Fang Jinhuo slowly paced through the empty house, her ear twitching in the deafening silence. None of the lights were on, but the moon and stars shining through the windows were more than enough for her sensitive eyes to navigate in the gloom.
Other, less mundane senses provided further insight. She hadn't even begun the true investigation, but she was already feeling sure that her suspicion had been correct: Scootaloo's house – even in her mind, Fang couldn't bring herself to call it a home – was certainly not normal.
Passing through the kitchen, Fang opened the refrigerator and looked inside. Nothing unusual – milk and eggs, some cheese, an assortment of reasonably fresh fruits and vegetables, a half-eaten cupcake saved for later. At least Scootaloo wasn't starving.
Fang closed the fridge and left the kitchen, moving silently out of habit and lingering instinct. Even so her hoofsteps echoed against the walls, as were she exploring some forgotten cave or ruin. The house was very neat and tidy. Perhaps too neat: There were no personal touches, no little disturbances or peculiarities, not a single picture awry that would signify the presence of a living soul. Entering the living room, Fang stopped for a moment and frowned. Did Scootaloo really spend all her time in just her own room?
Fang levitated a framed picture off a shelf and looked at it. The photo depicted two smiling ponies. The pegasus mare had a saffron coat and dark orange mane, her warm eyes the color of dark amber, almost red. The steel blue unicorn stallion had a bright purple mane and matching eyes behind a pair of large round glasses. Scootaloo's late parents, Fang presumed. They looked happy. Fang put the picture back where she'd found it. Everything was wrong.
That picture, the furniture, the paintings on the walls and all the various other possessions of the family who had once lived there – they seemed like nothing more than display pieces. The entire house felt artificial, a simulacrum never intended to be lived in. A fake.
Fang summoned a spell at the point of her horn and it emitted a flat triangular beam of light. She let it sweep across the room, scanning every inch, passing over every item.
Nothing.
This surprised her. She had expected abnormally low values but she hadn't expected nothing at all. Just to make sure she intensified the spell and gave the room a more thorough scan, but the results were the same.
Puzzled, Fang continued her investigation, moving from room to room, methodically scanning each one. Before she even cleared the bottom floor and moved up the stairs, she began to realize that it was even worse than she had suspected.
Finally, she entered Scootaloo's room. She imagined the girl might have disapproved of the intrusion, but Scootaloo was in Luna's care for the next few hours, and Fang had to make sure.
At a glance it looked like the sort of room she would have expected from an eleven year-old tomboy. There were some posters and flags on the wall, most relating to flying. A few books and comics, potted plants, a large picture of that rainbow pegasus the girl was so fond of. A blue teddy bear had been propped up on a shelf in a manner clearly meant to emphasize that it was a treasured keepsake rather than a mere toy. Still, it all seemed somewhat sparse, a veneer of what few true belongings Scootaloo owned, covering up yet another empty room.
Fang wasn't very interested in that, however. Instead she swept her spell across the room just like she had done with all the others. She had hoped at least this one would be different, but while she did get some readings, they were still insignificant. Accounting for the items Scootaloo must have acquired fairly recently, this room was essentially the same as all the rest.
"Nothing," Fang muttered to herself. "How is this possible?"
She would need to have a serious talk with Scootaloo come morning.
In her dream, Scootaloo was flying. She was light as a feather and felt the wind through her mane. Below her the hills and treetops of Equestria rushed by. She was completely free, no longer held down by the oppressive tyranny of gravity, and it felt wonderful.
Of course she knew it was just a dream – that was the entire point of the exercise, after all. But that didn't stop her from enjoying it.
Lucid dreaming had turned out to be fairly tricky, and Scootaloo was starting to understand the purpose of Fang's concentration exercises. Consciously controlling the dream took a lot of focus and it was easy to forget that she was dreaming. Once that happened, her mind would start drifting and the dream would take over completely.
It was a challenge, but Scootaloo was determined to master this technique. Aside from it being a prerequisite for eventually flying for real, it was also just a cool ability in general.
She recalled all the times she'd tried her hardest to fly only to be pulled back down, all the times she'd watched Rainbow and the other pegasi doing it with no effort at all, the despair when she learned she would never get off the ground. All of a sudden the dream seemed so unreal to her, just another fantasy. She didn't even know what flying really felt like...
"Uh oh."
Once that thought invaded her mind she felt the merciless tug of gravity again. Scootaloo had no personal experience with flying, but she was intimately familiar with the sensation of falling. She struggled against it but her wings just couldn't lift her up. She plummeted to the ground, screaming in desperation, having already forgotten it wasn't real.
A blue aura of magic caught her and Luna appeared next to her, setting the girl down on a soft white cloud.
"Darnit! That was the fifth time. This is hard!" Scootaloo groaned as her mind cleared up again. Apparently Luna was able to keep the dream stable for her, which Scootaloo guessed explained all the other times she'd been conscious while dreaming.
"You did manage to hold on for longer this time," the princess commented. "To be honest, I am rather impressed at your quick progress."
"I guess getting to fly has a way of motivating me," Scootaloo said. She wasn't sure if lucid dreaming was easier than meditation, but at least it was a whole lot more fun.
"Let us try something different," Luna said. "I want you to bring us somewhere specific. A place where you feel at ease, preferably."
Scootaloo nodded and focused on the first place that came to mind, trying to make it as real as possible. The scenery around them changed and within moments they were in the Cutie Mark Crusader club house.
Luna looked around. "This is where you spend your time with your friends, correct?"
"Yeah, I have a lot of fond memories of this place," Scootaloo said. "I know it's silly, but sometimes I wish I could just live here."
Luna raised an eyebrow at that but didn't comment on it. "Very well, now I want you to keep us in this location for as long as possible."
"Okay." Scootaloo set her mind to staying aware of their surroundings. It seemed a bit absurd to be sitting around in the old tree house with Princess Luna, but she tried to ignore that feeling. Instead she looked for something to talk about to pass the time. "So, why wouldn't you let Fang teach me this? Don't get me wrong, this is awesome, but you've got to be busy with all the other dreams."
"Like I said before, the manipulation of dreams is a delicate matter," Luna replied. "Did you know that not too long ago, Starlight Glimmer temporarily switched my cutie mark with that of my sister, leaving Celestia in charge of the dream realm for the night?"
"Wow, really?" Scootaloo frowned. "Why would she do that?"
"...It's a long story," Luna said, looking a bit evasive. "Suffice to say that Celestia and I had some issues to work out, and Starlight Glimmer tried to help in her own unique way. She was so distraught by the matter that once she fell asleep, she had the most terrible nightmare. She dreamt I turned into Nightmare Moon once more, and worse, that Celestia turned to evil as well, transforming into the terrible Daybreaker!"
"Woah!" Scootaloo gasped. "That must have been pretty intense."
"It was indeed," Luna nodded, "but here is the important part: Starlight Glimmer never witnessed me in that form, yet its portrayal in the dream was flawless. I do not think that was Starlight's own creation, and I strongly suspect neither was Daybreaker."
"Then where did they come from?" Scootaloo asked.
"Most likely, they were born out of the memories and fears of Celestia herself," Luna explained. "You see the implications, yes? When I enter your dreams, I must take care that my own subconscious does not influence them. I dare say my skills in this field are second to none, but...” she shook her head. “Even I have made dire mistakes, as I'm sure you can recall."
"What, you mean that Tantabus thing? That was actually kinda cool..." Scootaloo chuckled, but then noticed Luna's disapproving glance and quickly revised her sentence: "...that you managed to stop it, I mean. Heh."
"The point that I am trying to make," Luna stressed, "is that I dare not risk Fang getting careless. Even with good intentions, a being of such power could easily cause damage to your dreams by accident, or worse, even rupture the very border between dream and waking."
Scootaloo cocked her head. "So, what is she, anyway?"
Luna paused for a moment. "What is Fang Jinhuo?" she repeated, as if in part to herself. "She is a shapeshifter, a trickster, ancient and cunning. She is a powerful magician and a warrior who has raged through countless battles like a wild fire. She has the ability to sense things from a great distance and can enter dreams like I do. Some even say she can steal the hearts of others and possess them to do her bidding."
"But she's been nice to me," Scootaloo argued. "I don't think she's evil."
"I did not say she is," Luna said.
"Okay, but what does she actually look like?" Scootaloo pressed on. "Why won't she show her real face? Is she some kind of horribly ugly monster?"
"It is not my place to reveal her secrets," Luna replied. "To her credit, she does seem to be making an effort to fit in, and I want to encourage that. I only hope she will decide to tell you herself, when you are both ready. But I can say this much: If Fang Jinhuo is a monster, then so am I."
Scootaloo frowned. "You're not Nightmare Moon anymore."
"No, I am not." Luna sighed. "...She was right, you know? I, of all ponies, should have been willing to give her a chance. Then again, perhaps it is because we are so alike that I find it hard to trust her. What does that say about me, I wonder?"
Scootaloo crossed her forelegs. "Well, if Fang is like you, then she definitely isn't a monster," she declared with conviction.
Luna gave her a somewhat sad smile. "Scootaloo, do you know what the word monster means? It is derived from monere, which means 'to warn or instruct'. This is also the source of the word 'demonstrate'. Monsters caution us to see our own fearsome potential, and teach us to recognize what we could become... or remember what we used to be." She turned her head up. "Look around you."
Scootaloo did. She was no longer in the club house, but instead sitting on her bed. Her room was darker than usual and the colors seemed muted, as if a shadow lingered over the place. "This is my house. Why did we end up in here?"
"Perhaps there is something here that your mind has been dwelling on?" Luna replied. She made a nod with her head. "Look."
Scootaloo saw. In one of the corners of the room sat another Scootaloo, facing the wall with her head turned down. The other Scootaloo seemed to be whispering something too low to hear clearly.
Scootaloo jumped off her bed and, not knowing why, slowly approached her double. As she got closer, the words became clearer.
"...It's cold. It's dark. It's empty. It's cold. It's dark. It's empty. It's cold..."
The double kept repeating those words, over and over like a mantra. Slowly, Scootaloo reached her hoof out to touch her shoulder.
The other Scootaloo whipped her head around. Her eyes were pitch black. She opened her mouth, just a hole into utter darkness, and shrieked. The real Scootaloo jerked back in panic, falling on her flank and kicking at the floorboards to get away.
"That's enough!" Luna sent a pulse of light from her horn and the other Scootaloo immediately vanished like smoke.
Scootaloo was still shaken, drawing her breath in quick gasps. Her heart raced. It was a wonder she hadn't woken up. "W-What was that thing?"
"I do not know," Luna said, giving the filly a concerned look. "Something from within you."
"That came from inside me?" Scootaloo got off the floor and moved closer to the princess just in case.
Luna nodded. "I must confess, there is another reason I chose to instruct you personally. I have watched over you in your sleep for some time, and what I have seen worries me. You seem such a cheerful child, Scootaloo, yet you have so many troubled dreams."
"Yeah, I guess I've always had a lot of nightmares," Scootaloo said. "Probably why I don't like scary stuff. I think it's been getting worse, too." She looked up at Luna and managed to smile. "Guess I was lucky you came back to Equestria, or I'd be a total insomniac by now."
"I'm glad that I did," said Luna softly. "Well now, you did well for your first lesson, but I think it is best you spend the rest of the night sleeping normally."
"Already?" Scootaloo pouted a bit.
"Don't worry, little one," Luna said and gently stroked her mane. "You will only have pleasant dreams tonight, I promise." Then she flapped her wings and floated into the night, fading away until only the stars in her mane were left twinkling in the sky. "Now let go and allow yourself to rest."
Scootaloo sighed. At least it had been fun while it lasted.
With nothing better to do, she was just about to start polishing her collection of flying trophies and the medals she'd earned for saving Equestria all those times, when suddenly the door to the club house slammed open. A frantic-looking Sweetie Belle stormed inside, followed by a yellow corgi with a familiar-looking bow on its head.
"Scootaloo!" Sweetie cried. "Thank Celestia! We're in big trouble and only you can save us!"
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. Sometimes it seemed the entire country would fall apart if she wasn't around. "What is it this time?"
"My dark magic went out of control and I accidentally turned Apple Bloom into a dog!" Sweetie explained. "I want to keep her, but my parents said we can't afford a pet!"
"Woof!" Apple Bloom the Corgi added.
"Oh, is that all?" Scootaloo said with her trademark cocky smile. "Don't worry girls. I've got this."
"Mmmmnnnnh... No, Sweetie... it's your turn to walk her..."
Scootaloo's eyes fluttered opened and she felt warm sunlight on her muzzle. She sat up in her bed and yawned, stretching her forelegs to the ceiling. "...Wow, that was a weird one. Either Luna's got an odd sense of humor or my brain is going strange."
Still, she felt completely refreshed for once. Aside from the unsettling encounter with her creepy dream clone, she hadn't slept that well in a long time.
Blinking the last bit of sleep out of her eyes, Scootaloo looked around and noticed she wasn't in her house. The room was similar to the one she had woken up in after the incident with the gaunthound, except it didn't have the smell of incense clinging to everything. This room also had a window, letting the light of the morning sun spill in. Scootaloo frowned. She was in the Rook?
Still squinting, she climbed out of bed and looked outside. Judging by the elevation she was on the second floor. She saw a wide clearing surrounded by the large, wild trees of the Everfree Forest, transformed by the changing season into a vast sea of rust red and gold, only a rare few patches still hanging on to the fading green of summer.
Turning around to face the door, she found a paper note attached to it. She walked closer and read the message written on it.
Scootaloo
When you leave, go right and through the door straight ahead.
– F
Still puzzled, Scootaloo left the room and found herself in a corridor. Following the instructions she turned right and opened the large hardwood door at the end. To her surprise, she found that it led straight into the main hallway on the bottom floor of her own house.
The door had been placed right next to the stairs. She closed it behind her, noting that from the other side it looked no different from the other doors in her house. If she hadn't known it actually led to the second floor of a magical stone tower somewhere in the Everfree, she might even have overlooked the addition.
She heard the sound of somepony moving about nearby and smelled a sweet aroma in the air. Wandering into the kitchen, she found Fang by the stove, brandishing a spatula and pouring batter into a frying pan.
"Good morning, Scootaloo," she greeted. "Did your lesson with Luna go well?"
"Um, yeah, it was pretty awesome," Scootaloo replied. "So, you put a doorway into my house?"
Fang nodded. "I hope you don't mind. Since we'll be spending a lot of time together I figured it would be convenient if I just linked the Rook directly to this place. Less walking that way."
"No, it's cool," Scootaloo said. "Not sure if Mr Warden will like it, though."
"That's why we're not telling him." Fang winked at her. "Don't worry, I've made it so only you and I can see that door. Oh, and I'm making pancakes for breakfast. Ponies eat pancakes, right?"
"Yeah, we do," Scootaloo chuckled and took a seat at the table which had already been set. She scratched her mane. "Geez, I must have been more tired than I thought last night. I don't even remember falling asleep."
"Yes, you pretty much just passed out once we got back to Ponyville so I went ahead and tucked you in. Here you go." Fang dropped a pancake off on Scootaloo's plate, placing the rest on the table stacked in a pile.
Scootaloo didn't find any berries or syrup on the table, but there was some whipped cream in a bowl and a jar of a yellow substance that looked like marmalade except with small seeds in it. She gave it a dubious look but then caught a whiff of it and found that it at least smelled nice. Shrugging, she poured some over her pancake and took a bite.
She paused. "This is delicious. What is that stuff?"
"Jam made from cloudberries," Fang said as she sat down across from Scootaloo and helped herself to the food. "They grow a bit up north where it's colder. Glad you like it."
Scootaloo wolfed down several mouthfuls before speaking again. "So, why'd you let me sleep in the Rook?"
Fang chewed on her pancake for a moment before answering. "I wanted to confirm a theory of mine, and I needed to be alone in this house to do it. It was a good opportunity to get it out of the way."
"Huh?" Scootaloo frowned. "What do you mean, confirm a theory?"
"Yesterday on the train you told me this house made you uncomfortable," Fang said. "Remember?"
"Yeah?"
"I feel it too," Fang said, looking around the kitchen with a slight frown. "The moment I first stepped inside this place I could tell something wasn't right. At the time I wasn't sure what exactly, but it felt too cold, too dark, too... empty."
"It's cold. It's dark. It's empty."
The memory of the nightmare double flashed through Scootaloo's mind and she shivered. She realized she'd stopped eating with her mouth still full, so she swallowed.
Fang folded her hooves on the table and gave the filly a serious look. "Scootaloo, I don't mean to alarm you, but there is something very wrong with this house."
Naturally, Scootaloo found this quite alarming. "W-What do you mean, wrong? Don't tell me it's haunted!" She wasn't sure she could handle both a curse and ghosts.
Fang shook her head. "No, that's not it. If anything, it's more like the opposite."
"Wait, how can it be the opposite of haunted?" Scootaloo asked, now more confused than anything. "Isn't that just a normal house?"
"You'd think so," Fang said, "but no, it's a bit more complicated than that. You know when you enter someone's house for the first time, and you get this vague feeling in the back of your mind that you don't belong there? Maybe not in a bad way, but everything – the sounds, the smells, the air – it all seems a bit off. But then, if you spend some time in that place, that sensation goes away and you feel more at home. You know what I mean?"
Scootaloo scratched her neck with a thoughtful look. "...I've never really thought about it before, but yeah, I think so."
"That's because most living beings leave a sort of metaphysical imprint on the places they inhabit," Fang explained. "A bit of your life rubs off on it over time. That's what makes it feel like a home. Most 'haunted' houses aren't actually haunted, they just have a lot of strong memories. Sometimes very bad and painful memories, but there's nothing really unnatural about them."
She made a sweeping gesture with her hoof. "This place is different. It doesn't have any of that. There isn't even a hint of such an imprint anywhere in this house. On a spiritual level, the entire space within these walls is just a void. It's like nothing living has ever entered this place."
Scootaloo found all of this very unsettling. "But... But I've been living here."
"I know." Fang stroked her chin. "It's really strange. Even if this house was brand new there should be something left behind just from the ponies who built it, the little critters nesting in the walls, things like that. This was the home of your parents and you've lived here for almost twelve years, and yet there's nothing. It shouldn't even be possible, a house like this shouldn't exist. That's why it feels so wrong."
Scootaloo frowned. All along she'd thought she hated spending time in the house because she was lonely and because it served as a reminder of everything she'd lost. This information gave it all a new perspective, to put it mildly. "You think it has something to do with my curse?"
Fang hummed. "Maybe. We already know the curse can absorb external magic. Living here for over a decade with that thing inside you... I guess it could be some sort of side-effect."
"Well, that's just great," Scootaloo sighed. "So what do we do about it?"
"I'm not sure there's much we can do," Fang shrugged. "This is pretty unprecedented even for me. But at least for now, I'd suggest you start living in the Rook instead. Staying here can't be healthy for you."
Scootaloo blinked. "Wait... Are you asking me to move in with you?"
"Well, yes," Fang said. "You'll still have to spend some time here, you know, to keep up appearances for Warden. But that shouldn't be much trouble." She noticed that Scootaloo was staring at her with an odd look on her face. "Of course, if you don't want to, I guess we could just get you a new house. It'll be trickier to explain, but...”
"No! No!" Scootaloo quickly put her hooves up. "The Rook is fine. It's just..."
Fang cocked her head. "Just what?"
"No, it's nothing." Smiling, Scootaloo looked down at the table to hide a blush. "...Thank you, Fang."
Fang still looked a bit puzzled, but decided not to press the matter. "You're welcome. We can pick out a room and move your things in after today's training. I think the sooner you're out of this place the better. Now, let's finish up this breakfast, shall we?"
Scootaloo just nodded. Still smiling, she continued eating. The pancakes were a bit cold by then, but she didn't care. They still tasted amazing.
With the pancakes consumed, they relocated to the Rook for more meditation lessons. Scootaloo felt extra confident, but unfortunately this did not result in more impressive results than last time. While Fang settled in with another book, Scootaloo sat in the still very uncomfortable lotus position struggling to maintain a single image in her mind.
After she failed thinking about only Rainbow Dash so many times she lost count, she decided to adopt a new strategy: Each time her mind drifted she would try to focus on the new image as long as possible hoping one of them would stick somehow. Thus, after Rainbow she focused on the image of her friends, and it occurred to her that she hadn't seen them all weekend. She hoped they didn't worry about her or think she was avoiding them. She'd have to explain everything when they met at school the next day, if not sooner. At this point she realized her thoughts had drifted again and she let out a small sigh.
Next she tried to focus on the clubhouse, since that was the last thing she had thought about. This eventually led her to think about Princess Luna, and she was starting to have her doubts about this strategy. The thought of Luna drifted to their conversation, and from there Scootaloo finally ended up thinking about Fang.
She envisioned Fang's beautiful face looking at her with that playful smile of hers, seeing those mysterious golden eyes looking into hers. For some reason this seemed to work a bit better than the previous attempts, as if it made her mind clearer. Maybe being a familiar just made it easy to focus on her master? Eventually, however, Scootaloo found herself thinking about the spell binding their hearts together.
She could still feel it, though she could not detect any emotions like she had the other night. Fang was just there – in a way it was like looking at her, only without looking. Scootaloo started focusing on the bond itself. She felt that if she concentrated it became clearer, but it was elusive and she knew that if she thought about anything else it would slip out of her mental grasp. It should have been difficult, but something about that feeling just made her mind even sharper. She could tell it was there: The core of Fang's being, very close, yet very far away. Trying to reach it was like running her hoof through water...
Fang closed the book and looked at her. "Scootaloo, are you trying to see into my heart?"
"Huh?" Scootaloo's eyes snapped open and she was back in the study. It occurred to her that she may just have done something rude. "Oh, um, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just..."
Fang shook her head, smiling. "It's quite alright, I just didn't expect you to try something like that. You were doing well, too. For a while there you were completely concentrated."
"I don't even know what I just did," Scootaloo sighed. "Are you sure it's okay? I don't want to invade your privacy or anything."
Fang chuckled. "Oh, don't you worry. You could have kept that up all day and you still wouldn't have pried my heart open. It doesn't work that way. Though, I guess this has potential as a more effective training method."
Scootaloo hesitated, not sure if the subject she wanted to bring up was polite or not. "...So, yesterday when we fought the hivers, I could kinda feel what you were feeling."
"Oh?" Fang arched her eyebrow. "Huh. Well, I suppose I'm just more honest with myself under pressure. Still, I'm a bit surprised the bond is already that strong."
"So can you ever feel what I'm feeling?" Scootaloo asked.
Fang shook her head. "Not at all. I can sense your presence, so it's not like your heart is completely closed to me, but I can't discern anything more than that." She got out of her chair. "At any rate, I think that's enough meditation for now."
"But I was just getting the hang of it," Scootaloo argued.
"Yes, and that's very good," Fang said. "But your mind needs the proper stimulation as well. Come on, we're going out."
Scootaloo got to her hooves and followed the sorceress. "Are we going to see Twilight again?"
Fang shook her head. "No, I have something different in mind for today."
They left out of a door in the study that hadn't been there during Scootaloo's last visit, and the other side of it turned out to be the front door of Scootaloo's house. Fang explained that it would lead inside the house as normal, but they could also use it to enter the study by picturing the Rook in their minds while turning the handle. Scootaloo had a bit of trouble getting her head around that idea, but once she did she had to admit that having one door for two places was a pretty useful setup.
"So where are we going?" she asked as they walked down the street.
"We're going to watch birds," Fang replied. "Or rather, you are."
"Watch birds?" Scootaloo frowned. "What's the point of that?"
"You want to learn how to fly, don't you?"
"Well yeah, but I've watched Rainbow Dash and the other pegasi fly countless times."
"I'm sure you have," Fang said, "but you told me yourself when we first met: The reason you can't fly is because pegasi use their magic to lift them up. Birds don't."
Scootaloo hadn't thought about it that way. She'd assumed anything with wings flew the same way, but she didn't feel like admitting that to Fang. "I'm not a bird, though."
"Not the point," Fang said. "I just want you to get a wider perspective of what you are trying to achieve."
Scootaloo still didn't really see how looking at birds would help, but decided not to argue. Fang hopefully knew what she was doing.
They turned a corner and Scootaloo immediately dropped that train of thought when she spotted Rainbow Dash chatting with Pinkie and Maud. She waved at them. "Rainbow!"
Rainbow turned her head and smiled at them. "Oh, hey Scoot. And, uh, Fang, right?"
"That's me," Fang said. She looked to the other two. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure."
"Yeah," Rainbow said, "this is..."
"I'm Pinkie Pie!" Before the pegasus could finish the sentence, Pinkie had zoomed over to Fang, looking her over closely while jumping up and down in excitement. "I'm Rainbow's friend and work at the bakery and I like smiles and parties and making friends and that's my sister Maud over there!"
"Hello," Maud said.
"So your name is Fang?" Pinkie continued. "That's such an unusual name! I've never met a Fang before, but there's sooo many ponies I haven't met! I haven't even met you before! Until right now, I mean! And I've met everypony in Ponyville, which means you must be new in town! I really, really, really hope you like it here and that you like parties because we're having a party!"
Fang blinked a few times. "We are? Oh. You're that pink pony."
"That's right!" Pinkie laughed. "I'm the pink pony who's going to throw you the best Welcome To Ponyville Party you've ever been to! You like parties, right?"
"I suppose I do, but..."
"Great!" Pinkie cheered. "I'm may be a liiiittle overbooked this week but I'm sure I'll be able to squeeze you in, I just need to go back to my secret party-planning cave so I can start the party planning! In fact I think I'll do that right now! Girls, it was nice chatting with you, gotta run! Bye! Lalalalala..."
Fang stared at Pinkie bouncing happily down the street. "Huh. She sure is something, isn't she?"
"You'll get used to her," Rainbow said.
"Will I really?"
"No promises." Rainbow turned to Scootaloo. "Hey, kid, can I talk to you for a moment over here?"
"Of course," Scootaloo said and followed.
As the two pegasi wandered off, Fang looked to the one remaining pony. "So, you're Maud?"
"Yes," Maud said.
There was a brief silence. Fang realized Maud wasn't going to elaborate. "That's an unusual name for a pony," she said.
"So is Fang," the monotone mare pointed out.
"Well, yes. I supposed I walked right into that one."
"You're standing still."
"...Right," Fang said slowly. "So, Maud, anything you like to talk about?"
"I like rocks," Maud said.
Fang chuckled. "Of course you do."
Meanwhile, Rainbow had led Scootaloo aside to what she estimated was far enough for a private conversation.
"So, um, you go through with it?" she asked. "That family thing?"
"Familiar," Scootaloo corrected. "Yeah, we did."
"Uh-huh." Rainbow didn't look overly happy about that. "And how's that working out for you?"
"It's been pretty exciting," Scootaloo said. "I haven't been able to learn much about magic yet, but Twilight and Starlight are helping Fang figure out my curse. Oh, and I got to talk to Celestia yesterday, and Luna is giving me lessons on controlling my dreams!" She opted to conveniently forget about the hiver attack and Fang's past, since she wasn't even sure how to explain it all without freaking Rainbow out.
"Wow, sounds like you've got a lot of stuff done already," Rainbow chuckled. "That's cool. I just wanted to make sure everything is okay with you and that pony, you know?"
Scootaloo frowned slightly. "Why wouldn't it be okay?"
"Well, I know you've been through a lot lately," Rainbow said, scratching her ear. "Like, the whole thing with the curse. And now you're trying to learn stuff about magic all of a sudden. Honestly, I kinda thought you'd think it over a bit first. Look, all I'm saying is, you know you can always come talk to me if anything's bothering you, right?"
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "Rainbow, are you jealous?"
"What? No!" Rainbow hesitated, then sighed. "Okay, maybe a little. But that's not the point, I'm just trying to look out for you. Look, I know you, Scootaloo. I remember the way you were when we first met. You can get a bit... carried away when you meet somepony you take a liking to."
"Carried away?" Scootaloo wasn't sure how to take that.
"Not in a bad way," Rainbow quickly added. "At least, I don't mind. I just worry somepony might take advantage of it."
"Somepony like Fang, you mean?" Scootaloo deadpanned. "She's not a bad pony, Rainbow." Technically speaking, she knew that was completely true.
"Hey, I didn't mean it like that," Rainbow clarified. "What I mean is, well, when you started hanging around me, you'd look at me as if I was this perfect super-pony and you acted like I couldn't do anything wrong. And hey, I'm awesome but not that awesome." She smiled and patted Scootaloo's shoulder. "It took a while for us both to let our guards down enough to really get to know each other. And I can tell you're looking at Fang the same way you used to look at me, and that's not a bad thing, but maybe you're seeing something in her that isn't there? I just think you should be careful so you don't end up disappointed."
"I guess you have a point," Scootaloo mumbled, looking over to where Fang and Maud were standing. "There's still a lot I don't know about her, but she's been pretty cool so far. You know, she kinda reminds me of you in a way."
"Really?" Rainbow looked skeptical. "I thought she was the brainy type like Twilight."
"Oh, she definitely is," Scootaloo said. "But when she's not talking about magic stuff, I dunno, I just get the feeling you two have a lot in common. I'm sure you'll get along once you get to know her better."
Rainbow glanced at Fang and shrugged. "Hm. Maybe."
"Anyway," Scootaloo carried on, "you don't need to worry about getting replaced. You're still the most awesome pony I know and you'll always be my favorite pretty-much-big sister."
"Aw," Rainbow smiled and gave her mane and affectionate tussle. "And you're my favorite pretty-much-little sister."
With that sorted out, the two of them wandered back to Fang and Maud. Fang was apparently in the midst of relating some kind of anecdote. “...So I told them, guys, that's not basalt or andesite, it's basaltic andesite. You should have seen the look on their faces!"
Meanwhile, Maud was listening in silence. Her expression hadn't changed, though her jaw had lowered slightly, leaving her mouth open.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting," Rainbow said. "Everything cool with you guys?"
"I made a new friend," Maud declared, sidling up to Fang.
"Good job," Rainbow said, not sure what else to make of it, and turned to Fang. "So, where were you guys heading anyway?"
"We're going birdwatching," Scootaloo answered. "Apparently."
"Birds, huh?" Rainbow said. "Then you'll probably want to talk to Fluttershy."
"Ah yes, I've been hearing that name a lot," Fang said. "I'm rather curious to finally meet her."
"Come on, I can show you where she lives," Rainbow offered. "Maud, you wanna come along too?"
"Thanks, but I'm not good with birds," Maud replied. "They don't seem to appreciate geology."
Rainbow shrugged. "Alright then, see you around."
"Yes," Maud said. She gave Fang the faintest smile as they parted with her. "It was nice talking to you."
They made their way down the street, Rainbow Dash hovering next to Fang and Scootaloo. "You sure made an impression on her," Rainbow commented.
"It's simple to get along with ponies once you know what makes them tick," Fang said. "Some are easier to figure out than others."
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "You're pretty sly, aint'cha?"
"You have no idea," Fang grinned.
Scootaloo observed them as they spoke. Rainbow still seemed a bit on edge, but Fang either didn't notice or pretended she didn't. Scootaloo really hoped they could be friends.
"So, why birds?" Rainbow asked.
"Fang thinks it will help me learn how to fly," Scootaloo explained.
"Visualization is important when it comes to spells," Fang added. "I figure she already knows everything there is to know about pegasus flight, but some variation can't hurt."
"I don't really get it, but magic isn't really my thing," Rainbow admitted. Looking ahead, she raised her hoof to point. "Hey, Scoot, isn't that the guy who takes care of you?"
"What?" Scootaloo turned her head to look. "Oh oh."
It was indeed Stately Warden, who seemed to have noticed them as well and was now coming to meet them. Scootaloo quickly turned to Fang who gave her a glance that seemed to say: Stay calm and roll with it.
"Good day, Scootaloo," Warden said. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
"Hello, Mr Warden," Scootaloo greeted him. "I, um, didn't know you were still in Ponyville."
"Oh, I'm just passing through on my way to a meeting in Canterlot," Warden said. "To be honest I didn't think I would have time speaking to you today." He turned his cold eyes to the other pegasus. "Miss Rainbow Dash."
"Hey," Rainbow replied.
Warden didn't pay her a second glance, turning to Fang. "And... Miss Golden Fragrance, yes?"
"Stately! Such a pleasure to meet again," Fang replied with a smile.
"Huh? I thought your name was..." Rainbow began, only to be struck swiftly in the side by Scootaloo's wing. "...Nevermind, guess I was wrong."
Fortunately, Warden seemed to have set his mind to ignoring Rainbow as much as possible. "And how goes your little apprenticeship?" he asked.
"Well, I haven't really learned anything yet," Scootaloo said, trying to look appropriately disappointed. "It's a lot harder than I thought it would be."
Seeing her expression, Rainbow frowned. She pulled Scootaloo in for a sideways hug. "Aw, don't say that. You're a smart kid and I know you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Plus, didn't you just tell me you guys were already making progress?"
Scootaloo just smiled stiffly. For the first time ever, she wished Rainbow wasn't quite so supportive.
Warden glanced at Fang. "Indeed?"
Fang shrugged. "Well, what can I say? She's very tenacious and surprisingly talented, for a pegasus."
Warden remained silent for a moment, then nodded. "I see. Well, I would love to stay and chat but I really must be going if I am to catch my train. I'm sure you understand."
"Certainly," Fang said. "Come now, Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash. I think we've used up enough of Mr Warden's valuable time."
They parted ways. After a few steps Rainbow leaned closer to Fang. "Golden Fragrance?" she whispered.
"It's an alias," Fang said. "It means I'm not using my real name."
"Yeah, I know that," Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I mean, what was that all about?"
"We're kinda pretending I talked Fang into teaching me magic even though it's pointless and she's just waiting for me to give up," Scootaloo said.
Rainbow blinked a few times. "Why?"
"It's complicated," Fang and Scootaloo chorused as one, then shared a look and chuckled.
"You know what, I'm not even going to ask," Rainbow sighed. "That guy always gave me the creeps anyway."
Behind them, Stately Warden had stopped and turned to look at the trio from afar. His eyes narrowed and he let out a snort.
Before long they were passing through the outskirts of Ponyville where the thached roofs of the houses made way for the trees reaching out from the forest ahead. The leaves were glowing red and orange in the sunlight. Most foals preferred the summer, but Scootaloo really liked the colorful spectacle of autumn. It reminded her of something, but she couldn't recall exactly what.
"So, Scootaloo," Rainbow said. "You ready for your first real Running of the Leaves?"
Scootaloo gasped. "Oh, that's right! I'd almost forgotten!" So far she had always run the smaller race for the children, but this year she was technically old enough for the main one. She had really been looking forward to it, but with everything else going on it had managed to slip her mind. "Well, shoot! I haven't even been training or anything!"
"You still have time for a couple of practice runs," Rainbow said. "I'm heading out to White Tail Woods tomorrow to help with the preparations. You could come along after school and, you know, get a feel for it."
"That would be great!" Scootaloo smiled brightly for a moment, but then frowned and looked to Fang. "Um, if that's okay with you, I mean. I know our magic practice is important, but..."
"Actually, I think it's a great idea," Fang said.
Scootaloo perked up again. "Really?"
Fang nodded. "I see no harm in taking a day off for some fresh air and a bit of exercise. And besides, it should be good for your magic flow. In fact, I think I'll join you. I've always loved the Equestrian forests."
"Awesome!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Thanks, Fang!"
Unnoticed by the two of them, Rainbow smiled a little and looked at Fang with burgeoning respect.
"I just hope it'll be enough to keep up with Apple Bloom," Scootaloo carried on. "It's not like either of us will win, probably, but we've sorta made a big deal about who of us will get to the finish first."
"I'm sure you'll give her a run for her bits," Rainbow chuckled. "Just, um, don't get carried away. Don't want that competitiveness to get to your head, you know?"
By then they were crossing one of the southern bridges over the river curving around Ponyville, and they could see Fluttershy's cottage up ahead. Just like the trees, her leaf-covered roof shone a warm shade of bronze.
"So, about Fluttershy," Rainbow said to Fang. "I should probably tell you, she's a bit special."
"From what I've heard, I believe you," Fang replied.
"Don't get me wrong, she's the nicest pony I know," Rainbow elaborated. "But she can be a bit hard to talk to if you don't know her well. Just be patient with her, okay?"
As it happened, they found Fluttershy outside her house raking up some of the leaves that had already blown to the ground. When they approached she turned and smiled at them. "Oh, hello, Rainbow, Scootaloo."
"Hey Shy," Rainbow said. "Got somepony here I'd like you to meet."
"Oh!" The moment Fluttershy saw Fang her eyes widened and seemed to shimmer somehow. She immediately dropped her rake and trotted over to them, looking strangely fascinated by the sorceress. "How do you do? I don't believe we've met? I'm Fluttershy, and I tend to the animals around here."
"Why, thank you," Fang replied. "I'm Fang. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy giggled. "Oh no! The pleasure is all mine!"
Rainbow stared at her, baffled. "Wuh?" She turned to Scootaloo who shrugged, just as surprised.
"Would you like to come inside?" Fluttershy asked, still looking almost mesmerized by Fang. "Oh dear, if I knew you were dropping by I would have prepared something, but I'm sure I can make us a nice cup of tea. Do you like tea?"
"Actually, they're here so Scootaloo can look at some birds," Rainbow said.
"I see!" Fluttershy smiled at the filly. "You want to get a pet? That's wonderful!" She turned back to Fang. "I helped Rainbow find her pet, you know? She also wanted one that could fly, but she ended up with something quite different." She winked. "It's such a good story, I simply must tell you about it!"
"That... sounds nice," Fang said. It was clear by the look on her face that Fluttershy wasn't the pony she had expected.
"Fluttershy, I'm not looking for a pet," Scootaloo clarified. "Fang just wants me to watch birds so I can understand how they fly."
"What a wonderful idea!" Fluttershy gushed. "Do you like birds, Fang? I wish more ponies would take an interest in our little feathered friends. They have wings just like us pegasi but the way they use them is quite different, it's so fascinating..."
"Right, so why don't you go round some of them up for us?" Rainbow suggested.
"Oh, absolutely!" Fluttershy flapped her wings and rose into the air. "I'm afraid some of them have already migrated but there's still plenty left and I know they'll be delighted to put on a demonstration for you. Just wait here, this won't take a minute. Oh, this is so exciting!"
As Fluttershy fluttered off to find the birds, Rainbow turned to Fang. "Okay. What did you do to Fluttershy?"
"What?" Fang frowned. "I haven't..."
Behind Rainbow and Scootaloo, she suddenly spotted Discord poking his head out from behind a tree that should have been too narrow to hide him. Glaring, the draconequus pointed two claws at his eyes, then pointed at Fang, then slowly slid behind the tree without breaking eye-contact until he disappeared completely behind the trunk.
"...I haven't done anything," Fang finished.
"Actually, I'm with Rainbow on this," Scootaloo said. "Like, did you use some kind of spell?"
Fang looked very confused. "No, why would you say that?"
"Because she's acting weird!" Rainbow stressed.
"What do you mean?" Fang asked. "She seems like a very friendly and sociable pony. She's not usually like that?"
Rainbow shook her head. "No! Fluttershy is the opposite of that! She's super-shy and scared of everything and she can't say two words to a stranger without mumbling. I mean, she's better about it these days but this is still really strange."
"I don't think I've ever seen her talk that much all at once," Scootaloo added.
Fang was silent for a moment. "...Huh. I honestly don't know what to say about that."
A moment later Fluttershy swooped over to them. "Okay, they're all waiting in the garden behind the house. This way, please!"
As they followed her around the house, Fang gave the pegasus a curious look. "So, I understand you know Discord?"
"Oh yes, we're very good friends," Fluttershy replied. "Do you know him too?"
"...We've met," Fang said. "Wouldn't exactly call us friends, though."
"I know he can be a bit intense," Fluttershy giggled. "But he's really a sweetheart deep down. The trick is being patient with him, but also knowing where to draw the line."
When they arrived to Fluttershy's garden, a group of birds in different sizes were waiting for them. "Alright, all of you, please get in position," Fluttershy told them and gestured for Scootaloo to come closer. "Now, Scootaloo, this is Mr Bullfinch, and here's Mr Falcon, Mr and Mrs Meadowlark, Mr Blue Jay, Miss Owl..."
Recognizing the falcon, Rainbow looked a bit awkward. "Hey, um, no hard feelings, right?"
The falcon shrugged his wings, shaking his head briefly before resuming his stoic pose.
While Fluttershy continued introducing the birds, Rainbow took a step back and leaned towards Fang. "Level with me here," she said in a hushed voice. "You really think you can get Scootaloo to fly?"
"That mostly depends on her," Fang replied. "But if you're asking if it's possible, then yes, I'm quite certain."
"And... this'll help?"
"It won't hurt."
Rainbow rolled her eyes.
Over by the birds, Fluttershy had started explaining the basics of bird anatomy. "As you can see, Scootaloo, unlike us pegasi, birds have tail feathers for steering..." Scootaloo listened closely, looking rather more interested now than she had been at the start of the lesson.
"So what do you get out of this?" Rainbow asked.
Fang raised an eyebrow. "Do I have to get anything out of it?"
"That's dodging the question," Rainbow deadpanned.
"Fair enough," Fang said. "Frankly, Scootaloo is a very interesting case. There's much about her situation that just doesn't add up and I'm curious about it, so I want to stick around and see how it all turns out. And if I can help her while I'm at it, why not?"
"I guess that's as good a reason as any," Rainbow muttered. "You know, she asked me if I'm jealous of you guys. And honestly, I kinda am."
Fang glanced at her and frowned. "I think you give me too much credit. I see how she looks at you, and I doubt she likes me that much."
"That's not what I meant." Rainbow sighed. "Scootaloo means the world to me, but I can't help her. And I hate it. I'm supposed to be like a sister to her, and I hate feeling powerless when so much bad stuff keeps happening to such a great kid. That curse she has, the flying, I can't do anything about it. You can. That's what I'm jealous about." She looked down at her hooves. "I guess what I'm saying is... thank you."
There was a flapping of wings as some of the birds took flight, circling low in the air while Fluttershy directed them. Scootaloo studied their movements with great interest now. She had a smile on her face, her troubles momentarily forgotten.
Fang looked at the filly and hesitated, a glimmer of doubt in her eyes. "Don't thank me just yet," she mumbled.
Scootaloo spent quite some time watching the birds, after which Fluttershy convinced her guests to join her for tea after all. Still uncharacteristically talkative, she insisted Fang not be a stranger and that she was welcome to visit again whenever she wanted. When they finally left her cottage, all three of them still wondered what had put her in such a sociable mood.
Scootaloo was relieved to find that Rainbow had started warming up to Fang. The two of them chatted some on the way back to town, albeit without really finding a common interest. Fang avoided talking about herself as usual, she had been away for too long to have been introduced to the stories of Daring Do, and didn't seem to entirely understand the purpose of the Wonderbolts. Rainbow meanwhile couldn't grasp the intricacies of magic well enough to feign interest, and neither of them felt very enthusiastic about discussing the weather.
Deciding to intervene before things got awkward again, Scootaloo suggested that Rainbow tell Fang about how she got to know Twilight and their adventures together. Rainbow was happy to oblige, though she may have exaggerated her own role somewhat. Fang appeared to find the stories entertaining and in return she regaled them with anecdotes about her friendship with Celestia and Twilight's days in magic school.
Back in Ponyville they enjoyed lunch together at the Hay Burger and by then the atmosphere had turned from tense to amicable. They made plans for the outing the following day and when Fang and Scootaloo parted with Rainbow, the pegasus smiled as she waved them off.
Scootaloo was in a very good mood once they made it back to the Rook late in the afternoon, and even more so when Fang reminded her that she still needed to pick out a room of her own. After a tour of the guest rooms, of which there were quite a lot, Scootaloo finally chose the same room she had woken up in that morning since she liked the view from the window and the location was convenient for getting in and out of her original home.
Once that was settled Fang helped her move some of her things out of her old room. They left most of the furniture, focusing on Scootaloo's personal belongings – the posters and books; her picture of Rainbow Dash; the treasured teddy bear. Placing the stuffed toy at its seat of honor on one of the shelves, Scootaloo looked around and found that she was already starting to feel at home. It was a strange thing to consider: She never would have imagined living in the middle of the Everfree Forest of all places. It was made even stranger by knowing that she was only three doors away from her old street.
Entering the room, Fang approached her levitating a small object. She presented it to Scootaloo who immediately recognized it: The framed photo of her parents that used to be in her living room.
"I thought you'd like to have this as well," Fang said.
Scootaloo took the picture, smiling sadly as she looked at the two ponies in the photo. "Thanks. You know, it's weird. I don't remember them at all, but... I still miss them."
"There are some things nobody can take away from you," Fang said. "As long as you hold on to them."
Scootaloo placed the picture on the shelf next to the teddy bear. She sniffed a little. "Fang, you know, all this means a lot to me. Really, thank you."
"Hey, it's fine. You don't need to keep thanking me all the time." Fang ran a hoof across her neck, looking almost embarrassed. There was a brief, awkward moment when neither of them seemed to know what to say. Fang cleared her throat. "So... do you like your new room?"
Scootaloo smiled. "Yeah, it's great."
"Is the size and shape okay?" Fang asked. "I can tweak the dimensions a bit if you'd like. I'm pretty sure I could change the color of the walls too, though to be honest I've never actually tried that."
Scootaloo shook her head. "It's fine the way it is."
Fang nodded. "Okay."
"So, now what?" Scootaloo asked.
"Well, there is still some time before dinner," Fang said. "We might as well make good use of it."
Smiling, Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Let me guess. Meditation practice?"
Fang nodded. "Meditation practice."
During the lesson, Fang decided to test the method Scootaloo had accidentally discovered earlier that day: Scootaloo would focus on the magical bond between them and try to keep her concentration on Fang's heart. Once it slipped out of her grasp, she would alternate to the regular exercise, then repeat the process. Perhaps Scootaloo was just nervous now that she understood what she was doing, but somehow it just didn't feel as easy as it had before. Even so, Fang believed she was making noticeable, even remarkable progress.
They took a break for dinner and then went back to training. This continued until the hour grew late and Scootaloo had grown thoroughly drowsy from the mental exertion, at which point Fang decided it was time for bed.
And so Scootaloo found herself in her new room, curled up under a soft blanket, barely able to keep her heavy eyelids up. She'd made sure to set her alarm clock, since she needed to be up for school in the morning. There was so much she wanted to tell her friends, not to mention the trip to White Tail Woods. Scootaloo felt excited, though not enough to affect the overpowering need for sleep.
Standing next to the bed, Fang used her magic to tuck the filly in. "Have fun with Luna tonight."
"I will." Scootaloo yawned widely, then added in a low mumble: "Fang? Thanks... for letting me stay here..."
Fang chuckled. "I told you, enough with the..." She fell silent, noticing that Scootaloo had already drifted off to sleep. "...Good night, little one."
Retreating out of the room and gently closing the door behind her, Fang paced down the corridor with a faint smile on her face. For one who had grown so accustomed to being alone, she found Scootaloo's presence enlivening. There were still considerable challenges to overcome, but everything seemed to be going well.
Scootaloo seemed to trust her now, and that was of course a favorable outcome. However, for some reason Fang felt a small sliver of doubt deep inside and it caused her smile to fade. The fact that the filly could already glimpse her heart was not a factor she had accounted for, and she suddenly wondered if encouraging it was a good idea. Had she been careless, allowing the filly to grow too close to her too soon?
Just as she reached the study a sharp pain shot through Fang's chest, blossoming red inside her. Overcome with sudden fatigue, she grunted and slumped against the door frame for support. It had been acting up more often lately, seemingly at random. Fortunately, Scootaloo didn't appear to have noticed yet. But why now of all times?
Fang suspected she had simply overexerted herself since coming to Equestria. Driving away the gaunthound had been a far more demanding task than she had let on, and the battle against the hivers certainly hadn't helped. At least she hoped that was it. The alternative, that her condition was more unstable than she had believed, was even more worrying.
She considered her options. Should she accelerate her plans? Perhaps even alter her approach?
No, it was still too early for desperate measures. As long as she proceeded with caution, it was unlikely to become a serious issue. She simply had to keep it together for now.
Forcing her body to move, she walked through the room on unsteady hooves until she reached the locked door bearing her symbol. Her eyes flashed golden for a moment and the symbol started glowing red.
The lock clicked and the door opened. Fang Jinhuo slipped inside and it closed behind her.