//------------------------------// // New Sisters // Story: The Best I Can // by RuinQueenofOblivion //------------------------------// "Sunshine Fading from your stare Sometimes It's better not to care." Rainbow Dash looked up at the ceiling of her room at the Cloudsdale Orphanage. She was one of the older foals there so she usually got preferential treatment on the room situation for some reason, not that she was complaining. She sighed a little and rolled over to look at the photo of her and her parents, when she was just a young filly they had died in a storm that had swept over Equestria from the Everfree Forest. The Weather teams had tried their best to get it under control, but it had been too late for her parents. She still remembered the scared look on their faces when they got her into the shelter, they had left to try and help other ponies and never come back. When she had been able to finally leave her whole world had come falling down. That was almost 7 years ago now, she was 12 years old now and nopony really seemed interested in adopting her. She didn't understand why, there were plenty of Pegasus couples that came through the orphanage and even on occasion Unicorn or Earth Pony couples that they visited for adoption days, but none of them seemed interested in her. Most of them thought she was too brash, too unpredictable. She didn't exactly help her case, but honestly she was more afraid of letting ponies get too close if she didn't trust them. She sighed and headed out of the room past some of the younger foals, they didn't really pay her any attention as she went past. Right now she just wanted to get out of the orphanage for the day, another couple had come by the day before and hadn't even paid attention to her. "Don't worry Rainbow, you'll find your family someday," the orphanage's matron Sunny Smiles had reassured her, but it hadn't happened yet. She just sighed and shook her head, none of the ponies here even really liked her that much for some reason. She just wanted to go see her friend Fluttershy right now, that usually got her mind off of things. "Rainbow, can I talk to you in my office for a moment?" the kind voice of the Matron asked just as Rainbow Dash was about to reach the front door. "Umm, okay," Rainbow said as her ears perked up, she was a little surprised, maybe it was about her getting adopted? Who knew at this point, maybe somepony had changed their minds. "Is everything okay Matron?" "Yes, Rainbow you're getting to be pretty old and I'd like you to participate in a new program the orphanage system is implementing," Sunny Smiles said with a smile on her face. "We're calling it the big sister program, when there's older fillies and colts like you are, we'd like them to help new foals that have recently lost their families." "Wait, why me?" Rainbow asked, she was a bit surprised by the suggestion, she wasn't exactly big sister material. "I know things aren't easy for you and that you're still hoping that maybe somepony will adopt you, but I think this'll be good for you to at least try," Sunny Smiles said, she tried to sound reassuring but it wasn't easy. "But more than that its because I can see something in you, you're a good filly who's got a lot to give. You just need the chance, will you at least try?" Rainbow paused and thought for a long moment. Honestly she had never thought of herself as being a big sister to anypony, why had Sunny Smiles picked her of all ponies? Honestly, she wasn't sure what to think about this, but maybe, just maybe it would be interesting. "Okay, I'm in!" Rainbow said with more enthusiasm than she really felt. "At least, I'll try to do my best with it." "Okay Rainbow, now go play with your little friend, I'll let you know when something is arranged." "Okay!" The filly said as she headed out, after a few minutes Sunny Smiles looked up to see a figure looking at her. "Did she agree?" The figure said in a kind and elegant voice "Yes, but I don't understand why you asked for this filly in particular," Sunny said as she looked at the mare who was in front of her. "Aren't there any families in Canterlot that can take care of her?" "I have my reasons, I promise everything will be okay," the mare said reassuringly. "Rainbow Dash is the right pony for the job, I know it seems strange, but trust me on this one." Sunny Smiles hesitated for a moment, she didn't understand everything that was going on but she figured if this pony said this, then maybe she was right. "Okay, I'll get it all arranged," Sunny Smiles said, she just hoped she was doing the right thing. "Thank you Matron, I promise you that this will all be okay in the end," the figure said before vanishing in a burst of light. 00000 "She, really wants you to help take care of another foal?" Fluttershy asked Rainbow curiously, they were at her house and Rainbow had just finished telling her what Sunny Smiles had asked of her. "Yeah, crazy right?" Rainbow said with a shrug. "Honestly, I don't know what to think about all of this." "Well, umm... Rainbow..." Fluttershy started to say before trailing off a moment. "Yeah, what is it?" "Well, I mean honestly I could kind of see it," Fluttershy admitted quietly. "You're a good pony, you've always been there for me when I've needed you. Sometimes, you kind of are like my sister if that makes any sense." "Really?" "Yeah, I mean you've always been there to help me since flight camp," Fluttershy said softly and gave her friend a light smile. "There might be another filly or colt out there who needs a pony like you, you'll do fine." Rainbow smiled a little and hugged Fluttershy, somehow the shy pony always knew just what to say when she needed it. Maybe she was right, but on the other hoof maybe she'd mess things up badly. Rainbow had no idea how to be a big sister, sure she had been there for Fluttershy when she needed her, but to be able to help another filly or colt like her? Honestly, she was a little nervous about that. Then again, maybe she had nothing to be worried about, even if she wasn't going to have an easy time doing it, maybe it was the right thing to do. She knew what it was like to not have your parents, and she wouldn't with that on anypony else. She had been in the orphanage longer than any of the other ponies that lived there, so she could help out at least. "Thank you Fluttershy, that means a lot," Rainbow said as she hugged the yellow filly gently. "You're welcome Rainbow Dash, just do you're best and you'll be fine," Fluttershy said and Rainbow nodded. "I will, I promise." Fluttershy smiled a little, she meant every word she had said to Rainbow. She was glad that it had helped the younger filly out. "Come on, lets go tease your brother," Rainbow said with a laugh as she dashed off with Fluttershy close behind. 00000 The next few days passed normally at the Cloudsdale Orphanage. Rainbow spent some time helping get her room ready for the new filly, making space for her new bed and stuff, Sunny Smiles told her that she'd be there the next Monday. Rainbow honestly was still a little nervous, some of the younger foals had gotten wind of what was going on and had been pestering her with questions. Now Monday came around and it was about that time. She was waiting with Sunny Smiles in the foyer to the orphanage, there were ponies upstairs getting everything moved in before the filly arrived. Rainbow tried not to look nervous about what was going on. Was she going to be able to do a good job? She didn't even know the filly yet and she was afraid of what was going to happen. "Are you ready for this Rainbow?" Sunny Smiles asked as she looked down at the prismatic maned filly. "As ready as I'll ever be," she answered with a sigh. "What if she doesn't like me?" "Rainbow, don't worry about it, you're a great filly, why wouldn't she like you?" Sunny Smiles said as she ruffled Rainbow's mane gently. "Don't worry Rainbow, you're going to be a great big sister." "I hope so," Rainbow said with a sigh as the door to the orphanage opened, she was a little surprised to see a mare enter pushing a stroller. "Umm, what's going on?" "Here come meet your little sister," Sunny Smiles said as the mare left, Rainbow trotted over to the stroller and looked inside. Wrapped up gently in a bundle was a Pegasus foal, she had orange fur with a tuft of purple for her mane. She was fast asleep at the moment, Rainbow just looked at the little pony confused. "I thought she'd be older..." She said softy. "Her parents died recently in Canterlot, we were asked to take care of her," Sunny said sadly. "I know this is a big responsibility, but you don't have to do it alone I promise." Rainbow looked at the sleeping filly for a long moment, she was so small she honestly had no idea what to think. Still, this was a pony who needed her help, she just was a little younger than she had thought. She nodded and Sunny smiled as she ruffled the filly's mane again. "That's the Rainbow I know!" "Can I hold her?" Rainbow asked and Sunny gently placed the filly in Rainbow's forehooves. She looked at her for the longest moment before her eyes opened up, revealing a pair of light purple eyes that looked up at Rainbow curiously. "What's her name?" "Scootaloo." Scootaloo, it was a strange name, even by pony standards, as she looked at the small pony though it somehow felt right, she didn't really know why. "Hey there Scootaloo, my name is Rainbow Dash, I'm your new big sister," Rainbow said with a smile as the filly cooed gently and sucked at Rainbow's hoof. "I'm going to do my best to be there when you need me, I promise, I'll be the best big sister ever. I know you'll be the best little sister ever." Sunny Smiles watched the two and smiled gently, she had her doubts but the way she saw Rainbow and Scootaloo together made her feel that something about it was right. She headed up to the room in order to give the two new sisters some space, they'd follow when they were ready.