When Rainbow finally came in for a landing, the Hyper-Sonic Rainboom (as she'd decided to call it) was a blazing sphere of rainbow light in the distance, the chunks of rock being tossed around by the shockwaves invisible at the distance. She gently set the fillies, the colt, the dragonling, and the stallion she was holding down as she looked up at the devastation she had wrought.

She was startled out of her reverie as Scootaloo cannoned into her, clinging to her tightly as her wings buzzed with excitement. "Rainbow, that was totally awesome!" she screamed out excitedly.

"You're telling me!" Apple Bloom added, and before long all the youngsters were clamoring about just how exciting the display was.

Rainbow chuckled, accepting the praise as she ruffled Scootaloo's mane. "I told you I'd be there when you needed me, Squirt," she offered affectionately. "And what's with the fancy duds? And the eyepatch?"

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon all giggled as Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head. "That's a long story Rainbow..."

"Would my lady and her friends care for a bath?" Sebastian suddenly spoke up from behind them. "It appears there was some...spatter."

Rainbow yelped as she spun around to face him. "How did you get here ahead of me?" she demanded before her eyes strayed to several steaming tubs of water and bottles of soap. "And get this all set up? We were breaking the frikkin' sound barrier!"

Sebastian chuckled softly. "A Wingshadow butler who isn't always ready to tend his Mistress is not worth his salt," he offered benignly.

Rainbow blinked for a time, then glanced between the 'spatter' Sebastian had mentioned and the tubs. "...yeah, I could really use a wash..."

"We all could," Blueblood observed dryly. "I don't suppose you've arranged areas for privacy?"

Sebastian gestured to two nearby rock formations. "The one on the left is for yourself, your younger brother, and Spike," he explained. "The one in the middle is for Miss Rainbow and the fillies. The one on the right is for my charge." He turned to Scootaloo. "Shall we, My Lady?"

Scootaloo nodded with a soft sigh. "I'll be right back, girls!" she told the others before turning to follow Sebastian around behind the rock...into the tub from the manor, transported here without explanation. Scootaloo didn't question it as she let Sebastian remove her gown and eyepatch before immersing herself in the water. She was just so...tired...

Sebastian smiled down at her as he began to clean her off. "And so the one who brought you such suffering and misery is no more," he observed calmly. "In her last moments, Lucretia confessed to me that she led the attack against your family - and performed the mutilations they underwent - personally."

"So it would seem," Scootaloo allowed, letting Sebastian shift to preening her wings. The careful ministrations began to feel like a baptism almost, or a ritual cleansing.

"There is no one else to hunt down for your vengeance," Sebastian continued as he worked on her hooves.

"No there isn't," Scootaloo agreed, her voice slowly subsiding into a mumble.

"And so the contract is fulfilled," Sebastian concluded, his voice somewhat eager.

"Not even close."

Sebastian blinked in surprise at that. "...come again?"

"The contract was 'vengeance to my satisfaction'," Scootaloo pointed out, opening her eyes to stare at Sebastian. The Contract Seal in her eye glowed brightly. "Did you really think I'd be satisfied by a simple death?"

Sebastian blinked in confusion. "You...wish for me to pursue her into the afterlife to ensure her continued suffering?" he inquired curiously.

"Nah, I'm done with her specifically," Scootaloo continued. "Whoever runs the afterlife can handle what's left of her. But her death was never the focus of my revenge. I wanted her absolute destruction, of her and all her works!"

"You desire I hunt down the remainder of her swarm?" Sebastian pressed, even more confused. "I was under the impression you didn't desire genocide."

"And I don't," Scootaloo explained. "She took my life from me, and tore down everything I held dear, erasing all I hoped to do with my life as me. As vengeance, I sought to destroy her and tear down all she hoped to accomplish, past, present, and future."

"And you seem to have," Sebastian pointed out.

"Not quite," Scootaloo pointed out firmly. "There are three of her goals I have to completely overturn to have my revenge and be satisfied. She sought to become immortal and invincible...and so she is destroyed, and that is one."

Sebastian nodded. "She sought to conquer Equestria, and so her Hive is scattered, the agents in Equestria to be absorbed by Crimson's Hive to serve it."

"And third, she sought to destroy House Wingshadow," Scootaloo declared firmly.

"And so you have rebuilt it with my aid-" Sebastian froze as his eyes widened. "...oh..."

"Exactly," Scootaloo concluded, practically purring with how smug she was. "When you take my soul, I will die. You've told me that frequently. And if I die now, House Wingshadow dies with me." She slammed her hooves on the edge of the tub. "I will not give that witch even that much victory!"

Sebastian blinked in surprise. "Then...?"

"Sebastian, this is an order!" Scootaloo snapped out, rising to her full height in the tub. "Continue in your service to me until such time as the future of House Wingshadow is assured, serving and protecting myself and my heirs to the third generation. Only then can the House's survival be certain, and my vengeance complete."

Sebastian grinned widely. He had not anticipated this. Scootaloo had managed to trick him into an entire lifetime of service under a contract that normally lasted a few years at most...and he couldn't be more excited. That cleverness, to so trick him into giving her vengeance and a full, long, happy life...it just made her soul all the more delectable, that much more worth waiting for when she was satisfied. Bowing low, he uttered the proper response. "Yes, My Lady."

Scootaloo sank back into the tub, closing her eyes to relax. "...did Grell get vaporized by the Rainboom?" she asked curiously.

"She did not," Sebastian offered softly. "I retrieved her before the explosion could reach her. It seemed the least I could do for her assistance."

"...she's going to get into a lot of trouble with the Reapers for reaping to protect me and my friends, isn't she?" Scootaloo asked idly.

"In all likelihood," Sebastian confirmed in a bored tone.

"Then she deserves more of a reward than just being saved," Scootaloo decided firmly. "Besides, she's a resource we should cultivate, if only to learn how to counteract death magic so Filthy might wake up sooner. She still sweet on you after getting the spell?"

"...yes?" Sebastian allowed nervously. "That did not fade..."

"In that case, you should take her out for a night on the town," Scootaloo instructed. "I'll stay with Bluebottle at his place that night, so I'll be perfectly safe. You said it yourself, his skill is at the point that nothing short of you could get past him without dropping a fully grown dragon on his head. So take Grell out on a date, wine and dine her, give her a night she'll never forget and love to remember." Sensing Sebastian's hesitation, she opened her right eye. "That's an order."

Sebastian bowed. "Yes, My Lady..." he agreed ruefully, though his eyes twinkled with excitement. His Mistress was just full of surprises...

Author's Notes:

And this concludes the first arc of "Yes, My Lady"...in essence, the first season.

And...here I hit a conundrum. I have more or less plotted out the second major arc of the story and the final ending, but...I don't want to keep writing this story right now. I want to cycle it out of the update queue...and this is a good point to stop to do that. This could even be an open ended ending for the story.

The options I see are thus:
1) I leave the story marked incomplete, and just come back to the story when I'm ready to continue it.
2) I mark the story "On Hiatus".
3) I mark the story "Complete", and make a sequel when I'm ready to continue it.

I've made a poll for it. Please vote here: http://www.strawpoll.me/13694756