What Needed to be Said
Scootaloo angrily tossed her scooter into the trash as her emotions finally got the best of her. The torment and ridicule she had endured had been too much for her to handle. Not knowing if she would ever fly, her heart began to sink into her stomach.
Creak*
Her bedroom door slowly cracked open.
"Who's there?" she moaned. "Just leave me alone."
Rainbow Dash poked her head inside. "You're throwing away your scooter? Why?"
Scootaloo met her gaze with teary eyes. "Oh what's the point? If I don't give it up now then I might never learn to fly."
Rainbow Dash hovered into her room and shut the door behind her. "Hey don't talk like that, Scootaloo. I know you better than this. We were all worried about you so we came right back here." She planted her hooves on the wooden floor.
"So where's Applebloom and Sweetie Belle?" she asked.
"They're waiting outside, but we'll get to them in a second." Rainbow calmly walked over to the trash can and pulled out the scooter.
With a quick turnabout she gave it back to it's rightful owner.
"Why did they even come back with you?" Scootaloo blurted.
"Because as much as friends argue, you'll still always be friends. They care about you kiddo... whether you want to believe it or not."
Scootaloo set the scooter against the foot of her bed. Gloomily she sat down on the quilted mattress beside it.
"So... are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Rainbow cocked an eyebrow, patiently waiting for her response.
"It's just that..." she paused, putting her face down into her open hooves, "I just want to fly and be like you. I keep thinking that maybe it'll make the teasing stop or I'll finally feel like a real pegasus, or maybe I'll just feel normal. That's all I want, to be a normal pegasus."
She sighed heavily into her hooves, trying to hold back the floodgates in her eyes.
"Whoa whoa now, why in Equestria would you ever want to be just 'normal'?" Rainbow jumped off the ground and gently landed on the bed beside her, letting her hind end sink into the mattress.
She placed a hoof on Scootaloo's lap. "Do you remember what I told you, back when we all went camping, and had our little 'incident'?
The orange filly picked up her head and turned to Rainbow with a tear hanging from one eyelid. "That you would try... to act like my big sister?" she asked.
"That's right Scootaloo. I made a promise to you and I meant to keep it. That means I'm not leaving here until you go with me, so why don't you just tell me what's eating you kiddo."
Scootaloo smiled faintly in response. Rainbow's spirits started to lift when she saw her words were getting through to her.
"Okay...huff*" The little pony let out a long sigh, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to say. "Well I just want to fly and be like you, more than anything."
"But would that really make you happy?" asked Rainbow. "I know I can be pretty awesome at times, but what's to stop you from being awesome just the way you are? You don't need some stupid old wings to get everypony to like you. Believe me, I've tried."
"But, what do you mean by that?" Scootaloo asked.
"I mean that when I was younger I thought everypony would like me more if I could just a fly a little faster or higher. But that's not how you make friends, Scootaloo. I had bullies pick on me all the time but I never let what they said get to me. It actually wasn't until the bullies started picking on others that were weaker than me, for me to realize that to really make friends you have to stand up for others. That's how Fluttershy and I became such good friends, not because I could fly better than everypony else, but because I was willing to stand up for her when she was too scared to do it for herself."
"Wow, that's pretty cool." the little filly grinned at the idea of Rainbow sticking up for others, but it wasn't the exact answer she was looking for.
Her smile began to fade slowly as her eyes dropped to the floor again. Rainbow, seeing that she was losing her, wrapped a leg around her shoulder and pulled her in a little closer.
"Hey I thought we were making some progress here?" asked Rainbow.
"Yeah we were... I mean I get what you're saying but it's just that I'm a pegasus. I'm supposed to fly. What if my wings never grow and I never become a great flier?" she pleaded.
Using her other hoof, Rainbow raised Scootaloo's chin so that she made eye contact.
"Scootaloo, I don't normally get mushy like this, but you're already an amazing little filly. You do everypony in Ponyville a favor every day just by being your upbeat 'go-get-em' self. You've got a heart of gold kid, and the fact that you cared about the success of your friends enough to drop out of your routine show's that. But right now, wings or not, your friends need you, and the Scootaloo I know wouldn't want to disappoint them."
Hearing those few words, from her idol, made Scootaloo tear up in happiness. She quickly wrapped her tiny forelegs around Rainbow's soft chest, joyfully rubbing her teary cheek into her neck. Rainbow, a bit taken aback, reciprocated and wrapped her forelegs around the orange filly's back as as well. She could feel Scootaloo's shaggy purple mane brush right under chin, and the moisture from her tears trickle down into her coat.
"Mmmff...mmmfff...mmffff." The little filly was trying to say something into her neck, but the sound of her voice was completely muffled.
"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that." said Rainbow.
Scootaloo pulled her head away slightly, still sobbing ever so softly.
"I said... sniff*...that's all I've ever wanted to hear... from anypony... I'm just so... so glad that it was you, Rainbow." Her voice quivered weakly as she tried to hold back more tears.
The blue pegasus felt something strange in her chest, something she hadn't felt so much before in her life. It was like some overwhelming sadness that she had been trying to bury with equally positive emotions, all for this little filly. For the first time in her life she knew what it felt like, to be a real big sister.
"I'll...I'll always be there for you Scootaloo. Whenever you need me to say something to lift you up, I promise I'll be there..." Rainbow pulled her in more tightly, "as your big sister."
Scootaloo continued to sob for a few minutes, letting it all out. She would hyperventilate, slow down, and then repeat the process.
Every so often Rainbow would gently have to shush her, but eventually she began to calm down.
After a while Scootaloo wordlessly broke the hug, realizing that her time of grieving had run its course. She stared at the floor again.
"So..." said Rainbow, "...do I have my old Scootaloo back?" She stood up from the bed and walked past her, reaching for the scooter. "Cuz you're gonna need this, if you want to win anyway."
Rainbow stuck out the scooter, waiting for her to take it back. She gave the little filly a hearty smile.
Scootaloo let the last tear fall from her cheek and cracked a weak smile of her own. "Yeah, I'm back." She happily took the scooter from her and looked down upon it with new hope welling up inside.
"Good, because if my little sister is going to win like I did, she's gotta do it fair and square, flying or no flying."
"Heheh." The little filly chuckled at the encouragement. She stood up from the bed, holding her scooter close.
"Now, there's two anxious little fillies who I think you need to have a chat with before we leave." Rainbow noted.
"Alright alright, let's go already!" she joyfully cried with a wide smile.
"That's my girl." said Rainbow.
She watched as Scootaloo took the scooter and hurriedly threw open her bedroom door. She bounded down the hallway, eager to apologize to her friends.
Rainbow hopped off the floor to take flight and began to chase after her, not bothering to shut the door behind.
"Maybe I do have what it takes to be a big sister." she said to herself.
The Reveal
Rainbow had the picnic all perfectly set up. She had the blanket flung across the grass and her basket sitting atop of it, all underneath a weeping willow tree. The lakeside view was always so peaceful, especially late in the afternoon with Celestia's radiant orange sun blanketing everything in its warmth. A gentle breeze was blowing the hanging branches above Rainbow wistfully to the wayside.
The pegasus sat her behind down on the blanket and started removing things from the basket. It wasn't really much, just a large salad she had prepared and two correspondingly sized bowls. But there was something else in the basket, something for later.
She sighed briefly and started looking around for somepony.
"She should have gotten out of school by now. Where could she be?" she asked herself.
She began to worry after a few more minutes passed. "I sure hope she didn't forge--"
"Rainbow!!!" She was cut off by a familiar filly's voice.
Every time she heard that voice she felt something wonderful in her heart. Her spirits lifted whenever her little filly came around. She finally found another purpose in her life, one that had more meaning than something as selfish as wanting to be adored by everyone as a Wonderbolt. Her new purpose was to guide this little filly through any difficulties and successes she would ever have growing up, all as a good big sister should.
Rainbow waved at Scootaloo as she saw her approaching on her scooter from over the hill. Seeing that she was coming in a little too fast, the orange filly began to break by dragging her right hoof in the grass. With a great slide, leaving a long streak from her wheels behind her, she came to a gradual stop just a few yards from the picnic.
Rainbow hopped up and flew calmly over to her. Just as Scootaloo was taking off her helmet she felt the familiar embrace of Rainbow's forelegs wrapped around her. Now used to her affection, the little filly rubbed her cheeks into her chest with glee, glad to see her after a long day.
"Hey, how's my girl today?" asked Rainbow.
"Just peachy!" said Scootaloo with a big smile.
Rainbow broke off the hug and showed her over to the picnic area under the weeping willow. Scootaloo set her scooter against the tree and laid her helmet beside it. The little filly sat down on the blanket and watched the sun passing down over distant mountains.
"So how was school today?" asked Rainbow. She began to carefully put her homemade salad into her bowl as she looked off into the distance.
Scootaloo, still bearing a content grin on her face, turned to face her. "It was okay I guess. I told Sweetie Belle and Applebloom that I had plans this afternoon and they seemed alright with that."
"Good." replied Rainbow, "Because I was really looking forward to seeing you today."
"You were?!" she exclaimed.
"Well of course! Just having around my little sister is enough to make me happy now."
"R-really?" Scootaloo stammered.
"Yes, really." She replied confidently. She watched as the little filly's face lit up with satisfaction in the sun, replaying Rainbow's last few words in her mind over and over. Then her expression began to change.
"But what about everything else, didn't that make you happy before? What about your friends and flying, and wanting to be a Wonderbolt?"
"Look Scootaloo, when I see my friends, I am happy. When I'm flying as fast as I can, I am happy. And when I'm flying around in that Wonderbolt's uniform, I am happy. But, at the end of the day, those things can only make me happy for so long. Whenever I see your face, excited to see me even when I'm having the worst day, it turns it all around. You've given me something in return that friends or dreams can't give. You've given me family... here in Ponyville."
Rainbow's calm magenta eyes gazed deeply into the little filly's. After a moment or two, Scootaloo's smile returned and she drooped her head slightly. Her purple mane concealed her face, as a single tear encroached on the edge of her left eye.
"B-but what about your friends? A-aren't they family too?" she continued to stare down at the picnic blanket.
"Absolutely I consider my friends to be like family... but we have something special between us, Scootaloo. Before I really got to hang out with you as your big sister, something here in Ponyville was just 'missing' for me. And it wasn't until that we got closer that I realized what I had been missing. Now, at the end of every day, knowing I have a little sister to look after just makes me feel... like my life is complete or something. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Scootaloo. I hope you know that."
Rainbow could see that she was trying to hold something back, but she could not tell what it was with her face hidden under her mane.
"Sniff*... you're the best thing... that's ever happened to me too... Rainbow... sniff*" The little filly's voice quivered at every word, struggling to speak over the lump in her throat. She remained perfectly still, letting her emotions set in.
Rainbow scooted in closer to her. Gently she wrapped her forelegs around her shoulders and the orange filly quietly returned the gesture with an embrace of her own. Her left cheek rested softly against Rainbow's chest and some of her tears got wiped away.
The blue pegasus looked down on her sister and using one hoof, moved her mane out the way to get a better look at her face. Her cheeks were completely drenched in tears but she was not crying anymore. The little filly had the most serene, calm smile that Rainbow had ever seen. She was so quiet, barely making any sound at all as she gently breathed into her sister's sky blue coat.
"You know Rainbow," her tiny voice was barely audible, "you used to be just a hero of mine. I always looked up to you. I wanted to be just like you... But as my big sister, that makes you an even bigger hero to me."
Rainbow chuckled lightly. "Heh... being your hero is what I live for now."
The little filly's hug became twice as tight around her chest.
Scootaloo rubbed her cheek in deeper. Her calm smile still remained.
She spoke in the softest little voice. "I..." she paused for a few seconds and took in another breath, "I...love you Rainbow."
At those four words, Rainbow felt an enormous lump form in her throat as well. Her lips quivered and her head began to shake ever so lightly, as she struggled to hold something inside. She had never quite experienced an emotion quite as powerful as this before. She tightened her embrace with Scootaloo as well, as a stream of tears started to trickle down her face. She forced her eyes to stay open to let her take in the moment of their hug and the brilliant sunset in the background. A tear came to the end of her cheek and fell to the blanket below.
"I...I...." She struggled immensely through her tears.
Never in her life had it been so difficult to speak so few words.
"I... love you too, Scootaloo." she whispered.
Her quivering lips pursed into weak smile. More tears fell onto the blanket. Pure happiness broke like ocean waves over her heart.
She held the filly for a minute or so, letting each other feel their radiating heat and the comfort of their loving hug. Their breathing slowed down into a relaxed syncopated rhythm.
"I... I have something for you." said Rainbow.
They gradually let go of each other reluctantly. Rainbow turned back to the basket and started rummaging through it. She pulled something out and cupped it within her two hooves.
"Alright, now close your eyes." she said.
Scootaloo obeyed and stretched out one hoof to receive whatever she had.
She felt a loose chain of some kind and something heavier attached to it lowered into her hoof.
"Open em'."
When Scootaloo looked down she saw a beautiful golden necklace dangling from her grasp. At the center of the necklace was a golden heart with two halves that clasped together. Carefully she opened the heart and found that the inside compartment was empty.
"It's a locket." the little filly noted, "But... there's nothing in it."
"Yet." added Rainbow. "You know that thing you've always wanted to go to?"
Scootaloo gasped. "The Convivial Cloudesdale Carnival?!"
"Yep... and I'm taking you there myself." she replied smugly.
"Oh thank you thank you thank you Rainbow!!"
The blue pegasus smiled as she felt the familiar embrace of her sister wrap around her.
"Yeah there's a place or two where we can get a picture taken, just you and me." Rainbow said. "I got a locket just like yours and I want to get a picture of us both that we can share forever."
"That sounds... so awesome, Rainbow." Scootaloo whispered.
