//------------------------------// // 5 - Scootaloo // Story: Soaring on Little Wings // by tom117z //------------------------------// Silently, and rather snuggly, two young pegasus fillies laid side by side on the living room floor together with their eyes glued entirely on the book before them. The book was a picture based retelling of the founding of Equestria, though it seemed to have a particular focus on Commander Hurricane. Not that the two fillies really minded, they just liked the colourful pictures. The two fillies were, of course, Little Wing and Misty Gust. The two foals had both been unable to sit still for more than two minutes for an entire week out of sheer anticipation for their first playdate, something that had been decided upon by their respective parents after their first meeting had come to a close. Both mothers had been ecstatic to see their daughters get along so well, especially seeing that neither child had up until that point had any interaction with other foals their own age or of any age. And so, about twenty minutes previously, Violet Rain had dropped her daughter off at their house with the intent of picking Misty up again after dinner. The two didn’t need to find anything to do, as Little Wing had excitedly extracted a variety of things from her room that they could do together. They had settled on the previously mentioned book almost instantly. “Just look at them!” Windy Whistles excitedly whispered as she and her husband peaked into the living room from the doorway. “This will be the best playdate ever!” “They do look like they’re having fun,” Bow Hothoof agreed. “Though I half expected them to be racing each other around the house. It’s what Dashie would have done… and did.” “She’s not Rainbow Dash,” Windy pointed out the obvious. “But just as perfect in her own adorable ways!” “And you’re already planning the next playdate, aren’t you?” “You know it!” Windy confirmed. “Probably around Violet’s next time, it would be nice for Little Wing to get out of the house and see the world.” “By see the world you mean the next house over?” “Where else? That IS where they live.” Bow shook his head. “What I mean is that the next house over is hardly ‘seeing the world’. We should take Little Wing somewhere a little more exciting soon.” Windy tilted her head. “What do you have in mind?” “Where, there is that Wonderbolt show next week. She’ll get to see her big sister in action.” Windy seemed uncertain. “You think that’s good for her? I mean, she does seem a little shyer than Dash did at her age; you should have seen Misty and Little Wing when they first spotted one another. And then there is Rainbow herself…” “What better way to get her out of her shell?” Bow stated. “And if it gets too much for her, we can always come right back home. It’d be good for her to see more of Cloudsdale.” “Yeah, alright,” Windy said, relenting. “Next week it is then.” Happy hooves clapping together indicated that the fillies had just finished their picture book, and had thoroughly enjoyed it. Little Wing shot up onto her hooves, bouncing backwards slightly up and down in indication for Misty to follow her. Misty then also got to her hooves as Little Wing wanted. The blue filly gave a small flap of her wings in excitement before extracting a stuffed hydra toy and the Wonderbolt action figures from the pile of toys she had gathered. She then rushed back and eagerly presented her favourite play things to her first friend. Misty Gust looked at the presented items curiously, picking up two of the Wonderbolts and examining them inch by inch. With the Wonderbolts now in Misty’s possession, Little Wing held tightly onto the hydra and managed to make a rather squeaky roaring sound in an attempt to mimic what a monster would sound like. Misty only tilted her head in confusion, at least until Little Wing picked up a Wonderbolt and had it and the hydra doll act out an epic battle sequence to last the ages. At least, that’s what it was in Little Wing’s head. In reality, she just smashed them together while making babyish sounding sound effect. Misty, getting the idea, picked up another Wonderbolt who then flew in to assist her friend in battling the fearsome beast. The hydra charged forwards towards one of the intrepid heroes, only to be promptly tackled by another. The hydra then responded by firing fireballs of ultimate doom. However, a pegasus with bravery to match that of Commander Hurricane continued straight at the creature, performing barrel rolls and other magnificent tricks to dodge all incoming attacks. The battle continued on and on, each side trying to get an advantage over the other! And then there was also a knock on the front door. The two fillies were knocked out of their own little imaginary world for a moment, both looking towards to where the sound came from. After a few moments, they decided to ignore the sound and simply return to playing with their gathered toys. Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof, who had also heard the knock, did respond to the sound. Confused as to who might be at their front door, the two quickly cantered through the hallway and to said doorway. When they opened the front door they were initially confused as they were met with just empty space where a pony should have been, at least until they glanced down and realised that the pony was only half the size of an adult still. “Hiya Windy! Hiya Bow!” Scootaloo greeted cheerfully, practically beaming as she always did when meeting with her idol’s parents. “It’s me, Scootaloo!” Both pegasi blinked, and then smiled in greeting. “I’m fairly certain we’d recognise that face,” Bow remarked. “How’s it going champ?” “And what are you even doing here? I didn’t know you were coming for a visit,” Windy added. “Neither did I until last night,” Scootaloo explained. “My parents are visiting grandma and grandpa, so I’m here too.” “Your grandparents?” Windy questioned. “Then why aren’t you with them?” “I, well…” Scootaloo scuffed the ground with one hoof, her smile fading a little. “I would have just been sitting in one corner doing nothing, they don’t really pay that much attention to me. So, I managed to convince them to let me out and ‘explore’ for a little while. And then I decided to come here and see how you guys and Little Wing are doing!” The couple glanced at each other for a moment, but then turned back to Scootaloo with understanding smiles on their faces. “Well, you’re always welcome here!” Windy assured the filly. “Yeah, come on inside and I’ll get you a bowl of ice cream out of the freezer.” “Awesome!” Scootaloo declared happily, following the two elder ponies into the house. “Hey Little Wing, where are you?” “She’s in the living room with her friend,” Windy stated as she shut the front door up again. “She made a friend?” Scootaloo asked, eyes glinting. “I want to see!” Scootaloo promptly rushed on ahead and into the living room, startling the fillies to the point where the orange filly received a hydra to the face. Scootaloo stopped dead in her tracks, glancing down at the hydra doll before looking back up at the two staring foals. She then smiled brightly at them, and Misty immediately hid herself behind Little Wing. Scootaloo’s smile faded. “Did I do something wrong?” Windy and Bow chuckled as they also entered the room. “No champ, she’s just a bit shy. A bit like how Little Wing was when you last saw each other, though she seems to recognise you now,” Bow Hothoof explained. “Ohhhh,” Scootaloo stated in understanding, laying down on her belly and trying to seem less intimidating to Misty. “Hey, I’m not that scary. I’m also Little Wing’s friend, I think, I just want to say hi!” Little Wing examined Scootaloo for a moment, before looking behind herself to where Misty Gust was cowering. “Bwah!” she stated encouragingly, telling her friend that it was okay. Misty Gust slowly poked her head out from behind her friend turned hiding place. She then got the courage to come out entirely and sit down beside Little Wing, fully examining Scootaloo for the first time. “See, I’m not a monster!” Scootaloo assured the filly, glancing at the hydra. “Not like that thing, sorry I interrupted your playtime.” “Eh?” Misty made a noise that sounded a little like a question. “My name’s Scootaloo,” Scootaloo introduced herself to the foals. “But you can call me Scoots! I’m just your average twelve year old filly from Ponyville!” So Scootaloo was twelve. It appeared Little Wing was a little off in her initial estimate. “Don’t be so harsh on yourself,” Bow jokingly scolded. “We think you’re a pretty exceptional twelve year old filly from Ponyville!” Scootaloo blushed. “Uh… thanks I guess…” Little Wing giggled at Scootaloo's embarrassment, before picking up the hydra doll and presenting it to Scootaloo as an invitation to play with them. “You want me to play with you?” Scootaloo asked, getting pleading dinner plate sized eyes in response. “Well, I don’t usually play with little kid toys like this anymore… but okay!” Little Wing bounced in place for a few moments, expressing her excitement at the acceptance. Misty was still a little nervous around Scootaloo, but quickly warmed up to her as they began to continue their game with one new player. While they were doing that, Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof prepared that ice cream they had promised Scootaloo. They even made a small little portion each for Little Wing and Misty Gust. When they delivered the ice cream to the three children Scootaloo quickly dug into her serving with the two foals also demolishing their ice cream after that initial cautious taste. No child could resist the temptation of ice cream, and it was then that the two parents realised they might have to make the fridge maximum security from then on. After their ice cream, Scootaloo had decided to tell the two foals tales of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their many exploits through Ponyville. Of course the foals had no idea who Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle were or even what a Cutie Mark Crusader was; in fact they had very little idea about what she was going on about at all, even Little Wing without having any actual context behind those tales. They listened anyway, mostly due to Scootaloo’s infectious enthusiasm for the subject. If she knew they had no idea what she was talking about, she didn’t seem to care all that much. From there the day seemed to pass by in a blur, excitement that was a mix of playing various games and with different toys and eventually Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof providing dinner for the trio. Little Wing and Misty Gust sat in their high chairs, the latter’s having been brought around by her mother, and Scootaloo sitting at the table with Windy and Bow. “So, are you going to the show next week?” Bow asked the orange filly, who had her mouth full of food at that point. Scootaloo swallowed her food before answering. “No. I wish I was, but Miss Cheerilee is meant to be setting us this assignment that we have to work on. Me and the other crusaders will be doing that.” “And not finding ways to get out of doing it I hope?” Bow asked knowingly. Scootaloo couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “No…?” “You need to make sure you do well in school, the Wonderbolt’s want brains among everything else, they have their own written tests to pass.” “Yeah, Rainbow Dash told me. Twilight and the others helped her through it,” Scootaloo stated, though that was obviously new information to the two older pegasi. “But it doesn’t matter anyway, not with these…” Scootaloo gave her far too small wings a sad flick, a despondent look on her face. “So you have a disadvantage, who cares?” Bow dismissed. “You just have to work extra hard, and you WILL earn your spot on that team!” Scootaloo looked up at them. “You think so?” “You know it!” Bow stated. “And if you ever need cheering on, you know we’ll be there!” “The both of us!” Windy agreed. Scootaloo brightened up. “Thanks guys. I’ll try!” The filly then glanced towards the two foals in the high chairs, who both seemed to be more interested in their food than the conversation. However, they didn’t noticed Little Wing’s ear subtly trained in on their word. “So, what about Little Wing?” Scootaloo asked. “What do you think she’ll be?” “Whatever she wants to be,” Windy responded. “From architect to lawyer, her whole future is ahead of her!” “Well, she had a pretty great sister to idolise, just like I do!” Scootaloo pointed, though the couple seemed a little unsure about that statement. “What?” “Well, it’s just that we haven’t heard from Dashie since, you know…” “You haven’t?” Scootaloo asked, saddened by that. “Well, there must be some way to get them to get along!” “Sometimes, well, time will only tell,” Bow stated. “Really, that’s it?” Scootaloo questioned. “I mean, why not lock them in a room together or something?” “Dear, I don’t think that would be wise,” Windy gently rebuffed. Bow hummed. “Lock them in a room…” Windy glared at her husband. “You’re not honestly thinking…?” “What, of course not!” Bow retorted. “But what if Dash and Little Wing were alone together for a period of time, like if we got Rainbow to foalsit her sister for a night or something. Give them time to bond.” Windy thought about it for a second, and then nodded. “You know, I don’t think that’s a bad idea! And we could add ‘best foalsitter ever’ to her trophy room!” “And best foal to foalsit for Little Wing!” Scootaloo suggested. “Definitely!” Windy agreed. “If it works,” Bow Hothoof added in. “It’ll work!” Windy assured. “I just know it will! A little time together and they will be the best sisters Equestria has ever seen!” “What about the princesses?” Scootaloo asked. Bow raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t one banish the other to the moon?” “Yeah, but they got better!” Scootaloo remarked. “Best. Sisters. Ever,” Windy Whistles hammered in the point, not leaving room for argument. “We can do it after the show, catch up to Rainbow and arrange a date for it.” “Sounds good to me,” Bow agreed. “Thanks for the suggestion champ!” “Yeah, I am pretty awesome aren’t I?” Scootaloo stated a little smugly, the twelve year old then leaning back in her chair while tipping it back slightly. She also promptly fell out of that chair, much to her eternal embarrassment and the immense enjoyment of the two foals.