Will of Fire

Chapter 17 - Scootaloo? Scoot, Scootaloo!?

By: TheXIIILightning

"Phew, that one was soaked!"

I had woken up about an hour ago, Tank was beside me the whole night. So I decided to give him a little treat. I left him at Fluttershy's for the day, she always likes to see Tank, and the little guy also likes her, so it's a win-win situation. Besides, if I'm gonna spend some time with Scoots today I can't bother to babysit him, right?

After a fast dive through a cloud, I got really soaked. It's my favorite way to shower, it get's the job done and wakes me up really fast. So now, I guess I only need to find that lil' squirt. She should be around...

"Hey, where does she live anyway?" I said to myself. I was alone in the sky, so it isn't like anyone was going to hear me.

"She's always with AJ's and Rarity's sisters, so I guess that's a good place to start."

I flew towards Sweet Apple Acres, if AJ is working there, she might know where Apple Bloom might be.

I got there in a couple of minutes, but AJ wasn't in her usual spot.

"Weird. AJ's always here at this time of day." I took a small apple from a branch and ate it. I'm gonna pay for it later of course. "I guess she doesn't feel like working after last night..."

Lightning was a real jerk, but he did have a point. AJ shouldn't have said those things, but HE shouldn't have said those thing TO her either...

I'll check the town square later, she might be selling some apples today. Right now, I'll go see Rarity. Sweetie uh... Belle! She might know where Scoots is. I took another apple in my mouth, and flew towards Carousel Boutique.

*Knock Knock*

"Please come in! The door is open."

I followed Rarity's command and pushed the door. She was scribbling at her desk and Sweetie Belle was nowhere to be found.

"I'll be with you in a mom-" She turned around and saw me. A happy smile on her face. "Oh, hello Rainbow Dash. Fancy seeing you here."

"Yeah, morning Rarity." I said, waving my hoof.

"Afternoon." She corrected.

"Whatever." That was uncalled for. "I was just looking for Sweetie Belle."

"Oh?" She looked surprised. "Did she do something wrong?" She was now concerned.

"Oh, no no no. At least, nothing that I know of." She looked a bit more relaxed. "I'm just looking for Scootaloo, and since they're always together I thou-"

"If you found one crusader, you'd find the rest." She finished the rest of my sentence with a smile. "I'm sorry Rainbow, but I don't know where Scootaloo is. Sweetie Belle said she was meeting with Apple Bloom today, so you could try and find Applejack." She returned to her drawings. And I sat down on her sofa, recliner... Fluffy thing!

"I already tried to find AJ, Rarity. But she wasn't at her usual spot."

"Hmm... Have you tried the market? She might be selling apples today."

"I was going there next Rarity, but thanks either way." I was moving towards the door when.

"Oh Rainbow dear, can you please hold on a second." She stopped me. I sighed.

"Look Rarity, I already told you I'm not into those fancy frew-frew stuff." I deadpanned.

"Oh Rainbow, as much as I'd love seeing you in a dress, this is not the case. Could you please come her for a minute." She beckoned me.

I went to her side and looked at her drawings. She had tons of doodles of scarves, vests, hats.

"I feel terribly guilty about last night. So I thought I'd make Lightning something to wear. You know, as a way to apologize."

I examined the scarves and hats a bit more, they seem a bit girlish, even for a colt.

"I don't know if he'd like clothes Rarity."

"Oh I know that dear, but since you spent so much time with him yesterday, I thought you'd knew something he'd like." She tapped a pencil on her chin, and let out a sigh. "Well, I'm afraid I'll have to think of something else then."

She crushed and tossed the paper into a nearby bin, grabbing another sheet of paper.

"Well, why don't you make something for..." I thought of the name for a while, he said it a bunch of times but I still forget it.

"Sunshine?" She said.

"No, it's gonna rain tonight." I looked through a window. Rarity chuckled.

"Oh Rainbow, I meant Lightning's friend. Her name is Sunshine."

"Oh yeah, thanks." I scratched the back of my head. Real smooth Rainbow.

"That might be a good idea. Seeing how much he cares for her." Rarity wrote down 'Blonde mane' and 'White coat' in the edge of the paper. Clearly getting 'In The Zone!' like she said so many times.

"Well Rarity. If you don't need anything else, I'm gonna go look for AJ now." I moved back towards the door.

"Nothing that I recall right now dear." She opened the door for me. "Thank you Rainbow, and have a pleasant day."

"Thanks, see ya." I flew off towards the town square.

[5 minutes later]

"Hey AJ, what's up?" I landed next to Applejack, she was wearing her hat and saddle-bags.

"Oh, hey there RD. Ah'm just picking up these here fliers Apple Bloom gave out fer the Sisterhooves Social."

"That's cool. By the way, where's Apple Bloom?" AJ pointed behind her with her head.

"She wanted to try an' get her 'Apple Sellin' Cutie Mark' again. And Ah said, why not."

I looked at her stand, and there was Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, both bothering any pony that passed near them. I chuckled.

"So YOU'RE the lil' sis today?" I nudged her on the shoulder.

"I sure as hay am!" She laughed and pulled out another flier, moving towards the next one. I followed her.

Scootaloo isn't there, but I can always look for her tomorrow. Right now, I feel like helping AJ out. I've been... 'Borrowing' a ton of apples lately...

"That's cool, need any help?" As soon as I said that Applejack started laughing.

"Oh!? The Cool and Fast ol' Rainbow Dash, is offerin' to help? Is the world endin'!? She gave a small gasp and laughed a bit more. Does she really think so low of me?

"No! I mean yeah but... Sorry I bothered you AJ." I started to walk away. I didn't want to think about it, but I guess Lightning really was right... A few seconds later, AJ grabbed me by my tail.

"Oh hey now sugarcube, ah was just kiddin'. What's troublin' ya?" She put a foreleg around my shoulders.

"Nothing, it's just... I'm just thinking about last night. I guess I feel guilty, I mean..." I took a deep breath. "Do you know that little pipsqueak kid?"

"That foal from Trottingham?"

"No, the other pipsqueak, Scootaloo."

"Oh! AB's friend, what 'bout her?"

"Yeah, it's just that I know she sees me as her idol, she's even the leader of my fan club! I also knew she had trouble with flying, and I never even thought about teaching her how to fly. Not even once. Whenever I had free time I would just fly or sleep. I guess Lightning was right, I just care about myself..."

"Now Rainbow, don't say thin-" I pushed her foreleg away.

"But it's true! I'm supposed to be the Element of Loyalty, and I didn't even see that somepony needed me! I'm jus-" Applejack put a hoof over my mouth, and glared at me.

"Now listen here sugarcube, and listen well. You're mah best friend, you're the most loyal pony Ah have ever known. You tried to help mah lil' sis get her cutie mark, you encouraged Fluttershy with her wing-power, you followed Spike when he went to the Dragon colony and even helped me lots o' times at applebuckin'. If that's not Loyalty, then I don't know what it could be."

She was right, I've been beating myself for so long about things that I didn't do. That I forgot all about everything else that I DID do. So what if I like too sleep and train my stunts. That doesn't need to define me! But a promise is a promise, even if I only did it for myself. I'm going to find Scoots, and teach her how to fly. Even if it's the last thing I do. Oh right, I guess I should say something to AJ.

"Thanks Applejack..."

"Don't mention it... Now are ya gonna help me pick up these here fliers, or are ya goin' ta find Scootaloo?" I grinned and did a quick loop in the air. I just felt light like a feather all of a sudden.

"I'll do both, you know me, I'm awesome!"

Applejack just gave me that look, one that said. Now that's the Rainbow Dash I know.

[15 Minutes Later]

AJ and I have been picking up fliers for a while now. Apple Bloom spread them around like crazy this year, I even found a few ones on the roof of some houses. I already had a mouthful, so I went towards Applejack to leave them in her saddlebags. But something seemed wrong with her, she was looking at something in the local notice board. I landed near her, and slipped the fliers into her saddlebags, when she didn't move I got worried.

"AJ?" I moved around and looked into her eyes, she wasn't blinking. "Applejack, what's wrong?" I followed her gaze to the board.

Oh, Sweet Celestia...

"Oh! That lying son of a-"

"BUY SOME APPLES!" Yelled Apple Bloom in the background, while Sweetie Belle was slipping some apples into the bags of an unsuspecting 'client'.

"When I get him I'll! I'll... Oooooh!"

Applejack ripped out the poster, putting it into her saddlebag and ran towards her stand, now taking a lasso in her neck.

"There's no time! We need ta save Twilight!" She yelled running towards the Library. I cursed a bit more and flew to her side.

Somepony has A LOT of explaining to do!

End of Chapter 17

This is entirely from Rainbows POV

Oh Apple Bloom. You and your apple selling tactics.

Now for the Hype. *Ahem*

What did they find in the board?

And why is Twilight in danger?

Find out in the next chapter of...

Will of Fire!