Follow The Rainbow

by UnlicensedBrony

Soft Spot [Slice Of Life]

Episode Twelve: Soft Spot – [Slice Of Life]

The wooden door yielded to an excited push, opening into a small, tan-coloured room, with little decoration other than the bed in the far corner and the dresser at its side. The firefly lamp atop the dresser was dormant, so the room was lit only by the dimming light from the small window in the wall. It wasn't a whole lot to look at, but nonetheless, Scootaloo could hardly contain herself as she skipped over the threshold.

“Awesome!” she cried, looking around to take the place in. “This is gonna be so great!”

“It's just a stable, y'know,” said Rainbow Dash, following her inside. “Nothing compared to the place we've got in Manehattan. This is just a rest stop before we get there.”

Scootaloo ran over to the window and hopped up to look out onto the quiet, darkening street outside. “Yeah, but I've never stayed in a stable before. It's exciting!”

Rainbow gave a short chuckle and closed the door behind her. “If you say so.”

Scootaloo flashed a smile over her shoulder as Rainbow let out a yawn and shrugged off her saddlebags beside the bed. It was going to be awesome – sharing a room with Rainbow Dash, all by herself. The thought was almost enough to make her squeal with excitement again. There was just one issue that sprung to her mind as she watched Rainbow rifling through her saddlebags...

She hopped down from the windowsill and walked to the middle of the room, casting a curious look around. “So, uh, where do I sleep?”

“In the bed, duh,” said Rainbow, wiggling her flank a little as she dug deeper into the saddlebags. She rifled around for a moment more – during which Scootaloo was hard-pressed to keep her eyes from the dancing, multichrome tail – until she found what she was looking for and pulled it out with a grunt. “There. I've got the sleeping bag, see?”

“...Oh,” said Scootaloo. “How come we didn't just get a room with two beds?”

Rainbow shrugged. “It's a small-change stable, squirt – they don't have twin rooms, only single or double bed.”

“Oh,” said Scootaloo again. She was grateful that Rainbow had turned away to position her sleeping bag, because her cheeks suddenly felt quite warm as a thought crossed her mind. Deciding to play it cool, she cleared her throat and ran a casual hoof through her mane. “Well, y'know, I wouldn't have minded sharing a double bed with you...”

Rainbow chuckled as she started unrolling her sleeping bag. “I wouldn't mind sharing a double bed with me either,” she said. “But Applejack's paying for this trip and she wants to save some cash for when we get to the rodeo. So, single it is...” She cast a teasing smirk over her shoulder at Scootaloo. “Maybe next time, huh, squirt?”

Scootaloo opened her mouth, closed it again and cracked a smile.

“A-nd... there we go!” Rainbow finished setting up her sleeping bag, and promptly flopped down onto it. Closing her eyes, she let out a loud, relaxed sigh. “Oh yeah. This'll do.”

When, after a good ten seconds, Rainbow still made no sign of movement other than the rising and falling of her chest, Scootaloo cocked her head in question. “Uh... are you going to sleep?”

“Mhm,” Rainbow grunted.

“Oh,” said Scootaloo. “Well, that's cool... I guess.”

Rainbow quirked an eye open. “You guess? It's a stable, squirt – what'd you think we were gonna do?”

“Nothing!” said Scootaloo quickly.

Rainbow gave her a doubtful look. “Scoots...”

Scootaloo hung her head and frowned. “Okay... I was just... kinda hoping we were gonna stay up late, y'know? Play some games and tell stories and stuff...” She kicked the ground embarrassedly. “...I mean, we've never had a proper sleepover before,” she muttered.

Rainbow groaned and rolled her head. “Squirt, I am really tired. I don't--” She broke off as her gaze met the pouty frown on Scootaloo's face. A long moment passed, during which the two just stared at one another in silence.

And then Rainbow huffed. “What'd you wanna play?”

Scootaloo's face lit up in an instant.

---

“...and then she says 'Maybe the apple peel and the wannabe dress maker can join you, working on the chicken ranch,'” said Scootaloo, parodying Diamond Tiara's voice. “I mean, what a jerk! What even is a chicken ranch?”

“Hmm,” Rainbow grunted, eyes on the cards she held in her hooves. “So, what happened then?”

“Well, then Miss Cheerilee rang the bell for everypony to come back inside, so we didn't really get a chance to think of a comeback,” said Scootaloo, frowning at her own cards. “Um... where were we again?”

“Go fish,” said Rainbow helpfully.

“Oh.” Scootaloo leant forwards and drew another card from the deck with her teeth, laying it behind her hooves.

“Y'know, it's always better to have friends than enemies,” said Rainbow idly. “But it sounds to me like this filly isn't worth your time. If I were you, next time I saw her, I'd just tell her to get lost.”

“Yeah...” Scootaloo adopted a more thoughtful frown.

“Got any sevens?” asked Rainbow.

Scootaloo dropped the seven card from her grasp and slid it over to Rainbow. “She is nice sometimes though,” she reasoned. “But only ever when we're both on our own, and only sometimes. Whenever she's with her friend, Silver Spoon, or whenever I'm with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, she always goes out of her way to make fun of us.”

“So, you're saying she's not a jerk all the time?” said Rainbow, shooting her a glance. “You think she's just jealous or something?”

“Pssh. Of what – not having a cutie mark?” said Scootaloo.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah, totally. I actually meant of you hanging out with your other friends instead of her.”

“But Diamond Tiara isn't my friend. She never was.”

“Oh, she's got a name now?” said Rainbow with a smirk. “Well, you think maybe this 'Diamond Tiara' wants to be your friend? I mean, you are pretty awesome sometimes.”

Scootaloo managed a little smile at that. “I guess that could be it,” she mused. “But then why does she act like a jerk instead of just asking to play?”

Rainbow's smirk widened, as if she knew something she wasn't letting on. “Yeah, I couldn't possibly guess. But hey, if you're interested, maybe you should catch this girl next time she's being nice and ask her if she wants to hang out – somewhere away from everypony else.”

Scootaloo quirked a brow. “How come?”

“It's what I would do,” said Rainbow with a shrug. “I mean, if nopony's around, she'll have no excuse not to answer when you ask why she's always making fun of you, right? Then you can find out whether she's worth your time or not. Simple.”

Scootaloo thought on it for a moment, then nodded to herself. “You know, I think I'll actually do that. You're so wise, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow just smiled, shook her head and turned her attention back to the card game.

Scootaloo stared at her. “...Hey, um, Rainbow Dash?” she said. “Thanks for staying up with me.”

“You got it, squirt.”

---

It had to be gone midnight, Rainbow Dash thought, as she lay, looking up at the ceiling in silence with Scootaloo beside her. The card games had lasted for a good long while, but eventually they'd taken to the more relaxed activity of just talking. Rainbow couldn't remember how long it'd been since either of them said anything though, and she was beginning to feel drowsy again.

Scootaloo made a funny sort of snorting noise.

Rolling her head to investigate, Rainbow found herself met with the adorable sight of Scootaloo lying on her back, fast asleep on the wooden floor. Rainbow let out a huff of surprise and amusement. She'd thought the filly would never fall asleep.

She let out a yawn of her own before getting to her hooves. Her perfectly comfy sleeping bag was just a few strides away. But first...

Lowering her head, Rainbow gently nuzzled under Scootaloo and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. She lifted the sleeping filly without a sound, carrying her over to the bed and laying her down.

The mattress clearly wasn't the softest in the world, but Scootaloo was too far gone to notice. Rainbow couldn't help but smile beside herself as she watched Scootaloo's chest slowly rise and fall with her breathing – through her mouth, which was part open. It really was an adorable sight.

Rainbow watched her for a long moment more, before shaking her head to regain herself. “Tch,” she scoffed, amused by her own, soft thoughts. She reached down and tussled Scootaloo's mane. “G'night, squirt.”

~FIN

---

Author's Note:

It's back! With the new episode twelve. The old episode twelve was unpublished due to it being random and kind of pointless (relatively speaking )

I doubt anyone will miss it, but if you do want to give it another read through for whatever reason, hit me up and I'll arrange a GDOC.

Comments

[Gammer14]

So, Diamond Tiara has a crush on Scootaloo, and Dash is trying to set them up on a date... Wow did not see that one coming.

[UnlicensedBrony]

2863362 Me neither Not sure where that came from but there it is!