//------------------------------// // Chap 10 // Story: Soarin and Rainbow Dash // by Ugly-Duckling123 //------------------------------// At Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were just sitting down for dinner with their new friends. On the table were plates of mash potatoes, steamed vegetables, and apple pie. "Well tuck in then girls," Granny Smith said scooping some potatoes on to her own plate. After everyone got what they wanted and were starting... "So my dear," Granny said "Why don't you tell us how you met Soarin?" "Well it was my twentieth birthday, and since I'm a daughter of the two captains, everyone insisted on a masquerade party," Rainbow began not looking up from or touching her food. "I was talking to some Shadow's when I felt like I was being watched, so I turned and saw him over by the wall, and he came over and... And asked me to dance." she said blushing lightly. "At the time we didn't know who each other were. But then we went outside and started asking for each others back-stories, then..." "Then he comes back into the hall, and starts running for the door, but Pinkie caught him, then mum and dad and I come over to see what the fuss is about and we discover he's Soarin." Scootaloo continued for Rainbow. "Then Dad tells him to go away. But the next day Rainbow and I sneak out to Whitetail Woods to see him and-" "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa," Applejack butted in "Back up a bit Sugarcube. You two went into Whitetail Wood by yourselves? Don't you know what lives in there?" "We weren't by ourselves," Scootaloo said. "We had each other, and Soarin when he made it. And we didn't see anything in there." "What's the big deal? We come from the Everfree," Rainbow Dash defended her sister. "We see monsters almost every time we look out our windows and doors." "The monsters in Whitetail Wood are a might different dear," Granny Smith said leaning back in her rocking chair with her eyes closed as if she was remembering something. "The woods got it's name from all the ponies coming back out from it with white tails turned to white with fear." she began. "Even the blackest of black hairs could be turned to fresh snow white after a day in those woods." "So... So what makes them get like that?" Scootaloo asked quietly scared a bit, not remembering ever being told this story before. "There are spirits hidden in those woods," Granny said still with her eyes closed. "At first they leave you alone and you don't know they're there, but after a while, be it you go there too often or you over stay your welcome... they come and give you such a fright, you never want to sleep again, and your whole coat turns white. From top to hoof, mane and tail and all." "How... How do you know all this Granny?" Apple Bloom asked hugging Mac's and Applejack's legs in her own. "When I was a filly, after we came to lived in Ponyville for a few years," Granny began. "I became friends with some one called Polka-Dot. Despite her colorful name however she had a coat blacker than any night Princess Luna ever made. "One day the two of us were playing together when we heard about a thief on the loose and decided to go looking for him. We got all the colts and filly's in with us but when the end of the day came, we still found nothing and we all went out separate ways to go home. "The next day, I went over to see her after school to see why she wasn't there that day and got the shock of my life. Apart from her eyes and her new Cutie-Mark, she was completely white. "She told me how half way home, she ran into someone who bought out a knife and pointed it towards her. So she ran, she ran into Whitetail Wood, without knowing she was with the stallion right behind her. Suddenly she found she was trapped, she had no where to go. Then all around her the shadows started moving and she said she could hear voices, crying, screaming... Then all the sudden something came running towards them and when she woke up the next morning the stallion was gone but she was completely white." "We never heard that story before," Rainbow Dash said hugging a scared little Scootaloo who was berrying her face into her chest trying to block out the words Granny was saying. "No one has ever told us that story and we know a lot of spooky stories." "THIS IS NOT A STORY!" Granny yelled snapping her eyes open and glaring at the cyan blue Pegasus across from her "It really happened. Applejack go and get the big red photo album from my knitting room, so I can prove it to this filly." With slight difficulty, thanks to Apple Bloom, Applejack got up and walked out of the dining room and came back a while later with a big red book under one leg and placed it on the table Mac was clearing so there was room. Grumbling a bit Granny took the book and flipped though the pages and pulled out a photo, then she went though a few more pages and pulled out another, closed the book, that was taken my Applejack, and turned to Rainbow Dash. "There, there's your proof," she said shoving both photos across the table. They were old school class photos in the center there was a younger looking Granny Smith and next to her her arm over Granny's shoulders was the blackest filly Rainbow had ever seen. She turned the photo over and saw it was taken fifty-five years ago. Then she looked at the other one, another school class photo with all the same ponies in all the same places. In the center was Granny Smith and next to her with her arm over her neighbors shoulders was a top to hoof main and tail white filly. Checking this photo's date it was one year after the first one. But looking closely Rainbow saw the the filly's eyes were exactly the same, same shape, same color, same spark with in them. It was the same pony. Speechless, Rainbow passed the photo's back. "I'm sorry." she said not looking up from stroking Scootaloo's head, after they were put away. "I... I just thought..." "I know dear. But not all stories are made to scare us." Granny Smith said. "Every story has a edge of truth somewhere some turn into camp fire stories made for fun, while others are nothing but truth made to warn you youngsters about the dangers in this world. "Even myths and legends although things are added and changed along the way, began with true stories." "Like the one about Nightmare Moon?" Scootaloo asked spinning around to face everyone again. "Who?" the three siblings asked confused looks on their faces. Looking up to Rainbow Dash who nodded and turned back to her dinner Scootaloo began. "Once long ago Princess Celestia and Princess Luna lived in harmony with each other, Celestia, being the elder sister bringing out the sun, and Luna rising the moon and showering the sky with stars every night. As the years passed, Luna started to get jealous of Celesta and her days because everyone was awake and played in them, but were asleep though her beautiful nights. Finally Luna refused to lower the moon to make way for the sun even though Celestia tried to reason with her. The jealousy in Luna's heart had turned it blacker then her night and she became Nightmare Moon vowing to spread eternal darkness though out Equestria... And I forget how it ends." Scootaloo says coming to a close "Just like that dear." Granny Smith said leaning back in her chair again. Silence hit the room after that and was ripped out by a large yawn given by Apple Bloom who suddenly looked very sleepy. "Looks like it's time for bed then dear..." Granny Smith said pausing her rocking and looked over at her youngest grandchild. "But Granny," Apple Bloom said "I'm not... I'm not tired." she said yawning and rubbing her eyes a bit. "Come on Sugarcube," Applejack said getting up "You know there's no arguing with Granny when the Sandmare arrives." Without protest Apple Bloom got up and followed Applejack out of the dining room and up the stairs. As soon as they were gone, Scootaloo yawned and buzzed her wings to fly onto Rainbows back wrapping her hooves around her big sisters neck. "Come on then Squirt," Rainbow said getting up. "Thanks for the dinner Granny, and a place to spend the night." she said in a weak smile. "You're welcome dear." Granny said going to help Mac with the washing up "And remember nothing lasts forever. Sooner or later your families will see reason and you'll have your prince." she said smiling at the blush Rainbow was giving off, before she left the room and went upstairs too.