Chapter 10- Empty House and Empty Threats
Celestia’s sun was just beginning to climb beneath the horizon as I arrived home after my day with Sweetie Belle. It was a good day, all in all, however I do feel a bit uneasy about the way in which Cloud Chaser is treating us all. It doesn’t feel right at all.
The house seems oddly quiet; normally you would be able to hear the soft murmurs of my family talking, or the sound of knives and forks scraping across the dishes. Now, there is nothing, pure silence.
Frowning, I walk slowly down the hallway, checking every room to see if any pony is home but the house is as quiet as Ponyville was when Zecora first came to town. Where is every pony? My mother works at home so she is almost always here, so there should be at least some pony here...
On the oak wood table I see a square sheet of paper with some rough script scribbled across it. Curious, I walk over to see
what it says:
Scootaloo,
We are going on a short holiday to visit family up in Trottingham. We shall be back within the next month; there is food in the fridge and 100 bits in your room. Hopefully that will keep you going, if not you will have to fend for yourself.
Mum.
I flinch slightly as I reread the note over and over again. They have left me, how could they? They will be gone for the rest of the summer break so I will have to get school supplies too, also, 100 bits will not even get me through two days, let alone a month! I trot around the kitchen, stressing about what I’m going to do for the next month. I can’t tell any pony because I’ll be put into care and that is a whole lot worse than being in this house.
Suddenly, the front door creaks open and I jump in fear, knowing that no pony should be here. Hoofsteps walk towards the kitchen as I hold my breath, pressing myself against the cool counter. Time seems to freeze for a moment as the hoofsteps stop and all falls silent before the door opens and my father steps in. Once I see him I breathe out in relief, which is something I never thought I would do, and I step away from the counter.
“I thought you’d gone,” I say and show him the note.
He snatches it off of me and throws it on the floor. “Don’t ask stupid questions, you foal, we forgot our passports,” he snaps at me and I stumble back in fear.
“C-can’t I come with you?” I whisper, my voice cracking as I speak.
“No, no pony wants you with us,” my father roars at me and pushes me away, causing me to trip and fall on my rump.
I stare at my father as he picks up the passports and walks out the door, without a second glance at me. Of course he wouldn’t, he doesn’t care.
Slowly, I drag myself to my hooves before trudging up the stairs and into my room. Hopefully I will get to see Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom tomorrow, if not I can go flying with Rainbow. Perhaps my family leaving me isn’t too bad after all.
I climb into my bed and burrow my way deep into my duvet, using it as a shield from the world around me, before I slowly drift off to sleep.
****
Birds chirping by my window welcome me to the new day in Ponyville. I roll out of bed and fall face first onto my floor. Groaning, I pull myself to my hooves and trot down the stairs to see what my family has left me to eat. In the kitchen I find some hay, dandelions and bread. That’s it.
I use everything that has been left over to make two sandwiches, one for now and one for when we go crusading later on.
As I munch on my sandwich I run around the house, preparing my saddle bag for the day ahead. Maybe I should use my scooter today... I then realise that I never got it back after the night I spent at Rainbow’s house, so I must go and find her to discover what actually happened to my beloved scooter.
Using my teeth to pull the saddle bag onto my back, I adjust it to fit perfectly on my back before checking to see if I have everything I need, including the 100 bits my parents supplied me with. I still don’t understand how they expect me to live on so little money. It’s pathetic.
I trot over to the door and step out into the warm, golden sun, tilting my head back to let it flow over my face as it creates a warm, happy feeling from my stomach to my hooves.
Strangely enough I am in a rather good mood. The sun is shining, I’m friends with the crusaders again, and nothing could go
wrong.
As I skip along Ponyville’s dirt roads I am stopped by a dark blue Pegasus. I spoke too soon; everything could go wrong at this rate.
“Hey Cloud Chaser!” I smile sweetly at him.
“I don’t want you coming near my friends,” he hisses at me, I roll my eyes in response.
“Well,” I laugh, “I don’t want you near my friends either, isn’t that funny?”
The blue Pegasus glares at me for a few moments before stepping aside.
“Be careful, Chicken Wings, stay away from my Apple Bloom.” He stares at me as I walk past, his eyes shooting daggers at me.
I turn around to face him, “So she’s your object now, how very sexist, I bet Apple Bloom would hate to hear that,” I smirk, “Get over yourself, dude, you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.”
Spinning around on my back hoof, I begin to trot towards Rainbow’s regular sleeping cloud before waving behind me, saying,
“Bye now!” In the most sarcastic tone possible.
If he thinks he can control me and my friends, this guy has got another thing coming. Just you wait and see.