Darkness Scoots

~In all the realms of the multiverse, none are so treacherous as that of one's own subconscious mind. There is truth to the old saying that "You are your own worst enemy", even in the best of times.

-An excerpt from the Book of Fillysophical Studies, by: Dr. Rhindquarters

===D.W.===

"A black Pegasus pony with a purple mane and two different colored eyes? AND no Cutie Mark? Nope, can't say I've seen 'em around before."

"Bandaged wings? Oh dear, I hope he's okay."

There was a smattering of murmurs, whispers and overall general confusion as the four mares gathered at the corner wracked their heads. Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy not knowing this pony? That was one thing. But Pinkie Pie too? The mare who claimed to know everypony that lived in Ponyville? Now that was something worth notice and should have been a clue that something was just not right that night.

"Are you absolutely sure about his coloration? I'm sure I'd have seen such a fashion faux-pas wandering around Ponyville if he lives here. Especially one without a Cutie Mark." The white unicorn tossed her luxuriant mane back over her shoulder.

"Just cuz I hit my head doesn't mean I'm dumb or something. I know what I saw." Scootaloo retorted. This was getting them nowhere.

"Maybe...that is, if he's not too busy, you could um...bring him here so we could possibly talk to him?" Fluttershy's meek tone barely made notice.

"Oh! Oh! You totally need to bring him here now! If I haven't met this pony before, I need to throw him a SorryForBeingLateInWelcomingYouToPonyvilleParty!" Pinkie practically bubbled up from next to nowhere between Rarity and Fluttershy, balancing a perfectly made cupcake stack atop the plate on her overly exuberant head.

"Maybe you should just go ask Twilight. She should be home by now; I saw her coach pulling up to the Library on my way over here." Rainbow Dash suggested dismissively, reclining back into one of the booths along the wall.

The girls traded glances between each other. None of the fillies were too keen on going back there after the fiasco earlier. A general sense of unease settled into the pit of Scootaloo's stomach as she politely suggested something to the contrary, not wanting to outright insult Rainbow by being rude; but also not wanting to have to go back and risk incurring Twilight's wrath should she have stumbled across a book out of place. Even Spike was known to slip up sometimes in his alphabetization.

"You're all sure you've never seen him?" Sweetie Belle asked.

One by one, the ponies nodded after looking back and forth between themselves.

"Oh man...I hope Spike's not still angry about the mess..." Scootaloo sighed as she resigned herself to going back to visit Twilight. She threw her helmet on after thanking all of the others, hitching the cart up to her scooter. "All right then, Crusaders. Back to the Library!" She cried out.

===D.W.===

"A hetero-chromatic Pegasus without a Cutie Mark?"

"Hetero...what now?" Scootaloo's head was spinning with questions by the time they returned to the library to see Twilight.

"That's what having eyes that are two different colors is called. It's a condition where the pigments in one eye are different than that of the other. I've heard it causes serious vision problems in some ponies.", the lavender unicorn nodded, seemingly pleased with her description.

"I'll bet that's why he hit you in the head with the door, Scoot. He couldn't see you right." Sweetie Belle chimed in. "Poor pony must have a hard time seeing in the dark."

"How do you miss something as bright an orange as me though?! I mean, really! Even with bad eyesight, that's just lame." Scootaloo huffed, her head still a bit tender from where the door had met it.

Twilight turned around, looking through her books for an example of the condition, just so she could verify that it had indeed been what the girls were talking about when Spike came bounding down the stairs.

"Before you even ask...here. Chapter twelve, page two-hundred thirty-six." He held out a leather bound book, titled 'Modern Medical Ailments: Benefits and Downfalls'. "I overheard you down here talking about it, so I figured you'd ask sooner or later." He grinned widely.

"And that's why you're my Number One Assistant." Twilight commented, opening to the page directed. "Ah, here we go. Is this what you were talking about girls?" She pointed to an image in the book.

All three of them stared at the book for a moment before Apple Bloom looked up to Twilight.

"That pony...tha's him." Apple Bloom nodded. "Tha's the same one that bonked Scootaloo with the door."

Twilight turned the book around to get a better look at the image. Sure enough, there stood a black Pegasus with a deep violet mane, one eye blue, the other gold, bandaged wings and no Cutie Mark. She stared hard at the image for a moment, looking to the caption underneath.

'Depicted here, a research volunteer as seen with typical signs of heterochromia. Suffers blindness thought to be caused by rapid deterioration of optic nerve at a young age due to prolonged condition. Beneficial studies into the subject have found that ponies with this irregular disorder are frequent 'far-seers', having the ability to see the future even without magic. Speculation persists that such ponies may even be able to see more than the future, however this has been deemed an ill-advised belief for such controversy.'

Twilight thought on that, Scootaloo watching her face with a careful scrutiny for any sign that the unicorn might know something. She saw maybe the briefest glimmer of hope when Twilight's eyes lit up with an idea, only to find herself disappointed when the older pony went to the index of the book.

"What are you doing now, Twilight?" The orange filly moaned.

"Referencing the image in the book to its appendices see if we can find out a date on the photograph and or the name of this Pegasus Pony of yours." She scanned the pages slowly, looking up and down as the fillies watched on, locked in place. "Ha! Found it!"

Scootaloo's ears perked up.

"His name is Dream Catcher. Odd though, this photograph was taken many years ago. There's no way he could still look like this." Twilight's brow furrowed. "He'd have to be at least as old as Granny Smith."

"Wow, that's old." Apple Bloom thought aloud, catching herself in the middle of a giggle fit from her friends when she realized she'd just unintentionally insulted her own grandmare. "Oops...You gals didn't hear that."

Twilight chuckled. "I think you're safe, Apple Bloom. Just don't say it to her face. I don't know how she'd take a comment like that. Now, while this has my interest, I've got something else I'm working on that I have to get back to."

"Aww, Come On Twilight! You're our only hope!" Scootaloo's eyes bugged out at her plea.

"I'm sorry girls, but Princess Luna is helping me research something of great importance right now, and I don't want to waste her time. I promise, as soon as I'm done working on this project, I'll help you three out, okay?" Twilight smiled as genuinely as she could.

The fillies all sighed in unison.

"Well...all right. Pinkie Pie Promise?" Scoot asked.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye." Twilight's grin grew as she went through the motions, careful not to actually poke herself in the eye like she had the first time she'd tried it.

'I guess that's as close as we get for now.' The young Pegasus's mind was floating in a sea of questions now. Who was this mysterious pony? How could he be that old? And why was it that no one had heard of him until they'd found him in a book?

"I think it's time you three went home." Twilight's voice broke Scootaloo out of her thoughts.

Apple Bloom nodded and Sweetie Belle grinned.

"Rarity is at Sugar Cube Corner...so I get to go there instead." The young unicorn's muzzle split ear to ear at the thought of the sweets left over from the day's baking.

"Applejack is probably waitin' fer me too. Ah'll see ya'll tomorrow!" She cried as she ran out the door, Sweetie Belle close behind.

Scootaloo, however, stood rooted to the spot. She wasn't ready to give up. This pony had become the fore-front of her thoughts. After all, pretty much the only thing she could really concentrate on was the sore spot on her forehead from where he'd smacked her. And that's what kept her focused on him. She'd find him and get him back for it, but first...

"Dream Catcher, huh?"

"Scootaloo, I'm serious. You should probably head home. Your parents must be worried sick about you being out this late." The unicorn prodded...only to look up in confusion. "Come to think of it...I've never met your parents, have I?"

Scoot's ears folded back immediately in reaction to the 'P' word, and the bright, warm atmosphere of the library felt like it instantly chilled a few degrees in temperature. Though she didn't quite notice it at first...or know why when she finally did realize it, the filly shook her head straight and brought her attention immediately back to Twilight. Fortunately for her, she noticed, Twilight hadn't seemed to see the seemingly knee-jerk reflex.

"Um...no, I don't think you have. Sorry Twilight, it's been awesome. Gotta Run!" She spit out almost all in one breath as she bounded out the door, launching herself onto the scooter. In a flash, she was off at full speed, racing away from a confused Twilight whom had come to the door to watch her go.

Scootaloo ripped through Ponyville, mane and tail blowing wildly in the ensuing draft as her wings taking her as fast as she could go. In and out of alleyways, around corners at breakneck speeds, there was no living thing on four hooves that could keep up with Scoot on her scooter...except Rainbow Dash of course. And maybe Pinkie Pie, though no one was quite sure how the pink pony who was fond of skipping everywhere kept up with Dash either. Finally, as the outskirts of town came into sight, Scootaloo rounded one last corner...

And saw him again.

The black Pegasus stood staring at a window...talking to his reflection?

There was barely any time to register the scene in her mind before Scootaloo found herself flying head over hooves off her scooter, having hit possibly the most ill-fitting cobblestone in the town's streets. With a loud cry, she went soaring through the air, crash landing against the Pegasus hard. The impact took them both to the ground. The last thing Scootaloo saw before she blacked out was that unnerving blue and gold gaze looking at her from the ground, just as dazed and confused as she was.

===D.W.===

When she finally opened her eyes and the world stopped spinning, Scootaloo stood up and brushed herself off, looking down at the pile of pony beneath her. His tousled purple mane lay flat on the ground under him, head and hooves splayed at an odd angle as he groaned and twisted, trying to regain some sense of the world around himself.

"Hey, I know you! You're the pony that knocked me over earlier! Dream Catcher, right?" She asked, glaring down at him.

There were a few sharp cracks and pops as the pony moved, his teeth gritted in what looked like pain as he tried to rise to his hooves shakily. With a final crack of his neck, he stood at fully height before her, both of those creepy eyes staring rather blankly down at her. It was then that she truly realized just how young he looked, standing not much taller than she. If anything, his wild mane added a few inches to his rather miniscule stature. This pony was definitely no more than an older colt.

"Hmm? What just happened...and who are...oh. I remember now. You're the little Pegasus from before." He noted casually, as if their little collision now had never happened.

"Yeah, that's me. The name's Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash's number one fan! Don't forget it Mister." She nodded smartly, standing proud.

When no reply came from her conversation partner, she looked up to see him staring out beyond her, mouth open in shock.

"Oh no...this is bad. This is rather bad. It's not supposed to happen like this." He started to tremble visibly, rocking unsteadily on his legs like a new foal learning to walk.

"What are you talking about?" Scoot asked before turning to look behind her at whatever it was that had shaken him up so bad.

For a moment...she almost wished she hadn't.

A thick fog had settled around Ponyville, blocking out view of the town for more than a few feet in any direction. If she hadn't just slammed Dream Catcher into a building, she'd almost be certain that there wasn't one sitting just a hop skip and a jump away. On top of that, a heavy chill hung to the air, clutching at her tiny body; attempting to illicit shivers or suck the life out of her, she wasn't sure.

"Wait...what happened to Ponyville? It wasn't like this just a minute ago." She asked.

The black Pegasus still stood there, utterly in shock.

"No no no no no no..." He kept repeating over and over like a broken music box.

"What's wrong? Are you gonna say something different, or do I have to run you over again?" She demanded.

"You silly little filly...you don't realize what you've done. You...you broke my concentration...and now we're stuck here..." Dream Catcher stepped past her carefully back out into the street, almost disappearing from view.

"Hey, wait! Don't go anywhere, I've got some questions for you!" She called angrily, following him after collecting the ruins of her scooter.

Dream Catcher however, seemed lost in his own little world at the moment. The black Pegasus remained upon his hooves, just barely, as he stood in the middle of the intersection, looking up one alleyway and down the next, his gaze very unsure. Scootaloo wasn't sure herself if everything was okay. Something nagged at the back of her mind that aside from the fog, there was something very wrong here. She carefully followed Dream Catcher through the alley as he began to move forward, looking both ways like she was taught just to be sure now that there weren't any carriages coming since she could see about as well as if it were pitch black.

When he finally stopped moving, Scootaloo tried to pinpoint their location, only to be met with the same wall of fog all around. If she remembered correctly, following the streets the way they had, Sugar Cube Corner was just around the next corner...and Twilight's Library was straight down the street ahead of them and to the right.

But even those were just guesses at that moment; the stupid fog made it too hard to see anything clearly enough to tell where she was. For all intents and purposes...Scootaloo, for the first time in her life...was lost in Ponyville.

"Well this bites." She remarked, keeping a close eye on Dream Catcher.

"We have to get to my house." He spoke up, rather suddenly.

"Wait what?"

"If we're where I think we are, it shouldn't be too far. Without some things from my house, we'll never make it out of here alive." He finished.

Those words drove a needle of fear straight to Scoot's heart.

'Make it out alive? Did he just...' Her mind began to run circles around itself...as if it hadn't been ever since she'd met this stupid pony.

To solidify that needle, there came a slight noise from their left, up the street. Through the fog, Scootaloo couldn't see what had made it, but the sound urged her forward until she found herself pressing against Dream Catcher's flank. She turned to look up at the Pegasus and found him staring back down at her.

"I guess I'll have to look out for you too." He spoke, barely audible. If she'd been anywhere else, those words would've unnerved Scootaloo more than his creepy, seemingly soulless gaze. But, as she turned to look back around at the setting, she found them something of a small comfort instead. If it meant getting her questions answered and more so...she gulped, staying alive...she could deal with him watching out for her for a bit.

"Okay then. Stick close little filly." He spoke again, his voice almost trance-like. As if he wasn't all there.

Suddenly, the little bit of hope she'd been holding onto vanished.

'Oh brother. I'm trapped in a fog filled Ponyville...and this is the guy I get stuck with? I hope we can find the others soon.' She thought.

Slowly but surely, the two began to walk the empty streets, Scootaloo noticing differences now as they came and went by buildings. First and foremost, there were no stars in the sky even though it was blacker than the fur of the pony she was following.

Secondly, most of the buildings in town seemed to be a lot older than what she remembered. And she meant OLD Older. Like...Princess Celestia and Princess Luna old. Not that the Princesses were 'ugly' old or 'boring' old or anything, she thought to herself...just making note of it to pass the time and satisfy curiosity. A lot of the structures around her seemed like they'd been built a really long time ago. Even the streets were different. There was no cobblestone or brick in them to be seen. They were just plain old dirt roads. That in itself was unnerving enough.

But the most disturbing thing that Scootaloo could see...was that the town of Ponyville...usually so full of life, bright colors and energy...seemed to be a bleak remnant done in drab palettes. It was like all the life had been leeched from the world and replaced with a foreboding gray that served no more purpose than to drain her of all emotion.

"This is really creepy...what happened here?" She asked.

"Nothing. We're still in Ponyville...just from a long time ago." Dream Catcher replied up ahead.

"What do you mean, a long time ago? We traveled through time?"

The Pegasus shrugged.

"Sort of. This is a kind of like a memory of the town as it used to be. Back before things changed for the better. It was like this when I grew up here." He trailed off, seemingly lost in thought.

"So wait...that means that we're not even in the Ponyville I know anymore?" The idea felt like a rock sitting in the pit of Scootaloo's stomach.

Without so much as a word, Dream Catcher turned and walked into a building. It looked much like the rest of them, a pale cream-gray color that seemed to blend in with the thick white-gray fog that had settled in. Hesitantly, Scootaloo followed him inside to find that this building, while drab and distorted on the outside...was very homey and warm on the inside, despite the chill that came in through the door. She quickly rushed in, almost toppling over a plank of wood that was lying on the floor.

"Now who would leave this just out in the middle of the room?" She asked more to herself than anyone else in particular.

"Ah. I'd take that with you if I were you. And here. You'll be needing this too, in case we get separated." Dream Catcher came round from the other side of the room behind a work bench, holding what looked like a rather ornate music box out in one hoof. Scootaloo admired it, quickly looking over the decorative designs that were inlaid on the cover, opening it up to hear a very familiar sounding lullaby playing inside of it. Much to her surprise, there was a large S carved into the underside of the lid, and what appeared to be the shape of a scooter and a tiny Pegasus over the S.

"Hey, this looks like me." She smiled.

"I wouldn't be surprised. Everything in this world is suited to the one meant to have, see or experience it." Dream Catcher sighed, pulling two saddlebags out of the closet. One for him, and apparently one for Scootaloo as neither would've ever fit a full grown pony and the one he hoofed her was smaller than his. The bag was definitely suited for a filly or colt.

Taking his advice, since he vaguely appeared know what was going on, Scootaloo placed the music box inside the bag, and strapped it on. Once it was secured, she took the plank of wood for whatever reason he deemed fit...and slung it under a loose strap on the bag.

"Are you sure I'm gonna need these things?" She asked.

All he could do was nod.

"There are things out there my little filly...that you may or may not be ready to understand or remember. But if you're here...it's time that you did. There will be dangers along the way. That's why I'm coming with you. That music box I gave you...will let you know when there's monsters arou..."

"Monsters?" She cut him off, looking up at him. "What do you mean, Monsters?"

Dream Catcher turned his flank to her, as if he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how to put it.

"You are going to see things...how can I explain this?" He thought for a moment, a hoof to his chin. Scootaloo waited patiently until he found his words again. "I don't know what they're going to look like to you...but there's things out there that defy the normal terms of the word Monster. And dare I say, they mean to do you harm. You'll need to protect yourself, little filly."

Despite the fear that had been growing steadily inside of her, against the fact that the creepy pony she had been so caught up in had said hinted that there were dangerous things out there, Scootaloo pulled herself together and in one big breath...

There it was. The pose. The attitude. The pride of the pony she idolized, coming out in full style.

"I ain't scared of nothin, Mister. I learned from the best!" She puffed out her chest, trying to make herself as impressive as possible, no matter how much she felt that nagging fear inside of her.

"Princess Luna?" He asked.

"No!" Scoot stomped her hooves. "Come on, how many times do I have to say it? Rainbow Dash! Augh!" She cried angrily.

Dream Catcher shook his head and sighed.

"I only hope this Rainbow Dash taught you enough, little filly. This is a very dangerous place we're about to venture into. And I won't rest until I've got you back safe in the Ponyville you know..." He spoke with that dreamy voice again, adding afterwords when she had turned her attention to the house around her..."Even if you being here is your own fault."

"So then...what do we have to do to get home?" Scootaloo asked, her inspection of the surroundings seemingly satisfied for the moment.

"That's just it. Only you will know." He replied, cool and calmly.

"Huh? That doesn't make any sense. I don't even know how we got here in the first place."

Dream Catcher shrugged, making for the doorway.

"Well...I can only hope for your sake that you're ready for whatever it is that awaits you out there. I've seen this world do horrible things to ponies. I can only imagine what it would do to you."

"Not exactly comforting." Scoot retorted as she followed close behind the elder pony. "So just what is this place then?" She asked.

Dream Catcher stopped before the doorway, turning around to face her as he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"This place...my young filly...is your worst nightmare."