What Path to Choose

Dash looked down at her friend passed out holding his sister close to his chest. His left eye was coved in blood and it looked like something had hit him across the face. There would be a scare there that was for sure. The Paramedics were finally able to pull Scoot’s limp body from him once he had passed out; flying off fast with her toward the hospital. Another couple paramedics put Drako onto a Stretcher and started to fly him off as well.

She walked up to one of them and said “Is he going to be ok?”

“We aren’t sure yet he looks worse than he really is but we need to stitch up that eye before it gets worse or he may never be able to see out of it again.” Said the Paramedic then they flew off with him

The next few hours passed by in a flash for Dash. They were able to put the building out after which they found Drako’s mother inside. They said she probably died protecting Scoot from the falling beam. If Drako hadn’t flown in when he did she may not have made it too. She was able to find out that Scoot would be ok she just inhaled too much smoke. Drako on the other hand was suffering from a few burns and his eye was much worse than they thought it would be. He got a few splinters near his eye and had a lot of blood lose.

After a couple of hours though they said he would be fine after a while. She flew home and thought it would be the end of it but as she was heading home, she passed by Drako’s fathers Law office. There were police in front of it some of them she knew were friends of Drako’s mom she flew down to see what was up.

“Hey there Sergeant what’s going on here?” asked Rainbow landing next to her

“Oh…hi Rainbow Dash it’s been a while since I have seen you. It’s not the best time to talk we had a…well I am not really supposed to talk about it right now but your friends with the family. Your friend’s father was killed today. Somepony walked into the office and just blasted him away. No one got a good look at him and now we have a big mess to clean up. It’s too bad he was a good father and a good friend. I’m just glad his wife is off work today this would be too much for her.” Said the bright blue pony sadly

Rainbow choked back a sob and said “Oh no not him too.”

“Wait a moment what do you mean?” asked Sergeant

“There…was a fire at their home today. She died in it saving her daughter; Drako was able to make it in time to save Scootaloo but not her. Now this…I don’t know how Drako is going to take it when he finds out.” Said Dash her tears falling now

“Oh no…this can’t be. She was my best friend on the force…I’ll have to look more into this…thank you Ms Dash.” Said Sergeant with a weak smile

The rest of the night Dash spent at home crying softly thinking back on what had happened today. It wasn’t until really late at night that Derpy finally arrived home from Canterlot. She looked tired and a bit sad as she walked in the door. She waved at Dash then seeing the tears in her eyes she ran over to her roommate.

“Dashy what is wrong?” asked the grey pony

She sniffed and buried her face in Derpy’s chest sobbing softly. Then she told her what happened today. Derpy started to cry as she told her story. And soon the two friends were sobbing on each other. It took an hour or more for the two of them to calm down.

Finally Derpy was able to say “I knew today wasn’t going to be a good day but now it just got worse…I don’t know how I am going to break the news to Drako that I have now.”

“Oh yeah I forgot about that…what is it?” asked Dash knowing it couldn’t be as bad as today

Derpy started to cry again then she said in a quiet voice “I’m pregnant.”

“Wait really…that’s good news not bad Derpy. Drako will be so happy.”

“No he won’t…It’s not his…the first night I was in Canterlot I was at a party that I was invited too by the princess. I met some really nice Unicorns there and they kept offering me drink after drink. I don’t remember most of the night but when I woke up the next morning I was in a hotel room by myself.” Said Derpy starting to cry harder “There was a note on the nightstand.” She handed her a small note.

Dash took it in her hoof and read

Had fun last night bubbles. Sorry never got your name or I just don’t remember it. Don’t worry I paid for the room but you have to be out by noon or you’re stuck with the bill for another day. Maybe I’ll see you again at another party. But don’t worry I’m sure you won’t remember me after last night…

Dash looked away and felt the pain for her friend saying “Oh Derpy I can’t believe this. Didn’t you tell someone?”

“I just couldn’t bring myself too. I did try asking some of the party people who I left with but no one really knew, they said I was talking to a lot of ponies that night then vanished after midnight. Now I don’t know what I am going to do.” Said Derpy sobbing into Dash’s chest.

“You’ll tell Drako that’s what and who knows it could be his, you two did it all the time. Maybe just one time you made a mistake and he knocked you up.”

“I was not feeling well for almost a month before I left so Drako and I haven’t done it for a little while that’s how I know.”

“Well…if you tell him the truth he will be ok with it. He loves you and he is the nicest guy we know. Plus after what happened today I think he is going to need you around more than ever to help him get through this. He really looked up to his parents. Who knows maybe this could end up being a good thing.”

Derpy sniffed and smiled “I sure hope so. I couldn’t stand to lose Drako. He is my world.”

“I know what you mean. He is my best friend and so are you, without you two I don’t think I would have made it to where I am now.” Said dash looking back toward her room where her wonderbolt training uniform was.

“Come on we should head over to the hospital and see how he is doing.” Said Dash after a little time had passed

“Ok. But first lets get nap if we can its still three in the morning and I’m sure visiting hours are over.”

“Ok Derpy why don’t we just lay out here together…it will help us sleep.” Said Dashy snuggling up with her friend…

They ended up eating a really early breakfast first before heading over to the Cloudsdale Hospital. Then they had to wait longer because there were police talking with Drako in his room. Finally after almost two hours of waiting a nurse walked up to them giving them a sweet smile.

“He can see you now. I must warn you though he is in a lot of pain at the moment. Part of it from his burns and the other part his eye…and some deep emotional pain too. So try not to upset him to much if you can.”

“Thanks” said Dash walking by the nurse pony, Derpy close behind as they walked into the large room

Drako looked up at them with his one good eye the other one behind a lot of white bandages. He tried to put on a smile but it came out wrong. Derpy walked over to him and kissed his forehead and Dash gave him a small hug.

“Hi…guys. Sorry I don’t look my best right now but with the circumstances I guess I’m lucky to be even awake at the moment.” He said trying to make a joke out of it but failing horribly.

“How is Scootaloo doing?” asked Derpy sitting next to his bed

“Look for yourself she is sleeping in the bed next to me.” Said Drako pointing a hoof toward the orange filly sleeping deeply

“I didn’t even notice her there. Her hair is a bit shorter…well a lot shorter I should say.” Said Dash

“Fire burned a lot of it so they cut it. She is ok though just emotionally drained and not feeling well from all the smoke she inhaled. She still doesn’t know fully how mom died…not yet. She was almost feeling better until Sergeant came by and told us about dad.” Said Drako tears in his eye

“We were just as shocked to hear about it…I wish I knew what happened and why it happened to them both on the same day.” Said Dash frowning

Drako frowned too took a deep breath then said “They were both murdered and Scoot was almost murdered with them but I was lucky and was able to save her. The DA’s office wanted my dad to help prosecute this really bad criminal that runs some organized crime in Cloudsdale and Canterlot and other parts of Equestria. My father normally defended clients but he wanted to do something good so he took the job. He knew it was dangerous so that is why two days ago him and my mother changed there will so that I would take Scoot and anything happened to them.” He held back a sob “But I don’t think he knew this would happen.”

“At least you still have Scootaloo, and you’ll still have Derpy and me to help you get through this.” Said Dash smiling at him

“Nothing will bring them back Dash…I know that Scoot will need help more than me she was really close to Mom. They looked a lot alike the two of them and my mom being so silly they almost went along like sisters. It’s going to take a long time for her to get over this.” Drako said sobbing again “At least she’ll have you two to help take care of her.”

“She’ll have you too Drake.” Said Derpy

“She will…after I find this guy Don Canter and kill him myself.” Said Drako groaning angrily

Derpy surprised them both by getting up and slapping him with the back of her hoof. He looked at her shocked as she said with tears in her eyes “Stop that kind of talk. Your parents raised you better than that Drako.”

He shook his head then pressed his face into Derpy’s chest crying uncontrollably “I just can’t believe they’re gone.”

She rubbed his head and said in her soft voice “Hun listen you’ll feel better in time trust me. Things will get back to normal soon.”

After that they let him be. And the next few days went by in a flash. Drako and Scoot both went home a few days later Drako with an eye patch he had to keep on for a while until his eye fully healed. The Doctor told him that he would have a scare over his eye for the rest of his life though but he was lucky and would be able to see out of his left eye just as well as before after the swelling went down.

Scootaloo to everyone’s surprise was doing extremely well. She did cry from time to time and told them she missed her mother and father. But she was happy to have the three friends there with her. Derpy and Dash had decided to stay with them for a while to help out and make sure everything was in order.

The funeral was the hardest for Drako and Scoot. Saying good bye to their parents was hard. But it seemed to give some closure. After that Dash started telling Derpy that she needed to talk to Drako about what happened in Canterlot before he started to notice her enlarging belly. She put it off for as long as she could but after a month had gone by since the funeral she knew she would have to tell him. He was a Sharp pony and would notice soon anyway. So when he got back from work she left him a note telling him to meet her at their spot.

Drako landed on the hill the full moon shining bright. The soft light like always made Derpy looked ever more beautiful than normal. But tonight she seemed to be glowing some. Everything about her was just as happy and bubbly as he remembered…except the expression on her face. It was sad and worried at the same time.

He walked up to her saying “I take it you didn’t tell me to meet you here for a mid-night fling for fun.”

“No I didn’t Drake. I have to talk to you and I thought it would be better here instead of at home where little ears can hear us.”

“Ok sounds fair…I’ll bite what has you so worried my love.”

She help back a sob at that then said “Don’t call me that…not until you hear what I have to say.”

“You really have me scared here Derp.”

“I’m sorry…listen I’m…going to have a baby.”

Drako’s face lit up at that and he said happily “Is that all…oh my god I’m so happy. I have always wanted to be a father and after the last few weeks I needed news like this. Oh you had me going babe you really did; here I thought something bad had happened. Did you think I would be mad or something well I’m not I’m extremely happy. Oh I love you so much.”

“Drako Listen…I’m not done.” She tried to say crying slowly

He ignored her and kept going “Oh I hope it’s a girl I have always wanted a daughter. I bet she would have your main and beautiful fur and your beautiful eye color a little you. We could name her Dinky or something cute like that…”

“DRAKO!” yelled Derpy tears flowing from her eyes and he stopped looking at her “Drako I’m having a baby…ME…do you know what I mean. This isn’t yours.”

His smile faded a bit but he pushed on “But you were sick the month before you left for Canterlot. It had to be from this right?”

“No…that was just a really bad bug I got...listen something bad happened in Canterlot.” She said then she told him the story of the party and what happened finally finishing with “This doesn’t mean I don’t still love you because I do. What happened was wrong. I think something was put in my drink or I just got way to drunk but you know I wouldn’t ever do this to you.”

His smile was gone now and he had backed up some tears in his eyes “But you did do it. You got drunk and bedded some random Stallion at random. And if he did slip you something why would you even drink anything given to you by a pony you didn’t know anyway?”

“I…I was only being nice…I was just being me.”

“Yeah and look where that got you. You’re having some other stallion’s baby. I though you loved me…” he said crying now “I should have seen this coming I guess. After all that had happened and the move and asking you to move in it was just too much I guess. I was pushing you too much to go to the next stage in our relationship. Well don’t worry I’m done pushing for good.”

“No Drake it has nothing to do with that I wanted nothing more than to move in with you I was only waiting for the right moment. You had talked about it but never asked me. I was just waiting for you to do that. Please don’t do this.”

“I was going too…the night my parents died when you got home from Canterlot. I was going to ask you…not just to move in but something else. But I couldn’t that night so I was waiting until the first day of fall after the running of the leaves in Ponyville…I guess it’s a good thing I waited.” He said turning away from her and opening his wings

“Drako wait no you can’t go…please stay here…give me another chance. This isn’t you it’s the grief from your parents death talking. The normal Drako would think this out and listen to me more before running off.”

“The Drako you are talking about is dead. He died back in that house. Listen Derpy I hope one day you find happiness in your life with your new kid. But I won’t be part of it. Don’t follow me and never speak to me again.” He said in a voice like she had never heard before. It was full of hurt and rage and a few other emotions.

She was so shocked by what he said that she was frozen. He flew off leaving her to cry on the grass in the light of the moon. The one thing he had loved so much was looking at her bathed in moon light. A sight that would have brought a different emotions back in the day but now, Now he couldn’t even look back at her.

Drako made his way home wanting to scream and throw things to hit something or worse. He stormed into the living room not knowing what to do next. He kicked over the table and was about to yell when he heard the door to Scoot’s room open and she walked out rubbing her eyes her night blanket over one wing.

“What’s wrong Scoot…did you have another nightmare?” he said in as calm a voice as he could not wanting to yell at his little sister who hadn’t done anything wrong

“Yeah…I was wondering if I could sleep in your room with you and Derpy tonight.” She asked a tear in her eye

“Sleep in your own damn…..” he stopped himself “I mean…I’m sorry I just had a long day. Sure you can go on in there and try and fall asleep I’ll be in there shortly ok.”

She smiled saying “I love you big brother.” And with that she walked off to his room her blanket dragging behind her

He held back a sob saying “Love…you too Loo.”

He felt ashamed with himself for letting his emotion’s get out of control. He had almost yelled at her for having a nightmare. It was right then that he realized that he couldn’t do this to her. Scoot needed a steady hand and a loving home like she was used to growing up in. Not the home full of sadness and disperse like he was feeling right now.

How would she feel if he started yelling at her? How would he feel if he hit her out of anger at someone else? He had almost felt like dong that already. And it was right there that he knew what he had to do. He knew it would ruin his friendship and his life with his only family he had left. But it was too late for that as it was. He had been betrayed and lost his family in less than a month. He couldn’t do it and he had to leave. Get away from Cloudsdale and is old life. It was the best thing for him and for Scootaloo.

With a sob and a sigh he walked over to his desk then started to write a letter. It took him a few tries to get it right but after a while he finally got it done how he wanted. He then got up and peeked into his room and saw Scootaloo snoring some nuzzled into his pillow with a smile on her face. He didn’t have the heart to wake her.

He knew Rainbow Dash would be home soon. The club she was at closed soon and she always liked to be home right after. He put the letter in an envelope and set it on the coffee table with the words Rainbow Dash On it. Then he opened the front door and took one last look at his life then holding back his tears he shut the door on his old life, saying he would never look back on it again.

Dash took a little longer to get home do to Derpy coming by the club when she was heading out and telling her what happened. She was shocked at first but reassured Derpy that Drako would get over it. She just needed to come back with Rainbow and talk this over again with him at the apartment.

When she opened the door she was expecting a mad Drako to be sitting in the living room. But she saw nothing, only darkness and a letter on the coffee table. She ignored it for a moment and walked over to Drako’s room to see if he had fallen asleep. When she looked in she saw Scoot but no Drako.

“Rainbow Maybe we should read this letter I’m sure it has something to do with me. Maybe he decided to stay away for the night.” Said Derpy doing her best to cheer up

“Maybe.” Said Dash sitting on the couch and picking the letter up in her hoof and opening the envelope.

Dear My Best Friend Rainbow Dash,

When you find this letter I’ll be gone or at least I should be, unless I for some reason was able to stop myself from walking out the door. If so and your still reading this then ignore it. But if I’m not passed out on the couch or in my bed then read on…

Ok well then I must have left so keep reading…I can’t put up with this anymore. Don Canter killed my parents and almost my sister who is the most impotent pony in my life. There used to be another but that is no longer true. Though I will always hold a place in my heart for Derpy I can’t stand the thought of what is growing inside of her. She cheated on me and broke my heart. I won't help her with this Klutzy mistake like I have with so many other ones she has had in the past. I’m finished with this; I hope you won’t take sides in this but if you do please pick hers and not mine. I don’t need the help and she does and since I can’t be there to help her…won’t be there I should say. Then you’ll need to be. I hope her life goes well. She won’t need me anymore anyway she has proven that by what she did in Canterlot.

But this is just me rambling about stupid stuff and putting off the main reason I am leaving you this letter in the first place. I can’t live here anymore not after all the pain I have screaming around in my body right now. I almost yelled at Scootaloo for having a bad dream and wanting to sleep in my room. Even worse I felt like hitting her for bothering me. I have never in my life wanted to be so mean to her. She can’t take losing our mother and father and having me treat her so badly. So I am doing the best thing I can and staying out of her life for good. I’m leaving my old life behind and going off to join the Army. Princess Celestia needs more Stallions to fight and keep Equestria safe. It’s the one last thing I can do to help keep my sister and you all safe. It’s the one thing I am good at.

So what I am asking you is to take care of Scootaloo for me. She looks up to you like a big sister sometimes. I think she almost wants to be like you when she grows up. She’s been talking about you a lot in the past few months, the little bug. I’m only sad I wasn’t able to show her how to fly like I promised so please do that for me. She’ll learn a lot better stuff from you anyway. Also don’t worry about money I’ll still do my part and make sure money is sent so you can take care of her. Also all my parents savings is being left to Scoot so you can use that if you need since I’ll be sending in papers to make you her guardian now. Good luck with your life and with hers. Be there when she falls, be there when she cry’s, be there when she falls in love, and also if you by any chance see me ever again…don’t let me near her. I’m bad news for her and always will be. I love you Rainbow and I always have. You’re the best friend a pony could ask for loyal to the end.

Love,

Drako Moon

Rainbow looked up at Derpy with another tear in her eye as she finished the letter. Derpy said to her in a quiet voice “So…what does it say?”

She couldn’t hold back her tears or her anger at the letter and she threw it down and said as quietly as she could so not to wake Scoot “The little ass hole left. He left me with Scootaloo to watch over. He ran away from you, from me, from his sister, and from his life. He even singed it as Drako Moon…Why did he change his name to Drako MOON!”

“It’s the one thing in his life that he loved more than anything. It always brought him…peace.” Said Derpy starting to cry again

The two mares held each other crying softly. Down the hall however another little mare was standing next to her brother’s door. She was about to come out and see what was taking him so long to come to bed. It was then she heard Dash say what she did.

He was gone, he had left her just like her mother and father had. She held back a tear for a moment but then lost it and cried out loudly and ran back to his bed crying into the pillow. She felt Derpy and Dash come to her but she didn’t care at the moment. All she wanted to do was cry and forget everything. All she really wanted was her brother.

The only thing she was able to say though the pillow was “He’s gone…I can’t believe…he’s…gone.”

It was all of those memories that hit Drako, Derpy, Dash, and Scoot when she looked at him with her shocked expression. None of them moved or said a word as each one looked at each other.

Derpy wasn’t mad at him for leaving her like he did until those memories hit her again. She still wasn’t mad really but she was hurt more than she thought she would be still after so long. Dash felt her anger for Drako fade some. She knew why he left and remembered the pain he felt when losing his parents and then finding out about Derpy. Drako only saw that stupid mistakes he made by leaving.

Scoot on the other hand was lost in what to think or to say to her brother. She was mad that he left like he did but also she was happy to see him again. She didn’t know what she should do. So with tears flooding her eyes she cried out “Where have you been!..”