//------------------------------//
// Chapter the fifth - Don't you call me chicken! 
// Story: Into The Void 
// by Doctor Whooves PhD 
//------------------------------//

Chapter the fifth - Don't you call me chicken!

The Doctor continued on through the empty doorway. Suddenly, the earth began to shake. Then, everything tasted purple.
When he opened his eyes, the world appeared to be far less chaotic than before. Sunshine poured out from a cloudless azure sky onto a beautifully lush field. In the distance was what appeared to be a crudely constructed house of sorts. 
“Well, this is more like it!” The Doctor exclaimed cheerily, as he skipped towards the small structure. 
However, as he got closer and closer to the little hut, the world started changing from a dream sequence into a harsh reality check. The flowers were wilting, the grass receding, and eventually when he got up to the building, there was no sign of nature’s pleasant welcoming.
“What is this? Is it a… chicken coop?”
The chicken coop was cramped and looked like it was just about to fall apart. Around it, the ground was dusty and barren, with a few dead flowers and a tin can or two strewn here and there. Whoever, or whatever, was here clearly didn’t have any ambitions, and was obviously very Lax in their outlook on life. The Doctor knocked on the hut’s cracked door, which instantly swung open, a blurry shape knocking him back.



“Why are you here? Nopony trespasses on Scootalax’ turf!”
Standing before him was a muted-orange Pegasus filly, with a faint violet mane. The Doctor recognized her, but this confused him further. What was this pony doing here of all places?
“Scootaloo, what’s going on?”
Scootalax scowled. “No-one’s ever wanted me to stick around. What good did my ambitions ever do for anypony? I never did succeed.”
The Doctor was moved, and was about to speak, but Scootalax continued.
“So last night, I finally decided to do something about it. I threw away all my silly hopes and dreams, and sequestered myself here. Now I could care less about what happens to anypony. It doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, does it?”
This time, The Doctor stepped forward. 
“Scootaloo, we both know that’s not true. You’ve got plenty of-“
The Doctor was interrupted as Scootalax kicked him square in the face.
“Ow! What’d you do that for?” The Doctor moved cautiously back, having been taken completely off guard.
“Don’t Interfere!” Scootalax snorted. “You don’t know what it’s like to be an outcast!”
The Doctor shook his head. “I think I do. I come from a distant land called “Gallopfrey”, where the skies are magnificent, and technologies exist that are far beyond even my own comprehension.”
“Cool story, brony, but what’s that got to do with anything?”
“Back when I was a colt, whilst I was trying to reconfigure some of these technologies, Gallopfrey was attacked. In a panic, I dove into the nearest available place to hide: a blue box. It was so intriguing that for a second, I’d forgotten what was going on. However, my curiosity didn’t last long, as something hit the side of it very hard, sending me flying into the wall and knocking me out. When I came to, I found myself in a strange, unfamiliar world: this one. My home was completely taken over, but the fact I’d made it out still gave me a slight bit of hope, and from that day forward I aspired to help anypony I came across in their time of need. Don’t you see, Scootaloo? You should never give up on your hopes and dreams! After all, your goals are what makes life worth living.”
Scootalax’ eyes glistened. Colour began restoring to her pale body, until once again she was a powerful orange.
“That was beautiful, Mister.”
“Please, call me ‘The Doctor’”
“That was beautiful, Mister Doctor. Thanks for helping me see the light when things were so dark. I’ll never forget this! Good luck on your travels, Doctor!”
At that, Scootaloo ran out into the fresh air to live her dreams.
The Doctor Smiled.
Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light came from inside the chicken coop, and a closed door appeared in its place. The Doctor opened it, and continued on his journey.