Heart Of The Pit (A Hearth's Warming Tale)

Chapters

Part I
Part II
Part III

Part I

December 24

Pony View

"You, get in here, I'd like a word with you." My boss stuck his fat neck out of his carpeted and painted drywall lair. His veins were pumping liquid hatred making his face look uglier that usual. I hate all these shitty meetings; I mean for Celestia's sake, it's Hearts Warming Eve: nopony should be workin' still and I just finished a pointless three hour meeting about drugs. Drugs. The buck? Who the hell's gonna do drugs in middle school?

I thought in a split second.

I walked inside the dragon's lair. I took a seat and that pony's ugly face turned from angry to somber without loosing the same intensity.

"Mr. Little Liner, I realize that you're finished with all your meetings today?"

"Yes." I wasn't going to explain shit to him.

"It's almost twelve, Mr. Liner, but if you don't mind... a favor?"

I almost said no, but something in his face slowed my tongue down. "What do you need?"

"You do not have to do this, Mr. Liner, and, of course, I wouldn't think any less of you if you don't accept." My boss, Mr. Beamer, shot me a seedy look, his eyes lit up with a strange glow, and his mouth unfurled into a genuine, toothy grin.

"What is it?"

"I need you to sub." His face lost a bit of power, but he still held it.

SIGH

"I know... it's been a long three hours... don't get me wrong, it's not long at all... but it is on Hearts Warming Eve. But I need you to sub for an elementary teacher in Galloping Gar Barracks School for Mrs. Nyckolah Neighs... she's hit with the flu and her students're probably trashing the place."

I could only imagine little fillies and colts forming into a pony hurricane, ripping out every last nail and wire. Those little shits hold untapped destructive energy.

But this was bullshit. It was bad enough that I was going to sub for an elementary teacher on Hearts Warming Eve. But. Galloping Gar Barracks sits on the epicenter of The Pit: the exact opposite kind of place from where I teach middle school.

"What do you say?" full power returned back to Mr. Beamer's face. It was still ugly.

"No."

"Very well then, I hope your holidays'll be filled with many gifts and merry part-"

"Actually, I'll do it. Some kid in that group's gonna be beat down without a teacher there... I can just feel it."

"...Hurry down there then. I appreciate it. But."

"What."

"I'm not making you do anything or trying to convince you one way or the other. I think it's insane that you're doing this."

"I know..." I sighed, "I guess I'll see you on the 26th when school starts again."

Mr. Beamer didn't say anything but still held his merry smile on his ugly face. I really hated doing this. I guess since I didn't have to sub I could just drive away... but the more I thought about the whole thing, the more I though that this... well, this was my duty.

The concrete steps exploded when my hooves touched the ground as I walked down to the parking lot. The elevator was out of order. Of course. I trotted over to my new jet black Folks-Wagon car, imported straight from the Southeast. I had to drive to the pit in this thing, I'll get mugged when I get out. Oh well.

I drove out of the garage and onto the highway going East to the pit making my wheels scream. As I was driving, I thought that nopony from the wealthier neighborhoods ever accepted a job in The Pit before now... but really anything could happen in Manehattan.

...

Omnicorn View

"Whoa dude, look at that ride."

The other zebra turned his neck around and shot lasers at the high-end black Folks-Wagon car pulling into the campus. "Who the buck can afford that shit?"

"Ain't no rich flanks go here. No rich flanks be stopin' here."

"So what the buck man?"

"Bet he's dealin'."

"In The Pit? That motherbucker's retarded as buck."

"He gettin' mugged." The two zebras heckled as they lumbered to where the car was headed.

The pit in Manehattan was chocked full of zebras... sure it was full of gangs and drug dealing. But, hey, it was full of kind souls of zebras... and earth ponies... and unicorns... and the most destitute of all the equines.

The flightless pegasi.

Pony view

I triple checked to make sure all of my electronics were hidden and that the windows were tinted. I even parked behind a back wall so nopony or nozebra could see it very easily. The infamous Belle-Noir High School was just up the hill and everypony knows that its just one gigantic contraband black market. No pony from-

"Hey, 'you Little Liner?"

"Yeah." I found my face uncomfortably close to the face of a harsh-looking zebra mare after I walked around into a darker corner by the back door. She must've been Mrs. Nyckolah Neighs.

"You be subin' for me?"

"Yes." I said a bit more confidently.

"You be teachin' 'entire rest 'year, you hear?"

"What?"

"I'm done w'all my shit, y'know." I didn't have any time to respond this time- she moved even closer to my face. "You take care 'my students 'hear?"

I can't teach here for the rest of the year. She's full of shit.

"Your principle appointed me as your sub, I'm not supposed to replace you al-"

"I don't care what that stallion says, I leavin', I can't do this shit no more. Stay here forever, 'be my guest." And with that, she walked around to where my car was parked. It didn't matter, she already knew I was wealthy. Just by the way I talk.

I slithered through the back door and trotted down the plain white tiled floor, my hooves sounding like a worn out claves player. I thought about all the shit that happened to me... but one thought eventually prevailed: it's gonna suck for the kids after today.

I found the room and pushed open the composite wood door expecting the worse.

The colts and fillies ran around as if they drugged themselves with injected coffee; luckily they haven't broken anything. They spazzed until one noticed I had walked in.

"Hey, it's our substitute teacher!" A tiny little filly yelled with a big slur.

The entire class took notice and yelled in a beautifully out of tune chorus.

Sub

As I walked over to Mrs. Nyckolah Neighs' desk, I reveled in the sound of the little children. They were so happy and they lived in the pit. I felt like a giant weight had been lifted up from my shoulders. I noticed a few of the colts in the back of the room were still jumping with all the other students already taken their seats.

"Oh, you wouldn't want to do multiplication like the big ponies do, would you?"

Most of them sat down at this but one just had to resist.

"What if I do?" Sometimes they were as smart as middle school ponies.

I thought on my hooves, "What is twelve times twelve?"

The colt let out an embarrassed whinny and slowly sunk in his desk near the back.

"Role." I shouted; some of the children moaned but most shot up and paid attention... not what I expected from the students in the pit.

Electric Cloud

Here.

Fatisha

Hi.

Jewel Jumper

Hello.

Katt Lavender

...

Absent

Apple Mulberry

Howdy.

Den Noir

Hey.

Viola Prose

Hello.

Rilly

Hey.

Scootaloo

Hey.

Crush Tide

Sup.

Mosey Zecorus

Hi.

"Hello class, my name is Mr. Little Liner and I'm subbing for Mrs. Nyckie." I said as I saw a picture with the shortened name on her desk. That may or may not be a lie... but I plan not to stay any longer than today.

"Hello Mr. Liner." They all said in unison.

"So... who knows about tonight?"

The ponies got quieter... but I could hear the excitement in their little breaths. One of the fillies rose their hooves, "Pony clause comes." Katt said rather deeply.

"Who can tell me more about Pony Claus? Come on, don't be shy."

"He rides a sleigh full of presants." Rilly boomed.

"Who pulles the sleigh?" I asked in a clearly implying voice.

"I hear its from Magical Reindeer... they can fly and they don't even have to have wings." Jewel Jumper remarked softly. The class got excited again... but I heard a sigh from somewhere.

"How does he get all those toys?"

"Little elf-ponies make them." Viola Prose remarked sweetly.

"Who knows the legend of Hearts Warming Day?"

The students all nodded.

"You may not know all of it."

The students collectively drew a breath and they seemingly huddled together.

I talked in the voice of telling a story, "A long time ago, you knew there were six ponies, two from each pony tribe who bickered and argued until the frost from the evil

Windigoes froze the legs and bodies of the six. Only when they cared for each other did the evil ice melt. Well, there was still the problem of the snow and the famine."

The students sat completely still.

"A jolly old stallion gave gifts to the children in all of his village on the ground. He was not fazed by the snow or the famine, no. The other big ponies got mad at him because he didn't have any food, only toys. But he kept giving toys to the children anyway and soon the mood just had to lighten. He wished that he could bring toys to the other two ponies: the unicorns, and the pegasi. Celestia granted him the ability to fly really fast in a sleigh and give presents to all the little colts and fillies so as long as they were nice."

Some of the students started to rustle.

"So you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm telling you why: Pony Claus is coming to town. He knows when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows when you've been bad or good so be good for go-"

"-Why does Pony Claus hate me?" The little orange filly with the purple mane interrupted the song... and all life just slowed to a stop. I glanced at my role sheet: her name was Scootaloo. I felt a weight descending on my shoulders again.

There was no way I could say she was a bad filly, there's just no way that her parents could with hold presents like that. But I knew the answer... well no... but it was on the tip of my tongue.

"Mr. Liner, why does Pony Claus hate me?"

"He doesn't." I responded quickly.

"But I don't ever get anything... but I'm not bad, I promise... I take care of my mom and dad. Why don't I get anything?"

The rest of the class was loosing attention... probably because they didn't understand Scootaloo's case. "Class dismissed, have a very merry Hearts Warming Eve."

The class flooded out into the hallways, it wasn't even One o'clock. Scootaloo stayed behind.

"There are some little fillies and colts just like you... it's not that Pony Claus doesn't visit you and give you presents... it's that he can't. When you're older, you'll understand why. But Scootaloo, sometimes the greatest gifts of all aren't toys... maybe it's your friends or your family."

But at this, Scootaloo started to cry. Her scenario was plain to see: She had an a neglecting family.

"Well, I'll have to leave. I wish nothing but the biggest pile of gifts for you." Scootaloo smiled a bit until it faded forever. I walked out with Scootaloo still crying with her head on her hooves. I turned off the lights and locked the door from the outside giving her all the time she needs. I walked towards my car parked in the back and I thought to myself.

That was cheep. It was like saying 'You'll find out when you're older that you're hopelessly poor and your parents hate you'. The buck was I thinking.

But as I approached my car, I found it was broken into, every single last bit of loose articles was stolen, and every single window was smashed. All I had was my keys and my car. I brushed the glass onto the weed infested concrete at just sat... not caring that I was dead meat in the middle of the pit. My day was finally over, I could just drive out of this shit hole.

But this Scootaloo filly would haunt me forever.

...

Part II

December 24

Pony View

The bus hit another pothole and the blizzard wouldn't stop shaking the windows and the seats... but that was the least of my problems.

"Hey chicken wings, does Pony Claus never give you any presents? He don't want no pegasi who can't fly to get any presents." Fatisha reminded me.

"Ha! Mr. Liner didn't even defend you, he just said wait 'till you're older like every older pony says. They don't get any presents." Rilly laughed.

I was used to this by now... but I just had to open my fat mouth. The more I thought about it though, the more I needed to just escape from this entire city... from my own world. I would travel north and fly with one of Santa Claus' reindeer and I could have my new family and have more than enough presents. My mom even said she wants to escape the world... I love my mom.

"Lucky shit. It's your stop." Fatisha jabbed close to my face.

"Not if he can't get off." Den Noir grabbed my neck and held me up in the air. "Real pegasi could break through this hold with just their awesome, high-flying, glorious, wings you don't have. They ca-"

"Hey." The bus driver turned around and shot Den Noir cockatrice levels of intense staring. His face was an ugly wrinkled pug face covered in warts and hairs... but he was the nicest pony I knew, he kept the bullying level down.

Den Noir dropped me, I ran to grab my bag, and I sprinted off the bus to my neighborhood. The street was full of the biggest and grayest buildings ever now hidden behind the fog from the blizzard. I imagined myself being one of those awesome weather pegasi who make it rain and snow and shoot lighting as I trudged through the gray snow on the side of the street. My biggest dream was being one of the Wonderbolts... but for now, I had to settle for smaller dreams.

"Hey Scootaloo." The lobby attendant cheered.

"Hey." I mumbled.

I slammed the button to my home floor and the plain elevator lumbered upwards... it was the best I could get to flying. I stepped onto my floor and ran down the hall to my apartment all the way at the end. I opened the door to find my mother lying on the saggy couch covered in blankets... she was sleeping and shaking. Unusual.

"Hey kid, get away from your mother." My dad boomed from the kitchen on the other side of the wall.

"Hey dad." I slowly walked into the kitchen to check out the scene. Dad was doing adult stuff like he always says. He was reading something on one of those new screen things the richer ponies kept calling laptops.

"Beer please."

I knew what I had to do to get presents. It was simple. Be nice... I was always nice to my parents and so I reached inside the fridge to grab one of those brown bottles and set it down on the rickety wooden table next to him. I opened up a door connecting to the kitchen to my very own bedroom. I threw my bag in the crack in between my bed and the wall. I stared at the Wonderbolts poster hanging on the ceiling over my bed when at night it would give me the best dreams. I hoped to fly in that poster.

It was the only Hearts Warming present I ever got... it wasn't from Pony Claus. A bizarre old stallion pushing a cart around Manehattan gave me the poster two years ago on Hearts Warming Day. He said good luck... that was it.

A yawn came from the living room.

"Finally awake, are we?" Dad boomed from the kitchen, I ran out of my room, through the little kitchen and hugged mom still lying on the couch.

"Scootaloo. How was school? I'm so glad to see you... you got home so early."

I didn't want to say it... but I did, "We had a sub who talked about Pony Claus the whole time... well, we were let out after... after..."

"What is it?" My mom sounded worried.

"I shouldn't told the class that Pony Claus because they bullied me on the way back."

"Why do you think Pony Claus hates you?" Mommy looked sad.

"He never comes to our apartment and gives us presents... the other ponies... they said Pony Claus hates pegasi who can't fly."

Mommy looked really sad now.

"You know mommy doesn't like to talk about those things, it makes her really sad." She started to cry silently. I've never seen an adult pony cry before, it made me sad too.

My dad boomed from the kitchen, "Haven't I told you over and over again not to ask about Pony Clause, kid. It's not because you can't fly-"

Mom looked angry and sad now, "But we all know why she can't fly. Scootaloo, go to mommy and daddy's room and close the door."

I did so without objecting, I had to do this whenever my parents had adult fights. I couldn't hear words, only screaming and yelling.

Omnicorn View

"Babe, you know what happens when you talk about the kid's wings... and make it my fault!"

"Her name is Scootaloo and it's all your fault." The mother said softly with hidden rage.

"I can make you shut up about it... and nopony will ever hear about the kid's wings... you know I can."

"What if I don't care any more?" The mother spoke through her tough, ivory prison. Her dull honey eyes glanced over at a bottle of vinegar in the open pantry. The father saw this.

"Oh, don't you dare."

"If you really loved me, you'd be worried that I'd die from my own hooves."

The father switched to a sarcastic tone, "Well if I really loved you, I would also buy you some jewelry, a Folks-Wagon car, your very own laptop, some designer clothes, and a trip to Canterlot... but I don't love you. You know that."

"This is my life on the line, not just that fancy shit, you flankhole." The mother yelled.

"I don't care if you kill yourself."

"Oh yes you would, you'd miss your little slave dog doing you all those little favors and shit. We all know how Scootaloo was born too, don't we?"

"Go ahead then, try it. You're not strong enough to kill yourself... I bet you'll just vomit it up again." The father laughed but he shoved the mother away from the kitchen when she bolted towards the bottle. The mother smacked him and he shrugged and left the kitchen now shaking as he watched his wife.

The mare uncapped the vinegar bottle and threw it over her head letting the liquid flow into her body at high speeds. Her eyes made it look like it burned... and it did... but she eventually drank the entire bottle. The father stood and did nothing devoid of any facial expression. That is until the mare started to slam herself into the kitchen sink causing gigantic bruises. The father successfully restrained her and grabbed the telephone, another new invention.

"Ambulance... yes... ...my wife just drank vinegar... ...no she thought it was water" -the wife kept screaming- "Of course she's in pain, that's why she's screaming... ...Now!" The father slammed the phone down on the hook and the mother passed out.

Pony View

The screaming stopped.

I guess it was okay to go outside.

My father had a strange look on his face, kinda like when he gets mad a lot, but worse. "Your mother is very sick, I called the helping ponies." My dad was the best.

Minutes past. The wall clock was very interesting... the clock hooves actually moved, I've never seen it before. But then I though of something.

"How did mom get sick after yelling really loud?"

"I don't know."

"But you-"

The helping ponies blew our door down. "There!" The stallion pointed at my parents, seized my mother and put her on one of those beds that they carry. My dad and I didn't say a single word and soon the helping ponies bolted down the wall. Fillies and colts opened their doors and said: Pony Claus, is that you?

They were disappointed and scared. The ponies blew down the spiral stairs like monkeys leaving my sight. We made it down to the lobby and ran outside where mom was already in the ambulance. We all got in and sat next to mom and a tough-looking doctor. The sirens blasted and we tore down our apartment street towards the hospital in the middle of the night. Dad's glowing watch read nine o'clock... it was past my bed time.

"Hello, you must be the husband, am I correct?"

"No, I'm not married, I just have a family without all the formalities so to speak."

"I see," but the doctor looked confused making his spiky grey mane, mustache, and beard look wilting, "My name is Dr. Revelum. It appears that the vinegar poison is currently being applied with antidote. However, she has also drowned from the sheer amount of vinegar and surgery has to be performed in order to remove the offense. She is going to live."

"Good." Dad said angrily.

This had to be the worst Hearts Warming Eve yet.

Part III

December 24

Pony View

"Your replacement car is ready, sir." One of the workers from Manehattan Car Repair boomed. It was the only one of its kind.

"Thank you."

I hopped inside an old white car and drove out of the garage to my home to the west. The investigation of the looters was already underway... but I was too focused on one of my students to care. She said loudly and clearly that Pony Claus hated her. I knew her what it was now. Her parents can't afford anything and I'm willing to guess that one or both are complete flankholes.

The more I drove, the more I though about it.

Buck it. I needed to do this. I turned around using an elaborate series of illegal turns and got back on the highway east towards my district headquarters. I entered into the middle-of-the-road municipality and was immediately stopped by the traffic. Not a single car was moving. I decided to park in a public garage and walk to the office building.

"The price is twelve bits."

"Twelve bits, that's dou-"

"It's because of the Hearts Warming midnight sale about to happen."

"That holiday's too hyped up. I mean I like the story and the happiness and all that good stuff... but I hate all the shopping, and the movies, and the... and the holiday... and I hate it."

"Yeah, I feel ya."

I payed and started to role around and, if by a force from Celestia, there was a wide open space on the ground floor. I tucked all of my possessions into deeper places not wanting to get looted for the second time in the same day and locked the car. I walked out of the garage and into the blizzard where shoppers from all over Manehattan it seemed were lined up outside all kinds of stores.

How could I be this stupid?

This was the Fashion District.

I started to shove my way north to where my district headquarters slept when a bored and loudly complaining voice echoed through the fog. I paused to listen.

"For the last time, Rarity, we already saw like twenty stores. It's getting late and I'm so bored." A bright blue pegasus with the wildest rainbow mane and tail yelled at her friend who attempted so dearly to keep her eyes in their respective sockets.

"I still haven't found anything for Sweetie Belle for Hearts Warming Day yet! You wouldn't dare cop out on your own sister... hehe... that is, if you had one." The white unicorn named Rarity tried to stay angry but tripped when she mentioned sister.

"I wish I had a sister. It gets boring without any family."

"I know, I'm sorry."

This was perfect.

I approached the two shoppers head on. I didn't want to come across as... well, as a predator, "I'm sorry if I might be interrupting your conversation... but I have a solution for you." I stared at the rainbow mane pegasus.

"Who are you. I don't know you." She responded.

"Relax, Rainbow Dash, this stallion is not like the other brutes on the street. What ever do you need, darling." The other one, Rarity, stepped in front.

"I know a young pegasi filly who is most likely in need of a family. Her name is Scootaloo... and..." I held back tears. Dear Celestia. I was beginning to realize how weak I really was. "Well she's never had any presents before... ...she is poor to say the least. Not like your sister Sweetie Belle."

Rarity got angry. "So... you overheard us."

"Yes... but not for very long. If you accept, you have to come with me... ...I promise, I'm not like these street ponies."

"I don't trust him." Rainbow Dash said... it was a fitting name for her mane and tail.

"I know Kung-Fu." Rarity spat. I swear, the seemingly delicate ones are tough.

"Look. You are a pegasi and you are a unicorn... that can do Kung-Fu. I'm just an earth pony and I'm weak... my name is Mr. Little Liner for Celestia's sake. If you say no... that's fine... but you'd be giving up on this little filly, Rainbow Dash." I boomed a bit louder than usual and then I mumbled to myself. "I'd be giving up on her."

Rainbow Dash seemed to think deeply for a moment. "Yes. But no funny business mister."

Omnicorn View

The door to the dragon's lair was locked and the lights were shut off.

"Damnit it's locked. Sorry Rainbow, I can't get-"

"Janus Aperi." Rarity mumbled. The door swung open.

"They're weren't any security cameras or none of that was there?" Little liner whined a little.

"Of course not." Rarity said eloquently.

"What's the point of us even being here?" Rainbow Dash complained.

"I have to get a list of the ponies I subbed today to get the address." Little Liner said as he sifted through the piles of paperwork to find said list.

Rainbow got irritated. "I though you said she had no family. I don't like where this is going, Little Liner."

"She basically doesn't have a family... but she has some sort of pony to look after her, I'm guessing. I'm guessing she has her parents. Either their too poor, too abusive, too neglectful, or a mixture of all of those. Damnit, just trust me." Little Liner started to become anxious.

"Calm down, we'll stick with-"

"Aha." Little Liner picked up the list and ran my hoof down to Scootaloo's name. "Apt. 25, 12th floor, 429 North 24th Street."

The three all thought the same thing: it was right smack in the middle of The Pit.

Pony View

The car monitor read ten o'clock.

"Are you still up for this?"

"If you turn the heater on, I'm freezing so badly, my mane might fall off."

"She exaggerates if you can tell."

"I can." But I also turned the heater on and pulled out of the garage. The replacement car lurched onto the highway carrying us three straight into The Pit... back into the action. The smog rose into the sky where it melted into the overcast clouds. The smog was a disgusting yellowish color and it mixed with the grey snow to form the most depressing picture I had ever seen in my life.

The apartments were bleak and they were poor... but hey, at least they're weren't any ponies on the streets. The cheap, white replacement car wouldn't be a target like my black Folks-Wagon. We swung the plain glass doors open and walked inside.

"We three are looking for the apartment number of Scootaloo." I already knew what it was but I needed the lobby pony's clearance.

"I'm sorry, sir, but Scootaloo and her parents left for the hospital. Her mother is in critical condition."

Crap.

"What hospital might I ask?" Rarity asked.

The attendant contorted her face into a smug smile no doubt laughing on the inside. "You ponies must be from outside The Pit. There's only one hospital around here: Kringle Medical Center."

"Thank you." I said as we hurried out of the lobby. I actually knew where that was... it was North near the Galloping Gar Barracks... and the gate to pony hell: Belle-Noir High School. Ten-thirty.

"She does have a family, Little Liner. You keep lying... and they're not abusive or neglectful or any of that... they take care of each other, the father called an ambulance, how's that neglectful?"

"You have to trust me-"

"-I don't trust you." Rainbow spat.

Rarity didn't like the development either, "Don't you make up some cheep-lip excuse, Scootaloo doesn't need help finding a new family, it sounds like."

"Well then, can you just humor me? I mean it's just a short drive up there and... and I don't want to risk it. I know it's more for me but-"

"No, Liner, I'm sorry. Best case scenario is a little filly's crying 'cause her mother's in critical condition. I have to do this now." Rainbow Dash stared at me from the front seat.

Rarity and all of her bags claimed the back.

I nodded and turned the key making the weak engine come to life and the lights to snap on.

Omnicorn View

"Sir, your wife remains in critical condition, we fear that severe bruising has caused damage to parts of the lung already damaged from the vinegar. She can breathe whilst connected to a machine but unless the surgeons can stop the blood flow... there is little we can do." One of the nurses said to Scootaloo's father.

"I am not her husband."

The mare noticed the amount of beer bottles and decided to shut up and retreat back inside the ER.

Eleven o'clock.

Scootaloo took the news just a little bit more seriously. She balled up onto a chair and cried audibly... her mother was her only friend.

"Oh will you shut the buck up, kid." Luckily for the father, they were the only ones in the waiting room. A television in the corner was broadcasting a stallion dressed up as Pony Claus.

Have a very merry Hearts Warming Day.

"Liar!" Scootaloo shouted at the television.

"You putrid bucking little shit, shut the buck up." And with that, her father slammed her head down onto the floor with his fist. "My babe is gonna die 'cause you."

The door into the waiting room opened and Little Liner, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash casually walked in onto the scene. Scootaloo's head and mane were covered in blood and her father stood over her with his hooves shaking with strewn bottles in the background. All three of them learned how to do math when they were Scootaloo's age.

"Back away from her." Rainbow Dash yelled.

"Mr. Liner, you're here?" Scootaloo said in amazement... but weakly.

"I'm sorry for what I said, I should've helped you when you said Pony Claus hated you. Instead I did nothing." Little Liner's heart spoke.

"So it was you who talked to this kid." The father yelled.

"Yes and I believe when you say 'this kid' you mean Scootaloo. We're hear to offer her a new family... a new life away from you. We can call the po-" Liner was hit over the head with a heavy plastic chair and fell to the floor.

Rarity lept up and sent a flying kick into the chest of Scootaloo's father. He stumbled but he didn't seem fazed all that much and when Rainbow tried to attack, he grabbed one of her wings and pulled. He was trying to dislocate it... just like he did to both of Scootaloo's when he was drunk that night two years ago... the day before Scootaloo got that awesome poster of the Wonderbolts.

Rarity chopped the stallion's hoof and he let go of Rainbow's wing... no damage was done. Hospital security and police bust through the door and seized the father without a word. They must've seen the fight through the security cameras... and his filly abuse, and his alcohol, and his yelling.

Pony View

"Well, Rainbow Dash, it's all you." I said.

Rainbow Dash knelt down to Scootaloo's level and stared at her teary eyes flooding comfort in a not so supernatural way. Rainbow cried a little too. "Hey Scootaloo."

No response.

"Well it looks like both of your parents won't come back... but I can take you under my wing." Rainbow Dash started to really choke now. "I'm like your new big sister. We can move away from this city and live happy lives. And you can HIC get presents, trust me, Pony Claus loves you. Do you know why?"

No response.

"Because he sent your substitute teacher and I to save you. Look, Mr. Liner bought you a Hearts Warming Day present... it's me."

"I wasn't gonna give up on you, Scootaloo." I said.

"If you come with me, Pony Claus will love you just the same. You'll have new friends like Sweetie Belle," Rainbow motioned to Rarity, "You'll have a good teacher Ms. Cheerilee who'll live with you until you can fly. I'll teach you how to fly. You can live in Ponyville, in happiness where ponies love and tolerate each other. Please, Scootaloo, do you accept all of these presents?"

Scootaloo's mangled body churned and after the longest time: "Yes."

It was over. A nurse came into the waiting room to help heal the gash on Scootaloo's head, Rainbow Dash kept talking about all of her friends and the Wonderbolts, and I noticed a song being sung on the television as my world finally gained meaning.

From the lowest place in Equestria,

came a song of tidings and joy;

Many years ago they did sing:

May the heart of the pit

let our sad divisions cease

...

and be our own prince of peace.

Completed 9 December 2014