Little Redd: the Lost Concept of Peace

Chapter Sixteen

Heavy Relations, Part Two

Zecora greeted them, and slid a cup of herbal tea towards Redd across the zebra's small table.  The Unicorn looked at the cup a moment before gingerly taking a sip.  Zecora turned to Scootaloo.

"And you are whom?  For some reason, you remind me of Apple Bloom."

Scootaloo looked down at her forelegs, currently crossed and laid flat across the table.

"I was one of her friends.  A long time ago."

Zecora cocked her brow.

"She's also an Element of Discord.  Scootaloo's made some... mistakes, and lost Apple Bloom because of them," Redd explained.

Zecora nodded, and continued.

"Which Element do you represent?"

Scootaloo hesitated, and her voice caught, like she'd been crying.

"Pride."

The zebra looked back to Redd.

"So, why do you bring her here?  Did I not make my conditions clear?"

Zecora's words from a few days ago ran through Redd's mind like a movie reel.

Expose my home you musn't do, as the rest are of a darker brew.  Bring them here, or even near, and you will leave by a lonesome tear.

Redd sighed.

"That brings me to my point.  Scootaloo's like me; she's lost the will to burn the Princesses' land.  Discord doesn't know about her rebellion any more than he knows about mine.  And, both of us have come out to Celestia.  Scootaloo actually managed to get there before me.  She's friendly, really."

Zecora glanced out her window, and sighed.

"Fine.  But bring nopony else to this home of mine."

She stood, and moved for the door.

"To collect some herbs, I must be gone.  And stop kicking Jakkyl!"

She left the two expecting another rhyme as she walked out the hut and shut the door behind her.  Scootaloo's gaze followed her curiously, her glasses crooked again.

"Jakkyl?"

Redd sighed for the thirteenth time that day, looking up at her friend with a bit of humor in her eyes.

"The tree outside.  I'm not sure how she got him, though."

Redd got up to leave, Scootaloo following suit.  The humbled tree mumbled a quiet 'Later' as they passed, Redd's opinion of him unfaltered.

Perverted bastard.

Hungry, the pair decided that Scootaloo would take the pick as to what resturaunt they went to since she had lived here most of her life.

"There's this place called Cafe Du Mane right there around the marketplace that's got the best multi-lingual cuisine in Ponyville."

She snickered.

"And the only multi-lingual cuisine in Ponyville."

Redd cocked a brow, and realized Scootaloo was serious.

"What?  It's a small town, okay?"

"I've gotten that by now, Scootaloo," Redd said, smiling.

As they walked past the first few buildings of Ponyville, Scootaloo stopped, took off her glasses, and stowed them in her saddlebags.  Used to the fact that Scootaloo often had fun poked at her because  of her near-sightedness, Redd stopped and patiently waited for her before they continued along through the village.

Scootaloo picked up several looks on her way to Cafe Du Mane, and after some nervous thought figured that it was her appearance.  She looked exactly like she had at a younger age, save her fully grown wings.  The fact that her cutie mark was a flaming wheel didn't help quinch passersby's attention.  Having arrived outside of the resturaunt, suddenly, Scootaloo squinted at something in the middle of the marketplace and gasped as she leapt into a bush.  After glancing questioningly at her friend, Redd saw the problem.  A moment after Scootaloo concealed her presence in the foliage, the Cutie Mark Crusaders came trotting along happily currently led by Sweetie Belle, perhaps to Rarity's boutique.  The three exchanged greetings before Apple Bloom stopped, looked back at Redd and smiled, before picking up the pace to catch back up to her friends.  After they'd rounded the corner, Scootaloo sadly stepped out of the bush.

"If only they knew what I'm gonna end up putting them through..."

Redd smiled.

"You'll find them again, Scootaloo.  Just make sure you don't get swallowed by your ego again."

With that, they stepped inside, where they were greeted by Bon Bon, who was wearing an apron.

"Hey... Scootaloo?" she said, her eyes widening.

Scootaloo's gaze flitted about the room, and she stumbled over her words.  Thankfully, Redd filled in for her.

"Actually, this is Hot Wheels, a distant cousin of Scootaloo's."

The orange mare brightened, and grinned angelically.

"Oookay, I didn't know Scootaloo had a cousin, but that's fine.  What brought you to Ponyville?"

Again, 'Hot Wheels' ears flattened.

"I... uh..."

"A visit, since she hasn't seen Scootaloo's family in a while.  She's gonna be going back to Las Pegasus soon though, probably in a few weeks."

The smile once more split across Scootaloo's face, and Bon Bon's brow cocked.

"Uh huh.  Well, if you'll follow me, we have a few more booths open."

Bon Bon picked up a pair of menus before pausing and putting them back down.

"How many?"

"Just the two of us," Redd replied.

Bon Bon noddd, and picked the menus back up in her teeth before guiding them to a window seat in the far corner of the room.  After they had seated themselves, Bon Bon smiled.

"If you guys need anything, just ask.  I'll be back to check on you in two to three minutes."

Scootaloo nodded.

"Thank you," Redd replied.

Bon Bon made off, and Scootaloo dropped the smile she had plastered across her face.

"You're getting really good at that."

Redd glanced up at her.

"What?"

"Fibbing on a dime.  I mean, it was enough.  I obviously haven't had much practice at it, but..."

She leaned forward, Redd coming into somewhat of a clearer focus.

"'Hot Wheels'?  Really?"

Redd shrugged, and opened her menu.

"It's better than 'Actually yeah, I'm from the future because Discord pulled me out of a lonely situation and sent me on a collision course with the need to destroy everything good Equestria has to offer, regardless of the fact that I'm still worried that my old friends won't accept me back as co-leader of a club I helped start when I was eleven.  But you know, I'm pretty much totally harmless.'"

Scootaloo looked at her incredulously.

"That's basically what you told Zecora."

"Yeah, because she's my godmother.  She's literally known me since before I was born.  She knows I get who's in the right and who's not."

Redd put down her menu just as Bon Bon came back.

"I can take your drinks now, but if you need more time I can come back."

"Oh no, it's no bother.  I'll have a medium sweet tea--"

She cut herself off, pausing.

"Actually, I think I'll just have some coffee.  Completely black, please."

"Yes ma'am.  And you, Hot Wheels?"

At the mention of her poorly crafted cover name, Scootaloo shot Redd a nasty look before placing her order.

"A Monster, if you have them."

Bon Bon nodded.

"Yep.  Sure do.  I'll be back again in just a sec with your drinks, and if you're ready then I'll take your order, 'kay?"

Bon Bon trotted off towards the kitchen, unaware that Redd was staring after her.

"I can't believe she's so happy.  This is the first time I've spoken to her outside of Dark Ponyville.  Even then, I never really got to know her."

"Just another reminder of what exactly we're up against," Scootaloo added darkly.

Redd's eyes fell to her bracelet.  Not the Element of Chaos, but Deepest Care's golden halo, wrapped independently around her ankle as if it were never going to leave her side.

I'm with you, Little Redd.

I know, mum.  I know.