"Yeah-yeaah-yeaaaaah!"
Scootaloo screamed at the top of her lungs, the surrounding little ponies covering their ears as best they could. The playground was momentarily still, as if left in shock; the exclamation completed suddenly with but a single, triumphant nod.
"And that's how it happened!"
Her friends looked at her for a little while and then smiled.
"You're so courageous." said Sweetie Belle approvingly.
Her other friend Applebloom was about to comment on Scootaloo's anecdote when she was nudged aside by Diamond Tiara, who approached haughtily, followed closely by Silver Spoon as if bound to her by rubber. She smiled mischievously and whispered into her ear on passing,
"Awww, how embarrassing, poor Applebloom! That must be horrible!"
Applebloom looked crossly at her, quickly getting worked up as she was now certain that whenever Diamond Tiara spoke to her she was sure to insult her or try to embarrass her in some way.
"What do you mean?" she shot back. Innocently and with a voice of surprise she explained,
"Oh, why, to be friends with somepony who can't sing, of course!"
Silver Spoon nodded in an overtly concerned manner that suggested that surely there couldn't be conceived a more terrible fate in all of Equestria. Applebloom was silent for a moment until these concepts materialized into a great insult, and the sudden realisation made her snap despite her intention to remain as unmoved by these fillies as possible,
"Scootaloo's an amazing singer and I'm proud she's my friend!"
All through the class Scootaloo's mind wandered, and her teacher Cheerilee had to call her attention back to the lessons on several occasions, though never for long enough to get a clear grasp on what it was all about. She didn't have time for adding or subtracting numbers, or for hearing about the construction of ancient Equestria today. After all, she was thinking about the future that lay before her. Visions started filling her head as she sighed involuntarily; picturing Rainbow Dash soaring through the sky - such amazing grace, such unrivaled skill. If she could find something to be that good at surely she'd get her cutie mark in no time whatsoever, as well as getting her attention. Maybe she'd even be her friend! Far too powerful dreams to overthink, being both too massive to hold on to, and too distant from reality to grasp. And so she hung on to hovering near them, just remaining in their potent vicinity in the form of flashing rainbow coloured manes dashing by until the ringing bell burst her dreamy thought bubbles and she swiftly joined her friends outside with a few excited hops.
"Soooooo.." Diamond Tiara said to Scootaloo as she squeezed herself next to her, "I've heard Applebloom say that you're a faaabulous singer-"
"Of course I am!" Scootaloo replied immediately, oblivious to the tone in her voice.
"Oh how I'd looove to hear that." Diamond Tiara said sweetly as she blinked, Silver Spoon nodding in unison.
"All right.." started Scootaloo proudly as she announced, "This is called 'Paranoid' by Black Cabbage!"
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she concentrated and bellowed forth the words with such spirit and power, her lungs barely capable of keeping up with her as she forced forth every syllable, lost in thoughts of pure energy until she gathered her final reserves to push out the last line:
Ponies think I'm insane because I am frowning all the time!! Nananananana Na-Na-Nah!!
Finishing that last screech she finally opened her eyes, ready to allow herself the chance to harvest the well-earned applause. But.. what's that? All around little ponies were laughing. How tasteless they all were. They weren't even stomping their hooves on the ground as one should when listening to true rock music. Applebloom wasn't laughing at least, though she was looking at the grass beside her awkwardly. Did she just set her up to get laughed at? Is that it?
"I don't need any of you losers!" she yelled angrily as she ran off into the distance in a flash.
"Wait!" Applebloom called after her, barely audible over the victorious giggling of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and she knew there was no chance to catch up with her friend now. A sharp pang of guilt and responsibility hit her as the direction she was going in was that towards the Everfree Forest.
* * *
If she had not gotten lost she would have been safely back by now. But what if she wasn't lost, and simply kept running? What if she didn't want to go back? Or ever speak with her again? What if she was hurt somewhere, hungry, lost, not coming back and stuck in those woods all alone?
"She went into the Everfree Forest alone? Why the hay would she do such a thing?" said Applejack, her head on the task of hoofplanting apple seeds carefully.
"We've got to go look for her!" exclaimed Applebloom as Sweetie Belle reminded her that she might really be in danger with an encouraging nudge.
"Now hold on little sister, answer me!" persisted Applejack.
The two fillies hopped over the holes in the ground hurriedly, much to the annoyance of Applejack, who's made it a policy to keep the farm in good running order at all times, agitated little ponies or not.
"She's upset and we've gotta help her!" said Applebloom while tugging on her sister's tail with her mouth.
"Please!" added Sweetie Belle.
The older mare looked at the both of them and dropped her head,
"Aww shucks, I reckon Rainbow could look for her and get her back in no-time, no need for us to get ourselves lost all over those woods.
"Rainbooow!" she yelled.
In flew the pegasus, coming in from the far distance in a flash.
"What's that?" she threw back, accustomed to being summoned in such a direct manner.
"You've got to-" began Applebloom.
"Right now!" finished Sweetie Belle.
When Applejack hushed them and told her she was to look for their missing friend in the Everfree Forest she sighed audibly,
"Really?"
Applejack nodded, "Afraid there's nothing else to it RD, and you've done your job wonderfully here what with the sun shining as brightly as you made it and all!"
Again Rainbow sighed, "You've got to be kidding me!"
"Please Rainbow Dash! What if she's lost and hungry and not coming back?" pleaded Applebloom, who would simply go look for her friend herself if it came to that but knew somepony as fast and experienced as Dash would have a much easier task of it.
"What if she was hurt and got stuck in those woods all alone?" reminded Sweetie Belle.
"Fine." said Rainbow simply, surrendering and swiftly jumping up in the air without further hesitation. As she flew off towards the forest she called back,
"I'll have her back in no-time!"
Looking after her, Applejack routinely spitted some seeds into the minute holes she had previously dug and then spoke sternly as she raised her head,
"I know what you're thinking sis, but you can't go running off yourself now, or I'll have to come looking for you myself!"
"Awww.. but I want to help too!" pouted Applebloom, preemptively foiled in her pursuit of helping her friend. For where could she be off to?
Hoping they'd be reunited soon, she looked off into the distance, searching the skies over the tree tops, yet finding only concern in the blinding rays of sunlight. Sharing her helplessness, Sweetie Belle followed her gaze, and they fell to wondering if their friend observed those very same skies.
* * *
"I can't believe it!" Scootaloo cursed as she kicked a rock, "Like I said; no taste." She looked around herself, half-expecting things to be different. The jagged trees however stared back at her with silent malignance, offering no comfort to assuage her agitation. Bitterly she hung her head, remarking, "Or maybe it is me who has no taste." She considered adding that she had no taste in friends, but wasn't even sure she'd mean it. Of course she was young and not prone to overthink matters to such an extent but she was still very much aware of how conflicted she felt; she wasn't sure what she was truly upset about. Another rock bore the anger of the filly as she wondered why she was even here. Two hours, maybe less, maybe more, separated her from the scene, but it felt longer, as time often does during hardship; a hardship made larger and more complex with every passing minute spent in this forbidding place.
She ran away without any plan beyond getting out of there. Though she didn't show it, she wasn't that tough and cool. She had her doubts, of course, and there was no cutie mark to fall back on. "I should've brought my scooter." she mused as she walked this way, and then again another.. her direction changing as quickly as her determination flitted back and forth. She probably could find her way back to Ponyville easily enough, true, but her resolve to escape had transformed into something intangibly depressing by this time. She didn't know what she would be getting back to. She missed her friends, but it would be a long walk back.
Scootaloo didn't walk back. She kept going in whatever direction her hooves took her, now and then dodging a low-hanging branch as the light of day started to wane ever so slightly, with the cacophony of forest sounds becoming more sporadic and ever-so-much more eerie. Was that the hoot of an owl on the hunt for tiny prey? With an almost philosophic air she considered that even a small pony would be bigger than a mouse or shrew.. or an owl, for that matter. Rainbow Dash would be gigantic compared to all these, and herself put together - both in physical size and otherwise. Now that was a pony who could really soar; a pony in full control. She wouldn't be as pitiful as she was now, now would she? She felt a tear run across her cheek that caught her by surprise. Rainbow Dash wouldn't have run away, she would never have run away. She looked around herself to figure out which way would point her back; each bush looking to her as plain and dark as the next; each tree that could serve as a landmark just as likely to betray her. It was doubtful she would make it before nightfall, but by Celestia, she would try. A strange resolve overcame her as she looked up into the sky, powered by a sense of cleverness upon remembering that that would be the place to look for for directions. "I can't wait to get back to the Crusaders!" she remarked with her recovered courage, just seconds before being knocked out by a large rock, not given any chance to wonder why she didn't hear the approaching predator that must indeed have been stalking her for several minutes.
The first thing that Scootaloo noticed upon waking was that she definitely still had her head attached to her body - for how else could it, or anything, hurt this much? She tried to open her eyes slowly so she could hear what was making all this commotion; the commotion that woke her. It also seemed she was lying on very uneven, sharp ground; like floor boards that have been stamped on one too many times and thereby reduced to jagged rubble.
"Waking! Waking you will do!" the commotion shrieked; sharp and commanding, outlandish and brutal.
"Uhh.. where am I?" Scootaloo muttered as she remembered walking among the trees what must not be too long ago. Before her were two gigantic bird-creatures at least twice her size that made Scootaloo jump back in fear, but she was held back by several wooden spikes pricking her wings. Panic struck as she felt the change in location like nothing ever before; staring in horror as she realized that she was a dozen meters above the ground in what seemed to be the largest bird nest in all of Equestria, her heart a pounding hammer as one of the creatures shrieked once more, simultaneously exhaling an odour that would have made her faint were she not so alarmed,
"Moving you don't do! Food you are!"
In all her life, she hadn't felt this helpless; she didn't even look about herself for a means to escape. For what escape could there be? As the instincts of the forest-dwelling rabbits would assume instantaneously when confronted with wolves in a position of such disadvantage so too would they reduce them to waiting only for what will come. One would be forgiven for calling it a matter of faith rather than faltering courage; faith in the hunting, questing pack that had finally outmanoeuvred it in its moment of weakness, or faith indeed in the larger order of life. As all living creatures at heart know that theirs is a temporary existence, so they have made peace with their final moment before it had even arrived. Conscious not of her halted breathing, or of the pain in her head, she stared unmovingly into the eyes of one of the two bird-things who returned her gaze with a cold expression undaunted by those helpless eyes and the implication that they would pierce all the way through her if but given half a chance. Two steps with those feathered legs and a swift strike with that razor-sharp grey beak protruding from that ashy face and it would be over - she wouldn't even feel it.
"Oh no you don't!" a sudden raspy voice bellowed as a flash of blue barreled into the nest towards the feathery menaces, Scootaloo scarcely aware whether this was fantasy, reality, or a shade in between. The altercation was messy and violent as twigs, soot and feathers flew near and far, quick in its undecided outcome. Panting and taking a step back to stand between Scootaloo and her assailants the cyan blue pegasus taunted,
"Okay, okay, so it's only two of you and a whole one of me, maybe it's a little unfair!"
It was Rainbow Dash! Everything would be all right now - she was always there whenever anypony needed her. And even now, it was all the better that it was her - bravest of all ponies - as opposed to anypony else able (should they exist!) to come to her aid.
"No, no, no! Too big to eat you are!" The giant owl shrieked as it flapped its wings violently, its twin quickly suggesting, "Beaking to death will be it!"
"You bet I'm too big to eat, but also.." she said, glancing behind her quickly as her tail swayed expectantly, "I'm too FAST!" and before Scootaloo could draw another breath, she was whisked away from the tree's giant nest safely in Dash's hooves who remarked to herself, "The quick getaway is a worthy backup plan!" almost as if to excuse her not successfully beating the creatures into submission with her bare hooves.
"Dash.." Scootaloo muttered feebly, half in awe and half in shock, unable to carry her intended sentence into fruition. It was all right though, there was no place she'd rather be right now than in these hooves that brought her to a quiet clearing not too far off.
"Hey squirt, are you okay?" She could hear Dash (or it must've been her) ask her as she settled on the grass. It should've been so easy to respond, for she knew exactly what to say. It was hard to speak now though, for she felt a lot smaller suddenly, and terribly sleepy..
It was the third time that day that she woke, and again her surroundings had changed. She felt her head with a hoof and opened her eyes easily, for she already realized she was in a bed. It was not her own though, and she now saw she was in what seemed to be a bare, single room cabin - was she still in the Everfree Forest?
"Awake I see?" Dash observed as she skipped to the bed from the other side of the room with a single flap of her wings. She had almost imagined that the sudden arrival of the ever-vigilant Dash was a dream, but such things didn't seem out of place anymore. As she tried to make sense of what had happened she commented simply,
"I'm sick" quickly thereafter looking at Dash with a hint of wonder and adding, "Uhm, I mean.. thanks Dash!"
Dash rolled her eyes, deciding the little filly must've been hurt more than she thought initially,
"Anytime! You okay?"
"I am now!"
"Let's get you back home then!"
At this there was a sudden shift. Scootaloo wriggled about uneasily in the rickety bedding as she realized that with Dash's concern for her wellbeing out of the way she was just another annoying kid to her again. Shame filled her thoughts; she was too weak to save herself and had made a fool of herself in front of the one pony she wanted to impress the most. Who cared what those schoolfillies thought of her singing? One moment around Dash where she was treated like one of her equals - insofar as a pony such as Dash would have one - that would be worth any amount of public scorn and humiliation.
"What's keeping you? Too sick to move or something?" Dash asked impatiently.
"Uhh.. yeah.. totally sick, like I said."
"Figures."
The older mare was obviously frustrated with her, which instantly made her feel guilty.
"Sorry."
She was met with a trademark sigh and left to wonder if she was even more pitiful now than she was before. If those.. those whatever-they-weres had.. eaten her, at least she would be spared this complete loss of dignity. Her heart beat fast upon recollecting the moment in that giant nest and her face filled itself with tears despite her attempts to stay calm and cool, like Dash would've been in her place.
"I.." she started without knowing what to say. To make her plead for her to understand, or to simply let go and cry.. apologise, anything. She could show strength and say she could come home with her, and at least get out of her mane as soon as possible; for indeed she probably wasn't as sick as she suggested. But what was she thinking? How could she relinquish her company so lightly?
Looking at her as she trailed off like so, Dash put a hoof on her bedside and tried to sound as reassuring as possible,
"Look, it'll be okay. I'll just go get help at Ponyville then and be back in a flash!"
That was the last thing that would reassure her.
"No!" she exclaimed, quickly second-guessing her dramatic expression and adding, "Uhm.. I mean.. please stay, those creatures might come back."
She almost volunteered being scared, but she kept that part to herself. Not that it mattered, her distress wasn't just plain as day, but also more than justified. Such is the credit earned by getting close to being swallowed whole.
It must've been the next morning, though where in the Everfree Forest this hut resided was unclear to Scootaloo. She considered asking Dash about it, who presently flitted around her busily. She had insisted on accompanying her when Dash had suggested looking for something to eat - no doubt in the hope that it would make her feel well enough to travel homeward. It was the older pegasus however that broke the silence,
"Too sick to be carried home, but not sick enough to frolic in the woods?"
She stopped frolicking right then and there. She wasn't aware that her worries had vanished into thin air as if she was at home curled up warm and snug with a fresh apple muffin. Such was the comfort of her idol's company so shortly after peril; watching her breeze through the grey air so casually and easing between the branches without a care in the world. Oh what she would give to be so free. But now, her worries returned as quickly as they had gone upon being reminded she was nothing more than a burden. She bit her lip and looked away.
"I.. I have air sickness." her voice trailed off, almost as if it was a suggestion rather than a fact. Dash folded her hooves as she flapped in front of her, chasing Scootaloo's eyes with her own.
"Aren't you worried about your friends worrying about you?"
"Yeah.." she confessed guiltily.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
"I.. I can't go back."
It was a decision made as suddenly as any she had ever made. She was surprised at how easy this was and how strong it made her feel. She could simply stay in the woods, dangerous as they were, or go somewhere else. It really didn't matter. And although she had made her choice with conviction, she cared not about these finer details, let alone consider the prospect of being scared out of her wits upon being alone in these mysterious woods. That perhaps was the tipping point: deciding to stay here would mean Dash would at least keep her company for a while.
"What?" Dash asked simply. Recovering herself quickly she continued angrily, "I came to look for you and I'll get you back to Ponyville whether you want to or not!"
"You can't make me!" Scootaloo retorted instantly, quickly realising her statement to be false. Her stare must've been filled with quite the amount of tenacity however as Dash stopped short for a moment before shouting at the younger filly,
"I can't believe this! I come to rescue you and then you're nothing but trouble! Talk about sour apples!"
"I didn't ask for your help! I don't need any help!"
"Oh yes," Dash rolled her eyes, "You were doing just fine there with those.. bird things back there."
"Yeah? Well maybe I would've been better off without your help!" Scootaloo decided, her face now filled with tears again as she turned away from Dash and bolted into the dense thicket, Rainbow following close behind.
The smaller pegasus was nimble and determined, though she knew not what she was doing or hoping to accomplish. It was simply too much for her to deal with; her awareness of again losing her cool forced her hoof in doing something . In her mind she was now so used to switching from one extreme to another that it was only from sheer exhaustion, mental or otherwise, that upon reaching a large boulder her resolve faded - a pain in the head coming back to her like an old foe she'd rather not have met again. And as such she sat down and wept like a little filly.
Rainbow found her within a minute and saw that her quarry wasn't likely to run away again. At first she considered tackling her and dragging her back home, kicking and screaming, but there was something about the scene that made her reconsider. She flapped quietly next to the crying filly and drew upon all her reserves of patience and tried to reason as best she could,
"Look, you can't stay here." she said.
"I know." Scootaloo sobbed uncontrollably, well aware of how pitiful she now looked. She knew that this way she might even get her way - to an extent - without too much resistance, but what she really wanted now seemed further away than ever. Knowing her chances were spent, still she tried, failing miserably as she stammered,
"I don't know."
Looking at her, the urge to act overtook Rainbow, and quickly she locked onto the skies and jumped up in an instant, causing Scootaloo to look at the sudden start, wondering where she was going. Was she just going to abandon her? No - Dash looked down at her from over the treetops with a showmare's flair, as if about to perform a magic trick that promised to dazzle beyond compare. She looked on, compelled, forgetting her tears and discarding any doubt as Dash simply shoved aside the grey clouds with a single flash of her hoof. A sharp ray of light shone through the cloud cover, brilliantly illuminating her eyes as it beamed down on her. It was such a simple wonder to be in the center of that sudden spotlight, made all the more wondersome by it being created entirely for her. Basking in the glow she followed Dash's landing and immediately tackled her thankfully, just pressing against her fluffy chest as she flung her hooves around her. Success.
"Uhh.. you're welcome." Dash stammered uncomfortably, swiftly pushing her luck, "Does that mean you're ready to go home now?"
Scootaloo nodded - to the wind with those silly notions. Though she knew not entirely who she was, she was more than certain where she belonged. But, although she already felt her worries disintegrate and her hopes reignite, she was a filly of mischief who knew she could now not be denied a small favour, much like an injured foal could count on an extra treat from their mother's cookie jar. She looked at a relieved Rainbow and muttered sweetly as she wiped the tears from her eyes,
"But.. can we hang out a bit first?" forgetting that they were in the most dangerous lands near Ponyville - though that perhaps was no factor at all with Rainbow Dash at her side.
"Fine." Dash said simply, though not unkindly. After all, it was only natural that ponies would want to hang out with her. She would humour her and get her home in no-time, as she had promised she would. That was the plan, anyway.
* * *
How Applebloom could be restrained from looking for her friend that night wasn't easy to say. Did she have enough trust in Rainbow Dash's speed and determination to find her? Perhaps, but it was challenged when it was clear they wouldn't return before nightfall. Stronger was the faith in her big sister, who's words she had come to blindly rely on; and so her assurances had kept her with more strength than anypony had in their bones.
True, she was restrained from going adventuring and getting Sweetie Belle to join her into the Everfree Forest despite whatever objections she might've presented, but this hadn't meant that Applebloom had slept soundly by any stretch of the imagination. It was more than apparent as she joined her family at the breakfast table, where her sister was just putting breakfast on the plates: sweet-smelling cinnamon scones with apple jam.
"Scootaloo will be just fine, won't she Big Mac?"
"Eeyup." her brother said assuringly without any hesitation whatsoever.
"I know that, but it doesn't make me feel much better. It's my fault she ran away."
"Put it out of your mind, sugarcube. I'm telling you that they must've spent the night in the forest and Dash'll have her back in time to play with you after school!
"Just you wait!"
School was a trial made all the more real by the one empty seat in the classroom, but this atmosphere was felt only by Applebloom and Sweetie Belle (and perhaps their teacher who did not make it a business to show it). Seeking comfort in eachother, the two friends cast eachother wordless glances whenever they could, with Sweetie Belle even managing to distract herself with the lessons at hoof. And after learning several new words to detail bird migration, they were going to go crusade for their cutie mark - but there was no chance of that happening without the full ensemble. Would she be back in time? The bell rang, signalling break time and, sensing their worry, Cheerilee called the two girls to her when the rest of the class made for the playground.
Putting her hooves on the fillies' shoulders she spoke assuringly,
"Your friend will be fine, okay? Don't forget to have fun!"
There was something in the way she said fun that inspired them in such a simple, effective way. For what could they do about the matter now? At least it was dry for the moment - and they had eachother.
"Let's come up with some ideas to pitch to Scootaloo for when she's back!" Sweetie Belle suggested and already Applebloom had hopeful cutie mark prospects appear in her head. Turning to her friend she said,
"What would you need to do to get a cutie mark that looks like a piece of candy?"
Giggling excitedly they made for the swings.
"Oh, where's your friend?" an all too familiar voice taunted.
The peace was instantly over. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon shuffled next to the two, the latter quickly suggesting,
"Maybe she was jealous of your cutie marks!" causing them to giggle, the laughter only increasing as it became clear that Applebloom could not feign any sort of calmness towards them. In fact, to say she was angry was an understatement, and she now cast the most intimidating look back to the two girls that she could manage; not saying a single word. Diamond Tiara leaned in and whispered coolly, knowing she got the reaction she was hoping for,
"Maybe she's singing to the woodland creatures!" conjuring images in their minds of the worst Fluttershy impression conceivable; Scootaloo screeching in a manner that could aurally injure the deafest of birds. Applebloom couldn't take this anymore. It was more than being proud of her friends; it was a matter of honour. She had to stick up for her, and already the inhibition of violence left her body; this foal was going to get a kick that would make her teeth fall like rotten apples, there was no doubt in her mind about that. The laughing would stop so soon, all it would take-
Suddenly the antagonising face in front of her changed, a rich splattering of mud caking that smug smile in ways that would have made her giggle to the point of insanity if it had occurred to anypony but herself. Silver Spoon looked on in a mixture of shock and disgust. Sweetie Belle had not only saved her but also moved in for the proverbial kill, noting,
"I thought I'd do you a favour and get you some make-up to match your cutie mark!"
Applebloom collected herself and looked at her friend knowingly, though not without a sense of moral ambiguity. In her mind she had already kicked Diamond Tiara down and she wasn't sure if she would even have stopped there. It was a thought too vulgar for her to consider any more. Shaking herself, Diamond Tiara got up and ran off, yelling, "Miss Cheerilee! Miss Cheerilee!" as brown tears streamed from her eyes.
* * *
Having convinced the young filly that they should eat the fruit they found back at the cabin, the two of them quickly found themselves inside again. For a moment Dash wondered who lived here and whether or not they would mind them using the hut for the time being. Now that she thought about it, it was really too empty to suggest anypony lived there at all, and although the bed was made, it didn't seem like anypony had been using it. "Weird." she muttered, casting the thought aside. Things turned out all right after all, and it's hardly a punishment to be surrounded by somepony who blindly admires her every move - though of course it would take somepony who could see to truly understand her abilities.
"Knock, knock." said a sudden, harsh voice from behind the door.
Scootaloo started up, fluttering her wings excitedly as Dash looked at the flimsy wooden door in confusion.
"Uhh.. who's there?" she asked uncertainly.
"Daddy!" the voice bellowed, louder than that of any creature their size as the door was opened; a greyish, silver-speckled claw taking its place just as noisily.
"Behind me, squirt!" Dash commanded, Scootaloo ducking behind her and pressing against the wall without question.
"I uhh.. don't know who you are, but if you think you can bully us then you're buck out of luck!"
Her courage seemed to falter even as she spoke, certain that this creature did not take kindly to them invading its house - though this house seemed far too small for a creature that must be at least twice its size.
"Bully?" the voice prompted darkly, the claw disappearing and making place for a gigantic round eye with a narrow red slit surrounded by intense black, "I'm just taking what's ours, you little food-thing!"
This made them gulp audibly, Scootaloo not being able to inch any closer to that wall. There was no way outside but through that door: they were trapped.
"My kids were given the small food-thing and now it's multiplied and I'll get a food-thing too! What luck!" the voice now filling itself with glee as it considered the best way to swallow this rainbow hued delicacy. Head first? Or perhaps that ridiculous tail? That might not have the best texture - way too much hair.
"Well, eat this then!" Rainbow cried as she leaped towards that eye, which shut only just in time as the creature cried out in anger and pain as she delivered her diving kick. Immediately the flash of its claw drove in through the opening as soot covered the floor, swishing this way and that wildly; a razor sharp nail swiping a dozen hairs from Dash's mane as she leaped clear. There was little room to manoeuvre and the claw now covered almost the entirety of the hut, reaching hungrily for its prey.
"You'll pay for that, food-thing!" the voice promised.
"Food? I have a strawberry here.." Scootaloo offered desperately.
"A strawberry? What's this nonsense?!" the voice questioned.
"It's a really.. really-really tasty fruit!"
"Fruit? That's no food-thing! You little food-things are utterly silly! It's a good thing I can just carry this cage home and not bother with these underhanded fruit talks! Hah!"
"Uh oh." Scootaloo commented, knowing this would not go well. This was not the sort of hanging out she had in mind. Nodding guiltily at Dash for the mess she had gotten them into she whispered a sorry and again was left to whimpering. So much for that idea! If she was half the pony Rainbow Dash was how easily they could take care of this situation together. Many a time she had seen Dash and her friends make short of trouble. How did they do that so easily?
"Uhh.. no problem," Dash muttered, sounding anything but untroubled. Raising her voice she addressed the creature as diplomatically as she could but already the hut had started shaking violently, making them hold on to eachother as she cried out,
"You know, we're no food-things either!"
Taking her cue, Scootaloo added, "That's right! Worse than strawberries! And uhh.. partially just as red!"
"Really bad for the stomach.. if you have a stomach." Dash concluded.
"I think I'll be okay!" the voice assured.
"Why take the chance?" Dash countered, adding hurriedly, "The stomach ache would continue for days!"
"Weeks!" Scootaloo piped in, trying her best not to stumble as the hut was being dislodged.
"My stomach is pretty amazing." the voice boomed with a note of pride, utterly unconvinced.
"Uhh.. why not.. keep it that way?" Scootaloo questioned in the hope that comes with fear, already now fast becoming accustomed to danger.
Although the titanic sooty owl had no problem countering these desperate arguments, for he took them for what they were - final attempts at survival - and indeed would have no trouble whatsoever with swallowing the 'rainbow hued food-thing' or feeding his offspring the smaller pony, such size and physical prowess does come at a price. For a creature of such magnitude it is easy to overlook the details. Indeed, the quality of the cage had diminished with wear; the hut being constructed reasonably well, but having been transported back and forth one too many times. And so, as the bed shook noisily on its crumbling foundations, the two ponies had crawled through an opening in the floor and disappeared completely unnoticed in the bushes underneath it, with the giant feathery mass - at least ten times the size of what must've been his children's - not suspecting any change in weight as it lumbered towards the sky with the package. He would have a lot to answer for at home.
"That was close!" Dash exclaimed as she wiped some sweat from her forehead, brushing off Scootaloo's mane instinctively, who could even in her position scarcely believe the show of concern.
"Yeah, that was pretty cool!"
But just as quickly as it had appeared, her exhilarated smile turned upside down, a frown taking its place. Dash looked at her questioningly, wondering if she was injured in some way.
"What's the matter, squirt?"
"It's exactly that. I wish I was cool and tough like you." she said miserably, though not without a hint of admiration in her voice.
"Yeah, I know, I'm- uhh.. I mean, you're pretty cool and all too." she tried unconvincingly.
"Right." Scootaloo replied matter-of-factly, "I'm just some kid."
"Look," Dash explained, "Even I couldn't stop that ashy bird creature-thing. Sometimes it doesn't matter how tough we are or not."
At this Scootaloo thought for a while. She was smart too. It was really quite horrible: how could she possibly compare with somepony so tremendous?
"Besides," Dash tried with resolve, "You were pretty sharp in there." actually believing herself now.
It's true that she had not expected the filly to be so witty in a bind such as the one they were in. Her surprise in the sincerity of her own words was no match for that of Scootaloo though, who looked up in wonder - she didn't understand exactly what she had meant by this, but here was a word of notice entirely earnest. As the sun started breaking through, the clouds and the buzzing of bees could be heard not too far off in the distance, making Dash giggle light-heartedly, adding,
"You didn't even break down crying! Quite an improvement!"
Scootaloo frowned but said simply, "Thanks." swiftly casting aside the jab in taking it for what it was. She smiled now, looking at Dash's bruised feathers and shaggy mane; wanting badly to brush her hooves through it as the older pegasus had just done to her. She knew it would be both out of place and not appreciated though, but at least to herself she smiled harder yet at the thought, for she would have put more effort into it than any of her foolish crusading antics, spirited though they were. This moment of reverie was lost on Dash, who felt the oddities of the day weary her defences and made her feel odd and foalish.
"You know," she started, "I'm sure you'll get your cutie mark anytime now."
Hopefully Scootaloo raised her head and looked at her flank - what would sharpness bring as a cutie mark anyway?
"Aww.." she pouted in tell-tale disappointment.
"Don't worry! I'm sure you'll find something you're good at!"
"But I already know what I want - I want to be like you!" she blurted out, completely aware that this was hopeless. How could anypony be as awesome as she was? One might as well have been tasked with finding grass on the moon or ponies in the sea. Yet, even as she said this with a note of embarrassment, there was an odd comfort taken from its release. She couldn't quite place it, but there was something about the conversation that filled her with hope despite her predicament and brought with it a more carefree atmosphere.
"Of course you do." Dash replied smugly, knowing that there was more to be said but unsure now what exactly it was.
Scootaloo looked at her expectantly, suppressing the urge to praise her more than she already had. She remained composed in her gaze; a look that seemed to compel Dash to search for words. Throwing glances at the thick lines of trees she settled on something.
"You know why I wanted to be the pony I am today?" she dared, knowing full well that a filly such as Scootaloo, bright as she must certainly be, couldn't have an answer to that. After all, she herself must not have given it much thought either.
"To prove to the ponies around you that you could, to impress the Wonderbolts." Scootaloo replied immediately, Dash taken aback both by her candour and cleverness. Perhaps she's a little brighter than that even.. or perhaps simply obsessed with her lifelong ambition to join those brave, flying ponies - something very forgivable as, after all, there are worse ponies for little girls to admire.
"Close." she answered, trying to contain her surprise as she looked at the filly who was all ears; moreso than anypony else had ever been to her. Indeed, she couldn't help but feel delighted by the attention.
"It's true I wanted to prove to other ponies that I wasn't just somepony who could be ignored or go through life without really accomplishing anything.." Dash started, intermittently switching her gaze between the clouds and the filly's expectant eyes, "But this wasn't enough. How could it possibly matter what some of these ponies thought? How could they possibly understand the feeling of crashing through the clouds faster than anypony alive?
"I convinced myself without too much difficulty, but there was more. I knew I wanted what I did for my own reasons, even when convincing other ponies of my raw skills, determination, radical speed, pure energy..
"..right. My own reasons.. so why did I do what I did? You're right, I was trying to prove myself. To me."
Sure that there was some sort of wisdom to build into from this thrilled revelation, Dash thought for a moment, unable to grasp exactly the feeling her thoughts were edging towards.
"Oh, because that's more important than the satisfaction of proving others wrong or impressing them." Scootaloo muttered, listening to more than just the words themselves.
"Uhh.. yeah, of course." Dash said, again surprised by the filly's swift thinking, and then, remembering why she opened up in the way she did, put a hoof around Scootaloo.
"You can be awesome in your own way." she said with feeling.
It was a concept she hadn't really considered in such depth before. She could prove herself and.. was it even possible that that was enough? Not needing to be an orange Rainbow Dash soaring through the skies at lightning speed to realize her potential? To get her cutie mark and making any mark she wanted and on top of that even impress others with that? True, she only really wanted to impress one pony in particular, but doing so would make her impress herself even more. That was something worth pursuing; in fact it was more than that! It was both necessary and awesome to stay the course. It was a pretty overwhelming thought; one not so easily grasped and contained in her head just like that, but rather one to culminate and foster of its own accord over time.
"Thanks Dash, you're so cool!" she exclaimed shamelessly, nosing her chest as she hugged her profusely.
To her own surprise, Dash didn't resent the affection but rather welcomed it - she tried not to let it show too much though. After all, though she wasn't sure whether or not she'd truly miss it, she didn't want to just throw away the admiration she had earned. She suppressed a happy sigh and said, as casually as she could,
"So, let's see about getting us home then."
Scootaloo nodded and smiled, looking around herself to see the sunny afternoon for what it was after completely having forgotten her surroundings. Nothing would make her happier now than to go home and be reunited with her friends; with Rainbow Dash flying right there at her side.
* * *
"So you know why you're staying after class, don't you?" Cheerilee requested, her tone harsh but fair.
Sweetie Belle nodded guiltily. She hadn't even tried to excuse what she had done, but then, Applebloom had stood up for her and tried to take the blame as best she could. It wasn't even Diamond Tiara she was angry at - for how could she have bothered her if she was as confident in her friendships as she claimed to be? Even now she was present in the classroom, having insisted on being punished at least as much.
"And with that out of the way," the teacher started, speaking brighter as she looked at Applebloom now, "You're also here because I asked your sister to come here the moment Scootaloo's back. So why don't you sweet fillies play a game 'till your friend's here?"
The two girls smiled at eachother with a clear sense of being let off the hook. Their actions weren't ignored; instead they were understood. At that, Cheerilee opened a window, immediately sniffing the fresh summer air that now breezed into the classroom.
"You're the best teacher ever, Cheerilee!" Sweetie Belle said suddenly.
"That's right, you're my favourite!" added Applebloom as she nodded enthusiastically.
To this, Cheerilee could only smile with a faint blush as she considered whether to join the fillies with their board games or prepare homework. Some decisions really don't take the experience of years to make.
"Well done, Sweetie Belle! It seems like you beat us again!" said Cheerilee cheerily, with Applebloom frowning as if she truly expected that this last game would turn out differently.
She was about to speak up when there was a knock on the door of the classroom, causing the fillies to look up hopefully. Was their friend back? And then, coursing in from the window like a hurricane appeared Rainbow Dash, causing them all to jump back in alarm.
"Miss Rainbow Dash!" Cheerilee started, forgetting the door.
"That's me!" Dash replied simply, exuding enthusiasm as she flapped over to the door and bowed stoically as she opened it for Scootaloo who rushed in and tackled her friends; never before being so eager to hug them. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were too happy to see her to really take note, smothering her so readily that Scootaloo escaped as quickly as she had engaged them.
"Wow, you really missed me!"
"We sure did!" said Applebloom.
"We really missed you!" confirmed Sweetie Belle.
"I'm back just in time to go crusading!"
"Are you sure you don't need a nap first?" Applebloom inquired.
"After we find our cutie marks maybe!" Scootaloo retorted, casting a glance at her teacher,
"I'm sorry I missed school miss Cheerilee, maybe tomorrow I'll pay more attention!"
"Maybe." Sweetie Belle commented sharply as they made for the playground, their goodbyes short but well-meaning. It was already understood that the goodbye that Rainbow Dash and her new friend shared was the dramatic entrance they had prepared for her fellow crusaders. But anyway, there was no rush; they might see eachother again on another day. Ponyville was small, and life was long and bountiful. As such, the girls were easily forgiven the idea of earning their cutie marks by eating various sorts of candy for what remained of the afternoon.
"I can't eat another piece of liquorice.." Sweetie Belle remarked, patting her stomach meekly.
"Ugh, yeah! I can't believe we thought this would earn us a cutie mark!" Scootaloo said knowingly, casting a glance at Applebloom who seemed more than ready to roll over in sweet defeat.
Although they had spoken little of what had happened the day before, there was a silent understanding that is often shared between close friends. Together again, there was no need for anypony's apology, for all was right with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Nothing could come between them, especially not some schoolfillies who knew nothing of such affairs as true friendship or the effects of gratuitous amounts of candy shared among them. Though she was more than eager to triumphantly disclose her tale of adventure while chewing on succulent sweets, Scootaloo had promised to instead tell it another day. The truth was that she felt that keeping it to herself for just a little bit longer would be all the more satisfying; such marvelous secrets should be given all the attention they deserved before being eased out into the wider world bit by glorious bit.
That night she sighed dreamily moments before drifting off into a deep sleep, two very long days now behind her. Though she was excited for the challenges tomorrow promised she was also more calm now than she had been in a long, long time. It was this confidence that stuck to her, much like the moon always loomed near Equestria, no matter what else might come to be. And as that moon shone its enchanting light onto her bed she found that her sleep that night was filled with brighter, more vivid rainbows than had ever been revealed to her before.
* * *
"What have we got so far, Spike?" Dash asked. This whole letter business was not her best suit, and she knew it.
"All of it?" Spike asked simply, looking at the lengthy mess of words, corrections, and annotations on the parchment before him.
"Okay, start over." she announced, sighing heavily as she tried to formulate her thoughts once more.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
"These past two days I've discovered that some ponies are a lot cooler-
"Ahem.. a bit cooler-"
She sighed again and stopped herself, feeling utterly ridiculous.
"Or just say cooler-
"These past two days I've discovered that some ponies are cooler than I give them credit for, and sometimes it takes showing them that to really notice it myself-
"Or something like that. Agh! Just keep it like that and send it already!"
Flustered, she left the library, leaving Spike to piece together a signature of sorts on her behalf, and giving it no further thought as she took the opportunity to take a few choice novels back home with her. What was most important was that she knew she learned something that was important to her, even if she wasn't entirely sure yet what it meant.
