The scooter came to a quiet stop at the bottom of Horlick's Hill, and Scootaloo stared into the distance, listening to the howl of silence that came with the midnight sky. At least, most nights, thats what she'd be listening to. That or Diamond Dancer prattling on and on about her latest triumphant adventure in fetching Luna a sandwich. But tonight, as she neared the hill, she heard a sound she'd never heard before.
Singing.
Oh, Scootaloo had heard singing before. Most ponies could carry a tune, that was a solid fact which sometimes resulted in spontaneous bursts of song. She'd never, however, heard a Crystal Pony sing. With a strong voice and a haunting melody, Scootaloo found herself lost to the drifting words overhead.
I see the night
Dance on the bay
All of the dark
Comes to stay
A glow from the heights
Glances along the water's skin
Nimble and bright
Shadows win
I’m always breathless to see,
Growing so slowly to greet me,
Where I end and where she begins
When she shines for me at night
And her stars so gleaming white
She will keep us in her sight
We all lie beneath her light
Lost in the clouds
Like tears in the rain
We aren't alone
All the same
Sleeping below
We never mind her diligence
Watching us all
Lie awake
Just on the edge of a dream
Growing so slowly to greet me
Tearing at all of its seams
When she shines for me at night
And her skies show black and white
She will keep us in her sight
We all lie beneath her light
When she shines for me at night
And her stars so gleaming white
She will keep us in her sight
We all lie beneath her light*
It was difficult to describe. A voice that seemed somehow hollow and transparent, yet wholesome and soulful. That was the word. Soulful. A song like that made Scootaloo contemplate the exact nature of the relationship between Princess and her errant girl. Was it Diamond's devotion that made her sing like that or did the emotion delve deeper? She sat there, listening quietly, wondering if Diamond would burst into another pretty song. Her voice was beautiful to listen to. Was it the crystal clear quality of her voice? Diamond had once said something about Crystal Pony throats being able to naturally harmonize, but she seemed just as confused when Scootaloo had asked how that made any sense. Scootaloo didn't press the issue, when Diamond struggled to find an explanation. It must have been hard not knowing all that much about your own tribe, let alone who your own parents were. There was very little information about Crystal Ponies since the Slavery of Sombra.
With a quiet glance at her own hooves, Scootaloo made her way towards the summit of the hill, and parked herself quietly underneath the lone tree, while the song shifted into quiet humming and murmurs. The little mare grinned warmly and leaned against the trunk of the tree, staring into the ebony sky before her.
"That was really pretty. I've never heard you sing before," Scootaloo called out. She giggled to herself at the bird-like 'squawk' of surprise that came from the branches above her followed by the sound of branches and twigs snapping. Moments later, a shocked and extremely embarrassed Diamond Dancer tumbled through the canopy and crashed to the ground next to the grinning orange filly.
"H-How much of that did you hear?!" Diamond chirped. With a lazy smile, Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders.
"Enough. You've got a really pretty voice. Kinda like Sweetie Belle! And just like her, you should sing more often!" Scootaloo grinned, enjoying the way Diamond's silver cheeks pinkened warmly.
"S-Shaddap!" Diamond huffed. Scootaloo seemed unphased, simply staring into the night sky with a grin on her muzzle that wouldn't leave for the rest of the night.