//------------------------------// // Ch 3.2 Wheat, Wings and White Walls // Story: Our Girl Scootaloo 3 of 3 // by Cozy Mark IV //------------------------------// Our Girl Scootaloo Part 3 of 3 by Cozy Mark IV & Jan. McNeville Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fan-made work of prose. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro. Please support the official release Chapter Three point Two: Wheat, Wings and White Walls The rooftop of the building was old and worn, the industry that had built the structure long gone. The old warehouse had been converted to student housing years ago, but the landlord had let the place decay, and the flat rooftop was scattered with beer cans and broken furniture. The only person in sight was a middle aged man in scruffy clothes who had started the evening in a bar and was already pretty drunk. He was startled out of a doze by a bright flash of rainbow light coming from behind the broken lawn chair he had fallen asleep in. Rainbow and Dashie had spent most of the last week looking forward to and dreading this moment. As the flash faded, she opened her eyes and took in the run down roof top, the litter, the decay. She was worried that she seemed to be alone on the rooftop, but memories of her childhood, 'second childhood' she corrected herself welled up un-bidden, and though she tried to fight it and focus on the task at hand, she soon sat down, sobbing quietly into her hooves. A voice from behind her brought her back to the present with a jolt. “Awww, don't be sad blue fluffy squirrel. Its a bewtiful night, and I have enough for bofth of us.” The man said presenting a green bottle with a silver fairy on it. Rainbow spun around, looked the man over and sighed 'a little too much like home'. Drying her eyes she decided to ask the question anyway, 'not that this person would know, he's so drunk he isn't even fazed by me'. “My friends and... I'm looking for a friend of mine; an orange and purple pegasus like me. Have you seen her?” The man looked puzzled and swayed a bit as he thought. “You mean the doc? Yeah, she was the one as pumped my stomach that time I lost the drinkin contest. That dumb fool as drove us home was drunk and wrecked the car. She came sailing down for the sky all orange an purple, an black. Helped us all outa that wreck. When I got better I shook her hand and thanked her fer helpin us.” Rainbow sighed again. “I'm sorry, the friend I'm looking for has hooves. Thank you anyway.” As she turned around the drunk spoke again “Oh, she had hooves too, four of em. And two normal hands, and that long ten... tentacle she used to pump my stomic.” Rainbow turned back, very confused now. “How could a doctor have hooves? Damn, you're just drunk.” He seemed to think this over. “Maybe a little.” He swayed as a sound caught his attention, and he turned to point at a helicopter approaching from the direction of the hospital. “I bet that's her now, she always workss the night shift.” Rainbow looked at the medevac helicopter as it roared past, half of her wondering what it was, while the other half said 'shut up, it’s just a helicopter.' Distracting as these internal discussions were, she still managed a glimpse through the side window, and clearly made out the flank of a pony pressed against the it. An orange pony. 'He was right! She's on the metal flying machine!' 'Helicopter!' 'Why is she on a helicopter?' 'How is she even out in public?!' As the helicopter sped into the distance, the drunk said “I thought you was lookin' for her? Go git 'er, if those wings aren't just fer show. It’s a good night for flyin' and drinkin'.” Shaking herself, Rainbow launched off the roof and took off after the helicopter wondering how drunk the man was; it was clearly daylight outside... Tammy reclined in her chair and willed the clock to move faster. She was the last salesperson on duty at the small car dealership near the edge of town, and after a slow day with no sales she was ready to go home to her seven-year-old daughter and her husband. This was supposed to have been her girls' night out, but when two of her three friends canceled, it was hardly worth the trouble for only two people. As she stared out the big glass wall that looked out on the front lot, she was startled out of a daydream by a bright flash of white light that seemed to come from a car three rows out. “What the hell was that?” She sat up and checked the security monitors expecting to see some kid with firecrackers, but as the static cleared, there was some kind of white... goat? No, wrong shape, deer? To big to be a deer... Then the figure on the monitor looked around and she made out a face. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me.” … As the light cleared Rarity looked around and found herself alone –no sign of Scootaloo or her friends. Instead of a house or a lab, she seemed to be on some sort of huge black road on a cloudy day, surrounded on all sides by... coaches? Rolling pods? The clop of approaching hooves drew her attention, but the hoofsteps sounded wrong... too far apart. She realized too late that she heard only two feet, not four, but before she could think of a way to hide a human woman came into view. 'Its really unnerving how tall they are.' she thought as she swallowed hard and looked up at the approaching figure who was almost twice her height. 'But just look at the cut of her suit. That's not a laboratory or military outfit, that's a business suit if I've ever seen one. A bit dark blue for my tastes, but the skirt falls nicely, and...' Unconsciously her ears followed the clop of shoes, and her train of thought was derailed as she caught sight of the woman's black high heel shoes. “Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Rarity.” Tammy said as she knelt down and extended a hand. “My name is Tammy; do I have the honor of being the first to welcome you?” Rarity shook the offered hand in a daze. “Why, yes actually, you are the first, but... you know who I am?” Tammy couldn't help but smile. “Well, yes. You are a minor celebrity here; there are millions of people who know your name.” “Millions?!” Rarity asked, fast losing her grip on the situation. “Well, yes. I would guess you are here to find Scootaloo?” She got a slack jawed nod in response. “She is and safe and well. She lives in town and is working towards a medical degree. She'll be working tonight, but we can give her a call and should have no problem stopping in tomorrow morning.” Tammy had never been hugged by a pony before now, and was surprised at how strong Rarity was as she squeezed her. “Oh thank you! Thank you! I was so worried!” “It’s okay,” She replied returning the hug “she has a loving family, a good husband and two adorable kids, er, foals.” This last was just too much and Rarity sat down hard on the bumper of a sedan that creaked in protest. “Husband?.. Foals?!?” She looked completely lost as she stared across the asphalt. Tammy sat down and put a hand on her shoulder. “It's okay, she has a good life.” Rarity still looked stunned as she asked: “How??” “Well, it’s been a long time. What is it now... almost two decades?” “But... Rainbow...” “...Oh, that's right! I forgot to ask, did something happen to Rainbow Dash in your world? We think whatever happened to bring Scootaloo here got Rainbow too, and her choice of landing spots wasn't nearly so fortunate. The last we saw of her, she was being given away by some homeless guy in Detroit! Is she okay? Did you find her?” This was simply too much insanity to deal with in the span of five minutes. Rarity closed her eyes and breathed deep. Willing herself calm, she shook her head and recounted the events that lead to Rainbow's disappearance and her eventual recovery. By the time she was done both their faces were streaked with tears and smeared makeup. “Oh my God, that poor man!” “I know, but there was no choice, that world had nothing for her, and we couldn't bring her father back either. She had to come back; we needed her as much as she needed us.” Tammy passed her a handkerchief and they both dried their eyes while she worked through to the natural conclusion. “And now you've come for Scootaloo?” “We thought so, but we never dreamed she would be so... fortunate. Honestly we thought she...” She swallowed hard, “we didn't think we would find her alive. If she did survive, we thought we would have to fight our way through guards to pull her out of some kind of evil laboratory. It’s not an accident that we all made the trip, even poor Rainbow.” Tammy leaned back regarding Rarity with a disappointed look. “Oh Rarity, did you really think we could be so horrible to someone so loving? You must think we're monsters!” Rarity looked up with a hard expression. “Both Dashie and Celestia have spoken of this. I am not entirely ignorant of your history.” Tammy sighed as she worked though her response, mentally saying a small pair of thanks for her daughter's taste in media. “Nor I of yours.I know quite a bit about your history as well. Ruled by an immortal monarch who banished her own sister after a fight for power. A land peppered with mindless monsters, some of whom kill for fun.” “But that's not -” “The cockatrice? The timber wolf?” Rarity thought that over while Tammy went on listing entire empires devoted to slavery and suffering as well as other notable drawbacks to Equestria. “Now I ask you, is that a fair assessment of your home? And does it sound similar to what you heard about my world?” Rarity's shoulders sagged and she sighed. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't judge without knowing.” “It’s okay. You'll be fine, just use good judgment and stay close to someone you can trust.” Rarity gave her a rueful smile. “And that would be you?” Tammy smiled warmly back. “My seven year old daughter would tell you so.” She looked at the makeup stains on her hands and chuckled. “I must look like a raccoon. Come on, we can clean up inside and I'll tell you all about what Scootaloo has been up to.” After some much needed time in the powder room, they sat out on the comfy furniture in the lobby while Tammy brought her new friend up to speed on events. After a while Rarity asked the question that was on her mind. “I understand that Scootaloo is okay, but why do we have to wait until morning to see her?” “Well, you don't. If you want, I can drive you right to her doorstep, but she won't be back until later tonight as she works the night shift, and at best your reunion would be late at night, with everyone tired. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have some things to think about before then don't you?” An image of the cutie mark crusader she had know suddenly grown up and nurturing two little ones flashed though her mind. Rarity nodded slowly. “I do...” “So why don't you take some time, learn the lay of the land, and show up well rested and aware of the basics.” She sighed deeply and nodded again. “I suppose I could use the time to think.” “Hey, don't be so serious. I have no plans to spend the entire night sitting here; if you'll let me, I'd like to show you around!” Rarity raised an eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?” “How about a girls' night out? We can hang out until my girlfriends get here, then head out for a night on the town!” Rarity slowly smiled “Yes, I think I would like that.” While Tammy called her friends and made arrangements, Rarity took her advice to look around. She wandered through the side offices taking time to admire the style and flow of each. The entire dealership had a 90's glass and chrome look, with all the desks and fixtures following the same flowing lines as the cars they helped sell. Rarity took it all in, enjoying the somewhat alien style and thinking of what she could do with it upon her return. Ten minutes latter Tammy found her admiring a lamp and making sketches on a notebook she found on a table. “Wow, that's a really good drawing.” She commented looking over her shoulder. “Do you mind if I?” She asked, gesturing to the pen and paper hovering in a glowing aurora emanating from Rarity's horn. It took a moment, but comprehension dawned, and she held the pad out for Tammy who put her hand into the glowing cloud. “It feels.. warm. And it tickles a little.” Rarity smiled warmly. “That's right, you don't have magic here do you?” “No, not like this we don't. Scootaloo can't even grip with her hooves, she uses prosthetic arms and hands. I really do hope you decide to stay for a few days, there is so much you could teach us...” Rarity looked away to hide a blush. After a moment, Tammy really looked at the drawing in front of her. “You're looking at the styling of this old furniture?” “Well yes, I've never seen anything quite like it. I just know I can use this as inspiration for a new collection: 'From Another World!' Can't you just see it now?” Tammy stifled a laugh. “No offense, but we have better stuff than this if you're looking for inspiration. Why don't we have a look at the vintage cars in the garage around back?” “Rainbow mentioned something about a 'car'... it's some sort of carriage that pulls itself?” Tammy's face took on a faraway look. “Oh, it can be much more than that. It can be a status symbol, a statement about who you are and what you believe in. Some cars can be works of art; rolling masterpieces that passersby crane their necks to see. The throaty roar of an older engine, the feeling of power as it launches and pushes you back in the seat, the wind blowing through your hair as you cruse the highway with the top down.” Tammy licked her lips, and Rarity stood transfixed by the obvious passion in her description. “You've never driven before have you? Come on, the boss keeps a 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible back here with the rest of his collection, and I think it’s time for a test drive!” After Rarity laid eyes on the collection of vintage cars it took considerable effort to tear her away from them. The pair walked from classic to classic as they took turns admiring the lines, the look, the flow, and the style of each. After ten minutes of this Tammy couldn't wait any longer. “Okay, let's get going, we can come back and see the rest later.” “But just look at them! I haven't even seen them all yet! How can I just walk away from such splendor?” Tammy opened the door of the 1957 Chevy and gestured for her to hop in, and though she flashed a pouty expression, she did take the offered seat. While Rarity admired the interior, Tammy jumped in the driver's seat, put the top down, and turned the key in the ignition. “THRUUMMMMM!” The car roared to life and Rarity's eyes widened as she stroked the door sill “Oohh ho ho!” Tammy cycled the garage door and gave Rarity a somewhat wild look that was less than reassuring. “Strap in!” Startled out of her artistic contemplation, Rarity's face registered shock. “Wha -What!?” Tammy rolled her eyes and reached over to buckle the passenger seat belt, giving it an unnecessary tug before buckling her own. “Even in a classic like this, we have to wear seatbelts, aftermarket in this case.” Rarity stared down at the lone belt looking much relieved, and just a tad disappointed. “Oh... But why do we need -” The answer came as Tammy put the car in reverse and roared out of the garage, throwing them both forward against the seat belts. “This isn't your mother's farm cart! Now let me show you what a car like this is for!” They left the dealership behind in a squeal of whitewall tires as Rarity wondered if she really wanted to know. ... The flash of brilliant orange light pulsed and was gone, leaving Applejack in a black wheat field. Looking around, she found she was alone, though she thought she could hear some sort of machine fading into the distance overhead. “Well, nuts! Where the hay is everypony...” As her eyes adapted to the darkness, she took a moment to survey her surroundings. It didn't take long. The wheat was taller than she was, even on two legs, and she could only make out a circle a few feet wide in the dim starlight. With a sigh she picked a direction and started walking. And walking. Minutes dragged on, then turned into hours as she kept going wondering how big the field was. She picked a random star she could see ahead and started following it so she didn't get turned around, but hours later, she was still in the wheat field. 'This is ridiculous! I've walked far enough to get from home to Ponyville and back twice! This is just too big to be real...' Having little choice but to keep going, she did so, her irritation growing all the way. 'This is just stupid! No farmer in the world could harvest this much before it rotted on the stalk! Why would somepony plant this much...' ... For the first time in hours she thought she could hear something in the distance. It was a deep rumbling with a lot of clanging and rattling just barely discernible at this distance. 'Well whatever it is, it isn't wheat, and that's got to be better than this.' As she walked towards the noise, she began to see a glimmer of light from that direction, but after a few minutes more she had a sense that something was wrong. Whatever was making the noise had been much further away, and therefor much bigger and louder then she had first thought, and it was moving. It was getting closer. She stopped to think, but the noise kept getting louder, and that dim glow was rapidly becoming a bright beam of light. She could see her surroundings clearly for the first time, and the light was no longer reflected, but shining down from what had to be two stories above her! The tremendous roar and clank of... whatever it was, had become painfully loud when she noticed it. The wheat was falling. As she watched the more distant rows of wheat were pulled down and sucked into... whatever it was. 'It’s a harvester the size of a building!' “Hey! Down here!” She jumped and shouted, but got no response. The machine was nearly upon her, and it wasn't stopping. “AHHH!” She turned and galloped for her life, losing her hat in the wheat. She looked back, but as she watched her hat was pulled down between a row of huge green metal teeth and disappeared. “Constarn' it! Who the hay is driving that thing?!” She knew there was nothing but wheat to her left, so she veered right, and suddenly her view of the world expanded from feet to miles as she broke free of the black wheat field. She could see the harvester clearly now as it mowed down the grain, sucked it up and blew the finished grain out a shoot into a separate truck that followed to the right and behind. She had to jog to keep up, but she could see no sign of anyone in the machines, ether pony or human. They did have big glass boxes on the fronts though. 'I bet that's where the controls are.' She followed alongside the harvester and soon found a ladder leading up to the glass box on top, and with a leap, she mounted the ladder and climbed up. Inside the cabin she found an empty chair, and a lot of glowing controls and screens. The biggest screen showed a big orange brick with a tiny dot at the point where it joined against a big green brick. As she watched, the dot moved forward a tiny amount, and a sliver of orange turned green. 'It must be a map of the field, but who's driving this thing? Magic? Oh, I wish Twilight was here...' She looked over the controls some more, and soon found one she did understand; a big red button sticking up on the top of the console labeled 'STOP'. She was about to press it when a thought struck her. 'I press this and somepony... some human, is bound to come see what’s wrong. Do I want someone to find me out here?' She remembered some of the possible places the princess had warned them they might find themselves in... The possibility of finding Scootaloo alive, but locked up in a tiny cage, used for medical experiments... She stared at the map of the field, her hoof suspended over the button. 'Is this faithful, or stupid?'