//------------------------------// // Waking Up // Story: What Would Rainbow Dash Do... // by Pickle //------------------------------// What Would Rainbow Dash Do... Dash... Scootaloo's mind didn't stray from thinking of Rainbow Dash for one moment as the filly slept. All the wonderful events from the previous night replayed in Scootaloo's dreams; Rainbow Dash's awesome room; talking with Rainbow Dash for what seemed like days; beating Spitfire in a race, thus winning Rainbow Dash's heart! Maybe that last one didn't happen, but Scootaloo sure dreamed it did. Scootaloo kept slumbering away, fantasizing all her heart desired. Peace. Joy. Tran--- *BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP* Scootaloo began to flail around under her sheets, trying to escape the blankets to silence the alarm clock. Throwing the covers onto the floor, Scootaloo reached over to the nightstand next to her bed to find the alarm. With one swipe, she knocked an empty soda can off the nightstand. With a second swing she clocked the buzzing clock, shutting off the startling alarm. Scootaloo sunk back into her cozy sanctuary, still weary from her late night. Scootaloo slept for about another twenty minutes before finally realizing that she needed to get up. Scootaloo swiftly woke herself up and jumped out of her bed. Dang it, I overslept! I'm going to be late for being late to school! As she sped out of her house, Scootaloo picked up her backpack full of magazines, soda, and spicy candies. Scootaloo mounted her scooter, and zipped off towards the school. ~~~ "Miss Cherillee. I'm here." The exhausted Scootaloo huffed out as she burst into the classroom. "Ah, Scootaloo, thank you for joining us... Ten minutes late," Cherillee scolded. I don't know what she's mad about. I'm the one who didn't get to shower this morning! "Scootaloo, I'd would like for you to consider coming to school on time one day." Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Anyway, take your seat so that we may continue our lesson. So class..." Cherillee carried on with her teachings, but Scootaloo hardly payed attention as she trotted to her desk. Due to the lack of sleep Scootaloo got, she relaxed her head on top of her desk right when she sat down and dozed off to the sound of Cherillee's lecture. The filly almost fell asleep, but was awoken by a crumpled up piece of paper hitting nose. Her eyes slowly opened as she lifted her head. Scootaloo flattened out the paper to not disturb the class, and read the message. You owe me a cupcake! Scootaloo peered around the classroom to find out who wrote the letter. In no time, Scootaloo saw Sweetie Belle staring over at her, playfully sticking her tongue out. Too sleepy to start passing notes, the young pegasus just shoved the paper off her desk and went back to her nap. She laid undisturbed this time, allowing her to sleep. ~~~ *WHACK* Cheerilee slammed a wooden ruler on Scootaloo's desk, abruptly waking her up. "Wha- Huh- What?" Cheerilee gazed down on Scootaloo, disapproving of her sleeping in class. "Scootaloo." "Oh, Miss Cheerilee, um... Can you repeat the question?" "I didn't ask a question Scootaloo." Darn! She usually only wakes me up when she just asked me a question. "It's lunchtime Scootaloo. All the other students went outside to eat lunch." Livening up at the thought of eating some food, Scootaloo said, "Cool! Later Miss Cheerilee." "Scootaloo!" Scootaloo halted in her hoofsteps at the sound of her teacher's suddenly stern tone. Whoa. I've never heard Miss Cheerilee get this serious before. "This is eleventh time you've come into class late this month!" Scootaloo, trying to ease the clear trouble she was in, added, "Yes, but that's only like one fifth of a whole month." Cheerilee sighed. "That would actually be about one third of a month, and it's only the twelfth! I can't allow you to keep coming in late and sleeping in class like you've been doing. I didn't want to have to do this, but you've forced my hoof. Scootaloo, until your behavior improves, you are going to have after school detention." Scootaloo groaned with displeasure. Detention! She can't be serious. "Well what do I need to do to not have detention?" "I want you to come into class before the bell, have all your homework done, and for you to stay awake during my lessons. If you can do this for the rest of the week, you won't have detention anymore. Until then, you will remain in the class after school each day for one hour." Scootaloo saw no reason to argue. It was pointless. "Yes Miss Cheerilee." Scootaloo's head drooped in shame, but once Scootaloo felt and heard the rumbling from her stomach she asked her teacher, "Can I please go eat, Miss Cheerilee?" "You may." With that her teacher's excusing her, Scootaloo bolted out of the classroom and out to the eating tables. "Scootaloo!" Almost immediately when she got outside, Scootaloo heard Apple Bloom call her name. Walking towards the small table that Apple Bloom was waving at her from, Scootaloo realized something. I didn't pack a lunch this morning! After a quick facehoof, Scootaloo sighed, hoping one of her friend's would share some of their lunch. As Scootaloo took a seat at the table, Apple Bloom questioned, "So Miss Cheerilee finally woke ya up?" "Yeah. She says I got detention until I start acting better in class! Can you believe that?" "Well actually yes," Sweetie Belle chimed in. "Oh be quiet!" Sweetie Belle giggled at her friend's frustration. Clutching her empty stomach, Scootaloo asked, "Sweetie Belle, would you mind sharing some of your lunch with me? I kind of forgot to bring one this morning." "Thank you for proving my point, and yes." "So you'll give me some?" "No, I meant that I mind sharing my lunch with you. You still owe me a cupcake." "Forget you then!" Turning to Apple Bloom with a friendly smile, Scootaloo restated her question. "Apple Bloom, would you mind sharing some of your lunch with me?" "Maybe. Hold on." Apple Bloom dumped out all the food that was in her brown paper bag. Apple Bloom pondered over what she would give Scootaloo; the warmed up spaghetti with Parmesan cheese drizzled over it; the fresh honey and cinnamon glazed apples; the still cool chocolate pudding. Scootaloo mouth could have near been the eighth wonder of the world for the size of the waterfall that poured from it. "Here." Apple Bloom threw a small baggie of prunes over to Scootaloo. "Oh come on, Apple Bloom! Prunes! No pony likes prunes." "Yeah, no pony 'cept Granny Smith, and she keeps sneakin' 'em in mah lunch before Ah leave for school. If ya want to eat, there ya go." Scootaloo didn't even bother tasting the prunes before hurling them in the trashcan. Swallowing a bite from the large salad she had for lunch, Sweetie Belle asked, "So where'd you go, Scootaloo? Neither one of us could find you and you never showed up to Sugarcube Corner." "Yeah, where did ya go?" Scootaloo eyes opened wide at this question. There's no way I can tell them the truth! But they are my friends. Would they even believe me? Can I tell them about what happened at Zecora's? When I woke up? At Rainbow Dash's house? Scootaloo swallowed. "You know, I was working on those ten things, but after awhile I got tired, so I went home to sleep." She finished her lie with a small chuckle to attempt to lighten the knot of tension Scootaloo had in her stomach. "Wow Scootaloo! I bet you didn't even get tired, and just didn't want to buy me that cupcake." "Sweetie Belle, trust me. I..." Scootaloo quit speaking once she heard the voice of Rainbow Dash gradually growing closer and closer. As she trotted near the school, the fillies could slightly make out her hushed words. "Come on. Where could she be? Come on, Dash, think!" A pit formed in Scootaloo's chest, and it wasn't from hunger. Should I even talk to her? She probably wouldn't even think for a second that I was Scorchin', but I better not risk it. Maybe if I don't say anything to her, she'll just pass by the school. Yeah, I should be fi--- "Hey Rainbow Dash!" Really Apple Bloom!? "Oh, uh... hey Apple Bloom," Rainbow Dash unnaturally mumbled as she approached the gate that closed off the schoolyard. Rainbow Dash never kept eye contact with any of the fillies as she constantly pivoted her head around in search of somepony. "Hi Rainbow Dash," Sweetie Belle greeted with her familiarly innocent smile. "Yeah, hey," the distracted mare once again mumbled. Attempting to go unnoticed, Scootaloo kept herself from looking at Rainbow Dash. Fixating her attention on the three fillies, Rainbow Dash asked, "By any chance, have either of you three seen a new pegasus in town today?" "Sorry Dash, but we've been in school all day, so we ain't really seen too many ponies today." Chewing on another bite of her salad, Sweetie Belle questioned, "Why? What's wrong?" "Well, you see, I met this mare last night, and I've been trying to find her all afternoon. She said she was staying at the spa's hotel, but no pony there had heard of her." "That's too bad, but Ay'm shore she'll turn up." "I hope so..." As Rainbow Dash spoke, Scootaloo glanced over to see if Rainbow Dash was leaving. She wasn't, but what Scootaloo did see her doing touched the filly. Rainbow Dash was worrying. Rainbow Dash bit on her bottom lip as her eyes swayed left and right, examining the town in search of the mysterious pegasus. A drop of sweat slid down from her forehead until it finally dropped off of her chin. Rainbow Dash is never nervous! Does Scorchin'... Did I... Does Scorchin' really mean that much to her? After a few seconds of silence, Sweetie Belle enthusiastically exclaimed, "Scootaloo, you came into school late! Did you see anypony new in town?" "Who, me?" Scootaloo chuckled in an attempt to calm her nerves about being recognized. "Nope, not that I can remember." Rainbow Dash groaned. "Thanks anyway you guys. I'm going to try searching Cloudsdale for her. Have a good lunch." As Rainbow Dash began to turn away, surly about to take off for the sky, Scootaloo recalled the previous night. I would love to hang out with Scootaloo, but she's a pegasus that doesn't fly! If she had ever asked me to help her or something, then it might be a different story... Those were Rainbow Dash's exact words... "Dash, wait!" Scootaloo shouted, grabbing Rainbow Dash's attention. "What is it, Squirt?" "Um, I was wondering if maybe you could, I don't know... take me with you?" "Uh... I don't know, kid. Not to be mean, but can you even fly?" Scootaloo tensed up as she heard the possible rejection from her idol. With sweat rolling down her cheek, the filly murmured, "Well yeah... not really... no, but I totally want to learn!" "Honestly, I'm not sure if now's really the time to be giving a flying lesson." Rainbow Dash would have left just then if it had not been for the obvious look of depression on Scootaloo's face. Rainbow Dash thought of Scorchin', and then said, "Hey Squirt, how about I give you a ride and you can repay me later by taking some flying lessons?" Scootaloo's mouth dropped in elation as her glistening eyes turned into saucers. "What? Really? That would be awesome!" Scootaloo cheered as she hopped in her seat. "Not ta be the bearer of bad news, but ya can't jus' leave school durin' lunch, Scootaloo." "You're already in enough trouble with Miss Cheerilee as it is," Sweetie Belle added. Scootaloo sighed. This would be the first time I would ever fly with Rainbow Dash... "So are gonna come?" Rainbow Dash asked, stretching for take off. Scootaloo turned to her two friends. "Listen, I can go on a quick flight with Rainbow Dash and be back before lunch is over. Cheerilee won't even notice!" Her friends obviously looked less than confident in their friend's plan, but Scootaloo paid no mind. "Rainbow Dash, do you think that you could bring me back in a half an hour so Cheerilee doesn't blow a fuse?" Rainbow Dash pondered for a moment. "I wanted to look for my friend, but I guess it wouldn't take to long to get you back here. Sure." "Thanks Rainbow Dash! You're the greatest!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Yeah, yeah, I know I am. Now hop on, Squirt," Rainbow Dash said as she flew over the school's fence and knelt down. Scootaloo carefully mounted the older mare, making sure not to step on her tail or anything like that. Once she was on, Scootaloo gently wrapped her front hooves around Rainbow Dash's neck and let her back hooves hang off her sides. The filly gave her friends a wave goodbye as she said, "Later guys! I'll be back, I promise." Before the other two could wave goodbye, Rainbow Dash had bolted off, breaking though the clouds that hovered in the sky above them. Scootaloo clenched onto Rainbow Dash tightly. The speed at which the pegasus flew was like nothing Scootaloo had ever encountered. Even faster than one the express train! Scootaloo eyes remained glued shut from the get go, Scootaloo too afraid to even breathe. Her main shook vigorously in the wind, every stand of hair moved by the gust. "How you doing back there?" Rainbow Dash yelled to Scootaloo, almost unaffected by the practically choking grip the filly had on her neck. After a few unresponsive seconds, Rainbow Dash added, "Don't worry, Squirt, I won't let you fall!" As if somehow invigorated by the mare's reassuring words, Scootaloo slowly poked one eye half way open, staring forward. The wind that blew into her face caused tears to form in Scootaloo's open eye. She looked down to shield her vision from the air. As Rainbow Dash soared over the clouds, Scootaloo could also see patches of land below. Ants, building blocks, and broccoli was all Scootaloo could make out. As the flight progressed, Scootaloo stopped shuddering and forced herself to open both of her eyes fully. In awe, Scootaloo gazed around the magnificent sky scenery. The sun that held above them spread a glistening look to the top of all the clouds. Scootaloo felt free. She loosened her grip on Rainbow Dash. In fact, she let go completely, just sitting on top of the pegasus, holding her hooves in the breeze. Scootaloo cheered as she finally realized the glorious feeling of flight. "You like that, kid?" Rainbow Dash gladly asked. "Then hang on!" Scootaloo rapidly complied, wrapping her hooves around Rainbow Dash once more. In a swift motion, Rainbow Dash sailed upwards and upside down. Though the trick only lasted a second, Scootaloo treasured the moment as it passed. Her mane falling towards the ground as she stared at the ground above them. Her knowing that she would simply fall the the earth had it not been for her secure embrace on Rainbow Dash made the trick all the more enjoyable. As Scootaloo felt her body once again be pulled towards Rainbow Dash's body instead of towards the ground, she loosened her grip on the flying pegasus. Scootaloo stared straight at the glowing sun. She didn't know if it was the rushing wind bombarding her eyes or just the pure elation that she was experiencing, but Scootaloo shed a tear. She didn't wipe it off. She just let it get taken away with the current, like she had. "So how was that, Squirt?" At first, Scootaloo couldn't think of words to describe this moment, but the angel that carried her reminded Scootaloo of the perfect word. "Awesome."