When Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo arrived at the school they found the same foursome waiting for them from the day before. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were all there waiting for them. Rainbow Dash decided to stay in the air for a few minutes and take the chance to talk to Scootaloo when she saw who was waiting on the ground.
“Is something wrong?” Scootaloo asked in confusion when Rainbow Dash suddenly stopped flying and began hovering in place. Rainbow Dash turned her head around to face her.
“It’s nothin’ really, just is Diamond Tiara actually behaving herself?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You two were together at the end of the day and she said you were friends, but I’m not gonna believe something just because she said it.” she added with a sheepish smile.
“She didn’t do anything wrong at least.” Scootaloo replied, raising her forelegs in a mild attempt at a shrug. Rainbow Dash knocked Scootaloo up into the air and turned around quickly to grab the giggling filly. Despite not liking the idea of falling at all Scootaloo did enjoy when Rainbow Dash did that.
“Tell me if she puts even one hoof out of line.” Rainbow Dash said into Scootaloo’s ear. Scootaloo nodded and rubbed her face into Rainbow Dash’s chest. “And remember that I love you.” Rainbow Dash added, kissing Scootaloo on the forehead.
“I love you too.” Scootaloo replied, giving a small giggle at the feeling of Rainbow Dash kissing her. Rainbow Dash flew down to the ground with Scootaloo safely held against her chest. Rainbow Dash put Scootaloo down on the ground gently and, after giving her one last loving look and whispering a quick goodbye in her ear that also doubled as a hidden nuzzle, flew off in the direction of Cloudsdale to start her working day. Scootaloo turned around to face her friends and realised from the smiles on their faces Rainbow Dash may have inadvertently embarrassed her more by trying to not embarrass her. “Mornin’ girls!” she called out to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle before wrapping them in a group hug. If she was going to be embarrassed she was going to take her friends down with her.
“Mornin’ Scoots.” Apple Bloom replied, returning the hug.
“No Star Shine again?” Sweetie Belle added.
“He brings you to school too?” Diamond Tiara asked, breaking up the love fest. Scootaloo turned and saw Diamond Tiara was smirking about something. Most likely the display in front of her of the Cutie Mark Crusaders hugging.
“Well he’s only done it the once.” Scootaloo replied, rubbing a foreleg sheepishly. “He probably would have yesterday but he went out early and did it again today.” she explained.
“He go anywhere nice?” Silver Spoon asked. She seemed genuinely curious as to where he might have gone.
“He’s gone to Canterlot to give some other kid flying lessons. He’ll be back to pick me up though.” Scootaloo replied.
“He’s teaching another foal? In Canterlot no less? He must be a busy pony.” Diamond Tiara said almost sarcastically.
“I guess he is, why?” Scootaloo replied defensively. She hadn’t liked the tone of Diamond Tiara’s voice.
“I just don’t want him burning himself out is all. He’s got to teach you to fly, right?” Diamond Tiara replied simperingly with a smile. Scootaloo felt Diamond Tiara was putting her down and laughing at her but still didn’t think she could call her out on anything just yet. She’d need something more obvious than that. It still riled her up a little bit to be treated like that. Scootaloo held her anger in check however.
“Come on girls, let’s just get out of here.” Scootaloo replied calmly, gently pushing the other Cutie Mark Crusaders to the door of the schoolhouse. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle followed her in confusion.
“That almost sounded sincere.” Silver Spoon commented when the Cutie Mark Crusaders were out of earshot. Diamond Tiara gave a small laugh.
“I know, I’m getting better aren’t I?” Diamond Tiara replied. Silver Spoon nodded at her.
“Yeah, even I’m starting to think you actually like the blank flank.” Silver Spoon replied, smirking.
“Let’s not go crazy here.” Diamond Tiara replied. “Let’s just keep driving her crazy.” she added, laughing harder as she headed to the schoolhouse herself with Silver Spoon in tow.
“What was that all about?” Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo as they made their way inside.
“She was mocking me. I had to get away.” Scootaloo replied, huffing.
“You really think she was mocking you?” Sweetie Belle asked as she took her seat.
“Yes I do. She’ll slip up eventually. I know she will.” Scootaloo replied, her voice picking up as she moved towards her own seat so Sweetie Belle could still hear her.
“I guess ye’ll have to see.” Apple Bloom said, sitting down at her own seat. Scootaloo was about to reply when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walked in and took their places shortly before Cheerilee began the lesson.
***
Lessons passed as they had been doing lately, with Diamond Tiara still being the teacher’s pet and getting the majority of the answers right. Even though Cheerilee wanted to give the other ponies a chance Diamond Tiara was still giving the answers more often than not. Soon enough lunchtime came around and the Cutie Mark Crusaders ran out onto the playground together to play. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had been hanging around with the Crusaders before and after school but still left them alone during recess and lunch. They could only take so much of pretending to be nice before it became impossible. The Crusaders were passing a ball around to eachother when Scootaloo suddenly stopped and looked at her wings. She looked back at her friends when the ball hit her and brought her attention back where it belonged. She rubbed her head as Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom came up to her.
“Ye alright?” Apple Bloom asked, a little worried about Scootaloo after seeing her not only get distracted, but hit with a ball.
“I will be yeah, my wings feel a little weird is all.” Scootaloo replied, looking back at her wings again. She was wearing the brace to school again. Despite what Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had told her the day before she hadn’t really been asked about the brace much other than by Diamond Tiara. Ponies were either content to leave her be or make their own assumptions. Either way it had encouraged her to risk wearing it again.
“Is it cos of that brace thing?” Sweetie Belle asked. Neither her nor Apple Bloom really knew much about it beyond it’s intended purpose.
“Maybe...” Scootaloo trailed off, sitting on her haunches. She tapped a few of the buttons on the brace experimentally and sighed when nothing happened. “Great, it’s out of juice. Twilight said it’d last for a week.” she explained, pondering what could have happened.
“Err...juice?” Apple Bloom asked nervously.
“Magic. This thing runs on magic for some reason. It’s pretty useless without it.” Scootaloo explained.
“Oh, that makes much more sense.” Apple Bloom said with a smile. “Well, except for it bein’ useless without magic.” she added, her smile fading.
“Hey think of it this way.” Sweetie Belle piped up. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at her questioningly. “Well if that won’t work then you can test yourself now and see if you can fly.” she said with a smile.
“Hey you’re right.” Scootaloo replied, her own face lighting up. She worked her way out of the brace and let it rest on the ground. She sighed in relief as she felt the burden lift from her wings. She moved them experimentally and after a few seconds flapped them as hard as she could like Rainbow Dash had taught her. There was a much bigger gust of wind than she had ever felt before and while she thought she might have taken off she saw when she opened her eyes it was just the wind moving around her forelegs. She was still stuck on the ground like before. “Well it was a nice idea...” she said quietly, putting the brace back on so she wouldn’t need to worry about storing it anywhere.
“That was a pretty big gust though wasn’t it?” Sweetie Belle said, wrapping a reassuring foreleg around the dejected Scootaloo. “So you gotta be close now.” she added. Apple Bloom nodded and nuzzled Scootaloo.
“Ah think so too.” Apple Bloom said.
“I know girls, I’m just getting impatient is all. Feels like I’ve been waiting forever for this.” Scootaloo said, nuzzling up to both of her friends in succession. “At least I didn’t fly without Rainbow Dash around.” Scootaloo added, smiling as she remembered she said she wanted her first flight to be in front of Rainbow Dash. Her friends smiled with her and enjoyed one more brief group hug before going back to their game.
“Awwww, I really thought she had it that time.” Rainbow Dash said from her cloud vantage point in the sky. She couldn’t hear why Scootaloo had taken the brace off but she could tell that she had tried to fly. “Keep trying Scoots, you’ll get there.” she said quietly to herself as she settled down onto the cloud and watched the Cutie Mark Crusaders play.