It's strange how you remember some things and not others. Certain moments in your life or the lives of others, calms before storms, instances of perfect emotion. It's also strange how easy it is to forget other things, but I know I have forgotten almost nothing about the day the girls left.
I remember standing at the train station that morning as the conductor pony called his final 'all aboard's. I remember the way the three fillies hugged each other and pressed their little foreheads together, as if they could somehow share the pain they were all feeling. I remember Applejack leaning against my hip and burying her face in my side so that her little sister wouldn’t see the unexpected and uncharacteristic tears budding in her eyes. It’s captured in my head like a photograph, a last, perfect, bittersweet moment.
Their bags had been packed, and the schools were expecting them in a few days time. There was no turning back.
Sweetie Belle was off to a vocalist academy in Canterlot, where she could learn more about magic alongside her quickly flourishing singing skills. She had stars in her eyes, and dreams of one day singing in the royal palace for Celestia or becoming a famous singer like Rara. Twilight had promised to put in a good word for her with the school's headmaster, and even Celestia, assuming the little filly completed all her assignments on time of course.
Applebloom had been offered a place to stay with Babs, as she continued to learn about her abilities as a natural born leader and organizer. Ponyville had its fair share of leaders and organizers, but they were too busy to teach. The mayor was running the city, and Twilight was so busy with princess stuff... Besides, she didn’t entirely fit in with the rest of her apple-centric family and wanted to see what the world had to offer someone with her unique skills. A small school in Manehattan that focused on construction, leadership skills, and training the best and brightesed had offered her a place to learn, assuming she had a place to stay. Babs' family had happily agreed to that part. Applejack had been crushed, but had accepted that the little pony had to see the outside world, as she herself once had.
She didn't say it, but I knew she hoped her sister would get her fill and return someday. I somehow doubted that.
No matter how you turned it, the two fillies had just outgrown Ponyville. They were too talented, too curious and eager, and had too much greatness sprouting in them for the one small town to contain. So they were leaving. They’d promised to return, someday, but it was a vague promise and one none of us would have blamed them for breaking.
And Scootaloo?
Through all the adventures, all the tests, all the hard work with her friends, she somehow still hadn’t gotten her cutie mark yet. Without parents to guide her and push her, she hadn’t been given the same opportunities as the other girls. Sure, all of Ponyville had done their best to help her when they could, be the village that raised the child, but there was only so much we could do. She couldn’t even get up to Cloudsdale to learn what it was like to be a Pegasus. Her stubby wings had never developed past little flutters of feather and fur. All she had was Rainbow Dash, and she wasn’t there that day at the train station. She’d always hated goodbyes, and she didn't have a sister who was leaving. Besides, being a Wonderbolt had begun to take up more and more of her time, and we were beginning to see even less of her those days.
So, when all was said and done, Scootaloo would have to stay behind. At least for the time being.
I remember the conductor yelling once more, and the shudder that went through Applejack beside me as she pressed me closer. The three girls gave their last hugs, whimpers and tears flowing freely from them.
“Ah promise to write you both!” Applebloom said. “We’re still friends, no matter the distance.”
“That’s right,” said Sweetie. She sounded so determined and confident, like there was no way that could change. “We have to keep in touch so you can tell us when you get your cutie mark!”
Scootaloo blushed and shrugged her little winged shoulders.
“Yeah,” she said, obviously trying to sound enthusiastic. “I bet it’ll happen any day now! ...right?”
“Ah know it will,” Applebloom said warmly. “And shucks, maybe it’ll be something to do with bein' a leader!”
“Or singing!”
“Right, or singin’. Then you can come stay with one of us!”
They’d smiled tearfully at each other then, just as the conductor had shouted another urgent ‘all aboard’ that ended with a 'last chance' directed at the three of them. They'd touched their foreheads together one last time in a hug, sharing that invisible bond, then broke apart.
Applejack ran and kissed her sister wordlessly, still trying to put on a brave face. Rarity was busy giving instructions on what things to see in Canterlot, who to say hello to, what things to report back about the latest and greatest fashions. I watched the families hug their youngest members, say they loved them, wipe the tears away.
Then the girls had boarded the train.
They’d waved their hooves out a window and called additional goodbyes as the engine had puffed and grumbled its way into motion. As it pulled away, Scootaloo had begun to run alongside, her stunted wings flapping as she tried to keep up with her two best friends for just a little bit longer.
“Don’t forget about me!” she’d called as she lost ground and the train began to slip away. “Don’t forget!”
The wail of the train whistle nearly drowned her out, but you could see Sweetie and Applebloom smile at her as the train picked up speed and rushed away towards their new lives.
Then, they were gone.
Rarity had left right away, things to do, people to see, and Applejack had come over to me and buried her face in my side again. I remember thinking that she’d lost her parents and was now losing a sister. It wasn't the same, but it was still a very real loss. I’d lost everyone I’d known when I’d come to Ponyville, so I felt some level of empathy for her. And I’d hugged her and comforted her there at the station. I’d whispered the ‘there there’s’ and the ‘it’s ok’s’ and stroked her golden mane as she’d quietly sobbed into my shirt. I’d done all in my power to relieve even some of that loss she was feeling, as she’d once done for me when I first arrived.
I was so busy trying to help her feel better that I didn’t pay much attention to a lone orange figure sitting out at the end of the platform, completely solitary as she looked after the retreating smoke from the train. I almost didn’t see the stooped shoulders, the spiky purple mane undulating in the strong breeze, the drooping, splayed wings.
But I did see her.
I remember seeing her, and doing nothing. Somehow, even though I only caught that scene at a glance, it stands out the most to me in my memories of that day. Like a mental scar that I’ll never heal.
I still wonder if, maybe, on that day, we could have saved her.
~*~
This looks to be saddening and may make me depressed.
Post-read
God damnit....I haz a sad now
Fuck you and your cliffhangers
Now that she's forever alone, maybe she can find more time to practice flying! She might be able to find a nice new box to live in if she can't live in the tree house. You know. Get a nice Teddy Bear from Rainbow Dash. Call her Sue. Put her in the box.
Then, if she has a bad day, and has nopony to turn to, she can go home and resort to Sue-in-side.
Fuck that was a stretch. Dark pun for a sad story.
7068275
...I'm in fits of laughter.
Oh my god, you're a terrible person. And that's coming from ME!
Good job.
media2.giphy.com/media/D85DeTnI64xLq/200_s.gif
*looks at last fic*
*reads first chapter of this fic*
farm5.staticflickr.com/4152/5042198485_5cf4a261f4_z_d.jpg
Hmm...
7068275
You're not the only one.
7068277 She's a terrible person? Try talking to someone who laughed out loud in a fanfic Pinkie pretty much murdered everyone.
7068284
I actually do! She's a great little fuzzball and I want to noogie her little head.
...
No, you're cute.
Shut up.
7068288
>she
uhhhhhh....
7068290
So pencil I have to ask why I feel the sudden urge to rip off my pants and scream "you wanna HUGE?!? YOU GOT IT BABY!!!" When I see your name come up.
7068284
I didn't even earn a reaction from you. I've lost my touch.
7068275
She could always just sell her wings on eBay. I'm sure some of those Buffalo could use some wings.
7068297 Did I just spoil the story?
7068315
Priest is a guy.
At least...I think so. I haven't...exactly checked. Priest, you got dangly bits?
7068319
Schlongerdoodle
7068319
Yee. They dangle. I checked.
7068329 Ehrm...sorry?
7068329
Pics or didn't happen
7068340 WHAT THE ACTUAL REDACTED?
7068341 Nope nope nope nope. So much nope. Get that mental image out of your head now. It's bad enough that I am experimenting with horror fics. I don't need to write
anotherclopfic.7068348
I'm already working on a clopfic where Pencil facesits Priest. Using the leash and all that. I'll just have her double check to make sure he's a dude.
7068358
WHAT.
NO.
do not want. Not ok.
7068366
Okay, if you're really that against checking to make sure, I'll just have you ignore it.
7068371
You are god.
7068366
7068371
7068383
Okay, I'm starting to wonder if people are liking this story for the story or for the fact that...ehrm
THIS CONVERSATION IS A BUCKING WEIRD AS HELL...
7068387
At this point, it's a distinct possibility.
7068389
The comments sometimes make a story worth coming back to.
No offense pencil.
7068389 *shrugs*
I need bleach now. Can you get Chrysalis to perform a mind wipe or something?
7068387
7068396
Mine bleach.
7068399
So any update on that pencilxpriest clopfic? I'm very interested in this.
7068404
Should be out by ...hugs?
AKA It's for my eyes only.
7068401 Well that works. That is adorable.
That being said, I will admit to needing bleach after having written one of my own stories or read someone else's. SO while I am not surprised, I do occasionally dip my head into a bucket of bleach.
Occasionally? More like every bucking hour.
7068410
Maybe this?
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/db/42/a7/db42a73bc668a7a668177e655315cd87.jpg
7068408
No fair :( I wanted to watch pencil grab priest by the waist and spin.....nvm shutting up now......meat spin.com
7068414 Write it yourself.
7068416
Or don't! That's ok!
7068413 That's so cute!
Also, is it just me, or have I seen you around places? I can swear, I've seen you before.
7068417 Yes, that's perfectly acceptable. There's already too many clopfics.
Speaking of which, why do I have the mature tag on?
7068420
Probably. I don't know where you go, so I can't confirm or deny.
7068417
I just want you to know that I might actually write my first story from the conversation in your comments about this priestxpencil clopfic but it might have to be fillyfooling since you both have female avatars.
Could just make a oneshot about it and lock it up in google docs to never see the light of day though....yeah I might do that cause I'm self conscience about my writing and I'm scared what others might think.
7068303 I actually think we posted near the same time, so I didn't even see your comment until now.
So with that said...
7068275 Holy long walk for a short drink of water, Batman!
7068417
7068275
Im so sorry.
Even if no one will ever see it I wrote the thing.
You are both now stars in a clopfic as two mare Pegasi getting it on in a brothel in Canterlot.
I'm sorry.
But I showed to someone else and they thought it was hot.....oh god what have I done...
7070147
...this is what happens. I wrote a serious sad fic about Scootaloo. This is what happens. This is what happens when I write sad things.
Just...wow.
7070151
It's any consolation I really really liked the story and it would be amazing if it were continued?
Honestly though its a joke I only wrote 1200 words of the clopfic and I've showed no one.
Ever.
7068358
I want this in my group.
7070151
7070164
...
Wow.
7082120
I can make one of you too if you give me half a chance.
7082133 Eh...sure why not? It's not like I have anything better to do with my time. Sure.
7082136
I'm happy now.