Resonate

Chapter 1: Shifting Weight

It's been a while since Harmonic and Atmospheric returned to Ponyville. Unfortunately, though their reappearance comforted Scootaloo while she was getting used to her newfound emotions, it couldn't erase the harsh realities she now knew from her mind. Most days, she was okay, but there were times when the weight of the world became too much, and she shut herself in her room in Cloudsdale. If it happened to be raining on those days, she would write a new song or record a cover. There was a light drizzle during this particular day, and she was in a lower-than-usual mood. Currently, she was recording a cover of "Behind a Veil of Tears" by End This Day.

"SWIMMING TOWARDS THE SIRENS! YOU COULDN'T REFUSE THEIR SOFT VOCES!

NOW FACED WITH NOTHING LEFT, YOU SINK TO THE OCEAN'S FLOOR!"

*ring ring ring ring*

Scootaloo stopped recording and went to answer the phone on her desk.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's me."

"What's up, dad?"

"This drizzle will pass over in a little while. I want you and Rainbow Dash to come to dinner with me and Atmospheric. We have some special news."

"Special news?"

"You'll find out if you come with us."

"A bit of fresh air couldn't hurt. I'll talk to Rainbow Dash."

"Alright. I love you."

"Love you too, dad."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Scootaloo hung up the phone. She went into the hall and found her way to the living room where Rainbow Dash was watching television.

"Hey."

"What's up, Scoots?"

"Dad wants us to go to dinner with him and Atmospheric. You down for that?"

"You know it."

"Alright. I'll let him know in a little while."

"By the way, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Why don't you ever call her mom?"

This was actually a question Scootaloo had never given a lot of thought to.

"I guess I never really got to know her on the same level as Dad. She never held me close to her heart like he did. I wasn't able to register the same emotions with her."

"You think that'll change?"

"I hope so. I don't want there to be a weird distance between us."

"Give it time. She'll grow on ya'."

"Yeah. You're right."

"Anyway, go ahead and get ready. We'll meet up at his house at dusk."

"Got it."

Scootaloo went back to her room and looked in the mirror. Her mane now covered most of her back, and her bangs had grown over her eyes. She liked how it made her look slightly mysterious. She went to the closet and exchanged her Shadows Fall hoodie for an October Tide one. Thanks to Rarity, she had built up a decent collection of dark hoodies over the years. Though rarity never understood her taste in fashion (or music for that matter), she was always happy to help a friend out. The hoodie depicted a barn with nothing but straw for miles around. The clouds on the design were dark, and it was raining. The October tide logo could be seen at the top, and the title of the album which the design came from, "rain without end", was visible on the bottom. It only took the orange mare a few minutes to get ready, so she decided to rest until it was time to go. She climbed into her bed, and slumber overcame her.

…Later that evening…

Scootaloo and Rainbow made their way to Harmonic's house. He and Atmospheric were waiting outside.

"I was wondering if you guys were gonna' show up," Harmonic stated in a lighthearted manner.

"Scoots fell asleep."

Upon hearing this, Harmonic turned to Scootaloo.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah. I've been a bit sleepy today is all."

Harmonic looked at Atmospheric, her face was filled with concern, but she remained quiet.

"Alright. I guess we should go then."

All four of them began to head towards their destination.

"Dad?"

"What is it?"

"You forgot to move your mane out of your eyes again."

"Oh yeah."

Harmonic shifted his bangs behind his ears, revealing the dark blue eyes Scootaloo first saw all those years ago.

"You look handsome," Atmospheric told him.

"And you're more beautiful than any angel," He responded.

Though her eyes were not visible, the crescent shape Scootaloo's mouth formed at the scene before her was enough to reveal what she was feeling.

"Come on, lovebirds," Rainbow Dash said, "I'm starving."

"Some things never change, do they," Harmonic replied.

Rainbow Dash smiled.

"I guess not."

The group of four had made it to the restaurant. They were now sitting down at a table in the back.

"So, what's this big news," Rainbow Dash asked.

Harmonic turned to Atmospheric.

"You want to tell them?"

Atmospheric focused her attention on the two mares sitting before her.

"I'm pregnant."

Rainbow and Scootaloos' mouths opened in pure surprise. Scootaloo had talked to them about this before, but she didn't know when it was going to happen.

"Do you know what it is yet," Rainbow inquired.

"Pluarlize that," Atmospheric said with a smile.

"You mean you're having twins!?"

"A boy and a girl."

"Wow. That's crazy."

"How much work did you have to put in for that, dad," Scootaloo asked in a joking manner.

"Uhhhh…No comment."

"Don't torture him," Atmospheric said with a laugh.

"By the way," Rainbow asked, "When are you guys gonna' tie the knot?"

"We were thinking sometime in December," Atmospheric replied.

"Really? Why?"

"The cold air and gray skies feel like a perfect balance for us."

"Okay, I guess,"Rainbow Dash responded, thinking it was a bit strange.

After the conversation ended, they didn't talk much throughout the meal.

After they finished eating, they left the restaurant.

"You two head home. I want to talk to Scootaloo for a while," Harmonic told Atmospheric and Rainbow.

"Alright. I love you," Atmospheric said as she kissed him.

"I'll see ya' when you get home, Scoots," Rainbow told the orange mare.

"Alright, Rainbow Dash. I'll see you later."

The two Pegasi flew off, leaving Scootaloo and Harmonic behind. He turned to face her.

"Will you walk with me for a while?"

"You don't have to ask, dad."

"I want to take you to the place we used to go when you were little."

"The tree on the cliff…"

"Yeah."

The two of them began walking away from Ponyville. The cliff wasn't too far outside town. It only took about twenty minutes to reach their destination.

"It's been a long time…"

"Yeah…"

A soft breeze blew past them.

"Scootaloo, can you ever forgive me?"

"Huh?"

"For leaving you."

"How did you…?"

"I could feel the pain coming off you. It felt like I was burning alive."

"…Why did you leave…?"

"We didn't have a choice. Something was calling to us."

"Calling to you?"

"It was like a ghost. It couldn't be seen or heard, but we felt it, and we felt it intensely."

"Can I ask you something a little strange?"

"What is it?"

"Do ghosts exist?"

"That's something I can't answer, because I don't know."

"In a world full of magic, nothing would surprise me."

"Do you know why I wanted to bring you here?"

Scootaloo shook her head.

"So I could tell you the truth."

"About what?"

"About me and Atmospheric. There were things we kept from you because we didn't want to cause you any more pain than was necessary."

Harmonic began his story.

"We started out like you. We had nowhere to go. We were so young when we were left on our own that we couldn't even remember our families. The only reason we even know our own names is because of the jackets we had when we were little. I met Atmospheric in a distant town when I was 18. Like me, she was a wanderer. She'd gone from town to town like I had, seeking a place to call home. She was only 15 at the time. When we realized how much we had in common, we started travelling together. I was concerned about her being too far away from civilization, especially after the things I'd seen before I met her."

"Dad…?"

"Hm?"

"Did something bad happen to you?"

"To me, yes, but Atmospheric was safe."

"What was it?"

"That's what I didn't want to have to tell you…"

Scootaloo placed a comforting hoof on her father's shoulder.

"It's alright. You can tell me anything."

"A year after I met Atmospheric, I'd gone out of the town we were staying in at the time. I came across a cliff similar to the one we're on now. That's when…"

Harmonic swallowed.

"I found a little filly, no older than you were when I first met you. She'd hung herself off the edge of the cliff."

Scootaloo stopped looking at Harmonic. She was now facing the ground.

"I contacted the authorities. They told me it was a suicide. After I'd been informed, they contacted her family. After they found out I'd discovered her body, they were suspicious that I was the one who killed her."

"You wouldn't do that!"

"Don't worry about it too much. I was cleared of all suspicion after an autopsy was performed."

"What…What happened," Scootaloo asked, fighting back tears.

"After they found out I was innocent, they asked me to attend her funeral. Atmospheric didn't want to go, so I left her where she was until it was over."

Scootaloo was desperately trying to fight off the urge to cry now. This was horrible. How could something like this have happened?

"After the funeral, Atmospheric and I left that place behind. I had nightmares for years after that. About six months after the funeral, I tried to end my life. I thought, 'If a little girl couldn't find a reason to continue living, then why should I bother trying anymore?'"

This was too much for Scootaloo to handle. The tears began to flow freely. It took her a while to calm down.

*Sniffle*

"What else," Scootaloo asked, wiping her tears away.

"I woke up in the hospital. Atmospheric had found me, unconscious and barely breathing. I'd tried to asphyxiate myself."

"You mean…Hang yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you want to go out the same way as her?"

"I don't think I intended to. It was a snap decision."

"What about Atmospheric?"

"She stayed by me the entire time I was in the hospital. There were a few occasions where she fell asleep there."

"She really cares about you, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, and I care about her."

"What about the other stuff that happened before you met her?"

"I'd witnessed a few violent crimes and seen other corpses, usually on the side of the road. Fortunately, none of the ones I came across until that point were children."

Scootaloo ran up to Harmonic and hugged him tight.

"Dad…," Was all she could muster through her tears, which were once again streaming down her face.

"Don't cry. It's alright now. I've been able to cope better since then. Even if I can't save everyone, I can't at least protect the ponies here."

"It hurts dad…It hurts…"

"I know."

"How did you get over it?"

"I didn't. It'll be with me until the day I draw my final breath, but I have a reason to keep going now."

"A reason?"

"Yeah. You and Atmospheric made me strong enough to carry on, even though the weight on my heart was heavy."

Scootaloo looked up at her father, but said nothing.

"We all reach the end of our roads sooner or later, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to make them as beautiful as possible."

"Dad…"

"Come on. Let's go home."

With a weary body and a broken heart, Scootaloo followed Harmonic. Once they were back in town, they parted ways for the night.

"I love you, okay? Keep that in your heart; always."

"I will dad."

"Let me know if anything's bothering you, alright?"

"Alright."

Harmonic kissed Scootaloo's forehead and headed for his house. After a while of quiet reflection, Scootaloo flew home. She was ready for consciousness to slip away, and to be greeted by the morning sun.