One More Thing
The announcer’s voice echoed throughout the makeshift stadium erected just outside of Ponyville. It hurt Scootaloo’s ears, but she didn’t care. She was too excited to worry about anything besides missing what was coming next in the show.
“…and introducing the newest member of the Wonderbolts, RAINBOW DASH! Performing the infamous Sonic Rainboom!”
A multicolored streak could be seen approaching the ground. Everypony in the bleachers screamed at the tops of their lungs out of sheer anticipation. Scootaloo dropped her eyes from the sky to find Pinkie Pie a few rows down jumping around. All of Rainbow’s friends were attending her inaugural show into the Wonderbolts. Before she knew it, an ear shattering boom reverberated from the sky…followed by a collective gasp from the crowd.
*****
Scootaloo bolted upright. It was still dark in her small room. Tears streamed down her face and her heart was beating faster than she thought possible. As soon as she realized where she was, she started to cry harder and covered her face with a blanket.
The memory of that terrible event was as clear as ever in her mind; the announcer, Pinkie Pie, the Sonic Rainboom, the dust cloud erupting from the ground, the paramedic ponies, everything. It was Rainbow Dash’s first show after she was accepted into the Wonderbolts, and also her last.
The filly pegasus remembered the funeral. It was cloudy, but didn’t rain, Spitfire explained how she tried to stop Dash from doing the Rainboom in her first show, and afterwards, Scootaloo recalled the loneliness she felt despite being around the rest of Rainbow’s friends. Scootaloo was angry at everypony that left. Why did they leave so soon? Equestria lost its best flyer, and they just left like it was nopony important.
All five of Rainbow’s friends cried. Rarity comforted Fluttershy as she bawled. A pony like her shouldn’t have seen something like what happened, no pony should have. What hit Scootaloo hardest, though, was Applejack and her silent tears. The orange, earth pony didn’t heave or gasp in sorrow, she retained the same strong aura she always had, but allowed the tears to still flow over her cheeks.
And Scootaloo didn’t understand. She was on the ground, her eyes and throat hurt from how much she had been crying. Why didn’t Applejack feel like her? Scootaloo couldn’t stand the sight of the farm pony’s strength. Applejack deserved to feel as bad as Scootaloo did. She screamed and yelled to the point of almost losing her voice.
Scootaloo remembered Twilight draping a front leg around her, trying to comfort her, but she tore away and ran. She didn’t know where she was running, just away from Applejack.
Tears still fell down her face as she ran. She stopped under the tree in the park and just cried.
“Why did you have to leave me?”
*****
The months after the funeral were miserable. Scootaloo visited Rainbow’s grave every day for the first six months. She sometimes sat at the site until she fell asleep. Applejack would always come to check on her. She’d try to help Scootaloo get home, but the purple-maned filly always glared at Applejack with tear filled eyes and slunk away.
Nothing seemed real. The colors around her seemed less vibrant; the world was bleaker to Scootaloo. She distanced herself from other ponies, even the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She didn’t care about her Cutie Mark anymore; she didn’t care about anything anymore. All she wanted was her hero back.
*****
Some mornings, Scootaloo would wake up crying, and would fall into an absolute rage. She’d throw her pillow at her poster of the Wonderbolts, screaming at the top of her lungs.
“Why’d you have to do it? How could you leave me like that?”
Her father would usually let her vent her anger, but would always comfort her later. She didn’t listen to him; it was always the same thing.
“You can’t change what happened, Loo-Loo.”
She hated it when he called her that. She wasn’t a baby anymore.
After his failed attempts at comforting his daughter, Scootaloo’s father would fly her down to Ponyville. They lived in Cloudsdale, but since Scootaloo couldn’t fly on her own, her dad would have to take her into town. She could’ve attended the school in Cloudsdale, but he thought it was best for her to attend a school not made up of just pegasi.
He’d kiss the top of her head and would say the same thing to her every day, “Have fun, sweetheart. Things will get better,” and he’d fly to work at the weather factory.
Scootaloo loved her father, but after Rainbow’s death she didn’t have much faith in anypony. If her hero, no, her IDOL could leave her so easily, who’s to say others wouldn’t do the same?
*****
A year passed, but Scootaloo still hadn’t healed. She grew and started wearing her mane like Rainbow Dash, and her wings had grown strong enough to carry her weight. But, she still felt empty.
The rest of the ponies had moved on to some degree. Pinkie Pie was back to throwing parties again, but they seemed to lack the same magic they had before the accident. Fluttershy became even more of a recluse, something Scootaloo didn’t think possible. Rarity hadn’t changed much. She still designed dresses and suits with the same ‘fabulousness’ as before. Twilight seemed to study more, becoming something of a less drastic Fluttershy, to the point she sometimes wasn’t seen for days. Scootaloo supposed everypony had their own way of coping with loss, except Applejack.
Scootaloo hadn’t realized it during or after the funeral until a few months later, but Applejack never seemed to smile. Sweet Apple Acres wasn’t as productive and the family business was suffering because of it. Applebloom helped more after growing so much the past year, but it wasn’t near enough to compensate for the family’s best apple bucker.
As hard as it was for Scootaloo to admit, Applejack might have felt worse than she did. After all, Scootaloo was never really close to Rainbow Dash, but Applejack lost her best friend. The two were nearly inseparable. Now all that was left were the memories and the pain that those carried.
The tangerine-colored pegasus felt her eyes begin to water as she thought. She shook her head so none of the other students in Miss Cheerilee’s class would see her crying.
*****
Scootaloo still visited Rainbow’s grave, but one day it was special. It was the two year anniversary of her death, and all of Rainbow’s friends were at the site, even Fluttershy and Rarity. Rarity had moved to Manehatten after being employed by Hoity Toity and didn’t have much free time to visit Ponyville, and Fluttershy had been locked in her hut for almost three months, not talking to anypony. The memories of Dash and the thought of Fluttershy never seeing her again hurt the timid pegasus to the point of isolation.
The young pegasus looked at the older mares. They all looked the same as two years ago, like the passage of time left them alone. Scootaloo had changed a great deal, which was to be expected of a pony nearing her age. Her unkempt, purple mane and tail resembled Rainbow’s before her death, but still had the curl at the end of each to define her.
Sometimes, when Scootaloo was flying above Ponyville, she caught Applejack staring at her. She never knew why and it never bothered her, so she never asked the farm pony of her reasons.
After everypony paid their respects and left, she was left alone with Applejack. Scootaloo felt awkward, not about being around the orange, earth pony, but about how she acted two years before.
“It’s alright, sugarcube.” Applejack whispered. “Ah know ya’ll were feelin’ angry. Ah don’t blame you.”
Scootaloo kept staring at the grave marker touting Rainbow Dash’s Cutie Mark.
Applejack sighed and started to walk away.
“I’ve seen you,” Scootaloo hesitated, “you-you don’t smile anymore. And I’ve seen you…watch me fly.”
The blond-maned pony stopped. “Ah’m sorry fer starin’.”
Scootaloo only turned her purple-hued eyes away from the headstone. “I-I want to know why.”
She could see Applejack shiver, only enough to be noticed, though. “It’s ‘cause-it’s ‘cause ya’ll look so much like her.”
The tangerine-colored pegasus turned her head at this, but didn’t say anything as Applejack continued.
“Yer colors are diff’rent and yer not as fast as she was, but when Ah see ya’ll flyin’ around, Ah see Rainbow up there.”
Scootaloo fought back tears. She didn’t expect her to say that. “You-you really think so?”
Applejack nodded her head, and Scootaloo saw a few drops fall from her face. She had only seen Applejack cry once, at Rainbow’s funeral, but this was different. Applejack was almost convulsing as she wept.
Scootaloo realized she was crying as well. She always suspected that Applejack felt awful, but she didn’t expect her to open up like she did.
“And Ah,” the farm pony sobbed, “and Ah want ya’ll ta know, Rainbow…Rainbow really cared for ya. She was gonna help ya’ll learn ta fly, but then she got the letter and-and-” Applejack coughed and ended her sentence.
During the confession, Scootaloo had walked up beside Applejack. She put a front leg around the earth pony, and the two sat in the on the hill, under a tree, by Rainbow Dash’s final resting place.
*****
A few weeks after the incident with Applejack, Scootaloo found herself in front of the grave again. The two year anniversary hit her hard and all of the memories and regrets had flowed back into her mind.
She sat silent for some time.
“Hey there,” she started, “I’m back. I wanted to tell you I’m doing alright. I’ve gotten pretty good at flying, but I’m nowhere near as good as you were. I’m trying to get into the Junior Speedsters. If I work hard enough, I think I have a pretty good chance at making it.”
Silence.
Scootaloo knew it was crazy to talk to a headstone, but that never stopped her. She always felt Rainbow could hear her on the other side, no matter what.
The grave marker was worn, the Cutie Mark had started to fade, and moss began to grow around the base of the headstone. Scootaloo brushed it off with a wing before leaving. She hated leaving, it felt like she was turning her back and abandoning someone who needed her, and that never sat right with her. But, she knew Rainbow wouldn’t want to her to get stuck and not move forward.
Rainbow had always moved forward. She might’ve been lazy and napped a lot, but she never stopped progressing.
Scootaloo said she wanted to be just like her hero, so she always pushed herself.
She looked back at the grave. The sunset behind it gave the headstone and tree a halo. Scootaloo smiled and her eyes watered before she started flying back home.
*****
Another year passed, and Scootaloo still visited Rainbow’s grave, but it wasn’t as often as before. One day, she flew as fast as she could to the site, a letter held tightly in her teeth and tears streaming down her face.
She slowed as she approached the hill and landed to trot up to the top. The letter fell out of her mouth and unfolded on the ground.
Scootaloo could taste her warm tears as she smiled. “I got in. I’m going to the Junior Speedster flight camp, just like you did. I’m leaving next month, so I won’t be able to visit, though.”
She cried a bit harder.
“I want to say thanks,” she croaked, “thanks for being an inspiration to me and thanks for being there.”
Scootaloo raised a hoof to wipe her eyes. She looked at the moss covered headstone and faded rainbow-hued lightning bolt.
“I’m going to be just like you.” She whispered. “I promise.”
*****
Over the next couple of years, Scootaloo attended the Junior Speedsters flight camp, and had made quite a name for herself among the other pegasi.
She finally managed to get her Cutie Mark one day when she tried different stunts for a performance. One trick involved using her old scooter, she stood on it, a little awkward seeing how much she had grown over the years, and pumped her wings so she bolted towards a ramp. Scootaloo knew the euphoria from flying, but using the scooter as a point of reference felt amazing. The maneuver went better than she could imagine and a purple wheel with wings appeared on her flank after she landed.
Scootaloo almost cried that day, she was so happy.
She flew back to Rainbow’s grave once the camp ended. It was her last year there as she had come of age. Scootaloo smiled the entire flight.
The headstone hadn’t kept well on top of the hill, and the tree had grown to envelope the mound in a massive shadow at noon. Moss covered the entire slab and Scootaloo had to clean it up in order to see Rainbow Dash’s Cutie Mark.
“Guess what?” She whispered as she turned so her flank was facing the tombstone. “I finally got my Cutie Mark. It’s not as cool as yours, but I like it.” Scootaloo sat down facing the grave. “You know, I’m going to try and get into the Wonderbolts.
My coaches at flight camp told me if I worked hard enough, I could make it, and I will.”
She looked off at the horizon. “I promise.”
*****
The announcer’s voice echoed throughout the makeshift stadium erected just outside of Ponyville. It hurt Scootaloo’s ears, but she didn’t care. She was too excited to worry about anything besides missing what was coming next in the show.
“…and introducing the newest member of the Wonderbolts, RAINBOW DASH! Performing the infamous Sonic Rainboom!”
A multicolored streak could be seen approaching the ground. Everypony in the bleachers was screaming at the tops of their lungs out of sheer anticipation. Scootaloo dropped her eyes from the sky to find Pinkie Pie a few rows down jumping around. All of Rainbow’s friends were attending her inaugural show into the Wonderbolts. Before she knew it, an ear shattering boom reverberated from the sky…followed by a collective gasp from the crowd.
Scootaloo looked on in horror as the paramedic ponies rushed to the crater. She felt a falling sensation take over her and the world zoomed away from her until she was surrounded by darkness. Hoof steps could be heard, and they sounded like they were approaching her.
“Hey pipsqueak.” A squeaky voice echoed.
Scootaloo turned around to see the only other colored thing in the blackness, Rainbow Dash.
“Dash! But, you just-” She shouted as tears of joy rolled down her cheeks, but the other mare interrupted her.
“I’m here now, Scoots, but not for long. I wanted to tell you something, I may be gone, but if you remember me I’ll never be far away. Got it?”
Scootaloo nodded her head.
“One more thing,” Dash added, “I believe in you.”
The younger pegasus looked into Rainbow’s light-magenta eyes, but didn’t say anything.
*****
Scootaloo opened her eyes, tears soaked her pillow. She hadn’t woken up crying in a while. The rays from the morning sun seeped into her room through the shades. Sitting up, she wiped her eyes and looked at the picture of Rainbow Dash hanging on the wall next to her Wonderbolts poster.
“Thanks, Dash.” She whispered with a smile.
*****
That was the day Scootaloo waited for. After six years of letters and one well-performed audition, the Wonderbolts finally accepted her. She recognized all of the most recent members. The Wonderbolts Rainbow admired had all retired and lived across Equestria. Only Spitfire remained as a coach and manager.
Scootaloo gathered her bags. Her father helped her prepare. Her first show was the next day, so she was scatterbrained and couldn’t focus.
“You’ll be fine, Loo-Loo.” Her father said.
“I know, dad.” Scootaloo responded.
He helped her strap the two bags holding her clothes, Wonderbolts issued jumpsuit, and picture of Rainbow Dash on before she left.
She faced him, almost crying.
He smiled at her, on the verge of tears himself. “Just be careful.”
Scootaloo nodded and left their home in the clouds.
*****
The first show went off without a hitch. Scootaloo performed well, as did the rest of the flight team, and the guests at the after party reinforced their feelings of accomplishment.
She invited all of her friends, and all of them showed up. Fluttershy and Big Macintosh sat holding hooves on a bench. The two had gotten close ever since Mac visited Fluttershy after the two year anniversary of Rainbow’s accident and later married. Pinkie’s bright pink mane and tail looked faded from the last time Scootaloo saw her, but she was a bubbly as ever. Rarity aged with grace, as everypony expected. The small, fine wrinkles that had begun to form on her once soft face transformed her from a beautiful, young mare into the embodiment of elegance. Twilight aged similarly to Rarity, and the pink stripe in her hair faded like Pinkie’s. Applejack looked as fit as ever, even more so, if that was possible. Despite her getting older, she was well toned from continued apple bucking. Scootaloo attributed this idea to Granny Smith’s extended life span as well. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle conversed by the punch bowl. The young farm pony’s Cutie Mark exhibited a beautiful apple blossom attached to a wooden plank, and Rarity’s little sister’s mark was a microphone. Once they discovered what they were skilled at, it wasn’t much of a surprise, for either of them.
Scootaloo smiled at all of the ponies, but she had somewhere else to be. She snuck off once she had a minute of peace.
The night air was cool and ran through her mane as she flew off. It was dark, but she knew where she was going. The hill and tree were unmistakable, even with little light.
She approached what looked like a lump of moss. Scootaloo frowned at the lack of upkeep and she cleaned the slab so no moss was still attached. The headstone had eroded since her last visit and the rainbow lightning bolt couldn’t be seen in the
darkness.
“Hey Dash,” Scootaloo said just above a whisper, “sorry it’s been so long. Training with the Wonderbolts doesn’t allow for much free time. But, I guess you’d know about that, huh?”
Silence.
“You know, we’re leaving tomorrow. So I,” her eyes welled and she felt her voice crack as she spoke, “I won’t be able to visit as much anymore. I have your picture with me, though, so I won’t forget you.” She wiped her eyes, but they stayed dry for only a moment. “Remember that promise I made? I’m going to live my life for both of us. I’m following in your footsteps,
Dash, and I want to thank you for believing in me.”
She sat in the night for a while; the only sounds were the distant party and her soft crying. After a few minutes, she stood up and turned to leave. “You’ve done so much for me, Dash. And I wanted to thank you again before I leave. So, thanks.”
She extended her wings and returned to the party.
*****
Years passed, and Scootaloo had seen many sights and experienced dozens of once in a lifetime events traveling with the Wonderbolts. After she retired, she returned to Cloudsdale to live out the rest of her life as a flight instructor. She still visited Ponyville to see Applebloom and Sweetie Belle from time-to-time, but her age eventually caught up to her.
After Applejack and Big Mac died, Applebloom and her nephew, Apple Orchard, looked after the farm.
Sweetie Belle left Manehatten to travel with her band, and they held an annual concert in Ponyville up until she left to live the quiet life.
Ponyville changed after the rest of Rainbow’s friends passed away. The town became just like any other; boring and uneventful. Pinkie’s son, Apple Bob, showed the same amount of enthusiasm as his mother and tried to liven up the stale town, but unfortunately had the luck of his father, Caramel Apple, and could never put on a celebration like Pinkie could.
Scootaloo liked him, he reminded her of the days when Pinkie would throw a party just because she hadn’t thrown one that week. But, she didn’t have time to visit him at Sugarcube Corner. She guessed he was too busy running the shop on his own anyway.
She flew slowly to the hill. The evening stars began to show, if she didn’t hurry, she wouldn’t be able to see.
The old tree had died long before her retirement, a skeleton of its former self. Scootaloo cleaned off the slab in front of the once glorious plant, removing the moss, but leaving the flowers that had sprouted along the edges. Rainbow Dash’s Cutie Mark could barely be made out even during the day and the headstone had eroded to just surround the picture.
Scootaloo’s voice cracked. “Hey Dash. It’s me. I know I haven’t been here in a few years, but my wings aren’t as strong as they once were.” She chuckled softly. “You know, I kept my promise. I traveled with the Wonderbolts and lived a life you would’ve been proud of. I told my daughter all about you and how you inspired me to follow my dreams. She’s the manager for an upcoming flight team in Fillydelphia, you know, and her son is enrolled with the Junior Speedsters. Yeah, the camp’s still around. I couldn’t be more proud of both of them.”
Silence.
Scootaloo laid her head down so her faded-purple mane rested on the flower-specked grass. “Before I leave, I want to tell you thank you, one last time. I could never have lived such a full life without you.”
She smiled and let her eyes close. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash.”
Silent tears streamed down her cheeks, but the smile she wore remained.
“Thank you.”