Scootaloo's Shadow. Book 1: Return

No, not THAT kind of friends!

The rest of lunch flew by with relative ease, well except for the whole Invade you mind thing. (Don't you dare...)  Rainbow Dash had just announced that her newest trick still needed perfection, and Twilight had library duties to attend to.  That leaves me, walking my way to our old club house.

It seems loneliness makes me talk aloud to myself, and thus I began to go over my strategy of reveal once more,  "Hey girls, how have you been-  No, no, to friendly," I had, once again, donned my hoodie,  "Why is it harder to do this than with Dash and Twilight?"  The road that I had been walking on slowly turned to a dirt path as it sped off to the farm, which coincidentally, was my destination,  "Well, I could just walk up like nothing happened..."

"Hey, Ah ain't never seen you before,"  Wait, that voice, that palpable accent.  Uh no.

"Mah name's..."

Applebloom

"And this here's..."

Sweetiebell

"What's your name?'

Well, hello, it's me, Scootaloo.  What, has it been?  Like Four years?  Boy that's a long time... Oh yeah, I'm a vampire now, so how's your life?

If only it were that easy,  "Hey guys,"  I turned.  Their eyes.  They grew, in fact, they were so large, they put Luna's full moon to shame.

Re-introductions went smoothly, well, other than the fact that I was badgered about being gone for so long, ah but, what can I do?

"So, Scootaloo?  What happened?"

"Come on, you guys need to come up with more creative questions,"

"Wha, what'cha talkin' about?"  Oh, Applebloom.

"Look, can we go someplace quieter?  Like the orchard, or maybe the old club-house?"

"Well, the orchard is only a couple yards through the bush,"  Applebloom motioned to the left, where thick under-brush had grown.  I couldn't make out past the brush, but I guess she'd know the ins and outs of the paths.  I followed behind my fellow crusaders, now that I had time take notice, they seemed to be walking close together.  Hmm guess it's nothing, famous last words.  We'd pushed through the under-brush,and lo-and-behold, we were walking among the apple trees.

"Alright, Scootaloo, get talking,"

"Straightforward are we?"  I began the tale, describing the fateful night, which, they seemed to remember.  I told them about my stay in Manehatten, and my residence in The Kabal.  Which now brings me to now,  "And that's how Equestria was made!"

"What?"

"Never mind, wait, why are you two not running away and screaming?"

"Because it's all a well thought out prank, come on out Pinkie Pie,"  Oh, well I knew it was to good to be true.

"Is it not a little weird that, while we are all the same age, yet I stand half a foot taller than you two?  Oh, and let's not forget my wings,"   I flexed the latter,  "Oh and these,"  My teeth grew at my command, the canine's growing into razors, you know metaphors like that.  Oh, what's wrong with their eyes?  Right, fear, oh boy.

"Scootaloo, you're not serious are you?"

"What's wrong, Applebloom?  Sweetiebell?  Do I have something on my teeth?"  I made them grow once more.  I do so like messing with ponies.  I must have begun to grin.

"Oh, you really had us goin' there for a bit,"  She wiped the nonexistent sweat from her brow,  "Ya were kiddin' right?"

"I wish,"

"Oh my.  Your not going to hurt us are you?"

"Hurt you?  I may be dead but I am not going to flip out, and bite you.  I do have some control.  Geez, you'd think your friends would have more trust in you, no matter how unholy and dead you get.  So, what's new in your life?"

"You, you act like it's nothing,"

"You learn to live-err exist with it.  Unless it bothers either one of you, I'd like to resume that friendship,"

"Well, it'l take some getting used to, but as long as you promise to not rip our throats out then I'm OK with it,"  I Nodded, I suppose I can always try...  "Applebloom, should we tell her?"  What's she talking about?

"Ah suppose, she is, after all, our best friend,"

"Hey, wow, look, I'm right here,"  The suspense is killin- err you know.

"Yes Scoot, look we also have somethin' ta tell ya.  But, not as life changin' as yer news,"

"What she means is, that we had begun a, to put it bluntly, relationship,"  Am I the only one in this town whom can't 'put things bluntly'?  Oh wait.

"Cool, when did this happen?"

"Wait, you're OK with it?"

"Well, for one thing you were OK with my situation, and I did spend time in Manehatten.  Where, believe me, ponies are pretty open,"

"Oh, thanks Scootaloo.  It happened a couple of months after you left, I guess we kinda became closer because we were grieving the loss of a friend,"

"Aww, thanks guys, you're so sweet.  Who all knows?"

"Ah told my big sis', she was OK with it,"

"And, I told Rarity, she was a little less than OK, but she's alright now, so besides those two, and Pinkie Pie, you're the fourth,"

"Wow, four years, and I'm only the fourth pony to know?"

"Yeh, Pinkie almost threw us a 'I'm-so-super-glad-you-two-are-together party',"

"Ouch,"

"How long have you been here Scootaloo?"

"I got here yesterday, why?"

"Why didn't you find us then?"

"Oh, well originally, I was going to talk to Twilight, but she wasn't there, so I chilled on a cloud, that is until Rainbow Dash found me,"

"Applebloom and I were on our way into Ponyville, do you wanna come?"

"Sorry girls, I going to have to take you up on that offer some other time.  Right now I have got to take care of this splitting headache,"  I chuckled, I guess it was about time to feed,  "Where is the Everfree forest from here?"

"Over there,"  She pointed to the right,  "Why do you ask?"

"Oh no reason, bye,"  I took off into the sky.  I could have done that instead of asking directions, but I did need some way to end the conversation.  I quickly found out that flying as fast as possible helps with the headache.

Eventually I land at the edge of the Everfree forest, I looked skyward; it was about five in the afternoon, leaving me about three hours until darkness.  My gaze turned back towards the forest, and I began the trek inwards.

It wasn't thirty minutes until I started smelling something a little too familiar: Death.  After smelling the air, I located source to be about north, northeast twenty-five meters.  Headache still blaring, I sprinted in the direction that the putrid smell is originating from.  About ten seconds later I came across the slowly dying animal.

It appeared to be a wolf, or something to that effect.  Its back leg was bleeding; the wound oozed pus.  The dog's gaze turned to me; its eyes a mixture of hate and pain.  Around the wound area, the fur was matted.  The forest-grey would have been beautiful, or imposing, if its stature was changed.

It was miserable, nearing the end of its life so painstakingly slowly.

I aided us both.

After I gave it a quick death, I began to drink.  Leaning down to its neck, I extended my canines.  They slid in with ease.  The blood was still warm, only beginning to stop flowing just now.  Its infection would not, could not, harm me.

The majestic creature which lie before me, was now drained of blood.  Its life essence, used as nourishment.  I chuckled wondering, whether or not it had thought so hard after it killed a smaller thing, probably not.

Lucky dog.

I began moving towards a stream, which I had heard to be about ten-to-five meters in the direction I was facing.

I walked into the clearing, and looked at the water.  I pooled it in my hooves, and brought it to my muzzle and began to clean.

Blood washes off easily.

Yeah, right.

I must have spent thirty minutes removing the blood from my face, it looked, smelled, and felt clean.  I opened my wings into a standing position and began to flap leisurely.  Soon I began to rise into the air again.  The burning orb had begun to dip below the horizon.  I began to fly off towards Twilight's tree house; she had given me a place to stay, due to Rainbow Dash's irregular sleep pattern.

I reached the door within ten or so minutes.  I opened it and stepped inside.  Twilight must have prepared dinner and begun to eat.

"Oh, Scootaloo, come in.  I just prepared some dinner, there's still some left, if you want some; I know you don't need it but,"

"Nah, that's cool.  Thanks,"  I had already eaten, so.

It's not like I need any sleep, and for that reason I just sat around the library.  Reading was not something I ever did, or had the time to do, but I can see what I missed out on, and why Dash liked 'Daring Do' so much.  It was midnight, or somewhere around midnight, and I had gotten bored.  I decided that a little walk through Ponyville would 'kill' some time.

"Look, I swear I don't know anything about what ever it is you're talking about,"  It was a mare's voice, who'd be out this late, well besides me, of course.

"We both know you're not telling us something, so what is it?"  It was a stallion's voice this time, and he sounded angry, or it could have been impatience.  Maybe it was none of my business but that mare was in trouble.

"Yeah, tell us where the night-walker is and we'll consider letting you go,"  This was a different stallion, maybe I should-  Wait, 'night-walker' ?  OK, now it was my business.  I turned the corner and began to walk closer towards the three stallions.  They were standing under a lamp-post, the mare saw me first.  Her hair was green, while the rest of her coat was orange.  The others noticed her change in sight, and begun to turn around.

"Well looks like we got our selves a 'do-gooder',"  This was the other.

"I sure we can work this out," I nodded towards the carrot-colored mare,  "She obviously doesn't want to be here, and you're looking for a 'night-walker'.  Well here I am,"  I smiled, showing my canines.

The stallion who addressed me spoke first,  "Vampire, kill it,"

They rushed me at once, all three of them were earth-ponies, I could have just took off in flight.  The maneuver they pulled was a simple one; they began to circle me, trying to get me to pay attention to one while the other jumped me from behind.  I was a little smarter than that.  I started to stare one down as he circled me, then brought my back hoof up into the other's muzzle.  This opened their little attack plan and I back out, now they were all in front of me.  I went on the offensive, punching and kicking the leftmost stallion until I had him back pedaling, he was off balance.  I rushed him, knocking him on the ground, and bringing one hoof down square with his jaw, knocking him out.  One stallion kicked me off of their fallen comrade, a little too late.  I stood up, unscathed, and blocked several more unprofessional kicks.  His attack opened up, and I took my chance;  Punching him in the jaw several times, before kicking his shin.  This caused him to fall, where I stomped his chest.  Either that knocked him out, or the pain did it.  Regardless, he was down.  I was quite happy with myself talking on three aggressors all by myself.  Yes I'm can handle myself very wel- wait- let me do the math.  First one, face slapped.  Second one, chest stomped.

Third one?

I felt a hoof collide with the back of my head. I stumbled forward.  I was celebrating a little victory, and you had to ruin it.  As punishment, I quickly picked him up with my unicorn magic, and threw him against a tree. Wait, When did I get magic?

I turned, wincing, and Twilight stood there.

"Did, did I, did I kill him?"

"No, I don't think so.  He might have been a recruit, but they're taught endurance and pain control,"

"Wait, you know who they are?"

"Yeah, I'll explain it later.  Do you have any way you can alter something in their memory?"

"A memory alteration spell?,"  No, a memory alteration toaster, "I can, what do you need me to change,"

"Their orders, take out anything saying they need to go to Ponyville and find me,"   I thought a little more,  "Oh and make them think that there was no threat in Ponyville, and they were going back to their headquarters,"

"OK, done.  What next?"

"Hmm, can you teleport them somewhere near the Everfree?"

"Yes,"

I looked over towards the lamp-post, the carrot mare was still standing there.  I walked over.  Her gaze seemed to reach off to infinity, until her eyes noticed me.  I could see her tense up.

"Hey, are you all right?  Did they hurt you,"  She shook her head.

"What happened?  Who were they?"

"Bad people with good intentions,"  I snorted,  "They were looking for something, for me actually,"

"They said 'vampire',"

"Yes, I know.  I won't hurt you,"  I left her to talk to Twilight, "Hey, she seems pretty shook up, she probably won't get over this without some help,"

"Alright, I'll erase the memory, but I don't like this,

"Look, you're doing her a favor,"  I saw a flash of purple as the carrot mare's gaze drifted towards infinity once more, I joined Twilight as she was shaking the mare out of her trance.

"Hey.  Hey, Carrot Top, are you okay?" Carrot Top, that's her name.

"Wha, what happened?"

"You must have fallen asleep, my friend and I found you,"

"Your friend?  Twilight!"  Twilight blushed and I soon caught on to what she had said.

"What, n-no, nothing like that,"

"You know the more you deny it the more it looks like we're, you know,"  I wasn't helping, but this was funny.

"It's okay Twilight, I won't tell anyone,"  And with she was off.

Twilight turned to me, the blush only now fading, "And now, you tell me who they were?" She pointed towards the bodies of Carrot Top's aggressors.

"They're a group of Vampire-hunters called the Sarafan Order.  Can this wait until we're inside?"

"Fine