Adventures Are No Fun.

Chapters

Family.
Wings.
Just Out Of View.
Pets.
Endings.
Back To The Starting Line.
Waiting For The Race To Start.
Falling On Your Face At The Starting Line.
Finishing In Last Place.
After The Race Life.
Away From Home.
First Steps Into Cloudsdale.
Bonding.
Bliss.
Familiar.
All The Troubles In The World.
Fun And Friends.
Unforgivable.
Run Until It Is All Left Behind.
Settling In Quickly.

Family.

Most ponies think heroes go on adventures to defeat evil. Screech Stormchaser's adventure had no evils nor any heroes.

Cleave tore Screeche's curtains open flooding her room with early morining light.
Screech hissed.

"Don't take that tone with me young lady!" scolded Cleave. "Out of bed. Customers will not wait for you to feel like getting up."

Screech streached her wings. Her hoof fumbled around on her night stand. She refused to open her eyes without her glasses. She found her glasses and placed them on her muzzle. "I am awake."

Cleave levitated a coffee mug and a bowl of hot oats and fruit slices. She gave the latter to Screech. She took a big sip from her mug.

Screech loved her wings, but envied her mother's horn. She desperatly hoped bat ponies could become alicorns.

Screech looked up at the ceiling. She was beneth her bed. A few feet from sleeping through the day.

"Yovidaphone?" asked Sharp Winds for the third time.

Screech nodded for the third time. "Do you want it or not?"

"Screech!" scloded Cleave. Her unicorn horn glowed pink. A harpsicord she was examinening dissasembled.

"What? I was just asking a question."

Cleave shook her head and took a big sip from her coffee mug.

"No. I think I will just get a harmonica," said Sharp.

Screech hissed. "Get the stupid yovidaphone. You know you want it."

"I do. But it is not practical."

Screech hissed. "You sound like my mama. When I am an adult I am never going to be practical."

"Yes you are," yelled Cleave.

"Yes Mama." Screech rolled her eyes. "Buy the Yovidaphone. Do what you want."

"I will only be purchasing the harmonica."
On the other side of the instrument shop a colt blew into a bugle. The horn squeeked and squeeled like a a pig on a water slide.

Screech shot across the store and confiscated the bugle. She pointed her black hoof at one of two dozen sighs which read 'do not play the instruments'. She pointed at her ears and explained, "Bat ponies have very good hearing. When you make a lot of noise it physically hurts me. When you hurt me." She bared her fangs. "I hurt you."

The colt laughed in Screeche's face.

"Mama, the customers are annoying me," Screech complained. "Can I go play with Carver?"

Cleave stared at the harpsicord. She rubbed her eyes and looked around like she was surprised to be exactly where she was a moment ago. "Yeah. The shop will do better without you. Don't fly before night fall. I don't want you crashing again."

Screech flew out the door before her mother could change her mind.

Screech stiled her poofy black and purple main over her eyes. The sun shined bright over Canterlot. She could bear it to see Carver.

The sudden barking didn't startle Screech. Dozens of dogs barked at her every day. Something about her smell made dogs hate her. She bared her fangs and hissed. The dog continued to bark. Even dogs knew she was all tooth and no fang.

Half way through her twenty minute walk, Screeche's sunglasses flew off her face. They floated infront of two teenage unicorns named Drip and Agaricus.

Screech hissed at the older boys.

Drip smiled wryly."What is that? We don't speak bat."

"I think she wants to share her glasses with us," said Agaricus. "Divide them into thirds."

Drip gently placed the glasses on the ground. He held his hoof just above them.

Screech had to squint to keep the sun out of her eyes. She didn't notice Agaricuse's horn start to glow. She dove toward Drip and grabbed him with her hooves. A bucket of muddy water fell onto Screech (bucket and all).

Drip laughed and stomped his hoof down on Screeche's glasses. "Sorry about that. I hear they make stronger glasses in the dragon lands. Maybe you should go live there."

"First, bat ponies are from the dragon lands. I could go live there. Second, my specal talent is fixing things. I restore instruments for a living. You think I can't fix a pair of sunglasses?"

Drip's horn flashed a bright white light.
Screech hissed.

Drip taunted, "What is that? We don't speak bat."
Screech (who was still holding Drip) flew straight up. She did three loops and dove back down. She gently dropped Drip to the ground.

Drip vomited.

"Did you get that message?"

Agaricus fired stun botls from his horn. Screech flew up. Agaricuse's focused gaze followed her. Just as he was about to fire again his eyes burned as he looked directly into the sun. He rubbed his hooves against his eyes trying to force his vison back.

Screech landed at the end of the street. Last time she flew during the day she nearly knocked a pegasus out of the sky; she had her glasses then.

Canterlot was too noisy to rely on echo location so Screech had to resort to asking strangers for help. She had a new (used) pair of sunglasses in three minutes. living In a city with a lot of ponies meant there were always good ponies to offer a helping hoof. There were also dogs and bullies, but that was life in the city.

Carver hugged Screech almost before the door was fully open. The dark green unicorn with a white mane had trouble getting her legs around Screech. She was half Screeche's size despite being the same age.

"Were Agaricus and Drip bothering you again?" asked Carver.

"Yeah. I need a bath."

Carver squeezed Screech and peted her mane. Screech gently sank her fangs into Carver's neck. They held each other for a minute.

After they got out of the bath, Carver spent hours brushing and styling Screeche's main. Screech didn't complain. She liked being treated like a doll.

Screech hated the smell of rotting food. She hated roaches. She hated boxes of dead light bulbs. She hated stolen trash cans full of empty photo albums and cracked rusting shoes. She hated stray cats clambering through broken windows. She loved Carver's house. She loved eating freshly baked cookies at a table coverd in bird feeders. She loved listening to recordings of old races after Carver's father found the one functioning record player in the pile of broken electronics. She loved watching Carver's parents dance on the rugs they placed over a pile of shatterd porcelain dolls.

Screech flew home a few hours after the moon rose. She was going to fly around the house a few times and look for dragons, but she was too excited. She could hear her parrents arguing from outside.

Screech flew through the door and hugged her father with all of her strenth. Hugging the giant bat pony was like hugging a warm fluffy boulder.

"You got new sunglasses again? You should stop picking fights with those boys." Dual Stormchaser smiled at his little girl.

Screech bit her father. He laughed and petted her.

"Screech, it is getting late. You should go to bed," Carver insisted.

"I came all this way to see her and you send her off to bed the moment she gets back."

"You came all this way to see her? You live here! If you weren't off doing Luna knows what with I don't want to know who, you could see her every day!"

"I have to travle. You know I can't stay one place for long. I always bring back instruments for you. You love the yovidaphone."

"I hate the yovidaphone. I have been trying to sell it for three years! No pony in their right mind would by that thing! I suppose that is why you spent so much on it!"

"I am sorry for trying to do something nice for my family!"

"You want to do something nice for us? Get a job in Canterlot!"

"I can't! My job is impo- My job has a large impact on the lives of a lot of other ponies. I can't put myself first."

"You are a secrity coordinator not a diplomat! There are hundreds of ponies who can do your job! They can not raise your daughter!"

Screech interjected, "Papa, I need to seach for dragons before bed. Do you want to help me?"

Cleave groaned. "Ten minutes."

Screech looked up at the moon. She wondered if Princess Luna's parrents fought. Carver's didn't.

"There are no dragons in Canterlot," assured Dual. "You don't have to search for them."

Screech didn't tell her father if she didn't look for dragons he would never come home again. "I know. How long are you staying?"

"A week. Six days. I will leave in the morning so five and a half."

Screech noted Papa was staying either three or four days. "How was Dodge Junction?"

"Fine place. There were..." Dual scratched his chin. "Minotaur run up and down every street. You have to dodge them to get where you are going."

"Where are the Minotaur going in such a rush?"

"To the... I don't know. How is your mother doing?"

"Fine. She barely drank all week. Except today." Of the two Screech was the better lier. "Can we search for dragons now?"

"In a minute. How is she shop doing?"

Screech shrugged. "We have food to eat."
Dual smiled. "That's good."

"You should be nicer to Mama." Screech didn't know where the words came from. She said them before she thought them.

Dual frowned.

Screech could feel panic building inside her. It strangled her heart pounded brain.

"I will be right back," Dual assured in a low gruff voice. He flew off into the night.

Screech waited. She waited for what felt like hours.

Screech woke in her bed. She heard her mother shouting in her office.

Screech ignored her stiff muscles. She shook the dizzyness out of her head and hobbled to her mother's office. "What are you doing up?"

"He left." Cleave chugged the contents of her coffee mug. "After everthing I said, I found you alone sleeping on the roof!"

Screech was not surprised. She was not hurt or angry. She was actually relived to know why she was in so much pain. She asked, "What are you doing up?"

"Working," Cleave snapped. "Something your father could learn a thing or two about."

"Papa does work hard. Why else would he be gone so long?"

"I don't know. I have a few theories." Cleave tipped a wine bottle over a coffee mug. Both were empty.

Screech gently placed her hooves on her mothers leg. "Mama, I think we should both go to bed."

"He is going to The Crystal Empire. Why would he refuse to take you? What is he hiding?"

"Nothing. I am sure he knows I would never leave you. He doesn't want to ask me because he knows I will stay."

Cleave hugged Screech for balance and support. After she was tucked into bed Screech went to bed as well.

Screech woke screaming. It felt like her right wing was being torn off her body. She assured herself it was just another fever dream. She had been too sick to move since the night she fell asleep on the roof.

Cleave chugged from a wine bottle. She had given up on the formality of the coffee mug three days prior. She slamed Screeche's bloody wing onto the floor. "Cloudsdale! Your father had a secret family in Cloudsdale. I knew he resented me for only being able to have one child! I am glad the snake is dead!" She chugged more from her bottle.

Screech wanted to ask two dozen questions, but she was in too much pain to speak. She would have cried if she didn't black out.

Screech woke wrapped in blood covered sheets. What remained of her wing was compleatly numb. She burst into tears. She sobbed uncontrollably for an hour. She knew her father's death was her own fault. She hadn't been searching for dragons.

Cleave stumbled into her daughter's room. "Why are you crying?" An open wine bottle floated behind her.

"Is Papa dead?"

Cleave pressed a hoof against her head. "Yeah. He died last night. Fell from Clouds Dale to Fillydelphia. He had a heart attack while flying. His wife and two sons saw the whole thing."

"My wing?"

"Mama can't have you flying away too. I am going to keep you here forever." She lovingly nuzzled Screech. Screech nuzzled her back.

Wings.

The morning of Screeche's second Day in Dodge, Leaf made an anonuncement at breakfast.

"I am heading off to Mainhatten," said Leaf with a smile.

Screech hissed. "Why do you have to go?"

"There is a restaurant that wants to stock our wine," explained Leaf. "Wine is difficult and expensive to transport. We don't have enough money to pay somepony to ship it for us. Not yet. I just know this is the start of something big. This time next year all of our money woes will be gone. We will eat slime with silver spoons and dance on the higest roof in Cloudsdale. What is something useless and expensive no pony would ever need?"

"A yovidaphone."

"I will buy you ten!" Leaf kissed his family (and Screech) before heading out the door.

Screech sat on the damp ground and listened to Berry go on about grapes. She nodded. She streached her prosthetic wing. Rain drops rolled off of it. It was a marvel. She wondered how it worked. She wondered why it needed eighty nine gyroscopes. She wondered why it was blue. She would have prefered black. Or pink. Pink was a nice color. She didn't mind aqua blue. At least it wasn't red. Orange would have been nice. She did most of her flying at night and being more visible at night is never a bad thing.

"Are you listening?" asked Berry.

Screech shook her head. "No. Do you think my wing should have reflectors on it?"

"No. You don't want to blind the other flyers. Having flashes of light coming off your own wing would be distracting if not disorienting." Berry took a grape off a vine and handed it to Screech. "Do you know why we grow grapes?"

Screech looked at the walls of grape vines. "Not to make wine."

Berry smiled. "Not to make wine. This is what our family has done for generations. Have you ever competed in the rodeo?"

"I have."

"Were you good at it?"

"I broke a few records."

"Did you enjoy it?"

Screech poked the ground with her hoof. "Not especally."

"Dad meant it. He would buy you every one of those yovidaphones. He never will. Dodge is a nice place where ponies live quiet lives." He smiled at his home. "You can kill Celestia. I am going to grow grapes in Dodge."

The rain started falling harder.

Screech spread her wing to feel more of the rain drops.

"The rain feels nice after a long day picking grapes."

"It is quite pleasant," agreed Screech.

Screech woke in an unfamilure bed. She groaned. She was still in Dodge Junction. She went to her closet to grab her prosthetic wing. It was not in her closet.

Screech ran to the kitchen and hissed at Cradle.

"Use your words," said Cradle.

"That was a word," snapped Screech. "Never mind. Where is my wing!" She stomped her hoof and bared her fangs.

Cradle frowned. "That is not how you get what you want. Ask nicely."

Screech hissed. "Please tell me where my wing is."

Cradle smiled and patted Screeche's head. "Upstairs in your closet."

Screech bit at the air. "My wing is not in the closet!"

"Berry didn't take it. Leaf has been gone since yesterday. Either Periwinkle or Funny moved it."

"Why!"

"I don't know. Lets ask them."

They found Funny in the empty field. He held a big jar of pink glitter in his hooves. On the ground infront of him was Screeche's wing. He had spray painted her entire wing hot pink.

"Now everypony will be able to tell you are a girl," said Funny with a smile.

The small delicate machinary that allowed her wing to bend and fold was gummed up with paint and glitter.

Screech burst into tears. Her ability to fix broken things did not extend to prosthetic wings.

Cradle hugged Screech and whispered reassuring words to her.

Funny snapped, "Quit acting like a baby!"

Cradle snapped, "She is a baby. She is younger than you are."

Funny was taken aback. "She is huge!"

Screech sobbed, "Good prosthetics cost a lot of money. This was the best Luna's Home For Journying Children was willing to buy."

Cradle petted Screech. "We will get you a new wing. A better wing. How much did this one cost?"

"Three thousand bits. A good one could cost four times more."

Cradle glared daggers at Funny. "We don't have that much money. Hopefully we can get it reparied for six hundred bits."

Screech tried to fly away from Mr. Nick's army of basset hounds. She spiraled and fell a short distance. She hissed at the hounds who barked more loudly.

Mr. Nick held Screeches prosthetic wing in his hooves.

"Can you fix it?" asked Cradle with a forced smile.

"Get these fitlhy muts away from me!"

"They are not muts! Those are pure bread hounds." Mr. Nick poked one of the wings joints with a dirty hoof. "I Can't be sure until I take her apart."

Over the dogs' barking, Screech shouted, "He can't fix it. I lived in Canterlot. I can smell a conpony from a mile away."

Mr. Nick jumped half a pony high. "I- I am not a conpony!" He cleared his throat. "Little filly I am a good honest stalion."

Screech reared onto her back legs. The dogs ran. "If you can't fix it will you charge us?"

"I have to this is a buisness."

"Not a good one," Screech spat. She ran away as the dogs came back.

Cradle sofly assured, "Screech, Sweet heart, this is not Canterlot. We do things differently here. If Mr. Nick says he will fix your wing then he will."

Screech ran away. One of the hounds chased her down the street.

Screech washed dog blood off her wing for the second time in three days.

"Did you have to kill Houdsly?" asked Cradle.

Screech said, "Yes. It chased me."

"I know. I am sorry."

"He can't fix it. Mr. Nick. He can't even train his muts."

"I know."

"Why did you pay him?"

"You will understand when you have children."

Screech forgot to hiss. "Maybe. I am a bat pony."

"I am sure bat ponies are wonderful parrents."

Screech didn't agree. "Will you braid my mane?"

Periwinkle dragged Funny through the front door by his ear. "What part of 'grounded until flying pigs freez' did you fail to understand?"

Funny yelld, "The part where I am being punished for doing something nice!"

Screech looked up from her coloring book. "Did Silly sneak out?"

Periwinkle smiled at Screech. "Your mane looks nice braded."

Funny yelled, "It's Funny!"

Screech said, "Not as you think."

Periwinke said, "He did."

"Has he always been like this, or is this recent?" asked Screech.

"This is not your fault!" insisted Periwinkle. "Mom always wanted another child, but shortly after Funny was born... it was no longer an option. She babied him way too much. She realised her mistake about a year ago. He has been like this his entire life."

"This is your fault!" Insisted Funny. "Everything was fine until you came along. You ruined everthing!"

Prey (Screeche's pet baby racoon) hissed. Screech nodded in agreement.

Screech closed her wings. Her prosthetic wing was stiff and the weight distrabution changed. Four hundred bits for greased joints and she was still stuck on the ground.

"I am sorry," said Cradle. Her head was so low her muzzle nearly touched the floor. "No pony in Dodge Junction can fix your wing. We don't have any replacements either. We don't have many pegasi. You are the first one winnged bat pony in Dodge ever."

Funny yelled. "I can fix it." He grabbed Screeche's wing. He ignored the girl's hissing and thrashing. His hoof found the release and her wing popped off.

Screech dove onto Funny.

Cradle was startled and confused. Screech was biting Funny. She panicked and grabbed a broom. Not exactly a crowbar but it would do. "Screech, let him go!" she yelled.

Screech saw the broom being held like a club. She did not let Funny go.

Cradle lightly batted Screech on the head.

Screech jumped away from Funny and tried to hiss. She sobbed.

Just Out Of View.

Screech sat by the front door frame staring intently at the white ground just outside.

Melodie sat at her bed playing FreeCell with the nude playing cards.

Screech had not moved in three hours. Her ears twitched at every sound. Every passing second drover her closer to madness. She was ready to explode.

Second Dual landed in front of where the front door used to be. "What happened to the door?"

Screech waved a hoof. "The police tried to... I don't know what they were trying to do. That is not important. We need to have a talk."

"I don't want to talk," said Second. "If I did want to talk I would not have come here."

"This is important. Listen... ... How do I say this? Okay. Our great, great, great ect. grandmother raised an army. I was supposed to kiss Celestia. The rest of my family was supposed to kill the Wonderbolts and the royal guards. There were dozens of us. We have... a certain... characteristic that promotes higher birth rates. Multiple births at once were not desirable. Frequent births allowed for more genetic fine tuning. Our papa passed this characteristic onto us. You have no idea what I am saying do you?"

"You were saying your family sucks."

Screech nodded. "I was saying... our family... you... you were bred to have sensitive genitals. Sex feels different for you than it does most other ponies. Sex feels good, but you should not have sex all the time or with just anypony. A lot of harm could fall on you if you did. My mother raised me to be aware of this. Did you know this?"

"What?" asked Second very quietly. "I know what sex is."

"That is not enough. You need to know a lot more than that."

"I am not talking to you about this," stated Second.

"I know about the stallion who is... Listen I want to protect you." Screech fought to keep her voice from cracking. Tears built up in her eyes. "I know you think sex is fun and feels good but he is causing you serious harm."

"You don't know him!" Exploded Second. "I do. You don't know how he makes me feel. You foreigners can't understand our love. You are jealous of pegasi and our superiority."

Screech took a deep breath. "Second, I am a preditor. I will find him. When I do I can't promise he will survive. You will thank me one day."

Second spit at Screech and flew to his room.

Melodie trotted to Screeche's side. "He will thank you," she assured. She placed a warm hoof on her friend's shoulder.

Screech nodded. Tears rolled down her face. She felt hollow. She felt like hurting somepony. She weak and scared.

Screech sat in her closet. She held a crayon in her hoof and stared at a blank piece of paper. She needed to train for the rodeo. Most of the events would require flying so she needed to do extra well on the events she could compeat in. Tomorrow the ponies would let her back in the park.

"Hey Secreech," yelled Razzle with a big smile. "What are you coloring?"

Screech took a deep breath. "I don't know."

Razzle nodded. "Want to come over to my house? I can teach you some cheers."

"No. I want to sit here and yell at Dr. Red for not fixing me."

"I can get you a new wing," offered Razzle with a smile.

"Wrong doctor," sighed Screech.

Razzle walked into the closet and sat on the floor.

"You don't have to go home and practice your cheers?" asked Screech curtly.

"No." Razzle did not pick up the hint.

"None of your other friends are available right now."

Razzle looked at the floor. "No all of my other friends are busy. They are not busy doing things without me. They are... anyway. We should do something together."

"I don't want to talk right now," stated Screech. "Melodie broke up with me."

"That is great!" Razzle enthused. "You can join the cheer team now."

"It is not great!" Snapped Screech. Her heart sank when her friend flinched. "I love her!" she said softly.

"You can love cheer now," said Razzle cautiously.

Screech opened her mouth but she didn't say a word. Razzle was being earnest. Despite being horrible at it her friend was trying to help. "I am going to be in Equestria Daily tomorrow."

"That is nice. I think Neon is like you. It is hard to tell. She doesn't talk about colts as much as the others and when she does she seems sad about it."

Screech sighed. "I don't want a new mare-friend. I do want to talk about anything else."

"Oh. What is Equestria Daily?"

"Damn it!" yelled Screech.

"Sit down," said Screech with a smile. All of the mares at Glitter's friends house gave her blank stares. They were not mad or confused. They were mostly indifferent. "Mares I need you to do my little brother a favor." She pointed to Success who sat on the floor. "I need you to teach him about sex."

"He is too young," yelled Glitter.

"How old was Second when he started 'dating' his...?"

Glitter sighed. She took a deep drink of her beer. "Okay. First thing you need to know. You are too young to have sex."

Melodie sat in Razzle's kitchen. She played Forty Thieves with the nude playing cards. She cuddled her Screech plushy as she sat at the kitchen island.

"Are you okay?" asked Razzle.

Melodie hissed.

"That is a no, right?"

Melodie sighed. "No I am not okay. Screech is going through a really hard time and I want to help her, but I can't support her violent behavior. How do I comfort her without letting her think hurting ponies is okay?"

Razzle smiled. "Good. I bought you a cupcake to make you feel better."

Screech ran around the mansion pulling a bale of hay behind herself. Her training for the rodeo was not as intense as it was when she lived in Canterlot.

"Good!" exploded Melodie.

Razzle shrank. "I wanted to do something nice for you."

Melodie glared at the earth pony. "You can be quiet." She whispered, "Do you see any moves?" to her Screech plushy. "Neither do I."

Razzle sat quietly.

Melodie groaned. "I am sorry. I am not mad at you."

Razzle smiled. "So you will eat the cupcake when the mare who washes the floors comes back with it?"

"You don't know her name?"

"How many of your friends are forty?"

"You don't have to be friends to know her name."

Razzle slammed a hoof on the counter. "You can do this at Glitter's house."

"Screeche's... family does not like me," confided Melodie. "I don't feel comfortable being there when she is not around."

"I can imagine why they don't like you. You are not nice."

Melodie chuckled. "I guess I am not." She flipped a card. "Are you mad at me?"

"Yes." Razzle crossed her hooves over her chest. "You are making me sound like a bad pony."

Melodie flipped another card.

Shine entered the kitchen with two cupcakes. The dark purple mare placed the cakes on the island. "Need anything else?"

Razzle looked at the floor washing mare. "What is your name again?"

"Shine Finish." The mare smiled with pride.

"Thank you miss Finish."

Shine nodded and left the room.

Razzle looked to Melodie for approval.

Melodie rolled her eyes. "Fine. I will eat the cupcake." She bit the sugary confection. "Does it have grass in it? It is good."

Razzle smiled. "Yes it does. Rosy pony."

Screech trotted across Razzle's kitchen. Her mane wet with sweat. Soap from her hasty bath formed bubbles on her coat. She sat beside Melodie and placed a small orange pumpkin on the island.

Melodie sat staring at a glass of water. She held a silly straw between her lips and gently exhaled. Bubbles rose to the top of the water.

"Melodie," said Screech softly. "I am sorry. I know I hurt you when I attacked the police officers. I feel horrible about the whole ordeal. I want to thank you. You warned me. You tried to stop me. I should have listened. I am lucky to have you as a friend. Thank you for doing what is best for me even when it is hard."

Melodie exhaled into the straw.

"I got you a thank you gift." Screech nudged the pumpkin closer to her friend.

Melodie looked at the pumpkin. "You got me a hat!" She beamed with joy.

"That is a pumpkin," said Screech with clear confusion in her voice.

"You got me a pummin." Melodie placed the pumpkin on her head. "Pummin. Pummin. That is a funny word." She smiled at Screech. "I love you." She returned her attention to the straw.

"I love you too." Screech smiled. Her heart broke a little but she barley noticed. She was too happy to be hurt. "Are you feeling okay? Where is Razzle?"

"I lied."

Screech winced. "What!" She could barely breath.

"I want to kiss you badly. I want to kiss you everywhere. I want to kiss your dirty hooves. I want to kiss your lips. I want to kiss your vagina. I wan-"

Screech put a hoof over Melodie's mouth. Her face burned red and she had to take deep breath to keep from fainting. She could feel her heart beat in her ears. "That is enough. I get the picture."

Melodie kissed Screeche's hoof. "Biting is fun, but kissing would be fun too."

Screech nodded. "I know. I will talk to Dr. Red about it when I get back home."

Melodie picked up her Screech plushy and peppered it with kisses.

Screech fought back a hiss of jealousy.
Razzle trotted into the kitchen with gold and blue pompoms on her back. "I am glad you are here. I have enough for all three of us."

"Is Melodie okay?"

"Yeah she is fine. She is just high. I gave her some rosy pony."

Melodie smiled. "Screech got me a pummin. Her name is Hat. Puuuummmmmmiiiiiinnnnn."

Razzle handed Melodie a pair of pompoms.

"Are you playing with us?" asked Melodie with big hopeful eyes.

Screech nodded. "Of course I am."

Melodie waved her pompoms excitedly.

Melodie, not being able to access her common sense, wanted to go to Platinum Park. She teared up until Screech, who lost her common sense at the sight of Melodie's sad face, offered to take her to Wonderbolt Park.

As Screech set hoof in Wonderbolt Park she hoped no pony was waiting to throw paint at her. She doubted she would be so lucky. There was not a green ascot in sight. "The ponies of Cloudsdale kind of suck," thought Screech out loud. "It has only been ten hours."

Melodie held Hat to her head with one hoof. "We should build a slide. I want to slide."

"Okay lets look for thing we can use to build a slide," said Screech. She leaned toward Razzle and whispered, "How much rosy pony did you give her?"

"I don't know. A muffins worth."

"You don't know?" Screech hissed. "Keep a close eye on her. I need to build a slide."

"What is this?" scolded Gauntlet. "You told me it would be a giant scary monster that would kill that evil foreigner."

"Yeeaaaahhh... I think I did the spell wrong," said Rag Clay.

Screech saw Gauntlet (the pony she rightfully stole the falcon from) yelling at a much smaller unicorn. She wanted to step in, but given her recent behavior decided it would be safer for every pony if she turned a blind eye.

An abomination of flesh and bones wriggled on the ground screaming in pain. It had a loose form like slime. Its bones didn't stay in one place. Its limbs grew and shriveled like weeds. It had six heads one minute and none the next. The air around it reeked of smoke.

Screech hissed. She didn't have any luck since stepping hoof in Cloudsdale. She ran up to the two colts. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," yelled Gauntlet.

"We were trying to make a monster," admitted Rags. "I think I did the spell wrong."

Screech looked at the writhing puddle of flesh. "How is it alive?"

"It is part phoenix," guessed Gauntlet.

Screech looked closely and saw a scorpion tail, a falcon talon, a cats paw. "These are the animals from the shelter!"

Rags nodded.

Screech though hard about what to do. "Can you reverse the spell?"

"No. Maybe if I did it right, but I can't reverse a botched spell without knowing why it went wrong."

Screech stomped. She ran in circles around the dying animal. The pained screaming was making her head spin. She grabbed the mass in her teeth and bit down. Her heart broke but it had to be done.

The animal went quiet. The three ponies stared at the dead animal. It started writhing after a few moments.

Screech noticed a little piece of cloth between to puss filled bulbs of flesh as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Did you take the collars off before performed the spell?"

"No. They were sewn on."

"They were magic too! They interfered with your spell." Screech bit the flesh blob tearing chunks of it out with her fangs. Blood flowed down her chest. The animal screamed even louder and tried to wriggle away. She kept tearing it apart. After six long minutes all of the collars were on the clouds at the bad pony's hooves. "Cast the spell again."

Rags nodded. His horn glowed and the blob of flesh reformed into a bigger blob of flesh. It was not pretty, but it was more stable than before.

Screech stared down at the poor little animal. "Pegasus, buck a hole in the clouds."

"What?" exclaimed Gauntlet.

"Buck a hole in the clouds. I am going to drop the thing out of Cloudsdale."

Gauntlet bucked and bucked until a hole straight through the clouds was in the middle of the park. He dripped with sweat.

Screech picked up the animal and dropped it down the hole.

After falling for a few seconds the animal caught fire. A phoenix with six scorpion tails, four sets of wings, a cat's face on the back of its head and two garden snakes and a cobra as legs burst out of the flames.

Screech took a deep breath. "If you ever use magic on an animal again you are going down this hole." She glared at both colts.
Gauntlet and Rags nodded.

Screech could not let Melodie see her covered in blood even if she did have an excuse. She could not go to Glitter's house for the same reason. She bared her fangs. "Get this blood off me!"

Rags fired a magic beam at the big bat pony that pulled the blood off her coat.

Screech breathed a sigh of relief. She trotted off to find something she could turn into a slide.

Early in the morning Screech lay in her closet thinking of all the fun she had with her friends at the park. Yes those two colts tried to ruin her day, but they failed. Screech heard a low muffled voice come from the dining hall. Her first though was Melodie was crying. She rushed to the other room to comfort her friend.

Screech saw Melodie startling her Screech plushy; pulling a stripped sock off its hoof with her teeth. Her face burned so hot it hurt.

Melodie stared at Screech blushing.

"I love you too." Screech walked back to her closet.

Screech and Melodie sat side by side at breakfast. Melodie had gotten over her earlier embarrassment and teased Screech by letting her know she will not be taking to plushie's place any time soon.

A nice hot breakfast sat on the table. Screech, Melodie, Glitter and Success all ate happily and laughed at the stories of high Melodie's antics.

Second trudged into the kitchen kicking pillows out of his way rather than flying over them. He sat at the still broken table and ate quietly.

Screech smiled at her younger brother. "I have something for you." She offered him a copy of Equestria Daily.

Second stared at the news paper for a second before taking it. "Why?"

"Read the headline."

Second's mouth dropped open. Tears ran down his cheeks. "What did you do to him?"

Screech winced. Her brother's glare felt like knives. She expected him to be relived. "I was running laps around Razzle's house as training for the upcoming rodeo-"

"What did you do to him!" Second screamed so loudly his voice cracked on every word.

"I smelled him flying over head. I followed him forty or fifty miles to a little pumpkin farm on the edge of town. There was a small house with a poor family living inside. He went inside and gave a bag of bits to the family. A small colt Sucesse's age lead him to a bedroom. I jumped through the window."

The news headline read: Local Judge Being Investigated After He Was Found Half Dead In The Bedroom Of A Colt. Colt's Father Claims He Found The Judge Performing A Sexual Act With His Son And Attacked. Family Is Being Moved To Canterlot For Their Protection.

Second calmly picked up a bread knife and slashed his own fore-leg. The dull knife tore through his skin snagging on it and pulling. Blood sprayed onto the table.

Screech didn't even think. She dove across the table and pinned her brother to the floor. Despite being wet with hot blood she felt cold.

"Is he okay?" asked Glitter. She clutched Success in her fore-legs and wept.

Screech nodded. She spit Second's blood into the kitchen sink. She expected her little brother to react well to the news. She never would have guessed he would cut his own leg with a bread knife. "Melodie hypnotized him into falling asleep. She is going to sit with him incase he wakes up."

"Why?" begged Glitter.

Screech sighed. "I don't know." Her stomach churned. She did the right thing. Why did it feel like this was all her fault? Meoldies words rang in her ears. There is another way. This was her fault. She did something wrong. She should not have acted violently. She should have let the judge- She wretched. Her breakfast shot out of her stomach. She heaved. Bile trickled up her throat and past her lips. Her nostrils burned as vomit leaked out of them. She should have done something differently. She should have... ... ... ... ... It didn't matter. This was all her fault.

Pets.

Screech left her house. The neighbour's dog did not bark at her. Her neighbours didn't have any dogs. Luna's Home For Journing Children was built between a school and a hospital. No noisy dogs were allowed withing six hundred hooves.

The last three monts had been hard on Screech. She was getting used to flying with a prosthetic wing. Getting used to not having a family was much harder. She recived a letter from Carver every day which dulled the ache, but made her ache to hold Carver. She sent letters to her mama. Her mother was not allowed to write back.

"I am sure your new family is a perfect fit for you," assured Guilded Lilly. The pegasus who ran Luna's didn't even pretend to smile.

Screech hissed.

"Come again?"

"I have a family. Let me live with Mama. She didn't mean to cut off my wing. She was grief stricken."

"I am sorry," Gilded Lilly lied poorly. "You can see your mother as soon as she is let out of jail."

"She was sentenced to life."

"Was she?" The first genuine thing Guilded said to Screech. "That is a shame. Anyway. I am sure you will love your new family more than your old one."

Screech hissed so loudly her throat burned.
Guilded rolled her eyes. "Are you done? Our train leaves in twenty minutes. You do want to go to Dodge Junction don't you? Don't answer that. Just move it along."

Screech had never been on a train before. She sat on a soft chair and covered her ears. Everthing seemed loud in the shaky metal box. She wondered how long the ride to Dodge Junction would take. She wondered where Dodge Junction was. She wondered why she was not enough for her papa. She wondered if her mama would be okay with out her.

A tall pink mare walked to the back of the train car. She smiled, thought better and crouched down. She lay on the train's floor infront of Screech who hissed at her. "Hello little darling." She spoke softly and quietly. "I am Cradle Berry."

Screech bared her fangs. Tears ran down her face. "Take me home! I want to go back to Canterlot!"

Cradle nodded. She looked to the train conductor. "Two tickets to Canterlot please."

The train conductor shook his head. "Going the other way."

Cradle looked back to Screech. "What do you want to do?"

"I am not getting off this train!"

Cradle nodded. "She is not getting off this train."

The train conductor shrugged.

Screech and Cradle were held in the Dodge Junction Sheriff's Office for three hours. Both girls refused to apologize and were eventually let go because they didn't break the law.

Screech followed Cradle to her home. She didn't have anywhere else to go. She could not fly to Canterlot with her prosthetic wing even if she did know the way. If she did get to Canterlot what would she do there? Sell the yovidaphone?

Cradle's house was bigger than Screech expected. It was two floors and the first floor was not a business. The kitchen was big enough to house a kitchen table.

Three ponies sat around the kitchen table. One pony poked at the insides of the oven with a spatula.

"Meet the newest member of our family!" Cradle anounced with a grand wave of her hoof.

Screech hissed.

"Sorry. Meet the newest meber of our household."

Screech begrdingly refraind from hissing. She was introduced to every pony and sat betweeen Cradle and Periwinkle.

Beery, a dark blue stalion with a long green mane, said, "You were gone a while." His voice was quiet and soothing. It didn't carry the same edge as his mother's.

"The train was delayed," Cradle lied with a sweet smile.

"Well, you are right on time for lunch," Said Leaf. The small brown stalion gestured to a pot with his spatula. "I made steamed grape leaves stuffed with carrots and blackberries."

Cradle asked, "Doesn't that sound delicious?"

Screech shrugged. "I am used to eating hey and oats."

"We have traditonal fodder," assuerd Leaf. "I wanted your first meal in Dodge Junction to be unforgettable."

Periwinkle, a female earth pony with a dark pink coat and short purple mane, whispered, "Dad's cooking is always unforgettable. He set the stove on fire while trying to boil water. We never figured out how."

Funny, a light blue colt with a bright red muzzle and frizzled orange mane, stood on his chair. "Is it true bat ponies drink blood?"

Screech shrugged. "I don't know. I grew up in Canterlot. I don't drink blood."

"What is Canterlot like?" asked Berry.

Funny frowned. "I heard bat ponies drink blood. My-"

"That is nice dear," Cradle scolded with a smile. "Sit down and let Screech tell us about Canterolt."

Funny pouted and dramatically dropped back into his chair. "I was just trying to learn about bat ponies."

There was a moment of silence.

"Canterlot was far from perfect but it was home. There were a lot of friendly ponies. It could feel like too many at times. Despite be-"

"Sometimes I feel that way about Dodge," interrupted Funny. "Our city may not be as big as yours, but it is plenty big."

Screech nodded and continued. "Despite being a big city everthing felt cramped. Most streets were constantly packed. Some streets hardly ever saw any ponies at all. Every building on those streets were borded up before I was born. Ponies avoided walking down those streets no matter how long it added to their commutes as if stepping on a desolate street would bring ruin."

Leaf placed plates of what looked like green and orange slime on the table. Every pony stared at the plates.

"You don't have to eat it," said Leaf with audible dissapointment. "We can toss it in the compost. I can make hay cakes."

Screech looked confused and mortified. She could not grasp the concept of throwing away food.

"I don't think it is that bad," said Periwinkle. Every pony nodded in agreement.

Leaf asked, "Screech, Why is your cutimark a clock?"

Funny groaned.

"Just like time, I can fix anything." Screech licked the slime off her fork. She winced but continued eating.

"Really? I have a pocket watch in need of fixing."
Screech chuckled. "I don't know how to fix those."

Funny flung a forkfull of the slime at Screech. It spattered against her glasses.

Screech gave Funny a confued look. "Why did you do that?"

"Screech is an only child," reminded Periwinkle.

"I was trying to welcome her to the family," said Funny with a sly smile.

Screech, predictably, hissed.

Fuuny preteded to apologize and quicly changed the subject to himself.

Periwinkle walked Screech around town. She pointed at buildings and addmitted she had no idea what was inside them. She rarely left the vinyard, and when she did it was not to inquire about factories and mills.

"You didn't enjoy sitting in on the auditions?"

"No. It was stalion after stalion doing the same dance."

"I was already boy crazy at your age. I guess I was an early bloomer. In two years dancing satalions will be the most important thing in the world."

Screech pointed her hoof at a bee. "What is that?"

"That is a bee. They help flowers grow. They also make honey and wax."

Screech snickered. "That is a bee? I thought they would be bigger. What is that?"

"That is a butterfly."

"Really. It looks different than the ones in picture books."

"There are dozens of spices of butterflies?"

"Dozens?"

"Yup."

"What is that?"

"That is a canary." Periwinkle caught Screeche's smile. "You're screwing with me?"

"I was joking. We have critters in canterlot. I could have gone to a pet store and bought a phenonix. If we could have afforded to keep a pet."

"Do you want a pet? We are only a few streets from an animal shelter."

"No. I don't want a stupid animal."

"Lets go to the shelter and see how you feel after meeting a few animals."

Periwinkle stopped infront of a cottage. "This is it," she delcared. "Mrs. McVeigh's Animal Rest Up."

The cottage leaned to the left. The foundation was rotting. One of the windows was boarded shut from the inside. All of the grass around the house was long dead.

Sreech took one look at the house and said, "I smell rabies."

"Mrs. McVeigh's has fallen into disrepair,"
Periwinkle admitted. "All the more reason to help her by taking an animal." She walked toward the front door.

Screech dove around Periwinkle. She stood firm bolocking the path. "I smell rabies."

"Seriously? We have to warn Mrs. McVeigh!" Periwinkle tried to run around Screech. She made it two trots before she was pinned to the ground.

Screech hissed. "Don't run toward the house full of rabbid animals!"

"Get off me! Mrs. McVeigh needs us!"

A big dog heard the girls arguing. He limped toward them on his bloody infected legs. He spat mouthfulls of foam as he barked.

Periwinkle screamed and covered her eyes. Screech hissed so loudly she roared. The dog was undeterred.

Screech dove toward the dog. She beheaded the rabid dog with the edge of the unnatrually sharp wing that was bred into her.

Periwinkle watched ponies in hazmat suits raid Mrs. McVeigh's from across the street.

Screech sat a few trots from Periwinkle and stared at her. She was wating for her to say something. After nearly an hour Screech whispered, "I know I am disgusting."

Periwinkle whispered, "You saved me. You are not disgusting. You are a hero."

"You don't think I am disgusting?"

"No."

"Mama would always tell me I was disguting when I killed things."

Periwinkle stammped her hooves on the grond. "You are not disgusting!" Her voice echoed off the stiff humid air.

Screech slowly inched closer to Periwinkle. She slowly opend her mouth and very gently bit her.
Periwinkle didn't ask about the bite. She knew they were bonding and didn't want to ruin the moment.

"I smell rabies." Screech took off. She sniffed at a ground burrow no more than ten trots from the road. She stuck her head into the burrow and pulled out a babby raccoon. She handed him to Periwinkle. "I am going to track the rabid raccoons," she said as if it were easy. She flew over a fence and landed in a stranger's yard.

Screech dropped five dead raccoons onto the kitchen table. She beamed with pride and waited for praise.

The stalion from The Center for Disease Control smiled. "This epidemic has been spreading for weeks. We can end this before anypony else gets hurt. Thank Celestia Screech is here."

Screech hissed. "My family has served Princess Luna for thousands of years. My entire foal hood I preyed to a statue of Nightmare Moon. I am not thanking Celestia for anthing! Her sun burns my eyes. Her gifted unicorns tormented me. Her family is immortal."

Cradle chewed on her hoof. "This sounds dangerous. What if Screech gets hurt?"

Screech smiled proudly. "I will not get hurt. I come from a long line of bat ponies who protected equestria from dragons under command of Princess Luna. We have been fighting nasty dragons for thouthands of years. Among the other bat ponies my father was quite large. My mother came from a long line of rodeo ponies. My great great great- etcetera- grandmother bought the best genetic materail she could to breed generation afrer generation of the biggest, strongest, fatest and best rodeo ponies in equestria. Her ultimate goal was to kill Celestia. My grand mother was thought to be perfect. She broke dozens of rodeo records. My mother surpassed her in every way. When my great great great- etcetera- grand mother made my mother marry my father she predicted I would kill Clestia when Nightmare Moon returned. My mother had trouble conceving, probably do to the muti generational genetic experiment, so I was born a few years too late. If I was a little older Celestia would be dead."

"You are proud of that!" asked Funny.

"Yes. I was bread to kill alicorns and dragons. You were born by chance and may or may not grow berries."

Funny frowned and stared daggers.

"Why didn't your extended family take you in?" Asked Periwinkle. She quickly added, "Not that I don't like having you here."

Screech casually stated, "My father's family is dead. Fighting dragons is dangerous. My mother's family is in jail, in hiding or dead. The plan to assinate Celestia did not go well. I don't have any family left."

The CDC stalion assured, "Screech will not be killing anything else. She will be in body armour. She will be protected by the animal control and the local law enforcement. She will only be using her nose to find rabbid animals. We will take care of the rest."

Cradle hugged Screech so tightly it hurt them both. "Our little Screech is going to save the whole dang town," she squealed.

Funny asked, "Is there anthing I can do to save the town?"

Cradle said, "You can finfish your chores."

After capturing two coyotes, three cats, six stray dogs, four skunks and one colt Screech could no longer smell rabies in Dodge Junction. Her first day in Dodge, Chief Black Kettle awarded Screech a certificate for heroic behavior. (They planned a ceramony later in the month. She recived the certificate early so the local paper could have a good picture for Sunday's headline.)

Endings.

Doctor Lash explained puncture wounds should never be opened by removing the sharp object. He also explained bat ponies can heal their prey to presurve them for later. Lastly he explained Funny would have died if Screech had let go of him a few moments earlier. His wounds were less than half way healed.

In his office Doctor Lash said, "It would be very bad for you if word of this got out. Screech would surely be sent back to Luna's Home For Journying Children."

Cradle glared. "What do you want!"

"Screech. Her healing bite could help a lot of patients. Our spells and potions are fine. Her fangs can heal internal injuries in minutes. With her magic fangs and her natural talent for fixing things, under my guidance, she could be the best doctor in town."

"I will think about it," Cradle lied. "She is going through a lot and she is still a child. I don't like the idea of her seeng mangled ponies in an ICU."

Screech cowered a few trots from the broom. She had not moved in three hours. A puddle of tears reflected her fear.

Cradle went to pickup Shcreech's wing. She didn't need to be a bat pony to know the low rattle snake like hiss was a warning. She left the wing and decided to pick up the broom.

Cradle didn't scream. Screeche's fangs punctered the bone in her leg, but she did not scream. She didn't want to upset Screech any further. Very calmly and evenly she said, "Screech, please remove your fangs from my leg. I know you are upset, but biting is not allowed in this house."

Screech slowly pulled her fangs from Cradle's leg.

"I am sorry I hit you. I panicked when I saw you bite Funny. I promise to trust you more. Can you promise you will not bite anymore?"

"No. Biting is part of how bat ponies comunicate. I have trouble communicating as it is."

"Screech, I need you to promise me no more biting."

"If I don't will you send me back to Luna's?"

"I am sorry but we may have to."

"I promise. No more biting."

Cradle smiled brightly. "I got you something while I was out." She showed Screech the local paper's headline. It said Screech saved the entire town from a rabies outbreak. The story did not mention the death of Mrs. McVey.

"You are a hero," said Cradle. "You will have more friends in Dodge than you ever had in Canterlot."

Screech nodded. "I only had one friend in Canterlot. It is hard to find unicorns who wanted Nightmare Moon to rule."

Cradle beamed. "You will have no trouble finding earthponies who are happy Princess Luna is back."

Screech ran from her mother. She felt her body being torn apart. Chunks of flesh tore from her like pices from a 3-D puzzle.

She woke in a small dark room. Her room. She put on her sunglasses and prosthetic wing. She wrote a letter to Carver.

Prey sat on the kitchen table. He wore a reflective orange vest.

"Do you like the vest?" asked Cradle. "Berry made it so you can see Prey during the day."

Screech nodded. Her mouth was full of oats.

"It's funny," said Periwinkle betwen bites. "A week ago I was afraid of racoons and loved dogs."

"Dogs are violent monstrosities," agreed Screech.

Funny smiled a wicked smile.

The adults at Pinwheel's baby shower drank decaf and bad mouthed the father to be's family. Cradle and Periwinkle drank the coffee but refrained from the gossip.

Screech was excited to play with ponies her own age.

Swinger took one look at Screech and shouted, "Monster! A vampire pony has come to devour us all!"

Screech sat in the back yard with the teen age ponies. Seam sat beside her on the trampoline. Ledger and Twink were kissing on a lawn chair. Duckey balanced a soccer ball on each wing and strutted in a straight line.

Seam stroked one of Screeche's ears. She was surprisingly gentle for a pony with four face peircings and neck tattoo of an impaled heart.

"I hate parents," whispered Seam. "Claiming their kids will magicaly learn right form wrong just because they get older is like claiming apples will mature into oranges instead of giant piles of rot. I knew better when I was that age. You know better."

"I would have kicked the little pests' teeth in!" Ledger mimed kicking a child.

Twink giggled. "That would have been so hot. You are the coolest."

Seam insited, "Those kids are not being raised right. I was not raised right either." She showed off her forlegs. Under her fur was dozens of of small straight scars. "My hardships taught me empathy. Those kids are being taught to be public nuisances."

"I feel bad for them," Screech lied because she thought it was the adult thing to say. "I was lucky enough to have a smart caring mama."

Ducky stopped modeling for a moment. "Wasn't she a psycho who cut your wing off?"

Screech hissed. "That was an accident! Her spell missfired!"

Twink teased, "Little Duckey is going to get his butt kicked by child psycho."

Duckey scoffed. "Yeah. She is a child. I would not fight back."

"I would pay to see the little monster fight," Ledger looked at Screech. "I bet you could do some serious damage. I want to see you fight a timberwolf. That would be the coolest thing ever." He howled like a wolf.

Screech sniffled. She fought back tears. She tried to breath evenly. She sobbed and burst into tears.

Pinwheel seemed happy her neice and the bat pony were leaving. She didn't want monsters around.

Seam led Screech down the street to her house. They sat on Seam's bed, but it felt different than sitting on the trampoline.

"Sorry about my cousins. They are always like that."

"I was not crying because of them," Screech lied badly.

"I know how to make you feel better," Seam proudly declared. She softly pressed her lips against Screeche's.

Screech pulled away. "What are you doing?"

Seam cocked her head and pretended to be confused. "Kissing you. When you scraped you knees didn't your mom kiss you to make you feel better?"

"Yes, but not like that."

"Ofcouse not. She is your mother. Trust me. Kissing will make you feel better." She stroaked Screeche's ear and softly kissed her.

After a few moments Screech pulled away. "Sorry. This is not making me feel better."

"You have to do it more." Seam leaned forward. Screech pushed her away.

Seam frowned. After a moment her face lit up. "I know why you are not feeling better. They hurt your heart. I need to kiss you chest to make you feel better."

"No!" Screech jumped off the bed. "I am sorry, but I want to go. I don't feel right. Your kissing is only making me feel worse."

Seam failed to hide her anger behind a smile. "Okay. Let's go back to the party."

"I am going home."

Seam sighed with relief. "Yes. You should go home."

Screech was too lost in thought and churning emotions to notice her bedroom door was always open. Twelve muts greeted Screech the moment she opened her bedroom door.

Funny yelled, "You make it sound like this is my fault!"

"This is your fault," scolded Cradle. "Screech was bred to kill dragons. What did you think would happen when you scared her?"

"I thought she would scream. No normal pony would tear twelve dogs into ribbons."

"Screech is not a normal pony. You can't treat her like a- you can't provoke her."

"She is dangerous! We can't handle her. You have to send her back," Funny pleaded.

"I won't!" Cradle slammed her hoof against the kitchen table. "I can't. She needs a mother."

"She needs other bat ponies. And a psycatrist."

"That is not funny!"

"I am not joking!"

Cradle frowned. "You are going to clean Screeche's room until it is spotless. Then you are going to wash the blood off your coat. Then you are going to appologize to Screech. Then you are going to tell our neighbours you could not handle their dogs. That a fight broke out and they killed eachoter. With any luck Mr. Nick will think one of these dogs killed Houdsly."

"How many dogs had Screech killed!"

"Two. One was rabbid. One was Houndsly. Ten fewer than you killed."

Screech sat under the sun to dry her coat and mane. She took two baths and used an entire bottle of pear scented shampoo.

"You okay?" asked Berry.

Screech smiled. "Yeah. I feel a lot better now."

"Are you sure? I imagine killing all those dogs would haunt me for the rest of my days."

Screech was confused for a moment. Then she caught on. "I said I am fine. Can we talk about something else."

"Why do you walk around the house every night with that intence look on your face?"

Screech could not tell Berry that if she did not walk around the house seven times his father would never return. "I used to fly around Canterlot every night. I get nervous unless I search for dragons."

Berry went into the house. He returned a minute later. "Can you search with this?" he asked as he handed Screech a spyglass.

Screech looked through the spyglass. It didn't help. "I do feel a little more safe," she lied effortlessly. "Thanks."

From inside, Pereiwinkle scramed, "Why is Funny covered in blood!" A few moments later she ran outside and hugged Screech. "How could he do that to you after that rabbid dog attacked us? You must have been terrified. I am so sorry."

Prey slept on Screeche's vampire bat plushy with half a cracker in his mouth.

Perriwinkle delicatly dabbed a small canvas with paint. Screech watched and delicatly drew on a sheet of paper with a crayon.

Screech sat at the kitchen table. She slowly read her latest letter from Carver. She wanted to make it last.

Leaf kissed his wife.

Cradle beamed. "How was your trip?"

Leaf proudly declared, "It was marvelous. We will not have to worry about foreclosure any time soon." He handed Screech a small plastic yovidaphone. "How is the newest member of our little family doing?"

Screech hissed out of loyalty but her heart was not in it. "I am doing fine. I had a little trouble adjusting. I am having fun living in Dodge."

"I have a big big- knock your shoes off- big gift for you. I told some ponies in Manehatten about you. They put together a charity drive. In a few months you are getting a new prosthetic wing. Top of the line. I asked and submerging it in paint will destroy it. Nothing else will though. The whole family is going to Manehatten in four weeks so you can get a fitting."

Screech didn't hiss. She hugged Leaf.

Screech smiled at Brass Lantern. He smiled back.

A lot of ponies in Dodge (still) had dogs. Brass was the only pony who walked his pet chicken on a leash. Screech was the only pony who walked her pet racoon on a leash.

The two young ponies chatted for a while. They both hated dogs, loved Nightmare Night, felt weird around Seam, thought unicorns were overrated, wanted to be alicorns, prefered warm oats to fancy food and never knew their fathers.

Even Prey and Qill (the chicken) were fast friends.

"I worry my mom is going to drink herself to death," confided Brass.

"I worry I will never see my mama again," said Screech. "Just knowing every day my mama is in jail is one less day I get to spend with her fills me with a desire to cry and kill things."

Brass nodded. "I understand what you mean. Who is your therapist?"

"Mrs. Berry. She is good at lisening to me and validating my feelings."

A cart down the street rolled backward. A colt screamed. Funny lay on the ground with his leg pinned under the cart's wheel.

Screech lifted the cart and Brass pulled Funny to safety.

Funny's leg bent in places it was not supposed to bend.

Screech bit Funny's leg. In minutes his leg was compleatly healed.

Funny beamed. "Thank Celestia you were here. I am going to tell every pony you are a hero."

Screech pinned Funny to the ground. She displayed her bloody fangs. "Tell one pony I bit you and what I did to the dogs will sound like a slap on the wrist."

Funny nodded to show he understood. He had a momentary lapse in judgement.

"Why were you behind a bread cart?" asked Brass.

Funny looked at Screeche's fangs. "I was making sure she does not kill any neighborhood dogs."

"I was the pony who killed the rabid dogs," said Screech with a hint of pride. "Now he has it in his head I am a monster."

"You killed fourteen dogs!" yelled Funny.

"I didn't realise the outbreak was that bad," said Brass with admiration.

Screech spiraled and fell to the ground.

"Screech," called Periwinkle. "You should stop trying to fly before you hurt yourself."

Screech explained, "I have to fly above the clouds. It is a full moon and Nightmare Moon will not know her loyal bat ponies are awating her return if we don't fly above the clouds."

"Screech," said Berry. "Nightma-"

"I know!" Screech snapped. "I don't point out the flaws in your religion!"

"In a few months, when you have your new wing you can fly as high as you want," said Periwinkle. "If you keep trying to fly with that broken wing you are only going to hurt yourself."

"Thank you for the new information," Screech seethed.

Funny smiled wickedly. "If Screech hits her head hard enough she might see Princess Luna in a dream. Or her father in the after life."

Screeche's hooves pummled Funny's face. In only a few moments she knocked three of his teeth out.

Screech hissed as she was pinned to the ground by Periwinkle and Berry.

"What has gotten into you?" Periwinkle asked with concern.

Funny spit a mouth full of blood onto the ground. "I was born by chance and may or may not grow berries. She was bred to kill."

"Screech has moments," snapped Periwinkle. "She is not violent. She is not a murderer."

"She can't fly," Berry said thoughtfully. "Bat ponies need to fly. They get nervous unless they can look for dragons. She is scared."

Periwinkle smiled at the revelation. "Poor Screech. Funny, this is your fault for breaking her wing."

Screech stood just behind Perrywinkle in the greenhouse.

"Have I ever told you, Dad built this greenhouse for me when I was six?" asked Periwinkle.

Screech wondered why her father didn't love her as much as Leaf loved his children.

"I was obsessed with flowers when I was a filly. Every pony thought my cutie mark was going to be a flower."

Periwinkle was strong. She could easily survive a few bites.

"I am happy my specal talent is painting. I am just as happy when I garden."

Screech felt a desire building in her. She wanted to steal Periwinkle's strenth. It grew to an impulse. She was certain that if she bit Periwinkle's flank all of her pain and suffering would vanish. One bite and she would be happy.

Periwinkle reflexivly bucked when Screech bit her. Luckily she didn't hit Screech. "What are you doing!"

Screech tackled Periwinkle. She easily took the adult earth pony to the ground. One bite was not enough.

"Get off me," Periwinkle commanded.

Screech bit just above Periwinkle's heart. She waited only a few moments before removing her fangs.

Periwinkle pushed Screech away.

Screech hissed and bared her fangs.

"Screech, get off me right now!"

Screech tried to bite Periwinkle's neck. She got her leg.

Periwinkle summoned all her strenth as an earth pony. She launched Screech three ponies away. She climbed to her hooves only to be tackled again.

Screech bit Periwinkle's hooves and legs. With each bite she felt more incontrol. Less alone. Less scared.

Periwinkle frantically swung her hooves. Her strikes had little force and made the pain radiating from her bite wounds worse.

Periwinkle hobbled into her home covered in blood. She carried a barely conscious Screech on her back. "Mom, we had an accident."

Had Screech been an adult or had less of an aptitude for healing everthing she bit, Periwinkle would have died.

Screech ran from her mother. She felt her body being torn apart. Chunks of flesh tore from her like pices from a 3-D puzzle.

She woke in a small dark room. Her room in Luna's Home For Journeying Children. She put on her glasses and looked for Prey. After a moment she rembered he was in Dodge. Luna's did not allow pets.

Screech put on her new prosthetic wing. It was exactly like her old wing was before Funny broke it. She hated the blue color even more now that she knew how it would look if it were pink.

She looked at her framed certificate of heroism. She hissed at the piece of paper that ruined her new life.

The last time Screech saw the Berrys the Department of Children, Youth, and Families promised to 'rescue' all of the Berry children. She only lived with the Berrys for one week and she managed to ruin their lives.

I warned you at the beginning. Not all adventures have heroes. Not even the ones that need them most.

Author's Note

I hope you are enjoying AANF (Adventures Are No Fun). This story was origally supposed to be just these four chapters, but my good friends A Random Casual Person (the creator of Adoabella) liked Screech so much I decided to continue writing about her. Although this was supposed to be the end of her adventure it is just the beginning. I hope you stick around to see Screech grow, learn and do cute things.

Back To The Starting Line.

Author's Note

This is a sequel to Adventures are no fun. I am calling it Home is Where You Are Legally Required to Live. This story would not exist of it was not for ARandomCasualPerson. Their support and encouragement is the only reason I had the motivation to write this. Thank you.

Back To The Starting Line.

Screech flew around Luna's Home for Journeying Children. The small building was built in the shape of a crescent moon. It was mostly black. The A frame roof was a bright white that reflected moon light but not sunlight. She looked for dragons despite knowing none lived in Ponyville.

A few older pegasi sat on the roof and drank stolen beer. One threw an empty can at Screech.

The can bounced off Screeche's head. She suppressed the urge to pummel the pegasus and his cheering friends. She flew through her window and went to bed. She accepted the simple fact monsters deserve to suffer.

Screech sat in the cafeteria. She rubbed her eyes and tried to stay awake through breakfast. She had enough nightmares at night.

A pegasus landed on a large wooden rafter five ponies above the dining tables. He smiled warmly. "Nice to have you back two wings."

Screech hissed.

Wild Heart laughed. He brushed back his orange mane with his red hoof. His crooked teeth shined in the morning light. "How was Dodge?"

Screech glared at her her cold hey, warm oats and bruised apple. "Leave me alone."

Wild sat on the beam under the skylight. "Scoops is back too. Her family didn't like her either."

"The Berrys loved me!" Screech snapped.

Wild scoffed, "Then why are you back here?"

Screech bared her fangs. "I murdered them."

Wild laughed. "Right." He ate his apple in two bites. "Sorry about my friends. They were not throwing those cans at you. They were. They didn't know it was you."

Screech heard two ponies making a plan to get wild out of the rafters so they could beat him for taking their beer.

"No pony would be foolish enough to make you mad. Not one who liked breathing anyway."

A big white earth pony with a cutie mark of a boxing glove landed on the rafter. He took one look at Screech and jumped to the floor below. He landed with a thud. He screamed, "The monster is back!"

Wild smirked. "Told ya."

Six hours after she returned, Screech was welcomed home by having every pony run from the cafeteria screaming.

Screech sat in the front of her Old Ponish class. She sat in the front of every class. No pony wanted her behind them. Outside Luna's she was still a monster.

The school was older than Luna's but it was well maintained. Eighty percent of it had not collapsed. It was still a cube. The floors didn't creak. The windows were not drafty. The walls were not a white so dirty it looked grey some places and green others, because they were painted yellow every few years.

A pink pony with a brown and white mane sat beside Screech. Her cutie mark of a collection of dice surprised everypony. They all thought Double Scoop would have an ice cream related talent. "My name is Double Scoop." She smiled brightly. "My friends call me scoops."

"Nice to meet you Double," Screech said without looking at the filly.

"Scoops," Double corrected.

Screech sighed. "Who do you want me to scare away?"

Scoops laughed like she hard a joke. "No pony. I heard your new family sent you back."

Screech bared her fangs. "They didn't. I was taken away for violent behavior."

Scoops laughed again. "We are all violent. It is the one right orphans have." She laughed a third time.

Screech ignored the girl and buried her muzzle in her text book.

"My new family sent me back too." She laughed again. It started to sound like a cough. "I was a model child. After three months they caught me kissing a girl and sent me back."

Screech turned the page of her book.

Scoops placed her hoof on Screeche's. Her hoof was warm and gentle. "Have you ever kissed a girl?"

Screech remembered Seam. She shoved Scoops to the floor. "Don't touch me."

For a split second Scoops and Screech stared at each other like they were going to fight to the death.

Scoopse's face quickly changed to a look of sadness.

Screech sat on a stone bench in Platinum Park; an old jewel mine Princess Platinum gifted to a pack diamond dogs during her brief reign before Luna became princess. The light was dim enough Screech could see without her sunglasses.

"What are you drawing two wings?" asked Wild Hearts.

Screech ignored Wild and continued the letter she was writing to her mother.

Wild picked up one of Screeche's crayons and drew a clown on the otherwise dull grey wall of the cave.

"Don't draw on the walls!" yelled a teen aged unicorn in a park uniform.

"Bite me!" yelled Wild.

Not sure what else to do the unicorn left.

Wild continued drawing a family of clowns. "Didn't see you in Old Ponish today."

Screech sighed. "You know I got detention for shoving Double Scoop."

Wild nodded. "I do know." He picked up a pink crayon. "Think she likes you?"

Screech ignored Wild.

"I hear she is a slut."

"Are you saying only a slut could like me?" snapped Screech.

Wild nodded. "I am. You are a monster."

Screech snatched her crayon out of Wild's hoof.

Wild sighed and dropped onto the bench.

Screech watched the happy families around her playing in the park. She wrote she and the Berry family were enjoying their trip to the park. She told her mother she was doing everything she saw the happy young ponies doing. She told her mother an annoying boy was yelling at the park officials and refusing to leave.

Screech continued writing her letter. She sat on the old mattress she slept on in Luna's. She left Platinum Park for no one reason.

Wild and Ham Bone sat on the floor and played Liars Dice. They ignored Screech despite being in her room.

Scoops pushed past the two earth ponies who were waiting outside Screeche's room to beat her guests. She hopped onto the bed. Her head hit the floor.

Screech bared her fangs. "Get away from me!"

Scoop's got to her hooves and slapped Screech right across her muzzle.

Wild and Ham looked at the fillies. "Fight! Fight! Fight!" The colts chanted.

Screech turned her attention back to her letter. She didn't eject Scoops from her bed a second time.

"What is the slut doing here?" asked Ham Bone.

Wild shrugged. "Two wings, what is the slut doing here?"

Scoops spit at the colts. "I am not a slut."

"You are in bed with another girl," pointed out Ham.

Scoops horn glowed pink and Ham's cup of dice froze to the floor. "Screech," she said with a smile. "I am sorry I got you sent to detention." She showed no remorse for hitting Screech. "I wanted our relationship to get off to a better start." She moved closer to her.

"Sssslluuuuuuutttt!" Both colts yelled.

Scoops jumped off the bed. "What are you boys doing hiding in a girls room from a couple of bullies. I should kick your flanks myself." She tried to intimidate the boys.

The colts laughed. Scoops was the same age as them, two years older than Screech, and much smaller.

"What do you want with two wings?" questioned Ham.

Scoops sneered. "That is none of your business."

Wild nodded. "I don't care. Slut it up with the monster."

"Screech is not a monster."

Wiled cocked his head. "Two wings left through the window while you were yelling at us."

Scoops sighed.

"Why do you like the monster?" asked Ham.

Scoops shrugged. "She can't have much self confidence."

"Slut," accused Wild.

Scoop rolled her eyes. As she turned to leave she saw Screech sitting on her bed writing her letter.

Screech hoped the rest of her days in Luna's would not be as hectic and scattered as her first. She sat on her beam above the cafeteria and chewed hay.

"Hear about the latest addition to the bad kids wing?" asked Wild.

Screech ignored Wild and continued eating her breakfast.

"A diamond dog got sent to our side of the orphanage last night," continued wild. "He looked like he was bigger than you are. Must be nearly full grown." He bit his apple. "We have a bat pony, an umbrum and now a diamond dog. Soon the entire wing will be monsters. After you three kill all us normal ponies."

Bobo stormed into the cafeteria. The big black dog looked through the room with his little yellow eyes. His big pink nose twitched as he sucked all the air out of the room.

"Speak of Sombra and he will appear," said Wild.

In the front of the cafeteria sat a group of colts. They drank beers and ate hey cakes and doughnut they stole from the store down the street.

Bobo walked to the back of the cafeteria. He stole both apples from two fillies who were only in the bad kids wing because Gilded Lilly didn't like ponies with autism.

Screech bared her fangs. "I never did like dogs." She leapt off her beam and landed behind Bobo. "Give the apples back," she commanded.

Bobo laughed in Screeche's face. His hot breath smelled like blood. His black gums were bleeding. His crooked teeth on the edge of falling out. His parents were likely alive. It looked like he was taken away do to neglect.

Screech ignored the irony and bared her fangs. "Give the apples back." She winced at the high pitched cries of the fillies she was standing up for.

Bobo crammed both apples into his bleeding maw. He smiled and swung his big cracked claws at Screech. He only hit the air. Screech was just out of his range. He lunged forward and swung again. He missed by two hooves. He attacked a third time. His claws tore the flesh off the right side of Screeche's muzzle.

The kitchen workers watched from behind magic proof glass.

The cuts in Screeche's face healed before Bobo's eyes. She bared her magic fangs. "Apologize and get those fillies new apples or I will knock your rotting teeth out."

Bobo looked at his blood covered claws. "No. I can't hurt you but you can't hurt me either." A huge grin spread across his face.

Screech flared her flesh wing.

Bobo spit out the top halves of his bottom row of teeth. They were cut cleanly in half.

"New apples!" Screech resisted the urge to kill Bobo and returned to her breakfast. She didn't eat. She wanted to cry. She felt horrible for hurting Bobo. She felt like a monster. She heard Periwinkle's screams echo in her ears. She wanted to kill something to quiet the screams. Killing things always made her feel better.

"That was awesome two wings," praised Wild. "I would tell you that you are a good monster if it was not a paradox."

"Oxymoron," corrected Screech.

Wild nodded. "You are an oxymoron. A monster who can be cool."

Screech tried to wipe the flecks of dried blood off her sunglasses.

"Miss Stormchaser," said a mare who was so big she struggled to breath. "Dr. Red can see you now." She bit a wheel of cheese and gestured toward a heavy oak door.

Screech opened the door. She saw a room with more bright colors than a fireworks display. The thick scratchy carpet looked like it was made in an exploding paint factory. Everything was likely made in the age of psychedelia.

A bull with no horns sat on the carpet and arranged crystals. He looked to be thirty. Far to young to have bought the décor when it was new. He smiled. "Sit anywhere you like."

Screech passed the beanbag chair and sat on the wooden park bench. She looked at the lava lamp which sat beside her. "And I thought I needed a psychiatrist."

Dr. Red nodded. "I get that a lot." He got off the floor and sat on his oak desk. It was too big to fit through the door. "I was told you started a fight with a boy at your orphanage."

Screech glared at him. "I know."

"I was also told you have a history of violence."

Screech waited for him to continue. She waited for a while.

"Miss Stormchaser, can you tell me why you attacked Bobo?"

"I am a monster. Simple as that."

"What makes you think you are a monster?"

"My history of violence."

"Before you were violent you were not a monster?"

"I was born violent."

"But if you could stop being violent then you should not be a monster?"

"Sure. You can't change what you are born as."

"That is true. To a certain extent. I know what it is like to see yourself as not right. As different on the inside than you are on the outside. I took action to make myself who I knew I was. Who I am now."

"An udder reduction surgery can't fix my problems."

"It didn't fix mine either. Hard work fixed my problems. Are you willing to put in the work to change for the better?"

Screech shrugged. "I can't leave for an hour. Why not?"

Dr. Red smiled. "Tell me about your mother."

"How much do you know about her?"

"Only what your medical records told me."

"My medical records are wrong."

"She didn't cut off your wing?"

"Not on purpose."

"Tell me what did happen."

Screech was glad her session with Dr. Red was over. It left her feeling tired. She didn't care about Equestria's history. Bat ponies were always over looked for lessons about The Pillars or Celestia. She planned on sleeping through the class unless it was a lesson about history in the making. She enjoyed hearing about the new princess and her adventures.

"We are learning about pre-Equesteian history today." Said Dr. Papyrus. The grey unicorn polished her square glasses. "The ponies who lived before Celestia and Luna. Who here has ever heard of a pony named Munificent?"

Screech was the only creature in the class who raised a hoof.

Dr. Papyrus beamed. "How did you hear about her?"

"She was my grandmother," replied Screech dryly.

Mrs. Papyruse's jaw dropped. "You are a descendant of the Munificent? Please tell the class everything you know about her."

"I don't know much," said Screech. "Only what my mother told me about her. She died before I was born.

"Once upon a time a Pegasus named Munificent was chosen by a unicorn princess named Grandiloquent. Princess Grand enchanted her wings giving her the power to help ponies in need.

"Munificent was sent to an orphanage where ponies needed the most help. She used her magic wings to make a single spoon full of soup fill the bellies of the hungry fillies and colts. She used her magic wings to turn old broken toys into into new toys that were more fun than ever. She used her magic wings to transform the thin worn blankets on the children's beds into warm cozy wool blankets.

"The owner of the orphanage demanded Munificent use her wings to turn her into an alicorn. She attacked Munificent and tried to cut her wings off when she refused.

"Munificent returned to Princess Grand covered in her attacker's blood. The princess took her wings away entirely. Only monsters kill. Munificent was shunned by Princess Grand's subjects until she starved to death on streets paved with gold."

"That is right," Praised Dr. Papyrus. "Who-"

"Munificent's soul was sent to Limbo," continued Screech. "Where she met The Pony Of Shadows. He offered her new wings. Better wings. She returned to the living world three hundred years later. She used her wings to make the ponies of Grand's kingdom hungrier as they ate. Some didn't realize what was happening and ate until they starved to death. Others were crushed under the weight of their fine belongings. Burned to death under their warm blankets. The kingdom now devoid of life was invaded by umbra who were accused of the atrocities.

"Munificent went to work breeding an army of monsters. Monsters who could kill Princess Celestia before the return of Nightmare Moon. Once the world was bathed in eternal darkness The Pony Of Shadows would have returned and... I don't know what he would have done.

"The monsters attacked Canterlot Palace one year before the return of Nightmare Moon. They were killed by Celestia and her royal guard. Munificent was killed by a secret organization of ponies in sunglasses and tuxedos. And I was born a few years later."

Dr. Papyrus stared at Screech. "Your mother is a liar!" she screamed. "There is no connection between the blessed angle and the horrid witch who stole her name!" Tears filled her eyes. "Those are nasty lies! Go to detention!" She broke into a fit of sobbing.

Screech gladly left. She went to the library to nap.

Waiting For The Race To Start.

Screech woke with a scream. Her nightmare was about her mother. She was happy it was not about Periwinkle. She picked her head up off the table. She was in the library. She looked at the wall clock. Ten minutes.

Scoops sauntered into the library. She spotted Screech lying her head on a table. She was sleeping peacefully. She sat beside Screech. "Wake up!" she yelled.

Screech flew to the ceiling with bared her fangs. She dropped to the floor. "Leave me alone."

"You looked like you were having a nightmare," lied Scoops.

Screech hissed, "I wasn't." She looked at the clock. Four minutes. "How did you get out of history class?"

"Bathroom. Why aren't you in detention?"

"That is not the punishment I deserve."

Scoops nodded and waited for the opportunity to talk. "Want to be my mare-friend?"

"No." Screech laid her head back on the desk.

"You aren't gay?"

Screech blushed. "That is none of your business."

Scoops smiled. "I knew you were." She wrapped both of her forelegs around Screeche's.

Screech pulled her leg free. She fought the urge to bring her hoof down on Scoop's skull. She heard Periwinkle screaming and her stomach turned. She put her hoof on her chair. "Please leave me alone. I don't want to hurt you."

"That is so sweet," said Scoops with a smile. "I am sure you will not hurt me. No pony has ever broken my heart." Her smile looked a little too big.

"I am not gay."

Scoops shrugged. "I don't mind. I will love you either way."

Screeche's heart jumped into her throat. "You what?"

Scoops smiled. She could have been mistaken for a safe cracker. "I- Love- You."

Screech didn't breath.

Scoops wrapped her hooves around Screech. She pressed her maturing body against the younger fille's. "How about we go on a date?"

"Ok-k-kay," Screech stammered out as she leapt out of her chair and flew out of the library.

Screech stood on top of the rock slide. It was made of smooth plastic. Nothing in the Platinum Park playground was made of rock. Everything from the purple and yellow seesaw to the pinks swings were plastic. The floor was a dull orange rubber.

Bobo sat against the far wall in the middle of one of the four hop scotch courts. The same Foals who cried when they saw Screech pet him. He stared at Screech. She looked away.

Wild sat on the bottom of the slide. He tossed bread crumbs to a colonies of moles.

Screech sat on the ground out side the bad wing of Luna's. The warm sunlight baked her coat. The slow wind ruffled her mane.

Wild glanced at the some-pony special of the fillies he poured house paint on. "I am going to get my flank kicked the moment you are gone."

Screech nodded. "You deserve it."

Wild laughed. "I know, two wings."

"I am helping out at the daycare," announced Scoops.

"I can't imagine foals liking you," said Wild without a hint of sarcasm.

Scoops laughed. Her first genuine laugh. "Kids love me."

Screech looked up at the partly cloudy sky. "I am helping the weather team. We need to gather stray rain clouds."

Wild stuck his tongue out at the burly colt. "I hear the kids from the good wing get to volunteer at the butterfly garden. Not moving logs for over industrious beavers."

"Monsters deserve to be punished. Screech stretched her wings. She fought back a yawn.

"I am not a monster," objected Scoops.
No pony said a word.

Screech sat on the sloped wood shingled roof of her school. She drew a picture of Wild, Ham and their friends throwing water balloons at the kids who had to show up on their days off to take "truth" classes.

"You like baseball?" asked Wild.

Screech shrugged. "I hope if I give her what she wants she will leave me alone."

"Slut!" yelled Ham.

Screech continued her drawing.

Wild threw a balloon at Ham. "It is nice to see you trying to make a friend. You have changed a lot since Dodge."

Screech smiled. She felt pride well up in her chest. Her stomach churned. She leaned over the edge of the roof and hurled. Her pried left with her breakfast.

Ham Bone rolled a baseball like a bowling ball across a tennis court.

Wild Heart sat on the ground beside Ham. His black eye was covered by an ice pack. "Why are we on a tennis court?"

Ham shrugged. "Curfew is not for another hour. What do you want to do?"

Bright Melodie put her chin on her hooves. "I am fine laying on plastic bleachers for an hour."

Screech tossed a baseball to Ham. She didn't offer an excuse for being at the court so no pony asked.

"How did your date go?" asked Ham.

Screech shrugged. "Scoops was quiet the entire game. She is pretty when she isn't talking."

"That is most mares," joked ham.

Screech and Wild teased, "Slut," at the same time.

"Scoops seems nice," said Melodie. "She was the first pony to be nice to me at Luna's. She was one of the first ponies ever to not run away when I told her I was an umbrum."

Ham rolled the baseball. "She wants to sleep with you."

Melodie flicked her pink and gold tail. "I know. Why do you think I am doing her this favor?"

"She asked me to me her mare friend," said Screech pointedly.

Melodie looked to Screech. "She told me you said no."

"I didn't say anything," lied Screech. "Marry her if you want."

Melodie flicked her long twisting tail. "I will. If I want."

Screech hissed under her breath.

A gang of earth ponies with black duffel bags over their shoulders and hard liquor in their hooves walked across two courts. They stopped a few hooves from Ham.

"Beat it kids this is our territory," barked a thirty something year old pony. His old double breasted jacket reeked of vodka and urine. The kids glanced at him for less than a second.

Melodie looked at the gang. The whites in the umbrum's deep spiraling black eyes glowed green. "Go turn your selves in at the police station."

The gang of ponies nodded to show they understood and marched away.

"Make them leave the boos," said Ham.

Melodie put her chin back on her hooves. "No. I am not letting you molotov Luna's."

"Do you think one of those guys was Scoop's dad?" asked Screech.

"Why would Scoops want me to give one of those jerks an autographed baseball?" asked Wild.

"Because he is her dad dumbass," said Melodie without raising her head.

The gang of ponies marched up to the kids again. "You just earned yourselves a beating," snapped the leader.

"You Scoopse's dad?" asked Wild with no interest in the answer.

A young stallion stepped forward. He looked far too young to be any pony's das. He had an ice-cream cone as a cutie mark. "That is me. How is she doing?" He caught the baseball.

Ham shrugged. "Didn't ask. She just told me to deliver the ball."

"She told me to deliver the ball," corrected Melodie. "I can't be filly-napped because my body is made of smoke." The bright gold swirls on her shiny black coat started to move.

"I am not going to..." Cone looked at the ground. "Tell her I am sorry."

Melodie yawned.

"Scram!" shouted the leader.

The kids rolled their eyes and left.

"Why bother having the ball signed if she is not going to give it to him herself?" asked Ham.

"She loves him as much as she hates him," guessed Screech.

"Parents suck. I am going to make sure my kids never have parents," Wild half joked.

Two hours after curfew Screech wondered through Ponyville. Unless she was exhausted enough to sleep through her nightmares she never got any rest. Her eyes glowed in the soft moon light. She passed by tall metal street lamps and straight rows of cozy little homes. She hard a faint cry so quiet even her ears had trouble hearing it. She stared up at a small grey and white kitten. The kitten stared back, eyes also aglow, and mewed.

Screech flew to the top of the lamp post. The kitten was wearing a collar made of rope and cardboard. "Bird food" was written on the collar.

The kitten mewed but didn't move.

Screech tried to pick up the kitten. It was glued to the lamp post. Her first instinct was to put the poor creature out of its misery. She shook her grandmother's voice from her head. "Meow," said screech hoping it would reassure her new friend she would be back soon.

"Mew," responded Bird Food as if she understood.

Screech flew away to find any unicorn. She flew faster than she did when she was in the rodeo. Her lean body tore through the night sky at a speed that would make a falcon look like a dodo. She was grateful Luna's windows never closed properly as she tore one open. She grabbed Scoops and returned to Bird Food without explaining where they were going.

On the lamp post was four paws, a clump of fur and a puddle of dried glue.

Screech glided to the ground. She knew she didn't always have the best reasons for killing dogs. She didn't think she was any better than the pegasus who glued Bird Food to the lamp post. She accepted this was a form of punishment for killing animals. If she was not a monster she would have been able to save Bird Food.

Screech burst into tears. She stomped her hooves so hard they hurt. She hated being a monster. She sobbed so loudly she hurt her own ears. She wanted to kill something. Anything.

"Can you take me back to Luna's," asked Scoops through a yawn. "I need to get six hours or I look tired."

Screech stomped as hard as she could. She grabbed Scoops and flew back to Luna's.

Screech flew around Luna's seventy-two times. She had done it wrong the first sixty-three times.

When screech returned to her bedroom she found it ransacked. "Goddesses live among us!" was painted across the wall in white paint. She didn't care about the room and she didn't own much, so no real harm was done. Her crayons were broken. Her letters from Carver were untouched. No pony wanted to die.

Screech pushed her mattress back onto its bedframe and took off her prosthetic wing. She could still smell the ponies who were in her room. She could have tracked them down easily. She went to bed.

After school Screech sat on her bed. Two letters sat in front of her. She was only expecting one. One was from Carver. The other from Mrs. McVeigh. Screech wondered how a mare who was eaten by her own rabid dogs could send letters. She opened the letter from Mrs. McVeigh.

"Prey is doing well," Mrs. McVeigh's letter read. "We did not cast him out no matter how much Funny begged us to.

The entire town is mad at you. Myself included.

Word of your attempt to murder me spread to Manehatten. You are not getting your new wing.

Your hero ceremony is now in honor of Mrs. McVeigh. I thought you would want to know that. You seemed to enjoy irony.
I hope you are doing well. I hope you know I will never forgive you.

-Periwinkle."

Wild slipped bits of cheese through a crack in the wall. "Why are you crying?"

Screech hissed. She hissed and hissed until her throat burned more than her eyes.

"Use your pony words."

"I hope the rats bite you!" Screech grabbed her broken crayons. She had to write back. She stared at a blank page for an hour. There was nothing she could say.

Falling On Your Face At The Starting Line.

Screech sat at a table for her breakfast of cold hey, warm oats and a bruised apple. Luna's cafeteria looked different from below the rafters. Scoops was beside her. Melodie was beside scoops.

"You look awful," said Wild as he sat across from Melodie.

"I didn't sleep much," hissed Screech.

Scoops leaned against Screech. "I hope a mare didn't keep you up."

Wild picked up his apple. "Not unless nightmares count. I could hear her screaming through the wall all night."

Scoops laughed. "I could make her her scream all night."

Screech shoved Scoops to the floor. "I am glad my torment is funny to you!"

Melodie offered Scoops a hoof.

Scoops ignored Melodie and saddled up beside Screech. "Your torment is not funny. We can cut class and I can show you how serious I was."

"Slut," Melodie spat. She took her breakfast and moved to a different table.

Screech nodded. "Okay. I can't skip school. We can kiss after."

Scoops breathed a sigh of relief. "Great. I need to go find... something." She hopped of her chair and trotted away in the direction Melodie went.

Wild stared at Screech.

"What?"

Wild shrugged. "I will get you some new crayons while I am out today."

Bobo sat behind Screech in history class. Despite being much older he was still in her grade. So were Wild, Scoops and half the orphans in the bad wing.

A spit ball hit Screeche's ear making it twitch.

Dr. Papyrus giggled and continued the lesson.

A spit ball hit Screeche's ear making it twitch.

Dr. Papyrus giggled and continued the lesson. "Screech, can you tell the class who forged the crystal heart?"

Screech cocked her head. "No pony. The crystal heart was found here in Ponyville. There is an exhibit in the exact spot it was found in Platinum Park."

Dr. Papyrus frowned.

Screech realized her mistake.

"I have to step out for a moment," said Dr. Papyrus. She gave Screech one last glare before she left the room.

Screech could hear her classmates breathing.

A spit ball hit Screeche's muzzle making her grimace.

Ponies jumped out of their seats all across the room. Some big orphans. Some small non-orphans. One dozen unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies united to kick one bat pony's flank.

Screech flipped through her history book. She pretended she didn't notice she was surrounded.

"What are you doing!" barked Bobo.

Everypony jumped. "Just put your head down," commanded a colt.

Bobo snarled and bared what remained of his teeth. "The pony was right. We diamond dogs found your silly little heart."

"No!" yelled half the mob. "The crystal heart was made by Princess Faire Croire Cadenza. She was the earth pony goddess of the Frozen North."

Bobo laughed. "They are mad at you- a bat pony- because their religion is wrong about history."

Screech looked at Bobo and raised an eyebrow. "You do know we are in St. Luna's School For Enlightened Ponies?" She showed him where in her textbook it said geologists were wrong and that the crystal heart was made by a goddess.

Bobo laughed again. His roaring laughter shook the room.

The members of the mob exchanged glances and went back to their seats. Screech was a monster, but also a pony. Bobo was different enough to be worth fearing.

Dr. Papyrus returned to find all of her students exactly as she left them. She frowned, but continued her lesson.

Screech met Scoops in her bedroom. Aside from a Little League trophy there were no decorations. The only decoration in her own room was her certificate of heroism.

Scoops saw Screech looking at her trophy and threw it under her bed. She smiled. "I have been waiting for you all day."

Screech hissed. "You smell like Blue Grass."
Scoops waved her hoof dismissively. "We were hanging out."

"I can smell his spit on you mouth and ears."

Double Scoop sighed. "Can't we pretend you don't."

"No!"

Scoops rolled her eyes. "Fine. I will take a shower."

"You said..." Screech bit her tongue.

"You said no."

"You said you loved me!" snapped Screech.

Scoops shrugged. "I love a lot of ponies. She kissed Blue Grasse's spit onto Screehe's cheek. "I love you most."

Screech dove to the ground so fast she left four divots in the dirt beneath her hooves. "Your friend is a jerk!"

Wild nodded. "All of my friends are jerks. Even you two wings."

"Blue Grass kissed Scoops today."

"A lot of ponies have kissed Scoops. She is a slut."

"It was different then. I didn't like her then."

Wild nodded. He handed Screech a box of crayons. "Happy one week anniversary."

Screech cocked her head.

"It has been one week since you came back to Luna's."

A train barreled past Screech.

"Why are you sitting by the train tracks?"

"Beer."

"Tell Blue Grass to stay away from Scoops."

"Tell him yourself."

Screech look at the sky. "I did. He said no."

"Yeah. He is a jerk."

Screech stomped. "So am I." She spun in a circle nine times. She took off. She flew back to where she was standing and spun in a circle nine times.

Screech sat on the beanbag chair in Dr. Red's office.

"How was your week back in Ponyville?" asked Dr. Red.

Screech sighed. "Far too long. It passed in a blink."

"Care to tell me about it?"

Screech sighed heavily. "Yes."

Screech, Bobo and Melodie sat on the rubber floor in Platinum Park.

Bobo laughed. He examined the crayon he held. "This is fun. I never had crayons before. Only chalk."

Melodie drew little spirals.

Screech nodded. "It was the least I could do. Thank you for helping me. I didn't want to hurt all of those ponies."

Bobo nodded. "I know how bad it feels to hurt others. Thank you for forgiving me."

Screech shrugged. "I forgive quickly. That is just the way I was born."

The three continued drawing.

"How were the two of you orphaned?" asked Melodie.

Screech pressed her wings against her sides. "My momma had an accident. My papa had a heart attack."

Bobo hummed quietly. He was thinking hard. "I don't know. I have always been alone."

Melodie held up her picture. Two umbrum and dozens of ponies wearing green cloaks bowing to a windigo.

"Your parents joined a cult?" asked Screech.

"That is not a cult," said Bobo. "All umbrum worship windigo."

Melodie raied an eye brow. "Who told you that?"

Bobo thought for a few moments. "How much of what that school teaches is true?"

"Sixty percent," said Screech. "Just enough to make the truths and lies indistinguishable."

The good wing of Luna's. It was only a short trot from the bad wing. It was built after most of the original building collapsed during a hydra attack. It was larger, more sturdy and more well maintained than the bad wing.

Screech walked across carpet down a hall with white walls. She listed to Bobo's big paw knock against the heavy oak door to Gilded Lily's office.

Melodie looked at the framed photographs of famous ponies who grew up in Luna's. One photo was cut into fourths because two of the ponies in it were not worth displaying. Melodie took in the majesty of the grand building. It was the first time she had set hoof inside.

The door opened. Gilded frowned at the children. "You are early."

"Can we come in?" asked Melodie.

"You may not!" Gilded adjusted her new designer diamond necklace. "I didn't call you here for tea. I called you here because Luna's is over budget. You bad creatures should not have a place here in the first place, so you are going to get me the money I need."

Bobo snorted.

Screech smiled. "How do you expect us to raise money?"

Gilded smiled. Her smile was warm and joyful. "All wards at Lunas have medical insurance. It is provided by the town. If a few wards sustained injuries Healing Hoof Insurance Co. may donate a small sum to help improve the safety of our establishment."

Melodie turned her muzzle up. "I am not helping you commit insurance fraud."

Gilded scoffed. "I am not surprised the umbrum does not want anypony to eat."

"What will I get in return?" asked Screech.

"What do you want?"

"I want to go to therapy twice a week, lumber, nails, a saw and a hammer."

"Done. Wreak havoc in the bad wing until I tell you to stop."

Screech and Gilded shook hooves. They looked to Bobo. He also shook Gilded's hoof.

Screech sat on top of a rafter in the cafeteria. Her breakfast of cold hey, warm oats and a bruised apple sat in front of her.

"You are not going to hurt anypony!" commanded Melodie.

Screech covered her ears. "Don't yell."

Wild laughed. "Every pony calls two wings a monster for a reason."

"Screech is not a monster."

"You are too new to know what Screech is truly like. Trust me. Two wings will hurt anypony she wants to."

"Screech is too sweet to want to hurt any pony."

Wild nodded in agreement. "I think so too. We are both wrong."

Scoops and Blue Grass sat at a table together.

Screech smiled at Melodie. "Don't worry. I am not going to hurt you."

"I am not worried about me," assured Melodie. "I am worried about yo-"

The moment Scoops and Blue Grass kissed, Screech dove off the rafter. She slammed into Blue Grass so hard the old rotting floor splintered under his back. Screech bludgeoned Blue Grass with her hooves. She wanted to use her fangs, but didn't want to kill him. Teeth and blood sprayed across the floor. Kids all around breathed sighs of relief it was not them under the bat pony.

Blue Grass was not a small colt. He was the same size as Screech. He swung his hooves against Screeche's face. His back legs thrust in an effort to buck his attacker off.

Screech took punch after punch on the chin. She could have avoided them but she knew she deserved the mild pain.

Scoops grabbed Screech by her main and pulled.

Blue saw Screeche's head rear back and her weight shifted off of him. He squirmed free and grabbed a piece of the broken floor.

Screech pulled Scoop's hooves from her hair and flew to the other side of the table.

"What is wrong with you!" screamed Scoops.

Screech spit blood on the table. "I told you to keep your hooves to yourself."

Blue pressed his shard of wood to Scoop's neck. "Shut up!" he commanded. "This is your fault slut!" He slashed the filly's throat.

Screech dove toward Blue punching him in the face hard enough to knock him onto his butt. She grabbed Scoops and bit her neck.

Blue thrust the wood like a rapier.

Screech took off toward the rafters but got a nasty gash on her foreleg. It burned as the dirty jagged wood tore through her flesh.

Blue took the opportunity to run away.

"Why did you hurt Blue?" asked Scoops after her neck was healed.

Screech licked the blood off her fangs and spit it onto the floor below. "He forced himself on you."

"No he didn't!" assured Scoops.

Screech bared her fangs. "Can't we pretend he did?"

Screech bit her bleeding leg. Despite the fact she held back she felt great, powerful, confident and in control. With any luck her leg would be healed before she started vomiting from guilt.

Melodie watched with amazement as the would in Screeche's leg magically closed. She forgot she was mad and disgusted. "How did you do that?"

Screech shrugged. "It is nothing special. I have magic fangs. It is just the way I was born."

Screech shot a marble across the orange rubber floor in Platinum Park. It missed all of Ham's marbles.

Wild ate another mini-muffin. Melodie didn't eat a single one. Screech took pink the main brush out of her gift basket. Blue Grass amassed quite the medical bill. Bobo cut the watermelon with his claws.

Scoops yelled, "Your colt friend got you a necklace," at a random mare who was talking to her friend. "That is cute. My Some pony special would kill for me." She cuddled Screech and told her she was a hero. Screech nearly vomited.

Melodie stared at the floor. "How can you be happy about what she did?"

Scoops laughed. "Every pony wants to be loved enough to have some pony kill for them. That is just how we are all born."

"You can say so until your dying breath," scoffed Bright Melodie. "It will never be true."

"Watermelon?" offered Bobo.

"The only universal truth is there is no truth in this universe," said Ham as he threw a marble.

Melodie looked up. "All of you are horrible. If I could make other friends- if every other pony in this horrible world was not just as bad as you are- I would never speak to any of you again."

"Same," said Wild.

"Ditto," called Screech.

"Not me," lied Scoops.

"What is your point?" asked Ham.

"Her point is that she is better than we are," said Wild.

Melodie opened her mouth to protest. She closed it without a word.

Bobo placed a melon slice in front of Melodie.

Blue Grass and all of his friends (except Wild and Ham) were sill in the hospital. Screech didn't remember which ponies trashed her room and threatened to beat her in class, but Bobo did. Any wards Screech and Bobo didn't hate were already released from the hospital.

Late at night Screech tore the floor out of Luna's cafeteria board by board. She was having no luck sleeping and there were no kittens on any lamp posts anywhere in Ponyville. By morning half the floor was replaced with new wood.

Scoops sauntered up to Screech. "This is amazing. I didn't know you could lay floors."

Screech pointed at her cutie mark. "I can fix anything."

Wild stood on the spot Blue Grass shattered the floor. He stood on sturdy new boards. "I can't believe Gilded got you the wood so quickly. It has only been five days."

"How can I help?" asked Bobo.

Screech cocked her head. "I don't know. I planned on fixing the bad wing alone."

Wild laughed. "Not a chance two wings. We all live here."

Screech held up her hammer. "I only have the one."

"Where is your measuring tape?" asked Ham.

Screech rolled her eyes and pointed at her cutie mark.

Wild sighed. "There is a construction sight a few streets over. I will head there and steal some tools. Be back in a few minutes." He walked out of the room as if he was going to the park for a stroll.

Bobo excitedly waited for Wild to return. Every time any pony walked through the door he jumped up.

Screech hammered a floor board into place.

Scoops watched Screech. "How long is this going to take?"

"Don't know. A few months."

Scoops groaned. "We have a date today. You promised to fly me to the new game shop on the other side of town. I can't walk there." She laughed.

"Sorry, but I can't put the hammer down. It is psychically impossible." Screech put the hammer down. "I can't do that." She picked the hammer back up. "I wish I could take you. This can't be done." She put the hammer down. "You understand what I am saying right?"

Scoops didn't laugh. "Yes. I do." She marched away.

Screech flew around Scoops stopping her. "What do you think I am saying."

"Nothing. Just that I am stupid."

"Yup. I was seriously implying you don't know what a hammer is."

"I know." Scoops walked away. She sat between two colts who were having a conversation.

Screech hissed to herself. She grabbed two breakfasts and sat cross from Scoops.

Wild returned with a big metal tool box. Bobo jumped up and down excitedly.

"Can you cut the lock?" asked Wild.

Bobo tore the heavy steel lock on the tool box to shreds with a swipe of his claws.

Screech sat at a small plastic table. She watched Scoops cheat at a board game made for foals. Mr. Paddle Ball was happy to let children play with all of his games and toys.

"You moved too many spaces," accused Seaglass.

Scoops scoffed. "I rolled a nine."

"You rolled a five and a three."

"Five plus three is nine. Right Screech?"

Screech nodded. "Sure." She wanted to be fixing the floor.

Seeglass counted to five then added three. "Eight," he said. "Five plus three is eight."

Scoops nodded. "You are right it is." She handed him the dice. "It is your turn." She did not move her piece back down the ladder.

Screech was stuck between full grown ponies playing a complicated game with armies of painted miniatures and backstories the length of novels, and her mare friend.

A filly entered Games For All Young And Old. Fun For All You And Me. She looked around with her one blue eye and her one eye made of rainbows and countless spider webs (it was made of glass). She handed Mr. Paddle Ball a flyer and exchanged a few words with him. She approached Screech and handed her a flyer.

Screech could not take her eyes off the filly's glass eyes. It looked like a crystal ball was shattered and put back together. "I like your eye."

The filly smiled. "Thanks. Made it myself. I am Hazard Caveat. Have you seen my cat?"

Screech looked at the flyer. Saw a picture of Hazard holding a grey kitten. "Bird Food."

Hazard cocked her head. "Is that a no? She has been missing for a week."

Screech took a deep breath. "I did see your cat."

Scoops put her foreleg around Screech. She glared at Hazard. "My mare-friend and I are on a date. Can you bother some-pony else?"

Screech pushed Scoops away. "I will show you where I saw him."

Hazard's light gold coat shined under the bright sun light. Her light black mane was so light it almost didn't look black. Her cutie mark was a blue, yellow, red and white skull with two exclamation points as cross bones. The small earth pony followed Screech and Scoop silently. She didn't cry. She understood Mrs. Meowsys was in a better place.

"This is not how I wanted to spend our date," scolded Scoops.

"I know how you wanted to spend our date."

"How is it my fault you didn't want to play?"

"I am sorry Hazard. You should not have to listen to us fight."

Scoops huffed. "Now you are not talking to me."

"I am talking to you. I can't talk to Hazard at all?"

"You can do what ever you want. You don't need to think about me at all. Just do what ever you want."

Screech hissed. "That is the lamp post up ahead."

Hazard placed her hoof against the lamp post. Tears gushed out of her eye. She sobbed loudly.

Screeche's heart welled. Emotions swirled in her. Guilt for not being able to save Mrs. Meowsys. Grief over the death of her father. Fear of her own death. Joy she was feeling more than nauseated, anxious or like her emotions were replaced by weighted blankets made of novacane that repeled oxygen. She burst into tears.

"Why are you crying?" Scoops snapped. "You like her don't you?"

Screech ignored Scoops and kept crying. She embraced her emotions and was happy to have emotions to embrace.

Scoops refused to help fix the floor in Luna's. Wild, Bobo, Ham and Melodie were working together and getting the floor done more slowly than Screech alone.

"The floor is done," said Wild. "Want to fix the walls next?"

Screech hugged wild. "Thank you. I am happy to be your friend."

Wild pat Screech on her back. "I am happy to be your friend too two wings."

Screech saw Bobo watching. "Get over her."

Bobo bounded over to Screech and Wild and hugged them both.

Screech woke in the middle of the night, but not because of a nightmare. She slept peacefully for hours.

Scoops sat on Screeche's bed. "You are going to leave me for her aren't you?"

"What? Who?"

"The cat filly. The one from the game store."

"No! What would make you think that?"

"You have one wing. She has one eye."

"You think I have to date a disable pony because I am disabled?"

"Do you?"

"No."

Scoops kissed Screech. Screech bit at the air. Her teeth snapped loudly.

"You don't like when I kiss you."

"That is not your fault. I have had bad experiences with kissing."

"Who else have you kissed?"

"I am not doing this." Screech covered her head with her pillow.

Scoops huffed. "Why are you so course?"

"I am tired."

"You are stubborn in the morning too."

"I am always tired."

"You must be. Why are you so... so? Why do you like me?"

"I don't have much self confidence."

"Is that true? You seem confident to me."

Screech pulled her head out from under her pillow. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"I think I am. I like dating you. No pony else has ever made me feel as special as you do. You date me despite the fact you don't want to touch me. You must like me for more than my body. There is nothing else to like."

Screech searched for something to say. Anything that would convince Scoops she was worth loving. "Can we talk about this in the morning?"

Scoops shook her head. "I don't want to." She hopped off the bed. "Good night."

Screech ate her cold hay in the rafters above the new floor. She stared down at Scoops who was flirting with a colt.

"Are you okay?" asked Wild.

"Yeah," said Screech with a smile. "I am actually relived. I didn't notice how much pressure dating Scoops was putting on me."

"Are you going to hurt her new some-pony special?" asked Melodie. She glared with distain.

"No. Why would I?"

"You would take any excuse to do something violent," said Melodie pointedly.

Screech nodded in agreement. "I would. That is just the way I was born. But I don't like Scoops anymore. I don't have an excuse."

Bobo whimpered, "Does this mean Scoops is not our friend anymore?"

No-pony said a word. None of them were sure if they would remain friends with Scoops.

A team of sixteen ponies were repairing the walls, floors and ceilings in Luna's. Every-pony wanted their room remodeled and decided currying Screeche's favor was the only way to get it done.

Screech wiped sweat from her brow as she admired yet another finished room.

"Hey Screech," said a nervous unicorn. He smiled at the floor. "You are doing a great job fixing up Luna's."

Screech shook her head. "Not at all. Luna is a goddess. She deserves better than to have her name attached to my shabby workmanship."

The unicorn's gaze rose. "You believe in the goddesses?"

Screech cocked her head like she was confused. "Of course I do. I think saying my grand mother was one of them is an insult to the goddesses. And Princess Faire Croire Cadenza did many inspiring things. We should not undermine her by attributing false accomplishments to her name."

"You are a real purist," said the unicorn with a big smile. "Dr. Papyrus will be happy to hear that."

Screech offered the unicorn a hammer. "Care to help us?"

The unicorn nodded.

Bobo smiled at Screech. His replacement teeth shined a pristine white under his row of natural rotting teeth. "You are great at fixing things."

Screech smiled and pointed at her cutie mark. "That is just how I was born."

Screech ran laps around the school's one mile race track. Her hooves beat against the sand, rubber and wax track. Despite the mild light of the setting sun Screech wore her sunglasses. The rodeo took place during the day.

"One hundred two seconds," said Wild. "Is that good?"

Screech shook her head. "No. At my peak I could run a mile in ninety-eight seconds." She sighed. "I am not worried. Ponyville has never been known for its rodeo talents. I broke nine records in Phillidalphia two years ago. Twelve in Canterlot. I should do fine."

"Two wings. Breath. The rodeo is weeks away."

Screech took a deep breath. "Thanks. Ready?"

Wild nodded. "Ready."

Screech took off running.

Melodie watched Screech run. "She does not have me fooled."

"What do you mean?" asked Wild.

"Screech is a monster."

Wild chuckled. "Two wings is a lot of things umbrum."

Scoops walked into the Platinum Park playground. She smiled at her friends. "Hey."

Screech smiled back. "Hey."

Bobo grabbed Scoops and hugged her.

"Good to see you slut," said Ham with a grin.

"How are you doing?" asked Scoops.

"Great actually," said Screech. "I have not flown around Luna's in days. I have not had my OCD under control like this in years. Even when I lived in Canterlot."

"I didn't know you have OCD," said Melodie.

Screech nodded. "We have not know each other very long. There is a lot you don't know about me."

"When Gilded Lily took away her crayons she wrote a letter in a colt's blood," said Ham.

"You should have gone to therapy sooner," observed Wild.

Hazard Caveat sauntered up to Scoops with a saddle bag full of dolls. She waved at the creatures around her. "Nice to meet all of you. Screech already told me your names so there is no need for introductions."

"I have never played dolls," Bobo admitted sheepishly.

Hazard placed an assuring hoof on Bobo's shoulder. "Don't worry. With some help and a little practice you will find it It is surprisingly easy."

Finishing In Last Place.

The bad wing still lived up to its name. It's floors did not creak. The the walls were painted a fresh coat of off white. The windows closed all the way. The clean walkable halls were still filled with troubled kids.

Screech sat a a table in the cafeteria in Luna's. Fillies and colts walked past her and sat at her table without screaming or crying. "Is it just me or are they not afraid of me anymore?"

Wild grinned. "They are not afraid of you. Why would they be? You stopped crying constantly. You don't hiss nearly as often. You stopped attacking ponies; ponies stopped talking about your mother. Dodge Junction changed you."

Screech shook her head. "Dodge Junction is where I realized I needed to change. The work I put into being better changed me."

Bobo looked around. "I am sad we finished fixing up this place. It brought every-pony together."

"After the rodeo we can start a new project," suggested Melodie. "We can do something for the community."

"'If you ponies want any chance of being adopted then you need to show the community you are useful'," said Wild in a mocking voice.

Scoops shook her head. "That will not work. The kids here only helped fix Luna's because it benefited them. How many of these ponies would volunteer if it was not mandatory?"

"What if we start a garden?" asked Melodie.

"It would be nice to eat something other than cold hay, warm oats and an apple," said Screech. "I do know a thing or two about growing berries."

"Where do we even start?" asked Ham.
"Guilded Lily," said Scoops.

Sweet Apple Acres set aside an entire field for helping ponies train for the rodeo. The big rustic farm had barrels in place for a barrel run. A long line of poles for pole bending. Rings of hurdles for steeple chases.

Screech dashed around pole after pole spun on her back hooves and dashed around the poles again.

"Twenty eight seconds even," said Apple Fritter. "Best time I have seen all day."

Screech beamed with pride. "I am sure the other fillies are holding back so they don't tire them selves before the rodeo." Her modesty did not show.

Apple Fritter looked at the other fillies who were training for the rodeo. Two of them were skipping rope with their lassos. One was using an inhaler. One was doing pushups. "That is... possible. Either way ponies from other towns will be competing. I am sure some-pony will be able to give you a run for your money."

Screech nodded. "Sugar Doug and Snowy Braid are coming from Canterlot. Stitch Runner if coming from Cloudsdale. It has only been two years, but it feels like a lifetime since I saw them."

Guilded Lily's office was small, so she knocked down two walls and made it the size of a basketball court. Everything was shoved into one corner of the room. A massage chair sat behind her dust covered desk. A wine fridge filled with cans of beer and soda sat beside a leather sofa. Boxes of uneaten chocolate covered truffles sat beside balled up Hayburger wrappers. Gold and jewels sat on the desk gathering dust.

Guilded Lily handed Wild a clipboard with nine forms on it.

Scoops smiled and bowed as if Guilded was a queen. "Thank you for helping us with our garden."

Guilded waved her hoof as if she was shooing a fly. "I am not helping you. You are cleaning the land and preparing the soil for planting on your own. Your failure to do so will reflect poorly on Luna's, but after seeing what you did to the... other wing, in one short month, I am cautiously optimistic you will not disappoint me."

Wild looked at the map on the clipboard. "Where is our garden? I don't know this part of Ponyville."

Guilded smiled. "Luna's new garden is on the south side of Ponyville. Thirty miles from this exact spot."

"Hazard does not live far from there," said Scoops.

"How are we supposed to get there every day?" asked Wild. "Two wings and I can fly. We can't ask Bobo to walk sixty miles and till fields."

"That is your problem," said Guilded. "Now if you will excuse me I have other work to attend."

Screech sat in an apple tree and hissed at the small berry shaped fruit bats who resided in its branches. They hissed back and Screech laughed.

"Can you talk to them," asked Melodie from the ground.

Screech chuckled. "No I can not."

Outside a big red barn all of rodeo trainees and their trainers gathered for lunch served on big tables.

Screech sat at a big oak table filled with holes from furniture beetles. She showed her fellow rodeo fillies and colts her lassoing technique. She lassoed a baked apple from the other end of the table.

Honey Ball imitated Screech as best she could. She also lassoed a baked apple. She squealed like a pig on hot coals. "That be a exciting bit O' good fun," she said in a voice that reeked of old money from a far away land.

Screech went rigid. Her heart raced. "I smell something," she declared.

"I hope my pies are not burning," said Apple Fritter.

A covered wagon pulled up to the barn. Out stepped two earth ponies, a griffon and a dragon.

Apple Fritter looked over at her new guests. "The rodeo judges," she explained.

Screech stared at the short grey dragon. She was so still she barely breathed.

Melodie placed her hoof on Screeche's. "It is okay," she assured.

Screech took a deep breath. "I am scared," she whispered. "Dragons kill bat ponies."

"No they don't," insisted Melodie. "They have not in thousands of years."

"Four-hundred eighty," corrected Screech. "We fought for for three thousand."

"Think about your friends. Scoops would make up some reason you should not be scared. Bobo would feel afraid with you. Wild would laugh at you. Ham would throw something at the dragon. Hazard would point out all of the real dangers around you. Dr. Red would would have good advice I can't think of. Carver would... write you a letter. I would hold you hoof and hope that was enough."

Screech did think about her friends. Slowly she lowered her gaze and focused on her baked apple.

Screech was flying back to Luna's. She didn't have her sunglasses on. It was late evening. Billows of dark smoke drifted through the sky. The long wide streets were quiet. Only wing beats could heard.

A lasso passed Screeche's eyes and pulled tight around her neck. A pegasus flew straight toward the ground pulling Screech with him. A second lasso, thrown by an earth pony, caught the bat pony's flesh wing.

Screech fell to the ground and had three of her legs tied together in seconds.

Three colts cheered and gave each other hoof bumps.

Screech bared her fangs. "Now what?" she asked sinisterly.

The earth pony tied Screeche's mouth shut. He smiled with perfect teeth and country charm. "Now we leave you here until morning."

The billows of dark smoke converged forming an umbum. Melodie's eyes glowed green. "She was asking me. Untie her mouth."

"What do you want to do?" asked Screech with a smile.

"I don't know. If I untie you the colts are dead. I have to untie you." Melodie paced back and forth never taking her hypnotic eyes off the colts. "The colts have to be punished for attacking you. Violence is never the answer. I can't hypnotize my friend. I can't- no. Could I? No. What if... that would not work. I could... but where would I find a bear on a unicycle at this hour?" She sighed. "Untie her."

Screech was free from her ropes as quickly as she was bound. She smiled at Melodie. "Thank you."

Melodie nodded. "Get on with it."

Screech grabbed the rope and tied the colts together.

"You are not going to hurt them?"

"No. I want to. I really really want to. But, no. They chose to attack me for no reason. You chose to save me against your better judgement. I can choose to ignore my instincts."

"Really?"

"Yes. I do have free will. That is just how I was born."

"We should head back to Luna's," said Melodie with a grin. "It is going to start raining soon."

Screech sat on her bed there was no where else to sit. She listened to rain drops tap against her window.

"We need to build a tool shed," said Wild. "We need tools. We need seeds. We need plant food. We need a way to get our volunteers thirty miles to and from Luna's everyday."

"We can get a cart," said Bobo.

"Who will pull the cart?" asked Scoops.
Bobo sank.

"I was bred to be a rodeo pony," declared Screech. "I can pull a cart a few miles."
Bobo smiled.

"Are we going to look at the land tomorrow?" asked Melodie.

"What is the difference between plot-A and plot-B?" asked Ham.

Wild shrugged. "The sooner the better I say."

"There is no difference," said Scoops. "They are the same piece of land."

"For sake of clarity, who is going to see the land tomorrow after we finish our volunteer work?" asked Screech.

Every creature raised a hoof (or paw).

"How did your rodeo practice go?" asked Bobo.

Screech smiled. "I am going to mail a few fist place ribbons to my momma." She continued. "The ponies there were nice. Apple Fritter was a knowledgeable coach. It was a really fun day. I realize now how much I took the rodeo for granted when I was younger, and how much I really like it."

Luna's new garden was berried under the over grown remains of an abandoned baseball field. Rusted and broken bleachers sat behind a bent and twisted chain-link fence. Parts of the ground were charred where more than one bonfire was built. Beer cans dating back forty years to yesterday covered the ground.

Hazard pointed at a small green shrub. "That is poison ivy. It is not native to Ponyville. Some-pony plated that to keep delinquents out." She pointed to a plie of beer cans. "I don't think it worked."

"Any-pony know how to start a controlled fire?" asked Ham.

Hazard and Melodie raised their hooves.

Scoops surrounded Luna's garden with a wall of ice. Wild and Screech gathered rain clouds.

Melodie turned her body to smoke and walked through the fence. She struck a match.

The rodeo was held in town square. The judges table was set up on the steps to city hall. Banners hung as high as roof tops. Cow-pony hats in every color and T-shirts in sizes from small dog to medium dragon hung in large wooden booths. Hay Burger's logo covered every inch of the event.

Banditos filled the streets and sold cholate covered deep fried corn bread and sugar coated popcorn at prices that could be considered robbery.

Screech wore ear plugs and earmuffs in addition to her sunglasses. She was nearly deaf, but without them the noise surrounding the event would be too much for her to handle.

Hazard looked around at the quickly constructed rodeo. She shook her head. "This place is a death trap." I can already see twenty-two ways to improve safety.

Ham patted Hazard on the back. "Relax. It is supposed to be dangerous. No pony would come to the rodeo if it was safe."

"Muffy!" yelled a small baby blue pegasus colt with a spiky black mane. His cutie mark of a patch work teddy bear was covered by a coiled lasso.

"Stitch Runner," yelled Screech. "How have you been?"

Stitch cocked his head. "You look different."

"You don't. Are you ever going to grow?"

"What happened to your wing?"

Screech sighed. "Nothing. I had an accident."

"Oh." Stitch poked the ground with his hoof. "I guess not. My folks are both small. How are your parents doing?"

Screech hissed. "Fine."

A big light green unicorn with a long green mane tackled Screech. Her double chin rested on the back of the bat pony's neck. "Screech, I thought I heard you hissing."

Screech hugged Snowy back. "You did. How have you been? Did you beat Pomp in Fillydelphia?"

"Ugh. No. She beat me in eve- What happened to your wing?"

"It was amputated," said Screech curtly. "I am sure you will beat Pomp next time. She has to have an off day eventually."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence. I forgot how supportive you are," joked Snowy. "Why was it amputated?"

"I was in an accident. Can we talk about something else?"

"Yeah," said Stitch. A stiff wind shook the hastily constructed booths making them creak. "Either of you entering the Hay Burger eating contest?"

Snowy laughed. The fat in her neck jiggled. "Of course I am. You think I am passing up a chance to eat all the hay burgers I can fit in my mouth in two minutes?"

Screech stuck her tongue out. "Not a changling's chance in-" She covered her mouth. "No. Mama worked at a Hay Burger when I was small. She told me they were overpriced garbage that would kill me before I was a mare."

"You have never eaten at Hay Burger!" asked Snowy. She was so shocked she nearly fainted.

"No. I did eat at Mushroom Grill once. It was after I took first place in every rodeo event in Laspegisus."

"Your mother only let you eat out if you won first place?" asked Stitch.

"Not exactly. I only got to go to Mushroom Grill because one of the prizes was a gift certificate."

"I thought your parents owned a music shop," said Snowy.

"They did. Momma bought it with money she earned in the rodeo before she got pregnant and had to retire. Nothing made her happier than seeing me do well in the rodeo."

"Oh. I didn't know your family was poor," said Snowy.

Screech shrugged. "That was not exactly something I wanted every pony to know."

"What happened to the money you won in the rodeo?" asked Stitch.

Screech looked at the sky. "Poppa always said he was investing it in bonds. Momma drank cheap wine, but she drank a lot. The store barely sold anything. Not nearly enough to pay rent."

"Is there any chance the money is in bonds?" asked Snowy.

Screech shook her head.

"Is that really you?" asked a tall thin unicorn. Her yellow and white marble coat made her look like over stretched taffy. "It is so good to see you Miss Stormchaser."

"Don't ask about her wing," said Snowy in an effort to be helpful.

"You didn't hear about her mother?" asked Sugar Dough.

"What about her mother?" asked Stitch.

"Nothing."

"Where is your mother?" asked Snowy.

"Canterlot." Screech didn't lie. Her mother was in Canterlot Prison. "She needed some time to herself."

"You are here with your dad?" Asked Stitch as if the possibility she was in Ponyville alone was more likely.

"No," said Screech as she gave a confused look. "My papa is dead."

"I am sorry," said Snowy.

"Are you alright?" asked Stitch.

"Yeah. I have come to terms with it. I accept it was not my fault. How have you been Miss Dough?"

Sugar Dough didn't respond for a moment. "I have been fine. I was hoping to get first in the hay pull."

Screech smiled. "You could."

Stitch laughed. No pony seemed to think Sugar could out run Screech.

Sugar shot Stitch a harsh glare. "I suppose you think you could beat Screech in the hay launch?"

"Not a chance," Stitch put a hoof on Sreeche's shoulder. "Four rodeos are named after her family for a reason."

Screech blushed. "You brag about that more than I do."

Snowy scoffed. "No he doesn't. 'I was bred to kill dragons and alicorns'," she mocked.

"'I could tie down a greased pig before you could walk'," chided Sugar.

Screech laughed. "In my defense I could. Listen I am sorry for always bragging. I have done a lot of growing up recently."

"Not too much I hope," said Snowy seriously. "I liked you the way you were.

Screech frowned. "I didn't. I was a monster."

Stitch waved his hoof dismissively. "You were a little boastful. I would have been too if I was as talented as you."

"Yeah," said Screech.

"Want to be my partners for the six legged race?" asked Sugar.

"No," said Snowy.

"Sure," said Screech.

"Is there any pony here you want to be tied to?" asked Sugar.

Screech saw Melodie's glowing green eyes from a distance. A florist was handing her a bouquet of roses. "I smelled Simple around here a few minutes ago."

Stitch blushed bright red. "You can't have him!"

"Neither can you," reminded Snowy. "Not as long as you live in Cloudsdale."

Melodie gave the dragon judge a bouquet of roses. It was the only way she could think to mask his scent. It didn't seem to be bothering Screech in the sea of other smells, but she wanted to make sure her friend did as well as she could.

Wild smiled at Melodie.

"What?"

Wild shrugged and bit his hotdog (a carrot on a bun).

"Why are you smiling at me like that?"

"I just think it is nice," said Wild.

"Think what is nice?" demanded Melodie.

"That you have a crush."

Melodie's spirals, her entire body, blushed. "Clearly your eyes are working just fine. You are seeing things."

Wild nodded. "Quite clearly." He bit his hotdog. "I am excited to see what two wings can do. If the stories I have heard about her, from her, are half as amazing as she said we have quite the show ahead of us."

The second event in the rodeo was the fillies five hundred meter hay pull. The first event was the colts thousand meter hay pull.

As creatures gathered at the starting line Booming Voice announced, "The hay in these bails is thicker and heavier than your average hay. It is the same kind of hay put in every burger at Hay Burger. It is being weighed down by vitamins, minerals and flavor. Just seeing it is making my mouth water. Mmmmh Hay Burger."

The griffon beside Screech rolled her eyes.

"Hay Burger is giving out the prize money," reminded Screech. "Make them pay."

The griffon laughed.

Sail was at the far side of the track. She looked to her little sister who stood at the front of the audience five hundred meters ahead.

"Don't help your sister cheat," pleaded Shovel.

Glass sighed. "I have to. We all know Sail is not fast enough to win on her own."

"Even if she does win Pillow fight has a new mare friend," said Shovel. "He is not going go leave her because Sail pulled some hay well."

"I know that." The young filly rolled her eyes. "She is going to use the prize money to buy a ping pong table." Glasse's horn did not glow with magic. The low hurdles she erected at the strarting line were invisible.

The griffon placed her talons on the invisible hurdle. She scanned the audience. Her harsh glare stopped on Glass. The hurdle disappeared. "Watch your step." She warned Screech.

The starting horn blared.

Screech took an early lead. The griffon was a close second. Sail was in fourth despite most of the racers falling at the starting line.

Glass erected an magic wall at the end of the race track. Her wall was not quite invisible. Any pony on the track would be able to see it. Unless that pony was wearing I don't know sunglasses.

Most of the audience was too focused on the race to notice the giant magic wall.

"Dissipate your wall," pleaded Shovel.

"I can't," said Glass. "Sail has to win."

"The bat pony is half a track ahead of her. If she hits the wall at that speed it will give her a concussion and be super obvious you are cheating."

"Shut up! I need a second to think!"

"You don't have a second!"

Screeche's sunglasses shattered as she barreled through the magic wall without even noticing it. Blood dripped off her muzzle. Shards of plastic cut all around her eyes.

Melodie turned into a cloud of smoke and flew to Screech. She pressed her new yellow Hay Burger shirt to the bat pony's bloody muzzle. "Blow your nose."

Screech blew her nose ruining the shirt but clearing her air ways.

"Where are the medics!" yelled Hazard. "This place is a death trap!"

Just outside the race track nurse Distemper looked at Screeche's eyes which were too far from her fangs for her to heal magically. Her left eye was not injured. Her right eye was covered with a cotton patch.
"Wear the patch for two days," grumbled Distemper. "Your eyes will be fine."

While Hazard and Bobo were testing Screeche's vision a blue pegasus flew down from a cloud and gave the bat pony her sunglasses unprompted. She flew back to the cloud, to her plutonic friend, after a few encouraging words.

Scoops and Melodie stood a respectful distance from Srcreech. They both watched their friends fawn over her.

"I don't mind the fact you like her," said Scoops.

"What?" asked Melodie.

"Screech. I broke up with her. I would not get mad if you started dating her."

"I- I don't!" stammered Melodie.

"Don't what?"

Melodie blushed.

Wild sauntered up to the girls. "Leave Melodie alone Scoops," he said despite not knowing what they were talking about.

Two earth ponies with animal talents got times in the seconds in the bunny hearding event.

Screech crouched on the plastic grass and tried to coax the bunnies out of their pen. She kissed at them and offered them food pellets.

The bunnies were all so afraid of the filly they ran back to their pen before the event had a chance to start.

Screech got zero point zero seconds in the event.

Hay launching was a pegasis only event. The griffon from the hay pull was in first place by less than a hoof when Screech took her turn.

Screech stood under a red pole which was lying on top of two vertical poles. She had to fly between the two poles but not past the red pole.

The official (a pink pegasus with a curly white mane) stared at Screech. "This is a serious competition for serious ponies. You and your fake wing should go play with the other 'special' ponies in performative games made to make others think you are useful."

Screech nodded and turned to walk away. "Sorry."

"Go Screech," howled Bobo.

"Show every pony what fillies can do," yelled Stitch.

"Be careful," yelled Hazard.

"You are the best," yelled Melodie.

Screech stared daggers at the official. "I want to compete."

A small hay bail was tied to a rope that was tied around the bat pony's waist.

Screech launched into the air. She beat her wings as quickly as she could. Her flesh wing beat more quickly than her prosthetic wing. Her prosthetic wing was not made for high speed flying. She hissed at her own wing as she nearly spun out of control. She had to stop climbing to regain her balance. The hay bail flew above her forcing her to untie the rope early. Her hay bail flew one hundred thirty-eight hooves high. Her last hay launch she launched her hay bail three hundred hooves even.

Nine fillies signed up for the timber wolf roping. Five of them backed out after they were told they were not allowed to fly.

Hazard was shouting at ponies who had nothing to do with the rodeo because she didn't know who else to yell at.

Screech stood in a circular pen. A timber wolf with an iron muzzle and big fluffy mittens stood three ponies from her. She stared into his glowing green eyes. His body of cursed wood towered over her even when she was not crouching.

The wolf charged toward the bat pony.

Screech ran away. She would have screamed if she was not too scared to think of it. She was quickly corned in the circle.

The wolf bore down on Screech. His head dropped to the ground.

Screeche's wing shattered all of the thick branches in the wolf's neck. She quickly tied the sticks together before they had a chance to reform into a wolf. She was panting hard. The dried blood in her nose didn't help her breathing.

The timber wolf struggled against the ropes. He failed to reform.

Screech was so relived she cried. She ran to Bobo and hugged him. Her bloody snot and tears wet his fur. His big fluffy arms and warm fur helped calm her.

Screech was the only contestant who successfully tied the wolf.

Sugar and Melodie's legs were tied to Screeche's legs. Melodie and Screech both blushed.

"Are you excited for the six legged race?" asked Sugar.

"Huh? Yeah," said Melodie. "How do we do this?"

"If we try to run we will fall," said Screech. "We could try to do front legs then back legs, but that only work if our legs are the same length. We have to hop. Move all four legs at once."

The three fillies stood in a line of fillies and colts who were also tied in teams of three.

The starting horn went off. Most of the ponies fell flat on their faces. Screech and her friends were not an exception. The tree of them laughed together.

Event placements.

Barrel racing. 1'st. Screech Stormchaser.
Pole bending. 1'st. Screech Stormchaser.
Hay pulling. 1'st. Screech Stormchaser.
Bunny hearding. 1'st. Screech Stormchaser.
Hay launching 3rd. Screech Stormchaser.
Hay stacking 2'nd. Screech Stormchaser.
Steeple chase 1'st. Screech Stormchaser.
Timber wolf roping 1'st. Screech Stormchaser.
Lasso spinning 3rd. Screech Stormchaser.
Six legged race 2'nd. Screech Stormchaser, Bright Melodie, Sugar Dough.
Hay burger eating contest 1'st. Bobo.

Any pony who competed in an event won a certificate for a free hay burger regardless of where they placed.

Screech and her friends pushed two picnic tables together so they could sit with each other. Each one of them had a hay burger except Bobo who ate thirty one of them in two minuets despite not being able to digest hay. He had water.

Scoops flirted with Stitch, Sugar and the griffon.

Melodie congratulated Screech on not attacking the dragon judge during the ribbon ceremony.

Screech admitted that between her blurry vison and her bloody nose she didn't notice the dragon. "Most of the ceremony I could only smell roses," she said.

"Do you know what bothers me?" asked Ham. "It has been months and we never found out who killed Hazard's kitten or why. We are never going to get closure."

Hazard stopped eating. Bobo hugged her.

Wild was quiet most of the time. He shared his burger with ants and mice.

Screech sat on her bed. She had a fun day. She had the garden to look forward to. She was happy. She was mad at herself for being happy. She was a monster. She didn't deserve to be happy.

Melodie sat beside Screech. "You looked like you were having fun out there."

Screech nodded.

"Will you be going to the rodeo in Fillydelphia? You can buy a bus ticket with your prize money."

Screech shrugged.

"Why are you sad?"

Screech shrugged.

"There was a bird," said Melodie in her most scholarly voice. "Before the rise of King Sombra. Before the Crystal Empire. Before most everything. There was a bird. This bird could fly. He raced all the other animals and he beat all of them. One cat captured the bird at the finish line. He pinned down the bird and threatened to eat him. The bird asked why. The cat told the bird it was because he always lost when they raced. The bird replied, 'You are not losing. You get to enjoy the race longer than I do. I wish I could enjoy the race as long as you do. You are wining in Last Place.' The story is about perspective. If you enjoy racing then coming in last is the best possible outcome."

"Did the cat eat the bird?" asked Screech.

Melodie shook her head. "No. The cat let the bird go. Your life is wonderful right now. How need to see that."

Screech was reminded of Dr. Red. She took a deep breath, closed her eye and tried looking at her life from another perspective. From the perspective of the Berry family. The ponies she hurt the most.

Screech opened her eye. She grabbed a piece of paper and her crayons. She wrote. "I am doing well. Much better than I was in Dodge.
"I am sorry.
-Screech."

After The Race Life.

In Luna's garden under the warm glow of the hot sun Bobo lifted sections of the bleachers off the ground.

Screech sat on the burned dirt and tried to catch her breath. The cart she bought with her prize money was not as heavy when her friends were not in it.

Hazard showed Screech the blueprints she drew up for the tool shed. It was a fort with braces, plastic windows, a platform keeping it two inches off the ground and allowing water to flow under it, air vents and two fire exits.

Wild talked to a group of moles. He got them to agree to till all of the dirt in exchange for manicures.

Scoops and Melodie were buying seeds and other gardening supplies.

Ham picked up beer cans and threw them like basketballs at, but never into, a bucket.

Screech sat on the ground drawing her dream house on blue paper. "Why do you use pencils?"

Hazard shrugged. "Why do you use crayons?"

"They are fun."

Hazard nodded. "I like pencils. They are accurate. Percice. That wall would collapse."

Screech handed Hazard a crayon.

Ham tossed a can and barely missed the bucket.

Wild tossed a can that bounced off the rim of the bucket before falling to the ground.

Bobo threw a can, in a smooth arc, that landed in the bucket with a clang.

Melodie was looking through the seed selection in Flower's and More Flower's flowers. Flowers and More Flowers being the sisters who owned the gardening supply store.

Melodie looked at the low wood ceiling of the failing business. The almost bare shelves were for sail. Everything was eighty percent off.

"I think Mop likes me," said Scoops.

"Can you talk about something other than colts?" asked Melodie with more measure than she felt.

Scoops laughed. "I slept with Hammock last night."

Melodie sighed. "Other than colts want to sleep with and fillies you have slept with?"

Scoops looked at the seeds for the first time. "When are you going to ask Screech out?"

Melodie jumped. "Lets talk about baseball."

Scoops didn't laugh. "I hate baseball."

Melodie grabbed a random packet of seeds. "Do you want to grow pomegranates?"

Scoops shook her head. "No. High sugar. I don't want to gain weight. How much do you weigh?"

Melodie groaned. She found Scoops to be tedious. "Twenty grams. My body is made of smoke."

"So you will never gain weight no matter how much you eat?"

Melodie took a deep breath. "No," she some how didn't snap. "I would. Just not the same way a pony would."

Scoops smiled. "Good. I would hate you if you could never get fat."

"I hate you in general," muttered Melodie.

Scoops let out one of her rare genuine laughs. "Of course you do. I am horrible."

"No!" snapped Melodie. "Guilded Lilly is horrible. The interpreter of the windgo's will is horrible. Screech can be horrible when she is anxious. You are a teenage slut. You are shallow and annoying. Not horrible."

Scoops looked back at the ceiling. "I am worse than Screech."

Melodie scoffed. "What do you want to grow?"

"Daises. They are fat free. What do you want to grow?"

Melodie picked up a packet for grapes. "Didn't Screech live on a vineyard in Canterlot?"

Scoops smiled. "She did. I think she would love to grow grapes again."

Melodie entered the garden with saddle bags full of trowels, rakes, hoes and gardening books. Scoops had the seeds and watering cans.

Wild was dumping out a bucket of crushed cans. Ham was collecting the cans in his forelegs.

Melodie trotted up to Hazard who was laying on the ground drawing on blue paper. She noticed her friend was so focused she was not blinking. "Hey. I am back. What are your drawing?"

Hazard turned to Melodie and blinked with one eye. She never blinked her glass eye. "A house. I have more paper."

Melodie looked at Hazard's drawing. One of the walls was a giant stain glass window depicting one kitten dozens of times. The door was shaped like a cat. The walls were covered with floating shelves and cat toys.

Melodie nodded. She took a sheet of paper and began drawing with crayons. "Is that building stable?"

Hazard smiled. "Not at all. It was fun to draw."

Screech crouched close to the ground. She could not see her hoof in front of her muzzle. She didn't have her sunglasses. Her tail and wings twitched. She smelled the beast on the wind under the scent of dirt and coffee from the canning factory three blocks over.

She spun on her back hooves and charged. The beast was getting closer.

Closer.

Screech leapt into the air. She crashed against a large hard, furry beast. She pulled off her blindfold. "Tag. You are it."

Bobo took the blindfold.

The empty garden was the perfect place for the bat pony and the diamond dog to play nose tag.

Scoops turned up at the garden twenty minutes after Melodie. The ground was free of cans, broken bleachers and charred sticks. Her friends were sitting in a circle giving Moles manicures. She sat in the circle and grabbed an emery board.

"Where have you been?" asked Ham.

"I was taking a walk," said Scoops. "I have never been to this side of Ponyville."

Hazard cocked her head. "We met twelve bocks from here."

"I was taking a walk. I didn't want to help you clear the debris from the garden."

Bobo didn't point out the fact he moved all of the heavy debris alone despite Wild and Ham being in the garden.

"You cold have come to the garden and watched Bobo do all the heavy lifting like te rest of us," said Ham.

With the first steps of staring the garden complete Screech sat on her bed in Luna's. She looked at the hoof drawn Picture on her wall. A perfect house. A big kitchen for storing lots of food. A play room with dolls and toys. A therapy room so she would not have to go to Dr. Red's office tice a week. He could visit and conduct their sessions in her home. Five bedrooms, one for herself and each of her house mates. Hazard was happy in her home and Screech didn't think of adding a guest room. She could have slept on the top half of Screech's bunk bed when Carver was not staying over. Lastly a small dining room for intimate meals together. She liked having family dinners when she lived with the Berrys. All on sheet of dirty blue paper.

Screech was surprised to be invited to the skate park. Ponies had started inviting her places since she fixed up Luna's. She was surprised because she was invited by Hazard.

Hazard wore mat black safety gear despite not being near, let alone on, a skateboard. She wore high traction boots incase she needed to climb out of a bowl.

Screech stood on a board. "Why did you want to come here?" She adjusted the helmet Hazard put on her. "Neither of us know how to skate."

Hazard nodded. "Yeah." She was looking around frantically. Her search stopped as her eye locked onto a colt.

A colt with a light brown coat and a beige mane skated up to Hazard. He smiled at her exposing his mouth guard. His orange non-reflective vest was on tight. His grey helmet was on loose. His grey knee and shin guards secure.

Hazard blushed. "Hello Balze."

"Hey Hazard," said Balze. "I like your helmet."

"Thanks. I like your vest. Is it flame retardant?"

Blaze chuckled. "Of course it is."

"Oh! Right. This is my friend Screech. She wants to learn how to skate."

Blaze smiled at Screech. "Nice to meet you. You are in safe hooves. I promise." He was cute and charming for a colt.

"Are you going to learn how to skate with us?" asked Screech.

Hazard sighed. "Depth perception."

Blaze stepped off his board and picked it up. His deck had a picture of cats on it. "We are going to start off slow and simple."

Incorrect Quotes.
What would you do if the sky was falling?

Screech: "I would tell it I am not interested. The sky is very pretty at night, but looking at it during the day hurts my eyes."

Bobo "Dig a warren and live underground."

Carver: "The sky is so far away it would take ages to make it all the way down here. I would not worry about it."

Scoops: "That is a stupid question."

Hazard: "... ... ..." Starts shaking and breathing heavily. "... ... ..."

Ham: "Splat!"

Wild: "If?"

Ten days before the Ponyville bowling championships.

Ham stood at the bottom of a hill with a train track running up it. His marbled pink and red bowling ball rolled down the hill.

"My throws are really strong today," said Ham. "I am going to win the Ponyville bowling championships for sure."

Wild raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was a team game."

Ham picked up his ball. "It is. I am the best pony on the team."

"The cow is better than you," teased Wild.
Ham shook his head. "Liddy wishes."

A flock of chickens sauntered up to wild. Their heads tuned rapidly and they clucked quietly.

Wild placed a pair of bolt cutters and two rolls of duck tape on the ground. "You can trust Ham. He is cool."

The chickens gathered the cutters and tape leaving behind two cases of beer.

"I don't want you coming," said Ham.
Wild nodded.

"I am serious. You cheered to loudly for Screech at the rodeo and caused other sorts of trouble. I don't want you coming."

Wild chuckled. "You don't have to chase me off with a stick. I like Two Wings. And the rodeo was exciting. I would not show up to a boring bowling championship if you begged me to."

Six days before the Ponyville bowling championships.

Ham rolled his bowling ball across the hopscotch courts in the Platinum Park playground. He bowled his sixth strike in a row.

Bobo ran around the park on all fours carrying kids on his back like a... ... ... bicycle.

Scoops coated the slide in ice making it even more slippery. She stood at the bottom of the slide catching kids before the hit the ground hard enough to break a leg.

Ham rolled his ball. He knocked down a single pin. He sighed loudly and declared. "Don't come to the bowling championships. You are too distracting and I don't want you there."

Bobo stopped running. His tail tucked between his legs and he crouched close to the ground. "Okay. I was really excited to go. But if you don't want me there."

"If Bobo is not invited I am not going!" snapped Scoops.

A filly hit the ground and started screaming. One of her hind legs was bent the wrong way.

Scoops glared at Ham. "Go get Screech."

Four days before the Ponyville bowling championships.

In Luna's new garden, two dozen fillies and colts were watering sprouts. Every pony was so excited to garden Screech and Hazard didn't have anything to do.

Hazard was gluing an adjustable band onto a pair of goggles. Screech was sewing a small reflective vest.

Hazard held up her pair of tiny goggles and smiled. "What do you think?"

"I think those will never fit on you," said Ham.

Hazard giggled. "They are not for me."

"I think they are perfect," said Screech with reassurance. "Rove will love them."

Ham sat on the ground twittleing his hooves.

"I am excited for your bowling championships," said Hazard.

Ham waved his hoof. "You don't have to go."

Hazard frowned. "I will be there."

"I would like to go, but I have therapy that day," said Screech a bit reluctantly. "Sorry."

Ham shrugged. "It is fine. It will just be me and Hazard."

"What about the others?" asked Hazard.

Ham shrugged. "They don't want to go."

Two days before the Ponyville bowling championships.

Ham sat beside Melodie in Luna's cafeteria. None of their friends had arrived yet. He poked at his hay with his hoof. "Hey Melodie."

Melodie looked at ham. She waited for him to continue. "Hey Ham."

There was a long awkward silence.

"The bowling championships are in two days," said Ham.

Meldie nodded. "Cool."

There was a long awkward silence.

"You don't want me to go do you?" asked Melodie.

"No. Just making conversation."

"Okay."

There was a long awkward silence.

The day of the Ponyville bowling championships.

Ham sat with his team in the bowling alley. The championships were about to start. None of his friends had arrived. He guessed Hazard forgot about the game.

"Hey jerk!" Wild yelled from across the room. He waved at Ham.

Bobo ran across the bowling alley and hugged Ham. "Good luck."

Screech flew to Ham's side. "Knock'em dead. Or just down. Your choice."

"Break a leg," Scoops threatened.

Hazard smiled. "I asked the others if they wanted to come and they said yes."

Ham was astonished his friends showed up for his game. "You skipped therapy for me."

Screech laughed at the absurdity of the idea. "Of course not. I rescheduled my session for you."

Ham's friends were loud and distracting. They cheered far too loudly and often. Ham vowed to just invite them to his next championship.

On a rainy day Melodie, Scoops and Ham were standing in a brick store in town square. They sold bricks and only bricks.

"How could the weather team forget to announce rain?" scoffed Scoops. "That is their only job."

"That and making it rain," said Melodie.

Scoops rolled her eyes.

Ham picked up three rubber bricks. "Can you hypnotize me and make me juggle?"

Melodie raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want me to do that?"

"He does not know know how to juggle," said Scoops.

Melodie shook her head. "I can't make you do things you don't know how to do."

"What can you do?" asked Ham.

"Nothing much," said Scoops.

Melodie turned into a cloud of smoke and flew out a window.

Most of Platinum Park was closed to the public. It contained miles upon miles of twisting and winding mine shafts. Sheer drops twenty ponies deep. Fragile tunnels over a two thousand years old just waiting to collapse.

Wild and Bobo stood in one of the former mine tunnels in Platinum Park. The trail of blood lead to a small burrow in the hard rock. There was no natural light. They could only see by the light from a cheap plastic lantern Wild Stole from the gift shop.

Wild stared into the burrow. "I am sorry little kitten. I don't know why those colts were throwing rocks at you, but they are not here. It is safe to come out."

A pair of glowing white eyes blinded Wild. His heart raced and he jumped away from the burrow screaming.

"We have to go!" Yelled Wild. "This tunnel is going to collapse! We have to run!"

Bobo grabbed Wild and held him still in his big strong paws. "Calm down. The tunnel is not going to collapse. I would know if it was going to."

Wild did not calm down. He struggled to break free from Bobo's tight grip. Fear had infected him like venom.

Screech flew down the tunnel and grinded to a stop a few hooves from her friends. "Why do I smell blood and why is Wild screaming!"

"We are trying to rescue an injured cat," explained Bobo.

Screech turned her nose toward the burrow. She turned off the lantern. It was not bright, but she could see better in total darkness. She took off her sunglasses and crouched in front of the small hole.

The glowing white eyes stared at Screech.

Screech looked the cat in the eyes. She smiled and extended a hoof.

The cat slowly inched toward Screech. She stopped and sniffed the ponie's hoof. She crawled on her belly until her nose touched Screeche's.

Screech gently picked up the cat and carefully bit her. Once the cat's wounds were healed she turned the lantern back on.

Bobo carried Wild back to the playground. Screech carried the cat.

Hazard, Melodie and Ham were waiting by the slide for them.

Hazard took one look at Screech and yelled, "Get away from that monster!" She pointed at the cat. "That is a stalker lynx. One look in their eyes causes anxiety and dread. It stalks its prey frightening it until it dies of stress."

Wild rubbed his head. "That explains why Two Wings was not afraid of her. She wears sunglasses."

Hazard shook her head. "Simple sunglasses would not protect you from a stalker lynx."

Scoops shuddered. "What did protect her?"

Hazard shrugged.

Screech looked the little cat in the eyes. "I have been through too much. Too much stress and horror. Too much therapy. Too much group hugs and support from my friends." She scratched under the cat's chin. "Little things like this can't hurt me anymore."

"She is safe now," said Bobo. "We can release her back into the wild."

"No!" yelled Hazard. "Stalker lynx are not indigenous to Ponyville or the Everfree Forest. Either it will die or kill everything else. It must be an escaped exotic pet."

"Or an exotic meal," said Ham. Every creature looked at him. "There is a group of ponies in town who eat exotic animals."

"How do you know that?" asked Scoops.

"Every pony knows that," said Screech. "Mayor Mare is trying to pass a law against eating animals. How do you not know that?"

Scoops blushed. "What are we going to do with the cat? Luna's does not allow pets."

"That pet can kill foals and small fillies," said Hazard.

"Guilded Lilly may let us keep her then," joked Ham.

Every creature looked to Hazard.

"You are the only one who knows anything about stalker lynx," said Screech with a weak smile.

Hazard sighed. "If you can cover its eyes I will take it home for a few days."

Screech placed her mane brush on her bedside table. "Despite the fact Rove is literally terrorizing her entire neighborhood Hazard refuses to donate the lynx to the animal sanctuary."

Bobo laughed. "It has only been four days."

Screech coughed. "What is that smell? Who set a rose bush on fire and put it out with vegetable oil?"

Bobo raised his nose and sniffed. "This way." He took off down the hall.

Screech and Bobo stopped in Luna's cafeteria. In front of them was Ham.

"Why do you smell like a perfume factory caught fire?" asked Bobo.

Ham smiled. "That is my new cologne."

Screech choked. "Go wash it off. I could smell you all the way upstairs."

Ham furrowed his brow. "No. This cologne is going to get me a date."

"Not if the filly can smell," said Bobo.

"Your cologne is killing me."

Ham rolled his eyes. "Of course you think it is too much. You are a bat pony. Bobo is a diamond dog."

Screech flew away; Bobo followed his friend.

Scoops sauntered up to Ham. "Why do you smell like burning compost?"

Ham blushed. "That is my new cologne. You don't like it?"

Scoops took a step back. "No. What is it called?"

"Magma Fury's musk. Apparently girl's love his smell."

Scoops shook her head. "Not any girls I know. And I know a lot of girls. Go wash that off."

Ham thought for a moment. "No. I am already wearing the cologne. I may as well try it out. Maybe Wishy will like it."

Scoops laughed. Ham could not tell if it was genuine or one of her normal laughs. "Wishy she is twice your height. Most mares are taller than you. Why go for the tallest one?"

Ham scoffed. "There is more to her than her height. This is why none of your relationships last."

Scoops horn glowed. Ham's hooves froze to the floor.

Screech noticed she was taller than Wild. She was taller than most colts, but Wild was almost a stallion. He was not getting much taller. Screech always knew she was going to be big. What if she never stopped growing? What if she grew to the size of a dragon?

Bobo walked beside Screech head and shoulders taller than her.

Screech walked a little more closely to Bobo and a little farther from Wild.

"The lake is crowded," said Scoops with a laugh.

"What?" asked Screech. She looked straight ahead. The lake was crowded. She stood in the middle of a sea of ponies.

Hazard was sitting with Blaze showing him printed photos of Rove. Gushing about how good her new kitten was.

Blue Grass and most of his friends were playing tackle football. They jumped over sunbathing mares and shoved fillies out of their way. Ham joined them.

Colts sat by the water trading sports cards. A dragon quarterback for a unicorn buckballer. A Magma Fury for a Falling Feathers.

Melodie's bubble gum popped. She spit the wad onto the ground.

"That is disgusting," scolded Scoops.

Melodie laughed and laughed.

Bobo and Wild jumped into the lake and paddled around the water.

A golden filly with a red bandana on her head ran up to Screech and yelled, "You are Screech Stormchaser!"

Screech nodded. "Hi."

The filly extended a hoof. "Golden Lasso." She squealed as Screech shook her hoof. "I am going to be the top rodeo pony in the world. If I don't got my cutie mark for a rodeo event I will die. How did you get so good at the rodeo?"

Screech could not think of a good answer. She could not say 'I was bred to win the rodeo'. She could not say 'my mother forced me to train five hours a day from diapers'. She shrugged. "I have fun training with my friends. I do well because I enjoy it."

Golden Lasso nodded. She stared wide eyed at her hero. Ponyville ponies were very different from Canterlot ponies. "You did really well. I wish I could have seen you before you became broken."

Screech winced. "I am not broken!" she snapped.

Lasso took a step back. "All I meant was you would be better if you didn't have a fake wing."

Screech took a deep breath. A year ago, when she first got her prosthetic wing she pummeled ponies for mocking her. She broke Wild's leg for saying almost exactly what Lasso had said. "That is really hurtful," she said calmly. "I am not less than I was before I lost my wing."

"But you would be better at flying if you had both of your wings," Lasso argued.

Screech shrugged. "I would be better at flying if I was a griffon. My prosthetic wing is not a fake. I am not broken. And I am not any better or worse than you are."

Lasso gave Screech a confused look. She was not convinced. "That is just not true."

"Can you swim?"

Lasso smiled. "Sure can. I am the fastest swimmer in my class."

Screech shoved Lasso into the lake.

Lasso climbed out of the lake. She took off her bandana and rang it out. "What did you do that for?" she huffed.

Screech tore her eyes from the three long surgical scars on Lasso's bald head. "I told you that you were offending me."

Lasso put her bandana back on. "I though you were going to be cool."

"It is not my fault you have a lot of misconceptions." Screech walked away. She sat with Hazard and Blaze.

Screech still liked Ponyville ponies more than she liked Canterlot ponies.

Some pony magically pulled Screeche's earplugs out. Both Hazard and Blaze offered her a new pair.
Melodie's eyes glowed green.
Scoop's horn glowed and the lake started to freeze.
Screeche's earplugs magically returned to her.

Melodie ran ahead while looking back. She threw water balloons over her shoulder at the colts whos flag her team mate was trying to capture. She slammed into a wall that broke her body into a cloud of smoke. She pulled her body together and smiled at the bull she ran into with all the force of a bull. Or a horse.

Dr. Red smiled back at Melodie. "Are you alright?"

Melodie blushed. "I am. Sorry."

Dr. Red laughed. "So polite. I was a menace at your age. More of a menace than I am now."

Melodie looked over the small hornless bull with a tie-dye scarf, reading glasses, gossip magazine and travel mug of ice tea. "Did you yell too loudly at your peaceful protests?"

Dr. Red huffed. "As a matter of a fact I did." He took off his glasses. "Melodie, are you doing alright?"

Melodie was taken back by the question. "Ummm. Yeah fine. Why do you care?"

"I am a child therapist specializing in trauma. I work closely with Luna's and have heard a thing or two about you."

"I don't need therapy."

Dr. Red raised an eyebrow. "What kind of creature do you think 'needs' therapy?"

Melodie took a step back. "I don't like your tone."

"It was a simple question."

"Creatures like Screech."

"Creatures who have been hurt?" asked Dr. Red.

"Creatures who need to be controlled. I will not be taken in by you."

"Therapy is not a cult," Dr. red's voice rose. He cleared his throat. "I wish you well Bright Melodie. If you change your mind Guilded Lilly has my card."

Tumble Dolly ran up to Melodie with a bright purple flag shouting, "We won! We won!"

Ham rode on Blue Grasse's shoulders. Wild rode on Bobo's shoulders. The boys on top were trying to push each other into the water.

"Why aren't you playing with the boys?" asked Screech.

Hazard scoffed, "That so called game is dangerous."

"What do you want to play?"

Screech, Hazard and Blaze played patty cake.

Golden Lasso stomped up to Screech. She looked off in a random direction. "My dad wants me to apologize to you." She turned around and walked away.

Screech grabbed the giant bird in her hooves. It thrashed and tried to buck her off.

"Don't hurt her," yelled Wild.

"I am not making any promises!" barked Screech. She slammed the wagon sized bird into the side of a hill.

Wild smiled. He was talking to the falcon. He flew up and grabbed size change ring off Burt's talon.

The bird quickly reverted to his normal size.

Screech took a deep breath. "You are more trouble than you are worth."

Wild nodded. "I know Two Wings."

"You are fun to be around," Screech added. "You always have my best interest at heart. I know I can be distant and guarded, but I appreciate your friendship. You make my life better and I want you to know you are important to me."

Wild nodded. "I know Two Wings. You are not as good as hiding your feelings as you think." He looked at the ring. "How much do you think I can sell this for?"

Screech rolled her eyes. "I am not bailing you out of trouble twice in one day."

Wild laughed. "Sure you will. You are a big softy. That is what I appreciate about you."

Rain beat down on Luna's. The streets flooded.

Melodie glared at Screech.

Screech glared back. "This is not my fault. I am only on the weather team one day a week."

I, Bright Melodie, am not in love with Screech Stormchaser.

"And that is how I know you are in love with Screech," said Double Scoop.

I roll my eyes. Scoops is fun more often than not, but sometimes she can be the most annoying pony in Equestria. I continue to ignore her and water the Daisies in our garden.

Our garden is spilt into two plots. On the far east side we grow green grapes. Walking under the trellises Screech built out of two by fours and nails is a romantic experience. She built all of them in one day without breaking a sweat or messing up her casually styled mane. The smile she gave me when I told her they looked amazing was super cute. I would like to walk under the trellises with her.

The middle east side of the garden is where Screech and Bobo planted the berry bushes. They had small thorns on them, but Screech was not bothered. She is strong and tough. The thorns did not even scratch her hooves.

The near east and near west sides of the garden are where we grow oat grass. Screech did not plant the oat grass.

The middle east is where the dasies are. They are almost ready to bloom and smell delicious.

The far east is where we are growing turnips. Hazard is over there right now nearly having a heart attack. Ham put a big red pesticide sprayer on the ground. I wonder if Screech likes turnips.

A rainbow picket fence covered in painted flowers and suns surrounds the garden. Screech did not build it. Kids from Luna's made the fence.

Screech trots past Scoops. She smiles at me with her long white fangs and other sharp teeth. I can't see her big pretty eyes because they are hidden behind her sunglasses.

"Melodie," Screech asks me, "can you take a walk through the vineyard with me?"

I don't have blood how am I blushing? "Yeah. Is there something you need my help with?"

Screech giggles. "No. I just want to spend time with you." She is blushing too. "I really like you."

Scoops opens her mouth but thinks better of speaking. She winks at me and canters away.

"Yeah." I can feel my blood-less heart racing.

Screech smiles yet again and trots toward the vineyard.

I take a deep breath, keeping my eyes off her tail, and follow. I wish Wild was with us. Being alone with Screech is exhausting.

I feel screech taping my flank with her hoof. I jump. She cocks her head. "Where are you going?"

I look around. I am in the vineyard. Under the trellises. Sunlight filters through grape leaves making the green grapes and Screeche's mane shine.

"Just walking," I say.

Screech looks up at the grapes. She looks at me and takes off her sunglasses. "You are really sweet. I know I can be distant and guarded, but I appreciate your friendship. You make my life better and I want you to know you are important to me."

My entire body goes rigid. If I was not stunned I would condense into a ball of coal. "Yeah. You are important to me too."

Screech walks past me toward the berry bushes.

"That is it?" I accidentally yell.

Sreech turns around and looks at me. ""What do you mean?"

... ... ... ... ... ... ... My mind starts working again. "I... you... you are not going to ask me to he your mare-friend?"

Screech goes rigid. Her face, neck and chest are bright red. She shakes her head. "No. I want to. I mean. We can be. If you want."

I nod. "Alright."

"Are we going to continue our walk?"

I canter up to Screeche's side. We both break into fits of giggles as we walk the vineyard.

Rove dove across the hop scotch court in Platinum Park. Her mittened paws batted at a feather on a string.

Hazard pulled a string pulling a feather toward herself. "I made Rove a pair of goggles to protect us from her eyes. Also mittens for her claws and caps for her fangs. Screech made her reflective vest."

Rove dove toward Screech kicking up a cloud of dirt and dust.

"She almost looks like she does not want to eat us," said Scoops with a laugh.

Wild kept his distance. "I still don't trust her."

"Awww... Mew!" Screech sneezed.

Every creature smiled.

"Did you just meow?" asked Melodie.

"Screech is a cat-pony," joked Ham.

"I didn't know you had a cute sneeze," teased Wild. "I didn't know you could be cute at all."

Screech blushed and burred her muzzle in her hooves.

"Screech is dangerous and I don't think you should provoke her," warned Hazard. She sat two trots from Screech and played with Rove as if she did not actually believe Screech would harm any of them.

There was a moment of silence.

"Awww... Mew," Bobo imitated the sneeze.
Every creature except Melodie and hazard (and Screech) were mimicking the sneeze.

Screech bared her fangs and hissed adding more fuel to the fire.

Screech and Melodie sat on Screeche's bed. Melodie's chin rested on her Mare-friend's for leg. Their relationship had not changed much since they started dating and they were both grateful.

Melidie sank her teeth into Screeche's leg.

Screech cocked her head and look curiously at her some-pony special. "What are you doing?'

"I thought biting was a show of affection," said Melodie as her face burned bright red.

Wild and Ham stood on the poor man's mansion, big but cheaply made house one good wind from falling down, and threw water balloons from its high perch.

Ham nailed a lanky red colt in the side of the head.

A red colt looked up at ham and smiled. His thin gold mustache covered some of his two dozen freckles. His wings unfurled and he flew to the top of the poor man's mansion. "I need your friend's help. I broke my mother's very expensive crystal pitcher."

Wild shook his head. "Two Wings can only fix things she knows how to fix."

Sandy furrowed his brow. "I am looking for the one eyed glass blower."

Ham shrugged. "I don't know any one eyed glass blowers."

Wild rolled his eyes. "He is looking for Hazard."

Ham nodded. "Oh. Yeah. I forgot she has one eye. Also that she is a glass blower. I usually think of Hazard as the crazy cat pony."

"That is interesting. I think of her as the group's little sister. How do you think she sees us?"

"As jerks."

Wild nodded. He threw a water balloon at Sandy. "I could see why."

Luna's new garden was officially named Vinyets.

Scoops shined her shoes with a napkin at breakfast. "Today I met a farm mare who was wearing a beautiful set of shoes. I asked her why she was wearing designer shoes on a farm. She told me her colt-friend bought them for her on his trip to Canterlot. I told her she was lucky. Brass Hoove's shoes are very limited in quantity. She told me her colt-friend had an affair with a mare named Brass Hoof a few years ago."

"Why would the mistress give the colt shoes to give to his mare-friend?" asked Wild.

Scoops rolled her eyes. "It is called a power move. Every time he sees the shoes he will think of Brass."

"Girls are bitches," said wild.

Scoops laughed. "Yes we are."

Screech sat beside Scoops. "Hey guys. Those are some nice shoes Scoops. Where did you get them?"

Screech opened the door to her bedroom. Her friends were scattered about. A cake sat on her bed. "You are not going to yell surprise?"

"You knew we were here," said Wild. "You can smell us from down the hall."

"My birthday was two months ago," said Screech.

"I know," said Bobo. "This occasion is more special. it has been one year since you did something violent."

"And Bobo wanted an excuse to bake," added Scoops.

"One year," said Screech in disbelief. "It feels like I only came back to Ponyville a few weeks ago."

"You did," said Ham. "About sixty of them."

"Are you proud of your self," asked Hazard.

"I hope not," said Melodie.

Screech shook her head. "I am not. I am surprised. I didn't think it was possible to be happy this long."

"You know what they say Two Wings? Like Screech Stormchaser time can fix anything."

Screech shook her head. "Not time. Friends."

"And therapy," added Scoops.

Canterlot was the same as always. Her best friend was in Ponyville. Her house was condemned. Her father was in the hospital. Life for Carver had changed drastically, quickly and repeatedly. Canterlot was the same.

The school was the same. The bank was the same. The bullies were the same. The songs on the radio were the same. The weather was the same.

Carver was the same. Sad more often. Upset more easily. She still had her family (minus Screech). She had a home (minus her possessions). Her memories were the same even if they were now tinted with sadness and made life in the current moment more difficult.

The postal workers knew Carver by name. That was new months ago.

Carver was excited to get a new letter from Screech. Not because all of her letters were burned by pest control. Not only because her letters were destroyed. New letters always came.

Buttery Lace always smiled at Carver. She always asked how she was doing when she handed Carver her letters. She smiled and handed her a package.

Carver stared at the rectangle of brown paper and twine. She unwrapped the package. She found a book under the paper.

The first page was a single photo of Screech and Carver as little fillies dueling with violin bows.

The second page was Screech and Carver curled into a ball sleeping in the sunlight.
The eighth page was Carver and Screech having a tea party with a teddy bear and a sea pony doll.

The forty third page was Screech pretending to be confident in her first prosthetic wing.

The fifty first page was Prey sleeping on Screeche's chest.

The sixtieth page was Screech and her new friends holding up blue ribbons at the Ponyvill rodeo.

The seventy fourth page and all the pages after it were blank. Representations of pictures yet to be taken.

Carver knew that despite the distance she would always be an important part of Screeche's life. Some things will always be the same.

Scoops looked around Luna's cafeteria. All of the kids were eating grapes, daisies, oats and all sorts of treats they grew in Vinyets. "Do you think Guilded Lilly is nicer than we gave her credit for?"

Guilded Lilly smiled. "I will be so sad to see her go. I am happy you have decided to adopt one of my beloved wards. I know you will give... ... Screech a good home. I will be sad to see the angel go. She is the most well behaved and low maintenance of my wards. She requires little supervision and never causes trouble. Her love for Celestia is followed only by her love of helping others. She will fit in, no she belongs in Clouds Dale."

Wild shook his head. "Not likely."

Screeche's friends burst into Guilded Lilly's office.

"Screech is missing," yelled Scoops.

Gilded Lilly sighed. "She is not missing. Miss Stormchaser was adopted. I had her taken away last night so neither she nor you could make a ruckus."

"Where is she!" commanded Bobo.

Guilded glared at her wards. "That is all you need to know. Leave now."

Melodies eyes glowed green. Her tears shined like mossy waterfalls. "Tell me where she is!"

"Clouds Dale."

"Can't she just attack somepony and be sent back?" asked Ham hopefully.

Wild shook his head. "No. She slipped through the cracks the first time because Dodge has a horrible justice system and she is an orphan filly. She would not get away with it a second time. Especially not in Cloudsdale. There is a court house there where so many ponies have been sentenced to death that it is nicknamed Rainbow Factory."

"Screech is going to be okay, right?" asked Ham as he fought back tears.

Away From Home.

Screech looked out the windshield of the sky bus she was riding. She took off her sunglasses to get a better look. She could not see Cloudsdale yet. One of the stallion pulling the bus was chewing gum and kept touching his hoof to his lips. Another was coughing and wheezing.

"They should not let smokers pull a sky buss," muttered Screech to herself.

Glitter looked at the stallions pulling the bus. "None of them are smoking." She turned her attention back to a shopping catalog.

Screech rolled her eyes.

"Which one do you think is a smoker?" asked Candle.

Screech looked at the elderly mare. "The one miming putting a cigarette in his mouth at least. I am more worried about the one who is coughing up a lung. All of them if I had to guess."

Candle reached into her big pink purse and took out a little pleather book of photos. She opened it to a picture of a stallion who looked very similar to the miming pony. "My husband." She pointed a shaky hoof to the miming pony. "My son. Neither of them smoked before they started pulling the bus. 'It is the culture' they said. 'Every pony there does it'. Boys. You know how they are." She started searching for another photo. "It is impressive you knew just from looking at him."

Screech shrugged. "Bat ponies are predators. We notice things."

Candle showed screech another photo and started a story about her son's first day on the job.

Cloudsdale came into view half way through Candle's third tangent. Screech was a little disappointed only a select few buildings were made of clouds. Most of the buildings were made of stone and wood. They could be dropped into Dodge Junction or Canterlot and, aside from a few architectural flares, they would look like the other buildings.

The sky bus landed with a thud. The landing wheels did not deploy and every pony jostled and jerked as the bus grinded across the cracked and bumpy runway.

Screech reluctantly stepped off the bus.

An earth pony who did not put on his cloud boots fell through the ground. Two pegasi in orange vests lifted him back through the clouds and placed him back on the bus. One of the vested pegasi flexed his wings and chanted "Who is the best? Who-is-the-best?"

Glitter stuffed her shopping catalog into her saddle bag. "Come on," she said as she flew away from the filthy bus terminal.

Screech spun in a circle thee times and jumped one hoof off the ground before dropping and spinning in ten circles so quickly some ponies thought she was trying to bite her own tail. She flapped her wings and resumed running in circles.

Glitter hovered above Screech. She looked down on her with distance. "Stop that right now and follow me!"

Screech did not stop spinning. She stumbled every other step from being dizzy, but she did not stop. "I can't. I have OCD."

Glitter sighed. "I went through all the trouble of adopting you and now you refuse to follow me home. You are lucky I can't leave you here." She grabbed Screeche's for leg and yanked her two trots away from the bus. Her for leg was completely covered in a large burn scar that partially covered her chest.

Screech barded her fangs. Her wings flared. She did not hiss. Her mouth hung open. Her teeth were so close to Glitter's shoulder her heavy breaths wet her pink coat.

Glitter let Screech go and slowly stepped away.

Screech took a deep breath and slowly spun in a circle. "Sorry about that," she mumbled. Her face burned red with embarrassment. "I can usually control my anger better than that."

No matter how many times she walked in a circle Screech did not feel safe.

Outside the tourist traps made specifically for draining bits from earth ponies the roads were few and narrow. Over five percent of pegasi could not fly. Screech could not fly for three month after she lost her wing. She could not fly now. She walked around long rows of buildings Glitter flew over.

The sky was full of pegasi quickly flying around each other. Watching them from the ground, Screech thought of fish in a tank. Blue, green, pink and yellow feathers mixed in the early morning's orange sky. It felt like a busy day in ponyville. They all wore gold and blue scarves and hats.

Screech suddenly noticed her hooves were cold. Logically she should have been able to predict Cloudsdale would be cold. The town was higher than mountain tops. She breathed hot air onto her hooves.

"Quit wasting time!" Glitter scolded from the safety of the sky. "If you are not going to fly you can at least canter. I have colts that need me to take them to school."

Screech shrugged. "Not my problem. If you adopted me a year ago, or better yet, not at all I would be at home right now. Why did you wait so long to adopt me?"

Glitter sighed. She was clearly tired of hearing the question. "Just because. Now get moving or I am not making you breakfast."

Glitter opened the door to her home in Clouds Dale. It was a large door matching the rest of the house.

Screeche's new home had pictures of her new family. Of her father. Pictures of him smiling. A smile she had never seen. A smile she was never supposed to see. One or two pictures hung on every wall. Pictures without Dual had his sons in them. His eyes. His way of cocking his head slightly to the left in every photo. His smile. His love and joy.

"Who is that," asked a pegasus with a bright gold mane and a light grey coat. "That is not her?" asked Second Dual.

Screech fought the urge to bear her fangs at her half brother. He was too close to her in age. Only one year younger.

Glitter Stormchaser smiled at her son. "This is her."

Second rolled his shimmering blue eyes. "I hate it here. I am moving out the minute I turn sixteen."

Glitter shrugged. "I will always have my memories of you in this house." She was right. There were foals drawings on the walls. Hight milestones carved into door frames. A broken lamp held together by duck tape. The house contained a lifetime of memories Screech had no context for. Standing in the middle of another family's life was overwhelming.

Second glared at Screech. "Stay out of my life and I will stay out of yours."

Screech could have stepped on her little brother. He was small even for a pegasus. She glared at Second's clock cutie mark. It was different than her own clock cutie mark. Her wings twitched with the urge to cut something. "You have a deal."

Screech decided to explored her new temporary house. She didn't have anything else she could do other than sit on the floor and think about her friends.

Throw pillows sat on every chair, sofa, love seat and parts of the floor. Pillows filled the rooms like dust filled Luna's. Every pillow unique. Special in some way. Some old and torn. Pillows appeared in the background of family vacation photos. They had satin pillows on the beach. Hairy pillows in a light house. Body pillows at a war memorial. Screech was afraid to touch the pillows. She didn't even know why.

Every room smelled slightly different but very much the same. Second's room smelled like Scoops without the perfume. Boys and sex.

Glitter's bed was so covered in pillows the mattress was useable. Carver's parent's unwillingness to throw away broken glass or rotten food seemed normal compared to the number of pillows in Glitter's room. One was half burned. Boys and sex.

Only one room was not full of pillows. It contained more pillows than most houses, but the floor was visible in the gaps between them. It smelled like boys but not sex or mold. One corner of the room was clean enough to have a set up pirate ship playset.

The pillows in the kitchen were the worst. The kitchen was over run. Crumbs, bites of food, mold and winged ants covered the pillows. The kitchen smelled like mold and felt itchy.

The house felt like it was missing something.

Screech marched up to Glitter. "Glitter, where am I supposed to sleep?"

Glitter gave Screech a quizzical look. "You will sleep... in the guest room." She pointed at a faded red door beside the kitchen door.

Screech shook her head. "No. I can smell the mold from here. One night in there will kill me."

Glitter smiled. "You sound just like your father. Maybe having you around will be nice."

Screech hissed. She would have to make do with her new living situation until she could get home. She opened the faded red door. Pillows tumbled out. Her new room, 'the guest room', was a closet. It was a big closet. It could have, in theory, fit a bed. Mold, boys and sex.

Glitter placed a plate of toast on the kitchen table and yelled, "Screech, breakfast!"

Screech dumped the last leg full of musty pillows on Glitter's bed. She took off her rubber gloves and looked at the empty closet she had to sleep in. There was mold on the walls.

Screech jumped and glided over the kitchen floor as best she could. She landed in the pillows half way across the room. Ticks and lice could have been in the filthy pillows for all she knew. She kicked a pillow off an expensive hoof carved chair. She sat at a scratched glass table with a rusted metal frame. Dry toast sat on a chipped antique plate that still had flecks of intricately painted flowers not yet scrubbed off by a sponge.

"We are not eating in the dining hall?" asked Screech.

Glitter rolled her eyes. "I am not walking all the way to the other side of the house to eat at a giant table in an empty room."

"Yeah empty," said Screech. Apparently the table full of pillows and twenty chairs were not in the room.

Screech looked at the empty chair and the toast in front of it. "Where is your other son?"

Glitter sighed. "How would I know. I was in Ponyville getting you."

Screech looked at Second. "Where is your brother?"

Second picked up his toast. "He lives down the street."

Glitter banged her hoof on the table. "I am not putting up with your attitude today! I go on two seven hour bus rides for my family and you imply I neglect you."

Screech picked up her toast. "Thanks for cooking." She was not grateful for the food. She could have had a better breakfast in Vinyets with all of her friends (except Carver and Hazard who lived too far away), but she decided making Glitter feel bad would not help her get home.

Glitter smiled at screech. "At least some pony has manners."

"You raised me," retorted Second.

"What was papa like?" asked Screech before Glitter could shout at her son.

Second cocked his head. "Papa?"

Screech nodded. "I called our dad papa. What was he like?"

Second crossed his fore legs over his chest. "What was 'papa' like around you?"

Screech though for a moment. "He was cold. Distant. Mean. He was never happy unless mama was sad. He was a jerk. I hated him most of my life. I miss him. He was my papa. He was far from perfect, but he did love me and mama. I love him too. He taught me how to hiss. He taught me how to fly. He was no better than any other pony. As far as pappas go he could have been worse."

"How can you talk about him like that!" Second spat half way across the table. His eyes bulged and his teeth grinded.

Screech bit her toast. "I went through a lot of therapy."

"He was great!" Second exploded. "He was smart and brave! He flew around Equestria saving lives! He- he- he!" Second took a deep breath.

Glitter rolled her eyes. "He kept a roof over our heads. Screech, tell me about yourself."

Screech took off her sunglasses and looked Glitter in her eyes. "I was born by chance and may or may not grow berries."

"That is it?" asked Glitter?

Screech put her sun glasses back on. "No. I am going back home."

Glitter shook her head. "Don't listen to her. She has to stay." She lifted a coffee cup to her lips. She mumbled, "My lawyer made that very clear."

Second burst out, "He was my dad not yours! You don't know what he was like because he liked being with me mort than being with you!"

The table top shattered as Screeche's hoof grinded through the glass. She did not lunge across the table. She pulled the glass out of her leg with her teeth and bit herself.

Shards of glass embedded themselves in the floor of pillows.

Glitter took a six pack of chocolate pudding cups out of her refrigerator. "Go to school!"

Second jumped out of his chair. He left a trail of tears right out the front door.

Glitter sat on her bed and ate pudding.

Screech sat at the broken table for a moment. She picked up all of the toast avoiding touching any of the pillows or broken glass as much as possible and threw it away. She made herself toast and ate it alone in her closet.

Screech sat in her closet and hummed the new Feather Bangs song. She didn't know why Scoops and Hazard liked him so much. He could sing, but they seemed to think he was the only pony who ever sang. She was able to find a few crayons in drawers around the house along with a few sheets of paper. She drew Rove and Bird Food dressed as knights sword fighting an evil dragon. She was sure the cats would have been best friends.

Glitter looked down on Screech. She had pudding on her snout, lips and chest. "Aren't you too old for crayons?"

Not that all dragons are evil.

Screech kept drawing. "I don't know. How old am I?"

Glitter sighed. "Why are you still here?"

Screech glared at Glitter. "Where would I go?"

"School," said Glitter.

"My school is a seven hour flight away. Unless you enrolled me in a Cloudsdale school."

Glitter groaned. "I am heading out."

Screech scooped up her crayons and paper. She followed Glitter.

Glitter did not bother flying the two houses up her street. She walked through the front door like she owned the place and took a forty ounce beer out of the fridge. She took two big swigs and sat on a sofa beside two other mares with beers. There were six mares in total. Five of them middle aged. One of them was eighty at the youngest. None of them spoke.

The radio belted out a drama. Screech covered her ears. Two stallions were arguing over who would marry a mare. The rich and handsome Mr. Blake or the rich and handsome Sir. Drake. In the ten minutes Screech heard the mare say two words. "I do." After the show ended all of the mares talked about how lucky the nameless mare on the radio was. They lived in the wealthiest part of Cloudsdale and had nothing to do at ten AM on a Tuesday.

One mare pointed her beer bottle at Screech. "Is that the bastard child?"

Screech pressed her teeth together. She understood why Glitter would lie. She took a deep breath and forced a smile.

Glitter ignored the mare.

"She is a big one," said Cover. "Bigger than her older brother."

"She is a bat pony," pointed out Glitter. "Second is a pegasus."

"Could you turn the radio down?" asked Screech.

Shade put a hoof to her lips. "Hush. Children are only to speak when spoken too." She did turn the radio down a little.

A talk show started and the conversation ended.

Screech sat behind the radio and drew. After a few hours The oldest mare noticed her and made her a sandwich.

Screech spent most of the day laying on the floor and listening to the radio. She heard five soap operas, two talk shows, a hoof full of convoluted mysteries where middle aged stallions have 'romances' with fillies straight out of high school (she lost interest in them after she noticed the pattern of the killer always being the filly the detective was sleeping with), a few comedy shows (they were full of topical jokes she didn't understand and made fun of earth ponies for no reason) and a marathon of an adventure show. She enjoyed the radio plays about Lone Silver and his buffalo companion the best.

Glitter put her half empty beer on the table and walked toward the door. "See you all tomorrow," she called out as she left.

Screech learned something. It was not that school fillies who are seduced by middle aged stallions will become murderers. She already knew that. She learned something else. She could not put her hoof on what.

Second Dual was in his room when Screech returned to Glitter's house. She heard two voices coming through his door.

Screech smelled hay burgers. She followed the scent to the kitchen where she found A bag of hay burgers on the floor under the broken table.

A small brown pegasus sat at the table. Success Stormchaser smiled at Screech. His front teeth were pointed but not quite fangs. "Who are you?"

Screech looked at her youngest brother. He was about half her age. "Just a house guest. I will be gone before you know it." She sat down to eat dinner. "Is there a post office near here? I have to send a letter to my friends."

Success nodded. Hay sauce dripped off his chin. "I can show you around tomorrow."
Glitter sat at the table and ate with the children.

Screeche's first day in Cloudsdale was not a complete waste of her life.

Screech sat on the floor of her closet. She could not help but notice both of her brothers were small. She had to wonder if it was her grand mother's doing. If Papa's DNA was changed after Screech was born. She was bread to be a weapon. Her mother's side of the family was bread to assassinate Princess Celestia. Her father's was not. What was she thinking? Of course it was. It would be silly to assume her grand mother didn't have backup plans and side projects. Maybe she was not her grand mother's greatest success. That thought made her sad and she had mixed emotions about being sad over her family.

First Steps Into Cloudsdale.

Screech put on a long black scarf and a light blue knit hat. She chose them out of all the hats and scarves because they smelled the most like her papa.

Success looked at Screech and cocked his head. "You have to wear something with the wonderbolts logo on it."

Screech cocked her head at the exact same angle as her half brother. "Do you think the lack of a gold and blue scarf are going to make me stand out more than me being a bat pony?"

"Yes," replied Success. "I don't want my friends at the park thinking you don't like The Wonderbolts."

"I don't like The Wonderbolts," said Screech as she tied her scarf. "They helped the royal guard kill hundreds of bat ponies including most of our family."

Success scoffed. He thought Screech was lying. "The Wonderbolts are cool. Every pony loves them."

Screech opened her mouth to clarify. She didn't say a word. She changed her hat to a blue and gold knit cap. "You said something about a park. I thought we were going to the post office."

"We are," said Success excitedly. "After we go to the park. Wonderbolt park is the coolest place ever. It has aerial obstacle courses just like the ones real Wonderbolts train on. You will love it."

"I can't fly," said Screech.

"Why not?" asked Success.

Screech extended her prosthetic wing. "I am disabled."

"Leaf Cutter has a prosthetic wing and he is a Wonderbolt," said Success.

Screech swallowed a hiss. "So?"

"If he can fly with one wing so can you," assured Success.

"He is an air force flyer with access to military technology!" exploded Screech. "My prosthetic is what ever Guilded Lilly could afford after she committed insurance fraud! Even if I did have top of the line medical care you don't get to decide what I can and can't do! I am telling you I can't fly! Don't argue with me!"

Success shrank back. Tears immediately started flowing down his face as he wailed at the top of his lungs.

Screech froze. She had only forgotten how young her half brother was for one second. Her stomach burned and tried to jump out of her mouth. She winced at the pain but otherwise ignored it. She stepped forward and hugged Success. He wailed into her ear, but she held on. She was turning into her mother.

Platinum Park was cooler than Wonderbolt Park. Wonderbolt Park was mostly hoops on metal poles. There was nothing to do for ponies who could not fly.

Screech sat under the statue of Snowdrop. She watched Success fly through hoops with his friends. Her splitting head ache went away and was replaced by a dull head ache. Not even trying to imagine what the park was like before it was bought, remodeled and renamed was fun anymore.

Screech stared at a cheer squad. Their gold and blue cheer uniform could have been from any school in Cloudsdale. The one and only earth pony on the squad had her undivided attention. Her coach and squad mates were flying high above her head and performing aerial acrobatics. She was either the daughter of some-pony or there was a law that said she had to be allowed on the squad.

Screech trotted over the the earth pony. "Hello."

Razzle smiled with perfect teeth. She did not look happy but she did look pretty. The perfect fake smile. "You are eye-catching."

Screech blushed. "I already have a some-pony special."

Razzle laughed. "I didn't mean it like that. Are you on a team?"

"No," said Screech with a grin. "I am a rodeo pony." She puffed out her chest a little.

Razzle put a hoof to her chin. "That does not have cheer squads."

"Your's can be the first."

Razzle laughed.

Screech frowned. "I was being serious."

"Oh. No. I am a Secondary Junior Wonderbolt Trainee Understudy Considerate. I can't cheer at just any event." Razzle spoke as if Screech should have already known.

Screech managed to keep her eyes from rolling. "How many Ponies have to die before you are on the wonderbolt cheer squad?"

"Two hundred eight," said Razzle curtly.

Screech stared at Razzle.

"You were joking," said Razzle. She blushed. "You don't understand what an honor it is to be on the wonderbolt's cheer squad."

Screech nodded. "I can't fly. Cloudsdale's altitude is too high. Every time I try it triggers my OCD in new and horrible ways. Do you know what it is like to wake up and have a piece of your self missing? To have so little control over your own life one minute you can fly and the next minute you can't?"

Razzle thought for a moment. "No."

Screech was taken aback. "Is your dad the mayor?"

Razzle raised an eyebrow. "No. He is a judge."

"Do you want to be friends?"

Razzle nodded excitedly. Her smile was a little crooked and genuine.

"Want a roasted carrot?" Screech nodded her head toward a roasted carrot vendor. "You are buying."

Razzle looked up. Her team didn't notice she stopped performing the routine. "I can't. I will never be the first earthpony on the wonderbolt's cheer squad if I don't practice."

Screech sighed.

Success walked ahead of Screech. As he walked he played catch with two other colts. They walked through the residential zone and he pointed out a few houses as belonging to his friends and the places for ponies to rest their wings, learn to fly and play with their pet birds.

Screech wondered if Prey would like living in Cloudsdale. She had no intention of making him leave Dodge Junction. She was too aware of the irony.

Every step deeper into the new city made Screeche's heart beat faster. She crossed a cart bridge into the industrial district. The factories made the mansions of the residential zone look like doll houses.

"Is this where the weather is made?" asked Screech in awe of the size of the factories.

Success gave Screech an odd look. "No. That is a power plant. That is a smelting plant. That is an oil refinery."

Screech ran. She liked running. Seeing a new city, a city that was not her home, made her run fater and faster. The edge of town was no where in sight.

Screech dug her hooves into the hard clouds that were Cloudsdale's 'ground'. She closed her eyes and forced her breathing to slow down. "Change is good. Change is good." She repeated the platitude hoping she would start to believe it if she said it enough.

Success flew up to Screech. "You ran right past the post office."

Screech took a deep breath. She though of her friends. She thought of how great it would be to get letters from them. When she was back in Ponyville in a week, to laugh together at the sappy things they wrote to her. She opened her eyes. "I am feeling better."

Success cocked his head. "You were not feeling good?"

"No," said Screech. "I was panicking."

"Oh." Success looked down the road to see if his friends were following. "Do you panic a lot?"

Screech rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about it. We don't have to bond. I am going home and our lives will continue as if I never came here."

"Mom said..." Success looked at the ground.

"What did Glitter say?" asked Screech.

"Mom said you are my sister."

Screech waited for her half brother to continue.

Success waited for Screech to say something.

Sucesse's freinds threw the ball to him and caught it. He threw it back.

"I am your sister," said Screech. She was not sure what else to say.

Success smiled a little. "Isn't that cool. Our family got smaller when dad... but now you are here and..."

Screech placed her hoof on Success's shoulder. "We are not family. My family is in ponyville. My family is my mare friend, a diamond dog, a unicorn and her cat, my mama and my foal hood friend and her parents. You are my papa's son. We can be friends. We are not family."

Successes' eyes filled with tears. "Cool. The post office is this way." He flew away as quickly as he could.

Screech hissed at herself. She resolved to not apologize.

An excerpt from a letter to Melodie.

"Cloudsdale is bigger than Ponyville with less diversity than Canterlot. Most buildings are orange. Every creature is a pony. Every pony wears a Wonderbotls hat and at least one other Wonderbolts accessory. I am told any pony who does not display their love for The Wonderbolts may as well be an invasive species. Its death necessary for the ecosystem to function. Needless to say I hate it here and will be returning soon.

"Love Screech. XOXO"

Glitter was with her friends listening to the radio for the third day in a row. Dual and Success were gone. Razzle was in school.

Screech wondered around the Cloudsdale. She found her way out of the maze of mansions and into a suburb. The streets were smaller and the buildings were pack so closely together that if one caught fire they would all burn. She was not sure if it was possible to start a fire at this altitude, so maybe that was not a problem.

Screech walked up to a table of old stallions outside a small café. She watched them play an old racing game made out of a block of wood. The dice they used were made of stone. The game was not quite old enough to have dice made of dragon bones.

"Do any of you know a colt named Stitch Runner?" asked Screech.

Hard Luck twisted his old wrinkled face until it looked like a rotting tree. "Do I look like I know any colts?"

Screech cocked her head. "Yes."

Hard spit on the ground in frot of Screeche's hooves. "I don't know any colts."

Screech let out a sigh of frustration.

"You should go back to what ever Celestia forsaken hole you crawled out of," threatened Hard. "We don't like outsiders."

Screech pretended she didn't notice the hostility in the old stallion's voice or the daggers in his friend's glares. "Are you from Cloudsdale?" She asked with an innocent smile.

"I am!" declared Hard. "And proud of it too."

Screech nodded. Pretended being from Cloudsdale should be a source of pride. "You are lucky. You don't know what it is like to miss your home."

"What!" bellowed Hard. "Don't know what it is like to miss home! I was on the front lines in the war of Baltimare war."

Screech cocked he head. "Baltimare war? Did you make that up?"

All four stallions slammed their hooves on the table and started shouting over each other. After one minute they all ran out of breath.

"Pull up a chair!" commanded Hard. "I am giving you a long overdue history lesson."

Screech listened to the stallion's tales of war and interjected as often as she could. Her father was dead like Hard's. She was missing a limb like Chitter. She was poor like Brickey. She knew a lot about music like Varnish. She didn't trust Celestia like all four of them. She found it was a lot easier to get them to empathize with her than she expected.

Hard shook his head. "That Glitter sounds like one selfish-" He remembered screech is a lady. "You know." He reset the race game and despite being two to six players did not invite Screech to play.

"I don't think she is selfish," said Brickey. "I for one don't want a bat pony owning a house in Cloudsdale."

The three stallions nodded in agreement.

"How does Glitter adopting me prevent me from owning a house in Cloudsdale?" asked Screech.

Varnish mumbled, "Foreigners," under his breath.

"Your papa owned that house," explained Hard. "When he died it went to his next of kin. Your mama. Felons can not own property while in jail under Cloudsdale law. The house went to her next of kin. You own Glitter's house. As your guardian she has power over your estate. If she has any sense she will sell the house to keep it out of the hooves of foreigners."

Screech fought the urge to roll her eyes. It was like fighting her instinct to breath. She rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. I am going back home the first chance I get. Cloudsdale is not exactly a luxury resort."

"Foreigners are always ungrateful," scoffed Chitter. "Nothing is ever good enough for you."

Screech sighed. "Do any of you know a rodeo pony named Stitch Runner?"
All four stallions shook their heads.

Razzle's house was so big both the good wing and the bad wing of Luna's could fit inside its walls twice and still have room for an indoor swimming pool.

Screech stared up at a giant white house. She didn't let her jaw drop at the sight of the decorative columns, stain glass bay windows or the sheer size of the trapezoidal structure. "How big is your family," she asked in as steady a voice she could manage. The house it self was more intimidating than the (nearly) useless walls and gates that surrounded expansive property.

"Just the three of us," said Razzle. "Mother needs a lot of space. She collects hot-air balloons." Her prying gaze all but begged Screech to be impressed.

Screech rolled her eyes. "Yes that is very impressive." She patted Razzle on the head. "You did a good job being born rich."

Razzle shoved Screech. The bat pony did not move.

Screech took a step back. "Sorry." She looked at her hooves.

"You said you wanted to be my friend!" spat Razzle. "I thought that meant you would not treat me the way the other fillies do!"

Screech took off her sunglasses and looked Razzle in the eyes. "I am sorry. I do want to be your friend. I didn't like the way you were flaunting your family's wealth and should have said so in a more direct less hurtful way."

Razzle smiled. She ran her hoof over her mane. "You don't need to be such a Ponyville pony about it. You could try to act like a Cloudsdale pony."

Screech fought the urge to hiss. She didn't like being insulted (even if the insult was something as vague and silly as foreigner) but voicing her feeling would likely mean getting into a fight with Razzle. She forced a smile. "I am excited to meet your dad. I have a lot of questions about the law."

Screech and Glitter were the only ponies present for dinner. A three course home cooked meal sat on the sheet of plywood that was placed over the shattered kitchen table.

Screech almost suggested they eat in the dining hall. "Thank you for cooking Glitter." She bit a baked carrot.

Glitter sighed. "That is the duty of a mother. Even a mother whose children are ingrates."

Screech nodded. She was not sure what to say. Surely agreeing with her was just as bad as disagreeing. "I spoke to a judge today. He told me a lot of interesting things. Do you remember the radio play we listened to three days ago? The one where the stallion got his brother to confess to two murders by writing a second name into his suicide note. Because both names were above the signature he was found guilty of both murders. That was based off a real trial. That is an actual law. Anything above a signature is considered to have been written by the pony who signed the document unless the text explicitly reads otherwise."

Glitter shook her head. "I don't listen to those shows."

"Oh." Screech poked her salad with her fork. "My point is Cloudsdale's laws are horrible. For example. I own this house and you and your family are not allowed to live in it unless I live here too. Squatters rights only last one year. If you sell this house I get all of the money for it."

Glitter was not fazed by the statements. "Yes. I did know that. I got a lawyer after your father died."

"You can sell the house," said Screech. "Take all the money and move some where else. I don't care where you go. Just send me back to Ponyville."

Glitter shook her head. "I don't want to move. This is where all of my memories are. This is where my friends live. Not to mention It is impossible to start a house fire in Cloudsdale. No. I am staying and so are you."

Screech was not surprised by Glitter's response. "You don't have any friends. You hate it here. In three days you have eaten a pound of pudding in your bed and only left the house to drink and not listen to the radio. You have your groceries delivered to your front door. When was the last time you left this street? Before you picked me up."

Glitter shrugged. "Three or four months. Even when he was alive I didn't go out much. Probably why he liked me."

"Glitter, fate gave you the chance to start fresh," said Screech in a overly excited voice. "Sell the house and live the life that will make you happy."

Glitter shook her head. "I can't be happy anywhere else. This is as happy as I am ever going to get."

Something dawned on Screech. Glitter was not stubborn or greedy. She was not trying to keep Screech from inheriting the house out of malicious intent or jealousy. She was just as trapped as Screech. She was trapped by her own neuroticism. She was trapped by a belief this was what her life had to be.

"Glitter?" asked Screech. "Can I convince to to try therapy? Your life can be better than this."

Glitter smiled warmly at Screech. "Thank you. But no. Therapy was made up foreigners who hate Equestria and want to make us weak so they can invade."

Screech groaned. She had this conversation with Melodie more than once. "I go to therapy. It keeps my OCD and violent outbursts at bay. It is not a cult."

Glitter shook her head. "No you don't. I would rather you kill half of Cloudsdale than become a foreigner."

"I am a foreigner," said Screech. "I was born in Canterlot."

Glitter sighed. "You know what I mean."

"I do." Screech poked her salad with her fork. "Glitter, I want to go home."

Glitter nodded. "You will in a few years. Second and Success have already abandoned me. I don't expect you to stay any longer than you need to."

Screech huffed. She was going home as soon as possible even if it meant helping Glitter get her life back on track.

Bonding.

Screech sat at the broken kitchen table with a coil of rope poking out of her saddle bag. "We are going to Sky Fair," declared the bat pony. "It will be a fun family bonding experience."

Success smiled.

Second glared at Screech.

Glitter sighed and into her toast. "You have fun with that."

Screech pulled a lasso out of her bag. "I am doing this for you. You can come willingly or you can come tied up in a wagon. Either way I am getting you out of this house."

"Screech, I am an adult you may not talk to me that way," Scolded Glitter.

"I am not going to Sky Fair either," said Second firmly. "Earth ponies and unicorns don't belong among the clouds."

"I am excited to go," assured Success. "I have never been."

Screech nodded. "We are going to have a lot of fun."

Screech pulled a wagon behind herself. She calmly walked down the wide road in the part of town made for tourists.

Passing ponies looked at Glitter and whispered to each other. One mare laughed.
Glitter struggled to break free from the ropes. "You made your point. Untie me!"

Second walked beside the wagon smiling at his mother's plight.

Screech stopped. "Okay. If I have to tie you up again I will. I don't care how many ponies see you trying to escape spending time with your children. I will make a scene."

Glitter sighed. "I am sure you will."

Screech untied the rope in two seconds.

Glitter looked at the sky then the rope. She seemed to be trying to figure out if she could outfly a lasso. She stepped out of the wagon being careful to keep her wings folded.

Sky Fair was an amusement park and hotel built on six air ships. Ponies boarded on the ground and the ships brought them around Equestria. There was one ship in every major town two days a week.

Success looked up at the Ferris wheel with wide eyes. "I want to ride that." He hopped with excitement.

"Why?" scoffed Second. "You can fly."
Success stopped hopping. He looked at the ground.

"Do you want to be tied up?" threatened Screech.

Second flinched back. "I didn't tell him he can't ride the boring wheel."

Screech bared her fangs. "Success and I are riding the wheel." She grabbed her rope and tied Glitter's fore leg to Second's fore leg with only a few hooves of slack. "The two of you can do anything you want together."

Second looked at the four big knots in the rope. "You are not as funny as you think."

"You will thank me for this," assured Screech with a genuine smile. Her sudden shift in mood caught every pony off guard. She was not scolded further by Glitter or Second.

Sky Fair was packed with ponies. The floors were covered with food, vomit, urine and mouse droppings. No pony seemed to notice they were hoof deep in filth. The lights were brighter than the sun and music played from dozens of booths. Ponies ran around hopped up on sugar and adrenaline. The floors creaked and loose nails with dried blood on them stuck up.

Even with her ear plugs and sunglasses the lights, sounds and smells made Screeche's head hurt before she stepped hoof on the poor excuse for an amusement park. It was too late to change her plan. Besides she needed a plushy by the end of the day.

Success sat on the Ferris wheel and frowned. Once the ride began proper he still looked dejected.

"Listen," said Screech. "It is very important you at least pretend to enjoy this ride. Glitter is sad and seeing you happy will make her happy."

Success sighed. "I wish it was just the two of us here."

Screech nodded. "I understand why. Your brother and your mother... could be more positive. But if you play along I can fix your family."

Success looked at his big sister with wide hopeful eyes. "Can you really?"

Screech placed her hoof over her heart. "I promise."

Success did not enjoy riding the Ferris wheel despite Screeche's best efforts. He jumped off with a big smile and laughed. He insisted the ride was more fun than flying.

Second rolled his eyes.

Glitter smiled at her son. She, only for a moment, glared at Screech. She didn't let the moment of jealousy last. "Success, you and I should ride something together."

Second furrowed his brow. "What about me!"

Glitter smiled even wider. She hugged both of her sons. "All three- four of us can ride something together."

"There are bumper cars over there," Screech pointed toward the stern of the ship.

Second seemed to be in a good mood after slamming into his brother and mother half a dozen times each. He smiled ate cotton candy.

Glitter laughed and furrowed Successe's mane.

Screech stopped in front of a booth built into a big wooden fence.

A big sign covered in lights read "Complete the obstacle course in fewer than twenty minutes and win the grand prize."
Plushies half the size of ponies sat up on the highest shelf.

Success looked over the prizes. His eyes stopped on a famous rodeo pony even he knew. "I didn't know a plushy was made after you."

Screech nodded. "How do you think Papa bought Glitter such a nice house?"

Glitter bit her lip and hoped Screech was exaggerating.

"His job payed well," interjected Second.
Screech nodded. "It did. Our home in Canterlot was nice."

Success cocked his head. Tears started to gather in his eyes. "Was Dad a bad pony?"

Screech took a deep breath. "He lived in Cloudsdale, despite being a bat pony, to make Glitter happy."

Second huffed. "How much money did he steal from you?"

Screech shrugged. "I don't care. My rodeo career if far from over. I can always make more."

Glitter smiled at the pony in the booth. "How much for a big toy."

"Two hundred bits," said Fleece.

"Don't bother," said Screech. "I can clear this course in ten minutes flat." She grinned showing the tips of her fangs.

Screech dashed over the mud pit. She kept her steps light and barely sank. The other ponies who were running the course were still on the fifty hoof dash before the mud pit when she cleared it.

Screech charged through the snaking path of tires without slowing down. Her four legs moved in prefect rhythm like a dancer gliding across a ball room.

Screech ran into a hay bail head first and barley losing any speed and pushed sixty ponies around two wide curves.

Screech picked up an egg and balanced it on her snout. Her speed and grace did not diminish. She sped across the finish line with the egg.

Screech beamed at Fleece. "Please give me the bat pony plushy."

Fleece rubbed his chin. "I can't. Those toys are for display purposes only. I can give you a smaller prize."

Screeche's smile vanished. "I finished your obstacle course in twelve minutes," she explained.

Fleece nodded. "Yeah."

Screech stared at the stallion at a loss for words.

"My boss told me I am not allowed to give out the top prizes," lied Fleece. "I can give you two small prizes."

Screech bared her fangs. "I want the plushy of myself!"

Fleece looked at the doll then the pony. "You are her? That explains your time."

"Give me the doll!" exploded Screech.

Fleece furrowed his brow. "No."

Screeche's face burned red. Her blood boiled. She clenched her jaw so tight her teeth hurt. "I waaaannnaaaa go h-home!" she wept. She collapsed to the ground tears running down her face. "I-I miss my friends! I miss m-my bed! I miss my garden! I miss my home! I-I have not r-received a s-single letter since I got here! My friend must be worried sick! I am worried sick! I-I-I want to go home! I hate it here! I hate it here! I hate it here! I want to go home!"

Ponies were staring.

"Get up!" snapped Glitter. "You are making a scene!"

Screech didn't listen. She continued to sob loudly.

Success hugged Screech. "This is your home now," he assured.

Screech crushed Success with her fore legs. She did not calm down. She wept even more loudly.

Glitter ran off.

Ponies gathered around to see the crying filly, shake their heads and remark their children would never behave in such a way.

Second rolled his eyes. "It is just a toy. Quit acting like a foal." The rope was still around his foreleg.

"It is not just a toy," retorted Screech. "I was going to send it to my friends in ponyville so they would remember me."

Glitter came running back with a big plush Luna toy. "If you let go of Success I will give you this toy," pleaded Glitter.

Screech stared at Luna. She slowly extended one of her hooves keeping her other fore leg around Success as if she though Glitter would go back on her deal. Once she safely had the Luna doll in her hoof she let go of her little brother and pulled the toy to her chest. She berried her face in Luna's back.

"Please get up," pleaded Glitter.

"I can't, mumbled Screech into her toy. "I am embarrassed."

Glitter sighed. "Sweetie, we are all embarrassed."

Success flew into the Fleece's booth and grabbed the Screech plushy.

"Give that back," snapped Fleece.

"No!" shot back Success. He placed the large toy into the wagon. "I got the plushy for you."

The crowed of ponies mocked Glitter's kids in whispered.

Screech looked at Fleece; she saw his bulging eyes and burning red face. She ran away with her two dolls as fast as her hooves could carry her.

The Stormchaser family sat on a bench only a short run from Fleece and his crooked game. It had been hosed down recently enough it was not sticky.

Glitter handed out ice cream cones.

"Who does that jerk think he is!" yelled Second. "I hope he loses his job." He kept his hoof gestures subtle so he would not lose a scoop of mint chip.

"I am not letting him get away with that," assured Glitter.

Screech rolled her eyes. "What are you going to do about it?" She licked her Blueberry & Strawberry swirl.

Glitter pressed her lips together.

"It is your fault he didn't give her the doll," accused Second.

"How is it- I offered him money." Glitter sighed and shook her head.

"I don't think he would have given you the toy if you did pay," said Success. He bit a little coconut and chocolate sauce off his banana ice cream.

"Would not surprise me," said Screech.
"He was horrible," agreed Glitter. She picked the cherry off her vanilla scoop.

"I am having fun," said Screech. "Despite my... I am enjoying spending time with you."

"You are happy to be here?" asked Success. "You don't want to go back to Ponyville?"

"I am and I do. My friends mean the world to me. I want to bond with you- I can't have too many friends- you will never be able to replace them."

"What makes your friends so great?" huffed Success.

Screech told stories about her friends. About Wild finding a spot behind Bobo's ear that made his hind left leg go crazy. Scoops getting two colts to joust for her affection. Ham throwing rotten eggs through random open windows. Hazard locking all of her board games with small pieces in a safe. Carver's detailed letters and the cute drawings she put in them. Melodie convincing young ponies the boogy stallion was real so they would stop being scared of Screech and herself.

"We are your family," said Success. His fore legs were crossed so tightly he could barely breath.

There was a long silence.

"Second, tell me about your friends," said Screech.

"You agreed to stay out of my life."

Screech tossed the last of her waffle cone into her mouth. "I will be less likely to break my promise if I think your friends are nice."

"Your friends don't sound nice," said Second.

"My standards are low. Your should not worry about me not liking your friends."

"He does not have any friends," said Success.

Second punched Success on his fore leg.

"I can smell another pony on him. He has at least one."

Second blushed.

Glitter noticed the look on her son's face. "I told you to stay away from him!" she snapped.

"It is some pony else," assured Second.

"Who?" demanded Glitter.

Second froze.

"You are in so much trouble," murmured Glitter. She grabbed her son and flew away.

"Who were they talking about?" asked Screech.

Success shrugged. "I don't know." He pointed at a game where ponies were scooping fish out of a tank with a paper paddle. "Can we play that game next?"

"Yeah." Screech hopped off the bench. She could not tell if her plan worked. Success smiled at her. She decided to worry about it later.

Screech opened the front door to the house she lived in. A small hard object slammed into her chest like a tennis ball hitting a brick wall. Her eyes filled with tears. She hugged Melodie so tightly her body started to turn into a cloud of smoke. "I am so happy you are here."

"I missed you too," said Melodie.

"How?" choked out Screech through a rush of tears.

"I took the bus," said Melodie as she wiped away Screeche's tears ignoring her own. She smiled brightly.

"Did you get my letters?"

Melodie shook her head. "We were all worried sick." She still smiled.

Screech hugged Melodie again.

"Is this one of your friends?" asked Success.

Screech took the Screech doll out of the wagon. "I got this for you. I didn't want you to miss me too much."

Melodie held the plush to her chest. "I would rather sleep with the real thing."

"Is this one of your friends?" asked Success.

Screech blushed. "O-oh."

Melodie realized what she said. "I don't mean sex. I know you are not ready and respect your boundaries."

Screech breathed a sigh of relief. "It is not you. It is Seam and Scoops and maybe me." She looked at her hoof and watched it poke the floor. "Sorry."

Melodie lifted the bat ponie's chin and looked her in the eyes. "There is no need to be sorry."

"Is this one of your friends?" asked Success.

Melodie looked at the small colt standing beside Screech. "Who is that?"

Screech looked over her shoulder. "Success Stormchaser. My half brother."

Melodie's mouth dropped open. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know. I have been so home sick I have not really processed it yet. And I have been thinking about my great ect grand mother and if she played a roll in this. There is so much going on in my head I don't know how I feel about most of it."

"I am going to make tea and we can talk about this for as long as you need," assured Melodie.

"Is this one of your friends!" asked Success.

"Yeah. Why don't you go play with your friends?"

"I don't want to," stated Success. "I want to play with you."

Screech opened her mouth. She bit down on her tongue right before she said something horrible. "We can play again soon. I need to talk to Melodie for a little while first."

"It has only been three days."

"Listen you little brat," snapped Screech. "I don't care what you want. You are going to leave me and Melodie alone for the rest of the day."

"Why are you excluding me?" Success sniffled. "The three of us can spend the day together."

Melodie's eyes glowed green. "Quit being selfish. Go play with your friends."

Success obediently walked out the of the house.

"We can talk in the dining hall in one minute," said Screech with a big smile. "I have something to do first."

Melodie nodded. "I already know where the kitchen is. Your tea will be waiting for you."

"Wake up," yelled Screech. "I have a gift for you." She placed a fish bowl on Glitter's bed.

"I don't want a fish," stated Glitter. She licked pudding off a spoon. "I have children to take care of."

Screech shrugged. "I guess Gold will die then."

"Why did you get me a gold fish?"

"Gold is a minnow. She is blue. Why would you think she is a gold fish?"

"You named her Gold."

Screech smiled. "Yeah. Glitter and Gold." She placed the fish bowl on a dresser. "Who is the pony you don't want Second talking too?"

"Don't worry about it. I took care of it." Glitter wiped pudding off her chest and ate it.

Screech sighed. "Is second in danger?"

"No." Glitter opened her sixth pudding cup. "He is not dangerous. I don't want him putting ideas in Second's head."

"Is this about Second being gay?" hissed Screech.

"Second is a good colt!" snapped Glitter. "I will not let you say those things about him!"

Screech rolled her eyes. "We will talk about this later." She ignored her instincts and rushed to the dining hall.

Bliss.

Screech and Melodie cuddled under a warm blanket on the dining table. Melodie sat comfortably tucked under her somepony special's wing with her new plush under both of their chins.

Screech sipped her tea. "How is every pony doing?"

"We are doing... fine. We are worried. Bobo tried to keep us calm by saying your letters were taking a while to get to us because you are far away now. I could not risk it."

"How is Vinyets?"

Melodie laughed. "It has only been three days. Our garden is fine." She regretted her choice of words when Screech failed to stifle a hiss.

Screech sipped her tea. She gently placed her cup on the table. "It is confusing. Being here. I feel trapped. I am trapped. No more trapped than I was in Luna's. I feel helpless. I don't like being helpless. Being with you, our friends too, helps me feel less helpless. I feel better just sitting here with you."

Melodie sat quietly and waited for Screech to gather her thoughts.

"I can't fly here." Screech puckered her lips. "That is not what I wanted to say. I am mad." Screech smiled. "That is it! I am mad. I am mad at my papa, Guilded and Glitter." She breathed a sigh of relief. "I want to go to the post office and figure out why my letters are not being sent. That is my top priority." She jumped off the table. "We can cuddle after we get back. I don't want Carver or the others to worry about me."

"I sent a letter to Carver the day you were adopted," Melodie hopped off the table. "She knows you are in Cloudsdale. I have a letter for you from her in my bag."

"I will read it after we get back." Screech put off talking to Second again and trotted toward the post office.

The post office was a rectangle. The floor was a square. The ceiling was very high. Thousands of letters and hundreds of shelves covered the walls. Everything was made out of thick sheets of wood. Half a dozen pegasi flew through the air sorting letters.

Screech marched up to the young mare at the high wooden counter. "My name is Screech Stormchaser. You lost four letters I sent to my friends."

Tappy looked horrified. "I am so sorry miss. She picked up a stack of papers and flipped through them. I will find your letters in two shakes of a pony's tail." She flipped with surprising speed. She stopped and let out a sigh of relief. "Your letters were not lost. They were burned. Says here you are foreigner trying to send letters to Ponyvill and Canterlot."

"You burned my letters!"

"No. Burned is just an expression. We shredded them. Can't start a fire up here."

"I have family in Canterlot and Ponyvill," hissed Screech.

Tappy nodded. "According to my report your letters contained dangerous policies capable of causing great harm."

"You read my letters!" snapped Screech. Her cheeks burned. She wrote a very embarrassing letter to Melodie the day she arrived. "Wait! Don't tell me! The dangerous policies. I wrote a love letter to a filly."

Tappy shook her head. "That filly is lucky you can't poison her mind anymore. Foreigners," she spat.

Melodie placed her hoof on Screeche's. "We should go."

Screech took a deep breath. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her ears rang. Her stomach turned up side down. She took a deep breath. Her teeth clenched. Her wings twitched. She pressed her fore hooves against the floor so hard it started to splinter.

"Screech, you are better than this!" snapped Melodie. "I will never forgive you if you start attacking random ponies."

Screech stopped breathing all together. Her ears dropped. "Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. Thank you for stopping me."

"You would not have hurt her," assured Melodie. "You are going through a lot, and you lose your temper. That is normal. Lets head back."

Screech shook her head. "I have to let our friends know I am okay." She hissed. "I know a pony who can help."

Razzle sat in Wonderbolt Park among all of the other Secondary Junior Wonderbolt Trainee Understudy Considerats. She wore a pretty smile and nodded along to a conversation.

Screech walked up to the eathpony. She could not tell if her acquaintance was a part of the conversation or not. "Hey Razzle. Still training?"

Razzle's smile grew and became much less pretty. "Screech, I was just telling my friends about you."

Screech heard two of the fillies scoff quietly. One mockingly whispered 'friends?' and two more giggled.

"Sit with us," said Razzle.

Thirty five fake smiles pointed at the bat pony in an instant.

"I would rather chew glass," said Screech acidly. "Can I talk to you over there?"

Razzle stopped smiling. "No. That was very rude of you. apologize."

Screech thought for a moment. "No. I am not sorry."

Razzle forced a laugh. "The sense if humor on this one. She is joking." She stared daggers. "Apologize!"

Melodie placed her hoof on Screeche's. "Do what you think is right."

"You should see the look on your face," laughed Screech. "Admit it you thought I was serious for a second."

"No I didn't," Razzle let out a deep breath. "I was worried they would think you were serious."

Screech reluctantly sat. Melodie sat beside her.

Razzle, Screech and Melodie all nodded along to a conversation they were not allowed to join. The talk about which male junior wonderbotls they most wanted to marry.

Razzle gave screech an odd look. "What happened to your wing?" She whispered as not to disturb her friends.

Screech looked at her wings. It took her a moment to realize what the question was. "Nothing. I decided I didn't want to wear my prosthetic."

The earth pony furrowed her brow. "You look crippled without it. You should wear it all the time." She smiled.

Screech smiled back. "I don't care. My prosthetic is heavy. It gets uncomfortable to wear after a few hours. I can't fly even when I do wear it. And most important of all, I didn't feel like wearing it today." She kept her tone soft and sweet like she was talking to a foal.

Razzle opened her mouth.

Melodie's eyes glowed green. "Please don't." She looked over the pegasi. None of them noticed.

"Who are you?" asked Razzle.

"I am Screeche's-" Melodie barely stopped herself in time. "Best friend."

Screech put her hoof on Melodie's. "She is my mare friend."

"You are gay?" Razzle whispered so quietly even bat pony ears could barely pick up on the sound.

"Yes," Screech proudly declared.

Razzle placed her hoof on Screeche's shoulder. "Don't worry you will get through it."

Screech was not sure how to react. "Thanks."

"Could you be a little more loud?" snapped Treble. "We are only trying to have a conversation."

Razzle smiled and stayed quiet.

Razzle easily convinced the mail ponies to deliver any letter or package Screech gave them unopened and with post haste. She only had to smile, wave and remind them who her father was.

The post office lent Screech a typewriter to write new letters to her friends.

Melodie kissed her Screech plushy before sending her off with the letters. Screech saw the kiss and pursed her lips.

Sky lights covered most of the high kitchen ceiling. Every surface in the kitchen was white. White counter tops, cabinets, floors, curtains and cookie jars. A large service entrance was tucked into the corner so caterers could get in and out quickly.

Screeche covered her sunglasses with her hoof. "Is it brighter in here than out side?"

"Yes," said Razzle with pride. "Mom wanted her kitchen to be a warm bright place for ponies to gather."

Melodie wiped dust off the counter top. "Does your house have more than one kitchen."

"Yup. We mainly use the small kitchen. This kitchen is reserved for when we have guests over."

"Thanks for inviting us over," said Screech.

"It is my pleasure," assured Razzle. "I enjoy having friends over."

"How long have you been a member of a cult?" asked Melodie. She sat at a white kitchen island.

"It is not a cult," scolded Screech. She sat beside Melodie. "Sorry she is obsessed."

"They are taught to worship the military, the military that killed your family, and encourage others to buy merchandise to show they also belong to a special social class." Melodie stamped her hoof on the counter for emphasis. Dust flew into the air. "How is that not a cult?"

Screech thought for a few seconds. "I am sorry. I am just so used to you accusing things of being cults I assumed you were wrong."

Razzle scoffed. "Who cares if it is a cult? They are going to make me rich and famous. Did the Wonderbolts actually kill your family?"

"Yeah. They tried to stage a coup. Most ponies on my mother's side of the family were assassins and rodeo ponies. My mama never killed anypony. She was too valuable to risk. My immediate family never killed any pony." Screech laughed nervously.

"Neither has Screech," added Melodie.
Razzle nodded. "Killing is gross."

"You never answered my question," pointed out Melodie. "How long have you been in a cult?"

"All my life. My mother was a dance coach when I was born."

Three loud knocks came on the service door.

Razzle ran to the door. She took a wooden crate from a delivery pony.

"I got something for you," exclaimed Razzle. She placed a box of mangoes on the island. A bright red sticker on the box read 'One hour delivery'. "These are for you Screech."

"Thanks." Screech handed a mango to Melodie. She tossed a mango to Razzle. She took another mango and bit it. "These are pretty good."

"Now that your letters are sent do you want to talk about your family?" asked Melodie.

Screech took a deep breath. "Not yet. What has every pony been doing without me?"

"Hazard is making a mosaic window in honor of Strawberry Lemonade's latest accomplishments," said Melodie.

"It is rude of you to talk about your former friends like I am not here," stated Razzle.

"Current friends," corrected Melodie.

"Sorry," said Screech. "We should talk about something else for now."

A long awkward silence filled the kitchen.

"Do you want to kiss me?" asked Screech.

Melodie sucked in a sharp breath. "That is a loaded question. I can't say 'No I don't want to kiss you'. I also can't say 'Yes. I know the though of kissing brings back bad memories and makes you physically sick, but I would love to kiss you anyway.'"

"If Seam didn't... If I wanted to kiss you would you kiss me?"

"I am not answering that." Melodie turned to Razzle.

"Why not? I already know the answer."

"Because you already know the answer. You want to feel bad about yourself. I refuse to help you self deprecate."

"You don't want to kiss me. You hate me," accused Screech."

"I love you! I asked you to be my mare friend," pointed out Melodie.

"You think I am gross because I dated Scoops."

"I think Scoops is gross. You are wonderful. Not even she could taint you."

"Then why don't you want to kiss me?"

"The same reason you don't want to kiss me."

"You think I am a bad mare friend."

Melodie was caught off guard. "No. Of course not." Her eyes filled with tears. "I am sorry I made you feel that way. You are a wonderful mare friend."

Screech hugged Melodie. "Please don't cry. You didn't make me feel like a bad mare friend. I saw you kiss the plushy Screech and lost my head. I thought you wanted to kiss me and are holding back because you know I don't like kissing."

"I am not holding back. I genuinely do not want to kiss you. I don't want to kiss you because you don't like kissing. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Kissing is a vice," added Razzle. "You could not be on the Wonderbot cheer squad if you liked kissing."

Screech rolled her eyes. "I am not joining the cheer squad." She still hugged Melodie.

Screech sat on a bench in Wonderbolt Park her flank pressed against Melodie's. Young pegasi and their pet birds flew over head laughing and having the times of their lives.

"I hope you are happy my beloved Screech," read Carver's letter. "Your friends in Ponyville told me you probably didn't get my last letter. I didn't get your last letter either. They also told me you have been adopted. I am happy for you. I know this does not feel like a blessing. Being sent to Ponyville didn't feel like a blessing either. A fresh start can be a good thing. My new home does not have nearly as much stuff in it. I miss my old home but this is better. I know this must be hard for you. I wish you were back in Canterlot. I miss you." Her letter continued for three pages. "I will see you at the Cloudsdale rodeo <3," the letter concluded.

Screech stared at Carver's letter. Melodie could not stay in Cloudsdale forever. Would letters be all she would receive from her family in Ponyville? How long was Glitter lonely before she gave up?

"Are you okay?" asked Melodie.

Screech put the letter in her bag. "Yeah," she choked out.

"What park does not have any trees?" complained Melodie. "Platinum Park is built in a cave and it has trees."

"Cloudsdale is the worst," agreed Screech.

"Do you want to talk about how it feels to live here yet?"

Screech nodded. "I have mixed emotions about it." She blushed. "I am sorry. I want to hate it more," she assured. "But not everything in Cloudsdale is horrible. I like Success and Glitter. Razzle is alright. I do want to return home as soon as possible. I don't want any of you to think I could ever replace you."

Melodie nodded. "I am happy you are not miserable." She smiled. "The others will be too. We have managed to have some fun without you. You don't need to feel guilty about not missing us every second of every day."

Screech pressed her lips together. She did not agree.

Melodie gently bit Screehes shoulder. Screech smiled and gently bit her mare friend back. Kissing was probably overrated.

A big beautiful falcon cut across the sky. Her long grey feathers shined under the sun light. She was twice as fast as the pegasi. After three laps around the park she grabbed a pet canary in her long sharp talons. A chirp and and blood escaped her lethal grip.

Screech's ears perked before the colt started screaming. She looked around quickly. She caught the scent of the falcon in seconds. A lasso spun above her head in moments. She threw hard and pulled harder.

Gauntlet watched his falcon from the ground. The moment he cheered for his bird's successful murder a thick rope wrapped tightly around his neck and pulled him to the ground. He tried to regain his hoofing, but he was dragged too quickly. His flank and fore legs bled by the time he lay in front of a livid bat pony.

"Call your bird back now!" screamed Screech.

Gauntlet shoved both hooves in his mouth and huffed. He tried three times before whistling. The large grey falcon landed on his brown pleather glove.

A pegasus colt sat on the ground weeping.
Screech kicked Gauntlet in the chest. His coughing did not drown out the crying. She kicked him again.

"Screech, deep down you are a horrible violent pony," warned Melodie, "If you let yourself become that pony I will never forgive you."

"He killed a pet," growled Screech.

"I know," said Melodie softly. "Killing him will not bring back Mrs. Meowsys."

Screech stomped on Gauntlet's fore leg. "I am not going to kill him." She lowered her muzzle to Gauntlet's. "Murder is wrong," she growled.

Gauntlet cried and squirmed under the younger bat ponie's large strong hoof. "I am sorry! I am sorry! Please let me go. I will never hurt another bird again."

Screech tugged on her rope. "Don't interrupt us!"

Adults stood around watching the 'fight' and complaining the parents of the two trouble makers were nowhere to be seen. One of them almost suggested stopping the bat pony.

Melodie took the falcon in her hooves. "I am going to drop this bird off at an animal shelter. If you come with me you can hiss at the dogs and play with the cats."

Screech stood as still as a statue.
"Please?"

Screech huffed. She took the rope and stuffed in her bag.

Screech smiled at a bird cage with a kitten in it. She winced at the treads on his collar. She knew cats could not walk on clouds without magic items. She would have sewed the magic collar to the cat's leg not its neck, or made collars with locks on them.

Half a dozen scorpions struggled to fit into a small cage hanging from the ceiling. Two garden snakes and a viper shared a small rusted cage. A hundred birds squawked and sang and beat their wings against their cages.

"No! No! No! Out! Out! Out!" Checkers waved her hoof at the door frantically. "Foreigners are not allowed!" Bird poop, wet and dry, stained her black mane. "She saw the falcon. "No! We have too many birds as it is!"

"Where can we take her?" asked Melodie.

Chechers poined at the door. "Out!"

"We do-"

"Out!"

Screech stared at all the birds trapped in cages of ponies making. Her ears rang. The birds were horribly loud and their screams high pitched. The room started to tilt. Her vision blurred. Her head pounded. Something felt wrong, but her head was too clouded to figure out what.

"We are going. Just tell us where to drop the bird off."

Screech collapsed. "It hurts," she moaned.

Melodie grabbed her mare friend's bag and fished out her ear plugs.

Everything got much quieter. The floor felt even. Screech blushed. "Sorry. I was lost in thought. Do you think that colt is going to be okay?"

Melodie nodded. "You got joy out of killing dogs and you are okay now."

Screech violently emptied the contents of her stomach onto the floor. It was a connection she was going to make eventually, but she could not help but being a little mad at Melodie. She contemplated taking out her ear plugs to muddy her vivid memories of the past.

Checkers sighed. She walked away.

Melodie winced. "That is not what you were asking? Sorry. I don't think you hurt him too badly."

An overweight stallion with cracker crumbs in his frazzled grey beard pointed his broom at Melodie. "Put the bird back. Foreigners can't be trusted with pets. Probably eat the poor thing." Pellets jabbed Screech in the chest with his corn broom. "Out with ya."

Melodie placed the falcon on the broom.

Screech struggled to her hooves. "You are not a monster," she assured the grey bird. "You can make up for this."

Melodie and Screech left without the bird.

Melodie sat beside her mare friend at the broken kitchen table. Second and Success were nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Second?" asked Screech. She poked her salad with a fork.

"With a friend," assured Glitter. "That pony would never risk letting Second into his house. He is vile not foalish."

Screech nodded.

"You are not eating," said Melodie.

"My stomach hurts," said Screech. "He deserved it."

Melodie leaned against her somepony special. "No he didn't. I am disappointed in you." She put a fore leg around her bat pony holding her.

Glitter stared daggers at Melodie. "Is she the reason you want Second to date a stallion?"

Screech looked up from her plate. Her skin crawled. "You mean colt right?"

Glitter gave Screech an odd look. "No. What difference does that make? Stallions and colts are both male."

Screech just sat perfectly still. She didn't even have the strength to hiss.

"That seems like the kind of thing you should tell the police!" snapped Melodie.

Glitter scoffed. "Don't talk to me like that foreigner."

"Who is he!" demanded Melodie her eyes glowed green. "Tell me everything you know about the stallion who is... violating your son!"

"He is a judge a few years older than I am." said Glitter. She didn't speak another word no matter how long Melodie stared at her.

"I am going to hunt him down and kill him!" whispered Screech.

"No you are not!" yelled Meolodie. "Monsters kill! You- we are going to do this the right way!" She gently placed a hoof on Shecreche's shoulder. "Sorry for yelling. You are not going to kill him. I will protect you from yourself. We will stop him the right way."

"Where is Second!"

Melodie stared at Glitter. Her eyes did not glow. "Don't answer that. She needs to rest."

"Eat your dinner," said Glitter. "Second will be back tomorrow. You can talk to him after school."

Screech hissed. Tears ran down her face and she hissed.

Familiar.

Screech sat on the dining table. Melodie's fore leg draped over her. She had already sewn two dozen pillows back together, fixed three lamps, four picture frames, a chair, a sea shell, two glass birds and a hole in the wall. Meolodie and Glitter kept their distance and watched when she destroyed the house. She stared at the broken clock. After what felt like hours she was nearly done putting it back together for the sixth time. It still didn't tick.

Melodie pointed out the irony of a clock being the one thing Screech can't fix, but was otherwise silent.

"Are you mad at me?" asked Screech. "I know I should not have gone on a rampage. I tried to stay calm. I wish I could be... ... Melodie?"

Melodie was sound asleep.

Screech could see the sun rising through a window. She didn't mean to stay up all night. She wondered what time it was.

"Hey!"

Screech woke with a start. She felt Melodie hold her tighter for a second. She saw Razzle standing beside the table. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

Razzle shrugged. "First period is history of Celestia's failures. Second period is aerial and ground combat. I don't usually show up before third period math."

"Our school teaches a class on why angels love ponies more than other creatures," said Melodie.

Razzle chuckled. "Only foreigners believe in angels."

Screech shook her head. "No we don't. We are just taught to believe in them."

Razzle smiled at Screech. "I picked up your mail. I didn't want them shredding it again."

Screech hopped off the table and hugged the earth pony. "Thank you. That was very considerate of you."

Razzle hesitated before hugging Screech. She hugged her very tight and held her for nearly a minute.

Screech looked at her four letters (Carver, Wild, Bobo and Hazard wrote to her) and and a box addressed to Razzle.

The earth pony pointed at the box. "I bought those for you."

Screech opened the box. The letters could wait. She pulled out four pink and black knee high socks. She blushed.

Razzle smiled. "Do you like them?"

Screech nodded. She swallowed her embarrassment. "Thanks."

"Try them on," encouraged Melodie.
Screech stuffed the socks back into the box. "They can wait until we are alone. In Ponyville. In two years."

Melodie and Razzle gave confused looks.

"Must be a bat pony thing," said Melodie.
For the first time in a while Screech was grateful to be friends with Scoops. She probably would have worn the socks in public if she didn't know better.

Screech gleefully opened her letter from Carver.

Razzle hopped onto the table. She looked at Melodie and chewed her bottom lip. "How are you?"

"Fine. As fine as I can be." Melodie looked at Screech. "I have to go back to Ponyville in a few days."

Razzle smiled. "I will get Screech all to myself?"

"No," said Screech. "Glitter needs me to hold her hoof. Second is not leaving my sight ever again. Success... That family needs my constant attention."

Razzle glared at her bat pony friend. "I am glad you are not my mare friend."

Screech looked to Melodie who gave a kind and reassuring smile. "I am a hoof full." She continued opening her mail. She read every letter twice and tried not to laugh when she saw the playing cards Wild sent her. She laughed for nearly three minutes.

Glitter poked her head into the dining hall. She still had bed mane and chocolate pudding on her cheeks. She watched the three laughing fillies.

Screech smiled at Glitter. "Do you want to play rummy with us? Please?" The rage she felt at her for letting her son 'date' a stallion was mostly buried by shame and concern. She knew Glitter didn't approve even if for the wrong reasons.

Glitter smiled. She rolled her eyes and huffed. "Fine." She didn't even fool Razzle. She sat at the table and picked up her cards. She purses her lips.

Screech blushed. "They were a gift from Wild Hearts."

Glitter nodded. "I didn't say anything." She stared at a card and sighed. "That is just not fair. This mare is not as pretty as I used to be."

"You are still just as pretty as any of these mares," assured Screech.

Glitter shook her head. "I have not been this pretty in a long time. I always wanted to be a model."

"It is not too late," said Melodie with a smile.

Glitter gestured toward her burn scars with her scarred hoof.

"You could sell sexy fire fighter better than any of the mares in this deck," stated Razzle with a fake smile.

"Or regular fire fighter," said Screech. "You don't have to model nude."

Glitter's eyes filled with tears. She placed her cards on the table and trotted to her bed.

Screech sat on Glitter's bed. She watched Gold swim around in her little fish tank. "You did remember to feed Gold this morning right?"

Glitter lay on her bed. She stopped crying after a few minutes but she kept her face buried in two dozen pillows.

"You don't talk about papa much." Screech kept watching the fish.

Glitters head popped up from her pillows like a firework. "What do you want me to say about him. He used every pony around him for his own gain. He only cared about himself. He left me with two sons I don't know how to raise."

"Did he encourage you to become a model?" asked Screech. She waited for an answer. "It did not go well did it?" Still no answer. "One of the pictures on your bookshelf is a headshot."

Glitter sighed. "He was the only pony who made me feel beautiful." She broke into a new fit of crying.

Screech gently rubbed Glitter's back. "I would like it if you talked about him. I did not know him well."

"I am sorry," sobbed Glitter.

Screech nodded. "Thanks."

Two police officers were patrolling Wonderbolt Park when Screech and Meolodie arrived. Stallions with helmets and face shields, bulky stab proof vests and red metal batons (not to mention the Wonderbolts decals on the helmets).

Screech barely spared the officers a glance. "The carrots here are pretty good. I think they are freshly grown in Cloudsdale."

Both police officers flew over and landed in front of Screech. They landed so hard little puffs of cloud rose around their hooves.

"This must be the bat pony," said One.

"Looks like a foreigner to me," agreed Two.

Screech was going to guess this was about the colt she brutalized. Now she was guessing the police were just as trust worthy as Guilded Lilly.

Meoldie's eyes glowed. "Just tell us what you want so we can go get our carrots."

"I want to run all foreigners out of my beautiful town before they ruin it like they did the rest of Equestria," said One.

"I want to crack your skulls with me baton," stated Two.

Screech took both batons and tore them to bite sized pieces with her fangs.

"Hoof cuff yourselves together," commanded Melodie while her marefriend was destroying the weapons.

Cries from ponies across the park broke out. "Your kind are not welcome here!" "This park is for pegasus ponies!" "You are scaring good fillies and colts!" "Go back to where you came from!"

Screech noticed a large number of ponies wearing green ascots (in addition to their Wonderbolt memorabilia). She wanted to know the history and symbolism behind the green ascots, but it didn't seem like the right time to ask. Glass jars full of blue, gold and green paint soared through the air. Most of them didn't land ten ponies from her. A few bounced without breaking. She rolled her eyes. Keep the children safe by covering the ground with broken glass. Pegasi never walk.

A disturbing thought stuck itself in Screeches mind. Earth ponies and unicorns would fall through the clouds to their deaths without the help of magic shoes. She imagined the first time this happened the ponies on the receiving end were not rolling their eyes and mocking the attackers. The paint was probably not pain. Perhaps a blue, green and gold potion. Or a green potion dropped by the Wonderbolts.

Screech spit out a mouth full of red metal. "We should get our breakfast somewhere else."

Screech looked up. She could smell the more violent of the two police officers following her from above. She heard a high pitched beep from his walkie-talkie every time he communicated with another officer. Three civilians from the park also followed her.

Melodie trotted beside Screech. She didn't know where they were going. She followed her mare friend and hoped for the best. After two hours the buildings got smaller and the streets got wider.

Screech smiled. "Think all foreigners look alike."

Melodie stared at the big rectangle stadium. The high walls with only one wonderbolt painted on them. The equestrian flag flying proudly. The ponies milling about didn't wear gold or blue.

"What do you want to eat?" asked Screech.

Melodie noticed a row of food vendors. One claimed to sell authentic Crystal Empire fare. "I have not eaten crystal hay cakes in years."

"Could you get me oats and toast?" Screech didn't need to explain getting too close to the combination of smells emanating from the line of food stalls would make her sick.

Melodie nodded and trotted off to wait in line.

Screech looked around despite not being able to smell the police pony. The little metal table she shared with Melodie was a decent trot form the food stalls and everything else. A pegasus could dive down from any direction. The blue umbrella obscuring her view didn't help her feel more safe, even if it did provide cool shade on a hot morning

Melodie placed her hoof on Screeche's. "Are you feeling okay?"

Screech nodded. "I can't smell them." She sipped her apple juice. "I wonder how Papa dealt with this."

"I don't think he spent much time here," guessed Melodie. "The vacation pictures around your house look to have been taken in every town but Cloudsdale."

"He was an adult bat pony who could fly and worked in private security," pointed out Screech. "Not exactly an easy target."
"You want to fight them?"

"No," assured Screech. "I just want to scare them."

"You bit their metal batons in half. How do you plan on scaring them?"

Screech shrugged. "I will not do anything violent. I don't like vomiting."

"Are you sure you can't come back to Ponyville with me? We can figure something out. I would live in Platinum Park if Guilded doesn't let you stay at Luna's."

Screech shook her head. "Glitter, Second and Success need help."

"I know. I respect you for wanting to help them."

Screech placed a hoof on Melodie's soft smooth cheek. "I wish I could go back too."

Melodie gently bit her love's hoof. "I noticed a lot of mares on your naught playing cards were wearing socks."

Screech blushed. "I don't think Razzle know what she was buying."

"When we get back want to see what I look like in them?"

Screeche's entire body heated up. "Yes."

Melodie giggled. She was blushing more then her mare-friend. "Speaking of sexy things, have you competed here?" She gestured toward the stadium.

Screech smiled. "Yes. I am going be competing here in a dew days. Carver is coming to watch me. More of the events require the ability to fly than the Ponyville rodeo, but I will mail you at least three blue ribbons."

Screech finished her oats and toast. "Do you miss The Crystal Empire?"

Melodie shook her head. "The ponies there never attacked me but they didn't like me either. Ponyville was my first real home. I miss the food. Princess Cadence showed affection through food. She showed a lot of affection."

"You never did tell me why you left," said Screech.

Melodie looked at her last bite of hay cakes. "I know."

The front door to Glitter's home was not on its hinges. It was in the middle of the house broken in two.

Screech bared her fangs. "The police pony who was following us is inside. I can smell him."

"We should find Razzle," pleaded Melodie.
Screech shook her head. "I am fixing this here and now."

"You promised no-"

"That was before they broke downy front door," growled Screech.

"You have other options," urged Melodie. "If you go in there I am not putting on the socks."

Screech marched into her house. She could hear her heart beat. Her stomach twisted with rage and disgust. Her hooves shook with a nervous energy. She felt frail and sick, but killing always made her feel better.

Melodie reluctantly followed her love.
Five police ponies sat around Melodie's bed playing poker with Screeche's naught cards.

"I am feeling nice today," declared Screech. "You have five seconds to pray to Luna before I kill you."

Captain Cuffs smiled at Screech. "That little thing got you running scared?" he teased.

"You saw what she did to my baton," cried Lieutenant Two.

"Batons," scoffed Captain Cuffs. "Real stallions fight with their hooves." He got out of his chair. The big orange pegasus looked more like a buffalo than a pony, but didn't smell like either. He towered over the bat pony filly.

"Trapping yourselves in my house was really foalish of you," chided Screech. "You should have picked a location you could fly away. One of you might have been able to get away."

"Captain, Captain, Captain," cheered all of the police including Two.

Cuffs drew his aluminum baseball bat. He did not swing like a pro trying to send the ball flying to the fans. He swung like a kid hitting a brick wall after her mother told her she deserved to suffer for being born a monster. He whiffed.

Screech easily ducked under the metal bat. She lunged forward and flared her wing. She sliced Cuff's head open. She grabbed a chair and threw it at the nearest officer. She sprinted under the table tackling Two and biting a chunk out of his shoulder.

Dusty reached for his baton as he flew toward the foreigner. A heavy chair struck him on the head knocking him flat on his back. His vision blurred and pain wracked his entire body.

Two dove under the table like a coward despite being the violent pony who stalked the child for hours. He felt fire burning in his flesh then he felt very cold and numb. His racing heart all but stopped. All of his worries floated out of his head.

Strings got her baton free and landed a solid strike in the center of the pesky child's skull. She was shoved on to her back punched in the face. She swore she heard her own skull crack before her ears rang like fire bells. Oddly she barely felt any pain.

Honey dropped his baton and put his forelegs in the air. "Please don't hurt me," he begged with tears in his eyes.

Screech vomited all over the floor. Her heart raced and her vison blurred. Tears ran down her cheeks. She felt like her skeleton was made of cracked glass just waiting to fall apart. "You broke into my home to kill me and my mare-friend!" she screamed. "How dare you ask me for mercy!" Two's blood flew off her lips. "You don't deserve a second chance! You are a monster!" She cuffed String's hooves together. She turned her flank on Honey and Bit Two's open wound.

A burst of green fire illuminated the room.
Cuff's cut was deep. His black crooked horn was cut half way through. The oversized changeling's pegasus disguise was ruined.

Honey saw the big changeling and grabbed his baton. A lasso flew around his neck and dragged him to the floor. He was out cold before he could swing.

Screech gently bit Cuff's horn healing it half way. She had to be careful not to cut it off completely. She didn't know if a severed horn could be reattached. It was a risk she was not willing to take. She had all five cops defeated in fewer than two minutes. The thought of what would have happened if she hit her growth spurt before she tried to kill Periwinkle had her spitting bile onto the floor.

Melodie rubbed Screeche's back. "What now? Wait for the rest of the police to show up?"

Screech shook her head. "No. Just the commissioner." She grabbed Two's walkie-talkie. "Who am I talking to?"

"Police dispatch," came a mare's voice form the walkie-talkie. "You are playing with police property. Return it to the location you found it or you will be arrested."

"Yeah. This is Screech Stomchaser the filly you sent five police officers to beat the Celetia worship out of." Screech held the walkie-talkie to Two's muzzle. "Tell them what happened."

"She kicked our flanks," groaned Two. "She did something to Captain Cuffs and he turned into a changeling."

"Tell your commissioner I am giving him two options," threatened Screech. "He can say this attack was just one rouge changeling who managed to infiltrate the police force. This was foreigner on foreigner violence. He will praise me as a hero for stopping the vile and corrupt Captain. Or I tell Equetria Daily what happened and Princess Twilight gets involved."

Screech waited in silence for twenty minutes.

"Fine," came a rough stallion voice. "The less time I have to spend dealing with this the better."

Mud Hound let out a sharp whistle that hurt Screeche's ears. "How did this happen?" He gestured to the four cuffed ponies and the one cuffed Changeling.

Commissioner Castration glared at the reporter. "We are launching an internal investigation as we speak."

Hound nodded. His over sized hat nearly fell off his head. "Sure you are. I don't care what you do. This story is my ticket to Canterlot. I can't wait to leave this hoof-and-mouth town behind me."

Screech was not surprised even the journalists in Cloudsdale were selfish. She understood why a pony with a Las Pegasis accent would rather live in Canterlot (swine pit is is). Screech fake coughed.

"Right," sighed Commissioner. "Put in your paper I said this oversized filly is a hero to all of Cloudsdale."

"Are you saying she is a hero?"

"You are saying I did."

Hound nodded. His hat fell to the floor.

"Can you just take the picture?" asked Screech. She looked into the next room. Melodie watched her from a distance. "I have more important things to do."

"I did too," accused Commissioner as if any of this was the bat pony's fault.

"Yeah yeah." Mud lifted his camera and snapped a photo of the cuffed changeling with the captain's badge.

Screech waisted no time biting the captain's horn healing it the rest of the way.

"What are you doing?" barked Commissioner.

Screech sighed. "Probably something foalish. If I let him go to trial he will be sentenced to death. I am setting him free."

"Do you know how that will make the police force look?" yelled Commissioner.

Screech shrugged. "No, but I don't care. I am not letting him die."

Green fire surrounded Cuffs and he changed into a porcupine. Screech scooped him up and threw him out the nearest window. Cuffs fell through the clouds.

Commissioner frowned fiercely.

"Please get out of my house," Screech politely requested with a glare.

Commissioner scoffed. "You are not worth my time."

Screech smiled. "I know."

Screech and Melodie sat in the empty closet where the bat pony used to sleep. It was dark and quiet.

"Screech!" yelled Glitter. "Why are there bloody hoof prints all over my pillows?"

Screech sat staring at her hooves.

The closet door flew open. "Screech!" Glitter's face was pale as a ghost. "Thank Celestia!" She dropped to the floor. "Don't scare me like that."

Screech smiled. Her heart felt a dozen emotions but joy was the most present. "Sorry Glitter. The police tried to bully me."

Glitter grimaced. "You are just like your father. I hope you didn't hurt them too badly."

"They are fine."

"Come out of the closet. I am making lunch." Glitter trotted off to the kitchen.

Screech looked at Melodie. Her heart hurt again. "Are you going to break up with me?"

Melodie sighed. "I don't know." Tears built up in her eyes. "I... You can't! You have not been away from Ponyville for a week." She wiped a tear off her cheek. "How much have you changed since we met? How much have you changed since Dodge Junction? Did you get better or did your situation make you better?"

Screech took a deep breath. "Both. Maybe I was naïve to think I overcame all of my troubles."

"Maybe I was naïve too," said Melodie.
Screech burst into tears. "Maybe when I do change, when I can stop myself from hurting ponies, we can date again?"

Melodie forced a pained smile. "Of course. I love you."

Screech hugged her ex-mare-friend. "I love you too."

All The Troubles In The World.

Canterlot:

Carver trudged down the long empty Canterlot streets. Heat waves rose off the concrete ground. The bright blue mare beside her went on and on about the play she was producing.

"Hey pretty little thing," yelled Newsy.

Showy Product smiled, waved, blew kisses and yelled, "Hi there Handsome." She rolled her eyes when Newsy was out of view. "What a bother. You don't want to be as famous as I am."

Carver nodded politely.

Showy continued bragging about herself and shouting to ponies only half of which noticed her first. "Are you listening?"

'Sadly I am' thought Carver. "Yes," she replied with a forced smile. "I am learning a lot too."

"Good. You are going to love this. I decided you are going to make another piece for my show. It will be statue of me half the size of the merpony statue."

"How long are you going to delay the show?"

Showy forced a smile. She looked like she was about to sneeze. "I am not going to. I was thinking you could delay your trip until after the show."

'I am leaving tomorrow!' thought Carver. "I am sorry but I can't delay my trip. I wish I could help. I am sure you will think of something."

Showy groaned. "Yeah. I will think of something."

Cloudsdale:

Screech sat at the kitchen table. She stared at the winged ants on her breakfast. Her lips pressed together tightly.

Glitter sat on a pile of pillows in front of the refrigerator. She ate chocolate pudding with her hoof.

Success sat across from Screech. He begged for details of the fight against the judge.

Melodie's eyes glowed green. "Be quiet." She looked to Screech. "Are you okay?"

Screech took a deep breath. "I feel..."

Melodie hugged Screech. Tears ran down the back of her neck.

Canterlot:

The set of Showy's play was calm and quiet. Everypony finished their jobs days ago. Aside from a few small tasks Showy had managed to find most ponies had nothing to do.

Carver sat in the audience seating. She tied her white mane in gold and blue ribbons. She needed the colors for her visit to Cloudsdale.

A blond colt with a light brown mane sat beside Carver. Candle smiled with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Carver blushed and smiled. "Hey."

"Hi."

Carver noticed Candle's breath smelled like mint and chocolate. "You smell nice." Her stomach flipped. Her entire body burned. She wished there was a way to go back in time and smack herself.

Candle smiled ear to ear. "Thanks." He sat a little taller. "I heard you are leaving the production today. That is a shame. I... want to spend more time with you."

Carver had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming. "I want to spend more time with you too." She was glad her second conversation with her crush was going better than their first.

"Want to get milkshakes tomorrow?"

"I can't. I am going to be out of town for a few days. I will be back in a week."

"Oh." Candle looked at the floor. "So in a week then?"

"Yes!" yelled carver. "I hope your timing isn't always this bad."

"Actually. The last time I asked a girl out was the day she started dating somepony else."

Carver chuckled. "Thank Luna I am not dating. I would not want to miss this chance."

Candle stared at Carver. His gaze intense. "Thank Luna? I didn't realize you were one of those ponies." He hopped off his chair and trotted away.

Carver pressed her teeth together. On one hoof she was glad she didn't go out with a Celestia worshiper. On the other hoof she missed Screech.

Ponyville:

Rove, the lynx, rolled around on her back swatting at the air like a kitten. Her large claws sliced through the felt mouse on a nylon string.

Hazard smiled at her cute little kitty.

Blue Ink stared at Rove with wide unblinking eyes. "You want to enter that monster into a cat show?"

Hazard nodded. "Yes. She is very dangerous so we will need to put safety precautions into place." She rubbed her kitten's warm fluffy tummy. "You are a menace to society," she cooed playfully.

"That thing-"

"Her name is Rove and she is a lynx."

"Rove is not going to win any prizes. It- she does not fit any of the standard."

Hazard nodded. "I know. It is a cat show. I want to show off my cat. I want everypony to see how cute and playful she is. Maybe the ponies who wanted to eat her will think twice next time if they see her as a the cute little kitten she is."

"What?"

"You don't think she is cute?"

"Aaaahh. Yeaahh she is cute. Who wanted to eat her?"

Hazard shrugged. "I don't know. Where do I sign?"

Blue Ink hesitated before passing a form to Hazard.

Ponyville:

Scoops walked down the rowdy halls of Luna's bad wing. She opened the door to Ham's room.

Ham Bone and Wild Hearts disco danced in the the middle of the room.

Scoops smiled. "Why are you so adverse to being cool?"

Cloudsdale:

Screech sat on the table in the dining hall. Melodie held her hoof. She felt cold. "Do you know what is most frustrating about all of this? I don't know what I did wrong."

Melodie held Screech a little tighter. "We can talk about that later. Right now I just want to hold you and forget any of that happened."

Screech nodded. She took a deep breath and let her body relax.

Ponyville:

Carver stepped off The Friendship Express. She had a little brown suitcase on her back containing warm clothe for Cloudsdale and a flag reading "Go Screech!" in bright pink letters and a grey duffel bag around her neck.

Bobo smiled brightly showing the sharp contrast between his new teeth and his old teeth. He hopped a little when he saw his little green unicorn friend. "Carver! Carver! Over here! Carver!"

Carver nodded and waved. She made her wat through the crowd of ponies getting off the train and waiting to greet those getting off.

Bobo scooped Carver into a big tight hug. "It is great to finally meet you."

"You must be Ham," joked Carver. "I was expecting you to be taller."

Bobo laughed loudly. Every pony stared and whispered.

Carver felt her face heating up. "Why don't we get out of the way. You can show my Luna's or Platinum Park."

Bobo placed Carver back on the ground. "Lets go!" He took off running. After charging a few dozen ponies he stopped, turned around and ran back toward Carver. "How was the train?"

"Fine. It is only a one hour ride from Canterlot."

Bobo looked up at the sky. "Is it that close? It looks far away." His back was to Canterlot.

"The train is fast," said Carver.

"How far away is Canterlot?"

'How am I supposed to know?' thought Carver. "I am not sure."

Bobo nodded. "It looks far."

Carver sighed. "So, where are the others?"

"They are at Luna's. Melodie is in Cloudsdale."

The pair marched on. "Do you play any instruments?" asked Carver.

"I never had the chance to learn. I have never even held one in my paws." Bobo looked at his paws.

"Screech taught me to play acoustic guitar."

Bobo cocked his head. "Screech can play guitar?"

Carver laughed. "Are you kidding? She grew up in an instrument shop. She can play anything but the yovidaphone." She stopped abruptly. "She does not play anymore?"

"She does not own an instrument as far as I know."

"Maybe I can bring one to her. Do you want to go shopping with me?"

Bobo nodded. "of course."

Carver walked through the narrow empty halls of Luna's bad wing. She admired the crayon drawings and hoof paintings decorating the smooth dirty walls. The halls were fairly quiet. She did hear the occasional quiet laugh.

"I was expecting this place to be different," said Carver. "Every pony described it as being horrible."

"Well..." Bobo scratched his chin. "It has not been as bad recently. Now that we have the garden ponies spend less time here. Everypony has been nicer and happier since we fixed the walls and floors. Luna's is not all bad."

Bobo opened the door to Ham's room. Wild, Ham and Scoops were disco dancing.

Carver smiled ear to ear. She busted out her best moves.

"You are pretty good short-stuff," said Wild.

"You are just so cute I could eat you up," complimented Scoops. She winked.

Carver blushed at the attention. "Thanks. My parents have- had a lot of disco records. We used to dance to them all the time. Well about once a month."

Bobo and Ham did the worm.

Cloudsdale:

Screech sat across from Melodie at the kitchen table. She poked her hay with a fork. "I am a horrible mare-friend."

"What?" yelled Melodie. "That is not true."

"I have done nothing but make you miserable since you came to Cloudsdale." Screech looked at the ants on pillows on the floor.

Melodie didn't respond. She gave careful thought as to what she should say.

Screech shrank into her chair. Her head was barely over the top of the table.

"You will make it up to me," assured Melodie.

Screech rose a little. "I can take you to a concert. I am sure there is one around."

Melodie smiled. "You can braid my mane. I want to look nice when we go out."

Ponyville:

Carver looked around the spacious well lit instrument shop. She scrunched up her nose. Dozens of ponies stood around strumming guitars and banging on drums.

"This place is great!" exclaimed Ham. He walked along a wall of guitars.

"Look at all of these guitars," said Wild. He walked along a different wall of guitars.

Bobo walked around a dozen drum sets that came in a rainbow of colors. The sets ranged from six pieces to eight pieces.

Scoops looked around from the entrance. "I assume all of the harmonicas are made of gold."

"What should we get Screech?" asked Bobo.

Carver looked at one of the walls of guitars. "Horns hurt her ears."

"I don't see any horns," said Scoops.

"They don't sell horns here," offered a random pony no pony was talking to. "They only sell real instruments."

'Mind your own business' thought Carver. "Thanks. We noticed." She offered a smile.

Wild took a black guitar off the wall. Ham took a blue guitar. Scoops picked a pink guitar. Bobo picked a light wood grain guitar. They all looked to Carver.

Carver smiled. Her legs shook. She went from smiling to feeling like vomiting in three seconds. "Those are all nice guitars. I have to pee." She trotted toward the fillies' room.

"Do you think we put Carver on the spot?" asked Ham.

Scoops laughed. "We did."

"Quarter note!" exclaimed Wild. "That can be her nickname. You know because she is short."

"She is the same height as me," scolded Ham.

Everypony smiled.

Ham sighed. "Which guitar are we getting Screech?"

"She told me she liked pink when we dated," said Scoops. "Melodie has a pink mane. That is why she left me for her."

For three minutes Ham and Wild listed off reasons no pony would want to date Scoops.

Cloudsdale:

Three dozen ponies crammed into a little café. The smell of hot coffee and green tea filled the building. A wooden stage filled a third of the space. Ten tables sat crammed together. Big silver pendant lights hung from exposed beams. Two stallions sat on stage playing flutes.

Screech wore a blue jacket that covered her wings with a blue and gold sports jacket. She covered her ears with a black hat. She didn't look like a bat pony from a distance. She sat at the back of the café.

Melodie admired her braided mane in a hoof mirror. "My hair looks great. Thanks."

"Your mane always looks great," complimented Screech.

Melodie blushed. She sipped her hot coco. A little whisp of whipped cream sat on her nose. "I know you are going through a lot. I am grateful you are making the time to take out."

Screech shook her head. "I am grateful for you. I would be in the house struggling if you didn't come here." Tears filled her eyes. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears. "Sorry."

Melodie put her foreleg around Screech. "You should not be sorry."

Screech leaned into Melodie's embrace. "You are wonderful." Her heart raced. "Are you enjoying the music?"

Melodie smiled. "I am having a great time."

Screech smiled at her mare-friend. She leaned close and softly kissed her.

Ponyville:

Hazard carried Rove on her back. Her big cat lied streatched out and stared up at the sky. Hazard heard singing and guitar music as she entered Platinum Park.

Ham, Wild, Bobo and Scoops all disco danced to Carver playing The Piggy Dance on a pink guitar.

Hazard placed Rove on the ground and did the Nyan Nyan dance.

After a while every pony gathered on the hopscotch court.

"That is a nice guitar," said Hazard.

"I stole it," bragged Wild.

"I was going to pay for it," assured Carver. "If had enough money. They took my to the most expansive shop in town."

"We just walked out the door with it," said Scoops. "No pony even tried to stop us."

Hazard looked at her friends. "I would not try to stop you either. You look like thugs."

Ham flexed. "We do look tough."

Wild high hoofed Ham. "Yeah we do!" They both high hoofed Bobo.

"It is a gift for Screech," explained Carver. "I think we should all sign it for her."

"That is a wonderful idea," said Scoops. She put her fore leg around Carver. "You are so smart and kind."

Carver pulled away from Scoops. "My barn door does not swing that way."

Scoops laughed and put her leg around Carver again. "I don't mind."

"I do mind." Carver wrapped Scoops in a magic aura and pushed her to the other side of the cave.

Scoops laughed, "You are no fun."

"She is a lot of fun," said Wild.

Scoops shrugged.

"I know where we can get paint," said Wild. "There is a hardware store with no security a few minutes from here."

"I don't think we should steal paint," said Carver.

"I want to sigh in yellow," said Hazard. "Rove will do hers in white."

"I want to sign in blue," said Bobo. "It is a color I can see properly."

Carver watched her friends walk away. After they were out of sight she ran after them. "Wait for me," she called out.

Ponyville:

Wild's wings were so caked in paint he could not fly. Every pony was covered in gallons of paint.

Carver put a leg around Scoops. "You were amazing!" she yelled. Her ears were still ringing. "I understand why Screech loves hanging out with all of you."

Scoops carried the guitar triumphantly. The guitar had five hoof prints and two paw prints painted on.

Rove sat on Bobo's head trying to lick the paint off her fur and failing do to the cone Hazard put on her.

"That got out of hoof quickly," laughed Wild.

Carver saw a stallion walk out of Sugarcube Corner and throw half a cupcake into a trash can. She marched up to the can and pulled the half eaten confection out of the trash.

"Do not eat that!" yelled Hazard. "It is covered in germs. You don't know who that pony was. Eating that could make you sick or even kill you.

Carver rolled her eyes. "I am not going to let it go to waste." She opened her duffel bag. The other ponies noticed she was carrying around a broken mug, dead flowers, used plastic forks, a toy cart with one wheel, a broken padlock, a dirty hat and a broken high heel shoe. She tossed the cupcake and several other confections form the trash into her bag.

Hazard bit her tongue. Wild kept his mouth shut.

"Do a lot of ponies in Canterlot eat out of the trash?" asked Scoops.

Carver shrugged. "Not really. Most ponies can't afford to throw away food. Everything there cost a fortune. If more ponies threw away food then more ponies would eat out of the trash."

"I hate eating out of the trash," admitted Bobo. "Most ponies throw away food after it had gone bad. I would rather steal a bottle from a foal than eat another rotten egg."

"I once made a six egg omelet because the eggs had gone bad and I didn't want them getting worse," said Scoops. "My mom had a lot of rules about food. I like to think she was not making me sick on purpose." She put out her paint covered hoof. "I will take one of those donuts."

Wild sighed. "I will take that half an apple fritter."

"I could eat what is left of the swiss roll," said Ham.

Bobo shook his head. "I can't. Never again."

Carver handed out desserts and every pony continued laughing and joking back to Platinum park.

Cloudsdale:

Screech sat at the table in the dining hall. She watched Success color with crayons and encouraged him. She could hear Glitter talking to Gold through the wall.

"I am a failure as a mother," sobbed Glitter. "Dual would know what to do. He always knew how to protect us."

Screech winced. She never though she was failing her papa. She failed her entire family by being born too late. She was failing her family again.

"What is wrong?" asked Success.

Screech hugged her little brother. She took a deep breath. "I am scared. What if I can't keep you safe? What if I hurt you? What if I can't change?" Tears built up in her eyes. "I don't want to be a monster."

"Monsters are cool," assured Success. "I want to be cool like you."

Screech felt her stomach squeeze into a tiny ball. "I understand why you want to be like me. Like Papa. I feel horrible all the time. I have done things I can never forgive myself for. I want you to be like Melodie. Like Glitter."

"I have a comic book about monsters who eat ponies," said Success. "It is awesome. I will go get it." He flew away.

Screech took a deep breath then a second and a third.

Cloudsdale:

Melodie floated around the kitchen in Glitter's house. She swatted away a few ants as she made salads.

Razzle sat at the kitchen table. She smiled and tapped her hooved on the plywood. "What do you want to talk about? Do you want me to teach you how to dance? You can't join the cheer team. You don't live here."

Melodie sliced half way through a carrot with a small dull knife. "That muffin you gave me. What was in it?"

Razzle shrugged. "Muffin stuff. Flour I think."

"I thought there was grass in it?"

"Yeah. Rosy pony. I can get you more."

"Is rosey pony supposed to make me high?"

"Yeah. My mom is the same way when she eats it."

Melodie shot a harsh glare. "You didn't tell me that before you fed it to me!"

Razzle shrank. "Are you mad?"

Melodie's knife sliced the carrot and scratched the cutting board. "You drugged me! I never would have eaten that muffin if I knew what was in it!"

"Oh. It does sound bad when you say it like that."

"It would sound bad no matter how I said it!"
Razzle nodded. "Yeah. Sorry. I was trying to help you feel better. I knew you were sad because of the break up."

Melodie pressed her lips together. "We didn't break up. That was just a lovers quarrel." She took a deep breath. "I didn't know what to say and I let things out of hoof."

"I can buy you a necklace. Do you like necklaces?"

"What? Do you know why I am mad at you?"

Razzle thought for a moment. "I think so."

"When Screech was going through a tough time you took away my ability to think clearly. If she needed me I would not have been able to help her."

"I did know why you were mad at me," lied Razzle.

"Why am I mad?" asked Melodie.

Razzle thought hard. She rubber her chin with her hoof. "I was inconsiderate?"

Melodie smiled a big proud smile. "Yes. Want to help me cut lettuce?"

Razzle waved her hoof. "I will buy every pony salads. I know a place not far from here."

"Razzle, do want to help cut lettuce?"

Razzle nodded. "I would love to."

Fun And Friends.

Twenty minutes after the sun had set and the moon had risen Screech sat on a bench mounted to concrete. Her tail twitched with excitement. Melodie smiled at her from the other end of the bench.

"You should take a deep breath," said Melodie. "I don't want you tackling Carver."

Screech took a deep breath. Her breath shined in the freezing air under two tall lamps. The moon light was so bright the lamps did little more than tint everything red in their dull glow. "Thank you for waiting with me. I love spending quiet moments with you."

Melodie rested her head on Screeche's scarf.

Just before sun rise the sky bus landed on the runway. All of the pilot ponies took flameless cigarettes out of their jackets.

Carver jumped off the bus and stretcher her legs. She looked around the bus terminal. She was not impressed. After a minute of looking she spotted Screech and Melodie curled up on a bench sleeping like foals.

Screech jolted awake as either a large pillow or a soft cart slammed into her. Carver clung to her like a tick. Her vision blurred. Streams of tears ran down her cheeks. She squeezed Carver so hard she knew it must have hurt. Carver squeezed back.

Melodie watched Screech and Carver hug with only a twinge of jealousy.

Screech let go of Carver and wiped away her tears. She tried to take a deep breath but she laughed away any air as it entered her lungs. After a few tries she calmed down enough to talk. "How was your flight?"

Carver laughed. "Horrible. Not only was the flight delayed thee hours it was such a bumpy ride I barely slept an an hour all night. We had to stop on a cloud because one of the pilots could not breathe. We had to wait an hour for a doctor. They thought the poor stallion was going to die. An hour after that a replacement showed up. The troubled pilot had to ride the bus back." She pointed to a smoking stallion who leaned on the front bumper of the bus. "He is feeling better now."

Melodie put out her hoof. "You must be carver."

Carver hugged Melodie. "Must I? It is great to meet you."

"We should head to the house and rest," said Screech.

"How is Second?" asked Carver.

"Still locked in his room," said Screech. She looked at the ground. "We can't let him out until we know he will not try hurting himself again."

Screech looked in the fridge for breakfast. "Shredded cheese, butter, a brick. I need to head out and buy a few things."

Glitter trudged into the kitchen. She let out a loud yawn. "This weeks food will be delivered in a few hours. What time did you get home?"

"We just got back," said Screech evenly.

"Don't take that tone with me," said Glitter. "You can take care of yourselves. If you did get in trouble what would I have done?" She squeezed her eyes shut. She whispered, "What would I do if you got hurt." She opened her eyes. "No more staying out all night young filly."

Screech nodded. "Melodie, I need to go buy a few things. Can you keep an eye on Glitter?"

"I am going with you," said Glitter. "I am the adult here. I can't have you out there alone where ponies are waiting to do Wonderbots knows what to you."

Screech placed a gentle hoof on Glitter's shoulder. "I understand you are going through a lot right now. You feel powerless and you want to have control over your life. You are trying to cope by forcing control over me. If you are going I am staying here and taking a nap."

Glitter nodded. "I will be back soon." She didn't move. "Okay, you can go, but you have to be careful. Actually..." She bit her bottom lip. "Why can't you just wait for the delivery?"

"I want to get a few special things," said Screech calmly.

Glitter trembled. "You can go, but you need to take at least one pillow with you." She started sifting through the pillows on the floor. "Not this one. Not this one. This one will keep you safe." She lifted a big blue pillow made of rayon and stuffed with goose feathers.

Screech took the pillow without protest.

Hundreds of unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies chatted and took pictures of Cloudsdale Arena and the four rows of brass statues depicting famous pegasi in sports ranging from buck ball to archery to hoof races. They marveled at the trees growing in terracotta pots encased in cinder blocks. They nearly filled the hundreds of square hooves around the stadium. The stadium itself was big rectangle stadium with high walls and only one wonderbolt painted on them. The equestrian flag flew proudly. The ponies milling about didn't wear gold or blue.

Half of the two dozen rows of three hundred seats were filled with ponies, griffons, dragons and changelings. Earth ponies out numbered pegasi two to one.

Screech stood in the middle of the stadium and gave an interview to a reporter who wanted to know what she thought it might be like to compete in the Cloudsdale rodeo with only one wing. The earth pony standing beside her only rolled his eyes once.

Second sat on four pillows. His head was above Razzle's.

Razzle stood among the seats leaning over a safety railing looking at the field below. "Amazing. Screech is famous."

Melodie smiled. "Don't tell me you want to join the rodeo. You might make a decent clown." She held her pillow and Screeche's.

Razzle looked Melodie directly in the eyes. "I want to join the rodeo. I am going to be the first cheerleader in rodeo history."

Carver smiled. She wore blue, black and white, Luna's colors. She waved her 'Go Screech!' flag high. "Actually there have been rodeo cheerleaders. There are not any now, but a hundred years ago they were fairly common."

Razzle looked to Carver. "Who are you?"

"I am Carver. Screeche's best friend from Canterlot."

Razzle pressed her lips together. "That is not fair."

"The first event is starting," said Melodie.

"Go Screech!" shouted Carver. "Storm-Chase-er! Storm-Chase-er! Storm-Chase-er!"

Melodie joined the chant.

"I thought the first event was pigeon hearding," said Razzle.

"It is," said Carver between chants.

"Screech can't fly. She is not in this event."

Carver nodded. "I know. That is not going to stop me from cheering for her."

Success, Carver and Melodie cheered the entire event.

Screech gave a blue ribbon to each of her friends and still had three left. She didn't place second in a single event. She and her friends sat at a little plastic table under a red and white umbrella. She looked at her hay burger and got teary eyed.

Carver and Razzle discussed rodeo cheer squads and how they worked.

Second heaped praise onto Screech. He gave her a play by play of things she did.

Melodie sat quietly and rested her throat.

Stitch Runner trotted up to Screech. He gave a wide smile. "I heard you were in town. Not many ponies make it into the news for picking a fight with the police and living."

Screech cocked her head. "I saw you in the stadium ten minutes ago."

Stich blushed. "Yeah. I was hoping to talk to you before the rodeo. You did great by the way. It is always impressive seeing you compete."

Screech flapped her wings. "I will do better in Canterlot."

Stitch nodded. "I know you will."

"Who is this?" asked Razzle.

"This is a rodeo friend of mine," said Screech.

"Of course," growled Razzle.

"Sorry for being rude," said Stitch. He grabbed a napkin and a quill. He wrote his address down. "Feel free to stop by any time."

"You found her!" yelled Clove Hitch. Two light pink unicorns with bright gold manes trotted up to Stitch.

"Let me guess," said Razzle.

Clove didn't place above ninth place in a single event. Even as a unicorn in the Cloudsdale rodeo she didn't stand out. "It is a ball to see you again Miss Stormcahser."

Screech forced a smile. "It is nice to see you too."

"Screech is the most amazing pony ever!" deaired Manger Tie.

"She is my sister," said Success.

"She is my marefreind," Melodie.

"I am pretty amazing," said Carver.

"Your performance was astonishing," said Clove.

Screech nodded. "Can we skip this today?"

Clove's ears drooped. "Yes. Of course. We didn't mean to embarrass you."

Manger glommed onto Clove and kissed her ear.

"You say that every time," said Stitch.

"We mean it every time," said Manger.

"I suppose we may lay it on a bit thick at times," said Clove.

"How is Constrictor?" asked Screech.

Clove licked her teeth.

Manger sighed. "The same. He tried to get all non-ponies banned from participating in this rodeo. Nine judges voted to ban all non-ponies. Thirty five voted against him."

"My dad voted against the ban," said Razzle. "The bribe they offered him was only five hundred bits."

"Your dad accepts bribes?" asked Melodie.

Razzle quirked her eyebrow. "My mom collects hot air balloons."

"Nine?" asked Carver. "Are they being disbarred?"

Razzle shook her head. "Not a chance. For better or worse that is not how the law works."

"For worse," said Screech.

"How are you doing?" asked Clove.

Screech took a deep breath. "I can't complain."

"The bird is back," said Melodie. She pointed at the sky.

A phoenix with six scorpion tails, four sets of wings, a cat's face on the back of its head and two garden snakes and a cobra as legs circled over head.

Screech took a potato chip and tossed it to the phoenix.

"Cool!" yelled Success. "What is that?"

"I call it Beast Of Atrocity, Grotesquerie, Horror And Anguish," said Screech. "Chaste for short. It is an amalgamation of tortured animals forced to live as one immortal being."

"It looks just as cute as in your drawing," said Carver. "I want to pet it."

"Is Chaste your pet?" asked Stitch.

"No. I saved it from two colts now it follows me around sometimes."

"How did you save it?" asked Success.

Screech smiled. "I dropped it through a hole in the clouds. It caught fire and regenerated. It was more heroic than it sounds."

"Like time she can fix anything," declared Clove. She kissed Manger's cheek.

Carver scratched under Chaste's beak.

"Did Screech set the two of you up?" asked Melodie. "Are you a match maker?"

"Yes," said Screech proudly. "I have a great sense for romance. Except for that time I dated Scoops. That was a bad lapse of judgement."

"We were having a ghastly disagreement," said Clove. "Our dear Miss Stormchaser reminded us of how important we are to each other."

"I swear to Celestia she is the polar opposite of Constrictor," said Manger. "You should have been our third triplet. I don't feel bad for saying it."

Every pony except Stitch and Screech (and Carver who was enthralled with Chaste) gave Clove and Manger judgmental glares.

Screech blushed. "You are doing it again."

"Sorry."

"Have you ever thought that just because you can fix something does not mean you should?" asked Second.

Screech slumped onto the table. "Yes. But what other choice do I have?"

Melodie stroked Screeche's mane.

Carver opened her duffel bag. She pulled out a acoustic guitar decorated with paint. "This is for you."

Screech took the guitar in her fore hooves. She stared at it with tears in her eyes. "Luna, this is a pretty guitar." She sat on the dining table and strummed. She tuned the guitar with her teeth.

"What do you want to play?" asked Melodie.

"Play just A Pony!" requested Success.

Screech knew the song perfectly. She used to listen to Just A Pony twice a day with Scoops. That and everything Feather Bangs ever sang. "I can't. Pick a song I like less."

"True Original," offered Carver.

Screech groaned. "Yeah that will do." She started playing.

Melodie started singing. Her voice was loud and clear. Screech joined her making it a duet. Their voices came together in an imperfect, but pretty, harmony.

Screech and Carver sat in the closet together writing letters to each other about the day they had. They drew pictures and shared crayons.

Screech fought to hold herself together. She refused to show how devastated she was. Tears ran down her face. She sobbed quietly.

Ponies ambled onto the sky bus.

Melodie hugged Screech first. Carver hugged Screech second. Melodie hugged Screech third. Screech hugged Screech last.

"It feels like you just got here," sobbed Screech. "I don't want you to go."

"I don't want to go either," cried Melodie. "Come with us. Run away."

Screech shook her head. "I want to. I would. Consequences be banished to the moon. I can't do that to Glitter. Second needs me. I can't."

Melodie bit Screeche's hoof. Her soft lips and sharp teeth gave her immense comfort. Then they were gone.

Screech sat on the ground alone and cried.

Screech hissed when the closet door opened and let in light.

"Are you okay?" asked Glitter.

Screech sniffled and choked back a sob. "I am fine."

"You have been crying for two days."

"I am fine!" snapped Screech.

Glitter placed a pudding cup on the floor. "This will help." She walked away.

Screech sighed. She picked up the pudding cup and followed Glitter to her room. She sat on the bed. "Can I talk to you?"

Glitter smiled. Her eyes sparkled. "Of course." She was as giddy as a filly. Her hooves tapped a pillow.

Screech took a deep breath. "Glitter, I hate it here. I tried making new friends, but most ponies here don't support me or understand me. I don't fit in here. Cloudsdale's culture does not match my wants or needs. I am not happy here and want to go home." Tears ran down her face. She sobbed harder than ever. "I am not right for Cloudsdale. I am phosphorus. Cloudsdale is chocolate. We don't mix. I am violent and Cloudsdale encourages violent behavior. I don't want to be violent. It makes me feel like vomiting. Like eating phosphorus covered chocolate. The ponies here don't listen to me or support me. They tell me I will get used to being unhappy. I want to go home to the ponies who love and support me. The ponies who want me to be happy."

Glitter's smile died. "I- I do want you to be happy."

Screech nodded. "I know you do."

Glitter and Screech were both silent.

Screech opened her pudding cup and licked it.

Screech looked at the ground for the first time in days. She didn't receive a single letter from any of her friends. The trudge to the post office was long and horrible. The sun was out reminding her even the stars wanted her to suffer.

Tappy smiled at Screech. "Welcome! Oh it is you. Why are you here?"

"I am here to pick up my mail," hissed Screech. "Did you shred it?"

"I hope so," said Tappy. She looked through her log. "Yes. We did."

Screech took a deep breath. She dove over the counter and tackled Tappy to the floor. She hissed, "I am the best pony I can be. I am always as good as the circumstances allow. How good do you think this situation will let me be?"

"Please don't hurt me!" cried Tappy.

"I will hurt you! If any pony ever shreds my mail again I will kill you. I don't care if you are not working that day. If I don't receive so much as one letter I will stop your heart! Do you understand?"

Tappy nodded violently.

Tears welled in Screeche's eyes. "Why would you do that to me?" she bellowed. "I need those letters!"

"I am sorry I am sorry I am sorry." Tappy shook like a wet dog.

Screech jumped back over the counter and ran away.

The worthless wall and the worthless gate around Razzle's worthless mansion were actually keeping Screech out. She took a deep breath and fought the urge to buck a hole through the wall.

Screech walked through the hole in the wall. She softly knocked on the front door. The door happened to break in half. Screech ran to Razzle's room.

Razzle jumped around to banjo music waving her pom poms wildly. "Go clowns!"

"You are okay!" yelled Screech. "The post office shredded my mail and you didn't answer the intercom. I was worried something happened to your family."

"We are fine," assured Razzle. She smiled. "Thanks for caring about me. Dad lost his job and every pony quit working for him, even Shine Finish." She sighed.

Screech put her fore-leg around Razzle. "I know I have not always been as nice as I could. To be fair their are times you are not easy to get along with. You are a good pony- if a little misguided. I am glad we are friends."

Razzle smiled ear to ear. "I liked Melodie. I wish she could have stayed. She was going to become my best friend."

Screech chuckled. "Now I am glad she is gone. I don't want her stealing you from me. Or you stealing her from me."

"I would never steal her form you. I prefer colts."

"Oh. I assumed you didn't like either."

Razzle gave Screech a probing stare. "Is that an option?"

Screech nodded.

Razzle let out a sigh that turned into laughter. "Oh, thank Cele- Luna."

"I think you should thank Cadance. It seems like her field of work."

"If I meet her I will give her a hoof shake," said Razzle.

"It feels nice opening up to you," admitted Screech.

Razzle smiled. "When you go back to Ponyville we will still be friends right?" She saw how many letters Screech wrote every day. She wanted to hear the answer anyway.

"We will be friends for life," assured Screech. "How did your dad lose his job? I thought he had more power than a lightning factory."

"You don't know? I thought you read the news."

Screech hissed at Razzle's tone. "I do. I have not been in the mood."

"Because of yo- recent events Chief Justice Requital is investigating every judge in Cloudsdale. My dad was fired for being corrupt."

Screech didn't know how to respond. She was not sorry. "I wish I did things differently."

Razzle shrugged. "Dad says she does this every twenty years. She will pick new judges, change a few laws and everything will be fine. He will be a judge again in a year."

"What about-"

"Don't worry, he will be killed. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. In a week he will be killed right after his trial."

"I hate this city." Screech took a deep breath. "I hate this city so much." Her hooved shook. "Murder is wrong. I- I can't let him die. I can't be responsible."

"You want to save him?"

"Of course not!" snapped Screech. Her throat hurt. "I am going to save him anyway."

"How? You are just one pony. You can't overturn a verdict made by the Cloudsdale legal system."

Screech scoffed. "I am Screech Stormchaser! I was born to... I will do the best I can."

A thought dawned on Razzle. "Sorry about your mail."

Screech nodded. "I talked to the mare at the post office. It will not happen again. Wait! Every twenty years? How long has Requital been Chief Justice?"

Razzle shrugged. "I don't even know what a Chief Justice is."

Screech sat outside Second's door. "How are you feeling?" she yelled.

Second didn't respond.

"I can't imagine how hard the last three days have been on you. I am sorry I could not save you sooner."

Second didn't respond.

"I wish I could fix you. I want you to feel better."

Second didn't respond.

"He didn't love you."

Something slammed against the door. "You don't know him! He loved me more than any pony will ever love you!"

"Did he tell you to kill yourself if he got caught?"

Second didn't respond.

"Was it a pact? If it was he broke it. He is still alive."

Second breathed a sigh of relief. "He is okay?"

"Sadly yes. He is not getting the death penalty either. Luna knows he deserves it." Screech sounded genuine because she was not lying.

Screech sat on Glitter's bed. She strummed her guitar playing random chords absent-mindedly.

Success used Screeche's crayons to draw a picture.

Glitter admired her son's drawing. "That looks just like your father. Second will love this."

"How did you and Papa meet?" asked Screech.

Glitter smiled. "That is a boring story. I was working as an accountant for an art gallery. He was guarding the front door. I heard he had magic fangs that could heal anything." She rubbed her burn scar. "We started talking and I liked being bitten."

Screech smiled. "I love being bitten. I love biting."

"When did you learn he was already married?" asked Success.

Screech and Glitter both winced.

"Four weeks after his accident," said Glitter.

"What made you fall in love with Papa," asked Screech.

Glitter shrugged. "To be honest I don't know. He was not charming, funny or even nice most of the time. Sometimes on rare occasions he made me feel like I was the only pony in the world who mattered. He made me feel beautiful. He wanted me to be a model. He bought me the nicest gifts."

Screech nodded. She felt relived. She felt validated.

Screech knocked lightly on the bright blue door in a small brick house a one hour canter from her house. All the houses on the street were small and close together. Children ran around and played in front of the houses.

The blue door swung open. Stitch smiled at Screech. "I am glad you could stop by."

Screech nodded. "You live in a nice neighborhood. At least by Cloudsdale's standards."

Stitch nodded. "It is fairly safe." He saw Screech into the house. "How are you doing?"

"Horribly," said Screech evenly. "Everything is awful right now. I want to vomit and cry. My desire to kill is stronger than it has been in months. It feel like I am balancing on a razor's edge and it is cutting my hooves."

"What happened?"

Screech shook her head. "How are you?"

Stitch opened his mouth. After a moment he said, "I can't complain."

Screech reached into her saddle and and took out a box of crayons. "Do you want to draw? It always makes me feel better."

Stitch smiled. "Yeah. You still use crayons?"

"Do you have a problem with crayons?" asked Screech sharply.

"Yes. I am mot a child," teased Stitch.

"I will go get you... ... I don't know what adults do for fun. Books? I think adults read. Although I have never seen an adult read."

"I saw my dad reading a book once," said Stitch. "I think it was about an actor he liked as a colt."

Screech smiled. "Adults are weird." Her smile faded. "My birthday is in three months."

"Mine is in two," mumbled Stitch. He smiled. "Lets draw."

Screech lied on a once soft carpet that was trampled until it was thin and rough. She could have sat on Stitche's bed. She could have sat at the little desk covered with half done school work. She could have sat on the pillow Glitter made her take. She chose to sit under the poster of one of the most prolific rodeo ponies in decades, Silver Tooth. She never met her late uncle but she liked being close to the poster. She liked being close to all of the dozens of pieces of rodeo memorabilia. She liked being next to his flute collection most of all.

Stitch drew a picture using all the brightest most vibrant colors. He drew suits and bow ties with measurements and notes on the fabrics he would use to make them.

Screech and Stitch made pleasant conversation for three hours. They talked about their friends, food, the weather factory and the rodeo. They did not talk about their families. Screech made two dozen drawings. Stitch made eight.

Stitch stood up and stretched his legs. "This floor is not comfortable."

"Really? I didn't notice," said Screech as she rolled her eyes.

Stitch hopped onto his bed.

Screech finished her drawing then sat beside Stitch. She wondered if the ponies of Cloudsdale would be more angry to know an unmarried colt and filly were sharing a bed, or if they knew the filly and colt were gay.

"I liked your drawings," said Stitch. "You are a lot better with crayons than I thought you could be. They are the best crayon drawings I have ever seen. They are not half as good as color pencil drawings."

"How does Cloudsdale feel about marriage?" asked Screech.

"What?" Stitch cocked his head. "Where did that come from?"

"Glitter never married Papa. I wonder if she is disappointed."

"Who is Glitter?" asked Stitch.

Screech took a deep breath. "She is my mother."

"A lot of ponies in Cloudsdale never get married."

Screech stared at her hooves.

Screech found Glitter watching gold swim in her bowl. "How are you feeling?"

Glitter groaned. "I am sorry."

"Why? Is everything alright?"

Glitter sighed. "This house is worthless. Rich ponies used to live here. When the walls started to rot, rather than fix them, they bough new houses in better neighborhoods. We moved in and pretended to be rich. I talked to a realtor today. I can't afford a house in Ponyville."

Screech was so overwhelmed she forgot to breathe. Her legs shook. "Oh. That is okay. Your memories are in this house. Buildings catch fire on the ground. You don't have to give up your home for me. I will find my own way back to Ponyville." She had no idea where this was coming from. She thought all of her plans failed.

"Screech," said Glitter firmly. "I would rather lose this house than lose you. And the more I think about my memories the more I want to forget them. This family needs a fresh start."

Screech smiled. "I will get all of us to Ponyville!"

"No Screech, I am the adult here. Don't worry. I will get a job. I will figure this out."

"Thank you Glitter." Screech trotted up to Glitter and gave her a tight hug.

Screech knocked on what remained of Razzle's front door. She could see her friend in the kitchen only a few ponies away.

Razzle rubbed her eyes. "You are early!"

"Sorry if I am too early." Screech sat at the kitchen island beside Razzle. She put her pillow on the counter. "I was wondering if you have a camera I can borrow. I want to take headshots of Glitter. She does not know it yet, but she is going to be a model."

"O- of course," Razzles voice wavered. "Mom has a few. I will ask her for one." She looked at the kitchen counter.

Screech put her hoof on Razzle's.

"I- I have bad news. It is great news, but not for you. My family is moving to Laspegasus. We leave in two weeks."

"Oh." Screech looked away. "Congratulations."

"I am sorry."

"Don't be. I am happy for you."

"Despite the name earth ponies do live there. I will finally be able to make friends." Razzle sounded like she was trying to cheer up Screech.

Screech nodded. "They are going to love you." She wiped a tear out of her eye.

Razzle took a deep breath. "Screech. I am scared. I don't want to go. You are my only friend. I don't want to lose you."

Screech hugged Razzle. Both fillies shook.

Screech trudged around her house in the early morning sunlight. Her wings flapped slowly. She could barely keep her eyes open. After eleven hours of doing laps she was still filled with uncontrollable dread. She wanted to fly. She wanted to talk to Dr. Red or her friends. She wanted to bite her own leg to fill her mouth with blood. She walked in a protective circle and hoped her panic would subside enough for her to sleep before the sun rose.

Chaste landed softly on Screeches back. It sat quietly with her.

Unforgivable.

Glitter gently pet Screeche's soft mane. She didn't know what else to do. Her back throbbed with pain. In hindsight trying to tryin lift Screech was a bad idea. Second was grounded. Success was... with his friends?

Chaste sat on Screeche's back watching Glitter.

Screech hissed in her sleep. Her wings twitched. She jumped up gasping for breath. Tears ran down her face. "I am not a monster!" she snapped. She fell into Glitters chest. "I am not," she mumbled.

"Are you feeling okay?" asked Glitter.

Screech slid to the ground. Her eyes closed. "No. I am so ti-" She dropped off to sleep.

Glitter kissed her little filly's forehead.

Screech woke in Glitter's fore hooves.

Glitter sat staring off into the distance.

"Are you alright?" asked Screech.

Glitter didn't blink.

Screech leaned into her mother's embrace. She had grown so much since her mama last hugged her. She wondered if she would like her mama's hugs less now. Could Glitter replace her mother? Could she take away all of the pain and self loathing and replace it with hugs and pudding? Could Glitter fix her?

Screech shook. She hiccupped before she started sobbing.

Glitter held Screech tighter. "It is okay. I am here for you."

"I miss my mama," cried Screech.

Glitter squeezed Screech with all her might. "It is okay. I am here for you." She rubbed Screeche's back until she calmed down.

Screech wiped the tears off her cheek. "I am sorry."

"There is nothing to be sorry about," assured Glitter. "I miss my mom too." She sighed. "There is only one difference between grown ponies and young ponies. Grown ponies only think about themselves."

"Why were you sleeping out here?" asked Glitter.

Screech blushed. "My OCD was acting up. I feel better now."

"I will have you out of Cloudsdale soon," assured Glitter.

Screech and Glitter sat on the ground holding each other for a while longer.

Screech knocked on the dark oak door. She heard ponies moving around inside the house. She tried to be patient and count to ten. She knocked again when she reached four.

The door eventually swung open. A dark blue mare hovered so she could stare down at Screech. "Foreigners have no etiquette," she muttered loudly enough to be heard two rooms away. "I am busy." Note swung the door half shut.

Screech put up a hoof and held the door open. "Are you Doctor Note?" asked Screech politely. Her big smile showed off her fangs.

Note flew back two hooves. "I have guests over," she declared. "I am not giving you any money."

Screech hissed.

Note turned pale. "I will give you all the money I have on me. Just go!"

"I am not here for your money!" growled Screech. "I need a therapist. I tried to find you at your office. I followed your scent here. I know I am being rude but this is an emergency."

Note regained her color. "I can't help you. I am very busy."

Screech flared her wing. She cut clean through the door.

"I have an opening tomorrow at nine."

Screech smiled. "My brother will be there. Do the best you can for him. This is a matter of life and death." She turned to leave then turned back. "Just to be clear if you don't help my brother I am going to murder you."

"I understood," assured Note.

Screech blushed. "Good. I have trouble communicating sometimes. Doctor Red says when I have something to say I should state it in as clear a way as possible. That way everypony knows exactly what I need and expect from them."

Note nodded. She stared at her phone out of the corner of her eye.

"I am sorry. I know this is wrong, but I don't know what else to do. When I think about Second I can't breathe. When I try to not think about him I can't breathe. I know he needs help and I don't know how to help him. I don't like feeling useless. This is the only option I have. I can't do nothing while he suffers. Thank you for agreeing to help him." Screech trotted away.

Note grabbed the phone and called the police.

Screech looked up at a mannequin. The lights in Princess Faison were so bright she needed her sunglasses. "Would you mistake this thing for a pony at twenty hooves?"

Razzle shrugged. "What do you think of this dress?" She held up a silver dress covered in rhinestones.

Screech squinted. She could only see a bright light. "You are blinding me. It is darker outside."

Razzle looked up. "They must want us to be able to see the clothe."

The floor and walls were covered with shiny objects. Two disco balls hung from the ceiling. The store was more disorienting than a rollercoaster.

Screech covered her sunglasses with a hoof. "That is one possibility. I genuinely can not see what you are holding."

Razzle cocked her head. She needed a moment to decide if her friend was being sarcastic. "This store was not made with bat ponies in mind. Do you want one?"

"I can't even see it."

"No the mannequin. I can buy it for you."

"I don't know. When I looked at it I thought of a horrible way to punish the ponies of Cloudsdale. I would need a lot of them."

Razzle smiled an ugly smile. "How can I help?"

"I need a lot of red paint just an excessive amount, six Wonderbolt uniforms, twenty mannequins and a known artist."

Razzle laughed. "This is going to be great." She picked up another dress. It looked like a pink light. "How much light does Laspegasus get? It is supposed to be bright."

Screech shrugged. "The Laspegasus rodeo is pretty bright. They put rhinestone on the cupcakes. Stich chipped a tooth on one. You will fit right in with that... dress?"

"I should get sunglasses just to be safe. What brand do you wear?"

"I don't know. My mama always bought them for me. This pair was given to me by Rainbow Dash at the Ponyville rodeo."

Razzle's mouth dropped open. "You are being serious!"

Screech nodded. "Do you want them?" She took off her sunglasses and offered them to Razzle. "I would prefer glasses that were not given to me by a Wonderbolt."

"I can't accept those," gasped Razzle. She took the sunglasses and put them on. She grabbed a pair of shiny pink sunglasses off a rack and placed them on Screeche's muzzle. "How do I look?"

"The same but with glasses on."

"I don't look cooler."

"I guess you do."

"How much cooler?"

"What?" Screech cocked her head. "A lot cooler."

Razzle shook her head. "I am embarrassed for you right now." She grabbed two dozen pairs of Princess Luna brand sunglasses. "You have to read The Journal Of Friendship."

"I read Twilight's entries. The others didn't interest me."

"I thought you hated alicorns."

"No. My princess is an alicorn. I hate Celestia. Twilight is okay."

Razzle chuckled. She trotted up to the checkout. "How much for twenty mannequins?"

Screech sat on the table she used to share with Melodie. She hummed a Feather Bangs song and sewed two strips of grey cloth together.

Glitter sat in a chair near Screech and looked at her headshots. She shook her head.

"You look great," assured Screech.

"I don't look like a model," stated Glitter.

"You don't look like a talent scout," corrected Screech.

"I appreciate the trouble you went through, but nopony is going to hire me."

"That is only true because you have not sent out your photos yet."

"I am going to send them out." Glitter took a deep breath. "Do I have to? I look... I can go back to accounting."

Screech focused on sewing her doll. "Do what will make you happy."

Glitter bit her bottom lip. "There can't be any harm in sending out my headshots."

Screech looked at the wall clock. "Where is Success? He should be home by now."

Glitter stared at her pictures. "He is with a friend."

"Which friend? Where are they?"

"I don't know."

Screech hissed. "Glitter! How do you not know where your son is?"

"Nothing bad is going to happen." Glitter looked up from her pictures and saw a fierce glare. "I will call his friends and figure out where he is."

Screech sighed. "Thank you."

Screech walked around Wonderbolt Park with Savage Gust. They took notes and carefully planned out exactly where to pour gallons of red paint.

Razzle trotted up to Screech. She kept her head down.

"Is something wrong?" asked Screech.

"No everything is fine," lied Razzle.

"I am not going to be able to focus on the project until you say why you are upset."

Razzle put on her prettiest fake smile. "Everything is fine."

"Oh." Screech took a deep breath. "I though you trusted me."

Razzle took a step back. "I do trust you. Nothing is wrong."

Screech nodded. "Okay." She went back to working on her project.

Razzle clenched her jaw. Against her better judgment she mumbled, "I lost the sunglasses you gave me."

"I can find them." Screech beamed with pride. "I can track anything by smell. I could find them if they were in Dodge Junction." Her ears flattened on her head. "If they were in Griffon Stone."

"I know where they are. They were stolen."

Screech bared her fangs. "Who stole from you!"

"Calm down," said Razzle softly. "They are just sunglasses."

Screech growled. "Who stole your sunglasses! If you make me search for them I will be even more angry."

"It is not a big deal."

"It is a big deal! You knew how I would react. You told me knowing I would be furious. You want them back badly enough to tell me they were stolen. Who stole them?"

"Treble."

"I thought she was pretending to be your friend."

"She still is."

"I have never stolen from one of my friends. Not even Wild. You two keep working on the project. I will be right back." Screech took off running.

Razzle chased Screech. She lost sight of her friend in seconds.

Screech stared up at Cream Puff Café. She could not reach the cloud the café rested on without flying.

Razzle limped up to Screech. She pulled a muscle in her left hind leg. She gasped for breath.

Screech fought the urges to run in circles and bite somepony. "I hate this town. I hate it so much."

Razzle took a minute to catch her breath. "Please don't do anything you will regret."

Screech held her lasso in her forehooves. "I will not do anything Treble does not make me do."

"Treble is not making you sit here instead of working on your big art thing."

"Yes she is."

"How?"

Screech whipped her tail across the ground. "By stealing your sunglasses."

"I know where she lives. We can go talk to her after you have calmed down."

"I want to talk to her now."

"Plea-"

Treble and four other ponies flew away from the cafè.

Screech threw her lasso catching Treble by the tail. She pulled the filly to the ground (clouds) with ease.

Treble screamed all the way to the ground. She rubbed tears out of her eyes. "That hurt. What is wrong with you?"

"Give Razzle back her sunglasses now!" snapped Screech.

Three fillys landed beside Treble. They tried to look tough.

Treble scoffed. "I don't know what you are talking about."

Screech flared her wing. She sliced into Treble's wing. "I will heal you when you give Razzle her sunglasses back."

Treble passed out at the sight of her own blood.

One of the fillies took off. The other two fillies tried to stop the bleeding.

Razzle looked away from Screech.

"What?" asked Screech defensively.

"What?"

"You want to say something."

"If I wanted to say something I would sat it."

"You are thinking something." Screeche's voice started to shake.

"I think all the time."

"You are thinking I am a horrible pony. You think I am a monster and I should be ashamed of myself."

"That is not what I am thinking."

"Good. I am not a monster. This was not my fault. I was just behaving the best way I could given the circumstances. I would not have hurt her under different circumstances." Screech felt her stomach twisting into knots. She fought the urge to vomit. "It is Treble's fault. She forced my hoof."

Razzle didn't respond. She stared off into the distance.

"Well?" snapped Screech. Tears of guilt built in her eyes.

"Well what?"

"Tell me I am justified," pleaded Screech.

"I was thinking Melodie would be mad."

Screech felt het stomach catch fire. She covered her mouth with both hooves. Vomit ran down her forelegs. She grabbed the bottle of water out of her saddle bag and rinsed out her mouth. She bit Treble's wing. The taste of blood nearly made her vomit again. Her head hurt. Her skull felt like it was filled with twitter mites.

Treble opened her eyes. Despite the dry blood on her feathers her wing was not even sore.

"Treble, I am sorry for hurting you," said Screech. She poked the ground with a hoof. "That was not okay. I immediately regretted my actions. You did not deserve to be hurt. I am sorry."

Treble jumped up and flew away as fast as she could. Her friends followed close behind.

Screech sat on the ground and stared at the dried blood. "Thank you."

Razzle put a foreleg around Screeche's shoulders. "This is what friends are for."

Moss returned with the sunglasses.

The sun rose over wonderbolt park. In the soft glow of the early morning light ponies, cut to pieces, were spread across Wonderbolt Park. Hoof deep puddles of blood covered the ground. Entrails were tied like bows to the benches. Wonderbolts stood proudly among the carnage covered in so much blood only small glimpses of their uniforms could be seen. Birds splashed around in the red paint and perched on the mannequins.

Savage Gust stood among the bodies with Mud Hound. "This work of art is called 'Requital, We Need To Talk'. I made it with the help of an anonymous citizen."

Razzle looked out over the park. "You think this prank is going to get you an audience with the Chief Justice?"

"It is an art piece not a prank," said Screech. "No pony in town will be able to ignore this."

"I thought you were just trying to hurt the ponies of Cloudsdale."

"Art can do many things," said Screech. "When I was decapitating one of the mannequins I though of a promise I made my brother. I hate keeping promises."

Only one hour after the project was complete ponies were creating piles of mannequins and pouring oxidizers on them. One pile was already on fire.

Screech sat by her recently fixed front door. She poured tiny plastic beads into a pony shaped doll through a hole in the head. The doll was half the size of an actual pony.

Second walked through the front door.

Screech jumped up. She stopped just short of tackling her brother. "How was therapy? How do you feel? When are you going back?"

Glitter placed a wing over Screeche's mouth. "One question at a time."

"It was a waste of time," grumbled Second. "I am never going back."

"Oh." Screech looked at the floor. Tears filled her eyes. She choked for breath.

"It was not a complete waste of time," said Second. "I do feel a little better."

Screech wiped away her tears. "Really?"

Second nodded. "Thanks I guess. I don't hate knowing you care about me."

Screech hugged her brother. "I love you too."

Second hugged his sister back.

Screech sat in her closet. She took a deep breath and kissed her hoof made Melodie doll. (She tried practicing kissing her Luna plushy but felt wrong.) She felt horrible, dirty and disgusting. She had to fight the urge to bite her own hoof. She learned to fly with a prosthetic wing. She would learn to like kissing.

A sharp knock came on the front door.

Screech smelled somepony she knew. She opened the door and bared her fangs. "Commissioner, are you here to get your flank kicked?"

Commissioner barely spared the bat pony a glance. "Your little trick worked. Chief Justice Requital requested I escort you to her private estate for a meeting. The old crow has always had a soft spot for foreigners."

Screech could not tell if Commissioner was being honest or just taking the opportunity to insult her. She sniffed the air. There were no other police nearby. "Alright." She cautiously followed Commissioner to the good side of town. The walk took hours.

Screech expected Requital to live in a mansion the size of a farm. She did not expect her to live in a normal house with flowers in the yard and a little blue fence.

Requital sat on her porch in a rocking chair and knitted a winter hat. The light blue mare only looked a few years older than Glitter. Small streaks of grey ran through her gold mane, but her face was as smooth as a foals flank.

"Quit staring and talk to her," barked Commissioner.

Screech hissed at Commissioner before slowly approached Requital. She sat in a rocking chair across form the older mare. "Hello."

Requital smiled. "Hello dearest." Her voice was soft. Her smile genuine and warm. "I am happy you are here."

Screech could not help but smile. She blushed from the attention. "Thanks. I want to ask you a favor."

Requital nodded. "Ask me my dearest."

"That judge. The really bad one you are going to have executed. Could you send him to jail for life instead?"

Requital furrowed her brow. "I would like to kill him."

"So would I," assured Screech. "Murder is wrong. More importantly it would hurt my brother."

Requital let out a long sigh. "I don't know."

"If you think about it this is your fault too. You have been chief justice for hundreds of years. You created the conditions for somepony like him to do what he did."

Requital smiled. "I know. Imagine you are a little filly who lives at the base of a mountain. Your entire town is two hundred ponies. Half way through summer it starts to snow. You watch through a window with envy as the other children have fun. The temperature drops twenty degrees every ten minutes. You put on your warmest clothe. Soon you can see your breaths. As the temperature continues to drop you decide to start a fire. It continues to get colder. You have never started a fire but you assume it would be easier if you were not wearing mittens. Luckily you are too cold to consider taking your mittens off. You manage to get your fire going as your breaths begin to freeze the inside your mouth. You worry you did something wrong or that your god hates you. The fire is not hot. You stick your hooves inside the fire hoping to feel something. You do. Your blood starts to thaw. You hear banging on your front door. One of the children you saw playing in the snow is still outside. The floor between you and the door is forming ice crystals. You look at the thermometer beside your wood stove and realize how cold it is. You realize every winter you were only ten degrees from certain death. After a few minutes the banging stops. You keep the fire going for two days. You don't eat. The short trot to the other side of the kitchen feels like a death sentence. You certainly don't sleep. After two harsh days it finally happens. You run out of wood. You only had enough to last sixty hours. As your fire starts to fade you have two choices. Strip the wood from your walls or accept death. Stripping your walls will keep your fire going but it will let the cold in. Your death will be quicker and more harsh but it will come minutes later. You would strip your walls, but you don't have the strength. You trot to the other side of the room to grab a box of crackers. You pour the crackers onto the floor and throw the box into the fire. As you eat your last meal you can only think one thought. I don't want to die."

Screech stared at Requital. She could not find any words. After three minutes she said, "I am sorry that happened to you and your home. Does that mean you will spare him?"

"No. Pegasi killed my entire town to build a ski lodge. I dedicated my second life to making pegasi suffer. I know I made the conditions for pegasi to do horrible things. I made those conditions on purpose so they would do horrible things to each other. Now I can punish them for doing those horrible things."

Screech snapped the arm rest off her chair. "I don't use this word lightly. You are a monster."

Requital laughed. She laughed. "Yes I am. So are the pegasi. I never forced any hooves. They like things this way. I have been chief justice for three-hundred fifty years. To benefit themselves they would have to benefit other ponies. They would rather have everything be horrible for everypony than help others."

"I noticed," said Screech out of gritted teeth. "You could change that. You could push them in the right direction instead of holding them back." Her teeth hurt.

"I know, but I would rather punish them."

Screech took a deep breath. "I hate it here. I hate myself. I hate you most of all." She could not allow herself to cut Requital's head off. "You are evil. I will depose you."

Requital laughed again. "You are a child."

Screech bared her fangs. "I am Screech Stormchaser. I can't always tell right from wrong, but I could forgive myself if broke half the bones in your body."

Commissioner grabbed his walkie-talkie.

Screech hid her fangs.

Requital just smiled. "I will spare the pig's life. I suspect your grandmother did a better job with you than she anticipated. When you are an alicorn you will truly be unstoppable."

Screech hissed. "You are friends with Munificent. That explains a lot. I can't be an alicorn."

Requital raised a brow. "Why not?"

Screech rolled her eyes. "Because I have one wing and OCD and I am violent and because... I... am me."

"So? Princess Luna was Nightmare Moon. Celestia didn't build this country from the ground, defeat Queen Chrysalis and her changling army several times and ruling for three thousand years without getting a little blood on her hooves. You think she does not know how I have run Cloudsdale for the past three-hundred fifty years? You don't have to be perfect to be an alicorn. You just have to be worthy."

"If you have to think I am worthy then I don't want to be an alicorn,' spat Screech.

"I don't think you are worthy. Not yet. Keep striving to be worthy and in time you will be."

Screech hopped off the rocking chair. "I will be back to stop you. If it takes one hundred years I will save Cloudsdale from you."

Requital smiled. "I don't doubt you dearest. It will take one hundred years."

Screech sat at the still broken kitchen table. She poked her salad with a spoon. She should have been happy Second deigned to eat dinner with his family. She was distracted by thoughts of Requital.

"I have good news," announced Glitter. "I got a job in Monacolt. We are going to live with your grandmare for a little while."

"That is in Horseshoe Bay," said Screech. "I could take the train to from Baltimare to Ponyville and see my friends." She could not get as excited as she wanted. Leaving would be admitting defeat. Staying would accomplish nothing.

"You could move back to Ponyville," said Second. "Mom only adopted you so she could keep this house."

"Would you rather live in Monacolt with us or in Ponyville with your friends?" asked Glitter. She looked pale. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.

Screech bit her bottom lip. "Ponyville with my friends. I am going to Monacolt anyway."

Glitter smiled.

"What kind of model will you be?" asked Screech. "Magazine? Runway? Don't say nude." She went back to poking her salad and feeling weak.

Glitter pressed her lips together. "Well... I am an accountant. I will be working for an ice cream shop."

"Did you send out your headshots?"

"Not yet. I will after we settle into our new home. We leave in three days."

"How do you think Success is going to react to the news?" Asked Second.

"This house is falling down around us," stated Glitter. "Any pony who didn't want to get out of here would need their common sense checked."

"Success does not live here," said Second. "He lives with his friends."

"I will tell him," interrupted Screech.

"Better he hates you than me," said Second. He smirked.

Screeche's heart nearly burst with joy.

Run Until It Is All Left Behind.

Razzle looked around her room. Bookshelves stood stacked toys and trinkets. She picked up a snow globe containing a city she could not name even after reading the plaque on the front. She placed it back on the bookshelf. "Yes. I am sure I am done packing."

Screech shrugged. "Seems like a shame you are leaving all of this stuff behind."

"You can have it if you want."

"I sleep in a closet."

"Only for now. One day you will be a famous rodeo pony and live in a house like this one."

"I am not sure I want that."

"You like sleeping in a closet?"

"No. I am not sure I want to be a rodeo pony for the rest of my life. My special talent is fixing things."

"I thought you liked the rodeo."

"I do. I don't know. Do you want to dance for the rest of your life?"

Razzle shrugged. "I don't care as long as every pony knows my name."

Screech nodded. "I want to fix big things."

Razzle put her two bags of important things by her door. "Thanks for helping me pack. I know it is not the most fun way to spen our last day together."

"Are you kidding? I love just hanging out with you. Sometimes it can feel like my life is a string of chaotic moments. I can't tell you how many times Wild Hearts got ke attacked by birds or Scoops got me roped into a fight by cheating at a board game. A normal day doing normal things is perfect."

Razzle sighed. "I am glad you will be reunited with your friends."

"It will be bitter sweet," admitted Screech. "In a week I will miss you as much as I miss them now."

Razzle smiled a pretty smile.

"What's wrong?"

"I am going to miss you more than you miss me."

Screech flinched. "Razzle, no. You are a good friend I am going to miss you. You made Cloudsdale almost bearable. You are kind and supportive when you are willing to put in the effort. I will miss you just as much as you miss me."

"You will be reunited with your friends. I don't have any friends in Laspegasus."

"Your parents will be there. Ask you mama to take you on a hot-air balloon ride."

Razzle nodded. "That could be fun," she admitted.

"You will make new friends quickly," assured Screech. "You are one of the most special ponies in all of Equestria."

Razzle blushed. "I... Anyway. We should do something fun before I have to go. We only have a few hours left."

"I would not mind dancing."

Razzle's smile was not pretty. "I know a great place."

"Oh, is it the barber shop besdie the dress shop?" Screech asked as if she didn't already know. "Or is it the little hardware store inside the giant coffe shop? Or Is it here?"

Razzle turned on her radio. "It is here."

Screech watched Second closely. Her brother was fine. He gladly pushed a broken fence post back and forth as if rowing a boat with an oar. He laughed with his friends as the park bench they pretended was their pirate ship didn't move. She didn't understand how he could be fine.

"Are you watching me fly?" asked Success.

Screech looked to her youngest brother. "Yeah." She watched him try to do a backward arial loop and fail for the twentyith time. She missed doing arial loops.

"Did you see that? I almost got it that time."

Screech nodded. "I am sure you will get it by the end of the day," she lied. "You are getting really close."

Screech stood outside the post office. Her tummy hurt. She needed her letters. She tried to lift her head. She crawled in.

Tappy flinched at the sight of a sad filly. She grabbed a small stack of letters and nearly threw them at Screech. "I have all of your mail right here." She forced a big smile.

Screeche's ears were so flat against her head she could barely hear. "Thank you." She took her letters. "I am sorry. I should not have attacked you. I was angry and upset. I took my feeling out on you. That was wrong of me."

Tappy just stood there.

"I am not going to hurt you. I am leaving Cloudsdale in two days."

Tappy breathed a sigh of relief.

"I really am sorry. I want to make it up to you. Are you dating any pony?"

Tappy blushed. "Wh- what? You are way too young for me."

Screech would have laughed if her stomach didn't hurt so much. "I know a stalion in Ponyville."

"You want me to date a foreigner?"

Screech rolled her eyes. "Forget I said anything. I forgot ponies in Cloudsdale don't want to marry." She turned around.

"Wait! Wait. Uuumm. Is he a peagasus?"

"Unicorn. He works at a board game shop my friends and I like. He is really nice and good with kids."

"Why is he single?"

Screech shrugged. "Just is." She didn't see a point in mentioning the embezzlement. He would tell her if they hit it off. He liked to brag about how much he stole. He liked to joke his wife got twice as much in the divorce.

Tappy bit her bottom lip. "What is his adress?"

"No clue. I know the adress of the board game shop."

The Cloudsdale public library was nice. The shelves were low enough all of the books could be reached without flying. Tall equally spaced rectanguler windows covered most of the walls. Light filled every room without being blinding. The lybrarian smiled at Screech and offered to help her with anything she needed. The carpet was soft and warm enough to nap on.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Stitch Runner.

"Naps," said Screech. "I like it here."

Stitch smiled. "I spend a lot a time here."

"I wish I could spend a lot of time here. I am almost sad to be leaving. Not really. I hate it here more than I hate Celestia. Maybe the Monacolt library will be this nice."

Chaste popped out of Screeche's saddle bag and flew around the room. It landed in a bowl of little sheets of paper for taking notes and started making a nest.

"Wat the Ponyville library nice?"

"Nice? Yes. There is a six week wait to enter." Screech pulled a book titled 'how I became the perfect wife' off an oak shelf. "Why are we in the self help section?" She read the back of the book, hissed and slid it back onto the shelf.

Stitch looked up. "No reason."

Screech smiled. "You are looking for Simple."

Stitch blushed. "Not so loud."

A light gold pegasus poped up over the top of the book shelf. "Somepony say my name?"

Screech raised a hoof. "Do you have any drawing books?"

"Charcoal?"

"Crayons."

Simple chuckled. "Yeah. We have how to draw comics books. Those are simple enough for foals."

Screech huffed. "I don't like being talked down to."

Simple laughed. "Then stop drawing with crayons."

Screech bared her fangs, "Come down here and say that again."

"Yeah, come down," taunted Stitch. "Unless you are scared of a filly."

Simple hesitated. Her flew over the book shelf and landed beside Screech. "If you don't want me to treat you like a foal stop acting like one."

Screech lunged forward. She sighed when Simple didn't flinch. "You are no fun. I do want that book. I like comics. Because I am fun. Can you get it for me grandpa?"

Simple blinked twice. "Yeah." His voice cracked. He cleared his throat. "Yeah. It is over here."

Stitch followed Simple closely. Their wings nearly touched.

Screech looked at a sunny spot under a big window. She reluctantly walked away.

"Bat pony," said Simple. "Have we met? You look familiar."

Screech rolled her eyes. "Yes. Many times. That is why you don't know my name."

"That is Screech," said Stitch. "The best rodeo pony in the world."

Simple scoffed. "I would be impressed if it was a real sport. I play water polo."

"He is team captain," boasted Stitch.

"Why is it called water polo?" asked Screech. "I don't know what a polo is, but I would have called it aqua soccer."

"You are wasting your pretty face by talking," stated Simple.

Screech had heard Wild and Ham say the same thing as Simple more than once. She knew how the sentence sounded as a joke. She turned around and walked toward the sunny spot.

"Where are you going?" asked Simple. "You can't take a joke?" He rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Foreigners."

Stitch looked at Screech then he looked at Simple. "It is not your fault. You just got off on the wrong hoof. You get the book and I will talk to her."

Screech curled up into a ball in the middle of the floor. The sunlight felt soo good on her coat she almost immediately stretched out.

Stitch sat down beside Screech. "You should give Simple another chance. He is nice once you get to know him."

Screech opened her eyes half way. "I would trust your judgement more if you didn't want to date him. Mama and Glitter both overlooked Papa's flaws becuase they liked him, and he had a lot of flaws. I doubt Melodie would put up with me of she was not in love with me."

Stitch stared blankly. "That is a relly good point." He looked at the ceiling. After a minute he looked back to Screech. "Either way I think you were too quick to judge him. When he comes back with your book I want you to be nice to him."

"When he comes back with my book I want him to be nice to me."

"He will. I don't want Simple to be a casualty of one of your snap judgements."

Screech huffed. "I don't make snap judgements."

"You didn't talk to Pic for three years because he smelled funny."

"He didn't floss. His breath smelled like rotting garbage."

"Just try to get to know Simple for me."

Screech groaned. "Fine."

Simple trotted up to Screech and tossed the book on the floor.

Screech opened the book and flipped through the first few pages. "Stitch wants me to be nice to you."

"Yeah. He wants me to be nice to you too."

Screech looked back at her book.

"What is your comic going to be about?" asked Stitch.

Screech thought for a few seconds. "Dogs. I hurt a lot of animals in my life. I try to not think about them. I need to confront the horrible things I have done in a ..." She took a moment to remember the rest of Dr. Red's advice. "Possitive and constructive manner."

"Those loud things with the weird teeth?" asked Simple. "My cousin's wife had a bunch of them. He (the cousin) threw them off Cloudsdale into Canterlot. I wish I could have seen the stuck up jerks when those things splatted all over their fancy parties."

Screech took a deep breath. "I feel... angry I can't hurt you. I hope your cousin's wife divorced him."

"She did," assured Stitch.

"That was not his fault," stated Simple. "The police had it out for him."

"He was arrested for domestic abuse," said Simple. "Dapple divorced him a day after he was sentenced."

"She flew into the side of a building and he gets arrested."

Screech looked to Stitch. "Can I judge him yet?"

"Not yet. You have to see one of his good qualities first."

"I leave town in two days."

"You are not exactly putting you best hoof forward either."

Screech shrugged. She turned her attention back to her book.

Stitch and Simple started a conversation about which wonderbolt was the best. Screech contributed the occasional sarcastic remark and roll of her eyes.

Three colts at least the same age as Simple trotted up to Stitch.

"What are you doing here?" asked Simple in an agressive tone.

Spade smiled. "Just checking out some books."

"That is a nice pet you got there," said Mulch. He pointed at Screech. "Is it housebroken?"

Screech smiled. "It is not a pet. It just follows me around." She looked for Chaste and didn't see it. "Chaste can be shy. It will come back."

Rake laughed. "Foreigners."

Screech hissed. "I was having a good time so I forgot which town I was in. Thanks for reminding me how much everypony here sucks."

Spade walked up to Screech and patted her head.

Screech snapped her jaws at Spade's hoof. She fought the urge to bite his hoof off. "If you touch me again I will hog tie you."

Spade and his buddies laughed.

Simple stepped toward Rake. "Don't bother my friends."

Rake spit his bubble gum in Simple's face. His gum landed right beside his eye.

Stitch gritted his teeth.

"Good aim," complimented Mulch.

Simple took the gum off his face and stuck it to a table. "Lets go." He tried to fly away. Mulch and Rake launched into the air, grabbed him and shoved him to the floor. Simple landed with a thud. He groaned but didn't get up.

Screech bared her fangs. "Hey!" She jumped to her hooves. Her wing twitched. She took a deep breath. "Why are you being mean?"

"We have not done anything mean," said Spade. He spun on his front hooves. He bucked Stitch in the face. "Now we have done something mean."

Screech tackled Spade to the floor.

Spade flailed his front hooves. He battered Screech like Periwinkle.

"We can talk about this. Violence is bad." Screech fought back the urge to vomit. She stumbled back. "I was psycolagically abused by my parrents most of my life. Right up until my mother cut my wing off. Doing violent things made me feel powerful and in control. My behaviour immediatly got out of hoof and I got worse as time went on. I did horrible things I will regret until the day I die. When my guilt becomes over whelming I think killing something would make me feel better and that tought makes me feel worse.
"Why are you being mean?"

Stitch got up off the floor. Blood dripped out of his nose.

Mulch looked at Screech. He dove and grabbed Stitch. Rake grabbed Simple.

Spade got his legs under himself. "I think you and your friends should go now." His voice shook but he tried to sound tough.

Screech bared her fangs. "No. You are going to attack my friends again if I let you go."

"You let us go," scoffed Mulch. "We are letting you go. We don't want to hurt a pretty girl."

"Why are you being mean?" asked Screeck calmly.

Spade fidgeted. He dove forward and punched as hard as he could. His stumbled forward when his hoof sailed last Screeche's face.

Screech took a deep breath. She pulled a rope out of her saddlebag. In a moment the rope was tied around Spade's neck. She held him on a leash like a dog.

Spade pulled on the knot, but it did not budge. "Let me go!" he barked.

"Tell me why you are being mean."

Soade tried to fly away. He choked and kicked. His wings flapped frantically. All his struggling got him nowhere.

"Let him go or else!" yelled Rake. His voice cracked. He was on the verge of tears.

Screech shook her head. "Not until one of you tells me why you are being mean. I know it is hard and scary, but all of you will feel better once you are open and honest." She was certain her plan would work.

Spade kicked the floor and table. He pushed against Screeche's hoof making the rope tighter. He twisted until he could bite the rope.

Mulch pushed Stitch to the floor. He ran forward and bucked Screech with all of the momentum he could build. He hit her so hard he tumbled over his front hooves.

"Screech let him go!" yelled Stitch. "You are scaring everpony."

Screech shook her head.

Spade's gums bled. Blood flowed down his chin. He kept biting the rope.

Rake broke into tears. "I am sorry. I will be good from now on. Please let Spade go. We will never bother Stitch again."

Screech shook her head. Her confidence in her plan did not waver. She was certain she was being helpful. She was causing an acceptabe amount of pain.

Spade calmed down. He stopped biting the rope. He let his body go limp.

"I am mean to Stitch because my brother is always belittling me," admitted Rake. "He pushes me around and calls me names. He cuts me hair when I am sleeping. My dad tells me to stand up to him and I will never be a real stolion. He made me get a job at a lightning mill and takes all of my bits. I feel weak all the time. It feels nice making Stitch feel weak."

Screech untied the knot in her rope in one second flat.

Spade dropped to the floor. His breaths were long and slow.

Screech sat back in the sunny spot and resumed reading her book.

Rake and Mulch carried Spade far away.

Stitch almost flew away. He listed reasons Screech would never hurt him and took deep breaths.

"It must be nice being strong enough to defend yourself," said Simple.

"Strenth can not be used for defence," stated Screech. "I do have it better than some ponies."

Simple put a hoof around Stitche's shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Stitch nodded. "I am fine. Did they hurt you?"

Simple shook his head. His wing was slightly bent. Screech could have fixed his wing with a bite.

"Are the tree of them good friends?" asked Screech. "Will they help each other?"

Stitch shrugged. "They have done everything together for the past ten years. They must have already known about Rake's family."

Screech flipped the page of her book. "You would be surprised what ponies can hide from their friends."

Screech sat on Glitter's bed and watched Gold swim around her bowl.

Glitter sat on the floor of her bedroom and sorted through hundreds of pillows. She picked up a little purple pillow. "This is one." She tossed the pillow to Screech.

"How is Success doing?"

Glitter sighed. "Still pouting. My son is the only pony in Equestria who actually likes living in Cloudsdale."

"To be fair you did spring the move on him."

"Could you please not do this. I am trying to be a good mother."

"Sorry. You made the right choice. Helping others is hard. I wish doing what is best was always as easy as doing what is right."

"Just do what you can sweetie. Not even Princess Luna can do more."

"What are your parents like?"

Glitter took a deep breath. "I don't know. Normal. Mom is..." She sighed. "We have our differences."

"But she wants us to live with her?"

"Want... is not the word I would use. She loves us."

"What is your papa like?"

"He was the kindest pony in the world. I am sorry you never got to know him."

"I get to know you."

Glitter jumped on the bed and gave Screech a tight hug.

"I want to take everything," whined Success. "It is not fair I have to leave all of my friends behind and all of my things." He sat in his room surrounded by a wall of toys.

"No it is not fair," agreed Screech. "You are not leaving your friends behind. True friendships are harder to break than you think. And your things can be replaced. You will get new toys."

"I don't want new toys," whimpered Success. "Dad bought me these toys."

"I am sorry, but keeping all of this stuff will not bring him back."

Success looked at his Calamity Mane doll. "I know."

"You have papa's smile. Every time I see you smile it reminds me of him. That is a part of him you will always have."

Success smiled.

Screech stared out the window of the sky bus. The smaller Cloudsdale became the easier it was for her to breathe. By the time she could not see Cloudsdale, Screech felt like she could fly; given the altitude she could.

Success sat beside Screech and pouted because he could not bring all of his things.

Second only brought a few items of his father's clothe. He didn't want to bring any of his own belongings.

Glitter had five pillows and two photo albums. She sighed.

"Are you excited to see your mom?" asked Screech.

"Yeah," said Glitter. "Of course." She sighed again. "I will be more grateful this time. She will be more interested."

The bus landed near the beach.

Screech picked up her box of letters and her Melodie plush. She stepped off the bus onto Monacolt's warm sandy ground.

Settling In Quickly.

Screech looked around the bus stop; she mostly saw unicorns. There were earth ponies and pegasi, she could smell a changeling in the distance. She thought of Canterlot. She missed her home in Ponyville.

Screeche's hooves started to burn the moment they touched the hard ground. A stiff breeze blew salty air and tickled her nose. The sound of waves was barely audible over the joyous yells of fillies and colts reuniting with family. She missed Ponyville a little less.

"Do you see your mother?" asked Screech.

Glitter cocked her head slightly. "My mother is not meeting us here. She is wating at the house."

"Maremaw's house is only a short trot from the beach," said Second excitedly. "Have you ever seen the ocean?"

Screech smiled. "Yes. I competed in the Seaquestria rodeo. Didn't win a single ribbon. Hippogrifs have a different meaning for the word, and I was not great at dancing." Screech smiled at the fond memory. "Mama was so mad she smashed my ocarina. I was so upset for being a disappointment I could not sleep. I spent all night putting my ocarina back together. In the morning Mama took me to see the ocean. She told me she was sorry. I promised to learn how to dance and win every ribbon at the next Seaquestria rodeo." Screech laughed like her story was funny. "I got my cutiemark on that trip. I don't remeber exactly when."

"Did you win any ribbons the next time?" asked Glitter.

Screech shook her head. "Mama didn't want me wasting time learning how to dance. I had to train for actual rodeos. I have not gone back to Seaquestria yet."

"I will take you," assured Glitter.

Screech smiled. She didn't mention the fact she had to pay for the bus tickets.

"You will have to get her dance lessons first," said Second.

"I can dance now," assured Screech. "Carver's parents taught me."

The house was mostly glass. A little pink green house. If the windows were ever closed it would become an oven. Empty flower boxes sat below the big bay windows. There was no welcome mat by the door.

Glitter knocked on the door. Success flew through an open window. Second dropped his things on the covered porch and walked toward the beach. Screech grabbed Second and dragged him back to the house.

Success opened the door. "Maremaw is staring again."

The house had the same number of rooms as the house in Cloudsdale, but each one was one third the size. The closets were too small for Screech to sleep in.

Cyrstal Eyes sat on the floor and stared off into the distance. She didn't look at the sky or the ocean. Her thousand yard stare was directed at one of the only closed windows. She watched her still reflection in the pink glass.

"Mom we are here," called out Glitter. Her voice echoed in the empty house.

Something appeared in Crystal's vacant eyes. "I noticed," she lied. She pushed open the window.

Glitter looked at the bare walls. "You didn't hang any of the pictures I sent you."

"I didn't have time. I have been busy creating my own memories."

"We should go before they start fighting," advised Second.

"If they are going to fight I want to stay," stated Screech. "Don't go where I can't see you. I will lasso you."

Second scoffed. "You didn't bring any rope."

Screech smiled. "Do you think that will stop me?"

Glitter placed Gold on the kitchen counter. "I can hang the pictures. I don't have any plans for the rest of the day."

Crystal waved a hoof dismissively. "Do what you like."

"Where are the pictures?"

"In the closet." Crystal pointed to a narrow door.

Glitter opened the closet. "There is nothing in here."

Crystal shrugged.

Glitter groaned. She marched to her fillyhood bedroom and opened the door. "Mom, did you get rid of the beds?"

Crystal didn't seem to hear her daughter. Her thousand yard stare was back. She looked at the hardwood floor.

Glitter slammed the door. "I am going to the store. I need to buy something we can sleep on."

"If you don't have any money on you I will go to the bank with you," said Screech.

Glitter squeezed her eyes shut. Tears still escaped. "I am sorry."

Screech checked the kitchen to make sure there was food and to her surprise there was. "Has your mother always been like this?"

Glitter wiped away a tear. "No. Only as long as I can remember. Dad used to tell me stories about when they were young. He loved telling me about their music boxes. She used to collect music boxes." With every word Glitter seemed to lose more and more energy. "Dad made music boxes. He proposed to her by making a box that played the wedding march."

"What happened?" asked Screech. She had a feeling she already knew.

Glitter rubbed the burn scar on her foreleg. "I don't feel like telling stories right now. Go play with your brothers. I will make lunch and we can go shopping after."

Screech nodded then trotted outside.

The sand was cool under Screeche's hooves. The moon sat beautifully in the sky, bating the beach in a soft glow. The sound of gentle waves was pleasant to even Screeche's sensitive ears.

Screech flapped her wings. Her prosthetic wing was getting a bit tight. She knew getting adjustments made would be expensive. She didn't say anything to Glitter.

"Are you doing this or not?" yelled Second.

Screech leaped into the air and flew toward her brothers. "Watch closely. Loops are tricky."

Glitter woke in pain. The bedding Screech bought for her to sleep on was soft enough. Her scars burned. She opened her bag and pulled out a bottle of burn cream which she applied liberally. She watched Screech nibble her own hoof in her sleep for a few minutes.

Glitter fed Gold and started breakfast. She wanted to make hay cakes, but her mother didn't have any frying pans, or whisks, or measuring spoons. She did find plates. She made warm hay and oats.

Screech walked into the kitchen with her Melodie plush held in one leg. She raised her nose. "Where is your mom? I can't smell her."

Glitter sighed. "I don't know. Bungee jumping in Las Pegasus. Eating her way across Saddle Arabia." She banged her wooden spoon against the rim of the pot of oats.

"I have never been to Saddle Arabia. I hear good things."

"So do I," stated Glitter acidly.

"Did you go to school around here?"

"What?" Glitter seemed caught off guard by the question. "No. I grew up in Baltamare."

"Which school did you go to?"

"You would not know it. Breakfast is almost ready. Could you wake your brothers?"

Screech nodded. "Of course." She had to swallow her follow up question. She could not ask about Glitter's papa. She did not want anypony asking questions about her papa's death. She started thinking of discreet ways of asking if and when Glitter went to boarding school.

Screech trotted into her brothers' room. "Glitter is making breakfast. Don't get up now if you want to eat cold hay."

Second pulled the covers over his head.

"I want to sleep a little longer," mumbled Success.

"I know you do. After breakfast we are heading to Baltimare and taking the train to Ponyville."

Second threw off his covers. "You can't tell me what to do."

"My friends are all excited to meet you. Melodie asked when she is going to get to sing with Success again in her last letter."

Success smiled. He gladly trotted off to breakfast.

Second didn't buy it. "I know you think I like getting in trouble but I don't. I will be fine if you leave me here for a few hours."

"You will have to answer a few really hard questions if you want me to trust you."

"I don't care if you trust me."

"Then you are coming to Ponyville."

"What is your first question?"

"What do you miss most about Papa?"

Second sat perfectly still for a few moments. "Why do you want to know that?"

"I am trying to bond with you. I miss his stories about traveling Equestria. He always told the most interesting lies."

Second frowned. "I am not playing nice with your friends."

Screech smiled. "They are not going to play nice with you either." She returned to the kitchen and sat on the floor to wait for breakfast.

The Friendship Express pulled into Ponyville station. Wild Hearts and Ham Bone threw dozens of fire crackers at the train. Hazard and Blaze stood well behind the safety line even after the train stopped. Bobo sat patiently while his tail thumped the ground two times a second.

Screech leaped off the train and tackled Wild to the ground. She gave him a big bite on his foreleg.

Wild laughed. "I am happy to see you too."

"Wild cried like a foal when you left," teased Ham.

"I cried too," stated Hazard with pride.

"I didn't cry!" lied Wild. "I am not a filly."

"I am sorry," said Screech. "I didn't want to leave without saying anything." She bounded forward and bit Bobo.

Bobo bit Screech back.

"We know," assured Wild. "We read your letters."

"What is wrong with your eye?" asked Success.

Hazard went pale. "There is something wrong with my eye!" She was wearing her spiderweb design.

Blaze looked Hazard in her eyes. "No. Both of your eyes are healthy."

Hazard breathed a sigh of relief.

Second grinned. "You must be Hazard. Screech warned us about you."

Ham threw a fire cracker at Success.

Success jumped back and flew up so quickly he nearly hit his head on the ceiling.

Screech hissed at Ham.

Ham threw a fire cracker at Screech.

Second looked around. "Where is Melodie?"

"She is at Vinyets," stated Bobo. "It is her turn to pick the berries."

Screech smiled wide. "I missed Vinyets so much. I can't wait to see it again."

"You will have to wait," stated Wild. "Carver and Scoops are waiting for us at Sweet Apple Acers."

Screech sighed. "Can't we go to Platinum Park?"

Wild chuckled. "Yes."

"No," scolded Hazard. "We put a lot of time and effort into planning your going away party. Dozens of ponies will be disappointed if you don't show up."

Screech scoffed. "Dozens?"

"You are more well liked than you think," stated Hazard.

"Fine," relented Screech. "Let's go then."

Glitter sat at a big wooden desk in a small dim room. She sorted through stacks of financial papers. After six hours she was not sure if the ice-cream shop was making money. She would have said the previous accountant was fired and went out of their way to make the job as hard as possible for the pony who was replacing them, but she thought it was much more likely there never was another accountant. Half the bank statements were shoved into a shoe box, half of them were scattered about the office and half of them were missing all together.

Glitter looked at the wall clock. She took a deep breath.

Gold swam about her bowl on the desk.

Glitter smiled at her pet. "Have I ever told you I was supposed to be a model?" She ignored her splitting head ache and the hundreds of pages financial records. She rested her head on the desk and talked to Gold.

Ponies in Mantacolt wore both sunhats and scarves like ponies in Cloudsdale wore blue and gold. During the day ponies could fry eggs under the sun. At night the eggs would freeze in the breeze. At some point ponies took to defending against both changes in temperature at once.

Screech picked up a little plastic horse shoe and tossed a ringer.

Burning Winds adjusted his hat. He threw a horse shoe as hard as he could. The shoe sailed over Screeche's head and landed about a country mile from the stake.

Second and Success both missed their throws.

Screech scored every point for her team. She and Success were winning ten points to zero.

"Why is the sand in Mantacolt so soft?" asked Screech. She intentionally missed the stake.

"What do you mean?" asked BW.

"The sand here is soft."

BW stared at Screech like she asked why tree bark tastes like worms. "Yeah."

"Sand is not supposed to be soft."

BW just stared. "Are you having heat stroke?"

"She is right," said Second. "Sand is usually hard."

"I like the soft sand," stated Success.

"I like the soft sand too," assured Screech. "I was just curious."

BW continued staring. "Hard sand?" His horse shoe bounced off the steak. "You bat ponies have the strangest ideas."

Second and Success both beamed with pride at being called bat ponies.

A white sail boat roughly the size of Glitter's mom's house ran aground on the beach. A dozen ponies hopped down to the sand.

Screech hissed. "Are they trying to hurt somepony?"

BW nodded. "They would not care if they did. They own Mantacolt."

Screech bared her fangs.

Success threw a ringer. "I did it!"

Screech patted her little brother's head. "Good job. You will be a pro in no time."

One of the first things Screech noticed about her new school was the fact she was the biggest pony in her class. She would have been the biggest creature if not for the only one of three griffons who was slightly bigger than her. She knew it would not be long before she was taller than her teachers.

When class ended the filly sitting beside Screech leaned close and asked, "Are you new?" She obviously knew the answer and it was also pretty clear she was not the best as making conversation.

"No. Are you new?"

"Nope. It is too bad you are not new. New students get cupcakes."

"I am not allowed to eat sugar."

River Read gasped. "Why not?"

"I am a rodeo pony. I have to stay in top shape."

"Don't tell Mint Leaf. Her dad works for the Equestria Rodeo Association."

"I don't think they hunt rodeo ponies for sport."

"They do. I have good news though. Not new students get cupcakes too."

Screech contemplated eating a cupcake. "I suppose one cupcake would not hurt."

"That is the spirit. By the way, why do you talk like that?"

"Talk like what?"

"You sound like you are from Canterlot."

"I am from Canterlot."

"Why in the world would you leave Canterlot to come to this dinky town?"

"My papa died." Screech answered before thinking and immediately regretted it.

River Reed gasped. "I am so sorry."

"It has not always been easy, but my friends helped me recover. Do me a favor and don't tell anypony."

"I promise."

A filly with big lenseless glasses trotted up to Screech. "Celestia, it is you. You are Screech Stormchaser?"

Screech looked around like she was confused. "Are you talking to me?"

Mint Leaf burst into laughter. It was the funniest thing she had ever heard. She stopped laughing suddenly. "Can I get an autograph?"

"No. Sorry. I only sign things at official events."

"That is okay. I am a huge fan of your mother. Can you get her to sign something for me?"

"Why do you want Glitter's autograph?'

"Glitter?"

"Oh! You want Mama's autograph. Sorry she is in Canterlot."

"Can you bring something to her next time you visit?"

"Mint Leaf, she said no!" scolded River. She turned to Screech and said, "I am sorry about her. She gets excited about the rodeo."

Mint moved closer to Screech. "Please it would mean the world to me. My dad collected all of her merchandise. We still listen to the records of her top performances."

Screech took two trots back. "No. Stop asking. You are making me uncomfortable."

Mint took two trots forward. "But-"

Screech hissed loudly.

Mint let out a shill "Eeep," and ran away.

River broke into laughter.

Screech thought River was a bit of a jerk. "Want to be my friend," she asked with a smile.

Screech sat on the kitchen floor and ate dinner. "Then the unicorns, buffalo and zebra made the sand soft so the birds could lay their eggs somewhere they would be safe from the fires."

Success stared at Screech with wide eyes. "This town is awesome."

Glitter nodded in agreement. "History is fascinating." She seemed unsettled by the story despite Screech omitting as much of the fire as she could.

Crystal walked through the front door.

Glitter glared at her mother. "Where have you been? We have not heard from you in a week!"

Crystal stared right past Glitter. "I am an adult. I can do what I please."

Glitter growled. "Are you going to join us for dinner? I made stirfry."

Crystal noticed the wall clock and family photos Glitter hung. "I can see you decided to clutter up the walls."

"You told me I could."

"First time you listen to me in your life and you clutter up my walls."

"I don't think she wants to join us," said Screech.

"I don't think she wants us living here," mumbled Second.

"Why don't you and your grand ponies do something together tomorrow?" asked Glitter.

"Fine. Those two could use proper parenting."

"I am going to visit my friend tomorrow," said Screech. "She has board games, a pet cat and furniture."

Glitter bit her tongue.

"I don't need things," said Crystal. "One moment you have stuff the next moment you don't."

"You don't have money either," said Glitter pointedly. "Not like you are going to have a future so why not spend every bit you have."

"You didn't move in here because you wanted to see me," spat Crystal.

"I thought we had money. My husband kept secrets from me."

"I told you he was a louse. You never should have married him."

"Why didn't she trust you?" asked Screech.

Crystal flinched. "It is not my fault she ruined her life."

"Her life is not ruined," stated Screech. "She married too young. You didn't stop her. Now she has three children and she works for an ice-cream shop. There is no need to assign blame. That is just life."

"Three children? You only told me about two!"

Glitter rolled her eyes. She pointed at Screech. "Three."

Crystal shook her head and went to her room.

"Can I spend the day with Hazard too?' asked Success.

Glitter and Screech both said, "No. Your maremaw needs this."

Screech and Melodie were lying in the soft sand. Screech bit Melodie's hoof. Melodie bit Screeche's ear. Screech bit Melodies shoulder. Melodie bit Screeche's neck.

Screech kissed Melodie. She tried to stay calm. She fought the urge to lock up like a rusted bike chain. All of her practice on her plushie amounted to almost nothing. The kiss felt good, but it also felt horrible. Dread and anger and despair filled her head until it felt like her eyes were bleeding.

Melodie hugged Screech and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "I am sorry."

Screech sniffled and choked back a sob. "I kissed you."

"I am still sorry."

"I will get past this. I promise."

"Take your time. I don't mind not kissing."

"I know. I do."

"I know."

Screech threw four bags of soil down on the floor of the covered porch.

Carver gently placed a stack of two-by-fours. She looked around the big sunny room. "Have you decided what you are going to grow?"

"I was thinking of growing roses and black berries. I want to grow cashews, but that will have to wait until we have more space."

"Speaking of food," said Carver as if she did not bring up food in the first place. "We passed a cake shop on the street where the ponies were throwing stones at each other."

"I am going to have to do something about those pirates," thought Screech out loud.

"Sure," said Carver. "Want to go to the cake shop and look through the trash?"

Screech smiled. She remembered all the times they ate themselves sick on old cake in Canterlot. She also remembered the taste of her mama's hoof. Cake didn't taste as good coming back up. "No. I ate a cupcake four days ago."

Screech returned to the glass house from her third trip to Ponyville in four days. She was sure Glitter would notice and she would be upset. Screech could live with the guilt.

"Where is your wing?" asked Glitter. She sat on the porch playing jacks with Second. She had a little bit of pudding on her snout. She must have had a rough day at work.

Screech felt her stomach squeezed into a tiny ball. "Ponyville," she answered honestly.

"Why is your wing in Ponyville?"

"I needed to have a few adjustments made."

Glitter squeezed her eyes shut and fought the urge to groan. "How much does that cost?" She tempered most of the frustration from her voice.

"Nothing."

Glitter's expression changed. She could not sperate the looks of hurt and sadness. "I know how expensive those things are. It has to cost something."

"I know a pony who is an expert in committing insurance fraud. It will not cost a single bit." Screech tried to sound both casual and proud.

"You should not be committing insurance fraud." Mumbled Glitter.

"My doctors appointments would cost a fortune if I didn't. Neither of us can afford to pay my medical bills," said Screech assuringly and defensively.

"Soon I will be able to," whispered Glitter.

"I am sorry but I need my wing now."

"No. I am sorry."

"Glitter, you have done everything right the past few weeks!" Snapped Screech. "There is nothing you could have done to help with my wing. Not everything is your fault!"

Glitter nodded and turned her attention back to the game of jacks.

Screech stomped off to her make shift bed. She fought to breath. Her head tried desperately to crack open like an egg. Her heart refused to beat until it beat so quickly it hurt. She desperately wished the entire world would end so she could exist in an empty void where she could breath. She just wanted to breath. She tasted blood.

Screech bit down on her foreleg. She didn't notice she had her own limb in a vice grip until the pain was so unbearable it outweighed the pain of not being able to breath. She easily took a deep breath and relaxed her jaw. This was nice.

After an hour with her teeth in her leg Screech decided to remove her fangs from her leg. Her lungs seized. Her head throbbed. Her heart threatened to quit. She could not stop biting herself.

Author's Note

Adventures Are No Fun will be going on a short hiatus. Maybe a few weeks. Thanks for understanding.