Pony Life

by JetWave Wavewind

Ch. 10

"Hey Dash!" I called out as I flew towards Cloudsdales park. She was sleeping in one of the trees that had been formed out of cloudstuff in the park and my greeting hadn't changed that. When I got up next to her she was snoring like a walrus with a head cold so I decided to have a bit of fun.

I got right up underneath the branch she was sleeping on and bucked it apart from the rest of the tree. Being careful not to bust the branch into nothing, I raised it higher up above the ground. I scooped up some couldstuff and formed it into a megaphone.

"Good morning Rainbow Dash!" I shouted into the megaphone. She sprung awake, busting the rest of the branch and falling flat on her face. I could hardly contain my laughter to speak. AHAahah.. Gotcha!" I finally managed to get out.

"Ha. Ha." She deadpanned, throwing a hunk of cloud at me. It hit me right in the face and exploded with a blast of water, drenching me from head to hoof. Now it was her turn to laugh at me looking ridiculous.

"Oh yeah?" I asked, scooping up a small bit of cloud and giving it a static charge behind my back.

"Yeah! It looks like your plan to prank me was all washed up!" She said, going back into a fit of chuckles from her own joke.

"Hahaha, clever. Looks like you win!" I said, holding out a hoof. She bumped it and felt electrified as the sparks I put in the small cloud surged into her body, leaving her mane and tail in a frizz and few spots on her coat singed. She glared at me before we both fell into a fit of laughter and started rolling around on the ground. "So what's new Ive?" She asked after we were able to breathe again.

"Not a lot, just felt like coming up here after a long week." I sighed.

"How bad was it?"

"It wasn't really bad, I'm just not used to going to school yet. We were all home schooled back at the orphanage so it's a bit of a culture shock to me and Lemmy."

"Lemmy?"

"My sister." I said, causing her to snort.

"What?"

"Isn't that kinda a colts name?" She asked.

"It's not her real name, just what me and our sister calls her."

"Ok then." She said, trying to conceal her chuckles.

"Anyway," I said with an eye roll. "The oddest thing is that on the second day, one of our classmates actually decided she was moving to Manehatten on her own."

"Really?" She asked, now in control of her laughter.

"Yeah. And she's walking the whole way to boot!" I said.

"That's nuts!" She said, springing up from where she had been laying down.

"I know! But I expect to see her back next week." I said, also sitting up. "So what's been up with you?"

"Not too much, just promised FlutterShy I'd help her with flight training today at three."

"You had probably get going then."

"Why?" She asked and as if on cue, the town clock down in Ponyville struck Five.

"That's why." I said with a smirk.

"Ah crap, I'm late! See ya Ive!" She called back as she took off at top speed.

~<(^)>~

I flew around Cloudsdale for a bit before deciding that I should probably head back home and when I got back, I saw Margret sitting in the kitchen crying.

"What's wrong?!" I asked.

"H-he found her, that P.I. from Manehatten found her.." She said, trying to keep her voice steady. At that moment, I felt my heart fall from my chest all the way to my flank. I couldn't really think straight at all, I didn't even think I would have been able to speak then. "Where is she now?" I asked, surprising both myself and Margret.

"I-I think that they're heading to meet with the pony who hired him." She said.

I felt myself get up and start heading for the door. "Don't tell Lemon Wedge where I'm going, if she gets back before I do just tell her I took Scoots out for a flying lesson." I said.

"And where exactly are you going young colt?" She asked sternly as she stood up from the kitchen. I don't remember feeling much of anything during all of this, just this one drive that was pushing me forward.

"To get my sister back." I said as I walked out the door and took to the Skies.

~<(^)>~

The first place I checked was the train station. As I stepped onto the platform, I spotted a conductor and decided that he would know whether or not he had come by here. "Excuse me, has a pale blue earth pony with a fancy looking hat come by here and bought a ticket to Manehatten for today?" I asked him, earning a funny look.

"I don't think that's any of my bussiness to tell you." He said suspiciously.

"Oh it's ok, he's my uncle. I just wanted to make sure he gets home alright." I said, hopping he'd buy it.

"Nice try kid. Why don't you run along home, ok?" He said as he went over to the train to start taking ponies tickets. I grumbled incoherently to myself as I walked off the platform to head home before I saw just the pony I was looking for heading into the Drowsy Dragon Inn. I followed him until we were all alone in a hallway. "Hey!" I called out when he was about to go into his room.

"Yes?" He asked, looking over to me.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked, walking up to him.

"Umm...." He said, trying to figure it out. "Aren't you the colt who bumped into me the other day?" He asked.

"No, I'm the colt whose sister you STOLE!" I cried, punching out at his face. He dodged out of the way and jumped back. I took to the air and tried to dive-bomb him but he caught me and pinned me to the ground. "Let go of me!" I shouted, feeling tears well up as I struggled to get out from underneath him.

"Why!? Give me one good reason why I should!" He said.

"So I can kick your sorry flank all the way back to Manehatten!" I cried, tears flowing free now.

"That's not a very good reason." He joked. When he saw that I was still trying to struggle out of his grip he let out a sigh. "Look kid. I'm going to let you up, but you have to promise to calm down and tell me why you're so upset, ok?"

"Ok.." I said with a sniffle.

After a few minutes I calmed down and he let me up. I told him about everything me, Lemmy and Scootaloo had been through together and why we had left in the first place. "So that's it then, you just didn't want her ending up with somepony who would treat her like a toy instead of a filly." He said in an understanding tone.

"Yeah, and now you're going to hand her over to the crazy mare who me and Lemmy worked so hard to get her away from!" I cried, feeling tears begin to well up in my eyes again. I could feel my anger redoubling as I came back to the thought that Scoots was going to be with that crazy mare.

"I never said I was working for that mare." He said, snapping me out of my rage.

"What?" I asked, shocked by what he had just said.

"If somepony like that had come to me saying that the foal they were about to adopt had just up and disappeared, I would have told them to get the buck out of my office." He said, causing me to chuckle.

"But wait. If you weren't hired by that mare, who hired you?" I asked.

"The pony who hired me was a mare with a rose red coat, deep brown eyes and a mane to match."

"Oh.." I said, looking off towards the ground.

"She also said that she had made a terrible mistake and had to set things right."

I snapped my head up and looked straight at him. "What was that mistake?" I asked.

"She didn't say, but I think that both you and I know what she could have been talking about."

"Right.." I said, looking down at my hooves.

"Tell ya what. I told her to meet me downstairs in thirty minutes, why don't ya come down there with me so you can say goodbye. I'm sure it would make things easier for the tyke."

"Ok.." I said.

"You can hang out here until then if you want."

"Ok." I said as we went inside, where I was tackled by an orange foal.

"Hi Ivowy!" Scoots said as she hugged me.

"Hey there Scoots, you doin' ok?" I asked as I got up.

"Yeah! Mista Wintas is supah nice!" She said, waving at him as he sat down in one of the chairs in the room.

"Is there anything you two need?" He asked.

"I think we're good." I said.

"Ivowy! When awe we gunna go home?" Scoots asked, looking into my eyes. I looked over to Mr. Winters and saw the same sad look look I was giving him.

"Don't worry Scoots, we'll be home soon. Why don't we play a game until then!" I said, hoping that would keep my mind off of the fact that I would have to say good bye soon.

"Yeah!" She cheered.

"Alrighty then, what do you wanna play?" I asked.

"Pwincess Wescue!" She exclaimed joyously.

"Alright then princess, what am I gonna be rescuing you from this time?" I asked.

"Tha Spookey Sea Sepent!" She said in an eerie voice and pointing at Mr. Winters, who jumped up and started making hissing sounds as he picked Scootaloo up and jumped up on the bed.

"Eeek! Save me Bwave Knight!" She squealed.

"Have no fear Mi'lady, you're Brave Knight is here! Have at thee treacherous snake!" I cried as jumped up on the bed.

~<(^)>~

We played like that until we heard the town clock strike six, which was the time Mr. Winters told his client to meet him downstairs; and sat down on the couch in the lobby.

"So what was this mares name?" I asked after awhile.

"Her name's Claire and she should be here any- Ah there she is!" Mr. Winters exclaimed, waving a mare over to where we were sitting.

"Hey Claire." He said as she sat down on the couch.

"H-hi Nick." She said, then noticing that he and Scootaloo wern't the only ponies sitting on the couch. "H-hello there young colt, w-what's your name?" She asked me.

"I'm Ivory Blossom ma'am." I said.

"Ivory here is the colt who has been taking care of Scootaloo since she was dropped off in Manehatten." Mr. Winters said, causing her to shrink into herself a little bit.

"Claire, I just have to ask you one thing to make sure Scootaloo is going to be ok." I said, earning myself a look from Mr. Winters.

"Ivowy..?" Scootaloo said uncertainly.

"Why? Why did you leave her on the doorstep like that?" I asked.

"I-it was a hard time for me.. I was living in Manehatten at the time with my parents after my coltfriend dumped me because he got me pregnant, and I was fired because my mood swings became too out of control. I kept telling myself that once this foal comes that everything would be alright. And when it finally came time my parents paid for the procedure and we were still living with them. It had been a month and I still couldn't find work. I felt so guilty, like I was making my parents pay for me AND raise my foal. So at the end of the month, I...." I could tell she was trying to fight off tears as she got to the part where it happened.

"You left her on the doorstep." I finished for her. She nodded sadly in confirmation, burying her face in her hooves as she let the tears she was holding loose.

"Don't cwy nice lady.." Scootaloo said as she put her hoof on Claire's shoulder. Claire looked over at the little face that was looking up at her and wrapped Scootaloo up in a hug. Scootaloo returned the hug and looked back up into Claire's eyes.

"What's youwe name nice lady?" She asked her. Claire looked like she was about to respond but no words came out.

"Her name is Mommy, but there's a rule to her name. Only you're allowed to call her that, everypony else has to call her Claire." I told Scoots.

"Don't cwy Mommy. You'we a nice pony, just like Wemmy and Magwet!" She said to Claire, who gave her a big hug.

"Thank you Scootaloo." She said as tears of joy replaced the ones of sorrow.

"I think it's time we all went home now." Mr. Winters said, causing everypony to get up. I felt something on my wings when I got up and saw that Scoots had jumped on my back.

"No Scoots, you're going to go home with Claire." I said as I got her off my back.

"Ok Ivowy," She said as she walked over to Claire. "When awe we gunna go back to da libwaie?"

"I-" I started out, but couldn't finish.

"We can go anytime you want Scoots." Claire said as she walked up.

"Wha?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Claire lives here in Ponyville now, I just came down to help as an old friend." Mr. Winters said as he walked out of the Inn.

"W-wait, Nick!" Claire called out to him before he could make it too far. "H-have you already bought your ticket back to Manehatten?" She asked.

"I was actually on my way to do that now, why?" He asked.

"O-oh! Um.. No reason! Have a safe trip!" She said with an awkward chuckle, receiving a kick from Scootaloo.

"Go Mommy, go!" She whispered with a smile. Claire returned the smile and started again.

"Umm.... W-what if you, didn't go back to Manehatten?" She asked sheepishly. "E-even with Scootaloo living with me now, our house would still feel kind of empty."

"Y'know, you're right. I don't think there's a daddy in that house is there?" He stated.

"N-no, there isn't.. At least, not yet at least." She said with a small blush and smile as she looked up at him hopefully.

"And not for long either." He added with a smile of his own. Claire looked up at him with a face as bright as a candle in a cave and his face seemed to reflect the same light. Before their faces could get any brighter, Scootaloo pushed Claire, causing her to fall into Mr. Winters hooves.

"Ok, I'm gonna go now. I'll see you three later." I said.

"Bye Ivowy! I'we see you soon!" Scoots called back as I left.

~<(^)>~

It felt good to know that Scootaloo was with her mom now, but I still couldn't help but feel a bit down. I would have flown home but I didn't really feel like flying right now. I was considering stopping by Sweet Apple Acres to see-BOOM!!!

I felt the ground shake below me as a loud shock-wave overtook my hearing. I ran into the nearest building there was to take cover. Apparently it was over like that and I calmed down.

"Whoa! Look at that!" Somepony in the shop cried. I looked out the window and saw a multi-hued shock-wave spreading across the sky.

"What does it mean, what does it mean?!" Some filly in the shop exclaimed. I recognized the voice from school but couldn't place the name.

Come to think of it, where was I anyway? This place smells nice, almost like a spa. I look around and see that I actually did run into Ponyvilles Spa.

"'Ello there Darling, welcome to Ponyville's Day Spa! I'm Vera, what can we do for you today?" The mare behind the counter said with a hint of a British accent. I looked around the place, it seemed pretty nice. A very good environment to it. "Yes, are you hiring?"