Rainbow's Secret

"Don't worry, we're almost there."

"We've been walking for like ten minutes Squirt, how much further is it?"

"Okay, we're here, now, keep your eyes closed."

"Fine," said a blue-skinned pony as she walked in the door with her smaller companion. Both ponies were pegasi, although, one was older than the other. The blue pegasus had a rainbow-striped mane that matched her emblem on her flank, a cloud with a rainbow lightning bolt. The smaller pegasus had an orange toned skin with a light-purple mane. She has no mark on her flank, and it is her life goal to achieve one. When Rainbow opened her eyes, she became confused at the place she had just entered. "Hey Mom, Dad, look who I brought here!" said Scootaloo, very excited. When Rainbow's eyes met Scootaloo's parents' eyes, the house went quiet. Scootaloo looked between her parents and her role model, and her smile turned into a frown. Without a second's delay, Rainbow Dash flew away from the house.

Scootaloo asked her parents what had happened, but her parents just stood there, looking intently at where Rainbow stood. Scootaloo left her home, and wondered what she should do. "I know, I'll ask Twilight. She knows everything." So, Scootaloo went to the library to see the purple unicorn. "Hi Twilight!" she said.

The unicorn looked up, setting a book down with her magic and responded, "Oh, hello there Scootaloo, what brings you to the library?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Well then, ask away."

"Have you seen Rainbow Dash recently?"

"No, I haven't, why do you ask?"

"Well, I brought her to my house to show my her to my parents because they seclude themselves in our house. When they met, though, it became very quiet in the house, then Rainbow flew away." Twilight's look became one of confusion.

"That is very unusual, Rainbow doesn't run from anything."

"Twilight, do you know anything about Rainbow Dash before she came to Ponyville?"

"Well, you have lived here longer than I have. All I know is that she went to flight camp then came here. I'm sorry if I didn't have what you were looking for."

"That's okay," she said gloomily.

After leaving the library, she perked up, Maybe Applejack knows more about Rainbow Dash, she thought. Scootaloo ran to Sweet Apple Acres and found the hard-working earth pony just ending her work for the day. "Hey Applejack, can I ask you something?"

"Ya sure can, sugar cube."

"Have you seen Rainbow Dash today?"

"Nope, I've been working in the fields all day long, why, is she okay?"

"I'm not sure, but did she tell you anything about her past?" The orange pony's expression almost exactly mimicked Twilight's.

"No, she usually keeps that part to herself. All I know is that she went to flight camp, and that is where she became friends with Fluttershy, and then lived here, why do you ask?"

"Because she flew away from my house when she met my parents."

"Well, I'm sure she'll turn up soon, why don't you get some sleep, you're lookin' mighty exhausted."

"Okay," and with that, Scootaloo went home. She walked past her parents who were sitting at the table doing nothing. Scootaloo had trouble sleeping that night; she kept wondering what happened to Rainbow Dash for her to act the way she did. Late at night, she heard a sound coming from a nearby room. It sounded like a sob, but Scootaloo thought she was hearing things. Scootaloo pondered over her day as sleep took her.

In the morning, Scootaloo met up with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle for their Cutie Mark Crusaders' meeting. The two little fillies could sense that something was wrong with Scootaloo, but they were afraid to ask. After a while, Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo, "What's wrong with you, you are usually very active in our meetings, but all you've done is sit there and do nothing."

"I'm thinking about Rainbow Dash."

"Well, have you asked anypony about her?"

"Yes, I asked Twilight and Applejack, and they had no idea."

"Why don't you ask another pegasus?"

"That's a great idea, why didn't I think of it, I'll go ask Fluttershy. See you girls later."

"Bye Scoot." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said together, still a little worried about their pegasus friend.

Scootaloo ran quickly to old cottage that housed many animals to ask about Rainbow Dash. "Hey Fluttershy, have you seen Rainbow recently?"

"Um, no, why do you ask?" replied the yellow pegasus; she turned to face the little filly.

"Has Rainbow told you anything about her past? All I have been hearing is that she met you at flight camp, and then lived here, but is there anything before that?"

"Well, there is one thing." Scootaloo's grin widened. "It was our first year at the camp and we were sharing a room. Many ponies knew Rainbow Dash was a tough filly and flew extremely fast, but one night, I got worried for her. I woke up that night because I heard a noise. It was crying, coming from Rainbow's bed. I walked over and asked 'What's wrong Rainbow?'

'Nothing,' she replied, 'I'm sorry I woke you.'

'Do you miss your family Rainbow?'

'Yes I do', she answered along with quieter crying.

'Don't worry,' I told her, 'You'll see them again soon.'

She replied, 'That's the problem, I won't,' and then she fell asleep. We became good friends afterwards, but we never talked about that night."

Scootaloo was amazed by the story; she needed to find Rainbow as fast as she can. "Thank you Fluttershy."

"You're welcome Scootaloo, but may I ask why you wanted to know?" Scootaloo never heard the question as she left the cottage, leaving Fluttershy watching her run.

Scootaloo ran into Ponyville, but shortly realized she had no idea where Dashie could be. Suddenly, a wall of pink appeared and said, "Are you solving a puzzle? I love puzzles! Is it easy? Hard? What type of-"

"No Pinkie Pie, it isn't a puzzle," Scootaloo interrupted, "I'm just looking for Rainbow Dash."

"Well, why didn't you say so? She is at Sugar Cube Corner."

"Thanks Pinkie!"

"Oki Doki Loki!"

Scootaloo ran to Sugar Cube Corner, but had trouble finding Rainbow Dash. After a while, she found Dashie at a back table. "Can you tell me what happened yesterday Rainbow Dash?" asked Scootaloo.

Rainbow looks over and says, "I'm sorry about that."

"Fluttershy told me about that one night at flight camp."

Rainbow's eyes widened as she looked at Scootaloo, then at other ponies in the area, but nopony heard her. "Let's talk privately."

They went into a room and closed the door, "So, what did Fluttershy tell you?"

"She told me how you were crying one night because you couldn't see your family."

"Yes, that is true."

"Why not?"

"Because I ran away."

This stunned Scootaloo immediately, she never expected Rainbow to do such a thing, "Why did you run away?"

"My parents were very protective and secluded. They wouldn't let me play around because it seemed dangerous to them. But, growing up wanting to be a Wonderbolt, you need to practice flying. So, I asked my parents to sign me for a flight camp, but they said no. I didn't want to grow up with them anymore, so I ran away, and went to flight camp."

"But why did you run from my house once you saw my parents?"

"I couldn't look at my parents again once I ran away."

Realization came over Scootaloo, and she stood there for many minutes. When she returned to reality, she asked Rainbow, "Can we visit my par-, I mean 'our' parents soon."

"Okay Squirt."

"Promise you won't fly off?"

"I promise little sis'."