Scootaloo comes to reveal the truth of her lineage
Why did Scootaloo never mention her parents, or even any family to begin with? Well, what if it was because her parents were famous, and were not around very much due to their work schedules? Now with Scootaloo promising her parents to come in on Family Appreciation Day, it's time for the truth to be revealed.
Scootaloo looked around the schoolyard a bit nervously, biting her lip, a tense feeling of anxiety washing over her. But she managed to keep her cool, at least long enough, in front of her friends. Taking a breath, she sat down, took another look around, then over at the other two fillies.
"So, we're all agreed? Tomorrow, we go Laser Tag?" She grinned a bit for effect.
"Yeah! Laser taggin's gonna be a blast!" Apple Bloom declared excitedly. "An' we're gonna get our cutie marks as...uhhh...hmm..."
"Laser taggers?" Sweetie Belle supplied with a squeaky grin.
Scootaloo blinked, thinking of that for a moment. "They have those?"
Apple Bloom shrugged. "Ah dunno. But maybe we'll be tha first ta discover 'em!"
"Yes! That'd be so cool!" Sweetie Belle bounced in place excitedly.
"Yeah! Yeah, it'll be cool!" Scootaloo nodded with agreement. She stole another nervous glance around the school grounds. Relieved to see that her worries were still null, she sighed with relief.
"Ah got it! Cutie Mark Crusader sharpshooters!" Apple Bloom announced, looking to her two friends for approval.
Sweetie Belle grinned. "Yeah! I like it! What do you think, Scootaloo?"
The pegasus filly didn't respond for a moment, considering she thought she'd seen-no, it was just a pair of parents picking up their colt.
"Huh? Oh, yeah! I like that!" Scootaloo nodded.
"Then it's settled! Tomorrow we get our laser tag sharpshooter cutie marks!" Apple Bloom put out her hoof.
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle put her hoof on Apple Bloom's.
"Yeah!" Scootaloo placed her hoof over both of theirs.
"Cutie Mark Crusader Laser Tag Sharpshooters!!" The three fillies threw their hooves in the air, and then high-hoofed each other.
For the moment, Scootaloo forgot about her anxiety and managed to relax with her friends. At least she had tomorrow to look forward to, if nothing else.
"Sweetie Belle!" Came a sing-song voice from nearby.
Over the small hill came Rarity, walking alongside Applejack.
"Rarity!!!" Sweetie Belle eagerly ran to her sister. "Are we gonna go to the spa? I wanna take another mud bath!"
"Again?" Rarity's eyes went wide at the suggestion. "Well... I suppose an pre-weekend spa trip shall be in order!"
"Apple Bloom, c'mon!" Applejack beckoned her sister to her.
"Ah'mma comin'!" Apple Bloom eagerly ran to her older sister, as well. "See ya tomorrow, Scootaloo! Remember! Laser taggin'!"
"Uh, yeah! See you guys later!" Scootaloo waved at them nervously.
"Yer gonna have fun at that laser tag arena tomorrow, Sugarcube." Applejack chuckled, mussing her sister's pinkish-red mane. "Rainbow Dash an' Ah play there occasionally, an' it's a real blast!"
"Yay!" Sweetie Belle bounced on the spot. "See you later, Scootaloo!"
Scootaloo waved again as her friends walked away with their sisters. She sighed in relief, no longer feeling worried. At least now, nopony would be around to see what was inevitably to come, and she could handle this on her own.
However, she was soon met with a dreaded chill coursing up her spine. That usually meant one thing. Scootaloo closed her eyes, hoping against all hope that the dreaded source would go away. She was in no mood for that, most especially dealing with it herself.
"Well, well, well! Look what we have here, Silver Spoon!" Sneered the haughty voice of Diamond Tiara, as she and the gray filly approached Scootaloo. "The flightless blank flank, all alone. What's the matter, Scootaloser? Did your lame so-called 'friends' abandon you?"
Giving them a look, Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes they did. Why else would I be sitting here, after their sisters picked them up, all by myself? Really, tell me. If you have a theory, I don't care!"
Silver Spoon blinked, having no real comeback.
But Diamond Tiara smirked nastily at the pegasus filly. "Awww, so you're all alone, without even your two lame friends to keep you company." She mock-pouted, quivering her lower lip. "Why, that's so sad, I think I might just cry!"
"Applejack and Rarity picked them up, big deal! I can handle a few minutes by myself, thanks." Scootaloo muttered. "Now, go away! I'm sure you have much better things to do!"
"Well, actually..." Silver Spoon spoke up, but was nudged roughly by Diamond Tiara.
"It must be sooo hard, to be all alone, all the time..." Diamond Tiara continued, still smirking. "I'm sure even your two lame 'mommies', Fluttercry and Rainbow Crash must find you to be absolutely pathetic. I mean, really? A pegasus who can't even fly? Face it, Scootaloser, you're not even a real pegasus! You're just an earth pony with wings!"
As much as she knew that the bullying filly was only saying that to get under her skin, but even that hurt her a little bit. Even worse off, insulting Rainbow Dash, her idol, and big sister figure, was going too far. Especially since Fluttershy, her favourite foalsitter and other big sister, was also being insulted. She was not going to stand for this!
Anger boiled within her, over-lifting the sadness. She turned to face the two earth fillies, glaring at them.
"Don't talk about Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy like that!! They don't care that I can't fly! They still help me! The only wingless ponies I see here are you two! You're just jealous, because I've got great friends like them!"
"Jealous?! Me?! Of a flightless pegasus?!" Diamond Tiara laughed hard, beating her hooves on the ground. "You MUST be joking! Why would I be jealous of somepony as lame and pathetic as you, Scootaloser?! You're so lame, I bet even the Wonderbolts couldn't teach you to fly!"
"Yeah! A lame Blank-Flank pegasus like you couldn't even get the Wonderbolts to train you!" Silver Spoon sneered.
Tears pooled in Scootaloo's eyes, feeling heartbreak eating at her gut. "J-Just...GO AWAY!!!" She screamed.
"You know I'm right, Scootaloser!" Diamond Tiara laughed, trotting away with Silver Spoon at her side. "Blaaank flaaank!!!"
"SHUT UP!!!" The pegasus filly yelled, turning away so she could cry in peace.
The bullies' laughter continued to ring in her ears, even after they were long gone from the schoolyard.
Scootaloo shook, feeling helpless, weak, and so alone. It was a moment like this that she wished Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle hadn't left yet. But there was no more she could do to mend the situation. All she could do was sit there, cry, trying to tell herself that it would be okay. Even if the taunting of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon continued to try to push those reassurances away.
It was as if anytime she felt assured with the ponies in her life, Diamond Tiara's sneering gaze always came out to ruin it.
By now, Scootaloo was crying so hard, she didn't even hear the sound of hooves touching down on the ground, or the soft hooffalls approaching her from across the schoolyard. She did, however, feel a gentle hoof on her quaking shoulders, and hear the soft, comforting voice that spoke to her.
"What's the matter, sweetheart? Are you all right?"
Scootaloo froze a little upon hearing the voice. But she didn't have much time to register it when a second voice spoke up.
"What's wrong, kiddo?"
Smiling down at the crying filly was a golden yellow pegasus with a fiery mane and tail. Kind amber-brown eyes met tear-filled purple, as the mare reached out to gently stroke her mane.
"Why are you crying, honey?"
Sniffling, all Scootaloo could do was embrace the mare, trembling a bit. She wasn't used to being this vulnerable, but it was what she needed at the moment. The warmth of the older pegasus comforted her, allowing her to take some deep breaths.
"M-Mom... It was...bullies..." She managed, sniffling.
"Bullies?" The golden pegasus frowned, stroking her mane in comfort. "Why don't you tell us all about it, sweetie?"
The stallion, a light blue pegagus with a darker blue mane and light green eyes looked surprised.
"What happened, kiddo?" He asked, sitting down beside the filly and rubbing her back comfortingly.
More sniffles escaped the filly as she told them what happened, trying to keep herself in check. In doing so, both the mare and stallion listened attentively, offering any physical gestures of comfort that they could.
"Sounds to me like we're going to have to have a talk with that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's parents," said the stallion, nodding to the mare.
"Agreed." Nodded the mare, sighing. "We can't let these bullies keep picking on you and your friends like this."
"B-But Mom...Dad.....if you do that....! They'll know! I-I'll just get Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy to do it!" Scootaloo protested.
"Oh, honey..." The mare giggled, looking to the stallion for a moment. "I think we're more than capable of handling this situation. We are your parents, after all, and we can take care of this as responsible parents. We won't even bring up our status to use as a trump card. Isn't that right, Soarin?"
Soarin' grinned and nodded. "Of course, Spitty! You know that, don't you, Scoots? We just want to make sure you'll be okay at school."
"But they'll still know..." Scootaloo said with uncertainty, wiping her eyes.
"And that bothers you, Scootaloo?" Spitfire poked the filly's snout. "Are you embarrassed about good ol' Mom and Dad?"
"Scared your old man might embarrass you?" Soarin' playfully ruffled Scootaloo's mane.
"No, I just-! It's just...well I... I don't know how they'd react if they knew my parents were two of the Wonderbolts!" Scootaloo squeaked.
"Ohhh, is that it?" Spitfire seemed to understand this. "You don't want to be treated differently because you have famous parents, right?"
"...Yeah..."
"Don't even worry about that, sweetie. If your friends are really your friends, then they're not going to care who your parents are. All that will matter to them is that you're happy."
Scootaloo sniffled a bit, but nodded. "...Okay... But can we go now, anyway?" Spitfire nodded, smiling and crouching down on the ground. "Of course we can, honey. And how about we pick up your favorite to make for dinner?"
Almost immediately, the orange filly grinned as she climbed up onto her mother's back. "Yeah! Okay!"
"That's the spirit, kiddo!" Soarin' grinned, spreading his wings as they prepared for takeoff.
Spitfire stood up and spread her wings once Scootaloo had settled onto her back. "All right, then let's be off! And no more tears now, right sweetie?"
"Yes, mom...no more tears..." Scootaloo mumbled.
"Atta girl." The gold mare nuzzled her daughter lovingly. "Let's go, then!"
The family took off into the skies, bound for the majestic sky city of Cloudsdale. Despite her earlier worries, Scootaloo soon felt them melt away as she finally had some time to spend with her parents.
The family soon arrived at Soarin' and Spitfire's apartment in Cloudsdale. Scootaloo felt pretty happy to be home, especially with her parents! The orange filly happily scampered across the floor, heading onto the couch as she relaxed.
It was a very modest but still spacious apartment within Cloudsdale's family-friendly neighbourhood just outside the areas of the weather factory. There were large windows, a spacious open concept living room and kitchen, it was a great place for a family of three.
"Ahh, this is the life!" Scootaloo giggled, laying on her back with her legs curled inward.
"Home sweet home, right Scootiekins?" Spitfire giggled, trotting into the kitchen to prepare dinner for the family.
Scootaloo nodded, rolling onto her stomach. "Yeah! It's like vacation or something!"
With a chuckle, Soarin' ruffled her mane before he seated himself on the couch next to her. "I think you're right about that, kiddo! Coming home is like a vacation to us, and the best part is..." He cast a wink toward his wife in the kitchen.
"We get to spend time with our favorite little filly, as the loving family we are and always have been~" Spitfire smiled from the doorway to the kitchen, winking back at her husband and blowing him a kiss.
"But... I'm your only filly!" Scootaloo pouted.
"All the more reason why you're our favourite!" Soarin' laughed, grinning widely. "It's great to be home!"
"You bet it is!" Scootaloo snuggled up against her father happily.
"Room for one more?" Spitfire emerged from the kitchen after putting their dinner into the oven to bake, smiling at her husband and daughter snuggled up together on the couch.
"You know it, babe!" The light blue stallion winked again.
The golden mare giggled and smiled, seating herself on the couch so the orange filly was in the middle. "Isn't this nice? All snuggled up together, nice and cozy, just the three of us~"
"Moooooommm!!" Complained the young pegasus, trying to look annoyed.
Soarin' laughed and nuzzled them both happily. "Oh come on now, you know you love it, Scootaloo!"
Spitfire giggled again, nuzzling them both lovingly. "Now, Scootaloo, don't be that way. You know you love it when we do this~"
"I get enough snuggles from Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo was unable to keep from smiling now. She felt so happy, it was hard not to feel the infectious family love they had.
With a big grin, Soarin' ruffled the filly's mane, "Oh, is that so? Well good! You're going to need the extra snuggles until we come home, kiddo!"
"Yeah, you always tell us in your letters about how much time you spend with them! So, they really are like your big sisters, or even your big sister and secondary mother, aren't they, sweetie?" The golden mare winked.
Scootaloo giggled, nuzzling her mother. "I always thought Rainbow Dash was awesome! And eventually she took me on as her sister! It was great! Fluttershy's been our foalsitter for ages now, and she's like this other sister, since the three of us hang out a lot. It's pretty cool!"
Spitfire smiled and nuzzled her daughter. "Well, that's just wonderful, honey. I'm glad you have another place to call home, when you're not with your aunt and uncle. Of course, I know my brother takes good care of you, too, doesn't he?"
"At least he better be!" Soarin' joked, nudging Scootaloo.
"Of course he does!" Scootaloo stuck her tongue out.
"Good! Otherwise, I'd have a few choice words for him!" Spitfire smirked playfully, beating her hooves together.
"I know you would, mom!"
Laughing heartily, Spitfire relaxed herself, "Darn right! My brother better be taking care of my little girl, or else he'll have an angry little sister to deal with!"
Soarin' snickered, leaning to his daughter's ear, as if telling her a secret. "And we sure don't want that, kiddo! You know how your mom gets!"
"I know, dad!" Scootaloo giggled.
Spitfire smirked at the two, crossing her forelegs, "And don't you forget it, either! Especially you there, Soar. I'm on to you, you know..."
Both Soarin' and Scootaloo nudged each other before laughing. Even though her parents had been gone for quite a few weeks now, Scootaloo felt as if they'd never even left. She wasn't sure how it worked, not seeing her parents very often during a fair course of the year, but then suddenly feeling comfortable all over again when they were around.
"So, Scootaloo." Spitfire spoke up again after a few moments, smiling and winking at her daughter. "It's been a while since we've all been together as a family. Why don't you pick our movie tonight?"
"All right!!"
Scootaloo trotted over to the cabinet holding their movie tapes, scanning them. After a minute or two of indecision, she finally selected one, bringing it back over to her parents in her mouth.
"Here!" She placed it on the coffee table. "Let's watch this one!"
"Twister, eh?" Soarin' observed, grinning.
"So, you're in the mood for some storm-chasing excitement?" Spitfire grinned, ruffling her filly's mane.
"Yeah! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy love this movie! They played it for me one time, and it's awesome!"
"Oh, did they, now? I'm kinda surprised! I wouldn't think Fluttershy would be into a movie like this..." Spitfire said thoughtfully, rubbing her chin.
Scootaloo shook her head. "Nope! She loves it! She used to be scared of it, but now she likes it!"
This made Soarin' snicker a bit, but he decided against commenting. "Well then, looks like it'll be up to us to indulge you with that, too!"
Spitfire, however, couldn't help giggling. "I would have to say that's most likely due to Rainbow Dash's influence! Wouldn't you agree, Soar?"
"I think so!" Soarin' agreed, winking.
The orange filly, knowing better, nodded. "Uh-huh!"
"Well then, pop it in! We can start it while we wait for dinner to be ready!" Spitfire winked and smiled at her daughter, nudging her gently.
Scootaloo did as she was told, bringing the tape over to player and inserting it. Then she picked up the remote off the coffee table, settled back onto the couch between her parents, holding it between her hooves.
"Sweet! Time for some twisting action!" She said, grinning widely.
"Fire away!"
Later on, at the dinner table, Scootaloo was happily enjoying her favourite meal with her parents. Not much was being said while they ate, although Scootaloo had a ton of questions and stories she wanted to tell. Or rather, the stuff she didn't get to in her letters.
Noticing her usually-chatty daughter's unusual silence, Spitfire paused from her meal to ask her about it. "Is there something on your mind that you'd like to talk to us about, sweetie?"
"Well, I guess!" Scootaloo shrugged, drinking down some juice.
Soarin' eyed her curiously, setting his utensils down. "So what's up, kiddo? You were pretty upset at school today, we'd sure like to know what's going on."
Spitfire wiped her mouth with a napkin and looked at her intently. "Please tell us, honey."
"Well..." The filly looked around, biting her lip, unsure where to start.
Concerned, Soarin' reached over and patted her shoulder. "What's wrong, Scoot?"
"...I just...well...Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon said some really mean things today. Not just about me, but about....well...my friends..." Scootaloo sighed, looking downward now.
"What did they say?" Spitfire gently placed her hoof on her back.
Sighing, Scootaloo explained what the two bully fillies had said, all the while looking more discouraged. They very memories of what they'd said were eating at her gut, bringing her happy mood into a more morose tone. She was so sick and tired of it all, she just wanted to scream! But all she could do at the moment was explain to her parents about what happened.
The two Wonderbolts listened intently to what the filly told them, their expressions hardening with every word. They couldn't believe what these awful fillies had said and done to their daughter and her friends! Did their parents not bother to discipline them?
"Well, sweetie, that was just horrible and uncalled-for." Spitfire said at last, shaking her head in disgust. "We'll really be having a talk with this Diamond Tiara's and Silver Spoon's parents, now. This can't go on, you've done absolutely nothing to deserve their mean-spirited teasing."
"Your mother's right, Scootaloo." Soarin' said seriously, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "We're going to have a talk with their parents, just as soon as we can get a hold of them."
Scootaloo sniffed a bit, despite that she wasn't crying. "O-Okay... I just...I'm scared they'll bug us even MORE...after being tattled on... They always do that."
Although the filly wasn't crying, Spitfire passed her a napkin from the center of the table. "Well, we'll make sure that it doesn't happen anymore, all right?"
"Okay..." Scootaloo blew her nose with the napkin, exhaling. "...I'm just scared of what everypony's gonna think...that my parents are two of the Wonderbolts..."
"Hey, don't sweat it, kiddo." Soarin' smiled a little bit. "You know, your grandfather was one of the first Wonderbolts ever to be! He was one of the founding fathers, you might say. I'm his only son, and you think being a kid with that kind of family background is easy?"
Looking to her father, the orange filly blinked. "Really? ...You had that too, with grandpa?"
Grinning, he nodded. "Yup! It wasn't easy, being the son of the one founding Wonderbolts! I couldn't tell any of my friends about it!"
"He didn't even tell me about it, until we started dating after graduating from the Wonderbolt Academy!" Spitfire giggled, shaking her head. "And hey, do you think your uncle Fly-By has it easy? Everypony in our family always asks him why he never became a Wonderbolt like I did! Truth is, my brother just isn't as into fast stunt-flying like I am!"
Scootaloo wiped her eyes, looking from her mother to her father, and back again. "Yeah...I guess that makes sense... I never really thought of that..."
"Well Scoots, the point is, we know how you feel!" The blue stallion nuzzled her in comfort. "And if your friends are your real friends, they'll accept that about you!"
"Exactly right, sweetheart." The golden mare nuzzled her too, offering another napkin. "So you should have nothing to worry about it. ...Here's an idea. Have you had a turn for Family Appreciation Day at school, yet?"
"Um...no..." Scootaloo shook her head. "I always said my parents were busy a lot and couldn't make it... Cheerilee said you guys could come in whenever you were ready."
"Well, why don't we come on the next Family Appreciation Day, then?" Spitfire suggested with a smile, nodding to her husband.
Soarin' nodded back, smiling at the thought. "Yeah! That'd be a great idea, kiddo! We'll be in town for quite a while, anyway!"
"...They're usually on Mondays...so...maybe on Monday..." Scootaloo said, shifting her seat a bit.
"Sounds good to me!" Spitfire hugged her daughter and kissed her snout. "Then on Monday, we'll come to your school!"
Soarin' joined the hug, mussing the filly's hair. "Yep! We'll be there!"
Nervous as she was, Scootaloo smiled slightly, giving a nod. "...Okay, mom, dad... I guess we can try that."
"Good, then it's settled! Now, why don't we finish our dinner and get back to our movie?"
Cheered up a bit more, the purple-maned pegasus filly nodded. "Sure, mom!"
The golden mare smiled and mussed her filly's mane. "Atta girl. Dig in, before it gets cold!"
"Okay!" Scootaloo did so, regaining her appetite in doing so. Rather quickly, no less.
This of course amused both Wonderbolts. They could see that Scootaloo did indeed inherit her father's eating habits!
"Slow down, Scootaloo!" Spitfire laughed, watching her daughter quickly clear her plate. "Nopony's going to steal your food from you! ...Well, your dad might." Here, she stuck her tongue out playfully at Soarin'.
"Far be it from me to ever take food off my child's plate!" Soarin' snickered, shaking his head.
"Phmine!" Scootaloo said with her mouth full, guarding her plate.
"Scootaloo, don't talk with your mouth full." Spitfire chided amidst her giggles.
Smiling sheepishly around her food, the orange filly swallowed. "Sorry, mom..."
The gold mare shook her head, still giggling. "You are just like your dad in so many ways, sweetie. I know you certainly have his appetite!"
"Taking after your old man, if I do say so myself!" Soarin' winked at them.
Spitfire smirked at her husband, “Oh, really? You say it like that's supposed to be a good thing, Soar.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” Soarin' said in playful defense. “I'm the best there is!”
Scootaloo laughed. "Dad, you're too much!"
The family shared in hearty laughter as they continued eating dinner. It was going to be a fun evening, to be sure. Scootaloo did still feel nervous about what was to come, but she knew she would have to face it eventually. Even if the thought of her closest friends and older sister figures knowing the truth still felt uneasy.
Scootaloo continued eating her food, looking from her mother to her father, hoping she could manage to get through all of this. She just wondered how it would be pulled off.
The sky above was dark, a deep shade of red with ominous clouds looming about. All around her, the land was barren and dark, with ricketed trees containing no leaves, only bare branches.
Scootaloo stood alone within it all, shivering and trembling with fear. A cold wind blew past the frightened filly, moaning through the trees and chilling her to the bone. An owl hooted in the distance, the sound echoing in the silence, and adding to the terrifying atmosphere.
"...H-Hello...?" Scootaloo called out, her voice shaky. "I-Is anyone out there...? Hello?"
Another icy blast of wind blew past, making her shudder. The way it moaned through the skeletal branches, it sounded like a chilling voice, answering her... Carefully treading the ground, looking all about at the barren trees of the forest, Scootaloo gulped. Overhead, she could hear the loud flapping of bat wings. In the distance, a strange kind of howling noise was heard, with some thinner, volatile trees waving in the wind.
"What was that?!" In the distance sat two silhouetted figures, indistinguishable, but somehow vaguely familiar...
Lightning crackled in the sky, followed by an enormous thunderclap, as more and more dark clouds began to gather in the red sky.
"H-Hey! Hello?! Hey! I need your help!" Scootaloo called out, approaching the figures.
Neither figure responded, their backs facing the filly. The howl of a Timber Wolf echoed faintly in the distance, unnerving her all the more. Figuring they hadn't heard her, considering how small her voice felt, Scootaloo kept going. She still couldn't quite see them, but there was no mistake that they were ponies, mares or colts, she couldn't tell. Either way, hopefully they could help her.
"Hey! Excuse me?! I'm lost here and I don't know what's going on! Can you help me?!"
"...You don't know..." One voice hissed coldly.
"...What's goin' on?" The other voice disdainfully finished.
"What...? No...I don't know what's going on! Do you know?" Scootaloo stopped in her tracks, eyeing the two ponies. They were draped in shadows, impossible for her to make out. Even if she could recognize the voices, they sounded distorted and echoed.
"...You're a liar, Scootaloo. A stuck-up, selfish liar." The first voice accused with malice.
"An' you ain't no friend a' ours, neither." The second voice spat, hatefully.
"...What? No...no I'm not!" Scootaloo cried, approaching the ponies again.
Only now, she could see that they were fillies. And their voices were somewhat familiar...but their silhouettes, they were beginning to take familiar forms.
Another crackle of lightning tearing through the sky illuminated the forms, if only for a moment.
Sitting before her, glaring with hatred in their eyes, were Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.
"How dare you not tell us about your 'famous' parents!" Sweetie Belle snarled, her eyes blazing with anger. "Are we not good enough for you, O High and Mighty Scootaloser?!"
Tears pooling in her eyes, the orange filly shook her head wildly. "N-No! No! Of course you're good enough for me! I just... I wasn't ready to tell you guys who my parents were! You're plenty good for me!"
"Yeah, right!" The light-gray filly snapped, snout-to-snout with the orange filly. "You just thought we weren't deserving to know you have world-famous Wonderbolt parents!"
"If that's how ya feel 'bout us, then ya don't deserve ta be a Cutie Mark Crusader, no more!" Barked the yellow filly, grabbing Scootaloo's CMC cloak and tearing it in two. "Yer hereby expelled an' banned fer life!"
Shocked, all Scootaloo could do was sit there, torn apart. Much like her cape. "No...no...I'm sorry, you guys! I'm sorry!"
"It's too late for 'sorry', Scootaloser!" Sweetie Belle then slapped her across the snout with her hoof. "As of right now, you're not our friend, anymore! Good riddance!"
"Humph!" Apple Bloom turned her snout up in the air, as both fillies stalked off, making sure to slap her with their tails as they left her alone.
"But...But I..."
It was too late. They were already gone before she even realized it. Scootaloo felt as if her body had gone numb, and her heart sank to her stomach. Her friends hated her, abandoned her...and for what? Her lies?
Up ahead was another pair of silhouetted figures, these two larger than that of her now ex-friends. Another icy blast of wind whipped past her, causing her wings to stiffen at her sides, as though held with super-glue.
Scared as she was, Scootaloo wasn't about to back away from an opportunity. Hopefully, they could help her, right?
She managed to stand, shakily, and made a run for it. She had to catch up to these other ponies!
Like before, the other two ponies seemed to sense her approach.
"Oh look, Rainbow Dash...here comes that little pest, again."
Unfortunately, like before, they didn't seem like they'd be much friendlier.
"Figured as much." Said the other voice, sounding annoyed and bitter.
"...W-What...? Pest...?" Scootaloo shrank back, feeling scared all over again.
"What shall we do about it, hmm?" The first voice asked, uncaring and mean.
"What do you care?" The second voice snapped. "Quit asking me stupid things!"
In the darkness, a pair of angered, blazing cerise eyes pierced through the shadows right at her. "And you! Get out of here, you dumb little pest!"
"What's the matter, are you deaf?" The normally kind, warm, sweet voice was cold, cruel, and hateful. "Get lost, you pest!" Cyan eyes stabbed her like ice daggers, no longer bearing the warmth and love they once held.
"F-Fluttershy...? Why...Why...what did I do?" Scootaloo whimpered.
"You know what you did!" Rainbow Dash growled, coming into the light. "You're nothing but an annoying pest! And you LIED to us!! How could you lie?! To ME?! I don't even know who you are anymore!! So, scram! I don't even know why I called you my sister!"
"How dare you..." Fluttershy snarled, also coming into the light. "How dare you deceive me! And after all I've done for you?! I don't want to see your face anymore! Get out of here! Just...go away! Never show yourself to me, again! And stay out of my cottage!"
"That goes double for me! And YOU!" Now Rainbow Dash turned on Fluttershy. "I never want to see you again, either! I'm out of here!" Before either of them could speak, she flew off at lightning speed.
"....R-Rainbow...Dash..." Scootaloo whimpered, falling to the ground, numb all over.
"Well, FINE!!!" Fluttershy yelled after her. "I never liked you anyway, Rainbow Crash!!!" She, too, then took off into the sky, whipping Scootaloo in the face with her tail as she did so.
Scootaloo began to weep, curling up into a fetal position. She felt so lost, so alone, so scared... Everything in her life was disappearing, out of hatred of her...because of her lies.
"M-Mom... Dad...." She whimpered.
Cruel laughter filled her ears then, and the sneering face of Diamond Tiara appeared before her.
"See?! What did I tell you, Scootaloser?! All of your so-called 'friends' abandoned you, and so did your two lame 'sisters'! You're nothing but a pathetic excuse for a pegasus! Not even the Wonderbolts would want anything to do with you!"
As she said this, two familiar figures rocketed past in the red night sky, leaving smoke trails in their wake.
Recognizing them, Scootaloo darted up, trying to catch up to them. "Mom! Dad! Mom! Dad! Dad! Mooooom!! Mom!!! Wait!! Wait, stop! Please! Stop!!"
But her cries fell on deaf ears, as they Wonderbolts continued to fly away, farther and faster, and out of her reach.
She didn't want to believe it, didn't want to see it. Her stomach churned as her small legs ran as quick as they could. Her little wings flapped maniacally, despite that it did no good. Tears flew from her eyes, refusing to let up as she tried to fight them back.
"MOM! DAD! MOM!"
It was no use. The Wonderbolts continued to fly away, until they were eventually out of sight, leaving Scootaloo all alone.
"Hope you enjoy the rest of your lonely life!" Diamond Tiara cackled, trotting away. "Blaaaaank flaaaaank!!!!!"
"Noooooooooooo!!!!" Scootaloo held her hooves over her ears, trying hard to block out the sounds. "Stoooooooop!! Nooooooooo!!!!"
All at once, the filly sat up in bed, yelling and screaming from her bout of Night Terrors.
The door suddenly burst open, and Spitfire charged into the room, having been awakened by the filly's terrified screams and cries.
"Scootaloo?! Sweetie, wake up! You're having a nightmare!"
"M-Mom!!" Scootaloo cried, wide-eyed and shaking, looking all around her. "Mom!!!" The fear was still within her, as if she were still dreaming, trying to make sure she was back in the real world.
Soarin' came in as well, his blue nightcap nearly flying off his head as he rushed into the room. "Scootaloo, you all right?"
"Shh, shh, shh, shhh..." Spitfire came over to the bed, sitting down and gently drawing the crying filly into a comforting hug, wrapping both her forelegs and her wings around her daughter's trembling form.
Crying softly, Scootaloo clung to her mother, basking in the comforting warmth. She then felt her father joining the hug, even opening his wings over the two. The terrifying visions of her Night Terrors continued to try to poke at her mind, to which she snapped her eyes open, refusing to close them. Anytime she did, all she would see were everypony she loved abandoned her.
"M-Mom, dad...it was so scary..."
"Hey, it's okay, kiddo...you just had a bad dream. You're gonna be all right." Soarin' assured her, kissing her hair.
"You're okay now, baby...it was just a nightmare, it wasn't real. Whatever it was, it's over, now." Spitfire murmured, rubbing her back to soothe her.
"Hey, hey, don't worry. Of course we're not going to leave you, kiddo." Soarin' assured, nuzzling her. "We're right here, and we're always gonna be back even when we're gone."
"I-I know...my dream...it was just...I was all alone...everypony hated me..."
"Now, why would everypony hate you, sweetheart?" Spitfire nuzzled her gently. "What happened in your nightmare?"
"....My friends....Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy....they hated me...because I liked...about you guys....they all hated me...left me..." The orange filly whimpered, nuzzling her parents.
"Oh, Scootaloo..." The golden mare nuzzled her again, kissing her tearstained cheeks. "Are you worried about Family Appreciation Day?"
"You can tell us, kiddo." Soarin' said softly, taking a tissue and wiping his daughter's cheeks.
"A little.... I guess I'm a little scared...a-after school, I also have to see Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy...and t-tell them about it, too..." Scootaloo whimpered.
"And you're scared of how Rainbow Dash may react, aren't you?" Spitfire gently stroked and smoothed her daughter's small wings as she continued massaging her back.
"...Yes..." The filly confessed, nodding.
"Oh, honey, don't even worry about that. Rainbow Dash is the most loyal pony I've ever trained at the Wonderbolt Academy. I think it's safe to say she won't think any different of you because of this,” said Spitfire, nuzzling Scootaloo.
"I hope so..." Scootaloo sniffled.
Soarin' ruffled her mane, smiling in assurance. "Your mom's right, Scoots. Rainbow Dash wouldn't just turn you aside over this!"
"...Still... I was afraid to tell her...I didn't want her to know the most, since I know how much she looks up to you guys..."
"Why don't you want her to know, Scootaloo? Didn't you tell us in a letter that Rainbow Dash agreed to be your big sister?" Spitfire smiled gently at the filly, pulling back so she could look her in the eye.
"Because I wanted her to like me for me! And not because I'm the daughter of two Wonderbolts!!" She burst, sniffling.
"Sweetie, even if you had told her that we're your parents, do you really think that's the only reason she'd agree to do anything for you?" The golden mare asked softly.
"She'd be ashamed of me!"
"Aw kiddo, now that's not true."
"Yes it is! She'd wonder why I couldn't fly if I'm Spitfire and Soarin's daughter!!"
Chuckling softly, Spitfire smiled in assurance as she rubbed Scootaloo's back, "No she wouldn't. Scoot, every pegasus develops at a different rate. Some sooner than others, and some later. Believe it or not, your dad and I were both late bloomers when we were learning to fly."
Wiping her eyes, Scootaloo looked to both her parents in surprise.
Soarin' chuckled, smiling brightly as he nuzzled her. "It's true, kiddo! Kids at Flight School used to tease the hay out of me because I couldn't fly like the rest of my class!"
Spitfire smiled, nuzzling her as well. "That's right! I didn't learn to fly until the day I got my cutie mark!" She nodded to the flaming phoenix that she bore on her flank.
"Wow...really?" Scootaloo felt less upset and scared now as intrigue overcame her emotions.
"Yep! When I was able to fly, that was when I got this baby!" He indicated to his own cutie mark.
"You see, sweetheart? Eventually, you'll learn to use those wings, and when you do, I'm sure that's when your cutie mark will appear, too." She nuzzled her sweetly and wrapped her in another comforting hug.
"I doubt that...but I will learn to fly!" Scootaloo hugged her mother back.
"You never know, kiddo." Soarin' winked, ruffling her mane. "Well, we'll head back to bed, so you can sleep now. Will you be okay, Scoot? Do you need anything?"
Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah...a glass of water... I'll be fine." She sniffled, wiping her eyes.
"We'll get that for you." Spitfire nodded, looking to her husband, who was closer to the bedside table.
Seeing his wife's hint, he made a grab for the tissue box sitting there, bringing it over. Taking a tissue from it, he held it to Scootaloo's nose. "Here you go, take care of those sniffles."
Grumbling, Scootaloo complied and blew her nose.
"Atta girl." She smiled and rose up off the bed. "I'll go get you some water, okay?"
Tossing the tissue away. Scootaloo nodded and settled back against her pillows. "Okay, mom."
Soarin' meanwhile fixed the covers over her, and opened the window to let in some air. "That better?"
"Yeah, thanks dad...." Scootaloo smiled.
"I'll be right back, sweetie." Spitfire smiled over her withers and left the room, leaving her husband and daughter alone for the moment.
Going over to his daughter, he kissed her forehead and ruffled her mane again. "You hang in there, okay, kiddo? Everything's gonna be fine. You'll see."
The filly giggled and snuggled into her pillows. "Okay, dad...I guess you're right..."
"Atta girl!" He chuckled, nuzzling her.
"Enough nuzzles, Dad! I get plenty from Fluttershy..." She pouted cutely, crossing her forelegs.
Soarin' laughed, shaking his head. "She's a sweetie, isn't she?"
Scootaloo continued to pout. "She sure gives a lot of nuzzles...especially to me and Rainbow Dash..."
"Sounds to me like she just loves you so much!" He said, poking her snout playfully.
She stuck her tongue out in response. "Yeah, well I think it's possible to be loved TOO much."
"What's that about being loved too much?" Spitfire giggled, returning with a glass of ice water. "Here you go, Scoots~"
"Oh, she's just talking about how much she loves Fluttershy's sweet little nuzzles!" Soarin' winked to his wife.
Scootaloo happily took the glass, drinking some of it down. Afterward, she pouted some more, holding the glass between her hooves. "Was not, Dad!"
"Oh, now isn't that nice!" Spitfire winked at her husband, tucking the blankets around her daughter. "Don't worry, sweetheart, we'll make sure Fluttershy knows that you want extra nuzzles from now on!"
"No no no nooooo! She already loves me too much! I get so many nuzzles from her every time I see her!"
"Haha, you know you love it, kiddo!"
"Noooooo!"
"Come on, we're just teasing with you, honey. Now, are you ready to go back to sleep?"
Scootaloo nodded, drinking down more water. "Yeah, I'll be fine, Mom."
"All right, Scoots." Soarin gently patted her head. "Holler if you need us!"
"You know where we are, Scootaloo." Spitfire kissed her snout. "Sleep well, sweetie."
The orange filly pouted, wiping off the spot her mother had kissed her. "Mooom..."
The golden mare smiled teasingly. "What, too grown-up for a goodnight kiss, now?"
"...No," Scootaloo shook her head.
Soarin' chuckled, kissing his daughter's cheek. "G'night, kiddo! See you in the morning."
"Sweet dreams, Scoots~" Spitfire said softly, making her way to the door. Scootaloo yawned, settling under the covers. "Night mom, dad..."
The two Wonderbolts exited her room, closing the door behind them.
Once they came back to their own bedroom, Spitfire looked to Soarin' with a slight frown. "Do you think she'll be all right, Soar?"
"Can't say for sure, Spitty," he said honestly, shaking his head. "But I think she'll be fine."
"I sure hope so..." She murmured, shaking her head. "She's really afraid of what her friends and Rainbow Dash will think once they find out. But she shouldn't worry about it. If they're really her true friends, then I know they're not going to care."
Soarin' nodded, nuzzling his wife sweetly. "I think so. And if I know Rainbow Dash, she's just gonna be amazed, but I bet you she really cares about Scoots."
Spitfire nodded, nuzzling her husband lovingly. "Rainbow Dash is truly a loyal pony, I meant what I said. She'll do anything for her friends, and especially for those she cares the most about. I told you about what happened at the Academy, didn't I? The tornado incident?"
Grinning, Soarin' chuckled, "Who could forget? That sounds epic!"
"I didn't see it unfold for myself, of course. But Rainbow Dash recounted the entire thing to me after it occurred. It was apparently the idea of her Leadpony, Lightning Dust, to create a tornado to beat out their fellow cadets. Well, Lightning Dust is now her Wingpony, but that's beside the point."
Soarin' took this in, nodding slowly as he listened. "I remember, and you said she still went out there to help her friends, despite the risks of the competition! That's pretty awesome of her."
Spitfire nodded, smirking slightly. "That shows you just how loyal she is. I think she really has the potential to be a Wonderbolt herself, someday."
Chuckling, he lay back in bed, crossing his forelegs behind his head. "Couldn't agree with you more, Spitty! So I definitely know that she won't treat Scoots any different! I think it's safe to say the same for Fluttershy, too!"
Turning onto her side, she chuckled and nodded her agreement, propping her head on her forehoof. "Absolutely. Same goes for her little friends at school. She'll be just fine, Soar. I know it."
"She'll definitely be fine, Spitty." He grinned, rolling onto his side too.
"Well...shall we get some sleep? We've got big plans for our little Scoots tomorrow, don't we~" She leaned over to nuzzle her snout against his.
Soarin' nuzzled his snout against hers, grinning. "You bet we do, hon~" He rolled over, turning off the lamp on his bedside table.
"Mmm~" Spitfire pulled herself closer, snuggling up against Soarin'. "G'night, Soar~"
"G'night, Spitty~" Soarin' cuddled his wife close, kissing her forehead.
Spitfire snuggled her head under her husband's, breathing a content sigh as she closed her eyes.
Closing his eyes as well, he too let out a content exhale of breath. Soon enough, sleep claimed both Wonderbolts, with the day soon to come.
