"That was a fun game!" Applebloom said as she skipped through the orchard on Sweet Apple Acres.

"Yeah, sucks that we didn't get our cutie marks though" Sweetie Belle said sadly as she walked beside Applebloom.

"Maybe if you picked a game everypony has heard of we'd have had better luck!" Scootaloo said angrily, "Who's ever heard of Monopony!"

"Uh Scoots, everypony knows about Monopony" Applebloom said as she turned to face Scootaloo, "Just because you lost doesn't mean the game sucks"

"You're only saying that because you won!" Scootaloo shouted angrily.

"Woah nelly, what's going on over here" Applejack asked as she walked out from behind a tree. The Crusaders had forgotten that she was working in the orchard around their clubhouse today.

"Nothing's going on, I'm going home!" Scootaloo said loudly as she turned around making her way back towards the clubhouse. The three ponies she left behind followed her out of confusion. If anypony walked out of the orchard that way they would end up in the Unicorn Range. After following Scootaloo for a few minutes they saw her enter the clubhouse and could hear something being pulled across the floor.

"What in tarnation?" Applejack said as she heard Scootaloo drag something else across the floor.

"Why is Scoots in the clubhouse?" Applebloom asked quietly, Sweetie Belle nodding immediately after her.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out" Applejack said as she made her way up the stairs to the clubhouse, heading towards the window. She looked inside and saw Scootaloo laying out a sleeping bag across the floor, a hand stitched Rainbow Dash toy sitting next to it. Scootaloo continued to prepare her bed until she looked up to see where the moon was and instead saw Applejack's worried face.

"Applejack?!" Scootaloo shouted in surprise. No pony ever followed her to the clubhouse, What if she told Applebloom and Sweetie Belle?!

"Scootaloo?" Applebloom and Sweetie Belle asked as they opened the door to the clubhouse, slowly stepping inside. They looked around ad saw the sleeping bag laid out, along with Scootaloo's favourite toy.

"Are you spending the night here Scootaloo to try and get your cutie mark without us?" Applebloom asked, thinking it was for some sort of camping cutie mark.

"No..." Scootaloo slowly, and quietly, replied, completely embarrassed that her friend had found out about her secret.

"Then why are you staying here tonight?" Sweetie Belle asked, trying to figure it out for herself, to no avail.

"I think I know why" Applejack said from behind the two fillies, making them jump. They had forgotten she was there after seeing Scootaloo's sleeping bag.

"What is it sis?" Applebloom asked quickly, but was shushed by Applejack. She quickly ushered Applebloom and Sweetie Belle out of the clubhouse, putting a chair against the door so they could get in and then crouched next to Scootaloo.

"How long has it been sugar cube?" Applejack asked sweetly, knowing why Scootaloo was staying there.

"Six months" Scootaloo replied quietly, looking at the floor.

"Why did you run away, somepony would have-" Applejack said, only to be cut off by Scootaloo.

"No pony would want me, I'm a stupid Pegasus who can't even fly" Scootaloo cried, tears starting to flow down her face. Applejack quickly hugged Scootaloo, feeling sorry for the abandoned filly. When she was still a baby her mother left her at the Ponyville orphanage after hearing she would never fly, and since then she's been all alone.

"It's okay Scootaloo, you're not stupid" Applejack said as she rubbed Scootaloo's back, trying to calm her down.

"Yes I am! I'm useless" Scootaloo cried, hugging Applejack tight. Scootaloo felt as if she was hugging her mom, but she knew it was only because Applejack was so motherly to the Crusaders.

"Hey, you're not useless, you're special in your own way, don't ever forget that" Applejack said, briefly breaking the hug to look the crying filly in the eyes. Scootaloo and Applejack stared at each other for a few seconds before hugging each other once again, Scootaloo crying even more now.

"I just want to know who my mother is..." Scootaloo whispered, barely loud enough for Applejack to hear.

"Don't worry, we'll find her Scootaloo" Applebloom said sadly from behind Applejack, making the hugging ponies look at her in surprise.

"How'd you get in here?!" Applejack said, looking at the door and window to find them both shut.

"Secret entrance" Sweetie Belle said, pointing the a spot on the floor, which seemed to be a bit out of place. Scootaloo smiled awkwardly through her tears, happy to know that her best friends wanted to help her find her mom.

"Where should we start looking?" Applebloom asked quietly, not sure where anypony would go to find out who their mother is except the town hall.

"We could try the orphanage, they might know" Sweetie Belle said, thinking about the Ponyville orphanage, "Don't most ponies without parents go there?"

"Yeah, that'd be your best bet to start with" Applejack said as she got to her feet, quickly ushering the fillies out of the clubhouse again, "We should let her get to sleep, you all have a busy day ahead of you". After some quick goodbyes and hugs Scootaloo was left alone in the clubhouse. She quickly climbed into her sleeping bag and cuddled her Rainbow Dash toy for warmth. Winter was coming, and if they didn't find Scootaloo's mother soon she would be in big trouble...

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"Morning Scoots" Applebloom said happily as she shook Scootaloo awake. Both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had woken up early so they could get straight to work on finding Scootaloo's mom for her.

"Ugh, mornin'" Scootaloo said as she sat up in her bed, still hugging her Rainbow Dash toy.

"I bet you wish Rainbow was your mom, huh?" Sweetie Belle said with a giggle. Scootaloo quickly let go of the toy and looked at Sweetie Belle angrily, as if it would make her stop laughing, but she continued.

"Sorry, I didn't meant to laugh like that" Sweetie Belle said quickly after she saw how angry Scootaloo was, embarrassed at herself for being so mean to her friend.

"Whatever" Scootaloo said angrily before turning to face Applebloom, "What's the plan for today?"

"Well, I was thinking we could go see if the orphanage will help us" Applebloom said as she pulled a map out of her saddlebag, "And if that doesn't work then we can go try town hall"

"Sounds good, let's get going!" Scootaloo said as she jumped out of the sleeping bag.

"Yeah!" the other two Crusaders shouted as the trio walked towards the door. The trio made their way through the orchard, running into Applejack who wished them the best of luck. As they got to the edge of Sweet Apple Acres they ran into Big Mac and Cheerilee, who were talking about Applebloom's grades.

"She's doing well, but I know she could do better" Cheerilee said while leaning on the fence.

"Eeyup" Big Mac replied, his attention elsewhere.

"Are you helping her at home?" Cheerilee asked, knowing Big Mac wasn't as dumb as he looked.

"Eenope" Big Mac replied, "I gotta get back to work now"

"Oh, okay, talk to you later then" Cheerilee said as she turned to head back to town before being nearly tackled by the Crusaders. She managed to jump out of the way in time, causing the Crusaders to hit the ground in a heap.

"What are you three doing?" Cheerilee asked lazily, thinking they were after their cutie marks again.

"Where going to find Scootaloo's mo-" Applebloom started to say before being cut off by Scootaloo's hoof, which was shoved into her mouth.

"Don't tell her that!" Scootaloo whispered angrily, not wanting everypony in town to know.

"Don't tell me what?" Cheerilee asked, her curiosity being peaked.

"Well, uh, we are uh..." Scootaloo stammered, not able to think of a lie to tell Cheerilee that would make her leave them alone.

"Looking for somepony's mom!" Sweetie Belle said happily, not thinking that Cheerilee would be able to put two and two together.

"So you're looking for Scootaloo's mom?" Cheerilee asked smugly, knowing it would make the three fillies freak out.

"How did you know?!" Scootaloo shouted, looking at Cheerilee with both fear and confusion. What if she told Scootaloo to give up, or told the guards and then she'd be thrown back in the orphanage, or worse...

"If you want I can help you with your search" Cheerilee said cheerfully, smiling at them happily. The three fillies looking at each other in surprise before smiling happily, dancing around Cheerilee in a circle. There was a chorus of "thank you"s coming from the three fillies, making Cheerilee laugh happily. After a few minutes they were on their way to the orphanage, all smiling happily.

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"How can we help you today Cheerilee?" the pony at the front of the orphanage asked as the group walked in. Cheerilee quickly asked the Crusaders to wait outside, saying they wouldn't give her any information with them inside with her, so they reluctantly waiting in the waiting room. A few minutes after Cheerilee went into the orphanage a little colt came out into the lobby.

"Hi Scootaloo" the colt said as he walked up to her, "I didn't think I'd see you again"

"Yeah, me neither" Scootaloo said as she gave the colt a quick hug, making the other Crusaders giggle.

"So what's this lucky colt's name?" Sweetie Belle said while laughing hysterically with Applebloom chanting, "Scootaloo and the colt sitting a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g"

"Shut up, he's just an old friend!" Scootaloo shouted angrily towards her friends, "And his name is Quick Shot!"

"Well, it looks like you were pretty quick to hug him!" Applebloom said while laughing, making Scootaloo grit her teeth.

"I can go if you want" Quick Shot said as he shrunk away from the trio, but Scootaloo pulled him back.

"No, it's okay. How have things been since I left?" Scootaloo asked sincerely.

"Good, everyone was worried when you disappeared, but then they went back to normal after a little while" Quick Shot said as the caretaker came through the door with Cheerilee.

"Well, thank you for- Quick Shot, get back in there!" the caretaker said after seeing Quick Shot standing in the lobby, "Scootaloo? What are you doing here?"

"She's here with me" Cheerilee said flatly, noticing a hint of anger in the caretaker's voice.

"Oh, well then" the caretaker said with a sigh, "Quick Shot come with me"

"Yes ma'am" Quick Shot said as he made his way back inside the main room of the orphanage. Scootaloo lazily waved goodbye as he was pulled back inside, and then turned to make her way out with Cheerilee, who had a stack of papers in her saddlebag.

"What did you find Ms. Cheerilee?" Applebloom asked as they walked outside.

"Nothing much, other than it was the mother's choice to give her up" Cheerilee said sadly, "But the town hall records might have some more information for us"

"Okay, so is that where we're heading next?" Sweetie Belle asked, looking towards the tall tower in the middle of town.

"I don't know, do you want to Scootaloo?" Cheerilee asked, turning around to face Scootaloo.

"Yeah, I guess, we might as well" Scootaloo said, still thinking about Quick Shot. She knew he was a good flyer, probably just as good as some of the Wonderbolts, but because he was stuck in the orphanage he wouldn't be able to become one, and it made her feel bad. She managed to get out and make friends that are now helping her find her mom, but he might be stuck there for his entire life...

"Are you okay Scootaloo?" Applebloom asked, noticing how sad Scootaloo looked.

"Uh, yeah, let's go" Scootaloo said, taking one last look at the orphanage before she started walking towards their next stop, town hall.