//------------------------------// // Ch 3.8 Dreams and Nightmares // 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 Eight: Dreams and Nightmares The day had been one of the most exhausting Scootaloo could remember and as she made it to the bedroom door she was only too happy to shed her prosthetic, plug it in to charge and slide into bed. David peeled off his outer clothes and soon joined her. “I'm proud of you Scoot. Agent Tyler told me how you handled yourself on that rooftop. You saved our daughter and managed to do it while ingratiating yourself to her kidnapper.” He smiled ruefully while she sighed contentedly. “Thanks David, that means a lot coming from you.” She yawned “But it has been a day, and I will see you in the morning. I love you David.” “I love you too Scoot.” ... She was worried. The only messenger from the distant village had told a tale of some kind of monsters who had appeared out of nowhere. When the villagers had tried to speak to them, two had fled in terror, and the remaining three spoke in a language they could not understand. The creatures walked on their back legs, and had dragon claws where their front hooves should be, yet the messenger said they wore clothing as though for a formal event. The trip to the distant village had been a long one, and the messenger had already used considerable time in carrying the message to her in Canterlot. As the village came into sight on the horizon she could tell at once that something was wrong. The small village should have been buzzing with life, but her afternoon sun showed the single street deserted. Carts and stalls sat abandoned, most doors and windows were shut and nothing moved in the streets. Settling to the ground she called out, but heard no response. There were signs of a hasty evacuation; tables overturned, food spilled and abandoned, but no other signs of damage or attack. With a growing feeling of unease she walked down the street, continuing to call out for somepony, anypony, to answer. The silence was deafening, broken only by the wind blowing through the eves or banging a screen door on some distant back porch. Beyond the eerie silence, she could smell something in the air... It was faint, but it smelled of... Death. Death and decay. Despite the warm sunlight she felt the hair on her neck standing up. All her base instincts were telling her something was wrong, that she shouldn't be here, but she did not flee, she mustered her courage and used the full Royal Canterlot Voice. “I have come to help! Can anyone hear me?” The echos reverberated off the buildings and distant hills for a moment before dying away, but now the silence was no longer complete; She could hear a single set of hooves galloping toward her from the right. She turned to meet whatever was coming, prepared for anything, but when a pony came into view she had to choke back a cry of shock. He was disheveled as though he had been awake for many days and his normally white doctors lab coat was stained everywhere with blood and other fluids. He skidded to a halt some distance in front of her with a look of terror on his face. “Princess?! No, you must leave at once! It's not safe here!” The smell of blood and vomit was pouring off him like a cloud making it hard to focus. “I came to help fight off the monsters. Where are they?” His expression registered intense confusion. “What?! No, you don't understand! They haven't hurt anyone, but we have to get you out of here!” The Princess took a few steps forward, but as she did so the stallion backed up abruptly. “Don't come any closer!” She stopped and asked in exasperation. “What is going on here?!” With a visible effort, the doctor tried to collect his thoughts. “The creatures have some kind of plague! I've never seen anything like it before: I sent all the villagers into the woods to hide, but I was already exposed. I've been trying to care for them as best I can, but it’s... it’s just horrible. If whatever they have gets loose in Equestria...” He shuddered, and several drops of blood and bile dripped from his lab coat onto the street. A plague. With a thought she formed a protective bubble around herself with her magic, then looked back to the doctor. “Thank you for explaining; It sounds like you have done your best for everypony. Are you showing any symptoms yet?” The panic seemed to be draining from him and he just looked tired. “No... No, neither I nor anypony else has shown symptoms, but I won't be certain until a few days have passed. These poor creatures though...” She took another look at the doctors coat and steeled herself. “Take me to them.” He led her away from the main street to a barn not far from town, and as they got closer, the smell became stronger. Despite having opened both front and back doors, the gentle breeze blowing though the barn did little to dispel what had grown into an overpowering stench. Flies drawn to the place buzzed in clouds sparking and frying as they flew into her shield. The deep unease that she had felt since her arrival only grew stronger and she had to fight the urge to turn and run. “I've done all I can, but these two are already gone.” He sighed resignedly “I fear this one doesn't have much time left.” The creature was laying on a table and shuttering as it, he, she realized, tired to keep breathing. Traces of bloody vomit and diarrhea stained the table on which he lay, and the brown blanket he was covered in was stained red with blood in many places. She could make out more blood leaking from around his eyes and mouth, and as she shifted to get a better look, he groaned pitifully and seemed to see her for the first time. “Koko wa doko desu ka? Mayotte shimai mashita. Tasukete.” He broke down into a fit of coughing, spraying her bubble with bright red blood that hissed and sizzled on contact. She had no idea what he was trying to say, but it looked like something was wrong with his skin... it was blotched and stained with blood. Something inside her was warning her to run, but she fought it down and maintained her outward composure. “I have to be very gentle when I clean them.” The doctor said sadly. “Whatever this is seems to be destroying them from the inside out.” She leaned in to watch closely as he dabbed a damp cloth at the creatures face to try to clean off the blood. As she watched something seemed to give, and without warning, his entire face from the left ear down to the chin pealed off and fell loose with a sickening sucking sound, his lips and face dangling from his naked jaws and swinging slightly as he continued to stare at her. “Tasukete kudasai.” She screamed. All rational thought gave way and her shield evaporated as she backed up, tripped over a bucket and fell heavily onto one of the bodies with a sickening crack of breaking ribs. She looked down in horror as the skin and flesh sloughed off the dead thing's face and arms, landing with a plop on the floor. ... Scootaloo awoke screaming in terror. She kicked frantically to get the clinging blankets off her and fell off the bed, the overwhelming experience of blood in her coat still fresh in her mind, the scent of death still overpowering her sense of smell. David leapt to the other side of the bed, eyes almost as wide as her own. “Scoot! What happened? Are you okay?! She lay against the wall, heart racing as she panted for breath, but as the experience faded into memory, her own mind and emotions took over, pushing down the emotions and thoughts Celestia had felt all those years ago. “It's... It's okay David... That memory that Celestia gave me...” She tried to slow her racing heart. “Can I have a glass of water?” He nodded and went to fetch a glass giving her time to regain her composure. The pieces were starting to fit together in her mind. David returned with a cup and straw, holding it steady for her while she got to her feet and drank. “Thank you, I needed that.” She shook her head and continued. “That memory that Celestia tried to give me didn't do anything at the time, but I just got the full brunt of it as a dream.” “What on earth did she give you?” David asked in alarm. “Her memory of what happened the last time humans came to Equestria.” “Good God, was it that bad?” “Worse. I completely understand why she would never risk bringing another human over after what happened. But there is good news too. If I do decide to go with them, I think you can come with me.” David looked confused. “But didn't she say that humans can't survive in Equestria? And from the way you were screaming, whatever happened to them must have been pretty grisly.” “Worse than you could imagine. But it’s okay. Anyone else who comes with them will be just fine.” Scootaloo managed a weak smile. “Celestia just didn't know the symptoms of radiation poisoning.” ... Applejack had been worried, then angry, and had now lapsed into boredom. The red button had stopped the harvester all right, but now the building sized machine had been sitting idle for what felt like hours. 'So much for saving the day with difficult choices.' She yawned and leaned back in the control chair which was surprisingly comfortable. … The sound of some strange animal roaring in the distance gradually made it though to her mind and Applejack woke groggily in the warm sunny cabin. “Hu... Oh my back. Heck of a place to fall asleep. What in tarnation is that noise?” Stretching, she pushed the cabin door open and looked out over the harvested field where three... vehicles... were riding towards her, though at that distance it would be a few minutes. Feeling more irritable than worried, she surveyed her surroundings in the daylight and did a double take. “What in... The wheat is black??” What had looked like a trick of the light last night was no trick in the full light of day. The entire field of wheat was as black as night, and though it looked normal enough in shape and size, Applejack was at a loss to explain the color. 'Harvesters that drive themselves, black wheat, what kind of farm is this? And what are they riding on anyway?' As the humans came over the last hill, she lazily took a seat with her back hooves hanging over the door ledge looking down on them. They were riding some kind of four wheeled carts that they sat on like horses, saddles and all, but the machines were far faster, and nosier, than any horse. All three machines and their riders came to a stop at the foot of the ladder and the humans looked from Applejack to each other and back, apparently dumbfounded. For her part, Applejack was not feeling particularly pleased; it was too early, she had no coffee, and her favorite hat had been eaten by farm equipment that had tried to get her for dessert. Finally one of the farm hands spoke up. “Um... Good morning?” “Good morning to you. Its a nice day isn't it? Even nicer see'n as this harvester didn't run me over last night, though it weren't for lack of trying.” The uncomfortable silence stretched on for several seconds before the portly man in the cowboy hat spoke up for the first time. “Wait, I know you... You're Scootaloo aren't you?” Applejack reached up to adjust her hat but stopped when she remembered. “My name is Applejack, and I've come to find Scootaloo. Do you know where I can find her, and a new hat?” She added gesturing at the intake of the harvester. The second farm hand asked; “But you look just like -” “You're tellin me you can't tell the difference between two ponies long as they're orange?” The human in the cowboy hat had begun to smile. “Well if you're lookin' for Scootaloo we can probably help. She helped a friend of mine out when he got in a car wreck a couple of years ago. Come on down, anybody who knows Scootaloo is a friend of mine.” She looked at him skeptically for a moment and he added. “I'm real sorry about any trouble you had last night. This combine's designed to run all night on its own; its the only way any of us could ever get any sleep, what with the supergrains.” Applejack gestured to the field of black wheat the still looked eerily out of place in the full sunlight. “Well, I'm pleased to hear that, but what in tarnation did you do to that crop?” He laughed. “Actually, you can thank your friend Scootaloo for that too. Come on, you can ride behind me and I'll explain on the way back to the house. I'm John, by the way.” As she reached the bottom of the ladder, he gestured to the waiting saddle of the four wheeled machine, then offered her his hat with a smile. “You said you needed a hat?” She took the offered hat and found it almost identical to the one she had lost to the harvester. “Say, you're a farm pony –er -human too aren't you?” “Ranch, hat and cattle” he smiled “Though, less hat till I fetch another from the house. You work on a farm?” She fit the hat to her head and found it a surprisingly good match. “Course I do! Why my brother and I run Sweet Apple Acres, best apple farm this side of Canterlot.” “Well, we share a business then! I run Rolling Hills farm, and it would be an honor if you would join us for breakfast.” “You got coffee?” She asked in a flat tone. “As long as you like it strong.” He smiled “Then what are we waitin' for?” Applejack hopped onto the saddle, and after a few instructions to the other two men, her host got on and took the controls. “Hang on to me now, it can get a bit rough out here.” And with that the machine roared to life and took off back the way it had come. After the initial scare had passed, Applejack found herself waving her new hat and shouting for joy as the machine bucked and raced across the open field. In a surprisingly short time she could make out a few buildings on the horizon, and they swiftly grew to include a house, barn, and several large metal structures. As they got closer, the fields of grain gave way to pastures of green grass in which cows were grazing, or eating from one of the many feed troughs. With one last good 'whoop' Applejack put her new hat back on and the machine slowed to a stop under an overhang across from one of the long metal buildings. Applejack paused to examine the contents of a nearby feed trough, and after a few bites, remarked “Hey, that's not half bad, and very filling. Mind if I take some for the road?” John laughed and used a handy scoop to fill the pockets on her saddlebag. “Take all you like, but don't spoil your appetite. Lets go let them know we're ready for another real breakfast. I don't have to tell you farming's hard work.” He called out some orders Applejack didn't fully understand to a young woman sitting on the porch of the house who nodded, and after a long stare at her went back inside. As they walked the rest of the distance to the house, Applejack related some of her stories from farming to John who appeared to enjoy them and traded a few stories of his own. They each took a seat at the outdoor table on the deck of the house where plates soon appeared along with utensils. The sound of two machines in the distance announced the return of the two farm hands they had left at the harvester and they soon took seats at the table bantering and trading anecdotes with John and Applejack. Just as Applejack was getting to the good part in a story about the risks of buying discounted tools when she was interrupted by a sharp tug on her tail. She looked around to see a pony behind her tugging hard on her tail, but it took a moment to realize this disheveled, wild looking yellow/brown pony was Fluttershy. “Fluttershy?? What the hay happened to you?” As the others looked around the table to see her she seemed to shrink back. “Run!” Applejack hopped off the chair and brushed the matted hair out of her friend’s bloodshot eyes. “Come on sugar cube, what’s wrong?” Fluttershy seemed unable to take her eyes off the two farm hands across the table as she took another step back. Her whole body was shivering violently in the warm morning breeze. “Applejack, Run!!” “Whats wrong? Run where? These humans know where we can find Scootaloo.” Applejack noticed that Fluttershy's eyes were dilated to points and her hair was standing on end where it wasn't matted. “They do... Things!... To the cows!” Applejack turned to fix John with a hard look. “There something you wanna to tell me?” John wore an expression of irritated disgust. “Lemme guess. Grew up in the big city?” He gestured to Fluttershy. “I swear, city kids are so helpless, act like everything is such a big deal. You're a farm girl Applejack, let me show you what your friends talkin about.” He pushed his chair out from the table and walked off in the direction of the barn muttering under his breath 'Things to cows. Honestly.' Applejack gently squeezed past Fluttershy “Come on darlin, lets see what he has to say.” Fluttershy saw he was walking away from the metal building toward the barn, and managed to trail after Applejack, though her expression was becoming progressively less sane. They soon rounded the corner of the barn and John produced a box of tools and things from inside a refrigerator. Walking around back, he opened a gate and, using a long black stick, herded one of the cows through the gate and up to a food trough. The trough was surrounded by stalls and a U shaped rail on both sides, and as the cow walked into the stall and stuck her head down into the U to eat, John slid a bar across the top to lock her head in place. “You city kids think everything is such a big deal. This is all there is to it. You take the stuff and load it up.” He produced an all plastic syringe about three inches around and used it to draw a white milky substance from a glass jar. “Then you just push it home...” So saying, he took the plastic syringe and shoved if forcefully into the cows exposed backside. Applejack flinched and involuntarily crossed her legs, suddenly very much aware of how little she was wearing. As his whole hand disappeared from view the cow bucked and kicked, but was held firm by the stall and stocks. “Then squeeze it empty and your done.” He said as he removed his hand and wiped it off on a rag. He turned to see Applejack gaping at him, eyes wide. Fluttershy had begun rhythmically tugging on her tail as she rocked back and forth, quietly muttering. “Where are they?” “Where are they?” “Where are they?” His face took on a look of disappointment.“Oh don't tell me a farm girl like you has never done this?” Applejack managed to stammer out “Why?... Why would you do that?!” John sighed. “Because cows only produce lots of milk after they've given birth. You have to keep em pregnant and churning out calves all the time. Where did you think milk came from?” “Where are they?” “Where are they?” “Where are they?” Applejack felt ice grow in her stomach as she looked over the fields at all the grazing cows. And no calves. “Wha... What happens to the calves?” She asked taking a step backward. A new voice spoke up as the girl from the house rounded the corner with a big plate. “Hey! You ask for breakfast then leave? What the hell Dad? The other guys are already half done. I got your steak and eggs right here, with some veal, just like you like it.” Applejack didn't know what veal or steak meant, but as the smell of sizzling meat reached their noses Applejack's hair stood on end. The cow trapped in the stocks let out a low, mournful sound. Applejack needed no more encouragement; she ran, and Fluttershy followed.