Rainbow was glad today’s storm was puttering out. She flew back and forth around Ponyville searching for any sign of Scootaloo, but she was nowhere to be found. Two facts quickly helped her to give her an idea of where the filly had gotten to. Scootaloo had left when it was starting to rain, which had to mean she was likely at one of her friend’s houses. Of the five of them she thought it most likely she had either gone to Pinkie Pie’s or Fluttershy’s place. Applejack was another candidate, but Scootaloo would have chosen somewhere close to get out of the rain.
Though it was only drizzling now she still wanted to get out of the rain as she had to keep shaking herself off. Of her two friends she knew they were both great at cheering others up; Pinkie through her upbeat personality, and Fluttershy through her patience, empathy, and natural kindness. She decided on Fluttershy. Pinkie was nice, but she could be a bit overbearing and go overboard when wanting to help others.
When she arrived at the cottage she knocked on the door, her heart fluttering. Part of her hoped Scootaloo was there, and part of her hoped she wasn’t. She knew she had responded horribly, but she also hated apologizing and admitting she was wrong.
When the door opened Fluttershy was standing there. “Hey, Fluttershy. Have you seen Scootaloo today?”
In a cautious tone she responded, “Rainbow Dash, why are you here?”
Rainbow’s eyebrow went up. “I just told you why I’m here.”
“I know that. I want to know just what you’re planning to do. Scootaloo is in my room taking a nap.”
“Oh, so she is here. That’s good.”
She started to walk in when Fluttershy put her hoof out and blocked her path. “Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo showed up on my doorstep soaking wet and miserable. She told me that she broke your mother’s trophy. She believes you’re never going to forgive her. I told her that you know what’s the most important, so I’m asking you again: Why are you here? Scootaloo needs comforting right now, not another scolding. If you’re planning on yelling at her and making a liar out of me I’m not letting you in. And if you try to force your way in I’ll fight you right here.”
Rainbow let out a small laugh at the Fluttershy’s protectiveness. She fancied herself as the toughest around, but an angry Fluttershy could bring even a furious dragon to tears with the power of her Stare and strong words alone. Even she didn’t dare to challenge Fluttershy when she was this ramped up. “Look, Fluttershy. I was furious when I kicked her out. That trophy was a valuable heirloom from my mom, and her ashes are inside it to boot. I know it was an accident, and at the time I wasn’t willing to forgive her, but I remembered something from the past that changed my mind. I need to talk with her and make things between us. I’m not mad at her anymore.”
“Good.” She nodded, her anger replaced by a smile. “This way.”
When they arrived in her room Rainbow saw Scootaloo wrapped in a blanket, her face calm as she breathed in and out. Fluttershy gentle shook the pegasus, saying, “Wake up, Scootaloo. You have a visitor.”
Scootaloo mumbled sleepily a bit, then opened her eyes. “Hmmm? What’s up?”
“Someone is here to see you.”
“Oh?” She wiped her eyes as she unraveled herself from the blanket. As she put her hooves down and saw Rainbow Dash she gasped as she saw Rainbow Dash. “You!” A pained look came to her face as she hopped out of the bed, going to Fluttershy. “Why did you let her in?”
“Scootaloo, Rainbow just wants to-”
Cutting her off she turned to Rainbow Dash. “It’s fine! I know why you’re here anyway. I know, I know! I’m a terrible sister and you hate my guts!”
“No, Scootaloo,” started Rainbow. “I-”
“I know I’m stupid and ugly and useless and untalented.”
“Scootaloo, I-”
“-just a big fat loser who broke something important to you and you should just cut all ties with me.”
“Scootaloo! I-”
“So it’s fine. Just go ahead and hate me.”
“SCOOT! A! LOO!” Rainbow yelled. “Enough!”
Scootaloo looked down at the ground, crying. “It’s fine, then. I was never destined for anything great anyway. I’m just a failure and a washout and I don’t deserve anything nice and-”
Rainbow Dash walked over, grabbing the filly in a tight hug. “That’s enough, Scootaloo!” She felt herself crying now too. She couldn’t bear her sister’s pain. “I’m sorry for what I said to you, alright. I’m sorry!”
The filly just stood limply in Rainbow’s hold. “You don’t have to lie. Fluttershy told me why that trophy meant so much to you. Your mom’s ashes were in there. You SHOULD hate me for what I did. I didn’t listen to you and I did something horrible. I’m a terrible sister.” She sniffed as the tears began again.
Rainbow sighed. “Scootaloo, do you know why that trophy broke when you knocked it over?”
“Does it matter? It broke. Isn’t that the only important thing?”
“Yes, it DOES matter. It broke so easily because I’M the one that broke it first.”
She pulled back from Rainbow, a curious look on her face. “Y-you did?”
“Yeah. After you left I remembered something from long ago. My mom always told me not to go into her room without permission. One day I broke that rule because I wanted to see what was so important that I was barred from entering for. Sound familiar?”
Scootaloo nodded. “Just like today… with me.”
“I saw that trophy sitting up on a high shelf. It caught my interest and I began climbing her bookcase. I hadn’t started flying at that time. I knocked the whole bookshelf over with my wiggling around trying to pick it up, and it got smashed. My mother caught me trying to run off with the evidence, and she yelled at me for disobeying. I tried apologizing and telling her I loved her, but she didn’t want to have any of it. She called me a brat, and told me to go to my room.” Again she said, “Sound familiar?”
“That really feels just like today.”
“I cried my eyes out, feeling like a terrible daughter. My mom had looked so upset. She finally came back to get me, and it was like nothing had ever happened. She put me on her lap, and told me that she loved me and that SHE was sorry. She felt she set a bad example by being so unforgiving.
“Remembering that made me think of what I did to you. You did something wrong, but you understood that it hurt me. You tried to make things right and I just shunned you. I regret it. In my pride I forgot what was the most important thing. What’s most important of what my mom left behind aren’t those ashes, but what she left behind in me right here.” She pointed to her heart. “I’m really sorry for what I said. You are still very precious to me. Can you ever forgive me?”
Scootaloo nodded, finally returning her hug. “Yes! I forgive you! I’m sorry for breaking the rules and that trophy. You know, I bet we could get Twilight to fix it up. She’s good with magic.”
“Yeah,” she said warmly. “We could do that.
“Scootaloo?”
“Yeah?”
Rainbow hesitated. “I have a confession of my own to make.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, because I was so mad I wanted revenge. I wanted to make you hurt like I did, so I started trashing your room.”
“O-oh? Well… we can always fix things up. If Twilight is coming she could help out with that too.”
“That’s not the important part. I found your diary.” She felt Scootaloo tense up immediately. “And I saw what you’ve been hiding from me. Your wings-”
Scootaloo ripped herself out of Rainbow’s grasp, a look of horror on her face. “No! No! No! No no no no no!” She began sobbing as she slammed her hooves into the ground. “It’s not true! You CAN’T know!”
Rainbow picked Scootaloo up off the ground. Scootaloo fought it, but Rainbow held the filly close to her again. “Scootaloo! There’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m not going to abandon you! I promise you that.” Scootaloo was shaking in her lap, but she had gotten quieter. “If there’s a problem with your wings we can work on it together. We’ll work on it every day if we have to. We can go to doctors or wing specialists or maybe even get surgery done, but you’re going to fly, kid! I’m not ever going to give up on you! You understand me? I love you, kid, and I always will. No matter how mad you get me we’ll always be sisters until the end of time. And as your sister I’m going to look out for you. You WILL fly, even if it kills me. Even if it takes the rest of my life. That’s my lifelong promise, and nothing is going to stop me from completing it. You got that?”
Scootaloo’s breathing got shorter and shorter until she was almost gasping for breath, tears brimming down her eyes. They pouring down her closed eyes before she lost control, sobbing her heart out as she held closely to Dash. Her sister, her friend, her coach, her idol. “T-t-thank you! Thank you, Rainbow Dash! You’re the best sister ever!”