//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Beyond the Forest // by SparkofLightning //------------------------------// "Just think of it like this: They came from the forest, they were fascinated by normal buildings, they for some reason don't want to be around when we explained how we found Scootaloo, and they just seem suspicious!" Sweetie Belle paced around the clubhouse as she listed the reasons why she thought Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo were the mythical beasts known as pegasi. "And just look at their names! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy! Those have to do with the sky!" "Still, what if they were just regular people that just happened to be secretive and weird? It wouldn't be right to think that they were pegasi," Apple Bloom defended. "Well, what would make them normal?" Sweetie Belle questioned. "Ah don't know, but they aren't scary creatures that burn in sunlight, that's for sure." "That was just in the story, though. Celestia knows that the stories are almost never accurate. Maybe the reason they're being secretive would be because they're hiding the fact that they are pegasi. Maybe they grew up in the woods and didn't have what we have because they couldn't go anywhere. Also, it would explain why Scootaloo was randomly there," Sweetie Belle explained. "Well, now that Ah think about it, Ah think Ah saw something move in her hoodie at one point, but it could've just been my imagination..." "No it isn't. I saw a slight movement also. The chances of us imagining the same thing at the same time are probably low." "How do ya know that it was at the same time?" Apple Bloom questioned. "Was it when we were talkin' to her in the forest?" "Yeah! When she started getting angry about not knowing Ponyville and wanting to leave, right?" "Yeah! And even then, she went a completely different way when she ran away! There are no villages or towns that way!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gasped in realization. "They're from the other side of the forest!" "Do you believe me now?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Yeah! We need to tell someone!" Apple Bloom said. "Maybe Applejack's in the barn. Let's go!" Scootaloo wandered around Ponyville looking for Pinkie Pie or the Apple's Farm. They needed food and Rainbow Dash was helping Fluttershy, so it was up to Scootaloo to get dinner. They agreed to plan what their secret identities would be when she got the food, so she wanted to hurry and get enough food for them all. Especially since her wings were getting cramped from not being in use for so long. Next time, I'm taking a flight break before I go. After wandering around for about fifteen more minutes, Scootaloo deemed herself to be lost. Of course I get lost! Now it will only take me a longer time to get food and go back! Seriously, how big is this place? I must have been going in circles because the tour was not nearly this long... Eventually, the purple haired girl found the apple orchard. She decided to steal a few apples and leave as quickly as possible, but found it difficult because of the tree's height. Whelp! Time to climb! Scootaloo had a bit of trouble starting off, but ended up climbing the tree at a steady pace. However, before she could reach the top, she heard voices coming from the barn. "...expect me to believe that they're-" "Shh! We can't have anyone hear!" "Ah don't think ya'll know what you're talking about. They're myths! Ya'll are just paranoid that they're real since you might just be scared, don't you think? It's also a bit rude to accuse them of being fairy tale creatures just because they're different." By now, Scootaloo had climbed the tree and listened to the conversation from the top. It was Apple Boom and Sweetie Belle trying to convince Apple...Apple back? Apple slap? Apple buck? Whatever her name was, the two girls were trying to convince her of something. "No, you don't understand, Applejack!" Sweetie Belle pleaded. "Sis, we have proof! When we were in the forest we both saw fidgeting in her hoodie!" Scootaloo's eyes widened as the feeling of dread took over. No...No...Nonononononono! No! They have NOT figured it out! They couldn't have! Stay calm, Scootaloo. It's not like anyone will believe them. Yeah, it's okay. Everything's fine! "And she ran the opposite direction of Ponyville! Deeper into the forest!" "Honestly, girls. This is too much. Whatever prank ya'll are trying to pull, stop. This is not funny. Don't you realize that ya'll are accusing them of being evil, disgusting creatures?" Gee, I haven't heard that one before, Scootaloo thought sarcastically. "That's a terrible low that Ah'm disappointed in you both for. In fact, Ah'll talk to Rarity about this and we'll rethink your punishment." Applejack shook her head. "Ah wish Ah knew what made you think such terrible things." Applejack started to walk towards the exit of the orchard and the entrance to the town. "No! Applejack, you don't understand!" Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom followed her. "We're telling the truth!" Apple Bloom said. "Hear us out!" Sweetie Belle said. "Ya'll better stop this instant of Ah'll-" "How about you stop and listen, AJ!" Apple Bloom snapped. Applejack was surprised by this outburst enough for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to talk to her. "We know that it seems ridiculous, but we've seen what we've seen-" "-and we know for a fact that we weren't hallucinatin' or anything! Ah thought that too at first, but we know what we saw!" The two girls stared at the older one with a pleading stare. "Please! Believe us!" it screamed. "...Ah still find this a bit hard to believe...but Ah guess Ah could tell the girls and keep a close eye on them... I'll head over to the library now, but if they aren't evil, you two are in huge trouble!" "Thank you so much, Applejack!" Apple Bloom hugged Applejack quickly and took off with Sweetie Belle into the surprisingly hard to navigate town. This isn't good. Not good at all. Scootaloo grabbed four apples from the tree and ran off as quietly, but also as quickly as she possibly could to the Everfree Forest. Damn it! I need to tell Dash and Fluttershy, but what if the others find them? What would we even do if I found them first? Gah! This day is just getting worse and worse! Scootaloo was hopping on the rooftops of the buildings in Ponyville. She didn't care if they saw her; she could just say that it was parkour. "Hiya, Scootaloo!" Scootaloo mentally sighed. "Hi, Pinkie Pie, I can't talk right now. I have something important to do so can you go and do whatever you were doing before?" "Okie dokie lokie, but before I go, I should probably tell you that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have been asking about you." Pinkie Pie and Scootaloo stopped on top of some pony's house. "What did they ask?" "Well, they asked me about whatever I knew about you guys and I just told them that you were very interested in the buildings and in Ponyville's colors. Then they went to either go talk about you, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy or get their cutie marks. You can never really know for sure." "Is that so...Thanks, Pinkie." Scootaloo then continued to hop to where Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were. Hopefully they could sort this out. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ran through town, trying to find Scootaloo. They knew that she was the only one who they would be able to get any information from through blackmail (as long as everything went according to their plan). They just wish she wasn't so good at hiding! "Ugh! Where could she be?" Apple Bloom impatiently asked. "No idea, but let's keep..." Sweetie Belle saw Scootaloo hoping across the rooftops of houses. "There she is!" Scootaloo turned around and saw the two girls chasing her. Damn it all! Apple Bloom spotted a rope on the ground near someone's fence and took it. "Sorry, but Ah need this rope!" She tied it into a lasso and aimed at the girl hopping along the rooftops. By now, a few people had started to watch what was going on while others dismissed it as the cutie mark crusaders just causing more trouble with a friend. "Sweetie Belle, Ah'm gonna try to catch her! Can you give me a boost to the roof?" "Sure!" Sweetie Belle cupped her hands and launched Apple Bloom by her foot into the air. Apple Bloom caught the edge of the roof and climbed up. She was a bit faster than Scootaloo on land so she easily caught up to the accused pegasus. She prepared her lasso and aimed as she ran. Scootaloo looked back and saw Apple Bloom throw the rope. She panicked. She's gonna catch me! It's gonna be all over! Dang it, legs! MOVE FASTER! Scootaloo knew that she wasn't escaping by running away. The farm girl was getting too close, and Scootaloo needed to do something, fast. Uh...Oh! The forth apple! Scootaloo grabbed the apple from her arm and looked back at Apple Bloom and her failed attempts at catching Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle had also made it onto the roof and was now runing alongside (or should I say behind) Apple Bloom. It seemed as if they reached an emptier part of town as there were barely any people to witness the three girls, the houses had turned into tiny cottages, and they were nearing the edge of town that was next to the Everfree Forest. Now or never, Scootaloo. Scootaloo turned around and threw the apple at Apple Bloom, making her stop for a second or two. This gave Scootaloo enough time to jump off the roof and run into the abandoned cottage that was closest to the forest. Sweetie Belle saw this and ran after her into the cottage with Apple Bloom following. As soon as the CMC entered, they saw Scootaloo about to climb out the window. They dragged her back into the cottage before she could escape. Scootaloo got up from the floor that she was thrown down on and ran to a wall opposite of the two girls who were chasing her. "Leave me alone!" "No! You have to tell us what we want to know!" Sweetie Belle said. "Why would I do that? You're the crazy people trying to kidnap me or something!" Scootaloo bitterly accused. "We aren't kidnapping you!" Sweetie Belle said. "Whatever! That's not why we're here! Listen, Scootaloo, we can blackmail you if you don't cooperate!" Apple Bloom stated. "Oh yeah? How?" Scootaloo was very determined to get them to feel like idiots so that they could release her. If she didn't get back to Dash and Fluttershy, they could be in trouble. "We'll tell everyone in Ponyville that you're a pegasus!" Sweetie Belle threatened. Scootaloo asked, "So you're willing to lie to everyone if I don't give you information that you want to hear?" "Well..." The silence of the girls let them hear the creaking of the wooden door, which had been swinging because it was not properly closed. The house itself was very dark and dusty, but there were a couple of holes in the wall that served as windows for the inhabitants of the cottage. Scootaloo took note of this. It made for a great hideout. "As a matter of fact, we would! There's nothing really to lie about, and if you do lie, it would prove that you are a pegasus!" Apple Bloom answered. Might as well just get it over with. They aren't going to stop bothering me if I don't, and I really don't want to hurt them."What is it?" The two girls smiled. "Okay, first question: Where are you from?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Um..." What places did they have here, again? Ponyville, the forest... Did we even plan what we were going to say for this question? Damn it, we were going to do that today... Hmm... "I'm from..." What if I just told them the truth? They're probably going to check if I have wings anyway. Scootaloo sighed. "Well?" Apple Bloom impatiently asked. "I'm from the forest." Technically, it's true since a small portion is considered part of the kingdom. "We knew it!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Yeah! We thought so since there aren't any villages on the other side." So that explains why they haven't found us. Everyone just believes that there's nothing there. "Well, I've answered your question. Can I go now?" "No, we still have many other questions!" Sweetie Belle said. Figures. "Alright then," Apple Bloom said, "What's under the hoodie?" "What?" Scootaloo asked. She didn't like where this was going, but there was no avoiding it now. Besides, even if they knew, she could threaten them into secrecy. "She means what are you hiding? Under the hoodie. We saw something move under there before, and we want to know what it was." Sweetie Belle explained. Scootaloo stared the two girls down. If she revealed the truth, she would be able to threaten them, but she wants to avoid that at all cost. It would be putting two harmless -yet annoying- people in unnecessary harm. If she doesn't show, that will probably give them all the proof they need, but they won't be secret about it. Not at all. I can't have them say anything. I guess there will have to be a change in this whole "lay low" plan. "You really want to know?" Scootaloo suddenly asked. "Mhm." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded. Scootaloo unbuttoned her hoodie and turned around. As she faced the wall, she didn't feel any guilt for breaking the most important rule in the Pegasus Kingdom: Rule #1: Never reveal your true nature. But they could all go die. Scootaloo dropped her hoodie to the floor. Her wings came through holes ripped in the back of her t-shirt, and they were in a clear view of the two girls behind her. Scootaloo stretched them and turned around. "You know, it's pretty funny how well my wings can be hidden with one article of clothing. I've always wondered if everyone was just blind, or if I just have great eyes-" She sat down and folded her wings. She didn't put her hoodie back on. "-because it always seemed so obvious to me." Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were at a loss for words. They had just discovered that pegasi do exist...but not in the way that they had expected. But still, they are literally looking at a fantasy. Were they dreaming? "You can stop staring now." "Oh! Uh...Sorry..." Sweetie Belle had finally found her voice, so she asked, "Why did...you hide?" "Hm...Well, where I come from, we aren't supposed to reveal this to anyone. We're kept in the dark for many things. No one knew whether or not we should've hid, but we decided to because we heard that unicorns and earth people didn't like us. They'd want to kill us and use our powers. Then I realized that those are stories from Peg-erm...where I come from. They probably weren't true, just like whatever you heard about us." "Oh..." Sweetie Belle responded. "Is that why you acted mean back in the forest? Were you...were you scared of us?" Apple Bloom asked softly. Scootaloo looked to the floor. "I didn't know what to do. I had never seen anyone from Earth and Unicornia before -Well, now I guess it's Ponyville. I panicked and thought that you would've hurt me if I didn't do something to push you away." The door creaked again. There was a cool breeze that slightly moved a broken ceiling light, making it sway. The sun was starting to set. "You need to go. Now." Scootaloo threw her hoodie on and buttoned it back up quickly. "What? Why?" Sweetie Belle asked. "What's the matter?" Apple Bloom asked. "Night time is the matter. I'll explain tomorrow. Go." Scootaloo pushed the girls out of the cottage and ran towards the forest. "But we have school tomorrow!" Apple Bloom yelled after her. "Meet me here after it, then!" I can't believe I got so caught up with those two that I forgot about getting the apples to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy! Damn, I'm stupid!