//------------------------------// // Ch 21: The Great Escape // Story: Our girl Scootaloo 1 of 3 // by Cozy Mark IV //------------------------------// Our Girl Scootaloo by Cozy Mark IV 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 Twenty One: The Great Escape By mid-March some semblance of normalcy had returned to the school. The new BiGLTS was up and running, holding regular meetings and providing badly needed 'safe zone' training to interested faculty members. With more students coming out of the closet and with sex ed restored, the atmosphere under the new temporary administration was gradually shifting from suspicious or hateful to cautiously hopeful, but any innocence was gone for good. Before the crisis, Scootaloo and her friends had never really thought too much about their school, but now they were very keenly aware just how little anyone in the administration cared what happened to them. Josie had released the recordings of the phone calls and meetings she had had with the superintendent of schools. Everyone could see and hear what she had said, how she had tried to sound the alarm, and how she was brushed off as some dumb kid. The protest hadn't been enough to make them care, even with almost half the school involved, and it had taken video testimonial of rape and pedophilia, broadcast to every local news channel to get anything to happen at all. After the news got hold of the scandal, the superintendent and senior members of the Department of Education did eventually change their tune, but only after several days proved that the parents really didn't like the idea of their children attending school with a principal who had sheltered a child rapist. Perhaps the most eye-opening lesson was that the community as a whole was okay with this. Even though it had taken days for the higher ups to switch from 'we have total faith in Mr. Gray's leadership' to 'we are looking into the allegations of wrongdoing' to 'Mr Gray has been asked to resign', the higher-ups all kept their jobs. When asked on camera they claimed that they had no warning and abdicated all responsibility for doing their jobs. And it worked. The community put all the blame on Mr. Gray and his Deacon. The girls who had become pregnant and had abortions or given birth in their teens were labeled a 'political issue', and were left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives as best they could. The gay and lesbian students who had been abused, picked on and beaten were not mentioned at all. It turned out the same treatment that would have opened up a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit against a company under the 'hostile workplace' laws meant next to nothing when only children were on the line. On one of the warmer days in March, Scootaloo was hanging around after school with her friends, watching the practice and catching up with Ms Chisholm between drills. After the practice wrapped up for the day, Melissa brought up the topic that had been on all their minds. They were sitting on the upper levels of the bleachers overlooking the field with its wilted grass, not yet turned green by the coming spring. The cool breeze whistled softly through the beams and seats around them as they talked. “It just isn't the same anymore, is it?” She asked looking out over the school. “I know.” Christina answered. “I don't know what it used to be but... It just doesn't feel like home anymore.” Scootaloo nodded. “After everything that's happened...” She sighed and looked down at her hooves. “And we still have twelfth grade, another full year of this. Of being patronized children.” There was a contemplative silence, and they could hear the faint sounds of the junior high band practicing in the distance. “Couldn't we try to get into college early?” Josie asked. “I know we have the grades, and even a local or community college would be an improvement.” “We should, but we can't.” Melissa growled. “I've been over it with the new principal and the superintendent. They've cut the program for dual enrollment as 'too expensive'. Pastor Gray's last gift to us was the lawsuit resulting from the mess he left. The school hasn't paid a dime out, but they used it as an excuse to cut the funding for other programs. Dad said our only option would be to sue to have the program re-instated. We're guaranteed to win; what they did is a violation of state law, but it would take at least a year to fight the suit, and by that time it wouldn't matter, we would have graduated anyway. They knew all this and basically laughed in my face when I came to them for help.” Josie leaned back and slouched against the seat behind her. “It's all about helping the children until someone has to pay for it. Besides, why should they help us? If they hold us back, our good test scores make them look like better administrators.” “Actually...” Scootaloo trailed off and the others paused to look at her. She blushed a little, but continued. “Actually, I was kind of hoping to talk all of you into trying something with me. I've been talking this over with my dads, and they suggested we take our GED test this April. I know it’s less than a month away, but they agreed to foot the bill for all four of us, and if we pass, then the school can't hold us back anymore; we'd be free to go on to college, and on their money too for the first year. 'Free and appropriate education' up to age eighteen and all that.” Christina looked uncertain. “But... What if we fail? We aren't even done with eleventh grade yet.” Josie had begun to smile as she worked the idea through. “Then nothing changes. But if we study hard, if we pass, then we won't be stuck here anymore. We can leave this mess behind and get on with our lives!” Christina was still staring out over the field and the school buildings beyond looking lost. Her voice shook a little as she asked. “Leave? All our friends and teachers?” Scootaloo shifted over and put an arm around her shoulder. “It had to happen sooner or later. Is it so easy to forget the threats and bullying? The reason you hid who you are, even from your best friends?” Christina blushed just a little and Scootaloo continued. “College isn't like that. You get to live away from your parents for the first time. No one bullies you or makes fun of you for being too smart. My dads met at school. They fell in love there and got married.” She sighed. “Aside from Melissa here, we haven't exactly been lucky in love. I want to try. I want the chance to get on with life, to study biology and medicine. I want to go to classes where fart jokes aren't the height of wit and humor.” There were a few smiles at that. “And all we have to do is pass the GED test? Is it hard?” “Not as bad you would expect.” Scootaloo answered. She fished out her tablet and sent the example test questions she had been working on to her friends' email. As they pulled them up and looked over them Josie actually laughed. “This is all? Some of these are pathetically easy.” Scootaloo looked serious again. “They aren't all that easy, but I don't see any reason we couldn't do this. What do you say? We can go back to my house for a study group if you're game. We have nothing to lose but some time, and everything to gain.” ... Later that week at her monthly hospital checkup, Mary had some strange news for her. “Did you hear about the new discovery some researchers made in your DNA?” “Not yet.” She answered, sliding up onto the exam table. “What did they find?” Mary grinned mischievously and produced a sick looking potted plant. “This!” Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. “Sorry,” she grinned sheepishly, “I couldn’t resist. You recall that some parts of your DNA are obviously carriers that store information not used in day to day life right?” “Yeah, like that read me file written in a language no one can translate. Heck of a lot of good it does anyone.” She added with a frown. “True enough, but some of that information has turned out to be designed for plants: someone bundled pieces of code for certain plants like wheat and oats into sections of your DNA. It took some real digging to find it and understand it, but that’s what brings me to this plant here. It’s one of the first seedlings they got to grow.” Scootaloo really looked at the apple tree seedling in front of her for the first time. While it looked sickly at first glance, she now realized that it was actually healthy enough with one big exception. All the leaves were black. “Um… did something kill this one?” “No, it’s growing just like it should. It’s already almost a foot tall, but it’s only a week old.” Scootaloo was no farmer, but even she knew that wasn’t normal. “How could it possibly grow that fast? And why are the leaves black?” “That was the discovery.” Mary smiled as she put the potted tree back on the counter. “Apparently, normal photosynthesis is between 2% and 6% efficient, and it’s pretty similar across a huge range of plants. Cheap solar cells you can buy online for under a hundred dollars are about 10% to 15% efficient, and if you go for the multi-layer, multi-color designs NASA uses, you can get above 50% efficiency. The difference is that solar cells were designed by thinking minds, while photosynthesis is an evolved system. What we found in your DNA was designed photosynthesis! Normal leaves are green because they use all the colors of light except green which they reflect for us to see. This new type of photosynthesis uses damn near all the light that hits the leaf – it’s so black it’s actually difficult to see the surface details of the plant. The new cells produce energy at around 40% efficiency, and while a lot of plants can’t seem to use all that energy properly yet, it won’t take long to breed new strains that can.” “Um… So this means we should all be on the lookout for black apples at the grocery store?” Mary just shook her head in amusement. “It means that you’ve probably just dropped the price of food through the floor. Once they work the bugs out of this, we can expect crops that grow to maturity in 1/8 the normal time. Some environmentalists are already upset and working on controls for the new food crops. They’re worried plants that can grow this much faster will completely overrun anything else on earth today, and they might be right.” “So… we’re going to have to weed apple trees out of the family garden?” She asked with a smirk. “It might happen if they mess this up. Give them a few years to get the details right, but this could be really big! When they figure out the details this pretty much spells the end to world hunger, at least until things get a lot more crowded down here.” “I’m not sure I follow you… There are what, 8 or 9 billion people on the planet now? You’re saying this would allow us to feed 8 times more?!?” “Hypothetically at least. As I said, it will take a year or two to get the first crops out and approved, but long term? I think it’s safe to say this will save a few more millions of people each year.” She grinned as she slapped the stunned pony on the shoulder. “Congratulations Scoot!” ... After sitting the test, the letters had gone out two weeks later, and they each brought them to school the next day. With everything turning green outside in the warmer weather, and less than a month remaining in the school year, the halls had that jubilant feeling of impending vacation that only a school can provide. They had all agreed to open them together, and as the halls hummed with the hustle and bustle of class changes the four of them sat down on a bench between the lockers. “Do you think you passed?” Melissa asked. “I don't know... I'm so worried.” Christina answered. “What if all of you made it and I didn't?” “Oh, really? What if you passed and we all didn't?” Scootaloo kidded. “Okay. On three. One... Two... Three!” They all ripped open the envelopes and began pouring over the long winded letter, looking to see if they made it. Christina reached behind her letter and slowly pulled out an official looking piece of stiff paper with her name and a seal on it. Seeing that they had been beaten to the chase, the others looked deeper into their envelopes, and soon all four of them were holding their degrees as they squealed and hugged each other. “Oh my God! This is so great!” Melissa bubbled. “But, how will we get into our colleges now? The application deadline was way back in February!” “I wouldn't worry; remember what my dads said? Colleges are businesses, and if you come to them with money, they're going to do what has to be done to get you in.” “That's right, we'll need to choose our top schools and contact them now.” Christina interjected before practically squeeing: “We're going to college!” The glee and enthusiasm kept the conversation going for some time as they discussed which schools they wanted to go to, what they would be doing their first week out from under their parents' roofs, and what other adventures they might get up to in just a few months. While they talked, the halls gradually emptied out as the stragglers hurried to their next classes, and before long they were alone by the bench. Christina was the first to calm down enough to notice. “Oh, crap!” She yelped as she jumped to her feet. “I'm late for world history!” Scootaloo put out a hand to stop her. “Um... Christina?” She asked, gesturing to the certificate in her hand. It took a moment for them all to realize what she meant. “Wow...” “So... Is this it? We're done with high school?” Melissa asked. The halls were now completely empty but for the four of them, and an eerie silence settled, one that had meant scoldings and detentions only minutes ago, but now held no power over them. “Well, I still have a bunch of college credits of distance learning, but they're almost wrapped up, and I can log in to them anywhere.” Scootaloo replied. “I guess you're right...” Josie muttered as she stared at her tablet. “This is it. No ceremony, no big fanfare to make the higher ups feel important. High school is just... done.” “Yeah, and we get a year of our lives back!” Melissa crowed as she slapped Scootaloo on the back. “Come on, I think Josie here brought her car to school today didn't you?” “Uh, yeah, but what does-” “Who's up for a trip to the mall?” Melissa asked, adding in a tantalizing singsong voice. “The movie theater will have cheap matinee movies to help us celebrate!” This was greeted with shouts of glee, and the four of them made their way down the hall. One crotchety old teacher did try to stop them, and was completely mystified as to why these normally well behaved girls simply smiled and ignored her admonishments and threats of detention. As they burst out the doors into the warm sunlight Josie's beat up old car blinked as she thumbed the key fob, and before long they were on the road, and off to see what the world had to offer. ... The weeks that followed were a blur of college applications, finishing online classes, tests and interwoven through it all, a new-found sense of freedom. Scootaloo's dads were thrilled that she had passed, as were most of the other parents, and while some took a little convincing to understand just what a victory their daughters had won, even Christina's parents came around in a few days. Their school administrators had other ideas regarding their plans to leave early, but there was little they could do other than mourn the loss of four students who had boosted their district test scores. There were a few entreaties and offers to 'walk the stage' at graduation provided they came back, but with college looming in only three months, none of them were willing to turn back the clock. That is until Scootaloo got a very unusual letter. It started with the usual placation, and she almost threw it away before she read the body of it. “As you know, the new Martian colonists have just established the first permanent settlement on the red planet, and they have expressed an interest in sending several earth based representatives of the Mars team to speak at your school. We would very much like to help with this, but it will only be possible if you are enrolled as a student. Please send your answer within the week so arrangements can be made.” Scootaloo stared at the letter and re-read it twice before she understood. With all the trouble at school, she had completely lost track everything else. The Mars colony was only possible because of her participation, delivering the drive they needed to get there, but now the school was holding their offer hostage as a bargaining chip! Not sure what to do, she took the letter to her dads and explained everything. “Wow. After everything they put you through they have the nerve to threaten you?” Jayne asked with a note of awed respect. “These guys don't know when to quit.” Kevin leaned back chair looking thoughtful. “Well hold on a minute here. The Mars team probably just sent this to your current school because they assumed that all was well. I bet they would be happy to move the ceremony somewhere else.” Scootaloo nodded. “I thought of that. Josie, Christina, Melissa and I would like to celebrate somehow, but who else besides a highschool can throw a highschool graduation?” “What about a college?” Jayne asked. “Think our old alma mater would be interested?” Kevin chuckled. “Hmmm... After the long string of mailings they sent asking us to donate or come and speak... I don't know...” “I'd be okay with that, how about you Scoot? It’s not Harvard, but it’s a thoroughly respectable state school, and it was in your list of top five schools anyway. Should we ask our old college if they would be interested in including the four of you in their spring graduation?” “I'm fine with it, though I'll have to ask my friends.” And so their 'escape' from highschool ended better than they could have hoped as the four of them walked across the stage with the colleges graduating spring class to thunderous applause.