The cafeteria chatter was filled to the brim, students conversing about many assignments, who's going out with who, anything that perpetrated them to talk about something.
There was a table that exhibited three girls planning the next location of their promotion for their group, to put themselves out there.
"Do you really think that's a good place to crusade?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Of course! It's accessible and so many people would be able to see us do our thing! It will be awesome!" Scootaloo replied. As she glanced to the lunch bar, a nonchalant Rainbow Dash walks by their table, her tray of spaghetti and meatballs with a Sprite soda.
This is my chance! She's right there! Lemme see, uh--
She interrupted her thoughts by leaning back on her chair, crossing her arms, and placing her feet on the table. Unfortunately, a gnat managed to enter in the pink and red tunnel of mouth as the orange girl yawned. She could feel a tickle, an itch in her throat. As she coughed, she lost her balance with the back legs of her chair. Her body nearly flung the cyan girl, but ended up on the cold tile floor.
Think, Scootaloo, think!! But she really couldn't with the ringing in her delicate ears, and a potential welt she at the back of her head.
With a cough in her fist and a swipe at a tear in the corner of her eye, she said with a bravado, "Hey, Rainbow! What's up?" Rainbow Dash merely stared at her. A nervous chuckle escaped Scootaloo. As her eyes wandered, students from a few tables were staring as well.
Rainbow Dash grabbed Scootaloo's hand. "You okay? You gotta be careful next time, kid." She gave her a noogie, hopefully making the experience for the freshman less awkward.
"Sure thing," she grunted. Entranced by the ruffle she was given by Rainbow, she continued absentmindedly, "Anything for you. I would even fall off a bridge for you."
A few students exchanged glances and snickered. Rainbow placed her hand behind her neck. "Hehe, okayy..."
Scootaloo just responded with a red blush that covered her entire face.
"Wha--I mean, I wouldn't actually--" The snickers got louder. "Nevermind," she mumbled, averting her eyes. Before Rainbow Dash could say anything to make her feel better, Apple Bloom interjected.
"Ya good, Scoots? 'Cuz that was one heck of a fall."
"Yeah, are you okay?" Sweetie Belle chimed in.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Scootaloo answers, her eyes still glued to the floor and her face still red.
Rainbow gently placed her hand on Scootaloo's shoulder, gave a soft smile, and walked to her table of her ecclectic group of friends. However, Scootaloo was too embarrassed to reciprocate a smile, much less even notice.
Moving on from what just happened, the girls continued their conversation.
"The Horse Valley Mall is big for a cuppla' banners to be hung," Apple Bloom started.
"And maybe we can grab people's attention. We can wear our costumes. I know my sister would definitely encourage that!" Sweetie added. "What do you think, Scootaloo?"
I can't believe that just happened! What does she think of me, now? I looked like an idiot!
"Scootaloo?"
I've got to keep trying! That was just a mistake--a mistake that'll make her never like me again!
"Scoots?"
What was I thinking?! She wasn't even gonna notice me, anyway!!
"SCOOTALOO!"
The girl's head perked up and put of her palms "Huh?"
"Whaddya' think? Would Horse Valley Mall work with ya?" Apple Bloom motioned her hand out in front of them. Sweetie Belle joined in, placing her hand on top of hers.
"Yeah, sure," Scootaloo replied with fake enthusiasm. She then slapped her hand on top of theirs to come off more convincing. However, the two girls exchanged glances with both skepticism and curiosity.
"Scootaloo, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I told you I'm fine, guys."
"Yer not still upset about ya fallin' on the ground, are ya?"
"Pfft, no...Guys, really."
"I don't know, Scootaloo..." Sweetie responded with more concern than suspicion.
"I promise, guys. Not worried at all. Just a fall."
"Then wah are ya sweatin'?" Apple Bloom asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because it's super hot."
"It's October," Sweetie Belle chimed in.
"If ya take off yer jacket, you can feel how cold it is," Apple Bloom persisted.
"Guys, really. I'm fine. Why don't we just get started after school? I can find us an arcade at the mall after we finish our job."
"You sure?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie asked simultaneously.
"Yep." Scootaloo gave a smile, but a much more genuine one. Though she was still not being honest with them, she grinned because she knew her best friends really did care.
They all counted "1..2...3!! Cutie Mark Crusaders!! Yeah!!"
The bell rang, so that meant that sixth period lunch was over. As soon as the CMC walked out of the hallway with other students, they said their "see you laters" and dealt with the tides of kids on their own.
To make sure her head didn't actually develop a welt, she entered the closest bathroom she can find. As she walked in, she felt a poke from her stomach, but didn't pay much attention to it.
As she looked into the mirror, she used her hand as a guide to search for any bump.
Oh my God, why is my head so frickin' big? Scootaloo has always been a little self-conscious about the size of her head. That's why she loved wearing her helmet, even when she wasn't riding her scooter. She likes to think that her having her helmet on is like Rainbow Dash having her soccer ball. Unfortunately, the moment she thought about her idol, she began to sweat profusely.
Scootaloo found stomach to churn and her chest to tighten. She felt her breathing to quicken and deepen. The bathroom she was once in started to close in on her. Her vision darkened at the edges of her eyes and created a tunnel vision. Her started to droop, and her feet weakened.
As she tried using the painted brick wall as support, her hand missed, which caused the girl to fall on her hand and knees.
Her breathing incrementally sped up and became more shallow. Every breath she took was stuck in lungs. She felt like her heart was going to swell and burst.
Am I dying! I'm gonna die! She thought as hot tears started streaming down her face.
She crawled to a corner, hugged her knees, and dug her head inside them, letting the tears sting her eyes.
Why me? Why is this happening to me?! Scootaloo muttered, "This is why Rainbow Dash will never accept you. Because you're curled into a ball."
Rainbow Dash, your idol will look down on me even more if she sees me like this
Her thoughts were interrupted by footsteps. The shoes were so squeaky that even Scootaloo can hear through her episode.
"Hey, hey, Scootaloo?" A raspy voice startled Scootaloo because she knew whose it was. She trembled and scooted closer to the corner. Her worst nightmare came true. All the fears of looking weak and vulnerable in front of someone whom she admired had come true.
Oh my God, I don't wanna scare her, but--no, I have to say something again, Rainbow Dash thought with much panic.
"Hey, Scootaloo?"
No response, just coarse and heavy breathing.
The younger girl's back was to her, but that didn't faze Rainbow. The older girl knew what she was supposed to do. She walked up to Scootaloo, knelt down to be at the orange girl's level, and pulled her into a hug.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm not gonna leave you. I'll be right here," Rainbow whispered in her ear as she hugged her even tighter. Seconds later, Scootaloo was wheezing uncontrollably.
Rainbow Dash quickly pulled back to hinder any breath difficulty Scootaloo may have to endure. "Oh, sorry!" She saw her backpack, and specifically the pockets.
Water! That's it!
"I'll be right back, kiddo," she told her softly.
Since she was a feet away from the back, she quickly crawled to it to reach the Aquafina bottle. She was saving it for soccer practice next week, but she knew Scootaloo needed it more. Once she grabbed the bottle out, she scooted to the right of Scootaloo instead of behind her.
Scootaloo was still quaking when Rainbow gently touched her shoulder. She was yearning for this sibling intimacy, but didn't think she'd get it. After all, the senior barely knew her; Rainbow just happened to know the freshman through Applejack.
"Here you go," Rainbow said, "Drink it all up. You definitely need it."
Scootaloo hand shook vigorously as she took the bottle. She took the swig of it. The water may not have waned her anxiety, but it definitely cooled her down. Her stomach stopped churning, and her chest loosened a ton. This caused her to breathe at a normal pace.
Tears threatened Scootaloo eyes. She tried holding them back, but she couldn't.
"Thank...you...so...--"
"Shhh, shhh, it's okay. Just relax. You don't have to say anything. I got you," Rainbow Dash whispered. Every word Scootaloo said had rapid hiccups and sniffles.
About twenty minutes have past by, missing Pre-Calc, but Rainbow Dash honestly couldn't care less. She might get a detention, but she didn't care. She had a very valid reason. Helping someone in his or her darkest hour was worth more than a crappy class that she would sleep through nonetheless.
Finally, as Scootaloo collected herself, she asked very quietly, "Am I weak to you?"
Rainbow's eyes widened when she asked that question. "What?! Of course not! What you just went through! No fuckin' way! Seriously, you're a very strong kid. Trust me.
"Is there something goin' on? I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she said softly, not wanting to let the same episode occur again.
"Well...I've always looked up to you," Scootaloo began hastily, but her face was lit up. "And I wanted to impress you by making you see me and think that I'm cool," Her smile faded, "but when I embarrassed myself, and people started staring and laughing at me, I thought you didn't like me. So when I had this happen, I didn't want you to see me like this, but..."
She looked into Rainbow's magenta eyes, "here you are."
"Hey, this" gestering around them and the bathroom, "is between us, okay?"
Scootaloo nodded. "Your secret safe with me," Rainbow added with a wink.
"Can you keep a secret, Scoots?"
"Yes!" No one called her 'Scoots' beside her best friends and her dad, so be called her nickname by someone who she worshipped so much was too exciting to suppress. Rainbow grinned.
"I've dealt with panic attacks, too. I just keep pushing through cuz I know at the end of the day, I'll live. That's why I've got lots of water: because my muscles relax a bit. I mean, it's different for everyone, but..." She shrugged.
"You wanna see after school? You could ride my motorcycle with me. Wherever you need to go, I'll take ya." She winked again.
Rainbow Dash leaned in closer. "If there's somethin' that bothering you, talk to me, okay?" She held her hand into a fist.
Scootaloo returned the fist bump. "Okay!"
"Wanna stay for a bit? I kinda don't wanna go my math class." Rainbow shuddered. "And I'll make some excuse. They always work." She chuckled.
"Okay! I...I trust you!"
Rainbow wrapped her arm around the girl and gave her a soft smile. "Cool!"
Author's Note
I've always loved Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo's relationship, so I wanted to write about them.
Hope you like the story. If you happen to be a great writer, I would love feedback. Honestly, feedback from anyone would be great! There will be more to come :)
The bell rang like acoustics at the end of seventh period.
The two girls groaned and slumped onto the wall. The bond the athlete and the mini-athlete shared for the majority of the class period.
"Great. Another lame class I have to be in," Rainbow grumbled as she rolled her eyes. "You get it, right?"
"For sure. I just wanna ride out of my classes, and go on an adventure," Scootaloo responded, but this time, in this very moment, she spoke in her regular, slightly pitchy voice instead of deepening her voice.
There was a pause afterwards. Rainbow stared at the orange girl, but with soft eyes. "I guess we're on the same page then, Squirt," the cyan girl said while giving her a noogie.
What really surprised Scootaloo was how open and affectionate Rainbow was to her. She always fantasized about it, but temporarily doubted it.
"You comin'?" Rainbow was already by the door. She didn't want the catastrophe that Scootaloo endured to happen again when she wasn't by her side.
Scootaloo shook her head vigorously before looking back at her sister. Sister? Sister! She is!!
"Yeah!" She exclaimed. Then her face blushed a dash of red, but not much as lunch.
She walked to Rainbow, and they headed out together.
Rainbow Dash strolled to class, not giving a crap about being late. One more period. One more fucking period, she thought. Gaaughh! You know what, fuck it! I'm...auuggh!! I'm taking a late pass!
As the athlete strolled into class, she caught several eyes from their teacher to her nonchalant demeanor.
"Miss Dash, I would like an explanation as to why you are late. Again."
Rainbow Dash scoffed at the deep voice of Ms. Harshwhinny.
"Must've been kicking her soccer ball so much and kicked head," whispered Trixie, who happened to be on the other side of the teacher and athlete; however, Rainbow was still able to hear the comment despite the distance. She responded with a snarl. The magician snickered, still smirking.
"Well, better late than never," Rainbow responded as she rolled her eyes. Ms. Harshwhinny motioned her hand in front of her.
"Explanation, Miss Dash!" The english teacher demanded.
"Well, uh, I was, uh," Think, Rainbow Dash, think!, "in study hall...studying." A roar of laughter filled the room after her lie.
"Oh please! Like anyone would believe that! Wouldn't surprise me that you're failing!! How ludricrous---oh, wait--she probably doesn't know what ludricrous even means!!!" Trixie was gripping onto the edge of her desk, eyes squinted filled with tears of laughter. Even Harshwhinny, who tries to conduct herself, was snickering under her hand.
Rainbow clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails were digging into her palms. I wanna fight her so bad!
"You wanna go?!?! Let's go!!!" Rainbow roared.
I will not allow you to be late again," the teacher continued, trying to compose herself, "You are most certainly lucky that I am giving you a warning!" Harshwhinny's cold blue eyes sunk deep into magenta ones that were now pinpricks. "Am I clear?" She growled through gritted teeth. Rainbow didn't answer. Harshwhinny towered over the student. "AM I CLEAR?!"
"Crystal," Rainbow replied, clarifying the furious crack in her already raspy voice. She stormed toward her desk; her face blushed a little shade of red.
"Now, as I saying before a certain student disrupted my lecture..."
What a bitch! Rainbow's thought grunted.
As Scootaloo was still looking for her class, she glanced at the Aquafina bottle every minute. She didn't want what happens thirty-five minutes ago to happen again. She walked to the nearest water fountain to refill it.
Though the liquid trickled a little on her wrist, the mouth of the bottle wasn't that small enough for the water to miss it completely.
I wish she was my sister! Maybe we can actually become closer, she thought. As she finished refilling her bottle, she continued on to find her class.
The classroom was had a window that had a label that read A206. This was her art class.
The churning in the stomach reappeared, and tightening blasted on her chest.
Keep it together, Scoots, keep it together, the skatergirl assured. You're not gonna screw up again Unfortunately, her legs refused to stay still; the weight of her feet were being shifted.
She inhaled a shivery deep breath and exhaled an unwavered one.
To practice walking in the classroom normally, Scootaloo tried planting the bottoms of her feet to keep steady motion and control over her body.
She twisted a doorknob, which let out a timid squeal. As expected but feared, the students followed her gaze to the girl with short and warm purple hair.
"Miss Scootaloo, do you have a late pass?" Mrs. Sherbert Swirl, who is one of the faculty teachers asked politely.
The woman had the skin color that was the same as her name, with kinky, coiled salamander hair, and the most beautiful amber eyes anyone has ever seen.
If there was one thing that she wanted to portray to her students, it was a calm and soft, but also assertive and firm demeanor.
Though she did not like tardiness, it was rare that Scootaloo was late to her class.
"No," the student muttered, then averting her gaze.
"What was that?" The art teacher asked while walking closer.
"No, Mrs. Swirl...I don't..." Scoots repeated as she hung her head.
"It's okay, Scootaloo, I understand. We've just started anyway. I'm sure you'll be able to catch up." Mrs. Swirl gave her a warm smile. She always tried her hardest to make her students feel comfortable even when that certain situation wasn't made to be.
God, I love her she thought as she went over to her assigned table.
The clock finally ticked to the end of school; the cluster of students spilled onto the front yard in relief.
Whilst some students did so, the CMC walked out the back door to talk about their plans.
"Let's meet at Horse Valley Mall like we promised," Scootaloo told her friends.
"Ya' guys wanna carpool tagether?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Sure!" The two other girls answered with smiles from ear to ear.
"Lemme text Applejack ta see if we can all ride our pickup truck." Apple Bloom pulls her phone out of the pocket of her rusty denim knee-length shorts.
Hey, big sis! Can Sweetie Belle, Scoots an' ah ride in our truck?
In a few seconds, her sister replied. Of course, sugarcube 🙂
Just in time, a big mahogany pickup truck pulls up to the curb behind the three girls.
"Hiya, little sis! Howdy, sugarcubes! Hop on in!" Applejack peaked her head out the window of the passenger seat, took off her Stetson hat, and used it to motion them to the rusty vehicle. Big Mac is leaning back onto the driver seat nonchalantly.
"YEAH!! The back looks GREAT!!" A girl with curly hot pink hair exclaimed as she bounced up and down on the cargo bed and then rolled in it. The cowgirl winced at every word.
Apple Bloom hopped into the cargo bed, with Sweetie Belle following her. Scootaloo was about to approach the vehicle when a motorcycle zigzagged across the parking lot. It stopped to a brake perpendicular to the right side of the truck.
"'Sup?" The biker said through her helmet. Scootaloo's lavender eyes were glued onto the girl that revealed Rainbow Dash.
"Well, nothin', really," Applejack responded.
Scootaloo's mouth was still hanging open; Rainbow chuckled. "Hey, squirt. Ya like her?"
Pinkie smiled with all of her twenty-four teeth showing. "What about Gladys? You guys were meant to be with each other! Did that not work out--"
"We're--i mean I'm fine, Pinkie! I don't even know what you're talking about--"
"C'mon, RD. With Zephyr," Applejack chimed in, "you seemed passionate ta me."
"I'm with Rocky, now. Gladys was temporary. I can ride Rocky anywhere!" Rainbow started caressing the velvet of the seat. "So where you guys headin' to?"
"HVM," the CMC answered simultaneously.
"Oh, that's great! AJ, Dashie, Shy, Rares, Sunny, Twi, and I are gonna meet up there, too!" Pinkie beamed.
"AB, Sweets, and I were just about to leave--"
"Hey, AJ! Bet I can get to HVM first!" Rainbow interjected.
"Hold on, now. This ain't a competition. We gotta be safe on the road," Applejack continued, "but if it were, ah would win."
"It's on. It's so on!" Rainbow zoomed to her cycle, but wanted to do something before she went on. She walked to Scootaloo and leaned in close.
"Hey, Scoots. Wanna ride with me?" She asked. "I'll be careful," she whispered, "Promise." She added a wink at the end.
"Okay," Scootaloo whispered back, loving both the secrecy and the request.
"We'll see you there, Scoots," Sweetie Belle called as the truck started to drive off.
"Hey! You have a head start!!" Rainbow called. A determined smirk crawled across her face, and she lifted her left eyebrow.
Rainbow ponied-up and released her wings. She then carried the freshman on her back and gingerly placed her on the second seat.
"That's so cool! Wait--Rocky was, like, three feet away."
"Enh. Whatever. Still cool, right?"
"Yeah!"
Rainbow didn't even bother to check the battery, gas, or anything else. Winning meant a lot to her; she started the engine.
Rainbow turns her head to Scootaloo "You ready?" She takes off her helmet and places it on Scootaloo's head.
"Let's do this!"
