Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony; Friendship Is Magic

Title: Through The Shadows 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.

Chapter Title: An Old Relic

Author's Note: Sorry about the mess-up last chapter, folks. I didn't realize until the day after what was wrong.

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PrincessThunderquake- Thanks!

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"Okay." Sweetie Belle said, scanning the page. "I think I've got it."

"Your next big song?" Scootaloo asked from the couch, looking quite comfortable.

Unlike the other hotel room, the Ponyville hotel was well known to boast low rates, plush rooms, and plenty of food for the weary traveler. Their room had plenty of space, a large couch, and comfy chairs surrounding a small round table. Applebloom sat across from the unicorn, leaning back in her chair.

"The beat to it, at least." She narrowed her eyes. "Something is missing, though, and I can't tell what."

"You need some help?"

"Yes please."

Dragging herself away from her little patch of bliss, Scootaloo sat down next to her at the table. Applebloom dropped her chair. "Alright, lay it on me."

Sweetie dropped the paper back down on the table and slid it over to her. Scootaloo scanned the page herself, then handed it to Applebloom. The pegasus started tapping a rhythm with her hooves, and, after she finished reading, Applebloom joined in.

This wasn't the first time they'd randomly tapped out a song together, obviously. Sweetie may have been the only one musically inclined, but both the earth pony and the pegasus knew how to read music and play beats.

There wasn't a whole lot of singing to be done in the middle of nowhere. The trio took what they could get.

They worked on the song together for a while, until finally the hotel door creaked open. "Mom? Is this the right room?"

"In here, kiddo." Sweetie Belle abandoned her music in favor of greeting Dawn at the door, bending down to nuzzle her. "About time. We were starting to get worried. Is that... batter in your wings?"

Dawn glanced at her wings over her shoulder. "I guess? There was a bunch of stuff being flung around during Pinkie's training course. I got most of it out, but... Aunt Scoots?"

"I got ya, kid." Scootaloo reclaimed her place on the couch and patted the cushion next to her. "Hop on up."

Dawn did as she was told. While Scootaloo got to work on some of the trickier feathers, Applebloom nudged Sweetie Belle's shoulder pointedly.

"Now might be a good time ta' give 'er that thing we found, don't ya' think?"

Sweetie Belle perked up. "Oh, you're right! I'd totally forgotten. I'll be back in a few."

After a quick wing cleaning, Dawn Flyer escaped onto the balcony attached to their room that overlooked the main square of Ponyville.

Sweetie Belle appeared a few minutes later, horn glowing. "Here you are."

"Here I am." She offered wearily. "Sorry. I didn't mean to disappear on you all over again."

"It's kind of hard to disappear in a hotel room, kiddo." She floated something out from behind her back and draped it over her head. "Here. For you."

"What is it?" She pulled it off her head, examining the faded red fabric. An emblem, stitched onto the side, was so frizzy and faded she couldn't quite make it out.

"I've already told you about the Cutie Mark Crusaders, haven't I? Well, this was our cape; and our symbol. It's in pretty rough shape- its sat in the clubhouse for ages- but I thought you might like it."

Dawn hugged the old cape to her chest, something unidentifiable welling up inside her. "Can I wear it?"

"Hmm... probably not. It's really old. If you ask nicely, though, I'm sure Scootaloo could make you one that won't fall apart the moment you put it on."

Dawn's eyes grew large. "Aunt Scootaloo can sew?"

Sweetie chuckled and nodded. "We all can, but Scoots is best at it."

"Cool!"

Her mother gently settled down beside her. "Dawn, is something wrong?"

"Wrong?"

She shrugged and bit her lip. "You look like you have something on your mind, that's all."

"Oh..." She paused, staring at the emblem on the cape. "Mom, did you ever miss Ponyville?"

"Ponyville? No, not really. The place where we live isn't all that different from this place, if a bit less cheery." Sweetie Belle sighed, a wistful look in her eye. "I missed the ponies, though."

"I like it here." She admitted.

"Yeah, me too."

"Why did you leave, then?" Dawn asked, turning to look at her. Sweetie didn't quite meet her eye.

"Because we were young and impulsive. We thought that wherever we ended up would be better than this place, and, in a way, I guess it was. We learned a lot about ourselves because we left."

"Oh." Dawn leaned against her side. "Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we stay? In Ponyville, I mean?"

"I don't know, Dawn." She paused, sighing. "I'm not sure if we can stay. Not after all we've put these ponies through."

Author's Note: Howdy, folks. It's been a little while, hasn't it?

Look. I know I haven't been updating lately, and I can understand why you might be impatient for more chapters (I know how I can get if I like a story), but I'm just not in a MLP mood right now. That doesn't mean I'm done with the fandom, or quitting the story. My minds just been elsewhere lately, is all. Testing the waters of other shows and fandoms; daydreaming and writing original stories.

I'm not giving up on this story, or any of my stories. I haven't called it quits on a story in over a year now (which is half of the time I've been a registered fanfiction writer) and I won't start now. I'll be back and raring to go in a while, just give it some time.

I typed out this chapter because I'd already written the beginning of it awhile ago and never bothered to finish it, and to show the person who PM'd me that I wasn't blowing smoke. It'll be awhile before I write another chapter, but don't give up hope, already?

Random Fact Of The Day: Scootaloo can sew. =)

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