After what felt to Scootaloo like the longest day of school in her life, the bell rang and the Crusaders left together. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked on either side of their friend and tried to chat her up.
“Wasn't that funny what Snips did at lunch today? Ah couldn't believe he actually slipped on a banana peel! Ah thought ponies only did that stuff in tha movies.”
Scootaloo nodded her head in acknowledgment.
“You know what you need?” Sweetie Belle asked. “How about something sweet from Sugar Cube Corner? I'll bet Mrs. Cake has fresh cookies. She almost always does after school.”
“I don't know, Sweetie Belle. I kind of just want to go home.”
“That's tha last place ya'll need ta be goin' right now, Scootaloo. C'mon, just one cookie. It'll be good fer you.” She smiled and nudged her friend, shoulder to shoulder.
Everyone stopped and locked eyes for a moment. Bloom and Belle grinned their biggest pleading grins hoping to convince the filly to follow them. Scootaloo caved.
“I guess a cookie couldn't hurt. Alright girls, let's go.”
The trio arrived at the bakery, and the moment they opened the door a plume of confetti shot at their faces. Scootaloo stood in the doorway in disbelief. Tons of ponies were waiting inside and screamed, “SURPRISE!” Nearly everyone in Ponyville was there. Her friends from school, the ponies who had used the Scootpark at Sweet Apple Acres, even the keepers of the Elements of Harmony themselves showed up to support the filly.
“Wh-what is all this?”
“Why, it's a party just for you, silly!,” Pinkie Pie excitedly shared to Scootaloo's face. “When I heard you went all the way across the country to compete in something you loved and WON, I just couldn't help myself from having a 'Congratulations on Following Your Dreams/Welcome Back to Ponyville/Let's All Eat Cookies Until We're Sick' party!”
“But I didn't win.”
“Whaddya mean, sugar cube?” inquired Applejack.
“I only got third place. I thought I was good enough to get first. I tried my hardest and failed.”
“Failed? Oh no no NO, dear,” interjected Rarity. “You didn't fail. Far from it! You worked hard on something you cared very much about and proved you were worthy of a national sport! Third place is an amazing accomplishment for it having been your first time against the best ponies in Equestria.”
Scootaloo's eyes began to brighten. Her cheeks flushed and a small smirk crossed her lips briefly. “You really think so?”
“Absolutely!,” enthused Twilight Sparkle. “You used every skill you knew and learned more about your sport than anypony else in Ponyville! You helped build a new place for ponies to express themselves and are helping them discover who they are. You also are trying to discover who you are and what you're best at. There's no better way to earn your cutie mark than to do what you love, deep down. Don't let anypony tell you otherwise.”
By now Scootaloo's eyes had begun to well with tears of joy and relief. She tried to choke out her thanks through the emotions but couldn't get the words out. Her friends and mentors all gathered around her in a group hug and embraced for a long moment. Afterwards Pinkie jumped into the middle of the floor and shouted, “Enough with the sappy, it's time to get HAPPY!” She dropped the needle on the record that sat on the Victrola. Everypony cheered and the festivities began.
'These ponies are my best friends in the world,' Scootaloo thought. 'No matter what, they'll be there for me.' She and her Cutie Mark Crusader compatriots laughed though the night. As the party began to wind down, Twilight Sparkle took the filly aside and asked if she wanted to send a letter to Princess Celestia about what she had learned.
“Me? REALLY?”
“That is, of course, if you learned something.”
“Sure I did! O.k., let's do it.”
“Spike?”
“Ready and waiting, Twilight.”
The filly began her dictation.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I've always believed that the only way to be proud of yourself is if you proved to others you were worthy of being admired. Today, I learned that pride is something that, if left unchecked, can get the best of you. You should be proud that you try things that are hard for you, proud that you leave what you know and love behind to pursue your dreams, and proud of your failures as well as your successes because of the lessons you learn from both. You should never let your pride overwhelm you to the point that you believe you've failed when in reality you've won against the harshest critic of all: yourself.
Your Faithful Subject,
Scootaloo