prompt:Something dealing with the outside

Cloud Kicker loved the skys more than almost anything. The knowledge that she shaped the sky, gave creation to it's weather, that she could either cause it too literally rain all over someponies parade or make it shine for them gave her a great sense of accomplishment. While not many considered her an artist, it was out here doing her job that made her feel like one. Even being on the night shift couldn't change the awesomeness that was being on the weather team.

She sat on a cloud just outside the Everfree forest watching the sunset. As the purple, green, and orange hues lit up the sky she let out a sigh as she marveled in its beauty before wrapping up her route. Having had training as a Royal Guard before she dropped out the day before graduation day had given her the skills needed too deal with a lot of the dangers that came out of the Everfree Forest from time to time. And being one of the few ponies in Ponyville with prior military training her team captain Rainbow Dash had her scout the area from time to time to help keep Ponyville's residents safe.

It was during this last flyby that she noticed an orange blur burst from the forests edge into Sweet Apple Acres. Trailing it she watched the blur make its way to an abandoned tree house where it slowed down revealing that it was an orange Pegasus with a vivid purple mane and tail that belonged to a Pegasus filly that she saw around Ponyville by the name of Scootaloo. That filly is going to give her parents a heart attack when they hear about this. Doesn't she know how dangerous this close to the Everfree Forest can be at night?

Swooping down she saw Scootaloo with her back facing her dragging a worn and tattered blanket from behind a make shift podium pulling it toward her saddle bags which she had laying in the middle of the floor. Giving a cough to draw her attention Scootaloo nearly jumped out of her skin. Before looking at Cloud Kicker with fearful eyes. "Hey filly, Scootaloo right?"

"That's right." She said throwing on a brave face. Although Scootaloo would never admit it, she had always new it was a matter of time before somepony found out that she was a homeless orphan. But now that the time had arrived she was terrified. Especially since the one who found her was one that she had only second hand knowledge of. Although from what her classmate Alula told her Cloud Kicker was an awesome sister, and she did work with Rainbow Dash. But other than that she was a mystery, and Scootaloo didn't know weither or not she'd try sending Scootaloo away to some orphanage far away from her friends and the life she had built over these last four years. Or if she would take pity on her and find away to keep her here in Ponyville where she felt she belonged.

That uncertainty alone was enough to send her heart roaring in her ears. Add to the fact that she didn't know if she could weasel out of this, or even if she wanted to. She was tired of hiding from everyone when the sunset. Tired of hoping that she'd live through another winter. Tired of wondering where her next meal would be, weather it be from stealing, which always left a guilty pit in her stomach, or from free samples the market place and stores occasionally handed out to the fillies and colts for one reason or another.

But she'd had gotten used to that life between sleep overs at the other crusaders houses. And now that she been caught getting prepared to sleep out in this place in the middle of nowhere. She was anxious to see how things turned out because one way or another her life was going to change. She could feel it in her bones, it was either that or it was the mystery mush she grabbed out of the dumpster behind, "Le Pasture" a few hours ago.

"There's no need to be scared of me Scootaloo, might I ask why you're out here by yourself so close to the Everfree Forest? Do your parents know that you're out here?"

"I sleep here, and it'd be difficult to know where I am." Was the reply that she got, Scootaloo pawing the ground, her down cast eyes looking at everything but the Pegasus before her.

"What do you mean?" Worry was starting to creep into Cloud Kickers voice and she was sure that she wasn't going to like what she was going to hear. First she sees this filly blast out of the Everfree like a bat out of Tartarus, then finds her getting ready to sleep with a blanket that looks like it hadn't seen a good washing in while. Now with how this conversation was going she was starting to feel apprehensive.

"My parents died about five years back, and I've been alone ever since. It's not a big deal." Scootaloo said, her voice cracking as tears started to flow down her face betraying the words coming out of her mouth. In that moment, All the pain that Scootaloo had been holding back, all the nights she had spent alone crying herself to sleep, the whole fearless filly reputation she'd built up over the last few years came crumbling down.

Not even needing to think about it, Cloud Kicker wrapped up the tiny filly in her forelegs and wrapped her wings around her as Scootaloo broke down crying. She had comforted her sister in a similar manner when she was visiting and homesick, but this was so much more than she was used to dealing with. But she wasn't about to abandon a filly about the same age as her sis. "Hey listen you don't have to be alone anymore ok? You're going to come over to my place and tomorrow we'll figure this all out."

Recieveing a small nod digging into her chest she let the filly cry it out as she held her comfortingly and let the tears subside. When the crying stopped she let Scootaloo go, the tear stains on her pale Persian blue coat getting slightly chilly in the evening breeze. "I've never seen you fly before. Do you know how?"

Scootaloo shook her head, and with that Cloud Kicker crouched down, "Ok. Then hop on my back and I'll take you for a flight over to my place. Alula is back in Canterlot and you can have her room while we figure this all out."

As Scootaloo hopped on wrapping her forelegs around her neck securing herself on. Cloud Kicker kicked off and flew into the sky above. The sounds of laughter from her passenger, brought a smile to her own face as she remembered flying her sister around when she was younger. And even though she didn't know what the future had in store for the young filly on her back. She knew that she was going to make sure that Scootaloo's was taken care of.

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