Rainbow Dash has adopted Scootaloo(with a little help from Discord), and now Rainbow Dash must help her do something she never though she would be able to do. Fly. . .
Rainbow Dash must teach her newly adopted 'sister' how to fly, however difficulties and painful memories obscure the course.
-Reading the Prequel is not strictly necessary to understand this, but it's a quick read.
The Sugar Cube Corner was decorated for a party, a banner hung from the rafters "Congrats Scoots+Dash on new fami"
"Hey Dashie, and Scootaloo! Do you like it? unfortunately I ran out of room on the banner."
The beginning of the Pinkie proclaimed "Family Formation Festival" finally allowed what was happening to sink in for Scootaloo. She stood there motionless, eyes locked onto the banner. Even as her vision became slightly blurry she continued to stare, a familiar wetness running down her face.
"Scoots? Are you okay," The words broke Scootaloo out of the daze to see the chromatic pegasus who asked the question.
In response Scootaloo clung to Rainbow Dash. "Thank you." She squeezed as if she feared letting go would cause everything around her to undo itself. Once they had managed to actually get Scootaloo off of Rainbow Dash, with sugary bribes, the party went swimmingly.
After the party had ended everypony had gone home with a smile on their faces.
Rainbow Dash flew Scootaloo home on her back. The tired filly firmly grasping around Rainbow Dash's neck, laying in between her wings. After a few minutes of flight they landed softly on the porch of Rainbow Dash's cloud mansion. She opened the door to the sparsely decorated, but not empty, entry hall.
"Okay squirt, we should probably get to bed." Dash stated letting Scootaloo off of her back.
Scootaloo groaned at this.
"But, tomorrow's a Saturday so we can hang out all day." Dash said with a grin.
Scootaloo immediately perked up at this, "YAY!"
"And since we live in a cloud house I figured I would finally teach you to fly." Rainbow Dash said with a proud smile.
Scootaloo's face fell at that comment and she hung her head, "Oh."
Dash noticed the rapid change in demeanor, "Whoa kiddo, what's wrong?"
"I-I Can't... Never mind, I'm just going to go to bed," and with that Scootaloo bolted up the stairs to her new room shutting the cloud door violently nearly destroying the door.
Scootaloo hopped onto her bed as tears started to well up from her eyes.
"Scoots? What's wrong?" Dash spoke from the other side of the door.
"Nothing!"
"Whatever it is, you can tell me." Rainbow Dash spoke softly.
"No!" Scootaloo shouted from her bed.
"I can hear you crying, I'm coming in."
"No!" Scootaloo ran and locked the door.
Rainbow tugged on the handle a few times, "Scoots you may have locked the door, but this house is made of clouds, I can just tear a hole in the wall and put the wall back together later, so are you going to let me in, or am I going to have to give you a door that doesn't close."
"I don't care, don't come in."
I really don't want to tear an entire doorway, dash looked at the door, getting a much lazier, and faster, idea.
Scootaloo Jumped as a small hole was kicked in the door frame, right where the doorknob once was. Dash then pushed open the unhindered door. Rainbow Dash's face was not angry, nor displeased. The expression was clear,Her eyebrows were tilted up, a small unimposing frown on her snout, she was worried. The pegasus mare had just adopted Scootaloo, and the first mention of flight she runs off crying. Rainbow Dash always wondered why the orange filly never flew on her own. She had her suspicions for a while now as normal colts and fillies could already fly. This seemed to be reinforcing those suspicions in her mind.
After Rainbow Dash had pushed the door open, Scootaloo had put her head back down into the pillow to muffle her sobs and hide her face. She pretended to not notice Dash walking over to her, she didn't acknowledge her being there until Dash had picker her up and wrapped her forelegs around her, followed by her wings as another layer of comfort. Just as Dash's mother had done to her when she was upset.
Rainbow Dash stroked Scootaloo's mane as she sobbed into her shoulder. "You're not able to fly are you?"
Scootaloo shook her head.
Rainbow dash hugged her closer, "It's okay Scootaloo, I'm here for you."
"Plzzz dnnn lvvv" Scootaloo cried into Rainbow Dashed shoulder.
"What was that?" Rainbow asked, in the most calming voice she could muster.
Scootaloo separated her head from the blue shoulder. Looked up at dash with tears running down her face, "Ple-ease, do-on't lea-eave me."
"I would never leave you Scoots, you should know that."
"Promise?"
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I promise." Dash reassured Scootaloo, "And what could possibly give you the idea, that I, Rainbow Dash, loyalty incarnate, would ever leave somepony as awesome as you"
Scootaloo buried her face into Rainbow Dash's chest again, "Because they did when they found out."
"Who?"
Scootaloo's eyes bulged open after realizing what she had just said, and tried to hid her face in Rainbow Dash's fur. It didn't take Rainbow Dash long to figure out that she was probably talking about her parents. Rainbow dash thought it utterly despicable to abandon a filly because she can't fly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Scootaloo shook her head into Rainbow Dash's chest.
"Alright Scoots, but if you change your mind I am right here."
They sat that way for several minutes, "I think tomorrow, I we are going to go to the hospital, and see if there is anything we can do."
Scootaloo had stopped crying, but still had her face buried in Rainbow Dash's fur.
"I promise, that if there is anything I can do, I will do it."
"Thank you Dash, you really are the coolest pony who ever lived." Scootaloo said looking up at Dash.
"Are you ready to talk about it?"
"I think so, but there isn't much to tell."
"I think it will help anyway." Dash reassured.
"Well It all started when I was just a foal, just old enough to speak, old enough," Scootaloo sniffed, "To remember."
_-~/|\~-_
"I am worried about Scootaloo, Doctor, she hasn't started flying yet, and I'm worried, she should have started almost a year ago." Spoke a female pegasus leading a small orange filly.
"Understandable concern ma'am, I will run a few tests to see if I can find any problems." He said, then he turned to Scootaloo, "Follow me little filly, and if your good, you'll get a lollipop."
So the doctor proceeded to take X-rays of the fillies wing for any problems with bone structure. He felt the wings to check for any major muscle problems and took some blood for blood work.
After all the exams he took her back to her birth mother, "Well her muscle structure is very good, though you will have to come back later today to see the results of the other tests I performed."
"Thank you doctor."
The day passed and the mare brought back her daughter to see the results of the tests. When they returned for the follow up visit the doctor's bright face sagged a bit at the sight of the pair. "Ah yes, Scootaloo. Have a lollipop," he gave the filly a large lollipop and directed the mare to turn around for some privacy from the foal, "I am afraid there is a problem, and there isn't a medical procedure for her condition." The doctor Looked back to the young Scootaloo enjoying her sugary treat.
Unfortunately it didn't Prevent Scootaloo from overhearing, "The bones of a normal pegasus are hollow, and after looking at an X-ray of her, I can see, hers are solid, like an earth pony or unicorn. She won't be light enough to take flight, her bones won't allow it. I'm... I'm sorry." The doctor tried to console the mother, this was the part of the job he despised.
The next day Scootaloo's mother woke her up, "Hey, wanna go for a trip for a little while? an adventure?"
"Yes!" the younger Scootaloo said.
So, Scootaloo's mother flew her to Ponyville where she wouldn't be in danger of falling from a cloud, and took her to a wooden building. She opened the door and walked inside, "Hello is anypony in here?"
"Yes," spoke a light brown mare with a darker brown mane as she walked down the hall, "My name is Kind Heart, I am the caretaker here. How can I help you miss?"
"Well," The pegasus mare said with a hushed voice, "I can't take the responsibility of being a parent, I am dropping off my daughter." The mother tried her best to not show her broken heart, and was failing horribly.
Kind heart seemed saddened by this, running an orphanage is almost the opposite of being a parent. It's sad when they show up, but happy when they leave. "Alright, I'll get the paperwork miss...?"
"Spitfire."
_-~/|\~-_
"Wait, Spitfires your mother?!" Dash asked incredulously.
Rainbow Dash had some problems wrapping her head around Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts, being Scootaloo's mother. She couldn't imagine that Spitfire would just abandon a filly for not being able to fly. Rainbow Dash couldn't figure how Spitfire could be so cruel.
Rainbow Dash had lay in her bed tossing and turning for hours, she would have normally been asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, but the thought that Scootaloo was Spitfires daughter? It was a lot to take in, and she couldn't think of a reason why Scootaloo would lie about something like that. A sinister side of her thought that it may be an attention grab. She would have to check with the owner of the orphanage at some point. She would also Take Scootaloo to the hospital to see if she really had that condition, and if there was anything that could be done about it.
_-~/|\~-_
Rainbow Dash awoke the next morning with bags under her eyes and an excess of yawns in her throat. She begrudgingly got up from under the blankets, wiping away the dust from her puffy eyes, before proceeding to walk down the stairs. Then Proceeding to cross the main hall of her house and towards the kitchen. I think I'll have that apple that I haven't eaten yet, she thought as she walked through the doorway to her kitchen.
She froze as she saw Scootaloo, and Scootaloo froze as she saw Rainbow Dash: Scootaloo mid chew, and Dash mid stride. Scootaloo had a half eaten apple in her hoof.
It was several moments of this before they returned to motion. Scootaloo resumed the chewing of her apple and Dash resumed walking into the kitchen to try and find something to eat. Dash decided to break the awkward silence that followed, "Not used to seeing you at home yet, I guess."
"Mhmm." Scootaloo responded through her mouthful of apple.
Upon lack of finding any form of edible nourishment Rainbow Dash remembered something, "Was that the last apple?"
Scootaloo stopped chewing, and looked at Rainbow Dash with apparent fear in her eyes. Scootaloo swallowed loudly. "It's alright, I'll just find something else."
Rainbow dash looked through various cupboards trying to find anything edible She swears she saw a box of what was once "food" move. She ended up settling with some questionable pop-tarts in the back of one of the cupboards.
She sat down at the table across from Scootaloo. She took a bite from the fossil pastry, Not too bad, should still be edible... I think.
After deciding to stop eating the vintage pastry halfway through she set it down, "Scootaloo, I think we should go to the doctor today." Never thought I'd voluntarily go there.
"Why?" Scootaloo asked.
"You need a check-up. I also want to see if there is anything we can do about..." Rainbow Dash new this was a delicate topic, she had trouble trying to find a gentle way to say it.
"My bones," Scootaloo finished for her.
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash replied solemnly.
From all her years of flying she always noticed everything, so she easily noticed the increased breath rate of Scootaloo. She had on a brave face, or was at least trying to put on a brave face. "It's okay Scoots, if you don't want to go I won't force you."
"It's okay, if you think we can fix it then I'll go." Scootaloo said with a sigh.
Rainbow Dash walked around the table over to Scootaloo. Rainbow wrapped a wing around Scootaloo, "I promise, Scootaloo, I will teach you to fly. I don't care what it takes, I will do it or my name isn't Rainbow Dash!"
"But... What if you can't" Scootaloo said.
Not motivational enough dang. Rainbow thought, trying to find a way to convince at least Scootaloo, if not herself, Here goes nothing, "What is my name?"
"What?"
"What is my name?"
"Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo wasn't sure where this was going.
"What other proof do you need?" Rainbow struck an impressive pose.
Scootaloo's doubt began to crack. If anyone can Dash, it would be you.
_-~/|\~-_
The birds around Ponyville hospital were currently flying away from the vicinity of apparent imminent danger that was sending shock waves through the air.
"What do you mean you can't fix it?!" Rainbow Dash shouted at Doctor Stable.
The medical practitioner in question almost dropped the X-ray in surprise. Doctor Stable knew he was in a very bad place to be: in between Rainbow Dash and the well being of someone she cared for.
Doctor Stable steeled himself, "I am afraid that there isn't an operation for this condition; it's far too rare to warrant the risks of experimenting with it." A very dangerous place indeed.
Rainbow Dash looked ready to brawl. The doctor knew Rainbow Dash wouldn't harm him, mostly, somewhere in the back of his mind. Seeing her like this however was not something that reassured his safety.
Scootaloo, who was watching this from the hospital bed, was in shock. She hadn't seen Rainbow Dash act hostile like that before. It scared Scootaloo, seeing such a vicious face on Rainbow Dash. The doctor had told Rainbow Dash exactly what the last doctor had, and Rainbow Dash did not approve.
"I am sorry Miss Dash, but there is nothing that we can do," Doctor Stable affirmed, "And I do have other patients I need to take care of."
He quickly turned around and left the room, while trying not to seem like he was following his natural instincts of fleeing.
After the Doctor left, Rainbow's head sunk down, "Damn it," Rainbow said angrily as wet specks fell onto the floor.
Now seeing her idol crying confused Scootaloo even more. She could see the anger, the failure on Rainbow Dash's face apparent to even Scootaloo. She realized that Rainbow Dash was the pony who needed help right now.
Scootaloo hopped down from the hospital bed and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow Dash's neck in a hug. Almost instantly Rainbow snatched Scootaloo in her own forelegs to reciprocate. "I'm not going to give up. Never." Rainbow Dash whispered to Scootaloo.
After a while of just holding each other in a warm embrace, they managed to calm down and leave the hospital. The hospital behind them Rainbow Dash said, "Well Scoots, we do need to get some food, how about we head over to the market. We can have a nice dinner tonight, assuming I don't burn it."
Scootaloo giggled at this, followed by Rainbow Dash saying, "Laugh at my cooking skills why dont'ya?" while giving Scootaloo a playful smirk.
The first stop at the local market was to get apples from the Apples. As soon as they walked up to the apple stand Applejack greeted them, "Howdy RD," She noticed the puffy redness of her friend's face, and the fur that was matted down under her eyes, "Y'alright,Ya look like ya flew inta a brick wall."
"Something like that," Rainbow said, losing a hint of her cheery composure and glancing at Scootaloo, "I have another mouth to feed, so I will be needing some more apples."
Applejack gave them a dozen apples, and Rainbow Dash payed promptly. Before Rainbow could leave, however, Applejack called her back, "Okay, Rainbow Dash, What's up?" Applejack said in a firm whisper.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Rainbow denied horridly.
"Ah thought you'd both be a lot happier about this. Ah can tell you've been crying," Applejack gestured towards the orange filly, "And Scootaloo over there seems worried out of her mind behind her smile."
"When I adopted her I didn't know what I was getting myself into. If I did, I would have done it sooner. She has issues I don't know if I can fix, but I won't give up. It just hasn't been easy on either of us, but we'll figure it out."
"All Ah needed ta hear sugar cube," Applejack smiled, "If ya need any help, any at all, Ah'm here, as Ah'm sure all our friends will be."
The rest of the shopping went on uneventfully as Rainbow and Scootaloo simply enjoyed each others company.
When They passed a news stand Rainbow Dash noticed a small article with a picture of her hugging Scootaloo. The headline attached to the article read "Local Hero Adopts Orphan." If they publicize my life anymore I might have to start kicking journalists.
_-~/|\~-_
"Damn it Dash," Spitfire spoke to the Ponyville Press, "Are you ever going to stop making me regret my mistakes?"
She folded the paper and put it down with difficult unsteady breaths. "I don't want to remember." She pulled a bottle of Whiskey from her desk along with a glass. And choked the first glass down in between sobs.
Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo sat at a table at the Hayburger enjoying a pair of milkshakes. Rainbow sat slouched and was deep in thought trying to find a way to help with Scootaloo’s bones. Her eyes wandered as she inattentively sipped at her milkshake. Her wandering eyes kept glancing over to Scootaloo who was absorbed in present company, and also the milkshake. She seemed to have forgotten about her issues, if even just for a short while. Whenever Rainbow Dash's eyes found Scootaloo sitting content with her milkshake, it almost seemed like all was right with the world.
Rainbow Dash didn’t know what to do, her mind kept drawing blanks, and she kept getting more frustrated. There had to be something that somepony could do to help Scootaloo. Even if the doctors here couldn’t do anything, somepony somewhere must be able to.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes Continued to wander until they fell upon a nearby unicorn cleaning up a table with a flurry of magic, afterwords the table looked as if it had never been dirty. I wish this could just be as easy as magicking her bones better.
Rainbow Dash’s posture straightened as a realization hit her. Twilight is good at magic. She can fix it.
Before long the pair of pegasus ponies had finished their milkshakes. Upon walking out of the restaurant Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Scootaloo, I think I may know how to solve your bone issue.”
“Really?!” Scootaloo’s wings buzzed in excitement.
Rainbow Dash nodded, “Hop on.”
She lowered her back and extended a wing so Scootaloo could clamber on.
Once Scootaloo had positioned herself securely on Rainbow Dash’s back, Rainbow Dash took off and headed towards the town’s librarian with a determined smile on her face.
For once Rainbow Dash didn’t use a closed window as an entrance as she had precious cargo today. She knocked on the library door. After a few seconds of tapping her hoof, she heard the voice of the librarian beckoning her inside.
“Ah, hello Rainbow Dash, you do realize this is a public library right? You don’t have to knock before you enter as long it’s open," said Twilight Sparkle as Rainbow Dash entered.
“Hey, I need your help with something.”
“I will help you in any way I can. May I ask what you need assistance with?”
“Scoots, you can go look at the books while I talk to Twilight.” Scootaloo went off to peruse the books for anything that might catch her eye, “You know how most pegasi’s bones are hollow?”
“Of course, it’s basic anatomy.”
“Well,... Scootaloo’s bones aren’t hollow. Because of this she isn’t able to fly, I was thinking that maybe you could use your magic to fix it, being a super magical princess and all. So can you?” Rainbow Pleaded.
“This sounds like a medical issue. Have you gone to a doctor?”
“Yes, he said they couldn’t do anything. That’s why I came to you, you can use your princess magic to fix it can’t you?” Rainbow Dash was beginning to worry again.
“I don’t think I would be able to do anything a medical professional wouldn’t be able to,” Rainbow Dash’s face fell, “But, I can see if there is anything in my books that can say anything that can fix the issue.”
“Thank you.”
“I have a spell for searching for items in books, so you can look through the books as I perform the spell.”
Instead of perusing the books as she was told, Rainbow Dash sat down and watched expectantly. After a few minutes Twilight's calm face began to take on a serious expression.
Twilight cut the spell, causing Rainbow Dash to perk up in expectation. “I’m sorry.”
Rainbow Dash faces fell.
I failed, why can’t anything be done? Rainbow Dash thought to herself.
“I figured that this would be the case, however…”
“Why can’t you do anything?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, tears beginning to streak down her face, “Magic can fix everything, why can’t you fix her?!” Rainbow was again getting aggressive.
“Rainbow!" Twilight Spoke firmly, "Since I became a princess, ponies have been coming to me to fix their trivial issues with magic. The only reasons I decided to try to find a way was because, one you’re my friend, and two, this problem isn’t trivial. Magic isn’t a cure-all, it takes time, energy, and research to get anything done. I know many basic healing spells; I can heal just about any non-fatal injury given enough magic. However this isn’t an injury, it’s a condition.”
Rainbows already precarious balance of emotions fell apart at the tirade belted out by Twilight Sparkle. She sat town and tried to hide her face behind her short mane. I keep failing, I’m so sorry Scoots, I don’t think I can fix this.
Twilight, upon seeing the state of her friend, lost the firm expression on her face and gained a softer one. She went over to Rainbow Dash and gave her a solid hug, “I’m sorry Dash, but magic can’t just poof away everyone’s problems,” She spoke softly.
“It’s just,” Rainbow Dash had difficulties articulating her thoughts, “I keep failing her.”
Scootaloo, at this point, joined the hug, “It’s okay, Dash, You’re still awesome.”
Rainbow Dash Spread out her wing to wrap around Scootaloo. For several minutes this remained, Twilight just let Rainbow Dash’s stress flow out into the hug. This was interrupted when the door to the library opened and a soft feminine “Aww,” startled them.
Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, and Scootaloo all immediately perked their heads up to look at the intruder. “Eep,” Fluttershy sunk back from suddenly becoming the center of attention.
Twilight Sparkle extricated herself from the hug, leaving Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo to their own devices, “Hello Fluttershy, may I help you?”
“Oh, I just came to return a book. I didn’t mean to interrupt."
“It’s alright, I was just finished explaining to Dash that magic can’t fix everything.”
Fluttershy opened her saddlebag taking out a book. As soon as Twilight retrieved the book from her she spoke, "Oh, may I ask what's the matter? if you don't mind."
"Rainbow, I will shelf this book, you can tell Fluttershy if you want to," with that Twilight Sparkle cantered off with the book in telekinetic tow. She could have shelved it within moments, however, she didn't want to overstep any bounds with this situation.
"Well, ya see Flutters. Scootaloo's bones aren't hollow, which makes it really hard for her to fly. I came to Twilight hoping she could fix it."
"Oh my. Not hollow at all?"
"No." Rainbow Dash said sorrowfully.
Fluttershy went over to Scootaloo and wrapped her up into a hug, "You poor thing."
"Hey!" Scootaloo squirmed in futility to escape Fluttershy's grasp.
"Shh, it's okay, I know what it's like," Fluttershy spoke softly.
"You do!?" Shouted the pegasus family in unison.
Fluttershy shrank at their combined attention almost as if trying to hide behind the young pegasus filly she was hugging. "Um, yes. I have it as well, it's why I was never a strong flyer. my bones weren't as hollow as they should have been."
"So I'll be able to fly!?" Scootaloo shouted, before another thought crossed her mind, "But, I won't be able to fly good will I?"
"Scootaloo, those things you do on your scooter, I couldn't ever do anything like that, I am sure once you get in the air nothing will be able to stop you."
"Come on Dash! We'll just have to try extra hard!" Scootaloo Exclaimed running outside her wings buzzing a few times along the way.
"Well there's something that I can do." Rainbow said trotting after the hyperactive filly. She closed the library door behind her ready to something that she knows she can do, physical training.
"Is that true?"
Fluttershy jumped at the sudden shattering of the short tranquility. "Is what true?"
"Your bones?"
"Oh, well yes. I have the same condition, just not as bad. With Scootaloo having her bones not hollow at all, I am not sure if she will be able to fly."
"Oh, so how bad is yours?"
"Half of what would be considered normal. It makes it nearly three times harder for me to fly. I can't imagine how must harder it would be for Scootaloo."
"Scootaloo won't be able to fly will she."
"If anyone can get her to fly, it will be Rainbow Dash. I don't think anything will be able to stop those two."
_-~/|\~-_
A bright yellow hoof slammed a large stack of bits onto a counter made of hyper-dense cloud, "Whiskey, hardest you got."
The bartender turned around polishing a glass, "Hey Spitfire! Sure thing."
The bartender set down the freshly polished glass and filled it with the strongest whiskey.
Upon receiving it, Spitfire downed it in a single go, "Another."
"Maybe you should take that a bit slower," the bartender spoke, "It is a very strong alcohol."
Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo exited the library, "Okay Scoots, we're going to see how much work we need to do to get you in the air. So we need to go to a wide open area."
"Where?"
"Oh I have a place in mind," Dash stated giving Scootaloo a confident smirk, "Hop on."
After Scootaloo was firmly positioned on Rainbow Dash's back, Dash took position. Flaring her wings and giving them a strong flap they were airborne, heading for their destination.
_-~/|\~-_
"Rainbow Dash, showing me up! Who doesh she shink she ish? Anosher!"
"I think you've had too many."
"I shaid Anosher!"
"If you don't calm down you will have to leave."
" Ya know what, shrew everyponiesh! I'm goinng to show Rainbow, uh, FACE! shat she ain's betta shan Me!"
"I don't think you're fit to go anywhere on your own."
"Shrew you."
_-~/|\~-_
"Okay Scoots," Rainbow said letting Scootaloo off of her back, "I know you have plenty of power in those wings of yours. So we'll see if we can get you off the ground. Have you been keeping up with your preening."
Scootaloo blushed and offered a fast, "Yes!"
"Okay, let's see."
"What?"
She wants to see me preen, what's next? Making sure I can brush my mane properly? Scootaloo began to squirm under the scrutiny of the elder pegasus.
Rainbow dash quickly realized that she was making Scootaloo uncomfortable and decided to change the subject, "Your wings look fine, how about we get started with some stretches.
"Okay." Affirmed the filly.
"Pull your wings up and forward and reach for your ears, good, 1, 2, ..."
_-~/|\~-_
Spitfire stumbled through Cloudsdale half flying half, well, stumbling in the general direction of Ponyville. It was causing quite a scene. Many ponies gave her odd looks, the cameras flashed from the tabloid reporters. By the time she made it to the edge of the floating city she had gathered quite the crowd, as news traveled fast in a place populated solely by the most mobile of the three pony tribes.
As she strode of the side of the cloud she fell, tumbling like a rag doll of the side. All the ponies rushed to the edge of the cloud in worry. They saw a struggling to fly Spitfire flying, in nothing resembling a straight line, towards Ponyville.
During this commotion Fleetfoot, a fellow Wonderbolt, had heard the gossip and came to investigate. True to the gossip, an oddity, Spitfire was indeed drunk, yet an even bigger oddity. She couldn't let Spitfire fly in her condition, and as such tried to intervene.
"Spitfire! What's gotten into you?" she shouted as she flew up next to the the wobbly Wonderbolt.
"Shrew hers!"
"Spitfire, You're drunk you need to head back home, you can't fly like this?"
"Shrew her, amma gonsh kick her shlank sha-ard..." She degraded into mumbles.
"Who?" Fleetfoot asked, uncertainty visible behind her eyes.
"Raybow Shass!"
"This isn't like you, let me help you get home so you can sober up." Fleetfoot said flying close to Spitfire hooves outstretched.
"No! Go away!" Spitfire shouted striking out at her colleague.
Fleetfoot barely managed to avoid the incoming hoof. Deciding to back off and follow from a distance.
_-~/|\~-_
"Come on Scootaloo! flap harder, try to catch more air on the down stroke, you can do it!"
Scootaloo with a look of determination on her face, and sweat matting her fur and feathers. Her wings buzzed with all the power her muscles could create. After a few more seconds her wings stilled and her head drooped as the fatigue caught up with her. "I can't do it," Scootaloo muttered in between gasps.
"I think it's time for a break," Stated Rainbow Dash as she moved over and sat next to Scootaloo's panting form.
Dash leaned up against Scootaloo, ruffling up her mane as she did so. "Don't worry squirt, I'll get you flying, I promise."
"But you heard what the doctors said, I won't never fly," Scootaloo muttered, while staring at the ground.
"Maybe I've been around Twilight too much, because she's told me plenty of times about double negatives," Dash put her hoof under Scootaloo's chin and lifted her face to look her in the eyes, "And that a double negative is a positive, 'won't never fly' Means, you're going to fly. I'm going to make sure of it."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Hey how about we get some ice cream and go home."
The mention of frozen delights managed to help hinder her sour mood, "Yes!"
_-~/|\~-_
Spitfire now half way to Ponyville somehow had managed to stay airborne.
Fleetfoot was left wondering why, trying to decipher the slurred language that came out of Spitfire's mouth. It sounded like she said she wanted to beat up Rainbow Dash, but why? Last I heard they were on good terms. Though who else would she be going to Ponyville for? She kept thinking in circles still ending on why she would be after Rainbow Dash. She would have tried asking, but for how well that turned out last time, she doubted she would get a comprehensible answer.
_-~/|\~-_
Rainbow Dash walked through her front door with a very tired, verging on sleep, young pegasus draped across her back. She walked her adopted daughter into her room and set her down into bed, tucking her in. Scootaloo fell a sleep as soon as she touched down on her cloud bed.
Scootaloo's face was sticky from eating ice cream, a content smile on her face. Even if she couldn't fly, she knew all was right in the world.
