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// What Scootaloo Found in the Closet (Scootaloo X Sonata Dusk) 
// Story: Paul's Friendship Collection 
// by PaulAsaran 
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Scootaloo looked to her to her left, then to her right. Yes, she was still in Twilight’s castle. It was still daytime. She bit her fetlock enough to hurt. Nope, definitely not dreaming. Her eyes went back to the door she’d opened. It was supposed to be a broom closet. It still was, really. A broom closet stuffed full of scales and limbs and fins and teeth. Plus two very big, red eyes.

In the face of what one might normally deem deadly, logic dictated fleeing, or calling for help, or maybe even slamming the door. Scootaloo’s logic was curtailed, however, by how those two eyes, stuck low to the ground, gazed up at her with the kind of pleading stare usually reserved for kicked puppies. The creature was also undeniably stuck in the small room, its massive form squished and angled in ways that would make a contortionist blush.

Then the creature had the audacity to beg, in a decidedly female and fearful voice, “Please don’t tell Twilight.”

Once more, Scootaloo felt the urge to check her surroundings. Seeing she was alone and not sure anypony would believe her if she talked anyway, she turned back to the… thing. “What are you, and why not?”

“Umm… I’m a siren?” After some huffing and squirming, the creature managed to pop free a lone hoof that was as big as Scootaloo's whole body and offer it. “I’m Sonata. I know I look big and scary right now, but I promise I’m not here to eat you.”

That last part was said with such eager earnesty, like Sonata was dreadfully afraid of the accusation. Which was fair, considering the size of her and those fangs. Thinking about what Rainbow Dash would do, Scootaloo reached out to shake the proffered hoof as best she could. “Scootaloo.”

“Hey, Scootaloo. You look just like this one kid at CHS, you know?” When Scootaloo only stared blankly at her, the siren let out a faint whine. “Could you help me out of here?”

“Uh…” Taking a wary step back, tiny wings spread wide, Scootaloo eyed the creature top to bottom. Or, well, what was on top to what was on bottom. “That depends. What’s a siren, and why am I not telling Twilight?” As an afterthought, “How’d you even get in there?”

Sonata squirmed, to no avail. With a pout, she rested her scaly chin on the floor. “I guess I’m, like, a cross between a sea serpent and a pony? Maybe? I dunno how to describe it, I haven’t seen what I look like in a long time. And if Twilight finds me she’ll make me go back. I just wanted to find a new home…”

Ears folding back, Scootaloo hesitated. “And… the broom closet?”

The plethora of scales and body parts moved in what might have been a shrug. “Fear’s a pretty good motivator.”

“Right.” Scootaloo considered the situation, but the poor thing did look pretty pathetic. “Maybe I can find a crowbar somewhere?”