Scootaloo sat on her bed thinking about the awesome adventures she was going to be having in just a few hours. Mrs. Burnhoof had told her that she outta get some sleep so as to be well rested for the weekend, but Scootaloo just couldn't keep her eyes shut, her mind raced with all of the action and imaginings of a Rainbow Dash filled two days!
Finally some time to be away from this house. Not that she didn't feel lucky to be a temporary part of the Burnhooves family, but it just hadn't been the same since all of the other foster colts and fillies had grown up and moved on. Scootaloo was the last and youngest of her ilk to be taken in, and by the time she had gotten here most of the others were ready to leave and begin their lives conducting trains, writing books, and whatever else a grown pony has to do to make a living. So now she was all alone.
Before she had met Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, her days were filled with nothing but lying bored in her room and making awkward chit chat with her foster parents. They were nice enough people, caring and sweet, but nothing like what she thought a family should be. To her it felt more like what it was, just a foster home.
Scootaloo had been over the moon when Mrs. Burnhoof had agreed. The one and only Rainbow Dash, the best and most skilled flyer in Equestria wanted to take the equally as awesome but not as tall or blue Scootaloo out for the weekend!
When the question had come up Mrs. Burnhoof couldn't agree fast enough, dazzled by the spunky cyan pegasus who was practically a local celebrity by now. All the while Scootaloo had been biting her lip trying to remain calm and cool but ready to burst out of her chair in excitement.
After the camping trip, scootaloo had been spending a lot more time with Rainbow Dash, something she could've only dreamed of before. And often had. But now was finally the day that all of those outlandish fantasies were coming true. She'd have Rainbow Dash for the whole weekend and it would just be about them!
Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash hittin' the town.
Maybe she'd even consider taking her in! Just imagining living in Rainbow's rockin' pad sent giddy shivers up her spine.
Imagine waking up in your cloud bed, hundreds of feet above the ground, looking around your totally radical room, then spotting Rainbow Dash from just outside the window beating clouds to dust with her bare hooves! And just as she's bested the last one, she turns around looks you straight in the eye and then gives a dashing smile followed by a regal salute before zooming off into a jaw dropping sonic rainboom!
Scootaloo had always had an abnormally large capacity for dreaming. At least according to Mrs. Burnhoof. And she had always wanted a big sister, listening to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle frequently gushing about their's made her ache for it more than ever. She needed someone she could go to when she was scared or sad, a pony to look up to who would stick by her side no matter what, always have her back. And what better pony for the job than the embodiment of loyalty herself, that magnificent rainbow maned pegasus?
She fell backwards onto her pillow with a sigh, just imagining those powerful blue wings slicing through the air at supersonic speed. Sure it made her kinda jealous, looking down at her own puny orange flappers, but like Rainbow Dash had said, her day will come, and she's got to be ready when it does. And she'd be damned if she wasn't going to live by those words tommorow!
Scootaloo was sure they'd have the best time ever! She let out a light "Squee!", before quickly slapping a hoof over her mouth so her audible excitement wouldn't wake the Burnhooves. She regained her composure and sat leaning on the headboard arms folded behind her head, something she'd seen Rainbow Dash do.
She had to remember to remain cool and calm, but to also be herself... Princess Luna had taught her that, and a pony only needs to fall off of a cliff once for a message to stick. And anyway Rainbow Dash had made it pretty clear that she thought she was totally awesome, almost alike in a way... and if that didn't mean they were destined to be sisters then her name wasn't Scootaloo Mayfly!
She gasped aloud. Startling herself as she clutched at her chest . An involuntary response to the pitch black hole that had just reopened in her heart, and the shattering memories that came flooding out.
That name.
This was the first time she'd said it in years. She'd almost forgotten it... the sucking pain it brought with it was too difficult to bear. She couldn't even manage to say it in her head. whenever she tried her brain's tongue got all tangled up and her throat got gravely.
Scootaloo sat there for a moment, unsure of what to think, just trying desperately to stave off the feelings that were already pulling tears from her eyes.
It's just a word isn't it? Just a bunch of garbled speech and a few symbols... It doesn't really mean anything, it isn't even in the dictionary!
With that resolve she tried to say it again, this time audibly, but all that emerged was a weak croak.
If it was just a meaningless blob of sounds and letters, then why did it have such an impaling effect on her?
Scootaloo suddenly felt tired and heavy, her hooves dropped to the bed as she hung her head
She stared down at the wet splotches on her sheets, defeated.
Maybe now was not the time to face such demons, besides, the best day of her life was about to begin...