Scootaloo's Return

by RebelNarrator45

2 Reunion

The train puffed and screeched to a stop at the Ponyville Station. For a brief moment, Scootaloo considered just staying on it and going on to the next stop. She sighed. No, she had to do this.

With a heavy heart, and a great amount of trepidation, she got off the train and walked down the station steps. The second her hooves touched the dirt, every single fillyhood memory washed over her. She inhaled deeply, drinking in the refreshing, familiar air. She looked around as she started walking on into the center of town. Nothing had changed much in the years she had been gone.

She paused within sight of Sugarcube Corner, and the memory of her last visit there flooded her mind, causing her gut to churn and her heart to clench painfully. It had been right before Apple Bloom's accident. She sighed, and suddenly an idea crept into her head. She walked slowly to the bakery and entered.

She was immediately hit with the familiar sweet aromas she had loved as a young filly, and she smiled a bit as she approached the counter. The bell on the door had announced her arrival; now a familiar pink form came bouncing in.

"Hi! What can I get for you today??" Pinkie asked cheerfully, with only a quick glance at the customer before bouncing to the display case.

"A Surprise, please." Scootaloo said.

Pinkie stopped short. "I haven't served those in years." She said, slowly turning to stare at Scootaloo. "How did you..."

She froze, blue eyes widening, jaw dropping in shock. Scootaloo might be grown, but Pinkie knew her.

"Hello, Pinkie." Scootaloo said softly, bracing for an unknown reaction.

Pinkie stood still, completely in shock at what she was looking at. She blinked several times to make sure she was seeing it correctly. And then, she squealed.

Loudly!

Flinging herself over the counter, she tackled Scootaloo to the floor, yelling with excitement.

"Scootaloo!! Oh Scootaloo!! Its you! It really is!!" She cried. "You silly filly!! Where did ya go?? You were right there by the door, and then poof! Gone!!" She shook the younger pony gently. "Where did you go???"

"Oof! Pinkie!" Scootaloo grunted.

Pinkie instantly stood up and pulled Scootaloo up with her. She smiled happily at the grown filly. Then she sobered.

"Everypony looked for you for a long time." She said. "Nopony could find you. Anywhere."

"I know." Scootaloo said quietly, looking sorrowful. "I'll explain later. But first..." She trailed off.

Pinkie seemed to read her thoughts, and moved to put a foreleg around her.

"She lived, Scootaloo." Her voice was very soft.

Those words were enough to bring out a rush of relieved tears as Scootaloo buried her muzzle in the older mare's chest and cried. Pinkie simply rubbed her back until she calmed down. When she finally pulled back, their eyes met.

"H...how is she?" Scootaloo asked, voice trembling.

Pinkie looked troubled. "She's...well, she's as well as can be expected."

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked, fearfully.

"She's...not the same anymore. I mean, physically. It's...kinda hard to explain. You'll just have to see her for yourself, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo sighed. That's what she was afraid of. Seeing Apple Bloom. She finally nodded and looked into Pinkie's face.

"I need to let everypony know I'm home." She said shakily. "But...how do I do this?"

"How about I call everypony together for a party?" Pinkie said. "Then you can come out and say hi?"

"No." Scootaloo said. "First, I just need to talk. Without a party. Just...talking."

"Then we'll just call an emergency meeting here at the bakery!" Pinkie said, smiling. "I'll get the girls together so you can talk to them. No party. But...why?"

"You'll find out, Pinkie."

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

According to her word, she called an emergency meeting, and all the Element Bearers showed up. As per her last minute request, Rarity and Applejack had brought their sisters but left them outside. Scootaloo was waiting in the kitchen when Pinkie poked her head in.

"All here." She said.

Scootaloo took a deep breath and made her way out of the kitchen directly behind the pink mare.

"So, Pinkie, what's up?" Dash asked. She looked weary. "Why'd you call this meeting? Did something...bad....." She trailed off.

All eyes locked on the young orange mare that stepped forward. Jaws dropped in shock.

"Hi." Scootaloo said, eyes down.

"Sc...Scootaloo???!" Dash finally got out.

She rose and approached slowly, reaching out and touching her as if to make sure she was real.

"SCOOTALOO!"

Her cry was one of pure relief and joy as she grabbed her in a tight embrace, hugging her like she'd never let go. Scootaloo blinked, clearly stunned. When Dash pulled back, holding the younger mare's gaze, Scootaloo visibly braced herself to get yelled at.

There was no yelling. Only a smile.

"Scoots, I've missed you." Dash said. "You were...you just...vanished. We tried to find you, but...but we couldn't. Twilight even went to Celestia and Luna for help. But nopony found any trace of you."

Scootaloo wasn't sure how to respond to that. Why had they wanted to find her so badly? After what she had done, she figured that would be the last thing they'd ever do. She didn't answer Dash. Instead she turned a bit and took a long step towards Applejack, cringing as the farmer's weary eyes bore into her.

"Applejack, I...that day...when I...and she fell..."

Scootaloo never finished. She was captured in a tight, warm hug. Astounded, she returned it. And after a long time, Applejack pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"Ah know what you're thinkin', Scootaloo. An' it ain't the truth. Not a one of us is mad at you for what happened to Bloom. It was an accident."

"But...but my stunts...and then I tried to...and she tried to..." Scootaloo couldn't complete a single sentence, tears filling her eyes and her throat constricting painfully.

"It was a dangerous thing ya did, Scootaloo," Applejack conceded. "An' yeah, if ya hadn't been showin' off an' bein' so foolish, then Bloom wouldn't have fallen. But young'un, none of us is mad. We were disappointed and really upset. Not mad."

"Yeah, Scoots." Dash said. "We were really worried for her, but also for you."

"But why?" Scootaloo asked, voice laced with guilt. "It was my fault. I caused her to fall. I...nearly killed her. Why did you worry?"

"Because we all love you, Scootaloo."

The soft voice made Scootaloo turn around, to find Fluttershy right behind her, a small smile on her face.

"We knew you were really sad and upset over what happened." Fluttershy went on, draping a wing over Scootaloo. "And then before any of us could try to help you, you were gone."

"I had to go." Scootaloo said sadly. "I felt so guilty, so ashamed. Like nopony could ever forgive me, or even want me around. So, I just...I ran. Spent the last seven years in Manehattan, making my own way. I told myself I would never come back, that I would forget. Only I couldn't. I knew I had to at least try to make things right." She looked up. "I came home to say I'm sorry. To ask for forgiveness. To find peace. To somehow redeem myself. But...I can understand if nopony forgives me..."

"Aw, Scoots." Dash came and wrapped her own wing around her. "There isn't a pony in this room that hates you for what happened. We all forgive you, Scoots."

Scootaloo smiled a little through her tears, as she leaned into Dash, eagerly accepting the affection she had missed. After a moment, she looked over at Rarity, who had yet to say anything. The mare was watching her with a mix of relief, regret, and apprehension.

"Its wonderful to have you home, Darling." She finally said.

"Is Sweetie Belle still mad? Not that I blame her...."

Rarity hesitated. "I can't say for sure, darling. You'll just have to talk to her."

Scootaloo sighed heavily. "I know."

This was going to be hard. She was going to have to face her friends and apologise. Find out if Sweetie Belle was angry still. And see first hoof the damage that still remained with Apple Bloom...damage she had caused. Her stomach knotted. This was actually the thing she had dreaded the most: facing them. Especially Apple Bloom. She noticed everypony looking at her in concern and drew a very deep breath.

"I'm ready. Can somepony get them?"

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

She watched as Sweetie Belle entered first, holding the door. Apple Bloom came in behind, and Scootaloo felt her heart smash painfully against her chest as she took in the sight.

Apple Bloom was walking with her forelegs. Her back legs, as well as the entire back half of her body, were supported by a wheeled frame that clearly let her move and walk without too much trouble. There were several scars in various places on her body, where the fur had not grown back completely over the scar tissue. Scootaloo swallowed hard.

"Ok, here we are!" Sweetie Belle said cheerfully. "What did you..."

She broke off. Apple Bloom followed her line of vision and her eyes widened. Sweetie Belle blinked.

"Hi, girls." Scootaloo faltered.

"Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom managed, unbelieving. "Is it really you?? Or am Ah dreamin'?"

"No, its...its me." Scootaloo replied shakily.

A happy cry escaped the younger Apple as she hurried forward and grabbed her friend in a hug with one leg.

"Scoots, you're alive!! Ah thought we lost ya! Where'd ya go??? Ah woke up an' asked for ya, but you were gone. They told me that...that they couldn't find ya."

"I left." Scootaloo whispered. "I couldn't stand the guilt...seeing what I had done. Knowing that everytime I looked at you all I would see was my screwup that nearly killed you. I'm sorry, Apple Bloom. I am so sorry. It was all my fault. If I hadn't been doing stupid stunts...I'm sorry. I am just so, so sorry. I wish I could go and undo it. I would if I could. I swear. I'm sorry." She was crying loudly now.

Apple Bloom simply brought her other foreleg up and wrapped it around Scootaloo, too...using her for support as she she hugged her tightly.

"Ah know, Scoots. Ah know."

"I don't know if you can ever forgive me, Apple Bloom, but I gotta ask...I gotta know I at least tried..." Scootaloo sobbed, clinging to her friend.

Apple Bloom hugged her harder, nuzzling her gently, her own tears mixing with Scootaloo's.

"Aw, Scoots...Ah forgive ya." She said softly. "Ya hear me?"

Scootaloo cried harder, shaking her head, choking something about not deserving it. Apple Bloom pulled her head back and looked into her teary eyes.

"Scootaloo." She said, gently but firmly. "Listen to me. Ah forgive ya. Ah forgave ya a long time ago. Ah never was mad at ya, Scoots. Ah knew it was an accident. An' Ah knew you had to feel really bad. It was an accident, Scootaloo. Yeah, it was preventable, but it was still an accident. Ah ain't mad at ya. You're my best friend. Ah'm always gonna forgive ya. No matter what."

Scootaloo crushed her friend to her in a bear hug, sobbing mightily, allowing her words of forgiveness to wash over her and cleanse away some of the guilt. Apple Bloom just hugged her and rubbed her back gently, letting her cry. Once she calmed down, she pulled back and smiled a watery smile.

"Thanks." She said softly.

That was all she said. But it was all she needed to say. Apple Bloom understood exactly what she meant with that single word, better than if she'd given an entire speech. Scootaloo took a ragged breath.

One more left to face.

Sweetie Belle had been standing silently, watching everything that happened, listening to every word. While deep down a part of her was glad to see Scootaloo, a larger part of her was seething. So when the orange mare faced her, she let her anger show.

"So that's how it is, huh?" She said bitterly. "You nearly kill Bloom, you run off, then you waltz in here after all this time and expect everything to be exactly as it was before? Well, I have news for you, Scootaloo. Its not!! Thanks to you, Bloom has to get around on two legs instead of four. Thanks to you, she spent all the rest of her fillyhood going through treatments and new fittings for her cart there, and not to mention nightmares about falling off cliffs! And that was all you, Scootaloo! You see what your stupid stunts led to?? Well, do you?? Bloom has never been the same!!!"

Scootaloo took an involuntary step back as the enraged unicorn suddenly wound up snout to snout with her, her eyes full of tears of hurt and anger.

"Sweetie..." Apple Bloom started.

"Stay out of this!" Sweetie Belle shouted. Her eyes narrowed. "Bloom wants to forgive you for all but killing her, well, wonderful. But I don't. And I won't. I almost lost my best friend that day cause of you, and your stupidly dangerous stunt. You want forgiveness? Well, don't ask me! Cause I won't give it to you!!"

With that, she spun around and stormed over to stand glaring out the window. Scootaloo stood still, fighting back further tears and losing the battle. She took a step forward.

"Sweetie Belle." She said brokenly. "I know you're still mad at me. I don't blame you. I'm still mad at me too. And trust me, I have spent the last seven years beating myself up over it. You have no idea how bad I want to go back and undo that day."

Sweetie Belle spun around and stomped forward to stand snout to snout with her again.

"Why did you even come back??" She demanded. "You caused enough damage already. Why didn't you just stay away?"

"I came back to make things right." Scootaloo replied softly. "To either find forgiveness, or...or accept punishment for what I did. Either way, I wanted to make things right. I'll do whatever it takes for you to forgive me, Sweetie Belle. For however long it takes."

Sweetie Belle scowled. "I ought to do what I wanted to do to you at the hospital that night " she growled. "I wanted to hit you and knock you clear across the room. Blast you with my magic...such as it was."

Scootaloo took a deep breath, eyes never wavering from Sweetie Belle's.

"Then go ahead." She said. "I'll walk outside with you so nothing gets destroyed in here, and you can do whatever you want to me. Take a punch at me, blast me into a tree trunk, kill me...I won't stop you. Its no less than I deserve, after what I did, and if it means you'll forgive me too, then, just do it."

Sweetie Belle stared at her, feeling her anger starting to dissolve, confused.

"You seriously would let me do that?" She asked, dismayed. "I mean, you'd actually let me...hurt you? Just so I'll forgive you??"

"If that's what it takes." Scootaloo replied sadly. "Then yes. You can do what you want to me. I just want you to forgive me like everypony else has. I don't deserve it, but...but I need it. Especially if I'm ever gonna forgive myself."

Sweetie Belle felt the last of her anger fade. She reached out and grabbed her friend in a tight hug, tears welling up and spilling from her eyes.

"Oh, Scootaloo. I can't hurt you. And I can't stay mad at you forever." She choked. "I forgive you."

And with those words, something was released in both of them. Scootaloo cried tears of relief and joy as she realised she was once more part of their friendship. Sweetie Belle cried with relief and joy as she realised she had her friend back.

"I missed you, Scoots. I really did. I just didn't admit it to anypony til now." She said shakily, as they pulled apart.

Apple Bloom moved to their sides, and the three of them wrapped their forelegs around each other in a group hug. Once they let go, Apple Bloom stuck out a hoof, grinning a little. Recognizing what was going on, Scootaloo placed hers on top, and Sweetie Belle completed the pile. Looking into each others' eyes, they spoke the words none of them had uttered in years.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders Forever!"

Another group hug, only this time, everypony in the room joined in, and Scootaloo was surrounded in the warmth of family and friends.

She had come home seeking forgiveness, redemption, and peace, and as she snuggled into the loving embraces of those she loved, she knew that she had found the first two...in their eyes, at least. She still felt a pang of regret as she managed to look at Apple Bloom.

It was going to be a long time before she forgave herself...

Author's Note:

Sorry if this chapter was kinda long. Just started writing and couldn't stop.

Hope you liked it.

There is another chapter planned...it just may take awhile to write and post.

Comments

[CrossoverFanficReader]

lovin it so far!
also i hate to say this but i think you made a teensy error "Then go ahead." She said. "I'll walk outside with you so nothing gets destroyed in here, and you can do whatever you want to me. Take a punch at me, blast me into a tree trunk, half kill me...I won't stop you. Its no less than I deserve, after what I did, and if it means you'll forgive me too, then, just do it."
sorry but i think it would give it a bit more depth as to how much Scoots wants forgiveness if you said this:
"Then go ahead." She said. "I'll walk outside with you so nothing gets destroyed in here, and you can do whatever you want to me. Take a punch at me, blast me into a tree trunk, kill me...I won't stop you. Its no less than I deserve, after what I did, and if it means you'll forgive me too, then, just do it."
just one small change, otherwise its good!
(p.s sorry i like drama stories especially ones with death)

[RebelNarrator45]

9214557
I'm gonna confess, it took me three times of reading through your comment to find the error you pointed out

But I found it!! Lol. Thanks for the suggestion. I went back and fixed it.

[CrossoverFanficReader]

9214580
you didn't have to do that, but i just thought it would sound deeper, thanks though

[-Frost]

This was a good story, I enjoyed it and I will admit that I actually ended up crying a little bit.

[Bronyxy]

Wow!
You can feel the courage Scoots has had to show to face the music. I could truly see Sweetie Belle as the single voice of condemnation to her welcome home.
Very powerful writing, and I sense there is even more drama to come.
Looking forward to it!

[Stainless Steel Fox]

Honestly, I expected Sweetie Belle to be guilty as hell, because she felt it was her outburst that made Scootaloo exile herself. Words said in anger that she regrets. I guess not though.