The guilt of a guardian
Rainbow arrived at the door of the small household, her anger stirring as the horrific memory of Scootaloo, unconscious from the barrage of biting rain bombarding her little body, tormented her. It plagued her mind, destroying any logic and reasoning that remained within her that would’ve even considered forgiving the filly’s parents for their neglect. She bashed the door with a raging power that had long since possessed her, taking over her will and turning her into the same wrenching, anger endorsed fiend that she ironically feared the parents themselves would be. Though a faint, weak and innocent voice, sounding so similar to how Scootaloo had spoken when she woke, remained in her deepest subconscious. It begged for her sister to see reason, to not destroy the trust they had built, by acting so irrational. Rainbow tried her hardest to listen to this voice, not wanting to hurt the same filly she had sworn to protect. All just because of her own foalish temper. Though she didn’t know weather or not she could keep the voice prevalent in her mind, with the angry haze that had built up making it sound so faint in her mind.
Mere moments passed before Rainbow was greeted by Electric Breeze, who looked destroyed from the day, her mane a frenzy and her eyes gazing in separate direction.
“Whaaaaaaaat!? Whose callin’ at this hou… Oh. It’s you Rainbow Dash. What brings you ‘round this…”
Rainbow swiftly placed her hoof on Electric’s mouth, cancelling her utterance. She diverted her eyes from the yellow mare, knowing that she was not yet ready to gaze into the mare’s soul without unleashing her passionate rage and ruining any chance she may’ve had of seeing her sister again!
“Do you… Have ANY idea… What you’ve done!?”
“Uuummm, Miss Dash, what’re you talking about? Nothing’s wrong here.”
“You mean you have… Sacred Celestia! What are you doing!? First there was forgetting she wasn’t home yesterday! An’ now this. What is wrong with you!?”
“Wait, somethin’s wrong with Scootaloo?”
Rainbow finally brought herself to look at Eclectic, showing a face that put Flutershy’s famous stare to shame. Her lips firmly pushed together into an oppressive frown, and her wyes dilated so wide that angry, red veins popped from the service.
“Yeah. Something’s WRONG with Scootaloo.” Rainbow said in a sarcastic, deadpan tone, disguising her rage at Electric’s toxic naivety.
“But she’s safe in… bed.”
“Yeah, guess again. I found Scootaloo unconscious from the cold, in a field where nopony could ‘a found her. Luckily, I spotted her on my way home or else… We could’ve lost her… Ha, an’ here’s the best part. She told me that she was running away. FROM YOU! Yeah, apparently you and your mister were arguing so loud that it scared her half to Tartarus! So much so in fact, that she actually thought she’d be safer, freezing in her little club house. So, if I’m understanding this right. You two were being SO mean to each other, that you scared your own little filly, whose suppose to feel SAFE around you, so much that she ran out into one of the biggest storms of the year… Just to get away from you. An’ she ended up gettin’ so frozen from it, that her little body couldn’t take it and she blacked out… Look, Electric. I’ve been tryin’ to give you the benefit of the doubt for weeks now.”
“Emmm, how so?” Electric asked in a cowardly voice.
“Ha! You think I don’t notice when Scootaloo, the most awesome filly in Equestria! Gets all nervous whenever I even mention you guys? Yeah… I know somethin’s up with her at home. I was givin’ you guys the benefit of the doubt at first, I thought that maybe I was bein’ a little over the top, not thinkin’ straight. But in two days, you’ve not noticed that your own daughter’s not being safe at home. TWICE! An’ scared her so much that she almost got herself killed! My patience is all dried up. So, you’d better give a GREAT explanation for what’s been happenin’, and what Scootaloo’s been going through!”
Electric was noticeably in a state of shock from what Rainbow had told her, unable to comprehend that her actions had led to her own little daughter getting so gravely hurt. Guilt quickly built within her, she would never be able to forgive herself for what she had done.
“Wow… I… I can’t believe it. How could we have let this happen? How could we’ve let our own baby?... Here come on in Miss Dash, we’ll tell you what you need to know.”
“Humph! Well at least you’re sorry. But this had better be good!”
“We’ll talk in the Livingroom, I’ll get my husband. WILD… WILD. Get down here!”
Rainbow then turned to the stairs, watching a large Pegasus stallion with orange fur, identical to that of Scootaloo, slowly plodding down to the ground floor. His wings were giant and superbly brilliantly preened, juxtaposing the tiny wings of Scootaloo and Electric. He had a large neck, in addition to a bold, muscular chin that gave him a prominent masculine presence that most stallions could only dream of. He also bore a cutie mark of a grey tornado, which contrasted his orange fur. Finally, as he had almost reached the bottom of the stairs, he showed Electric a dazed and annoyed glance, his eyes half shut and his legs trembling from the weight of his tired body.
“What is it El? It’s late, get back to bed already.”
“Wild… I… we’ve… It’s Scootaloo.”
“Wait, what’s wrong with her?”
“I’ll tell ya what! I found her unconscious in a field, all because she felt safer out in the storm, than staying here, with you two arguing.”
“Wait. Who’s… Oh. You’re Rainbow Dash! A pleasure to finally meat you. But… Our little filly, did you really…”
“She did Wild. Scootaloo got so scared from our argument earlier that she snuck out just to get away from us! She ended up blacking out in a field all on her own. Luckily Rainbow here found her and she’s safe at her house now.”
“Oh… That’s. Celestia, I can’t believe we did that! Our own daughter, scared of us! That’s no way for a filly to be.”
“Yeah, an’ I’ve known for some time now that somethin’s up here, somethin’ that’s not right for Scootaloo. So, you’re gonna tell me everything Mister!
“I guess we owe ya that much Rainbow Dash, come sit down, and we’ll tell ya everything. My name’s Wild Twister by the way, an’ I know you’ve already met my wife Electric Breeze. Now get in here, you look frozen! I’ll go heat you up some warm tea, and you and El can start talkin’.”
“Well… Thank you Mister Wild… Don’t think I’ve forgiven you though!”
“I know, nothin’ could ever repay what we did to our daughter. But note that we never meant t’ hurt her.”
Wild then flashed the two mares a charming smile, attempting to soften the horrific tension that had built between the three of them. Before heading into the kitchen to boil the tea. Electric then proceeded to take Rainbow into her living room, prepared to tell her the entire truth as to what Scootaloo was going through. They both sat down on a red, leather sofa, with shelves filled with books and ornaments surrounding them. The two then looked at each other, directly in the in the eyes, and began the fateful conversation.
“Huuuuuuuuu. So, you wanna know what Scootaloo’s home life is like. Am I right?”
“Basically, I just wanna know what the filly’s goin’ through. I know somethin’ ain’t right, and she’s too awesome for me not t’ care about her. So, no lies, what’s goin’ on?”
“Okay then. You’ve probably noticed that Scootaloo’s rarely, if ever, around us in public, that’s ‘cause Wild an’ I both have jobs that demand most of our attention. We’re both weather ponies, specialising in creating the more… Shall we say, extreme weather conditions. I create lightning storms, I know how to make powerful electricity safely better than anypony I know, got my cutie mark in it when I was just a filly. Wild on the other hand makes tornados. That stallion’s so fast he could ‘a joined the Wonderbolts no problem! But he had no interest in all them aerial acrobatics tricks you guys do.
“Wait, he DIDN’T wanna join the WONDERBOLTS! Ne… Never mind, not impotent. Carry on.
“Oh yeah, he’s fast alright. But he uses that speed to create massive tornados and hurricanes. Rather than to win races. He’s a good man, real dedicated to his work, passionate about it. We’re well paid for what we do, seein’ as there are few ponies that can do it as good as we can, but is real time consuming, and absolutely exhausting! Heck, we’re often here and back to the Dragon lands every weak! Making new storm for those hooligans to hurt themselves with. But my bosses say it helps keep good relations between ponies and dragons, so we do it for the sake of Equestria. So, you can probably guess, that with all the traveling, we don’t have much time or energy for our daughter.”
“Wow, I’m sorry to here that, it’s real tough on all of ya, hu? But still, you just forget she exists at night. I don’t care how tiered you are, that’s NEVER okay!
“We… We know Rainbow Dash, and that’s our fault. There’s just so much going on in our lives most ‘a the time that we… We forget about our own daughter. Yeah, that’s no excuse! Sure, we have a lot ‘a paperwork to fill out to show which storms we created, when we made ‘em, bla bla bla. But that don’t give us the right to just ignore our own little filly. We know, we just do it… An’ we feel awful about it. We know we can’t offer her the foalhood she deserves. She’s had to mature so quickly to take care of herself, when she should be feelin’ safe and loved. Cared for. All because we can’t find the time for her!”
Rainbow suddenly felt her anger wither away, the once tiny voice in her subconscious having prevailed in helping her see the logic and reason of the situation. That whilst imperfect, Scootaloo’s parents still loved their daughter, and felt horrible for what they were forced to put her through.
“Hey… Hey, don’t say that about yourselves. You give her food shelter, and if ya didn’t love her then ya wouldn’t be feelin’ this way. I’m not gonna pretend like you’re the perfect parents, just to make ya feel better. But at the end of the day, you have well paid jobs, and give her everything she needs, and she clearly has a happy life. Not all parents can say they have happy foals. That’s somethin’ ya gotta earn, and that ya should be proud of.”
“I guess, but she deserves actual parents in her life. Ya know, ponies to teach her stuff, and tell her that the monsters in her nightmares aren’t real.”
Rainbow Dash was suddenly unnerved by Electric’s last comment, flashing back to the prior night, where she had seen Scootaloo suffering through a nightmare. Though she knew how much Electric was already torturing herself due to her parental failings. Thus, she couldn’t bring herself to address the occasion.
“Miss Dash, are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m alright. An’ I get what you’re sayin’, she is just a filly, so she does need somepony to comfort her from time to time. But you guys give her what ever ya can, so cut yourselves a little slack, alright?”
“Yeah, thanks Miss Dash.”
A moment of awkward silence stirred for a few seconds, before Wild came carefully into the room, not wishing to disturb the conversation he believed to be taking place.
“Hey there, how’s my lucky little lightning bolt doin’? Everything okay?”
“We’re good Wild.” Electric said whilst chuckling. “Rainbow knows everything now.”
“That’s great, so what…”
“Hold up a minute. There’s still one thing I don’t know about.
“Really? What I miss?”
“Well… I know it’s a little personal, but what were you two arguing over earlier. Not like its any ‘a my business, but I just wanna be able to tell Scootaloo that what ever it was isn’t important now.”
“Okay, fair enough… Well, in all honesty Rainbow Dash, we were just bein’ petty. It was late, El an’ I were both really tired from workin’ on that blasted storm all day. An’ naturally, we still had to do a tone of paper work. So, we just started bickerin’ over who had to do what. And before you know it we’d… we’d become so scary to our own daughter that she ran out into the same storm that caused all are shouting in the first place!”
“Hey, it’s… It’s okay, we made up.”
“Yeah… We did. WE’LL be fine. But Scootaloo! I’d be surprised if she could ever trust us again! Let’s face it El. We can’t give her the foalhood she deserves.”
“I know Wild. I… I know.”
The two remained silent for a moment, perfectly still, as the held each other in a tight grasp. They loved their daughter deeply, and wanted to do everything within their power to make sure that she lived the greatest life she could. Though with their pestering, demanding occupations, it had become increasingly difficult for them o spend quality time with Scootaloo. Not being able to watch her ride her scooter, not being able to have cheered and cried in delight when she had finally gotten her cutie mark, not being able to coo at how adorable she was when her little friends came over for the slumber parties she could never have. It broke their hearts. And the family only grew further apart.
“Look. You two are fine ponies. You love each other, ya love your daughter, an’ you can provide for yourselves. Sure, you ain’t perfect, nopony is. But, just ignoring what good you can do for Scootaloo, you’re only gonna hurt yourselves.
“Thanks Rainbow Dash, we’re just happy she has somepony like you in her life. You give her all the time and love she deserves, without even batting and eye. You’re a good pony Miss Dash, and what you’re doing for Scootaloo, letting her be a filly for once in her life, it really makes things easier.”
“Thanks, you guys. But really, it’s my pleasure, she’s an awesome filly. I’d better be on my way though, that same filly ‘s waitin’ back at my place, and I don’t wanna worry her.”
“Fair enough. Thanks again for letting her stay there tonight Rainbow Dash, we’d hate for her to be out in this weather, even if just for a minute, she’s too small to cope with it.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. But she’s more than welcome. We have a tone ‘a room.”
“Great… An’ Rainbow Dash… Tell her that we’re sorry, and that we love her, we never meant t’ hurt her.”
“I know, an’ I’m pretty sure she knows that too really. But don’t worry I’ll tell her. Have a nice night you two, and thanks for the tea. I’ll have Scootaloo back to ya in the mornin’.”
“Rainbow then shook Wild’s hoof, before quickly exiting the small home and beginning her accent to her own cloud home. Her experience with Scootaloo’s parents had certainly changed her stance on the issue that she thought she had finally come to understand. Scootaloo’s parents weren’t the horrific fiends she had envisioned them as, but instead, loving parents that struggled to balance their work with their family. They were good ponies, just flawed, like everypony else. She didn’t know what she could do now, only that she had to do something for Scootaloo’s family. And that her favourite little filly was likely still awake with her parents back at her home.
Stats
Page generated in 0.028 seconds
Total duration
803 users online
1,235,356 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
If Scootaloo's parents were voiced, what would they sound like?
I think I know what is happening, You trust spellcheck. Wrong it does not care if it is the correct word only if it is spelled right. Good story keep up the good work.
A pleasure to finally meat you. ?????? really think you meant [ meet]
Never mind, not impotent [important]
Dragon lands every weak! [ week ]
I don’t care how tiered you are, [ tired ]
we still had to do a tone of paper work. [ ton ]
We have a tone ‘a room [ ton ]
Thank you for the nice comment. But moreover, thank you for the constructive criticism, it's very appreciated and I will be taking your advice into account.
This may sound a tad bizarre, but I envisioned them sounding like Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty from the film: Bonnie and Clyde.
Those kinds of acts might face serious jail time for child abandonment.
8710543
My intent wasn't to frame them as the stereotypical, neglectful parents, though they are certainly neglectful. Just to show them as loving Scootaloo, but having such chaotic lives that they can't give her the foalhood she deserves. Thus, Rainbow Dash steps in.
What's that?
9328259
A glitch, that always seems to happen when I upload chapters. I must have missed it. I'll fix it now.