//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: MLPU: The Amazing Spider-Mare // by TheInvincibleIronBrony //------------------------------// “7… 8… 9… 10! Ready or not here I come!” Scootaloo shouted, as she uncovered her eyes and turned around to view her home. She immediately began scanning the small home for any signs of life, knowing her father was hiding somewhere nearby. It was a modest house considering her father was a highly renowned Biochemist. She checked behind the curtains when she saw the fabric moving as though concealing a body. Behind the couch and in the hall closet, thinking she had seen stallion shaped shadows. As she walked down the hall she heard a door slam in her father’s office. She pushed the door open to a scene of chaos. Papers littered the usually clean floor and desk, each one depicting diagrams of animals her father was studying or complex equations. Drawers were pulled completely out of the desk and tossed haphazardly, their contents thrown around the room without care. The glass door behind the desk was smashed in, the small shards littering the floor. Scootaloo walked behind the desk to see if anything obvious was missing from her father’s study. “Dad,” Scootaloo called. “Dad!” she shouted. Footsteps were heard down the hall headed for the office. Her father, Gene Splice, a navy blue Pegasus with a DNA strand on his flank and wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt, entered and surveyed the scene, but only for a moment. He quickly grabbed Scootaloo and placed her near the door. “Stay there sweetheart, don’t touch anything,” Gene told his daughter. “Firefly!” he called as he grabbed a drawer off of the floor and pushed a hidden switch on the back revealing a secret compartment. He pulled a folder out of the compartment and rummaged through it to make sure everything was where it should be. Scootaloo’s Mother, Firefly, walked in at that moment. Her expression grew worried as her husband started grabbing items and placing them in a leather bag. “Come on Scootaloo,” she mumbled distractedly. She grabbed Scootaloo and left the room to pack their bags. Gene erased most of a complex equation from a chalkboard in the corner of the room before he followed his family out. Scootaloo didn’t know what had scared her parents so much, but she didn’t understand why no one was calling the police. That’s what everyone told her to do if something like this happened. ////////////////////// A half hour later found the family at Scootaloo’s aunt and uncle Cake’s house. They weren’t related by blood, but her father and Mr. Cake had been friends since grade school. Her mother cried and stroked her hair as she spoke to the family’s long time friends. “She likes to sleep with a light on and she hates having crust on her sandwiches,” she explained through a heartbroken sob. She tore herself away so that her husband could have a few words with their daughter before they left. “You’re gonna stay with your aunt and uncle for a while,” he began. “But I wanna go with you,” Scootaloo pleaded, almost in tears. “Hey, we’re only gonna be gone a few weeks,” He said pulling his daughter into a tight hug. “You be good while we’re gone, okay,” he told her. “Why?” Scootaloo asked. “Did I do something wrong? I’m really sorry if-“ “Hey now, none of that,” her father interrupted. “You didn’t do anything wrong okay. There’s just something your mother and I have to take care of and then we’ll be back, okay kiddo?” “Okay,” the little filly mumbled. Gene then turned to the Cakes. “I’m sorry we’re asking for so much on short notice like this, but-“ “We know you wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t absolutely important,” Scootaloo’s Aunt Cup interrupted. “Just be sure you don’t keep us waiting. We want you to be there for the delivery,” Uncle Carrot, said nodding at his wife’s swollen belly. “Of course. This won’t be a long trip,” Gene told his friend, pulling him and his wife in for a hug. “Take care sweetheart,” Gene said turning to his daughter and giving her kiss on the forehead. Scootaloo’s mother repeated the action and then they departed. Scootaloo looked out the glass door as her parents got into the rented car and drove off into the night. She jumped slightly as a hand rested on her shoulder. She turned to look at her uncle. “Come on kiddo. Let’s go watch some cartoons,” he said hoping to distract her. Her broad smile told him it worked. /////////////////////////////// The next morning Scootaloo woke to the sound of voices from downstairs. She left the room her aunt and uncle always had set up for her and walked down the stairs. She looked in the kitchen and saw that her uncle was talking with two policestallions and holding Aunt Cup who had tears staining her cheeks. One of the officers turned in her direction, causing everyone else to look up as well. “What’s going on?” the orange filly asked wearily. “Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry,” her aunt said, as she got up and walked over to Scootaloo pulling her into a tight embrace. Worry gripped Scootaloo’s heart as she looked at her uncle who wouldn’t make eye contact, instead he chose to look at the floor. The officers decided this would be a good time to leave. “Thank you for your time Mr. Cake and once again we’re very sorry for your loss,” one of the stallions in blue said as he and his partner made their way to the door. “No problem,” Uncle Carrot said solemnly, as he shut the door behind them. Scootaloo’s mind finished processing what she had heard and tears formed in her eyes. “No,” she said pleadingly, looking from her aunt to her uncle. “No it’s not true. It’s not true is it Uncle Carrot?” the distraught filly asked looking to the stallion. “I’m so sorry Scootaloo,” he said as he joined his wife in the hug. Words could no longer form in Scootaloo’s mind. All she could do was cry and hope that she wouldn’t live with this pain forever.