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“I want to fly as good as you one day, Rainbow!” Scootaloo beamed, hopping up and down as she struggled to contain her excitement.
Rainbow Dash gazed at the young Pegasus below her, the little filly radiating an uncomfortably identical nature. Her mane, attitude and unkept fur was the mirror image of Dashie, and staring into the filly’s eyes was much like looking at herself.
“Maybe.” Rainbow uttered, drowned in her thoughts.
Scootaloo stopped bouncing, perhaps detecting the distant look in Dashie’s expression. The cool spring breeze tickled their ears, whistling the silence that lingered between them.
“Are you okay?” Scootaloo huffed.
“What? Oh, yeah.”
Rainbow straightened herself, embarrassed as her act faltered. She forced a genuine enough smile to reassure Scootaloo and prayed she didn’t pry.
“Hey, isn’t it your birthday tomorrow, twerp?” Dashie changed the subject.
“Yep!” Scootaloo confirmed, “You’re coming, right?”
“Of course.” Rainbow assured, “W-What’s a birthday without me?”
Scootaloo grinned, nodding enthusiastically.
“Mhm. Thanks, Dashie, You’re the best!” Scootaloo cheered.
***
It was early in the morning, many of the shops just opening their doors while most ponies were still asleep. Rainbow Dash snuck through Ponyville, keeping an eye out for any of the early birds like Twilight or Rarity. She couldn’t be seen like this.
She flew from bush to bush, double and triple checking to be sure no one was around before slinking to the next. Rainbow had her eyes on the toy shop at the edge of the market square, light beaming through the windows and silhouetting the various toys displayed at the front of the shop.
Dashie slipped up to the door and moved inside, the jingle of the bell at the top ringing to alert the shopkeeper that a customer had entered. Aisles of toys filled the space, from toy guns for the colts and dolls for the fillies.
Rainbow moved through the shop, scanning for something Scootaloo would like. The girl, like Dashie, acted very tomboyish so a simple doll wouldn’t interest her. Rainbow paused at the line of bouncy balls, inspecting a bright red one that reminded her of a ball she had as a filly.
“Goodness, Rainbow Dash, what are you doing in the toy store?”
Her fur nearly flew off as Fluttershy’s voice echoed behind her. Rainbow whipped around, her fur bristled and her pupils small as she glared at her curious friend that had appeared. She swallowed hard, hurriedly groping for a lie despite Fluttershy putting no pressure on her.
“Uh… I’m immature and like to play with toys.” Dashie lied.
Fluttershy simply blinked and smirked at Rainbow to tell her she didn’t buy it.
“Crud, okay, you caught me.” Rainbow sighed, “I’m buying something for Scootaloo.”
“Oh, wonderful! I was as well.” Fluttershy laughed, “Did you find something?”
“Yeah, I think I did.” Rainbow Dash glanced back at the ball, “You’re going to the Sugarcube Corner then?”
“Yes, I plan to help Pinkie set up the party.” Fluttershy informed, “Would you like to come with?”
“Sure…”
Rainbow purchased the ball along with whatever Fluttershy had gotten for Scootaloo. The clerk was kind enough to give them a discount upon hearing it was for a birthday, then bid the mares farewell.
Dashie and Flutters were on their way to the Sugarcube Corner next to drop their gifts off and help Pinkie with decorating. They chatted on the way, the nerves in Dashie’s chest building as she hung around Fluttershy longer and longer.
“Scootaloo has gotten so big.” Fltutershy commented, “It’s hard to think she was just a little thing before.”
“Mhh… she’ll be, what, nine years old now?” Rainbow recalled.
“Yes, she will.”
“Ah. She’s a big girl now, huh…” Rainbow choked.
Fluttershy noticed Dashie’s voice crack with thick emotion. Rainbow’s pace had slowed to a crawl, her hooves dragging along the ground as she hung her head, ears pinned and gritting her teeth as tears slid down her cheek fur.
“Rainbow? What’s wrong?” Fluttershy stopped, facing Rainbow.
“Nothing.” Rainbow shook her head, “I’m just… happy for her.”
“I don’t remember you getting this emotional for someone’s birthday.” Fluttershy awkwardly giggled, then frowned when Dashie didn’t react, “Please tell me what’s wrong.”
“I c-can’t.”
“You can.” Fluttershy comforted, “You can tell me anything, I want to make my friend feel better.”
When Rainbow was quiet, Fluttershy cringed as though she might’ve been too pushy in matters that didn’t concern her.
“I-It’s okay if you don’t want to say anything, though, I just thog-”
“I’m Scootaloo’s mother.” Rainbow blurted, her teary eyes meeting Fluttershy.
Fluttershy’s mouth hung open as she completely lost her words. She narrowed her eyes, desperately searching Rainbow’s expression to be sure this wasn’t some prank.
“P-Pardon?” Fluttershy checked if she heard that right.
“She’s my daughter, Fluttershy!” Dashie snapped, “She doesn’t know it, no one does but me. Do you even believe me?”
Fluttershy swallowed hard, unsure how to take such information that suddenly warped how she looked at Rainbow. For a second, Dashie started to regret saying anything.
“I do believe you.” Fluttershy murmured, “But… may I ask who in the world is the father? I… I never thought a mare like you would be a mom.”
Fluttershy’s surprise was fair, Rainbow had hid her deeper emotions behind a tough girl mask for Celestia knows how long now.
“He’s gone. Passed away in an accident years ago.” Rainbow uttered, “I was pregnant with Scootaloo at the time. I was so devastated… the only stallion I loved was just... gone. I couldn’t raise her after that, it was too much on my heart.”
Fluttershy’s ears perked as she listened, Rainbow’s tone lowering as she completely melted, her most vulnerable side spilling through as she admitted everything.
“I gave her up to the Ponyville orphanage, and I thought she would be adopted, but she’s still here. Now I regret giving her up every day, I regret not being there for my baby when she needed me. I looked to being the best flyer to occupy myself because I failed to be a decent mother. My sweet baby… I’m so sorry…”
Rainbow crouched against the stone road as she broke down, crying into her hooves while cursing herself. Fluttershy nuzzled her head and hushed her with soothing licks across her mane.
“She sees you as a role model, you know that. You’ve continued to look after her even after all this time.” Fluttershy pointed out.
“But she’ll hate me if I tell her the truth now.” Rainbow sobbed, “I abandoned her…”
“You can’t continue wallowing in guilt and regret.” Fluttershy shook her head, “And Scootaloo deserves to know you’re someone more than a mare she admires. She’s a big girl, she can handle the truth.”
Dashie wiped the tears dripping down her muzzle while she thought it over. Fluttershy gazed down at her, sighing as she felt the weight of such concealed knowledge strangle her chest.
“I’m honored you chose to tell me this.” Fluttershy bowed her head, “But it’s up to you if you wish to tell Scootaloo the truth. I won’t tell her or anyone else a thing, I promise.”
“I trust you.” Rainbow nodded, sitting up, “I just wanted to get it off my chest. I needed someone else to know before I decided what to do.”
“I think you have yearned for your role as a mother long enough.” Fluttershy hummed, “I just want Scootaloo to be happy too.”
“I do as well.” Dashie sniffed.
***
“Here you go, twerp, happy birthday.”
Rainbow set the bouncy ball before Scootaloo during her party. The filly smiled, immediately grabbing and playing with it, watching as it bounced several feet above her head before falling back down.
“This is awesome!” Scootaloo roared as she caught the ball in her hooves, “Thank you so, so much, Rainbow Dash!”
“You’re welcome…” Rainbow hesitated.
She glanced to where Fluttershy was, at the edge of the bakery with Twilight. Fluttershy nodded at her, encouraging her on. Rainbow looked back to Scootaloo, grimacing as her chest tightened and the world seemed to slow.
But Dashie didn’t want to run from her daughter anymore. She couldn’t take the guilt, the emptiness she felt in her life. She inhaled, tail twitching in troubled anticipation. Scootaloo blinked and tilted her head as though to ask Rainbow Dash what was up.
“Scootaloo…” Dashie began, “There’s something I have to tell you.”