It was dark, but it was eerily calm. No crickets were singing this time, yet the light of the moon was the only light source. Its source managed to awaken Scootaloo from her sleep.
"Ugh, my head. I guess I shouldn't have gotten so wild with those animals," She felt a bit dizzy and had a slight headache from all that excitement from playing with Fluttershy's animal friends with Fluttershy, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.
It wasn't long before she took notice of her surroundings.
"W-Where am I?" Scootaloo said as she sat up and rubbed her head. When she had opened her eyes, she found she was not in Fluttershy's cottage, or in the orphanage. She looked around confusingly and could barely see a thing in front of her; not even her own hoof, it was so dark. "Hello?!" she called out while getting up. "Is anypony there?"
But no answer came when she called out. It started to make her feel a little nervous. She was not in a familiar location, it was dark and needless to say, for a filly her age, that no doubt will start getting someone a little frightened. She gazed behind, but only saw an empty trail, the bright moon being the only thing looking right back at her. "W-What's going on?"
She moved forward and attempted to call once again, a bit of fear starting to tremble in her voice, "Girls?" She gulped lightly as she looked to the left, "F-Fluttershy?" She then looked to the right, but only more darkness could be seen. "R-Rarity? B-Big Mac?" She wanted someone to answer her; being alone in the dark in an unknown area has got to be the spookiest thing ever. She even called out for her idol, hoping to see her as she looked towards the cloudy sky, "Rainbow Dash?!"
But as she walked, she felt a hard, lumpy surface under her hoof.
"What the heck?" she said as she felt the ground beneath her; which felt familiar. It wasn't wood like the tiles of a home or orphanage; it wasn't concrete like the streets of a town; actually, it was-- "Dirt?" Scootaloo cocked her head in even more confusion.
It was dirt, like the soft ground from out back of the cottage. Those gophers really thought ahead in hide and seek during their playtime.
‘Okay, so, apparently I'm in the forest, now?' She thought in confusion, now managing to make out some trees and lumpy dirt that only a forest would have, until a sound emitted.
Her small right ear twitched as she heard a bush rustle a few feet away. She cautiously looked at the direction of the bush, "Who's there?" she nervously asked, but got no response. She approached the rustling bush to get a closer view of what could be in there, but hesitated to back up in case something did pop out; she didn't want to think about that too hard as she walked up to the rustling bush until it suddenly stopped and stood stiff like nothing ever happened.
It was if it knew she was there…
Scootaloo leaned her head closer to the now visible bush and wondered what was inside, but the sound of eerie caws made her instantly freeze her body and caused her heart to skip a beat. Her eyes grew as big as dinner plates and her body shook, she fearfully looked up and examined her unwanted guests only to witness various numbers of red-eyed ravens perched on top of selected tree branches fearlessly look down at her and watch her every move, similar to Timberwolves and mountain lions. The dark, magenta sky covered their feathered, furry bodies to look like black silhouettes; the sight made it look like it came straight from a horror movie.
And while unable to tell, it felt like they were frowning down upon her as they watch her closely, as if waiting for something to happen to her.
‘P-Pull yourself together, Scootaloo! T-They're just stupid birds… with glaring red eyes… watching… my every move.' She gulped lightly as she tried to get a hold of herself. ‘They're just sitting there… menacingly.'
Scootaloo crouched down in fear and shook like a leaf. She was unaware of what the birds were going to do but she was reluctant to find out. She thought about asking them why they were here, but she could not cough up the words from not only fear, but from the fact that it'd be stupid on her part; very stupid. Plus, she couldn't speak animal, not the way Fluttershy can.
It didn't make the situation more comfortable when the shadow-cloaked birds beamed their stalking eyes at Scootaloo; it's as if they wanted something, and that something was right in their line of view. ‘What do they want?' She thought as she couldn't speak it out. This was getting major creepy for her. And she felt like if she and the birds stared at one another any longer, these creepy birds would dive down to devour her.
Scootaloo needed to get out of there, fast. But what could she do? Her body wasn't responding to her. Her legs wouldn't budge, and her wings were useless for flight. She tried in vain to scream for help, but her voice was trapped in her throat; all she could do was breathe out short, weak breaths.
The wind started to pick up and gently blow through the surrounding area and distracted Scootaloo as it blew her mane up some, causing her to wince as leaves brushed past her. She gazed up to see the clouds slowly darkening the area as they threatened to remove the moon's light.
It felt cold against her fur. The bush started to rustle again; she heard the rustle loud and clear and looked to the bush with wide, frightened eyes until a small black figure in the form of another raven flew out of the bush at her, cawing loudly.
Her body finally reacted and caused Scootaloo to jump back and scream, startling the rest of the ravens into flying in the air and forming a massive, horrifying cloud of black.
Like demons fresh out of Tartarus. And if that wasn't enough, they formed together and started taking a dive right at the filly!
The sound of caws echoed as the ravens flew straight at Scootaloo. She screamed bloody murder as she quickly turned and ran for her life, her hooves skid across the ground and kicked up dirt before galloping away from the sound of wings flapping right behind her.
Following the dirt path, Scootaloo ran as fast as she could as she screamed at the top of her lungs, her efforts were ultimately futile as the ravens caught up to her; one of them having their beak close to her tail as it tried snapping it on her tail. Desperately, she tried using her wings to fly. "Come on, you stupid wings! Fly! Fly!" She desperately spouted at her wings as they buzzed, trying to get in the air. "Fly!" But as always, her tiny wings were useless and could not support her body weight as she dropped down to the ground.
"Help me!" she called out to anyone who could hear her, but the only response she received was the caws gaining up on her, "Somepony, help me!"
She ran and ran, but no matter how fast she went the carnivorous ravens were on her tail. She shed a tear and thought that this could be the end. She ran as far as she could but just when the leader of the ravens was just about to grab hold of her with its talons as it dove in close – suddenly, unknowingly, and miraculously, she fell in a large hole and tumbled down its tunnel as she yelped and squeaked while tumbling, the leader of the flock barely missing her as those talons scraped dirt in her place before joining the rest of the flock.
The ravens flew over the hole and disappeared into the eternal night; their caws fading away.
Scootaloo grunted and yelped as she rolled and toppled down the tunnel before finally reaching the end, "Whoa!" she fell out of a short hillside and landed on her face and chest before laying flat on the ground. Not one of her best graceful landings.
With a grunt of pain from the tumble, she righted herself and sat on her haunches, rubbing her head groggily.
"Ow, my aching everything," she shook her head to clear it up from that unexpected tumble – well, at least she got away from those ravens, "Wh-where am I?" she opened her eyes to see where she was, but her vision was clouded by leaves and twigs.
She groaned again and realized she had toppled herself inside a bush. "It's just a…" She growled lightly. Of all the places to land in, it had to be a bush. "Aw, gimme a break… Gimme a break!" She scowled and scuffled with loose twigs and leaves to get them out of her mane until…
"~Scootaloo~"
"Huh?" She said as she quickly crawled her way out of the bush and scanned the area around her. "T-That voice," She recognized that voice from her last dream. It was that same gentle voice of that mystery mare that called to her in the orphanage.
"~I'm here, it's me~"
But as she looked around, all she could see were trees, more bushes and another dirt path leading to Celestia knows where.
"Oh great, another trail," Scootaloo said under her tongue, "What's next, a fork in the road?" she hung her head, unamused and annoyed. She gazed at the dirt road and looked both ways, wondering which one to take; more importantly, which one leads the way home?
"Which way do I go?" she asked herself quietly while trying not to draw any attention that might loom around her.
She placed a hoof on her chin and thought about which direction to take. She grunted in frustration; the decision was overwhelming her. If she chose the wrong path she could be lost in this forest forever and never find her way home. She glared at her wings and flapped them as hard as she could. They only buzzed behind her and never took her more than a few inches into the air before dropping her back down.
She growled in frustration then sighed in defeat. She couldn't fly even if she tried. She almost got attacked by birds, she fell down a hole and now she's caught in a hard decision. She sighed again and sat down then dipped her head, feeling hope just slip away. Her ears twitched when a gentle whisper chimed in her ears…
"~Come to me, Scootaloo~"
Scootaloo perked her ears up and beamed her head steady to the left side of the path, then listened closely for the voice. Faintly, she heard the voice call out to her, again.
"~Scoo… ta… loo~"
Scootaloo gasped in shock and widened her eyes.
"~Hello…~"
That voice… there was no mistaking it. "M-Mother?" she said as she ran on the gravel path and rushed towards the source of the voice, hoping her would be there. She was now more determined than she had ever been, and nothing will stop from reaching her goal; not even those stupid ravens.
A large winged shadow flew high above the sky and disappeared over the trees.
Scootaloo ran farther down the path. Her determination growing stronger by the minute. She felt like she was getting close, closer to finding the voice; her mother's voice. Her face grew a smile of excitement and confidence. The adrenaline was pumping her blood, making her go almost as fast as Rainbow Dash had as a filly.
She could feel the rush flowing throughout her body as she ignored what was around her. Further and further she went; she felt like she was drawing closer to the end of her trail—boy was her ever-so-wrong-- she skids across the dirt as she stopped in front of an unwanted view that reared its ugly head in the form of a three-way fork-in-the-road.
Scootaloo widened her eyes in disbelief from this unexpected turn-of-events. She jerked her head at the three paths and gazed at them in major confusion. "Oh, come on!" she shouted, desperately trying to choose which path to go. Left, middle, right, she couldn't decide which path to go on. She started to panic and stamp her hooves on the ground over and over as she spun a little, "I had to jinx it… I just had to jinx it, didn't I?!"
She thought she was gonna lose it, until she faintly heard the voice, again.
"~Come to me, my child~"
She beamed her eyes in the direction it had come from, the closest one near her.
Right!
She dashed on the right path at the pace she did before, but she suddenly stumbled upon a few obstacles in her way.
She eyed them and tried to be as athletic like Rainbow Dash so she could avoid and brave the obstacles; she succeeded. She jumped over a log, ducked and dodged hanging tree branches and maneuvered away from tripping rocks. She ran past a couple of nesting ravens perched on a branch, giving her multiple cold, blood-thirsty stares.
She gasped a bit at the sight of the carnivorous birds, but quickly shook herself out of her fear and pressed on, never stopping until she reached her destination. The ravens cawed at her to try and scare her, but that still wasn't going to stop Scootaloo no matter what.
The leader of the flock landed before her and glared those cold, blood-thirsty eyes at her as the bird blocked her path. Scootaloo gasped lightly. She almost backed up in fear and would've turned and ran the other way if not for the memory of the soft voice of her mother calling to her. She glared as she gained the strength and courage to stand up against this bird of nightmares. "No!"
The raven's expression momentarily changed, those glaring eyes melting into shocked, albeit frightened eyes – as if it had not expected Scootaloo to buck up and stand up to it.
"I'm not gonna let you stop me from seeing…my…mom!" Scootaloo shouted at the bird as she backed up before charging and leaped over the bird, landing behind it and continuing her run.
When she was out of sight, the ravens flew away and vanished into the night sky and became one with the darkness.
Scootaloo ran further down the path and unknowingly and ultimately tripped over a small dent in the ground, causing her to stumble face-first again; she skids a bit and ruffled up her snout and fur. She slowly lifted herself back up and sat down on her haunches, rubbing her snout.
"Ow!" She grunted softly before she opened her eyes and slowly regained her vision. "Again!" She was getting a teeny bit annoyed with how often that she is falling on her face right now. She stood back up and continued her pursuit until a very peculiar aroma flew in the air and into her nostrils. She stopped again and took in a whiff of what grabbed her muzzle; it doesn't smell like flowers, nor does it smell like the usual scents she smelled in Ponyville. It smelt more like…
"Water?"
She smelled the air, again, before following the scent to its source, stepping off the gravel path and into more bushes. She stopped and groaned in annoyance, "Not more bushes!" she said before closing her eyes and shrugged.
If she wanted to know where the smell was coming from, she had to get through those bushes. She was relieved they weren't thorn bushes, those ones hurt; that was a plus, at least.
"Whatever," she opened her eyes and carefully walked into the bushes, swimming through leaves and twigs; a few twigs nearly got caught her tail, but she pressed on. She soon ventured into some tall grass, but she still pushed her way through and ignored what was around her.
That is until the sound of rushing water filled her ears.
"Huh?" her curiosity grew stronger as she pushed herself harder through the annoying foliage. The sound of water grew louder until she pushed herself through one last bust and finally reached the end of her grass blockade.
When she walked out of the grass, Scootaloo kicked the leaves and twigs off her fur legs and tail before she gazed straight ahead, and what she saw was a sight to behold. A waterfall with clear water gently crashing into a medium-sized lake with a stream flowing in a small, smooth river. It seemed twenty-four-feet tall and looked as if no hoof has ever touched it. Foliage covered the edges and was topped with many different flowers on the vines and branches. It was beautiful. How has nopony ever found this place? But more importantly, did her 'mother' lead her here? Is she around? A glow emitted from the moon and illuminated brightly off the crystal clear water. Water droplets flew into the air from the clashing waters and made the moonlight shine on them, setting an illusion to trick Scootaloo into thinking she was looking at tiny stars soaring in the air before disappearing. It was calming to look at and it actually took away the stress she dealt with when dealing with those ravens. It almost felt worth it.
She sat on the edge that connected the waterfall and the stream and listened to the soothing waters, watching its hypnotic beauty. Wherever she was, she was glad she stumbled on this. It was a good change from what she had been through.
Scootaloo then peered at the flowing stream and eyed the direction it was heading. She got up and took one step until the gentle voice called out her name…
"~Scootaloo~"
She immediately stopped and looked around the waterfall, "Mother! Mother, where are you?" she cried out but received no response.
Scootaloo lowered her ears and hung her head, feeling that crushing feeling of being alone just like she had felt from the previous dream. She had been so close… and yet so far. She sniffled a bit before eyeing the stream in front of her.
With no other options left, she decided to walk and follow the gentle stream in hopes of finding what she was looking for. Or, what little hope there was left. She looked down at the stream as walked and gazed at her reflection, watching the waving, dancing water. She noticed the moon's reflection floating high in the sky shining and glowing its beauty down on the land, brightening everything for Scootaloo to see. Yet all she saw was the glittering water sparkle from her eyes; she couldn't look away from it. She thought about taking a break to enjoy nature's music and let it calm her down, but she was still determined to find her mother. She's calling out to her and she won't stop until she finds her. She looked away and pressed on.
Time passed and there seemed to be no end to this stream. Scootaloo stopped to rest and take a breath. She sat down and hung her head, thinking that following this stream was pointless now. She had hoped it would give her at least some sign, any sign that she was getting close to home or at the very least close to her mother – but sadly, there was no dice.
She felt like she was getting nowhere, "Where are you, mom?" She was lost, alone, still a bit scared but was trying to be brave. But how is she going to find her mother now?
She sighed and lifted her head up until her eyes widen in shock and disbelief and gasped.
There, a few feet in front her, with the moon almost blinding her with its light as it shined on, was a shadowy figure sitting next to the stream, looking down at the flowing water as it shimmered. The figure was shaped like a mare.
Scootaloo smiled a wide, excited grin as hope finally gave her the wish she wanted, "Mommy!" she dashed toward the mare with glossy eyes. At last, she finally found her! She was so close, she could almost cry!
Her mind was filled with bliss and happiness. After so many years of hoping, pleading and begging when no one was looking, she'd get to see her mother for the first time and she'll actually get to see who it was and what she looked like.
"Mommy! It's you!" She got the boost she needed and made it the mare. "Mommy!" She rushed up, closing the distance between them and hugged the mare joyously. "I can't believe it! Mommy, I found you!" She started nuzzling the mare happily, her wings buzzing out of happiness, "Where have you—" but something didn't feel quite right. The mare felt smooth, but she also felt hard and stiff to the touch, not to mention she was ice-cold, not warm the way she imagined. "Mom?" Scootaloo released the mare and slowly backed away to see what was going on.
The rising moon shined down its light on the mare and all the hope Scootaloo felt just shattered to dust. Her heart sank like a stone and the need to cry was all she could feel. Scootaloo felt devastated as the light from the moon revealed to her the mare was not what she seemed…
"You're not my mother… you're just a rock," she said in a depressed tone.
Her ears flat against her skull, Scootaloo lowered her head as tears began to drip from the side of her face. She slowly crushed her eyelids and quivered her lower jaw; she was trying so hard not to cry. She wanted to be strong like Rainbow Dash because Rainbow Dash never cried in the face of adventure.
But all that trouble to follow what she thought was her mother's voice ended up bringing her to a cold, lifeless rock. It was as if fate was mocking her now. But the pain she was feeling was all-too-real, the pain of a broken heart, and the unbearable feeling of failure.
She had failed to find her mother. All this horror she had gone through to find her, only to lead her to this. She decided to give up her search as her heart broke into two. Her hope drained and sank down into the river. Her struggle not to cry was all in vain; her lips quivered and her breaths became choppy. The pain was excruciating.
Poor Scootaloo screamed out in pain at the night sky and bawled out of anger and sadness, "Mommy! Where are you?!" Another single tear slid down her cheek and dropped to the ground. As expected, no such answer came – once again, she was all alone.
She shook her head in heartbreak and denial before the anguish took over her voice.
"MOMMY!!!!" the young filly brokenheartedly yelled out into the night one last time before collapsing, curling up into a little ball, and planting her head in her arms, crying in front of the mare-shaped stone.
Poor Scootaloo… she missed her mommy so much… she had been so excited to finally find her, but it seemed it was all for nothing as a stone resembling her mom stood before her. She was in so much grief that in one last act of gaining comfort, the filly despondently nuzzled against the mare-shape stone as if to get the darn thing to come alive and wrap her up in an embrace.
She hardly noticed that a shimmer of light gave off from the moon, nor the figure that approached out of that shimmer, coming towards her crying figure.
A light silver glittered hoof suddenly appeared and placed itself on Scootaloo's shoulder. She gasped and jumped her head up and looked to her left to see a blurry figure stand next to her; her eyes still puffy and red from crying, making it hard to tell who it was. The mystery figure removed its hoof off of her shoulder as she rubbed her tears away so she can see who was next to her. Scootaloo blinked a few times before eyeing the figure, only to get a huge surprise.
Scootaloo gasped softly, "P-Princess Luna?"
"Hello, Scootaloo," Luna greeting in a soft, friendly tone.
"What are you doing here?" Scootaloo asked as she sat back up and gazed at the night princess.
Luna gave her a small smile, and said, "I came here because your dream summoned me."
Scootaloo sniffled and looked at her, confused, "what do you mean?"
"I felt a small wave of force during my travels through the dream realm," She said. "It led me to believe something was wrong, so I followed its trail and it brought me to your dream."
Scootaloo perked her ears and gasped at the revelation, looking around the area, "I'm… dreaming? But it seems so real." No wonder nopony had answered her when she was calling – she was dreaming!
"Yes, dreams do have that effect on every pony; I've had experiences with other ponies having these situations as you do, but it only happens to them once," Luna said, explaining to Scootaloo as the young filly frowned and looked back at the ground.
"Well, this is the second time it has happened to me."
Luna raised a surprised brow, "Twice? That is some unique news, Scootaloo."
Scootaloo looked back up at Luna flabbergasted and asked in a sad tone, but with determination returning, "What does it mean? Why am I having this dream again?"
Luna placed a hoof on her chin and tried her best to come up with an answer for Scootaloo, "Well," she looked back at the filly, and asked, "Before I answer, would thou please tell me your first dream?"
Scootaloo nodded and told Luna all the details she could remember about her previous dream; where she told her about the orphanage, the mare's voice and the silhouette, and how it all lead her to believed it could be her mother.
Luna nodded and continued to listen, "I see." She started to get the diagnosis of what Scootaloo was saying and going through, but she let the filly finish her story before she could speak.
"After that, I woke up and told my friends about it, Rarity, Big Mac, and now you," she said, panting a bit to catch her breath.
Luna nodded again, "I believe I know what you're dealing with Scootaloo," she said in a calm tone, with a soft little smile that brought comfort to the young.
"What, what is it?" she said as she stood up, ready to hear Luna's answer.
Luna smiled proudly and happily said, "Your dreams are giving you a message, Scootaloo."
"A message?" Scootaloo said as she tilted her head in confusion.
Luna nodded once more, and explained, "Yes. It seems your dreams are trying to tell you that the answer you seek is closer than you think."
Scootaloo grunted in annoyance, "I don't understand, Luna!" she looked bemused at the princess. "You rhymed as if you took lessons from Zecora."
Luna sighed at Scootaloo's lack of understanding and patience but made it a bit more simpler for her, "Very well. What I'm trying to say is that your mother is not far; that's what your dreams are telling you"
Scootaloo relaxed and softly said, "Oh, okay," She chuckled a bit sheepishly before looking up at Luna with innocent eyes. "Sorry, Luna."
Luna smiles again, "It's quite alright, Scootaloo. I was like you when I was a filly." She ran her hoof gently through the young pegasus filly's mane, allowing a smile to grow on Scootaloo's face with new hope starting to grow.
A growing gust of wind flew through Scootaloo's dream.
"Oh my, not this again," Luna said, concerned.
"What's going on, Princess Luna?" Scootaloo said as she blocked her eyes from the slowly roaring wind.
"I best be off, Scootaloo. More dreams are infested with nightmare-ish entities." She said as she turned to fly away.
"Wait!" Scootaloo called out. "What entities? What are you talking about?"
"It's best if you not know. Just beware of any eerie singing
and scraping claws."
The princess of the night descended and soon disappeared as the wind suddenly died out.
Scootaloo scratched her head in confusion but shrugged it off before walking away. And seeing as how this was a dream, Scootaloo's smile grew back as she chuckled childishly. An imaginary Rainbow Dash soared down from the sky and scooped her up, flying her out of the forest and into the clouds.
"Woohoo!"
***Fluttershy's Cottage. Almost afternoon***
"Scootaloo. Hey Scootaloo, wake up!" Applebloom said as she lightly shook Scootaloo.
Scootaloo struggled to open her heavy, tired eyelids. She rubbed her eyes before she let out a frustrated groan, "Applebloom, it's the middle of the night. Wake me up when it's morning," Scootaloo tossed her back at Applebloom and went back to sleep.
"But it is morning, Scootaloo," Applebloom raised an impatient brow, " It's eleven o'clock."
Scootaloo groaned again and tried to ignore Applebloom. Applebloom just sat there and sighed in annoyance at Scootaloo's stubborn behavior.
Sweetie Belle walked in and stood next to Applebloom, and asked: "Did you wake her yet?"
Applebloom shook her head, "No. She's just being stubborn like Applejack," she said groaning sigh as she and Sweetie Belle glared at Scootaloo with her back still turned to them.
Sweetie Belle puffed her cheeks and exclaimed with a squeak to her voice, "Come on, Scootaloo! Fluttershy gave us a job to do, and we need your help!" The orange filly stubbornly ignored them. She didn't want to do any work at all. Matter of fact, Fluttershy's bed was so comfortable she didn't want to get up; if Rainbow Dash was there, she'd be proud… and that mare sleeps on clouds, for goodness sake!
Sweetie Belle placed a hoof on her chin in thought until an idea popped into her skull. She leaned towards Applebloom and whispered in her ear.
Applebloom slowly nodded and grinned evilly at Sweetie Belle before the two devious fillies backed up from the unsuspected Scootaloo.
There was a sudden silence in Fluttershy's room. Scootaloo sighed happily at that and slept just as comfortably. Until a haunting thought revealed itself. Applebloom and Sweetie are suddenly quiet and she finally had peace.
Something was wrong here.
Before she could open her eyes to check, two ear-piercing shouts and a pushing bump thrust her up in the air and immediately eyed the floor. She scrambled her hooves and comically fell flat on the floor with the sheets covering her.
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle laughed in hilarity as they sat up on Fluttershy's bed and looked down at a mumbling, frustrated Scootaloo. Scootaloo picked herself back up and glared at her friends.
"What was that for?!" she growled.
"We had to find some way to get you out of bed," Applebloom said before she chuckled at Scootaloo's bedhead.
"Come on! Fluttershy needs us to watch the house while she's taking care of her chickens; some of them laid eggs, I guess," Sweetie Belle said with a shrug.
Scootaloo shook her head to try and wake herself up; it barely worked. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle hopped off the bed and chuckled, glad that they finally got her lazy plot out of bed, feeling quite accomplished with themselves.
She gave her friends an unamused look before they walked down the stair and into the living room; Fluttershy had already made brunch for them and placed them on a table in front of the couch. Cereal, toast, and haycakes.
Scootaloo perked her head up and smiled gleefully, "Yay, I'm starving." Her stomach growled loudly as she walked up to her food. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle followed her; their stomachs growled just as loud.
A few minutes passed by and the fillies finished their brunch and politely put their plates in the sink before walking back to the living room and sat down near the front door.
"So what do we do now?" Scootaloo asked as looked at her friends, pondering.
"I don't know," Sweetie Belle shrugged, "We could play a game."
"Yeah, but what game should we play?" Applebloom asked.
"Hide and seek?" Scootaloo suggested only receiving rejecting head shakes from the other two. "Well, then I got nothing." She folded her arms.
Applebloom thought hard until an idea popped into her head, "I know! Why don't we wrestle?"
Scootaloo beamed her eyes at Applebloom and smiled eagerly and determinedly, "Count me in. I've always wanted to know who'd beat who. But I think we all know who the clear winner would be," She boasted and pointed at herself.
Applebloom snorted, "Pfft, as if! I can take you down in seconds." She retaliated and took pride in herself that she knew she would beat her friends. Living on a farm with an overprotective, apple bucking older sister, an even older, hardworking brother and a massive amount of chores, she got plenty of exercise out of it. Applebloom smiled with confidence, she had that apple family pride course through her veins.
Sweetie Belle shook her head, "Count me out!" she said with a squeak to her voice. "I'm not getting involved in something like that." Unlike Applebloom and Scootaloo, she doesn't really take too kindly to physical play, because she doesn't want to get in trouble by Rarity and she was kind of fragile.
Scootaloo chuckled at what Sweetie Belle said, "Apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sweetie Belle asked confused with her face scrunched up in slight anger.
"You and Rarity are a lot alike," Scootaloo said before posing by flicking her mane and fluffing it "'Oh dear, I do not wish to partake in such a rough game. It'll ruin my mane'" She teased, making a squeaky imitation of Rarity's voice.
"Hey! That's not the least bit true." Sweetie Belle said before she groaned in annoyance. "I just don't want to, okay!"
"Ha, whatever. What are you? Chicken?" Scootaloo said as she tauntingly bawked at Sweetie Belle.
Applebloom chuckled, "Leave her alone, Scootaloo. If she doesn't want to, she doesn't want to," She said defending Sweetie Belle and waving her hoof.
Scootaloo stopped and pouted, "Fine. Ruin my fun."
"Thanks, Applebloom." Sweetie thanked her but also gave Scootaloo a little raspberry for gaining victory over this round.
Applebloom nodded, "You can be the referee, Sweetie Belle," she suggested receiving agreeing nods from Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
Both Scootaloo and Applebloom took opposite sides of the living room and faced one another. Sweetie Belle quickly moved the table was out of the way to make more room for her friends before climbing on to a chair and watched.
They stretched their little legs and cracked their necks, determined to claim victory. No animals were in the house, which probably meant they were outside and having their own breakfast. Which also means hurting any of them is out of the question. Applebloom lowered her head and prepared to charge. Scootaloo did the same thing, raking her hoof across the floor and prepared a devastating charge. All they needed now was Sweetie Belle to give any form of signal.
The silence went on for another few minutes before Sweetie Belle gave the signal, "Go!"
Like miniature Minotaurs, both fillies charged at one another. Applebloom struck first and tackled Scootaloo and pinning her in a strong full nelson with a victorious smile, but unbeknownst to her, Scootaloo countered with a front roll, rolling them both over and slamming Applebloom on her back.
The counter move forced her to let go of Scootaloo. Scootaloo quickly rolled away and got back on her hooves before jumping onto Applebloom and pinning her with all her strength.
Applebloom was caught off guard and struggled to free herself, but her arms got stuck under her friend's weight. Sweetie Belle made the countdown. Applebloom had to think of something quick or she'll lose. An idea suddenly popped into her brain. When in doubt; cheat. Applebloom slid her hind legs under Scootaloo's chest and stomach and, unknowingly, unintentionally and accidentally, kicked the orange filly in the air with big amount strength and sent her careening to a shelf holding a ton of boxes full of ornaments and books. She smacked onto the shelf and caused it to rock back and forth, rattling the ornaments that were free from their boxes. Thankfully, Scootaloo smacked against the small double wooden doors at the bottom.
Sweetie Belle gasped and rushed over to Scootaloo. Applebloom rolled back on her hooves and saw Scootaloo down and out. She widened her eyes and gasped before rushing to her fallen friend.
Scootaloo slowly sat back up and rubbed the back of her head as her friends approached her.
"Scootaloo, are you alright?" Sweetie Belle asked concerned if her friend is hurt.
"Yeah, I'm alright," Scootaloo said regaining her composure, "That happened out of nowhere." She rotated her shoulders to make sure nothing was broken or dislocated; she was completely fine.
"I'm sorry, Scootaloo. I didn't know that was going to happen. I didn't mean to kick ya into flying like a bird," Applebloom apologized and slightly whimpered.
Scootaloo cracked a smile and chuckled, "Applebloom, calm down. I'm fine. But I do wanna--" a heavy, brown box suddenly slammed in between the three fillies and startled them into jumping back with a surprised "Whoa!"
"What in tarnation!" Applebloom barked before they slowly started to calm down to take some breaths.
"What is that?" Sweetie Belle asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"It's a box, Hoofstein." Scootaloo said in a smart-alecky tone.
"I know that, but what's in it?" she said, giving Scootaloo an unamused glare as they walk slowly back to the object after it startled them.
"Well, let's find out," Applebloom suggested as they walked up to the slightly large box. It was big, but they were able to look over it seeing tape sealing the top.
Sweetie Belle looked down to see a word on the side of the box in front of her. She took a closer before reading the word out loud, "Memories?"
Applebloom looked at Sweetie Belle confusingly before leaning her head down to see the word 'Memories'.
Scootaloo poked her head over the box and walked around as she got in the middle of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, curiously looking at the word ‘Memories'.
Applebloom noticed the tape was loose. She told her friends as she walked over to open it. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle watched as Applebloom gripped the tape with her teeth and pulled back, peeling the tape off as it made an uncomfortable, false ripping noise. The tape was all the off and the box halfway opened.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle noticed and opened each side of the box, revealing what's inside. The three fillies stood on their hind legs and peeped inside. They gasped in shock and surprise at what they find in the box, completely blown away.
Applebloom was the first that dove in and pulled out a small picture from the box. She looked at the picture in the frame and suddenly giggled as if she was looking at something cute; which she was, "Aww, look at this girls." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle sat next to Applebloom in individual sides and looked at the picture, only to make the same expressions Applebloom made. The picture revealed a tiny yellow filly with a pink mane and tail lying on a cloud, hugging a teddy rabbit.
"Is that Fluttershy? She looks so tiny and cute!" Sweetie Belle said with a squeak as she held her cheeks. She cooed and went a little gaga from seeing the picture – it was pure unadulterated adorableness!
"This must be a box full of her old memories!" Applebloom realized why the box was titled ‘Memories', it was filled with memories of Fluttershy's life, including her childhood, judging by that picture Sweetie Belle was cooing over.
"Wonder what else in here?" Scootaloo wondered and peeped into the box before slightly diving in and pulling out a small blanket that could, actually, cover her. "Big blanket for such a tiny foal," She thought in confusion before Sweetie Belle got her turn and dug around.
It didn't take long for Sweetie Belle to pull out another picture of Fluttershy. This time, she looked a bit older. "Hey!" she said with a giggle. "I think this must be her in high school?" She may not be at high school herself, but she heard that high school tends to have goofy picture-worthy moments sometimes.
Applebloom and Scootaloo placed their items down and walked over to Sweetie Belle to take a look at the picture. They giggled a little too at Fluttershy's apparent ‘high-school' picture.
"What's up with the berets in her hair?" Scootaloo asked in wonder before little out a small chuckled. "That's kind of silly."
Sweetie Belle shrugged, "Must've been a fashion thing back then?"
Applebloom looked a little closer at the picture before raising a brow at something odd with Fluttershy, "Doesn't she look a bit chunky in this picture?"
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo pondered about what Applebloom was talking about before they gazed back at the picture and looked closely until they noticed what Applebloom was talking about.
"Yeah, you're right. Fluttershy packed some pounds when she was younger," Scootaloo said, a bit wide-eyed. She may not be in high-school, yet, but she never knew ponies got a bit pudgier around that time. Hopefully, she doesn't go through something like that.
Sweetie Belle scratched her head in confusion about why Fluttershy was like this, but she decided it would be best not to dwell on it as she placed the picture down next to the picture of filly Fluttershy.
Applebloom decided to dig through the box again and go a little deeper. She succeeded in grabbing another picture of Fluttershy. She backed up and sat between her friends. It was another picture of Fluttershy in her high school years, but something was off; way off. Applebloom widened her eyes in bewilderment when saw Fluttershy sitting on a chair, holding her big, round belly, looking slightly worried down at her round dome. She compared the picture with the picture of the younger Fluttershy and realized what was going on with Fluttershy's ‘chunky' appearance. "Uh, girls?" she sat back for the other two to see, "I don't think Fluttershy is fat in these pictures," Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle raised similarly confused brows before Applebloom spoke again; "I think she's pregnant."
"What?!" both fillies shouted and beamed their eyes at the picture of Fluttershy, again, before comparing the picture of her younger self side by side. They were having trouble processing what Applebloom just said. Fluttershy couldn't be pregnant in these pictures; she was too young.
"Yeah, I think she might be pregnant in these pictures."
Sweetie Belle was stunned as she looked at the pictures side-by-side again, "Really? But she looks so young!" She stated in a bit of worry; Fluttershy was pregnant? And judging by the picture, it looked like it happened during high school.
"What? No way." Scootaloo said in disbelief. "If she was a mother, wouldn't we have seen her foal by now?"
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle shrugged but thought Scootaloo had a point. Why would she hide her foal from them and her friends? It didn't make any sense.
"She must've put her foal in an orphanage; she does look young in these pictures," Sweetie Belle theorized. It was the best guess she had, and she received an agreeing nod from Applebloom.
"Maybe she had no choice? Granny once told me that young mares, high school mares, tend to make a lot of mistakes that they're not ready for," She recalled her wise grandmother's words.
Scootaloo walked up and dug into the box while looking at her friends, "If that's the case, then I guess her kid must be in the same orphanage like me," she said as she randomly tried to grab anything she could get a hold of, not paying attention before finally grabbing something and pulled it out. "When I get back, I'll have to find Fluttershy's kid and tell him or her I found..." She looked at the picture, and her voice was immediately cut off. It was another picture of Fluttershy but as an adult. She sat down and glared shocked eyes at the picture.
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other with confused faces before they looked back at Scootaloo and walked up to her to look at the picture. They took a glimpse and what they saw made them dropped their jaws in pure shock, surprise and disbelief; the picture frame Scootaloo was holding held a picture of Fluttershy sitting on a chair and holding a foal.
Her foal.
"That… must be her foal," Sweetie Belle said in a soft whisper, blown away by what she's witnessed.
"It's so tiny," Applebloom said as she looked closely at the photo while Scootaloo remained silent, now being the only one to process longer by what she's witnessing.
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom looked at the foal in the picture a bit closer before realizing what color it possessed.
Orange and purple. Just like…
They took two steps back and looked at each other with shocked faces while Scootaloo stayed behind.
"Orange and purple" Applebloom whispered to Sweetie Belle.
"You don't think…?" Sweetie Belle whispered back before the two of them looked at Scootaloo, who still gazing at the picture.
"Scootaloo?" Applebloom said to her but got no response from her friend.
Scootaloo's irises shrank to penny-size. She saw the foal Fluttershy was carrying and the colors; the colors matched her colors very clearly. Scootaloo fought her thoughts and shook her head, wanting to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She looked at the picture, again. This had to be a cruel joke, right? But, this is Fluttershy, the nicest pony to ever walk in Equestria. There's no way she would pull a joke like this, would she? Scootaloo pondered and continued to process what she's holding until Sweetie Belle called her name and snapped her out of her pondering trance, "Huh, what?" she looked back at her worried friends.
"You alright, Scootaloo?" Applebloom asked in a concerned tone. "You're being awfully quiet…"
"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" she said as she faked her laughs and smiled nervously.
"Well," Sweetie Belle motioned to herself and Applebloom before she pointed to the picture, and nervously yet suspiciously said, "We think the foal in that picture…" She then nervously pointed at her friend "…is you."
Scootaloo's smile slowly faded as she looked back at the picture, and defiantly said, "What? No. No. That can't be me. That foal has darker colors than I do," She said, wanting to disprove everything in this picture; that Fluttershy is her real mother. But Applebloom wasn't having it.
"Scootaloo, there's no other pony we've met that have colors like yours. We think this foal is you. There's no other guesses on who it could be."
Applebloom may have laid down the truth hammer, but Scootaloo shook her head defiantly; her stubbornness was kicking in and Applebloom clearly noticed, "No, this has to be a joke! There's no way I--"
Scootaloo was going through grief and Applebloom had to stop her. There was no denying what they were looking at and Scootaloo had to wake up, "Scootaloo, stop it," Applebloom barked. "That foal has got to be you. Who else would it be? Will you open your eyes and look!" She sternly pointed at the picture, so Scootaloo can see this was no mirage or prank photo.
But unfortunately, it went by deaf ears and Scootaloo glared angrily at Applebloom, "I am looking, but what I'm seeing is some kind of cruel sick joke!" Scootaloo was not having it. There was no way Fluttershy was her mother. If she was, Fluttershy would've gotten her back by now when she was at the right age. "That can't be me. It just can't!"
Sweetie Belle walked around Scootaloo to look inside the box. She looked carefully this time before finding an orange envelope barely hidden under a few other pictures and a doll. She reached down and grabbed it while Scootaloo and Applebloom still had their argument. She carefully slid it out from under the other items and successfully pulled the envelope out. She turned and sat down.
Applebloom rolled her eyes at how annoying Scootaloo was acting. It's like talking to her sister all over again. Applebloom growled like a wolf and snapped a bit, "What will it take to convince you, Scootaloo?" She pointed to the box. "There is evidence that clearly show she's your dagum mama!"
Scootaloo snorted and refused to even acknowledge that, "Photos are not gonna convince me. Unless that box actually has something to prove it, photo's are not gonna be enough!"
That was the final straw and Applebloom was on her last nerve with Scootaloo. She gave the stubborn pegasus a fiery glare before Sweetie Belle cut them off.
"How about this?" Sweetie Belle caught their attention as she pulled an envelope out of the box and ceasing their fight.
"What's that?" Applebloom asked.
Scootaloo never said a word as she just gazed at Sweetie Belle.
"I don't know," Sweetie replied as she carefully opened the envelope.
Applebloom and Scootaloo both shared equal anticipation when Sweetie Belle spread the envelope open. She looked inside and saw a single piece of paper lazily lying inside. She dipped her muzzle in and carefully pulled the piece of paper with her teeth so she wouldn't get any bite marks on it. Applebloom and Scootaloo watched as Sweetie Belle grabbed the paper and successfully slid it out. Sweetie Belle placed the envelope down and browsed the paper before she started reading it.
Scootaloo and Applebloom grew more confused but quickly noticed Sweetie Belle widening her eyes in utter shock from reading what was on the paper; her irises shrank to golf ball-size. Like Scootaloo, she became paralyzed with disbelief and bewilderment.
"Sweetie Belle, what's wrong?" Applebloom said as she tried to snap her friend out of her trance, but ended up glancing at the piece of paper as well. And just like Sweetie Belle, her eyes widened in the same expression, "No... way…" she said, softly.
Scootaloo felt a little scared at her friend's reaction. What were they looking at? What was on that paper that caused them to react like that? More questions beamed into the filly's mind, until she finally blurted something out, "What's wrong with you two?" she asked out of panic, only to see Sweetie Belle nervously give her the piece of paper.
Scootaloo nervously reeled her head back and glanced at the paper before she grabbed it in her shaking hooves and read it. She read the following:
~
Birth Certificate
Foal was Born: 10/18/02
Name of Foal: Scootaloo
Proud Mother: Fluttershy
Proud Father: Unknown.
~
On the lower far right of the paper was a tiny inked hoofprint in a square display.
Scootaloo's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the paper; waves of emotions bombarded her without any hint of mercy. She felt pressure in her chest as she slightly hyperventilated. There was no way of getting out of this. Applebloom was right all along and the messages her dreams were telling her became crystal clear. The rock formation? The waterfall? everything! She found her home and... and...
The biggest proof she needed to know who her mother was was right in her hooves, for Celestia's sake.
She suddenly remembered the events that occurred; the clerk telling her about a mare with a soft voice; Luna telling her that her mother was close; her scooter! All the pieces came snapping together, and Scootaloo can no longer deny the facts. It all made sense now.
What she was holding in her hooves was a certificate... her birth certificate.
All this time, it was her. It was Fluttershy the whole time. Her lips quivered as a tear slowly rolled down her cheek. Her mind raced and tried to process everything she and her friends just discovered. Scootaloo froze in grief while Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other with worry for their friend. They sat there and gave Scootaloo her space until they saw a shadow hovering over them. They looked up in time to see the yellow figure standing in the doorway with a horrified and dismayed face upon catching them looking in her box of memories.
Both fillies gasped in horror, "Fluttershy!"