> Truly Sisters > by Safaia Bara > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1: Quality Time > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quality Time By Safaia Bara Rainbow Dash was bored. Absolutely bored. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky that needed busting. Twilight was holed up in the library working on a new assignment Princess Celestia had given her. Applejack was helping Granny Smith and Big Mac get ready for their week-long trip to Appleloosa. Pinkie Pie was in charge of watching the Cake twins and Sugarcube Corner. Rarity was working on a large order for a new high-end client in Fillydelphia. And Fluttershy was busy teaching orphaned baby cardinals how to fly. So, with all of her friends out of commission for the day, and sleep evading her, what was the most awesome Pegasus in all of Equestria supposed to do? Her prayers were answered with the ringing of the school bell in the distance. Scootaloo! “I just wanted you to hang out with me and see how cool I was so you take me under your wing and teach me everything you know and become like my big sister.” “So… you’re looking for somepony to take you under their wing, huh?” “Mm–hm.” “Yeah I might be up for something like that.” “Really?” “As long as you don’t go falling into anymore rivers in the middle of the night.” “It’s a deal.” That conversation had happened nearly a week ago, and Rainbow hadn’t seen hide nor mane of the little pony since. Rainbow Dash frowned to herself, “Hmph, some big sister I’m turning out to be,” she sighed, “Well, better late than never, right?” So, with a shake of her head and a flap of her wings, she was headed straight towards the Ponyville schoolhouse. As she flew, Rainbow’s mind wandered to the young, orange Pegasus. She was a pretty cool filly. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how much Scootaloo reminded her of herself as a kid. The same competitive nature. The same stubborn streak. And, of course, the same loyalty to her friends; she hadn't been at Diamond Tiara’s party, but she'd heard from Twilight and Applejack how the filly had stood up for Apple Bloom at the risk of revealing that she didn’t have her Cutie Mark either. That took real guts, and she was extremely proud of her little sister. Dash quickly arrived at the school and landed in a nearby tree. Seeing the Cutie Mark Crusaders chatting, Rainbow Dash decided to let the girls finish their conversation before joining them. However, when two more fillies walked over, the cyan mare could feel the tension shift and leaned in closer to listen. “So, what kind of Cutie Marks are you going to try for this time? Being lame?” Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon laughed, “Blank Flanks!” “Maybe if we ignore them, they’ll go away,” Scootaloo suggested, “Ready to go to the clubhouse?” “Actually…Um…” “Apple Bloom!” “Sweetie Belle!” “Applejack wanted me ta help clean up the orchard b’fore the next family reunion. It’s gonna be tough without Big Mac around ta do the heavy liftin’, so Applejack really needs me.” “And Rarity promised that I could model her new filly clothing line for her client in Fillydelphia. She said it’s really important.” Both girls looked at their friend apologetically. Scootaloo hid her disappointment well with a fake smile, “Oh, well, that’s great! You guys have fun.” “Scoots…” “We can go crusadin’ next weekend, right?” “Of – of course! Y’know what? I’ll spend this weekend thinking up ways for us to earn our Cutie Marks!” she said, trying to act cool. Rarity and Applejack joined the three fillies. The unicorn mare tilted her head to the side, “Next weekend? Why wait until then, girls?” Sweetie Belle sighed and gave her sister an exasperated look, “Next Saturday is the Family Fun Fair, remember? Everypony in class has to be there and has to set up a booth or something to show off our families’ special skills. You promised that you’d help me set up a fashion show.” Rarity smiled sheepishly, “Oh, yes, right. Well,” she cleared her throat, “if things remain on schedule, as they should, I’ll be finished with the Fillydelphia order by the end of this weekend. Then I’m all yours.” The unicorn filly grinned. Scootaloo looked on with a sad smile as she wished for the same sisterly bond that her friends had. Rainbow Dash smirked to herself. Scoots was gonna be so surprised! “Ya want us ta walk ya home, Sugarcube?” Scootaloo paled slightly and waved her hooves in front of her face, “No, no. I’ll be fine. I live on the other side of town. I wouldn’t want to be an incon- incon-” “Inconvenience?” Sweetie Belle offered. “Yeah, that.” “If you’re sure, Darling…” “Oh, yeah! I’ve done it tons of times before.” Even from her vantage point in the tree, Dash could tell that her smile was forced. “Okay, then…” “See ya later, Scootaloo!” “Bye!” “Take care!” The orange filly waved until her friends were out of sight before allowing her ears to flatten and her tail to droop. Sighing, she cast her eyes away. Suddenly, there was an unwanted presence beside her. "Go away, Diamond Tiara. Just go away and leave me alone." "Aw, even your blank flank friends abandoned you. I don't blame them, though. Who would want to be friends with a Pegasus pony who can't even fly, anyway?" the pink earth filly said, her voice filled with mock pity. "Knock it off," Scootaloo growled through clenched teeth. "What? I'm just telling the truth." "Shut up or I'm going to tell." "Ooh, who are you going to tell? Your parents?" Diamond Tiara sneered. Silver Spoon trotted up to the orange filly's other side and added, "What parents? I haven't seen them. I bet she doesn't even have any." "I'm going to tell my big sister." The two earth ponies were taken aback for a moment before breaking out into fits of laughter. "Big sister? Yeah, right." "Who?" Scootaloo grinned triumphantly, "Rainbow Dash." Rainbow's heart filled with joy. At that moment, she was even more proud to have the little orange pony for a sister. To know that the young Pegasus had so much faith in her was an overwhelming feeling. That feeling was destroyed, however, as the bullies' peals of laughter grew louder. "Rainbow Dash? Ha!" "Why in all of Equestria would an awesome pony like Rainbow Dash want to be your sister, Scootaloser?" The young Pegasus filly puffed out her cheeks in anger, hiding the tears that were welling up in her eyes. That was all the cyan mare could take. With a light flap of her wings, Rainbow silently glided down to the three fillies, landing right behind Scootaloo. "Heya, Kiddo," she said. The three fillies jumped. "R-Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo squeaked, spinning around to face her idol, "What's up? What are you doing here?" The older Pegasus grinned at her, "What? Applejack and Rarity can pick their sisters up from school, but I can't? That doesn't seem very fair, does it?" A wide smile lit up Scootaloo's face, melting the tears away, "Really?" Rainbow mussed up Scoot's mane with an affectionate noogie, "'Course. 'Sides, I thought we could start your flyin' lessons today. What d'ya say, Squirt?" "Definitely!" "Wait, wait, wait,” Diamond Tiara shook her head in disbelief, "You're serious?" The mare turned and openly glowered at the two earth ponies, "As a thunderstorm." "B-but, she can't even fly!" Rainbow Dash arched a brow, "And? I'm going to teach her. Didn‘t I just say that?" "She doesn't have a Cutie Mark, either!" said Silver Spoon, huffing indignantly. Rainbow rolled her eyes, "So? She's a late bloomer is all. Actually, Fluttershy and I were two of the last ones in our class to get our Cutie Marks, too." "No way!" Dash gave her sister and encouraging smile, "Sure were. And we got the coolest ones of all,” she grinned, "and I'm sure the same is gonna happen to the three of you." "Not possible. Everypony knows that we have the best Cutie Marks in class," Diamond Tiara scoffed. Rainbow glanced at their flanks and smirked, but held her tongue. A tiara and a spoon? Aside from reminding other ponies of what their names were, she couldn't actually figure out what they meant. What exactly were their special talents supposed to be? But she new better than to comment on it, she was more mature than that... Even though it was oh so very tempting. "Is there a problem here?" The four ponies turned towards the new voice. "AJ? Rarity? What are you guys doing here? I thought you were going home," The two said mares, along with their younger siblings, were headed back towards the school. Rarity was levitating a piece of mail with her unicorn magic, and Sweetie Belle had a sour look on her face. "We'll get ta that in a sec. Now, what in the hay is goin' on over here?" Dash shrugged and jerked her head towards Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, "Not much. These two were just causing trouble again. I was thinking about going to talk to Miss Cheerilee about their bad attitudes." The two bullies went pale in the face. Rarity and Applejack smirked. "Really? Ah've been debatin' that fer a while now, too." "I have as well. I'm sure that Cheerilee would be most interested to know how her students are spending their free time." The retreating sound of galloping hooves sent a round of chuckles throughout the group. As their laughter died down Dash turned to her friends, "So, what are you doing here, anyway?." The unicorn mare sighed, "We were almost home when Derpy stopped us about halfway there and gave me this," she gestured to the letter with her hoof, "Apparently, my clients in Fillydelphia want to have a conference with me. They want me out on the next available train, and I'm going to be gone for at least three or four days,” Rarity brushed a hoof gently through her sister's mane apologetically. Sweetie Belle sighed in disappointment, but soon gave in and leaned towards Rarity's comforting touch. "So, we decided that Sweetie is gonna stay with us on the farm ‘til Rares comes home. We wanted ta see if Scoots wanted ta spend the night, too." The Pegasus filly flapped her wings excitedly and grinned. But Rainbow answered for her before she could even open her mouth to respond. "Maybe later. Scoots and I have plans for today. Right, Squirt?" Dash wrapped her foreleg around Scootaloo and pulled her into a sideways hug. The younger Pegasus just nodded wildly, her eyes filled with delight and awe. Applejack and Rarity looked at each other and shared a secret smile. “Alrigh’ then. See y’all tonight.” Once the others were gone, Dash gave her sister another affectionate squeeze. “Ya ready Scoots?” “Sure am! I was born ready!” “That’s what I like to hear,” she chuckled, “Hop on.” She turned around and allowed Scootaloo to climb onto her back. “Hang on, Kiddo.” With a running leap, the two Pegasi were in the air, headed towards a small field at the edge of Ponyville. > Chapter 2: Training > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As they landed, Scootaloo tumbled off of Rainbow Dash's back, rolling through the grass with a small grunt. "Oof!" Dash collapsed on the ground in laughter, "Y-you okay there, Scoots?" "Yeah, I think so," she coughed as she stood up. Shaking the dirt from her mane and coat, she stumbled closer to her surrogate sister, "Stop laughing. It wasn't that funny," she whined, but her lips twitched trying to hide her own smile. As she finished ruffling the remaining dust out of her wings, she may have accidentally smacked Rainbow Dash on the ear with her tail. Scootaloo gave the older Pegasus a cheeky grin. Rainbow smirked back. "Ooh, you really shouldn't have done that, Squirt. You're messing with the wrong pony." Before Scootaloo had a chance to blink, she was pinned flat on her back with the elder pony looming over her with a menacing grin on her face. "No, no, no! Please Rainbow Dash! I'm sorry! I'm sor- hahaha! I'm- haha!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears as Rainbow ran her hooves up and down her sides and across her stomach mercilessly. The tickling lasted until the little filly had tears in her eyes from laughing so hard. She hiccuped a few times before sighing in relief when Dash finally stepped away from her. "Now, Scoots, what have we learned today?" The orange Pegasus grinned up at her, "I should never mess with my big sister?" Rainbow Dash returned the smile with a warm one of her own, "Ya got that right." She sat down and crossed her forelegs over her chest, "Okay, time to get to work. Show me whatcha got." The filly jumped to her feet excitedly and began flapping her wings as fast and as hard as she could. She was hovering about half a foot off of the ground for all of five seconds when- "Woah, woah, hold it. Stop for a sec, Scoots." Scootaloo dropped onto her stomach and frowned. "What's wrong?" Rainbow trotted over to her and helped her to her hooves, "I think I figured out what the problem is. Your form is all off." "Form? What do you mean?" Rainbow paused, mulling over her words, "There's a certain...artistry to flight," her voice became more serious, and Scootaloo leaned in closer, listening with rapt attention, "I like to call it the four 'S's. Speed, strength, stamina, and style. I've seen you on that scooter, and you've got the first three down, no problem. It's the last one we need to work on. Scootaloo looked up at her in confusion, her head tilted to the side. Dash smiled. "Watch me." The cyan mare began beating her wings in a steady rhythm and lifted herself off of the ground with ease. She allowed herself to float there for a few more moments before touching down lightly on her hooves, "Now, what did I do differently?" Scootaloo looked at her mentor, then back at her own feeble wings, then back a t Dash again, "You have bigger wings than me," she muttered. Rainbow could detect a hint of jealousy hidden in her voice. She just smiled and shook her head. "No, I asked you what I did that was different. The size of your wings has got nothing to do with it." "But I thought-" "A perfect example is Bulk Biceps. He's what, twenty times bigger than you? And his wings are only half the size of yours? If wing size mattered, there is no way he should even be able to pick himself up off the ground." The younger pony pondered that for a moment before giggling. Dash grinned. "See? If he can do it, I know you can, too. We just need to work on your technique." The two Pegasi spent the next few hours practicing Scootaloo's flying technique. The orange filly was enthralled with how knowledgeable Rainbow was in aerodynamics and the mechanics of flight. She wasn't all that surprised, though; Dash was the best flyer in all of Equestria after all. And Scootaloo picked it up extremely quickly. By the end of their first lesson, she was able to tell wind direction and catch the air currents to glide and change her course easily. "Great job, Squirt. You're doing better than even I expected," Scootaloo beamed with pride, " I think this calls for a reward. How about...a round of milkshakes at Sugarcube Corner?" The filly' eyes lit up, "Awesome! Can we? Please?" Rainbow laughed, "Of course. Hop on, kid." The orange Pegasus squeezed her eyes shut as the wind rushed past her face. The arrived at Ponyville's resident sweets shop in minutes. "So, what flavor do you want?" "Chocolate!" Dash chuckled at her sister's enthusiasm, "Sure thing, Squirt. Why don't you go grab us a table while I get the drinks?" Scootaloo gave her a playful salute and trotted off to find a window seat. While she was waiting for her drink, she reflected on how amazing her day was going. She was one lucky filly. "Hey, Scootaloser." Oh, great. "Go. Away." "What are you going to do? Sic Rainbow Dash on us?" Diamond Tiara looked around, "I don't see her. Did she abandon you, too?" "I wouldn't be surprised. Looks like nopony wants to be around her." Silver Spoon added. Both of them laughed. Scootaloo glared at them before a smirk found its way onto her face, "Leave me alone, or you're going to regret it." "Oh, I'm so scared." Diamond mocked. "You should be." The two earth pony fillies jumped at the new voice behind them. Rainbow walked around them and placed a tray of drinks on the table. "You two again? I guess you didn't get the hint earlier, huh? Leave Scoots and the other Crusaders alone." This time Diamond Tiara stood her ground and glared at Rainbow Dash, "Why should I listen to you. My daddy is the most powerful pony in Ponyville. He-" The mare's laughter cut her off, "You honestly think that I'm afraid of you're father? Listen, kid. I've fought a possessed princess, an army of changelings, and the Master of Chaos himself. I think I can handle a spoiled little filly and her rich daddy," she glared out her wings, "Now scram. And leave my sister and her friends alone." Diamond Tiara stuck her muzzle in the air and trotted out of the shop with what little dignity she had left. Silver Spoon followed, but not before sticking her tongue out at them foalishly. Dash waited and watched until the door swung shut behind them. She gave an indignant snort and started muttering under her breath. "Pick on my sister, huh?" "Not on my watch, ya don't." The cyan mare turned around and saw Scootaloo staring at her, slack-jawed. Dash looked at her with concern, "Scoots, you okay?" The younger Pegasus swallowed audibly, "That...was...awesome! Nopony has ever told them off like that before! Not even Miss Cherilee! Rainbow Dash, you are the best big sister ever!" Rainbow blushed as she trotted closer and sat down next to Scootaloo. She wrapped a foreleg around her withers and gave her an affectionate noogie, "Hey, nopony messes with my little sister. And if they even try, I'll kick they're flank from here to Canterlot." And she meant it. Rainbow had always had a soft spot for the orange Pegasus filly, even before the camping incident. But, that night put their relationship into perspective for her. She finally understood how much of an influence she had on Scootaloo. And she planned on living up to the little girl's expectations. If she wanted Rainbow Dash to be her big sister, then Rainbow Dash would be her big sister. Simple as that. A calm silence enveloped them. When their drinks were half gone, Rainbow started a new conversation, "So, Scoots, I was thinking. For that family fair next weekend...what if we did an aerobatics performance? With the progress you made today, I'm pretty sure we could get you up in the air for a few tricks. If not, those moves you do on that scooter of yours are radical! Maybe we could-" Scootaloo stopped drinking mid-sip and choked on her shake. She coughed and sputtered while Dash patted her on the back. Eventually, she was able to take a few deep, slow breaths. She winced, her throat hurting. She took a long sip of her drink and sighed in relief, letting the cold milkshake soothe her sore throat. She looked up into Dash's concerned rose-colored eyes. "Hey, you okay, Squirt? You scared me for a second there." But a wide smile threatened to split her face in two. She started bouncing up and down in her seat excitedly, "The fair? You and me? Really?" Rainbow Dash gave her a warm smile, "Sure. I mean, we are sisters, right? Unless you have other plans?" She arched a brow skeptically. "Nope!" the filly grinned. Rainbow chuckled as she took a peek out the widow behind Scootaloo. The sun was starting to set, almost touching the snow capped mountains in the distance. "Well, we'd better get going if we wanna make it to Sweet Apple Acres before dark. C'mon, kiddo." Scootaloo nodded and chugged down the rest of her shake. She suddenly clutched her head and winced in pain. "Scoots?" "I'm...fine..." she let out a deep breath and chuckled, "Brain freeze..." Rainbow Dash laughed and ruffled her sister's mane, "You're such a silly filly, you know that?" she grinned and hopped out of her chair, the orange Pegasus following close behind. Once outside, Dash silently gestured for Scootaloo to climb onto her back. They were in the air seconds later, flying in the opposite direction of the Apple family's farm. "Um, Rainbow? You do know that Sweet Apple Acres is the other way, right?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and snorted, "Pssh, of course I know that. But you can't have a sleepover without your sleeping bag, can you? So we've gotta hit your place first to pick it up," Even though she couldn't see the color drain from the filly's face, she felt Scootaloo's body tense up, "Hey, what's the matter?" "Noth-nothing's the matter. Why would you think something was wrong? I'm fine," she said unconvincingly. Dash sighed. She wasn't going to get any info out of the kid...at least, not at the moment. "So, which house is yours?" "That pinkish one on the left over there." Dash banked around and landed on the front doorstep with a soft thump. The house was almost completely dark, save for a small light emanating from the back room. With a resigned sigh, Scootaloo slid off of the older pony's back and slowly trotted up to the door. It opened with a creak. "Mom, I'm home." > Chapter 3: Family and Friends > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hush, Scootaloo, your father is sleeping," a young mare whispered as she entered the room. Her coat, a light peachy color, stood out against her stark white mane and tail. She stopped short and her sky blue eyes narrowed in confusion, "You're late and...who is this?" Scootaloo shuffled her hooves and stared at the floor, "Mom, this is Rainbow Dash. I've told you about her." The mare's jaw went slack for a moment, "Oh, hi. I'm Scoot's mom. My name is Cream Tangerine." Rainbow's eyes widened. This was Scoot's mom? She couldn't be much older than Rainbow, her mid-twenties at most! The cyan mare cleared her throat, "Uh, hi. Sorry about the time. We were hangin' out and lost track-" Cream waved a hoof nonchalantly, "No problem. It's all good." "Mom, I'm going to Apple Bloom's for a sleepover. I came home to get my sleeping bag, okay?" Cream Tangerine sighed, "Yeah, yeah. That's fine. But you know the drill. There's food in the fridge, and I don't want a repeat of the last time." "Yes, mom," she groaned, "How long this time" "Two weeks." The filly nodded and trudged up the stairs to her room. Once she was gone, Cream turned to Rainbow. "So, you're the infamous Rainbow Dash." "Infamous?" "You're the only thing she ever talks about." She gave the younger mare a small smile. Dash didn't know how to respond to that, so she quickly decided to change the subject. Something she said to Scootaloo in their conversation seemed off. "Yeah, she's an awesome filly. Sooo, what was that all about?" "Hm?" she tilted her head to the side. "You mentioned a 'last time'. What happened last time?" Rainbow didn't like where this was going. "Oh, that. The last time her father and I went away, she destroyed half the house. We came back to a broken table, a knocked over bookcase, and a shattered window." "What?! Was she okay?" "Yeah, she was fine. A little bruised and scratched up, though." Dash's lungs constricted painfully, "You did get rid of her foalsitter, right?" Cream looked at her in confusion, "A foalsitter? Why would she need a foalsitter? We're only ever gone a week or two. She's old enough to handle herself just fine." Dash felt like she had been punched in the stomach. 'A week or two? Scootaloo's only nine years old! There's no way she can take care of herself. I gotta do something.' "Hey, y'know what? Why don't you let Scoots stay with me while you're away?" A short, high-pitched squeal echoed from upstairs. Rainbow Dash smirked to herself- the little filly was eavesdropping. "I don't know...she can be a bit of a hoof-ful...are you sure?" "Cream, if I didn't want to do this then I wouldn't have offered." "Well..." "Please, mom! Can I stay with Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo leapt down the stairs two at a time, landing with a light thump in front of her mother, "I promise I'll behave. Please?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had trained the Pegasus filly well in the art of "The Pout". She quickly perfected the technique and was almost invincible. Almost. Dash rolled her eyes with a fond smile. While the Cutie Mark Crusaders had practiced the look, Applejack and Rarity had helped Dash build up an immunity to the adorableness of it. Like Scoots, Dash was a quick study and was completely unaffected by "The Pout". Cream Tangerine, however, wasn't so lucky. The look she gave her daughter was tender and loving, a look only a mother could give her child. It was then that Dash realized something. Even if Cream Tangerine was neglectful of her daughter, it wasn't because she didn't love her. Her priorities were...askew. Not that it eased any of the cyan Pegasus' concerns, though. The peach colored mare sighed with an affectionate grin, "Sure. As long as Rainbow Dash says it's okay, then I don't see a problem with it." Dash hid her irritation behind a grin as she casually waved a hoof, "Eh, we'll be fine. We're gonna have a blast, right, Squirt?" She wrapped a hoof around Scootaloo's withers and gave her a squeeze. The little filly beamed up at her, too excited to actually speak. She nodded, practically vibrating in place, causing the two mares to laugh. "I'll take that as a yes." The older pony turned to Dash, "I guess that settles that, huh? Well, goodnight. And Scoots, don't cause too much trouble, okay?" She kissed her daughter on the forehead before trotting upstairs without another word. The two remaining ponies stood in silence, listening for the door to close. Once they heard the quiet click, Scootaloo grabbed her sleeping bag, shut off the light, and followed Rainbow out of the house. The sun had almost completed vanished from the sky as Dash and Scootaloo meandered down the street, passing a few stragglers as they went. "So," Dash started, "your mom's a pretty cool mare, eh?" The filly looked down, "I guess so." Rainbow smiled and nudged her playfully in the side with her wing, "Hey, what d'ya mean 'you guess'?" There was a touch of sourness to her tone, "How would I know? She's never around anyway." Dash's smile softened as she wrapped her aforementioned wing around her little sister and pulled her in for a hug, for once not caring if anyone saw the 'mushy' scene. "I mean," the filly continued, "I know my mom loves me...sometimes." "Whoa, whoa, whoa. There's no sometimes about it. Your parents always love you. Even if they have to go away for work-" Scootaloo cut her off, stomping her hoof in anger, "They aren't going away for work, Dash! My dad doesn't even have a job, and mom works as a waitress at Hay and Clover. These trips they go on are to the casinos in Las Pegasus," she took a deep, shaky breath, "Can we stop talking about this now, please?" "Sure, Kiddo. We'd better get moving anyways. Don't wanna be late for that sleepover." She mussed up Scootaloo's mane with a hoof, making her giggle. The filly wiped her tears away and easily climbed onto Rainbow's back. The cyan mare grabbed the sleeping bag and sped off towards Sweet Apple Acres. They made it to the Apple farm in record time, quietly touching down outside the barn. Light was streaming out of the windows and the door was wide open. They could hear whispers and giggling coming from inside. Rainbow Dash smirked evilly and chuckled, "Hey, Scoots? Wanna have a little fun?" she whispered, tilting her head to the side just enough for Scootaloo to see her profile. The orange Pegasus saw the wicked glint in her older sister's eye and nodded eagerly. With a strong flap of her wings, Rainbow shot up through the loft window. She landed with a loud thud, immediately silencing the laughter from downstairs. "D-did y'all hear that?" Apple Bloom stuttered. Dash turned her head and winked at her sister. Scoots grinned and jumped off of Rainbow Dash's back, stamping her hooves when she hit the floor. "I-it was probably just- just an animal, right, Applejack?" "...Sure. There's always critters scurryin' around up there. Ah'm sure that's what it was..." Both of the Pegasi sniggered quietly as they stomped around the loft, moving closer to the edge with every slow, deliberate step. "Those sound like hoof steps ta me!" "Me, too!" "Now, now. Calm down, y'all. Ah'm sure it's nothin' ta worry 'bout," Applejack tried to reassure the two fillies, as well as herself. Dash caught Scootaloo's eyes and mouthed, 'Watch this'. She inched forward, crouched low to the floor, and peered over the side...the targets were positioned right beneath them. Perfect. Dash dragged her wings along the floorboards, sweeping up a good amount of hay as she went. Making sure she was completely hidden from view, the rainbow-maned mare pushed the hay over the edge of the loft, letting it rain down on the three ponies below. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle squealed in surprise. "What in the hay...you two stay here. Ah'm gonna go an' see what's goin' on up there." Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo shared a panicked look as they searched frantically for an escape route. The Pegasus filly smirked and with a muffled giggle trotted over to one of the lantern closest to them. She glanced over her shoulder to see a proud smile and a nod of approval from her idol. Before Applejack could take one hoof step up the ladder, Scoots turned around and blew out the candle. The ponies downstairs screamed in pure terror, sending the two Pegasi into fits of uncontrollable laughter. "Rainbow Dash!" "Scootaloo!" That just made them laugh that much harder, causing them to collapse to the floor and roll around hysterically. They were so lost in their glee, they rolled right off of the platform and into a haystack. Even in the dark, Applejack was able to find her way to another lantern and light it up. She spun around to reprimand to two Pegasus ponies, but she couldn't contain the chuckle that bubbled up inside of her at the sight of the two proud Pegasi covered in hay, with pieces of straw sticking haphazardly out of their manes and tails. "The two a ya look absolutely ridiculous." Rainbow and Scootaloo looked at each other and burst into giggles again, along with the other two fillies. Once things had settled down a bit, the three crusaders sat atop their sleeping bags, chatting aimlessly. The two mares were relaxing on a bale of hay a few feet away, listening. "So, AJ. When do you think that topic is gonna come up?" Dash asked with a smirk and a wink. Applejack grinned back. "Ah dunno, but Ah reckon that it shouldn't be too much longer." "What in Equestria are y'all talkin' 'bout?" Rainbow Dash and Applejack glanced at each other, then back at the fillies, before answering simultaneously. "Colts." Sweetie Belle's face turned a bright shade of pink; Apple Bloom gave them a look of horror; but Scootaloo's reaction was the most amusing to them. "Colts?! Ew! Gross!" Rainbow smirked an her little sister, "Well, apparently colts don't seem to feel the same way." "What d'ya mean?" The Pegasus mare's smile widened as she answered Applejack's question, "I was chatting with Thunderlane the other day...don't look at me like that," she grimaced at the other mare's arched brow, "No offense to TL, but I got my heart set on the Wonderbolts. Anyway, his little brother, Rumble is in their class. According to Thunder, all the kid talks about is how awesome Scoots is. Not that I blame him...she takes after her big sister, after all." "Aw, look! Scootaloo's blushing!" said Apple Bloom with a grin. "Shut up!" the Pegasus filly hissed at her earth filly friend who just giggled at her. Scootaloo's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she tried to hide a small smile. "Scootaloo an' Rumble sittin' in a tree," she sang, "K-I-S-S-I-" Apple Bloom's older sister cut her off. "Come ta think of it, a young colt stopped by the farm last week. He said his mom wanted him to pick up some apples, but he seemed more interested in asking questions about Apple Bloom," she chuckled, "Funny thing was, as soon as he saw ya comin' outta the barn, Bloom, he bolted like Winona was on his tail. He even forgot at grab his apples." "Aw! How cute! Who was it?" Sweetie Belle gushed, enamored by the story. "Said his name was Shady Daze, Ah think?" "Oh! He's the new photographer for the Foal Free Press! Now that you mention it, I saw him looking at you a lot when we were working on the paper." Apple Bloom ducked her head to hide her blush and shy smile, but it was too late. Scoots giggled, "You like him, don'cha?" "Ah never said that!" "But you're not denying it! Fess up." "We'll, uh..." she stammered. To pull attention away from herself, the golden-coated filly glanced in Sweetie Belle's direction. She saw an almost shy look on her face, "Hey, Sweetie? What about you? There aren't many unicorn colts in class. Anypony caught yer eye?" "Only Snips and Snails...please don't say it's one of them!" Scootaloo begged. Sweetie Belle's face drained of all color as she shook her head vehemently, "No! No, no, no!" She dropped her head and began tracing patterns in the dirt with her hoof, "Actually, something happened last week that I haven't had a chance to tell you about..." Scootaloo and Apple Bloom glanced at each other, then back at their friend. "Go on," Apple Bloom urged, intrigued. The white filly sighed, "Remember last week when I had to meet Rarity at the boutique after school? On the way there, I kinda tripped and dropped my saddle-bag and everything fell out. While I was picking it all up, Button Mash stopped and helped me. Then he..." she paused, tailing a deep breath, "he, uh kinda sorta walked me the rest of the way home." The two mares chuckled quietly as the subject was immediately changed to their newest Cutie Mark idea...water balloon warfare? The orange earth pony heard a sigh beside her and turned to see an uncharacteristically depressed look on her friend's face. There was a wistful look in her eyes as she watched the fillies talking. She nudged Rainbow's shoulder with her own. "Hey, Sugarcube, what's wrong? An' don' tell me that it's nothin' 'cause we both know that's just a load a horseapples," she added. Dash just sighed again and shook her head, "I dunno, AJ, I guess I never thought about what it would be like to have a little sister, and, well..." Applejack gave her a stern look, "Are ya regrettin' takin' her in or somethin'?" The cyan Pegasus' eyes widened in shock at the accusation, "No way! Scoots is an amazing filly and I'm proud to be called her big sister." "But?" "But...I feel like I've missed out on so much already. I mean, you and Rares have been with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle since they were born. You've seen them grow up from foals. And...I didn't get that with Scootaloo." 'Although, I bet her parents didn't either.' Rainbow Dash's next question wasn't verbal, but AJ understood anyway. Applejack wrapped her foreleg around Dash's withers and gave her a sympathetic smile, "Rainbow, I agree tha' these fillies are growin' up way too fast. But they ain't full grown mares yet. We still got plenty a time left with 'em." Dash's next question wasn't verbal, but AJ could see in in her eyes. "Rainbow, Sugar, she is always, always gonna need you. Who's gonna protect her forom the bullies and the nightmares? Who's the first pony she's gonna show her Cutie Mark off to when she gets it? Who's she gonna confide in when she does start having colt problems? You, Dash. Nopony else, you," Rainbow arched a brow skeptically, a shining light of hope now in her eyes. Applejack chuckled, "Accordin' ta Apple Bloom, yer the only thing Scoot's been talking 'bout since the campin' trip." "Really?" Rainbow Dash's cocky attitude returned with a grin, "I mean, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" "Why, indeed?" the orange mare deadpanned, rolling her eyes. Rainbow stuck her tongue out foalishly before smiling. "Thanks, AJ, I needed to hear that." "Anytime, Suagrcube, anytime." > Chapter 4: Sharing Secrets > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thump. "Oof...ouch..." Scootaloo stood up and rubbed her sore flank. "Maybe we should cool it for now. That's enough practice for today." "But, Dash!" "C'mon, Squirt, we've been at this for hours. You're doing amazing, but let's not push it. We don't want you hurting yourself two days before the performance, do we?"  When Rainbow "never say die" Dash, daredevil extraordinaire and thrill seeker, says that it's time to take a break, then it's time to take a break. "But if I don't keep training, I'll never get this trick right," the filly whined. The two Pegasi were practicing their routine for the fair in a secluded field a few miles north of Ponyville; they'd both agreed not to tell anypony about the performance, not even the other Crusaders or the Elements. Rainbow walked over to her sister and placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder, "Sure ya will, Scoots. It just takes time. Do you think I got to be as awesome as I am overnight? No way. You might not have it down pat by this weekend, but you gotta admit that our backup plan is pretty awesome." Scootaloo looked up at her surrogate sister, disappointment clear in her eyes, but gave her a small smile. "Let's go home, kiddo. I think there's a daisy and daffodil sandwich with your name on it." The grin that spread across the filly's face was contagious, and Dash ruffled her mane before they trotted  through the clearing, back towards her cloud-house overlooking Ponyville. While the orange Pegasus' flying skills were growing in spades, she was still at the basic level, and not yet able to travel such a long distance. Not to mention how sore her wings were after such an intense training session. But it wasn't the promise of her favorite food that had her beaming from ear to ear. Home. That was the word Rainbow Dash had used. Home. And it was true. The time she'd spent with her older sister, short as it was, had felt more like home than the past nine years she'd lived with her parents. Sure, she loved her parents. And, contrary to what she'd said the other night, she knew that they loved her as well. But it wasn't enough just knowing, they needed to show her that they cared. And they weren't around often enough to do so. But Rainbow Dash was there. Granted, not so much before the camping trip, but still more often than her mom and dad. And the last few days had been amazing. As the two Pegasi meandered through the busy, bustling streets of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash's thoughts followed along similar lines. She could never have dreamed of how wonderful it was to have a little sister. To have somepony look up to her the way Scootaloo did was somewhat of a humbling experience. Of course she'd always been Dash's number one fan, but now it was so much more than that. Their bond was stronger now. She still had to tread carefully, lest she disappoint her sister so early on in their relationship. Sister. It had a nice ring to it. Dash turned her head as they walked and noticed that, coincidentally, they were passing right by Scootaloo's house. It looked so dark and depressing, even in the broad daylight. Or maybe it was just her imagination, knowing how upset the filly was living there. And she could understand why. With parents like those... No...that wasn't fair. She didn't know much about her parents, she didn't even know her father's name. That was definitely not enough to make such a harsh judgement. Most of what she did know, however, she didn't like. Perhaps it was because she was the Element of Loyalty. Perhaps it was the way she was raised. Perhaps it was how she'd seen her friends take care of their little sisters. Or perhaps it was just common sense. But to leave a nine year old filly alone in a house for up to two weeks at a time was irresponsible and wrong. Now that she was Scootaloo's older sister, honorary or not, it was her responsibility to take care of and protect her. 'I think I need to have a talk with them.' They were so lost in thought that they nearly passed right by Rainbow's house. Silently, Scoots hopped onto her sister's back and they easily flew up into the clouds. They quickly landed on the front porch and entered the house. Scootaloo followed Rainbow Dash into the kitchen. "Can I help?" Dash put a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment, "Hm...I know!" She trotted over to the fridge and pulled out a few lettuce leaves, "Why don't you go give Tank his dinner? He must be starving." Scootaloo gave Dash a salute, making her laugh, and took the leaves from her. She cantered over to a corner of the kitchen where there sat a deep green tortoise shell. Setting the lettuce in the bowl nearby, she gently tapped the top of Tank's shell. "Hey, Tank! C'mon out! It's chow time!" Slowly, very slowly, a small, wrinkly head peeked out. Upon seeing the filly's smiling face, Tank pulled his head all the way out of his shell and nuzzled her cheek. He licked he muzzle affectionately, making her giggle, before chomping down on his dinner. Rainbow smiled. Since she'd started staying at the cloud-house, Scoots had taken it upon herself to be Tank's caretaker as if he were her own pet. A few days after "moving in", she'd let it slip to Rainbow how she'd always wanted a pet. But her parents were either too busy, or didn't feel like she was responsible enough. The older mare snorted silently at that. They didn't think she was mature enough to take care of a pet, yet they let her stay home alone for two weeks at a time? That seems a little backwards to her. So she was more than willing to share her tortoise with her sister...but only her. "Voila! Dinner is served." Scootaloo full on galloped to the kitchen table and hopped into her chair just as Rainbow was setting the plates down, "Looks like somepony's worked up an appetite," Dash chuckled. Scootaloo grinned sheepishly, "He he, I guess I'm hungrier than I thought," she said, blushing. Dash just laughed and mussed up her mane, "No sweat, Scoots. You've earned it. Happens to me all the time." The young filly smiled and looked down at her plate. A daffodil and daisy sandwich with the crusts cut off, a side of apple slices, and a cup of ice cold lemonade. Yum. However, after taking a single bite, her face contorted into a look of disgust as she swallowed, dropping the rest of the sandwich back onto the plate. Dash arched a brow, "C'mon, I may not be the best cook in Equestria, but even I can't screw up a sandwich," she joked. Scootaloo seemed to be ignoring her, too focused on her dinner. Nudging the top slice of bread out of the way, she began picking out whatever pieces of green she could find. "Whoa there, kiddo. What, exactly, do you think you're doing?" Scootaloo looked at her sister in confusion, "I'm taking out the green stuff. It tastes weird." Rainbow Dash smirked and shook her head, "Sorry, Scoots, but ya gotta eat your greens. I know they don't taste the best-" "They're gross." "-but they're good for you. I used to hate them, too. I wonder...since you haven't been eating your greens, maybe that's why your wings are a little underdeveloped." The orange Pegasus stares at Dash with wide eyes, "Do you really think so?" Rainbow Dash shrugged, "It's a possibility. Diet really is one of the most important things a Pegasus needs to think about." The filly quickly threw her sandwich back together and took another huge bite, her muzzle scrunching up in distaste as she chewed and swallowed. Rainbow chuckled. "Here, try this." The mare took the sandwich and laid it open on the plate. She placed a few apple slices on top of the green leaves, "it's a little trick I learned when I was about your age." Scootaloo gave her a skeptical look and took a tentative bite. A huge smile overtook her face as she inhaled the rest of her meal. "Told ya so." Scoots gulped down the rest of her lemonade before responding with a short laugh. "So, Squirt, since you won't be eating with me, why don't you tell me what you've been doing in school?" Dash took a swig from her own cup. "Well, Miss Cherilee's been teaching us a lot about music. Like, really old music by Wolfgang Adrennais Mozart and Johann Sebastian Hock." "Really?" Scootaloo nodded, "Yup. Did you know that one of the most famous musicians, Ludwig van Beethooven, was actually deaf?" Rainbow smiled, "No, I didn't. That's pretty cool." "I know, right? Miss Octavia is coming in tomorrow to give us a lesson on the old instruments they used to use. The girls and I are gonna try to get our Cutie Marks as classical musicians," Scootaloo chirped enthusiastically, a fire burning in her lavender eyes. Dash reached across the table and ruffled her sister's mane, "That sounds awesome, Scoots." Finishing the last of her sandwich, Rainbow Dash led Scootaloo over to the couch to continue their conversation. They spent the next hour or so catching up, telling funny stories about Scootaloo's prior crusades or Dash's life up in Cloudsdale before moving to Ponyville. Eventually, the topic of families popped up. "Scoots, I'm gonna ask you something, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I just want to try to understand, okay?" "Okay..." "Scootaloo, when your parents go on these trips, do they always leave you alone?" She wrapped a comforting wing around her little sister when she noticed the filly grow quiet and fiddle with her hooves." "Not always. My grandparents used to look after me. Before my parents came to Ponyville, we used to live in a small town a few miles west of White Tail Woods with them and my uncle.  After we left, they retired and moved to Vanhoover. I haven't seen them in a few years. "After that, my uncle would foalsit me since he stayed behind when my grandparents moved. Mom and dad would drop me off at his place on their way to Las Pegasus, then pick me up on the way home. But when I started going to school, I couldn't keep staying with him 'cause he lived too far away from Ponyville. "He tried staying in Ponyville with me, but he missed too much work and lost his job. He ended up having to move to Canterlot to find a new one, and that's way too far away from Ponyville. So I guess my parents gave up on finding a sitter, and let me stay by myself." "How long ago was that?" "About two years..." "And you miss him." It wasn't a question. The orange Pegasus nodded. "He was my best friend. More like a big brother than an uncle, actually." 'Well, with how old her parents are, I'm not really surprised.' Dash gave her a squeeze, "Well, now you've got your big sis to look out for you." The rainbow-maned mare couldn't stop her grin when she saw the smile that lit up Scootaloo's face. "So," she continued, changing the subject, "will I be picking you up at Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow after your crusading?" The filly's smile widened even further as she shook her head, "Nope, Miss Cherilee is letting us out of school early so we can get ready for the festival on Saturday. I was hoping we could practice our performance some more?" she asked hopefully. Rainbow sighed, "Maybe we can do one more run through, but I don't want you overexerting yourself. How are your wings doing?" Scootaloo grimaced, rubbing her aching muscles with one of her hooves, "Sore, huh? That's what I thought. How about we do the routine one more time, then hit the spa?" Scootaloo looked at her dubiously, arching a brow, "The spa? Like hoofacures and mud baths and junk?" Dash narrowed her eyes, "I do not do hoofacures. I don't like other ponies touching my hooves," her face split into a wide grin, "But Aloe and Lotus are the best masseuses from here to the Crystal Empire." "Masseuse?" "They give wing massages." "Oh, that sounds kinda nice." "Believe me, Squirt, it feels amazing," Rainbow assured her. The more noticed her little sister's wings were beginning to droop. Rainbow chuckled, "Well, I think it's about time to hit the hay. How about you?" Scootaloo's eyes, which had begun to slip shut, popped open, "No, no, c'mon, Dash! It's not that late, and I'm not even ti...ti...tired," she said, trying to stifle a yawn. Rainbow Dash arched a brow, "Oh, really?" The filly nodded vehemently, eyes half-lidded again. "Okay, I'll make a deal with you. You go get ready for bed and I'll be in in a few minutes to finish that Daring Do book that's waiting for us. Alright?" Scootaloo squealed excitedly and all but galloped upstairs, soon followed by a laughing cyan mare. "She likes those books almost as much as I do."