//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: On the Wings of a Pegasus // by Jinzou //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash groaned as a ray of sunlight hit her in the face. She sleepily opened her eyes, smacking her lips and stretching all four hooves. Her brain booting up, she felt a warm presence pressed against her side. She lifted the base of her wing a bit, she spotted an orange pegasus with a shock of purple hair. Still asleep, the nonplussed filly rolled over, pulled Dash's wing closer, wrapping it around her again, then snuggled back into Rainbow Dash's side. Smiling from the adorable display, Rainbow decided lying there a little longer wouldn't hurt anybody. Resting her head back on her pillow, Rainbow Dash felt contented to sleep in for a few more hours. Suddenly, a rather panicked thought occurred to her. Crap! I was supposed to work today and haven't requested the time off! And I was supposed to meet Twilight at noon! What time is it? Moving a little more forcefully than intended, Rainbow jumped to her hooves and cranked her head out the window, searching for the sun's location in the sky. Probably about 10AM. Crap, I'm already late! Having fallen out of the wing embrace due to Rainbow's movements, Scootaloo fell back down to the cloud mattress and woke. She gave out a mighty yawn and rubbed her eyes. She blearily looked around the room, before registering what she was seeing and blinking in confusion. "This isn't the clubhouse..." As she turned to look at Rainbow Dash, staring out the window with a concerned expression, the memories of the last day and a half came flooding back to her. She stared affectionately at the cyan pegasus, having a new appreciation for her ever since this whole thing started. After all the stress, all the nightmares, and all the pain, Rainbow Dash had gone from simply an idol to essentially the only place Scootaloo actually felt safe amongst the torrent and pain and terror that made up the rest of her life. Turning around, Rainbow Dash spotted Scootaloo staring at her. "Oops, didn't mean to wake you up squirt, sorry." Rainbow apologized. "So I messed up a bit. I'm supposed to be at work right now. I'm gonna go fly over there real quick and apologize, then see about taking the next few weeks off for you." "Wait, you're leaving?" Scootaloo started panicking. What if her father broke out of house arrest? What if he saw Rainbow flying away and took his chance to pounce on her then? Rainbow's house wasn't exactly discreet. "Bu- Wha- Can I come with you?" Rainbow gave Scootaloo an odd expression. "I'm gonna be gone for like, five minutes tops. You'll be fine. you can help yourself to anything in the pantry, or I'll try and cook something when I get back if you decide not to." And with that she zipped out of the room. Scootaloo struggled to her hooves and followed the rainbow trail out of the room. As she reached the kitchen, she saw Rainbow about to exit her house. "I'll be back in just a minute Scoots!" She yelled as she flew off her front porch. Scootaloo sat down in place and started trembling. What if he's looking around now? What if I go to get food and he sees me through a window? I can't escape, I can't fight back... And my protector isn't here. Scootaloo started breathing heavier, eyes fighting back tears. Her fears cemented her in place. I couldn't fight back. I couldn't do anything. I could go and hide now, but what if I hear somebody open the door? And what if it's Rainbow Dash? If she sees me hiding while not actually in danger then she'll see me as weak too. And then she'll disown me as her sister and cast me out and I'll have to live in the clubhouse again. She'll probably tell Twilight how pathetic I am and Twilight will tell my dad and then he'll find me and... Scootaloo just sat and stared at the door, waiting for Rainbow Dash like a sad puppy waiting for its master. After a couple more minutes of Scootaloo's anxiety getting the best of her, the door swung inward, and in peeked a cyan pegasus. "Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo gasped happily, jumping to her hooves. "Hey Scoot." Rainbow began, perturbed. "Have you just been sitting in the same position since I left?" Choosing to ignore the question, Scootaloo ran over to Rainbow and decided to change the subject. "So did you get in trouble? What happens now?" "Eh, my boss chewed me out for a minute, but I gave her a rough explanation of what's been going on and she let me take leave for the next few weeks without a complaint." Rainbow Dash explained, still looking a little concerned. "What do you want for breakfast? I have cereal, sandwich stuff, and I could make some pancakes." Rainbow said before giving a little chuckle. "I don't actually know how to make really anything else. Maybe after all that business with Twilight is over, I can get a cookbook or learn some recipes from her. Or from Spike more likely. You didn't hear this from me, but Twilight might be the only mare in Ponyville that's worse at cooking than me." Rainbow Dash gave Scootaloo a wink, noticing only too late her face had started falling when Rainbow mentioned the meeting with Twilight. "Oh yeah, the... Protective Services meeting..." Scootaloo moped. Eyes downcast, she followed Rainbow to the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of cereal. Rainbow Dash did have Equinox (the perfect mid-summer cereal!), which was very sugary and unhealthy. That perked Scootaloo up a bit. Following breakfast, Rainbow Dash convinced Scootaloo into trying some wing exercises, wasting time until just before noon, when she declared they were done, and should be getting to the library to meet with Twilight and Morning Skies. Upon reaching the library, neither pegasus was surprised to see Twilight almost buried in a book avalanche, talking calmly with an unknown mare. Upon their entry, they trotted down to meet the pegasi. Twilight fixed them both with one of her obviously fake smiles, as the unknown mare came right up to Scootaloo. She was an Earth Pony with a light pink coat, and a long flowing mane of brown hair. It was cast off to one side on the top, reaching down to the bottom of her neck, and splayed haphazardly over both shoulders at the bottom, almost reaching the tops of her legs. Her tail dragged on the floor a bit. Her cutie mark was what looked like a wreath, with some sort of blue flowers making an upside down triangle shape in it. "You must be Scootaloo." She said softly, her words oddly melodic. She reminded Scootaloo much of Fluttershy. "Nice to meet you. I'm Morning Skies. Yes, I know, sounds like a pegasus name. I get that all the time." She chuckled. Scootaloo let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. She had expected some formal pony in a suit or something, but something about Morning Skies put her instantly at ease. "Yup, that's me!" Scootaloo beamed. "So uh, how's this exactly going to go down?" "Well..." Morning Skies hummed. "We're supposed to dig up some dirt that you've had... rough treatment. Princess Twilight here says she knows of a spell that can hold up in a court. She says you already went through with it once and you were very very brave." "You don't have to talk to me like I'm a little foal!" Scootaloo huffed. "I'm already 11! I'm old enough!" Rainbow Dash couldn't help but snort into her hoof. After all she had learned in the last day and a half, it was a welcome sight to see Scootaloo just act like a kid. "I dunno squirt..." Rainbow teased. "You still look pretty small and cute to me." Scootaloo turned to Rainbow Dash and fixed her with an indignant stare. "I'm not cute! I'm awesome! You should know the diff-" Scootaloo noticed Rainbow Dash still laughing into her hoof. "Oh, you're sooo funny. Ha ha." It had been enough of an ice breaker. Twilight gave a little chuckle and gently cleared her throat, attracting the attention of everyone in the room. "Scootaloo, are you ready?" She asked with trepidation. Scootaloo took a deep breath and out on her best brave face. She walked between the three mares and gave Twilight a nod. "Let's get this over with."