Chapters There was one thing that was the same for every pony in the magical land of Equestria. All of them had discovered their cutie marks. Some found it when they discovered the special talent that would lead them through life. Others found it when they found where their heart truly belonged. Yet there was always a small group of ponies who didn't have their cutie marks. Usually, they were mere children or babies and they were too busy learning about the world around them to even think about their cutie marks.
Nearly every pony in Ponyville had their cutie marks, except for three little fillies. They were the only ponies that were without their cutie marks. The three of them banded together to create a cute mark hunting team known as the "Cutie Mark Crusaders." They traveled everywhere in Ponyville searching, but found no answers. They became soon became discouraged when they found that all of their efforts were meaningless. The Cuite Mark Crusaders never broke apart, but they did stop searching.
They stayed friends and continued to go through life without their cutie marks. That was, until two of them found their cutie marks.
"You got your cutie marks!?"
"Y-Yeah..sorry Scootaloo.."
Scootaloo grinded her teeth together in bith anger and envy. How come they found their cutie marks and she didn't? She was definately happy for them, but she was jealous. The orange pegasus fluttered her wings and sat down on the ground while the two showed off their marks. Applebloom turned and Scootaloo could see a picture of a piece of cloth and a sewing needle. Sweetie Bell's cutie mark had the image of a music note. She wasn't surprised really, she had always known that their talents would be what was currently sitting on their flanks.
The pegasus looked down at her empty flank. Would she ever see a cutie mark there? Was she cursed to never have a cutie mark? Was she just that useless? She sighed and let her wings fold up against her back. There was no need to ponder it right now. Her friends were happy and she needed to be happy for them. She forced a small smile and stood up.
"Well, I'm happy for you guys. You finally got your cutie marks.."
Sweetie Bell walked over to her side and hugged her. "This doesn't mean we're not friends anymore, Scootaloo. You know that, right?"
Scootaloo nodded and fluttered her wings again. She needed to do something to keep herself from crying. She should have been celebrating with them too. She should have been showing off her cutie mark along with them. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair!
"I know that, but...this means we'll have to disban the Cutie Mark Crusaders." Applebloom and Sweetie Bell gasped at her proposal.
"Why would we do that?" The earth pony asked surprised.
"Because we made the group to find our cutie marks. You have them." The two ponies looked at each other while Scootaloo looked at her hooves. The best moment of her friends' lives was taking everything she knew away from her. Applebloom and Sweetie Bell suddenly hugged her from both sides. Scootaloo shouted in surprise and unfurled her wings.
"Maybe we can't be crusaders, but the group can keep going!" Sweetie Bell said happily. Applebloom nodded and squeezed the pegasus tighter. "You can still be a crusader, Scootaloo! The sole hunter! The Cutie Mark Crusader!"
Scootaloo shook her friends off and walked a couple of inches away from them. She had no idea if being called that was a good thing or a bad thing. She would be all alone in her hunting. A single pony searching for something that would never come. It just wasn't fair.
"I..."
Rain drops suddenly started to fall from the sky. They fell onto the three ponies lightly but soon started to get faster. Scootaloo tucked her wings against her back so her delicate feathers wouldn't get wet. She wouldn't be able to fly if they were soaked.
"Aw man! It's raining! C'mon ponies, I think Twilight's house is close by!" Applebloom reared up on her hindlegs and let her front hooves flail in front of her. She dropped to the ground and took off running towards the tree house. Sweetie Bell shouted and ran after her. The pegasus chuckled and galloped after. Applebloom was starting to remind her so much of Applejack. Maybe that's what happens when you live in the Apple Family.
They spotted Twilight's tree ahead of them and Scootaloo could see Spike on the front porch calling for them. Did he know they were out there or had he simple seen them coming? The three of them slowed down and headed inside of the tree. Scootaloo shook herself and sent rain drop spraying everywhere. They were lucky that the Library was so close to where they were. The only other close by place was Suger Cube Corner, but by the time they ran over there the storm could have been deadly.
"Oh hello girls. Quite a nasty storm out there, huh?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she came down the steps.
"Yeah, sure is. Did the pegasi plan this?" Sweetie Bell asked.
"Hm..Rainbow Dash didn't say anything about a rain storm this afternoon. Maybe they got behind again?" Twilight reached the bottom of the stairs and used her magic to put away some of the stray books that were just lying around on the ground. Scootaloo saw that Spike was also putting books away. Man, Twilight sure didn't know to clean up, did she?
"I've been watching the weather team and they haven't gotten behind yet." Scootaloo said, adding to the conversation. The purple unicorn thought for a minute and then shrugged. "Oh well, it's no harm right now. We could use some rain. Feel free to stay here as long as you want."
Scootaloo looked around the room and found herself bored. Applebloom and Sweetie Bell had ways to intertain themselves, but without a cutie mark story Scootaloo had nothing. She spotted Spike picking up another stray book and the pegasus decided to talk to him. She trotted over and watched.
"Do you always clean up her messes?" Scootaloo asked curiously. The baby dragon dropped the book in surprise, then laughed and picked it back up. "Yeah, pretty much. It's not all that bad though. I pick up books, send letters, although I wish she was a little bit nicer about it."
The pegasus chuckled and followed him around. Spike wasn't that interesting, but she'd rather watch him than listen to Applebloom and Sweetie Bell telling Twilight their cutie mark stories. If only she could have a cutie mark story that she could share with other ponies. However, she needed a cutie mark first in order to do that.
Scootaloo left Spike and looked out the window. It had calmed down and wasn't as harsh of a storm. Now it was just a steady down pour. The pegasus opened her wings and headed to the door. Scootaloo turned around and looked at Twilight.
"Thanks for letting me stay here while it was bad. I'm heading home now."
Applebloom and Sweetie Bell protested but she didn't listen. Twilight however, just smiled and gave a flick of her tail. "It's no problem, Scootaloo. Come back whenever you feel like, alright?" The pegasus nodded then opened the door. She stepped out and remained sheltered under the tree branches. The wind had stopped so the rain wasn't being blown around. She closed the door with a kick of her back hoof and then ran off into the rain.
Scootaloo didn't feel like flying. Well, actually she couldn't. While she was now big enough to actually fly and stay in the air, she couldn't fly unless it was a clear day. She hadn't had the change tp train with Rainbow Dash yet so the orange pegasus couldn't fly in the rain or in strong winds. It was embarressing in her opinion. What pegasus couldn't fly during the rain? A pegasus's main job would always be to clear the weather. Scootaloo would never be able to clear the clouds on a rainy day.
She might as well just cut her wings off and call herself an earth pony. She meant no offense to Applebloom or any other earth ponies, but what did they do that was so special? Unicorns performed magic. Pegasi kept the weather in check. Alicorns ruled Equestria. What could she do that was so important or special? The one special thing that nature told her that she could do was the one thing that she couldn't. Now that her friends had their cutie marks, she felt completely alone.
Scootaloo wasn't alone however. She knew that Applebloom and Sweetie Bell would always support her and be her friends. The pegasus suddenly collided painfully with a tree. She fell to the ground with her face still against the hard bark. Scootaloo growled and got her hooves. Her nose was stinging from the impact which already told her that it was bleeding. She sighed and hung her head. Another problem that she would have to deal with.
The tips of her wings dragged against the ground and became covered in mud. Scootaloo didn't care that her wings were becoming soaked and useless. They couldn't help her. Sure they could take her anywhere in all of Equestria that she wanted to go, but the one place she wanted to be couldn't not be reached by wings. She wanted to be sitting with her friends telling her cutie mark story. A hopeless dream dreamt up by a hopeless filly.
"Hey Scoots! Is that you down there?"
The filly looked up to see a bright cluster of color. They stood out against the dark rain clouds that covered the sky. Scootaloo just continued to stare at the rainbow of colors above her. Soon they got closer and she saw that they belonged to Rainbow Dash. The blue pegasus landed and folded her wings against her back so they didn't get anymore wet than they already were.
"Rainbow..Dash?" Scootaloo asked unsure. Was her mind just making the pegasus up to make her feel better, or was she really there? The rainbowed pony laughed and nodded.
"The one and only! What are doing out here in the rain, Scoots? Shouldn't you be inside?" Scootaloo couldn't answer that question. She should be inside and she wanted to, but the pegasus just couldn't get herself there. Why didn't she stay with Twilight Sparkle where it was dry and warm? Because her friends were there. Her friend's cutie marks were there.
"I was on my way home." She replied simply. Looking at Rainbow Dash now, Scootaloo realized just how much time had pasted. She was now about the same size as the rainbow pony. Perhaps she was a few inches smaller, but Rainbow Dash no longer looked like the huge and wonderful mare she once did. Now she looked just like every other pony. That was if you forgot her bright rainbow mane.
"What happened to your nose?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Oh, I uh, ran into a tree." She replied. The blue pegasus laughed.
"Looks like you're a bit out of it. Care if I come with you?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I figure you won't be flying there and we don't want you running into another tree." She pointed to the orange pony's wings with her hoof. Scootaloo lifted her wings of the ground and tried to close them. It was difficult now since she had let so much mud cling to her feathers, but she wasn't going to show Rainbow Dash any weakness. The two ponies began to walk through the rain together towards Scootaloo's house. No a word was said between them during the trip and Scootaloo was glad for that.
Her house was just a bit outside of Ponyville. Once she was old enough to get a job, Scootaloo left her parents. She was an indepentant pony and wanted to prove that she could make it on her own. She had been doing great for awhile, but now she just didn't know anymore. There were times she missed the voices of her parents or the sound of hooves that weren't her own. Scootaloo even missed her parents' random intrusions into her room. She was alone now.
The two ponies arrived at Scootaloo's house. The orange pegasus thanked Rainbow Dash for the company and headed inside to her house. The loneliness that suddenly overwhelmed her was unbearable. She had always been able to do things on her own through her life. Why did she suddenly crave other ponies right now? What had changed between her life as a tiny filly and being a grown up mare? Maybe it was the fact that she realized that she could no longer keep a hold on her childhood. She was growing up and just had to face it head on.
Scootaloo sighed and locked her door for the night. Tomorrow was another day and by then the rain would be over. Perhaps she'd go for a fly in the night sunny weather and invite Rainbow Dash to come along. Who knew, maybe she'd even find her cutie mark tomorrow.
The rain hadn't stopped.
Scootaloo shouted angrily and headed back into her kitchen for breakfast. So much for her morning fly with Rainbow Dash. When would this rain end? It hadn't lessened at all. In fact, it got worse. The pegasus sat down at her table and looked at her breakfast. It was a simple muffin that she had gotten at the bakery. Scootaloo had been buying food lately instead of making it. She wasn't all that great at cooking to be truthful. She sighed and pushed the muffin away.
Scootaloo wasn't hungry. She was upset about not being able to fly. She loved soaring in the clear sky in the morning. The warm sun on her feathers, the wind in her mane, it was the most wonderful feeling ever. There was a knock at her door and Scootaloo looked to the clock. It was the time when the newspaper was delivered. She got up and walked over to her front door. Scootaloo had to admit, whoever delivered the paper was quite dedicated.
No pony should be walking around in this storm. Yet that newspony continued to deliever the paper every morning right on time. Scootaloo opened the door and picked up the paper in her teeth, then closed the door with her back hooves. She wondered what would be in the paper today. The pegasus sat back down and opened the paper up on her table. Scootaloo's eyes could not miss the headline that stood out at the top of the soaked newspaper.
Mysterious Rain Storm overwhelms Ponyville!
A mysterious storm has taken over the skies of Ponyville. The weather team has confirmed that they did not cause this strange storm and there were no plans from the weather factory. Princess Celestia sent out the Canterlot Sky Patrol to clear the clouds. The pegasi were unable to clear the sky of these strange rain clouds. Our Princess has delcared that this storm must be cursed somehow so that no pony can clear it except for whoever made it. Princess Celestia has advised to stay indoors and out of the rain.
Scootaloo's jaw dropped. A cursed storm? Was that even possible? Could a unicorn have made it? She shook her head at the thought. No pony could make a spell that powerful that Princess Celestia couldn't beat. Well, there was one unicorn who had the power, but there was no way that she'd do something like this! The orange filly sat in the silence of her house staring at the newspaper. She was unable to read much more of the article since the ink had ran thanks to the rain.
Scootaloo suddenly made up her mind. She had to somehow help. The pegasus went around her house and began to pack items into her sidepacks. There was a chance she'd be rejected, but what else could she do? Once she had everything packed, the pegasus left her house and ran out into the rain. She would need help to get to Canterlot, and she knew the exact pony to help her. Scootaloo beat her wings against the wind to keep herself going, but didn't fly. The winds were too strong for her to handle.
Her hooves took her straight to the Library in the middle of Ponyville. Scootaloo had no idea what she'd find, but that didn't matter now. The pegasus came skidding to a halt outside of Twilight's front door. She lifted her front hoof and knocked on the door. Now she had to wait for some pony to opened up the door. The door opened before her and she found herself not looking at Twilight or Spike. Standing in front of her was Applebloom. The earth pony just continued to stare at her and Scootaloo stared back.
"Er..is Twilight home?" Scootaloo asked breaking the silence.
"Yeah, Twilight home. Hey, Scootaloo? Why'd ya suddenly leave last night?" She stepped aside and let the pegasus come inside. "I don't know, I guess I just wanted to be home." She lied. Scootaloo didn't bother shaking off and she didn't really care that she was leaving water everywhere. Applebloom gave her a smile and walked past her.
"Sweetie Bell and I ended up staying the night here. The storm got so bad after you left, Scootaloo! We were afraid you got caught in it!" Scootaloo laughed and followed the earth pony.
"You're forgetting who you're talking to, Applebloom. I can take care of myself in some silly little rainstorm! Besides, I found Rainbow Dash." The two of them headed up the stairs towards the bedroom. When they entered, Scootaloo saw Twilight and Sweetie Bell playing some board game and Spike still asleep in his basket. Twilight looked up from the game and smiled when she saw the two ponies.
"Oh hello, Scootaloo. Did you make it home safe?" The purple unicorn stood up and walked over while Sweetie Bell thought over her next move. Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah, Rainbow Dash helped me out. Twilight, did you read the paper this morning?"
"Yes I did. I can't believe this storm is cursed. I've never known of a problem that Celestia or I couldn't defeat." The unicorn's face turned from cheerful to concerned and worried. No doubt she was also quite afraid of this thunderstom and its origins.
"I need your help getting to Canterlot." Twilight stared at her and the room went silent. "Why do you want to go to Canterlot?" Twilight asked. Scootaloo opened her wings and fluffed her damp feathers out. "Because I want to join the Canterlot Sky Patrol and help end this storm! I can't go flying around until the storm is gone!"
"You do realize you need to be able to fly in order to join the Canterlot Sky Patrol, right?" The purple unicorn asked. Twilight turned and walked over towards her bookshelf. Her horned glowed and different books came to her.
"I-I can fly just as well as the next pony! The wind is just really strong out there!" Scootaloo shouted angrily. Applebloom rested a hoof on her shoulder and Twilight Sparkle just laughed while she looked over the different books. "I know that, Scootaloo. What I'm saying is that you need to be able to fly during the storm."
Twilight walked over with a book and let it rest in front of Scootaloo's face. The pegasus looked at the cover and rolled her eyes. "Twilight, I don't need a book on how to fly. I'm a pegasus, I think I got it down!" Using her magic, the unicorn opened Scootaloo's side bag and slipped the book inside.
"Well, you never know. Maybe you'll need it when you get to Canterlot?" Twilight gave a smile and used her magic to bring a train ticket to them. "What's that?" Scootaloo asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion. Twilight smiled and brought it closer to the pegasus.
"One train ticket to Canterlot." The pegasus just stared at her. Sweetie Bell got up from where she was sitting and trotted over to them. "Twilight? I think I speak for every pony here when I ask, why do you have a ticket to Canterlot?"
"Yeah, it's like yer tryin' to get rida Scootaloo!" Applebloom added. Twilight Sparkle backed up in surprise and waved one of her front hooves in the air. "Oh no, no! You see, I was going to visit the Princess but ever since this rain started, I haven't been able to leave the house! Spike sent a letter to her telling her that I'd have to see her later. I don't want this ticket to go to waste since it costed me fifteen bits."
The purple unicorn let the ticket fly into Scootaloo's bag. The flap of the bag closed and latched itself closed. Twilight's horn stopped glowing once she stopped her magic. Scootaloo blinked in surprise. What Twilight was doing was so nice. Why would any pony be nice to her? Through out her young life, she had always been a bit of a prankster. Being a part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and pranking ponies wasn't that good of a mix. The three of them had gotten themselves into loads of trouble.
Trouble was something that Scootaloo found herself in constantly. Because of all the trouble she got into during her childhood, she found that not many ponies were nice to her or even treated her like an adult. Yet here stood Twilight Sparkle offering her a ticket to Canterlot. For once, some pony was treating her like an adult, like the real mare she was. Scootaloo found herself at a loss for words.
"T-Thank you, Twilight! Thank you so much!" Applebloom headbutted her side and started moving her towards the door. "Hey! Why are you kicking me out?" Scootaloo asked, dragging her hooves so she couldn't be pushed as easily. Sweetie Bell joined the earth pony and also started pushing the pegasus out the door.
"Because!" Sweetie Bell said as she pushed. "You aren't getting any closer to being a weather pony if you keep standing here, now are you?" Scootaloo laughed and hopped away from them. Her friends were still encouraging her, even if they were seperated by the wall known as a cutie mark.
"Alright! I'll head on out to Canterlot and join the weather team! Just you wait, this storm will be gone thanks to good ole Scootaloo!" The pegasus puffed out her chest and flapped her wings proudly. The three ponies cheered and wished her well. Scootaloo turned and galloped down the stairs into the main Library. She could still hear them behind her. She couldn't help but wonder how Rainbow Dash would react to this news. If the storm hadn't been as bad as it was, the orange filly would have headed to Rainbow Dash's house.
Scootaloo head out into the rainy morning with questions and all kinds of thoughts buzzing around her head. One of them was about Rainbow Dash. Where was the mare staying during this storm? Wouldn't her cloud house be affected by the harsh winds and the rain? Knowing Rainbow Dash, she was probably staying with Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres. Then again, Applebloom hadn't said anything about the rainbow colored pegasus being there.
The rain had calmed down to a mere down pour and Scootaloo was greatful for it. She noticed that the wind was pretty calm and she wondered if she'd be able to fly to the train station. It would take five minutes to reach the station on hoof, but it would only take about two or three if she flew there. Scootaloo unfurled her wings and flapped while she picked up speed. Soon, her hooves were being lifted off the ground. She laughed and flew around. She didn't need some book to know how to fly!
Scootaloo turned herself towards the train station and pumped her wings. Off she flew through the down pour and towards her waiting train. Now that she was actually moving at a fast speed, she found the raindrops hitting harder. They stung her back and her feathers. This was why she never liked flying in the rain. After three minutes, the station came into sight. The train was sitting there waiting and a smile spread onto the pegasus's lips. However, there at the doors was one of the workers. His hooves were reaching for the open sign.
She gasped and increased her speed. If she didn't make it before he moved the sign to closed, she would never get to Canterlot! The weather was far too bad to fly there, and who knew when the train would open again? Scootaloo found a long determind cry leaving her throat as she soared over Ponyville and towards the train station. It was close now. She was going to make it! That was if she slowed down. Scootaloo tried to stop herself but couldn't slow down in time.
The orange pegasus ran straight into the door. The worker shouted in surprised and dropped the sign. She sat there pressed against the glass for a minute, then began to slide off and onto the floor. "What the hay are you doing!?" He shouted at her.
Scootaloo reached into her bag and pulled out the ticket and held it up. "I have.... one ticket to Canterlot." He sighed and opened up the door for her. "Fine then. You'll be the last run this train has." Scootaloo got to her hooves and walked inside.
"Why are you closing the train?" She asked as she followed the earth pony. "The rain is washing away the tracks. It's getting too dangerous to run the train. Right now we can make one more run and then we're required to shut it down. Princess Luna's orders." The pegasus stopped walking.
"Princess...Luna?" She asked. The worker nodded. "She's been giving out orders lately in Celestia's place. Who knows why. Now come on, the train's leaving!" Scootaloo shook her head and climbed onto the train. However, she couldn't stop thinking about what he had said. Why would Princess Luna be giving out orders instead of Princess Celestia? Celestia was the one who ruled Equestria after all. Scootaloo took her seat and sighed with a smile.
There was no need to think about that now. She was on a mission and had to stay focused. She would end this rain storm somehow even if it killed her.
The train suddenly jerked to a stop and woke the sleeping Scootaloo. She looked around surprised and found that they were pulling into the Canterlot station. Well, this was it. The pegasus got out of her seat and headed towards the door. She waited for the door to open and for the train pony to give her the okay. Once she had it, she hopped off the train and started to trot away. Unlike the train station in Ponyville, Canterlot's station had no cover. Scootaloo was caught in the down pour.
It was easy getting into the main city of Canterlot. There weren't any ponies around so there was no traffic. There were a couple of ponies here and there that were running to get somewhere, or were trying to pack up items that normally sat out so they wouldn't get wet. Scootaloo noticed that a few of the business were still open. Most of them were covered food stands. The pegasus spotted one that was selling hot coffee. She trotted over and sat down on one of the stools that he had.
"One coffee please. Extra suger." The unicorn nodded and started making her drink. "That'll be eight bits." Scootaloo reached into her sidepack and felt around for her bag of money. She pulled it out and dumped out eight bits. The unicorn took her money and put it in his register, then pushed her drink to her with his hoof.
"So, what's a girl like you doing out in the rain?" He asked casually. Scootaloo took a sip of the hot coffee and licked her lips. "Joining the Canterlot Sky Patrol. At least, I'm going to try." The unicorn laughed and picked up a coffee mug with his magic.
"You and every other pegasus." He started to dry the mug while chuckling to himself. "Excuse me?" Scootaloo asked, swallowed the hot coffee and feeling it burn her tongue. "Ain't you heard? Ever since Celestia declared that the storm was cursed, the weather ponies been quittin'. They figure that they'd be outta a job anyways. Ponies just like you been comin' round and declare they'll make the team."
"Have they?" Scootaloo asked curiously. "How should I know? They go up there and I don't see 'em again. Truthfully, I say let the fools on the team. At least ponies 're trying to clear this. Now, what's yer name? Need to know the name of the pegasus that I'll be cheering on."
"C-Cheering me on? You barely even know me!" The unicorn shrugged. "Ya seem to have spunk, kid. I like that. Name's Joe." He held out a hoof for her and Scootaloo just stared in surprise. She snapped out of her trance and shook his hoof with her own.
"Scootaloo."
"Well then Scootaloo, take this." Joe used his magic to bring over what looked like some kind of danish. "We don't want ya starving, Free of charge." The pegasus took the pastry in her hooves and began to eat it happily. She was hungry now since she had neglected her muffin this morning. "Thank you, Joe." She said inbetween bites. The unicorn just chuckled and went back cleaning the mugs.
Once Scootaloo had finished eating and finished her coffee, she said goodbye to Joe and headed off towards the castle once more. So Celestia was accepting new ponies onto the team? All the better for her! Truth be told, the pegasus had no idea what she was originally going to do once she got there. Now that she had learned that they were accepting ponies for the Canterlot Sky Patrol, Scootaloo had a reason for the guards to let her inside.
The ground under her hooves sunk under weight. The rain water was washing away the walkway and turning everything to mud. After about twenty minutes of continuous walking uphill, Scootaloo finally arrived at the castle. A large smile spread across her face, but soon disappeared. She couldn't celebrate right now. There was still more that had to be done. The pegasus unfurled her wings and fluffed herself up. Scootaloo walked right up to the guards, who immediately stopped her with their outstretched wings.
"Halt!" The one guard growled. "State your business!"
"I am here to join the Canterlot Sky Patrol." Scootaloo replied, puffing her chest out and trying to look twice her size. The guards looked at each other then retracted their wings. Scootaloo nodded to them thankfully and headed inside. She had only been in here once before back when Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were married, but that was a long long time ago. It could have been because of the rain, or maybe the place really was just getting old, but the castle seemed dark and cold.
Scootaloo took a few steps inside and jumped with surprise when the large door behind her slammed shut. Now she was all alone in Celestia's castle with no other pony. Where was every pony? Weren't there others that worked with the Princesses? She took in a breath and continued down the hall. The only sound that was heard was her hooves against the polished floor. The silence was starting to freak her out. Princess Celestia's castle shouldn't be this empty.
"P-Princess Celestia? Any pony? My name is Scootaloo and I'm here to join the Canterlot Sky Patrol!" Her voice echoed off the walls, but there was no reply. "Any pony here? Any pony?" Scootaloo called again. Suddenly, she was spun around and the pegasus screamed out of surprise and fear. The pony that spun her around also shouted and the two stood there just screaming at each other. Finally, Scootaloo's cries died down and she opened her eyes.
Standing in front of her was Princess Luna. Scootaloo folded her wings and bowed at once. She felt so guilty about screaming now. She had screamed at a Princess! Well, it could have been worse. It could have been Princess Celestia. Who knew what would happen if it had been Celestia?
"You're Scootaloo, right?" Luna asked. "Y-Yes your highness.."
The alicorn laughed cheerfully. "No need to be so formal young one. You can call us Luna! We do not mind."
"We?" Scootaloo asked, standing to full height again. "It is the royal "we." Twilight Sparkle tried to teach us about modern speaking, but we are so used to using it that it just slips out when we're not thinking!" Luna laughed and opened up her dark wings. They were so huge! Princess Luna had gotten bigger since the last time Scootaloo had seen her. When had that been? Scootaloo recalled her being at the wedding, at least Luna had been there near the end.
The alicorn had been watching the skies during the day for her sister since Princess Celestia had to perform the wedding herself. Luna smiled brightly and turned, leading her away down a hallway. "You've come to join the Canterlot Sky Patrol?" She asked.
"Yeah, I want this rain to stop." Scootaloo replied.
"As do we. Unfortunately for you, our sister has already made up her weather team and has sent them out. However, we would still like to see how good you are at flying. There is something that we think you might enjoy being a part of, but you must be tested first Scootaloo. You would have been tested anyways." Luna lead her into a large open room that had many bright electric lights on the ceiling. The alicorn's wings opened up and she flew into the air.
"This is the room where we test our ponies. Whether they are to be guards, weather ponies, or competitors, they come here. We apologize about the lighting. Usually the light comes from the natural light outside, but because of the rain, we had to put these lights in. So many ponies wish to work with us." Princess Luna's horn glowed as she summoned her magic. "Now then, let your testing commence!"
Scootaloo opened up her wings and trotted further into the room. She watched as hoops started to float into the air; puffy clouds formed high in the air; and hurdles came up and sat on the ground in a row. Scootaloo looked up at Princess Luna waiting for an explanation for what she was doing. Once everything seemed to be in place, Luna landed next to her and gave a large cheerful smile.
"First, you will start running towards the hurdles. Clear them and take off as soon as you jump over the last one. Once in the air, head through the hoops which will be moving once you get there. Then, clear the clouds! Easy!" Scootaloo stretched out her wings and fluffed her feathers. She could do this. All the training with Rainbow Dash and willpower had brought her to this very moment in time. This was were life decided if she was a failure or actually mattered.
This was the moment.
Scootaloo took off running towards the hurdles. She could do this! She leaped over the first one and found herself soon leaping over a second. Her back hooves gently brushed the hurdle as she leaped over it. The last one was coming and she stretched out her wings. Scootaloo leaped over the last hurdle and pumped her wings down. She soared upwards into the air just like Princess Luna had told her to. So far she was doing fantastic!
As promised, the hoops were moving around. Scootaloo angled her wings and flew through the first hoop. She soared downward and turned left sharply in order to just make the next hoop. Up and down she flew. Side to side her body moved. With ease, Scootaloo cleared all the hoops and found herself at the clouds. The final part of her flight test. She had been watching Rainbow Dash clear clouds for as long as she could remember. If she could just copy Rainbow's movements, perhaps she could also clear these clouds.
Scootaloo turned herself around and kicked out with her hind hooves. The cloud disappeared with a puffing sound. She laughed and moved onto the next cloud making sure she kept at a fast pace. Kick after kick the clouds vanished. Turning herself around made it take longer however. Scootaloo angled her wings downward and began to just fly straight through the clouds. They vanished just as well as from a kick, perhaps even better.
Scootaloo hovered in the air and looked around for the next cloud but couldn't find it. Princess Luna began to clap her hooves together and cheer. "Very well done, Scootaloo! We are pleased with how you performed!" The pegasus landed on the ground and galloped over to the alicorn with shining eyes. "Did I pass? Did I pass?"
"We think you definitely passed!"
Laughter rolled out of her throat and Scootaloo flew back into the air and flew around happily. Princess Luna watched and laughed happily as well. The pegasus returned to the ground and trotted over to the alicorn. Scootaloo's face was bright and cheerful for once. "What do you have for me?" She asked.
"Ah yes. My sister's weather team is already full, but we do have competitive teams. You might have heard of the Wonderbolts?" Scootaloo nodded eagerly. "Rainbow Dash has been trying to get into the Wonderbolts for ages now! They never accept her no matter what she does!"
Princess Luna laughed. "That is because Rainbow Dash has not been tested by us and proven to be worthful! My sister Celestia owns the Wonderbolts and I have my own team known as the Shadowbolts. Maybe you've seen them?"
Scootaloo shook her head. Truthfully she had not seen the Shadowbolts team. She had heard about them appearing to Rainbow Dash when Luna had first returned. Now that she thought of it, Rainbow Dash had worn a Wonderbolts outfit during Nightmare Night, but the colors seemed much darker than usual. Had seen been in a Shadowbolts outfit? Princess Luna turned and started to walk off a bit as she continued on in her explanation.
"Scootaloo, I know you came her to be a weather pony but," Princess Luna turned around and looked at the small filly. "How would you like to be a member of the Shadowbolts?"
Her jaw dropped and her wings dropped against her sides. A member? Of the Shadowbolts? What pony would turn down an offer like that? Scootaloo smiled bright and bounced up and down happily. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh thank you Princess Luna! Thank you!"
Princess Luna chuckled lightly and lead Scootaloo out of the testing room. "You are from Ponyville right? Where our friends are from?" Scootaloo nodded and followed the Princess into the dark hallway. "Well then, this is a great moment for you. Why don't you head back and share the news and pack your things? With this rain, we think it'd be better if you lived here at the castle."
"I can't. They closed the train under your orders." Luna made no reply, just sped up a bit. However, Scootaloo swore she heard the princess say something that confused her and scared her all at the same time. It was one word that scared the pegasus to the bone.
"Perfect."
The roar to the thunder echoed off in the distance. Where the actual storm was, Scootaloo couldn't tell. She pulled her hoof up over her face and pulled the blankets closer to her. Lightning struck and lit up the room around her. There were a couple of grumbles but they soon died down. A tail brushed Scootaloo's nose and she pushed it away with a puff of breath. However, the tail came right back and continued to tickle her nose. Scootaloo blinked awake and saw the rear end of another pony.
Disgusted, she sat up and backed away only to trip over another pony. When did all these ponies get into her house? Who were they? What were they doing here? Scootaloo froze as she tried to climb over the sleeping pegasus. The previous day's memories washed over her brain and she remember. Scootaloo was staying at Princess Celestia's castle in Canterlot in Princess Luna's wing. The ponies around her worked under Luna. Some were guards, some were weather ponies, others were just like her.
Scootaloo crawled back into her crappy bed and looked around in the darkness. Which of these sleeping lumps were her team mates? Which pegasi in this room would she be flying with? That was, if the rain could be stopped. She sighed and pulled the blanket back overtop of her small body. The beds here were pretty crappy, in fact all they were were just large bunches of hay with blankets, but what could you expect from a princess who wasn't actually a princess? Scootaloo rolled over onto her back but the stra continued to poke into her skin.
"I bet the ponies working for Celestia have better beds than this.." She grumbled quietly to herself. There was a chuckle a couple of ponies over. Some pony else was awake with her. One of the lumps got up and shook itself of the hay strands. The pegasus stepped around the sleeping pegasi and over to Scootaloo. When she got closer, Scootaloo saw that she was a light blue with a dark blue windswept mane. It reminded her of Spitfire's mane actually.
"I hope those stuck up ponies don't have better beds than us." She sat down and tucked her hooves under her so she didn't take up much room. She was so tiny! She had to be a weather pony. No pony could be a guard or a Shadowbolt and be that tiny! Then again, she was trying to conserve space.
"My name's Nightshade. What's a filly like you doing here? Luna got you cleaning the place or something?" Scootaloo fluffed up her feathers and rolled over onto her stomach. "No! I'm the newest member of the Shadowbolts! Princess Luna tested me and everything!"
Nightshade seemed surprised. "Newest member of the Shadow-" The mare started laughing. "So you're the pipsqueak that Luna told me about! Prehaps I should introduce myself differently. My name's Nightshade, the captain of the Shadowbolts."
Scootaloo's jaw dropped. She was the captain of the Shadowbolts? But she was so small! How on earth did she get onto the team? Nightshade opened up her dark colored wings and Scootaloo understood. She could see the power that she had gained in those wings. The feathers were rigid and appeared to be sharp, but they were soft like regular feathers. Scootaloo had only seen feathers like that on one pegasus before, but they hadn't been this rigid.
Rainbow Dash's wings looked a lot like Nightshade's. The rainbow pony had told her that has a pegasus gains more power in their wings, the feathers become more rigid looking against the muscles that were growing in the wing. Scootaloo partically open up one of her wings and looked at her feathers. They were so soft looking. She still had a lot of her down feathers left. The pegasus had been trying to pluck out the down feathers that weren't needed, but it hadn't ended well.
"I'm looking forward to flying with you, ah, what's your name?" Nightshade asked.
"Scootaloo."
"Right. Well, I'm looking forward to flying with you Scootaloo. You'll have to show me what you got." The pegasus got up and folded her wings against her back. "Now get some sleep. We can talk tomorrow." Nightshade walked back over to her bed and flopped down. Scootaloo tried to curl up in the way that Nightshade had, but couldn't get her hooves to tuck under her like that. She'd have to learn to make herself smaller somehow. There were far too many ponies here!
Once she had gotten into a some what comfortable position, Scootaloo closed her eyes and pulled her hoof over her face to block out what little light was left. Tomorrow she would fly with Nightshade and the Shadowbolts. Tomorrow she would send a letter to Ponyville telling them that she hadn't become a weather pony and there had been a change of plans. Tomorrow...dear Celestia there was so much that was going to happen tomorrow!
Scootaloo groaned and lifted her head off her hooves. There was no way she was going to sleep tonight! The pegasus stood up and stretched. She might as well explore the castle while she could. She'd be so busy tomorrow that Scootaloo wouldn't have a chance to look around. The filly stepped around the sleeping ponies and headed towards the large door. Once she reached it, she made sure no pony had woken up or was currently awake.
The coast was clear. Scootaloo pushed on the door with her hooves and opened it. She was surprised that it opened without a single sound. She had been expecting a loud creaking sound or something like that. Instead it opened up silently and the pegasus slipped out into the dark hallway. Scootaloo began to walk down the hall looking at the walls. There were paintings of famous ponies and the princesses hung on the walls along with some nice little decorations.
Scootaloo continued down the quiet hall. The only sound was her hooves against the polished floor. She turned and headed down the next hallway. Scootaloo spotted a door cracked open not far ahead. Light poured out of the crack and the pegasus found herself curious. She walked over to the door and stuck her nose in, opening the door up a couple of inches. She didn't put her whole head in just in case there was an important offical in there.
Inside she saw Princess Luna. She was talking to some other pony, but Scootaloo couldn't see who it was. It was some pony important, that was for sure. Although, after listening to the conversation, Scootaloo assumed that Luna was talking to her sister Celestia.
"My dear older sister, how are we to test fly our newest member of the Shadowbolts when this rain continues to pour? We'd very much like it if your weather team could clear it." Luna said, keeping her head held high as she spoke to her older sister. Scootaloo found it strange. They were sisters and yet they still acted so regal around each other. Didn't they ever lighten up?
"Relax my younger sister. You know as well as I do that this rain isn't ending. No pony can clear it and we must keep it this way. Ponies could hurt themselves trying. I know very well this spell won't be broken. I made sure." Celestia replied. She looked to the window where the rain was hitting against.
"Celestia, are you sure you can keep this up? Some pony might figure it out eventually. We fear for you. Some pony might break the curse." Luna replied. Celestia seemed to already know this fact. "I am aware of that, Luna. For now we'll let them sit in their own oblivion. We took care of those who knew."
Scootaloo gasped and backed away. They weren't-? They couldn't-! The pegasus turned around and galloped back down the hall towards the sleeping room. Her heart was pounding in her chest and fear flooded through her veins. She didn't just hear that! She was just dreaming! Scootaloo was just caught in a run away dream. The pegasus continued to tell that to herself, but she wasn't calmed. Scootaloo spotted the door to the sleeping room and galloped over.
Carefully with shaking hooves Scootaloo opened the door and closed it behind her. She took in a couple of shakey breaths and folded her ruffled wings against her spine. Scootaloo's mind was completely blank with fear. The filly crept over the sleeping bodies and over to her own pile of hay. Scootaloo curled up and forced herself to calm down. Tomorrow she would talk to Luna and sort this whole thing out. Perhaps she had just heard a snippit of the conversation and assumed.
Yet she was still terrified of what she had heard. Of what she shouldn't have heard. Why did she have to be curious? Why couldn't she just go straight to bed after talking to Nightshade? Scootaloo wished she could go back in time and stop herself. The filly took in a breath and sighed. She let her mind forget everything and just let go. Worrying right now would only accomplish one thing and that was not getting a goodnight's sleep for tomorrow.
Scootaloo's mind began to wander onto better things like her friends, Ponyville, or even what she'd eat for breakfast. The thought of the conversation was completely forgotten behind her wall of memories and thoughts. With pleasent thoughts running through her head instead, Scootaloo fell asleep.
