"Did you see our award, weren't we funny!?" All three Cutie Mark Crusaders shouted in unison as they darted towards the three ponies waiting for them.
Their talent show performance...could have gone better. When they're initial musical and dance number had unintentionally mutated into a comedy act, all three crusaders were quite disheartened, but they cheered up when they got medals for comedy anyway. After their initial talk with Twilight Sparkle backstage, the crusaders had noticed they had guests to visit them backstage.
"Applejack did ya see me, well did ya, huh huh?" Applebloom asked while bouncing energetically.
"Ah saw ya Applebloom, you were great." Applejack commended.
"An absolutely fabulous display, if I do say so myself." Rarity chimed while smiling proudly at a beaming Sweetie Belle.
"You were awesome squirt, your singing was really...something." Rainbow Dash cringed slightly at the thought.
Scootaloos smile threatened to break her face. "Really you liked it, you liked our act, REALLY?!?!"
"Really squirt." Rainbow tousled Scootaloos hair.
Scootaloo was so happy. Rainbow Dash, Cloudsdales fastest flyer, the queen of cool and the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria was praising her, HER. Before she realised what she was doing, Scootaloo had leapt onto Rainbow Dash’s neck and pulled her into a very uncool, yet affectionate hug.
"Wow squirt, what you getting so excited about?" Rainbow questioned, still smiling happily.
"It's just that you, the coolest and fastest flyer in Equestria came to see my play." Scootaloo resounded, still holding on.
"Hmpf, cant argue with that. But I couldn't just leave my number one an hanging now could I?"
"Sweetie Belle, how come you never hug me like that anymore?" Rarity teased.
"Because I'm older now."
"Oh but I remember when you were still little, whenever you saw me you would run up shouting 'warity warity, I missed-."
"Rarity! Stop!" Sweetie Belle exasperated. She was embarrassed and was blushing through her coat.
"What? All I'm saying is your never too old for a good, sisterly hug." Rarity smiled, obviously enjoying her younger siblings embarrassment.
"Darn tootin!" On cue Applejack tackled Applebloom into her grasp. The two giggling on the ground, in each others arms.
"Well if its a hug you want..." Rarity looked away from Applejack just in time to notice Sweetie Belle hurtling towards her from above.
"Ahhh, my hair." Sweetie Belle had landed right in Rarity's mane, ruining her precarious design.
"What’s the matter sis, I thought you wanted a sisterly hug." Sweetie Belle remarked sarcastically.
"Sweeeetie Beeelle." Rairty spoke slowly. Sweetie Belle was scared, maybe she went too far.
"Come here!" Rarity shouted. She pulled Sweetie Belle into her grasp and began to edict a vindictive tickle sentence.
Applejack, Applebloom, Rarity and Sweetie Belle were so busy having fun with their sisters it had made them completely forget about Rainbow and Scootaloo. Scootaloo had long since descended from Rainbow Dashes neck and was being rather quiet. Rainbow decided to break the silence.
"So Scoots, where are your parents. I thought at least somepony may have came to see you behind stage?" It was an innocent enough question, Rainbow for one second had never thought it could do any wrong.
When Scootaloo heard the question however she froze, her head drooped down. The other four giggling ponies had noticed Scootaloos obvious change in demeanour and where now all looking at her rather curiously.
"Scootaloo what’s-." Rainbow Dash was interrupted before she could finish.
"They're just busy with work, don’t worry Rainbow, I'm fine with it." Almost on cue Scootaloo had reverted back to her happy-go-lucky smiling face. But Rainbow could see how her eyes didn’t mirror her happiness.
"Well that's mighty unfortunate." Applebloom stated.
"Yeah, I mean, I thought they may have at least came to see you sing." Sweetie Belle chipped in.
"Now girls, it’s understandable that Scootaloos parents may be busy workin and maybe this preformance just couldn’t meet their scheduals." Applejack scowled at the two fillies.
"Sorry." Both crusaders apologized in unison.
Scootaloo throughout that conversation had been quiet, but her smile was beginning to crack at the edges and from the looks of things Rainbow Dash was the only one to have noticed. She didn’t know what to make of it, so she did the only thing she could at the moment.
"Hey Scoots do you want me to take you home?" Rainbow figured that Scootaloo wasn’t telling the whole story, but she thought the best she could do is at least take her home.
Scootaloo in any other scenario would have jumped at the chance to spend time with Rainbow Dash, but this time... "No thanks, I can get home by myself fine." She let out a nervous chuckle. Rainbow Dash was getting more and more confused.
"It's quite dark kid, come on you can ride on my back." Rainbow offered the one thing she knew Scootaloo would never turn down in a million years.
"No, It's fine." It pained Scootaloo to turn down the chance to ride on Rainbow Dash's back, but it would pain her even more if she found out the truth.
Everyone in the room was speechless. Even Rarity who hadn’t spoken to the orange filly much knew she was an obsessive Rainbow Dash fan. The other two crusaders eyes had shrunken to the size of marbles and their jaws threatened to break through the floor. Applejack who was a little wiser than the crusaders and maybe Rarity, was beginning to sense something off about Scootaloos behaviour.
"Wha...What?" Rainbow Dash was shocked.
"I said its fine, really it is. I can get home on my own." Scootaloo quickly took off her costume and wiped her makeup off with a rag.
"B-but darling, I have to agree with Rainbow Dash. It is quite dark, you should let her walk you home." Rarity although she wasn't entirely familiar with Sweetie Belles orange pegasus friend, was still not happy with the idea of letting a little school filly walk home on her own at night.
"Scootaloo, ahm gonna have to agree with Rarity on this one." Applejack also chipped in.
"Yeah, cmon Scoots its Rainbow Dash." Applebloom bounded next to her sister smiling happily. She just thought that Scootaloo was being stubborn. She wisent able to see that maybe something else may be wrong.
Sweetie Belle however was a little better than Applebloom at sensing the mood and was quite confused to her friends behaviour. Scootaloo wasn't saying anything and was instead getting her scooter ready to leave. Sweetie Belle walked up next to her friend and asked the one question that everypony seemed to have forgotten to ask.
"Scootaloo, is everything okay?"
"I'M FINE OKAY!" Scotaloo hadn't meant to shout.
Sweetie Belle backed up out of surprise. Everypony in the room had fallen quite, even Cheerilee who was congratulation Snips and Snails at the other end of the room looked over at the commotion. Rarity was originally going to scowl the filly for scaring her sister who was currently standing next to her, but another voice seemed to break the silence before hers could.
"Scootaloo I-." Sweetie Belle started.
"Sorry Sweetie Belle, I didn’t mean to shout." Scootaloo had her back to the other ponies. Then she hoped onto her scooter and rode away before anypony could stop her..
Rainbow Dash walked up to the spot where Scootaloo was standing when she ran off and looked down the road she took. Rainbow hung her head slightly, thinking it may have been her fault for making Scootaloo run off like that. When she looked down however she noticed around four dark circles on the ground, water? Then Rainbow Dash understood, Scootaloo was crying.
"Nightmare Night, what a fright, give us something sweet to bite." A group of school fillies chimed.
The filly's began walking away from the house they visited and were counting their haul. Rainbow Dash decided it would be as good as an opportunity as any. She let loose her bolt of lightening with a loud "KRAK!" The school fillies screamed and ran away in a trail of dust, leaving behind Rainbow Dash laughing herself to the point of stitches. Just then out of nowhere, she received a poke on her head from behind. She turned curious to the interruption and before her was an orange pegasus who had attempted to frighten the mare with a classic "Boo." It wasn't even worthy of an exclamation mark. Rainbow Dash lifted her goggles and deadpanned Scootaloo who was currently dressed as a werewolf…or normal wolf.
"Nice costume kid, still not fast enough to catch the fastest flyer in Equestria though and your scares need more work, in that, they suck."
"Reeeaaaly?" Asked Scootaloo with a mischievous grin.
"Yes really, now-." On cue, interrupting Rainbow. A smoky green: scaly, smoke breathing, sharp toothed and extremely large dragon materialized. It hurtled towards Rainbow Dash making her scream like a filly and fall of her cloud.
"AHHH, A DRAGON!!!" Rainbow Dash screamed.
The smoke died away and all that could be heard were the snickering of three fillies.
'Did they just...' Rainbow Dash got up and examined the trio. She had been pranked and pranked hard. Applebloom was dressed as Frankenstein’s wife and Sweetie Belle was dressed as a vampire.
After a few moments the trio's snickering had turned into full blown laughter that echoed throughout the street. Rainbow Dash was...impressed.
"Heh, nice prank kids. Who's idea was it?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Well it was Scootaloo mostly, we just helped get the powder from Zecora and set it off when you weren’t looking." Sweetie Belle said.
"Yeah, I figured if we were going up against one of Ponyvilles best pranksters who is only rivalled by Pinkie Pie, than anything less than perfect would be failure." Scootaloo and the fellow crusaders beamed proudly.
"Scoots that…was… AWESOME! How did you think off that?" Scootaloo was ecstatic, Rainbow thought her prank was awesome.
"Oh you know, your scared of dragons and Zecora had extra projection dust."
"Hmmm, I hate losing." Rainbow Dash pondered. "What would you girls say to a little friendly...is, competition?" Rainbow asked in a daring tone.
The three fillies looked at each other and smiled mischievously. "What kind ah competition?" Applebloom asked.
"Four pranks, one each, whoever gets the best reaction(s) wins. What do you say." Rainbow Dash asked.
"The three fillies went into a group huddle and began to confer. After a few moments they turned back with a conclusion. "You're on." They all said in unison.
First up was Applebloom, she decided to prank her big sister Applejack. While Applejack was busy looking over the fillies dunking for apples she snuck down and around towards her. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were a bit confused to what she was doing and had lost visual contact. Soon after however, a giant pumpkin on a stick came lumbering out of one of the nearby alleys. It was cut to have evil eyes and jagged teeth that glowed due to the interior candle. It had a body that appeared to be one long tree branch. It also possessed arms and legs, the arms were made of two sticks to have an added joint and the legs followed that design. It also appeared to have fingers that grasped and moved, if it wasn't for the fact that they were on a hill and could see Applebloom operating the pulleys from a nearby roof, they would have thought it was alive to. The large contraption walked towards the dunkers with surprising fluidity in it’s movements before stopping.
"Hello little ponies." Applejack and the four fillies turned their head towards the massive lumbering pumpkin stick thing, that seemed to sound like Applebloom but with a deepened voice. However being as tall as a house it drew all the attention.
"You all look so tasty tonight, maybe I'll try some pony tarts. Mwahahaha." All five ponies were stricken with panic and fear, then sprinted away screaming like a rogue manticore.
Applebloom abandoned her large machine and returned with a triumphant grin.
"Wow, did you build all that in a minute?!" Asked Rainbow Dash, stupefied at what she had seen.
"Mostly, the pulleys were already in position from...something, so I just used it." Applebloom bragged.
"Don't get cocky, we still have our turns." Rainbow Dash stated confidently.
Sweetie Belle was next, she decided to prank Rarity who was embroiled in the. Sweetie Belle put on her vampire fangs and began to skulk he sister. Although it sounds like an extremely lame attempt, Rarity was quite the scardy cat. Sweetie Belle swooped down from one of the backstage rafters right in front of her sister and unleashed a very non-intimidating.
"ROOOAAAR!"
Rarity didn’t even blink at the display. "Now Sweetie Belle, ordinarily I would be scared at somepony just leaping out in front of me like that, however this costume was so much work and my hair took so long that its completely overwhelmed my mind to keep it in tact." Rarity walked off leaving behind a rather disappointed Sweetie Belle.
She returned to a group of snickering ponies.
"Wow, not even one, I give you a zero." Rainbow Dash giggled.
"Yeah yeah, fine. I guess I’m just not a prankster." Sweetie Belle grumbled angrily.
"Oh its cool squirt, coming in last place is better than not trying." Rainbows words helped cheer Sweetie Belle up slightly.
"Ok, its my turn now. I'm going to scare Twilight and Spike over there." The three ponies looked unimpressed. "I know, that’s sure to win me a lot of points." Rainbow Dash said proudly.
"That’s it, what’s so special about that?" Applebloom asked.
"None of you have ever gave Spike a fright before have you?." She asked.
"No." They all replied in unison.
"Just wait and I'll show you." Rainbow began to float stealthily towards the pair.
Just when she was going to set off her lightening bolt, she was countered from behind by a loud crack. She jumped off her cloud, screamed and dashed off back to the crusaders. She returned shamed. Sweetie Belle was particularly enjoying it.
"Wow Rainbow, not even one and you got pranked yourself, I guess that’s a negative one."
"Hmpf, yeah yeah fine. Scoots your up." Rainbow said. Scootaloo smiled malevolently.
Rainbow Dash frowned. “What you gonna do?” She asked.
“Oh you’ll see.” Scootaloo smirked deviously then began towards Ponyville. The other Ponies just shrugged and followed.
It was the best prank Rainbow had seen. Scoots had managed to vacate the entire party inside town hall. The screams of terror filled the night, nopony ever spoke of what happened and when Rainbow Dash asked Scootaloo, all she said was.
"I guess some ponies just cant handle a good scare."
The prank went down in Ponyville prankster history. Even twenty, fifty, a hundred years later, Ponyvilles many pranksters and even outside Ponyville tried to break the record to no avail. It was only until a brave colt named Sir' Pranks a lot, took a pilgrimage across the worlds many prankster havens, he was tired and-. Gah, sorry readers. Got a little ahead of myself. Now yes, ahem, back to Scoots.
"So I think this is my victory." Scootaloo spoke proudly.
"Indeed it is congrats squirt, keep at it and you might beat me and Pinkie one day 'might'." Rainbow Dash finished off praising Scootaloo with a noogie and let her friends also congratulate her.
After a while, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had to head home. Rainbow offered to take Scoots home but she, again, declined. Rainbow Dash half contemplated confronting her right there but decided against it. It was Nightmare Night and they had all just had a lot of fun, Rainbow could let it wait.
"I really enjoyed hanging out with you tonight Rainbow." Scootaloo spoke.
"Me too squirt, your really good, but I'm gonna beat you." Rainbow Dash said playfully.
"You can try." Scootaloo challenged.
She revved her scooter and sped off. Scootaloo wished everyday could be that fun. Being with Rainbow Dash...she didn’t feel completely alone, a feeling that she had grown far to used to.
"Ok everypony, that’s it for today." Cheerily dismissed her class.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders began their trek towards the clubhouse to begin planning for this weeks adventures. Rainbow happened to be flying over at the time and decided that since she was bored, she would visit her number one fan.
"Hey squirt." She said while hovering above their heads.
"Hi Rainbow Dash, what are you doing here." Scootaloo asked energetically.
"Oh, well I just finished my entire days workload in ten minutes so I need something to occupy the rest of my shift." Rainbow Dash said in her usual cocky persona.
"Wow, that's amazing." Scootaloo awed.
"Wow Rainbow, if you participated in the Sisterhooves Social ah bet you and your sister would win em all." Scootaloos high opinion of Rainbow Dash had apparently rubbed off onto Applebloom as well.
"Hmpf, dumb Rarity, uncouth? Please." Sweetie Belle started grumbling angrily. Applebloom mentally kicked herself for forgetting the two sisters weren’t getting along.
"Probably, but I don’t have a sister. What about you squirt?" Rainbow asked Scootaloo.
"No, I don’t have a sister either." Scootaloo responded.
"Ah know, you two could run the race together?" Applebloom chimed.
Scootaloo and Rainbow glanced at each other before looking away. "I don’t think Rain-."
"Sure." Rainbow Dash interrupted.
Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash with wide eyes. "You, want to run the race, with me?" She asked, feeling shocked.
"Sure, it might be fun and help me learn more about my number one fan."
Scootaloos smile almost broke the circumference of her head.
"Uh, Rainbow Dash." Raindrop had swooped down upon hearing that Rainbow was planning on skipping her shift tomorrow. "I hate to break it to you, but we got a big freak weather system moving over from the Everfree. You cant skip tomorrow."
Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo's jaws dropped. "C’mon Raindrop surely-."
Raindrop interrupted her. "We need every available weather pony tomorrow or Ponyville gets levelled by lightning. That means the top flyers like you, right down to Ditzy Doo. Got it." Raindrop nailed the point home.
Rainbow sighed, defeated. "Fine. Sorry squirt, next year we will." Rainbow Dash assured.
Scootaloo was originally disheartened at the fact she couldn't participate with Rainbow Dash, but hearing that they would definitely next year cheered her right up.
"Ok Rainbow Dash, I understand. Next year, right?"
"Right." Rainbow tousled Scootaloo's hair then flew off with Raindrop and how she would very soon make him wish he was never born.
Rainbow Dash did indeed want to run the race with Scootaloo. However it was mostly to learn more about her. After that night with the talent show performance Rainbow Dash had asked Cheerilee about Scootaloos parents and she said that she had never met them either. Every parents consultation was met with excuses from Scootaloo, how they were busy working and so forth. However Cheerilee wouldn’t say more than that, apparently because Rainbow wasn't family. Rainbow Dash being extremely stubborn however went by after school every few days and berated Cheerilee for information. It took until she threatened to publish some embarrassing pictures of her and Big Macintosh of when they were still under the influence of the love potion that she "found" in Cheerilees house. Cheerilee agreed, if in exchange Rainbow returned the pictures, never breathed a word of them and promised not to "find" things in her house anymore.
"Look Rainbow Dash, I knew Scootaloo was lying but there was not a lot I could really do. I've been worried about Scootaloo for a long time now but there’s only so much a teacher can do without the students cooperation." Cheerilee had said to Rainbow Dash, she looked frustrated and solemn
"Look Cherilee, you say you've been worried about her, but a few missed parents consultation and lies doesn’t warrant the type of worry I'm seeing from you. There’s more to it than that, please tell me, I want to help." Rainbow begged.
Cheerilee looked at Rainbow Dash and smiled gratefully. "If I may ask, why do you care so much for Scootaloo and to this degree?"
Rainbow knew the question would come and was prepared. "Scootaloo's a little filly, a happy little filly with lots of life left to live. She has friends that love her and a smile that could probably melt Discords heart, um, if he has one. Did you know she started up a Rainbow Dash fan club. She idolizes me so much and honestly, despite my cocky attitude and large ego, I don’t know why she does. I'm lazy, I'm big headed and I'm very short tempered. My only redeeming quality is my loyalty towards my friends and even then Scootaloo trumps that trait tenfold. I can't even begin to understand why Scoots idolizes me, but she does and I'm not going to let her down. She always cheers me on and never laughs at my dreams. I want to help her because she has helped me and because if I don’t do anything...then how will I be able to look at myself in the mirror?" Rainbow Dash hadn’t been this determined in a long time.
"I think I can see why Scootaloo idolizes you." Cheerilee giggled.
"Well that makes one of us."
Cheerilee sighed, she knew she was going to have to tell Rainbow Dash. "Well Rainbow Dash your right, a few missed parents consultations and fibs isn't the only reason I was so worried. I suppose I should start from the beginning."
"Scootaloo has been coming to this school for her whole foulhood and I have been teaching her class for a while now." Cheerilee paused slightly. "When I started teaching the class I noticed that Scootaloo was an awfully quiet filly and that she had no friends. Ordinarily I would just assume that a filly like that was just shy and had a hard time interacting. After a while though, I began to notice that Scootaloo had strange bruises but I only caught glimpses of them, nothing too visible. I imagine she was trying to hide them. But then out of nowhere a year ago they just stopped, no more bruises and after a couple of months she even befriended Applebloom and Sweetie Belle."
"Is that it?" Rainbow Dash asked rather annoyed if that really was all she had.
"I'm afraid so." Cheerilee looked down glumly.
"How come after noticing the bruises you never did anything?" Rainbow Dash asked angrily.
"Because I knew that if I did she would only outright deny it and work even harder at concealing them." Cheerilee defended.
"Then who are her parents, can you tell me that?" Rainbow Dash was doing her very best not to punch Cheerilee right in the face.
Cheerilee nodded and began sifting through some files in her cabinet.
"I tracked down her mother and father as both being weather pegasi called Low Pressure and Heat Wave."
"Weather pegasi, hmpf, they should be easy enough to find."
"I see." Cheerilee said.
"Thanks Cheerilee, I need to go now." Rainbow dumped the envelope of pictures onto Cheerilees desk then turned to walk out the door.
Rainbow Dash was about to leave the school building before she heard Cheerilee say one last thing towards her.
"You would make a good sister Rainbow Dash."
"No I wouldn't." Rainbow Dash countered, then flew away.
As Rainbow Dash flew away. Cheerilee turned away from the doorway and went to sit down at her desk.
"Well Scootaloo, looks like you really have got a sister after all." A few tears trickled down Cheerilees face onto some pieces of paper on her desk. She didn’t care.
The best wedding ever. That's what everyone including Rainbow Dash had considered it. A Sonic Rainboom at a wedding, how does that not equal the best. Admittedly the first wedding was not the most ideal, a Changeling invasion tends to have that effect. The second attempt however went a lot better. Rainbow Dash didn't just consider this wedding the best on account off the Sonic Rainboom, it was also due to the fact that she had gotten to speak to Scootaloo. Since Scootaloo and the other crusaders had been the weddings flower girls, Rainbow had gained an invaluable opportunity to talk to her privately.
When Pinkie Pie had magically conjured up DJ P0N-3 from underneath a turntable, the party was in full swing, and everypony was having the time of their lives. Twilights singing wasn't bad either. Scootaloo must have felt a bit overwhelmed as she soon snuck off into a more secluded and quiet part of the gardens. Rainbow Dash noticed her leave and followed stealthily after her. She was going to confront her.
Rainbow Dash, after learning what Scootaloo's parents names were and that they were weather ponies, had began to look for them. She asked fellow weather pegasi, her boss and other higher ranked weather ponies if any of them had heard off Low Pressure and Heat Wave. Her search was met with mixed success, most had never heard off them and those that had, stated they had no idea where they were. Finally however she caught a break, one weather pegasus team leader stated that those certain ponies used to be in his division. Apparently, they were deceased.
"What do you mean their dead?" Rainbow Dash asked, shocked at the revelation.
"Well Low Pressure, she died around two years ago from leukaemia. She was off work a lot, hardly around and Heat Wave's nerves where really frayed from her condition constantly improving and deteriorating. After she died he took it hard, turned to the bottle, got fired and then died from a slip and fall around a year ago."
Rainbow when she learned off this fact was shocked. When she asked about Scootaloo the stallion had explained that he knew Low Pressure and Heat Wave were married but didn't know they had a child.
Scootaloo was sitting on a garden bench, near some statues (fortunately no Draconequus) and staring up at the stars. Rainbow walked up next to her and Scootaloo still didn’t notice.
"Mind if I sit next to you?" Rainbow Dash asked Scootaloo.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash. Of course you can." Scootaloo scooted across to allow Rainbow Dash a spot.
"I love you in your flower girl dress." Rainbow commented, causing Scootaloo to blush.
"Really? You don’t think it's uncool. Being so girly and all." Scootaloo asked awkwardly.
"Course not, I think it looks very cute on you. Plus you are a girl, so its ok to have girly things." Rainbow Dash assured, making Scootaloo's whole face go a deep tinge of red.
"Thanks, that means a lot coming from you." Scootaloo said, revelling in the fact her idol was complementing her.
There was silence for a few moments before Scootaloo broke it. "Do you really think I'm cute Rainbow Dash?" She asked.
Rainbow chuckled slightly. She realized that Scootaloo, despite having a rather coltish attitude was just like every other filly and liked being complemented on her appearance. "Of course I do, you could probably give Fluttershy a run for her money." Rainbow Dash assured.
'I guess it's either now or never.' Thought Rainbow.
"So Scootaloo, why are neither of your parents here?" Rainbow asked seriously.
Scootaloo tensed up slightly. "Oh, they're you know, busy. They said I was ok to come though as Rarity and Applejack were here." Scootaloo was good at lying about this subject and thought that answer would satisfy her, but when she looked at Rainbow's face it had a serious expression that Scootaloo had never seen before.
"Really? Busy? You know Scoots, your parents are busy quite a lot." Rainbow figured she would try and let Scoots tell Rainbow of her parents demise herself.
"Well...they have demanding positions at their jobs." Scootaloo muttered.
"Yeah, you know I asked Cheerilee about them and she said she had never met them either" Rainbow Dash stated. The conversation had shifted into an interrogation like scenario, the air was tense and Rainbow wasn't about to let Scoots try and run away from it.
"What? Why would you do that!?" Scootaloo asked, surprised at the revelation.
"Because Scoots I'm worried about you." Rainbow said simply.
"You don’t need to be, I'm fine." Scootaloo assured, putting on another one of her grade A smiles. It was exhilarating for her to hear that her idol was worried about her and that made it even harder to lie.
Rainbow Dash knew she wasn't going to get anywhere like this so she just decided to tell her. "Scootaloo, I know." Rainbow Dash said solemnly.
Scootaloo went silent, she didn’t make eye contact and instead looked down to the ground. She wasn't stupid and it wasn't going to help to play dumb. She said the only thing she could.
"How?" Scootaloo muttered quietly.
"I met their old weather team leader. He told me." Rainbow Dash explained.
Scootaloo bit her lip. "So what? Are you going to pity me now, is that it?" Scootaloo asked aggressively.
Rainbow Dash hadn't expected Scootaloo demeanour to change in that style but she wasn't going to back down either.
"Oh the poor little filly, she lost her parents that’s so sad. Let me tell you something Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo hoped off the bench and turned to look at her idol with an anger she only ever got when she felt pitied. "I've never needed anypony, not even my parents. I don’t need your pity!" Scootaloo shouted and turned away. To Scootaloo being pitied by everypony was a fate worse than death, to her pity was what ponies felt towards those that were useless and dejected.
Rainbow caught her by the shoulder and walked in front of her. She knelt down to her height. "Scootaloo I'm not going to pity you, I just want to help."
"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!" Scootaloo was crying at this point. Rainbow Dash was her idol and like her older sister. More than anything she wanted Rainbow to acknowledge and accept her, but after this she thought all Rainbow would see is a stubborn, sorry filly. Scootaloo tried to shake her off but Rainbow wasn't letting go.
"Hey Scoots stop." Rainbow said soothingly. Scootaloo stopped thrashing but she would still only look at the ground. "Look, do you want to talk."
"Why? Do you pity me, do you want me to tell you so that you can feel even more sorry for me?" Scootaloo asked while wiping some of her tears onto her foreleg. "Look Rainbow Dash. So what if I don’t have parents like everypony else. I've never let those things bother me before why should I now? So what if Mum was never around, so what if Dad used to hit me, so what if they called me useless, and a leech, and they never meant to have me, that I was an accident, and that they never wanted a child, so what if they said all those things, so what if they never loved me, so what if...if...if..." Scootaloo was ashamed of herself, acting like this.
"So what...so what...." Scootaloo mumbled over and over again. She was balling now.
"Do you pity me enough now, does that sate your curiosity now, WELL!?"
"I do pity you Scootaloo." Rainbow Dash said bluntly. Scootaloo felt her heart break, now she thought Rainbow would never accept her.
"Fine then, if that’s how you see me now-." Scootaloo was cut short.
"You didn’t let me finish, I only pity you because I care about you. It's normal to feel sorry for somepony you care about when their in pain. I want to help you Scootaloo because I care."
Scootaloo was dumbstruck. "You...you what?"
"I care about you Scootaloo. Actually more than that. I love you Scootaloo. Your like a little sister to me." Rainbow Dash was trying hard to hold back her tears. She loved Scootaloo and she hated seeing her like this.
"But...how...why?" Scootaloo asked, her tears streaming down her face.
"Think about it." Rainbow responded.
Scootaloo was unsure of what she meant at first, but then it hit her. Rainbow Dash coming to see her very bad performance, then coming backstage to visit and praise her. She hung out with her and her friends on Nightmare Night and even started a fun competition when she could have been with her own friends, Scootaloo even wondered if Rainbow Dash purposefully lost, she was a better prankster than that. She cared enough to enquire with Cheerilee about her parents out of concern alone and then went even further to investigate the weather pegasi teams until she found the right one. Then after all that she had this talk with Scootaloo, abandoning a very active party just to have this conversation. Scootaloo was screaming, shouting and crying like a foul and after all that Rainbow kept her head, and just to say she loved her, just like a...sister.
"A-a-a sister?" Scootaloo was finding it hard to talk fluently as she was crying too hard.
"Yeah, your my little sister...and I love you Scootaloo. I love you so much." Rainbow Dash pulled Scootaloo into a tight loving embrace, not even trying to old back the tears.
"I-I love you too Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo returned the hug and the two pegasi wept with their newfound siblings.
The two ponies spent the rest of the party sitting together on that bench. Rainbow only left briefly to go see off Shining Armour and Cadance and even then she swiftly returned. The two ponies talked and got to know each other a little better. Scootaloo told her everything about her old family life and what happened after her parents deaths. Rainbow Dash listened intently. Through a lot of tears, Scootaloo had managed to finish her re-telling and Rainbow Dash had thought she had taken a big step. Near the end of the party Scootaloo had fallen asleep while snuggled up into Rainbows mane, the mare didn’t have the heart to wake her so she gently brought her up onto her back and carried her back to the train.
When she returned to the train she noticed that everypony else had gathered as well, probably also sensing the parties end. Even DJ P0N-3 had fallen asleep with an empty punch bowl on her head. As the old saying goes "Scratch crashing, marks the parties passing." As Rainbow Dash got closer to the train she was noticed by Pinkie Pie who ran up to her.
"Oh Dashie there you are, I've been so worried I mean I've hardly seen you all night and that made me so sad as-." Pinkie rambled loudly.
"Pinkie!" Rainbow whispered firmly then gestured to her back with her head.
Scootaloo stirred slightly from the commotion, she didn’t wake but did mutter some indistinguishable words.
"Oh, sorry Dashie I didn’t realise you had a passenger." Pinkie Pie whispered.
"It's fine Pinkie, here take care of Scoots flower girl dress." Rainbow Dash grabbed the dress that Scootaloo had changed out off earlier and placed it on Pinkies back.
"You can count on me Rainbow Dash." Pinkie Pie saluted then bounded onto the train.
"Oh Rainbow Dash there you are." Twilight whispered, apparently she had noticed the sleeping filly.
"Hey Twilight, sorry I couldn't hang with you and the rest as much as I would have liked, I just kinda got swepped up in something." Rainbow said apologetically.
"It's fine Rainbow Dash. On a side note however, I never knew you took passengers." Twilight teased while looking at Scootaloo. "However she's got such a cute sleeping face, I can why you would." Twilight whispered while studying Scootaloo's face.
"Do...you really think...I'm cute...Rainbow Dash..." Scootaloo muttered incoherently.
"Awww, aint that the sweetest thing." Applejack had unknown to the other two ponies snuck up on them.
"Ugh, can we just get on the train now?" Rainbow groaned.
They made it onto the train and their cart was relatively empty. The only ones there were a sleeping Spike and conscience Rarity. Rarity upon seeing Applejack got off her cot and walked up to her.
"Applejack have you seen where those Cutie Mark Crusaders are, the train leaves in half an hour?" Rarity enquired.
"Well we got one down." Applejack whispered and gestured to Scootaloo.
"Well, that’s one at least. I told Pinkie to go and try to locate everyone else, I would do it myself but I have too stay if there are any complications with my luggage and especially my large amount of fabrics." Rarity explained. No-pony was listening however as since Rainbow Dash had tucked Scootaloo into bed Twilight and Applejack went back to staring at her sleeping face.
Rarity was curious as to why the plight of not being able to help her sister was going unheard and decided to investigate. Upon seeing the reason her heart almost exploded from a D'awww overload.
"Aww, that is just precious. Rainbow Dash your little fan is so cute when sleeping." Rarity commented. Upon hearing Rainbows name, Scootaloo began to mutter something.
"Rainbow Dash...your...best...sister..." Scootaloos mutterings had caused a triple group "Aww."
"Ah Rainbow that’s so sweet." Applejack said.
"Adorable. She's dreaming your sisters." Twilight added with a large grin.
"So delightfully precious." Rarity chimed. Clasping her cheeks with her front hooves.
"Yeah girls this is all good fun and everything, but maybe you should back up. I mean if she wakes up-." Rainbow Dash was cut off by two other fillies entering the cart.
"Pinkie told us ta be quiet, what’s going on." Applebloom questioned.
Soon after Applebloom and Sweetie Belle got in, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie followed.
"Oh, um, why do we need to whisper?" Flutteshy, naturally having a quite voice meant her whispers were near indistinguishable.
"Fluttershy you don’t need to whisper, your normal voice is quiet enough." Twilight said whispering to give Fluttershy a volume level she could use.
"Oh um ok, so what is it that needs all this quiet?" Flutterhsy asked. The other cutie Mark Crusaders, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie all looked at the three ponies leaning over Scootaloo's cot for an explanation.
"Well Sweetie Belle, Applebloom. Come have a look." Rarity offered and gestured for them to come over.
Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie also followed to see what all the fuss was about. Rainbow Dash had thought of stopping them, thinking of what would happen if Scootaloo woke up. Then she thought 'What "would" happen if Scootaloo woke up.' Rainbow Dash got a mischievous smile, maybe she could just let them keep looking a bit longer.
"It's Scootaloo, where was she for most of the Party?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Rainbow Dash was the one who answered. "She was with me, we were sitting in the statue garden together and she just fell asleep."
"Oh, so that’s why she's muttering things about you. “Rarity beamed.
Rainbow Dash was going to tell her friends off what had transpired that night but not now. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were still in the room and she wanted Scootaloo to tell them herself.
"What's she been mutterin?" Applebloom queried.
"Some of the most adorable things, let Rarity inform you."
Rarity informed the newcomers of Scootaloo's sleep talking and Twilight added the bit Rarity had missed.
"Oh that’s sooooo cute." Pinkie Pie was using all her willpower to prevent screaming.
"Awww, little cutie." Fluttershy added.
"Um, I don’t see what all the fuss is about." Applebloom said.
Sweetie Belle on the other hand had a different opinion. "Awww, that's so adorable."
Scootaloo began to mutter again. "I...love you...Rainbow Dash..."
'Celestia she mutters a lot in her sleep' Thought Rainbow Dash.
All the ponies including Appleblom Awwwed. Pinkie Pie's head was going red from trying to try and not scream at the cuteness. Rainbow decided she should probably disperse the crowd.
"Ok everypony I think that’s enough 'Awwwing' lets leave Scoots to sleep." Everypony agreed and soon after, the other crusaders hit the hay too. Rainbow and the rest headed into the neighbouring cart so the kids could sleep.
"Well I must say that was a truly adorable display." Rarity chimed.
"Ah never knew Appleblooms friend could be so cute." Applejack seconded.
"Hmmmm AHHHH, that was so hard I was trying my best to hold back my screams because I knew it would wake her but she was just oh so cute that-." Pinkie Pies rant that had been so effectively restrained until now, was cut short due to a mouthful of Rainbow hoof.
"Sorry Pinkie, I understand you've shown a lot of restraint but there’s just something I need to tell you all." Rainbow Dash spoke slow and seriously causing everypony to pause and frown. It was obvious their friend was serious
"What is it Rainbow, if you have anything to say we'll listen." Twilight said.
Everypony looked to Rainbow with expecting eyes. She took a deep breathe and thought of where she should start.
"It all started at The Ponyville School Talent Show..."
Low Pressure was pregnant, the test had come out positive. She and Heat Wave were going to have a baby. For any other pony couple this would have been a jump for joy, but not for the two of them. They were unmarried and young, barely having just became adults. Low Pressure had cried a lot that night and Heat Wave got completely drunk. The two weren’t ready for a child, sure they lived together and loved each other but they had only been together three years. Heat Wave was still dreaming of joining the Royale Guard and Low Pressure had just been offered a great position at the weather factory. A child would deny both those dreams, the position would consume a lot of Low Pressures time and prevent the ability to care for a baby. They couldn’t hire a sitter as that would be to expensive and even with Low Pressures salary and the Royale Guard trainee salary they wouldn’t have enough. The only option was to get married, Low Pressure to become a stay at home mother and for Heat Wave to return to his position at the weather factory and at least then they could make ends meat.
Feeling tired, that’s how it started. At first they thought it was Anaemia, but when it didn’t go away they took her to the doctor. Low Pressure had cancer, Leukaemia to be specific. There wasn't a lot that could be done to it at this stage except stop the spread and hope. Low Pressure had taken the news hard, she didn’t want to die and in some respects Heat Wave took it worse. He had to work extremely hard in order to both provide and take care of his daughter and wife. Working to such a hard extent however doesn’t go and leave no marks, the only thing Heat Wave could do to kill the pain of work and grief, was to drink. Scootaloo was five when her mother was diagnosed. She was six when her father had started to become neglectful, she was too young to understand the reasons why but she did realize that he had to take care of herself.
Her mother was in and out of the hospital too many times to count. The doctors said she was suffering from depression and whenever she came home she was unresponsive and lifeless. Scootaloo remembered that it was around this stage the abuse began. It started with verbal assaults and slaps but it soon evolved in to full scale, hate filled beatings. Scootaloo when she was young never felt loved by her parents. Her mother, suffering from cancer and psychological depression couldn't give a flying feather about anything. Her father simply used his daughter as a punching bag, an outlet for all his frustration, she thought that he most likely blamed her for his horrible life.
After Scoots mother died, things got worse, her father lost his job so all he had to do all day was stay home and drink. The beatings had gotten so bad Scootaloo began to sleep in the streets just to avoid them. She learned a routine of her fathers conscience periods and although not completely accurate was enough to keep her looking presentable.
After her father had died, Scootaloo decided to run off on her own, she didn’t want to go to an orphanage, she didn’t need anypony and it would just lead to the same thing. That's what she thought. She slept in everything and anything that provided shelter, to eat she either stole or bought what little she could. Money was a problem, she could always rustle up a few bits from doing odd jobs for ponies but it still wasn't enough to live on.
Scootaloo in her many walks around town had witnessed a certain Rainbow coloured pegasus flying all over town at breakneck speed, she didn't take anything from nopony, she was tough, cool, beautiful and Scootaloo wanted to be her. She got free food where she could, like a certain pink coated filly's cute cenera party. Scootaloo had surprisingly made some friends, apparently her coltish and outgoing attitude was good for that. After the crusaders were given the clubhouse Scoots had found something akin to a permanent residence. She thought her life had finally improved for the first time in years. But she hadn't told them the truth of her past yet. The guilt off which, was truly a heavy burden to carry.
"...and that’s, that." Rainbow Dash finished. Her pony friends looks varied from shocked, speechless, disgusted and teary.
Rainbow Dash had just finished recounting her friends of Scootaloos past and the events of that evening. She had told them everything, right up to getting on the train. There was a long silence as everypony tried to process what they had just been told. Surprisingly, Pinkie Pie was the first the break the silence.
"Oh that poor thing." Pinkie had a solemn expression on her face.
"I...I don’t know what to say." Twilight was too shocked for words.
"Ah, ah never noticed, even though she was on ma farm..." Applejack must have thought it was her fault for not noticing Scoots sleeping in the clubhouse.
"That poor little thing." Fluttershy was actually dealing with it better than Rainbow thought she would. She was sad, sure, but she wasn't crying or had shut down emotionally.
"So then...what are you going to do now Rainbow?" Rarity asked.
Everypony turned to Rainbow Dash. She had decided what to do the moment she had embraced Scootaloo and there was no doubt in her mind on the fact.
"I'm going to adopt her." Rainbow said resoundingly.
Everypony's jaws dropped.
"Rainbow y-y-ya can't be serious-." Applejack asked shocked.
"I am." She narrowed her eyes angrily.
"But Rainbow darling, are you sure?" Rarity asked, a little unsure of the whole idea.
"I'm more sure of this than anything else in my entire life." Rainbow Dash said in a manner that everypony else knew she was serious.
Nopony was sure of what to say right now until Twilight broke the silence.
"I think it's a great idea." She said smiling.
Applejack was going to protest but looking at Rainbow and having been told what happened at the statue garden, she figured that she only needed to know one thing to be one-hundred percent certain. "Rainbow, what your talkin about doin takes a whole heap ah responsibility. Are ya sure yer up for it?" She asked.
"Definitely." Rainbow Dash confirmed.
"Well Rainbow, takin care of a filly needs a whole heap ah sacrifice. If ya had to choose between dem Wonderbolts and Scootaloo, would ya make the right choice."
"In a heart beat. I don’t know when it happened but at some point that little filly became the world to me." Rainbow Dash felt the trickle of tear fall down her cheek, knowing that Scoots really was her world.
"Then ah got no reason ta stop you." Applejack put a hoof on her friends shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Well Rainbow Dash, that filly needs somepony and I think it should be you." Pinkie Pie chimed with a big smile.
"Rainbow Dash, I..." Fluttershy was speechless, yet her big smile and teary expression conveyed her approval and support.
"If your that sure off it, I'll help in anyway I can." Rarity voiced.
"Rainbow Dash, I'm so proud of you." Twilight said, she was choking up a little bit.
"You guys." Rainbow Dash was having to fight back the tears. She had expected much more opposition and not at all this much support.
"Well listen, Scootaloo has agreed that she is going to tell the rest of the crusaders tomorrow. So please act normal until then." Rainbow said to everypony.
They all nodded in agreement then crawled into their beds.
The next morning everypony had gathered in one of the carts for some breakfast. Rainbow's friends were doing good at acting as if nothing had happened. The crusaders including Scootaloo were in high spirits, they couldn't wait until they got back to Ponyville were they could resume crusading.
After breakfast they were only around an hour away from reaching Ponyville. Rainbow Dash sensed Scootaloos nervousness and decided to give her a little push. Scootaloo had gone to use the restroom and left the other two crusaders to themselves. Rainbow Dash walked up and waited outside the restroom door. Scootaloo came out shortly after and was surprised to see Rainbow Dash standing there.
"Scoots, we're almost there and now is the ideal time." Rainbow Dash reminded.
Scootaloo sighed, she knew Rainbow was right. "Ok, just...can you leave us alone." Scootaloo was nervous, possibly the most nervous she had ever felt.
Rainbow Dash nodded. She went into the cart possessing the crusaders and the rest of the gang. Rainbow Dash made up some bogus excuse to her friends to make them enter the other cart. They all got the message and left, leaving only the crusaders.
"Maybe we could try snorkelling again." Applebloom offered.
"Or maybe try drag racing." Sweetie Belle countered. Applebloom was surprised that sweet little Sweetie Belle would pick something fast and dangerous.
"Ah, ahm not sure. What about you Scootaloo?" Applebloom asked and the two crusaders turned to their friends.
"Erm, actually there was something serious I needed to talk to you all about." Scootaloo said nervously.
"Well sure Scootaloo, if you have anything you need to say we'll listen." Applebloom beamed.
"Sure, that’s what friends are for. So what is this serious thing anyhow?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Scootaloo took a deep breathe. "Well, you know how I've been saying my parents are always busy?"
Her friends nodded.
"Well, that was kinda a lie..."
The other crusaders frowned and turned to each other in confusion.
"Let me start from the beginning."
Scootaloo told them everything. Everything from her happy younger years, to her mothers illness, the first beating, how it got worse and everything after that. She wasn't worried about being pitied anymore after what Rainbow had said, she just wanted her friends to know. She told them the reason why she hid it, how sorry and how wrong she was. Scootaloo was crying, not because of the pain of her memories but because she had deceived her two best friends in the entire world. After she had finished, she felt as if a large weight had been lifted of her chest. But she was still unsure of how her friends would react.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Scootaloo spoke between sobs. The guilt of hiding this secret had taken its toll and only now could she relieve it.
Scootaloo felt a hoof on her shoulder and looked up. It was Applebloom. "Scootaloo, ah don’t mind that y'all went and lied. I can see why ya did. I feel sad that one ah ma friends has been through this all but lyin about it don't make me wanna be less of ah friend to ya one bit."
"Yeah." Sweetie Belle added in, she was dealing with the affair less stoically than Applebloom and was doing her best to talk through the tears. "Scoots your one of my best friends, we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders and nothing is going to change that." Sweetie Belle pulled Scootaloo into a tight hug and wept over her shoulder. Applebloom quickly joined the hug, wearing a happy smile.
Scootaloo was speechless, she had thought that maybe...she didn’t know what she thought. She had the best friends in the world, why did she think that would change? Scootaloo felt really dumb now that she had doubted her friends.
"You guys are the best friends in the world!" Scootaloo cried, then hugged them both. Ordinarily Scootaloo would have hated a group hug, rejecting overly girly things as she tended...but she could make an exception for the two best friends ever.
Unknown to the two crusaders, spying on them from a nearby port hole were the three proudest sisters in the world.
The train arrived back at Ponyville right on schedule. As the occupants vacated the carts Scootaloo looked at how nothing had changed. Why would it? They were only gone a few days but to Scootaloo, those trying few days were the best off her life. She had told her best friends about her painful and dark secret and also gained a sister. The mare she had idolised for so long. Scootaloo no longer idolised her, no, she loved her and Rainbow Dash loved Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash had always been fond of the filly, her biggest fan, visiting her play, playing with her and just talking. She didn’t know how or when those feelings shifted to sisterly love but she did know it had been there for a while and only recently came to the surface.
Everypony at the station began heading their separate ways, Applebloom went with her sister back to the farm and Sweetie Belle went with Rarity back to Carousel Boutique. Whenever Scootaloo was left on her own, she used to simply loiter around town until dark then go and sleep at the clubhouse. But not anymore, she had a true home, a real home, she still found it hard to believe.
"I'll see you tomorrow Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle gave Scootaloo a goodbye hug and Scootaloo made a gagging expression in response.
"Till tomorrow Scoots." Applebloom waved goodbye and began off with Applejack.
Scootaloo was left alone standing next to Rainbow Dash.
"Hey Dashie, wanna go grab some lunch at sugarcube corner?" Pinkie Pie quizzed.
"Sorry Pinkie not now, I gotta get Scoots acquainted with her new home." Rainbow Dash responded.
Pinkie Pie giggled. "I understand." She knelt down to meet Scootaloos eye level. "Rainbow Dash is a very lucky pony to have you Scootaloo." Pinkie Pie smiled warmly.
"Pinkie Pie..." Scootaloo whispered, she didn't know what to say.
"Anyway, I hope you like Rainbow's amaaaazing cloud home. How did you afford that thing anyway Dashie?" Pinkie Pie asked, now back to normal height.
"A lot of hard work and skill." Rainbow Dash beamed proudly. "...and, well...maybe an inheritance- but mainly the skill." She defended.
Pinkie Pie giggled. "Well I gotta bolt, I hear Ol'Pony Rodger's is having a sale on sneezing powder and I'm gonna get in on that." Pinkie Pie darted away in a pink blur.
"She's really..." Scootaloo said.
"Yes she is. Now hop on, I'm gonna give you a first class seat." Rainbow Dash lowered her back to allow Scootaloo to jump on.
Scootaloo wriggled herself on and wrapped her legs around her. "Ummm, okay, I'm ready." Scootaloo said nervously.
"Heh, first time flying kid?" Rainbow Dash asked, sensing the filly's nervousness.
"Well, yeah I suppose."
"Don't worry about it, even if you fall I'm more than awesome enough to catch you. Just hang on and enjoy the view." Rainbow Dash assured.
"Ok then." Scootaloo was a little more relaxed due to Rainbow's reassurance but was still nervous at her first time up.
"Great, lets go." Rainbow Dash shouted then took off.
Scootaloo initially shut her eyes and held on tight out of fear, but after a nudge from Rainbow Dash she opened her eyes and was left speechless. The view was spectacular. She had never seen anything like this before, the whole of Ponyville strewn out before her and countless ponies the size of insects. Rainbow Dash had taken them slightly higher than she needed to, mainly to give Scoots a good view for her first time. After a few minutes she arrived at her house and let Scootaloo dismount.
"That was amazing, I've never seen anything like that before and the clouds, they're so soft and fluffy. I'm actually on a cloud this is the most-." Scootaloo had been bounding and raving like a school filly...maybe because she was one.
"Easy now squirt, you'll be seeing this view a lot and its not even that high." Rainbow Dash said.
"Yeah I suppose I will be seeing it a lot, after all I live here now, with you, in your house. I used to dream of this happening and now it finally is." Scootaloo squealed.
"Well, how about I show you inside it." Rainbow offered.
"Oh yeah, I suppose that’s a good idea."
Rainbow Dash showed her around the houses rooms and two floors. She had an extra bedroom so she offered that to Scootaloo. Scootaloo while looking around the house didn't once close her jaw. Rainbow Dash's bedroom was, unsurprisingly, plastered with Wonderbolts posters. The two spent the entire day, chatting and getting to know each other. Rainbow Dash decided not to tell her about her adoption plans just yet.
It was a school day. Scootaloo had always liked school. Either to escape from her horrible home life or to see her friends. Rainbow Dash had insisted on flying her there, Scootaloo turned her down at first but then Rainbow reminded her she couldn't get down from the cloud house.
By the time Scootaloo had arrived most students were outside, waiting for Miss Cheerilee to start the day. News had spread fast about Scoots living with Rainbow Dash, it was a small town so it was to be expected, however Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had valiantly held their unspoken oath of silence on the matter, all they did was confirm that Scoots was living with Rainbow but didn’t say why. Rainbow Dash had; when she dropped Scootaloo off, said she would pick her up.
"But why, I know where your house is?" Scootaloo asked.
"I got a little surprise for you, well, not really a little one." Rainbow Dash answered.
Scootaloo smiled and her eyes widened in excitement. "A surprise, for me? What is it, is it big, is it exiting, is it-."
"Easy squirt, just wait and see."
"Will I like it?" Scootaloo asked.
"Most likely."
"Yay." Scootaloo squeaked.
After bidding Scoots farewell, Rainbow Dash took off and sailed towards...whatever it is she does all day. Scootaloo turned around and noticed a large amount off the school fillies eyes were trained on her. She walked towards her friends who were sitting under a tree. Scoots was a little uneasy about all the eyes trained on her but upon reaching her friends any discomfort she was feeling instantly melted away.
"Hey Scoots." Applebloom greeted.
"Good morning Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle offered.
"Hey guys. Why are so many ponies staring at me?" Scootaloo asked.
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom shared a glance. "Well, everyponies heard how y'all are staying with Rainbow Dash and all..." Applebloom began.
"...and after seeing her drop you off, I guess it just made them more curious. Me and Applebloom haven’t told them why you are though, despite them asking.
Scootaloo thought about her friends responses. "Have a lot of ponies been asking about the reason why?" She asked. Both crusaders nodded.
"You can tell them." Scootaloo said. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle's jaws dropped.
"What do ya mean Scoots?" Applebloom asked.
"Yeah, I mean, it's not-." Sweetie Belle started.
"No guys it's fine. They're going to find out sooner or later, better not to hide it. You can tell them I'm orphaned and everything, it's ok."
There was a pause.
"But why?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Because it doesn't mean anything anymore. I've got you two, the bestest friends in the world and Rainbow Dash, my new sister. What happened in the past, everything that happened, is in the past and there's no point hiding it. It won't affect me anymore, so why should I hide it." Scootaloo responded.
"Well ok then Scoots. If that’s what y'all want us to do." Applebloom said.
"I'm not sure I completely understand, but ok." Sweetie Belle replied uncertainly.
Applebloom finished explaining what Scootaloo meant step by step when Cheerilee called for the fillies to enter. Scootaloo felt like today was going to be a good day.
Scootaloo wasn't wrong, it was a good day. During their break Applebloom and Sweetie Belle told everypony who asked them the reason for Scootaloo living with Rainbow Dash. At first they didn't believe it so they went to ask Scootaloo then after she confirmed it to several ponies, the news spread like wildfire. Nopony could believe that Scootaloo had been orphaned and homeless this entire time. Scootaloo was still a little uneasy about telling them about her abusive home life. Scootaloo was with her fellow crusaders under the tree, just having fun. Then Cheerilee called on Sweetie Belle and Applebloom leaving Scootaloo alone. Two other school fillies saw this and decided it would be an ideal opportunity to talk to Scoots alone.
"Hey Scootaloo." Scootaloo recognized that snooty, condescending voice. It belonged to a certain pink coated and purple maned earth pony. Knowing her she's probably being flanked by her lackey.
Scootaloo turned her head to meet the gaze of the ponies. "What do you want Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon?"
Silver Spoon looked rather uncomfortable, but Diamond Tiara had her head up and turned to the side, refusing to meet Scootaloos gaze. "Is it true what everypony is saying?" Silver Spoon asked.
"What is true?" Scootaloo asked, feigning ignorance.
"See I told you it was only a rumour, lets go." Diamond Tiara said and pulled her friend by the arm.
Silver Spoon shook her off. "Hold on Diamond Tiara." Silver Spoon took a few steps towards Scootaloo. "Scootaloo, is it true what everypony is saying. About the reason your living with Rainbow Dash." Silver Spoon asked, her voice lacking the hostile tone of her partner and being replaced by a softer one.
Scootaloo sighed, she knew that these two would comment the moment they found out. She might as well tell them and take her licks now, rather than wait until later when they'll be worse. "Yes it's true. My parents died so I was orphaned and left homeless until Rainbow Dash took me in." Scootaloo hoped her answer would satisfy the pair.
"But what about the whole...well...abuse...?" Silver Spoon asked uncomfortably.
"...yeah, that’s true as well." Scootaloo responded glumly.
"Oh, well, thanks for telling me." Silver Spoon walked back to her wide eyed companion and tried to push her along, Diamond Tiara wasn't budging.
Scootaloo was confused. She thought that maybe they would make some remarks about how she was a bumb, her cutie mark could be for begging, etc.
Diamond Tiara shook her head and walked towards Scoots. She took a deep breathe and tried to ready herself for what she was going to say. "I'm sorry." She blurted.
"What?" Scootaloo asked.
"You heard me. I'm sorry. I didn’t know you were going through such a horrible thing and I'm sorry if me being mean made it harder for you."
This was new for Diamond Tiara, apologising. She never apologised for her comments. After however, she had heard about Scootaloos past she felt very guilty. When Silver Spoon had dragged her along to investigate the rumours circulating about Scootaloo she had decided she would at least attempt an apology.
"Ummm, thanks Diamond Tiara." Scootaloo said.
"Well good." Diamond Tiara turned up her head and walked away with her friend.
"Did that just happen?" Scootaloo asked to nopony in particular.
After a few moments the two crusaders returned from talking to Cheerilee. She had apparently been investigating the rumours and wanted the crusaders accounts. Scootaloo didn't mind. After a minute into the conversation Sweetie Belle asked Scoots why Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon where there.
"Yeah, you two may wanna sit down for this." Scootaloo knew they weren’t going to believe this.
Adoption. Scootaloo still couldn't believe it, Rainbow Dash was going to adopt her. After she picked Scoots up after school, she flew her towards the adoption office. Scootaloo initially thought she was going to find her permanent residence with some other family.
"No no squirt. I'm not looking to find you a family." Rainbow Dash explained to a rather melancholy Scootaloo.
"Then...why are we here?" Scootaloo asked.
"I wanna be your family." Rainbow Dash explained.
"Emmm." Scootaloo wasn't getting it.
"I'm gonna adopt you Scootaloo." Rainbow clarified.
"..." Scootaloo couldn't speak, her face had frozen with her jaw open.
"Scootaloo." Rainbow Dash waved her hoof in front of her eyes with no response.
"Heeeeelloooo, Equestria to Scootaloo. Wakey wakey." She was still getting no response.
"Your...gonna...adopt me?" Scootaloo asked in a daze.
"Well I'm going to try if you don't faint first." Rainbow Dash tried to steady Scootaloo from falling.
Scootaloo after she recovered from her daze began cheering, jumping and hugging as much as her body would allow her.
After they filled out most of the initial paperwork all that was needed was an inspection of Rainbow's house and finalisation. The inspector had pointed out and rightly so, that there was no actual way for Scoots to get up and down from her house alone. Rainbow Dash in response to this installed a rope ladder that the inspector deemed "adequate". Then after the final forms were filled out Rainbow Dash was Scootaloos official guardian.
One month had passed, Scootaloo had been successfully adopted by Rainbow Dash and the two were just as close if not closer than any other sisterly couple. The news was on everyponies lips for a whole week, even the Foal Free Press ran an article on it. Apparently Ponyvilles fastest flyer adopting a school filly that was already quite notorious for her daredevil stunts attracted a lot off attention.
Cheerilee when she heard the news went to thank Rainbow Dash personally. She was at Sugar Cube Corner with Scoots when Cheerilee approached. Rainbow Dash and Cheerilee moved away from the table to talk.
"Rainbow Dash, I'm so happy for you and Scootaloo."
"Thanks Cheerilee, and uh, sorry for kinda blackmailing you." Rainbow Dash apologised awkwardly.
"I knew the envelope was empty." Cheerliee winked.
"Really?" Rainbow Dash asked Cheerilee with an amused grin.
"Of course, like I would take pictures." Cheerilee giggled at the prospect. "Still though thank you Rainbow Dash, I don’t know what would have happened if you never..." Cheerilee didn't finish.
"I think I got the better end of the bargain though Cheerliee." Rainbow Dash gestured to the orange filly sitting at her table, munching on a Daisy Sandwich.
"You really love that filly don’t you." Cheerilee commented.
Rainbow nodded.
"Well I suppose I've kept you enough, goodbye Rainbow Dash." Cheerilee walked off.
"Later Cheerilee." Rainbow waved after her.
Rainbow Dash turned around and walked back to the table to join her favourite sister.
