The Secret of a Rainbow

by Little Brave Heart

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Secret of a Rainbow

"Well, its nothing too bad. You shouldn't fly too much for at least a week." The doctor pony told Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. "A week?!" The orange peagasus squealed. She had just began flying and was beginning to practically fly everywhere, now she would have to stay grounded again. "I'm sorry Scootaloo, but it could have been worse." The blue unicorn levitated a clipboard over to himself. "Now, about your scars on your forelegs. I'm going to apply some bandages, and you'll have to come back in a week to have them taken off. Then you'll be fine, and you can fly again." "Sorry Scoot, but ya have to do what the doc says." Apple Bloom said patting her friends shoulder.

"I know, I know." Scootaloo mumbled. The doctor wrapped some white bandages around Scootaloo's forelegs. "Alright, I'll see you in a week." He said as he exited the room, the two fillies following along. The two ponies exited the building, in the direction of Rarity's boutique. "Sorry ya can't fly for a whole week Scoot." Apple Bloom said with a frown. "Oh, I think it'll be alright. I couldn't fly for years, whats another week?" Scootaloo said trying to keep her confidence, and still trying not to think of the bad memories of the Rainbow Factory, that, and Rainbow Dash. "Well, I guess your right. But sometimes ah wonder what its like to be a peagasus. If ah were one, ah think I would be like Rainbow. Fly everywhere. I remember how excited you were to start training with Dash, to finally start flying."

Scootaloo smiled at the memory. "Yeah, well, some peagasai don't even fly at all, or fly very little. Like Fluttershy." "Oh yeah. I guess. But yer not like that." Apple Bloom argued. "I'm sure I'll be fine." Scootaloo spoke in a firm tone. "Alright." The yellow filly sighed. Neither of them spoke the rest of the way to the boutique. Pretty soon a small building with a circus tent like roof. Sure enough, it was the Carousel Boutique. They both walked inside.

"Oh, Sweetie Belle!" Came the familiar voice the two fillies knew as their friends older sister, Rarity. The younger sibling was probably trying to help her older sibling with her dress making, but she always failed at doing so. Instead of running inside, as usual, they both walked in. "Scootaloo! Apple Bloom!" Squealed the filly unicorn. "Hey." They both said in a awkward unison. "You two alright? You seem a little down." Sweetie Belle said with a look of concern.

"Well, Scoot had a bad landing on her flying test, so her wing has a cut so she can't fly for another week. But she still passed!" Apple Bloom informed Sweetie Belle. But Scootaloo knew that what she was saying was a lie. "Oh, that explains why shes a little sad, and her bandages." Sweetie Belle said rolling her eyes at herself. "But its good that she passed the test, I don't know what the Cutie Mark Crusaders would be like without you, Scootaloo."

"Yeah, We need to stick together." The orange peagasus smiled. "Well, I think I should get some rest like the doctor said. No crusading for today." "Aw...." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said at the same time. "Don't worry, I'll think of ideas that will be safe." Scootaloo assured her two friends. "For once we'll be able to crusade without getting hurt." Sweetie Belle laughed. They all did and the two fillies waved good-by to their friend.

Scootaloo heaved a sigh of relief. She was happy to be away from her friends for once, she couldn't take the secret anymore, she knew she had to be alone. The peagasus walked slowly home, getting weaker by the minute. The doctor was right, she really did need rest. She eventually reached her home and limped inside. She crashed onto her cloud bed and drifted into a deep, deep sleep.

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The filly dreamed that night. It wasn't a dream though. It was a nightmare. Scootaloo dreamed that she was getting killed by Rainbow Dash, trying to escape, but couldn't. The chains seemed to be stronger in the nightmare. No matter how much she struggled, it was no use. To her avail she only found that it put scars on her forelegs. The orange peagasus was thrown into one of the vats, facing unbearable pain. It only lasted a second, but it was still horrific. In a minute it was over, and the spectrum machine pumped out bright oranges and purples. It was beautiful, if only they didn't have to kill ponies to make such spectacular spectrum.

Scootaloo awoke with a jolt, her heart pounding with fear. She held a hoof to her chest and took several deep breaths. Then she buried her head into her cloud. "No, no, no." Scootaloo spoke to no one in particular. "I can't have these nightmares. I'll never get any sleep. I'll become like Rainbow Dash! Should I tell somepony? I can't tell her friends, what will they think of her then? But almost everypony knows Rainbow Dash, it would be hard to find somepony that doesn't know her." The peagasus rolled over onto her back. "Well, no more sleep tonight. Its almost sunrise." Scootaloo got out of her bed and walked outside, smelling the fresh morning air.

"This would be a perfect day for flying." Scootaloo mused. She had no choice to fly, she had to if she wanted to get up into her cloud home. "Wait....Then wouldn't flying even the slightest bit make the wing more injured? Maybe I could stay with Apple Bloom. I do want to fly in a week, and no more than that." Scootaloo sighed. "I'm talking to my self again, am I?" The peagasus walked back inside her home and packed her belongings, then she flew down for the last time she would do in a week. By that time the sun had begun to rise on the horizon. The orange filly yawned, she wondered how Applejack could get up this early everyday. This was a good time to go to Sweet Apple Acres, the whole Apple family would be up, all except for Granny Smith and Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo walked down the dirt roads of ponyville, only a few ponies awake. The rest were sleeping. Scootaloo didn't know why, but she felt...safer here. With other ponies, the birds and the comforting sunlight. Like she was out of the darkness and into the light. She knew it would be easier to sleep on the farm, because a bunch of other ponies lived there, and the best comfort in the world would be the comfort of a friend. She kept thinking good thoughts and memories until she reached the farm.

Scootaloo spotted Applejack walking out of the barn, looking wide awake as usual. Scootaloo trotted over to her, the saddlebag on her back rattling a bit. She skidded to a halt. "Hey Applejack." The peagasus said casually. Before the farm pony could say anything, Scootaloo shoved a hoof in her mouth. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I know why your wondering about my wing and my forelegs, Its because I had a bad landing on my flying test. But that's okay, I passed it anyways." Scootaloo lifted her hoof away from Applejack's mouth. "Well, that explains it. But why are ya here on the farm? Apple Blooms still asleep." The earth pony pointed out. "Well, yeah. But I live in a cloud home, and I can't fly for another week. So, I figured I could stay with you?" The orange filly said putting on a smile. "Well, I guess. I can't let ya stay out on the streets. Go and get some rest. The guest room is next to Apple Blooms room. I gotta lot'a work ta do here on the farm."

Scootaloo nodded, and walked off the orchard to the family house. "That was easier than I expected, and Applejack's the first that didn't question me." She mumbled to herself. The filly made her way up the stairs and into the hallway, then entered the room next to Apple Blooms. She was extra careful not to wake her friend, knowing she would be right next door to her. She flopped down on the bed and pulled up the red bed sheet, and easily drifted off to sleep.