//------------------------------// // The Initiation Ceremony // Story: Replacing Scootaloo // by I am not a Dalek //------------------------------// Chapter 2- The Initiation Ceremony I arrive home just after dark to find my family sitting around the table, eating without me. My mother simply glances up at me as I walk into the kitchen, but after then goes back to the conversation she was having with my little sister (although I don’t consider her as a sister), Star Twist, and my father. Both Star Twist and my father ignore me as I place some apple fritters and apple chips onto a plate. I silently walk towards the table and sit at the end, keeping myself isolated from every pony else. “Mum, some pony has already got their cutie mark in my class!” Star Twist complains. At seven years old, Star Twist seems to be more mature than I am even now. I guess I can put that towards the fact that my parents spend an awful lot more time with her rather than me. That is also why she can fly and has been invited to the Wonderbolts summer foal flight camp next month. I am terribly jealous of her but I refuse to show it to any of my ‘family’. “Don’t you worry, my little Star, you will get your cutie mark in no time,” Mother reaches over and strokes her main. “Really Mum?” she sniffles, her eyes glistening with tears. “Yes, really!” Mother replies, “Why are you being so silly?” “Because... I don’t want to be the last blank flank in my class like her.” Star Twist looks over at me. I flinch as her venomous words sting me, but quickly recover and go back to eating. Star Twist never talks to me, only about me; even then she refuses to use my name. Then again, none of my family uses my name, unless they want to boss me around. “Well sweetie, you are far more special than her. She doesn’t even have a special talent,” Mother laughs. That’s it. I have had enough. I pick up my plate and carry it into the kitchen; I dump the food into the bin then gallop up the stairs. I can’t take it with this family. They don’t care about me. No pony cares about me. I lie down on my bed as I listen to my family laugh and enjoy their time together. Tears stream down my face as I slowly, cry myself to sleep. **** I awaken to the sound of our doorbell, and instantly know that it’s either Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom. I sigh sadly and throw my saddle bag over my back before galloping down the stairs. I open the door to find both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom standing there, holding a cupcake out for me. “Hey Scoots, ah’m awful sorry about what happened yesterday...” Apple Bloom hands me the cupcake and motions for me to step outside. I sigh and oblige, closing the door behind me. I look at the two fillies standing before me. “Yeah, me too,” Sweetie Belle hugs me tightly. “It’s okay girls, honestly, I was thinking of asking Rainbow Dash to help me fly or something, no big deal,” I brush off their guilt and put on a mask of excitement. “Really? Oh that’s great news Scoots!” Apple Bloom cheers. “Yeah, I know!” I keep a smile plastered across my face. “Anyway, we’ve decided to accept Cloud Chaser as the next member,” Apple Bloom smiles. I freeze. Why didn’t I have any say in this? Maybe I am slowly getting pushed away from the group. “Oh, awesome...” I mumble, still trying to hide the fact that I am hurting inside. Sweetie Belle presents me with my scooter which I left at the clubhouse yesterday, she smiles sheepishly as she pushes it towards me. They’re going to ask me to take them somewhere, aren’t they? “Ya ran off so fast yesterday ya forgot this...” Apple Bloom smiles, “We bought it because we were wondering if you’d come to the clubhouse with us?” “Why are we going to the clubhouse, I thought we were going to Sugar Cube Corner to borrow some instruments from Pinkie?” I look at my two friends in confusing. Sweetie Belle awkwardly kicks at the ground again. My heart begins to pound. Where are we going instead? “You see... About that we-“Sweetie Belle starts but is cut off by Apple Bloom. “We’re going ta do Cloud Chasers initiation ceremony today!” She beams. “Oh right, of course,” I sigh and hop onto my scooter. I sigh as I wait for the other two to climb on the wagon behind me; once they are on I flutter my wings and speed through Ponyville. If I was alone and I didn’t have the wagon attached, I would most likely do tricks, I’d jump over food stalls, spin in the air and feel the wind in my mane. Rainbow Dash, my true idol and hero, has said on multiple occasions that “I have awesome moves,” hearing that from her has made me the happiest pony in Equestria! Speaking of Rainbow Dash, I am worried about asking her to help me. Although she said she would take me under her wing and be my big sister, she may not want to hang around with a Pegasus who cannot fly. Who does? But if she does manage to get my hooves off the ground, she would want to be seen with me! We could fly through the clouds together as she teaches me tricks and helps me practice for flight camp. I would actually be a some pony, and maybe during this process I would also earn my cutie mark! I feel a tug on my tail and look behind me to see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle staring at me, I then look forward to find that we have passed the clubhouse. I spin my scooter around and go back towards the clubhouse, ignoring my friends questioning looks. Once I stop in front of the clubhouse Apple Bloom hops out and walks over to me. “What the hay was that about, Scoots?” she demands and I flinch at the anger in her voice. “I’m sorry, I was lost in thought,” I mumble and slowly walk up the ramp. I stop to see Cloud Chaser already sitting on the floor. Of course he is. “Okay, who’s doing the initiation ceremony?” I ask. I get no answer from the two fillies so I turn to face them. Sweetie Belle is standing there looking at me sadly; she knows how I feel about this whole thing. Sweetie Belle has known me for far longer than Apple Bloom has so she knows how I react when I’m hurt or angry. So when I see her give me that look I know that I am going to get hurt again. “Well, um, you’re the only one who actually knows the ceremony...” Sweetie sighs sadly. “Oh, okay, I guess I’m doing it then,” I walk up to the podium and climb on then look at Cloud Chaser. He hasn’t said anything about yesterday and I’m not sure whether I should feel grateful about that or be severely hurt that he did not even think to apologise. Maybe he doesn’t care. Why should he? I begin to read out the ceremony, but take the short cut by getting rid of all the extra parts we used for Babs. “...I herby present the new member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Cloud Chaser,” I step down from the podium as Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom clap their hoofs. “I need to go girls,” I say, ignoring the fact that Cloud Chaser is a colt, “I want to talk to Rainbow Dash!” “Oh cool! Can I join?” Cloud Chaser grins and my heart drops. He’s going to steal my big sister from me too. I sigh and climb onto my scooter, “Sure, hop on,” I mumble. Once Cloud Chaser is on the wagon I zoom off, as fast as I can. Since he has wings and can stop himself from getting hurt I go a bit more carelessly as I speed through Ponyville, taking sharper turns than I normally would, I just want him to be afraid. I stop once we get to the tree Rainbow normally sleeps in and I run over to it, and there she is, sleeping right where I thought she would. “Rainbow Dash! Oh, Rainbow Dash!” I yell up to her and she yelps. She floats down and stands next to me, mock anger is evident in her eyes. “Hey squirt, what’s up?” she looks at me with real concern in her eyes. I wonder why until I realise that I have a few tears running down my cheeks. I quickly wipe them away with my hooves. “Nothing, um, something got in my eye, this is Cloud Chaser, he’s a new Crusader,” I point over to him. “Hi! Oh my gosh, it’s Rainbow Dash! You’re my biggest hero!” Cloud Chaser bounces up and down excitedly. I flinch as Rainbow smiles at him. This can’t be happening... It can’t be. “Can we have a race Rainbow?” He begs, “Please!” “Um... sure,” She looks over at me and I just nod. I watch as they both zoom off and sit down alone. Rainbow comes back with Cloud Chaser not in sight. She sits down beside me and wraps a wing around by back. “Now, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” She asks me. I can’t help it, the tears finally escape and I cry into Rainbow’s Chest. “They don’t want a Pegasus who can’t fly,” I sob. “Who doesn’t? Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom?” I can hear the frown in her voice. “Yeah... Cloud Chaser laughed because he asked me to race him, and I couldn’t fly so I fell... “ I cry, “He laughed when I told him I couldn’t fly.” “Hey, Squirt, you’re way cooler than he is, even if you can’t fly,” She holds me, “Anyway, if it makes you feel any better I could teach you?” “Really? Why would you wanna teach me?” I look up at her. I’m useless, I can’t fly, and I’d ruin her image! “Because I’m your big sister, silly... Don’t tell the others that I’m being this sappy though,” She winks at me. I smile and hug her, “Thank you Rainbow! Thank you so much! You’re the best!” “I know,” She grins, “looks like your friend is almost back.” “He’s not my friend,” I mumble, “Anyway, I’ll see you later for training! Bye Dashie!” I stand up and gallop over to my scooter. Cloud Chaser flies over to me before I have a chance to run away. I sigh and look over to Rainbow who is looking between me and Cloud Chaser in confusing but I just shrug it off. “I’m going home so can you make it back to the clubhouse?” I ask, but see that he’s exhausted. “Can you take me home instead?” He floats down into my wagon. It looks like I have no choice anyway. I sigh and wave to Rainbow before riding off into town. “Where do you live?” I ask him as we fly along the Ponyville roads. “Next to Sugar Cube Corner,” He says and I stop just outside, anxiously waiting to get rid of him. He slowly flies out of the wagon and walks into the house a few doors down from the Cake’s shop and home. I glare at him as he doesn't even turn back to say goodbye or thanks. He really is the blank flank of Diamond Tiara. Before I have the chance to burst into tears right there and then, I flap my wings and ride home so I can cry in privacy.