Broken Hearts
The walk was long and slow, giving Scootaloo plenty of time to think. She had always dreamed of flying with Rainbow Dash. She had idolized her and made her a role model. If Rainbow Dash did it, it was a good thing to do. Rainbow Dash had even taken her under her wing, something Scootaloo wasn’t expecting her to do. Why would she want to bother with a small orphan who couldn’t fly? But she did. That had meant the world to Scootaloo. But even now, she wasn’t so sure Rainbow Dash paid much attention to her, especially after recent events.
All the better.
Her mind flashed back to the day Rainbow dash had held the race for who would be her pet. Scootaloo had secretly followed so she could see Rainbow Dash fly. She had watched from a distance, then had scurried ahead to catch her when she reached the finish line. But on her way there, she tripped over a rock, which sent it tumbling down into the canyon. More rocks fell and soon there was avalanche. Scootaloo ran for any ground that was still stable. Just before the ground fell out from beneath her, she made it to safety and the avalanche stopped. She rushed to the edge and peered into the valley. She was horrified to see Rainbow Dash’s wing pinned under a rock. She thought desperately about what to do. She had injured Rainbow Dash. She couldn’t show her face. She’d ask questions and figure out Scootaloo had caused the rock slide.
While she was panicking, she saw a green thing move closer to Rainbow Dash and lift the rock off her wing. Rainbow Dash climbed onto the things back and they set off for the finish. Scootaloo, knowing Rainbow Dash was okay, left. She later saw Rainbow Dash with the green thing, which turned out to be a turtle.
Now, here she stood, at that same canyon, next to the same rockslide. She wished she had the guts to tell Rainbow it was her, but she didn’t. She was a coward. Rainbow Dash would be disgusted. She looked back the way she came. The sun was barely rising, the dawn still trying to break through the heavy fog that surrounded her. She was glad for the fog. No one would see her. Like they cared. The only ones who really cared for her were Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Or at least, had cared.
She picked up a leaf and thought of their last adventure together, a tear falling from her eye.
“Where are we going?” asked Sweetie Belle. All three Cutie Mark Crusaders had their capes on as they hiked through the forest. Not the Everfree forest, but a different one that Scootaloo had found nearby. It wasn’t big, but big enough for their adventure.
“Yeah.” Apple Bloom said. “You jus’ drag us out to these here woods, an’ don’t even tell us where we’re goin’?”
Sctootaloo laughed. “You’ll see!”
That didn’t seem to satisfy the two fillies. They bombarded Scootaloo with questions until she turned to them in frustration. “Alright, listen. I can’t think straight with both of you two hollering at me. It’s a secret and it’s hard to find, so please be quiet so I can find it.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle didn’t say another word after that as Scootaloo led them deeper into the small woods. She had to pay close attention to make sure she didn’t miss the clues to the secret place. She had stumbled upon it last, and tried to make sure she could find it by leaving clues and markers. They seemed to have washed away for the most part, but there were still a few left.
After several minutes, she found what she was looking for. “Okay guys.” She turned to her friends. “We’re here.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle just stood there, looking at a small cave. Sweetie Belle’s high voice broke the quiet. “A hole, in the ground?”
Scootaloo nodded, flashing a big smile.
Apple Bloom looked at her friend. “Scoot, are you sure this the right place?”
“Yes. Follow me.”
She crawled into the hole, with two very confused fillies following her. They were in the dark for about a minute. They all made sure to hold onto each other so as to not separate. Soon, a small glow appeared in the distance. As they drew closer, it grew brighter.
They stepped into a massive cave. The walls and ceiling were all filled with gems and jewels of all kinds. They all marveled at the display.
Sweetie Belle pointed at a massive, red ruby. “Oh! Rarity would love some of these!” She set about picking up as much as she could carry. Apple Bloom pointed to the center of the cave.
“Look!”
They all turned toward the center and three jaws dropped. A small pile of rainbow colored gems sat there. Scootaloo had never seen anything like them before. Sweetie Belle squealed in joy.
“Those are joy gems! Rarity has one! She says they are the most rare gems in all of Equestria!”
She dashed towards them to grab some, and Scootsloo and Apple Bloom followed. But Scootaloo noticed something odd about the gems. Sure, they looked real, but no quite. Like they were… see through.
An old legend came to mind. An old and evil wizard hid his treasure in caves. To protect them, he buried them underground and placed illusions of fine wealth and riches in sight o lure victims into his trap.
But that was supposed to be a myth.
“Sweetie Belle, wait!”
But it was to late. She tried to grab a gem, but her hoof passed right through it. Her look of confusion turned to horror as the ceiling began to cave in. They all turned and ran for the exit. Scootaloo heard Sweetie Belle cry out in pain and turned to see her hoof caught under a rock. Apple Bloom ran next to her and tried to lift the rock.
“Scootaloo! Help!”
Scootaloo tried to move her feet, but she was frozen in fear. She couldn’t run back into the cave! It was falling apart! Finally, she worked up the courage to go back in, but was immediately stopped by a boulder that fell right in front of her. She tried to get around, but was cut off by more rocks. If only she had moved faster!
Then she heard Sweetie’s voice. “It’s okay Apple Bloom. Go ahead.”
“No!” Apple Bloom screamed. “I can’t leave you! I jus’ can’t!”
“If you don’t, you’ll die as well. Please go. For me?”
After a long pause, Apple Bloom answered. “Okay.”
“Thank you.” Sweetie Belle began to sing the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ theme song. “We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders…”
Apple Bloom jumped down from the boulder in front of Scootaloo. Without a word and only and hard yank, she tugged Scootaloo out of the cave. Scootaloo strained to here Sweetie Belle above the sound of the cave collapsing.
“…never stop the journey…”
Then she could here her no more.
She crushed the leaf in her hoof, another tear falling. They ran back to the city to get help, but they were too late. With the help of Twilight and Rarity, they dug Sweetie Belle out, but she was dead. Not by a rock, but it seemed she died of suffocation. Rarity mourned and held a big funeral for her dear sister. During the funeral, Scootaloo didn’t say a word. What could she say? Because of her cowerdice, her friend was dead.
Apple Bloom had said some words, fighting back sobs, describing what had happened. She closed with, “She only wanted to please her sister.”
This made Rarity cry even harder. After the funeral, Apple Bloom refused to speak to Scootaloo. It was her fault Sweetie had died and she knew it. Rainbow Dash hadn’t spoken to her either, probably because she had figured out what a coward she was.
So here she stood, at the edge of a cliff, tears falling from pain, loneliness, and rejection. No one cared about her, so she didn’t have any worries about hurting anyone with what she was about to do.
She took several steps back each step coming with a deep breath. She looked once more back to the town she had once called home. No, she was an outcast. She saw the sun. It had almost risen, and the fog was clearing.
Without any more hesitation, she ran forward and threw herself off the cliff. As she fell down, she turned up to look at the sky. In the brightening blue expanse, she saw Sweetie Belle’s face in the stars, smiling down at her, and heard her singing, soft and sweet.
Scootaloo closed her eyes and a smile settled on her lips as she crashed into the ground, breaking her small body.
Several ponies gathered around the small casket that held the lifeless filly’s body. It sat there in a hole in the ground. Not many had attended her funeral. Only Apple Bloom, Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity. As they covered her grave in dirt, they all paid their respects. Soon, all had gone home except for Apple Bloom.
She knealt next to her friends grave, letting tears fall. “Oh Scootaloo. Why’d ya’ do it?” She closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears. She had just lost Sweetie Belle, and now Scootaloo. “I was gonna talk to ya’. I was gonna. Honest.”
She couldn’t keep it in and burst out crying. As she sat there sobbing, she felt a gentle hoof on her back. She expected it to be Fluttershy or her sister, but she was surprised to see Rainbow Dash there, her head down and eyes closed, a single tear streaking her cheek. She said nothing, just held Apple Bloom close. As the tear from the strong mare fell to the ground, Apple Bloom held on tight to her.
Together, they cried, and they mourned a lost friend.
Author's Note
This is my first fanfic. Please judge it fairly and don't be rude.
