It was a sunny day in Ponyville; Rainbow Dash must have gotten up early to clear the clouds for once. Scootaloo sat in the tree house as she gazed up into the sky. It was nice and shady in their little hideout, mostly because the tree had grown out and was over flowing with leaves. But she found it comforting to sit in the dark as everypony else worked out in the blazing sun.
It had been almost 3 years since Rainbow Dash preformed her famous Sonic Rainboom. Scootaloo had been on the ground when it happened, but she knew it was Dash. Ever since, Scootaloo had pestered her about it, and kept asking for private lessons. After about a week or so, Dash had finally given up protesting, and said yes. They went fairly well, except the fact that she failed every one for almost 2 years. But she was getting closer, she could feel it. As Scoot sat in the little tree house, it began to get dark. She gazed at the grey sky, wondering if Dash was out there, flying around and preforming tricks for others to watch. Scootaloo had become very envious of the young mare, and her talents.
"Soon, I want to be just like you!" Scoot had said to her once. Her only reply was,
"Aim high kid, but don't aim for the impossible." The words had sealed in her head, like some sort of challenge, and she was ready to conqueror it.
As the grey sky turned to black, and the millions of shiny little stars peaked out of their daily hiding places, Scoot started thinking of that day, yes, that day. It had been a glorious day. It was the day she had flown for the first time. Granted it was only ten feet, but she still did it. The pride she felt almost burst her heart into a million pieces of sheer joy, and she had never felt so alive in that ten feet than she had all her life. Scootaloo pulled an old looking book from under her treehouse bed. On the cover, it read 'Flight Log.' She had made it years back when she first started flight lessons, but never got the chance to write anything down. She flipped the cover open to page one, and there, in bold ink, read 'First Flight: 10 feet, 3 feet high.' Just looking at the text made her burst with happiness at the memory. Scoot shut the book, and lay her head on the pillow that edged her bed. Yes, this was her home. It had been her home ever since her and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders had fixed it up as their club house. She slept here every night, waiting for that one day, that special day that Rainbow Dash would take her in as her own. 'Soon' she would always tell herself. 'Soon.' But soon wasn't soon enough, and Scoot was getting impatient. After putting the book back under her stiff bed, she turned over dramatically, and pulled the covers over her. Suddenly, the doors of the old tree house started to creak open. It slowly pushed farther open just enough to let Sweetie Belle in. Right when Scootaloo realized it was her, she instantly turned over, and pretended to snore.
"I know your awake, Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle poked her with a hoof. Reluctantly, Scootaloo sat up, and peaked over her blanket at Sweetie.
"Y-yes, Sweetie Belle?" she squeaked softly.
"I was wondering if you were ok. I've been worrying about you lately, ever since, well, you know..." Scootaloo blushed at the very thought of what she was talking about. About a week ago, Silver Spoon had told the entire class about Scootaloo's crush on Sweetie Belle. She flooded with so much embarrassment that she ran home, crying. Sweetie Belle wouldn't even talk to her for the entire week, and Scootaloo started worrying that Sweetie was too embarrassed to ever talk to her again.
"I-it's ok Sweetie Belle... I'm fine, I really am." Scootaloo lied.
"Are you sure?" Sweetie Belle pressed, as Scoot laid back down.
"Yes, I'm fine." she relied, feeling sorry for her annoyed tone.
"Look, I know it must be weird for you to talk about, and I completely understand. I think it's sweet that you care for me like that, but I'm afraid I can't return the feeling. We have the most special friendship, and I just couldn't ruin that. I'm sorry, Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle looked into Scootaloo's eyes for a long while as she explained herself. Sadly, Scoot did see some reason to Sweetie's explanation, but all she could do was nod in understanding.
"Why don't you get some sleep?" Sweetie Belle asked, getting up. "After all, you do have a flight lesson with Rainbow Dash tomorrow." She had completely forgot! Every five days Scoot would have a lesson from Dash, and this time she was even more excited to get started, knowing she CAN fly. Sweetie Belle started for the door, but Scootaloo stopped her.
"Sweetie Belle?"
"Yeah Scoots?" She turned around.
"Thanks." Sweetie Belle smiled, and walked out, quietly shutting the door.
Scootaloo woke up sweating, and panting. She had a nightmare that night, that she was falling, falling into Equestria from high above. Shrugging it off, she slowly sat up. Suddenly the door burst open with Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom running in.
"Scootaloo, come quick!" Apple Bloom exclaimed loudly, "Rainbow Dash is gathering ponies in Ponyville Square!" Sweetie Belle nodded as Apple Bloom finished, and they both hurried outside. Quickly, Scootaloo got out of bed, and with the wind blowing through her mane, she headed outside to go see what all the commotion was about.
Once she had reached Ponyville, she instantly saw a large crowd gathered at the base of Sugar Cube Corner. As she neared, Scootaloo could just barely get a glimpse of Rainbow Dash through the crowd. Once Scoot found Apple Bloom, she asked what was going on.
"Rainbow Dash is going to fly up super high and preform another sonic rainboom!" Apple Bloom explained excitedly. Scootaloo gasped, and hurried to find a better spot to see. Once she could fully see Rainbow Dash, she hushed everyone around so she could hear.
"...and yes, I will be flying as high as my wings can take me, so I can preform another of my famous sonic rainbooms!" Dash was yelling to the lot of ponies. Scootaloo pushed through the crowd until she made it to Rainbow Dash.
"I thought you were taking me for a flight lesson today?" she asked, looking up at Rainbow Dash.
"Oh yeah. Sorry kid, I'm busy today." she replied, not even looking at her. Scoot looked down, and slowly trotted away. Not knowing what to do next, she slowly made her way back to the tree house.
Sweetie Belle looked everywhere. She looked through the crowd, at Twilight's Library, everywhere for Scootaloo! Everywhere, except the treehouse.
"What about the clubhouse?" asked Apple Bloom, worried as much at Sweetie.
"Thats it! I forgot about the clubhouse!" They both galloped away in the direction of the old beaten up treehouse, where Scootaloo lay, looking at her old Flight Log. She flopped onto her side, with tears streaming down her face.
"Rainbow never believed in me. Even my first flight was a fail to her." she whimpered. Suddenly the door burst open, and the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders came running in.
"Oh thank Celestia your here!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, as she ran up to hug Scootaloo. But she pushed Sweetie away, and turned back over again. Apple Bloom was as confused as Sweetie Belle, but she just sat in the corner, not sure what to say.
"Go away you two. I want to be alone." Scoot told them off. Sweetie Belle looked hurt, but the young earth pony had already gotten up, and started backing out the door.
"Wait." Sweetie Belle stopped her, "Scoot, I know what your going through,"
"No you don't!" Scootaloo turned to face the two young fillies. "You don't know anything about me!" They both stared at the broken pegasus, with tears streaming down her orange face, surprised at her sudden change in tone. They both turned to leave, but before Sweetie closed the door, she stopped.
"Scoot," she began.
"Just go." Scootaloo stopped her, and continued sobbing. Sweetie Belle couldn't stop feeling that she should stay, but she couldn't make her any more happy, so she shut the door, and left the young filly to cry her worries away.
Scootaloo sat up, her face feeling funny after crying for hours. She slowly moved herself to the edge of her bed, and threw herself off. Once standing on the old wooden floor, she headed outside for a drink, only to stop at the open doorway, looking straight at Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom standing in her way.
"Hey Scoot," Sweetie Belle began. "look. I'm sorry we bothered you earlier, it's just-" Scoot stopped her, and hugged them both, with more tears streaming down her partially dry face. They both stood there, confused by the sudden embrace, but gave in, and hugged the poor filly back. This lasted for about a minute of them taking in the little ponies worries, and calming them with a simple, but effective hug. Once they finally broke apart, Scootaloo explained everything; her crying, her worries, her doubts, everything. The other two just sat there, listening politely as she finished explaining her weird behaviors.
"Apple Bloom, can we have some privacy please?" Apple Bloom looked confused by the sudden question, but got up anyways and slowly walked off. Once she was out of earshot, Sweetie Belle continued,
"Scoot, I want you to know that I care for you, and that I do get worried about you, and this is one of those times. So please, tell me why you where crying earlier." Scoot looked into her eyes, seeing the fear hiding just behind her large black pupils.
"I was sad. I was sad because Rainbow Dash never believed in me. Right from the start she didn't want to teach me. Even when I flew for those ten feet she still looked at me like I was some sort of disabled bird." She looked away, too embarrassed to continue. But Sweetie Belle put a hoof on her shoulder, and smiled.
"I've always believed in you, Scoot. Don't let silly old Rainbow Dash bring you down. She's just a bragger, you are the true talent." She leaned forward, and gave Scootaloo's cheek a little kiss. Her first kiss. She didn't know what to say, what to feel, so she just sat there, looking into Sweetie Belle's beautiful eyes. Nothing went through her head, except how happy she was to have a friendship as special as this.
The three little fillies, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, headed down to Ponyville to see Rainbow Dash. Actually they were going down there to talk to her. Scootaloo was in the lead, the little pegasus walking tall and strong. The other two followed behind, proud of their friend for being so brave. They strode down to where the crowd was already watching the sky.
"Oh no, she might have already gone up!" Apple Bloom guessed worriedly. Scootaloo looked up just in time to see Rainbow Dash fly out of site.
"Quick girls! Get to that air ballon!" she screamed, running for the big ballon. The others followed quickly, and hopped into the round flying contraption as it set off with Scootaloo driving them upward. Once they had reached the clouds, the three little ponies could just barely see Rainbow Dash flying higher and higher into the sky.
"Faster Scoot!" Sweetie Belle ordered, and Scootaloo pulled the lever hard, as the ballon flew up at the fastest speed it could go. Suddenly Rainbow Dash looked down at them, and almost fell out of the sky in shock.
"What are you three DOING up here?" she asked in amazement.
"I..." Scootaloo stopped herself.
"Go ahead, tell her!" Apple Bloom encouraged.
"No. It's pointless. Never mind Rainbow Dash, sorry for bothering you." Scootaloo looked down, ashamed for even trying.
"What's wrong kid?" Dash looked confused at her sudden gloomy mood.
"It's nothing Da-" she cut off suddenly as the air ballon's support ropes snapped in two, and all three of them fell out of the basket screaming, with Scootaloo first.
As Rainbow struggled to pull both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle back into the lopsided ballon, Scootaloo continued to fall, down and down. She screamed Rainbow's name, but Dash didn't come. She kept falling, and falling, screaming and screaming again.
"I'm coming kid!" Rainbow Dash yelled back, finally finished putting the others in the dangerous basket. She quickly let herself drop and started flying again once aimed downward. Faster and faster she flew, down, down, down. She could barely see Scootaloo as she starting to cry.
"I would let you down, kid." Dash whispered to herself, and pushed down on he wings as hard as she could. Scootaloo was just a couple feet down from the exhausted pegasus. The crowd below was gasping, worried that the two would crash into the ground below. Suddenly Rainbow Dash heard Scootaloo speak. "Wait," she said calmly. "let me go." Rainbow Dash looked instantly surprised.
"No, I'm not going to give up!" She retorted, pushing as hard as her wings could take her.
"Dash, please! Look at me." She put out her hooves, looking beaten. "Finally, I can fly." She finished, with fresh tears rolling off her fur as she 'flew' closer to the ground. Faster, and faster she went down.
"No," Dash looked hurt that the young filly had given up. "you not going to die, Scootaloo. Not today!" Scootaloo was amazed that she had used her actual name; she had always called Scoot 'kid.' But she was even more amazed when she realized Dash was picking up speed, to the point where the world around her seemed to split into two, with Rainbow Dash right in the middle. 'This is it.' She thought. 'This is the en-' her thoughts where cut off as Rainbow Dash broke the sound barrier, and blasted forward, taking Scootaloo in her hooves and leaving a trailing rainbow behind her. She banked left, then pulled up as sharp as she could, making a straight up path for the broken ballon. Once she got up to the other two fillies, grabbing the ballon by a rope, she headed back down to the screaming crowd.
Scootaloo never thought she'd be this happy to touch the ground, but she was. Apple Bloom was laying in the dirt, in a haze, and Sweetie Belle was being calmed by some other ponies, including Fluttershy.
"It's ok, little filly. Your safe now." she heard the shy mare whisper. Everypony seemed to be at the town square, amazed at what just happened.
"Hey kid," Rainbow Dash appeared behind her, quick to not show too much emotion. "listen. I know it must have been scary for you-" she was cut off when Scootaloo jumped on here, and gave her the most meaningful hug she could ever give.
"Thanks, Dash." she said with huge eyes, then added as a joke, "I guess I owe you one." Rainbow laughed, and gave her a little shove. Twilight Sparkle came over to check on everyone, with a bunch of first aid stuff floating through the air beside her.
"Is everypony ok?" she asked worried she had missed someone.
"Yeah Twilight, they're fine. Just a bit of shock for those two, but Scoot made it through." Dash looked at her 'sister' proudly, and gave her another hug.
"Oh thank Celestia, I'll go check on Apple Bloom." Twilight trotted over to the young earth pony. Sweetie Belle looked calmed down when she started toward Scootaloo.
"How are you?" she asked the white filly when in earshot.
"I'm fine, but how are you? I was scared to death that you were going to-" she cut off, almost starting to cry. Scoot moved forward, and put a hoof on her shoulder, like she had done to the young pegasus earlier that day.
"I'm glad your safe." Sweetie managed to get out, and slowly looked up. Scootaloo leaned forward, and whispered something in Sweetie Belle's ear. Her eye's widened and they both giggled.
"What are ya' two laughing about?" Apple Bloom asked as she strode over, obviously finished with Twilight.
"Oh nothing." they both said at the same time, and giggled again. Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, and slowly let on a smile. Then they all started laughing, and rolling on the ground. They all seemed so happy, even after a tragic moment like just minutes before. But true friendship had brought them back to happiness.
It had been two months since the accident, and things where going well in the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Sweetie Belle had started taking magic lessons for healing ponies from Twilight. She had wanted to be helpful to others like the other ponies had been helpful to her. Apple Bloom was still working on finding her special talent with Apple Jack, and helping her work the farm. And Scootaloo had finally gotten her cutie mark. It was a pair of wings, circled by a beautiful rainbow, symbolizing her love of flying, and her special connection with the legendary sonic rainboom. Sweetie Belle had ended up giving into Scootaloo's pleads, and now they are a loving, 'cute' couple, as Apple Bloom calls them. Although it's nothing too serious, they both are happy together. And Rainbow Dash had ended up adopting Scoot into her Cloudsdale home, thanks to her flying abilities. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had expanded all through Ponyville, and Manehattin, thanks to Babs. Their goal is to spread the CMCs all across Equestria! Scootaloo had taken a part time job of flying around Equestria, going to different schools to talk about he cutie mark. She has urged so many ponies to never give up on their dreams, no matter how small, or how big, or even how impossible they might be. Because one day, they will come true.
"You just need to believe."