I showed AJ what I had discovered, basically giving her a tour of Scootaloo’s house.
We both sat in the living room of the house. Applejack looked around. “Ah just don’t understand it. Why buy this house, why bother givin’ her bits at all ifn’ yer not gonna-“ I shot her a glare. “Course ah suppose that’s all that kept her alive so we should be grateful she had that much.” I went back to staring at the carpet of the house. “She can’t stay here another night, ah won’t hear of it.”
“Me neither. I guess I could just take her home if I wanted, not like those ****s would know any different.” Applejack’s eyes doubled in size almost. “What?”
“Nothin’ really. Ah always took ya for the cussin’ type, just never heard it.”
“I went to a military Academy, course I know how to cuss. But why would I cuss out my friends?”
She shrugged and nodded. She looked to the door. “Well, this is depressin’ an all, but we gotta git goin’. Ah will go get the mayor, how about you go talk to Twilight?” She got up. “Not sure what the old girl can do in this here situation legally an’ all, but her word should be important in court.”
“Yea.” I slowly got up too.
“Ya’ll will probably get back first so, see ya then.”
(***)
I flew to Twilight’s castle and zipped in one of the windows. I found her in the library going through one of the spell books she recovered from the castle of the two sisters. Normally I try to be at least somewhat polite, but today I was done with that noise. I flew over to her, closed her book and glared at her.
She raised her eyebrows. “So… hi Rainbow, how can I help you?” I turned away, snorting, knowing she was rolling her eyes at me as I did so. “You do know doors exist for a reason, right?”
“I wasn’t waiting, now c’mon we’re going to Scootaloo’s house.”
Twilight shook her head at me. “Rainbow, this is the third time this week you’ve broken into my home and demanded attention, so ya know what? This time, whatever it is, can wait.”
“What?... I’ve been good this week haven’t I?”
“Nope, you filled your quota of rudeness for the week.” She opened her book again on her desk and started reading once more, this time with a kind of deliberate smile. “You’re a good friend Rainbow, but you’re just gonna sit there and wait till I’m done-“
“I need to show you something.”
“I’m sure you do, but-“
“Something you need to see as a princess.”
Twilight gave a slight sigh, but kept her smile, staying calm. “You do remember we’re just friends right? I’m not YOUR princess. After all, I could have just tossed you out on your flank,” she finally looked up from her book again at the next statement. “Not like that would be hard. Still, I’m trying to be nice, but you’re pushing-“ I know that kinda seems like a threat, but the way she said it just didn’t sound like it.
Still I wasn’t listening really, just planning my next interruption. “I need you to see Scootaloo’s house. AJ is about to lodge a complaint about foal neglect with the mayor.”
“Rainbow if you would just let me finish a sen- now what now? Foal what?”
“Foal neglect.”
Twilight blinked at me. Then she blinked her right eye. Then her right eye blinked a few more times, I think of its own accord. “One more time. You’re saying somepony is doing WHAT in my Ponyville?!”
“Your Ponyville?”
“I pretty much run this place, let’s face it. Now, repeat, just for the sake of my assurance that-”
“Foal neglect. I believe Scootaloo’s parents have pretty much abandoned her.”
Twilight closed her book, lowering her eyebrows. Starting to reflect the same rage I felt. “Show me.”
(***)
After showing Twilight around, I was actually surprised by her reactions. Twilight has her moments, but she’s usually a little more controlled than I am. Still, she does read a lot so…
“Those **** and their **** have the unadulterated gull to be abusing a foal I have been personally teaching. I’m gonna **** right up their **** and **** **** with a cheese sandwich!” I shouldn’t have been too surprised she knew that many words. So yea… did I mention that when she gets going, Twilight pretty much blows away my temper tantrums no problem? It’s usually related to some sort of anxiety, but I think this pushed a button for her.
Oh yea, by the way, several guard ponies were there investigating and doing general police work. Those in the living room started backing away from the enraged demi-god. Applejack entered, I suppose realizing whose job it was to reign ponies in around here. “Now Twilight-“
“I’m not calming down!” Twilight yelled. “Because if I do, I have to think about how no one noticed this and all the clues are screaming through my head as I speak. She spent how many afternoons at my house? How hard would it have been to ask her just once,” she started to do an impression of… herself. “”Hey Scootaloo, how’s it going at home?” just once?!” She started gritting her teeth. “Just one time! Apparently Spike’s nachos were the best meals she had those days.” Twilight paused. She started breathing in and out hard. “You know I… a few days ago she was at my home working on building another scooter and she asked for seconds on those nachos and I said “no”… I said “no” to a starving filly… what does that make me?!”
Applejack twisted her lips. “Twilight.” AJ has this bazaar look she gives ponies that says a whole lot all by itself. She gave that look to Twi and Twilight nodded like she had just received a lecture and been verbally put back in her place.
“Yea yea, it’s not our fault, still… you’re not pissed off too?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, but ah know how to control it.” We both looked at her questioningly. “Ah’m just envisioning all the things ah’m gonna do to her parents next time ah see em’. Try it.”
I did NOT want to know what Twilight was thinking, because the smile that crossed her lips for a few seconds… yea, not something I wanna see again. She got up and looked around the room. “Sorry everypony,” she slowly let out a long breath, waving her hoof in the air. “We need to get to business.” She then turned to us and gave a yell, “The leader of these guards better show him or herself right now or-“ a large male earth pony appeared in front of the three of us, quickly taking off his helmet and saluting. “Good.” Again she breathed deep. “If Celestia taught me anything, it’s that no one messes with foals around her. Well me neither, is that clear?” the guard nodded. “I said is that clear!?” All three of us nodded. “Good! Now we need a plan. There will be a trial after all. You,” she pointed at the guard, “Get one of your unicorns to do a recording spell for when I get Scootaloo’s statement when she gets back from crusading. Not sure how much she’ll cooperate, but we’ll need whatever testimony she gives, intentionally or not.” She then pointed at me. “You…” she smiled. “Not everything about this has to be unpleasant right?” I looked at her with confusion. “Scootaloo obviously can’t be allowed to stay here but why not just have her stay with you? I’m sure she would like that.”
I looked right, then left, twisting my lips. “Normally, but we’re kinda gonna be arresting her parents. I’m guessing that won’t put her in a good mood.”
Twilight nodded. “Well right now I’m more worried about her health than her mood. I’m trying to give her something to be happy about, but mostly I want her somewhere safe. Will she be safe with you?” I nodded. “Good. You’re her temporary legal guardian as of the second we hear her voice…” she trailed off, us all waiting for her to just happen to speak up at that line. “Wow that usually works. Anyway… ya know, try to do something to make her feel better… take her to Pinkie.” She pointed at AJ. “You-“
“Ah have a name.”
“Sorry, Applejack you and the mayor get the word out that anyone who sees Purple Cloud or Violet Blaze is to report back to me at once!” She looked back at the guard. “And you again… what is your name?”
“Rock Stomper Ma’am.”
“Hm… nice name. You cordon off this house and have your stallions and mares gather any evidence you think will help in court. Mostly I want pictures so have a few camera ready. I’m going to get a letter to Princess Celestia and one to my brother and his wife in the Crystal Empire. These ****s aren’t getting away long as they’re in Equestria.” The guard’s eyes went wide, hearing his beloved princess of friendship cussing again. “Everyone got their jobs? Yes? Let’s go!- Rainbow you stay here.”
And just like that, I was alone. Surrounded by guard ponies sure, but I was essentially alone. I walked out of the home and looked back at it. As I looked on, guard ponies started putting yellow tape around Scootaloo’s home. Was this real? I had walked in and out of that home several times over the last two years, how had I never noticed something was wrong before? Was I paying so little attention? I pride myself on being able to take in everything from the air yet right in front of me… she… she could have died. What if she got sick? Just one time and that would have been it, she would have died alone.
As I continued to look I heard a young pony shout behind me “Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo galloped up to me. “You’re at my house, this is so cool! You wanna hang out again?” Not sure how she missed all the police tape, but apparently Sweetie Belle didn’t.
“Um Scootaloo… that’s your house right?” she asked.
Scootaloo glanced at the house, but then looked back at me. She paused. She looked back. Then she turned around. “The whooey?” she asked.
Apple Bloom walked forward. “Did somepony get hurt?” she asked.
How was I supposed to talk about this with the crusaders? Actually… didn’t Twilight say something about getting a statement from Scootaloo- and just like that there she was. I think she was hovering above us until Scootaloo arrived, but I’m not sure. She was supposed to send those letters after all and I don’t know when-
“Scootaloo!” she yelled, startling the filly. “Rock Stomper, get me a unicorn!” A young mare ran over to Twilight. “We need to talk. Now!”
“Am I in trouble?” Scootaloo asked. “I swear I didn’t do it.” Twilight started to glare at her. “Well okay so the glue on your Daring Do book, that was me… but it was just an accident I swear… actually I was planning on buying you a new copy-“
“You hurt one of my books?!” Twilight yelled.
“Twi we’re supposed to- Daring Do?!” I yelled. I shook my head, as did Twilight.
Twilight’s eyes went wide, probably finally coming to her senses and realizing that she was freaking out a foal abuse victim. She sighed and made a warm smile. I don’t know how she does that, goes from firing all guns at a pony to that motherly look, but I did my best to replicate it. “It’s okay. I can just buy another. And no, you’re not in trouble, so calm down.”
Scootaloo actually seemed to become more concerned. “Was somepony hurt in my house?” she asked.
The unicorn next to Twilight performed a spell of some kind, a white glowing ball levitating over our group. “No… well… technically you were.” Scootaloo looked confused at this statement, her friends starting to look concerned themselves. “Scootaloo, when’s the last time you saw your parents?”
“Hm?” Scootaloo asked back. “Why would you want to know that? Well… last week. Mom made sure I wasn’t sick like she always does, left me some money and went back to Baltimare… wait, I wasn’t supposed to tell where she works, can you forget that?”
Twilight blinked, but didn’t answer her question. She kept that smile however. “How long have you been without power or water?”
Scootaloo started to think. “Oh that? A mean stallion turned that stuff off last month. Apparently mom didn’t pay him… again…” she said, starting to sound irritated. “Oh well, there’s lots of drinking fountains.”
Twilight sniffed the air above Scootaloo. “How do you bathe?”
“Um… do I have to answer that?” Scootaloo blushed. Twilight nodded. “Well, I kinda snuck over and stole some water from Sweet Apple Acres every morning this month… Sorry AB…”
“Um… it’s okay…?” Apple Bloom said. I was getting the feeling the only pony who didn’t realize what was wrong with Scootaloo’s answers was Scootaloo herself.
“Thanks… guess I should have asked.”
“It’s um… okay.”
Twilight spoke up again. “How about your food? What do you eat week to week?”
“Why do you want to know? I mean, these are kinda weird questions.”
“I’m your princess, just answer.”
“Okay I guess,” Scootaloo continued. “Well for breakfast I usually eat a few muffins at Sugar Cube corner. Pinkie can always be convinced to give you stuff for free if you get there early enough to get her baking mistakes. She says I’m her little garbage disposal,” Scootaloo said with a chuckle.
I started shifting uncomfortably at the mention of a friend’s name. Twilight quickly whispered in my ear, “I’m sure Pinkie doesn’t know what’s going on.” I nodded.
“I buy stuff at the store like cheese and vegetables for sandwiches… some weeks I don’t have enough for all my lunches, like when I need to fix up my scooter… those weeks I try to just buy canned soup. It’s not very good, but it’s cheap and when I get hungry enough, it doesn’t matter anymore ya know?... Sweetie why are you looking at me like that?” She thought again. “Some weeks I kinda can’t resist and get some stuff at Sugar Cube Corner and well… sorry again Apple Bloom, those weeks I try to spend more time at your home so I can eat your sister’s cooking… really your sister makes the best- seriously why are you guys looking at me like that?”
Twilight asked another question before anypony could answer. “When was the last time you went to the dentist?”
“I don’t remember.”
“How about the last time you had a doctor checkup?”
Scootaloo looked up, seeming to have to really strain to remember. “Um…maybe when I was five, sorry, I just don’t remember.”
Twilight levitated the envelope with Scootaloo’s mother’s money in it in front of Scootaloo. “This was from your mother yes?” Scootaloo nodded. “I’m gonna need to take it.”
“Hold on, I need that for food,” Scootaloo said, reaching for the envelope, that action alone making a breath hold in my throat. I reached my hoof out to hold her back nonetheless. “You guys are stealing from me!”
“No Scoots…” Twilight paused, looking away. “We’re trying to rescue you.”
“What?”
“Scootaloo… are you… okay?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Yea sure I’m fine,” she quickly replied.
Twilight shook her head. “Technically, no you’re not.”
Apple Bloom put a hoof in front of Scootaloo and pushed her away from the house, starting to glare at the house as if protecting her friend from it. “Yer comin’ home with me. We’ve got enough food to go around an’-”
“Actually she’s going to be staying with me,” I put in.
“And just like that I don’t care what’s going on, AWESOME!” Scootaloo shouted. “Just let me get a few things and-“ but Apple Bloom didn’t let her go, Twilight putting herself deliberately between her and the house as well.
“You can’t go back in that house…. Actually you won’t ever be allowed back in that building if I have anything to say about it.” Twilight said.
“Huh… what are you guys doing?” Scootaloo said, starting to sound more and more worried. “This is my home.”
“No, frankly it’s a house, not a home,” said Twilight. “You’ll find out what a home is with Rainbow here I think.” I nodded. “The guard ponies are going through the house right now. I’ve told them to make sure not to break anything that belongs to you and trust me when I say everything that is yours will be returned to you in time.”
“Something… there’s something wrong with what my mom is doing isn’t there?” Scootaloo finally asked. Twilight nodded. Scootaloo paused. “I was starting to think about that… I just… what does this mean? What’s gonna happen to my mom?”
Twilight mumbled. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one of the group who understood what she said. “Well the Castle of Friendship has a dungeon I wasn’t sure what to do with until now.”
Scootaloo paused again. “Will… will my mom be arrested?” Twilight nodded. “NO! I… can you just warn her? She can change… or maybe I can go live with somepony else and-“
“Oh that’s gonna happen anyway,” Twilight interrupted, being firm, but not having the sarcasm I might have had.
“Then just leave her alone… I’ll cooperate, just leave my mom alone. She’s not a bad pony.”
A pony could have stabbed me in the ribs and I wouldn’t have noticed at that point. Just hearing her trying to defend that bitch… it was breaking my heart. What kind of a sick twisted pony just leaves money on a table and walks away from her own foal more than once? I’ve heard about foal neglect, but looking at it… it just makes no sense. Why would anypony ever do something like that? If you can’t care for a child just have it adopted for Celestia sake, don’t keep it and make it starve! Any place other than Ponyville this filly would be dead for sure by now.
Twilight continued, however I was distracted by a tap on the shoulder. Applejack motioned with her head for me to come away from the group.
Once we were a few meters away, Applejack took off her hat. “Ah really messed up didn’t ah?” she asked. I looked at her with wide eyes. “Well which adult here has had the most contact with Scoots?”
“Why should you feel that way? I’m her big sister!” I argued.
“Ya never took that seriously.”
A slight squeak escaped my throat. I wanted so bad to argue with her, but she was right. I really didn’t spend that much time with Scootaloo. As her big sister, I was pretty much useless. “I should have,” I said, avoiding eye contact.
I looked back at the CMC and Twilight, smiling as I heard Scootaloo whining about not wanting to be hugged, only to have Sweetie unceremoniously announce “That’s too bad, you’re getting hugged anyway!”
“AJ… what’s my role here? Twilight is gonna get things rolling legally, Pinkie will cheer her up, Fluttershy will probably be there to dry a few tears and I’m guessing you’re going to adopt Scoots… but me…”
“Me… adopt?” Applejack asked, shaking her head to get out of her depression and putting her hat back on. “Now hold on a minute here. Ah was just sayin’ how this is partially ma’ fault-“
“AJ you’re the only reason she’s alive. It’s your food that kept her healthy I’m sure of it. More than that, according to her, without it, she would have had to scrape and scrounge for food every week instead of keeping up her scooter and do other fun things.” I chuckled. “A more sentimental pony would say you saved her childhood.”
“Yea but… ah mean ah guess ah could adopt…”
“I think you should.”
“An’ if ya want my thoughts, ah think you should.” She tapped my chest with her right hoof.
“ME?!” I shouted, almost forgetting that Scoots’ interview was still going on not far away. “C’mon AJ, I’m brash, immature, lazy, my house is in the sky, I’m egotistical… are you going to disagree with me or just keep nodding your head?” I asked, narrating what AJ was doing.
“You’re brash, but we can help you there, sides ah know you’d never hurt Scoots. Yer immature, which means you’ll be able to relate. Ya hold two jobs so actually yer not really that lazy. Ya’ll can just move. Finally yer ego is kinda irrelevant if ya ask me.” Her shoulders slumped and her eyes seemed to start watering as she said her next line. “Besides, ah know is sounds wrong, but fer the life of me, ah don’t want her. Ah could take care of her, ah could grow to love her. But with you Rainbow, she’s more than just a kid who hangs out at yer house isn’t she?” I nodded. “Sides, are we forgetting what ah just said about this being partially ma fault?”
“No I’m ignoring that because it’s stupid,” I said bluntly. “None of us were as involved as we should have been. I’ve been banging the whole, “is this my fault?” question around in my head for the last few hours. I want to say “no” but… fact is when I finally did start asking questions yesterday, Scootaloo wasn’t even being secretive. None of us asked, none of us helped.” On this statement, both of us mares were quiet, avoiding eye contact with each other. After a few very long seconds, I spoke up again. “To be honest, I know I brought it up, but I’m not sure I even want to talk about who’s going to adopt her right now.”
AJ nodded. “Ah know what ya mean. But we should get this cleared up and the sooner the better. Out of the six of us friends, I think you and I r’ probably the best choices. Rarity isn’t involved, Pinkie is the least mature of us all, Fluttershy has enough problems with Discord, sides ah don’t see her or Rarity relating to Scootaloo very well, Twilight has a kingdom to run and then there’s you and me.”
“Well you’ve already raised a filly.”
“And you want her more than ah do.”
“I don’t know about that. Besides… maybe on being immature, but other than that how the heck do you think I can relate to her? She’s a disabled filly about to lose her parents. I’m fully capable, always have been and my family is mostly intact.”
“Mostly?” AJ raised an eye brow.
I sat down. “Yea well… you know the story there.”
“Indulge me. Tell it to me again.”
I closed my eyes, pulling forth the most painful memory of my entire life. “I was seven. I was in the stands with my dad as my mother was performing her stunts for hundreds of ponies. She flipped and dodged, zipped and zoomed and the crowd went wild… then… she pulled a dive bomb stunt shooting straight for the ground. She didn’t pull up in time and… and-“
“Ah think that’s enough to make ma point,” Applejack interrupted. “Every single one of our friends has something bad that happened in their lives. That’s just the nature of the world. Yes, I lost both of ma parents. You lost yer mother. Pinkie, Twilight and Fluttershy all left their homes at very young ages and Rarity has had to sell every single thing she owned more than once before she finally became successful. You live long enough, yer gonna lose something or someone important, it’s just a matter a’ time. You can relate to Scootaloo on that just fine. Anypony can.”
“Let’s not forget you’re wiser than I am.”
“Let’s not forget yer a pegasus an’ ah’m not.”
“You should take her.”
Applejack looked up at the sky. “Confound it Rainbow, look at us, the two most stubborn ponies in Ponyville. How are we gonna settle this?”
“You adopt her. I’ll just concentrate on being a better big sister.”
“Ah’m not gonna get much help from you on what ah just asked ah see.” She thought for a moment. “Look, tell ya what, ah am not taking her adoption by me off the table. Just keep in mind, ah’m trying to get rid of her and ya’ll r’ tryin’ to do what’s best for her, what sounds more motherly out of the two of those?” I rolled my eyes at this. “Didn’t think that would work, but had ta try. Still, you take care of her for one month. If after one month ya still want me to be her mother, then come talk to me again. Deal?” I nodded.
“Fine.”