..."

"Shh, let's just test it out. It won't last forever, right?" Rainbow placed a hoof over Twilight's mouth and climbed on top of her.

"Right, it should last just under an hour, as long as my magic stays intact without fading." Twilight began speaking slower as Rainbow's soft lips brushed against hers.

The excited mare fluffed her wings and arched her back as she brushed her cheek across her lover's, finding her soft, sensitive neck. Twilight let out a hot breath that licked at Rainbow's ear as she bit down. The cyan mare's gentle nips created a light sting that sent tingling chills shooting down Twilight's spine. She wrapped her hooves around Rainbow's back and pulled her down so that their bodies were tightly pressed against one another. She then lifted her back hooves and welcomed Rainbow to take charge.

"Eager, huh?" Rainbow grinned and prodded Twilight's sensitive lips with her already stiff appendage.

"M'hmm," Twilight answered with a nod, running her hooves down Rainbow's sides.

Rainbow placed her hooves around Twilight's shoulders and rolled over onto her back, pulling the unicorn on top. "You've got something else to do first."

Grinning, Rainbow placed both hooves on Twilight's head and gently pushed her down between her legs. Twilight couldn't help but smile at the gesture as she let her dominant lover guide her. She rested her forelegs on either side of Rainbow's hips, making eye contact as she began to gently flick the tip of the appendage with her tongue.

Rainbow shuddered, craving more contact. She placed a hoof on the back of Twilight's head and pressed it down, allowing herself to slide into her lover's mouth. Twilight closed her eyes as she gently massaged the shaft with her tongue, lightly swirling it around. Rainbow wrapped her hoof around a few locks of Twilight's mane, pulling her head back up and lowering it again. The submissive unicorn couldn't help but let a light moan escape as she began sucking and willingly bobbing her head.

"Twi, that feels so awesome." Rainbow tilted her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying her treatment.

Twilight slowly lifted her head, a string of saliva slowly dripping from her tongue down Rainbow's lower body. "Does it? Maybe I'll have to try this out on myself later." She grinned as she climbed back up the bed.

"Heh, I don't know about that." Dash blushed and looked away.

"We'll talk about it later." Twilight began kissing the aroused mare's neck, working her way up to the ear.

As she went in for a kiss on the lips, Rainbow uncomfortably twisted away a little, resisting for a moment before giving into the gorgeous unicorn's alluring lips. Twilight pressed her tongue against Rainbow's lips, begging to be let inside. The defiant mare gave in and allowed the tongue inside, tasting herself on its tip. Twilight smiled as their tongues intertwined and began to lower her flank onto the erect shaft. Dash moaned as she felt Twilight's warm lips tightly wrapping around the tip and slowly sliding down.

Rainbow couldn't help but thrust herself upwards and press the shaft deeper, granting herself the satisfaction she desired. Twilight moaned out loudly as she felt herself getting deeply penetrated. "Easy there Dash, not so rough."

"Sorry," Rainbow giggled, blushing as she let herself gently slide back out a little.

Twilight began rocking her hips back and forth, easing down until she felt her plot resting on Dash's pubic region. She pressed herself forward, causing both mares to gasp with pleasure. She slid back and forcefully pressed herself forward again, repeating the motion. Her hooves rested on Rainbow's chest as she began to press harder and harder. The two made eye contact and Twilight continued to move against her lover, feeling a building orgasm approaching.

Rainbow felt the mare squeezing tighter as she began getting closer. She instinctively began thrusting upwards again in time with Twilight's bouncing, penetrating as deeply as she could. "That's the spot, right there Dash, don't stop!" Twilight shouted as she bit down on the tip of her hoof.

With one final thrust, Twilight pressed herself down and fell over, tightly hugging her lover as she came. Heavy blush rested on her nose and cheeks, her entire body quivering with excitement. "Dash, that was... amazing! As always."

"Glad you liked it, it felt better for me this time too. Now, get rid of it so I can come too." Rainbow leaned up and excitedly waited for the unicorn to release the spell.

"That's the thing Dash... I think you can come this time... That's what I was working on," Twilight said, panting between sentences.

"Oh, really? So what do I do, just keep doing... this?" Dash asked, rolling her partner over and climbing on top.

Twilight nodded and wrapped her legs around the still excited mare. Dash wiggled herself forward, re-penetrating the still soaking wet lips. Twilight lifted her legs higher as Rainbow pounded away between her thighs. Each mare moaned and gasped as the pleasure continued to build. "Come on Twi! Squeeze me tighter, I know you can!" Dash shouted as she pressed in as deeply as she could.

"I'm... trying!" The blushing unicorn attempted to reply between jolts of pleasure.

Rainbow leaned all the way back and hugged onto Twilight's back legs. She licked up the center of one of her lover's back hooves and brushed her teeth across the tip. The sensation drove Twilight crazy. "Dash, yes, do it harder! Buck me harder! You're gonna make me come again!"

Happy to obey, Rainbow thrust herself forward as hard as she could, causing the bed to violently rock back and forth. Twilight screamed out in ecstasy as the tip of her partner's appendage reached a sensitive spot deep inside of her.

"You wanna come together Twi?" Rainbow asked as she felt herself getting close.

"Yeah... let's do it," she agreed, focusing as hard as she could on the rapidly approaching orgasm.

As Twilight came again, she squeezed tighter than ever before, prompting Rainbow to come as well. The ecstatic mare wrapped her hooves tightly around Rainbow's waist, pulling her in as deeply as possible as she ejaculated. Twilight's eyes rolled up into the back of her head as she experienced a new sensation quite literally filling her body.

Rainbow collapsed forward, drooling on Twilight's chest. "So, how'd you... like it?" the unicorn asked, desperately trying to catch her breath.

"It was good... great..." Rainbow rolled over and sprawled out across the bed.

Each mare closed her eyes and Twilight cuddled up close to her lover. "So, is it perfect now?"

Rainbow wrapped her hoof around Twilight's neck and pulled her closer. "Yeah, it was great. Better than I imagined. But I think we should just stick to doing it the way we usually do for the most part."

"I agree. It was fun, but I prefer you just the way you are." She focused her horn and released the spell, allowing her lover to return to normal.

Rainbow rolled over on her side, pressing her muzzle against Twilight's. "I can't believe I've been living here for so long now. Almost four years, right?"

"Yeah, and it still feels like you just moved in here last week." The purple mare laughed and smiled, enjoying the sentimental moment.

"I know, it really does... But anyway – Twi, I was thinkin'. We've been together for a really long time now, and well, would you want to... Um, you know, would you want to ever, maybe, uh..." Rainbow blushed and closed her eyes as she stumbled over her words.

"Out with it Dash, would I want to what?"

"Would you want to... to get... married?" Rainbow looked down, avoiding eye contact, heavy blush setting in.

Twilight's eyes widened. "Um." She smiled and laughed. "What did you just ask me?"

"Nothing, it's stupid. I just... I'm sorry, I don't know what I was saying. I'm sorry, I..." Rainbow turned a deep shade of red and attempted to hide her face in the bedding.

"No, it's just that I never expected you, of all ponies, to ask me that. Of course I would Dash. I love you, and I have no intention of leaving you. Spending the rest of our lives together would be... Well, I can't imagine anything I'd ever want more." Twilight hugged onto her lover and delivered a sweet and soft kiss.

Rainbow's blush was beginning to disappear. "I'm really, really glad to hear that, because I got you something."

"What is it?" she asked with an eager smile.

"Look under your pillow. I was gonna ask this sooner, but you kinda distracted me with your spell thing." Rainbow smiled and leaned up, excited to see her marefriend's reaction.

Twilight lifted the pillow with her magic and peeked beneath. There she saw a beautiful golden ring with a shining amethyst gemstone delicately set into the center.

"Dash, it's beautiful." Twilight lifted the ring with her magic and slid it over her horn. "It fits perfectly! When did you measure my horn?"

"I snuck Rarity in here while you were sleeping. We measured it and I had her make the ring. She said I should go with ruby, but I picked amethyst because I thought it matched your eyes." Rainbow couldn't help but blush again. "And also because it looks the coolest!"

"Well that was really sweet and thoughtful of you, Rainbow. Come here."  Twilight closed her eyes and rubbed her muzzle against Dash's cheek. "I love you, and I'm so glad we're doing this too."

"I love you too. I guess this is the start of the rest of our lives together, right?"

*** Several months later***

"You about ready?" Scootaloo waited near the front door with her saddlebag.

Cheerilee nodded and trotted out from the kitchen. "Why are you in such a rush?"

"Remember, today's Applebloom's birthday? Which means mine's in three days," Scootaloo pointed out with a shining grin.

"That's right! Ooh, I can't wait. So what are we planning to do for Applebloom's birthday then?" Cheerilee followed Scootaloo outside and they began trotting down the road towards Sweet Apple Acres.

"AJ's throwing her a party and the whole Apple Family's gonna be there. It's a big deal ya know; she's technically an adult mare now." Scootaloo led the way with a quick pace.

"Right. We've talked about this several times before dear. You're sure you grabbed both gifts?" Cheerilee eyed the saddlebag as she kept pace.

"Eeyup, we're good to go."

The two mares quickly made their way to the edge of town. Upon arriving at their destination,  Cheerilee took a seat and caught her breath while Scootaloo scoffed and stood strong. "I'm not as young as I once was, Scootaloo. You can't expect me to gallop across town and not need a little break."

"Ha, well you sit and rest then ya old hag. I'm gonna go make sure Rainbow and Twilight aren't late." The cocky mare hoofed the saddlebag over to her secret lover and ran over to Applebloom, giving her a warm hug.

"Ah, it's good to be back in Ponyville again. I really missed y'all a lot. More than I thought I would to be honest." Applebloom gave her her friend a kiss on the cheek.

"We really miss you too AB. Things just aren't the same around here without you. So how're things going with the Oranges? Oh, and how's Manehatten? Do you like it there?" Scootaloo was clearly excited to see her friend again and continued to blurt out questions.

"Uh, good, good, and yes. I just wish you were livin' up there too."

"I know, I kinda do too, but I couldn't make Cheerilee leave Ponyville, since she loves it here so much. And I'm not about to leave her side, ya know? Anyway, I gotta go make sure Rainbow's gonna show up. I'll be back soon okay?" Scootaloo stepped back and winked before cantering off back towards town.

"Alright, you hurry back now!" Applebloom called after friend before returning to the affections her other friends and family had to offer.

Scootaloo tapped on the library door and was allowed in by Spike shortly after. "Heya kiddo, what brings you here?"

"Don't call me kiddo, I'm older than you ya know..." Scootaloo looked up to meet Spike's eyes.

"Well, you sure are smaller than me," he pointed out, spreading his wide wings.

"Whatever, where's Dash?" Scootaloo let herself in and began trotting around in search of her friend.

"Uh, Twi's feeling pretty sick today. I think they're still in the bathroom." Spike frowned and fiddled with his spines.

Scootaloo glanced back at him nervously. "Sick, huh? Is it serious?"

"Seems like it... She's been getting sick like this every morning for a while now."

Just then, Rainbow Dash came trotting into the front room. "Oh, hey Scoot. I thought I heard you in here. Look, I'm not sure what's goin' on, but Twi is feeling pretty crappy. I think she needs to go see a doctor. As soon as I find out what's up, I'll head over to the party, alright? Here, take our gifts. You and Spike can just wait for us there."

Twilight appeared in the doorway and groggily trotted into the front room, her steps weak and a hoof over her mouth. She used it to signal her friends to leave.

"I'm sorry you're feelin' a bit under the weather Twi. Get well soon, okay?" Scootaloo offered her comfort before heading out with Spike, who picked her up and quickly flew over to the Acres.

"Alright Twilight, let's get you checked out." Rainbow put a supporting wing around her partner, and the pair headed down the short road to the Ponyville Clinic.

Spike spread his wings straight out and gave a powerful downwards flap as he came to a light landing. However, the gust from his large wings sent several tablecloths along with the items on them toppling away.

Applejack jumped up and caught her hat before it could blow away as well, and was quick to march straight up to the young dragon with a stern expression. "Now Spike, what'd I tell you about landin' like that? I can't have you blowin' my apple pies all over the ground, now can I? Look, that's three ruined that I gotta hurry up and bake from scratch. Plus, most of my family ain't seen a big dragon like you before, and I don't want ya scarin' folks."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry," Spike groaned, blushing as he walked away to set the gifts down on a table near the rest.

Scootaloo jumped off his back and fluttered to the ground. Applejack was once again immediately forced to put on a stern attitude. "I swear, it's just in one ear and out the other with you two. How many times do I gotta tell ya? No flying! Them wings o' yours can't handle it, and I don't need ya gettin' hurt again! Ya hear?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry," Scootaloo joked and trotted away, waving the worrisome mare down with a hoof.

These ponies're gonna cause me a heart attack, I swear... Applejack placed a hoof on her head and trotted back indoors.

"Applebloom!" Scootaloo shouted as she searched for her friend.

"I'm over here!" A voice sounded from behind the old apple barn.

Scootaloo hurried over just in time to catch two of her best friends smooching in the shadows. "Oh come on guys. You knew I was coming back here."

"Yeah, sorry Scootsy."

"You're not allowed to call me that anymore," Scootaloo objected, only half-serious.

Silver Spoon rolled her eyes and trotted up to her friend. "Come here you. I missed you."

"Aw, I missed you too, both of you." The three joined in a group hug. "So, have you heard from Sweetie Belle at all?"

"Eeyup, and she says her and Rarity might not make it down from Canterlot to see me this year." Applebloom pouted and looked away.

"That's too bad. Well hay, don't let it get ya down. Today's your big day." Scootaloo smiled to cheer her friend up.

Just then, Spike came walking around the corner of the barn. "Heya Applebloom, everypony's looking for you. What are you guys hiding out back here for anyway?"

"Uh, nothin'," Applebloom laughed, trotting up to the dragon and climbing onto his back. "Can you fly me over the Acres for my birthday?"

"Haha, sure thing AB." Spike shrugged at the other two mares and took flight, blowing them each backwards.

"Spike sure has gotten huge since last year." Silver Spoon couldn't help but notice.

"Yup, he sure has... So, um... How are things going with you and Applebloom?" Scootaloo shifted her eyes away, kicking at the ground.

"Good – we're roommates now, and plan to go to the same college once we graduate this year. We'll be roommates in the dorm too." Silver smiled and looked to the sky.

"Heh, cool. I'm not sure what I'm doing. Cheerilee has a lot of plans for me, but I haven't really discussed them with her. Spring Break is almost over, and then there're only a few months left. I should really start looking into all this." Nervously, Scootaloo made eye contact with Silver Spoon, her eyes wide and full of questions.

"Something on your mind Scoot?" Silver asked, detecting her ex-lover's discomfort.

"I just... Well, I'm still not sure what I wanna do with my life, ya know?" Scootaloo looked back down, feeling ashamed.

Silver Spoon trotted up to her sulking friend, placing a hoof on her cheek. "Scootaloo... I... I can't." Words attempted to form themselves into a sentence, but Silver lost herself in Scootaloo's wide purple eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry. Okay? Just forget I said anything. Let's head back to the party." Scootaloo trotted off and cleared her mind, shaking her head and putting on a smile.

"Oh, hey there Dash!" Scootaloo shouted as she spotted her troubled friend arriving. "How's Twilight doing?"

"Uh, she's fine. The doctor wanted to keep her there for a while, so she told me to just fly over and let everyone know that she'll be here soon. She isn't feeling sick anymore and the doctor said it's perfectly natural," Rainbow explained.

"Well, that's good news I guess. I'm gonna get back to Cheerilee now. Later."

"Oh wait, where's the birthday mare?" Rainbow asked, glancing around.

Scootaloo smiled and pointed her hoof up towards the air over Rainbow's head, then turned to trot away. Rainbow jumped into the air and took flight. Spotting Spike, she flew by his side, silently challenging him to a bit of a race. As the two accelerated, Applebloom grabbed onto Spike's neck and began to panic, her eyes wide as the large red bow blew out of her mane.

Scootaloo laughed, taking a seat next to Cheerilee. "Look at 'em go! Poor AB, I bet she's terrified."

Cheerilee smiled and leaned back, a hoof over her chest as she breathed heavily.

"Everything okay Cheer? You don't look so... rested," Scootaloo queried with concerned eyes.

Cheerilee forced her breathing to slow before assuming a more comfortable position. "Of course. I just felt like I was about to sneeze." She giggled and looked away.

Scootaloo wore a concerned frown until Spike crashed forcefully into the ground, causing Fluttershy to shriek and sending Applebloom toppling over his head as he proclaimed his victory. "I got you, yes!"

"No way, are you crazy?! I totally got here first!" Rainbow argued as she nearly simultaneously landed next to him.

"It's a tie," Scootaloo announced, standing to help her fallen friend back onto her hooves. "Right, Fluttershy?" she asked, looking back and hoping to resolve the conflict between the two racers.

"Um, I... Um..." Fluttershy nervously cowered beneath the stares of her riled-up friends.

"Ugh, you're useless," Scootaloo muttered under her breath before trotting past the overly shy pegasus.

Cheerilee's smile faded as she watched the youthful ponies around her enjoying themselves. She placed her hoof over her heart once again, letting out a pained sigh as she attempted to catch her breath.

"Hello!" Cheerilee's eyes widened in shock as she jumped up.

"Oh, hello there Pinkie Pie." She wiped her brow and sat back down, her heart racing faster than ever.

Pinkie trotted right past her over to Applebloom, hoofing over an array of apparently random gifts. She then trotted over to a table topped with several apple-related desserts and pulled a tray of cupcakes from seemingly out of nowhere. Cheerilee watched her closely, than glanced over to Rainbow Dash who persisted in arguing over their silly little race. These young mares were so clearly full of life and so carefree, putting all their energy towards enjoying the lives they led. A certain word continued to repeat itself in her mind: young, youth, youthful. And yet, these mares weren't that much younger than her. Cheerilee held both hooves out, staring down at them. They began to shake as she once again began over-analyzing everything she could about life and aging.

What is youth, and what is life? How does one determine age? Is it just a number, or is it more complicated than that? When do we decide that we've grown up, and how do we decide we're still too young? Does my love for Scootaloo make me bad? Is it really wrong, simply because of what we call age? I can't help but look at this differently – I have no choice but to. I've been forced to, and I have to make sense of it. If my life is a line, from birth to death, then I'm being pushed along that line by something beyond my control. My age grows as I approach the end of that line. Does that mean that the closer I am to the edge, the older I am? Or is it the closer to the beginning, the younger I am? Either way, I suppose I'm much older than my peers, much older than everypony around me...

Suddenly, Granny Smith walked out to greet the arriving guests in her own way, catching Cheerilee's attention.

Am I older than Miss Smith, I wonder?

Cheerilee's thoughts were interrupted as a horde of Apple Family members came trotting onto the farm. She slouched in her seat and hoped not to receive too much attention. Behind them, Twilight Sparkle slowly walked in, scanning through the mass of unfamiliar faces and hoping to find her partner. She carefully squeezed through the ponies and pressed forward until she spotted Rainbow Dash.

Twilight couldn't help but take a moment to enjoy the sight, despite how inappropriately immature it was. Rainbow had a dragon much larger than her pinned to the ground and in a headlock, her hooves interlocking around his neck as he begged for mercy.

"Come on, Spike. You're double her size, and you still let her bully you like that?" Twilight mocked.

"Twi, I can't help it... She's... she's..." He coughed for air and pounded the ground with a clenched fist.

"So, who won the race again?" Rainbow asked with a devilish grin.

"You!" Spike squeaked beneath his breath.

"That's what I thought." Rainbow released the dragon and fell backwards, panting after the tussle. "So Twi, how'd it go?"

"Well, Rainbow... I, uh... Well, I have some... Um, how should I put this..." Twilight was cut off by Applebloom dragging her away.

"Come on Twi, don't ya wanna watch me open my presents?" The unicorn blushed and shrugged as the birthday mare led the way.

The first gift she grabbed was a package from Rarity. She opened it up and took a card off the top.

"My dear, sweet Applebloom. You're turning into a full grown mare today, and I couldn't be happier or more proud of you. I only wish I could have been there to celebrate the day with you. I'm sorry I couldn't join you, and I promise I'll make it up to you. I hope to spend a day together here in Canterlot, just the two of us. I've included a first class carriage ticket. I'm looking forward to your visit.

I love you, Applebloom, and happy birthday my dear."

The painful absence of her friend was eased by the endearing card and thoughtful gifts. She pulled out a beautiful red silken bow that shone brightly in the sunlight. A large gemstone was placed neatly in the center near the bottom, and it was perfectly gorgeous in Applebloom's opinion.

"Heh, perfect timing for this gift. Right, Spike?" She glared over to the now blushing dragon before tying the bow into her mane, allowing its long ribbons to dangle down on one side.

As she filtered through the rest of the gifts, Twilight tried to find an opportunity to speak to her lover. "Dash, we really need to talk."

"Hang on Twi, I think she's opening my gift now." Rainbow ignored her partner's request as she anxiously anticipated Applebloom's reaction to her gift.

"Rainbow, come on. I'm being serious."

"Uh-huh. One sec."

Groaning, Twilight stomped away and took a seat next to Cheerilee.

"Something on your mind, Miss Sparkle?"

"Yes, actually, but Rainbow's too busy to pay any attention to me!" Twilight shouted.

Cheerilee's eyes widened as she leaned away a little from the angry mare. "I'm, um, sorry to hear that Twilight."

Taking a deep breath, the flustered mare lowered her voice and calmed herself down. "I'm sorry Cheerilee, I don't mean to shout. I'm just so temperamental lately, I can't really explain it... Not yet anyway." Twilight placed her front hooves over her stomach and leaned back, a nervous smile growing as she watched her lover excitedly fly up to demonstrate how to use the gift.

Cheerilee smiled and let out a deep sigh. She trotted up close to Twilight and placed a hoof on her head, then leaned down and whispered in the mare's ear, "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Twilight responded without thinking.

"Oh, and Scootaloo told me about you two, congratulations on your engagement as well. I'll assume it was purely coincidental." Cheerilee grinned and trotted away before the stunned mare could respond.

Twilight gulped and wondered just how obvious it really was. In a mild panic, she jumped up and rushed over to an oblivious pegasus. "Rainbow, please listen to me, I need to talk to you about something but I want to do it in private. Let's go somewhere, just for a minute."

"Sure thing Twi, but look, she's about to open your gift now," Rainbow pointed out with a grin.

Twilight placed her hooves over her face and sighed before turning to watch her young friend open the gift. She couldn't help but smile as she watched a disappointed Applebloom set a book down on the table and offer an insincere 'thank you'. "Can we go now?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. What's got you so worked up today anyway?" Rainbow asked, as she turned to walk away with her concerned lover.

As they trotted towards the barn, they crossed paths with Pinkie. The excitable mare gasped and wrapped her forehooves around the two lovers' necks. "I heard you guys got engaged! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Twilight glared at Rainbow and turned to face Pinkie. "Yes, we're engaged. I didn't want to have the whole town knowing before we had a date and everything set, okay?"

"That's just silly Twilight! We need to throw an engagement party right away!" Pinkie dragged both mares over to a stage where the family band was meant to perform later that evening in celebration of both Applebloom's birthday and the family reunion.

The pink mare pushed both her friends up the steps and trotted off, informing them not to move an inch. Hardly concerned with Pinkie's unpredictable intentions, Rainbow urged Twilight to speak. "Look, no ponies around. So what did you wanna talk about?"

"It's just, well..." Twilight was immediately cut off by Pinkie shouting to the crowd of ponies, announcing their engagement.

"Well? Just say what you have to say already, will ya?" Dash asked, getting impatient.

Twilight groaned and stamped her hoof. "I've been trying to but I keep getting interrupted!"

Pinkie grabbed a loudspeaker and dialed it to max volume before she rushed back to the stage in preparation for the couple's speech.

"What I've been trying to say is..." Pinkie held the loudspeaker up to Twilight's mouth just in time to catch the last two words of her sentence as she angrily shouted them. "I'm pregnant!"

High-pitched feedback rang through the air as Twilight's words echoed through the hills of The Acres. A large mass of ponies stared up at her, some familiar faces looking more stunned than others.

"Whoa! That is not what I expected you to say!" Pinkie raised an eyebrow and lowered the speaker.

Twilight blushed deeply and slowly backed away. Rainbow's jaw was hanging wide open as she attempted to process what she'd just heard. Pinkie shrugged and held the speaker up the Dash's mouth, but the pegasus quickly smacked it away and trotted off the stage after Twilight.

Scootaloo laughed and nudged Cheerilee's shoulder. "Wow, and I thought our stuff was complicated."

"I'm happy for them. I hope everything works out for the best, and we definitely need to lend them our support, Scootaloo." Cheerilee wrapped a hoof around her lover and pulled her close, not caring who saw.

"Yeah, you're right. Dash is probably freaking out right now. I'm gonna go talk to her." Scootaloo stood up to leave but was quickly stopped by Cheerilee.

"Wait, let them be alone for a while to talk it out."

Scootaloo nodded and sat down, waving at Applebloom to join her from where she stood talking to Applejack and Fluttershy about the latest news.

Rainbow Dash made her way behind the stage and placed her hoof on her lover's shoulder. Twilight turned around with tears slowly dripping down her cheeks. "Hey... Cheer up will ya?"

"What are we gonna do Dash?" Twilight asked, allowing her insecurity shine through.

"We'll figure it out. We always do. I can always pick up more work if I have to. The fastest flyer in Equestria is also the fastest package delivery pegasus in the business. I'm in high demand ya know." Rainbow grinned encouragingly.

"It's not that Rainbow, it's just that... Well... We, I mean, I don't think we're ready for this. I just don't know what to think, or how to react." Twilight looked up, her tears beginning to flow faster.

"Shh shh, don't cry alright?" Rainbow wiped her marefriend's tears away and kissed her muzzle. "I love you Twilight, and we'll get through this together. It's a big deal, sure, but we'll figure it out. Together. I promise you."

Through her worries and discomfort, Twilight smiled. "Thanks, Rainbow. I hope you're right."

As the evening fell, Scootaloo found herself wandering through the random groups of semi-drunken ponies she didn't know. Applebloom was attempting to teach her older brother to dance as she did every year. Silver Spoon leaned up against the corner of a barn far away from the fire in the center of the Acres, resting in the shadows and staring up at the moon, as she did every year. Scootaloo made her way over and attempted to make small talk.

"Somethin' on your mind?" she asked, not sure what she was getting at.

"Nope, you?"

"Nope..."

The two stood quietly for a moment, before Scootaloo forcefully plopped down on the ground, sitting against the wall.

"So, where's Cheerilee?" Silver asked, glancing down.

"She went home. She was tired or something."

"Ah, cool, I guess." Silver stared back up at the moon, her glasses reflecting its brightness into Scootaloo's eyes.

"What are you doing way out here anyway?" Scootaloo asked, not sure what else to say.

"Just... catching my breath, so to speak. Why did you follow me?"

"The same reason, maybe?"

Silver pressed herself against the barn's wall and slowly slid down, placing her hoof on Scootaloo's shoulder. "Because you want to catch my breath?" she questioned, looking over at her ex-lover.

"So to speak." Scootaloo gazed into the mare's beautiful moonlit eyes and began to lose herself once again.

Their muzzles touched and each closed their eyes, their hearts racing.

Scootaloo smiled. "So, are you gonna kiss me? Or do I have to lie to my diary?"


Alternate ending for all you complainers!

"Cheerilee! Quick, wake up! It's Applebloom's birthday today!" An excited little mare jumped up and down on the bed, waking her teacher.

"Ughhhh, I know..." Cheerilee groaned. "I'm up I'm up."

Scootaloo stopped jumping and put on a wide smile. She fluttered off the edge of the bed and made her way into the kitchen, signaling for Cheerilee to follow. The still groggy magenta mare drearily wobbled into the kitchen, attempting to stifle a yawn.

"Why are we up so early?" Cheerilee complained.

"It's a big day for everypony in town. Applebloom's a grown mare today, there's gonna be a big party and everything. Let's hurry over so we can get an early start." Scootaloo tossed an already packed saddle bag over to her lover, who caught it in her mouth.

"I'm too old for this..." Cheerilee muttered beneath her breath.

"What was that?" Scootaloo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing sweetheart, I'm just as excited as you are, believe you me." She stated in a blatantly forced, cheerful manner.

"Good, let's get a move on then!" Scootaloo led the way outside and down the street, then took a moment for her lover to catch up.

It was still quite early, only shortly after sunrise, and all the morning sounds and scents were theirs to enjoy. Scootaloo looked over to see her teacher walking with her eyes closed and a growing smile, clearly enjoying her surroundings.

"Nice morning, huh?" Scootaloo spoke up.

"Mmm, it certainly is. I always forget how wonderful the morning air can be in these late summer months."

Scootaloo joined her teacher in closing her eyes to take in the crisp air. "Aren't ya glad I woke you up now?"

Cheerilee simply nodded and continued down the road. She opened her eyes to see the young mare she loved so much walking beside her.

"I can't believe it's almost been four years already. Only a few more weeks and you'll be of age. Then we won't have to hide anything anymore." Cheerilee stopped and placed her hoof on Scootaloo's  cheek.

"Not too much longer at all..." Scootaloo looked up with a crooked smile and wide eyes.

"I promised you that it'd fly by, didn't I?" Cheerilee placed her muzzle on the young mare's forehead.

"You did."

Placing her hoof beneath Scootaloo's chin, she lifted her face and delivered a kiss, then another. "I love you so much darling."

Scootaloo gulped and opened her eyes. "I love you too, Cheerilee."

Cheerilee lifted Scootaloo up and stood on her back hooves, spinning the little mare around, squeezing her warmly.

"Whoa there!" Scootaloo hugged onto her lover tightly, in fear of being dropped.

Cheerilee backed off the road into a soft yard of grass and fell over onto her back, giggling. She brushed her muzzle against Scootaloo's again, and looked deeply into her eyes. The sun was far above the horizon now and casting vast shadows over Ponyville. As the leaves rustled in the breeze, bits of sunlight shined through, causing Scootaloo's beautiful purple eyes to sparkle spectacularly beneath it.

Cheerilee placed her hoof on her lover's. "I can see the future through your eyes, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo scoffed. "Yeah right. What do you see?"

Cheerilee grinned and looked closely, spotting the reflection of her own eyes through them. "I see the rest of our lives, and there I am beside you."

The little orange mare's eyes fluttered closed, and her smile went away. "The rest of our lives? I... I don't even know... What are you saying?"

Cheerilee smiled wider and shook her head. "What I'm saying is, at some point in the future, I want to marry you Scootaloo. We've been living together for four years, and I love you just as much now as I did the day you moved in. I know we've hit our bumps, but it's good to get them out of the way early. These past two years have been absolutely perfect, and I can't imagine you not being a part of my life."

Scootaloo squeezed her eyes closed tightly and hugged onto the sentimental mare in front of her. "Thank you." She spoke quietly and sniffled.

"'Thank you' is not exactly the reply I was hoping for, I'll admit..." Cheerilee hugged the little mare back and suppressed her own urge to tear up.

"I'm sorry. I wanna marry you too, and I want to live with you forever. I love you. I really really love you." Scootaloo leaned up and kissed her lover, running her hoof through her long mane.

"What are you two doing?!" A voice sounded, interrupting the couple. "You can't just make out on my lawn, Scootaloo's still underage, what if somepony see's you guys?"

The couple quickly stood up, slightly embarrassed that they allowed themselves to lose control like that.

"Right, uh, sorry Twilight." Scootaloo scratched the back of her mane and threw on an apologetic smile.

Cheerilee brushed herself off and waved casually. "So are you and Ms. Rainbow Dash getting ready for the party then?"

Twilight nodded and backed up. "Why don't you two come inside and we can all go over together."

They followed the unicorn indoors and and took a seat on a familiar sofa near the stairs.

Rainbow Dash quickly fluttered into the front room and tackled Scootaloo onto the floor. "Heyya kiddo! Haven't seen you in a while."

Scootaloo attempted to wrestle the older pegasus off of her, but failed. "Guh, lemme go Dash!"

"Haha, fine fine!" Rainbow leaned up and took a seat next to Cheerilee on the couch. "So how've you two been doin'?"

"Great actually. Couldn't be better, thanks to you." Cheerilee graciously nodded with a smile.

"Awesome, glad to hear it." Dash spoke while helping Scootaloo off the floor. "Lookin' forward to this party Scoots? I know you've gotta be missin' Applebloom by now."

"Yeah I am. It sucks that all my friends are gone. Sweetie Belle in Canterlot, Applebloom living with the Oranges in Manehatten, it ain't fair I tell ya."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Well I guess Applejack thought AB was just too good for Ponyville, huh?"

"Hey now Rainbow Dash. Applejack only had her little sister's education in mind when she made that decision. I can respect that." Cheerilee grinned and patted Scootaloo on the head.

"Whatever, just feels like the town's dying I guess. Like if you want a better life, you better get the hay out of Ponyville." Rainbow crossed her hooves and huffed.

"Speaking of which, I heard you're doing well at your new job. Do you ever miss the weather factory?" Cheerilee changed the subject, wanting to avoid discussing her own feelings on the topic of Ponyville's dwindling population.

"Nah, buck those guys. I never got the respect I deserved from them. Now I'm the world's fasted package delivery mare. I just got promoted to Lead Coordinator. I map out routes and tell chumps what to do all day, and my pay is pretty decent if I do say so myself." Rainbow boasted what she had as best she could.

"Well congratulations, I'm happy for you. I assume things between you and Ms. Sparkle are going well?"

"Well..." Rainbow nervously looked to one side.

Cheerilee placed a concerned hoof on the pegasus' shoulder. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's just that Twi's been really sick the past few days. It only lasts as long as the morning, and I just don't know what to do." Rainbow sighed and pretended not to hear the sounds coming from the bathroom.

"Did ya take her to the doctor? If she's sick, go the hospital duh." Scootaloo smacked Rainbow's leg and looked at her as if she were a complete idiot.

"She already went yesterday! Twi's been acting really weird since then, like she doesn't want to talk about it, or anything. I just wish I knew what was going on." Rainbow lowered her ears and huffed.

Cheerilee placed a curious hoof on her chin and stood up. "I think I should go have a word with her. You two just stay here for a moment, alright?"

Cheerilee ventured off and the two pegasi each shrugged at one another.

"Ahem." Cheerilee cleared her throat.

Twilight placed a hoof on her horn and leaned up from the toiled. "Oh... Oh! I'm sorry, can I help you with something?"

Cheerilee quickly reached out and caught the wobbly mare before she could fall over. "No not at all. I just wanted to have a quick word with you, if you don't mind."

Twilight wiped her mouth and sighed. "What's on your mind?"

"Rainbow told me about your... condition. First off, congratulations. Secondly, how did it happen?" Cheerilee looked genuinely concerned, mostly for Rainbow Dash's feelings.

"Rainbow knows?!" Twilight looked absolutely horrified, placing a hoof to her chest.

"No, she's completely oblivious. She thinks you're just sick. So tell me, did you..." Cheerilee nervously glanced from side to side, then whispered, "Did you cheat?"

"No, I'd never..." Twilight placed a hoof over her mouth and closed her eyes for a moment. "No... It's a long story okay?"

"Well just know that I consider you a friend, and you don't have to go through this alone. I'll be here for you if you ever want to talk about it." Cheerilee hugged the woozy mare and turned to head back.

"Wait." Twilight couldn't stand the thought of letting her friend think that she cheated on Rainbow. "Hold on, I'll tell you everything, just promise me you'll let me be the one to break the news to Rainbow, okay?"

"I promise."

"Alright. Well, I'll just give you the basics. Rainbow wanted me to magically create a penis that she could experience sexual pleasure through. Over the course of two years, I ended up learning about biological magic, and altered some chromosomes... and... I'm such an idiot..." Twilight began to tear up and wiped her face down with a hoof.

"There there, don't you cry now little lady." Cheerilee hugged her and rubbed her back. "Anypony could make that mistake." She made a strange face after saying that, then shrugged it off.

"Right well... this is a BIG mistake. I don't know how Rainbow's going to take the news. It certainly won't be good." Twilight cringed and allowed her ears to droop.

"It'll be fine dear. That mare loves you, have a little faith in her."

"I have plenty of faith in her, I just don't want her to feel pressured... or insecure." Twilight moped.

"Come one, go tell her. It's best that you don't go through this on your own. This should be a happy occasion for you both to experience together. Someday, when Scootaloo's older, I might want to do this very same thing with her." Cheerilee hugged Twilight and smiled. "I think you may have come up with a wonderful spell, able to allow couples like us to have real families together."

"A... a family of my own? With Rainbow Dash? I never imagined... I never would have guessed. I hated her when I first met her, but now... I can't even begin to imagine my life without her. I just love her so much." Twilight's hormonal tears began to flow.

"Shh, there there sweetheart." Cheerilee wiped her tears away. "I know just how you feel. Scootaloo was once my biggest problem, now she's my whole world. Life's just strange that way. Now come on, I think you have some news to break."

Twilight nodded and smiled, then headed back into the front room.

Cheerilee trotted up to Scootaloo and placed an arm around her neck. "Come on, these two need some alone time."

Scootaloo shrugged and jumped off her seat. "'Kay, let's head out then. I can't wait so see Applebloom, it's been forever!"

"I'm sure she's thinking the same thing about you. Let's go then." Cheerilee happily trotted out the front door with her young lover following closely behind.

Twilight placed her hooves in Rainbow's lap, kneeling down in front of her. "I have something to tell you."

"Shh." Rainbow placed a hoof to her mouth. "I heard the whole thing. You're such an egghead, always over-thinking things. I love you Twilight, always and no matter what." She leaned down, planting a kiss on her lover's muzzle.

"Thank you Dash..."

"Applebloom!" Scootaloo fluttered over to her friend, tackling her to the ground.

"Heyya Scoots! I missed ya too!" The excited earth pony giggled.

"Hey Scootsy..." A soft voice sounded from behind her.

Scootaloo lifted her head and looked back. Silver Spoon stood behind Cheerilee, who softly smiled and walked away.

"Hold on Applebloom." Scootaloo stood up, and her friend calmly walked away, offering one last quick hug first.

"Silver, what are you doing here?" Scootaloo gulped and asked, hoping to avoid a confrontation.

"I'm here with Applebloom, we're together now. I miss you though, Scootaloo. I still like to consider you my best friend, even though we don't talk anymore." Silver admitted, resisting the urge to hug her old lover.

"... I miss you too Silver. I wish things didn't have to go sour between us. I really like you and all, but you know... I'm with Cheerilee for good, and I refuse to hurt her again." The pegasus took a few steps forward, lifting a hoof.

Silver's eyes widened, and she reached up, interlocking her hoof with Scootaloo's. The pegasus then pulled her in, twirling her around and dipping her towards the ground. Silver gasped, taken by the sudden action.

"It's like you know just what to do, like you knew what to expect. I love you Silver, you really are my closest friend." Scootaloo pulled the young gray mare into a hug.

"Does this mean we can start talking again?" She giggled, hugging her ex-lover back.

"Of course, anypony who's gonna try and be with one of my closest friends is definitely gonna have to keep in check with me." Scootaloo laughed, taking a step back.

"Thanks. I'm glad you approve. The two of us seem to be getting along very well, and I've learned a lot about a world I never knew from her. She has so much to tell, and despite what I always thought of her before, she's actually quite an intelligent little mare." Silver blushed, showering her lover with compliments.

"That's good to hear. I've always been really close to her, I can see why you love her, knowing you..." Scootaloo frowned and trotted backwards.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothin'." She sighed tapped her friend's shoulder. "You should go catch up with her, I'm going to go find Cheerilee."

"Okay, it was nice talking to you again." Silver waved, slowly trotting away.

"Yeah, it was." Scootaloo turned away, not looking back as she found her lover.

"So, it looks like me and Silver are on good terms, if you don't mind." Scootaloo blushed, looking up at Cheerilee.

"Of course I don't mind you silly little thing. Just don't think this means you get to go floozying around." She winked and stuck her tongue out.

"Right... I know that."

"I know you know that. I'm just teasing you. Come on, let's go enjoy the party." Cheerilee glanced around, ensuring nopony could see them, then gave her lover a quick kiss on the lips.

"I love you Cheerilee... I'm still really sorry about everything that..." Cheerilee pressed her hoof to the young mare's mouth.

"Don't... that's ancient history as far as I'm concerned. What matters is the here and now. I love you too sweetheart, I always will, and nothing's about to change that fact.

The two shared another kiss, then trotted towards the crowd.

Spike came flying in with two happy mare's on his back, landing forcefully in the center of the party. Applejack came rushing out to scold him while other members of the Family came trotting onto the property. Applebloom's birthday was celebrated, and everypony seemed to be having a wonderful time. Applebloom attempted to teach Big Mac how to dance as she did every year. Cheerilee and Scootaloo twirled around, closer than ever, and nopony around them seemed to pay any attention, and if they did, they didn't care to interfere with what was so obviously true love.

Things couldn't have been better for anypony, and if there ever really was a Happily Ever After, this was it.

... And then they all fucked.