Life's Lessons

Rainbow Soared through the cold night air in the skies above Ponyville as she made her way towards her home with the filly - who was now sleeping soundly - on her back just like the previous night. Dash knew that tomorrow things would really start for caring for the filly, but for now she had more important matters to take care of.

Dash landed back on the doorstep of her floating home in the sky, she pushed opened the door before trotting into the home and going up the spiral stairs to her room. She trotted over to the large cloud bed and set the filly down gently. She took the covers and put them over the filly and tucked her in before quietly leaving the room and turning off the lights.

A few moments later the rainbow maned mare soon found herself on the couch in the living room of her home. She stared at the ceiling as her mind churned in her head. She had found that today had been one of the best and most memorable days she’d had in a long time. She loved teaching Scootaloo how to fly, she liked how enthusiastic the filly was too. It all made the reality of what she did just few days ago seem like nothing at all. But something remained in the back of her mind... and it was still a concern. Dash knew that she would stick by the little filly... it was her element. But the main fear for the sky blue Pegasus was that she was too scared to lose her.

When those words processed through Dash’s brain she stopped all other thoughts. She realized that she cared for this filly… she couldn’t lose her. Dash started to think about all the times she now wished she’d helped the filly, and she knew from now on she would always help her when needed. But what if something was to happen or something was to go wrong?

Dash knew she currently had no legal citizenship over the small filly, and what she was technically doing was classed as foalnapping. She knew it wouldn’t last forever like this and especially with her reputation word would get out very quickly. Dash sighed, could she really be the one to take care of the stricken filly.

The rainbow maned mare turned her head to face the coffee table where the note that the filly had written sat. She leaned over and picked it up and held it tightly as she read the letter that had broken her heart. But this time when she read it, her spirit seemed to rise.

Dash smiled when she read the letter, for the first time she felt how much the filly really did love her and how she loved spending time with her… it also talked about her dream, a broken and crazy dream but to her it was everything.

Dash turned a determined look at the paper as she spoke quietly to herself, “I’m gonna be your big sis Scootaloo… for real.” The cyan mare then looked around the floor and found what she was looking for. She sprung from the couch and leaned down to pick up one of the Wonderbolts magazine that littered the floor.

Dash went over to the table in the kitchen and opened the magazine. She quickly flipped to the last page and tore it out. She then looked at the words on the piece of paper before grabbing a quill and writing on the parchment. She put a few bits in the letter before setting it down on the table and smiling. She looked back over to the magazine and flicked back to the front page which showed a picture of Cloudsdale’s colosseum.

Dash grinned. “And this is where I’m gonna make that happen,” she said confidently before turning away from the kitchen table and walked back into the living room, thinking about her newly devised plan. But then she heard a scream come from upstairs.

A few moments earlier

Scootaloo was walking through a dirt trail somewhere in Equestria, the sun was shining and everything seemed perfectly normal. Suddenly a dark shadow started to creep up behind the small filly. Scootaloo saw the darkness and turned around in horror to see a pony ten times her size towering over her, blocking out the sun.

It grinned evilly before speaking. “Well hello there looserloo, you going to try flying again. There's no point, you’ll always just be a useless chicken,” it said before giggling as more noises of insulting rhymes came through the world, reverberating off the walls.

Scootaloo started to gallop away from the large pony but the shadow only got bigger until the pony blocked out the sun fully leaving the entire world darkened and left nothing but black. Scootaloo watched her entire world go dark and looked around for any signs of life in the pitch black. Suddenly a flash of cyan came out from the corner of her eyes.

Scootaloo looked over to the rainbow maned mare and smiled. “Rainbow Dash!” she exclaimed as run over towards the mare. But just as suddenly as she appeared the mare vanished into dust before the orange filly could reach her. It was then that the evil giggles started again. Scootaloo’s eyes shrink at the voice before she backed into a wall. The giggles though persisted and the little filly saw the dark outlines of ponies faces before they appeared as the little fillies from her old home, to her left appeared Diamond Tiara from her current school. The fillies started to advanced on the orange pony with menacing grins.

Scootaloo watched in horror as they closed in on her. She tried to escape but some magical force was now keeping her locked in place. Scootaloo looked back before all the fillies jumped at her.

Scootaloo suddenly woke up with a scream. When she stopped she quickly gazed around the room for any signs of her recent dream, feeling that they were gone the little filly buried her head in her hooves as she sobbed quietly.

Then the sound of hoofsteps came from outside of the room. Scootaloo’s heart started racing and she dashed under the covers as her body shook.

Rainbow Dash burst into the master bedroom and instantly started searching around. She then saw the shivering ball underneath the bed. She quickly took the covers off the cloud bed revealing the small crying filly.

Scootaloo looked up and a flood of emotions built up when she saw the concerned a worried look on the mares face. She instantly jumped up and hugged the mare tightly as she cried heavily into her.

Dash quickly wrapped the filly up and started to hush her loud wails as she comforted the crying filly. “It's okay Scoots, everything's fine,” she cooed to the small pony as she kept her firmly in an embrace.

Scootaloo finally started to calm down from her crying to a few sniffles as she hugged the older mare. “I-I’m sorry Dash, I-I should have been m-more strong,” she said looking at the mare with shameful eyes.

Dash shook her head. “No Squirt I'm not disappointed, everyone has their own fears," she said ruffling the filly’s purple mane.

Scootaloo smiled at the statement.

Dash smiled. “So what was it that got you so worked up on?” she asked curiously trying to keep a happy tone as to not worry the shaken filly.

Scootaloo looked downwards. “I-I had a nightmare,” she said in a sad tone.

Dash wiped a few tears from the little ponies muzzle. “Can you tell me what it was about?” she asked hesitantly, worried that this was somewhere Scootaloo didn’t want to venture.

The little filly fumbled with her hooves as she spoke. “When I was little I was always bullied...even now I am…and it's all my fault,” she said looking downcast.

Dash was confused by this. “What do you mean all your fault?” she asked looking down at the filly.

Scootaloo sighed. “My wings… it's my fault I’m stuck with them,” she replied.

Dash was now not only shocked, but slightly mad. She released the embrace and set the filly down on the bed before turning a determined look at the orange pony. She leaned down so she was muzzle to muzzle with the pony before she spoke. “Scoots, don’t you ever tell yourself or let others convince you its your fault. You're an awesome Scoots...you don't need to have great wings to show that, so what if you were never taught to fly...but don’t even think about blaming this on you Scoots, you're better than that,” she said poking the filly in the chest to emphasize her point.

Scootaloo smiled at the mare with slightly glazed eyes. Dash smiled back and picked up the filly again as she held her in an embrace.

After a while Scootaloo spoke up disrupting the peaceful silence. “Thanks... sis.”

Dash smiled. “No problem kiddo and remember I’m always here if you need me,” she said confidently. Scootaloo felt a flurry of new emotions at this and she felt the happiness lulling her back to sleep.

The cyan mare felt the filly nod and laid down on the bed as she wrapped the filly up in her wing as she watched the little pony drift off to sleep with a content smile. She leaned down and kissed her on the forehead affectionately before whispering, “I’ll always be with you Scootaloo... I love you, little sister.”

Dash then laid her head on the cloud pillow and looked down at the small filly knowing she would always stick true to those words.

The next day

Dash was dreaming peacefully in her own world until a voice seeped into her skull. “Dash...wake up.” Still the cyan mare ignored the sound and went back to her peaceful silence... this was until the voice called again but a lot louder.

“Come on Dash! I need to go to School!” the voice shouted. Dash then started to feel her body as it woke up and groaned at the pain of an unscheduled wake up. Her eyes slowly started to open to the sight of a slightly panicked filly with a yellow backpack. She had her hooves on either of the mares shoulders and was shaking her in an attempt to wake her.

Rainbow Dash rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with a free hoof as she spoke. “Scoots...what's the time?” she asked curiously looking out the small bedroom window trying to asses the time of day.

Scootaloo groaned in annoyance. “It's time to go to school Dash or I’m gonna be late!” she said shaking the mare again, waking her a bit more.

Dash nodded in agreement. “Okay, Okay, I can get you there in ten seconds flat,” she said stretching out her tired muscles.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “School started a few minutes ago Dash,” she said slightly annoyed of her older sisters heavy sleeping. Dash sighed and trotted downstairs with the filly to the entrance as she made sure the filly had everything she needed.

Dash opened the door and made her way outside. She looked over to the filly on her back. “You all set Scoots, this is gonna get fast,” she said smirking at the last part as she flared her wings. Scootaloo hunkered down on the Pegasus back to be more aerodynamic. Dash grinned and turned back to the skies as she bolted from the house and into the vast sky.

Dash knew she would now start having to really be the caring pony which was something she wasn’t entirely good at doing. She hoped her plan to adopt Scoots would work out but for now she would just be there for her whenever she could or whenever she was needed.