5. Scootaloo I

Scootaloo

"Hmm..." She said to herself aloud, as she rode her scooter around town, "I wonder what my friends are doing."

It had been awhile when she last saw her friends. But since those monsters attacked the fair... they were pretty scarce. Regardless, she rode her scooter in leisure. She had no idea what those monsters were, or why they were at the fair.

The streets in Ponyville were crowded with ponies, most of them blocking her path. Scootaloo felt a bit frustrated of it. She was heading off to Sweet Apple Acres to go see Apple Bloom and Babs Seed, but all these ponies were blocking her path.

Come on, She thought impatiently, Move it already!

There shouldn't be this much traffic. What could possibly hold them up? She knew a lot of ponies lived here, but they can't all be in the same place. She had to maneuver around them, otherwise she will be waiting longer then needed. It was probably a long line for a shop or something.

She flapped her wings repeatedly, in order to propel herself faster, to swerve through traffic. Several ponies moved out of the way, while others didn't even notice her.

A few of them shouted either: "Hey!" or "Watch it!", as she moved passed them.

She passed by several ponies, some of them she she didn't recognized. But most of their faces did not look pleased, seeming angry with her, because she was scooting passed them.

The crowd must have gotten thicker, as she swerved passed. She tried eagerly, not to hit anypony. But it only got harder the further she went, with so many ponies in her way she can't even see where she's going!

Please don't hit anypony! Scootaloo was getting uneasy. She was going way too fast.

*Oompf*

She had painfully collided with somepony, something she was obviously not trying to do. It was somepony she wasn't familiar with. She felt like she have bruised something. She was already on the ground, moaning a little bit.

She closed her eyes shut from the pain. When she had hit him, her scooter collided in between them, like a sandwich. She opened her eyes a bit, looking up at the bright blue sky. She also noticed the pony she hit, was above her.

"Are you alright?" He had asked kindly, holding his hoof out to help her up.

She grabbed his hoof, and got up, groaning a little bit. "Uhh. Gee, thanks." She thanked him.

"No problem." He replied.

She looked at him and didn't expect what she saw. The stallion had tufts on his ears, cat-like eyes, and bat-like wings. He had a grey-ish purple coat, blackish medium length mane and tail, and icy blue eyes. His cutie mark was a sword.

Scootaloo was a little startled by his appearance. The stallion raised his brow, as if he was confused.

"What?" He asked after a time, curiously.

"Oh, sorry uh..." She was a little nervous, "It's just that... Well, I've never seen anypony like you, before."

"Ah I get it!" He must have realized why she was confused, "You've never seen a bat pony before, haven't you?"

"Bat pony?"

His face had changed, as soon as she said that. He looked down nervously at a watch he had over his hoof.

"Oh my gosh," He said loudly, "I'm going to be late! It was nice meeting you!"

He lifted himself in the air, flapping his bat-like wings briskly. He zipped through the air almost as fast as Rainbow Dash.

"Huh," She said to herself, "Who was that guy?"

Thankfully, the traffic build-up waned down. She got back on her scooter and was ready to keep going. Sweet Apple Acres was near Ponyville, and shouldn't be too far from where she is now.

Because Scootaloo was using her small wings, she didn't have to move her whole body as much. She was still a little sore from crashing into that stallion. A stallion who was a bat pony! She may have remembered seeing one or two, pulling Princess Luna's carriage on Nightmare Night, though she never knew what they were called. Other then that, she put those thoughts aside to focus on her friends.

She can see the farm now. They might be inside the house, because nopony was outside. Normally she would have come with Sweetie Belle, but she thought it would be best to see Apple Bloom first.

*Knocking*

After she knocked, she waited for Apple Bloom - or her sister Applejack - to answer. after a time, the door opened. It was Applejack.

"Howdy, Scootaloo!" She greeted, "Come to see your friends, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah," Scootaloo replied excitedly, "Is Babs here too?"

Applejack's warm smile faded as soon she heard Babs's name. "Yes she's here. But, she needs some time to herself."

"Why?" She asked curiously.

She then saw her friends from behind Applejack. Both Apple Bloom and...

Sweetie Belle?! She thought.

"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom called, "Where have you been?!"

Applejack allowed her to come inside to greet her fellow crusaders. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, both ran up to hug her. With both of them hugging, she felt the soreness from when she crashed into that bat pony earlier. Applejack went upstairs.

They stopped hugging after a moment. "I haven't seen you guys in a while! Not since-"

"Since the day I was saved by somepony awesome?" Sweetie Belle interrupted.

"Huh?"

Apple Bloom groaned, and stepped in to explain, "She's been talking nonstop about that guy who saved her, the other day."

Sweetie Belle's looked up dreamily at the ceiling, she noticed. "I wish I'd ask his name."

Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom both looked disgusted. Sweetie Belle doesn't normally act like this. She usually never thinks about those kind of things.

"Ain't he too old for you?" Apple Bloom pointed out.

Sweetie Belle shot a glance back at her, "I didn't say I would date him. I'll wait until I'm older."

She and Apple Bloom both felt like they were about to vomit. He was a stallion. Sweetie Belle is a filly. What was going through her head?

"So, what's going on with Babs?" She asked Apple Bloom, attempting to change the subject.

Apple Bloom looked back at Sweetie Belle, who was out of her smitten trance and was as curious to know as well. Scootaloo was a little unsure what was going on. But what ever it was, it didn't sound good.

"It's a long story." Apple Bloom said sadly, "I'll tell y'all in the clubhouse."

They all went outside to go to their clubhouse. It was located in a "secluded, private part" of Sweet Apple Acres. along the way, everypony was silent. They got to the tree, where their clubhouse had been built.

Apple Bloom was the first inside. She sat herself down to explain.

What will she tell us?

After Apple Bloom was done explaining, she then added, "So, yeah. That's what's going on with Babs."

Scootaloo was as shocked as Sweetie Belle. Both of their expressions, were full of deep sorrow. She felt very sorry for Babs now.

"How awful!" Sweetie exclaimed.

"I can't believe Babs's parents and sister were murdered." Scootaloo commented, "Sorry I asked."

Apple Bloom's eyes started to tear up, she noticed. "They weren't just Babs's parents and sister. Their family! Applejack told me this, not too long ago. She told me that Babs needs time to herself."

She wanted to cry. But not now. She came to have fun with all of her friends... not cry. She felt sorry for Babs Seed, and Apple Bloom both.

"So..." Sweetie Belle started and asked, "What do we do now?"

"I guess we just do our thing," Scootaloo suggested, "Maybe we might even get our cutie marks!"

She realized her friends lightened up at this.

They left the clubhouse to do their usual thing, find their special talent, and try to get a cutie mark. That is what a Cutie Mark Crusader does after all. Unfortunately they couldn't decide on what to do. They have tried so many things in the past, but all of what they tried had failed. Because they couldn't make up their minds, they decided on searching for something to get their cutie marks.

They had been walking around town; looking for something, anything. But then she was reminded of the stallion she bumped into earlier.

"Oh, earlier today, I saw something wouldn't believe." She said aloud.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at her questionably, "What'ya see?"

"A bat pony!"

Both of her friends's brows were raised. They probably didn't know what she's talking about.

"What's a bat pony?" Apple Bloom was the one who asked. Of course.

She was trying to find the right words to explain, "They look kind of like ponies, but with bat-like wings, cat-like eyes, and weird tufts on their ears. Kind of like Luna's guards, that pulled her carriage on Nightmare Night."

Her friends exchanged glances for a moment. She figured they wouldn't believe her.

"OOOHHH!!!" Sweetie Belle shouted at the top of her lungs, "That's what those were!"

Or, never mind.

Her sudden shout made her and Apple Bloom jump. Regardless, at least she seemed to know what she's talking about. As they continued walking, Apple Bloom must have remembered something.

"I almost forgot," Apple Bloom started abruptly, "Applejack also told me that same night, that there's another world. And that we're being invaded by Ronians... or something."

"Another world?!" Sweetie Belle cried.

"What's a Ronian?" Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom seemed sure of herself. "The monsters that attacked the fair the other day! Don't you remember?"

"Oh, okay." Now she knew what the monsters were called.

But how'd they get here?

As she was thinking, Apple Bloom then said, "I'm not sure how they got here, but I hope we won't see them again."

"Me too." Scootaloo commented.

"Me three. But..." Sweetie Belle then added dreamily, "If it wasn't for those monsters, I never would have met Him!

Apple Bloom put her hoof over her face, as soon as she heard that. "Ugh! Not this again!"

The sun was setting. And they still haven't found anything to do. All they did was engage in whole bunch of random conversations. Most of them she can't even remember. At least they spent almost the whole day together, none of them complained.

"...And that's how Equestria was made!" Sweetie Belle finished.

"I don't know, Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo doubted, "I don't think the world was created on a giant robot."

"But, don't you think it would a mere coincidence if it was?" Either way it didn't make any sense.

They have traveled pretty much all of Ponyville. Or at least her and her friends think so. As they passed by an alleyway, she saw two stallions coming out of it in front of them. Both of them didn't look friendly though.

"It's gettin' a little late for you fillies to be out." One of them chuckled.

"Yeah," The other one said, "But, you could stay here all you want."

They looked like they wanted to hurt them. One was big with crooked teeth, the other had a messed up eye. Both her, and her fellow crusaders were scared. Her and her friends backed away slowly, but they moved in closer.

"No thanks," Sweetie Belle said shivering, "W-w-we're good!"

Scootaloo then brought up the courage to shout: "RUN!!!

The crusaders bolted fast; sprinting their way home. Not many ponies were around evidently. The two stallions followed in pursuit, which their ordeal all the more frightening. When they caught up her, she saw a barrel of apples. She knew what she had to do. Scootaloo knocked over the barrel with her back hooves, rolling spilled apples in front of them.

The big one tripped very easily, falling over with his legs splayed across the ground. He made a groaning noise after he fell. But the other one jumped over the apples effortlessly. This frightened her and her friends. He was already gaining on them; he was obviously faster than his friend. The bigger one got back on his hooves. So now they were both gaining on them.

Oh no, what do we do?! She thought, terrified.

The two stallions have been chasing them for awhile now. It was getting darker by the moment. Why were they chasing them? The more she thought about it, the more it disturbed her. Sweetie Belle stumbled a little bit; almost tripping on herself. From what she could tell, Sweetie's eyes grew bigger with fright when she looked back.

Scootaloo then realized, they went in a completely different direction. She was relieved. They all stopped for a minute.

"Did we lose'em?" Apple Bloom asked warily.

"I think so." Scootaloo replied, unsure. "We've gotta get back to your place, fast."

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle agreed.

They ran faster then before, scanning their surroundings to make sure they weren't being followed. They came across a dead end, and decided to turn back. The only other way was through was between two cottages. They started to sprint again through their only escape route.

The moon was already up. Scootaloo and her friends, slowed their pace to a trot. This reminded her of the time where she, Her friends, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash went camping. How she had scary nightmares for two nights, and was then visited by Princess Luna. But this was worse, far worse. She was more scared now, then she ever was.

From where she was, Scootaloo knew they must be close. She noticed Apple Bloom was excited. Their pace quickened, and hearts raced as they seemed to be close to the farm.

"Hold on!"

When a voice called out, her heart skipped a beat. Shadows came from in front of them. It was the two stallions who were chasing them. The one with the messed up eye, backed them into a corner, and the big one with crooked teeth followed in from behind.

"I told ya," He cackled, "Little fillies shouldn't be out this late."

The big one chuckled in a deep, dim voice. "What'll we do with'em, Big Eye?" He then asked.

The one with the messed up eye, reached behind for a sharp pointed object. A knife!!!

"I'll gut'em," Big Eye said darkly, "And skin their flanks off!"

The big one guffawed. Scootaloo and her friends were petrified. She noticed Sweetie Belle was about to burst in tears. Hope seems to be lost for her and her friends.

*Kkkrck*

"Eh?"

The big one had something sharp and red, poking out from his side. It then came out, and the stallion fell to the ground.

"Wha-" He started to say.

She then witnessed the bat pony she met earlier, who seems to be levitating a long sword. The blade moved swiftly like lightning. Blood poured out from his head - which fell off - and collapsed. The bat pony placed the levitating sword over his back. How did he use a levitation spell without a horn for magic?

The bat pony came up to them. "Are you alright? Were you hurt?"

"No," She replied, "But thanks, for saving us."

"No problem."

As he turned back, she thought to ask him something.

"Wait!" She called.

"Yes?"

"Who are you?" Was what she asked him.

"Blackblade." He replied and asked, "And you?"

"Scootaloo." Now she knew his name.

After that, he lifted himself in the air with his bat-like wings, and flown into the night. She watched him as he soared across the night sky. She still wondered how he levitated that sword.

Blackblade. Wonder why he's called that.

She turned to notice her friends, with their mouths gaping wide. They must have been as surprised and relieved, as she was.

"At least you got to know his name!" Sweetie Belle complained.

Scootaloo and her friends, were relieved when they finally made it back to Sweet Apple Acres. Inevitably, they had to tell Applejack what they had been through.

"You should have been home sooner!" Applejack scolded them.

"We were heading home as soon as it got late!" Apple Bloom argued.

Sweetie Belle then butted in, "Yeah, if it wasn't for those mean ponies trying kill us, we would have gotten here sooner."

Scootaloo normally would have said that. But instead kept quiet. The bat pony, Blackblade, was still on her mind. She had always known unicorns to use magic to levitate objects, but not him. He was a bat pony.

It just doesn't make sense!

Applejack sighed deeply, and said calmly, "Well, all that matters is at least you're safe. Though a bat pony isn't quite what I expected hear from you." She had then pondered.

"Bat pony?!"

She and her friends, turned around to the staircase where they heard the voice. She witnessed Babs Seed, racing down the steps. She had come up to them panting, a little bit.

"You saw it too?" Babs then asked.

Scootaloo was the first to reply. "Yeah. He saved us from two bad guys, trying to kill us."

Babs was wide eyed, in wonder. "I saw him flying across the sky!"

She noticed Sweetie was coming up to Babs to say, "Sorry, about what happened."

At first Babs seemed confused, but realized what she men't. She frowned sadly.

"It's fine," She told her reassuringly, "Really."

The tone of Babs's voice was sad. She then came up to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. "You guys didn't get cutie marks yet?" She asked.

Both of them shook their heads.

"Well," Applejack started, "I think it's time you fella's start getting home."

With that said, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said their good byes. They walked together, up to Rarity's boutique.

"Maybe," She had said hoping, "I'll see my hero soon."

Scootaloo gave off a tired look. She hoped this was the last she'll hear of that guy. She waved good bye and headed home. Along the way, she saw the bat pony Blackblade, again perched atop the roof of a cottage.

She had a strange feeling, this won't be last she'll see of him. But she pushed the thoughts aside. She was very tired.