It was a chilly, gray October morning. No sun was shining over Ponyville that day, and it cast a dull gloom over a small gathering of ponies at the local cemetery. It was there that not one, but two caskets were about to be buried, laying their occupants to rest. One of these ponies was a white Earth Pony stallion, with a light green mane and a cutie mark of a calculator. The other was a light blue Earth Pony mare, with a white and silver mane, and three blue flowers adorning her flanks. Their names were Tax Break and Flores, and although they weren't particularly well-known in their small community, they meant everything to a certain orange pegasus filly.

Scootaloo was seated at the very front of the gathering, her two best friends, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, seated right beside her, offering words of sympathy and comfort. But she couldn't seem to focus on what her friends were saying. So many things were going through her mind right then. What would happen to her now? Where will she go? Where will she stay? Could she stay in Ponyville? Would she evr see her friends again?

The thought of never seeing her friends again was enough to make her cry some more, her eyes already red and puffy from crying over the last couple of days without her parents. Luckily, the Apples were kind enough to take her in these last few days, but she knew it was only temporary. She would need a more permanent residence soon.

As the ceremony continued, Scootaloo could only think to herself 'How could this have happened?' Not more than three days ago, her life had been just fine. It had been a day like any other, just the normal routine. Nopony could have expected anything to go so wrong. But sometimes, the hardest things in life come at you when you least expect it.

                    -Flashback: two days earlier-

Scootaloo sat in her class at school, chatting with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Cheerilee had finished the lesson a bit earlier than expected, and now the students were just killing time until lunch.

"- so after the movie, he walked me back home, and that was that," Sweetie Belle said, just getting done telling her friends about her date with Button Mash the night before.

"Sounds ta' me like y'all had a real good time," Apple Bloom commented.

"Sounded really sappy to me," Scootaloo quipped. Sweetie Belle gave her an annoyed look and said "You may say that about me and Button, but I know for a fact that you have a real thing for Rumble." Scootaloo's face went red at the mention of her crush's name. She turned her head to see where he was sitting across the room, and happened to be talking to Button Mash, of all ponies. Scootaloo turned back to her unicorn counterpart to defend herself against the previous comment, when suddenly, the classroom door burst open, and two ponies barged in. It was Twilight and Applejack.

"Princess Twilight, Applejack, what can I do for you?" Cheerilee asked.

"Cheerilee, a building collapsed in town! There are already several ponies in the hospital!" Twilight told her.

"What?"

"Yeah, it was that old building across from Sugar Cube Corner," Applejack informed her. At this, Scootaloo's head shot toward Twilight and Applejack.

"Y-You mean th-the accounting firm where my dad works?" she squeaked out, a lump now forming in her throat. Twilight and Applejack exchanged glances and then looked back to Scootaloo with looks of dread in their faces. Scootaloo panicked and jumped from her seat.

"Scootaloo, wait-" Cheerilee started, but couldn't finish, as Scootaloo was already out the door with Applejack and Twilight following close behind.

-At the hospital-

Scootaloo had burst through the doors of the busy hospital screaming "Where's my dad? Where's my dad?" She was immediately greeted by Nurse Redheart, who sat her down and tried to calm her down as Twilight and Applejack walked in.

"Scootaloo," Nurse Redheart spoke softly,"I'm sorry to tell you this, but both of your parents were involved in the accident." If Scootaloo was worried before, she was practically in hysterics now. Nurse Redheart sighed, trying to work up the nerve to tell Scootaloo what had happened.

"Apparently, your mother and father met up for lunch today, and were standing right outside the building when it collapsed. Both were hit with debris," Nurse Redheart said, now starting to choke up. "Your father-" she gulped "-was killed instantly. And your mother is in critical care. She may not make it either."

That was it. Scootaloo felt her heart break, and she broke down right there. She couldn't stop herself from bawling. Her father was gone, and her mother may soon join him. It was just too much for her. Twilight and Applejack picked her up off the floor and tried to comfort her, tried to calm her down.

"There, there, sugarcube," Applejack cooed softly,"It'll be all right." Despite the reassuring words that left Applejack's lips, even she couldn't be sure of what she was saying. All she wanted to do was be there for Scootaloo.

After what felt like an eternity, although had really been five hours, Nurse Redheart came back out to where Scootaloo was, now joined by Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Spike, and the rest of the Mane 6.

"Scootaloo," she choked out,"I'm afraid I have some bad news."

-End flashback-