Chapters The streets of Canterlot echoed with the soft sound of running hoofs, the harmonic sound soothing a sleeping baby at the side of her mother. When the infant made light sounds of sleep, her mother slowed to be more cautious. Happy to be free, even for a little while. She took the advantage to trot in the glowing light of the moon. Even though the thought of her sister doing the job that was rightfully her's didn't bother her, she only cared about her small foal. Time came to an end too soon, and the midnight mare stood in front of a two-story house, all lights on. She walked up to the door and with juicy tears in her eyes, she then knocked on the door with a shaking hoof.
A tangerine colored male pony opened the door, giving a sad glance towards the dark mare. She turned and took off the bag, wrapped around her sides, with her mouth. The dark mare then handed the small infant to the filly's new uncle, who took her with care. He stared at his new niece with loving eyes, "I will take care of her, even if I will never know what she really looks like. For my brothers sake you need to leave, but do you have a name for your new foal?"
Luna looked down at her bright eyed little girl and smiled, "Scootaloo... It is not the name of a princess, but no matter what her name is, or how she appears, she will be destined for greatness." With that she kissed her small Scootaloo goodbye and fled from the house.
With a black cloak over her head, she was nothing more than a shadow, a nightmare waiting to be unleashed.
A Few Years Later
The night princess looked down at the sleeping ponies of Canterlot. She analyzed their dreams which consisted of cupcakes, family, or both. Luna has analyzed all the towns and cities in all of Equestria, making sure no pony was suffering through the night. She relaxed and looked up at her beautiful moon and thought, it is so beautiful, but no pony respected it like she did. Then again what about that little pony in Ponyville? She has snuck out from slumber to watch the moon when it is at its highest. There is something about that tangerine filly, but I just can not put a hoof on it . Luna stomped the ground making the stone balcony echo. She knew the small filly, but how? How could she recall the filly when she was imprisoned at the time of her birth, but some part deep inside of the dark mare knew that that was wrong.
She looked out to where Ponyville sat, and analyzed the town. There was the same small filly, walking out of her lovely home, and into the cold night air. Luna remembered Scootaloo from her nightmares a while ago, but she still fells like she knows Scootaloo on a deeper level. She used her magic to teleport to where the filly was walking. Luna fell in with the slow steps behind Scootaloo.
After watching her for a while she started to get flashbacks, of dark streets, and the glowing windows of someponies home. These can't be my memories, can they? She thought as she watched the filly stop in the middle of the street, and turn her head to look directly at Luna. The filly trotted over to the princess, and looked up at her with tears in her eyes.
"Princess Luna, what are you doing here?" Scootaloo asked the tall alicorn.
"I felt your distress, little one, and I came to help. No pony, big or small, shall be upset during my night."
"I'm not upset though, I was just looking at the moon. It's so pretty, I... Um... It makes me feel happy." Luna watched the filly with sad eyes, as she probed the ground tears falling down her cheeks. The princess saw her small wings, they were small; Luna assumed that it was a birth defect.
"Darling, where are your parents?" She asked Scootaloo.
"I live with my uncle, I never knew my parents, but he says they loved each other, even until death. He said that my father tried to save my mother from getting killed by timberwolves, but he lost his life while trying to save hers. They said that that it was a miracle that I survived, with my mother being dead and all. The doctors also said that I'll never be able to fly because of the incident, but I know they're wrong. I will be the greatest flyer in all of Equestria and my uncle tells me that everyday." She paused to sniff, and to wipe away the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "My uncle had always been there for me, but sometimes I just wish I had my parents..." Luna wiped at her eyes, tears soaking her blue coat. "But I get over it, I have tons of ponies that love me, and they remind me that even friends can be family."
Luna was at loss for words. This small filly seemed so sad, but even with tears in her lavender eyes she still smiled. She was so brave, and Luna felt her heart melt towards the pinkish haired filly. "Scootaloo, you are a brave little pony, and I am proud to be your princess once again. But even the bravest of ponies need their sleep, now go home and go to bed. You need your rest," Luna spoke with a soft voice. She then wiped a tear off of Scootaloo's cheek, who nodded and ran off to her home.
The small tangerine filly made it to her home, all the lights where off, entering total darkness. She was happy that the Princess of the night was proud of her, but she felt her brain searching for something. She couldn't quite figure out what it was, but she knew it felt right. For some reason, Princess Luna seemed to fill the gap that she had felt all her life... But what does it mean?
Scootaloo was laying in her bed, every bone in her body was relaxed and calmed. She felt a warm peace flow around her putting her into a trance. She also felt safe, curled up inside layers of a cloud, like nothing bad ever happened. The world and all it's problems went away, and all that was left was her stuffed animal, her fluffy bed, and herself. If only it would stay that way, she thought. Her ear twitched as her bedroom door opened, an orange stallion walking into the light blue room.
"Scoots, get up. You need to go to school, no more skipping days because your, and I quote, "sick"." He took a hoof and shoot the small filly softly, as if he could break her.
"I'll get up if you tell me how you got your cutie mark." She said, opening one eye to look at him.
"Scoots, I said I will te-"
"Tell me later I know, but you always say that! When are you ever gonna tell me?" Her voice raised and she sat straight up in bed, looking the colt in the eye.
"It happened in the past, and it's a long story. I have to get to the Weather Factory, and you little missy," he rubbed a hoof on his nieces pinkish hair, "need to get to school so you don't disappoint Miss. Cheerilee again." He walked out of room without saying another word.
Scootaloo jumped out of her bed, a fluffy cloud that her uncle had brought down for her. Her room had several drawings of clouds and rainbows, and an expert drawing of Cloudsdale next to her bed. She sighed while staring at it. One day, she thought, I will be able to fly myself up there while all the ponies who doubted me will watch in amazement. The filly walked away from her room, and her still warm bed, wishing she could stay there all day. After grabbing her lunch from the kitchen, she ran outside, her helmet strapped on her head, and jumped onto her scooter that was waiting for her. Scootaloo passed by several early morning ponies as she zoomed down the streets she grew up on. She came to a halt as a giant box fell from high in the blue sky. She looked towards the heavens and saw Derpy, after saying an apology, floating down towards her. "Sorry, my bad." The older mare and two more ponies picked up the wooden box. "Hey, kid," a blue stallion said as he helped lift the box, "how come you aren't going to Flight school? You are a pegasus right?"
He looked at her with his questioning green eyes, and she replied, "I'm not sure anymore," and with that she moved her scooter forwards and drove away. I wish I was an Earth pony , she thought to herself, then maybe so many ponies wouldn't be asking the same questions . She felt no emotion up to this point, whatever sadness she had ever felt has turned into the feeling of determination, but after the run in with the stallion, she felt strange. Not sad, but a feeling she couldn't explain. Whatever it was, she pushed it away from her as she placed her scooter in front of the School. She sucked in a breath of air as she entered.
"Hey Scoots! I was thinking about, after school, we go down to the river and try for a fishing cutie mark!" Sweetie Bell was jumping up and down in front of Scootaloo, who gave her a strange expression.
"A fishing cutie mark," she said as she sat down in her assigned seat, "yeah, let's go for it." Scootaloo noticed a pony missing, "hey, where's Apple Bloom?"
"She said that Applejack needed help planting new saplings, and checking on the apples as they bloom. I asked her if we could help, but she says she's got it all covered." Sweetie put her green eyes on the ground as Diamond Tiara walked up to them.
"How are the blank flanks doing today? Oh and Scootaloo, I saw Rainbow Dash flying around this morning, she seems to fly much faster without having to hall you around." Tiara squinted her eyes at Scootaloo's small wings, "hey, I think I can finally see them, wait! Never mind, it was just a patch of dirt on your uncleaned coat." She starts to laugh, and some other fillies in the class laugh with her. Scootaloo rolls her eyes and ignores them. Diamond turns on Sweetie Bell, "hey everyone! Look at the unicorn who can't use her own magic! Ha!"
Scootaloo jumps out of her seat and stands in between Tiara and the crying Sweetie Bell, "You're just jealous, because we have all the choices in the world for our future, and you got stuck with a tiara!" The purple filly gasps and slams a hoof on the ground, she starts a comeback, but Scootaloo interrupts her. "We're just like you, Tiara, can't you see that?"
"I am nothing like you," she yelled, her face turning a bright shade of red. "How dare you even consider us being close to the same kind, you things are a mistake to ponykind!" She spat in Scootaloo's face and applied her venom, "I'd rather have manure as my cutie mark then be a pegasus that can't fly!"
Scootaloo's face fell in shock, all anger leaving her face. She stared at Diamonds blue eyes, and said nothing. She had no more words, she just sat in her seat and starred at the chalkboard at the front of the room. Miss. Cheerilee walked into the room after all of the fillies where sitting politely in their seats, acting as if nothing happened.
Scootaloo never said a word, not during lunch, or recess, not until her and Sweetie Bell where far away from the school. "Hey, Scoots, thanks for defending me back there."
"No probs, Sweetie. You know, I don't care if they make fun of me, I'm use to that, but I can't stand it when they laugh at you and Applebloom." Scootaloo says as she pushes herself on her scooter.
"We should visit Applebloom, to tell her what happened. I think she should know." She suddenly jumps off the ground and squeals, "We need to visit my sister! She said she needs our help with something."
"I thought we were going to go fishing."
"It's not the same without Applebloom, and my sister needs our help, so common! Let's go!" With that she took off down the street where they came, and headed into the heart of Ponyville. Scootaloo followed her white coated friend, gaining speed with her scooter.
Once there, the two strolled into the shop, and saw the purple maned mare fixing three different dresses at once. Pieces of fabric was flying around the room, a blue piece of fabric fell on Scootaloo as Rarity turned to look at the too. "No, not blue... What about a simple grey, with just a touch of lavender." Rarity's horn glows with blue light and another piece of fabric is drawn from a wardrobe and placed around Scootaloo. "Perfect, and maybe I can add a few jewels to it. Oh darlings, come stand up here." The two fillies did as the older mare asked, Scootaloo wishing she could avoid the situation.
She stood next to the enthused Sweetie Bell, and sighed as Rarity placed different fabrics of the same grey over her orange coat. "Rarity, why are you making us dresses?" Scootaloo asked.
The older mare peered over her classes to look at the filly, "haven't you heard, darling? There is going to be a Galla at Canterlot once more, but this time to celebrate Princess Twilght Sparkle. All family of the Elements of Harmony are invited. I have yet to make dresses for Pinkie Pie's family, a suit for Rainbow Dash's father, who is completely unwilling to the idea of dressing up, and-"
"But I'm not family," Scootaloo said looking into Rarits blue eyes.
The dazzling, white coated mare wrapped the fabric tight around Scootaloo's waist, and stared hard at her. "In blood, my sweet, we are not the same, but in our hears we love you just like our own bloodline." Scootaloo felt her heart melting, "now lift up your head so I can make the final touches." She did as she was told, and heard the sound of the clicking of a locket on her neck. "Now both of you may look at the magnificent job I have done."
Both of the fillies turned to look at themselves in the mirror and gasped. "This dress is so beautiful!" Sweetie Bell explained as she stared at the shimmering green dress she was in, there where diamonds placed in several different places as the dress made its crescendo to the floor. She looked very elegant, and posh for her age. Sweetie stared at Scootaloo with her jaw dropped, "Scootaloo, you look like you could be a princess!"
She smiled at the strange mare in the mirror, her orange coat seemed brighter then Celestia's sun, and her eyes seemed to glow softly, like a midnights kiss. Her hair was the same color of before, but it accented the dress so beautifully. The dress itself was amazing, like Sweetie Bells it was a long ball gown, but the color was a light grey with just a sprinkle of lavender. There was a collar that reached up to the top of her neck, a bright opal sat in the center of a posh design at her chest, so divine that anypony would die for it. Scootaloo couldn't believe she was staring at herself, the mare she looked at was wise, elegant, and had a desire in her eyes to be loved and to give love. Not like the small inadequate filly that she was. "I look... Amazing." Scootaloo was breathless, she wondered what her mother would think if she was here.
"Darling, you look more then amazing, like Sweetie had said, you look like a princess." Scootaloo started into Rarity's eyes and said thank you a thousand times a minuet while hugging the ravishing mare. "Now, now we don't want to wrinkle the dress. Let us take them off and we can all head over to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Applebloom still need their dresses made, and I think Granny Smith is making Big Mac go as well, so I'll have to make him a suit as well. Oh, and now, how could I forget that uncle of yours Scootaloo?" Rarity sighed, "I have lots of work to do and little time, may Celestia guide me."
May Celestia guide us all , Scootaloo thought to herself as she followed Sweetie Bell and Rarity, leaving the shop and her dress behind.
The three arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity had both fillies carry her fabrics, and the rest of her supplies. Scootaloo felt dizzy, but she couldn't figure why. She swayed as she helped Sweetie Bell pull the cart. "Scoots, are you okay?" Sweetie asked in a high voice. Scootaloo blinked hard and forced the world to be right again, "Yes," she lied, looking away from seeing Sweetie Bell's concern.
"What'er you doin' 'er?" Applejack said as she walked up to the three.
"I came by to arrange a new gown for you and Apple Bloom, and a suit for your handsome brother." Rarity says in her posh voice.
"Now Rare, ah don't want ta put frilly, girly dresses on. Ah have work ta do, but ah have good news for all of y'all."
"Ooo! I love good news!" Sweetie Bell jumps excitably around Applejack, "what is it, what is it!"
"Well, my lil' sis' went and got her cutie mark ta-day. It wasn't what we were expectin', but she got it." Sweetie Bell screamed with delight, and Rarity smiled and went on about dresses for Apple Bloom's cute-ceañera. Scootaloo backed away from all the noise and went out in search of Apple Bloom. She wandered the several acres of apple trees only to come upon a working Big Brother Mcintosh. He look sideways at her then continued to kick the apples off of a tree with no effort. Scootaloo stares at his shadow as it moved across the grass. She watched it for a while until she felt something very strange. The filly felt connected to the shape, like it was looking for something without knowledge of what, similar to her own mind. A constant search, but never finding what she needs.
Scootaloo shook her head and started walking through the orchard once again. She just wanted to sleep, not walk through somepony else's land looking for Apple Bloom. Celestia's sun was glooming over her like a shadow. Scootaloo suddenly felt panic run through her body as if she was caught in a lightning storm with a metal rod. Her legs moved as fast as her heart raced until she came into the Apple families barn and into the sweet feeling of the shadows. A force hit her in her side that knocked her onto her side. She opened one eye and saw a giddy Apple Bloom on top of her. "Ah got it! Ah got it, Scoots! Ah gotz my cutie mark!" She squealed her delight getting off of the started Scootaloo, then after jumping around in the barn she stared at Scootaloo with aspiring eyes. "Look at it! Isn't it wonderful? Ain't never seen sucha 'mazing cutie mark, have ya Scoots?" The orange filly stared at her friends covered flank with happiness for her friend, but also something else that she couldn't place.
Apple Bloom's flank was decorated with three blooming apple flowers. The vines connecting the blooming apples were a warming color of green and the white flowers each had a different sheer color to them. The one closer to Apple's rump had the touch of red, the one across to it was the soft glow of purple, and the last one at the top was different from the others. It's deep grey touch of color made the gloomy feeling of pain surround Scootaloo. She ignored it and decided to let herself be happy for her friend. "Wow, Bloom! How did you get it?"
"It was amazing! Ah way a helpin' my sister plant some new trees to replace 'em old ones that've died the year before and ah felt so happy doing it. Ah was doin' it fast too, like a lightning strike. It was peaceful, like when the sun beats down on a spring day as the little critters go chasin' each other in the orchard," her eyes closed at the memory. "Hey! Did Sweetie come with ya?" Apple Bloom asked excitedly.
Scootaloo nodded towards a small figure bouncing around two bigger shapes in the far distance. Her red headed friend ran off in the direction Scootaloo directed her, not taking a second thought to leave Scootaloo alone in the barn. She sighed and jumped ontop of a stack of hay and laid there for a while. Soon, she fell asleep to the sound of distant laughter and celebration that made her head pound unbearably.
Come on! Can't we just pleeeeease go an' rub it in 'er face just a little?" The Cutie Mark Crusaders walked around the center of Ponyville heading towards the Sugar Cubed Corner. Apple Bloom was rambling on about how they should rub her new found prize in Diamond Tiara's face. Scootaloo was against the whole idea more then she wanted to spend time with her favorite idol. She couldn't handle seeing that monster two times in one day. Although the idea felt somewhat satisfying to her the thought still made her stomach twist making a wavy of nausea wash over her.
"Imagine the look on 'er face! She'll be so shocked and'll have ta take back anythin' she ever said," Apple Bloom said sure of herself.
"Yeah, we should find her and do it now! Oooo! I can't wait! Scootaloo, aren't you coming?" Scootaloo walked away from them without a word and they didn't bother to follow her. She had been moody and distant all day and they understood that. Scootaloo knew that they wouldn't follow her, at least when she wasn't looking. She looked left to where two undoubting figures hid behind a large pot of flowers. Sighing she kept walking, hearing small high pitched yips and yells of angry ponies then the muttering of an apology. After a while the act got even more annoying than before she intentionally left them. Perhaps they were just that much of a true friend similar to a piece of gum on the bottom of a shoe; Once stepped on the gum and the shoe is inseparable.
Scootaloo kicked a rock that lie on the ground and she tried hard to forget she wasn't alone. She just wanted time to think about, well, everything. Wanted to ask herself why Tiara was so mean to her, why it bothered her so much, but the most important question was why was she the one to be born with a defect? Diamond Tiara should've been the one to suffer and be called names, so she could feel the pain and sadness that Scootaloo went through. Couldn't anypony realize how much Scootaloo wanted to be normal, to be like everypony else? Couldn't they see her desire to fulfill her dreams that she knew would never come true? She couldn't place the answer since it went to both sides like a never ending tug-of-war game. Tears swelled in her eyes and she ran as fast as she could to her house.
She entered the empty house, but before she could say 'hello' to the loneliness Scootaloo ran up to the safe haven of her cold room. If anypony out there is listening, she thought to herself as she cried on her bed, please, please, make the pain stop. The pain of being so alone, because no pony understands me and what I'm going through. I just wasn't to be... I want to find who I am and why I'm here. Please, I just think I deserve even a little explanation because I survived this long with this. I survived this long without knowing, but I don't know if I can survive anymore. Soon she fell asleep to Princess Celestia's sun streaming in through the windows of her room, the only place where her dreams seemed to live, but now even that was fading into the darkness.
The day ended with a small friendly celebration for Apple Bloom, including cupcakes made by Pinkie, cider made by the Apple family, and a show of fireworks put on by Princess Twilight. Rainbow Dash came over for a short time to congratulate Apple Bloom, but left too soon to finish some important unfinished business. Before Rainbow Dahs left she made sure to give Apple Bloom a ride in the sky. Scootaloo sat back and watched her friend as she enjoyed what would most likely be her best day every. At the end Rarity and Sweetie Bell walked with Scootaloo to Ponyville, but split up when they came upon their separate roads. Scootaloo came home to an empty house that put an uneasy feeling inside of her. It didn't take long for her to be cleaned and tucked deep inside her cloud.
The air was cold like it always was at night, but this time it seemed different. Scootaloo shivered underneath her pocket of cloud as the cold slowly creeped around her. She looked around her room, looked at the place she felt safe, but was now letting a shiver flow down her spine. Scootaloo couldn't tell weather it was from the cold or the feint noises she heard from across the room into the darkness. Moonlight stretched across the floor from her window helping light the dark room, but it didn't stop the strange sounds, or the fear that kept Scootaloo frozen under inside her cloud she now wished was made out of steel.
One the count of three I'm going to run for it , Scootaloo thought to herself as she crawled underneath her blanket to the opposite side of her cloud that gave a straight path to her door. One, two , she breathed in a deep breath for courage, three! Launching herself from her safety spot Scootaloo ran out of her bedroom, down the stairs, and into the living room only to be stopped by a dark figure lurking in its shadows. She felt something nip at her hind legs and found saw two timberwolves surround her from behind. Laughter arose from the dark shape.
"My dear, Scootaloo!" A voice spoke out from the darkness, "I have waited years to see how you would grow, and might I say I am very, very disappointed with you. You are designed for greatness, but instead you fail to see your true potential. Your parents would be so ashamed. I'm not the mare you want to disappoint," She snarled. The mare stepped into the tall arm of moonlight showing her incredible height.
Scootaloo whimpered, "Please, don't hurt me. I don't wanna die!" The tall mare stared through Scootaloo with rust color eyes, and a mind of pain.
"I'm not going to kill you, you still need to learn who you are first and where you came from. Your mother doesn't remember you, but however I remember your mother. Her and I go way back, and I was the one that made your exhistance possible. So, as your... Friend... I will give you what you need to survive." She paused to walk inches infront of Scootaloo. Finally, she could see what the mare truly looked like. A queen who somehow looked even more powerful then Celestia herself. Her white mane flowed like water down the sides of her neck, her eyes where kind in the moonlight even thought the shined red, and her coat was the most majestic piece of her, dark grey with rusty lines painted in prominent jabs and swirly gestures. Her horn and wings were left untouched by the marks, but didn't deminish the effect of beauty.
Scootaloo kept a watchful eye on the timberwolves, "w-what do I need to survive? What are you giving me?"
The beautiful mare smiled, "I am giving you the power of vengeance. Anypony who does you wrong, in anyway, will fall at your command. I will only give you this if you except it. Will you except it?"
The small filly kept silent for a minuet before making up her mind, "no. Well, yes I do want to have that power, but I don't want to take away anyponies will. But can you tell me about my mother? That's all I want." Scootaloo scuffed the ground, "you said that she doesn't remember me. Does that mean that she's still alive?" She asked, hopeful and shy. Scootaloo was on the verge of tears, first hearing that her parents would be ashamed and now hearing her mother could be alive, but has no memory of her own daughter was too much for Scootaloo to digest.
"Your mother has been though it all, and now all she needs is power. With that power she will know all that happened. She will remember you, and she will know what happened to your father. Nothing you have been told is true, but listen here little one, the truth will come in time. You will find your purpose and with that comes exactly what you need to survive." The mare smiled kindly at the frightened Scootaloo. "It's a shame you turned down my offer, but if you change your mind, or need me to answer anymore questions, summon me and I will come." She bent down and kissed Scootaloo on the top of her head.
"But how will I summon you?" Scootaloo asked feeling more secure around this new mysterious mare.
She looked out the front window of Scootaloo's living room, "you will go into the Everfree forest, find a pond that glows in a cave of dark. Once you find this place you will call my name, Queen Alala."
The young pegasus frowned as Queen Alala turned away from her, "what was my mother like?"
Queen Alala didn't turn around to answer Scootaloo, "meet me if you must know." With that she disappeared in a cloud of white along with the two timberwolves.
Scootaloo rubbed at her watery eyes in attempt to make them stop, but tears kept falling forcing her body to the ground as she shook uncontrollably. She just wanted a normal life, one where she could fly, where no one made fun of her for being herself, everything was perfectly normal. But she knew nothing was going to change, she was never going to see her parents again, even if they were alive, and her wings were never going to let her fly. Scootaloo screamed out in a mixture of agony, frustration, and wanting. Breathing heavily she hauled herself onto the couch and fell asleep with tears in her eyes. Then she asked a question she always thought to be no answer, doesn't anypony care enough to help me? But two words echoed in her mind, Queen Alala.
Author's Note
I changed her name to, Queen Alala. I meant to put her name as that in the first place, but I accidentally put Amacy, or I don't even know, something like that. Sorry, about that.
