Not The First
By: Kitty Pony
Crisp autumn fog hang low from the sky, and everypony seemed to represent the weather--dull and grey.
Scootaloo, however, was the opposite of the town's mood. She trotted happily around the market place, continually feeling joy as she traveled from each stand to the next.
Running errands for the orphanage was usually a dreaded chore, but her excitement for what her day held was so strong, that buying the weekly items didn't seem all that bad.
"That'll be 5 bits."
Scootaloo reached into her saddle bag, and brought back up the required amount.
"Here you go!" The orange filly said with glee. The mare running the stand just sighed in reply, and pushed a paid bag a groceries toward her.
"Have a nice day." She said in a routinely fashion. "Next!" And the next pony in line dragged his hooves forward, replacing the last customer's place.
The depressed way of Ponyville didn't seem to effect the cheerful filly, or rather she was just completely oblivious it. Either way, Scootaloo was like a glowing light in the darkness of the crowd. A lantern leading the way.
Or it's she herself lost in the dark....
Never the matter, for soon Scootaloo found her way into Twilight Sparkles's.
"Hi Twilight!" She said in her positive tone.
The purple mare seemed confused by the optimism.
"Uh...hello Scootaloo. Where are you headed?"
"To meet Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale! Ms.Ally at the Orphanage let me go, as long as I picked up a few things for the rest of the fillies and colts."
"I see," Twilight said, rubbing her purple hooves together awkwardly. "S-Scootaloo...do you happen to know what today is?"
The small filly cocked to the side, holding a confused expression.
"No. Was it somepony's birthday? Oh no! Did I forget?"
"No, no it's not a birthday, exactly..."
"Uh...an anniversary?"
"Sort of..."
However, before Twilight could continue, she clapped her hooves over her mouth.
"Oh my gosh! What am I saying? F-forget I ever told you anything! I'm not suppose to tell you this out loud!" And with that, Twilight started galloping away, deeper into the wretched Ponyville, leaving a crestfallen Scootaloo.
Soon though, the small doubt that clung to her was flicked away, and she brought back that bounce in her step. As she trotted to the meeting place, Scootaloo quietly chanted:
"I'm gonna see Rainbow Dash, gonna see Rainbow Dash," and so on.
Images of flying along side with her greatest hero flooded her mind, although they could never come to pass. Maybe flying with Rainbow was impossible, but that never stopped the filly's dreaming.
Twilight still stood in the back of her mind, however, Scootaloo filled the space with so many fantasies of Rainbow Dash, that now it was just a scab. A annoyance that you flick away, depending how bad it was.
And Twilight was a very small scab.
"This is my stop," Scootaloo informed the driver of the chariot. He flapped his wings a few more times before pulling to a halt, allowing Scootaloo to step off the platform.
"Thank you sir," she said, remembering her manners, before turning away to face Cloudsdale.
The young filly gave a small, "Squeeeeee!!!" and an excited flap of the wings at what she saw.
Cloudsdale, home of the Wonderbolts, "The city of dreams", "The enchanted land", none of the sayings Scootaloo had heard could truly live up to the breath-taking view she saw. The gorgeous cloud statues and other decor shimmered in the sunlight, far above the depressing fog below. Every decor item was beautifully designed, and the weather factory was visible in the distance, which displayed an almost magical rainbow.
We don't get such pretty rainbows down in Ponyville, Scootaloo thought.
Soon snapping out of the trance Cloudsdale gave, she reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a small sheet of paper.
"1105, NW 15th PL," she read aloud. Navigating her way around the streets, the orange filly found herself at her destination, Rainbow's home.
Scootaloo knocked on the cloud door, awaiting a response. However, nothing happened.
She waited. Forty seconds, One minute, two minutes, going on three minutes...nothing.
She might be hurt, Scootaloo worriedly thought. Rainbow could need my help.
Deciding it was for the best, she slowly opened the door, and walked inside.
"H-hello? Anypony home?" All the lights were off, making it very hard to see. Scootaloo waved a hoof in front of her face, avoiding any possible tripping furniture. "Rainbow Dash? Rainbow where are you?" The small Pegasus stuck out her ear to pick up any noise, and sure enough, a faint sobbing could be heard in the distance.
Scootaloo followed the sound. Through the main entrance, up the stairs, and found herself in, what looked like, Rainbow's bedroom. Sitting on a sky-themed bed, was the blue mare herself.
"Rainbow Dash? Are you okay?"
Rainbow's head shot up, bloodshed eyes, messy mane, with tear stains covering her whole face. By the looks of it, the mare hadn't gotten a wink of sleep.
"S-Scootaloo?!? What are you doing here?"
"You invited me...remember?"
"Oh, right." Rainbow Dash rubbed the side of her head with a blue hoof, attempting to recall the moment.
After an awkward silence, Scootaloo suggested, "Do you want me to leave?"
"No, please don't!" Rainbow pleaded and fell to the young filly's hooves, drastically changing the mood. The blue mare paused, realizing how she just acted out. "I-I mean," She cleared her throat amateurishly. "Please stay for some tea."
Scootaloo felt taken aback by the situation, and rather uncomfortable where she was, however, considering how desperate her host had sounded a second ago, she decided to take pity and stay.
"Uhm..okay..."
Relief flooded Rainbow's face, while she quickly got up and brushed herself off.
Another awkward silence...
"So, how about that tea?"
Scootaloo nodded quickly, eager to break the tension.
"Yes, hot tea sounds great right now."
A few burns and shattered tea pots later...
Rainbow Dash carried a sumptuous silver tray upon her back, covered with delicate cups and tea spoons, which could easily break even by the lightest touch.
The sky blue Pegasus carefully set the tray down on an equally elegant table. All her dining equipment was inherited by her beloved father, and even though Rainbow was not a large supporter of the high-class style, she polished the silverware after every usage of it, in memory of him.
She sighed, retention of her father came hoarding back to her, and it's pain struck twice as hard.
"Come on Rainbow, Scoots is here. You're her hero! You can't be acting like this in front of her." She tapped a cerulean hoof against her head again, this time trying to empty her thoughts rather than obtain them.
"Focus, just focus." She took a large breath in, and proceeded to exhale, immediately becoming more halcyon. She placed the tray on the coffee table in front of her, then fell backwards on the couch behind it.
Rainbow Dash then settled down on the sofa, and tapped the cushion parallel from herself, beckoning Scootaloo to it.
The filly accepted the greeting, and sat next to Rainbow.
"Scootaloo?"
"Yes?"
"I need to tell you a story..." Rainbow unfolded her wing, gripping Scootaloo's shoulder, then sliding the filly closer to her. "It's when I was about your age, maybe a few years older or so...
It all started on a hot Tuesday morning..."
"Come on Daddy, hurry up!"
A small blue filly squealed and hurried through dew-filled grass, gleefully laughing when she passed her father.
"Haha! You're too slow! You're too slow," The filly taunted.
"I'll show you who's too slow!" Her father teased back, and started to gallop harder, catching up to his daughter. After reaching quite a bit further than the opponent, he spread his wings, and soared to the sky. "Try to catch me, Rainbow," He baited when further in the air.
"Hey, that's cheating!" Rainbow accused. However, she too started flying. She was a fast pony, and soon neared her father in the big blue.
"See daddy? I'm fast like you."
"Indeed you are," The stallion said, gleaming with pride.
The race soon came to an end, with Rainbow in 1st place, due to a father who couldn't see his daughter lose. He picked her up and ruffled her mane, much to her indisposition. They went out to eat, "Cause I'm so awesome," Rainbow had put it.
-----
"Hey, Daddy?"
"Yes, dearest?"
"Do you think Mommy's alright?"
Her father wrapped his wing around Rainbow, and slide her closer. "Of course she's alright. Mommy's done this before, and everything went perfectly fine."
Rainbow Dash nodded, telling her father she understood. However, she chewed her cheek worriedly, still nervous for her mother.
Her father saw how anxious she was, for he too was concerned about his wife.
"The doctor said you could see mommy tomorrow, you just have to wait one more night." But then, not wanting to further worry Rainbow, he added on--
"Just remember, everything's gonna turn out great."
Turn out great... the words echoed throughout Rainbow's head, spinning briefly into each of her thoughts. Yes, she did believe that if (she especially thought about that "if" part) everything went according to plan, things would turn out great. In fact, they could be one of those truly spectacular moments of her entire life, second only to learning to fly, and becoming a Wonderbolt. (she was still working on that one). However, there was still that chance, squirming in a black hole of painful thoughts. It always stuck out whenever Rainbow Dash dreamed of this day, whenever today was brought up in a conversation. She of course, kept this chance to herself. There was no point in spreading the sorrowful feeling.
When she turned her attention back to her father, Rainbow succinctly nodded, putting on a fake smile. While inside, she was the opposite.
-----
The next day was truly a memorable one. Even Celestia's sun said something.
It majestically glowed and shined, sending it's beautiful rays for Equestria to see. The light from it gleamed in each window, giving everypony a taste of pure happiness.
Rainbow awoke due to it, and was not happy about returning to the world. Her thoughts kept her up for a good portion of the night- also discarding any positive ideas about what today would bring.
"C'mon Squirt! Up and at 'em!"
An enthusiastic knocking came from outside her room, following an equally happy wake up call.
Rainbow groaned and groggily climbed out of bed, knowing very well why her father was so excited about today. Not wanting to ruin his mood, she blinked the tiredness out of her eyes, continuing with a routinely morning pattern. Brush teeth, tackle mane and tail, then choke down some alfalfa for breakfast.
"You ready to go?" The same excited voice spoke behind Rainbow Dash, bringing quite the opposite feeling.
"Yeah, dad," The blue filly said, wiping the remains of breakfast off her mouth. She then rose from her seat, following her father to the hall. He helped Rainbow into her little coat, making sure to roll up the ends, just the way she liked it.
"I'm so excited, aren't you?" The stallion practically bounded to the chariot, fluttering his wings like an excited filly.
"Yeah, I guess," Rainbow Dash said, dragging her hooves against the pavement. This time, the dullness of her voice was not noticed by her father. She then sat herself down in the backseat of the chariot, bringing a strap around her body, and buckling it in.
Without a single obstacle in his way, the chariot took off, faster than a Wonderbolt being chased by a bear. The driver galloped until his hooves rose off the ground, higher and higher into the sky.
Finally, the two ponies reached their destination...
The hospital...
-----