Scootaloo lay on her bed in Rainbow Dash’s house, trying to hold back the tears. Wondering why her wings weren't growing, Rainbow Dash had checked her in at the hospital. She had been diagnosed with some fancy-named disease that basically meant here wings wouldn't grow because the disease constantly ate away at her wing bones. When Rainbow asked if there was a cure, the doctor said that he didn't know of one. Scootaloo got home and had started to cry, but Rainbow tried to cheer her up.
"Scootaloo, look, it isn't that bad... you know, maybe Twilight can make some magic, right?"
"Does she know a spell that can fix my wings?" The orange filly looked at her idol through tear filled eyes, breaking Rainbow Dash's heart.
"Um... I don't... I don't think so..."
Then whats the point?! I can't use my wings!"
Scootaloo had been devastated, and promptly retreated to her room, where she now lay, trying to block out the horrifying realization that she would never fly. Her whole life’s dream was to fly, just like Rainbow Dash. Now what? What would she do? A Pegasus that couldn't fly? She would never be able to visit Cloudsdale on her own, nor race through canyons, or even just fly around town. Even with magic, if Twilight could do such a thing, it wasn't the same. She would always feel empty flying without her wings. Her wings were what made her a pegasus. Without them, she would just be an enchanted filly.
This was it. Her life was over.
Rainbow Dash knocked lightly on the door and stepped inside. “Scoot? You okay?”
Scootaloo sniffed back some tears. “Yeah. I’m just great. Why would I not be okay?” Honestly... was Rainbow Dash blind?
Rainbow Dash sat down next to her. “Listen, I know this is hard, and I don’t know what you’re going through. I just want you to know I’m always here for you.” She looked back at the door, covered in posters of the Wonderbolts and herself. “I brought your friends. I thought you might wanna talk to them.”
Scootaloo looked over to see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle standing in the doorway. Rainbow Dash got up and left, leaving the three alone in the room. They would probably need a lot of time alone. Apple Bloom stepped forward, the sorrow obvious in her eyes. She seemed to be connected to the filly, like she knew what it was like to be unable to use what made a pony themselves.
“Rainbow Dash told us what happened.” She sat down next to her. “I’m real sorry Scoot.”
Sweetie Belle came and sat down too, but didn't say anything. She was almost crying, because her best friend was so hurt. Scootaloo sat up and looked at her friends. They both looked so sincere, so caring. She was lucky. They didn't deserve her as a friend... they needed somepony better than her. She held back more tears and forced out one word.
“Thanks.”
“If we can do anythin’,” Apple Bloom said, “let us know.”
They all sat in silence for a while. It comforting to Scootaloo, to know her friends were there for her, even if it was just in silence.
Sweetie Belle spoke up. “I’m going to go check with Zecora. She may have a cure.”
Scootaloo shook her head. "But that forest is dangerous. It's... it's evil..."
Sweetie smiled. "Hey, I'll be fine. I'll go fast, and Zecora's hut is safe, so I'll be fine. Just meet up at the Library at around... noon."
She got up and left, leaving only two little fillies. Silence ensued for a long while, until Apple Bloom spoke up. “Wanna play a game? Might make ya feel a bit better.”
Scootaloo shook her head. She didn't want to play a game. She didn't want to play a game. She didn't want to do anything. She just wanted to fly. “No. You can leave if you want. I don’t want to talk.”
Despite her words, Apple Bloom still sat there, silently, waiting for Scootaloo to be ready. Scootaloo was glad Apple Bloom was her friend. Always knowing when to speak and when to be silent. She needed her right now. Just having her in the room was calming. The earth pony carried a certain, calming charm with her. It helped calm Scootaloo's nerves, giving her an ease of mind, even though she was still very upset. Finally, Scootaloo spoke up.
“I don’t know what to do. How am I supposed to be a Pegasus if I can’t fly with my wings? Isn't that what Pegasi do?”
“Fluttershy’s a Pegasus, and she doesn't need to fly to do her job.”
Scootaloo growled. “I don’t want to take care of animals. I want to have adventures, have fun. I want to fly!”
Apple Bloom remained silent, which, oddly enough, was what Scootaloo was hoping she would do. Besides, what was there to say? They sat in silence a bit longer, than Apple Bloom spoke up.
“Ya know, ya still have us. We need you, Scootaloo. Without you, we’re missin’ a friend an’ a fellow Cutie Mark Crusader.”
Scootaloo looked over to her friend, who seemed wiser than she should be for her age. Those words dug deep into her heart, releasing a single tear from her eye as she struggled to hold the rest back. “You mean it?”
“Of course!” Apple Bloom got off the bed and walked toward the door. “Come on. We should check with Sweetie Belle. Who knows? Maybe she actually found something.”
“You found a cure!?” Scootaloo practically tackled Sweetie Belle. She grabbed her friend and spun her around. “Are you serious?”
Sweetie Belle squeaked out the words. “Yes. Zecora has a cure.”
Scootaloo dropped her friend and ran around Twilight's library, where Sweetie had been studying Scootsaloo’s medical condition before they arrived. “I can’t believe it! A cure! I could fly!”
“But there’s a problem.” Sweetie Belle said. “She needs a special ingredient called ‘Latsinhos’, or something like that.”
“So?” Scootaloo couldn't stop smiling.
“So she doesn’t have any.” Sweetie walked towards the kitchen.
“Well, we’ll go get some!”
Apple Bloom began to speak, her face in a book. She looked like a little egghead, like a mini, wingless version of Twilight. “Laxinhos: A rare herb known to have weird and mysterious powers. Only grows in the Pleusian Forest.” She held the book up and showed the picture to her friends. It looked like grass, but glowing.
“Great where is that?” Scootaloo asked. She was a bit surprised at the egg-head Apple Bloom appeared to be.
Apple Bloom looked at a different book and pointed to some point on a map. “Here, right next to the Everfree forest.” She squinted at the map, mouthing words as she seemed to be studying something.
“Well, come on!”
“Uh oh.” Apple Bloom spoke up again.
“What?” The squeaky voice of there friend came from their friends head as she poked around the kitchen door frame. Smoke was floating out the door and windows in the kitchen.
“It only blooms for one week every five years." She read a little more, then her eyes widened. "It stops blooming tomorrow morning.”
Scootaloo looked at the clock. It was almost night time. Around eight in the afternoon, on a summer day. “We’ll leave right now.”
“Scoot, we should at least get Rainbow Dash.” Apple Bloom said.
“Fine. But we need to hurry.”
Twilight stepped into her library. “Hi girls. Did you find what you needed? If not, I could always…”
“We did! Bye!” The three fillies said in unison as they dashed out of the house.
“...help.” Twilight finished. “They didn't even clean up.” She grumbled. Then she smelled the smoke.
“Rainbow Dash!” The trio found her exiting Sugercube corner. “Rainbow Dash!”
A startled Rainbow Dash barely avoided being run over a by the three fillies as they slid to a stop right next to her.
Scootaloo jumped up. “There’s a cure!”
“Cure for what?”
“My disease!”
“Who told you that?” Rainbow Dash looked skeptical.
Sweetie Belle spoke up. “Zecora told me.”
“Okay, so why aren’t you at Zecora’s?” Scootaloo could tell Rainbow Dash was excited and trying to contain it.
“We need your help. We need an herb from the… what was it called again?” Scootaloo turned to Apple Bloom.
“Pleusian Forest.” Apple Bloom smiled at her recollection of that bit of information.
Scootaloo nodded her head vigorously. “Tonight!”
Rainbow Dash frowned and shook her head. “No. That forest is too dangerous at night. We’ll have to go tomorrow.”
“But it stops blooming tomorrow morning!”
A look of sadness fell on Dash’s face. “I’m really sorry Scootaloo. It’s too dangerous. When does it bloom again?
“In five years.” Apple Bloom said.
Rainbow Dash seemed to consider the idea, but shook her head. “No. We aren’t going. Now you need to go home before you do something stupid.”
With that, she snatched up the filly and flew her to her house amidst her kicks and crying.
Apple Bloom saw the tears falling from Rainbow's eyes as she carried her little sister back to her house, dashing her dreams, spirits, and heart.