Chapter X:Repressed Memories
Scootaloo and Luna sat side by side, Luna with her wing over Scootaloo's back, waiting for Scootaloo to speak. She wondered how such a small filly made it with no parental supervision but worse how her sister let this little orphan slip though the protections they put in place so many centuries ago. Scootaloo Dried her tears and looked up into her eyes, as if ready to speak.
"I was three years old when I lost nearly everypony in my family. It as my third birthday and the day we decided to have our family reunion. I only remember bits and pieces becuase I was so young but what I do remember what the head of the fire department said... " Scootaloo lowered her head somberly.
"Which was?" Luna asked softly.
"That it was my fault they all died. I killed nearly every pony in my family that day." Scootaloo wiped her eyes.
"That's ludicrous! How can a filly of a mere three years cause such a catastrophe?" Luna asked.
"The head chief of the fire department said a single cinder from a candle on my birthday cake is what caused the house fire that led to so many dying. One of the people that left the party earlier, an older griffon friend of my parents; said I headbutted the cake in excitement before he had to leave for a meeting. I don't remember doing that but the fire chief said a candle was found, melted by one of the hemp curtains in the house, near the place they believed the fire to start." Scootaloo said somberly.
"I see, an accident. Continue." Luna said, although the skepticism in her voice was apparent.
"I remember the worst parts, flames consuming my home and the screams of the ponies trapped inside. I lost consciousness from all the smoke and I woke up when one of the fire ponies was pulling me out of the house. The only pony in my family left alive was grandma Scoots. She avoided the entire thing becuase of her insistence on having the pool setup for the after-party a block or two away."
"Wait that chair-" Luna asked.
"In my living room? Yeah, It belong to grandma. She raised me after my parents died. She was never the same after that day though, she never blamed me for everyponies death but I could hear her crying to herself late at night sometimes." Scootaloo said.
"And what happened to her?" Luna asked, although apprehensively.
Scootaloo's ears folded back and she lowered her head. "A couple of days after I turned six she passed away from old age."
"I'- I'm sorry Scootaloo. Both for the loss of your family and for you being alone for so long. I don't even know how you managed to live alone for so long, surely somepony knew of your plight?" Luna asked.
"I was transferred to a orphanage originally but I never really fit in. I was constantly taunted for my lack of flight and the orphanage owners didn't care one lick about me; all they cared about was the money I brought in." Scootaloo explained.
"Wait, money?" Luna looked confused.
"Yes. My parents left me an inheritance or more accurately my grandma did. I was too young to actually claim it though, at least until I met this lawyer that visited me. He said that the only remaining family member waived all rights to my inheritance but becuase of my age I would still need an older payee. Oddly enough though he said it was already taken care of and I would be receiving a stipend of two hundred bits a month to cover home expenses until I was old enough to claim the rest. I lived in that house ever since." Scootaloo sighed.
"I don't deserve any of it though, not the striped or my inheritance. No amount of bits will bring back the ones I've lost or wipe clean my own clumsiness that killed them." Scootaloo looked into the sky, the fog had grown thicker and the light from the moon barely broke though the thickness of the trees. "I told you all that I know, can we go now? This place is dangerous at night."
"Arroooooooo!!!!"
Scootaloo's fur and feathers stood on end. "Timber wolves!"
Luna stood up, unfurling her wings aggressively to protect Scootaloo. "Do not fear little one, mere Timber wolves are no match for me." Some of the bushes behind one of the graves began to rustle and a pair of slender wooden legs stepped out of the bushes. "Move no further if you value not being kindling, wolf." Luna pointed her horn at the pair of legs and fired a bolt of fire that landed right in front of the bush.
The wolf fell back, rolling on the ground to put out the few embers that reached his leafy coat. The wolf quickly stood up and growled, his yellow eyes piercing the thick fog as he began to yip in a low tone. Soon, more pairs of yellow eyes began to shine through the fog.
"It appears it had friends. Scootaloo, I need for you to hop on my back. We will need to make a hasty escape. I may be immortal but I cannot insure your safety with such numbers." Luna nodded for Scootaloo to hop on her back and Scootaloo did just that.
"Sorry but you will be going hungry tonight, wolves." Luna's horn lit up, the blue light from her horn blowing away the fog and within seconds she disappeared with a puff of smoke.
Scootaloo felt as if she had ate too much pie, her body feeling as if it was being stretched, as if her legs and head where in two different places at the same time. She closed her eyes but it only made the sensation worse. When she felt like she was about to lose her dinner the sensation stopped, she slowly opened her eyes to find that the teleportation had ended.
"Sorry for that, teleportation sickness is rough till you get used to it." Luna keeled down, allowing Scootaloo to hop off her back.
Scootaloo hopped off Luna's back and looked around. She was in a very dark blue room, the only light source being a fireplace on the far end of the room. "Luna, where are we?"
"My bedroom of course." Luna's horn lit up and a few light blue lights on the ceiling began to illuminate the room.
"Still kinda dark..." Scootaloo could just barely make out shapes in the room. there was a blue pillow by the fireplace and what looked like a shelve full of books next to it. Luna's bed was to her right, decorated with night blue and black lace and had pillows scattered messily all over the mattress. next to Luna's bed was a obsidian black nightstand with what looked like teabag and a teapot sitting on top.
"Sorry about that. I have excellent night vision and lights in this room are typically not needed. The maids don't even bother to clean it as most of them have been injured because of the low light." Luna picked up the teapot and a pitcher of water from above the fireplace and levitated them in front of her. "Can I interest you in some tea?"
"Nah, I just want to get home. Can you teleport me there?" Deep down she wanted to explore a bit more but Luna's choice of decor was a bit on the spooky side, completely alien to her own room.
"I'm afraid in good conscience that I cannot do that. Those wolves will have gotten your scent and being such easy prey they would have tracked you back to your home. I can't risk them breaking down your doors in the middle of the night and making a meal out of you." Luna said.
"They never have before, why would they now?" Scootaloo asked.
"You are far away from town. I will not risk such a thing. I will have locksmith reinforce your home at its entrance points in the morning but for tonight you will sleep here, in my room." Luna set the teapot and pitcher down. "I will leave you here, I need to look up some things in the royal library, specifically the records section."
"But, what if I need you?" Scootaloo asked.
Luna pointed to a small clear stone sitting above the fireplace. "Just touch that stone, a maid or I will be with you shortly." Luna walked up to a pitch black part of the room and opened up a door, letting in a flood of light from the hallway. "I will see you in the morning, for now rest well. I suspect we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."
"Is it about my family?" Scootaloo asked.
"That and I have a hunch." Luna nodded her head and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Scootaloo sighed, it wasn't like she wasn't used to being alone and she knew nothing in Luna's room could hurt her; it was just the idea of sleeping in such an alien environment that bothered her. I kinda wish she would tuck me in or... Scootaloo slapped herself. "What am I thinking? Every time I visit their graves I start feeling this way." Scootaloo couldn't help but have a longing for a real family, it was something she had wanted ever since her grandma passed away. "I guess I should get some sleep, maybe that will take my mind off things."
Scootaloo hopped up on Luna's bed and immediately felt dizzy, her world spun round and round until she found herself collapsed on the pillows. It was as if she was up for days before jumping in this bed and an immediate tiredness consumed her. Scootaloo tried to fight it but found herself curling up and nodding off to sleep. "Nice *yawn* warning ...Lu...na."
***
Luna pulled out another file and tossed it into the pile with the rest of the incorrectly organized items she had found. "Who in their right mind organizes names in reverse alphabet and by the prime numbers represented by the number of letters in their name?" Luna complained as she tossed another file aside. "It's almost as if somepony with dyslexia came up with the idea followed by somepony with obsessive compulsive disorder putting it into effect."
"Luna?" A voice said from somewhere in the Library.
"Up here sis." Luna replied angrily.
Celestia flew up to the third floor of the royal library and looked down the rows of book in an attempt to find her sister. "Where are-"
"Row forty-five, section S, or what would be section S if the librarians organized like NORMAL ponies." Luna growled.
Luna picked up another book and set it aside. She then tossed her head until a bit of her mane was in her mouth. She began to chew on it in frustration.
"Luna, that isn't a very healthy habit to have. Eating your own magical mane gives us gas, remember?" Celestia said as she walked down the isle, a cup of tea floating by her side. "I was told by the night keep that you were here looking for something. I hope you plan to put this all back in order, Ms. Fizzleworth does not take kindly to ponies messing up her organization."
"Ms. Fizzleworth can go chew bark for all I care right now. I mean what kind of insane pony does organization like this?" Luna picked up a book titled "The History of the Apples" and tossed it aside.
"Well what are you looking for exactly?" Celestia asked before taking a sip of her tea.
"Anything pertaining to the Loo family. I just found out one of the competitors, Scootaloo, has been an orphan for an extended period of time. She appears to have been living alone since an early age without anypony noticing." Luna tossed aside another book with the title "Changelings and You."
Celestia spit out her tea, hitting Luna right in the face. "Did you say the Loo family?"
Luna pulled her soaked mane out of her eyes, a grim expression on her face. "Yes sister, the Loo family."
Celestia grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that but I'm a bit shocked. Scootaloo is a member of the Loo family? I thought they had no more heirs."
"Wait, you know of them? I haven't been able to find anything on them in this entire library." Luna said.
"A moment if you will." Celestia set her empty cup of tea on the floor and stared at a black section of wall underneath a blue orb on the roof. She closed her eyes and the blue orb began to glow, after a few moments a book appeared below it and floated down toward her, landing with a small thud on the floor behind Luna.
Luna walked over to the book and picked it up with her magic. The edges of the cover were in poor shape and a thick coating of dust was on the cover. Luna inhaled and blew the dust off, going into a brief coughing fit as the dust settled around her. Luna narrowed her eyes, trying to read the decayed title of the book she was holding up with her magic. "The Sky Isn't the Limit: A history of the Loo family." Luna opened up to the middle of the book to see a strapping young colt in a black and white picture staring back at her. Making out his features was difficult as the picture wasn't in color and was in poor condition but he seemed to be standing in front of something. Something she has seen before but couldn't put her hoof on where.
"It's an airship Luna, read the page." Celestia suggested.
Luna nodded and began to read aloud the text below the picture. "Rylgar Loo completed the first airship in equestrian history on march 8th 785 CE. He is pictured above standing in front of his creation, 'Wingless Wonder'." Luna closed the book and looked at Celestia. "Wait you don't say-"
"Yes, The Loo family were some of the best engineers in Equestrian history. They invented the magic combustion engine, hydrogen and helium balloons and all kind of aeronautical devices. I'm not surprised you didn't know about them though, you were not around when they came into fame."
"I don't understand. Surely if Scootaloo came from a famous family she wouldn't have lived alone, let alone no pony knowing her real identity." Luna said as she opened up the book once more.
"That's what concerns me. The entire family sans the eldest matron on the mothers side passed away years ago and even she is no longer with us. Their only known heir was-"
"An older sister?" Luna held up a picture of a small cream colored filly with a brown mane.
"Yes, but she has been missing for many years. If I remember correctly somepony told me she had a falling out with her parents a couple years before their death. No pony has seen her since.Though I have to say the source was a little shaky to say the least. Now that i think about it almost seemed rehearsed." Celestia said.
"It says here that...oh my." Luna pointed to a number on the page followed by many zeros.
"I know all about that. That money is currently in a vault, it is being held for when or if any members of the family show up to claim it. I believe it was Gerald of G and J attorneys that was handling that inheritance." Celestia said.
Luna set the book down. "It makes no sense, Scootaloo has been receiving a stipend for her expenses. She could have loving family and everything."
"Maybe you should talk with Gerald about this in the morning. I will browse the Ponyville Hospital records to confirm if what Scootaloo claims is true and if so why such a event was not publicly known." Celestia yawned. "In the meantime I need my sleep, your night court is brutal sometimes." Celestia stretched out her wings and flew above the aisle and to the landing far below. "Try not to stay up to late, you get grumpy when you do."
Luna opened up the book once more and poured though the pages. "This is odd." Luna noticed that many of her family members seemed to have underdeveloped wings, including both her mother and father. "I wonder if it's a family trait..." Luna continued to look at picture after picture until she came to a small news paper clipping that was several decades old. It looked as if it was in some kind of reporter Q&A format but much of it was smudged. One part of it stood out more than the rest.
"So what possessed you, being a pegasus and all, to build an airship factory?" The reporter asked.
"I always wanted to fly but my wings were only just enough to carry myself short distances at barely a hover. Ever since I was a colt I wanted to soar above the clouds and with this invention everypony can experience my dream with me."
Luna tried to make out the last part but could only just make out the words "secret invention" at the bottom.
"I wonder if this secret invention was ever revealed." Luna turned the pages to find that it wasn't the case. A news snippet from a few years later made her heart sink.
"Rylgar Loo, age 58, found dead after his first airship crashed during a test flight before its final trip."
"Such a sad turn of events." Luna closed the book and yawned. "I guess I have a very busy day tomorrow. I should check on Scootaloo before I set the moon into a slow decent..." Luna stood up and stretched out her legs. She paused to stare at the mess of books and files she had left on the floor. "I should clean this up but..." Luna looked over how complicated the sorting was and shook her head. "Yeah, no. I would just put everything back wrong."
"I do hope the librarian can forgive me...then again she kind of deserves this result from such a weird cataloging structure." Luna closed her eyes and in a puff of blue smoke teleported back to her room.
***
Luna opened her eyes to pitch black darkness, her room was as it always was at this time of night. The only sources of light was a glowing orb she kept for decorative purposes and the remaining embers in the fireplace across the room. The only sound in the room was the soft steps from her hooves and a very faint snoring coming from her bed. Luna walked over to her bed only to find there was no room on it for her to sleep, Scootaloo had sprawled out over the most of her queen size bed.
"So looks so adorable when sleeping." Luna whispered as she resisted the urge to run her hoof through Scootaloo's mane. "I wonder what she is dreaming about?" Luna closed her eyes but again stopped herself.
I can't do that. My job is to track down and stop nightmares and the like, interjecting on someones personal dreams would be wrong, wouldn't it?
Luna pondered the morality of going into another ponies dreams. "I guess its the same, some ponies have given me flak before about the privacy of their own nightmares. Rainbow Dash and the members of the Wonder Bolts in particular." It was always the ponies with the overly brave facades to protect that always gave her a hard time, typically pegasus ponies.
"I guess a peek couldn't hurt." Luna closed her eyes and felt her spirit lurch from her body and into Scootaloo's dreams. When she felt her hooves hit solid ground she opened her eyes and looked around. there was a vibrant pink sky but on the ground was a dense rolling fog that could only mean one thing.
"I went in too far, I'm in her deep subconscious. I need to leave before her mental defenses find me..."
Luna was well aware of the dangers of hanging around in someponys deep subconscious. She had accidentally gotten herself trapped in Celestia's for days when she first began to practice her own unique form of magic. Luna closed her eyes to reverse her spell when a faint laughing made her open one eye curiously.
A much younger Scootaloo was running though a field of flowers following a larger pony. A pony with a long flowing brown mane, green eyes and a light orange coat.
"That must be Vespa." Luna said as she watched Scootaloo and Vespa frolic and playfully tackle one another in the flowers.
Suddenly the bright pink sky above turned a dark hue of brown and the fog around her began to have small spurts of black in it.
"It's too early for her defenses to have detected me just yet..."
A black griffon appeared on the far edge of the field. His feathers and fur were as dark as night, his tail had many burn scars all over its length. He wore a coat that looked military issue but that of a officer of commanding rank, dark grey with a single black cross on the right shoulder.
"Ah Vespa Loo, so good to see you again." The griffon greeted in a deep commanding voice. "Have you had time to consider my generous offer to buy a hundred airships?"
Vespa put herself between the griffon and Scootaloo, shielding her from view. "General _______ , I told you my husband would meet with you later on this matter and that we didn't have clearance from Canterlot to sell you that many. I also remember telling you to not visit my home for business reasons."
"Huh, it appears Scootaloo has holes in her memory pertaining to the name of that griffon." Luna said to herself as she watched.
Vespa had a look of venom on her face, it was not hard to tell that she was not even remotely fond of this black feathered acquaintance, something Luna agreed with, something about him just wasn't right.
"Calm yourself Vespa, no need to get angry in front of your foal. I'm here on a more personal note, I heard she was having a birthday in a month or so. I just wanted to tell you I will be stopping by with gifts for the little one." The black feathered griffon grinned at Scootaloo, she responded by hiding her face behind her mothers legs.
"That's...nice I suppose." Vespa still had a look on her face that screamed 'you are so not invited' but Luna figured this was a repeat customer and Vespa couldn't afford to decline him.
"Very well, sorry for the business questions earlier. I will see you in a month or so, Vespa. And you too little Scootaloo." The griffon gave a bow and walked away.
As soon as the griffon was out of earshot little Scootaloo spoke. "I don't want him at my party momma, he frightens me."
Vespa bent over and nuzzled Scootaloo affectionately. "I don't like him much either but he's our shipyards most valuable customer. Hopefully we won't have to deal with him at all, just as soon as the contracts for Stalliongrad go though we won't need him to buy anything anymore. We can just tell him where to get off and be done dealing with him."
"He scares you too momma?" Scootaloo asked.
"Yes dear, you are too young to understand why but you will one day. Would you like some lunch? I have some peach surprise in the fridge." Vespa said.
The image began to fade and another came into view. A room full of ponies surrounding a table, party hats adorned by all of them. In the center was a birthday cake with Scootaloo standing in a chair, hovering above it.
"Happy birthday dear Scootaloo, happy birth day to youuuuuuu!" The crowd sang. Scootaloo, a little overexcited at the prospect of cake dived head first into it without blowing out any of the candles, making the rest of the crowd scamper about to put out the ones that landed on the floor.
"Scootaloo you silly girl, you're supposed to blow out the candles; not eat them." Vespa laughed as she picked a few spare candles out of Scootaloo's face, blowing them out and setting them on the table.
"Sorry." Scootaloo said as she licked frosting from her face.
The rest of the ponies in the crowd had a hearty laugh, each of them beginning to put presents on the table for Scootaloo to open. One pony in particular seemed to be in a big rush, a brown haired, cream coated pegasus that Luna swore she had seen before elsewhere.
"Love to hang around mom but I need to be on the train in an hour to make it to work by tonight." The cream color pony said hastily.
"You know ______ you could just work at the shipyard instead of that dirty mechanics shop. Me and your father could schedule you in a reasonable fashion so you are home more often." Vespa suggested.
"Sorry mom but I have no altitude...err, aptitude for designing airships. We already had this argument, I want to make cars and carts for the big city." The cream colored pony said adamantly.
Vespa sighed. "Fine but do try and make some time for us and for your little sister too, for the holidays at least."
"Sure mom, I can do at least that." The cream colored pony kissed Vespa on the cheek and walked away.
"That must be Scootaloo's sister. Doesn't seem like they hated each other or anything...I wonder why Scootaloo doesn't remember her name though." Luna put her hoof to her chin. "This seems very odd, like her memory was modified at some point. If it were blanket memory damage much more would be missing but these missing names seem oddly specific."
The black griffon from before walked into the room, a present in his beak. He set it on the floor by the other presents on the far side of the room. He motioned Vespa over to a corner to speak privately, a motion she begrudgingly obliged to.
Scootaloo watched them as well but couldn't make out what they were saying over all the noise. Either that or she had also long forgotten the discussion.
"Hmmm she remembers their lip and beak movements, but I'm sure they are within earshot." Luna began to read the lips of Vespa and the unknown black griffon.
"You can't possibly be telling me that-"
"I just did. Celestia gave me a resounding no on selling you that many airships. Actually as of today our building contracts for you expired." Vespa said gladly.
"Well I guess that means we will have to form a new contract then. We can circumvent Celestia with the next contract, say, twenty ships a year for the next five years? I'm sure that is doable." The Black griffon said smugly.
"I will do no such thing, actually I want you to leave immediately and never darken my doorstep ever again. I know about your little book you wrote, I will not have such a hateful creature anywhere near my family." Vespa pointed to the door, a look of victory on her face.
"You...dare refuse my generous offer? You will make those ships for me or I will make you pay." The black griffons feathers were slightly ruffled. "Actually, how old is Scootaloo today...would be a shame if something tragic were to happen to her..."
The griffon took a hook to the face and without missing a beat Vespa hurled herself at the black griffon, kicking with her legs as hard as she could. The griffon tried to block but Vespa was absolutely livid. She ignored the fact that the black griffon was twice her size, had sharp talons, and more war experience and just plowed into him like a train, slamming him clear though the wall and into the kitchen, tumbling into the back yard. She just kept kicking, hitting every square inch of his body she possibly could until her husband pulled her off.
"Let me go! He threatened to hurt Scootaloo!" Vespa yelled.
Vespa broke free and managed to land one more clean swing across the black griffon's beak, snapping off the tip before he flew into the air, out of range. "You EVER come near Ponyville again I swear to Celestia you will not leave unless in a casket!"
"You will regret you decision Vespa. Your entire family will pay for this treachery." The black griffon flew off and the image began to dissolve.
"I can't call her reaction unwarranted. I have seen angry mares beat the tar out of dragons and house cats take on bears if their offspring were threatened like that. Something feels off though, she remembers that part but not any names." Luna closed her eyes to leave Scootaloo's mind when another noise broke her concentration.
The sky above began to darken, flames began to spring up inside Scootaloo's subconscious and an image began to form in front of Luna, one of smoke, flame and crying.
"Momma! Momma where *cough*cough* are you!?" Scootaloo was stumbling about in a torrent of thick smoke, looking for Vespa. She quickly found her but the scene nearly made Luna cry. Vespa was trapped under a large support beam, barely conscious of her surroundings.
"Momma!" Scootaloo put her hooves on the side of the beam and pushed with all her might. "Momma get up!" Scootaloo collapsed in exhaustion on the floor next to her mother. "Mom...ma."
In the smoke behind Scootaloo was a Firepony breaking through a wall but as he made it through a large section of ceiling crashed down in front of him, blocking him off from Vespa and Scootaloo.
"Sc-Scootaloo...?" Vespa stared at her daughter and then at the Firepony frantically trying to find a way through the flames. Summoning up whatever strength she had left she stood up, the weight of the lumber above her burning into her coat, grabbed Scootaloo by the scruff of her mane and with everything she had tossed her over the flames to the Firepony. She then collapsed, her last burst of strength leaving her.
The Firepony, continued to look for a way to save Vespa as he picked up Scootaloo but the entire house was coming down. He stared at Vespa and bowed his head, sorry that he couldn't reach her.
Vespa looked up and smiled. "Don't worry about me, save her. That's all that matters." Vespa closed her eyes just as more debris fell onto her. The Firepony charged at full speed toward the opening in the wall he made and jumped through. His back leg making a sickening crack as he landed on the back lawn. Scootaloo was quickly picked up by another Firepony and moved to a medic cart where she was put on an oxygen tank immediately. The image began to fizzle and fade out and Scootaloo subconsciousness began to return to normal.
Luna wiped away a tear. "If only there was some way to..." The idea of time travel had popped up in her head, she remembered reading it from one of Twilight's friendship reports but hadn't thought of a use for it until now. "No I couldn't, as sad as this is if I started using time travel to fix every tragedy then I would never get any rest. Not even counting the possibility of making a paradox." Luna pondered, was there a way to make things better for Scootaloo? She sat there and something bumped into her, a glowing green orb.
"Uh-oh." Luna recognized a defense mechanism when she saw it and it took less than a second for the orb to turn from green to red. It started to blare out a loud siren, alerting other orbs to her location.
"Shit..." Luna teleported some distance away and the orbs turned yellow and flew out in all directions, it wouldn't be long before another one collided with her. "Time to leave." Luna closed her eyes and felt her body lurch and stretch and within a few moments she sensed her hooves putting pressure on solid ground. She opened her eyes but immediately staggered forward in pain, the spot where the orb bumped into her had left a nasty burn.
"I guess I should count my blessings then. If those things hit me while red I wouldn't be alive to complain about it." Luna's horn lit up and she began to heal her wound when she heard Scootaloo beginning to stir.
"L-Luna?" Scootaloo sat up and yawned, her eyes unmoving from the wound on Luna's side. After staring at it for a few moments her eyes went wide and she hopped off the bed, running toward Luna. "Luna, you're hurt! Are you okay?" Scootaloo stared at the burn mark on Luna's side. "Do you need me to get you some antiseptic? Maybe some bandages?"
"I am quite alright Scootaloo, I've had far worse than this." Luna said.
"Where did you get it from? Did one of the candle holders in the hallway fall on you or something?" Scootaloo asked.
"I ummm..."
I can't tell her I was in her mind, not only will she most likely not forgive me for such an intrusion but it may trigger a memory relapse. I don't want to have her reliving those moments in such detail if I can avoid it.
"I ran into a particularly nasty nightmare creature. A Balor if I remember correctly." Luna lied.
"I think I read something in a fantasy book about those once. Aren't they fictional?" Scootaloo asked.
"Yes but so are most dreams, the power of a ponies mind can make them very real." Luna said. "Don't worry though it is nothing I cannot handle." Luna added after seeing Scootaloo's worried face.
"If you say so. By the way, your bed is well...strange. I feel like I rested all night but I couldn't have been asleep that long." Scootaloo looked at the bed, remembering the strange sensation of being quickly dragged into a deep sleep.
"You actually woke up a little on the early side, dawn isn't for a few more hours, which reminds me." Luna walked over to one of the closed windows and opened it wide. Light from the moon flooded into Luna's room, forcing Scootaloo to cover her eyes and squint.
"Jeez that's bright." Scootaloo said as she covered her eyes from the bright moonlight.
"I will just be a moment." Luna stepped out onto a balcony spread her wings and lifted her forelegs into the air. Her horn lit up, sending sparks all around as she slowly lowered her forelegs as if she were pushing the moon down and sure enough, the moon began to descend towards the hills, very slowly.
"Huh, your setting of the moon is just as flashy as your raising?" Scootaloo asked as Luna made her way back into her room, closing the balcony doors behind her.
"Well yes, but that one moon raising was fancier than it needed to be. Sometimes a Princess has to impress and that was one of those occasions." Luna said.
"I think you're impressive even if you didn't move the moon around like it was a beach ball." Scootaloo said in a flattering manner.
"How kind of you to say so. I oddly find it easier to get along with younger ponies of your age group, too many of the older ones here in Canterlot have their own agenda. Political cloaks and daggers if you will but we can talk more about that tomorrow at breakfast." Luna yawned. "I hope you don't mind sharing the bed with me."
"Just as long as you aren't like Sweetie Belle and snore like you have a rocket up your nose or put cold hooves on my back like Apple Bloom." Scootaloo said.
Luna gave a light giggle and motion Scootaloo up onto the bed. She then hopped up into the bed next to Scootaloo and laid down, within moments the room was silent except for the sound of two ponies breathing.
***
The next morning went by so quickly that Scootaloo barely remembered it. Breakfast was little more than a few pancakes and two bagels...mostly becuase she kind of sorta knocked an entire pan of eggs on senator Carmine of Cloudsdale moreso than anypony rushing her. It wasn't long before she found herself outside the palace with Luna, following her through the streets of Canterlot.
"I still can't believe carmine was so angry, egg yolk is a good look on him if you ask me." Luna said cheerfully.
"I didn't mean to dump the entire thing on him. I thought that little thing sticking of the front was a pair of tongs or something, not the lifting bar to take it out to clean the pan." Scootaloo said.
"You're not the only one that has made that mistake, I accidentally dropped an entire pan of spaghetti on my sister the same way. After I returned from my banishment I had no idea what all those contraptions in the cafeteria were. Gone were the wooden chairs, massive oven and long oak tables, all replaced with new things. A self heating food bar, plastic and metal chairs and tables that fold up and sit on the wall neatly." Luna said while taking a sharp turn on Sapphire avenue.
"Where are we going if you don't mind me asking? Isn't sapphire avenue like, the boring side of town?" Scootaloo asked.
Luna stopped, it completely slipped her mind that Scootaloo might not want to follow to a boring old lawyers office. Luna turned to Scootaloo and smiled. "Oh, sorry. Did you want to go home? I can teleport you real fast or get you a train ticket if you like."
"Oh, I'm not ready to go home yet, there's somepony in Canterlot I needed to talk to." Scootaloo said.
Luna raised an eyebrow curiously. While it was normal for a resident of Canterlot to have business about the city it was quite another for a country pony whom barely ever visited Canterlot to have any. "May I ask who?"
"You said we needed adult supervision for the contest and I had a pony in mind I needed to speak with." Scootaloo replied apprehensively.
"I guess I won't be able to talk you out of the contest will I? Oh well, meet me at the palace entrance after you're done and I will make sure you get home. Actually I have a better idea, come over here." Luna motioned for Scootaloo to stand in front of her and the filly obliged, although a tad reluctantly.
"I will cast a tracking spell on you. After I conclude my business in this district I will be able to find you. Canterlot is a big city, I would hate for a young filly under my supervision to get lost." Luna lowered her head and a bolt of red light wrapped around Scootaloo's neck, forming a brass and ruby necklace.
"With that I can teleport to you at any time. If you get in trouble just press the ruby inwards." Luna pointed the the ruby jewel in the center of the necklace.
"Oh, okay then. The place I need to go is on the other side of town. I'll see you later." Before Luna could ask any further questions Scootaloo took off like a rocket, disappearing into the crowds of ponies in the street.
Luna rolled her eyes. "Oh well, at least I know I can get to her if I need to. Now, where was that building..." Luna started to walk briskly down the street, looking at each address individually. "Four, eight, seven, three...ah here it is." Luna looked up but found the building less than inviting. The sign above the doorway was rusted and some of the hinges where the sign connected were beginning to crack. The windows were covered with wood planks and the front door looked as if it had seen better years.
"I'm sure this is the correct address..." Luna said."
"Princess Luna?" Said a posh voice from behind.
Luna turned around. Standing in front of her was a dashing white unicorn stallion. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a golden monocle in his pocket, had a short, wavy light blue mane and a trio of gold crowns on his flank.
I think I have seen him somewhere before, perhaps at one of my sisters parties. Luna thought.
"Oh, how terribly rude of me. I am Fancy Pants though I am sure we have seen each other before now." Fancy Pants gave a short polite bow. "I noticed that you were standing in front of this derelict building and I was curious as to why."
"Well I was told this was the G and J attorneys building but it seems I was given out of date information." Luna said.
"My word, yes. G and J attorneys were absorbed by another law firm a couple years ago. It's actually not far from here. I would be honored to show you the way." Fancy Pants bowed politely again.
"Sure, that would be very nice of you." Luna replied.
Fancy Pants trotted down the street, Luna close behind. It wasn't long before she found herself in front of another building, this time, one in much better condition.
"I don't think I've heard of this law firm before... 'Rocket Pony'?" Luna said as she stared at the sign above the door.
"Yes they are relatively new. I don't even think I ever seen them in a case before when I think about it. Might be on of those acquisitions based companies." Fancy Pants said.
"I guess I'll find out. Thank you for showing me the way Fancy Pants." Luna gave a polite bow and Fancy Pants returned the favor. She opened the door to the law firm and stepped inside. The decor was par the course for a law firm, beige carpets, white walls and a front desk made of polished oak. The receptionist pony at the front desk dropped her paperwork and rushed forward, bowing to Luna.
"My goodness gracious, what can I do for you today your highness." The Receptionist said eagerly with a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"I am looking for a lawyer by the name of Gerald, I was told his former law firm was absorbed by this one." Luna said.
The receptionist lifted her head. "Oh you can find him on the third floor, he's usually in book keeping since he handles all the companies inheritance and settlement cases."
"Thank you." Luna said before walking over to the stairs on the right side of the receptionist desk. As she climbed up the stairs she could hear arguing echoing down the stairwell.
"Eight hundred thousand bits, that is my final offer. I need to know where the youngest is, it is very important to the general." Said a deep, angry voice.
"I told you, I am under oath as a professional and a family friend. No amount of bribery is going to get me to talk. If your precious general is too stupid to find a bright yellow mare with silver hair then you have issues." The other voice replied.
"Damn you Gerald, we need to know where Scootaloo is. And her color if you can, the general knows she isn't yellow and silver." The angrier voice said.
Yellow and silver? General? he can't mean...
***
Scootaloo trekked through the dirty and greasy sidewalks of the engineering district, looking around to find her quarry. The entire area reeked of used magic exhaust, oil and spray paint. She had originally thought that finding the pony she was looking for to be an easy task but she had already forgotten the address.
"I wonder if any of the signs will jar my memory?" Scootaloo looked around, looking at each sign in hopes that one would help her remember what she was looking for.
"Big Bill's muffler repair...no. Blaine's wing adjustments and patches...no not that either." Scootaloo continued down the street until something caught her eye. A sign that read "Wild Fire's Custom Jobs." Scootaloo closed one eye in pain, her head began to hurt and she could feel the throbbing in her temples, something about the name of this shop brought back repressed memories.
Something about that sign, that tire on fire just seems familiar...
Scootaloo made her way into the work bay of the the shop, laying about the floor where a myriad of tools and parts of debatable origin and variable quality. The front desk of the shop seemed to be just as messy and unorganized as the bay, though it looked as if no pony had been in the main room in months judging from all the dust around the register.
"If your looking for modifications to any of your vehicles there is a waiting list, you can sign it over there by that stack of propellers." A cream colored pegasus pony with a dark brown mane styled in a mop top fashion was busily working under an airship engine. She focused on her work, not even making eye contact with Scootaloo.
"Ma'am?" Scootaloo's head hurt, she knew who she was after earlier but it was becoming fuzzy, as if she didn't want to remember.
The Pegasus under the engine slid out. "What's a filly doing in my-" She stood up, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped momentarily. "Sc- I mean." The pony cleared her throat. "What do you need? I don't do skateboard modifications but I can refer you to a shop that does."
Scootaloo stared at this pony for a moment, her head swimming as it made sense of where she had seen this pony before. It came to her, she knew who this pony was and where she had seen her before but part of her didn't want to remember the details.
"Big sister?" Scootaloo said.