In the Dead of Night
Scootaloo quelled under Octavia's ice cold gaze as she entered. Octavia immediately got up and began delivering a rant she seemed to have been saving up for her entrance.
"And where exactly have you been?" she started, frowning and crossing her forelegs. "What do you have to say for yourself, staying out until after dark, not letting us know where you were? The two of us have been worried sick!"
At the living room table, Vinyl Scratch glanced up. She took a large bite of the submarine sandwich she had been eating. A pickle plopped out, and runny mustard dripped down to the plate below. Vinyl shrugged casually.
Octavia steamed on ahead, not letting Scootaloo get a word in. "Let's have a look at you. Undoubtedly you've been out crusading all over town, and have a new collection of burrs, brambles, cuts and scrapes. You look-"
She faltered as she finally really looked in Scootaloo's direction and took her appearance in.
"-immaculate?" she finished weakly.
Scootaloo grinned at seeing her rant derailed. This, however, may have been a mistake, as Octavia began looking her over more closely.
"I swear you are cleaner than you usually are when you leave the house. And I see a few patches of fur missing," Octavia mused. "From the past, that usually means you got covered in tree sap. Usually cleaning that up removes some of your fur in the process. Where exactly were you?"
"The library. I told Auntie Vinyl I was going to the library!" Scootaloo protested.
"You did, did you?" Octavia looked over at her partner sternly. Vinyl shrank a bit under her gaze.
"Er, maybe?" she answered weakly.
Octavia sighed, some of the tension leaving her. "Honestly. Why do I even put up with you two?"
She turned back to Scootaloo.
"All right, Scoots," she asked. "how, exactly, did you manage to get covered, head to tail from appearances, in tree sap while at the library?"
It was testimony to her previous escapades that Octavia didn't question whether it was possible, but rather how. Scootaloo had proven capable of getting covered in tree sap anywhere.
This, however, was a tricky question for her to answer. She didn't really want to tell Octy the full story. It would get her out of trouble, but she could scratch all chances of going back to the library tomorrow as well. This might honestly not be a bad idea, but she still felt she needed Twilight's help. Time to try to talk her way out of it.
"Er, the library is a tree?" Not that that was relevant, but it was true, anyways. "Spike got me all cleaned up, and Twilight said she'd research my problems with flying. She asked me to meet her back at the library tomorrow, after she's had a chance to check things out properly."
All of that was completely true, and it completely derailed Octavia's train of thought, as intended. At the mention of her flightlessness, the rest of Octavia's stern demeanor melted, and she engulfed Scootaloo in a big hug.
"Hey!" Scootaloo protested, squirming. "Gerroff!"
Actually, she kinda liked Octy's hugs, but she wasn't about to be seen as a softy.
"Scoots, I didn't realize you were still upset about that," Octavia said. "I know it's hard, but no point in moping around about it. We'll still love you just as much, even if you can't fly-"
At the last part, Scootaloo's demeanor changed, and she suddenly pulled out of Octavia's grasp. She'd had about enough of that earlier.
"It doesn't matter. Because I will be able to fly," Scootaloo said angrily. "And at least Twilight's willing to support me in trying, rather than constantly telling me I can't do it!"
She headed past Octavia, and stormed up the stairs. "It's been a long day. I'm going to bed."
As she disappeared into her room, Octavia started to follow. Getting up, Vinyl caught her partway.
"No point in heading up there now," she told her. "Let her chill for a while. You can always talk about it later, when you're both calmer."
Octavia paused for a moment, then kissed Vinyl on the muzzle. "Now I remember why I put up with you. Come on."
She drew Vinyl into the bedroom with her and closed the door, leaving a half-eaten sandwich on the table behind them.
Scootaloo stood in her room and slammed the door behind her angrily. They just don't understand. Why can't they at least give some thought to the idea that I might become a good flier. Even a great flier!
Her room did nothing to help calm her down. Everything in it reminded her of flying. The Wonderbolts posters on the wall. The blue and white cloud-patterned comforter on her bed. The picture of Rainbow Dash on the dresser.
The last actually made her cross for a different reason. You'll take me under your wing, huh? And then you're always missing or busy any time I look for you.
Maybe Rainbow Dash was having second thoughts about the whole thing. Maybe she realized she doesn't need a silly orange pegasus with stubby little wings that can't fly tagging around behind her all the time.
You know, I don't really want to think about it any more. Why don't I get some sleep? She tipped the picture over, so she wasn't reminded of Rainbow any more, turned out the lights, and climbed in bed.
Sleep didn't come easily for her tonight. She tossed and turned restlessly, seemingly unable to get comfortable. A few years ago, she might have snuggled up to a stuffed animal and gone to sleep that way, but she didn't keep stuffed animals. Not since- well, she didn't keep stuffed animals.
All around her, the Wonderbolts posters on the wall seemed to be mocking her, telling her she'd never be worthy to join their ranks. Finally, she got up and savagely tore them from the walls, and piled them face down in one of the corners of the room. Only then was she able to get some rest.
Scootaloo found herself in the living room of a very different house. Concert posters for the Flaming Tulips adorned the walls, signed 'Ruby Sunshine' at the bottom, and a guitar lay flung in the corner. She recognized the room immediately, as she'd lived there for many years.
As if to confirm her first impressions, a young orange pegasus ran into the room, giggling, followed by a white unicorn with magenta hair that matched her own. Mom.
Calm down. It's just a dream. As if to confirm this, the younger version of herself ran right through her, wings extended, with her mother running afterwards.
"Caught you!" she said, throwing her forelegs around her daughter.
"You can't catch me, mommy!" The young filly said excitedly. "I'm zooming off into the sky!"
"A sufficiently determined mare can do anything she puts her mind to, dear," she told her daughter. "Always remember that."
"Will I be able to fly real high and fast when I grow up, mommy?"
"I'm sure you'll be able to put all the other pegasuses to shame," she replied. "In the meantime, though, it's time to go to bed."
"Awww..." The young filly pouted. "Do I have to?"
"I'm afraid so." She levitated her daughter onto her back, not noticing a stuffed frog fall to the floor. "Come on."
Scootaloo felt herself drawn along with them, though she'd rather not have followed. She knew all too well how this was going to end.
They headed up a flight of stairs, walking next to a sturdy railing. At the end of the stairs was a nook overlooking the living room. Just there, they headed into a doorway to Scootaloo's old room. Weaving past a chest full of toys, Scootaloo's mother deposited her in the bed in the center.
She neatly tucked her daughter in under the covers. "Alright, time to get some sleep, Scoots."
"But I'm not at all..." She stifled a yawn. "tired. Can't you tell me a story?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear," she said. "I don't really have time tonight, I'm afraid."
"Sing me a song, then?"
"That, I could do," she said. "What would you like to hear, Scoots?"
"A rock ballad!"
She shook her head. "I'd give you something off my last album, but the point is to get you to go to sleep, not wake you up."
"A sleepy rock ballad?"
"No rock tonight, Scoots." She looked thoughtful. "Here's a song I always liked, though. Not one of mine, but still a good one. Get yourself all properly tucked in, and I'll sing it."
Young Scootaloo snuggled into her covers, as her mother started to sing.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free.
Blackbird fly Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird fly Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.
As she finished, she kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Good night, Scoots. See you in the morning."
She crept out of the room. It was peaceful for a while, as Scootaloo watched her younger self sleep, feeling more and more agitated. Then there was a thumping noise from downstairs, and the young filly stirred. She smacked her lips, then went to grab something next to her, and clutched thin air.
"Mister Hippity-Hop?" she said questioningly. She looked around, but there was no sign of the stuffed animal. She hopped out of bed, and headed to the door in pursuit of the missing toy.
"No! Don't go down there!" Scootaloo yelled, remembering what happened next, and blocked the door. To no avail, of course, as her younger self just walked right through her, to the nook right outside her room.
Scootaloo followed despite herself. In the living room, her stuffed frog lay on the floor, but something - or somepony - was moving in the shadows, grabbing things and stuffing them in a bag.
Her father's voice came from below. "Stop! What are you doing in my home?"
A crash followed, and Scootaloo fixed her eyes on the stuffed toy, and pinned her ears to the side, refusing to see or hear what was happening below. A keening noise came from her younger self, watching everything wide eyed.
And Scootaloo sat there through the yelling and screaming, not moving her eyes from the toy, wincing as a splatter of blood landed on it. She didn't have to look down there to know what was going on. The images had been seared into her brain the first time.
Her father was lying there, head bashed in with a lamp. Her mother had been flung against a wall. She wasn't even sure why she'd survived, other than that her parents' attackers had been eager to leave, and the nook she was in wasn't easy to see from down below.
She'd had nightmares for a long time after that. They'd stopped for a while, but everything that happened today must have been enough to bring them back. She kept staring fixedly at the frog lying on the ground, trying to keep her emotions under control, and barely noticed as a purplish-blue wing wrapped itself around her.
"It's all over and done, Scootaloo," a voice said from by her side. "This all happened a long time ago. And there is nothing you can do to change it. All you can do is move on."
"I k-know, Princess Luna." She sniffed. "But it's so hard."
"Many things in life are," she said. "But they still must be done. It hath - ahem - has been several months since you last had this dream. Was there something wrong that has triggered it tonight?"
"I don't know. Everything," Scootaloo said. "Nothing's going right right now."
"You must tell me all about it. But first, let us go somewhere less stressful. And do not worry about them. They-" She pointed down below. "are in maximum security cells in Canterlot for the rest of their lives."
She smiled, showing all her teeth, a vindictive gleam in her eyes. "And they are having very bad dreams right now."
She guided Scootaloo back into the bedroom and closed the door. Sitting on the bed, Princess Luna held Scootaloo close to her to comfort. As if this released something inside her, Scootaloo started sobbing into her fur for what seemed like forever. Once she regained control of herself, they settled down to talk.
"So, what has been troubling you, child?"
"It's been taking a long time for me to start flying, so Vinyl and Octy took me to a doctor to have me checked out," Scootaloo said. "He said that I only have a twenty percent chance of ever being able to fly."
"Statistics!" Princess Luna spat, as if the word offended her. "Naught but educated guesses. Hardly worth even giving credence. Any fool could offer a one in five chance of your flying. Backing it up is something else entirely."
"Yeah," Scootaloo said, ears beginning to perk back up.
"And even if the figure is correct, it is hardly insurmountable. I have overcome worse odds myself. When I first showed signs of becoming Nightmare Moon, the wisest ponies in the land were sent for, and gave a five percent chance of my ever returning to normal."
"Really?" Scootaloo asked.
"Really," she confirmed. "A thousand years later, I am here, and those who made that assessment are long gone."
Scootaloo scratched her head. "I hope it doesn't take that long for me to fly."
"Well, Rainbow Dash has taken you under her wing, has she not? Has she made any suggestions?"
Scootaloo's ears sagged back down at this. "I haven't told her. She's either been gone, or hasn't been able to make time for me since the camping trip. I think she may be having second thoughts."
Princess Luna frowned at this. "Having a sister is not always easy. Have you told Rainbow Dash how you are feeling?"
"Well, no..."
"Then by all means do so!" she exclaimed, then caught hold of herself. "Keeping things that are bothering you from your sister never leads to good things. Though I suppose attempting to bring about night eternal is unlikely to result from your present situation."
"Um, no," Scootaloo said, puzzled. "Not really."
"Nonetheless, she is likely to know a good deal about the mechanics of flying, and would be a good pony to talk to about your situation. As would Twilight Sparkle."
"I've already talked to her!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Things started off on the wrong hoof, but she's doing some research, and I'll be checking in with her tomorrow."
"Good! Now, I apologize, but my control of this dream is weakening, so I will have to end our conversation here. I will be keeping an eye on your dreams to see how you are doing."
'Does that mean I'll be going back to the dream I was having?" Scootaloo said, worried.
"Actually, I shall use what's left of my control to wake you up to prevent that." she said gently. "You should have already gotten enough sleep tonight in any case."
"Oh. Thanks."
"My pleasure. I look forward to an account of your attempts at flight with interest. Farewell, Scootaloo!"
With that, she walked through a wall and departed. Scootaloo felt an urge to walk back out to the hall again, but almost immediately, everything started going transparent and fading out. In a moment, she found herself laying in a tangle of covers in her room, sunlight streaming in through a window.
Feathering nightmares again. She'd had these nightmares every night after it had happened, but they'd gradually occurred less and less. She'd hoped she'd seen the last of them, but what happened yesterday must have retriggered them.
Not that I really mind seeing more of Princess Luna. Celestia may raise the sun, but Luna had helped her through the tail end of these nightmares, and was certainly her favorite princess. She'd just like to see her when she wasn't reliving her worst moments.
Oh well, there were more immediate matters at hand. It was breakfast time, and she'd never even had anything for dinner last night. She slipped through the door to her room, and trotted downstairs in search of something to eat.
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D'AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
if dash is her sister, luna is like her wise grandmother she can talk to, or a family friend adult.. or counselor. Whatever, i just love how she helps her.
2315680
Thanks. I really like this relationship, too. I figure part of Luna's duties includes monitoring dreams, and if somepony has persistent nightmares, she'll get to know them pretty well. In this case, she's clearly come to care about Scootaloo a good deal.
The murder scene was hard to write, as well, because I knew what happened, but Scoots was very carefully trying to screen it out as best she could. And she'd been through the scene enough times that she was able to do it. Sad thing is that in this universe, things went much better then in another one, where she continued down the stairs...
Ah, a nice pleasant chapter about Scootaloo's happy back-story. Fond memories of the time her parents had such a fun party that they accidentally spilled some juice on her stuffed frog, then left on an epic quest to find a new one for her. And then Luna shows up to chat just 'cause they're pals.
But oof, settled on the post-camping trip, bitter disappointment route with Rainbow Dash, I see. Or at least for the moment anyway. I'm curious if Dash will become a positive figure in this story, or if she'll be a prime example of what Lauren meant when she said Rainbow Dash wouldn't make the best sister. It's easy to give someone high hopes with a few promises during a moment of stress, but how well she'd live up to those expectations is hard to say.
I do kinda wish you'd gone with some other reason Scootaloo's parents are dead. Murdered in a break-in just seems so... well, like something that would happen in real life. I like to at least think ponies wouldn't treat each other that way, so even if it had been a couple diamond dogs or such instead. Biased nitpickery, though, perhaps, and it's probably rather silly to expect the death of her parents to be at all satisfying in any sense. Sorry if I keep griping about little preference things, though, since they aren't really criticisms as much as quibbling.
By the way, do you want typos and such pointed out? I noticed maybe half a dozen little corrections that could be made. Didn't really keep track of where they were, though.
2318584
Lets just say every relationship is going to have bumps along the way, and this is one of them. I'm not saying anything major happened. Rainbow saying she'd take Scootaloo under her wing, immediately taking off to the Wonderbolt Academy for a few weeks, then ignoring Scootaloo a few times after getting back would be more then enough.
And, yes, Scootaloo's parents death, by the nature of the event, isn't going to be satisfying. Think of it this way. Robberies and deaths related to them do happen in my Equestria, but a lot less then here, and are likely do be cracked down on harder. Essentially, what happened that night was front page news, and would have been even if it didn't involve the death of a fairly popular singer.
I did feel some of the mother / daughter interaction, and the Scootaloo / Luna moments were important to get in. I kind of feel like her father got robbed of screen time, but that happens.
As far as typos, I'd be glad to have them pointed out, so I could fix them. Reviewing, I do see at least two spots I should clean up. Think I spent too much time futzing around with Luna's dialogue...
Shame I didn't get much description in for her parents:
imageshack.us/a/img14/5841/scootaloofamilypicture2.png
2322388
Heh, that might not've been the best Scootaloo vector to pick for that picture. Kinda looks like she's afraid of them. So, I don't remember seeing the exact relationships mentioned anywhere, so I'm gonna assume Vinyl is Scootaloo's mother's sister, whether or not it matters at all.
But yeah, Rainbow wouldn't have to do anything cruel at all to disappoint Scootaloo. All she'd have to do is act on par to how she did in Wonderbolt Academy when she didn't bother to ever send Pinkie a letter. Dash seems like the type to get wrapped up in whatever she's concerned about, oblivious to how it might be affecting those around her, with no mean-spirited intent at all. Or maybe a few impatient snarks that come off sounding harsher than she realized. Maybe Scootaloo speaking up could be all it takes to get Dash to make the effort again, but then maybe she'd just forget again two days later. So you could go either direction with that relationship and have it be believable.
I just did a quick scan for typos, so I might have missed some, but most seem to involve apostrophes. Small stuff, really.
Lets have a look
still felt she needed Twilights help
Scootaloo demeanor changed
put all the other pegasus to shame --> pluralize pegasus
At the end of the stairs was nook --> was a nook
that her parent's attackers --> parents'
2322651
Yeah, that's a bit of an old picture, actually. It predates season 3. I should put in a better Scootaloo vector, but I still had it hanging around, and that is about what her parents look like for this. And, yes, that's the family relationship I had in mind.
Of course, I also have Vinyl possibly being related to Shining Armor somewhere in the back of my mind. Both white unicorns with similar colors of mane...
And, yeah, Rainbow isn't trying to hurt Scootaloo. It'd be amusing if she tried to get advice on being a sister from Rarity. ^_^
"Being a big sister is like Applejack. Seriously. Go bug her."
Apostrophes do tend to be a weak spot of mine. And it's a lot harder to see your own mistakes, unfortunately, because your mind fills in what you intended.
And, you know, sometimes I put in little things that are probably too subtle. I happen to be a John Lennon fan, and his last album before his murder was Double Fantasy. And the song "Beautiful Boy" on that album ends with him whispering "Good night, Sean. See you in the morning."...
see? Scoots knows who best Princess is. Go Luna! Lunar Republic will live forever!
Suddenly her decision in the Showstoppers episode makes sense now.
I love the idea of Luna giving bad guys bad dreams. Yoinked for headcanon.
Luna's kind of right for not going by the doctor's statistics. I've read that sometimes doctors will give patients false diagnoses (like "You have 3 months to live") so that when the patient defies the false diagnosis they feel encouraged.