The train rolled along the track as it sped toward its destination. The only sound throughout the private car was the gentle snoring of the ponies that slept inside. One of the cars occupants was awake, and staring at the two that slept just inches away from her.

Scootaloo just couldn’t sleep for some reason, and decided now was as good a time as any for some thinking. The filly stared at the two changelings that she now called her parents, and was only now really thinking about what that meant.

Is this really gonna work out? I mean, I’m glad I’ve got a family, but what’s it gonna be like? Lightning’s been good to me, but with what she said, it was mostly just her doing a role. I know she cares, but still can we be a real family?

And then there’s Shiv... Yeah she needs a new name. Besides that, she’s a girl. Can I have two moms? How can two mares be together anyway? Ugh! Why is this so hard to figure out!?

Scootaloo let out a heavy sigh as she realized her current line of thinking wasn’t helping her solve anything. So she tried to think of the things that worked so far.

Well, Lightning’s been a good mom so far. I mean, she came to the rescue and everything for me. She made sure I did my homework and junk, plus taught me to fly, so that’s good. Maybe I don’t have to worry too much about her.

Scootaloo nodded, satisfied with how Lightning was as a parent and turned her mind to the newest addition of the family. Shiv.

Shiv helped Lightning, so that puts her in the green I guess. She did say she’d give the family thing a try and I guess Shiv’s pretty cool. But what do I call her? I already got Lightning in the mom slot so do I call Shiv dad?

The filly sighed again. She wasn’t sure how the three of them would work out in the long run, but all the crusading she’d done with her friends taught her that you never knew if something was gonna work till you saw how it went.

I just hope this doesn’t end up with me covered in tree sap. Giving a small chuckle at the thought, Scootaloo laid down and tried to get some sleep. Choosing to let things work themselves out, then spend time worrying about it.

=================================================================

Lightning was taken from her sleep by the loud screech of the train as it slowed to a stop. Giving a wide yawn Lightning turned to look out her window and smiled as she saw where the train had stopped.

Turning her attention to the two other occupants of the train car, Lightning chuckled. Scootaloo was on her back with her limbs sticking out in random directions, while Shiv was snoring rather loudly on her side. Losing another yawn, Lightning rose to her hooves to wake the two.

“Come on you two, we’re home.”

The only response Lightning got was a few incoherent mumbles from the two sleepers. Rolling her eyes Lightning tried again, this time lightly shaking Shiv and Scootaloo.

“Wake up guys. We need to get off the train.”

Scootaloo groaned as she rolled onto her stomach and opened her eyes. Shiv rose her head and popped her neck while yawning.

“What’s up, mom?”

Lightning smiled at the filly. “We’re back in Ponyvile, so we need to go.”

Scootaloo nodded and Shiv yawned again as they followed Lightning out of the car and onto the station platform. From the sun’s position, it looked like they’d arrived sometime around mid morning. As Lightning looked around, she noticed Twilight and the others talking to the Princesses a few car lengths away.

Lightning turned to Shiv. “Watch Scoots while I talk to the others for a bit.”

Shiv nodded. “Sure thing.”

Lightning trotted over to where the Element bearers were standing around the Princess and caught the end of a conversation.

“Twilight I want you and the others to act as observers for Ponyville. Try to help the integration of the changelings go smoothly.”

Twilight nodded to her mentor. “Of course, Princess.”

As the alicorn turned to re-enter the train, she noticed Lightning standing just behind the group. “Lightning, did you need something?”

Lightning nodded. “I was just wondering what was going to happen to the changelings who wanted to stay here.”

Celestia nodded. “Twilight can fill you in on the particulars, but basically my hope is to integrate the changelings into our society.”

Lightning nodded again but her face was marred by a look of worry. Luna picked up on this and stepped closer to Lightning.

“You needn’t worry Lightning. The ponies are very accepting and will warm up to the changelings eventually. You must have faith in this.”

Lightning sighed. “You sure about that?”

Luna chuckled. “Yes. I know from personal experience.”

Applejack put a hoof on Lightnings shoulder and smiled. “Now don’t you worry none Lightnin’. Ya already go us fer friends and we’ll help ya out. Won't we girls?”

The others gave similar reassurances and Lightnings worry eased from her mind a little. “Thanks, girls. Anyway, I’d better get Scoots and Shiv home?”

A few brows rose at the mention of Shiv, but no one said anything about it.

Lightning walked back to where Scootaloo was waiting with Shiv, and she began leading them back home.

=================================================================

The walk home had been mostly uneventful. Only a few ponies shot curious glances toward the trio, and thankfully none seemed to be angry or hostile.

When the odd family was inside the confines of their home, Lightning spoke up.

“Ok, I think we need to go over a few things before we do anything else. That sound ok to you?”

Scootaloo sat on the floor facing Lightning while Shiv rose a brow.

“What kind of things?”

Lightning held up a hoof. “I’ll get to that, but first I think Scoots should say whatever she needs to about us.”

It was Scootaloo’s turn to look confused as she addressed Lightning.

“What d’ya mean, mom?”

Lightning sighed as she took a seat on the floor. “Well from what you said when we all decided to try being a family, I just thought you had some other things to say. So do you have anything to say?”

At first Scootaloo was just going to say nothing, but she did have a few questions and other things to get off her chest so she figured now was as good a time as any.

“Ok, you remember when I told you why I called you mom?”

Lightning nodded.

“Well what I said was true. I call you that so I can really believe you’re my mom. Like when someone psychs themselves up before doing something. So what I wanna know is, does that bother you? That I’m still not one hundred percent about you being my mom?”

Lightning shook her head. “No, that’s fine. I’ll admit I’m still not sure of myself when it comes to being a parent, so we’re in the same boat.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Ok, now I’ve got a few questions for you two ok?”

Lightning and Shiv glanced at each other before nodding for the filly to continue.

“First off if, Lightning’s my mom then what’s Shiv?”

Lightning rose a brow. “What do you mean?”

Scootaloo sighed. “Well you’re both girls, so what do I call her?”

Shiv chuckled. “I’m ok with being “Dad” if it helps.”

Lightning smirked. “Oh trying to be the one in command again, huh?”

Shiv returned the smirk. “Why, you wanna be the dad?”

Lightning laughed and shook her head. “No. I’m the prettier one so I’ll be mom.”

Shiv scoffed. “Ouch, way to make me feel loved, Lightning.”

Scootaloo rose a brow as the two talked. “You guys are weird.”

The two changelings shrugged, and didn’t say anything to discredit the accusation.

Scootaloo chuckled a bit. “Now that that’s out of the way, I wanna ask if we can give Shiv a new name.”

Shiv cocked her head to the side. “What’s wrong with Shiv?”

Scootaloo rolled her hoof through the air. “It’s not very.... pony-ish. And if you’re ok with it, I think you need a new name to fit in better. Like mom did.”

Shiv Shrugged. “Eh why not? So did you have anything in mind?”

Scootaloo smiled. “Yeah I did. I was thinking Quicksilver. Cuz when you were fighting with Chrysalis you were pretty fast. Plus it’ll go along with mom’s name.”

Shiv turned to Lightning. “What d’you think about the name?”

Lightning turned the name over in her head a few times. “Sure. I think it fits.”

Shiv nodded. “Well then I guess I’m Quicksilver now.”

Scootaloo started hopping up and down in excitement. “Oh oh I know! You should make a pony form to go with the name like mom did!”

The newly dubbed Quicksilver rose a brow at the filly and Lightning laughed. “That is a good idea. It might even make the other ponies warm up to you more if you had your own pony skin.”

Quicksilver rose to her hooves and began transforming. Her coat turned to an off beige color while her mane and tail became angularly spiked with electric blue as the main color with streaks of gray running through it.

Lightning noticed that instead of a pegasus, Quicksilver had become a unicorn. The last thing that changed on Quicksilver’s body was on her flank appeared a three pronged silver arrow head encircled by a ring.

Quicksilver opened her eyes to reveal they were amber colored and smiled.

“So do I clean up nice or what?”

Lightning nodded, but Scootaloo tilted her head.

“Why’re you a unicorn?”

Quicksilver shrugged. “Just wanted to mix things up.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Ok. Well I guess there’s only one other thing on my mind then.”

Scootaloo looked from one parent to the other before sighing. “I’ve tried to figure this out but I can’t so I’ll just ask. If the two of you are girls then how can you love each other? I always thought it was a mare and a stallion who got together.”

Quicksilver turned to Lightning. “You wanna field this one or should I?"

Lightning chuckled. “You take this one and I’ll answer when she asks where foals come from.”

Scootaloo rose a brow. “Doesn’t the hospital just deliver them?”

Lightning grinned. “I’ll tell you about it later Scoots.”

Scootaloo nodded then turned her attention to Quicksilver.

Quicksilver cleared her throat and began. “Well, Scootaloo when two people love each other it doesn’t always have to be a boy and a girl. Sometimes it’s two girls or two boys. The only thing that matters is that they want to be together.”

Scootaloo tilted her head. “So you loved mom before this?”

Quicksilver looked up in thought. “Well not the way that I think I do now. Back then it was all about being physical and not really about love.”

Scootaloo still looked confused but let it go for now. “Well that’s all I needed to know, so what’d you wanna say mom?”

Lightning stood. “Just a few basic things.” She turned to Quicksilver. “You’re going to have to find a job soon. If there’s three of us, we need a bigger house.”

Quicksilver nodded and Lightning continued. “Second, until we get your room fixed up, you’ll be in our room, ok, Scoots?”

The filly nodded.

Lightning smiled. “That’s really the only things for now. If anything else comes up, we’ll all deal with it, ok?”

Receiving nods from her family, Lightning walked toward the stairs. “I think we’re all still a little tired from the craziness recently, so let’s just relax for the rest of the day, and tomorrow we’ll get to business.”

The three headed upstairs and into Lightning’s bedroom. Once there, Lightning took her pegasus form and climbed onto the left side of the bed. Quicksilver took the right side and Scootaloo nestled between the two. Before they drifted off, Lightning unfurled a wing and laid it across scootaloo.

The filly sighed contentedly as she felt the soft feathers surround her and she nuzzled into them before falling asleep with a small smile on her face.