//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: At the Hospital // Story: CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS FOREVER! YAY!: A TwiMacVerse Story // by ThatBronyWithTheClipOns //------------------------------// "WHAT IN TARNATION IS WRONG WITH Y'ALL!?" exclaimed Applejack. "YA COULDA BEEN KILLED!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders had ended up in the hospital thanks to their latest attempt to help Scootaloo fly. They had various scrapes, bumps, bruises, with bandages applied all over. The little orange pegasus had her wings stuck up in casts; while not broken she had sustained minor fractions. "I conquer!" chimed in Rarity. "That was a very irresponsible thing to do!" "HOW COULD YOU BE SO BUCKING STUPID!?" shouted Rainbow Dash. Applejack and Rarity shot their friend a glaring look. "What!?" "Would've gone fine if Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom hadn't let go of the sling before I was ready," scoffed Scootaloo. "That thing was huge!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle. "Not our fault ya can't get ready quicker!" exclaimed Apple Bloom. "Why I oughta... "ENOUGH!" shouted Applejack. "All ya'll were bein' foolish! An from now on no crusadin' that involves slingshots, ramps, er anythin' that involves bein' launched inta the sky!" "Uhg...fine!" all three crusaders groaned together. "Glad to hear ya agree," grinned Applejack. "Doc says ya'll should be outta here within less than a week. I reckon ya'll need ways ta occupy yer time." "Scoots still has plenty of books she can read," Rainbow Dash said with a slight cackle. "Wonderful," groaned Scootaloo. "We need to head out now," said Rainbow Dash. "I'll catch you later, Scoots." They said their goodbyes then Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity stepped out of the room and into the hallway to have a private conversation. "Why didn't Scootaloo's parents come see her?" asked Rarity. "Ah was wonderin' that too," said Applejack. "Ya ever met them, Dash?" "Well...thing about that is..., "fumbled Rainbow Dash. "She doesn't have parents..." "WHAT!?" shouted both Rarity and Applejack. "Will you two shut up," exclaimed Rainbow Dash in a whisper yell. "We don't need to be putting on a show. I'm not talking about this outside their room, let's go to the visitor's lounge." And so they did. "Why didn't ya tell us Scootaloo was an orphan?" asked Applejack. "I must agree with her darling," said Rarity. "That's quite a big thing to keep secret." "I wasn't keeping it a secret," exclaimed Rainbow Dash. "I just found out myself. And they aren't dead...at least as far as I know..." Rainbow Dash was clearly feeling bad for her young protege; she even began to tear up a little. Her friends could tell it was serious. "Her parents abandoned her," continued Rainbow Dash. "Oh dear," said Rarity in a calm but clearly concerned manner. "Do Sweetie Bell and Apple Bloom know?" "No idea," said Rainbow Dash. "I wouldn't be surprised if they knew; those three are so close to each other. But, even if they did know they probably had no idea what to do about it." "How long she been on her own?" asked Applejack. "I'm not entirely sure," explained Rainbow Dash. "For a while I'd been suspicious to why she would never let me go to her house. At first I just figured she didn't think her parents were cool or something. But as time went on, she just seemed more and more depressed. That one I figured was her frustration of not being able to fly. Then one day I ran into Miss Cheerilee and she was asking if I had seen Scootaloo with her parents recently. Finally, I went to her house and saw her in there all by herself. For a brief second, I just thought they might be at work or something. But, the look on that little pony's face said it all. I knocked, Scootaloo answered and was shocked to see me. She tried to slam the door on me, but I managed to barge in. Scoots tried to deny what was going on, I was as calm as I could be about the situation, waiting till she finally told me what was really going on. She broke down...I've never seen a little filly cry so hard...she told me everything. One day she woke up, and her parents were just not in the house. Nothing was missing really, there was food and other supplies. She didn't think anything of it, just that maybe they'd gone to work early. She went to school, then came home, they still weren't there. Hard to say when she came to the realization that they weren't coming back. She told me for years her parents were together because of her mother getting pregnant with her. Never physically abusive, but there was clear resentment for how their lives had turned out. Maybe it took them this long to leave her because they still felt an obligation to look after her. It's probably my fault they left..." "How can you think that?" asked Rarity. "Think about it," continued Rainbow Dash, now clearly crying more. "They saw me hanging out with her. They saw that she had somepony to look after her so they could just go wherever they wanted. They didn't even leave a bucking note! They gave her no warning! They left a defenseless filly on her own! They're own daughter! If I could find them...Celestia only knows what I would do to them!" "She isn't still living on her own, is she?" asked Applejack. "Of course not!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. "She's been living with me and Bookie! We haven't quite gotten the proper paperwork sent through to make us her legal guardians, but we're doing our damndest. I can't let anything happen to her now! She's my responsibility! She's not just a protege...I love that little filly! I would do anything to keep her safe! Not that I wouldn't have if I wasn't having her live with me, but now it's even more important!" "Ah don't think she could ask fer a better parent," said Applekjack, wiping away tears. "Indeed," agreed Rarity, blowing her nose. "But if you need anything, don't be afraid to come to us." "Ah know what it's like to have to look after a little one," said Applejack. "I know I shoulda come sooner to you guys," said Rainbow Dash. "It was just a crazy situation. It all happened so fast." "We understand, sugar cube," said Applejack. "We're just glad you finally told us, darling," said Rarity. The three friends embraced each other. Back in the hospital room, Scootaloo began to cry heavily. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle managed to pull themselves out of their beds to go comfort their friend. "Rainbow Dash...was so mad at me!" cried Scootaloo. "You don't think...SNIFF...she'll...leave me too...do you!?" "No way!" exclaimed Apple Bloom. "She loves ya! She's doin' her very best ta take care of ya!" "She's just getting used to watching after somepony smaller," said Sweetie Belle. "Rarity has to watch me more because our parents travel a lot for work. It wasn't easy for either of us, but things have gotten way better." "I just...I just get so scared!" Scootaloo continued to cry. "She's the only other pony...besides you two...that knows my parents left me...SNIFF..." "Ah still don't like keepin' that secret," commented Apple Bloom. "Ah know it was a promise, but we coulda gotten some real help." "I just worried that I would get taken away from Ponyville," said Scootaloo. "There's no orphanage here, no foster care, I might never see you two again. I could live without Rainbow Dash...barely...but I could never live without either of you two. You're the greatest friends I've ever had." "We're not goin' anywhere, sugar cube," said Apple Bloom. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders don't abandon each other," said Sweetie Belle. Although still crying, Scootaloo managed to smile. the three embraced, not too tight as they were still injured, but the orange pegasus knew she would never be alone. She would always have not only Rainbow Dash, but her very best friends.