Today is the day. The long awaited day. A day such as this should be one of celebrations and congratulations, because just two days ago, Scootaloo had won the Iron Pony Race. The Iron Pony Race, which use to be just a small race between the ponies of Ponyville, had become a Equestrian tradition. And this year, the crown went to Scootaloo. Her prizes were desired by all pegasuses. One, a crown symbolizing her victory, endurance, and speed, given to her by the Princess of the sun her self, Princess Celestia. The second, which was the biggest, a spot in the Wonderbolts.
She had done it. Scootaloo achieved gold and praise. She achieved her rightful place in the greatest flight team in Equestria. If all this is happening to her, then why is Scootaloo not celebrating? Why is she not taking this day to relax and bask in her new found glory? She isn't, because she's realized something. Not many but several years before, she couldn't even fly anywhere. Her only means of transportation were her scooter...and her idol. The only one she called family, not by blood but by bond. Rainbow Dash.
She was the one who taught Scootaloo everything she knew about flying. Tricks, maneuvers, even the simple things. She stuck by her side and kept her morale up. No matter what. Scootaloo looked up to her, hay she still does. In the back of her mind and her heart, Rainbow Dash will always be a step ahead of her. At age seventeen, Scootaloo parted from the cyan pegasus. She promised her she would return when she felt ready. Rainbow didn't understand what she meant, but somehow understood in another sense. They hugged, and Scootaloo hopped on the train. Leaving Ponyville.
It's now been two years since her departure and she's all grown up in everypony's eyes. Everypony's, except her's. She still feels like the young pegasus she was. The flightless orange pegasus who rode around on her scooter. The one who got in trouble and Cutie Mark Crusade with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. Those days maybe long gone, but to Scootaloo, they're today. And have been since she's left Ponyville.
You would probably ask why today of all days Scootaloo is not celebrating her success. And is currently on a train headed straight for Ponyville. The reason is simple, really. She's going home. She's going to grow up.
To grow up, is by seeing Rainbow Dash. She's been the closets thing to family Scootaloo has ever had, and over the years...She's grown into something more. The longer Scootaloo was away from Rainbow, the stronger she felt about the pegasus. When she was a young filly, she assumed she simply idled her. After all, who wouldn't? But around the age of thirteen, something changed. She saw Rainbow in a new light. Months after this discovery, she find out she was into mares. And that's what started it.
Everyday since, there wasn't a thought that didn't lead to thinking about the rainbow maned pegasus. Every flight, every move, and every small pep talk she gave herself before a race, it was Rainbow who appeared in her psych. Even now as she neared the train station of Ponyville, she could see her. Rainbow mane flowing freely down one side of her neck, her wings folded down to her hides covering her rainbow lighting cloud cutie mark, and her eyes. Her violet eyes. They made shivers go up Scootaloo's spine and through her wings.
The train stopped. She took it as a sign of her arrival. She was going to do it, to her she had to. But it had to go as smooth as possible, she couldn't make a fool out of herself. She had to play it cool.
Scootaloo walked off train and looked around. Not many ponies were out. She looked to the skies, the sun was setting, telling her that it was around six or seven-o-clock. With a few steady flaps of her wings, Scootaloo took to the skies. From there she could easily spot Rainbow's cloud home. After flying around for about half and hour, and almost getting spotted by locals, she found it.
Rainbow Dash's house was like a small mansion. It had two fountains on either side of the front door and spouted rainbows. Scootaloo landed softly on the porch. Upon staring at her idol's front door, she took the time to rethink her decision. This is crazy! She thought. Me and Rainbow Dash as a couple? That's like Pinkie and Twilight, Rarity and Spike...or Soarin' and a pie...
With a sullen sigh, Scootaloo turned away from the door and prepared to dive off the front porch. To her surprise how ever, she manage to bump right into the pegasus she was looking for. She jumped back and let out a squeak.
Rainbow laughed and pulled her into a hug. "Scoots! It's great to see you!"
After recovering from her small shock, Scootaloo hugged back. Taking note of how soft and warm the cyan pegasus's fur was. Rainbow pulled away to get a better look at her.
"You've grown so much! It's like only yesterday you were only this tall and rode around on that scooter." She moved her hoof down to about her flank, the height Scootaloo was as a filly. She laughed.
"Yeah, it has been awhile hasn't it?" Scootaloo said. She smiled and pulled Rainbow back into a hug. "I missed you so much, Dash. Time hasn't changed you a bit."
Rainbow scoffed, but held onto the orange pegasus. "Like I can get old. Have you forgotten how awesome I am already?"
Scootaloo laughed. "Of course not." She pulled away and took another look at Dash. She was right when she mentioned how young Rainbow looked. Her mane was still bright and colorful just as it was years ago, her coat looked young and healthy, and her eyes...Scootaloo took a glance into those violet worm pools and lost her train of thought.
"Uh...Scoot?" Rainbow moved closer. "Equestria to Scootaloo! Are you in there?"
Scootaloo realized what she was doing and looked away. Her cheeks burned. "Hehe...Uh, sorry."
"For what?" Rainbow raised and eyebrow. "Do you want to come in? It's supposed to rain soon."
Scootaloo regained control over her face and nodded at her idol. She followed her inside the cloud home. Everything inside looked to be made from clouds. From the furniture to the kitchen, to pretty everything except some picture frames and other things that hung on the walls. They both flew over to the couch and sat beside each other. Scootaloo kept silent.
"Scoots." Rainbow said. "What's wrong?"
Scootaloo looked up. "Hmm? Oh, nothing."
Rainbow just stared.
"Really! What? Is it wrong to visit after two years with out a word?"
"No! Not at all! It's just..." Rainbow sighed. "Why would you want to visit an old mare like me?"
Scootaloo was taken aback. "W-What? Old?"
"Don't give me that! I'm old, Scoots. I'll be thirty-three in June. Another ring in the tree." Rainbow sulked.
"Oh don't give me that crap, Dash." Scootaloo nudged her, but that didn't do much. "Come on."
Rainbow looked back up. "I heard about you winning the Iron Pony Race." She grinned. "That's awesome."
And there it was. The classic grin Rainbow wore when Scootaloo was a filly. Then it hit her, the reason she's here.
"Uh, yeah! Awesome..." Scootaloo fell silent.
"What? You're not happy you won?" Rainbow asked.
"No that's not it. It's...it's, well..." She face hoofed. "Dammit!"
Rainbow jumped back. "Whoa! What?"
Scootaloo faced her idol. "I can't say it! I want to, but I just can't!" She hopped off the cloud couch and paced around it. She looked at the floor and kicked at it. Rainbow scratched the back of her head. What has gotten into Scootaloo?
"Hey, Scoots? Are you sure you're okay?" Rainbow asked cautiously. She got a quick glance from Scootaloo. She sighed.
"Rainbow...remember when I was thirteen and found out that...I, uh..."
"You like mares? Yeah." Rainbow tipped her head to the side. "Is there a problem?"
Scootaloo sat back on the couch and faced her idol. Her idol. She closed her eyes tight and brought her hooves up to her face. "I...I have to tell you something."
Rainbow sat closer to her protege and laid a wing on her back. "Go ahead. You can tell me anything."
That did not help Scootaloo in the slightest. She looked away to gather her thoughts, planning out what she was going to say, what it could lead to. She turned back and exhaled. "Ever since that day, I've felt...strange. Around you. I assumed it was you were my hero, and still are, and because well...you're Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow beamed. "I think I like where this is going."
I hope you still do after this, Dash.'Scootaloo thought. "But as I grew up, and after all the time I spent with you...I began to crush on you."
Rainbow's cheeks turned a light crimson as Scootaloo went on.
"Sure. I was a filly and you were old enough to be my big sister, but I didn't care." She laid a hoof on Rainbow's. "My feelings never changed. After I moved out of Ponyville...Every passing day...it just grew." Tears welled up in her eyes. "No matter what race I won, no matter who was there for me, and no, even if I did get into the Wonderbolts, all that mattered to me was how you felt. Even now. None of it matters."
Rainbow sat speechless. She had no idea what bomb was just dropped on her. She also wasn't sure what bomb Scootaloo was about to drop. A bomb that could shake the foundation of their relationship altogether.
"Rainbow Dash...I love you."
And there it was. The words that Scootaloo's brain has been stabbing at her to say for years now. Her vision was blurred, her mind was a snow storm, and her only protection from the storm was a paper bag. All she could see was the cyan fur of her idol, sitting perfectly still across from her. Scootaloo assumed the worst and stood up from the couch. She made an attempt for the door, to run away and never come back, and to curse her self for the rest of her life for ever feeling the way she does for the older mare. All of these thoughts, however, were snatched right out of her when Rainbow leaped from the couch and grabbed her. Scootaloo struggled and begged, pleading for Rainbow to let go. But she didn't. What she did do was hold Scootaloo, stoking her mane and rocking her as if she was a foal needed to be laid down for a nap. Scootaloo stopped her struggling and simply cried.
"I'm sorry!" She wailed. "I...I didn't understand the feeling at first, but I couldn't let it go!"
Rainbow brought her back to the couch and held her. She fought as hard as she could to fight back tears of her own. She whispered into Scootaloo's ear. "It's alright, shh..."
Scootaloo shook her head in denial. "No, It's not...it's not."
Rainbow looked down at the sobbing mare she held onto. She's crashed into trees, gotten into fights at school. She's even crashed into school! But not once has Rainbow seen Scootaloo cry like this. It hurt her, her heart ached. The fact that Scootaloo actually had feeling for her was still bouncing around in her mind. As she hugged her, she felt more for the orange mare. She didn't when she was a filly, because she was, well, a filly. But now that she's seen her grow up to be the successful flier she's talked about so many times, warmed Rainbow's heart.
She pulled away from Scootaloo, far enough to see the purple of her eyes. She saw the sadness and confusion in them, she knew them because she once had them, too. When Rainbow found out she like other mares, she took it pretty hard. Nothing made sense after the fact. She couldn't accept herself. But after she told her mother, Rainbow got the lecture that made her the mare she was today. Her mother told that it wasn't a bad thing. Everypony is entitled to whom they choose to love. Gender nor race can depict that. And in Scootaloo's case, this meant age.
She let out a soft sigh and smiled at Scootaloo. Without as much as a warning, she leaned in and pressed her lips to the unsuspecting orange pegasus. Scootaloo's eyes went as wide as the moon, her mind went into every direction known to pony. She soon closed her eyes and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow's neck, bringing her closer. After a few moments, Rainbow broke the kiss, leaving Scootaloo in the same position. She laughed.
"T-that..." Scootaloo managed. "That..."
Rainbow hugged her again. "That was what you came all this way for. And I hope you didn't plan on flying home in the rain."
Scootaloo blushed and stammered. "B-But does that-" She was silenced by another kiss, this time with more passion. Rainbow pulled away and leaned her forehead against her's and smiled.
"I love you too, Scoots."
Scootaloo tossed and turned in her sleep, feeling cold and with the feeling of missing something. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked around at her surroundings. This wasn't her apartment. This wasn't even some hotel she would stay at from a town she was racing in. Something was definitely missing though, or somepony. She sat up, stretching her wings and feeling the pops in her joints. The couch she laid on was still warm from where that somepony laid next to her. Standing up from the battered piece of furniture was one choice she quickly regretted. As when Scootaloo got all the way up, she felt light headed and lost her balance, falling right back down on the couch face down. She breathed into it, smelling the spot where she was. Her eyes widened. It all suddenly came back to her.
Scootaloo looked around, she was right. This was not her apartment or some hotel. This was indeed Rainbow Dash's home, and she spent the night there. A huge blush formed on her face as she recalled the night before, the pit in her stomach growing wide and giving her a wicked bad tummy ache. 'What...did that really happen?' She thought. Yes, it did. She confessed her love to Rainbow, and was greeted with her open hooves. She recalled every detail, how she almost ran out out of shame of herself and how Dash pulled her back. Her blush intensified as she recalled their kiss... But what really stood out was where Rainbow was. Or wasn't.
She moved about the living room and looked at all of the medals that hung on the wall. All of them with the same symbol, a rain cloud with a rainbow lightning bolt coming out of it. She had always known that Dash was big in racing and won a vast majority of the races she competed in, but never knew that she had earned enough medals to cover up this wall. They ranged from on side to the next. What caught Scootaloo's eye the most, however, was a crown that hung by a nail in the wall. It was the same crown that was given to Dash the day of the Young Fliers competition all those years ago.
She still kicks herself to this day for not being able to go. After all the fantasies of being there for her during a big race, she goes and gets grounded for trying to earn her cutie mark in cutting manes. The trouble she got into that day, in her filly mind, rivaled Luna's banishment to the moon. Now that seems a little exaggerated. Still, where is Rainbow?
'Getting some air would probably cool my nerves.' Scoots thought, and moved towards the front door. With a turn of the handle, and a push, she was out on the front porch. She walked out towards the edge and sat, staring down at the peaceful town below. So many memories from Ponyville came to her mind, keeping her occupied while a figure stalked up behind her. Suddenly, Scootaloo was jerked back into a hug.
"Ah!" She screamed. When she turned around, her scared look turned to one of relief. "Oh, there you are."
Rainbow Dash grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Scoots. Couldn't help it." She buried her face into Scootaloo's mane, nuzzling the back of her head. Scoots blushed a little, and returned the gesture. They both stood there in silence, with only the comfort of the embrace they shared. Enjoying the heat that irradiated between them and from the sun. "The sun looks so nice in the morning doesn't it?"
Scootaloo smiled. "Yeah, it sure does. Do you always come out here so early?"
Rainbow nuzzled her. "Only after something amazing happens." Scootaloo blushed and hide herself in Dash's chest. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, I had the best blanket in Equestria." Scootaloo said sheepishly. "By the way, why did you leave? I was so comfortable."
Rainbow laughed. "I had to get up and walk around at some point." She kissed Scoots on the cheek. "As much as I'd like to, I can't keep you warm all day."
Dash's comment made Scootaloo shiver. She brought a hoof up and touched it to Dash's face. "Rainbow?" Scoots whispered.
"Yeah?" Dash said through the orange pegasus's mane.
"Did...did you mean what you said yesterday?" She turned to face the cyan pegasus. "I mean, I know you did. I think. I don't know!" She fell into Rainbow's hooves and sighed. "I'm still shocked that I came out with it, and that I'm actually here with you."
Rainbow hugged the orange pegasus, stroking her mane and holding her tight. "Scootaloo, you should know that I wouldn't say something like that and not mean it. I'm Element of Loyalty after all." She pulled away to look Scoots in the eye. Their eyes seemed to be the same shade of violet, both glistening in the morning sun. "You've grown up so much. I was just like you when I was a filly, wild, reckless, fast. Wanting to be just like somepony else." Her words sounded unfamiliar to even her self as she went on. "But now, you're your own pony. You got here just by being yourself, and had the courage to say what you said to me last night. I have never felt this way about anypony ever in all of my life."
"But, I..." Scootaloo paused. "I want to know how you feel about this. Show me that you really feel how I feel about you." Her words burned herself as she spoke. "It's not that I don't believe you, I just want to make sure. I really love you, Rainbow and..."
Rainbow held the orange pegasus as she spoke. She was right, in some case. Rainbow did love her, but how was she to show it? "Alright." She quickly pulled away and headed inside the cloud home. A few minutes later, she came back out, her wings were tied down with rope. As she walked towards the edge of the porch, Dash turned to Scootaloo and smiled.
Scootaloo was not understanding what Rainbow was doing. "Dash, what are you-"
Scootaloo cut herself off as Dash fell backwards off her porch.
"RAINBOW!!" Scootaloo screamed. She ran and dived off the porch, her wings snapped out as she dove straight down. Her eyes fell upon the falling cyan pegasus, looking right back at her. Her smile had not change. 'What is she doing?! She's too far down!' Scootaloo panicked, there looked to be no way she could reach Dash in time. Her home was not far off the ground, and they were falling at an increasing rate. Scootaloo focused all of her energy and strength on her wings, and her thinking on catching Rainbow Dash.
'Come...on!...Faster!' She screamed in her head. They were not far from Ponyville now, it was only a matter of seconds. Her wings flapped as hard as they could, her back was straining, and her eyes burned the faster they flew. But Dash kept smiling. Scootaloo thought back, back to when Rainbow was training her. The day before she left Ponyville. Her mind raced back further to when she was a filly and idolized her as a hero. None of those thoughts motivated herself as much as she thought back to the night before. She cried into Dash's shoulder, hating herself for feeling the way she did. She does. And Rainbow felt the same way.
Scootaloo's eyes flew open wide. 'She...she does...Rainbow does love me. She's trusting me!' She realized. Her face turned to one of determination and she flew straight down, faster than she ever has. Her mind only focusing on the pegasus only a few hooves away from her. Closer...closer-
"Gotcha!" Scootaloo yelled. She grabbed Dash into a hug, only to notice the ground speeding towards them. Her eyes shut tight and Scootaloo braced herself, her wings splayed open in an attempt to slow them down. She felt the burns of her wings being strained to hold stiff. Her eyes watered from the pain, but she won't let either of them get hurt. She won't let Dash get hurt.
She got them to hit the ground with very little force, rolling them down a small hill into a couple of bushes. Scootaloo's vision was blocked by the one coming barrage of bush after bush, each hitting them constantly. As they came to a stop, Scootaloo flew forward from Rainbow, almost hitting a tree and stopping just in front of it. Her throat burned from heavy breathing, she came accustom to this from racing, but never had she flown so fast for any reason other than to be in first place. Her heart raced and her wings ached.
"Rainbow!" She called out, her eyes not opening. "Oh please tell me you're alright..." Scootaloo panted as she laid there in the grass. Suddenly, she felt a hoof caress her cheek. Scootaloo opened her eyes to see Dash sitting beside her, her rainbow mane filled with leaves and a warm smile on her face. Scootaloo quickly stood up and forced herself upon the cyan pegasus, pushing them both to the ground.
"Dash! Are you okay?! What the hay is wrong with you, you could've gotten killed!" She screamed at the cyan pegasus, who simply laid there staring dreamily back at her.
"But I didn't..." Rainbow said, siting up and taking leaves out of Scootaloo's mane. "Because you caught me."
"Yeah...but-" Scoots tried, but was cut off by Dash's hoof.
"And I knew you would...because I love you." She spoke sincerely. "I would have fallen to my death, based on my own foolishness, but that's it. I didn't. You wanted me to prove to you that I loved you. Well, Squirt." She laid back down in the grass, pulling Scootaloo down with her. "I love you enough to trust you'll be there to catch me if I fall."
Scootaloo stared back in disbelief. Rainbow just risked her life in an attempt to prove to her that she felt the same way. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she pulled Rainbow into a hug. "Rainbow..." She sobbed. Dash stroked her mane as she sobbed into the rainbow mane.
"I mean it, Scoots. All of it." Rainbow said. She rolled over so she laid muzzle to muzzle with the orange pegasus. She saw a small smile grow on Scootaloo lips and she started laughing. "What's so funny?"
Scoots lifted a hoof and lightly tapped Rainbow on the head. "If you do that again..."
"Yeah?" Dash asked, grinning.
"I might just let you fall." Scootaloo finished. She leaned in and kissed Rainbow, who returned the gesture. The two pegasuses laid there under the trees of the small patch. Lying in each others embraces and sharing a kiss at the start of many. Both do not know where this relationship will take them, whether their friends accepting their decision, Scootaloo's career, or whatever might get in the way. All Rainbow and Scootaloo now know, was that love is love, no matter what.
But the most important lesson was learned by Scootaloo. After years of her thoughts, of her denying them, and of her tossing them aside. Labeling them as minor altercations. She didn't love Rainbow Dash, it was a simple crush that she had. After her realizing that her races weren't the point, and that she did love her, Scootaloo came home to confront these thoughts. Now, she lays in the hooves of the pony she loves. In her own way, Scootaloo finally felt like she grew up. And she's right to think so. Because...
We All Mature Someday.
