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: Not even a pony curse. Just some semi-sad topics
Author's Note: Its been awhile since I wrote anything for this story, huh? =)
Chapter Title: The Night And Morning After
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supersexyghotmew95- Not at all! I love the idea!
Now I really want to see Sweetie in a Gaz outfits. Like, really, is that a thing? (I know about Meanie Belle, but I don't think I've ever seen Sweetie in Gaz clothes). I can easily see Sweetie, when mad, being as terrifying as Gaz. =) I was going for adorable and sad, so I'm glad it worked!
PrincessThunderquake- Thanks! Read on! =)
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Applebloom gently lowered Dawn into bed without complaint, pulling the covers down for her to get under.
"Aunt Bloom, why was everypony acting so weird?"
Applebloom shrugged. "That's how it always works with family reunions. Once ya get past all the huggin' and stuff, it all goes downhill."
"But they all seemed so mad."
The earth pony sighed and climbed onto the bed, curling up beside her on her stomach. "Yeah, well, that's sorta our fault."
Dawn got out from under the covers and laid down next to her. "What happened?"
She sighed once again, trying and failing to get her thoughts sorted out. "You know yer Aunt Scootaloo likes mares, right?"
"Everypony knows that." Her brow furrowed. "Why?"
"'Cause all this started not long after Scootaloo came outta the closet. Well, she didn't 'come out' so much as she was pushed out kickin' and screamin' , really, but you get the point."
"Huh?"
"Sorry. Ah'm gettin' ahead of myself. You see, back when we were teenagers, Scoots had a marefriend. Only mare Ah've ever seen the pegasus with, so it's safe to say she was pretty special to 'er. They started doin' some adult pony kinds of things, the kind they say you won't find out about 'till yer older? That kinda stuff. Anyhow, somepony took some pictures of 'em and stole some of the letters they'd sent each other and paraded 'em around Ponyville without their permission. Nopony knows fer sure who did it, but Ah've got my guesses. Call it a gut feelin'."
Dawn's ears fell. "That's... horrible."
"Eeyup. Don't ever let me catch ya doin' something like that, ya hear? Ah'll tan you some stripes like you've never seen."
"I won't. I promise." She shook her head.
"Good. Sorry, got off track fer a second there. Scoots started avoidin' everypony, and everypony started avoidin' her. Ah got my college acceptance letter, but my sister, yer new Aunt Applejack, told me Ah couldn't go, so I was in a right sore frame of mind."
"Why couldn't you go?"
"When it comes down to it, Ah think they just didn't like that Ah was growin' up so dang fast. Ah was barely outta school, but Ah was ready and waitin' to pack my bags and zoom off to the other side of Equestria, leavin' 'em in the dust. Ah get why they felt that way now, but it didn't feel very fair at the time. Then Sweets got pregnant with you, and we just left."
"Left?" She cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"
"We packed our bags and left. We didn't plan on it, or nothin'. Didn't even bother to say goodbye. Scoots joined the guard a little while later and we ended up where we're at today, but we haven't spoken to 'em since we left. It's been too dang long."
Dawn didn't say anything for a minute. She fiddled with her hooves. "Mom always says that running isn't the answer to your problems. Not the right one, at least."
Bloom winced and nodded. "And she's right. Well, most of the time. Depends what's goin' on."
"So you were wrong?"
"If ya wanna get technical 'bout it, yes. We were wrong. Ponies tend to be wrong sometimes." Bloom sighed and put a hoof around her shoulders. "Listen. They're here now because we're tryin' to fix things. Make this right. But it ain't gonna be easy, and this doesn't exactly make things wanna go any smoother."
"What doesn't?"
"You. Me. Everythin'. Look, just... It's bedtime, alright? We can sort this all out in the morning."
"Okay." But it definitely wasn't. Dawn got back under the covers. "Goodnight."
"Night, Flyer. Try an' get some sleep."
They never did get to have that awkward breakfast.
Nopony even mentioned it. They just grabbed their things and hit the road. No one had slept the night before. Sweetie rented a carriage for herself and Dawn, Applejack and Rarity slipping in to sit with them. Applebloom took the reins, and Scootaloo followed from behind, Rainbow Dash nervously flying above her.
"So, uh, your wings..."
"Don't work anymore. Right."
"And you, you were a guard?"
"Right."
"Huh." The cyan mare landed and began walking, keeping pace beside her. "What was it like?"
"It was a little like being me, only in really heavy armor."
"Huh."
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. They lapsed into silence.
"So you can't fly? At all?"
"No, Rainbow, I can't." She grunted irritably.
"Oh. Sorry."
"I didn't send the letter." She blurted. Rainbow Dash blinked.
"Huh?"
"The letter. I didn't send it." She scuffed the dirt with her hoof. "It wasn't me."
"Oh, that letter. I never thought it was you, Squirt. Nopony did."
"You sure didn't act like it."
"We were surprised, and can you blame us? You never used to keep secrets."
"Can you blame me?"
Rainbow paused. "Huh?"
A long pause of silence. Then, Scootaloo sighed. "Maybe I wasn't ready. Maybe I didn't want anypony to know. Maybe I thought it was better that way, and that coming out would be the social equivalent of the apocalypse. Could you blame me if I did?"
Another pause. "Oh."
Scootaloo stared ahead. "Yeah, oh."
No one really said anything after that. There wasn't anything to say.
"So, uh, Dawn. What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Dawn hummed and rolled onto her back. "I think... I wanna be a guard pony when I grow up, just like Aunt Scoots!"
Sweetie chuckled. "Well, I'm sure Scootaloo would be more than happy to give you some tips, if you ask nicely."
"Really?"
Sweetie Belle nodded. "Uh-huh."
"Cool!" She was on her hooves and hanging out of the back of the carriage within seconds. "Hey, Aunt Scoots!"
Rarity smiled at the filly fondly, albeit a bit awkward. "She... really is quite the treat."
"She really is."
"I'm amazed, honestly. Of all the things I saw you as, a mother wasn't one of them. Not that you're bad at it or anything. Just... I'm speechless."
"Thanks. You make a pretty good aunt yourself."
"Not as good as Applebloom and Scootaloo, I'm sure." Rarity paused. "I can do math, Sweetie."
"I know you can. Measuring out things is a key part of making clothes."
"You were pregnant for her, weren't you? When you left?"
Sweetie sighed. "Yes, I was."
"Is that why you left?"
"I would've left even if I wasn't carrying, Rarity, if only to be with Bloom and Scoots. You know that."
"Who's the father?"
"A pegasus."
Rarity frowned. "I figured that."
"I... I don't remember his name, honestly." She shrugged. "But it doesn't matter."
She smiled at the filly leaning halfway out the window. "I have everything I need."
Author's Note: Alright, I'll admit it. This is more of a filler chapter than a real chapter, but I love it anyway.
This is the only story I haven't updated in under a month, I suspect, but I couldn't come up with a clear picture for the next few chapters. (And I've been busy with my other stories, obviously- one of which is an MLP fic, this one Diamond Tiara centric.) (I told myself I wouldn't signal boost the fic, dangit, but here I am. Signal boosting it. Sorry. Just ignore me.)
Anyway, random little fact of the day; The CMC were some of the oldest recorded mares to ever get their cutie marks. Like, ever. They almost broke a record. They understand how it feels to be unsure of the future more than most might, and have done their dangest to show Dawn it doesn't matter that her flank is blank, that her heart is more important than a picture. No one's really sure if the lesson's stuck.
No flames! Don't like don't read! Review!