[Classic] The Scootaloo Diaries

Rainbow continued to fly as fast as she could, the cold air stinging her face. She looked back to see the train was quite far behind her now. With a sharp dive, she exited the wind-current, and flew down towards the ground. The warmer air immediately soothed her aching body as she curved back up and spotted her destination. Just in sight over a large hill, the city of Cumulumbus floated. She pressed forward, exhausted from the long flight and powered only by her determination to help her friends.

She looked back again, panting. The train disappeared behind the large hill as she flew over a station just outside the city walls, and she knew that she had all the time she'd need to make her plan come to fruition. After a minute of attempting to slow herself down, she crashed into the city walls, finding herself wedged into the middle of a dense cushion of clouds. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she gently eased herself free and flew over the wall. Once over, she spotted a large weather factory producing several thick, black storm-clouds for the next scheduled rain. There was another wall meant to keep pedestrians safely outside the assembly area.

Rainbow grinned and rubbed her hooves together. Here goes nothin'.

With a powerful kick, she forced herself over the factory wall and darted towards the production line, a vivid rainbow left in her trail. A factory worker's attention was caught as Rainbow flew into a mass of black clouds. She pushed the pile of freshly made, dense storm-clouds off the line and into the air as the worker yelled, urging her to stop. She whipped them through the sky as forcefully as she could, causing them to rapidly expand overhead. Flying through the outer edge of the newly formed storm-front, she created a rotation as it continued expanding and growing. Once it reached maximum height, thunder began to roar and rain began to pour.

Several workers chased after Rainbow as she made her escape. Once the storm was set in motion, there was no stopping its growth. Rather than continue their impossible pursuit, the workers turned back to warn the city of the surprise storm. Rainbow attempted to slowly lower herself to the ground to rest, but her exhaustion got the better of her and she lost her bearings, crashing into the ground. The wind began to pick up, stronger than Rainbow had anticipated. The rain pelted her sides as she attempted to find cover, stinging and soaking her through her thin coat. She made her way beneath a tree and looked around to try and spot the train tracks.

After a moment of searching, she spotted the tracks, and followed them through the raging storm to the train station just outside the city limits. She pushed through the doors into the empty room beyond, collapsing onto a bench. The windows shook as powerful gusts of wind slammed into the side of the building. Celestia, please let this work... Rainbow thought as she rubbed her hooves on her aching face.

Thoughts of being forced to travel to Las Pegasus filled her mind. She considered the possibility that she might still have to if this turned out to have been a wasted effort. Standing up, she headed to the window and looked to the sky. As she predicted, the storm was producing severe winds, but wouldn't be particularly dangerous. She began to pace inside the station. The fact that she was alone was a clear sign that no train was scheduled to stop there today. There was a map on the wall that caught her attention, and she approached it, realizing the train routes were marked. On the map, she spotted Ponyville, and seemingly right next to it in the opposite direction to Cloudsdale, was Cumulumbus. However, Las Pegasus was much farther away.

Rainbow backed away and looked out the window again, wondering if the train would stop here or not after all. The wind was still going strong, and the storm would be traveling east, hopefully encouraging the conductor to wait it out here. She let out a deep sigh. The express train only left Ponyville once each month, and traveling there by wing would be impossible. Glancing back over at the map, she noted that there were several switches to make at stations all across Equestria, along with many possible overnight delays. She rolled her eyes and plopped down on the bench, wondering what was taking the train so long.

Just then, a light flashed on from inside the building and a radio from behind the conductor's room could be heard. "This is the Express to LP. Care to explain this unscheduled storm? Ah, forget it. I'm rollin' in."

"Some crazy pony broke into the weather factory and tossed our storm reserve into the sky. We'll switch the tracks for you."

Rainbow stared at the tracks, watching them switch over. She smiled, then jumped up and squeaked. As she landed, she looked around, checking to make sure nopony had seen, and cleared her throat. From over the hill outside the city, the train appeared. Rainbow's heart began to pound in her chest as she waited. She hoped Scootaloo wouldn't resist returning home, but expected her to.

Fiddling with her hooves, Rainbow began attempting to rehearse what she'd say when Scootaloo exited the train. She'd need an explanation and an alibi. Frustrated, she began pacing again as the train slowly approached. She backed into the corner behind some storage lockers as the passengers scurried into the safety of the indoors through the fierce wind, before calmly blending into the crowd and finding her way over to Scootaloo.

"Hey there kiddo," she said as she placed a hoof on the filly's shoulder, startling her.

Scootaloo jumped and quickly turned around. Her eyes widened, and she forcefully hugged onto her idol. "Rainbow?! What are you doing here?!"

"I came to rescue you. Um, I mean, take you home." Rainbow scratched the back of her head and blushed.

Scootaloo hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry I did this... Dash, I need your help. You were right about everything. You were right about Silver Spoon, and you were right about Cheerilee. I promise I'll listen to you from now on, and I know I've been an idiot this whole time."

"Shh, shh." Rainbow patted Scootaloo's back in an attempt to comfort her. "You're fine Scoot. Come on, let's get you home. You didn't really think I'd let you leave forever, did you?"

Scootaloo grinned and fell to her hooves. "So, how are we getting home?"

Rainbow placed a hoof on her chin. "Well, it'll take us about eight hours to walk, or three hours to fly."

"What?! Are you crazy? It's freezing out there, and that wind makes it worse!" Scootaloo protested.

"Can it Scoot, we don't have time to hang around here – I'll get in trouble. We've gotta go now. I'll explain on the way, alright?" Rainbow backed up towards the exit.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and followed, wondering exactly how responsible Rainbow was for the storm. Rainbow grabbed Scootaloo, and took flight into the windy sky. The other passengers looked up in horror as Rainbow carried the young mare away through the powerful storm. The wind caused her to sway violently back and forth as she used every bit of her experience to stay in the sky.

After a few minutes of struggling, Rainbow felt the winds calming down and she leveled herself out. She flapped her wings periodically, maintaining a comfortable height, with Scootaloo grasped tightly beneath her. Rainbow's breaths were short, and her wings were already aching with fatigue.

"Dammit!" Scootaloo shouted, startling Rainbow.

"Whoa, what the hay Scoot?!" She steadied herself and laughed lightly.

"Ugh, it's just... I forgot to thank somepony. He really helped me out on the train, and I... I should have at least said goodbye." Scootaloo's ears drooped as she found another thing to regret.

Rainbow sighed. "Do you want me to go back?"

"No, he knows... It'll be fine." Scootaloo stared at the ground beneath them.

"Well, try not to sound so happy, will ya?" Rainbow quipped.

"What am I gonna do when we get back? I don't even know where to begin."

"I really think you should go see Cheerilee first. She has some good news to share with you." Rainbow smiled as the sun began to shine through the clouds, warming her sore wings.

"What news?" Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow's chin.

"See for yourself when we get there."

"What should I do about Silver Spoon?"

"Write her a letter or something. I don't think her dad'll let us anywhere near her anytime soon," Rainbow chuckled.

"What did you say to him anyway? You got Silver in a lot of trouble you know..." Scootaloo frowned and looked back down.

"I just told him that I thought she was cute, and you were gonna hook us up." Reflecting on her actions, Rainbow realized that might not have been the best approach.

Scootaloo sighed, and wiped the disdain from her expression with a hoof. "Good job..."

"Sorry, I just made something up off the top of my head, jeez." Rainbow attempted to defend her actions in spite of her realization.

"It's fine. I just wish she didn't have to suffer because of all this. None of it is her fault, and I should be the only one suffering here. Silver didn't do anything wrong at all." Scootaloo groaned, and placed her hooves over her eyes, recalling the reasons she ran away in the first place.

Rainbow didn't reply, straining to keep flying, and her wings beginning to feel like they were on fire. She dipped suddenly, and cringed as she struggled to stay aloft.

"Are you okay Dash?" Scootaloo asked, feeling a bit concerned.

"Yeah, yeah. My wings are just trying to give out on me... Lazy wings." Rainbow forced herself to stay level as they approached a large hill.

"Just drop me," Scootaloo said, sounding apathetic.

"What?"

"I'll be fine. I can glide for a while so you can rest up. Actually, we could walk for a while if you want. I'm in no hurry to get home, are you?" Scootaloo offered her friend some rest.

"That actually sounds good." Rainbow let go of Scootaloo, and stayed close as the little orange mare fluttered safely to the ground.

It felt like she had just dropped a thousand pounds as she dove down to the hillside. Rainbow stretched out and slowly folded her wings in, tucking them away and allowing them to rest. She reached forward and touched her nose to her front hooves, popping her back.

"Thanks for this Dash. It seems like you've been through a lot because of me, and I'm sorry if I hurt you." Scootaloo offered her sincerest gratitude and apology.

Rainbow leaned up and hugged her friend. "Just consider yourself lucky that I love you, or your selfish little flank would be stuck in Las Pegasus forever."

Scootaloo wiped her nose and laughed. "Thanks again, Dash."

"Uh-huh. So, where's your diary?" Rainbow asked, realizing Scootaloo didn't have it.

The filly began to frantically pace around, lifting her wings and breathing heavily. "Oh no... I think I left it on the train!"

Rainbow looked up and laughed. "Well, that's too bad Scoot – we aren't going back now."

Scootaloo stamped her hooves and huffed. She let out a deep breath and hung her head. "It's fine I guess... I really don't need it anymore anyway."

"Look, Scoot." Rainbow pointed her hoof down a long road from atop the large hill. "See that huge cloud over there? That's Cloudsdale, which means just over that hill is Ponyville."

"Ugh, it looks so far away..." Scootaloo began slowly trotting down the long road home, and Rainbow laughed before joining her. The two trotted side by side, discussing what steps they'd take once they got back home.

The sun was setting as the two mares made their way through the Ponyville streets to Cheerilee's home. Scootaloo lightly tapped on Cheerilee's front door and Rainbow stood back, letting out a deep breath. "The things I do for you, kid."

Scootaloo smiled and snorted. As the front door opened, Scootaloo's heart fluttered. Cheerilee stood still with a hoof over her chest. "Scootaloo, thank Celestia you came back! I was so worried about you."

"I'm sorry Cheerilee, I don't know what I was thinking." Unsure how to react, Scootaloo slowly inched closer to her teacher, hoping for a hug.

Rainbow shifted her weight, tired from the trip and finding the road uncomfortable. Fed up of waiting, she pushed past Scootaloo and made her way to the couch. "Sorry Scoot," she said as she forced her friend's muzzle into Cheerilee's chest.

Unable to control herself any longer, Cheerilee tightly embraced Scootaloo in a heartwarming hug. "I'm so glad you came home, Scootaloo. You have no idea how much I missed you. It's just not the same around here without you anymore. It doesn't even feel like home when you're not here with me. I can't really explain it, I just hope you understand."

"I don't understand at all, but I'm gonna trust Rainbow from now on. I'll stay loyal to you, because I love you Cheerilee. I don't feel like I deserve to be here though. I don't feel like you should even want me anywhere near here." Scootaloo pulled away and looked over to Dash, who wore an awkward frown.

Cheerilee gulped and cleared her throat. "Um, look Scoot: I cleaned up." She gestured with her hoof across the front room, pointing towards the kitchen.

"Huh, I was wondering why it smelled like lemons in here." Scootaloo looked around, successfully distracted.

Rainbow yawned. "Guys, I'm exhausted and I need to get back to my mare. Scootaloo, you need to go break it off with Silver Spoon. Don't buck it up this time."

"I can't though, she's on lockdown. Also... I..." Scootaloo groaned, putting her hooves on her face.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed. "I can get you in there easily enough. What else is wrong?"

Scootaloo looked up at her lover, and closed her eyes. Cheerilee placed her hoof across the troubled mare's shoulder and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry Scoot, I'll be okay. You can say anything you need to."

Rainbow smiled, glad to see her old friend being as encouraging as ever. "She cleaned herself up too – no more booze, no more depression. She did it for you, Scootaloo, so the least you can do is be honest with her."

Scootaloo's eyes widened as she met Cheerilee's gaze. "Really? You... No more drinking?"

Cheerilee smiled and nodded. Scootaloo swallowed a lump in her throat and thrust herself into her teacher's chest, tightly hugging her once more. Letting out a deep sigh, she spoke again. "It's just that, I'm afraid when I get to that point with Silver Spoon again, I'll just freeze up and do what she tells me to. No matter how badly I want to leave her, I always end up staying. I've done this several times before, and fail every single time."

Rainbow smiled and placed her hooves on Scootaloo's shoulders. "It's because that's just who you are. You're the kind of pony who'll take a beating to make sure her friends don't have to feel an ounce of pain. You're really something special Scootaloo, but right now, that part of you is getting in the way. You're stopping yourself from letting Silver get hurt, even though that's the only way you're ever going to set her free and let her move on."

"I'm sorry Dash... I always feel so bad when I do this, and when I try to make things right. I know this is all my fault. Sometimes I just wish I was alone. I messed up big time, and I keep making it worse. I don't know why you love me Cheerilee – you could do so much better," Scootaloo said, turning to face her teacher.

Rainbow Dash stepped away, and Cheerilee stood in front of the sulky filly. "You know Scootaloo, you aren't the only one who's made mistakes in this relationship..." she said as she placed a hoof on her cheek, slowly brushing the mane out of Scootaloo's face.

Scootaloo cringed and looked away. "How are you gonna get me in there Dash?"

Rainbow watched Cheerilee's actions closely, not sure whether to believe what she felt was true. "Let's go, I'll explain on the way. We'll be back in a little while, alright Cheer?"

Cheerilee nodded, and nervously trotted over to her couch. "Hurry back."

"We shouldn't be long. Right Scoot?" Dash asked, glaring down at the filly.

"Heh, right..." Scootaloo answered, making her way to the door.

Dash grinned as she followed, but a few questions were weighing heavily on her mind.

"Scootaloo, I love you..." Cheerilee leaned forward on the couch. "Don't keep me waiting too long, please. I've already missed you too much these past couple of days."

"I love you too... I'll try to hurry back." Scootaloo waved and trotted out the door as her lover blew her a kiss.

"So, how are we gonna get in?" Scootaloo asked as soon as the front door was closed behind them.

"Later. Right now I need to know something." Dash looked around as they trotted down the road, then lowered her voice. "Has Cheerilee ever hit you?"

Scootaloo's eyes widened. "Whoa, no. She'd never..."

Rainbow stared skeptically. "Don't lie to me Scoot. I need to know."

The nervous little mare felt as if her heart skipped a beat, and she lowered herself beneath Rainbow's harsh gaze. "I wouldn't lie to you, especially not about that... I promise."

Rainbow was far from convinced, but she felt she had no choice other than to trust her friend. With a groan, she gave in. "Fine... I'm sorry Scootaloo. It's just, well... you know I worry about you. I love ya kiddo."

"Thanks Dash, you're the best." Scootaloo offered a hug before the two carried on down the road.

Rainbow decided to let it go. Scootaloo clearly didn't feel as if she was in any danger. Worst case scenario, she'd deal with it when it presented itself.

The two walked down the road silently, admiring the night for what it had to offer. The air was cool yet humid, and everything was still quite damp from the afternoon rain, allowing the vivid moonlight to reflect off of every surface. A light fog seemed to layer the ground in the distance, and the summer-night sounds were enough to put anypony's mind at ease. Water dripped from the leaves into puddles, and crickets chirped, filling the quiet night with their song as Scootaloo's thoughts began to get the better of her again.

"Dash? What if you can't get us in there? What then?" Scootaloo looked up as she trotted, worry filling her eyes.

"It'll be fine Scoot, trust me."

Scootaloo's heart sank as Silver Spoon's house came into view. Her bedroom window was wide open. "Whoa! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Scootaloo asked as she pointed it out.

"Well, that was easy. What'd I tell ya – always trust Rainbow Dash." With a cocky grin, Rainbow lifted Scootaloo up and flew her towards the window. "I'll drop you off and leave you two alone. Don't disappoint me this time, please. Just get this over with, and get home to Cheerilee. I'll be at the library if you need me for anything, alright?"

As they approached the house, Scootaloo attempted to steel her nerves. "Alright Dash, I can do this. I won't let you down again." Scootaloo fluttered inside, and was immediately greeted by Silver Spoon.

Rainbow backed away before she was seen, and flew out of sight. "Good luck kiddo..."

"Scootaloo! I knew you'd come!" Silver exclaimed as quietly as she could.

"Yeah, but why is your window open? I thought you were on lockdown or whatever."

"Somepony told my dad that they saw you leave on the express train to Las Pegasus. It worked, you're a genius Scootaloo! I told him I needed fresh air, and he let me open the window. I just knew you'd show up, I knew it!" Silver Spoon tightly hugged onto to the little mare she had missed so much.

Gently pushing her away, Scootaloo worked up the courage she needed to speak. "Silver... I know we've been here before, but... well..."

"What is it?" Silver Spoon asked as she went in for an overdue kiss.

Before their lips met, Scootaloo turned away. "Silver, please. I need to tell you something. I don't want to fight with you about it, and I know it's gonna hurt, but... We need to break up, and you need to go be happy in Manehatten."

"Scootaloo, no no no, why do you keep doing this to us? You can't end it like this, you know that. We're in love. You can't simply 'break up' with me, we're so far past that." Silver took a few steps back and took her glasses off.

"No, we're not, and yes, I can. I just did. I'm sorry Silver. I really do... did... I do love you, a lot. I'll miss you too, but I belong with Cheerilee." Scootaloo did her best to maintain her composure. Breaking down in front of Silver Spoon was the last thing she wanted to do.

"So what are you saying? I'm.. I'm just supposed to sit here alone and miserable while you go live happily ever after with your precious teacher?!" Silver's voice continued getting louder as she let her emotions take control. Tears welled up in her eyes and she stamped the floor with her hooves.

"I'm sorry Silver... I'm gonna go now, I'm really sorry." Scootaloo quickly made her way back to the window.

"You can't just run away from me like this Scootaloo – I deserve answers! Talk to me!" Silver Spoon grabbed Scootaloo's tail in her mouth as she tried to jump out the window.

Not expecting the resistance, Scootaloo slipped on the windowsill and landed on her stomach, her front hooves and upper body dangling over the edge of the second story window. Silver shrieked and instinctively let go of the tail, allowing Scootaloo to slip all the way out. Panicking, the terrified pegasus attempted to gain flight by frantically fluttering her wings, but it was no use. She crashed full force into the ground, her head landing on one of the many garden stones lining the yard.

She attempted to stand, but immediately lost her balance and fell back down. She could see Silver Spoon's face looking down at her from the window and yelling, but Scootaloo couldn't make out the words. Her vision was beginning to fade. She touched the back of her head with a hoof, causing a strong stinging sensation. Holding the hoof in front of her face, she blinked at the amount of blood which dripped down her foreleg. There was a sharp ringing in her ears for several seconds, and then there was only darkness.

Scootaloo's eyes inched open, and she was immediately blinded by bright lights overhead. A silhouetted pony loomed above her, keeping pace with several other ponies who were pushing the bed she was laying on down a long corridor. Soon Scootaloo realized the pony was Rainbow Dash. Dash wore a small smile, and wiped her teary eyes as soon as Scootaloo made eye contact with her. She looked like she was speaking, but the words sounded like a faint, distant cry to the injured filly.

"Rainbow?" she whispered under her breath.

Moments later, Scootaloo closed her eyes, and passed out once again.

***

Monotonous repetitive beeping echoed in Scootaloo's ears as she slowly regained consciousness. She opened her eyes, then quickly shut them, and placed a hoof over her forehead with a groan as she rolled over to face away from the lights, her head pounding. She carefully opened one eye again to try and take in her surroundings, hoping to at least figure out exactly where she was, and why.

The first thing she saw was a blue pegasus slouching in a recliner. She had a newspaper over her eyes, and was drooling on her own shoulder. "Rainbow?"

The startled pegasus jumped and fluffed her wings as she recalled where she was, knocking over a cup of water in the process. "What? I'm not sleeping! I'm just relaxing!"

Scootaloo closed her eye and lightly chuckled. "Good morning, sleepy head," she said, coughing slightly.

Rainbow stood up and trotted over to her small friend. She put a hoof on her foreleg and gently kissed her cheek. "Finally! I thought you'd never wake up."

"How long was I out?" Scootaloo tried to lean up and adjust the lighting.

"Uh... Eight days, I guess. The Doctor thought you should stay out for a while. I told him to wake you up right away but he thought he knew better. I tried to wake you up when they left, but... Then they tried to throw me out! I'm not crazy! But now you're talking! You can talk! This is great, wait 'til I tell Twi!" Rainbow's eyes widened, tearing over, and she quickly shut them, hugging her injured friend.

"Dash, are you alright?" Scootaloo pushed her away and made eye contact.

Rainbow had huge bags beneath her eyes and her mane was a mess. Scootaloo sighed and squinted as the light began to bug her. "Dash, I think you need some sleep. How long have you been up, and why did you think I wouldn't be able to talk?"

Rainbow stumbled backward towards the chair. "I think I'm supposed to tell somepony that you're awake..."

"Dash, answer me please." Scootaloo grimaced and rolled over onto her back.

"Um... I haven't had a full night's sleep since you got hurt, and I..." Rainbow trailed off.

"You what?"

"Uh... I... Oh, um, the doctor said you might have had permanent brain damage, and we'd be lucky if you could still talk when you woke up. He said it would be better to let you sleep while you healed to prevent stress or something stupid like that. They put something in your IV that kept you from waking up. I tried to take it out, but they acted like I wanted to kill you or something. I said I was sorry and eventually they let me back in, because I just had to be here when they woke you up. They said they were going to do that over twelve hours ago though." Dash looked up at a clock, noting that it was now just past three in the morning.

"Brain damage?" Scootaloo lifted a hoof to see several tubes coming out of her legs.

"You hit your head pretty hard."

She moved her free hoof up, and felt a bandage wrapped tightly around her head. "What happened?"

"I don't know... She says you fell, but... did she push you?" Dash leaned forward, suspicion and anger burning in her tired eyes.

"Silver Spoon? I don't think so."

"You really don't remember?" Rainbow leaned back with a sigh and closed her eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. She's gone now."

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"She's in Manehatten with Diamond Tiara's family now. Oh yeah, there's this letter. She dropped it off before leaving." Rainbow searched around for the letter, finding it beneath her saddle bag.

She trotted over to Scootaloo, holding the letter in her mouth. The annoyed filly snatched it away with a hoof and unfolded it. She attempted to read but couldn't focus her vision. Letting out a sigh, she hoofed the letter back over to her invasive friend. "Will you read it to me? I can't really see properly right now."

Dash was worried about that fact, but chose to let it go for the moment. She opened the letter, and cleared her throat.

"Scootaloo, I'm really sorry and I want you to know that I didn't mean for this to happen. I never wanted you to get hurt. I love you, and only wish to see you well and happy. I tried to be there with you, but I couldn't. My dad is taking me to Manehatten today, and I don't know if I'll be able to see you again anytime soon. I'll be staying with Diamond Tiara at her uncle's house until we get enrolled in school there. I don't know what to do, I really don't. I don't want to go, but I know you don't want me to stay. Maybe someday you'll change your mind, so I'll wait for you, and continue to hope with all my heart that you'll make your way back to me.

Don't forget, if you ever need a friend, don't look to a stranger. Even if we're not lovers, I'll always be a part of you, and I will always hold onto the love that I still have for you. When I close my eyes, I can feel you breathing and your heart beating just as if you were still lying next to me. You became my life, my whole world. Our hearts became one and the same, and I never want to lose that. It hurt when you chose her over me, and I can forgive, but I'll never forget. And don't worry, I won't tell anypony about you two, even though that worthless excuse for a mule deserves to rot for everything she's done to us.

Tell Rainbow Dash that a part of me hates her for what she said and did, but I do forgive her. I know she only had you in mind, so I can't really blame her. I hope she continues to protect you, and I know she'll take Cheerilee down if she has to, which makes me feel a lot better. Now I suppose this is just me saying goodbye, Scootaloo, and that I love you. Maybe I can write a cliché sad song about how much I miss you, or how brokenhearted I am, and you'll come running back to me. If only it were that easy. My dad once told me that my cutie mark represents my ability to get what I want. I'm supposed to have a way with words or something, but I doubt it. I lost the thing I wanted most, so my talent must still be far from discovered.

I almost feel like this is the last time I'll ever get to talk to you, and that as long as I'm writing this letter we'll be connected. This is the fifth time I've tried to end it, but I just keep writing. Well, my new address is on the envelope if you ever want to write me back. Once again, I love you Scootaloo. Please don't forget about me.

~Love, Silver Spoon"

Rainbow placed the letter down, and wiped Scootaloo's tears. "Don't cry kiddo. She'll be fine, and so will you."

"I hope so." Scootaloo wrapped her hoof around Dash's and calmed herself down. "So where's Cheerilee?"

"I don't know... I haven't heard from her in a few days. She was here for a really long time though, and I think she blames me for this happening. She said I shouldn't have let you out of my sight. I wanted to hit her for saying that, but it's true. I should have been there."

"It is your fault. You shoulda taught me to fly better." Scootaloo chuckled, allowing herself to smile.

"Come on now, it's not my fault you have those stubby little wings," Rainbow mocked, spreading her own wings wide. "You rest now, okay? I'm gonna go get a nurse."

"Dash, wait."

"What is it?"

"It's just... Thanks for this. Thanks for being here. I..." Scootaloo felt herself tearing up again, her words cut off by her own emotions.

"Don't mention it kiddo – I'm glad to be here. I'd hate for you have woken up alone... Ya know?" Rainbow Dash smiled.

"Right. Of course." Scootaloo let out a deep breath and lay back down.

Rainbow trotted back to the bedside and gave her another warm hug. "I'm going to head home after this, okay? I've been up for way, way too long if you couldn't tell. I feel like I'm about to collapse any second now. I'm just glad I got to be here for you like you were there for me when I got hurt. You're like a sister to me, and I always want to be there for you. Don't forget that. I'm always going to be there for you no matter what happens. You can talk to me about anything, especially Cheerilee, or anything else that's on your mind."

"I know that Dash, and thanks again."

Rainbow turned to leave. "Love ya kiddo."

"I love you too Dash... Come back soon, okay?"

"You can count on it."

Rainbow trotted out of the room, and a nurse entered shortly after. Scootaloo calmly allowed the snow-white pony with the neatly done bright pink mane to check her over. "Nurse, why is it so bright in here?"

The nurse looked around and shrugged. "It's actually pretty dim in here. Open your eyes dear."

Scootaloo forced her eyes open, and the nurse bent close to examine them. "Hmm... It seems your pupils are completely dilated, which is likely causing your sensitivity to the light. It's most likely a side-effect of your medication."

"Oh... So, how long before I can leave?" she asked, hoping for the answer she knew she'd never hear.

"I can't say for sure, but not any time soon. You've got a long recovery ahead of you, my little pony. As soon as you can eat solid foods, we'll begin your physical therapy." The nurse jotted down a few notes on a clipboard, then went to exit the room. "If you need anything, just let me know with the call button on your bed there. The doctor will see you first thing in the morning."

"Nurse? Can... Um, I want to write. Can I have something to write with, and could you help me lean up?" Scootaloo blushed, feeling weak and a little embarrassed.

"Sure thing, I'll be back in just a minute." The nurse trotted away, and soon returned with a notepad and quill. She sat them down next to the bed and grabbed a few extra pillows from a cabinet in the corner.

"Alright now, I'll just prop you up with these." Scootaloo leaned forward as best she could, and made herself comfortable.

She squinted and tried to get her eyes to adjust. The nurse noticed her straining and smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry, your eyes will be back to normal soon enough. Focusing on writing should help quicken the process, but be sure not to strain yourself too much. Now, I'll be right around the corner Scootaloo, so if you need anything at all, page for Nurse Redheart."

Scootaloo nodded with a smile as the nurse cheerfully trotted away. She took the quill in her mouth and turned the first page of the notebook. Them, clasping the quill with her ankle, she thought for a while, then began writing until the sun rose.

Annoyed by the slowly rising sun, Rainbow Dash rolled over to face the wall. She forced her eyes to stay closed, hoping to get more sleep. With no success, she groaned and rolled back over to face her lover. "Twi, you up?" she asked as she nudged the snoozing mare with a hoof.

"Yeah, I'm up, I'm up." Twilight stretched and yawned. "How's Scootaloo doing?"

"She's good, she's awake and seems fine. I'm gonna go find Cheerilee and let her know, then I'll be back home." Rainbow smiled at the thought of referring to the library as her home.

"Hurry back, I'm not quite ready to get out of bed yet." Twilight yawned again, and pulled the blanket back over herself.

"I'll try." Rainbow stood up from the bed and headed downstairs.

"Hey Dash," greeted Spike.

"Hey there, you're up early."

"You should talk..." Spike sounded unusually serious.

"Jeez, what's up with you today?" Dash wondered.

"Nothing... Look, I'm sorry for snapping lately. It's just that my back has been killing me." Spike turned around to reveal two large bumps on his back.

"Whoa, you should probably get that checked out. It might have something to do with that growth spurt of yours," Dash said before trotting out the door. "Well, talk to ya later Spike."

She wiped her tired eyes and headed out into the crisp morning air. After taking a moment to stretch her wings, she took flight and headed straight towards Cheerilee's home. She wondered if the unpredictable mare would even be there. After landing, she ran a hoof through her matted mane and cleared her throat before knocking on the door. There were no sounds coming from within as she waited. She couldn't help but awkwardly shift her weight and glance around. Her heart was slowly sinking into her stomach as she began to suspect that Cheerilee might, once again, have resorted alcohol to soothe her troubled mind.

Her thoughts were abruptly cut short as the door began to open. Cheerilee stood uneasily with a messy mane and red eyes.

"Hey, Cheer. Good news. Scoot woke up." Rainbow smiled and nudged the quiet mare's shoulder.

"Is... Can she, you know... How is she?" Cheerilee opened the door fully and pressed past Rainbow into the refreshing morning air, shutting the door again behind herself.

"She's good. She was talking, and she seemed pretty normal to me. The first thing she did was ask about you though, so you should probably go see her." She nodded her head towards the hospital.

"She did? Oh, and I'm so glad to hear she's okay. I was... I was just so worried. I couldn't imagine..." Cheerilee  began to wipe at her eyes before tears could begin to fall.

"Yeah, she's doing great. How about you? How have you been holding up?" Rainbow couldn't help but ask. Her suspicions needed clearing.

"I've been a mess, I won't lie. And I know what you're thinking, Dash: I didn't drink anything. I'll admit I wanted to, but I didn't." Cheerilee grinned and looked Rainbow in the eyes, hoping to keep the skeptical mare's trust.

"I'm proud of you. I had a few drinks when I couldn't fall asleep, but I can only imagine what you were feeling. Come on, let's go pay Scoot a visit, I'm sure she'll be glad to see us." Rainbow smiled and Cheerilee began to fix her mane as they trotted along the road.

"Ahem." Rainbow forcefully cleared her throat without slowing.

Cheerilee frowned and looked over. "Something on your mind Dash?"

"Heh, kinda. I just wondered something. Uh, well, I'm not trying to be mean or accuse you of anything, I just wanted to know if you or Scootaloo ever, you know, hit each other?" Rainbow smiled nervously and scratched at the back of her mane.

"Dash, I..." Cheerilee looked stunned. Her eyes were wide and her jaw hung open. "Look, that's none of your business, okay? I'd never hit Scootaloo, and I resent you for asking such a question." Cheerilee huffed and strode forward.

"Uh... Yeah, sorry.. I just..." Rainbow groaned and caught up to the angered mare. "Look, I'm sorry. No need to go see Scootaloo mad. Just forget I said anything, okay?"

Cheerilee paused and closed her eyes. She let out a deep sigh and calmed herself. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't act like that after all you've done for us." She leaned over and hugged Rainbow.

"It's alright Cheer, I just felt like I had to ask. For Scootaloo's sake."

"Right."

They had arrived at the hospital, and Cheerilee led the way inside. Rainbow followed close behind as they made their way towards Scootaloo's room. They approached the reception desk and requested to see her, and were given permission. Upon entering the room, they both saw that Scootaloo was asleep again.

"Isn't she just the most adorable thing?" Cheerilee whispered, looking over at Rainbow with watery eyes.

With a gentle smile, Dash nodded. "Yeah, she really is. Hey, I'll go ahead and leave you two alone for now. I promised Twilight I wouldn't keep her waiting too long. If anything happens, or if you need anything, you know where to find me."

Cheerilee nodded and took a seat as Rainbow exited the room. She scooted her chair close to the bed and wrapped her hoof around Scootaloo's. She leaned in and placed her lips on the sleeping mare's forehead, then whispered. "I'm so glad you're okay sweetheart. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Cheerilee looked down and noticed a notepad sitting at the foot of the bed. Glancing around, she picked it up, curious about its content. She leaned back and began reading, despite her better judgement telling her not to.

Hey Silver, I just wanted to say that I don't blame you for me getting hurt. I know you'd never let me get hurt on purpose. I hope you like it in Manehatten, and I doubt it'll be as bad as you think. Maybe you and Diamond can work things out? I know you two were really close before I got in the way. I'm guessing her coming home party is cancelled now though huh? I was kind of looking forward to it... No big deal I guess. Worse things have happened.

Alright, I'm sorry things went bad between us like this. I want you to know that I really did love you while we were together. It's just that I also loved Cheerilee, and my love for her ended up outweighing what I felt for you. It's not because there's anything wrong with you either. You are an amazing mare, and anypony would be more than lucky to be with you, even me. I never once felt like I deserved the love you had for me, and I still don't. Silver, you have so much going for you, and worrying about me is just going to hold you back.

I can't say I won't miss you – even now I wish you were here with me, holding my hoof and keeping me company. But as much as I miss you now, I know we're better off this way. Cheerilee deserves all of my heart, and anything less just isn't fair to her. I'm so sorry that I did this to you, that I made you feel this way and then broke your heart. If it's any consolation, I broke my own as well. The love I felt was real, and leaving you was just as hard for me as it was for you to take. I'd be lying if I said I regretted being with you though. I've shared some of the happiest and best moments of my life with you.

I'll miss you, and I'll never forget you. You'll always be a part of me, and even when you're so far away, you can always take comfort knowing you have a friend waiting for you in Ponyville. I hope to hear from you soon, as a friend.

My best friend.

~Yours, Scootaloo.

Not sure how she should feel, Cheerilee sniffed and turned the page. It was clearly Scootaloo's writing, and a lot of it resembled a very long diary entry. She skimmed through the words and placed the pad back down. This proved that Scootaloo's motor skills and ability to process information weren't impaired due to the injury.

As Cheerilee lost herself in her thoughts, Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes. "Cheer?" She reached up and squeezed her teacher's hoof.

"Oh, you're up." Cheerilee glanced around to ensure they were alone before leaning down and giving the little mare a loving kiss.

Scootaloo looked down and realized her notebook had been moved. "Uh, did you read my letter?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, I did Scoot. I'm sorry but I couldn't resist." Cheerilee giggled. "I'm not mad or anything. You're a good mare, a much better pony than I am. You seem to know how to handle other ponies' emotions well. It's like you dance around them so carefully and gracefully, always sure to be as delicate as possible, while still getting where you need to be. You've grown a lot in the last year, and I can see why anypony could fall for you so easily, even myself. You're simply wonderful." Cheerilee ran her hoof across Scootaloo's stomach.

"Right... Uh, thanks." Scootaloo blushed and smiled.

"I wish I could bring you home today. I miss you so much." Cheerilee leaned her head down, resting it on the pillow next to her lover.

"I wish I could go home too. I hate hospitals, they're so boring. I even started a new diary since I lost my old one. Did you read that?"

"Nah, I just skimmed over it."

"Too boring, huh? I wrote about a pony who really changed the way I see things. He's a train conductor called Coal, and he's really nice. I'm glad I met him, I just wish I was able to do something for him, to return the favor." Scootaloo looked down and closed her eyes.

"Well, maybe you will someday. I suppose I owe him as well if he had anything to do with you coming home." Cheerilee brushed her hoof across Scootaloo's cheek. "So, how are those legs of yours working?"

She stood up and uncovered the little mare. She lifted her legs and bent her joints. "How's that feel?"

Scootaloo laughed, and did her best to flex her muscles. "I'm so weak..."

Cheerilee joined in her lover's laughter and continued teasing her. "We'll get you back to normal soon enough. Now, how does this feel?" She began tickling Scootaloo's sides beneath her wings.

Rainbow Dash grinned and let out a deep sigh, leaning against the wall in the corridor just outside the room. They're gonna be fine, she thought, slowly trotting towards the exit. Rainbow met the warm sun with a sigh as she slowly walked back home. A sense of relief filled her heart as she realized that now she'd have all the time in the world to spend with her new lover; no more distractions, and so much to explore. A certain spell came to mind and she picked up the pace, more excited than ever to get things back on track at home.

The future was looking bright.