Tale of a Lost Scoots

by RDfan27

Chapter 7 - The Truth

Author's Note:

Hey everyone. I'm sorry for the delay. I lost power to the hurricane a while back, and then it took a few days to get the story finished and edited so it would be ready for you all to read. This chapter really hits you in the feels, so I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think in the comments.

"She what!" Applejack yelled at her sister. "How did she just disappear? That makes no sense."

"I know sis. That's what I'm trying to tell ya," Applebloom explained. "I don't get it either. All I know is she picked up the flower, and then she was gone." Sweetie Belle was remaining quiet throughout the whole conversation, refusing to say a word, choosing instead to stare down at her hooves.

Applejack sighed, "I know. I'm sorry I yelled. I just don't understand how a simple flower could make her vanish. It just doesn't make sense."

Twilight stepped in. "I would have to agree girls. I mean, unicorns can teleport ponies, but not flowers. At least, not that I know—"

"Ooh!" Pinkie interrupted. "I bet Zecora would know of a flower like that! She has all kinds of crazy flowery potion stuff!"

Both Crusaders looked up instantly. "Zecora!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

"Of course. How could we forget?" Applebloom said. "It's so obvious."

Rainbow Dash looked up, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Ever since the Crusaders had begun explaining what had happened, she’d been crying and Fluttershy had wrapped her into a comforting embrace while silently stroking the pegasus’ rainbow mane.

Rainbow Dash stopped crying and broke the embrace. "W-what about Z-Zecora?" Rainbow asked nervously.

All eyes in the room were now trained on the two fillies in the room. Applebloom looked down and began nervously scraping her hoof across the wooden floor of the clubhouse. "Hehe, yeah... that," she began nervously. "We kind of forgot that part."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What part did you forget exactly?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well... Zecora's kind of the whole reason we were out there in the first place. We were looking for a flower for her," Applebloom said, nervously looking at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash glared at the two fillies, who backed away in response. The intensity of Rainbow's glare could have burnt a hole straight through both ponies. "Rainbow," Fluttershy said, walking up to her and putting a hoof on her shoulder. "I know you're upset Rainbow, but taking your anger out on others won't help."

Rainbow Dash sighed and looked down. Fluttershy was right. "I know. I'm sorry girls," Rainbow Dash said apologetically, looking at the two still shaking fillies.

"I-It's okay," Applebloom replied nervously. "I understand."

"Thanks, Flutters. I don't know what I would do without you," Rainbow said, wrapping Fluttershy into a tight hug.

Fluttershy smiled. "You're welcome Dashie," Fluttershy said before breaking the hug and looking back at the Crusaders with an inquisitive expression on her face. "Would that flower happen to be the flower that Scootaloo picked up?"

Applebloom gulped nervously. "Yup," she said in a very nervous tone, almost sounding like Big Macintosh when he’s nervous.

"Well," Twilight began. "Looks like we have a certain zebra to pay a visit to. Sadly though, it will have to wait until morning. The Everfree is no place to be in at night." Everypony nodded in silent agreement, beginning to slowly exit the clubhouse and make their way home.

"Everypony meet at the gates to Sweet Apple Acres at seven. I want to get an early start," Twilight stated as she too began to make her way out of the clubhouse. "For now, everypony just try to get some rest."

***

The next morning, everypony, met at the gates to Sweet Apple Acres just as they had planned the night before. They began the walk into the woods towards Zecora's hut fairly early, hoping that the zebra would be up. As they were walking through the woods, Rainbow Dash began to fall behind a little and Fluttershy took notice of this, slowing down to walk with her.

She draped a wing over Rainbow Dash's back. "You're scared... aren't you Dash?" Fluttershy asked. She had known Rainbow Dash longer than anypony, and she could see past the facade that Rainbow Dash had tried to put up. She knew that she was not only afraid, but terrified. In all the time she’d know Rainbow Dash, she’d never known her best friend to be this afraid.

Rainbow Dash let out a sigh, hanging her head, and began to lean into Fluttershy's side more as they walked. Fluttershy, in turn, tightened her wing around her friend's shoulder.

"Dashie, why are you so scared? I know you better than anypony, and I've never seen you this scared before. I'm worried about you." the concern showing very clearly in Fluttershy’s nervous voice.

Rainbow Dash stopped walking, causing Fluttershy to stop as well. Rainbow Dash looked up, and the two locked eyes. Fluttershy could see now that Rainbow Dash's eyes were bloodshot, and she could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"I-I'm s-scared for Scoots,” she choked out. “I love that little filly, and I can't help but think of the worst. I already almost lost her once—" her voice became a very quiet and shaky whisper. "—W-what if... What if this time we're not as lucky? What if I lost her?"

Fluttershy's heart was broken. It always hurt her to see her friends cry, but this time felt different. It felt like she was staring through Rainbow Dash's eyes and straight into her soul.

Where there should have been happiness, confidence, and love, she saw nothing but fear and pain. Fluttershy had to admit, she was scared too. She had come to love Scootaloo too, almost like her own daughter, but she knew she had to stay strong for Rainbow Dash. Her friend needed her.

"Rainbow, I know you're scared, but I need you to know that you're not alone. I'm scared too, and so is everypony else. Why do you think we're out here so early? I know how much you love Scootaloo, I love her too. I want her to be safe just as much as you do, and it's okay to be scared for her. But... you have to stay strong and keep fighting. You're not going to be able to help her if you let fear consume you. If you want to help Scootaloo, then you have to keep going and stay strong. And remember Dashie, I will always be here for you."

Rainbow Dash sat down and wiped the tears from her eyes. "R-really? Y-you really mean th-that?" Rainbow Dash asked, pleasantly surprised at her friend's comforting response.

Fluttershy put her hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "Of course I do. Whatever comes your way, I will always be here to help you through it." Fluttershy pulled Rainbow Dash into a tight embrace, which she gladly returned. The two sat there for a moment, just enjoying each other's company, knowing that they could always depend on each other.

After a moment, they were interrupted by Applejack clearing her throat further up the trail. "You lovebirds done yet?" Applejack said jokingly. Both mares jumped and looked at Applejack, blushing heavily.

"We were just... uhh... talking, yeah, talking. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less," Rainbow Dash stammered while Fluttershy hid behind her, blushing heavily.

Applejack rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Okay. If you say so," she said, although she wasn't buying it at all. "Come on you two. The others are already there."

***

The three finished the walk to Zecora's hut in silence. As they approached, they could hear talking coming from the inside. They pushed open the door and walked in. "There you girls are. What took you so long?" Twilight asked calmly.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked at each other quickly. "Nothing!" they both shouted at the same time. Applejack just rolled her eyes.

Twilight blinked in surprise. "Okay then...well, Zecora was just telling us all about the flower that Scootaloo touched."

Zecora confirmed this with a rhyme, per usual. "Yes, it is true. We were only waiting for you."

"Well get on with it then," Rainbow Dash said, frustrated.

"No need to get mad, you will soon learn it is not that bad," Zecora cryptically rhymed, once again leaving everypony confused.

"What do you mean by that?" Rainbow asked confusedly. "How is it not bad? Scootaloo is missing."

"No no, Rainbow Dash you misunderstand, she has only been taken to her homeland." Everyone in the room's eyes shot open wide.

"What do you mean “homeland”?" Rainbow Dash asked, shocked at Zecora's explanation.

"She wanted to learn more about her past. I only knew that the flower would take her there fast."

"Take her where!?" Rainbow Dash yelled. She was furious now. How could Zecora just send her away all on her own?

"Pluck another one of these flowers from the ground, and Scootaloo may be found."

Twilight cut in here while Fluttershy tried desperately to get Rainbow Dash to calm down. "Is that really all you can tell us about where she is? You don't know anything else?"

"I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you more, but my knowledge of the subject is quite poor."

"I understand," Twilight said sadly. "Come on everypony. We've got to go look for that flower."

They started off their search right where Scootaloo had disappeared. As they approached the small clearing, Rainbow Dash got a bad feeling. Knowing that this had been the spot her Scootaloo was last seen caused a lump to form in her throat again She stopped in her tracks. She didn't think she could handle it, but then, a soft wing was draped over her back and she remembered Fluttershy's comforting words from earlier in the day. She looked up at her best friend's warm smile and smiled back. The two walked side by side over to where they believed Scootaloo had been standing.

An eerie silence fell over the group as they all gathered around and stared at the location where Scootaloo and the flower had been standing. Twilight broke the silence, urging them to start their search. "We'll split up into groups of two to search. Rarity, you come with me, Pinkie Pie, you can go with Applejack, and Rainbow Dash you go with Fluttershy." Twilight said, eliciting a smile from the two pegasi.

"What about us?" Applebloom asked. "Who do we go with?"

Twilight thought for a moment. "I don't want you going out on your own in the Everfree forest, so you two just go with your sisters. That means Sweetie Belle is with me and Rarity, and Applebloom, you're with Applejack and Pinkie. Alright now everypony. You have all seen the picture of the flower that Applebloom showed us. If you find it, do not touch it. Just call out for the rest of us to let us know you found it.”

She turned to Rainbow Dash. “I either of you two finds it, then you can just fly up and find us. I will gather everypony and take them to the flower if anypony finds it.

Twilight gave a hopeful smile, looking over all her friends. “Good luck girls, and be safe. Meet back here an hour before sunset. We need to have time to make it back out of the forest before dark."

With that, everypony was off. The three groups all headed in different directions, with Twilight, Sweetie Belle, and Rarity's path being the most direct path towards the center of the forest. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash headed out to the left side of them, heading at an angle into the forest. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Applebloom mirrored this path on the right side.

Rainbow Dash walked alongside Fluttershy, their wings occasionally brushing as they walked along. Rainbow Dash could tell that Fluttershy was scared. She always was in the Everfree forest. Dash draped her wing over Fluttershy's back and pulled her in towards her side. Surprisingly, Fluttershy did not even jump, like she usually would. She leaned into Rainbow Dash's embrace as they walked. It was now Rainbow Dash's turn to comfort Fluttershy, instead of the other way around. Fluttershy was grateful to have the soft and reassuring touch, letting her know she was not alone in the forest.

***

Rainbow zoned out as she walked, just enjoying the company of her best friend, and taking solace in the fact that she was not alone and that, with everypony's help, they would surely find Scootaloo in no time.

It wasn't until she spotted a small clearing up ahead, that seemed to have a small amount of light emanating from it, that she took note of her surroundings.

They were now deep in the woods, and it looked like it would get dark soon. It was probably just about time for them to start heading back, but Rainbow Dash was intrigued by the soft glow coming from the clearing up ahead.

Rainbow Dash stopped, causing Fluttershy to stop suddenly as well. "What is it?" she asked.

Rainbow Dash took a few steps forward, finally getting a good view of what they had been looking for all day. Fluttershy followed her friend's gaze, getting a very uneasy feeling in her stomach when she too saw what awaited them in the clearing.

Rainbow Dash gulped. "There it is. Time to tell the others we found the flower."

Comments

[-Frost]

Another good chapter, am looking forward to reading more and seeing what has became of dear little scootaloo...this is turning into quite the interesting story, keep it up!

-frost

[RDfan27]

9241129
Glad you enjoyed! Trust me, there’s more where that came from. I really have to thank my proofreader though, because, thanks to an idea of his, this story is going to be a whole lot more interesting than I first planned.

[Dashie04]

"And remember Dashie, I will always be here for you."

I’ll be there for you
These five words I swear to you
When you breathe, I wanna be the air for you
I’ll be, there for you...
I’d live and I’d die for you
Steal the sun from the sky for you
Words can’t say what love can do,
I’ll be there for you.

...

I couldn’t resist, when I condone a ship, I candone a ship.

[Lemonshrike Catworthy]

9327315
Found you!
Ah. That's a perfect situation.
Yes ship!