Familial bonds: part three

by Darling Dearest

The end of an era

Rainbow Dash fluttered to the ground, the soft movements of her wings matched only by the serene, peaceful rhythm of her heart.

Scootaloo leaped from her back, the connection between the two mares, which had been tested and withered over the past weeks, now stronger than it had ever been. The glowing, gleaming grin Scootaloo gave assured Rainbow of this.
Electric Breeze and Wild Twister dashed towards the two of them, each strand of their fur spiked straight up in fear. Electric was quick to embrace Scootaloo with a hug.

“Celestia, we were so worried. Scootaloo, what the hey were you!?... Never mind, I’m jus’ glad you’re safe.”

“I… I’m fine mom. I didn’t mean t…’”

“Jus’, be quite for a minute would ya!”

She tightened her embrace on Scootaloo, the weight of her past mistakes seeming to crush down upon her like a landslide.

Scootaloo gave a small grin, patting her mother on her shoulder.

“It’s alright mom… everything’s okay now.”

She leaned into Electric, gently wrapping her hooves around her neck.

Rainbow Dash kneeled down, placed her hoof on Scootaloo’s shoulder.

“Atta girl, Scoots.”

Scootaloo chuckled.

Wild Trotted over, a stern expression on his face.

“Still, Scootaloo, ya can’t jus’ run off like that, ya could ‘a gotten yourself seriously hurt!”

Rainbow rose, Wild’s voice seeming to sound awfully similar to her own.

“Don’t worry, Mr Twister, she’s been thoroughly told off.”

She glanced down at Scootaloo, raising her eyebrow at the young filly. Scootaloo then immediately shrunk into herself, giving a guilty smile to her idol. Rainbow winked at her.

“I’m just messin’ with ya.”

She patted the young filly on the head, chuckling as Scootaloo sighed in relief.

Wild rolled his eyes, before finally giving in to a chuckle

“Then let’s just be glad you’re safe. Thank you, Rainbow Dash.”

Wild took a deep breath. She knew what that Rainbow hadn’t come to deliver Scootaloo back to her old life. He wished only the best for his daughter and had come to the unfortunate realisation that he was not prepared to deliver the beautiful childhood, of which any foal deserved. Despite this, he still felt a solemn feeling in his soul.

“So, have ya told, Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo grinned, her new life with the awesomist of awesomist ponies was about to begin! The innocent glee, which had ceased to exist only moments prior, now filled her every being, almost making her glow with excitement.

Wild gave a week chuckle.

“We’ll take that as a yes then.”

Scootaloo leaned into Rainbow Dash, her smile now uncontrollable.

“Thank you so much, you guys. This, this really means a lot to me.”

Wild ruffled Scootaloo’s mane.

“We know we ain’t perfect kid. We can’t be who ya need us to be. So… if it makes you happy. Then, then… then it’s what needs ta happen. "

A single tear dripped from Wild’s eye, though he was sure to dry it before his daughter could notice. He loved Scootaloo more then he could ever hope to show.

Rainbow stepped forward.

“Hey, you two shouldn’t put yourselves down like that.”

Wild rolled his eyes, placed his hoof around Electric.

“Don’t try to pity us, Rainbow Dash. I appreciate your concern, but we know what we’ve done.”

Rainbow shook her head.

“No… I mean. Look, Scootaloo’s one ‘a the most compassionate, peppy, loyal, amazing ponies I’ve ever met. That can’t all ‘a come from me.”

She stepped towards the couple, glancing them both in the eye.

“You guys have a lot t’ work on. But, ya did your best with what ya had. An’ look what came out ‘ve it.”

She gestured her hoof out to Scootaloo, who now glanced up at her parents with large, sorrowful eyes.

Wild and Electric stared at each other, a single second seeming like a century, before finally breaking out into a loving smile, embracing each other in a hug.

“Thank you, Rainbow Dash.” Electric uttered.

“You’ve done so much for us.”

Rainbow took Electric into a hug.

“It was nothin’. Anything for my number one fan”

She winked back at Scootaloo, who gave a giddy squee in retort.

“Now go on.” Wild uttered, interrupting the tender moment. A low tone was present in his voice.

“You should probably take her to her new home. We… we wouldn’t wanna…”

Wild suddenly felt a warmth around the perimeter of his legs. Glancing down, his cold face melted upon seeing his daughter hugging him, her innocent eyes staring up at him.

“I love you, daddy.”

He brushed his hoof through her mane, his guilt and anguish seeming to sashay away in the light breeze.

“I love you to, Scootaloo.”

She pulled away, regaining her composure.

“I… I can’t forgive you guys jus’ yet, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you.”

“Oh, Scootaloo, we don’t expect you t’ you t’ forgive us” Electric proclaimed.

“We jus’ want whatever ’s best for you, so that one day, when you’re the big, strong, grown up mare that we would ‘a been proud t’ call our own, we can start to make amends.”

Scootaloo blushed.

“I… I think I’d like that.”

The three ponies engaged in one, final, family hug. The two parents embracing every fleeting second with their daughter. The irony of the three coming together as a family, only as Scootaloo was about to leave, was completely lost to them. Instead, their mind were permanently in the dying present moment, with the optimism of the future acting to warm their hearts and bring them hope for a future relationship with their daughter.

And, with that, it was over, Scootaloo pulled away, still smiling at her parents, but knowing in her heart that it would be years until she could truly learn to see them as family.

The two parents glanced at each other, a bitter sweet glimmer in each of their eyes.

“Let’s get better.” Electric whispered.

“Together.” Wild retorted.

Scootaloo ran back towards Rainbow Dash, her giddy excitement returning.

“Ya, ready kiddo.”

“Have I ever not been ready?”

Rainbow chuckled.

“Very funny, Scoots. If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready”

She wink at her number one fan, before kneeling down and rubbing her mane.

“Thanks for letting me speak with my folks jus’ now.”

“Don’t mention it, Sport. It seemed like ya needed it.”

Wild and Electric advanced towards Rainbow.

“So, are you to off then.” Wild asked.

“You bet.” Rainbow announced.

“Terrific. We’ll be round with Scootaloo’s stuff tomorrow, is that okay.”

Rainbow looked down at Scootaloo.

“That okay, Scoots.”

Scootaloo nodded.

“Then that’s perfect.”

Electric took a deep breath.

“Alright then. I guess this is it. You two travel safe now. And, Scootaloo.

Electric kneeled down.

“I hope you have a lovely time, with Miss Rainbow, okay.”

Scootaloo beamed a gleeful smile. From that, Electric new that this was the best thing that could have happened.
Scootaloo was on Rainbow’s back and in the air within a matter of seconds. The young filly frantically waved back at her mom and dad, before looking forward to the open sky.

Rainbow glanced over at the young filly, when the realisation finally hit her.

It was all over. All the anger, all the anxiety, all the uncertainty, it had all taken its final bow. Scootaloo was at last with her.
The happiness she felt seemed almost fictitious, as if she’d wake one morning as the arrogant foal of a mare that she once was. However, the dream ceased to fade. This was real and Rainbow had never felt happier in her life. Her castle in the sky was now visible in the near distance.

“We’re almost there Scoots!” Rainbow shouted back.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I still can’t believe that THE Rainbow Dash wants me to live with her.”

“Yeah, well THE Rainbow Dash loves you. And, don’t you forget it.”

Scootaloo blushed as Rainbow landed on her cloud home, her giddy excitement was next to none. Rainbow couldn’t help but find it adorable.

“Welcome home, Scootaloo. Welcome home.”

Comments

[OmniFox]

Living with her and Tank.

[Waspinator331]

Is the story complete, or is there still a few chapters left to be made?