Aviators: Friendship 6
Acceptance
Apple Bloom looked at Scootaloo's hoof, still sticking out. Sweetie's was rested lightly on top of it and both mares were looking at her expectantly. Sighing, she put her hoof on top of Sweetie Belle's. "Ah really hope Ah won't regret this."
Scootaloo caught her up in a gigantic hug. "I promise you won't!" she squealed.
The earth pony pushed her away, suppressing a smile. "Ah already do, ya squealer."
Sweetie Belle snuck up on AB's other side, took a deep breath, and squealed right in her other ear.
Apple Bloom tottered on her hind legs, one foreleg clapped to her ear. She collapsed back onto the pile of pillows. "Arrrgh! Ya foals, now Ah'm deaf in both ears!" The mare caught up a pillow and flung it in their general direction.
The poofy projectile caught Scootaloo in the neck, and she pretended to choke on a feather that had landed near her nose. "Oh, help! Murder murder!" She thudded onto the ground dramatically, tongue lolling out of her mouth, trying to stop the giggles bursting out of her mouth.
Sweetie Belle sat next to the downed pegasus, brushing her forelock back from her forehead. "No!" she screamed, pretending right along with them. "Not my Scooty-poo!"
That brought Scoots back from the dead, laughing so hard that she snorted. "Scooty-poo? Don't ever call me that again."
Apple Bloom leaped off of the pillows, poking Scootaloo in the side. "Scooty-poo, Scooty-poo, watcha gonna do?" She shrieked with laughter and danced away as Scootaloo threw the pillow. She made a leap for it, catching it expertly in her mouth. With a dead aim, she launched it at Sweetie Belle.
The unicorn eeped and ducked, hooves covering her head. The pillow soared over her, slamming into Cheerilee who had just walked through the door.
"Oh!" the teacher laughed, as she brushed feathers out of her mane with a forehoof. "Anyone would think you three were still fillies", she chuckled as she surveyed the feather- covered room, crouching Sweetie Belle, and the other two mares laughing hysterically. "I just came back to ask if you three would be participating in the talent show. You'll be on last."
Scootaloo stood, answering for all of them. "Yeah, we'll do it. When is it anyway?" She opened her wings, watching a few pillow feathers float lazily to the ground.
"A week from Tuesday", Cheerilee replied. "Now, I should be going." She turned and exited the clubhouse.
Sweetie Belle gasped. "A week? That's all we have? We better get started." She swept up a hooffull of feathers, dumping them out the window.
Scootaloo blocked her with a hoof, making an elegant bow. "Allow me." She opened her wings, barely able to in the confined space. She beat them a couple of times, clearing the whole place of feathers. "Done. And, yeah, we should get started", she nodded.
A pale yellow hoof shot into the air. "Ah'm handlin' props this time. No offense, Sweetie Belle, but last time was a disaster."
The other two mares nodded.
"Agreed", Scootaloo whinnied. She raised a wing. "I'll handle the whole dancing thing. I'm thinking of an areal ballet type. Got a soft song whipped up, Sweetie?" she asked, glancing over at the unicorn.
Sweetie Belle shook her head. "No, but I've got the beginnings of one right now. How's this sound?"
Three heads popped out of the curtain separating the audience from backstage. Three mares sighed as they saw the full house, packed with family and friends and even a few strangers.
Cheerilee trotted out onto the stage fearlessly. "And now the time you've all been waiting for!" she announced grandly. "I'd like you all to give a big welcome to our three guest stars: Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom! These three are former students of mine, and have competed in the talent show before, but now they're back and better than ever! Please give a warm welcome to…Acceptance!"
The red curtains drew black slowly to reveal a black stage. A spotlight flicked on as the first few bars of the song drifted out of the piano. Sweetie stood in the center of the stage, alone, waiting for the right moment. The piano picked up slightly and she opened her mouth, letting her sweet, clear voice ring out.
1,2,3 What does friendship mean to me?
4,3,2 Figure out what it means to you
What it means to you…
At this point, Scootaloo zipped over Sweetie's head, sending the curtains swirling from the sudden breeze.
They say every cloud has a silver lining
Apple Bloom tugged hard on a rope, sending a beautiful, shimmering cloud out just to the right of Scootaloo.
But ours has turned to gray
We've fallen apart
Broken away
The first silver cloud was replaced by a dull gray cloud that Scootaloo kicked, breaking it in half. The two halves landed on either side of Sweetie.
What happened to what we used to be?
When nothing could separate us three
Scootaloo twirled in midair as a cardboard cutout, expertly painted, flipped out from underneath the stage. It was the three mares, but in the painting, they were fillies again, off on one of their numerous Crusades.
There was no way that we could see
What was coming
What was up ahead
Scootaloo zipped forwards, right over the crowd, sharply banking at the end of the verse, returning to hover over Sweetie Belle.
But now we have another chance
To make things right again
And I won't let it slip away
Streamers fluttered down from the ceiling. Scootaloo tried to catch them, but they slipped right through her hooves.
Cause this is worth everything
Everything
To me
The three walked up to the front of the stage as the song ended, hooves on each other's shoulders. The crowd hooted and hollered, stomping their hooves on the ground as hard as they could, noise rising into the clear night air.
Later that night, the three mares tumbled into the clubhouse, laughing and panting, but smiling.
"That was awesome!" Scootaloo shouted. The other two mares nodded in agreement. Scootaloo spread her wings over their shoulders, head lowered, big grin still plastered on her face. "Friends forever?"
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shared a glance over the pegasus' lowered head. They grinned at each other, then lowered their heads as well. "Friends forever."