Rainbow Dash absentmindedly twirled her walking stick while she waited for her adventuring party. Scootaloo was meeting up with Apple Bloom and Sweetie and their sisters for a week long trek to Rainbow Falls. Rainbow Dash had gotten here early. She couldn't help it; the great outdoors called to her. She was looking forward to spending time with Scootaloo. The girl would come into Prism's shop and modify her skateboard. Rainbow held a loose mentorship with the vivacious girl, but due to a small slip she pretended not to notice, Rainbow knew Scootaloo thought of her as her sister.
Rainbow often debated if she had a heart, but right then she felt it melt. Everyone needs role models, and Rainbow was Scootaloo's. She'd try to be the best she could be. She did a kata to loosen her muscles with half a mind, going from memory. She took Sojutsu during middle school. It wasn't quite a spear, but it didn't really matter.
A Prius and a nameless, rusty pickup truck showed up. Her friends were here. She cracked her neck one last time and picked up her backpack from it's resting place on the log. Five girls joined her, Scootaloo clamping on to her waist unexpectedly in a hug. “You made it!”
“I'd never leave you hanging.” Rainbow chose to ignore how much weight Scootaloo's statement had. Rainbow tousled Scootaloo's hair and called it good. “We're gonna have a great time, squirt.”
“I'm only three years younger than you.”
“Yeah, but you're a foot shorter.” Rainbow giggled. Scootaloo let go, and Rainbow noticed a slight pout.
Rainbow saw Applejack's grin. “Don't worry bout it none, I was short until I hit a growth spurt sophomore year. And you've met my brother, he was the runt of the class.”
Rainbow decided it was time to get the show on the road. It was a pretty far hike to the first camp. She stood with her hands on her hips, being overly dramatic. She took a breath, “C'mon, slowpokes, we're burning daylight!” She held her staff like a king pointing the direction for his armies to advance. “Onward!”
“Um… Rainbow, did you even pack anything?” Rarity questioned.
“Let's see, sleeping bag, knife, water… fire starters. I think I got everything covered, eh what?”
“Y'all were supposed to bring a tent. And part of the food.”
“What? It's fall. Anything dangerous is asleep. I can just trap a lagomorph, eh what?” Rainbow tilted her pith helmet.
Rarity pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “I'm impressed you know what a lagomorph is, considering you've failed biology three years running. And I'm not even sure long dead British explorers used that verbal tic as often as you are, darling.” She said, now self-conscious of her own.
“Why does Rarity call you darling all the time?” Scootaloo asked.
"She obviously has the hots for me, just like every lass at school, me hardy."
"That's a pirate," Apple Bloom said.
"I do not! I call everyone darling. It's how a lady addresses her peers."
"You call a guy darling and you're gonna have to beat them off with a stick." Applejack snorted.
"Those get some other nickname. And if you must know, I'm asexual. Mostly."
"Right, you tried to explain this once. If'n I recall, it was something about argyle, thick glasses, and power."
“Argyle is so last year...” Rarity reflected to no one in particular.
“So wait, let me get this straight. Girls like Rainbow Dash, who is also a girl?”
“'Like' might be putting it generous dear. However she has had a few girlfriends and even I must admit she's attractive.”
“Half the soccer team does back flips to get with me, eh what!” Rainbow Dash then dropped her accent to continue. “OK, serious time for like, two minutes. Some people like other people of the same sex. Guys can like guys, girls like girls. They're called 'gay,' and as you could probably guess, I'm one of them. There's nothing wrong with it. It just is.”
` “That's so cool.” Scootaloo's words seemed a little distant. Somewhere in Scootaloo's mind, a gear started turning. As it made it's revolutions which gave way to revelations, this gear would set in motion events of incalculable consequence. The group grinned and bore Rainbow's silly British Explorer Banter (trademark) all the way to the campsite.
Scootaloo looked around at the site. It was surrounded by towering oak trees, so high above her. She reached out her arm, tiny by comparison, vainly attempting to reach the tree tops. If she were a bird, or maybe a pegasus (how cool would that be?), she could soar above them, taking in the Earth's splendor but free from its ties…
Two blue birds flew above her, one chasing the other off with loud threats, breaking her from the fantasy. “Beautiful, isn't it, squirt?” Rainbow had walked up behind her, somehow unheard on the fallen leaves. “I love it out here. It's quiet… peaceful, calm, nobody to judge you, you're… free to be what you want.”
“What do you want to be?” Scootaloo asked.
“Myself. Happy. I'd like to join the Blue Angels, but it ain't easy. I can do it though, I'm sure.”
“I bet you can, you're the coolest person ever!”
Rainbow chuckled with a big stupid grin on her face. “Thanks, squirt.” Rainbow tousled her hair again, “Let's go get some firewood before it gets dark.”
Scootaloo held a sizable bundle of dried twigs in her arm. Rainbow had several big logs. The older one decided that would be enough, because they burn slow or something. Scootaloo estimated they had an hour or so before sunset. She was worn out, but certainly not going to show it. Especially not to Rainbow Dash.
“Hey, how do you know if you’re gay?”
“You ever had a crush on somebody?Like you can't stop thinking about them and you may find yourself unable to talk to them, stuff like that?'
Scootaloo thought for a moment in silence. “No, I can't think of anyone.”
“Nobody, huh? Well, you could be asexual like Rarity. She just isn't interested. Watch any porn?”
“Um...”
“Oh relax, we're all teenagers. Pretty sure we all do.”
Scootaloo sighed, “Yeah, every night. But I feel guilty about it afterward. Like I've betrayed God and everyone.”
Rainbow scowled, unseen. How terrible to think that. “Believe me when I say there's nothing wrong with it. God doesn't care. If He didn't want us to have sex, He wouldn't have made it so fun.” Rainbow nearly dropped her burdens and slapped herself at the thought she had after that. Instead she missed a step, but continued on like everything was fine. She turned nearly purple from the blush. “Well, what kind of porn?”
“Straight. Pretty boring. I kinda like it when the girl is on top.”
Rainbow considered running face first into a nearby tree as penance for the fantasy she was having. Damn hormones. Half of seventeen plus seven… Technically… No, stop. Stop.
“You'll figure it out. Maybe pick up a Playboy or something, see if you're into girls.” I hope she is. Dammit Rainbow, Have you no shame?
That's debatable.
Scootaloo said nothing.
"Honey, I'm home!" Rainbow shouted as she stood on the edge of the site.
"If'n you were expecting a kiss you can forget it." Applejack snorted.
"But we cuddled." Rainbow pouted.
"That was one time, and we were drunk, it was raining... oh, you know, you were there." Applejack blushed.
"Set that faggot down at the fire pit, squirt."
"Faggot?"
"Bundle of sticks."
"It's British, like Rainbow seems to be at the moment, and has about five different meanings. It can also be cigarettes." Rarity inspected her fingernails as she spoke.
"Oh, so that one kid with purple hair was being called a bundle of sticks?" Scootaloo laid down her burden. Wait, that doesn't make any sense at all.
"Exactly. They meant it as an insult though, so don't call people a bundle of sticks. It can be very mean depending on the context." Rainbow knelt by the fire. "I'm gonna show you how to light a fire with one matchstick." She scooped up two handfuls of pine needles and dried leaves and set them in the rock-circle. Next she hopped up and scraped some sap from a maple tree and tossed that in the pit. She took some of the smaller sticks and broke them even smaller, and set those on the heap. "The key is flammability at first, but if you want to keep the fire going, it's about air circulation. Fire needs air." She carefully stacked three big logs on the mess. She took a match out of her cylindrical lanyard, its purpose now made clear, and stuck it against a rock. She delicately placed it in the pit. Within the minute, a fire was roaring.
"I taught her that one." Applejack smirked. The farmer pulled out a package of hot dogs. "Hey, Christopher Columbus, could you fashion us some poking sticks?"
"Right away!" Rainbow found some straight sticks from the pile and whittled them to a point. They ate rotisserie pork-product. By then the sun was just setting, it's orange glow turning part of the sky purple, among other various hues.
"Time for ghost stories!" Rainbow announced. About halfway through the Headless Horseman, Sweetie jumped and held on to Scootaloo's arm, shaking. Sweetie realized what she was doing and backed off, blushing hard. Scootaloo felt an overwhelming urge to wrap an arm around her friend's shoulder. So she did. Nothing wrong with comforting a friend.
Since Scootaloo knew Rainbow wasn't bringing a tent, she decided she didn't want to either. If Rainbow could endure the elements, she could too. The elder was snoring loudly, but Scootaloo was tossing and turning, afraid of the headless horseman. It can't be real. Nothing is going to take her head off and wear it. The entire thing sounded ridiculous. Rainbow wasn't afraid, so why should Scootaloo be? Rainbow wasn't just risking the elements, she was out where the horseman, if there was such a thing, could get her. Scootaloo drifted to sleep with ease after thinking about it.
The next day, Scootaloo felt the need to be near Sweetie Belle. They were already close friends but something about cuddling at the campfire… did she just think “cuddling?” Something about the comfort of the campfire felt… right to Scootaloo. Then again, it was best not to read anything into it. Scootaloo was just the closest. Sweetie always scared easily. And she was always making eyes at Rumble. But Scootaloo walked with Sweetie, as though the nearness held an answer. Rainbow and Applejack were a few strides ahead, arguing about the map, and Bloom offering her input. Rarity brought up the rear.
Scootaloo noticed her friend smelled like apricots, honeydew and sugar cookies. It made her oddly hungry. She wondered what the perfume might taste like if she took a bite… Scootaloo shook her head, disgusted with herself for thinking about taking a bite out of Sweetie. Maybe this was the “weird stuff,” Rainbow talked about. It was something to think about at least. Rarity smirked knowingly.
"Right ho, let's get this fire started real horrorshow!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"That's A Clockwork Orange, which is technically British, but the wrong character. Quite frankly I'm impressed you read." Rarity looked up from her book with a snarking look on her face.
"Read? There was a book?" Rainbow struck the match. Rarity rolled her eyes.
Scootaloo turned her head, only to find the epitome of radiant beauty. The orange glow of the fire illuminated Sweetie, highlighting the soft and tender expression she always seemed to wear. Scootaloo's mouth hung slightly open. The world seemed to fade to the soft orange nimbus around Sweetie, and the girl herself. She giggled as Bloom setup the tent over dramatically. Scootaloo felt her hand move, wishing to touch the hem of her skirt… and maybe pull it down… Scootaloo shocked herself back into awareness and stopped her hand.
“A certain light radiates from her,” She heard Rarity mutter, “How romantic.” She sighed wistfully. Scootaloo had to agree.
“Scoots? You awake?” Sweetie said, holding a hot-dog on a stick for her to take.
“Yeah, yeah. I just kinda… zoned out for a sec.” Sweetie giggled, oh that insufferable giggle. Scootaloo took the pork-thing and murmured “thanks.”
"This is so much fun! I can't wait to see the falls again!" Sweetie giggled again. Scootaloo almost pleaded for her to stop.
"Yes, it's rather a shame our parents can't be here, what with their midlife crisis and all." Rarity didn't look up from her book as she spoke. After dinner, Rainbow surveyed the woodpile.
"That will barely last us the night. Come'n squirt, let's go get some more firewood for the women of the cave."
Scootaloo got up, "Aren't we girls?"
"Yes, but... Ugh, never mind. The joke isn't funny if you have to explain it."
“I do think that's enough.” Rainbow nodded in satisfaction. “And Scoots, if you ever need to talk to someone, give me a call, or possibly stop by the shop. You could always talk to Mom too. She's been through a lot.”
Scootaloo was a little confused, “Uh, OK.”
“I mean it, anything. You kinda remind me of me when I was your age.”
“That barely makes sense.”
“Yeah, well sometimes things don't have to make sense to be true. Anything at all.”
“I get it. I will.” Rainbow smiled.
"Honey I'm home!" Rainbow shouted again.
"Joke was barely funny the first time." Applejack snorted.
The camping trip finished up in the morning, and they made their way down from the splendor of the falls. Seeing both her friends in bathing suits was nearly too much for Scootaloo.
Scootaloo stayed within a distance of Sweetie Belle for reasons she couldn't quite explain the whole way back down. It was, all in all, a perfect spring break. They ran out of hot dogs and other food, thanks to Rainbow's lack of packing. True to her word, the last day she caught two rabbits and roasted them over a fire. Rarity ate with a dainty grace, seemingly hating every bite, but complemented Rainbow's cooking skills.
The final stretch of the trek ended in disaster. Rainbow decided she wanted to steal a hawk's nest to impress everybody. She made the climb up to the second branch and then… Scootaloo screamed, Rainbow yelled, Applejack flinched and Rarity looked with horror. Apple Bloom and Sweetie looked shocked. Applejack rushed to her friends side.
“Don't move. I think you know the drill by now. If you say your fine, or try to walk I'll slap you.”
Rainbow's leg hurt like hell. If she was an ounce more foolish she'd get up and show Scootaloo how tough she was. But Applejack had a mean backhand. Rainbow looked up to see her “sister,” or whatever they considered each other, crying. She said the only thing she could think of. “Scoots, I'll be alright.” She glanced at Applejack, who nodded. “This happens quite a bit. It's probably broken. Probably a hairline, it wasn't that big of a fall. Don't cry for me, save them for someone that needs them.”
Scootaloo's eyes dried up, she clenched her fists and ground her teeth. “How can you be my sister if you DIE!” She shouted. She darted off into the forest. The group stood awestruck.
“Well don't look at me, I've got a broken tire! Rarity, you stay with me for the whambulance, please, and Applejack, go find her.” The farmer broke from her daze and started running.
Applejack heard sobbing in the distance and followed it to a small clearing. Scootaloo was there, head between her knees and tears falling into the dirt. Applejack sat down in front of her.
“Go away.”
“No.” Applejack grinned a little, then flattened her face. This wasn't the time for grins. “So, you think of Rainbow like a sister?”
“Yeah, she's… so awesome. And smart, and cool and the greatest.”
Applejack held off the urge to break that delusion. Particularly the “smart” part. And from what Applejack had gathered, it was more of an “unhealthy obsession,” than anything else. They barely spoke, except about Skateboards. But there was more time to think about that later. “We all have people we look up to. Nothing to be ashamed of. That's why you ran, isn't it?”
“Yeah, I was scared of what she would think.”
“Rainbow was talking about you before we made this trip. I think she thinks about you the same way.”
“You really think so?”
“Ask her yourself.” Applejack rose and held out her hand. Scootaloo grabbed on and they walked back. Rainbow was still leaning against the tree. When she saw Scootaloo, she started grinning ear to ear and said, “Hey sis. Glad you're OK. Don't run off like that, please.”
That was all Scootaloo needed to hear. ]
Scootaloo was lying in bed, reading through a Playboy. Well, reading wasn't quite the right term. She bought it on the way back home, earning her a confused look from the clerk, but he was only eighteen and who cares? Girl wants to buy a magazine with barely clothed girls, let her. The area between her legs started to burn, and she wanted to touch it.
As Scootaloo finished, she moaned Sweetie's name. And the answers she was looking for were obvious.
It was the last day of Spring break, and Scootaloo was sitting at the dinner table with her parents, eating whatever mom cooked. It looked kind of like meatloaf. The adults grumbled about something going on at work. Scootaloo frankly didn't care. She managed to keep from shaking, somehow, but her throat was dry anyway. Maybe it would be easier if they never knew. Well, If Rainbow said there was nothing wrong with it, then they'd be fine. But… There was a lull in the conversation that Scootaloo decided to seize. Now or never.
“Mom, Dad. I think I'm gay.”
Her dad spit out the tea he was drinking, and her mother dropped her fork. They talked as though she wasn't in the room.
"She goes on one camping trip and comes back thinking she's gay! What are we going to do?" Her father asked her mother.
"I don't know. Scootaloo, did you tell anyone else?"
"No."
The next twenty minutes involved her parents trying to convince her she was straight. Scootaloo had a habit of not listening, as is true for all children that age. They tried to appeal to guilt, them to eternal damnation, then family. Something about leading a blessed life was in there too. Scootaloo got the impression it was a bigger deal than Rainbow made it out to be.
"But... Rainbow." She managed, as the lecture concluded.
"Is that who gave you this idea? I knew she was a degenerate. You won't be associating with her anymore, understand."
"Alright..." Scootaloo fled to her room. The air was suffocating. She needed to think.
"And just remember, we love you," Her mother said.
Scootaloo shut the door and crawled up on her bed. With her knees to her chin and her arms holding herself, she cried. Was the devil real? Did he put these thoughts in her head? Seems like a pretty unfair test from God if that's actually the case. Why is it some people get to do what they want, but Christians have their religious codes. Don't do this, don't do that. What was the truth?
Scootaloo heard whispers. She moved to the door and placed an ear on it. The girl heard talk of "conversion camp." Whatever it was didn't sound fun. It was obvious that whatever she thought, she would have to deny her feelings for her family… and herself. Scootaloo looked at her nightstand. Her father had given her a butterfly knife because she thought it was cool. She reached in the door and took it out. She unfolded it like she practiced and held it to her bare wrists. Tears fell down her face. She needed to do this; control herself. Anything to keep her family happy with her.