//------------------------------// // Chapter II: "First Night" // Story: The Rupture // by Tama_N //------------------------------// As it was said before, it was going to evening and our trio needed a sanctuary. Sleeping under the open sky isn't a great idea. However, nopony cared, given the events of past day. Particularly strong Cheerilee was worried about her old mother, who because of her age could barely drag herself onto the floor. But now she will experience herself not just as a good and fair educator and teacher, but as caring and attentive mother towards Scootaloo and Falcon. And the first step for her was to find a shelter where they could spend the night with a roof above their heads. The sun was still climbing down, so it was the time to search for place, like was described earlier. Fortunately, Cheerilee didn't have to look for a long time and after one hour or so they'd find the house of Berry Punch, the main drunkard of Ponyville. Just a few hours ago Cheerille could see how vainly scrambling purple pony with a grape mane fell into the bottomless abyss and disappeared in it forever. However, Cheerilee knew, that if she was alive, she would welcome guests, and therefore, having throw away all doubts and superstitions, she announced with an extremely sad sigh. "We will spend the night here..." Cheerilee opened the door and let foals come in first. All the way they were silent and didn't say a single word. Everypony was immersed into their own thoughts. Cheerilee thought about getting to the other side of rupture and what might happened to her mother. Scootaloo was worried about for the life of mother-superior and her closest friends. Falcon... Falcon had nothing to worry about, because he himself said, that his parents live in Las Pegasus, and once rupture went in the opposite direction from it, it was unlikely he had anything to worry about. But you can't tell this by his expression. There was something on his mind after all. The house was in such condition as if nothing happened, except that most of the skillets, cutleries and bilets for the moonshine fell onto the floor and in some windows there was cracked glass. The rest of the house seemed unharmed, which was quite unnatural. But anyway, this place was suitable shelter to spend a night or even an entire life, if it wasn't isolated to the rest of Ponyville. The night had already come into its possesions and the sun almost disappeared behind the horizon. However, due to the fact that in the sky wasn't a single cloud, the night was surprisingly bright. It even seemed like abyss itself emited a light, albeit with a slightly different shade. Blue moonbeams passed through the window shutters, leaving behind a luminous flux, and on the floor reflecting the shutters. The night finally covered all Equestria with its dark embrace, notifying every pony that it was time for dream. For some ponies - an eternal dream. "Good night, miss Cheerilee!" said Falcon and Scootaloo. "Good night, kids!" Cheerilee responded. Once again, looking at snuggled up to her and to each other little fluffy pegasi, who seemed to guessed her thought and didn't mind it; Cheerilee yawned and closed her eyes, covering all three with a soft blanket. It seemed like nobody and nothing could disturb the peace of this tranquil and touching scene. And so it was. This time Princess Luna was especially kind to all her subjects and even if some dream turned into a nightmare, princess of the night quickly ended it and began a serene oblivion. Today ponies have already had a lot of horrors. In the house of dead Berry Punch reigned unbreakable peace and silence. On the floor now there was no garbage and this house could well go as if nothing happened near it, but only if the windows didn't opened a breathtaking view to a newly formed canyon. In the bed there were three peacefully sleeping ponies and this scene could be mistaken for a happy family. But would that be a mistake? Blood makes relatives, but only unbreakable friendship and love can create a really happy family. And in the hearts of our characters this noble and tender feeling was more, than enough. Despite all the past events of this day, all obstacles that the harsh life placed in front of them, a sweet sincere smile did not slip from their faces all the night. Tossing and turning in the dream, Cheerile hugged foals, respiration those had even more happier smile and they clung to her fluffy purple body. This sudden warm and at the same time tickilng touch made Cheerilee shiver, but not wake up. Sometimes Scootaloo, like a little fox, tickled her nose Cheerilee's flank and Falcon's forehead, which because of dream didn't mind. After all, who doesn't want to luxuriate, especially next to such, though she didn't admit it, a cute and fluffy creature? About in this way th whole first night was the complete opposite of yesterday's events and seemed to be some sort of compensation for what happened a several hours ago. But the time came for dawn. With the first cries of the roosters, the summer sun began to rise from its oblivion simultaneously illuminating more and more areas, cities, residents and wild animals. Finally, the sunrise's rays penetrated through the windows into the Berry Punch's house, announcing that it's the time to wake up, falling onto the trio's faces. If the soft blue moonlight didn't prevent them from sleeping at all, the scarlet rays of dawn seemed like to say: "Squad, get up!" The first reaction to this call was that all three wrinkled their faces, trying to hide from the pesky rays, who strove to dazzle accustomed to the darkness eyes. But there was nowhere to go, given the weakness that appeares after a long dream. The first, oddly enough, woke up Scootaloo. For a long time she hasn't sleep as good as now - beds in the club house and in the orphanage are just awful compared to the one, on which she slept tonight. Noticing that her friends are still sleeping, she decide not to wake them up and luxuriate a little more in the rays of rising sun. Fortunately, the rupture was located on the other side relatively to the room, and the window looked out directly onto the Everfree Forest, where Zecora lived, so Scootaloo could at least temporarily forget about the horrors of this cataclysm. Sunrise was truly beautiful. Play of the sun rays with water droplets in the air created a unique set of colors and charms of nature, so Scootaloo could very easily distinguish several solar circles and at least one sunlight spot on the wall, which was created by the near-standing mirror. The whole room was pretty empty, but that didn't bother filly, because she was looking at what was outside the window. Words cannot express what Scootaloo felt at that moment; you have it to feel it by yourself to understand. It was a completely new feeling for her that she never have experienced it before and it only intensified when she was looking at Cheerilee or Falcon. No, it's definetely wasn't the usual joy of meeting the sunrise. It was something more she had for world, for nature, for ponies, for friends, for Cheerilee, for Falcon... It was the kind of love. No, hell no! Not at all! It was a love, but quite unlike the love that reigned in Equestria. It was something different, special, much deeper, than any other feelings, it went deep into her heart and settled there. Some warm feeling she never felt before. It's... family happiness! It was clearly understandable that every member of this trio loved each other with all heart. Being in such wonderful ecstasy, such feeling in a unique way the unity and love with the entire world, Scootaloo waited for the awakening of her friends, if not family. This day brought them in so far as she was close with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, for whose good fate she was praying by her whole body and soul and hoped at least one more time to see them alive. She would give anything for it. They could forget about the bridge to the other side: Scootaloo, when the others woke up, tried to attract the attention of ponies, which were standing on the opposite side of the abyss, screaming and throwing small stones at them. When little pegasus threw one of the pebbles with such force that it was able to fly to the middle of the rupture, there was something out of the ordinary. Pebble, having reached a middle, collided with something and rebounded with a vengeance. Scootaloo barely had time to dodge her own projectile, as she heard the trumpet roar, very similar to the trihoof's signal from the recently released "War of the Ponies" movie. This rumble came from the other side of the abyss and when she looked there, the little pegasus saw a dark indigo circle strictly crawling along the line of the barrier. As soon as the trumpet roar died down, the circle disappeared. This simple obversation, a completely random experiment, answered one of many questions in the head, but generated even more. But now one thing was clear: their chances to move to the other side are simply insignificant, and probably they will be up to the end of their days tormented in guesses what happened with those who were so dear to them. In one moment, in one throw all Scootaloo's hopes collapsed like a house of cards. It was then that Cheerilee ran out of the house, to who this sound almost gave a heart attack. But then she saw Scootaloo, which was sitting on her rump with spreaded legs and tucked tail. At first glance, there was nothing remarkable, but her drooping head said that something was lurking here. Something she had on her mind was not clearly so. "Is something wrong, Scootaloo?" she asked uncertainly. "We... We'll never get back to the oter side..." Scootaloo responded sadly. Cheerilee shuddered, but continued to ask. "Come on! Who told you that?" Instead of answering, Scootaloo rose up, took a small stone, and, with all strength left in her after this emotional shock, threw a stone on the other side of rupture. At first, Cheerilee thought that she wanted to throw out all accumulated anger and stress, but she wasn't right with this opinion. A deafening roar once again scattered around the neighbourhood, and the barrier swept the same dark indigo circle. "The hour is not easier..." flashed through Cheerilee's head. "Now do you see?" said Scootaloo with such trembling voice that it seemed like a stream of tears would gush out of her eyes. Cheerilee was truly sympathized with her. See this filly in the moment, when she was up to erupt salty streams from her eyes was intolerable spectacle even for the most stale creature. Cheerilee wished to help, but she couldn't; this was what drove her to rage and smelled her soul with hundreds of invisible daggers, and the thought that she was unlikely ever be able to see her mother again only increased the torment by slowly turning those daggers in a circle. But hope dies last and supports life in the breathless body until the ever end. The wrath of powerlessness and helplessness went away, giving Cheerilee's thoughts in order. Finally wrath was gone and Cheerilee spoke, putting one hoof on the filly's shoulder and the other on her own chest. "Listen, Scootaloo," Cheerilee said, seriously looking into Scootaloo's eyes. "I promise you that we will get to the other side and I will keep my word, whatever it takes." And a little hearted smile flitted across Scootaloo's lips. She admired how Cheerilee was willing to sacrifice herself for her. The whole Cheerilee's guise talked about it; it was enough to look into her shining green eyes to understand. They were like a pair of flawless emeralds saying, "Look at us!" and never let go back when you'll look at them. Scootaloo just looked into those eyes as she responded. "And I swear that I'll be your good companion and exemplary dau...~" At the last word, she faltered and fell silent. These words involuntarily fell off her tongue from the very depth of her feelings; from a dream she never knew about. There was a minute of awkward silence. Cheerilee didn't need words to understand what was happening in Scootaloo's soul, it was a fierce battle. Fortunatealy for little pegasus, she decided to save the situation, breaking a silence with good-natured chuckle and gentle smile filled with love. "Alright, now let's go to the breakfast. Falcon at the doorstep is waiting for us," she said, moving to the house. All three came inside with a bright smile on their faces.