Fillydelphia Catch of the Day

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Scout awoke sometime in the afternoon. She'd been up late again, but that wasn't anything unusual, for her or the others. She stretched, and then patted down her hair with a hoof. She dug a comb out of the sack that held her few belongings, and used it to brush down her hair. She glanced at a mirror over an old dresser, which was cracked in several places and had pieces of glass missing from it. Perhaps she could pinch a new mirror from somewhere...

Scout opened on of the drawers in the dresser, which stuck for a moment, but gave way when she tugged hard. Inside lay her journal, along with a few books. She pulled out the journal, a reached around in the somewhat dark drawer for a writing utensil. She flipped to the latest empty page, and, sitting down on the floor, wrote:

Day 23

Going out to find mirror today. Probly sum apples. I'm in the mood for apples. Those are easy to get. Maybe I'll stop by the libray. Need some think new to rad.

She paused, touching the end of the pen to her lip. Nothing had changed, nothing was new. Scout flipped to the previous days page.

Day 22

Saw a pet shop tody. I think I'd lyke a pet. Too bad there's no way to tak care of it, even if I cood manege to get one. This city is so big. I haven't even visited all the shops here yet.

I saw a mom buying her foal ice cream today. There was a vender selling it in tha park. Ice cream is too hard to get, usually. You gotta get lucky for that. I wondar whot it's lyke, havin a mum an dad. Buying you things alla time, givin hugs and things.

Twas a bit coldar last nite. Seems like fall is coming. Not sure what we're gonna do, but the others have survived before. It'll get rough, for sure...May need to find some more blankets, I guess.

There's that bird pecking at my windoe. I fed this bird a bit of an apple once, and now it keeps coming back. Nice color of blue, it is. I can't spare a whole lot, but maybe it can be my pet, sort of.

I hear some commotion downstairs. Wonder whut those boys are fighting about now. Maybe they're just playing this time. That happens a lot. I like wrestling with them. I usually win. It's rather fun, being tougher than the boys. Guess I'd better go see what it's about.

That was it. Scout flipped through the rest of the empty pages, taking note that there was still several pages left, but that they wouldn't last forever. She'd need to get another journal sometime in the future too. There always seemed to be something they needed. Everyday, food, of course. Blankets, to keep warm. Money, maybe, to buy things they couldn't easily get.

Scout sighed, putting her journal back and shoving the drawer shut. She grabbed her hat from a nail poking out from the wall, flipping it onto her head. She grabbed up a small satchel, which was empty, and headed downstairs. Nopony else stayed upstairs, because they didn't feel the need to. Most of the furniture was downstairs anyhow, a couch leftover from the last tenants, and a couple of mattresses they had procured from a dump.

Somepony was asleep on the couch, and Scout sneaked out, through the back wall and into the alley. Checking this way and that to make sure nopony saw her. Then she walked out toward the street, quickly hopping out of the alley and onto the sidewalk, as if she had been traveling down it for a few blocks already.

She spotted the library, and headed towards it. Her stomach rumbled, and she remembered that she hadn't had any sort of breakfast yet. Well, that could wait.

Scout stepped inside, taking in the smell of the books. She glanced around, unsure of where to begin—she'd never been in a library before. Moving over to one of the bookshelves, she glanced at the titles. Nothing seemed all that interesting, so she went to another. This one had a lot of picture books, but not the kind for foals. They were books on the land of Equestria, places, Creatures, lore. This one was a particularly thick volume, containing both maps and Creatures. The pictures were so vibrant and colorful, full of things Scout had never seen—Canterlot, Princess Celestia, Talonopolis, Griffins, Dragons...

Scout shut the book rather loudly, then glanced around to see if anypony was watching. She noticed the librarians desk not far off, and slowly moved over between two other bookshelves further away. She gave one last glance around, then placed the book inside her satchel, pulling the flap shut over it. It was a little bit heavy, but nothing that made her bag look too bulky. She nervously looked around once more, still wary, and anxious that somepony had seen. One could never be too careful when one was stealing.

[holypony20]

The Pegasus was sitting in the row of books the little Foal was going into with a book in hooves reading it contently. He looked like he was in his own little world while reading the book. He didn't even notice the foal coming towards him or the book slamming shut. He had his injured wing out and down resting and his other wing in he was taking up at least half of the hallway between the two bookshelves. He was reading a book called "The History of the Wonderbolts." He was always a Wonderbolts fan. He was a fan before his accident and after his accident. He has not seen them perform though in awhile now. Hes always missed there performance because he was never in the right town at the time.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

She'd managed to avoid that red Pegasus...she hoped. He had seemed so absorbed in his book, he probably hadn't noticed her take one and move away. Besides, he had no reason to suspect that anything was out of the ordinary, other than a little foal simply borrowing a book. She hadn't looked suspicious, had she? No. No. Of course not. She was never careless. Careless ponies got caught. And Scout had never been caught in her life.

Sure, there had been some close calls. Dodger was usually there though, if she was really in a pinch. But he liked for her to learn tricks of the trade, about escape and theft. Only when he really thought she was in trouble would he intervene. But she knew he wouldn't be caught around a library. If a chase was to take place, she was on her own. And she hadn't even had breakfast.

Speaking of breakfast, Scout realized that she was hungry. Carefully tucking her satchel to her side, she headed toward the door casually, as if nothing was at all the matter.

[holypony20]

Tobias walked behind the filly. He had the the book he was reading in his satchel It wasn't that big of a book. He already checked the book out himself. "Hey that's a pretty big book for you to carry do you want me to help you carry it." He was looking down at the young filly with a big smile he was always nice to the younger ponies more then he was to the ponies more of his age. He would help out any filly or coalt that needed help with anything they where struggling with and maybe even play with them some times if they where doing something that looked like it could be fun. He was a pretty strong Pegasus too so he could lift loads that the younger ponies couldn't pretty easily.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Scout froze as he mentioned the book. She hadn't thought it was that noticeable, but...it WAS rather large. But she became confused when he offered...to carry it? He hadn't noticed after all! It would be so much easier to get out now, simply having a conversation with a stallion. Ponies might even think it was her father. Nothing to worry about at all. When he asked to carry the book, he'd actually offered excellent cover for her.

"Thanks, but, I got it." Scout said. She wasn't one to take favors from ponies, especially ones that she didn't know. Which was most of the ponies in Fillydelphia.

"Thanks for the offer though. What's your name?" she asked, as she continued casually toward the door.

[holypony20]

He smiled at the confidence of the young filly. "You seem confident of your strength little filly. Well my name is Tobias. When I was little like you I wanted to be a Wonderbolt. I misses my chance though but that's a story for another time. Now I travel around the world exploring the different places around Pony Land. I got to dangerous places, peaceful place, and beautiful places. I came here from Canterlot and my next destination is Ponyville. But enough about me who are you and what is that book you rented out. I have an interest in good books." He was glad that he could share his life not so sadly with another pony since he was so use to sharing the sad story of how his life was ruined when he was still a coalt.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Wonderbolts? What was a Wonderbolt? Scout had never heard of anything like that. But, she certainly wasn't going to ask. She didn't have enough time to sit around and chat. She just needed to get outside....Almost there.

A traveler, huh? He probably knew a lot about the world outside of Fillydelphia......But she had the book now. She didn't need to ask him. Canterlot? Ponyville? Where in Equestria were those places?

Scout nearly cringed as he brought up the book again. Why did he have to keep bringing it up?

"It's just some kids book." she said casually.

[holypony20]

"That's a pretty big kids book. I do enjoy some of the kids books do you mind me taking a look." He was curious it did seem like a pretty big book. He could tell it was big because he could see it hanging down on the bottom of the pack. It was pretty heavy but not to bad it seamed the pack wouldn't have a sag at the bottom as big as it did if it wasn't heavy. He wondered who this foal was Tobias didn't get her name yet and he wondered where she lived. He knew there where places around here that where pretty good homes but where did she live. He wondered what kind of home this foal live in. "I haven't caught your name do you mind me asking and also do you mind me asking where you live around here."

[MyLittlePonyTales]

"Oh, it's nothing." Scout said quickly in reply to his question. The door was right there in front of them. As the two stepped outside, Scout nearly breathed a sigh of relief, but she stopped herself since Tobias was still there. Fillydelphia had it's usual afternoon hustle and bustle in the market place, and losing herself in the crowd amongst all the big ponies would be terribly easy. She glanced back and fourth, noting that the roadway was clear for her getaway. Now that she didn't have to fake politeness in front of Tobias, she replied, "It ain't none of your business!" Tugging her hat down firmer around her head, she took off across the street, disappearing in the crowd of shoppers and sellers.

[holypony20]

Tobias noticed that Fillydelphia was really busy from the last time he was out of the library. But of course he was the first one in the library in the morning. He enjoyed being at the library the feeling of learning something new from a book was great. he noticed that the filly was looking back and forth and it was a bit suspicions of behavior. "Are you looking for someone." Then Tobias was suprised at the response of the filly. He wouldnt be able to know where the filly was going unless he chased her now. He gave chase to try and find out why the sudden change in personality. He also wondered why a filly like her would run into such a crown without an adult ponies help. He hoped to find out what was going on with her once he caught up to her.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Scout glanced quickly behind herself, and groaned as she caught sight of the red Pegasus in pursuit. Cursing under her breath, she crossed the street once again. She didn't have time to look back anymore, she just kept running, even as her breath came in gasps. Sure, she was fit, but her legs weren't all that long because she was a foal. Suddenly, her hat flew off, and she stopped, turning quickly and running back to where it lay. She grasped it in her teeth, not having time to put it on properly, and glanced this way and that at the still busy crowd. Where was he? Where was he?

Still unsure of whether or not the Pegasus was in pursuit, Scout turned and continued on. She couldn't get caught. She was just thinking of ducking into one of the side shops, when she ran past an alley, and something reached out and pulled her into narrow space.