"Missing Pieces"
Scootaloo's mane brushed across her face as she gazed at the blank sky above.
She stood there alone, surrounded by the warm night air for what could have been hours.
But she didn't care.
Tonight it would happen.
Tonight, she would finally leave the ground.
She would touch the sky.
Feel the wind through her wings.
The freedom in the clouds.
And she would never come down.
She slowly unfurled her small wings, and looked at them with fierce determination.
It was time.
Scootaloo looked around her for one last time.
Still nopony around. Just me and the trees.
Scootaloo had planned for this moment all month, it was important after all.
She was sure to come after everypony had fallen asleep, as to not be interrupted.
She had found this exact spot, weeks before.
It was perfect. flat ground, open space, empty.
That was except for the library nearby.
Scootaloo prayed that Twilight wasn't up for one of her midnight study sessions.
She brought her wings back, arching her body slightly as she had seen Rainbow dash do numerous times before, making sure to keep her mane out of her eyes.
"Alright Scootaloo," She mumbled to herself, "You can do this..."
She took another two steps back, before launching herself forward with all her energy.
She didn't dare open her eyes.
She felt her wings flapping, and realized she hadn't hit the ground yet.
So that was good.
She continued to flap her wings, pushing herself harder and harder, hoping that she was in the clouds.
Scootaloo slowly began to open her eyes.
She was greeted by the bright glow of the moon, shining upon her face.
She couldn't explain why, but for some reason it made her feel...safe.
Her eyes opened to a full gaze as she took in the scene around her.
All around her, she saw them...
Clouds.
Scootaloo began to feel tears well up in her eyes.
She was flying.
The warm air embraced her there, as if welcoming her to the sky.
Time stood still.
And then she looked down.
Scootaloo's peace shattered.
Everything below her was a blur.
The trees, the library, everything.
She began to flail and thrash at the air around her in a blind effort to stay adrift.
But instead she began to fall.
The air released it's hold on her, and watched as the filly plummetted miles below.
Scootaloo desperately flapped her wings, but it was useless.
She couldn't do it.
She was wrong.
And now, as she watched the clouds grow smaller as she descended,
She accepted it.
Scootaloo closed her wet eyes.
Bracing for impact.
When a voice pierced the air.
"Scootaloo!?"
She quickly opened her eyes, frantically trying to find the source of the voice.
When her eyes met him.
Spike?
What was he doing here?
"Uh, DON'T WORRY SCOOTALOO," Spike yelled nervously, "I-I'LL CATCH YOU!"
Scootaloo watched as Spike nervously shuffled from place to place in an effort to pin down where she'd land.
Had this been any other time she probably would have laughed.
But not now.
Scootaloo could feel herself nearing the ground.
She braced herself for impact once again.
But there was none.
She was on the ground, that was certain.
But she wasn't hurt...
The same couldn't be said for Spike though...
She'd landed right on top of him.
His eyes spun for a couple moments while he struggled to regain consciousness.
"Hey," Scootaloo spoke, eying the dizzy dragon underneath her,
"Nice catch."
They both sat there for a while...
Catching their breath, as they waited to see which of them would speak first.
It was Spike.
"W-what were you doing out here?" He spoke in between breaths.
Scootaloo sighed.
She didn't want to explain herself.
But she did land on him...
"I was...Trying to fly."
"But why so late? And why here?"
"I needed some space to myself, and, time to sneak out..."
Spike's eyes widened a bit.
"Sneak out? Don't you think your parents will get worried? Maybe you should..."
"I live in an orphanage." Scootaloo spoke, breaking the silence, and beginning another.
"O-oh..." Spike uttered, immidiately feeling stupid about his words.
How could he be so insensitive?
"I mean, what I meant to say was..."
"It's ok," Scootaloo spoke, brushing him off, "Not a lot of ponies know anyway..."
She slowly layed down in the grass beside him.
"It's not so bad I guess," She began, looking at the starry sky above them, "The ponies there are really nice, and I have a bunch of friends, but..."
She shook her head, surprised at what she was saying.
"I just feel like my real family is out there somewhere... Looking for me. But I know they'll never find me."
More silence.
"I know how you feel." Spike said suddenly, catching Scootaloo by surprise.
"How?" She asked, inquisitively, "Don't you have Twilight?"
"That's true, and I love Twilight, I really do, but she's not my real family. I really don't know anything about my real family, actually."
Spike layed his arms behind his head, laying on the grass as he watched the same sky.
"Twilight always told me she found me as an egg, with no insight as to where I came from."
"But there are other dragons right?" Scootaloo spoke up, turning to face the dragon at her side, "Haven't you seen the migrations?"
"I have," He replied, still looking at the sky, "But those dragons fly, and..."
Spike rolled over and pointed toward his back.
"No wings."
"I know what that's like..." Scootaloo mumbled to herself.
"Y'know, I'm kinda surprised we didn't wake up Twilight," Spike said, a small grin appearing on his face, "She's usually such a light sleeper, I can't even get a midnight snack without having her wake up to ask me if it's healthy half the time!"
They both shared a chuckle.
"Well I guess all that late studying is finally getting to her." Scootaloo said with a smile.
"Yeah, you're probably right." Spike replied with a similar smile.
They lay there for hours, talking about the things they loved, the places they'd been, the ponies they'd talked to.
When the conversation reached the point of Scootaloo's cutie mark.
"So how goes the crusade?" Spike asked, happily.
"Not good actually," Scootaloo replied, "I was hoping this would help me earn it..."
"Learning to fly?"
"Yeah, but now that I think about it, I'm not sure what a flying cutie mark would look like..."
"Wings maybe?"
"I guess," Scootaloo shrugged, "But it wouldn't be as awesome as something like Rainbow Dash's mark."
Spike rolled his eyes, and looked again at the sky above him.
He could barely see the stars any more, and a faint light seemed to be rising over the horizon.
Had he really been up all night?
"I guess I just, haven't found anything I'm good at yet..." Scootaloo spoke, looking down at the flowing grass beneath her.
Spike looked at her sympathetically,
"Nonesense. Someone like you is sure to find their talent soon, I mean you had the courage to come out here in the middle of the night and teach yourself to fly right? I'm sure you'll find it soon."
Spike moved closer, accidentally placing a claw on her hoof.
"I know you will."
Scootaloo looked down at Spike's claw, and then up at him.
"Oh, sorry..." Spike blushed, moving his claw away from her and behind his back.
'No, it's ok." Scootaloo said, her face bearing the same red tint.
"So uh..." Spike spoke rapidly, trying to change the subject, "If your looking for things to try, why not try ziplining? I hear it's pretty awesome, and it's almost like flying!"
Scootaloo thought about this as a huge grin made it's way onto her face.
"Yeah! Ziplining! That's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that?"
She got up from the grass, jumping up and down in excitement.
"Oh, I can't wait to tell the girls!"
She quickly approached Spike, and placed a kiss upon his cheek.
"Thanks Spike!"
His face became red again.
He tried to speak, but he found himself mouthing words, without any sound to accompany them.
"See you later!" Scootaloo said, jumping up and trotting in the other direction, "Thanks for everything!"
Spike waited until he saw her figure dissapear in the horizon.
He smiled, and placed his claw on his cheek.
"You're welcome..."
