S7 E7: Parental Glideance (What If?)
Sweetie Belle was straining with all her might to pull back a giant slingshot, as Scootaloo was lining up her scooter before a giant ramp aimed directly at Cloudsdale, saddlebags strapped to her shoulders and her trusty helmet fastened around her head.
"Scootaloo, are you sure this is a good idea?" Sweetie Belle inquired of her pegasus friend. "I know you need to go up to Cloudsdale to do your report, but this seems a little extreme, even for you."
"I have to agree with Sweetie Belle on this," Apple Bloom commented quite nervously. "What if your aim's off or somethin'? What happens then?"
But as was usually the case for the young daredevil, once she made up her mind about something she seldom changed it. "Relax, girls, everything's going to be just fine. I've got it all worked out."
"How do you even know about Rainbow Dash's parents in the first place? I don't remember her ever sayin' a word 'bout 'em." Apple Bloom questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Pictures, duh," Scootaloo explained. "I saw a few in her house the one time and asked her about them, she told me all I needed to know," Then she told her fellow Crusaders. "I'd totally take you with me to see them if I could, but you know non-pegasi can't walk on clouds without a spell."
"Kind of hard to do it for three ponies." Sweetie commented under her breath.
"And since I can't fly yet, this is the next best option," Scootaloo finished, as she gave everything one final glance. "Okay, I'm all set. You may fire when ready."
But Apple Bloom protested. "You do know there's the hot air balloon, right? Far less of a hassle, and much more reliable."
"Now that you mention it, that hot air balloon does sound like a safer option," Scootaloo spoke up, now having second thoughts about her rash judgement. "Maybe this isn't such a good-" But before she could think of changing her mind, the slingshot snapped back, propelling the tomboyish filly forward at high speed! "-Iddddddeeeeeeeaaaaaa!" She screamed, as she was shot into the air!
In a matter of seconds, Scootaloo reached her destination, managing to poke her head up through the clouds. "Nailed it." She declared, just as a lawnmower like object came to a stop just before it would've impacted her head.
"Uh, pardon me young ma'am, are you alright?" Said a voice. Its owner soon revealing itself as a pegasus stallion who seemed to be of modest build and middle age. He sported a pale, light grayish-blue coat, moderate amber eyes, and a rainbow mane and tail in a buzz cut. As well as a green jacket which almost covered up his cutie mark, a rainbow and a cloud with a horseshoe in front.
Scootaloo took one look at the stallion, and her eyes lit up like a Hearth's Warming Tree! "Y-you're... Rainbow Dash's... dad!" She exclaimed with sheer joy!
The stallion nodded. "Mr. Bow Hothoof Dash at your service, but you can call me Bow," Then he asked his guest. "But how do you know Rainbow Dash is my daughter?"
"It's a long story, but I'm her honorary little sister!" Scootaloo fondly exclaimed as she pulled herself up through the cloud and planted her hooves atop it. "Oh, I've been looking forward to meeting you for a long time! This is the luckiest day of my entire life!"
"Is everything alright, hun? I thought I heard a scream." A pegasus mare declared, as she came rushing outside to see what was the matter. She had the same coat color as Rainbow Dash and the same eye color of moderate deep reddish-pink, not to mention the same mane style (though it was light scarlet in color with orange streaks). She wore a bright yellow jacket, and had a cutie mark depicting a cloud with what seemed to symbolize the wind whistling past.
Scootaloo recognized this mare at once. "Rainbow Dash's mom?! I must be in heaven!" She exclaimed once again!
The mare nodded. "Windy Whistles Dash, though you can call me Windy. And yes, I happen to be Rainbow Dash's mother. But how did you know? Have we met before somewhere?"
"It's alright, honey," Bow spoke up, introducing their guest. "This is Scootaloo, she says she's Rainbow Dash's little sister."
"Honorary little sister," Scootaloo corrected. "I mean, you guys aren't my parents, though I kind of wish you were."
"Your folks live up here in Cloudsdale? 'Cause I don't think I've seen you around before, kid." Bow questioned the filly.
The tomboyish pegasus shook her head. "I come from Ponyville, and so do my parents. I kind of slingshot my way up here," Then she gasped as realization struck her! "Oh no! I don't think my scooter made the trip up here! It's probably in pieces somewhere on the ground!"
"A scooter? I thought most pegasi fly." Windy commented.
A sigh escaped the filly's lips as she confessed. "I can't fly, at least not yet. They say there's nothing wrong with me, I'm just a late bloomer. And for the most part it doesn't bother me. But today, being able to fly would've been a big help."
"Well, we'll look for your scooter a little later," Bow offered. "In the meantime, why don't you tell us why you came all the way up here, and put a hole in my lawn?"
"Oh yeah, sorry about that," Scootaloo apologized with a nervous laugh while she massaged the back of her neck with a hoof. "I'm doing a report for school, we're supposed to do a presentation on a pony who means something special to us. And Rainbow Dash has always been special to me, I'm her number one fan! So I figured if there's anyponies who can tell me what she used to be like, it would be you two," She then dug into her saddlebag and pulled out a camera, which gave off a flash. "Awesome! That's going right into the scrapbook!" She proceeded to place the photograph into a heavy, red colored book that already contained a few pictures of Rainbow Dash that the cyan coated mare had allowed Scootaloo to take.
Bow and Windy just looked across to each other, before Bow declared with a laugh. "So, you're Rainbow Dash's number one fan, huh? That's funny, because here I thought my wife and I were the only fans of our little Dashie." To emphasize his point, the stallion unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a Rainbow Dash t-shirt underneath.
"Cool, right?" Windy added with a wink.
Scootaloo, for her part, was all but speechless. "Wow! I can't tell you how great it is to meet ponies who share my appreciation for Rainbow Dash! And you're talking to the head of the Rainbow Dash Fan Club!"
"Well then, why don't you come on inside and we'll give you a tour of our house?" Bow offered to his guest. "Maybe we'll even let you see Dashie's baby pictures if you ask nicely. Even as a foal, our little Rainbow was incredibly energetic. Never held still for a moment."
Windy half laughed, half groaned. "I remember the time she tied me up by accident when I took her outside to play. I still can't believe we held onto that photo," And she quickly changed the subject as she asked Scootaloo. "You must be starving after your trip up here. Whaddya say we start the tour in the kitchen, and I'll fix you up Rainbow's favorite snack, a pasta and potato sandwich on sour dough?"
True to her word, Windy soon had the sandwich prepared and offered it to Scootaloo, who after snapping a picture of the sandwich (she wanted to take part of it with her for the scrapbook, but Windy told her they didn't have any airtight bags to keep it preserved) devoured it in seconds.
After that, Scootaloo was given a tour of Rainbow Dash's childhood home. She was quite surprised at how "luxurious" it seemed to be. It wasn't like the mansion Diamond Tiara lived in, but it was a lot nicer than the place Rainbow now called home, to say nothing of Scootaloo's modest home in Ponyville. "Why would Rainbow Dash ever wanna leave such a nice place? Especially with such supportive parents?" The filly thought to herself, and made a mental note to try and bring up that subject the next time she and her big sister met.
Taking pictures as needed for the scrapbook, the tomboyish filly soon noticed something, or rather a lack of something. "Where's Rainbow Dash's Wonderbolt stuff? You can't be a Rainbow Dash fan and not have it." She commented to the adults.
"Hmm? Oh, you must mean her shrine of Wonderbolts' merchandise," Bow explained. "Well, lucky for you, we saved the best for last."
Bow and Windy led their guest up to what looked like the door to Rainbow Dash's bedroom when she still lived in the house. Opening the door, the filly's grayish-purple eyes took in a sight of pure wonder!
The entire room that lay before her was coated with all sorts of Wonderbolts memorabilla. Plushies of the various flyers, motivational posters, bed sheets, an alarm clock, a commemorative lunchbox, you name it. But the jewel in the crown of this display (which also included several ribbons and trophies from various flight meets) was a framed set of tickets to a Wonderbolts show in Cloudsdale Stadium.
"Her first ever Wonderbolts show," Windy fondly recalled. "She was their biggest fan from day one, and after that first show she kept on talking about how some day she'd join their ranks. We of course never doubted our little Wonderbolt for a second, and we cheered her on every step of the way."
"Until she decided it was time to leave the nest so to speak," Bow added in a slightly unhappy tone of voice. "Last we heard, she was going to try out for a spot in the academy. She's probably already risen through the ranks by now."
"So, you don't have any stuff from her actual days as a Wonderbolt?" Scootaloo questioned (after snapping a photo of the framed tickets to put into the scrapbook).
"What are you talking about? Dashie's not a Wonderbolt yet," The stallion commented to his guest. "If she was, we'd know."
Windy silently nodded.
But Scootaloo just flashed a bright smile! "Sweet! So now I get to show you guys something you've never seen before! Rainbow Dash is officially a full fledged Wonderbolt, suit and everything! Oh, you should totally see the looks on your faces right now!" She then flashed a picture with her camera and showed it to the two elder pegasi. "See? That's what your faces look like!"
"Our little Rainbow, a full fledged Wonderbolt? It sounds too good to be true." Windy commented, once she regained her composure.
Scootaloo just grinned. "Guess there's only one way to show you."
High above Wonderbolts Academy, several of the elite flyers (Rainbow Dash among them) were practicing their moves. A big show was coming up in Canterlot, and Captain Spitfire wanted all of the Wonderbolts to be at the peak of their game.
All of a sudden, however, the young captain spotted a trio of figures on the ground below. She recognized one of them as Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash's biggest fan and little sister. But the other two were unrecognizable, despite one being a pegasus stallion with a rainbow mane, and the other being a pegasus mare with a cyan coat just like Rainbow Dash's.
"Hey, what's going on here? Civilians aren't usually allowed on academy grounds," Spitfire protested, causing the other Wonderbolts to slow to a halt. "Okay, I want names and I want 'em now. Who let these guys come onto the academy in the middle of flight practice?"
"Maybe it was Thunderlane? He's only been with us for a week now, hardly enough time to learn all the dos and don'ts of being a Wonderbolt." Soarin suggested.
But Fleetfoot shook her head. "They don't look anything like Thunderlane. And one of 'em's Rainbow Dash's little sister, Scootaloo. If anypony knows how they got here, it would have to Rainbow Dash."
"Hey, don't look at me! I have no idea what Scootaloo's doing here!" Rainbow protested. But then she took one look at the two pegasi with the filly, and Rainbow's mood changed from one of frustration, to one of fright. "Oh no! It's them!"
That comment did not go unnoticed by the other Wonderbolts, especially Spitfire. "What are you saying, rookie? You know these two?"
With a gulp, the cyan coated speedster reluctantly confessed. "I do, Captain. They're my..." She paused, before she finally forced out. "Parents."
"Parents? As in, Mr. and Mrs. Dash?" Soarin questioned. "How come this is the first time I'm hearing about them? We all thought you didn't have parents anymore."
"I was gonna tell you guys eventually, honest," Rainbow insisted. "I just sort of... forgot to bring it up and none of you ever asked," Then she sighed. "I might as well introduce you all," She flew down towards her parents and then said to her fellow Wonderbolts. "Everypony... meet my parents: Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles," And to her parents she said. "Mom, Dad, these are the Wonderbolts, my teammates."
Bow and Windy were practically beside themselves with joy, especially in seeing their own daughter in a Wonderbolts navy blue flight jacket and goggles. "Ooh, just let me get a good look at you!" Windy fondly exclaimed, as she and her husband rushed over to their daughter and examined her quite thoroughly.
"If this is a dream, please, don't wake me up!" Bow added, as he pulled his daughter close with a wing. "Long time no see, little Dashie. Did you miss us?"
"Dashie?" Fleetfoot snickered, and some of the other Wonderbolts did the same (though they all tried to varying degrees to silence the giggles).
Spitfire, for her part, managed to keep herself from laughing. Still, she had a goofy grin plastered on her face as she approached Windy Whistles and shook wings with her. "Well, it certainly is a pleasure to finally meet you both. Usually we don't allow civilians on academy grounds without prior permission, and this is no exception."
"Oh but Spitfire, we won't get in the way. It'll be like we're not even there, I promise." Windy replied as she returned the wing shake.
Spitfire responded by saying. "I'd like to believe that, but I'm not taking any chances. At the least I'm gonna have to ask you to wait inside until practice is over. Why don't you visit the mess hall and grab yourself a bite to eat? Our newest member's cooking today, and let's just say he's no slouch in the kitchen."
"Sounds like a deal," Bow agreed. "I for one am famished after flying all this way here."
"Come on, Scootaloo. Let's leave Dashie to do her thing," Windy encouraged. "And then we can catch her after practice is over."
Scootaloo nodded. "Okay. And while we wait, I can tell you all about how Rainbow Dash got to be a Wonderbolt."
But the filly hadn't gotten far before Rainbow Dash landed in front of her and whispered. "Um, Scootaloo, I'd like a word or two with you. Alone," She then turned around and told her fellow Wonderbolts. "You all get back to practice without me, I'll be along shortly. Just gotta take care of a small detail first."
"Alright, but don't take too long. Otherwise, I'm scratching you from the show and replacing you with Thunderlane." Spitfire cautioned. And then she, Soarin, Fleetfoot, and the remaining Wonderbolts took off into the sky.
Scootaloo couldn't help but feel anxious as she was pulled aside by her honorary big sister. Usually that only happened if she did something wrong. "Am I in trouble, Rainbow Dash? I mean, I know I'm probably not supposed to be here, but I didn't think there'd be any harm if I came with the parents of a Wonderbolt."
Rainbow Dash shook her head, looking her honorary little sister and number one fan in the eyes. "You're not in trouble, squirt. I just wanna know one thing," She folded a wing up to her face and pointed at her parents. "Why in Celestia's name did you have to bring these two along?"
"They're your parents," The tomboyish pegasus answered. "It's not like there's anything wrong with that. You don't hate your parents, do you?"
"'Hate' is such a strong word." Rainbow responded.
Scootaloo gasped! "So you DO hate your parents!"
"What?! No, no, no! It's nothing like that!" Rainbow retorted with a shake of her head. "It's just, my parents and I have a delicate relationship, that's all. I mean, you don't always see eye to eye with your parents, do you?"
"Well no, but..." Scootaloo began.
"So, the thing is, they mind their own business and I mind mine." Rainbow interrupted.
"Is that why you didn't tell them you were a Wonderbolt?" Scootaloo questioned with a face that indicated she didn't seem to believe her big sister at all.
Rainbow gulped. "I didn't mean to, I was gonna tell 'em eventually. It just sort of slipped my mind was all. But between being a Wonderbolt, getting called away on map missions all the time, and dealing with friendship problems, informing my parents of the change in my life sort of took a back seat."
The tomboyish pegasus sighed and commented. "Your parents seem pretty nice, if a tad bit fanponyish. But you don't seem to have a problem when I come to cheer you on."
Rainbow groaned in frustration, sensing that she was getting nowhere fast with her little sister and number one fan. "Look, squirt, I'll explain everything as best I can later on. But for right now, I've gotta get back to practice and you need to keep my folks out of trouble. I don't wanna die of embarrassment after I've finally shed the whole 'Crash' label. Think you can manage that?" She requested.
Reluctantly, Scootaloo nodded. "We're still going to have to talk about this. I get the feeling you're not telling me the whole story."
"Just be patient, okay?" Rainbow replied, as she headed back up into the sky. "For now, just keep an eye on my parents and work on that report of yours, okay?" And with that, she took off to join her fellow Wonderbolts in practicing for the show.
For the rest of the afternoon, Scootaloo waited in the mess hall with Bow and Windy, watching the Wonderbolts zoom past on occasion. She tried to pay attention to the conversations going on in the building, per Rainbow Dash's instructions. But her mind kept drifting to her conversation with her big sister.
Why did Rainbow Dash seem so opposed to the idea of having her parents around? They seemed to be incredibly understanding and supportive. And compared to Scootaloo's parents, Bow and Windy seemed tame by comparison in regards to potential embarrassment.
So then, what was the source of the rift between parent and child? Especially one that seemed so one sided?
Talking to Bow and Windy yielded no answers. They hadn't a clue as to why their little Dashie would want to be distant from them. The best they could come up with, was simply that Rainbow had wanted to have a reunion with them in a more private setting. One where she could be more in control of what would be discussed.
The afternoon stretched into the evening before the Wonderbolts concluded practice for the day. And unfortunately for Scootaloo, it was quite the trek from the academy grounds to her home, and her parents had always made it quite clear that she was to be home by sundown unless they said otherwise (or she was attending a sleepover).
"If only I hadn't misplaced and probably wrecked my scooter," Scootaloo thought to herself, as she reluctantly set off for home. "I'll just have to remember to ask Rainbow Dash tomorrow about what's going on with her and her parents."
But the very next day was the day of the Wonderbolts' performance in Canterlot, and Scootaloo had already reserved a ticket for that. So she made her way to the stands in the stadium that day, knowing full well she'd have to wait until after the show to ask her questions. Even family members of Wonderbolts were not allowed in the dressing rooms.
However, as the tomboyish filly took to her assigned seat, she was surprised to be greeted by Bow and Windy, clad in Rainbow Dash attire. Both had Rainbow Dash flags, and Windy even had a Rainbow Dash hat that covered her entire upper body. "When we mentioned we were parents of a Wonderbolt, we got this stuff half off!" Bow proudly exclaimed! "And it was well worth it, right hun?"
"Oh yes, definitely!" Windy agreed. "Now we can cheer on Dashie in style. I just can't believe it's taken us this long to get around to attending a Wonderbolts show. Seems like it's been forever since we attended one, and now Dashie's out there, living the dream!"
"I'm just hoping for a good picture of Rainbow Dash strutting her stuff," Scootaloo commented. "It'll be just the thing to complete my report. I'm sure to get an A+ on it, everypony else's reports will pale in comparison."
Soon, the loudspeakers blared to life, and then one by one the Wonderbolts came roaring out onto the track!
Bow and Windy were so enthusiastic with their cheering upon seeing Rainbow Dash flying, that they ended up inadvertently creating some cheering turbulence (much to the annoyance of some of the other Wonderbolts).
The two kept on cheering the entire duration of the show, seemingly unaware of the looks they were getting from some of the other fans in attendance.
When the show ended and Scootaloo was just leaving the stands, she was surprised to be greeted by Rainbow Dash once again. "Looking for your parents?" The filly asked. "You just missed 'em, they're waiting in line for your autograph."
Rainbow just sighed. "I was afraid you'd said that," Then, pulling her little sister close she asked of the tomboyish pegasus. "Can you do me a favor, squirt?"
Eager to help, Scootaloo nodded. "Of course, whaddya need me to do?"
"Just keep an eye on my parents and keep them from embarrassing themselves, or worse," The cyan coated speedster requested. "I'm gonna be pretty busy with Wonderbolts stuff for the next few hours, and I'd feel a lot better knowing that I have somepony I can trust to keep my parents under control. Can you handle that for me, please?"
The orange coated pegasus eagerly nodded her head! "You didn't even have to ask! I LOVE spending time with your parents!" She finished her statement with a salute. "I won't let you down, Rainbow Dash! Crusaders honor!"
"Good, I knew I could count on you." Rainbow commented as she watched her little sister trot off. All the while, in her mind the mare was thinking. "I sure hope you can keep my folks in line. The other Wonderbolts are starting to become concerned, and I don't blame them."
But it seemed that Scootaloo was unable to keep her word. Bow and Windy showed up at every little event that Rainbow Dash and her fellow Wonderbolts were involved in after the show.
Whether it was signing autographs, distributing t-shirts, or even just posing for pictures, it seemed like Bow and Windy were intent on making their presence known.
They even followed their daughter back to the academy, following her about and talking to the other Wonderbolts whenever their daughter was busy.
It got so bad that Spitfire had to call an emergency Wonderbolts meeting in her office, and all the Wonderbolts still on academy grounds were to meet with her.
When Rainbow Dash arrived (the last of the Wonderbolts to do so), she immediately closed the office door and locked it tight, breathing a small sigh of relief. "I didn't think I'd ever be able to get away from my parents. It's like they've been taking lessons from Pinkie Pie or something." The second newest member of the flying squad commented.
But the cyan coated mare took one look at her teammates and she could sense that she'd gone from one bad situation to another.
Spitfire broke the tense silence that enveloped the room. Sitting upright in her desk chair, she firmly declared. "Rainbow Dash, we need to have a talk about your parents."
Rainbow gulped. "I had a feeling you'd say that," And she immediately apologized. "If this is about their behavior, I'm really sorry. I told Scootaloo to keep them in line for me. I guess the kid wasn't quite up to the task. Guess it's up to me to set my folks straight."
"I'm afraid it's a bit late for that," Spitfire commented. Then she paused for a considerable length of time, before the captain managed to add. "We've been thinking it over, trying to decide what to do with your parents. And the decision we've come to... was not an easy one for us to reach."
"Your folks are gonna have to leave the academy," Fleetfoot explained. "They're proving to be a distraction, a really big one at that. Their cheering is so loud, it's hard to hear anything else."
"And that doesn't even cover the dozen or so complaints we got from Canterlot, all of 'em from angry fans," Soarin added in a glum tone of voice. "Your parents are taking all the fun out of our shows for the rest of our fans. And if we don't do something, nopony's gonna be willing to show up to our performances."
With a nod, Fleetfoot finished. "We were hoping you might best know how to break the news to them. We really hate that we have to do this, but our hooves have been forced."
"And what about Scootaloo? She's been hanging out with my folks, so what happens to her when they have to leave?" Rainbow questioned. "Are you gonna kick her out as well and tell her not to show up to events anymore?"
Spitfire shook her head. "You're being too hasty, rookie. It's not a permanent ban, only a temporary one. But until your parents can get their behavior under control, we have no choice but to ask them to stay away," And then she added. "We were already stretching the rules as it was by letting them stay on academy grounds for this long. But the rules exist for a reason, and if we didn't enforce them then there would be no rules. Like it or not, this is the only solution. Believe me, if there was another way, we'd pursue that option in a heartbeat."
With a long, drawn out sigh, the rainbow maned pegasus looked at her superiors and told them. "Then... I guess it's best if my parents hear it from me. That way the message will have a better chance of sticking."
"You sure you're up for this, Rainbow Dash?" Misty Fly questioned, looking at the still relatively new member of the team. "You don't have to do this, you know. Any one of us could do the deed, and we don't want to ask you to do something we're capable of doing ourselves."
But Rainbow would hear nothing of such counter-arguments, her mind had already been made up. "Thank you, all of you, but my decision is final. My parents are only here because of me. I inadvertently caused this mess, so it's only fitting that I clean it up," She then trotted to the door as she added. "I'd better go find them before they cause any more trouble. Wish me luck." And she departed the office a moment later, still somewhat hesitant despite knowing what had to be done.
Despite searching high and low, however, Rainbow found that all of a sudden, it seemed as if her parents had disappeared into thin air. Perhaps they'd already gotten the message?
Immediately settling on that hopeful scenario, the cyan coated speedster abandoned her efforts to track down her parents. She just went back to the locker room, took a quick shower, dried off, and then went to hang up her towel in her locker.
However, as she was sticking her head into the locker, she heard a pair of familiar voices cheering! "That's it, Dashie! Show that towel who's boss! You're the best towel folder ever!"
"I should've known." Rainbow mentally thought to herself. The voices were unmistakably those of her parents. But when she turned around to face them and break the bad news to them, she momentarily forgot she had her head inside a locker. This caused the pegasus to bang her head against the interior of the metal object, much to her frustration. And because of that, she lost patience! Pulling her head out of the locker and her eyes now locked firmly on her parents, she accusingly pointed a hoof! "That is enough! I'm getting sick of the two of you constantly showing up in my life, just to cheer me on over every little meaningless thing I do!"
"B-but." Bow and Windy stuttered together, holding each other for comfort.
"And not only that, but you're distracting me from my Wonderbolt duties!" Rainbow firmly added, as she unfurled one of her wings and used the tip of it to count. "Don't either of you get it?! I'm not your little Dashie, and I don't need your support! This is part of the reason why I kept putting off telling you two I became a Wonderbolt, because I knew you'd probably do stuff like this! Now do me a favor and go away, now!"
Recoiling in shock at their daughter's bold declaration, Bow and Windy were silent for a moment. Then their looks of fear were replaced by looks of sadness, complete with pronounced frowns. Bow was the first to speak up. "You make a good point Das-er Rainbow Dash. But then, we raised you so well, so that shouldn't come as a surprise. Should it, hun?"
"Not at all, dear," Windy unhappily replied. "I guess it was silly of us to go so overboard with the cheering. We'll respect your wish and leave. Still, it was nice to see you again, for the brief amount of time it lasted." And then she and Bow left the locker room.
Scootaloo was surprised to see her big sister's expression change from one of stern anger, to deep sadness once Bow and Windy had departed. The cyan coated speedster even started to shed tears, something she rarely allowed herself to do in public. "R-Rainbow Dash?" The tomboyish filly nervously inquired.
"I... need to... go... somewhere! Just... leave me alone!" Rainbow choked out, before she too fled from the locker room!
"Rainbow Dash, wait!" Scootaloo cried in vain. In a matter of seconds the filly was all alone in the locker room, having witnessed a family quarrel the likes of which she'd never anticipated getting caught in the middle of. And to make matters worse, she had no idea who to side with.
Then, out of the corner of her grayish-purple eyes, the little pegasus spotted something resting on the floor of the locker room. She trotted over to it, picked it up, and examined it carefully. When she did so, she almost let out a gasp! "How come nopony ever told me about this?!" She thought to herself.
After blowing up on her parents, Rainbow didn't have a particular destination in mind. All she knew was that she wanted to put as much distance between herself and the locker room as she possibly could. She couldn't let anypony see her cry like this, she had a reputation and an image to keep up.
But just after hastily drying her tears, the cyan coated mare was surprised to see what looked like an orange colored blur come rushing towards her! The next thing she knew, the mare was tackled by none other than her honorary little sister! "Scootaloo?" She questioned.
"We need to talk, about a lot of things, but especially about your parents." The filly said firmly.
Rainbow gulped. "Well, I suppose this was inevitable when you found out who my parents were. But can I ask you a question first?" When Scootaloo nodded, the speedster asked. "Why are you so fond of my parents? I mean, they're nice ponies most of the time, but you already have a family. I've met your parents a few times, or at least your mom. And she seems nice."
"Well, yeah, when she's not constantly reminding me to do stuff I already know I need to do," Scootaloo commented. "And Dad, usually he's too exhausted to ever really pay attention. Plus, he and Mom aren't really home all that much anymore. Mom got a new job that keeps her out of the house often, and Dad's got his hockey team to keep him busy for most of the year. So I've been living with my aunts."
"Your aunts, huh?" Rainbow questioned. "First time I've ever heard of them. What are they like?"
"Well, there's Aunt Holiday, she's my dad's older sister," Scootaloo explained. "She's actually an earth pony and she runs her own travel agency. Then there's Auntie Lofty, she's a pegasus mare with a more bulky build. She used to be a flying instructor, but now she mostly does odd jobs like Mom used to do. And Holiday always calls Lofty 'dear', but she won't tell me why. She just says it's something I'll understand when I'm a bit older. Anyway, my aunts are usually nice and supportive. But they still insist on things like telling me not to bungee jump, or go scootering without a helmet. I get that they care for me, but at times it gets really annoying."
"So, are you aunts the reason why you took such a liking to my parents?" Rainbow concluded.
Scootaloo nodded. "They remind me of when I was younger and both of my parents were home more often, not to mention a little more supportive."
Rainbow sighed. "That's my parents for you, always one hundred percent supportive. It wasn't so bad at first, but when they kept doing it for every little thing I tried, or every little goal I achieved, it kind of got on my nerves. It felt like they were smothering me with affection, even though I did kind of like being the only child."
"So how could you just blow up on them for that?! They meant well!" Scootaloo firmly retorted, stomping her hoof down in frustration and blowing steam from her nostrils.
The cyan coated mare responded with. "I didn't mean to, I was in a bad mood after banging my head on the locker. Haven't you ever gotten really mad because of that?"
The tomboyish pegasus nodded, before protesting. "But not to the point where I'd yell at my parents and tell them to go away."
"Well, unfortunately, that was an order from the Wonderbolts, though if I wasn't so mad I'd have phrased it differently," Rainbow explained. "My parents' behavior was starting to become a problem, and I volunteered to be the one to tell them they had to leave and get their act under control. I'm really sorry you had to see all of that. Are you satisfied now?"
"Almost," Scootaloo spoke up. "There's one more thing I want to understand," She held up what seemed to be an old and worn scrapbook, and she pointed a picture to a much younger Rainbow Dash (one without her cutie mark) standing in front of her parents, while behind them stood an empty podium and a torn ribbon. "What is this?"
Examining the picture quite carefully, Rainbow nearly gasped! "I don't believe it! I'd almost forgotten about this! It was my first ever competition, the annual 'Junior Speedsters Rely'!" The memories came flooding back to her in an instant. "I didn't win, let alone make the top three, and at first I couldn't understand why my parents were celebrating. But then I remembered that, the days leading up to the rely, I was a nervous wreck. I thought for sure I was gonna choke, get dead last, and end up a laughing stock. I wanted nothing more than to quit, but my parents wouldn't let me. They told me that they believed in me, and that no matter what, I'd always be awesome in their book. They encouraged me to stay in the rely, even when my wings ached and I felt like I was ready to pass out. And when I broke through that ribbon at the end and got sixth place, my parents said that was an achievement. Maybe I hadn't won a medal, but I hadn't quit, I'd toughened it out. And that was a cause worth celebrating, a chance for me to be inspired to do better next time."
"And you did, didn't you?" Scootaloo concluded.
"You forget who you're talking to? Of course I did better! My parents coached me and supported me as I worked my way up the podium with each rely and race I entered," Rainbow explained. "In a way, it was like they knew how awesome I could be, long before I ever realized it myself! They never stopped believing in me, even when that was all I wanted to do! And I can't believe I just treated them so horribly!" Rising to her hooves and flapping her wings, the cyan coated speedster declared. "I've got to find them and set things right! Let them see just how much their support really means to me!"
Rainbow Dash wasn't the only one going through a realization. While Scootaloo was getting some answers from her big sister, Bow and Windy were trying to piece together what had caused their daughter to snap at them so harshly, all the while respecting her wishes for them to leave.
But they hadn't gotten far when Spitfire and the other Wonderbolts suddenly landed in front of them. "I see Rainbow Dash gave you the message." Spitfire commented.
"Loud and clear, like always." Windy acknowledged.
Bow let out an unhappy sigh and stared at the ground. "Where and how did we go so wrong? All we wanted was to make up for the fact that we hadn't been there to see our daughter achieve her dream, we never wanted her to hate us."
"Hate you? What would give you that idea? I'm the one who told her to tell you two to leave the academy, and even I don't hate you," Spitfire questioned the parents. "Sure, you've been getting on my nerves lately, but I couldn't hate you guys. I've dealt with far worse in my years as captain, but I'm sure Rainbow Dash could tell you all about that."
"Not anymore, she snapped at us and told us in no unclear terms to just go away," Windy confessed. "And frankly, I'd say she has every right. We were trying to cheer her on and support her, but it seems like we ended up having the opposite effect. Some parents we are."
"Oh, I wouldn't be so hard on yourselves. We've put up with worse." Soarin said with a chuckle and gave a knowing wink towards Spitfire.
The wink did not go unnoticed by the other Wonderbolts. Misty Fly in particular commented. "Yeah. I can think of one example. Right, Captain?" She nudged Spitfire with a wing.
Spitfire seemed to briefly scowl at Misty Fly, before she sighed and looked at Bow and Windy. "Guess there's no harm in telling you two, just so long as you promise not to repeat it," She advised in a very stern tone of voice. "When I first became a Wonderbolt, my own mother was a lot like you guys. I knew she meant well, and I just couldn't bring myself to tell her how I really felt. That is, until her cheering got to the point where it was distracting not just me, but others as well. At that point I realized, like it or not, I had to do something about my mom's behavior. And now, whenever she comes to shows to cheer for me or for my kid sister Blaze, she does it with restraint. Now tell me if any of what I just said rings any bells."
Bow barely managed to comment. "You're talking about us, aren't you? I can see why you'd want us to never show up to any of your shows or events if we're that bad."
But Spitfire shook her head. "I don't think so, your cheering never got to the point where it was truly a problem. I just felt you two needed to understand that you're not the only fans in the stands. You're welcome to cheer on your daughter to your heart's content, but you don't have to go so overboard with it."
Windy sighed, also staring at the ground. "Yeah, it sure took Bow and I long enough to figure that out. We really should've been setting a better example as adults, and yet we ended up acting like a bunch of overgrown kids. Frankly, I'm ashamed of myself, and so is my husband."
"Hey, at least you two realize your mistake now," Spitfire encouraged. "If you're willing to tone down your enthusiasm to a reasonable level, I'm willing to let you guys come to as many shows as you want. But I'm still gonna have to ask you guys to leave the academy. It's just not safe having civilians stay on academy grounds for such a prolonged period of time."
However, at that very moment, a familiar voice cried out. "Wait, let 'em stay for a little bit longer!" The owner of the voice soon revealed itself as Rainbow Dash, with Scootaloo following close behind.
"You got something in mind, rookie?" Spitfire questioned, her eyes reflecting a look of deep skepticism.
"Yeah, and it's gonna need the whole team." Rainbow replied with a smile, and whispered her plan into her captain's ear.
Spitfire grinned. "I like your thinking, Rainbow Dash. But are you sure we can pull off something like that without practice?"
"Don't worry, I'll guide you all through it," Rainbow giggled in reply. "This time I get to be the leader!"
A short time later, Bow, Windy, and Scootaloo, were all seated on a small stand of bleachers that had been erected.
Rainbow stood before the small crowd with a microphone, having changed into her Wonderbolts flight suit. After a quick tap on the microphone to confirm it worked, she announced. "Mom and Dad, welcome to the... 'I Love My Parents and I'm Sorry I Took Them for Granted and I Know They Made Who I Am Today so I Really Wanna Make It Up to Them... Event.'" The cyan coated speedster wished more than anything that she'd been able to think of a better title than that. But for now it would have to do. The event itself was more important.
And what an event it was! With Rainbow Dash in the center giving out orders, the Wonderbolts formed all sorts of aerial formations, much to the delight (and surprise) of all gathered. To top it off and give the private performance a fitting finale, Rainbow guided the Wonderbolts through a nearby rainbow waterfall, each member being covered in two different colors of it and then lining up to form a rainbow of their own.
When it was all over, Bow and Windy were stomping and clapping their hooves in delight. The performance had worked to perfection.
"You know, you really didn't have to do all of that just for us." Windy commented to her daughter.
Rainbow shook her head. "I knew I needed some way to show you how sorry I am. I didn't mean to snap at you and Dad like that earlier. I was just so frustrated, and hitting my head on that locker didn't help matters."
"Well as your parents, we never should've let it get that far in the first place," Bow replied. "We should've realized our actions were annoying you and distracting you. You're not the little filly who needs a good nudge to stay in the race til the end, you're more than capable of flying laps around the competition by now."
But the cyan coated speedster just said to her parents. "Doesn't mean I don't want you to come to my shows and cheer me on. You're my parents, and your support means a lot to me no matter how loud or how quiet it gets. I'm sorry I've been so distant lately."
"And we're sorry we made you feel like you had to get away from us," Windy commented. "I can see now why you chose to move all the way to Ponyville."
"Ponyville is a nice place, but every now and then I still thought of you two," Rainbow declared. "It's not too late for us to be a loving, happy family again, is it?"
"Of course not, it's never too late!" Bow declared, as he, his wife, and his daughter all shared a hug.
Scootaloo took advantage of this opportunity to snap a photo with her camera. "Awesome! This is just what I need to close out my scrapbook and finish my report!" She proudly declared. And then she looked across to Bow, Windy, and Rainbow, and asked them all. "You'll all be there tomorrow when I give the report, won't you?"
"Are you kidding?! You're an honorary family member now, Scootaloo! We wouldn't miss your report for the world!" Rainbow said proudly. "Heck, if it wasn't for you, this reunion would've never been possible." And Scootaloo just beamed.
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Again, this is some very good work on the re-write. And, yeah, you bring up some excellent points on the reasons in the author's notes. As usual, the exchanges, characterizations and general wrap-up were superbly done. And, yeah, expanding the Wonderbolts' roles and toning down Rainbow's parents to a more sympathetic level was definitely a good call.
And, I'm on to the next chapter.