Life's Lessons

The sun over Ponyville was now starting to dip from its peak in the light blue sky. Rainbow Dash and the rest of the cutie mark crusaders as well as the main six made their way to the Golden Oaks Library.

Dash knocked on the door and was soon granted entry by Spike. He soon lead the group of ponies into the main room of the library which by now had been cleared of the mountains of books that it had possessed earlier today.

Twilight entered the living room from the stairs and smiled when she saw all her friends in the room. “Hey everypony,” she said happily motioning for all of them to take a seat.

All the ponies in the living room took a seat whilst Rainbow Dash kept standing in the center of the room. She breathed in shakily before speaking. “So... I gathered everyone here because I think you all need to know the truth about what's happened lately,” she said looking at Scootaloo.

The little filly looked around the room, she could feel the nerves start to build up inside her. But when she turned back to the cyan mare she felt all those feelings leave her as she saw her sister with a comforting smile and holding her hooves out for her.

Scootaloo turned a determined look and got up before trotting over to the older mare in the center of the room. She took the Pegasus’s hoof and turned around to face all the ponies in the room who were eyeing both ponies eagerly.

Scootaloo sighed before she spoke up. “Well first off.. I-I’m an orphan,” she said starting to let the truth out. All the ponies in the room besides Dash dropped their jaws at this in utter shock at the first bombshell of the day. Scootaloo continued, “I’ve also been living in the alleyway behind Sugarcube Corner for a few months now,” she admitted as she heard all the ponies gasp. Scootaloo started to feel her nerves rise, but she felt Dash gently rub her shoulder with a hoof spurring her on.

Scootaloo rubbed the back of her neck hesitantly before speaking up again. “I’ve been… homeless for quite a while and… and just a few days ago... I got really depressed after Diamond Tiara had bullied me and I-I…” Just at that moment Scootaloo hiccuped as her body was forcing her not to tell everypony about that day.

Scootaloo then started to feel her eyes water, she could still feel Dash’s hoof but it was too much and Scootaloo started to sob. Dash realised this and quickly picked the small pegasus up and embraced her gently.

However the shocked ponies on the floor and around the library were still slightly confused. Applejack spoke up among the silent curiosity. “She did what a few days ago?” she asked curiously, but with slight fear in her voice of what the answer might be.

Rainbow Dash looked over to the orange filly currently resting on her shoulder as she calmed down from her sobbing. Scootaloo knew what Dash was asking and nodded in approval.

Rainbow then turned back to the other ponies in the room and spoke, her voice still quite shaky. “A few days ago Scootaloo…tried to kill herself.”

Everypony in the room was now utterly speechless. Dash could see on the expressions of each pony there was immense sorrow and guilt. Dash could also feel the same nerves welling up again inside her as she hugged the orange filly tightly.

After a few moments of silence Twilight spoke up her voice was quiet but audible, “...I’m sorry Scootaloo.”

The little orange filly turned around to face the lavender unicorn with stunned eyes. “Y-you’re sorry?” she asked slightly confused at the sudden apology.

Twilight nodded and so did every other pony in the room. ”We’re sorry we didn’t notice,” she said sadly. Scootaloo then noticed all the guilt ridden faces in the library as her mind started to come to terms with reality itself.

Dash let Scootaloo down onto the library’s floor before the little filly was tackled to the ground by her two friends in a group hug. Rainbow Dash and the rest of the group smiled warmly.

Scootaloo finally felt at peace in her troubled mind, she knew now despite her actions she would always have ponies which loved and cared for her no matter what. She kept this thought close as she smiled and hugged her friends in return.

Suddenly there was a knock at the entrance of the library breaking the silence. Twilight used her magic to open the door to reveal a white alicorn standing behind it.

Twilight smiled. “Princess Celestia,” she said happily trotting over and embracing her mentor.

Celestia smiled. “Hello Twilight, I read your letter and thought I would come as soon as I could,” she said happily.

Twilight smiled. “Great, now we can speed this adoption up,” she said turning to Dash with a smile.

Scootaloo looked over to her idol with wide eyes. “A-adoption?”

Rainbow smiled and nodded happily. Scootaloo smiled hugely before she ran up and hugged the mare tightly.

Celestia smiled at the affection. “I think we should start the house inspection immediately,” she said to the lavender mare who nodded in approval.

Scootaloo stopped nuzzling the rainbow maned mare when she heard this. “What do you mean by house inspection?” she asked curiously.

Twilight was first to speak, “Well somepony will come to Rainbow’s house and inspect it to see if you can live there,” she answered happily.

Scootaloo’s face turned to one of worry. “and what happens if they don’t like it?” she asked hesitantly.

Twilight lowered her head not wanting to answer the question. Celestia just kept a warm smile as she turned to face the two Pegasi in the room. “Lets get started shall we?” she asked politely before trotting out of the library.

Rainbow let the small filly hop onto her back before she followed the alicorn princess out of the library. All the other ponies watched on nervously as the three ponies took off towards the floating home in the sky hoping everything would be alright.

Rainbow looked at the filly on her back, she knew Scootaloo was beyond scared of what might happen if the princess did not approve of the home, she could also feel her own nerves rising as they made their way to her home...she just hoped it would all be okay.