"Umm, what are you doing?" Scootaloo asked as the doctor ran a small magical device over her wings.
"Just a routine test, haven't you ever been to the doctor before?" The Doctor asked, looking at the orange filly.
"Not really," she replied, looking away for a moment, she had only come because Rainbow Dash was worried about her. "Not since I lost my parents at least..."
"Oh, I'm sorry," the Doctor said, looking at the filly with a concerned look on her face as she examined the device. "Have you ever had any problems flying?"
"I've been able to hover for a few seconds, and that's about it..." Scootaloo said sadly. "I've been trying to practice with Rainbow Dash, but we haven't had much luck. Is there something wrong with my wings? I mean they're a bit on the small side..."
The doctor paused a moment, checking the device again, she admittedly wasn't an expert on Pegasus fillies, but she knew that these readings weren't right. She took a deep breath, not sure exactly how to tell the filly what she had found.
"Is everything okay Doc?" Scootaloo asked, she was suddenly getting very nervous.
"Scootaloo... I'm sorry, but these readings are pretty clear that your body doesn't produce enough magic..." the Doctor said. "I'm sorry, but, you'll likely never be able to fly under your own power..."
"Is it treatable?" Scootaloo asked, the doctor shook her head. "Oh..."
"I wish I had better news," she said sadly. "Its so rare that nopony's actually been able to study it enough to develop a cure..."
Scootaloo's head drooped as she looked at her hooves sadly. She got to her hooves and walked out after a few minutes.
Right now she just wanted to see her friends.
00000
"Hey Scootaloo, what's got you down?" Sweetie Belle asked as Scootaloo made her way into the CMC clubhouse.
"Its, nothing," the Pegasus filly said as she took off her helmet, she was still down about what the doctor had said.
"Come on Scootaloo, yah know that yah can tell us anythin'," Apple Bloom said as she looked at her friend concerned. "Right Sweetie Belle?"
"Yeah, something's clearly got you down," Sweetie Belle said. "Come on Scoots, we're here for you."
"I had to go to see the Doctor today, she... told me that I can't fly," Scootaloo said sadly. "Ever, because of some stupid magical thing!"
"Oh mah..." Apple Bloom said.
"Are you going to be okay?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Yeah... I just need a few days," Scootaloo said, she tried to sound more confident than she really felt.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exchanged glances, they weren't sure what to say to that.
"Scootaloo, are you sure?" Sweetie Belle asked, putting a forehoof around her friend. "You're still one of the best friends a filly can ask for."
Apple Bloom hugged them both. "Yeah, we don't care that yah can't fly, yer our friend no matter what."
"Thank you..." Scootaloo said and tried to smile as she hugged her friends. "You two really are the best friends I've ever had."
"You too Scoots," Sweetie Belle said.
"Come on, lets go ta Sugarcube Corner, Ah'll bet a milkshake will pick yah right up," Apple Bloom said.
"Sounds good," Scootaloo said with a smile as they started out of the clubhouse.
00000
A few days had passed, but Scootaloo hadn't gotten any better. Today Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had barely seen her outside of school, she had just gone home after school was over, saying she had to do homework.
"What are we goin' ta do, Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom asked as the two fillies walked through town. "Ah haven't seen Scootaloo act like this before."
"I know, its weird," Sweetie Belle said. "She hasn't acted like this since before the Friendship Games..."
"If only there was some way we could help her be able ta fly," Apple Bloom said thoughtfully. "Ah can't believe it... she's always wanted ta fly and she just now found out that she can't."
"Its too bad we can't just give her a big pair of wings or something," Sweetie Belle said.
With that a light went off in Apple Bloom's mind as an idea came to her. "No, but Ah think Ah've got an idea," she said. "But we're gonna need some help if we're gonna make it work."
The two fillies talked for a few minutes as Apple Bloom laid out her plan. Sweetie Belle listened for a minute before nodding.
"Okay, but who should we get to help us?" She asked.
"Hmm, Ah've got it!" Apple Bloom said. "Lets talk ta Rainbow Dash, she'll know what ta do."
The two fillies ran off to find Rainbow Dash.
00000
They found Rainbow Dash napping on a cloud above one of the fields. She yawned as she woke up and looked down at the two crusaders.
"Hey you two, have you seen Scootaloo today?" She asked, she hadn't heard much from Scootaloo for the past few days.
"No Rainbow Dash, she hasn't been the same since she found out she can't fly," Sweetie Belle said, Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide at that. "She didn't tell you?"
"No, I haven't seen her in the last few days," Rainbow Dash said, a tone of sadness in her voice. "She, really can't fly?"
"Yeah, uh, she said it was somethin' about not enough magic or somethin'," Apple Bloom said.
"Poor kid... no wonder she's so down..." Rainbow Dash said. "Is there anything I can do to help her?"
"Well, we have an idea, but we're going to need your help to make it work," Sweetie Belle said and they outlined their plan. She nodded and smiled. "That's a good idea, I'd be glad to help Scootaloo out."
"That's great!" Apple Bloom said with a smile.
"Lets all meet up early tomorrow so we can get this ready," Rainbow said. "Thanks for bringing this to my attention girls."
"You're welcome Rainbow, see you tomorrow!" Sweetie Belle said and the two ran off to get ready.
Rainbow laid back down on the cloud and looked up at the sky sadly. She had always hoped that Scootaloo just wasn't ready to fly yet. Most Pegasi were already flying by her age, not that it really mattered. She really cared for Scootaloo, and just hoped that she'd be able to help her honorary sister be happy.
"It'll be okay Scootaloo... I promise..." She said, more to herself than to anypony else. "We'll get you in the sky one way or another."
She just hoped that would be a promise she could keep.
00000
"Come on girls, this isn't funny," Scootaloo said as she was lead blindfolded up a hill by her friends. "What's this surprise anyway?"
"You'll see," Sweetie Belle said.
"Trust us Scoots, yer gonna love it," Apple Bloom said.
"If you say so, I just wish you'd tell me where we're going," Scootaloo said with a sigh. "Why are we going uphill anyway?"
They reached the top of the hill where Rainbow Dash was waiting.
"Hey Squirt, listen, your friends told me about what the Doctor told you," Rainbow said as she removed the blindfold. "So we made something for you."
"What did you..." Scootaloo started to say, but trailed off when she saw it. Seated on the ground was a hang glider that was orange with purple trim.
"Ah know its not tha same as flyin' with yer wings, but we felt that its at least somethin'," Apple Bloom said as Scootaloo examined the glider. "Do yah like it?"
"I love it..." Scootaloo said, tears of happiness welling up in her eyes as she hugged her friends and her big sister tightly. "Thank you so much..."
"Like we said, we're here for you Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle said.
"Come on, I'll show you how it works," Rainbow said as they gathered around the hang glider.
After a ten minutes, Scootaloo was strapped into the Hang Glider. She looked back at her friends for a moment.
"Don't worry Scootaloo, I'll be right beside you the whole time," Rainbow said with a smile. "You can do it."
"Yeah Scootaloo, we have faith in you!" Sweetie Belle said and Apple Bloom gave her a reassuring smile.
"Thanks," she said and ran forward and finally took to the sky for the first time in her life.
00000
Scootaloo flew over the town, turning as she moved her wings so that they kept her aloft. She smiled as she felt the wind blowing through her mane. It was the greatest feeling she had ever experienced, beyond anything else.
"You're looking good, Squirt," Rainbow called over to her as she came up beside her. "How's it feel?"
"Great!" Scootaloo said as she flew over Sweet Apple Acres. "This is so cool!"
Rainbow can't help but smile as she watches her little sister fly. She couldn't help but be happy for her, while she had flown with Scootaloo before, this was the happiest she had seen the filly in a long time.
"You're doing fine Scootaloo, just keep it up," she said.
Scootaloo nodded and turned the glider slightly, taking a deep breath. Her eyes welled with tears of joy, she couldn't believe that her friends had done something like this just for her. She was finally able to fly.
And she couldn't be happier.
"Can I do this whenever I want?" Scootaloo asked.
"Of course you can, its your gift," Rainbow said. "Just promise me that you'll be careful, okay?"
"I will," Scootaloo said excitedly.
Rainbow Dash couldn't help but smile and the two kept flying.
00000
A couple of days passed, Scootaloo had gotten a lot happier since she had been given the hang glider by her friends. She finally gathered the rest of the Crusaders and Rainbow Dash at Sugarcube corner to talk with them.
"So, Scootaloo, why did you ask us here?" Rainbow asked curiously.
"Yeah, Ah was wonderin' that too, yah said yah had some sort of surprise fer us?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Yeah, well, you guys did something nice for me, so I wanted to do something to thank you," Scootaloo said with a smile. "I asked Pinkie to make something special for you guys."
"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Scootaloo just nodded with a smile as Pinkie Pie came up carrying a covered tray.
"Here you go, one super special surprise!" The pink pony said as she removed the cover, revealing a cake with the four of them drawn in icing with the words, "Thank You!" above it.
"I know its not much, especially compared to..." Scootaloo started to say, but was cut off when her friends hugged her.
"Are yah kiddin'? Its great!" Apple Bloom said.
"And you're welcome," Rainbow said and ruffled Scootaloo's mane gently. "Anything for you Scootaloo."
Scootaloo smiled and hugged her friends and sister tightly. She felt like she was the luckiest filly in the world today.
"Thank you guys for being the best friends a filly could ask for," she said with a smile.
"And I dream of the sky, broken clouds drifting by."
Author's Note
Well, its done, I'd like to thank Fastserve who inspired this fanfic.
