//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Train Ride // Story: Fallen Pegasus // by TheGreatAndPowerfullHaje //------------------------------// “All right my little ponies, this one represents ‘Victory’” “How cool would it be to have that for a cutiemark.” “Coooool, if you were actually victoryful at something.” “My wings! why aren’t my bucking wings working” Scootaloo was falling, and fast the ground was nowhere to be seen but it couldn’t be far away. Shadow engulfed the orange Pegasus. And a feeling off pure despair came over her. Then suddenly she saw a light in the distance. But is wasn’t as she had hoped Celestia’s sun. It was a house engulfed in green fire. Burning everything In its wake. Scoots ran towards it, but she was too late. Everything was turned to ash. As she looked at the death and destruction she could hear a familiar voice in the distance… Rest now my love, for all will be fine. Just remember that soon you’ll be all mine. OOOOOOWWWWEEEEEH That was another fine song by the up and coming young starlet Sweetie Belle… Her head was pounding as Scoots threw her alarm in a corner ‘Sweet Bucking Celestia another nightmare! seems like Luna’s having fun.’ Scootaloo groaned as she massaged her temples. She was almost ready to go back to sleep. When it dawned on her what day it was. It was Thursday morning and Scootaloo had a train to catch, so she dragged herself out of bed and into the shower. As the hot water poured down, she started to relax, and after a while she almost dozed off again. Not wanting to fall asleep In the shower, Scootaloo started to clean her wings, and after about ten minutes off scrubbing she came out of the shower again. Walking through her uncle’s apartment, while drying her mane, Scootaloo started to dig through the old music collection her uncle had. “Hmm let’s see: Lame, lame, super lame..” She said as she threw the records away. Such classics as Danny Mane, Filly Holliday and Vera Steed . Nothing really appealed to her until she saw a beaten old record hidden away in a corner. “Django Reignheart, eh?” Scoots put the record on her uncle’s old record player and smooth swinging jazz filled the apartment. She started to move to rhythm on route to the best place in the whole apartment, the kitchen. Her uncle had a nice enough apartment, though a little too much brown for Scootaloo’s tastes. ‘I should leave him some breakfast or something’ Scoots thought. ‘Before I leave at least.’ After she’d made breakfast and packed her bags it was time to leave. She made sure she had everything grabbed her leather jacket and was on her way ‘Ready or not, Ponyville here I come.’ ============={OOO}============= It was busy at Manehatten central station, pony’s buzzing around trying to get somewhere else. But one pony was not is a much of a rush. ‘Because one stupid pony missed her train and has to wait an hour for the next one.’ Scootaloo sighed and looked up at the stained glass window of Celestia looking down on all the pony’s. “I like her sister better anyway.” Wait was it her imagination or did the window just glare at her for a second. ‘no need to lose your mind Scoot’ she thought as she stood up. Time to get some coffee. She walked around for a bit past all the local shops that where spread out along the platforms. Little food shops, magazine stands, even a record store tucked away in a corner. But straight ahead was Scoots goal: a Stirrbuck. “Best damn coffee in Equestria.” Stirrbuck was a coffee store-chain that was originaly started in Canterlot by a buck named: You guessed it, Stirrbuck. The coffee was so good that it took Equestria by storm. And even in the Zebra Lands, Griffin Kingdom, and Caledonia. Stirrbuck stores were opening. As she approached the store she heard someone calling out her name. “Like O M C is that you Scootaloo” Oh no. “It like totally is you!” Sweet merciful Celestia no! Scootaloo knew that voice all too well, and when she finally turned around her fears where confirmed. Standing there was a Pink mane’d white coated unicorn. “Hello Loose Legs…” Damn it Scootaloo! “uhhh..lips, Loose Lips.” Scootaloo said to her ex-marefriend. “Oh Scootaloo your so funny…” Loose lips said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. The relationship(If you could even call it that) had started a while ago when Scootaloo had a little too much to drink.(As all good love story’s do.) Scootaloo found herself waking up next to a pretty looking mare , who made her breakfast and everything. However Scootaloo and Loose Lips were not meant to be. Their personalities clashed all the time and Loose Lips proved a little to controlling for Scoots. Going as far as claiming Scootaloo was cheating on her with Rainbow Dash. Loose lips didn’t take the break up that well. “Scootaloo I haven’t seen you in ages what are you doing in Manehatten?” In fact, she never accepted it. “Hanging out.” She really didn’t feel like talking to Loose Lips. Loose Lips looked unsettled for a moment then she composed herself again. “So where are you headed?” “Ponyville.” Scootaloo mumbled as she looked at the Celestia window again. Okay either she was going insane or that window was now grinning sadistically at her. Loose lips continued: “O M C me too, well Canterlot actually, but my train passes through Ponyville.” Loose Lips seemed to be jumping with joy. “We can totally travel together.” ‘Celestia Bucking Dammit’ “Yaaay…” It was ten minutes later when Scootaloo finaly boarded the train. She had managed to lose Loose Lips in the chaos and now she just needed to find a nice quit coupe to hide in. And it wasn’t long until she spotted one, the coupe was almost empty except for an old looking Pegasus buck who seemed to be asleep. Scootaloo sat down on the pillow, and looked out the window, the train was starting to move. The Manehatten skyscrapers turned into suburban homes and then into fields of green. Scootaloo was about to light a cigarette when the old buck spoke. “Ya know kid, ya ain’t allowed to smoke on the train. So let me mooch one from ya and I won’t tell on ya.” He said with a chuckle. It seemed like a fair deal, so Scootaloo gave him her last smoke. The buck used a lighter (Wait where did that lighter come from?) and lit it up. After that they took turns looking out of the window, barley speaking. Until Scootaloo looked up again and saw that the old buck was holding a flacon. “Whiskey?” He asked with a grin. “Don’t mind if I do.” Scootaloo took a long gulp of the burning goodness. It might not have been Wild Pegasus, but at this moment it might as well have been. “You looked like you needed that kid.” “Yeah? How so?” “I know ponies kid, it’s my curse.” He said with a sad smile. Scootaloo couldn’t help but chuckle “How is that a curse? most of the time I wish I understood people better.” “See that lunch mare out there?” The buck said pointing at a mare heading into the coupe opposite of theirs. “Her name is Platter, has a..well platter for a cutie mark. Can ya imagine that? her special talent is serving ponies, and she working for two bit an hour pay on this crappy train. you might not see it but it’s breaking her, and she ain’t happy.” “Wait how do you know her name is platter?” The buck chuckled “I’ve taken this train a lot of times in my life kid.” He took on last look on the lunch mare who was moving away through the hallway. It almost looked like a look of nostalgia. “Eh, there is nothing wrong with her a hundred bits won’t fix” He said as he stared out the window again. The rest of the ride was mostly filled with the old buck telling Scoot about placed he’d been. Even lived in Ponyville a while he told her. And now he was visiting some family, before heading out to Staliongrad for some great adventure. As the train slowly crept into Ponyville. Scootaloo got up and grabbed her bag. “This is my stop. So uhh thanks for the Whiskey.” “Hey kid, before you go, how about some words of old buck wisdom.” “Hit me.” “Well take it from someone who’s seen it all. Never stop laughing, no matter how much it hurts, keep laughing, at yourself, at your friends, at life itself. Because the moment you stop laughing you’ll find that your truly lost.” He handed Scoot his flacon. “Here keep the whiskey.” “T’t’thanks..” As the old buck fell back into his seat he closed his eyes. And drew his last breath. Scootaloo didn’t notice this as she was walking away. She emerged from the train on the station of the town, that a long time ago she considered home. “Welcome back to Ponyville Scootaloo!”