Scootaloo's Story - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Big Sister is Watching You

"Scootaloo!  It's time to wake up.  Come down and get some breakfast."

"Five more minutes, Mom.  Please!"

After I said that my eyes shot open and I was wide awake.  That was Twilight's voice, not my mom's.  I just called Twilight...Mom.  I slowly made my way to the kitchen, where Twilight was fixing my breakfast.

"Twilight, I'm really sorry about that.  I mean calling you Mom."

"Oh Scootaloo, it's nothing.  You were just waking up.  You didn't know where you were.  It's okay."

I was still embarrassed, despite Twilight telling me it was okay.  This was looking like it was going to be a long quiet breakfast.  Fortunately, we heard the library's front door open and Spike yelling "Hello".

"Good, Spike's back.  Finish your oatmeal, Scootaloo.  I'm going to talk to Spike, and then I'll walk you to school."

"Okay, Twilight."  Right, I'll just sit right here and not go eavesdrop on your conversation.  Cutie Mark Crusader Eavesdropper, GO!

"Good morning, Spike.  I take it you got the message to Princess Celestia and brought back her reply?"

"Sure did.  It took long enough, though.  She had a really long meeting with these two other ponies.  I think I've seen them around Ponyville, but I didn't know who they were."

"Spike, may I have her reply?"

"Oh, yeah.  Here you go.  It was strange.  The Princess kinda laughed when she read your letter.  Something about knowing her student really well."

"Oh, my.   Spike, go find Rainbow Dash and bring her back here, now."

"But, I just got in.  I'm hungry and ..."

"NOW!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going."

After hearing that, I ran back to my seat and took a couple of big fast bites to finish off my oatmeal.

"You about done, Scootaloo?"

"Yeah, just finished up.  Everything okay?  I heard you yell or something?"

"Everything's fine.  Now, do we need to go to your house and pick up anything you need for school?"

"Nope.  Miss Cheerilee didn't give us any homework, so I just left all my school stuff at school.  You know, you don't really need to walk me to school.

"I know, but I want to.  The walk will be good for me.  I can get some fresh air after staying up with those dusty books."

The walk was really quiet.  Twilight seemed distracted.  I caught her looking up at the clouds a few times, like she was looking for somepony.

"Scootaloo?"

"Yeah, Twilight."

"Are you happy?"

"Am I happy?  Well, yeah.  I got a good night's sleep, a nice breakfast, and I've been hanging out and spending the night with you and Rainbow Dash.  The last two days have been great."

"I was hoping you'd say that.  I'm glad you're happy.  Oh, well, here we are already.  Have a good day at school and tell Miss Cheerilee I said 'Hi'."

"Sure thing, Twilight.  Bye!"

Twilight seemed sad as I walked away.  I thought I actually saw a tear in her eye.  "Nah.  Get it together, Scoots," I told myself.

A couple of hours later, I was bored.  It was still a couple of hours until recess, unfortunately.  Don't get me wrong, Miss Cheerilee is an awesome teacher, I'm just bored in her class most of the time.  I like learning about the history of Ponyville and Equestria, and about the great works of art and literature, but I'm always wanting more.  Just when things are getting really interesting to me, Miss Cheerilee stops and goes on to something else.

"Speaking of stopping when it was just getting interesting," I thought, "I wonder what was with all that 'Spike get Rainbow Dash, Now!' stuff.  What was on that scroll?"

"Alright Twilight, what's this all about?  I've read this scroll three times, and I just don't get it.  Scootaloo's parents want to adopt me?"

"It's more than that, Rainbow.  Let me try to explain.  This is more than just a kind of adoption.  It's about joining families and hearts.  Do you remember me telling you about my foal sitter, Cadence, and how she could make ponies fall in love?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Well, she couldn't really make ponies fall in love.  That kind of magic is very unpredictable."

"Like the time the CMC tried to get Big Mac and Cheerilee to fall in love with that potion?"

"Exactly.  See, Cadence's magic clarified and enhanced emotions.  So, if two ponies that cared for each other were arguing, she could use her magic to help them see the argument as silly and strengthen their feelings, or if two ponies liked each other, but were scared to say anything, her magic could give one the strength to initiate the relationship.  It never creates love.  Love has to be there first.  This adoption process is very similar."

"What, I sign this paper and fall in love with Scootaloo?  She's just a filly!  That's sick!"

"No, no, no, not like that.  Here, let me ask you this: You do care about Scootaloo, right?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so."

"You wish her parents took better care of her, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"You sometimes want to help out in some way?"

"Yeah, but it's not my place.  She's not my filly or even my sister."

"It's those feelings that this adoption will work on.  You'll want to help out Scootaloo even more.  You'll want to watch over her and protect her.  It will make it feel like you and she are family, in your heart."

"Whoa, Twilight.  This is getting intense.  A family, me?  I grew up mostly in flight school.  I hardly ever saw my family.  Now, I'm going to get a brand new one?"

"Yes.  You and Scootaloo will share the same kind of bond that Shining Armor and I share.  You'll miss her when she's gone.  You'll like to and want to spend time with her.  You'll get mad at her and argue.  Just like me and Shining Armor, Rarity and Sweetie Belle, and Applejack and Apple Bloom."

Rainbow hung her head low and slumped to the floor.

"I don't know about all this, Twilight.  Just a few months ago, Spitfire came to me and told me all about the Wonderbolts and how bad it can be.  I had to give up on my dream of being a Wonderbolt after I helped her.  That dream defined so much of who I was.  I've been trying to figure it out who I really am since then, and now I could be getting a whole new family?  This is too much."

Rainbow started to cry a little.  This situation was becoming too overwhelming.  On the one hoof, she was Rainbow Dash: one of the best flyers in all Equestria, adventurous, free spirited pegasus.  On the other hoof, though, she was the Element of Loyalty: always there to help a friend, but was this asking too much?  She was just about to lose control and burst into tears when she felt Twilight come over and sit beside her.

"Rainbow, I know this is a lot...a lot of change, but you don't have to do it, if you don't want to.  The choice is yours.  I just want you to know, that whatever choice you do make, you're not making it alone.  I'll always be here to help you, and I know the others will help you too."

"I thought I was the Element of Loyalty?"

"One of the side effects of being the Element of Magic: I get bits and pieces of all the other elements.  One of the side effects of knowing you is constantly having to remind you, you're not alone.  You have friends that will help you."

"Thanks, Twi.  You'd think that after everything we've all been through, I'd get that through my skull.  I think I know what I have to do now, but first, you have to promise, Pinkie Promise, you'll help me?"

"Cross my heart and hope to fly.  Stick a cupcake in my eye."

With that, Rainbow got up, took a deep breath, and walked out of the library, knowing the decision she just made was the right one.

After she closed the door behind her friend, Twilight began to hop around the library singing, "Rainbow's getting a sister.  Rainbow's getting a sister."

"Time for recess, my little ponies."

"Oh, it's about time," I accidently said out loud while Miss Cheerilee's voice snapped me back to attention.  "Sorry, Miss Cheerilee."

"It's alright.  I'll just assume that your excitement for recess has more to do with wanting to enjoy the beautiful day outside, than how bored you are in my class today."

During recess, I of course told the other CMC's about staying the night with Twilight, her sending Spike off to Canterlot, the strange scroll she got back. and sending Spike after Rainbow Dash.  None of us could figure out what was going on with all that.  On the way back into class, I had to endure another round of 'Scoota-loser' chants from my two favorite classmates.  Pretty typical recess.

Once school let out, nopony was able to crusade for our cutie marks.  They had to go home and practice for the Sisterhooves Social.  So, I just went straight home.  "Maybe Mom and Dad will be back, and sober," I thought.

As I walked home, I suddenly noticed I was thinking about Rainbow Dash, a lot.  I was wondering how she was doing, how was her day, when would I see her again?  It felt like I missed her.  Then I started thinking about my Mom and Dad.  How much I missed them when they were gone, how I wished they could see how awesome Rainbow is, how I wish Dad had taught me to fly by now.  When I walked into my house, I was almost in tears from the strange and sudden flood of emotions.

"Hey there, Squirt.  How was school?"

"Rainbow?  Mom?  Dad?  What's going on here?"

They were all sitting in our living room and mom was magically rolling up a strange-looking scroll and putting away the quill and ink.

"Do either of you mind if I tell her?"

"I don't mind.  Do you, Veil?"

"I think it would mean a lot coming from you, Rainbow, dear."

"Tell me what?  What's that scroll?  'Rainbow, dear'?  What is going on?!"

"Easy, Squirt.  Calm down.  That scroll is just a document that we all just signed a little while ago.  It's a pretty important one, though."

"Really?"

"Yeah, well..."  Rainbow paused and looked back at my mom and dad.  They were holding each other and I saw them whisper "Go on.  It's okay," to Rainbow, and then she took a real deep breath and got all serious looking.

"Here's the deal, you know how work keeps taking your mom and dad away from you?"

I just nodded.

"Well, they're worried about you being alone so much.  They want to be here, and they thought they'd be able to now, but some things are going on that they can't control, and it looks like they're going to be gone even more.  Today, they asked me to come over and we talked a lot about you.  They've asked me to, in a way, join your family and help take care of you when they're gone."

"What?"  No, really, I was super confused.  I wished she would just get to the point already.

"That scroll over there makes me your legal guardian.  You can come stay with me or I can stay here with you, any time.  I can help you with school and talk to Miss Cheerilee if I need to.  I can help you learn to fly, and when all four of us are here, we can all hang out and take care of each other.  I guess  you could say, I'm now like a big sister to you."

I didn't know what to think.  This kind of thing never happened to me.  I was never this lucky.

"Mom, Dad, is this for real?  Is Rainbow Dash now my big sister?"

"Yes, dear, she is," Mom glanced at Rainbow and winked for some reason.  "Scootaloo, we've only ever wanted the best for you, but our jobs just kept taking us away.  So, when we decided we needed help and you needed a big sister, who better to choose than Rainbow Dash?  We're just really sorry it took us so long to realize we needed her help."

"It's alright, Veil.  I mean, I didn't really know Scootaloo that well until this past year or so."

"Let me get this straight.  By signing that weird scroll, Rainbow is now my sister?"

"Once we file this at the town hall, it will be completely official," dad said.

"So, does this mean we can enter the Sisterhooves Social?"

Rainbow and my mom and dad looked at each other a little confused.

"Yeah, I guess we can enter, now that we're sisters and all," Rainbow answered, giving my parents an odd wink.

"YES!"  I shouted, beside myself with joy.  "I've got a big sister now.  I've got Rainbow Dash as my big sister.  I can enter the Sisterhooves Social.  I'm not Scoota-loser anymore!  My family just got 120% cooler!" I thought.

This time, I couldn't stop the tears.  None of us could.  We all hugged and cried.  I have never been so happy.  I don't know if I can be happier than I was then.

"Hey, everypony, let's get something to eat, and go to the park for the rest of the day.  Our first family outing," my dad said.

Our first meal together was incredible.  Everything just felt right.  All the missing pieces were in place.  Mom and Dad told me that they would have to leave in the morning, but the rest of that day was perfect.

Well, that about wraps it up.  That's my story of how I got Rainbow Dash as a big sister and I'm sticking to it, no matter what anypony thinks.  I've been told over and over about how there are no magical contracts that could join a pony to another family.  Twilight even told me that Cadence's magic didn't really work like that, and that magical contracts don't have to be filed at the town hall.  Mom, Dad, and Rainbow even tried to tell me that it was a legal guardian contract, but I know it was magical - shucks, Mom and Dad have even tried to tell me they weren't spies, but what am I supposed to believe, that they're just party ponies that come home drunk all the time?  I mean, come on, that scroll had to have some kind of magic.  It brought Rainbow Dash into my family.  I have the coolest pony in all of Equestria as my big sister.  My life has totally changed because of it.  I'm not alone anymore.  All that seems pretty magical to me.

Now, I've really got to pay attention to what Spitfire says.  It's time for this pegasus to fly.  I've got to keep up with my sister, after all.