“A-alright girls, let's begin; ‘Operation Help Scootaloo Fly’.” Applebloom, pointed to the diagram-sized paper on the wall with the title:
Operation: Help Scootaloo Fly
“This paper will be fer us ta jot down ideas, outcomes, etc.” She stood behind the front desk, smiling brightly.
Scootaloo stared at the big, broad title in faint surprise. Her dream was actually coming true, after so many years of being the way she has been. It will finally work. I’ll finally get to-
Sweetie Belle chimed in, interrupting Scootaloo’s thoughts: “Applebloom, not to be intrusive or anything but, well,- should we really be calling this an operation, if it’s a… CMC mission?” She grinned. “Just… you know, want to go by what Scootaloo referred to it as from her dream It’s in our destiny, so it is a mission.”
“More specifically what princess Luna called it.” Scootaloo chimed in, her tone unusually quiet. Neither of the other two ponies appeared to have heard her.
Applebloom, frowning a little with annoyance, took a pencil and crossed out “operation”, changing it to “CMC Mission: Help Scootaloo fly”. She then said: “Ain’t that better?” She went back to the front desk. “Now that the topic issue’s out a the way, let’s say we actually, well, brainstorm some ideas?”
“She is right you know,” said Scootaloo, in a more audible tone, sober against the excitement bubbling in her. “I mean, if we’re going to make this… work, we better get started sometime, right?”
“You’re right, you’re all right, okay, I’m sorry. Let’s move on, shall we?” Sweetie Belle spoke with an annoying tone, before a memory of the intense sympathy she felt for Scootaloo snapped her into an apologetic smile. “I mean, I just really want to see you fly, Scoot. So really, none of us should be getting holed up about this stuff.” She smiled eagerly. “Applebloom’s right: Let’s get to it!”
Unfortunately, that silly incident was only the first argument that was to happen upon this meeting.
This meeting seemed to be more... finicky than Scootaloo had anticipated. After receiving a message for her destiny in an unforgettable dream, she was expecting things to flow quickly and smoothly - even if they weren’t lightning fast, like Rainbow Dash. But when was life ever easy, when not intolerable and hopeless?
If it weren't for the constant excitement bubbling in Scootaloo, she would have shown some level of concern for the slowness of the meeting, caused by multiple disagreements among her friends:
“I wonder if we could make a potion; maybe Zecora would have ideas? Or, Applebloom, you have also shown some interest in potions yourself; maybe you…?”
“Hmmm, I’m not sure ‘bout that… remember I got the cutie pox when I tried that idea? Too risky.”
“Ugh, forget that. How about if I look for a flying spell?”
“Sweetie Belle, you know your magic isn’t powerful enough to cast big spells… no offence.”
“Well…” Sweetie Belle blushed at the backhanded remark, thought it was true that she took after her sister in terms of limited abilities. “What if we ask Twilight…?”
“This is supposed to be a CMC mission. We ain’t gonna go asking other ponies. Besides, it’d be cheating if we asked a princess fer help. We need ta do this ourselves!”
“Well, do you have any ideas then, Applebloom?”
Now Applebloom was lost. She immediately noticed that Sweetie Belle had constantly mentioned magic because, well, she was a unicorn. And although her abilities were limited, she did have some ability and knowledge about the idea. What use could an earth pony be?
Then, Applebloom remembered what Scootaloo said, that one day when their flag-carrying routine was in jeopardy due to Scootaloo’s damaged self-confidence: But… what if my wings never grow? What if I never fly?...
Wings. She needs bigger wings. She needs- “Ai got it! Wing enhancements! They will be like gliders, attached to her wings to make them bigger!”
Scootaloo had an image of herself going to school with giant gliders attached to her wings. She would fly in with her enhancements. But sleeping in them however…”
CMC Mission: Help Scootaloo Fly
Add enhancements to Scootaloo's wings to make them bigger
As Applebloom finished jotting down the idea, Sweetie Belle scratched her chin in thought: “Well… how would we do it? And where would we get wing enhancers? Would we use… Feathers? Kites?
“The material needs ta be thick, tough, glide-able. So… we can cut some hang gliders and attach them to Scoot’s wings!”
“Well, that could work, but then Scoot still needs to learn how to fly. Maybe there’s a way she’s moving her wings that contributes to her inability. So it could be an issue even with enforcements...” Sweetie Belle piped up: “How about flying lessons?”
“Well, that would work… if one a us could fly.”
“What if I used a levitation spell to-”
“Sweetie Belle, don’tcha remember what I said? No magic, even if your magic was strong enough. We should really be avoiding the whole magic idea, be more resourceful.” Applebloom was acting extra defensive against this idea, with the sensitivity knowing that she had no magic.
Then, for the first time during the meeting, Scootaloo piped up: “Lessons with Rainbow Dash! She could teach me some tips and turns that I might need to learn…”
CMC Mission: Help Scootaloo Fly
Idea: Add enhancements to Scootaloo's wings to make them bigger
Idea: Lessons with Rainbow Dash
Sweetie Belle’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “But… wouldn’t that go against the idea that this is a CMC mission only, and can only be done by us?”
“Yeah but… I mean, lessons with a pegasus sound highly effective… and you two can still help out by persuading her to give me the lessons, and encouraging me on the way.” Scootaloo smiled brightly, her eyes wide with pleading. “I mean, come on. If lessons with Rainbow Dash was something I wanted to do, I would have done it long ago. It’s because of the help and encouragement I’m getting from my friends that I am thinking about it. That’s one thing CMCs do; help and encouragement!” Suddenly, some music started to play and Scootaloo got herself to stand on two legs, before swinging her arms in a song:
“Help and encouragement is what everyone needs help and encouragement-”
Applebloom shoved her onto Scootaloo’s mouth. “Okay, okay, we get it Scoot. I think we should save the singing fer later, and fer now focus on more brainstorming.”
Scootaloo smiled sheepishly before getting down on all fours. “Right… let’s do it.”
CMC Mission: Help Scootaloo Fly
Idea: Add enhancements to Scootaloo's wings to make them bigger
Idea: Lessons with Rainbow Dash
Idea: Throw Scootaloo from a high place (from the treehouse into a bush) and keep doing it until she flies
All three CMCs sat looking at the paper, continuing to rake their brains for more ideas, ideas that could possibly work.
Scootaloo broke the silence: “Well, uh… do you think we should start giving these a try?
“Give what a try?” All three ponies turned at the sound of a familiar voice.
“Hi girls,” said Diamond Tiara cheerfully. She hopped into the treehouse, Silver Spoon right behind her. “What’s that?”
Applebloom quickly tore down the Mission diagram. “How’d you to know we were in here today?”
This time, Silver Spoon spoke: “Diamond told me all about what you three do here, how you come here to wrap-up missions - mission wrap up, what a cute name! - and we just figured you’d be here, since it’s nearing the end of the week and things are starting to tone down at school. What’s a better way to end the week, right?”
Don’t these two ponies have anything better to do than stalk us? Scootaloo couldn’t help the resentful feelings in her mind as her eagerness to start flying began slipping away. This was supposed to be a CMC mission. How could they do it if other ponies kept butting in?
Scootaloo began cursing herself for inviting the nosy fillies to sit on the sidelines in the first place. But Diamond Tiara had looked so excited that day… how could I have said no?
“Sooo, whatcha doing?” Diamond Tiara uncharacteristically hopped over to where Applebloom was standing. “You tore down that sign before I got to read it, silly! What does it say?”
“Uuummm… honestly, Diamond Tiara, it’s confidential. It’s… a private mission. And…” Applebloom sighed. “Honestly, it’d be better if we three did this alone. Like, just the three of us.”
Diamond Tiara’s eyes widened with surprise. “A private mission? You’ve never said that before until now… and I thought we were friends.” The pthalo-blue eyes got big with such exaggerated sadness, the other fillies -except for Silver Spoon - couldn’t tell whether it was real or fake.
Applebloom scratched her head uncomfortably. “A’m… sorry, Diamond Tiara. It’s just that, well, when ya run such a tight business-”
“No no, I understand.” Diamond Tiara closed her large eyes in sadness, before turning away. “Silvey and I… will just leave. You… go on with your mission. You don’t need us.” She sniffed; again, it was hard to tell whether the sadness was genuine. “Goodbye…”
Goodbye and good riddance. For whatever reason, despite efforts to keep herself cool around the two reformed rivals, Scootaloo was beginning to feel something against them being around…
“Well anyways - sorry about that Scoot, what was yer question?”
Scootaloo shook herself back to reality. “Right. I was wondering… how about we try these things out, or something? I really like the idea of wing enhancers, to make it feel like my wings have grown.” Her wings beat eagerly. “I mean, the idea about throwing me from a high place works too, but maybe we should combine two to see if the wing-enhancers work in such situations.”
“Yeah, now that we’re talking about this, I don’t think I’m so sure about wing enhancers after all, Scoot.” Applebloom with honesty, and sympathy. “I know I was the one to have mentioned it, but I’m not sure sure if it would end safely. I mean, who knows if you’ll be able to direct the wings properly, and with such strong gliders, they can cut through wind so fast… maybe too fast.” Worry began to edge Applebloom’s voice. “We wanna help you, Scoot, but we wanna do this as safely as possible.”
“Oh… okay…” Scootaloo spoke softly, her voice hinting disappointment. “it would be cool and all, to have such big strong wings, but…” Scootaloo’s head hung. “Maybe you’re right.”
Sweetie Belle chimed in eagerly, not wanting the emotion in the room to get to heavy. “So, that’s why I suggested flying lessons. It’s a safe way to learn how to fly, with a flying professional who actually knows what she’s doing, and it’s not so risky!” Sweetie Belle continued to beam with confidence. “Then, we can do the test with dropping you out of the treehouse - and if nothing works, we can try the wing enhancements. But at least by then, you’ll have your flying abilities down so it’ll be… slightly less safe. What do you say?”
Before Scootaloo could say anything, all three ponies jumped at the sound of a new voice:
“This ‘secret mission’ is for Scootaloo, right? Because I’m pretty sure she’s the only one of you three with wings.”