Our Girl Scootaloo 3 of 3

by Cozy Mark IV

Ch 3.25 Innocence lost

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 Five: Innocence lost

Back at the gate room, the flash of white light ebbed, and the thin disk of barn floor and the piece of barn wall collapsed to the floor as the three crusaders gave the new world but a cursory glance before turning back to Faith. Her seizure was much weaker now, her small body worn out from the exertion.

“What's happening to her?!” Sweetie Belle asked in fear as a group of EMTs came running into the room with a stretcher.

“She's had a seizure.” Ms. Scott replied in an even tone. “Her brain is going haywire and it's causing her body to shake and flop.” Three medical techs carefully lifted Faith onto the stretcher and secured her while another administered a shot, and within moments the spasms had stopped and her breathing had become more regular.

“Is she going to be okay?!” Applebloom demanded.

As the team rushed her out of the room, the crusaders gave chase, still waiting for a response from Ms. Scott who had followed only a few yards. When none came, they slowed to a halt in the empty hallway, looking back at her with terror in their eyes.

“Girls, Faith... won't be with us much longer.”

The three stood rooted to the ground in shock as Ms. Scott sadly explained what was happening. After she had finished the three crusaders were still staring at her in disbelief.

“You mean, this whole time, she knew she was...” Applebloom choked on the word. “Dyin?”

Ms. Scott just nodded numbly. “She has a type of brain cancer.”

“Well, fix her! You have to make her better!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

“We can't.” Ms. Scott replied dejectedly. “We don't know how.”

The words hit the foals like a slap in the face.

“We can cure this cancer in other humans if they're compatible with my DNA, with me. But so far, the doctors only have my DNA to work with. Pinkie donated too, but it will be a month or two before they are able to use her information. Faith only has a week or two left to live.”

Tears were beginning to form in their eyes, as this all began to sink in.

“You mean... there's nothing you can do?” Sweetie Belle asked in a pitiful voice.

“But what about Twilight?” Scootaloo asked.

“She wasn't able to help either.” Ms. Scott replied sadly. “I'm so sorry girls.”

“But... She can't just...” Applebloom fumbled.

“No! This isn't true! This can't be right!” Sweetie Belle yelled as tears ran down her cheeks.

“She's our friend! We have to help her!” Scootaloo pleaded.

Ms. Scott slowly shook her head. “The only thing you can do to help her is to spend some time with her and... show her she isn't all alone. You still have a few more days to spend with her if you want them...” She hung her head. “Why don't you come with me. We can follow her to the hospital.”

So saying she began walking slowly down the hallway towards the van pickup area, and after a moment the three scared little foals turned to follow her.

…

The van ride to the hospital was quiet but for a few soft sobs as the three crusaders tried to process what they had just heard. The early morning scenery scrolling by outside was completely ignored as their thoughts turned inwards.

They soon pulled to a stop at the hospital and followed Ms. Scott up the elevator to the seventh floor, and around the corner to the room. The door stood half open, and on seeing their friend, the three of them galloped in.

“Faith! Are you oka-”

Two humans were sitting at her bedside, and they looked up, startled, as the three foals burst into the room. As the three of them skidded to a halt, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both felt ice grow in the pit of their stomachs. It was obvious they were looking at Faith's parents, watching over the bedside of their sick foal. Faith lay in the hospital bed, apparently asleep and dead to the world, showing no sign she was aware of their arrival.
Her mother was holding her daughter's hand as she slept, and had obviously been crying, while her father seemed to have a small smile on his face. He got up and approached the crusaders.

“Thank you so much for letting her visit your world. It's all she's talked about for months now.” He knelt down so as not to tower over them. “It's one of the nicest things anyone – any pony has ever done for her. You've made her very happy.”

“Then... its true?” Sweetie Belle managed as she fought back a sob. “She's really...” She trailed off, unable to say it.

Her father's face fell and he took Sweetie Belle in his arms to comfort her. “I'm so sorry Sweetie.”

“But she's our friend!” Scootaloo insisted, tears running down her cheeks.

“She's just a foal!” Applebloom managed between sobs. “Foals don't just... die.” She looked up into his eyes with a pleading expression. “Do we?”

He pulled all three of them close and held them while they cried.

…

After a long while they noticed one of the nurses waiting patiently behind them.

“She's going to be out for quite a while after what she just went through. You girls should get some rest, it will probably be six or eight hours more before your friend is awake again.”

The crusaders allowed themselves to be gently herded into the hallway as Faith's parents went back to her bedside to try to sleep. The door closed behind them with a hollow 'click' leaving them standing in the hallway with Ms. Scott listening to the quiet background noises of the hospital waking up in the morning.

They had all cried themselves out by now, but still had no idea how to deal with this.

At last, Applebloom spoke. “We haveta' do something for her.”

Sweetie Belle just hung her head as a tear dripped from her chin and fell to the floor. “What could we do that would matter?”

“We could give her what she wanted most.” Scootaloo said slowly. “Her cutie mark.”

Ms. Scott looked up at this, confused.

“Remember what she said?” Scootaloo continued. “She said she isn't the same as, well, me I guess, and that she can't get the treatment that David and Agent Tyler did. The treatment that let them get their cutie marks?”

“Hey, yeah!” Sweetie Belle agreed, perking up a little. “She said they needed ponies to do...” She fumbled for the words. “medical research, and that so far only Pinkie had helped.”

“Well we're here now!” Applebloom agreed. “Why don't we volunteer?” She asked, looking up at Ms. Scott.

“Uh... you girls don't know what the treatment is, do you?” The elder Scootaloo replied apprehensively.

“Sure we do!” Applebloom responded, “It's the treatment that lets humans get their cutie marks.”

The elder Scootaloo shook her head. “That's only a side effect. The treatment allows us to cure a lot of deadly illnesses, including the brain cancer Faith has, but please don't get your hopes up. It will take several months to work up a treatment even if you girls volunteer today. It will help a lot of other little girls and boys, but it won't come in time to save Faith.”

As comprehension dawned on the three, they all registered looks of shock.

“But... My sister...” Sweetie Belle mumbled.

“But AJ was here! A month ago! Why didn't you tell her?!” Applebloom shouted.

“Tell her what? That medical volunteering would save lives?” Ms. Scott asked. “She knew that, Applebloom. But she had a rough first week here, and she hasn't forgiven humans for eating meat.”

“But griffins do that too!”

“Have you ever seen what that looks like? What it means to 'eat meat'?” Ms. Scott asked.

“I don't care!” Applebloom shouted.

That seemed to catch her by surprise.

“If you're tellin' me that I can save somepony's life by getting poked by a doctor, I'm doin' it.” Applebloom stated with flat determination as she wiped her eyes, mentally pushing aside the question about their sisters. “Faith and Scoot already told us about meat and supermarkets and stuff.”

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle joined in. “I don't care what Faith eats. I want to volunteer!”

“Me too!” Scootaloo agreed.

Ms. Scott thought this over quickly and seemed to settle on a conclusion. “Well... okay, you can volunteer if you want to, but there will be a lot of holding still and some getting poked by needles. I do it every month, so it's not too bad, but if you want to stop, or if something makes you uncomfortable, just tell me okay?” They all nodded resolutely and followed behind as Ms. Scott led the way to the labs on the floors below.

...

“She did what?!” Applejack yelled.

The word had spread quickly, and now the group stood before the Apples' poor abused barn, which now had a six foot diameter hole cut out of one wall and was sagging due to the abrupt removal of one of the interior support columns. Twilight was working to support the upper deck with her magic while Big Macintosh installed a new support, but it was the news about her little sister that had thrown Applejack into a rage.

“She had no right to take Applebloom! You better bring her back right now or so help me...” She gestured up at David who looked appropriately worried.

“She didn't have a choice, Applejack, she had to get Faith back to our world, and the Crusaders wouldn't stand clear and let her go.” He explained as he remembered what he had heard of the audio link. “They insisted on going with her and Faith.”

“Then she should have done gone without them anyway! She had no right to take her without my approval!” Applejack yelled as she advanced on him.

“So you would have wanted to risk your sister's life?! Look at that wall, Applejack!” He continued, pointing to the hole in the barn wall. “We can send just the people through when we have a huge facility to map every detail, but when we come back from your world to ours, we don't have a huge scanning grid to take only ourselves. Our recall system just takes a sphere shaped cut out of everything around the beacon, and you saw what that did to the barn. If Applebloom wasn't willing to stand clear, the recall would have cut right through her too! Scootaloo had to take them with her!”

Applejack seemed to think about it as Rarity spoke up. “Applejack, I know you're upset, and I'm not exactly thrilled about my baby sister running around the other world either, but you know what a hoofful those three can be. The humans did take good care of us while we were there-”

Applejack gave her a dark look with a raised eyebrow.

“-after they found us that is.” She paused to look up at David. “Is it possible for them to get lost like we did?”

He shook his head. “The recall beacons are just a signal for the gate machinery to lock onto. We can only jump back into the gate room.”

Rarity's smile returned. “There, you see? The humans will take good care of them. Now we just have to send the message to have them sent back.”

Behind them, Twilight and Big Mac had finished their repair work on the support, and come to join the conversation, but Twilight was looking uncomfortable as she spoke up. “Uh... I don't know if they can do that either...”

“Why, whatever do you mean darling?” Rarity asked, puzzled.

“Well... the human child our girls were playing with? She was only here because of the Make-a-Wish Foundation...”

“And what the hey does it matter what group of humans done sent her here?” Applejack asked angrily.

Twilight looked ashamed as she continued. “The Make-a-Wish Foundation is a group that gives little foals one last wish, whatever it is they've always wanted... before they die.”

The others looked at her in shock while David simply nodded. “Faith has advanced brain cancer, and isn't expected to live more than another week or two at most. She's always wanted to come to Equestria, to see your world, and the princesses agreed to let her. Today has probably been the happiest day of her life, and it's all thanks to you.”

They were all silent for a moment.

The anger seemed to have drained out of Applejack as she asked. “But why can't they send...”

David frowned. “I'm sure we could send them home to you in a cage, but short of that, do you really expect your own sisters would abandon their friend?”

“But they've only know each other a few hours! How can-”

“She helped Sweetie Belle get her cutie mark.” One of the Agents said simply.

Rarity's eyes widened in surprise. “You mean my little sister-?”

“Yes, she got her cutie mark in singing. It's a musical staff with notes on it.”

As they watched, Rarity's look of pride seemed to melt away as she added in concern. “She'll never leave her now...”

“It's worse then that.” Twilight said as tears began to form in her eyes. “Faith's cancer? It's one of the things the humans can cure with the medicine they derived from Scootaloo's volunteering. The problem is, Scoot's DNA is too different to work on Faith, she needed other ponies to volunteer... and I didn't.”

There were guilty looks all around as that sunk in.

“You mean... this Faith girl is going to die... because we didn't volunteer?” Applejack swallowed hard.

“It's hard to say for sure, but there is at least a chance that if you all donated early on when Scoot asked you to, they might have been able to adapt the treatment in time.” David sighed and looked tired. “But that was over a month and a half ago. Its still very important to get more ponies to volunteer; we still need your help to save other lives, but... it's too late for Faith.”

Most of them were tearing up by now, but Rarity's face had suddenly taken on a look of fear.
“Do... do you think they know?”

The others looked at her and she continued in a worried tone.

“Do you think the girls will find out?”

David looked away. “Their friend is dying. Do you honestly think they won't try to help? They probably already know you refused to volunteer, and that Faith is now paying with her life. I wouldn't be surprised if they volunteer themselves.”

For the first time that day, Applejack looked genuinely worried. “We have to go get them! We can't just...”

“If you're worried about your sisters, you shouldn't be.” David stated in a level tone. “Scootaloo has been volunteering once a month since she was a tiny pony, and the doctors take good care of her. Your sisters will be fine.” He paused to look at Rarity and Applejack. “What they'll think of you afterwards is another matter.”

…

The needles had hurt a little, but Ms. Scott had stayed with them the whole time, taking all the same pokes they did, and it really hadn't been that bad. The MRI had been noisy and a little scary, but they had all suffered through it, even Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who had each endured a splitting horn ache and wing ache for their friend. Now after nearly six hours they were finally done, and Ms. Scott had taken them all out for ice cream.

“I still don't see what they need all those samples for.” Sweetie Belle groused over her milkshake. “They took little clippings of my fur, my mane, my tail, they even had me spit in a cup.”

“Yeah.” The younger Scootaloo agreed. “I know what a blood sample is, but I didn't even know I had some of those samples they got out of me with the long needles.

Ms. Scott just smiled. “I know it doesn't make much sense, but there will be a lot of people analyzing all the samples you gave us today.”

Applebloom crinkled her nose. “Even the... bathroom samples?”

“Yes, there are some doctors who specialize in that area.”

“Eeeeewww!”

Ms. Scott chuckled. “Well who did you think you went to see if you had a problem with your plot?”

Sweetie Belle was still trying to make a face, but a large yawn interrupted her.

“Why don't you girls finish up your ice cream and then we can go back to see Faith? I asked the hospital to get her a room big enough to sleep all of you. After all, its way past your bedtime.” She admonished gently.

“But it's still light out.” Applebloom whined. “It can't be bedtime ye-” She too was cut off by a huge yawn.

“Yes, but our worlds don't have quite the same schedule.” Ms. Scott explained as she herded the three away from the table and out to the waiting van. “A day on our world is a little bit longer, so day and night don't sync up.”

As the three climbed into the van, Applebloom asked the question that was foremost on their minds. “But we did good today right? All that pokin' is going to help somepony?”

Ms. Scott smiled as she buckled their seat belts. “Yes. Given a few months, what you did today will save many many lives.”

“But... not Faith?” Sweetie Belle asked in a pleading voice.

Ms. Scott hung her head as she spoke softly. “I'm sorry girls. She isn't going to make it that long. The best we can do is enjoy what time we have left.”

They were all trying to look brave as she took her own seat, but as the van made its way back to the hospital she could hear someone quietly sobbing.

Ms. Scott had had to pull some strings, but staff had arranged the room as she asked, with a proper bed for Faith's parents, and two twin beds together for Faith, who was still sleeping peacefully as they quietly opened the door. Ms. Scott paused to check Faith's chart and did her best to hide her cringe from the three foals trailing after her. After a pause to make sure her morphine drip was still working and the other pain killers were read to hand, she herded the sleepy crusaders to the bedside. Her parents didn't stir as Ms. Scott helped the three sleepy foals up onto the bed and tucked them in as they all snuggled up to Faith.
“Sweet dreams, girls, now get some rest. We'll all still be here in the morning.”

The three of them each gave a little nod as they held Faith tightly between them, and despite their best efforts, quickly drifted off to sleep.

...

The afternoon had wound down to a close, the sun had set, and Granny Smith once more reclined in her rocking chair on the front porch. Dinner had been served, the chores done, and now she took the time to drink in the cool evening air as the sunset faded and stars gradually appeared in the sky.

The figure in white stood out more at night, but Big Machintash was still inside cleaning up, and he took no notice of her. She found Granny Smith sound asleep in her rocker, and with a smile dug something out of her pocket. Granny flinched a bit at the pinch, but didn't wake, and in a moment it was done. The figure nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and took a few steps around to the back of the house. Big Mac looked up at the flash of white light, but a quick look behind the house through the window revealed nothing out of the ordinary and with a shrug, he turned and went back to the dishes.

He didn't find the circular cut in the grass until the next morning.

...

At eleven that night, the group of ponies gathered in the Canterlot Castle gate room for their return to the human world. David had asked for a jump back only an hour after Ms. Scott had left with the girls, but had been told, politely but firmly, that the human gate was still an experimental transporter, and as such, would occasionally require maintenance that took it offline.
Celestia had been willing to help, but given that the foals were in no danger, and considering the strain it put on her, she had set up the jump to take place right before bed. As the light enveloped each member of the group, the stone room around them disappeared, to be replaced by the blank white walls of the human gate room.

“Great, we're here.” Applejack said impatiently. “I still don't see why she couldn't just send us directly to the hospital.”

“We talked about that remember?” David sighed. “ How did it work the last time Celestia sent you all through? The gate room is a big empty room to aim for that we know is clear to receive us.”

“I just hope we got here in time.” Rarity said in an agitated voice. “Do you think...” She trailed off as she noticed David's faraway expression, one that usually meant he was talking to someone. After a few moments he came back to the present.

“My wife just filled me in; the girls know what's going on and they're scared, but trying to be brave about it. They spent most of this afternoon getting poked along with her, and they've gone back to the hospital to spend the night with Faith. Apparently she still hasn't woken up yet...”

Rarity looked torn. “They know what's going on...?”

Twilight hung her head. “So they found out what was going on and immediately did what I was scared to.” She looked up at David with a tremor in her voice. “Do you still need ponies to volunteer?”

“Desperately. We could take all of you tonight if you want to, though as late as it is, some of you might want to wait till the morning.”

“Now, just hold on there!” Applejack growled. “None of the rest of us said nothing about volunteering for your freaky medical research.”

The silence in the big room was deafening, and after a moment she turned around to see Rainbow, Rarity and Fluttershy looking uncomfortable.

“You're not seriously considering this?!”

“Well... Dashie has been guilting me about this for weeks now... I think she has a point.”

Rarity tried to look composed as she added. “A lady admits when she is wrong... “ She grimaced as she continued. “And if I ever want to be able to look my sister in the eye again...”

Fluttershy gave a small nod of agreement.

“You're going to volunteer too?!” Applejack exploded, making the yellow pegasus flinch. “After everything that happened to us, you're going to help them?!”

Fluttershy reached up and grasped the locket that she still wore around her neck, opening it and looking at the photo of the young girl in the cover. She closed her eyes and spoke very quietly. “Yes. I owe it to them.”

Applejack's face was flushed with anger as she growled at them. “They killed those cows. They butchered 'em and ground 'em up and fed 'em to each other. To us! They dosed us with chemicals until we started dripping milk! And now you're willing to go along with this kind of farmin' because one of them is dyin'?!

“You haven't spent time with Faith,” Twilight objected, “she's just a little foal, she doesn't know anything about this!”

“Then the humans are just usin' her!”

“No, Ms. Scott is.” David interjected flatly. “Kids like Faith die every day of illnesses we could cure with your help. But after every one of you except Pinkie refused to help, she knew she had to do something. She's a doctor, and children were dying, and she couldn't save them. She picked Faith out of a long list of other kids who also wanted to go to Equestria, and deliberately used her to show you exactly who needs your help. She gave Faith her last wish, to see your world before she died.” David looked directly at Applejack as he finished. “And I don't think she's likely to apologize.”

David walked off towards the open door and they all fell in behind him as Applejack stood fuming. “The bus to the hospital is waiting outside, and it will also be available to take you back to your hotel rooms if you need them. I'll be happy to coordinate for anyone who wants to volunteer tonight, but after that, my wife and I will be going home. It's been a very long day.”

Author's Note:

Update: I've just finished a much darker story 'Piracy', an exploration of good and evil that'll have you checking under your bed tonight. Just don't read it all alone in the dark...

Comments

[Magatsu Orpheus]

Please?

[Cozy Mark IV]

4118998 Sorry, New job I could handle, new project too, but replacing an entire circuit of 1950s wiring that looked like it was installed by a spider on meth? That pushed me over the edge and caused the delay. I'm still tracking down the last parts of this wire after a solid week.

At any rate, a new chapter will go up this Tuesday the 25th of March. Thanks so much for the interest!

[Stainless Steel Fox]

Sigh! All this drama, and there's at least two canon ways it could be fixed. 1) Time jump her forward. Twilight said she already tried time travel spells on Earth, so this is after It's About Time. 2) Use a cockatrice. Petrify her for as many months as they need to make the cure and then de-petrify her with the same cockatrice via Fluttershy, or use the Elements of Harmony.

Twilight is pleanty smart enough to think of these, but will be struck with plot induced stupidity because drama. Those daned ponies were all parochial and didn't immediately help, and now they need to be punished. So sayeth the author.

[Cozy Mark IV]

8607660
That's actually a really good point, I honestly don't remember if that episode was out when I started writing this. Sorry for the drama, I tend to get anvilishis with my points and sometimes the characters get OOC if I'm not paying enough attention.