Two Awesome Fillies
At a Royal Equestrian Air Force (REAF) base just outside of Ponyville, the Wonderbolts had just finished a training routine and were making their way back to base camp. It was a bright, clear day, with ideal weather for flying. They had started their routine early in the morning and had finished up just before noon. Their captain, Spitfire, stopped outside the barracks, ready to dismiss her squadron.
“Alright everypony, gather round,” Spitfire commanded.
A certain blue stallion was dawdling near the mess hall, looking at their chalkboard menu.
“SOARIN! Get over here,” Spitfire shouted.
The blue stallion scampered over to join the rest, with his tail between his legs, so to speak.
“Ok, now that you’re all here, let’s get on with this so we can get out of here. Good job out there today everypony. Those formations were tight—you couldn’t fit more than half a pony between us, and that’s what I like to see,” Spitfire commended.
“Oh, and Rainbow Dash? Where’s Rainbow Dash?”
“—I’m here. What is it?” Rainbow Dash looked up at her commander with an eager expression, hopeful for some praise.
“Watch your speed during those banking manoeuvres. Remember, you’re trying to match me, not anypony else. Symmetry is the goal, of course, but we’re never going to get there if we are constantly adjusting to each other.”
“Yes, captain,” Rainbow Dash responded, looking slightly disappointed.
“Alright, so, since we finished up a bit earlier than I was expecting, I’m going to give you guys some R&R time. I know I’ve been pushing you all pretty hard recently, so go have a break. Have some fun.” Spitfire noticed that this news had brightened up the faces of a squadron which had moments ago looked like they were attending a funeral. The shift unnerved her slightly, and her first thought was to make sure to keep them in check.
“But don’t go having too much fun! No partying,” Spitfire declared. “And I expect to see you all back at the base at two zero hundred hours.”
“Ok, if there’s nothing further, you’re dismissed.”
The congregation dispersed, scattering off in all directions. Rainbow Dash was heading towards the front gate when Soarin came over, trotting up by her side.
“That mare never loosens up, does she?” Soarin asked, with a goofy grin on his face.
“You got that right,” said Rainbow Dash. “In all my eight years of being with the Wonderbolts, I’ve never seen her so much as take a single drink—not that that’s a bad thing, really. We need someone like her, someone with a sense for discipline.”
“Oh for sure," Soarin said. "I’m not saying it’s a bad thing either. I’m just...you know... Observing...Venting my thoughts,” he remarked, while giving a whimsical eye-roll and hoof gesture, jokingly taking on the air of a philosopher.
Rainbow Dash observed him with a smile.
“Yes, of course. And all of your profound musings on life are always welcomed by me,” she said, with a playfully ironic accent, even though she did quite enjoy her eccentric friend’s company.
“Anyways, you got plans for the afternoon?” Soarin questioned. “I know a great beach near here and I think I’m going to head out there. It’s certainly an ideal day for a swim. You want to come?”
“Nah, thanks for the offer, but I’ve pretty much made up my mind already that I’m going down to Ponyville for the day. I haven’t been there for ages, and there’s definitely some ponies down there that I need to do some catching up with.”
“Ok. But surely you want to grab some lunch before making that looong flight? Come on, they’re serving barley soup at the mess hall!”
“Soarin... you have got to be the one pony in the REAF that actually enjoys that stuff,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a chuckle. “I’m going to get some real food in Ponyville.”
“Personally, I believe you are all the crazy ones for not liking it. But meh, who will believe me?” Soarin paused, pensively for a second before deciding that hope was lost. “Alright alright, fine you’ve made your point. I guess I’ll have to enjoy my delicious food and pristine beaches all alone then. See ya later, Rainbow Dash!”
“Later, Soarin,” she responded. And with that, he was off in a second, cantering off to the mess hall. Rainbow Dash continued out the front gate and then took off for Ponyville.
Rainbow Dash arrived in Ponyville no more than fifteen minutes later. Being a part of the highly-trained flying force, the Wonderbolts, had opened up her world. She could get around wherever she pleased within minutes, and she had seen more of the world than ten normal ponies could ever hope to see in a lifetime. She recognised the fact, but didn’t wear it like a badge of honour. She knew that her knowledge of the land probably wouldn’t even come close to the knowledge of other ponies in farming and magic and such. Everypony has their place and within that field, they are bound to make everypony else look like a dunce. It was the way of their world, the order of things, and it had been like that for centuries.
As she arrived in the village, she thought to herself, “Nothing has changed.” The familiar thatched-roof buildings all came into view as well as the familiar sight of brightly coloured ponies making their way around town. She dropped down to ground level and began to trot along the street. She saw all sorts of interesting cutie marks as well as fresh-faced fillies and colts, eager to prove their talents just as she had been so many years ago. What she didn’t see, however, was somepony she recognised. As she proceeded down the street, she became slightly worried, thinking “What if I don’t actually meet up with somepony I know? I haven’t exactly told anypony I’m coming. Will I be welcome to make an appearance, unsolicited?” The issue died in her mind as soon as it had been conceived, however, as she saw the familiar orange and purple of her former apprentice in awesomeness, Scootaloo. The orange pony was sitting on a bench near the fountain in the town square. She had the air of someone deep in concentration, although what it was she was concentrating on, one could not be sure. Rainbow Dash approached, but Scootaloo’s focus didn’t seem to break until Rainbow Dash was was right next to her.
“Hi there Scootaloo! Long time no see! How have you been, champ?” Rainbow Dash said amicably.
“...What? Oh... Hi, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo said, allowing for a bit of an awkward pause afterwards.
What? No hero’s welcome? thought Rainbow Dash.
“What brings you to these parts?” Scootaloo said, breaking the silence.
“I’m on leave from the REAF base nearby, so I figured I’d stop by and see what’s up in my old hometown! What are you up to? You busy?”
“No, not really... Today’s my day off. I like to come here on market days. I like just watching the ponies. It reminds me of the old times. Seeing the young ones, so full of promise. Not just the young ones, either. I like to observe the old ones. See if I can guess their stories. Sometimes I find they are just like old friends.” She spoke in a disjoint manner, as if these fragments of thoughts were enveloping all her mind before passing in a process like the constant assailment of waves on a beach, constantly washing up and then flowing out again.
“Yeah, I like to pony-watch too sometimes,” Rainbow Dash said with a bit of an uneasy giggle.
First aloof and now sentimental? What happened to my old radical apprentice? Rainbow Dash thought, not knowing quite know how to deal with this new Scootaloo. She decided to play it cool and try to bring her orange friend out of this blue funk by being her normal, jovial self.
“Well, speaking of the old times, I was just about to grab some lunch and I expect we have some catching up to do. Care to join me?” Rainbow Dash asked, cheerful as ever.
A smile crept at the edge of Scootaloo’s lips.
“I’d like that a lot, actually,” she replied.
“Great!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash. “Hmm...How about Monty’s? I am craving one of those classic sandwiches.”
Scootaloo’s smile took on a bit of a cynical quality.
“Rainbow Dash, that place has been closed for years.”
“What? Oh no! I suppose the chip wagons from the big city probably drove off his business. That’s a shame.”
“Yea, something like that,” Scootaloo remarked. “It’s ok though, I know a great place nearby if you want a sandwich.”
She was right to say nearby, as the café to which she led Rainbow Dash was no more than half a block away. It was a newer place, and Rainbow Dash hadn’t been to it yet. It had a bit of a fancy air to it, but not enough to be pretentious about it—probably one of these new places which have sprung up to entertain the Canterlot tourists, thought Rainbow Dash. It wasn’t going to be the ole’ down-home soul food she had been hoping for, but it would have to do. As they ordered their food and chatted about the menu, Rainbow Dash could see that the old excitable filly she had known was slowly coming out of her shell. She needed time and encouragement, and they would be laughing and having fun just like usual, at first, however, the conversation might have to consist of long Rainbow Dash monologues, thought Rainbow Dash.
“...so of course with the Wonderbolts, I perfected the Sonic Rainboom, it being my signature move and all. I have learned to control it and I am now able to perform one on command. However, while it worked well for impressing some people at the young flier’s competition, it isn’t so good for a synchronized routine. I need to be taken out from the formation for a long time just to attain the proper altitude to do one, not to mention the fact that at those speeds at such a low altitude, the danger posed by obstacles is severe. Also, despite all of my training, the exact location where I break the sound barrier is still hard to control. And because we’re talking about a routine where coordination and symmetry is of the utmost importance, this means that I don’t get so many opportunities to actually perform one."
“My real responsibility these days is being Spitfire’s wingman. She has recognised my hard work and promise and has allowed for my relatively quick promotion to that position. It’s an honour, but I recognise the gravity of the role. We are in charge of each other’s lives out there and I know that if you’re doing a head-on flyby, you need to know that you’re working with somepony you can trust. I’m glad that Spitfire sees me as that person.”
Scootaloo mostly just nodded. Rainbow Dash’s monologue had given her plenty of time to finish her lunch. Now she sat by an empty plate, with Rainbow Dash’s plate being mostly untouched. Rainbow Dash took notice of this, and figured it was time to turn the tables.
“So, whatever became of the old Cutie Mark Crusaders? You three used to be inseparable. To be honest, I’m surprised they aren’t here right now.”
“Well,” Scootaloo paused, gathering her thoughts. “Sweetie Belle’s all over the place now, but she mostly stays in Fillydelphia. She persued her calling in music of course, and the world is glad for it. With a voice like that, ponies wouldn’t care if she was singing weather reports. They’d still listen. Thankfully, she’s also a great songwriter. You can hear her on the radio from time to time, but she mostly performs in live venues.”
“Applebloom, on the other hand, with her freaky knowledge of machinery and technical skills, was destined for the trades. What no one could have predicted, however, was how fast she would get promoted in that field. She went off to Manehattan to work for one of the major construction companies there. Now, she’s got some sort of manager gig and she’s just rolling in the bits. The apple family is certainly benefiting. You should go check out the farm afterwards. They’ve really fixed that old place up.”
“Interesting. I probably will check that out,” remarked Rainbow Dash.
As Scootaloo finished up her synopsis, Rainbow Dash took a minute to process the consequences. The cutie mark crusaders were broken up—scattered across three cities in Equestria. She hadn’t expected them to stay together forever, but the fact that it had actually happened was a sobering thought. Rainbow Dash decided to try to pursue lighter matters.
“Do you remember when you used to have those Rainbow Dash fan club meetings at your old clubhouse? That was hilarious—you even had little wigs and everything.”
“Yes... I remember,” Scootaloo said, allowing for more silence.
Ouch. That topic flew like a rock. Have I put my hoof in my mouth somehow? I can’t tell, thought Rainbow Dash.
“But I was really headstrong back in those days. Looking back, I’m shocked that everyone didn’t just find me annoying. I’ve done a lot of growing up since then and tried to put all that behind me. In fact, in the Wonderbolts, we have a saying that’s pretty applicable. It goes: ‘There are bold flyers, and there are old flyers, but there are no bold and old flyers.’ I think it’s spot-on.”
“Interesting...” was all that Scootaloo said. It seemed that what Rainbow Dash had said had put her back into her contemplative state. Rainbow Dash tried to lure her out with what she guessed would be a popular topic.
“So, where’s your scooter? You still kicking around on that old thing?”
“Yes, I still have it.” Scootaloo sighed before beginning again.
“Nopony could deny that I was good with it. I used to love doing it too. The tricks. The feel of the open air rushing against you. I used to get a lot of support from the crusaders. They always suspected that it would become my special talent. It got to the extent where, once my cutie mark finally did appear, nopony was surprised... Except me. I don’t know how to put it, but to me, it wasn’t something I had imagined for myself. I was ecstatic, nonetheless, but its appearance really left me with a sense of unease.”
“At first, it didn’t even feel real. I even suspected that somepony might have got into Zecora’s stash and slipped in some Heart’s Desire to my food as some sort of cruel joke. I eventually got over these unfounded suspicions, but what I was left with was doubt.”
“Doubt as to what might have led to me getting that cutie mark, and the small factors which could have maybe changed that result. As well, doubt about the future, whether I really would be happy with it. It’s hard to get all those ‘what if’ thoughts out of your mind.”
Rainbow Dash made an attempt to be supportive.
“That is something that all ponies struggle with, Scootaloo. It’s hard, but once it appears, you basically just have to roll with it. Sometimes it takes time to see the logic behind what was given to you,” she said.
Scootaloo didn’t look too inspired by any of this. Rainbow Dash had just stated the same thing that Scootaloo had heard from many different ponies, on many different occasions.
“Sure, but other ponies talents are things which actually help people, or at least skills that you can put a price on. Nopony wants to watch me scoot around for hours, much less pay for it. Also, the older ponies hated it. They didn’t like me zooming around town—they made that much clear to me all the time. It’s easy to brush off at first, but the more it happened, the more I began to have thoughts like: ‘Am I really the only one who enjoys this? Is this just some self-serving hobby?’ And then I eventually thought that if I was the only person who enjoys it—and I wasn’t enjoying it much at all—then what’s the point? And then I just sort of stopped.”
Scootaloo looked downtrodden. She stared down into her plate. Rainbow Dash was reaching her limit. It had been an emotionally trying day already, but this was too much. She protested.
“But you can’t just give up on your talent! You need to stick with it and make it work! So in the face of adversity, your response is to just give up?” Rainbow Dash said, losing her cool just a little.
“What else can I do...” Scootaloo muttered.
Rainbow Dash looked at the pony in front of her. About an hour ago, Rainbow Dash had figured that a bit of friendly conversation and food would raise her spirits. This was not the case anymore. The Scootaloo she was now seeing just emanated despondency. Her normally fiery orange was now more of a pale peach hue; her eyes had bags under them; and even her hair, which used to have that look of chaos about it, seemed flat, forced into submission. Rainbow Dash had the distinct feeling that her protests a moment ago had only pushed Scootaloo further into despondency, and immediately felt pangs of guilt. She figured it was best to just try to move on.
“So what are you doing for work now?”
“You don’t know?” Scootaloo said, looking surprised. “I figured Pinkie would have told you.”
Rainbow Dash was a little caught off guard and embarrassed by this. For an element of loyalty, she had admittedly not kept up very well with the goings-on in her friends’ lives.
“Ok. You got me. I haven’t talked to Pinkie for a while. I know. I am a terrible element of loyalty.”
Scootaloo laughed at this. “It was good to hear her laugh,” thought Rainbow Dash, “even if it was at my expense a little bit.”
“I’m sure you have your reasons. You are probably still loyal where it counts,” Scootaloo remarked.
“Still keeping up the blind faith in me, huh? I guess old habits really do die hard.”
“Ok, fine. Have it your way. ‘Yes, Rainbow Dash. I totally agree that you are a terrible element of loyalty.’ Happy?”
Rainbow Dash laughed.
“Yes. Thank you. You catch on quick, kid.”
“So I suppose you are working with Pinkie at Sugarcube Corner now? That sounds like fun,” Rainbow Dash began again.
“Yes, after the Cakes retired and Pinkie took over, she was nice enough to let me have a job there.”
“What’s Pinkie like to work with? Is she still keeping the pranks coming strong?”
Scootaloo smiled at this, obviously having a great story in mind. Rainbow Dash took a bite of her sandwich, feeling a bit more at ease now.
“She once put a rubber mouse in a cake for Princess Celestia,” Scootaloo deadpanned.
Rainbow Dash nearly choked on her sandwich. The idea of pranking royalty was just too gutsy not to be funny. Several pairs of concerned eyes from the café shot glances in their direction. Scootaloo chuckled, mostly from seeing the reaction by Rainbow Dash. She continued with the story.
“I never would have suspected that our all-powerful ruler/deity could be so afraid of such a small creature. You should have seen her up on the table.”
Rainbow Dash lost it at this. Now she had not only the idea of Pinkie’s genius prank, but the Princess, up on the table, screaming like a filly at a tiny mouse. It was simply too much. She was on the ground, rolling. If they didn’t have the attention of the café before, they sure had it now. The laughing was contagious and Scootaloo joined in. They knew they looked like a couple of loonies, but didn’t really care.
They left the café soon after causing a scene. They paid their tip and got out of there before anypony could give them any more weird looks. Any more than they already got, that is, which is a lot. The two decided to go for a stroll to walk off the meal. They left the centre of the town for the more scenic outskirts. They came upon a picnic site, at a bit of a scenic outlook. Jagged mountains rose up abruptly within a kilometre of their location. The picnic site was set at the top of a forested ravine, with a little muddy stream running through it. The late afternoon sun was still holding up strong when they arrived. Rainbow Dash scoped out the peaks, looking for familiar locations. Her eyes came to rest upon a steep rockface with a single gnarled tree perched right at the top of it, at a corner. The tree was pretty much the only thing growing in that area, so it was easy to pick out. She recognised it immediately.
“Hey Scootaloo, see that tree up there? That’s the start of what I used to call ‘Grisly Gorge’... Or was it ‘Freefall Fissure’? ...Or maybe it was ‘Chaos Chasm’? ...‘Abominable Abyss’? Bah! It’s so hard to tell when all of your names for place are based on rocks, death, and alliteration. Anyways, it’s a great flying spot. Do you want to go?”
Scootaloo hesistated for a second, then said “Um... sure. Sounds like... fun.”
Rainbow Dash heard the thinly-veiled anxiousness in her voice, but assumed it was just the scary names giving her a case of nerves. “It will be all better once we’re in the air,” she thought. However, she would soon recognise this to be a grave error in judgement.
Rainbow Dash, in her normal competitive fashion said “Race you to the tree! Threetwoone go!” and then sped off. She sped towards the tree, expecting Scootaloo to be close on her haunches. She wasn’t ready to lose, however, and as she neared the tree atop the rockface, she gave a burst of speed, intending to show Scootaloo a little something she learned in the Wonderbolts. She tapped the tree and then turned around, looking to gloat a little to a trailing Scootaloo. When she turned around, what she saw wasn’t a disappointed Scootaloo at all, but a whole lot of empty space. She was confused for a moment, looking around to see if Scootaloo had slipped past her somehow, reaching the tree from some alternate route, ready to jump up from behind some rock and laugh. However, it was then that she saw it. A small orange blob in the distance probably no more than 10 meters from where they had started, flying with all the grace of a bumblebee.
Rainbow Dash waited, slightly dumbfounded. She was pretty sure that it wasn’t a joke after five minutes of watching the little orange pony bob up and down in the distance. She didn’t like to be the one to imply that another is in need of help, but this was too painful. She decided that maybe she should go help Scootaloo. When she reached Scootaloo, what she saw was not a pretty sight. The orange pony’s breath was coming in quick gasps and sweat was literally pouring down her face—Rainbow Dash could see it forming streams on her face and dripping off at her chin. Then Rainbow Dash noticed something she had not noticed before. It wasn’t so obvious while Scootaloo’s wings were folded at her sides, but they were actually very small—abnormally so. She had to beat them at least three times the normal amount at an unnatural speed in order to merely keep herself aloft.
Rainbow Dash didn’t let pity take over.
“Scootaloo, we can go back. You don’t have to do this.”
Scootaloo ignored her, keeping her eyes fixed on the still-distant tree.
Rainbow Dash wanted to put a stop to this, to just try to forget all about it. It wasn’t going to happen, but she wished there was some way it could. But no, the cat was out of the bag. Now, they were living in a world where they would have to deal with that mutual knowledge and all the consequences it brings.
“Scootaloo, try putting in curvature to your wings, like this. You can get a bit more force that way,” Rainbow Dash said, trying to play off the situation.
It was only made worse, as when Scootaloo tried the technique, she dropped down about ten feet. This caused Rainbow Dash to get a little worried, as they were right on top of the lowest point of the ravine, and if Scootaloo suddenly dropped, there would be nothing to break her fall. Rainbow Dash decided it was time to put a stop to this.
“Here, let me help you,” Rainbow Dash said.
She flew over the orange pony and tried to scoop her up with her front legs. This was made difficult by Scootaloo’s erratic flight, still heading slowly towards the cliff, eyes fixed on the tree.
“Scootaloo, come here and keep still. I’ll grab you with my front legs and then pull you up. I won’t let you fall, don’t worry. Just come over here and fold in your wings when I have you. We can still go to the point if you want, but you need to let me help you.”
Then Scootaloo dropped another ten feet. This prompted Rainbow Dash into action. She swooped down and grabbed the orange pony, who was still desperately trying to keep airborne. Scootaloo squirmed about and her wings flapped around, hitting Rainbow Dash’s chest and legs.
“Ow! Stop it Scootaloo, calm down!”
Scootaloo took the advice for a moment and was still except for the deep heaving of her breaths.
“There. Was that so hard?” said Rainbow Dash.
“Get...off...me...” Scootaloo panted out, in between breaths.
“What?”
“GET OFF ME!” Scootaloo shrieked with a volume which made Rainbow Dash back off and let her go.
Rainbow Dash gave her a look like a dog which has just been beaten by its master. Scootaloo reciprocated with a fiery glare.
“I...Don’t...Need...Your...Help!” she responded between breaths, with her last bit of strength, and then hovered slowly down to the ground.
Rainbow Dash had been so startled by Scootaloo’s outburst that she didn’t do a very good job tracking where Scootaloo had landed. Also, once one dipped below the trees, it became incredibly hard to see because of the thickness of the vegetation in the forest. Rainbow Dash ended up flying aimlessly about, looking for Scootaloo and calling out her name. This went on to no avail for about an hour before she finally noticed a motion at the edge of the woods. It was Scootaloo alright, but it was hardly orange. She had been forced to make her way back on foot. She was muddy from crossing the stream, and there were little twigs and scrapes all over her. Rainbow Dash flew down and approached her.
“I am so, so, so sorry, Scootaloo... I didn’t know...”
“Don’t patronize me, Rainbow Dash. I can’t bear to hear it. Not from you.” Scootalo faced away from Rainbow Dash and she appeared to be slowly making her way back to Ponyville. Her tone was one of complete absence of emotion. The walk in the woods seemed to have cooled off her anger, and what had taken its place was surrender.
“I don’t want to patronize you. I don’t want to do anything to you. I just don’t want to lose you as a friend! Celestia knows I’ve lost enough friends already when I up and vanished away with the Wonderbolts.”
Scootaloo had no response to this.
“Scootaloo, I never would have wished this on you, just please, won’t you just turn around and talk to me?”
Scootaloo breathed a long sigh. She turned around slowly and addressed Rainbow Dash with the same tone.
“You still don’t get it, do you...”
“If you want me to understand, you can’t just keep pushing me away like this.”
Scootaloo thought about this for a moment and then began slowly.
“You used to be my hero, Rainbow Dash. I am not ashamed to admit it. All of that stuff with the fan club, that was sincere. That was me. I put you on a pedestal. But as much as I immortalized you, I expected that one day I would surpass you. In my mind, that was how it was supposed to be. I thought that that was the purpose of idolizing somepony in the first place—so that you can one day be better than them.”
“As I was growing up, however, I started to notice differences between your timeline and mine. By the time you had done your first Sonic Rainboom, I was still struggling to get airborne. I would come up with anything to convince myself that this wasn’t anything to worry about. I would tell myself that I was just a late bloomer, that once my wings developed more, I would quickly manage to make up for lost time by training all that much harder. But then you did your second Rainboom, and then you got in with the Wonderbolts and I was still waiting for my wings to develop. I never lost hope, but you don’t know what those years were like. The longer I waited, the more I felt the anxiousness eating me away inside.”
Scootaloo looked down. Her voice was now steeped in emotion. It was obvious that reliving these memories was painful for her.
“Then a few years later, my parents started taking me to see doctors. I would spend hours in waiting rooms, just to have them look at me with puzzled expressions and then conclude that I was completely healthy, except for the wings. It became like some horrible mystery. Some nameless, causeless evil which affected me, alone. We went through hundreds of doctors, trudging towards some sense of finality to which I felt I was entitled. Eventually, I got the horrible answer that I had been looking for. Genetic disorder. Incurable. Some kind of pegasus dwarfism affecting only the wings. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t be sad; I had found what I was looking for.”
Scootaloo paused for a moment, thoughtfully. When she started to talk again, her voice had the same air of surrender.
“In the end, I did what I had to: I carried on... But since then, it just hasn’t been the same...”
Rainbow Dash paused, deep in focus. She was trying to take all that Scootaloo had just told her, but at the same time she knew she would have to choose her next words wisely.
“Well then I know that I don’t have to worry about you,” she said, simply.
Scootaloo was a bit taken aback by this response. She wanted to know what Rainbow Dash meant by it, but didn’t interrupt.
“Scootaloo, the mere fact that you were able to take all this in stride shows me that you’re one of the strongest ponies I know. And I know that somepony that strong does not need others worrying about them. Somepony like that will inevitably find a way through this.”
Rainbow Dash’s voice took on an air of gravity.
“However, I need you to understand something, first.”
Rainbow Dash paused slightly.
“Scootaloo, you need to abandon this phony dream-world you have built around me,” she said with feeling. The statement had sounded partially like a command, and partially like an appeal for forgiveness.
“Please, just let it go...for me. It has done nothing but hold you back.”
“Although you seem to think so, it’s not what defines you. You have passions and skills of your own, Scootaloo. You may have lost sight of them, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are there. It isn’t easy—it never is—but you need to define your own path for yourself.”
“Besides... my life... it’s not what you think it is. You see the glamour, but don’t know all that I’ve given up to get where I am. My friends hardly know who I am anymore! Would you want to wish that on your loved ones?”
Rainbow Dash paused while Scootaloo thought about this. Scootaloo was looking down and feeling somewhat ashamed.
“And secondly, come with me, I have something I need to show you.”
Scootaloo was not in any mindset to resist.
Rainbow Dash led Scootaloo along the roads outside Ponyville for a while. It was now mid-way through the evening and one could see lights pop on one by one in the Ponyville houses nearby as darkness claimed the sky. They did not speak along the way, but the air of hostility which was there previously seemed to have disappeared. They arrived at Rainbow Dash’s old cloud house just outside Ponyville.
“Do you still own this place?” asked Scootaloo.
“Technically, yes, but I’m renting it out for a friend to stay in now. It’s ok, he won’t mind us dropping by,” Rainbow Dash said, with a bit of her carefree nature coming back to her. “And if he does? Well... too bad.”
“Stay here, alright?” Rainbow Dash said.
She flew up to the front door and gave a couple of loud knocks.
“Starbright! STARBRIGHT! Open up, it’s me.”
“By Celestia’s beard, calm down! I’m coming!” came a voice from the door.
“Just who is it that thinks they are so important that they can interrupt m—“ The voice was cut off at the opening of the door.
“Oh hello, Rainbow Dash! Of course you are always welcome! Come one come all, all hours of the night, Starbright’s place is open to Rainbow Dash and company!”
“Oh really? Because I brought a friend. She’s down there. Why don’t you say hi?” Rainbow Dash suggested with a bit of cynicism.
“But of course, anything for you darling. Hello th—Holy guacamole! What happened to her! You, you can come in, Rainbow Dash, but she is not coming within an inch of this house until she gets a few run-overs with the hose. The fire hose, that is.”
“Shut up, Starbright,” Rainbow Dash said.
Rainbow Dash looked at Scootaloo, expecting bitterness, but to her surprise, Scootaloo was laughing. Rainbow Dash figured that she was enjoying the irony of the situation, given all that had happened that day.
“Oh but seriously, Scootaloo, you might want to use that hose out back. I think I might be a few minutes.”
Scootaloo cleaned herself off while waiting for Rainbow Dash to return. She returned shortly after Scootaloo finished scrubbing the mud out of her hooves. She was carrying a small photograph. She showed it to Scootaloo.
The photograph showed a younger version of the two outside the old cutie mark crusader clubhouse. Rainbow Dash was making a funny face at the camera, and the younger Scootaloo was just wearing an expression of pure joy. It had a caption underneath, in Rainbow Dash’s writing saying “Just two awesome filles”.
“Oh wow! You still kept this?" Scootaloo began, excitedly. "I remember this. It was the day we invited you over to play at the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse! To be honest, I was surprised when you showed up. And even more surprised at how much fun we had!”
“Yeah, I had a great time too,” Rainbow Dash remarked.
“Do you remember when we played hide and go seek and you ended up hiding on the roof?” Scootaloo asked.
“Oh yeah! I was laughing pretty hard at you guys walking around just below me, so confused. I am surprised you didn’t hear me right away, actually.”
The two ponies laughed. Rainbow Dash was the first to speak again.
“I have to admit, this picture has a lot of sentimental value to me... But I think you should keep it. I think it could help to remind you of something.”
Rainbow Dash paused for a moment then began again, thoughtfully.
“Let me ask you a question, Scootaloo. Do you think if I told this filly that in ten years time she wouldn’t be on the Wonderbolts, she would care?”
“I can’t say for sure,” Scootaloo mused.
“Because I don’t. I don’t think this filly would care about anything in the world I could think to tell her, except that, at that moment, she was with her four best friends and having the time of her life.”
Rainbow Dash waited for the sentiment to sink in and then pointed at the picture.
“You see, this is what’s important. I learned the hard way that the friendships and experiences you have along the way are much more satisfying than the actual destinations in life. This picture, it means something, Scootaloo. Do you know what I am trying to say?”
Scootaloo didn't seem able to take her too seriously anymore, however.
“Alright, alright, Twilight Sparkle. You’ve made your point. Do I need to write a letter to Princess Celestia now?” she responded jokingly.
Rainbow Dash laughed. “You’re not so bad, kid. I wish we could have hung out more when I had the time for it.”
Rainbow Dash looked at the orange pony. Although scraped up and still a little wet, she had that look once again, that unmistakable spark that Rainbow Dash had seen in her as a filly.
“She’s going to be just fine,” thought Rainbow Dash. She smiled.
“Anyways, I should really get going now, or Spitfire will have my head. Don’t forget to write, hey?”
“You bet, Rainbow Dash. And... uh... thanks. A lot. I really mean it.”
“Hey, what are friends for?”
When Scootaloo arrived back home, she threw the picture on the table and then collapsed in her bed. It had been an exhausting day and she was ready to pass out. Yet something forced her up. She felt drawn back to the picture. She decided she would take one more look before bed. She observed the picture in silence for a minute, and soon a smile started to creep across her lips.
That night, she dug one dusty old scooter out of its resting place in the closet.
