Breakfast consisted of the dinner Applejack had purchased the evening prior. The morning had started great and Scootaloo was following Rainbow throughout the house, even to the bathroom, just to be around her.

The early hours passed quickly and by nine o’clock they were ready to head to the town hall to have a brief meeting and sign a paper to make Scootaloo theirs; or so they thought.

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Scootaloo walked proudly into Ponyville town hall before turning and walking through the curtains to the right to see the administrative area.

“Hey,” Rainbow said taking to the air and flying ahead to the receptionist, “we’re here to see the mare from that ministry, thing.”

“Ah, yes, Rainbow Dash and Applejack, do you have representation?”

“Heck yeah, everypony know me, I’m the fastest flier in Equestria.”

Rainbow puffed her chest as Applejack cleared her throat. “She means a pony of the law, not yer big headed reputation.”

“Well, we have both… Wait, where’s-”

“Here I am,” Twilight called as she galloped into view, “sorry I’m late, I had to make sure I read the book on basic family laws and asked a friend for advice on modern versus classic adoption cases.”

The three mares and Scootaloo looked at Twilight for a second before sighing. “Well, let’s get this started, I have to practice a new stunt if I wanna get into the Wonderbolts,” Rainbow said hovering over her family, “and I can’t do it without my herd.”

“Aww, that’s so cute,” a mare said from the top of the stairs but still out of site, “but we have things to do, let’s hurry and finish this nonesense.”

The element bearers looked to each other and shrugged before ascending the stairs and hearing a gasp from Scootaloo. A green pegasus with yellow eyes, blue mane, and a lot of extra weight stood before them with a Manilla folder under her right wing and a smug look on her face.

“Hello, daughter.”

“M-mothers Glove, it’s been a long time.”

“Glove? You’re one of that herd that kicked Scootaloo out,” Rainbow said narrowing her eyes, “you’re really mean to do that to a filly.”

“And you’re naive to think that we’d let you have our daughter without contest,” Glove retorted.

“Okay, let’s wait until we’re in front of the ministry representative before we bicker, girls,” Twilight said as she trotted between Rainbow and Glove.

The council room filled quickly with all parties, three royal guards, and the mayor; acting as mediator.

“Welcome and thank you for coming, Ponyville is honored to host ponies from the Equestria ministry of families, foals, and mental health in the matter of the adoption of Scootaloo, filly pegasi.

“The potential adoptive mothers are present, as well as two mothers from Scootaloo’s birth herd. Are there any questions relevant to the proceeding hearings?”

Twilight stood and shook her head, as did Scootaloo’s mothers, the other tall, thin, and varying shades of red from nose to tail.

“Very well, let us begin. Scootaloo is a filly, aged 11, living in Ponyville… Scootaloo,” Mayor Mare asked, “where have you been staying, I don’t have an address here.”

“Uhm,” she looked around to the other mares in the room, “with Rainbow Dash and Applejack,” she said with a nervous smile.

“Yer honor, she was livin’ in a shed ‘til we found out a few days ago and took her in.”

The room was deathly silent as the group slowly looked to the mothers and they ruffled their wings in the uncomfortable air.

“W-we didn’t know she’d be homeless the whole time,” the tall one said as she looked nervously around, “she had enough bits to-”

“She had enough to get a room at the inn until she found a place to stay.”

“Okay, let’s not begin like this,” the ministry representative said loudly, “Mother’s Glove, why do you wish to retain custody of Scootaloo?”

“She’s our daughter and we love her. I foaled her myself,” the tall one started, “our sire has strict rules that we have to abide by.”

“Cowshit,” Rainbow shouted pointing a hoof at the mares, “no family should send their foals out into the world because they can’t do what their tribe does.”

“Hush, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack said grappling Rainbow to the floor before whispering into her ear, “this ain’t the time ta be tough. We gotta play by the rules.” The mares stood up as one of the royal guard approached, giving them a stern look. “Sorry, sir. We’re good now, just had ta reign in the moment’s all.”

“What my friend is saying is that what just happened won’t happen again, and if it does the offending pony will be excused from the hearing, right, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight said with a nervous chuckle.

“Yeah, fine. Whatever,” Rainbow said sucking in her lips and biting them lightly, pointing to her closed muzzle and humming sharply.

“Yes, well, as I was saying, our sire has many rules and one of them is that the foals have to hover by the time they’re eight and be flying by nine. Scootaloo didn’t meet his requirements so, against all our pleadings and wishes, he banished her to the ground,” the tall one sniffled as the other patted her back in support.

“Oh, what a load of… Sorry! May I speak, please?” Rainbow asked the room. Mayor Mare nodded and gestured for her to begin. “If she goes back she’ll still not meet your rules, cause she can’t fly or hover yet,” she leaned down and whispered a quiet sorry to Scootaloo.

“If that’s the case, she’ll be tossed back to the ground in no time, only somewhere else,” Rainbow said staring daggers at the mares.

“Yer honor, may I? Thanks. Ya see, once we found out Scootaloo was out on her own we took her in, but it’s been two years she’s been alone. She’s a tough one, might tougher than me, I reckon, but that don’t mean she can handle a life in fear of her father kickin’ her or some other outta the home.”

“That would never happen, Scootaloo was… never mind,” the short mare said.

“No, the ministry demands to hear what you were going to say.”

She looked hesitantly before nodding and standing. “Scootaloo was a, um, an accidental pregnancy.”

“There are no ‘accidental’ pregnancies, your honors,” Twilight said smirking at the two mares who were fidgeting, “can they elaborate?”

“W-well, I was supposed to be done and saw a doctor too. I got pregnant none the less,” the tall one replied, standing as well, “then we did what we had to, and when it didn’t work we followed through and had her,” she finished matter of factly as silence befell the room again.

Mouths opened and the silence was broken only by the silent panting from Scootaloo, who was trying to choke back the memories.

“Wait an apple pickin’ second, are ya sayin that ya tried ta… get ridda Scootaloo, here, before she was born?”

The short one nodded slightly. “It would have worked, but she was as stubborn inside as she is now.”

“Guards, thank you for removing Rainbow Dash from the proceedings. Her, outbursts, while understandable, are unwarranted,” the ministry representative said confidently, “I will hear nothing more from the parties and make my decision. Normally this is a longer process but this has been eye opening, and not in a good way.

“In the case of Applejack and Rainbow Dash, requesting custody of one filly, Scootaloo, the Equestria ministry of families, foals, and mental health rules in favor of Rainbow Dash, to have full custody. Being in a non-union herd, unrecognized by the crown, I choose to put the filly into the care of one of her tribe.

“This is only because as she grows, she will have questions only another pegasis can answer. I wish you and your family the best and once you are in an official herd, you’ll share the rights and responsibilities.”

Grins formed on Applejack and Twilight, while Scootaloo let her mouth hang open in awe at the ease of the decision.

“In addition, to the birth herd of Scootaloo; the rules of your herd are very concerning. There will be an investigation into your family and its dynamics, soon.”

“I can’t believe this,” the tall one shouted, flaring her wings, “our sire is a great stallion and we’ll fight this to the top.”

Twilight snorted in defiance. “That would be the princesses, and I happen to know them personally; they won’t get involved in a case like this, to defend a mean mare like you, or you,” she addressed the shorter one as she turned to leave.

Her friends in tow she opened the door with her magic to see a royal guard sitting on Rainbow.

“Um, sir, what’s going on?” Scootaloo asked.

“It was the only way to keep her out here,” he said taking to his four hooves again and bowing his head to Twilight before returning to the chambers.

“Whelp, this’ one heckofa day. What say we get a cake to celebrate from Sugarcube Corner?”

“Ah’m for it!” Rainbow shouted taking to a hover raising a foreleg.

“Well, it’s nice to see you recover so quickly,” the mayor said exiting the doorway, “but we have paperwork to sign from the both of you and Twilight as the witness. It may take an hour, but once it’s done, she’ll be your daughter and you’ll be her guardians. You are prepared for this, right ladies?”

With a smile Rainbow landed and pulled Applejack and Scootaloo into a hug. “Eeyup.”

I know the end feels slightly rushed, but there's always a reason!

The main reason is that I have a lot to cover and spending hours IRL to write a lengthy court scene where nothing really happens with an obvious ending isn't what I'm feeling like doing at the moment.

More slice of life stuff coming up, next time on FF!