Author's Notes:

This scene was written by TheLittlestofPips, enjoy.

“Shade, Darling – Stay here, Momma needs to go and do something right quick” I said with a soft smile, looking to my daughter. “Can you do that for me?”

“Oh come on mom, I'm not a filly anymore! Of course I can do that, but why? Why can't I come with you?” Shade replied, tilting her head.

“It's simple sweetheart, this is something your momma needs to do alone, no hard feelings alright?” I said giving a gentle smile back to her before taking to the sky, quickly flying over to the park where the statues and mausoleums sat.

“Scootaloo? I've come to visit.” I said softly, walking up to the concrete tombs, reaching out and placing my hoof to the one that held both Scootaloo and Cherry. Having to stifle a tear as the rush of emotions came to me.

“It's been a while since my last visit, I hope you're okay with that.” I said after a few moments of silence. “I really miss you, my old friend.”

Moments past, as I sit there tending to the grounds around the mausoleums and to the statue itself. The grounds keeper did a good enough job, but sometimes I liked to plant a few extra flowers, or spend a little extra time touching up paint, little things, the only things left I could do for my oldest friend.

“I wish you could see how much Shade has grown, she really has started to remind me of her mother more every day, adventurous, voicetress, she is growing into such the young lady” I said with a soft sigh. “I hope she's up there with you, I don't know if Zebra, or zebra pony hybrids can go to Elysium, but I hope she's there.”

I had to swallow my sadness once more, giving my head a shake to try and break the spell I was putting myself under. I went back to my tending, pulling weeds and other things, anything I could find to keep myself busy, before once again returning to where Scootaloo rests.

“I don't know if I'll ever go to Elysium, or if we'll ever see each other again, nopony knows if an Alicorn can ever die of old age – but sometimes, I wish I could.” I said with a sigh and another shake of my head. “Just, to see you again, see Apple bloom and Sweetie again, I know we weren't ever the best of friends growing up, but you three, you were the closest to friends I ever had growing up.”

I sat there, thinking quietly to myself, just pondering things around me – taking in the smells, the sounds, Crusader town had grown into quite the city. I couldn't think of a any more fitting name then that for this place, It was rightful, ambitious, and most importantly, Noble, Just like the ponies it was founded on.

“I need to go soon, but – just a few moments more..” I said to myself, giving my head a shake as I lean against those concrete crypts. Eyes drifting closed for just a moment before I heard the sound of familiar laughing and voices, Jolting myself upward I looked around, I couldn't see where it had come from at first, but following it I saw a group of three little ponies darting around a corner.

They looked familiar, I only saw a glimpse of them. But I swear I saw Orange and Magenta, I felt the need, the urge to chase after them and as I did I found they hadn't gone far. Stopping them as I look down to them.

I stared for a moment before speaking, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. A young white filly, with purples and pinks in her mane and the emerald green eyes, but, not a unicorn – she was just an earth pony. The others, this seemed so bizarre, one of the other two was yellow, with a reddish mane and brilliant orange eyes, but she was a Pegasus, and the last, Orange, with magenta mane and tail with blueish purple eyes that seemed so familiar but she was a unicorn, I stared at them and they stared back.

“I am sorry, I thought...” I said before they all squealed.

“A Princess! A Real Princess!” they said before skipping around in circles following each other, I couldn't help but laugh.

“Yes, My little ponies, I am indeed a princess.” I said with a smile, doing my best to put on a regal face for them. “Where are you three off to this afternoon, you seemed to be in quite the hurry”

“We're off to this awesome secret clubhouse” the yellow one said.

“Not so secret if you tell everypony about it.” the white one shot back.

“Relax, your secrets are safe with me” I said, smiling to them with a soft sigh. “So, this clubhouse, what is it for?”

“There is a group of ponies, they call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and we're going to go and try and join them to see if they can help us get our cutie marks!” the orange one said.

“A noble cause for sure, you know, you three remind me of the original cutie mark crusaders, who knows – maybe one day, somepony will be coming to you for help with their cutie mark” I said with a wink before ruffling their manes.

“You mean those three in the park?” The white one spoke, looking back behind them.

“Yes, that is the Statue of Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom, the original and founding members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.” I said with a soft nod. “They are the reason this city is called Crusader town, it is named after the Cutie Mark crusaders.”

“Oh Wow! That's so cool!” the orange one said “I wanna be like Scootaloo! She's so awesome!”

“You're much more like her then you already know” I said before my eyes went wide and I covered my mouth with my hoof. The three just stared at me for a moment before they started laughing, after a few moments more they left off on their grand adventure, and I went back to the statue, and those tombs.

Sitting beside one, I take a soft sigh and lean my back against the cool of the concrete. “Seems, even as equestria grows and heals, some things will always be the same.” I said with a soft smile, placing my hoof to the concrete once more. “I hope you're proud, your legacy still echos in equestrian history and moves the hearts of many.”

Standing, and facing the statues with a soft sigh, giving them a salute before I smiled “Farewell my friend, until we meet next time.”

With that, I took to the sky and returned to my daughter, who admittedly looked rather bored standing there almost falling asleep as she leaned against the wall of a nearby store.

“Sorry, Just, had something I needed to do is all.” I said with a chuckle.

“Yeah yeah, I know, you went to visit Scootaloo's grave again. I'm not stupid, I remember when you brought me there when I was younger.” Shade said with a roll of her eyes.

“I guess you do know, but do you know why?” I asked.

“Because you grew up with her, like, a really long time ago” Shade said with a shrug.

“Indeed, but, that's a story for another time. Let's get going, I'm sure my guards are getting jumpy.” I said with a chuckle, and with that I and my daughter flew back home, bidding one more goodbye to old friends, to new beginnings, to a dream, to a memory, To Crusader Town.