Our Girl Scootaloo

Part 3 of 3

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

Their second night on the run had been worse than the first. The night was cooler and though the three of them huddled together for warmth, only Tom got to sleep easily. Fluttershy and Applejack kept waking during the night but not just because of the cold; they both had nightmares and neither pony got much sleep.

As the light began to grow along the horizon they decided to give up and try to warm up by moving on and perhaps sleep during the afternoon when it was warmer.

They had both been noticing a strange feeling that had been building over the last two days, and though neither mentioned it, they had an uncomfortable feeling of swollen tenderness in their bellies. There were plenty of other things to worry about though, and Applejack just hoped she hadn’t eaten something that was making her sick; the prospect of seeking out help if they became ill was not a pleasant one.

Their only real guiding direction these last two days had been the powerful desire to be
‘anywhere but here’, but now they seemed to be running out of forest. They only saw a single flying machine all day but they began to pass more houses, dimly visible through the dense greenery.

Their supply of food was also running low. Tom seemed able to eat almost anything that held still, but they were still relying on the dwindling contents of Applejack’s saddle bag.

By noon they were both exhausted from lack of sleep and the warm sunlight was making the passing forest glens look very inviting.

“Fluttershy? What do you say we take a nap? I barely slept a wink last night and I’m plum tuckered out.”

Fluttershy yawned. “Okay.” She paused for a moment as though unsure whether to speak, then went ahead anyway. “Applejack? Are you feeling a little… strange?”

“A little, but it doesn’t really hurt… It’s just… I really want a jar of pickles.”

Applejack sighed. “Well if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been thinkin’ about oranges most of the morning. Just can’t seem to get them outa my head. Let’s try to get some sleep here while the sun is up and its warm; with any luck we’ll feel better after a few hours’ shut-eye.”

The oranges were delicious, and Applejack stood before the trough of peeled slices savoring the sweet tangy flavor. A crunching sound made her look to her left, directly into the face of a cow, only inches away. The cow looked at her blankly, not even trying to introduce herself then went back to munching from the trough which suddenly contained the same mix of grain and pellets she had been living on the last few days, but no sign of oranges.

She looked up fearfully from the trough to find herself inside one of the metal buildings she had seen. John was rummaging around in a refrigerator across the room, and as she watched he took out a jar filled with white milky liquid and a plastic syringe.

Applejack’s eyes went wide and she tried to back away only to feel something pressing against the back of her head. She tried to see what was wrong, but she couldn’t turn around in the tiny stall, and looking to her left she realized she had her head caught in the same metal stocks as the cow next to her.

She bucked and strained franticly against the metal U pipe that held her, but she couldn’t pull her head free! She heard footsteps behind her, and the cow next to her suddenly bucked and protested.

As she kicked and flailed against the pipe her eyes were drawn to a calf across the room, one who looked a lot like Tom but was the same yellow color as Apple Bloom. As she watched, the hybrid creature looked back with that same mindless stare.
Applejack’s breathing was ragged as she bucked and kicked but the footsteps came closer and stopped behind her without any sign of urgency.

Applejack awoke screaming and thrashing, and Fluttershy barely dodged a kick as she struggled groggily to her hooves.

It took a moment to realize where she was and that it had all been a dream, but gradually she got her breathing under control and her heart slowed down a bit.
“I’m sorry Fluttershy, I… I just had another nightmare.”

“Oh, you poor thing, it looks like you were terrified!” Fluttershy stepped over to where she was sprawled on the ground and held her tight in a hug.

“I’m… I think I’m okay now.” Applejack managed as she returned her friends embrace. “I’m just glad I don’t have to do this alone.”

“That’s what friends are for.” Fluttershy replied, smiling warmly. “We stick by each other.”

Applejack felt a strange wetness on her flank, and looked up at Fluttershy, momentarily confused. “Uh, I didn’t push you into a puddle did I?”

“Oh nothing.” Applejack said with a small smile. “You’re just sweating in the heat, that’s all.”

Slowly and with mounting horror, Fluttershy looked down at her belly which was noticeable swollen and streaked with white droplets. Applejack looked down at her belly to see the first drops of her own milk leaking onto her skin.

Fluttershy was hyperventilating hard enough she was starting to see stars. “How?! I’ve never! How can I be?!”

John’s voice came echoing back out of her nightmare.
‘have to keep em pregnant and churning out calves all the time’
Tears were forming in her eyes as she tried to imagine how this could have happened.

“It must have been John!” Applejack shouted as she stamped the ground in a futile rage, tears streaming down her face.

“I don’t know!” Applejack Shouted again, her voice cracking under the strain. “But who else could have done this?!”

“I! I don’t!..” Fluttershy blubbered before breaking down completely. Applejack pulled her close and they both just held each other and cried.

Night was quietly falling, bringing an end to this terrible day. Applejack had done her best to be strong for her friend and keep it together, but Fluttershy had been hysterical, and it was only by drawing her thoughts back to Tom that she was able to get her functioning again. Tom had been missing since they woke in the late afternoon and though they had searched for hours, they still had found no sign of him. Now with the sun setting on the horizon they finally heard an answer to their calls.

They followed the sound to the edge of the forest where to their dismay, they found Tom happily laying waste to a homeowner's backyard garden.

“Tom! Come on, we can't stay here.” Fluttershy called, looking around nervously.

Tom barely looked up before going back to his feast, and eventually Applejack had to leave the cover of the woods and herd him back to safety. She saw no sign of lights in the house however and it looked as though they had not been seen.

“Oh, Tom, don't scare me like that!” Fluttershy admonished the calf. “Wait... What's this?”
In the falling light she had noticed a thin cord around the Tom's neck with a note tied to it. They both looked around in fear, but they seemed to be alone. Fluttershy cautiously pulled the note from the string and read it aloud.

'Fluttershy and Applejack; I am so, so sorry for what's happened to you! After everything you've been through you must feel so scared and alone.
I met Scootaloo on a Girl Scout trip years ago and I promise you, she is living a happy life of her own.
Your friends all found her and each other, but they're worried about you and I really hope you will listen to them and stop hiding. I have not told anyone that you're here, but if you follow the map on the back of this note it will lead you to a little camping spot I have in the woods. I have a pack full of supplies and good vegetarian food with me because I don't eat meat either.
I really hope you can find it in your hearts to trust again.
Lalitha.'

Finally Applejack spoke up. “We're nearly out of food, and we have no way of getting home without the princess. I ain’t too keen on this, but if this human saw us, she could have called fer help, and she didn't.”

Fluttershy looked conflicted as she stood absentmindedly stroking her belly, but eventually she gave a small nod of agreement.

Following the map led them to a small clearing in the woods where a couple of tents were pitched and a fire burned under a pot of stew. The scent wafting off the pot had both their mouths watering and as they watched, a teenage girl walked out of the tent and stopped to stir the pot.

Applejack slapped a hoof against her face as Tom walked into the clearing from the far side and wandered right up to the girl.
“I sure hope so. It looks like somepony done made the choice for us.”

They watched as the girl produced an apple for Tom then looked around the edge of the clearing.
“It's okay, I'm the only one here and I'm not going to hurt you.”

Lalitha took a seat on a log by the fire, bringing her down to eye level. “Applejack! I'm so glad you came!

She made no move to approach further, but her stomach growled loudly as the smell of the stew became more pronounced. “How did y’all know we were here?”

“The story of what happened to you has been all over the news; they had pictures of Fluttershy and Tom, and when I found Tom eating my mother’s garden it didn't take long to figure out that Fluttershy would never be far from his side.”

Applejack took a cautious step forward. “News... you mean we've been in the newspapers?'

“Yes. Your story has been on TV, radio, and internet news sites for nearly three days now. When that video of what happened to poor Fluttershy got out...” She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

She sniffed again, before continuing. “Three nights ago when Fluttershy stumbled onto the veal building there were cameras recording everything that happened. Someone released the video, and…” She paused to get herself together. “and it's just heartrending. Watching what happened that night, it just makes me feel ashamed.”

“But… I thought you said y’all don’t eat meat?” Applejack said taking a step back.

“I don’t. But I’m still human, and watching Fluttershy trying to help when the rest of us allowed that to happen…” She sniffled again.
“But some good has come out of it. That horrible farm is closed down, and all the calves have been set free, though most are going to need help to walk again.”

Fluttershy stepped into the firelight. “You mean it? They let the calves go?”

Tears were beginning to form in Lalitha’s eyes as she smiled. “Yes, yes they did. And a lot of states are passing laws to ban this from ever happening again.”

Fluttershy closed the distance and practically tackled Lalitha in a hug. “Oh, thank you, thank you!” She managed, tears of joy and relief running down her cheeks.

Lalitha returned her hug. “It’s all because of you, Fluttershy. You brought this out into the light and forced everyone to take a long hard look.”

After a moment they pulled apart and Lalitha was about to speak when her attention was drawn down to a damp white spot on her jeans. She looked at Fluttershy in confusion.
“Fluttershy? Are you… pregnant?”

Fluttershy quivered visibly, then broke down sobbing as she curled up in a ball on the ground. Lalitha looked to Applejack for help, but saw her tearing up as well so she pulled both ponies into a hug as Fluttershy sobbed out the entire story of all that had happened over the last three horrible days.

Her expression worked through fear, amazement and horror as she listened to it all, but finally Fluttershy got out the last of the story and Lalitha steeled herself for what was next.

“I’m not?” Fluttershy managed in a pathetic voice as she looked up at her.

“That farm was a dairy farm. The cattle feed is spiked with female hormones to help the cows produce more milk. If I had spent the last three days eating that stuff I would be lactating too.” She finished, gesturing to her breasts.

“I’m sorry, but that’s not all. You obviously didn’t know what was in that feed or you would never have touched it.”

Applejack’s look of relief melted away as she asked fearfully; “Why...? What was in the food?”

“Well…” She stammered as she tried and failed to think of an easy way to say it. “Animals.”

“You mean… that stuff was full of… meat?” Applejack asked as her face took on a green tint.

“I’m sorry, but yes, more or less. Farmers add protein to the feed to help the cattle grow faster, and it’s usually made from leftover bits of pigs, chickens, turkeys and fish.”

Fluttershy turned and heaved but Applejack was just holding out as her mind latched onto a particular word.
“Whadaya mean ‘usually’”?

Lalitha cringed but continued. “Well, you see... they also make protein feed from ground up goats, cows, sheep, and yes, sometimes the occasional horse or pony. It’s illegal to feed them to other cows, but it looks like John wasn’t a big one for following USDA rules…”

Applejack’s eyes had gotten even bigger if that was possible and she turned about and became violently ill into the greenery.

Fluttershy was sobbing between heaves as all this sunk in. “You… feed them to each other?!”

Applejack was still heaving and had both hooves over her head as she wailed; “Cows?! I done ate cows?!?”

Lalitha did her best to comfort them as they wailed, but there was little she could think of to say that would make this better.

When everything started happening three days ago she had taken the time to look up Scootaloo's number in her old phone, and had updated it to her new one. 'I just hope she still remembers me...'

“Scootaloo! Am I glad to hear your voice. This is Lalitha, you know, from Girl Scouts? I showed you that cool veggie recipe after the nature hike all those years ago?”

“Of course, I remember you!” Scootaloo answered warmly. “I don't mean to be rude, but I'm kind of in the middle of something here.”

“I understand, but I'm calling because I need your help. I found your friends, and -”

“Yes, they're here, but they've really been through the wringer. How soon can you get out here?” She added as she repeated the address.

“If I borrow one of the Black Hawks we can all be there in an hour and a half... Hold on a minute...” Lalitha could hear shouts of relief in the background as the good news spread. “I see an open field on the map a quarter mile to your north east. Think you can meet us there in ninety minutes?”

“No problem, we'll see you there.” She broke the connection and looked back to the two poor ponies who were trying to fight down the dry heaves of their empty stomachs.

They both turned shakily to look up at her. “I just called Scootaloo; she and your friends will be here in a little over an hour. They've been waiting for news for days and they sounded ecstatic to hear you were okay.”

They both smiled weakly as Lalitha continued. “Now come on, I wouldn't be much of a host if I just let you leave looking like death warmed over.” She thought about it for a moment.
“Why don't we try for something to make you feel better, something to give you a bit of closure. Applejack, Fluttershy, could you help me fetch some more wood to build up the fire?”

Happy for some mundane task to take their minds off everything that had happened, they set to work and soon had the fire blazing and the pot of stew set off to the side.

“In our culture when a friend dies we sometimes burn the body, the empty shell, as their spirit no longer needs it. If you are willing, why don't we throw what meat is left into the fire and pray for the ones we’ve lost? It may help bring you some peace.”

The two ponies looked at each other, and slowly, Applejack undid the strap on her saddle bag and tossed the whole garment into the blaze where the raging fire rapidly consumed it.

“I liked that bag, but I don't reckon I could ever use it again knowing what it had in it.”

Fluttershy pulled away in shock, but Applejack just looked worn out as she stared down at the hat in her hoof, then tossed it into the fire as well. In a few minutes the last identifiable pieces burned away leaving only the wood fire crackling in the darkness.

Lalitha served up bowls of stew for all of them and though their stomachs were not entirely settled they soon found the stew to be delicious, and gradually their hunger won out. They each helped themselves to several bowls before it was time to go, and as Lalitha led them out to the field Fluttershy actually complemented her on her cooking.

Our Girl Scootaloo 3 of 3

by Cozy Mark IV

Ch 3.15 Rescuing the Rescuers