Master looked at me. As I sat down at the kitchen island, he kept cooking. I looked around. Master and I had only really been in here once, and that was after I slept with Dash. So sitting here was less than pleasant. It’s like going to the dentist even if you’re going for someone else: the feeling’s there.

“Master, are you mad at me?” He stopped and looked at me.

“Why would you think that?”

“Well, you seem unhappy with me sometimes, and I don’t know why. Is there a reason why you don’t want me to touch you?” He turned away and continued without a word. I didn’t have a clue, but he was ticked off about something and I didn’t know or understand why. “I demand you talk to me.” He chuckled as I got onto the table.

“Off the table.” I did a little dance, but he looked at me, frowning.

“Nope.”

“I'll whip you for every minute you’re on there.” I got off quickly and sat down. While eying him, I started to think. It was probably my falling out of the sky that had him in a bad mood. Then again, he wouldn’t let me touch him this morning either. I got off the chair and silently crept over to him. I went under him and looked up toward him. He seemed fine in appearance, from what I could tell.

“So why?” He jumped to the side, away from me.

“What are you doing!?!?” He shouted.

“I’m checking to make sure you’re alright. You seem off today.” He grunted.

“For goodness sakes, I assumed you would be happy I’m not touching you.” I blushed. I had honestly gotten used to it, and at this point, I kind of expected it. He picked me up with his magic, setting me back onto the chair and going back to cooking.

“Tell me.” I growled, but a spatula spanked me. I turned around as it flew back over to him.

“Sorry, Master.”

“I just haven’t been feeling well today, that’s all. It’s not important. I'll get back to enjoying my pet when it suits me.”

“Yes Master.” He finished cooking and slid a plate in front of me. I paused as a bottle of apple wine came out of a cabinet and set down on the table with a glass. He poured himself some and drank it. “Master, you’re scaring me; is it something wrong?” He growled.

“It’s nothing serious; just the stomach flu, alright. The medication I’m taking makes me unable to get up. There’s nothing I can do about it, and I don’t feel like it. However, since I can’t have you going one day without it, I have been just eating you out. Are you satisfied with that answer, you stupid brat?” He growled, and I smiled. A great challenge if I ever heard one; this was going to be fun.

“Yes, but that medicine won’t stop me.”

“You know what.” He slammed his hoof on the table, making the plates bounce. “Get your little plot upstairs.”

“The food.” He paused.

“Eat first.” I finished eating quickly and then stared at him eating. I grinned, and he became a little nervous.

As he savored his last piece, I got up onto the table. Standing on the table and staring him down, I was ready for my attack. After the piece melted in his mouth and he gulped, I jumped across the table. Surprising him, I then tackled him to the ground and flipped him back-first into the wall and forced him to lean against it. I kissed him, mixing our tongues together. Master was considerably stronger than I wanted to think. A little push was nothing to him. I stopped after a moment; he tasted of apple wine.

“Bitter.” I said and he chuckled.

“I’m a little drunk.” I kissed him, enjoying the flavor of his food and the apple wine’s taste. My tongue went numb, and my head clouded a tiny bit. “Looks like a filly can’t handle her liquor.”

“I can handle you.” A shot glass flew down to me.

“Would you like to try it?”

“Is it from Applejack’s farm?”

“Yes, actually.” He put it to my lips, and I drank it. I fell onto him, my mind clouding almost instantly as everything went numb. I smiled and kissed him. “Do you drink apple wine often or is this your first? You didn’t seem like a drinker.”

“Apple Bloom got an entire bottle from Applejack; actually, it was twice that size. We drank the entire bottle together. I beat them so badly they passed out while I enjoyed half the bottle by myself.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Yep. Applejack makes the best, and I can’t stand the wine from anywhere else. I’ve tried a few times, just don’t tell anypony.” I winked as he chuckled. “Can I have some more? Her apple wine is really good.”

“Sure, but not too much. You have a test tomorrow.” I babbled after a few more shots as he had a few cups.

I fell asleep on him waking up a few hours later. “Ugh.” I mumbled, waking up in his bed. I had a headache, and a big one. I looked at Master passed out next to me; I chuckled lightly. I kissed him and got up, going to the bathroom and running a warm shower over my head.

“Hangover?” Sethi asked. Her voice startled me. She walked over and set some orange juice down. I took it and started drinking; it helped.

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“Who do you think put you both to bed?”

“Oh, thanks.” She set an apple down. I grabbed it and bit into it. I enjoyed it too much as it slid down my throat. She smiled, going over to Master. She woke him up as well and he joined me in the shower, pulling me close to him. I smiled.

“Enjoying your hangover?” He asked with one eye open.

“Yes, Master.” He laughed grinning.

“How long before she needs to get to school for the test?”

“Three hours.” Sethi said, setting some clothes down for me.

“Oh, I’m missing my pool. It helps so much with hangovers.” Master said, putting his head under the shower stream.

“You have a pool?” I asked eyeing him as my head pounded.

“Yep, in the basement; we can go for a swim if you like.”

“There’s a river if you want to jump in with me.” He paused, then chuckled. “I’m thinking that’s a good idea.”

“No, we don’t want to get swept away. We want a pool, not a fast moving body of water to sit in and enjoy.” I smiled, feeling his warm body. Once our headaches died down after an hour, we returned to bed.

“Master, is your stomach feeling better?” He looked at me, then hugged me as I lay next to him on the bed.

“Yes. Much better, but we should get some more sleep before your test. Then, after if my stomach feels better, we can celebrate.” He kissed my forehead, making me smile. We cuddled till we fell asleep.

I woke up before Master, and I sat up, cracking my neck. I looked at him asleep, his blue coat hair was a mess. I giggled and kissed his cheek before I got dressed silently. I then went downstairs, and I paused seeing Sethi asleep on the sofa. I went outside, quietly going through the front door and was blinded by the light for a few seconds.

The sun felt great, making me sit down. Closing the door behind me, I lay down on my belly. The cool earth and warm sun felt wonderful. I closed my eyes for a few minutes before spreading my wings and taking flight. I landed in front of the school and went inside. I looked up at two unicorn stallions; one was black and the other was green. I then looked at Cheerilee. They looked at me, and I went to the only desk in the room, which was clearly for me. The two ponies were to my right with a large table and Cheerilee behind her desk.

“Scootaloo, this is Gen and Ren, green and black respectively. They are your testers from Canterlot U.” Cheerilee said, smiling kindly.

“And you know me.” I paused as Menta joined them, her voice bouncing around inside my head.

“Ouch.” I said rubbing my head.

“Sorry, that can be an effect sometimes.” Menta said appearing next to me. I chuckled. It wasn’t because of her. I still had a slight hangover. Ren gave me a test paper packet.

“This is a comprehensive testing,” Gen started, and I nodded. “We will be testing your strengths and weaknesses to best we can to make the best course plan for you. Since you’ve already been accepted and passed, all you need to do is your best. Don’t worry if you are only at basic school level; you’re still in.”

“Thanks.” I said smiling a bit. I guess it looked more like a smirk, but honestly, it was more like my future was doomed no matter what I did. So bring it on.

“Don’t guess,” Gen said waving a hoof. “If you don’t know, leave it blank. We would rather know what you don’t know then know what you can guess at it. The testing is not timed, but we would not like to take days unless you need it.”

“Sounds good.”

“This is the first test,” Ren started. “Do not worry about passing it at all; this is just a jump test. If you do pass it, then we know you’re at a certain level.” I nodded. “Just don’t worry. You’ll do fine.”

“I know.” He gave me a pencil and I opened the test, looking through it for a few minutes and closing my eyes. I rubbed my head as I opened the packet and started writing. I easily filled out the answers, recalling all the information I needed almost instantly. It took me about an hour to complete the test.

“Are you done?” Gen asked. I passed the test to him, and they each took one half of the packet, looking over my answers. They finished about the same time and touched their horns together. Their horns glowed.

“One hundred percent.” Ren said.

“That’s impressive.” Menta said, and I smiled.

“I’m going to party so hard after this.” I said, laying my head down and feeling the nice coolness of the desk.

“That was college-entry level,” Gen said smiling. “We have a ways to go before you’re done. In fact, that just made the testing we’ll be doing harder,” I sighed, “so don’t get too comfortable with one victory.” I sat up uneasy at his words.

“Bring it on.” I said grinning, and he chuckled darkly.

“Oh, I will.” They pulled out a packet and blasted it with magic, then did that for nine others. I frowned a bit, and they gave me the first one. I opened it and paused. These were hard questions. I would have to write out them out.

I started; it took me two hours to complete it, having to double check my answers to make sure they were right. I gave it back, and they checked it again. I completed the tests the best I could before I fell face first onto my desk. They looked at me. It was rather late by the time I was done, and the tests showed me just how little I really knew. All my studying helped, but damn.

“You can go home.” Ren said and I looked at him for a moment. “We’re done.”

“What?” I looked up at him slightly confused, and then at Gen.

“Oh yeah,” Gen said, looking up from the packet. “We finished testing. You made the highest mark that we can give you. You pretty much passed everything. We’ll send a letter that shows your classes and when you start. You can go and party if you like.” I grinned, but my smile faded.

“Thanks.” I got up rather mentally tired and went outside. I started walking back to Master’s. Which was a remarkably long walk. I wasn’t used to walking so darn far, but I didn’t want to go just yet. Something inside me told me to run and hide, but I had decided to give up. It was much less painful than running.

The sound of a sewing machine made me halt. I paused as I looked up. I had ended up in front of Rarity’s shop. It would be pointless to go to her now, even she wouldn’t deny that. There was really no hope left. I kicked a rock bouncing toward Master’s house. I couldn’t run, he’d catch me and he knew it as well as I did.

I started walking and went to Master’s house and stopped outside the door. I sat down and looked up. It was about the normal time I would have gotten home from school. I sighed after a while and opened the door.

Master looked at me, and I almost froze, seeing everything packed up or just gone. He was almost done packing; most of everything was already gone. I went over and flopped on the sofa, the only thing really left.

“How’d you do?” He asked, closing a box with his magic.

“Come over here and be my pillow.” I ordered. He chuckled and went over to me, hugging me before moving onto the sofa and letting me use his foreleg as a pillow. They were not only really firm but comfortable. Allowing me to lay on my back under him, I looked up.

“So?” He asked, and I sighed.

“Can I just sleep today?”

“Of course. Till the train arrives, but a bed is nicer for that. Also you have to tell me how you did.”

“Do we have to leave Ponyville? Can I say goodbye to my friends?”

“No. Tell me.”

“I passed as much as I could. They gave me tests that, well, it would be impossible for me to know the answers to. They will send me a letter of my classes and when I need to go in a few weeks.”

Master kissed me as he put me on his back. I snuggled into his mane taking in his warm scent. He had a blue berry smell interlaced in his hair. It’s softness wrapped around me in affectionate delight.

We went upstairs and he laid me down. Wrapping me up in a blanket tightly on his large bed. Testing was so draining I didn’t really care that I wasn’t that tired. My body wanted to sleep right now. It was odd considering I had slept so much before, but I didn’t want to argue with my body. I never listened to me anyway forcing me to fall asleep.

Cold darkness surrounded me, smoking with wisps of icy chill. I looked, hoping to gain some sense of where I was. Recognizing such a familiar place in moments. It was the place which hunted me so much. My own dark dreamscape. It was just like any other dream, darkness suffocating and lonely. Nothing but pain and sorrow waiting for me just behind the dark walls surrounding my everything.

“Where are you little one?” I looked around in the cold darkness. Master had left me alone to the coldness.

“I’m here.” I whispered, and my voice echoed around me, making the darkness ripple like water.

“What’s your name?” Luna’s voice was soft and caring. I looked up. She could hear? She could hear me!

“Scootaloo!” I nearly shouted.

“Scootaloo.” The darkness ripped apart and light flooded in around me. I looked around, blinking from the bright light. Luna came over to me. I stared at her shocked. “It’s been so very long.” She hugged me tightly, and I paused unsure.

“Y-you can see me?”

“Yes, now tell me why you are in such darkness. This darkness is pure. It scares even I, and I control dreams.”

“No, he’ll kill you!” I got up, backing up from her.

“Who will?” She asked, and tears went down my face. Blood started dripping onto the ground from my belly. I started to panic.

“No, I’ve been good! Don’t cut me open again! No, someone save me!”

“Who!?” She shouted. I tried to speak, but I spat up blood, making me gag and cough as if my tongue had been ripped out.

“Someone even you will learn to fear, Princess.” She looked up at blades. Fear went across her face for a moment as they ripped her apart. “What did I tell you about telling others?” Master’s voice growled, making him appear. I stared at him; it was as if he was made out of darkness smoke coming off his very being.

“I didn’t.” I cried as my throat went dry. “Please, I didn’t tell her anything!”

“Liar!” I turned and started running. A pain to my head woke me up. I snapped up, rubbing my head and realizing I had run into a wall on the train. I looked at Master and Sethi, both with surprised looks on their faces.

“How?” I asked confused.

“We’re on a train to Canterlot.” Master said, and I stared at him for a moment as my brain started working again. “Is something wrong?” I should’ve told Rarity. She wouldn’t be happy that I left without a word, and Dash, well, she would probably come see me. I snuggled into Master, and he pulled me close.

“Where are my parents?” I looked up at him.

“In the next cart. This whole cart is mine.” He motioned to the well padded open cart surrounding us. It had a single walkway going to the back of the train. The rest of it was in blue and red velvet felts.

“Did you get my scooter?” He chuckled, and I looked down.

“Right, like I would forget your most important toy in the world.”

“Thank you.”

“Is something else wrong?” Sethi asked. I looked at her with a worried look. I then turned to Master.

“I should’ve said goodbye instead of sleeping.”

“Well, if any of them make it to Canterlot U before you graduate, I’m sure you can talk to them then. Or if they come to Canterlot, you can see them. And if you miss them that much, then just send them letters to talk to them.” Master said.

“Really!?” I asked, and he smiled.

“Of course, I never said you couldn’t have distant friends. You just can’t have close friends that snoop where they aren’t wanted. So go back to sleep; we still have an hour ride.” I looked around a little.

“Actually I’m going to go get some air.”

“Don’t go far or leave the train.”

“What are you, my father or my Master?” Master chuckled as I jumped down from his large cushion area onto the path.

My hooves clopped against the carpet as I walked of the back of the cart. Then into the gangway connection between the carts. Metal railing guarded the sides and a large metal plate under my hooves which made a loud clanging sound as I moved over to the railing. I looked out as the landscape passed by the train.

“Are you alright?” I looked at my dad as he sat next to me. I laughed a bit too hard, and he frowned. “Bad question.” He said with a sad smirk.

“I’m as fine as I’m going to be. I'll rest when I’m dead, I guess.” He frowned, looking at the setting sun.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Dad, I love you.” He pulled me close to his leg.

“I love you too, Scootaloo.” He smiled kissing my forehead.

“Dad.”

“Yes?”

“Would you kill me?” He froze solid, staring at me. He blinked for a moment and then pulled me tighter to him. “Then escape with mom to safety?” His body trembled.

“Is that—is that what you r-really want?” He stuttered, tears brimming.

“I’m not allowed to kill myself, and for what’s ahead, I can’t even imagine what he’ll do to me. When we get there, I won’t have to go into public, and it won’t matter how much I scream, beg or cry. He won’t need to stop for anything or anyone. Once we get there, I’m dead to the world.”

“I love you.” He whispered as he hugged me, pulling me close to him with tears going down his face. I felt him squeeze my neck, his grip slowly got tighter and tighter.

“Thank you.” I whispered, kissing his foreleg. His grip loosened instantly, and he got up, stepping away from me. I coughed and looked at him surprised.

“No-no-no, there has to be another way.” I got up, clearing my throat, and his body tensed making him back up.

“Then tell me!” I shouted stomping. “Tell me.” My tears blew away with the wind disappearing, just like I was going to.

“I don’t have a daughter that just gives up! We will find a way. You can’t ever give up hope! Never ask me to do that again!” He shouted, and he went back into the cart. My hind legs gave out, making me fall against the railing. I looked down as my body trembled, tears running down my face. Not even my own father would save me from this; he knew and yet, he really didn’t care about me. He didn’t really love me.

“Hello there.” I looked up at Ren. He hadn’t made a sound even against the metal paneling of the train floor. I paused for a moment, his black coat shined in the setting sun’s red light, giving him a rather creepy feeling in appearance.

“Hi.” He sat with me, and a heavy scent of death washed over me. After a few minutes, I looked at him. “Why are you sitting with me?” I asked as I wiped my tears away. He chuckled, giving a warm smile, but somehow it still made me uneasy.

“It’s never a good thing to be sad and alone. I have an idea why you’re sad from Menta, but I’m here if you would like to talk.”

“My Master wouldn’t.” I paused for a moment. “I didn’t mean…” He held up a hoof, stopping me.

“Don’t worry; nothing you say to me will ever leave my lips if you don’t want it. I’m a counselor at school. I have been for years. I’ve dealt with everything from stalking to abuse of loved ones.”

“I can’t tell you.”

“I suppose that’s up to you.”

“No, it’s not that; any pony I tell will die.”

“Oh, I see. One of those relationships.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, has your Master killed anyone?”

“Yes.” He raised an eye brow.

“Oh?”

“He even carved off my cutie marks and made them into a tie.” He rolled his eyes, and I laughed.

“When’d you figure out I’m one of his spies?”

“Kila, I thought you were his assassin.” He face hoofed. “Oh come on! I knew the second you sat down. Your scent is pretty strong. Not only that, but the way you moved said it all. You didn’t need to say anything for me to know.”

“I guess I should take more showers, and move coarser.”

“Yeah, so are you going to tell him what I said?”

“No, you were screwing with me. Plus since you figured it out, you get a pass. Anyway, I already knew what he was doing to you.” He chuckled, making me frown. “I know it sounds pretty bad, but all my parents did was hit me. My dad raped me a few times, and I was able to become a killer.”

“I don’t want to become a killer.”

“No, you’ll become much worse, I can’t even imagine. You’ll grow up with pain, and as you mature, the pain will become a turn on and you’ll enjoy it. I know I did. It’ll take breaking a bone or two for me not enjoy it, which is why I haven’t been beaten in a fight yet. I simply enjoy it too much, and any pony I’m fighting becomes scared of that.”

“How much would it cost to kill me?” He looked at me.

“You said you wouldn’t… Oh.” He chuckled. “You never said you wouldn’t have others kill you.” I smirked. “For you, a hundred thousand.” I looked at him smiling. “It would take living on the run for the rest of my life for it to be worth it. I would have to hide, and that’s not an easy or cheap task.”

“For a hundred thousand, could you save me?”

“Yes, but what about your friends?” I looked down. “He would find you whether you want him to or not. You care for others, and you’re not alone.” He hugged me lightly. “Anyway, don’t worry. He really does plan on keeping you.” I sighed looking down.

“That’s what I’m scared of. At least killing me would be easy.” My voice cracked a little making me brim tears.

“I suppose then again. I imagine you’d like the challenge.” My ears twitched making me look at him.

“What?” I asked a bit annoyed.

“Well, I mean the challenge of living. Dying is easy; living’s hard. The dead don’t feel, and the dead don’t matter. I know. I’ve killed more than even Jerard. I do his dirty work so he doesn’t have to.”

“Would you kill a pony if I asked you to?” He paused.

“Rainbow Dash; what’s she cost? Not that I want you to, but if you were asked?” He paused and looked up.

“That’s like asking if I could kill a dragon.”

“Really?”

“In a fair fight, I’d get killed in half a second. No, even that would be too long. I don’t think any pony could kill her in open battle, not even Celestia.” I stared at him shocked, but then again, this was Dash we were talking about. “Now for my methods, I could. It would take a few days or weeks, but I would get her without any pony knowing it was me.”

“So?”

“Setting the living costs aside, about sixteen hundred bits, probably around two thousand bits in the end. It would be extremely risky; not only that, but there are hundreds of things to consider.”

“That’s pocket change to Master.” He chuckled.

“No, that isn’t even pocket change to him. That’s barely the dirt on his shirt. He’s a royal which earned his wealth. He wasn’t born into it; in fact, he lost most of it as he became older. It was only after his mother died that he gained his wealth.”

“Yeah, I heard.”

“Well, he’s special; even at the worst point in his rampage, he’s something else. Don’t worry you’ll see it.”

“Well, it was nice talking to you. You sound nicer than you are.” He grinned. “I'll never give you work, so if Jerard dies, know that you’re out of a job.”

“Oh I’m far from out of a job,” he scoffed. “I don’t just work for Jerard. I work for several ponies, but he has the deepest pockets. Though I guess once he dies, you will. That hardly matters now though, I protect him.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“Well, I should get going.” Kila disappeared, or was he Ren? I couldn’t really figure that one out. However that wasn’t a problem. I looked around for a moment. I could go see my parents, but Master would likely be mad at me for not coming back right away.

My breath whirled in the wind as I got up. I stopped at the door to Master’s private cart, doing my best to regain composure. As much as I wanted to break down. If Master saw that, he’d toy with me to see more tears.

I opened the door sliding it to the right and then going inside. Master and Sethi looked at me as I walked across the carpet to Master. I went next to him sitting down doing my best to give a big smile. If I couldn’t be happy, I could lie to myself that I was.

“Are you alright?”

“I love you Master, I hope you know that.” I nuzzled him as he hugged me. He kept me close to him the whole trip. The train stopped, and I got into a carriage with only him. I closed my eyes while on the carriage, too scared to look, as if not looking would make this better.

“Scootaloo.” Master said. I looked at him outside the carriage. We had arrived at his manor, and it had only felt like seconds. I looked at the ground he was on. Once my hoof connected, I was his forever.

Author's Note

also special thanks to Midnight Legend for editing!

also another one for lol1759 he helped a lot with scene changes!