Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony; Friendship Is Magic
Title: Through The Shadow's Of Boredom The Past Can Emerge
Summary: During their late teens, the Cutie Mark Crusaders fled from Ponyville in the middle of the night to escape their problems. Now adults, the trio rebuilt their lives in a deadbeat town, juggling work, their social lives (or lack thereof) and raising a young filly. The past, however, has a way of creeping back in ways someone least expects it to.
Warnings: Uh, pony curses?
Chapter Title: Meeting Them Halfway (Part 1 of 2) (CMC version)
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supersexyghotmew95- Thank you!
Dr. Logic- I'm sorry, but I won't force myself to write faster. I'm sure you can find other fanfiction to help with your lack of reading material. =)
ACertainIdioticScientist- Thank you! Sweetie Belle and Applebloom's reactions await!
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"Oh, fer bucks sake, Scootaloo!"
"Don't you dare blame me for this, Applebloom. I didn't even know they had a rodeo around here."
"Ah knew it was there, Ah just thought that it was too far away from the farm to interest her." Applebloom paced the floor. "And would it have killed ya' to lie?"
"Oh, please. For one thing, Applejack probably knows all my tells. It's not like i'm subtle or anything. For another thing, she knew we were here the moment she saw my face. We've always been together, always have, always will." Scootaloo ran a hoof through her mane. "For Luna's sake, we could hate each other and we'd still be living together. Everyone knows that."
A cream-colored nose prodded her nose. "Don't you bring Princess Luna into this!" Applebloom's pacing sped up. "Oh, do you think they hate me? Ah don't care if they're mad at me, Ah just don't want 'em to hate me."
"They don't hate you, Bloom. They wouldn't've bothered searching for you if they did."
"What if they kick me outta the Apple family?"
Scootaloo tilted her head to the side. "Applebloom, I'm pretty sure you already kicked yourself out of the Apple family. They had nothing to do with it."
Applebloom waved a hoof. "Ah know that. It's another thing to hear 'em say it, though."
"...You do realize your not making any sense, right?"
"Ah'm having a mini-panic attack, Scoots. Ah'm allowed."
Sweetie Belle, who had calmly been staring out the main window and watching the ponies of the town trot by, thrust a hoof outward. "Girls! Stop it. Now."
Sweetie didn't put her hoof down often, but when it went down, it went down. Scootaloo and Applebloom snapped their jaws shut and glared at each other.
"Fighting isn't getting us anywhere."
Applebloom pointed at Scootaloo. "Well, it ain't my fault that this buckin' idiot-"
"Hey, don't blame me if you can't take the heat!" Scootaloo snorted out hot air, clambering to her hooves. Applebloom growled and did the same.
"Scootaloo; stop provoking her. Applebloom; stop cursing. There's a filly in the house." She paused, waiting to see if there would be any other outbursts. There weren't any. "We need to think about this logically; for Dawn's sake."
Scootaloo and Applebloom sighed, the air going out of them in defeat. They trotted to the couch and flopped down on opposite ends, muttering apologies.
"Better." Sweetie smiled and turned around, facing them. "Girls, we need to consider taking Applejack's advice."
"What advice?"
"About meeting them halfway. For one thing, it's less wasted bits. And, as much as we all hate to admit it, we miss our sisters."
"Ah don't miss 'em one bit." Applebloom puffed out her chest.
"Says the mare who was just freaking out over losing her spot in the family; the spot she willingly gave away years ago."
"...Shut the buck up, Scoots."
"Applebloom!"
Applebloom winced and shrunk in her seat under Sweetie's glare. "Sorry, Sweets. Ah'm just a little riled up, is all."
"I noticed." Sweetie Belle gifted her a dry look. "I don't know about you girls, but I miss Rarity. Love of gossip aside, she isn't a half-bad mare."
"Who's Rarity?"
The trio turned. Dawn shrunk back another step, looking guiltily hesitant. "Are you guys still fighting?"
Sweetie sighed and shook her head, walking over to her. "No, Dawn, we're not. Not anymore. We've just simmered down into the debating stage of things."
"Oh." She glanced down at her hooves, then back up at her. "What were you guys arguing about?"
"Visiting family."
Dawn tilted her head to the side. "You have family?"
"Eeyup." Sweetie trailed up the stairs. "Come'on, Dawn, it's time for bed."
"Aww, but mom-"
"No buts, Dawn. Say goodnight to your Aunts and come upstairs."
Dawn sighed and waved a limp hoof. "Night, Aunt Applebloom. Night, Aunt Scootaloo."
"Sleep tight."
"May you dream of sparkly rainbows and rivers of punch."
Applebloom glanced at Scootaloo after Dawn disapeared up the stairs, eyebrow raised. Scootaloo shrugged.
"What? It seemed like the right thing to say."
"Scootaloo?"
"Yup?"
"Yer a dork."
"Hey, it comes from your side of the family."
"Dawn, how would you feel if we all went to visit our families together?" Sweetie Belle asked as she tucked the young pegasi in. "We can even visit the farm Applebloom's so in love with, if you like."
"That sounds cool. Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Who's Rarity?"
"Aunt Rarity, Dawn." Sweetie sighed. "She's my older sister."
"I thought Aunt Scoots and Aunt Bloom were your sisters?"
"Not by blood, but we've been together since we were just a little older than you."
"Oh. So... you're kinda like sisters, then?"
"No 'kind of' about it." Sweetie chuckled, bending down to kiss Dawn's temple. "Goodnight, Dawn. We'll leave in the next few days."
"Night, mom. I love you."
"I love you too, Dawn. Sleep well."
Sweetie Belle trotted down the stairs to silence. Scootaloo and Applebloom were on the edges of their seats, waiting for her return.
"What'd ya' tell her?"
Sweetie Belle sighed once again and shook her head, taking her place on the middle cushion of the couch. "I told her we were planning on visiting our families and asked what she thought about it. She seemed to be interested."
"That's it?" Scootaloo whistled. "That's gonna come back to bite you later, you know."
"Yes, Scootaloo, I know." She slumped. "I just don't really care."
"Hey." Applebloom nudged her shoulder. "You okay?"
"No, I'm not. I always knew we'd have to go back and face them someday, but I never thought Dawn would get dragged into it. Rarity... Man, Rarity is going to flip when she finds out."
"I think everyone's gonna flip when they find out. If anything, she oughta flip for joy; finding out she's an Aunt. Not to mention she's got the coolest niece on the planet."
"I just... I don't want her to know... to think that I was... loose. Easy. Which I was." She said firmly, silencing their protests. "I don't even want to know what she'll say. It... I'm scared, girls."
"We all are, Sweets." Scootaloo wrapped a wing around her shoulders. "It's just a little too late to stop things now."
"Yeah, I know. Still sucks, though."
Applebloom nodded and got off the couch, heading towards the ink and parchment. "We'd better write 'em a letter; warn 'em we're comin'."
Author's Note: The CMC and filly group are soon to be on their way to Ponyville, but what of Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash? And what of Dawn? What will happen when the filly and her older Aunts clash?
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