Chapters The Lonesome Pegasi: The Radical Path to Friendship
The Lonesome Filly
Summer, about three or four years ago, long before a blue pony with a bright, beautiful rainbow mane became a brave, daring hero of Ponyville, and before the CMC were officially established, there were two Pegasi. One of which had no little fillies to play with and the other with only one stable friend, a shy, yellow pony with pink hair. Their names were Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo was a light-red pony with a purple mane, she was a very young filly and she could barely flap her tiny wings. Rainbow Dash was a very loyal friend and always helped her coy, doormat of a friend, Fluttershy without hesitation.
Gradually, as time rolled by, Scootaloo was starting Kindergarten. The sharp, cool wind comforted her as her mother sent her off to school.
“Oh!” Her mother shouted, calling to Scootaloo, “Scoot, you forgot you lunch bag!”
“Mom, I told you to stop to stop calling me Scoot!” she shouted, snatching her lunch bag with her mouth, “I meh I’m halready in kindagadin!” (I mean I’m already in Kindergarten!)
Her mother replied with a giggle as the lively, red filly trotted off to Pegasi Kindergarten. The days dragged on tediously, as Scootaloo’s days started to seem more and more routine every day. She gained no new friends, for all the other ponies began to get closer and closer to be able to fly while she remained the same. Scootaloo didn’t enjoy Pegasi Kindergarten; they all didn’t want to be her friends. She was made fun of, for she couldn’t fully open her wings. They called her a fake Pegasus and No Wing Scoot. One day, as she always did, Scootaloo walked home with her head down and with tears streaming down her cheeks. On her way, she ran into two larger male fillies who were teasing her.
“Awww, look, No Wing Scoot is sad,” one the Colts said.
“You don’t even belong here!” the other colt said shoving her.
She was pushed at the edge of Cloudsdale; she tried to dig her front hooves into the clouds, but her back hooves gave in. She fell, piercing the strong gust as she spiraled through the air. She mustered up all her energy into attempting to open her wings, to use it as a parachute of some sort. She was only competent of opening them half-way however, barely slowing her fall. Mere words can’t describe her fear, imagine, you, a 5 year old filly falling through the air certain to meet a terrible, painful demise. She closed her eyes, and as the surprisingly subtle, gentle, and soothing wind made her fall asleep; she only opened her eyes once to see a beautiful, bright rainbow-colored mane.
As she opened her eyes once more, she saw a colt standing above her, a colt with a long, white, and drapery lab coat as she looked down further she saw that she was in a blue shirt, and as she looked even further she saw her Mother resting her head on her Father’s lap. She was in the hospital!
“Awake are you,” the doctor asked rhetorically, “you’ve been asleep for about a day or so now.”
She gave off an expression of surprise, for it felt like mere seconds since the last time she was spiraling through the gust-filled wind. She got out of bed and started to walk sluggishly towards her parents. She shook them with her left hoof in an attempt to awake them.
“Ouch!” she shouted experiencing agonizing anguish.
“You sprained your fore hoof, so take it easy,” the doctor explained, “you can do simple tasks like walking, but definitely not trotting, or anything else that requires fast, or a large abundances of movement.”
She mumbled, as she gently traced her other hoof along the sprained one. It was genuinely relaxing for her; it was a pretty nice, yet foreign feeling for her, for she hadn’t been relaxed for quite some time. She sighed a great sigh of relief and again, attempted to wake her parents from slumber, this time, however, with her right hoof.
“Hmmm,” her parents mumbled in unison, waking up to the sight of a little red filly,” Scootaloo, we were so worried, but why’d you wake us up, you need something?”
“Yeah,” Scootaloo said nodding, “I…I want to go to normal Kindergarten, in…Ponyville!”
Needless to say the parents were surprised by their daughter’s erratic, sudden request. However, their daughter showed such passion in her eyes, it was truly admirable. They had to at least consider it. They relaxed their shoulders, and avoided eye contact with their child.
“Why,” asked her mother, “don’t you like it there?”
Her daughter gave off a look of abhorrence, and slowly shook her head.
“I just don’t,” her daughter responded brusquely.
Her father rolled his eyes, although her determination did not fade, nor weaken. She just wanted to go to the School in Ponyville, simply put.
“Fine,” her father said obliging to her daughter's request.
The little red mare sprung up and down, happily in celebration. For a mere second, there was a slight smirk on her father’s face. The little pony collapsed, however, since her hopping made her left hoof give in. The doctor reminded the silly, little filly of his warning, and scolded her for taking his words lightly. Yet elsewhere, lying on a pillow on a branch of a tree there was a mare by the name of Rainbow Dash, still satisfied with her selfless act that all ensued merely a day ago.
“That girl,” she began, “practically owes me her life!”
She began to stretch, and gave off a smirk.
“I should check on her,” Rainbow thought to herself “maybe…. she’ll give me something, well other than a ‘thanks’.”
As Rainbow Dash was walking towards the place were Scootaloo lay, trivially injured, she spotted a flower.
“This would be perfect for-,” she said before she stopped herself “no, she need something a bit more radical!”
She sat there pondering what to give Scootaloo. Then, suddenly, Rainbow Dash reached an epiphany.
“Wait isn’t she a Pegasus, and judging by her size, surely she’s incapable of flying,” Rainbow said aloud, gathering her thoughts, “maybe my gift to her won’t necessarily be a physical one!
All of a sudden, Rainbow Dash had a plan, a fine one at that. Right before sundown, she walked into the hospital, with her head high, and a mischievous look on her face. She walked to Scootaloo’s hospital room, which she has been to before, and since her parents had went back to Cloudsdale a few hours ago, the room was completely vacant, that is except for Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash. She didn’t notice how antiseptic Scootaloo’s room was before. The air smelled like lavender, and she could smell the fresh cotton smell of the sheets. Scootaloo lazily raised head, making sure to conserve her energy. Scootaloo stared at the mare, baffled.
“Who-,” Scootaloo barely got out before Rainbow Dash cut her off.
“Not enough time to explain,” Rainbow said, cutting off Scootaloo, “just watch outside your window.”
Rainbow raised the window with her hoof and squeezed through the narrow exit. She flapped her wings vigorously, so much so that alone astonished Scootaloo. She swiftly flew towards the heavens, and came soaring back to earth. It…. was a Sonic Rain Boom! The vivid, breath-taking colors of the rainbow complimented the titian sky peerlessly. It was the one of the most amazing sights in this world. Truly Rainbow Dash’s gift to Scootaloo was the best gift she has ever acquired, although a mere memory. It was the most consummate memory Scootaloo had, however. Rainbow Dash came back into Scootaloo’s room and admired her work. The rainbow was still lurking. It was such lovely, colorful sight. Scootaloo stood in awe, whilst a beam of sunshine warmed her face. The whole thing was just picture perfect. Scootaloo laid her small head on Rainbow’s stomach and admired the whole scene.
Scootaloo was still confused, for she didn’t know who this mysterious mare was. She erected her head and stopped, as she was fixated on the mare’s mane. Rainbow colored hair? Is she possibly the pony who rescued her?!
The Lonesome Pegasi: The Radical Path to Friendship
Scootaloo gazed upon the blue mare, and lauded her calm, motherly look. Rainbow Dash was contemplative as a beam appeared on Scootaloo's face causing her to wrap her hooves around Rainbow, tightly embracing the blue mare. Rainbow blushed letting out an artificial, trivial chuckle.
"Is this for the Sonic Rain Boom or for saving her life?", pondered Rainbow, as Scootaloo clenched her tenaciously, bringing Rainbow Dash merriment.
Although that was truthfully irrelevant for Rainbow Dash, considering this had been the first time any pony other than Fluttershy cared for her. Even her parents never expressed tenderness to this extent. The blue mare's face became flushed as rays of sunlight hit Scootaloo's face, which was filled with a smile; creating quite a dainty scene.
“So uh, hey, forgot to ask” Rainbow Dash began reluctantly, “what’s your name, kid?”
“Scoot-Scootaloo,” she retorted demurely, “what’s yours?”
“Rainbow Dash,” Rainbow Dash replied dauntlessly. “But every pony will know that name! Well, when I’m in the Wonderbolts!”
The two pegasi once again had something in common. They both had dreams. However Scootaloo’s dream was a bit more…..practical. Her aspiration was to find friends- some pony to rejoice with, someone to laugh with.
"Hey Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo asked sheepishly, breaking the concise moment of silence, “do you...have many friends?"
The mare jumped, surprised by the peculiar question, and sighed, knowing that she couldn't lie to the filly. She just didn't know why!
"No." Rainbow Dash mumbled as Scootaloo's eyes gleamed with gratification.
"I could be your friend, Dash!" The little orange filly squeaked," Since…..I don't have many myself."
The mare smiled, as she gazed upon Scootaloo giving off an austere aura, awaiting a response. Rainbow agreed making Scootaloo cry tears of alleviation.
"You're my first friend," Scootaloo whispered mutely; so much that only the wind could make it out.
"Then," Rainbow began, fired up, "let's go on expedition to get friends!"
"Yeah," Scootaloo agreed optimistically "We'll have even more friends than that energetic pink mare with that cotton candy hair!"
Rainbow Dash nodded, concurring.
"For now, you need to go to sleep," Rainbow said, attempting to abscond, for not to make Scootaloo bawl.
"But it's still morning-," Scootaloo demurred, cutting herself off as she was welcomed by the pitch black, somewhat dreary sky.
Scootaloo was slightly disheartened, that much was evident. This, however, wasn’t very apparent to Rainbow Dash, for she left without another murmur, or a farewell. As the clueless mare nonchalantly walked through the door, Scootaloo comforted herself with quiet cries, helplessly calling out for Rainbow Dash. Her calls merely filled the hollow room, since Rainbow Dash had already left. But elsewhere, sheer meters away was a cheerful, proud blue pony, deaf to her young admirer’s silent calls. She waked through the exit, holding her head high. After a few uneventful minutes she was greeted by a familiar structure, it was quite compact, but it was welcoming and smelled ambrosial, almost like bliss itself!
“Home, radical home,” Rainbow sighed half-heartingly.
She surveyed her surroundings, as she spotted a dusty book. Surely you don’t take Rainbow Dash for an egghead, do you? This was a different kind of book. She blew upon the book, emanating plentiful lint and various dust particles. She lightly raised the front of the book with her hoof, wary not to rip or tear it. The front page read ‘MY FRIENDS’ in bold, sloppy letter written in crayon. As she flipped the nearly deteriorated page, she saw the sole name, ‘Fluttershy’. Rainbow snickered and then proceeded to pick up a pen, conveniently placed beside her. She grasped on the pen with her teeth, and then raised her head navigating towards her book. She took her time as she wrote’ Scootaloo’ in cursive handwriting. She tossed the pen on the table and yawned as she headed towards her somewhat luxurious bedroom. Rainbow was absorbed by the bed’s softness and was enticed by its spell, she was utterly defeated…..she fell asleep.
She woke up, eccentrically with exorbitant abundances of energy. Mainly due to the fact that she felt as though she hadn’t slept at all! She diligently soared through the air, routinely visiting Fluttershy’s humble cottage.
She knocked the door, without answer for quite some time. Finally, a bashful yellow face peaked out the door and responded with a simple, yet absolute precious voice, “Ummm...hello?”
“Oh, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said, greatly increasing the volume of her voice as she flung the door open.
Simply showing common courtesy Fluttershy invited Rainbow Dash inside. She followed Fluttershy, yet stopped to inspect the clutter scatter amongst the floor. It consisted of various pet food and broken items such as toys and other electronics. She was lead outside where Fluttershy seated her by a bunny called ‘Angel’, that was wearing a toque and a fake mustache. He firmly held a tray that held two palatable apple teas. The quiet pony reached for the drink, but Angel shook his head and hand in unison, as if to say ‘no need’. He then proceeded to grasp, actually wrapping his whole body around entire the glass as he placed it on the table.
The pair of pegasi friends giggled. And whilst the melody of the yellow skinned mare laughter progressed, Rainbow Dash caught glimpse of a minorly eradicated scooter.
"Say Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash asked hesitantly, "are-are you going to use that?"
Fluttershy slowly shook her head, striving to hide the fact that she was baffled, and was so since she thought that her friend's request was odd. She didn't want Rainbow to take her for an abhorrent person.
"Nope," the mare whispered, "you can have it, that is, if you want to....."
Rainbow was grateful to say the least. She expressed an immense amount of gratitude as seized the scooter and flew off into the sky, greatly altered by the incandescent beams of sunshine. She dropped the Scooter, currently a mere hunk of metal and wires off at her humble abode; then proceeded to approach the direction in which the hospital stood.
She entered her not-so-discreet admirer's room. The room remained synonymous, though the air warmed her, yet it wasn't necessarily hot; it wasn't even lukewarm! Scootaloo's perspective towards her was much more....warm. She illustrated Rainbow Dash as her sister, an amiable one at that. Rainbow Dash wasn't cognizant of this however. In fact, she thought that Scootaloo thought she was insignificant, perhaps even a mild nuisance. Scootaloo embraced Rainbow Dash, entwining herself into Rainbow's chromatic hair. As they blushed in unison, Rainbow Dash let out a simple guffaw solely to break the maladroit atmosphere. Scootaloo loosened her grip, letting Rainbow withdraw from the filly’s clutch.
Rainbow sat beside the filly and let her rest on her soft, welcoming lap. If you saw this scene you’d take Rainbow Dash not only as Scootaloo’s sister, but her mother! As time slow diminished, the sky dimmed and the sun was nearly eclipsed by the night sky. Rainbow Dash gently held Scootaloo and slid her under the blanket. She then walked out the door, leaving Scootaloo once again, alone.
She arrived at her destination; a familiar structure in Cloudsdale- her home. She flung herself onto her bed and as she venerated the silkiness of it, she drifted away. She cogitated- was Scootaloo and her pact nugatory? I mean, they still had little friends. Were they simply caught up in the moment?
"No!" she shouted rambunctiously, "Starting tomorrow we'll get some friends!"
She then fainted out of bountiful exhaustion.
"But who should we befriend?" Rainbow asked, asleep, hearing no response.
The blue mare dreampt of an oddly familiar pink fluffy-haired pony jumping, no, hopping alongside Scootaloo and herself. She spouted out a capious ammount of words incessantly. Although it was utterly unmistakable that the orange foal wore a smirk on her face. She was happy....she had finally accomplished her aspiration. She had friends! What Rainbow would do to simply see that smile again. Then it came to her- she'd help Scootaloo befriend that odd mare!
Thus, the tale of two Pegasi's lengthy journey to achieve friendship truthfully began!
The Lonesome Pegasi: The Radical Path to Friendship
Energetic is an Understatement
The mare awoke, with the heavens blocked by gloom and gray balls of precipitation and a striking breeze filling the air. She sighed, burrowing her head into the softness of her pillow. A faint, treble call awoke the sleeping mare.
"Rain-Rainbow Dash," the mute, juvenile, and bizarrely familiar voice called out, "ar-are you home?"
Rainbow stretched her entire body in alliance, springing herself out of the comforts of her bed, and proceeded to leisurely trot towards the door. She opened the door, but only caught glimpse of the rain and dreariness that engulfed the sky. However, as she lowered her view, she found herself astonished with the sight of a drenched, quivering magenta-maned foal.
"Scootaloo?" The mare said in awe.
Scootaloo nodded. Rainbow guided the dampened pony into her home, worried. Without question or conversation of any form, the mare calmly walked to a cabinet and firmly clutched a towel with mouth. She courteously handed her the arid, red cloth. The filly, instinctively intertwined herself in the somewhat tepid comforts of the towel; it almost seemed as though it was a blanket.
"So, why are you here, kid?" Rainbow asked hesitantly, knowing it futile to avoid that rather trivial question.
Scootaloo created a long pause, silencing herself, as if to gather her thoughts and come up with a measly excuse.
The mare was literally frozen by the filly's response. Scootaloo was more straight-forward than she was expecting.
"Ra-Ran AWAY?!" the mare repeated as if she misheard Scootaloo, at least she hoped she did, "Why'd you do that?"
"Rainbow Dash, I promise if we can just spend this day together, I'l-I'll go back to the hospital and everything!"
The mare was immensely overtaken by the filly's request. She gazed at Scootaloo's face, which looked immensely sincere, yet, gradually as she kept her eyes fixated on Scootaloo her look of determination was downgraded to a look of desperation and slight vexation.
"Fine", Rainbow said, acknowledging the mare's plea.
Once again, Scootaloo's determination won. Then, as the smell of rain faded from the air, the sky was tarnished of its blemishes, and the sun, once hidden by the wiriness that scattered the sky, emerged, making it once again distinguishable from the blueness that surrounded it, they departed for their first true expedition, yet surely not the last. They trotted along the clouds, which were still so saturated with moisture that it spit out water to dampen whoever or whatever touched it. Rainbow Dash affably grabbed the foal and placed in her back.
"So, Dash , where are we going?" Scootaloo asked inquisitively.
"Just wait and you'll see!~" the Rainbow Dash responded enthusiastically.
As they landed in Ponyville, Scootaloo hid behind one of the mare's wings, being cautious to stay out of sight. Rainbow Dash trotted along in an insouciant matter. The mare stopped, no longer feeling a feeble tug on her wing or a near-sweltering breath sweeping the very tip of her feathers. Scootaloo had obdurately strayed from the 'comforts' of the mare's patronage. Rainbow skimmed the area, in an effort to spot the filly. Abating her worries was the incandescence that was Scootaloo's mauve hair. With presentiment about her, she accelerated towards the filly, who stood, dazed.
"Are you trying to go back to the hospital?" Rainbow said with slight acrimony.
Scootaloo still stood, stationary without any ratification or acknowledgement. The mare emulated Scootaloo's actions. She came upon a inscrutable sight, a life-size gingerbread boutique. As Rainbow's view lowered, a dapper, orderly sign that read 'Sugarcube Corner' came into view. Suddenly, as she dragged the foal away, exquisite aromas promising savory cakes, pies, and pastries alike drew her back.
"Ummm, Dash?" Scootaloo said in a roused manner.
"What's up, kid?" Rainbow said, acknowledging her.
"Are you drooling?" Scootaloo replied, directing her hoof to the trail of fluid that traced down Rainbow's face.
She jumped at the filly's statement, quickly wiping the drool off her cheek.
"What drool?" Rainbow said turning around, her embarrassment evident.
As they walked into the shop, the enticing aromas grew stronger. There on the counter, a batch of freshly baked muffins was laying. Tempted by it's now undeniably divine scent, they both grabbed a muffin simultaneously.
"Stop, you muffin thieves!!!" A feminine, somewhat nasally voice called out.
Rainbow's and Scootaloo's vision were enveloped by a pink tint as a loud thud filled the room.
"Muffin thieves?" Rainbow responded, discombobulated, with her head aching and her mind perplexed by the current situation.
"That's right, I knew I'd get you if you I set this trap out!" The feminine voice replied, "you've been stealing Mr. & Mrs. Cake's muffins, and the customers who order muffins are always angry!"
"Mr.& Mrs. Cake?" Scootaloo said just as confused as Rainbow Dash.
"Wait, you don't even know who you're taking muffins from?" The voice replied, "What a mean thief."
She lifted herself from the pair, revealing that the object hindering Scootaloo's and Rainbow Dash's vision was a pink mare, the very mare from Rainbow's dream. With the dream still fresh on her mind, Dash tried to withhold her excitement. As the pink mare eased herself, lowering her guard, a cross-eyed blond mare came out of the shadows, clenching the tray of muffins with her mouth, trotting away swiftly.
"STOOOOP!!! MUFFIN THIEF!!!" The Pink mare called out helplessly.
The pink mare, outwitted and out-ran, slowly galloped back to Rainbow and Scootaloo.
"Well, I guess you two weren't the thief after all," the mare said, discouraged, "at least that means we can be FRIENDS!!!"
"My name's Pinkie Pie, what's yours?" The pink mare asked.
"Rainbow Dash." Rainbow replied valiantly.
"Sc-Scootaloo..." Scootaloo said modestly.
"Oooohhhh, I'm just so excited! Hey, we should throw a party to celebrate, you know, now that we're friends and all. Oh, doesn't it sound like fun!? It'll be so much fun! I can invite all my friends! My parties are always fun with my friends! Oh, I can't wait! Can you wait? I'm gonna explode from all this excitement!" Pinkie said enthusiastically.
"Yeah...sure." Rainbow replied plainly.
"I'll get the party ready! You guys should go wait I'll set it up!" Pinkie Pie said jumping about. Rainbow nodded as Scootaloo followed her outside.They stared at the sky, now dark, yet filled with speckles of light. Rainbow looked at Scootaloo as their faces mimicked each other's, both wearing a smile.
"Pinkie's nice, don't ya' think, kid?" Rainbow said.
"Yeah, she's nice, and funny too." Scootaloo replied buoyantly.
"Really, funny how?" Rainbow Dash replied.
"Well, she's so energetic and hyper, it's kinda funny." Scootaloo replied.
"Energetic is an understatement, kid." Rainbow replied letting out a minor chuckle.
Scootaloo replied with a smirk and a meager guffaw.
"Well, it's almost time to get you back to the clinic." Rainbow replied.
Scootaloo sighed, but knew her arguments would now be considered frivolous. A deal is a deal, and now that her day with Rainbow Dash was now gone, she had to return to the hospital. So the coupling walked into the distance, ending their day.
"Energetic is truly an understatement when it comes to Pinkie." Scootaloo thought to herself, "but that isn't really a bad thing, all that matters is that we're friends."
