I'll Miss You, Big Sister
I'll Miss You, Big Sister
by veryoriginalponyname
The past few hours had honestly been the first time in Celestia knew how long that Rainbow Dash had had so much fun. She had spent the entire morning laughing and partying away at Sugarcube Corner with her five closest friends, Spike, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Pinkie Pie had really out-done herself this time; she seemed particularly intent on making this party something truly special. It was, after all, the last time the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony were going to be together for quite some time...
Amongst the colorful balloons, streamers and speckles of confetti decorating the bakery's interior, what stood out the most was large white banner sprawled out over the entire width of the building. The words We'll Miss You, Dashie! Come Home Safe! were written upon it in multiple colors matching her prismatic mane and tail.
After finally being accepted into her beloved Wonderbolts after months of intense training and levels of physical exertion she had previously not thought possible of herself (or anypony for that matter), Rainbow Dash was about to be deployed for her first tour of duty.
Rainbow Dash never really realized just how lucky she had been until this moment. Finally becoming a member of Equestria's most elite team of fliers, a goal she had been dreaming of achieving since she was a filly, had been everything she's hoped it would be and more. Dash was now among the most well known, popular ponies in the land. Her celebrity status was in no small part due to her unprecedented skill at flying. There hadn't been a Wonderbolt before who had the ability and passion for flight that Rainbow Dash had, and there likely never would be. The shows she put on with her fellow flyers attracted some of the largest crowds of their entire illustrious career.
Now one major concern the ace pegasus had when she first received word that she had been selected was just what kind of effect this would have on her personal life. It was an issue she had definitely taken into account long before she had joined the academy, though now that her dream had become reality she was starting to wish she had thought about it a little more often.
But much to her relief, her new job didn't take as much of a toll on her personal life as she feared it would. She still got to live in Ponyville, spend time with her friends, and even still help out with the town's weather patrol, though that last one was more of a person favor to the town rather than something she was forced to keep doing.
The only times she wasn't around was whenever practices were held, which were fairly often but never lasted more than a few hours, and when they tarveled to perform in other cities. Those trips usually lasted a few days at most, and more often than not her friends were able to make the trips and cheer her on as she performed. Other than those few commitments she had to make to her new job, life had changed very little for the bearer of Loyalty.
Until now...
Dash knew what she was getting herself into when she first made her decision to join the ranks of her heroes. She knew that alongside being daredevil performers, the Wonderbolts were part of Equestria's Airforce. Should the normally peaceful nation find itself under seige from outside forces, they were among those who were called into action to aid in combatting whatever the threat may be.
Thankfully Equestria was as peaceful as ever at the present time (sometimes it almost seemed ridiculous to have a military for such a pacifistic nation), but with creatures like the changelings, dragons, and sometimes even the griffons could be a little ominous, it didn't hurt to have well-trained, capable fighters on the alert.
Rainbow Dash was full aware of this fact, and it did nothing to hinder her will to remain with the team. She had always been watching out for her friends and Ponyville in general; the pegasus felt an almost pathological need to protect those around her, be they friend or stranger, just because it felt like the thing to do. Maybe that was why the Element of Loyalty chose her...
Whatever the case, Rainbow Dash was only too happy to take this opportunity to do more for her beloved homeland. Was she nervous? There was no denying that. She had been on countless adventures with her friends and had braved many harrowing ordeals. But this was something of an entirely different ilk. She was now a member of Equestria's military. A soldier.
This wasn't at all like her previous endeavours with her friends. The Elements of Harmony would not necessarily serve as the best course of action against an invading army or surprise attack, especially since they were kept locked away in a vault in Canterlot, and in the time it would take to get the six bearers to harness them, a lot of bad could happen.
That's why Equestria had its Military, and that's why they had the Wonderbolts; they could respond to a threat much much faster and more efficiently.
When Rainbow Dash announced her leaving to her friends, the reaction was rather bittersweet. On one hoof, they were happy to see Dash living her dream, and they were proud of her for showing such bravery and devotion to her country, but there was also that understandable feeling of sadness and worry that something could happen to her. Dash couldn't hold it against her friends for being worried for her; it was the mark of any good friend to care that deeply for another. But she had to assure them that everything she did, she did for them, their families, Ponyville, and all of Equestria. She was proud to do what she did, and her friends all knew. They made no attempts whatsoever to convince her to not go. In fact, despite the apprehension they all felt deep in their guts, they encouraged her to do what she had to do.
Now, on the day she was to set out, she stood proudly before the assembled ponies, who had all come to the going away party Pinkie Pie had set up to see her off and enjoy one last moment together before she would be off for nopony knew how long. They'd all had the time of their lives for the past couple hours, laughing, dancing, playing Pinkie's crazy party games, having their pictures taken with Dash in her Wonderbolts uniform, and for a while it seemed everypony was able to forget the rather heart-rending situation and just savor this beautiful experience.
Dash glanced around at each and every one of those who had come to out to support her, blushing slightly, and with a warm, grateful smile on her face. Her friends stared back with equally warm smiles and glossy, shimmering eyes.
"You guys," Dash began, doing her best to keep her voice from cracking. "I can't even tell you how much this all means to me. You all being here for me, showing your support, giving me the encouragement I needed to not only push myself to the most extreme I've ever pushed myself to get into the Wonderbolts in the first place, but to also stick with 'em even if it means not getting to be with you guys as much as I used to.
"This is definitely the toughest thing I've ever had to do so far. Not just because I'll be putting myself at risk, but because it'll probably be the longest I'll go without seeing you guys. It could be anywhere from a few months to a few years."
The sound of sniffling filled the bakery as the five older mares, the two young fillies and even Spike began tearing up. Dash was doing everything in her power to avoid losing it as well, lest she look like a total crybaby in front of the ponies who were depending on her do her best to defend the nation.
"But before I go," Dash continued shakily. "I just want to say that... that..." Break out the pancakes, girls, 'cause here comes the sap! "...That all of you here are the best freakin' friends a pony could ever ask for, and I... I... aw jeez, I gotta say it! I freakin' love you all! I'm gonna miss you guys so darn much!"
The group burst out in a mixture of giggles and sobbing. Twilight Sparkle was the first step forward, and she gave her friend the biggest, strongest hug she could muster, which Dash gratefully returned. "We are so proud and honored to have you as a friend, Rainbow Dash," she said softly.
"Aw thanks, Twi," Dash replied. "Take good care of everypony while I'm gone, all right? I know that'll probably be hard without me to heroically swoop in and save the day all the time, but I know you'll be fine. You're one hay of pony, Twi, and you impress even me sometimes!"
Twilight chuckled. "Coming from you that means a lot, Dash."
The two seperated, and Dash was then nearly tackled to the ground by a pink blur of a pony. She grunted as she felt herself being squeezed a little too tightly for comfort. "We love you so much, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie cried as she held her friend in her death grip. "Things just won't be the same with you gone!"
"Eh heh, I know, Pinks, I know," Dash grunted as she made whatever attempt she could to hug back. "But I need you to promise me you'll keep on smiling and keep everyponies spirits up while I'm gone. The last thing I want is for Ponyville to get all depressed and junk on my account. You promise you'll stay as happy and crazy as you always are?"
"I will, Dashie, I will!" Pinkie promised tearfully. "And I'll throw you an even bigger party than this one when you come back! The biggest I've ever thrown!"
"Great, Pinkie," Dash chuckled warmly. "I'll hold ya to that, all right?"
Pinkie Pie finally released the pegasus and gave her a snappy salute, which Rainbow Dash returned.
Next up came Fluttershy, who was the only member of the group doing absolutely nothing to keep the dams in her eyes from bursting. She cantered forward and embraced Dash tighter that she had ever embraced another pony before, which her fellow pegasus returned with equal strength. "Please be safe, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy whispered in her friend's ear. "You're my oldest friend. I... I can't imagine life without you."
"I'll be fine, Shy," Dash assured her, gently patting her back. "You gotta be strong for me, okay? And for the girls. You've always been a strong mare, Shy, and I've always been proud to have you as a friend." She pause for a moment, then sighed. "I just hope you know that, 'cause I could've done a better job of showing it."
"Oh, Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy whimpered, tightening her hold on her fillyhood friend. "You're the best friend I've ever had! I've always treasured our friendship with all my heart! I wouldn't trade it for anything!"
Dash gave a contented sigh as she heard the sincerity in Fluttershy's words. "I wouldn't trade it for anything either, Shy. Thank you for being such an awesome friend."
Fluttershy just sniffled and nodded. As the two released each other, Dash gave her an encouraging smile, which Fluttershy actually managed to return.
Then came Rarity, who wasn't faring much better than Fluttershy was at holding back the tidal wave of emotion. Rainbow Dash hugged the elegant unicorn, who was about as different from her as one could possibly get, yet that difference never got in the way of a beautiful relationship. "Don't take this the wrong way, Rare, but I honestly think this may be closest I've ever felt to you." Dash said with a joking tone.
Thankfully, Rarity saw the humor in that sentiment and laughed goodheartedly through her tears. She embraced the pegasus even tighter and whispered, "I shall keep you in my thoughts every day, dear."
"I appreciate that, Rarity, I really do. Thanks. You're a great friend," Dash said as they released.
And now it came time for a goodbye Rainbow Dash was really dreading. She found herself dangerously close to totally breaking down as Applejack stepped forward. Though she loved and cared deeply for all her friends, Applejack, the pony she felt she related to the most had a particularly special place in her heart. The two embraced in the tightest, most emotionally charged hug yet.
"Take good care o' yerself, RD, ya hear?" Applejack said softly, doing her best to keep her voice from cracking. "Ah know you'll make us all proud."
"Count on it," Dash replied with quiet confidence. "Take care of your family and watch out for the girls, okay? I'll be back to schoolin' you at horse-shoes before ya know it."
Applejack chuckled heartily. Her eyes began to glisten. "Now ya'll know ya ain't ever beaten me at that game yet, right?"
"'Yet' is the key word there, AJ," Dash said snarkily.
"Ain't gonna happen, sugarcube. Ah'm too good."
"And in the end, you still won't be good enough."
The two exchanged taunts for another minute or so before finally separating. Rainbow Dash honestly didn't think she could've pictured a more appropriate farewell from her best friend/rival.
Then came Spike, and being the only male in the room, he was clearly trying to keep his emotions in check, particularly in front of Rarity. As a result, he looked rather unsure of himself, like he didn't know just how the hay he should've been feeling at that moment. "Well, I'll, uh... miss ya, Dash," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Rainbow Dash, who understood fully that the little guy was trying to be tough for her, chuckled and pulled the baby dragon into a one arm/leg hug. "I'll miss ya too, big guy," she said. "Take good care of that egghead over there, will ya?" She nodded towards Twilight. "Make sure she eats her veggies and whatnot."
"Heh heh, no promises on that," Spike joked. "You haven't seen how she gets when it comes to alfalfa."
"Spike..." Twilight scolded in a flat tone.
The whole group shared another laugh, revelling in this prescious moment as best they could. After all, who knew when they would ever share another moment like this again?
Finally Rainbow Dash came up to the two small fillies, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, and her face fell into a worried frown. She hadn't been able to take her mind off this for the whole party, and now she finally had a chance to point out that somepony happened to be missing from their group. Somepony very special to Dash. More special than she would probably ever admit...
"Hey, you guys told Scootaloo about the party, right?" Dash asked.
"We sure did," Apple Bloom replied with a frown. "Ah could'a sworn she said she'd be here."
"Maybe she forgot or got the time mixed up," Sweetie Belle suggested with a shrug.
"Scootaloo... forget about a chance to spend time with Rainbow Dash?" Spike said incredulously. "That's like a joke or something!"
"It don't seem very likely," Apple Bloom sighed. "Maybe she'll show up in a little while if yer willin' ta wait a few more minutes..."
Rainbow Dash sighed sadly. "As awesome as that sounds, I can't hang around much longer, guys. I gotta be there by this afternoon, and it's a pretty long flight."
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle frowned sadly, but nodded in understanding. "Poor Scootaloo's gonna be so upset she missed you," Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah, I know..." Dash sighed. She hung her head and stared blankly at the ground for a moment. She lost track of time as her head filled with thought's of her number-one fan/surrogate sister.
"Dash? Ya all right?"
"Huh? Oh uh... yeah," Dash shook her head and regained her composure. She looked back down at the two fillies before her. "Well, when you see Scootaloo, tell her I said goodbye and that I'm... I'm gonna miss her." Both fillies nodded assuredly, and Dash managed to smile again. "C'mere you guys." She pulled them both into a tight hug. "Go easy on your sister's while I'm gone, huh? They do a lot for you two." She leaned in closer and whispered, "but not too easy."
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both giggled and nodded again. As Dash released them, she gave them both a rather stern glare. "Can I expect to see some Cutie Marks on those flanks when I get back?" She asked.
The two fillies puffed out their chests and saluted proudly. "You can count on it!" They said in unison.
Dash smiled and saluted back. That was that.
Now, it was time to head out. Rainbow Dash could only hope she'd made this moment with her friends as meaningful as possible. With her saddle bag packed with all her necessities and slung comfortably over her back, the pegasus made for the exit. When she reached it, she turned back and gave one last glance at her assembled friends. They were all watching her proudly, their eye's welling up with tears. Even Spike was unable to control himself anymore as he cuddled up next to Twilight, who lovingly wrapped a fore leg around him.
"Goodbye, guys," Rainbow Dash said quietly, a small tear forming in the corner of her eye, which she barely managed to hide from the others. She was proud of herself for being able to keep her emotions in check for the most part. There was no way she'd be caught crying in front of her friends. She was supposed to be the tough one, after all.
Her friends all waved and shouted their individual farewells. Rainbow Dash gave them all one final wave then headed out the door, letting the tear finally fall from her eye and slide down her cheek.
Dash had known in advance about the going away party Pinkie Pie was throwing for her; they had decided making it a surprise wasn't necessary given the rather bittersweet situation. What she hadn't been expecting, however, was the large crowd of ponies lining the streets of Ponyville, cheering loudly for her as she came into view.
Dash stared in awe at the mass assembly who had come out to see her off. It seemed as though everypony in Ponyville was out there. She recognized almost every face. Many of them were waving small-sized Equestrian flags while others were holding signs and banners saying things like Thank You, Rainbow Dash! and We Love You, Dash! and Come Home Safe!
By Celestia, this town just won't rest until they've turned me into a sap!
Rainbow Dash's cheeks were flushed bright red, and she could feel the sting of tears once again. While it was true she could've taken flight right there, Dash was so moved by the town's show of support for her that she felt she should at least walk through the town to give everypony a chance to see her before she left. Maybe it was her ego getting the better of her again, but it just seemed like the proper thing to do.
She trotted slowly through the streets, smiling warmly, giving friendly nods and mouthing a few "thank you's" to all who had gathered to see her. Dash's heart soared at all the adoration she was being given. Any anxiety or fear she had been feeling earlier that day was beginning to fade away, replaced by renewed pride and bravery. Her face would be stuck in a permanent smile if she didn't get out of there soon.
But as grateful as she was for all this support, there was one thing that kept Dash from feeling completely content, and that was the fact that there was a certain orange pegasus filly that seemed to be missing from the crowd of ponies. Dash scanned the the crowd as best she could, hoping that maybe Scootaloo was just hidden somewhere down low in the forest of legs of older ponies. Her smile faltered as the bright smiling face of her little fan was nowhere to be found. Dash sighed sadly, but managed to keep herself from frowning completely at the risk of upsetting all those who had come out to cheer her on.
I'm sorry, kid. I wish I could've gotten to see you one last time.
Rainbow Dash continued on hoof through the rest of the town and up until the road led her to a good sized hill over looking the area. She stopped there for a moment and took some time to gaze down at her home town before she took flight. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day; warm and sunny with little to know clouds whatsoever. The Ponyville weather team was definitely getting along just fine without her, much to her relief. In the town below, the citizens were beginning to disperse and return to their usual business.
Dash smiled warmly upon the quaint little village. She felt truly lucky to be a part of such a loving and supportive community. Furthermore, it served as a perfect example of why she did what she did; those wonderful ponies needed heroes to watch out for them, and Dash was always more than willing to be one of those heroes for them.
After a few minutes of silent reflection and mental preparation, the brave young pegasus turned her back to the town and got herself primed for the long flight ahead of her. At top speed she could be at her destination in less than an hour, but the weight she was carrying would slow her down significantly. She gave her wings a few quick flaps and prepared to take off.
See ya later, Ponyville
She was just about airborne when...
"RAINBOW DASH!"
Dash stopped flapping and quickly spun around. She'd recognize that voice anywhere, and she couldn't keep her mouth from grinning. Sure enough, speeding her way up the hill on her little scooter was the young orange pegasus filly she had so badly been wanting to see.
"RAINBOW DASH!" Scootaloo cried as she sped closer to her idol, her little wings buzzing furiously as they propelled her forward.
"Squirt!" Rainbow Dash called out to the approaching filly, her smile as wide as ever.
When she was close enough, Scootaloo leapt off her scooter and did a bit of a roll as she landed. She yanked off her helmet and tossed aside as she speedily galloped up to the older mare. She came skidding to a stop directly in front of her, panting heavily.
"Dang, kid! It's great to see ya!" Dash said jovially as she ruffled the filly's mane. "I was afraid ya'd missed me there for a while!"
"I... I know..." Scootaloo said between breaths. "I'm... really sorry... about that... I just..."
"Hey, don't sweat it. It's no biggie," Dash said with a wave of her hoof. "You're here now, that's all that matters." Dash's smile faded a bit, and she gave Scootaloo a confused look. "Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle told you about the party Pinkie Pie was throwing for me, right?"
Scootaloo suddenly looked a bit uneasy. She nervously pawed at the ground with her fore-hoof and let her gaze fall. "Yeah, they told me," she said meekly.
Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow in confusion. "Did something just come up unexpectedly, or did you forget or something?"
"No, it's not like that," Scootaloo murmured. "It's just... I..."
"You what?" Dash prodded.
Scootaloo sighed and shook her head. "Nothing, never mind."
Rainbow Dash exhaled sharply and lowered herself to the filly's level. She gently placed a hood under her chin and lifted it. Scootaloo looked deeply worried about something, there was no hiding it. Dash put on as kind and loving an expression she could muster. "Scoots, do you remember what I told you when I agreed to take you under my wing?" She asked gently.
"That you didn't want me falling into anymore rivers in the middle of the night?" She answered, sounding a little confused.
Dash chuckled heartily and mussed Scootaloo's mane again. "I meant after that, ya silly filly."
Scootaloo actually managed to smile at that, though it was very brief. After a moment of silence she slowly answered, "You said you wanted me to trust you with anything, and that I could always come to you with my problems."
"That's right," Dash said resolutely. "I don't ever want you to feel like you have to hide stuff from me. I want you to know you can tell me anything, no matter how embarrassing or difficult to talk about it may be, and I promise not to ever laugh at you or give you a hard time for it. You mean too much to me for me to do something like that to you." She set herself on her haunches and pulled the little filly in closer to her. She placed a hoof against Scootaloo's back and gently stroked it. "So tell me what's eatin' ya, squirt. I'll make time for you."
Scootaloo sighed heavily. It took her a few seconds to meet Rainbow Dash's gaze again, but when she did, she did nothing to keep her tears at bay. The little filly leaned forward and gently nuzzled into Dash's front side. "I don't want you to go, Rainbow Dash," she whispered.
Dash perked her ears up a bit, not sure she had heard properly. "What was that, kiddo?" she asked with concern in her tone.
"I said I don't want you to go!" Scootaloo snapped suddenly, causing Dash to rear back a bit.
"Scoots, I-"
"You can stay here if you want, can't you?" Scootaloo asked hopefully. "You don't have to go, right? Please say you don't have to go! I... I want you to stay here... with me..."
Rainbow Dash stared at the filly, her mouth slightly agape. "I... I'm sorry, Scoots, but I gotta go. I don't have a choice," she explained calmly. "This is my job now. I could get into serious trouble if I don't go, and I'm not just talking about getting fired; there are way way worse things that could happen to me if I go AWOL."
Scootaloo frowned, and her tear swollen eyes narrowed. "It's not fair!" she cried. "They shouldn't be forcing you to do something you don't want to do!"
"Scootaloo, it's not like th-"
"You don't have to go, Rainbow Dash! I'll help you! You can hide out in our clubhouse, or maybe Apple Bloom will let you hide in her apple cellar!"
"Kid, hold up a sec-"
"And if they come looking for you, we'll tell them you're not here! We'll tell them you went off somewhere far away, and they'll go looking but will never find you! And you can stay in Ponyville with us forever and ever! I don't care what I have to do, I won't let them take my new big sister away from me! I'll-"
"SCOOTALOO!" Dash snapped loudly. The little filly yipped and shrank back a bit. She was relieved to see that Rainbow Dash didn't necessarily look angry at her. Just a bit worn out was more like it. "Calm down and listen to me for a sec," she continued in a calm yet stern tone. "I don't want to hide out from them. I don't want to ignore my duty. They're not just forcing me to go, I want to go."
Scootaloo's face fell in horror. "You... you what?!" she gasped, a single tear streaking down her cheek.
"I want to go, Scoots," Rainbow Dash explained. "I've been living my dream for the past few months; being a member of the Wonderbolts is something I've wanted nearly all my life, and now I've finally made it! And I knew what I was getting into when I first decided I wanted to be a part of them. I knew they were more than just the greatest stunt fliers in Equestria. I knew that they played a huge part in defending the kingdom from threats... and it made me want to join them even more. Equestria's my home, our home, and they need all the help they can get when it comes to protecting it. That's why I want to do this, kid. They need a pony like me on their side."
Scootaloo stared up at her idol with an expression of pure shock. Rainbow Dash stared back with an expression of confusion, and a slight hint of annoyance. "I thought you already knew that, kid," she said. "When I told everypony I was going into active duty, you seemed really excited and happy for me like everypony else. Why did you wait until just now when I'm about to leave to suddenly tell me you don't want me to go?" she sighed. "Not cool, kid."
Slowly, Scootaloo's face began to scrunch up in anger. It would've been cute to see her pouting like that had the situation not been so serious. "I thought you were supposed to be loyal, Dash!" She snapped as she jerked out of the stunned older mares grasp. "You always say you'll never leave me, your friends and Ponyville hanging! Now you're just gonna leave us?! Just like that?!"
"Scoots, time out a sec-"
"Some Element of Loyalty you are!" Scootaloo spat. "I had a feeling you becoming a Wonderbolt was gonna end up being a bad thing! I mean, whenever you had to travel somewhere for one of your shows, I spent the whole time just waiting for you to come back because... because I always end up missing you too much, even if it's only for a couple days!"
"Scootaloo..." Dash was at a loss for words.
"And now you're going away to do something really dangerous! You're abandoning your friends! You're abandoning Ponyville! You're... abandoning me..." Scootaloo sniffled and lowered her head. "I thought you were gonna be my big sister from now on..."
Rainbow Dash bit her lower lip in an effort to keep herself from losing it. Though she'd never admit it out loud, the sight of that little filly looking so downtrodden and hurt made her heart ache. It was difficult to explain how Scootaloo had become so close to her over the past couple years. At first Dash saw her as just another obsessive fan. She'd had quite of few of those, particularly in the foal department, and they tended to prove to be more of a nuisance than an encouragement; always pestering her to do tricks for them, take them for rides, sign their wings (something Dash wasn't even sure was possible; wings weren't easy to write on), and essentially just drive her up a wall.
But Scootaloo was different...
This little filly had really gone the extra mile in showing just how much she admired the boisterous pegasus. Starting a fan club for her, cheering her on as she practiced her moves, and unlike those other annoying kids, Scoots was actually kinda fun to hang out with. Dash couldn't exactly pinpoint the exact moment when she started to really feel a connection with the kid, but over time she just found herself really coming to like her. From a cloud she was napping on she often watched her scooting about town on her scooter, pulling off tricks and taking her friends for rides. The young filly's eagerness to succeed in life and be the best she could be never failed to bring a smile to Dash's face. It was one thing for most fans to just sit on their flanks and wish they could be Rainbow Dash, but Scootaloo was the only one who really seemed to be trying to be Rainbow Dash.
As time went on they became closer and closer, spending more and more time with each other. It was just recently during a camping trip that the spunky young filly approached Rainbow Dash and requested that she be taken under her wing and looked after as something of a sister figure. And thus what started off as just another fan and her idol relationship developed into something much more meaningful and profound...
If one were to ask Dash long ago if she would ever see herself getting as close to that kid as she ended up getting, she probably would've laughed that thought off. But now, for reaons she couldn't really explain, that kid had come to mean the world to her. Perhaps it was the fact that Dash saw a lot of herself in the young filly; same attitude, same lust for life, same urge to be as awesome as she could be... it was like looking at a younger version of herself.
Now, the little filly she had come to care so deeply for was suffering severe emotional pain, which Dash felt slightly responsible for. Though Scootaloo had neglected to tell her how she was really feeling about all this, Dash could tell something was off about her new little sister, yet she never bothered to do anything to confront her about it, and now, right before she was about to leave for what may very well be a few years at the most, Scootaloo was angry at her.
Well, now was her chance to make things right again. It would probably cost her precious time she needed to get to her destination without being late, something that could get her seriously chewed out for, but there was no way Rainbow Dash could leave her little sister like this. It would eat into her the entire time she was gone. The Wonderbolts were just going to have to wait; Scootaloo needed her big sister. Besides, getting chewed out was nothing new to Dash.
"Kid, c'mere a sec," Dash said softly as she reached out to the filly.
"No!" Scootaloo snapped as she jerked out of the older mares hoof. "I don't want to talk to you!"
Dash resisted the urge to snap at Scootaloo and tried again. "C'mon, kid, I don't want you feeling this way about me before I leave. I wouldn't feel right."
Scootaloo pouted her lips and shook her head. She stared down at the ground and sniffled a few times, a few fresh tears falling from her eyes. "Why are you abandoning me?" She whispered.
"Kid, I'm not abandoning you," Dash said calmly. "If I was abandoning you I'd be taking off to do whatever I want without telling anypony, and I wouldn't ever come back or write or anything." She once again lowered herself to Scootaloo's level, though the filly still refused to look up at her. "And you know I'd never do that to you guys, ever, in a million years. The Element of Loyalty didn't screw up when it chose me to be its bearer. I'd go to any lengths possible to protect you and my friends.
"That's the reason I'm leaving for a while; Equestria needs all the help it can get in protecting it from all those threats and bad guys out there, and I wanted to be a part of that. I care too much about this kingdom and all those who live in it to see anything happen to them. I want to do anything I can to protect you all. So you see, kid, I'm not leaving you or my friends or anypony... or, not forever at least. I'm just..." she sighed. This was more difficult to explain than she thought it would be. Why did the squirt have to wait for now to put her on the spot like this?
"I feel like I'm never gonna see you again..." Scootaloo whispered, her head still hanging low.
"Hey now," Dash said. "Don't go around thinking like that! I'd never be able to live with myself if I knew you were all depressed and whatever on my account." She attempted to reach out to the filly again. Scootaloo jerked away again, though not quite as forcefully this time.
"Scootaloo..." Dash struggled to find the proper thing to say. "I'm not... nothing's gonna happen to me. I'm gonna be just fine." Internally, Dash was kicking herself for saying that. After all, there was no telling what would happen to her during her time away, even if Equestria was currently at peace. Anything could happen, and as brave and talented as Dash knew she was, there was nothing she could do to about something like bad luck. All it could take was one little stroke of bad luck and things could go catastrophically wrong. Lives were always on the line when you were a Wonderbolt...
"How can you be so sure?" Scootaloo asked after a while. "Anything could happen! What if it's something you can't handle? What if... what if..." she trailed off there, clearly disturbed by visions of all the horrible things that could befall her hero.
Dash had to give Scoots credit; she was smarter than she looked. She clearly wasn't fooled by the whole "Nothing can possibly go wrong" spiel. Even though the filly had the utmost respect and admiration for Rainbow Dash, she knew deep down that she wasn't invincible.
"You're right, kiddo," Dash said with a sigh. "I can't promise that nothing will go wrong. Even though it's very unlikely considering we're in peace time, and the training I went through has made me about twenty-percent harder to take down. But, yeah... anything can happen out there."
Scootaloo finally looked back up at her idol, her eyes shiny and wide. "Please don't go, Rainbow Dash," she whimpered. "Please don't leave me. I... I need you..."
Rainbow Dash sucked in a sharp breath. It was all she could do to keep herself from bursting out with the tears right then and there. I swear this kid's gonna give me diabetes one day. Dash attempted a brave smile and put a hoof on Scootaloo's shoulder. This time she didn't try to jerk away. "You really think I'm gonna go down that easily if something goes wrong, kid?" She asked, her smile becoming more of a sly grin. "I thought you knew me better than that, Scoots. There's not a creature in Equestria that can top this Pegasus!"
Dash gave the filly a playful cuff across the cheek. Scootaloo's face scrunched up as she tried to suppress a grin. Dash gave her another playful punch, this time managing to pull a few giggles from her little sister. "You just gonna take that, Scoots?" Dash taunted with a chuckle. "C'mon, show me what you got!"
Scootaloo knocked away the next punch with her hoof, a determined smile forming across her muzzle. Dash smirked as she unleashed a flurry of fake punches all over the little filly's face and gut. "Don't just sit there, squirt! Fight back!" she said playfully.
Unable to stifle her laughter any further, Scootaloo gave a animalistic growl and leapt onto the cyan pegasus, knocking her onto her back. The two laughed joyfully as they fake wrestled each other, throwing out foalish taunts, and essentially just lightening the heavy mood. It finally ended when Dash got Scootaloo in a headlock and gave her a long, drawn out noogie, which Scootaloo only managed to get out of by admitting that Rainbow Dash was, in fact, the best pony.
Once they settled down, Dash kept Scootaloo pulled in close to her. Scootaloo didn't struggle to get away, instead she relaxed into the older mare's embrace, nuzzling into her front side. Dash smiled warmly as she tightened her hold, happy she was able to get her little sister to smile again. "You okay now, kiddo?" she asked softly.
"Mmmm," Scootaloo mumbled. "I guess. It's just... I still wish you didn't have to go. I mean, there has to be some other way! Princess Celestia is so powerful! Why can't we just let her deal with the bad guys? And you and the other girls have the Elements of Harmony! You guys seem almost invincible when you use them! Why can't they just do what they've always done whenever Equestria's in danger and leave it up to you and your friends?"
Dash had to think about that for a moment. It was actually a pretty good point. "Well, that's true, kid; Princess Celestia is very powerful. Probably the most powerful pony in the world. And I don't doubt for a second that she would be perfectly willing to personally face down any threats to her kingdom and her beloved subjects. But c'mon, kid, she's a Princess! We can't risk putting her life in jeopardy. We need her to raise and lower the sun, and make laws, and... do whatever else Princesses do.
"And as for me and the girls... well, it's true we have kinda become like Equestria's resident superheroes what with the Elements and all, and Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy are all very brave ponies, but the thing is, they're not warriors. Twilight's gotta keep studying magic, Applejack's got her family and Sweet Apple Acres to worry about, Rarity wants to get into fashion design, Pinkie's way too wrapped up in baking and throwing parties to have the fate of Equestria placed on her shoulders all the time, and Fluttershy?" Dash chuckled a bit at that thought. "Do you really think it'd be right to force her of all ponies to go out there and face down threats? I mean, she can be very brave when she wants to be, and that Stare of hers definitely comes in handy, but c'mon, she's too much of a gentle soul to get caught up in stuff like that too often.
"They're all tough mares, but they can't be expected to fix every mess Equestria ends up in, though I imagine they'd all be more than willing to step up should they ever be needed. Equestria still needs its military, squirt. We're the first and best line of the defense for this kingdom, and everypony needs us. Ya understand now?"
Scootaloo sighed. "I guess that makes sense," she muttered. "Still, I just... I..."
Rainbow Dash loosened her hold of the filly and let her look up to meet her gaze. "What's wrong, squirt?" She asked in a gentle tone.
"I'm... I'm..." Scootaloo's eyes began leaking at an incredible rate. "I'm just gonna miss you, Rainbow Dash! I'm gonna miss you so much! Next to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, you're the best friend I've ever had!" She sniffled and lowered her head, her swollen, puffy eyes closing. "You're my big sister..."
And now Rainbow Dash was in serious danger of losing it. All day long she had put up a tough facade, for the sake of her friends, for the sake of all the ponies who had come out to support her, and for the sake of her little Scootaloo. But now that facade finally starting to crack. The brash bold Rainbow Dash's seemingly indestructable ego was being systematically destroyed by the emotional, loving words of a young filly.
"Aw, kiddo," Dash said with a shuddering breath. "Ya gotta be strong for me while I'm gone. Your friends still need you to be there for them. Hay, my friends are probably gonna need somepony to be there for them too." She thought about that for a moment, then smiled down at the filly. "Tell ya what, squirt, while I'm gone, I'm gonna need you to be kinda like the replacement 'Me'. Ya know, help my friends out if they need it, be loyal to 'em... just be the kind of friend I would be. Think you can do that for me, Scoots?"
Scootaloo looked back up at Rainboow Dash with her glossy violet eyes. A weak smile tugged at her muzzle. "I... I'll do that for you, Rainbow Dash," she said with renewed confidence. "Don't worry, they'll be safe with me."
Dash chuckled and ruffled Scootaloo's mane. "That's a relief. Now I won't have trouble sleeping at night knowing the coolest filly in Equestria is looking after my friends."
Scootaloo's smile became even bigger at hearing that. Dash calling her the coolest filly around never failed to make her heart soar. Her euphoria lasted only a short while though, as another question surfaced. "So, how long do you think you'll be gone exactly?"
Dash had to ponder that for a moment as she wasn't really sure herself. "I don't really know for sure, Scoots. At the shortest, it might only be about five months or so. At the longest..." she paused, realizing Scootaloo might not like this next part. "Four years, possibly five." Scootaloo gasped in horror, her eyes welling up further. Dash quickly scrambled to explain further. "But, I mean, that may only be the case if something bad happens, like a war or something. But that's not likely to happen since, ya know, we haven't done anything to get anyone mad at us. W-We'll be fine. Nothin's gonna..."
Dash's words were doing nothing to soothe Scootaloo; the poor filly looked more terrified than ever. It was at that moment that Rainbow Dash suddenly realized the seriousness of what her previous words truly implied. If worse came to worse, and she did end up having to spend upwards of five years on active duty, just how much would things change while she was gone? She imagined her friends wouldn't change to drastically, at least not in personality. They may have achieved more in their own personal goals (Twilight may be more skilled at magic, Rarity's fame might shoot up significantly, and so on...), but they would more than likely still be the same ponies as before, albeit a few years older.
But Scootaloo? A lot of changes could happen to a young filly in the span of five years. She'd probably be bigger, more developed. She'd be out of elementary school for sure, probably finishing up jr. high or just starting high school. Maybe she'll have her Cutie Mark by then. Maybe she'll have found a coltfriend. Maybe she'll have learned to fly. Maybe... maybe she'll...
"Who knows..." Dash said. "Maybe you'll be over me before too long. Maybe you'll have found another pony to idolize. I mean, there are a lot of awesome ponies out there. Nopony quite as awesome as me, of course, but chances are you'll find another-"
"NO!" Scootaloo snapped. She threw herself into the older mare, squeezing as tightly as her little fore legs could muster. "Nopony will ever replace you, Rainbow Dash! I'll never stop looking up to you! Never!" Dash could feel the warmth of Scootaloo's tears on her front side. "You'll always be my hero, Dash," she whispered. "You'll always be my big sister."
Rainbow Dash sniffled, and her breath became more shuddery. The dams were going to burst soon, there was no stopping it. She was grateful they were out of the public eye for this, because she didn't know if she could live with herself if the whole town saw what a sap she was being right then and there. She wrapped her forelegs around her little fan and held her tight, resting her chin on top of the filly's head. She gently shushed her and stroked her back, and slowly, Scootaloo's sobs began to taper off.
So the kid really thought that highly of her, huh? She really held her on that high of a pedestal of greatness? She must've been more serious than Dash had originally thought when she asked to be taken under her wing. For one brief moment, Dash seriously considered saying "forget it" and just hiding out in Ponyville with her little sister, spending every spare moment she had with her. The Wonderbolts didn't need her, right? They'd gotten along just fine with out her in the past, they didn't need her now. The one who did need her at that time was Scootaloo, and frankly Scootaloo meant more to her than all the honor and glory of serving in Equestria's military.
That thought was quickly dashed though, as Rainbow remembered the reason for her joining them was, in fact, because they did need her. She was the fastest and most skilled flyer they had seen in a long time, something Spitfire herself had told her, and on top of that, she couldn't hide from the Wonderbolts. They knew where she lived, they'd come looking for her, and the punishment for going AWOL could involve being Court Martialed at the worst. She would let down her friends and all those who had come out to support her that day. She could never do that to them. She had to go.
As she continued to comfort Scootaloo, an idea came to her head that might make this whole situation a little easier for the little filly to get through.
"Hey, Scootaloo?" Dash said as she gently nudged her back a bit. "There's something I want you to have. It's something I've had since I was your age and it's always been very special to me. But seeing as I'm a Wonderbolt now, I don't really need it."
Dash opened up her saddle bag and rummaged through it for a moment. Scootaloo watched her intently, wiping a few stray tears from her eyes. Finally, Dash reemerged from her bag with a small silver object in her mouth. She spat it into her hoof and extended it to the filly. Scootaloo took it between her two forehooves and examined it with wide, excited eyes. "A... a Wonderbolts wing-pony pin!" She exclaimed.
"Yep," Dash said proudly. "Not a real one, mind ya. I got that one as a souvenir when I first saw the Wonderbolts perform. It's only plastic, but I still thought it was pretty cool when I got it. It's always given me encouragement whenever I doubted myself. It made me believe I'd have a real one of those someday if I just kept pushing myself. It's really meant a lot to me, kid. But now that I've finally made it, I don't really need it anymore, so I want you to have it, ya know, so you can... think of me whenever ya look at it or somethin'." Jeez, Dash, that wasn't corny at all. "So, uh, do ya like it?"
"I... I love it, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo cried as she held the plastic badge close to her heart. "I'll take really good care of it, I promise!" She trotted over to her helmet and gently placed it inside. "And I'll look at it everyday," she whispered to herself.
Rainbow Dash smiled as Scootaloo trotted back over to her. She was happy to see number one fan smiling again, even if it was rather brief. The two sat there in silence for a while, enjoying this beautiful moment for all it was worth. Rainbow Dash took in the sight of Scootaloo and savored it as best she could. It was unknown if this would be the last time she ever say the filly as she was right now; so young and full of vigor, and Dash wanted to have that image engraved in her memory for her entire time away. Scootaloo just stared back with sheer adoration in her eyes for her idol. It was a look that could melt the heart of King Sombra himself, and it was chipping away ever so slightly at the dam holding back Dash's tears. It wouldn't be long now...
After about five minutes, Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath and spoke in a soft tone. "I have to go now, Scoots. You understand why I'm doing this now, right? You know it's all for the good of Equestria, my friends, my family... and you?"
Scootaloo nodded. "I understand now, and I'm sorry I yelled at you and made it seem like you were being disloyal."
Dash smiled and shook her head. "Don't sweat it, kiddo. I know you were just sad. I promised my friends I'd write them often, but I'll make sure to write another series of letter just for you, and you alone. That sound cool?"
"That sounds awesome, Dash," Scootaloo said as she began tearing up again.
Rainbow Dash leaned in closer to her little sister. "Just remember what I told you; take good care of my friends and your friends, look out for them as well as I would, and... and just keep striving to be the best pony you can be. And I definitely expect you to work on your flying while I'm gone."
"I will, Rainbow Dash, I will," Scootaloo whimpered softly, but with determination. She hung her head and closed her eyes again. "I hope I can make you proud one day..."
"Scootaloo," Dash said softly as she gently lifted the filly's head with a hoof under her chin. Scootaloo opened her eyes to see that her idol, big sister most beloved pony in all of Equestria had tears streaking down her cheeks. "You already make me proud. You always have and you always will..."
Scootaloo's lip quivered, and in one quick move she sprung onto her big sister, wrapping her fore legs tightly around her and burying her face in the crook of her neck. Rainbow Dash hugged back with equal strength. The two just held each other for a while, totally oblivious to the world around them, not even bothering to hold back their powerful sobs.
"I love you, Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo whispered in Dash's ear.
"I love you too, Scootaloo," Dash replied gently. "I love you too..."
Finally, Scootaloo loosened her grip and Dash set her back down. Before pulling away completely, Dash took Scootaloo's head between her hooves and gave her a long gentle kiss on the forehead. By this point she really didn't care if other ponies saw how sappy she was being. She didn't care if they all knew that she loved her little Scootaloo. At that moment, as far as she was concerned, there was nothing more awesome than that.
Rainbow Dash took a step back and gave a couple flaps of her wings, which was enough to get her airborne. She looked Down at Scootaloo with a confident smile, the tears successfully wiped away. She looked as though she had never been crying in the first place. Scootaloo looked back up at her with an equally confident grin; she was ready to take on duties as the replacement Rainbow Dash, ready to continue making her idol and big sister proud.
"Goodbye, big sister," Scootaloo said quietly.
"Stay awesome, little sister," Rainbow Dash replied warmly.
And with that, the sky blue mare was off for her destination. Scootaloo watched her go, never ceasing to be amazed at what a skilled flyer she was. One day she'd be up there with her. One day she'd be a Wonderbolt too. One day she'd be ready to protect Equestria and her friends from whatever threats there may be out there.
Just like her big sister, who she would forever be proud of...
The End
Author's Note
I guess this is the part where I explain myself a bit. This is actually something I wrote a while back, and I'm kind of in the process of moving some of my older stuff to this site, which explains why Twilight is still a unicorn in this. I guess I could've updated her to an alicorn, but there was no real reason to do it since it wouldn't really have added anything to the story.
As for all the stuff in this fic about Equestria's military, this is all just strictly my headcannon. I have no idea how exactly their nation would handle a war, but I imagine they've gotta have something else planned for those situations besides just breaking out the Elements of Harmony. I don't really have a full understanding of how military deployment works either, but hopefully I got it pretty accurate.
Anywho, I really hope ya liked this. I'm not sure if writing sad stuff is my strong suit (I'm more of an random comedy guy), but please let me know what you thought of it.
Thanks for reading.
