It was a normal day.

Boring even.

Painfully so.

But sometimes, boring was good.

Twilight Sparkle had finally finished cleaning her library. It was crystal clear, no pun intended. Immaculate. Like nothing ever happened before. Spike’s help was a blessing and not once her assistant and friend had complained. Not that he asked questions about what happened. Twilight would’ve normally given him a long, perfectly detailed explanation, but not this time. It was like a fog clouding that crazy day. He was happy, even if a bit perplexed, on how things had changed between Applejack, Rarity and the Princess.

There was basket of freshly picked apples at the door and a diamond encrusted shawl. Not in the same basket, of course. Twilight was happy, though: Rarity would've never forgiven herself if it got dirt on it. Twilight WAS eirded out, but genuinely happy. Fluttershy was sitting at her chair, sipping a cup of coffee and watching her friend examining her gifts with a smile. She threw a little smirk as if to say “I told you so.” Twilight genuinely smiled back at her.

Rainbow Dash was practicing as always in the Wonderbolts’ camp, leading a formation of Soarin, Spitfire and herself. Her mind was at ease while doing this and her body as well, helped no doubt by the tasty treats of Pinkie Pie. It had become a recurring occurrence for the Wonderbolts to see the pink mare sneak up to her room and bringing something for her fillyfriend, even though nopony could for the life of them know how she always managed to get there. Pinkie Pie managed to find a different method every day, although they started to catch up when they found that long ladder stuck in the cloudy surface.

“Seriously, where does she get the money for this?” Fleetfoot asked as she tried to remove the contraption.

“She’s just being Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow replied.

“You always say that but it doesn’t explain anything.”

“Never said that it did. That’s just the way things are.” She chuckled as the two pulled the ladder out of the cloud bank and carried it away..

Even if things were going well, a thought about a little filly crossed her mind: Scootaloo. She hadn’t seen her in a while and while Rainbow was protective of her surrogate little sister, she wanted to respect her space. If she wanted to be alone (and she had her reasons) then Rainbow Dash would respect that wish. In her heart she was sure that her always reserved seat for the shows would be filled once again.

At least she hoped.

“Are ya sure this will work?” Applebloom asked, her finger cleaning the plate of the last traces of powdered sugars. As much as she appreciated free croissants every time she went to Sugarcube Corner she was starting to get some weight...

“I never, ever found a cake that didn’t cheer up at least a little somepony. In fact, I rue that day!” Pinkie added a small cherry on top of the dark chocolate cake. Applebloom felt satiated by just the smell of it.

“Ah hope so.” She sighed. “Ever since...Ever since Babs went back home, she hasn’t been the same.”

“But why? I mean, duh, that’s her fillyfriend. I would be sad too if my fillyfriend just went back home without saying goodbye. Which was a bit of a jerk move but I’m sure she had her reasons. I’m just sorry about Scoots.”

“Me too.” Pinkie had brought a fair point: Why leave her like that? “Perhaps I should write her a letter.”

“Who? Scoots? She’s right next door. It would be a waste of paper.”

“No, ah meant Babs.”

“Oh.” Pinkie blinked. “She’s not next door.”

“Yeah. She ain’t.” Applebloom took the cake and took her way out as she made her way to Scootaloo’s shop. She hated to do this alone. Sweetie Belle had tried to do something before but Scootaloo felt...Intimidated by the two of them together. She said it looked like an intervention or something. It kinda was, even if Applebloom didn’t fully understand that concept.

She knocked at the door to no answer. As usual. “Scoots. Ah know you’re there. Ah can hear the noise.” She felt hammer blows and screws and the frantic creaking of metal. If anything, Scootaloo was getting more efficient, these days. One had the certainty that a broken bike or a scooter or anything with wheels would be fixed by the end of the day, if not sooner. “Ah brought cake.”

The noise stopped and a soot covered pegasus opened the door. “I can’t say no to cake.” She said with a sad smile. She removed her protective glasses that showed an orange stain that stood out among all the soot and grease of her face. “Just, give me a moment to wash my hands.”

Applebloom sighed as took a look around the room as Scootaloo proceeded to clean her hands and face in the small bathroom. The floor was covered in metal prompts, screws, tools, and pieces of wheels, with no sight of an actual floor. Or at least a clean one. The only things left pristine were a Wonderbolts poster with a smiling Rainbow Dash Sonic Rainbooming her way into the sky and a couple of photos on a desk. One of the three photos had them being hugged by Rainbow Dash at a time when they were younger, and another one had Babs and Scoots, the pegasus clinging to her back as Applebloom’s cousin gave a tired smile at the camera. Even so, they looked positively radiant with happiness.

She took that photo herself, the day after the party that Pinkie Pie had to celebrated Scootaloo being saved from her - sort of - ponynapping. Which later also became the party to celebrate Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s engagement. It was a good day.

“Wait, there’s a stain…” Scootaloo took the last photo and scrubbed its glass viciously, removing a small stain with extreme prejudice that Applebloom had barely even noticed. In fact, she wasn’t even sure there even was a stain. “So...Uh, what brings you here?” She tried her best of an attempt of a goofy smile, but the moment Applebloom let her guard down she dived for at least half of that delicious cake.

“Whoah. How long ya since ya gotten some grub?”

“I ‘unno. What time it is?” She said, slurping on her chocolate covered fingers.

“Ten O’ Clock?”

“Since Ten, then. Of yesterday morning.” Scootaloo finished the delicious pastry and actually let out a loud belch.

“Well, ya can’t go on like that, Scoots.”

“I know. Thanks for your concern.” Scootaloo became cold and distant the very instant she finished her share of cake and grabbed her glasses again, ready to return to work like nothing happened.

“Ah’m serious, Scoots. Ya can’t go on like that.”

“Yup. I know that. You just said it.”

“And yet ya keep doing that! Y’ain’t listenin’ to me, are ya?” In fact, in the space of that conversation, Scootaloo had perfectly rebuilt a scooter using half of the pieces lying on the floor. Applebloom would’ve been impressed if it wasn’t unsettling.

“What I’m supposed to listen, then?”

“That I’m yer friend and ah love ya. We all love ya. And we hate seein’ you like this.”

“Well, at least you are seeing me. There is one pony I wanted to see and that pony doesn’t want to. Simple as that.” Scootaloo’s voice nearly cracked, as if she was going to burst in tears. She hid her face behind her glasses so Applebloom couldn’t see that.

“Look, what Babs did was…” Applebloom pursued her lips, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. “Ah don’t know why she did it.”

She was lying.

“She hurt me a lot, AB.” Scootaloo slumped on her chair that creaked menacingly under her weight. “I...I know she didn’t want to hurt me like that but she did it. No letters, no goodbye...She didn’t even tell anypony. Just you and AJ and Big Mac and Granny Smith.” She placed her hand on her face to hide the tears that were flowing through the opening of her fingers. “What did I do wrong? Is it because of what happened? Because I snuck up on her to see she was screwing Button? Was something else entirely? Was I a bad fillyfriend?!”

“Don’t say that. Ya were perfect...You are perfect.”

“Apparently, I wasn’t. Or maybe it’s something else! Maybe...Maybe she kept up that superhero gig. Yeah, she’s probably fighting a gang of supervillains in Manehattan. No, wait, a cult! The cult of Tirek!” Scootaloo jumped up from her chair, full of newfound energy, her wings flapping vigorously.

Applebloom raised an eyebrow. “Ya really believe that?”

“No, I don’t.” She slumped back on her chair that finally broke down, her butt making a low sounding thud on the floor. Scootaloo didn’t accuse the blow but just sighed sadly and hung her head over her chest.

“Scoots...At least come out of this shop.” Applebloom helped her friend back to her hooves. “Ya still got all of us.”

“I even got her a present.” Applebloom noticed lying on Scootaloo’s bed a large package of books wrapped up in cellophane. They were Maredevil trade paperbacks.

“Oh...That comic book ya were always talking about.” Applebloom reached one with her hand before backing away once she saw an extremely concerned look in her friend’s eyes.

Scootaloo sniffled. “The best run ever. I wanted to give them to her. They are rare first editions…”

“Get some fresh air. Ah mean it, Scoots. Ya can’t stay here and always think about the same things and work.”

“Fresh air is dumb. I hate it.” Scootaloo spat out.

“We could call Rainbow Dash. Fly together. Clear yer mind.”

“She’s got something better to do anyway…She’s a Wonderbolt. She can’t foalsit me anymore.”

“We both know that ain’t true. But if ya don’t want to...There’s a party.”

“Assuming I want to see other ponies, what party?”

“Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They’re going to get married in a month and they celebrate that. And yes, she’s invited us.”

A small smile came trough between the tears. “I’m glad for them.” Even if Scootaloo was withdrawn at that moment, she wasn’t completely made of stone. In fact, the thought of at least some pony being happy with their significant other was encouraging. “But I don’t want.”

“Then...How about we sneak in Rarity’s boutique and try the weirdest clothes? Or go kart racing or even write a musical?”

“We are too old to do that…”

That last words hurt. They hurt so much and they kept hurting...And Applebloom was hurting her as well.

“Scoots...Ah know the truth.”

“Eh.” She chuckled sadly. “I knew it.”

“Really?”

“Your cousin decides to leave me like that and doesn’t give an explanation to you? I know she is not that callous.”

“So...Uh...She thought that she lacked something…”

“She lacked what? She was perfect, she was kind and she made me laugh and she…” Scootaloo’s words dried up in her mouth as she saw Applebloom, doing, with extreme reluctance, an extreme lewd gesture with her hand between her legs. “You know, AB...You could’ve just said her thingy.”

“Show is better than tell.”

“Then, what does it mean? What was lacking?”

“She thought that she couldn’t be the same, that ya’ll saw each other after a long time and fell in love and ya weren’t the same ponies as before and now she wasn’t.” Applebloom shrugged. “That’s what she told me. She wasn’t that clear.”

“Oh, that’s bull!” Scootaloo yelled and shook her wings so hard to make the inch wide veil of dust in her shop fly around and splatter everywhere again. “So what, one day she is a Babs and the other she is another Babs? Who was that pony that cheered me after not seeing me in a while, that knew me and stayed by my side and flew together with me? The pony that I wanted to kiss even before she popped a hard one?!”

Applebloom tried to not burst out laughing but it was futile. “S-sorry!”

Scootaloo joined in that laugh even if a veil of tears was still there. “She gave me such simple, heartfelt advice and from that moment on I was hooked. Even when I thought she was with you and she thought the same, I couldn’t forget her. Hay, Rainbow Dash slapped me when I said I friendzoned her!”

“Really?”

“I should’ve been with her sooner. It would’ve lasted more…”

“Scoots…” She pulled her friend into a warm hug, covering her newly ironed clothes with soot and dust. She didn’t care for it. “Ah need to do something.” Applebloom left in a hurry, leaving the rest of the cake and Scootaloo. Scootaloo took a look at the door being slammed shut by her friend and then at the cake. She devoured the cake in one bite and she felt a little better, but not by much.

“Ah never thought of the day ah would see ya’ll in my house, but things change!” Applejack brought a tray with a couple of teacups to her living room in which Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were waiting.

“Well, I’m just as surprised as you are, Miss Applejack.” Spoon said as she got up to take her teacup and nodded as thanks.

“It’s just that we wanted to personally invite you and your family to our wedding. And this is not just because you and my dad are business partners, we honestly like you!”

“Ya said that three times already. Ah believe ya.”

“Of course all of your immediate relatives are invited.”

“I figured. The invitation reads ‘The Apple Family’.”

“Oh.”

“Relax, T.” Silver Spoon chuckled as she placed a hand on her fillyfriend’s. Diamond Tiara went from a nervous mess to a calm, collected and adorably smiling mare.

Just as that scene was taking its place bursted in and slammed the door shut, stomping her way in.

“Applebloom! Why don’t ya say hello to our guests?”

“Hello, girls! No time but ah have to save Scootaloo and Babs’ relationship!” She stormed off and ran up the stairs to her room barely giving a look to anypony.

“Saving a relationship?” Spoon finished her tea with one quick gulp. “Have we done our good deed of the day?”

“Not yet!” Diamond excused herself with a courteous bow and the two followed Applebloom upstairs, leaving a silhouette of smoke in their wake.

“What? We have to save what?” Applejack said, being left alone. “Why does nopony ever tell me anything?”

The three walked and talked their way to Applebloom’s room, faster than busy little bees. Once they got there Applebloom emptied her drawers of sheets of paper and pencil and she started scribbling down some ideas

“So, what’s the plan? Is that because Babs dumped her?”

“She didn’t dump her, D. It was...What was it?”

“She didn’t feel ta same after that.”

“Because of her dick?”

“Tiara!”

“What? It’s probably like that.”

“Yup. She said so.”

“See?”

“So, what’s the plan?”

“Write her a letter.”

“What will it say?”

“Get back. Yer fillyfriend loves ya and ya bucked up.”

“I like the sentiment but is it really going to read like that?”

“Maybe sugarcoat it a little?”

“Just a little.”

“Good. And how do we send that to her?”

“Maybe that dragon over at Princess Twilight?”

“He’s got a name, ya know. And it won’t work. Ya need to have special magic for that.”

“Then I guess...Derpy?”

“Why not?”

“Are we sure it’s going to work?”

“Is it our only option.”

“And the simpler option.”

“Ah hope.”

“It’s just a letter. What could possibly go wrong?”

“Wait, doesn’t everything go wrong if you say that?”

“Nah.”

Diamond and Silver stood over Applebloom’s shoulders as she wrote the letter in which she was just pouring her heart over. It was brusque but had to be. It was heartfelt and brutally honest and yet sugarcoated enough. It was a letter in which Applebloom showed her true self, caring and noble, that thought the world of her friends and family. It was the letter that Babs deserved to read and Applebloom was sure she would return after reading that and put some sense in that red head of hers.

“Hey, Mom!” Dinky Hooves wandered around the seemingly empty house. “Are you there?”

“I’m on the roof!”

“Why is that?”

“There’s a bird nest and I want to remove it but there are eggs here!”

“Maybe you can call Fluttershy! She knows what to do.”

“I think I will! Good idea! Is there anything else?”

“You left your bag of letters here in the living room! You know, I should warn you about this because I’m going out with Ruby and everything and I don’t want you to forget about it.”

“Really? Then I guess...Could you put them near the door? And close that window because we don’t want to let a gust of wind blow away a letter and it turns out it’s an important one!”

“Oh, don’t you worry. What are the odds?”

Dinky started whistling and carried the huge bag of letters. Unfortunately, Dinky didn’t close the window and Applebloom’s letter was thrown away by a gust of wind.

The letter flew outside the window, making countless circles in the air, unnoticed by everypony, flying the entire length of the town's square before ending up in Sugarcube’s Corner chimney. As it flew down into the building and through the kitchen it landed right inside the lit oven one moment before Pinkie Pie placed a cake in it, oblivious to everything. She turned around to go and meet Rarity that had passed by her shop before the strange smell made her stop and smell the air.

“Weird. It smells like burnt paper and lost hope. Must be the cinnamon. Or was it too much cinnamon?”

“That’s weird.” Rarity said. “I smell that too. And it’s quite strong.”

“Eh, it must be nothing. You really have to try this new recipe. I’ll take it to the castle and we can have a tea party and everything with it!”

“Are you sure it’s nothing? It’s starting to get quite strong.”

“Yup. Wait, wasn’t your sister supposed to be there?” Pinkie Pie immediately changed the subject as a trail of black smoke was coughed up by the oven before dying out as quickly as it started.

“Oh, she passed by Scootaloo’s place. She's trying to get the poor dear to get out once in a while”

“Oh...Poor Scoots…” Pinkie Pie put her chin on the counter. “I really want to see her smile again. I would stay and bake cakes until she does just that but I can’t. Who will think about the parties, then?”

“I’m sure she will manage. Those girls are much stronger than they appear.” Rarity blinked and started smelling the air again. “Are you sure there isn’t anything on fire?”

“Well, now I’m not.”

The cake tasted awful.

“You sure she’s home?” Button mash held Sweetie Belle as strongly as he could. The unicorn kept knocking at the door of Scootaloo’s shop.

“She’s always home.”She had an empty look in her eyes as she kept looking at Scootaloo’s door and nopony was coming out of it.

“Uh...Sweetie?” Button gently tapped on her shoulder.

“No, I’m staying. You can go home if you want.”

“Sweetie…”

“She wants to do this? Fine, I can wait as much as she wants.”

“Sweetie, she’s over there.” He tapped on her shoulder and pointed at a near mailbox laying on the street. In front of it was Scootaloo, bent on her knees, looking at it with a dejected look.

“Scoots!” Sweetie Belle immediately rushed to her friend’s side, nearly knocking her out with a bonecrushing hug. She didn’t budge at all and just kept looking with a vacant stare at the cold metal box.

“Hi, Sweetie Belle.” She answered with no enthusiasm whatsoever, raising her hand for a weak wave and nothing else.

“Scoots, what are you doing here?”

“Waiting.”

“It seems like it. What are you waiting for?”

“An answer.” Scootaloo craned her neck forward, looking at the dark bowels of the mailbox.

“You mean Applebloom’s letter? When did she sent that exactly?”

“A week ago…”

“Oh...Maybe she’s busy? You know how Manehattan works. There’s lots of ponies and lots of letters.”

“I guess so.” Scootaloo sighed, drawing with her fingers in the dirt below. Sweetie’s heart nearly broke when she noticed that Scoots had drawn Babs’ cutie mark on the ground.

“Scoots, you have to have patience.” Sweetie placed a friendly hand on the pegasus’ shoulder but it was like touching a statue.

“What if she doesn’t want to see me anymore?” Scootaloo said, hugging her own knees as she stayed firmly placed on the ground.

“Oh, you can’t say that for sure. Babs was crazy about you.”

“Was.”

“You know, you could always go to her.” Button muttered. "Why don't you just go to Manehattan?"

“Wait, what did you say?!” Scootaloo sprung up on her hooves, looking Button in the eyes from so close he could feel her thoughts on his coat.

“Um...If you really want to go and see her, go to Manehattan! I mean, you know where she lives. It’s like a game, you can’t expect things to go that easy. You need to go from Point A to Point B, at least. Why didn’t you go earlier?”

“I...Uh...Can you repeat that?”

“I mean, Manehattan is not that far. You’re a pretty decent flier by yourself. I mean, I don’t know how she would react seeing you but you’ll beat yourself over the head for a long time if you don’t try it. “

“You...You’re saying I should go to Manehattan? That’s it?”

“Well, duh! I mean, it’s pretty simple. What, does that never ever crossed your mind? I think that mare is worth at least a flight, right?”

“Oh my gosh...Why didn’t I think about that! It’s so easy! I mean, I’m totally afraid but I have to go! I have to try! I’m not even packing my bags! I'm traveling light!” Sweetie Belle was happy to see her friend rippling with newfound energy. On the other hand, it was an awful lot of energy compared to before. Scootaloo was walking in circle so fast to draw on the ground, digging lower and lower with each turn.

“I guess the thought never crossed my mind because I was busy being sad and dumb and yadda yadda but who cares! Thanks, guys!” Scootaloo lunged forward and hugged the couple hard enough to make Sweetie Belle fear for the integrity of her head. With that, Scootaloo took off and flew long in the distance, gradually turning into a small dot in the sky. The sheer energy of the flight knocked over the mailbox and scattered some letters in the wind. Sweetie Belle picked them up at the last moment with her magic. Button had to make do with stopping one with his eye, letting out a small yelp of pain. “If anything happens to me I’ll leave my shop to youuuuuuu!”

The two stood there, hand in hand, as they watched Scootaloo disappear in the distance, unsure if that was the good idea.

“Isn’t she going the wrong way?” Button said. “Manehattan is east!”

“I’m sure she’ll come around...Yup, she just realized that. She’s going quite fast.”

“I hope they’re okay. Both of them.”

“And it was all thanks to you! Just for that, when we get back home I’m jumping on your bones and I’m doing you hard.”

“Uhhh…”

“With that strapon.”

“I love you.”

“I know, darling.”

It felt empty.

Everything felt like that.

Sleeping. Eating. It wasn’t just the same.

Not that Babs thought she’d have any sleep that night. The cold night stung on her fur and she realized to have tossed the sheets aside, exposing her naked body. She clenched her legs instinctively but there was no need to do that anymore. Nothing to hide she didn’t have before…

She wanted to at least turn on the light and read something but, Allula was deep in her sleep and she didn’t want to bother her. One of the disadvantages of having a college roommate. The advantage was that same college roommate could start a chain of events from a prank that would take a pony to finally realize her feelings for another one and start a weird mess and lose that same pony…

No, she didn’t lose her: She gave her up. That was worse.

“Dammit…” She spat out. She started sobbing in the dark with deep, sharp whimpers. The old bed creaked and protested as she rolled from side to side of the bed. Alone.

“What is it now?” Allula slurred out, half asleep.

“Sorry. Did I wake ya up?”

“Yes. You just can’t stay still these days. Were you thinking about her?”

“Yup.” Babs swallowed and sighed, getting up from the bed. She put on a pair of shorts laying around on the bed and a worn out shirt, filling them with her curves. And nothing else.

“Thankfully, I forgot what sleeping is like.” Allula turned the light and removed her night cap, realizing that there was no sleep to be had. Again. “Want to talk?” She craned down her neck to get a better look at Babs from the upper bed. It was funny for the both of them that they were complete opposites when it came to clothing. While Babs had taken the habit to sleep naked, Allula still wore an old timer nightgown and nightcap with a pom pom on its top.

“What’s the point? We talked about this.”

“Same as every night. Well, I think it’s dumb.”

“Oh, of all ponies, you talk.”

“Yeah, I know….I started this mess and I’m really sorry. And to fix this even further, I want to tell you that this is dumb. Did you really thought she would love you just for your body?”

“I...I don’t know…It was a big part of the things.”

“And yet, you don’t want me to cast the spell again.” She scrunched up her lips. “I’m perplexed.”

“It wouldn’t be the same.”

“Well, true. I couldn’t gave you the exact same shape or girth or everything. Magic is weird like that.”

“It’s not just that.” Babs sat on her bed, driving her elbows in her tights, deep in her thoughts. “It would be like flipping a switch or a coin...When I had sex with Scoots that first time, it meant something and I was like that. My body was like that. I was always like that, every time I did with her. Now I’m just...Me. Would Scootaloo even like me?”

“Why didn’t you just ask her, then?”

“I couldn’t look at her in the eyes…” Babs couldn’t help but beating herself over the head with this fact. She had even promised that she would see Scootaloo every week, every possible moment. “I couldn’t do that to her. I’m a coward…”

“Oh, don’t you say that. You just made a mistake. I know how mistakes are. Maybe you should just go back there.”

“W-what? To Ponyville?”

“Yes. In fact, I could cast a spell on you and force you to go there!” Allula wiggled her fingers around, flashing an evil enchantress looking smile.

Babs shot up a death glare at the unicorn.

“Babs...You know you don’t scare me. I won’t really do that but just talk with your fillyfriend. Ask yourself this...Do you love her?”

I do. Celestia, help me if I do. I love her smell, I love her laugh, I love the way her fur feels against mine. I love how she never, ever gave up. I love the way she flies. I love the way she crashes. I love the way she crashes on me. I love how she reads her silly, little comic books and I want to stay with her. I wanted to bring her at the movies where we could snuggle up and watch that Maredevil thing. It looked awesome and she would’ve made it more awesome. I love how funny she is. She’s weird. She’s pretty. She’s strong. She’s everything for me. Everything. And I hurt her. I hurt her and I keep hurting her for every second I keep my butt here. I hurt her because I don’t know if I can be the same for her. She deserves better...

She choked on those words and stood there, in silence, in the dark.

Suddenly, there was a tap on the window.

“What? Who is that?” Allula waved her fingers and created a small ball of magical light, shining it into the window. The two caught a glimpse of a silhouette thrashing around with her wings like a possessed mare. Mostly because anything with wings would freak out if somepony flashed a flare right in their eyes. The figure flew up, towards the faculty’s roof, leaving with very bad words on the way.

“C-could it be…?” Babs was sure it was her. In her heart, she would’ve never been mistaken.

“That or its the unluckiest creep ever. Go and kick his butt. Or if it’s Scootaloo make peace, kiss her and adopt a lot of foals together. Goodnight!” She tossed a huge book for her to catch in case it was really a burglar and turned her back to her, faking a very unconvincing and loud snore. Babs wore a simple night gown and followed the stairs to the roof, a thousands thoughts swirling in her head.

She would’ve actually preferred it was a burglar rather than her loving and adorable and completely undeserved fillyfriend.

“Hi…” Scootaloo said while sitting on a conditioner unit. Babs couldn’t help but freeze when she noticed how pretty she looked under the moonlight and how much she wanted to just disappear.

“H-Hey.” Scootaloo waved at her awkwardly.

“That’s a nice place.” Scootaloo looked around the rooftop. “At least from what I see.”

“It’s...It is.” Babs gulped as she took a few steps toward her and every cell of her being trembled with the need to hold her. “You’ll be cold.” She said as she placed her nightgown around Scoots’ shoulders.

“Thanks. It was a long flight. Like, really long.” She said and Babs noticed that she was catching her breath loudly. She looked completely exhausted.

“Y-Your wings? They work?” Babs noticed her appendages trembling weakly at her sides.

“As usual.” Scootaloo shrugged. “I mean, a few stops were made. There was a diner a few miles from here. That really saved my life. Have you ever craved a donut at this late of night?”

“Yeah. More often than not.” They both shared a quiet laughter. “You did all this for me.”

“I did. I...I wanted to see you so bad.” Scootaloo grasped her hand gently and her heart nearly stopped. Mostly because she didn’t want to let her go.

“I bet you’re asking why....” She started squeezing the pegasus’ hand, its warmth filling the empty night.

“I figured out something but I wanted to hear from you.”

“I...Look, Scoots...What I did was unforgivable.” Her voice trembled and her eyes fought to keep the tears inside.

“I forgive you, instead. What was the problem? Was I a..Bad fillyfriend?” Scootaloo looked like a hurt puppy after asking that.

“Oh, Celestia, no...I...I didn’t feel the same…” At least, that was her excuse.

“Jeez, Babs...You had that for what, a couple months? No need to make it a tragedy.” Scootaloo laughed but felt immediately ashamed the moment she crossed her gaze. Babs’ fingers gently caressed her ear, suggesting her it was okay. “I...I love your freckles.”

“What? What does this have anything to do with...Everything?”

“Sorry, I’m just tired...And nervous...And stupid…”

“No, you’re not. You’re such a sweet mare.”

“You thought you weren’t the same pony I fell in love with?”

“Yes. I was scared of that. I was a real chicken.”

“Eh. You a chicken...”

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s funny that I still haven’t explained you why that is funny.”

“I had no idea how would you react to that. I thought you wouldn’t be able to feel the same with me and me with you…”

“Babs...I want to tell you something. I should've told you that a long time ago. I love you.”

“You...Ah…” Babs was sweating cold drops. Her heads was spinning and her heart was beating so hard she feared it would escape her ribcage. “You told me plenty. More times than I deserved.”

“Remember that time in the treehouse?”

“I can’t ever forget that.”

“I wanted to kiss you then and there. After our first flight.”

Babs held her hand against her chest, a strange warmth filling it. Was that joy? It was quite close to it. “Why didn’t you do that, then?”

“You popped a...Uh...A hard one. There was a lot more than kssing after that!”

The two stood there in silence before all that fear and uncertainty melted like snow in the spring with the sound of of their laughter. Beautiful, unfettered and free. The two collapsed into each other at the sheer joy and Babs held her close and Scoots hugged her with all the strength she could muster. Babs couldn’t help but cry tears of joy and relief as she felt her lover’s embrace and the warmth of her fur. Scootaloo wrapped her wings around her shoulder and she reveled in the kindness and love in that simple act.

“I would’ve loved you anyway. I still do.” Scootaloo pulled her close in a quick kiss. Babs couldn’t believe she would feel her taste again. “I wanted to say this for so long but there was no time for that!”

“Ya still love me?”

“Always. Mare, stallion, both...I don’t care. Nothing will change this. No magic in the world.”

“Will you still...Love me?” Scootaloo slipped her hand in her pants and Babs made no resistance, not even when she felt Scootaloo’s fingers touch her feminine folds. SHe missed that kind of touch and her heart was filled with joy at the thought it was Scoots the first one to remind her of that.

“Look at you...You are always so pretty…”

“You’re not disappointed.” Babs loosened herself, a strange warmth spreading from her crotch.

“Did I ever tell you that...I always liked mares a bit more?”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel good.” Babs chuckled.

“Is it working?”

“Yes.”

“But it’s the truth. I mean, it's just like that...”

Babs stifled a little laugh and tried to change the subject. “How’s everypony?” Apart from leaving Scoots like that, there was quite the number of ponies she wanted to say goodbye to...

“Ther're fine. Worried about you. And me. And us. They kinda look like a bunch of nagging mothers if you ask me. And I like that.”

Us. There’s an us.

Babs sucked her breath in, her fears dissipating like snow in the sun. “Stay there with me. Tonight. Keep me warm.” It was kind of funny how she had to gather all the courage she had to ask her that.

“Is this how you call it now?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll stay. I’ll stay here with you this time. Wait...Don’t you have a roommate?”

“She’ll understand. She kinda owes me that at least...”

“Then...Then I'll spend the night here. With you!" Scootaloo beamed. "We’ll get back there together. You know...Just to let everypony see that it’s okay.”

“We will?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what will happen then...I don’t think nopony knows but I just know that I love you. I may not be that smart, I may not know what it means, in all of its intricacies...But I love you. In an ideal world...It should be enough. The world I want to believe in.”

“Scoots, this is beautiful...Where did you hear that stuff?"

“Twilight…She said that to me once. It helped me a lot.”

“Well, now it helped me! I love you, too, Scoots…And I hope it’s enough” Babs was downright bawling. She didn’t care about it. She wanted to be seen by her. Her joys, her griefs, her body, her soul...She knew Scoots wouldn’t judge her. She knew now she wouldn’t leave her...Not anymore. Not now. “I’m so sorry!” Babs pulled her into a strong embrace. She felt Scootaloo beating her wings fast at the surprising strength she showed. Her fillyfriend calmed herself down and Babs eased herself down, letting a small laugh escape from her lips as she loosened her grip around Scootaloo’s flanks.

“Don’t worry. I’m here for you now.”

“I’m sorry I hurt you…I was such a coward...”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“I’ll try to not do that again.” Her face must've looked a mess and even with Scootaloo trying to kiss away her tears, it wasn't going to look much better. "I promise that...I don't know what to promise, really."

"I just need you. I don't want anything else. I just want it to be like it was before. With the real Babs now!" Scootaloo's smile was as bright as the Sun and twice as hard to look. Part of Babs still wasn't ready for that level of acceptance. But that was yesterday. That was a week ago. That smile, that statement was a promise of a new resolution. It was time to be a pony worthy of that love. Body and soul. She grasped Scootaloo's hand firmly and didn't want to let it go. Ever.

“So...Uh..." Scootaloo scratched the back of her head, letting out a nervous laugh. "Would you like me to kiss you or—”

And Babs complied, kissing her with the utmost tenderness while the two were bathed in the sweet moonlight. Scootaloo relaxed into that kiss and wanted to savour those sensations to the last. They kissed with the promise of loving each other no matter what body they wore. They kissed with the energy of youth and the commitment of time. They kissed like they would’ve kissed every day they were separated and like both of them dreamed they could.

Everything was going to be fine, like in the foalhood dreams they once shared.

Author's Notes:

Well, thanks to all of you for sticking around for so long. As usual, the list of people I want to thank for this.

-My readers, few as they may be. Love you guys.
-BluePaladin_42. The best co-author, proofreader and friend a guy could ask.
-To Lauren Faust, for creating this show.
-To AbsoluteAnonymous, still the best out of all of us.