Working Towards The Future

by Dasponi

Chapter Twenty; A "Family" Meal

Star Shine landed a few metres behind Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo and walked the rest of the way towards them. He was pleased to see that Scootaloo was still moving her wings like he wanted her to.

“Hey girls.” he said as he came into pace besides Rainbow Dash, making both of them jump. He chuckled at their reaction.

“Don’t make me jump like that.” Rainbow Dash scolded him, nudging his side with a hoof. “So, everything taken care of then?” she asked him.

“Sure is. You girls want to get something to eat?” he asked, pointing a hoof towards the restaurant. “I think Scootaloo needs a break anyway.” he added, looking down at Scootaloo. She was clearly very tired. Her wings were still moving but nowhere as fast as they were before and her coat was glistening with sweat.

“A break...would be nice...” Scootaloo said between deep breaths.

“Come on then, let’s get something to eat. You can stop moving your wings for now while we have dinner.” Star Shine said. He began walking towards the restaurant as Scootaloo stopped moving her wings. She gave the beginnings of a cheer before collapsing onto the ground in exhaustion.

“Yayyyyy...” she commented weakly from the ground. Rainbow Dash sighed and lifted Scootaloo up, depositing her on her back so she could rest.

“Geez Squirt, you should have said something if you were that tired.” Rainbow Dash said as Scootaloo sprawled out across her back.

“I didn’t want him to yell at me...or think I was weak.” Scootaloo said softly. Rainbow Dash sighed again and reached a hoof behind her head to pat Scootaloo.

“Hey if he tries yelling at you I’ll buck his teeth into his face.” Rainbow Dash said.

“And if he thinks I’m weak?” Scootaloo asked, giggling.

“Then I’ll let you buck his teeth into his head and show him you aren’t.” Rainbow Dash replied, giggling herself. Scootaloo burst out into laughter before deciding in her current state it hurt to laugh and so she stopped. She settled for smiling instead.

“Hey are you coming or not?” Star Shine called from the door to the restaurant.

“Do you think you can buck him anyway?” Scootaloo asked as Rainbow Dash moved towards the doorway.

“Don’t tempt me Squirt, he tempts me enough as it is.” Rainbow replied with a laugh. She made it to the doorway and entered with Star Shine following just behind her. Whilst the place was full of tables it was also full of customers owing to the fact it was early evening, the universal time for dinner. After looking around a little Star Shine managed to spot an empty table and the small party made their way towards it. When they reached the table Scootaloo hopped down from Rainbow Dash’s back and sat down on a chair. Rainbow Dash and Star Shine sat down themselves and looked through the menu. A waiter came to serve them and Star Shine asked him to get a drink for Scootaloo while they looked over the menu some more. The waiter came back with a drink of water that Scootaloo quickly vanquished. Everypony ordered their food, and another drink for Scootaloo.

The food came after a short wait and Rainbow Dash and Star Shine tucked in. Scootaloo simply watched them for a few minutes instead of eating.

“Are you alright? Your food is going to get cold.” Star Shine asked when he realised how long Scootaloo had been just watching. When he looked at her he thought he saw tears welling in her eyes. Rainbow Dash looked up at Scootaloo herself and knew what she saw was indeed tears forming. She hoofed over a napkin to the filly.

“You might want to wipe that sweat away from your eyes Scoots.” Rainbow Dash said, covering for Scootaloo. Scootaloo nodded and wiped her eyes.

“I’m fine thanks. It’s just, we’re like this and it’s like...it’s like...” Scootaloo started to say before the tears came back to her eyes. This time she couldn’t hold them back and they fell freely. Rainbow Dash quickly got up and wiped the tears away from Scootaloo’s face, giving her an affectionate nuzzle.

“Like what Scoots?” Rainbow Dash asked softly.

“Like..like...a family.” Scootaloo finally managed to say before crying some more. She had been sent to the orphanage pretty quickly so didn’t have many memories of family meals and while the children at the orphanage had eaten together, it wasn’t the same as the scene she now found herself a part of. This truly was the closest she had ever come to a family meal in a long time. Even if she didn’t see Star Shine as a father figure. He was barely even much of a friend as the two had only just met.

“Do you remember much about your family Scootaloo?” Star Shine asked stoically. He was trying not to react to the scene in front of him. He was also talking quietly. wary of a room full of listening ears and a little filly who might not enjoy the world being privvy to her private lifeScootaloo shook her head..

“Not really. They carted me off to the orphanage pretty quickly when I didn’t have any bursts of flight like most foals and my mom got pregnant again.” Scootaloo replied before slapping a hoof to her mouth. She was so emotional she wasn’t thinking and just responded on instinct, purely and honestly. She had said far more than she meant to. She did prove something to herself though; if somepony took the time to ask her the right questions about her family sincerely, she might have told them.

“I’m really sorry to hear that Scootaloo. I had no idea. I just took a guess. I’ve worked with orphans before you know.” Star Shine replied sympathetically.

“Really? You have?” Scootaloo replied, looking up. Star Shine nodded.

“I’m sure you saw first hand how proud and, sometimes cruel, Pegasi parents can be.”

“Only my dad was a Pegasus. My mom was a Unicorn.”

“A Unicorn? That is interesting.” Star Shine said, rubbing his chin with a hoof in contemplation.

“Why is that interesting?” Scootaloo asked. Rainbow Dash repeated the question. She had been gently patting Scootaloo while Star Shine was talking to her and she was curious as to how it could be noteworthy that Scootaloo was from a mixed family.

“Well like I said, Pegasi are proud. It’s kind of rare for them to breed with different pony breeds. Typically when you see a Pegasi and a Unicorn it’s because the Pegasus wasn’t born to Pegasi parents and didn’t have the pride instilled in them.” Star Shine explained.

“I guess that’s true. But is this really talk for a dinner table?” Rainbow Dash asked. Her patience was running out and she didn’t want Scootaloo to get more upset than she already was.

“Your mother is right.” Star Shine teased, raising his voice to try and lighten the mood. It was an attempt to bring a smile back to Scootaloo’s face. He succeeded, even if he did incur the wrath of Rainbow Dash. She jabbed him in the side again as she took her seat at the table. “Right then, let’s continue this family meal then, shall we?” Star Shine said, rubbing his side where Rainbow Dash had hit him. He gave Scootaloo a wink and she smiled, nodded, and began eating her food at last.

“Don’t you get any ideas.” Rainbow Dash said, poking Star Shine in the side again.

“Ideas? I get lots of ideas. I can’t help it. It’s not my fault I’m so smart.” Star Shine replied sarcastically, earning a more violent jab to his sides.

“I’d stop if I were you. She told me she’s pretty close to bucking your head in.” Scootaloo commented.

“You traitor!” Rainbow Dash gasped, holding a hoof to her heart, feigning pain and betrayal.

“But he’s kinda funny and I don’t want you to kill him.” Scootaloo replied. She gave Rainbow Dash the widest puppy eyes she could and Rainbow fell victim the greatest weapon in the arsenal of a filly; cuteness.

“Don’t worry Scoots, she won’t kill me. She knows if I die then I can’t train you.” Star Shine reassured her with a smile.

“Hey, you called me Scoots.” Scootaloo replied, looking a little shocked.

“You want me to hit him for it?” Rainbow Dash asked, bringing her hoof back in preparation to strike. She knew that Scootaloo only let ponies she liked call her Scoots. For a while only Rainbow Dash herself had called her that. Star Shine didn’t know any of this and had merely used the nickname to help lighten the mood.

“No please, I want to live. I’m sorry don’t kill me.” Star Shine replied hurriedly, cowering from Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo let out another laugh.

“It’s okay. He’s funny so he can live.” Scootaloo said to Rainbow Dash with mock authority in her voice. Rainbow Dash saluted Scootaloo and then still poked Star Shine in the side.

“Owww, what was that for? She said I could live.” Star Shine asked, rubbing his side.

“She didn’t say I couldn’t hurt you.” Rainbow Dash replied, laughing. The rest of the meal passed like this with the three of them playing with eachother. They toned it down when the manager informed them a lot of the other customers had been complaining and that they were dangerously close to being kicked out. It was still the most fun Scootaloo had ever had at the dinner table and it really was like a family meal to her. At least how she imagined them to be. By the time they had finished, and were ready to begin the journey home her little wings were buzzing at full power once more.

When all the food had been eaten, and a lot of fun had been had, Star Shine, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo left the restaurant. Star Shine left behind a generous tip to make up for their disruptive behaviour and breathed a sigh of relief when he was told he was not in fact banned. He didn’t get to Ponyville much but he had enjoyed the food and wanted to be able to return one day. The trio would have continued their day out together but as they left the restaurant Rainbow Dash saw how late it was getting and instead declared their day had to come to an end as it was coming up on Scootaloo’s bedtime. Scootaloo’s protests were short lived and left utterly defeated when she yawned mid-sentence. Star Shine told Rainbow Dash he was staying at a hotel for the night and said Scootaloo could keep the brace for him. With that they parted ways, Rainbow Dash heading for home, and Star Shine heading to a nearby hotel.

Halfway towards her house Rainbow Dash cursed as she realised she still didn’t have any answers. She considered hunting Star Shine down but she had a filly to put to bed and a job to get to.

Author's Note:

This chapter suffered various and many rewrites and tweaks so I'd like to take this opportunity to stress a few things even more;
1. I'm NOT setting up Star Shine as a father figure. Like I said in the exposition the two have just met and Scootaloo barely knows him. She finds him amusing at best.
2. I kinda wanted it to be a big deal that Scootaloo was called Scoots. I never liked people I didn't know or like calling me by my nickname and I knew other people who were the same.
3. Spellcheck suggested I change "Scootaloo" to "Tuscaloosa". Boy when that thing's wrong it's wrong.

I might be retconning Scoots' family a little but if I remember right all I originally said about them was that she was taken to the orphanage when her mother got pregnant again. I also realise now I may have to actually bring them in. I thought of a way to do it too actually. It would also mean more story extension though and the big ending sequences I planned wouldn't be the end.

I'll probably never get done with this thing

Finally yes, in this case, "pride" can be interchanged with racism/xenophobia. Pegasi seem very militaristic and proud, probably too much so.

Comments

[ShiningNova]

That its pretty wrong every one knows it should be Appleloosa . Good chapter keep them coming.

[Dasponi]

2680061
At first I was confused about your comment wondering where I'd mentioned Appleoosa and then I got it It took me a second to realise I mentioned Tuscaloosa and that Appleoosa is a play on Tuscaloosa

[kluck]

wow you really need to make more chapters like now like stop what your doing and get to work dame it!!! you made my heart stop for a sec when i read scootaloo was half unicorn. does not sound good

[Dasponi]

2681905
Thanks The next chapter is a bit of fluff but there are plenty of serious/emotional chapters like this in there somewhere.

[Frankie2]

Nice chapter. I glad Star Shine is not being set up as a father figure.
: How about a wacky uncle?
I wonder how the next day will go? I'll be catching up slowly, but I WILL catch up.

[Dude With No Life]

Thanks mate. My new thing: when going to Tuscaloosa, it shall be knows as 'hanging with Scootaloo'.

Tuscaloosa just got 20% cooler.m

You may hate me now. I deserve it.

[Dragon of Shadows]

The food came after a short wait

HOW DARE EQUESTRIA HAVE BETTER SERVICE THAN EARTH

Finally yes, in this case, "pride" can be interchanged with racism/xenophobia. Pegasi seem very militaristic and proud, probably too much so.

dont forget that in the my little pony friendship is magic show the pegasi were the military race