Flightless

-Goddess of the Night, Sleep with me Tonight

Rainbow's legs were sore as she made her way back to her home on the edge of the forest. In one of her hands, she clutched a large case. It wasn't the lightest thing, and Rainbow seemed to be having a difficult time carrying it, but nonetheless, Rainbow continued on without complaint.

Inside her heart she was eager to getting home. She had something special in that box, and she just couldn't believe she was able to attain one. Thanks to her good friend Rarity, who knew a thing or two about getting rare things like this, was able to get one from an inventing friend of hers.

Rainbow still wasn't sure of who made this, and quite frankly that was the last thing on her mind at the moment. All she was worrying about was the happiness that this present would give Scootaloo. Sure, it might take her a while, but she would definitely warm up to the idea.

The athlete turned her neck sharply to the side and popped it. She mimicked this act on the other side. As she did so, she was now feeling a much more heavy feeling in her chest.

What if Scootaloo didn't like her gift? Rainbow was sure that Rarity worked hard to get this for her, and Rainbow thought out the gift so well. She was almost positive that Scootaloo would love it, and maybe Scootaloo would think of her as more than just another cool athlete. Rainbow was hoping for something more dear. Something more admirable. Something more irreplaceable. Something like a mother...

Sure, Rainbow wasn't much for being a family kind of girl. She didn't grow up with her parents, hence she didn't really know them. She also didn't even know if she had any siblings, or anyone for that matter that would be considered immediate family. She didn't know much about how a family was suppose to work, let alone how to run one. Yet, for some odd reason, she really wanted to know the feeling. She wanted to know what made mothers so happy about their children, and she wanted Fluttershy to know too.

There was just something that seemed to be missing, besides the point that Scootaloo didn't address her as a mom. Something else was not there, but Rainbow didn't quite seem to be able to put her finger on it.

What makes a family?

The bold girl looked up to the sky with a thoughtful look upon her face. She wasn't exactly sure why she was thinking things like this lately. It was almost as if she were some sort of adult. Of course she was older now, and she didn't play much like she use to with all her friends. Yes, she was the captain of a professional track team, and sure she was almost twenty-one; however, Rainbow Dash didn't feel like she was mature enough to be labeled an adult. Or at least she didn't want to think of herself as one. But what was it about wanting to know more about families?

Rainbow wasn't sure how to answer any of her questions. She wasn't even sure of why she was asking herself things like this.

The rainbow-haired girl stopped dead in her tracks. Her arm was feeling weak from carrying around the heavy box, and so she switched it to her other hand. Shifting to her other hip, Rainbow closed her eyes.

She couldn't explain it, but something deep inside her didn't feel right. It was as if she felt some sort of danger around. Her eyelids lashed open quickly, and with a panic inside her chest, Rainbow Dash dropped the box she was carrying, and she ran at full speed towards home.

"Fluttershy!"

Her heart pumped wildly as she ran as quickly as her sore legs would take her. Sweat dripped down her forehead as her mind carried her to places she didn't want to think about.

Hundreds of what if stories clouded her mind. She tried as best as she could to sweep them away as she began to approach the cottage closer and closer.

A few more strides, and she was now rushing to the front door. Her sweaty hands clasped onto the door nob, and for a few moments she struggled to open the door, but sure enough she finally pulled it open and came toppling into Fluttershy.

Rainbow lay there on top of Fluttershy for a few seconds before realizing what had just happened. Once she finally gained back her vision, the tan girl quickly wrapped her arms around her lover.

"Oh, Fluttershy! I was so worried!!" Rainbow kissed Fluttershy's sweet lips. She melted away as if it were their first.

Fluttershy's eyes were wide with confusion. Rainbow soon released from their lip lock, and then gazed happily into Fluttershy's large aqua eyes. She brushed her cheek softly with one free hand, and swept away a few pink stray hairs from her pale face.

"R-Rainbow? Wh-What's is it?" Fluttershy tried to sit up, and once Rainbow realized this, she quickly sat up and picked up her girlfriend along with her. After they finally got their balance back, Rainbow's eyes dropped. Something still didn't feel quite right. Something was wrong...

"Where's Scoots?" Rainbow turned back up, revealing her fear to the ever so confused Fluttershy.

"I was just about to go looking for you two..." Fluttershy's eyes quivered with worry. She finally realized that Scootaloo wasn't with Rainbow Dash. Where had she gone?

"Us two? What do you mean? She wasn't with me." Rainbow's eyes began to imitate the same worry that Fluttershy was giving off. Fear began to rise up inside of them both. Motherly fear.

"She...She said she..."

"You don't have time to explain now! We need to find her!" Rainbow Dash turned around swiftly and jolted out the door before Fluttershy could even continue.

The meek girl called out to her as she began to run at her own speed after her.

"She went to the track searching for you!" Fluttershy tried as hard as she could to catch up with her much more outgoing girlfriend. Her sundress was flowing in the wind as well as her long hair. Her feet were bare, and she felt stings and burns as she ran across unknown things, but she wasn't worrying about that. She was worried about her darling little Scootaloo.

Rainbow quickly changed her direction, and ran as fast as her feet would take her to the familiar track field. Her mind couldn't think at the moment. It wasn't even able to think of worrying scenarios right now. Rainbow wasn't going to allow herself to jump to any unwanted conclusions at a time like this. Scootaloo could be out playing for all she knew. Or maybe she was trying to see how fast she could wheel herself.

Rainbow kept her mind busy with those kinds of thoughts. It was less stressful to think about it in that context, and for all she knew maybe Scoots was just out doing harmless little girl things. Being the tomboy she is. Playing with dirt, or something of that nature.

Rainbow's dreams soon died away though as her view shot back into reality.

From a distance, Rainbow could now see the hill that was hovering above the track field. Everything seemed normal, but as she got closer, she was able to see something that her eyes dared not see.

Tears filled her up inside as she could now see in plain view Scootaloo's wheelchair sitting at the edge of the cliff. No one was in it, Scootaloo was not in her wheelchair!

Rainbow Dash could hear Fluttershy screaming with fright from behind her. Rainbow just wanted to hug her, and assure her that everything was fine, but down inside, she wasn't even sure if she herself would believe that.

Rainbow's fears ate her from inside out as she came up to the lonely chair. She placed a hand on the seat. Her hand shivered at the coldness it possessed.

There was nothing more Rainbow wanted to do at the moment than to just see Scootaloo standing next to her like nothing ever happened. There was nothing more she wanted to do than be laying in her bed with Fluttershy on one side, and Scootaloo in between them.

Rainbow didn't want to do what needed to be done. She was afraid of what she would see. Rainbow slowly approached the very edge of the cliff. She could hear sobs from Fluttershy as she was toppled about the ground in a frantic.

Rainbow tried to ignore her heart, and she did what she knew had to be done. She turned her head down and looked over the edge. Her thoughts were correct, and she just wanted to fall over and die.

Down below was Scootaloo's body. She looked so broken. No movement was visible, and Rainbow's mind was so filled with so many thoughts that she wasn't even sure of what to do.

The athlete did the first thing that came to mind. She ran as quickly as possible down the steep cliff. Gravity pulled at her as she almost tripped and tumbled down herself. But luckily enough, Rainbow was able to make it down the cliff without falling, and as soon as her feet hit the solid, flat ground, she slid quickly over to Scootaloo's motionless body.

"Scootaloo! Scootaloo!!!" Rainbow's eyes began to ball as she frantically shook the little girls body up and down repeatedly.

Large tears dripped over Scootaloo's face, and Rainbow couldn't stop them from falling. She tried to focus on Scootaloo's face, and chest for any sign of life. She placed one ear against Scootaloo's chest to search for a heartbeat. She wasn't sure what she heard. Her mind kept telling her she was not longer there, but her heart kept telling her that she was still alive.

"Oh, Celestia! Please Goddess! Please!!" Rainbow held Scootaloo's limp body in her arms as she wailed to the uncaring sky. She didn't know what she was doing. She felt nothing but striking pains in her chest and in her heart. Rainbow had never felt such intensity in all of her life.

"Damnitt! Celestia Damnitt! How dare you! How...dare..you...." Rainbow could no longer think. Her body was numb from the pains inside of her, and her voice began to fall into a faint whisper that would be unheard by anyone if there were anyone around to hear.

"M-Mommy....."

Rainbow Dash's heart suddenly stopped inside her chest. She turned her head down to the feeble voice coming from the small body clutched in her arms. Rainbow could feel a sad smile forming across her face as she witnessed the happiest thing in her whole entire life.

She could now see Scootaloo's chest moving up and down, revealing that she was alive and breathing. Although, her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be sleeping. Rainbow brought one tender hand to the sleeping face of her little Scootaloo. She rubbed the dirt from her soft baby-like skin, and she brushed her body as cleanly as she could.

Rainbow pulled Scootaloo's body against her own, and caressed her as if she were her most prized possession. She softly rubbed the back of Scootaloo's head, and kissed her on her pale cheek.

Rainbow brought her lips close to Scootaloo's ear and quietly whispered...

"Thank Celestia, you're safe..."

The rain hit heavy against the top of the cottage. Fluttershy was in the kitchen preparing a hot cup of tea, while Rainbow was searching around for some bandages.

"Hunny, do you know if we have any band-aids around here somewhere?" Rainbow looked up from an open drawer that she was looking in, but unsurprisingly it wasn't holding what she was looking for.

"Well, I know we do, but I doubt they would be in the kitchen..." Fluttershy smiled at her clueless love and tended back to her tea.

"Oh...well..." Rainbow looked around in confusion.

"Have you checked the bathroom?" Fluttershy turned back to her still ever so confused friend. She subtly tried to help her out with her little ordeal.

"I don't see why they would be in there...but okay.." Rainbow turned on her heels and headed up the stairs to their bathroom on her journey to seek the needed bandages.

Fluttershy slowly shook her head, but her face still harbored a smile. She began to pour the hot liquid into a small teacup, and she then placed a few spoon fulls of sugar in the tea. Her eyes glanced out the window to see the downpour was still not letting up. It actually seemed to have gotten worse ever since they got home.

Fluttershy turned back to her cup. She blew on it a couple times in attempt to cool it off a little, and once she saw it was fit, she grabbed it and carried it upstairs to the bedridden Scootaloo.

Once Fluttershy made it to Scootaloo's door, she saw that Rainbow Dash was already in there with the bandages that she was searching for for what seemed like forever.

"You were right! They were in there!" Rainbow lifted the box of band-aids and waved them about in the air to make sure Fluttershy could see her accomplishment. She merely nodded and smiled at Rainbow, and then she turned to her little Scootaloo who was now conscious and awake.

"Hey there, dear. How are you feeling?" Fluttershy went over to Scootaloo's bedside, and leaned down on her knees so she would be at Scootaloo's level.

Fluttershy handed over the hot tea to Scootaloo, who graciously accepted the kind offer.

"Thanks a lot, and I feel much better now. Still a little sore, but Rainbow is fixing me up." Scootaloo grinned showing her bright teeth, and then she slowly lifted the hot cup to her lips and sipped on it cautiously.

"I see. You look like you are in good hands here." Fluttershy brought her hand to Scootaloo's head and softly rubbed through her short hair.

"Though...I can't help but wonder...what happened to you..?" Fluttershy turned her eyes downward, but then she brought them back up to notice that Rainbow was now looking at Scootaloo seriously as well.

Scootaloo didn't know which eyes to stare back into. She felt so scared at the moment by both of them. Worry filled her up inside as she thought of what they would say to her. Would they hate her if she told them? Would they be mad at her?

Scootaloo decided to just lay her head low, and tell them without looking back into either one of their eyes.

"I...I..." Scootaloo sniffled a bit before she continued.

"I just wanted...to walk by myself..."

Fluttershy and Rainbow's hearts both began to slowly shatter by Scootaloo's words. They felt so terribly. They never realized how badly it must have affected Scootaloo that they could move about freely, but she couldn't even stand up without someone to hold onto, or unless someone carried her around.

"Scoots..." Rainbow lowered herself as well, and placed a hand on Scootaloo's bruised up arm. She began to comfortingly rub against her hand, and Rainbow then intertwined her fingers with Scootaloo's.

Scootaloo quickly looked to see that Rainbow Dash was holding her hand. She then felt her other hand being grabbed onto. She turned to her other side and saw that Fluttershy was holding her other hand as well. Scootaloo's heart began to race quickly with happiness. She felt so warm inside as both of them held onto each of her hands. It comforted her in such a way that she couldn't explain with words.

Tears filled up in her eyes and a smile spread over all of their faces at once.

"Scoots...If you can't run....I won't run either." Rainbow looked deep into Scootaloo's tearful purple eyes. Her tone was so serious that Scootaloo wasn't sure what to think.

"What do you mean?" Scootaloo and Fluttershy both looked back at Rainbow with confusion in their eyes.

"I'm going to quit the track team." Rainbow did nothing but smile back at them both.

"But!...." Rainbow quickly covered Scootaloo's mouth with a single finger, interrupting her argument that was sure to come.

"Say nothing...you need your rest." Rainbow pulled her hand away from Scootaloo and then began to stand back up. Fluttershy did likewise, leaving Scootaloo confused on her bed.

"Rainbow's right, Scootaloo. You need to get to sleep. Maybe the rain will leave a beautiful rainbow for you to see in the morning." Fluttershy smiled at the little girl who was now snuggling under her covers.

Both girls leaned down and kissed Scootaloo's head at the same time. They then released from her and turned to the door. They turned once more the face Scootaloo who was staring back at them with a blank expression.

"Good night Scoots."

"Sleep tight, dear."

Fluttershy reached her hand out for the light switch and flicked it off. The room fell dark and the door then shut behind them.

Scootaloo lay in her bed with her eyes staring up at the dark ceiling.

Dear Goddess of the Night, please keep my family safe, and don't let Rainbow quit her dream for me. Please Night Goddess I beg of you. Thank you for this happy family that you blessed me with. Goddess of the Night, watch over my family tonight.

Fluttershy's eyes turned to her lover after she shut Scootaloo's door.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Fluttershy lifted a hand and placed it on Rainbow's tan cheek. Her eyes gazed into Rainbow's beautiful pink pupils.

Rainbow Dash looked back with a smile on her face. She took a deep breath, and she then answered.

"There's nothing I would rather do in the world."

As the rain continued to pour down hard, a certain box continued to lay on the ground. Water soaking through it's seams as it lay forgotten.