There was only the gentle sound of an even gentler breeze as Scootaloo lifted her head, feeling the wind tugging ever so slightly at her mane, as if it were egging her to follow it. This is what flight was. Pure. Gentle. Scootaloo let her eyes close as she took in all of the feelings from around her. The experience was almost perfect... Almost. Scootaloo could feel the sure and supporting hoof of Rainbow Dash on her abdomen, which was enabling her to such heights. Wave after wave of emotion crashed over Scootaloo's heart as her mind bounced from the joy of flight, to disappointment of this flight not being completely her own. Sure, she was elated that Rainbow Dash had gone so far out of her way, but this was not true flight.
When Scootaloo next opened her eyes, she was not greeted by the gentle hues of blue that had made up the evening sky, but instead by the rough grains and shifting swirls that was the wooden planks that formed her ceiling. Likewise, the sounds of the soft breeze were replaced by the eerie silence of an empty room. Scootaloo sighed as she pushed away the last tendrils of sleepiness as she threw off her covers.
Scootaloo often dreamed of that day, that exact moment, when Rainbow Dash had helped her to fly on their camping trip. It was a bittersweet memory. Scootaloo had felt such ecstasy during her short flight, even as imperfect as it may have been, but she also felt a lingering sadness at the fact that she was unable to fly once more.
There was a well defined click as Scootaloo's hooves met with the wooden floor. She began with her normal routine, stretching her wings and haunches. Soon after, Scootaloo made her way to the kitchen. As always, it only took her a moment to locate the oats and pour them into a bowl. She had a very tired look about her as she finished making her rather simple breakfast and began to eat. It took her very little amounts of conscious thought to run through her morning regime. After all, most days it was all the same. Scootaloo would wake herself up, eat breakfast alone, and grab her bag before heading off for school, or on the weekends, the Cutie Mark Crusader club house.
Today just happened to be a school day, the last of the week, and Scootaloo had been looking forward to the weekend since Monday had rolled around. Scootaloo left the final thoughts of her dream at the door as she rushed out, having once again waited for the last second to leave. It seemed to her as though things were shaping up to be quite the normal day.
Even though it was early in the morning, Ponyville, as always, was already bustling with activity. Even though Scootaloo lived on the far side of the quint village, she still lived closer to the school than Applebloom, though Sweetie Belle lived closer than the two of them. It was the Cutie Mark Crusader's normal plan to meet at the school a mere five minutes before classes began, and so far today had seemed as though it were going to be no different. That was, at least, until Scootaloo heard a very disheartening voice from behind her.
"Well if it isn't Scootaloo," came the ear-grinding sound of Diamond Tiara's dreaded voice. Scootaloo gave a slight groan, but turned to face Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon none the less.
"You two again? Was there something to needed?" Scootaloo asked, a slight edge of irritation already in her voice. The last they had spoken was a few day prior to the Equestria Games, when they had prodded at her flightless nature in a gambit to win the contest. A plan which had failed in the end, but caused Scootaloo no small amount of grief.
"We just wanted to congratulate you," Silver Spoon said as they began their usual pacing around Scootaloo.
"Carrying the Ponyville Flag in the Equestrian Games was a big deal after all," Diamond Tiara chimed in before Scootaloo had a chance to voice a retort.
"But we also came to apologize," Silver Spoon added in.
"After all, you may have carried the flag, but it was out of sympathy," Diamond Tiara spoke in turn.
"What does sympathy have to do with anything?" Scootaloo snapped back. Already they were beginning to get under her coat. At Scootaloo's response, both Diamond Tiara and Sliver Spoon smirked.
"It is just that Applebloom and Sweetie Belle worked so hard..." Silver Spoon started.
"To pick up all the slack you created," Diamond Tiara finished.
"You're wrong. Our win was a group effort!" Scootaloo barked at the duo.
"You are right about one thing," Silver Spoon started once again.
"It was a group effort. Applebloom impressed the judges with her Earth Pony strength and grace," Diamond Tiara added in.
"Sweetie Belle wowed the judges with her wonderful display of magic," Silver Spoon continued.
"And you, Scootaloo, won the judges' sympathy with your inability to fly, sealing your victory, even over more... Talented ponies," Diamond Tiara finished. Each word had been a hammer, striking a nail deeper and deeper into Scootaloo's heart until it was completely embedded.
Tears of hatred and frustration began to well up in Scootaloo's eyes, but before she could unleash her fury upon the devious duo, the school bell rang out, signaling classes were about to begin. Already Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had their backs turned, trotting towards the school as if they had never stopped to talk with Scootaloo, though the smiles upon their faces would say otherwise.
All Scootaloo could do was was cast an angry glance back at her under-developed wings before kicking the ground with her hoof, wiping her eyes, and rushing off to class herself. Scootaloo was one of the last students to enter the room, arriving just as the last morning bell rang out. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom both stopped chatting to cast Scootaloo warm, welcoming smiles. Scootaloo, who still had the taunting of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon on her mind, put up a front and cast them a weak smile back. It was obvious to tell that Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were concerned about her forced smile, but before they had a chance to speak with Scootaloo, Ms. Cheerilee stood at the front of the classroom.
"Alright my little ponies, class is starting," she said, quieting the noisy students.
The rest of the school day seemed to drag on for an eternity, going about as smoothly as it usually did, which meant about half the class time Ms. Cheerilee spent with Snips and Snails as they rest of the class worked on their daily assignments. At long last, the final bell of the day rang, signaling it was time to leave. Scootaloo sat back in her chair, breathing a heavy sigh as Ms. Cheerilee spoke one last time.
"Now, don't forget that this homework is due on Monday. Snips, Snails, I would prefer you not try and feed it to the pigs again this week," she said, giving Snips and Snails a firm look as most of the class giggled to themselves, Scootaloo excluded.
"Hey Scootaloo, is everything alright?" Applebloom asked. She had not even bothered to put any of her things away before approaching Scootaloo. Scootaloo also noticed Sweetie Belle close behind Applebloom.
"I am fine. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were just being sore losers is all," Scootaloo replied. After hearing this, both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom shook their heads, Though only Sweetie Belle spoke up.
"Are they still upset we got to carry the Ponyville Flag in the Equestrian Games?" she asked, though it sounded more like an annoyed complaint. Scootaloo merely nodded in response.
"So, what kind of Crusading are we going to do today?" Scootaloo asked, all too happy to change the subject. However, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom just looked at each other with a slightly sad expression.
"Sorry Scootaloo, but Applejack needs my help on the farm today," Applebloom spoke apologetically.
"And Rarity asked me to help her sort fabric today. She never asks me to help with anything, so I want to prove to her I can help. Sorry..." Sweetie Belle added in soon after. Scootaloo's ears drooped as she dropped her head.
"Right, sisters..." Scootaloo muttered under her breath. It only took her a moment to raise her head and give them a small smile.
"It's fine. I understand if your sisters need help. We are still meeting up tomorrow, right?" Scootaloo asked, just to make sure.
"Of course!" the other two answered in tandem. That, at least, made Scootaloo feel slightly better.
A few moments later, Scootaloo was standing out front of the school house, waving to her friends as they rushed home, eager to help their sisters, leaving Scootaloo alone. After standing for only a moment after her friends disappeared from sight, Scootaloo sat down and let out yet another sigh. With all the time it had taken them to gather their things and talk, they were the last three to leave, meaning Scootaloo was completely alone now.
"And now it is just me... Alone... Again," Scootaloo said to herself. Without her only two friends around, what was there to do? Days like this had become rare, and often left Scootaloo with little more to do than ride around on her scooter. Scootaloo remained seated a while longer as she worked up the willpower to get up and heading for home. Her way home lead Scootaloo through various notable places in Ponyville, one of which she was currently passing through, the Ponyville Park.
Scootaloo had not been outside all that much today, but just as the schedule had dictated, there was not a single cloud to be seen in the sky as the warm light from the brilliant sun cascaded down, unimpeded except by the occasional tree along the small winding path. It would have been the perfect day for crusading...
"Woah, look out!" came a familiar voice as a sudden flash of colors obscured Scootaloo's vision.
"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo called out in surprise as she felt her hooves leave the ground. A moment later, she could feel the ground beneath her once again. Scootaloo looked up at the familiar figure that was indeed Rainbow Dash herself. In the background, Tank floated by at a somewhat high speed, right through where Scootaloo had been a mere second earlier.
"What did I tell you about wandering into the pathway Tank?" Rainbow Dash scolded the tortoise as he continued his path to the far side of the trail. Rainbow then looked back down at Scootaloo.
"And are you alright Scoots? Normally you would have noticed me and called out in an instant," Rainbow said, a slight gleam of concern in her eye, obviously not helped by the fact that both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were absent. Memories from not only the day, but from her dream as well flooded into Scootaloo's head once again, a cruel reminder of how bad her day had been... But at least now it was improving!
"Sorry, Rainbow Dash, I was just thinking of a new way Applebloom Sweetie Belle and I could earn our cutie marks tomorrow, and I guess I was thinking a bit too hard about it," Scootaloo spoke up, coming up with a convincing excuse to explain her absent-minded behavior. Rainbow Dash merely nodded, seemingly content with Scootaloo's excuse.
"Still worrying about getting your cutie mark, huh?" Rainbow asked, a small smile beginning to light up her face, as well as Scootaloo's day. Applebloom may have had Applejack, and Sweetie Belle may have had Rarity, but Scootaloo had the best of them all, Rainbow Dash! At this thought, Scootaloo gave her first honest smile of the day. She also felt relaxed. Relaxed enough to speak how she truly felt.
"Well to be honest, recently I have begun to think that it would be better to fly than to ever get my cutie mark..." Scootaloo started. Instantly the atmosphere became much more tense, and the smiles dropped from both of their faces.
"Now Scoots..." Rainbow Dash started, but quickly Scootaloo cut her off.
"I remember what you said, Rainbow Dash, that even if I was never able to fly, I would still be me. I agree with that, but that is not somepony I want to be. I would gladly give up my cutie mark if it meant I could fly by myself!" Scootaloo cried out, each word growing in emotion and volume until she was shouting the words, which dispersed throughout the empty park.
"Now Scoots, you can't really mean that..." Rainbow Dash responded, clearly at a loss as to how to handle the situation.
"No Rainbow Dash, I really do mean that. Flying is more important to me than my 'special talent', it means more to me than almost anything!" Scootaloo retorted. Her emotions were getting the better of her as the entire stress, frustration, and sadness that had been bottled up since before the Equestrian Games finally began to boil over.
Rainbow Dash frowned deeply as she attempted to find some way to defuse the situation. How did Applejack and Rarity deal with such situations?! Finally, after what seemed like a minute of dead silence, Rainbow Dash spoke again.
"You said almost anything. You were talking about your friends, right? They don't care if you can fly or not Scoots, they like you for who you are now, not who you could become," Rainbow Dash cooed, doing her best to soothe the seething Scootaloo.
"You don't understand! You have always been a great flyer, one of the best! What if you never learned to fly?" Scootaloo snapped as she took an angry step away from Rainbow Dash. Rainbow's ears drooped to either side as Scootaloo spoke again.
"Just you watch, I will fly. I don't care what it takes!" she shouted before rushing off towards home, leaving a very confused, and saddened Rainbow Dash in her wake.
If only she knew the weight her words then had carried... And how they would come back to haunt her all too soon...