“Um, hello?” I asked into the air.

“Yes?” the voice replied.

“Um, who is this, and how are you talking to me?”

“Mental link, and my name’s Menta.” I leaned back against the tree.

“Just tell me you’re alive, and that I’m not talking to a ghost or just myself. I’m a lot of things, but I don’t want to be sent the nut-house.”

“Oh, I’m a real pony. I’m in Canterlot right now, watching you.” I looked around a little. “You won’t be able to see me.” I relaxed.

“Okay, Menta, why are you in my head?”

“I’m not in your head. I’m talking to you through your head. I can’t look at your memories or anything like that.” I sighed. “But I’m a Canterlot University rep. The fact that you have an open mental link is very good sign.”

“Wait, can you see everything I do and hear everything I say?”

“Yes, but it’s limited in several ways. For example, I can’t see something if you really don’t want me to see it or if you’re in the restroom. Things like that I’m not able to hear or see; it’ll just appear like a black spot to me.”

“Okay, now why are you talking to me?”

“I'll be moderating you during the tests to make sure you don’t cheat. I normally come the day before so I don’t freak anypony out during the tests. The test is not timed, so you can take days if you need it. The average test time is three days, so…” I paused.

“Could I take a week to do the test?” There was silence.

“Um, yes, but do you think you’ll need that much time?”

“Well, no. I'll only need probably an hour, but could I take that much time?”

“Is there a reason why you would want to?”

“Um, personal?”

“Yes, but understand you won’t be going to school till, let’s see here,” I heard shuffling in the background, “three months two days. That’s when we can add you if you pass, and setting up a dorm would take maybe a week or two.”

“Well, I mean could you make it look like it’d take that long?”

“I understand leaving friends is hard, but this is your future.”

“I…” I paused.

“Or is there something else?”

“Well, it’s complicated.”

“I’m sure it is, but I’m sorry. It’ll only take as long as you need. We won’t extend the time or act like it simply because you want it.” I sighed. “Anyway, have you given thought to what you might major in?”

“Major in? I’m not really sure what I could.”

“Well, there are several dozen fields. Train engineer is a big one; there are always job openings there. Cloudsdale always needs weather conductors. Really, there’s nearly an endless amount of jobs a Pegasus could do if you studied for it. Oh, technology researcher is a big one that Princess Celestia has been meaning to find pony for.” I chuckled.

“Oh wow. Yeah, I never thought about that.” She giggled a little.

“Haven’t given this much thought, have you?”

“No, I’m—it hasn’t really been my choice.”

“I see. Don’t worry; you’ll like what comes from this.”

“Well, I doubt it. I’m only going because I need a royal title.” She paused. “Yeah, you heard me right.”

“Oh, well let me look here.” She looked at a few things. “Whoa!” She said loudly, making me fold my ears.

“What?”

“Are you sure you’re doing this for a title?”

“Well, yeah. Why?”

“First of all, you don’t need to go to school to get a royal title. You can be given that by a prince or princess, and you have strong commendations from both. Not only that, but they are Twilight Sparkle and High Blood. I can honestly tell you that there are very few, if any, more powerful and well-respected ponies out there. Maybe Princess Celestia and Luna, but Twilight is known for her vast intellect. And High Blood, well, he has done so much for the world.”

“Yeah, I know.” I looked away.

“Oh, well, it’s not uncommon among royals, but I wouldn’t have guessed High Blood would do it. I mean, he brings in about a dozen or two on his coin alone in a year, and that’s from him paying, not a scholarship. The ponies he brings in are very amazing.”

“Sounds like a real royal.”

“Actually, you know what. That doesn’t make sense. He could just give you a title if that’s what he wanted with you.” I paused. “You don’t need to go to school or complete a course for that. He must have another purpose for having you go. Not only that, but these test scores and other things in your file. It’s not a simple little thing like that.”

“I’m sure it looks like that.” I got up and stretched. Pain went across my chest like lightning. I grunted a bit.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just pulled something.” I lied.

“Oh my. Are you alright?

“Yeah.” She waited a few seconds before she spoke again.

“Anyway, would you mind doing a few things for me?”

“Like what?”

“Well, I would like to see you study for one thing.” I paused. I guess that made some kind of sense. “Then I would like to see where you live.”

“Any way to do this so I don’t look crazy?” I asked jokingly.

“Oh, right, um, one second.” There was a humming in the back of my head and then a unicorn mare appeared next to me. She was green with red hair. “Okay.” She said smiling. “This is my projection form, but it still has a few kinks. I can make it look like it’s walking around and other stuff, but it won’t move more than a few yards from you.”

“That works.” I started walking, and she started walking with me.

“Well, this is a nice village. I see here on my file that you live in Ponyville. Do you like it?”

“Yeah, I like it here.” She looked at me.

“Oh, I see.” We went to the library and went inside. The projection passed through the wall, and Spike jumped as it passed through him.

“Ghost!” he shouted, running behind Twilight. Twilight eyed me, then her.

“Okay, that’s a first.” Twilight said as she walked over to us.

“Princess! Oh, it’s a pleasure!” She bowed, and Twilight smiled slightly.

“Hi. Care to explain?” she asked me.

“I can,” Menta said quickly. “I’m from Canterlot University. I’m one of the testers. I’m using a spell right now to appear to you, but really I’m just lying in my study.” Twilight’s eyes lit up.

“Really; what spell?” she asked excited.

“I made it myself.” She smiled. “Anyway, I can’t talk about fun. I need to see how Scootaloo studies alone.” Twilight nodded turning. She looked through a few things before she pulled out a book with her magic and set it on the table.

“That’s the only book Scootaloo hasn’t completed yet. I'll leave you be.” I went over to the table and opened the book as Twilight left the room. I took out a notepad from under the table and started to scan the pages, writing a few things down as I read through the book. I finished a few chapters after a while.

“Amazing.” I looked at Menta sitting next to me. “You learned all the points from that book, and you pretty much just looked at the pages. You don’t have an eidetic memory. This is much better. You remembered all the important points, summarized them, and made them simple and complete. I’ve never seen this before. Um, what’s your cutie mark?”

“Scooter-madness.” I smiled and showed it. She eyed it for a few seconds before I covered it up.

“That burn; is it.” I paused realizing she saw a bit of it.

“Don’t mind that.” She bit her lip.

“Right, um, let’s go on. Where do you live?” I got up and went outside.

“Can that fly?” I asked, looking at her.

“Sure.” Wings came out, and the horn disappeared. We flew into the air. I went home and landed in front of Master’s house. I paused. I was used to going here. “High Blood lives here, so you know.”

“Is that where you live?”

“Not really.” I went over to my house and went inside.

“Scootaloo, you’re home.” My dad said, looking up from a newspaper as he sat on the sofa to the right.

“Hey Dad, this is Menta.” She bowed a little. “She’s from CU.”

“Oh, it’s a pleasure. I’m Scootaloo’s father.” Menta looked around.

“You have a very nice home.”

“Thanks.” He looked around.

“Do you not agree?” She asked.

“I agree plenty. But Scootaloo is normally here alone, so...”

“Alone? Does she not have a mother?”

“She has one, but she lives in Canterlot. I live in Cloudsdale normally.” Menta paused, thinking for a minute.

“I don’t understand. Are you telling me that Scootaloo lives here alone with no parents to watch her at all?”

“Well, my wife comes by every few weeks to make sure she’s eating, cleaning, and keeping the house in order, all that. She’s given plenty of bits to live off of. She doesn’t need to be watched normally.”

“Wait-wait-wait, you cannot seriously be telling me that you leave a school age filly at home alone. What if she got robbed or injured or both?” He frowned a little and looked at me. Those words were probably burning him.

“Scootaloo is my daughter. She knows how to act and what to do in an emergency. I never need to tell her, isn’t that right?”

“Yes daddy.” Menta looked at me.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go talk to someone.” He got up and left. She looked at me.

“I’m starting to get an idea of why you want extra time, but at this point, I can’t say I'll be able to help you out yet. Now to your room.” We went to my room, and she looked around at it, stopping when she saw the air tanks.

“If I,” I cleared my throat, “um, knew you were coming, I’d have cleaned up.” Her eyes drifted to the air tanks.

“The air tanks?” I knew it was what she would ask about. “Those are…unusual, and they look like medical use. Do you have a medical condition?”

“I had an accident on my scooter. I cut open my chest, and well, I couldn’t breathe for a while.”

“When did you do that?”

“A long time ago, or it feels like it. Anyway, I don’t need them to breathe anymore. I used to walk around with them on, but don’t worry about that. I’m not going to die. I couldn’t even if I wanted to.” She stared at me and looked around again.

“Your room is rather clean.” I looked around. “You don’t stay in here often do you?”

“No.”

“Where do you stay?”

“I haven’t been sleeping well; nightmares and stuff. So I sleep in my shower.” She smiled lightly

“It’s fine. We know you’re a filly. It’s not uncommon for bed problems. I have two fillies myself. How about you show me your friends and around Ponyville, as well as things you do for fun.”

“My friends and I aren’t really talking right now. Got into a fight over some stupid little things, so…”

“Then things you do for fun.” We left the room. I grabbed my scooter by the front door and held it up. “Oh, that’s a very nice scooter.”

“Riding it, that’s my cutie mark.”

“That’s really impressive. Care to go for a ride?” She asked grinning. “Of course, I'll have to turn this off, but I’d like to see it.” She disappeared, and I looked around. The fact I was alone and had a voice in my head was not lost to me. I paused when I went to reach for my helmet, and my lucky helmet was sitting next to it. “Is something wrong?”

“No, just a little nervous.”

“Don’t worry. Actually, I’d like you not to do anything dangerous. The fact that you have a release that’s a sport is what we wanted. Many have had a bad habit of becoming fat; even I should lose a few pounds.” I giggled. “Anyway, we just wanted to make sure you would fit in nicely.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Actually, as much as you’ve shown me, it’s clear that you meet all the requirements and more. As a matter of fact, all that we need to do is placement, and that’ll be the placement tests tomorrow at your school.”

“Wait, so why are you sending them to me? Am I that special?”

“Well, normally we’d have you come to Canterlot. But since you're one test had such high marks, we decided to send testers to you.”

“Oh.” I went outside stretching my wings out.

“You have a rather beautiful set of wings.”

“Thanks.” I used my wings to propel myself down the road, which was surprisingly easy for me. I shot down the road almost flying at breakneck speeds, doing flips and spinning in the air. “Yeah!” I shouted as I flipped twice in the air and landing on the other side of a donkey, and kept going.

“I thought you weren’t going to do anything dangerous!” She said, panicked. I smirked having gotten lost in my own world.

“I didn’t.”

“You don’t consider that dangerous!?”

“Dangerous is when I have a chance to break my neck, bleed out or die. These are just simple tricks I do for fun. When I get serious, believe me, that’s when you should be worried.” I slid to a stop in front of Rarity’s shop. “Anyway, this is the Carousel Boutique. My friend Rarity owns and runs it.”

“A fashion shop? I don’t think we have any of them on campus. Maybe off, but that’s about it sadly.”

“That’s fine.”

“Hey Scoots!” I paused and looked at Applejack as she ran over to me. Panic went through me. I went to go as she grabbed my wing, throwing me off my scooter and pinning me down to the ground with her hoof. I stared at her shocked. “Where do ya think yer going?” I swallowed.

“Hey, get off her!” Menta appeared. Applejack snorted and Menta stepped back scared.

“This ain’t yer business, lady. Buzz off.”

“I'll get the guards if you don’t.”

“I’m not letting her up till I get answers.”

“Applejack, not now. Please.” I begged.

“I don’t get many chances like this; everyone’s given up. Tell me, who’s been hurtin’ ya right now.”

“Applejack, that pony is from Canterlot University. Do you mind not doing this right now when my future rides on it!”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Menta asked, and Applejack paused.

“Some pony’s been hurtin’ her, and she won’t talk none.” She pressed harder on my chest as tears went down my face.

“Applejack, stop. Please. You’re hurting me.” She eyed me.

“Tears won’t stop me from getting at the truth.”

“Applejack please, off my chest.” I grunted and wheezed trying to breathe. It was like I had been cut open again. She took her hoof off quickly. I turned over away from them and threw up. I gasped; it was getting hard to breathe again. I wiped my mouth as my entire body shook from the pain.

“Um, are ya alright?” Applejack asked as she looked around. A few other ponies were watching.

“I… need… get home.” I said, choking on air as I got up. Things went numb, making me fall onto the ground hard. “I need… to get home… right now.” Applejack picked me up without a word. She rushed me home to my room and laid me on my bed. I put on an air mask quickly and gasped as air filled my lungs. I relaxed, finally able to breathe.

“I think you should leave.” Menta said. Applejack looked at her.

“No. Not till Scootaloo tells me everything.” I strapped the tank onto my back and jumped off my bed going over Applejack. Menta blocked Applejack, but she disappeared as the projection got out of range of me, and Applejack started running after me. I almost broke down my front door as I slid outside and took to the air.

“Oh, no you don’t!” I dodged a rope, but with a heavy tank on my back, I was much slower than normal. I landed in front of Master’s house and rushed inside, not being able to get away otherwise. Applejack ran inside. I jumped behind Master on the sofa. He looked at me and then at Applejack.

“Help!” I shouted. Master got off the sofa. He stood in a battle position, blocking Applejack.

“Applejack what do you think you’re doing?!” he shouted.

“Dang it, I'll be back!” She ran out, and he looked at me breathing hard. He sat down and pulled me close to him.

“Are you alright?” I jumped off the sofa and ran into the restroom. I pulled off my mask and threw up into the toliet. I cleaned up and went back out with the mask on. He eyed me questioningly. “Is everything alright. Why is Applejack chasing you?”

“First, Menta.” She appeared.

“Hello, I’m a test proctor.” Menta said, and surprise went across his face.

“Hi, I’m Jerard. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh, I know who you are. You’re rather well respected.”

“I guess.”

“I actually have a few questions for you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Why are you having Scootaloo enroll in school?” He frowned slightly.

“She has so much potential that it’s staggering. Also, I want her to gain a real education along with the title that goes with it, of course.”

“Are you planning on marrying her once she comes of age?”

“Is that relevant to your decision?” he asked frowning.

“No, she’s already been accepted. She just needs testing tomorrow. Once she takes that, she’ll be placed, and credits as well as other things will be awarded. After that, it’ll be a few months before she can go.”

“We’ll probably be leaving the day after tomorrow for Canterlot.”

“I see. Well then, I’ve seen enough. Scootaloo, you are to be at your normal school a little earlier than normal for test prep. Other than that, I'll see you tomorrow during school.” She disappeared and left my mind.

“I thought you didn’t need that anymore.” Master said, eyeing my tank.

“Applejack was pressing on my chest.”

“Come here.”

“How do I know if she’s still watching?” I asked.

“Come here.” I went over to him, and he pressed his horn to my head. “Princess Luna left a back door open when you were asleep, but she isn’t in there.” He kissed my head. “Now then, what did you tell her? It isn’t normal for her to ask whether or not I will marry you.” He took off my mask and the tank off my back. “What did you say to her?” he growled.

“I said I was only going for title.”

“Is that so? I thought you wanted to go. If all you want is title. I can easily give you that myself.” He kissed my belly. “I can give you a lot of things.” I shifted uneasily. “Tell me, what do you want?”

“An apple.” He looked at me looking away from him.

“Go and get something to eat.” I got off and went into the kitchen, cleaning out my mouth and then eating a few things to give my breath a sweet smell. I went back to him. He turned me back over, removing my clothes and putting them on the table. He then he kissed my neck. I giggled slightly.

“Master, I love you.” He smiled as he licked my chest. “You’re a wonderful Master.” He started kissing lower. “I couldn’t live without you.” He kissed my mare-hood. “Thank you for everything you’ve done and given me.” He started, and I paused seeing his horn. It was considerably longer than most unicorn horns. I licked it, and he stopped.

“Don’t lick my horn; it feels weird.” I started sucking it, but he moved back and looked at me. “I said don’t.”

“I didn’t lick it, but if you don’t want me to suck on that, then give me something else to suck on.” He chuckled.

“Nope.” He went down. I gasped as his tongue went deep.

“But why not; it’s not fair if you’re praising me without reason.”

“Are you questioning me?” he asked playfully. As he started again, I moaned loudly. He continued until I finished. However, it didn’t slow him down for a moment, but only made him go deeper and twist. After a second time, he stopped and licked my belly. He got up and went into the kitchen without a word. I put on my mask. I heard him cooking. My chest still hurt, even though I felt good in some way. I sighed going into the kitchen.

Author's Note

also special thanks to Midnight Legend for editing!