Scootaloo's Return

by RebelNarrator45

1 Going Home

Author's Note:

Do not ask me why I wrote this.

I don't know.

I just did.

Seven years, one month, and three days.

That was how long it had been since she left Ponyville, the only home she had ever known, and the family and friends she loved so dearly. She had not contacted anypony she knew and loved. Not one. She couldn't. The guilt and shame was too heavy. She felt sure nopony would want her to, anyway, after what happened.

"Miss...uh...Scootaloo, was it?" The train conductor pony inquired.

"Yes?"she replied, meeting his gaze.

"Just wanted to tell you, we'll be hitting Ponyville in a little over an hour."

"Thanks."

He walked away, and Scootaloo turned her head to look out the window at the passing scenery. Seven years. It seemed more like a lifetime ago. She had been barely eleven years old, a mere filly. Now she was 18, a grown mare. Well, to the law, anyway. But inwardly she still felt like the small, frightened, and guilty filly she had been back then. The day her world was turned upside down. The day she ran away...

*********************************

A typical day for the Crusaders. Having fun, playing, and determinedly trying for their marks. Today, they had tried out for Circus Performer Cutie Marks, to no avail.

"Aw, ponyfeathers!" Scootaloo huffed. "I thought for sure that would do it this time!"

"Well, now what?" Apple Bloom asked, brushing dirt off her coat.

"I'm ready for a break." Sweetie Belle said, wincing as she gingerly rubbed a bruised spot...courtesy of having failed at leaping through a hoop.

"Guess I am too." Scootaloo said, smirking. "Hey! I know! Lets try out for Acrobat Cutie Marks!"

"Scoots, I am not throwing myself through anymore hoops!" Sweetie Belle huffed. "I'm tired, I'm all dirty, and I'm injured!"

"Aww, its just a little bruise, Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo teased. "You'll live!"

At her withering glare, Scootaloo wisely hushed. Apple Bloom snickered.

"Hey, ya'll, lets go get us a cupcake and rest up, and then Scoots, we'll watch ya do trick for a while!"

"Ok!" Scootaloo said.

Sugarcube Corner was fairly empty, so they plopped themselves into a table near the display cases. Pinkie Pie, with her usual exuberance, bounded up to them.

"What can I get you today?" She asked.

"Three Surprises, please!" Scootaloo answered without hesitation.

Pinkie giggled. "Ok, but you asked for it!" She left the room.

Pinkie's Surprises were a new thing she'd come up with that was actually pretty popular. You had no idea what flavor cupcake you were getting. Or how it would be decorated. Pinkie was soon back with their cupcakes, which she put in front of them.

Scootaloo's was decorated with an icing scooter, complete with an icing version of herself. Further inspection told her it was a strawberry flavored cupcake with white chocolate icing.

Sweetie Belle's was red velvet, with a strawberry frosting, and decorated with icing berries.

Apple Bloom's was an applesauce cupcake with white frosting and icing apples.

The fillies happily chowed down on their treats. When they finished, they headed outside and up to the bluff overlooking Ponyville. Scootaloo started doing tricks on her scooter, impressing her friends.

"Hey, Scoots, teach me that move ya just did, will ya?" Apple Bloom asked finally.

Scootaloo handed over her helmet and scooter and talked her through it. Soon, the farm filly was doing it as easily as the pegasus did it. Scootaloo suddenly grinned and hopped on to the scooter as soon as Apple Bloom got off.

"I like to play what I call How Close." She said. "I see how close I can get to the edge in this stunt without actually falling off."

"Scootaloo, that's dangerous!" Sweetie Belle gasped, as the orange filly donned her helmet.

"Well, yeah, but its so cool!" Scootaloo said. She kickstarted herself.

"Scoots, don't you dare!" Sweetie Belle said.

But the filly was off, performing her stunt beautifully. As her scooter slid into its final spot, however, she realised she was too close to actually stop it with her usual move. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle saw her closing in on the edge, and the former charged forward, running towards Scootaloo. Scootaloo dropped to the ground, backwards, in time to prevent falling.

"Scoots!" She heard Apple Bloom shout.

She barely had time to lift her head before her friend tripped over her, swayed dangerously for a second, and then dropped from view with a scream.

"APPLE BLOOM!!!!" Scootaloo screamed, scrambling to look over the edge as Sweetie Belle rushed to her side.

There was nothing to do except watch in horror as their screaming, flailing friend plummeted the thirty five feet at an alarming rate, and finally hit the ground below with a sickening thud that carried up to them. They exchanged looks of terror before they scrambled down the side of the bluff...Scootaloo praying the whole time that Apple Bloom hadn't died.

She hadn't.

She had somehow survived the impact, though it had left her body broken and bruised and bleeding profusely. She was unconcious when her friends reached her. Scootaloo stayed with her while Sweetie Belle ran screaming for help.

Looking down at the shattered body of her friend, Scootaloo felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Apple Bloom." She whimpered. "I'm so sorry."

******

They had spent hours in the hospital waiting room, all of them, waiting for news on the filly's condition. Sweetie Belle sobbed in Rarity's arms, and Scootaloo huddled in a chair, whimpering pitifully, refusing any comfort at all. Not even Dash had been able to comfort her. She wouldn't let her. She didn't deserve it. This was all her fault. Her and her stupid, dangerous stunts. If Apple Bloom didn't make it, that made her a murderer. Scootaloo whimpered louder.

Nurse Redheart's arrival snapped everypony to attention...especially Applejack, who hadn't spoken since Rainbow Dash brought her to the hospital.

"How is she?" The farm pony's voice was strained, broken.

"Applejack..." Nurse Redheart sighed heavily. "We've done literally everything we can to save her. She suffered a severe concussion, numerous fractures, massive internal bruising and bleeding, her neck was cracked, both back legs were broken, and her spine was shattered in the middle of her back. She also sustained numerous broken ribs, a fractured foreleg, and a punctured lung. We've repaired everything we can with any means we can, including magic, and your sister has a good change of living. But...but if she does, Applejack, she'll be paralyzed from her mid back down. She...she will never walk again. Not on her own."

Applejack blinked, trying to process this as her friends gathered close to comfort her. Sweetie Belle let out an agonised wail, clinging to Rarity, who did her best to calm the filly. But Sweetie Belle would not be calm.

"Its all your fault, Scootaloo!" She screamed at the orange filly now huddling in a corner. "Its all your fault!! We told you that stupid stunt was dangerous!! Apple Bloom's nearly dying cause you didn't listen!! Its all...your...fault!!!"

Several pairs of eyes settled on Scootaloo, who whimpered and tried, unsuccessfully, not to cry. The tears came anyway, defying her completely. Everypony knew Apple Bloom was hurt trying to save her friend...they hadn't known that Scootaloo's stunts were involved.

They knew now.

Nopony looked angry...just so very sad and disappointed. Scootaloo couldn't bear it and looked away.

"Can we see her?" Twilight finally asked.

The nurse nodded and allowed the entire group to go to the filly's room. She looked so small and frail laying in the hospital bed. She was bandaged in every visible place, three legs in heavy casts, and her neck in a brace.. A small amount of purple peeked shyly from under the white bandage around her head.

Everypony gathered around her as Applejack gently rubbed a hoof across her little sister's chest, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Aw, lil sis..." she whispered. "I want ya to get better, ok? Come back to us. We...we need ya. Ah need ya."

She broke entirely then, turning around and collapsing into the waiting embraces of Twilight and Fluttershy, sobbing her heart out. Sweetie Belle still sobbed loudly in Rarity's grasp. Dash had one foreleg draped around Pinkie, who's mane and tail were completely flat. Scootaloo stood in the doorway, trembling, watching them all, heavy guilt crushing her. Her gaze went to the still form on the bed.

"Apple Bloom..."she whispered. "I...I'm so sorry...this is all my fault...I'm sorry..."

She turned around and ran down the hallway and out of the hospital, not looking back, tears pouring from her eyes, driven forward by crushing guilt and shame and sorrow.

***********************************

"Twenty minutes til Ponyville!!"

Scootaloo was jerked rudely from her reverie by the conductor pony's voice. She blinked and sighed.

She'd left Ponyville that night, seven years ago, vowing never to return, praying that maybe somehow she could forget everything. But she couldn't.

The events of that day haunted her daily, the guilt, shame and sorrow of them still as fresh as the day it happened. She had decided to go home.

Home to Ponyville, her friends, to all she knew and loved.

And she prayed that somehow, someway, she might find peace, redemption and forgiveness, and finally be able to lay her terrible past behind her.

Comments

[The Fiery Phoenix]

interesting

[Wysteria]

[LuckyBolt_01]

I'm loving it so far!

[CrossoverFanficReader]

oh i like this story already!

[Waspinator331]

Is this a sequel to a story?

[RebelNarrator45]

9213538
Actually, no. It isn't. Just something I put together. I'm glad everyone is enjoying it so far!

[Bronyxy]

Brilliant but frighteningly vivid backstory; I really felt I was there
You can actually feel the turmoil inside Scoots as she returns to face what she left behind.
Very powerful and compelling writing!

[FolkloreBrony]

9228383
Very effective

[Connect-the-Pie]

You... have caught my attention

[Fluttershyisacutegal]

I am interested, you’ve caught me in the web