Me: Are my eyes deceiving me, or are there 101 reviews?! Thanks a lot! Look, I made a really long chapter just for you guys - think of it as a present. :3
Dark Chocolate, Indigo, & White Wind: Hey!
Me: Hey Indigo, Dark Chocolate, and White - wait...White Wind?!
White Wind: Yeah, what's up?
Me: What - get out of here, you're not supposed to be here!
Indigo: Hey, Dark Chocolate and I were never allowed to be here, and you still let us stay! Why not White Wind?
Me: Because...you're not exactly a good guy in this story! ._.
White Wind: So?
Me: Oh fine, you can stay...but only for a little bit.
White Wind: Yay. :3
Me: Alright, you ponies be quiet while I do the review replies now.
GAMMA DAWN14: Yup, thanks for reading.
mooneyboys: Who knows?
Miniponies: Yes...pretty much everypony does.
ElderscrollsPony: Happy day to you!
Crimson Banner: Heh... :D
carlyleclangclangcortes: o_o'
Ficta Scriptor: Thanks a lot! /)
Hlf Life: Here you go.
pjb1234: Uh...no...
AlexLoneWolf: :P
xXTheWiseWolfXx: Thanks for reviewing. xD
Biggmomma46: Heh, yeah...
ShiningShadow1965: Yup, and thanks!
Hermione Sparkle: Yes, yes it is.
Gummypuss: Thank you so much. :D
Dark Chocolate: Well, I think Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are okay, but I don't really like how they just turn their backs on Scootaloo. And Scootaloo, I think she's really pretty nice, and I feel really bad for her at the moment. Scootaloo doesn't deserve to be hated, she's very kind!
Kokorokisses: Thank you! :)
Again, thank you all so much for the reviews! /)
Chapter 11: Sunny Shine
Scootaloo crouched in the thick mud, the sound of sobbing echoing around the clearing. A waterfall of tears dripped onto the mud, disappearing quickly and making the mud even gooier. Scootaloo knew this was getting old, but she couldn't help it. The tears just came without any warning, and she didn't try to stop them. She knew Rainbow Dash would have never dropped to such softness, but to be honest, she really didn't care about anypony at the moment. After all, nopony even liked her. Nopony would take her in, which clearly proved how hated she was.
Scootaloo could never forget the eyes that burned into her every time she tried to ask...the eyes full of undisguised hostility. How could I have fallen for that stupid White Wind? Why did I turn against everypony that cared for me? Why does this have to happen to me? These thoughts swirled around Scootaloo's head, causing her to feel dizzy and place a shaky hoof against her forehead, trying to calm her anxiousness.
"Stupid Diamond Tiara..." Scootaloo muttered angrily. "This is all her fault...all her doing...why does she always have to ruin everything?!" She pounded her hoof in frustration, accidentally sending up a spray of mud, splashing all over her face. Scootaloo opened two annoyed eyes and wiped the icky mud off her face, rolling her eyes.
"I'll probably die of boredom," Scootaloo murmured to herself, plopping down on the mud, not caring that the mud felt disgusting as she sank into it. She yawned, and set her head onto her hooves. "I guess I'll take a nap," Scootaloo said, feeling a sharp pang of sadness as she continued, "since nopony likes me and will take me in..."
Rainbow Dash strolled around Ponyville, flipping her rainbow-colored mane as she glanced around the bright atmosphere, her light blue wings folded. Rainbow spotted Twilight's library home in the distance, the bright sunlight making it shine brightly. A sudden thought raced through her mind and she decided to pay Twilight Sparkle a visit. Dash spread out her strong wings and soared over to Twilight's place, flapping her wings strenuously.
Rainbow slowed her pace, and finally skidded to a halt in front of the library, folding her wings and sending up a cloud of dust. She knocked on the library door and the door opened, a familiar unicorn appearing at the doorway. "Come on in, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight said, smiling brightly. "Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Spike, and Rarity are here, too!"
Rainbow stepped inside, shutting the door behind her and turning to gaze at her friends. "Hey," she greeted, suddenly feeling awkward. "Er - what's up?"
"I almost thought you were Scootaloo," grunted Spike, his eyes. At the sound of Scootaloo's name, the rest of the ponies except Rainbow Dash suddenly turned stiff.
"Scootaloo?" repeated Rainbow Dash, confused. "Why'd ya think I was Scootaloo?" Rainbow trotted over to Spike, playfully nudging him and grinning. Spike appeared to be annoyed, his green eyes dark and narrowed.
She saw this and slowly stepped away from him, raising an eyebrow. "What's up with him?" she whispered to her friends.
"Didn't you hear?" Twilight Sparkle said, her eyes dark and narrowed like Spike's. "The rumors?"
"Uh, what rumors?"
"About Scootaloo!" Pinkie Pie interrupted fiercely. "She beat up another filly! For no reason!"
"And she asked us all if she could live with us after that," growled Spike.
Dash's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No...she wouldn't do something like that! The little squirt wouldn't beat up somepony! Never!" she protested.
"She did." Fluttershy abruptly broke in, lowering her eyes. "She...hurt me too..."
Everypony's eyes turned towards Fluttershy, and she began to tremble as the spotlight went on her.
"She - ...she stayed at my cottage a few days ago. B - but then, shortly after her friends came to cheer her up, she...t - turned against me...s - she headbutted me - " Fluttershy broke down crying, Rarity patting her back trying to comfort and calm her at once.
"Did anything else happen?" Twilight Sparkle questioned.
"Um, and th - then...she threw a bu-bucket of cold w-water on me...and I raced ou - out, crying..."
Rainbow's mouth was wide open and she stared unblinkingly at her friends. Her head was reeling with questions. "But...Scootaloo wouldn't do that."
"Rainbow, Fluttershy just said she did," Applejack told her, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but it's true; Fluttershy wouldn't lie about that." Fluttershy lifted her head from her weeping and nodded at this, then lowered her head again and continued to cry.
Rainbow just stared at them in disbelief. "But...Scootaloo..."
Applejack walked over to Rainbow Dash, putting an orange hoof on her shoulder. "Listen here, sugar cube. I know Scootaloo's like a sister to you and she idolizes you and all, but ya gotta face the truth. She's a bully now; she attacked Fluttershy, another filly and possibly even more."
Rainbow Dash just shook her head, staring at the floor of the library. Suddenly she lifted her head to gaze at her friends. "Did you actually witness it?" she challenged. "Scootaloo attacking the filly?" Her pony (and dragon) friends all fell silent at this question. Pinkie Pie began to shuffle her front hooves nervously, glancing around the library and its many books, sweat dripping off her forehead.
"Well no," Twilight finally answered. "But Scootaloo attacking Fluttershy was enough to prove that she's turned bad."
"It was just that one time," Dash murmured. "Maybe...maybe she got angry or something...?"
"Angry enough to injure Fluttershy?" Applejack said, shooting a glance at the still crying yellow pegasus. "Rainbow Dash, you just gotta face facts. Scootaloo ain't the same filly. She would never harm a pony before."
Rainbow suddenly flared up at this, flapping her wings and hovering in midair so everypony could look at her. "Anypony can become the opposite of themselves if they get pushed too far," she spat, glaring at her friends. "They just need time to recover! Unfortunately, you guys keep rejecting her so she becomes even more unlike herself!"
Spike however, rolled his eyes. "Why are you even defending her?" he asked, crossing his arms and not acting like his usual self.
"I knew her better than any of you," she pointed out, crossing her arms as well.
Twilight exchanged looks with Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack before turning back to Rainbow Dash and admitting, "Well, that's true."
"So you gotta forgive her!" she exclaimed, waving her hooves frantically.
"Rainbow darling, I just remembered that Sweetie Belle told me all about how Scootaloo shouted at her for no particular reason and after she and Apple Bloom went to pay her a nice little visit," said Rarity, still attempting to calm Fluttershy down.
Rainbow Dash's eyes clouded and she appeared to have nothing to say about this event. And then, finally she spoke.
"I'm sure she's still Scootaloo..."
Pinkie bounced over to Rainbow, her blue eyes serious for once. "Have you seen her?" she questioned, stepping closer to her with every word. "HAVE YOU SEEN HER?!" Pinkie Pie pressed herself against Rainbow Dash, her eyes meeting her's. Dash slowly backed away, frowning.
"No, but I still believe she's still her."
Pinkie let out a long sigh and said, "Fine, if you really believe she's still her, then stop wasting her time and go find her! Then you'll see." She bounced away from Rainbow Dash, though not as happy as she usually did it.
"Fine!" Rainbow stomped out the door, away from her friends, slamming the door behind her furiously. Her face was brimmed with determination as she spread her wings and soared up into the sky to search for Scootaloo.
"My, my," Rarity commented, still inside the library. "She sure does believe Scootaloo is innocent."
"She's just wastin' her time," said Applejack. "Just wait; she'll come runnin' back tellin' all about how Scootaloo tried to beat her up and beg for our forgiveness."
"I just hope she is wasting her time," Twilight said, her eyes clouded with worry.
In nowhere of Ponyville do you find comfort
In nopony you can confide
You try to run away from all the hurt
Do not worry, do not try to hide
Scootaloo woke up with a start. The words seemed to echo around the clearing. Sweat trickled down from her forehead as she looked around, wildly flipping her dirty mane from side to side as she searched for the source of the echoing rhyme. She knew she had heard those words; she knew it wasn't just a dream. Somepony was here, watching her. Scootaloo began to feel extremely paranoid as she leaned against the tree that offered no protection to who was waiting for her. The sun was beginning to set now, causing the scene to grow darker by every minute.
Minutes passed.
Scootaloo gradually felt more relaxed and secure as nothing moved or stirred in the following minutes. And when the sun finally set, Scootaloo could breathe regularly now. Suddenly, the eerie rhyme sounded again, the words ringing in Scootaloo's ears. She began to tremble and covered her ears with her hooves, struggling to keep out the noise. A shimmering mist was beginning to form around the dark clearing. Scootaloo felt completely trapped in the clearing, with no shelter or safety to dive into. She whimpered softly, shaking uncontrollably now. She could see a shape in the mist, its humongous shadow looming over Scootaloo's small figure.
The figure was getting closer and closer...Scootaloo could make out a pony shape. Her eyes grew wide as the pony came closer. The pony suddenly emerged from the mist and Scootaloo rubbed her eyes, blinking at the pony.
It was...a filly...
The filly stood tall, smiling at Scootaloo, her large light blue eyes shining with a sweet brightness. She had a long, wavy, light blue mane and tail, and a pale yellow body that contained a pair of wings. Feeling envious, Scootaloo saw her cutie mark-a bright yellow, smiling sun. Her legs seemed unusually long and thin for a filly and Scootaloo thought that the pony seemed...strangely familiar?
Scootaloo stared back at the filly, meeting her blue gaze. "Hi," she said in a soft, yet cheerful voice. "I'm Sunny Shine. I spotted you last night in the rain and I just couldn't help myself to come investigate. I saw you sleeping in the mud and I got curious. I also read some of the papers - " she stopped to nervously grin at Scootaloo. She nodded, indicating that she forgave her and wanted her to go on.
"Well I also heard the rumors about you, so I pretty much just put two and two together and figured everything out. And...all I can say is that...I'm sorry for you. I would just like to help you..." Sunny Shine held out a hoof and Scootaloo reluctantly took it, getting up and wiping mud from her coat. "Nopony deserves to be out in the rain like this! I invite you to stay at my home for the rest of the night - if that's okay with you, that is."
Scootaloo couldn't believe her ears. Was this stranger pony really inviting her to stay...at her home?! She hesitated, wondering whether she should accept or decline the offer. What if it was a trick? She took a deep breath and answered to the pony stranger, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to reject your offer."
Sunny Shine looked disappointed. "Oh," she said sadly, her smile replaced by a frown. "Why?"
Scootaloo looked away. "This is what I deserve," she answered simply.
Sunny Shine seemed concerned for her, and reached out a hoof to place it on her shoulder. "No," she said. "Nopony deserves this. Nopony should be alone. Please, accept my offer. You'll be happy you did!" She forced a smile for the gloomy pegasus. She didn't answer. She lowered her eyes, quietly gazing at the soft mud. Sunny Shine waited patiently for Scootaloo to respond, still beaming.
At that moment, Rainbow Dash was flying overhead. She squinted through the thick mist, searching for any sign of Scootaloo. She stopped flying, spotting a bit of orange and purple she was certain was from Scootaloo's mane and coat. Rainbow flew down, folding her wings and landing on the ground near a muddy clearing surrounded by a shimmering mist. She walked closer to the clearing, making out some orange and purple.
She began to race through the mist and saw Scootaloo standing with her back turned from another filly. Rainbow stepped closer, tilting her head curiously to one side. The fillies didn't seem to notice her; the strange pony's eyes were focused on Scootaloo and Scootaloo was focused on the mud.
Rainbow cautiously stepped a few inches closer and then hollered, "Scootaloo!"
The two fillies' eyes flickered with alarm and immediately turned to her and it was that moment when she suddenly felt self-conscious with the two other ponies watching her. Nonetheless, she spoke.
"Scootaloo, who is this?" she demanded, glancing at the cream-colored pegasus filly.
"I'm Sunny Shine," she announced, "Fluttershy's little sister."
Alright, I apologize to everypony who asked me to put their OCs in. I rejected, because I said I wasn't planning for any new ponies. But this idea just popped into my mind and I just had to do it with Sunny Shine. I'm sorry everypony. :( Also, Sunny Shine is completely my character so I do not give out any credit for her. Please review! Um, if you want to...that is...