Also Special thanks goes to Smokey Glacier for editing this other mess.

Still grinning like a madman, you close the door to your house and press forward.

You still couldn't believe it. A baby girl! You didn't even think about the baby's sex beforehand, being too busy with dealing with the problem of now. But as soon as the doctor had told you and Gilda the news, you just couldn't stop thinking about it.

Looks like I'm going to be buying a small army of dresses and teddy bears before this is over. Then again, if she’s anything like her mother, I'm probably just going to be buying hoofballs and sports gear too. What if she has wings? I should really put more padding around the house.

The doctor couldn't tell you anything more than the sex of the baby. Ultra sound was still a very new and untested practice in only the highest end hospitals around Equestria. It wasn't a common practice, especially among places like Ponyville.

The only reason the doctor could tell it was a girl, was apparently by testing the magic per cell count, or MLPC as you had been told.

Apparently, the higher the count per cell, the more it was likely it was to be a girl, according to the chart.

It made sense in a way. The most powerful ponies around this county were mares even up to the rulers of the country. It didn't necessarily mean that stallions were weaker but it was easier for mares to call on their natural magic reserves. Again, you didn't quite understand the doctor, but Twilight seemed certain enough.

With the excitement of the morning finally dying down once you exited the hospital, you turned back to your house for a short break to hopefully collect your thoughts for the up and coming picnic. As ecstatic as Gilda was about your little baby girl, the morning had taken it out on her considerably (though she would never admit it). It was still far too early to meet for the picnic on the farm so you decided to let Gilda have some peace and quiet in bed whilst you went to go visit some old friends that you haven't seen in a while.

Pressing on through the beautiful late morning sun, you turn down a small rural path parallel to the Everfree. It didn't take long to stumble upon your destination. It takes you a minute to realize you’ve even arrived, as you were barely paying any attention to the world around you. It feels like you’re viewing everything through rose tinted glasses with the troubles of this morning all but forgotten.

You stop by the field, inhaling deeply through your nose before releasing a calming exaggerated gust of air. You feel total serenity wash over your mind and body.

Gazing lazily around your favourite little retreat, a small still lake right at the cusp of the town, you hear the tranquil calls of nature and feel the wind as it sweeps through your hair and rattles the leaves of the surrounding oak trees that act as a natural fence for the area. The sapphire blue lake centred in the middle of the field ripples softly from the breeze, occasionally broken by your footsteps as you walk around the shallow bank barefoot and enraptured by the symphony of Mother Nature.

Walking right over to the other side of the lake, you locate your favourite spot, a perfectly arched tree that allows just enough shade and grass to let you sit comfortably for hours on end.

Still wearing that enormous grin, you lean against the tree and let yourself slide down the smooth bark until your rump come into contact with the grass bellow with a quiet thump.

Detaching the saddle from your waist, you set it down by your side, shifting through the compartment to grab your journal and a crafted piece of charcoal. You open it up, surveying the finding of you latest research. After finding the page where you last left off, you let it flop down on your lap as you stare off into the distance awaiting the arrival of your friends.

As the minutes progress, the whistling winds slowly come to a slow halt, leaving the sounds of the ripples of the enormous lake and its wild inheritance as the soundtrack of the area.

That is until you hear an odd noise.

The alien sound catches your attention immediately as you bite the inside of your cheek in contemplation, focusing on the sound.

You hear it again. It sounds like something is catching its breath. You can even make out some soft muttering. Though it’s nearly inaudible, you can tell what it is almost immediately and it sounds like its coming from behind you.

You turn in place, looking behind the tree you were using for support to confirm your predictions.

There facing away from you sat a fiery orange little Pegasus filly with a deep magenta coloured mane. She was slumped down her head almost touching the floor. You didn't need to see her to tell she was crying. Every few seconds she was fighting back a sob, her tiny wings twitching and fighting to stay against her side. It looked like she had been there for some time.

Frowning, you look back towards the lake. You had no idea who she was but the sound alone was playing your heart strings like a violin.
Despite the knowledge that being alone with a filly in general was not a good thing for obvious 'Oh Celestia that monsters going to eat that defenceless little filly,' quickly followed by the sounds of an angry mob chasing you into a soon to be burned down house, you couldn't just sit back and leave her there no matter what.

Just play it calm and this won't turn into a Mary Shelley novel.

"Rough day, huh?" You finally say in a soft tone just loud enough for her to hear.

Immediately the sound of the sniffles stop. You don't turn around or make any noise at all. You can guess the little filly's looking around for whatever voice just called out to her.

"Yeah, my day’s been pretty rough as well. Then again, I just got some good news an hour ago so I'd say me and karma are pretty much even for now." You shrug despite the knowledge that the filly can't see you.

The soft sounds of hooves confirm the filly's approach as she very slowly paces towards you the sounds stop instantly as the filly rounds the corner catching her breath in shock.

Don't scream, don't scream, please don’t scream.

You turn your gaze slowly over to her throwing your best disarming smile at her as you try to insure her that you’re friendly. Even in a sitting position, you easily towered over the child.

"Don't worry kid, I'm not going to eat you. You don't look like you'd be much of a meal anyway." You joke, chucking a bit to hammer home that you didn't mean it, as you notice the filly's eyes go as wide as dinner plates.

"Y-y-you’re that monkey dude who helped Applebloom’s dog! What are you doing here?" she weakly asks.

Wow, even the kids are calling me monkey? Ah, screw it, at least I stopped her crying. I'll take what I can get.

"I think the term human would be the accurate name last time I checked, but I guess Doc works. That's what the Apple family calls me. Then again, my marefreind is fond of calling me dork so I guess you could take your pick."

The filly despite herself, giggles slightly bringing a hoof up to her face before turning away from you towards the lake, frowning as if she was mad that she had forgotten she was supposed to be upset.

"And to answer your question, I'm waiting for a couple of friends." You give her another friendly smile trying to meet her eyes whilst staying still as you try to look as least dangerous as possible. "Any reason a little filly like yourself is here all alone on the edge of the Everfree?"

The little filly turns to you with a furrowed brow giving you a grumpy look as she stuck her lip out at you in one of the most adorable pouts you’ve seen.

"I'm not a little filly! For your information, I'm almost nine years old and I can take care of myself."

You chuckle a bit at her bravado. "I bet you can. You didn't even turn and run when you saw me! You’re a heck of a lot braver than most ponies I see."

The little compliment you give seems to perk the filly up a bit as she stares at you and turns her head to the side. “Well, you do kind of look a little scary at first, but Applebloom tells me you’re nice and you help the Apple family out a lot, so I don't think you could be all that bad."

"Huh, wish more ponyfolk were as smart as you. So if you don't mind me asking, what's a big brave mare doing upset and crying alone in the woods?"

"I wasn't crying, I just got a fly in my eye! Both of them..." She states defiantly turning away quickly rubbing her tear soaked fur with a hoof.

"Ah, that's a shame. Whenever I'm upset I like to sit here and chow down on these amazing Sugercube corner cookies Fluttershy brings me.

They always make me feel better." You state reaching down into the bag and pulling out a small box of baked goods.

"But you probably don't need cheering up, considering you’re fine and everything." feigning sadness, you shake your head before sighing and lifting up one of the white chocolate infused baked goods into your mouth.

You catch the filly's eyes that had shot open for a moment as she watches the cookies with a panicked expression as they rapidly decline in number.

Frowning, she turns around to make sure the coast is clear before turning back and sighing with her ears sprayed back and wings dropped to the sides.

"C-can you keep a secret?" she asks looking up at you with saddened gaze.

You nod, putting the putting the box back down on your lap, giving the filly your undivided attention.

"I can certainly try. Then again, I don't really talk to anyone, so I don't have anyone to tell even if I wanted to." you answer with a soft smirk.

The filly herself wasn't able to look you in the eye. She was looking everywhere but at you as she stroked one of her forelegs with a hoof like a child ready to be told off by a teacher. "I... I was crying okay, but just a bit. Please don't tell anypony! They’re going to think I'm a wimp if they find out."

The filly begins to shiver again as the pent up emotions threaten to overcome her again. Reaching over, you softly cup the filly's muzzle with your hand bringing her gaze back to you.

"There's nothing wrong with crying. Every, er... pony does it. Heck, even I, the big scary ape from far away has been known to cry when I'm truly unhappy. I'm more concerned about why you were crying?"

"I-I don't want to talk about it." The little filly frowns, closing her eyes as she fights back a sob.

"That's fair. I'm not going to make you tell me, but if you want to talk, I'm all ears." You say handing over a cookie to the filly who takes it into her hoof tentatively eyeing it for a while, then looking back at you.

"Don't worry, it’s not poisoned, see." You smirk, quickly pinching the cookie from her hands before throwing it into your mouth with a nearly contained snicker.

"Hey, you can't just do that, that's mine!" The filly pouts.

You chuckle lightly. "Too slow kid, you got be quick if you want to- whaaa!" You scream, not even finishing the sentence before the little devil lunges at you snatching the box and retreating out of arms reach distance with a cocky look plastered on her muzzle as she waggles her tail playfully.

You sit up laughing as you recover. "Haha, okay, nice moves kid. You got me."

"Well, I learn from the best." She gloated, digging into the box and taking out a large multi coloured cookie.

Your eyes shot up and you put your hands against your cheeks in mock terror. "No please, you wouldn't. Not my super deluxe multi coloured cookie!"

She smirks evilly taking the whole cookie into her mouth and puffing out her chest in victory as you slouch back acting mortified with your mouth wide open.

You shake your head and chuckle. "So what do I call you then beside the cookie monster?"

The filly snaps up, giving you a perplexed look her muzzle covered in crumbs.

Duh, of course she doesn't get the reference.

"The names Scootaloo, but you can call me scoots. That's what my friends call me." She smiles quickly before pushing her muzzle back into the box. You feel a little warm spread across your chest at the prospect of acceptance from the filly.

You shake your head, looking back at the lake, amused by the noises of the rapidly declining army of baked goods the little filly was massacring. Those poor cookies never stood a chance.

"So.” She mumbles, her muzzle still stuffed with cookies. “You said you were meeting some pony friends here?"

"I am indeed, although I don't think it’s accurate to call them ponies." you say, scanning the area.

They should be here any minute now actually

The little filly gives you a quizzical glare, opening her mouth to speak she stops as a loud screeching noise pierces the air and catches the filly's attention.

You smirk, looking around for your feathery friends. You don't have to search very hard as not a second later a small crimson and purple thing, the size of a tennis ball, collides into your chest sending you back to the ground where the filly had previously landed you.

"Haha, hey their little one, did you miss me?" you say cupping the little chick in your hand as it nuzzles your thumb.

"Wow, is that a phoenix?" Scootaloo inquires, edging closer to your hand, stopping just short of you and the little phoenix.

"Yep. This little one here's called Ember. Not all that original, I know, but I think it fits." You say pulling out a neckless from bellow your shirt attached to it is two feathers, one crimson and deep darker purple than the little chicks and the other considerably larger primary feather coloured in a warm chocolate brown.

The little phoenix cheeps as it smells the scent of the feather of its mother moving up and nuzzling it too.

"This feather symbolises that I'm pretty much a member of their flock! How cool is that!?" You explain with perhaps a little too much passion in your voice.

Scootaloo goes bug eyed looking down at the chick and then up at you several times. "Wait you were adopted by phoenixes!?"

You pause for a minute before you can't help but laugh, holding a hand up to your mouth to stifle yourself as the filly gives you an annoyed pout.

"Sorry, I wasn't laughing at you, it’s just I never thought about it that way before. When you put it like that, I guess you're right.”

You delicately lift the purple feather up from your chest, letting the filly examine it closer.

"This was given to me by the local family. See, I'm a vet and to make a longer story short I saved Ember here and brought her back to her parents. This feather here symbolises trust and acceptance. It's like being accepted into the family. So to sum things up as weird as it sounds, yeah I was adopted by phoenixes." You watch as the little chick hops up to your shoulder and pecks at your ear lightly eliciting a childish giggle from you. You always were a bit ticklish.

"Yes, yes, I haven't forgotten about you, Ember. Here, want to know who my new accomplice is?"

"You can understand her?" Scootaloo leans further until she's practically on your lap.

"No, no, I'm not Fluttershy, but I do read a lot about their gestures and body language enough to get an idea. Not that Ember here is all that subtle." You smirk as the little chick nips at your ear again harder this time.

"Ouch! Okay, okay, sorry. Well, she can understand me and you perfectly at least."

"Wow, that's so cool!" Scootaloo yells. You’re sure she's not even really paying attention. You wouldn't be either if this was the first time you saw a phoenix.

"I know, right?" You giddily answer before coughing for dramatic effect putting on an air of class and mock sophistication as you sit upright.

"Madam Ember, It would be my great honour to formally introduce you to my newest compatriot and friend, the fair Ms. Scootaloo." You announce to the little chick that mimics you by standing to attention and bowing in the direction of the little filly, unfurling her wing behind her back as she bows.

Scotaloo giggles at the act, doing her best to copy you both as she bows politely. "Charmed, madam Ember."

The little phoenix hops down from your shoulder, flying over towards Scootaloo, landing lightly on her head and giving it a soft pick eliciting another soft giggle from the filly.

"I think she likes you." You add softly.

The chick flies up to the tip of Scootaloo’s muzzle pecking the left over crumbs of the cookie that dangle off her snout.

"Hey, stop that that tickles!" Scootaloo squeals trying to get away from Ember who persists, chasing after the her as they run around the field.

You smirk looking around, "So where is mom hiding?"

You hear a louder screech this time come from above your head as you look up to spot the majestic older phenoix perched on a branch above. She looks down at you with her fantastic pitch black eyes before launching off the branch, flying lazily in a circle around the tree before landing on your outstretched arm.

The mother phoenix moves over towards your shoulder, giving you a quick nuzzle before looking at the little filly and her chick playing near you.

"It seems both Ember and I made a friend today." You say softly before the mother looks at you, kawing again at you before she flaps her wings a few times in a very significant manor.

You frown at the phoenix. "Hey, I do get out more, believe me." you say back to the phoenix who rolls her eyes and extends her left wing, flicking the tip of her feathers a few times.

"What do you mean I never come to visit? I'm here now, aren’t I?" you argue as the mother phoenix gives you a ‘yeah right’ look, shaking her head and kawing at you again turning her head to the left moving her body down and back up.

"Okay, okay, I'll try and visit more frequently when I can, but it’s going to be hard with the baby and everything." You accept defeat rubbing the back feathers of the phoenix.

"Maybe you could move your nest closer to the house. I'm sure the baby would love to meet you guys someday. and Fluttershy and I always worry that your nested to close to that dragon tribe."

The phoenix rubs her wing under its beak in thought as you turn around happy. You leave her to Contemplate, content to simply watch the children play as they dart around the field.

After a short while, the two girls begin to tire down, moving over to your side as you continue to talk to the mother phoenix, occasionally noting down some of her gestures and patterns into the book for a later study.

"You and Ember have fun?" you ask light-heartedly.

The filly nods her head vigorously. She sits by the side next to your crossed legs catching her breath. You think about light heartedly ruffling out her hair but decide against it. You still don't know how you stand with ponies so you simply sit quietly next to filly.

A bout of mumbling causes you to look over at the filly.

"Scootaloo are you okay?"

She looks up at you, opening her muzzle to speak a few times before turning away.

"C-can I ask you a question?" Scootaloo finally asks, looking up at you with those big magenta eyes of hers.

"Of course." you say, flipping the book closed. "Ask away."

"I was just kind of um, wondering something. If you were adopted by Ember and her mom, does that mean you were an orphan too?"

You raise an eyebrow at the filly, taking a moment to consider the question. You whisper to the larger phoenix on your shoulder. The mother nods and launches off around the canopy with her daughter in tow.

"Well, that's hard to say. I mean, I had a family and friends a few years ago but... something happened. I'm still not sure to this day, but I lost them all when I came here. It was... an unpleasant time for me." You give a world weary sigh as the memory's come flooding back.

An empty house devoid of life and sound floods your mind. The dull constant pain of your legs helped little by the medication the doctors gave you after the hospital discharge. You light the next cigarette almost robotically as your body feel like it’s on auto pilot, staring into the fireplace. The only source of light and almost the only companion you have. Cursing whatever took your old life from you, you look down at the medication. It was strong. Almost effective, but did little other than make you drowsy and muddy your thoughts. An idea creeps into your consciousness. Maybe, just maybe if you took them all at once you could... No! No, that's not a road you'll go down so easy. Slumping further against the wall, you pull the smoke back into your mouth. A single tear trickles down your left cheek. I just want to go home...

You shake your head violently. Silencing the memory now was different. You look back at the filly confused, but not phased by the seconds of silence.

"Yeah, I suppose you could say I am, or was an orphan. I had no one truly for some time. If it wasn't for my overly, uh, assertive roommate turned girlfriend, marefriend whatever you call it, and these beautiful birds, then I guess I would be alone."

The filly doesn't say anything but just looks further ahead. She slumps her side lightly on your crossed leg, leaving you feeling a tad uncomfortable given you social standing in this town as a meat eating monster. But you decide against moving. She looks like she needed the company. Contemplating the thought, you see the subtle twitching of her ears and caught breath the only indication that she was still awake.
"I ruined everything again." She states nearly above a whisper.

"What was that Scoots?"

"I ruined everything. I always ruin everything. I'm such an awful pony." She states shakily, looking at you with misty eyes that threaten to release a wave of tears.

"Scootaloo, how could you ruin anything? I've only known you for half an hour and already I know that's not true."

The filly shoots up, ears spayed back as she angrily pokes your leg. "No I did! I-I told my mom’s I don't love them anymore!"

"Why would you do that?" You ask the filly, trying to soothe her.

"I don't know." She whimpers, her voice cracking into a sob as she shrinks into herself. "I just didn't want to have to go through that again; the rejection." Scootaloo stares at nothing as you wait for her to continue. Despite the warmth of the morning sun, you notice the filly begin to shiver as some awful memories glaze through her mind like tremendous thunder storms.

"I was at the hospital today." she finally begins, taking your undivided attention. "You know most pegasi can at least glide at six years old. Both my mom’s wanted to get me checked out to see if I was a ‘late bloomer'." she empresses the last part using her small wings for quotation marks.

"I've never been to a hospital before, not even when I was really sick. Before I meet them I couldn't afford to even eat most of the time, so hospitals where out of the question. I'm kind of glad I didn't go. It was scary going in the first time but at least I had mamas with me so it wasn't so bad like the last time I went camping with Sweetie Bell and Applebloom." She smiles at the nostalgic memory before continuing.

"The doctors kept me there all morning. I wasn't allowed to even move or anything for hours. They kept poking my wing and taking blood and stuff. I don't want to sound like a little filly but it really hurt. One of my mom’s was there to read to me so it wasn't that bad I guess." She smiles despite chocking back another sob as the story continuing.

"After all that time spent waiting telling me that everything was going to be fine, I knew it wasn't. Nothing ever goes right for me. I can't even say I was surprised when one of the doctors came in and said... and said..." she doesn't finish the sentence the gained emotions cracked her inner resolve. In a second the little mare began to cry into her hooves.

Despite everything you told yourself on instinct, you reach over bringing the filly into your lap as she breaks down in your embrace stroking her soft spiky mane whispering words of comfort at the distort filly.

"That wasn't even the worst part! I always knew somehow in the back of my mind. I knew I wouldn't be normal, but I didn't even have to look at my mom’s to know they were disappointed in me. I've seen that before. The other families at the orphanage, I just knew they didn't want me anymore. I thought I could take it but it hurt so much. Even when mom came to hug me I don't want her to lie to me, so I yelled told that they couldn't love a f-f-freak and then I told them I didn't love them anym--." she nearly manages to finish the end of her story before the fiery coated filly completely breaks down in your arms as you softly pat her mane and stroke her back.

“Shhh... Hey, it’s okay. I'm sure they know you didn't mean it. You were just told something so awful. No one comes out level headed after that. You should have seen me at the hospital when I first came here. I accidentally knocked out two orderly’s and fell out of the two story window." You grimace as you remember the steel beams that broke your fall.

"But now they don't love me anymore. Who would love a stupid Pegasus who can't even use her wings?!"

You snort angrily as you brow crinkles at the filly's deceleration. "Hey! Look at me."

The filly keeps her gaze down.

"Scootaloo, look at me now."

The filly slowly turns up to meet your gaze, her cheeks matted with tears and her eyes bloodshot.

"I thought you were a smart brave young mare, so don't you go saying something as childish and idiotic as that. I know it must be painful being different. Believe me, I know as well as anyone. No one’s expecting you to get over it so soon. But don't ever let this make you think that ponies don't love you anymore, especially your folks." you begin to wipe away some of the tears with your sleeve as you continue.

"Believe me, if someone like me can find love and a family in an insane magical land with an equally insane equine race, then you have no excuse to think otherwise. You understand?"

The filly doesn't move from your embrace but you feel her nod weakly as she slumps against your shoulder.

"And at least you can rest assured that I and Ember will always be your friends. We can be two orphans against the world, eh? A Human, a Phoenix and a Pegasus with a heart of gold. We should fight crime." You finish with a wink as the filly cracks a smile, looking up at you with matted tears on her muzzle and swollen baggy eyelids.

"...Sorry about your clothes." she adds softly.

You look down at the little mess of tears and mucus on your shoulder and shrug.

"Don't worry about it. The horrors this coat faces on a daily basis, this is nothing. Now come on, let's go find your parents. I'm sure they're worried sick."

The filly begins to shuffle a bit in your embrace looking a little panicked.

"No, I can't go back not after what I said!"

"Look Scoots, right now they don't care about what you said. I can see it in your eyes that you love them, which means they love you too and I can't even imagine how scared they are, that you’re not anywhere to be found. You don't want them scared and worried do you?"

"Of course not!" The filly quickly replies, shooting up at you, her hair scruffy and matted.

"But... But can we just stay here a bit? I'm not ready to go just yet." she finishes meekly wiping her tear stained fur. Her eyes looking at you innocently was enough to know at that moment she didn't see you as anything other than someone she could rely on. It was moments like these that made that year alone worth every torturous minute.

"Sure Scoots. We can stay for a bit." you say, patting her mane as she lays down in your lap humming lightly in your touch.

You know if this is what it’s like maybe this parent thing isn't so hard after all.

I'm going to need to work harder on my delivery though. I'm starting to sound like a motivational speaker, you think, tapping your cheek with a bemused smirk.

Author's Note

DAMMMN that took more than one month to make like I thought it would.
Sorry for being dead to the world.
Between looking for an editor and making two other stories (and being a lazy prick) I've been busy.
Hopefully you enjoyed these two, consider it a back to back apology for my absence.
Also This chapter was inspired by the fantastic and vastly superior series.
The Most Unlikely Places

Also read this gem its fantastic Tangled Roots