A Compass to the Soul

by CartoonNerd12

Bonding

Scootaloo was sleeping soundly when someone shook her awake. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes.

Rainbow stood on the edge of the bed while holding up a lantern.

Scootaloo sat up and rubbed her eyes, "Captain…? What's going on?"

Rainbow smiled, "Come on, sleepyhead, I got something I want to show you."

Scootaloo tiredly got out of bed while not disturbing her friends that were still sleeping. She followed after Rainbow Dash up to the deck to find that it was twilight out.

The filly was confused and inquired, "Why did you wake me up so early in the morning? Celestia hasn't even raised the sun yet."

Rainbow set the lantern to the side and stated, "As I told you, I'm going to put some skills into you and this is one of them." she grabbed a wooden sword and threw it to the young pegasus.

Scootaloo fumbled to catch it.

"It's a daily exercise I learned at the Royal Equestrian Navy Academy."

"You were in the Royal Equestrian Navy Academy?!" the filly gawked.

"That's right, everything I learned about commanding a ship came from there." she looked sad for a moment before turning her attention to Scootaloo and got her own wooden sword, explaining, "I had to do this every day to keep being focused and alert."

"Did you have to start so early too?"

"Yup. Only we had to get up an hour earlier!"

"What?!"

The mare chuckled, "I'm kidding!" she straighten herself and went serious, "Now, I believe it's important for a young mare your age should learn the proper fighting techniques especially if you're on your own and no one's looking after you." she went around the filly to examined her. "The first thing you'll need to do is keep your stance wide." she moved the filly's legs in position, "Like that. Next, you need to keep your body lowered as you'll move forward. Got that?"

"I… I think so."

"Don't worry, we'll practice if we have to, swordfighting takes awhile to master although if I do say so myself I was able to advance to the next levels pretty quickly."

Scootaloo look on in awe, "Wow, really?!"

Rainbow nodded proudly, "Hm-mm."

"Do you think I'll be able to do that too?!"

"One way to find out." she took the fake sword in her mouth and Scootaloo followed suit as they prepared to combat. The wooden swords clashed together and for awhile there, Scootaloo managed to hang on until Rainbow disarmed her.

The filly sighed, "I guess I didn't do so good, uh?"

Dash exclaimed, "Are you kidding me?! That was amazing! You held out longer then I thought you would!"

"Really?!" Scoots said in excitement.

"You got a gift, kid, so let's not waste it, instead let's make it better!"

"Yes! Yes! Please!"

"Okay, I noticed you became unbalanced toward the end, you kept moving to one side a lot when really you need to use both sides. Here, watch my hooves." Scootaloo looked down to see Rainbow moving her hooves as she said, "Right, left, right, left, right, left, right and left again. You see?"

Scootaloo nodded.

"Now you try."

Scoots did as she was told and moved her hooves from right to left and repeated the process.

"Now try going backwards." Dash instructed.

Scootaloo kept going right to left while moving back and watched her forehooves while doing it.

"Good, but keep your eyes on me."

Scootaloo looked at her teacher and stared at her while still moving.

Dash smiled, "Good job."

Scootaloo smiled back.

---

Rumble groaned as Soarin led him to the lagoon, he rubbed his eyes as he complained, "Did we have to do this so early in the morning? The sun hasn't even come up yet!"

"You said wanted to do good from now on, right?"

"Yeah…?"

"Well, I'm going to train you on how to protect those around you and to do that we need to do this every day from now on."

"But why?"

"It's something I had to do when I was at the academy. It's an exercise to keep your mind sharp and alert, you see the earlier you get up the more you can get things done and be at your best. Does that make sense?"

"Uh, I guess." Rumble shrugged.

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it." he handed the colt a wooden sword then he took his own wooden sword as he taught the young pegasus the basics.

Shortly after that Rumble and Soarin clashed their pretend swords with their mouths and fought for awhile.

The older pegasus mumbled through, "Good, but remember don't lose your balance."

Rumble managed to make a, "Uh-ah!" noise.

They kept at it.

---

Rainbow and Scootaloo went into their second round of swordfighting and Scootaloo was exceeding beyond Dash's expectations.

Oh my gosh! I had no idea she would be this talented! She really is like a smaller version of me! I can also tell from her eyes she's determined and that she's willing to do what's necessary! Looks like I got my work cut out for me.

At the same time Soarin was marveling at Rumble's swordfighting skills, thinking, Never have I seen such raw talent in a young colt! Most kids his age can't grasp the basics of swordplay! He's a fast learner and a skilled fighter. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by that, after all, Rumble has shown warrior-like qualities since his time on the island and he has shown some leadership skills among his friends. He is definitely a warrior born. And a warrior like that must have more training.

The sun had risen when Rainbow Dash ended the dueling lessons for the time being and led the filly to the helm where a bell was nearby and encouraged Scootaloo to ring it.

The young pegasus excitedly said, "Really?!"

Rainbow chuckled, "Go ahead, you earn it squirt."

Scootaloo would have been offended by the squirt comment but for some reason she didn't care because when Rainbow Dash said it was endearing and it made her like the older pegasus that much more. She rang the bell and in a matter of minutes, the entire crew came up on deck and lined up to face the captain.

Rainbow addressed them, "Look alive mateys! We got a long day ahead of us!"

Pinkie piped up, "But we always have a long day ahead of us!"

Rarity added in, "I must agree, it's the same thing day after day!"

Dash bellowed, "Quiet!" then she addressed her second mate, "Twilight, how much further are we to South Amareica?"

Twilight replied, "We still have 300 miles to go, Captain."

"Alright then, let's hope by the end of the day we get another 20 miles out of the way! Get your breakfasts and then resume your duties, am I understood?"

"Yes, Captain!" the crew saluted then went straight to the galley.

Rainbow Dash started to go back to her cabin and Scootaloo started to join the others but Rainbow noticed this and inquired, "Hey squirt, why don't you join me?"

Scootaloo stopped and looked back with a stunned expression, "Really? You want me to eat with you in your cabin?"

RD smiled, "Sure, why not?" her wing motioned her to follow, "Come on."

Scootaloo was beyond thrilled and happily went with her.

---

While Rumble was eating breakfast with his friends, Soarin was with his friends telling them how far Rumble's talents are.

"He's an excellent swordspony for a colt his age. He still has a lot to learn but he's very good at picking up cues and knows how to anticipate a challenger's next move."

They gawked at this information with Spike commenting, "Wow…"

Flash stated, "Wow is right. When I was in the royal guard it took me awhile before I mastered a sword."

"And it makes me think he's going to need more in order to keep himself occupied and challenged. Do you think you can help me make a special obstacle course that will give him more skills to learn and use?"

The guys agreed and nodded.

---

Scootaloo was loving every moment of dining with the captain especially since she was receiving special accommodations in the captain's quarters. For one it was roomier then the crowded gallery and the captain has better plates and silverware. But what she loved most was the captain sharing some of her stories from when she first became a pirate.

"…There we were surrounded by bandits… Celaeno and I were stuck side by side and then without a thought we fought the bandits together like we had rehearsed it, it was awesome. The way our movements were in sync to each other was incredible! As soon as we had beaten all of the bandits, we knew then that we would become the bestest of friends."

"That is so amazing!" Scoots' eyes gleamed.

Rainbow's eyes slightly casted down, "Yeah… it was…" she looked to the portrait again, "That's why I can't let her die."

Scootaloo nodded sympathetically, "I get that. If there had been a chance to save my parents I would have taken it."

They exchanged a sad smile until Pinkie showed up with more food mainly pancakes and muffins and cheerfully asked, "Who wants some more?!"

Both the mare and filly groaned.

Rainbow stated, "Pinkie you've already given us too much as it is."

"Yeah, we're stuffed."

Pinkie just shrugged, "Okay then, more for me!" she skipped out of the room while humming.

Scootaloo commented, "I'll never understand her."

Dash chuckled, "Don't worry you're not the only one. Pinkie Pie has always been the mysterious one of the crew, in fact the way she came to me was strange. Shortly after Celaeno got sick I had to look for a crew that would help me get to South Amareica to get the cure. She just showed up one day and asked me if I was looking for ship's cook and oddly enough at the time I was. It was like she read my mind somehow!"

"That's scary."

"It was and it still is. Pinkie always seems to know ahead of time of what everyone's thinking."

"So how did you know you can trust her if she was doing creepy things like that?"

"Pinkie displayed that she was silly most of the time and therefore could not be taken seriously so I figured she was harmless enough. And so I tested her cooking skills and I got to say she's really good at it. I decided that I wasn't going to get another cook as good as her and given how short on time I was to find the cure, I just let it be."

"How did you meet the others then? Apple Bloom told me you rescued her and her sister when they were on raft and Sweetie Belle was with Rarity when you hired her."

"Well Fluttershy is an old friend of mine and was willing to come with me. Twilight was trying to book passage to go somewhere else when I saw her displaying skills of reading and writing and thought she would be useful. Shortly after that she became our navigator. And yes, Rarity was struggling with being a seamstress while trying to raise her sister, so I figured she needed the bits. And lastly, Applejack was on a raft with Apple Bloom when we came across them on the sea."

"Apple Bloom told me it was because they were looking for their brother."

"Yeah, that's why I let them on the ship before I decided to make AJ my first mate."

"Will she still stay first mate after you rescue Celaeno?"

"Actually, I'm planning on giving her the ship so she can continue your search. When Celaeno gets better I'm going rejoin her crew."

"Where is her crew? Why didn't they come with you?"

Rainbow chuckled, "You're a smart kid for asking those questions. The crew decided to stay with their captain to help make sure she receives her medicine that helps slows the poison from taking effect. An old friend of mine, Professor Quibble Pants made the medicine but now he's on his way to South Amareica to join us."

A thought occurred to Scootaloo and asked, "What will you do with me when you finish with your mission?"

Rainbow's eyes widen in surprise, she hadn't thought about what she was going to do with the filly after they were done with this entire voyage. She stammered, "Well… um… I guess we have to send you to an orphanage… Because you're too young to live on your own…"

"Hey! I've managed to make this far! I don't need to live in one of those horrible places!"

"How do you know an orphanage is horrible?"

She turned her head away in sadness, "Because I've been in one after my parents died… I didn't like it then and I never want to go back again… When I got the chance, I escaped. I survived by stealing, I didn't like it but I didn't have a choice… I slept in alleyways, barns, abandon apartments, and under the stars. I tried sleeping in a cave once, but it just creeped me out."

Rainbow gawked at the filly's tale, "Sweet Celestia…"

Scootaloo continued, "So please, just let me go my own way, I'll be fine… really…" but she sounded unsure at the end.

Dash put a wing around her, "Aw, kid… You really had it rough, hadn't you?"

Scootaloo sighed, "Yeah, I guess… but it's all I've ever known…"

"What were your parents like? Do you remember?"

"My father was an explorer and my mother would always accompany him because they hated being apart from each other, eventually they had me and they settled down in a village but then… the pirates came… and…" she wept in her hooves.

Rainbow brought the distraught filly closer and hugged her. The mare eyed the drawer once more and thought of all the happy memories of her childhood, it was so bright compared to Scootaloo's. She had hopes and dreams for the future while this filly was force to grow up too soon and faced the harsh realities of life. It was so sad and upsetting, because a filly like her deserved to live a carefree life before becoming an adult. She thought of when she lost Soarin and her career and realized she and the filly were in same boat when it came to life's disappointments.

Scootaloo was still crying and a strange idea occurred to Rainbow, she and Soarin have discussed starting a family after a few years of being married but now that he wasn't around anymore and it was just her… what if she…

She addressed the filly, "Listen, I know it hurts… but if there's one thing I've learn is that you got to keep moving forward no matter the pain. Cause when life gives you lemons you make lemonade. It may seem your fears and doubts are all you got but when there's a light shining deep inside you can squash them."

Scoot sniffled and looked up while wiping away her tears, "You really think so?"

"I know so…" she smiled.

Scootaloo smiled in return.

"Hey, how would you like to sleep here tonight?"

"Wow! Really?!"

"You bet! Now, go ahead and join the other cabin girls and start working."

Scootaloo saluted, "Aye-aye, Captain!" and she ran out in excitement.

Rainbow Dash kept smiling and went straight to the drawer to pull out all of her parents' letters out.

Comments

[Foxhelm]

she's gonna read the letters!

Kind of feel bad for Scoots, but those kinds of things happened, which would be why the navy RD joined was the size it is, to prevent, deter and respond to pirate attacks.

I wonder, when and how will the compasses meet...

IDEA! but I will wait to be asked before I share.

[CartoonNerd12]

9007334
Go ahead, I'm curious, because I'm okay with theories for the story here.

[Godslittleprincess]

You know, the lyrics to "Time to be Awesome" sound kinda weird as spoken dialogue. Also, bonding.

[Foxhelm]

9007377
Well, if I recall correctly the compasses that Soarin and Rainbow have are based on the compass from the Pirates of the Carribean films, assuming that, my theory: RD's compass is not directing Twilight's navigation towards where they intend to go but to Soarin.. But That's just a theory, a .... (gets smacked by OC)

'No, bad RL Personal. None of that.'

[AutumnSky98]

Poor Scoots
But I LOVE how Rainbow is slowly starting to think about adopting the filly and trying to go on with her life, even though she thinks her love was lost to the sea
The bonding with Rumble and Soarin is really cool too
SO looking forward to reading the next chapter