"Hey, Apple Bloom?"
"Yeah, Sweetie Belle?"
The two Crusaders were patching the roof of the clubhouse, which had been damaged by a fallen tree limb after a heavy storm. Scootaloo had left a few minutes earlier, saying she needed to be home early.
"Where does Scootaloo live?" Sweetie asked.
Apple Bloom paused in the middle of hammering a nail. "Umm...you know, Ah ain't really sure," she said. "Ah heard somepony say she was an orphan, but...there ain't even no orphanages in Ponyville!"
"Maybe she lives at an orphanage in Cloudsdale?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"That's just silly," Apple Bloom replied dismissively. "If she lived in Cloudsdale, what would she be doin' goin' t' school in Ponyville? 'Specially since she can't fly an' all."
"Oh yeah. Huh." Sweetie frowned. "So where DOES she live then?"
"Why don't we ask 'er tomorrow?"
* * * * *
As soon as Cheerilee dismissed class Friday afternoon, the Cutie Mark Crusaders immediately gathered in their customary spot. "So, what're we doing to earn our Cutie Marks today, girls?" Scootaloo asked eagerly.
The other two glanced at one another. Sweetie Belle tilted her head in Scootaloo's direction. Apple Bloom nodded, turned to Scootaloo, and asked, "Actually, we was thinkin'...we should meet up at your place!"
Scootaloo flinched. "Um...my...place? As in...my...house? Where I...live?"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle said. "I mean, you've been to my place and Apple Bloom's place plenty of times, and we've even slept over at Fluttershy's place and the library, but...we've never even been to your place! We don't even know where you live!"
Scootaloo giggled. "Aheh...well...um...I'm an orphan, of course! Everypony knows that! I don't have a home!"
Apple Bloom frowned. "Scootaloo...there ain't no orphanages in Ponyville. An' no orphans, neither."
Scootaloo's ears dropped. "S-sure there are! It's um...it's..."
"It's where?" Apple Bloom challenged, stepping forward. "Go on, tell us where the orphanage is."
Scootaloo dropped her head. "Okay, you got me."
Her friends glanced at one another. "So...what's the real story, Scoots?" Apple Bloom asked.
Scootaloo sighed. "It's...hard to explain."
"But you really DO have a home and a family, right?" Sweetie prompted.
"Yeah, I do," Scootaloo said unenthusiastically.
"So take us to your place and let us meet your folks!" Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo shook her head. "It's...not that simple."
"You don't want your family to meet your friends?" Sweetie Belle asked, face scrunched up in a perfect imitation of her sister's best pout.
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "It's nothing like that. It's just..." She sighed. "Tell you what. Meet me at Princess Twilight's castle tomorrow morning, and...and then we'll go to my place."
The others looked at each other. "Why can't we just go now?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Because...it's...well...just wait until tomorrow, okay? Please?" Scootaloo pleaded.
"Oh, alright," the others pouted.
* * * * *
When Scootaloo was through playing for the day, she rode her scooter out to an empty field to the southwest of Ponyville. After a few minutes' wait, a beautiful carriage of gold-painted mahogany draped in silk finery descended from the sky, pulled by a stately grey pegasus with a white mane and mustache who wore a stuffy tuxedo jacket and black bowtie. "Did you have a good day, Young Miss?" he asked.
Scootaloo sighed. "Yeah." She stepped into the carriage. "But tomorrow may be kinda bad..."
* * * * *
The instant Scootaloo stepped through the front door, a bright yellow pegasus mare in a navy blue maid outfit descended upon her. "Welcome home, Young Miss," the maid said. "Let's just make you presentable..."
"Do we gotta?" Scootaloo asked with a disgusted groan.
"Yes, we 'gotta'," the maid clucked, rolling her eyes.
Ten minutes later, Scootaloo was clad in a gown of fine gold silk which fell about her in great waves, pooling around hooves which were shod in soft slippers of the same material. Her mane had been restyled into a series of tight ringlets. To the sound of constant subtle prompts from the maid ("A-hem", "Tsk...",) Scootaloo gracefully ascended a long, winding spiral staircase framed by glistening rainbow falls and pristine columns. After fifteen minutes of climbing, she emerged into the cavernous foyer of her family home. The butler, who had simply flown up to the mansion proper while she was being dressed, cleared his throat and announced, "The Young Miss has returned from school."
"Thank you, Silverbolt," a clear, crisp female voice echoed in the foyer. A silver-white mare with an artfully styled pile of powder blue tresses, draped in fine silver silks, glided into the room. She smiled at the filly. "Welcome home, Sunrise. How was school?"
"School was fine, Mother," Scootaloo said. She fidgeted.
"Is something the matter, dear?"
The little orange pegasus sighed. "My friends...want to come over tomorrow."
The elegant mare's eyes gleamed, a smile blossoming on her face. "How delightful! I do look forward to meeting your friends. I will clear my schedule for tomorrow so that I can learn all about the fillies you spend so much time with."
Scootaloo grimaced. "There...are a few things I need to tell you first, Mother," she said.
* * * * *
The early morning was crisp and bright when Scootaloo met up with her friends at the castle. "Okay, we're here!" Apple Bloom said cheerfully. "We're ready t' go t' yer place, Scootaloo!"
Scootaloo looked at her friends and swallowed nervously. "We'll need to see Twilight before we leave," she said.
"Huh? Why?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Scootaloo rubbed the back of one hoof with another. "Well...the thing is...I live in Cloudsdale. You two can't...actually even walk in my house."
The other two fillies exchanged a glance. "You really live in Cloudsdale?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yeah," Scootaloo said. "But I know that Twilight knows a cloud-walking spell that'll let you two spend the day in Cloudsdale."
"Awesome!" Apple Bloom said. "Well, let's get right to it!" She knocked on the door. After a moment, Spike answered.
"Oh, hey there," he said. "What's up?"
"We need to ask Twilight for a favor," Scootaloo said.
Spike frowned at her. "Princess Twilight," he amended. "Show some respect."
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Just let us in already."
Upon hearing their request and the reason for it, Twilight was all too happy to accomodate them. She also insisted on accompanying them, partly out of curiosity and partly to make sure the spell held up for the full duration. Despite Scootaloo's panicked protests, a grand chariot had soon arrived, pulled by two of the Canterlot Royal Guard, and Twilight and the three fillies had boarded. With a sigh, Scootaloo supplied the guards with the address for her home in Cloudsdale.
One of the guards glanced sharply back at her, eyes wide. "But that's—!"
"Just...get us there already. Please?" Scootaloo asked resignedly.
As the chariot lifted into the sky, headed for Cloudsdale, a rainbow-maned shadow trailed behind it...
* * * * *
"So Scootaloo," Twilight asked as the chariot soared through the morning sky, "why do you go to school in Ponyville if you live in Cloudsdale?"
"It's complicated," Scootaloo said.
"Is it 'cuz you can't fly?" Apple Bloom asked, concern in her voice. "Do the fillies an' colts in Cloudsdale tease you?"
"Oh, no...they wouldn't dare," Scootaloo said. "Er, I mean..."
"Hey guys! What's up?" Rainbow Dash's voice intruded. Scootaloo let out a squawk of panic.
"Oh, hi Rainbow!" Twilight said pleasantly. "We're headed for Scootaloo's house. Why don't you join us?"
"The squirt's place, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked, grinning. "Yeah, I'm down with that." She plopped herself in the front seat next to Twilight.
"Ack!" Scootaloo yelped. *Not good, not good...*
"We're almost to Cloudsdale," one of the guards said. As the sprawling cloud city drew near, the guards swung the chariot around, rising above the cloud lanes where dozens of pegasi soared to and fro, and glided toward a section of Cloudsdale Twilight couldn't remember having visited on her previous trip. They ascended gently; before them lay a massive pile of fluffy clouds, the highest, tallest clouds Twilight had ever seen.
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "Uhh...why're we goin' to Cumulus Court?" she asked.
"Because that's where I live," Scootaloo said simply.
Rainbow's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?!"
Scootaloo looked away, eyes downcast. Twilight frowned at her. "What's wrong?"
"It..." Scootaloo sighed. "I'll explain it when we get to my place." She looked up, and nodded. "We're almost there."
Her friends gasped in awe at the immense cloud mansion which stood at the apex of the tall cloud bank. Seventeen separate layers of cloud, stacked in a seemingly haphazard pattern, supported by pristine pillars and connected by dozens of spiral staircases. Each layer sported rows of immense, open windows. The entire structure was dotted by dozens of pools of shimmering morning mist, fountains that sprayed fine sheets of rainbow dozens of feet into the air, and a large pond full of a golden, glowing substance Twilight couldn't immediately identify.
The chariot approached the lowest layer and glided to a halt. "Okay, everypony out," Scootaloo said tonelessly.
Apple Bloom gasped. "Scoots...this is where you live?!"
Rainbow Dash was staring speechlessly at Scootaloo, wings rustling.
The massive front door opened, and a grey pegasus in a tuxedo glided out. "Welcome home, Young Miss. These must be your...friends..." He trailed off as he espied Twilight. His mouth worked speechlessly. "Your Highness," he said, kneeling. "This...is most unexpected."
"Escort our guests to the receiving room on the third strata, Silverbolt," Scootaloo said. "You know April Showers won't even let me upstairs until I'm...decent."
The butler nodded absently. "Y-yes...right away, Young Miss." Turning to the others, he said, "If you would all please follow me...right this way..."
"Scootaloo? What's going on here?" Sweetie Belle whispered as they trotted through the door.
Scootaloo hung her head and turned away, trotting glumly away from her friends and toward an anxious-looking maid.
"Ah don't understand any of this! Where th' hay are we, an' why th' hay is Scootaloo orderin' this guy around?" Apple Bloom demanded loudly, earning a cross look from the butler.
"This place is like a palace," Sweetie Belle said, staring all around at the high ceilings, gleaming columns, and fine tapestries.
"Rainbow Dash," Twilight asked quietly, "is Scootaloo's family...well...important?"
Rainbow Dash swallowed nervously. "You have no idea, Twi," she said. "And I had no idea either. If I'd known the squirt was..." She shook her head. "But...it doesn't make sense!"
The butler, Silverbolt, coughed. "Perhaps I should explain while we wait for the Young Miss and the Madame?"
"Please do," Twilight said gently.
Silverbolt remained silent until they reached the top of the second spiral staircase, turned right, and walked into a large room lined with plush sofas and chairs. Two maids stood by, a tea service already prepared for the guests. As the maids poured tea and the mares and fillies seated themselves, the butler finally spoke:
"The Young Miss is the daughter of Summer Storm, owner and general manager of the Wonderbolts, and Commandant of the Pegasus Guard Academy."
* * * * *
Scootaloo, once again in her fine golden silk gown and slippers and with her hair rearranged, stood nervously outside the receiving room doors. Her mother stood beside her, a gentle yet eager smile on her face. "Why so nervous and glum, Sunrise?"
"In about five minutes, my two best friends in the whole world and the pony I look up to as my idol are going to hate me forever," Scootaloo replied glumly.
"Oh, now..." her mother chided. "I'm sure it won't be as bad as all that." She pushed open the doors and was about to step in when she caught sight of a guest she hadn't been expecting. She gasped and retreated quickly. "Sunrise! Why is Princess Twilight Sparkle here?!"
"Um...she wanted to come with us?" Scootaloo offered.
Her mother took a deep breath, and her gentle smile returned to her face. "I wish you had warned me sooner, dear." Steeling herself, she pushed the doors open again and strode in, Scootaloo at her side.
Silverbolt coughed. "Madame Morning Dew and Young Miss Sunrise," he announced. "Here to receive the Princess Twilight Sparkle and entourage."
"Thank you, Silverbolt," Morning Dew said. She approached Twilight and knelt. "Your Highness."
"There's no need for that," Twilight said. She looked at Scootaloo. "Sunrise?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Scootaloo shifted nervously. "Um. Yeah. Thing is..." She looked over at her friends. "Scootaloo isn't my real name. It's just...a nickname, kinda. My real name is Sunrise."
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle blinked. "Huh?" Apple Bloom asked, tilting her head. "Why wouldn't you tell us your real name?"
"Because she didn't want anypony in Ponyville to realize how rich and important she really is," Rainbow Dash said, voice full of wonder and realization. "Am I right?"
Scootaloo nodded. She looked around at her friends, then looked down at the floor. "My dad...he's the most important pony in Cloudsdale." She gestured at herself. "Ever since I was a little foal, every day I've had maids dressing me and teaching me how to be a refined high-society pony.
"But...I just wanna be a normal filly," she said. "With normal friends and doing normal things. But I could never have a normal life here in Cloudsdale. I'm the daughter of Summer Storm. It's..." She frowned. "I'd be like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. You know...somepony you only hang out with because they're important."
"Scootaloo..." Apple Bloom said quietly.
"So I talked it over with Mother," Scootaloo said, "and we worked out a way that I could have a normal life, with normal friends."
"It was mostly her idea," Morning Dew said. "She even chose Ponyville specifically because it was the most ordinary town she could find."
"Hold up," Sweetie Belle said. "So...you're the daughter of a really rich and important pony here in Cloudsdale, and you have this whole other life here where you wear fancy dresses and have butlers and maids and stuff, and then you come down to Ponyville every day to go to school and hang out with us and do crazy stuff and get covered in tree sap?"
"Yeah, that about sums it up," Scootaloo nodded.
Twilight frowned. "Wait. Rainbow Dash, how is it you never recognized Scootaloo as Sunrise?"
Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her head. "Honestly? I've only ever heard the name Sunrise before. She's...never actually been in any newspapers, or..." She shrugged. "I've never actually seen Summer Storm's daughter."
"We do like to have some privacy where possible," Morning Dew said. "And Sunrise spending her days living anonymously in Ponyville does help keep her out of the same spotlight her father and I share."
Scootaloo gave her friends a pleading gaze. "Are...are you mad at me?"
"Heck no!" Apple Bloom said.
"Why would we be mad at you?" Sweetie Belle asked. "You're still our Scootaloo, even if you're super-rich and have a crazy double life."
Scootaloo smiled gratefully at her friends...then looked over at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash, I..."
Rainbow Dash looked slightly away, a sheepish expression on her face. "Heh...I guess you don't really need me to look out for you after all, huh?"
"Are you kidding?" Scootaloo asked. "You're STILL the most awesome pony I know!" She dug her silk-shod hoof into the floor. "Please...please don't stop being my 'big sis'?"
"She does respect and adore you quite a bit, Rainbow Dash," Morning Dew said. "You're practically all she talks about...when she's not talking about her little friends."
Rainbow perked up, smiling. "Well then...that settles it. We'll just have to keep hangin' out and doing stuff together like sisters, won't we?"
"Hooray!" Scootaloo cried, throwing her hooves up in the air and rushing over to hug Rainbow Dash. Her friends joined in the hug a moment later.
* * * * *
At the end of the day, Scootaloo bid farewell to her friends and Twilight as they boarded the carriage to return to Ponyville. Rainbow Dash had decided to stay overnight.
"Please don't tell anypony the truth," Scootaloo pleaded as she said goodbye to her friends. "I don't want my life in Ponyville to change."
"Don't fret none. We won't say a word," Apple Bloom said. "We already told you half a dozen times...it don't matter who your family is or how fancy your house is. You're still our Scootaloo."
I love this!
Trading one meme for another? I suppose I haven't seen that much stories where one is secretly absurdly rich. I do agree that there's a lot of potential here. Oh and I only saw a lil' typo:
What's FPC by the way?
3591415 It's not necessarily "trading one meme for another", since there IS no "Scootaloo is rich" meme. Though the concept of a character concealing their actual wealth and status for personal reasons is far from original (hell, DISNEY'S done it.)
Thanks for the typo catch. Fixed.
FPC is Family Planning Center.
Come on! Get featured dammit!
There like and dislike buttun but still great story
This story is, AMAZING! TIS A ROYAL DECREE!
and there are actually (though not many) quite a few stories like this where scootaloo is actually an important pony.
3591463 ....I'm a bit confused by your comment, but thanks?
3591524 Huh, really? I've never seen one where she even actually has a family, other than "Many Secret Origins".
Glad I'm not the only one who's thought of this before I mean we don't know anything about her family at all, why do we assume she doesn't have one or they're not doing well? Scootaloo hates the two rich fillies in school, it's perfectly reasonable that if she were rich she'd hide it, so this is just as likely as the orphan Scootaloo stories.
Definite shift from the standard 'Scootaloo as Child Protective Services' themes. Could use a little development but Grimdark is indeed not required.
Now all we need is May Flowers and we're set.
I like the idea behind this. Will be watching. Although if you'd like to read a Scootaloo family story, I'd suggest this one, Scootaloo's Family. Good for a laugh. And not all the orphan Scootaloo stories are bad. A Taste of the Good Life is a good example imo. But until they introduce her family, there's going to be more and more. Especially after three seasons to do so.
This is one of the best storiesI have read and I have a question
has anyone asked yet?
(sorry if I am being to nosy)
3591677 It's been up about 3 hours. So no, not yet.
Congrats on your feature!
Uh, just one teensy problem: Scootaloo said she'd LIKE to be like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon; shouldn't it be WOULDN'T like?
I agree with you I hate orphan stories the only other Scoots story like this is a odd cross,
They believe she's a orphan, or just a runaway, and she is for the most part until she starts getting taken care of by someone who found her in his newly bought property during a storm.
3591694
ok because I was thinking about asking but I am not so sure.
3591651 I agree, Taste of the good life was really good. More than Id expect from scootaloo being an orphan stories.
3591738 You misread something somewhere:
There was no "like to" there.
3591539 um scootamom, the seven tribes, she finds her family (but only because they gave her away) and a few others ill look for the titles. though im writing one where she is an orphan im taking it a different way, im a bit bored of her living in that clubhouse...
Well it certainly beats the Orphanloo and Scootabuse fics that are so damn popular, though I was half expecting "Sunrise" being her mother alias...
So far you seem to be doing just fine, of course this might explain why she gets so annoyed with Diamond and Silvy. She might be rich but she knows how to act
3591758
Oh. Sorry, misread it.
3591816Scootamom is a good one and you can NOT get any more important parent and family then in that one I've always loved that first intro to her aunt dive bombed from above
3591970
yeah that was a good laugh at the spit and sputter of Scoot's mom
nice story! so like, fave and follow
i do like the orphan scootaloo storys but i don't thank shes an orphan in the show but uhh good job
Well, 9 outta 10 for originality. I don't mind Orphan Scootaloo stories, but they are getting very repetitive and cliche. This is a nice...and promising...change of pace. I look forward to more.
3591704 Thanks! Wow, it must've hit the nonclop box a lot faster than it hit the regular box.
Well, in my tale, Scootaloo was an orphan, but is soon adopted into the family of a certain pony we all know and love. But I like this idea: it's a very clever subversion of the usual trope.
can't wait for more
Not the first time I've seen the the orphan Scoot meme subverted and it won't be the last. Still a good story, even if updates are not likely.
Well, as the unofficial expert of Scootaloo origins, I have to say you did a really good job with this. The plot is very interesting, you did well to keep it from going into gloom and doom territory (so easy to make her rich but her parents ignore her) and I personally think you were smart to deal with the reveal as fast as possible, so that you could build on this more, should you choose, and go in interesting directions. Some minor structure hiccups (mainly a few sentences where you could have combined two to get one nicely flowing single sentence) but nothing major.
Well. This is a great story. Love it. Hope to see the next chapter soon.
@MythrilMoth...
1. I agree that this is a good alternative take on the fan-popular pegasus filly's origins. Though to be fair, there are also a number of really good Scootaloo-orphan/-adopt stories out there too.
2. I think it was overdone to have Scootaloo's family being the owners of The Wonderbolts in addition to everything else. Being incredibly wealthy, near-royalty, and Commandant of Pegasus Guard Academy, throwing in ownership of The Wonderbolts (with what it means between Rainbow Dash & Scootaloo) is seriously pushing against the reader-acceptance borders with loud cracking noises.
You could tone it back some, and use for later in-story, such as The Wonderbolts being on friendly & respectful terms with Scootaloo's family (through said Pegasus Guard Academy or other). This would provide even more dramatic tension scenes between Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash (example scene: tensions mount between the "sisters" when Captain Spitfire bows before "Lady Sunrise" in deference, right in front of Flight Cadet Rainbow Dash...).
.
3. It was a nice touch to include Princess Twilight, it added a good counter-balance to the revelation. It goes to show that as wealthy & powerful Scootaloo's family is, that they can still be out-ranked and flustered at who Scootaloo knows in "ordinary" Ponyville. So whether intentional or not, good job with that bit.
I want pony ville to find out in later chapters and thank you this is just the story I have always wanted.
Thank you. I mean really, thank you. I'm so worried abou the next Scootaloo episode and how they're going to address her flight that... this was something I really needed to cheer me up.
Great!
3591970
I disagree, actually, considering the number of corporate CEOs who own sports teams.
Ok, you got my interest.
Yeesh, Mythril, what's with all the stories lately? Get fired or something?
3592264 Just easing back into writing after a little recharge.
(Claps) Something new! YAy!
3591539 Somepony already mentioned Scootaloo's Family, where her family is utterly ordinary, and I also subverted the trope with Scootaloo's Secret, where her life is secretly awesome. There's a few more examples out there, but I'm always up for more happy Scootaloo stories.
3592362 I happen to be in the middle of reading Scootaloo's Family right now, and I like it. :)
...I see it as it was intended. Yes, it has possible continuation ability, but it fits better as a one-shot right now. If you do continue it, I'll be pleasantly surprised, but it probably won't be as good as this by itself.
3592373 Yep, that's about the size of it.
This is way better then any orphan stories. I'm bringing my own fanfic in the future but I haven't thought of a non-orphan idea for Scootaloo yet. But if you managed to find one, i'm sure I can find one too. This story goes straight to faves!
Too bad for you that Rich Scootaloo is the second-most popular Scootaorigin after Orphanloo and other related tales.