Part 1: The Walk
A duo of mildly roughed-up fillies - in addition to Sweetiebelle - dragged their feet down an empty school hallway; grumbling and mumbling to themselves about the events of earlier.
"Really." Scootaloo said, "I don't see why we have to go to the nurse's office, anyways - I mean, it's only a few scratches."
"Says you, Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, "Ya'll aren't th' one who got rolled over!"
"Hey, I said I'm sorry, Apple Bloom, let it go - uhg!" Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
"Hey, you two, stop bickering; we all know it could't been worse." Sweetiebelle intervened.
"Well not for you, Mrs. Perfect," Scootaloo sneered, "You only offered to walk us to the nurse just because - I'm the one stuck with detention."
"Well it wouldn't-a happened if ya'll would would just stop showin' off all th' tahm!" Apple Bloom shot back in Sweetiebelle's defence.
"Hey, I wasn't showing off," Scootaloo muttered, "Just... you know... practicing my moves." She shrugged.
"Yeah? Well tell that to mah bruised arm, lip, and aching head!" Apple Bloom retorted.
"Pfft, whatever." The three trudged on, in silence; Scootaloo dreading the day's end and Apple Bloom minding her bruises.
Part 2: The Stunt
Scootaloo raced around the school yard, winding and dodging her way through the crowds of students. Several times it seemed she was going to run somebody over, but she evaded all incidents with nearly flawless precision. The students' apparent displeasure pushed her on, but she eventually tired of it all. Eyes now set on the opened school doors, Scootaloo knew exactly what she was going to do; goggles on, game-face set, she sped towards her newly-found obstacle course.
Scootaloo picked up speed as she noticed a sign which sat not too far in front of the school doors; the frame was slanted back, supported by two triangular-shaped legs, which curved at the bottom. Fortunately, the frame was already in contact with the ground - it advertised open spots for the Reader's Club.
"Heh. Well not like anybody'll miss it." Scootaloo smirked. Using the the frame as an incline, Scootaloo shot off - up and over the stairs she went; the breeze in her face, the wind whistling through her hair - it was almost as if she were flying!! But this lasted for just a brief moment before she hit the school's first-floor hall.
After dodging her way through one hall, she zipped around the corner and had to immediately duck her head and draw herself into her scooter; shooting herself straight under an open ladder. A group of students were hanging a banner for some kind of event, but the fact that she just knocked someone over bypassed Scootaloo as she picked up a bit more speed. That turn had slowed her, a bit.
Just then, an opening door barely missed Scootaloo - just as she managed to lift her scooter up and over a table being carried by two males.
"Hey, watch it!" One of them called.
"Nice..." The other marveled.
"Hey, pick your side up and let's go..." The voices went to the wind as Scootaloo noticed a large, mobile incline just before her. It turned the corner, into another hall and Scootaloo followed suit. With stairs which were flanked by a smaller corridor just up ahead, Scootaoo had to think quick. She knew the driver of the incline was headed into the hall way and they were just starting to move in that direction.
"Come on, Scootaloo!" She urged herself, "Just a bit more and you'll make the steps!!"
Putting on a burst of speed, Scootaloo just made the incline as it passed into the left side of the hallway. She was airborne, once again! But just as the last time, that feeling was pretty short lived. Onto another level of the school, now, Scootaloo had to maneuver and thread her way through other students. The insults thrown at her were a bit more harsh and she was beginning to loose focus.
Just as she decided she aught to slow down, Scootaloo lost her balance and began to swerve. Students scurried out of her path.
"Whoa... Whoa.... WHOA - ahhh!" The swerving caused Scootaloo's scooter to hit a break in the floor tiles, flinging her forward and sending her straight into Apple Bloom. The impact slammed Apple Bloom to the ground and dragged her - as well as Scootaloo - across the floor. The drag went on for only a few seconds but it was enough to give Apple Bloom a considerable scraping...and a bump on the head, as it connected with an offset locker that was jutting out into the hall because of the wall-structure.
"Ohhh..." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo moaned, in unison.
The sound of scuffling feet brought the both of them to their senses and, within seconds, a group of teachers stood over the both of them, hauling them to their feet. Scootaloo's scooter and goggles were to be confiscated until further notice and the owner was to serve a couple hours in detention. From there, they were both told to go see the nurse.
Scootaloo, although being fairly unharmed in any way, decided not to protest seeing as allowed her avoid being stared at in the classroom.
Part 3: The Office
After just a bit more walking, the trio found themselves standing outside of the Nurse's Office. The windows that flanked the door let out not even the smallest hint of light that anyone was inside.
"Uhh... Ya'll think she's in?" Apple Bloom wondered, aloud.
"Um... I think so...?" Sweetiebelle shrugged.
Scootaloo stepped up to one of the dark windows, shielded her eyes, and peered inside.
"I don't...see anyone..." She reported, hesitantly, "Maybe we should come back, later?"
"Well – Before any one of them could say another word, the office door flung open to reveal a seemingly deep, dark void. Strong, cold winds burst forth from the interior, almost blowing Sweetiebelle and Apple Bloom away. But the winds were gone as soon as they had come....Scootaloo peeked out from behind the open door.
"Woah. What was that all about?" She asked, joining her friends.
"Bates mae." Apple Bloom responded, her eyes locked on the darkness beyond, "Just looks kahndy creepy, though."
All Sweetiebelle could do was nod, but on moving from the darkness to her friends, something on the open door caught her eye and she screamed.
"What is it, Sweetie?" Scootaloo inquired.
"Th-th-th-that!" Sweetiebelle jabbed a finger in the direction of the open door.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo followed her pointed finger to the door. An elongated, dark brown face, adorned with a gaping mouth, green-glowing eye-sockets, and an over-sized nose awaited their gaze.
"Ahhhhh!!!" Within seconds, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were huddled together, eyes wide with fright.
"Ah - uh - I - wha - what?! What IS that?!" Scootaloo inquired, pointing at the thing.
"Ah-ah-ah dunno!" Apple Bloom stuttered.
"Get back, Sweetie! Who knows what that thing might do!" Sweetie had paused n her few moment of fear to consider just what it was she and her friends were looking at. Scootaloo yelled for her to stop, as she approached it.
"You girls!" Sweetie waved them forward with her hand, "It's just a mask!"
"A... mask?" Scootaloo echoed, in confusion, "Sure doesn't look like any mask I've ever seen..."
"Yeah." Apple Bloom agreed. Suddenly, she an Scootaloo noticed their position and hurriedly departed from one another's grasp.
"It's a mask, no doubt," Sweetiebelle concluded. "Come and see."
Her friends inched up beside her to take a look at the thing.
"Woah....It actually looks kinda...awesome." Scootaloo commented.
"Yeah, and ancient." Sweetiebelle marveled, extending her arms out to remove the thing from the door, for further inspection.
"DO NOT TOUCH." The mask bellowed.
"Yipe!!" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom soon found themselves cowering behind Sweetiebelle.
"Ya'll heard it, Sweetie!! Don't touch!" Apple Bloom advised, from behind her friend's skirt.
"Uhh..." Sweetiebelle just stood, frozen, her finger-tips nearly touching the mask.
"YOU MAY ENTER. TOUCH LITTLE OR TOUCH NOTHING." The mask instructed the three, eyes and mouth glowing in and out as it spoke.
Sweetiebelle swallowed, "S-sure thing." She entered into the gaping void, her friends clinging, closely. Once they entered in, the door slammed shut, behind them.
Sweetiebelle let out an "Eep!" as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom jumped on top of her, nearly toppling her over.
"Hey, stop it, you two." She instructed, brushing them off of her, "Listen..." They obeyed, but were sure to stay close.
There a low humming sound that seemed to originate from every corner of the dark room. The humming steadily grew louder, intensifying by the second. But there was something else, too. There was light. Light began to shine down into the darkness, illuminating the room around the three.
What they saw was a small, rectangular room that was way over grown with foreign and exotic plants. There were small patches of soil, here and there – one of them surrounding a small, oval trash can that sat at in the far, right corner of the room. In the center of it all sat a large, wooden desk that was topped with nothing more than a large basin, a potted plant and an array of bottles. The bottles held all types of liquids whose colors spanned every color of the rainbow.
"Woah..." The girls' feet began to wonder as their eyes would not leave all that adorned the walls around them.
They explored nearly every inch of the room before Apple Bloom realized that all they had seen was not all that was there; a small hallway led further back, towards a room that was adjacent to the one they were in.
"You...think we should go back there?" Scootaloo asked, glancing towards Sweetiebelle.
"Well we came here to see the Nurse, didn't we? She must be back there – we'd better hurry up and let her know we're here..." Sweetiebelle started towards the short corridor, Apple Bloom at her heels.
"With an entry like that, I wonder who wouldn't know," Scootaloo muttered, setting a plant back onto the floor.
Part 4: The Nurse
Sweetiebelle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had to pass through a curtain of beads before entering into the next room. What they saw stopped them dead in their tracks.
A tall figure in a dark cape and hood busied itself by adding many strange ingredients to an over-flowing, boiling cauldron! And the room, itself, was even more junglified than the last! All kinda of crazy-looking fruits and features adorned the walls, large, scary masks stared down at the visitors with wide, eye-less eye-sockets and the contents of the cauldron glowed brightly, a WOOSH of colored steam ascending into the air with every new ingredient added.
The little fillies all gasped in unison, their breath catching in their throat as the figure froze in place at the recognition of their presence.
"Welcome, welcome." The figure finally spoke, turning to the little visitors and removing it's hood to reveal that iit was female. Her apparel was very strange, a mix of different colors and fabrics.
"I am very sorry and did not mean to scare you," She said, "I'm afraid you've caught in the middle of my brew."
"Uhh..." Scootaloo glanced at the other two, their expressions reflecting fear and uneasiness.
"With you so near, I wonder why I didn't hear." The female said.
"Um..." Apple Bloom opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find words.
"I was just completing a potion, so please excuse the aura... And, oh, by the way; my name is Zecora." She passed by the group and headed into the front room.
"Mmmiss Zecora?" Sweetiebelle spoke up, finally finding her voice. She motioned to the other two to follow behind the nurse. They all exited through the curtain of beads and found Zecora sitting in her chair, behind her desk. It was hard to notice the chair, since all kinds of things had grown over it, but it could still be made out, nonetheless.
"And to you, my dear, I turn my ear," Zecora spoke, her attention on Sweetiebelle, "Do say – what brought you here, today?"
"Hey, how did you –
Sweetiebelle cut Scootaloo short by placing a hand over her mouth, "Actually, Mrs.Zecora, I am not the one who needs your help, but my two friends, here... they do. They got hurt."
"I see, I see; this must be true." Zecora turned to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, "And what is it I can do for you, two?"
"Well, Mz.Zecohra, mah head's hurtin' and I gotta scraped arm. Do ya'll have a band aid?" Apple Bloom pointed to her head and them motioned to showed the nurse her bruised arm.
"Ah." The nurse nodded, "I see, you feel – But what about you; are you well?" She asked Scootaloo.
"Eh, it's nuthin' much." Scootaloo showed the nurse her scraped arms. Hardly any flesh had been taken up, but the stung at a touch.
"Ah, well then. I had best hurry and mend. These arms are bruised and scarred and red - in addition, I must tend to your head." Zecora searched through her desk drawers and began adding ingredients into the basin. The girls exchanged awkward glances and then watched as the strange nurse busied herself with preparing...something.
in about five minutes, tops, Zecora was handing Scootaloo and Apple Bloom some kind of beverage.
"Drink and wait, drink and gain. Rid yourself of every ache and pain." She smiled a reassuring smile as the two fillies took their pick of a cup and starred into it.
"Uhh...Are you sure?" Scootaloo asked, looking over at Apple Bloom who was already gulping down the liquid.
"I am sure, for I am me; I am it's creator, so how can I not be?" Zecora inquired, patting Scootaloo's shoulder.
"Well..." Scootaloo observed the drink, once more, and then drank it down.
"Good, very good." Zecora took from the two their cups and headed over the sink that sat on the door's wall.
"So... that's it?" Sweetiebelle asked, glancing at her friends.
"Mhm." Zecora nodded to her.
"Huh. Sure didn't taste like nuthin'." Commented Apple Bloom, smacking her lips.
""Nothing" is the key to getting it down your throat," Zecora informed her, "For if it tasted bad, then drink it, you won't."
"That's for sure." Scootaloo muttered.
"Yeah... Well anyways, thanks so much, Mrs. Zecora!" Sweetiebelle said, "We had better get on our way....You know, back to class and all..."
"Yes, yes, you had better go. Be careful, be safe and take things slow." She shot a wink at Sootaloo, when she said this.
"Uhh... yeah..." Scootaloo headed to the door, behind Sweetiebelle.
"Hey, mah bruises are gone! Thanks, Zecora!!" Apple Bloom waved at the nurse as they exited the office.
"You are very welcome, my dear Apple Bloom; feel free to visit me, anytime, in my this room."
"I will!" Apple Bloom cheerily called back. Once the girls were outside the room, the door closed, the lights went out and the office was dark, again.
"Wow." Scootaloo said, observing and rubbing her arms, "She's good...And kinda weird."
"Yeah, but ah lahk her, though!" Apple Bloom said, glancing back at the dark room.
"Uhh, why's that? Scootaloo asked, "You just met her."
"Yeah, ah know, but... somethin' about her..." Apple Bloom continued to smile to herself.
"Well I'm just glad you two are better." Sweetiebelle said.
"Yeah, well, it's not like we were sick or anything." Scootaloo smirked, rolling her eyes.
Apple Bloom chuckled, "Yeah – now, we had better hurry and get to class."
"No running in the halls," Sweetiebelle called. They all laughed and hurried on to class.
Part 5: The Surprise
A couple days later, Apple Bloom, Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo were passing through the area where the nurse's office was.
"Hey, hey, let's go see Zecohra!" Apple Bloom suggesting, speeding off towards the Nurse's office.
"Don't run," Scootaloo called, "You might get hurt or something."
"Even better!" Apple Bloom yelled back.
"Come on, we better catch her," Sweetiebelle said. She and Scootaloo ran after their hyper, red-headed friend.
When they found her, she was standing outside of the Nurse's office, backside to them, eyes to the glass.
"What'd you find, 'Bloom?" Scootaloo asked, as they approached her.
"Uh...." Was Apple Bloom's only response.
"What?" Sweetiebelle said, "What is it, Apple Bloom?"
"Where's.... Zecohra?" Apple Bloom's voice was little more than a whisper, but disappointment was clear and evident.
"Whadda ya mean?" Scootaloo moved up next to Apple Bloom and peered into the room – Apple Bloom removed herself from the window. There was light in the room and everything was clearly visible. With the over-growth gone, one could easily see the whole room. Everything looked different; the room was bigger and there didn't seem to be a small hallway that led to another room, in the back. A male student sat on a bench at the far left of the room, with his head up and a tissue in his nose.
"May I help you girls?" The door opened and a pink-haired, slim nurse with a white uniform stepped out.
"Uhh..." Scootaloo - once again - stepped out from behind the door.
"I sure hope you three aren't playing round my office while classes are about to start," the nurse raised an eye-brow.
"No, we aren't," Sweetiebelle said, we were just –
"Do you know where Mz. Zecohra went, Mz....Red-Heart?" Apple Bloom burst out but then slowed as she read the nurse's name tag.
"Um....who?" The nurse tilted her head as a puzzled expression replaced her rather serious one.
"Mz.Zecora!! Apple Bloom exclaimed, "The nurse!"
"Um...I am the nurse." Mrs. Red heart's expression went from one of puzzlement to suspicion.
"Wasn't there another nurse, though?" Scootaloo inquired, before Apple Bloom could speak, "I mean, we saw her just the other day and–
"Ohhh, that nurse, yes!" Mrs. Red Heart smiled, "She was my substitute, while I was away."
"Substitute?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, with shook.
"Mhm," Mrs. Red Heart nodded, "Why, did something happen?"
"Wha...buh...This doesn't make any sense!" Apple Bloom cried.
"Ah - actually we should hurry on to class," Sweetiebelle interjected, "Thanks for your time, Mrs. Red Heart!!" She grabbed Apple Bloom and Scootaloo by the wrist and began to haul them away.
~ ~ ~ ~
Eventually, Apple Bloom calmed down. She sighed. "Ah wish ah knew Zecohra was just a sub. Ah wish she didn't tell me ah could see whenever ah wanted. Ah I wish I used that privilege earlier... Ah wish–
"Alright, we get it!" Scootaloo exclaimed, "We know you miss her so just calm down already."
"Ah am calm." Apple Bloom murmured, "Ah just feel so bad.... Ah wonder whatever happened to her..."
"I don't think we'll ever find that out, Apple Bloom." Sweetiebelle admitted, apologetically. "But who knows; maybe she'll be substitute, again, one day."
"Yeah..." Apple Bloom finished washing her hands, shook them off and then dried them. "Ah sure hope that time'll come soon, but in the meantime, let's get to class."
"Yup!" Scootaloo lead the way from the restroom, Sweetiebelle following close behind.
Before exiting, Apple Bloom reached into her pocket to reveal a crumpled plant. It glowed, faintly, in her hand.
"Ah know she'll be back." Apple said, smiling to herself. And then she exited the restroom and made her way to class.
~ The End ~
