Scootaloo stared, wide eyed at her parents. She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard, nor could she understand how Lightning and Quicksilver simply sat in front of her like nothing had happened. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Scootaloo asked a question she feared the answer to.
“Wha..what do you mean you’re leaving?”
Lightning sighed and shook her head. “it’s that simple Scoots. Silver and I are Leaving. We just....don’t think this can work anymore.”
Scootaloo’s breathing hitched slightly as she listened to her mother, or who used to be her mother. She just couldn’t understand where this was coming from. As far as she thought everything had been fine. And now it looked like everything she had would be taken away.
“But, but why? Was it something I did?”
Quicksilver shook her head. “No it’s not anything you did. Look kid, we just don’t want this anymore. We don’t want each other, and we don’t want you. So this is goodbye.”
Lightning nodded and rose to her hooves, followed by Quicksilver. As they turned away Lightning looked over her shoulder as Scootaloo sat stunned on the ground.
She nodded to the filly. “This is just how it has to be.” And with that the pair of changelings began walking away.
Seeing the only parents she’d ever had begin to walk away from her snapped Scootaloo out of her stunned position on the ground. Leaping to her hooves, Scootaloo began galloping franticly after Lighting and Quicksilver.
She ran and ran as fast as she could but now matter how hard she pushed herself Scootaloo kept falling behind as Lighting and Quicksilver got further away. Thinking that flying would give her an edge Scootaloo began flapping her wings, but even going at her top speed, her parents just seemed to slip further ahead of her.
As the exertion of her frantic chasing caught up with her Scootaloo slowed and fell to the ground. As she sat, sides heaving and limbs shaking, Scootaloo watched helplessly as the only parents she’d ever known disappeared into the distance.
Scootaloo hung her head and began crying softly. “They’re gone....”
Uttering that simple statement seemed to flip a switch inside Scootaloo as she suddenly began sobbing loudly.
“Come back. Please come back. I...I don’t wanna be alone”
Scootaloo had no idea how long she laid there on the ground, sobbing and screaming at everything and nothing. All she could do, all she wanted to do, was curl into herself and cry.
=======================================================
Scootaloo woke violently, springing up in her bed and breathing heavily as tears ran down her face. Scootaloo brought a hoof to her temple and began rubbing while taking deep breaths to try and calm herself. After a few minutes she leant against her bed's headboard and sighed in relief.
“A dream. It was just a dream.”
As Scootaloo sat in her bed she began to wonder what could have caused her dream. She knew that Lightning and Quicksilver wouldn’t just leave her, and she didn’t doubt that they loved her but even so there seemed to be a voice in the back of her head saying one thing over and over that worried her. They’re not your real parents and they’re not even ponies. They could leave you whenever they want and you’d be alone again.
Scootaloo shook her head to try and dislodge the thought and try to get back to sleep but no matter how she tried the thought persisted and only seemed to get embedded further in her head as she tried to ignore it.
After trying and failing to get rid of the thought for what felt like hours, Scootaloo sighed resignedly and laid down in bed. She figured that maybe if she got a few more hours of sleep then she’d be able to push the thought out of her head. However before Scootaloo fell asleep one last thought assaulted her.
They don’t love you.
========================================================
Scootaloo sat at her desk in Ms. Cheerilee’s class desperately trying to keep her eyes open and focus on the lesson for today. It had been a week since her first nightmare and she’d been plagued with them almost every night since then. And what sleep she did get wasn’t very restful at all. Just as Scootaloo was about to nod off, for the third time, the bell signaling the end of the school day jolted her awake. Scootaloo gathered up her school supplies and shoved them into her saddlebag, strapping it on she headed for the door when Ms Cheerilee called to her.
“Scootaloo could you come here for a second?”
Turning from the door and shuffling over to the teachers desk Scootaloo looked up at Cheerilee with groggy eyes.
“Scootaloo is everything alright? I noticed that you”ve had a hard time focusing and staying awake in class lately.”
Scootaloo shook her head and tried to put on a convincing smile. “Yeah everything’s...”
Scootaloo’s response was cut off as she yawned widely. “...fine.”
Cheerilee’s brows knitted together in concern. “You’re sure?”
Scootaloo gave a weak nod. “Yeah,I’m just getting stuck on the homework this week and staying up to get it done. Math really isn’t my strong suit.”
Cheerilee nodded and smiled. “Well if that’s all it was then you’re free to go. And if the work’s hard you should ask a friend or parent for help. It’s a bit hard to learn if you’re nodding off in class.”
Scootaloo chuckled and smirked. “Sure thing Ms. Cheerilee. Bye.”
Scootaloo kept up her appearance until she was a few yards from the school before letting it drop and heave a weary sigh. Not only had she not gotten any sleep but throughout the whole day the little voice in the back of her head had been assaulting her. Making her start to question if Lightning and Quicksilver really loved her.
Scootaloo snorted in irritation. “Why am I worrying about this? It’s just some bad dreams. Why’s this getting to me?”
Coming up with no answers, Scootaloo decided to try and distract herself and hoped it would take her mind off the nagging little voice in her head. And what better place then her friends at the clubhouse. Smiling earnestly for the first time that day Scootaloo lightly kicked off the ground and flew towards Sweet Apple Acres.
==================================================
Scootaloo wanted a distraction and what she had right now was more than enough. Diamond Tiara and Applebloom were going back and forth about the best way to spend the weekend
“We’re gonna hang out at the clubhouse an’ that’s that Diamond.”
Diamond Tiara flicked her mane haughtily. “I don’t think so Apple-blank. We’re gonna have a spa day. Spending every weekend out here is torture on my coat. Not to mention my hooves. ”
Applebloom’s nostrils flared. “So that means we gotta do what y’all wanna do?”
Diamond’s eyes rolled and she smirked. “Don’t be so touchy. All I’m saying is that we could all use a bit of relaxation.”
Applebloom facehoofed. “Y’all are impossible. Why should we spend all day in a spa when we could be doin stuff out here.”
Sweetie Belle rose a hoof to get the two arguing ponies attention. “Can’t we just do both?”
Applebloom and Diamond looked at Sweetie Belle before turning to each other again. After a few silent moments Diamond sighed as if she was conceding to torture. “Fine. I guess we can come out here first and then go to the spa later.”
Applebloom grinned. “Deal. An’ don’t try to act like ya don’t like the clubhouse. Ya spend almost everyday out here with the rest of us.”
Diamond’s responded with an eye roll. “Whatever. I’m headed home, I’ve still got homework to do.”
Sweetie Belle nodded. “Yeah, I should get home and finish mine too.”
Applebloom left with the excuse of needing to get some afternoon chores done leaving only Silver Spoon and Scootaloo in the clubhouse. Without the distraction of her friends scootaloo sat back in the beanbag chair she was on and sighed.
“What’s got you so down lately?”
Scootaloo glanced to Silver Spoon and waved the question off. “Nothing.”
Silver Spoon scoffed. “That means there is something. Spill.”
Scootaloo groaned in annoyance. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”
Silver Spoon got up from where she was sitting and moved in front of the pegasus with a determined glint in her eye. “That means it’s something big. Now tell me or I’ll just keep bugging you.”
Scootaloo drug a hoof down her face in frustration. “Can’t you just leave me alone?”
Silver Spoon smirked. “Do I really need to answer that?”
Scootaloo sighed and hung her head. “Right. Forgot who I was talking too.”
Scootaloo rose her head to look Silver Spoon in the eye hesitantly. “If I tell you, you’ve got to promise to keep it secret.”
Silver spoon quirked a brow but nodded. Scootaloo lent back in the beanbag and rubbed her forehead. “I’ve been having dreams that my parents abandon me.”
Silver Spoon’s one quirked brow was joined by it’s twin. “Ok, that sounds bad but I’m guessing there’s more to it.”
Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah. Since the dreams started I started thinking that..... What I mean is that.... I started to think....”
Seeing that Scootaloo was grasping for a way to explain Silver Spoon took a shot in the dark. “You started thinking that they actually would leave you?”
Scootaloo nodded limply. “Yeah. I don’t know why but now I’m just so... worried that they’ll just up and leave. That I’ll be....”
Silver Spoon moved closer and tilted her head. “Be what?”
Scootaloo’s head hung as she responded in a voice just above a whisper. “That I’ll be alone again. Like I was at the orphanage.”
Silver Spoon nodded. “Oh. Wait, how can you be alone in an orphanage?”
Scootaloo shook her head. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Silver Spoon put a hoof on Scootaloo’s shoulder. “Try me. I am your friend after all.”
Looking into Silver Spoon’s eyes Scootaloo could see that the grey filly was genuinely concerned and was offering a friendly ear to vent too. So after taking a breath Scootaloo began talking.
“In the orphanage I was at the other fillies and colts weren’t exactly friendly. Don’t get me wrong, they weren’t mean. Just....guarded I guess. Everyone just looked out for themselves because that’s all we had. Ourselves. And the caretakers were there but they weren’t like parents. They were just doing a job. The made sure we had food, and a bed, and that we were healthy but that was it. It was worse than having no one around because there were others around but it was like everyone just ignored everyone else. I’m not sure if that’s how it was for everyone but that’s how it felt for me. I ran away when I turned ten and never looked back.”
Scootaloo shook her head. “And now that I’ve actually got parents I’m terrified of losing them. All because of some stupid dreams I’m starting to question if one day they’ll just up and leave.”
Silver Spoon sat silently for a few seconds before she nodded. “Ok I think I can understand that. But if you know that they’re just dreams why’re you so out of it?”
Scootaloo snorted. “If I knew I wouldn’t be spilling my guts to you of all ponies.”
Silver Spoon scoffed. “Well there’s gratitude for you.”
Scootaloo sighed. “Sorry, sorry I’m just not sure what to do about all this.”
Silver Spoon rolled her eyes. “Gee I don’t know, maybe talk to your parents and solve the problem the easy way.”
Scootaloo chuckled. “Like it’s that simple.”
Silver Spoon nodded. “It is that simple. Just do it.”
Scootaloo shook her head. “They’ve got enough to worry about. I can deal with this.”
Silver Spoon facehoofed. “Oh boy, this is gonna be one of those situations isn’t it?”
Scootaloo gave Spoon a questioning look and the earth filly continued. “You’re gonna try solving this yourself and not tell them and end up making it worse until they find out and then everything gets solved in five seconds and you all have a laugh about it. Just save us all some time and talk to your parents.”
Scootaloo sighed as she rose from the beanbag. “Fine. If it’ll get you to stop nagging me I’ll go talk to them now.”
As Scootaloo got up to leave Silver Spoon threw her hooves up in mock celebration. “Low and behold she can be taught! It’s a miracle fillies and gentlecolts.”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “You’re a real pain sometimes.”
Silver Spoon waved Scootaloo off. “Oh just go solve your personal crisis already.”
Scootaloo chuckled and was about to take off when she turned back to Silver Spoon. After thinking for a few seconds Scootaloo trotted back to the grey filly and gave her a quick hug. After releasing Silver Spoon, Scootaloo coughed awkwardly. “Thanks for listening and everything.”
Silver Spoon smiled. “Y-yeah, friends in need and all that.”
Scootaloo waved and then took off towards Ponyville. Once Scootaloo was gone Silver Spoon started making her way home as well. The smile from before still firmly on her face.
===================================================
Even though Scootaloo had said she’d talk to Lightning and Quicksilver, actually doing it was a different thing entirely. After she’d gotten home Scootaloo kept making excuses for herself to put off talking to them. First she decided to finish her homework before trying to talk to them. Then she’d decided to wait until after dinner. And now Scootaloo sat outside her parents door, trying to think of a way to begin talking to them. But even after several long minutes of thought Scootaloo was still coming up blank on ideas.
Maybe I should just do what Spoon said. Just tell them about my dreams and stuff. Seeing no other way to go about talking to her parents Scootaloo sighed and knocked on her parents bedroom door.
Quicksilver opened the door and gave the filly a questioning look. “What’s up Scoot? Shouldn’t you be in bed by now?”
Scootaloo stood and nervously glanced up at Quicksilver. “Well, I just wanted to talk to you and mom about something. it’s kinda important.”
Quicksilver nodded. “Sure thing Scoot.” Quicksilver stepped aside and Scootaloo walked into the bedroom and headed for the bed. Taking a seat on the comforter at the foot of the bed both parents watched the filly curiously.
Sensing that Scootaloo was nervous Lightning smiled reassuringly. “So, what’s on your mind Scoots?”
Scootaloo took a deep breath before looking up at both changelings. “I’ve been having dreams the past week. They’re about.... about you two.”
Two pairs of solid ice blue eyes widened as the filly continued, her voice beginning to hitch slightly as her emotions started building.
“In the dreams you both...... You said you didn’t want me anymore. That you didn’t want each other anymore and you left. I tried to chase you but....... But you got away and I was... I was alone.”
Lighting and Quicksilver moved closer to Scootaloo and Lightning spoke up. “Scootaloo. Do you think we’re going to leave you?”
Scootaloo shook her head violently and when she spoke her tone was somewhere between scared and angry. “Well why shouldn’t I think that? I’m just some orphan, just some random filly that you met by accident. You could live just fine without me!”
As Scootaloo paused to breathe, tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. When she spoke next her voice sounded broken.
“I just.... I know they’re just dreams but, but I can’t stop wondering if one day you’ll just leave me. If I’ll be all alone again and I..... I’m scared, just so so scared that it’s true.”
Scootaloo looked into the eyes of her parents. Her own eyes were red and tears flowed from them like twin waterfalls as she looked at them like she was lost.
“I.... I don’t wanna be alone. I...”
Before the distraught filly could continue she was swept up into a tight embrace by her two parents whose eyes had misted as they listened to Scootaloo. Scootaloo held onto her parents like a lifeline as she pressed her face into Lightnings chest, her mothers unusually soft carapace and steady heartbeat acting as a source of comfort as she cryed.
Quicksilver was the first to speak after several moments of simply embracing. She lightly began rubbing her hoof in small circles on Scootaloo's back to help ease the filly as she spoke softly.
“Why’d you wait so long to tell us Scoots? It must have been hard to carry that around for so long.”
Scootaloo hiccuped as she spoke through her tears. “I w-was sc-s-scared that you’d be m-mad or that you’d think I di-didn’t trust you.”
Lightning nuzzled Scootaloo. “Oh Scootaloo, you silly filly. You can always come to us when there’s something bothering you. Especially something like this.”
Quicksilver hmmed in agreement. “We love you Scoots. Never doubt that.”
Scootaloo nodded against Lightning. “I-I know but I...”
Lightning cooed gently to Scootaloo. “Shhh, it’s ok.” Lightning lent back slightly and used a holed hoof to tilt the fillies head up. “How about Silver and I show you how much we love you?”
Scootaloo tilted her head and sniffed. “H-how?’
Quicksilver chuckled. “Just close your eyes.”
Scootaloo nodded and closed her eyes. When she did she felt Lightning and Quicksilver each place a kiss on her forehead. Just as it happened Scootaloo felt like she’d been enveloped in a warmth that spread around and through her. The warmth seemed to fill her whole body and almost instantly she felt content. Like everything was right with the world.
After a few moments Lightning and Quicksilver withdrew and Scootaloo opened her eyes and glanced questioningly at her parents. “What happened?”
Lightning chuckled lightly. “When changeling nymphs are born they can’t leave the hive to get love or other emotions to feed them. So groups of us go out and gather love and other positive emotions and feed it to them.”
Quicksilver nodded. “And right now we used the same technique on you. You might not feel it the same way we do but you did feel it right?”
Scootaloo nodded and gave a tiny smile. “Yeah. it was so warm and made me feel like.... like everything was right. Like everything would be ok.”
The changelings nuzzled Scootaloo as Lighting spoke. “That’s how you make us feel Scoots. Every day when we feel your love for us you make us feel that way.”
Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s how it always feels?”
Quicksilver chuckled. “Yep. Though now I understand why Lightning and I kept sensing a lot of anxiousness coming from you the past week.”
Scootaloo’s ears lowered. “Sorry.”
Quicksilver shook her head and ruffled Scootaloo’s mane. “No need to be sorry kiddo. Just talk to us next time ok?” Quicksilver gave a soft smile. “We wanna make sure that you feel just as good as we do.”
Scootaloo smiled widely and the three sat contentedly with each other for several minutes before disengaging from their embrace. As Lightning and Quicksilver sat Scootaloo back on the bed the filly yawned.
Lighting giggled. “Looks like someone’s kinda tired. Feel like hitting the hay Scoots?”
Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah. I’m beat.”
Quicksilver rose a brow curiously. “You sure you’re ok now.”
Scootaloo nodded. “Totally.”
Quicksilver looked the filly over before smiling. “As long as you’re sure.”
Scootaloo shuffled her front hooves on the bed nervously and caught Lighting’s attention. “Something up Scoots?”
Scootaloo’s ears lowered in embarrassment and a slight blush darkened her muzzle. “Well I um... I wanted to ask.... Could I.... sleep with you guys tonight?”
Lighting smiled and patted the space between her and Quicksilver. “Sure thing Scoots.”
Smiling, Scootaloo nestled between her parents as they curled around her. As Scootaloo fell asleep her smile stayed firmly in place because the warmth of Lighting and Quicksilver wrapped around her reminded her of how their love felt and Scootaloo knew, without a doubt, that her parents would always be there for her. And so would their love.