//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: Home is Where the Heart is // by smileyfacer //------------------------------// The pain in Scootaloo's wings seemed to be no match for the pain that continued to throb in her small hooves and legs. She had gallopped faster than ever away from the center of Ponyville. Blinded by hear tears, the filly had clashed with several obstacles along the road, either into thorn bushes, small trees or rocks, giving her bruises and cuts all over, not to mention the soreness already apparent in her wings. Scootaloo had decided to seek shelter in the clubhouse, and laid there, quietly sobbing, and her depressed mind left to ponder about all of the things she thought was wrong. I'll never be Rainbow Dash's sister! I'm just a silly filly that stops her from chasing her dreams! Thoughts of that kind kept returning to the earthbound pegasus, and the usual strong wall that kept harsh words abay, that she built up months before ever arriving to Ponyville, was crumbling. She's been trying to teach me to fly... I'm her biggest fan... Why doesn't she like me? Tears streamed down the filly's face as she laid upon the recently renovated floor in the clubhouse that belonged to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had often praised the young farmpony about her splendid work, which Applebloom always rejected with her ever kind heart. Applebloom is so talented with building things and whenever Sweetie Belle sings, it is as if the most astonishing choir of birds have gathered, and decided to spread joy with their voices just because they can, without boasting. What am I good at? Scootaloo thought of nothing, and only continued her quiet sobbing in the clubhouse. It was getting late in the afternoon, and Celestia's glorious sun had started to fall. Just as she wondered if anypony would care to come look for her, several voices broke her trail of thought. "Scootalooooooo!" The filly let out a small gasp, and quickly glanced outside the window. She saw Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Applejack and the dog, Winona. Without hesitation, Scootaloo jumped out of the clubhouse, not wanting to show her vulnerability to her friends, and hid under a nearby bush. The filly held her breath as the three ponies and single canine entered the clubhouse, their voices echoing through the trees. "Scootaloo! Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Sweetie Belle shouted as her head poked through the doorway of the clubhouse. "She ain't here Sweetie, let's go search somewhere else," Applebloom mumbled, the disappointment obvious in her voice, before she glanced to Applejack, "where can she be, Applejack? She can't hide anywhere else, can she?" Applejack laid a leg over Applebloom, and held her little sister close. "I can't say I got the faintest idea, sugarcube. I just hope she ain't lost in the woods again," the older Apple said, and lead the two disappointed fillies and a continously sniffing Winona down the ramp. The canine had gone in circles for a bit as the ponies walked before her, before her nose caught a certain scent. Winona quietly followed to lead and ended up before a bush next to the clubhouse. She growled menacingly at the bush, causing a white bunny to jump out in fright. Winona didn't hesitate to cheerfully bark and chase the rabbit, until a loud and clear whistle ended her game. "C'mere, Winona! We ain't got time for bunny-chasin' t'day!" Applejack shouted before whistling one more time. The loyal dog was by her master's side within a heartbeat, earning a giggle from all of the ponies as they made their way in the opposite direction of the clubhouse. The sun was near gone from the glorious Equestrian sky, and Luna's stars didn't hesitate to replace Celestia's clouds. Not until then had Scootaloo dared to breathe or move, but as she saw them leave, she dared to poke her head through the bushes once more. She sighed heavily, and quickly trotted back into the clubhouse. They were too busy laughing at Winona to even bother look for me. Stupid dog. No, this isn't Winona's fault. It's my own. Scootaloo grabbed one of the old blankets that Applejack had donated to the Cutie Mark Crusaders whenever they had a sleepover in the clubhouse. The blankets were thin and worn, but whenever Scootaloo had slept in the clubhouse with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, she hadn't frozen. Tonight was going to be colder than ever, she realized, but she wasn't going to go back to Ponyville when they obviously didn't bother to look for her. No, rather freeze than going back to Ponyville. Maybe she could just live there? Those were the last thoughts that Scootaloo had before shivering into a restless sleep. "I'm sorry, headmistress. But we just can't find her." The headmistress of the orphanage rubbed her temples. A headache was coming on, and she couldn't find Scootaloo. Twice in one month. Twilight Sparkle and her five friends glanced at each other, but Rainbow Dash kicked the dirt in anger. "She can't just be lost again!" she exclaimed, furiously stomping at the earth under her hooves, before letting out a huge sigh. "Rainbow Dash, darling. Don't worry more than necessary, wherever could she be? Ponyville is only so big, she simply cannot have strayed far." The pegasus growled before she took off in a desperate search for Scootaloo. Her wings moved faster than even she thought possible, her frantic eyes searching wildly for an orange filly, but in the darkness, she couldn't see anything. Nor could anypony see the tears hidden by Luna's darkness. Scootaloo awakened with a loud gasp. She had dreamed vividly of a monster with clattering teeth, and looked around in the clubhouse to ensure herself that it was just a dream. Within few seconds, she realized the cold temperatures had made her teeth clatter in her sleep. Scootaloo was sure she had never felt her coat been so cold, nor could she remember her mane and tail being so stiff. With a look of determination, the filly decided she would walk the cold off, and rose with stiff limbs. She winced as her hooves seemed to be much louder than needed as she walked down the clubhouse ramp, and unto the soft grass instead. Scootaloo turned her gaze towards the buildings of Sweet Apple Acres, and saw how all lights were out, clearly indicating it was way beyond her bedtime. The filly quietly trotted a few laps around the clubhouse, before daring herself to go farther away from the clubhouse. Luna's moon and stars made it easy to see, so Scootaloo made little effort to gaze upwards in an attempt to find her way about the land of Sweet Apple Acres. Nonetheless, it didn't take long before she bumped into something. "Ow!" she groaned, and rubbed her sore forehead, before glancing up at whatever she had struck. Before her, stood none other than the Princess of the Night, Celestia's little sister, Luna. Scootaloo opened her mouth to let out a loud scream, but a dark hoof was in her way, as she tried. "Hush, child. I mean you no harm." the princess softly said, her dark eyes glinting with honesty. Scootaloo cocked an eyebrow, but remained silent as the princess removed her hoof from her mouth. "What do you want with a silly filly like me, then?" Scootaloo grumbled, and turned her back on Luna. "Don't you dare turn your back on me, child!" Luna shouted, ignoring her previous plea to Scootaloo to remain silent, as the Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice returned to her. Scootaloo stood before her within a second, shivering with fear in front of the princess, who signed heavily. "Forgive me, Scootaloo. I mean you no harm, I am merely here to speak with you." Scootaloo cocked an eyebrow yet again, and let out a slight 'huh', in confusion. "Me? Why do you want to talk to me?", the filly asked with an expression of unbelief on her face. "I see the same lies reside in you, that previously resided within myself," Luna placed a hoof on Scootaloo's chest, "the same lies I spread within my own soul." Scootaloo grinned nervously, before pushing away the princess' hoof. "What are you talking about, princess? I don't lie!" The princess scoffed loudly, before turning away from the filly, and proceeding to walk. "If you fail to see the obvious, Scootaloo, then you are as lost to darkness as the late Nightmare Moon." "Waitwaitwait!I'mnotlyingpleasetellmewhatyoumean!" Scootaloo rambled, almost clinging to the leg of the dark princess. Luna let out a laugh, much to Scootaloo's surprise. "You can laugh?!" she exclaimed, quickly biting her tongue and wishing nothing more than to take back that question. "Why, ofcourse I can," Luna replied, and continued walking, Scootaloo trying to keep up next to her. After what seemed to be hours of walking and silence, Luna spoke. "Now, Scootaloo," she said, glancing towards the filly next to her, "can you guess why I have made this journey to converse with you this night?" "No..." Scootaloo mumbled. "I shall not hesitate to tell you, then. Scootaloo, I have been keeping a watchful eye over you, for quite some time now, and I see the same cruel lies within you, that used to be within myself. As I said just before, their darkness will consume you, if you do not banish them this instant." A blush spreading to her cheeks, Scootaloo begun to object as she realized, Luna had seen through her defenses. "I'm not ly-" "Scootaloo, do not attempt to lie to me. I know it too well," the mare interrupted, before motioning towards what seemed to be an entrance made up of leaves, "please, follow me." Scootaloo swallowed hard, before entering the secret garden, and let out a gasp as she saw where she was. The little filly stood in an exact replica of her sanctuary. Well, her, and apparently Princess Luna's as well. Dumbfounded, Scootaloo couldn't find the words to speak her mind, causing the Princess to chuckle once more. "You seemed to have found my glade on your journeys. When you strayed a bit too far, and was lost, I was the light that guided you out of the darkness. Both within yourself and the night that embraced you so," the princess nudged Scootaloo slightly, "and hence I know of the lies, Scootaloo." Suddenly honored and flustered by the attention another pony gave her, Scootaloo found herself without words, and surprised by the kindness that Princess Luna bestowed upon her. She couldn't help but suddenly hide herself in Luna's dark legs, weeping her eyes dry. Luna hushed her not, but remained silent and merely kept a sheltering wing over the crying filly. She remembered how Celestia had done the same when she had been freed of Nightmare Moon's control. Celestia had not spoken when the younger princess had burst into wild and uncontrollable sobs, not until Luna spoke for herself. "Do they really care for me, Princess?" Scootaloo asked, as her sobs ceased and her eyes were dry as sand. "I pondered of the same too, and have relentlessly thought of the answer, whereas I realized it after my return. For your answer, it is obvious, and a yes. You are indeed a very special pony, and a force to be trifled with. I cannot foresee the future, nor can Celestia, but I know, that you, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom shall be companions until all of you breathe your last breath. All of you shall care for one another to an extend that is indeed love. You love and trust them, do you not?" The question surprised Scootaloo, as she had preferred to listen, instead of being asked and replying. But she nodded quietly. "More than anything, Princess." "Then you must also trust them, to love and trust you back. What are your reasons for them to not love you, as the extraordinary filly you are?" Luna asked, the curiosity obvious in her voice. "Because I'm not extraordinary! I'm just a stupid orphan filly, who can't fly, and never will! I don't have a family, and I want to have one! I want a sister, or a mom!" Scootaloo shouted, returning to hiding in dark fur and weeping once more. Luna retreated into silence, and awaited Scootaloo's broken voice again. "Why would anyone be friends with a silly filly like me?" "Again, I have asked myself the same question, and allow me to answer my own this time. To quote my younger self, I asked Celestia, why they praised her for raising the sun, and frolicked in the sweet grass, but never praised I, and merely slept through the night? Now I realize that many ponies do enjoy the nights as much as they do the day. Whereas Celestia makes the day beautiful with her life-giving sun, I make the nights beautiful with stars, meteors, shooting stars and other creations that ponies study endlessly to understand. They wish to understand myself, and that is all I can ask," Luna answered, glancing up towards her nightly creation, consisting of countless stars and objects of the nighttime, before looking to Scootaloo once more, "You do many wondrous things yourself, Scootaloo. You handle a scooter with incredible grace and agility. You defend your friends no matter the foe, and that is courage." "I don't feel very couragely..." Scootaloo muttered, oblivious to the word she had just spoken, didn't exist. "Scootaloo, that is even more courageous. Heroes feel fear too, and they are the most courageous when they stand against the face of danger or fear, but stride on nonetheless. Were you not scared when you defended Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, on the first day of school?" "Nuh-uh!", Scootaloo exclaimed at first, before she glanced towards Luna, and sighed, "I was really scared." "And thus, you see your courage, the most noble kind there is, as well. Come, lay next to me." the Princess replied as well as commanded, quietly laying in the middle of her glade. At first, Scootaloo was hesitant to do as she asked, but after a few seconds of tense waiting, she quickly hopped down next to the dark mare. "You said you wanted a sister, yes?" Luna quietly asked, and glanced towards the filly beneath her wing. Scootaloo nodded, a sudden sparkle in her eyes. The Princess smiled again. "Fear not, Scootaloo. I promise you, that before long, you will have a sister." Scootaloo suddenly jumped out of her shelter under Luna's wing, shouting words of excitement and wild joy, before turning towards Luna with a wide smile. "Wow, really! You promise me, Princess! An actual sister?" "Hush, Scootaloo, and lay down before I explain further," she commanded, and patiently waited for the restless filly to settle down beneath her wing, before continuing, "I see things ordinary ponies do not, and whereas it seems oblivious to you, I can tell that there is a mare and several other ponies cares more for you than you could fathom. One desires to become of your family, and this is not foreseeing, it is obvious truth." Scootaloo had difficulty concealing her excitement, and nearly jumped out of the sheltering darkness Luna had given with her wings, but didn't get the chance before the Princess rose. She stretched her long wings and limbs, before turning to face the overly excited Pegasus filly. "Scootaloo, I must go. The night grows short, and I must be back at Canterlot to lower the moon. Do you wish to know more about yourself?" "Why did my parents leave me? Will I ever get my cutie mark and learn how to fly?" "I know not why you have been orphaned, Scootaloo," the Princess replied with a hint of sadness upon her face, lifting Scootaloo's face with her hoof, "but I do know they made a grave mistake when they did. You shall be one of great feats and achievements, with the courage that resides within your heart, and the power within your wings. One day, you shall receive a cutie mark appropriate of your future honor." Scootaloo let out a wide smile, and let out a bow to the Princess as she vanished into the night. As Luna flew across the sky, the little filly hoped and longed to be able to fly as gracefully as Princess Luna and as fast as Rainbow Dash one day. With that in mind, Scootaloo galloped faster than ever back to Ponyville, determined to convince the world and herself, that she was a filly worth knowing and loving. Hey everyone, soooo sorry for the delay. I've been on a holiday for 3 weeks, just got home today to a chapter halfway through, but also a laptop with a cracked screen. I delivered it for repair today, so I hope for a swift recovery. Hope this chapter is satisfactory, and that Luna isn't too much out of character. I thought it'd be nice if Scootaloo could bond with another pony besides Rainbow Dash, or something. Leave comments, they always make my day!