Chapter 4 - Secrets Revealed

Thanks to Ederstorm for editing !

Spitfire trotted through the hallways of the Canterlot race circuit as she held a pair of goggles in her hoof, and she rounded a corner to see Rainbow Dash leaning against a wall. Spitfire had sent a letter earlier in the week to tell Dash about her discovery along with two tickets to the derby.

Dash looked up to see Spitfire and trotted over to her.

"Where's Scoots?" Spitfire asked, Dash looked down the hallway before looking back at Spitfire.

"I told her to wait while I came and got you. I-is this true? You know, about Scootaloo being a… a…" Dash stammered on the last part of her sentence as Spitfire nodded solemnly. She held up the goggles as Dash took them in her hooves and inspected the strap, once she did that she let out a slow sigh as she handed them back to Spitfire as an awkward silence fell over the pair.

"So, what now?" Dash asked Spitfire, the leader of the Wonderbolts took a few moments to respond.

"I honestly have no clue, Dash." Spitfire replied truthfully as she bowed her head. Another silence passed over the two great flyers.

"T-this is bad, Spitfire." Dash said as she put one of her hooves to her head and began moving it in a circular motion as the cyan pegasus tried to calm the panic and realization that was swimming through her body. Spitfire saw this and put her hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"Dash, what's wrong? Why are you so stressed all of a sudden?" Spitfire asked in a concerned tone as Dash looked up at Spitfire.

"I-I can't adopt her." Dash said in a worried tone. Spitfire was a bit stunned at this.

"But you've taken her in, haven't you?" Spitfire asked, Dash nodded as she wiped a tear from her face.

"Yeah, but I can't let Scoots stay with me permanently… I-I can't afford it." Dash replied as she shook her head.

"How so?" Spitfire asked as Dash looked at the fiery mare with a sorrowful look.

"I'd have to pay for things like her medical and her food, and I'd need to get her a bedroom…” She sighed. “It's just too expensive Spitfire, my job lets me get by comfortably on my own, and even that’s pushing it." Dash explained to the Wonderbolt.

Spitfire was faced with a choice, she could adopt Scootaloo with the money she had, but she would lose her dream job, not mentioning having to move house. Spitfire tried to think of an option, something that could make all of this go away. She really liked Scootaloo and would hate a filly such as herself to have the same troublesome childhood that she experienced.

Spitfire glanced down at the goggles, they were still tightly grasped in her hoof. She turned the strap over as she looked back down on the engravings marked on the fabric. Dash just looked at Spitfire wondering what was going through the yellow mares mind, and finally after a few tense moments she spoke up.

"I'll do it." Spitfire decided, looking at Dash who went wide eyed at what she had just heard. Dash looked on as a smile started to cross Spitfire's face as she kept looking over the goggles, then Spitfire spoke again.

"But first, I think I need to have a talk with Scoots." Spitfire said as Dash nodded approvingly and left to go and retrieve the orange filly.

"Hey, Spitfire!" Scootaloo said as she trotted up to the yellow pegasus, Spitfire smiled and knelt down to Scootaloo and embraced the small filly.

"S-so what is it you wanted to talk about Spitfire?" Scootaloo asked hesitantly, a quivering fear in her voice. Spitfire looked up at Dash telling her if she could give them a few minutes, the cyan pegasus nodded and left down the hallway. Spitfire kept embracing Scootaloo as she began to speak to Scootaloo about something neither of them wanted to talk about.

"Scootaloo, remember how I hung out with you and Dash last week?" Spitfire asked and the filly nodded.

"Yeah, that was awesome!" the filly exclaimed, Spitfire smiled down at the orange pegasus, but it quickly faded.

"Well, I took a quick stroll through town that night and I found a blue scooter." Spitfire said as she watched the filly gasp in her arms and she could feel Scootaloo's breathing start to go out of rhythm, but still Spitfire continued.

"And next to that scooter, I found a box." Spitfire said as she felt Scootaloo's heart beat increase as she stayed tightly embraced on the filly.

"And in that box, Scootaloo, I found these." Spitfire finished taking the goggles from behind her and holding them in front of the orange filly. Scootaloo looked away from Spitfire and continued to stare down the empty hallway, she cursed herself silently for not checking the contents of her box in the alleyway over the week and had been completely oblivious to the fact that Spitfire had taken them. She thought it was just Diamond Tiara trying to play a prank on her.

Spitfire sighed, this was going to be the hardest question she'd ever had to ask, she put a hoof on Scootaloo's chin and turned the fillies already shame ridden face towards her own.

"S-Scoots, are you an orphan?" Spitfire asked as she felt a lump swell in her already dry throat.

By now Spitfire had released the grip on the filly, and Scootaloo got off the Wonderbolt and walked a few feet away from her with her back turned and her wings hung limply from her sides. After a few tense moments Scootaloo let out a sigh and turned her head to look at Spitfire, she kept her back turned as she slowly and shakily nodded. After another few seconds of silence Scootaloo mumbled something that was nearly inaudible.

"You don't know what it’s like...” Scootaloo said in a whisper. Spitfire sighed. 'I've never told any other living pony about this…' she thought, but determination overtook her mind again.

"Come over here, Scoots. I want to tell you something." Spitfire said opening her forelegs out again, Scootaloo was hesitant at first, but eventually came over and embraced the yellow mare. Spitfire smiled and looked down at the little filly again, the smile quickly fading from her face.

"Actually, Scoots. The truth is… I do know what it's like. You see… I-I was an orphan too…" Spitfire managed to choke out, revealing her secret once and for all. The little filly's eyes widened at this as she stared at the Wonderbolt leader in shock, but still Spitfire continued her tale.

"You see Scoots, I wasn't just like you, I was exactly like you. I was the last in my class to earn a cutie mark, I had the smallest wingspan, I even had an idol just like you do." Spitfire said as she began to explain to the young orange pegasus.

                                                             -Flashback-

A young Spitfire landed on top of one of the many clouds that surrounded the Cloudsdale's weather factory. She turned around as a pink mare with an electric blue mane landed behind her and ruffled her mane.

"That was a great first flight, Spit." Firefly praised the yellow filly as Spitfire giggled, blushed and hugged Firefly's hoof.

"Thanks for taking me under your wing, Firefly." Spitfire said hugging the mare tightly

"Sure thing kiddo, I've got to go do some more Wonderbolts training at the Academy. I'll see you tomorrow!” Firefly replied giving the filly another quick hug before the two parted ways and just as Spitfire was about to take off, she heard her idol speak up again.

"Hey, Spit?" Firefly asked as she turned back around to face the filly. Spitfire gulped and turned around to see Firefly with a concerned look on her face.

"You know there are rumours going around that you stole a bunch of food from Sky Rocket's store the other day. Is that true?" Firefly asked in a worried tone. Spitfire stood there in shock and she stammered slightly.

"Uhh, n-no of course n-not, Firefly!" Spitfire said in an innocent tone, and she was relieved when Firefly's lips turned into a smile.

"I knew a filly like you wouldn't do that. Anyway, I've gotta fly! Say hi to your folks for me, OK?" Firefly said before taking off into the sky. Spitfire felt a shudder in her body when the word 'parent' reached her ears, but she calmed down quickly though and breathed out a sigh of relief.

Spitfire reached the alleyway where she had been living for the past few months. She changed alleyways every once in a while so ponies didn't get suspicious and report her to the orphanage.

She walked down the alleyway to see a blanket that covered a small mound on the cloud surface. Spitfire took the blanket off to reveal a small shelter that she had managed to sculpt from a couple of cloud bricks that she had found lying around at the dump. She sighed and crawled under the small structure before pulling the blanket over herself and squeezed her eyes shut hoping to at least get some shut eye for the night.

                                                                           -End of Flashback-

Scootaloo looked up at Spitfire stunned at what she had just heard, and Spitfire let out a sad sigh. "I made a big mistake back then Scoots. I've never told anyone I was an orphan until now, and you know what? I-I’m glad I did." Spitfire said as she looked down at the filly who now had glazed eyes as the impending tears where starting to take over her small frame.

Spitfire started stroking Scootaloo's mane in an attempt to calm the filly, and after a few moments Spitfire released the embrace again and watched as Scootaloo looked back up at her.

"So, what now?" Scootaloo asked. Spitfire gave a reassuring smile as she patted the filly on the head.

"I don't know for sure yet, Scoots, but I promise. I'm going to make this right." Spitfire said as the pair shared a final embrace.

“Now Come on, Scoots! We’re going to miss the race!” she said energetically as the two got up and raced down the hallway.

From the corner of the hallway Dash had a proud smile adorning her face, as she heard the whole thing from behind the wall.

"Well done, Spitfire." Dash said in a hushed whisper.