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Will You Keep My Secret?

by xCobaltRainx

Chapter 7: The Leaving

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Chapter Seven
The Leaving

It was yet another dreadful day for Scootaloo at school. For one, the detestable pink Earth Pony filly had returned for the first time since her stunt was revealed to her father last week. Fortunately though, she seemed to be keeping to herself; and she wasn't even wearing her infamous tiara. "Thank goodness," thought Scootaloo. Spending the past seven or so days incarcerated in her lavish bedroom to mull over her ideals seemed to make Diamond Tiara less willing to test her fellow classmates, at least the winged orange one. However, the pink filly still offered a menacing glare towards Scootaloo every now and then. The orange filly simply smirked at Diamond's pseudo-threatening looks. There was no way she was going to mess with her now that Rainbow Dash was practically at Scootaloo's beck and call.

Turning back towards Cheerilee after suffering yet another one of Diamond Tiara's glares, Scootaloo began paying attention to the lesson. Under normal circumstances, the filly would have quite possibly never known that the teacher had even started her lesson. But Scootaloo had exhausted all of her daydream material, so she was up for something new.

The mauve pony at the front of the classroom was pointing her "learning wand," as she liked to call it, at the notepad that rested on her easel. The paper depicted a map of Equestria. However, the lines were drawn differently than Scootaloo remembered. Three distinct areas existed in the Equestrian landmass: one in the mountains, one in the land, and another covered in clouds. After some deductive reasoning, Scootaloo figured that Cheerilee was teaching the class about the era in which the three pony races were divided, and united racially against the other two.

Scootaloo had first heard of this point in time from the play that the Elements acted in. Similarly to how she did when she first watched the play, she giggled as "Chancellor Puddinghead" nearly named her land "Dirtville." The filly then thought about "Unicornia," and finally "Pegasusopolis" with "Commander Hurricane." Scootaloo smiled briefly as she remembered Rainbow Dash playing as that vital role.

There it was.

Scootaloo's mind toured again the daydream land as she thought about her "honorary big sister." The filly shook her head as she realized that at this point there was no need for that introductory title. The two were as much sisters as anyone, and everyone knew it.

As for the filly's training, it was not necessarily a requirement for Rainbow Dash to be there. Scootaloo's diligence has already granted nearly painless exercising, and she was progressing very quickly towards properly balanced wing muscles. The muscles we're still around 35/65, but the wings' proportions are still better than her previous measly 25/75.

Scootaloo thought about the way Dash had been acting since that first sleep over. The more days that passed, the harder the mare was pushing Scootaloo in her exercises. It seemed like Dash really wanted Scootaloo to fly as soon as possible.

If she could just work a bit harder, then maybe she could-

"Alright class, that wraps up today's lesson. I will see you all tomorrow."

Class was over already? Scootaloo shrugged and walked out the door. She passed Diamond Tiara on the way, who mouthed the words "Blank Flank." The orange filly acted as though the soundless words had truly affected her. Her mouth hung open, she started breathing heavily, she clutched her hoof to her chest, and finally she snickered as she ignored the powerless threats. Outside, Scootaloo began conversing with her two friends.

"So what do you guys wanna do?" she asked.

Apple Bloom gave an apologetic frown. "Sorry, Scootaloo, Ah gotta help Applejack harvest part of the west field. Can't do any crusadin' today. We can do some tomorrow, though!"

"Oh, alright." Scootaloo turned to the third crusader, who had returned from Canterlot the previous day. "How about you, Sweetie Belle? Got anything fun in mind?"

The white filly too was downcast. "Sorry, but Rarity got a huge order of fancy dresses while we were in Canterlot, and she needs my help. I'm not going to be able to do any crusading for like a week."

"Oh," the orange filly replied, "well, okay then. I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow then, right?"

Apple Bloom put her hoof on Scootaloo's shoulder. "'Course. Now, Ah gotta jet or Applejack'll have mah behind."

"Me too. Rarity is so strict about punctulity."

"It's 'punctuality,' Sweetie Belle," corrected Apple Bloom.

"Ugh, you sound just like my sister with your scolding!"

"Yah, and Ah'll sound like mah sister if Ah don't git goin'!"

Unfortunately for the two arguing fillies, they hadn't noticed that their orange friend had departed until she was long gone.

The now lonely filly trudged along the cobble paths with her head slightly hung in frustrated thought. "Well great. Now what am I supposed to do? Can't ride my scooter, and I can't play with my friends." Scootaloo continued to grumble as she passed underneath the trees. As she reached a clearing, she decided to begin some more exercises. She commenced her daily ritual with a bit of stretching, then got into position for some wing-ups.

Scootaloo was feeling proud of herself. Thirty-five whole wing-ups without breaking a sweat. She trotted over to a nearby low-hanging tree branch, latched her wings to it, and began doing pull-ups. Again, she topped her record, fifteen proper pull-ups. Before she dropped to the grass below, she got an idea. Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around the tree branch and began fiercely beating her wings. To her elation, she began rising. The more she flapped, the higher she went. When she was high enough, she let go of the branch, and screwed her eyes shut. Nothing happened; she stayed afloat. Slowly, as though seeing herself was a sin, Scootaloo opened her eyes.

She was halfway up the tree, and the branch she had clung to was no longer in reach. Excitement surged, and as a result her wings sputtered and began to lose synchronization. Luckily, she managed to grab that branch before she fell all the way to the ground.

She wanted to try again, but at this point she was feeling the pangs of fatigue. She dropped down onto the grass after a defeated sigh, sat down, and began preening.

The act of preening was still difficult and somewhat foreign to Scootaloo. Prior to Rainbow Dash instructing her after their "second lesson," Scootaloo had never preened in her life. It was messy, slow-going, and downright frustrating, but she eventually managed to fix her feathers. She looked down at her work, frowning as she noticed that it paled in comparison to how good Dash had done it for her the previous night.

It was a magical evening for the filly. A couple movies, a free preening, and another sleepover at her sister's house. Scootaloo shivered as she recalled being nestled into Dash's warm wing as the mare worked at the small orange ones in front of her. The filly had nearly fallen asleep in the middle of the preening, but a few ticklish jabs into her soft belly kept her awake throughout. Such a nice night had left Scootaloo with the confidence she had had when dealing with her bully earlier today.

From nowhere, Scootaloo began hearing some kind of chanting sound. The noise was getting louder, too. It was like someone was repeating a sentence while quickly closing the gap between them and the filly. Suddenly, she felt someone plow into her side and lift her into the air. Finally, she could understand the words that were being chanted.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" yelled Rainbow Dash as she carried the surprised and fluffy object in her hooves to another nearby clearing. The ball of ponies impacted onto the soft grass, and the blue part sprang up and began jumping in a circle around the still prone orange one. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" she continued chanting.

"What is it?" asked Scootaloo.

"I'm gonna get an invitation to join the Wonderbolts!"

"You are?" Scootaloo too sprang up and beamed with pride.

"Yeah! Well no. Well, kinda. See, the Wonderbolts were accepting applications to join the cadet training squad, and I sent one in. They have to accept me. They just have to!"

"So, you're going to join the Wonderbolts?"

"Yeah! And sorry, kiddo, but as soon as I get the letter I'll have to leave. You'll know if got it when you don't see me."

"L...leave? But," protested the filly, "but what about our flying lessons?"

"I trust you to do them on your own. That was what you were doing a minute ago, right?"

"Well yeah, but what if you need to teach me a new exercise or something? Or what if I forget how to do one, and I end up messing my wings up more? And what if-" Scootaloo was cut off by a blue hoof being pushed into her face.

"Scootaloo, I've already taught you all of the stretches and stuff that you need to do. Now all that's left is to do them until your wings are fixed. And the exercises I taught you aren't that hard. There's no way a filly as awesome as you could get them wrong."

Scootaloo looked down at the grass that covered her hooves. "So you're just leaving then?"

Dash cocked an eyebrow. "Y...yeah. I'm sorry, Squirt, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And don't worry, I'll be back."

"But..." she began. She cut herself off.

"But what?" Dash prodded.

"N-nothing." Scootaloo shied away.

"Kiddo, we've been over this. You know why I can't accept that. Just tell me what's wrong."

Scootaloo swallowed. A small lump refused to go down. She spoke in a small voice that hadn't any strength, but was nonetheless the most powerful thing she had said to someone, and was asking the most she had ever asked. "I don't want you to go. I want you to stay here."

"S-" Dash began. She immediately stopped and thought about her words. The mare took a deep breath, and began. "Scootaloo, I told you; I'll be back right afterwards. I just need to do this one thing for a couple of weeks, then I'll be home. I can bring you a signed Wonderbolt poster, would that make you feel better?"

Scootaloo looked into her "sister's" eyes. She looked for long enough to draw worry from their owner.

"So you can't just stay?"

Dash was beginning to lose her temper. Unbeknownst to the mare, her voice gained a sharp edge. "No, I can't just stay. This is the only time I'm going to be able to do this, so I have to. I'm sorry that you feel like this, but there are other things I have to do besides our time together." Dash folded her arms. "That's just the way things have to be sometimes."

The filly's lip quivered for a brief moment, then she turned away. Scootaloo stood up, and began walking to her "home."

"I can't believe I let myself get tricked like this," she said mostly to herself.

"Tr-" Dash began. "Tricked?" Whatever infinitesimally small amount of anger she felt was gone, replaced with more powerful, worried curiosity.

Scootaloo stopped in her tracks and turned slowly.

"Yeah, tricked. Why would somepony like you ever want to get dragged down by a flightless blank-flank like me? I was stupid to think that you would. Now you want to get rid of me, just like everypony else."

"Everypony el- what are you talking about? Kiddo, it doesn't matter whether or not you can fly, or what kind of symbol is painted on your butt, just as long as you're the awesome little filly that I call my sister. And I would never want to get rid of you, I can't think of any reason why anypony would."

"Oh, whatever, Rainbow Dash. Sister's don't just leave like this!" Scootaloo's voice cracked at the last syllable, and she turned before the mare could see the incriminating tear forming in her eye. The filly took a moment to breathe.

"I bet Fluttershy or Applejack told you to do all this stuff, huh?"

"What?" Dash couldn't believe what Scootaloo was saying. "Of course not! I do all the stuff I do with you because I want to! Why are you saying that I don't?"

Scootaloo scrunched her face as hard as she could, then admitted a truth to herself.

"Because nopony ever loves me! Ever! So why should I believe that the coolest and most awesome pony in all of Equestria does?!

Scootaloo held the gaze, then turned around and began walking again. "Just leave," said the now secretly crying filly.

Rainbow Dash just sat there, a bewildered twist in her brow, and a disbelieving angle in her lips. She watched her walk before her voice returned. "Scootaloo, wait!" she called. But a field of ignorance had already shrouded the filly. It wasn't until the orange dot had made it over the third hill that Dash sighed and left in the opposite direction. She took to the sky with considerably less enthusiasm than when she had left it.

"What did I do wrong?" she thought out loud. "I always do a bunch of fun things with her, and tell her that she's THE best. So why doesn't she believe that I...that I love her?" The mare kept asking herself the golden question until she happened upon a lone white unicorn with a rather extravagant sunhat walking through the park. The unicorn looked up through her sunglasses when Dash's shadow sliced overhead. She waved, and Dash decided that she needed to talk to someone. At least Rarity would know what it's like to have a sister.

"Hello, Rainbow Dash." greeted Rarity as she fanned herself from a sudden strange rise in temperature.

"Hey, Rarity," Dash said with a downtrodden drawl. "What's goin' on with you?"

"Oh," sighed the mare as she gazed around the field, "just getting some outdoor inspiration for a new dress order. Have you received that letter yet?"

It took Dash a second to register the question. "N-no, not yet," she stuttered.

"Whatever is the matter?"

The two ducked into she shade to avoid the overbearing heat. "Well, it kinda has to do with the letter. See, I told Scootaloo about it, and she got really upset."

"Oh my, she's sad that you're leaving?"

"Ye-" Dash began, "-yeah. How did you know?"

"Well," said Rarity with a short titter, "it's not that difficult to deduce that that is the problem. Of course she's upset about you leaving."

Rarity resumed her leisurely stroll, and Dash followed with dragging hooves.

"I mean, the filly absolutely adores you, and she thinks that the feeling is mutual. And here you are just leaving after you two are starting to get close."

"But I'm not just leaving. I'll be back soon. I even offered to bring her a signed Wonderbolt poster when I get back."

The unicorn turned to her winged friend with shock as obvious as her eyeliner. "What do you mean you even offered to bring her a poster? Is that really the best you can do?"

Dash shied away from the question with a guilty lowering of her head. She flicked her eyes back to Rarity when she was sure that there was enough distance between the two ponies.

Rarity adopted a tone that was akin to a scolding mother. "Rainbow Dash, how dare you. Do you have any idea what she's going through? You spent the last week getting to know her, learning who she is, and having fun with her; and she was doing the same to you. And now, in her eyes, you're leaving at the drop of a hat for Celestia knows how long!"

"Well..." fought Dash, "...it's only for four weeks..."

Rarity cocked her eyebrow. "Only?"

Dash sighed. "Okay fine. I'm sorry for handling this like an idiot, Okay?" The mare shook her head before continuing. "I just wish I was as good of a sister as you or AJ."

That made Rarity laugh. "Me, a good sister? Oh, heavens no. Adequate, maybe, but not wholly good. And Rainbow Dash," the unicorn made sure she had her friend's eyes, "you aren't an idiot. You're just...inexperienced, is all. This is just one of the frequent bumps your relationship with her is going to take. The only thing that you can do about them is learn from them, and make sure nopony is hurt."

Dash smirked her gratitude. "So, then what do I do about this? I can handle small problems, but this is big. I don't know what I could say to make it alright."

"Well don't look at me. I'm usually fairly dreadful with handling sensitive sisterly problems as well. All I can really say is that you'll know what to say when you need to say it. Speaking of which, what sort of things did you say to each other?"

"Well," Dash started. What the two had said to each other couldn't have been that bad...right? "Well, after I told her, she kept asking if I could just stay. And, you know I can't, so I told her that. Then, she told me that she...she didn't believe that I could love her; apparently, since 'nopony ever loves her, there's no possibility that somepony like me could.' After that, she just left."

Throughout Dash's explanation, she kept her eyes forward, and away from Rarity's. When she turned, however, she caught a glimpse of a white object approaching her face. Dash wasn't fast enough. She caught the full force Rarity's slap with her cheek, and it left a red mark in the shape of a hoof.

"RAINBOW DASH YOU GO SPEAK WITH HER THIS INSTANT!" the unicorn screamed. The blue mare rubbed her cheek with innocence. "This is far more grave than I thought! I have many questions, like why nopony loves her, but none of them are more important than you making things right with that filly as soon as possible!"

"Okay," said Dash with an uncharacteristically timid voice, similar to that of a foal. She was in shock both by the fact that her typically elegant and generally non-violent fashion pony friend could slap her like that, and the realization that this was more of a problem than she had imagined. Since Dash already knew her sister's living condition, she hadn't given much thought to the fact that, though terrible, not very many ponies actually loved Scootaloo. But now, she understood how awful the concept was.

"NOW!"

"Okay!"

Rainbow Dash took off with as much force as possible. She didn't know how she was going to mend the injury in this relationship, but by Celestia as her witness, she was going to try. Dash just wished she knew what to say.

Author's Notes:

Again, I'm sorry for the late chapter :P

I really need to get a better schedule.

This chapter suffered because of my schedule. It's all rushed, and dumb. fml

Next Chapter: The Reconciliation Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 45 Minutes
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