Scootaloo felt completely at a loss. Not only was she now listening for a whole new name, but Arrow could never really be taken seriously. She reminded her of Pinkie Pie, just with Rarity’s drama and Dash’s Awesomeness—if that even could be combined. One second she was this giggly, bouncy mare, the next, Arrow, or Muddy Mudball as she was currently calling herself, was this dramatic puddle on the floor.
“Oh Sparks!” she blubbered. “You stepped on my hoof!”
This mare just wasn’t cool.
“Miss Arrow—” Catstitch began in a firm, but quiet voice.
“I’m Muddy Mudball!” Arrow continued to cry crocodile tears.
“Get up!” The younger twin wasn’t even phased. “Ye are acting like a fool!”
Arrow lept to her hooves and struck a pose. “I am glad you noticed.”
Yep, this mare had lost it. Scootaloo nearly led Fluttershy into a wall before realizing her mistake and crashing into a chair instead.
A rainbow of colors and lights started playing at that exact moment. Blindfolds came off as Catstitch picked up the book and started flipping through the pages.
“Scootaloo lass, ye be needed upstairs.”
Scootaloo froze, her ears going back a little. Fluttershy, now recovered, laid a wing over Scootaloo’s back. “If anypony can talk sense into Rainbow—you need to go Scootaloo. That’s what sisters are for.”
Centering her nerves, she turned to the stairs, and with a confidence she did not feel, returned to the room up above. Pausing before the door, she hesitated before knocking.
After what felt like an eternity, the door opened. “Catstitch said I was wanted?” The orange filly looked a tad uneasy.
Lilly nodded. “Your sister needs a hug,” she said simply. “I figured you were the only one who could do the job correctly.”
Scootaloo blushed. “I’ll do my best.” Hesitantly, she looked over to the bed. She could see tear-streaks running down Rainbow’s face. Her honorary sister looked weaker, smaller in a way.
“Go on,” Lilly encouraged.
“But—” Scootaloo didn’t know what was holding her back, just something deep down within her was.
“And it’s two steps forward and nine steps back,” Lilly sang.
Scootaloo looked up at her puzzled.
“It’s an old song my Mom used to sing when... when I didn’t know what to do,” the pink pegasus explained. “She’s your sister right? Do you think that has changed?”
Scootaloo didn’t know what to say. “I—”
“Squirt?” Rainbow asked.
Lilly pushed her from behind. “She needs you.”
Scootaloo slowly walked over to the cloud bed. In her mind's eye, she saw Rainbow as she lost control the day before. She remembered the game flying up and scattering around the room. She remembered Rainbow turning away from her. Scootaloo paused again, looking at the floor. She felt so small, so frightened.
“I’m sorry,” Rainbow said out of nowhere. Scootaloo looked up, not sure whether to believe it or not. “I wasn’t myself yesterday, ya’ know?”
Scootaloo bit her lip. She still wasn’t completely able to forget the pain of her sister, of her idol, simply throwing her away like that.
“What are you thinking Scootaloo?” Lilly asked.
“Wha—” The orange filly had nearly forgotten that the other mare was in the room. “I-I—”
Rainbow looked hurt. Very hurt. The tears in her eyes betrayed the emotional pain she felt. A pang of guilt hit Scootaloo like a rocket. This, however, was quickly replaced by anger. “Why?”
Rainbow’s head jerked up, her eyes going to Lilly’s before returning to Scootaloo’s.
“Rainbow, why! You said you’d be my sister! But now you are almost a stranger to me! Am I suddenly not good enough for you? Do you not care! Is winning all you care about?” Scootaloo kept firing, and Rainbow kept drooping more and more.
Applejack nearly cut in, but Lilly stopped her with a shake of her head.
“Rainbow! WHY!” Scootaloo was crying now. “Why?”
Rainbow felt as though she was getting torn apart all over again. She really didn’t have an answer. “I—”
“Am I not good enough?” Scootaloo asked again.
Rainbow Dash looked up to Lilly for help. Lilly wrapped a wing around Scootaloo’s shoulders, sitting down beside her. “You feel wronged don’t you?” Lilly asked.
Rainbow was shocked by Lilly’s choice of words.
Scootaloo nodded. “It’s not fair! It’s not, it’s not! I finally get my sister, then my entire world is torn apart in a millisecond! I can’t fly! I don’t have a cutie mark! Now Rainbow is hurt and I... she...”
Lilly picked up the orange filly and set her on the foot of the bed. “Listen kid, you might not understand this now, but someday you will. There are many puzzles in the world. Most of them I’ve never seemed to figure out. But there is one that I’ve loved for nearly my entire life. It’s three pegs with different sized blocks on it. Most of the time you have about seven. Sometimes more, sometimes less. The goal of the game is to move all the pieces to the last stick. The only catch is, you can’t put a larger block on top of a smaller block. And you can only move one at a time. So, how do you win?”
Scootaloo was at a loss. “Three pegs, seven blocks, can’t put a big one on top of a small one. What does that have to do with this?”
“What does any of our lives have to do with the game? Sometimes, you have to move backwards in order to go forwards,” Lilly said, smiling sadly. “You see you two, all siblings go through hiccups. Shoot, I still argue with my sisters, and we are triplets! I’ve found the longer I neglect my duty to bring the wrongs to right, the harder it is for us to forgive and forget. Wedges I allowed to manifest as a filly still reign between me and those individuals. I have friendships that would require YEARS to rebuild. But to do that, I’d have to go back, admit my own fault before I could move forward in a relationship with them.
“Scootaloo. Yes, I’ve been betrayed. As a filly I had one pony I idolized as well: my grandfather. We were close, very close. My name actually comes from his. He is Still Waters Persimmon, my mother’s father.
“When Grammy died... I was disowned by him. That above anything else was the reason I ran away.”
“Yer’ Grandpa disowned ya!?” Applejack asked, shocked.
“To protect myself from a deeper pain, I started causing problems. Then, because of the discord that was already present with most of my relationships, when a few ponies started throwing around half-true gossip about me.” Lilly winced. “Scootaloo, I get it. I really, truly get it. I still avoid my Papaw as much as possible. He doesn’t want me hanging on him. But he is the one stallion in my life that I feel his opinion matters. I wanted to grow up to be just like him someday. I did not. I still feel hurt over that.”
Scootaloo still looked hurt. “I—”
Rainbow felt lost.
“I also know it from Rainbow’s point of view here,” Lilly continued. “She feels lost too. She’s scared right now. The only time in her foalhood that resembles this event was not a pleasant time for anyone. She’s hurt Applejack, you, her friends. She can’t do her job—she is helpless. For a pony who tries to take on Equestria by herself, this is the hardest thing she could ever do. I’ve been here too. My brother and I were never close. Zap is a unicorn with untold abilities. The colt is a walking genius and has already captured the eyes of many schools. He’s blown through the mountain’s repertoire of spells, and can do all of them with different levels of success.
“However Scoot, I was never close to him. When he was born, I was still away at school for most of the time. When we were together, Glitter was normally the one taking care of him. She and he are very close. Also, when he was born, my life at home went from bad to worse as ponies started expecting me to settle down into a ‘normal’ pony routine now that I had a brother. Nothing I did pleased them. So I hated my brother, blaming him for the problems I faced at home.
“When Zap was older, he noticed I was pushing him away; he didn’t get it. I don’t blame him either. Finally after an accident where he was the only one who was there, I finally told him everything. I sat down and explained to him why I pushed him away. The full story, not just what I’ve given you. After that, he was a whole lot more... helpful. When I needed him to back off, he would. If I needed comfort, he knew to be gentle. We go shopping together all the time. Great colt to take shopping. But I couldn’t heal from my own pain until I admitted to what was going on in me. It was a give and take. Oh man he made me angry sometimes! I’d get into one of my moods and he’d snarkily remind me of what I’d said. Once in awhile we’d take steps back because of this. However, in the long run, allowing him to help me shoulder the burden was the best thing I’ve ever done in our relationship.”
Scootaloo looked thoughtful. “I don’t get it.”
“You need to share,” Lilly said. “The kindest thing you two can do for each other right now, is be honest with what you are feeling and why you reacted the way you did. You need to be there for Dash. She needs to lean on you.”
“It’s like Apple Pie,” Applejack said. “You can have good apples, and ya can have good crust—”
“But only together is it apple pie,” Scootaloo finished, remembering Apple Bloom telling her the exact same thing.
“Don’t judge, Scoot. Did Rainbow act wrong? Maybe. You are very probably justified for the way you feel. Hiding your head in the sand won’t help. If you have a wolf stalking you, you can’t hide, you can’t disappear, and you can’t put your head in a hole and assume it doesn’t see you. You have to stand up and confront the wolf to get rid of it,” Lilly finished.
Rainbow looked up into Lilly’s eyes. “Thank you,” she mouthed.
Lilly left Scootaloo’s side to give Rainbow one more hug. “Keep it simple, stupid,” she whispered. Turning to Applejack, she smirked. “Now here is the point where the two of us make a graceful disappearance while they talk it out in private. This is between sisters.”
“Way ahead of ya Sugarcube,” Applejack said. “Ah don’t suppose ya would mind helpin’ me…?” She blushed, pointing to the bathroom door.
Lilly stepped in beside her. “Not at all, your royal highness. Just dismount from your regal chariot and I’ll escort ye yonder.”
Rainbow smiled, noting the lost look on her orange friend’s face.
“Chariot?” Applejack asked.
-------------------------
Silence stretched between the two honorary sisters. Rainbow didn’t know what to say. She had acted horribly to Scootaloo, and she could tell the younger filly was feeling crushed. “Scoots, I—” She suddenly felt weak, so she slumped against the pillows. “Sorry.”
Scootaloo looked up. “Rainbow, are you... going to get better?”
Rainbow froze for a moment. “I hope so. I mean, who can keep all this awesomeness down for long!”
Scootaloo saw through the bravado, and Rainbow knew it. Dash sighed. “Look Squirt, I’m not myself. It’s nothing against you, but—”
Scootaloo crawled closer. “Tell me what’s going on.” Concern shone in the filly’s eyes.
“I don’t know!” Rainbow said. She threw her hooves over her face to hide it.
Scootaloo carefully pushed away the hooves. Rainbow was crying! A pang of guilt ran through Scootaloo, and she shuffled back a little.
“Squirt, I—” Rainbow paused, her ears folded down and the tears increased their numbers. “I’m scared, Scootaloo! I’ve never been like this. Well... almost never. When I was a filly, much younger than you, I got sick. Really sick. My feathers fell out and I started hallucinating. It hurt to stand on my hooves, they were all so swollen. I don’t remember much.”
“Is that why you don’t like ponies touching your hooves?” Scootaloo asked.
Dash nodded. “Yes. Don’t tell anypony!”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly.” Scootaloo went through the motions.
“It is my fault Applejack and I are the way we are,” Rainbow said. “I challenged her to do something she did not want to do. When she got hurt, I felt horrible. I kept— I am going crazy staying inside so much. I’m not used to being still.” Rainbow cringed at her own words. “I’m frustrated, and I can’t do anything about it.”
Scootaloo slipped in beside Rainbow, wrapping a small orange wing around her sister.
“I didn’t sleep like the doctor told me to. I’ve not slept...” Rainbow faltered. “Then when playing, I zoned out and Applejack ended up getting more hurt. I couldn’t believe I’d done it a second time. I wasn’t myself for a while after that.”
“Is that why we couldn’t come over?” Scootaloo asked.
Rainbow nodded. “I don’t want you to think of me as a crazy mare.”
Scootaloo laid her head on Dash’s chest. “You’ve always been crazy. Who else would fly so fast?”
Rainbow smiled at this. “Thanks Scoot. I still— ya know. This is new, being grounded and all. I’m not... ya know... going to—”
Just then Lilly and Applejack came back out. Again Applejack was moving slower than she had before, but it was smoother than it had been with Twilight or Fluttershy helping. Rainbow noted how Lilly’s attention, while her eyes were out front, her attention was on Applejack’s entire body. Her wing didn’t just lay over Applejack’s back the feathers spread out so she could sense every little twitch in every single nerve. “Hold on, let’s take a break,” Lilly said after a few more steps.
“Ah can make it!” Applejack defended herself. “Ah ain’t a rickety shed.”
Lilly raised both eyebrows. “Really? Hum, let’s see. You are orange... most of those are brown. Alright, so you are a mare who’s hurt herself and if she doesn’t take a break will end up in the hospital when she busts some stitches—”
Applejack frowned. “Ah thought ya’ said you could only read Pegasi!”
“Normally that is true,” Lilly sighed. “First off, I’m reading your face. Second, I’m reading your body language. Third, I think the elements are at play. Can’t say for certain, but when I was a filly, I spent a lot of time at the castle playing with my sisters. I got to know the tree, the castle, and the elements pretty well. Since you guys are attached—and don’t tell me you aren’t—all of you still resonate the ‘hum’ of your respective element. I think that’s coming into play. I can’t read you well Miss Apple—”
“Applejack,” Applejack reminded her.
“Applejack,” Lilly repeated, “but it’s enough I’ve got something to go on. Besides, after putting up with this my entire life with pegasi, I’ve gotten pretty good with earth ponies as well. Rainbow,” Lilly continued turning to her old student. “You aren’t done yet.”
“Done? Oh...” she cringed. Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash tried to collect her thoughts. “I— you, we... I...”
“Rainbow, hit the bush. The worst that can happen is it hits back,” Lilly scolded.
“I’m going- to….” Rainbow took another deep breath. She could feel all eyes on her. “I’m going to need... help,” she visibly cringed, “to get through this.”
Rainbow looked up slowly. She felt weak—very weak. Scootaloo’s eyes were concerned. “Sisters stay together,” the younger filly said slowly. “Rainbow, you’ve been there for me. I will be here for you.”
Rainbow Dash smiled slowly. “My father’s coming tomorrow.”
Scootaloo’s head perked up.
“I was hoping you’d be here to meet him.”
Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “Really!”
“Dad— Dad would like you,” she chuckled. “You’re a pretty neat kid.”
Scootaloo beamed, snuggling in closer. Rainbow did not remember anything past that. The day’s events were finally taking their toll. With Scootaloo snuggled in beside her, she drifted into a deep sleep.
----------------------
“Are you sure?” Captain Lilly Feathers whispered.
“I’ll stay. I’ll call if I need anything,” Scootaloo whispered back.
Lilly had managed to finally get Applejack back to the bed, adding in a quick class in the process. Completely worn out, the farm mare had collapsed into bed without so much as a ‘Thank you.’
“Thank you Scootaloo. This won’t be easy on either one of you. There will be moments where your help will be attacked. Back off, let them let off steam, then be available to help once things settle back down. Will it be easy? No. Rarely is something worthwhile easy. Most things that benefit us in the long run take a bit of work. I put up with a filly for six months to get my Cutie Mark. A filly who couldn’t talk, had weird food allergies, got into stuff, couldn’t understand much, could hardly walk... I put up with that for six months. Listen, this might be a step in gaining your mark, but only hard work and commitment will get you there. Cutie Marks are more than what you are good at; it requires a certain level of peace. You have to be content with the labor.”
Scootaloo nodded. “I’ll remember that.”
“I’m sure you will, Motivation Scootaloo.” Lilly then slipped out.
In the hall, Scootaloo could hear Lilly singing.
“Let it rain, Let it pour, Not afraid anymore,
Cuz He opened the door into heaven.
Then He colored the sky to remind you and I
Sunshine will come, and I’m standing under the rainbow.”
----------------------------------
Steady was overwhelmed. What should have been a simple task quickly had turned into a much longer job with the help of another set of twins. This time, they were both pegasi.
“Please ladies—” Steady began.
“No, I think we did a light rain that day,” Flitter announced.
“I remember doing a storm,” Thunderlane pointed out.
Soarin shook his head. “No, that was the week before—unless you did two in a row. We had to fly through it for something else.”
“Maybe it was both?” Cloud Chaser said.
Steady was getting nowhere with this bunch. After reading the reports, he’d immediately started wondering how they ever passed inspection. Then he started wondering when the last time they had been inspected. “Um, are there any other records?” he asked.
The three weather ponies looked at each other. “If there are, they are at the castle,” Thunderlane said.
“Or in Town Hall,” Flitter suggested.
“I think there are some at Canterlot Castle,” Cloud Chaser said.
Steady groaned. “Alright, let’s do this: There is supposed to be a storm today, right?”
The three nodded.
“Well, since we don’t know the history, we are just going to have to go check to see how much water the ground needs.”
The other four pegasi in the room blinked. “Steady?” Soarin stated. “What?”
“Check to ground for how much water it needs?” Steady said again.
“How-how do we do that?” Flitter asked.
Steady blinked. “Don’t tell me you never were taught in school how to check to see how much rain is needed in an area.”
The four shook their heads.
Steady started searching his brain for every ounce of knowledge his aunt and mother had ever given him on the topic of gauging how much rain and how big of a storm an area would need. “Know what, let’s just do a good soaker drizzle.”
“Why?” Cloud Chaser asked.
Steady raised an eyebrow. “It’s a safe bet.”