Chapter 7 -The Greatest Gift

Rainbow Dash was relaxing in her home after an afternoon of cloud busting, she was currently lying on the couch and trying to get some shut eye before Scoots returned from school. Suddenly she was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Dash got up off the couch and made her way over to the door, she undid the lock and opened it to reveal a yellow mare with a fiery orange mane.

Dash gasped "Spitfire what are you doing here, haven't you got bolts training" she asked.

Spitfire grinned, "Can I come in Dash there's a lot I need to talk to you about" she said.

Dash nodded and let Spitfire in and closed the door, Spitfire took a seat and began to tell Dash about her current day so far. Dash was quite shocked at what she had to say.

"Are you sure you can do this Spit?" Dash asked in a concerned tone.

Spitfire gave a confident nod, "Yeah and besides It's not like I wont have any help" she said with a grin.

Dash smiled, "Heck yeah I didn't know you'd be asking" she said rubbing the back of her neck with a forhoof.

Spitfire got up and went over to her saddlebags which she had left by the doorway and took out a folder before she walked back over to Dash and sat the folder on the cloud table.

Dash's smile grew "I-is this what I think it is?" she asked in an excited tone.

Spitfire smiled along with her friend, "You better believe it, I got it after I went to see Soarin'" she explained.

Dash opened the folder and read its contents, "I-I can't believe this, Scoots is going to be so happy!" she exclaimed

Spitfire laughed, "I hope so Dash" she replied truthfully. Just then there was a knock at the door, Dash got up and walked over.

Dash opened the door to reveal Scootaloo and Fluttershy, who had picked the orange pegasus up from school which was an arrangement Dash had made earlier this week.

Scootaloo smiled "Hey Dash!"

Rainbow smiled in return, "come on in out of the cold Scootaloo" she said letting the pegasus inside, she thanked Fluttershy before closing the door. Scootaloo walked into the living room and saw Spitfire.

Scootaloo held back a squeal "Hey Spitfire!" she said running up and giving the yellow pegasus a hug.

Spitfire giggled "Hey Scootaloo how was school?" she asked

Scootaloo smiled "It was okay I guess, so are you here to hang out with us again?" the filly said with a hopeful voice.

Spitfire chuckled, "Sit down Scoots there's something me and Dash need to tell you" she said as Dash took a seat next to excited yellow mare.

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow "What is it ?" she asked curiously.

Spitfire looked at Dash and grinned as she looked back to Scootaloo and pushed the folder on the table towards the small filly. Scootaloo took the item in her hoof and read the contents.

-Cloudsdale Orphanage System-

I Spitfire choose to adopt the one known as Scootaloo on the terms and conditions of Equestria's Law and order act of 1523 by Princess Celestia of Equestira.

I agree to take care of said filly/ colt and make sure she is given the basic necessities of life {e.g} School and Medical.

I agree to love and cherish this filly/ colt and make sure they have the best outcome in life possible

signed by -    Mother/ Mothers                                                                     Father/ Fathers

- Mrs  Spitfire Florenza.                               N/A

A few tears of joy hit the sheet of paper as Scootaloo looked at it with the biggest smile she could muster. All the years the filly had spent hoping and praying that a day like this would turn up, she had spent months on the streets just looking for someone to take care of her and today was that day.

Scootaloo looked up at Spitfire who had a warm smile spread across her muzzle, her arms stretched out, Dash was smiling next to her

"Come and give your mummy a hug" Spitfire said with a happy yet soft voice. Scootaloo got up onto the cloud table and leaped into Spitfire's arms and wrapped her small forelegs around her neck. Spitfire embraced Scootaloo tightly and wrapped her wings around the filly as a few of her own joyful tears leaked out.

After a while Scootaloo stopped nuzzling her mothers neck and turned to see Dash watching the two, she giggled.

Dash raised an eyebrow "What are you laughing at" she asked giggling along with her

Scootaloo stopped giggling and spoke up "ha, i made 'The' Rainbow Dash cry" Scootaloo said as she and Spitfire burst out in a fit of laughter

Dash's eyes widened as she quickly wiped her cheeks with a forehoof "I did not!" Dash tried to protest as she felt the wetness on her hoofs

Spitfire shook her head playfully, "yeah you just keep under that illusion Rainbow" she said as she kept laughing.

Dash huffed facing her defeat, but she quickly smiled again as she leaned over and ruffled Scootaloo's mane before joining in with the hug.

Spitfire smiled at Scootaloo as Dash joined the embrace "Welcome to the family Sweetheart." she said leaning down and lightly kissing Scootaloo's forehead. Scootaloo smiled and nuzzled into her family, this was defiantly the best moment in her life and it was a moment she would never forget.

After the three pegasi had finished there long embrace they enjoyed there first meal together. Spitfire and Dash attempted to make pasta to the best of their abilities and sat three plates on the cloud table before seating themselves in front of them.

Scootaloo being the most hungry after having a school day, dug in before either Spitfire or Dash could, Spitfire rested a hoof on the shoulder of the orange filly

"Hey now don't go eating it too fast sweetheart" Spitfire cautioned. Scootaloo smiled and nodded, she started eating at a slower pace.

Spitfire was half way through her meal when she turned around to face her daughter, "So sweetie i don't think I've ever asked, what do you like doing besides flying?" Spitfire said looking towards her daughter.

Scootaloo looked up at Spitfire and smiled "Oh i love to go crusading!" the filly exclaimed.

Spitfire raised an eyebrow, "Whats crusading ?" she asked. She turned to dash who made her presence by letting out chuckle

"Hehe you don't want to know" Dash said plainly, but smirked when she saw Spitfire looking at her. Before the yellow pony could open her mouth her daughter spoke up again.

"I'm part of the cutie mark crusaders !" Scootaloo continued happily. Spitfire didn't respond and just nodded hoping to get all the information she could about her daughter.

"We crusade to find our special talents and get our cutie marks!" the filly continued as she completely forgot about her meal, letting the fork rest at the side of the plate

Spitfire smiled "That sounds great sweetheart" she replied ruffling her daughters purple mane. The three went back to eating again until Scootaloo spoke up again.

"Mummy what do you like to do besides flying?" the filly asked curiously earning a chuckle from her mother.

"Well Mummy likes to... um" Spitfire started but was stunned when she couldn't think of anything else on the subject, the only thing she enjoyed was flying and it had been her life for the best part of 8 years since she had joined the Wonderbolts and even before that it had been years more full of training, "I-I uh , I'm afraid i don't know sweetie" she finally said with a shocked tone

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, "what do you mean mum ?" she asked

Spitfire shook her head from the shock, she almost forgot to reply to her filly "oh um its nothing hunny, It's just mummy doesn't really do anything else but fly" she replied in astonishment at her own words realizing what she had been doing for so long in her life.

Suddenly Dash spoke up, "wow Spit, i didn't know you where that overworked" Rainbow said.

Spitfire shook her head "no, it's not that I work a lot, it's the fact I rarely have anything else to do" the former Wonderbolt replied in a sad tone.

The kitchen table fell into silence after Spitfire spoke. Soon though Scootaloo spoke up again eager to have as many conversions as possible with her new family.

"well what if i showed you some things mummy?" Scootaloo asked in an innocent tone. Spitfire stopped eating and faced her daughter. She couldn't help but chuckle at her willing to help out with something so minor, but Spitfire thought of it as the ample opportunity to spend time with her newly found daughter.

Spitfire smiled, "I think that would be a wonderful idea sweetie" she said as she got up and collected her plate and took it over to the kitchen sink.

After dinner was over Spitfire insisted to help dash clean the place up before she left for home. Scootaloo was now in the living room reading one of Dash's Daring Doo books and Dash was in the kitchen with Spitfire as they cleaned the table up.

Dash looked up from drying the plates and looked at Spitfire who was putting the ingredients to there previous meal back in one of the many cloud cupboards, "Hey Spit, what are you gonna do now that your out of the Wonderbolts. Are you gonna need to move house?" she asked the orange maned pegasus. Spitfire looked up at Dash and nodded.

Dash took a few hesitant steps towards Spitfire before leaning on the kitchen's worktop, "You know Spit , you could always move in here ?" Dash inquired causally.

Spitfire stopped her actions and looked at dash with a smirk "I guess I could, but if your next question is if I can train you to become a Wonderbolt by next Tuesday then I'm afraid I'll have to decline" she said. Spitfire had to stifle a giggle when Rainbow blushed and looked away.

Spitfire started picking the packets of food back up and putting them away as she continued "Well sure Dash but do you even have another bedroom?" Spitfire asked.

Dash nodded happily, "Yeah, me and Fluttershy actually shared this house before she bought the cottage down in Ponyville and I have another room encase either one of our parents wanted to come and stay" she explained.

Spitfire closed the cupboard door and looked at Dash with a smile "Well then I guess I can stay then if its no problem" Spitfire said in a cheerful tone.

Dash smiled, "Really Spit having a former Wonderbolt captain staying at my house, the pleasure's all mine" Dash said as she turned around and walked back into the living room. Spitfire let out a chuckle before following the cyan mare back into the cloud home's living room.

Scootaloo looked up from her book to see her other family members walk into the room. Her face turned a sad expression as she faced her new mother

"A-are you leaving already?" Scootaloo said as Spitfire entered the room. The yellow mare grinned before pouncing on the filly and hugging her tightly

"nope mummy's moving in right here" Spitfire said as she ruffled Scootaloo's mane, the filly squealed before tightly hugging the mare back.

Spitfire smiled as she looked over to Dash who was sitting on another couch with a grin, she then noticed the clock that hung by the wall not to far away from her.

Spitfire looked down at the filly, "I think it's time we got some shut eye" She said.

Scootaloo groaned "do we have too?" she whined.

Spitfire rolled her eyes, "If you do then i'll tuck you in before you go to sleep" she replied.

Finally Scootaloo gave in and left to go and get cleaned up before going to bed. Spitfire and Dash still stayed in the living room for a little while longer talking about various things but they too went upstairs after awhile. Spitfire opened the door of Scootaloo's bedroom to see the little filly just getting under the covers. Spitfire walked over and started puffing out the cloud pillow and tucking in the sides around her filly.

Scootaloo looked up at her and smiled, "Thanks for adopting me mummy" she said as she reached up and hugged Spitfire. The yellow mare returned the embrace tightly before gently leaning the filly back down onto the bed and ruffling her mane

Spitfire smiled "goodnight my little one" she said kissing Scootaloo on the forehead once again. Scootaloo didn't respond and just snuggled into the cloud bed. Spitfire got up and walked to the end of the room. She put a hoof up to turn the lights off when she heard Scootaloo speak again.

"goodnight mummy, I..love you" Scootaloo said under the muffled sound of the cloud pillow. Spitfire smiled and turned off the light.

Scootaloo was unsure of why she didn't get a response 'maybe it was too soon' she thought to herself. She sighed into the pillow and let her eyes fall over as she started to drift off to sleep.

Suddenly Scootaloo gasped and her eyes snapped open as she felt a hoof the wasn't her own wrap itself around her mid section and pull her across the cloud bed. Scootaloo didn't stop moving until she was rested up against something soft and warm. She turned and looked up to see an outline of a pony with only the slightest shade of yellow that could be seen in the lack of light. Scootaloo then saw another figure which she soon found out was a wing which wrapped itself around her small frame and tightened itself so it couldn't move. Scootaloo then felt another kiss on her forehead before a soft whisper entered her ear.

"goodnight my little daughter, mummy loves you too."