Scootaloo has always wanted to know who her real family was, when an assignment from Ms. Cheerilee gives her a chance to look into it, what truths will she find?
For as long as she can remember, Scootaloo has lived in orphanages, not knowing the identities of her parents. She's happy enough in Ponyville, but deep down she still wishes she had a real mom and dad. So when she's given an assignment to write about her family, she starts looking for answers.
What she finds will shock her.
Sort of done as a response to a prompt by Phoenix Nebula.
EDIT: Re-wrote part of chapter 1, and edited later chapters so they make sense with the rewriting.
Another Edit: Dang, 2000 views , you guys are awesome
"Okay My Little Ponies, settle down, I have your next assignment ready for you," Ms. Cheerilee said as the class started to settle down. "Now most of you have had your chances to bring your family members in for Family Appreciation Day, but I want all of you to write a short essay about your families."
Most of my classmates groaned, but my eyes went wide, I had no idea how to write about my family because... well truth be told I didn't have one.
I had been found abandoned on the steps of the Manehattan Orphanage when I was just a baby, or at least that's what the Ponies working there told me.
I had hated it in Manehattan, the other fillies always picked on me, and the Ponies in charge hadn't been much better. It didn't help that I was the only Pegasus in the orphanage, and one that couldn't fly at that. So I gathered up what bits I could and took a train as far away from Manehattan as I could get.
That's how I found myself in Ponyville a few years ago, while I'm still stuck in an orphanage, at least it isn't as bad.
"Scootaloo, please pay attention," Ms. Cheerilee said, snapping me out of my thoughts, I realized that everypony was starting to leave.
"Oh, sorry Ms. Cheerilee," I said embarrassed as I gathered up my saddle bags, starting to get ready to leave.
"Are you okay, Scootaloo?" Ms. Cheerilee asked, she looked concerned.
"I'm fine, I just..." I said nervously. "I, don't know how to write the essay, I don't have anypony I can write about." Ms. Cheerilee looked at me sadly and let out a sigh. "How about you talk to Princess Twilight, if anypony can find information on your family, its her."
"Hey, that's a great idea!" I said perking up. "But, what if she can't find anything?"
"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Ms. Cheerilee said with a nod. "Do you have any other questions?"
"No, I'm good," I said.
"Okay, go see your friends, I hope you find something," Ms. Cheerilee said as I ran out, grabbing my scooter as I did.
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After spending an hour with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, I excused myself to go talk to Twilight. As I rode my Scooter towards the castle outside of town, I heard a familiar voice call down to me from above.
"Hey Squirt, what's got you in such a rush?" I looked up to see Rainbow Dash looking down at me from over a cloud as I pulled to a stop.
"Oh, I've got an assignment to write about my family," I said.
"Oh, and you're rushing home to write it? Have you been hanging out with Twilight again?" Rainbow said, I could tell she was kidding around.
"Well, no," I said. "I, was hoping Twilight would be able to help me find out who my family is."
Rainbow's magenta eyes went wide in shock at that, I wasn't sure what to say to that at all. "Umm, yeah, good luck, I'm sure she'll be able to help," she said, and then took off so fast I half expected her to do a sonic rainboom.
That was weird, I thought she'd be supportive, why was Rainbow Dash suddenly acting so strangely? I shrugged and continued on my way towards Twilight's castle.
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"So, you're looking for birth records from Manehattan 10 years ago?" Twilight asked as she looked through her books.
"That's right," I said nervously, I hoped that she had some sort of information for me.
"No, sorry, I don't have those on hoof," she said sheepishly, I looked down at my hooves sadly. "But I know a pony in Manehattan who should, if you can wait a few days."
"Sure, I can wait," I said with a nod. "Thank you Twilight."
"You're welcome," Twilight said with a smile. "I'll let you know when it gets here."
"I can't wait!" I said excitedly as I headed out of the Castle, hopeful that soon I'd have some answers.
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Twilight's POV.
It was a few days after Scootaloo visited when I got the package I had been hoping for. I picked up a letter attached to the larger envelope and read it.
Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,
It took some doing, but I found the information you were looking for. There was only one foal named Scootaloo born in Manehattan 10 years ago, so this should be the pony you're looking for. I hope this helps.
Sincerely, Dusty Pages.
I couldn't help but smile and started to open the envelope with my magic when a cyan colored leg and hoof was placed over it. I looked up to see Rainbow Dash looking at me with a determined look in her eyes.
"Uh, Rainbow, are you okay?" I asked.
"That's the information from Manehattan isn't it?" She asked.
"Uh, yeah, I was just about to send Spike to tell Scootaloo that it had arrived. "Are you okay?"
"Twilight, please, I'm asking you as a friend, don't show that to Scootaloo," Rainbow said.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, Rainbow Dash was telling me not to help a Pony, Scootaloo for that matter. I knew the two were close, but, why would she not want Scootaloo to know who her parents were?
"Why not?" I asked curiously.
"Its, private," Rainbow said. "Please, just send it back, tell Scootaloo you couldn't find anything."
"I'll tell her, but I want to know what this is about," I said, looking at Rainbow strangely, I wasn't expecting her to act like this. Rainbow Dash wasn't normally like this at all, especially when it came to Scootaloo.
"Fine... open it," Rainbow said simply. "But this stays between us."
"I promise," I said as I opened the envelope and pulled out the birth certificate inside, Scootaloo wasn't really that common of a name anyway so the odds of it being the wrong one were extremely unlikely. "Okay lets see here, father unnamed..."
My eyes fell on the other name on the birth certificate and they went wide. "Rainbow this is..."
"Yeah, I know what it says," Rainbow said, now everything made sense. "Its, a long story, and something I'm not too proud of..."
"Rainbow, you need to tell her," I said.
"You think I don't know that?" Rainbow said angrily. "I've been wanting to tell her ever since she came to town, but I never could get up the nerve..."
"So you tried to make up for it by being her friend," I finished for her, now everything was starting to make sense. "Oh Rainbow, what are you going to do?"
"I honestly don't know..." Rainbow admitted, looking at her hooves sadly. "Honestly Twi, I'm scared. If I tell her, she's going to hate me..."
"Maybe, maybe not," I said, putting a foreleg around my friend. "After all, she's always looked up to you, this is your chance to make things right."
"Okay, I'll tell her..." Rainbow said with a weak smile that I could tell she didn't really feel. "Its better that she hears it from me anyway."
I watched her go, I just hoped that I had done the right thing by convincing her to tell Scootaloo the truth.
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Scootaloo's POV.
I did a turn back down the half-pipe on my scooter, adjusting my wings as I went so I picked up speed. This was great, I loved the sensation of riding at top speed like this, the exhilaration was amazing. As I pulled up the ramp again, I saw Rainbow Dash come in for a landing, she was carrying an envelope of some sort.
"Hey Squirt, you're doing great out there," she said as I rolled toward her.
"Thanks, there's a big competition in a few weeks, I thought maybe I'd enter," I said with a big grin. "Will you be there to cheer me on?"
"Of course, where else would I be?" Rainbow said with a grin before turning somber again. "Scootaloo, there's something I need to tell you, something I should've told you a long time ago..."
I tilted my head at that, my ears perking up in curiosity. Rainbow wasn't her usual confident self, she looked, sad, like she wasn't sure exactly how to say what she needed to say.
"Scootaloo... I'm your mother," she said, and my whole world came crashing down around me.
It, felt weird to actually be able to tell her that, especially after how much time had passed, but at the same time it felt almost liberating, like a weight had been lifted.
Yeah, Scootaloo was my daughter, her father left me before she was even born, I couldn't even raise her so I gave her up for adoption. Yeah, some element of loyalty I turned out to be huh? I couldn't even take care of my own daughter.
When she asked me to be her big sister, I wanted to tell her the truth, Celestia I really wanted to tell her that. Instead I settled for being the best big sister I could be to Scootaloo, even if I couldn't be her mother, I'd be her best friend.
And now it felt like all of that was falling apart.
"You lied to me!" Scootaloo screamed at me, tears in her eyes. "You knew all these years, you let me go on thinking my parents didn't want me!"
I was stunned into silence, this had been what I was afraid of, she hated me... by Celestia she hated me because of what I did to her. What's worse though is that I hated myself.
"Scootaloo, please listen," I managed to get out. "I, didn't want to do it, but I couldn't take care of a filly. I, wanted you to have a better life than I could offer, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't regret my decision."
"Then why didn't you tell me when I came to Ponyville?" Scootaloo demanded, I didn't have a good answer for that. "Was everything a lie? Was our friendship a lie too?"
"No!" I finally got the courage to speak up. "Everything we did together, everything I said, I meant it... I..."
That's when it hit me, everything I had done, comfort her, help her try to fly, been proud of her when she got her cutie mark. Even when I tried to be her friend or mentor, I was being her mother.
I didn't get a chance to say another word, Scootaloo hopped on her scooter and rode off as fast as she could go.
I couldn't help it, I started crying.
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Scootaloo's POV.
I couldn't believe it, she had lied to me, she lied to me from the first moment we met! I hated her right now, Rainbow Dash had been my idol, but she could've told me before now!
But no, I had to find out now when we had known each other for so long, I had a right to know who my mother was, didn't I? Rainbow Dash had lied to me, I didn't care what her intentions were, she had lied to me!
I was so angry as I rode that I nearly ran into Fluttershy, sending the yellow Pegasus diving out of the way.
"Scootaloo, are you okay?" Fluttershy asked in her soft voice as I finally pulled to a stop, I was still upset about what had happened.
"No I'm not okay!" I shouted, causing the shy Pegasus to recoil, I cringed, I didn't want to take my anger out on Fluttershy. "I'm sorry Fluttershy, I'm upset at Rainbow Dash right now, I shouldn't have snapped at you."
Fluttershy looked down at the ground, trying not to make eye contact with me, well, trying harder than usual.
"Fluttershy, what's wrong?" I asked, dreading the answer that was coming. "You knew didn't you?"
"When, Rainbow first arrived in town, she crashed outside my house..." Fluttershy said softly. "It was a month after you were born, she... confided in me, swore me to secrecy, I'm sorry."
I looked away, I wasn't sure what to say at all, I didn't like that I had been lied to, literally ever since I had arrived in town.
"Why?" I asked softly, almost as soft as Fluttershy's voice. "She could've told me the truth..."
I couldn't look at her anymore, I hopped back on my scooter and sped off towards Sweet Apple Acres.
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When I reached the clubhouse, I was the only pony there, good, I didn't want to talk to anypony else right now. I just wanted to be alone and think about what I had just learned.
This might've been a joke, but not even Rainbow Dash would be that mean, she knew I didn't have any family.
I didn't need her pity, she lied to me, so who cared, I could be on my own again, I had done it before. Yeah, who needed Rainbow Dash, right?
Right?
Then why couldn't I stop thinking about her?
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Rainbow's POV.
I knocked at the front door to Twilight's castle, I could've easily just walked in, but I wanted a minute to collect my thoughts before talking to her. What was I even supposed to do in this situation? The only pony who knew the truth before now was Fluttershy, and Twilight was going to want to know what had happened.
The door opened, Twilight was standing in the doorway, giving me a look that was a mixture of concern and confusion.
"Rainbow Dash, are you okay?" Twilight asked, that was a stupid question, of course I wasn't okay.
"You just had to go sticking your nose into it!" I snapped at her. "I told you to let it go, that it was private, but you pushed me to tell her!"
Twilight was taken aback, the lavender Alicorn wasn't even sure how to respond to that right away. Not that it mattered right now, I might've lost Scootaloo forever.
"Rainbow..." Twilight said, finally finding her voice. "She's your daughter for Celestia's sake, if you were in her position, wouldn't you want to know the truth?"
I was about to say something, but deep down I knew she was right. "Well, yes, but... I should've told her... a long time ago."
"Why don't you come inside and tell me about it," Twilight said and lead me inside. After a few minutes we had settled down to talk. "Now what happened?"
"Over 10 years ago, before I came to Ponyville, I was living in Manehattan," I said, trying not to look at Twilight. "I got into a relationship with a stallion there, he was kind, caring, helped me get settled into town. Then, I found out I was pregnant with his child, with Scootaloo."
Twilight listened carefully, she looked like she wanted to ask me something, but waited for me to finish my story. It pained me to tell this story again, even to Twilight.
"I don't know what happened to him after that, he left town, he went to Las Pegasus I think," I continued, I was starting to cry again. "I tried to be her mother, I really did, but I couldn't take care of her. So I left her at the Manehattan orphanage, hoping that some family would give her a better life than I ever could. I left town that night, and wound up here."
"It must've been a shock when Scootaloo came to town," Twilight said, understanding in her voice.
"Definitely," I said. "I was the one who gave her that scooter, after I found out about her, condition..."
"Condition?" Twilight asked. "I assume you mean the fact that she can't fly."
"Yeah..." I said softly. "I, tried to be the big sister she wanted me to be, to be there when she needed me. Now I feel like I've lost her forever, what should I do Twilight?"
Twilight looked thoughtful for a long moment, I shifted uneasily, what was she going to say? I was half afraid that she'd berate me for abandoning my daughter, I'd certainly deserve it.
"I've seen how you and Scootaloo interact," Twilight said finally. "Maybe you should've told her the truth before, but its too late now. What you need to do is be there for her now, either as her big sister or as her mother."
"She probably hates me," I said, looking down at my hooves sadly. "I don't blame her."
"Give her time, she's shocked now, but she might come around," Twilight said, placing a hoof on my shoulder reassuringly. "And even if you weren't there to be her mother, you were still there for her when it really mattered, that's what counts."
That made me feel a little better, I was about to head out when there was the sound of the door opening and hooves running in. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ran in, out of breath.
"Twilight, Rainbow!" Sweetie Belle said. "Its terrible, we just saw Scootaloo going into the Everfree forest!"
"Yeah, she left us this note!" Apple Bloom said and gave a note to Twilight who read it before passing it to me.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom,
I'm sorry for running away like this, but I can't live in Ponyville anymore, not with Rainbow Dash here. I wish I had a better explanation for you both, but I'm tired of being lied to by ponies who should be my friends. Don't worry, I'll keep in touch whenever I can, you two are the best friends a filly could ask for, I just wish I didn't have to leave you behind.
Your friend, now and forever, Scootaloo.
"What did yah do ta her?" Apple Bloom demanded of me.
I sighed and took a deep breath, the truth was going to get out anyway at this rate. "I'm, her mother."
The two fillies exchanged shocked glances, they clearly hadn't expected that, and I didn't blame them.
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Scootaloo's POV.
I hated leaving Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom behind like this, they were my best friends after all, we had been through so much together. But I couldn't stay in Ponyville, not anymore.
Though, maybe in retrospect taking the path through the Everfree Forest wasn't the best plan I had ever come up with. I had run back to the orphanage and gathered up as much stuff as I could carry and just started down the path, eventually finding myself in the dark forest.
As I rode my scooter down the path, I couldn't help but wonder what I should do. It was getting late, not that you could tell with the trees covering Celestia's sun.
That's when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye, I screamed and kept going at full speed away from whatever it was.
I just hoped that whatever it was wouldn't be able to catch me.
"YER HER WHAT?" Apple Bloom practically screamed when she finally got over the initial shock.
"Why didn't you tell her?" Sweetie Belle demanded. "No wonder she ran off."
Great, just what I needed, more reason to feel terrible.
"Look, that's not important right now," Twilight said. "How long ago did you see her go into the Everfree Forest?"
"Almost thirty minutes ago," Apple Bloom answered, having calmed down. "Is she goin' ta be okay?"
"We'll find her," I said definitively, no matter what she thought of me, I still cared about that filly, I guess that was never going to change. "Twilight, take Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle and start gathering Ponies for a search."
"What are you going to do?" Twilight asked as we started out the door.
"I'm going to find my daughter," I said defiantly and took out, flying off towards the Everfree Forest.
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Scootaloo's POV.
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!
Yeah, those things were still after me, why did it feel like all of Equestria was suddenly out to get me? I swerved around another tree, using my wings to maneuver, there had to be someplace safe here in the Forest.
That's when I saw it looming ahead of me, the ruins of the old Castle of the Two Sisters. I gulped, I didn't exactly want to go in there, but it sure beat being ripped to shreds by whatever was chasing me.
I wasn't looking where I was going, I crashed, badly. Thankfully I wasn't too badly hurt, but my scooter wasn't exactly going to scoot again.
I shivered and gathered up the pieces and headed deeper into the castle. I hated it here, it was cold, eerie, and felt like something was going to jump out at me at any minute, but it at least gave me somewhere to hide before I continued on my way.
I wiggled my wings with a sigh, I had never been able to do more than just hover for a few seconds. If only I could fly, I'll bet I'd be the fastest Pony ever, beating all the records, I could imagine the look on Rainbow Dash's face, she'd be so...
No, I couldn't think like that anymore, Rainbow Dash had lied to me, I was trying to put my life in Ponyville behind me. I didn't know where I was going now, but I just wanted to put as much distance between me and Ponyville as I could.
I let out a yawn, it wouldn't hurt to close my eyes for just a little bit, right? I slowly drifted off to sleep, I'd be rested and ready to go out again.
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Rainbow's POV.
I wasn't much of a tracker, that much was true, I had never really tried at least. I was a great flier, but this kind of tracking required me to stay closer to the ground, especially in the forest.
Okay, I had to think, where would Scootaloo run off to? Zecora's hut maybe? That was my first guess but the rough trail I had found seemed to be heading past her hut and deeper into the forest.
I found something that worried me though, while I had found a trail that looked like it was left by her scooter, it was being followed by something large.
"Timberwolves..." I said with a shudder, Scootaloo was in danger, I just hoped that she had gotten somewhere safe.
Celestia, this was all my fault, I shouldn't have kept the truth from her. If something happened to her because of me, I would never forgive myself.
"Scootaloo, I'm going to find you, I promise," I said out loud, I knew the odds were against her being able to hear me, but just being able to say it helped me feel better.
After all, sister, mother, or just friend, I cared about Scootaloo. I had driven her away, I didn't care what she did afterward, right now I just wanted to make sure she made it out of this forest alive.
I took off at a full gallop, following the trail through the woods.
I just hoped that I wasn't too late.
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Scootaloo's POV.
I blinked, it took me a few seconds to realize that I was back in the orphanage in Ponyville, but nopony was around. How did I get back here? I had just been in the Castle of the Two sisters and...
Oh, I was dreaming, well that figured, well, at least it wasn't an unpleasant one so far.
"Hey there Squirt," I heard a familiar voice and turned to look up at Rainbow Dash. "Are you ready to go?"
"Go where?" I asked softly. "I've got nowhere to go, and you never wanted me..."
"Are you kidding?" Rainbow asked. "I never said I didn't want you, you're the coolest filly in Equestria. I made a mistake, and I'm here to make up for it."
I wanted to believe her, I really did, I tried to speak up again when the world around me seemed to freeze.
"What bothers you, Scootaloo?" A familiar voice said from behind me, I turned to see Luna standing before me.
"Its, a long story," I said, trying not to look at the Princess. "Someone close to me, betrayed me trust and I found out today..."
I told Luna everything, she listened intently as I told her about Rainbow Dash being my mother, me running away, and everything else. Luna looked at me sympathetically before letting out a sigh.
"I see," she said. "You feel betrayed, I understand."
"After all the times we had together..." I said. "Did she ever love me?"
"She did," Luna said soothingly as she placed a wing over me caringly. "And she still does, maybe you should ask her yourself."
I paused, maybe Luna was right, I had been so angry that I didn't even give Rainbow a chance to explain herself. I sighed, I just wished that I could have another chance... maybe it wasn't too late, I could go back to Ponyville and...
"Scootaloo, you need to wake up!" Luna said suddenly.
"Wait, what?" I said. "What's wrong?"
"Something's coming," Luna said. "Something ancient, and dangerous."
Before I could question her again, she went through a portal and I woke up.
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It felt like the very ground around me was shaking as I woke up, it felt like something was shaking the very foundation of the castle. I screamed, trying to get to my hooves as there was another shake.
"What the heck is going on?" I cried out, flapping my wings as fast as I could, trying to take off, but failing miserably.
Why couldn't I fly... I can't even fly when my life depends on it.
Child... a soft but cold voice echoed around me as a black see through tentacle snaked its way up towards me. Come to me child...
"Leave me alone!" I cried out, recoiling in horror from the tentacle as more started to appear around me.
I feel your pain, your anger, I can give you peace, the voice continued. I can give you what you've always wanted, a family.
"A, family..." I started to say, but shook my head. "No, I have a family! My friends, the other ponies, they're my family... not you."
I just wish I had realized that earlier, now I was going to die in this castle and nopony was going to know what happened to me.
"I'm coming Scootaloo!"
I looked up to see a flash of rainbow hitting the tentacle.
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Rainbow Dash's POV.
Something was wrong, I had followed the path all the way to the edge of the forest, to the Castle of the Two Sisters. That's when I stopped, something was shaking the castle, it was like something was attacking it... from the inside?
"Oh Celestia, please be okay..." I said and spread my wings and flew into the castle as fast as I could.
There she was, Scootaloo was terrified, surrounded by... weird black tentacle things. They were going after her.
"I'm coming Scootaloo!" I shouted and dove down, slamming into the closest of the tentacles, causing the ground to shake again as I heard something scream out in pain.
One of the tentacles reached out and wrapped itself around me, throwing me against the wall, sending a sharp pain through my wings. I got up and charged at the tentacle again, breaking as many as I could.
The remaining tentacles retracted back to wherever they came from. I landed next to Scootaloo, breathing heavily.
"Scootaloo, are you okay?" I asked.
"Rainbow Dash... I'm sorry..." Scootaloo said. "I shouldn't have run."
"Its okay, you'll be okay I promise," I said, kneeling down. "Here, get on my back, I'll fly us out of here.
"Okay," Scootaloo said with a weak smile as she got onto my back. I spread my wings and flapped them, only to cringe as a sharp pain went through my right wing. "Are you okay, Rainbow?"
"I must've broken my wing on that impact..." I cringed. "We're going to have to make it out of here on hoof."
"Are you going to be okay?" Scootaloo asked as she got off my back.
"I'll be fine, Squirt," I said with a weak smile. "Lets get going."
We started walking out of the castle, hoping that whatever had attacked us back there would never bother us again.
The creature that had attacked us seemed to have been contained at the very least, whatever the heck it was.
"What was that?" I asked, looking up at Rainbow Dash who shook her head.
"Honestly, I don't know," she admitted. "It wasn't like anything I've ever seen before at least."
I looked concerned as we continued along, I had hoped that we could've flown out, but I had a chance to talk to Rainbow Dash at least. "Rainbow Dash... I have to know, why didn't you raise me?" I asked quietly.
"Scootaloo... I'm sorry," Rainbow said as we entered the forest. "I wanted to honestly, but... the truth is I couldn't. I tried for about a month, but I couldn't afford it... I wanted you to have a chance at a happy life."
She, wanted me to be happy? I couldn't believe what I was hearing, Rainbow Dash had still abandoned me, but she had done it hoping that I could be happy.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about what I did..." Rainbow admitted. "Maybe if I had left Manehattan, I could've raised you... I'm sorry Scootaloo, please forgive me."
I looked at her for a long moment, trying to figure out what to say. She looked sincere enough, maybe, maybe I should forgive her. Even though I had been angry with her before... she had been there for me whenever I needed it.
I took a deep breath and nodded with a smile. "I forgive you... mom."
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Rainbow Dash's POV.
"I forgive you... mom."
It felt like a huge weight that I had been carrying around for 10 years had been lifted off my shoulders.
"Thank you..." I said softly, then something occurred to me. "Hey, whatever happened to your scooter?"
"I, crashed it..." Scootaloo said sadly. "Just as I was getting to the castle..."
"I'm sorry," I said sadly, I knew how much that scooter meant to her even though she had no idea I had gotten it for her. "How about this, when we get back to Ponyville, if we can't get it repaired, I'll get you a new one."
Scootaloo couldn't help but smile before she frowned again. "I want to ask you something... who's my Dad?"
I paused, I wasn't actually sure if I should answer that question. She wanted to know, but the truth was painful, to both of us.
"His name was Stratosphere," I said. "He, left me before you were born... I honestly don't know what happened to him. I'm sorry Scootaloo, I wish I had a better answer for you."
"I'm sorry too... I shouldn't have been so angry with you," Scootaloo said. "Do you, think we could ever be a family for real?"
I had to think long and hard on that, I had thought about it sure, but I wasn't sure if I should get the Filly's hopes up. I had given her up, I didn't exactly have the right to be her parent, legally at least. Then there was her wings, would I have to... no, I couldn't think about that, that's not what mattered.
"Maybe..." I said softly, I wasn't sure what else to say.
Scootaloo looked sad at that, I wondered if she had ever thought about what it would be like if I was her mom. She was my number one fan, I couldn't help but smile a little about that, it seemed like whatever force there was out there, it kept putting us together.
"If nothing else, I'm going to still be your friend," I said with a smile.
"I'd like that," Scootaloo said with a weak smile.
Suddenly there was a rustling ahead of us, I motioned for Scootaloo to get behind me as I moved to prepare to attack whatever it was. If it was some monster, it wasn't going to take Scootaloo away without a fight!
"Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo!" A familiar voice called out and I relaxed as Twilight came out of the bushes. "Oh thank Celestia you're both alright."
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I was quickly taken to Ponyville General, thankfully my wing hadn't been too badly hurt, but I was going to have to stay off it for a few days. I headed back outside with my wing in a cast to see my friends waiting.
"Let me guess, everypony in town knows now?" I asked.
"Pretty much," Twilight said. "Scootaloo's back in the castle, she'll be okay, she's just a little shaken."
"Yah could've told us yah know, Rainbow," Applejack said. "We'd have understood yah wanted ta keep it private."
"I know..." I said. "I should've trusted you."
"Yep, but now Scootaloo finally knows!" Pinkie said putting her foreleg around me.
"Wait did you... never mind, I don't want to know," I said with a groan, I really didn't want to figure out Pinkie Pie's, Pinkieness right now. Pinkie giggled and removed her foreleg. "Don't worry about it Dashie, you're going to be just fine."
"I'm going to go talk to her, but Twilight, there's something I want to talk to you about first," I said as I turned to Twilight.
"Okay, what is it?" Twilight asked, I took a deep breath and started talking to her about what I had in mind.
When I finished she nodded in agreement. "Okay Rainbow, I'll talk to Princess Celestia to get the red tape taken care of. Now, go see your daughter, she's waiting for you."
I smiled and headed towards the castle.
00000
Scootaloo's POV.
"Hey Scootaloo, are you okay?" Spike asked as he came up next to me.
"Yeah, I'm okay," I said as I looked at him. "Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead," Spike said as he sat down next to me.
"Do you, ever wonder about your parents?" I asked. "Your real parents I mean."
"Sometimes, but really Twilight and Celestia are the closest things to parents I've ever known," Spike said. "Though, they never really told me where they got my egg."
"I see," I said, we were kind of in the same situation, well, until now at least. "I'm sorry, I've been thinking about this whole thing with Rainbow."
"Well, its always seemed to me like she really cares about you, even before we found out about this," Spike pointed out. "What are you going to do, Scootaloo?"
"I still have a lot to think about," I admitted. "But I'm not angry at her anymore, right now I just want to get another chance with her."
"You never know, you might get that chance," Spike said with a nod.
I was going to say something when the door opened and Rainbow came in followed closely by Twilight.
"Hey Scootaloo," Rainbow said with a smile, I frowned a little at her bandaged wing.
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked, I didn't want her to have been hurt because of me.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I just can't fly for a few days," Rainbow said. "I'll live, what about you, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, it didn't get close enough to hurt me," I said, looking at Twilight. "What was that thing anyway?"
"I, honestly don't know," Twilight admitted. "I looked through my books earlier, but I couldn't find anything."
"Oh," I said.
"Come on, I'll walk you home," Rainbow said and ruffled my mane.
We headed out, maybe things were starting to look up for me finally.
00000
A week passed, thankfully Ms. Cheerilee gave me a few extra days on my assignment, but I still wasn't sure exactly what to write. I was in my room in the orphanage, gathering up my stuff to go meet with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom when there was a knock at the door.
"Scootaloo, are you in there?" A mare's voice asked, it was the mare who ran the orphanage.
"Yeah, I'm here," I said, walking to the door and opening it. "Is everything okay, Miss. June?"
"Everything's fine, there's somepony in my office that wants to talk to you," Ms. June said and started walking away with me close behind.
I had to wonder who wanted to see me, Rainbow maybe? I hadn't seen her that much in the past few days, it felt like she was up to something. When I reached the office, Rainbow Dash was inside waiting for me with a smile on her face.
"Hey Scoots, how are you doing?" Rainbow asked with a smile, her wing was still in the sling.
"I'm okay, how's your wing now?" I asked, looking at it concerned.
"The Doc says that I should be able to remove it tomorrow," Rainbow said with a nod. "In the meantime, I've been talking with Twilight to get something worked out for you."
I perked up, curious about what she had done... you don't think that she could have... could she?
"What is it?" I asked.
She picked something up off Ms. June's desk and handed it to me, it was a piece of paper that was folded up. I carefully unfolded it and read it, my eyes going wide.
"D-do you really mean it?" I stuttered out.
"I do Scootaloo," Rainbow Dash said, wrapping a foreleg around me. "10 years go, I made the mistake of giving you up... I'm sorry, and I want to make up for it."
I couldn't help it I hugged her and buried my muzzle into her mane, she must've pulled a lot of strings, but she had chosen to formally adopt me and take me back into her family.
I was in Rainbow's Cloud Mansion, it was the day after Rainbow had adopted me and brought me home. I took a deep breath, I had finally run out of time to work on this paper, but now I had an idea of exactly what to write.
I took the pen and paper and started to write.
My Family By Scootaloo Dash
When I was given this paper, I wasn't sure exactly what to think about it, I didn't know who my parents were, or anything about my family really. When I was just a little foal, I was left on the steps of the Manehattan Orphanage by somepony. I never knew who my parents were or where I had come from. I had sometimes felt like whoever my parents were, they didn't want me. I never understood why nopony would want to adopt me, and the other Ponies in the orphanage didn't help, Manehattan was a nightmare.
Eventually I left Manehattan and came here to Ponyville, that's when I met Rainbow Dash. I always felt she was the coolest Pony I had ever met, especially when she agreed to be my honorary big sister. She was always like the family I never had before and always wanted. She helped me practice flying, when I felt down she was always there for me, she was even there when I got my cutie mark. She was my family, I didn't care what anypony thought, she was exactly who I had always wanted to be like.
When I was given this assignment, I set out to find out who my family was, knowing who they were was something at least. She told me the truth after I had asked Twilight to find out for me, and I admit that it wasn't what I had expected to learn, my mother this whole time, is Rainbow Dash. I couldn't believe it, she had been both my mentor and my honorary big sister, but she had never told me the truth about our relationship.
I admit, I was angry at her for not being honest with me, she had a lot of chances to tell me the truth after all. I ran away, planning to leave Ponyville forever, but I got attacked by some... thing in the Everfree Forest. I was terrified, I was almost killed by that, thing but Rainbow Dash saved me. I hated her, but she still saved me, I guess she cared about me after all.
When we talked on our way back to Ponyville, she told me why she had given me up, that she wanted me to have a better life than she could've given me. I guess I started to understand why she had done it, but I wished that she could've given it a try. Well, she did at least, she wanted one more chance to be the mom she always could've been, and now we're a family.
Family, its kind of a funny thing really, I had always wanted a family of some sort, but now that I have one, I wasn't quite sure what I expected. When that, thing was reaching out to me, I came to a realization that family isn't about who you're related to, its about the ponies that you're closest to. My friends are just as much my family as anypony else, so Rainbow Dash and others have always been my family, I was just too blind to realize it.
Now though, I have a family, I've got a mom, and she's the coolest mom a pony could ask for. I don't know whatever happened to my dad, but now Rainbow Dash is my mom again. Maybe in a way, she always was, after all she was there for me like I said before, and because of that she was always my mom in her own way.
I felt a soft tickle as Rainbow, no, mom wrapped her wing around me as I finished writing. I looked up to look into her eyes, and she smiled.
"Are you done now, squirt?" She asked.
"Yeah," I said with a nod. "Do you think Ms. Cheerilee will like it?"
"Of course she will, you did a great job," Rainbow said with a nod. "You need to get to bed now though."
"Okay mom," I said as I got to my hooves and headed for my room. I had a new cloud bed that mom had set up for me and laid down, looking up at the ceiling.
"Good night, Scootaloo," Rainbow said as she tucked me in.
"Good night," I said, closing my eyes with a smile.
00000
"Keep it up Scootaloo, you're doing great!" Mom called out to me, but I couldn't see her, I was flying, I was actually flying, doing loops through the sky, moving as fast as I could.
I knew it was a dream, but it felt so real, I couldn't help but wish it was real, even if it was a dream, it was still enjoyable at least. I came in for a landing on a cloud when the world around me froze again and Luna appeared out of a portal.
"Princess Luna," I said, bowing politely.
"Scootaloo, I am glad you are okay after your encounter in the Castle," Luna said with a smile. "And I heard you and Rainbow Dash have reconciled."
"Yeah, we did!" I said happily. "I mean, its not going to be easy, but still, I felt like she deserved a chance, you know?"
"Of course," Luna said with a nod. "I am glad you both were able to make up."
"That, thing that attacked me, what was it?" I asked, Luna tensed up briefly.
"That is, something you shouldn't worry about," Luna answered. "You must understand, there are, depths to this world. Horrors from before myself and Celestia took the throne that terrorized the world, the being locked under the Castle is one such creature. You should not worry about it, it will not bother you again."
"Okay," I said. "She, really does care right?"
"There is something you should see, Scootaloo," Luna said and her horn glowed and the dream world around us changed.
"Hey Squirt!" My mom's familiar voice called out, I thought she was talking to me before somepony's voice called out.
"Mommy, you came!" A voice called out, I looked to see, myself, I was younger, we were in Ponyville park.
"This was a dream she had many times since she had to leave you," Luna said, and I turned to look at her. "Watch on."
"Of course, did you really think I'd miss my filly's big day?" Dream mom said as she hugged the dream me. "Are you going to be okay out there?"
"Are you kidding, I'll be fine!" I said with a grin as Dream mom nuzzled the other me.
"Racers, to the starting line," an announcer said, I watched as dream me hopped on my scooter and took off to get to the starting line.
"Be safe Scootaloo... I can't lose you again," dream mom said, trying not to cry as she went to her seat.
"You know, she gave you that scooter," Luna said, I blinked, I didn't know that. "I cannot tell you why, she wanted to do something to make up for her mistake perhaps."
I sighed and nodded with a smile, she really had cared about me all these years, that's all I needed to know.
00000
Rainbow Dash's POV.
After I took Scootaloo to school the next day, I spent most of the day working with the Weather Team. I had to take a deep breath, I had never really thought I'd be a mom, but I wanted to do it now, Scootaloo needed me to be there for her.
Finally it was time to pick her up from school, I couldn't help but smile as Scootaloo ran up and hugged me.
"Hey Scoots, how was your day at school?" I asked.
"Great, I turned my paper in and got an A," Scootaloo said with a big smile. "You know, we really should thank Ms. Cheerilee, it was the assignment that gave us a chance to be a family again."
A family... I couldn't help but smile at that, we were a family again just like she said. After 10 years, I finally had my daughter, and the mistake I had made, I had finally been able to make up for it.
And I couldn't be happier.
00000
???'s POV.
Scootaloo... that was her name...
The filly, I had been so close to finally ending my solitude, until that, Rainbow maned mare broke my hold.
I had been alone, so alone for so long, the seal on me was weakening which was how I could reach out to her like I had. Scootaloo, she was so alone, so afraid like I had been for centuries.
I'd find her, I would break out and find her... my loneliness would soon come to an end.
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