Not Alone.

by Scootaloof

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Sad
Length: 5745

Scootaloo will find her friends again.

After forcefully being taken away from Ponyville, Scootaloo has spent the last 3 and a half years in an orphanage, but now? She's going home. No matter what.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-01-16 18:55:37 UTC

A secret place

Scootaloo was not big for a filly of her age. So luckily only the tip of her purple pink tail was sticking out of the hole in the bark where she was hiding.

She was tucked inside a hole in a large willow tree. She was crying, but knowing she would be safe for a while, Scootaloo began to calm down. Lying with her head resting on some soft,scratchy moss,she could feel her mane wet with tears. Her leg was injured. She had rips in both of her tiny wings and her orange feathers were matted with blood. All of her tiny body was numb with pain and exhaustion.

The lack of moon cast the world into shadow and Scootaloo was afraid.

If I close my eyes,she thought, I'll die. But her eyes stayed wide open, fighting back the ever flowing stream of tears.

More than anything, Scootaloo wanted to wake up from this nightmare; to be back in the old house she lived in on a cloud, so close to the ground you could jump down with no problems. To be back with her parents, her mother would see her crying and lift her in her hooves and hold her close, and say, “It's over now, Scootaloo, it's all right.”

Her dad would ruffle her mane and wink at her before kissing her on the cheek and sending her back to bed.

She wished to be back in Ponyville. When her parents died she lived there, she loved it. She had friends. But she was taken away. She missed it so much she could hardly bare it. She thought of Sweetie Belle, Applebloom. Rainbow Dash and all her friends. She thought of the beautiful cakes at Sugar Cube Corner made by Pinkie Pie. Apple Jack, who always treated her like a sister. Ponyville was like home. Basking in the beautiful memories. Thinking about it so much,she was almost there.

Scootaloo wasn't there though. She was trembling in an old tree, trying to make sure no pony would be able to see her. Satisfied that she would be safe, the filly began to think of what to do next.

She soon began to drift off from her plans of escaping, thinking back to the times when she lived in Ponyville again.

She had to get back. No matter what. She could never return to her house on a cloud. Her parents both died long ago and sometimes her memories of it seemed so perfect, she doubted that they were real.But Ponyville was perfect, or the closest to perfect any place could be. Scootaloo smiled thinking of the cakes at Sugar Cube Corner and felt herself beginning to drift away.

Scootaloo woke up, her injuries where bad, but the young pony shrugged them off, wincing as she stood up and began to inspect her surroundings. The sky was beginning to grow light, birds began whistling and Scootaloo felt  her spirits rising, just like the magnificent sun that was beginning to show. She was so exhausted and she knew she couldn't run yet. She'd have to lie low for a few days, luckily she had her saddlebag, she had a few apples and small loaf of bread she had managed to sneak.

In the light of the morning, Scootaloo could see that the tree, was a lot larger than she first thought, the space was large enough for the filly to stand up and walk about five paces, the cracks in the bark allowed the sunlight through, making it look quite beautiful. She wondered around this little secret place and was rather impressed she had managed to find such a good hiding spot. She ate one of the apples in just three large bites, she eyed the other one hungrily but shoved it back into her bag, not wanting to go hungry later.

Scootaloo was to afraid to leave her hiding place. She looked into her saddlebag, emptying the contents to admire and see her possessions again.

The first thing was a roughly sown doll that slightly resembled her hero: Rainbowdash, the stitches were messy, and the doll was stuffed unevenly, making it look rather strange. Scootaloo smiled, hugging the scruffy doll tightly. Sweetie Belle had sown this for her as a Christmas present, Scootaloo remembered her friend and tried to hold back the tears.

“No crying!” She told herself. “I'm getting back to Ponyville and my friends no matter what!”

She piked up and unfolded a crumpled crayon drawing, a perfect picture representation of herself, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.

“I can't believe Applebloom drew this for me when we were seven!....I can't believe it's been nearly four years now....”

Scootaloo looked down at her flank, although she was almost eleven, she still didn't have a cutiemark.

“I wonder if they have one yet?”

She wondered aloud, looking down at the smiling faces drawn so well by Applebloom.

Scootaloo gently folded the picture and marvelled over the few possessions she had.

She tenderly picked up a beautiful orange feather, it was her mothers and the only thing Scootaloo had from her home on the cloud. She rubbed the feather against her cheek whispering words to all that was left of her mother.

“I'll make you proud mummy... papa too”

She promised.

She pulled on a pair of goggles, Dash gave them to her for a birthday present. They almost fitted her now, she wrapped a red scarf rarity knitted for her on a cold day during winter wrap up,she sniffed the fabric. Trying to remember the beautiful perfumes her friends sister always smelled of.

She liked this outfit, and decided  that she wouldn't put the goggles or scarf back into her bag. She would wear them.

She tenderly wrapped the feather, the doll and the drawing in her cutiemark crusaders cape and tucked them back into her saddlebag, along with a few other things; a yoyo, a box of crayons, a maneclip and an empty bubblegum wrapper. Scootaloo could of thrown it away, but she loved to sniff the wrapper sometimes, it reminded her of the sweet taste, that she had hardly ever gotten a taste of in the last three years.

She picked up the last of her possessions: a journal given to her by Twilight Sparkle.

The pages where all blank and the cover was made of velvet. Scootaloo ran her hoof along the cover lovingly.

She had made her mind up. She ran over to her saddlebag and pulled out an old box of crayons.

She pulled out a blue one and wrote.

“This journal belongs to Scootaloo.age 11. Cutie Mark Crusader.

I have ran away from the orphanage and I am going to find my friends again, nothing can stop me, I'll find Ponyville again no matter what. I'll find Ponyville and my friends.

Or I'll die trying.”

Where Am I?

          Over the next week, Scootaloo stayed hidden in the big willow tree. Only limping out once every few days to collect grass and dandelions to eat.

The wounds Scootaloo had were still very painful, the rips in her little wings where beginning to scab over and Scootaloo hoped that she would still be able to fly one day, although she was doubtful. Her hooves where feeling better, but her front left hoof was giving her a great deal of pain. The bone looked out of shape and her hoof was swollen, but she had no choice but to walk on it and by now she was used to the pain.

Scootaloo realised she had a scar just below her left eye in a zigzag shape. It didn't hurt as much as the rest of her scars and cuts and she thought to herself it looked rather cool. Like the lightning bolt under the cloud on Rainbow Dash's cutie mark.

Scootaloo had tried to wash her mane in a nearby stream, but the muddy brown water only succeeded in coating her mane in a disgusting layer of grimy pond mud. The water didn't help her to tend to her wounds either, it only spread the blood around her oily feathers. Making her look even worse than she felt. She had made a splint for her leg using a small stick and some vines, she had covered her other wounds in a similar fashion, using vines and leaves. Leaving only the scar under her eye showing.

After fifteen days staying hidden in the secret place, Scootaloo limped out of the hiding spot and looked around, she shuffled around on her bruised hooves. She went back into the tree and collected of her saddlebag.

“I’ll miss that place”

Scootaloo told herself as she began to walk through more trees and deeper into the forest.

As the filly walked, she pulled her scarf tighter around her neck. Soon it would be winter. A freezing autumn had already set in and the trees where beginning to lose their leaves, making them look grim and coating the ground in a carpet of dead leaves.

Scootaloo was lost in her own thoughts when suddenly a voice shocked her, making her stop dead in her tracks.

“You lost?!”

Asked a filly who was a little bigger than Scootaloo herself.

“No.”

Scootaloo carried on trotting a few paces, desperate to carry on with her journey.

“Now hold on just a cotton pickin' minute!”

The Filly jumped in front of her, grinning at Scootaloo. Scootaloo barely looked at her. Her eyes where looking through her, trying to plan a way to get past the little yellow earth pony.

During her time at the orphanage, Scootaloo had forgotten that good ponies really existed, older ponies where mostly cruel or had no idea how to handle fillies and colt's. The other young ponies where all nervous and weak, either that or they were mean to ones weaker than them.

So Scootaloo was desperate to get past the filly standing in front of her. She didn't want to end up in a fight and get her flank kicked.

She dodged past the other filly and began to run. She wasn't very fast, her injuries weren’t properly healed yet and she had had nothing properly to eat for the last 5 days. The other filly treated this as a game, and happily began to chase Scootaloo. Laughing and whooping with delight as she ran after her.

Soon Scootaloo had to stop. She closed her eyes and lay on the floor, waiting for whatever this other pony was going to do.

“How come you're cryin' we were only playin' a little game! Silly! Why folks will think you're a baby if you cry like that whenever you can't run fast enough in a game!”

Scootaloo got angry with this and jumped up.

“I'm not a baby! I can take care of myself!”

Scootaloo retorted angrily to the filly standing in front of her.

“Hehe!.... I used to say the exact same thing to my sister Apple Jack!...This one time, we where...”

Scootaloo jumped closer to the earth pony and covered her mouth with her hooves. The yellow pony looked shocked but listened to Scootaloo.

“Did you say Applejack?!... then you must be?... Applebloom......then... where am I!?”

Scootaloo spoke so quickly, the other filly blinked and tried to answer.

“You're in the Everfree Forest silly! I said Apple Jack, she's my sister.... how do you know my name?!”

Scootaloo stared at her friend in disbelief.

“It's me!”

She cried holding her hooves out and waving them around, as if this could help Applebloom to know her. The yellow filly stared at Scootaloo for a long time.

“....Scootaloo?”

Applebloom whispered uncertainly. Scootaloo nodded, tears rolling down her face, Applebloom began to cry and pulled Scootaloo into the tightest hug she had had in a long time. In the safe embrace of her old friend, Scootaloo fell asleep. Exhausted, hungry,confused and in pain,but now, with hope.

Applebloom let go of Scootaloo, and lay her gently onto the ground. Piling leaves under her head to make her feel more comfortable. Applebloom held back tears as she took in what had just happened.  She looked down at one of her best friends in all of Equestria and sat down by her side. Waiting for her to wake up, so she could take her home.

Scootaloo had changed a lot in appearance since Applebloom had last seen her. Height wise she was the same, but Scootaloo didn't look eleven years old, she was small and looked so much younger. Yet at the same time, years older. Her once beautifully coloured purple mane was greasy and covered in mud, making it muddy brown in colour. Her feathers were all ripped, some were missing  making patches of raw skin show through. Scootaloo was so skinny that you could count each one of her ribs and she was covered in so much dried blood her coat looked a horrifying reddish brown colour.

Applebloom glanced down at Scootaloo's flank, still no cutie mark. Applebloom looked down to her own blank flank and smiled a little. Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, all still cutie mark crusaders, back together.

We Can Have Zap Apple Jam Right?.

Applebloom sat next to the sleeping Scootaloo for hours, the sky was beginning to grow dark and Applebloom was expected home soon and so the young earth pony did the only thing she thought she could do. She gently shook Scootaloo awake. Scootaloo at first seemed terrified, her eyes brimmed with tears and she began to shout out, but then it was like she realised who she was with. She blinked sleepily at Applebloom and began to nod off again.

“Scoot's”

Applebloom said gently.

“I'm goin' to carry ya back to the farm.... It's not to far, but I need ya to climb on to my back and hold on.”

Scootaloo obeyed her friend and pulled herself up onto her back. Applebloom was surprised how light Scootaloo was, Applebloom was strong, because of all the years she had spent helping her brother and sister on the farm, but she reckoned even Sweetie Belle could probably carry Scootaloo, she weighed about as much as one of the Cake twins, who where now four.

Soon the two ponies had reached the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres. Scootaloo, who had fallen asleep as soon as Applebloom had started walking woke up and took a deep breath, smelling the air and smiling sleepily.

“We can have Zap apple jam right?.....or anything to eat?....just a little something?...”

Scootaloo asked worriedly, before she fell asleep again.

Applebloom held back her tears at her friends pain.

“You bet buddy.... you can eat all the zap apple jam you want”

Applebloom promised the sleeping filly.

A few minutes later, The yellow filly walked into the farm house. Big Mac was waiting for her, so was Apple Jack.

“Now see here little Missy, You're nearly three hours late back home!”

Her older brother scolded

“Sugarcube, we make these rules for a reason! To keep you safe. You gotta promise to be home on time.......What in the...!?”

Apple Jack suddenly realised the sleeping filly Applebloom was carrying and rushed over to her little sisters side.

“It's Scootaloo!.... I found her in the woods! She was scared sis! I didn't know it was her at first! I thought it was some other pony! But it was her! I know I shouldn't have.... but I looked in her saddlebag when she fell asleep...... She's written all sorts of things....so many horrible things have happened to her... just terrible things! I thought they where taking her away to be with a family! I thought she was going to be okay! She was looking for us... we have to look after her now after all she’s been through Apple Jack!”

Applebloom sobbed. Apple Jack lifted Scootaloo who began to stir, and placed her on a seat at the table.

“Now calm down...”

Apple Jack stammered, as much to herself as Applebloom. She hugged her little sister and looked to Big Mac for help. Big mac opened one of the kitchen cupboards, taking out an apple and placed it in front of Scootaloo. He patted his little sisters heads with his hoof and began to walk out of the room.

“I'll set up a bed in Applebloom's room for Scootaloo here”

He told them and he left his two sisters alone with the sleeping filly.

Scootaloo had woken up at some point while Big Mac was speaking and was staring hungrily at the apple.

“go ahead sugar cube”

Apple Jack told the little filly, Scootaloo didn't need telling twice. No sooner than had Apple Jack finished her sentence, Scootaloo had eaten the apple. She hiccuped and then smiled, resting her head on the table. Applebloom gave Scootaloo another apple and she quickly scoffed it down without stopping for breath.

Seven apples later, Scootaloo was sat contently rubbing her flat stomach looking much more awake than when she arrived.

“....Thank you”

Scootaloo whispered, stepping down from her seat and wrapping her hooves around Apple Jack who hugged her back tightly. Scootaloo began to violently sob, seeing her friends distress, Applebloom also joined in the hug and the two ponies embraced the crying filly.

“ Now Scootaloo....you've been through a lot......you need a good nights rest”

Scootaloo sobbed even more, she felt she was in a dream. Any moment she may wake up and be back in the orphanage.

Apple Jack carried Scootaloo to Applebloom's room, Big Mac had made up a bed for Scootaloo using a pillow and a green blanket with a pattern of red and yellow apples that Granny Smith had finished making only yesterday.

Applebloom looked to her friend, who was still crying but beginning to fall asleep on her sisters back and she looked to the little bed made from a pillow and a blanket.

“She can have my bed, I'll sleep in the little bed”

She told her sister, who looked down at her and welled up. Big Mac gulped and wiped a tear from his face with his hoof.

“That's mighty big of you Applebloom. Ma 'n Pa would be proud. You're a good friend to Scootaloo”

Applebloom grinned at her brother, who ruffled her mane and wished them all a good night, after ruffling a disgruntled Apple jack's mane, he walked away laughing to himself, and ready for a good night's sleep.

Apple Jack placed Scootaloo gently down onto Applebloom's bed, Scootaloo briefly woke up and asked if they could please let her stay in a troubled voice.

“Kid, you're always welcome here. You're like family. Speaking of family, tomorrow we'll get you cleaned up and then we'll go see all the others”

Scootaloo weakly thanked them and then fell back into a deep sleep. Applebloom hugged her big sister who kissed her on the cheek and tucked her in.

“I'm so happy Apple Jack! Now the Cutie Mark Crusaders can be together again.... I'm so happy.”

She yawned and began to nod off.

Later, Apple Jack checked in on the girls and found them both curled next to each other on Applebloom's bed, Scootaloo's Journal was open and crayons were spread all over the bed. Apple Jack took a look and her little sisters beautiful drawings littered the page, illustrating Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle in red capes, doing all sorts of things and in what must have been Scootaloo's writing the words:

“Cutie Mark Crusaders! We will never be apart again!”

“Don't worry Scootaloo.”

Apple Jack whispered to the sleeping filly placing another blanket over the shivering filly, who was hugging a funny looking blue doll.

“Me an' the girls.....Spike too.....We'll make sure you're safe. You'll never be on your own again, an' you'll never be apart from your friends.”

Apple pie and bathtubs

The Apple family woke up at dawn to do some work on the farm,as it was a Saturday, the family worked at a relaxed pace, by 8am all of the apple trees had been tended to and Applebloom had helped Granny Smith prepare an apple pie for breakfast.

Scootaloo awoke to the sweet smell of the cooking pastry, she shuffled along the landing and crawled down the stairs, limping towards the kitchen. She poked her head around the door and took in the family scene in front of her.

Apple Jack was happily chatting with Big Mac, who nodded along to the words she was saying. Applebloom was peering into the oven watching the apple pie inside cook and Granny smith was sitting in her rocking chair smiling lovingly at her grandchildren.

At this point, Big Mac noticed Scootaloo standing at the doorway and nodded towards her, Apple Jack looked to Scootaloo and beamed brightly. Scootaloo grinned back, walking into the kitchen and sitting on the chair Apple Jack gestured to.

Applebloom quickly turned to her friend and waved her hooves and smiled, then went back to staring at the pie.

“It's ready!”

She screeched a few seconds later making Scootaloo jump.

Granny smith slowly got out of her rocking chair, took the pie from the oven and carefully placed it on the table.

Scootaloo's mouth watered and she licked her lips. Granny Smith smiled at the filly, she cut a large slice of pie and placed it on a plate, she then passed it to Scootaloo. Just as she was about to warn the foal that it would still be very hot, Scootaloo shoved her face into the pie. Tears ran from the  young fillies eyes as she chomped the scolding hot treat placed in front of her. Even though it was burning her she carried on eating, as if the food would be taken away if she stopped.

Not long after she had been given the slice of pie, Scootaloo had finished. The Apple family stared at Scootaloo who was smiling happily at them. She saw the shock on their faces and suddenly looked ashamed. She hung her head and sniffed back tears.

“I'm sorry”

She whispered.

“I'm just so.....hungry...I.....”

Her voice faded and she looked down at her hooves.

“Now that’s all right Scootaloo!”

Applebloom put her arm around her friends shoulders.

“Granny an' I made that pie especially for you! An' I'm glad ya like it!”

The yellow pony beamed.

Scootaloo weakly smiled back and giggled a little. This was a great family.

Once the pie was finished. Big Mac set off to the orchards to tend to the apple trees some more. Granny Smith returned to her rocking chair and began to knit what looked like another blanket. Scootaloo, Applebloom and Apple Jack remained at the table.

“Right Scootaloo...” Apple Jack said confidently “We better clean you up now.”

Scootaloo's ears dropped and she looked worried, she began to shake and scanned the room, as if for an escape route.

“Don't worry Scoots. We won' hurt ya. An' Applebloom will be with ya....An' after you're all cleaned up, we can go see every pony.”

Scootaloo looked less worried after hearing this, and Applebloom smiled encouragingly at her friend who began slowly, and reluctantly following Apple Jack towards the bathroom.

Applebloom ran a bath and Scootaloo sat nervously at the side of the tub watching the water fill.

“You....wont hold me under the water.....will you?”

Scootaloo shivered. Apple Jack flinched when she heard the filly say this. She scooped up Scootaloo in her hooves and held her tight, and promised the Apple family would never do anything to hurt her.

While the bath was running, Scootaloo carefully took off her scarf and her goggles that hung around her neck, Applebloom folded the scarf and placed it on the floor close to the door leading out of the bathroom and put the flying goggles on top.

Apple Jack helped Scootaloo out of her makeshift bandages, wincing as she got a look at some of Scootaloo's injuries. She told Applebloom to go and get Fluttershy, Applebloom trotted out of the bathroom, happy to have an important job to do.

Once she had gone, Scootaloo whispered her thanks to Apple Jack, She didn't want her friend to see her like this.

Once the bath had ran, Apple Jack gently lifted Scootaloo and put her in the bath. Scootaloo splashed around a little, but winced in pain because of her injuries. Scootaloo's front left hoof looked alarmingly out of place and her wings looked in an terrible state.

After a few minutes of being in the tub, the water was filthy. Apple Jack lifted Scootaloo out of the tub and wrapped her in a big fluffy towel. She drained the water and filled the tub again. She lifted Scootaloo back into the bath that was now full of clean water and bubbles.

She used a flannel and gently scrubbed Scootaloo's fir and mane, being especially careful of Scootaloo's hoof.

Scootaloo didn't look at Apple Jack, she was embarrassed but Apple Jack didn't mind, she had a baby sister after all. When she went to scrub The little filly's wings though Scootaloo backed away. Staring at Apple jack with wide eyes.

“..Please...” she whimpered. “....can a pegasis do that..”

She whispered.

Apple Jack chuckled and stepped back, letting Scootaloo she wouldn't do anything.

“Sure thing sugar cube. Fluttershy will be here any time soon.”

Scootaloo splashed in the water, playing with Applebloom's bath toys and then poured different smelling bubble baths into the tub. Apple Jack chatted to Scootaloo, who happily chatted back. You would think she was just a normal filly.

Soon Applebloom arrived back, with Fluttershy. Fluttershy rushed in and jumped into the tub, hugging Scootaloo and splashing water and bubbles all over the room.

“Fluttershy?!...” Scootaloo giggled at the pony's antics .

“Oh... Scootaloo.” Fluttershy stuttered, “I'm just so happy to see you....I um...”

Fluttershy took a look at the filly: she was skin and bones and had multiple injuries, Fluttershy began to tear up just looking at her.

Applebloom and Apple Jack walked out of the bathroom. Before they left Apple Jack whispered some things to Fluttershy, who nodded and smiled at Scootaloo, A motherly smile that Fluttershy had, that made Scootaloo calm and at ease.

“Maybe this is why the animals all like her?”

Scootaloo wondered as Fluttershy gently put her hoof to Scootaloo's wing.

“...This may hurt a little...” Fluttershy told Scootaloo.

And then she began to preen Scootaloo's tattered feathers. Scootaloo winced in pain but once flutershy was done, she grinned. She flapped her little orange wings with pride and beamed up at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy had bandages and medical supplies in her saddlebag. Scootaloo was clean now and Fluttershy set her hoof in a cast and rapped bandages around the little filly where they were needed. When she was done, she wrapped Scootaloo back in the big fluffy towel and went to get Apple Jack and Applebloom.

“Well i'll be!”

Exclaimed Apple Jack when she saw the orange filly.

“You look mighty fine Scootaloo!”

Whispered Applebloom.

Scootaloo looked in the mirror and smiled at her own reflection. It had been a long day. Helping Scootaloo get cleaned up and having her injuries attended to had taken longer than they thought. It was 4pm.

Apple Jack made some carrot soup, Applebloom and Scootaloo happily ate it and Fluttershy joined them. It was a delicious meal.

After they had eaten, Fluttershy smiled and waved goodbye and headed back home to tend to her animal friends.

Granny Smith presented Scootaloo with a new blanket of red wool patterned with an apple pie and stitched versions of herself and the Apple family. Scootaloo nearly cried with happiness.

Big Mac complimented Scootaloo on her mane and signed her leg cast, which had Applebloom's drawings all over it as well as a small signature from Fluttershy, of three butterfly's.

“Tomorrow! I'm goin' to ask every pony to sign it!”

She happily told them, and by 7pm, every pony in the house had fallen asleep.

Let's have a sleepover!

The next morning Applebloom woke up and looked over to her friend wrapped in her new blanket and sleeping with a huge smile on her face. The earth pony trotted over to Scootaloo and gently began to shake her awake. Scootaloo was startled at first and cowered away covering her eyes with her hooves

“Please don't hurt me!”

She begged.

Applebloom chuckled

“Now why would 'a do that!?”

Scootaloo looked at her friend, the nightmares of the orphanage faded and she remembered she was safe..... and she got a mischievous glint in her eye...she suddenly jumped on to Applebloom who was so surprised she fell to the ground.

Apple Jack awoke to the sound of  the two giggling and laughing, she walked into the room to find Applebloom running after Scootaloo, who despite having a terrible limp and a glint of pain in her eye was beaming ear to ear and running extremely fast.

At the sight of Apple Jack, the two filly's jumped at her and the three ponies ended up on the floor in a heap of laughter.

“Now! Calm down!”

Apple Jack giggled and stood up, Applebloom jumped up and Scootaloo struggled to her hooves exhausted from the little game but laughing just as much as Applebloom.

After a quick breakfast of oats and apples,prepared lovingly by Granny Smith, the three began the short walk to the library, all the pony's would meet there.

Scootaloo limped quickly ahead chatting and squealing with excitement.

They walked along the dusty path into town, Scootaloo squealing at the site of places she recognised.

When they arrived however, Scootaloo became silent, she looked round to Apple Jack who smiled at her encouragingly.

Scootaloo looked down at all her injuries, and round to her small wings. She flapped them weakly, arranging her feathers to hide a large scar, she limply tried to hover but flopped back down to the ground with a miserable sigh. With her unbroken hoof, she tried to straighten her mane.

“Sugar cube, you don't have to worry so much. All they want is you”

Apple Jack gently told Scootaloo.

The pegasus gave Apple Jack a quick hug and took a deep breath, straightened her red scarf and pulled her goggles down from near her ears, so they hung around her neck, resting on the scarf. With one final look back to Applebloom who winked at Scootaloo.

Scootaloo opened the door.

“Scootaloo!”

Squealed a voice. Sweetiebelle! Scootaloo hugged her friend and Applebloom joined the embrace, the three fillies began to cry.

“Oh girls, why are you crying?! This is a party!”

Pinkie looked lovingly at the girls and began to tear up herself, although she didn't know why.

Rarity, flinched at the injuries still plainly visible on Scootaloo's small body, but closed her eyes for a second , once she had opened them they were brimming with tears, but she was smiling. Rarity didn't say anything but trotted up to Scootaloo. She touched the scarf she had made years ago, before embracing Scootaloo, the filly breathed in the lovely smell of perfume and felt the silkiness of rarity's mane, although she'd never admit it, Scootaloo would of liked to have hair like that, maybe even more than she wanted hair like Rainbow Dash's.  Rarity then presented to her some socks; purple, they matched her mane beautifully, Scootaloo carefully put them on, three of her hooves, and then grinned in remembering...

“Rarity! Sign my cast!”

She squeaked.

Rarity giggled and then signed three small diamonds onto the cast.

“ME! ME..... I WANNA SIGN IT!”

Screeched Pinkie.

Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetiebelle laughed out loud as pinkie pie stuck out her tongue in concentration as she signed three small balloons onto the cast.

Scootaloo waved at Fluttershy, who was sitting in a corner, a little scared of all the noise but her face brimming with happiness.

Spike shocked Scootaloo, He had grown, and now his head was in line with Twilights, she also noticed his voice was a little deeper.

“Hi Scootaloo”

Scootaloo laughed and he frowned at her and slouched his shoulders, but then smiled at the giggling filly, who was now laughing at Spike happily with Applebloom and Sweetiebelle.

Twilight Sparkle smiled Shyly at Scootaloo laughing with her friends.

“Hi Guuurls!”

She laughed jokingly, making the three fillys explode with more laughter. Twilight smiled and hugged all three and was pleased that she had made the girls laugh, she wasn't usually good at jokes.

Rainbowdash was sat at a table watching the whole time. It hurt her to look at Scootaloo. She had promised to look after her, to be like a sister, but she couldn't. She was taken away and Rainbowdash couldn't save her and now, from what Apple Jack ad Told her, Scootaloo was hurting.

But not any more.

Rainbow vowed to herself to be the best sister she could be.

Scootaloo limped up to Rainbow Dash, looking at the floor.

“H...Hi Rainbowdash”

She squeaked.

“Hey squirt”

Rainbow whispered back, smiling weakly.

Scootaloo looked nervous, and shuffled her wings.... she expected Rainbow would never want anything to do with her any more, I can't even hover any more, she thought to herself bitterly and the young pegasus turned to walk away.

But Rainbow stopped her.

She pulled Scootaloo into a huge hug, Rainbow didn't even care how uncool she looked, Scootaloo was more important.

Scootaloo started to cry, so did Rainbow Dash, soon all the ponies and spike were all in one huge group hug and crying. Crying with happiness at the return of their little friend, crying with sadness that they couldn't of helped her sooner, they thought she would be okay. Crying with her and hugging away each others pain.

“Hey squirt”

Whispered Rainbow.

“Yeah Rainbow dash?”

“Wanna go flying tomorrow?”

Scootaloo just hugged Rainbow even more tightly and Rainbow hugged back smiling at the filly

“Sure thing”

Scootaloo told her.

The day passed by, they all laughed and talked, The three young fillys made crusading plans and everypony was glad to be in each others company.

By eight o'clock though, Scootaloo was beginning to grow sleepy.

Twilight Sparkle suggested a sleepover.

The three crusaders grinned with delight.

“I WANNA STAY TOO!!!!!”

yelled Pinkie.

“I gotta stay, I have so many story's I need to tell Scoots”

chipped in Rainbow.

…...

Every pony had some reason they absolutely had to stay....

“...Fine”

Twilight sighed, and every pony cheered loudly, you could even hear Fluttershy among Spikes roars of delight and Sweetiebelle's giggles;

“...YAY!”