Life's Left Hook

As it dawns on you exactly what Bellevue is, your worry only grows.

Where has Scootaloo gone?

Immediately, you bolt up to your feet, and look around.

You start your search, jogging around the headstones and through the cemetery.

You don’t yell, however.

Not only are you in a bit of shock, but also, you don’t feel it’s a good idea to let Scootaloo know you’re looking for her.

She might run off.

You keep looking, and for the longest time, you can’t find a single trace of her.

After passing hundreds of headstones and dozens of trees, you’re about to give up.

Until you see her purple tail peeping from behind a headstone.

You calmly walk over to her, looking down in worry.

You manage to walk up to her without her reacting.

She’s sleeping, it looks like, curled up right next to some pony’s headstone.

"Roy G. Biverly & Color Wheel”

”NM 954-999, NM 957-999”

”Died in tornado accident”

”Love is life’s left hook!”

You look at Scootaloo still sleeping soundly.

And a lump in your throat starts to grow..

And, for the first time in as long as you can remember, you can feel a tear coming to your eye.

After letting out a shaky sigh, you go to a knee beside Scootaloo.

You slowly reach down and pick the sleeping filly up in your arms.

She grumbles a bit, and looks up at you with wide eyes.

"Huh? A-Anon? What’re you?”

She scrambles a bit, and tries to get out of your arms.

”Anon! Why did you?!”

She manages to break free, and you let her go.

You sigh, and cover your face with her hand as she glares up at you.

"Dude! I—I told you not to follow me here! Why did you just?!”

Her jaw is agape, and she glares her hardest at you.

You do your best to look up at her, and gulp.

“Scootaloo, I was worried. I didn’t know where you were staying, and I didn’t think that you were—“

”S-So?! Don’t you think I can handle myself?! I’m all grown up now, even though my flank is blanker than blank! I don’t-I don’t need to—!”

She looks at you, then at the headstone, then back at you.

“Scootaloo, please, I’m just trying to look after you, I’m worried—“

"Well, I’ve made it this far all by myself! Why would I need someone to help me now?!”

You look down in defeat, and pinch the bridge of your nose.

“I’m not saying that, Scootaloo. Please, just listen to me.”

"Why should I?! You didn’t listen to me!”

"Please. Friend to friend. We've been friends since we met, Scoots. Can't you just let me talk for a minute?"

At this, she scrunches her nose, and grumbles.

You can hear her choking up a bit, too.

"F-Fine. But you had better make it quick. I wanna get to sleep."

After another sigh, you muster the strength to continue.

"Please, Scootaloo. Don't keep going on your own like this. I know you can handle yourself-I've seen you before, and I'm proud of you."

She smiles a bit, and you know you're doing something right.

"But, Scoots, I'm worried. I'm worried that this is too much for you. I'm worried that you're not getting what you deserve. This isn't any place to sleep at night. You need a bed, and blankets, not just the grass, and..."

You grit your teeth a bit and pause for a moment.

Scootaloo picks up the silence.

"A-Anon, I... I get it. But, I don't know what to do! Nopony wants to take in a stray filly that can't even fly!"

That phrase hits you like a slug to the gut.

"Scoots?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you so sure about that?"

There's another long pause, and Scootaloo takes a step closer.

"What?"

"Look right in front of you, Scoots. I'm willing to help."

She blinks.

"Y-You're joking. You can't."

"And why not?"

"You're with the princess, dude! And that grey mare, and... Trixie! Three really famous ponies! You can't take me along?"

"And why not?"

She scrunches her nose again.

"Y-You! That's just!"

"I can't just let one of my best friends just rot away like this. I can't believe you never brought anything like this up. I didn't even know who your parents were."

After a moment of thought, it hits you.

"Do your crusaders know?"

"No..."

"Does Rainbow Dash know?"

"N-No..."

"Does -anybody- know?"

Scootaloo sniffles, and wipes her eyes on one of her forelegs.

"I-I didn't wanna bother anyone... And I didn't wanna go back to the orphanage here in Windsoar. The kids there picked on me because of my wings, and—I didn't wanna go back. Never ever."

You swallow again, trying to subdue the lump in your throat.

"You won't. Don't worry."

She reaches forward and hugs you, resting her head on your shoulder.

"Are you really gonna...?"

You nod.

"Of course. It's what friends are for."

"Wh-What's that?"

"Being there. Willing to put friends before yourself. It's what I try to do."

With that, you grab her tight and hoist her up.

She rests her body on your shoulder, and you hold her like you hold a baby.

"Anon?"

"Yes, Scoots?"

"I'm sorry."

You sigh, and pat her on the back.

"Don't be. You don't need to be."

"You didn't deserve any of this. Not at all."

You start walking back to the main gate, and the filly gets comfortable on your shoulder.

The walk is mostly in silence, but as you near the gate, you decide it's time to brighten the mood.

"Scootaloo?"

"Huh?"

"You remember that box I was carrying earlier?"

"Yeah?"

"You know what was in it?"

"No?"

You smile.

"Well, tell me, does the UltiMax Scooter-Shooter Mk. III ring a bell?"

Dear god, was Scootaloo overjoyed when you brought up the scooter.

She actually flew for a second or two before plopping to the ground.

Then, she proceeded to prance around your feet in a display of absolute glee.

It was adorable, and your heart almost exploded.

After giving her a noogie and telling her that her present was at the hotel, you make your way back.

After a long ass walk through Windsoar, you finally come up on your hotel.

Scootaloo is excited as ever; not only does she get to see her new scooter, but also she gets to see all of the mares you've talked so highly.

Well, spare Trixie.

She wasn't so anxious to meet that 'piece of work', as the little filly deemed her.

But, regardless, the filly practically radiated happiness and excitement.

That's all you could ask for, after what you saw in the cemetery.

After a smile at the filly, you brace yourself, and raise your fist.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Who is it?" Cadance asks.

"It's Anonymous. I'm back from my date."

Scootaloo immediately shoots a shocked look at you.

"Date?!"

You laugh out loud at her reaction, and look down at her.

"Cadance was just teasing me earlier, saying you were a date. It's nothing, Scoots."

"I thought you were dating that grey pony!"

"I am."

"...Oh."

After chuckling and shaking your head, you hear the door swing open.

It's Cadance who answered the door, and Octavia is plopped down on the couch like a potato.

"Hello, Anonymous!" Cadance says, looking up at you.

She doesn't even notice Scootaloo.

"Hello!" you reply, smiling as you kneel down to get at face-level.

Without any hesitation at all, Cadance cranes forward and gives you a quick peck.

"Glad to have you back, hun. How did it go?"

After a blink, you look down, and then back up at Cadance.

"Uh... How about you ask Scootaloo herself?"

Cadance's immediate change in expression was so drastic, you could almost hear glass shatter in the background.

She looks down, immediately spotting the orange filly.

"Uh... Hi," Scootaloo says, her jaw low at the scene she just witnessed.

Cadance blinks a couple of times, before finally coming back to her senses.

"Why, hello little... Scootaloo," she says, a bit in shock.

You look at Cadance.

She looks at you.

"Anonymous? I sincerely hope that she-"

"She's not going to rat on us," you say, cutting her off. "I trust Scootaloo more than anyone."

"Well, other than you two, of course."

"You had better," Cadance says, motioning for you to come inside.

"Come, take a seat. We were just brewing some tea."

"And coffee for you!" Octavia shouts, waving at you from the other side of the room.

Smiling, you step in.

And Scootaloo follows close behind.

As Cadance notices Scootaloo trotting inside, she raises an eyebrow.

"I take it she's here to pick up her present?" she asks, a bit of concern on her face.

You sigh, and scratch the back of your neck.

"Okay, Candy? I need to talk to you. You and Octavia."

This piques both of their attentions, and they look at you quizzically.

"What about?" Cadance asks, glancing at Scootaloo.

Octavia remains silent, but attentive.

With another sigh, you look at Scootaloo.

"Hey, Scoots. Can you prance down to the lobby and get me a soda from the machine?"

You pull out two bits and hand them to her.

"Uh, sure."

"Get yourself something, too. And come right back."

"Got it! Thanks!"

With that, she's out the door and down the stairway.

You close the door behind her and turn back to the two mares.

"Is something the matter?" Octavia asks, finally speaking up.

You let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

"...Scootaloo."

The mares both look at you with a bit of concern.

"What about her?" Cadance asks, looking genuinely concerned.

"It's... It's a really long story, hun."

"We have all night," Octavia says, holding a steaming cup of tea.

"I suppose so."

You walk up and take a seat by the two, and hang your head a bit.

"Cadence?" you ask, managing to look up.

"Yes?"

You brace yourself, and after a short pause and a courage buildup, you finally let the words out.

"What was it you said that day about wanting to be a mother?"