This was it. After all this time practicing and now I'm crippled due to something I can't control. I'll never be able to fly.
Rainbow Dash bit her lip, seeing Scootaloo's crestfallen expression. "Twilight, is this something we can fix?"
Twilight tapped her chin again. "I'd imagine so, I'm just not 100% sure how yet."
Wait, what?
I can be fixed?!
Scootaloo's expression picked up significantly. "How long will it take to find out how?"
"Well... I'm not sure. I need to figure out how to fix it in the first place. More importantly, how to do it without hurting you." Twilight hummed.
Scootaloo bound over to Twilight, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her. "Please! I don't care how much it hurts! I just want to fly!"
"Okay okay, take it easy!" Twilight yelled. "Look, I'm gonna do some studying. If I can't find anything here, next week I'm going to the Crystal Empire with the other three princesses to meet some dignitaries from Maretonia. I can look in the Empire's library and even ask the princesses then."
Scootaloo released her, a smile returning to her face.
"Actually Rainbow, I wanted to speak to you about that. The rest of the girls have elected to come with me to the Crystal Empire to meet the Duke and Duchess for whatever reason, and Sweetie Belle and Applebloom are staying with Rarity's father. He's offered to watch over Scootaloo as well if you want to come." Twilight spoke.
"That's all up to you, Scoots." Rainbow said, turning to Scootaloo. "You wanna have a sleepover or two with the girls? I know you haven't been able to do that in a while."
Scootaloo pondered for a minute. It was true that she hadn't managed to make a Crusaders sleepover for three months, and Sweetie Belle's dad was an amazing cook. Plus, it wasn't like she was in any danger, Thunder Chaser was in jail. And maybe Rainbow Dash wanted a break from her, seeing as they had spent every day together since that one weekend...
"Yeah, that sounds good to me." Scootaloo finally spoke. "I haven't been able to hang out with Applebloom or Sweetie Belle much recently." Scootaloo's face broke into a sudden grin. "Besides, we haven't tried ghost catching yet! Maybe we can get our cutie marks in that!"
Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes and smiled.
Rainbow Dash carried Scootaloo over to the clubhouse. In all their excitement, Scootaloo had forgot she had made plans to hang out with her Crusader friends after school. Rainbow's mind was somewhere else though. Just before Rainbow had left the library, Twilight mentioned she wanted to speak to her privately. She had a very serious face when she said that.
Giving Scootaloo a quick hug and taking off, Rainbow started worrying about what Twilight could've been referring to. Rainbow Dash didn't think she'd done anything wrong recently. Scootaloo was happy and wasn't failing school. Her friends had all been caught up on the story. What did Twilight want to talk to her about with an expression that serious?
Pushing her way into the library, she found Twilight resorting her books. Typical.
"Ah, Rainbow, you're back! Excellent!" Twilight said in a steady tone. "As for what I wanted to speak to you about... You're not gonna like it, but I just want you to hear me out, okay?"
"Okay." Responded Rainbow. She felt a cold chill run down her spine.
"I want to put Scootaloo in therapy."
Expecting an outburst, Twilight was pleasantly surprised to find Rainbow still looking intently at her, waiting for her to continue.
"I know Scootaloo is a tough filly..." Twilight continued. "But she's been through so much abuse in these last few years that I have no doubt they've made a large imprint on her psyche. Foals are very impressionable, and Scootaloo is still just a foal. I read that untreated cases of foal abuse... don't really do well for themselves. They often don't have high aspirations, taking low paying, more unpleasant jobs because they don't think they're worth more, tend to think of themselves as trash, and a burden to those that care about them, and often get severe depression and anxiety. There's also a good chance they're turn to drug use or become alcoholics when they're older."
"I think..." Rainbow hesitated. "I think that's actually a good idea." Twilight glanced at her in surprise. "I think I've already spotted some of that. Scoots definitely has an anxiety issue... But I'm not sure we can convince her to do it. The kid is almost as stubborn as me, and I would flat out refuse in her situation."
"I don't know." Twilight said softly. "I think she'll listen to you."
Rainbow Dash sighed. Twilight was right. She'd make it work.
"Therapy? No way! I don't need therapy! I'll just tough through whatever comes at me."
Rainbow Dash sighed. The conversation was going about how she figured it would. It was a couple hours after she discussed it with Twilight, and Scootaloo was shooting down every single one of her points.
The only thing left I can think of doing is brutal, harsh honesty, and I really don't want to make Scoots cry. Please don't make me.
Scootaloo faced the other way with a huff. She wasn't some some little pony who needed to cry to some stranger about her feelings. She was a tough filly. Tough like Rainbow Dash.
Buck it. Celestia, guide me to the right words.
"Scootaloo, you obviously have a issue. I've seen you act starved for affection all the time. You clearly have an anxiety problem, and the one time I left you for five minutes and came back you were acting like you saw a ghost. I know you were nervous about Thunder Chaser finding you, but I think a normal filly would hide, not just stay frozen in terror. You respond very emotionally to everything and you freaked out when that spell showed your injuries, despite not being in any danger. Did you really think we were going to judge you for that? The way you insist to always be physically close to me I think means abandonment issues, and I just... don't want you to have to live in fear."
Rainbow's fears came true as she started to see tears run down Scootaloo's face. "I knew it. I was too much of a burden and now you hate me." Scootaloo turned to look away in shame.
"No no no." Rainbow Dash softly crooned, picking the filly up and embracing her. "Scootaloo, I don't hate you. I love you. And you're not a burden. I've enjoyed your presence since day one. You mean as much to me as I mean to you. But going through life with all this mental baggage is going to ruin your future. Please, for me? I'll even come inside with you if they'll let me."
Scootaloo buried her face in Rainbow's fur. "Promise you don't hate me?"
"I promise."
"...Fine. I'll go."