> The Race > by 1pony4all > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “How dare she show her face here again.” Scootaloo was pacing the ground near the edge of the Everfree Forest, she wasn’t entirely sure how far she had walked and she didn’t care, every step took her farther away from her. “Calm down Scoots…she probably won’t be here for a full two weeks. That traitor doesn't have the heart.” Her heart pounded in her chest, “Her ‘friends’ probably can’t even stand to look at her after the way she split town like that.” Scootaloo chose to ignore that it was Pinkie Pie herself that invited her to “that traitor's”’ welcome home party, she ignored the fact that Rarity offered to make a dress for her (Yuck!) to attend said party, and she chose to ignore the fact that Princess Twilight herself informed her that Rainbow Dash was coming home from her tour of duty in the Equestrian Air Force. “They're probably stringing her up by her bridal right now.” The graphic thought provided no comfort for her aching heart. Scootaloo was hurt. Then she heard it, in unmistakable sound of pegasi wings. An earth or unicorn pony probably wouldn’t have even noticed it, but every pegasi can. They can even get to know one another so well they can distinguish different pegasi simply by the sound of their wing beats. It was her. Scootaloo quickly dived behind a nearby bush, hoping against hope that she wasn’t spotted. She heard the soft sound of the cyan mare landing gently on the grass. “You know squirt…” Called Rainbow Dash, not five feet away from the protective branches of the bush, “When I was a scout, I pinpointed ambushes that had days to hide from me.” “Go away.” Dash looked hurt, she slowly trotted towards the bush. “Hey kiddo… I heard you weren't doing so hot. Thought a visit from your favorite Wonderbolt would cheer you up.” That was the last straw. Something inside of Scootaloo snapped. She lunged out from the bush with blinding speed aiming to tackle the decorated pegasus in front of her. Rainbow simply jumped out of the way with a trained effortlessness that only one of her skill could have. “Easy kid, my reflexes were honed to a razor’s edge, wouldn’t want to accidentally hurt you on instinct.” “SHUT UP!” Scootaloo let out a vicious buck, but misjudged the distance and simply ended up falling flat on her stomach. Rainbow sighed and walked to the the fallen filly. For the first time, she noticed how much Scootaloo had grown, he wings were now almost full sized, the legs were long and strong, her hair was wind tossed and long. She sighed, “Listen squ- I mean, Scootaloo, what I did… I’m not proud of-” “You left me!” Scootaloo shouted as tears flowed freely from her clenched eyes. “All alone! You left me here for what?! To join the military!?” Scootaloo buried her face in the soft grass, sobbing uncontrollably. “Scoots, I did what I thought I had to do. I had to follow my dream.” “And what about your responsibility to me!? Your so-called sister!” “I thought… I thought that-” “You thought what, that you got me to fly and that was it? As soon as I got off the ground that your “job” was done!?” “Don’t be like that Scoot. You know full well that I love you like a sist-” She was cut off my Scoot springing up from the ground, blades of grass stuck to her face. “Do you know what happened after you left?” Dash shrunk back a bit, “I-I heard the story from Applebloom…” “You were supposed to be there!” Tears had stopped, there was only anger in Scootaloo’s eyes now. “You were supposed to be there when I found my special talent!” Dash noticed the orange filly’s cutie mark. A wheel with wings. She honestly had no idea what it symbolized. “You’re right…” she said, defeated. “I didn't even know you had left. You were always going on these trips, I was used to you being gone for days at a time. That day, I spent hours asking around and searching until finally Pinkie told me about the note you left her. The greatest moment of my life and my so-called sister wouldn’t even bother to be there with me.” If Scootaloo’s eyes could shoot lasers, Dash would have been incinerated long ago. Dash looked at the grass around her hooves. “Scoots… I’m so sorry.” “You don’t even know what it means, do you!?” “Wha-huh?” Dash looked up again. “My special talent, you can’t even figure it out can you!?” “N-no… I can’t” “Then let me show you.” Scootaloo stomped forward, right next to Rainbow Dash. “One race, low level, through the forest. first one to the river and back to this spot wins.” Rainbow’s eyes went wide, “Scoots that suicide! The Forest is too-” “On your marks…” Scootaloo began. “Scoot, we can work this out-” “Get set…” Scootaloo crouched down low and flared her wings. “...fine… I won’t hold back.” Dash mimicked her pose. “GO!” The two pegasi immediately disappeared into the treeline. Bobbing, weaving and dodging tree branches and bushes, the dueling blurs of orange and blue streaked through the thick undergrowth of the Everfree Forest. Small twigs and water droplets stung their faces as they constantly increased their speed. “I’ll prove it to you, I’ll show you I’m just as good. No, I’ll show you I’m better.” Scoot’s mind raced, every second was a death defying spin, juke or roll that could easily send her flying face first into her grave, but she didn’t care, she wanted Dash to hurt, and there was nothing more Dash hated than losing. “It’s not too late to turn around kiddo!” She could barely hear Dash’s voice through the roar of the wind. “You don’t have to prove anything to me.” Scootaloo only roared in anger, pouring on speed more and more. Every emotion, every memory, it was all used as fuel, every fiber of her being was alive and on fire with anger, sorrow, grief and rage. Dash would inch ahead with every straightaway, but Scoot caught her on the turns, they ran neck and neck all the way to the river. The sound of rushing water drew nearer and nearer, soon, the river was in sight. “Time to show you what it means…” She thought. Not a second after flying over the band of the river, Scootaloo was already turned around and flying back, leaving Dash stunned and in the dust. She could never take a turn that sharp. Dash poured the speed on once again, able to catch up to the filly, but not overtake. Scootaloo knew she was going to win, she knew Dash would be amazed. She knew Dash would be… happy? All of the years of anger, of loneliness, it all melted away. Her anger, her rage, it was all burned up by the race, blown away by the rushing wind. She smiled. She realized exactly what she wanted all of these years, she simply wanted to impress her idol, her teacher, her sister. She wanted to impress Rainbow Dash. And now she knew she had done it. She slowed down. Rainbow took the opportunity to fly along side here,” Giving up, squirt?” Dash could tell by the smile on her sister’s face that things were going to be alright. She shot Scoot a fierce grin. Scootaloo giggled, “Not on your life.” and the two raced off towards the treeline.