Scootaloo opened her eyes, she hadn't remembered closing them. She just remembered practicing flying with Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo looked around, there was her hero. She was looking at something, tears in her eyes and a distraught look on her face. Scootaloo couldn't see what Rainbow was looking at, the image was fuzzy.
"Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo said uneasily. She didn't like seeing her idol like this, it looked wrong.
"She can't hear you right now, Scootaloo."
Scootaloo whipped around and saw......a pony. That was really the only thing that Scootaloo was certain of. The wind seemed to swirl around this pony. Scootaloo couldn't get a clear view and when every she blinked the pony changed. It was a Stallion, no a mare, no a colt, no a filly. The pony was an Earth Pony, now a Pegasus, a unicorn, now an Alicorn. It was white, yellow, green, red. The mane was long, short, black, rainbow. The cutie mark was a setting sun, a cloud, a diamond, a pear.
Scootaloo shook her head in confusion. The pony was hard to look at.
He, she, it! Smiled, no frowned and said in a voice like silk, a voice like sandpaper, "Maybe I should be something you can understand."
Scootaloo nodded, not sure what the pony meant. Before her the pony stopped changing. Slowly, the pony was a stallion. He was a Pegasus. Now he was white with a long cloud gray mane. His face was screwed up in concentration. Scootaloo blinked, the pony didn't change. Except his cutie mark, that was still flickering.
The Pegasus scowled at his flank, before sighing and turning to Scootaloo and saying in a smooth voice, "Sorry, my cutie mark never cooperates."
The little filly stared at the stallion before saying, "Who are you? WHAT are you?"
The pony thought about this for a moment, "In my case that is one and the same. I'm The Retriever. Scootaloo, I have come here to retrieve you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I...can't explain right now." Retriever said apologetically.
"Why can't Rainbow Dash hear me? Can she see me?" Scootaloo waved a hoof in front of RD, she didn't blink.
"No, it's.....a type of magic. Scootaloo, you need to come with me."
"Why?"
"You can't stay here, if you choose to stay it will be worse for everyone. I can't explain why yet but if you come, everything will be made clear."
Scootaloo eyed him suspiciously, "How do I know you aren't trying to kidnap me?"
"I'm not, cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Retriever did the appropriate actions.
"You've met Pinkie Pie?"
"Well I only met her briefly, she wanted to come with me. I couldn't let her, it wasn't time for her to come yet. I have watched her live. You can do the same to all you're friends, watch them, guide them. Just come with me and you can know all their thoughts."
Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash, still crying over something. "What if I don't want to? Know their thoughts I mean."
"Then you don't have to, were we're going you can do anything you want without fear of getting hurt. You can even fly."
"I..I can fly?" Scootaloo asked shocked.
"Yes, as I said you can do anything. You just have to choose to come with me."
"But, I'll miss my friends." Scootaloo told him.
Retriever looked genuinely sad, "Yes, you will. You can always watch them though and talk to them at times. They all will come were we're going eventually, if they choose."
"What if I don't want to go with you?" Scootaloo asked.
"Then you will stay here among your friends, but be warned. They will never see or hear you, you will not be able to do anything but walk around. You will be tried, hungry, sad. If you come with me you will never be any of those things, only happiness will be in you. You will be able to talk to you're friends again, guide them."
Scootaloo weighed her options, if the dude was lying then she might walk straight into a trap. Some part of her knew he wasn't though. If he was telling the truth then she would never be able to be with her friends again, only when they came to the place, whatever that meant. If she stayed, she would live among them but be invisible. Why? "Why am I invisible?"
Retriever smiled sadly, "If you come with me I can explain, let me tell you one thing though; a great thing has happened to you and if you stay here it will be a curse, if you come with me it will be a blessing."
".......fine, I'll come. Can I say goodbye first?"
"You will say a proper goodbye later, for now you may say goodbye to Rainbow Dash."
Scootaloo didn't care if Rainbow couldn't see or here her, she ran up and gave the older Pegasus a bear hug. Rainbow stiffened, but then relaxed slightly. "Don't worry Dash, I'll visit you." tears were in Scoot's eyes. "I'll...I'll miss you, thanks, thanks for everything." She broke away and Rainbow Dash picked the thing off the ground and walked slowly away.
"You will say a proper goodbye later," Retriever repeated, "are you ready?"
Scootaloo nodded and fallowed the stallion. The pair started heading towards a glowing light. The light felt nice, like a cozy fire. No, not that hot. It was more like a pony, the warmth you feel when you snuggle up with someone else.
"Wait? Aren't I NOT to go towards the light?"
Retriever chuckled, "I would stop you if you weren't supposed to, but you are, so come."
* * *
Everything was explained. It was more like Scootaloo knew what happened once she stepped into that light. She was dead. She had died falling when Rainbow Dash and her were flying. What Dash was crying over, that was her. Everything Retriever said was true, she could do anything. She was also going to say a proper goodbye.
The goodbye was going to be at her funeral. Retriever explained to her that when they have a moment of silence, that's when she has to speak. There were a lot of ponies at the funeral, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were there like Scoot new they would be. The six elements of harmony were there, Pinkie's hair was straight and it was very strange. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were there also, which surprised Scootaloo. Those two were balling their eyes out harder than anypony else.
They waited while everyone gave their speeches and finally the moment of silence started. Retriever ushered Scootaloo to the front and she cleared her throat, "Hi, hello everypony. It's me, Scootaloo." Rainbow Dash looked up, so did Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Retrieve had told her that only a couple of ponies would be able to hear her.
"I just want to say that you have all been great friends. Especially you two, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. I loved being a Cutie Mark Crusader and hanging out with you. Don't give up the crusading even though I'm not there. Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo turned to the blue Pegasus. "you were a great mentor for how long it last. Don't blame yourself for my death, it wasn't your fault. Thanks for everything, I loved being your little sister. Tell everyone not to worry, and for Pinkie to get her hair poofy again, it's creepy me out like that."
"Scootaloo," Retrieve called, "It's time to go now."
Scootaloo nodded and ran towards Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, who were both cry there eyes out. The three friends embraced. "I'll miss you guy." Scootaloo told them.
"We'll miss you too." They chocked out.
"Scootaloo," Rainbow Dash said, silently crying. She was standing over the three fillies. "I...I don't think I was good enough to you. I want you back, I don't want you to leave."
Scootaloo hugged Rainbow Dash, "You were the best big sister ever. I'll always be watching you, but you can't be sad. You're Rainbow Dash, the coolest Pegasus ever, you can't be depressed about me being gone forever. I need you to be strong, be awesome, for me."
Rainbow Dash nodded threw her tears and squeezed Scootaloo tighter. "I will, I'll miss you though."
"I know, but I have to go now." Scootaloo pulled away and walked to Retriever, "I'll see you guys later." She walked towards the light and disappeared with her friends breaking from their silence with tears in their eyes.
Author's Note
I made this story, my first short, because I wondered where ponies go when they die sense their only religion is the Princesses. I love Scootaloo but I just think she worked best here. No Scootaloo lovers hate me please.
