//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: A Scootaloo Story // by Golden Tassel //------------------------------// Ponyville was quiet at night, which made it easy for Applebloom to go unnoticed as she made her way across town, having snuck out after her big sister had tucked her in for the night. She was determined to do something, even if she didn't have any idea what that something would be. She arrived at Scootaloo's house; it was dark and silent, like every other house in town. Applebloom circled around the house to where she could look up at the window to her friend's room. It was wide open. "Scootaloo?" Applebloom called out, careful to not be too loud. After a moment, her attention was drawn up above the window to the roof where she heard the sound of hooves on shingles. "Applebloom?" Scootaloo called back as she peeked out over the edge of the roof. "What are you doing all the way down there?" "What are you doing up on the roof? How did you get up there anyway?" "I climbed," Scootaloo answered, pointing a hoof toward a decorative lattice that ran up the side of the house right next to her window. Applebloom followed suit and climbed the lattice up to meet her friend. Scootaloo helped pull her up onto the roof before she returned to lying on her back and staring up at the night sky. Applebloom watched her put something between her lips; the end of it glowed bright orange as she took in a breath through it. "What are you doing up here?" asked Applebloom. Scootaloo breathed out, sending up a small plume of wispy smoke that seemed to glow in the dim light of the half moon. "I wanted a better look at the sky," she answered. "Isn't it beautiful? It's full of stars, but it's also so empty, and it goes on forever." "Scootaloo . . . what is that?" Applebloom asked as she watched her friend take another drag off the poison joke cigarette. "Something I swiped from Honeydew. It's incredible. Here." Scootaloo sat up and held out the smoldering cigarette. "You gotta try it." "I don't know, Scootaloo. Something just don't seem right about this. Is this why you were acting funny all day today? I don't think I wanna be like that, and I don't think you should neither." Scootaloo withdrew her offer and took another drag for herself—a long one so Applebloom could watch it burn down almost to her lips. "I've never felt this good before," she said as she breathed out another cloud of smoke. "What's so wrong about that? I thought you were my friend." "I am your friend! Why do you think I snuck out and came all the way out here in the middle of the night? I'm worried about you." "Well I'm fine. Never better. You can stop worrying now. Maybe you should run along back home before you get in trouble with your big sister." Applebloom clenched her jaw and then sighed, shaking her head. She carefully climbed back down the lattice. Once on the ground, she glanced back up at the roof and saw Scootaloo's head peeking over the side again. "Applebloom?" Scootaloo called down to her. "You won't tell anypony, will you?" Without an answer, Applebloom hurried home.