Something's Happened to Scootaloo

by inside_joke

Chapter 3: Something He Knows

Chapter 3: Something He Knows

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom kept their eyes glued to the clock. Cheerilie’s lecture on Global Warming drowned in its incessant ticking. Before long, they could hear nothing else. Sweetie’s notebook sat open before her, completely blank. Apple Bloom scribbled the occasional circle in her desk, but didn’t budge for the entirety of class.

Students jotted in their papers, some more than others. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon hastily tossed notes back and forth, giggling all the while. Snips and Snails were in the midst of a staring contest, and Twist kept her snout buried in her work, trying to ignore the boops and beeps of Button Mash’s Joy Boy.

Sweetie lifted her face from the wooden countertop, chin-in-hoof. A paper ball collided with her head, falling softly atop the notebook. She turned to Apple Bloom, whose eyes watched with anticipation. Raising a brow, she unfolded the note.

‘I’m sorry for yelling at you, earlier. I didn’t mean to act like such a jerk. But there’s something I need to tell you at lunch.
It’s important.’

Sweetie exhaled, nodding to her friend. She nodded back, but made an effort to keep her eyes forward. Neither felt comfortable looking at that empty desk.

Sweetie pondered Apple Bloom’s note. What did she have to tell her? Judging by the look in her eye, it must’ve been more than ‘important.’ She’d known from the start that Apple Bloom was keeping secrets. Everything from her stare to her walk was off. The way she yelled and screamed was nothing like her. She didn’t like admitting it, but Sweetie bubbled with anticipation. Maybe her friend could shed some light on all this.

There was a hint of relief in the air, and she relished every bit of it.

Relaxing in her seat, Sweetie checked the time. The bells would ring soon, but until then, she’d have to keep calm. Scanning the room, she saw Rumble, and a peculiar feeling caught in her throat.

He, too, was staring at the clock. So much so that it might’ve shattered any moment. His wings clung to his sides, their feathers rustled and unorderly. A dead look hung in his eyes, glossy and vacant. It was a stare scarred by death itself. He traced abstract lines across the pages of his notebook, never looking away from the time.

‘He knows,’ whispered the damned voice. ‘He knows. He knows.’ Sweetie subsequently froze in her seat.

She turned to Apple Bloom, fearful and longingly. Apple Bloom tapped a hoof to her forehead, than pointed at Rumble. “I hear them, too,” she mouthed.

***

By the time the bells rang, a cool sheen of sweat caked Sweetie’s brow. One by one, the children arose from their seats. “OK kids, have a nice lunch,” Cheerilie chimed, leading them out. Fillies and colts ran over one another in their stampede, and within seconds, the room was practically empty. Sweetie trotted directly to Apple Bloom, gripping her arm.

“Hey, hey! Take it easy,” she protested. Sweetie kept walking, forcing her friend out the door. Cheerilie eyes followed them, quaking in suspicion.

They trailed behind the horde of children, walking down a long corridor. “Ya’ can let go of ma’ hoof, now,” Apple Bloom said. Sweetie did so, her face flushed in anger, confusion, and emotions she didn’t know existed.

“What do you mean you ‘hear them too’?” she asked bluntly.

Apple Bloom looked down to the wooden floorboards. “Can we discuss this outside?”

“No,” Sweetie snapped. “You know something I don’t. You know something about Scootaloo and you’re not telling me.”

Apple Bloom looked disgusted. “Don’t be accusin’ me o’ anything,” she spat. A fiery tension bubbled between them.

“What are you hiding?” Sweetie questioned. “Scootaloo’s our friend and I’m just trying to figure out where she is. Then you burst into a tantrum, yelling at me. And now you can…” She choked on her words. “…Hear the voices in my head?”

Apple Bloom swallowed a retort, keeping relatively calm. “Listen. Ah’m not lying to you. Ah’ haven’t seen Scootaloo all weekend. Well… not physically, anyways.”

“The hay is that supposed to mean?”

Apple Bloom was about to speak when a sound cut the stale air.

Footfalls sounded from behind them. It was Cheerilie, closing the classroom door behind her. “Oh, girls,” she said. “I thought you two would be outside.”

“We were just headin’ out,” Apple Bloom said. “Come on.” Gripping Sweetie’s hoof, she growled through clenched teeth: “Let’s go.”

Sweetie glared at her, whipping her hoof away. “Yeah. Let’s.” She angrily stomped off.

Apple Bloom nodded reassuringly to Cheerilie, who looked more than a little confused. In a flash, the two fillies were gone, and she stood awkwardly in their wake.

A pair of big wooden doors stood tall, and with a light shove, Sweetie opened them. Outside, she was met with a winter wonderland. A light snowfall rained down, tinting the sky a minty white. Icicles hung from swing sets and jungle gyms, where boys and girls pried them free, sucking on them. Snow mares and stallions had already been created, standing proud. Some partook in snow fights, whereas others tested their snow angel skills.

But Sweetie’s desolate eyes breached the cheerful scenery. Apple Bloom approached from behind, shivering as a gust of wind ran through their manes. “Follow me,” she said, heading down the steps. Sweetie followed, the cold reviving her sense of reality.

She was lead to one of the playground’s corners, where the chain fences met abruptly. Beyond them loomed a long glade, painted in frost. And beyond that was a towering tree line; its spiked canopy scraping the sky. Apple Bloom leaned against the fence, wrapping herself in her hooves. Sweetie waited impatiently. “Well", she said, “We’re outside, now. Please talk to me.”

Sighing heavily, Apple Bloom spoke. “This mornin’, Ah’ was just as anxious about Scootaloo as you. Truth be told, Ah’ve been lookin’ for her, too, over the weekend. After givin’ up, Ah’ assumed she was out or somethin’. Then, that night, all Ah’ could do was think ‘bout her. Where could she be, what was she doin’, thin’s like that. Sunday evenin’, Ah dreamt of her.” She paused, struggling to find the right words. “She… she wasn’t there, in ma’ dream, exactly. But Ah’ know Ah’ heard her.” There was another pause.

“She was… she was screamin’. It wasn’t like a scream Ah’ knew existed.” Apple Bloom was crying softly. Sweetie stood still for a moment, somewhat mesmerized. She’d felt the same concerns, fueled by paranoia, but hadn’t dreamt of anything.

Crouching beside Apple Bloom, Sweetie comforted her. “Did you tell Apple Jack?” she asked sympathetically.

“No. Ah’ woke up cryin’ and… Ah’ thought it was just a dream. Ah’ didn’t wanna worry no body ‘bout that.” Apple Bloom was talking through sobs, sniffling and snorting. “Oh, Ah’m so sorry for yellin’ at you, Sweetie. Ah’ just didn’t wanna’ worry about Scootaloo anymore, is all.” She pressed her head into Sweetie’s chest.

Sweetie’s eyes burned with tears. “It’s OK, AB,” she choked. “I don’t care about that. But… how could you tell what I was thinking?”

Apple Bloom looked up, her nose running and wet. “Ah’ just… could. Ah’ saw you were lookin’ at Rumble and Ah’ somehow knew. Ah’ think it said, ‘He knows’.”

Things had gone from unsettling to bazaar. Mentally exhausted, Sweetie didn’t try to rationalize this. Cradling Apple Bloom, she spotted a figure, perched amongst the branches of an oak tree. It was Rumble. He stared off into the distant tree line, snow blowing through his mane.

“He knows,” whispered the wind. “He knows.”

Comments

[RandomHamster33]

This story is getting very interesting.

[Gold Experience]

Okay... you have my attention.

[TheWorstDiscord]

I'm conflicted on whether er or not I should read this... I mean I just got stuff like Cheerilee's garden out of my mind. Eh... I don't know. Should I?

[inside_joke]

6878454 Cheerilie's garden is a grimdark fic. Yes, there will be some dark aspects, but note that I've rated this T. It isn't nearly as vulgar as CG.

[TheWorstDiscord]

6878481 So I, most likely, won't be horrified by the conclusion of this story? Yay! Time to read

[Kokara]

The cover art of scootaloo is really cool and creepy. Where did you find it?

[inside_joke]

6880670 Here you go.

[Kokara]

6881416 thanks dude

[KiKo4]

now I know how it feels to wait for a story you reaaaaly love
Attention grabbing story :DDD

[ThatFriendlyDerp]

want moar!

[PrincessFluff]

THIS IS GETTING REALLY GOOD

[kildeez]

Loving it!

Only thing:

Things had gone from unsettling to bazaar

Bizarre. A bazaar is an open-air marketplace common in the Arabic world.

[Acadians6545]

Things had gone from unsettling to bazaar. Mentally exhausted, Sweetie didn’t try to rationalize this. Cradling Apple Bloom, she spotted a figure, perched amongst the branches of an oak tree. It was Rumble. He stared off into the distant tree line, snow blowing through his mane.

Its Bizarre.

bazaar is a type of market place

[Void Streak]

My theory is that rumble is in love with scootaloo but scootaloo isn't in live with rumble so he ends up kidnapping scootaloo instead