“Great, that took way too long, I’ve gotta get to work. I’ll take a, rain check, on the sweets,” Rainbow said with a wink to her family as she took to the air.

“Well, Applejack, that leaves you and me.”

“Actually, Sugardrop, Ah’ve gotta get ta the harvest. A few hours left on the zap apples and more’n enough apple trees ta buck. Gotta help Big Mac with his fancy maths and get a small assembly line workin; he’s talkin bout building another barn just fer the zap apples fulla pink polka dots and the like.”

“Well, okay then, I guess I’ll see you later. Maybe Sweetie is in town this week and Apple Bloom isn’t busy so we can finally do sister stuff,” Scootaloo said eagerly.

“Actually,” Applejack added, “Apple Bloom is helpin’ basket up with chores this year,” she smiled softly, “she insisted, sorry, Scootaloo. You can come and help with chores.”

“Nah, I’ll go check on Sweetie Belle. I’m not really big on chores, I’ll just go back to your house and get my scooter and stuff.”

“Scoots, it’s your house now, too. And don’t let life get ya down, little missus frown,” Applejack said lifting Scootaloo’s chin and looking into her eyes, “and ya got a family who loves ya, like ya deserve. Ah’ll be home fer dinner, just make sure you’re home by the time the street light come on and the fireflies come out, understand?”

“Great,” Scootaloo scoffed, “the first mom moment.”

Applejack ruffled Scootaloo’s mane, roughly. “That’s, Mama, now get and have fun, bedtime’s at nine and ya know we gotta get ya into a routine.”

“Fine, I’ll see you this evening for dinner,” she said, slightly dejectedly.

“That’s the spirit; it’ll go by before ya know it, if ya need me, Ah’ll be at the farm; just ask around.”

Applejack patted Scootaloo on the head and turned towards Sweet Apple Acres, leaving Scootaloo alone.

She looked around the area. To the right was the market, bustling with ponies shopping for food and stuffs. To the left was the slightly more empty streets of the residential area. Forward was Rarity’s shop and her destination.

The bell rang and shortly afterwards so did Rarity’s voice. “Co~ming, welcome to Carousel Boutique, how can I a’dress’ your needs? Oh, Scootaloo, how nice to see you? Sweetie is upstairs resting. You haven’t seen each other for days, I was worried you’d had an argument.

“Ever since last Sunday she hasn’t even mentioned you or Apple Bloom since then and she’s been in the most dreadful of moods.”

Scootaloo chuckled nervously as she began to make for the stairs. “Yeah, that’s sure weird. I’m gonna go say hi and tell her I’m Rainbow’s daughter now.”

“You’re WHAT?!”

Scootaloo hopped to the side in fear at the sudden shout and pony running at her.

“What, What?!”

“What do you mean ‘what, what’? When in the wide realm of Equestria did you get adopted by Rainbow Dash, and, Applejack?!”

“T-today, Miss Rarity…”

“Well of all the rude, insensitive… How could they go through an entire adoption and not tell their friends?” Rarity huffed before turned and beginning to pace. “Of all the events we’ve shared and things that’ve happened, to disclude us from something of this magnitude…

“Scootaloo,” she asked harshly, “how long has this entire process taken? Weeks, months?”

“Um, t-two or three days, I think.”

Rarity stood nearly frozen and stared at Scootaloo in shock. Her eyes followed the filly even as she began to inch herself closer to the stairs, as she ascended them slowly, and turned the corner out of site.

---

“That, was super weird,” Scootaloo said to herself as she approached Sweetie’s room, “okay, Scootaloo. All you have to do is not mention anything about the last sleepover and everything’ll go back to normal and we can start crusading again. I’m just glad we didn’t get our cutie marks in…”

She knocked on the door and waited as she heard shuffling and noises inside.

“I’m coming, sis. Don’t come in, I’m almost ready.”

The door opened a crack then Sweetie’s snout poked out, forcing the door open with a grin that fell when she saw Scootaloo.

“Oh, hi, Scootaloo. Why’re you here?”

“Sweetie, please, don’t be mad at me. I just missed seeing you and having you around the clubhouse.”

“Well, you see me, feel better?”

“Wanna go, get a cookie or something? I have really awesome news for you.”

“Not really, I’m trying to lower my sweets intake,” Sweetie said taking a pace toward the open door, intending to close it.

“But this is really awesome news, you have to hear it!” Scootaloo began flapping her wings excitedly as she grinned, proudly, at Scootaloo.

“Wow, you finally learned to hover? That’s pretty cool, thanks for showing me,” Sweetie said as she began to close the door.

“What? I’m not… Sweetie, I’m hovering! Oh my gosh, I can’t wait to tell mom! She’ll be so happy when I show her.”

“Wait, your mom? She’s here?” Sweetie’s voice cracked as she asked.

“Yeah, when I get home she’ll totally freak!”

“You’re going home?! B-but, what happened at the sleepover, I’m not that upset about it, you don’t have to go home.”

“Well, yeah I do. Especially now that I can do this,” she said slowly rotating in the air as she puffed and slowed, landing finally, “wow, that’s a lotta work. Mom’s gonna have to help me but, maybe I can get my cutie mark in flying, finally. Oh yeah, I forgot my scooter,” she said looking down the hall.

As she began to gallop she was tackled around her hips by Sweetie Belle. “Scootaloo, please, don’t leave! I’m sorry I tried to do that stuff, just don’t leave, you’re like my bestest friend,” she said squeezing tighter.

“Ouch, Sweetie, let go, you’re hurting me. I’m just going home for a little bit, I’ll be back soon to tell you the seco-third best news today. Well, maybe it’s tied at first, I’ll have to-”

She looked to see Sweetie’s eyes full of tears and her bottom lip quivering as she whimpered. “Scootaloo, I’m so sorry I tried to… um, let my feelings take over. I won’t let it happen again, please, don’t move away.”

“Sweetie Belle, I live just outside town with Rainbow Dash and AJ. That’s my surprise, I live with them now,” she said jovially, “they adopted me today!”

Sweetie gulped loudly and wiped her eyes. “W-what?”

“Well, I wanted to tell you over a shake at Sugarcube Corner, but since you’re almost squeezing the pee outta me…”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Sweetie said releasing Scootaloo, scuttling back, and sitting up with a sniffle and smile. “So, you’re… wait, I don’t get it.”

“Tell ya what, follow me home, we’ll get some bits and some sweets, and then I’ll tell you all about the weirdest three days of my life, except last saturday,” she winked as Sweetie looked away and blushed slightly.

“Well, I’ll pay for the ice cream, I owe you that much after everything that happened, and as a congratulations, I mean, wow. You have to tell me everything.”

“Sounds great to me, just, watch out for your sister, she’s acting weird again.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. When it rained yesterday…”

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