I pick up the violin again, turning to Scootaloo who had seated herself down by the entrance. While I can tell she isn't much of a music enthusiast, at least not in a classical sense. I know anything would cheer her up at this point. And music never failed to cheer up those in need of it.
I put stick to string and begin playing. I watch as the music puts a smile to her face. It is indeed a merry tune if heard, and it fills my hypothetical heart with joy to see her enjoying herself. Almost immediately after I start playing, she begins clapping in rhythm to my music. I dance around the room as well, adding more joy to the scene.
As the song comes to an end, I placed the violin behind my back and took a bow, the stick hanging in the air. I hear her clapping her hands together, clearly pleased by my efforts.
"You're really good. You should think about doing a duet with Octavia." she says.
"While I'm sure Miss Octavia would love to have a fellow musician playing beside her, I'm afraid that musician wouldn't be me." I reply, placing the violin back down and grabbing a chair to sit across from her. "Mine isn't exactly the kind of face one can distract with music." I add, sitting back to lift one leg over the other.
"I guess not. It's a shame, because you're such a nice pony." she replies, looking sad. I continue to watch as a realization dawns upon her. "By the way, who exactly are you?" she asks. That is a question I'd been subconsciously debating over.
"I'm afraid I can't say. I seem to have developed some sort of amnesia. All I know is that I must have been important at some point or another, because I was buried in the tomb beneath the castle here. And only those of great importance are buried in tombs. Sadly, even my name etched in stone has faded away over time. I'm a blank slate." I reply, crossing my arms to rest my hand on my chin.
"That's so sad..." she says with as much a saddened tone as one could expect from a sympathetic foal. "Hey, maybe you're a long lost prince!" she suggests.
"Well, I was an Alicorn, that much I do know." I respond by unwrapping my wings from around my chest. Scootaloo stares in awe.
"I thought those were just accessories to your coat." she says. I chuckle and flap them a couple of times, making a slight whistle in the air. I then proceed to wrap them around my torso once more and let them rest.
"I'm far from getting accessories, have you seen the state of me?" I jest. She chuckles in understanding and begins to yawn. "I think it's time we saw you home, my dear." I say. Now she looks really sad.
"I don't wanna go. Can't I stay here like last night? Pleeeeeaaaaase?" she begs. I'm uncertain as to how I should proceed. On one hand, I want to say yes because I know what's waiting for her at her home. On the other, this forest is teeming with creatures more dangerous than her abusive uncle. When considering her safety, neither option is preferable to the other, but only one is safer for her.
"This forest is too dangerous for you to spend the night in, Scootaloo. You may have been lucky last night, but who's to say something else doesn't live in these walls from time to time. I'm afraid home is the best option for you." I can see the utter defeat in her eyes and it nearly breaks my heart, even though I don't have one in the physical sense. Still, I can't leave things like this. "Well... at least until I've made it secure enough for you." I add at the very end. The transition from guttered to... exceptionally loud screams of joy is quicker than I can even move on the violin. She jumps around with glee, aided by her little wings. It's beyond the definition of the word cute to say the least.
"In the mean time, let me walk you home. It's nearly dark and if push comes to shove, I can at least bring you back here." Her wide grin tells me I said more than I should have.
During the trip, Scootaloo tells me a little about the town she lives in. Ponyville is a quaint little town with a single school, library and market. Among other buildings, it's just south of the Apple Family Orchard. An orchard that aided in the founding of Ponyville. One of her two best friends, Applebloom is a member of the family and is the sister to the Element of Honesty. I admit, I was curious about the Elements of Harmony. But to my mind, they were little more than a series of tools used by the Royal family.
"And then there's Rainbow Dash. She's my idol and kinda-sorta my big sister... figure." she says. Clearly even she is unsure as to the relationship between herself and Rainbow Dash.
"And does Rainbow Dash mistreat you like your uncle?" I ask. Scootaloo almost seems offended by the very notion.
"Absolutely not! Rainbow Dash is the bestest most awesome pony there is. She'd never hurt me." the filly replies. I smile and look ahead of us. Ponyville is within sight.
"Well then, I guess Rainbow Dash is somepony you can go to if you're feeling out of sorts like today. I'm sure she'd come up with some sort of awesome way to help you come out on top of those other two fillies." I suggest.
"Yeah... wait, why didn't you mention my uncle? Couldn't Rainbow Dash help me with him too?" she asks. Smart girl.
"Unless laws have changed relating to guardianship of a youth, in this instance, yourself. It would be the word of one pony against the rightful Guardian, not to mention those who saw him fit to hold that title over you." I reply. Scootaloo shows her displeasure toward this knowledge with a sad face. "However, that's where I come in." I say, offering her bait. She takes it like a fish out for worms.
"Huh?" she asks.
"The dead, don't much care about the rules of the living, now do they?" I say. Scootaloo laughs as we come to her front door. The streets are virtually empty and nopony would notice a skeleton in the dark unless they were in very close proximity. "Your stop, madam." I say, bowing to the young filly. She giggles before surprising me with a hug.
"Thank you, Jack." she says. I hug her in return for a moment before noticing something she said.
"Wait... Jack? What's that?"
"That's your new name. I remembered reading this book one time. It was called 'The Nightmare before Hearth's Warming'. I won't bother you with the story, but there was a character in it who you remind me of. His name was Jack Skellington and he was renowned as the Pumpkin King because he led countless successful Nightmare Nights. He was a skeleton just like you." she explains. I'm not sure whether or not to be upset that I now possess the name of a fictional character. Either way, I suppose it makes her happy. So I'll use it, if only to address myself.
"Well then I should be the one thanking you, Scootaloo. Right now, I can't think of anypony else I'd want to give me a name." I respond, brushing her cheek lightly with a bony finger. "And don't worry; things will pick up for you eventually." I add.
"You're like the perfect imaginary friend, only you're real." she says, hugging me once more.
"And I don't plan on fading away in the future." I reply, returning the hug once again. We let go and say our goodbyes. I can tell she's more than sad about me leaving her to the mercy of her Uncle, but the fact that I will always return for her should rest easy in her mind.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! IT'S A SKELETON! AN UNDEAD MONSTER IS IN PONYVILLE!!!" a shrill scream pierces the night sky. If I was tired before now, I sure as heck wasn't now. "Get away from here, you foul creature of the underworld!" the pony cries out. I can see lights in houses going off, including Scootaloo's home. Ponies emerged from their front doors, including who I could only assume was Scootaloo's Uncle. That pony in particular was barely ten feet from me. Scootaloo was up in her room, looking down on the whole fiasco with a worried look on her face.
"What the?! What manner of creature are you?!" her Uncle demanded. I couldn't think. The situation was just so sudden. I just let my mouth run its course, and apparently it was in the mood for a good laugh (albeit a strange one).
"YOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!" I belt out, frightening the heck out of Scootaloo's Uncle. Bonus. I think as I make a dash for the forest.
That laugh... How very camp
Paragraph 26, you wrote MAKE instead of NAME
I thought you said this was not a Jack Skelington crossover
I really like this...however I see poor "Jack" as a test subject when Twilight gets ahold of him......
when I think of the dead laughing I think of this
Dude. I love you SO much just for adding that laugh.
2950362 It's not, the guy is based off of Jack. He has no idea who he really is so that's his agenda as of now. If it was a Jack Skellington crossover, he would've said so.
'Nuff said. (Also, that laugh... )
Why do I get the feeling that Roseluck was the one who let out the first scream?
Any Brook reference is an excellent reference.
Well, I wasn't expecting a mob with torches and pitchforks for AT LEAST another 2 chapters, sure fooled me huh? One thing I can predict though, is that by the time this story ends there will be at least 3 deaths from overdosing on Scoots adorableness.
2950362 it's not, but the concept of him is referenced.
Oh shit now they getting their torches and forks.
One Piece is filled with great laughs but Brook's will always be the best
I really love how this is going so I hope it goes on for a while.
Odd thing that a skeleton has amnesia, (what with the lacking of the brain to actually have one), but i do hope he remembers he is the pumpkin king. Some wishful thinking on my behalf. :)
And of course, congrats on another great chapter.
Finally! Brook!!!
2950766 Forks? What, are they planning on eating him?
With all those references like "I can see the utter defeat in her eyes and it nearly breaks my heart, even though I don't have one in the physical sense."
I knew he was like Brook. Five out of five moustaches so far.
/
I'm really liking this story so far but I was wondering why you keep calling the violin bow, a stick?
2950752 Oh, tis cool then.
I think you mean either name, or moniker. (Though I don't see Scoots as the type to use the word moniker, let alone know what it means.)
i'll admit, if a skeleton laughed at me like brook laughs, i'd probably need some new pants.
Now this is the kind of image I imagine that Scootaloo's uncle will have in his nightmares.
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Scary as all get out, right?
2951137
Sorry I mean torches and pitchforks
2950657
Naaw, it's always the flower girls. Definitely Roseluck though.
That ending was hilarious.
lol awesome name, awesome talent, and an awesome laugh? you sir have made my night.
All I have to say is thank you for that ending
2951208 hard to write out Jack's cackle though
moar
Lindsey Stirling = 20 points for you.
Also, the 'stick' used to play a violin is called a bow.
2955736 thanks for that. I tried to find a name for it and a diagram called it a stick so cdn2.planetminecraft.com/files/avatar/125114.jpg
2955705
no it's not it "YEHehehehehehe"
2955705 EEEEEEEEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEEE!
i honestly havent watched one peaice so i didn't no what to expect when i clicked on the link.....
media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvjrc1xkA01r2pd0x.gif
fucking yesssssss
2957682 that to me sounds like a high pitched demonic giggle
This 'Shit Hit The Fan' has been brought to you by your local 'Shitstorm' where dumb shit happens every ten minutes.
Welp, now the town knows. Sooner than I expected, actually. And he made one heck of an impression before booking it.
2956287
i thought you called it that because jack didn't know what it was called?
2991790 Well he knows general things, he just doesn't know his past. It's classic Amnesia.
I fucking love you so much right now! (No homo) That reference is one of the funniest I've seen yet, and no one else has made a one piece reference yet until you! (That I've read) fan fucking TASTIC! And I also love this story
is he? i think he is STARSWIRL THE BEARDED
OMG BEST STORY EVERRRR! BUT WHY IS IT CANCELLED!? NOOOOOOOOOO!
Pls continue dis story if u can