(Monday, Last Night)
Scootaloo felt bad the entire time she and Adara were in the clubhouse. She had yelled at her when she had asked about her past. I could've just lied, she thought, it would've been no big deal, it's not like she could tell I was lying anyway…so…why did I have to go and yell at her…?
Even now, as the two of them began getting ready to sleep, Scootaloo eyed her newest friend warily. They hadn't spoken a word beyond a question or two, and that was only when necessary. As Scootaloo lied there, she felt terrible; overreacting like that was not the way to go, especially to somepony who might've been in the same situation as she was long ago. Shaking that depressing thought away, Scootaloo decided to put a gap between them, scooting further from Adara under the blanket. The pegasus filly could tell that it made her friend a little sad, but right now she didn't' feel like she needed to be wrapped in that comforting wing.
Scootaloo sighed mentally as she stared at a nothing in particular. I'll…I'll apologize to her in the morning…
Her eyes became heavy, really heavy. Soon Scootaloo found herself drifting off to sleep…
~~~
Scootaloo…
Suddenly the orange filly's eyes snapped open, she gasped, and her jaw hung open. She was no longer in the clubhouse; it was an empty room, with a window, and a door, but no furniture. Everything seemed to be toned in different shades of gray, reminding the young filly of the educational films Miss Cheerilee would have them watch. Scootaloo quickly looked to her right, but Adara wasn't anyway where to be seen, even the blanket was gone.
Scootaloo, cautiously, got onto her hooves. She trotted over to the window, but when she looked out there was nothing. Just a grassy field, a large oak tree, and a tire swing…
"A tire swing, but…no it can't be you're just imagining things."
The violet maned filly decided to go exploring, she carefully went to the door. It was cracked, so she only had to give it a push in order to open it. The door slowly swung, creaking eerily, if not unnaturally loud. It sent a chill up the filly's spine, at the same time, it was nostalgic, and not in the good way. For such a simple sound carried with it faint feelings long forgotten. Feelings of helplessness, fear, and pain. Scootaloo shook her head violently, trying to dislodge the unpleasant thoughts out of her mind yet again.
Once the door was open she started walking down the hallway. The whole time Scootaloo couldn't shake the nostalgic feeling, it wouldn't leave her mind, and it weighed on her with every step she took. There seemed to be nothing in the hallway, no pictures, or stands, or rug, nothing to indicate whose house this was, but it seemed strangely familiar. On the wall there were rectangular spots, places were picture frames used to hang most likely.
From what she could tell there seemed to be four doors, the one she came out of, the one across from it, and two others halfway down. Scootaloo kept walking till she was at the end of the hallway, where she came to a stairwell. Scootaloo took one step forward, the moment her hoof made contact something happened. There was the sound of something falling onto the hardwood floor. The sound caused Scootaloo to retreat a few steps back, but after a minute or two of waiting to hear it again the only thing that lingered was silence.
After steeling herself, and gulping loudly, Scootaloo started back down the stairs. With each step she took her heart beat just a bit faster. She didn't understand why she was so scared right now. The house looked like something out of a cheesy horror movie, and was washed in monochrome colors, and no distinguishing features whatsoever.
"So why the hay do I feel so uneasy right now…?"
As Scootaloo reached the last step she started to look around. It was the same as upstairs, except for some minor things. The windows had their curtains drawn, all four of them. Near the front door was a chair, nothing special, just a wooden table chair. Scootaloo found the chair fascinating, since it was the only thing that seemed tangible. Scootaloo rushed towards it, but immediately came to a skidding halt. Her eyes grew wide as saucer plates, and her pupils reduced to the size of pinpricks. The filly's heart pounded in her chest, threatening to burst through her ribcage.
In the center of what she believed to be the living room was a pegasus, her body was limp as she hung from a noose that was crudely constructed into the ceiling. Scootaloo hyperventilated, her first instinct was to cry and run, but something else, in the back of her mind, told her to go and help this pegasus. As she made her way to the hanging body, the dead pegasus slowly turned, revealing a horrifying sight that made Scootaloo scream. The mare, who was hanging from her neck, didn't have a face.
Scootaloo retreated from the sight, wanting desperately to get out of the house and run for help. When she was upon the door, Scootaloo stopped. A dark violet mist was seeping from the cracks underneath the door; the moment it wafted passed her hooves it stung.
*THUMP*
Scootaloo looked up at the door.
*THUMP*
"W-W-Who's there?!"
*THUMP*
"Little bird, little bird, please let me in?"
That one sentence made Scootaloo's blood run cold as ice. Before she even realized it she was already up the stairs, her legs moving on some subconscious instinct to run at the mere utterance of those words. Her mad dash brought her to the same room she had left earlier. Scootaloo quickly slammed the door behind her, and stopped. There was a bed in the room.
"But that wasn't here last time! Where the heck did it –?!"
*THUMP*
She didn't have time to question why a bed mysteriously appeared in a room that previously had nothing in it. Scootaloo hurriedly rushed underneath the bed, hiding, trembling like a leaf.
"Please don't find me! Please don't find me! Please don't find me! Please don't find me! Please don't find me! Please don't find me! Please don't find me! Please don't find me! Please don't find me!"
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
The sound stopped, right outside the door.
"Little bird, little bird, please let me in?"
The doorknob juggled a bit before finally clicking, slowly the door opened, that horrible creaking noise echoed through the room yet again. Scootaloo tried to back up further under the bed, but her flank hit the wall, no more room to hide. The dark violet mist poured from the doorway, creeping along the floor. A single hoof, black as night, stepped into the room.
"Scootaloo…?"
"Help me…"
"Scootaloo…?"
"Help me…"
~~~
"Scootaloo?!"
Adara shook the trembling filly next to her; Scootaloo was muttering something incoherently with small droplets of tears starting to appear at the corner of her eyes.
"Help…"
"Scootaloo, wake up!"
With a start the orange pegasus awoke gasping, jerking her head back and forth. Her eyes scanned the room, frantically searching for the figure she thought was still around. After a few seconds, Scootaloo realized that she was no longer in the house of gray, nor was the dark violet mist around. Instead she was back in the clubhouse, with a very worried Adara staring right at her.
"Scootaloo, are you alright," asked Adara.
The violet maned filly ran a hoof over her forehead, which was matted with sweat. After taking a few shaky, calming breaths, Scootaloo found her voice again.
"Y-Yeah, i-i-it was just a bad dream, really bad," she answered.
"Scootaloo…?"
"I'm fine, really. It's not the first time I've had a bad dream."
"Looked more like you had a nightmare," said Adara.
"Can we just get back to bed; I have school in the morning…"
The conversation ended there, both fillies huddled back under the blanket, except this time was different. Scootaloo, moved closer to Adara. The cerulean filly didn't shirk away from her, instead she did as she always did, which was draping her blue wing over her friend. This simple act helped keep the bad dreams away for the rest of the night.
(Tuesday)
Scootaloo woke up early that day, and not by choice. The dream she had last night was so vivid, so real, that she felt that her very life might've been in danger. It wasn't the same as during the camping trip, compared to then, those nightmares about the Headless Horse and the Olden Pony were like lighthearted bedtime stories. No, maybe because they were just stories that it didn't feel as life threatening.
"I wish it was the Headless Horse, or even the Olden Pony…I haven't had a nightmare like that for a couple of years…so why now?"
Scootaloo started to hear some moaning and groaning behind her. She turned around and saw that Adara was just now waking up, using her hoof to rub the sleep from her eyes. She couldn't help but smile and giggle at Adara's bedhead, her usually long windswept mane was disheveled, most of it covering her face. For some reason though, Scootaloo couldn't help but find this appearance rather cute – in general, for a filly, Adara was cute.
"Morning sleepy head."
Adara smacked her lips a few times, and pushed her mane out of her line of sight.
"Good morning, Scootaloo. Are you well," she asked.
"Yeah, I'm doing better." Scootaloo looked away for a moment and sighed. She then turned her head and looked directly at Adara. "Listen…I-I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday…I just…I don't like talking about my past, it's a bit of a sore subject. For now, can we just pretend like it never happened?"
Adara stared off into the distance for a minute, not making direct eye contact with Scootaloo. The young pegasus was worried, did she hurt her friend's feelings. Adara seemed like a strong and fearless filly, maybe not Rainbow Dash level, but still strong and fearless, she did save Scootaloo's life after all. After about another minute passed, Adara looked back in her direction.
"Sure, Scootaloo, if that's what you want," she said smiling.
Scootaloo let out a relieved sigh, "Okay, um, you know we won't be doing any crusading today, right?"
"Yeah, I know, Tuesdays and Thursdays are when you and Rainbow Dash have your flying lessons. I'll be fine, don't worry."
"Cool."
The rest of the morning went as well as could be expected after that. Scootaloo and Adara caught an early breakfast at Sugar Cube Corner, compliments of Pinkie Pie having made too many pastries. Scootaloo wondered if Pinkie Pie just set aside some for her and Adara, which would be weird, but then again Pinkie was a weird pony to begin with and she, along with the other Crusaders, learned long ago that trying to figure out the pink party pony was a headache you didn't want.
After the two of them got close to the school they parted ways. Scootaloo often wondered what Adara did when she was at school, probably just flew around and enjoyed the freedom of it.
Someday I'll be able to fly like her and Rainbow Dash, I'll join them up there soon, she thought happily.
(Tuesday, Late Afternoon)
"You can do it Scootaloo, just a little more," said Rainbow Dash.
The rainbow maned mare was hovering about ten feet in the air, waiting with outstretched forelegs to grab onto her surrogate little sister, Scootaloo. The orange filly flapped her wings at a fast and furious pace, her brow beaded with sweat as she huffed and panted, trying hard to claim higher and higher into the air to meet Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo was hovering about five feet in the air, just five feet shy of meeting the speedster pegasus at the same height.
"C'mon Scoots, you're almost there!"
"I-I-I can't!" Scootaloo cried.
"Yes you can squirt, just a couple of more feet to go!"
Scootaloo flapped harder and harder, ten feet, it might as well have been ten times that as far as she was concerned. Just when she thought her task was impossible, the violet maned filly found herself in the arms of Rainbow Dash, supporting her under her forelegs. When Scootaloo felt that, she stopped flapping her wings, and allowed herself to go limp in her "big sister's" grasp.
"Not bad kid, you're getting better," said Rainbow.
"You're just…saying that…There are foals…who can do that…who are younger…than me," said Scootaloo in between deep breaths.
"Hey, it's better than what you could do a few months ago." Rainbow Dash lowered her altitude till the two of them were safely back on terra firma. She gently laid Scootaloo onto the soft grass; Rainbow then took a spot next to her and had a bit of a sad expression. "And…I guess that's sorta my fault, Scoots. I know I promised to teach you, but when Twilight got her wings, you know, after becoming an alicorn, she asked me to teach her. And then there was that whole craziness at the Crystal Empire during the Princess Summit…" Rainbow Dash hung her head low, ears flat to her skull. "So sorry if I haven't been there that much."
Scootaloo quickly shook her head vigorously. "No, no, no! Rainbow Dash don't blame yourself! Twilight's your friend, and I totally understand. I mean if you suddenly grew a horn and needed to learn magic right away, you'd probably do the same thing and ask Twilight for magic lessons, right?"
Rainbow Dash chuckled at that, her ears piqued up and her usual confident smirk returned.
"Still doesn't stop her from trying to teach me about magic, horn or no horn. I mean, I get she loves magic just as much as I love flying. Guess that's why I – I – I…"
Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash and cocked her head quizzically at the soon-to-be Wonderbolt.
"That's why you what," asked Scootaloo.
Rainbow Dash seemed to look around frantically till she spotted the changing color of the sky, from blue to the setting orange and red colors.
"Whoa would ya look at the time! You need to be heading home soon squirt, same for me! Pick up where we left off on Thursday?!"
Scootaloo didn't understand why Rainbow Dash had changed the subject so quickly, but she was right, and as much as she liked to spend time with her, it would be troublesome if she or anypony else found out where she lived.
"Alright then, see you soon Rainbow Dash," said Scootaloo.
Grateful that no further questions were asked, Rainbow Dash ruffled the young filly's mane and took off, her trademark rainbow streak trailing behind her as she did.
"Well, better go and see if the Cakes have anything they didn't sell." Scootaloo hopped onto her scooter and buzzed off towards Ponyville. "One of these days I'm gonna find Adara and me an actual dinner."
As Scootaloo began to go deep into thought about how to acquire a proper, full, meal for the two of them she didn't notice that there was a maroon mare coming out from behind a stand. Luckily, Scootaloo was able to bring her scooter to a grinding halt, just mere inches from running into the mare, the rear wheel lightly tapping the right foreleg of the older pony.
"Phew…"
"Scootaloo?"
The orange pegasus filly looked up at the near crash victim and immediately recognized her.
"Miss Cheerilee?! I'm sorry, I didn't hurt you did I?!"
The school mare just lightly shook her head as she smiled at her young student.
"I'm fine Scootaloo, though you seemed to be lost in thought there for a second, everything alright," asked Cheerilee.
"Oh yeah, everything's great! Just heading to Sugar Cube Corner is all."
Scootaloo noticed something strange, but it was brief. Cheerilee seemed to look concerned for some reason, but the expression was quickly gone as her face returned to its normal kind demeanor.
"Really, I was actually heading there myself. Would you mind if we kept each other company along the way," she asked.
"Sure, that's fine."
The teacher and student began heading towards Sugar Cube Corner, Scootaloo's wings buzzed lightly, allowing her to keep pace with the longer stride of Cheerilee. Along the way the young filly couldn't help but feel that her teacher was glancing down at her now and again, Scootaloo didn't think anything of it, just typical Cheerilee looking out for her students wellbeing.
"Scootaloo, I was wondering, I'm making pasta later. I usually end up making too much for myself, I was wondering, if your parents are coming home late, you could come over and have some with me," asked Cheerilee.
The young filly nearly stopped in her tracks. This was the first time Cheerilee invited her over for a meal, and a home cooked one at that. It was tempting, very tempting. But a thought entered her mind, if she did go, Adara wouldn't be able to come, Cheerilee hadn't met her yet and it was going to be awkward to try and explain why she was there. And just going without telling would be rude to Adara, and unfair. So Scootaloo looked up at her teacher and politely declined.
"No thanks, my, uh, my parents are coming home early so I'm just going to pick up desert for us. That's why I'm going to Sugar Cube Corner," she explained.
"Oh, okay then, just offering," said Cheerilee in a disappointed tone.
"Thanks anyway," she added quickly, noticing the tone.
They were near the bakery, just a few vendor stalls away.
"Well, if something happens I'll save some for you to take home will that be okay?"
Scootaloo pondered how to respond, she didn't want to make Cheerilee sad, but it did provide an opportunity for the two of them to get a decent meal for once.
"Sure, that sounds cool," said Scootaloo.
Cheerilee breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright – oh and I'll be sure to make some extra for Adara."
"Thanks, I know she'll love – WAIT WHAT!!??"
Scootaloo came to an abrupt halt. Cheerilee's eyes went wide with realization, she had just accidentally blurted out the name of Scootaloo's friend, one whom she wasn't supposed to be aware of. The school teacher quickly did a one-eighty turn and stared straight at Scootaloo who was now giving her an incredulous look.
"What did you say?!"
"I-I…"
"You said 'Adara!' How do you know that name, Miss Cheerilee!?"
"Scootaloo, listen…"
"TELL ME!"
There was no denying it, no getting around it, there was only one thing left to do, and that was to tell the truth. Cheerilee didn't know what would happen after this, but she prayed that something good might happen.
"Scootaloo…earlier today Adara came to me, she was concerned about you. Apparently you had a bad dream, and it scared her how much it scared you. She came to ask me what I know about you Scootaloo…which, I admit, is not a lot. Scootaloo listen, your friend is just looking out for you, and…and you don't have to worry, I know about the two of you and your…situation."
The young filly's eyes were growing wider by the second, Adara, her best friend and fellow Crusader had betrayed her. She told Miss Cheerilee that she was homeless, that they were living in the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse together, and after the two of them agreed to forget about the argument yesterday.
"Scootaloo listen, don't blame Adara, I already knew! I promise not to say anything until you're ready to talk, but –!"
"Sorry I need to go goodbye Miss Cheerilee!"
Scootaloo turned her scooter around and sped off into the distance. Her anger was seething, how could Adara do that to her! She weaved in and out of the shopping district and straight down Mane Street. As she was making a turn Scootaloo noticed Adara stepping out of Carousel Boutique. She brought her scooter to a screeching halt and stared flabbergasted.
Did she go to Rarity's house and blab to her too!? Oh no, what if Rainbow Dash finds out, I'll be sent to the orphanage, I'll have to leave Ponyville!
Scootaloo's anger only grew as her mind started to come up with implausible scenarios. Was Adara trying to get her in trouble? Was she plotting to get her run out of town? Whether it was out of general good natured friendship or just a slip of the tongue, it wasn't going to bode well for her.
The orange pegasus watched as Adara said her goodbyes to Rarity and Sweetie Belle and started walking off. Scootaloo flapped her wings fast and kicked off with her hind leg. She sped down the street, swiftly and quickly catching up with her so called friend. Adara turned her head and spotted her approach, the moment she was close enough Scootaloo slammed the brakes, bringing her to a complete stop in front of the blue filly. It took a second, but Adara seemed to flinch slightly upon seeing her. It made Scootaloo wonder if the face she was making was as full of rage as she was feeling.
"Adara…why…?"
"Why what…?"
Scootaloo gritted her teeth and stared directly at Adara. "WHY THE BUCK DID YOU TALK TO CHEERILEE ABOUT ME!!!?"
Adara gasped.
"S-Scootaloo I can explain –"
"Don't bother!" Scootaloo dismounted her scooter and stood on all fours as she stared directly at Adara. "You promised me that you were going to drop it! Why would go and do something like that, and to CHEERILEE of all ponies, my teacher," shouted Scootaloo.
Adara winced at the harsh tone of her voice; she tilted her head to the side, eyes downcast, unable to face her friend.
"I-I just wanted to help you…and I thought that somepony like Cheerilee might –"
"I never asked for your help, why can't you understand that?!"
It was at this point that Adara's demeanor changed a bit. She stopped staring at the ground and matched Scootaloo's serious gaze with one of her own.
"Because that's what friends do Scootaloo! They worry and look out for each other! I went to her because of you, you woke up in the middle of the night looking as if you were about to be killed!"
This time it was Scootaloo's turn to flinch, recalling the nightmare she had had.
"That…That was nothing, just a bad dream – that's all!"
"You're lying, it was worse than some 'bad dream!' If you would just talk to me maybe I could help," said Adara with sincere concern.
"Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle don't seem to bother asking, so why should it matter to you…"
"Maybe that's because they don't know the truth, if they did, they'd be doing the exact same thing I'm doing! If you can't understand that then maybe we shouldn't be friends at all!"
She said it, and the look on Adara's face was one of instant regret, but the words were already spoken. Scootaloo could feel an icy, stabbing pain in her heart. The one who had saved her from falling to her death, the one filly who she could relate with, and now, that same filly was telling her that she no longer wanted to be friends. The violet maned filly took a shaky step back; Adara raised her hoof towards her.
"Scootaloo I'm sorry, I didn't mean that I was just –!"
"Adara…just go…"
"W-What?"
"Just go Adara…I don't want to see you, ever again!!!" Scootaloo mounted her scooter and looked back in her former friend's direction. "And I'm banning you from the clubhouse, if I see you there I'll – I'll – Just don't ever come near there!"
Scootaloo didn't give her friend time to respond; she only sped off, a trail of dust being kicked up in her wake. Adara just stood there stunned, her mind was blank. When she finally registered what had happened, Adara, the Entity of Hope, began to weep.
(Sweet Apple Acres, Later That Night)
It was around seven o'clock at night and the Apple Family was just about to have their dinner. Ion was out at night, moving some of the full apple carts into the cellar. The green earth pony stallion was currently hauling the last of the apple carts to the cellar. A job he had reluctantly taken on due his losing to a certain orange earth pony mare.
Get into a hoof wrestling match with AJ, it'll be fun. Of course I know she's strong, and of course I know it would be cheating if I went one hundred percent power. How the heck was I supposed to know she would beat me at ten percent?! Oh well, a bet's a bet.
As Ion approached the cellar he unhitched himself from the cart and opened the door. Once opened he repositioned the cart and unloaded the contents, with a little help from a green slide construct that funneled the fruit all the way down to its designated spot. Usually he would take the apples down there personally and place them in their designated spots, but his stomach was grumbling and he was getting really addicted to the home cooked meals of the Apple family.
"Okay just a few more and I'll be –"
Suddenly Ion felt a powerful surge of energy rush through his body. The stallion's body was covered in a bright green aura that shined almost too much. Ion panicked, his glowing eyes darted from side to side.
"What in tarnation is that light?"
Oh no!
Ion used his power to create a pair of construct hands to take the rest of the apples of the cart and, rather unceremoniously, shoved them down the cellar. He then slammed the doors shut and flew straight up and into his room on the top floor of the barn, using same said construct hands to close the doors behind him. Ion then jumped into a pile of hay and tried to hide his glow.
"Huh, it's gone," said Applejack.
"Did ya find out what that light was," called out Apple Bloom.
"Nah, nothin' out here."
"Probably just big swarm a fireflies," said Granny Smith.
Ion wiped the sweat from his brow, thankful that he hadn't been found out. But it would seem that fate wasn't as kind to him as he had hoped. Soon he heard the barn doors open and the sounds of hooves trotting upon the wooden floor, getting dangerously close to the ladder that led to the upper level where he resided.
"Hey Ion, soup's on, are ya comin' down or ain't ya," asked Applejack.
"Uhhh…actually I'm I kinda tired, I'm going to hit the hay a little early tonight," said Ion.
"Really, ya sure? Ah think ya should at least get some grub in yer stomach after haulin' all those carts."
"No, no, no, I'm fine, just tired, thanks anyway!"
Ion waited, hoping that Applejack would take the hint that she just needed to leave, like right now.
"Alright, but if ya feel like gettin' a late night snack, Ah'll save ya some."
With that Ion heard the retreating sounds of AJ's hooves out the barn door and onto the soft grass, and finally the sound of the house door closing behind her. Letting out a long held breath Ion poked his head out of the pile of hay and looked around his room. There was only one reason why his willpower energy would skyrocket in such a way, and from what he could sense, the source was very close. His search didn't last long as he spotted the source of his power up. Adara was lying on his bed, curled up with her tail and mane covering most of her face. Ion got out from the hay pile and trotted over to the edge of his bed.
"Adara, what were you thinking?! I thought we had a talk about lessening your light's influence, I…I…Adara?"
The cerulean pegasus filly slowly lifted her head, Ion almost gasped when he saw tears streaming down her face. Adara used her hoof to wipe the tears from her eyes; she then smiled at her fellow entity.
"Sorry Ion, give me a moment." Adara closed her eyes for a moment, immediately Ion's aura stopped flaring and returned back to its normal nonvisible state. "Forgive me; I must've lost control over it for a moment."
"Never mind that, what happened, why are you crying," asked Ion, concern heavy in his voice.
"I…It's…"
Fresh tears started to fall from her eyes, Ion quickly got onto the bed and laid beside Adara. It didn't take long before the pegasus filly moved closer to the green stallion, crying into his broad shoulder. Ion lowered his head and gently nuzzled the top of Adara's head, comforting her to the best of his abilities.
Hours had passed till Ion was able to calm Adara down enough for her to explain. Minutes more had gone by for the full explanation. When Adara had finished telling her story her eyes were about to tear up once again, Ion lifted a hoof and wiped the corner of her eyes.
"I'm sorry to burden you with my worries," she spoke.
"No, it's alright."
"I regret ever saying those words to her, and now…now she hates me…"
Ion didn't say anything, not having seen the fight it was hard for him to say one way or another that Scootaloo hated Adara, but, he was confident that this wasn't the case.
"She might be angry, very angry, but hate, probably not," said Ion.
"But what do I do, she doesn't want to see me, and I'm afraid if I did go she'd only yell at me and tell me to leave again…"
Ion nuzzled Adara's head once again, eliciting a small smile from his "younger-sister."
"Listen, you can stay as long as you want. Just be careful that Applejack or Apple Bloom don't find you up here," said Ion.
Adara nodded weakly.
"Let's get some sleep."
The cerulean filly curled up next to her big-brother-figure and laid her head back down and slowly closed her eyes, comforted by the strong heartbeat of the Entity of Willpower. Ion laid his head down upon the bed, keeping watch over Adara until he was sure she had fallen asleep.
Adara, don't worry, we'll fix this.
(Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse, That Same Night)
"Stupid Adara…why did she have to go and do something like that, how am I supposed to face Miss Cheerilee tomorrow?! Not to mention I have to deal with whatever she told Sweetie Belle…UGH!"
Scootaloo ran her hooves through her mane frantically. She had no idea what she was going to do after the revelation that Cheerilee told her. If she didn't show up tomorrow her teacher would surely know that something was wrong, but then she'd have deal with that knowing gaze, not to mention worrying that her fellow Crusaders knew as well, or even worse, the entire class and even Rainbow Dash.
"Please, Celestia, I don't want to leave Ponyville…my friends…any of them …"
Scootaloo kicked the table, with her hind leg. Her mind was a torrent of worry, so many unanswered questions laid before her. Amongst these worries, was the guilt that she felt growing inside her this whole time.
Maybe I shouldn't have kicked out Adara like that…She has nowhere else to go…and it's not like she can just show up at Apple Bloom's or Sweetie Belle's place without raising suspicion, she thought.
Scootaloo quickly shook her head back and forth at an attempt to dislodge the thoughts. Her face now scrunching up into a scowl, as she remembered whose fault it was that she was in this predicament.
"What do I care, it's all her fault anyway! She flew here she can fly back to wherever it is she came from!"
Scootaloo stomped about the clubhouse, angrily setting her sleeping place and turning out the lamp. She got under the blanket and placed her head between her forelegs. The old saying "don't go to bed angry" suddenly popped into her head, Scootaloo remembered somepony telling that from a long time ago, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember who. With that last thought out of her mind, Scootaloo closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing which acted as a makeshift metronome to lull her to sleep.
~~~
"Oh my Celestia, Scootaloo's homeless!"
The young pegasus awoke with a start. She suddenly found herself in the classroom of her school. Scootaloo eyes shifted about, noticing that all her fellow classmates' eyes were glued to her.
"I can't believe they, like, let some homeless filly into our school. Can you, Silver Spoon?" Diamond Tiara whispered.
"I know, isn't that like against the law or something," whispered back Silver Spoon.
The orange filly stood up in her desk and slammed her hooves onto the desk, staring daggers at the two snooty bullies.
"What are you two saying!? Why don't the two of you just say it to my face, I know you're talking about me," shouted Scootaloo.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon turned around in their seats and stared condescendingly at Scootaloo. The two fillies then chuckled wickedly, as if she had told a funny joke.
"It's not like we don't know blank flank, everypony knows. Miss Cheerilee just told us," said Diamond Tiara.
"Did you fall asleep or something, she pretty much told the entire class and then went off to go get the ponies from the orphanage. Looks like somepony's going to be taken away," taunted Silver Spoon.
"LIARS!"
Scootaloo got out of her desk and began making her way towards the door. Almost immediately two of Scootaloo's classmates, Snips and Snails, blocked the doorway, barring her from exiting.
"What the heck are you two doing, get out of my way?!"
"Eh, no way, Miss Cheerilee told us to make sure you don't leave till she gets back," said Snails.
"Yeah, she didn't want you to run away, again," said Snips.
Scootaloo growled furiously, but inside she was getting scared. She quickly searched the room for a sympathetic face, but found none. Many of them either had looks of pity, disgust, and even apprehension. Amongst those faces were Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.
"AB, Sweetie, c'mon help me out here?" Scootaloo trotted up to Sweetie Belle, her face was downcast and her eyes hidden from view by her curly bangs. "Sweetie Belle you've known me for years –!"
"SHUT UP!" Sweetie Belle swiped at Scootaloo, making the pegasus filly retreat a few steps. "You've lied to me, this whole time! You said we were friends, I trusted you, and this whole time you've been laughing behind my back!"
Sweetie Belle hopped out her desk and started advancing on Scootaloo. The white unicorn's expression was a mixture of betrayal and such viciousness that she couldn't believe that his was the same Sweetie Belle she knew.
"I thought we were friends, you couldn't tell me something as important as this! I thought you trusted me, but instead you just lied to my face! I guess the only one you do trust is Adara, so sorry I'm not a pegasus like you, I guess being your friend counts for squat with you," shouted Sweetie Belle, her voice cracking.
Scootaloo was driven to Cheerilee's desk, her flank bumping up against it.
"Sweetie Belle listen, I didn't tell you because I wanted to hurt you, I was afraid and –!"
"I DON'T WANT TO HERE IT!"
Sweetie Belle brought up her right hoof and slapped Scootaloo across the face, sending the filly tumbling to the ground. The young filly propped herself up on her left elbow, she put her right hoof to her now throbbing cheek, tasting the slightest amount of blood. Scootaloo looked back up and saw that Sweetie was about to deliver a second blow, but Apple Bloom quickly got between them.
"Sweetie that's enough! Okay she lied, but that don't mean ya can just hit her like that!"
"And why not, Miss Cheerilee wouldn't have went to go get those orderly ponies from the orphanage unless she thought that blank flank was dangerous, probably a good idea to knock her out," suggested Diamond Tiara.
"W-W-What are you all saying…? I-I'm your friend…I've been your friend for the last three school years," said Scootaloo, her voice trembling.
Suddenly, Sweetie Belle redirected her second blow to Apple Bloom, catching the earth pony filly off guard, AB's body hit the desk, her head hitting against it loudly before the rest of her fell to the ground limp. Scootaloo looked at her friend, horrified at the act of violence her best friend committed against another of her best friends.
"Apple Bloom…? Hey c'mon, this isn't funny AB…wake up. Apple Bloom…APPLE BLOOM?!"
Scootaloo shook her friend's body, she then placed a hoof near her red mane, and she jerked back her hoof when she felt something wet. She gasped as her hoof and the fur near it was stained red.
"Sweetie Belle…what did…you hurt Apple Bloom..."
The room went deathly silent, the wooden planks groaned and moaned. The shadows seemed to grow darker and thicker than normal. It was then that Scootaloo noticed the dark violet mist. It didn't seep from the floor boards; rather, it seemed to be pouring out of the mouths of the collective foals in the room. They all had their eyes closed, but when next they opened them they became narrowed, their normal eye color changing to crimson red.
"You've been a bad filly, Scootaloo," said Sweetie Belle.
"And bad fillies need to be punished," spoke Twist.
"Birds that fly away from their cages need to have their wings clipped," said Silver Spoon.
"And taught to behave," added Diamond Tiara.
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
Scootaloo quickly looked towards the door, instantly recognizing the heavy knocking sounds coming from door.
"No…"
"Little bird, little bird, please let me in?"
Snips and snails moved away from the door, it then cracked open slightly. There was nothing there, but Scootaloo could feel that there was something horrible waiting for her. That's when the crack was filled with darkness and a red gleaming eye stared straight at her.
"AAAAAAAHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
(Saturday, Afternoon)
Almost four days had passed since that faithful day. Adara had not returned, or even attempted to return to the clubhouse. And during those four days, the nightmares had only grown worse. So much so that Scootaloo could barely sleep without waking up in the middle of the night screaming.
Wednesday was the hardest of the days, going to school was nerve wracking; Scootaloo's eyes were constantly shifting between Cheerilee and her fellow classmates, every day she was prepared to bolt out of the classroom and run as far as she could. Luckily that fear seemed to be, for the most part, unfounded, although her nightmares did little to instill trust in her friends, having not done any crusading within these last four days Scootaloo, at least to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, appeared to be avoiding them. Today, Scootaloo was trying to avoid all that negative thinking. Because today was a free day that Rainbow Dash had to teach her more flying, and she wasn't going to pass that up, nightmares or not.
Rainbow Dash was keeping the training light, much to her relief, basic wing control, stretches, and other stuff that seemed repetitive. When they moved into actual flying Scootaloo was having a hard time getting off the ground, face planting more times than she could count. It was at this point that the rainbow maned mare was starting to worry for the young filly.
"Hey Scoots, are you alright," asked Rainbow Dash.
"Never better, why do you ask?"
"Well, let's see, you're mane messier than usual, your left eye's kinda twitchy, and you look like you haven't slept in a week."
"I'm alright, just some bad dreams is all, nothing to worry," said Scootaloo, the shakiness in her voice not at all convincing.
"Let's take a break," suggested Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo had settled for lying in the soft grass. The older pegasus looked down at the young filly, obvious concern in her eyes. Scootaloo seemed to pick up on the gazes that her idol was giving her; she then let out a deep sigh and met her gaze.
"Go on Rainbow Dash, I know you want to talk to me about something."
"I'm that transparent huh?" Rainbow let out a sigh before continuing. "Scoots, I'm worried about you. Miss Cheerilee came by the library yesterday to talk to Twilight and I overheard them talking."
At this Scootaloo's heart began to race, "R-Really, about what?"
"Cheerilee was telling us that you haven't been doing too well in school, and that you and your friends haven't been doing any Crusading. In fact, it seems like your avoiding Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle."
"I just don't feel like Crusading this week that's all, and since when is school important anyway, so not cool," said Scootaloo trying to play it off.
"Hey, don't be like that. You need to do good in school, and who knows, maybe being a teacher someday is your special talent."
"Pfft, doubt that highly. Anyway, enough with this depressing stuff, let's get back to flying."
Scootaloo got up slowly, wobbling a bit as she did so. Rainbow Dash quickly shot up and leaned against her young protégé to steady her.
"Whoa there squirt. Look maybe you should head back with me; I'm actually meeting up with Twilight. Why don't you come with and take nap over there, you look like you need some shut eye," said Rainbow Dash.
Scootaloo grunted as she pushed herself off of Rainbow Dash, looking a bit irritated by the offer.
"I don't need you to baby me Rainbow Dash, I'm ten years old I can take care of myself!"
Rainbow Dash caught the irritated tone in her voice, and she was not liking it one bit.
"Hey, I'm worried about you Scoots. I just don't want a repeat of what happened on that camping trip. Maybe I should talk to your folks –"
"NO!!!" Scootaloo shouted. "Just leave me alone, I'm fine!"
"Look squirt, when you asked me to be your 'big sister' I promised myself I was going to take this seriously. And I'm sorry that I'm not there all the time for you, but when I am there I want you to come and talk to me! And that also means getting involved with whatever's making you act like this, that's what big sisters are for," countered Rainbow Dash.
The young pegasus filly shut her eyes and growled as she took in a deep breath. "THEN MAYBE I DON'T WANT YOU AS MY BIG SISTER!"
Scootaloo's eyes went wide with realization; she quickly looked up in Rainbow Dash's direction and saw that a shocked and hurt expression was plain on her face. Scootaloo backed up slowly, her pacing quickening till she turned around galloped off, heading in no particular direction, just as far away as her hooves could carry her.
"SCOOTALOO!" Rainbow cried out.
But she didn't hear stop. The young pegasus ducked into the nearby woods and stopped to slump up against a tree. Scootaloo then hit the tree with her hoof as tears started to leak from her eyes.
How could I say something like to Rainbow Dash!? I'm such a bucking idiot!
Scootaloo picked herself up and began trotting back to her clubhouse home; she turned her head, tears still in her eyes. "I'm sorry Rainbow Dash…" She then looked up into the blue sky above, "I'm sorry…Adara…"