Looking around her room, Scootaloo couldn’t help but reminisce. The past four years had been like a dream. After so long as an orphan, she’d lost hope of adoption. Then came Twilight. Even though she’d never completely explained why she decided to adopt, Scootaloo was ecstatic. Moving into a castle, having somepony who truly cared for her, Scootaloo had long since stopped dreaming of that day. Yet it came.
Now, after four wonderful years with Twilight in Ponyville, she was packing up her things. It had been a few weeks since she was accepted to Canterlot University, but she was still aglow with excitement. She looked around the room at all of the belongings she’d be taking with her, packed away into bags and boxes. Her eyes locked on her old scooter, once the only thing she was proud to own, now far too small for her to use. She couldn’t dream to part with it, though.
The thoughts of parting made her look towards the next room. She knew Twilight was excited to see her head off for university, mostly from pride at her academic success, but Twilight wasn’t the only one she lived with. Stepping into the hall, she nervously opened the door to the room beside hers.
Spike had grown tremendously in four years, now easily taller than most ponies. He sat at his desk, scribbling at something intently. Scootaloo always loved watching him when he was so focused, something in his intense stare betraying his abandoned instincts.
Spike sniffed the air audibly and turned around, “Heya, Scoot. What’s up? Need help packing?”
“Nah, I’m basically done,” Scootaloo replied, plopping down to sit on Spike’s bed, “What you up to?”
Spike turned around to sit backwards in his chair, legs on either side of the back, and grabbed the paper he was drawing on, “Got bored, made a comic.”
Scootaloo leaned in to look at the sketch, letting out a hearty chuckle, “Romantic comedy? Really, Spike?”
“Eh, shuddup,” Spike retorted playfully, “I’ve never been good with action, romance is more my thing.”
Scootaloo inadvertently swallowed hard, looking up at Spike. He’d really gotten handsome over the years, with his square jaw and muscular body. He smiled, the faintest suggestion of his sharp teeth visible between his parted lips. Noticing she was staring, Scootaloo turned to look out the doorway into the hall, hoping that her blush wasn’t enough to show.
“You’re going to miss me, aren’t you?” Spike asked in a comforting tone.
“What? N-” Scootaloo shouted, spinning to face Spike, but she stopped herself and stared at her hooves, “You know what, yeah… I am.”
Spike stood from his seat and walked over, putting his arms around Scootaloo. She couldn’t help but sink into the hug, resting her cheek on his shoulder. She really would miss him. He’d been so important to her life over the past years, she wasn’t sure what life would be like without him to help her along.
“I’ll miss you too, Scoot,” Spike whispered.
As the moment slowly passed, they pulled apart and Spike sat on the bed next to her. Scootaloo flopped backwards, staring up at the vaulted ceilings of the castle. Spike soon joined her, and they lay down side by side, her hooves and his legs dangling off the side of the bed.
“You know…” Scootaloo started.
“Hmm?”
Hesitating, she continued, “I really see you as one of the best friends I’ve got.”
Spike chuckled, “Hey, thanks. I could say the same.”
There was a pause before she finished the thought, “I’ve never really seen you as a brother, though.”
“No?” Spike wondered, turning to look at her, “Yeah, I know what you mean. As much as we’re officially family, it’s… different.”
Scootaloo tilted her head to catch his eye, “I just really wanted to thank you for everything before I go.”
Spike reached a hand up and ruffled her mane, smiling a toothy smile, “Yeah, no big deal. You’ve helped me plenty, too.”
“Really?” Scootaloo asked in surprise, “Like how?”
Spike’s eyes inadvertently flicked to look at something before returning to Scootaloo, “Oh, you know, all sorts of stuff.”
Scootaloo followed the line that Spike had glanced at back to his desk, the comic sketch still laying out atop it. She chuckled, her gaze returning skyward, “You too, huh?”
Spike let out a deep sigh, sliding his arm behind her head, “Yeah…”