Endless Night Terror

by The Critical Wizard

Prologue

As the first rays of sunlight came down from the sky above all I could think was, 'oh no, it can't be morning already, I just lied down'. Unfortunately it was morning, another night of restlessly rolling all around trying to get comfortable in this brick the orphanage calls a bed. It is almost impossible, and if I did get to bed then I had the nightmares to look forward to. Every night for the past three weeks I've only been able to get a few good hours of sleep. Most of the dreams consist of me getting lost in the woods at night being chased by this big... thing. It is seven feet tall, has razor sharp teeth, blood red eyes, black fur all over it's body, and a howl that will make your soul die. Other nightmares include Rainbow Dash rejecting me as her sister, me getting buried alive, Pinkie Pie going on a killing rampage, the list goes on. The dream I had a few nights ago was the worst, after Rainbow rejected me as her sister the beast rips her apart and in sadness Pinkie goes on a killing spree and it ends with her burring me alive. It makes sense that I can't sleep, I think it's a combination of the bad beds and the fact that the only decent meal I get all day is lunch at school. They really treat us like dirt here, I've thought about moving in with Applebloom because she has started to notice a change in me but that requires me admitting that I live in an orphanage and I don't think I can do that. Well it's almost seven I'd better be heading off to school, I don't want to be late for the sixteenth time. I raced down the stairs, grabbed a slice of bread, jumped on my scooter and flew off at top speeds towards the school. I was about two minutes out when I heard the first bell, 'good I have five minutes until class starts', and then just like every other time this week my tired eyes closed and I woke up twenty minutes later upside-down and people looking at me to see if I was alright. I quickly got and rode off hoping the second bell hadn't rung yet. As I pulled up to the school I could see that class was already in progress, I went and tried the back door to see if I could sneak into class, but it was locked. I sighed as I knew what was coming next. The door to the classroom opened and everyone went silent as they turned and looked at me.

"Well look who's late again" Diamond Tiara said snootily.

I walked up to the front of the class "Sorry Miss Cheerilee I over slept, again."

"I'm sorry Schootaloo but you've been late too many times recently. I'm afraid that your going to have to stay after class for one hour." she replied in a disappointed tone.

"Yes Ma'am." I walked back to my seat and sat down, I didn't look up all class. I couldn't bare to see that look on her face again, it made me feel so bad.

As class came to a close and everypony else got up and left, I heard Applebloom and Sweetie Belle say that they would wait for me outside but I told them to go and that I would meet up with them later. As I sat there alone in the classroom all I could think of was how much I had failed. As I sat there, I tried not to, but I feel asleep and started to dream. I was in the class room but everypony around me was laughing and telling me that I was no good, that I would never get my cutie mark and I would forever be a laughing stock. That's when Miss Cheerilee told me I was expelled and that I would only be able to live as the town fool. I tried to run away but when I got to the door I couldn't open it and Rainbow Dash was there and said 'look she's so stupid she can't even open the door' and everpony was laughing and then they started throwing things at me and I could do was curl up in a ball and cry. Then I woke up eyes flowing with tears and Miss Cheerilee asking what was wrong, I couldn't speak, I just got up and ran out of there. I jumped on my scooter and just rode off, not even knowing where I was going. When I finally stopped I was by my favorite tree, you always seem to get to where you need to be when your sad, I climbed up into the tree and just sat there for hours just looking out over town and just crying. I know it was just a dream but it felt so real, I could feel them throwing things at me, I could feel the door knob not working beneath my hooves. I just couldn't seem to calm down, then I heard:

"Hey Scootaloo! Yall up there?"

I looked down to see Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looking up concerned. "Yeah I just, uh, want to come here and relax before meeting up with you guys." I lied.

"Ah see. After ya didn't show, we went down to see if you were still at school. Miss Cheerilee said you ran off cryin and we figured that this is where'd you be."

"Oh so you know..."

"Come on Scootaloo you can tell us what's wrong." Sweetie Belle piped up.

I didn't really want to but I could feel the tears coming again, I sighed and told them a best I could about what's been happening to me and where I live and why I ran out of there crying. After I had finished they just sat there dumbfounded, they couldn't believe what I had just told them. After a long period of silence Applebloom said:

"Well if you want you can come live with me, Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith."

"Yeah or Rarity and I if you wish." Sweetie Belle added.

"You mean it? Thanks guy's it means a lot." I replied, I was looking forward to a good meal and a long night's rest.

Three weeks later

I had been staying with the Apple's for just over two week's it was amazing, they treated me like one of their own. Just as I thought the night mares had stopped and I was actually starting to grow a bit now that I wasn't malnourished any more I felt like I had finally found a place to call my own. My school has been better then ever and I was doing so much better on my flying lessons with Rainbow Dash, I still couldn't get of the ground but I could at least glide. Every thing in my life was perfect.

I woke up to the rays of sunlight dancing across my face as it rose over the hills and poured into the window of the bedroom Applebloom and I shared. Ugh I thought, I still was not a morning person, I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep but I knew with in a few minutes;

"Come on girls, breakfast is ready, get up of you'll be late for school." Applejack shouted up the stairs.

"Ugh" I uttered as I sat up with a groggily expression. I looked over and saw Applebloom sit up with the same look. "How does your sister get up this early everyday?"

"Ah don't know." my sleepy yellow friend replied. as she rolled out of bed and started doing her hair.

We trudged down stairs and ate our breakfast's and the we walked to school. The brisk spring breeze quickly shook of any emotion of tiredness I felt. I looked around and could see the sun glistening off all the drops of dew on the grass and in the trees and it gave everything a golden glow as we walked down to the school house. They day went as it had for a while, we learned things that we probably will never need again (fractions are evil), and then the day ended as we went it to the yard to play before we headed back to do some crusading. But then I heard Diamond Tiara flapping her gums about how brave she is and that she is braver then anyone in the school, Applebloom heard her too and said:

"Oh yeah? I bet I'm so much braver then you that you'd cry after hearin the news." it wasn't a very good retort but Sweetie Belle and I still had her back.

"Really? Did you stand inside Alucard Manor like I did? I think not."

"Oh you did, did you? Well I bet you didn't even get up to the gate." Sweetie Belle sassed.

"I did, I walked up and went right in. I was there for two hours, got bored and left. All in one piece."

"Oh yeah? Well I bet you wouldn't be able to out last the three of us if we were up there." Applebloom said, and after seeing the concerned look on Diamond's face she added, "You've already been there once so why not head back?"

Diamond Tiara swallowed and said "Fine you on. But why limit it to just us, I say anyone who want's to can come and the pony who stay's the longest will get the honorary title bravest pony."

All the other kids seemed to like this idea and that's when Applebloom said "Alrighty then at sun down we will all meet at the front gates and head up together. Just tell your parents that your sleeping over a friends house."