Searching for the Beat

Chapters

Striking a Chord
A Foot in the Door
Clouded Minds, and Kindred Spirits

Striking a Chord

Author's Note

Thank you for taking the time to click on and read this story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. See you in a few days with the next chapter, until then, see you in the next update. ~Syn :twilightsmile:

Striking a Chord

“FUCK YOU DAD!” The man who just moments ago had a stone cold glare looked genuinely shocked when I finally burst but, but I didn’t care. Faust above the urge to just lose it all was strong, but I held back. Opting instead to just turn heel away from him and those hurting eyes. I could barely see as hot tears streamed down my face, anger, sadness and frustration boiled inside me as I ran upstairs, not even giving my dad a chance to say anything. Slamming the door behind me hard enough to cause one of the picture to fall off the wall, the frame breaking in half while the glass shattering into a million little pieces.

But I didn’t even pay attention to it.

The wind howled outside, shaking the window while the heavy rain beat down upon the glass pane. I quickly dove into my bed, burying my face into the pillows. I cried. I wasn’t afraid to admit that anymore. He taught me all of that. Always be true with your emotions, and you will be true with yourself. Lifting my head, purple eyes caught the silver gleam of the object before me. Though, seeing that made me think of him. And thinking of him, only made me cry harder.

I... Guess I should start from the beginning, shouldn’t I? My name is Scootaloo. And this, is my story.

It all started a few months ago. It was the beginning of fall season, and another lousy school year was well underway. I found myself sitting in the principal's office for what seemed like the tenth time this year, though thankfully I wasn’t alone on this occasion. Sitting across the room with a growing fat lip and a black eye, was Diamond Tiara. Her fancy clothes were dirty, a bit scuffed and the collar was torn. A testament to my grip I guess. The fiercest scowl was adoned on her face, said face had a bit of dried blood that trailed from her right nostril. A clock above us ticked the seconds by very slowly, seemingly taking forever to count the minute. “You know, if you keep that look on your face, it’ll stick.” A grin worked its way across my lips as I watched her hands curl into tight fists.

The rage in her eyes burned brighter than a bonfire at the Apple Family reunion, if looks could kill, I’d already be dead. But if her eyes were as lethal as her hands, well, you’d have a better time tickling me into submission. “Yeah, well at least I’m not a flightless bird!” Instantly the smug look on my face slipped off and I felt my heart make its way into my throat. Her eyes flashed in fear as my blood started to boil once again.

“You’d better take that back, or I’ll give you another black eye, bitch.” I spat quickly, raising my left hand towards her, which was now wrapped in bandages from our earlier ‘conflict’. Diamond’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks, sinking further back into the chair as my body moved on it’s own.

I barely got to my feet when the door opened quickly, stopping me in my tracks before they had even begun. “Enough, Scootaloo! Sit down and watch your mouth young lady. You’re already in enough trouble as it is.” Cheerilee walked into the small room with a fierce frown, followed by Filthy Rich and… My dad. I grumbled and looked away, plopping my butt back into the chair while crossing my arms while a hot wash of shame overcame me. He was still in his royal guard armour, the golden plates clinked quietly as he stepped inside the room. A large pair of white wings were folded behind his back, shifting slightly as he stepped towards me. He didn’t even get to finish his shift, again...

His sky blue eyes narrowed on my wrapped hand before darting over to Diamond’s rapidly swelling face. Putting two and two together, his eyes narrowed back at me, my own gaze turning away from him to stare at the floor. Ponyfeathers... “Scootaloo. Let’s go. Now.” His voice was deep and authoritative, I knew he was disappointed in me, though this was the first time I had resorted to violence. Hanging my head in shame, I slowly got off the chair and shuffled over to him. “You’re in deep trouble young lady.” Was all he said to me before he pointed out the door and into the hallway. I didn't even glance at Cheerilee or Filthy Rich as I walked past, though shot Diamond Tiara a dirty look on my way out.

Down the short hallway and out through the front doors, I followed my dad towards Ponyville, trying to find something to say to justify my actions. My mouth opened and closed wordlessly, as nothing came to mind aside from just a couple of words. With my hands stuffed into the pocket of my orange sweater, I scuffed the ground with my shoe, kicking a small stone a few feet away. “I’m sorry dad….” I managed to mutter just before we got into the town. With the fading sunlight sparkling off his golden armour, dad turned and looked down at me, his burgundy, shaggy hair waving in the breeze as a sigh pushed past his lips.

“I know, squirt.” His armoured hand ruffled my purple hair a bit, the cool metal making me shiver at the touch. “But you can’t go around, punching other kids in your class Scootaloo. That’s not what I taught you. Even as a Royal Guard, violence is always a last resort.” I looked down even further in shame, my heart felt like it was trying to wrench itself from my chest. “This is the fourth time you've been in trouble this month. Ms. Cheerilee thankfully decided not to expel you, but she told me once more and you’re going to be held back a year.”

Letting out a frustrated growl, I kicked another stone even further. “I-I know dad. It’s just…. She cornered me and kept making fun of my tiny wings.” When mentioned, my little wings ruffled behind me. “I just… Couldn’t take anymore. Her and that Silver Spoon girl I’ve told you about before.” Scared little girl, ran away screaming after the first punch to tattle on me. “And with my friends not around… It just sucks. I don't have anyone to talk to, or anything to keep my brain occupied.” I sulked a bit, kicking more dirt beneath my shoes. I miss Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Stupid farm work… Stupid… Whatever it is Sweetie Belle is doing. I blinked and tilted my head a bit in confusion, but I tried not to think too hard about it.

“I should have known… But my point still stands, Scoots.” Dad paused a moment to think, before a smile slowly spread across his face. “I think I got just the thing for you. But first things first, let’s go home and get some supper. It’s been a long day for the both of us.” My dad put his hand out to me, my own slipping to his grasp. He held on tightly and smiled before we headed the rest of the way across Ponyville towards home.

And just what did he have planned for me? Honestly, I was just as surprised as you might be.

It was the next day when dad woke me up really early. It was mostly dark out, my messy room blanketed in a soothing aura of calmness. Though that was quickly about to change... In a weird half asleep state, I heard him creep across my room and open the blinds, Celestia’s morning sun piercing the window and right into my closed eyes. “Blegh~” I groaned in protest, trying to roll over to the other side of my bed as I heard him chuckle.

“Up and at ‘em Scootaloo. We gotta jet in an hour. Grab a shower, I’ll have a quick breakfast ready for you.” Patting my covered leg a few times, he waited for my response, which I admit, was kinda lacking.

“Blarg.”

There was a chuckle from him as he walked back across the room and stood in my doorway. “That’s what I thought. Come on kid, we don't have any time to waste.” Cracking open my eyes and blinking away what sleep remained, I sat up while rubbing my face with both hands.

“Up… ‘m up.” Smacking my dry mouth a few times, I slid from my totally comfortable bed and my feet hit the seemingly ice cold floor. Eeping in surprise, my wings spread, giving a few flaps as I pulled my feet back. “Ack! Stupid floor.” Peering over the side of the bed, I slipped on my green unicorn slippers… What? They’re cool... Shut up! Anyways, after straightening my night shirt so the cool air wouldn't freeze my side, I groggily made my way out of my room into the bathroom. The tiny room was nothing more than a sink, toilet and a walk in shower. A small closet full of towels and other linens sat in the back corner, and a dirty clothes hamper sat by the door. It wasn't much, but I preferred showers over sitting in a bath of my own filth anyways, so I had no complaints.

Flipping the light on, my eyes met my own reflection in the mirror. I could see my hair was a mess, a serious case of bed head that had clumps and strands every which way. My purple eyes were a bit bloodshot from the terrible sleep I’d gotten, dark circles under them only reinforced the fact. My face had dried drool across my right cheek, and my shirt was wrinkled enough that Rarity was probably having a panic attack across town. With a quiet giggle to myself, I quickly removed my clothes and got ready for a nice hot shower.

Taking a few moments to gingerly unwrap my hand, I finally got the chance to get a good look at it since yesterday. Honestly it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would have been, though it did look a little messed up. A few of the knuckles had a bit of skin torn up, though thankfully they had already scabbed over and were no longer bleeding. Dark colours did show themselves in the skin where the bruises laid, but all in all I still could move my hand, albeit with a bit of pain. I guess I’m lucky I didn’t break anything. Thank Faust her face was nice and fat, helped cushion my hand! With that done, I opened the door to the shower and stepped inside while turning the water on. “C-Cold!” Jumping back from the ice cold water, I just so happened to push one of my wings into the side of the doorway. The sharp but small bit of pain shot through my body, my feet scrambling to get myself out of the shower. “Ow! Damn wall!” Letting out an irritated sigh, my hand found the knob and turned it up to a much more manageable level. As the steam quickly filled the shower, I used my hand to test it out to make sure it was just the way I liked it. “That’s better!” The water soaked my hair and quickly the rest of my body followed. Any coldness and dirt was washed off and down the drain, along with all the worries of yesterday.

I don’t feel like I really need to go into details about how I showered, so I'm just gonna skip that part if that’s fine. But I did get soap in my eyes... Stupid soap. After I washed and dried myself, along with a quick preen of my wings, I slipped back into my room to grab a fresh set of clothes. Today was looking to be a little colder than it was yesterday if the frost on the window was any sign, so a pair of dark green cargo pants, a plain white t shirt and my signature orange sweater was quickly adorned. I had to dig around in my closet again to find my body wrap for my hand. Thankfully, there was still quite a bit left and I wasted no time wrapping my forearm to my fingers, just like Rainbow Dash taught me, just in case I ever pulled a muscle or something. I made sure it wasn’t too tight and I could still flex my wiggly fingers. With a few good hand clenches, I smiled and inspected my work. “Awesome! Now… Where are my shoes?” It didn’t take long to find them as they sat by the door where I took them off the night before. They slid on with ease and I tied my rockin green kicks before standing in front of my mirror to get a good look at myself.

My messy hair looked good, partly brushed with that single swirl. Check! Adorable, purple eyes that can usually get me out of trouble? Oh yeah! A grin that- You know what, ya get the point. I look awesome! With a pair of “finger guns” thrown in for good measure, I hurried out of my room and down into the kitchen. Once there, a wall of warm air hit me quickly, the smell of fresh waffles filled the room, said fluffy treats were already loaded on a plate drizzled in syrup. Along with a handful of my favourite berries piled on top, and a single sliced banana which topped it all off wonderfully.

“Eat up kiddo.” My dad sat at the other side of the table with a mug of coffee in hand, along with the daily newspaper. He always told me coffee was an ‘acquired taste,’ though I think it tastes like hot water filtered through dirt, but whatever… Waffles! Sitting down, I quickly dug in, tearing bits and pieces of warm, fluffy heaven and stuffing them into my waiting mouth. Eating in silence, aside from the occasional murmur of delight, I made sure to guzzle the glass of orange juice that sat helplessly on the table beside me. Soon the plate was cleared and the cup was empty, a testament to how delicious breakfast had been.

“Ah~ That was good!” Rubbing my belly, I could feel a small bump coming up from my full stomach, before it eventually came out my mouth with a sharp noise. “Excuse me!” Giggling partly at the fruity taste of it, my dad shook his head before taking the dishes to the sink and grabbing his jacket.

“Glad you enjoyed breakfast, now let’s go. I don't want to keep him waiting.” Dad motioned for me to follow him out the door and into the morning bustle of Ponyville. The sun crept up over the horizon, the frost covered grass twinkled in the sunlight like tiny crystals. My eyes turned to the trees, the leaves on the branches were all different colours as fall was well under way. Red, orange, brown, even a few mixed colours dotted the branches that swayed slightly in the wind. Shivering a bit as a small breeze blew past, the cool air largely kept at bay thanks to my sweater. “Come on Scootaloo, I promised him we would be there bright and early.” Dad stopped and turned around, as he was a few feet in front of me and noticed I was lagging behind.

Shaking my head I gave a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of my neck. “Sorry Dad, just kinda zoned out.” Hopping off the front porch, I quickly caught up with him and we headed down the path and into town. Though it was bright and early, a few people were already going about their daily business. Sure it was Saturday, but the market still needed to operate so ponies could buy their groceries among other things. In the distance, the roar of the old truck Apple Bloom’s family owned, could be heard as it carried it’s cargo towards the marketplace for selling. “So, where are wegoing?” I asked, looking up at dad with my hands in my pockets.

He only smiled and ruffled my hair. “Don’t worry kiddo. You’re gonna love it. Trust me.” Though the excitement of not knowing was almost too much, I managed to keep my cool and just gave a firm nod. It didn’t take long for us to arrive at a seemingly random house, one that sat just slightly out of the way of a few others. Walking up to the front door, my dad knocked a few times while I looked around. Honestly, it looked like any other house in the town, a simple wooden door, stone walls and a thatched roof. But if my own house was anything to go by, the insides looked just like any modern style home. While many would think it looked slightly primitive on the outside, it was more so just to keep up with the old styling of the town. They were very livable and normal on the inside which always surprised tourists.

I could hear footsteps coming from inside the house, the lock clicked before the knob turned and the door opened. As the door swung open, I got my first look at whoever lived there. Standing in the doorframe, was a tall, older man with long, dark hair and a finely trimmed beard. The man stood almost to the top of the doorway, even towering a good half foot over my dad. He would have looked intimidating, but he had a pair of soft, brown eyes, hiding behind a pair of black framed glasses. “Ah, you must be Sky Rider.” A deep but friendly voice came from the tall man, his eyes trailed down to me and he gave a small smile as well. “And you must be Scootaloo. Well, come on in!” The man stepped back behind the door, letting me and my dad come inside.

The room was kinda small, though that was to be expected of the tiny house. A kitchen with a small table, a decent sized living room that had a door on the right side of it, probably leading to the bedroom or something. Taking a deep breath, the smell of wood filled my nose once I inhaled. Pine, maple, and a handful that I didn’t recognize from the past experience I had with trees… I had a lot, ok? The door closed behind us before the man came around in front of me and my dad, greeting us once again with a warm smile. “I’m David, though you can call me Dave.” He said, his eyes trailing down to me. He studied me as I shifted from foot to foot, feeling slightly nervous under his gaze. “Hmm, interesting… Let me see your hands?” Extending his own towards me, I couldn't help but just look at the calloused palm. Glancing up at my dad, he just slightly nodded, giving slight reassurance that it was ok. Placing my comparatively tiny left hand into the palm of David’s, I felt a bit calmer at the warm sensation. His hands felt smooth, but rough at the same time, if that makes any sense. Maybe he was a woodworker? It would explain the wood smell and his clearly worked hands.

“Um, what are you doing?” Tilting my head in confusion when he flipped my hand over and looked at my palm.

David traced his finger from my wrist to the tip of my middle finger, studying them like one would study a book for an upcoming test. “Just seeing how big your hands are. You do have short fingers, though they look very sturdy.” A friendly smile spread across his face before he nodded. “I've got just the thing, follow me.” He let go of my hand and lead us over to the door on the right hand side of the living room. “Welcome, to my haven…” Throwing open the door, my eyes went wide, the wings on my back instantly spreading in surprise.

Colours, there were a lot of colours. More than I had ever seen in one spot before. Stepping inside the room, it felt instantly cooler but the air was still fairly dry as a small machine buzzed quietly beside the door. On the walls, had to have been hundreds of electric guitars of various sizes, styles and shapes. Large boxes that I figured were guitar amps lined the floor around the room, the carpet beneath felt soft and plush as I walked further inside. Even on the left hand side was a full drum kit on a small stage, this room truly looked like a musicians dream come true

“Woah….” My eyes went wide as I looked around, never lingering for too long as to try and maximize the amount of things I could see.

David chuckled behind me, flicking a finger off one of the guitars next to the doorway. “That’s the reaction I generally get. This, is my music room. Yeah it takes up more than half the house, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He beckoned me to follow as he turned right and examined the wall for a few seconds. “Now… Where is it?” David muttered as he scratched at his beard, my eyes darting all around to try and take in as much as I could before he would interrupt me again. “Aha! Here it is!” His voice snapped me from my thoughts as he plucked a slightly shorter guitar off the wall and handed it to me. My left hand instinctively wrapped around the neck, the metal strings slightly rubbing against my fingers. “That,” he examined, pointing his hand at it “is a Jazz bass. Give it a try.”

I hesitantly took a seat upon a small stool, awkwardly holding the instrument in my hands. “Uh, how do I hold this?” David reached over, slipping the strap up and over my head, positioning my hands and arms in what I assumed was their proper places.

“Now, gently pull on the top string with the pad of your finger.” Looking down at the body of the instrument, my right hand held the neck as my left hand hovered over the strings. Slowly extending my finger, it caught on the string for a split second before it slipped out and made a small sound. Low and growly, the metal strand continued to vibrate for a few seconds as I stared in awe. “Congratulations. You just played a note.” David said before grabbing a small cable and plugging it into a small hole on the front of the bass.

The biggest grin came over my face, even bigger than when I did that double backflip on my scooter. Though a small click pulled my attention to David once again as he turned back. “Now try it again, Scootaloo.” My wings gave a small twitch behind me as my index finger once again swept over the thickest string. Though this time, it was not quiet at all. A loud note rung throughout the room, my eyes widening as my heart skipped a beat. It was as if the Royal Sisters themselves came down and touched my soul. The vibrations rattling my body as I did it over and over again.

“Oh gosh! This is soooo cool!” My fingers danced over the thick strings with no rhyme or reason, wings fluttering with pure excitement as my eyes stuck on the vibrating strings like it was the only thing that mattered. Though in that moment, it WAS all that mattered.

Seemingly pleased with me, David gave a small laugh as he watched, leaning towards me, giving a small pat on the shoulder. “You’re a natural, Scootaloo. How would you like to learn how to really play that? For real? I'd be honoured to teach you.” I stopped immediately, my head snapping back to find my dad standing beside the doorway with crossed arms.

“C-can I really dad?!” I was so excited, I had almost sprung off the stool that I was sitting on. Seeing him grin, his white teeth shining dully in the low light along with that simple nod forced a fresh surge of excitement to course through my veins. “YES!”

This time I jumped to my feet, wings abuzz with energy while the weight of the instrument fully rested on my shoulders. It was somewhat heavy, the strap clinging to my shoulders as I merely stared at it. The power I felt, that good feeling tingling every inch of my body, and I knew my heart had skipped another beat. There was only one thing on my mind. Mine and David's eyes met, and I opened my mouth to say two simple words.

“Teach me.”

I stayed there for the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening, learning the basics of the bass. I was surprised how intensely I listened to Dave speak, my mind hanging on every word that pushed past his lips. Which was odd, as in school I'd have a hard enough time listening to anything. But here, I needed this information. Craved the knowledge of how to make this instrument sing.

And he taught me. Though it was a bit hard to grasp the initial concept of my hands working in tandem with one another, fingers skipping across the strings in a weird kind of dance as my brain worked on overdrive. I messed up a few times, though David never once got upset or anything with me. He would chuckle, maybe give a few pointers here and there, but other than that he pretty much let me learn it by myself at my own pace.

It was more satisfying than landing a triple flip, seven twenty twist! Sure, I wasn't playing any rockin’ tunes yet, and it was just scales over and over for the most part... But I knew just how important fundamentals are for this kind of thing, it’s kinda like riding my scooter! You need to learn how to ride before you can really ride, if that makes any sense… The bass guitar wasn't much different from a scooter, they both required devotion, practice and time put into them to really grasp them. And grasp it I did.

We went over each note of the musical alphabet, it didn't take long to grasp the initial concept. But when he made me say each one out loud, while also playing it, that became a tough challenge. A, B, C…. I continued for each string over and over, trying to memorize what note each fret was on each string. It became almost a game, as he would play a note and then ask me to do the same while also verbally saying the letter. If anyone could make learning fun, it would be David.

But sadly, the day had to come to a close. My fingers were aching and blistered, arms tired and sore from moving so much. My stomach growled at the lack of food I'd put into myself, only a peanut butter and jelly sandwich David so graciously offered. But the smile on my face never left, even as I bid farewell to David. I was kinda sad to leave as I didn't want to stop playing and learning! But it was then, that he had a gift…

We had just gotten to the door, when David stopped us. “Hold up just one second, before you go,” he handed me the bass, placing a small amp onto the floor next to me. “I wanted you to have this. Come back next week, make sure you practice the scales, and we might be able to get into some of the good stuff. Sound like a plan, Scootaloo?”

I'll be honest, I had to keep back a few tears that threatened to fall as my hands wrapped around the polished wood of the instrument. I held it tightly, never wanting to let go as it became one of my most treasured items in the blink of an eye. “I will! I'll practice every night, I promise!” David's hand ruffled my already unkempt hair and he chuckled, those brown eyes sparkling in the dying sunlight as lips turned up in a smile.

“I know you will Scootaloo. And no matter what, never give up. Practice will always make perfect, with this, and in your life.” His words didn't fully sink in at the moment, but as I had to learn in time, he was absolutely right.

My dad and him shook hands, exchanging a brief thank you and goodbyes before we headed for home. Words kept flowing from my mouth, I knew I could be a little chatterbox when I'm excited, but this had to have taken the cake. Tiny wings buzzing all the while my skin tingled and I had to resist the urge to zip around. “... A-And then I played the whole thing by myself! I couldn't believe it!”

Thank the maker above my dad had a lot of patience, letting me ramble the entire walk home. And being the super cool dad that he is, he even carried my new amp for me! Although this was because I was pretty adamant on carrying Dawn myself, tho- Oh! I forgot to say that I named the bass not too long after I had picked it up. It was after David pulled down another one of his that he had named, explaining that sometimes musicians named their instruments that mean a lot to them, so I figured I would do the same.

Our house quickly came into view, with nothing but the porch light on to cut through the darkness. We quickly crossed the distance, and I opened the door before excitedly stepping inside. Turning the lights on, I turned back as dad walked in and shut the door behind him. Flicking the thermostat on, the heat rumbled to life, quickly filling the room with warm air. “You take these up to your room, I'll get started on dinner. Sound good kiddo? I'll make your favourite, broccoli alfredo. How'd you like that, huh?”

Dad always knew just how to make me happy. “Sounds good to me!” Gingerly taking the small amp in hand, making sure not to ding the new device on any of the walls, I managed to get both into my room. Putting the amp down on a small stool, I placed the bass right beside it so that I could grab it from my bedside with ease whenever I wanted. Although I was tempted to already play more, but my aching fingertips forced me to think twice about it.

Perfect! Now I better go wash up for supper. Dashing to the bathroom, I had to stop and glance back at Dawn for a brief moment before continuing on. Flicking on the light in the bathroom, I took a moment to just stand there and reflect on the day. And what an eventful day it was, but there was a looming thought hanging over me. Looking at myself in the mirror, I knew I had to change my attitude or else I'd get held back a year.

I knew why dad did this, he wanted to give me something to work towards, something to help occupy my mind. He tried a few times before but nothing stuck, though this time I wasn't about to let him down. A firm nod and a determined smile, I unwrapped my hand to put more healing cream on it…. What? That's what dad calls it! It was then that I could really see what my fingers looked like after all that. A few tips had blisters, some had blisters in the blisters even! Wincing a bit at the pain and turning the water on lukewarm, I made sure to clean my hands for the healing cream. Washed, dried and freshly creamed up, I left my hand unwrapped before giving myself one last look in the mirror.

Nodding, the light was flicked off as I pretty much sprinted down into the kitchen. Standing beside the blacktopped stove and watching a boiling pot, was my dad. Checking his phone, he glanced up to see the relaxed look on my face before smiling, guessing just what I had gone over in the bathroom. “Feel better kiddo?”

I couldn't help but hug him, wrapping my arms tightly around his stomach while mashing my cheek into it. “Mmm hmm. I feel heaps better. Thanks dad, for everything. I love you.” Adding that on for good measure, my head turned upwards so I could look at him.

His only response was to place a small kiss on the top of my head before turning the heat off. “Love you too. I hope you're hungry, I made lots.” A deep inhale, a relaxed exhale, and a genuine smile was all he needed to see. Scooping out a fair amount onto the pair of white plates, he placed one down at my spot at the table before taking his own seat.

Wings fluttering once or twice behind me, the delicious smell filling my nose and making my mouth water slightly. “I hope it tastes as good as it smells!” Digging in quickly, letting the various flavours tingle my taste buds for what seemed like a brief moment, before swallowing. The sauce was thick and creamy, kinda sweet but savoury, while the noodles were cooked to perfection. Not too hard, but not mushy. The large bits of broccoli were soft, with only a little bit of crunch at the ends of the stalks.

“So,” Dad began, swallowing the bite he had in his mouth before lifting his glass of water. “How are you liking it so far?” I could see the hopeful look in his eye, though he listened to me ramble and rant on the way home, I knew he wanted my honest opinion on it all.

His question did get me thinking about it, did I love it? Hate it? Or just relishing in the feeling of learning something new? Furrowing my brow, my gaze dropped down at the plate before me as if it held the answers. But thankfully I didn't have to think long, the answer already on my tongue ready burst forth from my lips after only a few seconds. “I love it.” A silly smile plastered my lips, a happy feeling bubbling up inside my stomach. “It's challenging, different and requires a lot of my focus. But it's keeping my attention ya know? Just giving me enough satisfaction to come back for more.”

Dad got up from the table, taking our now empty plates with him but not before giving me a one-armed hug. “I'm glad you're enjoying it so far kiddo, I'm gonna clean up here and then veg on the couch for a while, it's been a long week.” Glancing at the clock, I seen that it was slightly after eight PM. With nothing else much to do and with my fingers still hurting, I decided to crash on the couch with my dad for a while.

Turning on the TV, we started watching a show about some of the loggers up by the Crystal Empire. It was just me and my pops, snuggled together and watching an honestly interesting show. He brought us each a can of pop to sip on as we watched. From the trip up to the mountains, the lodgings where the workers stayed and the tools they used were all shown. Various chainsaws, most of them enchanted to cut through the crystal wood, large machines used for transport and to help transport the fallen logs to the river. It just started showing how they used these machines to get the logs down the hillside into the water below, when I started getting bleary eyed. I had been up since six this morning, plus with all the excitement of the day I was getting pretty sleepy.

I struggled to keep my eyes open, my blinks getting less and less frequent while lasting longer each time. I felt my head nod off once before I yawned, rubbing my tired eyes with the back of my hand in an attempt to stay away, but that only seemed to put me to sleep faster. Dad wrapped his arm around me, pulling my body against his. My cheek rested on his shoulder, body swaying from his movements as he hummed that same lullaby mom used to. It was warm, his hand gently rubbing my back as I failed to resist the call of slumber. “Goodnight Scootaloo~” His voice seemed to be very far away, almost like I was falling….

A Foot in the Door

Author's Note

Another chapter in the same week?! I had this written before the first chapter was posted, and wanted to give a few days for the story to mellow. Hope you enjoy this shortish chapter, more stuff will be coming soon! :twilightsmile:

A Foot in the Door

And falling I did. With a tumble and a weirdly soft landing, my eyes blinking a few times as I tried to regain my bearings. Though the fuzzy feeling that was in my head never left; seemingly slowing down my processing, I could at least make out my surroundings to be…My school?! D-Did I fall asleep in class again? Though the classroom was empty and covered in a dark gloomy aura, I still managed to push myself up to my feet with no issue. Not a single soul seemed to be in the room, aside from me. The thought of being alone sending a few shivers down my spine. The clock above the blackboard didn’t even seem to be moving, as I gave it a glance while walking towards the front of the room. “H-Hello?” Although the meek call was muffled by the seemingly dense air, the classroom door creaked open loudly and suddenly, almost making me lose my footing on the wooden floor.

“S̺̘̤͖͈͜c͙̟ǫ͉̺̗̞̙o̩̜͔̱̞̩̦t̵̹͈̯̳͈a̖l̘̳͚o̶̥̬o͈̫̜̙̺͎̭~̱̝̻͖ͅ”

A bodiless voice seemed to call from the ajar door, the harsh and distorted whisper filling my head and my body. Without my own command, I closed the distance and my hand touched the handle. The metal was ice cold, chilling me to the bone the instant my fingers wrapped around the round knob. The urge to take a deep breath was strong, but it felt like I couldn’t breathe as I slowly slid the door open even further be-THWACK.

I couldn’t even see it coming, the small fist flew from the darkness and right into my left cheek. The strike sent me sprawling backwards, my arm barely managing to drop below my body to help cushion the fall. Thankful for the countless times I’d fallen off my scooter, which helped to prepare me for this. Pushing myself up a bit, my head turned back to the doorway with a quiet growl of anger. Standing there, was Diamond Tiara. The dirtiest grin on her prissy little face that I’d ever seen, arms crossed in front of her chest and I could've sworn I saw a glint in her eye. “Looks like the early bird gets a punch to the face, huh S̨c̸oo̷t͡a̸l҉oo?”

Although her voice changed when she said my name, it barely registered with me as I wanted to do nothing more than hit that bitch back. “And it looks like this snooty little “Princess” is going to get her face beat in! Rah!” Blood pumping in a mere moment, my focus was solely on her grin as I got back to my feet and cracked my knuckles. In a split second, I readied my own retaliation, but to my surprise and seemingly out of nowhere, she struck again. The hit was enough to knock me off balance, numerous stars filling my vision. With my back now upon the floor, my eyes blinked a few times as the floor creaked under the weight of my slumped body. H-How the?.... She didn’t even swing!

Pushing up, sitting on the dusty floor while wiping my bloody lip with the back of my hand, my eyes rested upon Diamond Tiara again. “Lucky shot... Though, now I’m REALLY getting mad!” Hand on my knee, I made a movement to get to my feet whe-... Face down this time, a few stars filled my vision once again, while my cheek dragged against the floor. I was sore already, tired and trying in vain to catch my breath. “Huah….Ha….” Tears streamed down my cheeks as embarrassment and frustration filled every last inch of my body, wings trying to flap behind my back in a silent protest.

“Poor S̴co͡ót̵alo̢o҉, a flightless bird who can’t even fly home. How pathetic. Can’t fly, can’t even stand up for herself. A useless person if I’d ever seen one! Honestly, you'll never be good at anything, aside from riding your DUMB scooter. Guess that's just what you are, dumb! Not talented like yours truly~ I've got money, fame, and even a cutie mark. Unlike you, little miss chicken.”

I couldn't take anymore shit as Diamond’s laugh filled my ears. It all built up inside like a full pot of water left on a red hot stove. I boiled over and there was no way to stop it.“S-shut up! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” Pounding the floor below myself with both hands, I felt it break apart and slip away. With nothing but a silent scream of terror, I fell into the dark void…

S͈͙͍̋̐̋́̚̚ͅcͦ̒̓ͦ̃̐̌́o̟ͨ͗̿̉ỏ̳̹͚̾ͩͬͫt̮̼̩̩͐̔ͫ̅̏̿ã̵̖͈͙̗͙͉͔ͭl̵̥̅ͮ͒̓ͯͥǒ̜̱̆͑͒ͤ͜o̺̖̔ͣ̈̂̍́̚

S̡̖͓̟̤͂ͭͥͩͦ̀C͖̎̐O̗̳̫̊́ͣͩ̄̍͢Ō͓̖̟̊ͪ̉ͬ̌T̰̻̰̬Â̊ͪ͆ͣ̌ͤ͏̜L̶̮͚̥͊̉͛̒̈̔O̲̦̭̞̰ͦͭͮ͑ͬ̊ͅO̬̞̅̍̊ͥ̾̚͢

The void screamed all around, filling my head with white noise along with the sound of someone yelling my name, over and over. As I tumbled further down into the dark depths below, my hands covered my ears to try and silence the noise, but it was all in vain. It invaded my ears, my brain, and my heart with its violating sound. I tried to scream, but it couldn’t be anywhere loud enough to overcome the noise. Just to the point where I thought I’d lose it all, a soothing sound started to take over from the painful screeches.

It started quietly, drowning out the buzz with little bumps and blips, each one working its way throughout my chest. But it seemed to quickly reverberate into the darkness all around. The boundaries that I never knew were there started to seemingly tear apart at their seams as light fought to pierce the shroud. “You must be Scootaloo, well, come on in.” This new voice was very deep, soothing in a weird way, as a solitary wooden door shimmered into existence before me. Across the middle, was my name carved into the wood, very neatly, though roughly, as if done by hand.

Floating over to the only way out, I glanced over my shoulder back into the dark void, as the warmth from the door held me close. The hunger, the need of the void scared me, but also felt familiar in a weird and twisted way. Turning back, my eyes dropped to my hand, which was now coated in stitches and splotches of blood. Whether it was mine or not, was yet to be seen. “Is this what I want?” My own voice asked, though my mouth never opened once to utter them.

A large hand touched my shoulder, firm but not harmful, it didn't pull me one way or the other, just a mere observer to my dilemma. I couldn't see who stood behind, watching every single movement of mine, though it felt comforting to know I wasn't alone. Twisting the handle, the door opened noiselessly and I stepped inside…

Clouded Minds, and Kindred Spirits

Author's Note

Another chapter! Hope you enjoy, and if you did, expect more to come in the near future! Sorry it took so long, what with the holidays plus that story, me helping a friend out with a project that is nearing our first new chapter in over four whole years. So really excited to show you all that, but in the mean time here, expect more to be coming in the new few weeks. Until then, see you in the next update!

~Syn :twilightsmile:

Clouded Minds, and Kindred Spirits

“AHH!” Eyes shot open quickly, more than moist enough to make my vision blurry at best, my arms pushing behind me so I could sit up. Covered in a cold, clammy sweat and panting for breath, my eyes fully adjusted to the darkness of the room around me. I was in my own bed, though I had no idea how I got there. The taste of supper still clung inside my mouth, along with the sugary remnants of the soda I had before... “I fell asleep...” Speaking more to myself than anything, my hands moving up to rub at my eyes as the night terror that filled my mind moments ago, dissolved into nothing more than bits of pieces of memories.

I could hear my heartbeat inside of my own head, it pounded through my ears and into my brain. The sheets below were wet, coated in sweat that cooled my skin off enough to cause a shiver. As eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could barely see the start of sunrise, the telltale glow of day just looming over the horizon like an eclipse of the planet itself. Pushing the covers off I almost immediately tore my shirt from my body, trying to get rid of the constricting feeling that it provided. Now nude from the waist up, my feet touched the cold floor as I quickly got out and away of the damp bed.

“It's ok Scootaloo… It was only a dream.” Standing by the cold window, my breathing seemed to slow down albeit shaky as I was already chilled to the bone. My chest puffed in and out, heaving from each breath asthe pounding heart in my chest evened out. Palm met pane, the frosty window burned to the touch, but I didn't recoil. Taking a final deep breath, I pulled away from the window and turned back to my bed.

I'm not going back there… Thinking to myself, my tired eyes trying to persuade me, but I managed to hold fast. Grabbing a clean pair of underwear and a change of clothes, I tiptoed out of my room and into the bathroom. The mirror inside started back, reflecting a pair of bloodshot eyes, messed up hair, and a pair of wings that needed a good preening. “Ugh, stupid dreams.” Muttering to the reflection, the sagging-shouldered girl sighed back to me as I readied the shower. Shivering slightly while I waited for the water to warm, I examined my body in the mirror for a few moments.

I knew I was getting to that age where changes would start happening, my dad, embarrassingly enough, had the ‘talk’ with me a little bit earlier than when Ms. Cheerilee did it for the rest of the class. So I knew what was going to happen, but I almost felt like I was late for something. Hands touched chest, the skin tingling beneath my palms as the cold air nipped my bare body. Steam wafted past, beckoning me into its warm embrace. Deciding to not dwell on it for too long, and pushing the slightly embarrassing thoughts from my head, I stepped into the hot shower.

Rinsing my hair first, my fingers entangled with the messy strands quickly and routinely. Water running down my athletic body to wash the icky feeling away and replacing it with a tender warm one. Letting out a small groan of delight, my hands found their way down my sides to help remove any residual sweat from my skin. I found the shampoo quickly and squirting some into my palmbefore bringing it up into the shaggy mess that was my hair. As I was scrubbing, attempting to get myself to feel clean, I heard a knock on the door that made me jump, almost losing my footing in the process.

“Scootaloo? Is that you? Are you ok?” Dad's muffled voice barely reached my ears, the noise of the shower almost drowning the words out completely. Though the concern that laced his words could not be ignored, I tried my best to shrug it off.

Instantly I felt bad, he always tried to sleep in on Sundays, take it easy to help prepare for the week and I had just ruined it. “Yeah it's me, I uh… Just had a bad dream. Couldn't get back to sleep.” The door creaked open, a cold draft circling in to fill the otherwise warm room.

“Are you OK sweetie? Do you need anything?”

Now using a washcloth with some shower gel squirted onto it, I started scrubbing the crummy feeling off my skin before replying, “no, I'm good. Just going to have a quick shower, then make some breakfast I guess, don't need to worry about me.”

He hesitated for a minute, another question was on the tip of his tongue but thankfully for me, he only let out a small sigh. “Alright kiddo, I'm gonna head back to bed, try and keep the noise down, alright? See you in a few hours.” Closing the door behind him, I was once again left with the sound of the running water and my thoughts. The dream was now mostly forgotten, though I remembered only one thing…. My name.

My name had been called out a handful of times, though never clear as if something broken was calling it. A shiver trailed down my spine, wings ruffling at the sensation while I heard my name whispered behind me one last time. Turning quickly, the only thing that greeted me was the water soaked wall, nothing else. Eyes searched the blank wall as if it were about to spell out the answer to every last problem in life. I was not that lucky as the wall stayed as empty as ever. It was just a nightmare Scootaloo, nothing more than a bad dream… Shaking my head to try and clear it, I stepped under the water to rise my body for the final time. With all the soap suds thoroughly washed off, my hand twisted the knob to shut off the shower, opening the door and taking a deep breath before stepping out.

The steamy room was warm, though still colder than the hot shower had been, causing goosebumps to appear over my arms and legs. Grabbing a fresh towel and wrapping it around my body, I quickly got set to wiping the cooling water off my shoulders and sides. Grabbing the set of clothes; a navy blue T, green cargo pants, and a normal pair of black socks, there was no time wasted in getting ready. Feeling refreshed, now dressed, and ready to impress, I left the bathroom to head straight for the kitchen as my belly was fiercely growling by now. Cupboards opened, my eyes quickly scanned the various cans, boxes and random items inside them before closing the doors and moving onto the next set. Cereal? Nah, oatmeal?.... Who actually EATS that stuff anyways? Bagel, toast, pancakes?

Grumbling as my mind was scrambled, I didn’t feel like attempting to cook something again as last time it didn’t end that well for everyone involved, and we will leave it at that. I just settled for grabbing one of dad's morning shakes from the fridge, a strawberry one at that, and headed for the living room. Flopping onto the couch, I ignored the TV remote that laid beside me as I took the cap off the bottle and knocked it back. The milky, through-unsweetened liquid filled my mouth as I drank, the taste of strawberries barely outweighing the disgusting taste of the drink. Pulling the rim from my lips, tongue darting out to clean them as a shudder ran through my body. “How the heck does he keep drinking these every morning…” Eyeing the bottle for a brief moment, like it’d hold the answer out to me in bright red letters, I shrugged before returning the cap and laying back onto the couch more.

Purple eyes closed, the back of my arm resting across my face to help darken my vision more as I listened to the ticking clock. Though thoughts filled my mind, none were of the dream that now felt like a fuzzy blur in my head, no…. Right now all I could think about was what the future held I guess. It was kinda weird, thinking about my future as I never really cared about it before. It would happen eventually so I just never really thought about it, rather opting to figure it out as it came to me. Some might call me silly for not trying to prepare for what could happen, I just know that it could lay a cruel hand upon the card game of life. Whether you liked it or not, sometimes the cards you're dealt aren't the ones you wanted. Sometimes they're downright crappy, but being able to make the most of what I had was something my….

Blinking once, I pushed myself up before peeking out the window. The early morning sun peeked over the horizon, as the last remaining clouds were busted away by the weather team. The grass sparkled in the sunlight, a few bright flashes dazzling my eyes. “A walk,” I said simply, as if the solution to everything was clear to me now, “I'll go for an early morning walk, to help clear my mind.” Nodding to no one, and with a grin only I could feel, I grabbed my orange sweater before slipping open a drawer on the edge of the kitchen. Inside was a spare flip phone that dad would let me take if I was heading outside by myself, or even when I was crusading. Just in case me or the girls got into trouble, we would have a way to get ahold of an adult to help us. Though thankfully we never had to use it yet, it was reassuring to know I had it just in case.

Placing the box on the counter so dad would see I took the phone when he got up, I turned around before slipping the device into my left side pocket. Shoes were quickly put on before my hand twisted the knob of the door and it swung open. The first rush of cool air stopped me in my tracks, hand raising to shield the rays of the morning sun from piercing through retinas, as they slowly adjusted to the light. A deep breath, cool air rushing to fill stuffy lungs before the stale molecules were pushed from my body with a hefty sigh. The new wood of the front porch creaked under my weight, when I stepped off it and onto the stone path towards Ponyville, though, I didn’t plan on going there today.

I had someone I just needed to see.

I turned left, west I think if my memory of the town map was correct. Though to be fair, I’d been wrong before. Not that you’d ever hear me admitting that though. Anyways, putting hands in my sweater pockets to keep them from getting cold, my trek towards Sweet Apple Acres started. Now, a mixed feeling filled my stomach as I got closer and closer, thoughts racing around instilling doubt in my mind. Should I be trying to see her? She has work to do, right? How many likes DOES it take to get to the middle of one of those pops? With these and more adding to the countless musings inside my noggin, I closed my eyes before taking a deep breath.

She can help me make sense of these things, always being the voice of reason that I’ve ignored for so long in our little group. Passing a few rolling hills and a couple of winding bends, the large apple trees started popping up, and that large red barn came into view. It was like my home away from home. The girls and I had used one of the outer fields as our base of operations for a few months now, the same field out tree bound clubhouse resided in. The Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse rested just off the main road to my right, the familiar area untouched by us in the past few weeks, as other obligations took our focus away from finding ways to get our cutie marks. A peek through the bushy trees, the light pink color of the clubhouse walls stood out against the brown and green, resting in one of the largest trees in the orchard. The door closed, and looking untouched it sat there, almost eyeing me as I walked past. Above, that old blue flag flapped lightly in the breeze, resting on top of our little observatory that housed a fairly large telescope.

Seeing it brought a smile to my face, a rush of hope and happiness filling chest and brain as I continued my walk. Hand reaching up to brush a swirl of hair out from my eyes and tucking it behind my ear when….

“SCOOTALOO!!!” Came that familiar voice, laced with an accent I only associated with the Apple Family. Turning my head to the pounding of boots on dirt, I barely caught sight of a darkish blur before I got knocked off my feet. We tumbled to the grass on the other side of the road, rolling as strong arms squeezed me tightly. Red hair and a large pink bow were pushed into my face, while her cheek pressed hard into my chest. Wheezing from the pressure, Apple Bloom gave me a tight squeeze before pulling back.

“Gosh I missed ya, how’ve ya been? How’s school? Ah’m sorry I haven’t been around to see ya lately, what with working the farm, then cramming to finish my own homework in the evenin’, leaves me plum tuckered out!” Rambling stopped when the farm girl’s sparkling gamboge eyes met mine, they caught sight of something she didn’t like in an instant. Glancing between my own, Apple Bloom quickly scrambled off and helped me up to my feet. “Sorry about that Scoots, I just got a little excited, I guess.” Politely dusting off my green cargo pants, and checking my sweater for any dirt as well, my friend circled around before coming to a rest back in front of me.

I just shrugged it off, rolling a shoulder before sticking my hands back into my pockets. “It’s no sweat, really. It’s nice to see you too.” Those words couldn’t have been more true, though, she’d never know just how much. Or, so I thought. The farm girl pushed a lock of her hair back over her shoulder and beckoned me to follow, which I did without question. I always followed her and Sweetie Belle without question, they were my gal-pals, my girls, my amigos, my… Eh, you get the point.

This young but bright-eyed land girl, was usually the voice of reason in the group. A strong will to voice her opinion, along with being the sister of the Element of Honesty, it rubbed off on my friend beyond any doubt. Not afraid to speak her mind was something I really admired. She had long hair which hung down to the midst of her back, red and quite pretty all things considered. While being the hardest to clean when we got tree sap; twigs, dirt, tree sap, brook water, and especially tree sap, in our hair, it always seemed to hang straight and was quite smooth all things considered. Only held from spreading across her shoulders by that signature bow, large, and pink. I could swear she had a whole trunk full of them in her room, but that's not important right now.

Apple Bloom’s eyes, like two drops from the rising sun, shimmered in the early rays of the morning. Her smile, sparkling white and straight, which was a stroke of luck, all things considered, at least, that's what she had told me. Her cheeks were rosy, tinged from the cool morning, the tip of her small nose following suit close behind. The red flush allowed a few light freckles to pop out, the once before invisible spots becoming more apparent when her face filled with color. A dark red and black flannel shirt covered her arms, leaving no skin bare to the elements. Coveralls thick but rough, protected the rest of her body. Numerous patches, and holes long since mended by Granny Smith with love and care. A pair of workboots hugged her feet and calves snugly, making her all in all, not look too bad… I mean, for being in dirty old work clothes…

“So, what brings you out here this early? Ah figured you’d be still in bed, snoozin’ the day away.”

I shrugged, a small bit of guilt rising up as I struggled to find the words to say. “I… Couldn't sleep. Haven't been doing well lately, if I'm being honest.” An awkward silence filled the air, only being broken by our footsteps in the well-worn dirt. Finally, after what seemed like hours, but was probably a couple of seconds, Apple Bloom broke everything wide open with two simple words.

“Diamond Tiara?”

“.... Diamond Tiara….”

Shoulders hung limply, a sigh of despair escaping my lips before they too turned south. But a comforting hand clasped my shoulder, giving it a small shake. “Don't let that prissy little…” She trailed off, eyes searching the sky for a moment before she continued, “child, get under your skin. Believe you me, that little devil used ta get to me all the time. Some of the things she said would make mah blood boil so hot I felt like I'd lose mah lid!”

“But,” she continued, kicking a small pebble with her boot, “I'm going to assume she said something real nasty if it brought you out here at seven in the morning on a Sunday.” Slipping a pair of work gloves from her front pocket and onto her strong fingers, the young girl lifted half a dozen empty bushels before nodding towards an unpicked field.

Nodding silently and following the farm girl, words seeming to come back to me as I watched her walk. “She did, picked a bad time for it too. She said… Uh, s-she said…” No matter how hard I tried to repeat what was spoken to me, I found that my lips just couldn't dare to repeat what she had said. “It was terrible, the lowest blow of all blows.” Pausing, my left hand twitched in my pocket. “But, she did get what was coming to her.”

The red-haired girl only listened, placing down the stack of containers with a hefty groan. “And I'd say it's safe to say, you got in a lotta trouble, huh?” Glancing back to me, not an ounce of sarcasm or malicious intent laced her voice, only genuine curiosity as she placed the bushels around the tree with only minor fiddling.

Leaning against a different tree trunk, my thumbs twiddled together while I nodded. “Oh yeah, got told if I get in trouble one more time, I'm going to be expelled.” Dropping one of the bushels, Apple Bloom spun around quickly, gasping in shock before grabbing my shoulders tightly.

“What in the ever-lovin' name of Celestia did you do!”

Reeling back at the sudden intrusion of personal space, along with the yelling country girl in my face, I could only blink, trying to pull away from her tight grasp. “Well, if you must know,” My hands attempted to peel back her hands from their iron grasp, “I might have given her a black eye, split lip, and perhaps I threatened to give her another?” Chuckling nervously, a single bead of sweat trickled down my cheek.

Her eyes narrowed, piercing my own amethyst gaze that tried to look anywhere but hers, but they drug me in and held me there. A head shake, a small but meaningful sigh followed close behind, her grip loosening and a sudden cold chill filled where her hands had once rested. “You're an idjit, ya know that? I didn't even get ta see it happen!”

This shocked me a bit, making me blink and recoil a bit. “What? Heh, I figured you'd be mad at me too.” Whether she thought my ‘joke’ was funny or not, became apparent real quick.

Her hands latched onto my shoulders again and she pinned me none too gently to the tree. “Well, o'course I'm mad at cha! You can't go around punchin’ punching people just ‘cause ya want to. Ain't how the world works, Scoots.” Her eyes, full of anger with a hint of unease started into my own, forcing me to glance away.

“I said I was sorry…” Mumbling softly, passively attempting to shy away from her touch.

What I figured would end up with me getting my ear talked off again, or maybe even SHE would hit me, actually ended with Apple Bloom hugging me tightly. Caught off guard, my hands rose up a bit to only stagnate halfway up. Do I hug her back? Asking myself, as if I knew the answer to a question not spoken, I opted to merely hold her sides. “But saying you’re sorry, after beating someone to a pulp ain’t gonna fix the problem, Scoots.”

Pulling back, the light-skinned girl with her eyebrow raised pushed the tip of her gloved finger onto my nose. “You’ve gotta talk your problems out, solve them with peaceful resolutions.” My nose tingled, almost as if I had to sneeze before the youngest Apple strode over to the tree she had eyed up earlier. “You’ve gotta use your words, not yer fists. No matter how strong you think you are, that's how people get hurt. On the outside, and the inside.” Leaning back against the tree, a hand absentmindedly brushed my cold sniffer, trying to get the prickling to stop. While I was distracted, Bloom steadied herself before letting out a sharp, but accurate kick to the trunk of the tree.

The large tree shuddered, a few loose leaves falling off before a large number of apples fell freely from branches and down towards the earth. Though, with the know-how of where to place the bushels, plus the spot-on strike, all the apples fell directly into their waiting baskets. “I still swear that’s some weird magic-y stuff.” Finally getting my bearings back, my gaze rose up to the branches to see they were almost empty.

Apple Bloom giggled, rolling her eyes playfully, “nope, it’s just a skill like I always tell ya.” Giving another small boot to the trunk, the rest of those red orbs fell into place perfectly. “It’s all about placement, strength, and-”

“-And know how. So you always tell me.” My wings twitched behind me, fluttering restlessly as I watched my friend punt a few more trees free of their apples. Sometimes it took a few strikes, sometimes they all didn’t land in the bushels, but she never let it stop her from trying over and over. Opting to just sit back and watch for a bit, we both just silently enjoyed the company, work getting done while I got to just enjoy being around one of my friends.

It was… Peaceful. A bit boring, but worth every moment to just feel free. Free, a word I figured I’d never need to use to describe how I felt, having to escape the norms of life for a few precious moments. But soon enough, my hands became restless, seemingly irritated and fluid. Eyes closed, picturing yesterday clearly while my wiggling appendages tapped against my stomach through my sweater. A, B, C, D, E, F, G… Back to A. That’s an ‘octave.’ But, unbeknownst to me, it seemed that my worldless reflection didn’t go unnoticed.

“Something wrong?” A soft voice asked, making my eyes and wings snap open in surprise. Panting from the shock, my bare hands held the rough bark from the tree behind me. Purple eyes shot up to see Apple Bloom standing in front of me, the beginnings of a sweat becoming apparent on her face. Wiping her brow with the back of her arm, my friend itched her face for a moment, searching my own for an answer.

Blushing a bit in embarrassment, I took a moment or two to think. “Well, I was going to wait till I could tell you both at the same time… But, my dad took me to a guy named Dave’s house the other day,” an uncontrollable grin crossed my lips, “and, well, I’m going to be learning to play the bass guitar!” Wings fluttering in excitement, it took a moment of realization to dawn upon Apple Bloom’s face before she gave off a loud gasp.

“R-Really?! That’s so cool, Scoots!” Hugging me again, her hair brushing against my cheek before the strong girl lifted me off the ground. “It seems you’re enjoying it, huh?”

Placing me back down, my grin spread wider. “Oh heck yeah I am! It’s so awesome! I’ve only just started, but Dave said I’m a natural.” Upon hearing the name again, Apple Bloom seemed to recognize something.

“Dave… David? Like, the guy with the long hair? The beard, and is really, really, tall?” Stretching an arm high up, even having to stand on her tippy toes, her hand looked to come to a stop somewhere around his height.

Nodding, I cheered, “yeah! That guy. He has an entire room for just guitars and stuff. I'd say it’s even cooler than the scooter shop, for sure!” My wing gave a few flaps behind me as Apple Bloom thought for a moment, hand on her lip.

“I think he bought an old oak tree from us, as long as Big Macintosh cut it down and delivered it to him. Not sure what he’d want it for anyways.” The farm girl shrugged, turning back to look at the work, not even halfway finished. Suddenly, I felt kinda bad, knowing I was disturbing her work.

“Hey,” I called out, giving the normal girl a pat on the back, “you've got work to do. Lemme get outta your hair. We both know, I'm not good around trees.” A few thoughts of some of the ‘incidents’ I had flashed through our minds and we shared a giggle.

Wiping a tear, Apple Bloom nodded, placing her hand on my shoulder once again. “Thanks for stopping by. This should be the last week of my harvest. So hopefully, I'll be back at school next week. Ahm gonna have a lot ta catch up on, but with you and Sweetie Belle by my side, ain't nothin’ impossible!”

A tight hug, a sweet smell filling my nose, one that I couldn't fully place, and we both went out separate ways. “I'll try to keep out of trouble! For you guys! Cutie Mark Crusaders…”

“Always stick ta'geather!” Giving a cheery shout back, and a first pump, my bestie turned back and resumed her work, with what looked like more of a pep in her step. As did I.

My heart was aflutter, spirits high as I strolled off the orchard and back onto the dirt road. Hands in my pockets, tune whistling out my mouth, a smile that never seemed to fade only enhanced my feeling even more so. I never realized how lonely I'd gotten, not seeing my friends for even a few weeks was downright torture. Heck, even after school before was spotty at best, as they both tried different hobbies and pursuing careers in the hopes of finding their cutie marks.

But where was the fun in that? Why be alone and discover what you're meant to do, when you could do that with friends? That question always nipped at me, as I never had an answer for it until a blue blur zipped through the atmosphere, busting a few clouds that had drifted in and dared to ruin an otherwise clear sky. Maybe… Maybe because the others can't? Instinctively my wings buzzed for only a moment, my eyes locked on the speck as it flew fast across the sky.

“Maybe they can't do it. Maybe we all have differences, strengths, and weaknesses.” Sitting on the grass just off the trail, a stone's throw or two away from the edge of town, I watched. I thought. I watched and thought, and I thought while I watched. It seemed clear, but so messy at the same time. “Apple Bloom is strong, good with her hands at making things, and she's even got an interest in potions like Zecora. Sweetie Belle has a really good voice for singing, and even works well for talking. Like a walking dictionary, she always knows what to say.”

I paused, looking inwards for a moment. “And then there's me. I can ride a scooter? Not really anything I can do with that unless I try and be a pro.” Raising my left hand, I studied the blisters that were almost gone at this point. Those, along with the injuries had healed up nicely, a few more days and I'd be back to one hundred percent. But, nevertheless, my attention was caught by my hand, or my fingers to be more exact.

Short, but thick. Bass hands, Dave had called it. Raising my head, I watched the town as people shopped and went where they needed to go. He gave me that bass, he wanted me to come back. Dad was just paying him for lessons, right? Though, I never saw an exchange of bits, no mention of needing money, nothing. Was Dave doing this for me because he saw something? Or was he doing it for a paycheque? After a few moments of debating, I rose to my feet, making sure no dirt or leaves stuck to my pants.

It really didn't matter what he was doing it for. He was doing it, I was having fun, and that was all that mattered. Having a special talent doesn't mean you can't have fun with things, right? Crushing and burying that small voice of doubt, I headed off towards home. It was close to noon and my dad was probably worried about me, plus my belly was growling from the lack of a good breakfast. With the good feeling from earlier still resting on my shoulders, I took a right and headed towards home.

The rest of the day held nothing of significance, so I'll just kinda sum up what happened before I went to bed. That bit is a tad important.

Lunch was nothing special, just grilled cheese sandwiches. Though I had about three of them, a testament to how hungry I was. Nothing was spoken about that morning, or how I was doing. I'm sure dad noticed my relaxed figure, the small smile that plastered to my face and the happiness that tinged my voice. After our small lunch, me and him just chilled on the couch for a while, watching a few mindless shows before he got started on dinner. Now, it was long past that. We had rice and tofu, pan-fried and seasoned to a perfection, though I may or may not have drowned my rice with soy sauce… What? It comes out of the bottle really quickly!

Dad went for a run not too long after that, he liked to stay in shape, and kind of had to for his job. While he was gone, I did my chores; the dishes, cleaning up my room, and just got finished sweeping the hallway when he came back. Somehow he worked up a sweat, so he was pretty stinky. Chuckling as my nose wrinkled, he took a quick shower so he didn’t stink up the whole house. Afterward, we spent a few minutes to just sit there and talk about nothing much important, mostly work stuff. Around seven, dad placed a kiss on my head before going off to his own room to polish his armor for the week.

See? Just normal, everyday life stuff. Now, here's the semi-important part. It might not seem so right now, but, that’ll come in due time.

It was late. Well, not super late, as my bedtime is at ten o’clock, but you get the idea. The sun had long since set, and Luna's moon had risen to light the way for anyone out for a late night stroll. A few stray beams of moonlight pushed through the small gap in the blinds, my eyes drawn to the pale glow. It felt relaxing, being here alone to kinda reflect on everything that happened this past week. On my bed is where I sat, the instrument in hand as I practiced scales, fingering technique, as well as proper hand placements. It was nice, just sitting there on my own, quietly going through each scale, up and down, over and over as the night grew older and my arms grew tired. Finishing the last scale, I slipped the bass over my head and laid it gently against the wall, sighing to myself when that was done. It had been a busy weekend, one that seemed to stretch on far longer than it should have. But letting out a yawn, I knew I was tired, my belly was full from a wonderful supper, and my arms ached delightfully.

Getting up to turn off the light, the room became bathed in darkness, the moon peeking in through the window to light up the short trek back to my bed. Stopping just shy of the edge, the glowing moon seemed to glisten in the corner of my eye, pulsating as if trying to talk to me. I only turned to look at it briefly, watching it hang in the inky black sky for a few moments before I had figured my eyes were playing tricks on me. With a large yawn, pulling back the covers and sliding inside, I laid there with nothing but my thoughts to keep me occupied. How was school going to go? Would everyone know what happened? Would Tiara try and twist the truth to favor her more? Maybe Sweetie Belle will be at school tomorrow, and I’ll finally be able to tell her about all this. All these questions and more were left unanswered, the only way to know was to wait and see what tomorrow would bring. But, one thing was for certain. I was going to sleep well tonight if the nightmares kept at bay at least… But that didn't matter, within minutes I felt myself slipping into the great unknown, slumber creeping up before encapsulating me in its warm grasp. And before I could even realize, I was out like a light.