Hell, as you head back the way you came, you wondered two other things as well. How well Starlight was doing in the Crystal Empire, and why Twilight had to be so nosy. Everytime you guys have a moment, she has to do something that fucking ruins everything.
When you went back to the Clubhouse, Scootaloo was still staring out the window, she didn't even notice you. "Hey Scoots."
"Anon?" Scootaloo turns around, looking worried. "W-what happened?"
You give Scootaloo a sly grin as you step towards her all-cool like. "It's settled, that's what happened. Twilight is gonna just leave everything alone. Scrappy is safe."
"Woah, really? You actually convinced Twilight to not do anything to him?" Scootaloo went from worry to wonderment. She was so happy to hear that.
"Yeeeep" You say proudly.
Scootaloo rushes forward and gives you a big hug. "Anon, that's totally awesome! I mean erm.." Scootaloo backed off, as she realized the implications of her actions seemed rather doting "It's nothing against Twilight or anything, I just seen how she gets."
"Well, you don't need to worry. But, um, she did mention something interesting about Rainbow Dash. Is it true she's a Wonderbolt now?"
"Yup! Isn't it amazing!" Scootaloo said with excitement, even hopping around. "And she's the best one too!"
So it's true. Damn, the shit that happens when you're doing other things. "Yeah, it's just weird nopony told me."
"Wha?" Scootaloo stopped as she tilted her head, wondering what you meant "Weird? why weird?"
"Because, y'know. I would have thought SOMEPONY would have told me. You, my aunt, I dunno...somepony" Fuck what Twilight said, you needed to be in the know.
"Anon..." Scootaloo just stared at you. "You don't even think Rainbow Dash is a big deal. Nopony told you because you don't really seem to be friends with her. I mean, why would anypony tell you if we thought you wouldn't care?"
Damn, Twilight was right about that then. "Erm....." You had nothing to say about that, causing Scootaloo to laugh.
"It's ok, Anon, I won't hold it against you if you don't like the coolest and most awesome pony that's ever lived, who is even more awesome than ever now." Suddenly, Scootaloo's expression softened as she thought about something pertaining to you. "Actually, she really is so awesome just because she managed to do it all on her own. She's trained hard her entire life for it. And it made me realize something"
"What's that?"
Scootaloo didn't answer at first, she went to the back of the room where she had a saddlebag in the corner. She opened it and took out the....cardboard wings. She looked at them with sorrow filled eyes. "I realized..." She then looks with determination as she holds them out to you. "That I don't need these anymore, for real this time. If I want to become like Rainbow Dash, I need to practice and train and learn to be cool on my own. So, thanks, Anon. Thanks so so much for being awesome and letting me have them. But I don't need them anymore. "
You slowly reach out and take the wings. Wow, after all this time, you had them back. "You sure?"
Scootaloo nods. "I'm sure. I'll get to flying eventually on my own eventually. If I keep using those things I don't think I'll ever get to flying. So yeah, It's no biggie."
"Well, Scoots, that's pretty cool of you. Real mature. I bet Rainbow Dash would be proud."
"I know she would" Scootaloo grinned with a cocky giggle.
Then, you yourself had a fun idea. "Heh, it's been a long time since I had these babies. I'm gonna give em a ole practice run"
"Yeah? Do you think you can handle em after not using them for-...wait..." Scootaloo stops as she notices you opening the window. "Do you mean like, right now?"
"Well duh. Can't think of any other reason not to use em right now."
You crane your head outside the window and look about. Oh man, this is gonna be great.
"A-anon. You really shouldn't" Scootaloo's voice suddenly became shaky.
"Why? It's gonna be fine, Scoots. I'm not that bad. I remember the basics." You toss the wings on your back and wiggle your butt to get ready.
"Anon, no seriously you don't want to-" But you cut her off.
"I'll be fine, Scoots. C'mon, just because you don't wanna use them doesn't mean I don't get to. Relax, it'll be fine. Flying out of windows is easy"
"But Anon! Your w-NO DON'!" Scootaloo reaches out to you when you jump out the window
"GERONIMO!" You fly out the window, having the time of your life. Up until you realize you aren't moving far, or even up for that matter.
"ANON, I ALREADY USED THEM TODAY!" Scootaloo yells, but it was already too late.
You just whisper under your breath "Fuck me..." And then fall down all the way to the ground, head first.
You slam your head so hard you leave a small crater, the thumping sound enough to catch the attention of the Timberwolf garbed Applebloom and Scrappy as Scootaloo poked her head out the window, cringing.
"Anon!...you ok?" Scootaloo called out to you.
You just moaned in pain.
"What in tarnation?! Anon?" Applebloom rushed up to you, and then realized as she looked up that you jumped out the window. She looked up at Scootaloo, worried and frantic "Scootaloo! What happened?!"
"He jumped out the window" Scootaloo called out "I didn't get a chance to tell him that I used the wings already. He wanted to fly."
"Ohhh...oh" Applebloom cringed as she lifted your face up from the dirt and flipped you to your side. "Anon, you ok?"
You were so dizzy, so out of it, all you could say is. "I want to cuddle with you soooooo much, wolf of wood"
Applebloom backed off just a little, looking at you, thrown off by your words. "Yeeeeaaahhh. Erm, Scrappy"
Scrappy saluted. "Yes! Master Applebloom! What is your bidding?"
"Do ya remember how ah told you to get help?" Applebloom asked him.
"Yes! I am to use the 'Whimpering and barking dog' maneuver while tugging and pushing my target to the requested spot. Erm, but um. Who do I get?" Scrappy asked, a little confused.
"Get Granny Smith. If ya get mah sister, she's just gonna try and figure out what happened." Applebloom tells him "And remember to point to the medical box"
"Yes Ma'am!" Scrappy saluted again and turned around and rushed towards the farm, barking up a storm.
Scootaloo rushed down to check on you. "Applebloom, is he ok?!"
"Woah....there's three Scootaloos." You could see three of them.
"Ah don't think so. C'mon, let's help him inside." Applebloom dug her snout under your side and flipped you up onto her back. She shook a little, her legs wobbling under you weight until she had for sure and steadied herself. "There we go."
Scootaloo gave you a gentle slap on the face. "Anon?"
You just looked up at her, booped her nose, and limped your head back down as you were carried into the clubhouse. Scootaloo also noticed the oddest thing, you had scuffs sure, but your outward injuries were very minuscule."Man, Anon has a pretty hard head."
"Yeah, no wonder he's so stubborn. Scootaloo, can ya get mah sleeping bag ready?" Applebloom asks.
Scootaloo nods, and sets up the sleeping bag and helps Applebloom slide you inside.
Applebloom and Scootaloo now take the time to closely examine your head a little closer, moving your mane around for any bumps.
"Wow, He doesn't look too hurt at all" Scootaloo sighed. "That's good. I should have told him I used the wings before I gave it back to him, this is my fault."
"Now don't go talkin' like that Scootaloo. You didn't know he was just gonna jump out the window." Applebloom carefully moves around all your legs. "Woo, that's good. Nothin’ seems to be broken either. Maybe we didn't need Granny Smith after all"
"Well, maybe. I think we should wait for her anyway and-" Scootaloo gets cut off from your groaning.
"Anon?" They both say
"...Ogh, what happened? I feel like I zoned out for a few minutes. I feel like I got hit by a train..ngh" Your head was pounding.
"That's because..well" Scootaloo hesitated. She didn't want to make you feel too stupid on the fact you hopped out the damn window. "You just accidentally hit your head."
"Feels more like I fell on it. Last thing I remember was opening the window"
"That's because you hopped out the window! Anon, what were ya thinking?" Applebloom was frustrated at your stupid move, and was not being as hesitant as Scootaloo. She could swear she's never seen something that stupid before.
You then remembered, and you felt so idiotic about it. You put a hoof to your face. "Ahh geez. I remember now. I was going to fly out and about for a bit. What happened?"
"Anon, I tried to tell you. I already used the wings today." Scootaloo said
Oh, well. At least you were ok. "Egh, I guess I should have checked before I hopped out. I got over excited to try these babies out again. Ahh well, I'll give em a shot tomorrow" You just rolled out of the sleeping bag and stretched your body a bit, aside from a small headache, you felt pretty ok.
Applebloom sighed, annoyed at the fact that you didn't seem to be taking this that seriously. "Anon, you landed on your head. FROM OUR WINDOW! Aren't ya hurt or anything? Do ya feel dizzy?"
"Woah, calm down Applebloom. I'm feeling ok."
"Anon, I don't want to sound pushy. But Applebloom has a pretty good reason to get on to you like that. You just fell down from a pretty high spot, right on your head. You should be telling us if you feel anything weird or wrong." Scootaloo says as she squints just a bit at your forehead, she still found it odd you looked ok after such a fall.
"That's right. Mah sister says injuries are no joke, and if you're feeling bad in any way then you should go to the doctor." Applebloom cites, almost in a way Twilight would say it.
"Applejack said that? Weird, I've seen her get hurt a couple times and she just keeps on going anyway." Scootaloo remarked. She had obviously noticed Applejack's own stubborn nature.
Applebloom pointed at Scootaloo, feeling a little insulted for her sister. But a quick second of thought made her realize how right Scootaloo was. "Yeah, yer right. Applejack is pretty stubborn. You could probably break her legs or somethin' and she'd still try to buck apples."
"Yeah, but you're right too about the whole feeling bad thing." Scootaloo turns to you, giving you a worried expression. "Are you sure you're ok, Anon? You don't feel anything off or wrong?"
Woo, that call on Applejack was pretty beast. As for yourself, you moved your legs about, and tapped at your head. Nope, you were fine. Then again, how could you not be? You've taken a hit from some trap cannonball shit back in the alternate world. "Yep, I feel dandy and-"
Suddenly the door busts open. "ALRIGHT! AHM HERE! WHICH ONE OF YOU IS A NEEDIN' SOME GOOD OLE FASHIONED HEALIN' TREATMENT!?" It was Granny Smith. Garbed in a old and scuffed up nurse's hat. She was wearing a medical saddlebag around herself as she frantically looked around.
"G-granny Smith?!" Applebloom didn't expect her to get here that fast or with such a thunderous entrance.
"That's mah name! Ah think? Ahh goobly gums, there ain't enough time for small talk, Applebloom. Who's hurt?" Granny Smith said as she narrowed her eyes, and thought she noticed something rather dangerous.
"Well, it's Anon. But ah think he's going to be-" But before Applebloom could finish, Granny Smith jumped in front of her and Scootaloo as she faced you down with righteous fury.
"AH DON'T KNOW HOW A BEAR GOT IN HERE! BUT DON'T WORRY GIRLS! YER OLE GRANNY SMITH HAS GOT THIS! SCRAPPY, YA GET HIS SIDE! WE AIN'T LETTIN THIS FUZZY FURBALL GET AN INCH ON ANYPONY!"
Scrappy rushed in through the door and immediately heeded her command, making a jump at your side.
"Scrappy! It's me! A-WOAH" You jump backwards, Scrappy barely missing you with his sharp fangs. The fuck was his problem?!
"Granny Smith! That ain't a bear! That's Anon!" Applebloom cries out as both her and Scootaloo held her back.
"Wha huh?" Granny Smith stopped and took another look at you as you backed off into a corner, Scrappy growling and getting closer.
"Oh, it is Anon. Well, ain't that a kick in the head. Ah thought he was a bear again. Ain't that the darndest thing?" Granny Smith chuckled to herself.
"SCRAPPY! SCRAPPY, DOWN! SCRAPPY, HEEL!" You yelled as you constantly made kicks at his face. He wasn't relenting.
"Scrappy! he ain't a bear. C'mere, danger's over" Granny Smith called over Scrappy, who heeded her call and ran towards her with happy, self satisfied barks. She gave him a pet, and he went to join Applebloom's side.
"Why did you think he was a bear?! He doesn't even look close to it!" Scootaloo was surprised. She had never personally seen Granny Smith mistake you for a bear before.
"That's what happens when ya get old, Scootaloo. Sometimes yer old eyes play tricks on ya." Granny Smith then turned to you as you leaned against the wall catching your breath. "You ok there, Anon? Ah hope ah didn't give ya too much of a fright" Granny Smith lets out a light hearted cackle.
How could she find it funny?! And why the fuck did Scrappy try to kill you? Unless the little changeling gone puppy really took all these lessons Applebloom was giving him that seriously. Fucking christ, he wasn't kidding when it came to all training and such. He really enjoyed playing the part of Applebloom's puppy.
"I-I'm fine, e-erm. G-granny Smith, don't you think you should look a little better before siccing a dog on me? This has happened before, remember?"
"Course ah remember. But if ah see a bear threatening my little Applebloom and her friend, ah gotta snap to it, otherwise they could end up as a dinner." Granny Smith said, in an almost annoying casual way, as she went and placed the medical saddlebag on the small table. "Now, which one of you got hurt? Scrappy was barkin' up a storm, so ah brought the big bag."
That was a good reason. Sorta. Well, it's a good reason if you were actually a fucking bear. "Yeah, well. I'm the one who's hurt. But I think I'm fine so..."
"Ya think yer fine? I'll be the judge of that! Now step over here so ole Granny Smith can have a closer look at ya." Granny Smith pointed right in front of herself.
You hesitatingly step closer to her. You were immediately starting to feel that her "healing" you may be more dangerous than her attacking you. "Look, Granny Smith, I appreciate you coming here to check on me but..." You stop a couple of feet away from her. You were scared, you were actually scared of her performing any kind of medical nonsense on you. "I'm fine. I just took a small hit on the head and-"
That's all it took. Next thing you knew, she darted right in front of you and placed her hoof to your side to keep you in place as she examined your head. "Hit on the head, is it? That ain't no small thing, Anon. One bad bump can take even the biggest and baddest ponies down."
But you couldn't even respond as she stretched, smooshed, moved, and tapped at your head in rapid fashion. It was seemingly funny too because you could hear the stifled giggling of the two fillies.
"Hrn, ah don't see nothin' wrong with ya. What happened exactly?" Granny Smith asked as she looked closer at your forehead. "Looks like an itty bitty scratch to me, whatcha bein' a baby about, Anon? Aren'tcha ah hero colt or some nonsense like that?"
They couldn't hold it anymore. Scootaloo and Applebloom burst out laughing as you just stared forward, annoyed and embarrassed. You answered in a pretty deadpan fashion. "I jumped out the window."
"Did ya now? That explains the light injury then, ya got a super thick skull. Boy howdy, Anon, in all mah years ah never seen such a steel clad noggin'. Err ahm.." Granny Smith turns to the mirthful fillies, confused about something "Anon ain't havin' any trouble in school, is he?"
Scootaloo hid her face in Applebloom's side as Applebloom herself answered with small titters. "H-he's actually the smartest, Granny Smith"
Goddddammmmiiiitt. "Yeah, I am. Just because I have a hard head doesn't mean I'm dumb. So, can we end this now, please? This isn't helping at all."
"Now you hold yer tongue there, sonny, I ain't done yet. Ya want help? Well, stand still and ah'll bandage those scuffs on yer head, since yer being a little whiny an' all" Granny Smith says as she pulls out some bandages from the bag.
"Whiny?! I'm not whining! I just think this is pointless! If I'm ok then I'm ok!"
"Hoofswoggle, you can feel ok, but them scuffs still need to be covered up or ya can have all sorts of nasty bugs gettin’ to em'" Granny Smith said as she planted bandage after bandage on your minor injuries.
Well. You probably couldn't argue that, you let out a soft groan. You still felt it was ridiculous. "Thank you...I guess"
"Ain’t need a thankn', Anon. I've been doing this kinda thing for years. Just comes naturally. Ya should thank Applebloom for trainin' that pup of hers so good. Ah swear, even Winona don't listen as good as Scrappy does. Almost makes ya think he actually understands pony, eh?"
"Oh..um" You nod, smiling falsely. "y-yep! I agree. Um, we done?"
"Yeppers, ya oughta be ok now. Welp, ah gotta get back to my nap. Need mah energy for makin some of this nightglow pie ah got a recipe for. Been told it's better than mah homemade apple pie..."
Nightglow pie? Da fuck? That has to be made up. "Oh, I bet it'll taste delicious."
"HOW COULD YA SAY JUST A THING?!" Granny Smith yells so ear piercingly at you, you fall on your back.
"B-but you just said it might-"
"AH KNOW WHAT AH SAID! AHM GONNA MAKE THAT PIE PERFECTLY SO AH CAN SAY IT AIN'T AS GOOD AS ANYTHING OLE GRANNY SMITH CAN MAKE! WHY ELSE WOULD AH MAKE THAT KINDA PIE?! YA YOUNGIN'S THESE DAYS!" Cripes, you really set her off.
"O-ok Granny Smith. We didn't know you were napping, maybe ya should get back to it? Ya seem a little cranky. If ya want, ah can make ya some tea before you take a nap." Applebloom was taken aback by Granny's reaction.
"Well that would be mighty thoughtful of ya, Applebloom. Alrighty, yer good, Anon. Try not to go jumpin' outta windows or buildings and what not. Ah gotta get back to mah nap." Granny Smith, with a renewed smile on her face, headed out. Applebloom told Scrappy to stay as she'd be back soon. She took off the Timberwolf costume, which really was just a few tacked on sticks and leaves, and followed Granny Smith.
Scootaloo started giggling again the moment they left. "Hehehe, that was pretty funny."
You make a gruff groan at Scootaloo. "Well, ha ha...glad everypony thought it was hilarrrious. And you..." You look at Scrappy with a hard stare. "What was that all about?"
"What was what about?" Scrappy asked, confused.
"Really? Seriously? You tried to kill me..."
Scrappy giggled as he threw his paw forward. "Oh that? Master Applebloom has been helping me get better at protecting the farm from bigger and badder animals and monsters. I didn't think things like vampire fruit bats were good enough. I want to be able to handle more stuff than that other dog. I want to do my very best for Master Applebloom and my friends!" He stood true and strong.
"Yeah, Anon, he was just doing what he was told. I didn't know Granny Smith was gonna see you as a bear." Scootaloo explained "We weren't going to let him hurt you anyway."
"Did I do something wrong?" Scrappy looked to Scootaloo with a frown. "I thought I was told to attack Anon"
"...Scrappy" God, he was fucking stupid. "It didn't occur to you at all that you were attacking me?"
"Oh it did. But Master Applebloom says I should listen to her family when they need help if I'm going to be a good dog. I like being a dog. It gets me a lot of hugs and pets." He says with a dumb smile on his face
God fucking dammit. There goes your momentum. You'd lose for sure if you stood up to Scrappy. No, you better go see Chrysalis now before you lose your nerve. "..Ok then. That's great for you. But I'm gonna go now. Scoots, ya got a juicebox or something?"
"Yeah, you're leaving already? Shouldn't we tell Applebloom about...the thing?" Scootaloo asked as she went to grab a juicebox.
"There's a thing? What thing?" Scrappy asked, confused.
"Oh, erm." Scootaloo had just realized that Scrappy probably would have asked that question no matter how she worded it.
So you intervene. "It's a private thing. Don't worry about it, Scrappy. But yeah, you should tell her."
"Private? Ohhh! Do you mean you've been training yourself in the mastery of chess? Because there's no point. You'd still lose" Scrappy shrugged at you with confidence.
...FUCKING. That fucking other you. Giving him some fancy smancy chessboard. Fuck it, next time you get a chance, you'll just fucking cheat. "...Sure. Whatever you say, Scrappy."
"Yup, because what I say is true!" He says in delight, which inadvertently just makes you more angry.
You just let out a quiet groan. Then you feel a tug at your side, it was Scootaloo. "Hey, Anon, we're still going to Lyra and Bonbon's right? For stargazing?"
"Huh? Oh...yeah. Right, that's tonight. Sure. Erm...Think we should invite the others?"
"Awww, you guys are going star gazing? That seems like fun..." Scrappy lets out a low whimper as he lowered himself onto his belly. "I wish me and the master, and even the queen could go. But I have work to do tonight, the queen hates that stuff, and the master has to go to bed early."
Work? "What? What do you mean by work?"
"Oh, I have to do more spying on Princess Twilight. I can sense it, some sort of book that can help us escape Discord's evil basement!" Wow, Scrappy just says that without a hint of hesitation.
"You're still doing that? And everypony is ok with it?"
Scootaloo shrugs. "Yeah, he does that almost every night." Scootaloo leans in and whispers. "I don't think he's ever going to find anything though. I doubt Twilight has anything that would help bug breath."
Hrn. Well. As long as he's never found anything. And he's never been caught, that's pretty amazing actually. But still...
You whisper back. "But Twilight knows now. What if he gets caught?"
"He's never been caught before"
"Twilight probably didn't think of him as being an invader before. Now that she knows he exists, she might notice a few things are off in her castle."
"What do you want us to do then? It's one of the few things he won't listen to us about."
Huh, is that so? "Even if Applebloom told him?"
"Yeah, no matter how hard we tried, he won't give it up. And he gets upset if we try to force him to think otherwise. He even gets scared. We don't want to scare him"
Scared? "He gets scared?"
"Yeah, you've seen it. He doesn't want to hurt anypony he cares about. That includes his queen."
That makes sense. "Alright alright. So, here's what I think. If he does get caught, I'll just deal with it, I think I can handle Twilight. And I'll try to set it up where he won't want to try again."
"I dunno, that seems risky..."
"What else can I do? He's the one sneaking around. The best I could do IS that. C'mon Scoots...he's gonna get caught sooner or later. And that's gonna be bad for everypony"
Scootaloo stopped to think on that. "..I guess you're right"
"Good, ok..before I go. I have one question for you"
"What's that?" Scootaloo asked
"You don't really think Scrappy is better than me at Chess, right? You know that was all a fluke...right?"
"I dunno. We haven't been able to beat him since. And he sure loves playing every time. I don't think he ever gets sick of chess. So I guess it probably wasn't a fluke"
Dammit. "....whatever, fine. Ok, I'm leaving. See you tonight"
"Alright. Anon, your head, you sure you're ok?"
You felt fine. For sure. "Yeah" You get the juicebox and pour some juice to the ground. You say bye to Scrappy and Scootaloo, and go to face Chrysalis.
Well, almost. Before you jump in, Scootaloo stops you one last time. "You super sure?" She asked, giving you a worried look.
"Yeah, trust me. Anyway, I really gotta go. Seeya tonight."
She didn't seem to want to let you go. She must have felt guilty about letting you just jump out the window. Or something. She wasn't blushing or anything so it wasn't lovey dovey feelings.
You sigh, and answer her in a calmer and more caring manner. "I'm fine. Really, trust me. You'll see I'll still be walking around fine by tonight."
"Ok..Well, I'm gonna try beating Scrappy at chess until Applebloom gets back. Seeya Anon."
"Seeya"
Ok, now you go back to your room. When you fall on your bed and retrieve your map, you could hear the sounds of beeps and boops at your side. It was that arcade game. Huh...you forgot about that. And someone was playing it. It was...Chrysalis?
"Stupid fucking shitty game. Putting me in it as some sort of easy early level guarder thing." Chrysalis seemed to have made some more progress than she had when she first played. But, it didn't last long before she screamed from her failure and tipped the machine over.
It miraculously survived. Well...until she zapped it into dust. "WHO'S DEFEATED NOW?! YOU PATHETIC MACHINE! THE GAME IS OVER, I WIN!" She growled in anger.
Oh joy....now you were worried
Ok ,Anon, relax. RELAX. You had nothing to feel bad about this time. No one to worry about. It was just you and bugbutt. You had to show her you were the one in control, that you wouldn't let her treat you like shit anymore. You had to show her that friendship goes both ways. Maybe then, she'll understand. Or at least know she can't mess with you in such a malevolent way.
Here we go. You speak out to catch her attention, in a rather arrogant tone. "Well, technically. Getting a "Game Over" means you lost."