Wings Of Glory

by cheesepuff

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Princess Luna, Tragedy, Scootaloo, Princess Celestia
Length: 4534

After Scootaloo breaks her wings, Rainbow Dash takes care of her and vows to find a way to fix them

When Scootaloo tries to fly for the first time, she quickly learns that she was not ready and through a tragic mishap, breaks her wings beyond repair. Torn apart emotionally by the situation, Rainbow Dash steps in and takes care of her and vows to find a way to fix her broken wings.

Published 2011-12-30 00:42:30 UTC
Last updated 2011-12-30 00:42:30 UTC

Part 1

Wings of glory part 1

By Andrew Esquivel

Scootaloo laid in the corner of the room, drowning in her tears as the other Pegasus laughed at her new found inability to move her wings. She knew she would never feel happy ever again. As a Pegasus with no working wings, she felt doomed.

Outside the room of the orphan fillies, stood rainbow dash, watching on horror over Scootaloo's despair. Every time the little orange filly shed a tear, Rainbow died a little inside.

"Thank for bringing her back here dash. She never would have made it on her own. She'll get the proper medical attention she needs, but I'm afraid her wings to too badly broken. She's never fly again. And worse still, this is a Pegasus orphanage. Without the ability to fly one day, I fear her chances of ever being adopted are slim to none."

Dash stood there. Her heart broken in two.

"This is my fault" she thought. "This is all because of me. All she ever wanted was to be like me..."

Her eyes stared at the filly, and then at the ground. Rainbow dash couldn't help but put the blame on her shoulders.

"Well, it's time to send the children to bed Ms. Dash. You can see her again in the morning if you wish."
Dash didn't know what to do. She couldn't bear to see any pony like this. Especially her.

"I...I..."

"Get some rest Ms. Dash. It's been a long day for all of us. I think that-"

"I want to adopt her."

With that said, Sister Maggie developed a slight gape in her mouth and a shocked look on her face. She couldn't believe what she just heard.

"Dash...are...are you sure?"

Dash looked down, than once more towards Scootaloo. Something about the young filly reminded her of something; of a time when she herself wasn't so different. Back when she was but a small child too. Memories of being picked on by older and better flyers. Rainbow crash. That's all she could recall were those 2 words. Rainbow crash. Deep down in her heart, she knew she could never admit it, but back as a young filly she too struggled to fly. She remembered all the time when she was told that she was no good, that she would never fly like the rest. She knew that one day she would prove them wrong, and that Scootaloo would too. She had to. She must. Or Dash would never forgive herself.

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure. I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

Sister Maggie had a shocked but delighted expression on her face. No one had ever considered adopting Scootaloo before. No one could ever keep up with her, but she knew that Rainbow dash could.

"You know, she always talks about you. She looks up to you in every way. "
They both then stood a long pause, as Rainbow dash sighed. She wasn't sure she wanted to do this, but she felt she had to. Sister Maggie saw it in her eyes.

"You'll be a good mother Dash. You're the best shot she has in this world. I'm sure when she finds out she'll be the happiest filly in the world."

The thought of fulfilling a young girls dream put a smile on dash's face. Suddenly, she no longer felt any stress about her decision. Instead, she felt happy. She stood at the door entrance as Sister Maggie went to get Scootaloo.

"Girls, calm down, and leave poor Scooty alone."

All of her fellow orphans instantly stopped teasing Scootaloo and backed up as Sister Maggie moved closer. Scootaloo laid still, her eyes closed and her back still turned to the world around her. Until Sister Maggie spoke once more.

"Scoot. Honey, are you ready to meet your new mother?"

Scootaloo opened her eyes wide with tears still falling from them. Her heart partially mended from the thought.

"My new mother?" she inquired. "But, who would want to adopt me?"

As she finished her question, Dash entered the room. Scootaloo's heart pounced to the gasping sound of the other fillies. With a smile on her face, Dash simple said,

"Hey Scoot."

A wide smile grew on Scootaloo's face as she ran to hug rainbow dash. Although her wings tattered and torn, bent and broken, she never felt more happy in her life. She cried louder than ever before. But the tears were not that of sorrow, but tears of joy.

"I love you rainbow dash" she said through her teary eyes.

"I love you too sweetie." dash replied. And for the first real time in her life, dash too cried tears of joy. The memory of this moment for them both would last a life time as they shared themselves in each other's arms.

"It's been a long day scoot. What'd ya say be both head home?"
Scootaloo looked up into Dash's eyes. Her over abundant joy made it too hard for her to talk, so she just nodded 'yes'. And as they both walked out of the orphanage, Scootaloo managed to muster up the ability to say one last thing.
"I...I love you mommy."
Rainbow dash just looked down at her new daughter and said,
"I love you too Scootaloo...I love you too"

Part 2

Wings of Glory - Part 2
By Andrew Esquivel

As rainbow dash laid her new daughter into her bed for the first time, she felt an overwhelming sense of joy when looking upon the sleepy child. She knew in her heart that she done the right thing, but deep down inside she worried about the filly. Scootaloo was once a rising star in her own respect. Young as she was, she showed the distinct signs of one day being among the best, but now all her dreams were slowly fading away. Dash knew that as a Pegasus, she would never be content with the ground. She knew that seeing her own brethren soar into the clouds above would eat her up inside. Dash knew what she had to do, but she had no idea how to do it. Somehow, some way she would fix Scootaloo's wings, but no remedies came to mind. With her filly fast asleep, dash covered her with a blanket and kissed her goodnight. Walking out the room, she whispered to herself,

"I've got to find a way. I've just got to..."

Despair started to set in, and no longer could she stand to be alone in her home. She knew she was in over her head, But she would not give in. Dash needed help, but didn't know who to turn to. Sitting on the floor, she thought for a moment, until a spark of inspiration hit her mind. Without hesitation, she quietly closed her front door, and swept to the ground. There was someone she needed to see.

*knock, knock knock*

"Who in the wide wide world of Equestria could that be at this hour?"
Walking to the door, the pony asked, "Who is it?"
Dash replied, "It's me...Rainbow dash." And with that the door slowly opened to reveal the pony behind it.

"Dash? What are you doing here so late?"

"Twilight, I need your help."

"Well sure, but what's so important that you need to come knocking at my door this late? Cant it wait till tomorrow?"

"No. I mean, yes. I mean...uggg...just, please Twilight, I really need someone to talk to."

"Dash, are you ok? You look really worried."

"I am"

"Well, what's wrong?"

"It's my daughter"
Twilight's eyes opened in a bit of a shock.
"You're...daughter?"
Confused, she inquired once more
"What ever do you mean?"
Dash blushed, realizing that she said too much too quickly, but shacked her head and quickly shied her feelings away.

"Uhhh...look, it's a long story. Just tell me, do you know how to fix a broken wing?"

Twilight, while still in a bit of awe, simply responded,

"I'm sorry dash, but I've never been asked that before. Maybe my books have something on it, but I don't know anything off hand."
Dash got a glimmer of hope in her eyes, wishing to herself that maybe they could find an answer.

"Great! You're sure to have something in there. You do live in a library and all. Right...?"

"Well, no guarantees, but I can check. But first, what do you mean by your daughter? I never thought you were...ya know."

Dash sighed at the question and figured it was best to just be straight with Twilight. After all, she was bound to find out sooner or later.

"It's not what you think twilight." she said awkwardly. "You mind if I come in to talk?"

The clouds were heavy, and rain started to fall.

"Sure" she said, "I wouldn't want you to get sick standing out there in the cold."

Both girls walked into the den of the tree house at sat down near the couch together. Positioning herself facing towards Dash, Twilight asked

"So tell me Dash, and be honest, what all is really happening?"

Dash's eyes wondered the room as she tried to recall the events. It's not something she wanted to talk about, but she knew she had no other real choice. She sighed once more and spoke.

"2 days ago, Scootaloo tried to do something and got hurt. I found her near the ever free forest out cold and by herself. When I went to check on her, she wouldn't respond, so I took her to the hospital. When she woke up, she couldn't move her wings."

"Oh my God..." twilight said as her eyes grew, her hooves covering her mouth. She couldn't believe what she just herd. Her heart sank as she dared to ask yet another question.

"What do you think she was trying to do?"
Ashamed at herself, she looked away into the windows that gave a view of the sky. Thunder cracked down as she slowly gained the courage to speak.

"She was...she..." tears filled her eyes as she tried to talk once more, but couldn't bring herself to.

"She was what Dash? If you want me to help, I need to know what she was doing."
With rain like eyes, she looked at Twilight and said,
"She was trying to imitate me."
Twilight developed a puzzled look on her face. In her mind, things didn't add up.
"Imitate you? Imitate how?"
The look on rainbow dash's face only grew more grim.
"She saw me try out for the wonder bolts that day, and all she wanted to do is be like me. She tried to fly, but she wasn't ready Twilight. She just wasn't ready"
With that said, dash burst into tears, no longer able to hold back her emotion. Twilight offered what comfort she could and held rainbow dash in her arms.

"It's my fault this happened. It's all my fault" dash cried.

Now realizing the guilt that dash had ensued, Twilight reassuringly replied,

"Oh come now dash, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known this would happen."

Dash took a deep breath and started to regain her sanity. Her eyes opened once more as she again held back her tears. Slowly, she removed herself from Twilights grasp, and displayed a look of calm and composure.

"Better?" Twilight asked,

"Yeah...I think I'm good now." dash said as she wiped some goop from her nose. Twilight still unsure of the entire situation reluctantly asked another question.

"So, what happened after that?"

Dash, struggling to keep her nerve, but mustered the strength to answer the question.

"Once she started to stabilize, they brought her back to the orphanage. They said she would be okay, but that she would never be able to fly after that incident."
Slowly, the pieces to the puzzle come together in Twilights mind. But one thing still didn't make sense.

"Dash, I'm so sorry for what happened, and I can only imagine how you feel right now, but I gotta know...what did you mean by 'your daughter'?"

Dash looked up into twilights eyes and continued with the story.

"She was miserable twilight...if only you had seen her; you would have done the same..."
Twilight cocked her head to the side and softly asked, "Done what?"

Rainbow dash looked back and said, "I adopted her."

There was a long pause between the 2 as they both sat there in the room. Twilight stunned, she didn't know what to say, but after a short moment she spoke once more.

"Dash, that's really admirable, but...I didn't know you were ready to take such a big step in your life. Are you sure you're ready for this?"
Dash scratched her arm softly as she replied, "she needs me Twilight...and deep down inside, I know I need her..."
Twilight smiled and said, "I understand dash. You don't have to explain anymore."
Dash grew a subtle but pleased grin on her face as slowly came to terms with the conversation.

"Thanks twilight."

Thinking for a moment about what Rainbow dash had told her, she came to a sad realization about the situation at hand. If the doctors couldn't find a cure for Scootaloo's wings, the chances of there being one in a book were next to impossible. Surely the doctors tried magic, but if that didn't work either, then there was nothing she could do.

"Dash...I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't think there's anything I can do. I'm really sorry. I think it's for the best that you just try to do the best you can with what she's got. I know that-"
"NO!" dash yelled, "I won't give up on her. She deserves better that this! Please twilight, you the smarted pony I know. There's got to be something you can think of!"
Twilight startled by the sudden reaction by dash backed up a small bit as an act of precaution. Seeing tears start to fill up her eyes again, she moved back to her original spot and thought for a moment.

"Well..."

"Please twilight...isn't there anything we can do?"

"I'm sorry dash, there's nothing we can try that the doctors haven't already thought to doing."
Dash looked at the ground, but couldn't see it as the tears blocked her view.

"I see..." she said with her head swung low as she started to make her way to the door. Twilight brought her hoof to dash's side to stop her. She looked back at her friend with a look that said 'all hope is lost', when suddenly twilight had a great idea.

"We may not be able to do anything, but I think I know someone who can.

Chapter 2

As the sun rose into the morning sky, Scootaloo opened her eyes to find Rainbow dash lying by her side. Delighted to see her mother smiling in her direction, she said

"Good morning mommy"
Dash looked back into her daughters eyes and said, "Good morning sweetie"
Scootaloo got up to stretch her wings, but found she could not move them. With sad expression on her face, she remembered her ailment.
"Oh yeah" she said with a sigh of depression. Rainbow dash gave a sad but happy smile.

"It's okay Scooty." she said, "your guna be good as new."

Confused, Scootaloo looked back at her mother and replied,

"But, the doctors said I would never fly again. How will I ever be as good as before?"

Dash just smiled and said, "Cuz we're going on an adventure"

"An adventure?" Scootaloo inquired. "Where are we going?"

"To see someone very special."

Part 3

Wings of Glory part 3
By Andrew Esquivel

As the 3 packed their things to set off on an adventure into the unknown (or at least unknown to Rainbow dash and Scootaloo) Dash couldn't help but wonder what twilight exactly had in store for them. The trip would be long, the weather would be harsh, but most importantly, they would travel by foot. The destination - Canterlot. Twilight had requested an audience with the one and only Princess Celestia, to ask if she would know any remedies to the problem that ailed Scootaloo. Because they had to walk to Canterlot, they would have to plan the trip for a number of days. And because the seasons were changing soon, the weather would surely pose a problem. But this did not stop the 3 ponies. They charged on to their destination, step by step, hoof by hoof. Hopping from place to place, town to town, even from city to city. But after a few days of hoof agonizing amounts of walking, they made it. All that was left was to find the castle, and beg for princess Celestia to help. Once they made it to the royal building, they proceeded to enter, only to be stopped by the royal guards at the entrance.

"Halt! Who goes there?" said the guard on the left, blocking her from moving with his wing.

"Twilight sparkle, princes Celestia's person student."

"And the other 2?"

"Oh, these are my friends - rainbow dash and her uhh... daughter Scootaloo."

"Ah, yes. The princess is expecting you."

"Great, then we'll just be on our way"
The guard moved his wings so that twilight may pass, but as soon as she did, he blocked the path once more.

"Hey, what gives?" dash asked

"We were told that Ms. Sparkles was to be arriving, but we have no knowledge of any other 'guests'"
Twilight tried to explain to the guards what the situation was about so as to let rainbow dash and Scootaloo enter as well, but quickly found that she was getting nowhere with the argument.

"I'm sorry, but we can't allow anyone into the royal building without approval prior to their visit, and furthermore-"

"That's quite enough gentlemen" said a voice from the end of the hall.

All the ponies looked back to see who the mysterious voice was that so rudely interrupted the royal guard. It turned out, that as a matter of fact, it was princess celestial herself.

"Its ok boys, they're with me."
The royal guards looked back at the 2 pony's standing outside the door, and removed their wings from their path so that dash and Scootaloo may proceed. The 2 walked into the hall next to twilight and the princess.

"Thank you princess for seeing us on such short notice." twilight said

"Of course my most faithful student. Now, from what I understand, you have a question to ask me?"

"Yes. We traveled long and far to seek your help with something."

"What ever it is, I'll be happy to assist you. Come with me to my study room so we can talk."
The 3 ponies fallowed the princess through the castle down long paths which were given light from the sun through the colors on the stained glass that preceded them. They walked in silence until they entered a room that was occupied by chairs and book shelves filled with texts from many years ago.

"So tell me twilight, what brings you and your friends here to see me on this wonderful afternoon?"
As the ponies sat down on the chairs facing the princess, twilight responded,

"We've come here to ask for your assistance. Scootaloo was in an accident recently, and as a result of it, she can no longer move her wings. We were hoping that maybe you know a way to fix her."

The princess walked over to the young filly, examining her for a few moments. Then she looked back and sighed.

"I'm afraid I've seen this before" she said as she moved over to look out of one of the stain glass windows.

"Every pony, weather they know it or not, contain some type of magic. Unicorns can harness their inner magic to do wonderful things such as using a spell. While earth pony's use their inner magic to help them with whatever special talents they have to help compensate for not having wings or a horn. Pegasus however, use their inner magic for another reason. As you can imagine, ponies even with wings, are large, and relatively heavy creatures, so their wings alone won't make them fly. Pegasi use their inner magic to help change their physical state in a way that helps their wings to make them fly. however, in rare cases, through a tragic mishap, some Pegasus pony's somehow lose their inner magic, resulting with the inability to fly, or in severe cases, the inability to move their wings at all. I'm sure you've looked into using your magic to heal her twilight, but the sad reality of the matter is that inner magic cannot be transferred from one pony to the next. Inner magic must come from inside one's self. Once the inner magic is gone, there is no known way to get it back.

"So...what your saying is..."

"I'm sorry twilight" said Princess Celestia, "but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."
The 3 ponies sat there mouths a gap at the tragic news. Rainbow dash hurt by it most of all. Dispirit and worried, she ran to the princes only to be held back by her royal guards.

"Please princess, there's gotta be something you can do!" she pleaded.
The princes, while saddened by dash's emotion said once more,

"I'm sorry dash. But there's nothing we can do."

Dash began to beg, hoping for a preposterously slim chance that there was some way to solve this problem. As she spouted every idea she could come up with, the royal guards forced dash to a distance from the princess, until one of her ideas caught the attention of her majesty.

"What about the elements of harmony? Can't they do anything?"

The princess signed to her guards to let dash go as she walked over to her.

"I'm sorry rainbow dash, but I'm afraid they don't work like that."
Dash quivered as she looking into the princess's eyes, and then looked away back at her daughter. Realizing that it was hopeless, she accepted the situation for what it was and began to walk out of the castle.

"I'm sorry Scootaloo." dash said with her head swung low. "Let's just go."
Without any confrontation, the 2 fallowed dash out the building, disappointed at the result of their endeavor.

"It's ok mommy" Scootaloo said. Those words only breaking dash's heart even more. But then, just as they were about to exit the building, a voice called from across the hall.

"Wait!" it yelled.
The band of ponies, including princess Celestia stopped and gazed across the corridor to find that the sudden voice was none other than that of Princess Luna. She walked towards her sister with an urgent look upon her face.

"Luna, have you no manners? These 3 brave ponies have just been dealt the harshest tragedy they have ever come to know, and you just burst in here only to prolong their plight?"

Luna looked up into her sisters eyes and said, "Please sister, just listen to me for once! The elements of harmony CAN fix her wings."
The other ponies intrigued but shocked, listened in anticipation to what the fallen princess had to say.

"Luna? What do you know of the elements of harmony?" Celestia said,

"Lots of stuff" her sister replied as she gathered the elements in her arms.

"Each element is useless on their own, but when combined in the right order, they can do amazing things!"

"Preposterous" said princess Celestia, while keeping a close eye on her sister, "the elements were designed to imprison those who need to be banished from this world."

"Yes sister, I know. But that's only when you combine all of them together. If you put only certain ones in a specific combination, they can do marvelous things!"
As Princess Luna gathered 3 of the elements, she put them in order from darkest to lightest color, and told Scootaloo to come closer.

"Come young filly" she said.
Scootaloo, ever so nervous, reluctantly walked towards the younger of the two sisters and the elements.

"Stand right here" Luna said, as she pointed out the specific location to Scootaloo. The orange pony did as she was told, and as she did, the 3 elements started to glow a fearsome shade of red. Suddenly, the colors of the selected elements burst into what became an extravagant display of bright and blinding colors, from which no pony could even begin to see. The light covered the room, and rays of what it shined glared out the windows. The luminescence lasted for what seemed like an eternity, but shortly after the brilliant display, the colors started to dim down and the ponies regained their ability to see. And see they did, only to find the most wonderful of things had happened - Scootaloo could move her wings once more. An ecstatic expression appeared on Scootaloo's face, as dash started to cry tears of joy. The mother and child ran to each other to be taken into their arms. Dash couldn't believe it. The quest she thought would never end had finally finished, and she couldn't have been more exited.

Celestia still in awe of what happened turned to her sister and asked,

"Luna, how did you know of these elements capabilities?"
Luna just giggled and said, "well, you don't get trapped on the moon by these things for 1000 years and not learn a thing or 2 about them."
The sisters sat there and smiled at the glorious sight of what they had done. Dash, while still hugging her child, looked up through her teary eyes and said, "Luna...how can I ever repay you?"
Luna just smiled and replied "teach her to fly".
Dash grew a worried face, as she thought back to herself why this had all happened in the first place. Looking back at her daughter she said, "I don't know if I can. I'm too afraid to see her get hurt again."
Scootaloo looked into her mother's eyes, and with a bit of confidence she said, "Don't worry mommy, I won't get hurt."
Dash looked back at her daughters eyes and asked, "How can you be so sure?"
Scootaloo looked up, smiled and said, "Because I have the best teacher in the whole world."
Rainbow dashes heart suddenly grew strong. What was once the broken and shattered remains of her soul instantly became mended, as she let go of her child. Together, they thanked the sisters once more and started to walk out of the castle. Heads held high, and with the wind to their backs, Dash said to Scootaloo, "Feels like a good day to fly, doesn't it?"

Scootaloo gazed into the clouds and said, "It sure dose"
As the two entered the open world, Scootaloo and dash took off into the sun set, gliding into the air as they flew into the clouds. For the first time in a long time, Scootaloo felt alive, and it was all thanks to rainbow dash. Zipping through the air, it suddenly dawned upon Scootaloo; finally she had her new wings - her wings, of Glory.