//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 - Element of Regret // Story: Rising Above // by Quick Fix //------------------------------// October 5th The morning air was a refreshing wake up to anypony still getting up. The weather teams had brought in a wind overnight to begin the October chills before winter set in and many Ponyville residents found it strangely invigorating. Scootaloo was always a late riser and by the time she had completed her morning routine the cold air had subsided as the sun rose. She yawned slightly as she stepped out the front door, planning to head down to Sugarcube Corner to meet Apple Bloom, stopping as she saw a grey pegasus flying casually toward her house. Blond mane, bubbles for a cutie mark and what Scootaloo suspected was a lazy eye, there was no mistaking Derpy the mailmare when she was on her rounds. "Good morning, miss Scootaloo," Derpy said cheerfully, landing with only a little stumble and fishing round inside the mailbag attached to her chest. "I saw your show in the Crystal Empire and you were amazing. I didn't think you could do something like that on four wheels." "Good morning to you too, Derpy. I'm glad you liked the show, I put a lot of work into that." Scootaloo smiled softly at the compliment, waiting patiently as Derpy fished round in her bag for a minute before pulling out a letter. From the looks of it, it was a fan letter from another little filly. "You're welcome, enjoy another well delivered letter." Derpy giggled to herself and trotted off to deliver to the other houses around. Scootaloo smiled as she watched her go. Derpy had been through a few rough patches over the years but she was as good as any pony at what she did now, the mail was almost always sent properly on her watch, her daughter Dinky Hooves had grown up to teach classes at the schoolhouse and her flying had vastly improved. Scootaloo tried not to think about that last detail and put the letter inside before setting off at last. ****************** Apple Bloom sat back at her table, watching the coming and going of ponies visiting Sugarcube Corner. The bakery was as lively as ever even after Carrot and Cup Cake had retired together. The twins Pound and Pumpkin Cake were carrying on the family business, though they still had Pinkie Pie on hand if they needed it. Perhaps that's why the two of them had turned out so...Energetic. Pound Cake had dyed his brown mane with white streaks because, in his words, it looked like a double cookie that way, while Pumpkin had a tendency to bounce in place while she worked. Even from her seat in the corner booth, Apple Bloom could see the enthusiasm they worked with. "Well hey there, Quickie! The usual milkshake mix?" Pound asked his newest customer, Quick Fix, a regular red stallion with a hammer cutie mark. Quick grinned and nodded, knowing it wasn't really possible to stop Pound once he got going. Indeed he barely had got his bits out before Pound stepped back to the wall to the kitchen and knocked on it hard. "Sis! One milk mix to go," He chuckled to himself and came back over to Quick Fix. "You know it always cheers me up when we get a regular customer in, especially when they have something we can toy with. We're trying some extra strawberry flavouring with this batch, let us know how it works. Pinkie thinks we should try a limited edition with kumquat flavour, maybe a cherry and banana one. I'd think that'd be terrible, I mean cherry is nice but mix it with somthing else and it just becomes bleh, what do you think?" Apple Bloom stifled a giggle at watching the Cake starting to go off on a tangent about cherries, again. A few moments later she noticed Scootaloo enter the building and waved her over. It may just have been her imagination but she thought Scootaloo looked a little off today. "Heya AB, you doing alright today?" Scootaloo asked as she sat down opposite Scootaloo. "I'm good, what about you though? You look like you could'a used a bit more sleep." "I'm...I'm fine," Scootaloo's hesitance merely confirmed Apple Bloom's suspicions that something was wrong. She decided to wait for now though, trusting her friend would tell her when she was ready. "So, I forgot to ask before. How's everyone doing at Sweet Apple Acres?" "Oh they've done well through cider season this year. Applejack's decision to start hiring in town really paid off, even Big Mac's been enjoying the company. It's really nice seeing him open up around other ponies again, miss Cheerilee's done him a world of good." Scootaloo nodded, it turned out the CMC's efforts on Hearts and Hooves day all those years ago had sparked something genuine. Big Mac and Cheerilee were now a loving couple with children of their own in Frostleaf and Akane. She smiled softly at the memories as Apple Bloom brought up a postcard she'd had beside her and pushed it over to Scootaloo. "Here, this is Sweetie's postcard I mentioned, ah get to read them out every time so I thought you might like to this time." "Oh, okay, thanks," Scootaloo took a look at the postcard, it's photo of the Manehatten skyline, before flipping it over and reading aloud. "Dear Apple Bloom. Sorry it's been so long but things have been hectic. The Manehatten Carousel has had so many customers I've hardly had a moment to myself. Big sis says she's proud of me for both my singing act and helping her business run smoothly in the big city. I'll be coming back to Ponyville for Hearth's Warming and I can't wait! Give my best to the Apples and Scootaloo, see you not soon enough. Sweetie Belle." "Well that's good t'hear, another crusader living her dreams to the fullest." Apple Bloom smiled and stretched slightly before looking back at Scootaloo, though the sight made her face drop. Scootaloo had tensed up, looking straight down at the table and...Was that a tear running down her muzzle? "A-Apple Bloom. Can I confess something?" Scootaloo's voice was cracking with restrained emotion and she had started shaking slightly. "You can tell me anything, you know that." Apple Bloom shifted closer to her friend, concern starting to overwhelm her. Scootaloo finally relaxed slightly and took a deep sigh, because she knew if she didn't she'd probably be shouting within seconds. "I'm sorry, it's just that...The last few days I've been hearing and thinking a lot about wings, and dreams, and being everything you can. Everypony around me seems to be everything they ever wanted. All I'm doing is s-sitting here, on the ground, telling myself I'm happy with what I've done with my life. I'm not though, I look back at my wings and I just, just see a reminder of how I can't do something even a filly can! I look back at every choice I've made and I think 'Could I be flying now if I'd used that time to make the effort?' or 'What does everypony REALLY think when they see a flightless pegasus?' I...I hate it, I hate knowing my dreams are out of reach. Do you have any idea what it's like to chase a chance to feel normal and having it constantly out of reach, for your entire life?" Apple Bloom could only stare as Scootaloo put her head in her hooves and started sobbing quietly. Scootaloo was right though, she didn't have a clue what living with such constant regret and resentment of everything you were was like. She wasn't sure she even wanted to. Apple Bloom quietly got off her seat and walked round to Scootaloo, holding her friend in a supportive embrace and watching as the pegasus cried into her chest. Right now she was glad she'd chosen a corner booth so nopony could see this breakdown. "It's okay, Scootaloo. Let it out. I'll admit, I don't really know what to do, but I know that me, an everypony else we know will be willing to help you find a way through this. We might just get you into the air as well, I mean, we never ruled out Cutie Mark Crusader Miracle worker, right?" Unbeknownst to either of them, somepony had unwillingly caught every word. Quick Fix had noticed Scootaloo while waiting for his drink and sat down at the nearest table, hoping to ask for an autograph at some point. Things hadn't quite worked that way though and he hadn't been able to move away without them seeing him. It had given him something to think about though. Scootaloo wasn't the only pony here who had questioned the path they'd taken and now, maybe there was a chance to help them both. While Apple Bloom was distracted he got up and left the shop, heading for the outskirts of town. He needed help for this and he knew just where to find it.