Rainbow landed at her house with Scootaloo on her back
"Do I really have to polish all of your trophies?" Scootaloo asked as she jumped off Rainbow's back
"Of course. But I'll move them off the shelves for you, so you can reach 'em." Rainbow replied, and Scootaloo sighed
"Hey, what's wrong sis?" Rainbow asked
"It's just...when I was a grown up, my wings were still the same size they are now. I think I was right, my wings will never grow." Scootaloo said, and Rainbow lifted her up
"Scoot, I wasn't there, but I'm pretty sure that they stayed the same just like how your personalities stayed the same. You didn't actually grow up, so your wings didn't have time to properly grow." Rainbow said
"So, you think my wings will grow if I grow up naturally?" Scootaloo asked
"I know they will." Rainbow corrected, then took her inside. She started Scootaloo on the trophies, then took off her Wonderbolt uniform, stretching.
"Was Spitfire mad that you left?" Scootaloo asked
"Well Twi was the one who messaged me, and Spitfire noticed Twilight's royal seal, so she let me go. But I have a feeling you're going to see if I get a punishment in three, two..." Rainbow trailed off and looked out the window
"Crash!" came a frustrated yell. It was Spitfire. She flew straight in through the still open door, landing in front of Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, hey Spits. Look, I'm sorry I had to leave but I'm in charge of Scootaloo while her Aunts are trying to sell their house..." Rainbow was shut up by a glare from Spitfire.
"Explain from the beginning. Now." She ordered
"Yes ma'am." Rainbow sighed
"Oh, yeah, she is mad." Scootaloo said, she was holding the gold wreath from the Best Young Flyer competition in her hooves
"I know. Keep cleaning, and be careful with that, it's my favorite trophy." Rainbow said, then turned back to Spitfire, who gestured for her to explain. Rainbow and Spitfire sat down on the couch, and Rainbow began to explain
"Scootaloo and her friends wanted to go to a fair in Appleloosa, and they used this flower Twilight had to transform into adults when none of us were available to chaperone them. But they did it without telling anypony, then rushed off. Twilight and Fluttershy found them in Appleloosa. They haven't explained what they did during the fair-" Rainbow broke off and glared at Scootaloo, who smiled sheepishly and started rubbing a trophy harder
"So..." Spitfire prompted
"Yeah, I have a feeling one of them will tell us, but in the meantime, Twi got word to me, AJ, and Rarity, we all had to drop what we were doing and meet them at the train station. Rare had to leave her designs, and AJ had to leave her brother, he's under the weather and she was taking care of him. I had to come because Scoot's aunts left her with me while they try to sell off their house so they can move here." Rainbow said
"Hope they're being punished. If my little sis ever ran off on my watch she'd learn to never do it again." Spitfire said, chuckling a little
"Yep, got Scoot polishing all my trophies, then she's gonna clean our rooms and wash my uniform for two weeks." Rainbow answered
"Come on Rainbow, do I really have to clean your room?" Scootaloo asked
"You'll clean my room until you learn your lesson Scoot." Rainbow replied harshly, and Scootaloo sighed
"Okay." She mumbled something else under her breath
"What was that kid?" Spitfire asked
"I said: I've already learned my lesson. I get it, adults don't just automatically know everything. I know we were stupid to think that, I get it." Scootaloo said, and Rainbow sighed
"Scoot, I know you've learned your lesson. And you're not stupid, I used to think that too when I was your age." Rainbow said
"Really?" Scootaloo asked, putting another trophy aside to listen
"I'm pretty sure everypony thinks that when they're kids. We're all innocent at some point in our lives." Spitfire agreed, standing "I'd better get back to HQ, we finished busting the clouds, and I'm giving ya'll a free day, so you don't have to come in tomorrow Crash." Spitfire said
"I've got some cider in the fridge, if you want to stay." Rainbow suggested, and Spitfire shrugged
"Okay then. Got nothing better to do." Spitfire sighed, sitting back down
"Don't you have a date today?" Rainbow asked
"I-It's not a date, i-it's a meeting with...somepony." Spitfire stammered, her cheeks turning red
"Yeah, and Fluttershy's not afraid of her own shadow." Rainbow said
"Alright fine, it's a date, happy? But it's later, and Fleetfoot said to pick her up at eight." Spitfire replied
"Did you ever get in trouble with your parents Rainbow?" Scootaloo asked, changing the subject
"Yep. Plenty of times." Rainbow said
"Tell me about one time then. If you know what it's like then why are you making me do it?" Scoot asked
"Because she knows how it feels." Spitfire answered for her
"Yeah, I've been through something similar." Rainbow said
"But then why are you making me do this?" Scootaloo asked
"Well, think of it like...Zephyr Breeze's relationship with his parents. They never discipline him, so he gets away with whatever he wants." Rainbow began
"Like flirting with you in public?" Scootaloo asked. Spitfire snorted with laughter, poorly disguising it as a cough
"...yes, like that. Look, the point is, if I give you too much leeway just because I know how it feels, then you're never going to learn." Rainbow explained
"I guess I get it. I mean, I don't wanna end up a spoiled hippie brat like Zephyr." Scootaloo said, and both mares snickered this time
"But you never explained what you did wrong." Spitfire added
"Oh, so it's story time now?" Rainbow asked, and Spitfire nudged her
"Come on Crash, just tell the kid. Can I really help it if I want to hear too?" Spitfire asked
"Alright, fine. It all started when I was about seven." Rainbow started "I had just been transferred to the private flight school, and I was getting beat up every day after school. I wanted a break from the bullies so I took Fluttershy and headed out of town to practice flying with her. But I forgot to tell my parents, and when I got back they reacted kind of like Rarity did when you three got off the train." Rainbow said
"The whole: I'm so glad you're safe but do that again and I'll murder you in your sleep?" Scootaloo asked, laughing with the others
"Yeah, except pretty sure that's just what Rarity would do. I only had to do chores for a week, like you." Rainbow replied
"Oh, right." Scootaloo sighed and stood up "I guess I'll go clean your room now." she said
"But first, do you understand what I'm saying?" Rainbow asked
"Yeah, grown ponies don't know everything, they all mess up at some point, and the reason we're punished is because we need to build experience so we know what to do or what not to do to get the same result. Right?" Scootaloo asked
"Apart from sounding like Twi, yes." Rainbow said
"You should hear Sweetie Belle when she schedules our meetings with clients." Scootaloo rolled her eyes "But I hope Applejack isn't making Apple Bloom re-paint the barn." she added
"Knowing AJ, that wouldn't be a bad guess."