Sticks and Stones

Chapters

Introductions
By Any Means
A Perfect Day

Introductions

~Two days before incident~

Scootaloo stood on her hindlegs and peered over the window sil into the one room schoolhouse. Her curiousity peeked when she overheard Cheerilee asking the new colt to stay behind. Scootaloo scaned the room until she spotted them, Cheerilee sat behind her desk looking down at the colt. He arrived a week ago looking the same way he did today. He had a short chestnut mane and amber eyes, that went strangely well with his light grey coat. He also had on a black and white checkered shirt that covered down to right before his flank, which is what drew Scootaloo's attention in the first place was the fact that he had no cutie mark. Before Scootaloo could continue her train of thought, the last student left the classroom and he began to speak.

"Miss Cheerilee, please listen," He pleaded taking a step toward her desk, "You can't send home that letter."

"I'm sorry, but you know that I have to notify your parents. Your performence this past week hasn't been the best."

He sighed, "Please, I'm begging you," He closed the remaining gap between him an the desk, placing his forelegs atop it to look at Cheerilee eye to eye, "I beg you on my life, do not send that letter."

Cheerilee stood up from behind her desk and trotted around it and toward the window, at which Scootaloo quickly slid down to the ground in a futile attempt at stealth. All Cheerilee had to do was peek out and down to see the orange filly in the short green grass, but all she did was close the window to halfway before returning her attention to the amber eyed colt.

"Why don't you tell me your name and we'll see about the letter," Cheerilee began trotting around the room picking up trash left behind from today's activities.

"I don't know what your talking about," the colt quickly spoke, as though that would stop Cheerilee from going on with the topic.

"You have been here for over a week," Cheerilee stated with an added stomp for good measure, "and nopony knows who you are. You don't even write your name on your papers, and when somepony asks you, you say it's 'Bucky Magee'."

He snickered, "It's not funny. This is serious," Cheerilee calmly stated.

"Why had he said that was his name?" Scootaloo thought. "Why would anypony not want to use their name?"

Cheerilee continued, "Now I understand, you're new and mysterious and want to keep it that way, but you can't just refuse to tell ponies your name, and you especially have to tell your teacher."

The colt stared at the floor, not looking around to avoid eye contact, not deep in his own thoughts, just staring blankly at the floor as though what Cheerilee is saying is going in one ear and out the other. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the mare with years of experince teaching foals. Silence fell between them as Cheerilee waited for a response the colt clearly wasn't going to give. Scootaloo's eyes looked at Cheerilee, then the colt, then back again darting between the two.

Cheerilee broke the silence, "I can't help you if you won't help yourself."

"I understand," He sighed and slowly turned toward the door. Scootaloo slid back down the wall, contemplating what she just heard.

Scootaloo was conflicted, she had been hoping that maybe he'd be willing to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but from what Cheerilee said meant that that probably wasn't going to happen. On the other hoof, that also meant that he didn't have any friends and could use one. "Why not me?" Scootaloo asked herself. "I'm cool. I'm nice. Maybe he'll join if we're friends." She knew it sounded selfish, but she really wanted somepony new to join. Besides that, she was also really interested in this new colt. So, she quickly crafted a plan and put it into action. "Step 1," Scootaloo thought, "Make contact."

Scootaloo trotted to the front of the schoolhouse to see him slowly making his way down the path. She took a step forward before stopping. Her mind went blank, became flustered, unable to come up with a good way to start a conversation. Scootaloo sat back on her haunches and merely stared at the colt, hoping that inspiration would come. "Think, Scootaloo, think!" She mentally shouted. Nothing came to mind. Scootaloo groaned, deciding that by the time she caught up to him, she'd have something to say other than 'What is your NAME!?! TELL ME!' which crossed her mind more than once.

Scootaloo stood up for a moment, mentally preparing herself, and then began to trot towards him at a leisurly pace. With each passing second, she could feel her heart starting to race, but couldn't tell if it was real or just her anxious mind combined with her imagination. Scootaloo quickly closed the gap between them (much faster than she had anticipated), slowing down enough to walk casually beside the colt. He didn't seem to notice her, his head hung low, still staring down the same way he had been back at the schoolhouse, giving Scootaloo a little bit of time to think. "Ok Scoots, think about this. You gotta make a good first impression." At that, she shook out her mane and began.

"Hello," Scootaloo said, hoping that he wouldn't instantly reject her. His eyes widened, he then looked up and over to see the purple maned orange coated filly smiling at him.

He returned the gesture. "Hello," He said sounding more like a question while turning his gaze to the path in front of them instead of the ground.

"My name's Scootaloo,"

"Wow, that's a pretty cool name," He said not looking back.

Scootaloo felt her cheeks warm at 'pretty' unable to tell if it was genuine or not, but kept the conversation going, "Uh...thanks. So, your the new colt, huh?"

"It would seem so."

She once again drew a mental blank, so they traveled in silence. Not an awkward one, but a relaxing one, which Scootaloo thought was weird considering she knew nothing about this pony. She took this time to look back over her shoulder to see that the schoolhouse was more than a short ways away, and that at some point, they had made a left going away from Ponyville. She shrugged it off since she lived out this way. Her mind finally cooperating with her, she spoke.

"So, where're ya from?"

"From Ponyville," He stated matter of fact like.

"Really? How come I haven't seen you around before?"

"Probably 'cause I live more than a little ways from the town. I rarely came to town anyway."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know," He slightly stretched those words and seemed to ponder that for a moment, though to Scootaloo, the whole thing reeked of sarcasm.

They continued on the path for a little while in silence. The only sound between them was the soft clop of their hooves against dirt. Scootaloo hung slightly back, getting a closer look at him. "He really does look exactly the same as he did a week ago." Scootaloo thought still examining him. His coat was matted in around his neck and right at the bottom edge of his shirt, his mane was short and tangled in the back, making it seem more curly than it is. His tail was much like his mane only it the entire thing that looked curly. Scootaloo's gaze went back to the edge of his shirt, where she saw something unusual. What she saw was a spot, black and misshappen and easily visable on his light grey coat. Not just that, but only half of it could be seen, the neatly hidden under his checkered shirt. "Could be some sort of birthmark," Scootaloo reasoned, but was yanked out of her thoughts as the colt said her name.

"Hey, Scootaloo,"

She shook her head, "Huh?"

"Not to be rude but, any particular reason your walking with me?" He calmly inquired.

"I'm not sure I understand."

"It's just...nopony has ever walked with me without some reason in mind. Just curious to why you would is all."

"Well, uh..." Scootaloo struggled to come up with something, so she said, "I live this way anyway, and I hadn't introduced myself. Besides, thought you could use the company." It wasn't a lie, so why did she still feel bad. "That does make sense, right?" she asked herself.

"Hmmm, makes sense. Introductions on the way home," The statement understandably startled her, causing her to slightly trip before catching herself, she then carried on and tried to pretend that hadn't just happened. The colt didn't seem to notice, she let out a small sigh of relief and trotted to catch up. The comfortable silence returned as they slowly trotted along.

After a time, they began to approach a fork in the road, one on the left leading toward Sweet Apple Acres and the other lead to the far outskirts of Ponyville. Directly ahead was a small but dense forest. Scootaloo knew it wasn't the Everfree forest, that was on the far side of this one, seperated by a path similar to the one they were on. When the two of them reached the fork, they stopped. The colt held up a hoof to stop as he walked toward the forest. Scootaloo sat down at the edge of the path. The colt walked to the first tree and hit it three times with his forehoof, at which the leaves rustled for a moment before a basket fell from the tree and onto his back. He winced for a split second, hardly noticable to anypony. Anypony other than Scootaloo perhaps. He trotted back to her and placed the basket between them. Scootaloo's mind summoned many questions, so she went with the first one.

"Uh...Where'd the basket come from?"

"Up in the tree," He said while digging in the basket for something, Scootaloo just glared.

"I mean, how did it get up there?"

"I put it there this morning," the colt chuckled, "I usually get hungry on the walk home, so I occasionally put a basket up in the tree filled with...Ah ha!" He shouted, holding an bright red apple on his hoof. He tossed it to Scootaloo who promtly caught it in her hoof and took a bite. He brought out another one and chomped the thing down in a single bite. "He must be really hungry," Scootaloo thought still chewing after her first bite.

In the short time they sat there, he had eaten nine apples while Scootaloo had a whomping two. She had never been that much of an eater, especially where apples were involved. She wasn't the biggest fan, but the occasional apple was always good in her opinion. Scootaloo realized that she was pondering her own opinion of apples and decided that now would be the best time for a conversion with somepony other than herself.

"Those apples were delicious!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"Ah, they were indeed," He said now resting on his back, forelegs behind his head. "I think i have a couple more in the basket, if you want some more."

"Thanks, but I think I'm good," She said now attempting to lay in the same manner.

It took her a bit, but after spending five minutes adjusting to the ground, she finally felt relaxed. Of course, as if irony itself chose that moment perfectly, he too chose that moment to roll back over and get up. Scootaloo didn't feel like getting up just yet, so she closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. She heard him grasp the basket in his teeth and trot away from her, his hoofsteps barely audible in the soft grass. Soon, the rustle of leaves greeted her ears and the soft clop of hooves toward her followed shortly thereafter. She felt something softly poke her belly, she opened her eyes to see him smiling down, his hoof outstretched to help her up. Scootaloo sighed, not wanting to get up, but took his hoof and did it anyway.

"That was...fun," He said as he pulled her up with an unsure smile pastored on his face.

"Yeah...it was," Scootaloo agreed. At that, his smile corrected itself into something of a more genuine nature. He looked away from her as unaware of how to proceed. Scootaloo lifted her hoof and moved it toward his shoulder, she understood that this was probably something he wasn't used to and just wanted to show him that he was doing fine. As her hoof advanced, however, he turned his gaze back to see her hoof approaching him and he fliched back and crouched down to the ground. At this display, Scootaloo withdrew her hoof and let it hang in mid air while she raised an eyebrow. The colt eyes were shut tight as he lay in the grass, shaking slightly, like he had tensed up his body as though he were about to be punched.

"Are you okay?" Scootaloo asked, worry very evident in her voice.

The colt stand up and the shaking stopped, but his eyes remained closed, "Yeah, I'm good." He said putting a hoof to the side of his head, after which his eyes slowly revealed themshelves, "Just a headache, that's all."

Scootaloo gave him a warm smile, she knew he was hiding something, but she also knew that interrogation wouldn't lead to friendship. So she'd let it slide. For now.

"Well," The colt began, "I had better get going."

"Yeah, okay."

The colt turned to leave but stopped and without turning back said, "We should do this again."

Scootaloo couldn't help smile at that statement. "Yeah, we should!" She practically shouted. The colt chuckled and started trotting away. Once he was out of sight, Scootaloo facehoofed. She let her mind mull over what had just happened while turned down the path toward Sweet Apple Acres and her home, the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse. Despite feeling that she had made a foal of herself with her over abundant enthusiasm, she felt that all had gone far better than expected. She really hadn't found out anything about him but she felt that she had at least laid the foundation for may or may not one day become a friendship of some sort.

By the time Scootaloo made it to the clearing that held the clubhouse, it was still pretty early in the evening. So she thought to do something productive when she went in. Those thoughts vanished the moment she opened the door and instant realized how tired she actually was, so sleeping become the most productive thing that came to mind. At that, Scootaloo laid down in the make shift bed of three pillows sowed together and blanket bearing the insignia of the CMCs. As she lay there, her mind wandered back to him and what tomorrow would bring.

Author's Note

I apologize that this chapter was kinda slow, but the next one will be more eventful. I promise.

By Any Means

~One day before incident~

Blur. From the time Scootaloo woke up this morning, the whole world around her felt like a misty blur. It seemed to her that nothing could penatrate the mental fog her ever racing mind was creating. Three things did, however, the first two of them didn't feel like anything more than simple distractions, but the third strangely cleared the fog away. Those first two were her morning walk to school, and the lunch she ate with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle (though even that felt hazy). The third was the bell signaling the end of the school day. Now that the fog was lifted, Scootaloo could finally think clearly and so she, along with everypony else in the class, began putting away their things and started to prepare for the rest of their day. As she cleaned her area, seperating the trash into a small pile, her mind was given a short break before contemplating the thoughts that had been at the forefront of her mind even during the mental fog. Thoughts of him.

Ever since Scootaloo had last seen the colt, her mind had been stuck on him. Her mind conjured up many questions, all of which Scootaloo hadn't the answers to. The biggest question she came up with was, why she was so interested in him anyway? Maybe she wanted more friends, or maybe just the one. Maybe she thought that this experience would improve her social skills, or maybe her social skills were fine and talking to him just gave her this nice feeling. Maybe her interest was in the secrets he held so close to his chest, or maybe it was just worry over her (potential) friend. Scootaloo's mind was at full gallop once more, caught between confusion and skepticism, searching the depths of her knowledge for answers. She still had none.

Scootaloo groaned, her inner frustration becoming evident as she swept everything off her desk and into her saddlebags. She took a few deep breaths and quickly looked around the room. The room was practically empty aside from Cheerilee at her desk and a couple others still getting their things together or putting things away in their cubbies. Nopony had paid attention to her, so with a reliefed sigh, she slid the saddlebags onto her back and slowly approached the cubbies near the front door. The constant barrage of questions without answers was maddening, the small conflicts in her mind had evolved into an all out war. She needed answers and she was gonna get them. She vowed that today, she was going to learn something about him, anything about him, by any means. At least something to hopefully appease her ravenous curiosity.

She looked up to see the cubby she usally put her stuff in, and then proceeded to do so. When she looked to the left, however, she stopped. There he stood, rumaging around in his saddlebags. He was still wearing the same checkered shirt from the day before, but something was different. He looked the same though with the same checkered shirt, same chestnut mane, same light grey coat, same amber eyes. "What is it?" Scootaloo thought as she turned round and slid the saddlebags off her back and into the cubby.

"Hey, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo looked at him, he wasn't looking at her but rather into his saddlebags. "Hey. How's it going?"

The colt plunged his head into the bag and started moving his head like he was digging with his muzzle. He responeded, but his head being in the bag was making him sound a bit muffled, "Okay, I guess. Nothing special."

Scootaloo, now finshed putting away her belongings, trotted over and sat down on her haunches beside him. "What are you looking for?"

The colt's head stopped moving for a moment, then it popped out entirely. He was staring forward and spoke slowly, "I...don't know. I can't remember." He turned to face Scootaloo, at which they both began to lightly chuckle that quickly escalated to hardy laughter. Scootaloo wasn't really sure what was so funny, but it clearly was and so their laughter continued for short while longer until they both had to stop and catch their breath. Scootaloo felt much more at ease after that and a moment later, regained her composure. The colt pushed his bags slightly into his cubby with his muzzle, then turned around and pushed it in the rest of the way with his hindleg.

"So," Scootaloo began, "Want to...uh...walk home like yesterday?"

The colt looked at Scootaloo and smirked, "I'll have you know, I haven't any apples today."

Scootaloo raised a hoof to her chest and made a face that clearly showed her mock shock, "As if I only wanted to walk with you for your apples." Scootaloo trotted toward the door, "You don't know me at all."

The colt chuckled and followed her out, "I guess not."

What started out as a brisk trot out of the schoolhouse, quickly slowed to casual walk after they had turned down the same path from the day before. Scootaloo's mind was allowed to wonder as the relaxing silence between them set her at ease. Scootaloo looked around the path they were traveling on, she noticed the trees' leaves had started turning into orange, brown, yellow, and red. The leaves hadn't begun to fall just yet as the Running of the Leaves was still a few weeks away. She started to get just a little excited, "Winter is coming." Scootaloo mentally whispered as a rather large grin graced her face. Winter was her favorite season, though she didn't have any real reason why, it just was. Scootaloo looked up, beyond the trees, to cloudy sky above. Her mind conjured up the fantasy of herself soaring round the sky, wind rushing through her mane as she sped up with a couple flaps of her wings. Scootaloo shook her head and realized that, in her daydreaming, she had stopped walking and the colt was further up the path. She galloped to catch up and slowed down when she was directly beside him.

She tried to clear her head, but something distracted her. As the colt had walked, the bottom edge of his shirt had risen slightly up his back. She saw the weird birthmark from the day before on his back in full view now and something wasn't right. It was a misshapen semi-round spot that looked blue in the center and black round the edge. That wasn't what had drawn her full attention though, that was the fact that there was another spot on his side facing her that was so similar, it was almost identical. She looked him up and down as they walked, she only found one somewhat hidden beneath the collar of his shirt. Scootaloo's eyes widened as the puzzle put it self together before her eyes. She had done many things since the formation of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, some of which occasionally brought similar results. She knew what they were. Those were not birthmarks, those were bruises.

"You okay, Scootaloo?"

Scootaloo, at that moment, realized she had been staring at him. She looked up to see him looking over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. Scootaloo chuckled nervously, "I-I'm fine, hehe...never better."

The colt's eyebrow seemed to raise even more before he shrugged and faced forward. Scootaloo couldn't hold back the flood of new questions now drowning her mind, and with this flood came a new wave emotions. They came so quickly, she had trouble grasping what most of them were. Though one question managed to wade it's way to the front of her mind. "Where did he get those?"

Scootaloo keep her eyes on the path ahead, all the while her mind ran wild. She needed a distraction. Luckily, the colt was about to grant her just that.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"How long does it normally take for a letter to arrive if both adresses are in town?"

Now it was Scootaloo's turn to raise her eyebrow. "Umm...I think it's about two days. I don't really send letters enough to know for sure. Why'd you wanna know?"

"No reason." The colt quickly responed

"Well, that was oddly specific for you to just be wondering."

"I guess I'm just weird like that." The colt stated simply. Scootaloo just rolled her eyes. She got the feeling that this would become regular thing.

They were rapidly appoarching the split in the path and Scootaloo was getting antsy. Their walk had to have lasted much longer than yesterday's, but she still had effectivly learned nothing about him. If anything, she had more questions. Not even the relaxing silence between them could calm the storm of frustration, worry, and anticipation whirling roung her head. She had to think of something and fast. Before she knew it, there they stood at the split, staring into the small but dense forest streching out before them.

"Well, I guess I'll see ya later Scootaloo."

Scootaloo turned her attention to the colt who was still staring into the forest. He turned and looked at Scootaloo, then he closed his eyes, tilted his head, and softly smiled. Scootaloo can't help but return the gesture. She still had no plan, just a crazy idea. It was crazy, but maybe crazy enough to work.

Scootaloo opened her eyes and saw that the colt had taken his leave. She shouted, "See you tomorrow!"

The colt waved a hoof and continued walking. Scootaloo took a seat while she watched and waited. His body became smaller as the gap between them grew. She had to make a decision now or she risked losing him altogether. She lowered her head, closed her eyes, and tapped her head with a hoof, hoping the right choice would come. Her head rose slowly as did her eyes. The colt was still in her sights. It was now or never. She stood up, decision now made, her brow furrowed in determination, proceeded to shoot off the path and into the forest. She galloped in a short ways before slowing to a more leisurely pace so he couldn't hear the soft clop of her hooves on grass. Scootaloo checked that she could see him inbetween the trees seperating them. She kept her distance, making sure she stayed close to a tree in case he looked in her direction. She knew that following him like this was more than a little over the top, but the bruises had changed things in a major way. Her and the Cutie Mark Crusaders had followed ponies before, but this was different for her. She had to make sure he was okay, and she had vowed to learn something, anything, by any means.

Time seemed to speed up, even though the colt was indeed walking at an incredibly slow pace, as the sun now looked as though it would soon set. As time ticked on, Scootaloo had more than enough time to think. She thought about what she might find out and what to say if she was caught. She also had made some conclusions. At this point, Scootaloo had come to the conclusion that he was heading home. She knew that this path lead to another fork that was also the long way to Fluttershy's cottage, but the likelihood that he was going there was not very high. Scootaloo reviewed the facts in her head and had also come to the conclusion that what ever caused those bruises was not an accident. "It takes a lot of force to bruise somepony. He clearly can climb trees, because how else would he have gotten that basket up there yesterday, but not even falling out of one could bruise him up so bad." She didn't like where this train of thought was leading at all.

Scootaloo peeked round a tree and saw the same sight she been seeing since she started following him. The colt merely walking forward and staring at the ground. She was starting to feel as though hiding behind these trees was becoming unnecessary. She looked ahead of him, the split in the path now visable, and saw him head left thus proving he had to be heading home. Now, slightly excited and immensely nervous about the confirmed destination, Scootaloo picked up the pace.

After about five more minutes of walking (or in her case, spying), Scootaloo was able to make out the shape of a house inbetween trees. She walked toward the edge of the forest a fair distance away from the colt, who still hadn't looked up from the ground, and now saw the back of the rather small sized home. It was white that looked orange in spots thanks to the rapidly decending sun. The colt walked toward the front of the house, but looked as though he passed the front enterance. Scootaloo retreated back to the forest and softly trotted to other side of the house.

As she passed by, Scootaloo took note that the back of the house (as in the part that was facing the forest and that she was currently sneaking behind) had no windows or anything. It was simply a white wall from the ground to the roof. She thought it interesting for some odd reason but continued on undeterred. She came out of the forest and slid against the wall al the way to the corner. When Scootaloo looked round the corner, she saw what she could only describe as the backyard. Dirctly beside the house was a little red doghouse. The roof of which was tattered and faded paint peeling from what only could be lack of maintenance. Straight across from there was a large tree that looked as though it was in the middle of winter, leaves gone, trunk greyed. A pulley was attached midway up the tree with a clothes line connecting to the house and running parallel the ground. Scootaloo returned her gaze to the doghouse, then she looked up the adjacent wall and spotted a rectangular window immediately above the doghouse. She heard the colt's hoofsteps change as he moved from the dirt to grass.

Scootaloo slid back to the cover of the forest and positioned herself a few trees down for a better viewpoint. She now saw the colt appoarching a side door previeously concealed from where she had been standing. The colt stood at the door without moving, just staring. The colt's head sunk as he sighed a long, weary sigh. Instead of going through, he turned and walked back toward the front of his house and, to what Scootaloo could assume, the front door. Scootaloo crept forth and hid behind the doghouse,after a brief moment she quietly tapped on the roof of the doghouse with her hoof. Then, she slowly swept her hoof across, appling pressure in various spots. "Seems sturdy enough," Scootaloo thought, then stood on her hindlegs and pulled herself on top of the doghouse. It took her a moment to find her balence, but considering she had stood on smaller things, it proved little challenge for her excellent hoofwork. Scootaloo scooted herself along until she was underneth the window sil. She stood on her hindlegs once again and could now see through the window.

Beyond was large kitchen with tan cabinets overtop olive green counters. Dishes were strewn across the counters both left and right while beneath the window were two sinks with a single faucet. The floor was tiled and checkered in white and olive. Staright ahead was an rectangular archway leading to what must be the living room. To her left near the archway was a door slightly ajar, which was probably the door the colt was going to come in to begin with. Scootaloo inspected to her far right, just a refrigerator and an oven, before attempting to make out the living room. She saw only the shadows of furniture as a faint light flickered in the center of the room cauising the shadows to shift around violently. What really blocked her view was what appeared to be a large chair. She couldn't tell whether it was the shadows or if the chair was rocking back and forth ever so gently. What she could see, however, was the front door only partly blocked by the chair. So it was evident when said door began to slowly open to reveal the colt crouched behind it. Something shifted round in the flickering light until it's shadow shourded the colt in darkness.

"Where the hay have you been?" The voice was that of a young stallion with a slight low pitch and overflowing with authority and clearly very irriatated.

The figure strod slowly toward the door, his shadow decreased in size as he got closer. Soon the young stallion's upper half was in Scootaloo's frame of vision. He had dark blue coat and emerald eyes that were locked solely on the colt. His mane lay neatly on his head, Scootaloo couldn't tell what colour it was because the light only made it darker.

"I asked you a question," the words slid through gritted teeth, "Where were you?"

The colt seemed to shrink even lower, "I-I was out."

"You were WHAT!?" The stallion stared daggers at the colt's now shivering form.

The colt slid himself slowly into the doorway, as he did he managed only a whisper, "I'm sorry."

"Oh, you'll be sorry!" The stallion raised a foreleg up above his head. The colt froze and braced for what was to come. Scootaloo gasped as understanding invaded her mind.

Suddenly, another voice boomed, "Midnight Star!" This was the voice of fully grown stallion, it was even deeper than Big Macintosh. Scootaloo let out a sigh of relief. "You know the rules."

"Why yes, of course dad." The young stallion chuckled, "Rule 16: Not in the face."

The stallion moved his foreleg onto the door handle and grinned wickedly. He slammed the door on the colt's mid-section. The colt let out a yelp. The young stallion's grin only grow wider as he slammed the door a second time, and a third, and a fourth, and a fifth. Scootaloo was in shock at what she saw playing out before her. Tears welled up in her eyes and slid down her cheek. After a rough total of fifteen or so hits, the stallion stopped and took a step back, he beamed aa the colt pushed himself out from between the door and the door frame. At this, Scootaloo's tears of sadness became ones of rage. She wanted nothing more than to rush in there and beat the mess out that guy, but she knew she couldn't. She was small and weak, she still couldn't fly high enough the look that stallion eye to eye. Scootaloo lowered her head as the tears changed to those of helplessness. Through her stifled sobs, she heard that young stallion, appearently named Midnight Star, speak once more. Scootaloo wiped her face and peered again into the window.

"Now, why don't just go to your room," he put strange emphasis on the last word, "And take your namesake with you, worthless colt," he muttered the last part but muttered loud enough that the colt could clearly hear it.

The colt was back on all fours and began making his way toward the kitchen. He seemed ok, no limping, no cringing, nothing. He walked into the kitchen, head held high. His eyes remained locked on the ground. He turned to the back door and pulled it back with a hoof. CRASH! A bucket of water fell down thwaping him on the head and soaking him to the bone.

Midnight Star laughed loudly, "Knew you'd trip that! Ha ha! Your such an foal!"

Scootaloo was not amused. The colt didn't move for a moment. Simply continued to stare at the floor. Scootaloo couldn't bear to see anymore. She hopped off the doghouse and trotted toward the forest. The sun was gone, it's light replaced moon gracing the sky. She hid behind the closest tree and sat. Tears rapidly buliding up in her eyes. A door squeaked, she poked her head round the tree and the colt coming out of it and dragging something with his teeth. He gave one big yank and out came a large black bag. The bag no longer blocking it, the door slammed shut. The colt let the bag just sit there and stared at it, then he turned around and walked slowly toward the tree. He stood at the base and looked up at the clothes line. He lowered his and bite the collar of his still dripping shirt, with one quick jerk, the shirt came off and he swung it overtop the line. Scootaloo was transfixed by what she saw. It wasn't what she had expected. Underneath his shirt, his entire mid-section was wrapped in gauze bandages. She was without words, her heart went out to him. The colt shook the water out of his coat and walked over, not toward the door, to the doghouse. Scootaloo was confused for second until the colt just stopped in front of it, sighed, and walked in. "That's his ROOM! They make him sleep outside!" She couldn't take anymore and trotted away form there. Trotted into the forest and towards home. Her mind was blank as her trot transformed to a gallop. Scootaloo had lost track of time but that didn't matter now. Nothing mattered. She to come up with something to think about, but to her at that very moment, nothing mattered. Nothing except finding a way to help him. Somehow, anyhow, and by any means.

Author's Note

I apologize for the long wait. I had to fight a deadly mountain top battle between Writer's Block, ADD, and editorial conundrums. :pinkiehappy: Hope you liked this chapter and thank you for reading it. Next chapter, The Incident! DUN DUN DUUUNNNNN!!!

A Perfect Day

~Two hours before Incident~

"We have to do something!" Scootaloo practically shouted; the fillies on the other side of the table merely stared back at her in confusion.

"Hang on just a minute, Scoots. What's going on exactly?" Sweetie Belle asked, pushing away her half empty milkshake glass.

They had chosen to meet up at Sugercube Corner for reasons Scootaloo didn't know. Scootaloo had only been half listening when Apple Bloom suggested it. She had thinking about last night. She had hardly any sleep and spent most of the night pacing round the clubhouse. Her only plan of action was to get him out of the house, even if for just a short while.

Scootaloo facehoofed, "Look, you're just going to have to trust me on this one." No matter how important it was that they know, she couldn't bring herself to speak about what she had seen. In all honesty, Scootaloo wasn't entirely sure it what she saw had happened. She knew that denial about this wouldn't end well but never wanting to abandon her theory completely, hoping against hope that it was nothing more than a bad dream.

"I don't understand why ya so gung ho on getting him ta hang out with us?" Apple Bloom asked, empty glass pushed to the side.
Scootaloo looked away from them both and off into the distance, "I have my reasons." Scootaloo stated cryptically. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle glanced at each other, a confused and curious look on both their faces.

After a moment, they shrugged, "Okay, let's do it!" Sweetie said. Scootaloo turned back and looked at her friends. She looked to Sweetie Belle who had an adventurous smirk, then to Apple Bloom who gave her an affirmative nod and a gentle smile. Scootaloo's confidence was soaring, she could do this.

They had to part ways for bit first. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom both had things their respective sisters had asked them to help with, something to do with a gathering or something at Fluttershy's. Scootaloo was used to this type of thing, just because she had no responsibilities didn't mean her friends had none. So she asked them to meet her at the split in the path near Fluttershy's cottage. They agreed and went off, Scootaloo had nothing to do now so she'd just go and wait for them. She walked slowly through town, her mind busy with more important matters. For instance, how she was going to explain to him how she knew where he lived. She sighed; it didn't matter if he was her friend or not as long as he was safe. She had never felt that way before, but then again she had yet to be put into a situation in which that decision had to be made.

Scootaloo trotted through the park, passing families playing together. Usually, such a sight would make her feel lonely and full of longing for a family of her own. Today, however, the chatter and laughter was nothing more than background noise for the focused little filly. Scootaloo did her best to take it easy, but somehow made it to the split faster than she anticipated. Her mind was in such frenzy that it felt as if time was sent to fast forward. Scootaloo took a deep breath and let it out through her nose slowly. After repeating this process several times, she was calm (well, calmer than she was a few seconds ago) and could think about what comes next.

"Ok," Scootaloo thought aloud, "We go there and ask to see him. No, that's no good. What if we wait for him to come out and we invite him with us. Hmm, yeah. We could hide a little ways away and when he comes out, we walk towards his house. That way he doesn't have to know I was there. Ok, that sounds good. Now, how to-" Scootaloo's planning aloud was cut short by the sounds of rapidly approaching hooves from behind her. She turned around to see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle galloping down the path from Fluttershy's. They quickly closed the gap.

"Hey, how long have you sitting there?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"Not sure, how long were you two gone?"

"Almost somethin' 'long the lines of two hours." Apple Bloom answered.

"Then something along the lines of two hours." Scootaloo replied with smile.

The sun had pasted its peak some time ago but there was still awhile till evening officially began. The trio trotted carefully down the path, Scootaloo leading the pack. There was a silence between them, but it was far from comfortable. It was more unnerving if anything. Sweetie Belle decided the silence needed to be put back in its place.

"So, Scoots. What's the plan?"

"We get there, we get him, and we get out. Simple."

"Well, of course it'd sound simple if you phase it like that."

Scootaloo chuckled, "I suppose so. Look, it's real simple like I said. No complications or anything."

Sweetie relented, "Ok, could you tell us what bought us to this point in time?"

Scootaloo sighed, "Something...happened last night. Something that... well, that shouldn't have happened. I couldn't stop it. But maybe we can prevent it from happening again; even if it's just for a day." Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exchanged glances.

The pace they were walking at was slow, more from Scootaloo's apprehension than anything else. Soon, the house was in sight. Their pace slowed further. Scootaloo didn't see the colt outside which worried her. Now she was going to have to explain why she was here. She stopped and moved off to the side of the path and took a seat in the grass, the others followed her lead.

"I thought we were gonna go get 'em." Apple Bloom asked.

"We are, once he comes out." Scootaloo eyed the house, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach not helping her confidence. Something was wrong, she could feel it.

A loud crash came from the house followed immediately by yelling from who Scootaloo could only guess was Midnight Star. She stood up quickly and galloped toward the house, past the old tree and straight up to the doghouse. She pushed it and turned it making it parallel to the window above. The yelling continued as Scootaloo's hesitation reached its peak. She didn't want to look, she didn't want see him hurt again. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had already begun climbing the doghouse up to the window, leaving a space between them for her. She began to climb. The climb was slow as she dared not to look up, but with the loud slamming thump continuing to increase in volume she found herself quickly at eye level to the window but couldn't bring herself to look in. She turned to each of her friends, maybe nothing was happening. A theory debunked by their expressions of shock and fear. She slowly began to face to the window, to see what was going on.

Time slowed to a crawl as Scootaloo saw inside. The surrounding world dropped away as she looked at the beaten colt, helpless. The colt struggled to his hooves slowly only for his brother to buck him in the face. The colt rose once more but was bucked in his side so hard he was flung across the room toward the kitchen, his body hitting the wall while his head whipped around the frame of the kitchen entranceway. He struggled to get up; he raised his head and opened his eyes. Scootaloo stared at the colt as he turned his head and saw her. His eyes widened as his amber eyes connected with her violet ones only to be slammed shut in pain as his brother bucked him again. Over and over and over again. One buck was straight into the colt's face, whipping his head against the wall that his eyes fluttered and slid shut. He was unconscious. Scootaloo continued to stare, unable to break away from the sight before her. She heard nothing. She didn't hear her friends whispered shouts, nor their trotting away. She didn't even hear the rapid flapping of wings and clop of hooves as help finally arrived.

~~~

Pain. All throughout his body, he felt only pain. Noises assaulted his ears but he paid them no mind. He began his pain filled reentry to the world of the living the same way he had every time before; with his checklist.

His hooves ached to the bone, a feeling he was more familiar with than he would've cared to admit. Despite that, he slowly slid his forelegs around and felt both the soft sheets beneath him and the heavy, itchy comforter strewn atop him. "Ok. Sense of touch, check," He thought. He quietly smacked his lips; tasting something faintly copper he checked taste off the list. Next, he inhaled deeply only to be greeted by the stinging scent of medical disinfectant and bleach. He let it all out with a soft sigh, "Smell, check." Now at that point in the checklist, he listened to the noises, doing his best to focus through a massive migraine. The sound he identified first was an out of place beeping coming from his left, he had no idea where he was but the beeping still felt out of place anyway. The next things were voices, who they belonged to remained to be seen because he had yet to open his eyes. He assumed they were talking about him and felt a massive amount of relief that he could tell that it wasn't his brother or father but had no idea who they were. Something he decided should now be corrected.

He cracked one eye open ever so slightly and closed it just as quickly. The light of the room slammed against his already pounding head. He took a minute, stealing himself for the second assault. He cracked his eye open once more, now the light wasn't as intense, and opened both eyes fully. He was apparently lying at an angle. He made a mental note that he couldn't feel his back and decided he would investigate that later. Above, he saw a ceiling fan spinning at slow speed. The rest of the ceiling was covered in white panels. There was a wall to his left that was also white but that wasn't all. To his left was the source of the beeping sound, it was a heart monitor. Wires sprouted from the machine and trailed to under his blanket and some into his grey coated chest. With that, he realized that he also couldn't feel his chest. "This just gets better and better." He turned his attention back to his left where he saw the source of the voices. On the wall were x-rays of somepony, presumably him, and gathered around them were three mares and stallion. The stallion had a tan coat and a hazel mane. He wore a long white coat and carried a stethoscope round his neck. He figured that must be the doctor but the mares were a mystery to him. The one closest to the x-rays was a unicorn. She had a lavender coat and a dark blue almost black mane and tail, each with a strip of purple and pink side by side. She also had some kind of star for a cutie mark. The one next to her was a yellow pegasus. She had a pink mane and tail and a trio of pink butterflies as her cutie mark. Lastly, there was a cyan pegasus. Her mane and tail were rainbow in color. Her cutie mark was a rainbow lightning bolt coming out of a cloud. She seemed the most familiar to him. They all stood there listening intently to the doctor as he spoke.

"As you can see, he has several broken ribs and one of those may have punctured his lung. We can't say for sure at the moment. When you brought him in here, we removed his clothes and found he was already bound in bandages," the doctor spoke as calmly as he could but he was clearly distressed about something. Perhaps about something he was about to say. The doctor sighed and continued, "We can only see so much from an X-ray, and from what we think those bandages may be all that's holding the poor colt together. We need more information before we can try any form of treatment. Look here," the doctor pointed to the center of the X-ray at some bones that were practically dust behind the rib cage, "These shattered bones are bizarre, especially for an earth pony."

"I'm not an earth pony."

The four turned around quickly to see the colt they had rescued sitting up and looking back at them, "I'm a Pegasus."

The doctor studied the colt intently for a moment before giving a look back to the X-ray, "That explains it," the doctor spoke in a grim whisper. The doctor turned to the colt and slowly trotted to the colt's left side of the bed. The colt kept his eyes locked on the doctor as he got closer. The beeping of the monitor spiked and that didn't go unnoticed by the medical professional. He stopped where he was and put on his 'It's okay, I'm a friend' smile.

"Hello."

"Hi,” the colt rasped.

"My name's Doctor Brace. I'll be your doctor while you're here."

"Nice to meet you. Although, could you tell me where 'here' is exactly?"

Doctor Brace arched a brow but his friendly smile was left unbroken, "You're Ponyville Hospital, the Intensive Care Unit to be exact."

"Hmm, I see."

Doctor Brace switched to professional face in an instant, "Now you should know that we haven't begun any treatment. We need more information about, your medical history, so on and so forth. We've gotten some info but we want to hear it from you.”

"Sure thing," the colt responded. He knew he wasn't going to like this.

"Let's start with your name," the colt's heart rate went up and he took his gaze off the doctor for the first time. He turned to look to the right and saw the windows that took up the upper half of the entire wall. Outside he could all the way into town. He could barely make out ponies milling about at the market. Doctor Brace saw this behavior and thought it best to move on for now.

"Ok, next thing. Could you tell us what happened?"

Everyone in the room stared at the colt; he turned back round to see the four sets of eyes piercing his soul. This was the first he was able to see the three mare's faces. It was clear that each had cried at least a little. The yellow one's eyes were the most red. Her eyes could've easily been mistaken for apples. The lavender one was in the middle on the redness scale. The cyan pegasus eyes were the lightest with only a slight tint of red. The colt was confused as to what they had been crying over. He looked in the doctor's eyes and saw that this was one question he couldn't avoid.

"I, uh, fell."

"You fell?" Doctor Brace repeated in disbelief.

"Yes, I was climbing a tree and I fell. I should have been more careful," he said trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone.

Doctor Brace couldn't hold back his disbelief. The mares had told him everything about what they saw and put a stop to last night. He knew the colt knew that fact too. That the colt would defend those that did this to him was absurd on levels the good doctor couldn't comprehend. He looked back the mares and saw the yellow one break into tears and excused herself. The lavender one did the same, "Do... You remember anything about yesterday?"

The heart monitor increased in speed but not a lick of it showed up on the colt's face, "I remember. Aside from the falling, it was a perfect day."

Now the cyan one excused herself, he face holding a rage the like the colt had only seen his father have. Was she going to beat him too? He didn't know but hoped since she was probably one of the one's that helped him that wouldn't happen. Doctor Brace couldn't believe his ears. He'd have to get it out of him later, "W-well, I'll leave then. Your blood work should be back soon. If you need help, that red button will call in a nurse. If you get hungry or thirsty don't hesitate to ask."

"Will do, doctor," he said glad to have an end of the questions for now.

"Also, you have a visitor."

The colt froze, heart monitor went through the roof, "W-who?"

Brace was surprised that even though he lied, the colt still showed fear, "Don't worry. It's not one of them. She's a friend of yours."

The door cracked open a bit but the colt couldn’t see anypony coming in. The sounds of small hoofsteps seemed to echo off the walls of the room. The colt shifted as the steps approached the right side of his bed. Round the bottom edge of the bed walked a small orange pegasus filly with a purple mane and tail. The colt let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, “Scootaloo,” he whispered.

Scootaloo looked tired; everything about her seemed to be in more disarray than normal. She had small yet noticeable bags under her eyes, her mane and tail far more tangled. She walked slowly, carefully, as if stepping on the floor too hard or in the wrong way would make the room explode. Her eyes were locked on the floor until he called her name. Scootaloo looked up, her eyes red and becoming wet with a fresh wave of tears. Trembling she continued her approach till she stood right next to the head of the bed next to him; her eyes never left his.

The colt’s heart rate dropped back to normal levels, “Hey, nice to see you.”

“Remember: if you need anything, just press the red button,” Doctor Brace reminded him. And with that, the doctor left leaving the foals to talk.

Time didn’t speed up nor slow down but seemed to stand still as they stared at each other; the silence only broken by the beeping of the colt’s heart monitor though that hardly went noticed. They sat there for who knows how long, her on the tile floor and him in the raised hospital bed; their eyes unmoving, unblinking. Violet into amber. Amber into violet. As though if they stared long enough, deep enough, they could see into each other’s hearts and unlock each other’s secrets. After a long while, the colt gave her a bright smile, “It’s nice to see a familiar face.”
Scootaloo seemed to be dealing with some sort of internal conflict of perhaps emotions or thoughts, he couldn’t say. Finally, one thing won out and escaped her at a near whisper, “You’re alive.”

The colt chuckled despite the pain it caused, “That I am.”

“But, you’re okay.”

“Well, I don’t think I’d use that word,” the colt sighed, “In fact, I don’t think I’ll be able to for some time. I’d suggest intact but even that word doesn’t seem to really apply. I mean, look at me.”

She looked at him for the longest time. Not like that stare they had just shared before she slumped, hanging her head and cast her gaze to the floor, “I’m so sorry.”

The colt laid back and watched the ceiling fan spin. He wasn’t sure what to say. Ask what she had to be sorry for? He knew she felt sorry for what she had seen. Ask how she was? She was a wreck. Ask what happened after he was unconscious? He really didn’t want to know, let alone make her go back through that night. So he chose something else entirely.

“What are your parents like?”

Scootaloo’s head shot up, “W-what?”

“I’m just a bit curious. You know a bit about my family so I’d like to know about your family; really, any family that isn’t mine.”

She sat there, silent, for a moment as if gathering her thoughts, “Well,” she began, “I only have my mom and my dad. They’re adventurers, always gone somewhere far away.”

The colt sat back up and nodded for her to continue. She give a sigh and looked out the window, “They’ve been all over the world, never striking it big but managing well to send money for bills back home to be taken care of. Most of the time, I just stay at the clubhouse to keep the bills down and…,” she paused, searching for the right words before she pushed on, “…and being alone in a house full of pictures of them off in far off lands with random people, big smiles on their faces. Far happier than they’ve ever been with or could be with me around. It’s not something I like to be reminded of constantly, you know.”

“I do. I really do,” The colt nodded in agreement.

She turned back to him with a small smile. They both saw that their situations were different but the pain, physical in one and mental in the other, was there either way. The colt returned his friend’s smile and looked out the window and she did the same. There they sat in silence; that comfortable silence that seemed to be the pair’s ever present companion.

“Trash.”

“What?” Scootaloo asked confused.

“That’s my name. Trash,” he said with a smile, “Nice to officially meet you Scootaloo.”

Scootaloo stared at him, tear welling up in her eyes, “L-likewise.”

Evening was fast approaching and casting the white room into grey and orange shades. The sky turning shades of violet and amber as the sun descended.

Author's Note

It's done! Hurrah! Hooray! Hurro! I am beyond sorry that this took this long. The first chapters flowed out but this took alot more effort to find the right words. This was my first, and most likely my best, story and I wanted to do the story what it was owed. I hope it lived up to what you were expecting and at least now the story will be able to continue. Next few chapters will be in the hospital. Just a fair warning. And for those that think the trouble has past, you are sadly mistaken. Poor Trash.

Something I wanted to mention is this "~~~" which in this story signifies a change in perspective if you didn't already get that. This sort of perspective change won't be super common but will happen from time to time. Just a heads up. Please leave questions, comments, and critques either below or in the blog I'll be making about this explaining in more detail why this chapter took so long and future plans regarding Sticks and Stones. You can find that here. Thank you for reading!