Prologue
“Scootaloo, we’ve been looking for months,” Apple Bloom told her orange friend.
“So,” Scootaloo said, trying to figure out what Apple Bloom meant, the tone of her voice however, isn’t giving her much hope.
“Well me and Apple Bloom want to pursue our careers, we want to do something with our talents but we can’t do that when we’re stuck here helping you” Sweetie Belle explained.
“What are you saying?” She asked not liking how the conversation was going.
Apple Bloom sighed before saying bluntly “What we’re saying is that we don’t want tah help yah anymore. Face it Scootaloo, yer a lost cause”
Scootaloo, couldn’t believe, what she was hearing. “But guys, we’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders” she stammered.
“Not anymore Scootaloo.” Apple Bloom said.
“What about that talk about being friends till the end, does that not mean anything to you?” She asked desperately.
They both closed their eyes as they watched their former friend’s heart get crushed “I’m sorry Scootaloo, but that was all filly talk, face it ponies grow apart all the time. It was never supposed to last.” Sweetie said.
Apple Bloom put the final nail in the coffin “We need yah to stop coming to the clubhouse too, we need it to practice our talents. We can’t do that with a blank flank hanging around”
Scootaloo said nothing but a single emotionless word “Okay”. She then left the club house but before she could even make it to her scooter which had been parked opposite, she collapsed and burst into tears as it felt like her whole life was collapsing all around her.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who heard this looked through the window and saw their former friend, lying in the fetal position, crying her eyes out.
Sweetie Belle asked, “Should we do something?”
Apple Bloom said “No, it’ll make things worse. She’ll get over it” However she didn’t look convinced.
They tried to block Scootaloo’s sobs out, eventually, they left the clubhouse, not before Apple Bloom attached a padlock to the door, locking it shut.
After the left Rainbow Dash who happened to be flying overhead, looked down to see her honorary sister in tears. Landing next to the filly, she tried to comfort the sobbing pegasus “Hey, Scootaloo, what's up?” She asked.
Scootaloo sniffled and told Rainbow what had happened. Rainbow Dash pulled Scootaloo into a hug, "Its, okay, why don't you stay at my house for the night?" she suggested quietly. Scootaloo nodded, clearing the tears from her eyes, normally she would be ecstatic to have a chance to even go into Rainbow's house but now she was too depressed, to feel any form of happiness.
***
When they arrived at Rainbow's cloud mansion, Scootaloo couldn't help but marvel at the sight of pure rainbow liquid, flowing freely around the perimeter, reminding her of a miniature moat. Rainbow offered "Are you hungry, I can make us something to eat."
Scootaloo shook her head in sadness "No, I'm not hungry, I just want to go to sleep." Rainbow Dash's heart broke at seeing her number one fan and surrogate sister in such a depressed state. Scootaloo slowly trudged to bed with Rainbow in tow, who shut off the light before whispering "Goodnight". Shutting the door, she could hear the sound of soft crying beginning to penetrate the cloud door. Rainbow needed to find the other former crusaders and find out what was going on as well as to bust their heads together, she hated seeing Scootaloo like this.
***
Later on in the night Scootaloo tossed and turned, mumbling incoherently before gasping awake from her restless slumber. Scootaloo pulled the covers close around her body. She couldn't stay here, the thought of staying in the same town as her former friends, disturbed her. Making her mind up, she slowly and quietly crept into the kitchen. Wincing at every noise she made, she managed to find several sheets of empty parchment. Spying a pen nearby, she hastily scribbled a note, her farewell, she hated the idea of leaving Rainbow Dash and her hometown behind but she knew that she would not be able to stay in a town, where everything reminded her of her former friends.
Putting the note, somewhere that Dash could easily find it, she silently left the house, making sure to fetch her scooter and saddlebags. On the front porch, she couldn't help but gulp as she stared over the edge to the ground, that seemed to be a long way up. While she didn't know how to fly, she did understand the basic principles of gliding. She unfurled her wings fully open, keeping them straight, she took a deep breath before stepping off the porch. Scootaloo's eyes widened as she realised that she was somewhat flying, looking around she aimed for the train station and began to steer herself towards it.
When she got closer to the ground, Scootaloo came to the conclusion that the weight on her back, coming from her saddlebags and scooter, which had been precariously placed upside down over her barrel, was going to cause her to come in hot and heavy. As predicted her landing was rough as she tumbled near the main entrance to the train station. Getting up, she brushed the dirt off her hoof before making her way into the station and towards the ticket desk, where she purchased the cheapest train ticket that would take her the furthest, which turned out to be Manehatten. She handed over the last remaining bits that she had to her name and rushed onto the train, which had just arrived.
Scootaloo found a seat and stared into the darkness through the window as she wondered about what would happen when everypony realised that she had run away. She couldn't help but question herself Would her friends feel guilty? Probably not considering how they had practically kicked her out for no reason.
***
Meanwhile back at the cloud mansion Rainbow walked into the kitchen to fix herselp a midnight snack, where she noticed a note that appeared to be out of place, Rainbow walked over to it and began to read, her eyes growing wider as they passed each line. Dropping the note, she quickly rushed out of the house. She flew as fast as she could but realised with horror that she was too late, as the note came flooding back to her mind.
Dear Rainbow Dash,
I am so sorry, if you are reading this then that means that I have left Ponyville. I did not want to leave town, however the pain of having to live near the ponies, whom I had thought to be my best friends was too great. I am leaving this note to tell you that I am okay and not to worry about me. Please do not come looking for me. I will never forget you.
your sister and number one fan, Scootaloo xxx