//------------------------------// // Chapter 07 - I'm Back(On The Run) // Story: Mystery Scootaloo // by thedarktome //------------------------------// Everyone in the room was just staring at the orange skinned Magenta haired girl, thus making her groan in annoyance. "This is the third time somepony has been gawking at me for two days. If somepony doesn't say something, I am going to blow up." Scootaloo's body began to glow, causing Princess Twilight to gasp. "No no no no no!" The Princess yelled, desperately waving her hands. "Please don't, pleeease don't!" Scootaloo laughed and stopped her glowing with a knowing grin. "I wasn't going to!" She laughed. "Lareen?!" She looked over right when three older people jumped on her, sending her down onto the ground. "Where have you been?!" Maud yelled. She had tears streaming down her face while her hands were placed on her cheeks. Obviously distraught. "I thought you were dead, you jerk!!" "All three of us were!" Pink Bubblegun added. "I'm sorry, Maud, girls," she said sadly. "I didn't mean to get you upset. I was in hiding for my safety. But I'm fine now...sort of. Okay?" Black Licorice huffed before she pulled her into a tight hug. The other two joined in, making it a group thing. But after a few seconds, Scootaloo had to ask. "So....is my house up for sale?" Her friends chuckled and allowed her some space. "It's been abandoned," Black Licorice's mother answered. She walked over and helped her up before pulling her into a hug of her own. "I'm really sorry about your parents." "Six years too late, Ms. Flash," Scootaloo responded with a small chuckle. She rubbed the older woman's back before she slowly pulled away. "But I appreciate the concern. And I took it as best as I could when they didn't follow." "Well you're okay now right?" Pink Apple, Pink Bubblegum's mother asked while she delivered her own hug. "It must not have been a good experience." "No, it was fun, you know. It's your average child-gets-tossed-through-a-portal thing that happens every hour. Not to mention a bunch of guys speeding in a car to get to you. With guns. Shotguns and rifles." "At least you survived it!" Maud commented loudly. "But I have a question." "Ask away." Scootaloo walked over and took a seat on the couch. Her friends walked over and sat down beside her before Maud did. Exceptionally loud. "Why in the world were they chasing you anyway?! It's not everyday someone around here starts chasing you with a gun, you know. Now what. Did. You. Do." "Why is it my fault?" Scootaloo asked with a nervous chuckle. She looked around the room nervously and bit her lip while twiddling with her fingers. "Because in our clique you were the one that made bad choices and always got in trouble." "You're a very mean bully," Pink Bubblegum clarified before she took a closer look at her. "And why do you look so young?" "Yeah, sixteen year old!" Black Flash agreed. She looked Scootaloo up and down with interest. "You look exactly how you did when you went missing. What's up with that?" Scootaloo shrugged in response. "I don't know! Everything is weird!" While they were having their talk, Twilight waved for her friends to come over in a huddle. Once they were in a group circle and she had all of their attention, she asked, "What should we ask? The status of the case here on Earth?" "Yeah," Sunset agreed. "If Scootaloo here is tagging along we have to be real careful when we're outside. Someone might see something then tell someone." "And we don't need attention," Applejack added. "Scootaloo is pretty much a wanted citizen. When you told Sunset about what happened in Equestria, I took the liberty of looking up 'Lareen Carson'. Every city around the country has a handful of eyes out looking for her. FBI, SBI, Police, Detectives...they're calling it the worst crime in decades." "Why?" The Princess asked in fear. "They say it's unsolved parricide." Twilight was looking at her with her mouth open in shock. She glanced over at Scootaloo who was busy talking with her friends, then refocused back on them. "They think Scootaloo killed her own parents?" She whispered in disbelief. Applejack nodded solemnly in confirmation. "Yep. So everyone has an eye out. Speaking of which, how did she get here?" "Uhh..." Twilight looked over at the laughing girls, catching up on life. "Scootaloo?" She looked over and widened her eyes. "How'd you get here?" "Your portal in the castle. Then I walked over after I recognized the school. It has not changed at all." "Was there anyone outside giving you strange looks?" Twilight asked in worry. Scootaloo looked up to the ceiling to recall anything. "Well there was this one guy I was a little wary of. He could barely keep his eyes to himself, I tell ya'. I'm sure he took a photo of me since he was looking so hard. I was about to kick his flank but then I was like, 'I'm just really paranoid.' I have magic, what's the worst that could happen?" "Someone is charging you for parricide," Black Licorice told her. Scootaloo slowly turned to her with her eyes wide. "........what?" "Yeah, the police and FBI are looking for you," Applejack confirmed. "If someone took a photo we need to leave right now." "Wait," Princess Twilight said. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a notepad and a pen. "Do you know anything about her parents?" Scootaloo jumped up and ran towards the door. "We don't have time for that! Be safe girls and remember! You don't know anything, or have even seen me in years!" Scootaloo's body glowed for a second before there was a crack and a flash. Once the light faded away, the group was gone. A crack and a flash deposited the group of nine in an alleyway downtown. After getting her bearings, Princess Twilight brushed through everyone in the tight brick alley and peeked out. They were in downtown Canterlot that was slightly congested. It was a little past five so everyone was still heading home. She groaned and turned around to face her friends. "Scootaloo, you dropped us downtown," she whispered in frustration. "It's swarming down here!" "Crap!" She yelled. "Well this is where I would go in case I wanted to relax and hide." Rainbow looked at her in amusement. "You relax in an alleyway?" She asked her. "Well, in the summer." Scootaloo looked Rainbow over before she let out a soft chuckle. "Can I just say you look really strange as a human?" "Scootaloo dear, we need to focus here," Rarity whispered. Scootaloo sighed, rolled her eyes, and nodded her head in begrudged acknowledgement. Rarity turned to everyone else and asked, "How are we supposed to get around with her without being seen?" "I don't know," Sci-Twi answered. "No doubt the police are out if they saw that photo. It would be complete chaos." "Well the only thing we can really do is wait for nightfall to sneak around like the suspicious people we are," Scootaloo figured. She walked towards the edge of the street and peeked out cautiously. She didn't see a lot of people. But there were still people. And people have phones. Information spreads quickly through the world wide web. "But we're still not safe here." She pulled back and looked at the girls behind her. "If the police know I'm back in town, they will search every nook and cranny of this place until they find me. Which includes alleyways." "Buck," Sunset muttered. She sighed and moved her hair out of her face, blowing out a puff of hot air. "So what do we do?" "Easy. Run." They all turned to Scootaloo like she was crazy. "Look, if the police are looking for me, they'll have a better chance of finding me if I am in one place and not moving. We'll I don't know about you, but I'm not giving them that chance. Right now, I am at war with two parties. Whoever the hay killed my parents, and the feds. And both of them don't know what they're dealing with. I have a handful of magic." She put her hand out, palm up and shot a bolt of lightning into the air, scaring anyone walking nearby and causing her companions to cover their ears. "And I know how to use it...a little. Right now the ball is in my court and I am aiming to score." "And what happens if you miss?" Sci-Twi asked. "Then I am going to punch somepony and run." "I'm not sure Frozen Fire would appreciate you running from the police," Princess Twilight commented. "Mom isn't here. This is the plan....run. Run straight for that alleyway." She pointed across the street at an alleyway that was connected. "That's the plan?" Rainbow asked in confusion. "Can't you just teleport us over there?" "Yeah but I don't want to attract attention." "You just shot a bolt of lightning into the air, we're past the point of no return," Fluttershy clarified. Everyone turned to her in shock. Did she just say something sarcastic?! Scootaloo shook her head for a moment and sighed before she teleported them to the alleyway. After getting the dizziness out of her head, along with groaning, Sci-Twi looked out of the alley to see three police cars headed down the street. "Police," She whispered. "We gotta go, we gotta go!" She pushed them in the opposite direction and got out of the alley right when the officers passed by. They slowed and looked down the passage for a moment before they continued on their way. Scootaloo breathed a sigh in relief before she turned to the others who were checking their phones for more information on the side of an empty street, in front of a closed restaurant. "Alright, Scootaloo," Princess Twilight said, catching her attention. "Rarity said the police is combing all of Canterlot right now. Someone posted the picture of you walking down the sidewalk and asked, 'Isn't this that girl who killed her parents?' on The Haystack. So now we....what?" Scootaloo was looking past her with her eyes focused on a car turning down the street they were on. It was moving way too slow. "In the alley," she ordered. "Now." The girls all went back into the alley to get out of sight temporarily before the car sped up a little. Once again, it was a police car. The same one from a few seconds ago in the front. You couldn't really tell from far away because the shadow of the buildings were casting it in black. But Scootaloo knew the movement of a police cruiser when she saw it. The car slowed down and stopped in front of the alley before an officer got out and looked into it with suspicion. "Do you see anyone?" Her partner asked. The officer squinted her eyes before she held up a hand and started walking down it. The invisible group of friends quietly backed up at her movement before she stopped and looked around. She sighed through her nose and adjusted her belt before she walked back to the car. "No, but I'm sure I saw her come through here," she responded as she got back in the car. She picked up a radio and barked into it. "Cruiser four one six to all vehicles. She's somewhere downtown. Monitor all streets." The police cruiser pulled away with a screech of its tires, leaving the group to relax for a moment. After five more seconds, Princess Twilight dropped the spell. "That was way too close," she whispered. The princess took the bag off her back and put it down on the ground. She quickly unzipped it and reached inside, pulling out the notebook Princess Celestia gave to her and began writing into it. After a few more minutes she put it back in her bag. "I just sent Celestia a report of what's going on. Your charges on parricide, the fact that the entire city is on lockdown, and that we're stuck. Already." "Then I'm going to have to rush it," Scootaloo argued. "We can't stay here anymore. Well....right now anyway." "So we're going back to Equestria," Princess Twilight agreed. "There are absolutely no leads on the mystery right now. What we need is a contact for when there is a lead. How about one of your friends?" Scootaloo looked at her in confusion. "The blue one. Maud. She could send you messages like how me and Sunset do almost everyday. All we need is a way to contact them. Let me ask Celestia." She reached into her bag again and pulled out the book, sending her a message. A few minutes later after a bunch of paranoid lookouts, she got a response back. "'Come back to Equestria. Earth is too heavily condensed and obviously on edge if the entire city has been put on lockdown from a mere photograph. Grab Scootaloo and bring her home. As for the contact information. I believe it should be an idea in waiting. We will speak on it more once you return.' So how exactly do we get back to Equestria?" "We run to the portal," Scootaloo answered quickly. "Everyone else? Get home. Don't stay out on the streets. Just get home. Right now." "No need to tell me twice," Sci-Twi responded. "See ya', girls." The group of Equestria Girls quickly walked out of the alleyway, leaving the Princesses to themselves. "Do you know where we are?" Princess Twilight asked. Scootaloo shook her head. "Well...since we're going home, we can take our time and look around to figure it out. Let's go." Princess Twilight walked to the other entrance and peeked out. Seeing it clear, she waved behind her for Scootaloo to follow and then ran out. The streets were empty. How they were going to get out unseen was obviously not in their minds. They were going to be seen. Both of them. Scootaloo quickly dashed out and followed the princess to another corner. They looked around it to get a handle on their location. It looked like they were on the outskirts of the city and nearing the school. But once they were out there, there was no chance of hiding. They would have to make a break for the statue. "Scootaloo? Do you know how to turn into your clouds?" Twilight asked her. Scootaloo nodded her head while keeping a lookout. "Well we're going to need that soon. You barely know how to control it after a few feet. So it'll be a last resort. Try not to hurt any officers on the way. Ready?" Scootaloo got into a running position. "Set....go!" The two quickly rushed out from behind their last cover and made their way towards the sidewalk on the other side. To get to the statue they'd have to go around the school. They were behind it and the school was closed. So they couldn't take a shortcut. Once they reached the sidewalk, they turned and continued running down it. It was going to be a lot of yards before they made it to the corner of the school. And that was a lot of exposure. "Well....this is...going good...so far," Princess Twilight panted as they ran. Scootaloo was about to nod before the oh so familiar siren behind them caught her attention. "What's that noise?" "Police, we've been spotted! Keep running and put up a shield! They may try to detain me for something!" Twilight looked over her shoulder at the police car speeding up to them. Another siren whooped before a voice was put out. "Freeze, and get on the ground now!!!" "I'm really tempted to get on the ground!" Twilight yelled. Scootaloo shook her head before the vehicle sped up in front of them and slid to a stop. Two officers stepped out and took chase right towards them. "Get on the ground now!" One of them shouted. "Stop running!" "Scootaloo, teleport!" Twilight ordered. The orange girl quickly summoned her magic and turned into three clouds, zooming right around and through the three police officers before she reformed behind them. The officers slid to a stop and gasped before turning around. Twilight had teleported standarly to Scootaloo's side, leaving them to wonder what the hay that was before they called for backup. "Uh oh, they're bringing the calvary!" Scootaloo commented. "They'll be here within ten seconds since they're flooding the city!" Twilight smiled at the statue that they were coming up on. "It's right there! I have to put up a smoke spell so they don't know where we went!" "You mean like Trixie's smoke bombs?" "Yes! Don't tell her, but I copied them and turned it into a spell." "My lips are sealed!" Scootaloo looked over her shoulder at the Police Cruisers that were gaining on them. There were ten of them. "Buck, do it Twilight!" The Princess of Friendship turned around and put her hands out, summoning a spell. A loud blast shook the ground a little before they were hidden by a huge wall of smoke. The cruisers screeched to a halt before they got out of their cars and looked around. "Go, go, go," Twilight whispered. Scootaloo jumped into the portal before Twilight followed along right after. Right when the police ran through the smoke. They had their weapons out and were looking around cautiously, being as quiet as possible. They took a few hesitant steps forward and looked around. They looked all over the statue and the school grounds before they came up empty handed. "Where'd they go?" One of them asked. "You can't just...disappear that fast." "I don't know," the sergeant responded. He reached up and grabbed his radio to send an intercom. "Sergeant to Captain. We lost them. More details on the way, standby." He released the radio and looked around the area. The smoke had cleared by this time, leaving the police to finally get a good view of the area. There was not a soul in sight. "There's not even a trace of her. She came back, then disappeared. We need to call in the big guns. This case just took a far more weirder turn."