Author's Note
A rare One-Shot by me, probably not great, but I hope you guys and gals enjoy it.
A Warrior's Calling
Act 1: The Filly
The loud shrilling bell of the school house rang through the air as colts and fillies of varying ages trotted out to their homes. Many were excited to hang out with their friends or grab a quick bite at Sugarcube Corner. However, three fillies in particular had one thing they wanted to do today, crusade for their Cutie Marks.
The first of the trio bounced excitedly out of the school house, her pink bow nearly flying off as well, her name was Apple Bloom. The second trotted down to meet her with a grin ever-present on her white muzzle, her name was Sweetie Belle. The last, but certainly not least, was an orange filly who flapped her tiny wings in excitement, her name was Scootaloo. The three had one major thing in common, they didn't have their Cutie Marks, a pony's calling in life, what is practically perceived as one's identity. These three wanted their's badly, and wanted to share the moment of discovery with each other as close friends, forming the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"Alright y'all, ready to earn our Cutie Marks!" Apple Bloom cheered, almost bursting with energy.
"Yeah, I can't wait! What should we try this time!" Sweetie Belle replied with as much excitement as Apple Bloom.
"Maybe we should try ski jumping!" Scootaloo suggested, equaling the excitement that her two friends shared. Sweetie Belle gave a look of uncertainty to the idea.
"I don't know Scoots... Rarity say's that stuff is pretty dangerous." Sweetie stated as she recalled her talk with her sister on extreme sports.
"Aw, come on, I bet Rainbow Dash does it all the time!" Scootaloo said. Scootaloo idealized Rainbow Dash, a dare devil pony that was able to risk it all for her friends, something Scootaloo wished she could do in the future.
"Scoots right Sweetie, we got to risk it if we want dem Cutie Marks. Unfortunately, it's not winter and the ski store is closed until the season. I vote we should consider this at Sugarcube corner over some milkshakes." Apple Bloom proposed, and judging by the looks on her fellow Crusaders faces, it was unanimous. "Alrighty then, let's go." Apple Bloom called out as she trotted to the bakery.
Sweetie followed in hoof, but as Scootaloo began to follow, she remembered something very important.
'It's Wednesday.'
Scootaloo immediately brought herself to a halt, which was noticed by her two friends.
"Something wrong Scoots?" Apple Bloom asked as she turned to her Pegasus friend.
"Nothing, hey, you guy's go on ahead, I've got to go to the hill" Scootaloo remarked as she turned to the big hill at the far northeast side of Ponyville. At the mention of this hill, her friends immediately were put to both a state of ease and suspicion.
"Scootaloo, you've been going to that mountain every Wednesday, ever since Diamond Tiara dared you to go there to find 'The cloaked Demon'." Sweetie Belle pondered. Diamond Tiara always liked to push the three's buttons, and what better way to push Scootaloo's then by challenging her. Many of the fillies and colts believed in this figure that would stalk the town on top of this big hill in the northeastern direction. Most had been told about this creature by their parents, however, so many rationalized it to be a tale of caution not to wonder. Diamond Tiara, after a heated conversation between her and the Crusaders, dared Scootaloo to go to the hill and return by late afternoon, if she wasn't 'eaten' that is.
Scootaloo took the challenge and returned, marking that day to be a win for the Crusaders. Although, ever since, Scootaloo would always come back to that hill on Wednesday's after school was finished.
"What exactly are ya hidin' Scoots?" Apple Blooom questioned, it's been over a month and her curiosity had finally gotten to her.
"Nothing, I just like to... REST! Yeah, that's it, rest, you know, like Rainbow Dash does on the clouds." Scootaloo said, hoping this reason would work on her friends. Unfortunately for her, her friends stared at her with a look that said "No, we're serious".
"Um... Gottarunbyesavemeamilkshake!" Scootaloo took off like the world was imploding behind her, her friends simply stared at the display.
"Ya think she'll ever tell?" Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie, who shrugged in response. "Oh well, let's go, but were savin' her a medium size at that's it."
Act 2: The Knight
The cool breeze swept through the grass of the big hill. A lone apple tree rustled as a brown cloaked figure looked at the small town of quadruped life-forms. This figure was a man, a man with a past that he could never forget. As his concealed face looked at the townsfolk, flashes of this past went by like pictures in a scrapbook. The man was old, his long, gray hair on his head and short gray beard attest to this. He has seen and done many things, most of which were not on this planet...
"Mister! Mister!" A voice shouted from the distance. The Elder slowly turned his head to see a young orange pony, as they are called, running to him. A small but genuine smile formed on the man's lips as he turned his head back and looked at the clouds above. Scootaloo ran up to stand beside him and looked where he was looking, which, again, was the clouds. "Why are you looking at the sky Mister?" She asked as she sat next to him.
"Not the sky as a whole young one." The Elder began. "Take a look at that cloud up there," He pointed to a large cloud, "See how it dwarfs the rest of them up there, see how it speaks its own tune from the rest, notice how they all form their own stance." He turned towards the little one, only to see her look in confusion.
"Uh, I don't understand," Scootaloo stated plainly as the Elder chuckled, "Hey! It's not my fault you're too poetic!" She huffed as the brown cloaked man chuckled some more. The Elder placed his hand on Scootaloo's mane and gently stroked it, causing Scootaloo to easily melt under his touch and move closer to his side. If there was one thing the Elder liked to do, it was petting his young guest, and for Scootaloo, she loved how the old man's claw-like appendages dug into her hair. As Scootaloo was in pure bliss, she got an idea.
"Hey, want an apple‽" Scootaloo exclaimed as she jumped up, fluttering her wings a little. The Elder looked on as the small orange pony positioned herself near the tree. "Hope practicing at my friends barn works!" She exclaims as she rounds her hind legs and gave the tree a hearty kick. A few seconds later, Scootaloo twitched in pain and fell down on her rump, silently groaning. She looked over to the Elder, who smiled warmly at the young filly's attempt. He turned back to face the town and elbowed the tree, hard, causing two apples to fall down into his hands.
"Care for an apple dear?" He asked the filly, who was now blushing in embarrassment. She took her apple and quietly began to dig in as the Elder took a giant bite of his apple. The two sat there quietly, munching on their apples with content as birds flew by, tweeting a lovely tune. As the Elder closed his eyes to listen to the birds, Scootaloo took notice of, ah, yes, the metal cylinder she grew so fond of.
"Mister! Could I see it again!" Scootaloo asked as she jumped up. The Elder sighed, but smiled as he took out his relic of the past first showing of the smooth silver body. Within a mere second, the Elder pushed the activation button, causing a bright green beam of plasma to shoot out of the hilt. Scootaloo couldn't take her eyes off the green light, always fascinated by its majesty before her. In an instant, the plasma vanished and the Elder put the base away in his cloak. Looking over to Scootaloo, he saw something that, over his many years, was never as cute as it was now, an adorable pout on her face.
A devious grin was on the Elder's face as he, with quick precision, picked up the little filly and began tickling her belly. Scootaloo didn't know what had happened due to the speed in which she had suddenly moved, but laughed just as quick. This went on for a few minutes until Scootaloo was out of breath and panting. The Elder placed the filly down and smiled at her, until a question he had been meaning to ask came up in his head.
"Young one," He began, prompting the young filly to look at him, "Why do you keep coming here, I'm well aware you came originally to prove something, but why keep coming? I understand you have plenty of friends who will be at your side, so why here? What possibly can I provide that your friends can't?" That question took Scootaloo off guard, she always visited, but she didn't really know how to explain it. With a solemn yet sad look, she faced the Elder.
"... Well," Scootaloo started, "My friends have sisters and parents. I don't really have a sister, well, sorta, but not blood related. I have a mom, but she always has to work her job to afford our house. We don't get along much either, sometimes I want to spend time with her, but she says she can't, she always can't. As for my dad... Well, he... Doesn't want to be there, ever." That was enough for the Elder to scoop her up in his arms and hold her. There was no words, only the sound of the wind and the occasional sniffle from Scootaloo.
The Elder knew of this pain, he had seen it before in one of his own, but he couldn't bare to recall her. He didn't quite have any parental love either, but he barely knew them to begin with, so there wasn't any pain for him to feel. With a stroke of brilliance, he thought of something that could, hopefully, cheer the filly up.
"You've always wanted to fly, correct?" The filly looked up at him with confusion, but then he started to stand up to his full height, making Scootaloo feel like she was on top of a cliff.
"What are you doing‽" Scootaloo shouted as the Elder lifted her into the air.
"Trust me." was all he said as he threw Scootaloo over the hill. Scootaloo began to scream and flapped her wings furiously, but felt something odd, she felt like she was floating. She opened her eyes to see that she was indeed floating, was she actually flying? Turning her head to the Elder, she saw that he was holding his hand out to Scootaloo. He moved his hand and Scootaloo moved along, further adding to Scootaloo's confusion. He did a few tricks with his hand, causing Scootaloo to do a couple of flight stunts. Within the first minute, Scootaloo was laughing and having a great time.
After 10 minutes of the activity, the Elder brought Scootaloo back to him and hugged her, and she did the same. "Thanks... Pops." Scootaloo said dreamily, making the Elder blush at her comment. Although he did wish he could stay like this forever, the Elder had to let Scootaloo get back to her friends.
"You need to hurry dear, look at the sun." The Elder pointed to the object in question. Scootaloo looked and noticed that it was near afternoon, she needed to get to her friends. So, she leapt up and started to run, but ran back to the Elder and did something he did not expect, she kissed his cheek.
"Bye Pops! I'll ask you about that magic later!" Scootaloo called out as she ran down the hill to find her friends. The Elder smiled fondly at the filly, her visits every Wednesday always brightened up his day. Unfortunately, the Elder felt a presence from up above, not the clouds or the sky, but the large black void beyond. He knew what it was, but he could only wonder what will happen if he follows.
'The Force is calling to me...'
Act 3: The Killer
The Elder lay there, blood streaming down his face, his breath rampant, his lightsaber destroyed. The ground of the Wookie Planet Kashyyyk felt soft and the trees were a sight to behold, if only it was under different circumstances. He couldn't take it anymore, the Force was calling to him, he had to fight for his galaxy, not hide in one completely off the map. He may have been possibly the last Jedi of the previous Galactic Republic, but he wanted, no, needed to fight the Empire's grip. He got his starfighter to work and warped back to his home, his broken home, but his home nonetheless.
His first move was to free the Wookie's from slavery on their home planet. So far, it was going smoothly, many Wookies were starting to reform some of their old villages. Now, well, now the Elder's lost his fight. A boot landed on his chest, causing him to cough some blood. He looked up to his assailant, all donned in black and gray, the Jedi Killer himself. The Elder heard the famous breathing that every being in the galaxy knew as the staple of a reign of tyranny.
"You have escaped the Emperor for sometime, Jedi," The Killer began, "The Force is strong with you, but you have evaded us. How have you managed to do so." The Killer held up his hand to the Elder's face, trying to take the information he wanted out of the Elder. However, despite his weaken physical condition, the Killer could not seem to penetrate his mind. "It is a shame that you persist, seeing as these are your final moments."
"... The Dark Side has corrupted you, can you truly say that your Empire has brought peace." The Elder spat. The Killer did not show emotion, his helmet made sure of that, but the Elder was sure that even without it, he would just stare. The Killer raised his red lightsaber up and the air and positioned it near the Elder's heart. "Do it... Lord Vader... or is it Ana- ACK!" In a swift motion, his heart was struck, and flashes of his most fondest memories. Most of those memories involved that dear filly from that planet, now left without that figure she looked up to those months before.
'Stay strong... Little Scootaloo...'
Act 4: The Memory
The following is what I would imagine to be the Elder's past, think of it as my own version of the Prequel's, except hopefully less shitty
The Memories:
- The Elder's name was Adam and as born on the planet of Jakku to a poor family.
- The family were good friend's with a Mon Calamari Jedi knight who surveyed the planet.
- The family got killed by a couple of raiders and Adam was taken in by the Jedi.
- Adam was trained by this Jedi Knight in the way's of the Force and became his Padawan.
- Master Yoda saw that Adam was capable of foreseeing the future of the Galaxy, but was too young to develop it.
- During the Clone Wars, instead of divisions of clones like most Jedi would command, Adam would fight with very few clones, mainly twelve of them or so.
- He also had a Twi'lek Padawan during this time since he was now a Jedi Knight.
- Adam would take on many missions, both diplomatic and combative, for the Republic.
- When Order 66 was put into affect, Adam had to slay all twelve of his most loyal clones, after they had killed his Padawan.
- As the Empire rose in power, Adam fled swiftly in his starfighter, somehow finding himself in an unknown part of the Galaxy, leading him to Equestria...
