Scootaloo the Fugitive

by Kaidan

19. The Other Side of Dash

Scootaloo was zooming towards school on her scooter. She was running late, and could only hope to sneak in unnoticed.

Pulling up to the school, she noticed Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon waiting for her. "Great, what do you want?"

"Oh us? Nothing." Diamond glanced at Silver and smiled. "We just wanted to welcome our favorite chicken to school."

"Nopony calls me—" Scootaloo was interrupted as an egg hit her in the face.

Laughter filled the air as the two rich, spoiled fillies pelted Scootaloo with eggs. "Haha Chicken! Lay us some more eggs!"

"Stop it!" Scootaloo was getting furious, when she heard something zoom through the air from behind her.

"Leave her alone! Nopony threatens my Scootaloo!"

Scootaloo's mouth fell open as Dash began pummeling Diamond Tiara into the ground. Her fists landed over and over on the poor filly. "No stop Dash!" Dash didn't hear her, quickly turning and finishing off Silver Spoon too.

Dash turned and stared into Scootaloo's eyes. "Are you trying to hurt my little sis? Are you!" Dash leapt at Scootaloo, tackling her and smacking her in the face.

---

Scootaloo woke up with her heart pounding in her chest. She looked around, realizing she was safe in her bedroom. This was the fifth time this week that she had a similar nightmare. Ever since she watched Dash mercilessly beat Gerda to within an inch of death. . . Scootaloo had never imagined Dash capable of it.

Dash did it to protect me, she pondered. Does that make it right? I've never seen any pony act so violently. Why does that scare me? She would never hurt me.

"Hey Squirt, another bad dream?" Dash walked in rubbing a hoof over her eyes.

"Oh Dash, yeah. It's really nothing. . ." Scootaloo felt her heart race as her mind wandered back to the barn.

"You still not ready to talk about it?"

"No." Scootaloo averted her gaze towards the window.

"Well I'm here for you, when you're ready to talk about whatever she . . . did to you." Dash turned and walked silently back towards the stairs.

Get ahold of yourself Scootaloo. She's my big sister, I need to put this all behind me. I've got to be brave like Dash, and handle this on my own. Scootaloo closed her eyes and waited to drift back to sleep. Part of her was bothered by Dash's actions, yet what scared her most was the part of her that wished she hadn't asked Dash to stop.

---

Morning came quicker than Scootaloo had wanted. The night had been restless after her nightmare, and she just wanted to get to school and get the day over with. It was hard enough to focus in class without being exhausted.

Scootaloo was grateful that Dash was out working with the weather patrol. She grabbed a bagel and her saddlebags and left early for school. She glided down to talk to the only other adult she trusted as much as Dash.

The cottage had a plume of smoke rising out of the chimney. The weather had been getting colder, and several of the animals were still in their burrows. The large oak door rattled as Scootaloo knocked on it.

A soft voice from inside answered. "Come in."

Scootaloo walked inside to find Fluttershy tending to dozens of small creatures. "It's amazing how you seem to know everything about every animal."

"That's very kind. It did take a lot of study, as well as talking to many different animals. What brings you by so early, isn't it a school day?"

"School starts in an hour. I needed somepony to talk to."

Fluttershy put down a bag of feed and turned to look at her. "May I ask. . . um if it's alright with you. . . why not ask Dash?"

Scootaloo took of her saddlebags and jumped on the couch, lying on her back. "That's just it. It's about Dash. I need someone else to ask."

"Then I'm glad you came to me Scootaloo, I consider you just as much family as Dash. We Pegasi have to stick together, after all, especially since all three of us are so far from our families." Fluttershy sat on the couch next to Scootaloo.

Glancing up at Fluttershy, Scootaloo felt a lightness and tingling overcome her as she got nervous. Taking a deep breath, she settled her stomach and addressed her. "I've been having nightmares since. . . since Gerda kidnapped us."

Fluttershy immediately frowned and looked away. "Oh, I'm sorry Scootaloo. I can't imagine what horrible things she did to you."

"It's not her it's—" Scootaloo hesitated, trying to find the right way to tell her that Dash scared her. "It's Dash. She nearly killed Gerda, and I've never seen anypony hit another like that. Part of me was mortified that Dash could do that, and the other part was cheering her on to finish Gerda. . ."

Fluttershy stroked her chin while figuring out how to answer such a profound question. "Dash would never hurt you Scootaloo."

"But what about somepony else? What happens the next time I'm being bullied or Dash loses her temper. . ."

"Do you remember when one of the bears came to me to give birth? I told everypony to not visit for a week because bears are very protective of their children. When the cub is threatened, the mother will defend them violently. That's not just for bears, Scootaloo. All good mothers love their foals just as much. "

"This was different, there was a look in her eyes. She—Dash enjoyed watching her suffer, just like Gerda used to enjoy watching me suffer."

"Scootaloo, I'll always be here for you. These nightmares are something you will have to talk to Dash about. She did what she did to protect you, and yes it could have killed Gerda, but it didn't. . . There's nothing I can say that will fix this."

"How am I supposed to tell Dash I'm afraid of her? I love her."

"The same way you asked her to take you under her wing. You'll have to face this fear and let her know how you feel, then you will be able to sleep again."

"And Gerda? Dash said the police took her away. Diamond Tiara says her father told her they found nothing but a leg when they went back to the barn."

Fluttershy wasn't prepared for that question. The elements had decided to tell the fillies Gerda was arrested. The thought that she might be out there, crippled and awaiting further retribution, would have been cruel to tell them. Even though Fluttershy knew the animals of the Everfree had probably eaten her before she made it half a mile, would it be right to just assume that and lie to Scootaloo?

"Fluttershy? Why are you so quiet?" Scootaloo sat up to look at her.

"Oh me? . . . No reason, just thinking about the rabbits. I really should feed them. . ." Fluttershy started to get up, and Scootaloo stepped on her tail.

"You're a horrible liar Fluttershy, what's going on?"

"I really can't. . . it's not my place. . . oh dear." Fluttershy sat back down. "Please, it's best if you talk to Dash. Would you be more comfortable talking to her here, with me?"

"Only if you pinkie promise to tell me the truth, Gerda got away didn't she?" A hint of anger had crept into her voice.

"I pinkie promise we'll tell you the truth, but you have to tell Dash about the nightmares, and you'll have to wait until after school." Fluttershy smiled, and then swallowed back a lump in her throat as she wondered what she had just gotten herself into.

---

Later That Day. . .

"Alright class, your reading assignment is chapter twelve of Huckleberry Filly. I want you to pay special attention to the way the filly treats the colt when they're on the river raft. There will be a quiz tomorrow." The class groaned collectively at Cheerilee. "None of that, it'll be an easy test."

A bell rang and the students began to file out of the classroom. Once outside, Diamond Tiara spoke up so Scootaloo could hear. "Silver Spoon, did you hear about Gerda? Daddy says they saw her down at the train station earlier, hobbling around muttering about skinning a chicken."

Applebloom quickly grabbed Scootaloo and walked the other direction. "Don't give her the satisfaction."

Sweetie Belle walked up on her other side. "Yeah, just wait until she grows up and realizes she can't make a living selling diamond tiaras, what a ridiculous cutie mark."

"Thanks girls." Scootaloo let out a long sigh. "Can I ask you something?"

Applebloom took her foreleg off from around her shoulder. "Ya can ask me anything."

"Back at the barn. . . did it bother you seeing Dash acting so violently?"

"Ah reckon' my sister woulda done the same, and ah doubt anypony could survive a kick from my sis." Applebloom smiled and looked to see if she had eased Scootaloo's mind.

"I didn't like seeing her act like that," Sweetie added. "I don't like anypony resorting to violence, but if she hadn't what would have happened to us?"

"That's what I expected you both to say." Scootaloo kicked a pebble off the road as they walked towards the farm. "I've been having nightmares though. Sometimes it's Dash beating up Diamond Tiara. Sometimes it's me beating up Gerda with Dash. What worries me, is that I'd enjoy it. Every time Diamond runs her mouth, I imagine punching her in the jaw. What if she was right, and me and Dash are just like her?"

"Hold it right there, that just ain't true! Ya'll are two nice ponies who don't run around hurtin' people."

Sweetie was quick to agree with Applebloom. "Yeah Scootaloo, I don't see how you could be making that assumption."

"Do you ever wonder if ponies are born like that, or if they learn to be so cruel? What if it's just a matter of time. . ." Scootaloo looked off towards the path into the Everfree.

"Once ah saw Applejack do somethin' ah thought was horrible. One of our best pigs had been injured, course ah didn't know that at the time. Poor thing had broken two legs and been getting' worse for a week. All ah saw when ah walked in the barn one mornin' was Applejack. . . putting it outta its misery. Ah was dead terrified for weeks, and every time my sis would ask why, ah'd lie. Ah was miserable for a month before ah finally told her what ah saw."

"That's horrible, how's that supposed to help?" Scootaloo looked at Sweetie for support, but she appeared to be just short of vomiting.

"That's just it, life ain't always black 'n white. That pig was old, and sufferin' for a whole week. If there was anything she coulda done, she would have. She told me how it's broken ribs had punctured the lungs, how it couldn't walk. All ah saw at the time was what ah wanted to see. Ah saw my sis. . . ah saw somethin' fillies ain't s'posed to see. Ah think Dash was doin' right by you, and ya need to talk to her so she can explain what ya saw."

The trio walked in silence until they reached the fork in the road to the apple farm. "Thanks, I guess Fluttershy was right. I just need to talk to Dash."

"Would you like me to come with you? Rarity is probably too busy making dresses to do anything fun anyway."

"Thanks Sweetie, but I think I can handle it on my own."

---

"Really Fluttershy? You tell me I have to come over to talk to Scootaloo and you won't tell me why?" Dash continued to pace around the living room.

"Please. . . She is still traumatized by some of the things she has been through. Scootaloo just wants to talk about the nightmares somewhere she'll feel safe."

"Safe?" Dash marched right up to Fluttershy. "I nearly killed somepony to keep her safe!"

Fluttershy flinched away for a second before remembering her assertiveness training. "That's just it Dash." She stood back up and made eye contact. "You almost killed somepony, Gerda almost killed Scootaloo. You have to talk about things like this, the poor filly is afraid what'll happen if you lose your temper aga—"

"Lose my temper!" Dash advanced on Fluttershy again. "She should know bett—"

Fluttershy interrupted her, using a tone she rarely had to use with Dash. "Dash, stop. Look at yourself right now. How many times in flight camp did you teach a bully a lesson for me? You're loyal to a fault and have a temper. You just need to tell Scootaloo you would never hurt her. And um. . . don't tell her I said anything, I kind of Pinkie Promised."

Dash walked around trying to get out the rest of her nervous energy. "So—does that make me a bad parent?"

"Of course not! I wish my mother felt the way about me that you do about Scootaloo. I'd rather worry about her temper than be told never to come back for disgracing the family."

Dash looked over and saw the pain in Fluttershy's misty eyes. "Come here." Dash held out a wing, and wrapped it around her once she approached. "They don't deserve a daughter as awesome as you. All the family you need is me and Scootaloo, and you have 4 more of the best mare friends anypony could want."

Fluttershy stood there nuzzling Dash. "Thank you, I guess I was the first sister you adopted."

"Heh, I never thought of it that way. We have been pretty inseparable since flight camp, huh?"

The pair heard a knocking at the door behind them. "I guess that's Scootaloo." Fluttershy stepped out from under Dash's wing. "Come in Scootaloo."

An orange head poked through the door, followed by a pink mane, and then the rest of a timid young filly. "Hi sis, Fluttershy. . ."

Fluttershy shot one last glance at Dash, and somehow just making eye contact seemed to calm her down a little more. The pair sat on a couch and waited for Scootaloo to sit on the opposite couch.

Dash smiled and relaxed her muscles. "Hey Squirt, I heard you were ready to talk about the nightmares, and you can tell me anything. I won't get mad."

Scootaloo shot a glance between the two, Fluttershy was intently examining a hoof, and Dash seemed calm enough for the moment. "Yeah, I've been thinking about what happened in the barn. . ."

"With Gerda?" Dash quickly quelled the tide of anger in her, keeping control of her infamous temper for the filly she loved.

"No, with you—" Scootaloo flinched as she thought she saw something in Dash's eye. "I mean, when you attacked her to save me—it really scared me. It scared me because I thought you were going to kill her, and I wanted you too."

Dash dropped her jaw as her brain tried to devise new methods of thought in order to answer this question. Of all the things bothering the filly, this had never occurred to her. She finally managed to mutter a few words. "I—would never hurt you."

"I know, but what about other ponies? Or what if I end up beating up Diamond Tiara? The only way I've ever known to settle differences is violence."

Dash sighed as she finally figured out a way they might be able to relate. "You remember how I met Fluttershy? Well bullies didn't stop picking on her just because I won a race. I used to get in fights and get in trouble for my temper. I learned from it though, and I had my dad there to teach me. A temper isn't something that just goes away, and I'd feel horrible if—if she had died."

"Diamond was right then? Gerda did escape." Scootaloo deflated, sinking further into the couch. She had hoped she was dead and it was over, and she felt guilty for wishing that.

"Scootaloo. . . We didn't want to tell you, because there's no way she made it out of that forest. Her trail ended a hundred yards deeper in the forest. She was missing a leg, and the predators can smell blood for miles. . ."

Scootaloo glanced back at the two pegasi. "Are you sure?"

Fluttershy stopped examining her hoof. "Not a single animal has seen her."

"And if she does come back—which I highly doubt. . . Look I'm not going to hurt you or anypony else that doesn't deserve it. When I think about losing you I get this feeling—it feels like. . . if I lost you it'd be worse than losing my wings, worse than being banished out of Equestria. You're the most precious thing I have now, more than the elements of harmony or the Wonderbolts."

"You mean it? I'm that important to you?" Scootaloo didn't move a muscle as she hung on Dash's next words.

"Yes, you are." Scootaloo began crying and rolled up on the couch. Dash looked at Fluttershy and whispered, "was it something I said?"

Fluttershy pushed her off the couch, whispering "she's happy, go."

Dash walked over and sat next to Scootaloo, scooping her up. "Thank y—you Dash."

"No problem Squirt, that's what family is for." Dash rubbed Scootaloo's head with her hoof. "You have any more nightmares you let me know, alright? And I Pinkie Promise to work on that temper, after all, if everypony really was a spy, I would have caught one by now."

Scootaloo laughed and cried as the bottled up emotions of her recent traumas were lifted from her shoulders. "It feels good to be honest and tell somepony else how I feel."

"Oh um. . . I almost forgot, but Pinkie dropped off some supplies to make s'mores, and I got a couple extra sleeping bags out. Would you two like to stay for a sleepover?"

Scootaloo looked up at Dash for an answer. "Of course Squirt, the clouds aren't going anywhere."

---

Author's Note:

I'm debating combining all the small 2k word chapters into 6k word chapters (cutting from 18 to 6 chapters.) It would delete all the comments, so I'm not sure it's worth it. Do you like the bite sized chapters? Do you mind how long the list of chapters is getting? Last, should I delete the bad title puns so they make a little sense?

Let me know, as I already messed around to test it out (which is why all the chapter 18 comments vanished.) I'm not sure if combining them serves any real purpose, other then satisfying my OCD. (Do you know what CDO is? It's OCD in alphabetical order. Bazinga!)

I added two scenes to the current chapters relating to Gerda. (chapter 11 I added one paragraph about Boulder/Gerda in the opening sequence. Chapter 16 I added a Gerda scene at the very start. I still mercilessly end her story arc as a psychotic killer, but maybe the new scenes make her slightly less "King Sombra" and a little more "Nightmare Moon." Also, you'll never believe who her daughter is. Foreshadowing? Or just my sick sense of humor? Only Pinkie knows, and she promised not to tell!)

Comments

[Kaidan]

2199293 It's back up now, I was messing around with combining some chapters. Then I tested it by deleting 18, and I realized it nukes all the comments. I also realized I was publishing/unpublishing them while poor ponies may be reading them. Then I realized re-publishing the deleted chapter could be construed as 'bumping' my story by republishing a chapter, so I had to write a whole new chapter. . .

I pinkie promise not to delete them out from under you ever again.

But I still don't know if I need to consolidate them.

[Captawesome]

Haha you egged her!

Just as planned....

[Cold Spike]

YAY FEELS! MOAR!

[Kaidan]

2199761 Never let it be said I don't listen to the fans! (Well, except the one pony who wanted gore... maybe I can write an alternate version for him.) Oh and do you have a link to a bigger version of your avatar? That'd be the best wallpaper ever.

2199809 If the author's note weren't already so ridiculously long I would have said something about the feels in this chapter. It started with Scootaloo having a nightmare and ended on borderline shipping between Dash and Fluttershy. I much prefer to think of them as three sisters though, with benef.... bad mind! out of the gutter.

Any thought on combining into 6 large chapters, or should I just keep going at a bite-sized pace?

[Autumn Wind]

I think you should keep them separated as they are now. The chapters seem fine like they are to me.

[Captawesome]

2199826 Unfortunately i do not sorry

Heh thanks for that egging it brought a smile to my face

[Cold Spike]

I'm fine either way. When it comes to stories involving children and rated everyone...I like to think of shipping and romance as a light subject even with mares and adults. Say for example you shipped Scootaloo with Sweetie Belle or something, since they are children you can just lightly describe scenes and make the romance part more of a special friendship. The big difference is, no sex and nothing suggestive of sex. 2199826

[Kaidan]

2199871 One day I'll learn to stop joking about shipping/gore in my "E for everyone" story :)

I do agree with your take on it though, I imagine it like being family with someone you share no relation to. You can love someone without being in love / physically attracted to them.

This author has a nice note using logic to prove why Dash and Fluttershy are so close, despite sharing no common interests. (his actual story preceding it is good as well.)

[temerarii pulsat]

i say leave the chaps be i dont mind alot of them best stories ive read have 30 - 40 chaps

[GAPDashie]

I laughed way harder than I should have at Dash kicking filly flank.

[Kaidan]

2200200 2199938 Short chapters are easier, trying to combine them all was a headache anyway.
2200022 Maybe we can have a filly fight club, or a grim dark based on "Battle Royale" ... oh I'm so doing this now
2200704 Most villains think they're doing the right thing, Gerda is pretty psychotic though.

[Blagdaross]

Keep the short chapters. That way, if my internet breaks and needs to be thumped, it's easier to find where I left off.
Also, I think deleting everything, reformatting, and re-posting is likely to cause more trouble than it's worth. And take time away from writing more chapters.

[kingsmen]

When dash made that speech I cried this story is amazing!!!

[Prince Regal Prism]

Bazinga.

[playnwin]

Fluttershy broke her pinkie promise!!!!!!!!
...
...
...
Pinkie? Hello?
Well then, I guess it's up to me.

FOREEEEEEEVER!!!!!!!!

[LunairaNight]

Pinkie Pie didn't pop out when Fluttershy broke her Pinkie Promise

[Witchrblizzad]

Shy never broke a pinkie promise, see?

"I pinkie promise we'll tell you the truth, but you have to tell Dash about the nightmares, and you'll have to wait until after school." Fluttershy smiled, and then swallowed back a lump in her throat as she wondered what she had just gotten herself into.

she promised to "tell the truth" and that is what she did!