//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: Stronger // by Night Princess //------------------------------// It was so cold. Scootaloo pulled the blanket around her and shivered. All around her the wind howled, and lightning lit up the dark room. The orange filly was lying in the schoolhouse, at her desk. All she had with her was a small, worn out pillow and a thin blanket, both of which were in desperate need of a washing.  Instead of feeling sad and lonely, as you would suppose she should, Scootaloo felt happy inside. She has found a place to spend the night, at least for the time being. This caused for a celebration. Maybe tomorrow she would let Applejack give her a few apples, and accept a cupcake or two from Pinkie Pie. All of the ponies in Ponyville were worried about her. They didn't know where Scootaloo slept at night, or where her parents were. Instead of trying to help, they offered food. Blankets. Things they assumed she would need since they knew so little about her. "I don't need them," Scootaloo told herself as she closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep. "I can take care of myself, and it's none of their business where my parents are." She was strong enough to survive without anypony's help. "I am an island," She said out loud. "I don't need anypony's help, because I am stronger when I work alone." Another crack of lightning. Scootaloo jumped five feet in the air.cshe wished she had a big brother like Big Mac, or a sister like Applejack or Rarity to keep her safe during storms. A tear formed in her eye, but Scootaloo refused to cry. She was stronger than that. She didn't need anypony, not even her parents. Wherever they were. ### "You're always here before us, Scoot!"  Scootaloo's eyes flew open. Her two best friends, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stood before her, with big smiles on their faces.  "Hey, girls," Scootaloo rubbed her eyes and pushed her pillow and blanket under her desk where her friends wouldn't see.  "Didja fall asleep waiting fer us?" Apple Bloom asked in her Southern accent. "Yeah, what took you so long?" Scootaloo had become a decent liar since she had started sleeping in the school house. Nobody could know her secret, because they would try and help her. She didn't need anypony's help, and she never would. "What do you mean? We got here early." Sweetie Belle didn't sound suspicious, but her large green eyes said otherwise. Scootaloo shrugged. "Guess I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night." Their teacher, Miss Cheerilee, chose that moment to enter the room, just in time to hear most of the conversation. "Hello, girls," she said, smiling.  The fillies waved, Scootaloo more enthusiastically. Anything to get their minds of the fact that she had been sleeping at her desk.  Cheerilee's eyes scanned the room, making sure that everything was fine. Finally she noticed the blanket and pillow under Scootaloo's desk. Her eyebrow raised slightly, and she sent the orange filly a slightly confused look.  "Did y'all hear the big thunderstorm last night?" Apple Bloom, thankfully, changed the subject. "Ah was so scared that our house was gonna git struck by lightnin', but Big Mac and Applejack told me stories and sang songs with me to help me fall asleep!" Sweetie Belle nodded. "Rarity and I made hot cocoa and we slept in front of her fireplace." Apple Bloom turned to Scootaloo. "What happened to you during the storm?" "Well," Scoot started. "I was pretty scared." "Didn't your parents do something special with you to cheer you up?" Sweetie Belle stared at her friend. Her eyes seemed to pierce into Scootaloo's mind and learn her secrets. "Sure they did. We um, told ghost stories and made s'mores." She turned red. "Really? You have parents?" A voice from behind them snickered. Scoot turned and saw Dismond Tiara, who was coming into the room. "As a matter of fact, I do." Scootaloo looked the pink filly in the eye.   "Really? What are their names?" Diamond Tiara smiled slowly. "Um…" The orange fully stuttered. Keep calm, Scoot, she said to herself. Don't give in to her. "Diamond Tiara, it ain't none of yer business who Scootaloo's parents are! Leave her alone!" Diamond Tiara ignored Apple Bloom and kept her eyes fixed on Scootaloo. "I should have guessed. You don't have parents. You don't have a place to live. You're nothing but a poor, ragged hobo." The words stung. Scootaloo took a deep breath. "Take it back." she said softly. "But it's the truth," The bully laughed. "You know, sometimes I wonder who your parents were. Did they live in a homeless shelter and were so uneducated they even forgot they had a daughter? It's appropriate that you're sleeping at a school, since I'm sure you're just as slow as they are. I mean, were." That did it. Scootaloo lost all control and kept on top of the other filly, biting, kicking, and growling like a wild animal. She wanted to say something, maybe, "My parents are alive and well, and could pound yours into a bloody pulp for what you said!" But she couldn't say anything. She just kept on punching and biting Diamond Tiara until she was shrieking. Cheerilee rushed over to the two fillies and ripped them apart. Diamond Tiara was wailing and covered in blood and bruises. Scootaloo was still pinching the air and yelling "Take it back!" "That's enough!" Cheerilee said sternly. "I'm afraid both of you are in serious trouble. You'll have to give this note to each of your parents to meet me after school tomorrow. As for now, you will both get detention." Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo sat back at their seats. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle eyed them, confused. Why had Scoot gotten so angry? "Too bad Scootaloo's parents won't show up tomorrow." Diamond Tiara said quietly, just loud enough for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to hear. "They're probably rotting away in some alley." Scootaloo turned as red as a tomato.  What would happen when Cheerilee found out her parents were gone?