Chapter 10

“Where are you heading young lady?”

Scratch turned towards the carriage that had stopped next to her and the stallion pulling it. From the voices in the back she could tell that it was a family on a road trip. She tried to ignore the soreness in her legs before answering.

“I’m trying to get home,” she responded with a smile.

“Dad!” Squealed a filly. “Do you know who that is!”

Scratch blushed as the father replied.

“Some poor girl wandering the roads when a rainstorm is about to blow up!”

“Well, yes, but she is the Dejay Pony!”

“The musician that makes that ragle-tagle that you youngsters listen to?” The stallion looked at Scratch with critical eyes. “With all those wubs and what not?”

The filly nodded her head. The stallion looked over at his wife who had been sitting quietly holding a tiny colt in her hooves.

The mare looked at Scratch, “do you need a ride to wherever you are going?”

The unicorn was about to say no but she fought her stubborn attitude and nodded.

“Then climb aboard.”

Scratch felt her way to the back of the carriage, fumbled up the step and eventually sat down next to the filly. She told the stallion where she needed to go and made herself comfortable.

“Hi my name is Marigold!” the filly beamed as the carriage started moving. “Are you the Dejay Pony?”

The musician nodded, “but you can call me Scratch.”

“Wow! I can’t believe I’m talking to a famous pony!” Marigold’s tone shifted into a more serious attitude. “But why are you walking? Don’t you have a ton of money and your own carriage?”

“No, I’m not very rich at all.” Scratch rubbed the back of her head, uneasy with the topic. “I can't even afford a taxi. It’s a long story.”

“Oh,” Marigold went quiet for a moment.

Scratch took this time to enjoy the wind flowing through her mane. For some reason it felt better than it had in a long while.

“Where are you going anyway?”

“ Marigold,” chided the mother. “Stop pestering her.”

“It’s okay ma’am,” Scratch said. “I don’t mind. I’m going home to see my family, especially my daughter and hopefully straighten out my life.”

“Well good luck to you with that,” the stallion called back. “Nothing is more important than family. They will always be there to help you.”

‘I know,’ Scratch mentally laughed. ‘I can’t believe it took me this long to accept it.’

The rolling, fall time thunderstorm lingered imposingly on the distant horizon. Maxim momentarily wondered what it was like to be the pegasi controlling the swirling black mass of water and lightning before dismissing the thought and laughing.

“Fantasising about a different life must come with old age.”

Thyme looked up from the book he had been reading and raised an eyebrow in silent questioning. Maxim smiled at him and took a deep sip from his coffee. River sat in front of them, silently watching the storm draw closer, deep in thought. The silence was broken when a bolt of lightning hit a distant tree and the air reverberated with the defining boom of thunder.

“I think it is high time we headed inside.” Maxim stood and walked into the house with the two younger ponies in tow.

Thyme went into the sitting room to start a fire while Maxim went to fill up his coffee. River sat by the window watching the edge of the storm draw near. Like a black curtain, the tempest past overhead, wrapping the countryside in darkness. Occasionally the world lit up in a brilliant flash of light as the fingers of lighting reached towards the earth. River let out a surprised squeak that was drowned out by the boom of a particularly close one. She backed away from the window and sat down next to Thyme who looked through a box of music records.

“Choose something relaxing.” Maxim said, leaning into his chair and closing his eyes. “Something to help drown out the storm.”

Thyme chose one, put it in the player and soon soft music filled the air as the rain started to come down. River decided that there wasn't much in the way of entertainment downstairs so she quickly left the two stallions and retreated to her room. She laid in her bed, listening to the patter of the rain and soon found herself falling off to sleep. The nightmare started immediately.

The three foals that tormented her the other day stood around her, taunting River. She tried to scream for help but all that came out of her mouth was the sound of rain. Vinyl Scratch suddenly appeared next to her and River looked up at her unexpected savior with hopeful eyes. Scratch only frowned and turned towards the filly. The reflection of a raging fire played on the sunglasses’ lenses. The fire that took her family away.

Scratch leaned closer to her ear and whispered, “I’m leaving and nopony will ever be there for you.”

The mare faded away as the bullies loomed in closer. River’s dream ended abruptly when there was a knock on the front door.

“Oh goodness me! Who could be wandering the roads at this hour and in this weather?” River heard Maxim exclaim from downstairs. “Thyme, let whoever it is in. Can’t let the poor pony catch a cold!”

River’s curiosity was also piquing and she trotted to the top of the stairs and looked down just as Thyme opened the door. A soaked Scratch stood on the other side, her hair hung over her eyes and looking dreadful.

“It’s Scratch!” the stallion exclaimed.

“H-h-hey Th-Thy-Thyme,” the young mare stuttered as she shivered. “I-I c-c-c-came home.”

Maxim rushed to the door and pulled his daughter inside. Scratch soon found herself by the fire and wrapped in five blankets. Maxim sat next to her, rubbing her shoulders in a desperate attempt to warm the mare up and to fight off the oncoming cold. Scratch sneezed and wiped her runny nose with a tissue.

“Thyme,” Maxim turned to the younger stallion. “Make her some hot coco please.”

Scratch smiled and mouthed thank you. Maxim noticed River enter the room, sit quietly into a chair and stared at Scratch with critical eyes. Maxim turned back to his daughter and waited for Thyme to return with the drink before asking any questions. The young stallion returned minutes later, a cup of hot chocolate balanced on a tray. Scratch magically took it and sipped the steaming beverage gingerly.

“Why is everyone so quiet?” Scratch asked. She had stopped shivering for the most part and now felt warm. “Is something wrong?”

“Oh, I was just waiting for you to get warm before pestering you with questions.” Maxim pulled Scratch into an embrace and kissed her cheek to assure her that there was nothing wrong. “I’m just wondering why you are home so soon.”

“I quit,” Scratch said with a smile and spoke quickly. “I quit being their puppet and so you know, I feel more free than I've felt in a long time! Now I have nothing except you guys, but I feel so... so full. Ya know what i’m sayin’?”

Maxim chuckled. “I think I understand. So, what happened?””

Scratch relayed the events of the previous few days to her father and she could hear him quietly sigh or growl whenever Mic Eye’s especially appalling actions were mentioned. When the mare finished Maxim sat back and composed himself.

“If I was any more of an irrational minded pony I would put my coat on and headed down to Manehattan to give that insolent rat a piece of my own mind.” Maxim pulled her closer and Scratch rested her head against his side. “But I will not do that and I am very happy you left. You can always start anew.”

Scratch nodded but then she sat up, a questioning expression hidden partially behind her glasses. “But where do I start?”

Maxim kissed her cheek one more time before standing up. “I can’t rightfully answer that for you. You could always start from here. Or you could live with Octavia for a while.”

“Thanks dad,” the moment he had stood she started to feel cold again. “But you have already done so much for me. I can’t accept you offer until other alternatives have been looked into. And I don’t think I could handle living with the Canterlot ponies like she can.”

Maxim shook his head at his daughter’s persistently stubborn attitude. “Very well my dear. Is there anything else you need before I let you rest?”

Scratch was tempted to ask him to sit back down next to her and hold her like a young filly again but she resisted. “No, I’m fine. Wait, could you or Thyme refill my coco?”

An hour later her cup was once again empty and the cold was seeping back into her bones. Nonetheless she started to fall asleep. River had been sitting silently the entire time, deep in her own mind. She noticed the mare start to shiver as the folds of unconsciousness started to take her mind. Even after Scratch had drifted off to sleep she continued to shake. River rolled her eyes after coming to a decision, slipped off the chair and snuck over to Scratch where she sat down softly next to the mare. Scratch awoke and let the filly sit beside her under the blankets.

“Heya River,” Scratch hugged her and instantly felt warm again. “Thanks.”

‘Yeah, well don’t get used to it,’ the filly mentally stated, half serious and half joking. ‘I just felt sorry for you.’

The torn pieces of paper lay before Maxim and he pushed them over to Scratch. The mare lifted them magically, unsure what they were and why her father was showing them to her. The sun had just risen and they were the only two awake.

“What is this?” she asked.

“That was once our mail. The other day I found River holding theses torn pieces while crying.” He walked over the the stove where he retrieved some coffee while Scratch dwelt over the information.

“You think she tore them up?”

“No, no.” Maxim sat down next to his daughter. “Somepony else did. There has been a group of foals trespassing and just being social dissidents around the nearby town. I asked the mail pony, Mr. Letteropener, if he saw anything and Letteropener said that they were talking to her when he dropped the mail off. I tried to talk to River about it, to try and get some form of information from her, but it’s next to impossible to learn her side of the story. Especially since she can’t speak and openly refused to write anything down when I brought her a pen and paper.”

Scratch removed her glasses and rubbed her face, stress and depression growing. “I should’a come home sooner. I shouldn’t have abandoned her.”

“Don’t start blaming yourself,” Maxim said quietly.

“Octavia was right.” Scratch buried her face into her hooves. “I make a terrible mother.”

“Scratch, stop! Stop this instant!” Maxim demanded while pulling his daughter’s face up to his. He looked into her ruby red and watery eyes with a stern disposition. “Don’t you dare start hating yourself over things that happened and can’t be changed. You came home. You returned to her and that is all that matters right now. How many times do I need to tell you, the mistakes in the past mean nothing compared to the good things we can do in the future. You are her mother and though you will never be perfect, you are far better than if River never had a family at all.”

“I’m-I’m sorry.” Scratch wiped away the tears.

They sat silently for long while, deep in their own minds. River snuck downstairs, gave no heed to the two older ponies, grabbed an apple and hurried outside before Scratch even noticed her hoofsteps.

“River?” the unicorn asked, but too late. The filly had already exited the house. scratch shook her head. “She is far quieter than I expected.”

Maxim looked around in surprise. “River was in here?”

Scratch nodded, sad that the filly hadn't even stopped to gesture a good morning.

“I think the two of you need a holiday together,” Maxim looked through the torn letters absentmindedly. “Some mother daughter bonding time.”

Scratch sat quietly for a moment before perking up, “I know exactly who we can go visit!”

She stood and hurried out of the room, much to the surprise of her father.

“Are you leaving now?” he asked, standing up and following her.

“No,” the mare bounced lightly on her hooves and emanating excitement. “I’ll be leaving in a couple hours. Got to pack first!”

A drowsy Thyme rounded a corner, confused as to why the mare was so excited. “Do you need help packing?”

“You can come to Thyme!” Scratch called back as she climbed the stairs.

“What, what?” The young stallion was wide awake now. “But my job is to help your father.”

“You need a vacation too!” Scratch was now in her room but they could easily hear her voice from downstairs. “And my dad doesn't need your help that badly. He isn't that old!”

Maxim huffed in slight embarrassment. Scratch continued. “You're probably just making him lazier by doing everything for him!”

Thyme turned towards Maxim, hoping that the older stallion would try to stop her. But in truth, Maxim thought it was a good idea for Thyme to tag along to keep his daughter out of trouble. River had now joined the two stallions at the bottom of the stairs and was also confused over Scratch’s sudden excitement. She stood silently behind the two stallions who had yet to notice her.

“Could one of you get River?” Scratch called down. “I need to tell her that we will be leaving soon.”

‘Where are we going?’ River demanded in her own thoughts.

Thyme turned and almost bumped into the filly. “Oh, she is right here!”

“River!” Scratch appeared at the top of the stairs. “We are going to visit an old friend of mine! Doesn't that sound fun?”

River stared at her with a dumbfounded expression, shrugged then nodded.

“She nodded yes,” Thyme informed the excited mare.

“Whoo! This is going to be fun!” Scratch rushed away and went back to packing.

‘No, seriously!’ River found herself sinking further into confusion. ‘Where are we going?’