Unwelcome Visitor
Chapter 8
The Mayor rested in her home after a day that left her weary. She sat on her plush pillow as the light from candles danced across her maroon desk, while the rest of her room was shrouded in darkness. A small stack of papers she had brought home lay in a neat pile to her left. To her right, a pail three quarters full of ice, partially melted, with a Malbec wine bottle chilling, a glass of the red wine sitting next to it. She normally went for a dry Pinot Grigio, but forgot to visit Berry Punch to restock a bottle or two. The papers she had taken from the office to finish had been signed and stamped with her approval. Once she turned them in to the office tomorrow morning, she would have the rest of the day to relax. Closing her eyes, she mentally thought about how the ponies of Ponyville, well, most of them, were happy to have her as mayor. Her thoughts then drifted to a mare she didn't like dealing with. This mare who had-. Shaking her head to purge the mare from her thoughts and continue relaxing, she reached for her glass, but was met with a dull clop of her hoof on wood. Perplexed, she gently waved her hoof around where the glass should had been, but met nothing but air. Opening her eyes, The Mayor felt time stop. Her eyes shrunk to pinpricks at what was standing in front of her. Before her stood a mare covered in a black cloak, a pale yellow hoof held her wine glass out of her reach. The hood of this cloak covered everything but her muzzle, not a single hair of her mane or tail was visible. The Mayor was very familiar with this intruder to her home.
The cloaked pony took the glass and tipped it to her lips, taking a draught of the liquid. When finished, the mare placed the glass back on the desk gingerly. “Isn't it a little early to be celebrating, Mayor? After all, you have yet to finish what you started by getting rid of the brat!” Her final words were punctuated with her hooves slamming on top of the desk. The bottle held in the pail shifted amongst the ice.
The Mayor was shocked at first to see this mare so late at night, but given the recent turn of events, she should have expected it. The Mayor relaxed just a little. She had dealings with this mare before, and they was never pleasant. She knew that this mare didn't want to hear the obvious, but she didn't have any other words to please this mare at the moment. “It's not like I could do anything about it. You told me to tell you if anything regarding Scoot-”
“I don't want to hear her name! That flightless rat stands between me and what I want, and you are still helping me with that.” The mystery mare was huffing from anger and the sudden outburst. Removing her hooves from the desk, she spoke more calmly to The Mayor. “Or did you forget that?”
Mayor closed her eyes, more out of shame than fear. “No, I didn't forget. That's why you had me drop that tabloid by Carrot Top's cart, and make sure that those girls would pick it up. You don't have to remind me why I'm doing this.” As soon as those words slipped, The Mayor cringed at the mistake. She didn't need reminding, but her inability to reason with this mare left the Mayor disadvantaged.
“Oh, I don't?” A tone of mock shock was replaced with that of cold uncaring voice. “That would be nice if I shared your opinion.” Poking a hoof around the inside of her cloak, the mystery mare pulled two photo's and tossed them on the Mayor's desk. “Don't forget, Mayor, that I only want one thing. Your position means nothing to me except helping me get what I want.” The mare paused letting her words sink into The Mayor, who remained silent with her eyes closed. “Now, I can't access the archives until the annex is done, but you can. I want you to place her file in your personal safe so I can pick it up later. Once I have that, I won't need you any more and my plan can still be salvaged. Fail and you won't be drinking for a long time, Mayor.” With that said, the Mysterious mare left the Mayor's abode through a window that had been left open.
The Mayor passed the wine glass and took the wine bottle out of its ice pail. One hoof gripped the neck of the bottle, the other was hovering unsteady over the two pictures. Both photos held the Mayor when she was much younger. Her bright pink hair was wild in the photos. In one, she wore black fishnet stockings with a matching black saddle, while enjoying the company of a stallion much older than herself. The other showed her with a slim paper tube shoved in her left nostril, and the front of her muzzle covered in white dust. A salty drop of water hit the pictures as The Mayor glared at the photos. With a swift jerky motion, The Mayor brought the bottle to her lips and chugged, eager to rid herself of the memories from her past. That didn't stop them from coming. One after another of the Mayor's teenage and young adult years turned on her, making her relive not just the night that started it all, but every dirty memory. The rest of the night, she sat there crying and drinking until she passed into the realm of dreamless sleep, the only witness to this was the moon and stars high above Equestria.
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-Clack Clack- -Clack Clack- Oh, Celestia, how I hate the sound of trains. The noise and the rocking might be soothing to some ponies, but not me. My place was in the sky like any respectable pegasus. I did a bang up job of that didn't I. Not only did I blotch my own trick, but burned and made myself unable to fly for two whole weeks! I guess I should be grateful that I didn't lose my life or suffer permanent damage. Ugg, if those medical ponies had their way, I'd be stuck in Hoofington till I was able to fly again. Speaking of the doctors, the nurse they sent with me is fast asleep. I swear to Celestia that they sent a fresh out of training nurse to accompany me back to Ponyville. Most medical ponies I met in the past never sleep and try to make you swallow pain pills or sleep aids every hour. Yet this one is off in la la land with those very pills now, and my side is starting to heat up again. Here is a lesson I should teach Scootaloo, don't get burned, why... because it's flippin painful! I've been burn before, just not this badly. Forty percent of my left side plus my wings were burned, and I had to have all my feathers plucked so I would heal properly. It is a sad day when a pepasus is grounded. If I wasn't use to being grounded due to injury, I would flip out like any other. But I'm use to it for more than that... this is becoming tiresome. Every time I start thinking about Raindancer, I feel my ears fold back. No! I'm not going to think about that right now. As sorry as I am about leaving her, I can't change the past. As much as I want to, that will never happen.
Wait... something is next to me? Oh, it's Scootaloo. Well, at least she's not having a nightmare tonigh. I don't think I could hold her in my condition. … … How can I be a father to this little filly? I mean, yeah, I married and had a few romps in the bedroom with her mom, which were awesome. Ow... I can't pose dramatically with my wings wrapped up like a couple of baked potatoes. Still, life with Raindancer were the best years of my life. Oh... oh, dear Celestia, I better watch the tabloids. If they find out my wife had a child after I left, it will be horrible! I can see the headlines now, 'Deadbeat father returns to Ponyville!' 'Daredevil forgot the wrapper before leaving his wife!'. I know what they would say too. They would talk about how I banged my wife, then went to sleep with a mare while on tour, just to return home and find my wife was pregnant and ditched her. They would play it up as like, now that my wife is dead and with no other family, I am unwillingly taking care of her because I never wanted her. Stop! Calm down, Blaze. You can deal with that when it come around. When did I turn into such a pessimist? I think it started with that tabloid years ago that started this whole mess. That is if I don't include what Cheerilee told Raindancer. I can't help but be angry every time I think about that. If Raindancer didn't knock me out, I most likely would have stormed the school house... I don't think I have to say how that would have turned out, still that's in the past. Maybe this is also a second chance to patch things up with her?
“Oh, my gosh!” Oh, now the nurse wakes up! After I've been lying here in pain for the past hour. “Oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry.” Well, she is trying to be quiet so she earns a good mark there. “I'm sorry. Here, these and a glass of water should help you.” I pop the pills and down them with the water provided. She's nervous, rightly so, because of the pain I'm in and her falling asleep while on the job. Another sigh escapes me as I look at the chestnut brown mare with over-sized glasses, and her green mane done up in a bun. When I first looked at her, I had so much painkillers in me, I thought I was looking at a tree. When you're drugged up and a tree starts talking to you, not only does it feel weird at first, but you start asking odd questions to said 'tree'. Like; 'Do you enjoy birds nesting amongst your leaves and branches?' 'What are your favorite bird songs?' 'Is it hard to clean off all that bird crap?' Now after the painkillers wore off, I'm more than certain that Scootaloo was laughing when I asked those questions. Speaking of her, she has accepted me as her father rather quickly. I would have thought she would have hated me for not being around. Or was that orphanage really that bad? Oh, the painkillers are kicking in.
Well, at least I'll be able to to sleep now. In the morning, I'll be carted away to Ponyville hospital and a letter will be sent to Macintosh to come pick up Scootaloo for school. Speaking of Ponyville hospital, when did it get so famous? Not only does it have the best burn treatment center, but also the best treatment center for magical accidents. In truth, that's the only reason the doctors were willing to let me be transferred. Otherwise, my recovery would have taken months, and that would be too long... Wait, something's at my side? Is that a chicken? No.. chickens don't have purple hair or tails. Um... what was I doing again? Wow, I'm really tired. Maybe I should rest for a bit...
^^^
Sunlight was barely creeping through the windowpane as the train pulled into the station. I'm glad painkillers exist, because otherwise, I wouldn't make it to my next destination. Scootaloo walked next to me as I was wheeled out to the waiting medical ponies. Her eyes were full of worry and her mane was unkempt. I had gotten so use to giving out fake smiles. I think even the royal guards would be fooled. Scootaloo didn't buy it when I told her I was fine. She looked more worried after I said that. Maybe I should just keep my trap shut. I guess I should be glad that a few pegasi are air-lifting me the rest of the way. The nurse will escort Scootaloo to the hospital then probably return to Hoofington. I would write an angry letter about her falling asleep, but it's not worth it. I'm sure she'll get the hang of things sooner or later.
I'm sure this will be the last time I feel the wind in my face for some time as the two pegasi lift off. Even if it's not from my own flying, I still love being in the air. Wait... Scootaloo hasn't done any flying when I'm around. Even if Raindancer was unable to fly herself, she still should had been able to teach Scootaloo some basic flying lessons. I probably look like I'm sulking right now. I look that way every time I think. No matter how I look at the moment, this bugs me. I've looked at her wings and they seem to be developing normally. She's got some serious speed when she's on that scooter of hers. Yet, other fillies and colts her age are flying with ease, while she's still ground bound. … That is something I will have to talk with her about.
Big Mac is an early riser and it's good to know that after all these years he's still my friend. Out of all the ponies in this town, he was the only one who stuck by me. That is reassuring because I know once ponies start to recognize me, I'll need both his and Scootaloo's help. Unless in these last ten years, this town has forgotten about me. If that's the case then I have nothing to worry about. Oh, wow... Now I can see why Ponyville's hospital is so good. It's huge! Bigger than any of the other hospitals that I've been to. The population of Ponyville must have skyrocketed while I was gone. Oh look, a roof landing with a stretcher waiting. I just hope that I won't be shackled to the bed on top of being grounded. Unlikely, but even I dislike hospitals... for more than one reason.
^^^
Scootaloo hated the hospital, probably more than any other pony in Equestria. It was where she was kept, telling doctors, 'Yes, that is my mom!' for longer than she needed to. Talking to police ponies who were asking questions that she had no answers for, and the Mayor, who came a day later, said she was going to be put in Ponyville's orphanage. The only good thing about today is that she wasn't going to lose another family member. With a sigh, she waited for Big Mac and Applebloom to show. She had already asked nurse Redheart if anything had changed with her father, but got the same answer every time. 'It will take some time. Please be patient.'
The opening of the hospital's doors caught her attention right before she was tackled by her farmer friend. “Scootaloo! Are ya ok? Is yur father okay? Did he hurt ya? What happened? Whoa!” Applebloom was pulled off by Big Mac and held in the air. Scootaloo picked herself up and brushed off the dust that was dragged in by the Apple family filly.
“I'm fine, Applebloom, but my dad's not doing so well. He got burned badly during the show. I don't know how he's doing right now because nopony will tell me.” Scootaloo sat with a huff. Even with her closest friend, she wore her blank emotionless mask. She had broken down in front of both her friends before, but she still didn't want them to think of her as weak. This, however, didn't have the desired reaction of a pony leaving her alone, but rather this had consistently made ponies around her more worried.
Applebloom squirmed a little and was dropped gently by her brother. After this, she swiftly wrapped the pegasus filly in a hug. She disliked how Scootaloo always got that vacant stare whenever she started talking about her family. All Applebloom wanted was for her friend to enjoy her life again. She and Sweetie had made a promise to do just that. But her father's emergence had brought a mixed result within the feathered filly, or at least, to Applebloom's eyes.
As for Macintosh, he left the two fillies to talk and made his way to the counter where the nurse sat waiting. “I'll be take'n Scootaloo to school. Did ya'll need me ta pick up Blaze later?” He had figured Blaze wouldn't want to stay in the hospital any longer than needed, given his stubbornness and loathing of them.
Nurse Redheart looked up to Big Mac with a rosy blush coming to her cheeks. “Yes, he's not that badly injured and just needs rest and occasional ointment applied with fresh bandages. If you don't mind making a return trip, he should be ready to be released with supervision in an hour or so.”
“Thank ya kindly, Ms. Redheart.” Macintosh turned to gather the fillies, missing the raging blush that graced the nurse's white coat. “Alright, you two, let's go and get ya ta school.”
The two looked up to Big Mac and gave a nod and fell in step, the best they could, with the large earth pony. Applebloom was calmer now that she knew her friend wasn't going to revert to her emotionally closed off ways. Scootaloo had been reminded by Bloom's hug that she could rely on her friends for more than getting her cutie mark. Big Mac, however, was quietly chuckling to himself as he walk to the schoolhouse with the fillies in tow.
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It's one thing when you know an old friend will help you out. It's another thing entirely when you know said friend will help you while laughing the whole time. And that's just what Macintosh did. From the time he picked me up from the hospital to my front door, he was laughing. I swear his laugh must have drawn half the town to my condition by the time we got to my house, and he's still laughing as he helps me inside. Ugg...as soon as I'm able to, Mac, you're going to get pranked. Hard. I was put into bed by Mac and a blanket tossed over me. Mac is still laughing, just not as hard, and thankfully the doctor dulled back the dosage of the painkillers. Turns out the Hoofington doctors were going a tad overboard because they were pulling my feathers out. I hear Mac say that he'll be bringing Scootaloo back home. As much as a relief that is for me, I don't like anypony seeing me injured. Even though the doctor said the ointment will speed up the healing, I still needed to keep off my hooves and rest as much as possible. With or without the ointment, my side still burns and it's been two and a half hours since I last took any pills.
The pills are on the night stand across the room... Sometimes, Mac, you prove my point that you're not that bright. With a heavy sigh, I pull myself out of bed, the burning pain from my left side has made just a short walk agonizing. “Okay, directions, take two every four hours with water or a meal. Do not take more than twelve in a twenty four hour period. If pain persists call a doctor. May cause drowsiness, blurry sight, and dizziness. Do not fly or attempt to work while taking this medication.” I cast my eyes around my room and to my dismay, not a single glass for water. Holding the pill bottle in my mouth, I half drag half trot down to the kitchen. This blows. I've been injured plenty of times, but I gotta say getting burned like I did is lucky compared to what could have happened.
I was told by one of the nurses that Ponyville's hospital staff has grown due to recent events, as well as having a much wider and better treatments than any other in Equestria. To top it off, they are allowed to claim that they have treated some of Equestria's most famous ponies. Ponyville itself was not short on praise as well. Being home to the princess's student, Ms. Sparkle. The Apple family was already known for their cider, zap apple jam, and some of the best apples one could ever taste. Now that I think about it, I remember having a fashion magazine shoved in my face by Sunbright. It was talking about a dress designer that had made dresses for Sapphire Shores. Not that I cared at the time, but now that I think back on it I feel the pieces slip into place. Ponyville had only one fashion store who was owned by that white unicorn. She must have been that designer that was in the magazine.
When did Ponyville become so famous? I mean it was founded like sixty years ago... or was it seventy? Yet this little town doesn't have a population more than like six hundred... I think it's around six hundred. I guess I should ask Mac what else I missed in the past nine years. Regardless, I need to head the hospital tomorrow. They will be expecting me as they will be changing the bandages from my epic flaming screw up. … … I guess I shouldn't be so concerned about it now. After pushing Sunbright off last night, and worse yet, yelling at her like I did, I would have to expect her to let me go after that.
I shuffle into the kitchen and place the bottle on the counter. I grab a glass and start to fill it with water from the sink. Why did I have to do that? Why did I have to go and make this so much worse? It's bad enough that I woke her up with the firecrackers, but to shove her off in the middle of a show was just another mark on how much of a mule I am. The worst part about it, I did it because she kissed me. I look up to see the cup overflowing with water, I quickly shut it off and stare into the glass. I sigh, why am I doing this? I've never been so spiteful to Sunbright before, not even when she gets drunk, tries to seduce me and ends up puking on me before passing out. I don't think I've ever yelled at her before this. Maybe, it's because I was never attracted to her. She has a drop dead gorgeous body for a mare, but she's not what I wanted. I expect by tomorrow, she will send a letter requesting my resignation. In hind sight saying she was equal to 'shallow sex-driven fan mare' was not what I should have said. I have enough bits stored away to keep me and Scootaloo fed for about two months or so. I'm glad now that I have this house paid off. I could audition for the Wonderbolts. I have the background and skill to make it, but I've been in the Phoenix Wings practically since birth! Oh, Celestia, what would my parents think of me now? Their son, a stallion who breaks promises and mares' hearts. Toss in getting kicked out of the group his very family founded and I'm sure they would disown me on the spot! That is if they didn't skin me first.
Placing my head on the cool counter I can't help be feel more and more undeserving. I have a foal to take care of from a mare I abandoned years ago! I not only put at risk the life of another pony, but said things that were uncalled for. I screw up the trick I made in my youth. I won't be able to fly for two weeks because of that. I should stop dancing around the bush and say it. “I'm an ass. Not just any regular ass, but a lying, unfaithful, disrespecting pony who's worse than griffon crap!” I don't feel any better. My eyes spy the bottle of painkillers. Could a pony overdose on pain pills? I squeeze my eyes shut. No! I can't start down that path again. I was ready to just drink myself into oblivion when I had left Raindancer, that is if Dust hadn't pulled me out of it. He's not here to save me if I do something stupid like that again. What's worse is if I die, where would Scootaloo go? Right back to the orphanage, a place that she hates vehemently. Picking up the glass, I pop two of the pills and take a sip. The water is cool, refreshing, and washes the pills down with ease. I place the glass down and leave the bottle there with it. I know what I can do. If it comes down to it, the next opening in the Wonderbolts line up is going to be mine. While I wait for that, I'll get a job with the local weather team. Scootaloo said that Rainbow Dash was head of Ponyville's weather team. I should go talk to her about that. Or maybe Big Mac needs help around the farm? If either one doesn't pan out, I'll go to the other.
I make my way to the couch and plop myself into it. Hehe, nopony ever knew why this couch was so comfy. With the enchanted cloth that cost me damn near a wing and a leg to get, I stuffed it full of cloud and nopony was ever the wiser. Well, maybe Raindancer was, but she never complained about it. With a half-baked plan, I can only hope everything turns out well. Despite the doubts I have about the future, I feel good. Although that just might be the pills. As I settle into the couch, I think of Scootaloo. I need to tell her the truth soon, before a disaster strikes and I have to clean up another mess.
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Scootaloo and Applebloom sat outside the schoolhouse waiting for Sweetie Belle to show up. During that time, Bloom was pestering Scootaloo for the details on the show, but she was tight lipped on that. When Sweetie finally showed up just a few minutes before class, Scootaloo dragged the two around the building. “Okay girls, we are going to have a special crusaders meeting after school. I can't tell you what its about right now, but I need your help.”
The earth and unicorn filly didn't have time to question their friend as Ms. Cheerilee called the children in for class. The three scampered from around the building, and with a chipper greeting to the purple pony, sat down ready for class. “Okay class, who's ready for some fractions!” Most of the class groaned, not wanting to do math so early in the morning. But such things in school, much like life at times, simply don't go your way. For the next hour, the class worked on learning what Cheerilee called 'simple fractions'. To Scootaloo, it was time spent doing boring and tedious work. Time better spent learning to fly or about her father's past. So the day trekked on with fraction after fraction, each of the little colts and fillies wished and prayed that math would end and lunch would be upon them. Their wish came true, but only in part. Math was over, but now to the dismay of the class, mostly just Scootaloo, ancient Equestian history.
Scootaloo ignored the lesson in favor of writing what she knew about her father, but to Cheerilee, it looked like she was writing down notes. The purple earth pony was pleased because this would be on the test next week. The orange filly, however, had her own ideas of what was important. After an hour long lecture, Cheerilee called for lunch time. The classroom was cleared in record time, and the school teacher admired how foals were always so full of energy. Especially that pegasus Rumble. Oh, she felt he would be one handsome stallion when he grew up. But that was a thought for another day. For right now. she had a test to prepare and more lessons to plan.
Scootaloo was eating a lunch that was made for Big Mac while she sat with her friends. “No. I'm not telling you, not here at least. Wait till we get to the clubhouse.” That had been the third time she had told Applebloom and Sweetie, but they weren't satisfied.
“But ya gonna tell us right?” Bloom was really wanting to know what was going on in the mind of her friend. If she had to put her bits on something, her bet was that it was something to do with her friend's father.
“Yes, of course. I'll tell you both about it. I just don't want anypony telling Diamond or Silver. It's bad enough that they butt their noses into my life any more than they already have.” An angry huff left the tiny pegasus, just the thought of those two bullies made her irritable. Fortunately for the three of them, both the bullies fell ill with the flu over the weekend and wouldn't be around.
“OK, but you better not forget,” Sweetie said while poking Scootaloo's side. She hadn't forgotten what Rainbow Dash had asked them and the promise they had made. Sweetie more than willing to help her friends should anything happen to them.
“Don't worry, Sweetie, I won't be able to.” Taking another bite of the sandwich, a thought unrelated to her current dilemma occurred. How was it possible to make apples into a sandwich and make it taste so good?
Cheerilee called the foals back to class. Once they were all seated she gave a huge smile and said, “Ok everypony, I want you each to tell the class what you did this weekend.” Twist eagerly shouted that she made more of her peppermint sticks and that ponies could now buy them at Sugar Cube Corner. Featherweight had taken pictures of other pegasi in flight. A chubby colt in a fez spent his time reading. Snips had cut Snails mane into a Mohawk. Snails who nodded his head now looked more fitting in a punk or heavy metal band. Pipsqueak went to a lake with his father to go fishing. Applebloom said she and Sweetie helped around the farm. When it came time for Scootaloo to tell what she did, she hopped off her chair and trotted up to the front of the class. Cheerilee raised an eyebrow in confusion as to why the filly would need to be at the front of the class.
“My weekend was spent up in Hoofington watching the Phoenix Wings daredevil act!” All eyes were now on Scootaloo, just like she wanted. Raising a hoof, she silenced the foals who wanted to hear of the groups epic feats. “Underneath a tent that was taller the town hall and wider than the library, three of the most daring pegasi, wearing suits of yellow, orange and red, burst from the ground with fire licking at their back hooves!” The class traded looks amongst each other, all with the same thought in mind. This was going to be good. “High above the crowd, the three stood confident that this night was going to be the best. As each member was called, they took off from the platform and flew above the audience to give them one last look before they started.” Cheerilee's face was blank, but her mind was raging at the fact the Blaze had taken Scootaloo out of Ponyville, even if it was for the weekend. Scootaloo grinned as the class begged her to continue. “The captain, a mare who's coat was rustic red and a mane of gold, was the first to perform. Her stunt was the 'Free Fall', which doesn't sound scary to a pegasus until you bind their wings.” A gasp rang out from the class and more them a few gulps from the other pegasi foals. “That's right, she had her wings bound and she had only a minute to unstrap herself. With all eyes locked on her, she jumped.” The class was wide eyed with wonder and they all unknowingly were inching closer to the edge of their seats. “The captain was falling faster and faster, rushing towards the ground and suddenly!” All the foals held their breath. “Bam! She rips free from her bonds and flies over the crowd in victory!” The class bursts into a glorious cheer, Cheerilee however was silently fuming while retaining her cheerful smile.
“Oh, but that's not all. The next stunt was done by the stallion who has never spoken a word in his life. The silent terror of the skies, Dust Devil. This gray coated and blue maned stallion was on a different path. He was up against the cannons with live ammunition.” An echo of 'wows and awes' rang through the room, Cheerilee had her hooves over her eyes as she knew what the 'live ammunition' was. “And when I say 'live ammunition', I mean ponies were being shot out of the cannons to their DOOM!” Scootaloo reared up to her hind legs as several of the fillies screamed at the thought of being shot out of a cannon. Cheerilee moved one hoof to her desk drawer and found a nice cool glass bottle inside. She was going to need this after class ended. “The first cannon fired and an earth pony shot through the air. With all his years of training, Dust Devil caught the mare and returned her to the ground safe and sound.” Many of the foals gave whoops of joy, but were quickly silenced by Scootaloo. “Oh, but it's not over yet. With that mare out of danger, the blast of two more cannons, Dust was forced into action again. This time a rich stallion and his wife were in dire straits.” Cheerilee hoped that Scootaloo was exaggerating, because the thought of the team using patrons in their act was chilling to her. “Dust caught the mare, but under her extra weight, the flight to her husband looked impossible. Never fear, for Dust had a mountain of power behind his wings and caught the stallion on his back!” Pip, with his Trottingham accent, gave a loud 'Woohoo' from his desk. “Oh, but that's not the best part.” Scootaloo said with a grin. “The last pony that was hurled through the air was caught but...” Scootaloo had paused, she now remembered that she hadn't been paying attention to the last portion of Dust's act. With the whole class enraptured by her tale, she improvised. “She slipped out of his sweaty hooves.” The class foals gasped, for a pagasus to fall was one thing, for an earth or unicorn pony to fall meant injury for sure. “Dust Devil twisted in the air and pumped his wings for all their worth. With only inches to spare, Dust caught the mare and flew up to the top of the tent before returning her to the ground.”
Now Scootaloo had the entire class truly on the edge of their seats and she had saved the best for last. “Now, we come to the big finale. The last of the three, the largest of them and my father, Blaze Wing. For him, no ordinary trick would do, for he would risk the very fires of the Roaring Dragon!” Cheerilee felt her heart stop, this was the same stunt that Blaze had done the night Raindancer was attacked. Now more than ever, the bottle of spirits was calling to the purple teacher. “From the platform high above, my father smirked like this was as easy as eating pie. The fire burst and twisted into the head of a dragon. It traveled down into a spiral before coming back up into an arc and into a much more impressive fiery tail that was wrapped around the center support of the tent.” Cheerilee was starting to crack, memories of that night were coming back on top of her loathing of Blaze. “My father lept from the platform and into the maw of this flaming behemoth. As he passed through the beast it moved as if you could see him being digested inside.” This made several of the foals cringe at the thought of being eaten alive. To Cheerilee, she had to hold back her laughter. She knew all to well that this was a sign that Blaze screwed up from the get go. The teacher forgot about the bottle of alcohol in favor of listening to Scootaloo's retelling of the events. “After he reached the peak of the arc, all swaying stopped. The only sound that was heard was the crackling of the fire dragon was made from.” Cheerilee had both her front hooves over her mouth as she tried with all her will to not bust out laughing right there. “With a loud bang and a flash of white fire, my father burst from the dragon's tail and flew around the tent to show how he mastered this beast!”
With one over her eyes and mouth and the other holding her sides, Cheerilee thought she was masking her delight at what she knew was at Blaze's expense. Removing the hoof from her eyes, she addressed the class for the final time today. “Well Scootaloo, that was a riveting tale of your weekend. But class is almost over and I need to remind all of you all that there is a test next week. So, I expect you all to study hard and have a great afternoon.” Just as Cheerilee finished the bell rang. Foals gathered their saddlebags and rushed out of the schoolhouse to play the rest of the day. She wouldn't need the bottle now that she heard about Blaze's smoking finish.
Scootaloo had to wait for Applebloom and Sweetie, mostly because her bags were still at home and she didn't need them anyways. “Ok, girls, off to the clubhouse.” With her two friends in tow, Scootaloo took off to the Apple family farm.
^^^
The door to the Crusaders clubhouse had never before been forced open with such speed. It's hinges squeaked in compliance and the impact left a door nob impression in the wall. Scootaloo ignored everything in the small wooden hovel except the chest where their Crusader capes were stored, amongst other oddities that the three of them pick up along the way. Applebloom was panting mildly as she joined the tiny pegasus inside. Sweetie, on the other hoof, was heaving great gulps of air and her coat was matted with heavy perspiration.
“Scootaloo!” The yellow farm filly cried. “I thought you said you couldn't fly?! You were nearly airborne the entire time.” While that was true in some regard, it wasn't accurate. She and Sweetie had watched their feathered friend leap with all four legs while beating her wings to give more momentum to the act. After landing, Scootaloo would simply repeat the motion, even though she fell more often then she wanted to. When the falls did occur, it had allowed both Applebloom and Sweetie to keep pace with the young pegasus.
“I wasn't flying.” Scootaloo said as she continued her search through the box. “That was an exercise for young fliers that I learned about last year. It's suppose to help me learn to land and take off at the same time as I run.”
“S-Scootaloo...” Sweetie was slowly catching her breath and knew her sister would demand she take a bath when she got home, but that was unimportant as to the question she needed to ask. “What are you looking for?” She said between gasps for air.
“Those detective hats that Pinkie gave us, the ones she stashed in here 'in case of some mystery needing to be solved emergency' or something like that.” Scootaloo started to chuck objects out of the chest: a rubber ducky, a mouse cat toy, an umbrella, a wheel, a french horn, and a microwave.
“Oh, hay, you found my microwave!” That shrill voice of the joyous pink pony rang throughout the clubhouse. As she caught the device, Pinkie leaned through the window and ushered the unicorn and earth filly to come close. With a shrug, the two walked over thinking very little about Pinkie's sudden appearance. The party pony whispered into the young ones ears. “It's not who you think it is, but the mare is crazy.” Pinkie then disappeared and Applebloom just rolled her eyes and passed it off as her just being Pinkie Pie.
“Found em!” Scootaloo cried as she tossed three gray padded wool caps to the floor. One of them had something else stuffed into it. Before Applebloom or Sweetie could react, the tabloid was laying face up in front of Scootaloo with only a slight curl to its edge. The two looked to each other before turning their eyes back to their friend who wore an expression halfway between confusion and shock. “What is this?”
Sweetie started to sweat again while Applebloom muttered something under her breath too low to be heard. Scootaloo looked to her friends, her face was unreadable, but the low even tone told of Scootaloo's displeasure. “How long have you had this?”
Applebloom was the first to break. “We found it when ya was up in Hoofington. We was gonna tell ya about it about it when ya got back, honest.” She pawed the ground with a hoof. It was the one thing she did when she was telling a half truth. “But ya were so happy ta be with ya pop we was thinking about just tossin` it away.” This was closer to the truth, but it didn't matter any more.
“Well, I'm glad you didn't, because I need to find out what happened that made my mom and dad split.” With her nose, she flipped open the tabloid and read the article about her father and Sunbright. To Scootaloo, the pieces of what had happened over the weekend became much clearer, as well as her displeasure of Sunbright. “Okay, girls, change of plans. We are gonna find any pony who lived in Ponyville back then and get some answers.”
Sweetie and Applebloom's hearts sank. The one thing they wanted to avoid most had happened, and now their pegasus friend wasn't not going to be deterred from her path. They each made a prayer to Celestia that everything would turn out all right.
Sweetie cast her eyes down and found she had moved over the thinking spot. The lantern above her flicked on as she recalled what they had done over the weekend. “Scootaloo, we tried that already. We couldn't tell you that earlier because you were going too fast for us. When Applebloom and I found that magazine, we went to find ponies who would know something abut it. We only found one pony who knew anything about your father, and she said that what was said in that magazine was untrue.”
Scootaloo took her friends words to heart, but the pony who told Sweetie could have been lying. “I believe you, Sweetie... But there is only one way to find out. I'm gonna borrow this for a bit.” With that, Scootaloo grabbed the tabloid and ran out the door.
Applebloom and Sweetie moved to follow their friend but collapsed when their muscles refused to move. The two watched as the orange blur moved further and further away, both of them felt dread well up in their throats wondering who she would talk to.
^^^
A quick stop at home to pick up her saddlebags and a heart attack later, Scootaloo was out the door. She knew her father to be home recovering. What she hadn't expected was seeing him on the couch. She, quietly as possible, ascended the stairs grabbed her bags and left. The thought of waking him up and asking him then and there had popped into her head. However she felt the need to find the answers for herself, the help of one mare in particular. She passed by much of Ponyville and ended at the home of the most magical unicorn in the whole town.
Scootaloo sat in the library waiting on Twilight to finish her work. When it came to Twilight and her work, time became anyponies worst enemy. Fortune smiled upon her today as her wait was but five minutes long.
Twilight turned to the orange crusader with a smile. “Okay, Scootaloo, what can I do for you today?” Although the purple librarian had a hunch on what she was here for.
Scoots jumped up and fished out the magazine that was found by her friends and dropped it in front of the older unicorn. “Sweetie and Applebloom found this a few days ago and I was wondering if you could... I don't know, see if you could find any more for me?” Scootaloo was desperate at this point to have a true yes or no to the haze of her father's past.
“Okay, this was expected, but I didn't know she had a copy of this.” Twilight nodded to the young pegasus, her smile faded a little as she went into lecture mode. “Well, Scootaloo, I already did that.”
Scootaloo was in the unicorn's face faster than Pinkie could throw a party. “You did!? Please tell me what you know, please please please!” Her mind was now full of questions and fear of what the protegee of Celestia would reveal.
Twilight pulled the hyperactive filly off her face and placed her on a pillow. “Well, ever since Pinkie's party, I've been wondering myself on why he left, mostly because his explanation at the party didn't seem all that believable. This magazine's reporter and, from what I have uncovered, an eye witness, saw Blaze walking into a hotel with this mare.”
Scootaloo slumped. “So it's true. My dad really did cheat on mom. But why? Why would he do that? She loved him, and her loved her. Did they not love each other any more? Or was it something else?” Soon, the gears of her mind churned out more questions of her father's infidelity, until Twilight cleared her throat.
“So.” Twilight continued. “I contacted The Newmare Times when I found out about the article, and what I got back was this.” Turning her head slightly, she summoning her magic and pulled out a letter. Clearing her throat a second time, she read the letter to Scootaloo.
“Dear Ms. Sparkle,
We thank you for taking an interest in our publication and should you wish to subscribe please fill out the inclosed form. As for your inquiry about the magazine article in question, that issue was retracted nine years ago due to facts that were falsified. Should you, or some pony you know, have one of these issues in your or their possession, we humbly request that you send us the misprinted copy so we may compensate you properly.
Sincerely,
President and CEO of The Newmare Times: Urgent Press.”
“So, it's not true, my dad didn't cheat on my mom?” Scootaloo looked to to the older mare, with the wanting in her eyes that she would confirm her own wish.
Twilight folded her ears back as she stared at the unfortunate filly, who was simply wanting a straight answer. “That I don't know, but I think I know where you could look next.” Scootaloo flared and rotated her ears, showing that Twilight had her full attention. “You could go to the Mayor and get access to the archives. I believe that's where all of your mother's stuff is being held when you were in the orphanage. Now that your father is taking care of you, you should be allowed to claim them," Twilight said, with a smile.
“My mother's stuff...” Scootaloo stated as her eyes widened. “Like her diary! Twilight, you're a genius!” She pounced on the unicorn with the strongest hug. Pulling herself off, she stuffed the tabloid back into her bags, and with a shout of thanks over her shoulder, Scootaloo rushed from the library to acquire the lost pages of her mother's thoughts.
Twilight watched the pegasus filly leave with pride that she would find the answers. Turning around, she looked around her home and thought a good dusting was needed. “Spike!”
^^^
“What do you mean I can't have them?!” Scootaloo fluttered her wings in agitation as she faced the Mayor in her office. Her one link to her mother's thoughts and knowledge of those years long past, was now being denied by the one mare who had the keys.
The Mayor on the other hoof was doing her best to not show how she felt on the inside, as she dealt with her pounding headache and urge to vomit. The heavy drinking last night had caused her to sleep in and gave her secretary a reason to be grumpy. Now, she had to comply with that mare's request by coming up with a plausible lie to deter the young filly. “Well, you see, Scootaloo, we moved the archives that held your mother's effects to the annex. The annex itself however is under restructuring for the next few days. I can let you know when it's done so you can come and claim them.” The Mayor put a smile on her face like she always did. In all of her years, she hated herself now more than ever. She knew she had made mistakes, who in their youth doesn't? The lies she told this little filly settled like a heavy gravy in the pit of her stomach. Much like the lies she had told to Ponyville's residents to get elected, and the lies she told herself every day that she would eventually fix her past mistakes.
Scootaloo let out an angry growl as she stormed out of the town hall. As she made her way back to the clubhouse, something that she heard Applejack say popped into her head. “There's more than one way to buck an apple tree.” If the Mayor wasn't going to give her mother's stuff back, then she will simply take it back.
^^^
“You want us to do what?” Applebloom and Sweetie cried at what Scootaloo had proposed.
“You heard me. I want you to help me break into the town hall's annex to get my mother's stuff. Sweetie Belle, you can search around your sister's work for some kind of black coat or something dark enough to cover me. Applebloom, you still got those lanterns from our camping trip and we still have all that coat dye from our talent show two years ago and-”
“Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle had startled her feathered friend into silence. “Scootaloo, I... We know you want to know what happened to your parents, but breaking into the town hall is going too far. What makes you think there is anything in there that will help?” She didn't even try to hide her growing worry, but Sweetie was afraid that this would only bring bad things for her friend in the end.
Scootaloo was a tad stunned at her friends' words but she needed their help. “When my mom died, some of her stuff was moved into the town hall's archive, and don't ask me why because I don't know. It was mostly papers, but what I'm looking for is her diary. She might have written down something about what happened between her and dad.” With a sigh, the filly continued. “Because I'm now living with my father, I can get that stuff back, but the Mayor wouldn't give it back so I'm simply going to take it back. Besides, it's not stealing if its mine, right?”
^^^
A cool night breeze was flowing through Ponyville tonight, a lone figure crept from shadow to shadow. It had been hard enough waiting for her father to fall asleep, even worse that Scootaloo told him everything was just dandy today. She wanted to ask him at dinner, but she didn't know if he would tell the truth or not. Poking her head around a building, she spotted her destination, the town hall. Scootaloo casts a glance towards the farm where her friends were to meet her. They had pleaded with her that if she was going to do this, they would do it together, but Scootaloo had run off without them when they didn't show up. Muttering under her breath, “it's already bad enough that I have to break in, I wouldn't want you two to get in trouble because of me.” Scootaloo set her sights back to the town hall and moved quickly to the building.
Scootaloo crept to a window and tapped it with a hoof. “Locked. I'll try another one.” So she went from portal to portal, testing each one, but was met with the same result. “RAA! Come on, there's got to be at least one that's unlocked.” With a grunt, she banged the last window in frustration. The window's frame shuddered, then swung open soundlessly. With a muted, “Yes!” Scootaloo dropped her saddlebags and prepared for her next task. Once that was done, she fluttered up past the open window and to the cold wood of the annex.
Should anypony walk into the archive at this time of night, they would be hard pressed to not laugh. The young orange filly had a small pillow crudely attached to each hoof to muffle her steps on the wood flooring. She was wrapped in a black turtle neck sweater one size to large for her, and holes had been crudely cut out of it for her wings. Strapped to her head was a yellow miner's helmet equipped with a firefly light. The light it cast was dim from the old bugs. Scootaloo silently crept from bookshelf to bookshelf as she made her way through the town hall's archive room, each hoofstep made a small pomph from the pillows. This annexed building was built after the town hall was wrecked by a gray mare some time last year. All of the records involving the town were transferred here after it's hasty construction for need to preserve the documents about it's residents, or more importantly to Scootaloo, her mother's diary.
The moon now reached it's apex and the young pegasus hadn't slept since the train ride home. Along with running around town a good portion of the day, she was weary. Scootaloo was not going to back down now just because was tired. No, she was close to the truth and there was no stopping her now.
She had been searching for around for about an hour while keeping a constant vigil for any security pony that might be roaming the large room. The wind outside was mild, but every so often would pick up strength only to die back down. The full moon illuminated the room through the uncovered windows. The chairs cast long and deep shadows that looked more like featureless tombstones. Row after row of bookshelves and metal filing cabinets took up the right side of the room. To the filly, they looked massively large, however she was not to be deterred from her goal.
“Ugg, where would this stuff be filed? And what do these tags even mean? FR.EQ2000-2005. FR.EQ1995-1999. Arrg, I'll just open one!” Grabbing a handle in her teeth, she pulled the filing cabinet open and pulled a random file out. 'Financial quarterly report of Ponyville. By QuickNote. Date:8/30/1997.” With a frustrated groan, Scootaloo placed the report back and closing the cabinet. Upon its closing, a loud bang was heard from the window startling Scootaloo. When she looked up, she noticed that the wind had picked up causing the near by tree branches to sway. “Stupid wind, making me jump some scared little foal. No, I need to stay focused, find my mother's stuff.” It didn't take Scootaloo long to realize that the numbers on the cabinets were referencing the years of it's contents, but even with this revelation it helped her very little with finding what she was looking for.
The moon had begun its descent to the horizon, elongating the already present shadows. Scootaloo moved through each row searching and came up empty each time until one row marked "Property Holdings". Before she could start down this row, another bang made her jump and turn. The wind had picked up again and clouds began to partially cover the moon causing the portion of the room she already searched to be bathed in darkness. Scootaloo shivered as the temperature drop became noticeable for the first time. Shaking her head, she continued her search and chided herself for being spooked so easily. “Let me see here. If this is the right place, then all I need to do is find something around two years ago. I'm sure I will find something...” Counting back to the year of her mother's death, she began her search there.
The wind outside had calmed a bit, but as the clouds moved through the sky, obscuring the moon's light. This made it much harder for Scootaloo to see even with her helmet, but she came prepared. From her saddle bag, she procured a small camping lantern. Poking the side to stir the fireflies inside, she smiled as they came to illuminate her dark world. Applebloom had been the one to get her the lantern when the three of them had begged and pleaded with AJ to let them go camping last year. As the glow intensified, her surroundings became more sinister. The light from the fireflies bathed the area in a soft orange-yellow light that made the shadows dance with every flicker and movement of the bugs inside.
Turning her attention back to large metal boxes that held the records of the past inside, Scootaloo knew the answers were here and she would find them. Grabbing the metal handle in her teeth, she jerked the box only to find that it was locked tight. “Drat. How am I going to get this open?” Scootaloo thought briefly about banging it like she did the window, but felt it wouldn't work. Not willing to give up, she looked around for any thing she could use. Her immediate surroundings yielded nothing, so she moved back into the main hallway. More clouds moved to completely cover the moon, the only light came from the lantern Scootaloo left behind and her own helmet. A low rumble of thunder rolled through the gray mass, then a bright flash of lightning crossed the sky lighting up. Scootaloo jumped as the night was filled with light and the sound of crashing air.
When the sky lit up, a unicorn stallion whose coat was that of charcoal stood near the locked container, his eyes had no pupils and flowed like molten gold. His mane was the color of ash and the cutie mark on his flank was that of a unicorn's skull. With three taps of his hoof, the container unlocked and fell open with a dull thud. As the sky darkened once again, he spoke in a tone so low even the dust hardly heard him. “My debt to you, Raindancer, has been repaid. Now your daughter will avenge you.” With a pop, the stallion teleported away.
Scootaloo whipped around at the sound of a pop to find the container open. “What the hay?” Making her way back she surveyed the now open box. The lock was now old and rusted, as if it had been that way for years. “That's just creepy. I turn my back, a flash of lightning and the box opens. Like some cheesy horror story.” Shaking her head. “It doesn't matter, just get the stuff and go.” Grabbing file after file, Scootaloo stuffed her bags full. Kicking the box closed, she gathered the lantern and made her way back to the open window. Hopping out, she took off the pillows and forced them into her already full pack, then made her way home, leaving the annex and the broken window behind.
Only a minute later, the dark stallion reemerged from the darkness. “To think, she would leave an open window. I thought you had taught her better than that, Raindancer.” With another three taps of his hoof, the window repaired itself. Behind the stallion, a wispy teal pegasus with a purple mane stood silently. “I'm sorry, it's not my place to judge you,” the dark stallion chided himself. This was met with a smile from the wispy mare. “I do hope your faith in your husband and foal is not misplaced.” This comment was met with a scrunched nose and an angry stare. “Either way you look at it Raindancer, neither of them know who is behind your murder. And to make matters worse, this interference will only insight her rage.” Raindancer folded her ears back and cast her eyes to the ground. “Do not worry, they will overcome this trial.” The mare lifted her head to look at the stallion her eyes still full of fear. “Yes, I know she is dangerous, but if your family is to live peacefully, she must be dealt with. However, my interference beyond this is forbidden.” To this, Raindancer gave a bow before being blown away as if the wind itself carried her transparent form beyond the veil of life. “You saved me from myself, Raindancer. I only regret that in my unlife, I will never be able save yours.” Turning away from the building, the stallion galloped into the Everfree forest.