Chapter 14- For Once, I Feel Hope
Sweetie Belle and I trot towards Sweet Apple Acres as we giggle from the events of last night. We are both giddy from the lack of sleep we both had and in attempt to keep ourselves awake we stopped off in Sugar Cube Corner and asked Pinkie for the most sugary thing on the menu. If Rarity heard about this she would kill us both.
I have decided that after the meeting with Apple Bloom and Cloud Chaser that I will go to Rainbow Dash and tell her what’s been going on with my family. I just hope that she understands... Of course she will, she’s the Element of Loyalty for Celestia’s sake!
The clubhouse seems to be silent, but when we walk in we find Apple Bloom and Cloud Chaser playing an intense game of noughts and crosses. Sweetie and I sit quietly next to them and watch as Apple Bloom wins the game.
“Oh, Horseapples!” Apple Bloom jumps when she sees both of us sitting there. “Hey girls, we jus’ wanted to discuss what our next crusading was gonna be.”
“Okay, but I need to meet up with Rainbow afterwards so do you mind if we make this short?” I ask as politely as I can.
Apple Bloom nods slightly before looking between us all. “So, what stupid thing are we gonna do next?”
Cloud Chaser, who has been silent ever since we entered the clubhouse, now steps forward. “I say, we learn how to fly a hot air balloon.”
I stare at him in shock, fly a hot air balloon? I don’t even know how to fly myself let alone another object! That’s insane.
Sweetie Belle, on the other hoof, has a look of joy in her eyes. “Yes, yes, yes! We must!”
Since I don’t want to be the one to ruin all of this for my friends, I nod in false enthusiasm. This isn’t going to go well, imagine if something went wrong and the only pony who could save us was Cloud Chaser? He’d save Apple Bloom first, obviously.
Before I fall into a panic attack, I decide that now is the right time to leave and find Rainbow Dash. “Well, I really need to find Rainbow now guys, I’ll see you later!” I gallop down the ramp and towards the area of town which Rainbow usually clears the sky for.
The last thing I hear is Apple Bloom yelling, "Meet us tomorrow, Scoots!"
Rainbow Dash is just finishing off her job as she zooms around the sky, clearing the last few clouds in ten seconds flat. I wave at her as she spots me and flies down to my side.
“Hey squirt, what’s up?” She says as she hugs me with her wing.
I flush slightly and look up at her nervously. “Well, um, I need to, um, tell you something.”
Rainbow Dash takes a seat and looks at me, patiently waiting, nodding for me to go on. “I’m listening kiddo.”
“My parents went on a month’s holiday and they left me here all alone and I’ve run out of money since they only left me 100 bits and I don’t have any food left and I hate staying alone, it’s really horrible and scary so I’ve been hanging out with
Sweetie Belle so no pony has noticed, but I hate it, Dashie. Why don’t they love me?” I blurt out without taking a single breath
and suddenly, I’ve fallen into the cyan Pegasus with tears streaming down my cheeks.
Rainbow Dash has her forelegs wrapped tightly around me as she holds me close. “Hey, kid, it’s okay. Why don’t you stay with me? I’ll look after you.”
“R-really?” I whisper and look up at her through tear filled eyes.
Rainbow Dash nods. “As long as you let the other Elements and I have a little... Chat, with your parents once they return.”
“What about?” I freeze in fear, if my parents find out about this they will kill me!
Rainbow picks me up and places me on her back. “Not to worry, Scoots. I’m going to go and see Twilight for a bit okay, you can come along.”
I nod slightly and wrap my hooves around her neck. “Okay then, I trust you Dashie.”
Rainbow Dash smiles slightly before lifting off into the sky with a powerful thrust with her wings.
****
We arrive at the Library to find that the other five Elements of Harmony are already there. Rarity looks up and her expression is rather surprised to find that I have tagged along.
“Oh, hello Scootaloo! I hope you had a splendid night last night, thank you again for helping me with my ensemble, it would not have been completed without you.” Rarity smiles at me.
Rainbow Dash looks at me in amusement. “You helped her? Really?”
“Yeah, it was actually quite fun,” I mumble in embarrassment, afraid that Rainbow Dash will judge me for actually helping Rarity.
Rainbow Dash smiles slightly and nods. “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it then. Anyway, girls, I need to talk to you all about something.”
Twilight looks up from the book she is reading. “Yes, Rainbow, what is it? Is it private?” Her gaze falls onto me, the small
Pegasus who is still clinging onto Rainbow’s neck.
“No, it’s fine.” She looks back at me, smiling sadly before continuing, “Scoots’ parents have left her alone whilst they went on holiday. They only left her with 100 bits, which she obviously cannot get by with. What do you think we should do?”
Applejack and Rarity both gasp in shock as they look at me. “Scoots, why didn’t ya’ll talk ta me ‘bout this? Ya know ah’m like a second sister to ya!” Applejack frowns at the news she’s just been given.
“I couldn’t, I was afraid. They’d kill me if they found out that I told you.” I whisper sadly and hide my face in Rainbow’s mane.
“Well, I think we should go to social services about it,” Twilight speaks over the mumbles of the other ponies in the room.
I jump off Rainbow’s back and stand on the table between them all. “No!” I yell in fear, “You can’t go to social services, they’ll take me away. Don’t let them take me away.”
The whole room goes silent and Twilight Sparkle looks up at me before nodding understandingly. “Okay, sweetie, we’ll find something else to sort this out, okay?”
“We should at least talk to them, try and see if they will listen.” Rarity speaks up.
“Or we could throw them a party and show how nice of a filly they have!” Pinkie Pie cheers and jumps up and down.
Every pony in the room groans at Pinkie’s suggestion.
“I, um, agree with Rarity’s idea,” Fluttershy says quietly.
Rainbow Dash looks at me, her rose eyes full of concern for me. “Is that okay with you, squirt?”
I nod slightly before jumping off the table and walking over to Dash. “As long as they can’t hurt me, and no pony can take me away.”
Dash smiles at me, “No pony will take you away, I promise.” She picks me up and turns to the girls. “In the meantime, Scoots will be living with me, if that’s okay with you all.”
Each pony nods in acceptance and Rainbow Dash sits with them around the table whilst they begin to discuss what they’re going to say to my parents.
I drift off to sleep on the Pegasi's back as I think: for once in my life, I feel hopeful.