Scootaloo let her eyes lift to the abyss high above, the branches of dying trees seemed to stretch out like monstrous claws. Hiding away the beauty of this crisp night and instead showering the world below in bleak emptiness.
Her tiny hooves pressed down on the drinking well hoof pump, ice-cold water from far within the earth pouring forward. Scootaloo took a quick hoofful of the liquid, splashing her face with it enjoying the cooling effect it had upon her.
Closing her eyes she allowed herself to be carried back home, away from the chill of the woods and the fear of the night. Opening soft violet hues she gazed towards her reflection in a mirror, back at home and alone in the bathroom as the sound of screaming could be heard downstairs.
“Leave her alone!”
“Let her see what this sickness brings!”
“Nooo, Just stop!”
The banging of a strong hoof on the door caught her attention, each smash causing the frame to bulge off the hinges. He would be inside soon enough, the door began to shake uncontrollably before it swung wide open.
“Look at what this evil brought!”
Scootaloo just gave a stare in silence, a stream of tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Scoots in a half-shell! It's time to party!” Lyra yelled from deep within the cabin, the filly shaking off the haze that was her memories.
Splashing her face one last time to wash away the tears.
“I’m on my…” Scootaloo couldn’t even find the words to finish, walking inside was a sight to behold indeed.
Fresh apples and oranges in a large bowl, a long silver platter decorated with many sandwiches of all kinds, from lovely oats and hay to the always great PB&J. Bag after bag of candy lined the table, as icy bottles of pop were out in the open to enjoy.
“Just wow!”
“I know right? We need to check if we are still ponies after this, we might just transform into pigs!” Lyra gave a soft wink as she sat in an odd position on her chair, back to the frame and sitting straight up.
Scootaloo jumped onto her seat, curling her hooves underneath her tiny frame. Her eyes filled with wonder as she reached a hoof out and nabbed a PB&J, taking a large bite from its delicious center as jelly rolled down her chin.
“So?”
“Om-nom. Mmm?”
“What trouble is your family in?” Lyra floated a string of small gummies high into the air, having them calmly float around her head as if in orbit around a sun.
“I’d rather not say.” Scootaloo popped open an icy bottle of pop, taking a small chug from the cherry flavor within.
“No fair, I told you about my Sweetie!”
“Well, you just told me that she left you.”
“...”
“My mom's friend is in trouble.” Scootaloo shared just a small bit, with the hope Lyra would jump off her back.
“Oh, I see!” Lyra gave a small giggle, floating three gummies into her mouth.
The filly just nodded along and took another bite from her sandwich, a sudden sting from a gummy hitting her in the right eye followed. Scootaloo winced and gave her eye a soft rub, looking over to the mare who just laughed.
“I see how it is! I’ll share a bit more on the subject, it would only be fair.” Lyra floated a bottle of pop in her magic, carrying it over to her as she broke open the top.
“You don’t…”
“Sweetie was always the odd one. I know, right?” She flaunted a hoof over herself.
“...”
“She wasn’t odd in a weird sense, just had to have things her way. Out in public, I was always to act in a certain way, chew with my muzzle closed, and sit down not on my backside.”
“I don’t think anything is wrong with the way you sit.”
“Oh, you!”
“...”
“Sweetie was just herself, she had to be the one in control. When we were out to watch a movie it was her choice, out to eat I always went with the salad.”
“Hehe. Salads are pretty good.”
“I BUCKING...I have to admit, I’m not a fan of salads.” Lyra gave a slight twitch to her left ear, calming her mind and flashing a smile.
“...”
“Sweetie always kept control. Why did I let her?”
“I don’t…”
“Because I loved her! Scootabuddy, we allow those who hurt us to keep on doing so, because deep inside we know they only do those horrible things out of love.”
“...”
“We will take that pain and mold it into excuse after excuse. Because they know in their souls, what they are doing is wrong and can’t be justified.”
“...”
“So really, we hurt ourselves, we create our monsters. Because we fuel our hell with not hate, but love.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. They set the rules, and we follow them to the letter! But when push comes to shove, they will always choose to break the rules.”
“I…”
“Sweetie would yell and embarrass me in public, telling those around us I was a slob or a piece of filth. I could never be perfect, I could never be more than...me.”
“Lyra…”
“Then one night…"
"..."
"She comes to my work drunk, saying with cider on her breath that it was I who drove her to this fate. Her muzzle stained with vomit and eyes as red as the sun, she cursed my name to all in the world.”
“...”
“She didn’t hold herself well in public, she didn’t keep her muzzle shut when drinking. She acted like a slob and indeed was a piece of filth.”
“...”
“So…I SMACKED THE BUCKING CIDER OUT OF HER! I MEAN IF I FOLLOW THE DAMN RULES, AT LEAST YOU COULD DO THE LUNA-BUCKING SAME!” Lyra smashed the bottle across the wall behind her, the cherry soda staining the wall a bright crimson.
“I’m so sorry.” Scootaloo folded her ears back in horror, gazing down at the floor in silence.
“As I said, it's only fair. Now Scootabuddy, why don’t you share?”
“But…”
“Tsk.”
“It’s only…”
“Fair. Yes, it would be.”Lyra flashed a sly smile, floating a new bottle to herself and cracking it open.
“My mom and her friend are in trouble.”
“Well duh? We’ve already established that it's rude to waste a pony's time.” Lyra enchanted a nearby hay sandwich and flew it over to herself.
“My mom’s friend has been kicked out of her home, she had been caught doing something horrible.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, my mom only wanted her to be herself. But something followed her.”
“Well?”
“She feels sorry for her, she just wanted to be happy. My mother told me that everypony deserves happiness, though some have to fight for it.”
“What followed her?”
“Hate or perhaps love?”
“Knocked upon the door?”
“Smashed it off the wall.” Scootaloo slowly lifted her head, eyes locking onto the mint mare in silence.
Lyra just batted lashes and lifted food to her mouth, taking a large bite from her meal and chewing it in deep thought. Scootaloo placed her food on the table, her appetite was no longer a problem.
“You are hiding something. Not telling the whole story, but that is fair.” Lyra gave a playful smile, quickly chugging her bottle of soda at top speeds before a loud burp filled the air.
“Sorry.”
“No apologies! A lie for a lie, I did the same to you.” Lyra just shook her head and tossed the half-eaten meal atop her plate, her hooves dancing across the old wooden surface.
Scootaloo could only watch as the mare lunged off her seat, cantering happily over to the front door and swinging it open proudly. The cold wind of the night gusting forward, Lyra sighed as her mane flowed back and her body shivered.
“Let’s go!”
“Where?”
“Monster hunting!” Lyra could barely hold back a squee, her eyes filled with enchantment and something else.
Something darker.