Scoot Along Sis

by ObsidianPony

Chapter 3

It had been over a year since Scoots came into our life before she started to resemble herself from the show; life had settled into a routine of caring for her before this but every day now she was becoming more longing for independence.

By now she was also starting to question things.

She wanted to know why she was the only Pegasus she ever saw and why I wouldn’t let her onto the internet. Of course I had other reasons for that.

I hadn’t been very active amongst the Brony community ever since Scoots came into our lives but while I was in school one day I had been trying to think of how best to introduce her to the whole idea, she did deserve to know. Even while I was thinking this one of my friends started singing a certain song that made me realise maybe that would be a terrible idea.

Now a Rainbows Tale isn't quite as nice, as the story we knew of sugar and spice...

If introducing Scoots to who she really was meant introducing her to that I have to admit I did wonder if it would be better for her to just remain in the dark on where she came from; as much as I may love the fans, a lot of that stuff is not meant for little fillies.

Even months later it was still bothering me as I sat at the dining table with the paper open to job listings; I wanted Scoots to know who she was and my Dad was leaving it to me to introduce her because I actually knew who she was but, how was I supposed to do this? What, was I supposed to just turn to her and say “sorry Scoots but you aren’t supposed to be real and we aren’t your Dad and brother”? It would crush her.

Never mind my worries if she ever discovered Scootabuse…

“Hey, you’re dozing again, get your head in the game!” Scoots voice shattered my thinking.

“Alright Scoots, I’ll play.” Scoots had never exactly got into the habit of using my name, most of the time I was just “bro” or more often just “you”. I didn’t mind, it had been months since I had actually called her Scootaloo after all, she was always just Scoots by that point.

Scoots wasn’t a baby anymore, that much was clear; she still looked too young to be herself from the shows but she was speaking clearly and her mane was getting into the style that it always was. I wondered exactly how it stayed like that naturally.

She was fluttering her wings impatiently for me to play with her; we still weren’t really able to let Scoots go out on her own so we made sure we had plenty to keep her entertained whenever both Dad and I weren’t home.

Unfortunately for me, that had included Dad buying her a Wii.

It was always fun of course just to play a little with my sister but she seemed to be outright addicted to the thing. Didn’t help that she was always choosing the game but then again, considering the types of games that were more my thing, that was probably for the best.

“Yes! I win again, that was awesome!” Scoots jumped around as I once again failed to impress.

For as much as I loved seeing her happy it still made me a little sad to her wings fluttering as they did while she bounced around. More than a year she’d been here and we still hadn’t figured out anyway to really help her fly, we didn’t really know if Pegasi did it just by flapping or if there was more to it and it wasn’t like we could just take her to the park for practice.

After we’d played for a while I wanted to relax a bit so I put on a film for us to watch, Scoots seemed more interested in stealing my chocolate though but I let her have at it, more interested in the film anyway.

Let me tell you, considering the situation, it was hard not to look at E.T. in a whole new light.

At some point we must have dozed off because when I got up again the film was back to the menu and it was night outside. Scoots was leaning on me so I eased her into a lying position before going to close the blinds and curtains before we put the lights on.

From our upstairs windows you can just about see the treetops of a wood outside of town, it’s only a couple of miles away. Looking at those treetops I remembered Scoots desperate looks at the sky and just the outside world; I did my best to let her out when I could but we hadn’t been willing to risk any real outdoors visits, just sitting with Scoots in our back garden. It wasn’t enough and we knew that.

I don’t know whether it was Scoots’ urge to explore the outside world or my own desire to give her a proper childhood that eventually won out but right there I decided that the woods would be perfect for a trip with Scoots, not too far from home and easy to hide her if need be.

When Dad got back I talked to him about it. He was worried like I was about anything happening to Scoots but just looking at the sleeping filly, gently snoring on the couch and remembering the constant longing in her eyes whenever she saw the sky was enough.

The next day I spent most of the morning digging out everything we could need, a tent big enough for two adults, some of Scoots toys (the Rainbow Dash plushie was still her favourite even a year on), a player for an IPod and, of course, as much junk food and sweets as I could carry. Pinkie Pie would’ve been proud.

Scoots was still sleeping when I gently prodded her awake for breakfast. I still had to stop myself just dying when she gave her little yawn as she woke up, but I could still let myself chuckle every time she grumbled about it and tried to bargain for “five more minutes”.

“C’mon, I think this little filly is going to want to get up!” I teased.

“This little filly thinks her big brother wants a hoof to the face.”

“Aw, that hurts me Scoots. Well I guess we can’t go camping then.” It took a minute for the words to sink in but when they did I honestly thought she flew for the first time, the force of the hug was so much.

“REALLY? You mean it?” Her eyes were sparkling like jewels as she looked up at me.

I was probably smiling like a dope while I gently stroked her mane out of habit but I didn’t care.

“I mean it Scoots. You’ve been cooped up here too much; it’s time for us to all have some fun outside for a change.”

“Us? Dad’s coming too!” By now I’m sure she could be heard next door.

“Yep, the three of us, camping out in the woods together with all the sweets we can eat.”

Scoots didn’t reply this time but just started bouncing on my bed and listing off things she was going to do when she got there. I left her to it and finished packing up the camping equipment into my rucksack, we weren’t going far at all but I preferred having it all in one place to start with because by the time Scoots and I were done with it there would be no order or reason to it anymore.

While I was packing all our stuff the phone went off.

It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear; Dad had been seeing this Doctor for a while now because of his heart and he had apparently been told that sleeping in the Woods wouldn’t fly too well.

It was disappointing but I figured it was for the best; if skipping the camping trip meant he’d get better faster I wouldn’t mind. I just told him that we’d be in the Woods if it turned out he’d be able to join us, and he told us not to wait up.

“Don’t wait up for me, you two just go and enjoy yourselves.”

Oh Dad, why did you tell me to do that? And why did I listen?

I know it probably wouldn’t change anything but now as I tell you this story not a moment has gone by that I wish I hadn’t listened, that I’d stayed back to see him before we left for those Woods or who knows, maybe even just called it off altogether and waited for next weekend.

If I’d done that, I could’ve at least said goodbye.