Scootaloo and the School of Ghouls

"Feeeed me...."

"Uhh... Scoots," Rainbow said, gulping as she backed away from the tiny pony, her magenta eyes feeling as if they were actually piercing her. It was even as if there was an almost... hypnotic quality to them. "If you're uh... hungry, we can get something once we're out of the woods. And you don't really need to sing about it."

"Pleeease Rainbow," Scootaloo begged, gazing at her cuts intently. "I've never felt so hungry before!"

"D-Did you not eat breakfast or something?" Rainbow stuttered, squinting a nervous eyebrow. "W-Why are you looking at me like that?" She then cracked a half-grin, giving a lying chuckle as she sweat-dropped. "O-Oh, I get it. This is some sort of weird joke."

"It's no joke..." Scootaloo growled, licking her lips. "Please, don't make me take it from you…"

"Take what?!" Rainbow gulped. "What do you want from me?"

'Takes it! Takes it!'

"Sustenance... I need... sustenance...."

"Scoots.... you're really starting to weird me out..." Rainbow said, continuing to nervously back away.

'Stupid, daft pegasus. She doesn't understand. That or she just wants to keep your food from you! Takes it from her! TAKES IT!'

"I-I'm sorry Rainbow," Scootaloo whimpered, before reering back as if she was about to pounce at her. "B-But... oh my gosh, IT JUST LOOKS SO GOOD!"

Rainbow's eyes widened in horror as Scootaloo began her attack-

"Oi! Everypony alright down there?!" a certain, accented voice called.

Scootaloo paused in mid-leap, quickly shaking her head in a daze.

"W-What?" she whispered in horror. "W-What was I just about to do?!"

At that, a slight thud could be heard as Derpy set the Doctor on the ground, her previously having carried him from the TARDIS, it still flying high above.

Rainbow didn't answer him, instead she continued to glance at Scootaloo with eyes saturated with concern… and perhaps even a hint of mistrust.

"Everything alright? What were you two doing down here?" the Doctor asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I uh... I'm not sure," Rainbow said, lowering an eyebrow Scootaloo's way.

She simpered, thinking quickly. There was a way out of this, but it wouldn't be the best, nor the most satisfying for her idol's curiosity.

"Er, sorry Rainbow," she quickly said, scratching the back of her head. "Kind of let that joke get out of hoof, didn't I?"

"Y-Yeah," Rainbow said, nodding slowly.

However, she quickly cracked a slight smile. "Yeah... but still, uhh... pretty good one, Scoots. B-But anyway, are you actually hungry?"

Scootaloo quickly nodded. "Y-Yeah. The whole adrenaline rush I got flying with you... and the fall and everything. I'm starving!"

"Yeah, sorry about that," the Doctor simpered, scratching the back of his brown-maned head. He then turned towards Bill and Ted, the two having slid to the ground via rope, giving them blank looks. "I thought I relayed those coordinates precisely."

The two quickly sweat-dropped, grinning sheepishly.

The Doctor soon turned back to Rainbow, sighing. "Anyway, could I give you two a lift back to town? It's the least I could do."

"That'd be great, Doctor," Rainbow said, smiling.

"Oh, and if you're hungry Scootaloo, I've got a muffin that'll blow your mind aboard the TARDIS," Derpy said with an almost mother-like tone.

"C-Can't wait to see it," Scootaloo said, a shiver still spiraling up and down her spine.

'You haves five meals right here...' the voice in her head growled. 'Eats them... eats them!'

"N-NO!" Scootaloo cried. "I'M NOT A VAMPONY!"

The entire group turned towards her, quirking their eyebrows.

Another beat of silence.

"K-Kid. Are you sure you didn't bump your head?" Rainbow said, almost as if she were hoping it was true.

"Ugh... I must have," Scootaloo said, starting to shiver slightly now, and not because of the cold.

"Woah! Dude!" Ted said to Bill, his eyes widened as he glanced Scootaloo’s way. "There is most unusual activity happening in the Everfree Forest."

"Oh my gosh!" Bill said. "You don't speak lies, my friend."

"W-What are they talking about?" Scootaloo gulped, glancing the Doctor's way.

Another moment of silence followed, the group continuing to stare at her.

Derpy shook her head incredulously. "Y-You're uh..."

"I uh... don't know how to say this," Rainbow gulped.

"B-But... you seem to have... acquired an unusual condition," the Doctor stated.

"You're totally sparkling!" Bill grinned.

"WHAT?!" Scootalo said, her eyes widening in horror as she turned her head to glance towards her flank.

Indeed, tiny little wisps of light popped in and out of existence about her form, twinkling like tiny little short-lived stars.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Scootaloo cried in horror.

"W-Wait, now she's just smoking," Bill pointed out.

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, before glancing at her back again. And true to what he said, instead of sparkling lights, blue smoke was rising from it instead.

Scootaloo took a deep, relieved breath, wiping sweat off her forehead. "Oh good."

However, her eyes soon widened. "Wait, THAT'S BAD TOO!"

"Easy kid," Rainbow said, giving her a slightly dishonest, though reassuring smile.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why you're spontaneously combustin-" Derpy quickly gave him a rib. "Ouch! What was that for?!"

"Dude! I know why! She's totally a vampony!" Bill said, smiling.

Ted's eyes widened, grinning Scootaloo's way. "That's so wicked! Can you like... turn into a bat?!"

"She's not a friggin' ghoul," Rainbow growled, glaring at the two. "And who are you two knuckleheads, anyway?"

"They're uh... the eighties incarnate," Derpy said.

"Ah," Rainbow groaned, rolling her eyes.

Scootaloo then let out a slight whimper, glancing away from Rainbow.

"Chin up, Scoots," Rainbow smiled her way. "Cus you know, even if you were a ghoul, I wouldn't care. Those guys were alright on Nightmare Night for the most part."

The Doctor raised a hoof, smiling Scootaloo's way. "It seems unlikely, anyway."

"W-Why do you say that?" Scootaloo whimpered.

"Well, as silly as vampires sound to me... well at least before Nightmare Night, I don't see any bite marks. If you were turning into one, wouldn't the bite have to have happened recently? Not that I know much about that sort of thing, however."

"The Doctor's right," Rainbow said, scanning her over. "I don't see any holes, and you weren't bitten on Nightmare Night, right?"

Scootaloo quickly shook her head.

Rainbow narrowed her eyes. "It has to be something else, then."

The Doctor raised a hoof, glancing at Bill and Ted. "I need to get these two back to their own time soon, but I'd be glad to give you a lift to a doctor."

Dashie gave him a blank look. "You are a doctor."

"Not that kind of Doctor," Dr. Whooves smiled, Rainbow rolling her eyes again.

She then turned back to Scootaloo, her currently glancing sorrowfully towards the ground. "Come on kid, let's go get you to the hospital." She then put on a smirk, gazing at the snow bank the filly had just climbed out of. "And once you're all checked out, I'll buy you a scoop of ice cream."

Scootaloo gave a tiny, but audible giggle, before smirking slightly. "Very funny, Rainbow."

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"Whelp, there's nothing physically wrong with her that I can see," a certain earth pony doctor grunted, currently putting a stethoscope on the filly’s chest. "Heart rate's normal." He then moved it away, bringing himself eye level with the filly. "Open your mouth and say, 'AHHHHH'."

Scootaloo glanced away from him, shaking her head.

"Come on Scoots, I'm sure everything will be alright," Rainbow smiled.

She shook her head reluctantly once again.

"Mmm mph," she hummed defiantly.

The doctor sighed, rolling his eyes her way before giving a light smirk. "Wanna know a thing or two about what doctors learn in doctor school?"

Scootaloo didn't respond.

The doctor continued with, "well, there we take something called the Hippocratic Oath, which means I'm not allowed to say anything about a patient’s health if she doesn't allow it, not to anypony."

The young filly gave him a hopeful look, before turning her head towards Rainbow with squinted eyebrows.

The doctor quickly smiled, shaking his head.. "Nope, not even to her." He then gestured Rainbow out the door, grunting slightly. "If you could step out for a second, we'd both appreciate it."

"Fine... whatever," Rainbow said, sighing, before sauntering off the chair she was sitting in and out the door, giving Scootaloo another quick, worried glance before-so.

"Alright, you ready to show me that you haven't been brushing your teeth?" the doctor chuckled, smiling softly afterward.

Scootaloo smiled slightly in return, before nodding slightly and opening her mouth.

The doctor quickly examined it, one of his eyebrows quickly quirking in fascination. "Mmmm... got yourself a pair of wolf fangs, huh?"

She nodded nervously. "I-Is it unusual, Dr. Stable?"

He chuckled softly. "Well, I'd be a crappy doctor if I lied, so I'm going to go ahead and say no," Dr. Stable said, shaking his head.

Scootaloo quickly gave a gulp.

However, the doctor soon smiled afterward. "Not many ponies get a pair of those bad boys."

She quirked an eyebrow.

Dr. Stable chuckled softly. "Well, I'm no dentist, but I've heard of this kind of thing before. It's unusual, but nothing to be ashamed or worried about."

Scootaloo sighed in relief.

At that, the snarky doctor began writing a few things down on a nearby clipboard.

"S-So am I going to be alright, doctor?"

Dr. Stable quickly gave a sigh, glancing away from her. "Well... I hate to say it, kid... but I'm afraid..."

Scootaloo's throat began to clench up, a slight shiver running up her spine as she nervously awaited his words.

"...You and your friends have a pretty overactive imagination," he said, grinning.

Scootaloo quirked her head. "Huh?"

Dr. Stable gave another chuckle. "I'm going to go on a limb and say that what you saw as smoke was just snow evaporating."

"B-But snow can't evaporate... it's frozen!" Scootaloo cried.

"Heh, surprised me too when I got to Earth Science," he smiled. "Anyway, you're fine, kid. I just need you to sit tight for a second."

At that, he quickly exited the room, closing the door.

Upon seeing him, Rainbow quickly sat up from the floor with hope-filled eyes.

The doctor sighed in a disgruntled manner. "Look, I don't know what you saw, but either you guys have overactive imaginations or this kid drinks blood instead of apple juice."

"S-So you mean she's fine?" Rainbow said.

Dr. Stable gave a shrug. "I can't find anything wrong with her." However, he quickly smiled. "Now go take her out to enjoy her birthday. There's plenty worse kids you could be babysitting."

Rainbow smiled warmly in return, before turning towards the patient room. "Thanks, doctor. I mean it."

Before she opened the door, though, Dr. Stable's slightly abrasive voice halted her once again.

"However, next time please try to use the logical side of your brain when dealing with this sort of situation instead of the side that's been watching too many horror movies."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you got it doc."

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"Scootaloo! Happy birthday!" Apple Bloom beamed towards a now non-smoking Scootaloo as she walked into Sugarcube Corner.

"Hey guys!" Scootaloo called.

"Come on over here, we got you your favorite shake!" Sweetie-Belle squeaked, gesturing her towards a table.

Rainbow gave Scoots a smile. "Gonna be all good by yourself, kid?"

"Y-Yeah, I'll be fine, Rainbow. Thanks for the ride!" she beamed, a hint of nervousness still in her voice.

"Heh, alright. Catch you later," she smirked before making her way outside.

At that, Scootaloo's two friends gazed upon her a mix of envy and awe as she made her way to her seat, glancing at her milk shake and licking her lips.

"You got another ride from Rainbow?!" Apple Bloom grinned.

"Yeah!" Scootaloo grinned back, the memories of that morning's trouble giving way to the better one's of it. "Awww man, it was so awesome! She even did this huge loopty-loop!"

Sweetie-Belle's eyes widened. "And you hung on?!"

"Barely," Scootaloo smirked. "But I knew Rainbow wouldn't let anything bad happen to me."

However, she quickly gave a sigh, her memories returning. She then glanced towards the table, blankly. "Well... most anything."

"Huh?" Apple Bloom said, quirking her head.

"Er, nothing," Scootaloo said, shaking her head slightly before gripping the straw to her milkshake and taking a sip.

However, to her surprise, instead of cold deliciousness filling her mouth, a horrible, putrid taste came instead.

"ACK!" she quickly cried, spitting it out onto the table.

"Woah! I thought you liked mint shakes, Scoots!" Apple Bloom said, a slightly hurt expression on her.

"I-I do," Scootaloo said, blinking rapidly. "W-What in the world?"

"M-Maybe it was made wrong?" Sweetie squeaked.

"N-No, I uh... had a sip of it. It's fine," Apple Bloom said in a guilty tone.

Scootaloo took a deep breath, before nervously saying, "H-Heh, maybe I just hit a bad patch of it or something."

At that, she leaned down and took another large sip, the putrid, sewer water flavor torturing her taste buds once again. She winced in digust, but nonetheless swallowed.

"Mmmmmm," Scootaloo croaked, trying her best to hold back her look of disdain.

"So yeah!" Sweetie said, moving on from the topic of conversation. "We should totally do our snow-shoveling thing after this. The weather ponies really went overboard this year! Rarity really needs a shoveling, and so does Twilight! Maybe we can make a few bits on the side, too!"

"That sounds great!" Apple Bloom beamed. "What do you think Scoots?"

Scootaloo stared blankly at her milk shake, apparantely lost in thought.

"Scoots?"

She blinked rapidly, turning her attention to her fellow Crusader. "Oh uh... sorry. A lot on my mind..."

"Haha! You bet there's a lot on your mind," an obnoxious voice called, its origin soon entering Sugarcube Corner. "Like 'what is a blank flank supposed to ever do without a Cutie-Mark the rest of her life!' Definitely what I'd be thinking about!"

"Hush, Diamond! You know how Scootaloo is on her birthday," Sweetie growled, shooting her a glare that could kill.

And almost as if defy the universe and all of its cliches, Diamond actually quickly gave Scootaloo a guilty glance, before turning her attention to more... available targets.

"Meh, maybe Scootaloo will get it..." she said somewhat reluctantly. "But you two? Haha! As if! Though I have to say, snow shoveling would be fit for you two!"

"Shut up," Scootaloo finally growled, giving Diamond a glare as well.

"Oh come on, Scootaloo! You know it's true!" the spoiled pony grinned. "You may have an excuse for why you haven't gotten yours, but these two?" She glanced towards them, a wicked smile on her face. "Seriously, how long have they been going at it? Almost everyone else has one!"

"I said SHUT UP!" Scootaloo roared.

And for a brief second, her eyes flashed a pure RED.

With that, something overtook the spoiled pony. It was as if she had been put into a daze. She blinked, as if confused, and shook her head, her eyebrows narrowing.

"Heh! That's telling her Scoots!" Apple Bloom said, patting her on the back.

"I wish I had your lungs," Sweetie squeaked, smiling slightly.

"Y-Yeah," Scootaloo gulped, her mind filling with strange thoughts once again.

'Drinks her blood... you've immobilized her... NOW DO IT!'

Scootaloo quirked her head, licking her lips as a slightly wicked grin came across her face.

"She would deserve it, wouldn't she?" Scootaloo whispered to herself, as Diamond continued to glance about the room as if she were lost. "Feeeeding timmmme...."

"Scoots? What'd you just say?" Apple Bloom said, raising an eyebrow.

Scootaloo quickly shook her head, snapping out of it. "I mean uh.... man! Time for some more milk shake!"

At that, her two friends smiled as she took another large, putrid sip.

"Woah... uh... where am I?" Diamond Tiara asked, shaking her head in a daze.

"You were just about to go home," Scootaloo grunted, glancing at her sideways.

'Nos... you mustn't let the food gets away...'

Diamond gave an obedient nod. "Go home... I must go home... master says so..."

She then sauntered out of Sugarcube Corner, almost as if in a drunken state.

"Uh... she sounds like she just had a stroke," Apple Bloom said, a hint of concern in her voice. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Eh, maybe she's just trying to weird us out or something," Sweetie squeaked. "Some new stupid bullying tactic."

"Y-Yeah," Scootaloo whispered, before shaking her head. "D-Did I do that?" She then actually gave a slight smile. "You know... if I did... that's actually kind of cool."

'Stupid foalish pegasus... she was right there!'

"But that isn't," she hissed silently. "Shut up, already!"

At that, the same voice came from across the table.

"It won'ts works on me," a version of Scootaloo with red, glowing eyes, and dripping bloody fangs called. "I'm your instinct. You NEEDS me to survive. Without me you would starve..." She then quirked her head slightly, before giving a wicked grin. "Like a homeless child!"

Scootaloo's eyes widened in horror, though she quickly snapped them shut, squinting.

"Scoots?" the concerned voice of Sweetie called.

She flickered them open, and to her relief, the strange vision was gone.

"I uh..." Scootaloo gasped, sweat dripping from her forehead. "I really need to use the bathroom!"

As her friends gazed upon her with worried looks, Scootaloo quickly darted from the table, rushing into Sugarcube Corner's bathroom.

"W-What is happening to me?!" Scootaloo cried, her eyes beginning to water. "I wasn't bitten! I know I wasn't bitten! But w-why-?!"

And to make things worse, her soon eyes widened in horror as she noticed what was in the mirror... or what wasn't.

She had no reflection.

"S-Sweet Celestia," she gasped. "N-No!"

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Deep Beneath Canterlot

Horsehood - Capital Division Headquarters

Captain Jack's door creaked open, Starfire walking in and gazing about. She soon spied her target, giving him a slight sigh.

"Captain Harness... wake up."

"Ugh..." the captain groaned, smacking his lips as he was pulled from dream land.

"Come on," Starfire grunted. "It's time."

He gave another tired moan. "Time for coffee?"

"Yes and no," she said. Captain Jack soon gave a smirk, to which Starfire's eye twitched at. "Don't you dare say-"

"Time for the perculator?" Jack said cheekily.

Starfire gave a growl, before fluttering into the air, two green balls of light soon forming on both of her hooves.

Jack's eyes widened, his grin turning sheepish.

FLING!.!.!

A 'starbolt', as she liked to call them, sailed towards him from one of them, Jack quickly darting out of the bed.

SMACK!.!.!

A hole was burned straight through where he previously lay.

"OK, OK!" Jack cried. "You've got my attention."

"I hope so, because soon I'm going to start using you for target practice," Starfire growled, her hooves still glowing menacingly.

Jack gave a remorseful sigh. "I just wish it wasn't time for this, though... but I haven't heard anything from Death in a year." Taking another deep breath, he then gave her a stern look. "Ready the Nimbus for flight. We're not taking any unneeded risks."