There was a definite chill in the air as Scootaloo stepped out the front door of her house. In the distance, the morning sun had barely begun its ascent, slowly climbing as if it were waking from a long slumber. Today was her second day off from school and she had no commitment to keep with the Crusaders, which meant that she had they entire day free to spend with the one pony she idolized; Rainbow Dash. The very idea of such a day sent a warm and excited shiver down her spine, the thoughts of all the memories they were about to create only adding to that eager attitude she now wore.
"She'll show me the proper way to flap, how to lift off, how to sail on the air currents, and maybe even a trick or two! Just me and the best pegasus in all of Equestria!" Scootaloo all but chanted to herself as she trotted along.
Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo had both decided to meet up at the Ponyville park, seeing as it was one of the more open areas in the area. The whole of the sun was visible now, as its soft beams of light raced through the air, warming Scootaloo's fur as she practically bounced to the nearest bench.
"Hey Scoots, glad to see you could make it," Rainbow Dash said, throwing Scootaloo a smile as she rounded a corner. They had chosen the part of the park furthest from the center of Ponyville, hopefully so they wouldn't be disturbed by any curious onlookers.
"Rainbow Dash! I would not have missed this for the world!" Scootaloo replied eagerly, causing a small giggle to escape Rainbow's lips.
"I don't suppose you would have, would you? Alright then, are you ready to get started?" Rainbow asked. Scootaloo just nodded vigorously in response.
The next few hours were filled with various 'lessons' on the basics of flying, and how they applied to an actual flight. Scootaloo took in every word, hanging on to them as if they were as precious as life itself, taking each lesson to heart. Though, throughout the lecture were sporadic stories of how the Wonderbolts had perfected this technique, or when another had used something in a dire situation, which actually made a few concepts easier to understand.
Before either of them had realized it, the sun hung high in the sky, beating down relentlessly through the cloudless skies as a loud rumbling interrupted Rainbow Dash's most recent Wonderbolt story. Slowly, Rainbow Dash turned to face Scootaloo, looking her dead in the eye before a small blush spread across her face.
"Sorry Scoots, I am not used to being up so early, so breakfast is kind of a foreign concept to me. Egghead speak for, I didn't eat breakfast," Rainbow said, adding the second sentence a moment after the first. She had been so caught up in attempting to use more 'sophisticated' words in her teaching that it had actually spread over to her normal speech for a moment.
"Is there anywhere you would like to eat?" Rainbow asked. Scootaloo just seemed to stare blankly for a moment before a huge smile spread across her face.
"Anywhere you like is fine!" Scootaloo proclaimed quite loudly, hoping to her hooves in a heartbeat. Rainbow just gave her a smile, already having guessed her answer.
"Alright, let's get going then!" Rainbow said as she started to walk towards Ponyville.
Their lunch break was filled with idle chat. The two of them had decided to go to one of the take-out restaurants close to the park and return there to eat under the cool shade of a particularly large tree. They ate slowly, swapping stories of past adventures. Scootaloo told stories about her attempts to gain a Cutie Mark with the Crusaders, as Rainbow Dash recounted the near mythic tales of her time with Twilight and company.
"Pinkie Pie really said that?" Scootaloo asked, barely willing to believe what she had just heard.
"Really! I am sure she really would have gone out to play in that 'chocolate-milk rain' if Twilight had not straitened her out too!" Rainbow Dash said, laughing with Scootaloo as they both conjured up a mental image of what it would have been like.
A light breeze began to stir as both Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo swallowed the last bits of their meals. Scootaloo turned her gaze to the sky, which seemed to feel so much closer now. Long had it been far away, just out of reach for her, but now... It was if the sky invited her in. She didn't have long to stare into the sky before Rainbow Dash spoke up again.
"If you want, we can give flight a try now," Rainbow said, looking at Scootaloo out of the corner of her eye, her face also turned to the sky. Scootaloo's eyes grew wide as they turned to face each other properly.
"Really? You mean it?!" Scootaloo asked, nearly not believing what she had just heard.
"I have already taught you everything I can about flying. The last step is to get out there and put it to practice," Rainbow Dash said, giving Scootaloo a smile. As she did, she stood up, and began to stretch out her wings, the gentle breeze pulling playfully at her cyan colored feathers as it picked up slightly more.
Scootaloo scrambled to her hooves, slowly beginning to stretch out her own wings as well. Her wings now bore a much different look. Her orange feathers had increased in number, and spread out to encompass the entire length of her, now larger, wings. Next to her, Rainbow Dash gave a powerful downward flap, easily lifting off to hover just above the ground.
Alright Scoots, let's get started then. And remember, since there is a breeze now, don't fight it, let it carry you up, higher, into the sky you so love!" Rainbow Dash said, moving with Scootaloo as she began to gallop in the same direction as the wind. She had her wings spread wide, and already she could feel the air beneath her wings. A particularly strong gust came up from behind Scootaloo, causing her feathers to flare out even more. It was at that moment that she felt a slightly familiar instinct. Scootaloo gave a mighty flap as she kicked off from the ground as hard as she could, just as Rainbow Dash had instructed. Scootaloo looked down to see the earth falling away from her as an enormous grin broke over her features.
"Look out, Scoots!" Rainbow Dash shouted as the world around Scootaloo suddenly went black and an odd warmth enveloped her. A moment later there was a small jolt that jarred Scootaloo as a soft 'Ow!' escaped Rainbow's lips.
The next thing Scootaloo knew, she was sprawled out on her back, laying slightly over Rainbow Dash as she stared blankly at the sky. Just to their left, the same direction Scootaloo had been flying, the large tree they had eaten under loomed, partially obscuring the blue sky above.
"I am glad you are excited and all Scoots, but next time you take off what do you say you pay attention to where it is that you are flying too," Rainbow said as Scootaloo removed herself from the tangled mess of limbs before Rainbow Dash herself stood up, rubbing the back of her head for a moment.
"Right... Sorry Rainbow Dash. I'll pay more attention next time," Scootaloo said, dropping her gaze to the ground at her hooves, ashamed of herself. There was a brief moment of silence, in which Scootaloo's heart began to sink.
"What are you doing down here then?" Rainbow asked. Scootaloo looked up to see Rainbow smiling at her as she motioned to the sky before taking off to hover above the ground once more. A small smile spread over Scootaloo's features once more as she trotted back over to where she had started the first time.
Scootaloo turned her back to the wind once more, spreading her wings and dropping her chest to the ground in preparation to begin galloping once more, this time making sure there were no trees in front of her. She closed her eyes for a brief moment as the wind cut through her mane, almost seeming to whisper in her ear as she prepared herself. She knew this feeling, though she had only felt it twice prior.
With a sudden and shocking amount of power and speed Scootaloo burst forward, her eyes open once more as she picked up speed. Kicking off from the ground once more, Scootaloo didn't need to look at the ground to know that it was falling away from her much more quickly than last time. She flapped time and time again, riding an up-draft as the blue of the sky seem to surround her, with wind playing gently with her mane, and suddenly all of quiet. The only sound was that of the wind as it danced past her.
"Well, Scoots. How is it?" Rainbow asked, gliding next to her. Tears began to well up in Scootaloo's eyes as a single tear ran down her cheek.
"It is more than I could ever have imagined. Everything is so calm, and at rest. It feels like I am finally home, finally where I belong. Thank you, Rainbow Dash. Thank you so much!" Scootaloo said as tears began to flow freely down her features. Never had she been quite as happy as she was now.
Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash spent the better part of the next hour soaring through the skies as Rainbow pointed out all of the landscape that spread out below them as she help Scootaloo adjust to her new wings. By the time the two of them landed, Scootaloo was exhausted, and Rainbow seemed slightly fatigued as well. Scootaloo thought back on the long day they had spent together, and her smile, which she had worn for the last hour, only widened. That changed quickly, however, when Rainbow addressed her in a somewhat serious tone.
"So, this also means you can finally go see your family in Cloudsdale, right Scoots?" The smile now gone from her face, Scootaloo sat quietly for a few moment, before finally looking at Rainbow Dash with cold, dead eyes.
"Family you say? Some 'family' they are... Once they found out I wasn't able to fly they shipped me off to Ponyville without a second thought. I wouldn't exactly call that family," Scootaloo said, turning slightly away from Rainbow Dash, who shifted awkwardly.
"But they are still your parents Scootaloo, shouldn't you at least let them know you can fly now?" Rainbow asked tentatively.
"You don't really know what it is like. Your parents were always proud of you. You always had there attention. But me? I never got any attention from them. I always felt out of place, unwanted. You were the first pony to ever really acknowledge me, Rainbow Dash. To me, you are more family than they ever were, and right now, having you here with me is more than enough," Scootaloo said in a mono tone, moving slightly closer to Rainbow Dash towards the end of her speech. Rainbow Dash moved closer to Scootaloo as well, embracing her lightly. A moment later Rainbow could feel Scootaloo return the embrace as she nuzzled up against her.
"That means a lot to me Scoots. You know I have always been here for you, and I always will. That I promise you," Rainbow said, giving Scootaloo one last light squeeze before moving away and checking that no other living being was anywhere to be seen. They were once again resting under the large tree they had eaten under, and later ran into. Rainbow looked over at the wide trunk of the tree before starting to move towards it, motioning for Scootaloo to follow.
"Tell you what, I have an idea," Rainbow said before raising up her front left hoof for only a moment before hitting the tree as hard as she could, leaving a small hoof-mark as she did so.
"A memento of today, if you would. Go on, you too Scoots," Rainbow said, nuzzling her forward.
"But isn't this normally what lovers would do after spending a day together?" Scootaloo asked, looking at Rainbow Dash with a confused look.
"Well, yeah, but... Well, the way I see it you are basically like a little sister, so the feeling are similar, right? Or, something like that," Rainbow said, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. Scootaloo merely looked at Rainbow for a few moments before leaping towards her and hugging her.
"I love you too, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo basically shouted as she embraced Rainbow Dash, who was somewhat quick to slip away from her.
"Alright, alright! I get it, so just... Stamp the tree already," Rainbow said, looking around as if she was seriously concerned somepony might see them. Scootaloo silently obliged, bringing her front right hoof up to strike the tree, just next to where Rainbow had, creating a shape that at least somewhat resembled a heart.
"Hey Rainbow, do you mind if we flight for a bit longer?" Scootaloo asked, her energy already having returned to her.
"I don't know Scoots, I am a bit tired. I almost never have long days like this..." She said trailing off.
"Oh, come on! Please? I have so much more to learn, and I don't want to fly alone," Scootaloo pleaded. Rainbow just looked at her for a few moments before sighing, a smile crossing her lips.
"Alright, but this is the last time today," She said, much to Scootaloo's delight.
The two of them took off once more, Scootaloo having gotten much better since they had taken off the first time. Rainbow kept pointing out small flaws in Scootaloo's flying, and how to change them to be much more efficient. Scootaloo even attempted to a trick Rainbow Dash considered a 'beginners' level, though the trick was obviously too complex for that, having eight twists, six turns, and exactly four and a half rolls. Once more, before either of them realized it, the sun had long begun its descent, the only indication as to the passage of time.
Scootaloo had just taken off as fast as she could, seeing just how fast her new wings could take her. Obviously it was nothing compared to the speeds Rainbow Dash could achieve, but it was still extraordinary for a pegasus on their first day of flight. She had just come to a stop and was turning to see where Rainbow Dash was, though at that moment something seemed off. Scootaloo had been having so much fun the past hour or two she had failed to notice, but it appeared that Rainbow Dash was panting, her wing-beats a bit off, causing her wings to be slightly synchronized. Scootaloo flew over, a concerned look on her face.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash, are you feeling alright?" Scootaloo asked, hovering a few feet away from her, choosing not to get too close just in case Scootaloo accidentally bumped into her.
"I, am fine Scoots," Rainbow said between breaths. Now that Scootaloo was closer, she could see sweat glistening on Rainbow's forehead, and an almost feverish look in her eye.
"I just, feel a bit, light hea-..." Rainbow started to say once. As she was finishing her sentence, her eyes began to close and suddenly, Rainbow was falling.
"Ra-Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo shouted as she dove down, attempting to catch up to the quickly falling pegasus. It was hard to tell in all the confusion, but it seemed as though Rainbow was unconscious.
The wind roared past Scootaloo, creating a nearly deafening sound as she dove faster and faster. The air resistance enough to make her eyes begin to water. She was slowly catching up to Rainbow Dash, but looking beyond, so was the ground. Scootaloo began to panic now, adrenaline coursing though her veins as she pumped her wings, trying to go faster, to gain that extra edge she need to catch up, the ground only seeming to speed up its rapid approach in return.
"Rainbow! You need to wake up!! RAINBOW DASH!" Scootaloo shouted, now almost within grasp of her. It was hard to tell thanks to the frenzied movement of her mane and the sound was drowned out by the roar of the air racing by her, but she could have sworn she saw Rainbow say the words:
"I'm sorry, Scoots."
"NO!" Scootaloo screamed as she made one last desperate attempt to reach out for Rainbow Dash, the ground just below the both of them. What happened next, Scootaloo could recall very little of. She felt her hooves connect with Rainbow's before she flared her wings, the sudden weight nearly dislocating them both, but it was too late. Scootaloo was assaulted by leaves and limbs as they fell from the sky at alarming speeds. Still, she remembered hanging onto Rainbow Dash as she was batted around, breaking though a few of the thinner top branches before striking a particularly thick branch, and feeling Rainbow Dash ripped from her grip as the world spun, the edge of her vision turning black for the briefest of moments as the breath was forced from her lungs. And even after all this, the sickening crack would echo in her ears for hours to come, just before her own body fell to the earth once more.
Scootaloo coughed, her entire body crying out in pain as her left foreleg refused to straiten out, seemingly twisted at an odd angle she was quite sure was impossible for her to manage. And yet, there was only one thing on her mind. She was lying on her right side, her feathers falling all about her as she struggled to think. She wasn't quite aware of what had just happened, nor what condition she was in. She attempted to get up, her entire body beginning to feel heavy and numb. She managed to get herself up on all fours, just to have her left foreleg collapse under her weight. A surge of red-hot pain shot through her body as she cried out in agony. The sudden pain seemed to bring her back to her senses though. She looked around, now aware of where she was. She focused on her body, despite the searing pain than began to manifest itself as she did so. She could feel both her wings, and miraculously enough besides a few ruffled feathers they seemed mostly fine. She presumed her front left leg was either broken, or dislocated, as it sat at an odd angle from her knee joint down, and she could feel blood staining her orange coat near her right flank as she attempted to stand once more, this time keeping off of her bad leg.
"Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo called out, her body protesting as she began to look around. It didn't take her long to locate the sight of Rainbow Dash, laying curled on the ground only a few feet from her. Scootaloo felt the urge to vomit. Rainbow's left wing was all but torn in half, blood flowing freely, and quickly, from the large wound. Scootaloo nearly forgot her pain as she limped towards her as fast as she could. As she approached, she could see the same crimson liquid flowing from a cut on the side of Rainbow's head, and she was not moving. A sudden pain made its way though Scootaloo's chest as she rushed to Rainbow's side, her breathing growing shallow. As she neared, Rainbow's chest rose, then fell. She was alive! Scootaloo began to smile, before she began to cough again, though this time the taste of blood overwhelmed her as she coughed up blood, some of the droplets making their way to where Rainbow lay, staining her fur. As the world began to close in once more on Scootaloo, she did the only thing she could think of.
"So-somepony, HELP!" Scootaloo yelled, feeling the same sharp pain in her chest as she began to violently cough once more, the world finally fading to black, as her consciousness left her.