"When my friends got their Cutie Marks two weeks ago, I didn't just fall out of love with them, but a few other things, too. It was like things were just so much harder to enjoy from that point on. Riding my scooter, seeing tricks, going to school," said Scootaloo. Her eyes now down in a depressed manner as she reminisced. "But I never thought that I'd stop enjoying watching Rainbow Dash fly." Scootaloo stopped and looked at Hopin, whom was paying very close attention.
"Whenever she trained, I always used to watch. There was some mystical feeling about being friends with the best flyer in all of Equestria. Eventually it became such a natural thing for the both of us that she would tell me when she started training. Every single day I'd watch her and smile. Always thinking: I want to be up there. That looks awesome," said Scootaloo with her voice showing some enthusiasm and happiness.
"But..." Scootaloo's voice was suddenly depressed. It was a voice with no significance of hope, "how can I be up there and do that if I can't fly?" Scootaloo paused. It was hard to continue. "During her practices, or when she and I were alone, we'd always try to get me off of the ground. I could flap hard enough to only do that, though. But I couldn't flap any harder. 'Keep trying, c'mon Scootaloo!' Rainbow Dash would say. I'd barely get up and then land flat on my belly. I'd look over and see her worried and saddened face. 'Maybe next time,' she'd say. That was before these past few weeks."
"I don't know why, and I am so frustrated with myself for doing this, but I started despising her. Whenever she'd ask if I wanted to watch, I'd always reply with a harsh, 'No.' and then walk away, leaving her confused and probably thinking that I'm a brat," said Scootaloo with a voice filled with pain and regret.
"I started thinking that she had failed me. She was my friend and hero and she couldn't even teach me how to fly. Even worse was the fact that I was so old and not able to fly anyways. My friends sometimes poked fun at me because of it. I always acted like I disregarded them or didn't much care, but it was hard stuff to hear. Anyways. I know that she hasn't failed me, but..." Scootaloo stopped and looked at Hopin, "I don't know what to do."
"Tell me, Scootaloo," said Hopin as he stared at the filly. "What was life like before all of this?"
Scootaloo briefly smiled at the reminiscence. She hadn't bothered with much thinking about it in a long time. "Times were fun," said Scootaloo. Her tone a little bit more laid back. "Playing with my friends everyday. Going on some whacky adventures just for the heck of it. Trying to live my dreams every day. Watching Dash perform amazing tricks. I wish..." Scootaloo suddenly stopped smiling and looked out of the window again. "I wish that those were the times I was having right now."
"You didn't have a Cutie Mark before and you couldn't fly before. Yet you were still happy," said Hopin in his casual voice.
Scootaloo looked at Hopin who was already looking at her.
"You were living a life that some could only dream of. I feel like you're taking that life for granted, Scootaloo." Hopin's tone now was more serious and had a hint of controlled anger. "Who's to say that you had to stop?"
"I don't know what it was," said Scootaloo in a somewhat scared manner. "I just couldn't deal with it all."
"You may not be able to fly, but being with your friends everday. Always riding around on your scooter. Going on adventures. Watching the fastest pony in Equestria train and being friends with her," said Hopin with a questioning tone. "You were soaring pretty high in my opinion."
Scootaloo couldn't help but blush at Hopin and became a little embarassed.
"Thanks," said Scootaloo.
"There is no reason that you shouldn't be able to get back to that," said Hopin with a more enthusiastic and charismatic tone. "You see, I refuse to believe that there's no such thing as hope. Some thing's will inevitably fail or can't be changed, but there's always good hope somewhere in there. Continue to try to earn that mark. Continue to try to get up there in the sky. Never a point in quitting, now is there?"
Scootaloo nodded a little and started to tear up. She was coming to the full realization of her mistakes and wanted to take them back. Scootaloo smiled light-heartedly as Hopin got up and went to the filly's side of the booth. He sat there patiently, gently stroking Scootaloo's hair as she cried on his shoulder.
Eventually Scootaloo stopped crying and looked outside. It was becoming daytime and Scootaloo and Hopin did not feel tired. The rain was no longer so heavy, but it was still there. Also, the thunder had stopped.
"But how do I apologize?" said Scootaloo as she continued to look out the window. Her voice shaky from recently crying.
Hopin directed his eyes from the filly's head to the window as he thought.
"Admit your mistakes. Say your sorry. They may be angry at you, but if they're your true friends, they'll forgive you and understand."
"Just like that?" said Scootaloo surprisedly as she turned her head to Hopin.
Hopin looked down at the filly with a light-hearted smile.
"Maybe not so easy...but overtime."
It was now about six or so in the morning. Scootaloo grabbed the blankets she had received and wrapped them around herself. Hopin got out and headed to the door leading to the stairs. Scootaloo placed the pillow she had down on the seat. Before going to sleep, Scootaloo looked up and saw Hopin, who had turned around to wave at her. Scootaloo smiled back, turned her head, and then proceeded to sleep.
When Hopin and Carol came down the stairs the next morning, they saw the blankets, the pillow, and the empty booth.
"Is she alright, Hopin?" said Carol as she looked worriedly at Hopin, whom was grinning at the empty seat.
"I think that she's more than fine." Hopin turned around to his wife. "I'm hungry. Let's go out."
Carol and Hopin proceeded to walk out of the bar. They went to the middle of the town and chose a nice seat at a local restaurant with some of the seats outside. Hopin felt relaxed sitting back in his seat, enjoying some nice small-talk with his wife. But he couldn't help but be distracted and filled with joy as he saw Scootaloo riding her scooter down the middle of the road with two other fillies and a rainbow-maned and rainbow-tailed pegasus flying overhead.
Hopin sat and stared. And for what seemed like one magical moment, Scootaloo turned her head to see the stallion and waved. Hopin waved back. A sense of immeasurable joy in his heart. The filly then continued to look forward and zoomed off.
The end.