//------------------------------// // Chapter 65; Journey // Story: Working Towards The Future // by Dasponi //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash flew as quickly as she could to the train station. “What’s the hat for?” Scootaloo asked as she looked it over. “I’ll tell you in a minute Scoots, we’re almost at the train station.” Rainbow Dash replied as the station came into view. When she landed at the station she went to hand the ticket master some bits but was nodded past the ticket barrier instead and made her way onto the train. When Star Shine had booked the restaurant for her he had also booked advance train tickets for Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash. They were pretty recognisable figures in Ponyville, or at least Rainbow Dash was, so she didn’t have to stop and was allowed to just hop on the train. She did so and found a private compartment for herself and Scootaloo to be able to have a private conversation. Rainbow Dash sat down on one end of the table in the compartment and Scootaloo sat down on the other before putting the hat down between them. “So what’s the hat for?” Scootaloo repeated. Rainbow Dash shook her head. “First things first, tell me about what happened between you and Diamond Tiara.” Rainbow Dash replied, pushing the hat to one side and resting her head on her hooves. Scootaloo sighed and did the same. “I got really mad and, I don’t really know what happened really. I guess I jumped on her and hit her in the face.” Scootaloo replied quietly. “One second she was saying something and the next I was standing over her and she was bleeding.” “What could she have said that would be that bad?” Rainbow Dash replied. She was amazed by Scootaloo’s actions.. She didn’t think the little filly had something like that in her. “She..she knows about my dad. She said she’s met him.” Scootaloo said, expanding further. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Your dad? How could she know anything about him?” Rainbow Dash asked. Scootaloo shook her head and ran a hoof across the table absentmindedly. “I don’t know. She was teasing me about how we’re not family and said that he’s a pathetic drunk who spends all his time in a bar.” Scootaloo replied. Rainbow Dash rested her head on the table, looking at Scootaloo on her level. “What do you care what she thinks about your dad? I thought you wouldn’t care about him given...you know.” Rainbow Dash asked. What Scootaloo’s dad had done still made her uncomfortable and she knew it definitely made Scootaloo uncomfortable. There was no need to ever mention it properly again. “Oh no no, I don’t really care about him.” Scootaloo replied hurriedly. “It was what she said about me an you being nothing like family, and what she said after that…” she added, looking away and out the window. She was looking for something, anything, to talk about other than what Diamond Tiara had said. She didn’t want one of her worst fears confirmed. “What did she say after that Scootaloo?” Rainbow Dash asked worriedly. She reached her forelegs out and rested her hooves against Scootaloo’s. Scootaloo smiled at the gesture. “She...she said that Star Shine doesn’t care about me, and that he’s going to leave as soon as I can fly.” Scootaloo said, staring down at the table. She looked up when she heard the sound of Rainbow Dash’s head hit the table. “Owwwwww…” Rainbow Dash commented quietly, her voice muffled slightly by the table. A small part of her wondered why exasperation seemed to always be met with bodily harm. “She’s right isn’t she? He’s going to Canterlot every day and I’m not stupid Rainbow. I know how tired he is and how much it takes out of him. You said he doesn’t settle down and he said it himself. He lives near where he’s teaching and moves on when he’s done.” Scootaloo said quickly. She’s right isn’t she?!” she added, exasperated at Rainbow Dash’s lack of a response. Rainbow Dash reached across the table and picked Scootaloo up. She pulled her close to her chest and laid back on the bench she was sat on. She started gently stroking Scootaloo’s mane to calm her down before she delivered the bad news. “Honestly? Yes. He’s going to leave when you’ve started flying.” Rainbow Dash admitted. Scootaloo started crying softly. “I knew it. I knew it. I knew he didn’t care about me.” Scootaloo said quietly between sobs. “Now you know that ain’t true.” Rainbow Dash said adamantly, pulling Scootaloo up further and nuzzling against her cheek. “Yes it’s true he’s leaving, but it’s only temporary. He’s coming back after a month or so. He wants to live with you, with me, with us Scoots. I know he loves you a great deal.” Rainbow Dash said, still gently stroking Scootaloo’s mane and trying not to accidentally tear out any of the gems. “He...he does?” Scootaloo asked, calming down a little. “He’s coming back?” she was almost smiling again. Almost. She still doubted how much Star Shine might care about her. “Of course he does silly. He taught you to glide so you could know what it was like to fly. He also taught you that because he was worried about you. Yeah, going to Canterlot might tire him out but he still comes to the school to pick you up. He could just stay at home and nap, but he doesn’t. He comes straight to you. He doesn’t even nap when you’re at home. He stays awake and waits until you go to bed and then you’ll never guess what he does.” Rainbow Dash said, encouraging Scootaloo to guess. Scootaloo’s smile grew ever wider as Rainbow Dash listed things off. “What does he do after that?” Scootaloo asked nervously. She didn’t dare venture a guess unless she was wrong. “Well first of all he puts you to bed, then he kisses you goodnight.” Rainbow Dash replied. Scootaloo giggled a little. “I know he does all that.” Scootaloo replied sarcastically. “I’m awake for that.” “I know that, I’m getting to the good stuff now.” Rainbow Dash replied. She was about to ruffle Scootaloo’s mane when she remembered the gems were there and decided against it. It was bad enough Scootaloo had cried while wearing the dress and may have cried onto it, she didn’t want to ruin her mane as well. “When you’re in bed, and it’s just the two of us, he talks about you a lot. About how you’re going to fly and about how amazing you are. It’s easy to see he thinks really highly of you and he really does care about you. If you want to know how much he cares about you, ask him the story of his brace. Find out how much it means to him.” Rainbow Dash added. Scootaloo had been giggling pretty much non-stop while Rainbow Dash had been talking. “I tried asking him about it but he wouldn’t tell me anything.” Scootaloo replied, thinking back to the day that she and Star Shine had spent together. “If he won’t tell you then keep pestering him. It’s just pretty sad.” Rainbow Dash said somberly. “I don’t think I wanna make him talk about something he doesn’t want to talk about.” Scootaloo replied, looking down. “But you guys really talk about me?” Scootaloo asked excitedly. Rainbow Dash nodded and smiled. “We talk about you more than anything else.” Rainbow Dash said. “Wait, what do you say about me? It’s nothing bad is it?” Scootaloo asked, suddenly slightly worried they might be keeping things from her. “Oh no no, it’s only good things.” Rainbow Dash was quick to reassure her. “Anyway, I was actually going to tell you about Star Shine going today. I would have done it a little better than that brat did though. I need something from you.” Rainbow Dash said. She hefted Scootaloo on to the table and sat back up. “You need something from me?” Scootaloo asked nervously. “I’ll do anything you want Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo declared as she remembered who was asking her. Nothing would be too big or too small for her idol. “Hehe, don’t worry Squirt. I just need you to spread a wing for a second.” Rainbow Dash said, laughing a little at the way Scootaloo had responded. Scootaloo did as she was told without hesitation and let out a small yelp of pain as Rainbow Dash tore a feather out of her wing. “Owwwww, you coulda said you wanted a feather.” Scootaloo said sadly, massaging her wing. “Sorry Scoots. I didn’t know if you’d be alright with me taking a feather.” Rainbow Dash replied. She plucked out one of her own feathers and placed her feather, as well as Scootaloo’s, between the leather strap and the crown of the hat Rarity had given her. The leather held it perfectly in place. The leather was of course fake. “It looks nice…” Scootaloo said, scrutinizing the hat. “But I still don’t get what it’s for.” she added. “Oh it’s another reason I know Star Shine likes you. He says the craziest things when he gets sentimental.” Rainbow Dash replied, sighing at the memory of Star Shine’s almost confession where he had said he wanted to make as many memories with the pair as he could. Rainbow Dash leaned over and told Scootaloo what Star Shine had said. “He said that? He really is sappy.” Scootaloo said, giggling. “Well now you aren’t gonna learn what the hats for, cos it’s pretty sappy.” Rainbow Dash said, taking the hat and placing it next to her. Scootaloo pouted but Rainbow Dash wouldn’t budge. “Heh, I just thought of something.” Scootaloo said suddenly after a few minutes of silence. “Huh?” was all Rainbow Dash could think to say. She had been snapped into alertness by Scootaloo and thought she was still pouting or about to ask what the hat was for again. “You and Star Shine talk about me when I’m not around...isn’t that kinda what parents do?” Scootaloo said, looking down to hide the huge blush that formed on her face. She also buried her head in her hooves for good measure. Rainbow Dash chuckled and stroked Scootaloo’s back so she didn’t mess up her mane. “I suppose it is.” Rainbow Dash admitted, eliciting a squeak from Scootaloo. “No matter what Diamond Tiara, or anypony else for that matter, says about us, never forget that both me and Star Shine love you. I can’t speak for him, but I would be proud to be related to an awesome little filly like you.” she added. Scootaloo pounced on her and buried her head in Rainbow Dash’s chest. Thankfully it was a part of Rainbow Dash the dress wasn’t covering and so wasn’t likely to be ruined by her crying. “I love you too...and him. I don’t want him to go Rainbow.” Scootaloo said, still crying as she looked up at Rainbow Dash. “I know Scoots. I don’t want him to go either but he’s coming back, I promise. If he doesn't come back on his own then I’ll fly up to Canterlot and drag him back myself.” Rainbow Dash promised. Scootaloo calmed down again and gently settled into Rainbow Dash’s chest. Rainbow Dash gently laid back again and rested Scootaloo on her side. She slowly stroked Scootaloo’s chest until she calmed down properly. “And you called him sappy…” Rainbow Dash commented snarkily. Scootaloo didn't offer any argument. She didn't care if Rainbow Dash knew how much she loved her. She wanted her to know.