//------------------------------// // Alone // Story: Scootaquest - The Journal // by Jacker //------------------------------// "But why! Why do you have to go so far away?!" Scootaloo cried, her parents looking at her sadly. "We're sorry it has to be for so long, my little filly, but it's part of our job," her mother said warmly. "There are many sick and needy zebras and ponies in Zebraca who need our help." Scootaloo nodded with a sniff. She had been expecting this eventually. Her parents were ponytarians after all, it was their job to travel the globe to help out where they could. Her mother knew quite a bit about engineering and irrigation while her father was one of the best doctors in the Phillydelphia, her current place of residence. She knew what they were doing was important for many, and she should take the sacrifice, but it just felt so unfair. Suddenly, a desperate lightbulb blared above her head. "C-Can't I come with you?" she said, stifening another sniffle and putting on a hopeful smile. "I don't care what I'd have to do I can help! I could build houses! Anything!" Her mother threw her another warm but prideful smile at that. "I wish you could, sweetie, but the jungles of Zebraca are no place for a filly. I want you to stay here, safe, with your grandma. She's going to take good care of you." Scootaloo's Grandmother smiled down warmly at the young filly, "It'll only be a few months my dear, and I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun together!" Scootaloo's mood perked up at that. "R-Really?" She nodded her head at that, her smile not fading. "I might even teach you a thing or two about making your mother's apple pies." She smiled proudly at that. "She got the recipe from me, after all." "That sounds awesome!" Scootaloo bounced before turning back to her parents. Despite the welcoming arms of her cool old grandmother, the fact the five year old filly would be without parents for a few months was still going to be rough. "But, it's only a few months, right? Then you'll be home?" "Of course, dear." Scootaloo lept up in bed, her eyes watering slightly. She gazed about her. The night was still in motion and the rest of the fillies and colts slept peacefully around her in the beds that lined the dormitory of her orphanage. However, despite her dreams being over, memories continued to play in her head. "Scootaloo..." her grandma said softly, making her way into the guest room she slept at at her granny's house. "Are you awake?" Scootaloo beamed at the sight of her. "Is today the day?! Are my parents finally back?!" Her grandma gulped quietly at this, barely able to keep eye contact on the young filly. "I'm afraid... they've been declared missing." "M-Missing?!" Scootaloo said, her tone confused and worried. "What do you mean, missing?" Her granny sighed at this. "They've been staying at a village they've been helping out. Apparantely they... they went for a walk in the jungle two days ago and never returned back.... the villagers have been seaching all over for them, and the Equestrian AFC is sending people over there as well." Scootaloo's eyes began to tear up. "They're going to find them? Right!" She shot a stern look at her granny, who returned a solemn one. "They have to find them! How far could they have walked into the jungle?!" Her grandma made her way over towards the young fillies bed and gently nuzzled her, "I-It's very possible they will find them." "Only possible?! You mean there's a chance-" "Only a small one, Scootaloo. Believe me, the Equestrian AFC is very good at what they do, and the villagers love your parents very much for how much they've helped them. They'll do everything they can to find them-" Tears then formed in her own eyes as well. "-and my daughter. For now, we need to give them our prayers." Yanking herself out of bed she made her way over to the wall where a colorful calendar was posted. Her eyes teared up at the sight of it. It was the 34th cycle of Autumn, the day when the search for her parents had been called off, when there was officially no hope. They weren't dead. They weren't dead, damnit! Why did there need to be a funeral? This was all that went through Scootaloo's head at the memorial service. Many were in attendance, all standing around two empty graves. Family, friends, and even a few zebras and other creatures who she presumed were helped by her parents. They didn't need to mourn though. Any second now her parents would return, crash the funeral and everyone would be laughing about it within a month. Dark rain clouds hovered above, and a few Pegasi in the recession opted to clear them. However, her granny, who was the main host of the funeral, opted to have them leave. A little rain would fit the mood. Scootaloo wouldn't need to stand in it for long though. Any second now. "We are gathered here today to commemorate two great, selfless heroes of Equestria and the world, Doctor Shining Star and Lady Clear Sight," a suit wearing funeral director announced. "They gave, and gave, and gave some more, never asking for anything in return, even a thanks. It was just who they were, two living epitomes of charity. May their souls rest easy knowing they have made the world a better place." And when they got here they'd probably have a charitable bunch of apple pies for Scootaloo to munch down. Common, hurry up.... The rain continued to fall. A zebra took the podium next, someone who had introduced herself to Scootaloo earlier as Zecora. Curiously, she spoke without the tendency to rhyme as she had earlier. "Without these two heroes, I would have lost my village. Their knowledge of medicinal magic was without a doubt the only thing between it and the red death. For this act of charity, I will be doing whatever I can to spread the knowledge of my own people's magics to Equestria. Perhaps it will save some lives here as well. I can never repay them entirely, but I intend to follow in their hoofsteps." They could work with the zebra together to save lives. She'd see. She glanced over her shoulder towards the path that led to the graveyard. Any second now... The funeral dragged on and on. Twenty or so people gave their last words for the fallen ponytarians. Eventually, two empty coffins were lowered into their eternal resting place. The funeral attendees began to dismiss themselves, leaving only Scootaloo and her Granny left. It was here when reality began to cruelly intercede itself into the young filly's mind. Any... second now? Her tears soon joined the rain. Her grandmother grabbed her and held her close, her eyes mimicking the young filly's. "You won't be alone, Scootaloo," she said solemnly. "I will be watching over you, and so will they." A flash of lightning snapped from the sky outside the dormatory's room's window as a heavy rain began to fall and a ghostly wind began to blow. The voice of her grandmother continued to echo in her head. "You won't be alone, Scootaloo," "I'll be watching over you." "You won't be alone." She walked towards the window as the storm raged outside, observing the intricate, sporadic patterns the rain water made as it flowed down from the top of it. That was life really. It was arbitrary. Everything was... random. Good things happen, bad things happen. Sometimes bad things happen to others more then they should. Nothing guided it, nothing decided whether somepony had had enough pain already. It was just... random, like the trails of water on a window's glass. She wished these sort of thoughts wouldn't bother her, yet they pricked her mind constantly. Over time, a ghostly image of her grandmother's face appeared on the window. "You won't be alone," its ghostly voice echoed. Soon, she was spiraling into another memory.... It was two o'clock in the afternoon and Scootaloo's grandmother still wasn't out of bed. She had to make her own breakfast because of it, a five year old, and her granny was out of cereal. It wasn't unusual for her to sleep in, but she did need to get up sometime today. When she opened the door to her bedroom, a peculiar stench filled her nose, and dread filled her heart. She dashed over to the side of her grandmother's bed and quickly lifted the covers. "G-Granny?!" She wimpered. Her eyes flew open. Her grandmother was in bed, stone cold, not breathing. Dead. "Nonono!" She said, shaking her head sporadically, incredulously, backing away from the bed. "You said I'd never be alone!" She began to weep, but before too many tears fell she felt something rising inside her, an anger that shouldn't have been there yet was. "YOU SAID YOU'D NEVER LEAVE ME!!!!" With that, she collapsed onto the floor and curled into a ball of tears and pity. "The storm's very beautiful in a way, isn't it?" a voice said from behind her. She recognized it as Pipsqueak, or Pip as many of the more polite orphans called him, one of the newest additions the Ponyville Orphanage. The young colt was soon at her side, and though Scootaloo wanted to be alone... having Pip around was the second best thing. She smiled warmly down towards him, "It is..." She then turned back towards the window. "You know, we used to get storms like this all the time in Trottingham. The rain looked so awesome in the distance out at sea during a sunset, giant sheets of blue coming towards us like angry tempests." She remained staring at the window. A single tear began to fall from her eye. "That would be very beautiful..." she said softly. Pip didn't seem to notice the tear and continued with, "Sometimes we'd even see waterspouts. Heh, my mom always said they were angry sea spirits who would suck away bad children." At that, Scootaloo finally couldn't hold it in any longer. At least she'd be crying in front of a friend... Pip stood motionless, not knowing what to do. Finally, he decided it would be alright to lean his head on her side for a minute. When she began to calm down a little, Pip decided to speak up. "It's... that time of year, isn't it?" Scootaloo nodded slowly. "Do you want to-" "No," she interrupted. "But... could you just stay with me for a little? Please?" A beat. Pip smiled slightly. "Do you even need to ask?" And with that, the two stood, watching the tempest of a storm pummel Ponyville with rain. Amazing how such a violent thing could bring so much life. The water would quench a hundred ponies' thirsts and help grow a thousand crops. It was true with every storm, even the most destructive of them. There would always be something good that followed them. Perhaps... even ones that dwell within.