> "I Promise, Scootaloo. I Promise"
>  by TheFineBrony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Never Again (rewritten)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Almost there, Scoots. You can do it!” 

“Really?” the orange pegasus asked excitedly as she was just barely hovering above the ground.

Her mentor’s praise spurred her on even further and she slowly but steadily gained altitude, much to Rainbow’s delight. She’d never openly admit it, but the fast learning progress the orange pegasus was showing, filled her with joy and pride. Even more than when she accomplished something for herself.

Scootaloo was having similar thoughts. She was lost in all the excitement flying, if you could call it that. Her wings were buzzing at a fast pace, blood was rushing through her veins, her heart was beating frantically, she never felt so... alive. And she soon lost herself in the euphoria of the moment.

“Don't lose your focus!” yelled Rainbow Dash agitatedly, causing her to snap out of the trance and plummeting back to the ground. 

She mentally prepared herself for the inevitable impact, it never came however. A multicolored trail shot through the air and managed to catch her little fan in the nick of time and gently set her back to the safe ground of the grassy field they were practising on.

“Scoots, you gotta stay focused when you're flying. You did well though. Great height and you also improved your technique.”

“Sorry, Rainbow Dash. I will try harder next time,” Scootaloo promised dejectedly. “Don’t lose focus, got it!” She instantly tried to take off again before a blue hoof was placed on her back, holding the overeager pegasus on the ground.

“Whoa there, kiddo. Give it some rest and try again later. You’ve improved a lot since our last practice session, you'll be flying like me in no time at all. Well, not just like me, that would be impossible,” she chuckled heartily. “Maybe somewhere close to my level of performance.”

“Okay, Rainbow Dash. I can't thank you enough, I can't wait for the next session!” the filly cheered with a grin as she looked back up to her mentor. 

Scoots was having the time of her life, ever since her camping trip with the other Cutie Mark Crusaders her life only got better and better. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were like sisters since then and inseparable... almost. 

Scootaloo had just recently moved in with her; Applejack and Rarity helped convince Rainbow Dash that it was for the best and would be only temporarily if Rainbow Dash didn’t want to take care of her permanently. Scootaloo got a room right next to Rainbow’s in her cloud home. The cyan mare had also recently begun to teach Scootaloo how to fly, she was learning slowly but surely.

Over the past couple of weeks Scootaloo grew to know almost everything about her mentor, they had discussions here and there about everyday things like school and work on the Ponyville weather team. They had talked about Scoots and her family issues, but every time Scootaloo tried to learn of Rainbow Dash's past, the subject was pushed away. The only thing Scoots knew about her past was her Cutie Mark story. Scootaloo had even gone to Fluttershy to get information. But Fluttershy just refused to talk about it too, she would change the subject or tell Scootaloo that she was busy. She yearned to learn of Rainbow Dash's mysterious past. Scootaloo wanted to be just like her in every way possible. 

“Catch ya later, kid. I got some weather that needs to be cleared and some other uncool stuff to do. We can hang after I’m done with that. I will pick you up at Sweet Apple Acres entrance. That cool?”

“Yeah, Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo declared with excitement. “I will be waiting for you. I can't wait to tell you about our next Cutie Mark Crusaders meeting.” Right as Scootaloo finished talking, Rainbow Dash began to flap her wings to take off but was interrupted by a pegasus crashing into her. Grey and blue feathers were scattered all over, as the two mares struggled to get back up. 

“Derpy! Watch where you're going!” Rainbow groaned lifting herself off the ground, while pulling the gray feathers out of her own. 

“Oh sorry, Rainbow Dash. I just don't know what went wrong,” the gray mare cheered as she began to stand up and search through her saddle bag. “Letter for Rainbow Dash!”

“Right here, Derpy,” Rainbow Dash moaned weakly with a hint of annoyance, rubbing the dirt off her coat. 

“Oh, hey Scootaloo, didn't see you there. Goodbye. The Pony Express waits for nopony,” Derpy remarked proudly as she handed the letter to Rainbow Dash. She gathered herself, closed her saddle bags and took off. 

“Bye Derpy! Who is it from Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo questioned as she ran over to inspect the letter. The filly jumped up and down with excitement trying to get a glimpse of the paper, but Rainbow Dash held the letter out of Scootaloo’s reach. 

The color on Dash's complexion melted away. Scoots did her best to get a better look at the note. It was normal all around except for the seal in the middle. The seal was a bronze lighting bolt resembling the mare’s Cutie Mark. Rainbow Dash just stood there looking down at the letter. No emotions came to her, a stone cold expression was drawn on her face. 

“Who is it from?” Scootaloo asked again. Rainbow Dash laid a hoof on the bouncing filly, silencing her. 

“Nopony,” she insisted as she began to slowly walk away instead of flying. Scootaloo looked on, showing concern, never having seen Rainbow like this. 

“Where are you going, Rainbow Dash?” the filly said with concern walking in Dash’s hoof prints she left on the ground.  

“Nowhere, Scootaloo,” she replied heading off in a straight line. “Goodbye, Scoots. I will see you later,” Dash sighed in a melancholic tone. She laid a hoof gently on the filly’s head again, stopping her movement. “I will see you later, alright?” The orange pegasus sat there in stunned silence as she watched her mentor walk away.

“But, the letter! Aren't you gonna open it?” Rainbow Dash didn’t even bother to turn around as she kept walking away.  

“Goodbye,” the mare responded head forward, as she continued to walk in the same direction. Her heart sank as Rainbow Dash didn’t even bother to give her one last glance. 

After hearing her mentor’s words, Scootaloo sat down in utter disbelief while she watched her slowly move away. Rainbow Dash flew everywhere, she would even fly indoors whenever she could. This was the only time Scootaloo had ever seen her like this, and she didn't like it. 

Scootaloo decided to follow her from a distance and see where she was going. After 10 minutes nothing had changed. Rainbow Dash just kept sauntering in a straight line toward something off in the distance. The letter was firmly held under wing, and her face still showing no emotion. 

After 20 minutes nothing had changed, by this point Scootaloo was getting bored. She was just slowly moving about 100 paces behind Rainbow Dash, all the while guessing to herself if Dash had seen her. 

Rainbow Dash never turned around to look back, she just kept on going until she reached a house. It was Fluttershy's house. After a couple of knocks on the door a yellow, pink maned pegasus stood in the doorway. Scootaloo had to find out what was going on and so she ran over to the window and slid under the window sill. The window was carefully opened, just enough to be in audible range of the conversation.

“What's wrong, Rainbow Dash? You don't look like yourself,” Fluttershy questioned as Rainbow Dash trotted over to Fluttershy's table. The letter which was once firmly under her bright cyan wing was thrown onto the surface making a loud thud. 

“Oh my. What is it?” Fluttershy contended, concerned as she moved over to her friend. “A letter, that’s it? That's what's got your tail in a knot?”

“The seal...” Rainbow Dash trailed off toward the window which Scootaloo hid under. The filly could hear Dash’s hoofsteps getting closer and closer, her heart sank as she squeezed her small frame closer to the cottage. The pain of splinters could be felt as she pushed herself harder into the wood house. 

Meanwhile, Fluttershy walked over to get a better look at the letter. “It’s your family crest.” Fluttershy instantly knew what the problem was. Her friend had coped with this problem for years, and to Fluttershy’s disappointment it seemed like there was nothing that she could do to fix it. 

“I am not going to open it. Feed it to one of your animals or something, I need a place to get rid of it.” Scootaloo looked up from the window sill, and could partially see the face she loved the most, as it stared out into the open sky. 

“Aren't you gonna open it. At least see what it says?” 

“No, I don't have to, nor want to. Why should I listen to what they have to say?” Rainbow Dash quickly replied, as she hovered over the window sill under which the filly hid. Scootaloo could hear her heartbeat in her ears, she gritted her teeth as splinters dug into her feathers.

“Rainbow, that was in the past. Things may have changed. You have to open the letter to find out!” Fluttershy implored picking off the letter off the table, moving it closer to her friend. 

“No. Things never change with them. The only reason they probably sent me that letter was to ask for money or something. And the answer is no!” Dash remarked turning away from the window.

“You don't know that, Rainbow Dash, they may just want to talk with you. You know, a little family get together like the Apple family does every once in awhile. Just open it for me.” Fluttershy paused, holding out the letter in front of Rainbow Dash. “Please?”

“You don't know what it’s like Fluttershy, your parents were the nicest ponies I have ever known. They practically raised me.” She turned and began to walk across the room. Scootaloo let a sigh of relief as her muscles relaxed.” I spent so much time at your house when we were fillies. They took care of me, they fed me, they talked to me and cared about me.”

“Yes they did. But, Rainbow Dash, give your parents a chance, maybe they want to make up for what they did to you as a filly. Huh? Give it a try. Open it.” The yellow pegasus walked over and lifted one of Rainbow’s hooves in the air. The letter was gently placed in the cyan hoof. 

“You don't understand do you, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash responded angrily, pinning the letter against her friends chest. “I lived the past 15 years of my life without them. They barely tried to make contact with me, I was thrown to the side like dirt. I raised myself, Fluttershy. Where were they when I needed to talk to them?” Her once stone cold face turned to anger. “Huh, Fluttershy? Las Pegasus! That’s where!” The letter fell on the floor as Rainbow once again walked away. It was now slightly crumpled, its once bright bronze seal now dirty.

“Now of all times they send me a letter. I am done with them, and have been for the past 15 years. Not opening those doors again.” Fluttershy leaned over and picked up the crumpled mess. It was dirty, but it was salvageable. She rubbed most of the dirt off the seal and the letter.  

“Rainbow Dash, I have always been your friend. And I won't lie to you. I think you should give them a chance, you never know. Maybe they want to apologize to you, for everything. Open it, come on.” Once again the letter was presented in front of the rainbow mare, however, she was not moving or speaking. Dash just stood there, staring off into the distance. 

“An apology does not fill their gap for 15 years, Fluttershy.” She broke the silence. ”You want to find out so badly, why don't you open it then?” Rainbow Dash fumed pushing the letter back at Fluttershy.

“Dash, it’s for...” Fluttershy implored but was cut off, as she held the letter carefully in her hoof. 

“No, if you want to know, you can. That’s why I came here. They are dead to me and always have been,” the cyan mare remarked cold hearted. 

“Rainbow Dash! Don't say that.”

“It’s true. They never cared! They never loved! I was an accident to them! A mistake, Fluttershy!” Dash was not turning or moving. 

“Thats not true, Rainbow Dash.”

“Yes it is, and don’t tell yourself anything different, because it’s wrong,” Rainbow Dash asserted as she began to walk toward the entrance of the cottage, her friend followed close behind, letter in tow. “If you want to read the letter, you can. Leave me out of it.” The cyan mare opened the door. Scootaloo quickly jumped, hearing the door being opened, she was not ready for that. Her heart stopped as she prayed that Rainbow stopped before she could see her. 

“Wait! Alright, I will open the letter.” Fluttershy whimpered, feeling defeated as she slowly began to break the dull bronze seal... 

She knew her friend hated her parents, and that she always had. Ever since the day they met she had tried to fix Rainbow Dash's relationship with her parents. Fluttershy had only seen Dash's parents in person once, and that was when she was very young. It was on Rainbow's first day of flight school, they had come to drop her off.

Fluttershy didn't know Dash that day, but she would not have gotten the chance to talk to her parents anyway. As soon as they signed the last form, they were off and left. That was the only time Fluttershy had ever seen them. She knew their relationship was bad but anything she could do to help was worth it to her. No other pony knew about Rainbow Dash's past like Fluttershy did, and for good reason. The cyan pegasus would normally snap at anypony who mentioned her parents or tried to get her on that topic. Fluttershy was the only pony that could even talk about it at all to her.

“Will you at least come over and watch me open it?” the yellow mare asked as she walked over to the table, while she saw her friend still standing back over at the door. “Please?” Fluttershy implored as she smiled over to Rainbow Dash. She looked back at her yellow friend, and couldn’t help herself, Fluttershy was a great friend to her, and she knew it.

She said nothing as she slowly trotted over to Fluttershy, but she stood at least 5 feet away from the table at all times. The yellow pegasus slowly undid the letter, gently sliding the wrinkled paper out of its resting place. A yellow piece of parchment paper shone in the light of Fluttershy’s cottage. The words “Rainbow Dash” were printed out clearly in hoofwriting. She unfolded the letter to reveal its contents and began to read it to herself. 

Dear Rainbow Dash,

long time no see, kiddo! We haven't talked in the longest time, we should get together sometime soon, you know it! You haven't replied to any of our letters so I just assumed you haven't gotten them, well I hope you get this one at least. Rainbow Dash I know you have been avoiding us all this time, and I know your reasons why. I completely understand, if I were in your situation I would do the same thing. I just really need to see you and so does your mother. Your mother is deathly ill, Rainbow. She is on her last leg, she wants to see you. She is sick, Rainbow Dash, I know it, the doctors won't tell me but day after day I can just tell. She needs to see you, Rainbow Dash, I need to see you. We need to talk. Please, Rainbow Dash, please. We are up in the Canterlot hospital, dear. I have no idea how much time your mother has left, she needs you, and I need you. Please come.

With Love

Your father.


“Rainbow Dash, you really should read it. Your parents need you.” She tried to hand the letter to Rainbow in another attempt. Her hoof held open in an effort to get Rainbow to grab it. The cyan mare stared down at the letter and didn’t move. Fluttershy motioned her eyes for friend to take the letter, but her cyan hooves stayed planted on the floor. 

“They need me? Ha, that’s funny, Fluttershy, you're good. Where were they when I needed them for the past 15 years, huh? Where were they when I had a nightmare and there was nopony around to comfort me?” Angered, she pushed the letter back onto the table. “Where were they when I got my Cutie Mark? Where were they when I needed somepony to be there for me?”

“Rainbow Dash, you're being too hard on them,” Fluttershy reasoned in her best convincing voice. This time she finally left the crumpled paper on the table. 

“What could this letter possibly be about?” Rainbow Dash questioned sarcastically. “Let me guess, they either want some money or they want to say hi. Just to make themselves feel better.”

“No, it’s your mother. She’s deathly ill.” She looked down toward the floor, feeling a little uncomfortable. “Your father wants to talk to you, and your mother wants to see you.”

“Last time I saw her was a couple years ago, she looked fine then. She’s probably fine now, too,” Dash affirmed, turning away from the table, as she began to trot away again.

“No, it says they are up at the Canterlot hospital. Rainbow Dash you really should read it, your father really wants you there,” she said, pointing back at the crumpled, dirty yellow parchment paper laying on the table. 

“I don't care what he wants, Fluttershy. He was never a father to me. As far as I know I don't have a father, he died a long time ago.” She turned around as her eyes looked intently into Fluttershy’s eyes. “Along with my hopes of having a family with my parents, a real family.”

“Please, Rainbow Dash. They really want you to visit. I will go with you, how’s that?” Staring back right into Rainbow’s bright magenta eyes, Fluttershy put on her best begging face. 

“Why? So they can meet you and then blow you off for the next 15 years?” Dash replied sarcastically at Fluttershy’s attempt to get her accept on the compromise. 

“I wanted to go to Canterlot anyway, I have some things I need to pick up. Please, at least do it for me.” She kept her best begging face, trying harder than ever. After a couple of moments of silence Dash spoke up.

“Fine, but you're coming with me!” Rainbow Dash shouted unhappily, letting out a sigh at the same time. She hated her parents, she knew nothing was going to change. But how could she deny Fluttershy? They had been great friends for seemingly forever, there was no way she was going to let her parents ruin her friendships. 

“We will leave first thing in the morning. Okay, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked. 

“Whatever... I got to go and take Scootaloo home,” Rainbow Dash remarked walking over to the door, not for a moment turning around to look at the letter that lay face up on the table. 

When Scootaloo heard this, alarms went off in her head. The sound of small hoofsteps could be heard from inside. Mud covered her hooves from a recent rainfall. 

Rainbow Dash opened the door, and to her surprise Scootaloo was walking up the road. The filly had, mud lining her hooves, and wood splinters in her feathers as she slowly trotted by and put on her best surprised face when the cyan mare looked out upon her. 

“Scootaloo, come on, it's time to go home.” Rainbow gave Scootaloo a quizzical look as she examined the filly more closely. ”You’re out of breath, and covered in mud, what have you been doing?”

“Oh, just running. Yup. In the woods, got a little out of hoof, trying to improve lung capacity so I can fly longer, you know?” Scootaloo cried gasping for air. The filly knew she was a terrible liar but she gave it her all. Please believe me, please, Scootaloo thought to herself. Rainbow Dash looked on, confused at the sight before her. 

“Um, yeah sure. Let’s go home. Ready?” Rainbow Dash asked, a bit exhausted herself. Not wanting to continue asking questions, she dropped the subject to Scoots’ relief. 

“Always, Rainbow Dash.” Scootaloo panted now just starting to catch her breath. She let out a silent sigh of relief to herself. Mission Accomplished, she thought. 

The mare trotted over to Scootaloo and lowered herself for the filly to jump on. Scootaloo happily jumped on her mentor’s back. She could feel Rainbow’s warm body heat, radiating from her cyan coat. Her heart skipped a beat, she loved flying with Rainbow. Scootaloo wrapped her legs tightly around her, preparing for the rapid acceleration.

“Ready, Squirt?”

“Yup.” With that Rainbow Dash took off. Scootaloo quickly felt the wind blowing through her mane. She hugged her tightly, not wanting to fall off. The wind in her mane felt exhilarating, she dreamed of the day that she could do this on her own. Dash and I, flying through the clouds, sun in the sky, and ponies on the ground wishing they were with us. Scootaloo was lost in her own little daydream on Dash’s back. In less than a couple of minutes Rainbow Dash landed on the front porch of her house. 

“You can let go now, Squirt.” The cyan mare looked at the filly on her backside. Scootaloo was snuggled into her mane, eyes closed, dreaming. Dash smiled at the sight of the filly being entwined in her flowing mane. Carefully she shook the filly, just enough to wake her up. 

“Oh sorry, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo remarked, smiling in embarrassment. The filly slid off her back, making a dull thud when she hit the soft cloud. Dash walked over to the entrance and unlocked it, opening it for Scoots. 

“Sorry, Scoots, I would stay up with you and talk, but I have a lot on my mind.” Rainbow Dash sighed as she headed directly for her bedroom. She didn’t want to disappoint Scoots, it was just that the days events had been overwhelming.

“Oh, um, goodnight, Rainbow Dash. I will see you tomorrow,” Scootaloo stated as she watched her mentor leave the room. Normally this would have hurt her feelings, but she knew Dash was under a lot of stress. After what she heard at Fluttershy's, she knew that her mentor needed her space. 

Scootaloo wandered about the house, looking for something to do, how could she go to bed on a day like today? Rainbow’s parents, the living and breathing parents of the coolest pony in all of Equestria, they can’t be that bad? Can they? Scoots thought to herself. 

Eventually she waltzed into her bedroom, and looked around. She saw the posters and some of her stuff in the corner and that got her thinking. Scootaloo’s parents had been great for the most part, although absent for most of her young life, Scoots still managed to hold onto the good memories of them.

The filly knew her parents were smiling down upon her from wherever they were. Rainbow Dash was quite possibly the best thing that came into the young pegasus’ life. Scoots’ parents would be proud and approve of Rainbow Dash. She had given the filly the best home she could have ever asked for, and more. Scootaloo could walk around Ponyville with her head held high, knowing she was the roommate to the coolest sister in all of Equestria. No longer did she feel alone and lost, like she did in her foster homes. 

Although, no longer alone, she still felt like she was letting Rainbow Dash down somehow. She couldn’t shake the feeling no matter what anypony told her. Scoots was housing with the best flier in all of Equestria, and she could barely hold herself in the air. Other fillies and colts her age were already way ahead of her in flight progression. She had to improve and show Rainbow Dash that she was just as great as she was. No matter what cost, it had to be done in her mind. 

The filly barely noticed when she walked over to her bed, and slipped under the sheets. Her mind kept racing, but her body was going to sleep. I have to show her. I have to show her. I have to show her. I have to sho... Those were her last thoughts, before she slipped into peaceful rest. 

***

Rainbow Dash couldn't sleep either. Her mind was full of past memories. She couldn't stop thinking back to her foalhood. All of her memories that she was able to suppress for all these years came flooding back. She began to sweat and toss and turn in her bed, unable to sleep. One distinct memory came held prevalent in her mind.

	“First day of flight school, don't want to be late,” a pegasus mare stated, kneeling down next to the filly.

“Yes, mom,” Rainbow Dash replied. She was just a filly around the age of 5. She didn't have her Cutie Mark yet, and her hair was as wild as Appleloosa. She was still fairly small for her age. Her coat shined brightly and so did her mane. 

“Okay, honey, we have to go now. You're going to love flight school, the staff is top notch, you’ll make so many friends.” Her mother consoled her, while combing down her rainbow mane. 

“No! Please don’t, I don’t want to go flight school. Just stay here, please.” The mare’s hooves came streaking through her crazy mane, straightening it flat. The filly didn’t fight back, Dash hated her mane straight but it was how her mother would insist she’d wear it.

“Your father has a lot of business that needs to be done out of town and we have some other jobs that we got to do out there, Rainbow. Don't worry, we will be back as soon as possible.” The soft feeling of her mother stroking her mane abruptly stopped. “Alright sweetie, we will always write to you. You’ll know it’s from us because we have this special seal we put on our envelopes, just for you.” Her mother pulled a small metal object out and showed it to Rainbow Dash. It was a small little box that had an imprint of a lightning bolt outlined inside of it.

“Just for me?” Rainbow Dash gleamed with a smile that could melt any heart.

“Just for you,” her mother quickly replied, moving the seal into a saddlebag that laid behind her. 

“Come on, honey, we have to go. We can't have Rainbow Dash being late on her first day at school can we?” a stallion remarked, coming out from another room. He trotted over to the scene and threw the saddle bag on his back. 

“Can I come with you? I promise I will be good,” the cyan filly asked grabbing onto one of her mother’s hooves. A hoof gently rubbed Rainbow's back. Dash’s eyes met her mother’s as she stared down at the young filly. A soft smiled gleamed on the mare’s face as she slowly pulled the filly off. 

“No you can't, your mother and I have some important things to do, Rainbow. We want you to stay here, this is a great school to be enrolled in.” The stallion walked over to the door.” It almost cost me a hoof and a leg to get you in. You will be better off here,” her father remarked motioning his wife toward the door as well.

“But, daddy,” Rainbow Dash cried with tears coming to her eyes. “I want to go with you, don't leave. Please don't leave. I want to be with you.”

“Everything will be fine, Rainbow, but we have to go now.” Rainbow Dash's mom leaned down toward her filly.

“No,” Rainbow Dash cried weakly, as her mom wiped the tears from her eyes.

“It’s okay, honey. Be strong for mommy, alright?” the mare stated, gently holding the small cyan hoof in hers. 

“But, mom.” Rainbow Dash whimpered as her mother picked her up and put her filly on her back. Rainbow Dash quickly wrapped her hooves tightly around her mother not wanting to let go not even for a second.

“Hold on tight,” her mother remarked as she took off with Rainbow Dash's father following closely behind. For the entirety of the flight Dash snuggled up in her mother’s warm mane. She didn’t want her parents to leave, she had nopony else. Rainbow cried softly into her mother’s clean coat. She never cried, it was sign of weakness, but she couldn’t help herself. The filly thought that she was losing everything. 

Within a couple of minutes they reached the flight school. Her mother landed softly on a cloud outside of the registration building. Their eyes met in unison, Rainbow’s mother looked down into her daughter’s. “Better, Rainbow, you can let go you silly filly.”

“No, I don't want to,” Rainbow Dash protested as she hugged her mother tighter. “I don't want you to leave.” She was not going to move for the world. There was nothing that could take her away from her mother, as far as Rainbow Dash was concerned.

“Here, I got to go fill out some last paperwork. I will be right back,” Rainbow Dash's father remarked, quickly trotting off toward the direction of the registration building. 

“It’s alright, Rainbow Dash. Can you let go?” Rainbow Dash's mom asked as she bent her hoof backwards and slid Rainbow Dash around her body to her belly. She sat on her hindquarters with the filly directly on her stomach. She looked down at her filly, clinging tightly to her perfect coat. 

Rainbow Dash could not help but smile as her mom slid her onto her stomach. “There she is,” her mother joked as she gently touched Rainbow Dash's nose. At this, Rainbow Dash giggled giving her mother enough time a gently remove Dash's hooves without her noticing. “There’s my Rainbow!” her mother cheered as she began to tickle Rainbow Dash on the cloud.

“Stop, mom! I am ticklish!” Rainbow Dash shouted in joy. While this was going on Rainbow Dash's farther shook the principles hoof and started to move out of the registration building. Once outside, he spotted his wife playing with his daughter and he began the trip over to them, as Rainbow Dash was laughing with her eyes closed. Her father gave a silent discreet nod to her mother. She immediately stopped tickling Rainbow Dash and picked her up as her father came close to her.

“I love you, Rainbow Dash, but it’s time for your mother and me to leave,” Dash’s father told her as he leaned in and kissed Rainbow Dash on the head. He began to pull his head back, the door to the registration opened and the principle began to slowly trot over to the scene.

“It’s time for us to leave now, Rainbow. Give mommy a big kiss okay? We will be back as soon as possible, I promise. I love you Rainbow Dash.” Moving back over to her husband’s side. 

“No! I want to go with you!” Dash ran over to her father and jumped on his fore hooves. He looked over to his wife and motioned for her. A sigh left her mouth as she walked over to the filly.

“It’s alright,” her mother replied as she too leaned down and gently turned her filly toward her. Tears could be seen on the mare’s face while she grabbed Rainbow Dash in a hug. The pair held each other tightly together for a couple of seconds before she let go of Dash. “I love you and I always will,” she told her, at the same time she kissed Rainbow Dash on the head. By this point Rainbow Dash was in tears.

“No, don't leave me mom,” Rainbow Dash pleaded. Her mother let go and began to stand up. 

“It’s all going to be alright, Rainbow. Look at me. Look me in the eyes.”  She lifted Rainbow Dash's head to look directly into her eyes. Tears could be seen making their way down the filly’s bright cyan coat. Her bright magnata eyes fogged up with water forming in her eyes. “It’s all going to work out. Trust me." The mare leaned over again and wiped the tears off of Rainbow Dash's eyes. ”Be strong Rainbow,” she whispered into her daughter's ear.

“No, don't leave!” Rainbow Dash cried as her mother fully stood up next to Dash’s father. 

“It’s all going to work out.” Her father placed a hoof on his wife’s back and shot a weak her a smile. 

“It’s time to go,” her father remarked sternly, looking down upon his filly. Dash looked up at him with tears in her eyes, all he could do was look away. 

“We love you, Rainbow Dash,” her mother assured. The mare obviously looked hurt, the sight of her filly in tears on the ground, was heartbreaking. A small tear streaked down her face, as she looked on, not being able to turn away. 

“No! Please!” Rainbow Dash screamed as the principal finally arrived and came over, putting his hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. “No don't leave!” she screamed again, this time trying to charge toward her parents. She was held back by the stallion’s strong hoof on her shoulder, she didn’t care, she tried desperately to get loose but to no avail. The fear on her face could easily be seen, everything she had known in her life was being taken away from her. By this point her mother could no longer bear to look, as more tears started to come down her face. 

“NNNOOO! MOM!!!” Rainbow Dash screamed, still struggling against the stallion’s strong hoof. Her mother looked away, unable to bear the sight of her daughter any more. 

“Goodbye,” her mother whispered softly as she began to fly off with her husband. Rainbow Dash continued to fight the stallion, desperately trying to free herself to get to her mother. Her eyes bloodshot red, her coat stained, and mind in overdrive. She continued to fight for a couple of minutes before she tired out.

They had left her. The thought began to sink into the filly’s head. They left me, Rainbow Dash remembered thinking to herself, they left me. Her parents were all she had known, and now they were gone. Rainbow looked at her straight mane as she began to run her hooves through it. Emotions quickly changed as she ripped her hooves through her mane, messing it all up. The principle looked on in confusion at the young filly, viciously running her hooves through her rainbow mane. 

“Come on, let’s go meet some of your classmates. That will cheer you right up, making some friends. You're going to have a great time here,” the principle remarked trying to comfort her the best he could.


**************************

Rainbow Dash woke up from her sleep, panting. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. She was gasping for air as she looked around her room to make sure everything was alright. 

It was just a bad dream, Rainbow. All of that is behind you now. She knew that there was no chance of getting any sleep for the rest of the night, so she just laid down and started thinking.

Dash had loved her mother, she truly did, not like her father. Her mother had always loved her, but Rainbow Dash could never forgive her for breaking her promise. It was two years before she saw her mother again. And when she finally came back, her personality was changed, with that her whole demeanor toward Rainbow changed as well. She had never forgave her mother for not coming back sooner.

She could have forced dad to come back, but no she gave in and just stayed there with him, she thought to herself. Rainbow Dash really hated her parents for leaving her; but it was more her father than her mother. Her father had never really cared about her all that much, but her mother did, or at least she pretended to, quite well. There was a part of her that wanted to forgive her mother, but she just couldn't do it no matter how much she tried.

Eventually Rainbow Dash got up and walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. After she poured it she walked back past Scootaloo's room, which she noticed was left a crack open. She quickly stopped, turned around and walked back over to Scootaloo's door. 

She slowly and gently pushed the door open revealing an orange filly curled up in a ball, sleeping on the bed. Rainbow Dash walked in and just stared at the peaceful filly for a couple of moments. She couldn't help but see part of herself in Scootaloo. Both of Scootaloo's parents were already dead, and she had lived at a local shelter alone for the past couple of years. She was all alone, just like Rainbow Dash, in a world without a mother or father being present. Rainbow Dash leaned over and slowly began to stroke her smooth bright purple mane.

Scootaloo woke up with the feeling of somepony touching her mane. Instead of panicking, she slowly began to crack open one of her eyes to see who it was. Her room was dark but she could easily make out a cyan colored figure sitting next to her on the bed. She knew who it was immediately, it was Rainbow Dash. Instead of getting up, Scootaloo studied her mentor closely, trying to pick up on her emotions. What is she doing here? Isn’t it past her bedtime as well? What’s she doing? Doesn’t she have to get up early to meet Fluttershy?

Rainbow kept stroking the filly's purple mane softly, looking at her closed eyes. Scootaloo’s breathing was slow and methodical, as if in a deep state of sleep. Dash saw herself in the young filly, lost and alone in the world, without love. Images of her younger self were flashing before her eyes. Scootaloo was young, full of life, and ready to take on the world, just like Rainbow was; all she needed was somepony to guide her, be there for her. 

Slowly, the cyan mare picked herself up off Scootaloo’s bedside. The orange pegasus caught a glimpse of her mentor’s rainbow tail, walking away. Right before exiting, to Scootaloo’s surprise, she stopped in the middle of the doorway. Seconds went by while the filly watched on, waiting. Rainbow turned her head in an effort to get one last glimpse. 

“I won't make the same mistake they’ve made, Scootaloo. I promise you that,” Dash whispered softly. 

What? What does that mean? Her mind raced trying to figure out what she just said. She wanted say something, but that would ruin her element of surprise. Rainbow lowered her head, and headed out the doorway. Right as her rainbow tail rounded the corner Scootaloo spoke up. 

“I love you, Rainbow Dash.”

I promise you, Scoot, Rainbow Dash thought, I promise. Tears were in her eyes as she slowly exited the room. She carefully closed the door and paced down the hallway back into the kitchen. Dash reached up and opened the cupboard. 

She spent a couple minutes searching through the jumble of dishes for something. After about a minute, a key emerged from the cupboard. Dash took a moment to think as the key was set it on the counter. There was no way she was going to make the same mistake her parents had made with her. Rainbow Dash was going to be there for Scootaloo, she was going to raise her by whatever means necessary. 

Dash had Gilda as a friend, but that never took the place of the companionship her mother could have given her. She would never wished a foalhood like hers on any other pony. Dash was left alone in her room at flight camp for most of her young life until she met Fluttershy. 

Rainbow Dash quickly snapped out of her trance as the key was lifted off the table. She walked over across the living room and into the closet. Coats and other miscellaneous items were pushed aside from the closet, revealing a safe. Dash bent down over to the safe and slid the key carefully into the lock. A small door opened, revealing a folder sitting at the entrance of the safe.The folder was carefully pulled off the shelf, and the safe closed. The folder brought into the moonlight, streaming through the windows, verifying the folder’s contents. It was carefully wrapped under her wings, as the key sailed through the air, back into the cupboard from which it came. 

Rainbow Dash walked down the hall pausing for one more quick glance at Scootaloo's door. Dash reached the end of the hallway and opened it to reveal a room that looked like an office with a desk and a lamp sitting in the center. Rainbow Dash carefully closed the door as to not wake Scootaloo. The folder came to rest on the table top, and the lamp turned on. Dash opened the folder to reveal its contents, she quickly read through the packet.The papers were set out on the desk as drawers began to be opened. A pen appeared out of the bottom drawer and landed on the desk right next to the papers. Rainbow Dash sat there for a minute looking at the document set before her. 

Never again. I won't make their mistake, Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she quickly flipped through all the pages again. The pen was carefully lifted from the desk by Rainbow Dash’s mouth. The papers were reorganized and set them order out in front of her. She leaned in and pulled her chair closer to the desk as the cover page was pulled back. Written clearly on the top of the second page in bold letters were the words ‘ADOPTION FORMS’.
> Learning From the Past
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning
3:00 am


Rainbow Dash woke up early. Fluttershy was always on time, or even early most of the time. She couldn't afford her or Scootaloo seeing the adoption papers, they would know eventually, but now was not the time. Rainbow Dash had never been good with words or emotions, she still had no idea how she was going to break the news to Scootaloo.

She slowly pulled off the blanket covering her cyan figure. Her body screamed at her as she forced it upright out of bed. Dash  never got up this early, in fact she had never woken up this early in her adult life. It took her a couple of moments to get her balance, but soon enough she was on her hooves and semi-wake. 

For Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she began to stretch out her body. She had the worst bed mane in all of Equestria and she knew it. Her rainbow mane covered the entirety of her face, split ends right and left. Rarity surely would’ve fainted immediately upon seeing it, and not even a soothing pink would be able to help her. Rainbow Dash laughed at the thought. She didn't care, Rainbow Dash is who she is, and she doesn't care what any other pony says.

With stretches complete, it was time to go. Dash quickly threw her mane out of her face, as she exited her room. She was adept with sneaking out of the house early in the mornings, the rainbow mare still had the prowess to sneak out without waking up Scootaloo. 

When Rainbow Dash was young, the teachers would take shifts watching the dorms, making sure everyone ate their meals and went to bed. After dinner the teacher on duty would most likely leave or just go to bed. She would slowly creak open the window an hour after dinner. It would take her a total of five minutes to open the window, if she wanted to do it without making any sound. Once outside the filly was as free as a bird, nothing in her way, no worries at all. 

Rainbow remembered fondly back on the nights she spent hours alone, alive, and with nopony to tell her anything. All night she would fly free, soaring through the clouds at full speed, playing her favorite game: Wonderbolt Academy. Other nights she would sit outside staring at the moon, in shock and awe. Her mother had told her something the night before she left, something that still rang inside Rainbow's head like it was yesterday.

“Stare up at the moon, Rainbow,” her mother started as she pulled her filly closer to her.”

“Yes, what about it?”

“When you look at the moon, I want you to remember something. As long as the moon shines bright, and the sun comes up each morning; know that I love you. Wherever you are, and whoever you are, no matter what you have done or who you are with. I will love you, and I will miss you.”

“Then, why are you leaving?”

“Because we have to, Rainbow. Keep looking up at the moon, don't lose focus. Whenever you look at the moon I want you to remember that your father and I are looking at the exact same one, thinking the exact same thing, we love you Rainbow. Whenever you look at the moon remember that, for me.”

She eventually got caught doing this, the teacher on duty was walking right outside her window when Dash had tried to escape. The young cyan filly was the most scared she had ever been in her life at that moment. She got kitchen clean up crew duty for 3 weeks, because of this little 'stunt' the principle called it.  

Rainbow slowly creaked up the door, revealing the dimly lit hallway. Her hooves moved swiftly yet silently as each hoof was carefully placed in front of the other. She bit her tongue as she passed Scoots’ room, There is no way Scootaloo can see what I am doing, she thought to herself. Hoof by hoof, Dash slowly trotted down the hallway on the soft cloud carpet. A sigh of relief left her mouth when she reached the kitchen. A folder lay flat on the table, along with a brown saddle bag. The saddle bag was quickly hoisted onto her back, and the folder thrown in. Next was the hardest part, the front door.

A big door like that had to make some noise when opening it. Never the less it had to be done. The lock was carefully turned, as to make the least amount of noise possible. Once unlocked, Dash began to slowly open it at a snails pace, moans came from the solid block of wood. Why didn’t I fix this? she thought to herself as the entry was slowly pried open.  

What took only a few second felt like hours to Rainbow as the entrance was hoisted open. Her body moved through the gap carefully until she was fully outside. A silent cheer went off in her head. Still have it, Rainbow thought. After all those years she still was the best at sneaking out undetected. The door was carefully shut, but left open a sliver for her eventual return. She flapped her wings a couple of times and took off slowly towards Ponyville. 

It was a short flight, once out of distance from her house she took off full speed. Dash didn’t want to leave Scootaloo alone for all that time. She cared about the orange filly more than she really knew herself. Rainbow never had anypony to really care for in her life pre Scootaloo, it was a new feeling, and she loved it. 

Shortly there after, Rainbow Dash was standing outside the Pony Express Postal office. The lights shone brightly out onto the street from inside. A 24 hour sign was posted proudly on the outside of the door. It was still dark outside, but this shop lit up the entire street. Rainbow walked through the door only to be greeted by the sound of a bell chime. Dash looked around inside and there was nopony to be seen. 

“Hello?”

“Hi!” a voice coming from the back hollered. Dash knew that voice anywhere, how could she ever forget it? 

“Hey, Derpy.” 

“Did you get my letter I gave you?”

“Yes, Derpy,” Rainbow Dash sighed. 

“Well, what brings you to this fine establishment at 3 am?”

Derpy was one of Dash’s good friends. Ever since foalhood they always had been good friends, nothing like Fluttershy, but still friends nonetheless. She couldn’t tell Derpy, she would tell Dinky, and then intern tell Scoots. By the way, didn’t Dinky play with Scootaloo or Apple Bloom?

“Oh, just gotta send some paperwork, you know?” Dash commented pulling open her saddle bag, revealing the large folder. 

“Just paperwork?” Derpy happily questioned.

“Yup, just that same old run of the mill paperwork.” 

Derpy paused a moment and held the folder in her hooves. Her eyes crossed in thought as she gently raised and lowered the papers in her hooves. Rainbow Dash continued on walking, confused all the while, watching her friend. This went on for 10 seconds before...

“Derpy! Can you please just mail the package!” 

“Oh yeah, sorry, Rainbow,” Derpy stammered as she quickly ran over to the counter behind her and started rummaging through its contents. Pens, quills, and scrolls flew out of the drawer as Derpy vigorously searched. Rainbow Dash had to dodge incoming projectiles, until a scroll landed square on her forehead. 

“Derpy,” Dash whispered with a hint of anger. “Are you done yet? Can I go?”

Derpy spun around quickly revealing her prize. A stamp with Celestia proudly displayed on the front. “Found it, and yes you can go.” 

“Thank you. Have a good night, Derpy,” the cyan mare stated relieved. She drew her saddle bag back onto her body and closed the side flaps. I did it, she thought to herself, wait I did it. I really went through with it! Dash started to question herself and her ethics as she began to walk towards the door. She was going to be responsible for somepony now. Life was no longer about Rainbow Dash, it was about her and Scootaloo. The mare started to panic a little in her head as she steadily trotted towards the doorway. 

“You’re going to make a great sister,” Derpy yelled out as Dash was halfway out the door. She immediately stopped in her walk and turned around. Eyebrows raised.

“What? How did you-”

“I mail a lot of things,” Derpy interrupted, pointing up to the poster on the wall that contained the words ‘Pony Express, We Ship Anything and Everything’.

“From the...?” Dash tried to her articulate her sentence, but she just couldn’t. How did she guess it correctly, from just the weight?

“The weight, I know things. But anyway, you're going to be a great sister. I know you, Rainbow Dash, you're gonna be awesome.”

“Thanks, I guess,” the rainbow mare exclaimed, still obviously in shock. 

“All they need is somepony to be there for them. Comfort them through the nightmares, and be with them through their triumphs. You not only meet those requirements, you blow those requirements out of the water! You will be the best and coolest sister in all of Equestria, don’t worry. She will love you, if she doesn’t already.”

“You know, I didn’t need the assurance, but thanks, Derpy.”  

“Sure...” Derpy said sarcastically as her friend trotted out of the store with a new spring in her step. 

The cyan mare made short work of the flight back home. Now to do it all over again, she thought to herself as she approached the front porch. Rainbow still couldn’t shake the nervous feeling despite Derpy’s talk. She loved Scootaloo, but would she be good enough for her? Rainbow was still young and had her whole life ahead of her. No longer could she live for herself, she had a filly to raise. 

It was the same routine as before. The door was slowly and carefully closed, followed by the saddle bag being set on the counter. Finally, Rainbow Dash snuck back into her room, and slowly crawled into bed and let out a loud sigh of relief. Before long she was wrapped up tightly in her sheets and was ready to go sleep until...

“AAAAAAHHHHHHHH,” a voice cried out from the next room over. 

Scootaloo, she thought to herself as she ripped off the blanket, and was on her hooves. Scootaloo! Rainbow’s door was immediately thrown open making a large thud. Her body tense, running on sheer adrenaline, and the desire to protect. In seconds she was at the entrance of the orange filly’s room. She began to fumble with the door handle in her desperate rush to get inside. 

“Scootaloo!”  

No reply met her as she ripped open the door throwing it into the wall, just like her own. Everything in the room was normal. Rainbow frantically searched for Scootaloo but, she was nowhere to be found. The window was left slightly open. Her heart was beating faster and faster as she raced over to window. An orange feather was stuck in the window sill, blowing in the wind. That was all she needed to see to jump out the window. 

Rainbow Dash shivered from the cold and frigid air; Luna’s moon was out in its glory. The moonlight made everything more visible in the night sky. Rainbow quickly dove toward the ground, out of pure instinct. The cold air was like a slap in the face, as she rocketed down. Her eyes scanned the skies, looking for any signs of life. Her heart kept racing.

“Rainbow…” a voice called out from a distance.

She knew it was Scoots, it had to be her. Just hearing her voice spurred the mare to fly faster. Soon enough a small orange figure appeared. A small pegasus buzzing her wings as fast as possible, slowly plummeting toward the ground. The strain could be easily seen on the young filly’s face, as she desperately tried to fly. 

Her heart still racing, Dash flew at full speed and grabbed the filly swiftly out of the air. She could feel the filly still buzzing her wings even though she had a firm grip on her. Rainbow slowly began her climb back up toward her cloud home, as her heart finally started to calm down. She looked down in her hooves at a sight Rainbow had never seen before. Scootaloo’s mane was completely frayed and in a total state of disunion. Her body felt weak, tired, and scared in her arms. 

The buzzing coming from Scootaloo’s wings shortly stopped there after. She had never even looked up at Rainbow, she kept her head down and nuzzled tightly against her mentor’s strong body. A new sensation quickly hit Rainbow Dash as she felt warm tears streaming down her mane. Scootaloo was trying her best to conceal her tears, but her emotions overwhelmed her. 

Rainbow gently landed on top the cloud supporting her home. She moved her hoof under Scootaloo and tried to pry her off. The little filly pressed back and would not let go, so Dash slid the filly to her underside.

“It’s alright, you're safe now.”

Again, no reply met Rainbow as the small filly kept crying into her coat. She was at a loss for words, she was never really good with these kinds of situations. Dash slowly stroked the back of Scootaloo’s bright purple mane. 

“Hey, it’s alright, Squirt.”

Still no response came from Scootaloo, she just continued to cry. Rainbow still had no idea what to do. How in the world do I get her off me, I think I need to calm her down first, she thought to herself. Dash slowly slid her hooves onto the filly and began to tickle her. The small grin was barely visible on the filly’s face when she started to laugh. She then carefully lifted the orange pegasus off her body and onto the cloud.

“Scoots, what were you doing?”

Dash moved herself closer to the teary eyed filly, and wrapped her wings gently around her. 

“It’s okay. I know how you feel. So let’s turn that frown upside down, what do you say?” Rainbow Dash whispered into Scootaloo’s ear. 

“Just... Just... Just...” The orange filly cried, pausing while she sobbed. “Just don’t hate me! I am so sorry. I just wanted to be like you. Please don’t get rid of me! Please!”

Dash pulled the filly closer into her chest. She felt a warmth, she had never experienced before, overcome her body. It was something new, something different, and she loved it. 

“Scoots, look at me,” Dash whispered as she lifted Scootaloo’s teary face. One by one she wiped all the tears off Scoots’ face. 

“Can you keep a secret?”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo paused. “I can.”

“Good, because if you tell this anypony else, I will deny it.”

Rainbow Dash paused for a moment as she thought about her past, images and memories of her foalhood came rushing back into her head. The flight school, her parents’ visits, and the letters, all came back. She was overwhelmed but quickly pushed them out of mind. 

“I did the same thing when I was a foal your age. Every night I would sneak out and practice flying, no matter what. I eventually got caught, but not even that could stop me. And some nights I would fail too, not like you, but that’s besides the point.” Their eyes met in unison as she continued speaking. “I know how you feel, don’t worry. And where did you ever get the idea that I would get rid of you, like garbage? I love you, Scootaloo, I would never just throw you away.”

Scootaloo stopped crying and looked intently at her mentor. Rainbow had never said that to her, nor anypony she knew. She looked fondly down to Scootaloo, as she was wrapped tightly in her wings. Scootaloo could feel Rainbow Dash’s heartbeat, and her warm tear soaked coat and mane. 

“Really?”

“Yeah, I have never been more sure about something in my life. Just next time, Squirt, just tell me when you want to fly, or at least warn me, okay?”

Scootaloo’s heart lifted, she had thought Rainbow was going to be angry. She snuck out of the house, alone, trying to fly. Scoots thought that she was going to be kicked out of the house for sure. 

“Good technique though, by the way, you just need a little more focus,” Dash replied, slowly lowering the filly down to cloud again. “Come on, you got it, give it one more try.”

“Um, okay!” Scootaloo cheered while the last tear was wiped from her face. Rainbow Dash stood ready to catch the filly as Scootaloo slowly raised herself into the air. Her wings buzzing at a furious pace as she slowly rose. Her little heart was filled with joy and ecstasy, while she carefully rose in the sky. 

“Focus.” 

Scootaloo didn’t reply, her eyes narrowed, focused. The filly’s heart began to race as she worked harder and harder to lift her small frame into the sky. The joy inside her could not be contained, she was flying!

“I am doing it! I am doing it!”

“Whoo, go, Scootaloo,” Dash cheered the filly on. “Doing good.” Scootaloo stopped climbing in the air as she began to hover. The sounds of Rainbow’s voice spurred her on. Her wings kept buzzing, flapping furiously. Breathing increased, heart rate elevated, and muscles beginning to cramp. Scoots face began to clearly show signs of stress. The orange filly closed her eyes, giving every last bit of energy to flight.

The cyan mare slowly positioned herself under filly, ready to grab her. Scootaloo’s wings finally collapsed and shut. She let out a sign of distress when her wings fell beside her body. The filly began to let out a scream before realising the warm strong hooves holding her up. 

“You did great! You hovered all by yourself, that’s the longest I have ever seen you hover! You will be flying like me in no time, kiddo.”

Her heart fluttered upon hearing Rainbow’s words, Scoots had never heard anything like that in her life. Her eyes met Dash’s, as she looked up. There was a moment of silence while the filly caught her breath. 

“I love you, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo wheezed in between breaths. Her hooves were tightly wrapped around Rainbow, as she hugged her. 

Rainbow carefully flew over to the front door while the filly nuzzled her mane. This time she didn’t have to sneak into the house. The entrance was thrown open and caught with her back hoof. Through the kitchen and hallway the young filly didn’t move an inch. She intently kept holding onto the rainbow colored mane. 

Dash opened the door to Scootaloo’s room, and like the front entrance, she caught it with her back hoof. Rainbow walked over to the bed and carefully laid the orange pegasus on the bed. The window was still open, the feather kept fluttering in the wind as the cyan mare walked over to it. The feather was still securely held inside the window sill. She carefully picked it out of the window and examined it in her hoof. It was so small, and somehow it had a meaning to Dash. The mare carefully laid the feather on a desk next to the window, and closed the window, making sure to lock it. Hearing a loud click, she was sure it had locked.  

Scootaloo’s flight had lasted only around 20 seconds, and yet her body was so tired. She had given her everything to stay in flight and impress Rainbow Dash. She tried to stay conscious and listen to Rainbow, but she was fading off into glorious rest. Before long her eyes were completely shut as she snuggled up in the warm blanket. 

Rainbow knew how Scootaloo felt, alone, lost, and just wanting somepony to be there for her. She knew that feeling all too well, it was her foalhood. Dash went back over to the bed and tucked the filly under the Wonderbolts blanket. She combed the filly’s frayed mane straight as Scoots began to snuggle under her covers. Once again, she saw herself in the filly, the desperate urge to fly, the need of companionship, and the willingness to try anything. The filly was alone in the world without guidance or ponies that loved her for who she was. Dash slid into her bed next to her and snuggled up close to Scootaloo. The pegasus turned over facing Rainbow and positioned herself close. The mare could feel the filly’s heartbeat as the pair laid there in silence. She loved Scoots, she really did, and nothing was going to get in the way of that. Not her parents, friends, or anypony.

“I love you Scootaloo,” Rainbow Dash whispered very quietly into the ear of the already sleeping filly. 


***


Knock knock knock

Rainbow Dash immediately shot up from her sleep. She looked around the room for anything out of place, for she was not fully awake. 

Knock knock knock

What in the world is making that sound? Dash thought to herself as she got out of bed, it was early, the sun was just making its rise over the horizon. Rainbow quickly brushed down her wild bed mane and walked out of Scootaloo’s room. 

	Knock knock knock 

“Rainbow Dash, come to the door. We have to go,” a voice remarked coming from the front door. 

“Fluttershy?” Dash questioned quietly in a groggy voice. She began to trot her way over to the door. What is Fluttershy doing here so early? The mare thought to herself, still not fully awake.

“Rainbow Dash, please hurry up. I don’t want to miss the train.”

Oh, yeah. That’s right, my parents. Ugh, Rainbow Dash thought to herself, as she brushed her mane back. She had forgotten all about it, the whole ordeal with Scootaloo had taken her mind right off it. Dash had gotten quite good at avoiding the topic of her parents over the years. Whenever another classmate or friend would ask, she would move the subject to something else. Adding to that, Rainbow still didn’t want to go, even though Fluttershy offered to come along, it only meant she had to explain her parents to Flutters.

Rainbow Dash pulled open the front entrance, revealing a bright yellow mare with a perfect pink mane. Fluttershy stood there with saddle bag in tow, filled to the brim with her things. She was a good friend, maybe even her best friend, but still Dash didn’t want to go nor tell her about Scootaloo’s adoption. 

The pair stood in silence for a couple of moments. Fluttershy rested with a laid back demor, almost as if she was expecting Rainbow Dash to speak up. But, Rainbow waited there with a slightly angered facial expression as she stared back at her close friend. This went on for a couple of moments before the yellow mare spoke up. 

“I have the 3 tickets right here,” Fluttershy started as she began to rummage through her bags. “I am just so glad that you said yes. You are doing the right thing you know?”

“Wait, 3 tickets?” Dash said, starting to become fully awake. “Am I just really tired, or did you just say 3 tickets?”

All the while Fluttershy kept searching through her bags. Stuff was being carefully pulled out and set on the front porch, until finally Fluttershy found what she was looking for. Three bright golden tickets flashed in the morning sunlight. Each ticket stamped with a Celestia seal, and right below that were the words ‘Royal Canterlot Train Service Ticket’. Two of the tickets had ‘Adult‘ clearly written on them, whereas the third had ‘Filly’ stamped out in the same location. 

“You want Scootaloo to come along?” Dash questioned, not hearing Scootaloo’s door creak open in the background. 

Fluttershy moved up and handed the adult and filly tickets to Rainbow Dash. “Yeah, I thought that it would be a great bonding experience for both of you. I mean a trip around Canterlot.” She walked back over to her things and started reorganizing her saddle bags. “Thats a great way to bond with her, don’t you think? You can have tea at the castle and visit the Royal Canterlot Gardens.”

Scootaloo had opened the door to hear what the adults were saying. She was getting better at sneaking out, or at least she thought so. Last night really didn’t go as Scoots planned, she was just glad that Rainbow Dash wasn’t angry. The orange pegasus tip hoofed her way into the kitchen behind the table to get a better view of what was going on. She was careful to leave no signs of her presence. 

“I don’t want her to come along. My parents screwed me up enough, I can at least spare her from them.” The cyan pegasus lifted herself out of a slouched position to upright. “What don’t you understand about my parents? They were the worst parents anypony could ask for. They were never there for me, I still don’t get why I should be there for them now.”

“Oh, come on, Rainbow Dash. You don’t really believe that, do you? You will be showing your parents that you turned out alright, and that without them you grew up strong. They care about Rainbow, they do.” Fluttershy finished packing her saddle bags and looked directly into her friend’s eyes. “I know they care about you, why else would they send a letter? Every parent pony loves their child, I believe that.”

“I don’t. They left me for 15 years Fluttershy, a pony who cares for somepony else at least tries to make contact with them. I even know that Flutters.” She slouched back against the door. “I still don’t understand how you got me to do this, but I am not dragging Scootaloo into this. I can’t make her go through with meeting them.” 

“Rainbow Dash, if you don’t mind me saying. I think it would be a great idea for you to take Scootaloo, you could show her around Canterlot and give her a tour of the Wonderbolts Training Academy,” Fluttershy paused a second, and turned her head to get a better view inside. There was a small purple tail sticking out behind the table. She paused for a second and thought. “Hey, Scootaloo,” Fluttershy suddenly called out. 

Crap, Scootaloo thought to herself as she hid behind the table. If Rainbow Dash was not mad last night, she will sure be mad now. The filly quickly pulled herself together, took a few breaths and prepared a happy face. 

“Scootaloo is …” Rainbow Dash started as she turned her head to see the orange pegasus walking toward the front entrance. Dash quickly looked back at Fluttershy and gave a subtle shake of the head, almost as if she was saying no don’t tell her.

“Is that a ticket to Canterlot?” Scootaloo asked. 

“Why, um, yes it is. You can go with us, if Rainbow Dash is alright with it,” Fluttershy explained looking back over to stunned Dash. 

“Oh my gosh! Canterlot! Please, Please, Please can I come with you?” The orange pegasus cheered, jumping up and down underneath Rainbow. 

“Well, here’s the deal Scoots...” Dash tried to explain but was interrupted by the bouncing filly. 

“I promise to be good, and I will leave you alone, please, please, please, can I come?” Fluttershy looked over to Rainbow Dash with a look that said come on, give it a try. 

“Fine, alright.” The cyan mare sighed, looking over to Fluttershy with a disapproving look. 

“Yes, yes, yes!” Scootaloo cheered hugging Rainbow’s hooves. Fluttershy giggled a little bit under her breath as the filly jumped around excitedly. 

Scootaloo ran back into the house, racing toward her room. A saddle bag was thrown out of the closet with haste, onto the bed. The filly ran through her meager earthly possessions and tossed in the bare necessities. Wasting no time, the bag was raised on her back, after which the filly quickly trotted back to the front door. Upon her return, the young pegasus was met with a less than enthusiastic Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy.   

Nopony said a word when Scootaloo arrived. All 3 looked at one another in silence as they set off toward the station. The filly quickly jumped on Rainbow Dash’s back who flew alongside Fluttershy toward the ground. And within a couple minutes of walking, the trio had arrived.   

Every scenario of what could happen went through Rainbow’s mind as they were waiting at the train station. What if my parents really want to make good? No! That’s not like them! She debated to herself.

It was still early morning, Celestia’s glorious sun was beginning to rise. Not one cloud was in the sky, it was going to be one amazing day. Rainbow looked side to side at her friends, Fluttershy and Scootaloo were right next to her waiting for the incoming train. Their coats a different color, from the rays of sunlight hitting their vibrant colors. Her best friend from childhood on her right, and her favorite filly on her left. Emotions swelled inside the mare, like nothing she had felt before. They weren’t nerves, she had felt nerves before, it wasn’t anxiety, it was the fear of the unknown. 

Images of her mother’s smile shined in her head. The day her mother took her out to the county fair. The smiles, the laughs, and the memories came back with force. All the good flashed before her eyes. Instantly those images faded away, and taking their place were images of her parents yelling at each other, the day before they left. Her mother not reading her a bedtime story that night. Days, weeks, and years at flight school alone. The nightmares, the scary things, the boogie monsters, all came back to mind. An image of a filly tossing and turning in her sleep, softly crying. Rainbow Dash shook her head violently in an effort to make the images go away. 

“Are you …” Fluttershy injected, staring at her friend with interest. 

“I’m fine. Okay? Just fine.” 

Fluttershy reached over and put her hoof on Rainbow’s back. On a normal day she would have removed the hoof off her back, but today was no normal day. She sat there and just accepted it. The images all started to fade, but one image faded slower than the others. It was her mother’s smile. Rainbow looked into the sun, with image in mind, and let out a small grin.


***


“Everypony getting off at Canterlot, this is your stop!” the conductor yelled, standing outside the train on the platform. The trio packed up their things from the train and began to set off. The conductor was right outside the door that they had exited from. He looked over to Rainbow Dash. “You have a good day, madam.” 

Pffffffft, not likely, she thought. “Thank you,” Dash still replied, though without much enthusiasm. 

The sun was just over the horizon, still the morning light persisted. The trio stood in awe at Canterlot in the early dawn. The light beaming off all the windows of shops, stores, and hotels. It was a perfect sunrise, nothing out of place, everything in check. The sounds of early daybreak progress could be heard. The trio walked on, still in shock of Canterlot’s beauty. Unicorns, earth ponies and pegasi slowly filled the streets and began their days. Eventually they passed the castle, rays of light hit it just right and the crystals inside shone brightly. The steep walls fully illuminated in Celestia’s ball of fire.

“Wow,” Scootaloo muttered, with eyes as wide as saucers looking at the sight before her. 

Rainbow Dash looked over to Scootaloo and smiled, pulling her close. The glimmers from the windows could be seen in the filly’s eyes. Scootaloo wanted the moment to last forever, and so did Dash. The cyan mare and orange filly staring onward toward the beautifully illuminated Canterlot castle. In this moment Rainbow felt truly happy, freedom in a way. 

Fluttershy interrupted the moment by tapping on Rainbow’s shoulder and pointing to the road. One last glimpse was all the more she got. Her eyes were glued on the castle and its beauty. 

The trio continued on uninterrupted, Scootaloo’s head swung from side to side catching every sight to be seen. Dash laughed to herself, Scootaloo really had never explored Canterlot before. Fluttershy led on, heading directly for the hospital, and guiding her friends all the while. Eventually stumbling upon a large yellow shaded building. Its height and size was menacing, the windows were minimal. The beautiful sun shone on it, but no reflections came from the hospital. 

This is it. Rainbow thought to herself, following Fluttershy through the front door, closely followed by Scootaloo. The waiting room was quiet, a couple of pegasi and unicorns were scattered throughout the room. The only noise was coming from a small filly that must have been no older than 5 months old, crying in her mother’s hooves. The mother tried desperately to silence her young foal, as the three walked on by toward the front desk. 

“How can I help you?” The clerk never looked up, and continued to type feverishly on her keyboard.

“Um, yes. Visitors here for Mrs. Dash,” Fluttershy announced, as the clerk continued to type.

“Hm, let me see here. Oh yeah, third floor. Room 316.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said weakly, beginning the search for the elevator. 

Dash’s heart rate rose as Fluttershy found the elevator and called it down. There was no backing out now, no escape. The ding of elevator interrupted her thoughts as Fluttershy entered, followed by Rainbow Dash, and last but not least, Scootaloo. 

The elevator ride only took about a minute, to Rainbow it was an entirety. She hadn’t seen her father or mother in years. She was no pony for emotions, or lovey dovey things. Really what was Fluttershy thinking, did she honestly expect me to come here and just poof, make amends with my parents? Her anger started to quell for Fluttershy taking her to the hospital. It was quickly stopped by the loud ding of the elevator. Fluttershy, again, was the first out of the elevator, Scootaloo went next, leaving Rainbow in the elevator by herself. 

“Come on, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy urged. “It’s just around the corner.”

Dash felt like her feet were 500 pounds each as she slowly walked out of the elevator. She turned only to see the doors close, her only escape was gone. Signs were hung high above the doors. 300 to 312 were in the hall next to the elevator. 

Again, what seemingly took 30 seconds to reach the end of the hall, felt like eons to Dash. Left hoof, right hoof, left hoof, right hoof, she had to think to herself. Eventually reaching room 312, they rounded the corner to a site Dash had not seen in years, nor she wanted to see. An older stallion sat outside room 316 on a bench, with hooves in his face. At the moment the trio rounded the corner he looked up, and a wide smile dawned on his older but still fresh looking face. 

“Dashie!” the stallion exclaimed, trotting down the hall. 
> Ghosts From the Past
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Dash’s heart skipped a beat. The stallion that spent the entirety of her foalhood trying to avoid her, was now approaching her. The pain that pegasus had inflicted on her was immense, and that very same pegasus was right in front of her.

“Go back to the elevator,” Rainbow Dash muttered quietly, looking on toward her friend and Scootaloo.

“But, Rainbow Dash-”

“No, go to the elevator, please,” Dash interrupted, her voice showing signs of stress and fatigue. Dash looked directly at Scootaloo and motioned with her eyes to leave, she caught one last glimpse from Scootaloo’s face. She was obviously depressed that she would not get the chance to meet Mr. and Mrs. Dash, but Rainbow didn’t care. The longer Scootaloo stayed away from them, the better. Dash also caught one last glimpse of Fluttershy who began to walk away, not wanting Rainbow to get mad at her, she complied, mission accomplished. The yellow mare gave a look that said good luck.

The stallion kept coming right toward Rainbow. She looked down and sighed as she watched her friends exit around the corner. No going back now, Dash.

The stallion reached Rainbow Dash and tried to embrace her in a hug. However, she swiftly placed a hoof on his chest, stopping all forward movement. A look of disappointment shone on his face, as his only daughter refused his gesture.

He was an older stallion now, but he still looked relatively young. Her parents had her when they were quite young. Only a couple of wrinkles were visible on his face, his feathers and coat were dirty, but still had a bright glow. Her father quickly picked himself up from her rejection and looked on his daughter.

“I am so glad you made it. I knew you were going to show up, so did you mother. I knew it.” The older stallion looked at his daughter, trying to read her emotions. Dash just stood there looking at the stallion before her, thinking all the while.

“You can thank Fluttershy later. Let’s just get this over with, okay?” Rainbow pushed past her father and started for room 316. The stallion stood there again, his daughter had denied him twice.

“I knew this wasn’t going to be pretty,” he muttered as he began to trot toward his daughter again. Rainbow Dash had stopped in her hoof steps and turned around to her father. The day he had left her was on her mind. He had never bothered to do anything that day, all he did was say goodbye. Anger coursed through her veins as she turned and faced her father.

“Pretty? You thought this was going to be pretty? You left me! Your only daughter, you left and barely made a goodbye.” She pointed directly at her father, and raised her voice. “You expected this to be pretty? That I would just forget what you have done to me? You’re getting old, old man.”

“Dashie, dear...”

“Don’t you ever! Ever! Call me Dashie! Do you understand? My friends call me Dashie, as well as ponies I respect, neither of which are you.” Her voice raised.

“I was dumb, okay? That was when I was younger, I realize my mistakes, I really do! I was heartless and didn’t really care. Happy?”

“Happy? You’re a long way off, old man. You left me, alone, with nopony else.” Her hoof slowly lowered toward the floor as she continued on. The stallion stood there in silence, in shock of his daughter’s words.

“How many times do I need to say, that I am sorry? I will do it,” the stallion replied quickly, watching his daughter trot off. She abruptly turned around once again.

“You don’t have enough time in this lifetime, or even the next. I had to worst foalhood imaginable. I would never wish that upon anypony, not even my worst enemy. Where were you when I needed somepony the most, huh?”

“Dashi-...”

“Don’t say it! You were in Los Pegasus, that’s where. Living your own life, living your own dreams, being yourself. Did you ever once think of me? Or were you having to much fun?”

Her father moved forward, closer to Dash. He knew it was going to be bad, but not this bad.

“I did, every day.”

“Horse manure,” Dash remarked with anger. She looked directly into her father’s magenta eyes. He had lost the glow in his eyes that she first saw when she turned the corner. Her father sighed, looking back up toward his daughter.

“I pushed it out of my mind though. I am sorry Dashi-” The cyan mare cringed at her father’s words. Immediately realizing his mistake, he corrected himself. ”I mean Rainbow Dash, I was an idiot, I realise that. I shouldn’t have left, if anything blame me, not your mother!” he snapped back. “She loved you! The first year when we were in Los Pegasus she cried almost every night. I made her into what she was. She cried for hours on the train ride, she begged me to turn around and go back home. Hate me all you want! Yell at me all you want! I don’t care! I deserve everything. But don’t you dare for one second put this on your mother!” His voice too was now raised as he stared back directly into Dash’s eyes.

“She still went with it, she could have left. You’re forgetting she had a choice! A choice! And she chose to stay with you, and leave me. It may be your fault, but she is not without fault,” Rainbow Dash yelled, putting her face right in front of her father. A couple of moments went by, both mare and stallion not breaking eye contact for a moment.

“How am I supposed to fix this?” He finally broke the silence in the hallway. A couple of nurses were down the hall, staring at the pair and their screaming match.

“You could have fixed this a long time ago! But you didn’t, you ran from your responsibilities like a scaredy pony.” Dash moved her face closer, leaving inches between father and daughter.

“Please, just give me a chance. Please. I can make up for this.” Her father pulled back, changing his whole demeanor. His aggressive stance had been replaced with a laid back one. His voice lowered and his breathing slowed.

“That’s it. I’m out!” Dash pushed her father aside and began to head down to the corner.  Her father stood there, mouth agast.

“Rainbow, wait! Please!” He turned and began to follow his daughter who quickly began to pick up her pace.

“I am done. I don’t know why Fluttershy even bothered bringing me,” Rainbow Dash yelled turning the corner heading for the elevator. Her father following close behind her. A soft hoof landed on her backside, stopping all movement forward. Her temper flared, how dare he lay a hoof on me! She spun and threw his hoof off her back with a great force. “I don’t want to see you. Hear from you. Talk to you. I don’t even want to hear your name mentioned. Do you understand that?”

Her father was shocked. He watched in stunned silence as Dash began running off toward the elevator. Tears began to form under her bouncing rainbow mane.

“Dashie,” her father whispered under his breath, holding his hoof that touched his daughter. He fell to his hindquarters on the ground, his mouth once again open. He buried his hooves into his face. He had failed, his one chance to make everything better, had gone down in failure.

“Rainbow Dash, where are you going?” Fluttershy questioned, watching her friend sprint by her. Scootaloo stood shocked at her mentor running away. Rainbow Dash quickly turned into the elevator not wanting anypony to see her like this. She began mashing the ‘close now’ button labeled on the panel inside the elevator.

“Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy’s voice came from outside the elevator doors. “Where are y-” Her words were cut off by the closing doors.




***



“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy screamed, punching the button, which was more similar to a light tap, to call the elevator back up. It was to no use, the elevator just kept going down. Fluttershy looked down the hall toward Dash’s father. Patients looked out of their rooms, stirred up from the screaming match. Fluttershy could only smile as she walked by all their rooms. Each pony was looking out into the hall trying to figure out what was going on. Eventually Fluttershy made her way down the hall toward Rainbow’s dad, who still sat on the floor, hooves buried into his face. Scootaloo slowly followed behind, also smiling from all the attention.

“What happened?” Fluttershy asked, laying a hoof on the stallion.

“I screwed up! That’s what happened. I really screwed up, didn’t I?” The stallion sat there as tears began streaming down his hooves.

“Well, I don’t know that. But as you may or may not know. Rainbow Dash can kind of be, um... touchy?” Scootaloo finally arrived, and stood next to the mare. The living breathing father of the coolest pegasus in all of Equestria was sitting right in front of her. Oh, the questions that I have! The swelling questions inside of her wanted to burst out of her mouth, until she couldn’t help herself anymore.

“What was Rainbow Dash like as a filly? I bet she was as awesome as she is now,” blurted the filly.

“Um, Scootaloo. If you don’t mind I would like to talk to him about some adult business.” She looked on with a little shock from the filly’s outburst. That wasn’t like Scootaloo.

“No, no it’s fine. She can be here if she wants to, are you Rainbow’s filly?” The stallion lifted his head from his hooves and looked at the filly. They had the same mane, similar attitudes, and same spunk. Fluttershy was taken aback by Dash’s father’s complete lack of knowledge. A moment of silence ensued.

“No-” Fluttershy tried to speak but was cut off.

“I wish! She would be the best mother in all of Equestria! She would teach me how to fly, pick me up from school, and hang out. That would be amazing.” Scootaloo bounced, excited that somepony would even think that about her. She tried so hard to be like Rainbow, and now she knew it was working.

“I am sure she would be. I just hope she will find a better stallion than I am.” His head dropped back down toward the floor, obviously depressed. Still sitting on the floor, he began to speak.

“I know I messed up, I realize that now. I guess you don’t know what you’re missing, until it’s gone. If I could take back the past, I would do so in a heartbeat.” He paused for a second and cleared his throat. “I had something great, something amazing, and I never truly wanted it. Until now, and that option is gone.” A tear rolled off his cheek and started to roll down his neck.

Anypony could see the love in his eyes, the regret, the sorrow, and the pain. Fluttershy was the most affected. She had to fix this, she just had to. The mare didn’t have a clue how she was going to do it, but it was going to be done. Fluttershy patted the stallion on the back trying to comfort him.

“So what did you do to her?” Scootaloo blurted out, wanting to hear it from the source. Fluttershy was absolutely shocked this time around. Her mouth stood aghast.

“Scootaloo! You-” Fluttershy began, but was yet again interrupted.

“It’s alright. That’s a valid question, and I need to start giving answers,” Dash’s father assured, clearing his throat. “I never really expected to be father, it was always in the back of my head. I never really cared. When my wife became pregnant, I was shocked. Oh, her mother was jumping up and down, really excited. Her mother had been on birth control and everything, I never expected it to happen. When Rainbow was born her mother was so happy, she cradled Rainbow Dash for hours. I had seen her being born, but shortly there after I went out to the bar.” The stallion looked to be in pain as he spoke, choosing his words carefully. Scootaloo listened intently hearing every word and submitting it to her memory.

“I was there for hours, getting wasted. I couldn’t handle it. The fact that I had brought a living breathing creature into this world. Even worse to me at the time was the fact that she would call me...” He paused again for a moment almost choking on his words. ”Daddy. That was the lowest time in my life, I couldn’t see anyway out. I had nowhere to go and hide, this was my filly.”

Water starting to swell around his eyes. Fluttershy kept rubbing his back as his head dropped lower into his hooves. “My filly. My Rainbow Dashie. My daughter. Eventually I came back to the hospital, hammered. The nurses almost didn’t let me in, I had to convince them that I was just on pain meds. That was difficult, when I could barely walk straight, and I smelled like alcohol.“ A small grin came across his face as he remembered the day vividly. “Once I finally got back to the room, there she was. It was like a mirror image from what I had seen earlier. Dash’s mother had the biggest grin on her face as she looked down at Rainbow. She was like that for hours.” The grin on his face was wiped away. Fluttershy and Scootaloo both stood there not really knowing what to do. They wanted him to explain, but they didn’t expect this.

“The day we brought her home, she wouldn’t let Rainbow Dash on the ground for a moment. I swear I only saw that filly in her mother’s arms for at least 2 weeks. Every time I stared at Rainbow Dash, I froze. That thing that my wife was holding, was my daughter, genetically mine. I went off the deep end. I couldn’t really help, I just couldn’t. I wasn’t used to responsibility like that. And at the time I didn’t like it.” Slowly the he began to choke on his words as he continued. “I volunteered to work late every night, I never truly wanted to go home. She was such a cute little filly, and I just don’t understand why, but I couldn’t go home. My friends and her friends would always walk up to me and tell me how cute my daughter was. I couldn’t stomach it. I wasn’t ready to be parent. So I hid, until my company offered me a job out in Los Pegasus.”

By now Dash’s father was having trouble speaking, tears began to swell again. “I saw that as my one chance to leave. I knew of a flight school that would keep Rainbow all year round, and I had a friend who worked there hook me up. That was my one way out, and I took it. I took it!” He slammed his hoof into the ground making a thud, the sudden change of emotion startled Scootaloo. “And darn it! I took it. Her mother hated the idea, to this day I don't understand why she didn’t leave me. I really wish she had. I would have left myself, if that was possible. I am ashamed to say this, but the day we left felt liberating. To this day I hate myself for that. My wife cried for two weeks once we arrived in Los Pegasus. I had to do everything, I made her into a monster, no, I forced her to become a monster. After a month or two, she just couldn’t cry anymore, and just became cold to everything. I was happy. Happy!” Pounding his hoof back into the ground again, he let tears out along the way.

Fluttershy looked on with sympathy, he was hurt, anypony could tell that. Dash’s father could not muster up the strength to continue as he wept. Fluttershy kept on rubbing her hoof on his back, trying desperately to console him. Nurses and doctors came back and asked if there was problem. Fluttershy just told them everything was fine, as he was unable to control himself. Eventually he picked himself up, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“And that’s what I did wrong, now you know. I bucked up, and I understand that. I would pay anything, do anything, or try anything to go back in time and smack myself in the face. I lost something that day, and ever since that day, I have been unable to get it back. Now I know that some mistakes can never be fixed. I will leave the hospital for a couple of hours, can you just get Rainbow Dash back in here? I just want her to be with her mother, that’s all. Tell her I am gone for good.” He dropped his head as she began to trot off toward the elevator. “By the way, those were not tears. And if you tell anypony that they were tears, well, then I will deny it.”

Scootaloo smiled hearing the famous catch phrase of her mentor being repeated by her father. They sat and watched Dash’s father slowly trot toward the elevator. His hoof steps slow and careful, head hung low, walking all over the hallway.

“Wait!” Fluttershy called out. The stallion turned his head slowly around to his daughter’s friend. “I will get her back here, I know I can. Stay here, please.”

The stallion paused, looking at the mare with a befuddled facial expression. “Did you not just hear what she said? She wants me gone, and I understand that. Rainbow won’t come back if I am here. I may not know my daughter well, but I know her well enough to be sure of that.”

“I know I can get her back here, with you in the building. I just know it.” Rainbow’s father turned his head back around and stood still in the hallway for a couple of moments, thinking. What more did he have lose? Her friend managed to get her here once, why wouldn’t she be able to accomplish that again?

“Okay,” the stallion muttered, turning around walking backward toward the two pegasi, his face still covered from his ‘fake’ tears. He stopped right next to Fluttershy and looked her in the eyes.

“If she, even if only for a minute, feels uncomfortable with me being there, I am gone.” The pair watched the stallion continue to come toward them, stopping a couple feet away. Scootaloo immediately looked over to Fluttershy, her mind obviously deep in thought.

“How do you plan on getting her back?” the stallion asked.

“I have no idea.”



***



Rainbow Dash wiped her face viciously, trying to rid herself of tears. The elevator was taking seemingly forever as it made its way down the hospital. The dimly lit elevator shone on the mare sitting in the corner. Her eyes became red with more tears coming to the surface. She continued to smash the ‘floor one’ button, desperately hoping it would somehow make the elevator descend faster.

The sign which displayed the floor numbers dropped steadily, stopping on floor two. The doors were brought open to a couple of ponies waiting for the elevator. A sense of shock overtook them at the scene displayed in front of them: a teary, wild-maned Rainbow Dash. One of the mares waiting pulled her daughter away from the elevator, into her hooves. They all stood and stared on in bewilderment.  

Even more desperately than before, Dash spammed the close door button. What only took a couple of seconds felt like years. Eventually the doors began to close, to her relief. One by one the groups’ faces were blocked from sight by the moving large metal wall. Rainbow slumped back into the corner of the elevator, now crying even more. Not only was she embarrassed beyond belief to be crying, but now everypony else had seen it too.

Why did I come here! Why! Why did I listen to Fluttershy, this was all a big mistake. I want to go home.

She became impatient waiting for the slow elevator to reach floor one. To her relief the sign displaying the floor number turned to one. One last good wipe was used to rub away any last tears that had come to her face, along with that one quick brush of her mane. She brought herself to her feet, ready and determined that nopony else was going to see her crying. Each muscle felt ready and willing for a sprint.

The large metal doors opened, revealing the same room she had been in not too much earlier. The mother and her filly had left, and the room was like before. A couple of doctors stood at the entrance to the elevator, talking and discussing. Across the room, light from outside was streaking in. The light was freedom, safety, a way out.

The doctors, like the ponies on the floor above, were shocked at the scene before them as the doors to the elevator fully opened. They didn’t have a chance to take in the whole scene and process it though. Rainbow Dash sprinted full speed, like a bat out of hell, for the light coming from the outside. She made easy work of the doctors waiting directly outside the elevator. There was a gap between two of them, and she took it. The ponies were pushed to the side as she squeezed her pegasus frame between them.

Rainbow Dash kicked up wind, running at full speed, causing papers and documents to fly about, while she sprinted toward the door.

“Hey!” one of the doctors screamed, losing his papers in the madness.

With each hoof step she was closer and closer to her goal. The temperature changed slightly as she neared the sunlight, this only spurred her on even more. Not even taking time to open the door, she charged on straight through them. The pain was masked by adrenaline starting to rush through her system. Rainbow Dash was blinded by Celestia’s sun, once outside.  

Instead of waiting to adjust to the sunlight, she continued running, not letting anything get in her way. Her heart began to race as she sprinted faster and faster, not wanting anypony to see her in her current state. Ponies barely had a chance to even to get a good look, all they saw was a cyan and rainbow blur pushing past them. She was running with no direction or destination, only purely to get away.

Street by street she ran through the city. The sun had risen more since they entered the hospital. Celestia’s ball of light shone brightly, illuminating all of the royal city. Canterlot was in full swing, ponies were out and about, doing tasks and enjoying the day. They looked onward in confusion at the cyan pegasus running in and out of allies, their day being interrupted by a rainbow blur.   

Eventually she ended up at the Canterlot Royal Gardens. The wide prominent statues lining the entrance, watched the cyan pegasus run straight in. The park was scarcely populated at this time of the day, nopony was even in sight. Without any care or hesitation Rainbow Dash ran down one of the ornate paths that led deep through the garden, without thinking.

With tears staining her eyes and mane she charged on the path full speed, picking up dirt and leaves as she ran. Nothing fazed her, not the dirt, nor the leaves. Rarity would throw a hissy fit if she was ever in this situation. The thought made Rainbow Dash laugh on the inside, this thought however, quickly passed as she saw two ponies walking the opposite direction on the path. Now that she was thinking rationally again, her reputation was her first goal. Hide, hide, hide. Nopony can see me like this, my life will be ruined!

Her head was thrown right and left, looking urgently for a place to hide. Her gaze eventually settled on a large oak tree that lay off the path. Immediately Rainbow Dash’s course of direction changed, straight for the oak tree. In her panic to find a hiding place she forgot to look at what laid before her. Thorn bushes laid down a wall between the pegasus and the great oak tree. But, it was too late.

The thorns jammed into her cyan coat. Ripping and tearing its uniform color, and adding a crimson color of its own. Bits and pieces caught her mane and entwined themselves inside of it. Her body was halfway through the bushes, and there was no stopping now. The sheer adrenaline rush was the only thing masking the debilitating pain. Almost through the bush the thorns became thicker, burning themselves inside the mare’s tough of outer coat.

The pain could still hardly be felt when she exited the bushes and continued on toward the tree. The two ponies in the distance had no clue of the ordeal unfolding in front of them only about 50 feet away. A couple more shrubs laid in the path to the tree, but they were easily tramped over. Safety, at last. The mare let out a sigh of relief as she slid under the tree. The pain not having fully set in.

Her lungs were breathing hard, her heart rate was elevated, and adrenaline ran through her system like water in a rapid. She was exhausted, but her mind was not. The recent dialogue with her father played over and over inside the mare’s head. The day they left for Los Pegasus as well, came to mind. Her mind went racing, analyzing and going over every last detail of her past, nothing was left out.

The rainbow maned mare sat there under the tree, dirty, bloody, thorn ridden, and physically exhausted. The barbed plant had left its prickly weapons all over Rainbow Dash’s coat and mane. Some blood seeped from some of the more major cuts that had been inflicted. The crimson color of her blood mixed in with her coat, giving off a color all its own. Vines from the bush lay scattered about in her mane like terribly placed hairpins, but much more painful.

Her body began to cool down, and as a side effect the pain started to kick in, only intensifying her tears. It felt like sharp daggers were stuck all over her body, like no other pain she felt before. The speed at which the mare ran only drove the thorns deeper. A mixture of emotional and anguish filled tears began to run down her face. It was overwhelming.

Slowly and carefully she began to pull the barbed nuisances out of her coat, only to cause more pain and blood. With each pull the suffering only increased, causing her face to cringe in agony. Her mind spun, with the day’s events only adding to the overall feeling.

The two ponies who were on the other side of the path eventually made their way down past the tree, under which Rainbow hid. They were close enough that Dash could hear their conversation, not that she could understand it with her own current problems. She bit her lip not wanting to cry out in pain and attract any unwanted attention. Keep walking, please keep walking. To the mare’s relief, the pair eventually passed, seemingly not having seen Rainbow Dash.

The pain was now excruciating, so she gave up on pulling out the rest of the thorns. It was not helping that her mind would not stop either. Images of her father and the early years of her life came flooding back like a violent storm. It was too much to handle, the world started to swirl around her as she laid over, sprawled out on the soft grass. The sun above her began to spin circles as she closed her eyes. The mare gripped the grass trying to get a hold of herself. Her hooves were violently shaking her head, in an effort to snap herself out of her trance, it was of no use.

Even with her eyes closed, the world still spun endlessly, her mind kept speeding up. Thinking harder and more about anything and everything it could. The heat from Celestia’s sun above felt like lava on her tarnished mane. It was too much, it all was too much to bear.

All of a sudden everything went blank, the pain, the agony, the thoughts, and the feelings. Simultaneously stopping, leaving her mind in pure nothingness. Control of limbs went as well, no longer was she able to move her hooves or wings. Silence swept over the mare as she faded out listening to the calm rhythm of her breathing.
> Letting Go of the Past
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Are you sure she went in here?” Rainbow Dash’s father questioned, following behind Fluttershy and Scootaloo. “I mean, a garden? Why not like the train station?”

The yellow pegasus turned around and faced the stallion. “That last pony we talked to said that she saw her run in here. So we gotta check.” As Fluttershy finished her sentence two ponies walked out from the entrance of the gardens, past the ever present watch of the statues. The same two ponies that Rainbow Dash had tried so desperately to avoid.

“Did you see that rainbow mare as well?”

“Yeah, but barely. She ran right through some thorn bushes just to hide from us. How rude?” Both ponies were well dressed in Canterlot’s finest apparel.

“I know, I do say.”

This caught the attention of the trio. All three looked at each other simultaneously as if to say, Rainbow Dash. They all stood in silence until one pony spoke.

“Hey,” the stallion called out. “Where did you see that mare?” Her father walked over to the two ponies, blocking their way.

“Down that way.” One of the two pointed to a path inside the gardens. “That silly mare ran straight through the thorns without a care. Who ever raised her obviously didn’t do a good job teaching her any common sense.” The snide remark hurt Dash’s father, and made him angry. No pony talks about Dashie, I mean Rainbow Dash, that way.

With one swift motion he grabbed the pony that made the remark by his collar and held him close. His eyes looking angrily into the wealthy unicorn’s pupils. The pony struggled to get loose, but he was no match for the sheer strength Dash’s father still had in him.

“Put him down, you brute!” the other pony said, in shock of what just happened. Dash’s father held the unicorn up for a couple of more seconds to make his point. He brought his face right up next to the terrified unicorn’s. “Nopony talks about my daughter like that. Do you understand me?”

The pony could not form a word in his mouth to save his life. He was petrified of the pegasus stallion detaining him. All he could do was nod his head in reply. Upon receiving the correct answer he threw the well dressed pony back onto the ground. The unicorn stumbled backward, barely catching his fall.

“Let’s get out of here!” the friend of the unicorn yelled out. Still scared for his life the other pony could only in response, shortly after both took off in a sprint away from the gardens.

Fluttershy and Scootaloo looked on in awe at the scene that had just unfolded in front of them. Both stood mouths aghast, and eyes glued to action. Rainbow Dash’s father brushed off his hooves and turned around to find the two frozen in shock.

“What?”

It was a couple of moments before one of the two spoke up. “Was that really necessary?” Fluttershy managed to speak.

“Yes, nopony talks like that about my daughter.” Dash’s father stood proudly, a feeling of accomplishment swept through him as he started walking down the path of which the two ponies pointed out. “Come on, you mares coming?”

Both pegasi quickly jumped out of their confusion and sprinted to catch up. Their heads scanned the gardens, looking for a unique cyan signature. The sun was high above, about mid day, its brightness illuminating the garden in full. The ornate and stunning plants of the gardens were on full display. Fluttershy could not help but to get lost in the beautiful lush colors. Scootaloo surveyed the plants thoroughly, not getting distracted like Fluttershy, she had a job to do and it had to be done right.

The trio kept walking until something caught Scootaloo’s attention as she passed by. A glimmer of cyan briefly struck her eyes. For a second it was pushed out of her mind as if it was a mistake, but she turned around and retraced her steps. Fluttershy and Rainbow’s father immediately stopped and shot the filly a puzzled look when she stopped and walked backwards. The stallion stared upon Fluttershy, who only responded with a shrug.

Step by step the orange pegasus retraced her steps, trying to find that cyan light. Her eyes scanning all over, taking in all the light possible. The filly’s light purple eyes glowed surveying everything in sight, until she found it.

Quickly she stopped and planted her hooves into the ground, concentrating on the light. Slowly, the filly walked to the edge of the path toward the thorns blocking most of her sight. Her purple eyes fixated on the color.

“There!” Scootaloo pointed into the bushes. “I think she’s lying down.”

Upon hearing the filly’s words, both adult pegasi took action. Rainbow’s father quickly ran over to the filly and flew over the thorns, heading in the direction she had pointed. His strong wings easily letting him glide over the treacherous plant. Fluttershy was next to arrive, but before jumping over the shrubs she looked down at the filly. Scootaloo sat down on the ground, not being able to make the short flight over the bushes. The mare reached down and picked up the filly, cradling her in her arms during the flight. Even though she couldn’t fly, Scootaloo’s face lit up with joy at not being left out.

Once, leaping the foliage the line of sight to Rainbow Dash was clear. From a distance her father could see her thorn and blood laiden coat. A sense of panic overtook the full grown stallion as he sprinted to check on his daughter. His hooves slid through the soft grass as he tried to stop himself before the cyan heap that laid below his feet. Upon reaching the scene he was able to establish the severity of the situation. His hooves were quickly placed on the mare’s neck, trying to get a heartbeat. The stallion lowered his head to Rainbow’s chest, also checking for breathing. The smooth rhythm of his daughter’s breathing was enough to calm him down.

The scene before him struck home. His one and only daughter, the thing he had lost, lay on the ground unconscious and helpless. Images of Rainbow Dash as a filly swept through his mind. Her soft, smooth tiny mane, replaced by a large flowing thorn ridden one. That small filly frame, replaced with the stature of a full grown mare. His daughter at one point could have been held in one hoof, now longer was this possible, she was all grown up. And he had missed everything.

“Oh my gosh! Rainbow Dash are you alright?” Fluttershy managed to say while sprinting with the filly toward the scene. Scootaloo was released from the mare’s grip, and she as well sprinted over to the scene. The orange pegasus arrived to a horror that she had never before seen the likes of. Her mentor, sister, mother lay bloody and dirty on the grass. Her orange hooves poked Dash’s cyan coat, evoking no response from the mare.

“Is she dead?” A tear dawned her face, at just the thought of her mentor being dead right before her.

“No, this used to happen when she was very young.” The stallion bent down and combed some of the thorns out of his daughter’s tarnished mane, resembling his mane in color. “She would get so worked up and excited, that she would sometimes pass out. I remember when her mother bought tickets for a Wonderbolt show. She got so worked up and excited she ran laps and laps around the house, trying to calm herself down. Eventually the excitement and emotions were just too much, and she just kinda passed out.” Carefully he lifted his daughter upright, her limp body giving no response to the stimuli. With ease the strong stallion gently placed Dash on his back, her mid section on the middle of his back.

“I would have thought she would have grown out of this by now. And don’t worry, I think I still remember how to get her up. Come on, let’s get her back to my hotel.”

Fluttershy and Scootaloo, not questioning the stallion immediately, got up and started to followed him closely behind. There friend lying limp on the back of her father. Citizens looked on with concern as they walked back through Canterlot, heading for the hotel. The trio got stares from almost everypony they came into contact with, they were not sure whether or not the cyan pegasus was dead.

Eventually they reached the hotel and took a long silent ride through its elevator. Nopony really had anything to say. The hotel was clean and proper, not a dump by any standards. The halls were covered with ornate artwork and styling, carpets looked like they were cleaned every night, and the whole building smelled of cleanliness and flowers. Somepony had payed a pretty bit for the hotel room, which was conveniently placed on the top floor.

Dash’s father quickly pushed in the door key, revealing a large, well furnished penthouse suite. The designs inside were even more intricate than the styling outside. The colors popped, and the carpet sparkled. Scootaloo looked on in amazement, never having seen luxury like this.

“What did you do to afford a place like?” Scoots’ mouth dropped wide as she stared at the large, raised ceiling that hung high above her head. The stallion did not immediately answer the question, he quickly trotted toward a large window with a view of Canterlot. Under the window stood a large couch that he slid back, giving it more of an open configuration.

“I will tell you later.” His hooves slowly reached back and grabbed his daughter. Carefully she was raised off her father’s back and onto the couch. Although passed out, Rainbow Dash looked peaceful, almost as to say ‘Don’t wake me, I’m having a great sleep’.

“Okay, if I still remember correctly there is way to wake her right up. Go find Donut Joe, tell him first off, I sent you. He won’t make you pay. Tell him I need the old Dash Special, he should remember what that is, at least I hope so. That woke her up every time she had one of these fits, I hope it still works.”

“Yeah, okay, we can do that. Come on, Scootaloo.” Fluttershy looked over at the filly to see her head still staring up at the ceiling, in awe of its design. “Come on, Scootaloo.” The yellow pegasus wrapped her hooves around the filly and started to pull her out of the hotel room.

Moments later the door shut behind the pair, leaving Rainbow Dash and her father. The sunlight beamed in and illuminated the mare’s bright mane and coat. Her father immediately set to work and started pulling thorns out of his daughter’s body. Each pull was deliberate and careful, as to not hurt Rainbow Dash. After each prick was pulled, a bandage was carefully placed over it.

Through the whole process he couldn’t get the idea out of his head that this thing in front of him, was his daughter. Flesh and blood, her mane similar to his, their muscular bodies and wings, stunningly similar. He had created this life that sat before him, unconscious. Her life was created using his DNA, and each every cell inside the mare was almost identical to his.

Her foalhood had gone by. The only things he ever really witnessed first hoof was her birth and conception. The rest of his time was spent trying to avoid and dodge his responsibilities. The early years of her life where he would come home late just to avoid any confrontation. All of his priorities were different, him first, wife second, and daughter third. Only now did he realize the mistake in his ranking.

Once finished with her mane, the stallion moved closer. It was covered in dirt and debris from the thorn bushes. Each and every strand had been imbedded deeply from the sprint through the wretched plant. With each hoof stroke another thorn was removed, revealing a bright rainbow in its wake. Her father carefully ran his daughter’s soft mane through his hoof tips, each silky smooth, the only thing left over from her foalhood. He set the debris off to the side and shortly after, he finished the job.

He admired his job. Bandages lay scattered about on the cyan surface, all the blood and thorns had been removed. Rainbow Dash’s mane was left without impurities, one could say it almost sparkled without the debris. For a couple of moments Dash’s father stood back and admired his daughter. My daughter, my Dashie. His heart ached for his daughter, and at this moment he could not deny it.

Anger started to swell inside the stallion. Why am I such an idiot? I missed out on all this! Her foalhood, her teenage years, and most of her young adulthood. What more can I miss? His right hoof swung furiously, knocking over a vase in a sheer anger. The vase shattered into a million pieces upon impact. This only intensified his anger. Great, just great! What have I become, so angry at such a stupid thing. After a quick walk around the penthouse he returned back to the site of the shattered vase.

He looked up at his daughter and down back to the vase. I can fix this, and I will. She instantly set out in the room, looking for something. Moments later he returned with an empty shoe box. Piece by piece the shattered vase was lifted into the box, every piece was found and placed carefully into the box. Once complete, he sat on the floor and looked at the broken pieces that sat before him. I can fix this. He got up and walked over to the kitchen and placed the box directly on the kitchen table, setting it down gently.

I don’t care what the consequences, or what I have to do. I will fix this. I don’t care if I have to fly ten million miles then run five million more, I will fix this. No matter the trials or tasks set before me, I will be a part of my daughter’s life. I have to fix this, and will. Rainbow’s father turned around back to his daughter. His eyes looked longingly upon Dash. The once small helpless filly left at flight school was no longer innocent, a full grown mare had taken her place. The stallion took a seat next to Rainbow on the couch and looked out of the glass window overlooking the city. His hoof stroked his daughter’s mane, as he looked out the window, thinking.

Around 40 minutes later the pair returned exhausted and out of breath, with a bag. Both Fluttershy and Scootaloo’s manes were in disarray, like they had just run 10 miles. Once they entered, the stallion immediately jumped up to meet them.

“We... got the... stuff... you asked for,” Scootaloo wheezed, pausing in between breaths.

“We got it... as fast as we... possibly could,” Fluttershy added, in the same shape as her friend.

Rainbow Dash’s father quickly walked over and snatched the bag out of Fluttershy’s hooves. “Glasses and water are over there by the sink.” He pointed to the sink, opening the bag as he walked back over to Dash. Scootaloo and Fluttershy, with what energy they had left, made their way over to the sink where Rainbow’s father pointed.

The bag was opened with haste, revealing an ugly looking donut with rainbow sprinkles on top. The donut had enlarged from the contents that were housed within it. An odd smell originated from inside of the warm confection. Steam rose off the freshly baked pastry while being brought to Dash. Carefully the donut lowered right under Rainbow Dash’s nose, the steam and smell filling her nostrils. Fluttershy and Scootaloo were over by the sink gulping down water as fast as possible when it happened.

The darkness had left Rainbow Dash’s head. Her mind began to start thinking and processing. Memories, names, dates, and friends all came rushing back to mind, like her life was flashing before her eyes. Images of her father began to arise, as a familiar, yet unknown, smell overwhelmed her. It was something that she remembered from early foalhood, but could not put a name to it. The days where her father had taken her out while she was young, came flooding back to her for some unknown reason .

The day her father had taken her to a Wonderbolts show, the day the Equestrian Games were being announced, and a few others she remembered. Certain images of her father smiling and laughing along with her held close. All the good times they had together. Meanwhile, her brain started to pick up with speed, eventually letting her open her eyes, revealing a donut right in front of her face.

It was the Rainbow Special, that’s where she remembered it. The donut treat Donut Joe tried to sell once, that caused all of his customers to vomit but Rainbow Dash. That day was special to Rainbow Dash. Donut Joe had tried a new recipe, something to experiment with. The first day he sold them, at least 5 customers puked from the revolting taste. Right before his shop closed and the last donut was thrown away, Dash and her father walked in. Joe had given them the rest of the dozen for free. He said he was throwing the rest away. Her father immediately spit out the pastry upon tasting it. Rainbow almost reluctantly tried the confection, and to her surprise she loved it.

The taste was out of the world to her, everything was in the right quantities and places. To Dash, it was the perfect treat. The first one was gulped down almost immediately after tasting it, and second was quickly lifted from the donut box. Like the first, she swallowed it down almost whole, in total love with the flavor. Both Joe, and her father looked in horror at the filly swallowing donut after donut. Eventually Rainbow reached her limit, but not wanting to stop she kept going, not listening to either adults’ warnings. The old saying of what goes in what must come out held true, on the 7th donut it all came flooding out, staining the clean floor. That was where she remembered the donut from.

Her head carefully lifted off the soft couch, as she tried to move to an upright position. Slowly Rainbow Dash’s eyes started to open, revealing her change in location. The first thing that filled her vision was the sight of her father, holding a donut in her face. The last memory in her mind was in the park, now for some unknown reason she was in a fancy hotel room. The stallion watched his daughter slowly coming to terms with reality again.

“What, what happened?” Rainbow Dash groaned, wiping her eyes.

“You passed out, like you did when you were younger.” He sat the donut down right next to the cyan pegasus, and took a seat right next to her. Rainbow looked up to see her father looking directly out the window overlooking the city. The smell of the donut next to her pulled her attention away from her father, and back on it. I haven’t had one of these episodes in a while, I thought I outgrew those. More importantly how did he remember that?

“You remembered the donut?” The donut was lifted off the couch and brought close to her face again, absorbing its smell all over again. It brought Dash back to her foalhood, the good times. Rainbow’s mouth began to water at just the thought of eating the delicious pastry. It had been well over 10 years since she had one of these bad boys.

“How could I forget? On your seventh donut I thought you puked your guts out. Heck, I think that stain might still be there.” Both father and daughter laughed at the recollection of the distant memory. It was far in the past, but the way they laughed, it was like it happened yesterday. A silence fell over the two, nopony speaking.

“Rainbow, you know all I can say is sorry. And I know that’s not good enough, it’s not, but its all I can do.”

“Yeah, you think I don’t know, I hated your guts. Everyday I cursed you under my breath, all I ever wanted was somepony to be there for me.”

Dash’s words stung the older stallion a little, but he knew they were true all the while.

“I let you and your mother down.” He looked off, toward the sun outside, illuminating his face. “I am failure, I understand that now, I am nothing without your mother. I don’t know why she even stayed me with over the years, all I did was screw her over in the long run. I want you to know that, you and your mother, are the same pony, and I ruined that.”

Her father refused to look away from the window, like he was almost looking beyond the glass, beyond the view outside the window, beyond. Rainbow Dash remained silent, listening and watching.

“Your mother and you, are two peas in a pod. Strong, compassionate, loyal, loving, and awesome, truly two of kind. I’m glad you’re more like your mother than me, because what am I? A coward.” The stallion tilted his head, facing right toward his daughter, looking directly into her magenta eyes, matching his own.

“Heck, yeah I am. I forced your mother away, and she followed because she couldn’t make herself leave me. It’s all my fault!” Rainbow’s father punched the couch firmly, somewhat alarming Dash. It wasn’t a normal outlash, more of an inner rage, pent up for years, starting to be let out.

“She cried for weeks, after we left, weeks! And you want to know what I was doing about it? Nothing! Jack squat! All the pain I put her through, it was unjust, I wish she would have just left.”

Her father buried his hooves in his face, years of guilt were catching up.

“Sometimes I think I’m not your father at all. There is no way, you’re your mother’s daughter, not my daughter, you turned out too good to have come from me. You have great friends, ones that even accompanied you here. Friends that love you for who you are, and will always do so. I was never able to accomplish that in my whole life, and you did it within the first quarter of yours.”

Rainbow Dash looked at a broken stallion, that was torn down over the years. But that torn down pony, was her father. He breathed life into her, without him, she would never exist, none of this would have ever happened. All her friendships, relationships, and life would not have been created.

“I bucked up, I realize that now, and Dash-” Her father paused. “Rainbow Dash, I don’t ever expect you to forgive me. If I were you I would never forgive the pony that abandoned me for the entirety of my young life. But, I didn’t come here to beg for forgiveness for myself, I just want you to forgive your mother. That’s my new goal, and if I can at least make that happen, well then I can die happy.”

The older stallion looked up, back into his daughter’s eyes once again. This time, his were eyes teary red, drops of water flowing down his cheeks, off his head and onto the couch below.

“Your mother was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I overlooked that gift everyday of my life. She loves you, Dash, she really does, take it from me if you can. I just want to do something right for the first time in my life, show her I can do something, for the right reasons. To thank her for everything, for putting up with me, loving me, and teaching me. If I could switch places with her, I would do it a heartbeat, without a doubt. Why she is in the hospital ill, and I am healthy, I don’t know.”

The stallion stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes simultaneously.

“Please, Rainbow Dash. All I ask is one thing, please forgive your mother. I know, I know, I am in no place to ask you of anything. If anything it should be the whole way around, you making me do things. But if you do, I can leave once again, and know that I will never come back, bother you ever again. I will always be there though, waiting, if on the off chance you did want to talk, but only with your consent. And when you want me to leave, I’m gone.”

He moved off, leaving Rainbow Dash and the donut on the couch, quickly trotting toward the sink to clean himself up. The cyan mare looked at the donut, then out the window, trying to see what her father saw. The soft sound of running water broke her concentration.

She quickly scanned her surroundings, honing in on a white patch on her side. A bandage, stained crimson red in the middle. Shortly after making that discovery, she found a couple more scattered all over her body, each placed with care, deliberately. Dash had no recollection of putting them on herself, and she had yet to see Fluttershy or Scootaloo, so it must have been... her father.

“How far away are the Canterlot gardens from here?”

The question took the stallion of guard, while continuing to wash his face.

“Um, I don’t know, maybe a mile or two.”

There was no way Fluttershy could have gotten her here, with wings and all. Scootaloo couldn’t have either, she didn’t have a scooter and was too young. That left one pony once again... her father.

Gears turned in Rainbow’s head, he had taken the time to bandage her up, walk her over a mile on his back, and get her this donut, which had eluded her for some many years. For the first time, her attitude toward her father wasn’t strictly hate, although still there in a much smaller amount. The thought that crossed her mind, was a shock to her, something she had never thought possible since foalhood.

“I’ll go.”

Although Rainbow Dash couldn’t see it, her father’s face lit up, letting out a sigh of relief at the same time. Nopony said a word as he finished wiping off his face and returned to the couch. Taking a seat next to his daughter, he resumed his watch out the window. A weight had just been lifted from his soul, like some small goal had just been achieved.

At that moment something happened in Rainbow Dash’s head, something that nopony could have seen coming. Forgiveness. Her father had left her early on in life and tried to stay away. But, deep down inside him, he always had a love for his daughter. It was only now in his life that he could recognize it. I will always hate him for what he did, but he can at least try to make up for it, can’t he? Instantly her whole demeanor toward her father changed, he had remembered the donut and everything.

Time for thinking was done, it was now time for eating. With her body still lying down, she managed to prop herself just upright enough to swallow comfortably. All the while the mare’s taste buds welled with anticipation of the gooey goodness about to grace her mouth. The first bite sent Dash into heaven, it was just like she remembered it. All the flavors blending together perfectly, and the whole treat encased in warm dough. Each bite there after was slow and deliberate, savoring every single moment. Rainbow’s father looked down upon the cyan pegasus eating away, in ecstasy.

“I still don’t understand how you like those. I guess that’s what makes you unique. The only pony in Equestria able to stomach those.”

“Oh, shut up,” Rainbow Dash managed to say, with her mouth full. “It’s good and you know it. You’re just not stallion enough to say it.” After finishing the sentence, her full attention was again set back to the donut.

The stallion watched his daughter munch away in happiness, just like how he remembered from all those years back. The whole time he couldn’t get over how cute Rainbow Dash looked, lying on the couch with her mane and tail sprawled all over, eating away. Love and a feeling of closeness overcame him, while without thinking he placed his hoof on the mare’s cyan shoulder. Quickly remembering back to their conversation earlier, his hoof violently retracted, thinking of his daughter’s words.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it. I just forgot, don’t get mad. I will leave you alone.”

Rainbow Dash pulled her head back from her sliver of donut that still existed, and looked up at her father. Truth be told, she didn’t care anymore. He had remembered that one crucial memory, that Dash herself had forgotten in time. Really, she actually kinda liked it.

“I never told you to stop.”

Dash’s father did a double take, as if to question whether or not she had just said what he thought she did. Love overcame the stallion as he laid his hoof back down on his daughter’s shoulder. The warmth from her body radiated up his hoof and into his body. Seemingly warming his heart. In that moment everything had changed, his window of opportunity stood right before him, and there was no way he was going to miss out this time.

Both father and daughter sat there together on the couch staring out into Canterlot. Rainbow Dash carefully munched on her prized donut as it slowly became nothing. Celestia’s sun came gleaming through the window, illuminating the scene. The stallion took a moment and savored the scene for what it was. A new memory, a new opportunity and a new beginning. He had lost his daughter, and it was time to get her back.

Rainbow Dash too, took in the moment for what it was. A new day with her father, she never really had a dad, but that was about to change. A pony to be there for her, in the worst times and the best. A pony to help ease the nightmares, and sooth the soul. The kinda pony she needed as a foal, was now part of her life once again.

Throughout the entire scene, Fluttershy and Scootaloo watched from a distance, not wanting to interrupt the father daughter bonding. Scoots had tried to walk over, but the yellow mare quickly placed a hoof on her shoulder, stopping her movement. When the filly turned and started to ask why she was being stopped, Fluttershy quickly hushed her, not wanting to miss a second of the scene unfolding before her.  

So both of them sat idly by, and watched. The yellow pegasus couldn’t help but spawn a smile on her face. She had done it, after 10 years of trying and trying it finally happened. Their relationship had been rekindled. A bright future was now in front of them. For an hour everypony in the room just stayed put, neither talking nor moving. Watching the sun slowly dropping was the only source of entertainment.

After the hour had passed, Rainbow Dash’s father left for the hospital, and the others followed suit. This trip was completely different from the one earlier the day. A sense of calm precedence fell over all four ponies as they walked in silence toward the hospital. The streets of the royal city had peaked at around midday, and now they slow started to die down. Rainbow Dash didn’t notice but her father was smiling the whole time, grinning ear to ear, he had been given a chance.

The hospital was virtually the same as the time they left. Ponies of all ages sat in dull silence as they waited about the room. The papers Dash had knocked over had been cleaned up, and the staff had changed, meaning nopony would remember the incident, much to her relief. The group of four walked past all the ponies right under the nose of the clerk who just shot them a nod and kept looking at his computer screen. Rainbow Dash hit the button with the arrow pointing up, which lit up upon her touch. Again, nopony spoke as they shuffled inside the small elevator.

Swiftly the doors of the elevator closed leaving Fluttershy, Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash, and Dash’s father alone. Shortly after closing, the yellow mare pressed the floor 3 button. And shortly there after the elevator groaned to life, squeaking as it gained momentum. This trip was nothing like the first time around for Rainbow Dash, there was no fear, no pain, and no anxiety. One could say a feeling of calmness presided over her.

Each pony cast their gazes around the small elevator, making eye contact with everypony. Scootaloo’s eyes met Rainbow’s and both instantly smiled, the recent couple of days events had brought them closer than ever before. The filly’s heart skipped a beat as her idol looked upon her with love in her eyes. Moving around the room, Fluttershy stood next to Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash didn’t know what to think. Fluttershy had been the driving force for getting her to Canterlot in the first place. And without her none of this would have ever happened. The yellow pegasus let out a soft smile when their eyes met. Fluttershy was proud of her friend, she had worked years for this moment, and it finally was going to happen. For a moment Rainbow Dash didn’t know how to respond, she had to do something. Her mouth formed the words ‘thank you’, upon seeing her gesture the mare’s smile grew twice as large.

Last in the elevator was her father, he sat slouched back in the corner of the elevator, the grin he wore walking into the hospital with, had not faded. His eyes and coat seemed to glow, like life had just been pumped into his body. Their eyes met, and Rainbow Dash smiled, never had she thought in her wildest dream this would ever happen. Recognizing his daughter’s gesture, he picked himself off the wall, and moved his daughter toward him. Placing his hoof on her back. The cyan mare smiled back and placed her hoof on her father’s back likewise.

In seemingly no time at all the elevator doors opened, nopony had listened for the beep. Fluttershy and Scootaloo were first to empty out, leaving Dash and her father. Both walked out with their hooves still planted firmly on each other's backs.

Nothing in the hall had changed from earlier in the day. The fading sun still found a way to creep into the dimly lit hall. The four walked together down the hall to the corner, leading to Dash’s mother’s room. Images of what happened earlier came back to Dash. The hate, the anger, and the pain. The tears she had cried, along with the raging emotions, all of which were now replaced with a sense of calmness.

The ponies rounded the corner and headed straight toward room 316. Rainbow and her father continued to walk together, with Scootaloo and Fluttershy walking out ahead of them. Within moments they reached door, the yellow mare and filly stood outside the door and waited. Rainbow’s father and Dash herself trotted in first.

The cyan mare was met with something she would never have been prepared for. There in front of her, on a dry clean bed, laid her mother. Tubes and machines were hooked up to the pegasus, constantly beeping and running tests. The mare had not held off the side effects of ageing as well as her husband had. She was tired, face wrinkled, and breathing labored. The bright colors that used to illuminate her coat were replaced with tired dull ones, faded by time.

A window across the room caught a picture of the setting sun, coloring the room in all shapes of red, illuminating the room more than the lights. Rainbow’s mother laid straight up in the bed, with her head tilted to the side, looking out the window. Cables, wires, and monitors were hooked up all over her body and face as she tried to lay in comfort the best she could.

Upon hearing the group enter, the old mare used the remaining energy she had to move her head upright to see her guests. Her tired eyes immediately fixated on Rainbow Dash, she was not concerned with anypony else in the room, except for her. One could see her mind starting to go into overdrive at the sight of her daughter. The largest smile the cyan mare had ever seen dawned on the old pegasus’ face. A tear came to her mother’s eye as Rainbow Dash and her father approached her bedside.

Pushing past all the wires and cables connected to her body, Rainbow’s mother raised her left hoof up and grabbed onto her daughter, proving that she was not dreaming, and solidifying the fact that the cyan mare in front of her was the pony she thought it to be. Stroke by stroke Dash felt her mother’s warm hooves moving up her fore hoof, a sensation she had not felt since foalhood. The love and compassion in the old mare’s eyes could be easily seen by anypony in the room, her pupils glowed with excitement, the daughter who she had lost now returned. Both mother and daughter’s gazes connected, their eyes the exact same color and shade.

“I told you she would come,” Rainbow Dash’s father whispered, setting his hoof onto his wife's.

“Rainbow Dash,” she said weakly, gripping her daugher tighter, as if she was afraid that the cyan mare would leave. Her voice was soft and sweet, despite her current condition. Every word was a struggle but there was no force in Equestria that was going to stop her from being apart of this moment.

“Mom.” A tear formed in the cyan pegasus’ eye, matching her mother’s exactly. A couple moments of silence went by as the pair watched each other. The only noise came from the sound of beeps and pongs being generated from the equipment behind her.

At the same time, Fluttershy directed Scootaloo to the back of the room, at which end sat a couple of chairs. The filly didn’t give a fuss and happily walked toward the yellow mare, taking up a spot on soft seat. Each pony studying the touching scene in front of them, not wanting to miss one single moment.

“It’s all my fault honey. Rainbow Dash knows that now.” Tears covered the stallions eyes as he too started to cry. “It was all my fault and she knows it. She knows it. She knows...”

“No.” Dash’s mother struggled trying to form words. “It’s not your fault. It’s our fault, I let it happen as much as you did. I am not without blame.”

“That’s not what is important right now.” Rainbow Dash looked into her mother’s failing eyes. The sight before her was nothing like she had remembered from foalhood. Once strong, beautiful and graceful, now weak, sickly, and dying. It hurt some place in Dash’s heart that she had never felt before. Some place new, untouched and unused for years.

With her other spare hoof, Rainbow began to wipe the tears from her mother’s face, like she had done to her many years ago. The gesture made the old mare smile, remembering that she had done the same thing.

“I never thought I would say this, but...” She paused, thinking about her next words very carefully. An idea crossed her mind she would have never thought possible. “I love you, mom.” Forgiveness.  

The old mare was taken back by her daughter’s words. Never once had she thought those words would come from Rainbow Dash’s lips, not in anyone's wildest dreams. Even Dash’s father paused, he had never expected that to happen. He laid his hoof on his daughter’s back, as pride swelled inside the old stallion at his daughter's forgiveness.

Rainbow’s mother grabbed the cyan mare’s hoof tighter, never wanting the moment to pass. She struggled trying to form her next words.

“Just... promise me that you won’t make the same mistake we did... Please... live life to the fullest, find ponies you love, and never let them go.”

The cyan pegasus turned her head, staring back at her two friends sitting in the back of the room. “I already have.”

Both Fluttershy and Scootaloo smiled from her warm acknowledgement.  

“Although not intentional, you taught me the true meaning of friendship. A pony should never leave their friends or family hanging, not for any reason. Staying loyal to the ones you love is the most important thing.” Rainbow Dash’s eyes met Scootaloo’s as she kept speaking. “I noticed a filly in need. A filly not to much unlike myself, lacking a family, alone in this world as a foal. And so I did something about it, hopefully the adoption papers will go through so time next week.”

Fluttershy almost fell over in her chair upon hearing Dash’s words. She had done it, taken the plunge into parenthood of a foal. All the convincing and pleading had paid off. Scootaloo had a similar reaction. Upon hearing her mentor’s words, she too, almost fainted. Rainbow Dash and I are going to be sisters! She is adopting me! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!

The filly got up from her seat in an instant and began a sprint across the room, Jumping on the cyan mare’s waist in excitement.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” The orange filly’s hooves wrapped tightly around her mentor, not for one moment did she want this moment to end. The coolest, fastest, and most awesome pony in all of Equestria had just adopted her. Never again was she to be alone, lost without love. Never again would she live in fear of going back to the orphanage, a warm and happy home now would greet her everyday.

Rainbow Dash let go of her mother, and turned her whole attention to the filly wrapped tightly around her midsection. Tears formed in both her mother’s and father’s eyes while they watched the scene in front of them unfold. The stallion’s hooves rested gently in his wife's, watching the events happen before there eyes. The cyan pegasus bent down and returned the filly’s hug.

The tip of Celestia’s sun was just over the horizon out the window, coating the room in warm shades of red and orange from the spectacular sunset. Time seemed to slow down in that moment. Dash’s mother and father held hooves, observing. Fluttershy sat in the back trying to come to terms with what had just happened. And in the center were Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash, embracing each other in a hug unlike any they had ever shared before.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” Scootaloo began to join in with the group, and began to cry herself, the sheer emotions overwhelming the young pegasus.

Rainbow Dash’s parents were both thinking the same thing, and feeling the same thing. They had failed as parents, yes. But a feeling of pride welled inside them,  their long lost daughter conquered the disposition they had put her in. Rainbow Dash had beat it all, and proved that love wins every time, no matter what circumstances.

“I love you, Rainbow Dash.” Scootaloo was shocked at what she had just said, never once had she said it outloud, or even in public.

Both filly and mare continued to embrace, Scootaloo firmly wrapped around her mentor, as Rainbow Dash hugged back likewise. Two ponies not related at all, no relatives, no genes, no nothing in making them family. And yet they hugged, like two lost friends finally meeting each other again.

“I promise, Scootaloo. I promise to never leave you. I love you.”

   




   


> Epilogue 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Scootaloo, Scoot, Scoot, Scootaloo-”

No reply met the cyan mare as she continued to search for the purple maned pegasus. There was no way in the world she was going to be beaten by a filly. With each hoof step she passed tree after tree, bush after bush, looking. The mare's eyes took in all light, searching for the right shade of orange or purple. It would be easy to spot the reflection of purple from Celestia's sun that shone high above, but Rainbow Dash remained vigilant.

“I will have you know, I am the champion of Hide N’ Seek, you're done, squirt. You may as well just give up now.”

The trees and bushes were in full bloom, making finding the filly harder, but nonetheless Rainbow Dash was going to win. She vowed to leave no stone unturned, or tree unsearched, in her hunt for the elusive filly. Dash knew Scootaloo had to be close, she just felt it, almost like she could smell the filly's fear.

Scootaloo heard her mentor walking closer, her hoof steps getting nearer as each second passed. The small pegasus' mind was clear, focused on one goal, beating the unbeatable. With each passing moment she lowered her breathing, intern lowering her heart rate. Every sound around her was crystal clear over the noise coming from within. Sweat began to drip down the orange filly's face while she pulled herself closer in a ball, trying to make her whole body smaller. Each muscle closed, tightening to its shortest length, and yet the sound of Rainbow Dash's hoof steps continued to get louder. 

The cyan pegasus stopped mid-trot while she scanned her vicinity. The park was busy, ponies were out playing and enjoying the summer sun, but the mare easily tuned those noises out and focused at the task at hoof.

Scootaloo's heartbeat soared upon Rainbow Dash stopping, her mentor was only feet away from the bush in which she hid. The filly could hear her heart thumping in her ears, as she lay silent, curled in a ball. There was a small stream of light passing through a tiny hole in the bush. The small pegasus could just barely see out into the world beyond the shrub. A rainbow tail was the only thing in her sight, this intern only caused the filly more stress, Dash was close, too close.

Rainbow Dash's ears stood up on end, taking in all the sounds around her. The birds singing in the distance, the soft sound of a stream nearby, and a slight whisper from the wind, nothing out of the ordinary. She couldn't be wrong, Scootaloo had to be nearby.

“Scootaloo, I know you're there. Come out, come out wherever you are.” The mare waited a couple moments, hoping for a response or even some movement, nothing came back.


Her mentor’s words startled the small filly. How does she know I am close, is she some kinda super pony? That I don't know about. Scootaloo gazed intently out of the small hole, hoping the rainbow tail would move away. Her heart rate fell as she was sure Rainbow Dash would never find her.

The young pegasus heard a buzzing noise around her, a fly for sure. It landed on the filly's back and started to slowly walk up. The urges to swat the bug were overwhelming, but she couldn't move. Ew, ew, ew, Mr. Bug, please leave. Please, oh Celestia, leave! Facial muscles tightened as she tried to cope with the gross feeling overcoming her body.

After a couple of moments the fly stopped moving up her back and flew away. Her body relaxed as the horrible creature left, leaving her with a feeling of confidence. The small pegasus let out a large sigh of relief, immediately realizing her mistake, she covered her mouth with a forehoof and curled even tighter than before into a ball. Horseapples, horseapples, horseapples. Why, why Celestia did I do that? Beads of sweat began to reappear on the filly's face as she looked desperately out the small hole, to where her mentor stood.

To her surprise, the mare began to walk off in another direction, Scootaloo, still on edge, did not relax for a moment as Dash left her sight. For a couple of moments everything was quite. All the filly could hear were birds singing in the trees and the sound of her own heartbeat. Got this in the bag. The orange pegasus relaxed letting her tail down, and allowing her breathing to resume its normal pace.

“Gotcha!”

A pair of cyan hooves rocketed through the bush, grabbing the filly off guard. All Scootaloo could do was scream, her body being pulled right from her perfect hiding spot. A surprised filly was met with a more than happy Rainbow Dash. The mare held the orange pegasus up, almost like a prize, her Hide N' Seek title remained intact.

“Do you remember the consequences of losing, Squirt?”

Still a little shocked that Dash had plucked her from the bush. “No, Rainbow Dash. Please no!”

The Rainbow maned mare laid the filly on the ground right before her, stomach up. Their eyes met simultaneously, Rainbow Dash looked down at the young Scootaloo. She bent down and blew a raspberry right into Scootaloo's stomach, causing the filly to laugh uncontrollably.

“No! Ahahahahhahaha. Rainbow Dash, stop!”

“A deal is a deal, kiddo.”

Rainbow Dash continued her tickle torture of the filly, rubbing each one of her arm pits and causing Scootaloo to cry from so much laughter. The smile on the young pegasus' face grew wider and wider as each second passed.

“Rainbow Dash. Hahaahahahahaha. Please, stop, hahahahahaha.”

“Who is the coolest and most awesome Hide N' Seeker in all of Equestria? I want to hear you say it.”

Rainbow Dash continued her onslaught of tickling. Scootaloo tried her best to avoid her mentor's fierce attacks, but she was no match for the strong mare. Every time the young pegasus would try to roll over, there was a set of cyan hooves that put her right back on her back.

“You are. Haahahahahhahaha.”

“What? I didn't quite hear that.”

The cyan picked up her tickle attack, increasing the intensity. Scootaloo tried her best to escape, but to no avail. Her sides began to ache from all the laughing.

“Ahahahahhahahhahaha. You are! Ahahahahahhahaha.”

“That's what I thought, don't you forget it, Squirt.”

The mare picked up the orange pegasus and placed her gently on her hooves. Scootaloo still smiling and giggling, could barely stand from what she had just endured. Rainbow Dash rubbed Scootaloo's mane, messing it up in the process.

“Hey, let’s get going, It’s getting close to lunchtime and I am starving! Hide N' Seek took longer than I expected.”

“Ah, come on. Another game? Please, Rainbow Dash.”

The young filly put on her best begging face, her eyes widened while she sat on the ground, staring back up at Dash. Her bottom lip began to quiver, giving her best effort. Rainbow scoffed at the gesture and grabbed the filly and threw Scootaloo on top her cyan back. This was the filly's favorite part of the day when hanging out with Rainbow Dash. What pony wouldn't want to fly with the best flier in all of Equestria?

The wind whipping through her mane, at speeds unimaginable to other pegasi, made her dream of the day, when she could fly like Rainbow Dash. The time where she could fly freely, side by side with her idol. Every time she had the privilege to fly with Rainbow, she took it day or night, sick or healthy, homework or no homework, any flight was better than nothing. Her mother and father offered Scootaloo flights here and there, but those weren't special. They always flew slowly and safely, nothing fun. She wanted excitement, thrills, and action. Something different.

Before Scootaloo even had time to think, Rainbow took off. The immediate acceleration almost threw her off, her tiny hooves wrapped desperately around her mentor's clean cyan coat. The orange pegasus could barely see anything through the rainbow mane whipping in her face, but what did she care. The feeling of closeness between the two felt amazing to the filly, just the presence of the mare made her day that much more special. She longed for a day when the two could fly all day, and talk all night. The orange pegasus even already had plans, although not old enough for the weather team, she had already picked up an application in anticipation.

Less than a minute later, Rainbow Dash landed in the park, Scootaloo still strapped tightly to her back. The pair was back in the main part of the park. Other ponies were out and about enjoying the day, flying kites, sunbathing, playing, talking, and walking. Ice cream vendors were all around selling their cool delicious treats, on this hot, beautiful summer day. Older sisters were playing with younger siblings, as well as brothers playing with theirs. Scoots didn't have an older or younger sibling, she was an only foal, just like Rainbow Dash. She wanted to be the mare's sister so bad, nothing would stand her in way or prevent her from that. Name the task, place, and time, the purple maned pegasus would do it.

To Scootaloo's displeasure, she jumped off her mentor's backside, back onto the boring old ground. The place she was doomed to until she learned to fly home by herself. Dash looked down, and could see the slight sadness on her sister’s face. A grin spread on her face while she lowered her wing back to the ground.

“Want to go again?”

“Yes!”

In a matter of seconds the small filly had jumped excitedly back on her mother’s slash sister’s back. Neither mare nor filly had really worked that out yet, whether Rainbow Dash was Scootaloo’s sister or mother. The adoption papers had come back almost a year ago now, and according to the Royal Canterlot Adoption Agency, Rainbow Dash was the legal guardian of a Scootaloo Dash. Apparently the last name had come along with the adoption, although not her actual name, she was now a part of the Dash family blood line.

Neither one of them really cared about the arrangement between them. To Scootaloo, the cyan mare was a friend, mother, sister, idol, and caretaker. To Rainbow Dash, the filly was a daughter, sister, friend, and family. That was not going to affect their relationship in the slightest, all that mattered was that they were happy.

Learning from past mistakes, the orange pegasus quickly grabbed a hold of her mentor's mane and hung on tight. Each hoof wrapped tightly around Dash's cyan coat. Rainbow Dash smiled, she was about to give the filly a show of a lifetime.

Before Scootaloo could even comprehend what was going on, her mane was tearing through the sky. Every muscle in her legs locked, desperately trying to hold onto the supersonic pegasus. All the sounds of the park below were quickly washed away and replaced with whistling wind. The filly could hardly see anything through her mentor's vibrant rainbow mane, flashing before her face in the epic wind.

“You holding on tight back there?”

“Yeah, Rainbow Dash, wh-” Her voice was cut off from all the air in her lungs being forced out. Dash's wings changed directions in milliseconds, unbelievable to any pony on the ground. Her cyan wings propelled her muscular frame higher into the sky, while increasing speed. The orange pegasus' small hooves dug into Rainbow's coat, tighter than before, clenching her strong muscles. As the mare soared higher and higher, Scootaloo was able to catch a glimpse of the world below.

Ponies and trees looked like grains of rice growing smaller and smaller each second. All the sounds of ponies playing and enjoying the day had disappeared, and were replaced the whipping wind. The ground got farther away by the second as her mentor continued to rocket higher. Eventually peaking off, Rainbow Dash slowed down to a steady hoover, the filly still wrapped tightly around her.

Dash scanned the skies, as if she was looking for something. With each turn of her head, light filled her eyes, making the magenta in them glow. Realizing the mare had stopped, Scootaloo slowly, as not to be tricked, released her death grip around her mentor's body. The sight that met her below was nothing like anything the filly had ever seen before.

Celestia's sun illuminated all the land. Ponds sparkled, roofs of Ponyville shone, the grass below reflected a bright joyful green. The filly's eyes could not look away from the breathtaking sight before her, as they were filled with colors. Miles upon miles of Equestrian countryside could be easily seen from their cloud top perch. Forests, homes, grass, dirt, trees, parks, rivers, lakes, streams, and almost anything imaginable could be seen. Rainbow Dash looked over to see the filly's eyes widen, taking in the sight below.

“Wow!” Was all she could come up with.

“Yeah, I never take ponies up here. It's my own little place in the world. You're the first pony to see it, Squirt.”

“Really?” Scootaloo's eyes were drawn off the sight below and onto her cyan mentor.

“You betcha, Squirt.” Rainbow Dash pulled the filly close to her on the cloud. Draping her wing over the orange pegasus' small frame, while at the same time rubbing her purple mane.

“Well then what are these?” The young pony pointed to an abnormality on the cloud. To her the figure almost looked like hoof writing, like somepony had drawn it. The figures resembled the outlines of hearts, with words inside them.

“What, where?” Rainbow Dash panicked, trying to find the cloud to which Scootaloo pointed.

Her orange head twisted to the side, trying to make out the worn characters on the cloud. The cyan pegasus scrambled up trying to find the mark on the cloud.

“It says... RD + -” Before finishing the line, a set of cyan hooves brushed the heart away into the air. A nervous smile and laugh came from the mare as she sat back down and wrapped her wing around the Scootaloo once again. A sigh of relief came from the pegasus's mouth as the crisis had been averted. All the filly could do was smile, she knew what it meant.

“Rainbow Dash has a-” A hoof was quickly thrust into her mouth, stopping Scootaloo from completing her sentence. Dash looked down on the small pegasus with a glare.

“You, don't want to finish that sentence.” A mumble came from Scoots’ mouth as she tried to speak with a cyan hoof in her mouth. “Trust me.” Slowly, she brought her limb away, pulling out of the young pegasus's mouth. Scootaloo took a moment to recoup herself, while both sat in silence watching the Equestrian countryside before them.

“Special somepony!”

Immediately Rainbow Dash jumped on the filly turning her over on her back, on the cloud. A serious, yet playful expression was drawn upon her.

“I told you, kiddo. Don't say I didn't warn you.”

Her cyan hooves dug into the filly's side like earlier, causing Scootaloo to laugh uncontrollably. Tears of joy once again began to show up on the filly's face, as her mentor tickled her more intense this time than the last. With each second the laughing got worse and worse, steadily increasing. Determination was set on the mare's face, her eyes centered on the task before her. She needed to tickle away all of Scootaloo's rebelliousness.

The orange filly squirmed, trying to protect her sides while the onslaught continued. Hoof stroke after hoof stroke came down with increasing frequency. After the tickle attack from earlier the orange pegasus was tired, it was too much tickling for one day.

The sun reached full height, midday. Right over the cloud upon which they played. Its sunlight streamed down atop the playing ponies, shading the purple maned pegasus in a slight cyan color. Rainbow's mane was illuminated as well, making it sparkle. In that moment, time seemed to slow down. The perfect day, it was the utter definition of a perfect day.

Over a year ago, she was alone in the world, nopony to love her and be there through the nightmares. Her parents had abandoned Scootaloo, without a note or even a hint of a reason. There was no hope, no real joy, no memory making she could do. Everything had been gray, boring, and dull. It was a year ago to the day, that a rainbow came into her life, obliterating the darkness. Today was the one year anniversary of the official signing of her adoption papers. The best day of her life to date.

A mental snapshot was taken, while time seemed still. The image of her mentor standing over her on the cloud laughing with her was burned into her head. Never would she forget this day.

“What are you gonna tell other ponies?” Rainbow Dash questioned, continuing her tickle attack upon the helpless filly below. Tears of laughter and joy swept over Scootaloo as she struggled to get air into her lungs in between the rapid succession of laughs.

“Nothing... I swear!” She tried to fight the hooves running up and down her sides, but she was no match for the strong cyan mare.

“Good, nopony knows yet. You can't just go around telling anypony. That better be a Pinkie Promise.” She looked quizzically down at the young pegasus that laid beneath her strong muscular frame.

“I stick a cupcake in my eye?”

“Close enough, Squirt.” Rainbow Dash laid back down again, against the still upright facing Scootaloo. After two tickle attacks from not only the coolest pony in Equestria, but arguably the best tickler, she was tired. With her strength regenerating, she spun herself around, leaning against one of Rainbow's strong wings.

Both mare and filly laid in silence, looking at the sight before them. Nothing had changed from earlier, the sight was still just as breathtaking. They sat there, nopony speaking just enjoying each other's company on the warm day, until somepony decided to speak up.

“Um, Rainbow Dash.. Can we talk? You know, about stuff...”

Dash was taken back for a second, her one weakness, words. Give her a impossible flying routine, and she could make it look easy. Give her any record to beat, and in no time at all a new record would be set. But, give her a speech, and things never turned out as planned. These types of situations were the hardest, not knowing what to say. Like Rainbow Dash was a mother, a piece of paper may have said so, but that didn’t mean she had any experience.

From the very night she signed Scootaloo's adoption papers, she feared a situation like this. A time where each word would have to be carefully chosen, where one misplaced sentence or thought could ruin a relationship. She could talk with her friends, and express herself, but she didn't have all the answers, did anypony? In moments like these, she wanted to fly, open her wings and soar. Thus proving she was like her father, if there was anything she had learned from the mistakes of her father, and his ghosts from the past: it was that everypony just has to face their fear head on, and in the end the only real thing you fear, is fear itself.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, preparing for what was before her. Although slightly panicked, she breathed calmly.

“Yeah, Squirt. Shoot.” The cyan mare relaxed, ready.

Each word the filly spoke filled the mare's mind, each and every question was carefully thought over, before giving a response. Dash had never known the filly to have so many questions, ranging from random trivia to everyday life problems. Questions of life, about her foalhood, about her parents, her relationships, and her friends. Anything and everything on her mind found its way out.  For every remark Scootaloo made, there was always a quick and well thought response.

“One last question.”

“Yeah, go ahead.” 

Scootaloo looked around for a moment, unsure, tense. Her tiny orange hooves scratched at the cloud, her eyes looking down. Rainbow Dash stared, puzzled, the filly looked ashamed, almost scared to ask. 

“Well... um... I was wondering... if you really do-”

Before she even had to answer, the cyan mare stood up and hugged the filly. Adult and child, wrapped in a warm hug atop a cloud far, far above the ground below. Bathed in the waning sun. Time had gone by, the day had slipped through their hooves, thus proving that nothing passed time like having fun. 

“Scoots, I would never have adopted you if I don’t.”

The pair, wrapped lovingly together, mother-daughter. Unknown to Rainbow Dash, the filly smiled inside their embrace, wanting it to never end. The pony which she admired since foalhood, right in front of her, encompassed in a hug. Best day ever. 

To both of their dissatisfactions, they ended the hug. The cyan mare rubbed Scootaloo’s mane, messing it up like her own. 

“Come on, kiddo. Let’s get home.”

Scootaloo knew the drill, Rainbow Dash lowered herself to the filly’s level. Where she quickly hopped on. Grab on tight, like you’re about to be thrown off a bucking bronco, and hope for the best, which was always the case. Her tiny hooves wrapped gently around the mare’s cyan neck, and before she could even think they were off. 

Some ponies may think it to be annoying, for the mane of the pony they were flying with to be thrown into her face. Where as, Scootaloo loved it, all the colors of the rainbow being displayed so closely and vividly. More than the colors, she loved the pony who wore them, just the thought of that pony with the rainbow mane, was enough to make the Scootaloo’s heart soar. 

The sun, started its descent past the visible horizon, coating the pair in a deep rich orange and red. Rainbow Dash rocketed through the air, giving the orange pegasus a real show, not enough to throw her off, but enough to bring the largest smile in all of Equestria to her adopted daughter.

In a matter of minutes, the pair had arrived. Carefully landing on the cloud, the cyan pegasus walked to her front porch, gently sliding the door open, not bothering to even tell the filly on her back that she had landed. Scootaloo continued to hold on, she didn’t know if Rainbow Dash had landed, or was playing a trick on her. 

In only a matter of seconds, she walked safely into her cloud home, filly still happily attached to her back. Upon turning her head, Rainbow Dash could see Scootaloo clinging onto her neck, with her mane spread over her orange head. The whole time she wore the largest and brightest smiles Dash had ever seen. The smile was contagious, quickly a similar one dawned her face as well. 

“Hey, Squirt,” the mare chuckled, “we’re home, you silly filly.”

“Oh, huh, sorry. I thought you were trying to play a trick on me like last time.”

Scootaloo let go of her grip on the cyan pegasus, and jumped to the awaiting cloud floor. Home, sweet home, she thought to herself. For months they had lived together side by side, day by day, and nothing could be better for the filly. The fact that she could see Rainbow Dash every day, almost all day long was amazing. The best flier of all time, living with you along side of you. And even better than that, she technically being your mother. Life was great, seemingly only get better. 

The orange pegasus landed softly, barely making a sound on the floor. Dash had turned, something else in the room caught her eye. Scootaloo didn’t even turn to look, she was tired, dirty, and ready for bed. The tag and the relentless tickling had taken its toll. 

Dash’s gaze never faded, only intensified, looking intently at her coffee table, barely noticing Scootaloo walk away. A small picture frame sat atop the small blue table, along with some other miscellaneous items. But, that photo was something special, a thing she would never forget. 

A bright smiling Rainbow Dash, her mother, and father all together. Taken only a couple of days after the reconciliation with her parents. Dash’s mother sat in a wheelchair, looking old and frail, but smiling, having the best time of her life. Her father as well was in tears. It was a happy yet sad time. Rainbow’s mother was getting better from after the days that followed her visit, enough so that she could even go in a wheelchair around hospital grounds. Everything looked on the up and up, Scootaloo’s adoption was going through, her mother was getting better, and the relationship with her father was improving. 

But, it was bittersweet day, the doctors diagnosed her with terminal cancer. Her seemingly recovery was unexplained, and even the highest medical professors in Canterlot couldn’t explain it. Rainbow Dash’s father had chalked it up to her being a super pony, which could not be scientifically proven, but she wanted to believe it anyway. 

Even after hearing the news, her mother never once shed a single tear. Only did she embrace her daughter and husband in a large hug, and smile. To this day, the mare never understood how her mother could have done this, such strength and integrity. Sure, she wanted to live, but that was not going to affect the way she was living at the moment. Every day after that, her mother was only bright and cheery, never once gloomy. 

Every time she visited, her mother was waiting with a big smile, and open hooves. And once she saw her daughter, the smile she had never faded, even in her last couple of weeks and days, as the onset of the disease got worse and worse. With each visit, Rainbow Dash could see her mother withering away, losing her colorful mane, bright skin, and up to the day she died, the magenta in her eyes. It was heart aching to watch, but with every visit came the same result: a warm smile and big hug. 

The last day was very vivid to Rainbow Dash, almost as if it was yesterday. She had walked in and was greeted like usual. Her mother laid almost completely immobile in bed, hooked up to all kinds of machines and computers. The color in the old mare’s eyes was starting to dull, the first day of which Dash noticed. Though in pain, her mother still managed to speak, though pausing in between sentences to catch her breath. That day, the two sat alone, many times in utter silence, watching the sun outside, and listening to the events around them.

They joked about stories from the past, Dash's father and everyday life. Rainbow Dash filled her in on Scootaloo’s progress in flight training, her mother taking in all the words, concentrating on each one, smiling all the while. But, for the most part they just sat together, mother and daughter, bonded. That was the last day with her mother, and it had been one of the best, if not the very best. 

That picture got her thinking, it had been one year to the day that her mother had died. Although not knowing her in foalhood, many tears were shed, by both her and Dash’s father. The funeral had been small, Rainbow Dash, her friends, Scootaloo, and her father. A small service, just like her mother would have wanted. Rainbow and her father both gave long speeches for the mare who they once knew. Her father, at times, was barely able to get the words out of his mouth over the liquid forming in his eyes. 

Right before the casket had been laid to rest in the cemetery, her will was read. Rainbow’s father had chosen to read it, along with the letter he held a small closed envelope with something bulging from inside. Her mother really didn’t have that much in the world, Dash’s father and mother shared everything. Once her father finished speaking, he walked off the podium and down to Rainbow Dash, handing her the envelope. Carefully she remembered opening the envelope, revealing something Dash would forget. 

A small little box, with the outline of a lightning bolt inside of it. The seal her mother had used, carefully sat at the bottom of the paper. Ever since that day, that envelope was more than just a piece of paper, it was the last surviving part of her mother in Equestria, it was special. 

The cyan mare shook her head, bringing herself to the present, away from the past. She looked to side, seeing the backside of Scootaloo walking toward her room. This was her future, the past is gone, nothing could be done about it.

Without even saying a word, Rainbow Dash followed Scootaloo into her room, the sun now set, casted a new moon glow throughout the home. Creating a special sparkle in the cloud floor. All of the filly’s worldly possessions were in this tiny room she called hers. It was her own little piece of the world, something to call her own.

“Ready for bed, Squirt?”

The filly nodded in response, trotting over to a dresser in the corner of the room. On top sat a set of maroon silk pajamas, neatly folded. The cyan pegasus picked them up and unraveled them, the moonlight streaming through the window glistening off the unique fabric. Scootaloo sat there, hooves raised, while Rainbow Dash slipped the top over Scoots’ small orange head. The silk sliding smoothly over the filly’s soft, unblemished skin. Finally her head popped through the hole in the shirt, revealing a smiling pegasus. 

All Rainbow Dash could do was smile, the attitude which Scootaloo had was contagious. Although Dash was teaching the filly about life, and raising her, the small pegasus had taught her one of the most important lessons. Love always, unconditionally, and never give up. That little orange filly, was wise beyond her years. 

The mare shot a small smile back, this was her future, and she was sure of it. All the doubt which she had about the adoption was gone. No longer was the fear of being a good mother slash sister and worry, that was not the issue, all she had to worry about was giving Scootaloo a good home. And she sure as heck got one. The filly had always wanted to live with Rainbow Dash ever since she could speak the mare’s name. And getting that opportunity was a dream come true, but little did Dash know, her dreams would become fulfilled as well. 

Love, the adult pegasus finally had somepony to share it with. No longer would she have to sit alone in her large cloud home, nopony there. Now, there was always a little filly following her around, loving her wholeheartedly. She had friends to love, but that was different, this was a special kind of love, something not even Cadence could explain, true unfiltered love. Dash had a mission, a new goal in life to accomplish alongside her Wonderbolt dream. Raising Scootaloo to the best of her abilities, giving her the best opportunities, and the most of her abilities. Bring her up to be the best pegasus in all of Equestria, that was her new goal. 

Rainbow Dash rubbed Scootaloo’s head, causing her mane to drape over her face. Both laughed in unison while Dash picked up Scoots. Carefully, she walked over to the small bed, and peeled back the top blanket, laying the filly gently in the middle of the bed. The cyan pegasus pulled up the rainbow blanket up to the filly’s chin, tucking her in. Dash leaned forward giving Scootaloo a kiss on the forehead, the orange pegasus loved this feeling more than anything in the world. Slowly retracting her head, Rainbow began to back away toward the door. Trotting away, unaware of the eyes focused on the back of her head, Rainbow carefully began to close the door, before hearing a small squeak come from the room.

“Aren’t you gonna read me a bedtime story? Like you normally do?”

Crap, that’s right. How could I forget?

Reopening the door, Dash entered the room once again, and headed toward the freshly tucked in filly. Scootaloo looked so eager, her face brimming with excitement, this wasn’t just any story, it was a Rainbow Dash story, 20 percent cooler than any other story. The moonlight filled her eyes like water in a pool. 

Dash hopped up onto the bed lying right next to Scootaloo, her hoof around her, snuggling close. She could feel the orange pegasus’ every breath while they laid peacefully. 

“Okay, Squirt, I got a good one for you tonight.”

The filly turned her head to the mare, giving her a quizzical look. 

“Don’t you need a book?”

“Books, who needs those? This one's too good to be put down on paper, Squirt.”

Rainbow Dash pulled the filly close, as the pair stared to the cloud ceiling, hanging over them. 

“Once upon a time there was a filly. A little pegasus, who couldn’t fly, she always would get down on herself for not being able to fly. Ponies would laugh and call her chicken, not knowing the kind of pain they were causing her. When she was younger, her parents had to leave to go on a magical adventure, one too dangerous to bring their child with them.” Scootaloo nuzzled herself deeper into the bed, the warm and comfort inviting.

“It hurt them so much, but it was for the better of the filly. They cried everyday, one day hoping to see her once again, and be with their daughter. So the filly had to live in a special home, a place where other foals her age had to go for safety, while their parents were away saving Equestria. No average pony could ever dream of living in that home, it was only for the best and strongest colts and fillies. Although alone, the small pegasus remained strong, making some great friends. Friends which explored all day, laughing all the way. Everypony immediately loved the small pegasus, her style, spunk, and attitude contagious.” The orange filly’s eyelids seemed to get heavier and heavier, while Rainbow continued.

“Although still small, she was able to befriend six adult mares, one of which loved the filly exceptionally. Everyday that mare dreamed of having that pony with her, longing for her company. But, that mare had some troubles, her parents had never really taught her what it meant to be an adult, and she struggled a little bit. Love was able to overcome all her doubts, everything would be okay, because that mare loved the filly more than anything in the world.” Scootaloo was losing her battle with sleep, as her mind strained to pay attention, her eyes sealed shut. 

“And one day, she asked for permission to have that pony live with her, for the rest of her life. The responsibilities that mare would incur were large, but her determination being too strong. And shortly there after, the adult pegasus got the permission to live with the young pony. It was the best day of her life, she even framed the paperwork. One day the pair went out and played all day, talking, laughing, and enjoying each others company. It was the best day in the mare’s life, the most fun she had in years. Sadly, when it was time to go bed, the adult pegasus tucked the filly in, just like tonight, and every night she would share a bedtime story with her.” The filly gave one last yawn, giving into her body, the comfort of the blanket proved being too much. 

“And that night’s story was the best of all time. When she finished the story, the young pegasus was sleeping peacefully. So she kissed the filly on the head, told her that she loved her, and would forever. And then she herself went to bed.” 

Rainbow Dash looked down, finally noticing the sleeping filly. Her breathing slow and calm, a sign she was out. Dash pulled the covers up a little bit tighter, making a good seal on the filly, making sure she was warm. The mare couldn’t help but smile again, she loved Scootaloo, she really did, with everything in her heart. Leaning forward again she kissed the filly on the forehead. Leaving a small mark on her forehead. 

“I love you, forever and always.”

Dash carefully slid out of the bed, making sure not to disturb the sleeping pegasus. Once again, she made her way over to the door, pausing to look back at the orange filly, before leaving, and heading toward her own room. 

Scootaloo fidgeted in her sleep while she started to dream. The day’s events playing in her mind, repeating themselves again and again. The special story Dash had given her, being recited over and over. Life was good, no, better than good, awesome. The filly shifted to the side, flipping herself on the bed as she let out a sign. Before she fell off into deep sleep, she murmured something that melted Rainbow's heart. Five simple words, placed so elegantly, as to change Dash forever. Something she had never expected from the start of this journey, it was affirmation that she had done the right thing. 

“I love you too, mom.”