Not All Is Set In Stone

by Tails_155


Home Ain't What It Used To Be

The sunlight peeks over the peaks of the nearby mountains, and the amber glow stirs Apple Bloom awake. She yawns. "Well, it wasn't like home, but I don't ache that bad, how did you guys sleep?" She turns to Sweetie Belle and notices something missing. She and shakes Sweetie Belle awake. "You seen Scootaloo?"

"Wha? Huh?" Sweetie Belle rolls over, still half-asleep.

She looks around and shakes Sweetie Belle again. "Scootaloo! Scoot-get up, Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo?! Where are you?"

"Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle jolts awake, processing Apple Bloom's panic. "Scootaloo?!"

The two crawl out from under the rock and scramble to their feet. They run off to search for their friend.

Apple Bloom wanders east, Sweetie Belle west. Apple Bloom hears some whimpering in a familiar voice. "Sweetie Belle, I think I found her! Scootaloo! There you are! Sweetie Belle! I did, found her! Scootaloo? What's... you okay?"

Scootaloo, propped up against another rock, wipes the tears from her eyes. "I'm just slowing you guys down, now. Besides, I don't know what good I'm going to do if I keep getting this upset. I didn't sleep very well at all last night, or the night before that... I miss Rainbow Dash... and Lucky Buck... I miss Cheerilee... I miss my aunt... and my parents, too... I miss my parents more than I have in a long time."

Apple Bloom nuzzles Scootaloo, not wanting to hug her, for fear that the extra weight will hurt her back leg worse. "You aren't slowing us down, you saved our lives! And we'll make everything... well...we'll make... things better... Just you wait and see."

Sweetie Belle catches up to the others. "What happened? Are you okay, Scootaloo? What's wrong?"

"Nothing... I'm just being a baby."

"Scootaloo! You are not. We're all worried. We all miss our families. You have plenty of reason to be so upset. Why, if I could get a hold of one of those things I'd..." Apple Bloom sighs and stomps the ground, kicking a stone.

"Whatever... We need to get going. We're almost there."

The others sigh and follow Scootaloo, trying to keep with her slowed pace. They help her when she stumbles over the rocky ground. Every stumble and tumble hurts in more than a single way for Scootaloo. She grits her teeth harder and harder, to the point her gums ache.

"Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asks in a weak voice. "Scootaloo, just relax. You're fine."

"I'm not fine! We're so far behind where we could be! We could be there by now for all I know! We had to stop for me yesterday. We're moving slow today. You guys had to find me cowering in my room! I am not fine. I'm not."

"Stop. We went over this. We're all having a hard time, you just keep trying to pretend you have to be so strong." Apple Bloom sighs.

"I haven't seen either of you cry. I'm the crybaby. I'm..."

"Shut up!" Sweetie Belle breaks her silence. "Shut up and stop it right now!"

Scootaloo freezes, shocked by Sweetie Belle's anger.

"I'm sick of this. You are one of my two best friends. You are not this lowly, worthless creature you keep pretending you are. We're all handling things differently. You don't think I've cried over this? You've been so far ahead of us, trying to get there as fast as you can. Apple Bloom has stopped twice to help calm me down. You didn't even hear. You need to stop worrying about what you think we think, because you've been wrong this whole time! We care about you, Scootaloo. You're not some spare wagon wheel. You're our friend. Now stop beating yourself up." Sweetie Belle begins to pant, having ranted herself tired. "Look, I'm... I'm sorry, just... please."

Scootaloo bites her lip and tears up, a bit of a smile on her face. "No, I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you guys feel so bad. I'm just so... I mean I guess I already explained it earlier. I just can't handle losing Rainbow Dash and Lucky Buck, too."

"We know, that's why we're doing this. Just remember, how you feel is part of this. If you back yourself into a corner, then we won't make it. We already have to split up when we get to pegasi's fort. Don't get yourself so worked up that you can't make it. It's not even about saving everypony, it's about taking care of yourself."

"I-I guess you guys are right. I just have a lot on my mind, I guess."

"We all do, that's why we want you to work with us, and not try and do this all on your own."

"Guys?" The three wander up to a large dilapidated structure. Sweetie Belle's eyes light up.

"This is it! This is where the three had their meeting before they set off to find Equestria! Which means that that, over there, is the pegasi's fort, and somewhere over there is the Earth ponies' village. I know where to go from here. I-I don't see the earth ponies' place; here, Apple Bloom, you take the book. You may need the map. We'll meet here after we find the temples."

"Wait, we're not going to your places together?" Scootaloo turns to the others.

"Well, we uh... we thought... we thought that it wouldn't be fair for you to have to go alone and us go as a group..." Apple Bloom pats Scootaloo on the back, Sweetie Belle nods.

"But what if something happens?"

"No time to waste, remember?" Sweetie Belle parrots her friend.

Scootaloo's lip quivers, a weak smile on her lips. "You... you sure?"

"We're sure." The other two say in unison.

"A-are you okay?" Apple Bloom asks.

"I-I'm alright, that's just sweet. Dangerous, but sweet. You guys be careful..."

"You, too!" the other two say in unison.

Scootaloo struggles into the air and flies off toward the spiring gray clouds. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom nod and head their separate ways.

--------------------

"Day three, no news." Featherweight paces.

"Who are you talking to?" Rumble asks.

"O-oh, j-just myself. I'm just... just worried, y'know?"

"Y-yeah."

"If you keep doing that, you'll wear a hole in this floor."

"Whose house are we even in?"

"I-I think it's... I think it's Starshine's house."

"Starshine?"

"Yeah, she works with Rainbow Dash. I wouldn't be surprised if they're good friends. They uh... have the same kind of personality? Starshine is a bit more of a go-getter."

"So she's a weatherpony?"

"Yeah. I've-uh, I've met her a couple times taking photos. She spends a lot of time in Cloudsdale, she said. Rent's cheaper."

"You sound like an adult. Rent?" Rumble chuckles. The others all giggle a bit.

"Heh, yeah. I..." Featherweight shrugs.

One of the foals begins to writhe a bit, groaning and warning that it's about time to cry. Lily charges for the foals. She picks up Pound Cake. "Shh, shh, shh. There there." She rocks the colt back and forth, the whimpering becomes a soft coo, and he falls back asleep.

"You're really good with little foals." Featherweight smiles.

"I work in the nursery back in Equinapolis. Well, I volunteer. I'm not old enough to work, but I play with the foals and feed and change them."

"What were you guys doing here?"

"We heard this was where Twilight and her friends lived. We went to Canterlot a few months ago, and learned about their story. We wanted to see what their hometown looked like."

"Well, Twilight isn't quite from here. Don't get me wrong, this is her home, I guess, but she's from Canterlot, originally."

"Oh, no, I know, but this is where she and her friends live now."

"Yeah. They're nice."

"You've met them?"

"It's not that big of a town. Plus, I mentioned Rainbow Dash, earlier."

"Oh! Rainbow Dash, yes, yes. I remember now. I've... not really been thinking about it." She chuckles.

"Understandable."

"He spends a lot of time around Rainbow Dash." Pipsqueak chuckles and pokes Featherweight in the ribs.

"Is that so? What for? Are you training to be a weatherpony?"

"N-no..." Featherweight blushes. "M...my fillyfriend." He hides his face a bit. "My fillyfriend is her daughter."

"Oh? That's so neat! Where is she? Is she here?"

"We uh... we don't know. We haven't seen her and her friends since the afternoon.... everything happened." His lip quivers a bit.

"Don't worry, Featherweight, I'm sure they're fine." Rumble says. "Scoots is tough. When she's not hanging out with you, we've played a lot of dodge ball. She can pack a real kick." Featherweight smiles. "Featherweight, trust me, they'll be fine."