Rainbow Dash made her way into the bathroom as Scootaloo was turning off the water and hopping into the bath. Rainbow Dash had the misfortune of walking in at the wrong time and getting splashed in the face. She spluttered, making Scootaloo jump. Scootaloo calmed down when she saw it was just Rainbow Dash.
“Sorry ‘bout that.” Scootaloo said, laughing sheepishly at Rainbow’s wet face. Rainbow Dash blew stray strands of her mane out of her face but still smiled back, showing she wasn’t upset or anything.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll get you back.” Rainbow Dash replied, moving alongside the bath. Scootaloo turned around and faced away from Rainbow Dash, guessing what she was up to. Scootaloo was more than old enough to bathe herself but Rainbow Dash still preened her wings for her. Scootaloo spread her wings as wide as they would go, having taken off the brace and deposited it on the floor. She gave out a contented sigh and sank a little into the water as Rainbow Dash started working on her wings. “Do you mind if I ask you something?” Rainbow Dash asked. Scootaloo shrugged, indifferent to the suggestion. Rainbow Dash took it as a sign she was free to ask something. “What did Star Shine do to you?” Rainbow asked. Scootaloo fidgeted away from Rainbow Dash and turned around to face her.
“What he did? Did he do something?” Scootaloo asked, checking her body to make sure everything was okay and she hadn’t missed something. The question took her by surprise and she had no idea what Rainbow might have meant.
“He’s not done anything you silly filly.” Rainbow Dash replied, chuckling and ruffling Scootaloo’s mane. Scootaloo calmed down and let out a sigh of relief.
“Oh. So what did you mean?” Scootaloo asked again. Rainbow Dash sighed, unsure as to how to phrase it. She opted to just say what she had said to Star Shine himself.
“It’s just that you seemed really happy earlier. You were playing games with him and he told me you even forgot about wearing the brace. He had to tell you to get it.” Rainbow explained, doing the best she could.
“Oh that? I don’t know really Rainbow.” Scootaloo replied, playing with the water. “I guess it’s just he knows what it’s like to be alone and depressed.” Scootaloo was doing her best to skirt around the subject. Much like Rainbow Dash, she didn’t feel right telling somepony about somepony else’s problems.
“Him? Alone and depressed? Nah. There’s no way. He was always so bright and happy at Flight Camp. He kept everypony else smiling no matter what.” Rainbow Dash said, remembering all the times Star Shine had defended her in Flight Camp and the time he had suggested she “Rainbow Crash” right into the kids making fun of her. Actually doing it was one of the reasons she was eventually kicked out of Flight Camp. She was allowed back in when she managed to convince the pony in charge it was an accident. It wasn’t, but they didn’t need to know that. “Whenever I saw him he always had that same goofy grin on his face.”
“Rainbow can I ask you something?” Scootaloo asked. She was looking at the water and not at Rainbow Dash.
“Sure Squirt, what is it?” Rainbow Dash replied with a smile. Scootaloo looked like she was getting depressed again and Rainbow Dash wasn’t about to let that happen on her watch.
“Did I...Did you ever think I was depressed? Same goofy grin...never letting anypony be down...I think I was like that.” Scootaloo said. Rainbow Dash was something she wasn’t very often; stunned. Scootaloo had always come across as happy. Even her friends were shocked to learn the truth about her. Everypony had assumed that she was happy based on outward appearances but if they had seen her alone, just once, they would have known the truth instantly. She began to wonder if the same was true for Star Shine. She didn’t see him much outside of Flight Camp. When she thought about it, she realised she never actually met his parents, or ever saw where he lived. He had gone to her house sometimes but she had never gone to his. She remembered excuses he would give.
“I’ll just be a second Scoots.” Rainbow Dash said, turning towards the door. Scootaloo watched her curiously. “Hey Star Shine, get your flank up here!” Rainbow Dash yelled loud enough for anypony in the house, and probably for a short distance outside it, to hear. Star Shine ran up the stairs as fast as he could, worried by the sudden shouting.
“What is it? Is Scoots okay? She didn’t slip or anything did she?” he said as he ran towards the door. He tried to stop in time but he couldn’t. He hit Rainbow Dash, who tumbled over backwards, dragging Star Shine with her, and together they both fell into the bath. Scootaloo was able to make it out of the way in time. “Owwww...” Star Shine complained, rubbing the aching pain in his forehead. He opened his eyes and when he realised he was in the bath, and extremely close to Rainbow Dash, he jumped out the bath as fast as he could and stared straight at the door in an effort to hide his shame and embarrassment. “I’m really, really, really sorry about that. Is Scoots okay?” he asked.
“Yeah she’s fine.” Rainbow Dash replied. “ I’m fine too, thanks.” she added sardonically as she turned herself over so she wasn’t on her back. She looked over at Scootaloo, who was huddled against the corner but otherwise unharmed, and got out the bath.
“So what as all the yelling for? I thought something had happened.” Star Shine said. Rainbow Dash quickly dried herself off with a towel and Star Shine shuddered as he felt her drape it across his back.
“I wanted you, you idiot. Don’t you think I’d say if Scoots was in danger?” Rainbow Dash replied, clipping Star Shine on the ear.
“Besides, how can I be in danger with Rainbow Dash around?” Scootaloo added, leaning over the side of the bath once she decided it was safe to move again.
“...Am I in trouble?” Star Shine asked nervously, making his way slowly towards the door. Rainbow Dash cut him off and so he started to back up. This plan was foiled when he remembered he had a bath behind him and didn’t want to have another unscheduled bath. He was trapped and consigned to his fate. He cowered in fear and shut his eyes as Rainbow Dash walked towards him. She hadn’t answered his question, making him think he might actually be in trouble for something. He opened his eyes slowly as instead of feeling Rainbow Dash hitting him, he felt something he wasn’t expecting at all; Rainbow Dash was hugging him.
“Why did you never tell me you were alone?” Rainbow Dash said quietly.
“What? I’ve never been alone Rainbow. I’ve always had you.” Star Shine replied, returning the hug.
“Bleh...” Scootaloo commented, faking a retch. She was happy to see the pair being close but she still wasn’t fond of sappy displays. Rainbow Dash whispered something in Star Shine’s ears and his wings gave a small pop as they extended in surprise and a few other feelings. He brought them under control and folded them into his body again. Rainbow Dash kept her eyes on Scootaloo and gave Star Shine a small kiss. Scootaloo retched again and turned away from the display. Rainbow Dash seized her chance and hopped over to the bath. She swiped her hooves through the water and splashed Scootaloo with as much water as she could.
“Told you I’d get you back.” Rainbow Dash laughed as Scootaloo spluttered.
“Yeah...hilarious.” Scootaloo said when she had calmed down.
“Hey Shine, did you see that? I totally got...her...” Rainbow Dash said, trailing off as she turned around and saw that Star Shine wasn’t in the room anymore. “Where’d he go?” Rainbow Dash asked, turning back around to face Scootaloo.
“Guess you scared him off.” Scootaloo replied, shrugging. She hadn’t seen herself where he had vanished to. “Hey is that why you’ve never had a coltfriend? You keep scaring all the nice ones away?” Scootaloo asked, teasing Rainbow Dash.
“Nice? He’s not nice.” Rainbow Dash replied coolly, shrugging off the comment about her scaring away colts.
“He’s nice to me.” Scootaloo replied. “...Usually.” she added uneasily. “Maybe you’re doing something wrong.”
“I’ve noticed you’re nice to him too. Actually why is that?” Rainbow Dash asked, curious as to how Scootaloo could play with Star Shine and have fun with him, but not with her. Rainbow had noticed that the two of them had never really played and when they talked the conversation tended to turn a little depressing. Scootaloo shrugged. She’d never really thought about it or considered it noteworthy.
“Did he say anything? Seems he has an answer to everything.” Scootaloo replied, giggling.
“Actually he did...lousy know it all. He said it’s because he doesn’t talk about your problems and he just likes to play games with you. He said it was like that with your other friends and I think he has a point. I’ve seen you really happy with your little Crusader friends, and I’ve seen him pretty happy with me.” Rainbow replied, thinking it over. Scootaloo shrugged as she thought about it herself. She had been happy a lot with the Crusaders, and Star Shine seemed way too happy given his past and, according to Rainbow, had been the same in the past. “Makes me wonder what’s different about me and him.” Rainbow Dash added, looking down at the floor.
“Different about you and him?” Scootaloo asked, confused.
“Well think about it Scoots. When I found you that day you were really sad and depressed. Now I see you playing games with Star Shine and he seems to know everything about you and it’s like I don’t know anything. He seems to have done a lot more for you than I did. He...seems to make you happier than I do. It’s like I failed you...like I failed him. He was upset and I never knew it.” Rainbow Dash said sadly. It wasn’t something she admitted to easily, but it was something that had been eating away at the back of her mind. Scootaloo climbed out the bath and walked over to Rainbow Dash, huddling up to her.
“If it wasn’t for you, I’d have never met him. I don’t think he ever wanted you to know he was upset Dash. Besides he doesn’t know everything about me and YOU were the one who told him what he does know, not me.” Scootaloo said. Rainbow Dash grinned sheepishly. “As for being happier...well, I’m not.” Scootaloo admitted. “He makes me laugh sure, so do Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, but...but...” Scootaloo trailed off, trying to think of how to finish that sentence.
“You can do it Scootaloo...you’re a smart girl when it comes to emotions.” Star Shine said quietly from his vantage point by the stairs. He had ducked out of sight after Rainbow Dash had kissed him and was now quietly supporting from the sidelines. He considered interfering but he wanted Scootaloo to realise this on her own. There was always the chance he could be wrong. It was small, but it was there. Plus he was also busy trying to bring his wings back under control again.
“But what Scoots?” Rainbow Dash asked, leaning down and holding Scootaloo close. Scootaloo thought about it a little longer before her mind made the connection.
“But when they’re gone, I’m alone again. I was lonely when I was in the clubhouse, or when I wasn’t with them. You’ve given me more than a house Rainbow, you’ve given me a home. I’m never alone with you.” Scootaloo explained, huddling up to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash gently stroked Scootaloo’s mane. “And I don’t let them in.” Scootaloo added. “I lied to my friends for so long, and I lied to you too, but then I let you in. If you hadn’t been there that time, then I wouldn’t even be here Rainbow. If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be alive.” Scootaloo said, her eyes wide with the realisation that she really did owe pretty much everything she had now to Rainbow Dash.
“Fat lot of good I’ve been Squirt. I couldn’t even get you to fly or anything.” Rainbow Dash said, still a little dejected.
“Hey Star Shine hasn’t gotten me flying yet either. Are you sure he’s an instructor?” Scootaloo asked, giggling. Star Shine let out a sigh at the verbal assault. He considered defending his pride but was able to swallow it, some things were more important than pride.
“Yeah he showed me his fancy certificate.” Rainbow Dash replied, giggling herself. Star Shine stood up and prepared to walk into the bathroom to defend himself when he heard Scootaloo talk again.
“There’s something else.” she said. Rainbow Dash looked at her curiously. “I feel better talking to you about things. Much better than I do after playing with Shine, or my friends, and even though I know talking helps, I only want to talk to you. You really do help Rainbow. A lot more than Star Shine and his silly brace.” Scootaloo said, cuddling up to Rainbow Dash.
“He’s watching us isn’t he?” Rainbow Dash whispered into Scootaloo’s ear. Scootaloo nodded. She had seen Star Shine but tried to pretend she didn’t know he was there.
“Good girl.” Rainbow Dash said, laughing as she ruffled Scootaloo’s mane.
“It’s still all true though.” Scootaloo reassured Rainbow Dash. Even if she had said it a little louder than she should to tease Star Shine, she had still meant every word. “Awww I think he’s actually upset.” Scootaloo added, picking herself up to get a closer look at Star Shine. He turned away from the pair and headed down the stairs, keeping his eyes on the ground.
“C’mon, let’s go see how he’s doing.” Rainbow Dash said. She let go of Scootaloo and started walking towards the stairs. Scootaloo trailed behind her.