Death's Apprentice

**Death's Apprentice

by Phil-Osophy**

Summary: Death isn't as young as he used to be, ten thousand years as the keeper of souls has driven him to exhaustion. So when a certain orange filly meets her doom. Death decides to take her on as his apprentice, the next 'Grim Reaper'.

Chapter One – Master and Apprentice

“So you're Scootaloo's Dad?” asked Applebloom, looking up at Death.

“Yes, yes I am.” he responded.

"Well then excuse me sir, but myself and Applejack here would like to talk to you."

“Ah, and you are?” Death inquired, smile fading from his face.

“My name is Rarity, I look after Sweetie Belle here."

“And I'm Applejack. Applebloom's big sis and legal guardian."

“My name is Soul Ink, it's a pleasure to meet you all. Can Scootaloo come with me or does she have to stay the night?” he asked the Doctor.

“She should be fine, just make sure to look out for the concussion, dizzy spells and all that. And keep off those legs young lady!” the mare admonished Scootaloo. “I know you fillies all like to run about but you have to keep the strain off of them or they'll never get better!”

“Yes ma'am.” Scootaloo said, with a mock salute. The doctor rolled her eyes.

“If you'll just sign here sir, then your child can be released.” Death just smirked and signed his name. Scootaloo got up and threw off the hospital gown. She then walked over to Death. Wincing with each step she took.

“Hold on a minute.” Applejack interjected. “I think we need to sort out punishments for these three, doing somethin' so dangerous all by themselves.”

“Ha!” Death chuckled. “I think a near death experience should be punishment enough, I'll leave you to decide what punishment you should give to your sisters, though by seeing their friend in such a state the same might apply. Now if you'll excuse us we have to leav-.”

"I insist." said Applejack, taking a step forwards. Death's brow furrowed.

"Very well." he said. "Scootaloo, stay here with your friends. Your friend's sisters and I will be back shortly."

The three ponies walked out of the room, the door closing shut behind them. Scootaloo didn't really know what to say. Everything was happening too fast. First she'd died, now it appeared as if she was being adopted.

"So, err." she started, turning towards her friends. "How was my scooter?"

Death stood opposite the two mares. The white one, Rarity, looked relatively calm. The orange one on the otherhand appeared to be thoroughly more vexed.

"I think it goes without saying that this time the girls went too far." said Rarity seriously.

"Indeed," replied Death. "Rest assured however that Scootaloo won't be doing something like this again. I doubt she is in any hurry to repeat such a terrifying experience."

"That's what I'd a thought the last time something like this happened." said Applejack loudly. "But they ain't changing."

"Applejack and I are of the opinion that all of the girls need a joint punishment." said Rarity. Death shook his head.

"As I've already stated, I disagree. They will not do something like this again. I'm sure of it."

"How can you be so sure? These three have gotten themselves into more scrapes than I care to remember. Surely Scootaloo has told you of some of their... worse exploits. They need a firm punishment!"

"Ya need to support us on this Mr Ink. or they'll just keep on getting themselves hurt!" Applejack all but shouted.

"I'm sorry. But you can't tell me how to raise my foal. Now if you've quite finished I will be taking her home. Good day to you." With that Death strode opened the door and strode back into the hospital room. Applejack and Rarity followed, both of them with stormy expressions at the abrupt dismissal.

“Hey Mister?”

“Yes Sweetie Belle?” replied Death, looking down at the unicorn filly.

“What's your cutie-mark mean?” she inquired, staring at his flank.

“Sweetie!” interrupted Rarity, embarrassed despite her anger at the stallion. “What have I told you about asking that to people you've just met?”

“It's quite alright Miss Rarity, it's a simple enough question. It's means I'm good at maths, it's an infinity symbol, see?”

Scootaloo didn't know what to think of Death's cutie-mark. Unlike many other cutie-marks she'd seen, it was neither colourful nor ornate. It was simply a bold print of the infinity symbol as if it had been stamped onto his flank.

"Now Scootaloo, say goodbye to your friends. We should be getting home."

Scootaloo turned to her friends.

"See you later I suppose you guys..." A pair of hooves were suddenly thrown around her neck. Scootaloo felt tears stain her coat as Sweetie bawled.

"Please don't die Scootaloo!" she cried. "I don't think I could take it if you died. Please... please... promise me."

Scootaloo felt tears come to her eyes.

"I promise." she said. Although she knew that it was far, far too late for that.

Later on, all of the elements of harmony assembled in Twilight's library. They sat on the floor on big cushions, discussing the events that had taken place that day. All except Rainbow Dash, who was hovering around the room.

“I can't believe the nerve a' that stallion!” Applejack fumed. “Now I understand why Scoots is so reckless if she's never punished for it...”

“Now darling I think you're being too critical.” said Rarity. "He had a point with them not doing anything like that again. I've never seen Sweetie Belle like that. Never." She took a sip of her tea, which was levitating in front of her.

“Ah still think there we should punish them. Just to drive the lesson home."

"With all respect Applejack. I think they've been through enough." interjected Twilight. Applejack just huffed.

"So what was Scootaloo's Dad like then. I can't believe none of us have ever met him before." said Rainbow Dash.

“I personally think he could be quite interesting, you have to be pretty smart to get your cutie mark in maths after all.” Twilight said excitedly.

“Pff, you're just excited there's another egghead in town.”

“I think that's a fair assumption. What about you Fluttershy?” asked Twilight. The yellow pegasus flinched slightly..

“Erm... he sounds nice enough I guess.” she said quietly.

“And you Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “Pinkie?”

Pinkie Pie seemed to be looking quite intensely at a spot on the wall. Her eyes narrowed. All present shared looks of apprehension. Cautiously, Rainbow Dash edged closer to the pink mare.

“Err...” she reached out a hoof to prod Pinkie. “You there Pinks?”

“No parties!” she suddenly shouted, Rainbow Dash flinched back.

“W-what?” whimpered Fluttershy.

“I just checked! He's never been to any Pinkie Party. None!”

“Maybe he's just not much of a party pony?” Rarity suggested, being the first to gather her bearings. Applejack shook her head.

“Why... I don't think there's a pony in Ponyville who ain't never been to a Pinkie Party.”

“Well, we obviously have one now.” Twilight remarked.

“Meh, I'm sure you can throw one for him at some point. My shift is soon anyway. I gotta scoot. Glad the little squirt's okay though.”  said Rainbow Dash. She flew off out of the library window, leaving her signature rainbow trail behind her.

“At least we know that she has a guardian now though." said Twilight. "I was getting worried when we never saw anybody pick her up or anything."

"I guess she's just quite independent darling," said Rarity. "Though, the doctor did say that her mother wasn't on file as a contact detail."

The atmosphere in the room became somewhat more subdued at that proclamation.

"Poor filly." said Applejack. The rest of them nodded in agreement.

Scootaloo and Death walked slowly away from the hospital and back into the centre of Ponyville. They hadn't spoken a word to each other since they'd left the hospital. Death felt uncomfortable for what must have been the first time in decades. In all his years of existence he'd never had to deal with something like this. Wordlessly, he guided Scootaloo to the outskirts of town, where their new house was situated.

“I'm sorry if I've offended you. I was very short on time and it seemed to be the best cover story feasible. ”

Scootaloo said nothing, she just kept walking, eyes firms on the road beneath them. Death opened his mouth, but then just sighed and closed it again. It was always hard to explain things to foals, especially when the adult who had made the mistake.

They soon approached the end of the road, which had taken them almost to the border of the Everfree Forest. Just before the cobbled road ended a magnificent three story house lay. It followed the same style as most the buildings in Ponyville, but this house had a black slate roof instead of a straw one. Scootaloo looked upon it in a semi-state of awe. This was going to be her house. Her home. It was much better than the hovel she had been squatting in.

“I saw the place you were living in previously. I dare say this is a bit better, don't you think?” said Death, smiling at the filly's reaction. Scootaloo just nodded.

Death unlocked the door with a flash of magic

"How did you do that?" said Scootaloo. "You don't have a horn!"

Death grinned. "Who told you that a horn was necessary to do magic? Soon, you'll be able to do magic too."

The glossy white door opened to reveal a small entrance hall which contained the stairs as well as a few paintings. Scootaloo slowly stepped onto the dark, polished wooden floor and gazed around in wonder.

“Well, I suppose you'll want a tour.”

Death took her on a tour of the house, from the clean, well stocked kitchen to the cosy living room. Everything was so large, so expensive looking...

“That's my bedroom, and this will be your and... oof!” Death almost fell over as an orange blur struck him the stomach.

“I'm so, so sorry...!” Scootaloo sobbed into his chest. Death smiled and put his arms around his bawling apprentice

“Ssh... ssh... you have nothing to be sorry about.” he whispered, calmly stroking her mane as she cried.

“B-but. This is the nicest thing anypony has ever done for me!” she moaned. “And I just, I almost hated you.” Death sighed.

“It's not your fault, child. I should have had more tact in the first place, or at least told you before-hoof.”

After a few more moments of tears Scootaloo stopped crying. She slowly took her head out from where she had nestled into Death's coat and looked up at her new... master.

“I don't expect you to call me a father Scootaloo. We are Master and Apprentice, nothing more. However,” he hesitated. “ I don't expect you to call me Master either. Call me what you wish, Grim, Death. I don't really mind.” he grinned, then paused. "But I'm afraid you might have to call me Dad in public. Sorry about that."

“Now let me show you your new room...”

He threw open the door and Scootaloo gasped as she noticed....

...it was empty. The walls were white, the floor was made up of simple wooden boards. A wooden bed was in the corner beside a window overlooking the garden and a small lamp hung down from the ceiling. Apart from that there was nothing, the room was bare.

“What?” she exclaimed, confused.

“Don't be so disappointed.” Death smirked. “You have a bed, what more could you want.” Scootaloo turned around angrily.

“A lot of things! Even my old place had a dresser! And what abo-” she was cut off by Death's booming laughter.

“That's the point! The first thing I'm going to teach you is how to manipulate matter in the mortal plane. Soon you'll have your dream room. I thought to myself, 'what would a young filly want in a room'. I couldn't think of anything, so I've decided to let you do it yourself. Happy?”

“I suppose.” grumbled Scootaloo. “But I'm going to get you back for that.”

The old stallion chuckled but then his voice turned serious.

“Most of the house is available to you, but there is one exception.” he teleported them down back into the entrance hall. He gestured to the door behind them, Scootaloo hadn't noticed it before, just at the side of the stairs.

“This is the one place I must ask you to stay away from. This door will only open to you and me, nopony else. It is my office, where I do my duties which don't involve the reaping of souls.”

Scootaloo looked at the door with new found curiosity. Death noticed this and bent down to look Scootaloo straight in the eyes. His red eyes shone with intense power. Scootaloo ears folded as she took a step backwards.

“Only enter if you are in dire need of help my child, if one was to disturb my work and I happened to make a mistake.... Well, let's just say that nopony would walk away completely unscathed.”

Scootaloo gulped, then nodded.

“Good, now get some sleep my child. You did die today after all.” Death said with a grim laugh, then entered the study, closing the door behind him.

Scootaloo walked up to her room in deep thought. What Death had said had struck a chord inside the young filly.

It had just taken one moment, one mistake, and she was dead.

Scootaloo tucked herself into the silk sheets of her new bed and sighed.

“Nothing is ever going to be the same, is it.” she asked the ceiling. Snorting at how dramatic she was acting, she turned over and went to sleep.