Chapter 8
Scootaloo
"What the hell...?" Scootaloo whispered.
The four of them had gathered around the edge of the mysterious hole. They peered into the darkness, the steps descending into blackness.
"Pumpkin, you think you can send a light ball down there?" Apple Bloom asked.
Pumpkin Cake nodded. She closed her eyes for a minute and concentrated. The crystal on her forehead glowed and a small ball of light appeared. Her crystal still glowing, Pumpkin Cake sent the small ball of light down into the darkness.
The ball followed the line of the spiral stairs. After quite a few steps, the bottom appeared.
"It looks like there's a door down there," Scootaloo said, squinting slightly.
"Let's go down," Pound Cake said quickly, his eyes lighting up with adventure.
"Ok; but let's go down together. Don't fly ahead," Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo took the lead, the twins between her and Apple Bloom taking up the rear. The door was covered in dust. Pumpkin Cake sneezed.
"What do you think's in there?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Only one way to find out..." Scootaloo said.
She tugged on the handle. The door didn't move. She pulled on it harder. Still didn't move. She tried until her hands hurt. Then Apple Bloom took a turn, then Pound Cake and then Pumpkin Cake. Pumpkin even tried some spells, but nothing worked.
Scootaloo knelt down and looked through the keyhole.
"See anythin'?" Apple Bloom asked.
Scootaloo shook her head. "It's too dark; Pumpkin, can you send the light ball in there?"
Pumpkin nodded. She magically pushed the ball through the key hole. Scootaloo put her eye back up against the keyhole.
"What do you see Scoots?" Apple Bloom asked.
"It's hard to tell, but I think I see some books!" she said. She stood. "Maybe there will be some answers in there as to what put on the curse."
"How are we going to get in though? The door is stuck or locked or something," Pound Cake said.
"I'm sure Zecora has something we can use to pry it open," Apple Bloom said. "Come on; we'll go home and introduce you guys to Zecora. We'll come back tomorrow with some supplies."
They made their way back up the stairs and exited the library. The sun was high in the air and it was another beautiful day. Apple Bloom and the twins chatted as they walked through the town. The twins decided that they wanted to pick up some stuff from their house before they went to Zecora's.
"It just make sense if we all stick together and you two stay with us at Zecora's," Apple Bloom explained.
Scootaloo waited outside of Sugarcube Corner while Apple Bloom helped the twins gather some things. She stretched her wings and yawned. She thought it was later in the day, but apparently all of the commotion with the twins hadn't taken up as much time as she originally thought.
Scootaloo kept glancing over towards the centre of town. She could make out the six Element bearers. She wished there was something she could to do help them, anything that would at least give them a clue or step forwards as to what to do. What if they never awakened?
Suddenly, Scootaloo's wing twitched. She turned her head slightly, sure she saw something dart by. She glanced towards a nearby alley. Was that a silhouette lurking in there? Or was she just imagining things?
"For the last time Pumpkin Cake, don't worry, Zecora will be more than happy to look after you two," Apple Bloom said. She stepped outside of the sweet shop, the twins behind her.
"I just don't want us to be a burden is all. We've survived this long on our own, we'll be fine—"
"Shhh!" Scootaloo said sharply. She listened again, her eyes never leaving the alley. She was positive she saw something move in the shadows, something human sized.
Apple Bloom waited a heartbeat before whispering, "What is it Scootaloo?"
"I thought I saw someone," Scootaloo said slowly.
"What do you mean, you think you saw someone...?" Apple Bloom asked slowly, "The only people conscious are us and Zecora."
"Yeah, that's what we thought for the past thirteen years too, and now look," Scootaloo said, gesturing towards the twins. She then looked back towards the alley. "I'm certain I saw something move."
"Could it be Zecora?" Pumpkin Cake asked. Scootaloo shook her head.
"Zecora wouldn't hide in the shadows from us; she's like our adoptive mother," Scootaloo said.
"Could it be your friend then?" Pound Cake asked.
"No, Sweetie Belle left for Central City this mornin'," Apple Bloom said.
"Wait—which one's Sweetie Belle? The one with the pink and purple hair?" Pound Cake asked.
"Yes, that's her. She's the Magik of our group," Apple Bloom said.
"Well..." Pumpkin Cake said, slowly, "Then what if it's your other friend?"
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other.
"Um, I just said that Zecora wouldn't be hiding from us in the shadows," Scootaloo said.
"No, not her; the other Original. The one with the purple and white hair?" Pumpkin Cake said.
Apple Bloom's face turned to confusion and Scootaloo turned on the twins.
"What? What the hell are you guys talking about?" Scootaloo asked, her words tumbling out quickly, "Are you two trying to tell me that there's another survivor in town we don't know about?"
Pumpkin Cake took a step back slightly. She looked to her brother for help.
"Well... we never actually saw her with you guys; but she looks the same age as you," Pound Cake explained.
"At first, we thought she was the same person as your Magik friend, because their hair colors are sort of similar; but then we noticed that one had a crystal in her forehead and the other didn't. Then we began to suspect she was a different person, who just looked similar from afar," Pumpkin Cake said quietly.
"Wha... what!?" Scootaloo exclaimed, the only intelligible thing she could manage. "How can there be another survivor our age? We were the only three in school without our Creative Marks..."
"She visits the school a lot," Pumpkin Cake piped in.
Just then, the shadow moved again.
"There she goes!" Apple Bloom yelled.
Scootaloo was already running after the figure. The mystery silhouette clung to the shadows, a wisp of purple hair here, a flash of a pink outfit there. Just as Pumpkin Cake had mentioned, the figure was heading in the direction of their old school house.
As Scootaloo approached the school house, the figure had disappeared. Scootaloo slowed, and Apple Bloom and the twins caught up to her.
"Where... did... she go?" Apple Bloom asked, out of breath.
"I'm not sure; but I know she's still around," Scootaloo said quietly.
"I don't understand; how could we not have known there was another survivor? I mean, one our age? Can you think of anyone else who didn't have their Creative Mark at the time of the curse?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I don't know. We've swept the town over and over. How could we have overlooked someone?" Scootaloo asked. "And why would they keep coming to the school? Class was over when the curse hit. The only kids left at the school are those who were hanging around or getting extra help from Cheerilee."
"Ok; let's just take a few minutes and look around. Look around really hard; we've obviously overlooked somethin'," Apple Bloom said. She turned to the twins. "Let us know if you see the person."
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo slowly began to approach the school house. Scootaloo held her breath as she swiftly opened the door. But nobody alive was inside.
"Same old scene; Cheerliee helping Ditzy, Berry Pinch and Alula," Scootaloo said.
"Let's just take a good look around," Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo nodded and headed to one side of the room, while Apple Bloom went to the other. She scanned the books and desks, the floor, the windows, looking for anything that was amiss. She glanced over to Apple Bloom, who was doing the same on her end of the classroom. When they met in the middle, Apple Bloom shook her head.
"I don't see anything different," she said.
"Me neither," Scootaloo said.
"There are some frozen kids outside; maybe there's a clue there?" Apple Bloom suggested.
Scootaloo shrugged, doubting the possibility, and followed Apple Bloom outside.
"We haven't seen her," Pumpkin Cake said, "Pound Cake is getting an aerial view."
Apple Bloom sighed. She glanced around the school grounds, and as always, she lingered on the sight of Twist. Scootaloo knew that Twist had been one of Apple Bloom's good friends. She knew it just added to Apple Bloom's hatred of growing older, as one of her best friends was still 10 years old.
Twist was near the fence surrounding the school property. She was smiling and holding out some candy for Snips and Snails. A few feet away was Silver Spoon, laughing at something.
"I guess we'll just have to stake out the town, search everyone's houses again or somethin'," Apple Bloom said with a heavy sigh.
"Hold on a second," Scootaloo said, her eyes still fixed on Silver Spoon.
She walked over and stared down at the silvery haired girl, glasses scrunched up on her nose, her face stuck in a laugh.
"What is it Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Doesn't she look... weird?" Scootaloo said. Apple Bloom tilted her head to the side.
"Weird how?" Apple Bloom asked. The twins gathered around Silver Spoon as well.
"It looks like she's laughing with someone. Look at the way her face is turned slightly to the side, like someone was beside her. And her hand is sort of reaching out in the same direction, as though her hand was on someone's shoulder," Scootaloo said.
"I think you're reading into this too much," Apple Bloom said, "She's just laughing."
"By herself?" Scootaloo asked, as she looked at Apple Bloom. "It doesn't make any sense Apple Bloom."
"Well, what are you thinkin' then Scootaloo? Just spit it out," Apple Bloom said, impatient apparent in her voice.
"We've seen all of our classmates frozen somewhere in town right? All of them, except one. One that Sweetie Belle mentioned was missing, like seven years ago, when we did a big analysis and checklist of the town. We overlooked the twins, assuming they were dead," Scootaloo said, "and we assumed someone else had been on vacation at the time of the curse, because her parents aren't anywhere to be found in Peoplesville, and neither is she."
"I can't remember who Sweetie Belle noticed was missin'," Apple Bloom said.
"Who's the one person who's always side-by-side with Silver Spoon? Who would, say, come and visit her at the school here? Who she would be standing beside and laughing with in this scenario, if she were frozen along with her?" Scootaloo asked.
"Me."
Scootaloo jumped, and Apple Bloom's mouth hung open. Scootaloo turned around, and her guess had been right. She didn't know how it was possible, but somehow, standing behind her, with a frustrated look on her face, was Diamond Tiara.