//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: The Completeness of Family // Story: Unseen, Unheard // by Nocturnal Reverie //------------------------------// In the Baltimare courthouse, two ponies stood in front of a judge. The rainbow-maned mare held stars in her eyes while the dusty clay stallion passed paper after paper to her, carefully explaining each and allowing her to sign it under the witness of the judge himself. Finally reaching the last document, Sage Note smiled, “And this completes the process. By signing this, you agree that you understand everything written on these pages, and that you are ready to become the sole legal guardian of Miss Scootaloo.” For once, Rainbow Dash was grateful she had to use her mouth to write, as her hooves were currently too shaky under her trembling legs. She took a breath, cleared her throat, and signed her name. With a dot of the ‘i’, the paper was levitated away, the judge placing the final paper in its place within the stack. With one last glance over each paper, nodding at every signature he passed, he flipped back to the front. With a flourish of a quill, the judge scrawled his signature. He passed the stack to the notary, who pressed their seal into the page before passing it back up, nodding to the judge. Addressing the officiates and representatives, he recited, “It is with the power invested in me by the city of Baltimare, that I now declare Scootaloo under the legal guardianship and tutelage of Rainbow Dash.” As he accented his declaration with a crack of the gavel, Rainbow’s heart soared. She felt as if her face would forever be frozen in the smile she wore, unable to feel anything but the unchecked joy her body threatened to burst from. With an elated chuckle, she managed, “Thank you…thank you so much.” The judge smiled warmly at her, this part of his job being one of his favorites. “Go take your foal home,” he encouraged. ‘My foal…’ Those two words echoed in Rainbow’s head, zipping back and forth in her skull, her heart leaping as it tried to chase them. With a nod, she took the enveloped papers in her hooves, her soul pulsing as she tried with everything in her to keep her body calm. The pegasus met Sage Note’s eyes. “Thank you for everything,” she beamed. Sage Note gave her a small, content smile. “It’s been a pleasure, Miss Rainbow Dash.” Incapable of stinting her smile, she trotted out of the courtroom, grinning brightly at all she passed. She checked out with a trembling hoof, stepping through the doors. She stopped on the steps, her emotions faltering as part of her thought she had to be dreaming. A deep draw of air, and a glance down at the brown envelope in her foreleg told her otherwise, and at once her joy flared up, brighter than ever. Her breath picked up, and she gave a shout, not caring who heard her. Hooves dancing about, she almost forgot she had wings before she launched herself off the stairs, instinct taking her to the orphanage. ‘My foal…’ In moments, she was on the steps, trembling. In a daze, she raised a hoof, knocking three times. The familiar azure aura engulfed the knob, and a contently-smiling Foggy answered the door. A glance down at the envelope, and the unicorn smiled wider, something sparking in her eyes. “Is everything in order?” Rainbow Dash swallowed. “Uh-huh,” she breathed, the only thing she was capable of expressing, her words suddenly gone. Foggy Day chuckled at the look in Rainbow’s eyes. “Let’s go get her.” ‘My foal…’ A nod was all Rainbow could manage, following Foggy through the door. The shadow led the new legal guardian down the halls she had come so accustomed to down to the main craft room. A couple laughing foals ran out as they approached, the door swinging shut behind them. Rainbow chuckled as they passed, Foggy grasping the door in her magic before it closed all the way. Foggy pulled the door open, stepping aside to allow Rainbow in. Breath stilling in her chest, Rainbow Dash stepped inside, her eyes immediately finding Scootaloo sitting by herself at a table. ‘My foal…’ Head swimming, Rainbow Dash approached the filly, playing with an unformed ball of clay. She sat down beside her, and traced her name-sign on Scootaloo’s shoulder. At once, the filly perked up, giving a happy giggle as she touched Rainbow’s fetlock. “Hi, Rainbow!” ‘My foal…’ “Hi, Scootaloo,” Rainbow Dash returned. “What are you working on?” “Nothing,” the filly replied. “I was just waiting for you to get here.” Rainbow Dash chuckled, tussling the filly’s mane. “Sorry you had to wait so long,” she tapped, a lump rising in her throat as her heart meant it in more ways than one. “It’s okay,” Scootaloo beamed. “What do you want to do today?” Tears pricked Rainbow’s eyes. “I’ve got a couple ideas.” Before the filly could ask, Rainbow took Scootaloo’s hoof, slipping the envelope under it. Heart thundering in her ears, Rainbow Dash watched the filly’s brow crinkle. “Open it,” Rainbow encouraged. Scootaloo nodded a bit, laying the envelope down and hooves smoothing it out as she searched for the flap. She found it easily, nudging it open and pulling out the papers. She lay the small stack flat, delicately tracing the edges. Rainbow’s eyes scanned the sheet as Scootaloo’s hooves went lower and lower, approaching the signature and seal that made the documents official in every sense of the term. ‘My foal…’ Bringing her hoof to hover over Scootaloo’s, Rainbow waited until the little orange hoof found the seal, the only tactile part of the paper pulling her attention as she tried to figure out its shape. She placed her hoof over Scootaloo’s own, holding it on the seal. “Do you know what these are?” Scootaloo slowly shook her head, though Rainbow could tell the filly was making a couple guesses by the way her breath caught in her throat. “Your adoption papers,” Rainbow tapped, tears welling in her smiling eyes. “I signed them.” Scootaloo’s eyes widened at the first sentence, a gasp jolting her little body at the second. With a wordless cry, her face rose in Rainbow’s direction, eyes instantly filled with tears. The little filly yanked on Rainbow’s hoof, throwing herself at the mare, her face at once buried in Rainbow’s chest. Nearly knocked to the floor by the impact, Rainbow’s own tears poured from her eyes as she held Scootaloo tight, the filly’s body shaking with sobs. A little laugh escaped Rainbow Dash as Scootaloo wept into her fur. ‘My foal…’ Scootaloo clutched at Rainbow’s chest. “Serious?” she tapped, looking up at Rainbow Dash with pleading eyes, begging the mare to be telling the truth. She tried to keep her breath as steady as possible, wave after wave of joy trying its hardest to rip her heart open. Rainbow’s hoof moved through her mane, and the mare pulled her close. Her heart leapt to her throat as a pair of lips kissed her forehead. “Serious,” Rainbow Dash answered on her back, sending another sob through Scootaloo’s chest. She pressed her face into the mare’s chest, hugging her as tight as her little forelegs would let her. Scootaloo’s chest convulsed with her cries. So Rainbow Dash was?! This whole time, and she didn’t even have to worry?! She could have laughed at herself, if it weren’t for the tears so thoroughly choking her. She had dreamed of this day her entire life, and almost couldn’t believe it was actually happening. Rainbow Dash’s hoof in her mane and foreleg holding her tight chased away any remaining doubts, only succeeding in eliciting more tears from the filly. Rainbow Dash squeezed Scootaloo tight, the two pegasi having zero intention of letting go anytime soon. A moment passed with the mare curled around her filly, before Rainbow finally rubbed a hoof between Scootaloo’s wings, tapping, “You wanna go pack your things?” The filly sniffed, nodding. Scootaloo’s forelegs peeled themselves away from Rainbow Dash, only to clamp around her neck once again. Giggling through her tears, Scootaloo spelt, “My hooves don’t want to let go.” Scootaloo felt Rainbow’s chest move in a laugh. “Same here,” the mare’s hoof said against her withers. “How ‘bout I carry you?” Scootaloo nodded against the bigger pony’s neck, and managed to let go enough so Rainbow Dash could stand and put her on her back. At once, Scootaloo’s hooves found Rainbow’s neck again, and she held on tight while her new guardian stood. She felt Rainbow’s shoulders move, apparently putting the papers back in the envelope, before the mare turned, her body bobbing as she carried her out of the room. Foggy Day followed the two down the hall, her eyes unable to leave Scootaloo. The little filly had her face buried in Rainbow Dash’s mane, her shoulders shaking with her overflowing joy. It was a sight that made Foggy’s heart skip a beat, the unicorn having wished for so long to see her like this. Finally, finally, the filly she cared so much about had somepony to bring her home. She ignored the gnawing emptiness carving itself into her heart and opened the bedroom door for the duo, picking up Scootaloo’s saddlebags in her magic and carefully packing some remaining essentials. She glanced over at Rainbow Dash as she brought Scootaloo over to her dresser, the mare grabbing a box Foggy had put there last night. “How do you want to pack these figures?” Rainbow tapped. Scootaloo hesitated before, finally, her vice grip eased up; and Rainbow Dash guided her into her lap. Scootaloo reached for the dresser, Rainbow Dash scooting a bit closer. The little hoof found it, nudging the Rubit’s cube before arriving at her little figures. After a small moment of thought, she gently picked up the Rainbow Dash and Foggy Day figures. “The others can all go in a box,” she tapped. “Doesn’t matter what order.” “Okay,” Rainbow responded, picking up all twenty-seven figures one at a time and placing them into the waiting cardboard box. While Rainbow worked, Scootaloo held onto the two figures, trying to mentally work something out. Finally, she hummed, finding Rainbow Dash’s moving fetlock. “Do I call you Mom?” The question froze Rainbow Dash at once, eyes dragging down to the filly in her lap. Swallowing, she shook off her shock and answered, “You can call me whatever you want to. On paper, I’m your legal guardian, but that can mean anything you want it to mean.” When the filly didn’t respond right away, Rainbow Dash put the last of the figures in the box. She put a hoof on Scootaloo’s own, about to ask about the little her and Foggy Day Scootaloo held, before she was stopped by the little pegasus taking her hoof. The filly held it there for a moment, eyes jumping about as she thought. After almost a minute, she broke out in a grin, and tapped, “Sister!” Rainbow Dash paused, surprised at the apparent jump in logic. She looked down at the little filly as she ran the term through her head, seeing the way she held the two little figures against her chest. Scootaloo hugged the likenesses of Rainbow Dash and Foggy Day close to her heart, almost as if she couldn’t let go of either of them. She smiled, the word clicking into place in a way she wasn’t expecting, yet better than any other she could think of. The mare reached around Scootaloo, pulling the little filly close. “That’s perfect!” Scootaloo let out a delighted giggle, nuzzling her new big sister’s chest. Rainbow Dash held her close, ruffling her new little sister’s mane and pressing a kiss to her forehead. The final items in the filly’s old room were packed quickly, and Foggy Day helped her into her saddlebags with a small smile on her face. The second they were secured, Scootaloo grabbed Foggy’s foreleg and held on tight. The motion brought every tear Foggy was fighting to the surface as her smile faltered. Clenching her jaw, she tried to pull it back on as she stooped to Scootaloo’s level, peeling the filly away from her. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw the quiet tears dripping down Scootaloo’s cheeks. Her own chin quivering, she gently wiped away the little pegasus’s tears before lightly tapping her nose. Scootaloo gave a little giggle, Foggy returning with a chuckle of her own. Almost simultaneously, their faces fell before Scootaloo threw herself at Foggy, hugging the mare’s neck as tight as she could. She felt her throat move, not caring about the whine rising up from her. She felt Foggy’s gentle forelegs envelop her like they had so many times before. Every time she was sick. Every time she was scared. Every time she couldn’t sleep. Every time she doubted herself. She pressed her face into the mare’s shoulder. There was so much she wanted to say, so many things to thank Foggy for. Nuzzling her face into Foggy Day’s neck, Scootaloo tapped: “Thank you for being my first everything.” Foggy’s breath caught in her throat, tears falling unbidden. She pulled Scootaloo into her lap, hugging her tight. Everything in her screamed the same three little words over and over again, everything told her she needed to say it. She bit her lip, yanking herself back, ripping down every trace of that part of herself and stuffing it away, locking it tight deep inside her heart. Rubbing the filly’s back, she spelt out, “Live well, sweetheart.” Foggy allowed herself to squeeze Scootaloo tight, nuzzling her cheek before forcing her forelegs to let her go, the filly smiling up at her before turning back to Rainbow Dash. “So…what will you do now?” Rainbow asked as Scootaloo climbed back onto her back. Foggy Day gave the question a gentle, tired smile. “I could use a change of pace. I’ve put a couple applications in, so…we’ll see.” Rainbow’s smile faltered a bit, a small pang thumping her heart. “I…I can’t thank you enough,” she confessed. “I just…I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without you.” The unicorn’s smile deepened, her eyes sparking. “All part of the job description.” The two mares chuckled at the little joke. Foggy gestured with her head. “Take her home.” Tears welled in Rainbow’s eyes, and she pulled the older mare into a hug. Scootaloo, feeling the brush of forelegs returning the embrace, popped up one last time, recognizing her shadow’s touch. The little filly followed Foggy’s foreleg, finding her face as it pressed into Rainbow’s neck. Foggy smiled, tears welling in her eyes as Scootaloo moved her hooves around Foggy’s face, just like she’d done so many times before, before she pressed her forehead against Foggy’s, nuzzling the mare who had raised her and stood by her side for longer than she’d ever be able to remember. It was the best thanks Scootaloo could offer, and Foggy Day knew it. Running a hoof through the filly’s mane, she pulled both Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash close, wishing them well in their new lives together. “I hope we meet again one day,” Foggy whispered. “Me, too,” Rainbow Dash returned, squeezing Foggy Day before the trio finally let go, rubbing away their tears. “Good luck, you two,” Foggy Day smiled. “You’ll be just fine.” “You will, too,” Rainbow offered. “And good luck at whatever you do next.” “Thank you.” Smiling, Foggy pushed open the door for the pair, and Rainbow Dash scooped up the box containing Scootaloo’s figures and stepped out the door. “Hey,” Rainbow piped up again, looking over her shoulder at Foggy. “If you ever find yourself in Ponyville, feel free to drop by, okay?” The prompt caught Foggy off-guard, though she continued to smile softly. Offering a small nod, she simply replied, “Okay.” Flashing a final smile at Foggy Day, Rainbow Dash stretched out her wings and took to the sky, carrying Scootaloo away from the Baltimare orphanage for the final time. Foggy let the door close behind her as she watched the two fly away, heart hammering in her ears. The further away they got, the harder it was to make out the little orange and purple dot on Rainbow Dash’s back. Something inside her rippled, and she was finally blinded by her own blurry vision. She blinked, her smile faltering as she inadvertently sent a pair of tears down her face. Rubbing them away, she looked back to the sky, unable to find the pegasi. Her smile returned, a pang of excitement for Scootaloo lighting up her chest, before it snuffed itself out with the reminder of her absence from Foggy Day’s side. The smile slipped, her tears subsiding as the new yet overall familiar emptiness sank into her chest once again. Paralyzed, she sat on the steps, gaze trained to the sky. Wind blew, clouds passed, the sun dragged across the blue ocean of atmosphere. The world continued to turn, and she was immobilized for what felt like an eternity. A creaking whine of metal finally snapped her out of her mournful daze, and her ear flicked as a set of familiar hooves approached her from the gate, stepping up the stairs. “Have they already left?” Sage Note asked. Foggy nodded dully, eyes unable to leave the sky. His lips pursed, gaze landing on the tired eyes of the unicorn. “Were you able to say your farewells?” “I said my goodbyes last night,” Foggy almost whispered. The stallion hesitated, giving a small nod as he breathed a sigh through his nose. “I came to file away her final papers.” When the mare didn’t answer, his brow furrowed as he stepped away from her. “Sage,” Foggy’s voice cracked, stopping him right at the doors. Monotonously, she droned, “consider this closed case my two weeks notice.” Sage Note gazed at Foggy Day sympathetically. “I told you not to get attached, Foggy.” The unicorn was silent for a moment, a phantom pain pulsing behind her eyes. “That stopped being an option the moment I felt her agony.” A sigh escaped Sage Note’s nose. “I know.” As he moved to the door, Scootaloo’s final papers in hoof, he added, “I’ll give you as much time as you need to relocate.” “Thank you.” “And Foggy?” Foggy Day finally tore her eyes away from the sky to look back at Sage Note with heavy eyes. “Good luck,” Sage Note wished. “You deserve it.” Foggy’s lips moved in a half-hearted attempt of a smile, her lips pressing together as if the mare gave up halfway through the motion. “Thank you.” Rainbow Dash couldn’t remember the last time she felt so alive. The weight she carried felt nonexistent as she soared through the atmosphere. She felt a little movement on her back, Scootaloo shifting and propping her chin on top of Rainbow’s head. The older pegasus stayed as still as possible, letting the filly adjust herself so she sat on Rainbow’s shoulders. With a little giggle, Scootaloo threw her hooves into the air, letting out a joyful holler. Rainbow Dash erupted in laughter, sending her own ecstatic shouts into the atmosphere. It took everything in her not to twist her body in a series of flips and tricks, her excitement making her body jitter. Finally, after an almost agonizingly long time, she spotted the Cloudominium. Had the rainbow waterfalls always been that vibrant? She found herself gazing at the little streams of rainbow as they approached, swearing up and down the colors were far brighter than they’d ever been, almost more than they had any right to be. Scootaloo quieted down as she felt her new guardian’s flight pattern shift, slowing into more of a hover. With a tiny jerk, their movement ceased, the wind teasing her mane as she felt Rainbow’s hoof on her hind leg. She let the older pegasus help her down, brow creasing in confusion when she felt the fluffy surface of a cloud beneath her hooves. Her throat moved in a confused hum, reaching for Rainbow Dash. “Why are we on a cloud?” “This is where we live.” Rainbow Dash chuckled to herself at the look of utter befuddlement on the filly’s face. She explained, “I have a cloud house.” Scootaloo’s eyes widened, and the information finally seemed to click as she let out a wordless sound of surprise, jaw falling open. “We live in the SKY?!” A shot of laughter barked from Rainbow’s throat, and she scooped up the little filly. “Yep! Wanna check it out?” The filly gave another shout bordering a giggle, nodding in excitement. Rainbow grinned, putting Scootaloo back on her back and grabbing her box. She stepped inside, tapping Scootaloo’s foreleg and guiding her back down. Her eyes widened the moment her hooves touched the floor, feeling the distinct difference between what she’d felt outside and what she was feeling now. The cloud this floor was made of was…harder. Smoother. Like…an actual floor, but still distinctly cloud. It sent a wave of chuckles through her chest. She had no idea something like this existed, and yet…here it was! Rainbow Dash giggled as Scootaloo gave a couple little hops, discovering the texture of the cloud floor. Remembering her training with Onyx, she set the box down on the stairs and rejoined Scootaloo at the entrance. “Wanna feel the space?” Scootaloo nodded, beaming. She sidled up next to Rainbow, letting the older mare take her around. “This is just the foyer,” Rainbow explained on her withers. “The living room, dining room, and kitchen are down here, your room is on the second floor, and my room is on the third floor.” Scootaloo’s heart leapt at the mention of her new room, but she forced herself back to the task at hoof as she tried to keep up with her steps, chewing her lip at the strange shape of the foyer. She wasn’t used to curved rooms. Expecting some kind of corner to act as a starting point, she couldn’t help but feel nervous when the only distinct landmarks she found were the entrance itself, and the stairs on the opposite side of the huge half-circle room. Rainbow Dash saw the twinge of nervous confusion on the filly’s face as they made it back to the door, and smiled to herself. “We can map all you want over the next couple days, okay? You don’t have to rush.” Scootaloo smiled upward, silently thanking the mare. Rainbow Dash guided Scootaloo to the living room, where the filly seemed to relax a bit more at the obstacles, using them as markers for the room itself. Her confidence grew when Rainbow Dash showed her the jutting line around the room, a laugh of excitement bubbling forth as she bounded forward, following it to the kitchen and nearly leaving Rainbow Dash behind. The older pegasus took the lead again when it came to the kitchen and dining room, Scootaloo patiently letting her lead her around the more numerous obstacles in both, trying to count her steps in the new space, but losing track every so often as her excited mind tried its best to map out the area. She perked up at once the second Rainbow Dash asked, “Wanna see your room?” Jittering with excitement, Scootaloo nodded. Grinning, Rainbow led her back through the foyer, scooping the box onto her back as Scootaloo counted the number of stairs to the second floor of the house. Rainbow Dash brought her little hoof to the line on the wall, and nudged her to her room. Scootaloo followed, letting the line and her new sister guide her. Rainbow’s heart fluttered when the little pegasus found her name-sign in the wall, stopping to feel its shape. With a little gasp, the filly looked up in Rainbow Dash’s direction, beaming widely and pointing to herself. “Yeah, that’s you!” Rainbow grinned, heart soaring. “Wanna go in?” she asked. “The door’s right on the right.” Grinning, Scootaloo moved her hoof a bit to the right, finding the door frame. She bounced from her own excitement, nudging the door open the rest of the way and waiting for Rainbow Dash to take the lead again. The mare gently took her hoof, and guided it to her left. She met the wall, her toe grazing another jutting line. Her throat moved from her excitement, Rainbow gently nudging her, encouraging her to follow it. She disregarded her counting, her nervous steps smaller than normal—which would make her count inaccurate, anyway. Instead, she wandered into the nothingness until her slightly-extended hoof bumped a corner. She ran her toe along the different texture, the smooth wood ending shortly at another corner before it cut away at an angle. Her hoof found a small, rounded jut-out, and she ran her toe along it, the texture continuing in a rectangular shape. She moved her hooves inside it, feeling carved swirls and dips bending around two knobs and leading to the middle, where the outline of a pony stood. A grin creeping up her face, she felt around the carved unicorn, taking in every detail that she could. Her breath caught in a chuckle, and she threw her head back to where Rainbow Dash last was. A hoof touched her shoulder. “There’s one above and below that one.” Her eyebrows rose in interest, and she felt below, her throat moving in delight as she felt the easily-recognizable trees and grass, smiling as she found the earth pony running through the field. She moved her hoof higher, past the unicorn, and to the topmost drawer, right at the level of her head. She felt the little rounded edges of odd, bulbous shapes carved out of the wood. Some bulbs swirled into each other, curling in a way that reminded Scootaloo of clouds. She moved to the center, perking up when she realized her assessment was correct, finding a spread-winged pegasus carved out in the middle of all the puffs of wood. “Do you like it?” Rainbow’s hoof asked on her shoulder. She grabbed it, responding with an, “I love it!” Rainbow Dash beamed as Scootaloo threw herself at her for the umpteenth time that day. “That’s your dresser. Wanna see the rest?” Scootaloo giggled, nodding into her chest. Rainbow Dash led her the couple steps to the storage bench, letting her feel the smooth surface and the three cubby holes with their baskets. With a little help from her new guardian, Scootaloo clambered on top of the bench, finding the curtained window. She took the curtains, running her hoof along the seams and hems. With a chuckle, she wiggled around while she held one of them, wrapping herself up in the sun-warmed fabric. Rainbow Dash snorted, hopping up on the bench and teasingly poking at the little bundle. Scootaloo gave a little giggle-filled squeal, squirming a bit in her personal cocoon. Chuckling, Rainbow Dash parted a section of curtain, finding the filly’s grinning face. She kissed her forehead, Scootaloo giving a happy little hum before she reached for Rainbow Dash, smiling sheepishly. Rainbow playfully rolled her eyes, lifting Scootaloo out of the tangle of her self-made confines before she straightened the curtain out and placed the filly back down. She scooched Scootaloo over a couple steps, guiding her hoof forward to feel the shelves. The filly’s mouth fell open as she felt yet another piece of furniture along the same wall, her mind taking her back as she briefly approximated how many steps she’d taken since finding the dresser. Smiling, she let Rainbow Dash show her the shelves, the bottommost resting almost all the way on the ground. She grinned to herself, shimmying under the second shelf. She giggled as she managed to fit her entire body on the bottom shelf, with room to spare. Her giggles multiplied as she felt Rainbow’s hooves find her under the shelves again. As her new big sister dragged her out from the bottom shelf, she scrunched her face up at where she figured the older pegasus was, and hummed as Rainbow’s nose rubbed her own, feeling the creases in her snout as the mare’s face mirrored her own. After a moment, Rainbow’s hoof tapped her chest. “There’s three shelves you can reach right now. We’ll deal with the fourth and fifth when you get a little older, okay?” She nodded, her hooves touching the cloud floor as Rainbow put her down again. “Wanna go to your new bed?” Scootaloo’s face rose, beaming in her direction before she nodded excitedly. Hoof gently on her shoulder, she led the filly along the wall to the bed, letting her count her steps before she stopped her right beside it. She guided Scootaloo’s hoof to the frame, her heart leaping when Scootaloo’s eyes lit up at the contact. The filly felt the slight bend in the frame, her head tilting as she followed it to the foot, humming curiously to herself as she didn’t meet a single corner as she navigated the circumference of the oval-shaped bed. Rainbow Dash pressed her hoof to Scootaloo’s forehead before the filly could bump her head on the bedside table. Scootaloo giggled as Rainbow showed her the reason for the sudden stop before she lifted her up onto the bed. The little pegasus paused, eyes widening as they flicked back and forth. She shuffled her hooves along the comforter, bouncing a bit. This bed was way softer than her bed at the orphanage–bigger, too. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she realized just how huge the entire house was–and she hadn’t even been through all of it yet. She giggled to herself, finding the edge of the comforter and burrowing under it, finding the mattress. A sharp little gasp, and she poked her head back out, reaching for Rainbow Dash. “Is the mattress a cloud, too?!”  Rainbow Dash couldn’t stop her chortle. “Yep! You like it?” Scootaloo giggled, nodding. Rainbow Dash took the filly’s hooves, guiding them to the headboard. She watched her little sister’s eyes widen when her little hooves made contact with the cloud-shaped headboard. A little smile found her face as Scootaloo’s hooves traced the swirls of the headboard, gently flowing through the bends like a pegasus in flight. The little filly pulled herself onto her hind legs, stretching as high as she could, reaching the top edge of the headboard. She tried to adjust her stance, only for the bed to bend under her hooves. With a surprised little shout, she fell to her haunches, giggling up in Rainbow Dash’s direction. She grabbed the hoof that touched her own. “I love it!” she beamed, hugging Rainbow’s hoof. The older pegasus wrapped her up in her forelegs. “I’m glad you do.” A small moment passed, the two pegasi holding each other tight before the older tapped on the younger’s withers, “You wanna unpack your figures?” Scootaloo nodded, her mane tickling Rainbow’s chin. She reached for the other end of her bed, Rainbow scooting over to the edge and helping her down. She passed the box over to the filly, who rummaged around briefly before extracting the figures of Foggy Day and Rainbow Dash. She felt their faces, confirming to herself their identities, before she reached up for the second shelf, placing them side-by-side. The filly hesitated, humming in thought. A hoof reached for Rainbow Dash, and the mare answered with her own hoof. “That’s all I want to put up right now.” Rainbow’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Okay. Whatever you want to do is perfectly fine,” she answered, smiling when Scootaloo pressed her cheek into Rainbow’s communicating hoof, humming a little chuckle. She pressed her forehead to the filly’s. “You wanna see everything else?” “Yeah!” Rainbow Dash put the filly down, leading her to the door and showing her the line again. She led her to her bathroom, leading the ecstatic filly around the space before helping her up the third story and leading her around her own room. By the time the tour was over, Scootaloo was practically vibrating with excitement as the events of the day finally began to really sink in. As the filly hugged her new guardian for what may have been the hundredth time that day, Rainbow Dash checked her clock. 3:48 She started, suddenly remembering her plans with her friends. Where had the time gone?! “Hey, squirt,” Rainbow tapped. Scootaloo hummed, her face peeking up at the mare. “You wanna meet my friends? I want to introduce you.” The filly took in a sharp breath, another smile creeping up her face as she nodded. Rainbow Dash beamed as she nudged open the swinging doors of Sugarcube Corner. Five mares halted in their minglings at once, meeting her eyes with their own anticipatory excitement. Scootaloo shuffled when she felt Rainbow Dash stop, hefting herself up and her face popping up from behind Rainbow’s mane. The mare’s eyes tried to find the filly as she grinned, her friends letting out coos at their first look at Scootaloo. Rainbow reached for Scootaloo’s foreleg, shyly gripping her mane. “Wanna get down and meet my friends?” Scootaloo hesitated. She hummed to herself, forehooves sliding onto Rainbow’s face and covering her eyes. The older pegasus, thinking she was playing, gave a little snicker. “Come on, Scoots.” She tried to pull the little forelegs off her face, cracking open an eye in time for Scootaloo to pull away and cover it again. She felt the filly bury her muzzle into her mane, giving a shake. One of her hooves tapped on the bridge of Rainbow’s muzzle: “What do you hear?” At once, Rainbow stopped. A moment of stillness, and she let her hoof fall. Tears stung her eyes as she gave all of her focus to her ears. After a moment, she raised her hoof again. “I hear soft music…the breeze blowing outside. It’s making a draft, so there’s the rustle of tablecloths and decorations, too.” Scootaloo pressed her nose into Rainbow’s head, humming contently. Her hooves moved away from Rainbow’s eyes, and they opened, allowing the tears to fall. Rainbow’s friends looked at her in concern and confusion, and she returned with, “Just give us a sec.” They nodded as Scootaloo’s forelegs found her ears, covering them before she tapped on Rainbow’s head: “What do you see?” Again, Rainbow let a small moment pass, smiling to herself through her tears. Again, she raised her hoof to respond. “I see my friends. They’re all really excited to meet you. I see a table with cake and punch, and streamers hanging from the ceiling. And I see a banner on the back wall that says ‘Happy Adoption Day!’ in regular Equestrian, with the Braille letters underneath it.” Her eyes fell back to her friends, and she gave them a smile. “I see our family, Scoots. I see ponies who want you to be a part of their lives. And soon, ponies I can’t see will, too.” Scootaloo gave a little hum of a chuckle, her face pressing into Rainbow’s mane. Finally satisfied, she relinquished her grip on her big sister’s ears and reached for her hoof. Rainbow Dash helped Scootaloo to the floor, sitting down and pulling the filly into her lap. “Ready?” At Scootaloo’s nod, Rainbow smiled up at her friends. “You guys wanna meet her?” What followed next gave Rainbow Dash wave after wave of deja vu. One at a time, her friends came up to meet Scootaloo, the filly greeting each mare with a grin and a hearty hoofshake. Rainbow Dash raised up the filly to help her feel their faces, before Rainbow Dash spelt out each of her friends’ names, giving Scootaloo a bit of time to think about the name-signs for each of her friends. They listened close, excitedly learning about the filly as they indirectly spoke to her, Rainbow Dash nearly running her hoof ragged as she translated. ‘Guess this is how Foggy feels,’ she chuckled internally. Rarity and Fluttershy couldn’t stop gushing over the little filly, who giggled in delight at the two as they took her hooves in theirs. The filly had nearly forgotten to tap out her sentences on Rainbow’s hoof as she gave the two their name-signs–Rarity’s a little downward-swooping swirl that perfectly parallel her mane, and Fluttershy’s a couple tilted half-circles that resembled half of a butterfly. Applejack was the most patient of her friends, staying as still as possible and giving the filly as much time as she had needed to feel her features. With a mischievous grin, Scootaloo flicked Applejack’s hat, the stetson jumping before falling onto Applejack’s eyes. The farm pony had chuckled, tossing her head forward to flip the hat onto Scootaloo’s head, the little pegasus giggling madly as the stetson completely engulfed her head, sitting on her shoulders and chest. As Applejack lifted it back up, Scootaloo had traced out the name-sign she’d chosen for Applejack: a circle with an ‘x’ through its center. Pinkie Pie, of course, asked the most questions, the party pony actively in the process of making a file for the filly while the little pegasus felt her face and gently pat her hooves into the bouncy, cotton candy-like mane of Ponyville’s resident party-planner. Scootaloo giggled at every inquiry, answering them as best she could figure until the party pony was finally satisfied enough to receive her name-sign: a thin, upright triangle with a curved base, the shape reminding Rainbow Dash of a slice of pie. Twilight’s questions, as Rainbow Dash had already guessed they would be, were about what Scootaloo liked to read, and what books she wanted her to order. The filly had happily answered, thanking the unicorn profusely and providing her with a name-sign: three lines criss-crossing at a single point to create a shape not unlike a six-pointed star. After receiving the new piece of her identity, the student apprentice grinned, kneeling close to Scootaloo and surprising each and every pony in the room as she gently tapped on Scootaloo’s fetlock, “Wanna know Rainbow Dash’s favorite series?” The filly’s face lit up as her eyes widened, still overcoming her shock as she nodded. “Twilight, what are you telling her?” Rainbow asked suspiciously. Twilight cocked a teasing eyebrow at Rainbow Dash. “Nothing,” she replied nonchalantly. Grinning, she tapped, “Daring Do.” Scootaloo erupted in a fit of giggles, grabbing Twilight’s fetlock. “I read the first one. I’m not surprised.” “Want me to order the full series for you?” “Yes, please!” Scootaloo reached for Twilight, the unicorn obliging and pulling the filly into a tight hug. “Thank you so much!” Scootaloo tapped on her neck. “Not a problem,” Twilight replied, passing the filly back over to her guardian. Once again secure in Rainbow’s lap, Scootaloo spelt out, “I didn’t know you liked Daring Do.” A blush immediately burned Rainbow’s cheeks. “Twi-light,” she whined. “What?” the unicorn teased. “She likes to read, too.” She added with a tone somewhere between scholarly and motherly, “It’s good to be able to connect with your foal, Rainbow Dash. I’ve already ordered the entire series for her, it’ll be here in a few days.” Scootaloo giggled at Rainbow’s lack of response, the mare finally answering as her blush faded, “Yep! And I’m on book four, so you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.” The filly hummed a laugh, scrunching up her face at Rainbow Dash, who rubbed the filly’s nose with her own. Momentarily forgetting Scootaloo’s habit, she jolted at the impact of the little hooves capturing her face and holding it against Scootaloo’s own. Her friends erupted in chortles as her blush returned, trying to gently peel the giggly filly off her face. Once introductions were in order, Scootaloo asked, “Can I feel the decorations?” Rainbow responded at once. “Sure thing, squirt!” She scooped up the little filly, helping her onto her back and gently hovering up to the ceiling. She made careful aim toward a pair of dangling streamers, ducking her head out of the way. The streamers brushed up Scootaloo’s face, and the filly erupted in giggles as she grabbed at them, cooing in interested delight as she felt their texture. The mare kept a careful eye on Scootaloo. When the filly reached up, she gained a bit of altitude. When she reached for the right or the left, Rainbow obliged, hovering in those directions and allowing the filly to feel the hanging decorations to her heart’s content. “These are so cool!” Scootaloo hummed a chuckle. “I didn’t know crimped streamers existed!” Rainbow chuckled, translating her sentence, to which Pinkie Pie nearly exploded with excitement. “See?!” the party pony shrieked. “I knew she’d like them! Didn’t I say she’d like them?! I don’t think I did, but I knew she would!” As the ecstatic mare babbled, Rainbow chuckled. “Pinkie really appreciates the compliment.” Scootaloo hummed a laugh, rubbing her muzzle into Rainbow’s mane, who returned the gesture with a hoof to Scootaloo’s own purple locks. “Wanna get some cake?” Rainbow asked, the filly at once nodding in delight. “I think today was the best day of my life!” Scootaloo tapped sleepily on Rainbow’s head, carefully giving her new big sister a length of streamer. “Oh yeah?” Rainbow tapped back, grinning as she took the streamer and hung it around the corner of the third shelf. Scootaloo had asked Pinkie if she could take one of the streamers home, and the party pony had practically showered the filly with them, falling around her in a pile before Scootaloo poked her head from the top with a giggle, one of them in hoof. “Yeah!” Scootaloo hummed a chuckle, settling down into Rainbow’s mane. The mare reached up, rubbing the little filly’s mane as she looked at the second shelf, where the lone figures of herself and Foggy Day stood. “Did you want to put your other figures out on the shelf?” Rainbow tapped on Scootaloo’s head. The filly paused in thought, squirming her way off of Rainbow’s back. The mare scooted the box closer to her, Scootaloo finding it and rummaging through the figures. She plucked out her Rubit’s cube, setting it a few inches away from the corner of the shelf. The filly hesitated, twisting around to Rainbow Dash. “I don’t want to put the rest of them up there.” Rainbow blinked, taken aback. “What? Why not?” Scootaloo chewed her lip. “They’re the ones that came before you. They left. I…they didn’t want me, so I don’t want them anymore, either.” Something inside Rainbow Dash shattered, her eyes drifting to the figures in the box. Her heart skipped a beat as all the dots fell into place. How had this never occurred to her? Everypony Scootaloo met…were the Potentials. The Potentials…who had decided to turn the other way. Rainbow Dash clenched her jaw, taking in each face. Mares and stallions, young and old, from all three races. All of them so vastly different, they only had one thing in common. The singular truth made Rainbow’s stomach churn, and she suddenly didn’t want to look at them ever again, either. “What do you want to do with them?” she finally asked. Scootaloo tilted her head in thought, eyes flicking. After a moment, she took Rainbow’s hoof and asked: “Can we bury them?” Rainbow’s eyes widened, not exactly expecting the filly to answer with such a specific request. She’d imagined throwing them away, maybe going out to a nearby tree and smashing them. But…burying them? A half-smile found its way onto her face. Did it matter? Who was she to judge the way Scootaloo needed to say goodbye to the life she was leaving behind? She scooped Scootaloo up, squeezing her tight and nuzzling her forehead. “Sure! I’ve got a little shovel downstairs.” It took longer than Rainbow Dash would have liked to admit to dig a big-enough hole with just a little trowel. Once the hole was big enough, she helped Scootaloo carefully approach the large hole, where the filly—with Rainbow’s help—gently pressed the box into the ground. Together, they pushed the dirt back on top of it, packing it tight and pressing it down, smoothing it over until it was nothing more than a brown patch amidst the greenery. Once they were done, the little pegasus stood before the grave of her past, determination furrowing her brow. After a moment, her face softened, a small smile adorning her face as she nodded. She found her new guardian, and leaned into her side, humming contently and nuzzling her shoulder. “Thank you,” she tapped on Rainbow’s foreleg. Rainbow Dash crouched beside her new charge, pulling her close. “No problem, Scoots.” She planted a kiss on Scootaloo’s cheek, leaving the filly giggling and gripping her neck. As she hugged her new little sister in the light of the setting sun, Rainbow Dash grimaced at the dirt she was accidentally rubbing into Scootaloo’s fur. “Alright,” she began, “we should probably wash off. We’ve got dirt all over us.” Scootaloo giggled. “Okay.” Nearly an hour later, the sun giving way to the darkness of night, both pegasi were free of dirt; and the older carried the younger to bed as they each gave a big yawn. “Goodnight,” Rainbow Dash tapped on Scootaloo’s fetlock as she pulled the covers over the little pegasus. “Goodnight,” the filly returned, settling into her new bed. Rainbow Dash backed away from the bed, Scootaloo humming a bit as she snuggled down into her covers, hugging her bear to her chest. She leaned against the door frame, not even wanting to blink as she watched her filly slowly fall asleep. Hours may have passed with Rainbow sitting there, limbs frozen and lips stuck in a dreamy smile, tired eyes blinking sleepily but not wanting to leave the beautiful sight before her. Finally, her brain seemed to click, telling her the little filly wasn’t going anywhere, and that she’d be there in the morning. Slowly, Rainbow Dash peeled herself away from the door, body moving solely on second nature as she turned off the light and stepped up to her room. She didn’t even remember walking, only knowing she was at Scootaloo’s door, and was now in her own bed. Thoughts flatlining to a perfect peace, she finally allowed her eyes to close as she drifted off to sleep. . . . . . “Mm!” Rainbow’s eyes shot open, startled by the sudden noise right in front of her. Her covers moved, something over the edge of her bed tugging on them. She slid over, nearly knocking her forehead into Scootaloo, the filly poking her head up as she tried to pull herself onto the larger bed. Rainbow Dash reached for the filly’s fetlock, and Scootaloo smiled sheepishly up at her once contact was made, asking a silent question. Chuckling, the mare pulled the filly onto her bed, answering. “Just for tonight,” Rainbow Dash tapped, Scootaloo letting out a tired giggle and snuggling into Rainbow’s chest. “Okay,” the filly agreed. Rainbow Dash smiled as she pulled the filly close, the extra presence next to her closing a gap in her heart she didn’t even know existed. Running her hoof between Scootaloo’s wings, she tapped out, “I love you.” Scootaloo’s breath caught in her throat with a little squeak, and her face turned up to Rainbow Dash, eyes flicking as they filled with tears. The filly squirmed, worming herself higher so the top of her head rested under Rainbow’s chin, her face pressed into her neck. “I love you, too!” the filly responded, a little chuckle bubbling from her throat, her breath catching as if she were crying. A lump rose in Rainbow’s throat, tears springing to her eyes. She squeezed the little filly pressed against her, letting elated tears fall from her eyes, slipping off to sleep with the calming rhythm of Scootaloo’s breathing.