//------------------------------// // Crusading and Training // Story: Scootalonely // by Rainbow Dashey //------------------------------// The large barn was filled with trills of excitement. Wood creaked as it was bent into metal rings. Big Mac finished a barrel and let the three fillies attempt to build their own barrel as he had shown. Their attempt, though bold, was in vain. The three were simply not strong enough to bend the heavy planks into place. "I have an idea..." Sweetie Belle said as she went over to the wall. "What is that pony doin' with that hammer?" Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo. "You hold the board, and I'll hit it with this hammer," she said as she clasped the hammer in her mouth. "Do you think that's a good idea?" Scootaloo questioned. Sweetie Belle merely nodded, and the two fillies grabbed the plank, propping it upright. "Three...two..." The two counted down simultaneously, "...one!" Sweetie Belle brought the hammer forward as the other two held their eyes shut. Missing the board, she spun around wildly and toppled onto the floor. "Not to say I'm an expert, but ain't you s'posed to hit the board?" Apple Bloom teased, to which Sweetie Belle didn't bother replying. The two fillies laughed at her attempt as she sat and glared. "Lighten up," Scootaloo said as she helped up her friend. "Guess we ain't cut out to be barrel makers," Apple Bloom interjected. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement as the group exited the barn. As they continued down the road, they ran into Applejack hauling a cart full of apples. "How'd it go with the barrels?" The orange pony asked. The three fillies just shook their heads. "That bad huh?" "We couldn't get a single one of those things made!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Well shoot, I reckon you'll be able to do more as you get a little older. It's all a matter of time." "Time!" Scootaloo shouted; the others jumped. "What time is it?" Scootaloo asked the older mare. "A quarter past noon." "Oh no no no..." "What is it Scoots?" Apple Bloom asked worriedly. "I was supposed to meet my sister fifteen minutes ago! Sorry girls!" Scootaloo shouted as she began to run towards town. "Just like Rainbow Dash..." Applejack chuckled as she watched the young pony run off. * * * * * In the field,Scootaloo saw that Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be found. "Great, she must have left," She muttered. As she looked around, she caught a glimpse of something down a small hill. She ran towards it and saw that it was Rainbow Dash sound asleep on the grassy slope. "Dash?" Scootaloo whispered, to which there was no reply. "Dash." "Dash!" The light blue pegasus snapped awake and jumped far above the ground. She came to a halt when she realized that it was Scootaloo. "Don't you know better than to scare me like that!?" "Well I-" "I was catching some z's," She said as she slowly descended. "Sorry Dash," Scootaloo said with a half-smile. "Ah, no problem, I needed to get up anyways," Rainbow Dash replied. The two walked into the flat of the field, stopping as they neared the center. Rainbow Dash had Scootaloo stretch out her wings throughout various movements to loosen them up--she couldn't watch her pull another muscle. "Feeling loosened up yet?" Rainbow Dash asked slightly impatient. The small filly looked at her wings and twisted them around. "Yep!" she replied enthusiastically. "Then let's begin..." * * * * * It was the same as the first attempt. Rainbow Dash picked up speed and readied the small pegasus for the drop. The wind was slightly abrasive, kicking at her feathers. "You got this!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Alright... Go!" Rainbow Dash released the filly into the winds above the ground. Scootaloo struggled to gain her bearings but quickly righted her self. She snapped her wings open and let them snag on the currents. Her feathers quickly folded back and she began to plummet. As before, Rainbow Dash quickly caught her and landed safely. "You gotta keep those feathers extended," Rainbow Dash advised. "Alright..." Scootaloo said with a nod, "Again!" They repeated the process, with results varying only slightly. The trials went for hours. Altitude, speed, falling, and advice; the process repeated over and over. Neither of the two were frustrated, both kept an unspoken understanding and kept at the lesson. "Let me give it another go," Scootaloo said earnestly. "That's the spirit!" Rainbow Dash once again climbed into the sky with a tight grip on the young pegasus. They began to accelerate--wind pushing against the two. I can feel it this time Scootaloo thought with confidence. "Go!" Rainbow Dash said as she let the filly go once more. The drop was as rough as it had been every time. She quickly pushed herself upright. "This is it..." She whispered as she snapped open her wings. The small feathers locked into place as they caught the rough air. Scootaloo pushed them out to their fullest, not faltering in her effort. Quickly she realized that she wasn't falling with the speed she normally had...she was gliding! Rainbow Dash descended and hovered by the filly. "Look at that! Now flap!" she implored. Scootaloo smiled as she shifted her wings. She flapped and flapped, but her wings were getting her nowhere. Her steady glide came to a halt as she began to fall out of control once more. "Way to go Scoots!" Rainbow Dash praised as she set the filly down. "What was so great? I failed," she replied solemnly. "Buck up kid, you were so close! Don't let a great run like that make you quit now," Dash said with a smile. Scootaloo felt relieved that it was progress. "So you aren't disappointed?" "Of course not. You'll be flying sooner than you think." At hearing that, a faint smile made its way back on Scootaloo's face. In truth she couldn't be happier to hear that. She ran to the light blue pegasus and gave her a hug. "Hey now," Rainbow Dash said. "Come on, let's get you home." * * * * * The two sisters walked into the house. Scootaloo was still just as excited as she was the first night she had arrived. "Oh, I have something to show you," Rainbow Dash said as she closed the door; Scootaloo followed her up the stairs. "Close your eyes," Rainbow Dash instructed. Scootaloo did as she was told and put a hoof over her eyes. "Alright, now open 'em." As Scootaloo removed her hoof, she saw Rainbow Dash propping the door open to a newly added bedroom. A small bed of cloud rested in the center of the bright room. Scootaloo trotted into the center and began looking at all the new additions. "I spent the whole day preparing it for you while you were out." Scootaloo began to tear up over her new room. She ran and embraced Dash once more. "Thank you so much!" she said as her tears began to mat the older mare's coat. "You're welcome, Scoots," Rainbow Dash smiled as she rubbed the filly's mane.