Grounded
Scootaloo stood outside the schoolhouse, twirling her helmet upon one foreleg as she gazed aimlessly around. The young pegasus pony was all for enthusiasm in education, but the fact that this was the forth day in a row in which Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had waited back after class to ask Miss Cheerilee a question was beginning to test her patience. It wouldn't have been so bad if she had a question too, but just standing there listening as Cheerilee looked from Applebloom to Sweetie Belle, and then inevitably towards her, was kinda awkward. Even more awkward than standing out here in the schoolyard, alone.
Close by, Scootaloo heard a muffled snickering. She turned her head sharply, and caught sight of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon giggling for a split second before they realised they were being observed, and their heads darted back around the corner of the schoolhouse building.
Snorting softly, the pegasus called out to the other two fillies.
"You know I can hear and see you, right?"
With a haughty huff, the two posh ponies trotted out from behind the schoolhouse with their heads held high, as if they'd never intended to remain incognito at all. Scootaloo rolled her eyes as they approached her.
"So, ladies, what is it gonna be this time? If it includes the words 'blank' or 'flank' you can save your breath. If not, congratulations on learning a few new words. I'm sure your parents must be very proud. Maybe they'll buy you a new mansion for your dolls, or something."
Both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's eyes widened, and they glanced at one another nervously. Scootaloo smirked. If those two still believed that joking about her and her friends' lack of cutie marks bothered them, they were even more stupid than the crusaders already believed. To the pegasus pony's surprise though, and apparently unexpected by Silver Spoon too judging by the look on her face, Diamond Tiara spoke out with venomous derision.
"Actually, Scootaloo, we weren't making fun of you at all. We were observing you. For a personal science project we're working on."
Silver Spoon cocked an eyebrow, looking at her friend slightly nervously.
"Uh... w-were we, DT?"
Diamond Tiara glared at her companion, eyes blazing, before turning back to Scootaloo.
"Yes. See, we realised recently that you aren't just a blank flank. That you're a freak in so many more ways than that."
Before Scootaloo could retort, and before Silver Spoon could act upon the rather concerned expression spreading across her face, Diamond Tiara launched into a full blown tirade. Needless to say, these were insults which Scootaloo had no idea were in the other pony's vocabulary... or at least, even if they were, words she'd never thought she'd hear coming out of another pony's mouth directed at her. Ponyville was a nice place, and its people were respectful, kind and caring on the whole. This kind of language was just... hateful.
"First, there's the blank flank. A pony our age who still doesn't have their cutie mark, and pretends that somehow it's a cool thing to still be trying to discover your destiny. So dumb they don't even realise that it means every day they spend until that time finally comes is utterly pointless."
This particular portion of the speech Scootaloo had heard before. She brushed it off with ease.
"Then there's your wings."
Silver Spoon winced, and reached out to tap her friend upon the shoulder. Diamond Tiara whirled round, yelling at Silver Spoon furiously.
"What?!"
The other pony bowed her head, shaking her head.
"N-nothing."
With a frenzied snort, Diamond Tiara nodded sharply and turned back to the staring form of Scootaloo.
"What kind of pegasus can't even fly? Even one of the baby Cakes can hover off the ground for longer than you. It's no wonder no-one ever sees your parents around here. They must be so ashamed that their daughter has to go to school down on the ground that they never leave their home in Cloudsdale. I don't blame them of course. Any excuse not to have to stare at a pathetic cripple like you is a good one."
Gazing over her shoulder, cringing at the sight of her small, underdeveloped wings, Scootaloo shrank back a pace or two. This wasn't so funny any more. Those words hurt. Not just about her wings, but about her parents, too.
"And then to top it all off, you've got your sad obsession with Rainbow Dash. The wingless wonder and Ponyville's best flier! It would be depressing if it wasn't so hilarious. The way you drool over her. The way you make her hang out with you out of pity, when she'd so obviously rather be flying. I'll bet you've got a picture of her hidden under your pillow at home. That you look at it and kiss it every night before bed, dreaming of the day when you'll be old enough to fly over to Rainbow's cloud and ask her out on a date. Oh... but wait, you won't be able to. Because you can't fly, and I bet you never will!"
Diamond Tiara pointed at Scootaloo with one of her forelegs, grinning as she saw tears filling the young pegasus pony's eyes and her whole body trembling with shameful sorrow.
"You should crawl into a cave and never come back. It'd do everyone who'd ever have to stare at you in pity a favour. You blank-flanked, filly-fooling, disgusting crippl-loo!"
A split-second later, Diamond Tiara's rage filled and cruelling grinning face twisted violently as Scootaloo swung around in a sharp one hundred and eighty degree arc, raised her right hind leg, and with a frantic grunt of anguished frustration lashed out at the other filly. Her hoof made a sharp, firm contact right between Diamond Tiara's eyes, and in an instant the whole situation changed.
The previously aggressive young pony fell to the ground, clutching at her face and shrieking in pain. She curled up, sobbing and wailing with agony, while by her side Silver Spoon stared at Scootaloo in horrified disbelief. She rushed to her fallen friend's side, embracing her and shrieking at the top of her lungs as she saw blood beginning to drip from Diamond Tiara's nose.
"Help!"
It took mere seconds for her call to be answered. The schoolhouse door bursting open and Cheerilee springing out with a look of concern upon her face, closely followed by the rapidly trotting hooves of Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. All three of them took in the scene. The fallen Diamond Tiara still sobbing and holding her face in her hooves. The wide eyed, terrified Silver Spoon looking from her stricken friend to the snorting, visibly shaking and tearful form of Scootaloo. And finally to the young pegasus pony herself. Still with her back turned and hind-leg outstretched. Caught red-hoofed, but now gazing in horror at the shocked, appalled expression on the faces of her friends and teacher.
Before Cheerilee could say anything, Apple Bloom asked what they were all so obviously thinking.
"S-Scootaloo... what've you done?"
A horrified, mournful sob escaped the young pegasi's lips as Cheerilee rushed past her with a furious glare, her expression softening and her voice cooing calmingly as she scooped Diamond Tiara up in her forelegs and cradled her close. All she could hear was Diamond Tiara's screams of pain and sorrow, and Silver Spoon's shrieking, anguished voice laying the blame squarely upon one pony.
"She... she kicked her right in the face. Right between the eyes! Diamond Tiara didn't lay a hoof on her, but..."
Before Scootaloo could hear another word about what she'd done, before she could have any more blame heaped upon her by the only witness to what had transpired, Diamond Tiara's best friend, she ran. Dropping her helmet and leaving her scooter behind, the young filly ran. With her eyes closed and tears streaming out through the air behind her, she galloped away as fast as her little legs could carry her. If she had been any other pegasus, she would have taken flight. Soaring far away from the ground and the earth-bound ponies who sought to judge her. But she couldn't. She couldn't fly, because Diamond Tiara was right. She was a cripple. And now, a criminal cripple.
So she ran. And ran.
And ran.
The young filly ran for what felt like forever, not stopping nor slowing no matter how short of breath she grew nor how deeply her legs began to ache. Indeed it was only when she encountered a physical barrier, her screwed-shut eyes carrying her blindly forward, that Scootaloo was forced to halt her escape.
A sharp squeal escaped Fluttershy as Scootaloo crashed straight into the older pegasus, bowling her over and sending them crashing down to their knees in a crumpled, intertwined heap.
"O-oh gosh. Oh my. Oh dear. Oh no... I'm ever so sorry."
With a soft whimper of dismay, Fluttershy scrambled up off Scootaloo and took flight; hovering in the air for a moment above the stunned, still weeping filly, before setting herself down by Scootaloo's side.
"Oh no. Oh, I've hurt you... oh drat. Fluttershy, you're such a oafish clutz..."
Scootaloo raised her gaze as she heard the other pegasus blaming herself, sniffling and shaking her head.
"N-no. I'm fine, Fluttershy. I mean... you didn't hurt me. That's not why I'm... w-why I'm crying."
The yellow and pink coated pegasus didn't stop looking concerned. Indeed her eyes twinkled with ever more anguished compassion. She shuffled a step closer to Scootaloo, knelt down beside the young filly, and affectionately wrapped a wing around the little pony's body.
"You poor dear. What's wrong? Please, tell me. I'm sure it's not as bad as all that."
Scootaloo bowed her head shamefully, her tears flowing a little faster.
"It's worse. I... I'm gonna be grounded for years for this. I'm gonna get expelled from Ponyville School, a-and I'm never gonna be able to see my friends again. Not that they'd want to, even if I was allowed."
The older pegasus pony frowned. This didn't sound like the upbeat, excitable filly she knew Scootaloo to be.
"Come now, you must be exaggerating. It's not like you... um..."
Fluttershy wracked her brain for the most ridiculous, silly and over the top thing she could imagine.
"It's not like you got into a fight, and hit somepony else."
To her horror, Scootaloo threw back her head and began to sob once more. Fluttershy's eyes bulged, but she kept her head on straight. Despite what it sounded like, despite Scootaloo's reaction, that couldn't be all there was to it. Scootaloo was no bully. She would probably do anything it took not to get into a fight, short of letting her friends get hurt. And even then, if that had been the case Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom would likely have been running away with her.
"Scootaloo... I know you're upset, but whatever happened, we both know that running away from your problems isn't the answer. Believe me. Hiding from your fears and the consequences of your actions never works out. So, why don't you start by telling me what happened. Everything that led up to you finding me. I promise, I won't be mad. I'll just listen... and when you're done... well, we can see what you think you should do next."
Scootaloo turned her head, gazing up at Fluttershy shamefully.
"Y-you say you won't be mad. But, what if you are? What if I've done something so bad, I might even make you angry with me, Fluttershy?"
The older pegasus tightened her wing's grip upon Scootaloo's torso, shaking her head with quiet confidence.
"Not possible. Because I can see how upset you are, and how sorry you are for what you've done. I may agree that what you did was wrong... I don't know yet. I may be disappointed, and I may be sad to hear what you have done. But I won't be mad, and I certainly won't yell, or send you away."
Scootaloo shivered, cuddling up closer till against Fluttershy's soft, comforting warmth. She sniffed, blinking the tears out of her eyes, and nodded slowly.
"O-okay."
She told Fluttershy what happened. Everything. From the moment she stepped out of the schoolhouse and began to wait for her friends, to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's appearance. To the two other fillies' approaching her, and Diamond Tiara's at first playful, then increasingly more vicious insults. A few times she looked up at Fluttershy's face, and as she repeated some of the things that she head heard spoken to her and about her, she saw a strange expression crossing the older pegasus pony's face. One which at first she didn't recognise, because it seemed so unlike Fluttershy to show such emotion.
"...a-and then, she called me... s-she said I was a... a blank-flanked, filly-fooling, disgusting... c-crippl-loo."
Scootaloo began to weep openly once more as she recalled the exact wording of that final, brutally personal insult. She tried to press herself tighter into Fluttershy's comforting embrace, but failed to do so as suddenly the pegasus kneeling beside her sprang up onto her hooves once more. The grown up pony turned away from Scootaloo, trembling visibly, her beautiful tail sweeping from side to side with swift, violent strokes.
The fill swallowed thickly, bowing her head in shame.
"I know they're just words. T-that another pony's opinion of me shouldn't matter. But... those things she was saying, they weren't true. Or... at least, some of them weren't. I'm not a filly-fooler... n-not that there's anything wrong with... y'know, a mare that likes mares. Rainbow Dash is like a big sister to me! But yeah, I'm a blank-flank. And... a-and yeah. I guess I am a cri-..."
Fluttershy whirled around, eyes blazing with anger, tears streaming down her own face.
"No!"
Scootaloo froze in horror. It was definite now. She truly had never seen Fluttershy like this.
"No, Scootaloo. I won't have you say that. I won't have you repeat those horrible words any more."
The filly cringed, appalled that on top of being mad at her for hitting Diamond Tiara, she had also insulted Fluttershy simply by parroting the words that had been spoken to her.
"S-sorry."
Practically burying her nose in the grass, staring straight down with a self-loathing frown, Scootaloo kicked out at the earth with one hind-leg. Just as she had done to Diamond Tiara's face. She whimpered, unable to believe the horrific mess she had gotten herself into with that one momentary loss of control. Turning herself from a lucky filly with amazing friends and a terrific teacher at school into Ponyville's most loathed pariah... hated even by Fluttershy, the nicest and most forgiving of practically all ponies in Equestria.
Again, Fluttershy spoke a single word.
"No."
Scootaloo looked up reluctantly, meeting the older pony's gaze once more. She still saw the pegasi's anger boiling within her usually bright, empathetic hues, but also sorrow. Compassion. Deep, overwhelming tenderness.
"No... don't apologise. I told you Scootaloo, I'm not mad. I mean, I'm not mad at you."
Fluttershy pawed at the ground with one hoof, turning her gaze skyward for a moment as she searched for the right words to express herself. Soon, she gave an inward nod, and spoke up once again.
"Listen. I can't say that hitting Diamond Tiara, that hitting anypony, was right. It's not. And you will have to be punished for doing that. Do you understand why?"
Honestly and sincerely, Scootaloo nodded. Fluttershy smiled, albeit weakly.
"Good. Now... w-what I'm going to say next, I hope you know that I don't say such things lightly."
She took a deep breath.
"But, um... i-if, if there was anypony, and any reason to deserve a kick in the face? What Diamond Tiara said to you was it."
Fluttershy's face flushed crimson, both with embarrassment and anger. Scootaloo could only stare as the older pegasus continued to address her; eyes scrunching closed and brow furrowing.
"To call a pony names is a bad thing. But to mean those insults, to know the emotional weight they carry and use those words because you know they'll hurt the most, that's more than name calling. More than bullying. It's hate... and there is no place in Ponyville. No place in Equestria, for hate."
Scootaloo looked at Fluttershy in surprise. This certainly wasn't the reaction she had expected from anypony, certainly not the most peaceful and open minded pony she knew.
"S-sure... but, how can it be hate if... if it's true? I mean, I don't have a cutie mark. And my wings, they're..."
Turning her gaze back over her shoulder, Scootaloo flapped her small wings as fast as she could. Straining and grunting with effort, she managed to lift herself a few inches off the ground and hang there, swaying from side to side for a couple of seconds before sinking back to the earth.
"...they're pretty useless for what they're meant to do."
Fluttershy sighed.
"It's complicated, I know. But... the truth? The truth can hurt, but it isn't made to hurt. The truth is that no, you do not have a cutie mark yet. And the truth is that your wings don't let you fly as easily as most pegasi. But the truth doesn't paint those facts as a bad thing. You see? The rest, what we take away from those basic truths, is all opinion and bias."
Glancing back at her own wings, Fluttershy sighed.
"I have a beautiful pair of wings, and I know from experience that when I need to... I can fly as high and as fast as any pegasi. I can almost catch Rainbow Dash if I push myself. But that's looking at my situation in a positive light, with optimism and cheer. If I take the other direction, I am wasting my talent as a flier every day I spend on the ground helping the wingless critters of Ponyville. I am nothing but a scaredy-pony who's afraid of heights. A failed excuse for a pegasus."
Scootaloo piped up in Fluttershy's defence, shaking her head wildly.
"N-no your not!"
Fluttershy smiled, nodding with gratitude.
"Thank you for saying so. And I know, that's not the truth. It's just what I said to myself when I was feeling at my lowest and most shy, and what ponies said to me when I was younger. That I was too soft. That I should just go stuff my head in a cloud somewhere and never bother anypony again, because I was so quiet and meek that after a few days everypony would forget I had ever existed."
The young filly's eyes widened.
"That's... that's a horrible thing to say. Did ponies really say that to you?"
Fluttershy nodded. A tear rolling down her own face as she remembered those far less pleasant times from before she'd discovered the world below Cloudsdale.
Scootaloo stepped towards Fluttershy, gently lifting one foreleg and wiping away the older pegasus pony's tears. It filled her with relief when Fluttershy didn't draw away, didn't recoil in fear from her touch.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, Fluttershy... but did you ever hit somepony, w-when they said mean things to you?"
Fluttershy shook her head. Scootaloo cringed, but soon raised her gaze once more as she felt Fluttershy place a hoof under her chin and draw their eyes back to one another.
"No. But there are a few times I remember when I wish I had been strong enough to try. I think if I'd been able to show the other ponies just how far I'd been pushed by their cruel words, maybe I wouldn't have had to rely on Rainbow Dash to protect me."
Scootaloo nodded sombrely. At least, for a moment she was sombre. Then, to Fluttershy's and even her own surprise, the young filly found herself smiling. Looking up into Fluttershy's rather sad, emotive face with eyes that suddenly sparkled with joy.
"But... you've gotten stronger."
Fluttershy tilted her head but said nothing, allowing Scootaloo to continue.
"You aren't the one who needs protecting any more. You're one of Equestria's protectors. One of the Elements of Harmony. A-and more than that... you've helped me. Protected me."
Blushing, but not quite joining Scootaloo in smiling quite yet, the other pegasus glanced back in the direction of Ponyville.
"Not yet, I haven't. But... I will, Scootaloo. I will protect you, I promise."
***************
By the time Scootaloo and Fluttershy reached the schoolhouse, it was almost dark. They had walked slowly. Continuing to talk about what had happened, and what was going to happen when they got back into town and the time came for Scootaloo to face up to her actions.
Despite the rather late hour, there was still a light on within the school building. Scootaloo gingerly knocked, and mere seconds later she was bathed in light as the door swung sharply open and Cheerilee's head darted urgently out into the evening air.
She saw Scootaloo, and she saw Fluttershy standing by the young pegasus pony's side. The teacher closed her eyes, and sighed with relief.
"Oh, Fluttershy. Thank goodness you found her. And you, Scootaloo..."
The young pegasus braced herself, ready for the beginning of what she suspected would be a very long and very well deserved lecture indeed.
"...you gave us the fright of a lifetime, young filly. Do you have any idea how worried I was when you ran off like that? How worried we've been waiting here for you to come back?"
Scootaloo blinked in confusion.
"W-we?"
Cheerilee took a step backwards, allowing the filly to see into the schoolhouse. There, standing by the teacher's desk with expectant, hopeful looks upon their faces, were three young ponies.
As soon as Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom saw their friend, they rushed forward and swept Scootaloo up in their arms. She hugged them tightly, feeling tears returning to her eyes. Tears which almost blotted out the approach of the third pony, until she was practically right in front of them.
Scootaloo blinked, and jumped in nervous surprise as she saw Silver Spoon staring at her warily. She turned her head, looking at Fluttershy with concern. The older pegasus smiled at her reassuringly, but took on a more serious expression as she turned to Cheerilee.
"I don't know if you've heard what happened... what really happened, between Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara this afternoon."
She glared rather intensely at Silver Spoon with the emphasised portion of that sentence, and the young filly shrank back into the schoolhouse by a few steps.
Cheerilee however, upon seeing Scootaloo's nervousness and Fluttershy's surprising hostility, was quick to put herself between them and Silver Spoon.
"Yes. I heard. Silver Spoon told me everything."
The young earth pony glanced nervously around the flank of her teacher, and nodded in agreement as Cheerilee stepped away once again, giving the filly the freedom to speak.
"I... I told Ms Cheerilee what happened. How Diamond Tiara was being mean. H-how I... how I didn't do anything to stop her. How she was cruel and... a-and really hurtful. And how she had you in tears when you... w-when you... hurt her."
Both Scootaloo and Fluttershy looked at one another, genuinely rather taken aback. In all their conversation, it had never occurred to them that rather than standing up for her best friend, Silver Spoon would tell the honest truth when confronted. Judging by the way Cheerilee was nodding, however, it really did seem as though she'd heard Silver Spoon give that remorseful confession before.
"Scootaloo, I hope you know that I cannot allow a student of mine to kick another pony and not face punishment."
Cheerilee addressed the pegasus pony kindly, obviously full of regret that she had to say what she was saying. Her concern did abate slightly, at least, when she saw Scootaloo and Fluttershy nodding in unison. Clearly they had expected this, and the young filly had come to terms with the fact that regardless of circumstance, she had done wrong.
"But I hope you also know that we at Ponyville school take bullying very seriously. And what was said to you today... what Diamond Tiara said, it was inexcusable. I promise you that she will be punished too, and that I will be having a long talk with her parents about teaching their daughter how to act in public. How to treat other ponies, and to respect them, even if they aren't somepony she wishes to call a friend."
Scootaloo nodded, but rather than addressing Cheerilee directly, turned her gaze towards Silver Spoon. She bowed her head slightly, and addressed the other filly with gratitude.
"Thank you for telling the truth, Silver Spoon. A-and... and I hope you know, no matter how much what she said hurt me, I am sorry for hurting your friend."
Silver Spoon sniffed, wiping a tear away from under the rim of her glasses.
"I... I just hope that Diamond Tiara will understand why I did it. Why I had to tell the truth... and why what she said was wrong."
With a smile, Scootaloo shrugged.
"Well... maybe what she needs is a good friend. Somepony who'll help her. And protect her. Not just from other ponies... but from herself, too. Somepony to tell her when she's taking things too far."
Silver Spoon nodded, glancing towards Cheerilee.
"C-can... can I go now, Ms Cheerilee? I'd like to go and see my friend."
The teacher nodded, and Silver Spoon made her exit. This left the three CMCs standing together, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom simultaneously chiding their friend for her violence, and consoling her over the meanness and stupidity of what Diamond Tiara had said. Meanwhile Fluttershy and Cheerilee approached one another, and began to speak in hushed tones for a short while.
Eventually, the grown ups turned towards the trio of young fillies and Cheerilee cleared her throat upon both their behalf. The three fillies turned to face their teacher, and she addressed Scootaloo with a firm but caring tone.
"Now, Scootaloo... I want to be very clear about what I'm going to say next. You are being punished for what you did, and I expect you to treat it as such. Okay? That means you cannot bring your friends with you, and I expect you to work hard."
The pegasus tilted her head curiously, as did her friends while their teacher continued.
"Because you hurt Diamond Tiara physically, I feel it is a fitting punishment to have you care for others who have been injured. Unfortunately you are too young and don't have the training to work as a nurse, so... you will have to care for animals. For the next fortnight, every day after classes, you will be met at the schoolyard entrance by Fluttershy. She will take you with her on her afternoon rounds, and you will learn all about the importance of caring for and treating wild animals with care and affection while they're sick or hurt."
Scootaloo's eyes widened, and she stared at Fluttershy with amazement. The older pegasus said nothing, but winked at the filly with a gentle smile.
"Does that sound fair to you, Scootaloo?"
Bouncing up and down upon her hooves, wings fluttering and holding her aloft for a few brief instants, Scootaloo nodded eagerly. Cheerilee and Fluttershy looked at one another, beaming.
"Good. That's settled then. Now, my little ponies... I think its about time you all got home. That's quite enough drama for one day, don't you think?"
In unison, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded. Bursting into conversation with one another, most of it about how Scootaloo was sure to get a cutie mark in Veterinary Medicine before the two weeks was up, they made their exit. Before they were out of earshot, Fluttershy and Cheerilee could hear all three of them squealing with laughter.
The two grown up ponies looked at one another, and sighed softly. In all of Ponyville, there were probably few other ponies as genuinely kind and warm-hearted to all.
And yet.
"Fluttershy, I know I probably don't need to say this. But... please, look after Scootaloo. And try not to make her punishment too... well, punishing. After what Diamond Tiara said to her, I honestly cannot blame her for what she did."
Not smiling, but meeting the earth pony's gaze with grim understanding, Fluttershy nodded.
"Don't worry, Cheerilee. I'll take good care of her. Just do me a favour, and make sure that Diamond Tiara is punished. She needs to learn, whether her family will teach it to her or not, that Ponyville is no place for hate. And she needs to learn it fast."
By Jeeves
Author's Note
I wrote this having recently witnessed some horrific bullying behaviour, in which cruel and personal insults were used in a targeted effort to hurt specific people. While the reactions of Cheerilee and Fluttershy to physical violence, however minor, against a young pony are I know probably rather out of character, I hope it emphasises the point that witnessing such cruelty can provoke anger in even the kindest of hearts. :)