> Promises
>  by RaylanKrios
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> And I'll sleep well that night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It began as a Saturday afternoon like any other. In an effort to be a better honorary big sister to Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash had invited the orange filly over to her house to hang out, and maybe get some flying pointers. She had noticed that the orange pegasus had seemed somewhat moody and withdrawn lately, but every time Rainbow had asked if anything was bothering her, the filly had quickly responded that everything was fine. It’s probably nothing. Fillies are moody sometimes. Either way, surely an afternoon hanging with the most awesome pony in Ponyville would cheer the little filly up, right?

For the first hour of Scootaloo’s visit, it appeared as though her hypothesis had been correct. Scootaloo was happily buzzing around Rainbow’s living room on her ever-present scooter, and if you looked in the window you would never have guessed that anything was bothering the excited little pegasus. That illusion quickly shattered, however, when Scootaloo took a corner too quickly and slid into an end table, causing the small reading lamp on top to fall, splintering into pieces when it hit the ground. As soon as the lamp broke, Scootaloo began to cower on the floor, curling herself into a ball and trembling frantically. Her wings twitched nervously as she looked up at Rainbow Dash from behind her tail. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! Please, no…” she whimpered as she tried to shield herself with her tiny forelegs while tears started to fall down her cheeks.

“Overreact much, squirt? It’s just a lamp. I think I picked it up for like three bits at a garage sale,” Rainbow said, not entirely sure what was happening.

Scootaloo continued to lay curled up on the floor, her breathing rapid and shallow as she quivered behind her tail. Rainbow Dash looked at the fearful ball of fluff that had replaced her usually bold fan; something was clearly very wrong. Rainbow Dash took a step toward Scootaloo but that only elicited a terrified wail from the tiny filly.  Rainbow froze where she stood and sat down on her haunches. “Okay, kid… it’s okay... I’m not going to hurt you,” she said in a gentle whisper.

Scootaloo peeked out from behind her tail, still whimpering quietly. Rainbow smiled warmly at the little filly, trying to convince her that she was safe here in the cloud house. Truthfully, Rainbow wasn’t all that good with crying fillies; that was more Fluttershy’s territory, or maybe even Pinkie’s. Hay, even Applejack and Rarity had experience dealing with upset fillies. But for Rainbow, these were uncharted waters.

Instinctively, she reached out with a wing to try and comfort Scootaloo, but at the sight of the wing moving toward her, Scootaloo retreated behind her tail and began whining again. It was the most awful sound Rainbow had ever heard, worse than the crunch she heard when she broke her wing, and worse than the hateful laugh of King Sombra. It was the sound of a tiny filly who should never feel anything but warm and safe, begging the universe to spare her any further pain. Rainbow winced sympathetically and drew her wing back, folding it against her side. “The wing’s gone, see? It’s just me.” Rainbow again tried to smile warmly.

Scootaloo peeked out from behind her tail and saw Rainbow sitting there patiently, staring at her with soft eyes. “It’s just me kid. I’m not going anywhere and I’m not going to hurt you,” Rainbow whispered quietly, not wanting to scare the little filly any further. For a few moments, Scootaloo laid there, trembling with fear. Rainbow Dash just sat absolutely still as Scootaloo again peeked out from behind her tail. The terrified filly began to sit up, her ears pinned back against her head, her eyes never leaving the larger pegasus sitting in front of her.

“Hey there kiddo, do you wanna tell me what that was about?”

Scootaloo just stared at the ground and mumbled something unintelligible. Rainbow stayed rooted in her spot a few feet away from and leaned in slightly, hoping to hear Scootaloo better. “It’s nothing,” the filly repeated, louder.

Rainbow kept her voice as even as possible. “That wasn’t nothing. Talk to me squirt; what’s going on?”

The orange filly again stared intently at the ground, her eyes darting around the room, desperate to settle on anything other than the pegasus sitting in front of her as her wings began to twitch nervously. Scootaloo took a deep breath. “My mom’s new coltfriend moved in with us a few months ago. At first it was okay, but then he started… he... started… hitting me...” The admission that she was being hurt opened up a floodgate as all of the misery and anguish Scootaloo had kept bottled up for the past weeks came bursting out of her. Her eyes watering up, she clumsily stumbled into the waiting arms of her new protector. She buried her face in Rainbow Dash’s impossibly soft chest fluff and began to openly weep for the first time since her tragic misfortune had started.

Rainbow Dash began to tremble with rage as she held the tiny filly.  Ever since she was a filly herself she’d had a problem with bullies. It’s why she had jumped in to defend Fluttershy when they were in flight school, and why she had almost quit the Wonderbolts after witnessing Lightning Dust’s behavior. If there was one thing that Rainbow couldn’t stand, it was a bully; and the thought that somepony could possibly hurt a filly as gentle and awesome as Scootaloo made her blood boil. Keep it together, Dash. The feeling of the small filly pressed against her, clinging to her as though she was somehow capable of fixing everything, made Dash feel as powerful as Celestia herself; all she wanted to do with that limitless power was keep the cruel world at bay.

Rainbow Dash rested her head on Scootaloo’s, running her hoof through the soft purple mane while the tiny filly cried out her anguish, the tears matting Rainbow’s fur. After a few minutes, Scootaloo calmed down ever so slightly. Rainbow reached down with her wing and softly lifted Scootaloo’s chin up, looking the filly in her now puffy red eyes. “I want you to listen to me very carefully. This is me, Rainbow Dash, promising you that he is never going to hurt you ever again. Okay? I promise you that with every fiber of my being. I swear it."

Scootaloo nodded meekly, but then shook her head. “You can’t help me, Rainbow Dash. He’s a captain in the Royal Guard. I tried telling Miss Cheerilee, and some stallions came over to the house, but he just talked to them and they left. He said that he’d...” Scootaloo whimpered, “That he'd kill me if I ever told anypony ever again.”

Rage again surged through Rainbow Dash. She pushed it down deep, telling herself that she would deal with it later; for now, it was an unproductive emotion. “What about your Mom, Scoots?”

“I tried telling her once too, she didn’t believe me. He never leaves any marks; she thought I was just making up stories.”

The tiny filly began to tremble again as she flashed back to all those times in her room she had felt helpless. But this time, instead of trying to find solace in the cold, unfeeling embrace of her pillow, she buried her head in the comforting warmth of Rainbow Dash; it made her feel a little better. Rainbow continued stroking Scootaloo's mane as the tiny filly pressed herself as close as possible. Rainbow could feel her tiny heart beat rapidly, and it caused an unfamiliar tightness in her chest.

“I need you to tell me everything you know about this creep.”

Scootaloo remained still for a few moments, then nodded, rubbing her ear along Rainbow's blue fur. “His name is Lightning Strike. He moved to town a few months ago. I think he was promoted to Captain in the Royal Guard,” the tiny filly said between sniffles.

“A Captain, huh? Well, I know a Princess. C’mon, Scoots; we’re going to talk to Twilight.”

Rainbow gently lowered her head and allowed Scootaloo to climb onto her back. The filly wrapped her tiny forelegs around Rainbow’s neck and snuggled up against the soft prismatic mane. Confident that her precious cargo was secure, Rainbow flew towards Fluttershy’s cottage. Normally the trip would have only taken about ten minutes, but with a filly clinging onto her, Rainbow decided to fly at a more leisurely pace. While she told herself that her decision to fly slowly was for Scootaloo’s benefit, she couldn’t deny that a small part of her liked the feeling of the tiny pegasus snuggled tight against her. About halfway through the journey, she heard a voice in her ear.

“Aren't we going to talk to Twilight?”

“I’m going to talk to Twilight; I need you to stay with Fluttershy for a little while.”

That answer seemed to satisfy Scootaloo and the orange pegasus was silent for the rest of trip. Soon, Rainbow reached the edge of the Everfree Forest, where her oldest friend made her home. Rainbow lowered her neck so that the tiny filly could climb down, and knocked on the door.

When Fluttershy opened it, she was surprised to see her friend standing there with the small orange filly hiding behind her leg.

“Hello, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. What are you two doing here?”

“Hey ‘Shy, I need a favor; I need you to watch Scootaloo for a few hours.”

“Well sure; I’d be happy to watch Scootaloo, but what’s going on?”

“I can’t talk about it right now, but I promise I’ll fill you in when I get a chance. For now, can you just watch her for me?”

“Of course.”

Rainbow knelt down and gently placed a hoof on Scootaloo’s shoulder.

“You’re going to stay here for a little bit while I go talk to Twilight, but I promise I’m coming back.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “Please don’t leave, Rainbow,” the tiny filly wailed.

Rainbow Dash felt her heart snap in two at the tiny filly’s request. Before she could say anything, Fluttershy came over and gently draped a wing around Scootaloo.

“It’s okay, Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash will be back soon, and while we wait for her, we can have hot chocolate, and I’ll tell you all about what Rainbow was like when she was a little filly. Does that sound like fun?”

In that one moment, it was clearly evident why Fluttershy was the living embodiment of kindness. Her voice was so soothing and the concern in her eyes was so evident that even a traumatized Scootaloo knew that Fluttershy couldn’t possibly hurt her anymore than it could rain upwards. Scootaloo sniffled and nodded as Fluttershy gently ushered her inside.

“Thanks, ‘Shy. Listen, one more thing; no matter what happens, don’t let Scootaloo leave this cottage. I don’t care who shows up; Scootaloo has to stay here until I get back. Got it?”

“Rainbow, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

“I promise I’ll tell you all about it when I get back, but for now I just need you to do this for me.”

“Sure Rainbow, you know I’m always here for you.”

“Great. Thanks again ‘Shy.”

Satisfied that Scootaloo was in the safest place she could think of on short notice, Rainbow Dash sped off to Twilight’s house. When she reached the library, she was not surprised to find her alicorn friend curled up on the couch, reading a rather large book. As Rainbow Dash barged through the window, Twilight put her book down and regarded her friend curiously.

“Rainbow, what are you doing here?”

“Twilight, we need to talk.”


____________________________________________________


For Twilight Sparkle the hardest part about adjusting to life as a Princess was that now everypony always insisted on doing everything for her. Don’t worry Princess Twilight your meal is on the house, Oh I insist you go first your highness…. Just because she was a princess didn’t mean she had forgotten how to do things. It was true that she occasionally attended state dinners  where she was waited on, she worked very hard to let every pony in Ponyville know that they were not to give her any special treatment just because she had a crown in her closet. But for as much as she disliked ponies treating her differently she couldn’t help but notice that her status allowed her to help her friends in ways that non-Princess Twilight wouldn’t be able to. For example there was a shipment of rare silk that Rarity was expecting that was being delayed by a corrupt customs official waiting for a bribe. Student Twilight Sparkle would have been incapable of releasing the shipment, but Princess Twilight Sparkle was able to clear things up with a quick letter.  

Experiences such as that led to Twilight developing an uneasy relationship with her newfound power.  Long ago she had resolved never to use her status to satisfy her own desires, and she was very careful not to wield her influence capriciously; but when she did need to brandish her authority she wanted to be able to do it well. A careful examination of influential thinkers throughout history had led her to adopt a Machiavellian attitude toward power combined with the restraint of Ghandi. If you must wield power, wield it well but always wield it for a righteous cause. This philosophy allowed her to find balance within her new position. She didn’t like throwing her weight around, but Twilight Sparkle never did anything half-flanked and she wasn’t about to start now.

For a normally reserved bookish sort of pony, Twilight Sparkle could be downright terrifying when she was angry. And a guard captain abusing a helpless filly certainly qualified as one of the few situations that could make Twilight furious. After hearing Rainbow’s story, she marched directly into the barracks on the edge of town, blew the door off its hinges with a blast of magic, and demanded to see Captain Lightning Strike immediately. When she was informed that he was off duty and most likely at the Watering Hole, she refused the assistance of a messenger and insisted on heading down there personally. She then ignored any questions from the guards on duty regarding the situation and threatened a lowly private with exile if he didn’t tell her where the bar was immediately.

The bar that most guards frequented on their off hours was only a few blocks away from the barracks. By the time Twilight and Rainbow got there, Twilight had calmed down to the point where she didn’t feel the need to destroy another door. That didn’t stop her from kicking the doors open as hard as she could, however. The entire room turned to look at her as she stood in the doorway.

The Watering Hole was not a fancy establishment, to say the least. It was sparsely decorated with a few neon beer signs and wooden tables. A dart board hung on the back wall, scarred with errant shots of past games, and a jukebox rested near the door, though it looked like it hadn’t been used since the bar first opened. Lightning Strike was a large stallion with a hardened physique born of years of rigorous training. His coat was jet black with the exception of a white streak that ran down his back. His white streak also perfectly matched the color of his mane which he kept meticulously cropped close to his head. Despite his name, his flank was marked not with a lightning bolt, but a jagged-looking longsword draped in a simple blue flag. The captain of the Ponyville barracks was currently surrounded by a group of lower-ranking officers laughing at some anecdote their captain had just told.  When the Princess burst in, the captain waved a friendly greeting toward his liege lord.

“Welcome, your Highness! What brings you to our humble establishment? Can I interest you in a cider, perhaps?” the stallion asked with a large smile on his face.

Twilight ignored both the greeting and the offer. “I understand that you recently moved in with a mare and her daughter. Is that right?”

“Yes your highness. We’re very happy together.”

“My friend Rainbow Dash has just told me that it’s possible you’ve been abusing the filly.”

“Well, that’s simply not true. I love her like she’s my own.”

Rainbow Dash started to protest his denial but was quickly silenced by a glare from the still angry princess. “Are you calling my friend, bearer of one of the six Elements of Harmony and a savior of Equestria, a liar, Captain?”

“No, your highness. I just think she has gotten some bad information. May I ask where she heard this ugly rumor?”

“Scootaloo told me you sack of horse puck, I swear if-” Rainbow was again cut off with a glare from her friend.

“Ah, I see. The filly is making up stories again. I promise to have a talk with her when I get home. I’m terribly sorry you had to come down here on baseless allegations.”

Twilight nodded at the captain who had taken a more hostile posture than he had first adopted.“Scootaloo will be staying with  Rainbow Dash while we get this sorted out. I trust that won’t be a problem?”

“With all due respect, your Highness, she belongs with her mother and me.”

“And I think it’s best if she stays with Rainbow Dash. Is that going to be a problem?” Twilight told him with a hint of venom in her voice.

“Again, with all due respect, you don’t have the authority to do that,” the captain said as he returned the princess’ glare.

Twilight let out a derisive laugh at the mention of the word authority. “Very well then, who's authority would you like me to get? How about that of your commanding officer? I believe that would be Captain Shining Armor, I just call him Shiney because he’s my brother. But no, let’s go even further above your head. How about his wife Princess Cadence? Did you know she used to be my foalsitter? What about Princess Luna? She could certainly order you to let Scootaloo stay at Rainbow’s house. We’re not related, but I did save her from Nightmare Moon, so she kind of owes me a favor.” Twilight raised a hoof and gave an expression of having an idea. “Or, better yet, we could just take this straight to the top and just ask Princess Celestia. It wouldn't be a bother at all for me, Princess Twilight Sparkle and former protégé of Princess Celestia, to contact her and get a speedy response. So I’ll ask you one more time, Captain: is it going to be a problem if Scootaloo stays with Rainbow Dash until this mess is sorted out?”

The captain of the guard knew when he was beat. “Not at all, your Highness. I look forward to getting to the bottom of these hurtful lies,” he said with only a trace of anger in his voice.

“Good. Then we agree that there needs to be some answers here.” Twilight turned and began to walk away; satisfied that she had gotten her point across. 

As Rainbow followed Twilight out the door she turned to get one more look at the Captain who was hurting Scootaloo.  Much to her surprise instead of being scared or chastised he was smiling, joking with his subordinates as if nothing ever happened.  All the rage that she had kept bottled up began to stir, coalescing into a terrible storm that burned with a white hot intensity. She remembered how absolutely terrified Scootaloo had looked and contrasted it with how relaxed Lightning Strike appeared to be. No, he doesn’t get to smile like everything is ok. 

“I’ll catch up with you in a minute Twilight. I’m just going to use the bathroom,” Rainbow Dash said. Twilight regarded her friend with curiosity, but a stern glance from Rainbow Dash told her to just go along with it. She wasn’t crazy about leaving her friend alone in a bar surrounded by hostile stallions, but she also knew enough to not doubt Rainbow Dash when she got that look in her eyes.  “Okay. I’ll be right outside,” she said loud enough to ensure that everypony heard her.

Rainbow Dash walked up to Lightning Strike and stood muzzle to muzzle with the large stallion. “My friends are kind and gentle ponies. I’m not. Go near Scootaloo again and I will put your sorry flank in the ground,” she said without any emotion in her voice, but with the white hot storm of hatred burning in her eyes.

“Buck you. I ain’t scared of you, little bitch,” Lightning said without any trace of deference in his voice, now that the princess was no longer within earshot.

Rainbow ignored the stallion’s profanity and continued her emotionless decree. “The next time I see that little filly crying because you hurt her will be the last day you spend on this earth. I will slit your throat, dump you in a shallow grave and I’ll sleep well that night. Do you understand me? You think you’re special because you’re a captain? I’ve stared down changelings, dragons, and gods. I want you to remember that the next time you even look at Scootaloo.”

Lightning Strike wasn’t sure what to make of this pegasus staring at him with such vitriol. He didn’t quite believe her, but he had no doubt that she believed herself, and that was dangerous enough. Instead of responding he merely met her gaze with his own. The two locked eyes for a second, each one fully aware of the hatred the other pony felt. After a moment, Rainbow huffed and walked out of the bar where she found Twilight waiting for her.

“What do we do now?” the cyan pegasus asked.

“You go get Scootaloo, and I write FPS first thing in the morning. That’s all we can do for now.”

“Okay. Thanks, Twilight. You’re a good friend. Also, you were totally awesome back there; remind me never to get on your bad side.”

“Nopony messes with my friends,” Twilight said, as she affectionately nuzzled the pegasus next to her.

Since there was nothing else to be done for now, the two friends promised to meet up tomorrow and Rainbow raced back to Fluttershy’s cottage. When she got there, she found Scootaloo curled up in Fluttershy’s lap, sleeping peacefully as the larger pegasus gently stroked her mane. Tiny neighs of contentment slipped out past the filly’s lips, and for a moment Rainbow Dash forgot about the pain of earlier in the day. Fluttershy gently waved to her friend as she entered, neither of them wanting to wake the sleeping filly. Rainbow Dash sat across from her friend, a weary look set upon her face as she let the day's troubles finally catch up to her.

Fluttershy broke the silence first with a soft whisper.  “Rainbow Dash, I love you, and you know that I would do anything for you, but I have never seen anypony as frightened as Scootaloo was when you brought her here. So, as your friend, I’m asking you to please tell me what is going on.”

“She’s being abused Fluttershy. I took her here because I needed to drop her off someplace safe, and I couldn’t think of a safer place for a scared filly than with you. Then, I went to Twilight because it turns out the creep who’s doing this is a captain in the guard, and I don’t know what I’m doing here, ‘Shy. I’m flying blind,” Rainbow said on the verge of breaking into tears herself.

“Oh, the poor little thing. I wish I could help, but I don’t know what else you can do. I do know one thing though; I know you won’t let anything bad happen to her.”

“How can you possibly know that 'Shy?”

“She loves you Dash, and I know you. You love her too. You’re just too scared to admit it.”


> Something I really don't want to ask you 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow Dash was stunned by Fluttershy’s statement.  I don’t love Scootaloo. Sure, I think she’s awesome, and obviously I want to protect her, but I’d feel the same way about any filly that was being abused. 

“Love can be scary Rainbow, but it’s a good kind of scary.  Everypony needs somepony special in their lives.”

“I don’t need the hearts and hooves speech ‘Shy.”

Fluttershy giggled. “I don’t mean it like that Rainbow.  Love teaches us about ourselves.  I think this could be a good thing for you.”

“Whatever. Look, it’s late and I don’t want to wake her. Would it be ok if she crashed here for the night?”

“Of course it is. I’ll go get some spare blankets, but you’re not going home are you?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, she’s sleeping, and I know she’ll be safe here. I figured I’d come get her in the morning.” As Rainbow said those words it occurred to her that she really didn’t have a plan for what to do after she confronted Lightning Strike.  If this were an errant storm cloud the solution would have been straightforward; kick cloud, cloud goes away, Rainbow goes on about her day.  Problems like that were simple; she was just now getting the sense that this wasn’t one of those types of problems.

“Rainbow, that little filly spent the entire night glancing at the door waiting for you to come back. You should be here when she wakes up.” Rainbow Dash was taken aback by the insistence with which Fluttershy admonished her.

“Ok ‘Shy, you’re right.  Hey, you don’t have a spare cloud lying around that I could sleep on, do you?”

“Sorry Rainbow, but the last time I brought a cloud into the house, the whole place smelled like mold for weeks. I’ll go get the blankets. They’re upstairs.” Fluttershy gently lifted the sleeping filly from her lap and set her down on the couch. Scootaloo twitched as her carefully constructed cocoon was disturbed, but she quickly re-established the couch as her new haven, snuggling into the cushion until she was just a tuft of purple mane protruding from a soft crater.

What kind of pegasus doesn’t sleep on a cloud? It’s like the best thing about being a pegasus, ‘cept maybe for flying. Ultimately, Rainbow was too tired to care that much. After the day she’d had, she would have slept on a pile of rocks and been thankful for the chance to do so. Fluttershy came down the stairs and gently draped a blanket over the sleeping filly. For her efforts she was rewarded with a soft mew.  

“For what it’s worth, I can’t think of a better pegasus for her to love,” Fluttershy said, as the two ponies marveled at the sleeping filly.

“Wow..umm..I don’t know what to say, ‘Shy,” Rainbow stammered.

“You don’t have to say anything; I know a little something about what it’s like when Rainbow Dash decides to protect you.”

Rainbow blushed at the praise. “Umm you know I love you, right ‘Shy?‘”

“I know.” Fluttershy gave her friend a hug, squeezing gently. “You should get some sleep. You’ve had a long day.”

Rainbow nodded as she broke away from her friend. Fluttershy scooped up Angel and carried him upstairs, leaving Rainbow alone with a sleeping Scootaloo. Rainbow lightly brushed the purple mane out of Scootaloo’s eyes, and laid down on the floor next to the couch. The last thought she had before she fell asleep was I hope I don’t let her down.

Rainbow woke up to a curious twitch pressing against her barrel. Celestia had just raised the sun and there was a serene quality about the atmosphere. The animals that spent the day at Fluttershy’s had not yet begun to arrive and Fluttershy herself was still asleep upstairs. As she slowly opened her eyes she noticed that at some point in the evening Scootaloo had moved from her spot on the couch and taken up residence on the floor tucked under Rainbow’s right wing.  Despite how terrified the filly looked yesterday, she presently looked as though she didn’t have a care in the world, nestled safely under the cyan wing.  The tiny filly’s eyes began to flutter and as she opened them a smile grew on her adorable face. “Rainbow Dash. You came back,” the filly said grinning but still somewhat groggy.

“Hey there squirt. I told ya I’d be back, didn’t I?” Rainbow said in the same half awake state.

Scootaloo nodded happily and snuggled closer to her honorary big sister. The two pegasi cuddled for the next hour as they dozed in and out of consciousness. The day’s momentum eventually got the better of them, and they were forced to acknowledge the cruel truth that perhaps it was time to wake up.  Rainbow Dash gently extricated herself from the tiny filly, and began to take inventory. She was a little stiff from not sleeping on a cloud.  As she flexed her wings she felt some residual soreness, but nothing that she couldn’t work out with a few wing ups and a lap around the field.  Far more troubling was what she was going to do about the filly sitting on the couch.  I made her a promise. But unlike a promise to not crash into the library any more, she had no idea how she would possibly keep this one.

As she was considering what exactly her next move was, Fluttershy came floating down the stairs, her ever present pet bunny in her arms.  “Morning girls, did you sleep ok?”

Scootaloo nodded happily.  Rainbow Dash made an exaggerated show of her discomfort, “I’m telling you ‘Shy, cloud beds.”

“Well, maybe I can make it up to you with breakfast.”

“You’re in for a treat, kid. ‘Shy makes the best hash this side of Cloudsdale.”

“I love hash, my dad taught me how to make it before he…” Scootaloo’s voice trailed off.

“Oh, that’s wonderful. Why don’t you get started, and I’ll come join you in a minute.”

The distress that flashed across Scootaloo’s face disappeared as quickly as it arrived and the tiny filly hurried to toward Fluttershy’s well stocked kitchen, her wings buzzing furiously.

“How do you do that ‘Shy? You always know just how to make anypony feel better.”

Fluttershy shrugged, “It’s a gift.” If any other pony had said that Rainbow would have accused them of bragging, but coming from Fluttershy it was just stating a fact. “Have you thought anymore about what you are going to do?”

“Yeah, I didn’t come up with anything. I need to talk to Twilight. Do you think you can watch Scootaloo for another few hours?”

“She’s a wonderful filly. I’d be happy to.”

“Great, and ‘Shy? Please keep her safe, ok?”

“Wild dragons couldn’t drag her away.” A look of fear flickered across Fluttershy’s face as she pictured actual dragons knocking on her front door. “Dragons aren’t going to come looking for her, are they?” Rainbow shook her head as Fluttershy let out a relieved sigh. “Good. But you are staying for breakfast first.”

“ ‘Shy-”

Fluttershy’s voice took on a motherly tone, “Rainbow, you are no good to anyone if you run yourself ragged. Now you are going to sit right here while Scootaloo and I make breakfast and then you are going to eat it. Twilight will still be there afterwards.” 

Rainbow Dash knew it was pointless to try and argue with Fluttershy when she went into caregiving mode, and truthfully she really did love Fluttershy’s hash. The primrose pegasus used to make it for her all the time when they were in flight school, but despite numerous attempts, Rainbow Dash couldn’t seem to replicate the recipe in her own home. 

As Fluttershy guided Scootaloo around her kitchen, the gravity of her situation began to sink in. Rainbow couldn’t help but think that anypony else would be better suited to be Scootaloo’s protector. Fluttershy clearly knew how to keep the little filly from crying. Twilight was a princess, so she could simply declare things, and they would happen.  Rarity may not have had any formal power, but she knew a lot of well connected ponies. Rainbow had no doubt that, if she wanted something, Rarity would figure out a way to get it.  Applejack had neither power nor connections, but she had an earnest stubbornness, and refused to accept defeat.  Pinkie Pie...well Pinkie Pie was Pinkie Pie. Nopony wanted to see what she was capable of when she was angry.  Rainbow had gotten a quick glimpse of what had happened when Pinkie thought her friends had abandoned her, and that glimpse alone had convinced her that Pinkie was not a pony to be trifled with. But what can I do? Sure she was a great flyer but that didn’t seem like it would be useful in this situation.  She would have kept on brooding but a cheerful voice from the kitchen told her that breakfast was ready.

The three ponies ate breakfast while Scootaloo kept asking Fluttershy about all the animals that came to her place. Rainbow was grateful for the diversion because it meant that she didn’t have to tell the filly that she had no idea what she was going to do now. True to her caring nature Fluttershy could tell what was bothering her cyan friend and offered her a respite.

“Hey Scootaloo, I have a lot of animals coming over today and I could really use some help. Do you think you could stay for a few hours?”

“Sure. Is that ok Rainbow?”

“Absolutely squirt.” She looked at Fluttershy with a look of sincere gratitude and the yellow pegasus smiled in return. “I need to go run some errands. Y’know, boring type stuff.  I’ll see you when I get back.” She felt bad about lying to Scootaloo, but part of protecting somepony meant that sometimes you had to shield them from the truth. 

Rainbow Dash flew over to the library that doubled as Twilight’s residence hoping that her friend had a better idea about what to do then she did. If anypony knows what to do, it will be Twilight. Reading all those books has to count for something.  

When Rainbow Dash flew in through the library window Twilight was holding a piece of parchment with a worried look on her face. Wordlessly, she handed it to Rainbow.  The parchment read:

My faithful student,

Captain Strike has just informed me that you have ordered that his foal be removed from his home.  He further claims that you publicly and falsely accused him of foal abuse.  These are very serious allegations and I hope you would know better than levy such charges without evidence. Captain Strike has been a loyal guardstallion for many years and I trust him as much as I trust anypony.  You will return Scootaloo to Captain Strike’s care immediately. Your heart was in the right place, however your actions were unbecoming of a princess.  Foal Protective Services will conduct an investigation into Scootaloo’s living situation but until they find cause to remove her from her mother’s care she will remain at home as it should be.

Princess Celestia.

Rainbow started to shake as she read the letter again, hoping to find something she missed. “No Twilight, no. I won’t let them take her. I WON’T LET THEM!” At the thought of Scootaloo going back to live with Lightning Strike she began to grow hysterical.

“Rainbow calm down.”

“You didn’t see her Twilight. You didn’t see how scared she looked.”

“I believe you Rainbow, but I have to be able to tell Celestia something other than ‘Scootaloo said so.’  Did you see him hit her?  Were there any bruises on her?”

“No Twilight, he’s a very careful monster. That’s why I ha-why we have to protect her.”

“Where is she now?”

“She’s with Fluttershy.”

“Ok, go get Scootaloo and take her to your house. Wait for me there.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Something incredibly stupid, but it will only work if Scootaloo is at your house.”

“Twilight?”

“I need you to trust me, Rainbow”

Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure she had ever flown as fast as she did between the Golden Oaks Library and Fluttershy’s cottage on the edge of town.  When she got there she was relieved to see Fluttershy performing her usual administrations to her animals while a happy looking Scootaloo darted around her asking questions and trying to help. 

“Rainbow! You’re back early,” the excited filly exclaimed. 

“Uh, yeah. I decided I’d rather spend the day with my favorite filly then do some boring old errands.”

“Cool. Me and Fluttershy were just going to feed the chickens. Wanna come?”

“I have a better idea. How ‘bout you come home with me and we play battleclouds.” As she spoke to the orange filly, she shot Fluttershy a look that could only mean “I need to get Scootaloo out of here immediately”. 

Scootaloo jumped up and down, her tiny wings buzzing with excitement.  Suddenly she stopped. “Umm, do you still need my help Fluttershy?”

“Oh, I think I can manage from here. Thank you. You were a big help, Scootaloo.”

The tiny filly wrapped her forelegs around Fluttershy. “Thanks for letting me sleep here, and for breakfast.”

Fluttershy smiled one of her impossibly warm smiles at the tiny filly hugging her leg. “It was my pleasure, Scootaloo. You should go with Rainbow Dash now. Oh and she always plays one of her clouds on D1.”

“Great. Thanks ‘Shy,” Rainbow said with mock sarcasm in her voice, but sincere gratitude in her eyes.  Fluttershy knowingly smiled back. Rainbow leaned down and Scootaloo climbed onto her back again, using the prismatic mane as half pillow half safety harness. Because Rainbow’s house was on a cloud, it had a tendency to drift around. Today it was hovering near Rainbow’s favorite practice field; as an added bonus the ponyville barracks, and by extension Lightning Strike, were clear on the other side of town.

Unsure of exactly when Twilight would be meeting them, the two ponies settled in for a few games of battle clouds. Despite Fluttershy spoiling her not so secret strategy, Rainbow continued to use D1 as her base of operations. Halfway through the duo’s third game there was a furious knocking on the door.

“Rainbow, it’s me. Let me in.”

As Rainbow opened the door, Twilight rushed in and frantically pushed a piece of paper and quill at her. Scootaloo sat on the floor, apparently confused by Twilights sudden appearance.

“Sign this now! Scootaloo, go upstairs and don’t come out until I say so.”

“Twi what-”

“Just sign it!”

The urgency in Twilight's voice convinced Scootaloo that now was not the time to ask questions. The filly ran upstairs as fast as her tiny wings could carry her, and the two ponies downstairs heard a door slam. Rainbow Dash quickly scribbled a signature at the bottom of the page. No sooner had she handed the page back to Twilight when four pegasus stallions led by Lightning Strike kicked open Rainbow’s door. Lighting Strike was in full guard uniform and wearing a necklace that Rainbow could only assume allowed him to walk on clouds. The guards were in full tactical gear and carrying a set of very threatening looking spears.

“Rainbow Dash, you are under arrest for foalnapping. You will hand over the filly and come with us,” one of the guards said, as Lightning Strike looked on with a wicked grin.

“Wait, what? Foalnapping?!”

Twilight calmly placed a hoof on Rainbows shoulder, “I’m sorry captain, but you don’t have any jurisdiction here.”

“I am a duly appointed officer of Celestia’s guard. My jurisdiction is all of Equestria.”

“We’re not in Equestria.  As of ten seconds ago, this cloud and anything on it has been declared the sovereign territory of Dashville. And this,” Twilight held up the parchment now bearing Rainbow’s signature, “is a signed non aggression pact between Equestria and Dashville.” She handed it over to Lightning Strike for inspection. “You will notice that it has been signed by representatives from both Equestria,” she pointed to herself, “and the sovereign republic of Dashville. So, unless you are authorized to start a war on Celestia’s behalf, you will order your guards to stand down at once,” Twilight finished her explanation with a smile.  

Lightning Strike fumed with anger, growling loudly. The parchment was indeed a certified document from the Equestrian government declaring the cloud and any property on it under the jurisdiction of the newly formed kingdom of Dashville.  Furthermore, the non aggression pact signed by both a princess of Equestria and the monarch of Dashville prohibited any Equestrian soldiers from using any force while in the territory, or against any citizens or guests of the new republic. Any violation of this treaty would result in an immediate court marshal for the offending officers. To add insult to injury, as the aggrieved party, the sentence would be decided by the Dashville government. Despite the fact that everypony knew this was a spectacle, the fact was that the treaty was legally binding.  “This is a mockery of justice!” the aggravated captain spat out.

“Captain, I believe that you and your colts are invading my country. So as empress of Dashville I kindly request that you get your sorry flanks off of my cloud,” Rainbow said with a triumphant smirk.

“You heard the empress. Sorry colts, there’s nothing you can do here,” Twilight said with an equally satisfied grin.

“This isn’t over! You can’t hide behind the princess forever!” Lightning said shaking with rage. 

Rainbow Dash just scowled at Lightning Strike, “Get out.”

Realizing he had been beat again, Lighting Strike stormed out of the house, his colts following him.

“Twilight! That was brilliant!” Rainbow said as she enveloped Twilight in a hug after the door had closed.

Twilight let out a deep breath as she gently pushed Rainbow off of her, “Rainbow, that was a stunt. It bought us maybe one day before Celestia declares the whole thing null and void.”

Rainbow’s face fell as she realized Twilight hadn’t miraculously solved all her problems. “She’s going to be mad at you, isn’t she Twi’?”

Twilight shrugged, “If she didn’t want me using royal authority, she shouldn’t have made me a princess. Let me worry about that. ”

“Look Twi’, I’m sorry I got you involved in all this. I didn’t know who else to go to.”

Twilight shook her head “You have nothing to be sorry about.  You’d do the same for me.”

“You know I would. But Dashville, Twi’? Really? You gave me a kingdom and you couldn’t call it something cool?”

“Oh gee, I’m sorry Rainbow Dash. The next time I stretch the limit of my royal authority to declare your house a sovereign territory, I’ll make sure I name it something cooler.”

“Eh, I guess I can forgive you just this once.” The two ponies burst out laughing as the absurdity of their situation hit them. “Hey Twilight, wanna swing by Rarity-opolis later?" Rainbow said in between bouts of laughter.

Twilight tried and failed to contain a second round of giggling. “Sure. Maybe a delegation from Pinkie-town can send us some cupcakes for our summit.”

Twilights laughter caused Rainbow to laugh even harder, “and of course we’ll need a representative from Apple…loosa to join us.

“There already is an Appleloosa.”

“New Appleloosa then.”

“New Appleloosa it is.”

After another minute of riotous laughter the two ponies began to calm down. “Hey how’d you know Lightning Strike was going to try an arrest me?”

“I didn’t, but I figured that if you weren't a citizen of Equestria then Celestia couldn’t actually order you to hand Scootaloo over to that creep. And if whatever country you were a citizen of happened to have a non-aggression pact then Lighting couldn’t take her either. I’m just lucky I saw them heading over here and got here first.”

“Let it never be said all your reading and stuff didn’t come in handy.”

“Does this mean you’ll stop calling me an egghead?”

“Sorry Twi’ no can do. You’re just too adorkable.” Both ponies giggled at Rainbows well-known characterization of Twilight. “Seriously Twi, what are we going to do?”

“I’ve been thinking about that. FPS won’t remove a filly from her home without evidence, and we can’t arrest Lightning Strike without any evidence either, so we have to prove that he’s been abusing Scootaloo”

“How do we do that?”

“We need Scootaloo.”

“No, Twi, ….just no.  I’m not putting her through that.”

“Rainbow I don’t like it either, but if we can’t prove that she’s being abused FPS will take her back to live with Lightning Strike.”

“It’s not fair Twilight.  She shouldn’t have had to go through it in the first place and now you want to make her remember it.”

“You're right it’s not fair, but I’m out of ideas here. We need Scootaloo’s help to prove that she’s being abused.”

Rainbow Dash sighed, “Let me talk to her first.”

Rainbow Dash slowly walked up the stairs of her house to her bedroom.  It was the only door that was closed so she assumed that it was a safe bet that’s where Scootaloo had hidden herself. She slowly opened the door, “I heard his voice. Is he gone?” came a shrill voice from under the bed.

“Yeah kid, he’s gone. You can come out now.”

Scootaloo ran out from under the bed and leapt up into Rainbows forelegs, the force of her jump pushing Rainbow back a step. Rainbow cradled the tiny filly as she gave her a few moments to enjoy her relative safety.

“Hey, listen Scoots, Twilight and I are trying really hard to make sure that Lightning Strike never hurts you again …but we need your help.”

Scootaloo began to tense up, “What can I do?”

“I gotta ask you something I really don’t want to have to ask you. I need you to show me and Twilight exactly where he hit you.”

Scootaloo swallowed a lump in her throat. “I don’t want to. Please don’t make me.”

For the second time in as many days, Rainbow could feel her heart break at a plea from the small filly in her forelegs. And, for the second time in as many days, she was to forced deny that plea despite every instinct she had screaming for her to say yes.  Rainbow hugged the filly tightly against her chest, trying to choke back her own tears.

“Believe me, if there was any other way…” Rainbow whispered into the filly’s ear.

Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash.  “Why are you crying?”

“Because this isn’t right Scoots. You shouldn’t have to do this.”

“You’d do it; you’d be brave. I can be brave too,” Scootaloo said quietly.

Scootaloo wrapped her forelegs around Rainbows neck and the cyan pegasus carried her down the stairs where Twilight was waiting. When the duo reached the bottom of the stairs Rainbow Dash gently set the filly down in front of Twilight.

“Did Rainbow explain what we’re going to do?” Twilight asked gently.

Scootaloo nodded. “She said you need to know where Lightning hit me.”

Twilight nodded in return. “When you get hurt, your body heals itself. That healing is a type of magic. All magic leaves a residue, so if the injuries are…severe enough… I should be able to see the residue with a magic detection spell.”

“So you can tell every injury I’ve ever had?”

Twilight shook her head, “No, the residue fades after a while. The more severe and recent the injury the easier it is to detect. Here, I’ll show you. Remember when Rainbow broke her wing?” Twilight’s horn flared up and the bone connecting Rainbows wing to her barrel began to glow.  Rainbow winced as the memory of how it felt when she crashed into the ground surged to the forefront of her consciousness.  Twilight continued with her demonstration,  “That was a pretty big injury, and Rainbow’s body had to work very hard to heal itself. That’s why her wing lit up. When I was a foal I skinned my knee.”  Twilight’s horn began to glow again but her knee remained its usual lavender shade.  “That injury was pretty minor. It hurt, but it didn’t do any real damage, and it was a long time ago. That’s why nothing happened. Any magical residue from that injury is long gone.” There was a faint note of pride in Twilight's voice. Not that she was glad to be doing this, but explaining magical theory was her favorite pastime.  Even under terrible circumstances, she couldn’t help but enjoy the chance to share some of her knowledge a little bit.

Scootaloo, however, had noticed Rainbow’s wince, and began to grow scared. “Is this going to hurt?”

“It may sting a little bit,” Twilight said as gently as possible.

“I’ll be right here. Ok squirt?” Rainbow said as she gently squeezed Scootaloo’s hoof.

“Rainbow, you need to give her some space. Your body could mess with my spell. Whenever you’re ready Scootaloo,” Twilight said, mentally reading the spell she would need.

Rainbow retreated to a spot behind Twilight as Scootaloo bit her lip and nodded. “Sometimes he uses a piece of hose to hit my back.” The filly sat on her haunches and turned around. Twilight's horn began to glow and a faint pattern of ugly looking crosses began to appear on Scootaloo’s back as the filly let out a small whimper, but the pattern faded away as quickly as it had appeared.

“It’s not enough,” Twilight said, clearly distraught by the implications of the marks that ran up and down the filly.

“How can that  not be enough?!” Rainbow screamed, the panic in her voice growing.

Twilight tried to keep her voice from breaking. She didn’t like what was going on anymore then Rainbow Dash did, but it needed to be done, and Rainbow’s being mad at her wasn’t going to change that fact. “Because it’s not! Hoses don’t do enough deep tissue damage to leave a residue. I need a more severe injury to prove anything.”

Scootaloo turned around raised her right foreleg.” Sometime he hits me here”, she said pointing to the space connecting her leg to the rest of her body. 

Twilight winced preemptively and drew in a sharp breath. There were several nerve clusters in that area, and because it was hidden, any bruises that did form would be almost impossible for another pony to see if they weren’t looking for them. If you wanted to cause a lot of pain without anypony knowing, that was as good a place as any to aim for. Her horn began to glow again, and Scootaloo howled a pain filled sob, but her fur remained un-illuminated.

“Let me see the other side,” Twilight said as she gritted her teeth.

Scootaloo trembled as she raised her left leg. Twilight’s horn again flared up.  The filly let out a sharp wail. This time a faint line began to glow just under the recess between her leg and her body.

“Cracked rib,” Twilight whispered.

Scootaloo sat there whimpering loudly as Rainbow ran over and wrapped the filly in a warm embrace.  “It’s ok kid…it’s ok. I’m so proud of you,” she whispered into Scootaloo’s ear as she ran her hoof through the soft purple mane. “We’re done here,” she said as she turned to Twilight and fixed her friend with a look that left no doubt about what she would do if Twilight proceeded with her examination.

Twilight nodded. “It’s a start. I’m going to write to FPS. You should stay here with Scootaloo. As long as you stay on the cloud, Lightning can’t do anything.”

Rainbow nodded, giving the tiny filly in her forelegs a quick squeeze. “Why don’t you go get washed up, and when you get back I’ll make us a pair of my world famous ice cream sundaes.”

Scootaloo smiled through her tears and hurried off to the bathroom to wash her face. As soon as she was out of earshot Rainbow turned to Twilight. “I’m going to kill him.” she said with absolute certainty in her voice. 
 

> Why we tell stories about monsters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You don’t mean that, Rainbow.”

“Yes I do!  You saw what he did to her.”

“Rainbow-”

“I made her a promise, Twi’!”

“You can’t keep that promise if you’re in jail!”

“What am I supposed to do? Just sit here and do nothing?”

“We’re not doing nothing.  We can write to FPS. I can request Celestia transfer Lightning to a different barrack. I can-”

“He’s not going to stop just because you move him! Do you think the distance matters to stallions like that?”

“Rainbow, Scootaloo needs you. You have to start thinking about her. You don’t get to act out of anger; not anymore.”

“I am thinking about her! I’m thinking that if that monster doesn’t exist then she and everypony else will be better off!”

“Will you listen to yourself?!”

The two ponies were too busy arguing to notice that the tiny filly had returned from the bathroom and was standing in the hallway watching the two friends argue.

“You guys are fighting because of me…. this is all my fault,”  Scootaloo blurted out before Rainbow could respond. The room quickly fell silent as Scootaloo started to tear up.

“Hey, you c’mere.” Rainbow motioned for Scootaloo to sit next to her.  The tiny filly slowly walked over. Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches and scooped Scootaloo up in her forelegs. “None of this is your fault, Scoots. Not one little bit.” she said in a very gentle but stern tone.

“But if-”

“No buts, Scoots. Now let me hear you say it.”

“None of this is my fault,” the tiny filly said without much conviction.

“That’s right, so I never want to hear you say that again. Ok?”

Scootaloo nodded slowly. Rainbow Dash pressed her nose against the tiny filly and nuzzled her affectionately, “‘Atta girl.” In response to the nuzzling, Scootaloo rested her head on Rainbow’s shoulder and returned the favor.

Twilight smiled at the moment of domestic bliss. For somepony who didn't let her softer side show very often, Rainbow could be downright sweet when she did. “Rainbow and I just want to keep you safe, Scootaloo. That’s the only thing that matters. Friends fight sometimes; it doesn’t mean they’re not friends.”

“Okay, Twilight,” The filly said, keeping her head pressed tightly against her cyan pillow.

“You two should stay here for the rest of the day. I’ve got some letters to write.”

“Thanks Twi’.  Hey...I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

Twilight smiled at her friend, “Already forgotten.”

Twilight flew home after glaring at the two guards Lightning Strike had posted underneath Rainbow’s cloud to catch them on the off-chance that they tried to leave the safety of Dashville. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo spent the rest of the day playing games, making a mess, and generally behaving as though all was right in the world, despite the obvious evidence to the contrary. Figuring she should enjoy her newfound power while it lasted, Dash officially knighted Scootaloo as Chief Scooter Rider of all of Dashville, a position the filly took quite seriously.  Eventually the hour grew late and Rainbow noticed the little filly’s eyes start to droop.

“Okay, kid, it’s time for bed.”

“But I’m not even tired.”

“Tell ya what: if you go to sleep right now, I’ll let you have the cloud bed.” Rainbow had planned on giving the little filly the cloud bed anyway, but Scootaloo didn’t have to know that.

“Well... okay, I guess,” she said in a nonchalant tone that was completely betrayed by the excited buzzing of her tiny wings.

While Scootaloo brushed her teeth, preened her wings and ran through the rest of her pre-bedtime routine, Rainbow Dash set about preparing her room as a suitable place for the young filly to sleep. Normally, Rainbow’s idea of making the bed involved throwing the blankets to one side, fluffing her cloud pillow once and then jumping in while pulling the blankets over her, but somehow that didn't feel right tonight. Thinking back to when she was a filly and how her mom always insisted that she make the bed, Rainbow fluffed the cloud mattress and straightened out her comforter. She left one corner of her mattress exposed as an entry point and carefully fluffed her cloud pillow. She then took a step back and surveyed her work. Not up to Rarity’s standards, perhaps, but not bad.

To prove her point, Scootaloo came running into the bedroom and took a flying leap, landing on the forgiving cloud surface but completely negating Rainbow’s hard work in preparing the bed.  

“Wow, these are comfortable.”

“Told ya, squirt. Nothing beats sleeping on a cloud.”

Rainbow repositioned the blanket so that Scootaloo was securely tucked in the center of the bed, her head just sticking out from underneath the comforter.

“Hey…Rainbow,” the tiny filly said softly.

“Yeah.”

“I’m glad you’re my big sister…things don’t seem so scary when you’re here.”

Rainbow found the tightness in her chest returning. “I’m glad I’m your big sister too,” she said softly. Rainbow leaned in and kissed the little filly on the forehead before gently ruffling her mane. “Get some sleep, kid.”

After putting Scootaloo to bed, Rainbow found herself on the edge of her cloud looking up at the night sky.  Ever since she was a filly, she found peace in looking up at the sky, even before she could fly.  It was so vast. Whenever Rainbow was upset, she liked to imagine that she could just take off and fly all the way to the edge, and on a clear night like tonight she could almost see past the Appleloosan mountain range.  I could just take Scoots and run. It’d be easy for two ponies to get lost amongst all that blackness. As she pondered what it would be like to just disappear, she felt a very tangible presence land next to her.

“You appear troubled, child. Why so forlorn?”

Rainbow Dash turned to face the presence and saw a tall, regal blue pony standing over here.

“Princess Luna? What are you doing here?

“Every night, I take a leave from the castle to survey my realm, and on rare occasions I come across a pony taking comfort in the darkness. So tell me Rainbow Dash, why dost thou seek the solace of the night?”

Rainbow took a deep breath, “There’s this captain in the guard. His name is Lightning Strike. I know he’s hurting Scootaloo, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“I have met Captain Strike.  His heart is indeed dark.”

“Then why can’t you tell Celestia that he needs to be locked up?”

“I cannot judge a stallion by the content of his heart alone.  There are many who walk among us with dark hearts. If they struggle against their nature, who am I to deem them failures?  My own heart was black not so long ago. Every night I battle against my dark side, and every night that I resist its calling, the shadow that it casts grows smaller.  Perhaps one day it will cease to exist altogether.”

“You think Lighting Strike wants to be good?”

“Sadly, no. A heart that dark seeks no light; it seeks only to devour the suffering of others. But alas, I am prohibited from interfering in the affairs of Equestria’s citizens in the manner you have described.”

“If you can’t help me, what am I supposed to do?”

“Tell me, hast thou heard the story of 'Shepard and the Trolls of Tuchanka?”

“Yeah, everypony hears that story when they're just a foal. Evil trolls terrorize a village, a brave pony stands up to them, and the village throws a party.”

“But have you ever considered why we tell that story to our children?”

“Because it’s a good story?  But that’s all it is. Trolls aren’t real.”

“We do not tell our children stories about monsters so that our children become aware of monsters, Rainbow Dash. They already know monsters exist.  We tell our children stories about monsters so that they learn that monsters can be defeated.”

“But I’m not Shepard.”

“Shepard was just a pony who was forced to confront a great and terrible enemy she should never have had to face. It appears young Scootaloo has chosen you as her champion. Now you only need to believe in yourself as she does.”

“But what if she’s wrong? What if I let her down?”

“We must all risk failure if we are to triumph, but know that I believe that the young filly has chosen well.”

Rainbow Dash let the vote of confidence from one of Equestria’s most powerful mares sink in. “Thanks Luna-I mean Princess Luna.”

“Titles are not necessary, we are all royalty here.”

Rainbow Dash grinned sheepishly. “You heard about that, huh?”

“The look on my sister’s face when she learned of our new neighbor was priceless. For that alone, I owe you and Twilight Sparkle a debt of gratitude. However, I must be off now, child. The night is young; there is still much to do.”

Feeling slightly better, or at least a little more tired, Rainbow Dash went back inside only to find a frightened looking Scootaloo sitting on the bottom-most rung of the stairs.  

“What are you still doing up squirt? I thought I tucked you in already.”

Scootaloo stared at the floor. “I couldn’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see him.”

Rainbow walked over to Scootaloo and draped a wing around the tiny filly pulling her in close. “Do you remember what I promised you?” Scootaloo nodded meekly. “Well, I always keep my promises; you have nothing to be scared of. How about we go back upstairs and I tell you a bedtime story?  Have you heard the story of ‘Shepard and the Trolls of Tuchanka’?"

“Yeah… but I’d like to hear it again.”

Rainbow Dash picked Scootaloo up, carried her up to the soft cloud bed and set the filly on her back. She tucked the filly in again and began to recite the story that so many ponies like her had memorized from repeated tellings. “Once upon a time, there was little pegasus pony named Shepard. She had orange fur and a purple mane….”

> Counting the days
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow Dash woke up on her couch feeling stiff again.  I gotta get back to sleeping on cloud beds. That solitary thought set off an avalanche of questions. Do I need to buy a second bed? How long is Scootaloo staying here? Can I even take care of a filly? What about the Wonderbolts? Before she could further contemplate what other life changes may or may not be heading her way, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of tiny hooves skittering down the stairs. 

“Hey, Rainbow Dash, check this out!” Scootaloo said as she took a flying leap from halfway down the stairs, fluttering her wings furiously to control her descent.  Unfortunately, her flapping didn’t quite have the desired effect and the filly landed awkwardly, falling head first and becoming a gangly mess of tangled limbs and purple mane rolling to the bottom.

Rainbow hid her chuckle with a grimace as Scootaloo clumsily stood up trying to shake off the effects of her tumble. “Easy there squirt. Maybe you should work on gliding a little more before you go launching yourself off any more stairs.”

Scootaloo looked disappointed in her failure to impress her idol but she quickly brightened up. “So what are we going to do today, Rainbow Dash?” She said with a wide smile and impossibly optimistic eyes.

“Umm... I’m not sure.” It was a Monday; Scootaloo did have school, and Rainbow was scheduled to take a shift on the weather patrol, but Rainbow also knew that if she or Scootaloo left the house, they forfeited the protection that Twilight’s stunt afforded them.  Rather than deal with the possible implications of what the rest of the day might hold, Rainbow simply suggested, “How ‘bout we start by making breakfast?”

The two ponies went into the kitchen and began preparing eggs as though it was just another day. About halfway through, they were interrupted by a knock at the door. At the sudden intrusion, Rainbow instantly tensed up and instinctively put herself between Scootaloo and the door. Cautiously, she stepped forward, letting out a sigh of relief when she looked through the peephole only to see Twilight standing patiently in her doorway. “Hey Twi’. Have you heard anything?” she said as she opened the door.

In contrast to Rainbow Dash, Twilight was anything but relieved. “Princess Celestia is coming to Ponyville. She’s guaranteed you and Scootaloo immunity for the day so that we can get this worked out.”

“Aww, does this mean I have to go to school?” Scootaloo said from the kitchen.

“Yeah, Scoots, you have to go to school,” came Rainbow’s response.

“You’re not going to make me move back in with him, are you?” Scootaloo said as she came over and pressed herself close to Rainbow.

Twilight forced a smile, trying to mask her unease at the question. “We’re going to do everything we can to prevent that.”

Rainbow Dash tousled Scootaloo’s mane. “Hey, don’t worry, Scoots. This is me and Twi’ you’re talking to. Between her brains and my wings, we’ve got this covered. Now why don’t you get back to the kitchen; the eggs are going to burn.”

The little filly scurried away and Twilight looked at Rainbow with anxiety written all over her face. “Rainbow Dash, Princess Celestia is coming here personally. I don’t know what else I can do to protect you or her.”

“Hey, I’m as scared as you are, but she doesn’t need to know that.”

“I guess you’re right. The princess is meeting us at noon in the library. I don’t think she expects this to take long. ”

“What does that mean?”

“It means if there were ever a time for you to pull a miracle out of thin air, this is it.”

After a hastily scarfed down breakfast, Rainbow flew Scootaloo down to school, and after she took her place in the room, made sure to impress on Cheerilee the importance of not letting Scootaloo leave with anypony except her. For her part, Cherilee tried to explain to Rainbow the school's policy regarding who was allowed to take a filly out of school, but the urgency in Rainbows voice convinced her that maybe just this once she should let the policy slide.

Princess Celestia wasn’t scheduled to arrive in Ponyville ‘til later in the day, so Rainbow clocked in early for her weather patrol shift and cleared the clouds as she tried to keep busy. As long as she was doing stuff, her mind couldn’t wander too far. Nevertheless, as she flew from cloud to cloud, she couldn’t help but think about how terrified Scootaloo looked. It felt like a lifetime ago, even if it was only two days.  Rainbow wasn’t sure exactly how she was going to keep Celestia from ordering her to give back the young filly. She just knew she couldn’t let Scoots go back.

True to her reputation, Rainbow Dash was the last pony to arrive at the library at noon. When she got there, she found Twilight waiting with Princess Celestia, Lighting Strike and a pony she didn’t recognize. Scootaloo didn’t talk about her parents much, but at a cursory glance it was easy to identify the orange mare standing next to Lightning Strike as Scootaloo’s mother.  She had the same color coat as her daughter; her mane was a shiny black but she shared her daughter’s purple eyes.  Rainbow Dash found herself curious about what her cutie mark would be, but unfortunately she couldn’t quite make it out from her vantage point. She looked worried, whether that was because she was concerned about her daughter’s well being, or because she was standing next to Lightning Strike, Rainbow wasn’t sure. Captain Strike stood to the right of Celestia, a satisfied smirk on his face and a sinister gleam in his eye. Princess Celestia looked as regal as ever, as though it was impossible for her to be anything other than the most elegant pony in the room. Her face betrayed no emotion.

“Thank you for coming Rainbow Dash.  I must say I am surprised that a family dispute has risen to the level of international diplomacy, but here we are.” Celestia spoke in a tone that she usually reserved for visiting dignitaries. It wasn’t hostile, but there was a weight behind it, letting all who heard it know that the Princess was indeed the mare who united all of Equestria under her rule. Those who forgot that fact did so at their own peril.

“Now first off, Twilight Sparkle, I did not induct you into the royal court so that you could use your position to make a mockery of Equestrian Law. Scootaloo’s mother, Captain Lightning Strike and I would all like you to explain why you felt the need to create a new country inhabited by only one citizen.”

Twilight kept her voice remarkably calm, even considering that she was being chastised by her mentor. “Princess Celestia, you made me a Princess so that I could better protect the citizens of Equestria, and you sent me to Ponyville so that I could learn about friendship.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned about friendship, it’s that you stand by your friends, even if... especially if it’s hard.  Rainbow Dash is my friend and she needed my help. I’d do it again and I’d do a thousand times worse if she needed me to. It was the only way I could think of to help her.” 

Celestia cracked the faintest smile at Twilight’s explanation. It was hard to tell if she was more proud that her student stuck by her friends or that she stood by her convictions. “You have supported your friend admirably, but Scootaloo’s mother wants her daughter back and your actions are keeping them apart.  Here is what will happen:  Rainbow Dash, you will abdicate your 'throne' and dissolve your 'kingdom'.  In return Captain Strike has agreed to drop the foalnapping charge and forget this ever happened.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head solemnly. “I’m sorry. I can’t do that Princess; not until he gets locked up.”

Scootaloo’s mother spoke next. “Scootaloo has had a hard time accepting my dating practices ever since her father died. I’ve certainly never seen Lightning hit her. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. I ….appreciate… that you were trying to protect her, but she needs to come home now.”

“Captain Strike has served me with loyalty and distinction for many years. I owe him my life, and at the very least I owe him the benefit of the doubt. Now, you claim that he is abusing Scootaloo, but you can offer no proof; there are no hospital records to back up your story, no witnesses to the alleged crimes.  I will not take a daughter from her mother based on the testimony of one filly, no matter how frightened you think she is.”

Twilight spoke up. “Princess, I did a magical scan yesterday. Scootaloo had a cracked rib, if you would just let FPS conduct a full investigation-”

“C’mon, she probably got that from crashing into a tree.  How much more of this horseapple do I have to put up with?” Lightning Strike said, letting his anger slip through his otherwise calm veneer.

Celestia regarded Lightning Strike’s outburst with a faint sense of curiosity. “I have known Twilight Sparkle for many years, and while I have known Rainbow Dash for less time, nothing in her past has indicated to me that she is anything but as honest and forthright as Princess Twilight. I do not believe they would be so adamant if they were not truly worried, and I do not believe they would be truly worried if they did not have good reason to be.  I will let FPS conduct their investigation.  During that time I will allow Scootaloo to stay with Rainbow Dash, if you are still willing to care for her that is. If not, I can arrange for her to be placed into temporary foster care.”

At the mention of foster care, Rainbow Dash found herself getting defensive. Recognizing that now was not a good time to snap at the most powerful mare in Equestria, she swallowed her emotions and spoke. “No, I’d like to keep looking after her, if that’s okay.”

Celestia smiled warmly. “Of course it is. Now will you please agree to dissolve your newfound kingdom. Having a territory encapsulated in Equestria creates more problems than you or Twilight are aware of.” Rainbow Dash nodded, confident that Scootaloo would be safe for the time being without diplomatic immunity.  Celestia's smile was replaced with a stern frown as she turned to Lightning Strike. “Captain Strike, there appears to be enough here to warrant concern. For your sake, I hope you have not been lying to me.”

Lightning Strike gritted his teeth and nodded. Scootaloo’s mother turned and looked at Lightning Strike as though she was actually considering the possibility that Scootaloo had been telling the truth. A look of horror flashed on her face only to quickly disappear.  

“It is settled then. Now come, Twilight. It has been too long since we shared a meal. I wish to hear all about what you have been up to since last we spoke.”

Rainbow Dash quickly signed some papers that dissolved her kingdom. Twilight grinned happily and followed Princess Celestia out the door, presumably to a local cafe.  Scootaloo’s mother hurried away quickly, still shaken by a possibility that she refused to let take root in her mind. Lightning Strike also left, presumably to head back in the direction of the barracks.  With everypony else leaving, Rainbow Dash found herself alone. She breathed a sigh of relief; she had somehow managed to stave off disaster for at least a few days. Since she was technically done with her work for the day she figured she’d head over to Sugarcube Corner to bother Pinkie Pie, and maybe grab a cupcake for Scoots.  No sooner had she left the library then she found Lighting Strike waiting for her. The stallion glared at her with a rage that she didn’t know was possible.

“You think you’ve won some sort of victory today, bitch? FPS won’t find anything. And when I get her back, I won’t just hurt her; I’m going to hurt that filly in ways you can’t possibly imagine. Then, when I’m finished, I’m coming for you. So enjoy it while it lasts, because I’ll be seeing you soon,” he said in a low ominous tone, lest anypony overhear.

A wave of fear washed over Rainbow Dash as she studied the stallion in front of her.  Looking at him, Rainbow became aware that this was not some crazy lunatic who she could bait into making a mistake. He was a predator, lying in wait, cloaked amongst the shadows, absolutely certain of his superiority. She remembered her survival training from Wonderbolts camp: Predators feed off of fear. If you let them know you are afraid, you are as good as dead. Rainbow steadied both her walk and her voice. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she walked up to him, again pressing her nose against his, just like the first time they met.

“I’m counting the days.” she said in a tone that she prayed sounded more confident than she felt.

> You always keep your promises right?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow spent the rest of the afternoon hanging outside the school, anxiously waiting for Scootaloo to finish her day.  Much to her relief, she didn’t see Lightning Strike or any of the guards near the school grounds. Despite the lack of immediate danger, she still couldn’t get Lightning’s threat out of her head.  After what seemed like an eternity, a gaggle of school-aged fillies and colts burst through the double doors that marked the schoolhouse.  At the tail end of the pack was Scootaloo and her two fellow crusaders, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

“Hey, Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo said before turning to her friends. “Umm, I forgot to tell you that Rainbow and I were going to practice flying after school. I’ll see you guys tomorrow, okay?”

“Sure, Scoots, but don’t you want us to come with?” asked Apple Bloom while Sweetie Belle nodded in affirmation.

“Nah, it’s cool.”

Apple Bloom shrugged. “Okay. Later, Scoots. Bye, Rainbow Dash.” Apple Bloom said as she and Sweetie Belle trotted off on whatever misadventure they had planned.

Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo waved goodbye as they watched Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle trot down the path that led out of the school yard. “You haven’t told them anything, have you?” Rainbow Dash said as she turned to look at Scootaloo.

Scootaloo pinned her ears back to her head. “No, I don’t want anypony to know,” she said quietly.

“Hey, that’s totally your call. If anypony asks, I’ll just tell them you’re staying with me for a few days like a big sister-sleepover type thing.

“Wait, you’re saying I can stay with you?”

“Yeah, FPS is going to conduct an investigation, and hopefully they’ll put Lightning away for a long time. In the meantime you can stay with me; if you want to that is. If not, I’m sure Fluttershy or Twilight would be happy to have you.”

“Are you kidding? This is going to be so cool!”  Scootaloo jumped up and down as her wings buzzed with excitement. 

“Alright, kid. Let’s go get you settled in.”

The two ponies walked to the field where Rainbow Dash’s house was still hovering. Scootaloo looked up at the cloud hovering twenty feet in the air with a look of trepidation.

“Umm… Rainbow Dash? If I’m going to stay with you, how am I going to get up and down from the cloud?”

“Hmm. Good question squirt. I mean, I can carry you, and Fluttershy or Derpy can, if one of them is around. But we’ll probably need a better solution.” Rainbow looked up pensively for a moment until a smile began to grow. “Cloud ladder!”

“Huh?”

“We can build a cloud ladder.”

“You can do that?”

“Sure, squirt; you can make clouds into pretty much anything, and if I anchor it into the foundation that’ll keep it from dissolving or drifting away.  And this way, earth ponies still won’t be able to get to my house.”

“Are you worried about that?” Scootaloo asked.

Rainbow Dash tried to recover from the surprise. Yes, she was worried, but there was no sense in scaring the kid. “Uh, not really, but it can’t hurt to be careful, right?  C’mon, you can help me.”

“I don’t know anything about shaping clouds,” Scootaloo said softly as she looked at the ground and blushed.  She got her pegasus genes from her dad, and because he wasn’t around, she often felt she was missing out on a lot of things other pegasi took for granted.

Rainbow Dash just smiled. “You’re a pegasus kid; it’s just like working with clay.” She flew up and grabbed an errant cloud, wrestling it to the ground. “Here, break off a piece and roll it into a snake, just like you would if you were making clay coils.  I’ll need fourteen of them, about three feet long each.”

Scootaloo apprehensively tried to grab a piece of the cloud, and much to her delight, she found that it broke off easily. It had the texture of cotton, but unlike cotton it stayed in whatever shape she molded it into.  After a few failed attempts, she found the right mix of pressure and forgiveness needed to shape the cloud and happily set off making coils.

While Scootaloo was experiencing the joys of building with clouds, Rainbow set to work on anchoring the ladder.  She shaped two thick links out of the cloud that supported her house and hammered them into the foundation.  Then, she set about making four long cloud coils from another errant cloud that was passing by, and made a mental note to order more clouds from the weather factory in Cloudsdale. 

“Okay, Rainbow Dash, I’m done making coils,” came a voice from the ground.

“‘Atta girl, Scoots. Now, take two of the coils and twist them together like I’m doing here.” She demonstrated by taking two of her long coils and intertwining them, wrapping one around the other.  Satisfied that the two strands were connected she gave the rope  a few firm tugs ensuring that it wouldn’t break. “You should have seven of them when you’re done.”

Scootaloo did as Rainbow instructed, and Rainbow set about intertwining the other coils to make the second long cloud rope.  Satisfied that it was strong enough, she set about looping both ropes into the links she had hammered into the foundation. 

Rainbow flew over to Scootaloo’s makeshift workstation and took her seven smaller rope coils. She went on working while explaining the next step. “Okay, kid, now we just tie the ends of your short strands around the two long strands and voila cloud ladder!  Pretty neat, huh?”

“Awesome,” the little filly replied with her usual characterization of most things that Rainbow Dash did.

“Go on; give it a try,” urged Rainbow.

Scootaloo approached the ladder and gingerly tested it out with her hoof.  She put her weight on it and found that the clouds held firm. She happily scampered up and down the ladder a few times before Rainbow Dash picked her up and flew her up to the top of the cloud. 

“Okay, that’s enough for now, kid. But now, you can come and go as you please.”

Scootaloo wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow Dash and gave the larger pegasus a hug.  “Thanks, Rainbow Dash; you’re the best.”

Rainbow felt her heart melt a little at the gratitude over what was such a small gesture.  “Sure thing, squirt,” she said as she hugged the filly back.

When they got inside the house, Rainbow immediately locked the door behind them.  She filled Scootaloo in on Celestia’s visit, leaving out Lightning’s threat at the end.

“So, does this mean they’re going to arrest him?” the young filly asked.

“I hope so.  You’re probably going to have to talk with some ponies from FPS. You just need to tell them what you told me.”

Scootaloo nodded, a worried look settling in.

“But what if they don’t believe me…like my mom?”

Rainbow winced at the question and couldn’t come up with an answer.  She knew that these investigations sometimes got it wrong, and that since it was the word of a filly against not only a decorated officer but the filly’s mother too, the odds were not in her favor.  Rainbow decided that Scootaloo didn’t need to know that particular bit of information.  “Just be honest.  It’ll all work out, I promise.”

“And you always keep your promises; right, Rainbow?”

“That’s right. Now, don’t you have homework to do?”

The question elicited a pout from the young filly, but soon Scootaloo was busy working on her homework while Rainbow Dash headed upstairs to the room she used as storage.  There was some exercise equipment, Wonderbolts paraphernalia and other assorted knick knacks that she had collected over the years.  When she was building her house she had always planned to make it into a combination trophy room/home gym, but she usually trained outside and she preferred to keep her trophies in her bedroom where she could see them before she went to sleep.  She still didn’t know how long Scootaloo would be staying, but it couldn’t hurt to have a guest room.  And if it ended up being a permanent room for Scoots, would that really be so terrible?  She boxed up the odds and ends and threw them in the closet.  The room felt smaller now that it was empty but Rainbow was already imagining how it would look with a cloud bed and a dresser; and maybe a small desk for the corner? Rainbow wasn’t usually one for domestic-type stuff but she couldn’t help but enjoy herself as she imagined what the room would look like filled with furniture for a small filly.

Cleaning out the spare room had taken longer than Rainbow had expected, as she glanced out the window the sight of the sun going down told her that she should probably get started on making dinner. She decided on a couple of daisy burgers with hay fries because it was one of the few dishes she could reasonably expect to make without burning it.  Much to her delight, Scootaloo wolfed down her dinner, grinning happily the whole time.

After dinner, the two pegasi agreed to work as a team to do the dishes, including the pile that had accumulated in Rainbows sink.  Rainbow would wash the dishes and then hand them to Scootaloo to dry and put them away. While washing a set of glassware, Rainbow noticed Scootaloo trying to carry a rather tall stack of dishes from the sink over to the cabinet. “Hey, careful there squirt,” she called out in a friendly warning.

“Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash, I got this,” came the response from a mildly annoyed Scootaloo. As soon as she said that, the tower of plates she was carrying began to topple; they crashed to the ground and shattering, despite the cloud floor.

“Dang it, Scoots! I told you to be careful!” Rainbow said, louder and with a sharper edge to her voice and than she had intended.

Scootaloo went deathly still and began to quiver; a small whine of fear escaped her lips. Rainbow looked at the terrified filly and mentally kicked herself with both hooves. She set down the glass she was washing and slowly took a step toward Scootaloo, and the young filly let out another frightened squeak that broke Rainbow’s heart. 

Rainbow sat down just out of reach of Scootaloo and took a deep breath. She then spoke softly,“I’m sorry I yelled at you. You should know that I’m going to make mistakes at this. I’ve never really had to take care of anypony before, and as awesome as I am, this is kinda new to me,” Rainbow said, hoping her joke would lessen some of the tension.  

“So, I should tell you right now; I’m going to yell at you sometimes, even though I know shouldn’t, and I’m going to make you go to bed when I should probably let you stay up, and at some point I’ll probably give you another scoop of ice cream when you’ve had enough. There are going to be other mistakes I don’t even know about.  But, one thing I need you to know is that I will never hurt you, Scoots; that will not happen, no matter what. Because it’s wrong, and because nothing you could possibly do would ever make you deserve it, and because I never want to see that kind of fear in your eyes ever again. Okay?”

The tiny filly nodded.  Rainbow Dash spread her forelegs, inviting Scootaloo to come in for a hug, which she did.  Rainbow found herself squeezing just a little tighter than she wanted as the little filly began to calm down, secure in the warm embrace.  Rainbow held the tiny filly, rocking her back and forth, trying to calm Scootaloo down as much as herself. 

“I’m sorry I broke the dishes,” Scootaloo said softly.

“It’s okay, squirt. Why don’t you go grab a broom; we’ll clean it up together.”  

As Scootaloo went to find the broom, Rainbow was forced to remind herself why Scootaloo was staying with her. As much as they pretend that this was just a sleepover, Rainbow knew that it wasn’t, and if the dishes incident was any indication, Scootaloo was a lot more fragile than she let on.  Rainbow made a mental note to be more careful in the future.  After the kitchen had been cleaned up, and the two had settled in to watch some television, Rainbow found herself again telling Scootaloo a bedtime story as the little filly was nestled comfortably under the covers of the cloud bed.

“…and Shepard left Pavlen, and the griffins never bothered her again.” Rainbow finished her story and tousled Scootaloo’s mane. “Goodnight, kid.”

“Hey, Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah, squirt?”

“Um... I know you’re scared, and I’m sorry.”

“What are you talking about? This is me, remember? I don’t get scared.”

“Rainbow Dash, I’m not stupid. I can tell you’re scared, and I know that it’s my fault,” Scootaloo said with a note of guilt that lent a sorrowful tone to her voice.

“I thought I told you I didn’t want to hear you say that.”

“But it’s true.  If I hadn’t told you about Lightning Strike, you wouldn’t be scared right now.”

Rainbow Dash looked down at the small filly. Protecting her from the truth meant making her more vulnerable and she wasn’t sure that was a good idea. She let out an audible sigh and sat down on the bed  next to Scootaloo. “Okay, you’re right. I am scared. I’m scared because Lightning Strike is a bad stallion, and if you hadn’t told me I’d be safe…but you wouldn’t be.  And if I woke up one day and found out that you were seriously hurt or…” Rainbow Dash choked back a lump that seemed stuck in her throat.  “I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself Scoots. I’ve never really had much of a family…” Rainbow found her eyes getting misty. 

As Rainbow struggled to get her emotions in check, she was surprised to find that the little filly had sat up and wrapped a pair of tiny forelegs around her neck.  Scootaloo nuzzled the cyan pegasus as Rainbow wrapped a wing around the filly who was her little sister in every way that mattered.

“This isn’t how it’s supposed to work, ya know,”  Rainbow said as she tried to laugh through her tears. “You’re supposed to get upset, and I’m supposed to tell you that it’s going to be okay; we can’t go flipping the script.”

Scootaloo stayed silent and redoubled her grip on the larger pegasus.  The two stayed like that for a moment while Rainbow furiously fought to calm herself down.  She focused on the small warm body against her, the way she could feel the tiny heart beat against her chest, and the way the small wings tickled her own.  Slowly, she found a sense of normality returning. Scootaloo was here and she was ok, that was all that mattered for now.  “Thanks, kid; I needed that,” Rainbow whispered.

“Can you stay with me? I don’t really like being alone at night,” Scootaloo asked, the fear in her voice masked by an earnest hopefulness.

“Sure, I’d like that too.”

Rainbow curled up on the bed as Scootaloo snuggled next to her, pressing her  tiny body against that of the larger pegasus. Rainbow gently nudged a pillow toward the younger pegasus and took one for herself, wrapping her wing around the small body next to her for the second time in five minutes. Scootaloo let out a small neigh of happiness and pulled the wing over her shoulders.  Rainbow smiled as Scootaloo shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep with an adorably content grin plastered on her face, and soon Rainbow found herself drifting off to dreamland as well. 

> Enough to be concerned 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow Dash woke up to a persistent poking sensation irritating her right cheek. 

“Hey, Rainbow Dash, wake up.  Wake up, wake up, wake up,” an annoyingly chipper voice said as a small hoof continued to poke at her cheek. 

Rainbow couldn’t help but smile a little as she opened her eyes; there were certainly worse things to wake up to than an adorable filly two inches from her face.  On the other hoof, Rainbow worked hard to cement her reputation as the kind of no-nonsense pony that other ponies wouldn’t dare to wake up, lest a terrible wrath come crashing down on them.

In one smooth motion, she ripped the covers off and flipped around, grabbing Scootaloo and pinning the filly on her back.  “Well, I’m awake,” she said as a wry grin spread across her face.  “What about you? Are you awake, Scoots?”

The young filly looked up with uncertainty. “Um, yes?”

“Hm... it sounds like you’re awake, but just to be careful, I’d better check.”

Rainbow started tickling Scootaloo. The filly squirmed, but Rainbow just held her down.  Every time Scootaloo would twist to avoid the tortuous hooves, Rainbow would just switch her target.  The filly burst out laughing as she flailed helplessly. “I’m awake, I’m awake!” Scootaloo gasped out in between bouts of laughter.

Rainbow eased up her assault and hopped down off the bed. “Morning, squirt.”

Scootaloo half-glowered as she caught her breath, “You don’t play fair.”

Rainbow scooped the little filly up in her forelegs and gave her a quick nuzzle. “Never,” she said with a grin. Scootaloo nuzzled back before Rainbow set her down on the ground. 

Rainbow wasn’t really much of a morning pony; usually, her morning routine consisted of a quick shower, a swig of orange juice and a pop tart as she bolted out the door.  But with Scootaloo around, Rainbow felt an odd desire to set a better example.  While Scootaloo got ready for school, Rainbow set about making some toast with carrot jam.  It occurred to her that it was possible that this would have to become an everyday thing. If it was an everyday occurrence, that would severely cut down on the number of hours she could spend sleeping, but right now, that seemed like a worthy trade off. To prove her point, Scootaloo came bounding down the stairs with a wide smile that made Rainbow feel just a little bit more warm and fuzzy then she cared to admit.   

“This is delicious. How come everypony is always saying you can’t cook?” Scootaloo asked as she wolfed down her toast with orange juice.

“Because I don’t do it very often, but you live alone for long enough and you pick up a few tricks.”

“Can you teach me how to cook?”

“Probably not, but I’ll show you what I know; but not right now, because if we don’t get going, even I won’t be able to get you to school on time.”

A few minutes later, Scootaloo was settled comfortably atop Rainbow’s head as Rainbow headed down to the school.  Before she landed she quickly scanned the area for guards and was relieved to find that they were still keeping their distance.  She landed and bent down to let Scootaloo climb off, and the filly waved goodbye and headed inside. Rainbow was about to fly off to complete her shift on the weather patrol when she heard a cheery voice from behind her call out, “Excuse me, Rainbow Dash, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Rainbow turned around to see Ponyville’s resident school teacher, Cheerilee.  “Sure, what’s up?”
Rainbow Dash hadn’t ever really had more than a two word conversation with Cheerilee.  She didn’t have any foals of her own to attend school and it wasn’t like the two ponies had a lot in common.

“Some ponies from FPS came by early this morning.  They said that until otherwise noted, you would be Scootaloo’s legal guardian.  Is everything okay with Scootaloo?”

Rainbow was unsure how much she should tell Cheerilee.  It occurred to her that if Cheerilee knew what was going on, simply having that knowledge might put her in danger.  She wasn’t exactly sure how far Lightning was willing to go but she didn’t want to bet on him being merciful.  She also remembered Scootaloo’s desire not to tell anypony.  “Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m just watching Scoots for a couple days.” 

“Okay, well then I need to know how to reach you in case of an accident, and you need to designate someone as Scootaloo’s emergency contact if you can’t be reached.”

“Weather patrol will usually know where I am if I’m not home, and if you can’t find me, I’m sure Fluttershy will know what to do.”

“I’ll note that in Scootaloo’s file.  As of now, you’re the only one who’s allowed to take her out of class. Do you want to add anyone to the list?”

“Yeah, better go with Fluttershy again.”

Cheerilee nodded. “Is there anything else I should know?” Cheerilee asked that last question with enough of an edge to suggest that she thought Rainbow might be holding something back. 

“I can’t think of anything,” Rainbow said in what she hoped was a nonchalant tone.

Cheerilee looked a little skeptical, but smiled anyway. “Alright, that’s all I need to know for now. Just have Scootaloo tell me when she’s back with her mom so I can switch her emergency contacts.”

“Sure thing. Thanks, Cheerilee.” Rainbow flew off, making a mental note to tell Fluttershy that she was now Scoot’s backup emergency contact.  She didn’t think Fluttershy would mind. She took care of animals for a living, so what was one more filly to potentially add to that list? 

Rainbow’s shift at the weather patrol was uneventful.  Applejack had requested a quick shower for the south orchard, and there were some unauthorized clouds over the east side of town that needed to be broken up, but other than that, Rainbow spent her day lounging on a cloud, waiting for a radio call to alert her to any unforeseen weather emergencies. No calls came in, and so she was understandably surprised when she went back to headquarters to clock out and found two pegasi waiting for her.

“Ms. Dash? I’m Thunder Cloud, and this is my partner, Fire Wing,” a dark blue stallion said as he gestured to the red and yellow mare standing next to him.  “We’re with FPS. We need to schedule an appointment to take your statement and do a comprehensive exam on Scootaloo.  When would you be able to bring her in?”

Rainbow let her guard down as soon as she heard that the pegasi waiting for her were from FPS and not guards waiting to arrest her.  “Tomorrow, first thing in the morning?”

“Tomorrow morning it is.”  The two pegasi gave Rainbow a nod goodbye and flew off.

Since she was done with work for the day, Rainbow went out for a quick lunch followed by some flight practice, but after that was over she found herself with the rest of the afternoon to kill.  Normally she would take a nap, or maybe see if Pinkie wanted to do some pranking, but right now neither of those ideas seemed that appealing.  Instead, Rainbow found herself thinking about Scootaloo.  She’d be getting out of school pretty soon.  Rainbow flew over to the school yard just in time to catch the CMC being released.

“Hey, Rainbow,” Scootaloo said, as Rainbow landed near the trio.

“We’re heading over to Rarity’s; Cutie Mark Crusaders Fashion Models!” Sweetie Belle said as Applebloom and Scootaloo wrinkled their noses. The gesture was not unnoticed by the unicorn. “We said we’d help Rarity with her new line designed for fillies, and she needs a pegasus, a unicorn and an earth pony to model for her,” Sweetie Belle said, ignoring the distaste of her friends.

“We did say that,” Scootaloo said reluctantly.  “Is it ok if I go over to Rarity’s?”

“Why are you asking Rainbow Dash?” Applebloom asked, curious as to why Scootaloo would need Rainbow’s permission for anything.

“Oh, um... I’m staying with Rainbow for a few days because my mom isn’t feeling well.” Scootaloo hoped her explanation was convincing enough to prevent her friends from asking anymore questions. 

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle shrugged as though this made perfect sense, or they knew enough not to question Scootaloo when she brought up her sometimes mysterious home life. 

“So, is it ok if I go to Rarity’s?”

“Sure squirt; I’ll leave the cloud ladder down. Just be back before it gets dark.”

Scootaloo’s being gone for the rest of the afternoon gave Rainbow an idea for how to fill the rest of her day. As soon as the trio of fillies was out of sight, Rainbow flew up to Cloudsdale.  She found a furniture shop and bought an enchanted dresser and desk set to go along with a filly sized cloud bed.  It wasn’t cheap, and she had to pay the furniture company extra to get the furniture rushed to her house that afternoon, but Rainbow couldn’t remember the last time she was happier about spending money. She spent the rest of the afternoon assembling and re-arranging furniture in what was now her guest room, and in what could someday be Scootaloo’s room. Just the idea that Scootaloo would have a permanent place to stay in her house made her feel an odd sense of serenity, like such a thing was meant to be. Rainbow was busy putting the finishing touches on the room when she heard the doorbell ring. She cautiously went to the door and was relieved to find that it was only Scootaloo returning from her misadventure as a fashion model. 

“You locked the door,” Scootaloo said, looking more than a little annoyed at her honorary big sister. 

“Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I should probably get you a spare key. But, I have a surprise upstairs that I think might make it up to you.”

At the mention of a surprise, Scootaloo’s ears perked up and her wings began to buzz. “Is it a new scooter? Wonderbolts tickets? My very own cannon that I can shoot myself out of so I can practice being a stunt pony?”

“It’s none of those things squirt. Just come up and see.”  The two pegasi went upstairs and Rainbow opened the door with a flourish. “It’s your very own room.  What do ya think?” Rainbow looked down at the young filly expecting to see a look of unbridled joy, but instead got a blank expression.  Rainbow quickly tried to recover. “I know it’s not decorated yet but we can pick up some posters tomorrow.  If you don’t like the furniture I can always send it back… I think.”

“No, it’s not that. This is really nice of you, but if I have my own room that means I won’t get to sleep in your bed.” The little filly pawed at the ground. “I like it there. It’s warm, and safe, and I know nothing bad can happen to me.”

“Tell ya what, kid; if you ever feel scared, you can dart across the hall and hop in my bed.”

“Will you still tell me bedtime stories?”

“Of course.”

Scootaloo’s face lit up as she realized that she now had her very own room in Rainbow’s house, and she didn’t have to forfeit her favorite refuge.  Her eyes got bigger as she wandered into the room and started imagining all the things she could do with the blank canvas of space.

“I want a Wonderbolts poster on that wall, and I can keep my CMC stuff over there and I can put my scooter in the corner.  Can we get a hook for my helmet?” 

“Sure squirt; we can get all that stuff tomorrow. Go get washed up for dinner. I’m gonna order us some pizza.”

“Thanks, Rainbow, you’re the best,” Scootaloo said, as she gave Rainbow Dash a quick hug.

Rainbow gave Scootaloo’s mane a quick tousle before heading downstairs to order pizza. The two pegasi spent what felt like another normal evening together.  Scootaloo clearly preferred not to talk about her home life and Rainbow couldn’t think of anything to say anyways.  As a result, they both ignored the elephant in the room.  

Rainbow had finished tucking Scootaloo in for the night (in her new room), when she realized that she forgot to tell her about their FPS appointment.  It wasn’t news she particularly wanted to break, but it would be worse if she just sprung it as they headed out the door.

“So, listen kid; we need to go to FPS tomorrow. They’re going to ask you questions about Lightning Strike,” Rainbow said, hoping not to upset Scootaloo too badly. 

Scootaloo squirmed uncomfortably. “I don’t want to talk about it; I just want to pretend it never happened.”

Rainbow sat down next to her. “I know, but it did happen, and pretending that it didn’t will only make things worse. We need your help, kid. You’re the only one who can stop him. I promise I’ll be with you the whole time.”

The promise that Rainbow would be there with her seemed to calm the young filly’s nerves. She nodded, and Rainbow gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

The next morning, the two pegasi found themselves at the FPS offices. The Foal Protective Services satellite office in Ponyville was located on the western edge of town. It was housed in a non-descript building that it shared with most of the other government agencies with offices in Ponyville. Despite it ostensibly being there to provide services for needy foals, there was very little about the office that was child friendly, save for a few coloring books in the waiting room.  The rest of the office was a maze of cubicles, filing cabinets and busy ponies rushing to and from various activities; in short, it looked like any other government building.  Scootaloo hid herself behind Rainbow’s forelegs as Rainbow looked around for the pegasi she saw yesterday.

“Ms. Dash?” Thunder Cloud said as he appeared from around the corner. He then kneeled down to face the filly still hiding behind Rainbow’s forelegs. “You must be Scootaloo.”   Scootaloo nodded but kept Rainbow between herself and this new stallion she had never met. 

“You’re going to come with me and I’m going to ask you a few questions,” he then turned his attention to Rainbow. “Fire Wing will take your statement in room 203.”

Rainbow Dash eyed Thunder Cloud warily.  She had no doubt that his intentions were good, but her protective instincts were kicked into overdrive by the tactile sensation of Scootaloo huddling behind her. “I’m going with her,” she said, in a tone that offered neither threat nor ambiguity.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Dash., but protocol dictates that we talk to Scootaloo without any adults present.  Rest assured that she’s in good hooves.”

Scootaloo stayed rooted behind Rainbow’s forelegs and Rainbow herself refused to move. Thunder Cloud kept his face calm and his voice neutral. “Ms. Dash, protocol exists for a reason.  If an adult is in the room, it could prejudice her testimony. I respect that you feel you are trying to protect her, but you need to let us do our job.”

“If you did your job, I wouldn’t be here.” Rainbow said tersely.

Thunder Cloud ignored the cheap shot and continued. “I promise we aren’t going to do anything more then ask her a few questions and perform a simple non-invasive medical examination. If it goes beyond that, and that’s a big if, we will get your permission before proceeding.”

Rainbow Dash and Thunder Cloud eyed each other.  Rainbow let out a sigh.  As much as she hated to admit it, Thunder Cloud wasn’t a bad pony. He was an overworked employee doing a job that brought him in contact with truly horrific situations.  If he could stand to be a little friendlier, it was only because his detachment was probably the only way he could deal with the emotional trauma of his job.  Rainbow nodded in conciliation.  She kneeled down and gently rested a hoof on the shoulder of a nervous Scootaloo.  “It’s okay, Scoots. This is still just like what we talked about. You’re going to go with Thunder Cloud, and answer some questions, and then before you know it it’ll be over, and we can go spend the day in Cloudsdale.” 

Scootaloo cautiously stepped out from behind her haven and followed Thunder Cloud down the hall while Rainbow looked around for the room marked 203.

She entered the room and found Fire Wing sitting there with a file and a notebook at a plain brown table. Rainbow sat down across from her and looked at her expectantly.

Fire Wing wasted no time with pleasantries or friendly banter. “Okay, Ms. Dash, let’s start with how you came to suspect that Scootaloo was being abused.”

Rainbow Dash launched into the story of how Scootaloo had practically gone catatonic after knocking over her lamp and everything that happened after that.  She told her about  the foalnapping charge, Lighting’s threat after the meeting with Celestia, and how Scootaloo was still clearly nervous that she would be hurt whenever she did something wrong.  Throughout the story, Fire Wing remained dispassionate, nodding along and writing down a few notes.

“Have you ever seen Lightning Strike hit Scootaloo?” Fire Wing asked when Rainbow had finished her story.

“No.”

“Has anypony you know ever seen Lightning Strike hit anypony?”

“No, but-”

“Have you ever witnessed any bruises or other marks on Scootaloo?”

“No but-”

“Has Lightning Strike ever explicitly admitted to you that he hurt Scootaloo?”

Rainbow became exasperated at the singular line of questioning. “No. Look, I told you what I know. Why isn’t that enough?!”

Fire Wing dropped her composure for a moment and something that sounded a lot like sympathy crept into her voice. “I believe you, but what I believe and what I can prove are two very different things.”

“I don’t… I don’t want to see her get hurt again. Isn’t that what y’all are supposed to do?”

“Yes, Ms. Dash, but there are still rules I have to follow, and one of those rules is to collect hard evidence.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. As hard as it may have been for her to accept, Fire Wing wasn’t trying to be obstinate; she was just doing her job, like her partner. Rainbow wasn’t really mad at her; she was mad at Lightning Strike for hurting Scootaloo. She was mad that the system wasn’t built to magically solve all her problems with one fell swoop. But most of all, she was mad at herself for feeling so powerless. Scootaloo had put the last remaining hope she had in Rainbow Dash, and despite the obvious good she had done already, she was still worried that she wasn’t worthy of the honor.

After she was finished giving her statement, Rainbow went to the waiting room, and waited for Scootaloo to come out. When she finally did, some 20 minutes later, Scootaloo looked a bit shaken up but otherwise seemed no worse for wear. The filly ran over and instinctively pressed herself close to Rainbow Dash.  Rainbow reached down with her wings and repositioned the filly so she was secure on her back, and in response Scootaloo snuggled against the soft prismatic mane.

“There appears to be enough here to warrant concern,” Thunder Cloud said as he glanced at his partner’s notes.  “We’ll be in touch.”

Rainbow nodded.  She was much more worried about the filly on her back than the investigation right now.  

> If you weren't okay I'd understand 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After what was clearly a trying morning for Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash figured that the filly deserved a fun day. So, true to her word, she got Cloud Kicker to cover her shift on the weather patrol, and spent the rest of the day showing Scoots around Cloudsdale. They picked up some Wonderbolts posters and other assorted items for Scootaloo’s room, Rainbow took Scootaloo to her favorite ice cream parlor and the Wonderbolts museum, and then they caught dinner and a movie.  Everything seemed to be going fine; Scootaloo was definitely enjoying herself, but despite that, Rainbow couldn’t shake the idea that recent events were beginning to take their toll on her little sister. Rainbow Dash figured she’d ask Scootaloo about it when she tucked her in.  For some reason, Scootaloo seemed to open up more when she was securely tucked under the covers.  If Rainbow had to guess, she would have said that it was because Scootaloo was more willing to be emotionally vulnerable when she felt physically safe.  Of course, Rainbow didn’t analyze things to that degree. She just knew that Scootaloo seemed to share her feelings more readily at bedtime than she did otherwise.

The two pegasi flew back to the cloud house. Well, Rainbow flew; Scootaloo took her usual spot on Rainbow’s back.  The two ponies hung up Scootaloo’s new posters and assorted goods, and by the time they were finished, Scootaloo’s room looked like a place that a young filly actually lived instead of a sterile hotel room. Shortly afterward, Rainbow found herself tucking Scootaloo into bed.

“How are ya holding up, kiddo?”  Rainbow asked with a soft tone that she hoped conveyed genuine concern.

“I’m okay,” Scootaloo said quickly.

“Yeah? Because if you weren’t okay, I’d understand.  In fact, if you weren’t okay, and you wanted to talk to me about it, that’d be okay too. It might even make you feel better.”

Scootaloo bit her lip,  flattened her ears against her head and opened her mouth, only to close it without making a sound. “I’m okay,” she repeated, “but could I maybe... sleep in your room tonight?”

“Sure, squirt.”

Rainbow let Scootaloo climb on her back and trotted down the hall, enjoying the now familiar sensation of Scootaloo snuggled against her mane. She hopped into bed and curled herself up in a ball, leaving a Scootaloo sized hole next to her for the little filly to join her.  Scootaloo happily jumped into the bed and snuggled next to Rainbow Dash in her allotted gap.  Scootaloo placed both forelegs over Rainbow’s right foreleg and used the appendage as a pillow on which to rest her head. Rainbow wrapped a wing around Scootaloo; the tiny filly closed her eyes and let out a soft mew.

Instead of closing her eyes and falling asleep, Rainbow just watched as Scootaloo’s back rose and fell with each deep breath, and the way her wings would randomly twitch at uneven intervals.  She knew there was something weighing heavily on the young mind, and she didn’t want to allow herself to fall asleep while she had the feeling that something was lurking beneath the surface of Scootaloo’s calm façade.  This feeling was why she was still awake when she heard the distinctive click of a door being opened downstairs.

Rainbow Dash was an elite flyer. One of the reasons for this was that the hours she spent practicing had carefully honed her instincts.  Primarily, she used her instincts to catalogue and manage the plethora of stimuli she had to process while flying at high speeds, but a side effect was that even when she wasn’t flying she relied on her intuition to guide her actions.  So, while most ponies would have just dismissed the click as the wind beating against her window, or perhaps the echo of a rockslide at Ghastly Gorge, Rainbow’s instincts began screaming that something was seriously wrong.  Most ponies would have dismissed that feeling as paranoia brought on by recent events, but Rainbow Dash was certainly not most ponies.

She bolted out of bed, waking a startled Scootaloo. The young filly looked up with no small degree of annoyance until she saw the look of alarm on Rainbow’s face.

“Go in the bathroom and lock the door. Do not come out until I come get you.” Rainbow said in a harsh whisper, meant to emphasis her concern rather than any sort of anger.  Scootaloo started to protest but a glare from Rainbow told her she should do as she was bid.

As Scootaloo ran into the bathroom, Rainbow slowly looked out the door.  Seeing that the upstairs hallway was clear she began to slowly descend the stairs. When she got there she saw Lightning Strike standing in her living room with murderous intent glowing in his eyes.  He was wearing a combat bandolier and that same necklace that she had seen him wear the first time he had been in her house: a silver wing pendant attached to a simple silver link chain. Rainbow again surmised that that necklace was the only reason Lightning Strike could stand in her house without falling through the floor. 

Lightning Strike saw Rainbow and sneered. “Some ponies came to visit me at work today. This FPS investigation could ruin me. I didn’t get to where I am by letting some worthless filly take away everything I’ve worked for,” the stallion’s mouth twisted into a disturbingly creepy smile, “So clearly, you have to go.”

Lightning drew a sinister looking combat knife with a jagged edge from his belt. It was the kind issued to Equestrian Special Forces when they had to conduct operations in griffon or dragon territory. Its design was meant to maximize the tearing power of the blade.  Soldiers were taught to inflict gaping wounds and then let their opponent bleed out when faced with an adversary who by nature had advantages in flight and strength. Lightning spun the blade around in his right hoof as though it were a toy.

“By the time I’m done, both of you will be in so many pieces that it’ll look like a bloodthirsty griffon broke in. Then, I’ll take what’s left of your body and dump them in the Everfree Forest. When they find you it will look like a timberwolf attack. Of course, you could try and go get help.  I’ll even let you leave.  It’ll be a fun game. Do you think you can get help and fly back before I find the little filly and gut her? I’m betting on no.”

Rainbow arched her back as her ears flattened against her head. Rather than respond to his taunts, she let out a low growl.  She had been in a few scrapes before and once had tried to punch a dragon, so it wasn’t like she hadn’t been in a fight, but studying Lighting Strike, she got the sense that this wasn’t like any of those fights.  Up until now, she had never faced a trained opponent who actively wanted her dead. Lightning moved with a relaxed confidence, his muscles tense and ready to strike with frightening precision, like a coiled snake. There was also the issue of that knife; Rainbow had always been taught that when you’re fighting something with claws, your best strategy was to get in close, control the claws and strike back with everything you have, but as she looked at the stallion in front of her, she got the sense that he was just waiting for her to get close enough to use the blade.

Rainbow planted all her weight on her hind legs, and with the balance and agility of a trained athlete, she sharply pushed off of the ground, darting to Lightning’s left and hoping to bridge the distance before he could react. However, Lightning Strike saw through the amateur ruse and slashed low across her body with his blade. A long and ugly looking gash opened up that started on Rainbow’s flank and ran clear across her barrel, as she let out a howl of pain.

Lightning Strike jumped back and let out a laugh that was far too controlled and full of joy for the situation. “Tell me where she’s hiding and I promise that I’ll kill you quickly.”


Rainbow winced with pain as she took a defensive stance.  Her side was throbbing and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Out of the corner of her eye, Rainbow saw a small orange blur charge straight on a collision path with the large stallion. Dear Celestia, no!  Unfortunately for Scootaloo, Lightning saw the orange filly coming and hit her in the face with a wicked backhoof that sent her sprawling.  The little filly struggled to get up, but before she could get to her feet, Lightning hit her across the back of her head with the weighted pommel of his blade.  Scootaloo let out a pained grunt and fell to the ground.

As soon as Lightning turned to hit Scootaloo for the second time, Rainbow filled with rage.  She charged at him, tackling him from behind and sending the knife skittering across the floor. 

Lightning Strike quickly recovered from the sneak attack, and twisted his hips to create some space between himself and Rainbow Dash.  With a smooth motion, he bucked Rainbow off of himself, sending her flying backwards until she hit the floor, the impact causing her body to scream in pain.  Her vision went black for a second, and when she looked up, Lightning Strike was standing over her with a hoof pressed against her throat. He began to slowly apply pressure, and Rainbow could feel her throat close as she gasped for air. She grabbed the black hoof cutting off her air supply, and tried to pry it off her throat, but she was too weak. She looked up and saw Lightning Strike grin with glee as his necklace sparkled.

The necklace!  If I can just get to that necklace.  Rainbow reached for the silver wing around Lightning’s neck, and as her vision started to go black, she felt the smooth chain in her hoof.  With her last remaining bit of strength she twisted the chain and pulled as hard as she could.  As soon as the clasps broke, the magic that allowed Lightning to defy the laws of physics ceased to protect him.  He began falling through the cloud as a panicked look ran across his face.  Lightning frantically flailed his forelegs, trying in vain to grab onto something to stop his descent; but without his necklace the clouds were just vapor to his touch. He wrapped a hoof around Rainbow’s leg and looked up with desperation as he clung to the only thing preventing him from plummeting to his death.  

Rainbow wheezed as the air came flooding back into her lungs. She looked over at Scootaloo, and then down at the stallion hanging onto her for dear life. Any semblance of mercy Rainbow might have felt evaporated the instant she saw Scootaloo slumped on the ground; he had caused so much pain to such an innocent little filly. That was the only thought on her mind when Rainbow let out a snarl and kicked Lightning as hard as she could with her other leg. The force of the kick sent him flying away from her, continuing his frantic flailing as he plummeted toward the unforgiving ground. The cloud floor closed up behind him, but Rainbow still heard a thud, followed almost immediately by a sickening crunch. 

Rainbow slowly stood up and reached down to touch her side where Lightning had stabbed her, blood still oozing out of the wound, and lightheadedness overwhelming her senses.  Scootaloo. That one thought pushed all others out of her mind as she frantically raced toward the filly. Rainbow stumbled through the house only to see the small orange body lying there, unmoving. 

“No, no, no, no, no... c’mon Scoots, get up.  Get up!”  She wailed, the panic in her voice growing with each passing moment.

She bent her ear down and was relieved to feel a short raspy breath escaping Scootaloo’s lips. She shook her as gently as she could, but the filly’s eyes remained closed.  She picked Scootaloo up as gingerly as possible and held her in her forelegs. As fast as her wings could carry her, she began to fly to Ponyville’s hospital. 

As soon as she left the house, Rainbow looked down and saw Lightning Strike lying on the ground; a pool of blood was forming around his head and his legs were splayed out at unnatural angles. He wasn’t moving.  As she flew, she felt herself growing weaker, and her vision getting more blurry with each passing second. 

By the time she reached the hospital, Rainbow could barely see straight.  Her breathing was ragged and Scootaloo felt like a lead weight in her arms.  She kicked open the doors and promptly collapsed. 
> Ever. No matter what.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow fluttered her eyes in response to the harsh light that was bearing down on her. She tried to sit up, but the throbbing pain she felt as she lifted her head told her that it would be a bad idea.  She shut her eyes as she heard a soft voice pierce through the blackness. “Don’t try to sit up,” the voice said in a familiar tone. Rainbow slowly opened her eyes and saw a vaguely familiar purple blob coalesce into the shape of a pony.

“Twilight?” Rainbow asked.  Speaking hurt her throat as she realized that it was parched.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Where am I?”she asked raspily, ignoring the pain.

“You’re in the hospital. How do you feel?”

The events of last night came rushing back to Rainbow Dash. She sat up suddenly which caused her head to explode with pain again. “Scootaloo. How’s Scootaloo? Is she-”

Twilight gently pushed her friend back down and handed her a glass of water. “Scootaloo’s okay. She’s in the next room.  She has a concussion, and a pretty nasty bump on her head, but the doctors say she’s going to be fine.”

“And Lightning Strike?”

Twilight spoke very softly. “He’s dead, Rainbow. They found his body under your cloud, and it looked like he fell. No one’s sure what happened, but I assume he was trying to hurt you. I already talked to the guards; no charges are going to be filed.”

“How’d you pull that off?”

“I named the area just below your cloud a sovereign country.” Twilight said with a deadpanned stare.

“Really Twi? Aren’t you going to get in trouble?”

Twilight smiled. “Relax, I’m only kidding.” Her smile then disappeared only to be replaced by a much more sober expression. “This looks bad for them, a decorated captain breaking into a house and stabbing a pony while violating a restraining order during a foal abuse investigation. They want this to go away as much as you do. They can’t piece together exactly what happened, but self defense seems the most likely ruling.  You’ll have to talk to some guards before they can officially close it, but I told them that it could wait until you feel better.”

Rainbow took a small sip of her water; the cool liquid burned her throat on the way down.  She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. “I killed him, Twilight.  He broke in and… I could have saved him.” She shut her eyes and futilely tried to block out the vision of the stallion falling helplessly toward the ground. “I know I should feel bad, but I don’t. Am I a bad pony?”

Twilight shook her head. “I won’t pretend to know what you’re going through, but I know you, Rainbow. You’re not a bad pony; you were placed in an impossible situation. And... I’m not so sure that Equestria isn’t a better place without him,” Twilight said quietly.  

The two friends sat in silence.  Twilight wished desperately there was something else she could say that would be of comfort to Rainbow Dash, but words seemed woefully inadequate at the moment.  Rainbow Dash kept replaying the scene over and over again in her head.  Every time she saw Lightning Strike hanging on for dear life she wondered if she had done the right thing.  She couldn’t definitively say yes, but try as she might she couldn’t make herself feel anything but glad that he was dead.  He would never hurt Scootaloo again, and for that reason alone Rainbow decided that she could learn to live with her decision, as awful as it may or may not have been. The uncomfortable silence was broken by a brown stallion in a white labcoat carrying a clipboard.  

“Hello again, Rainbow Dash, I’m Dr. Stable; you may remember me from your last visit. You’re very lucky; if that cut were a little deeper, you would have had a punctured stomach, but as it is you suffered no internal damage. You did, however, lose a lot of blood, and I needed seven stitches to close you up.  Now, ideally I’d like to keep you here overnight for observation, but I can’t force you to stay.  Do you have any questions?”

“What about Scootaloo?”

“She can leave too, but I want to see her in a few days for a follow-up visit.”

The thought suddenly occurred to Rainbow that with Lightning gone, Scootaloo was safe at home again. “Is she going with her mom, or..?”

Twilight cleared her throat. “You’re still her legal guardian until the FPS investigation closes. Her mom’s in the waiting room.”

“She’s not with Scootaloo?”

“Scootaloo said she didn’t want to see her.  She’s waiting for you to wake up, but the doctors thought it would be best if she stayed in bed,” Twilight said.

“I’ll go get her. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to know you’re awake,” Dr. Stable said before turning around and exiting the room. 

A few seconds later, the orange filly appeared in the doorway, Scootaloo’s eyes widening as she entered the room.  As soon as she saw Rainbow Dash she burst into a sprint, her momentum carrying her to the edge of the bed where she rose up on her hind legs and tried to leap into the forelegs of her big sister.  Unfortunately, the guardrails that prevented Rainbow from failing out of her bed also prevented Scootaloo from jumping into it.  Her wings buzzed furiously, and she let out a pained and urgent whine as she tried to surmount the obstacle, but she wasn’t able to do anything more than momentarily raise her head over the guard rail.  Twilight took pity on the small filly and gently levitated her up over the guardrail and deposited her softly on Rainbow’s chest.  Once there, Scootaloo wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow and buried her face into Rainbow’s neck.

Twilight got the distinct impression that she was intruding on an emotional moment and quietly began to back out of the room.  Rainbow nodded in appreciation at her friend before turning her attention to stroking the soft purple mane of the filly who was presently curled up in a ball on her chest, breathing in short staccato bursts.

“I wo-woke up and you weren’t there…and th-then I-saw you, and you weren’t *hic* moving ..” Scootaloo choked out, trying to hold back the oncoming rush of tears she knew was inevitable. 

Rainbow continued to gently stroke Scootaloo’s mane as she whispered in her ear.  “It’s ok, I’m right here.”  She repeated the last three words until she could feel the filly get her breathing under control. After a few minutes, Scootaloo had calmed down enough to consent to being gently lifted off of Rainbow’s chest, and therefore ease the pressure on her still tender barrel. Rainbow gently set Scootaloo on the ground next to the bed, but lowered the guard rail so that Scootaloo could rest her forelegs next to Rainbow’s head. 

Now that Scootaloo was no longer curled up on her chest,, Rainbow got a better look at the filly.  She had a large red welt on the back of her head that made Rainbow wince. She tried to smile reassuringly. “How ya feeling, kid?” she asked.

“I’m okay. My head hurts, but it’s not too bad. The doctors say I should take it easy for the next few days, so so I guess that means no scootering.”

“You and me both kid. You ready to get out of here?”

“We can leave?”Scootaloo asked somewhat surprised. 

“I think the docs said that they want to give us each a once over, but yeah, I think they’ll let us out of here tonight. I have this thing about staying in hospitals.”

“What about Lightning?” At the mention of the stallion’s name, Scootaloo found herself shaking ever so slightly.   

“He’s… gone.  He’ll never hurt anypony ever again,” Rainbow said, hoping Scootaloo wouldn’t ask any follow up questions.  

Scootaloo shut her eyes as she tried to push back against her memories of the stallion who made her life a living nightmare. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

It took longer to check out of the hospital than Rainbow expected.  Dr. Stable gave Rainbow a thorough physical just to be sure that, other than the seven stitches in her side and her superficial bruises, she was okay.  Then, he spent an hour making sure she understood how to change her bandages, and that it was imperative she keep her wound clean and free of anything that might cause an infection.  Then, because she was Scootaloo’s guardian, he meticulously went over the warning signs for post-concussion syndrome, lest Scootaloo start showing any symptoms.  Then, he went and presumably repeated the process with Scootaloo, which left Rainbow with some free time to kill in the hospital waiting room. After assuring Twilight that she was fine, and that she would meet up with her and their friends tomorrow, Rainbow found herself alone with her thoughts.  She was so busy contemplating the events of the last few days that she was surprised when a familiar looking orange mare tapped her on the shoulder.

“Rainbow Dash, I’m Misty Skies.  I wanted to say thank you for taking care of my daughter.”

 Taking care of her?! I got stabbed protecting her from the monster you let into her life!  Where the buck were you when she was being abused?  She could have been killed! But instead of saying any of that Rainbow managed to push her feelings of outrage down deep.  If there was one thing Rainbow had gotten plenty of practice in over the last few harrowing days it was suppressing her emotions. Rainbow Dash instead chose to respond with a somewhat neutral, “Skies? That’s an unusual name for an earth pony.”

Misty Skies regarded Rainbow with a faint sense of curiosity. “It was originally just Misty, but when I married Scootaloo’s father I took his last name. Anyway, the reason I’m here is that I would like to discuss when you would like to drop Scootaloo off at home.”

The question caught Rainbow completely off guard despite its predictability. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I know a lot has happened. Truth be told, I’m still trying to process everything myself, but Scootaloo belongs at home with me. What time tomorrow can I expect you to drop her off?”

Rainbow just blinked. Despite knowing that Scootaloo wasn’t actually going to live with her for more than a few weeks, she had gotten used to having the filly around in an extraordinarily short amount of time.  It hadn’t really occurred to her that Scootaloo would end up back with her mother. Still trying to process this new reality, Rainbow managed to say, “Have you talked to Scootaloo?”

“No, she’s been pretty adamant about not wanting to see me, and I don’t think upsetting her while she’s in such a fragile state is wise. So, if you don’t mind, I think it would be best if she spent the night with you, and you can drop her off in the morning.”

Rainbow wasn’t sure how to respond, but deep down she was forced to admit that Misty was right. As close as they had become, Scootaloo wasn’t really her sister; she belonged with her birth mother. That was to say nothing of the fact that once FPS closed their investigation, Rainbow would be required to hand Scootaloo back over to her mother’s care, or face a legitimate Foalnaping charge; one that Twilight probably wouldn’t be able to thwart.  “I’ll bring her by after breakfast,” she said, more reluctantly than she cared to admit.

“Very good; I’ll see you tomorrow.” Misty promptly left the waiting room, leaving Rainbow alone with her thoughts.  She had done good, right? Lightning wouldn’t hurt Scootaloo ever again; Rainbow had kept her promise. So why didn’t she feel better?  A nurse came over and handed her a set of discharge papers for both her and Scootaloo, the mundane paperwork giving her something to focus on while she waited for Scootaloo to finish with her exit examination. 

Shortly after she was finished with her paperwork, Scootaloo appeared in the waiting room, followed by Dr. Stable.  Scootaloo walked over to Rainbow Dash a little faster than her normal walking speed, and let out a relieved whinny when she found herself next to the cyan pegasus.  Rainbow leaned down and let Scootaloo climb on her back, which elicited a small sigh of contentment from the filly as she snuggled against Rainbow’s mane.

Rainbow flew home a little slower than usual.  For one thing, the doctors had warned her that overexerting herself would probably tear her stitches, and then she would end up needing them redone.  For another thing, she was pretty worn out; apparently stitches and blood loss were far more tiring than flying sprints around the track. But mostly she knew that she was going to miss the sensation of Scootaloo snuggled tight against her mane as she flew through the air, and she wanted to ensure that she got to enjoy it at least one more time. 

She walked in the front door of her cloud house expecting to see a bloody mess.  She couldn’t remember exactly how the place had looked when she left last night, but she was willing to bet that it was not a pretty picture; thus, she was surprised when she walked into an immaculate house with a small note on her kitchen counter.


Rarity hired a cleaning service to clean up after the royal police finished gathering evidence, and there’s some soup that Fluttershy made in the fridge.  Applejack left you a jug of cider; try not to drink it all at once. Also, Pinkie baked you a cake; it’s in the freezer.  
Your friend,
Twilight Sparkle

Rainbow smiled; she knew that she had great friends but it was nice to be reminded of that fact every now and then.  Rainbow let Scootaloo climb off her back, which the filly did somewhat reluctantly, and as she let Scootaloo climb down, she caught their reflections on the glossy surface of the fridge; they both looked awful.  A day’s worth of grime was stuck to their coats, and their manes were matted down and unruly. If Rarity could see them, she’d recoil in horror.   

“Ugh... I don’t know about you, kid, but I could use a shower,” Rainbow said, still trying to assess how bad she looked using the distorted reflection on her fridge.

“Me too,” came the reply from Scootaloo.

“You want the upstairs or the downstairs one?” Rainbow asked, grateful that her house had more rooms than she needed.

“Upstairs.”

“Okay, squirt, it’s all yours. I’ll heat up dinner once we’re both cleaned up.”

“Cool,” Scootaloo said as she hurried upstairs.

Rainbow stepped into the bathroom and gingerly peeled off her bandages. For the first time, she got a good look at herself in the mirror.  A fresh ugly scar ran across the length of her stomach, the red gash a vivid contrast to her cyan coat. Shifting her gaze she noticed that her chest still bore a large bruise from where Lightning Strike had kicked her. If there was an upside, it was that it matched the bruises around her throat. All in all, she looked like death warmed over. Rainbow stepped into the shower and turned the water to just below scalding. She shut her eyes as the hot water washed over her, washing away the dirt and loosening her muscles.  

She didn’t realize how sore she was until she felt some of the tension unwind.  After shampooing her mane and tail, she rinsed off and stepped out of the shower to apply a fresh set of bandages. Following the doctors instructions, she carefully cleaned her wound with an antiseptic before replacing the bandages.  She finished wrapping them around her torso and took another look at herself in the mirror. Even cleaned up, she looked pretty terrible. Who am I kidding? I can’t take care of a filly, I can barely take care of myself most of the time. Misty’s right; Scootaloo belongs at home. 

Rainbow left the bathroom and tried to put on a brave face as she saw Scootaloo eagerly awaiting her return in the living room. The shower did the filly a world of good and she looked almost normal except for the welt. “So, kid, what do you want to do for your last night in the clouds?”

Scootaloo seized up at Rainbow’s question. “What do you mean?”

“Well, with Lightning gone, FPS should wrap up its investigation and you can go live with your mom again.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “I don’t want to go back there. I want to stay here, with you.”

“Scoots-”

“Please, Rainbow. I can be better, I know I can. I won’t drop anymore dishes and I’ll work really hard at flying so you can take down the cloud ladder. Please, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo pleaded as she looked up at Rainbow Dash with her impossibly wide purple eyes.

“Slow down there, squirt. First off, it would be impossible for you to be any more awesome then you already are-”

“Then why can’t I stay with you?”

“Because she’s your mom, Scoots. I… I don’t want to be the one to break up your family.”

“Some family,” Scootaloo scoffed. “My dad died, and my mom….” Scootaloo’s voice trailed off. “When Lightning was hurting me, I kept staring at the door hoping  that one day she would open it and make everything okay, because that’s what moms are supposed to do. Only she never came. Then, when I finally worked up the courage to tell her, she just told me to stop making up stories.  I never want to go back to that house, and I never want to see her again.”

“Kid, your mom made a mistake-”

“No, she didn’t! A mistake is when you forget what day of the week it is, or when you leave the window open so it gets cold at night. This wasn’t a mistake! She chose him over me!”

Rainbow racked her brain, trying to find some words that might comfort the little filly. “Sometimes, when you want something to be not true bad enough… you convince yourself that it’s not, because if it is true then nothing else makes sense.  I’m not saying it’s right, I’m just saying...” Rainbow went silent as she realized that even she didn’t entirely believe what she was saying.

“She wasn’t there for me! I needed her and she wasn’t there! Now you’re saying that you don’t want to be there for me either.” Scootaloo began to tremble as she broke down sobbing. “What’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t anypony love me?

Rainbow’s voice grew noticeably softer. “You think that’s what this about? You really think, after everything that’s happened, that I don’t love you?”

“I-I don’t know.” The filly managed to choke out between tears.

Rainbow reached out and wrapped a wing around the little filly, pulling her close. Scootaloo put up a token resistance, refusing to accept Rainbow’s affection by crossing her forelegs and keeping her body rigid.  Rainbow rested her head on top of Scootaloo and just held her gently until she could feel the filly start to give in. Eventually, the filly uncrossed her forelegs and wrapped them around the larger pegasus.  Keeping Scootaloo nestled firmly between her wing and the warmth of her body, Rainbow Dash gently nuzzled the little filly.  They stayed like that for more than a few minutes; Rainbow gently nuzzling Scootaloo until her tears receded ever so slightly. 

“Feel a little better?” Rainbow asked softly.

Scootaloo shook her head.

“Listen, I think you should give your mom another chance, but I’m not going to force you to. If you don’t end up staying with me, it won’t be because I don’t love you Scoots. I love you more than anything, period. Don’t ever forget that.” Rainbow had never really said those words and meant them in that way, but she had to admit that saying them to Scootaloo felt right. She wasn’t sure when it happened, but somewhere between letting the little filly watch her practice, and curling up with her to calm her down at night, Rainbow realized that she did in fact love Scootaloo, but that didn’t change the reality that the filly had a mother who wanted her to come home.

Scootaloo hugged Rainbow tightly and buried her face in Rainbow Dash’s chest.  “I want to stay with you,” she said softly.

Rainbow winced as Scootaloo put pressure on her already tender barrel, but she hugged the filly back anyway. She wanted to say yes more than she had ever wanted to say yes to anything, but she knew that the world didn’t work that way. She looked down at the filly, burying into her chest, who had already been dealt a rough hand. She was a pegasus who couldn’t fly at an age when most pegasi were practicing loops and corkscrews, and it was possible that she would never be able to fly. Her dad had died when she was just a foal and then his replacement had turned out to be a monster. Yet, despite all that hardship, Scootaloo was a kind and gentle filly, whose enthusiasm for adventure mirrored Rainbow’s own.  She was cheerful and optimistic when most ponies who had been through what she had to go through would have been sullen and withdrawn. Why couldn’t she get what she wanted this one time? 

Rainbow let out a small groan at how unfair life could be. “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to,” she whispered. They obviously weren’t going to resolve this issue tonight. Both she and Scootaloo were exhausted, other ponies needed to be consulted, and if she was somehow going to take care of Scootaloo on more than an interim basis there would be many hurdles that needed to be overcome. 
“Can we maybe talk about this in the morning?” she finally suggested.

Scootaloo nodded meekly, still keeping her grip firm on the cyan pegasus. “I want to stay with you,” she repeated as though if she said the words enough times, she could will it to happen.

“I know, kid,” Rainbow said softly.  “We should eat. I’m going to heat up some soup. Do you want any?”

Scootaloo nodded and slowly released her grip on the cyan pegasus.  Rainbow heated up the soup and the two pegasi ate in silence, broken only by the drone of a TV in the background.  Rainbow badly wanted to assure Scootaloo that everything would be fine, but she wasn’t sure if she could keep that promise, and she couldn’t stand the idea that she might let her little sister down.  Faced with unintentionally lying or staying silent, Rainbow chose silence.

After leaving the dishes in the sink, Rainbow noticed the now familiar signs of a tired Scootaloo. “Hey, how about a bedtime story?” She offered in the hopes of lifting Scootaloo’s spirits.

Scootaloo’s face lit up ever so slightly; she never felt quite so safe or so loved than she did when she was snuggled under the covers listening to Rainbow spin a tale complete with voices and elaborate hoof gestures as she narrated the action sequences.  “Can I stay in your room tonight?”

“Sure, Scoots.”

“And you promise you’ll be there when I wake up?” Scootaloo asked with the faintest note of fear in her voice.

Rainbow was surprised by the question. She sat down on her haunches, right  in front of Scootaloo, and looked her square in the eyes. “I’m not going anywhere. Ever. No matter what. Got that?”

That answer seemed to pacify Scootaloo a little bit.  She smiled and climbed on Rainbow’s back and the two pegasi went upstairs. Rainbow deposited Scootaloo into her bed and told her the lighthearted tale of Shepard and the salamanders. Scootaloo had heard it before, but that didn’t stop her from grinning happily as Rainbow narrated the familiar story, complete with funny high pitched voices for the salamanders.  When she was done, she hopped into bed and curled up with Scootaloo, wrapping a wing around the filly, and lightly ruffling her mane before closing her eyes. 

“I love you, Rainbow Dash,” the filly whispered.

“I love you, too, Scoots,” Rainbow replied as she held the filly tightly before the day’s events caught up to them and both pegasi drifted off to sleep. 


> I know I made a mistake
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow jolted awake, her heart pounding and her body covered in a cold sweat.  She tried, unsuccessfully, to slow her breathing down as she struggled to remember the nightmare that caused her current condition.  Lightning Strike was there, and so was Scootaloo;  he started falling and Rainbow just started laughing.  Then Scootaloo started crying, and Rainbow pushed her off the cloud, her own horrible laugh still echoing in her ears as she watched the filly fall helplessly toward the ground.  But that couldn’t be right. She would never hurt Scootaloo.  Rainbow shook her head vigorously, trying to get some clarity as she glanced down at the filly sleeping next to her; Scootaloo was sleeping soundly, the only movement being the spastic twitching of her tiny wings. A look out the window told her that it was in the early hours of the morning at best; Celestia had not yet raised the sun, and Luna’s moon was still shining brightly in the night sky.

Rainbow pulled the blanket back over Scootaloo and herself and rested her head against the pillow, but sleep eluded her. Every time she shut her eyes she was overcome by an uneasy anxious feeling that would only go away when she confirmed that Scootaloo was still sleeping peacefully next to her. Exhaustion eventually won out over anxiety, however, and Rainbow fell into a dreamless sleep. 

Rainbow was jolted out of her slumber by a gentle prodding sensation on her muzzle. “Are you awake?”  she heard Scootaloo whisper.

“I am now.” Rainbow tried to sound annoyed at being woken up, but Scootaloo was too adorable for it to be sincere.  She smiled at the little filly, “How ya doing, squirt?  Let me see your head.”  Rainbow used her muzzle to gently push Scootaloo’s head to the right so she could get a better look at her injury.  The swelling had subsided somewhat, but the filly still had a rather unsightly welt behind her left ear.  Rainbow let out a short breath and gently ruffled Scootaloo’s mane.

“It doesn’t hurt.  I’m tough, just like you,” Scootaloo said as she puffed her chest out.

Rainbow playfully bopped Scootaloo on the head, taking care to avoid the welt. “Oh yeah? Show me what ya got, kid.” Rainbow held her forelegs up, and Scootaloo jabbed at them, mimicking a boxer’s motions.  Scootaloo wound up for the big finish, and Rainbow exaggerated the impact as the tiny hoof connected with her muzzle.  Rainbow fell over backward in a pratfall and she landed flat on her back. “Ok, I give up,” she said as Scootaloo danced around the bed, her forelegs raised in triumphant victory.

Rainbow sat up and smiled as she watched Scootaloo savor her pretend conquest.  The little filly kept raising her hooves in the air and repeating, “Oh, I’m so pretty, it hurts to be this good!”, as she did a little dance.  Rainbow had to admit, it was pretty endearing.

“Okay, there, Marehammad Ali. What do you say we go make some breakfast?”

Scootaloo smiled and jumped on Rainbow’s back, and the two pegasi headed downstairs.  In the middle of making waffles, there was a knock at the door.   She pushed the more outlandish thoughts about who could possibly be visiting at this hour out of her head, and peered through the peephole, finding much to her relief that it was only Fluttershy.

“Oh my goodness, Rainbow Dash!” the yellow pegasus exclaimed as Rainbow opened the door and she saw Rainbow’s bruises. 

“It’s okay, ‘Shy. It looks worse than it is,” Rainbow Dash said, trying to reassure her friend.

Fluttershy frowned. “Well, that’s good, because it looks awful.  Twilight said that you and Scootaloo are supposed to take it easy the next few days, so I thought I’d come by and make sure you’re listening to the doctors. I tried to visit you in the hospital, but the doctors weren’t letting anypony in your room until you woke up.” Fluttershy began to tremble slightly as she remembered the helpless feeling she had watching her unconscious friend being wheeled into the operating room. 

Rainbow noticed Fluttershy’s fear and gave her a hug.  “It’s okay, ‘Shy. I know you were there.  And thanks for the soup.It really hit the spot.”

“You’re welcome.  You know I’m always here for you if you need anything.”

“Thanks, ‘Shy.  Umm…  now that you’re here, would you mind watching Scootaloo for a few hours? I have some things I need to take care of.”

Fluttershy’s voice took on her mothering tone. “No.  You need to go sit down on that couch and rest.”

“ ‘Shy, I’m not going to do anything stupid like practice stunts. I just need to visit with a few ponies, and I’d rather not do it with Scootaloo around. Can you please help me out?” she said, her voice just shy of pleading. 

Fluttershy nodded reluctantly. “But you are going to have breakfast first,” Fluttershy said, while fixing Rainbow with a not-quite-half intensity stare. Rainbow Dash nodded her assent to Fluttershy’s demand. 

The two pegasi walked into the kitchen to find a flour covered Scootaloo mixing the waffle batter.  “Hi, Fluttershy! Want some waffles?” the filly exclaimed, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was more white than orange.

“Oh, I’d love some, but why don’t you let me mix that while you go get cleaned up?”

Scootaloo caught her reflection in the fridge and let out a small gasp of surprise.  “I guess I got a little carried away, huh?”

Fluttershy took the bowl, giving the filly a friendly smile, and Scootaloo hurried off to the bathroom.  As soon as she was out of earshot, Fluttershy turned to Rainbow Dash. “How is she doing?” 

“Honestly, I don’t know.  I mean, she seems okay some of the time, and then something happens, and she totally freaks out. But…” Rainbow hesitated telling Fluttershy about Scootaloo’s request, but decided that her voice would be good. “She wants to live with me permanently.  What do I do about that?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened, then returned to normal after the surprise faded. “Have you talked to Scootaloo’s mother?”, she asked, knowing full well that Rainbow couldn’t just decide to become Scootaloo’s legal guardian unilaterally.

“No, that’s one of the things I need to do that I would rather Scoots not be there for.”

“How do you feel about it, Rainbow? Taking care of a foal is a big responsibility.”

“I know that, ‘Shy.”

Fluttershy spoke gently but firmly.  “Do you? You’ve been amazing these past couple days; I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve had to go through, and you’ve handled it better than anypony else possibly could have, but taking care of a foal isn’t like that.  It’s about being reliable, consistent and understanding.  I know you love Scootaloo, but that’s not really enough.  You have to be willing to accept that this is going to be a major life change.”

Rainbow could feel her anger rising, which surprised her; she never got angry at Fluttershy.  “Are you saying you don’t think I can take care of her?”

Fluttershy lightly placed a hoof on Rainbows shoulder.  The gentle touch helped diffuse Rainbow’s anger.  “I’m not saying that.  I think if you want to do this, it would be the best possible thing ever to happen to that poor filly, but you need to be absolutely sure that you want to. Because if you’re not, that’s not fair to her.”

Rainbow’s thoughts softened. “I understand.  It’s just, she’s had such a hard life for such a wonderful filly.  If I can make her life a little better, why shouldn’t I?”

Before Fluttershy could answer, Scootaloo came bounding back into the kitchen.  Her mane was still damp, but her coat was restored to its usual orange hue.  “Whatcha talkin about?” she asked.

“Boring grown up stuff,” Rainbow said. “Hey, listen Scoots, I got some stuff I gotta do.  Do you mind staying here with Fluttershy for a few hours?”

“You’re coming back, right?”

“Of course. It’s just for a little bit.”

Scootaloo smiled happily.  “Cool. Then no, I don’t mind. Fluttershy’s awesome.”

“Well, thank you, Scootaloo. That’s sweet of you to say. However, Rainbow Dash isn’t leaving until she has had breakfast.” She shot a friendly glare at her friend. “How about we let Rainbow rest up while we finish making waffles?”

Scootaloo and Fluttershy made waffles while Rainbow caught a quick power nap on the couch.  She was still a little tired from last night, so the power nap felt good. The three pegasi ate breakfast, and Rainbow left, confident that Scootaloo was in good hooves. She figured that, of all the ponies she had to see, Misty Skies should probably be her first stop.  She wasn’t really sure how she was going to explain why she wasn’t dropping off Scootaloo as she had originally agreed to do.  She was still thinking about what to say when Scootaloo’s house came into view.

“Where’s Scootaloo?” Misty asked as soon as she opened the door.

“She’s with a friend. I thought we could talk.”

“Oh, well then please come in. Can I get you some coffee? Tea?”

Rainbow was surprised by the pleasant invitation. “No thanks. I’m okay.”

The two ponies sat down in the living room. The thought occurred to Rainbow that she hadn’t ever been to Scootaloo’s house.  It was… nice.  It wasn’t some opulent mansion, and the furnishing was maybe a little too flowery for her taste, but the couch was comfortable, and the pictures on the wall showed a happy filly and her Mom at a variety of locales. There was an unfamiliar red stallion in a few of the pictures.  In one of them he was holding a very young Scootaloo over his head, with a big grin plastered on his face; Rainbow assumed that he must have been Scootaloo’s father. 

Scootaloo didn’t talk about her family much, so Rainbow had always assumed that she lived in some horrible run down shack with terrible parents. But, if the pictures were any indication, her home life seemed surprisingly normal. Scootaloo was clearly loved within these walls. Rainbow looked around, and was relieved to find that if Lightning Strike had ever been in any of the pictures, they had been removed.  Misty sat across from Rainbow Dash in a pink recliner. “Well then, what would you like to talk about?” she asked in a pleasant tone of voice, which completely masked the emotions that Rainbow was sure she was feeling.

“I think Scootaloo still feels a little vulnerable, and I think she feels safer when she’s with me. I was thinking that maybe she should stay with me until she decides that she’s ready to come back here,” Rainbow offered cautiously.

“I see.  And you think that’s what’s best for Scootaloo?”

“Well, yeah. It’s what she wants.”

“So you think that giving Scootaloo whatever she wants is what’s best for her?”

“No. But she’s pretty upset, and I can’t say that I blame her.”

For the first time since Rainbow had met her Misty’s calm veneer started to crack. “I don’t need you to tell me I made a mistake.  I know I messed up, but that doesn’t give you the right to take my daughter away from me!”

“I’m not trying to take her away; I’m just trying to look out for her.”

Misty shut her eyes tightly and let out a long drawn out breath.  “And what do you think will happen if she stays with you? That one day she’ll wake up and say ‘Gee, Rainbow Dash, it’s been fun, but I’d like to go back to my real mom now’?”

Rainbow found her voice rising, “She was being abused and you didn’t stop it! How could you not know!?”

Misty took another deep breath.  “Have you ever been in love, Rainbow Dash?”

“You loved that monster?”

Misty shook her head.  “No, I didn’t,, but I loved the idea of being in love.  I was in love once,” she gestured over to the picture of the red stallion holding Scootaloo above his head,  “Clear Skies was the most amazing stallion I’ve ever met.  He was so amazing that he was able to convince me that we should name our daughter Scootaloo.” She chuckled softly at her own joke. “He was warm and funny, enthusiastic and caring. I know everypony says this about their special somepony, but I truly believe I married the best stallion in all of Equestria.  Scootaloo may look like me, but she gets her personality from him.  When he died, I thought that I would never love again, and I was okay with that because I had a taste of the real thing.  But, then I met Lightning Strike, and for a moment, just one moment, I thought that maybe I could have that feeling again.  And I let that hope blind me to what was really going on.  I don’t expect you to understand.” 

Rainbow began to feel sorry for the mare sitting across from her.  She probably hadn’t had the easiest life either, but that didn’t change the fact that her actions caused Scootaloo a lot of pain.  Maybe she didn’t mean for it to happen, but it still happened, and Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure she could forgive that. Not yet, anyways. “You’re right I don’t understand. However, a little filly, your daughter, put her trust in you to protect her, and you let her down.”

Misty nodded. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, either.”  She sat silently for a few moments. “I could go to FPS.  They would order you to return Scootaloo to my care. I am her mother,” she said quietly. “I suppose you could fight that order. Princess Celestia might get involved again, and maybe your friend Princess Twilight would help you.  But I don’t want to do any of that.  You’ve been through a lot, more than you should have ever had to go through.  Scootaloo’s been through a lot too….” Her voice trailed off again. “I’m not going to call FPS.  I would like to talk to Scootaloo, though.  If she still wants to live with you after that, then I won’t stop her. Does that sound fair to you?”

Rainbow Dash was surprised by the offer.  She had come here expecting a fight, and instead she found a sad pony who seemed willing to face the consequences of her actions.  “Sure. Can I bring her by tomorrow? I think she could use another day to calm down.”

Misty nodded.  “How is she doing?”

Rainbow smiled. “She’s doing okay. She probably has a long road of recovery ahead of her, but she’ll make it.  You’ve raised a good kid.”

“Thank you, though sometimes I wonder if Scootaloo grew up the way she did despite my care, instead of because of it.”

Rainbow shook her head. “I may not have any fillies of my own, but I know something about having a mom, and Scootaloo wouldn’t be nearly as awesome as she is without you.”

“That’s nice of you to say.  Here, I want you to give her this.” Misty reached over and picked up the picture of the red stallion holding a young Scootaloo aloft.  “She always liked this picture. If she does stay with you, I’d like her to have it, and if she doesn’t want to stay with you, then she can bring it back herself,” she said softly.

Rainbow took the picture, placed it in her saddlebag and nodded.  All of the emotion was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable. “I... uh, I should get going.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”  

As Rainbow left the house she couldn’t help but feel conflicted.  If you had asked her this morning what she thought was best for Scootaloo, she would have said that the little filly should stay with her without hesitating,  But now she wasn’t so sure.  Rainbow let out another groan. ­Why can’t anything about this be simple? 


> Believe that
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After leaving Misty’s house, Rainbow flew to the FPS offices and had a brief discussion with Thunder Cloud about closing the investigation. There hadn’t been an official ruling, but since Lightning was dead and couldn’t answer to the charges, the investigation was on its way to being declared void.  Since no abuse accusations had been levied at Misty, by Scootaloo or anypony else, FPS had no official qualms about allowing Scootaloo to remain in her care so long as she and Scootaloo agreed to submit to a follow up interview in a few weeks to make sure everything was okay.

Rainbow’s next stop was the barracks to account for her role in Lightning’s death.  Just as Twilight had predicted, the guards were eager to rule her actions as self defense.  She gave them a brief accounting of her version of the events that led to Lightning’s death.  She described her decision to kick Lightning as more reflex than conscious thought, which wasn’t strictly true, but luckily for her, the guard tasked with taking her statement didn’t seem interested in asking questions that would upset the outcome his superiors clearly wanted. After she had given her statement, she was free to go without so much a warning to stay in town. 

Rainbow was about to pay a visit to Twilight, and maybe some of her other friends, when she began to feel light headed.  Dr. Stable’s words and Fluttershy’s warning came rushing back to her.  Even though she hadn’t been practicing aerial stunts, it appeared that the simple act of flying across town was enough to exhaust her.  Hoping that Fluttershy wouldn’t mind watching Scootaloo for a little while longer, Rainbow spotted a comfortable looking cloud and commandeered it as her temporary cloud bed.  

The next thing Rainbow knew, she was standing outside her cloudhouse, looking out into the distance. But it wasn’t her cloudhouse; it bore an uncanny resemblance to her home but it wasn’t. It looked the same but everything around her felt different; off somehow.  For one thing, it was night, and she could have sworn that it was bright outside when she last checked.  For another thing, she couldn’t see any trace of Ponyville.  There was usually a light or two on, even late at night, but looking out toward the horizon, she saw only blackness; not even the stars could pierce the darkness around her.  

Suddenly, she noticed Lightning Strike hanging onto the edge of the cloud, but he didn’t look like she remembered him. He was scared, a terrified look plastered on his face. She was powerless to control herself; it was as if somepony else was moving her body for her.  She could only watch helplessly as she kicked Lightning Strike off the cloud, and laughed a cruel hate-filled laugh as he fell into the all consuming blackness.  Scootaloo ran toward her and she kicked the little filly off the cloud as well, laughing ruefully as she too was consumed by the night. 

No, this is all wrong! Make it stop!  Suddenly the air shimmered around her and she was no longer on her cloud.  She was on the ground in a field.  It was still night out, but the stars shone brightly in the sky, and Luna’s moon shone brightest of all. 
Rainbow Dash looked up to see the Princess of the Night standing in front of her, a dark blue aura of power emanating from her body.

“Princess Luna?  Are you real? Am I dreaming?”

“Yes, child. We are in your dream.  We have been watching your dreams since we first learned of your trials. Accordingly, we  thought it would be best to talk to you here in the dream realm.”

“Are you also dreaming? I mean, how do you do stuff in my dreams and out in the real world at the same time?”

“A part of my consciousness is in Canterlot, and a part of it is here with you.  The most apt comparison would be to say that we are meditating in the real world.”

“Why am I having this nightmare? I killed Lightning Strike, and I protected Scootaloo.  Why am I still scared?”

“A wise pony once wrote, ‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.’ You do not fear that you can’t protect Scootaloo. You are afraid that you are capable of hurting her.”

Rainbow thought about Lightning Strike as she considered the Princess’ words. “Did I do the right thing?”  

“We cannot answer that question.  We will, however, point out that your question is predicated on the assumption that there existed a right thing to do.”

“Isn’t there always a right thing to do?”

“There would, if it were that simple. What dost thou think would have happened if you had not acted the way you did?”

“Lightning would have killed me and Scootaloo.  Doesn’t that make what I did right?”

“He may well have killed you, or Scootaloo, though we suppose it is possible that he would have seen the error of his ways and repented.  It is possible that, at a future date, his actions would have saved many lives, or hurt many more.  We do not get to know the alternative outcomes of our choices.  How do you feel about the choice you made, knowing its outcome?”

“I know I should feel bad, but I don’t.  But I don’t feel good about it either.”

“It is no small thing to take a life,” Luna replied solemnly.

“So, you’re saying I was wrong?”

“Tell me this: if you had to make this decision over again, would you do the same thing?”

Rainbow stayed silent as she stared down at the ground that wasn’t really there.  Since that fateful night, she had thought about the moment she kicked Lightning Strike off of her house an incalculable number of times. And every time she was forced to conclude that she would have sent Lightning Strike to his death if she had to do it over again.  “Yes,” she said quietly. “So, you’re saying I did the right thing.”

“We are saying you made the only choice you could.”

“Then how do I make these nightmares stop?”

“Thou must make peace with thyself, though that doesn’t always mean that it is up to you to grant your own absolution.”

“Scootaloo,” Rainbow whispered knowingly. “You’re saying I need to talk to her about what happened. But what if she ends up being scared of me?”

“When we talked a few days ago, we told you our belief  that the young filly chose her champion well; our opinion has not changed.”

“Thanks,Princess.  Hey, would you mind sending me to a dream where I’m a Wonderbolt?”

“Some other time, perhaps. Manipulating another’s dream is oddly tiring. We fear we must leave this plane before we require sleep of our own.  But, do come visit Canterlot sometime. It would be nice to talk under happier circumstances.” 

Luna disappeared as the air shimmered around her.  Soon, Rainbow was surrounded by blackness, and shortly thereafter, she fell back into a dreamless sleep.  When she woke up, the sun in the sky told her that it was around noon.  She hoped Fluttershy wasn’t going to be too angry with her.   Much to her relief, when she got back home, she found a pair of pegasi sitting happily at her kitchen table.  Scootaloo appeared to be coloring something, while Fluttershy was working on her own drawing.  Rainbow also noticed that there appeared to be another pot of soup brewing on her stove.  Rainbow marveled at how one pony could be so considerate, and silently gave thanks that Fluttershy was her friend.  She cleared her throat, “Hey, did you guys miss me?”

Scootaloo came rushing over, and almost knocked Rainbow back with the force of her hug.  Rainbow gave Scootaloo a quick squeeze and gently pushed the filly off of her. “Easy there, squirt; I’m still a little tender.”

“Oh, sorry,” The filly replied, disappointed that she had hurt her big sister.

“Did you do everything you needed to do?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah. Thanks again for watching Scoots, and thanks for the soup.  Anyways, I think I’m done for the day, so if you need to get back to the animals, I understand.”

“It was my pleasure, and I don’t really need to get back quite yet. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“You’ve done more than enough. I promise I’ll see ya tomorrow, okay?” Rainbow said.

“Okay, but if you need anything, you know where to find me.” Fluttershy turned to the orange filly standing next to Rainbow Dash.  “Bye, Scootaloo. It was fun playing with you this morning,” Fluttershy said as she waved one last goodbye and left Rainbow’s house.

“I like her. Can she come over more often?” Scootaloo asked as soon as the door was closed.

“Sure, but we need to talk, Scoots.” Her expression turned to fear.

“Am I in trouble? Did something bad happen?”

“No, why would you think that?” Rainbow asked, a little surprised that Scootaloo would jump to that conclusion.

“Because whenever a grownup says ‘We need to talk,’ it means something bad.”

“Well, this time it doesn’t mean that.”

“Oh, okay,” Scootaloo said cautiously as she sat down on her haunches,  “What do we need to talk about?”

“I went to visit your Mom today Scoots-”

Scootaloo started to shake. “You said I could stay here! You said I didn’t have to do anything I don’t want to! You promised!” the filly yelled.

Rainbow kept her voice calm and low, resisting the urge to match Scootaloo’s volume increase with her own. “Easy there, I’m not going to make you go back home if you don’t want to.  But I did promise that I would bring you over to talk with her.”

“Why would you promise that!? I told you I never wanted to see her again,” 

“Trust me on this, kid. You don’t want to cut your mom out of your life.  She’s the only one you get. I’m not saying you have to forgive her, that’s up to you, but don’t you think you at least kind of owe it to her to hear what she has to say?”

“No.”

“Really, Scoots? I went to your house; I saw a lot of pictures of a happy little filly and her Mom. Are you telling me that she hasn’t ever done anything ever to earn a few minutes of your time?”

“I’m not going to forgive her,” Scootaloo said, crossing her forelegs in front of her in a show of defiance as she turned away from Rainbow Dash.

“Maybe not. Sometimes there are things you just can’t forgive. Like I said, it’s up to you, but I think you should at least hear her out.”

Scootaloo sniffled loudly “You’re really not going to make me go back if I don’t want to?”  she asked, looking over her shoulder.

Rainbow shook her head and tried to smile reassuringly. “No. This has to be your call, Scoots.   And listen, no matter what you decide, that room upstairs is yours. So, if you ever need a place to stay, or if you just want to come for a sleepover, it’s always going to be there for you. And if you get scared and want to crawl into my bed, I’m always going to be here for you too.  That’s not going to change.”

“Do you mean that?” Scootaloo asked with such sincerity that Rainbow was taken aback.

“Of course I do.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it.  Ponies are always telling me things they don’t mean.  My dad said that he’d always be there for me, and then when that wasn’t true, Mom said that she’d never let anything bad happen to me ever again. And you saw how well that worked out.I… really really can’t handle anymore ponies letting me down,” she said, on the verge of breaking into tears.

Scootaloo’s words pierced Rainbow’s heart like an ice pick. Rainbow knew the world could be a cruel place, but a filly her age shouldn’t have had to learn that yet.  “Oh, Scoots,” was all the response she could muster.

Scootaloo sat on her haunches, staring at the ground, mentally preparing herself for the inevitable rejection that life had taught her was coming. 

Rainbow gently lifted the tiny orange muzzle with her wing. “I won’t promise that I’ll always be here for you, and I won’t promise that nothing bad will ever happen to you. I’ll just promise you this: until there is not a breath left in me, I will do everything I possibly can to make sure that you are as safe and happy as a filly as awesome as you deserves to be. That’s a promise, Scoots. If you’ve ever believed anything, believe that.”

Scootaloo sniffled loudly again and wordlessly hugged the cyan pegasus who took her in and protected her when she was all but certain that nopony could help her.  Words escaped her as she buried herself in the now familiar warmth of her big sister.  She felt a soft hoof run through her mane, and she let out a small yelp that was equal parts sorrow and joy. The peaks and valleys of the last few days again overwhelmed her tiny heart, and despite her best efforts, she began to sob, and burrowed herself deeper in the embrace, resting her head just under Rainbow’s chin.

Rainbow ignored the pain generated by the tiny filly pressing against her and wrapped a wing around her as she continued to stroke the soft purple mane. 

After a few minutes, Scootaloo’s breathing evened out and she was able to wipe the last remnants of the tears from her eyes.

“I’m sorry.  I don’t know why I’m crying... all I’ve done is cry for the last few days.  You must think I’m really lame,” Scootaloo said quietly, keeping herself in close proximity to Rainbow Dash.

“How could I possibly think that? You are the coolest little filly I know.” After a moment’s pause and some quiet thought, Rainbow continued. “I’ll let you in on a little secret…I cry sometimes, too.”

Nothing had ever surprised Scootaloo as much as that last statement. “Really? But you’re Rainbow Dash, the toughest, most awesome pegasus in all of Equestria!”

“And don’t you forget it,” Rainbow said playfully with a hint of her trademark arrogance, “It took me a while, but I’ve learned that it’s not good to keep your feelings bottled up all the time. So, if you feel like you need to cry, you go ahead and cry.  Won’t bother me one bit.”

Scootaloo looked up from her temporary haven under Rainbow’s wing. “Thank you.”  Those two words seemed too brief and inadequate to express the weight and meaning she wanted to put behind them.

“I love you, Scoots,” Rainbow whispered as she rested her head on top of Scootaloo’s own. The two pegasi shared a moment of quiet support before Rainbow felt comfortable breaking away ever so slightly.   “Here. Your mom wanted you to have this.” Rainbow reached over and pulled the picture out of her saddle bag. She gave it to Scootaloo, who wordlessly held it between her hooves for a second before pulling it close to her chest. 

The two pegasi spent the rest of a quiet day together.  They were under orders to take it easy, so that’s exactly what they did.  There were some games of battle clouds, which Rainbow won three games to two despite a protest from Scootaloo about the legality of moving your clouds during the game, they watched the most recent episode of Baking Bad, and Rainbow taught Scootaloo how to make her own version of hay noodles with tofu balls.  All in all, it was just the kind of relaxing day the doctor ordered. Rainbow kept a close eye on Scootaloo throughout the day, as she was still concerned about the little filly, but since her catharsis that afternoon she seemed to be doing a little better. In any case, the rest of the day passed without incident.  As the night grew late, Rainbow began to notice Scootaloo’s eyelids beginning to droop.

“I think it’s somepony’s bedtime.”

Scootaloo inadvertently let a yawn escape and grinned sheepishly. “Will you tell me a bedtime story?”

“Sure, Scoots. Where are you sleeping tonight?”

“I think…I think I can sleep in my room,” the filly replied somewhat hesitantly.

“Alright. Why don’t you head on up and I’ll be there in a minute.”

Scootaloo went upstairs, leaving Rainbow alone to think about her day.  She thought about what Fluttershy had told her, and she thought about her talk with Mist, but mostly she thought about everything Scootaloo had been through.  If Rainbow was being really honest with herself, she knew she had a tendency to be selfish sometimes.  It wasn’t that she meant to be; she just got so focused on what she wanted that she forgot to think about what other ponies might want. Fluttershy’s words again echoed in her head. Three thoughts permeated her consciousness.  Scootaloo needed someone who would consistently be there for her. 

I’m not sure I can be that pony. 

I might not have a choice.

> Most ponies don't get to choose their families. 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow went upstairs to find Scootaloo preening her wings.  All the doubts about whether she could be the pony Scootaloo needed her to be vanished as soon as she saw the little filly.  As she watched Scootaloo strain to reach her feathers at the base of her wings, she couldn’t help but crack a smile. She also noticed that Scootaloo had placed the picture of  her father on her nightstand, right next to her bed. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she knew that the doubts she had downstairs were still valid, and that they didn’t actually go away just because Scootaloo looked adorable, but regardless of that inconvenient fact, she couldn’t deny that she felt better than she did thirty seconds ago.

Luna’s warning about needing to talk to Scootaloo echoed in her head, but she pushed it down.  Scootaloo seemed relatively calm and happy, a rare occurrence considering the past few days; Rainbow wasn’t going to risk that fragile happiness just so she would have a chance at better dreams.  From her spot in the door frame, she contently watched the little filly preen for a few more minutes, until Scootaloo looked like she was done. 

“You about finished, squirt?” Rainbow asked, reluctantly breaking the blissful tranquility. 

Scootaloo turned around quickly, momentarily startled by the intrusion, and nodded, scrambling into bed. A moment later she was flat on her back, her head resting comfortably on a pillow, barely poking out from under the covers.   

“Story time?” Scootaloo asked. 

“Story time,” Rainbow replied. “So, what do you want to hear? Sheppard? Daring Do? How ‘bout the time I fought off a whole army of changelings all by myself?”  

“Daring Do,” the filly answered, eagerly awaiting what had become her favorite part of bedtime. 

“Okay then, Daring Do it is,” Rainbow said, as she began the tale of Daring Do and the Griffon’s Goblet.  She had read the book enough times that she had the story pretty much memorized. She noticed Scootaloo start to nod off around the time that Daring Do was searching the jungle for the entrance to the hidden temple, and took that as her cue to end the story for the time being. 

Rainbow  gently kissed the little filly goodnight, and went off to do her own pre-bedtime routine. After a quick shower and preening, she settled into her own bed.  Rainbow couldn’t help but notice that it felt emptier without the little filly snuggled up next to her.  Both ponies slept soundly, their exhaustion outweighing their concerns. 

The next morning’s breakfast was quiet.  Scootaloo was clearly nervous about seeing her mom again, and Rainbow wasn’t certain how best to reassure her, so she decided to let the little filly sort through her emotions on her own. 

“Do I have to do this?” Scootaloo asked as they were getting ready to leave.

Instead of responding with an automatic “Yes” the way most adults would, Rainbow surprised Scootaloo by actually considering the question. “No,” she said, after a short deliberation. “I can’t make you do this. If you don’t want to go, then I’ll tell your mom you don’t feel like seeing her, and we can try again whenever you think you’re ready.  But I think you should go today.  You’re not going to feel better until you do, and if you don’t want to do it for you, maybe you could do it as a favor to me?”

“Why do you care?” A worried look flashed across Scootaloo’s face. “Do you want me to go live with her?”

Rainbow shook her head. “Scoots, I want you to do whatever makes you happy, and I’m going to keep telling you that until you believe it.” Rainbow’s voice dropped a little bit. “I care because I didn’t talk to my parents much when I was young, and I don’t want you to make the same mistake.”

“If anypony else was asking me to do this-”

“Well, they’re not. I am.”

Scootaloo sighed. “Okay, but only because you asked.” 

“Thanks, Scoots. Now c’mon; we should really get going.”

Scootaloo climbed on Rainbow’s back and held on just a little tighter than usual during the flight to her mother’s house. 

Misty opened the door and greeted the pair with a warm, if nervous, smile. Scootaloo stared at the ground and slowly trudged into the place she once called home. 

“I’ll just wait out here,” Rainbow said, figuring it best to stay out of the way.  

Rainbow waited outside Scootaloo’s house for what felt like an eternity. She was nervous, but she couldn’t quite figure out why. If Scootaloo wanted to stay with her mom, then that would be a good thing, right?  Her mom had experience raising a filly. It’s true that she had made a huge mistake, but one mistake shouldn’t ruin a pony’s life. Kids belonged with their parents, didn’t they?  It wasn’t like she’d never see Scootaloo again; things would just go back to the way they were before, and that would be fine.

But what if fine wasn’t good enough?  For, as difficult and heart wrenching as the past few days had been, Rainbow couldn’t deny that they had been rewarding. For her entire adult life, Rainbow had lived pretty much alone and done things for herself.  Everything about that life was designed to get what she wanted.  She had taken a job on the weather patrol because it left her plenty of free time to sleep and train for the Wonderbolts. She had moved to Ponyville because Fluttershy lived there, and also because it was conducive to avoiding her past in Cloudsdale.  She did pick up a pet tortoise a while back, but other than giving him some cabbage twice a day and taking him to pet play dates in the park on Wednesday, he wasn’t much of an imposition.  In fact, that was one of the things she liked about Tank, that he could pretty much take care of himself, and did most of the time.  

So, in theory, the idea that maybe she’d have to change her life to make decisions with somepony else in mind should have terrified her.  And it did, but she found that the thought of Scootaloo snuggled up with her kept that fear at bay.  

While she was wrestling with her emotions, she remembered something Pinkie once told her. If you’re ever unsure of something, flip a coin.  Heads is one thing, tails is the other.  Then, when the coin lands you’ll know how you feel because you’ll either be excited or disappointed. Rainbow Dash didn’t really believe that.  Life was too messy to be reduced to a simple game of chance, and a feeling based on the results of a coin toss, but she did have a bit on her, and it wasn’t like there was anything else to do.

She took a bit out of her saddlebag and held it between her teeth.  Heads? I let Scoots stay with me. Tails? I tell her she has to stay here. She flipped the bit into the air, watching as it oscillated.  She was about to catch it as it came down, when the door opened revealing a clearly emotionally wrought Scootaloo and Misty.  The coin fell into the dirt with a soft thud as Rainbow just stared at the two ponies. 

“Well?” Rainbow asked, mentally kicking herself that she couldn’t come up with something more eloquent to say.  

“Why don’t you run upstairs and see if there’s anything you want to take with you? I’m going to talk to Rainbow,” Misty said to Scootaloo in a soft tone.  Scootaloo wordlessly nodded and went upstairs. 

“Does that mean…?” Rainbow asked once she was alone with Misty.  Misty nodded, her eyes watering. 

“I’m sorry,” Rainbow said. 

Misty shook her head. “No, you have nothing to be sorry about. My daughter is going somewhere where she feels safe and loved; as a parent, that is all I can ask for.  I have some work to do before Scootaloo will trust me again, but that’s on me.  You were there for Scootaloo when I wasn’t, and now you’re offering to give her a home for as long as she needs one.  For that, I owe you a debt I cannot possibly repay.”

Rainbow was unsure of what to say. “I promise I’ll take care good care of her,” was the response she finally settled on.

“I know you will,” came Misty’s soft reply.   

The two ponies stood there awkwardly for a few minutes while they waited for Scootaloo to return.  Words were inadequate; what did you say in a situation like this?  Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Scootaloo to return, her small saddle bags fuller than when she left.  Staring at the ground the whole way, Scootaloo walked out the door and stood next to Rainbow Dash.  

“Well, I guess this is it,” Misty said with a forced sense of cheerfulness. 

Scootaloo mumbled something incoherent and jumped up on Rainbow’s back. “Can we go?” she whispered in Rainbow’s ear.  Rainbow nodded and flapped her wings in preparation for takeoff.  She gave a small nod to Misty and promptly took to the skies, refusing to look behind her; the image of Misty watching her daughter fly away was not one she wanted on her conscience.  

The two ponies soon arrived back at Rainbow’s cloud house.  Scootaloo hadn’t said anything on the flight home; as Rainbow let her climb down, it was easy to see that the little filly was distressed. 

“I’m guessing that wasn’t easy for you. How ya holding up, squirt?” Rainbow asked as Scootaloo set down her saddle bags. 

Scootaloo’s words came pouring out of her like a damn that had just broken. “I…I don’t know.  Mom said she was sorry, and I wanted to forgive her, but every time I looked at her I just got so angry, and everything in that house reminded me of him, and now I’m here, and I feel like I should be happy, but I’m not, and I know this isn’t fair to you, because you shouldn’t have to take care of me, but I don’t have anywhere else to go.” She paused for a moment before staring intently at the ground, “I’m a terrible filly... none of this would be happening if I could just forgive her.”

Rainbow felt the familiar tightness returning to her chest.  She sat down next to the orange filly and looked her square in the eyes. “Scoots, you’re not a terrible filly. You’re a wonderful filly who had a terrible thing happen to her. I don’t want you to worry for one second about this being unfair to me.  I meant it when I said that I loved you, and that means that if my little sister needs a place to stay, I’d rather it be here than anywhere else.  I don’t know how all this is going to work, but nothing is more important to me than you.  I mean that, I really do.”

“But you shouldn’t have to take care of me. That’s not your job.”

“Would you rather go live in your clubhouse?” Rainbow said trying to lighten the mood a little.

“That’s not funny,”  Scootaloo mumbled. 

“I think it’s a little funny,” Rainbow smirked. The smirk quickly disappeared only to be replaced with a more serious expression.  “How about you let me worry about what my job is? Right now, I say that my job is to take care of my little sister, because that’s what sisters do.”

Scootaloo looked up at the cyan pegasus, “You really are the best big sister ever.”

Rainbow nuzzled her little sister affectionately. “Most ponies don’t get to choose their families; you’re pretty much stuck with the one you get. I got lucky, with the coolest little filly I know choosing me to be her big sister.”

Scootaloo smiled and happily hugged her big sister, a feeling of serenity washing over her for the first time in months. “I got lucky when she said yes.”