//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Pattycakes 3 // by AlliePastel //------------------------------// “Good morning Sunshine!” Scootaloo yawned opening her eyes attempting to catch a glimpse of her surroundings. She closed her mouth only to realize a piece of plastic kept her lips parted. In her confusion Scootaloo retracted what appeared to be an orange pacifier and looked at Fluttershy her laid utop of the blankets next to her, “Fluttershy *Yawn* what’s with the binky?” Fluttershy shrugged, “I-I dunno, you were sleeping peacefully sound until around 3 in the morning when you started to whimper. I walked down to the nursery and grabbed a pacifier for you. I hope it’s not embarrassing now is it?” Scootaloo smile before she took in Fluttershy’s words. A bit caught off guard she blurted, “Wait you said I was whimpering? I-I didn’t umm…” A blush grew on Scootaloo’s face as she pulled the covers higher up on her chest. Fluttershy giggled, “Hehe, no Scootaloo. Nothing happened.” Scootaloo smiled wiping off her brow, “S-sorry… sometimes I just- never mind.” Fluttershy smiled sitting up on her rump, “W-w’ell talk about it later Scoots. For now let’s just get you and Rainbow some nice warm breakfast before we start the day alright?” Scootaloo too sat up stretching a bit before making her way off the bed. She followed the older pegasus downstairs into the kitchen. Fluttershy didn’t take but a few minutes before completely immersing herself in the cooking. Confident in Scootaloo’s previous caretaking abilities Fluttershy asked for Scootaloo to tend to Rainbow Dash while she took care of breakfast. Scootaloo paced slowly to the nursery not looking forward to the sight she knew she’d have to bear. She hated seeing Rainbow disabled, to see her powerless. She hated that she caused it… Scootaloo entered the nursery trotting lightly over to the blue pegasus trapped within the cribs wooden bars. Scootaloo put on a false smile and nudged the pegasus through the bars, “Hey Rainbow, wake up sleepy head!” Rainbow awoke in a daze of mix emotions as expected. She kicked her covers up sprawling her hoofs wildly in the air unaware of anything. All that existed seemed to happen in that moment and nothing more. Scootaloo cringed watching Rainbow struggle getting out of her sheets. She wanted to help her but a part of her locked up. This was her fault, it was all her fault, she was destined to either become a baby or face this and it was getting harder to face up to her actions. Scootaloo hestantintly lifted the nursery’s crib door and pulling Rainbow from a top the crib’s mattress to the nursery’s floor. Scootaloo watched in horror as Rainbow dropped infront of her hoofs with a thud. Concerned Scootaloo looked down at Rainbow’s face, “A-are you alright?” Rainbow squinted her eyes before tearing up. A sudden pain in her back made her cry as she desperately felt the need to be held. Scootaloo delve in rubbing the older pegasus’s stomach, “I-I’m sorry Rainbow, E-everything will be alright.” That was a lie, this situation was absolute rubbish. Fluttershy came dashing unto the scene nudging Scootaloo away from the incapacitated mare. Leveraging Rainbow on her knees Fluttershy held the pegasus in an embrace and cooed, “Awh, it’s alright baby! Shh, please don’t cry.” Fluttershy’s words had no effect on the pegasus as Rainbow’s cries heightened as she desperately kicked her hoofs. From what Scootaloo could see Rainbow managed to knee Fluttershy in the stomach or ribs or something. There was something weird in Rainbow’s eyes; a curtain fire that drove her to become violent. If she didn’t know any better she would almost guarantee that Rainbow hurt Fluttershy intentionally. Fluttershy stood up slowly at first, she sputtered as a drop of blood dripped down her chin. “Fluttershy, are you alright? You’re kinda bleeding.” Scootaloo spook trotting up slowly to the older pagasus. Fluttershy shook her head smiling weakly, “Y-yeah Scootaloo, I just bit the side of my mouth. Don’t worry about it, you just go get ready in the kitchen while I get Rainbow changed and such alright? Scootaloo backed away slowly as she switched her focus from the pegasus infront of her to the cyan one laying on the floor. A part of Scootaloo tore itself into piece’s speculating the absence of conscious in the poor infantile mare… she decided it was best not to think of it. Scootaloo found herself in the living room awaiting the arrival of not only her food but Fluttershy. In the backdrop the subtle screams of Rainbow Dash were heard as Fluttershy did whatever she was doing with her. Eventually behind her Scootaloo heard the sound of the nursery door open and shut. Looking back the young filly saw Fluttershy looking beaten and exhausted. “What happened?” Scootaloo asked looking at Fluttershy with a curious expression on her face. Fluttershy pranced out of the nursery attending to her cooking, “Nothing Scootaloo, Rainbow can be so fussy sometimes. I gave her baby food and stuff.” Scootaloo turned her head to the side, “What? You feed her baby food only?” Fluttershy shrugged turning her stoves’ burner off, “Well, I feed her as much grown up food as I can; Apple slices, hay products, bread cut up into small slivers. Really I just have to make sure she doesn't choke and everything is free game. I wanna keep her fully nourished but she doesn’t move much so I try not to feed her much.” Scootaloo nodded turning her body back towards the living room table. Off the corner of her eye the yellow coated pink maned mare emerged with a serving tray with pancakes and what appeared to be a bottle of milk. Scootaloo went towards the pancakes only to have Fluttershy’s hoof stop her in her track. Smiling Fluttershy spoke, “Hehe, Scootaloo. Let me cut up your pancakes for you, it’s no big deal I promise!” Scootaloo blushed sitting back against the couch, “Hehe, alright. I’m sorry I just umm… never mind.” Fluttershy finished cutting the pancakes keeping the silverware in her hoofs. “Well… are you going to let me eat or...?” Scootaloo said turning her head to the side. Fluttershy snapped back into reality and layed the silverware down on the plate. Smiling she handed the porcelain plate to the little filly, “Sorry Scootaloo, I’m used to feeding Rainbow is all.” Scootaloo smiled, “Hehe, no big deal Flutters.” With a quick flick of her wrist she started eating away at the breakfast dish. Fluttershy staired in admiration of the little filly; something about Scootaloo messy eating and poor etiquette made her giggle a bit on the inside. She watched as Scootaloo finished the plate, a bit of syrup on her chin. Scootaloo smiled looking at the much older pegasus infront of her, “What?” she said confused at Fluttershy’s questioning expression." Fluttershy smiled picking up a nearby napkin, “Nothing silly, you just got something right there.” Fluttershy moved her hoof wiping the small child’s mouth. Scootaloo turned her head to the side, “Is it gone?” The older pegasus shook her head before spitting into the napkin. She leaned in wiping the child’s face again. Satisfied with her success she nodded, “There you go!” Scootaloo wiped her mouth with her hoof smiling, “Hehe, gross. Say, I’m kinda thirsty, you got anything to drink?” Fluttershy blushed clapping her hoofs together, “Oh, um… I was out of cups and I had plenty of bottles so…” Scootaloo turned her head looking at the mare infront of her, “So you want me to drink from a baby bottle?” “Yes!” Fluttershy squeeked. Scootaloo nodded, “It’s alright Fluttershy, I-I wanna bond with you… I-I’ve never been feed before you know? Not since I can remember.” Fluttershy picked frowned covering her mouth with her hand, “Oh you poor thing! I’m sorry to hear that… does that mean you wouldn’t mind if I?” Scootaloo blushed, “N-Not at all. Just start when you’re ready!” Scootaloo sat on her rump supported by her front two legs. She lifted her head up allowing Fluttershy to insert the bottle’s amber nipple into her mouth. The small filly looked up hopefully at Fluttershy as she sought her friend’s mutual eager expression. Fluttershy smiled looking down at the filly, before she knew it one of her hoofs graced Scootaloo’s back. She saw the younger filly close her eyes; Fluttershy used her free hoof to guide the young child on top of her lap, close to her chest, and eventually into a cradle. Fluttershy too closed her eye listening to the young child suckle away at the bottle in her arms. Scootaloo felt her world turned upside down. If this was everything being a child was about she loved it. She knew she was on her back in her friend’s arms. She knew she was a big filly and shouldn’t be fed like a little foal. But something about all she was taught growing up snapped and caught fire as she lost her conscience thought. A tear streamed down her face as she lost control of her world, it was a lie; the work, her future, her flying, everything she knew was being ignored and she loved it. The golden mare smiled kissing the young filly on the forehead, “Awh, my baby girl… You’re going to grow up big and strong just like Momma raised you. Don’t you freight a thing Scootaloo.” Scootaloo parted her lips from the bottle and planted her face on Fluttershy’s shoulder, “I-I’m so-rry Flut-er-shy, I-need-to-be-a-big-filly! I don’t w-ant to be a ba-by like Rain-bow-Dash For-ever!” Fluttershy frowned at the child’s words, “I’m sorry, I promise I’ll never threat you like I did that day. You’re a big filly and you have a future and I wanna be there every step of the way to help you baby. I’m sorry I made you regress Dashie, that was my fault! I’m so so sorry. I promise you future isn’t at stake just because you wanna be weak sometimes. You’re strong Scootaloo, we all know it… tears aren’t for the weak they’re for those who have been strong too long…” Scootaloo’s sobs lessened as she regain her train of thought, “T-there has to be a way we can help Rainbow… please!” Fluttershy dropped the bottle and used her free hoof to pet the young filly’s mane, “Don’t worry baby. Mommy has cooked up a solution which should solve everything alright? Infact… it’s already made. I just don’t know if Rainbow would think of me rationally, I might get arrested or worse. When someone’s exposed to Foalmula that long they start gathering the memories that get suppressed and I’m afraid I might have permanently crippled Rainbow Dash by keeping her regressed so long.” The crying filly’s sobs faded as she hugged unto Fluttershy, “I-I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. But, I also wanna know what Rainbow is thinking. She deserves to live Fluttershy… I want her to live. She just has to… alright?” Fluttershy smiled kissing the filly on the forehead again, “I know baby, just give Mommy a little time alright? I-I gotta get some stuff prepared first.” Scootaloo smiled, “A-alright… c-can we do some more stuff together… I-I kinda like being fed…” The older pagasus’s face broke out in a huge grin, “Sure thing baby, how bout’ later tonight we get some of toys from the nursery and we could pretend alright?” Scootaloo giggled, “Hehe, sure. I’d like that!” The older pagasus smiled lying back with Scootaloo still in her hoofs. She looked down at the younger pegasus with a curious expression, “So Scootaloo, have you ever been swimming before? I-I have a pond, I could train you sometime if you’d like.” Scootaloo smiled hugging unto Fluttershy’s neck, “I-I sorta know… having small wings helps me pedal and I can swim decently without them too. I’ll still go if you want to though.” Rocking the filly back and forth Fluttershy cooed, “Well do you want to baby?” Shrugging Scootaloo blushed, “I-I guess… I kinda just wanna spend time with you.” The pink maned pagasus smiled happily, “Awh Scootaloo. Well Rainbow is sleeping right now and she will be for the next 8 hours or so, you wanna do something?” Scootaloo nuzzled her head against Fluttershy’s chin, “Nah, I like being here cuddling with you. We have plenty of day light to do other things, I wanna be rocked.” Fluttershy warmly smiled leaning in to kiss the filly on the forehead, “Hehe, you know my Momma used to rock me when I was your age and even a few years after that. She said it was worth it because her and I had some of the closet talks in those moments.” Raising her eyebrow Scootaloo asked, “Wait- so you don’t mind this? You know? Holding me, my parents always said I was fat.” Frowning, the mare used one hoof to pet Scootaloo’s mane, “You not fat, you’re actually looking pretty skinny. Scootaloo, when was the last time you had a proper meal?” Blushing the young filly frowned, “I-I don’t know… I’ve been eating whatever I can find. I even had to steal at one point; Please don’t hate me.” Fluttershy smiled, “Awh Baby, you don’t have anything to worry about. I mean I don’t approve of you stealing but I understand.” “Y-you’re not mad?” The Young Filly said turning her head to the side. The older mare shook her head, “It’s not your fault you had to do it Scootaloo, just don’t do it again; especially when I have a whole garden of fresh vegetables and fruits for you.” The filly beamed, “Really? You have a fruit garden?” Giggling Fluttershy nuzzled the filly’s mane with her nose, “Hehe, of course I do. Well… technically most of it’s an arboretum. Regardless I have plenty of fruit, oh I can’t wait for you to see the strawberry fields!” Scootaloo turned her head to the side, “Huh-but how do you find time for a garden?” The older mare giggled, “Hehe, I run a vet service Scootaloo. Albeit a bit more work since I regressed Rainbow, but then again Rainbow is asleep about 80% of the day.” Smiling the younger filly nodded, “Got it! So, can we check out the garden Fluttershy?” Fluttershy stood setting the little filly on the couch, “Sure thing baby. Go ready and we’ll head out alright? Scootaloo nodded eagerly, “Alright!” The older mare made her way out of the room and upstairs leaving the young filly to keep to herself. A part of Scootaloo wanted to relax and chill on the couch behind her but another one wanted to visit her friend in the nursery. Scootaloo fell back as the quiet sounds of Rainbow’s cute little whimpers in the background seemed to drastically increase in volume. It was painful almost, a subtle ringing in the very core of Scootaloo’s ear. “Scootaloo?!” Fluttershy spoke startling the young filly. With a quick jump to her legs Scootaloo turned around, “Huh? What? Oh, I’m sorry Fluttershy… I was just thinking about something. I didn’t mean to yell.” Smiling Fluttershy assisted the young filly from off the couch. Fluttershy wrapped a wing around Scootaloo pulling the filly closer to her body, “What’s on your mind?” The two pagasi made their way out of the cottage door stepping lightly across the dirt trails that surrounded Fluttershy’s cottage. With the reassurance of her friend Scootaloo spoke confidently, “I-I just have been thinking about Rainbow you know? She’s getting to me and I don’t know why. I want to help her but it’s impossible, I’ve always been in control of everything in my life but now I just… I just…” “Feel it all slipping away?” The mare said taking note of her land’s beautiful scenery. Scootaloo nodded, “Y-yeah… h-how’d you know?” The older Pagasus smiled guiding the young filly along with her wing, “Cause sometimes it’s easy living with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see. It gets harder as you grow up but it’s alright, it shouldn’t matter much to you.” The moment froze in time as Scootaloo looked admiringly up at Fluttershy. Something beyond her friend’s usual timid wisdom shined as if she was implying something. “W-what do you mean Fluttershy?” Scootaloo said covering the bright morning rays of sun with one of her own hoofs. Stoping in her tracks Fluttershy looked around the arbiritum of tree’s, “What I mean is I think we all need to take it easy from time to time, but living in a world of ignorance isn’t the way to do it. As much as it hurts to grow up, it’s also the most important part of a ponies’ experience in life...” “Lay down Scootaloo.” Fluttershy said patting a spot next to her. Obediantly the younger filly crouch down eventually falling unto her flank and against Fluttershy. The older mare smiled lowering her wing to blanket over the small filly. Scootaloo looked up confused by her friend’s request, “Why’d you have us lay down? The ground is like uncomfortably wet, it did storm yesterday remember?” The older pagasus smiled examining her crops from a far, “Hehe, Scootaloo… do you see what I see?” A grin grew across Scootaloo’s face as she admired the beautiful garden Fluttershy had planted in the distance, “Oh wow, that must have taken forever to make. Those are all strawberry bushes right?” Fluttershy nodded in confirmation of the younger filly’s question, “Yep, those are infact all strawberry bushes. The reason I had you sit down her was to admire them from a far, notice the difference in them. What do you see?” Akwardly pondering the older mare’s question, the younger filly graced her chin. All the bushes appeared to be similar but they all had minor changes which made them seem imperfect compared to eachother. Assured of herself Scootaloo shouted, “Oh-oh! I got it! All the bushes are different sizes, shapes, and some of them are dying…” “Good, now what does that mean to you Scootaloo?” “I-I don’t know.” Said Scootaloo begging Fluttershy for an explanation, “What does it mean?” The older mare shifted focus from the young filly back towards the strawberry fields. A glimmer of sun reflected off her eye as she uttered her explanation, “It means that there is no perfection Scootaloo. It means that all of the bushes have their faults and the ones that aren’t nurtured properly sometimes die off.” Scootaloo looked up sorrowfully at the older mare, “Is that why you’re taking care of me Fluttershy? Cause you don’t think I’m strong enough to make it own my own? What about that speech you just gave on ponies needing to grow up huh?! I can’t be a little foal forever, you know that right?” Aiming to redeem the situation Fluttershy used a hoof to brush the filly’s hair, “Shh, that’s not it at all Scootaloo. Look, the bushes that die are the ones that grow up prematurely. If I wanted to save them all I have to do is cut off some of the branches and they’d be fine…” The revelation hit Scootaloo as she felt like every piece of Fluttershy’s puzzle connect. A bit concerned Scootaloo asked, “Y-you wanna baby me don’t you?” Fluttershy smirked looking at her garden, “I never said that, if you want to its fine though.” “Oh.” Scootaloo said rubbing her front hoof nervously with the other, “I-I guess I wouldn’t mind it. Just for a little bit though alright? And no foaluma either!” Nodding the older pagasus smiled again, “All right little one, you’ve got yourself a deal. Heh, it’s funny... my mother planted this garden with me so many years ago.” Scootaloo turned her head, “W-what’s funny about that?” Fluttershy looked down at the filly’s puzzled expression, “Well, more ironic than funny I guess. Come on Scootaloo, let’s walk around a bit before we set on inside alright?”