//------------------------------// // Trial III - Lust // Story: Scootaloo Goes to Heck // by MaverickVox //------------------------------//         Scootaloo stepped through the door and into...         “Another featureless, black void?!  Would it kill to have a little variety?”         “Ah, variety,” came a smooth male voice.  “The spice of life.”         Scootaloo had a puzzled look on her face as spotlights came on and cheesy saxophone music filled the area.  Rose petals were scattered all around along with obnoxiously scented candles.  In front of her, she saw a large, heart-shaped bed.  On top of it lay a stallion in costume, his back to her.         “Soarin’?”         The stallion chuckled.  “Well, of course.”  The bed slowly turned around.  “I know your deepest desires, and I can give you everything you’ve ever wanted.”         “Um...”  Scootaloo rubbed her head.  “This is kind of uncomfortable...”         “Don’t be shy,” Soarin’ said in an even deeper voice.  “I’m gonna do all I can to make you comfortable.”  Scootaloo’s eyes darted back and forth, looking for an escape as she saw his eyes remained closed.  Despite this, he continued.  “It’s all right, you and me can stay here...”  His eyes opened.  “Forev--”         Soarin’ froze as he finally saw who was in front of him.  “Uh...”  He quickly put his hoof to his ear as the music ground to a halt.  “We’ve got a situation here.”         An authoritative female voice came over a speaker.  “Well, handle it!”         “Right...”  Soarin’ quickly pointed behind Scootaloo.  “Look!  A distraction!”         “Where?”  She turned around to face nothing, and back.  “Hey, there’s no distraction the--Rumble?”  Now she saw her classmate on the bed where the Wonderbolt was before.         “Uh... hi?”  The colt was clearly at a loss of what to do next.         “Okay, now this is just stupid.”         “Halt the proceedings!” the female voice shouted.  “I’m coming down there.”         The young ponies looked equally concerned as the hoofbeats grew louder.  “Ugh, I swear, if you want anything done, you have to do it yourself.”  The mare came out, and Scootaloo was frozen in shock.  Lucky for the filly, she focused on Rumble.  “You dunderhead!”  The mare’s perforated hoof struck Rumble on the head, causing him to flash green and reveal his true form.  “You scanned her mind to find who she desires, and you didn’t think to do something age-appropriate?”         “But--”         “Silence!”  The blue-maned mare was in no mood to hear excuses.  “You can not see that this is but a simple filly?”  She turned to Scootaloo.  “Sorry about this whole thing, little one.  I--you!”         “I probably should be scared right now,” the pegasus replied, “but I gotta ask, what is it with Changelings not looking at their targets?”         Queen Chrysalis sighed and turned back to her underling.  “We’ll discuss this later.  Off with you.”  She stepped towards Scootaloo as he ran off.  “So, where are the others?  Still bugging the Commander?”         “Huh?”         “Your friends, your other annoying cohorts.”         “Oh, they’re not here.  Just me.”         “Ah.  Can’t say I’m surprised, you seem like the type to try the more dangerously stupid stunts.”         “Hey!”  Scootaloo pointed her hoof at the Queen.  “Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you can insult me!”         “I guess so.”         “Besides,” Scootaloo added, “I’m technically not even supposed to be dead.”         “Let me guess, you had a run-in with Trevor?”  Chrysalis said that name with great venom.         “How did you know?” ***         “I don’t understand!” Chrysalis screamed as she tried to pull at the unwanted attachment.  “How does one even GET their muzzle stuck in my leg?!”         Trevor only shrugged, being unable to sheepishly smile at the moment. ***         “We’ve met.”         “Oh.”  Seeing no reason to question further, Scootaloo changed the subject.  “So what are you doing here, anyway?  I don’t remember you dying.”         Chrysalis rolled her eyes.  “I’m not dead.  It’s just... community service.”         “Wait, what?”         “After our last encounter, Celestia came to me with a deal.  I could work for her here, or be banished to the sun for 1,000 years.”         “I see why you chose this.”         Chrysalis laughed.  “Turns out this is a pretty good gig for us Changelings.  It’s not much work, but we get plenty of love to sustain our hive.  Although there are times things go wrong,” she said with a look of scorn.         “Yeah, about that,” Scootaloo began.  “Why the heck did that guy turn into Soarin’, and what was he trying to do?”         “Er...”  Chrysalis struggled to think of a way out of the question.  “You’ll find out when you’re older?”         Scootaloo just shot her a look of skepticism.         “Oh, okay,” the Changeling Queen relented.  “One way of draining the love from ponies is to imitate the object of their affection.  And I don’t think it’s much of a surprise that a growing pegasus filly has a crush on a Wonderbolt.”         “It is kind of a given.”         “Right.  That idiot’s mistake was not realizing you were a mere child, and not coming up with a more... age-appropriate fantasy.”         “Age-appropriate?”  Now, Scootaloo was even more confused.  “Is this the kind of stuff grown-ups think about with their crushes?”         “Just so we’re clear, there is no way you’ll leave without hearing all of this through, is there?”         “Nope!”         Chrysalis sighed.  “Well, just remember that you asked for it.  See, when a mare and a stallion love each other very much... or two mares, or two stallions, we don’t judge...” [~SCENE MISSING~]         “... and that, my dear, is why you should cover your drinks and keep them with you at all times.  Any questions?”         Scootaloo had a blank expression as she stared at her lecturer.  After a long and awkward silence, she spoke.  “Grown-ups are gross.”         “Honey, you don’t know the fifth of it.”  Chrysalis smiled at her.  “You know, you’re a lot less annoying by yourself.”         “Well, you know how it is,” the filly shrugged.  “Get a group of us together, and it’s just talk, talk, talk all day long.”         “You don’t need to remind me.”         Scootaloo couldn’t help but grin.  “You know, you’re not so bad yourself.  When you’re not trying to enslave everypony and steal their life force, I mean.”  She rubbed her chin in thought.  “Come to think of it, why didn’t you just talk things out with Celestia in the first place?”         A nervous laugh started Chrysalis’ reply.  “Have you ever just been so hungry that you weren’t thinking straight?” ***         “All right, girls!” Scootaloo yelled.  “Let’s go for it!”         “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER FLASH MOBBING LIVE ACTION ROLE PLAYERS!  YAY!” ***         “I’ve been there, sister.”         “Needless to say, that whole invasion thing was not my proudest moment,” Chrysalis confirmed, at which Scootaloo snickered.  “Eh, hindsight is always 20/20.”         “Yeah, that’s how it goes.”  There was an awkward pause as the two parties looked around.  Finally, Scootaloo spoke up.  “So, uh...”         “Hmm?”         “Are we done here, or what?  I’m kind of eager to undo this whole ‘death’ thing.”         “Oh!  Yes, yes, I’d assume so.  Go on and be on your way.”         “Thanks!”  Scootaloo sprinted off towards the exit, but stopped just for a moment.  “I’m glad we talked.”         “I am too,” Chrysalis admitted.  “Good luck, little one, and may we meet again under more pleasant circumstances.”         “Same here.  Bye!”  With a quick wave, Scootaloo ran to her next trial.         “What a sweet little girl,” Chrysalis thought aloud.         “Wow,” came a voice from the intercom.  “Who would’ve thought the evil Changeling Queen who feasts on love actually had a heart?”         Said Queen’s smile fell.  “Jason, you let one word of this out and I’ll tell all of Heck about your fantasies of--”         “Okay, okay!  Jeez, one little joke...”