A Dark Night

It was Friday night and Scootaloo just entered Sweet Apple Acres.  She creped quietly towards a clubhouse at the far end of the farm.  The Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse was nothing much, just an old clubhouse of Applejack’s given to Apple Bloom about a year ago. Apple Boom had taken it and given it a new coat of paint and more structural support.  Since then it has served as the Crusader’s main meeting spot.

Scootaloo made her way up the ramp and unlocked the door with the key that Apple Bloom hid under a nearby rock.  Once inside she took off her saddle bags and took out a small lantern.  She lit it up and got a small warm glow that lit up the small room.  Along with the lantern she took out a photo of three ponies.  In the center was a younger Scootaloo. The first was a Pegasus mare pony with a light purple coat, red mane, and blue eyes.  The other pony was a taller orange stallion with purple eyes and a medium cut green mane and tail.

Scootaloo hugged the photo and gave a small tear.  It had been a few months now and still every night she had issues falling asleep.  Even when she managed to get to sleep she world still have horrible nightmares.  More often of what happened that one night.

Lastly she pulled out a small sleeping bag and pillow along with a Daring Do book that she recently borrowed from Twlight at the Golden Oaks Library in town.  The sleeping bag had a photo of the Wonderbolts on it and the pillow had small scooters on its case.  She huddled up under the lantern and started to read where she had left off the night prior.

Earlier that week Scootaloo found out that during the following weekend that the Apple Family would be visiting Manehatten and Babs.  The whole weekend they would be gone.  Scootaloo normally stayed with friends and schoolmates these last few months and tried to space who she stayed with as to not raise suspicions.  So far it was working well.  This weekend happened to be hard due to a lot of her friends not being able to sleep over so she was happy when she found out that the Apple family was going to be gone.

Unfortunately this wasn’t entirely true, the last few days were the end of the season’s harvest and didn’t go so well.  The applecart fell apart in a few spots causing a wheel to need repair.  As a result Big Macintosh was asked to stay behind and tend to the farm needs and complete the harvest.

It being a Friday night and with the chores completed he decided that he wanted to go for a stroll through town.  He headed outside and “burr”.

Being the end of harvest also meant that it was late fall and the nights weren’t getting any warmer.  Big Mac headed back inside and got himself a scarf and a jacket and started towards town.  He walked through the streets and enjoyed the peaceful fall night.  Along the way greeting the few pony passerby’s he encountered.

As he rounded the corner towards the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres he noticed a light off in the distance.  It was coming from inside the orchard.  Thinking that there was a possible fire he did the only thing that he could think of and ran toward the well.  He pulled up the bucket containing water and holding it in his teeth he headed as fast as he could towards the fire.

Getting closer he realized it was the clubhouse that he and Applejack shared as foals.  Noticing that the light wasn’t dancing around or spreading he was curious to find out what was going on.  Big Mac put the bucket down slowly and Tip-Hoofed up the ramp and peeked into the front window.  Inside of all things was a small filly inside a sleeping bag with a book on her chest.

The filly as he could see had an orange coat and a purple mane.   Instantly Big Macintosh realized that it was one of his sister’s little friends.  Not being around much due to his large work load the name didn’t faze him.  He noticed that the filly was asleep and starting to shiver.

Being a gentle as he was in nature he realized he couldn’t leave her there shivering and decided that he needed to help.  He lightly tapped open the door and let himself inside.  The door creaking open awoke and started the filly and she began to panic.

Trying her best to get away but failed when she realized her sleeping bag had her trapped. The frightened Scootaloo was too scared to say anything.  Standing in front of her was a large red stallion with a green apple as a cutie mark.  She knew this stallion as Apple Bloom’s older brother Big Mac and was confused as to why he was there, though seeing that the lantern was still lit she realized that was what he must have seen.

“Excuse me miss, might I ask as to why you are sleeping here?” Mac asked in a small shaky tone.  He too was frightened after the filly jumped and panicked had gotten his heart racing.  The small filly was now in the far corner was curled up in a tight ball scared as to what was going to happen to her.  She started crying as soon as he had spoken to her.

As sensitive as he is he knelt down next to the filly seeking to give her comfort.   After a while the filly started to calm down and just cuddled into him still weeping.  Big Mac realized of the small set up she had and the photo of what must be her parents inside the room.  She must have ran away or something but didn’t want to make matters worse by asking at this point.

A few more minutes went by and Scootaloo was calm to the point that she was just seeking the warmth from Big Mac.   He finally spoke again this time asking “Do you have a place to stay tonight?”  Scootaloo finally looked at him and shook her head no.  Big Mac got up and started to pack her few items into her saddle bags.

“E-Excuse me what are you doing?” Scootaloo finally asked a little confused.  Looking up from his work of packing he replied “You didn’t expect me to leave you here, do ya Miss?” He then took his scarf he had on and handed it to the filly; she wrapped it around herself happily of its warmth. “What’s your name young lady, I see ya all the time with Apple Bloom and I have never known you name?”  Shuffling her feet a little Scootaloo finally answered “It’s Scootaloo Sir, Scoots for short if you don’t mind”.

Big Mac smiled and nodded.  “Well tonight you are welcomed to stay in the farm house, ya must be hungery bein out her and all” he said.  The filly looked hesitant for a bit before nodding again.  “Come back with me to the house and I will give y’all something to eat and y’all welcome to stay in Apple Bloom’s room, I don’t think she mind, you being her close friend and all.”

Scootaloo let out a small squeak of hesitation before nodding once again.  Big Mac lifted the saddle bags onto his back and started the lead Scootaloo towards the house.