Chapter: Return of a Hero

Scootaloo awoke on an unfamiliar substance. "Where am I?" She discovered she was on a bed-shaped cloud. "How'd I get here? "Better yet, how am I up here?" Scootaloo was truly perplexed at her own whereabouts.  The pegasus from last night trotted in, "Hey Scoots," a rather cracky voice was let out. Scootaloo paused at the familiar voice, she was half asleep and just found herself sleeping in the sky, of course she's gonna be confused. Her brain started functioning correctly again after a whole minute of silence, "Rainbow Dash!"

        "That's right, I thought you forgot about me."

        "Me?" "Forget about you?" "I expected it to be the other way around!"

        "Yeah, how so?"

        "You're a big shot, you finally made it with the Wonderbolts, ponies crowding you for an autograph saying they are your number one fan, stallions trying to-"

        "I'm going to stop you before you say that last part." "Are you hungry?" Scootaloo nodded her head violently, just noticing the breakfast tray in Rainbow's hoof.

       "Good, because I made you this," Rainbow Dash handed over the tray. On it was a steaming bowl of oatmeal, a glass of orange juice, and apple slices. Scootaloo sat there, admiring the food prepared on the tray, "You gonna sit there, or am I gonna have to spoon feed it to you?" Rainbow Dash smiled at the orange pegasus.

       "Can you?" Rainbow's smile went away and was replaced with a blank face, "Just once?"

       "I guess," it was a long time since they have even communicated, she wasn't going to refuse anything within Equestrian limits.

       Rainbow Dash went for the orange juice. "Actually, can you start with the oatmeal?" Scootaloo put on a weak smile. Dash rolled her eyes and picked up the spoon, scooping up oatmeal. "Say ah."

       "Aaaahmm," the spoon went in. Rainbow Dash tried to pull the spoon from her mouth, but Scootaloo was biting down on it, so she released the utensil. Scootaloo grabbed the spoon from her mouth and started chowing down on the oatmeal, "Didn't expect you to like it too much," Scootaloo stopped eating and looked up at her idol with apologetic eyes. It then hit her that Scootaloo was less fortunate than everypony else in Ponyville, "Sorry, keep eating." Scootaloo carried on with her violent eating.

       After Scootaloo devoured her oatmeal, chugged down her orange juice, and shoved the apple slices into her mouth all at once, she still wasn't full, but she was not about to clean out her savior's kitchen. Scootaloo went to Rainbow Dash and asked, "Can you take me home?" A perfectly still Rainbow Dash stood still.

      "I've been meaning to ask about that shine-"

      Scootaloo's voice turned cold, "Don't change the damn subject." Rainbow had a look of shock.

      "Don't you talk to me like that, I came back, I saved you!"

      "I didn't ask you to save me!" Scootaloo started to tear up, "I could have died that cold night, happy, knowing I wouldn't mess up another pony's life ever again!"

      Those last words threw Rainbow Dash out of their fight entirely. Scootaloo's sobs turned into crying, Rainbow's tone was dumbed down to almost a whisper, "Mess up another pony's life"what are you talking about?"

      "I might have destroyed Apple Bloom's self esteem."

      "You have to apologize to her."

      "I think it will take a little more than an apology," Dashie gave a questioning look, "a kiss."

      "Whoa whoa, hold on." "Did she say she likes you, or just a crush?"

      "The second one."

      "See." "It's probably gone by now, now how about we go visit her?" "Just to make sure."

     Scootaloo paused for a long time before deciding on what to do, "Okay," she said a little unsure of her answer, despite the amount of time it took to reach her decision.

      Applejack led Scootaloo up to Apple Bloom's room. Apple Bloom was sitting on her bed doing, well, doing nothing. Scootaloo tried to sneak in, but Apple Bloom still has her sensitive hearing, "Ah know yur there Applejack, just leave me alone."

      "AJ isn't here."

      "What are you doing here Scoots?"

      "I just wanted to talk."

      "What is there to talk about?"

      "You know exactly what I'm talking about," Scootaloo said that unkwowingly vicious. Apple Bloom's pupils shrunk in fear. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me there."

      An awkward silence ensued before Apple Bloom broke it, "Are we still friends?"

      "Of course we are, but I have to ask you something," Apple Bloom sat up and listened. "Do you still like me?"

      Apple Bloom started thinking of something to say, "No, ah don't have a crush on you."

      "But do you like me?" Apple Bloom sat there, she didn't make a single movement. Applejack called for Apple Bloom, "Looks like my sister needs me for something," She scuttled out the room and down the stairs. "That was weird," Scootaloo muttered while following aftter her.

      "She still has no cutie mark?"

      "Yeah, ah can show you right now."

      Apple Bloom walked in quickly, "Yes Applejack?"

      "No way!" She saw Apple Bloom's bare flank.

      "Apple Bloom, tell her about that one attempt you had at a cutie mark."

      Her face started to turn red because she knew exactly what AJ was talking about. So did Scootaloo, who was spying on them, "Rainbow Dash, can we go?" "I'm tired."

      "It's 2 o'clock and you're twelve"

      "I'm hungry!"

      "AJ can probably get you something."

      The exchange in dialogue started to frustrate her to the point where she said this next thing without thinking, "I want to see my coltfriend!"

      Everyone went silent. What the hell did I just say?! was all she thought about until Applejack spoke up, "Oh, young love is so adorable." "Apple Bloom had a crush on her cousin, Babs Seed." "Hey, ah I had nothing to do with this conversation!" Apple Bloom had a new shade of red on her face. "What's his name?" Applejack was a little more excited about this than Rainbow Dash.

      "His, his name?"

      "Yes!" "His name, you know that thing a pony is called for their entire life."

      "Yes!" "That!" "His name!" "His name is, um, his name, his name is-"

      "Well spit it out, don't be nervous, it's not like ah'm yur mother," she glanced at Rainbow Dash.

      "His name is, it's, Rumble!" Scootaloo started regretting ever meeting Rumble after having said that.

      Rainbow Dash snapped herself into reality, "Thunderlane's brother?"

      "Y-yeah."

      "Well better his kin than any other."

      Scootaloo was rather shocked at those words, she assumed Dash would go over and give him some of her mind. "We can go right now," Scootaloo nodded her head to that and turned over to Apple Bloom and winked. Applejack was leading them when Apple Bloom glomped Scootaloo to where they fell to the ground. Apple Bloom was on top of her and whispered, "Thank you." She responded, "You're welcome, Apple Bloom." "Now can you please get off of me, this feels weird." Apple Bloom took her time standing up and helped her up. "Well, see ya."

     They arrived at Rumble's front door, and rang the doorbell. "I'VE GOT IT, THUNDERLANE!!!" A colt screamed. "He sounds like he is fifteen." The door opened and Rumble was puzzled, "You're not Blossom Forth." "Come in, miss." Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash walked in, but Rumble pulled Scootaloo outside, "Not so rough!"

      "What are you doing here?"

      "Can't I just drop by and say hi to a friend?"

      "Not if you can't fly." "What is your real purpose?"

      She sighed, "Do you remember Apple Bloom?" He gave a nod, "Well I saved her from sharing something really embarrasing, but threw myself under the carriage and took you with me." Rumble gave a curious look, "I told Rainbow Dash we're dating."

      Rumble was shocked at hearing those words from her over anyone that could have said that, "You and me?"

      "You and me."

      He thought of something to say, and ended up doing so, "You're lucky I am a convincing actor."

      Scootaloo smirked, "Yeah, okay.

      The "couple" walked in and into the kitchen. "Well isn't she cute."

      "Wha?" "Thunderlane!" Rumble said that with no pride.

      Scootaloo blushed, "Uh, thanks?"

      Thunderlane picked up her questioning response, "Has nopony called you that before?" "That would be surprising."

      "Can I show Scootaloo around?" He gave the nod of approval.

      "But, before you do, I have to show you something." He motioned him to go upstairs and into his room.

      They went up and into his room.

      "What do you want to show me?" Thunderlane was digging around in his stuff.

      "She is pretty, a little too pretty to be sure."

      "Sure of what?"

      Thunderlane held out a square blue wrapper with a ring in the middle. "I want to make sure you're safe."

      Rumble realized the dirty things his older brother was getting at, "Okay, there are two things wrong with your thinking." "One, I'm twelve." "Why would I be doing that?

      "Can't be too sure of today's youth.

      "And two, it wouldn't fit anyway.

      "Actually, they make these in foal's size now." "Just take it." Rumble felt weird about it, but he took it.

      Rainbow Dash was talking to Scootaloo, "Ask when he is about to-"

      "Yep."

      "And make him pull out."

      "Why are you telling me this?"

      "Because I want you to be safe, even without protection."

      "We're both twelve, why would we do that?"

      "I'm aware of what foals do nowadays."

      Rumble and Thunderlane walked down the steps, "Sorry, I was just showing Rumble this cloud I came across during tornado drills." "What were you talking about?"

      Scootaloo abruptly took the spotlight, "I was telling her how she doesn't have a chance with Princess Twilight!"

      "Hey!!" Her voice cracked tremendously

      It was already dark out. "Well it's time for us to head out," Rainbow Dash started stretching.

      "It is too dark to fly, just stay here," Thunderlane offered, "You can have my bed, I'll take the couch."

      "Scootaloo can sleep with me." Rumble joined in.

      "I bet you'd want that," Thunderlane teased and burst out laughing.

      "Shut up, you knew what I meant!"

      Rainbow noticed Scootaloo was out of it, "Hey, you alright with this? "Because, we can take off if you want."

      "No, we can stay."

      Thunderlane went to the empty couch, Rainbow went to his room, and Rumble took Scootaloo to his room. Scootaloo was leading, she stopped right in the doorway and Rumble bumped into her, making him drop the wrapper bound beneath his wing right in front of her. Scootaloo looked at it in disgust. "Thunderlane gave it to me, I did not want to use it!" Scootaloo raised her eyebrow at him the way she did to Apple Bloom at Sugarcube Corner two days ago, "I didn't have any thoughts like that I swear!"

      "Dude, I believed you when you said you didn't want to use it."

      "Whatever, you probably want me anyway."

      "Pfft, you wish." They started laughing after their play fight.

      Rumble looked down at Scootaloo's cutie mark, "What does your cutie mark mean, a flaming scooter?"

      "And you're saying I want you, keep your eyes up." "Don't have a cu-" Scootaloo looked at his flank to see it was blank. The time she has spent with him and didn't realize he doesn't have a cutie mark. "Huh, I guess a cutie mark doesn't really define a pony." "Alright, I'll bite." "It represents how quick I am on my hooves and how gnarly I am on my custom scooter." "And I don't show anyone, but, I can dance.

      "Show me some moves!"

     Thirty minutes went by and Scootaloo was still showing off her wicked dance skills. She slipped on the wrapper and landed on top of Rumble. Laying face-to-face, Scootaloo kept a wit, "Slipped on your condom," it was no use because both of their faces were red. "You know what, I like you," Scootaloo let out

     "We are pretty good friends," Rumble knew precisely what she was talking about.

     "I would like us to be more than friends," she leaned in to kiss him, he didn't fight it, but didn't embrace it. Finally, there muzzles met, nothing really happened, just touched muzzles. Scootaloo got off of Rumble and helped him up. She walked over to the blue wrapper, picked it up, and gave it to him. He took it, looked carefully at it and up at her new marefriend. He went in for another kiss and shut his eyes tightly, Scootaloo froze and tensed up, but she closed her eyes and started bringing their tounges into it. Their kissing got more upbeat to where Rumble started to unwrap the condom. He shoved her away and pointed at his bed. Scootaloo nodded.