I felt a stab of panic in my chest. My entire body convulsed in a tremor of cold fear. Where was she? Had she ran away? Was Scoots so frightened that he just took off without telling me? Or had something happened to him? Something really bad?
“Scoots? Scoots?!” In my panic, I forgot that I was inches away from a monster, and started to shout. “Scoots? Where are you?”
“Shh,” I heard a whisper from the back of the house. Scootaloo appeared, making his way quickly toward me along the narrow strip of grass. “I’m right here, Dash!”
“Huh? Where’d you go?” I asked, a bit cheesed off at her, then n I looked at the direction he was pointing. At the back of the house.
“I thought maybe I could find a ladder or something. You know. So I could see too.”
“You scared me to death!” I cried. Returning my glance to the window. Mr. Warts’s was sucking a slithering eel into his mouth like a strand of spaghetti. “Quick, Scoots – help me down,” I instructed, still feeling shaken from the scare of his disappearance. “You have to see this. You have to, before he changes back!”
“He – he’s really a monster?” Scoots’ mouth dropped open. “You’re not joking?”
“Just get up here!” I cried impatiently. But as I tried to lower myself to the ground, a spider or something crawling latched into my back, startling me and making my decent a horrible disaster. I hit the wall of the house with a loud thud as I desperately try to get that stinking thing off me until finally I dropped down and crashed head first into the dirt and the wheelbarrow from earlier toppled and hit the wall as well with a thud.
“Ow!” I cried out as a sharp pain cut through my side and my left wing. Glancing up, I saw the monster’s startled face, goggling down at me through the glass. I scrambled to get up. But the throbbing pain in my side took my breath away. “Scoots – Help me!” But she was already running to the street, her hooves scraping the grass, flapping her wings as fast as she can for more momentum like her life depends on it. Ignoring the pain in my side, I scrambled to my hooves.
I took an unsteady step, then another. I shook my head, trying to shake away my dizziness then sucked in a deep breath and started to fly, follow Scoots toward the street.
I had gone about four or five flaps when I felt Mr. Warts’ surprisingly strong hoof grab my shoulders from behind. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. He held firmly onto my shoulders. I could feel his hot, wet hooves through my mane.
I tried to pull away, but he was too strong, then he spun me around and squinted at me with those little black eyes, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Rainbow Dash!” he exclaimed in his scratchy voice. He lets go of my shoulders and stepped back.
I was panting loudly and really frightened as my chest felt like it’s about to explode. How had he changed back from his monster form so quickly? What’s he gonna do to me?
“Rainbow Dash, good heavens. I thought you were a burglar,” He said, shaking his head. He removed a white handkerchief from his vest pocket and wiped his perspiring forehead.
“S-sorry,” I stammered. My voice came out in a choked whisper.
He balled up the handkerchief between his fat hooves and jammed it back into his pocket. “What are you doing here?”
“Well…” My heart was pounding so hard, I could feel the blood pulse at my temples. My side still ached from where I had fallen on the wheelbarrow. I struggled to clear my mind. I had to think of an answer to his question. I had to. “Well…” I started again, thinking deeper into the bowels of my head desperately. “I… uhh… came to tell you that I’ll …uh… be a little late for my reading appointment tomorrow.
He narrowed his eyes and stared at me thoughtfully. “But why were you looking through my window?” He demanded.
Think, Dashie – think! “I didn’t know if you were home or not. I just was trying to see if you were there, I mean, So I could tell you… about the appointment tomorrow.” I said, staring into his face, trying to sound sincere, I took a step back, in case I had to make a run for it.
Did he believe me? Was he buying it? I couldn’t tell. He continued to stare at me thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin. “Hmmmm… You really didn’t have to come all the way out here,” he said softly. “Did you ride on your scooter?” His eyes darted over the small front lawn.
Okay, first of all there was something wrong when he asked that. How did he even know I HAD a scooter? I already gave that to scoots… even though she already had one. And second, I didn’t tell anypony… ANYPONY about my scooter, ever! “No, uhh… I flew! I like to glide through the skies… you know, cuz I’m a Pegasus?” I replied awkwardly.
“It’s getting dark,” he said. “Maybe you should call your friends to come pick you up. Why don’t you come inside and wait while I get someone to send them here…”
Come inside? Come inside the monster’s house? No way! “Uhh… no thanks, Mr. Warts,” I said, talking another step backwards toward the street. “My friends don’t mind if I walk home. It isn’t really that far, really… and I’m not a filly anymore.”
“No. I insist,” he said, and odd grin starting across his mole-like face. He motioned toward the house. “Come on in, Dash. The couch is right in the living room,” he urged. “Come on, I won’t bite.”
I shuddered. I’d just seen him bite snails… and eels! There’s no way I was going in that house. I knew that if I went in, chances are I’d never come out. EVER!
“I – I’ve got to go,” I said, giving him a wave of one hoof. I could feel the fear creeping up in my back, running over my body. I knew if I didn’t get away from here – that moment - I’d be frozen by my terror, unable to escape.
“Dash-“ Mr. Warts insisted.
“No, really. Bye Mr. Warts.” I waved again, turned and started jogging down the street.
“You really shouldn’t have to come all this way!” he called after me in his high, scratchy voice. “Really. You shouldn’t have!”
I know! I thought. Iknow I shouldn’t have. I trotted along the street turned to a corner, and continued down the block. Was I really getting away? Was he really letting me go? I couldn’t believe he’d bought my lame excuse. Why was he letting me get way if he didn’t believe me? I slowed my walk as my side ached a bit and my wing was still hurting. I suddenly had a throbbing headache. I would have just flown away, if it weren’t for this friggin’ injury.
Night had already fallen. Passing fireflies had their lights on as they buzzed noisily, illuminating the way as they go. A slender trail of dark cloud drifted over a pale half-moon still low in the purple-grey sky. It seems some weather mares are still at work tonight… and Princess Luna seems to be a tad lazy tonight, seeing the moon’s appearance tonight.
I was about to cross a bridge when hoof grabbed my shoulders again! I cried out, well… more like a yelp than a scream, and spun around, expecting to see the monster. “Scoots!” I cried then swallowed hard, trying to force down my fear. “W-where-?”
“I-I waited for you,” she said, her voice trembling, her hooves are shaking and looks like she’s about to cry.
“S-Scoots…”
“I’ve been waiting all this time,” she said shrilly. “Where have you been?! I’ve been sp scared!”
“I was… back there,” I told him.
“I was ready to call the guards, or something.” Scoots shot back. “I was hiding down the block. I-”
“You saw him?” I asked eagerly, suddenly remembering why we had risked our lives tonight. “You saw, Mr. Warts?”
Scootaloo shook her head. “No, I didn’t. I was too far away.”
“But earlier,” I said. “Through the window. When he was a monster, didn’t you see him then? Didn’t you see him eat the snails and eels?”
Scoots shook her head again. “I didn’t see anything, Dashie,” she said softly. “I’m sorry, I wish I had help.”
Big help, I thought bitterly. Now what am I gonna do?
It was the next afternoon, a stormy, grey day and Fluttershy and I were in her kitchen arguing. I was trying to tell her there was no way I could go and return my book that I borrowed last time in the library. And she was insisting that I had to go. “Come on, Shy, You’ve got to believe me!,” I pleaded. I was trying not to whine, that was Rarity’s bit, but my voice kept creeping higher and higher. “Mr. Warts is a monster. I can’t go to the library anymore!”
Fluttershy made a disgusted face and tossed down the dish towel she was folding. “Dash, Applejack and I had it up to here with your silly monster stories.” She turned to face me. Her expression was angry. “The fact is, Dash dear, that you are a quitter. You never stick with anything. You’re a coward, that’s your problem!”
“Mr. Warts IS a monster,” I interrupted “That’s my problem!”
“Well, I don’t care,” Fluttershy replied sharply. “I don’t care if he turns to a drooling werewolf at night. You’re going to return that book because that’s what’s right! You’re going to go there and apologize to Mr. Warts for not returning it earlier even if I had to walk you there holding your hoof!”
“Gee – would you?” I asked. The idea flashed in my head that Fluttershy could hide in the stacks with me and see for herself when Mr. Warts turned to a monster. But she thought I was being sarcastic, and just scowled at me and walked out of the kitchen.
And so, an hour later, I was trudging up in the air to the library. It was raining hard, though I didn’t get any memo of a heavy rainstorm today, I should have known better and didn’t care much if I was drenched and my mane was all straight. I shook wildly and flick my tail to dry off before going in the library.
I shivered, more from fear, and from being back from this frightening place than the cold. It used to be nice when Twilight was here, now it’s a ghost house, or something.
I pulled off my bag and noticed it was dripping wet too! “Great.” I scowled. While I think of a way on how to dry this up, a thought came to me… How can I face Mr. Warts? Grabbing the books out of the bag and left it near the door, I wondered that to myself as I trotted my way reluctantly into the main reading room. How can I face him after last night?
He must surely suspect that I know his secret. He couldn’t. have believed me last night, could he?
I was so furious at Fluttershy for forcing me to come here. I could just leave, but she’d know the second I do! She has eyes everywhere! That low flying insect… I hope he turns to a monster and chews me to bits! I thought bitterly. That will really teach her a lesson
I pictured Fluttershy, Applejack and Scootaloo, sitting mournfully in our living room, crying their eyes out, wailing. “If only we had believed her! If only we had listened!” That thought sends a bit of pleasure in my little crazed mind.
I made my way slowly past the long rows of books to the back of the room. To my relief, there were several ponies in the library. I saw two little fillies and their mothers and a couple of other mares browsing in the mystery book section.
Great! I thought, starting to feel a little calmer. Mr. Warts won’t dare do anything while the library is filled with ponies
The librarian was dressed in a green turtleneck today, which really made him look like a big, round turtle. Which reminds me, I need to get Tank’s propeller fixed. He was stamping a stack of books and didn’t look up as I stepped close to the desk. I cleared my throat nervously. “Mr. Warts?”
It took him a long while to look up. When he finally did, a warm smile formed above his chins. “Hi, Miss Dash. Give me a few minutes, okay?”
“Sure,” I said. “I’ll go dry off.” He seems friendly, I thought, heading over to a chair at one of the long tables. He doesn’t seem angry at all. Maybe he really did believe my story last night. Maybe he really doesn’t know that I’ve seen him turn into a monster. Maybe I’ll get out of here alive! Sweet!
I sat down at the table and shook some more water from my mane. I stared at the big, round wall clock, nervously waiting for him to call me up for our meeting. The clock ticked noisily. Each second seemed to take a minute. The kids with their mothers checked out some books and left. I turned to the mystery section and saw that the two mares had also cleared out. The librarian and I were the only ones left.
Mr. Warts shoved a stack of books across his desk and stood up. “I’ll be right back, Miss Dash.” He said, another friendly, reassuring smile on his face. “Then we’ll have our meeting.”
Alright, I know something was off… Why is he calling me Miss Dash all of a sudden? And why his smile reminds me of when Pinkie was when she thought that our friends, including me, forgotten her?
Mr. Warts stepped away from his desk and, walking briskly, headed to the back of the reading room. I guessed he was going to the bathroom or something.
A jagged flash of white lightning flickered across the dark sky outside the window. It was followed by a drum roll of thunder. I stood up from the table and started towards Mr. Warts’ desk.
I was halfway to the desk when I heard a loud click. I knew at once that he had locked the front door. A few seconds later, he returned, walking briskly, still smiling. He was rubbing his pudgy white hands together as he walked. “Shall we talk about your book?” He asked, stepping up to me.
“Mr. Warts – you locked the front door,” I said, swallowing hard.
His smile faded. His dark little eyes locked into mine. “Yes. Of course,” he said softly, studying my face. His hands were still clasped together in front of him.
“But – why?” I stammered.
He brought his face close to mine, and his smile grew wide once again. “I know why you were at my house last night,” he growled into my ear. “I know everything.”
“But, Mr. Warts, I—“
“I’m sorry,” he said in his throaty growl. “But I can’t let you leave, Dash. I can’t let you leave the librar