I'm Still Here

by Ribe_FireRain

Scootaloo's House

The party at Sweet Apple Acres was cut dramatically short after Scootaloo’s realisation had taken place. She had left in such a huff that everypony was taken aback. All of the ponies attending the party were departing, sharing hushed, concerned murmurs amongst themselves about what had happened.

The only ponies left inside of the barn were Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack and the rest of their friends, along with Mrs Cheerilee. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were inside of the farm house, under the supervision of both Big Mac and Granny Smith.

The poor girls, it wasn’t any of their fault. They were both simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it was an act of dumb luck that they stumbled in on Rainbow Dash and Applejack arguing like that, hearing something they should never have caught ear of. Nopony could blame them for how they were feeling.

Everypony was seated at the back of the barn, huddled around one of the wooden tables that had been set out earlier, and everypony was eying Rainbow Dash concernedly, worried about how silent she had been since Scootaloo had lashed out at her. She had her head hung down low and she was trying to fend off her tears and keeping her emotions in check, not wanting to appear weak or defeated, but she had little success.

‘’Now, Ah told y’all that this would happen eventually,’’ Applejack said bluntly, her tone annoyed. ‘’If’n y’all jus’ had any sense an’ listened to me, none of this would’a happened!’’

‘’Don’t you think I know that?!’’ Rainbow Dash scoffed and then snarled as she raised her head for the first time in a long time, glaring hot, magenta daggers at the farm pony, taking her aback. Right now, she was in no mood to be scolded by the remarks and comments from her main competitor. ‘’I’m not stupid, AJ, I heard you the first time! We get it, this is all of my fault and now Scootaloo hates me! How many times are you going to lay into me when I keep telling you that I’m sorry?!’’ She slammed her hooves against the table, ignoring the pain that rang up her hooves as a result.

‘’Um, forgive me, darling, but are we all missing something here?’’ Rarity injected her own question into the conversation before a fight brewed up. ‘’Anypony care to shed some light on all of this drama?’’

‘’Yeah, what’s going on?’’ Pinkie Pie asked, glancing about the table. ‘’I don’t like all of this secrecy!’’
Fluttershy and Twilight shared a glance. Out of all of their friends, only the two of them along with Rainbow Dash and Applejack knew of Scootaloo’s situation. Ever since they found out, they had all kept it under wraps to refrain from having it get blabbed about to the wrong ponies. In this circumstance, having Cheerilee present made things a tad more harder and even a little awkward.

Miss Cheerilee was a kind and honest pony, and she cared dearly for each of her students like they were her own children, so it seemed only right that she should be allowed in on it, too. Being Scootaloo’s teacher, it meant that she had constant supervision over the filly when she’s at school, and she would always be there to support her in her time of need. That being said, she was trusted enough by Rainbow Dash and the others to be let in on it. It was about time to come clean.

‘’Well, we first found out about a little over two months ago,’’ Fluttershy began. ‘’Rainbow Dash came over to my cottage with Scootaloo after leaving the hospital. She told me that she found Scootaloo sitting all alone in the waiting room by herself, unsupervised by anypony,’’ She said sadly.

‘’I couldn’t leave her there, girls, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I let her stay there on her own,’’ Rainbow Dash spoke up, catching Applejack’s eye.

‘’You did the right thing, sugarcube,’’ She said, for once offering a sentence that didn’t contain a snide remark to further ruffle Dash’s feathers.

‘’And that wasn’t the worse part,’’ Dash began, once again feeling her emotions take over as she thought about it.

‘’What happened?’’ Rarity asked, hoping that it wasn’t anything too serious. Beside her, Cheerilee also waited patiently, a worried expression upon her face.

‘’After I took her in and brought her to Fluttershy’s cottage, I found her diary and I found out that Scootaloo’s parents abandoned her,’’ She said, and Cheerilee, Rarity and Pinkie Pie gasped in unison, not prepared for the news. ‘’To make matters worse, she’s not even got a home to stay in. She’s been living in the Crusader’s clubhouse for two years all on her own, and no pony’s noticed once!’’

‘’My word! That’s dreadful! Are you certain?’’ Rarity asked, to which Rainbow deadpanned and gave her a raised brow before motioning towards her eyes.

‘’Does it look like I’m joking?’’

‘’B-But…that’s so horrible! Nopony to tuck you in or to say goodnight or to give you a goodnight cuddle is terrible!’’ Pinkie Pie said, mortified. ‘’Nopony to talk to or to keep you company, or—-‘’

‘’Alright, Pinkie, I think we get the picture,’’ Cheerilee said, gently pressing her hoof over the pink mare’s mouth to silence her. She then looked towards Rainbow Dash. ‘’And I’m assuming that Scootaloo now lives temporarily with you, correct?’’

‘’Well, not just me. I’m also staying with Fluttershy at her cottage, so she took us both in to watch over us,’’ Dash explained.

‘’So, for the time being, you’re both taking on the role of her guardians?’’ Cheerilee asked. Rainbow and Fluttershy nodded. ‘’But nopony knows where her parents are or even their names?’’

‘’Beg pardon, Miss Cheerilee,’’ Rarity said, coughing gently into her hoof. ‘’But shouldn’t that be your department? I’d assume that you’d know who they are seeing as you’re the poor dear’s teacher, so you must have met her parents at least once for parental consultation evenings?’’ Rarity asked, confused as to how she wouldn’t know their names.

It never occurred to anypony until then, but it was common knowledge that new students at buildings of educational learning and academic studies should at least have consent from from the parent of the student to be enrolled there. There should at least be some evidence of Scootaloo’s parents on her enrolment form, be it a signature, a home address, contact details in the case of emergency, anything that identify them as their parent.

However, Cheerilee shook her head, a sad frown curling on her lips as she eyed the pearl white unicorn.

‘’No, I’m afraid not. Scootaloo has always made up some excuse on why she couldn’t attend every parental consultation evening in the past two years. I think we now all understand why,’’ Cheerilee said helplessly. ‘’So, I’m sorry, but I don’t know anything about her parents or what their names are. The only thing that I know about Scootaloo’s parents is that they lived in Ponyville, not far from the market,’’ Cheerilee said, hoping to prove helpful to fill in the holes of the mystery.

‘’Why didn’t you say so?’’ Rainbow Dash said, a bit agitated. ‘’Couldn’t you have told us that sooner?’’ She asked in a semi-annoyed tone. Cheerilee only held her frown.

‘’I’m sorry, but that’s all I know. I wish I knew more, but I don’t have any other documented paperwork full of details or personal information that are of any use,’’ Cheerilee said regretfully.

‘’Do you at least know which house it is, Miss Cheerilee?’’ Rarity asked. Miss Cheerilee tapped her chin in thought, trying to recall.

‘’I’m not entirely sure, but I think it’s the one right on the edge of the town, on the other side of the park,’’ She said. ‘’It’s the fully detached residence with blue paint, you can’t miss it,’’ She said.

‘’Hmm, do you reckon that Scootaloo will be there?’’ Fluttershy asked.

‘’I think it’s our best bet!’’ Pinkie Pie said. ‘’You all saw how upset she was! And you know what ponies say, ‘home is where the heart is’, right?’’ She asked, but Rainbow Dash shook her head dismissively at the thought.

‘’I don’t think it’s that simple, Pinks,’’ Rainbow said. ‘’Scootaloo hasn’t been there since her parents abandoned her. She stayed at the clubhouse because she was trying to avoid going back home. I doubt that she’s going to be there. It sounded to me like she hated being there even when her parents were still living there.’’

‘’Well, it couldn’t hurt to try, Dashie!’’ Pinkie Pie said, forever remaining optimistic, hopeful that it wouldn’t lead to a dead end. Pinkie had a knack for being right about these kind of things, and her hunches have always paid off in the past. ‘’I’m sure that little Scooty is probably over there right now, someplace where she knows nopony will disturb her. At this point, what have we got to lose?’’

Hmm. Pinkie Pie does have a point. Scootaloo could be anywhere right now, and it is plausible that she might be at her house where she knows nopony would think to look for her. But, still, that doesn’t mean that she definitely is over there! For all we know, that little filly could be huddled under some bridge or camping inside of a cardboard box down some dank, creepy alley right now! We need to find her!

Rainbow Dash gave her friends a helpless look, glancing over to Twilight for a brief moment. Twilight was the one that was good at making plans and forming arrangements, the smart one in any situation imaginable. Twilight had the means to contact the Princess of Equestria if it was necessary, and she has some powerful, well-known ponies in her connections. If anypony could help out, it’s her.

‘’Twilight, do you think you can help me with this one? If we’re going to search for Scootaloo, I want your help. You’re the reasonable one, so I think you’re the best bet for Scootaloo to come around and listen,’’ Dash said, and, while Twilight appeared to be flattered by her words, she frowned.

‘’It’s not that easy, Rainbow,’’ Twilight said, her face becoming stern. ‘’Applejack was right; you defiled somepony’s privacy by rummaging through their personal belongings. I’m afraid that, if you want to patch things up with Scootaloo, you’re the one that’s going to have to be the voice of reason. Only you can earn back the trust you’ve lost with somepony dear to you,’’ Twilight said.

Rainbow Dash hated to hear what her friend had to say, but she knew in her heart of hearts that she was correct. There was nobody else to blame here for Scootaloo storming off in the way that she did but herself, and it was up to her to make things right.

‘’Twilight has a point, Dash,’’ Applejack said. ‘’Little Scootaloo looks up ta ya like a big sister, an’ anythin’ that y’all can say will sound better comin’ outa yer own mouth rather than Twilight’s,’’ She said.
‘’So, in the meantime, I think everypony should each take different parts of town and search for Scootaloo. I’d hate to think of how dangerous the world is out there for a filly all on her own,’’ Twilight said, and everypony around the table nodded in agreement. ‘’Fluttershy, try going back to your cottage and see if Scootaloo went back there,’’ Fluttershy nodded and then patted Rainbow Dash on the shoulder before taking her leave. ‘’Applejack, check around the orchards on the farm,’’ Applejack nodded and took her own leave. ‘’Everypony else, search around Ponyville and try and see if you can find any trace of Scootaloo. Check places where you think she might go. While you’re all doing that, I’m going to accompany Rainbow Dash and find Scootaloo’s house.’’

It was all settled. Everypony had their individual tasks at hand, and they were all going to stop at nothing until the little filly was found. In the state that she was in at the time she took her leave in a huff, she shouldn’t be left all alone. And, just like that, the search party had begun.

As everypony left, Twilight held Rainbow back for a moment so that she could speak to her. She gave her a concerned expression and worry sparkled clearly in her eyes for her well-being. It was no secret that everypony was able to sense the stress radiating from Rainbow Dash’s being, lingering so thickly it was impossible to not take notice of it.

Twilight had noticed it since the night she came into her library, and it was very apparent from the moment that she stepped through the door that she was in distress. Seeing her now, after all all of this time has passed since that night, it had escalated into something much more than distress. At the rate she was going, Rainbow Dash was going to burn herself out to the point she can’t function properly.

Rainbow Dash hardly ever allowed her guard to slip down so low that the pain underneath her tough, confident exterior was exposed, but the events that had lead up to her shocking discovery had weakened it and allowed it to break through. Rainbow Dash was having trouble keeping it together, and that worried Twilight.

‘’Rainbow Dash,’’ She began delicately, touching a hoof to her shoulder as she looked her in the eye. ‘’Are you doing alright? You look like you haven’t slept properly for at least a couple weeks!’’ She motioned to her eyes. Rainbow blinked tiredly, brushing it off.
‘’Huh? N-No, it’s nothing,’’ Rainbow lied. ‘’I’m alright, Twilight, I’m just a little beat,’’ She said, but Twilight obviously didn’t buy the lie. If anything, it irked her.

‘’Rainbow…’’ Twilight cooed.

‘’What? Really, I’m fine!’’ The pegasus persisted.

‘’No, you’re not!’’ The lavender unicorn grabbed both of the mare’s shoulders and shook her lightly, staring into her eyes with a firm, hardened gaze, her large black pupils made out of steel. ‘’Dash, you look terrible! I know that you don’t like admitting to weakness and I know that you’ll do anything if it means that Scootaloo will be happy, but you need to listen to me!’’

Rainbow Dash could feel another variant of the same lecture Fluttershy gave her coming on.

‘’You’re not all there right now, are you? All of this stress is pushing you down to your breaking point, and you’re going to crack if you keep pressing on at this rate! Everyone’s worried about you, Dash, especially Fluttershy!’’ Twilight said, and Dash went stiff in her hooves, sadness washing over her as the words sunk into her stubborn skull. ‘’Is that what you want, Rainbow? To worry Fluttershy and constantly have her worry if you’re going to be alright and standing the next day?’’

‘’N-No…’’ Rainbow Dash squeaked out.

‘’Then stop pushing yourself too hard! Everypony needs you in one piece, and, if you’re not going to do it for us, then do it for Scootaloo. We all know how much she means to you and how much you care about her, but the only way you’re going to be of any help is if you stop beating yourself up over her. Can you do that?’’ Twilight asked, releasing Rainbow and waiting patiently for her to answer.

‘’Y-Yeah,’’ Rainbow responded shakily. ‘’Yeah, I can do that. And Twilight?’’

‘’Hmm?’’

‘’Thanks. I don’t know what I’d do without friends like you around to keep me in line,’’ Rainbow said gratefully. Twilight smiled and gave the mare a well-needed hug.

‘’It’s alright, Rainbow. That’s what friends do; they look out for each other. Now, come on, we’ve got to go and find Scootaloo,’’ Twilight said, getting up to prepare to head out.

‘’Right behind you.’’

*** *** ***

With the search party underway, following a thorough sweep through the town of Ponyville and its surrounding areas, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle made haste on their journey through the main park of the town.

It was about halfway through the afternoon, the sun at its peak in the sky, slowly lowering down behind the horizon, gradually settling in for the nighttime. It had brought along a cool chill, too, comforting but also numbing against the skin of the two mares, especially Rainbow Dash. Without sleep, her lack of energy, below her usual, optimal levels, she was more vulnerable to the bite, but her feathers and thick coat provided a little insulation, so it wasn’t too much of a bother. Still, she was able to feel it enough to acknowledge it, but not enough to complain.

The park was relatively quiet at this time of day, only a handful of ponies left wandering around for a stroll to either enjoy the scenery or to embrace nature and the great outdoors. The smell of daffodils and damp soil filled the air, gentle but somewhat warming, an essence that was familiar to Dash. Being a pegasus, she was very accustomed to the aromas of the wilderness, and it made her feel like she was in her element, seeing as Pegasi normally spend their time outdoors out of natural intention due to their species. No Pegasi spends their time indoors all of the time, none of them being able to remain in the confines of anyplace for too long at the risk of becoming stir crazy. It was partly the reason why Dash found it hard to sit still half of the time.

Walking along slowly beside Twilight, slightly lagging behind her due to lack of energy, her hooves tired and drained, almost limp and stringy, Rainbow Dash had her head hung down just enough so that she wasn’t able to see Twilight’s head. She would only worry if she saw the glint of sadness behind Rainbow’s eyes, and she didn’t want the unicorn to fret about her. She was trying to think of what to say to Scootaloo when they find her, if they find her at all, that is. There was no guarantee that they will be met with success by searching through Scootaloo’s house.

It was funny, actually, the fact that neither Rainbow Dash or any of her friends, not even The Cutie Mark Crusaders, have ever seen or been inside of the orange pegasus’ home residence. Nopony had ever inquired upon it, not even once. Rainbow didn’t know what to expect when she eventually arrived. Would it be rundown, maybe a little ransacked? Would it be like any other welcoming, friendly Ponyvillian home on the outside, yet the inside is somepony’s idea of a living hell? Any guess could be right or wrong, but the guessing game didn’t have to wait long, for Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle had reached the edge of the town beyond the park.

There weren’t that many houses on the borderline of the town, totalling up to three in total, all fully detached residences, and all of them appeared to be lived in, judging from their pristine exterior walls. They were all a random distance away from each other, sitting just beside a stream that was directed around the village, a peaceful and tranquil sight with calm, mellow water so crisp and clear that it brought about an image of inner peace, going with the flow. There was a small, narrow stone bridge creating a way of passage over it, too, an old but structurally sound construct built when the town was still being built and gaining popularity.

On the other side of the river was a large forest, not untamed and as wild as The Everfree, but quite the opposite. It was a place some ponies often venture out to for long hikes and trips to spend the day in the sun, either just for the sake of hiking or for camping out. It was an ideal place for anypony with a taste for adventure and exploring, and it was safe, too, free from pony-preying Timber Wolves and other dangerous creatures known to reside within The Everfree. As isolationist as this area of Ponyville might be, it was certainly a great place to admire the scenery, which was visible through every angle through the windows of the houses built around here.

Miss Cheerilee had mentioned that Scootaloo’s house was the one that was painted in a blue colour on the exterior, so that was the one that Twilight and Rainbow wanted to look out for. The house on the left was made out of your average Ponyvillian construction, complete with brown-painted timber that bordered the house and reinforced the white-coloured lime and hay dry walls in-between, sheltered with a straw roof. The house on the right was no different, following the exact same theme. However, the dirt path beneath the hooves of the two mares also winded ahead of them and off towards a third house between the other two, sitting directly beside the stream.

Rainbow Dash and Twilight knew that this house must be Scootaloo’s family home, being the only one left that they haven’t ticked off or checked out yet. Following the dirt path up ahead to stand at the front porch of the house, they both took in the exterior of the house, curiously scanning it over and taking in its detail.

Like Miss Cheerilee had said, it was indeed blue in colour, sky blue, to be exact. Its outer walls definitely had seen better days, having clear signs of wear and tear as a result of having a long, abusive life against certain weather conditions and lack of maintenance. The paint covering the usually-white dry walls were covered in the blue paint, but the ageing and fading through ultra violet rays had paled them, transforming it into a sickly, pale grey in colour, making the home look ill and diseased.

This home had the same appearance as a pony with a terminal illness on their death bed in the hospital days before they croaked. As horrible as it might be to think about, it was fitting, given that the house was meant to accommodate a loving, healthy family, but it instead housed nopony and likely nothing to evidence a happy existence on the inside, a broken, shattered home overflowing with a bitter, sad, depressing river of misery.

The windows were all dirty and had the properties of frosted glass from the build up of grime, dust and dirt through the time the home had been abandoned for. The shutters around some of the windows were battered and the wood was chipped and splintered, likely from a powerful wind storm or a downpour, eaten by the elements. The front porch, after a pair of small steps that lead to the front door, had a little sitting area, a two-pony hammock supported by a wooden frame gently swaying in the afternoon wind, the red-coloured cushion tied down to it filthy and torn in places, a consequence of dampness and improper care.

When Rainbow Dash and Twilight saw the house, they felt an air of sadness surround them, as if it opened up a vortex into a world of bleak despair and hardship, like the area was tainted with the events that happened here leading up to Scootaloo’s parents abandoning her. It was as if Mother Nature had witnessed and preserved the emotional torment, storing it forever in its memory bank.

Of course, there had to be a reason for her parents leaving her, seeing as it was uncanny how any parent would leave their child without reason behind it, but, at this point, no matter how important it might be, Rainbow Dash wished that it wasn’t something criminal, or worse. If that was the case, and they did anything, anything to their little girl, Dash was going to throttle them and beat the living Tartarus out of them. She was going to make them sorry they were ever born.

The pair shared a look, and Twilight didn’t say anything, but she read Rainbow’s thoughts behind her eyes. She knew she was uneasy about being here, feeling more like a trespasser than a friend and worried sister. What was she hoping for once she steps through that door and finds Scootaloo, anyway? Forgiveness? That she’d come running into her betraying, deceiving hooves like nothing had happened? No, that little filly had every right to be angry at her, and Dash had no right to ask her to come back.

Be that as it may, Rainbow still had the right to care about her, and she didn’t see it only as her responsibility to look out for the young girl, but rather as her duty. After all, she did make an oath to watch over her and take her under her wing that night when they went camping and she saved her from drowning in the rapids.

If there was any reason to be here, whether or not she reserved the right, it was to remain true to her oath, and she had no intentions of stepping down. That girl needed her, but Rainbow Dash needed her more.

Approaching the front door of the house, Rainbow came to a stop in front of the front door. It, like the rest of the house, was weathered and beaten, the paint chipped and flaking away, peeling off in patches. Rainbow’s magenta eyes took notice of a door mat in front of her hooves. Welcome!, it read.

I hope that still applies to me, Rainbow Dash thought inwardly, feeling uncomfortable.

Raising one of her hooves to try the door handle, which had rusted over, Twilight’s hoof quickly reach up to stop her. Confused, Dash tilted her head and saw that Twilight was giving her a hard expression.

‘’Dash, wait!’’ She began. ‘’Before we go in, I need you to promise me something.’’

‘’Can’t it wait?’’ Rainbow said impatiently with a roll of her eyes before motioning to the door with a nod of her head. ‘’The longer we leave her, the more she’ll be alone!’’

‘’I know, but hear me out. Please?’’ Twilight asked pleadingly, and Dash gave a sigh.

‘’Ugh, fiiiiiine.’’

‘’Good. Look, I know that you want to patch things up with Scootaloo, but, if she’s in there, do you promise not to try and force her to come back with us? She’s shaken enough already,’’ The lavender unicorn spoke delicately, not wanting to ruffle her friend’s feathers further, but the cyan mare in front of her scoffed, offended.

‘’What are you talking about? Force her?! What in the hay’s wrong with you, Twilight?’’ Dash said, pushing the other mare’s hoof down with a light shove.

‘’All I’m saying is that you have a tendency to be bull-headed and careless at times when it’s not necessary,’’ Twilight said truthfully, knowing the rainbow mare well enough by this point in time to understand her line of reasoning.

‘’You sound exactly like Applejack, you know that?’’ Rainbow scoffed, annoyed and insulted.

‘’Look, just don’t do anything to drive her away any further, otherwise, you might never get another chance to make things right. Do you promise you’ll keep a level head?’’

‘’Oh, for…fine. I promise, Twilight,’’ Dash agreed reluctantly.

‘’Good. You know that I’m always going to be here to back help you if you need me, so don’t do anything you’ll regret later,’’ She used her magic to push down the door handle, and, to her surprise, it was unlocked. On any other day, that would be a bad sign, but, in this instance, it was a good sign, meaning that somepony had entered here recently.

Rainbow Dash followed suit behind Twilight and shut the door behind them, entering what was the main hall to the home. There was a short corridor in front of them, a set of stairs at the end, leading to the second floor of the building. A pair of open archways lead into the other sections of the house, the left one into the living room and the right one into the lounge. As far as Twilight was able to tell, it looped around, presumably, through the kitchen, which was at the back, and through to the lounge.

The first thing that both of the mares noticed was that there was no electricity. It was expected, considering that nopony has set hoof in the home for a little over two years. Dust particles drifted around in the air, musty and tickling the inside of the mare’s muzzles. The entire house reeked of it, and there was another scent that was masked slightly by it, but it was still detectable, like a dampness or wood rot.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash glanced around their surroundings, trying to find anything of significance, anything to tell them that they weren’t alone in here, holding hope that there was a trail leading to Scootaloo’s whereabouts.

‘’We should split up,’’ Rainbow Dash said. ‘’One of us should take the downstairs while the other takes the upstairs,’’ She suggested, thinking strategically. Every second counts, and getting things moved along quicker and more efficiently was paramount.

‘’Alright,’’ Twilight said, for once seeming to like Dash’s way of thinking. ‘’And remember what I said earlier,’’ She said, her tone warning, but Dash waved a dismissive hoof at her and blew a silent raspberry.
‘’Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time; no getting ahead of myself and forcing Scootaloo to come back with us, yada-yada…’’ She said, and she slowly made for the stairs.

Rainbow Dash, before heading up the stairs, stopped briefly to glance back at her wings. As before, under her ‘doctor’s orders’ from Fluttershy, she was told not to use her wings until they could have the chance to regenerate fully.

Zecora’s medicinal healing cream had accelerated the healing process at a tremendous rate, and, although her wings were back to their former glory, she was still advised to wait a little longer. But, naturally, forced to remain hooves-on-ground was driving the mare crazy. After all, it wasn’t like her wings were hurting anymore, was it?

Rainbow Dash unfurled her wings slowly and carefully, giving them a few test flaps and flexes, making sure that everything was up to par with her usual standards. She felt no twinge of pain or a pull along her muscles, meaning that the swelling had vanished entirely, but she had not yet tested their power to make sure they were capable of supporting her weight.

Alright, wings, don’t fail me now! No matter what Shyster says, I’ve got to fly!

And that’s what she did; as always, Dash lightly flapped her wings and effortlessly managed to hover off of the ground, her years of experience and constant workout regime making it an effortless feat. She thankfully still didn’t feel or notice any pulls, swelling, sore sensations or sprains in her wings, and she smiled to herself.

Ha, Fluttershy, you beautiful mare, I’m back in the game thanks to you! I swear, when I see her again, I might just grab her by her adorable, cute cheeks and give her a smooch! Oh…d-did I just think that? Rainbow Dash blushed, but quickly shook her head and focused back on the task at hand. Hey, that’s twice you’ve let your mind slip! Oh, this line of thought’s driving me crazy…

Quickly vanquishing her thoughts from taking over once more, Rainbow Dash hovered her way gingerly up the stairs. Her wings were a little stiff and out of commission for not being used as often as normal, but she made it up with ease, coming to a landing that opened into another corridor.

This corridor was long and dark, the walls decorated with colourful wallpaper, depicting of clouds and sunshine against a blue sky. It was the type of decor expected of those native to Cloudsdale, and, despite actually living high up in a city made entirely of clouds, Pegasi typically decided to deck out their homes with sky-themed decorations, furniture and culture. As some natives put it, ‘’Sky life is the best life’’.

There were three doors in this corridor - two on the left and right sides, presumed to be bedrooms, and one at the very end, likely to be a bathroom. One of said rooms had to be Scootaloo’s room, and she had to be there.

Surprisingly, pictures, as were expected in any other household, were not framed and hung against the walls. Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure what to expect, but she at least thought that there would be at least one framed family photo, but she was sadly mistaken. In some sense, it bit into her heart so bitterly and harshly that it made her feel winded. Winded and angry.

Rainbow Dash walked slowly and nimbly through the corridor, doing her best to ignore the musty scent wafting up her nose with little persistence. It was surprising how strong and thick it seemed, almost as thick to make her think that a pony was ghosting her and swatting it directly into her face. And, oh, Celestia, did it stink! Rainbow wasn’t sure how to place the smell or how to describe it, but she’d have to go with damp decay. The smell associated with rot and grime.

Rainbow frowned when she glanced around at all of the doors, pondering to herself which one to try first. All she wanted to do was waste as little time as possible and find her little sister before nightfall, because, this time around, she knew that Scootaloo wouldn’t be seeking refuge inside of the clubhouse. If she’s not here or in the town, then it’s a dead end street with no alternative route.

Man, which one of these is Scoots’ room? Better yet, which one is her parent’s room? If I don’t find Scootaloo, then I might be able to find something about her parents while I’m here…
Rainbow Dash turned towards the door on the left and placed her hoof to the handle, mentally preparing herself and drawing in a heavy, long breath before exhaling through her nostrils. Door Number One, she was going to reveal the prize on the other side.

After pushing the handle and opening it, Rainbow Dash peeked her head in and tried to scout out the contents of Door Number One. There was a small window that allowed warm, gold-coloured afternoon light spill into the room to illuminate it, but Rainbow Dash frowned upon realising that all Door Number One opened up to was a small bathroom.

Dang it! Maybe the other door will turn up something good?

Turning to face the door on the right, Dash opened it and peered inside, sticking her head in. This room was large in size and it was fully illuminated by the sun breaking in through a pair of large windows at the back of the room.

There was a large double bed pressed up against the wall to the right, the bedsheets un-made and messy, like the ponies sleeping in it hadn’t bothered to take care of it. It quickly became apparent from the presence of the double bed that this room belonged to Scootaloo’s parents.

The bed wasn’t the only thing that was unkempt, the entire room was filthy! Both old and new bedsheets rested on the floor to the left by a dresser, tossed carelessly into a pile, and the dresser they were next to had its drawers yanked out forcefully, all of them left hanging on their sliders with their cavities empty. There was also a glimmer on the carpet, something shiny and large, reflected by the sun’s bright rays.

When Dash fully entered the room, she soon came to understand that it was shards of glass producing the glare from the sun. When she looked up above the dresser, there was an oval mirror, large in scale and hung against the beige wall, and it appeared to be shattered. Roughly half of the entire mirror had been hit hard by something solid with brute force, and, when Rainbow Dash looked at the mirror’s remnants littered all over the wooden floor, another item caught her eye.

Curious, Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes and kneeled down to pick it up and inspect it, finding it to be a piece of paper that had previously been pinned up against the mirror before it was broken. When her eyes adjusted to witness what it was, she felt her heart sink, her innards deflating. It was a photograph. Specifically, a photograph of Scootaloo’s parents.

At first glance, her parents appeared to be regular, friendly and loving ponies. The resemblance was crystal clear between the both of them and their offspring, Scootaloo’s father’s coat being a sunset orange colour, his mane and tale being a scruffy, purple colour while his eyes were a vibrant blue. The mother was no different, sharing the exact same facial structure as her daughter, so smoothly curved and prompt. Her coat was a dark royal purple in colour while her mane and tail were ice white with two-tone purple and pink highlights, and her eyes were a frosty blue in colour.

They both appeared to be an ordinary, simple and family-oriented couple, presumably a husband and wife, but there were no further pictures to confirm their marital status. Rainbow Dash expected to see Scootaloo in the picture, but she wasn’t present. What kind of parents don’t even have a single picture of their only daughter?

So, these are the two sorry, heartless excuses of parents that abandoned my little sister, huh? Well, somepony better have some answers, and they better be good answers, too! I’d love to hear what these two worthless daughter-abandoning losers have to say for themselves when I get my hooves on them! They won’t be so cruel when I’ve got my hooves wrapped around their throats!

Taking the photo, Rainbow Dash folded it up and she proceeded to tuck it underneath her wing, as she did with the diary, and she continued looking around for answers. All the while, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but allow her thoughts to drift off, wondering what in the name of Celestia happened here.

The mirror’s been broken by something or someone AND the entire bedroom looks like it’s been ransacked, OR somepony was in a hurry to get out. Nothing makes any sense here, and all I have is a photo of Scootaloo’s mum and dad, but there’s nothing here to tell me where they went or why they left in the first place. Maybe Twilight will—

‘’Rainbow!’’

‘’GAH!’’ Rainbow Dash gave a girly squeak of surprise, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest as she practically threw herself around on the spot to face Twilight. In the middle of her panic attack, Rainbow’s ribs were aching from how harshly her heart was pumping and thumping away behind it, and she glared at Twilight angrily. ‘’Celestia’s sake, Twi, you nearly gave me a flippin’ heart attack!’’

‘’Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, Dashie,’’ She said apologetically, albeit, with a hint of amusement in her voice. ‘’Oh, my, what happened here?’’ Twilight asked, suddenly taking in the sight of the defiled, ransacked bedroom. ‘’It looks like a stampede ran through here!’’

‘’I’m not sure, but something tells me that somepony left in a hurry,’’ Rainbow surmised. ‘’Any luck finding Scoots downstairs?’’ She asked hopefully, but Twilight shook her head regretfully.

‘’No, nothing. The entire house appears to be empty, actually. I think that her parents must have taken most everything with them when they left, like they moved towns,’’ Twilight said, trying to think logically.

‘’Well, we can investigate further after we find Scootaloo, Twilight. Right now, she needs to be our top priority!’’ Rainbow Dash said, exiting the room with the purple unicorn in tow. ‘’There’s one last room to try out before we call it quits. Come on!’’ She said, heading forward towards the door, knowing that, if Scootaloo was in this house, this is where she’d be. This had to be her bedroom, and if she turned out to be absent, then it was almost certainly game over.

Before Rainbow Dash was able to bring herself to push down on the handle to open the door, she stopped for a moment as her ear twitched, picking up on something on the other side. She paused briefly, tuning her hearing into it to pick up on it again, to make sure that she did hear the noise, and, when she remained silent, she heard it again.

Somepony was on the other side of this door. And they were crying.

Rainbow Dash recognised the sound as sniffling, and it sounded like it was coming from a young foal. It was then that she picked up on it as being Scootaloo! She would recognise that filly’s crying anywhere!

‘’Y-Yo-You’re such a d-dodo,’’ Scootaloo sniffled between words, as if she had been crying heavily for the worse part of an hour, her voice haggard and sore-sounding. ‘’R-Rainbow Dash doesn’t l-love me any-anymore! It’s y-your own fa-fault for being s-so stupid!’’

Rainbow Dash’s heart throbbed at her words, and it made her eyes water. Never in her life has she ever heard such words of sorrow and heartache come out of such a young filly’s mouth. She especially never expected to hear them straight from young Scootaloo’s own breath.

‘’Y-You’re all a-alone again. F-First Mum and Dad l-left and now D-Dash has left. You’re a-all alone ag-again,’’ Scootaloo gave a heavy, racked sob and Rainbow heard her shuffle around on the other side of the door. ‘’Both Rainbow and Fluttershy lied to me! T-They lied to me! I tr-trusted them, and t-they’ve be-been lying to me this whole time!’’ Scootaloo bawled, her words stained with hurt and pain. Betrayal dripped from her words so coldly that it hurt Rainbow’s heart.

From beside her, Twilight touched a hoof against Rainbow Dash’s shoulder in a supportive gesture. A single tear began to roll down Dash’s face, hanging on for a moment on her cheek before dripping down onto the floor. Twilight gave her a sympathetic frown, her own heart going out to the little filly.

‘’Oh, Rainbow Dash…’’ She cooed gently, noticing how heavily Scootaloo’s words were pummelling her left and right.

‘’S-She hates me,’’ Rainbow breathed in a hollow voice. ‘’She hates me, Twi!’’ She repeated, swallowing hard and hanging her head, at a loss for words or ideas. ‘’Wh-What do I say to her? What do I do?’’

‘’I can’t help you there, Rainbow Dash. But I’d start by gently letting her know that you’re sorry. I know it seems like she hates you, but I know how much she means to you and how much you mean to her, so I’m positive that she’ll listen to you,’’ Twilight said as reassuringly as she could, hoping that it’d settle Rainbow’s pesky nerves.

‘’But what if she doesn’t? What am I supposed to do then?’’ Rainbow persisted, becoming anxious.

‘’Rainbow,’’ Twilight was firm. ‘’Tell her that you’re sorry. Just go in there and tell her that you’re sorry for what you did and she’ll forgive you. I promise that you’ll see that I’m right.’’

‘’And if you’re not?’’ Rainbow said briskly, not believing the unicorn.

‘’Don’t worry, I won’t be,’’ Twilight continued to say confidently, and it irked Rainbow Dash to the core. She didn’t like being poked and prodded by Twilight’s big words and her almost criminally accurate hunches and statistics. Regardless, Rainbow Dash bit her lower lip and she caved in begrudgingly, sighing and reaching up a hoof to the door’s handle.

‘’By the way,’’ Dash said, momentarily turning back to face Twilight with stoney eyes. ‘’If you’re wrong, you’re going to be picking up the pieces later.’’ With that, Rainbow slowly and quietly opened the door to the bedroom and entered.

Scootaloo’s bedroom wasn’t big or small, but of a medium size, big enough for about two small ponies, and the first thing that Dash noticed was that she was curled up on a small bed, facing away from her. She hadn’t heard her enter.

The room, needless to say, was barren. There were hardly any decorations present, not even any personal artefacts. All that she had was a rickety, old wooden desk to study at that was pushed up to the wall at the far left of the room, a single Wonderbolts poster pinned to the wall in front of the doorway and an open closet that was spilling out with scooter parts and tools to tinker with. She literally had nothing else, not even any games or books to keep her entertained.

Jeez, has her room always been this bare? Rainbow thought to herself, appalled. Her parents didn’t even give her any luxuries or any form of entertainment whatsoever? What kind of ponies are they?!

Scootaloo still hadn’t heard her enter. She was facing the wall on top of her old, musty bedsheets in the fetal position, curled into an orange-coloured ball with messy, unkempt hair, her small purple tail wrapped around her flanks. Even from where Rainbow was standing, watching her sympathetically, wanting nothing more than to console her, she could feel the coldness radiating off of her small body.
Rainbow Dash felt useless and saddened by seeing the girl like this. She couldn’t take it anymore, so she very slowly and quietly stepped lightly towards the old oak-framed bed on which Scootaloo was curled up on. The floorboards of the room creaked and groaned, but the girl’s sniffling and crying drowned out the noise.

Reaching the end of the bed, Rainbow Dash did like she had done so many times whenever Scootaloo was experiencing night terrors, horrific flashbacks of her home life, reliving the abuse she had been forced to endure for years, and she climbed next to her. She knew that she was more than likely caught in the act with her added weight on the mattress, but Scootaloo didn’t budge.

Scootaloo wasn’t crying so harshly anymore, her tears reduced to dribbles and small bell-bottomed remnants that were slowing down to a crawling halt. She sensed the presence of another pony, and she tensed up, flinching noticeably, as Rainbow Dash gently touched a hoof against her back from where she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

She began to lightly stroke the filly, trying to let her know that she was here for her, that she wasn’t going to leave. Rather than acting like a supportive sister, Rainbow Dash had to act in the way a mother might, which was a tad difficult for her as a pony, seeing as that was Fluttershy’s expertise, but that was what Scootaloo needed now. Dash may not be a parent, but, if she wanted to do this right, then she was going to have to try and be responsible and, as Twilight put it, ‘not bull-headed’.

‘’W-What do you want?’’ Scootaloo asked numbly, clearly not wanting for Rainbow Dash to be here. Her voice was dry and cracked from her constant sobbing.

‘’I…we were worried about you,’’ Rainbow Dash said as she continued to lightly comfort the filly by massaging her back and shoulder. Scootaloo sniffled once more and she half-turned herself over so that she could face Rainbow directly, and Dash noticed how red, puffy and bloodshot her eyes were.

‘’How did you know I was here?’’ She wiped her eyes.

‘’Miss Cheerilee said that your parents lived here. Everypony else went out looking around town for you, too, squirt. You really scared us, but…listen, I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry, Scoots. I never meant for this to happen. Can…Can you forgive me?’’ Dash asked hopefully, doing her best to remain composed, but, deep down, she really wanted to do nothing else but snatch up the little filly in her hooves and hold her tight.

Scootaloo didn’t breathe a word. She turned herself fully around atop her sheets, lazily facing the rainbow-maned mare in front of her and she pulled up her legs from under her as she allowed herself to plop onto her haunches. Her face was written with hurt and pain, sadness and distrust, and it glowed clearly behind her amethyst eyes that she was having a hard time accepting the apology.

‘’N-No,’’ Scootaloo said slowly, wiping the side of her nose, which had become runny. Her eyes narrowed slightly at Dash, annoyed that she could still possess the audacity to ask for forgiveness after what she did. ‘’No, I can’t!’’ She repeated, anger once again arising on her face. ‘’Not after what you did!’’

Alright, Rainbow Dash, keep it cool, keep. It. Cool. Remember what Twilight said…

‘’Scootaloo, please…’’ Dash began, only to be cut off by Scootaloo slapping her hoof away. Dash was surprised by how forceful the strike was, and it actually hurt. She retracting her hoof, snapping it back to her body and rubbing it, taken aback.

‘’For all these years, I’ve done nothing but look up to you, Rainbow Dash! I looked up to you because I wanted to be exactly like you one day. I wanted to be you because you aren’t afraid of anything and you don’t give up, and all I ever wanted was to be accepted by you, but…but then I realised that I couldn’t trust you,’’ Scootaloo said that last part in a deflated tone, her ears drooping. ‘’Out of all of the ponies I’ve met, you, the cool, daring and loyal Rainbow Dash, failed me!’’ Rainbow Dash flinched at that. ‘’You turned your back on me like my mum and dad did! You stopped being loyal to me, and you betrayed me!’’

Scootaloo’s small hooves pushed hard into Dash’s stomach as she said those last three words, shoving her her away from her, tears once more breaking free from her eyes. She was angry, peeved, even. She was an orange-coloured ball of pure fury, and Rainbow Dash couldn’t expect no less from her, mainly because she knew that she had every right to be furious. She held the orange filly’s hooves and gently held them, trying to defuse her and cool her down.

‘’I know, Scoots, I know, and I’m so sorry about what I did. You have every right to hate me,’’ Rainbow Dash said guiltily. ‘’And I don’t expect you to forgive me. But you still deserve to know that I’m sorry, and I’ll always love you, Scootaloo,’’ Rainbow Dash’s guard was let down as she spoke those last words, and she never expected herself to cry, but she did.

Scootaloo, of course, was caught off guard by seeing this. She had never once witnessed Rainbow Dash cry, and, oddly enough, she found herself feeling sorry for the mare. Sure, her anger was still soaring sky high, but her head was cooled slightly once she saw how truly sorry her idol and mentor was for her actions.

Jeez, I made Rainbow Dash cry, Scootaloo thought to herself. I can’t believe that I actually made her, the tough and confident Rainbow Dash, cry! And it feels…strangely good. But…after all she’s done for me, all I want is for her to stop crying. If it weren’t for her and Fluttershy, I wouldn’t have a home to go back to, and Rainbow Dash did apologise, so maybe she truly is sorry that she stole my diary.

Scootaloo pouted as she watched the mare’s face become awash with tears, her eyes now flowing, much like hers had done earlier. She still hated her guts for invading her privacy, but this was still the same mare that very honestly saved her life and took her in, made her feel wanted and loved. She wanted her to sorry and be sincerely apologetic, but she never wanted her to cry like this!

Oh, Rainbow Dash, please stop! Stop crying, please! I never wanted to hurt you this badly! Please, I’m sorry! Scootaloo pleaded in the back of her mind. Please, big sister, I’m sorry!

‘’Rain-Rainbow Dash! Please, stop!’’ Scootaloo begged, reaching out her hooves and wrapping them around Dash’s barrel, pulling herself against her body in a hug. ‘’Stop crying, Rainbow Dash! Please, I forgive you!’’

But Rainbow Dash didn’t stop. She kept going and going, her heart aching fiercely and weighing heavily inside of her chest, an anchor full of pent-up stress and strain, yearning for release. Shortly after Fluttershy had given her that massage, her reset button had been pressed, but, shortly after, with her ongoing discoveries of Scootaloo’s parents, the released tension had built up yet again. It was starting to push through Dash’s tough exterior more often, and Scootaloo could see it for all it was: agony.

‘’Rainbow Dash…’’ Scootaloo cooed softly, hugging the mare’s chest closely, snuggling her cheek into her breast. ‘’I’m sorry,’’ She said, starting to feel herself cry again.

‘’N-No, you’re r-right, Scoots, I did fail you,’’ Rainbow Dash said, feeling herself calm down enough to speak. She held her hooves against the filly’s shoulders and she pushed her away from her chest so that she could directly look her in the eye. ‘’I shouldn’t have taken your diary, but I only did it to find out what was going on with your parents. You know I’d never go behind your back like that to hurt you, right?’’

‘’Y-Yeah, I know,’’ Scootaloo said. She even smiled faintly.

‘’And don’t be mad at Fluttershy, either, kid. She never read anything, so it’s not her fault. I only let her in on it to see if she could help you, and I promise that I’ll give you back your diary as soon as we get back to Fluttershy’s cottage,’’ Rainbow Dash said, ruffling Scootaloo’s mane, prompting her to giggle. ‘’And besides, we never did finish rapping up your surprise party, did we? And there’s still a little something that me and Fluttershy threw together to give you, too,’’ Dash said, playfully smirking at the filly, seeing her eyes light up.

‘’Wait, really?!’’ She asked, genuinely surprised by this news.

‘’You betcha,’’ Rainbow Dash chortled. ‘’We were going to give it to you after the party ended, but…’’ She rolled a hoof in the air, indicating the unfortunate situation.

‘’Hey, Dash? Listen, I’m sorry I yelled at you and Fluttershy earlier. I just…lose control of myself when I get angry sometimes,’’ Scootaloo said with a blush of embarrassment.

Heh, like somepony else I know.

‘’Aw, come here, squirt,’’ Rainbow Dash scooped up the filly and gave her a tight, comforting embrace. She held her close and snuggled her cheek into hers, wrapping her wings around her and massaging her back gently. She had wanted to hold her like this since the moment she walked in and witnessed her curled up in a crying, sobbing mess on her bed, and now she was finally able to do it.

It was an odd sensation to Dash, but there was a feeling brewing up deep inside of her chest that felt warm and cheerful, something that she’d never experienced before. It was connected to the little orange-furred filly currently being held in her own hooves, the joy it brought her to embrace her. She never considered herself to be anything more than a sister to the filly, but a sister wasn’t exactly what she required in this period of her life. What Scootaloo so desperately need in her life was a loving mummy and daddy, two ponies to be there for her and to help her when she grows up and discovers new things both about the world and about herself.

Rainbow Dash felt embarrassed about it, but she couldn’t deny that she’d love for Scootaloo to be her daughter. Although they may not share the same blood, they were both undeniably alike in many aspects, and that was one of the routes in their solid connection. It was similar to Twilight’s relationship to Spike, a somewhat motherly bond, seeing as she was the one that raised him as her own and encouraged him to learn and experience new things.

This is actually kinda nice, to be honest, Dash though. I know that I might have upset her more than I intended, but I can’t help but feel lucky to have such a sweet girl in my life. I’m no mother, but I can at least try to be one for her, right? It’s not like her no-good parents are around to object, is it? Even if they were, what would they care? They didn’t care enough to stay, so what does it matter, anyway?

Rainbow Dash’s brain seized.

Oh, Celestia! That’s it! I’ve got an idea! But who do I tell about it? Fluttershy? Maybe. What about Twilight? Hmm, no, actually, I think Twilight will likely pull another one of her ‘grand lectures’ and bore me half to death with her plans and big words and yada-yada…

Speaking of Twilight, Rainbow Dash glanced towards the door that she had entered through, seeing that it was open slightly ajar. Twilight’s dark purple eye was poking through, only just visible enough to view the two ponies hugging on the bed. She had a sweet, proud smile on her face, and, if Dash wasn’t hallucinating, she could have sworn that she saw Twilight’s eyes shimmering with tears. She had witnessed the entire scene play out and was moved by it, but, rather than be embarrassed by allowing the unicorn see her soft side, Rainbow Dash simply smiled back and mouthed, ‘’Thank you.’’.

Twilight Sparkle gave the cyan mare a nod and her horn began to light up, and, like that, she disappeared in a burst of purple-coloured magic light, presumably teleporting back to the farms to tell everypony that they’ve found Scootaloo. If anything, Rainbow Dash was glad that it was her that had found her first.

The others are probably waiting for us, but they can wait. I think I’ll just stay here with Scootaloo for a little bit longer. We can always catch up on what we missed, anyway. What’s another five minutes gonna do? Rainbow Dash glanced down to the smiling filly in her hooves and cocooned by her large wings. I wonder if Fluttershy will agree with my idea. Knowing her, she’ll worry and try to talk me out of it, but I have to try, don’t I? I’m sure she’ll understand, but I can’t do this alone if she’s not in. I hope she feels the same way about this.

*** *** ***

Back at Fluttershy’s cottage, the second that Rainbow Dash headed through the front door with Scootaloo, Fluttershy was already rushing up to them, her eyes full of concern and worry.

‘’Oh, thank goodness, you’re back!’’ She said, hugging Rainbow Dash firmly around the neck. ‘’I was so worried!’’

‘’Hey, hey, shh,’’ Rainbow Dash quickly hushed her, motioning to the little filly sleeping on her back, her little forehooves dangling down the sides as she was laid snoozing between Rainbow’s wings. ‘’Come on, let’s go upstairs, we’ll talk about what happened,’’ Dash said, and Fluttershy gently took ahold of the sleeping filly from Dash’s back and held her in her hooves, hovering off of the ground.

The two mares headed up the stairs and into the spare bedroom which had become Scootaloo’s room, and they had tucked the little filly underneath the covers. When Rainbow Dash watched Fluttershy put the filly to bed, she was standing in the doorway, noticing a warmth arise in her chest again. Fluttershy was so motherly and tender when it came to her animals and her day job, and she was no different with children.

Besides, it wasn’t only watching her put Scootaloo to bed that brought a warmth to her chest. Rainbow Dash’s cheeks burned brightly as her eyes caught Fluttershy’s posterior while she was leaning down to kiss Scootaloo’s forehead to say goodnight. Rainbow admired her sleek curves and her trim figure, and she couldn’t help herself!

No, stop it, you naughty mare! Rainbow chastised herself. Stop looking! We’ve talked about this! Yes, Fluttershy is a very pretty mare, we know! Quit staring before you get caught, stupid!

Rainbow Dash shook her head and quickly looked away, shooing her blush from her cheeks. It was all in good time, too, for Fluttershy was about to turn around to face her, and she didn’t have an excuse ready on deck to use, so she considered herself lucky. Fluttershy, however, did notice that something was off by the sheepish expression on the other mare’s face.

‘’Dashie? Is something wrong?’’ She asked, raising a brow, and Dash knew how awkward she must have looked. Her lips were caught somewhere between an awkward, crooked smile and a grin, and she assumed she appeared indecisive on whether or not to smile or laugh.

‘’N-Nothin’,’’ She eventually said, quickly recomposing herself. ‘’So, um, anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah! I…I wanted to ask you something! That’s it!’’ Rainbow said, feeling sweat begin to form on her forehead.

‘’Oh?’’ Fluttershy said, and it was unclear if she had caught on or if she was pretending to not notice. ‘’What’s on your mind?’’

‘’Um, actually, can we go inside your room? I don’t want to wake the kid up,’’ She said, pointing her hoof in the air to motion towards Scootaloo’s form beneath the covers.

‘’Of course, Dashie,’’ Fluttershy said, heading out of the room and into her own bedroom. Before Rainbow Dash left Scootaloo’s room, she went towards her bedside and she lightly caressed her mane before she leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

‘’Sleep tight, kid,’’ She whispered into her ear. The little filly’s lips curled into a relaxed, happy smile at her words. On her way out of the bedroom, Rainbow Dash turned off the light and gently shut the door behind her. That kid deserves a rest for once.

In Fluttershy’s bedroom, Rainbow Dash entered to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting patiently for her to join her. Rainbow’s pesky brain once again triggered a secondary line of thought and provoked her by thinking how adorable Fluttershy looked, her long, brilliantly silky pink mane draped down the sides of her cute, beautiful cheeks and muzzle.

Thankfully, Fluttershy didn’t take notice of the glimmer of desire behind Rainbow’s eyes, and Dash found herself biting the inside of her cheek as she once again scolded herself for letting her improper thoughts take over. Before they had the chance to invade her brain once again, she took a seat beside Fluttershy and gave her a curious but cautious look.

‘’You…you’re making that face again, Rainbow…’’ Fluttershy pointed out, and the other mare frowned.

‘’Huh? Oh!’’ She straightened herself out, feverishly rubbing her hooves over her face and ruffling up her mane and fur on her face. No matter how hard she might have scrubbed at her face, the awkwardness would never be scraped away. ‘’Nevermind that! I have something else to talk about!’’ She said, and she unfurled one of her wings and plucked out the photograph she had found earlier.

‘’What’s this?’’
‘’That’s Scootaloo’s parents,’’ Dash explained. ‘’I found it on their bedroom floor, and it looks like they left in a hurry, too! That house was a complete and total mess!’’

‘’Oh, dear, that sounds terrible!’’ Fluttershy said with a frown. ‘’So, what happened?’’

‘’I’ll tell you later, Shyster. Right now, I have something really important that I need to ask you. About Scootaloo.’’

‘’I’m listening,’’ Fluttershy said patiently. Rainbow Dash leaned over and she held her hooves, preparing herself for what she was about to propose. The butter mare in front of her gave her a curious, attentive expression, her beautiful, warm turquoise pools eagerly waiting to hear what she had to say.

Man, I love her eyes. It’s hard to not get yourself lost in them sometimes. No wonder she became a model and Rarity didn’t. The girl’s got the goods, for sure!

‘’Fluttershy, I know this is going to be a long shot, but here’s what I was thinking…’’

Author's Note:

Was it what you were expecting?

Comments

[Blast]

Fluttershy says "reckon"? I'd expect Applejack to say that!

[superfun]

9842541
That actually explains quite a bit.

Though I feel like you should either add an AU tag or at least edit the description to indicate that it's ignoring everything past part of season 3, since there are some things that just aren't reconcilable with the continuity from that point on. (And that's besides the whole Twilicorn thing)

[Noctis Prism]

Awesome!

[Ribe_FireRain]

9858259

When this story was first written, just about everybody was doing this whole concept of Scootaloo's parents, so nobody knew who they were, what happened to them or what they did for a living, or if they were even alive. The only downside to completing this story at the moment is that the show's progressed to the point where we've met her parents, as you mentioned, but it's not canon in that respect, so I doubt having an AU tag would be necessary.

Besides, I prefer how the show was prior to Twilight becoming a princess (against her will, mind you) and when we met characters like Cheese Sandwich, Starlight, Tirek, Grogar, Cosy Glow, etc. Everything had a warmer and fuller feel about it back then through my eyes and mind, so I'd like to see this story as following from that time.

[Fluttershyisacutegal]

*fake coughs* romance sparking *clears throat* man that froggy really likes coming to me