Memories

Scootaloo couldn't get out of the building fast enough. She had dreamt of walking these very hallways ever since she first saw the Wonderbolts in action, but now they were the stuff of nightmares. She wanted nothing more than to return home to Ponyville, to forget about ever becoming a Wonderbolt, even if it meant giving up flying through the sky with her crush.

'Finally!' she thought as she burst through the front doors and rushed outside. 'I'm never coming back here! I-WOAH!'

Spreading her wings to fly off, Scootaloo let out a small shriek as she ascended up into the air faster than she ever had before. She panicked and tucked her wings tightly against her body, causing her to fall the dozen or so feet back to the grassy lawn below her. She stumbled and fell, thankfully completely uninjured but absolutely shocked by the sudden ascension; it normally took her a few flaps of her wings to take off from the ground, but this time she had just flapped once. She had never taken off that quickly before.

Timidly getting back to her feet, she slowly unfolded her wings and gave them a half-hearted flap. Normally she would never come close to taking off with such a feeble attempt, but this time she felt herself lift off every so slightly, her body rising up enough so her toes were the only part of her feet still touching the grass.

'What the?' she thought, shocked by the new strength her wings seemed to have obtained. Wanting to see if this was real or just another dream, she spread her wings once more and took off, rocketing upwards into the sky. Her flying was like a pegasus foal learning to fly for the first time; erratic and shaky, but for the first time in her life she found it easy to stay aloft. No longer did she have to flap her wings twice as hard as normal pegasi to just maintain lift, and as she began flying off back towards Ponyville she found that her wings were finally strong enough for her to glide more than a few yards before she would begin falling.

'I'm doing it... I'm flying like a real pegasus!' she thought, grinning ear to ear as she felt the wind rushing by her faster than ever before. She managed to finally control her new found flying capability, and to test her new limits she soared off straight to Ponyville, intent on making it home without stopping every five minutes to rest as she normally had to.

Not only did Scootaloo make it home without stopping once for a rest, but she also made it home in record time. She couldn't help but try a quick loop-de-loop before flying into her bedroom through her window and landing directly on her bed.

"I did it! I did..." she said aloud before breaking down and crying. It was a mixture of tears of joy from being able to finally fly like a normal pegasus and tears from years and years of pent up frustration from her handicap. But now... now her dreams of joining the Wonderbolts were closer than ever before. In fact, with this new gift she'd have no trouble building her strength to where she needed to be to join the elite flyers.

Finally, things were looking up for Scootaloo.

"No no no! Agh!"

Scootaloo screamed in frustration and impatience as she tried to take off but found herself once again struggling to obtain flight. It had only been three days since she had been given the steroid, and despite flying stronger than ever since then, she now found herself beginning to struggle once more just like she had for so long. Panic began to set in her fragile mind; she had started becoming accustomed to her new wings and was now scared that it was all just a fluke; that after tasting sweet salvation, she would now be cast back down to her role as a weak, pathetic pegasus.

"Celestia damnit! Why can't... I... argh!" she yelled up into the sky as she struggled to take off again. Her wings began to ache and hurt again like they did before... a feeling that she had hoped that she'd never have to experience again.

Unable to keep trying, she fell to the ground and angrily struck her fist on the dirt. "What is wrong with me? It was so easy before." she said softly. She had always hoped that the steroids Thunderlane had given her weren't responsible for her new gift, that she was finally strong enough on her own, but now she began to realize that Thunderlane... he may have been right all along.

'I need to talk to Rumble.' she thought, quickly sprinting off to his house. She hoped that he would still be home since the new academy class wouldn't be starting until after this year's Equestrian Games, which the Wonderbolts were rigorously training for. Finally reaching Rumble and Thunderlane's house she knocked heavily on the front door, and to her relief Rumble opened to door to see who had come to visit.

"Hey Scootaloo. What's up- wah!" he said in surprise as Scootaloo pushed him inside and closed the door for privacy.

"How long does this stuff last for?" Scootaloo demanded to know.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Rumble replied.

Scootaloo grabbed Rumble's shirt and shoved him up against the wall. "That steroid your brother gave you, how long does it last for? Why isn't it working for me anymore?" she demanded desperately.

Rumble's heart dropped as he realized that his 'secret' was out. "W-w-what are you t-talking about?" he stammered nervously in an attempt to bluff one last time. "I don't... I have no idea what you mean."

Desperate for an answer, Scootaloo held up her other hand and formed a fist, making sure Rumble saw her threat. "I'm not playing around! I need to know! Why isn't it still working for me?" she asked hysterically.

Rumble saw the crazed, desperate look in her eyes and decided that his secret wasn't worth his life. "Okay, okay! Don't hurt me! I'll tell you whatever you want to know!" he pleaded.

Scootaloo let go, watching as he crumpled to the floor and shielded his face with his hands from any further attack. However, Scootaloo refrained from assaulting him and instead remained standing over him while she interrogated him.

"Now, tell me, how long does this stuff usually last?" she demanded again.

Rumble didn't hesitate to answer. "Usually a w-week. At least that's what he d-d-does for me." he stammered. "It... it's permanent effects aren't very significant s-s-so that's why he gives it out so often."

That was the answer Scootaloo was hoping she wouldn't hear; having to see Thunderlane that often was something she wanted to avoid at any cost. "Where does he keep it? Show me!"

Rumble recoiled as he knew Scootaloo wouldn't like his answer. "I don't know, I really don't, I swear!" he said. His eyes widened in fear as he saw Scootaloo balling her fists once more and knew he had to somehow convince her. "I'm telling the truth! Please, don't hurt me!"

Rumble shut his eyes tightly, waiting to feel her fist against his face, but instead all he heard was Scootaloo storming away from him, then his front door open and slam shut. Daring to take a peek, he sighed with relief as he saw that he was once again alone in his house. He quietly made his way to the nearest window to make sure she had truly gone before dropping his guard and collapsing on the nearest chair.

"Crazy mare..." he muttered to himself, unable to believe that he had a crush on her back in school and had nearly asked her out. 'Guess I really dodged that catastrophe.'