No Worse Want

by RaylanKrios

Unfinished

Twilight slumped behind the mountain of papers behind her desk. “I can’t do this Spike, I tried and I just can’t.”

Scootaloo had gone to bed, and the library was quiet save for the occasional hoot from Owlicious. Somehow the silence only served to amplify Twilight’s doubts.

“What are you talking about Twilight?”

“I don’t know what I was thinking. I'd just take over a whole agency, change a system that ponies have been using for years, take a filly who’s been living on her own, add her to a family and make it home in time for dinner."

“Well when you put it that way, maybe you have a point Twi.”

“Thanks Spike,” Twilight said with a sigh.

“You know what I mean Twilight, this might be one of those times where you’re trying to do too much. You said you wanted to help Scootaloo, so just help Scootaloo. Change everything else later.”

The faintest hint of a smile appeared on Twilights face. “Y’know Spike, sometimes I forget how wise you are.”

Spike lit up. “Does this mean I can run the book fair by myself? I was thinking that we could invite Cloud Jester to talk about his newest book-”

Twilight cut him off before he could lay out his plans for a panel about the novelization of the Power Ponies movie. “One thing at a time, Spike.”

The next morning Scootaloo again ventured out into Ponyville. Winter Break was drawing to an end and that meant that she only had a few more school free days left. Another day with the crusaders was tempting, but the ever present sensation at the base of her skull gnawed at her. She had been given a gift. It came in the form of an overbearing princess but it was a gift nonetheless. She could save one hundred percent of her earnings as long as Twilight was willing to let her stay at the library. Even if that was only for a few more weeks, the possibilities of what she could do with those kinds of savings were tantalizing. A real bed, a wool blanket for next winter, a camping stove with enough fuel to let her cook her own food on the nights she didn’t get restaurant leftovers, all were now within the realm of possibilities, if she just worked harder. With that thought in mind she set out to Sturdy’s hardware store.

“Hiya ‘Loo,” the old pony drawled as the bell above the door announced her arrival.

Scootaloo opened her mouth to spin a tale of how she wanted to buy tickets to a Power Ponies convention and also maybe make a costume so she could go as Zapp but when the words finally left her throat they came out as, “Got a place a filly can hide from the world?”

Sturdy betrayed no emotion. Not the sad look ponies often gave her when she started to explain that she needed some extra bits, not confused stare those same ponies often gave her when she came back the next day. He just smiled his just shy of a wry grin. “I always do. Looking to earn a few bits, or just need some space?” It was the first time Sturdy had ever hinted that perhaps Scootaloo’s careful lies were more transparent than she realized.

“Both, but I’ll take the space if the bits are scarce.”

“Hardware business has been good lately. All this cold weather gets ponies in the mood to seal in those leaky windows and what not.” Sturdy craned his neck to look around. “Store’s pretty tidy but I could use a hand in the shop.”

The offer took Scootaloo by surprise. On rare occasions, Sturdy would retreat to a small carpenters workshop in the back of the store, but this was the first time he suggested that Scootaloo join him.

“But what about the store? What happens if someone comes in?”

“Bell still works, I know that cause I heard it a minute ago. C’mon ‘Loo it’ll beat waiting in here all day.” Sturdy said as he ambled towards the back.

Scootaloo hurried to catch up jogging into a small room that smelled heavily of pine and varnish. Boards and blocks of wood were stacked neatly in the corner, and a bevy of wood cutting tools hung on the walls. Some were easy to recognize, saws and hammers for instance, but there were more than a few that Scootaloo couldn’t make heads or tails out of. There were also a few sinister looking machines. Sitting next to a thin saw blade was a rough cut piece of wood, maybe hickory maybe oak, Scootaloo wasn’t sure. Traced on the piece was a swirling design, flowing from end to end with dips and twist.

“Alright ‘Loo, been working on these mouldings for a minute,” Sturdy said gently patting the marked wood Scootaloo had just been admiring. “Ol arthritis makes my hoof cramp up, so I’m gonna need you to work the jig. Already done the markings, all you need to do is follow the line. Make sure you watch your hoofs.”

Scootaloo again studied the pattern, it’s complexities now more daunting than beautiful. “I’ve never done this before. What if I mess up?

Sturdy shrugged. “I reckon you will, everypony does sometimes. Probably fix it with some sanding and stain if it’s a real doozy.”

“But what if I mess up really bad? So bad that it can’t be fixed.”

Another shrug. “Then I guess we start over.”

“But what if I mess that one up?”

“Then we try again, we got plenty of wood,” Sturdy said with a low chuckle. “I suppose it’s possible that you just ain’t cut out for woodwork, but the way I see it we ain’t any worse off then when we started, two ponies and no mouldings. Don’t make sense to not even try.” Sturdy winked. “You got this ‘Loo, ponies less talented than you do this all the time.”

Scootaloo couldn’t help but laugh. “Ok, let’s do this!” she said with a hoof pump thrown in. Sturdy handed her a pair of goggles and a mask Gingerly she placed her hoofs on the board and Sturdy fired up the saw. It was quieter then Scootaloo thought it would be.

“Nice an easy there. I’ll feed, you just worry about following those lines.”

Just following the lines was harder than Scootaloo would have guessed. With Sturdy pushing the board she didn’t have to extend a lot of effort but she did have to keep her focus less she missed a turn. She made a few mistakes but everytime she brought it up Sturdy urged her forward. When the pair was finished Scootaloo couldn’t helped but be impressed by the result. It still needed to be finished and stained but she could appreciate how nice it would look above a fireplace.

“What I tell ya, you’re a natural,” Sturdy said with an approving nod. He lifted his head high, “No carpentry mark yet though.”

Scootaloo blushed. “I just did what you told me to.”

“Ya did, but you still did the work. I reckon that makes this yours. What do you want to do with it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well you could sell it, I know a pony who’s got a showroom. You could keep it if ya want, wouldn’t take much to mount it.”

“Well it still needs more work, and I don’t know what to do next.”

Sturdy peered at the object, his lips pursed as he no doubt took in the finer details in the lack of fine details.

" I could give you a few lessons. We could polish up a few other projects I’ve got back here."

"That sounds good with me," Scootaloo filled in the void from his trailing words.

"And if we sell any of 'em, you'd get a cut!"

"That sounds really good with me," Scootaloo laughed.

"Well then, ‘Loo," he held a ever-so-slightly shaky hoof out to Scootaloo, "it sounds like we've got ourselves a nice little partnership."

Author's Note:

Hey look a new chapter and it didn't take me a year or anything.

Comments

[Freethinker037]

Well what do you know?

[FTR2017]

This chapter made me d'aww.

Thank you for the release! :D

[umbreon1234]

i have a feeling sturdy knows that scoots is an orphan.

[Zaki]

A binge later and I can say this is easily one of my favorite Scootaloo stories on this site.

Hope to read more from you!

[Dreadnought]

Yay! New chapter!

10235398
Have you ever read Three Gems and a Scooter? It's my favorite.

[Anon E Moose]

This is a sweet chapter.

[Cold Spike]

Oh my gawd. That was quick, nice.

[Eris Dis Harmonia]

Well, you gave me a heartawwwtack.

[falloutshelters]

Don't fret over the pace of updates. I started writing a 4 chapter story 8 years ago and am still just 2 sentences in to chapter 3. One of these days I'll get around to it though.

[Yourtasteinhorsesisawful]

It's a very nice surprise to see this story being updated again. Thank you for deciding to continue despite the relatively long gap, it's unfortunately a rare thing for that to happen on this site.

[howard035]

I feel like if Twilight finds out about him, she just found a good pony to adopt Scoots.

[rikithemonk]

I really am glad that this story is still alive.

I do hope that you continue this great little story, But if you do feel that you aren't inclined to continue it, please do bring it to a close. This is one of the few better stories on the site that really does deserve to be completed if not continued.

I really do look forward to more of this one.

The Monk
"Knowledge is power and power corrupts, so study hard and be evil." - Reykan

[thedarkprep]

Glad to see this back

[Scholarly-Cimmerian]

Glad to see another installment of this story. I really enjoyed Scoots' portion of this chapter!

[Key frame]

Yes. Carpentery

[The Iguana Man]

Spike lit up. “Does this mean I can run the book fair by myself? I was thinking that we could invite Cloud Jester to talk about his newest book-”

I'm curious, is Cloud Jester based on a real writer or a real name or just a name that you came up with out of whole cloth. I ask because as someone who's had to come up with number of pony versions of comics-writers' names for my own stories, I rather like it - has the feel of a pony writer without seeming too on-the-nose.

Also appreciate that you actually made it a name that a pony might have rather than just taking a real name and making it into a horse pun. Not that that can't be fun sometimes, but I do prefer it this way, since it feels more inkeeping with the overall world.

[TheGreatEater]

Nice chapter. Look forward to the next one.

[Dreadnought]

I do hope that you haven't canceled this story.

Dreadnought

[RaylanKrios]

10484716
I haven't canceled it i just haven't felt like writing it. I can tell you how it ends of you want?

[Dreadnought]

10488590
Well, I'd like to be surprised. That being said, I would like to find out its ending as I've invested so much in this story. So, maybe you could post it in a blog or email it to me, and if you do cancel it, I can at least have some closure.

[superfun]

It took me a while to get around to reading this, but I still hope it ends with Dash adopting Scootaloo.
I mean, it makes too much sense.

[Radiant Shadow]

10488590
So it's dead. Truly a sad day in history.

[Wahtiff]

9759402
Exactly right. Ironically, I made that comment two months before I actually started studying that sort of thing for my major.

[Gyro Pony]

Welcome Back !

[Pinkameanie]

[Pinkameanie]

Love, love, love, really want to read more, please update

[Thyrrnatf]

Interesting story ☺️

[JockeTF]

Very nice spin on this!

Would like to see it finished someday.