Quick Mail landed in the middle of the yard. Old toys and a deflated ball scattered the area and near the door a red scooter was thrown aside on the overgrown grass. He moved forward, both annoyed at the state of the place yes relieved that Scootaloo hanged around at home. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless. What was not a comfort however was the door not being closed. He made his way too it and peeked inside before going in.
"Are you home, Scootaloo?" he called out into the darkness. No answer. Worry started to gnaw in him. They had agreed to spend the afternoon together after her visit to the hospital but open door and now her silence did not bode well. He walked up the stairs to the second floor where he could hear small, barely audible whimpers coming from Scootaloo's room. The door was opened ajar with a thin string of light filtering into the hallway and he slowly made his way there, silently as not to startle the filly inside. Slowly pushing it open a clump formed in his throat as he saw Scootaloo sitting against the wall at the foot of her bed, sobbing silently into her hooves with a paper next to her. Her sobbing was forced down as Quick Mail walked in and sat down next to her, wrapping her in his wing. Scootaloo slowly calmed down wrapped in an embrace of feathers for what seemed like hours. Neither of them keeping count.
"Dad?" she finally broke the silence.
"Yes Scoot?"
"..." She opened her mouth, but closed it again still looking down at the floor. She opened it again. "Do you... no, i mean, uh..."
"Is it something the doctor said?" Quick Mail asked, looking down at a forest of short, unkempt purple mane.
"Will you still like me even if I can't fly?" Scootaloo asked as she started to shake.
"I would never stop loving you, Scootaloo. You're my daughter. Nothing could get me to stop loving you" he answered.
Silence once again covered the room.
"I will never be able to fly" Scootaloo finally broke it.
"I know"
"I.. I thought i had already accepted that, but now that I know I.. I just... I..." Scootaloo's shaking got stronger until she burst out in tears, desperately grasping Quick Mail.
"It's okay" He answered, looking ahead at the numerous posters of Rainbow Dash and Wonderbolts on the wall ahead. "Not being able to fly isn't the whole world. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom can't fly and you like them just fine."
"I guess" Scootaloo said, tears starting to dry up. "But what will Rainbow Dash think? Will she even want to hang out with someone who can't fly?"
"I wouldn't worry. She's the one who got you to realize flying wasn't that important after all" Quick Mail said as he gently kissed Scootaloo on the top of her head.
Sitting down, they enjoyed each others company as the sun went lower and the room went cooler.
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Is it too late for that ice cream?"
Quick Mail looked out the window. "Probably not. I guess we could go out and check. If you still want to, that is."
"Yeah, i'd like that" Scootaloo looked up with bloodshot yet happy eyes and a small smile, which spread to Quick Mail.
"It's cold out so bring your scarf" Quick Mail ordered.
"Ugh, fine" complained Scootaloo as she took it out and spun it around her neck following Quick out.
He locked the door and they walked out through the yard. The air was chilly, but not cold and the sun stood low making their shadows very tall even reaching up the buildings they passed. They walked through the empty streets in silence, just being together and eventually arrived to Sugarcube Corner.
"Looks like we're in luck: they're still open" Quick read out from the sign at the door which had Scootaloo noticeably perk up and they walked in.
They were met with a pleasant warmth and an empty shop with just Carrot Cake inside just starting to clean the place up for the day.
"Welcome" he said with a somewhat nervous smile as he put the broom down against the wall and walked up to the counter. "What'll it be?"
"A super chocolate shake with sprinkles!" Scootaloo practically shouted out and Carrot and Quick had to take a while to recover from the sudden increase in volume.
"And you?"
"I'll have a fruit shake, thank you" Quick ordered afterwards.
"That'll be 38 bits"
Quick Mail payed and he and Scootaloo went and sat down at one of tables, shakes coming shortly thereafter. Taking out the long, chocolate-covered cracker from the whipped cream Scootaloo shoved the whole thing into her mouth. Not to be outdone, Quick himself Threw his strawberry into the air and caught it with his mouth, chewing blissfully as Scootaloo lapped up all the cream and chocolate sprinkles. With enough space to make sure it wouldn't immediately well over the edge she started to blow bubbles.
"Stop that right now" Quick scolded her with a flat expression and eyes closed. He proceeded to slowly bring his mouth over his own straw and, still with the same flat expression, blew bubbles himself.
"Hey, you're blowing bubbles!" Scootaloo giggled.
"No i'm not" Quick said innocently before starting to blow bubbles again.
"Yo... You're doing it again!" Scootaloo stammered in between laughs.
"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything!" he said, once again blowing bubbles.
"St... stop it!" Scootaloo tried to say as she nearly fell of her chair laughing.
"Now Scootaloo, what have i said about lying to ponies?" Quick managed to splutter out before starting to laugh himself.
Finishing their drinks barely able to sit up, they left Carrot alone, walking home in the now cold air. Moving up to Quick, Scootaloo pressed herself against him and as she did he stopped.
"Dad, why'd you stop?"
"Why don't you hop on and i'll fly you home?" He answered bending down to let Scootaloo get up.