//------------------------------// // Chapter 32; Past And Present // Story: Working Towards The Future // by Dasponi //------------------------------// Scootaloo was quiet during the journey back to the manor and Star Shine let her be. Dealing with flightless Pegasi meant he had also dealt with a lot of depressed children and knew if they wanted to talk, then they would. A short time later they arrived back at the cloud manor. Star Shine opened the front door and walked in. Scootaloo hopped off of his back and scurried up the stairs. Star Shine watched her in confusion, shook his head, and sat down on the couch. He leaned down and pulled a small book out of his saddlebags. He opened it up and laid it down on the table. He looked down at the contents and let out a long winded sigh. “What’s that?” Scootaloo asked, making Star Shine jump. She had come back downstairs and was now looking down at the book. It was full of numbers and dates but she couldn’t make sense of it. “This? It’s just how many bits I have in the bank. This is how much,” he said, pointing a hoof at one of the numbers, “and this is when it was.” he added, pointing at one of the dates. Scootaloo looked down at the numbers again and gasped when she saw the one closest to the current date. “That’s a lot of zeroes...” she said. It wasn’t actually that many but more than she’d ever seen. “Being a private tutor can be a lucrative job, and I’ve never had a very special somepony. I never really spend much on myself, so I have all this money and no idea what to do with it.” Star Shine explained. “I thought you trained orphans? You actually charge orphans a lot of bits?” Scootaloo asked. She was disgusted at the idea of charging orphans a lot of money. Her orphanage had considered getting her private lessons but it had been decided they were far too expensive. “Don’t be silly. I think that flight is a gift all Pegasi deserve. I train orphans for free.” Star Shine explained. “Not every trainer thinks that way though.” he added with a sigh. He was equally as disgusted at the idea of not teaching orphans or poor children just because they couldn’t afford it. “So what’s with all the zeroes? How’d you get all that money?” Scootaloo asked, tapping Star Shine’s bank book. “That? That’s from the parents who can afford to pay me. I have to make a living too.” Star Shine said, winking. Scootaloo nodded, seeing his point and agreeing with him. “I wish we had somepony like you around when I was at the orphanage. They would have given me lessons but said they couldn’t afford them.” Scootaloo said, looking down at the ground. Star Shine patted her on the head and pulled her up onto the couch, setting her down next to where he was. “My orphanage said the same thing. Luckily by then I could fly and they were telling somepony else that. I taught them to fly though and that’s how I got started training foals to fly actually.” Star Shine said, looking away from Scootaloo and into the past. “You were an orphan?” Scootaloo asked in wonder. She really had no idea about Star Shine’s past. Star Shine nodded and smiled. “That’s right. Though don’t tell Rainbow, she has no idea.” Star Shine said, zipping his lips. “Why did you never tell her?” Scootaloo asked. She was growing more curious by the second. “She never asked, and I never wanted her to know. Isn’t that what it was like for you?” Star Shine asked. Much like Scootaloo he had always hidden the more dark aspects of his life from his childhood friends. Scootaloo nodded and looked down at the ground again. “I didn’t want them to pity me, or think I was weak.” Scootaloo said. Star Shine wrapped a foreleg around her and pulled her close. He smiled when Scootaloo didn’t fight her way out of his touch like he had been half expecting her to. “Do you know what that tells me about you?” Star Shine asked. Scootaloo looked up at him and shook her head. “It tells me that you are one strong and brave little pony.” he said, smiling. Scootaloo smiled but it faltered as she remembered something. “I’m not that strong. You saw what I did...you told my friends about it.” Scootaloo said, snorting. Her anger at that situation hadn’t totally disappeared. “Even the strongest of us needs help at times Scoots. When I ended up in the orphanage I was lost and alone, like you were. Then I found Rainbow...like you did actually. Tell me something Scootaloo; do you think I’m a strong pony?” Star Shine asked. Scootaloo was confused but thought the question over anyway. After a moment of thought she nodded her head. “Yeah. You brush everything off and stay calm even when Rainbow doesn’t. Today was the only time I’ve seen you anything but happy. You just laugh at everything.” Scootaloo said, coming to her conclusion. “It’s why I like you.” she added, turning away in mild embarrassment. She didn’t like admitting to liking ponies much. Other than Rainbow Dash of course. “You like me?” Star Shine asked, a little taken aback. He thought that after what he had done that morning he had ruined any chance he had at getting close to Scootaloo. “A little. You’re funny and all, but you did really mess up.” Scootaloo said. Star Shine winced at the reminder. “Well anyway, do you know the main difference between me and you Scootaloo?” Star Shine asked. Scootaloo was confused again but she thought the question over. She looked Star Shine up and down. “Besides you being a boy and having a Cutie Mark?” Scootaloo asked, giggling a little. Star Shine smiled and shook his head. “Those are differences, but the main one is that I wasn’t alone for as long as you were. I also had purpose. When I was alone in the orphanage I started teaching the other foals how to fly, and then I went to Flight Camp and met Rainbow. She really is something special isn’t she?” Star Shine asked, thinking about how much one little mare had changed the life of not just one, but two ponies. “Do you like her?” Scootaloo asked, stifling a giggle. “She’s alright. Bit brash and reckless, but you can’t deny how good she’s been to the both of us.” Star Shine replied, a little confused by the question. He thought it was obvious he and Rainbow were friends. He was once again displaying his amazing ability to miss the point. “I didn’t mean like that.” Scootaloo said, facehoofing. Star Shine giggled. “I know. I’m stupid but I’m not THAT stupid.” he replied. “Are you sure about that?” Scootaloo asked, laughing as she remembered Star Shine’s more hilarious mistakes, such as accidentally telling Rarity he was Rainbow Dash’s coltfriend. “I’m pretty sure. I got good grades at school at least. I’m book smart anyway. I’m not very good when it comes to feelings. I told Rainbow Dash a long time ago I wasn’t interested. I’m no good at working out how I feel and she doesn’t like me much anyway.” Star Shine replied. He had never been very good at working out his feelings, especially when it came to other ponies. It was the main reason he’d never found a very special somepony. “She might, if you stop doing stupid things.” Scootaloo said, smiling. Star Shine smiled and sighed. “But me being silly makes you smile doesn’t it?” Star Shine asked. “Sometimes, it depends what you’re doing.” Scootaloo replied. “You aren’t going to let me live this morning down are you?” Star Shine asked. Scootaloo shook her head but huddled up to Star Shine, showing that she didn’t think he was all bad. “I guess I’ll never let myself live it down either.” he said quietly. “Can I ask you something?” Scootaloo asked, looking up at Star Shine. “Sure, you can ask me anything.” Star Shine replied, nodding. “Would you really have told them?” Scootaloo asked, looking away as soon as she asked the question. It was one that had been bothering her since the incident. She could almost move past it and understand how much Star Shine was hurting as much as her, but she still couldn’t understand why he would have done it in the first place. Star Shine looked away in sadness. “I might have done. I really thought it was for the best until I saw how much it would have hurt you. I knew that eventually you would have to have that talk with your friends, and so I thought I’d bring it about early. It wasn’t good for you to question your friends like that and you had to know they love you. I tried to find out without telling them anything and nearly did, then Rainbow rushed me.” Star Shine explained. Scootaloo could understand that. She had felt for herself the niggling thoughts and feelings she held towards her friends. Her doubts as to their true feelings. She had thought they liked her before, and then thought they didn’t. She could see his reasoning and hadn’t really thought that Rainbow Dash had rushed him and was partly to blame for him slipping up. “So what happens when I fly anyway? Are you going to go away?” Scootaloo asked, still looking at the ground. She had her answer as to why Star Shine would have done have told her friends and now came questions about what would happen after his job was done. “Is this what you do? You move in for a while to make sure a foal wears your brace and then go away when you’re done?” she added. “I’m not even wearing the brace.” Scootaloo said quietly as she looked back at her wings and realised that she really had forgotten to put the brace on. “I’m no Element of Loyalty like your mother, but I do stick around for as long as I’m needed. I’m not about to go anywhere until you can fly properly on your own.” Star Shine replied, nuzzling Scootaloo’s cheek. “And what about after?” Scootaloo replied. She had enjoyed the time that her, Rainbow, and Star Shine had spent together. She didn’t like the idea that it would all be over so quickly. That she would be abandoned once more by a pony who had come into her life. Especially one who genuinely seemed to care about her. One who would go so far as to break her trust and lose her faith for what he felt was good for her. “You know I’ve never actually moved in with a client before? And that you, and only you, are the only pony besides myself to wear that brace?” Star Shine asked. “You haven’t? I am?” Scootaloo replied. Part of her had assumed that it was normal for him to be some kind of live in instructor, and that he put the brace on every little pony who couldn’t fly. “I still haven’t moved in with a client.” Star Shine replied, shaking his head. “But you live here don’t you?” “But you and Rainbow aren’t my clients. You’re my friends.” Star Shine said, nuzzling Scootaloo. “Besides I don’t actually live here. I actually told Rainbow Dash I’d be leaving today...” he added, remembering the day and that he only asked if he could stay until Monday. “So you’re going to leave? I knew you were going to leave. Everypony leaves don’t they?” Scootaloo replied. She had been left behind far too many times. “It’s not up to me. It’s up to Rainbow Dash. Speaking of Dashie, she’s not likely to ever leave you either.” Star Shine said, patting Scootaloo gently. “I’ve had some real laughs staying with you guys so I’m in no hurry to leave myself.” “Do you think Rainbow will let you stay?” Scootaloo asked. “Do you want me to stay?” “Yeah, I guess.” Scootaloo nodded. “Then she’ll let me stay. I’m sure she’d let me live here if you want me to. I might fear for my life a little when you’re in bed and it’s just me and her, but I’ll be here.” Star Shine said reassuringly. “Do you think she’ll actually hurt you?” Scootaloo asked, giggling. “I wouldn’t put it past her. She hits me enough as it is.” Star Shine said, rubbing his sides that still ached a little from all of Rainbow Dash’s jabbing. “I think she does that because she likes you.” Scootaloo said, jabbing Star Shine herself to emphasize her point. “If she was trying to hurt you, she’d aim for your face.” she added, laughing. “If she aimed for my face, I’d definitely die. So don’t let her do that okay?” Star Shine replied worriedly. Scootaloo laughed and nodded. “So how come I’m the only pony who’s ever worn that brace? Why take it everywhere if you never use it?” Scootaloo asked. Star Shine sighed and looked away sadly. “Remember how I said that life and my name were the first things my parents gave me?” he asked. Scootaloo nodded, curious as to where this was going. “That brace...it’s special and one of a kind. It does a lot more than simply building wingpower. Normally I would use a normal brace, like the one Rainbow uses, if I had to. I take my brace with me everywhere because if my life, and my name, were my first presents from my parents, then that...that was the last.” Star Shine said dejectedly before looking at the clock and getting off the couch. He stretched his limbs before heading towards the kitchen. “Where’re ya headed?” Scootaloo asked him, leaning on the side of the couch. She was interested in hearing more of the story and found his sudden movement strange. She was also interested in what else the brace was for. “We talked so long it’s time for your lunch. Rainbow told me to take care of you.” Star Shine replied. “So you’re only taking care of me because you’re afraid of Rainbow Dash? Gee, thanks. I thought you cared.” Scootaloo replied, pouting and sniffling. Star Shine hurried back to her and leaned down to her level. “Yep.” he said, smiling. Scootaloo swiped at his face and hit him in the jaw. Star Shine took a step back and rubbed his jaw. He was smiling despite the pain, having successfully lightened the mood and avoided talking about a very personal subject. “Rainbow’s right, you are a jerk.” Scootaloo said, huffing out her chest and sitting back down on the couch. “But a loveable jerk right?” Star Shine asked, flashing his best smile. Scootaloo wasn’t looking so it was a wasted effort. “Nope, just a jerk. Now go make my lunch.” Scootaloo replied, crossing her forelegs indignantly. Star Shine sighed and made his way back to the kitchen. “I didn’t mean it you know. I do care.” he said as he stood at the doorway. Scootaloo looked over at him. “I meant what I said, you’re a jerk and I’m hungry.” Scootaloo replied. She sounded mad and upset, but there was a smile tugging at her lips, betraying her amusement at the situation. “I’ll go make you something to eat then.” Star Shine said, looking dejectedly at the ground and turning around slowly. Scootaloo watched him leave the room, not allowing herself to fall for the same trick she had just used herself. She had known Star Shine was only joking, and she guessed he knew she was too, and she wasn’t going to fall for it. Star Shine returned to the room about ten minutes later with a plate of sandwiches and hay fries balanced delicately on a hoof. He put it down on the table and went back into the kitchen to get a few drinks. The pair started eating, splitting the food on the plate between themselves. “Say...Scootaloo...Go get my brace. I just got the best idea ever.” Star Shine said when the food had been eaten and the washing up cleared away. Scootaloo was confused but did as she was asked. She had been keeping the brace in her room. She grabbed it and ran back downstairs to Star Shine, who was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. “What’s the brace for?” Scootaloo asked when she reached the bottom. “You know how to play hide and seek?” Star Shine asked. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and nodded. “Yeah, doesn’t everypony? It’s like, the most boring game ever.” Scootaloo replied. “You won’t be saying that after this.” Star Shine replied. He quickly put the brace on Scootaloo before she could respond or protest. Scootaloo gave a small gasp of pain as the brace tightened in response to her wingpower. “Okay now go hide, and buzz your wings. Like you do when you ride your scooter.” Star Shine said. “I thought buzzing was bad for me?” Scootaloo replied, remembering when Rainbow Dash had told her that she had to flap her wings, not just move them. “For flight yes, but not for what I have in mind. Now go scoot, Scoots.” Star Shine replied, shooing Scootaloo and laughing. Scootaloo sighed at the bad pun that she had heard a million times before, but otherwise did as she was told, still completely confused about Star Shine’s plans.