//------------------------------//
// Chapter 15 - Intermission 
// Story: The Scoota Finale 
// by thedarktome 
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The days went by fast in Magenta's eyes. One second she was in bed trying to move her hooves without pain. The next she was walking much quicker to the kitchen and outside with her friends. Of course she had to be careful or else she'd slip and fall on one of her wounds. According to the matrons that changed them, there were a lot of lacerations. It apparently "looked awful". But that didn't slow her down.

A month had passed by and it was now August. Bright had gone back to school with a few more fillies and was so determined to not leave Magenta alone, that she put a blanket over the Flightless Pegasus and herself. Then hid under it. Magenta only rolled her eyes. The matrons thought it was adorable. But they still needed her to get to school. Thanks to some reassurance from Magenta, "her sister", that she wasn't going anywhere and that she'd be there when she returned, Bright surrendered and went ahead to school. But not without threatening the Matrons that she'd eat their food if they hurt Magenta. They only laughed at how adorable she was. Even now as Magenta lied back on her bed, she couldn't help but smile at how cute Bright looked when she was trying to be intimidating. Her cheeks would puff up, her eyes would be so narrowed that they looked nearly closed, and her wings would buzz the whole time. "Adorable," she whispered to herself.

Magenta scratched at one of her covered lacerations, despite the verbal warnings from the matrons that told her not to, as it could restart the process of healing. But she was itching, so... Scratching sounded really good. A knock at the bedroom door startled her so much that she sat straight up and looked around. Groaning, she rolled onto her stomach and stood on her hooves. Then made her way down the stairs cautiously. She didn't want to reopen one of her wounds. Once on the floor, she made her way to the door and pulled the handle down, pulling it open. The head matron was standing right there, smiling down at her. "Hello, Magenta," she greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Magenta shrugged and answered, "Well... I would say I've felt better, but I don't remember that."

Platinum Diamonds chuckled and softly ruffled her mane. "Well we're going to work on some of that in the future. I'm here right now to tell you that I will be teaching you a few things in a few minutes inside the kitchen."

Magenta got interested quickly. "Really?! What am I learning?"

"Writing."


***


Platinum helped get Magenta into her chair and get comfortable before settling down into the one next to her. There was a notebook, a quill, and an inkwell on the table in front of her that Magenta juat stared at. Then turned back to the Director. "Okay. So here's what you do...."



While Magenta was being taught how to write, Bright was stirring in her seat, back at school. It was an elementary school in downtown Manehattan that was close enough that she could fly there. But being so young she was escorted by Chariot with a few more fillies. She wasn't too fond about going to school after her parents' death. But the Matrons at school insisted she go. And she did. But only because Magenta made her!

Back in Ponyville, Twilight and Fluttershy managed to get Rainbow Dash in another therapy session. Of course this one was in Fluttershy's home with a much more calmer setting and with guaranteed peace. Although that didn't stop Rainbow Dash during her mourning. Twilight and Fluttershy were sitting in two chairs opposite of Rainbow Dash in front of the fireplace. Rainbow Dash herself was lying on the couch across, glaring at the floor.

Twilight took a deep breath and said, "Rainbow Dash. Everypony knows you're upset. And when I say everypony, I mean everypony in Ponyville. There's not much you can do, nor anypony else. Yes, Scootaloo may be damaged and hurt."

"Greatly," Rainbow added.

"But," Twilight interrupted. "She's alive."

Rainbow sat up straight and said, "Twilight, if I haven't seen her for myself, I will not believe that. You can't just say somepony's alive when their memorial is right there." She pointed towards the door of the cottage. "Alive or not, she is gone until I've seen otherwise."

"What happened to the awesome pony we knew?" Fluttershy asked, a little irritated. Rainbow looked over at her. "What happened to the strong and brave Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty? The pony that could do anything and boast about it shamelessly?"

"She's—"

"And don't you dare say she died with Scootaloo," Fluttershy interrupted. "You're better than this Rainbow Dash! You need to pull yourself together right now. It has been months since the tragedy. We all know what happened and we all feel terrible about it. But there's nothing we can do. Yes, we've shed our tears. We went to her memorial service. We've said we're sorry. But that's all we can do. There is nothing else but to learn from our mistakes and move on. Everypony already has. Even the crusaders. Although they are still holding onto hope, they are still doing what they can to move on. Scootaloo will never be forgotten Rainbow. But we do need to move on. Because if we don't, the guilt will kill us..... Like it almost did Sweetie Belle. You saved her life. Now it's time to save your own."

Rainbow sighed and looked out the window nearby. She could still see the memorial nearby, shining like gold amongst the darkness that was in her heart. She turned back to Fluttershy in sadness. But Twilight could make out that bit of determination in her eyes. "But... How?" she asked meekly. "How can I just go out and... move on knowing that I—"

"By remembering that Scootaloo would want you to," Twilight interrupted. She jumped out of her chair and walked towards Fluttershy's window that was facing the memorial. "Scootaloo may be gone. But she's not forgotten. She lives on in our hearts. And will forever. If she is out there, she may have moved on too. But if not, then... She lives on in us. In all of Ponyville. But we have to move on. So wipe those tears and get back to being Rainbow Dash, the pony that can motivate anypony."

Rainbow took a deep breath then hopped out of her couch, making her way to the window. She gazed out of it with a firm pressed up against the glass, nostalgia on her mind as she remembered everything she and Scootaloo did with each other. "Twilight.... Things will never be the same after this you know."

Twilight nodded and said, "I know. Everypony realizes that."

Rainbow pulled in her lips. Then turned back to the window and said, "I'll... Try to move on. But it won't be easy without Scoots."

"We'll help you," Fluttershy volunteered. "We all feel bad about it and we've moved on in our own different ways. We know you can too. And we'll help you get there." Fluttershy walked over and pulled Rainbow into a tight hug. Rainbow slowly hugged her back, burying her head in her shoulder. It was going to be a long road to recovery.



After school, Bright moved quickly along the stuffed hallways, heading for the door and the chariot outside that would take them back to the orphanage. This would be an everyday thing until she was old enough to be trusted to go out and do her own thing on her own. Thinking of which, how old was Magenta? She never told her. Probably didn't know, just like anybody else that knew and talked to her. A few minutes, she turned down the hallway. "Hey, Bright!" She gasped and looked up in recognition. Magenta was standing there waving with Goldhoof beside her. Magenta was in a wheelchair that let her move more freely, grinning from ear to ear.

"Magenta!" She cheered. Then ran forward into Magenta's hooves. "I missed you so much! I told those ponies they could never separate us! And you just proved it!"

Magenta chuckled and hugged her tighter. Once they let go, Magenta pointed to Ms. Goldhoof and said, "Ms. goldhoof wants to take us out to eat! So we're picking you up!" She bounced in place a little, taking note that her wounds weren't severe enough to actually hurt her front legs.

Bright gasped and then flew up to wrap her hooves around Goldhoof's neck. "Oh! Oh! Oh! What place, what restaurant?" She grabbed Goldhoof's muzzle and looked into her eyes. "Where. Are. We. Going?"

Goldhoof chuckled and said, "It's a surprise."

"Awww!"

Magenta chuckled and motioned up to her. "Bright doesn't like surprises. Come on, Bright! It'll be fun!"

Bright landed next to her and looked her over. "Can you walk in your wheelchair? Are you in pain? Does it hurt? Headaches? Nausea?..." Magenta sighed and walked towards the door with Goldhoof, the latter giggling at Bright's overprotective attitude as she droned on. She and Magenta were definitely going to be watching out for each other. Always.