Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo
The relationship between Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo was something of a shall we say Tempest in motion. Sure, Dash was always happy to have the little filly along on her adventures, and she was also more than willing to soak up the admiration that the little Pegasus would give her, but as time went on and rainbow slowly matured she began to realize just how much Scootaloo really looked up to her not just as a friend an idol or even a surrogate sister but is something more.
It was little things at first. Wanting to hang out more insisting on Rainbow teaching her new flying techniques even if the little filly could barely get off the ground.
Then, it became more personal requests such as wanting to see where Rainbow lived wanting to meet her family or simply asking to spend the night with her. At first, Rainbow didn't really think anything of it she just thought Scootaloo was being her same worship full self that is until Twilight pulled her aside one day, giving the Pegasus a stern look.
"What's up Twi, why the glare?" Rainbow asked, confused, but the alicorn princess had a look that pretty much said, seriously? You don't know?
"Rainbow, you need to stop giving scootaloo false hope like this. It isn't fair to her." Rainbow looked confused.
"False hope? I don't get it?" Twilight would've sighed but held it in. She could see the sincere look of confusion in rainbows' eyes. She didn't know, which was surprising given how connected the rainbow was, and the fact she constantly hung out with scootaloo.
"Rainbow, scootaloo is an orphan. She lives at Heart Hooves orphanage here in town. As far as I know, she was left there when she was barely a few months old. I think the reason she wants to spend so much time with you is because.." Twilight didn't even get to finish her thought as rainbow took off into the sky, causing twilight to worry that she'd just made a critical mistake.
Up above the clouds, rainbow dash couldn't help but have her thoughts race, like her mind was trying to do its own version of a sonic rainboom inside her skull.
"Scoots.... why didn't you tell me? " She thought. She found a deep sorrow within her heart. Yes, she felt terrible for Scootaloo, but mostly, she felt sad due to anger at herself. No wonder Twilight looked so upset how she could not have known. Rainbow always just assumed that Scoots didn't like talking about her home life much, and dash, trying to be a good friend, didn't pry, thinking she would open up when she wanted to. But, the harsh reality is she didn't talk about it because there was nothing to talk about. You can't talk about the family that you don't have.
She didn't know what to do, what to think, all she could do was just fly, and do her best to clear her head.
However, things came to a head when the next sisterhooves social was coming up and, like always, scootaloo wanted to participate, and, as if Caspian himself was playing some cruel joke on her, this social also, happened to land on Mothers Day this year. So, here she was, traughting back and forth, back and forth, digging a trench into her clouds floor, she would've fallen straight through if not for her wings. She felt everything at once, sad, angry, confused, but, more than anything, she felt scared. Terrified even. Rainbow may have been naive at times, but she wasn't stupid. The writing was on the wall. Scootaloo was going to ask Dash to adopt her, or at the very least, she wanted her to. But was that the right choice? Should she?
Well, as luck would have it, fate was slowly making the decision for her because one major event that was coming up before The social was the tryouts for the Wonderbolts Reserve. This is something that both Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo had been looking forward to Rainbow would finally get to fly with some of her idols possibly and Scootaloo would get to see both her hero fly among best flyers in Equestria even though that title wasn't exactly well deserved given recent events that the Wonderbolts found themselves in.
Rainbow was all but prepared to get enlisted into the boot camp and start her training, but as the training proceeded on, Rainbow began to see the Wonderbolts' true colors in essence the pegasi behind the uniforms.
They were brash, hot tempered, but the final feather was when another recruit, Lightning Dust, used a tornado to clear away clouds and almost seriously hurt Rainbow and her friends. Enough was enough. But, it only got worse. When she walked into Spitfires office and told her about what happened, she congratulated lightning dust and just shrugged, saying,
"Hey, no omlette without a few eggs rookie"
Rainbow dash just glared at her. She had seen through the glamor the stunts and the supposed greatness. The wonderbolts didn't reward hard work or a love of flying. They rewarded recklessness, ambition, and didn't care who got hurt to be the best. It made dash sick.
"If this is what it means to be a wonderbolt, then I don't want any part of it."
"What are you saying, newbie?" Spitfire asked
Rainbow dash threw her badge on the table and turned around. "I quit." she then flew off and didn't even bother to look back.
To say her friends were shocked was an understatment. Even scootaloo was suprised but, they were also proud of her. Rainbow stood up for what she believed in, what was right Not what she wanted to believe was there and it was also, that same belief that made the decisions to come easier, although, there was still one pony she had to talk to. Which saw her flying all the way to cloudsale and knocking on the door of a cloud mansion almost identical to her own, if a pony looked at it the wrong way, you wouldn't be able to tell em apart. After a few moments, a pink mare with a light blue mane walked out. She was about the same age, if not a tad bit older than the rainbow, but she bore a warm smile.
"Well, ain't this a suprise." Firefly said cheekily.
"Heya sis, can I come in, i um, need some advice."
______
Rainbow got settled at the table as Firefly brought over some hot cocoa.
"Got to admit dash, I was pretty surprised with the sudden visit. Also, if I heard right, is it true? Did, I can't even believe these words are coming out of my mouth? Did you seriously walk out on the wonderbolts?" She asked, curious having a seat.
Rainbow scowled at the memory of the reserve base and told Firefly everything. The misconduct, the overinflated egos, the reckless abandon. "I mean, spitfire praised lightning dust for using a tornado to clear clouds, not even caring that ponies and some other recruits almost got hurt." Firefly was livid at the bolts, sure, she may not have been a wonderbolt any longer but, to think her old team had fallen so low, it left a bad taste in her mouth.
"Jeez dash I, I don't even know what to say, but, for what it's worth, you did good getting out of there, team like that doesn't deserve any sister of mine". Dash laughed as Firefly messed up her mane.
"Haha, hey, cut it out," she had missed this. She'd always looked up to her sister. She was one of the many reasons she had fallen in love with flying and her dream of being a wonderbolt. She still remembered when her uncle took her to see her sis fly, she wanted to be just like her.
But, as Dash traveled down her mental memory lane, Firefly couldn't help but notice some things. It was small stuff, things one wouldn't notice unless you knew what to look for. Ruffled feathers, a twitch in a back Hoof, and slight shuffle every few minutes or so, like a nervous tick.
"Argh, alright, come on, out with it."
Dash raised an eyebrow at the demand. "What are you...?" She asked, but Firefly cut her off.
"Cmon Dashie, I wasn't born yesterday. As much as it's nice to see my little sis, we both know you didn't come all the way out here for a friendly chit-chat, so out with it, what's bothering ya?" Rainbow blinked a few times before sighing.
"I really can't get anything past you, can i?" The pink pegasus smirked.
"Not on your best day."
Rainbow them began explaining the situation, not leaving out a single detail. She told her everything about scootaloo, the whole sisterhood thing, the hints, the adoption, finding out Scoots was an orphan, the full story with the bolts, and how her view changed. By the time dash had finished, and at this point was shaking from the variety of emotions flowing through her body at break neck speed, Firefly sat there stunned.
"Jeez, that's... that's a lot, especially all at once. "Rainbow nodded, looking a bit uneasy.
"I just, I don't know what to do, sis. Apart from me feeling guilty for not seeing the signs sooner, you know? I mean, all my friends knew about it, but I only found out this month, and I've been in ponyville for years. Yet, I also think of Scoots and, I'm scared. I don't know the first thing about being a mom, not like we had one to begin with. "
Firefly sadly draped a wing over her sister. She wasn't wrong, neither one of them really knew what having a mother was like, I mean, their aunt came close, but it was never the same.
"You said you were scared? But, scared of what exactly?"
Rainbow looked over at her, then down at the ground.
"That ill... I'll leave her alone, that I'll let her down. That I'll be to her what the bolts were to me. She's always seen me at my best but never at my worst. What if I do this and all it takes is one bad day to make it all crumbling down." She sighed in a defeated huff.
"I don't know what the right answer is fly."
Firefly took a deep breath and took off her wing, and sat in front of her sister.
"You remove when I first taught you how to fly before you went to flight school? Remember what you said to me?
Rainbow nodded. "That if I try, I'll fall."
"And what did I tell you?"
"That falling is a part of learning." She responded.
"Exactly. Dash, look, I know I don't have a leg to stand on when talking about being a parent, but, as far as I'm concerned, the fact your here, talking to me, looking for advice, not being rash about it, well you've already won half the battle already. As for whether or not it's the right call, I can't answer that for you, only you can. She clearly means a lot to you, more than even the wonderbolts, and that to me tells me everything I need to know. But, from where I sit, it's either adopt her and try, or don't, and live with the consciousness, but, either way, I do know this. "
She said, giving rainbow a hug.
"My sister is a fighter, always has been, and no matter the choice you make, I'll always have your back."
Rainbow fought back tears in her eyes as she hugged her sister back. There was no easy answer, no guide to follow, just pure gut instinct, and with that guiding her, she knew what she had to do.
___
It was the day of the social and it was quite the turnout as ponies and even other races like griffins and a few dragons decided to attend this year, even the royal sisters were in attendance and competing, which both excited and terrified many.
"I do believe we've scared much if the competition away, sister. Perhaps they are afraid you will toss them in the dungeons should they best us." Luna said as celestia rolled her eyes.
"Always dramatic, luna. I wouldn't jail someone for something so trivial, and the sides, they wouldn't and will not beat us, so I don't foresee it ever coming to that~"
Twilight, however, was easedropping on the conversation from a distance with Cadence.
"So celestia had a bit of a competitive side. Should I be frightened?" Twilight asked her sister in law.
"Haha, oh, trust me twily, this is her being tame. You should've seen her during the last equestrian games. As cadence regaled twilight od the speckle of the last year, more sisterly duos began showing up. Rosebud/Roseluck, Applejack/Applebloom, Rarity/Sweetie Belle, Moondancer/Belleluna, Pinkie/Maud, Limestone/Marbel and a few others.
But, as Twilight saw the duos signing up for the contest, one question rang in her mind as she looked around for a certain cyan Pegasus.
"Something wrong, twilight?" Cadence asked.
"Just wondering where Rainbow is, I was really hoping she'd be here for Scootaloo, it's means a lot to her."
"Way ahead of you, Twi!" Rainbow said from above as if reading her mind as she landed right in front of the two.
"Quite the entrance," Cadence complimented.
"Haha, thanks, have you girls seen Scoots, I've got a suprise I wanna give her." Twilight nodded and pointed towards the back where scootaloo was chatting with her friends. Rainbow quickly flew over and scooped scootaloo up from behind. The little Pegasus yelped before she realized who had grabbed her.
"Rainbow! You came!"
"Course, I did scoot. You didn't think I was gonna ditch, did ya? You know I've always got your back, but there is one thing I need to tell you before we get going, " Rainbow said, bringing scootaloo up to a nearby cloud and letting her go.
"What's up, dash?" She asked a bit worried but, apart of her was also filled with a hint of hope for a miracle.
"So about the social, I don't think I can do it with you". That response shook scootaloo to her core.
"Wh...what? Why?" She asked saddened but, Rainbow didn't seem moved.
"Because I'm not your sister anymore kiddo". Scootaloo felt her heart ache, she wanted to scream, to ask what she did wrong but, Rainbow continued.
"Hold on, before you get worked up. I'm not your sister anymore because well" She handed scootaloo a piece of paper, an, adoption form, for her.
"I'm your mom now Scoots". Scootaloo felt tears well up in her eyes, her heart was beating a mile a minute.
"Y...you mean it?" Rainbow smiled proudly and nodded. "It's you and me kiddo from here on out".
Scootaloo immediately jumped into rainbows chest and wrapped her front legs around her, Rainbow immediately returned the gesture smiling.
"Thank you thank you thank you! I love you so much mom!"
Rainbow couldn't help but, get choked up, tears of happiness and the feeling that she had made the right choice filled her soul.
"I...I love you too Scoots, I promise, no matter what happens, I'll have your back. Now, what do you say, wanna show these girls how's it really done?"
Scoots sniffles and nodded excitedly. "Yeah!"
And thus, the old saying rings true, dreams don't ever die, they simply change, and just as one tale ends, another begins.
