Part 1: A Friend In Need
It was morning time at Ponyville Elementary, and all the fillies and colts were buzzing about, talking to their friends, chatting about their plans for the weekend. All except one.
Being Scootaloo sucked.
It was almost time to graduate from Ponyville Elementary; the end of the school year was only two months away. Sinking down farther in her seat, Scootaloo looked over at her friends. Her ex-friends, she should say. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had gotten their cutie marks over four months ago. Scootaloo hadn't. The three had tried to remain friends for a while, the efforts of the Cutie Mark Crusaders focusing on finding Scootaloo's special talent. Over time, though, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle began to focus more on their own talents, the call of their cutie marks pulling them away from the CMC. At first, Scootaloo was happy to see her friends doing what they were meant to do. She went to Sweetie Belle's concerts, and helped Applebloom with her art. The longer her own cutie mark eluded her, the greater the divide Scootaloo began to feel between her and her friends became. She didn't feel the same connection she had felt when they were off on their adventures, three blank flanks looking for their place in the world. The strain on their friendship had culminated last week, when Applebloom and Sweetie Belle found Scootaloo alone in the old club house.
"Scootaloo, what are you doing here? We're running late, and Applebloom still needs to set up the backdrop she made for my concert!" Sweetie Belle said as she opened the door. She, along with Applebloom, had grown taller, and their voices had deepened as the two approached marehood. This was something else Scootaloo had yet to obtain.
"I'm not going." Scootaloo said tersely from the corner of the club house, her back to the door and her friends.
"Why not?" asked Applebloom, her accent more pronounced with her new voice. "I still need you to help secure the bolts under the stage. You know I'm too big to fit under there!"
"I said, I'm not going." Scootaloo replied. She sniffled and wiped her face with a hoof.
Sweetie Belle was the first to pick up on what was happening. "What's wrong, Scootaloo?" she said, sounding like her big sister as she moved behind the orange filly.
Scootaloo mumbled something beneath her breath.
"What was that?" Applebloom asked, joining Sweetie Belle.
"Our friendship is over!" Scootaloo yelled, bursting up from her spot on the floor, turning to the two behind her. Her eyes were bloodshot, her nose stuffy. It was obvious she had been crying heavily.
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle took a step back, startled by Scootaloo's outburst. After a moment, Applebloom spoke up.
"Scootaloo, what are you talking about?" She asked.
"Yeah, Scoots. What would make you think that?" Sweetie Belle added.
"Those!" Scootaloo cried, pointing to her friends flanks. "Ever since you two got those, hanging out with you has been... Uncomfortable. I feel..." She paused, searching for the right word. "I feel like less than you. I feel like a foal!"
"A foal? You mean because you don't have a cutie mark? Don't be silly Scootaloo!" Applebloom said, smiling. Before she could continue, however, Scootaloo cut her off.
"You don't understand! I'm the last one in our class! You two gave me that position. It was easier when we could stick together, but..." Scootaloo broke into tears again. "I just can't do it anymore!" She screamed as she ran out of the club house, sobbing...
Scootaloo didn't talk to either of them after that. A week later, Babs came to visit. She had just gotten her cutie mark. Scootaloo didn't go to school the next day. She had stayed home and cried.
Part 2: End of the Rainbow
Scootaloo was in an abismal mood. They had a "career fair" at school that day. Basically, ponies from all different typs of jobs had come in and talked to all the young mares and stallions about what jobs their special talents would be useful for. Not wanting to let Scootaloo get embarrased, Ms. Cheerilee asked her to help pin some of the younger ponies drawings to the wall. Cheerilee said that Scootaloo had "an eye for hanging," but Scootaloo saw right through that. She knew it was because she was a blank flank and there wouldnt be a "find your cutie mark" booth at the career fair. School sucked.
Scootaloo's spirits perked up on the way home from school that day, though. She was on her scooter, taking the slow lethargic pace she took when she had a bad day at school, when she saw a flash of blue, followed by a streak of rainbow. It was Rainbow Dash! Scootaloo had seen the rainbow-maned pony around, but whenever Scootaloo tried to approach her, Rainbow Dash always said she was too busy. Maybe now she wasn't! Scootaloo really needed a friend right now. She beat her wings furiously, propelling herself along the street after the rainbow flash. She swooped along the street, dodging ponies and carts, following her idol. Her wings quickly grew tired, though. She hadn't been working them like she usually did. Not since... Since the clubhouse... Shaking that thought out of her head, she redoubled her efforts and pushed past her aching wings. Eventually, she caught up with Rainbow Dash at the town hall.
"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo called, taking off her helmet and looping the strap around the handle of her scooter. Rainbow Dash was about to open the door, but turned at the sound of her name.
"Oh, hey Scootaloo, what's up? Can we make this quick? The Ponyville Weather Team is planning next months forecast, and I'm kinda late to the meeting." Rainbow said, glancing at the door, then at the clock above it.
"Okay! I just wanted to ask, when you have a bit..." Scootaloo paused. What had she been thinking? She couldn't tell Rainbow Dash her problems. She was Rainbow Dash, the coolest pony in Equestria. She would think Scootaloo was a wimp if she complained. Maybe Scootaloo could go talk to Fluttershy, or Twilight...
A tapping hoof broke Scootaloo's train of thought. She looked over to an impatient Rainbow Dash. She sighed.
"Do you think you could take me flying sometime?" She asked, deciding not to bother Rainbow with her problems.
Rainbow Dash paused. "Well, actually Scootaloo, I've been wanting to talk to you about that..."
"You have?" Scootaloo asked, perking up a little.
"Yeah. Ya see, the past few weeks, you've been asking to fly or hang out with me kind of a lot, and I've been really busy, what with Twilight's coronation and all. I guess what I'm trying to say is, you're kinda getting on my nerves. I'm not trying to be mean, but I've got things to do, ponies to see. I can't be giving some filly rides all the time. So, if you could maybe back off for a bit... You understand, dont you?" Rainbow asked, smiling weakly.
"Oh, okay." Was all Scootaloo could get out.
"Great, thanks for understanding. Have a good day, Scootaloo." Rainbow said before turning to go to her meeting.
Scootaloo sat there, stunned. Rainbow Dash, her idol, the pony who was like a sister to her, had just told her to leave her alone. She turned away from the city hall and got back on her scooter. She drove off, a tear in her eye.
Part 3: Parental Guidance
Scootaloo arrived home that evening after riding around town for a while. She had been thinking about her day, about her friends, and about Rainbow Dash. Her parents weren't very worried about her. They were used to her being out late with her friends, so they thought nothing of this instance of tardyness. Scootaloo joined them in the kitchen, offered an obligatory hello, answered her mothers questions about her day in monosyllables, grabbed the plate they had fixed for her from the fridge, and went to her room. It wasn't until she was in her bed that she looked and realised what was on the plate. Broccoli and brussel sprouts. Dinner sucked.
Later, after choking down dinner, she lay in her bed, reading. It was the latest Daring Doo novel. The story usually captivated and thrilled her, just as they did her idol, but not on this night. Tonight the characters seemed flat, the plot boring, the scenes uninteresting. She groaned and put the book down. She curled up and tried cuddling with the custom Rainbow Dash plushie that Rarity had made for her. Rainbow Dash didn't know about it, of course. It gave Scootaloo a small amount of comfort. Almost like being with the real thing... But not quite. Then she heard shouting downstairs.
'Great,' she thought. 'Mom and Dad are arguing. Again.' Her parents had started fighting about a month ago. It started out small, only once a week. It escelated quickly, though. Recently, they had fought almost every night. Scootaloo wondered what they were arguing about this time. Maybe it was about her, and her lack of special talent. Though they tried to hide it, Scootaloo knew her father was disappointed in her. Of course he was. She was nothing special. All she could do was tricks on her scooter. She wasn't even that good at it. She crashed more times than not, and even if she was good at it, nopony would pay to see some mare riding a scooter. It was just a hobby, a way to get around. She couldn't even fly yet. No wonder her dad was ashamed of her.
Scootaloo eventually fell asleep, these thoughts and her parents yelling her only company.
Part 4: Drastic Measures
The next morning, Scootaloo was woken up by her mother's voice. "Scootaloo, time to get up. Come on Scootaloo, get up. I have a surprise for you."
Scootaloo rubbed her eyes groggily. "What?" She asked, still half asleep.
"Get up and get ready. I want to show you something." Her mother said as she walked out of the room. Scootaloo slowly got out of bed and began her morning routine, though not as quickly as usual. She was still very upset about yesturday, and there was also the fact it was Saturday. She had been looking forward to just laying in bed all day. Instead, she brushed her mane, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and all the other morning things. When she was done, she went downstairs and followed her mother outside. What met her was a large purple hot air balloon, a pink mare with a flight helmet manning the burner.
"I rented it for the whole day. I know how much you like flying." Her mother said cheerfully. Scootaloo simply nodded apathetically. Not much could cheer her up after the emotional plane crash that had been her day yesturday. She climbed aboard with her mother, and the three were soon airborn. The pink pilot took them on an air tour of Ponyville and the suroundiing area. After a couple of hours, the tour complete, they began circling lazily, the pilot allowing her passengers to take in the sights. After several minutes of silence, her mother spoke up.
"Scootaloo, darling... I have something to tell you." She began. The tone of her voice made Scootaloo wish she would stop talking. It didn't sound like anything good. "Your father and I... Talked last night," she continued, unaware that Scootaloo had heard their arguments last night, just as she had every night before. "And, well... He's decided to go on a bit of a vacation. By himself." Scootaloo's mother waited a minute, looking to see if the true meaning of her words had sunk in. It had. Scootaloo had honostly been expecting him to leave for a long time. Eventually, she figured, he would get fed up with having a failure for a daughter and walk out. 'Took him long enough,' she thought.
Despite these thoughts, though, her heart was breaking. Her friends, her idol and mentor, and now her father? What more could be taken away from her? How much more could she stand to lose? Her mother stayed silent, leaving Scootaloo alone with her thoughts. She was grateful for that small kindness.
An hour later, Scootaloo was looking out over the side of the balloon. The pilot had taken them up high, above the clouds, in order to give them a better view. To the northeast was the expansive Everfree Forest, and they could even see Canterlot in the distance. Scootaloo didn't care about the view, though. She looked over the side, at the wide expanse of open air. She wondered how it must feel to soar through that air, to be free...
Scootaloo climbed up onto the side of the basket. She looked back at her mother, who was on the other side of the basket, admiring some other view. Scootaloo whispered a quiet goodbye, then stepped out into the open air.
Part 5: Fall from Grace
Scootaloo smiled for the first time in weeks. The air in her face, the wind through her mane. It was amazing, better than she could have ever imagined. Better than jumps on her scooter, better than those few times she had flown with Rainbow Dash. Here, falling through the air, she was free. By tilting her body this way and that, she could turn, bank, go faster or slower. The control was blissful. The only thing she couldn't do was go up.
A she fell, she began to think about her life. Her friends. Her family. Her classmates, Ms. Cheerilee. Rainbow Dash. She said silent goodbyes to all of them as she tumbled through the sky.
Suddenly, a flash of blue caught her eye. Turning her body, she flipped over, facing up. Above her was Rainbow Dash. Tears were in the rainbow mare's eyes, and her lips were moving. The force of the wind tore her words away, though, and Scootaloo couldn't hear what Rainbow Dash was saying. It didn't matter, though. Scootaloo just wanted Rainbow Dash to be proud of her. Of her great final accomplishment.
"Look Rainbow Dash!" she said. She knew her words wouldn't reach, but she didn't care. All that mattered was that she said it, and that Rainbow Dash saw it. Her triumph. Her success. "Look Rainbow, I'm finally doing it!" A tear appeared on Scootaloo's cheek. A tear of joy.
"I'm finally... flying."
Scootaloo flipped back over, facing the ground. Her time was running out, and she closed her eyes, taking one last breath of that sweet fresh air. She could hardly believe it. Scootaloo, the only pony in her class without a cutie mark, the only filly who had never had a coltfriend, the only pegasus who couldn't fly. Her, Scootaloo, who had caused her father to leave, was flying. She reveled in the thought.
She was flying.
Scootaloo knew she couldn't be more than a few hundred feet above the ground. Rainbow Dash couldn't catch her. She was too low, they wouldn't be able to pull up in time. It was almost over...
She felt a strange tingling on her flank. She wanted to look, but didn't dare open her eyes. Then a thought occured to her. Nopony ever tells you what getting a cutie mark feels like...
Everything went dark.
Three weeks later, Rainbow Dash sat in front of a headstone in the Ponyville Cemetery. She still couldn't believe she was gone. The funeral had been attended by everypony in Ponyville. For the whole week after, all the businesses and shops had been closed. The town was stunned.
Tears welled up in Rainbow's eyes. "Why?" was all she said. She whimpered, tears running down her cheeks, as she laid a custom plushie, made by Rarity, at the base of the headstone. She looked one more time at the inscription.
Dearest Scootaloo
A troubled heart
Gone too soon
But finally free.
Beneath the words, a picture was set in the stone. It was a picture of a cutie mark.
Author's Note
This is my first fan fiction. I got the inspiration for this story from this picture:
http://th00.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/095/2/d/scootaloo_cutie_mark_by_trombone2525-d60j3qy.png
I saw that, and it inspired me. Thank's everypony for reading, and if you have any comments, please leave them. I'd love some critique and feed back, especially since this is my first. Anything I could have done better, from the tone, to the pacing, to the characterization, to any typos. Anything is welcome. Again, thanks for reading, and I hope to deliver more stories in the future.
I took the comments about the short chapters, and I put them all down into one chapter, seperated into parts by page breaks. I agree, this does make it read a lot better. Thanks everypony for the comments.
