A Dream of Flightby TofazzChaptersA Dream of FlightClouds of ReminiscenceI Was Always There...Alt. ending: She Would be Proud.A Dream of FlightA Dream of Flight The town was thriving after yesterday’s rain. A thin layer of fog from the condensed water lay on top of the ground. The sun started to rise up over the rooftops. Behind Sugarcube Corner stood a small hilltop with tall grass. A small gust of wind shifted it back and forth, revealing a small pegasus with a purple mane. As the vegetation shifted back and forth, the rest of her became visible. Her light brown coat glistened in the morning sun. Scootaloo was looking towards the sky: the one place she could not reach, but the one place she belonged. She sighed as she turned around to her scooter, looking at it with discomfort. The dark blue scooter leaned against a the crumbling remains of a tree stump. The brightly colored red wheels on it were starting to fade, needing a new touch of paint. Scootaloo shifted through the grass towards her scooter; she needed to head down to school before it started. “Hi, squirt! What’s gotcha down?” Scootaloo stopped in her tracks. She bowed her head. A small gust of wind shifted through her mane, leaving it tufting out to the side. Rainbow Dash landed next to Scootaloo, gently brushing the grass, whirling up water to create a light rainbow around them. Rainbow folded her wings together as she landed. Her light blue coat started to shine as the water she had lifted fell down onto her. The colors in her mane aligned themselves perfectly next to each other, making the perfect rainbow. She stared at Scootaloo with her bright red eyes. Scootaloo sighed as she looked at the colors surrounding her, such an amazing display of skills. But she expected nothing else from her Idol. “I’m just tired of not being able to fly. Why have I got to be stuck on the ground when I’m a pegasus? It’s not fair!” Rainbow Dash tilted her head slightly to the side as she grinned a little towards the young pegasus. She placed a hoof on top of Scootaloo’s head and ruffled it. “That’s what’s gotcha down? You can’t think like that, Squirt. If you only focus on what you don’t have, you forget what you do have. You have two very good friends, who always support you. And you do, of course, have me around.” Scootaloo smiled towards Rainbow Dash, blushing as she realized her idol was smiling back at her. “You’re right as always, Rainbow Dash. I do have great friends.” Scootaloo turned around and sat down. With her back towards Rainbow Dash, she sighed. “But sometimes I dream about flying up there in the clouds, feeling the breeze in my mane, and maybe, just maybe, flying with you. I want the freedom you get with flying. I don’t want to be stuck with this stupid scooter anymore.” She glared and huffed towards her scooter. Rainbow Dash sighed as she sat down next to Scootaloo, looking up at the clouds with her. Rainbow Dash realized that she had no idea what Scootaloo was going through. She had been capable of flight as long as she remember, almost from birth. She could just imagine how it would feel if she couldn’t have flown before Scootaloo’s age. Rainbow Dash looked at her little fan, a sad frown on her face. She could not help but to feel a bit helpless when it came to stuff like this, mushy, gooey, girly stuff. Suddenly, she hit upon a stroke of genius. She turned towards Scootaloo with a big grin. Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash, raising an eyebrow, squinting her eyes in suspicion as she tried to figure out what Dash was planning. Rainbow Dash stood up, still looking at Scootaloo. “Hey squirt, what if you skipped school today?” Scootaloo stood up, looking at Rainbow Dash with a surprised expression stretched over her face. “Skip school? For what?” Rainbow Dash grinned even more towards the little pegasus, clearly confident in her plan to cheer up Scootaloo. “Oh, I don’t know... how about a trip on my back... up there?” Rainbow Dash nodded up towards the sky. It seemed like it took a moment for it to sink in for Scootaloo. But as it did, her deep purple eyes widened, releasing a small tear down her chin. She jumped up and grabbed a tight hold around Rainbow Dash’s neck. With her muzzle buried in Rainbow Dash’s coat, her sentence became muffled. “I would love to, thank you, Dash!” Rainbow Dash smiled, realizing how much such a small gesture meant for this little pegasi. It was an easy task for her to fly, but for somepony who wasn’t able too it meant so much. She grabbed hold of Scootaloo and looked at her with a much more serious face. “When we’re up there, you must promise to hold on tight. Do not let go, no matter what. Okay?” Scootaloo nodded in excitement towards Rainbow Dash, almost so much that her whole body started to shake. Rainbow Dash smiled at her once more and turned her back to Scootaloo. “Alright, Squirt! Jump on and let’s fly! I’ll show you what true freedom is like.” A beam of colors could be seen from the hilltop as they took off into the air. All that was left was grass that had dried up from the downdraft. A small stream of water got thrown up into the air from the dragging wind, but eventually it had to give in to gravity. As it fell down again, the sun beams hit them in such an angle that they gave off small beams of rainbow. After a bit, all that gave away that there was ever anypony there, was a lonely scooter with a fading layer of paint, resting against a small stump of wood. Clouds of ReminiscenceClouds of Reminiscence Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash burst through a cloud, leaving a funnel in their wake. The wind brushed harshly against their faces, making it hard for Scootaloo to keep her eyes open. But she had never felt anything like this! Her mane was tossed back from the strong winds that blew up here. Even as she was fully focused on holding onto Rainbow Dash, she couldn’t help but feel a rush of joy and excitement as they dashed through some more clouds. She easily understood why Dash enjoyed flying so much. This feeling… was unimaginable, like she was free of all things that bothered her. They broke the top layer of clouds, stopping right over them. As Scootaloo looked around, she saw a landscape like no other. Mountain ranges of clouds going as far as she could see, small beams of light breaking through the cloud joints. The sun peeked up over the cloud layer, with a deep, orange glow. It almost looked like a brilliant gem far off in the distance. “This is why I fly so much, squirt. This is the feeling of true freedom. And the sun looks kinda cool as well. Makes you think…” Rainbow halted her sentence. It did make her think: about why she went looking for Scootaloo. *~*~* The door to Sugarcube corner opened up, letting out a small squeak. A light blue pegasus entered, looking around for something, or somepony. The pegasus made an angry frown towards the door as it creaked open. The restaurant was unusually empty for this time of the day. A few colts sat around a small table in the corner, chattering loudly about some kind of sport. A couple sat near the window, looking at each other with deep fascination, sharing a few sips of a single drink while waiting for their food to arrive. The light blue pegasus started to walk towards the back of the room; she had found who she was looking for. The sun was at its peak, streaming light down on the floor through the big windows, and she cast a great shadow through the restaurant as she walked through the squares of light. The sound of her hooves hitting the wooden floor could easily be heard over the low chatter in Sugarcube Corner. She stopped at the last square of light, looking at somepony in the shadows. “Fluttershy, how come you’re sitting in the dark? Wouldn’t it be better to sit in the sun?” The butter-yellow pegasus looked towards Rainbow Dash through her pale rose mane. It draped over her face, covering most of it. As she looked up, a beam of light hit her face, revealing the soft blue eyes that gave of what a timid creature she was. Her eyes darted around for just a second, looking for something that could pose a threat to her. Finally, she looked at Rainbow Dash with a sad frown pulling her face. “Dash…” She halted her sentence, sighing before she continued. “We need to talk about her…” Rainbow Dash took a step back, looking at Fluttershy with distrust and anger. “You promised you wouldn’t talk about her like that again!” Dash stomped the wooden floor as she yelled towards Fluttershy. Sugarcube Corner fell dead silent. Fluttershy cringed in her seat. She had expected this kind of reaction, but it was still terrifying for her. Her hoof scraped the floor as she thought how she was going to say what came next. Her eyes focused on the light blue pegasus standing in front of her. She had realized a long time ago that the Dash everyone knew was just a shell; what hid beneath was known only to her. Dash was fragile, much like her. Fluttershy looked into Dash’s red eyes, her heart clenched as she saw how much the proud pegasus struggled to hold back her tears. “Have you seen her lately? Haven’t you seen how much she wonders? Wondering why she’s down here with the earth ponies, instead of being up there with the pegasi? She’s struggling, Dash; she has no idea who she is or where she came from.” Fluttershy stopped, looking for a reaction from her friend. Dash sat down on the floor, staring out in the empty air. A small tear fell on the floor from her chin. Fluttershy was uncertain how she was going to continue, seeing as her friend was at her breaking point. “Dash…” she said with her smoothest voice, trying to put some comfort into her sentence. “You need to tell her. She has a right to know.” Rainbow Dash started to shake. Her head was tilted towards the floor, causing her multi-colored mane to drape a shadow over her face. Small glimmers of sunlight reflected in the shadow as they hit her tears. “You don’t understand, Flutters…” she said with a shaky voice, struggling not to have it break during the sentence. “Every time I see her, I get reminded of him... and what he did to me. I can’t handle that, Fluttershy, it’s too much for me.” A small creak rang out as Fluttershy stood up and pushed the chair backwards on the floor. Her careful steps could barely be heard while she walked. She sat down in front of her friend. “You’re right; I don’t understand. But it’s wrong to take it out on her.” Fluttershy grabbed hold of her friend and held her tight. She whispered into Dash’s ear, “But now… you need to wake up, she needs you. Wake up.” *~*~* Rainbow Dash snapped out of her flashback. The sun still gleamed orange over the skies. Some birds flew over her and Scootaloo, chirping happily, as if they wanted the two of them to join for a flight. Rainbow Dash looked behind her to see if Scootaloo was ready for a little dash between some clouds. Scootaloo looked up at the birds, her expression dreamy. Like she now was flying with them on her own. She looked towards Dash, nodded and tightened her grip. They crashed through a few clouds, demolishing them completely. Small pockets of water inside the clouds splashed around them. Some of it landed on their coats, creating a shining shield together with the sun beams hitting them. Some got caught in the vortex behind them, leaving a small trail of mist. As the sun hit the mist it created a streak of beautiful colors in their wake. While they flew over the cloud-tops of the sky, Dash was heavy in thought. Fluttershy was right, as usual. Dash looked at Scootaloo, seeing an innocent smile of joy. She knew nothing about her past, nor did she care at the moment it seemed. How could Dash blame her for something a colt did so many years ago? They slowed down and landed on a small hill of clouds that rose out of the others. Scootaloo clung onto Rainbow Dash’s neck even tighter; it almost stopped her breathing and caused her to cough vigorously. She understood her, though; even if she was a pegasus, she had never stood on a cloud before, and that could easily be scary for anypony. She looked back and saw Scootaloo’s terrified face looking down at the cloud. “Don’t worry, squirt, you’re a pegasus! You’ll be fine, trust me.” Scootaloo tilted her head to the side, looking at the misty cloud under them. Slowly, she let go of Rainbow Dash and stepped onto it with her eyes closed. It felt like cotton under her hooves. She opened her eyes and looked at Dash with awe. She shook like a leaf in the wind, not daring to move an inch, but she still smiled, overjoyed for finally feeling the clouds under her hooves. She felt like a real pegasus for the first time. Rainbow Dash stood there, watching Scootaloo being overwhelmed with joy for something that seemed so trivial. A warm sensation grew inside her, spreading out to all limbs. A feeling she hadn’t felt for ages; she did really love this foal. She realized that no matter what her past is, it wasn’t fair to take it out on such an innocent foal. It was time to tell her. It would hurt, but it was the right thing to do. “Listen, Squirt, even though you have trouble flying now, it will come to you. If you work hard with determination, nothing can stop you from becoming a great flyer like me. And I know one day you’ll make me proud, prouder even than I am today…” Scootaloo leaped from the spot that she had earlier been frozen in place in and grabbed hold of Rainbow Dash. She got caught off guard by the sudden burst from Scootaloo. With a surprised look on her face she fell backwards onto the cloud they were standing on, and Scootaloo landed on top of her. Lying there with the little pegasus on top of her, Dash was uncertain what to do in such a situation. With a hesitant motion Dash folded her wings, embracing Scootaloo within them. She looked at Scootaloo and felt a warm tug in her heart as she saw her smile. She grabbed hold of Scootaloo and pulled her into a tighter hug. They lay like that on top of the soft cloud for quite some time. Dash opened her eyes with a tear running down her cheek; there was no doubt, it was time to tell her. Dash pulled Scootaloo away from her just enough so she could see her face. “Listen... Squirt...” Scootaloo placed a hoof on Dash’s mouth, shook her head while smiling. “Before you say anything Dash... please... wake up!” I Was Always There... I was Always there... Dash sobbed as she woke up in a shock. She shook her head to gain some focus. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she slowly began to see the various shapes of her bedroom. She released a groan as she fought her way out of the bed; the pain in her back was unbearable, making the slightest action tough. She slowly walked over to her bedroom window, her hooves echoing on the wooden floor as they hit in their uneven pace. Nothing else could be heard in her house. Her tired eyes glanced out of her bedroom window. The moon lit up Ponyville in a beautiful shade of blue. Some small crickets flew around, making faint chirps every now and then. Dash sighed and turned around into her room. She looked into the mirror, inspecting her light blue coat; it shone bright in the dim light from the moon. Her eyes wandered over the mirror until she stared right into them. They started to fade in color; a patch of dark blue fur had grown under them a long time ago. Ever since she took Scootaloo out for a flight, she had had the same dream, every night. She hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep since then. Her eyes wandered over to her right wing; after the accident, it had been bent out of shape. Dash flinched as she tried flapping it; no movement, just pain. A tear hit the floor as she walked over towards her bed. Dash grabbed a wool pouch that hung on the bed stand and put it over her wing. Twilight had made it especially for her so she could fold her wing close to her body. Without it, her wing would stay in the crooked shape it had. She winced as she tightened the pouch; it hurt, but only for a moment. Dash grabbed her ragged coat as she left her bedroom and went into the living room. The moon lit up her house, its light falling through the windows and making small squares of bright colored wood. The rest of her house was darkened; she saw only contours of her furniture. It was nothing much, just a couch and a few chairs. Applejack and the rest of her friends built this for her in Ponyville when Dash wasn’t able to fly up to her house in Cloudsdale. It was small, but it had everything she needed. Over her fireplace hung a picture of her and Scootaloo. It had been taken some time ago, in the spring, when Dash finally agreed to join Scootaloo for the Sisterhooves Social. Scootaloo had become overjoyed, even if they didn’t win; she was determined to get a picture of that day. In the picture they both smiled, while Scootaloo held the second place ribbon proudly in front of the camera. A faint thud could be heard as Dash closed the door to her house. The small house stood on the outskirts of Ponyville, forcing Dash to walk a little bit to get where she wanted. After a short walk down the hill from her house, she had to take a small break; her back was aching. From where she sat, she could see the faint lighting that was on in Ponyville at this hour. Dash sighed and flinched as she stood up again. Her back needed an adjustment from Fluttershy again. Right now, every step she took hurt. Even though she wasn't feeling well, she liked to walk at night; it left her alone with her thoughts while she listened to everything the night had to offer. The trees from Everfree forest creaked and cringed as the nocturnal beasts slithered through them. A little group of fireflies danced around the road. As Dash walked through the flies, they started to glow more intensely. The dim light from the small group of fireflies crept under her hood and reflected in her eyes. She followed the playful dance of the fireflies with an enraptured stare. Dash shook her head. She needed to be somewhere, somewhere important. After a short while, she reached Ponyville, and a thin layer of fog had embraced the thin stone roads. As Dash walked on downwards, she felt like she was walking on clouds again, only for her illusion to be punctured with every hollow sound of her hooves. As Dash walked by Ponyville’s school a small gust of wind hit her face, dragging her hood back a little. Dash smiled; she missed the feeling of wind blowing through her mane more and more as the days went by. She stood still for some time, watching the empty schoolyard, reminiscing on how many times she had lain on a cloud, watching Scootaloo play with her friends or doing different things to earn her cutiemark. Or the times Scootaloo had been sitting up on the small hill in the schoolyard, looking up at the sky. Dash bit her lower lip as she thought of how many times she had the chances to tell her, but was too afraid… Rainbow Dash sighed as she started to walk towards a small valley behind the Apple Family’s orchards. The entrance to the valley lay thick with vegetation, almost hidden. The insides of the valley were stripped of almost all vegetation, just a few flowers and small trees left standing. The ground tilted downwards to form a crater; in the center of it stood a single tombstone, covered with dead flowers from earlier visits. She sat still in front of the stone for a short while, looking around the valley. The damage from her crash was still very much there. Some plants started to come back, but mostly it was bare. Dash placed a bright red rose in front of the tombstone; it shone up strong next to the dead flowers that lay there from before. “Well... I’m back. I couldn't sleep tonight either. Yeah, the same dream as everytime I come to visit. You must think I’m crazy to come here almost every single night, even if I barely can walk sometimes.” A gust of wind made its way through the small entrance to the valley. The flowers that lay in front of the tombstone got caught in the wind; they whirled up and landed in different spots in the valley. Dash tried to grab the flowers before they flew away. She let out a small scream as she forgot her back pain. It jolted in her like a knife running down her spine. She bit her teeth together as a tear pressed forth and trickled down her chin. “Yeah, my back hurts a lot, and would you believe it if I said I can’t fly anymore?” Dash let out a small chuckle as she heard the irony in what she just said. “I don’t regret it, though, even if the only thing I managed to do was to crash into the ground right after you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't give it my all trying to save you.” Dash sat still in the wind, feeling it flutter her cloak back and forth. She gasped for air, struggling to continue her thoughts. “Listen...” Tears streamed freely down her chin. “I need you to know... I didn't mean to... I didn’t want it to end this way...” Dash sat in the valley for the rest of the moonless night. As the sun rose up to hit the entrance of the valley, it cast a gleaming beam of light onto the tombstone. She leaned forward a little so she could kiss the engraved part of the stone. She whispered silently to herself. ”I was always there for you... Just a little afraid, that’s all it was.” As the light hit it, the details of the engraving became easier to see. A braid of small roses circled around some delicate letters. *~*~*~* Here lies Scootaloo Dash. “Even though I didn't show it, you gave me pride and joy. May you now rest in peace.” Love Your mother Rainbow Dash. *~*~*~* Alt. ending: She Would be Proud.She Would be Proud. The day was finally here; she had worked so hard for this. She could not help but feel nervous. The stadium was filled with ponies, all expecting to see her take off in a dash. She trotted in a fast pace back and forth in the big wardrobe. She was limping a bit, making the clicking from the floor as her hooves hit it a little uneven. She sat down on one of the benches to relax; she needed to calm down, or else she wouldn't be able to take off at all. Scootaloo turned her head as she heard a small knock on her wardrobe door. She flinched a bit as she stood up, her knees not handling that motion particularly well. Behind the door a sight for sore eyes was to be seen, a figure she loved with all her heart. “Fluttershy!” Scootaloo embraced her friend in a hug, holding her tightly. She let go and took a step back. She looked at the yellow pegasus that stood in front of her. Her pink mane was tied in a braid so it didn't fall over her face anymore. Although... her mane started to get a few shades of gray in it. Nothing much, just enough to remind her that she wasn’t getting any younger as the years passed. Her eyes showed a lot more confidence than what it did a few years back. Those brilliant blue eyes shimmered from the sun as she looked around. Her eyes landed on Scootaloo, inspecting her suit. It was blue, with small yellow details of lightning. She smiled towards Scootaloo as she handed her the goggles going with the suit. “You finally did it, Scootaloo. Your entrance ceremony to the Wonderbolts is finally here.” “Yeah... I did it, I only wish Rainbow Dash was here to see it...” Scootaloo’s head tilted towards the clouded floor, and she disappeared into thought. Fluttershy looked over towards Scootaloo’s flank, where a mark had been sewn into Scootaloo’s suit. A small cloud with a tri-colored lightning coming out of it. Scootaloo looked at Fluttershy, who smiled a little while she was looking at Scootaloo’s flank. “I see you added Dash’ cutie mark into your suit.” Scootaloo’s cheeks tinged a faint shade of red, and she smiled towards Fluttershy. “Yeah... it’s her dream, after all. I want her to be a part of it.” A small tear trickled down Scootaloo’s chin, her lips started moving at an uneven pace. “Fluttershy...” Scootaloo halted her sentence, struggling to find the right words. Her voice was on the brink of cracking. “What really happened that day, Fluttershy?” Fluttershy stared absently at her flank, slowly reacting to what Scootaloo had said. She smiled towards Scootaloo. With a graceful nod, she answered, “Follow me, Scootaloo. I have something to show you. I think now is the right time. On the way I’ll tell you what happened that day, and why.” Scootaloo brushed her tears away, looking curiously up at her friend. Fluttershy did not say anything else; she just turned around and hinted that Scootaloo should follow. With a little frown, she started walking after Fluttershy. She didn't really have time for this, but Fluttershy must have thought it was important, as she want to show her right before her ceremony. *~*~* A wave of colors embraced Ponyville. A barricade of light across its whole spectrum swept over the town. The sound that followed was deafening. Windows near the apple farm had been shattered by the immense pressure that had been generated. Shortly after, the sonic rainboom got distorted by a second one. The second was much stronger, and it shone even brighter. The whole town was awash with colour and light, before it was followed by a wave of destruction. The shock wave shattered every window in Ponyville. Fluttershy and Applejack were on the farm capturing squirrels when the boom tore through the air. Fluttershy held on tightly to Applejack in fear of getting flung away. The second rainboom was centred right behind Applejack’s farm. They saw a beam of colors breaching through the centre of the bigger wave, crashing right into a small valley behind the farm. The boom shattered great swathes of the Apple Family’s crop, leaving only splinters in little piles on the ground. Fluttershy and Applejack were barely able to stand against the huge force from all around. Fluttershy looked at Applejack with a terrified stare. “W... what was that!” Her eyes shifted over and locked on to the cloud of dust coming from the valley that the beam had slammed into. Applejack shook her head. “Shucks if I know... But I don’ like the look o’that cloud at all.” Applejack put on her hat and helped Fluttershy onto her hooves. Fluttershy was shaking as they walked towards the valley. The entrance to the valley was normally filled with plants and leaves and flowers of every colour, but now it was bare. Every single piece of life had been ripped up by its root and flung away. As they entered, they were met by a wall of dust, making it impossible to see anything more than a hoof in front of them. Fluttershy started coughing violently, and gasped for air. “Fluttershy... go wait outside, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Fluttershy looked at Applejack, still coughing, and nodded. She disappeared out of the valley, leaving Applejack alone. Applejack walked on, one hoof stretched out so she could feel her way through the gloom. The further in she went, the more she could see as the dust started to settle. In the middle of the valley a crater had formed. All plants were gone, ripped up or vapourised by the blast. The ground tilted downwards, marking the centre of the valley. Applejack squinted her eyes as she saw something in the middle of the crater. She wasn't sure of what it was, but she could see some faint blue colors. Applejack cringed as she heard a scream coming from behind her, one filled with terror and desperation. Applejack turned her head around, and saw Fluttershy standing behind her, tears freely flowing down her cheek. Her eyes were locked on the centre of the crater; her face lost all color, leaving it white and pale as a snowflake. Applejack turned her head, trying to make out what got Fluttershy so scared. Her heart stopped... her breath froze... the sight forced tears to press on. No matter how much she wanted to, she could not look away, or hold her panic at bay. In the middle of the crater, a light blue pegasus lay. Her colorful mane and tail spread outwards from her body. The pegasus held something tightly in her wings, protecting it from any damage a crash like that would cause. Fluttershy trotted over to the blue pegasus “... Rainbow Dash?... “ She whispered, nuzzling carefully against Rainbow Dash’s side. “Rainbow... please be okay. Y-you can handle that fall, i-it wasn’t that bad. You’re... You’re tougher than this, right? You’re fine, D-Dash... You’ve got to be.” Fluttershy spent several minutes talking, pleading, nuzzling, begging, her desperation heaping ever more stain onto her voice. No matter what she did, Dash did not move. Dash did not breathe. Fluttershy fought to ignore it, but eventually reality set in. Fluttershy let out a heartbreaking scream as she lay over her friend. Applejack stood there frozen in shock for several minutes, listening to Fluttershy’s screams. Her mind started to focus again. She saw Fluttershy nestled on top of Rainbow Dash, with tears streaming down her face. Applejack had to use everything she had to move Fluttershy away from Dash. A task made a lot harder by the tears she felt coming to her own eyes. A small pegasus filly with light brown fur was tucked into Dash’s wings. Her purple mane rose slowly; she was barely breathing. She was unconscious and badly hurt. Applejack managed to gather her mind enough to pick the small filly up and head towards the hospital. She didn't know if leaving Fluttershy alone with Rainbow Dash was a smart idea, but she couldn't think of that now. She needed to save Scootaloo. *~*~* Scootaloo had to sit down; this was the first time she had heard of what actually happened to her and Dash. Her heart raced as she tried to gather her mind. So many thoughts came up. She had trouble breathing as she looked at Fluttershy, her chest stinging. No matter how much she tried to focus, she only mustered to say one word. “Why?” Fluttershy looked at her with a mellow face, saying nothing. Fluttershy walked over to a small locket at her nightstand. She stopped for a moment while looking at it, as if she was contemplating what to say. Eventually, she turned around and smiled. “I have carried this with me everywhere I’ve gone since that day, waiting for the right time... After seeing you with Rainbow’s cutie mark on your suit, I thought that now is time for you to know the truth, and to have this.” Fluttershy gave her the small locket. It had a wooden texture with golden details. At the front, a keyhole formed as Rainbow’s cutie mark prided it. She opened it, revealing a soft silky inside of light blue. In the middle lay a gold necklace with a red thunderbolt-shaped gem, similar to Dash’s cutie mark. A tear fell from Scootaloo’s chin, she looked at the necklace for a while before she was able to talk again. “This... this is Dash’s element, isn't it? Why are you giving it to me?” Fluttershy looked at her with a faint smile. “What Rainbow Dash did that day was only to be expected of her. She set off a double rainboom to save you, almost destroyed the whole town to save the one person she held highest in her world, her very own daughter. She gave her life as a mother, not as Rainbow Dash, so her daughter could live on.” Fluttershy smiled as she pointed towards Scootaloo’s flank. “Seeing how you have stayed loyal to Rainbow Dash’s memory, and loyal to your friends, it would only be right for you to carry the Element of Loyalty. If it accepts you, it is yours to bear.” Scootaloo could not say a word, she stood there in shock. She felt Fluttershy’s hooves embracing her, holding her tight. Fluttershy whispered into her ear. “And... I know that... today... Rainbow Dash would be proud of you. She’d be standing here right next to you, smiling, while you graduated as a Wonderbolt.” Scootaloo couldn't do anything else than to cry while hugging Fluttershy. She hadn’t been alone; she’d had a mother all along. One who was always with her. Fluttershy picked up the necklace and placed it on Scootaloo’s neck. The jewel gave of a bright red light, embracing her in a warm glow before fading out with a small spark. Fluttershy smiled. “It seems that your mother’s element finds you fitting.” She gently kissed her on the forehead. “Now... go out and receive your graduate emblem. With this around your neck, Dash will be right there with you.” While Scootaloo headed out towards the stadium, she contemplated as to why Dash didn't tell her, or why she left her alone at the start. She shook it off, Dash probably had a good reason. Right now Scootaloo needed to focus on her flying, just like her mother. The sun gleamed over the stadium, fully lighting up every inch of it. Every single pegasus had come to see the new Wonderbolt graduate. The place was filled to the brim; some even had stay flying to see what happened. As Scootaloo stood ready to take off, she bowed her head down. A tear found a path down her cheek, casting out a rainbow thanks to the sun. The commentator’s voice filled the stadium, explaining how rare it was that they had a Wondebolt graduation here. As Scootaloo’s name was announced, the stadium filled with cheers, and the eyes of every pegasus landed on Scootaloo. She lifted her head and smiled towards the crowd. “Mom... This is for you.”
A Dream of FlightA Dream of Flight The town was thriving after yesterday’s rain. A thin layer of fog from the condensed water lay on top of the ground. The sun started to rise up over the rooftops. Behind Sugarcube Corner stood a small hilltop with tall grass. A small gust of wind shifted it back and forth, revealing a small pegasus with a purple mane. As the vegetation shifted back and forth, the rest of her became visible. Her light brown coat glistened in the morning sun. Scootaloo was looking towards the sky: the one place she could not reach, but the one place she belonged. She sighed as she turned around to her scooter, looking at it with discomfort. The dark blue scooter leaned against a the crumbling remains of a tree stump. The brightly colored red wheels on it were starting to fade, needing a new touch of paint. Scootaloo shifted through the grass towards her scooter; she needed to head down to school before it started. “Hi, squirt! What’s gotcha down?” Scootaloo stopped in her tracks. She bowed her head. A small gust of wind shifted through her mane, leaving it tufting out to the side. Rainbow Dash landed next to Scootaloo, gently brushing the grass, whirling up water to create a light rainbow around them. Rainbow folded her wings together as she landed. Her light blue coat started to shine as the water she had lifted fell down onto her. The colors in her mane aligned themselves perfectly next to each other, making the perfect rainbow. She stared at Scootaloo with her bright red eyes. Scootaloo sighed as she looked at the colors surrounding her, such an amazing display of skills. But she expected nothing else from her Idol. “I’m just tired of not being able to fly. Why have I got to be stuck on the ground when I’m a pegasus? It’s not fair!” Rainbow Dash tilted her head slightly to the side as she grinned a little towards the young pegasus. She placed a hoof on top of Scootaloo’s head and ruffled it. “That’s what’s gotcha down? You can’t think like that, Squirt. If you only focus on what you don’t have, you forget what you do have. You have two very good friends, who always support you. And you do, of course, have me around.” Scootaloo smiled towards Rainbow Dash, blushing as she realized her idol was smiling back at her. “You’re right as always, Rainbow Dash. I do have great friends.” Scootaloo turned around and sat down. With her back towards Rainbow Dash, she sighed. “But sometimes I dream about flying up there in the clouds, feeling the breeze in my mane, and maybe, just maybe, flying with you. I want the freedom you get with flying. I don’t want to be stuck with this stupid scooter anymore.” She glared and huffed towards her scooter. Rainbow Dash sighed as she sat down next to Scootaloo, looking up at the clouds with her. Rainbow Dash realized that she had no idea what Scootaloo was going through. She had been capable of flight as long as she remember, almost from birth. She could just imagine how it would feel if she couldn’t have flown before Scootaloo’s age. Rainbow Dash looked at her little fan, a sad frown on her face. She could not help but to feel a bit helpless when it came to stuff like this, mushy, gooey, girly stuff. Suddenly, she hit upon a stroke of genius. She turned towards Scootaloo with a big grin. Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash, raising an eyebrow, squinting her eyes in suspicion as she tried to figure out what Dash was planning. Rainbow Dash stood up, still looking at Scootaloo. “Hey squirt, what if you skipped school today?” Scootaloo stood up, looking at Rainbow Dash with a surprised expression stretched over her face. “Skip school? For what?” Rainbow Dash grinned even more towards the little pegasus, clearly confident in her plan to cheer up Scootaloo. “Oh, I don’t know... how about a trip on my back... up there?” Rainbow Dash nodded up towards the sky. It seemed like it took a moment for it to sink in for Scootaloo. But as it did, her deep purple eyes widened, releasing a small tear down her chin. She jumped up and grabbed a tight hold around Rainbow Dash’s neck. With her muzzle buried in Rainbow Dash’s coat, her sentence became muffled. “I would love to, thank you, Dash!” Rainbow Dash smiled, realizing how much such a small gesture meant for this little pegasi. It was an easy task for her to fly, but for somepony who wasn’t able too it meant so much. She grabbed hold of Scootaloo and looked at her with a much more serious face. “When we’re up there, you must promise to hold on tight. Do not let go, no matter what. Okay?” Scootaloo nodded in excitement towards Rainbow Dash, almost so much that her whole body started to shake. Rainbow Dash smiled at her once more and turned her back to Scootaloo. “Alright, Squirt! Jump on and let’s fly! I’ll show you what true freedom is like.” A beam of colors could be seen from the hilltop as they took off into the air. All that was left was grass that had dried up from the downdraft. A small stream of water got thrown up into the air from the dragging wind, but eventually it had to give in to gravity. As it fell down again, the sun beams hit them in such an angle that they gave off small beams of rainbow. After a bit, all that gave away that there was ever anypony there, was a lonely scooter with a fading layer of paint, resting against a small stump of wood.
Clouds of ReminiscenceClouds of Reminiscence Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash burst through a cloud, leaving a funnel in their wake. The wind brushed harshly against their faces, making it hard for Scootaloo to keep her eyes open. But she had never felt anything like this! Her mane was tossed back from the strong winds that blew up here. Even as she was fully focused on holding onto Rainbow Dash, she couldn’t help but feel a rush of joy and excitement as they dashed through some more clouds. She easily understood why Dash enjoyed flying so much. This feeling… was unimaginable, like she was free of all things that bothered her. They broke the top layer of clouds, stopping right over them. As Scootaloo looked around, she saw a landscape like no other. Mountain ranges of clouds going as far as she could see, small beams of light breaking through the cloud joints. The sun peeked up over the cloud layer, with a deep, orange glow. It almost looked like a brilliant gem far off in the distance. “This is why I fly so much, squirt. This is the feeling of true freedom. And the sun looks kinda cool as well. Makes you think…” Rainbow halted her sentence. It did make her think: about why she went looking for Scootaloo. *~*~* The door to Sugarcube corner opened up, letting out a small squeak. A light blue pegasus entered, looking around for something, or somepony. The pegasus made an angry frown towards the door as it creaked open. The restaurant was unusually empty for this time of the day. A few colts sat around a small table in the corner, chattering loudly about some kind of sport. A couple sat near the window, looking at each other with deep fascination, sharing a few sips of a single drink while waiting for their food to arrive. The light blue pegasus started to walk towards the back of the room; she had found who she was looking for. The sun was at its peak, streaming light down on the floor through the big windows, and she cast a great shadow through the restaurant as she walked through the squares of light. The sound of her hooves hitting the wooden floor could easily be heard over the low chatter in Sugarcube Corner. She stopped at the last square of light, looking at somepony in the shadows. “Fluttershy, how come you’re sitting in the dark? Wouldn’t it be better to sit in the sun?” The butter-yellow pegasus looked towards Rainbow Dash through her pale rose mane. It draped over her face, covering most of it. As she looked up, a beam of light hit her face, revealing the soft blue eyes that gave of what a timid creature she was. Her eyes darted around for just a second, looking for something that could pose a threat to her. Finally, she looked at Rainbow Dash with a sad frown pulling her face. “Dash…” She halted her sentence, sighing before she continued. “We need to talk about her…” Rainbow Dash took a step back, looking at Fluttershy with distrust and anger. “You promised you wouldn’t talk about her like that again!” Dash stomped the wooden floor as she yelled towards Fluttershy. Sugarcube Corner fell dead silent. Fluttershy cringed in her seat. She had expected this kind of reaction, but it was still terrifying for her. Her hoof scraped the floor as she thought how she was going to say what came next. Her eyes focused on the light blue pegasus standing in front of her. She had realized a long time ago that the Dash everyone knew was just a shell; what hid beneath was known only to her. Dash was fragile, much like her. Fluttershy looked into Dash’s red eyes, her heart clenched as she saw how much the proud pegasus struggled to hold back her tears. “Have you seen her lately? Haven’t you seen how much she wonders? Wondering why she’s down here with the earth ponies, instead of being up there with the pegasi? She’s struggling, Dash; she has no idea who she is or where she came from.” Fluttershy stopped, looking for a reaction from her friend. Dash sat down on the floor, staring out in the empty air. A small tear fell on the floor from her chin. Fluttershy was uncertain how she was going to continue, seeing as her friend was at her breaking point. “Dash…” she said with her smoothest voice, trying to put some comfort into her sentence. “You need to tell her. She has a right to know.” Rainbow Dash started to shake. Her head was tilted towards the floor, causing her multi-colored mane to drape a shadow over her face. Small glimmers of sunlight reflected in the shadow as they hit her tears. “You don’t understand, Flutters…” she said with a shaky voice, struggling not to have it break during the sentence. “Every time I see her, I get reminded of him... and what he did to me. I can’t handle that, Fluttershy, it’s too much for me.” A small creak rang out as Fluttershy stood up and pushed the chair backwards on the floor. Her careful steps could barely be heard while she walked. She sat down in front of her friend. “You’re right; I don’t understand. But it’s wrong to take it out on her.” Fluttershy grabbed hold of her friend and held her tight. She whispered into Dash’s ear, “But now… you need to wake up, she needs you. Wake up.” *~*~* Rainbow Dash snapped out of her flashback. The sun still gleamed orange over the skies. Some birds flew over her and Scootaloo, chirping happily, as if they wanted the two of them to join for a flight. Rainbow Dash looked behind her to see if Scootaloo was ready for a little dash between some clouds. Scootaloo looked up at the birds, her expression dreamy. Like she now was flying with them on her own. She looked towards Dash, nodded and tightened her grip. They crashed through a few clouds, demolishing them completely. Small pockets of water inside the clouds splashed around them. Some of it landed on their coats, creating a shining shield together with the sun beams hitting them. Some got caught in the vortex behind them, leaving a small trail of mist. As the sun hit the mist it created a streak of beautiful colors in their wake. While they flew over the cloud-tops of the sky, Dash was heavy in thought. Fluttershy was right, as usual. Dash looked at Scootaloo, seeing an innocent smile of joy. She knew nothing about her past, nor did she care at the moment it seemed. How could Dash blame her for something a colt did so many years ago? They slowed down and landed on a small hill of clouds that rose out of the others. Scootaloo clung onto Rainbow Dash’s neck even tighter; it almost stopped her breathing and caused her to cough vigorously. She understood her, though; even if she was a pegasus, she had never stood on a cloud before, and that could easily be scary for anypony. She looked back and saw Scootaloo’s terrified face looking down at the cloud. “Don’t worry, squirt, you’re a pegasus! You’ll be fine, trust me.” Scootaloo tilted her head to the side, looking at the misty cloud under them. Slowly, she let go of Rainbow Dash and stepped onto it with her eyes closed. It felt like cotton under her hooves. She opened her eyes and looked at Dash with awe. She shook like a leaf in the wind, not daring to move an inch, but she still smiled, overjoyed for finally feeling the clouds under her hooves. She felt like a real pegasus for the first time. Rainbow Dash stood there, watching Scootaloo being overwhelmed with joy for something that seemed so trivial. A warm sensation grew inside her, spreading out to all limbs. A feeling she hadn’t felt for ages; she did really love this foal. She realized that no matter what her past is, it wasn’t fair to take it out on such an innocent foal. It was time to tell her. It would hurt, but it was the right thing to do. “Listen, Squirt, even though you have trouble flying now, it will come to you. If you work hard with determination, nothing can stop you from becoming a great flyer like me. And I know one day you’ll make me proud, prouder even than I am today…” Scootaloo leaped from the spot that she had earlier been frozen in place in and grabbed hold of Rainbow Dash. She got caught off guard by the sudden burst from Scootaloo. With a surprised look on her face she fell backwards onto the cloud they were standing on, and Scootaloo landed on top of her. Lying there with the little pegasus on top of her, Dash was uncertain what to do in such a situation. With a hesitant motion Dash folded her wings, embracing Scootaloo within them. She looked at Scootaloo and felt a warm tug in her heart as she saw her smile. She grabbed hold of Scootaloo and pulled her into a tighter hug. They lay like that on top of the soft cloud for quite some time. Dash opened her eyes with a tear running down her cheek; there was no doubt, it was time to tell her. Dash pulled Scootaloo away from her just enough so she could see her face. “Listen... Squirt...” Scootaloo placed a hoof on Dash’s mouth, shook her head while smiling. “Before you say anything Dash... please... wake up!”
I Was Always There... I was Always there... Dash sobbed as she woke up in a shock. She shook her head to gain some focus. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she slowly began to see the various shapes of her bedroom. She released a groan as she fought her way out of the bed; the pain in her back was unbearable, making the slightest action tough. She slowly walked over to her bedroom window, her hooves echoing on the wooden floor as they hit in their uneven pace. Nothing else could be heard in her house. Her tired eyes glanced out of her bedroom window. The moon lit up Ponyville in a beautiful shade of blue. Some small crickets flew around, making faint chirps every now and then. Dash sighed and turned around into her room. She looked into the mirror, inspecting her light blue coat; it shone bright in the dim light from the moon. Her eyes wandered over the mirror until she stared right into them. They started to fade in color; a patch of dark blue fur had grown under them a long time ago. Ever since she took Scootaloo out for a flight, she had had the same dream, every night. She hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep since then. Her eyes wandered over to her right wing; after the accident, it had been bent out of shape. Dash flinched as she tried flapping it; no movement, just pain. A tear hit the floor as she walked over towards her bed. Dash grabbed a wool pouch that hung on the bed stand and put it over her wing. Twilight had made it especially for her so she could fold her wing close to her body. Without it, her wing would stay in the crooked shape it had. She winced as she tightened the pouch; it hurt, but only for a moment. Dash grabbed her ragged coat as she left her bedroom and went into the living room. The moon lit up her house, its light falling through the windows and making small squares of bright colored wood. The rest of her house was darkened; she saw only contours of her furniture. It was nothing much, just a couch and a few chairs. Applejack and the rest of her friends built this for her in Ponyville when Dash wasn’t able to fly up to her house in Cloudsdale. It was small, but it had everything she needed. Over her fireplace hung a picture of her and Scootaloo. It had been taken some time ago, in the spring, when Dash finally agreed to join Scootaloo for the Sisterhooves Social. Scootaloo had become overjoyed, even if they didn’t win; she was determined to get a picture of that day. In the picture they both smiled, while Scootaloo held the second place ribbon proudly in front of the camera. A faint thud could be heard as Dash closed the door to her house. The small house stood on the outskirts of Ponyville, forcing Dash to walk a little bit to get where she wanted. After a short walk down the hill from her house, she had to take a small break; her back was aching. From where she sat, she could see the faint lighting that was on in Ponyville at this hour. Dash sighed and flinched as she stood up again. Her back needed an adjustment from Fluttershy again. Right now, every step she took hurt. Even though she wasn't feeling well, she liked to walk at night; it left her alone with her thoughts while she listened to everything the night had to offer. The trees from Everfree forest creaked and cringed as the nocturnal beasts slithered through them. A little group of fireflies danced around the road. As Dash walked through the flies, they started to glow more intensely. The dim light from the small group of fireflies crept under her hood and reflected in her eyes. She followed the playful dance of the fireflies with an enraptured stare. Dash shook her head. She needed to be somewhere, somewhere important. After a short while, she reached Ponyville, and a thin layer of fog had embraced the thin stone roads. As Dash walked on downwards, she felt like she was walking on clouds again, only for her illusion to be punctured with every hollow sound of her hooves. As Dash walked by Ponyville’s school a small gust of wind hit her face, dragging her hood back a little. Dash smiled; she missed the feeling of wind blowing through her mane more and more as the days went by. She stood still for some time, watching the empty schoolyard, reminiscing on how many times she had lain on a cloud, watching Scootaloo play with her friends or doing different things to earn her cutiemark. Or the times Scootaloo had been sitting up on the small hill in the schoolyard, looking up at the sky. Dash bit her lower lip as she thought of how many times she had the chances to tell her, but was too afraid… Rainbow Dash sighed as she started to walk towards a small valley behind the Apple Family’s orchards. The entrance to the valley lay thick with vegetation, almost hidden. The insides of the valley were stripped of almost all vegetation, just a few flowers and small trees left standing. The ground tilted downwards to form a crater; in the center of it stood a single tombstone, covered with dead flowers from earlier visits. She sat still in front of the stone for a short while, looking around the valley. The damage from her crash was still very much there. Some plants started to come back, but mostly it was bare. Dash placed a bright red rose in front of the tombstone; it shone up strong next to the dead flowers that lay there from before. “Well... I’m back. I couldn't sleep tonight either. Yeah, the same dream as everytime I come to visit. You must think I’m crazy to come here almost every single night, even if I barely can walk sometimes.” A gust of wind made its way through the small entrance to the valley. The flowers that lay in front of the tombstone got caught in the wind; they whirled up and landed in different spots in the valley. Dash tried to grab the flowers before they flew away. She let out a small scream as she forgot her back pain. It jolted in her like a knife running down her spine. She bit her teeth together as a tear pressed forth and trickled down her chin. “Yeah, my back hurts a lot, and would you believe it if I said I can’t fly anymore?” Dash let out a small chuckle as she heard the irony in what she just said. “I don’t regret it, though, even if the only thing I managed to do was to crash into the ground right after you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't give it my all trying to save you.” Dash sat still in the wind, feeling it flutter her cloak back and forth. She gasped for air, struggling to continue her thoughts. “Listen...” Tears streamed freely down her chin. “I need you to know... I didn't mean to... I didn’t want it to end this way...” Dash sat in the valley for the rest of the moonless night. As the sun rose up to hit the entrance of the valley, it cast a gleaming beam of light onto the tombstone. She leaned forward a little so she could kiss the engraved part of the stone. She whispered silently to herself. ”I was always there for you... Just a little afraid, that’s all it was.” As the light hit it, the details of the engraving became easier to see. A braid of small roses circled around some delicate letters. *~*~*~* Here lies Scootaloo Dash. “Even though I didn't show it, you gave me pride and joy. May you now rest in peace.” Love Your mother Rainbow Dash. *~*~*~*
Alt. ending: She Would be Proud.She Would be Proud. The day was finally here; she had worked so hard for this. She could not help but feel nervous. The stadium was filled with ponies, all expecting to see her take off in a dash. She trotted in a fast pace back and forth in the big wardrobe. She was limping a bit, making the clicking from the floor as her hooves hit it a little uneven. She sat down on one of the benches to relax; she needed to calm down, or else she wouldn't be able to take off at all. Scootaloo turned her head as she heard a small knock on her wardrobe door. She flinched a bit as she stood up, her knees not handling that motion particularly well. Behind the door a sight for sore eyes was to be seen, a figure she loved with all her heart. “Fluttershy!” Scootaloo embraced her friend in a hug, holding her tightly. She let go and took a step back. She looked at the yellow pegasus that stood in front of her. Her pink mane was tied in a braid so it didn't fall over her face anymore. Although... her mane started to get a few shades of gray in it. Nothing much, just enough to remind her that she wasn’t getting any younger as the years passed. Her eyes showed a lot more confidence than what it did a few years back. Those brilliant blue eyes shimmered from the sun as she looked around. Her eyes landed on Scootaloo, inspecting her suit. It was blue, with small yellow details of lightning. She smiled towards Scootaloo as she handed her the goggles going with the suit. “You finally did it, Scootaloo. Your entrance ceremony to the Wonderbolts is finally here.” “Yeah... I did it, I only wish Rainbow Dash was here to see it...” Scootaloo’s head tilted towards the clouded floor, and she disappeared into thought. Fluttershy looked over towards Scootaloo’s flank, where a mark had been sewn into Scootaloo’s suit. A small cloud with a tri-colored lightning coming out of it. Scootaloo looked at Fluttershy, who smiled a little while she was looking at Scootaloo’s flank. “I see you added Dash’ cutie mark into your suit.” Scootaloo’s cheeks tinged a faint shade of red, and she smiled towards Fluttershy. “Yeah... it’s her dream, after all. I want her to be a part of it.” A small tear trickled down Scootaloo’s chin, her lips started moving at an uneven pace. “Fluttershy...” Scootaloo halted her sentence, struggling to find the right words. Her voice was on the brink of cracking. “What really happened that day, Fluttershy?” Fluttershy stared absently at her flank, slowly reacting to what Scootaloo had said. She smiled towards Scootaloo. With a graceful nod, she answered, “Follow me, Scootaloo. I have something to show you. I think now is the right time. On the way I’ll tell you what happened that day, and why.” Scootaloo brushed her tears away, looking curiously up at her friend. Fluttershy did not say anything else; she just turned around and hinted that Scootaloo should follow. With a little frown, she started walking after Fluttershy. She didn't really have time for this, but Fluttershy must have thought it was important, as she want to show her right before her ceremony. *~*~* A wave of colors embraced Ponyville. A barricade of light across its whole spectrum swept over the town. The sound that followed was deafening. Windows near the apple farm had been shattered by the immense pressure that had been generated. Shortly after, the sonic rainboom got distorted by a second one. The second was much stronger, and it shone even brighter. The whole town was awash with colour and light, before it was followed by a wave of destruction. The shock wave shattered every window in Ponyville. Fluttershy and Applejack were on the farm capturing squirrels when the boom tore through the air. Fluttershy held on tightly to Applejack in fear of getting flung away. The second rainboom was centred right behind Applejack’s farm. They saw a beam of colors breaching through the centre of the bigger wave, crashing right into a small valley behind the farm. The boom shattered great swathes of the Apple Family’s crop, leaving only splinters in little piles on the ground. Fluttershy and Applejack were barely able to stand against the huge force from all around. Fluttershy looked at Applejack with a terrified stare. “W... what was that!” Her eyes shifted over and locked on to the cloud of dust coming from the valley that the beam had slammed into. Applejack shook her head. “Shucks if I know... But I don’ like the look o’that cloud at all.” Applejack put on her hat and helped Fluttershy onto her hooves. Fluttershy was shaking as they walked towards the valley. The entrance to the valley was normally filled with plants and leaves and flowers of every colour, but now it was bare. Every single piece of life had been ripped up by its root and flung away. As they entered, they were met by a wall of dust, making it impossible to see anything more than a hoof in front of them. Fluttershy started coughing violently, and gasped for air. “Fluttershy... go wait outside, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Fluttershy looked at Applejack, still coughing, and nodded. She disappeared out of the valley, leaving Applejack alone. Applejack walked on, one hoof stretched out so she could feel her way through the gloom. The further in she went, the more she could see as the dust started to settle. In the middle of the valley a crater had formed. All plants were gone, ripped up or vapourised by the blast. The ground tilted downwards, marking the centre of the valley. Applejack squinted her eyes as she saw something in the middle of the crater. She wasn't sure of what it was, but she could see some faint blue colors. Applejack cringed as she heard a scream coming from behind her, one filled with terror and desperation. Applejack turned her head around, and saw Fluttershy standing behind her, tears freely flowing down her cheek. Her eyes were locked on the centre of the crater; her face lost all color, leaving it white and pale as a snowflake. Applejack turned her head, trying to make out what got Fluttershy so scared. Her heart stopped... her breath froze... the sight forced tears to press on. No matter how much she wanted to, she could not look away, or hold her panic at bay. In the middle of the crater, a light blue pegasus lay. Her colorful mane and tail spread outwards from her body. The pegasus held something tightly in her wings, protecting it from any damage a crash like that would cause. Fluttershy trotted over to the blue pegasus “... Rainbow Dash?... “ She whispered, nuzzling carefully against Rainbow Dash’s side. “Rainbow... please be okay. Y-you can handle that fall, i-it wasn’t that bad. You’re... You’re tougher than this, right? You’re fine, D-Dash... You’ve got to be.” Fluttershy spent several minutes talking, pleading, nuzzling, begging, her desperation heaping ever more stain onto her voice. No matter what she did, Dash did not move. Dash did not breathe. Fluttershy fought to ignore it, but eventually reality set in. Fluttershy let out a heartbreaking scream as she lay over her friend. Applejack stood there frozen in shock for several minutes, listening to Fluttershy’s screams. Her mind started to focus again. She saw Fluttershy nestled on top of Rainbow Dash, with tears streaming down her face. Applejack had to use everything she had to move Fluttershy away from Dash. A task made a lot harder by the tears she felt coming to her own eyes. A small pegasus filly with light brown fur was tucked into Dash’s wings. Her purple mane rose slowly; she was barely breathing. She was unconscious and badly hurt. Applejack managed to gather her mind enough to pick the small filly up and head towards the hospital. She didn't know if leaving Fluttershy alone with Rainbow Dash was a smart idea, but she couldn't think of that now. She needed to save Scootaloo. *~*~* Scootaloo had to sit down; this was the first time she had heard of what actually happened to her and Dash. Her heart raced as she tried to gather her mind. So many thoughts came up. She had trouble breathing as she looked at Fluttershy, her chest stinging. No matter how much she tried to focus, she only mustered to say one word. “Why?” Fluttershy looked at her with a mellow face, saying nothing. Fluttershy walked over to a small locket at her nightstand. She stopped for a moment while looking at it, as if she was contemplating what to say. Eventually, she turned around and smiled. “I have carried this with me everywhere I’ve gone since that day, waiting for the right time... After seeing you with Rainbow’s cutie mark on your suit, I thought that now is time for you to know the truth, and to have this.” Fluttershy gave her the small locket. It had a wooden texture with golden details. At the front, a keyhole formed as Rainbow’s cutie mark prided it. She opened it, revealing a soft silky inside of light blue. In the middle lay a gold necklace with a red thunderbolt-shaped gem, similar to Dash’s cutie mark. A tear fell from Scootaloo’s chin, she looked at the necklace for a while before she was able to talk again. “This... this is Dash’s element, isn't it? Why are you giving it to me?” Fluttershy looked at her with a faint smile. “What Rainbow Dash did that day was only to be expected of her. She set off a double rainboom to save you, almost destroyed the whole town to save the one person she held highest in her world, her very own daughter. She gave her life as a mother, not as Rainbow Dash, so her daughter could live on.” Fluttershy smiled as she pointed towards Scootaloo’s flank. “Seeing how you have stayed loyal to Rainbow Dash’s memory, and loyal to your friends, it would only be right for you to carry the Element of Loyalty. If it accepts you, it is yours to bear.” Scootaloo could not say a word, she stood there in shock. She felt Fluttershy’s hooves embracing her, holding her tight. Fluttershy whispered into her ear. “And... I know that... today... Rainbow Dash would be proud of you. She’d be standing here right next to you, smiling, while you graduated as a Wonderbolt.” Scootaloo couldn't do anything else than to cry while hugging Fluttershy. She hadn’t been alone; she’d had a mother all along. One who was always with her. Fluttershy picked up the necklace and placed it on Scootaloo’s neck. The jewel gave of a bright red light, embracing her in a warm glow before fading out with a small spark. Fluttershy smiled. “It seems that your mother’s element finds you fitting.” She gently kissed her on the forehead. “Now... go out and receive your graduate emblem. With this around your neck, Dash will be right there with you.” While Scootaloo headed out towards the stadium, she contemplated as to why Dash didn't tell her, or why she left her alone at the start. She shook it off, Dash probably had a good reason. Right now Scootaloo needed to focus on her flying, just like her mother. The sun gleamed over the stadium, fully lighting up every inch of it. Every single pegasus had come to see the new Wonderbolt graduate. The place was filled to the brim; some even had stay flying to see what happened. As Scootaloo stood ready to take off, she bowed her head down. A tear found a path down her cheek, casting out a rainbow thanks to the sun. The commentator’s voice filled the stadium, explaining how rare it was that they had a Wondebolt graduation here. As Scootaloo’s name was announced, the stadium filled with cheers, and the eyes of every pegasus landed on Scootaloo. She lifted her head and smiled towards the crowd. “Mom... This is for you.”
