Agents of Discord

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 33: A wild Scootaloo appears

Dinner that night was simple, but it had the advantage of candlelight and a warm fire. Well, that and emergency lighting. Nothing adds to ambiance like emergency lighting.

“Soon as we are done eating let's get all the fires going so none of the pipes freeze,” Flora offered.

“Sounds good to me. I should probably get a fire going downstairs first,” Aerie offered. “If we leave the door open the heat will just radiate up into the rest of the house.”

When aerie got downstairs she was surprised to find that not only was the fire already going but there was a magenta-haired girl sleeping in one of the chairs. The only light, emergency light, and the light from the fire.

Aerie motioned to the others to be quiet and went to the bedroom only to find it was a mess. Wonderbolt posters and a picture of Rainbow Dash, the pony, a picture of Snap and Mane Shutter adventurers, and a carefully set aside scooter, gave her a strong indication of who the girl was.

Aerie got a blanket, took it out to the front room, and used it to cover the girl.

“Do you know who she is?” Flora asked in a whisper.

“Scootaloo Shutter if I’m not mistaken.” Aerie offered in like volume. “She’s come through from the other side. Question is, what’s she doing here instead of home where she belongs? That and by the looks of the bedroom she’s been living here for a while now. She’s kind of thin too. Think I’ll let her sleep for now.”

Aerie quietly crept away from Scootaloo and went out to the vault which was for all practical reason a bomb shelter under Sussex street. Not a good one, but still serviceable. After all, wizard magic could help prevent direct hits. There was a door across from the house made of iron, with steps down into the vault. The room was nearly as large as the front room of the basement and sported a very large fireplace with cooking apparatus on one side and a substantial mantel over the hearth on which rested an old bronze pot. Aerie speculated that the flue likely vented out through the storm drain vents. The room sported shelving for supplies of which some looked like they’d been there a while, several cots that were presently folded up and stacked in a corner, about one chord of firewood stacked along one wall, a portion of which was finely split kindling, and a large container of coal. There was also another iron door on the far side.

“Once we get the fires going we can put a little coal on to keep it going all night,” Flora offered. “I brought some buckets.”

“That door?”

“No way to open it. Allegedly it’s an emergency exit to the storm drains.”

“Imagine being holed up in here during the blitz.” Aerie shuddered at the idea. Basil’s ancestors had likely started with a root cellar and expanded its functionality.

“I can remember my parents talking about the blitz. They live out in the country now. If the weather clears up we are going to go visit them. Come on, let’s get what we need and get out of here.”

“That pot on the mantel?” Aerie asked as she filled a bucket with coal.

“Throw it at a fire and it makes green smoke. It’s kind of gone off though. Why?”

“The fireplace itself may have been a way for your ancestors to come and go. Get to important wizard functions.”

Flora reached up and took the pot down. She took the lid off, set that back, and then pulled out a small handful.”

“Toss some at the ash pit cover and let's see what happens.”

“Sure, why not? Not like I expect…” Flora tossed her handful and was delighted at getting a little puff of green smoke. “How’s it work?”

“I think we need fresh powder and to get back we need to know how it’s addressed.”

“In that case, we can play with it later. Flora put the pot back, lid on it, and then gathered up an armful of firewood. The two made their way back out into the weather. Flora turned, locked it with a large key, and then the two went back into the basement flat.

Aerie stopped to stoke up the fire while Flora continued upstairs. When Aerie had finished adding a couple of bits of coal onto the fire she sat back on the chair opposite Scootaloo.

Scootaloo’s breathing was no longer as calm as it had been.

“It’s alright, I’m a pony too,” Aerie offered, realizing Scootaloo must be awake. “Would you like something to eat?”

Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes. “You the ghost in the attic?”

“You transform into a bipedal hairless ape on coming into this place and you want to know if I’m the ghost in the attic?”

“Well?”

“Just out of curiosity, how many floors does this place have?”

“Just the ground floor, and attic. Why, don’t you know?”

“Only the one. Curious. So in Equestria, this is a single-floor cottage.”

“If you are a pony you should know that.”

“Came into this world by other means. Only just discovered the back door connected to Equestria.”

“What means?”

“Discord.”

“Bucking discord wrecked my house. He turned everything upside down and the ponies are still cleaning up. Not everything, that’d be too predictable. Just a random assortment and my house just happened to be one.”

“Parents on one of their adventures I gather. Why didn’t you go to your aunts?”

“I… don’t actually know how to contact them.”

“And no one was able to help you? I mean surely Twilight would have let you stay with her. Heck, in my world you are related to Spitfire. Multiverse.”

“Spitfire? As in the Wonderbolt?”

“No telling if that holds true for you or not. Different world, may have similar individuals but the lines of fate often connect to different lives. Now, you can stay for however long it takes.
“Now, the thing is, on this side of that doorway, this is the basement.”

“You mean there’s more?”

“Figured out the bookshelf?”

“Ya, though I was surprised to see it had been left open, I figured I must have done it. Normally I’d put it back when I left. The view has changed too.”

“The view out the front is kind of dependent on either the location of my trunk or whether or not I’ve opened the door upstairs I think. Haven’t really tested it out though. Where was it?”

“Haunted castle, and just a window.”

“Ah, yes. That would be Hogwarts.
“Well, come on upstairs, and we’ll see what we can scrounge up for you that you’d find palatable. Maybe some toast and marmalade?” Aerie offered as she got up. “And I can introduce you to my adopted family.”

Scootaloo got up, and with a little help made it up the stairs. They found Flora in the kitchen cleaning up in the light of emergency light and a couple of electric lanterns.

“Oh, hi there. You’re our little guests. Scootaloo wasn’t it?”

“How about we go with Louise on this side,” Aerie suggested.

“Louise?” Scootaloo asked.

“It can be your human name.”

“Would you like some stew?” Flora asked.

“It’s like Griffin food,” Aerie cautioned.

“I’ve had Griffin food. Mom and dad made sure I was exposed to lots of different kinds of foods. I gather you mean there’s meat in it. I’m fine, it won’t gross me out or anything.”

“Well then, let’s get you something to eat,” Flora offered, and got Louise set up with a bowl of stew in the dining room. It wasn’t hot, but Louise didn’t seem to care as she dug in. To be honest it was anybody’s guess when she last had a decent meal.

Aerie got out some bread, butter, and marmalade to be sociable.

“Oh, there you are… Scootaloo?” Aurora said as she came into the dining room.

Scootaloo flinched.

“It’s alright, everyone here is a friend,” Aerie reassured.

“Sorry, just being here makes me a little nervous.”

“Sorry I startled you. I’m Aurora Summers.”

“Summers?” Scootaloo asked as Aurora sat across from her.

“Ya, only when I'm in Equestria I go by Summer Sunshine.”

“I guess I’m going to go by Louise while I’m here.”

“Oh, hey, maybe you’ll get to go to Hogwarts.”

“I think she has to actually live in England… oh,” Aerie said softly.

“That haunted castle?”

“Even if she has enough magic to qualify I’m not so sure I like the idea of her going to Hogwarts. It’s going to take a while to deal with Riddle.”

“What’s Hogwarts?” Scootaloo pressed.

“School of magic,” Aerie provided. “And yes, it’s haunted.”

The sound of a bell ringing ended the conversation.

“It’s Nova Silverwood,” Aerie announced.

“Want me to get the door?” Aurora asked.

“No, you’re a guest. I’ll get it,” Flora replied and went out into the entry hall.

“You know, you might have let me know sooner what you needed,” Nova said as she entered the dining room. “What’s she doing here?”

“The fact that you don’t already know means it’s fine,” Aerie replied. “And to be honest I thought I’d be able to purify those things on my own.
“Maybe this will provide Sirius with the opportunity to reconcile with Kreacher.”

“You think they should reconcile? Sirius harbors a lot of resentment.”

“Letting go of that resentment would be beneficial.”

“Can’t say you're wrong. Now, Scootaloo, or Louise?”

“Louise Shutter. At least on this side of my back door.”

“Your back door?” Nova cocked her head sideways. “Maybe you should show me?”

“I’ll be right back,” Aerie offered, got up, and headed for the entry hall. Scootaloo went back to eating to include the bread and marmalade Aerie had been nibbling on.

Once down in the basement kitchen Aerie climbed up onto the chair by the door and turned the dial to reveal the exit into Equestria.

“And Bob’s your Uncle, I believe is the correct English phrase,” Aerie offered as the lights went back on.

Nova did some kind of spell and announced, “It’s my world alright. Timelines have synchronized too.”

“We are probably going to need identification and a Visa for our Miss Louise Shutter. At least until we sorted her out.”

“Aurora can go with her tomorrow. Did she say why she was here? Or how?”

“Apparently when Discord turned a bunch of houses topsy turvy her’s got dropped and never sorted. That and she never had the courage or forethought to actually ask for help.
“Um, just Aurora?”

“I can’t. That is, if I even so much as step foot or hoof through that door it could have unforeseeable consequences. You can go, but you are going to be needed at the Ministry tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’ll come and get you. After that use the name you are using now.”

“Lovely. Aerie the Potter’s daughter.”
She said with just a touch of sarcasm. “About?”

“Marcus Flint. Care to share why you decided to throw him an alibi?”

“I believe that when people die in Azkaban they become Dementors. Make no mistake, he can rot in Tartarus for eternity for all I care, I just don’t want him getting turned into something that is far worse than he already is.”

Nova let out a frustrated sigh. “I can’t dispute it.
“I’ve lobbied to get the place shut down, but no one knows how to deal with the Dementors.”

“Go to Inariyama. You know, Japan?”

“You think they might know?”

“If they don’t they are bound to know who can.”

“Ah, there you are,” Sirius offered as he entered the kitchen. He stopped and said nothing for a moment.

“My home. I can’t go, not just yet.”

“Have you met Louise? She’s upstairs,” Sirius wanted to change the subject just as fast as he could. “A person would think she’s never seen a telly before.”

“She probably hasn’t,” Aerie offered. “A good deal of what she is seeing, it’s probably the first time she’s ever seen it.”

Comments

[harts fire]

welcome aboard Scootaloo grab a hole it's going to be a bumpy ride.