//------------------------------// // 8. Valentine's Day Bonus Chapter // Story: Scootaloo the Fugitive // by Kaidan //------------------------------// This Valentine’s day bonus chapter is presented to you by the CMC, and the letter Y. “Then we had a race to the top of the rainbow falls! Dash held me and I got to fly for the first time and it was so amazing! We won of course, and now Dash is totally my big sister!” Scootaloo was jumping all over Fluttershy’s couch, re-enacting the epic race. Angel was helping too, playing the role of the distraught ponies that were losing the race. “Wow Scootaloo, I’m so happy for you. You’ve finally started opening up and making a real home for yourself in Ponyville. Your parents would be proud.” Scootaloo missed her next jump and landed on the couch, and her smile vanished. “She. . . still doesn’t know I’m an orphan. I don’t know how to ask her what I really want to ask. I don’t want her to be like a big sister. . .” Scootaloo sniffled. “It’s ok Scootaloo, I know. I’m sure when the time is right you can ask her, and I know she would love to adopt you.” “You really think so? You think I would get to be her sister for real and learn all about flying? And then we could both get into the Wonderbolts!” Scootaloo was bouncing around the couch again with Angel. Her laughter was contagious and half the woodland critters were in the room watching the excited young filly. “When you’re ready to ask her, I’ll go with you. I’m sure she would love to have such a brave filly for a sister.” “Hey Krupke! Check this out.” He handed a flier that had just come in the mail to Krupke. “Another runaway T.J.? Wait a minute. . . this one actually looks kind of familiar. “Orange filly, pink mane, Pegasus. Last seen, Canterlot train station. May still be using a wooden scooter. Wanted for petty theft and arson. Will resist arrest. Contact Silent Knoll orphanage if found.” “Yeah what are the odds of that? It sounds just like that Scoota-something filly.” “You mean the one in the Cutie Mark Crusaders that we’re always cleaning up after? That would explain why most of their cutie mark hunting ends with property damage.” “Well it’s not that funny, I hate to say it but we’ve got a duty now to go find her. If she is the same filly as in this flier, we’re going to have to send her back up to Canterlot.” “And what if she’s not?” “If she’s not an orphan, she’ll have parents. Then, we’ll let her go.” “Ah, good thinking T.J., that’s why you’re the sergeant. Looks like it’s time to eat donuts and track down a fugitive, and I’m all out of donuts.” T.J. sighed. “I swear I’m never giving you a Colt Nukem game again, it’s been non-stop action-hero quotes ever since.” “Wait up Scootaloo!” Fluttershy was struggling to keep up with the filly on the scooter. “When I said I’d come—with you to ask, I—didn’t mean right now!” “But I want to know if she’ll adopt me before school! And I know where she takes her morning naps, and I might not get a chance to ask again until tomorrow!” “Ok. I’m running—out of breath—now. Can we—find her—a little slower?” Scootaloo slowed down, and Fluttershy was able to walk and keep up. Slowly catching her breath, the two neared the town hall and saw a rainbow tail on a cloud near town hall. “Now sweetie, just try not to be too excited.” “Hey Dash! Dash! Wake Up!” Scootaloo saw her roll over in the cloud, but she didn’t wake up. She took off her helmet and started banging it against the metal handlebar of the scooter. clink clink clink “Daaaaasssssh! Wake up todaaaayaaaayy!” A cyan head poked through the cloud. “Wha—Is that you Scootaloo?” Dash pushed herself through the cloud and floated down to the ground. “Hey squirt, what’s up.” Scootaloo suddenly regretted her decision to come here and ask right away. Maybe she needed more time, maybe she could just ask tomorrow. She backed up. “Well, actually. . .” She bumped into Fluttershy. Turning to face her, she had a large smile that gave her confidence. “Dash, I wanted to ask you something really important.” The memory of the voice in her head gave her another boost of courage. Face your fears. “Ok Squirt, what is it?” Dash smiled and sat down in front of the filly. “Well you see my parents aren’t—what I mean to say is I am an—there was an accident—“ Fluttershy put a hoof on her back and gently rubbed it. Scootaloo smiled. “I’m an orphan. My parents are dead, would you please please please adopt me? We could be real sisters!” Dash’s brain kicked into overdrive as her jaw fell open. This revelation hit her like a bombshell. Scootaloo was an orphan this whole time? She knew the filly worshipped the ground she walked on, but she was a young athletic mare who didn’t know the first thing about being a parent. She hadn’t even been on many dates, or had siblings, or ever tried babysitting. Scootaloo’s grin was slowly fading as the awkward silence hung between the trio. Dash recovered, but her brain was still lagging behind her tongue. “Squirt I’m flattered. . . but I don’t know anything about being a parent. Wouldn’t Fluttershy be a better choice? She has been taking great care of you.” Now it was Scootaloo’s turn to stare in shock as her brain re-assembled what had just been said to her. Dash didn’t want her. Her relatives didn’t want her. She loved Dash so much, but Dash clearly didn’t love her back. Dash was just as awful as everypony else. Before Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash could blink, Scootaloo had jumped on her scooter and took off towards the school playground. “Was it something I—“ Fluttershy interrupted. “You! How Could YOU!” Fluttershy stared into Dash’s eyes, and Dash suddenly felt as small as a mouse. “She worships you! She could have chosen anypony, she could have asked me, but she wants YOU to be her big sister!” Fluttershy stomped her hooves, and took off after the filly. “But I really don’t know how to be a parent. . . by Celestia, what did I just do?” Dash sat there, reflecting on what had happened. Scootaloo had just caught her off guard, that’s all it was. She could go back, and tell her she’d be happy to adopt her. But would she even be able to take care of a kid? It’s not like she had anypony else to turn to. She stared off into the distance, lost inside the jumbled thoughts in her head. She needed advice, but who could she talk to? She barely even knew where to begin. Rarity had a little sister, but the two of them weren’t nearly as close as Applejack and Applebloom. Dash was afraid to ask Applejack, they had a friendly rivalry but Dash was still hesitant to admit to Applejack when she had made a mistake. That left Pinkie, and Twilight. Pinkie probably would want to throw a party, and Twilight would want to lecture her. Standing up with a sigh, she lifted off and headed towards the library. She was nearly halfway there, when she noticed she was flying so slowly, Pinkie was keeping up with her at a slow trot underneath her. “Hey Dash, why so serious?” “Hey Pinkie. I think I just hurt Scootaloo’s feelings, real bad.” “Oh, I’m sure she will forgive you.” “She asked me to adopt her, and I panicked. I don’t know how to be a parent! It was just me and my dad, and flight competitions for most of my childhood.” “Oh Dash, nopony knows how to be a mother. The Cake’s had to learn it all for themselves, just like I learned how hard it is to babysit a foal. But you know what? Every time their foals see me come into the bakery and they smile, it makes my day. I can’t explain how to be a family. I just know that the Cake’s treat me like family, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything in Equestria.” Dash looked down at the pink mare to make sure it wasn’t a changeling. “When did you get so deep Pinkie?” “About the same time you stopped smiling.” Dash looked down at the party-pony turned wise-mare. “Now watch out!” “Wha—“ Dash rammed into the wall right above the door into the library. “Scootaloo! Oh thank goodness, there you are.” Fluttershy landed behind the school, where Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were trying their best to console the quivering filly. “Fluttershy, it’s horrible! Scootaloo won’t tell us what’s goin’ on!” Applebloom pleaded with her. “She just keeps mumbling ‘Dash’ and askin’ us to leave!” “It’s ok girls, I think I better take care of this. Go let Cheerilee know she’ll be late to class.” Fluttershy sat down next to Scootaloo and put a wing around her. They sat there silently until Scootaloo was ready to talk. “Why doesn’t—she want me?” Scootaloo clung to the side of Fluttershy, crying into her soft yellow fur. “Scootaloo, she loves you very much. She’s just—“ What was she? A tomboy, an athlete, inexperienced? How can you let a filly down gently at a time like this? Maybe Applejack was right, and the truth really was the best option. “She’s confused. Do you remember when she won the best young flyer’s competition with a sonic rainboom?” Fluttershy felt the filly nodding yes into her side. “Well, she would never admit it to anypony else but me. . . When I couldn’t cheer her on, she lost confidence. She told me she was backstage, curled up in a ball, crying. She thought she would fail the sonic rainboom, and we wouldn’t want to be her friend anymore. She thought Celestia would banish her and the Wonderbolts would never accept her. Dash’s cutie mark symbolizes her love of competition and winning. Her weakness is her fear of losing. I think she was so afraid of failing you, of being a bad mother, that she couldn’t tell you how she really felt.” “But—I love her—and I don’t care—how good a mother—she is. We could—still be—happy.” “I know Scootaloo, we just need to give Dash a little time and she’ll realize that too.” “Miss Fluttershy?” Cheerilee stepped out behind the school house. “There are. . . two gentle colts here to talk to Scootaloo.” “Good morning ma’am, I’m Officer Hooker, and this is Officer Krupke. You can call me T.J.” The two police colts stepped out from behind the building. Fluttershy stood up and shielded Scootaloo. “What is the meaning of this?” There were two things that could make Fluttershy assertive. One of them was somepony threatening one of her friends. The other was somepony threatening an innocent filly. The officer’s took a second to respond to her. “Well. . . we did a background check to be sure, and we hate to do it ma’am. The filly there matches the description of a runaway orphan, criminal, and a fugitive. We’ve contacted the orphanage and we have to take this filly to jail. Once the orphanage’s matron gets here and confirms the I.D., we’ll be sending her back.” “NO! You can’t!” Scootaloo clamped onto Fluttershy’s leg like a vice grip, causing her to wince in a great deal of pain. “She’s right, she’s not going back.” Fluttershy stared at the two ponies. “That ‘matron’ is known as Gerda, and she tortures the fillies. She. Will. Not. Have. Scootaloo.” Fluttershy had never even considered trying the stare on a pony before. Had somepony told her should would do it, she would have giggled. However, somepony had to stand up for the orphan filly. It was time somepony proved they cared about her. “You are very persuasive.” Fluttershy could see the doubt in their eyes. “But unless you have proof, our hooves are tied. Step away, or we’re arresting you too.” Fluttershy had failed, the stare hadn’t worked. She felt horrible. She knew that Twilight could help. She hated using Twilight like a glorified mailbox to ask Celestia for help, but she had no choice. If she got arrested, nopony would send for help until it was too late. “Do you trust me Scootaloo?” Fluttershy glanced at the filly, who stared back with dilated pupils. “I said, do you trust me?” “. . .Yes.” “Then do as I ask. Let go. You have to go with the officers.” “No! Please don’t!” “You said you trust me. It’ll be ok, I’m going to get help.” Scootaloo slowly released her grip and stared into Fluttershy’s watery eyes. Scootaloo had only just stopped crying herself, and now she started to weep again. “o—ok.” Scootaloo trotted over to the police colts with a bravery that would have put anypony to shame. Without a glance back, she trotted off with them willingly towards the prison. Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash were sitting in the library talking. So far they had been giving Dash advice and comforting her. “Dash. No one could have told me how to take care of Spike, and I was only a filly when he hatched. I had my parents to help, but they couldn’t be there all the time. Spike turned out fine, and if you adopt Scootaloo you’d have all of us to help you.” “I know you’re right. . . But what if I mess up? If I hurt Scootaloo I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. If I turn out like my mother. . .” Dash froze realizing what she had just revealed. “You’ve never once mentioned your mother Dashie.” Pinkie Pie was still smiling, trying to lift her spirits. Twilight was amazed, Pinkie hadn’t sat in one spot for so long since she was forced to watch paint dry. “I. . . I still can’t talk about it. I was scared I would fail a sonic rainboom. If I ended up failing Scootaloo. . .” Dash started to cry, which shocked both mares into silence. Dash coughed “There seems to be some dust in the air.” She wiped her eyes. The three sat there awkwardly for a second, unsure what to ask next. Hearing a loud noise, they turned to the window. It looked like Fluttershy had just crashed hoof-first through a window into the library. It looked like a demon straight from Tartarus was out for blood. “Twilight, we need to write Celestia now!” The three mares just sat there staring at Fluttershy. “uh oh Twi, I think she’s been talking to Iron Will again!” Pinkie glanced around to make sure they were safe. “Twilight, Scootaloo is an orphan and the orphanage she was at, Silent Knoll, is run by an evil mare. Her name is Gerda and she would clip Scootaloo’s wings, lock the fillies in their rooms for days with nothing by dry oats. She’d even rip the feathers off of her sometimes! But the police won’t help because there’s no proof! Only Scootaloo’s word against hers!” The three mares were still staring in disbelief, muttering. “Clipped wings, that’s barbaric!” “wait she’s an orphan?” “Locked in their rooms?” “Girls. Spike. Celestia. Now!” Scootaloo sat on the bed in a prison cell, dangling her hooves over the side. Fluttershy asked her to trust her. She promised they would come for her before Gerda took her away again. A shiver went down her spine as she imagined how angry she would be. Would Gerda go so far as to lock her in her room until she starved? She wanted desperately not to panic, but she couldn’t help it. She heard the door to the prison open and could hear somepony walking in. Scootaloo ran to the bars. “Fluttershy! I was so worried.” A grey mare walked into sight, with malevolence in her narrow eyes. She grinned, and Scootaloo could feel her contempt wash over her. “No! No! NO!” Scootaloo ran and hid under the bed, only to be dragged out by Gerda’s telekinesis. “When I get done with you sweetheart, you’ll be begging for death.” The police colts walked up behind her, missing the last comment. “Is she giving you too much trouble ma’am?” “No it’s quite alright, I’ll just need a pair of hoofcuffs. This ruffian used to be the biggest bully in my orphanage, I don’t want to hurt her. I just want to help her.” Gerda smirked at Scootaloo, and dozens of thoughts of revenge flashed through her mind. To her, the children were the worthless scum dredged out of the cities gutters. It was her job to keep them segregated. As a fringe benefit, it also paid well. Scootaloo struggled, but the earth pony police didn’t know the first thing about magic. Scootaloo appeared to be floating their tranquilly, but the reality was quite different. The mare was holding her mouth shut, and pinning her wings. She could barely breath, let alone scream for help. She felt the first pair of hoofcuffs click on, then the second. The police escorted Gerda outside to the police wagon she had brought from Canterlot. Despite its futility, every muscle in Scootaloo’s body was struggling to escape the death grip. Ponyville wasn’t used to much police activity, and already it looked like everypony in town was gathered around to watch what was happening. “Scootaloo!” She recognized that high pitched voice as Sweetie Belle. She wanted to look at her friends, but couldn’t turn her head. “No! Let me through! It’s a mistake!” “Ah knew there was somethin’ off about her! Stay back girls!” Applejack. That had to be her. They were halfway to the police wagon when a meteor fell from the sky, impacting the ground. A wall of dust and air buffeted every pony present. A pony emerged from the small impact crater. Gerda had dropped Scootaloo in shock, but quickly pinned her back to the ground. “STOP! You let her go this instant!” Scootaloo couldn’t see or smile, but she knew that voice. Dash had come for her! “Or I swear I’ll rip you apart limb by limb!” “My, officers! You have such violent ponies in this town.” “Miss Dash, what is the meaning of this?” The two officer’s stepped up alongside Gerda. “We made it quite clear to your friend Fluttershy our hooves were tied. This orphan is being sent back.” “She’s not an orphan!” Dash’s tone of voice sent a shiver down Scootaloo’s spine. She sounded like she wanted Gerda to give her a reason to be beat to death. Had Fluttershy told her about how Gerda had tortured her? She heard some faint shuffling, and then Dash again. “These forms, approved by Celestia herself, prove that I am her mother!” “That’s absolute nonsense. You couldn’t possibly have flown to Canterlot and back. These are a forgery, this ruffian is trying to corrupt this poor filly.” Scootaloo felt Gerda let go of her grip. As soon as she realized she was free, she ran and dove beneath Dash. “What’s the meaning of this! Officers, arrest them!” She looked around for the unicorn who was countering her magic. She finally found the lavender mare, panting alongside a yellow and pink mare. “Twilight, what in the hay is goin’ on?” Applejack walked over to her friends. Despite being in the dark, she knew her place was alongside them, and not on the side of whoever this ‘Gerda’ was. “It’s over Gerda!” Dash continued to crouch low over Scootaloo, her teeth bared and wings spread. “If we had an ounce of evidence of what you’ve been doing to those poor orphans, Celestia herself wouldn’t be able to save you from me. Scootaloo is my daughter now, and if you ever come near her again, I will kill you.” Everypony there gasped. No pony had killed another pony in decades, and making such a threat was no joke. Everypony there could see clearly Dash was not joking, including Gerda. Gerda carefully weighed her options. There were 5 angry mares, and a crowd of nearly 50 poinies. Scootaloo had obviously told them about the wing-clipping and measly rations she fed the gutter-rats. This battle was lost. “Very well, ‘Dash.’” She injected every ounce of malice into her voice she could. “You may have adopted her, but this is far from over.” She walked over to the carriage and got in. The crowd parted to let them pass. Everypony just stood there in shock at what they had just witnessed. Had Discord and Chrysalis just done a square dance together before saving Equestria from King Sombra, they would not have looked half as shocked as they did now. “Hey Squirt, are you all right?” Dash looked down, no longer looking like a pegasus ready to go to war. “I—thought—you didn’t—want me!” Scootaloo was sobbing softly, curled up on the ground still. Dash nuzzled her to get her to stand up. “I never said that. I. . . Well I was shocked and confused, I don’t know how to be a mother. I’m willing to learn how, if you’re willing to forgive me. I love you Scootaloo, if you’ll let me adopt you I’ll make sure you are never alone again.” Scootaloo jumped up and hugged Rainbow Dash, knocking her to the side. “Yes!” “You can stop crying now Squirt, let’s get those hoofcuffs off.” “I’m crying because I’m so happy.” The officers came over and removed the hoofcuffs. They examined the adoption papers and apologized profusely. Before Scootaloo knew it, she was riding towards the library with all six of the elements of harmony. She had fallen asleep before Dash had taken twenty steps. “Dash!” Rarity had recently arrived to see what the commotion was about. “Is it true?” She looked at Scootaloo sleeping on her back. “Oh this is so wonderful darling! I knew somewhere under all that competitiveness was a gentle, loving soul. You absolutely must let me fashion her some saddlebags and a blanket.” “And ah reckon ah owe the Sugarcube an apology when she wakes up. If somepony,” she looked at the other mares, “had just been honest with me ah’d of helped out.” “Oh it was horrible Applejack. . . I was so worried about Scootaloo I just couldn’t let anypony find out and send her back!” Fluttershy spoke through her mane, avoiding her gaze. “It’s ok girls, this has been an exhausting day. Why don’t we all get some sleep and I’ll work on the friendship letter by myself.” Everypony started laughing at Twilight. “What, I’m serious. This has to go in a letter! Celestia will have her eye on Gerda now!” “Thanks gals, for everything, for giving me the courage to open up and accept Scootaloo as my own. I can never repay you. And Twilight one last favor. Omit the part about me hurting Gerda from the letter. Wouldn’t want Celestia thinking I’m half as crazy as that old hag.” Everypony laughed again. “Ah reckon you’re already a better mother than you think. A good mother would do anything for her child. Scootaloo is lucky ta have ya.”