The waning sun cast long shadows over Sweet Apple Acres. Outside, not a single pony could be found tending to the trees or animals. Instead, the Apple Family and friends were all gathered together around a birthday cake. Its candles provided the only source of light, dimly flickering over a chocolate sheet cake. Flamboyantly scrawled across the top in purple icing were three distinct words: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOOTALOO!
This party was herfirst in the rustic house. She’d been living here for several months, but somehow it didn’t quite feel like home, as if she were still an outcast. Still, surrounded by friends and family, she couldn’t help but to feel an uneasy excitement and elation.
Only if Rainbow Dash would show up. She was dumb to think Dash would come to her sister’s birthday. Applejack tried to dismiss Dash’s absence as maybe “she forgot” or “something came up.” Heh, but nopony knew Dash like she did. Rainbow Dash would rather work than waste time on the pony's life she claimed to part of. The thought of Rainbow Dash just doing nothing at home while she’s at her birthday party made her heart hurt.
Scootaloo grimaced as Apple Bloom released another outburst of laughter. She wished Sweetie Belle would stop telling her that joke about the dress and mud so she at least get some peace and quiet. She didn’t know if the wax in her ears vanished or what, but her hearing seemed exceptionally sensitive to loud noises such as Apple Bloom’s laughter.
Dear Celestia, that pig-type laughter. This made her shuddered. She jumped when she heard a clicking noise as it grew near her. She sighed in relief as she saw it was just Applejack heading in the fridge for another soda. Scootaloo grimaced at the noise of Applejack rummaging through the cans and pots sitting in the fridge.
Her eyes screwed shut and groaned. This headache really was wearing her down - she felt like a thousand drums were pounding in her skull. She groaned and gritted her teeth. It hadn’t stopped since this morning. Nothing she tried seemed to make it go away; everything only seemed to make it worse. She rested her head on the counter and closed her eyes.
She wanted to tell Applejack the party was off as suddenly everything was loud. Maybe she was getting a massive headache or again, her ears being cleaned out. She snapped out of her thoughts when Applejack slammed the door and came out with an red plastic cup.
Scootaloo pretended to ignore the noise and focused on the Earth Pony in front of her. “What's in the cup?”
Applejack placed the cup down on the counter and turned towards her. "Some apple juice." Scootaloo looked down and huffed. Applejack raised an eyebrow as Scootaloo groaned and clutched her head. “Mind telling me why the birthday filly is in here and not out there?”
Scootaloo snapped out of her trance to cast a quick look towards Applejack. “Heh, just sitting here thinking.”
Applejack smirked. “Scootaloo, what’s up?”
“Huh?”
“I basically raised Apple Bloom, so I know when something on a pony’s mind.” Applejack frowned. “Are you still broken up about Rainbow Dash not coming to your party?”
She looked up as she shot Applejack a glare. “I’m not broken up about Rainbow Dash not showing up. Being broken up is for sappy ponies.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Alright fine, you seem mad about something. Would you like to share it with me?"
Scootaloo crossed her forelegs. "I’m not mad…it’s just… nothing.”
“Scootaloo…”
She uncrossed her forelegs as she stood up. “This doesn’t feel weird to you? That I’m living in your house? ”She turned to Applejack as she placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“Ain’t weird to me at all,” Applejack with a warm smile.
Scootaloo sighed. "It is to me. I mean, I never pictured myself in this family. My friend's family."
"Well it's a good thing it did happen. I don't really get to spend time with Apple Bloom so it's good she finally has another sister to fill the hole," Applejack said with a smile.
They shared a smile before moving the party from the kitchen and into the hallways. Scootaloo scanned all the pictures that hung on the room, some of the family went on vacation and some were taken near the farm. None seemed to be taken with her in it.
She frowned. As they reached the near end of the hallway, she spotted a shelf, and sitting on top of it was a tall mare with a haystack near her coated in gold. She had never seen Applejack’s trophies out in the open. They walked into the living room where the cake was, sitting on a small brown table. All of them circled around it while she sat in the middle. She found Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sitting next to each other. Apple Bloom wore a smug grin. “What were you doing in there? Daydreaming?”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Oh, ha ha, you should be a comedian Apple Bloom.”
Apple Bloom eyes lit up. “You think that's my special talent!”
She smiled and shook her head. “No,” she said, receiving a playful push from Apple Bloom.
“What you going to wish for, Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“I don’t know.” She arched an eyebrow when she noticed how Sweetie Belle was leaning over the table with a wide smile.
“You should know! You could wish for anything, and it’ll come true!” Sweetie Belle hopped in place. “Oh-oh! You should wish for flying or or a brand new scooter!”
“What’s wrong with my old one?”
Sweetie Belle coughed in her hoof. “Nothing.”
“Jeez, Sweetie Belle, you’re more excited than Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said with a chuckle, making Sweetie Belle blush in the process. “Go on, Scoots. Make a wish and one that’s yours!” She shot a glare at Sweetie Belle.
She closed her eyes and thought of the many joys of flight. Of course, among them was soaring in the skies with a certain missing pony. She couldn’t wait for that one. Wishes were supposed to come true. Maybe since her birthday was today she just might get some luck?
Lub-dub…
Lub-dub, lub-dub…
Scootaloo’s eyes glanced about, though all she saw were happy, expectant faces.
She tried to ignore the sound of her beating heart. It seemed to come faster and faster each passing second. She exhaled as the sudden heat that burned her forehead made her sweat. She wiped the sweat away and tried to calm her racing heart.
Lub-dub. Lub-dub. Lub-dub.
Lub-dub. Lub-dub! Lub-dub!
She lowered her hoof down to her chest. I don’t feel so good. She snapped out of her trance when something nudged her foreleg. She turned to Applejack, who had a smile on her face. “Let’s sing the birthday song to the birthday girl!”
Scootaloo stared at Applejack. The volume of her voice had somehow gotten louder than before. It was as if her hearing had been suddenly heightened. When Applejack spoke, it was like her voice blasted through one ear and echoed out of the other. She shook off the dizziness and huffed. Come on, Scootaloo. Just a little fever or cold you’re feeling no biggie. Just act like everything’s normal. She forced a smile as all eyes were planted on her.
“Happy birthday to you!"
She shook her head as their voices resonated throughout the room. The song rung in her ears, the lyrics coursing through her brain. Her smile began to waver as the noises grew louder and louder. She fought back to hold her smile as they continued to sing the song. Her head felt hot as her sweat burned her forehead, and wiped the sweat away before anypony could notice it. If she didn’t smile, then they would know something’s wrong and that would cancel her birthday party. She mustered in all her strength in the forced smile as they ended the song.
She didn't think she would enjoy a moment of silence this much. The Apple Family didn’t move a muscle, their lips sealed tight. It was safe let her guard down.
Scootaloo felt like she on a roller coaster, the walls even seemed to shift up and down. She had vertigo and an extremely painful headache. Just as she stumbled off to the kitchen sink, she tasted her vomit forming. Her hooves began to wobble as her vision became hazy. She turned to Apple Bloom who had became a yellow blur as her vision betrayed her. Despite this, she nodded her head to whatever Apple Bloom was talking about to her.
She couldn't understand, it just sounded like just loud yapping to her.
She pushed herself up on her hooves. Her legs wobbled as she started to move, but she managed to gain her balance as she walked into the kitchen. Each step she took, sounds of her hooves clopping echoed in her ears. A barking noise exploded in her ears as the door swung opened. Scootaloo shook her head as the headache began to weigh her down. She fell to her hindlegs. She gripped on the edges of the sink as the noises grew louder and her strength weakened. The back of her head slammed on the floor like a ton of bricks as she could muster no more strength.
She tried to lift herself from the ground, but the pain kept her muscles stuck on the cold floor. She groaned as Applejack called out to her. Lub-dub. Lub-dub, As she laid on the ground, her heartbeat seemed to come slower and slower each passing second at the same time her eyes drooped lower and lower.
Lub-dub. Lub-dub. Lub-dub.
“Scootaloo!”
She took her final breath before she went to sleep.
She heaved herself up as it felt like a ton of weight just dropped on her chest, leaving her panting. She controlled her beating heart as she realized blankets covering almost all her lower body and a pillow behind her. Her first action to get off the bed and look around to find out where she was.
She recognized it as her and Apple Bloom’s bedroom by the bunk beds. Her Wonderbolt posters hung on the right side and an apple pattern hung on the left. She could see her action figures, autographs signed by members of the Wonderbolts, and a picture of Rainbow hugging her laid out on her bed. She raised an eyebrow and picked up the frame.
She lifted a hoof to her head as she did not feel like something was pounding inside her head. She removed her hoof from her head and felt her ears as well. She heard no sounds of heartbeat. She walked around in circles, feeling pretty balanced as she paced around, making herself stop.
Scootaloo chuckled. “No more headache?” She looked outside to see the farm hidden in shadows. The trees could hardly be seen through the fog in the dim moonlight. Her ear twitched as she heard something from behind and whipped around. “Ah!”
She calmed down as she looked again. A long rectangular mirror sat across from where she stood, the moonlight reflecting on its glass. “What the…?”
She hesitated as she stared at the tall mirror awaiting for her across the room. She gulped and walked towards it, her steps echoing throughout the room, her heartbeat pumping like drums in her ears. She stopped when she reached close enough to the door she could see her reflection.
It was a different version of her—one with fangs and slick, leathery wings. The other Scootaloo had bags under its eyes from a lack of sleep, and its mane was ruffled up a bit, as though Rainbow Dash had given her a long noogie.
For a moment, she and the copy shared a look. Both walked to each other, breaking the distance between until they stopped as they stood face to face. She felt like she was staring into the mirror of her soul. She saw all the pain within the other’s eyes as it stared into her eyes. She could understand the copy’s pain—loneliness, betrayal, and rejection all coursed through her mind.
Before she could say anything, a familiar light blinded her again. She saw in the mirror something approaching behind her. “Ah!” She fell on her rump and groaned as she rubbed her bottom. She looked up to see Luna walk up to her and stop as she saw the filly’s reflection. Her face had the same shocked look as she locked eyes with the copy staring at, remaining speechless. “Princess Luna, what are you doing here?”
Luna kept looking at Scootaloo’s reflection, her expression never seeming to waver. Her shock froze her in place close to Scootaloo. Scootaloo pieced together by the mirror, her reflection and Luna’s appearance she was still asleep. “Princess?”
Luna recovered from her shock as heard the filly stuttering as she said, “Is…is… .” Her breathing became shaky as she pointed at the mirror. “Is that me?”
To her surprise, Luna nodded. “Scootaloo, can I ask you a question?”
Scootaloo nodded, not turning her eyes away from the mirror.
“How much do you know of your lineage?”
She turned away as she stared at Luna. “My what?”
Luna sighed.“Your family history.”
“What does that have to do with—” Her eyes widened. “Come on, Princess Luna, usually I’m up for crazy ideas, but this is just too far. I mean what would you think that anyway? I’m a pegasus remember?”
Luna hummed. "This is strange to me then, for I have never seen a Pegasus with bat ears.”
Her mind froze. She gave Luna a blank expression. “Bat wha…?”
Luna walked over to the filly and pointed at her ears. “Look at the mirror and tell me what you see.”
She hesitated, but did as Luna told and looked at the mirror. The other her was gone and was replaced with her regular pegasus self. She almost turned around until she saw what Luna was talking about. Her ears looked like they been stretched a little farther as her ears had tufts sticking out at the end.
Just like her other self.
“Ah!” Scootaloo grabbed her ears and pulled them down to her head. “What the heck happened to my ears! Why do they look like that?”
“I have my suspicions. Your past is clearly a mystery and you told me yourself you were uncertain of both of your parents’ race. You could have inherited one of their genes and something must have triggered them.” Luna pointed at the mirror. “That.”
“You’re saying I’m like.” Her muzzle started to quiver as she continued.“I-I’m like my….my…” Luna’s eyes turning away and her silence told the answer she already knew. Scootaloo shook her head. “No, no this can’t be true. This is all a dream, none of this is real which means at any minute I’m going to wake up.” She closed her eyes and held her breath.
Luna looked up as she frowned. “While that may often be true, dreams are also capable of presenting the truth in many forms.”
Her eyes shot opened as she exhaled.“I don’t wanna talk about them. I don’t want to know about my stupid parents anymore!”
Luna walked closer to the pegasus and reached out a hoof as she approached for the filly. “Scootaloo—”
She stepped back as Luna walked closer. “I forgot about them like they forgot about me. I’m supposed to move on!” She looked up, tears building up she glared at Luna, her breathing quickening as she asked in a whisper, “N-n-now you telling me I gotta think about them again?”
“I’m sorry, Scootaloo. You shouldn’t be going through this… I-I failed you. I should pay more attention to the children.” Luna lifted the filly’s chin with a hoof as she stared down at the filly with a tear stained face. “Which is why I shall see to it that I pay more attention to you, Scootaloo.”
Scootaloo stopped herself and exhaled as she controlled her breathing. “I’m nothing worth paying attention to. I’m just an orphan nopony wants.”
Both embraced in a quick hug before it was broken. “No, you are not!” Luna frowned. “You are still you, Scootaloo. Never forget that. Indeed this is shocking and I will see to it that I solve this crisis.” She sighed as she continued. “However, this does not change the fact you are still that cheerful filly everyone cares about.”
“Yes, it does!”
“No, it does not!”
“And how do you know, huh!” Scootaloo shouted. “I probably going to be like my parents!”
“But you are not them!” Luna’s anger vanished as she sighed. “You have shown me that you are more than them. You are something special.”
She sniffled. “Yeah right.”
“No, my words are true,” Luna said as wiped Scootaloo’s tears away with a hoof. “You are special.”
“I just thought I was done with them ya know? Move on… hopefully with the Apple family.” Scootaloo shrugged. “Guess that’s what I get for getting my hopes to high.”
“The past has its way of sneaking up on you,” Luna said, her voice dropping low as she continued. “In many forms.” Luna looked up as she held a stern look. “The changes have already begun deep within you. You must learn to accept yourself. If you do not, then those around you will also see you as something abhorrent.” Scootaloo stood speechless. “I’m not going to lie, Scootaloo, there are some ponies who hate what they do not understand and many who are afraid of it.”
Scootaloo ears drooped to her head. “Yeah, I guessed that part.”
“I need you to remember,” Luna said “You are a loveable filly who is full of life and is determined to achieve success. You are not a monster. Do you understand me? You will be loved still.”
“But what about my parents?” Scootaloo asked. “How am I going to get them off my mind?”
“Truth be told, you may not be able to get them off your mind for a long time.” As Luna said this, Scootaloo dropped her attention to the floor. “But, you can try to with the Apple family. Your family.”
The words made Scootaloo's ears twitch, filling her with hope. She didn’t feel the need to talk as Luna’s comforting hooves wrapped around her ease all the worries—the pain her parents brought—away. With her head pressed against Luna’s chest, she could feel her heart beating a slow remedy.
Lub-dub. Lub-dub
Her eyes drooped lower and lower as the sound made her sleepy. She closed her eyes and snuggled up in Luna’s coat. During the moment of relaxation, there was a faint beep in the distance.
The sound continued to break Scootaloo’s comforting moment, increasing its volume each second. She broke the embrace and looked around. “What is tha—ugh!” She clutched her ears as the beeping reached its full impact.
She clenched her teeth as the thunderous beep made her fall to her hindlegs. “Princess Luna!” It sounded like Luna was shouting her name, but the noise drowned her voice out. A strange sensation coursed through her body when as she saw a blue aura she assumed was Luna’s surround her vision. The magic streamed through her brain and pushed her down to the ground. Time slowed down as her body slowly crashed on the ground. When her face hit the cold floor, the sound faded away.
Beep.