Our Girl Scootaloo 3 of 3

by Cozy Mark IV

Ch 3.22 A Long Awaited Journey

Our Girl Scootaloo

Part 3 of 3

by Cozy Mark IV & Jan. McNeville

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fan-made work of prose. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro. Please support the official release

Chapter Three point Twenty Two: A Long Awaited Journey

Josie Findlay brought the issue up during breakfast with the Equestrians the following morning.

“With your Scootaloo and Snowdrop awake and able to walk now, I'm sure you must be thinking about returning home.”

Luna finished chewing and agreed. “Yes. I have spent considerable time with our ambassador selecting an appropriate structure for the new embassy, but it will take some time before it is ready. In the mean time, both our little foals have been away from home far too long, as have we all.” She added with a contented smile, which was mirrored by those around her.

Without the need for the elements on earth, most of the six had returned home in the weeks following the revival of Scootaloo, and now only Rainbow, Twilight, and Luna remained, along with a fresh group of eager Equestrian researchers.

“That's what I wanted to discuss with you today. You have been very kind to setup scientific beacons on your end, and with your help we have been using our gateway to send first materials and now ponies, back and forth for some time. Did you receive my letter on the subject?”

Luna smiled knowingly. “Yes, I did and I would be pleased to escort the first human delegation back to my world. I have no objection to anypony on the list you provided, but I must admit, I did not understand the concept of your worlds 'Make A Wish' foundation.”

The researcher ponies were still listening intently as they enjoyed breakfast, but Twilight's eyes had gone wide. “You mean... one of your children wanted to come with us?”

Josie answered steadily. “Yes, a seven year old girl named faith. I see you know what this means. If you do not object, Ms. Scott will be seeing to her medical needs for the first day or two while she and her husband become acclimated.”

“I have no objection, but” she turned to Twilight who was trying to look stoic “What is the purpose of this foundation?” A whispered conversation took place that left Luna looking rather pale. “You mean they cannot heal her?!”

“No princess. But there is at least a chance we can.” Twilight replied with determination. “I'll begin studying the details of her condition right away!”

Josie produced a folder from her briefcase and passed it across to Twilight. “I thought you might want this. The digital files and links should answer any questions.” Twilight had already opened the folder and begun scanning the links, arranging the browser windows behind her eyes.

“There is one thing I must caution you about.” She put a hand on Twilight's hoof, and the Unicorn came back to the present to see the earnest expression on her face. “This little girls is in a lot of pain and her parents have already been though hell. By all means, do what you can medically, but do it quietly, and make no mention of it to them. There is little greater cruelty than false hope just before the end.”

Twilight swallowed hard and nodded. “I won't say a word.”

“Thank you. And good luck.”

…

The ride to the gate facility took about an hour and as they were checked in through the fence at the perimeter David couldn't help but note that the place didn't look like much, just a lot of industrial buildings sprawling across the landscape. They got out at a building that looked as though it had been designed for function first and nothing second. Steel beams protruded at various corners, and even inside no real effort had been made to make the place look like anything other than a lab. Bare concrete floors studded here and there with steel support beams that supported the floors above met with walls of unpainted drywall and in some cases, not even that.

By contrast to the building, the machinery making up the place was immaculate. Pipes of cryogenic coolant crisscrossed the ceiling, along with huge electrical cables, and shielded network cable trays. The smaller research rooms had been plumed with gas for Bunsen burners, but also nitrogen, oxygen, distilled water, hydrogen and vacuum, such that a network of pipes adorned the walls, flowing around curves and corners like wires in a circuit board. The machinery became more complicated and formidable looking as they followed their guide into the heart of the gate room complex.

“I'm sorry about the appearance, Ponies and Gentlemen. Our facility was built for research, and this new role as grand central station is still new to us.”

Luna and Josie nodded, and their guide punched a few buttons on a wall panel, causing a large set of very thick vacuum doors to depressurize and swing slowly open on their hydraulic rams. The inside of the chamber didn't look like much, just a huge room, roughly four stories high and square with what looked like metal walls. Josie couldn't help the feeling she was stepping into a giant microwave oven.

Their guide told them the charging process was nearly complete, and that the jump should occur about a minute after she closed the doors. She reminded everyone not to hold their breath and went over how to equalize the air pressure in their sinuses, then mentioned for what had to be the third time that they might come out a few inches above the floor, and that they should be ready for a slight drop. At last the lecture was over, and their group watched the doors close behind her, eagerly waiting to see this strange new world first hand. For a few moments, nothing happened, then just as they were beginning to wonder, there was a blinding flash of light and the room was suddenly empty.

…

As the light faded and they all blinked away after-images they found themselves in the large castle chamber the Equestrians had been using for gate travel. The two guards waiting at the door nodded to them and one galloped off to let the princess know their visitors had arrived.

“Welcome to Canterlot Castle.” The remaining guard greeted them. “The Princess has been informed of your arrival and will be with you shortly.”

“Wow... So we're actually here...” David murmured, looking around the unadorned chamber. “It looks a lot-” He was cut off as his pants suddenly lit up with a bright white flash.

Ms. Scott teased. “Are you taking flash photo's with your butt again?”

David looked embarrassed, but Scootaloo and Faith hadn't missed it, and they were both regarding him with rapt expressions.

“You got your cutie mark!”

“What is it?! I want to see!”

Ms. Scott looked from her embarrassed husband to the two children both begging to see his naked ass and face-palmed, trying to hide her grin.

“Why don't you show me dear? I can take a picture for the others.” Ms. Scott offered.

Moments later they all gathered around the picture on her tablet which showed a doctors stethoscope on a chalk board.

Even Faith who was who was in considerable pain as her last dose of morphine wore off perked up at this. “You're a teacher who teaches doctors aren't you!”

“This is so cool! Maybe if you got yours, then-”

Another flash lit up the room, interrupting little Scootaloo who looked hopefully at her flank, only to be disappointed. This flash had come from Ms. Scott, who now had a matching doctors stethoscope over a pair of wings.

“Hm... Paramedic and ER doctor. I guess that works.” She finished with a simple smile.

“Hey! Why aren't you excited about this!?” Little Scootaloo asked.

“Scootaloo, I'm an adult. I already know who I am.” She continued to smile at her new marking. “Though I will admit a grudging affection for it. It just feels... Right.”

Before anyone else could comment another flash of light, muted this time by black pants and a jacket, drew everyone's attention to Agent Tyler's backside. Her two fellow agents looked uncomfortable, and the rest of the group stared at her expectantly.

Agent Tyler had been through a lot over the course of her life, but this was the first time she could remember that an entire room of adults, children and ponies had all been waiting expectantly to see her drop her pants. Her mouth twitched just a little as she tried to hide a smile.

“No.”

“Awww! But I want to see-”

“No.”

Ms. Scott was grinning widely now as she closed the distance and teased. “Oh come on, we're all nudists here.” while shaking her backside and tail in a way that made David blush.

“You've known me quite awhile, Scoot,” Agent Tyler addressed the elder pegasus. “Are you entirely certain that any ...cutie mark,” she said the word as if the very idea were frivolous but that she'd allow it, grudgingly, “of mine would be in any way appropriate for children? Bear in mind the...specifics of my career.”

“Oh...Good point,” Scootaloo the elder nodded. Little Scootaloo looked terribly disappointed.

“Don't worry, Little Scoot,” Agent Tyler explained. “If it turns out to be something not...a little overly specific, I promise not only to show you, but to arrange for a modest activity for yourself and the other ...Cutie Mark Crusaders which may allow you to test your skills in the same profession.” The agent's smile showed a few too many teeth and Scoot the Elder was worried for a little while. Little Scootaloo was just delighted.

“Yay! Interdimensional bodyguard cutie marks!”

“...The what now?” Agent Tyler looked surprised, which was a rare and interesting look on her.

“I bet it looks like a mission patch or a Stargate or a bulletproof...something really, really bulletproof!”

This seemed to actually impress the stern agent.

“Well, between you and me,” she gestured, and the two Scootaloos leaned in closer, “most of the difficulty in showing off said mark has to do with the number of bulletproof items I'm wearing now.”

“Really?” Little Scootaloo was impressed.

“Really?” Scoot the Elder was nonplussed. “Did any intelligence whatsoever indicate there would be guns in Equestria, let alone armed assault parties? I swear, you plan a trip to Burger King like you're extracting a hostage!”

“A delicious hostage with pickles and onion rings!” Little Scootaloo defended her agent friend.

“And the cherry-vanilla cola from the fancy soda machine, mustn't forget the drink,” Agent Tyler reminded.

“...Is that where you two kept disappearing to last week?”

“Well, duh.”

“I felt it would be culturally enriching for young Miss Scootaloo to experience American traditions, and since she wished to acquire some souvenirs for her friends back home and the restaurant was kind enough to come out with complimentary Equestrian figurines around the time of Princess Celestia's arrival, we used a franchise where I already have security protocols to make brief, veggie-cheeseburger and kids' meal toy acquisition trips.”

“An' then we went an' shot paintball guns at paper targets, and played laser tag with Agent's interns and met a trained K9 operative who knew how to detect bombs an' stuff and really liked belly rubs...”

It was hilarious how Little Scootaloo more or less treated 'Agent' as Agent Tyler's first name.

“So the 'essential,' 'government' meetings were actually you two ditching the press and going out for cheeseburgers?”

“...Yes,” both tiny-pony and fearsome-agent replied in unison.

“It counts as government because we took a fleet vehicle and filed our paperwork,” Little Scootaloo explained.

“So let me get this straight,” Ms. Scott sighed, looking more like an exasperated mom then she had in hours. “You will unashamedly consume fast food with a small pony, undoubtedly ordering a kid's meal yourself so she can collect two toys-”

“She does,” Little Scoot confirmed.

“But your cutie mark is still so unspeakably horrible that it cannot be viewed in the company of children.”

“I am willing to take that chance, yes,” Agent Tyler said in a low, defeated-sounding voice.

“As you wish.” A voice answered from the doorway. “But it would only be fair after that plumbing problem my first night in the hotel.”

Princess Celestia stood in the doorway wearing her best troll's grin. As everyone else bowed, Luna hugged her sister. “It is good to be back.”

Little Scootaloo nuzzled against Agent Tyler's hand for ear scritches as they followed the elder Princess through the doors to the next room. “I bet it's a really good cutie mark.”

“I hope so,” the Agent sighed.

“Like a cheeseburger, or that big coffee cup you have.”

“Yeah,” Agent Tyler sighed hopefully. For a moment, Scootaloo the elder remembered something Tyler had said, many years ago:

“...I might have been a remarkable barista. It's silly, I know, but I would have been very good at it and very happy doing that, but duty called, I answered, and after a while, there wasn't much left.”

She found herself hoping that Agent Tyler could find peace with whatever her cutie mark turned out to be.

Celestia led the group down the hall and through a maze of corridors that connected at length to a wide spiral staircase climbing up out of sight. As the group stepped out onto the huge balcony at the top, the sky was already showing shades of dark purple as the stars disappeared overhead. In the clear crisp air of early morning they could see with incredible clarity all the way out to the horizon that stretched out below them.

At the edge of the balcony, Celestia turned to formally greet them.

“Welcome to Equestria. It fills my heart with joy to have you all here with us today.” She smiled at the assembled ponies and humans alike, and Agent Tyler and her two fellows nodded and smiled in return with the rest of the group. “In honor of your arrival, and to celebrate the new friendship that grows between our two worlds, I have brought you here to watch the raising of the sun.” And with that, Celestia concentrated, and lifted the sun into the sky as they all stared in awe...all but Agent Tyler's two subordinates who were looking around in concern.

…

In the castle below them, Scootaloo, along with her husband and Faith, had been invited along for a tour of the great spires and halls of the sprawling building. Poor Faith was still feeling dizzy and nauseous, but was doing her best to enjoy this dream come true anyway. After only a few minutes of walking she fell to her knees and lost what little lunch she had onto the pristine castle floor.

“Oh, I'm so sorry!” She managed between heaves. “I didn't mean to spoil-”

Scootaloo stepped forward and cleaned her face with her hand, giving the poor girl someone to lean on as she fought down the nausea. “It's okay, Faith.” She whispered soothingly as their guide looked on with an expression of shock. “We all know you're not feeling well. We knew this could happen, so I brought some paper bags for next time okay? Just tuck them into a back pocket.”

She looked up at their guide apologetically. “Could you please call a janitor? I'm afraid she can't help it.”

He simply nodded, and soon they were on their way again, this time with little Faith riding on Scootaloo's back, holding on to her hand and mane for support.

The castle was bigger than she had expected, with a long and storied history and it was nearly three hours before the tour finally ended in the main courtyard under the warmth of the morning sun. The three of them thanked their guide and he blushed a little as Scootaloo complemented his scholarship and memory.

“Oh, it didn't take that long to learn, but thank you.” he smiled.

“Could I ask one more favor of you before we go?”

“Of course!”

“My friend Faith is due to see Twilight Sparkle and some other doctors in the Canterlot hospital, but I'm afraid I don't know where it is.”

“Not a problem at all. The princess has asked me to help you however I can, so I would be happy to show you the way.

...

After the raising of the sun and a long meet and greet that seemed to stretch on for hours, Celestia thanked all those assembled and excused herself to deal with other business. As the group filed out after her, Tyler and her two fellow Agents followed Twilight and little Scootaloo of towards the Canterlot hospital where they were to meet up with Ms Scott before catching a train back to Ponyville.

“It's strange actually seeing this world with my own eyes.” Tyler remarked. “I got so used to the flash animation they used for the cartoon. It's no less beautiful though.” She finished, admiring the huge stained glass windows they were walking past.

“I've seen parts of your world that are pretty like this.” Twilight answered. “The hotel, and some of the big buildings you have were quite impressive.”

“That's kind of you to say Twilight.” She smiled at the purple unicorn before changing the subject. “I'm still wondering how Princess Celestia raised the sun though.”

Twilight smirked. “I told you she could do it with her magic. But someone didn't believe me.”

“I guess you were right though. I can hardly argue after seeing it with my own eyes.”

Both her fellow agents looked uncomfortable once more and one of them tapped her on the shoulder, then quickly signed as she turned.

'Be alert. You did not see it with your own eyes.'

Tyler raised an eyebrow behind her glasses and signed back. 'What are you talking about? You were there.'

The second agent tapped her on the shoulder and signed. 'We were there. The sun did not rise any differently than usual. You and the others oohed and ahhed at the dark landscape, then came indoors for the conference. The sun rose some time later.'

Tyler looked back at them, now sharing their concern. 'Thank you. Speak no more of this until we return home.'

Ahead of them, Twilight turned to find she had left them behind. “Agent Tyler? Are you okay?”

“Yes, fine, Twilight, one of the windows caught our attention and I must have lost track of time.”

…

The three agents waited in the hospital lobby with Ms. Scott, her husband and Scootaloo while Twilight and the other doctors worked on Faith. What would normally be a boring, hours long wait actually past swiftly as Scootaloo happily answered questions ranging from what a given machine was for, to what the magazines were about. It was nearly noon before Faith came bounding out the doors and ran to Ms. Scott. “I'm done! I'm done! Can we please go to Ponyville now? Pleeeease?”

Both Scootaloos smiled at this. “Of course dear. Scootaloo? Do you know the way to the train station?”

“In my sleep! Come on, I can't wait to see my friends again! I still don't see why they didn't meet us at the castle.” She added, her face falling a little at the thought.

“Well, we were gone quite a while, Scoot. They probably had to get back to school, but I'll bet they'll be waiting for us at the station in Ponyville.” That seemed to perk her up, and she bounded out the door with Faith as the other grown-ups followed.

The walk to the train station took them through more heavily populated areas of the city, and for the first time they noticed ponies gawking at them as they passed. Most were too polite to cause problems, though they saw more than a few shutters and doors slam shut as they past. At the station, the ticket pony gawked at them for almost ten seconds before snapping back to the present.

“Uh, sorry. What did you say you needed?”

“Tickets to Ponyville please.” Little Scootaloo chirped, from below the edge of the window.

The ticket pony leaned out and looked down past the five strange bipeds and the six-limbed pony to see the tiny orange filly who seemed to be leading the group. She smiled innocently at him. “Hello!”

“Um... are you okay, little girl?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yup,” she replied with the same happy smile. “I'm going home to see my friends!”

“Oh... Okay. And you need seven tickets?”

“Yes, please. Five grown ups and two foals please.”

The ticket pony seemed to accept that, and made out the tickets. “That will be twenty-eight bits please.”

Ms Scoot dug into the change purse Luna had given them and came out with the appropriate amount. “Thank you, I think this is right, though you might want to double check it. I don't know if I've got the hang of the currency yet.”

“Oh! So you are those new 'humans' we've been hearing about in the papers!” He seemed to brighten, having finally put it together. “And you must be that pony the princesses rescued! Ms. Scoot was it?”

“Scootaloo, actually, Scott is my last name.” She answered warmly.

“Well, I'm pleased to meet you. And what would your name be little miss?”

“I'm Scootaloo.” Scootaloo replied as though that should be obvious.

The ticket pony looked confused again, then asked. “Uh, so you're her daughter?”

Scootaloo had to think about that one.

“Yes.” Her little brow furrowed in thought.

“Well... No.” After a bit more thought she looked the ticket pony in the face again and finished. “Well technically, we're both Scootaloo, but she's like 'earth Scootaloo' and I'm like 'Ponyville Scootaloo' so... yeah. Does that make sense?” She asked with a cute smile.

“Uh... If your not her daughter, then who is your mom?” He asked as his confusion only increased. In the back David had put a hand over his mouth to hide his widening grin.

Scootaloo looked confused this time, so Ms. Scott leaned down and whispered something in her ear. After a moment she smiled again. “Oh! My mom is a wildebeest.”

He frowned. “That's not a very nice thing to say about your mother young lady.”

“What? Scootaloo said you were asking who my birth mother was, the woman who gave birth to me right? Well, she was a wildebeest.” She seemed to consider that for a moment. “Scootaloo said they were handy, something about a zoo, so that's who they picked to be my mother. I assume she was a nice wildebeest, as they go.”

As this seemed to satisfy all the questions from her point of view, little Scootaloo scooped up the tickets and trotted away, calling over her shoulder; “Come on, you guys! The train should be here any minute!”

As they walked out of sight around a corner, two of the agents cracked up laughing as David and Ms. Scott joined them. Scootaloo and Faith looked at each other in confusion. “Hey! What's funny?”

“Oh, nothing much.” David answered, “We'll tell you...” The laugh seemed to die on his lips as he finished. “We'll tell you when you're older.”

Author's Note:

If you're enjoying this, you might also enjoy 'Piracy', a dark new one shot that asks some very hard questions about what it really means to be 'good' or 'evil'.

This is not a story to read just before bed...

Comments

[Lord Of Dorkness]

...A wildebeest, huh? I must admit, my guess would have been a domestic horse. A bit more size to account for the wings, but still closest analog on earth to the real thing. Kinda like that idea with bringing the mammoth back using cloning and elephants.

Any actual reason for it, or was it just for the joke?

[nighters]

so how racist and over paranoid are ponies going to be to human kind at first? you know how people on earth reacted to scootaloo in the beginning so how are the pony and other sentient going to react? fear of the unknown make people do stupid things in fear and hurt things if there afraid.

[ViktornovaMk2]

Even if the Tyler cutie mark has already been decided, I'm hoping for a 'glowing' halo and a cross-hair.