//------------------------------// // Nobody Does You (Better Than You) // Story: Scootaloo & The Cabinet of Seers // by HMXTaylorLee //------------------------------// The door to Twilight’s bedroom glowed softly, a translucent pink glow guiding it shut with an unseen force from the princess’s horn. The handle was a darker, more vivid shade, and upon the door quietly pressing shut, it turned with a soft click. Twilight quietly stepped towards her bed, one that bore stitched signs and constellations of yellow stars along its navy blue backdrop. Using her magic once more, she elevated the shivering Pegasus filly from her back and gently laid her onto the bedspread, the light weight barely making an impact on the pulled sheets. The aura dissipated, leaving Scootaloo to curl up again, her purple mane covering her eyes. Twilight stared at her, her expression as gentle as she could muster in the off-chance that Scootaloo would return with a stare of her own. Twilight was battling whether or not she wanted to try and comfort Scootaloo, to stroke her mane gently with her hoof. Twilight couldn’t recall if Rainbow Dash had ever done that for the filly, and opted instead to simply resume her observation. After what seemed an eternity, Scootaloo raised her head, revealing damp face and swollen eyes to the princess, who didn’t as much as flinch at the heartbreaking sight before her. “What’s wrong with me, Twilight?” She asked throatily, another tear leaking from her eye. “What’s wrong with me?” Against her previous judgment, Twilight moved her hoof, placing it under the Pegasus’ chin ensuring that Scootaloo would see the utmost sincerity in Twilight’s answer. “There’s nothing wrong with you, Scootaloo,” the Alicorn said firmly. “You’re unique, and special, and wonderful, and there’s nothing wrong with you.” “Then why do ponies – ponies like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and the rest of my class – why do they all make fun of me?” Scootaloo gulped, lifting her head away from Twilight’s hoof, looking away from the Alicorn. “I have a feeling that ponies like Diamond Tiara - bullies – will make fun of anypony that’s different from them, whatever the reasons. It wouldn’t matter if your wings were small, or large. They’ll make fun of anything that makes you special.” Twilight reassured her. “I’m not special,” Scootaloo insisted with a sob. “I’m a blank flank Pegasus that can’t fly. Imagine a Unicorn without magic, or an Earth Pony without their strength… I might as well not have these pathetic wings, just like Diamond Tiara said.” “That’s not true.” Twilight shook her head. “Your wings, small though they may be yet, they help to set you apart from everypony else.” “My small, stupid, useless wings,” Scootaloo mumbled resentfully. “I wish they would grow already so that I could fly.” “I hardly think they’re useless. You couldn’t use your scooter without them, could you?” Twilight suggested. “I wouldn’t need my scooter if I could fly,” Scootaloo replied bluntly. “It’s embarrassing. I have to chug along grounded on a foal’s toy instead of actually being able to do what every other Pegasus can do at my age.” Twilight winced at how her example was obviously one that Scootaloo had seen coming, and subsequently torn about without hesitation. Still, Twilight kept up the front. “I think it’s cool,” She praised. “I’ve never seen anypony else use a scooter, and if I did, I bet that they wouldn’t be nearly as awesome as you at it. I see the way you zip around town, doing all sorts of neat tricks, and leaping off of anything you can to do so. It’s so much fun to watch!” She gushed. “Did you ever consider that maybe that was your special talent? I mean, it’s practically in your name.” Again, Scootaloo shot back with practiced bravado. “Of course I have, and it can’t be. I’ve been riding for years, and I haven’t got a cutie mark yet.” “Rainbow Dash flew for a while before she got hers,” Twilight pointed out. “I don’t want a cutie mark in scooting. I only use my scooter to do those tricks because I can’t do them myself. It’s a lame workaround, is what it is. It’s not something to be proud of.” Scootaloo’s voice shook as she spoke. “I just want to fly and to get my cutie mark in flying, so that ponies like Diamond Tiara will treat me like any other Pegasus... not like now.” Their roles had switched. Twilight could hardly bear to look at Scootaloo now, while she could feel the adolescent eyes practically scalding through their tearful gaze. For once, Twilight was speechless. “I just want it to stop,” Scootaloo finished sadly. “Want what to stop? The bullying?” “No,” Scootaloo answered. “Being different.” Twilight, whom had done her best to appear hopeful and resilient for Scootaloo finally frowned for the first time since they had entered her bedroom. “Oh… Scootaloo.” The princess ran her hoof softly through the younger one’s mane. “You don’t mean that.” “But I do,” Scootaloo insisted. “I want to be like Rainbow Dash.” Here, Twilight had another idea. She could only hope that it wouldn’t backfire like her last one. “Why?” Twilight asked slyly. “Why what?” Scootaloo replied with a hint of frustration in her voice. “Why do you want to be like Rainbow Dash?” Twilight clarified. “Why do I… Why WOULDN’T I want to be like Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo queried in disbelief. “She’s just so… awesome! She’s fast, and cool, and she can – she can make a Sonic Rainboom! Who else can make a Sonic Rainboom?” The praise rolled off of her tongue. Twilight cracked a smile, the kind of satisfied grin she wore when she completed a successful experiment or mastered a brand new spell. “So… you want to be like Rainbow Dash because she’s unique?” Scootaloo looked up at the princess, her eyes growing wide in realization of the trap she fell into. “Well…yes, b-but… She’s a good kind of different.” “What makes her traits ‘good’ instead of ‘bad’?” Twilight mused to her. Scootaloo scrunched her face up in thought as Twilight watched her curiously. “I… I guess I don’t know,” Scootaloo admitted reluctantly. “That’s because there isn’t a difference,” Twilight told her. “There’s no good or bad kind of different when you think about it. It’s just a matter of perception.” Scootaloo raised her eyebrow at the cryptic and, from what Twilight could gather from her pursed lips, unsatisfied opinion of her explanation. “I bet that Rainbow Dash doesn’t have to deal with jerks like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon though. Everypony likes her.” Scootaloo presented as her rebuttal. “Believe it or not, Scootaloo,” Twilight started. “She’s had to deal with her fair share of ponies that didn’t like her. Do you remember how she got her cutie mark?” “By doing a Sonic Rainboom, of course!” “But do you remember why?” “Umm…” Scootaloo scrunched her face again, searching her memory to try and remember what transpired beyond the surface of the spectacle Rainbow Dash created. “There was a race… and Fluttershy fell after Rainbow Dash created the Rainboom to win, right?” “That’s correct, but do you remember why there was a race to begin with?” “…It’s been a while since I heard that part.” “She was standing up to a pair of bullies that were making fun of her and Fluttershy,” Twilight explained. “Rainbow Crash and Klutzershy they called them.” “Oh... I forgot about that part,” Scootaloo grimaced. “Rainbow Crash...” she muttered quietly. “But she was only a filly! Those jerks didn’t know who they were talking to,” Scootaloo defended her idol fervently. Twilight actually laughed at how fitting Scootaloo’s sentiment was at proving her point. “But that’s just it! You’re still just a filly, and nopony knows what you’re capable of yet! Not me, not you, and especially not Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon.” “Whatever that might be…” Scootaloo said plaintively. “Not that it matters. You said they would make fun of me anyways, just because I’m different.” Twilight’s grin morphed into a frown again. “The worst part is, that’s probably true. Ponies treating others badly are unfortunately a fact of life, one that I can almost guarantee you everypony has had to deal with at some point.” The orange Pegasus’ ears twitched, and she had a strangely inquisitive expression about her. “What about you, Twilight?” Scootaloo probed. “Did you ever have to deal with bullies?” The lavender Alicorn nodded her head, and she answered affirmatively with what seemed to be an inflection of pride. “Of course I did!” “Really?” Scootaloo’s eyes shot open in disbelief. “Why?” “Because I’m an egghead,” Twilight said simply. “Always have been. Other ponies thought it was weird that I read so many books and liked them. Naturally, they made fun of me for it.” “So how did YOU deal with it?” “I… I didn’t. Not for a while,” Twilight admitted, that inflection of pride all but vanishing. “I tried to ignore them, and just hoped they would leave me alone. It wasn’t until my brother found them bullying me that he intervened and told me that what they were doing was unacceptable that I finally learned to ask for help.” “Who did you ask for help? Did your brother follow you around?” Scootaloo fired excitedly. “He certainly kept a close eye on me after that.” Twilight nodded. “But he made sure that my teachers were aware of it so they could put a stop to it, and told me not to be afraid of telling them when it happened.” “So you basically became a tattle-tale,” Scootaloo disapproved rather bluntly. “That’s just… so uncool though.” “Maybe,” Twilight pondered. “But it’s a lot cooler than constantly being worried about being mistreated, isn’t it? Remember Apple Bloom’s cousin, Babs?” “That was different,” Scootaloo argued. “How so?” “She was only bullying us to avoid being bullied like she was back at home. I didn’t want to get her in trouble for that,” Scootaloo explained. “Really? Didn’t you find out about her bullying problem AFTER you and the Crusaders told Applejack?” Twilight pointed out, recalling Applejack telling her about the instance the day after Babs had departed. “Oh yeah…” Scootaloo smiled sheepishly. “That makes me wonder…” “Hmm?” “If Babs bullied us because SHE was being bullied… why do Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon do it to us?” Twilight looked down uneasily, pondering the reasons why these two would have it out for the Crusaders with such zeal. “I… I’m not sure. I don’t know them or their situation well enough to say with certainty. I’m sure that they have their reasons, however misguided they may be.” “I can’t think of any,” Scootaloo muttered bitterly. “They’re both the richest and most popular ponies in school. I think they’re just mean, simple as that.” “I think you’ll find that most ponies are good at heart, Scootaloo. They might just lose their way sometimes… kind of like what happened today with you.” Twilight told her assuredly. She felt more confident approaching the subject detailed in the letter now that Scootaloo was on speaking terms with more sensitive issues. Scootaloo groaned, and slammed her head down on to the blue plush blanket. It wasn’t hard or firm at all, but she still leapt up and yelped with surprise. “Are you alright?” Twilight asked with alarm. She noticed the purple bruising on Scootaloo’s forehead again, and pieced it together without waiting for Scootaloo to reply. “It’s your forehead, isn’t it?” “N-no…” Scootaloo denied vehemently. “It’s fine.” “Scootaloo…” The Alicorn chided. “Remember what I said about asking for help? Let me take a look.” Scootaloo grumbled under her breath, but made no effort to wriggle away from Twilight as her hoof tenderly swept away the purple mane shielding some of the blemish from view. “Did Diamond Tiara do this?” Twilight inquired with concern, making a mental note to get an ice pack to rest on the filly’s forehead before too long. “This was more Silver Spoon, but… Diamond Tiara played a part in it, sort of. Wasn’t it in the letter?” Scootaloo cocked her head, certain that Twilight would have read it by now. “Forget about the letter, Scootaloo. I want to hear it from you.” she dismissed. “Are you sure?” Scootaloo asked with uncertainty. “I don’t really think you want to listen to me mope about myself anymore.” “Of course I do,” Twilight exclaimed. Twilight knew from first-hoof experience that talking about difficult experiences and problems with someone who wanted to listen was exponentially helpful in expelling bottled up emotions, and making one feel better. Which was of course, what Twilight had promised to do for Scootaloo. “Okay…” Scootaloo conceded. “Where do you want me to start?” “Wherever you want to.” Scootaloo took a deep breath, and began to recall the events as she had experienced them from that morning onward. Twilight recalled, unfortunately late throughout the account, that this sort of therapy had a tendency to be painful for the one spilling the source of their distress and discomfort. Scootaloo had started crying several times, and it became more and more clear to the princess why Scootaloo had wanted so much to be rid of the ammunition that Diamond Tiara could use against her. From what Twilight could gather, the teasing had been going on for years and, from Scootaloo’s gasping and bawling as she described the sheer humiliation of the prank pulled today, had grown much more relentless in the past month. “A-and the worst part – the worst part was...” The Pegasus choked again, more tears spilling onto the already damp patch of bedding. “Everypony was laughing. Everypony! They all think it’s so funny that I’m so – so…” Scootaloo took a deep, rattling breath, and the room was permeated with a silent unease. “…So worthless.” Twilight had shed several tears already throughout, as quietly as she could so as to not interrupt the filly’s tale. Another fell freely from her violet eyes, and she finally made a sound. “No, you aren’t,” She protested. Twilight flapped her wings, a small pocket of air lifting her on to the bed alongside the bedraggled pony that had lain down on her right side, looking away from the Alicorn and at the star shaped carving on the wooden headboard. Another sob wracked Scootaloo’s body, and she could see a shadow forming on the pillow in front of her. Scootaloo tilted her head upward, and witnessed one of Twilight’s wings stretching above her, unmoving. Scootaloo rolled over, turning to face the princess with an almost frightened expression on her face. “You’re not.” Twilight said as comfortingly as she could. Scootaloo looked up again at the wing above her, and then back to Twilight, who had taken her place next to the younger pony, also resting on her side. The Pegasus’ lip quivered. “Y-You mean it?” “Of course I do.” Twilight nodded slowly, utmost sincerity carried in her voice. With that, Scootaloo dove into Twilight’s side, just under where her outstretched wing would have normally been folded along the Alicorn’s ribs. Though she was no stranger to crying that day, she started again, and Twilight could sense it was for a noticeably different reason. As Twilight’s wing lowered and wrapped itself around the filly, she felt the hooves of the little pony next to her doing their best to wrap around the much larger pony. Twilight glimpsed downward, seeing a messy curl of purple mane pressed close to her chest. She could feel every one of Scootaloo’s sniffles and sobs, and for good reason; Scootaloo’s had pressed her muzzle as close as to the princess’ body as she could, reveling in her the warmth and comfort that was being offered, and accepting as much of it she could. Twilight caressed Scootaloo’s mane, feeling the little ear twitching against her hoof as she did so. Scootaloo continued to quietly weep into her side, the sorrowed whines slowly subsiding. Twilight continued to stroke the filly’s mane, the room falling quieter and quieter as the orange light from the window filtered through the curtains. Several minutes passed. There wasn’t a sound but that of Scootaloo’s breathing. Twilight tried to guess the time, which was made more difficult as the winter neared, and the days grew shorter in the autumn season. She felt the warm, gentle breath from Scootaloo’s mouth against her fur, and looked down again to see that Scootaloo had completely surrendered to the day’s significant stresses, and had passed into slumber while resting under Twilight’s blanket-esque wing. Twilight cracked a smile, and decided to allow the young one a few minutes more. After several instances of allowing “a few minutes more” had passed, there came a soft knocking at the door. Careful not to shift too much and wake her charge, Twilight turned her head with her horn aglow. Gently manipulating her magic to coax the door handle open, the door opened to reveal Spike standing timidly in the door frame. “Shh…” Twilight whispered. “She’s sleeping.” The dragon quietly stepped towards the edge of the bed, walking around the foot of it to bring herself closer to Twilight. With curiosity, he peeked past Twilight’s left shoulder to the slow pulsing figure lodged underneath her wing. “How is she?” Spike asked quietly, his voice as low he could muster. “Better,” Twilight replied. “She’s been through a lot.” “Yeah… she had a pretty rough day, huh?” “It’s not just been today, Spike. She’s been dealing with this ever since Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon got their cutie marks, and I have this feeling that...” “That what?” “That this is the first time she’s ever spoken about it. I mean, really opened up about it,” Twilight expressed with a solemn tone in her whisper. “You should have seen her, Spike… it was terrible.” “What about her parents? Or with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle?” “I don’t know, Spike. I think she tries so hard to be tough and strong for everypony else, to be like Rainbow Dash. She’s done it for so long…I don't think she really knows how to let her guard down.” Spike smiled at the princess, who wasn’t looking back at the dragon, but looked instead with great sadness at Scootaloo below her. “Well, leave it to Twilight Sparkle to help counsel her through it. A pretty good trait for a princess of Equestria, don’t you think?” Twilight blushed, and rolled her eyes before changing the subject. “Thanks, Spike… is everything alright downstairs?” “Actually,” Spike started, and then immediately silenced himself as Scootaloo stirred. He waited with bated breath for a dozen or so seconds, making sure that he hadn’t disturbed the filly. The dragon stretched his calves, making himself taller as to close the gap between him and Twilight. “Thunderlane stopped by from the weather team. He wanted to talk about next week’s weather, mentioned something about-” Again Spike went quiet as Scootaloo shifted. This time however, instead of falling still again, Scootaloo raised her head, looking blearily at the scene before her. “Whusgoinon?” She mumbled. “Morning, Scoots,” Spike addressed her with a wave of his claw, his response naught but an inaudible yawn from the freshly awoken pony. “I’ll tell you about it later, Twi.” He nodded to Twilight before excusing himself from the room, quietly closing the door behind him. “How are you feeling, Scootaloo? Better?” Twilight queried hopefully. “Actually… yeah. A lot,” Scootaloo admitted after another yawn escaped her. “Except…” “Except what?” “I’ve got a bit of umm… a headache,” Scootaloo replied. “This bruise, I guess.” “And you’ve been crying a lot today.” Twilight pointed out. “It’s nothing to be ashamed about either,” she insisted upon witnessing a splash of red appear on Scootaloo’s cheeks. “I’ve had more than a few in my time. Let me fetch you an ice pack that you can take home with you.” “Bring home with me?” Scootaloo blurted. “Well, yes. I’m sure you didn’t want to spend more time in the library than you needed to,” Twilight explained. “Unless… Did you want to talk some more?” “Oh no.” Scootaloo shook her head. “You’ve listened to me so much already, and I wouldn’t want to keep you from other important royal duties you’ve gotta take care of.” Twilight tousled Scootaloo’s mane playfully. “If you want to talk about ‘royal duties’, then nothing is more important to me than the well-being of my subjects, I uhh… I do decree,” she added jokingly. Scootaloo giggled at Twilight’s faux-royal speech. “Thanks, but I think I’m going to be good to go for the time being. I was just hoping that maybe I could stay just a bit longer.” “Of course you can,” Twilight said. “Was there something else you needed?” “You remember how Cheerilee said I could make up that Holidays of Equestria assignment?” Scootaloo reminded her. “I was hoping to get a jump-start on it tonight.” “Oh yes, that's right. Sweetie Belle had mentioned it too… but so soon?” Twilight asked. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like a proper night’s sleep first?” “Definitely,” Scootaloo insisted. “I at least want to pick a holiday.” “Well, Rainbow Dash was right about one thing – you’ve definitely got spirit.” “Rainbow said that…” Scootaloo mouthed before blushing again, falling silent. Twilight chuckled at how Scootaloo seemingly fell to pieces at the mere mention of praise from her idol, but didn’t pursue that line of conversation at the risk of embarrassing the pony further. Rather, she simply reaffirmed the request. “You’re welcome to use the library as long as you like. Now, let’s go get you an ice pack and a good book to start from. I’ve got the perfect reference guide, actually.” Twilight unfurled her wing, lifting it from Scootaloo’s figure and gave it a good stretch. Scootaloo, on the other hoof uttered a surprised, and if Twilight wasn’t imagining things, disappointed, exclamation as the cocoon of warmth suddenly vanished from around her. “Right… that’s awesome. Thanks a bunch, Twilight.” Scootaloo expressed as she stood up from the blanket, giving her legs a good stretch of their own. The filly hopped down onto the wooden floor, into the small patch of barely noticeable sunlight trailing upon it, glowing behind from the curtained window. Twilight followed suit, using her wings to glide towards the door that had already swung open with a pre-emptive command from her horn. “Oh… one more thing, Princess Twilight?” Scootaloo asked as she trotted alongside the Alicorn. “Hmm?” “Do you think… Spike has any more of those cookies left?” “Now that, Scootaloo.” Twilight laughed as the duo stepped through the door. “That’s something I can’t promise.”