“Dear Princess Celestia:
Family Appreciation Day. I always hated it. Just even thinking the words made me want to punch a wall in frustration. Not a great start I know, but things will look up for me in a bit as you’ll soon see. There was a good reasoning why I hated the day so much. And that was of course, because I never had any family to speak of. Well, I suppose you could call the nannies and caretakers and fellow foals and fillies in the many orphanages that I lived in family of sorts, but I think that’s stretching it just a tad. Honestly, whenever this day came around it was always one that made me want to curl up in a bed or whatever I could find that could pass for a bed and just sleep the day away, knowing that tomorrow wasn’t THAT day.
So, as you could imagine, when Ms. Cheerilee announced this year’s Family Appreciation Day, I was over the moon with joy. If you don’t understand sarcasm, well I just pity you as a pony. My name’s Scootaloo by the way, if you hadn’t guessed already. Well, you not guessing already I suppose in a way is my fault. Not exactly like I gave you enough clues or described myself in explicit detail to give it away did I?
Yeah, I was always THAT filly in the class. The one who everypony knew was an orphan and just let me know it. Especially Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Ah yes, that pink brat and her lackey, always kissing her hooves. It’s true, I’ve seen it. Honest, I swear to Celestia. No kidding. What, don’t believe me? Go find them yourself and chances are you’ll stumble across such a scene. ...Gah, I’m rambling ain’t I? And yes, I know that’s not the proper way to phrase a sentence, but I was never exactly given a proper education in my early years. Go figure. Anyways, as I was saying, I’m getting off track here.
Family Appreciation Day. Always seemed a waste of a good day if you ask me, given that SOME of us had no family to appreciate for the longest time. It was like my version of the Hearths Warming story was to that unicorn Snowfall Frost. I assume you’ve heard of her right? Thought that day was pointless, tried to get rid of it forever with a spell only to be warned by three spirits of what would happen if she did. That being, the Wendigos would return and freeze Equestria in everlasting snow and ice forevermore.
Sigh ...Again, getting off track. I suppose I could do Twilight Sparkle proud in rambling-ness. And yes, I know that isn’t a word. But it should be if you ask me. Now, let’s cross our hooves and hope I can stay on topic this time eh?
Anyways, Family Appreciation Day. You’re probably getting sick of hearing that phrase as I am repeating it. But there I was, smack-dab in the middle of the classroom waiting for the bell to ring and let me out for the day. Around me, ponies chatted animatedly as they too waited for that final ring. Take for example Pipsqueak, talking to a greyish (Don’t know exactly how to describe her shading) coated unicorn filly with a brown mane. Never caught her name, but the two seem to get on well. I always suspected Pip had a crush on said filly, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him that filly swung the other way. Colts, pah! Honestly, they never could pick up when somepony was attracted to somepony else. And Celestia knew I saw the filly in question letting her eyes wander and gazing at the other fillies in my classroom from time to time. I knew it was only minutes from when the bell would ring, but to me at that very moment the minutes seemed to feel like hours, and for a filly (Especially one in my place) that’s eternity. Tartarus really, if you’re asking for comparisons. Just missing the fire and flames, and magic stealing centaurs.
I sighed sadly to myself when I saw what was perhaps my closest friend, Sweetie Belle chatting away to Apple Bloom about how she was going to bring in her big sister and Ponyville’s premier (Well only, really) fashionista and get her to talk about how important her work was to Ponyville. Personally, I didn’t see why designing fancy frou-frou clothes was important in any way whatsoever, but go figure. And then there was Apple Bloom herself, telling Sweetie how she’d bring in Applejack to tell how important the apple harvests were. Yeah, like we didn’t know that already. I mentally sent an apology towards both Applejack and her little sis. Sorry, but when THAT day rolls around, I have a tendency to get a bit too nasty for my own good. Finally, the bell rang and I was the first to bolt out the door at a speed that would do Rainbow Dash proud. Okay, maybe not that fast but you get the point.
I raced home, my hindlegs propelling my scooter along the streets of Ponyville. Yes, I had a home, an actual home, not just some cardboard box in the streets as you might have been expecting me to say. See, as it turned out only just a few short days ago I learned of my actual mother. Turns out, the mare who I looked up to as a big sister was my mother after all. Should have seen it coming I suppose. I mean, we are alike in so many ways it’s practically uncanny. But all the same, the shock still hit me like a thrown brick to the head when it came. As it turned out a very long while ago, Rainbow had… relations, shall we say, with a stallion and gave birth to yours truly. Fearing she wasn’t ready, she placed me in an orphanage and watched me grow up from the shadows, too afraid and guilt ridden to tell me the truth. Understandably, I wasn’t particularly pleased when Rain-No, mom finally worked up the nerve to tell me the full truth about just how close we were. My reaction was… Well, see for yourself.
“You lied to me!” I had screamed at her in a fury. “You knew all these years, you let me go on thinking my parents didn't want me!”
“I, didn't want to do it, but I couldn't take care of a filly. I, wanted you to have a better life than I could offer, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't regret my decision.”
“Then why didn't you tell me when I came to Ponyville?” I had accused. “Was everything a lie? Was our friendship a lie too?”
I won’t fully go into things as it’s a bit of a long story, but let’s say it involved me, the Everfree Forest, a monster from times long forgotten nearly killing me and a little bit of help from Princess Luna for me to finally come to my senses.
Mom greeted me with a wing-hug and a nuzzle as soon as I arrived home. Now, you might be wondering how I could even get to Rainbow’s cloudiminium if I couldn’t even fly, right? Well, until I learned how to actually do so, Rainbow had moved her home much closer to the ground, and added a set of steps leading up to the door. I’ll be honest with you, at first I was rather upset that Rainbow had to give me special treatment just because of my disability, but one day, I knew, and I JUST knew, that would change. But for now, I had to accept it and live with it. With a sigh, I trudged up to my room, completely ignoring the concerned look Rainbow tossed my way.
“Kiddo… You alright?” I could hear her ask in concern even as I shut the door and flopped down on my bed and just rested my head on the pillow, sighing to myself. Wonderbolts memorabilia decorated every corner of my room, posters lining the wall and do-No, action figures, as I was far too cool to call them that on shelves.
With a sigh, I picked up my Spitfire plushie. Okay, yes, I know it’s a bit hypocritical of me to call dolls action figures instead and yet I still hold onto things like plushies but this was a gift from my mom!
“Bet you wouldn’t have much trouble with Family Appreciation Day would you Spitzy?” I thought to myself while staring at the plushie’s button eyes, hoof-stitched by Rarity I suppose as I couldn’t imagine mom being able to pull that off. I loved her dearly, but I just couldn’t see Rainbow taking up the art of artistiany. “I mean, you have a mom. Everypony does, even Princess Celestia I’ll bet, and I bet you love her very much. ‘Course, I doubt you only recently discovered your mom was watching you from the shadows your whole life and only recently outed herself.”
“Kid… You okay?” Rainbow asked as she gently pushed the door open, trotting inwards and sitting down beside me on my bed. “You practically brushed me off when I welcomed you home.”
“Do I look okay?” I deadpanned.
Rainbow pulled me in closer with a foreleg.
“Alright, budge up. I’m your mom, and I know when something’s wrong. Not exactly like you easily hide it, suppose you got that from me I guess…” My mom trailed off, a tinge of sadness in her voice before chuckling weakly. “Neither of us learned the definition of the word subtle.”
“That word exists in your vocabulary?” I teased. I admit it, I was deflecting from the real problem. And yes, I know that’s a word a psychologist would use, meaning that I would officially be classified as an egghead for knowing that, but when I was in the orphanages I had a lot of time to read. Not like there wasn’t much else to do.
“Scoots, what’s wrong?” Mom asked me, her eyes practically boring into my soul, or at least it seemed that way. “I’m your mom, you know you can tell me anything.”
“Fine…” I sighed out. “It’s Family Appreciation Day tomorrow, and… And I’m not sure what I should do.”
“Well, can’t you just write an awesome letter about me like you did last year?” Rainbow asked.
“It’s… It’s not just that. I… I don’t know how to explain it, part of me just doesn’t feel… complete. Like something’s missing from my life. I don’t know what though.” I confessed.
“Oh, Scoots…” Rainbow said softly as she pulled me into a hug before she looked at me firmly. “I can’t solve this problem for you, much as I’d like to. This is something you’d have to figure out for yourself.”
“But how?” I asked pleadingly. Rainbow patted me on the shoulder and smirked.
“I know you’ll find a way. You’re my daughter after all. And if there’s one thing I know you inherited from me, besides my awesomeness of course (I giggled a little at that) is that you’ll always find a way out of any situation. Got my brains inside of you, ya know.” She told me confidently, beaming at me.
I smiled as Rainbow left the room and then my eyes drifted to my Crusader Cape hanging in the closet. I grinned. I knew what to do for my project at last.
I sat in my seat in anticipation as everypony eagerly awaited for my teacher to read what I had written. Cheerilee cleared her throat and began.
“Dear Ms. Cheerilee:
I recently discovered something. Just because you’re an only child by blood, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have other members of your family looking out for you. Take Fluttershy for example, she’s like a second mother to me. She’s always been there for me when I’m feeling down, and along with my really awesome mom Rainbow has been helping me learn to fly. By association, that would make her as cool as my mom. Maybe not quite as cool, but still cool nonetheless
But that’s not the only family members I have, take Applejack and Rarity. They’re the sisters to my best friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I like to think of them as aunts in a way, given that I think of my best friends as my sisters. Seriously, those two gals are about as good of friends as you could come by. I’m proud to call them by friends, and I know we’ll all achieve our dreams together one day. I just know it. Don’t know how, or when, but it will happen someday.
Then there’s Twilight. Even before she became a princess, she was always helping us out with the littlest things… Yes, that even means the love potion incident a while back, even if she didn’t know she gave us the idea. Sorry, Twi. But spending time with her along with my sisters, our Twilight Time as we all call it, it’s always fun. She’s always teaching us awesome new stuff like flight dynamics and how to cook up potions. And before you ask, none of them are of the Love kind. Guess eggheads (Again, sorry Princess.) aren’t so bad after all, huh?
For a while now, I’ve felt like something’s been missing inside of me. Never could quite narrow it down, but I think I’ve finally figured it out. Family. Sure, Rainbow is an awesome mom and all, but like I said before: Family doesn’t end with blood. So, I suppose by that reasoning, I guess I would have the biggest family in Equestria.”
Suddenly, I found myself brought into a hug by my sisters in arms. At one point, I looked to my left and saw Rainbow beaming at me with pride. Guess Family Appreciation Day was all that it was cracked up to be after all, huh? Just took me a little while to realize it.
Sincerely yours, Scootaloo Dash.”