Fragile As A Pegasus Feather
Almost there! Come on, just keep going!
No chirping, no rustling, not a sound from the animals surrounding the clearing.
Silence.
Not that the pegasus would have noticed. She was too concentrated on the task at hoof.
It had taken three months, three entire months to reach this point… and she wasn’t going to quit now.
Just a little more!
The buzzing from her wings steadily grew louder, sweat drenching her fur as her body exerted the last of its energy. She was already inches off the ground… just a little more and she would be able to ride the updrafts, to soar into the sky above…
I can’t disappoint her. I have to d—
And then the world went black.
And the scenes reappeared, light and color restored to her vision.
“Scoots, you’re awake!”
“Uh… what?”
Instantly, Scootaloo took in her surroundings: the clouds were much closer and fluffier than she remembered, the ground far below her…
And holding her up was her idol.
“Rainbow Dash! But, what are y—”
“Oh, Scoots, you had me so worried!”
Scootaloo was about to ask what had happened, but her mind and mouth froze as she saw something glittering in Rainbow’s eyes.
“Y-You were passed out for so long, and I flew as fast as I could…”
She had passed out from exhaustion. That much she knew, but she was much more frightened by the expression her mentor wore.
Tears were streaming down her light blue muzzle, tears that flew off just as quickly as they flowed down.
“I’m just so glad you’re okay. I knew I shouldn’t have been too hard on you! But I… I just… I wanted so much to see you fl—”
“Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo interjected. “You don’t have to blame yourself. I’m fine now!”
The two landed on a patch of grass close to the hospital.
“And you know what? I did it! I was off the ground! Only a little m—”
“No, Scoots!” Rainbow Dash dried her eyes with her forelimbs and stared directly at the orange pegasus.
“You need to rest. You’re overexerting your body! If you try to keep going, you’ll end up worse!”
Rainbow inched closer to Scootaloo, who began to predict what she was going to say next.
“I’ve seen this happen in flight school. It’s not worth it. It really isn’t worth the pain to keep trying so hard…
“I need you to stop trying to fly, at least for a m—”
“No! H-How could you say that to me, Rainbow Dash? I was close, so close! I j—”
“NO! You are not going to keep trying, and that’s final!”
If only Rainbow could hear that snap, that imaginary sound that propagated throughout Scootaloo’s mind.
“Y-You… You don’t even understand! Do you know what it’s like to be flightless? To have everypony laughing at you as you pass by, to be tormented by that every day?”
“Do you think ponies haven’t been ridiculing me ever since I left flight school? I know it better than you, kid! I’ve been living with it for all my y—”
“But you weren’t flightless! You could do the sonic rainboom!”
“I already said it! I forbid you to practice flying!”
“Y-You just don’t understand!”
With that, Scootaloo galloped at top speed, transferring the remaining part of her energy towards her legs as Rainbow flew at her.
“Scootaloo, come back here!”
Oh, but Scootaloo didn’t listen. She didn’t want to listen, she didn’t want to be near her. Faster and faster she galloped, straight into a patch of forest.
“Scootaloo!”
Rainbow doubled her flapping cycle and shot forward, only to receive a most horrible sight.
“Say, what have we got here?”
“A small pegasus, and she feels scared, angry…”
“Alas, not the best of emotions, but I guess it’ll have to d—”
“Stay back, punks!” Rainbow Dash flew down and stood between the three black figures and Scootaloo.
“Hmm… she looks familiar, doesn’t she?”
“I believe so, but I can’t remember from wh—”
“Why, hello, Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty. So glad we finally get a chance to meet.”
“How do you know my name?” Rainbow asked the third figure.
“Everypony knows your name and what you look like. In fact, this may be a good treat for us.”
The figure slowly stepped closer, inch by inch.
“You see, our queen would be quite happy to receive one of the ponies who defeated so many of our kind a little while ago.”
“You’re… changelings! You’re no match for me! I’ll defeat you just like the others!”
“Oh, you must be mistaken if you think I’ll let myself be defeated like my brothers and sisters…”
The other two pounced on Rainbow Dash, who easily evaded the attack…
Or she would have, had not she noticed the petrified state Scootaloo was in. With one swift move, she turned around and bucked the two assailants back with her powerful back legs.
The third instantly appeared behind Scootaloo, a sharp black knife in it’s paw. Rainbow grabbed Scootaloo and twirled around the changeling, the knife grazing her fur but drawing no blood.
“Hmm, so you really are quite adept at this.”
That’s when Rainbow Dash’s side began to burn. She looked down and saw a small purple stain on her fur.
“It is quite a powerful poison. As soon as it get into one’s bloodstream, there is no hope left. I guess our queen would not mind if we bring you dead.”
The other two changelings stood up, ready to charge at a moment’s notice.
“Scootaloo, snap out of it! I need you to go back and get Twilight.”
…
“Scootaloo!”
“Wha-What?”
“On the count of three, you’re going to run. Run as fast as you can back out and get Twilight.”
“But-But what about y—”
“Three!”
Rainbow Dash flew directly at the other two changelings, knocking the first one down and catching the other one by the neck. Two steps and Rainbow twirled the second one around, throwing him at the third one.
And Scootaloo was still.
And the third changeling had managed to dodge the attack. With knife in hoof he was staring straight at Rainbow Dash…
No, not at her…
Straight at Scootaloo.
He smiled.
“Scootaloo!”
Rainbow galloped towards the enemy as he charged directly at the orange pony, ready to take her captive…
But Rainbow Dash was faster.
She scooped the filly up with one hoof and threw her to the side, all while parrying the sudden knife jab. Balancing on one leg, she twisted her entire body and struck with her other back leg, sending the changeling flying. He wasn’t the one who was screaming, though.
“AAAAAAA—”
OOMF
Scootaloo landed on a cart of soft hay.
“Whoa, where’d you come from?”
“Mister, I need you to get Twilight Sparkle!”
“The princess? You know her?”
“Look, there’s no time! Tell her Rainbow Dash wants her to come here, and say that it’s urgent!”
“Okay, got it, Miss!”
He sped away in a flash, and Scootaloo watched him gallop as a new thought formed in her mind…
I can’t just leave her alone…
I’m going back in.
She was exhausted. Any other pony would have encountered difficulty simply in raising a hoof in this state…
But Scootaloo was not any other pony.
Scootaloo was not going to let anything get in her w—
She tripped on some loose gravel, but she refused to fall, instead speeding up and using her wings to steady herself and prevent herself from landing muzzle-first into the ground.
And she saw Rainbow Dash.
But Rainbow Dash didn’t see her.
And if Rainbow didn’t see her, she doubted she had seen the third changeling slowly preparing to make its move.
The first changeling was immobile, lying far away below a tree in the distance. The second was right next to Rainbow Dash, and he was on the floor as well…
But it was a trick.
The second changeling sprung to life and only thought about one thing: impairing her movement.
He struck at the base of her back legs with his own legs, and he grabbed her front legs tightly, pulling them behind the pony.
“Hey! Get off of me!”
Rainbow flailed around, or at least tried to. Her back legs were pinned to the ground as well, but she would not give up. Every second, she was able to move just a little bit more, and in half a minute she would be able to free herself…
But did she have half a minute?
Scootaloo had always noticed how in movies, the characters would move incredibly slowly when something important was about to happen, such as when somepony was just about to escape the diamond dogs hidden in the depths of a certain dangerous mine…
But she had never experienced it before.
Not until now.
She watched.
She continued galloping, but she watched.
She saw the exact moment when the third changeling’s hooves left the ground.
Fear.
Fear racked the poor filly’s mind and heart as her imagination toiled, as she noticed the knife extended, ready to traverse the pony’s fur…
So many memories, so many times Rainbow Dash had helped her…
Everything would be gone with just a small flick of the hoof.
I can’t let that happen!
Her legs bent by their own accord, remembering all the practices, all the trials, everything…
Her wings flapped in pain, but Scootaloo wasn’t feeling that now.
All she could feel was that dread, knowing the thing she wanted most in life was hanging by a thread…
And she flew.
For the first time in her life, Scootaloo could say that she flew…
And she flew right into the path of the third changeling.
“Scoots, no!”
But Rainbow could not stop any of them. The changeling and Scootaloo tumbled down at her side…
Breathless.
Motionless.
Rainbow overpowered the second changeling and threw him down to the ground with a resounding thud.
“Scootaloo!”
But she would not stir.
And Rainbow could not tear her eyes away from that visible gash on her side.
“No, Scoots! N-no, this can’t be happening!”
And then he stirred.
And Rainbow could not control herself. She kicked away the knife and picked the changeling up by his neck.
“You…
“I will never forgive you!”
Soon, her hooves began to lose any sense of feeling as she punched him after every word.
“She *punch* was *punch* just *punch* a *punch* filly! *punch* How *punch* could *punch* you!”
And with one last resounding crack, his entire body grew limp.
“No, you don’t get knocked unconscious until I say s—”
COUGH
Scoots!
Rainbow immediately dropped the changeling and hurried over.
“Scootaloo…
“Scootaloo, you’re alive!”
Warmth.
Love.
The embrace could not be compared to anything. It didn’t matter if they were related or not: the hug was motherly, protective…
“Why? W-Why did you do it?”
“I c-couldn’t let my mentor g-get hurt. What kind of a s-student w-would I be if I l-let you get hurt?”
Rainbow pulled her even closer as rivers of salty water stained orange fur…
But Scootaloo was soon unconscious.
“N-No. That can’t be!”
The nurse could only shake her head. “I’m sorry, but…”
Rainbow heard no more. Her mind could not process the rest. She could only stare at the pegasus in the hospital bed as she controlled her own emotions as best she could.
“Get out.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I said, GET THE BUCK OUT!”
Without a word, the earth pony walked out, shutting the door behind her.
This… No… Scoots…
The filly stirred.
“R-Rainbow?”
“Scoots, you’re awake!” She had to keep a smile on. She couldn’t let her know.
“Rainbow Dash! Wh-wh—”
COUGH COUGH
“Now, Scootaloo, y-you have to rest, okay? Everything w-will be just fine, okay?” The smallest teardrop managed to escape from Rainbow’s control as it slowly traveled down, its path ending as quickly as it began.
“Rainbow Dash, I… You d-don’t have to hide it from me. I overheard the nurse. I know what’s going to happen.”
“No, it won’t happen! You’ll see! We’ll get Twilight and the princesses and Discord and anypony else we h—”
“Rainbow…”
“Yes, Scootaloo.”
“I’m… I’m scared. Can you just… stay with me for a while?”
“O-Of course, Scoots.”
It should have been me in that hospital bed.
Why, Scoots, why?
“I did it, R-Rainbow…”
“Hmm?”
“I flew.”
“Shh… Save your energy… You’ll need it once you get out of here.”
“I’m s-sorry *cough* Rainbow Dash. I’m sorry f-for yelling at you.”
“Don’t worry about th-that, Scoots!”
“I just wanted to be l-like you so much, and I d—”
Her mouth stopped moving, and the trembling, the horrible trembling began.
“N-Nurse! NURSE!”
A huge team of nurses and doctors entered the room and pulled out tool after tool…
She didn’t want to lose hope.
Scoots will get through this! I know she will!
Oh, how dastardly life can be, and death itself would not be cheated.
It only lasted a minute.
The doctor could barely even make eye contact with Rainbow, but deep down she knew. The medical team left the room, and only the two pegasi remained.
Words failed her as sadness overwhelmed her…
She wept.
She wept for the future that would no longer be.
She wept for the past, for all the times she hadn’t been available to help her.
But most of all, she wept for the present, for the life that was torn unjustly from this world…
For the friend that idolized her at every turn.
Author's Note
Written in about 4.5 hours. Will probably write an epilogue.