"Ok one more time for today. I know I can do this," Scootaloo says as she prepares to lift off again.
Through out the day Scootaloo has been practicing with her lift off and what she hope will be the day she flies. With the support of Rainbow Dash and her friends Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle she feels that this will be the day that she will fly. The breeze is perfect. It's warm and welcoming just inviting Scootaloo to go in the sky. What made it better is that it is a sunny day with some clouds through out the sky. Scootaloo bends her legs and closes her eyes. She recalls the words of advice Rainbow Dash gave her a couple months ago as she recalls the event.
"Hey squirt what's up?" Rainbow Dash asks a depressed looking Scootaloo.
"I don't think I'll ever be able to fly Rainbow Dash. I try and try. But nothing works. I'm just a useless pegasus that can't fly." Scootaloo says on the verge of crying.
"With that attitude you won't. Follow me squirt I'll give you a special bit of advice that will do the trick." Rainbow Dash says walking to a near by field on a hill.
Scootaloo follows her and stands next to Rainbow Dash to the field. A small breeze can be felt when they reach the top of the hill.
"Why did you bring me he-." Scootaloo asks before Rainbow Dash interrupts her.
"Do you feel it Scootaloo?" Rainbow Dash asks in a serious tone.
Scootaloo gives her a confused look mostly from her change in tone and attitude.
"What am I supposed to feel Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asks.
"The wind. That's the key to flying. You feel the wind past your coat and face. Anypony can feel that. But the best advice I can give you is be one with the wind ya know? Let your spirit fly with the wind. I hate being so serious. But if it's to help my little sis then I will." Rainbow Dash says.
Scootaloo isn't entirely sure what she means. But she follows her actions and closes her eyes and tried to follow Rainbow's example.
As the memory fades away Scootaloo feels the breeze take her spirit into the air as she lifts off expecting to land in a matter of seconds with a muzzle full of dirt and a broken ego and give up. However this isn't the case. She opens her eyes after about fifteen seconds to see that she is at least ten feet in the air. She couldn't believe it herself after all the failed attempts and teasing of not being able to fly. Her flying brings her to a state of joy that she has never felt before. A warm sensation is felt on her flank. She assumes it's the sun hitting her flank as she comes back down in front of her friends and her mentor to be greeted with cheers of happiness and joy. Until they notice her flank and they all gasp in surprise.
"Scootaloo look at your flank." Sweetie Belle says.
"What is it Sweetie Belle I-" Scootaloo says before stopping mid sentience when she sees her flank.
She sees her cutie mark. A large butterfly with an outer color on the wings the same color as her mane and the inner part of its wings a darker shade of orange with two yellow butterflies on each side. Her heart sinks. A depressed expression is shown on her face.
"What's wrong Scttoaloo? Ya got Yer cutie mark. You should be happy." Apple Bloom says concerned for her friend.
"Butterflies? Butter Bucking Flies? Really?" Scootaloo says with a squeak at the end and her on the verge of tears.
She flies off right before she starts crying.
"Scootaloo wait don't go!" Sweetie Belle cries out to Scootaloo.
Scootaloo ignores her and is soon out in the distance.
"I'll go talk to her. It was me that gave her that advice. I just didn't expect her to get a cutie mark out of it." Rainbow Dash says before taking off.
"We'll help too." Apple Bloom says.
They all go through out Ponyville to find Scootaloo. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle split up to look at Scootaloo's usual places where she hangs out with them. Hoping that she's at one of them.
"Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle shouts in town seeing if her friend will respond.
Apple Bloom heads to the field where the clubhouse is and continues searching.
"Come on out Scootaloo. We just wanna help ya feel better." Apple Bloom say as she makes her way towards the tree house where they used to play and try to find their cutie marks.
Apple Bloom stares at the clubhouse for a few seconds and remembers all of the adventures she and her friends had there and when she got her cutie mark. She was building a barn with her sister and brother when she managed to build most of it herself. Her cutie mark is a plank of wood behind a heart shaped apple that was split in half. She soon continues her search after she finds the tree house is empty and searches the fields nearby.
Meanwhile Sweetie Belle continues to look around Ponyville for her friend and sees the stage where she starts to remember when she got her cutie mark. It was after she was convinced by her friends to preform a song she wrote in the school's talent show. She didn't know it until after her performance until both her friends and her sister Rarity told her. Her cutie mark is two microphones crossed behind a pink heart with sparkles around it. She smiles at her cutie mark before returning to her search for Scootaloo.
Meanwhile Rainbow Dash flies around looking for Scootaloo not sure where to begin her search. But just looks for anything that can help. That is until something catches her eye. A lone storm cloud over a field nearby.
"That's weird there isn't supposed to be rain for a couple more days." Rainbow Dash says to herself before she gets closer to investigate.
The closer she gets to the cloud the more she hears the unmistakable sound of somepony crying. She picks up the pace to see it is in fact Scootaloo. She reaches the cloud and goes to a nearby cloud and brings it next to Scootaloo's cloud and lays on it.
"Hey squirt." Rainbow Dash says surprising Scootaloo.
Scootaloo jumps in shock and looks back at Rainbow Dash with red eyes and tears still coming out of them.
"Don't look at me. I don't want anypony see me do something as uncool as crying." Scootaloo says hiding her head under her hoofs.
Rainbow Dash sighs as she pulls Scootaloo into an hug.
"Crying isn't uncool. Everypony cries every once in a while and it's ok. Even I cry every once in a while." Rainbow Dash says trying to cheer Scootaloo up.
"You're just saying that to make me feel better. Crying is uncool and so is my cutie mark. I wanted an awesome cutie mark like yours Rainbow Dash. But what do I get instead? I get Butterflies. I don't even know what my talent is. Apple Bloom's is building stuff. Sweetie Belle's is singing and song writing. But what does mine have anything to do with butterflies?" Scootaloos says still in tears.
Rainbow Dash smiles. She might try to act like the best thing since sliced bread in front of Scootaloo to keep her appearances up for the once young filly. But now it's time to be the big sister she lived up to be in Scootaloo's eyes and drop the act at least for a little while.
"I mean what I say don't I? Would the fastest and most awesome pony in Equestria lie to her sister?" Rainbow Dash asks.
"No." Scootaloo says shyly.
"Exactly. You know I'm not lying when I say that you have a really cool cutie mark. You got it just from flying that's what makes it awesome. At least with mine it was from a race. But you got yours just from flying nothing else. That's pretty cool if you ask me." Rainbow Dash says.
"But what's my talent?" Scootaloo asks.
"Well there's only one way to that find out isn't there?" Rainbow Dash says as she gets up.
"We finally get to fly together?" Scootaloo asks her eyes growing big.
"Of course. I'd be a bad sister if I didn't." Rainbow Dash says as she takes off.
Scootaloo follows Rainbow Dash's advice again as she takes off and catches up with her. As they fly Scootaloo is deep in thought trying to figure out her talent and why butterflies of all things. After five minutes of silence Scootaloo looks towards Rainbow Dash.
"Hey Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asks.
"What is it squirt?" Rainbow Dash asks.
"I've been thinking about my cutie mark." Scootaloo says.
"Oh yeah? You think you figured it out?" Rainbow Dash asks.
"I think so. I think it has to do with what you told me a couple months ago. About letting the wind take me and let me be one with it or something. When I did it I felt......" Scottaloo says before stopping mid-sentence.
"You felt free didn't you?" Rainbow Dash says.
"Yeah. I did." Scootaloo says.
"I know I don't talk about that spiritual stuff that much. But it was the best way to describe the feeling ya know?" Rainbow Dash says.
"Yeah I think I get what you're saying." Scootaloo says.
"Just keep practicing and you'll be flying like me in no time." Rainbow Dash says.
This puts a smile on Scootaloo's face as she sees Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle on the ground.
"I think I'm feeling a lot better now Rainbow Dash. Thank you for everything you've done. It means everything to me." Scootaloo says with a smile.
"No problem Squirt. Hey I have to get to work so go to your friends and have fun ok? Those skies don't clear themselves ya know. I'll see you later." Rainbow Dash says before landing on a cloud nearby.
Scootaloo lands on the same cloud and hugs Rainbow Dash.
"Ok Rainbow Dash I'll see you later." Scootaloo says.
Scootaloo then falls off the cloud and turns around mid air and opens her wings and glide down to her friends.
Back on the ground Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle continue their discussion about where to look for Scootaloo when she lands right behind them. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle turn their heads to see their friends and smile.
"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle say in unison hugging their friend.
"Hey girls." Scootaloo says smiling hugging them back.
"Ya feelin' any better?" Apple Bloom asks.
"We were so worried about you Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle says.
"Yeah Apple Bloom I'm feeling a lot better. Thanks for being concerned about me girls. It means a lot to me." Scootaloo says.
"How about we go to Sugarcube Corner to celebrate you feeling better and getting your cutie mark?" Sweetie Belle suggests.
"That sounds like a good idea. Let's go." Scootaloo says.
All three race to Sugarcube Corner smiling and laughing like they always have.
That night Scootaloo returns to her room to see a familiar cape on the floor. She looks at it with a smile and a small tear in her eye. She was the last member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to get her cutie mark. She picks it up and folds it neatly and put it in a drawer next to her bed.
"Looks like my crusading days are over. It was a good run that's for sure." Scootaloo says to herself before shutting the drawer.
She then shuts her light off and goes to sleep. Remembering her adventures through out the years and thinking of what the future has in store for her.
Author's Note
Probably not my best works. But I thought it would make a cute short story while my other stuff is being worked on. So hope you enjoy this little story to hold you over until my next update in December.