One Small Secret

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6

Chapter 1

Scootaloo crawled off the hard stone floor she'd somehow rolled onto during her slumber and slumped on top of her soft mattress. Except it wasn't her mattress. And her bedroom floor wasn't stone.
The orange filly peered blearily at the not-her-mattress object she had collapsed onto - namely, her mother's prized petunias in the front garden, not that she was ever home to see them.

"Ahh, horsefeathers."

***

"SCOOTALOO!"
A small white projectile whizzed towards the startled filly, flung two arms around her, and squeezed.
"Let ... me ... gargh!" Scootaloo managed to choke out the bulk of her sentence before her lungs failed her and she was left gasping and spluttering as the white monster continued its attack.
"Ah'd let her go now, Sweetie, or y'all'll kill Scoots before Ah even get to say hi." Applebloom's dry remark came just in time, and the panting filly was released from her death grip.
"Um ... sorry about that ..." Sweetie Bell looked sheepish. "But I heard your mum and dad left again and I thought ... you know, you might need some cheering up."
"Nah, don't worry about it. 'Sides, they're never home anyway." It was true. Scootaloo's parents had an unnatural ability for scheduling year-long adventure treks and 'forgetting' they had a daughter back here in Ponyville. She doubted they even thought of here as home.
Sweetie looked ready to continue her pity party, but the deafening jangle of the old school bell stopped her before she could open her mouth. Saved by the bell, and not the first time either, thought Scootaloo.

***

Several thousand miles away, a yellow pegasus mare leaned on her husband's shoulder and sighed. "Did we do the right thing? We should be there for her when it happens. She'll be scared and confused! I know I was, and I had my family there and-"
"Shh, calm down. The process would slow if we stayed, you know that. We have to do this - for her sake." Her husband slowed the worried torrent of words belting from her mouth.
"That won't stop me feeling like a terrible mother."
"I wouldn't change you for the world." The crimson stallion wrapped his wing around his wife, and the motion of the boat they sat on gently soothed her. They sat like that for a long time.

***

Scootaloo had long since given up on completing any of the homework Miss Cheerilee had set them and instead strolled deep in the small woodland copse her house had been built around. The copse was a small part of the Everfree Forest that had, over the years, become tamer and quite friendly, which is why Scootaloo often wondered deep into the heart of it without fear.
Her house, a pretty thatched cottage with a well tended front garden, backed onto it and Scootaloo easily slipped between the trees to her secret hiding place. This was the empty hull of a fallen tree her mother used to take her to, when she was little more than a baby and barely crawling, before the long trips began. At first it had just been a few days here and there, but gradually they grew until her parents were more familiar with the trusty little motor boat they explored Equestria's oceans with than their own daughter.
Scootaloo had a reputation around Ponyville for never crying, no matter what happened, but unbeknownst to her friends, every now and then she would secretly sneak out to the hollow and cry bitterly for hours.
Today, however, was different. The orange filly huddled in the broken corpse of a tree was not there to cry, but to think. She had been feeling jittery all day, and an overwhelming headache had followed her since lunch. Her teeth refused to stop itching no matter how much toothpaste she smothered them in, and for some reason her fur tingled all over.
She tried looking up her symptoms in a dusty copy of 'Diseases, Infections and Common Colds: what have you got?' she found in her parent's bookcase, but it left her more confused than before.
And then there was the weird moment in the morning when she woke up in a pile of flowers instead of her bed.
Yes, something strange was going on, yet Scootaloo couldn't quite put her hoof on it.

***

The sky was a misty canvas of deep blues and charcoal blacks, the night the moon appeared.
Ponyville slumbered, blissfully unaware of one citizen's screams, the night the moon appeared.
Luna looked on proudly at her masterpiece and smiled, the night the moon appeared.
The pretty thatched cottage was quiet, the night the moon appeared, until a piercing scream tore through the silence.

***

The creature rose from Scootaloo's bed and yawned, a volley of barks that echoed across the valley. It prowled through the cottage and towards the door, sniffing the air apprehensively before instinct took over.
The perfect white orb hung among the navy blue of the sky and watched, as below a wolf howled.

Chapter 2

Dear Princess Luna

I'm not sure who else I can talk to. My parents are, um, away at the moment and my friends would think I've gone crazy. So I'm writing to you.
Last night I had a dream where I became something else. At least, I think it was a dream. I'm not sure. It felt real ... Anyway, I don't know anything about dreams, but I was pretty sure this wasn't one - except I was a wolf, not a pony.
Normally I wouldn't bother you or anything with something as small as this but there's really no one else I could think of that could help. Not that you have to. Could youPlease reply to my letterDon't send me to the crazy house If you could spare any time, please write back.

Your loyal subject

Scootaloo
Scootaloo sighed. It was the best idea she'd thought of so far, and last night had scared her more than she was willing to admit. She wanted someone to sweep her under their wing and hold her tight to make it all okay. Obviously that was never going to happen, so she composed a short letter to the next best thing: a Princess who, with a little luck, wouldn't think she'd lost it.

***

Since Twilight's coronation, Spike had taken over the library, but it usually didn't take him much to keep it in good shape. Today was not one of those days. He'd recently started his own Dragon Mail business, and the orders flowed through like a particularly strong current. He sighed and resigned himself to an afternoon of utter boredom.
"Okay," he mused "Next on the list ... Scootaloo to Princess Luna?" Spike shook his scaled head with amazement. "This place gets stranger everyday."

***

Scootaloo was known for her dramatically low tolerance for sitting still, but this was ridiculous. Applebloom glanced up at Miss Cheerilee, surprised her teacher hadn't picked up on it. Then again, the orange filly was never really still for more than two milliseconds - her hooves were forever fiddling with the randomest of objects, her feathered wings seemed permanently buzzing, and her head twitched in all directions at any given time. Applebloom doubted she stopped even while she slept.
This was a different kind of hyper, though. Scootaloo shook like a fountain of pure energy, except this one had a blocked pipe: school. Sure, Applebloom had heard of beauty sleep, but whatever kind of slumbering the convulsing filly had been doing last night, Applebloom could use it.

***

School wasn't over soon enough for Scootaloo. She'd never had this much energy. She felt like she could gallop through the forest out back, leaping over tree roots and ducking beneath branches, her wings buzzing madly until she lifted clean into the air and flew to Canterlot and back. And have energy left over.
Barely containing her excitement, the filly trotted the empty dirt trails leading to her cottage nestled deep beneath the trees. Unbeknownst to her, a shadowy figure followed her carefully until they reached the tiny house. A neatly tied scroll was pinned hastily to the wooden door, as if the mail pony was spooked by the forest and got out of there as quickly as their hooves could carry them. Scootaloo's follower silently agreed with them. She watched as Scootaloo unfurled the note and scanned it quickly. It was discarded almost immediately when the young pegasus raced through the door and out of sight.
Applebloom breathed out slowly, letting out the pent-up breath she hadn't even realised she'd been holding. She scurried over and picked up the scroll.

***

Dear Scootaloo

I was surprised and intrigued to receive your letter, although I am not able to be of much help here in Canterlot. Perhaps you would like to meet in the near future?
Anyhow, there are some things you mentioned that I can help with. Firstly, as luck might have it, the night you referred to was my trial night for note taking. As Princess of the Night, I like to keep an eye on my subjects' dreams (I would rather not let my little ponies suffer from nightmares) and I have often pondered keeping records of these dreams. The evening in question was my trial run of this, but I'm afraid I have no entries under your name. Whatever you remember was not a dream, although it is quite possible you were hallucinating.
Secondly, there are - decidedly few - entries in a certain restricted section of the Royal Canterlot Library that describe similar experiences to yours, yet I cannot be sure without talking to you directly, of course.
I have my own suspicions as to what is happening, but this all relies on a meeting with you. If you wish to receive what help I can offer, the Royal Court is always open to anypony.

Her Royal Highness

Princess Luna of the Moon

P.S. Transport can be arranged.

Chapter 3

Applebloom knew it. There had always been something 'off' about Scootaloo. She'd never quite been able to figure out exactly what it was, but now she had the chance. If Princess Luna wanted to meet Scootaloo, Applebloom would be there, ready and waiting.

Watch your step, Scootaloo.

***

The chariot was a swirling mix of black and blue, purple borders accenting the plush cushions for the passenger. Applebloom could see the Royal Guards pulling it were obviously among the best - after all, they worked for the ruler of the night herself.
She couldn't believe her luck. Applebloom had managed to convince Scootaloo to take a friend up to Canterlot with her (mainly after she'd 'accidently' let slip to Applejack that Scootaloo was heading to Canterlot alone for a day and the orange mare threatened to go herself if Applebloom didn't). Now she could easily listen in on Scootaloo's meeting with the Princess.
Scootaloo, unaware of the dark thoughts swirling around her best friend's head, lowered a hoof to help pull the yellow filly into the chariot. Despite her wariness over her friend, Applebloom accepted the hoof gratefully. The chariot lurched suddenly as the guards brought them up into the clouds, and the fillies watched Ponyville slip away beneath them.
"So ... why were you heading up to Canterlot again?" Applebloom dropped the question in as casually as she could, grinning as her doubts melted away when she saw Scootaloo tense.
"Um ..." Scootaloo fished around for a plausible explanation. "I was, erm, summoned by the princesses because ... they need to arrange care for me while my parents are gone. Special favour." That'll do. she prayed. Unfortunately for her, Applebloom already knew better.
Liar, liar, pants on fire, she sang under her breath. 'Whatever you remember was not a dream.' There's something going on with you, Scootaloo, and I won't rest until I've found out.

***

Scootaloo tapped on the heavy granite doors with bated breath. A blue aura enveloped them and they eased open to reveal a large private library, a midnight blue pony hovering amid what seemed to be a localised hurricane of books.
After several minutes of silence, the filly cleared her throat as loudly as she could. "Ahem."
"Ah, Scootaloo. Take a seat. I think there's one over there." The princess gestured vaguely at a small mountain of books. "At least, there was a couple weeks ago ..."
Deciding against chair hunting, Scootaloo perched on the securest pile of books she could find. It wobbled under her weight. "So, um, about my letter."
"Yes, yes, that's why I wanted to see you. Being goddess of the moon has certain ... advantages. Stand there." Luna waved her hooves wildly. "No, there. To the left - no, your left - now right a bit ... Perfect."
An extremely confused filly stood as instructed, while the princess concentrated above her. A tiny orb slowly manifested itself - an exact replica of the moon, as Scootaloo soon discovered - and set her nerves tingling. Her eyes glowed a sparkling white, lighting the dark room, as the change took over her body.

***

She'd seen some strange things before, but this was one of the strangest. Where moments before an orange filly had sat, a furry wolf cub struggled to its paws and yipped in surprise. Luna laughed, a beautiful tinkling sound, like the lilting melody of an intricate music box. The cub spun towards the sound and managed to trip over its own paws, landing muzzle first in the plush carpet.
The night princess levitated a messy notepad and quill, noting down the date and time and scribbling a few short observations for future reference. The tiny bundle of fur sneezed unexpectedly and waggled its head adorably.
"Scootaloo, you do make a rather cute little cub."

***

Scootaloo was embarrassed, to say the least. One minute she'd been politely following Princess Luna's instructions, then the next she had become two sizes smaller and a whole lot furrier. Once the weird orb had disappeared she went back to normal (she hoped) and the princess landed by her side.
"Wh- what was that?!"
"Don't worry, just some routine checks. Completely safe. Had to be sure before we got started, didn't we?"
"Got started? Started what?"
"Training, of course! You need to learn to control this, or I'm afraid my sister will lock you up until cows lay eggs, and Twilight hasn't figured that out yet."
"Cows-Twilight- what?" Scootaloo was more than a little confused.
Luna seemed used to ponies struggling to catch up with her, and opted for the slow approach. "You can turn into a wolf on your own private whims. Don't you think that could be at least a little dangerous? I've made a start on some research for you." She gestured at the library before them. The filly thought she'd probably made more than a 'start'. "Most of what I've found is fictional, but there are a few recordings we can use."
"So ... you're telling me I'm a werepony?!"
The alicorn sighed, exasperated.

***

Applebloom had tailed her friend from the chariot and managed to nudge open the tall doors Scootaloo had disappeared through. From her tiny crack she watched the scene unfold with wide eyes, unable to believe what she saw. Inside, the princess continued.
"Werepony isn't quite the right word. Now, if we were being technically accurate, it would be hipposwolf."
"Hippo what now?"
"Hipposwolf, as in equine-wolf, literally translating as a pony who becomes wolf. However, from what I've found on them, you aren't like the ones previously, ahem, studied. There's only one account I could find where the victim fully transforms - most are mangled combinations of pony and wolf."
Luna paused to rummage around in the mess, though what she was looking for, Applebloom couldn't tell. Finally, she produced a delicate roll of parchment and, the citrus filly presumed, a hardier copy.
"Here. I made a copy of the text." The princess thrust it towards Scootaloo. "Take it. I'll keep the original with me, and you can keep that. Send a letter if you find anything!"
Four pairs of hooves thumped in Applebloom's direction. "Thanks, I guess ..." Scootaloo's voice sounded closer by the minute. Where should she hide? She dithered for a fraction of a second. Too long. Midnight blue magic lit the corridor as Princess Luna smoothly opened the library doors for Scootaloo.
Applebloom couldn't be more sheepish if she tried. "Oh, um, hi. I was looking for you?"

Chapter 4

My dear Prof sor Halzen in

I am afraid the wea er has been terrib lately, and the rain sho no sign of stopping. The parch nt is alre dy spattered with water, b t there is not m ch I can do about that - let us hope it cl ms nothing of im tance, yes?
Anyhow, I hav covered new evidence in the ter family mansion c cerning their status. It ap ars their p k has unlocked a rare ability so f r found in Our informer ex led himse his time, and we were able to witness a tran tion in . It se ese cre res are unique to equum lupi in that the mplete.
The mar tinues to p de us wit tbits, but n of o ethods have led to a f fession of her si rhaps you will th k of a u fo er words, as sh fuses to say e.

's pack is th r family, and their family is their pack
Kill a shifter's fa it's orn shif ou've att cked

I must g w, the m is f and I bel I glimps a wo
A crisp white note had been pinned to the front, an ominous reminder of reality.
Scootaloo,

The mangled remains of Dr Schalenfeld were discovered on what I believe to be the morning after he wrote this. Much of it was blurred due to apparent heavy rainfall the evening before, but I assure you the end was undamaged. He was killed while writing this, just before my moon imprisonment.
At the time, Dr Schalenfeld was investigating 'mysterious wolf creatures' with the assistance of his partner, Professor Halzenstein. She suffered a similar fate almost exactly a month later - the case remains unsolved. I myself spoke to the 'mare' he mentions, and it seems he requested she provide precious information about equum lupi (the 'werepony' of it's time). The riddle quoted near the end refers to particular improving genetic mutations being a hereditary gene. Investigation could be useful ...

Luna

***

"Sweetie! Sweetie Belle! Ah need ta talk ta you ..." Applebloom collapsed on the meticulously tended grass outside Rarity's house, leaving a curious filly shaped patch that the white mare could only assume was part of another of her sister's ridiculous crusades, though for what sort of cutie mark she dared not imagine.
"Applebloom! I thought you were in Canterlot with Scootaloo!"
"Got ... back ... early ... important ... things ... need ta ... hear ..." Tired from her run through Ponyville, Applebloom managed to pant out a few words before speech escaped her, but it was enough for a very concerned Sweetie to drag her into the boutique.
"What's happened? Is Scootaloo hurt? Are you hurt? Who did it? Was it the princesses?" Sweetie Belle's eyes widened. "Did they send Scootaloo to the moon?"
"NO!" The filly was sure if she was bombarded with any more questions, she'd explode into tiny pieces and it would rain Applebloom. Rarity would probably not be pleased that her best dresses were covered in innards. "We just got back early!"
"Sorry ..." To her credit, Sweetie tried her hardest not to bother Applebloom with annoying questions. She simply couldn't resist one more, though. "Um, what's so important then?"
Applebloom sighed. "Ah need ta show you ..."

***

Scootaloo wasn't quite sure why the princess had sent her home with possibly the strangest notes she'd ever received, but with a little help from a large dictionary she figured out that Luna was hinting her parents were ... well, whatever she was too.
Armed with the excuse that the Royal Princess Luna herself had requested it, Scootaloo began a full scale search of her parent's room. Their room was nearly bare - for the amount of time they were here, she thought, it would be - until she reached the wardrobe. It was stuffed with useless possessions, and ridiculous amounts of clothes they would never wear, but hidden right at the back, under a mountainous pile of old photo albums, was a simple wooden box.
'Scootaloo' had been lovingly carved into the lid, and the filly traced the grooves with her hoof, remembering how when she was small, before her parents spent every living moment at sea, her dad would hold her tight, rocking her in his gentle arms to the rhythm of an old lullaby her mum would sing. The lid eased open beneath her hooves, and she gasped.
The box was packed to the bursting point with fluttering papers covered in drawings of ponies, wolves and detailed diagrams of the moon. Several journals lay open among the mess, and Scootaloo glimpsed pages filled with the neat hoofwriting of her father. A faded photo was taped loosely to parchment, lifting away at the tiniest of tugs.
Scootaloo examined it, a yellowing picture of two wolves in a forest resembling the one nearly engulfing her cottage. Somepony had scrawled a caption on the back: 'Your father and I as newlyweds.' Did this prove Luna's theory, or was this somepony's idea of a cruel joke?
Beneath the thousands of papers, a delicate jewellery box was tucked away from prying eyes. Snuggled in soft layers of lilac velvet lay a clouded stone, skilfully threaded to a thin chain of silver links. A necklace. Scootaloo lifted it as gently as her awkward hooves could manage and placed it against her throat. Fastening the chain as best she could, the small filly stole a glance at her parent's full length mirror. The stone had cleared, now resembling a polished shard of glass, and yet at the same time Scootaloo felt her mind clear. Clamouring thoughts she didn't even know existed fell silent, as one word rang through the corridors of her mind -

SHIFTER

***

Scootaloo tumbled into the warm nest of pillows and fleece blankets that was her bed, clutching her precious box tightly. She curled up amongst the mess, ready to inspect the contents.
The box held thousands upon thousands of groups of parchment, filled with generations of hoofwritten words: her ancestors, she supposed. Detailed diagrams were on nearly every page, and studies of wild and tame wolves made up almost half the box. A recurring fascination with the moon puzzled Scootaloo, but then so did the rest of it. Wrinkled scrolls on wolf instinct showed up, and the filly made a mental note to investigate one titled 'Controlling the Beast Within'.
When the box was empty, Scootaloo ran her hoof along the comforting oak bottom, missing her parents more than she had in months. A tiny lump in the smooth surface made her stop, her heart thumping. Holding the box up to the light, she spotted a hinge at the seam where the sides and bottom joined. If she squinted hard enough, she could see a line running along the edges. A hidden compartment had been concealed in the bottom!
Flipping her hoof under a small dip chiselled into the wood, she managed to ease the compartment door open. A slim black book was slotted perfectly into the space. Scootaloo opened the cover to find a crinkled page covered in her mother's hoofwriting.
Sweetheart,

I know it must be hard for you right now, but if you've found this, I can tell you with all my heart that it will get better. Use the stone well. I love you.

Mummy

Author's Note

I just realised the opening letter is actually quite confusing if you don't know what was obliterated. Have a summary.

My dear Professor Halzenstein
Weather's terrible right now, it's currently raining and doesn't look like it will stop soon. Paper covered in water already - hope nothing important gets blurred.
Anyway I've uncovered new evidence in ________ family mansion concerning their status. It appears their ____ has unlocked a rare ability so far found in _______. Our informer excelled himself this time, and we were able to witness a transformation in ____. It seems these creatures are unique to equum lupi in that the _________________.
The mare continues to provide us with titbits, but none of our methods have led to a full confession of her sins. Perhaps you will think of a use for her words, as she refuses to say more.

I must go now, the _________ and I believe I glimpsed a wo-
It ends here without warning. Hopefully the passage makes more sense now?

Chapter 5

Entry #1

I'm not really sure why I'm doing this, but Mum insisted I had some sort of record for my own cubs. Just because everyone else did it doesn't mean I have to, right?
Mum read that last bit. She wants me to write in that record-keeping is a skill well worth cultivating, and this is the perfect time to start. Hmph.
Anyway, tonight's my first shift. All the signs have been showing, and Willow Blossom swears it'll be tonight. She and her fancy fiancé came over to help, though how having an annoyingly bigger sister watching will help the shift I don't know. I think she just wants to be here to gloat. Her first shift went wrong, and for the rest of the week she looked like a dog! Apparently her body didn't quite get all the way through to wolf, so she got claws and fluffy fur, but on her pony body. I thought I would never breath again, I laughed so hard.
I hope mine doesn't go that bad. Willow would have a field day, and that posh Lord Trottington (didn't think he'd be a shifter) would tell his family, and then Cloud Rider will never go to the dance with me ... Not that I care or anything.
Dad says the moon's rising. I can feel it.

I DID IT! I managed the shift! At first it was weird, like someone brushed my coat the wrong way, but then it took over. It felt right. I can't even begin to explain how amazing it was.
Something else happened. We all shifted except Willow. Mum and Dad were talking with Willow and Trottington for hours this morning, once the sun rose again. I think she's pregnant. Mum said you don't shift when you're pregnant, because the cub inside you prevents it or something.

I was right - Dad called a family meeting, and they announced it. Mum was mad at Trottington (Dad said she'd told them to wait for cubs) but Willow begged Mum to forgive them. Personally, I think it would have been nice to see Miss Fancy Pants and stupid Lord Trottington disowned. I bet they'd keep visiting us anyway. Shame.
My necklace cleared this morning. It's accepted my wolf self. Well, it made Mum feel better, and I get all her rants about it helping me control the wolf now at least. Ugh. It's all too complicated for me.

~ Winter Blossom

***

Scootaloo quivered in amazement. Winter Blossom. Cloud Rider. Willow Blossom. Names she'd heard casually mentioned around Ponyville, her own family, were in a journal about ... what was it called? Shifters.
From the note in the cover, this was left to her by her mother. And the dance it mentioned. Scootaloo was sure that must have been the dance her parents began dating after, if her mother wrote about going with Cloud Rider. The only conclusion she could come to was that her parents were shifters, which meant ... Scootaloo couldn't even think about what that meant for her.
What about the necklace that cleared when Winter Blossom wore it? Her hoof brushed the stone at her throat.
That's it. I'm writing to Princess Luna.

***

Dear Princess Luna

I looked through Mum and Dad's stuff, like you said, and found this box with my name carved on it. It's full of paper and stuff! I read some, and it calls me a 'shifter' - furry is my speciality, according to this.
In the box there was this scroll, called 'Controlling the Beast Within'. I haven't read it all, but apparently I can control when I change, although the full moon brings it on too. Oh, and really strong emotions, it said. Most of it was blurred, but from what I could make out there's this potion called 'consumptis de amoveo'? That forces the inner animal out, or something. I even have the recipe ...
Anyway, does any of this help?

Scootaloo

***

"C'mon. Just ask him. That way Ah can prove Ah'm right- or, um, wrong. Whatever. But we won't know until ya've at least tried!'
"No way! I'll believe Scootaloo's some weird monster-"
"Werepony."
"- when I see it. Until then, I trust her to tell us something as big as that."
Applebloom groaned. She couldn't prove Scootaloo was a pony-eating monster until she got hold of some of those letters the filly had been sending to Princess Luna, and she couldn't do that alone. Unfortunately, Sweetie Belle refused to see reason. There was only one option left, and she knew she'd regret it, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
Applebloom leapt in front of Sweetie, opened her eyes wide and whimpered.
"Please? For me?"
Try as she might, the pearl filly could not resist the powers of cuteness. "Alright! Alright! I'll go ask Spike!" Mentally cursing Applebloom and her adorable eyes, Sweetie cantered over to the library.

***

Applebloom tapped her hoof impatiently. Sweetie Belle had left over half an hour ago, and yet she still hadn't appeared. She doubted Sweetie even went to see Spike. Probably the filly had just trotted on home to Rarity, and Applebloom was wasting precious werepony-hunting time waiting for her.
Finally Applebloom spotted a white figure clutching a tightly furled scroll in the distance. "Mph moh ih!" The figure managed to choke out few words, but none identifiable to Applebloom.
A damp scroll landed at her hooves. "I got it!" Sweetie Belle nudged her friend. "Go on. Open it!"
Applebloom unfurled the letter apprehensively. As she read on, a plan began to form in her head.
"Now do ya see? She's a monster!"
"This doesn't prove anything!"
"Well Ah doubt she'd send letters saying 'Oh yeah, did I mention I'm a werepony?' Ah'm telling you, Ah saw it with my own eyes. She's one of them."
"I think you just don't like her. You're looking for reasons to hate her!"
"Fine. Ah'll prove it. We'll make the potion ... and then everypony can see."

Author's Note

Sorry for lack of updates. Been going through some alternate ideas for the ending, but I finally worked it out. Have a read.
Note: 'consumptis de amoveo' is Latin for 'bringer of shift'.

Chapter 6

"Hey, Scootaloo!" The filly in question turned towards the sound, and smiled in relief.
"Applebloom! Sweetie! You made it!"
"Of course we did! What kind of friends would we be if we missed something as important to you as this? Right, Applebloom?" Sweetie Belle, none too subtly, trod hard on her friend's hoof.
"Hey!" Pouring her wounded feelings into a single cry, Applebloom glared at the beaming filly next to her, who glared straight back. Fearing another attack, she grudgingly nodded.
Oblivious to the tensions around her, Scootaloo waved her friends over to the back gate. "Great! Okay, I've set up the track at the edge of the woods, but I couldn't quite get the springboard in place. Applebloom, could you give me a hoof?"
"Er- Ah, um, need to ... use the little fillies' room?"
Looking sympathetic, Scootaloo directed the anxious filly to the downstairs bathroom. Applebloom dashed off, nodding gratefully at the orange pegasus.
Once inside, Applebloom headed straight past her apparent destination, and made for the bookcase she knew presided in the living room. Remembering the letter Sweetie had retrieved from Spike, she grinned maliciously. "Recipe for the change, huh? If this doesn't prove that you're a monster, nothing will ..." The filly scoured the creaking wooden shelves, overloaded with battered old copies belonging to the monster's parents.

Half an hour later and with no recipe in sight, Applebloom was ready to give up. She had checked the entire bookcase four times, and found books on horticulture, flying, woodland creatures, several of Scootaloo's parent's old foalhood fairy tales, and a how-to guide for preparing fish, but not even a glimpse of anything vaguely resembling a potion to reveal monsters. The farm filly slumped to the floor, sighing loudly.
She had lain on the cool wooden floor for quite some time when the muffled laughter of her friends reached her through the walls. The realisation hit her suddenly - if it wasn't here, then it must be in Scootaloo's room! Her hooves carried her up the worn stairs, leaping two at a time in eagerness.
"Applebloom? Where are you?" The call came from downstairs, and with a jolt Applebloom realised she had been missing for far too long. Diving into Scootaloo's room, she eased the door shut and turned to face the mess with a groan. The filly desperately shuffled
through the collective remnants of two weeks with no parents, hoping against hope she would spot the recipe before her friends discovered her.
Hearing hoofsteps on the stairs, she glanced up, and found herself staring at Scootaloo's personal bookshelf. With no other possibilities left to her, she scanned it, and spotted a small crumpled piece of parchment lying precariously on the very edge of the shelf. 'It can't be ...' she thought, already praying to Celestia that it was. As the door handle jiggled, she grabbed it, stuffing it quickly in her tail and staring studiously at the shelf.
Not half a second later, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle burst through the door, assuming positions Applebloom guessed were meant to scare off the 'intruder'. "Oh. It's just you." Scootaloo stared, astonished, at her friend. "I thought you had been kidnapped!"
"Thank goodness you weren't!" Sweetie swept the confused filly into a warm embrace, squeezing her tightly.
"Where were you? We were worried when you didn't come back!"
Applebloom struggled for words, partly because a pearl unicorn filly was squeezing the living daylights out of her, but mostly because she simply could not think of an excuse. "Um ... Ah was checking out your books?" she tried with a sheepish grin.

***

The Everfree Forest, normally silent save for the occasional whisperings of the wind, was filled with the sound of arguing. A pair of fillies stared fiercely at each other, neither wanting to back down.
"Ah told you so, didn't Ah? Ah told ya she was a monster!"
"That doesn't prove anything! Maybe she just believes she's a, um ..."
"Werepony."
"Whatever. For all we know, Princess Luna's humouring her!"
"Ah know what Ah saw. And ya will, too, when we give her the potion."
"Fine. We'll make your stupid potion, and I'll watch you apologise when you end up wrong!"
"Fine!"
Applebloom watched her friend stalk off, before removing the precious recipe from her tail. She scanned the ingredients, silently thanking Celestia that the ingredients were relatively normal - the recipe seemed to suggest mixing the potion into cupcake mix for easy consumption.
She sighed in relief. This would all be over soon. Someday everypony would thank her for revealing the beast that lurked within their society. They'd congratulate her for sticking to her belief when everypony around her turned against her. Someday ...

***

Sweetie -

Ah've made the cupcakes. They'll be outside ya locker in the morning, so make sure nopony else gets them first. Offer one to the monster before assembly tomorrow. Good luck.

- AB
Sweetie Belle sighed. She sympathised with Scootaloo, knowing how it felt to hide a terrible secret. Once she had pondered sharing her differences with her friends, but Applebloom had made her see that could never be possible.
The pearl unicorn didn't really want to hurt Scootaloo, but she hoped that by helping Applebloom, she could keep repercussions to a minimum.

When did life get so hard?

***

The pegasus filly checked back over her notes from the papers she had discovered in her parents' room. Closing her eyes and letting a feeling of calm wash over her, she willed the change to come.
Nothing. No furry legs, no fluffy tail, no pointed fangs.
She knew Luna had told her the key was practise. Practise, practise, practise. It was all she ever talked about. But she didn't have the patience - or the time - to wait for it to happen naturally. Scootaloo wanted it to happen now!
Nevertheless, she willed it over and over, practising the change until her legs were stiff and her head throbbed painfully.
Resigning herself to forever be a shifter who couldn't shift, she turned back towards home.
Change is from your core, young Scootaloo. Change your core and you change yourself. The words of her mother echoed in her mind, as she remembered her saying them years before.
"Oh well ..." She mumbled. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try, right?"
She closed her eyes once more, and imagined a warm sphere of light wriggling around inside of her. It was filled with all her strongest emotions: anger at her parents, for deserting her, love for her friends, for staying beside her no matter what, awe and gratefulness towards Princess Luna, for helping her when she was lost ... The ball grew larger and larger, until it fully encased her, and she felt its warmth tickle at her fur.
Her eyes shot open. Fur. The light faded, and as she gazed down upon her silvery paws, she grinned.

***

Scootaloo snuggled into the soft fabric of her sofa, smiling in her sleep. As daylight slowly filled the room, forcing out the darkness of night, her eyes flickered open. Yawning, the filly shuffled into her bathroom, already imagining sinking into the relaxing bubbles of her deep bath.
Glancing into the mirror, she spotted a fleck of brown disrupting the even orange tones of her flank. She rubbed it absent-mindedly, remembering her adventures of the previous night, which had probably been the source of the mud now splattered over her coat. The patch on her flank, however, remained quite stubbornly.
The pegasus moved closer to the mirror, her sleep-addled mind wondering vaguely why the mud would not come off. This mud was conveniently placed, she noticed, smiling. In the right area for a cutie mark ..., she mused. And what about the shape? That was by far the strangest feature.
It looked almost like a paw print ...

Author's Note

I had actually decided to leave this fic for a few months and thought about ditching it, but I came back to it thanks to a comment from flyinggirl. So thank you flyinggirl, it's always nice to know people appreciate your work, even when you've given up on it.
As always, comments on improvements welcome :D