The new day came and with it also came an absent Star Shine. The girls woke up to find him missing with a note on the table saying that he had decided to leave for Canterlot early and that he would see them later. Given how it was about seven in the morning when they discovered he was gone both of them were a little surprised he could be up so early. Neither of them had seen him leave either which meant there was a chance he had actually left before Rainbow Dash had woken up for her morning practice. They started their day as they normally would have done without him around and, after having breakfast, left for the school together.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were waiting for them which didn’t come as a surprise. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon waiting for them came as a surprise to Rainbow Dash though. Scootaloo hadn’t told her about Diamond Tiara’s recent “transformation” into a good girl. After Rainbow Dash landed Scootaloo hopped off her back and made her way across to her fellow Crusaders and hugged them.
“...Can I help you girls?” Rainbow Dash asked Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon cautiously. She didn’t want to start any trouble and so chose to just approach the situation carefully. That Diamond Tiara was smiling at her unnerved Rainbow Dash but she couldn’t say for sure why.
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry miss Rainbow Dash.” Diamond Tiara replied in the same sweet voice she had been using when talking to Cheerilee. She also extended a foreleg out for Rainbow Dash to shake. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at Diamond Tiara and looked across at Scootaloo for some sort of guidance. Scootaloo looked between Rainbow Dash and Diamond Tiara and shrugged. It was all she could think to do.
“I’ll have to tell you about it later.” Scootaloo said. Everything had moved so quickly the day before she hadn’t found a chance to talk about it. Rainbow Dash sighed and reluctantly shook Diamond Tiara’s hoof.
“Don’t uhh....don’t worry about it, I guess?” Rainbow Dash said to Diamond Tiara. Much like Scootaloo she didn’t really believe Diamond Tiara on face value and would need more evidence than what was in front of her to believe her. “So, are you going to leave Scootaloo alone?” Rainbow Dash asked. She tried to hide it but there was a trace of a threat in there. Diamond Tiara let out a small and simpering giggle.
“Oh I wouldn’t want to hurt her. I think me and Scootaloo got off on the wrong hoof and I want to be her friend now.” Diamond Tiara said, smiling wider than before.
“Uh huh...well...I gotta get going to work really.” Rainbow Dash replied slowly. She wrapped Scootaloo up into a hug, took off into the air and threw Scootaloo up into the air. Scootaloo was surprised and scared at first but let out a laugh as Rainbow Dash caught her.
“...Lousy show off.” Diamond Tiara muttered under her breath quietly. Nopony heard her.
“Hehe, what was that for?” Scootaloo asked as she cuddled up to Rainbow Dash. The two of them were still in the air and Rainbow Dash was positioned so that nopony below would be able to see what they did. They were also far away enough for nopony to hear what they said to eachother.
“I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of your friends....” Rainbow Dash replied sheepishly. “I love you, and let me know if Diamond Tiara does anything. You don’t believe her do you?” Rainbow Dash asked. Scootaloo shook her head.
“I don’t, no, but I gotta wait until she slips up. I’ll let you know if anything happens.” Scootaloo replied. “Oh and I love you too.” she added, nuzzling up to Rainbow Dash’s cheek. Rainbow Dash smiled and kissed Scootaloo on the forehead while the pair were still in the air before landing again and depositing Scootaloo back on the ground.
“I’ll see you later Squirt!” Rainbow Dash called as she took off in the direction of Cloudsdale and waved goodbye to Scootaloo. Scootaloo waved back but stopped when she heard Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon giggling.
“What’s so funny?” Scootaloo asked defensively, stamping a hoof into the ground. Her friends jumped in surprise and moved next to her. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stopped giggling and looked at Scootaloo.
“Nothing really, I just think you and Rainbow are pretty cute together, that’s all.” Diamond Tiara said, smiling at Scootaloo. Scootaloo’s scowl got a little larger. She could tell when she was being insulted.
“Ye have to admit you two are pretty sweet.” Apple Bloom said. Scootaloo sighed in resignation. She thought she had managed to catch Diamond Tiara out already but if her friends were going along with it then it seemed she hadn’t.
“So what’s with those things on your wings? Did you injure yourself? Is that why you were gone on Monday?” Diamond Tiara asked as she noticed the brace Scootaloo’s wings were in. Scootaloo facehoofed and began regretting her decision to wear it but part of her also saw a way out of further questioning. She was about to say that she had hurt herself and say that’s why she was off on Monday when Apple Bloom but a foreleg around her and talked before Scootaloo had a chance to.
“Nah she ain’t hurt herself none, that’s just somethin’ her flight instructor told her to wear. Says it makes her wings stronger.” Apple Bloom explained for Scootaloo. Scootaloo glared at Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom was too busy looking at Diamond Tiara to notice.
“The poor dear can’t fly? I had no idea.” Diamond Tiara replied, sounding shocked and concerned at the revelation. Scootaloo screamed inwardly but managed to control herself and not scream into Apple Bloom’s ear. She glared at Diamond Tiara instead. A smirk tugged at Diamond Tiara’s lips as she saw just how much she was getting to Scootaloo and she wasn’t even really trying to. Apple Bloom seemed to be doing more damage than she, Diamond Tiara, could.
“Just because I have a flight instructor doesn’t mean I can’t fly.” Scootaloo said through gritted teeth. She worked her way out of Apple Bloom’s foreleg and made her way towards the schoolhouse door. She wanted to get inside before any more damage to her pride and personal life could be inflicted. She’d had quite enough of her friends saying stupid things and more than they should. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ran after her and caught up with her.
“Hey, you okay?” Sweetie Belle asked as her and Apple Bloom came into place beside Scootaloo.
“Fine, thanks. I always wanted the pony who hates me the most to know I can’t fly.” Scootaloo replied sarcastically.
“Ah didn’t think you’d mind her knowin’. Ye are wearin’ the brace and all. She was gonna ask and so is everypony else.” Apple Bloom replied defensively. Scootaloo sighed and accepted she had a point.
“I know, I know. I just didn’t want them to know I actually couldn’t fly. Couldn’t you have at least said it’ll make me fly faster?” Scootaloo asked. It wouldn’t have been a total lie to say that. She had moved on her scooter faster and Rainbow Dash said Pegasi use braces to increase their speed. So the brace would undoubtedly make her fly faster too. She had been tempted to use that line on her friends before but had seen how it would be more beneficial to tell them the truth. She couldn’t see any benefit to telling Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon, or any of the other ponies in school, the truth.
“If we did, wouldn’t they want to see you fly?” Sweetie Belle countered. Scootaloo thought she had a point but then a thought occurred to her.
“Why would they? I’m a Pegasus, there’s nothing special about a Pegasus being able to fly.” she reasoned.
“I dunno.” Apple Bloom said. “If I heard y’all could fly, I’d want ta see it.” They were now stood outside the door to the schoolhouse. Scootaloo wanted to finish the conversation before heading inside. Once they were inside they wouldn’t get to talk properly again until recess or lunch and she didn’t want to lose the argument.
“Well thanks girls but you’re my friends. I know you’d want to see it but I don’t think everypony else would want to. I want my first flight to be something private anyway. If I had it my way I’d want only Rainbow Dash there.” Scootaloo said. Being flightless for so long, and wishing to fly for so long, had meant that she had spent a lot of time dreaming about her first flight and how she wanted it to go. She probably wouldn’t be able to perform any feats of amazing ability to impress Rainbow Dash on that first flight, but she did want Rainbow to be the only one who saw it.
“What about Star Shine? Don’t you think the guy teaching you to fly would be there?” Sweetie Belle asked. Scootaloo was quiet for a second but then burst out laughing. She had to admit Sweetie Belle had a point and it felt good to laugh again. Her friends smiled with her.
“Hey he’s gotta teach me to fly first.” Scootaloo replied, still laughing. “Anyway, come on, we’d best get inside before we’re late or something.” she added, pushing the door to the schoolhouse open and walking inside.
“Star Shine? Why does that sound familiar?” Silver Spoon asked Diamond Tiara. The pair of them had been close enough to hear what the Crusaders were talking about but still stay out of sight.
“He’s that guy living with Rainbow Dash remember? The one I said was Scootaloo’s dad.” Diamond Tiara replied. Diamond Tiara was hardly known as an honest pony and she had certainly lived up to that reputation lately. To his credit Featherweight didn’t actually know who had written it and didn’t lie to Scootaloo.
“Oh yeah. He’s a flight instructor? I had no idea.” Silver Spoon replied.
“Me neither. Wonder what else we don’t know about him.” Diamond Tiara said, smiling gleefully as the pair made their way into the schoolhouse.