Tomorrow is the Sisterhooves Social! I’m so excited! Rainbow Dash is so cool. We’re going to be the best. I can’t wait! I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight. What pony could? Certainly not one who has the most awesome big sister ever. Who knows? Maybe we’ll have so much fun that she’ll ask me to be her real sister. Is that even allowed?
Scootaloo pranced through the streets of Ponyville. She smiled and waved at strangers. Even though tomorrow was the big day, she was particularly excited because that morning she received a message from Rainbow Dash asking to meet with her this afternoon on the tiny hill outside of Ponyville. Wild horses could not stop Scootaloo from meeting with Rainbow Dash, at any time or any place. Maybe she wants to get together and practice for some of the events! For all Scootaloo cared, Rainbow Dash could have asked if she wanted to come with her to watch paint dry.
While prancing along, Scootaloo happened to come across the Carousel Boutique. This looks like a good place to kill some time. Maybe Sweetie Belle is home. She walked up to the door and gave a knock. After a few moments there was a crash noise from inside. A pair of two arguing voices could then be heard. Thinking that now might not be the best time, Scootaloo began to slowly walk away. Without getting too far, Sweetie Belle opened the door.
“Hiya Scootaloo, what brings you by?” she asked.
Scootaloo turned around and saw that Sweetie Belle looked a bit ruffled, as if she had something to do with the crash noise from moments ago. “Oh, I was just seeing if I can hang out with you for a bit until I go meet with Rainbow Dash.”
“You’re meeting with Rainbow Dash today? What for? Are you two going to practice for tomorrow?”
“I guess so, but who cares? What matters is that she wants to see me.”
There was another crash noise from inside. This time, however, because Sweetie Belle had the front door open, the noise was much louder. Following the crash was a scream. Together, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle ran inside to see what happened. The front lobby of the Carousel Boutique was intact, but they could see a door in the back that was left ajar. Dust clouds were airing out through the door, as if they were the result of a giant impact of some kind.
“Rarity! Are you alright?” Sweetie Belle called out to her sister.
The back door swung open, letting out even more clouds of dust. A coughing Rarity emerged from the billowing haze.
“My dear little sister, why in the world did you abandon me? These old boxes of dresses weigh a ton, and I can’t possibly move them all by myself.” Rarity’s mane was completely disheveled.
Scootaloo’s senses were heightened when Rarity used the words “My dear little sister.” That’s going to be me tomorrow!
“I’m sorry, sis,” Sweetie Belle began, “I heard the door knock and wanted to see who it was.”
“Yes, well, try not to answer the door when you’re supposed to be helping me clear out the storage closet.” Using her horn, Rarity lifted a pair of washcloths from the kitchen sink and summoned them to her. Each cloth began wiping the grime smudges from her body. As she performed her magic, Sweetie Belle ran over to a dresser and grabbed a hairbrush out from one of the drawers. She trotted over and jumped onto Rarity’s back.
"I’ll make it up to you Rarity. Let me fix your mane and make it more beautiful than before,” Sweetie Belle said as she began to brush her big sister’s unruly mane.
“Normally I would never let anypony touch my mane, but if there was one whom I could trust with its perfection, it’s you little sister.”
Scootaloo stood there and witnessed how Rarity and Sweetie Belle worked together to make Rarity clean. Just look how easy it is for them. Just one more day!
Moments later after Rarity’s state of beauty was restored, she looked at Scootaloo. “Dear Scootaloo, since you’re here, would you mind helping Sweetie Belle and I clear out the storage closet?”
Scootaloo nodded. “Sure! I got some time to kill. But I can’t stay too long – Rainbow Dash wants to see me!”
“Fear not, my little pony! The three of us working together will have the closet cleaned out in no time.” Rarity struck a powerful pose.
“Yeah don’t worry, we know how much you want to see Rainbow Dash,” Sweetie Belle said.
Scootaloo jumped into the air “Well then, let’s get started!”
Located on a tiny hill, just outside of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash paced back and forth. “How am I going to do this? How am I going to break it to her? She should be here any minute now.”
The night before, after she had accepted Soarin’s invitation to practice with him and the other Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash could not sleep. Everything happened so fast. One minute she was finishing up a flying lesson for the summer flight camp, the next she was breaking commitments to Scootaloo. There has to be a way to do both. Unfortunately, no matter how fast Rainbow Dash thought herself to be, even she could not be in two places at once.
Fluttershy had not been any help either. Her advice to Rainbow Dash was to ask Soarin’ if they could practice together some other time. But she didn’t understand because she’s not into flying: a pony can’t just ask a Wonderbolt to accommodate his or her own schedule. The Wonderbolts are the most prestigious flyers in Equestria – it’s a rare enough opportunity to just to speak to one, let alone being invited to train with them. The Sisterhooves Social was an annual event anyway, so she would tell Scootaloo that they could go together next year. In Rainbow Dash’s head the idea was perfect.
Now all she had to do was tell Scootaloo. She’s a cool little squirt. I’m sure she’ll understand.
Suddenly she stopped pacing and turned around because she heard a call: “Rainbow Dash!” Trotting toward her with a cheerful expression was Scootaloo. The closer she came, the worse Rainbow Dash felt. Gosh, she looks so happy. When Scootaloo reached her, words failed to come out of her mouth.
“I’m here, big sister, just like you asked. What did you want to see me for? Do you want to practice for tomorrow? I don’t think we need to because everypony knows you’re the fastest pony there is, but if you think we should then I’m game!” Scootaloo sat herself on the ground in front of Rainbow Dash like a puppy waiting for what to do next.
Sweat starting running down Rainbow Dash’s forehead. She was caught off guard by the eagerness in Scootaloo’s eyes. This weekend meant more to her than Rainbow Dash realized. Still, an opportunity to train with the Wonderbolts is not an annual occurrence. The only way to tell her is to tell her.
“Listen squirt,” Rainbow Dash began. “There’s something I got to tell you.”
“You can tell me anything!” Scootaloo smiled.
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. “Well, I’m really sorry, but it looks like I won’t be able to join you at the Sisterhooves Social. One of the Wonderbolts asked me to train with them tomorrow and it’s such a rare opportunity to be asked such a thing. But don’t worry; we can go together next year. I promise! You understand, don’t you?”
Scootaloo did not say anything. Her smile had disappeared. Inside, her mind and body began experiencing a stinging sensation that grew worse with each passing moment. It was the only sensation in Equestria that could erase all the high-on-life feelings Scootaloo had been experiencing that week – rejection.
Not ever wanting to look weak in front of Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo fought off the lump that was rapidly forming in her throat. “Yeah, sure, I understand. Don’t worry about it. We can do it next year.”
Rainbow Dash could not help but sense Scootaloo’s disappointment. “Hey, I know you were looking forward to this weekend, but trust me. I’ll make it up to you.”
Scootaloo could not speak. The lump in her throat was so large that she feared speaking would divert the energy needed to hold her composure. All she did was nod her head in false agreement.
Rainbow Dash nodded in return. “Cool! Well, I got to get going. They need me back at Cloudsdale for the flight camp. I’ll see you soon. Later!”
With that, Rainbow Dash backed up, and within seconds she was airborne. Scootaloo watched as Rainbow Dash flew farther and farther away until she was out of sight. Now Scootaloo was alone on the tiny hill. She looked around and could see that nopony was anywhere nearby.
Good. She didn’t want anypony to see what was about to happen. After trying so hard to keep herself together, Scootaloo allowed the lump in her throat to be released. Her eyes instantly watered up, and she began to cry.