False Truths

by bestponydash


Fifteen Years Ago, I Found Out

My name is Scootaloo. For the first few years of my life I was told I was an orphan. However, fifteen years ago, on my fifth birday, my foster mother came to me and gave me a bundle of letters with no return address. They were simply labelled "To my Daughter." That's when my story began.

It was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining and the temperature was high, and I was eagar to rush out the door so I could find Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. We had been planning our greatest crusade yet, hurdle racers! I made my way out of my room and down the hallway of the "Smiling Foals Orphanage;" the walls were plastered with pictures of young fillies and colts, some of whom were long gone. I kept walking until I came across my own picture; I was standing next to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity. The orphanage was in the background and the sky was clear as can be; we three crusaders were covered in flour from one of our baking crusades. The three older ponies were behind us with concerned, and amused, expressions on there faces. But we three still couldn't help but smile to our hearts content.

I can still remember that old picture even today, and I could never forget what happened next.

I was staring at the photos when I heard Ms. Hanes, my foster mother, coming this way. I turned and she calmly walked around the corner and down this green hall. She was a middle-aged mare with a yellow coat, brown eyes, and a blue mane curled to perfection. She wore a colorful pink and blue vest with the orphanage's name on it. As she made her way to me she began to stare; I remember her face being very sincere and serious. At first I ran to her and gave her a bright smile, "Morning, Ms. Hanes!" She smiled back but I could tell by her face that something was on her mind. "What's wrong?"

"Scootaloo, can I see you in my room for a sec?" I thought something terrible had happened because her tone seemed so concerned, so I followed her to her room on the far end of the hall. The room was painted green like all the others; there was a king sized bed on the back wall with a homemade quilt covering it. To the side was a large dresser with a mirror on top; and on the floor, in the center of the room, was a circular rug colored like a rainbow.

Ms. Hanes walked to the side of her bed and placed her hoof on the quilt, "Please sit down." I did as I was told and sat next to her. She then went to her dresser and opened the bottom drawer, "I didn't forget about your birthday today," she told me. After I heard that, my smile sprung back onto my face and anticipation burned in my eyes; a birthday present! That's what she was thinking of! What was it: a new scooter, roller blades, or something less athletic. I was so excited!

I could barely hold still as she started to turn back around. But to my surprise and confusion, it was the letters. "Here you go," she placed them in front of me.

I glanced at the letters for a partial second, "What's these?" I asked, utterly disappointed.

Ms. Hanes sat down next to me, "Scootaloo, you remember the day I told you that your parents were gone?" I stared at her for a second; why would she bring that up? She looked and pointed to the letters, "Well, I may not have told you the whole truth."

Those words hit my ears like a sharp blade. My eyes widened and I could barely help my jaw from dropping. I looked down, still not truely believing what I was just told. Then I saw the label and was forced to believe those words. "To my daughter," I read aloud, my voice just over a whisper. When I looked back up to Ms. Hanes I was confused, angry, and yet happy.

"The day you arrived at our door step," she explained, "there was a note that told us to wait until you were ready to give you the letters. At first I had no idea what it was talking about; there were no letters to be seen. But on your first birthday, and every year after, a letter came with that same label. I knew they had to be for you." I listened to her, not blinking. When she was finished I took a closer look at the letters. I stayed like that for several minutes, I didn't know what to feel.

After some time, Ms. Hanes started to speak again, "I figured you were ready this year."

I continued to look at my letters until I noticed something. "There's only four; today is my fifth birthday. Where's the last one?"

Ms. Hanes was surprised that THAT was what I chose to say after what she just told me, but nevertheless she answered, "Well I haven't gotten the mail yet."

I simply knodded, "Can I..."

"Of course," she interrupted. Ms. Hanes stood up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Once she left I quickly unrolled each letter and found the oldest. I didn't know what to expect: an explanation, an apology, or something else entirely. I was angry and confused. I had parents, that is all that went through my head. Until I started to read.

"Dear Scootaloo,
First off, I would like to say that i'm sorry; sorry you won't get to grow up with a normal mother and father. I know you may be angry and you have every right to be, but please believe me when I say that we did not give you up because we didn't love you. Your mother and I both love you more than anything in the world and it crushes us that we have to let you go, but I know that you'll grow up to be an amazing mare that would make any parent proud. By the time you read this, you'll be much older and may have given up on the idea of having real parents, but know that we still care about you and want to be in your thoughts. I may never see you again but I will send a letter every year to show you that I will never forget about you, my daughter. Happy birthday.
-Your father"

When I finished reading the first thing that came into my head was "That's it!" No explanation as to why they had to give me up. Were they just scared that they Wouldn't be good parents, was the letter a lie! I have to know! I quickly pick up the second, then the third, and the forth. I kept reading and reading but he never mentioned his reasoning or even his real name for that matter.

By the time I finished I threw the letters down and sat on the bed in frustration. I stayed that way for several minutes, mumbling. But after a while I realized that as hard as I tried to stay angry, I couldn't, I just felt sad. I felt a tear run down my cheek and my throat felt like it was blocked. I tried my hardest not to cry because I didn't want Ms. Hanes to hear.

I held in my tears and after a few minutes I calmed down. I looked down to the letters. They all ended the same way: "Happy birthday." Something about that spoke to me.

I cleared my mind and decided to make an unbiased assessment. So I wiped my eyes and read every letter again. This time I read slower and paid closer attention to every detail. My father never explained exactly what happened, but In every letter I could feel his sadness and regret. And by the end of number four I was sure of one thing: my parents love me.

A smile broke out on my face.

I carefully rolled the letters back up and stepped off the bed. I held them tight at my side and opened the door. On the other side was Ms. Hanes. I looked at her and gave a small smile, "My parents are alive and..." I felt the tears build up behind my eyelid, "they love me." She reached a hoof towards me and I ran to her. I hugged her tight and whispered "Thank you" in her ear.

After that she looked at me, "Why don't you go tell you friends and when you get back there should be another letter waiting for you."

My friends, I completely forgot! What was I going to say to them? I ran to my room and put the letters in my bag. I felt my body fill with excitement. I ran out the door and down the street; every pony smiled and said happy birthday. The birds sang and the clouds were few. I ran and ran until I reached Carousel Boutique. I knocked on the door to find that it was unlocked. I slowly walked inside, "Sweetie Belle?"

I took a few more steps in when I was jumped by a huge "SURPRISE!"

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Twilight, Rainbow dash, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all flew from their hiding spots with hats on their heads and smiles on thier faces. They all laughed at my startled expression and walked forward to greet me. Every pony wished me happy birthday and gave a present; Pinkie broke out her party cannon and sang around the room. Then they all looked to me to say something.

Every inch of my being wanted to tell them that I finally knew about my parents. But for some reason I didn't. To this very day I still have no idea what kept me from telling my friends then and there, but I just couldn't. Instead I thanked every pony and acted like nothing was different. The day went on and I did my share of crusading, which was an inevitable failure.

When the sun went down and my friends had to leave I knew that a new letter was waiting for me back at the orphanage. I felt nervous and anxious: maybe this is the year he would finally tell me what happened. I now knew my father loves me, but I still had to know.

I opened the door and walked up the stairs to Ms.Hanes's room. The light peaked under the door so I knew she was still up. I knocked and waited, my nerves jumping all around. Finally the door opened and she came out. "Well?" I impatiently asked. Ms. Hanes pulled out a sealed piece of paper from her vest pocket and gave it to me. I quickly grabbed it and examined the label: "To my Daughter," just like the rest, except for one thing. As I unrolled it, I noticed something different. On the back of this letter was an address.

I couldn't believe it, what could this mean? Did he want me to write back? I quickly thanked Ms. Hanes and rushed to my room, locking the door behind me. I hopped onto my bed and began reading.

"Dear Scootaloo,
I don't believe it's been five years since I last saw you. I know that you've probably been through a lot in your life already, but I am going to ask you to do something that is far bigger than anything you've done so far. I figured now would be about the time you received my letters so this time I included a return address. Please wait until your old enough to take care of yourself and then come find me. I know I have no right to ask this of you, but I miss my daughter. Happy birthday.
-Your father"

Come find me, that's what he said, come find me. Finally he was ready to explain himself, finally I was going to meet my parents.

That was fifteen years ago; that's how my story began. I had decided right then, on my bed, to do as my father asked. After that day no more letters came but it was okay, I didn't need any more letters; I was going to wait and then I was going to get my answers in person.

The years passed but I stll had that goal in my mind and on my fifteenth birday, ten years later, I knew it was time.