//------------------------------// // The Morning After // Story: Scooter Tracks in My Life // by Pyrus Nightwrite //------------------------------// AN: Not much to say really... Why don't you just read this next chapter? It's simpler that way. A thin cloud drifted over the half-full moon, masking the pale glow just lightly, like a disk of cream viewed through a sheet of silk. The crunching of the gravel, while usually magnified by the oppressing silence of the alleyway, ground dully at her ears, hardly even registering as a sound. The story that she just heard filled one side of her head, while the other side was making connections, some a little too much for her to be comfortable with. Applebloom and Sweetie Bell are my best friends. We are almost never seen without at least one of us at the other’s side. We sit next to each other in class, we spend our days playing and trying to find our cutie marks… I can’t imagine life without them. I’ve known Applebloom forever, and Sweetie Bell even longer. To lose one of them… As she neared her stopping point, she shook off the steadily darkening thoughts that became darker with the setting moon. Before entering the abandoned house, she stepped back to take a look at what she had done with the place. Getting the blankets and sheets to hang over the open maw of the establishment hadn’t been easy, and getting on the roof to hang them was even harder. The sheets were “secured” by putting large rocks and logs on top of the corners, and tying other parts of them to the loose floorboards using spare bailing twine that Applebloom had given her. There was Applebloom again. Always coming through for her. If it weren’t for Applebloom, she would have a hard time finding any food. Instead, ‘Bloom would bring apples and things for her to eat at lunch, and often offered her dinner. Between that and the spare bits she would find now and again (which she had gotten very good at finding) she could keep herself healthy and sustained without requiring any theft. She sighed, grateful for her assistance. Stepping quietly through the makeshift curtains, she looked around in the dim light. The collapsing cave she called home had a rough quilt that, while not very thick or wide, kept Scootaloo warm in the cold Equestrian nights. It sat upon a beaten-up mat, probably originally meant for camping. It was a light, thinner sheet of foam. While it was also small and in poor shape, it allowed her to sleep as well. She stepped over the twisted pile that used to be her scooter and slipped into the quilt. She curled up in it as she remembered fondly where she had gotten it. Back when her parents had died in that accident, she had no way to make the payments on her house, nor did she know how. The police of the town she used to live in wanted to take her away, but she didn’t know where and wasn’t willing to find out. Barely able to read, she packed what little she thought she needed and left the empty house behind. She wandered until she found a train car with the name ‘Ponyville’ written on its side and jumped in. when the train stopped, she hopped out and looked around at what she had decided was to be her new home. A short distance away from the station, she found the broken house. It didn’t have the sheets or the quilt or mat. But it would have to do for now. Making her way around and exploring the town, she ran into a white unicorn her age. Literally, she ran into her while looking at the town hall. After an introduction, they quickly struck up a friendship that expanded as time passed. They talked at school, and they played after. When Sweetie Bell had finally learned that Scootaloo had no home, she decided she would do what she could. She took the scraps from Rarity’s dress making, washed them, and stitched them together the best that she could. Slowly but surely she made a basic quilt out of fabric scraps. Part of what made it so warm was the memory of where it came from. She also found half of the sheets hanging off the roof. Scootaloo reflected on what she had become, and where she would, or more likely wouldn’t, be without them. Sweetie Bell was one of her oldest friends, and she may not even be alive without her help. Applebloom may have been a little more recent, but that didn’t mean she meant any less to Scootaloo. She had no doubt that she needed them, and shuddered at what she would have had to do without them. Theft was one thing that sprang to her mind. Other, darker thought she pushed out, preferring to instead wrap herself in the quilt gift she had had for so long. Her mind began to wander, as she drifted closer to rest. Reminiscing on Sweetie Bell and Applebloom, and eventually finding herself concentrating on Pyrus. He was rapidly becoming a great friend. He was one of the only colts she had ever really gotten along with. I guess that doesn’t really surprise me, look at Snips or Snails, there hasn’t been many colts to be good friends with. The only other colt she got along with was Featherweight, and he was a very quiet pony, and was always focused on the newspaper. Pyrus though… she felt he was already a great friend. He had just revealed something to her, something she had a feeling he hadn’t told many other ponies. Maybe… Maybe he’s more than just a good friend… With that, she again drifted into deep sleep. ***** Sunday Morning… Sunday morning in a hospital bed. There are so many better things I could be doing right now… like sleeping. Not being examined by this guy. Pyrus knew that Doctor Stable meant well, it was just tedious and boring. He had never liked mornings, they meant exhaustion from the nights he always spent walking or writing or both. Sunday and Saturday mornings were when he slept, if he slept. If not sleep, he felt he could be writing, or thinking about things, not answering the questions from the doctor. “Does this hurt, Pyrus?” the doctor asked not unkindly as he pushed slightly on his bandaged leg. Yes. “Nope, it doesn’t” Pyrus wanted Doctor Stable to leave him alone, so he lied about some of the questions. It was pretty obvious his lies were meeting disbelieving ears, but the owner of these ears didn’t question him. Stable continued his examination, looking at all his major bruises and eventually replacing the bandage on his leg. While Pyrus felt he was betraying himself, he found the injury interesting. The injury didn’t seem to be a broken leg, but more of a massive bruise. It’s swollen green mass enveloped the outside of his hind leg and had been split open by the impact. “You’re absolutely sure this doesn’t hurt?” the doctor. “Positive.” “Well… just to be sure…” The doctor told him the situation. He’d have to spend the rest of the day, and the night, resting in the hospital. They would check him out in the morning. Just in time for school… thought Pyrus sullenly. While he liked school, and more importantly the ponies he knew he’d see at school, he disliked the atmosphere, and algebra was killing him. Not to mention he’d already fallen asleep twice in history. The doctor then went over the information about the biggest of his injuries, his leg. It had suffered a large impact, and the doctor said the bone was bruised. Pyrus didn’t believe him at first, but Doctor Stable explained to him that when the tough fibers on the outside of the bone called “periosteum” were hit hard by the tree, the blood vessels underneath burst causing the bone to literally bruise. “I can release you tomorrow morning, but you’ll need to rest the bone for a few weeks.” The doctor told him. “No kicking anything, and try to avoid being hit by anything.” “Ok doc. Thanks for helping me out.” “My pleasure. Is there anything else I can do before I go?” “I don’t think so. Has my mother come by yet?” “No, I… I don’t think she has. Should I send someone to go get her?” Pyrus’s eyes widened and his heart monitor started beeping a little faster. “NO! Uh… sorry, but she’ll show up on her own…” she’ll probably be drunk to… Visibly startled at Pyrus’s shout, Doctor Stable assured Pyrus that should he ever need anything just give a nurse or himself a call and left to go help another patient. ***** Tick. Tick. Tick. Of all the things he thought, he never thought he would ever be this bored. A small stack of parchment lay on the table next to the bed, each one scrawled on in different ways. Some had been crumpled up, others were flawless, others still had lines etched through the words. On top of the paper sat two broken blue quills and a nearly empty inkpot. Orange aura surrounded a third quill, this one red with a white stripe, as it hovered in front of yet another parchment, completely empty. Pyrus looked at the clock. Exactly 3 hours, 21 minutes, and 35 seconds had passed since the doctor had left, and he was already contemplating setting the building on fire just to get out of it. How am I gonna SURVIVE this!? I’ve written more today than I have in the past two weeks, and I’ve officially run out of ideas. And it’s only been three hours! He looked around at the same bland white room, and then out the same old window, at the same old building, with the same old “YOLO” sprayed in ugly green and yellow in the alley. He took in the surroundings, again, and found himself wondering if he’d ever forget what the room looked like. He stared at everything he could possibly stare at until it all was completely and utterly painted in his brain. Am I really reduced to memorizing a room? Taking one final look at the parchment, Pyrus had an idea, which briefly surprised him. His quill licked its way across the page. Dear Princess Luna I know you’re probably asleep right now, but I wanna talk to you. You can’t come soon enough. This hospital is more boring than that time we decided to watch the snail race the turtle. How soon can you come? Your very bored poet, Pyrus Nightwrite p.s. I’m bored. Reading over the poorly written letter, he ignited his horn and sent it off. Orange-green smoke flowed out of the open window and of in the direction of the capitol city of Equestria. Moments later, a swirl of fire shot out of his horn, spinning like a hot little whirlwind (and almost catching the bed on fire). The fire evaporated into smoke, and then imploded to form a parchment tied into a roll with a dark purple ribbon, the Night Princess’s favorite color. Excitedly, Pyrus unrolled the letter and read it. My dear friend I know you thought I’d be asleep. But I personally can’t seem to sleep today. Ironic, isn’t it? It’s usually your job to be awake all the time. Anyway, I’ve actually taken time off tonight, so you can expect a visit tonight. I’m quite excited, aren’t you? It’s been too long since we’ve had had the chance to talk at length. And yes, I still have your question in mind. Your Lunar Princess p.s. You’re bored? Try sitting on a royal court someday, you’ll know the true meaning of bored. Smiling inwardly at the joke, Pyrus laid the note on top of the pile of parchment at the bedside table. At least I have something to look forward to... Pyrus looked at the clock. “3 hours, 47 minutes, 21 seconds. I really wish I knew some time spells.” ***** “Well, what are we gonna do today Applebloom?” “I don’t know, Sweetie Bell. Any ideas Scootaloo?” “What? Oh, uuuhhh, nope. I got nothing.” “Scoots, you sure you’re feeling ok? You seem distracted, and you’ve got Applebloom and me kinda worried.” “Well… I’ve been thinking. That’s all.” “Bout what?” Applebloom and Sweetie Bell both looked at Scootaloo with curiosity. They were in their usual spot at Sweet Apple Acres, where Applebloom had worked her own personal brand of magic. A hoof/mouth drawn map adorned to the wall behind Scootaloo, with several notes and crosses. The once splintered windowsills were now redone and painted, and the holes that dotted the walls repaired. Scootaloo would commonly remind Applebloom that she was impressed at how expertly it had been done, and impressively, in a single afternoon. Carefully, Scootaloo picked out her words. “Well, I’m worried. After you two had gone last night, I stayed with Pyrus in the hospital. We all know I don’t have anywhere better to go. He woke up, but… he didn’t look too good.” Scootaloo decided to leave out the story she had been told. “Well, it’s good that he’s awake… He had me a little worried too.” Sweetie Bell said. The memory of Scootaloo’s explosion was still vivid in her mind, and a look of concern crossed her face before Sweetie was able to suppress it. Luckily, neither of her friends noticed. “Why don’t you girls go and check up on him? Applebuck season is commin’ up and Granny Smith said ah’m not to run off, so ah can’t go with you, but you two can go see him.” It was quickly agreed that that was a good plan. Sweetie Bell promised Applebloom she’d tell her about it, and then her and Scootaloo began the walk to the hospital. On the way, they talked about school, and how miss Cheerilee was assigning more homework than usual. They had a short discussion about a possible cutie mark in flower picking when Sweetie Bell had discovered a pretty flower that Scootaloo had missed, which quickly turned into an argument about weather that was even a valid mark. After a quick truce, they decided to take a break. “I wish your scooter hadn’t broken in that crash… I don’t like walking.” Sweetie Bell sat down promptly on the side of the road. “Yeah, me too. I’d ask Applebloom to help fix it, but with Applebuck season around the corner, I don’t know if she’ll have time.” Scootaloo sighed. “Hey, Scoots? Are you feeling okay? You seemed a little… stressed last night.” “I don’t know Sweetie… I’m sorry I stormed at you like that. It wasn’t right for me to take out my frustration on you.” “That’s ok, that’s what friends are for, right? And besides, you were right to feel a little guilt, though I don’t think it was entirely your fault.” Sweetie looked her friend in the magenta eye. “Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time one of us ended up in the hospital. Remember when Applebloom bet you couldn’t climb that oak tree?” Scootaloo chuckled. “I’ve never seen bees that angry before!” Sweetie giggled, and the two friends set off again. “Sweetie Bell, I’ve known you ever since I came to Ponyville. You… you’ve been my friend through so much. You even offered me a place to live…” Scootaloo’s heart began to grow heavy, sinking, and yet floating as if it had grown a pair of butterfly wings. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you for everything you’ve done.” Sweetie swung her face over to her best friend, and stopped to put a hoof on her shoulder. “Having you as a friend is payment enough. Besides, you’ve done just as much for me. Those times Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon teased us, you were there to stand up for me.” “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Scootaloo grinned. “Maybe your cutie mark is hiding behind me!” she teased. Rolling her eyes, Sweetie Bell shoved her friend lightly and resumed walking. “C’mon, Scoots. We’ve got an injured unicorn to see.” Side by side, the pony pair trotted towards the hospital coming up into view on the horizon.