//------------------------------// // Reconciliation // Story: Scootaloo's Mistake // by DiabolicalMonocle //------------------------------// Scootaloo didn't know how long she had lay on her bed. All she knew was by the time she was up, the rain had stopped. Outside, the bright rays of the sun pierced the horizon, sending streaks of light across the entire town. On closer inspection, it seemed like everypony was out and enjoying the good weather. The markets and shops were busy, and Scootaloo couldn't name a pony unaccounted for. Of course, there was one pony who couldn't be seen. Again, the feeling of guilt surged through Scootaloo's mind. The filly gave a yawn, and stretched her body. Her wings still gave a slight pang of pain, but Scootaloo was prepared for it. She lazily opened up the fridge, and poured herself a glass of fresh apple juice, straight from Sweet Apple Acres. To Scootaloo's surprise, there was a small knock on the door. The pegasus put down her glass, and turned to face the disturbance. Who would knock for her? Curiosity got the best of her, and she crossed the room to find the source of the noise. Scootaloo's best friends stood at her doorway. They both had smiles on their faces, much like everypony in Ponyville. Sweetie Belle was the first to speak. “Hey Scootaloo! Do you wanna come out with us to the park? It's a beautiful day, and we figured you might need somepony to talk to.” The orange filly hesitated. She really only wanted to be left alone, to ponder in her thoughts. Applebloom saw the slight reaction, and decided to chime in. “C'mon, Scoots, It'll be fun! We can talk like ol' times! Hey, we can even try and get our Cutie Marks!” As much as she resented it, Scootaloo didn't think the idea was too bad. Just a nice, peaceful walk in the park. It couldn't end in too much disaster, anyway. Without saying a word, Scootaloo stepped out of her home. She raised a hoof to her eyes, letting them adjust to the intense brightness. As the intensity decreased, Scootaloo began to take in her surroundings. A sweet smell of confectionery excited her senses – obviously, Pinkie was back to her old tricks. Looking up, Scootaloo could barely see a cloud in the sky. It was all so clear, apart from the massive, multi-coloured... Rainbow. All the colours of the spectrum littered the cyan sky. Several stripes of individual colour, completely different to the one next to it. How couldn't she have seen it earlier? The curve took up the entire space above her, for Celestia's sake. It reminded Scootaloo of her. Fearful, the filly started to back away from her friends. Back into the safety and security of her home. Away from all outside contact, beside herself. Scootaloo only wanted herself for company, and nopony was about to change that. Behind her, the pegasus heard a loud thud. Obviously, she had been too transfixed with her own thoughts to notice Applebloom. The yellow filly had managed to sneak behind Scootaloo and now stood between her and the previously-open door. “Now, where do ya think you're goin'?” Applebloom seemed more surprised than angry, but her face told a different story. Her mouth had formed into a scowl, and her eyes were now squinting. Scootaloo didn't know what to say. Her only escape route had been taken away, and Applebloom looked cross. She could always just run away from the pair, but friends as good as these didn't deserve that. Well, she could always just tell them the truth. Unable to express herself without crying, Scootaloo simply pointed a hoof up in the direction of the rainbow. She didn't look herself - it hurt her enough the first time she had laid her eyes on it. The two young fillies beside her followed her hoof 's direction to find the source of her discomfort. Sweetie Belle was the first to get it, as evidenced by her face. It contorted with shock, as the realisation hit her. The small unicorn quickly replaced this with a look of sympathy aimed at Scootaloo, to look strong in front of her fellow friend. Applebloom didn't fully understand the significance of the cloud Scootaloo had pointed at. It just looked like a normal, fluffy cloud, - nothing out of the ordinary. Confused, she looked back at Sweetie Belle, who then quickly mouthed the word “rainbow”. Rainbow? What rain- Oh. The one hiding behind the cloud. Applebloom gave a sheepish grin, before turning her attention back to Scootaloo. Both fillies helped Scootaloo up off the ground, and gave her a big group hug. They knew Scootaloo wasn't one for group hugs, but at that moment, she didn't seem to care. At least, now, they understood where she was coming from. Applebloom broke the silence that ensued. “Sorry about that, Scoots. Ah didn't quite understand.” The orange filly gave a nod, before finding her own voice. “That's fine, girls. I didn't really explain what was going on. So, how about that walk?” ********************* As much as Scootaloo loved rain, she adored sunlight even more. The warm sensation as it permeated her body. Heating her to her very core and spreading throughout her limbs. The three friends sauntered through the park. With no direction planned, the fillies just went with the flow. Each of them felt remarkable, and none of them had an explanation as for why. Maybe it was because of the great weather, or maybe even because they had all been reunited. Either way, the feeling was mutual between them. After several failed attempts of recieving gardening Cutie Marks, the group returned to their usual antics. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom shared the gossip from school, and Scootaloo chatted about her time in the hospital. She decided not to mention Pinkie's 'surprise' from yesterday. The filly didn't want to ruin the good mood, especially her own. The day crept on, and soon, the sky had transformed into a bright orange. As Rainbow Dash used to say, “Time flies when you're having fun.” Scootaloo never did understand that expression until now. Deciding to watch the sun go down, the group sat down on the dew-encrusted grass. Not a word was said as they all watched the sun disappear from view. The sky turned a light violet, and the group decided to split. Scootaloo had been with her friends all day long, and now, she just wanted some time by herself. The filly returned through the empty streets, and eventually found her home. This time, Scootaloo didn't feel upset. It felt like a massive load had been lifted off of her. Fumbling with the handle, she opened the door, and closed it behind her. Being with her friends had taken a lot out of her, and now, she was drooping off to sleep. Scootaloo dropped on her bed and instantly fell asleep. The filly found herself in her mind again. This time, there was no darkness to be seen. Patches of colour covered the entire area around her. A familiar voice spoke from behind her. “Ah, Scoots. You've been busy, I see.” ********************* Author's Notes: Well, the story has nearly finished now, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it. So, the funeral is happening, and how will Scootaloo react? As Rainbow Dash would say, “Dun, Dun Duuuuuun.”