//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11 - It's All Yours 
// Story: Mystery Scootaloo 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

Twilight looked around the room and asked since no one else would. "Scootaloo, are you absolutely sure about being a princess?"

Scootaloo and Celestia broke the hug and looked up towards Twilight. "Yes. I promised mom I would do it. That and I know I can do it." She made her way towards Twilight who met her halfway and sat down. Scootaloo sat down with her then sighed and added, "I don't know what'll happen. I don't know what the future holds. But...I do know that I can do this, Princess Twilight." Twilight sighed with her then looked up at Celestia who was giving her a warm smile.

"Well..." She looked back down to Scootaloo and graced her with a smile of her own. "If you believe you can do it, then I'll help you."

Scootaloo gasped excitedly. "What?! Really?!"

Twilight nodded and chuckled. "Yep. I am super positive you could use the help. First thing's first, let's go grab these learning materials. Celestia?" The Princess of the Sun motioned for the two to follow her out of the throne room towards a different destination that only she knew. The other Princesses in the room followed after her into the hallway while she explained some things.

"This path is a hard journey, Scootaloo," she reminded her. "The ponies of Equestria will be coming to you for guidance once you finish the lessons Twilight will teach you. She is an excellent teacher and has taught me a thing or two in the past."

"What else should I know, Princess?" Scootaloo responded. They turned down another extremely guarded hallway—the guards being for Scootaloo in case she blew again—that looked a lot darker than the rest of the castle.

"Well...for one we still have that problem to solve with your parents death. Even though this may be a tough road, just remember." She stopped at a certain wall and pressed her hoof against it, pushing in the whole wall that slid to the right, revealing a black staircase. "This was for your parents. Along with Equestria. I fear that the humans are becoming aggressive. I can feel it." Twilight nodded in agreement while Celestia began to descend the staircase. Torches automatically caught flame the second she stepped on the first step. The rest of the group followed after, making their way towards the very very bottom, which was a five minute trek in the dimly lit atmosphere.

"Bright Magnus was a conjurer as well, Scootaloo," Twilight informed her. "He was the slight brains behind it while your mother was the one who did all the action. Together they made a joint team and influenced Equestria through their spells. Your mother created more noticeable spells because she was highly creative where your father innovated spells. Which means made current known spells a lot easier and more effective to use. Whereas ponies would take a minute or two to teleport a mile or two away, it would now only take them within three seconds. Thanks to Bright Magnus."

"Your mother," Cadance added. "She created the Fluid Matter Conversion that everypony deemed impossible to even attempt. it required a lot of magic and was kept under wraps by the Royal Canterlot Gallery. A nobility that held power over which spells can and cannot be used in Equestria."

"So congress over Unicorns then," Scootaloo assumed. Cadance looked to her for clarification. "Congress is a legislative body beyond the portal."

"Ah. Well then yes. There are three Galleries. The Royal Canterlot Gallery for Unicorns. The Royal Cloudsdale Gallery for Pegasi, and the Royal Manehattan Gallery for Earth Pony. Each gallery sends their bills and decisions to us for a veto or an agreement. Then we make it into a law. The Princesses meet to discuss these bills during these times. And I have a feeling that the Royal Canterlot Gallery will be busy these next few weeks. For each new spell discovered, they are reviewed by the Gallery they apply to. Which includes the forgotten Fluid Matter Conversion that only one pony can do."

Scootaloo looked at Celestia in confusion when they stopped at a doorway at the bottom of the stairs. It was a ornate wood with the symbol of Equestria on it. "Wait, the Gallery doesn't know about the event yet?" Scootaloo asked.

Celestia shook her head and responded with, "No. We kept it under wraps because we did not think that you would be able to do it over and over again at free will. Not to mention you are morphed together with dark magic. So they may assume that to be a factor to the spell casting. Which will mean—"

"—they'll trash it immediately."

Celestia hummed and smiled in agreement. "Correct. I see you are learning already, young princess. And we didn't even open the door yet." She turned back around and inserted her horn into a slot on the wall by the door. She pushed in her magic gently, unlocking the door with a few clicks. Afterwards, she withdrew her horn and turned back to the door which had cracked open. Scootaloo spotted an electric blue light seeping out through the middle of it while Celestia moved it to the side, revealing the world behind it, stunning everyone except Celestia at what they saw.

"Welcome...to your parents' playground, Scootaloo," Celestia announced while holding her hoof out into the area. Scootaloo walked inside first into the giant cave-like facility underneath the castle with her mouth open in wonder. There were a lot of tables, documents, cabinets, two desks opposite each other on the left and right side of the room, and a bunch of devices that looked like they belonged on Earth inside a top secret military compound. Especially the giant metal ring at the far end that had the words "Experiment 2562" on the very top of it, arching down with the rest of the device. It was still lit up as if it had never been touched. And probably wasn't based off of all the cobwebs around the room.

Twilight gasped and trotted in quickly to look at everything at once. "The original portal!" She yelled in shock. Then stopped in front of it and timidly touched the metal that made up the portal while looking around the rest of the room. "How...how did you get this here, Princess?"

Celestia rolled her eyes when Twilight forgot her name but answered the question anyway. "We never moved it." Everyone stopped and looked to her for an explanation. "After the battle of Nightmare Moon, your parents—" She pointed a hoof at Scootaloo. "—actually asked me to build this castle over their laboratory, or 'Playground' they called it. The land here was actually a lot of dirt before, but underneath it was a cave with an unknown origin that they used. They would enter in through there." she motioned with her head towards a pair of double doors on the other side of the portal. "A sort of...railway system. How they got all the bits to actually create an entire railway system in the mountain I will never know. This is not the only laboratory in this mountain either. This is just the one for Experiment...er...2562. The Portal Experiment they were sucked into. We never activated it because we do not know what'll happen if we did."

Celestia made her way towards the doors on the other side of the portal with the group behind her as she explained some more. "The Railway system runs through most of the mountain's unimportant places. The area around the heart, the far right, a hill...basically places you would not expect a lab to be. In truth, Canterlot was the source of every single advanced spell in Equestria. But it all started down here. Underneath the Castle." She pushed the doors open revealing a large railway system with a two car train right in front of them. Celestia motioned towards it and added, "These trains were used to move everything Bright Magnus and Frozen Fire deemed were important. Although I am aware they may have created something very similar to what they have here somewhere on Earth. I just remembered."

Scootaloo looked up at her for an explanation. "This was not their first laboratory. Their first was in dodge junction. Once again underground. The second was here. But they both had the same design. Transportation and large caverns. I fear Frozen Fire and Bright Magnus may have a few more hidden on Earth somewhere, filled with Equestrian technology."

"Wait, why are you telling me this now out of all this time?" Scootaloo asked.

"Because I did not realize they were experimenting on Earth. The only way for you to experiment is by having a large laboratory. All their laboratories in Equestria are big. You just cannot fit that—" She motioned towards the portal ring behind them. "—inside a small home. It goes up at least three stories since it was a prototype. And who knows what else big they may have had stashed away in here. We still have not combed through this whole facility, even after nearly thirty years. Because we all hoped they would return soon. My point is..." She directed her serious attention to Scootaloo. "Your parents may have a facility on Earth that is in danger of being raided by that world's law enforcement. Filled to the brim with thirty tears worth of Equestrian technology. Before they disappeared, this facility was running for twenty years with around two hundred new spells and items created. Who knows how many they have after thirty years. And if the humans find it, they could possibly bring destruction to both worlds."



Sunset sighed and leaned back against the tree, folding her arms behind her neck, her legs propped on the branch she had occupied. Thankfully school was out, so they had nothing to worry about in that regard. Her and her friends who were underneath the tree talking about something.

"I'm just saying, Shimmer!" rainbow Dash repeated while balancing a ball on the top of her head. The other girls were on the grass doing their own thing. "If the military were to trot right into Equestria with weapons, they may have to bring in a freaking bomb because Twilight just won't have it. She. Will. Throttle 'em." She caught the ball in her hand and looked up at Sunset, who was looking down at her from a branch. "And something tells me that you would have no problem doing the same thing."

"That's right," she confirmed. "Equestria raised me, so...humans going after it would be like someone stepped on Spike." They all looked towards the dog Rarity was grooming who had a content look on his face.

"Wait...say what now—oh yeah. Right there," he responded but too distracted by Rarity's ministrations. Sunset chuckled and shook her head before looking up at the road. Rainbow followed her gaze, then groaned and rolled her eyes just like everyone else. Five black vans with police lights had shown up and had parked right on the sidewalk of the school by the statue. It was plainly obvious who was in it. Blue Navy, a CIA agent stepped out the first car while Sergeant Looper and Lieutenant Mayweather stepped out the back of the second one. Followed by ten military police officers. They had some more officials with them, but either way, sunset was not taking any chances. She opened her hand and pointed it towards the statue, making the flame a lot more hotter. Just in case.

"Go home, kids," Blue Navy instructed to her friends when they stopped in front of the tree. "You don't want to see this."

"Yeah, they stay," Sunset responded back. "They're not going anywhere."

"Alright." Blue Navy reached behind him and pulled out a gun that he pointed at Sunset Shimmer, shocking them all. The other guys also did it too. "By all accounts, you are an official alien of the United States that has—"

"—absolutely no physical contact with any government of any kind," she interrupted while slowly holding up her hands in fear. "So what, you're going to shoot an illegal immigrant?"

"No. We're going to do a trade. Sunset Shimmer...for Lareen Carson."

Rarity gasped and yelled, "That is absolutely unlawful! What gives you the right to hold Sunset Shimmer hostage like that?!"

"By the order of the Secretary of Defense after he saw the tape recorded of Equestria that has threatened the United States. So here's the deal. You bring us Lareen Carson, we return Sunset Shimmer. There is absolutely no other way."

Sunset Shimmer scoffed and said, "Actually that is unlawful. Lareen Carson is an Equestrian."

"Not according to our records. She was born in the United States, and from what we can tell from the conversation with Celestia that they had absolutely no idea she even existed before recently. That means, by all accounts, that Lareen Carson is a United States citizen."

"But she is a Princess of Equestria!" Sunset yelled, fed up. "Are you dumb or just stupid?! You are literally attempting to grab a Princess of Equestria on a lie! Royalty! Have you no shame, what is wrong with you?"

"She commited parricide—"

"No she didn't, you dolt! They literally told you she was framed."

"Well we don't know that. Get down from the tree or we will have to take you in by force." Sunset stared at them for a moment before she sighed and responded.

"I have to write a letter."

Rainbow Dash gasped and looked up at her in horror. "Sunset you can't—"

"I know, I know," she interrupted. "But technically, they're right. I'm actually not supposed to be here. And since Scootaloo was born here, then that makes her a suspected international felon. She's officially an original citizen of the US while also a citizen of Equestria. She's not guilty, but these guys don't know that.  Besides. If they shoot me, then Equestria will come here and literally disintegrate anybody who had a hoof in violence. Celestia will probably burn you alive. Personally. And the royal guard will put you all on sticks. But we're not monsters. What these guys are doing right now...makes them the monsters. Give me my journal and I'll willingly come with you." Applejack sighed and grabbed the notebook on the ground by the tree and passed it to her while the military guys were still holding weapons at her.

"You're making a huge mistake!" Twilight told them. "You can't arrest Sunset Shimmer."

"We can and we will," Blue Navy responded coldly before he glared at them. "And legally we are required to arrest all of you as well for keeping her a secret. But we only want her not a bunch of people that can confuse this investigation." He turned back to Sunset who passed her notebook back to Rainbow and instructed her to respond to Twilight's responses while she was gone, then began to slink out of the tree. She touched the ground and held her hands up, allowing the military police to walk forward with their weapons still pointed at her. They immediately grabbed her hands and pulled them down behind her back to arrest her with zip ties. Rainbow Dash groaned and threw up her hands in protest. Once secured they roughly led her towards the black vehicles, still held at gunpoint.

"So...I don't get to hear the Miranda Rights?" Sunset joked.

"No, you do not," Lieutenant Mayweather snarled. "Since you're literally not a human, you get no rights. Which mean no Miranda Rights, no Human Rights, and no right to an attorney. Those are for humans."

"What?!" Sunset yelled in protest as they pushed her roughly in the car. The military police sat inside with her. "What the hay are you talking about?! What do I look like to you?!"

"Obviously an alien." She slammed the door shut and made her way back to her car with Sergeant Looper while speaking into the radio. "If she tries anything, you have the right to use excessive force."

"Ten four," the military police responded back through the radio. They all turned to her, who immediately shrunk down into her seat. "Don't even move!" One of them grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back up into her seat.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"Don't even say anything!"

"Put a bag over her head or something. Like they said, she's an alien. She has absolutely no rights here."



After Scootaloo had gotten a load of all the records of spells and such from her parents' Playground, the group ascended the stairs and came out on the top. Celestia closed it back then pointed to it with her hoof. "This is officially your property now, Scootaloo. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is do what I did. The horn lock for the door is only accustomed to you and I, and can reach down to your level. Try not to get lost, okay?"

Scootaloo chuckled and nodded once they began to make their way back to the throne room, and answered, "I don't think I can." They turned back towards the hallway of the throne room and cocked their heads at the large amount of ponies in the hallway yelling and looking around. Even starlight who didn't come with them, confusing Twilight for the time being.

"Twilight!" Starlight yelled desperately. Then teleported in front of her with the journal in her hooves. "We have a problem! Earth's Police took Sunset Shimmer! They arrested her!"

"WHAT?!" Twilight yelled before ripping the journal out of her hooves. They all looked towards the notebook in shock while Twilight flipped to the page and read it out loud. "Dear Princess Twilight. Today was not a good day. I was speaking with my friends by the tree at my outpost when five black SUVs pulled onto the property. They were all military and pointed their weapons at me, telling me to come with them because I was an alien of the United States. And that they want to do a trade. Lareen Carson for Sunset Shimmer. They said the Secretary of Defense gave the order because Equestria has threatened the United States. I told them that Lareen Carson was actually an Equestrian, but they corrected me when they said that she was born in the US and is actually a citizen of the States. And by what Princess Celestia said in the video or whatever, that Equestria had no records of Scootaloo's existence until recently. Which is partly true. So I agreed to go with them as a peaceful offering. Please help. The portal is unguarded. Sunset Shimmer.'"

"These humans have crossed the line!!" Celestia yelled before taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Okay. let's assess the situation. Sunset Shimmer has been captured and they want to do a trade for Scootaloo. How the hay is that lawful? I don't know. But apparently it is there."

"Well we can't give them Scootaloo!" Princess Twilight exclaimed. "And they can't keep Sunset Shimmer. That is absolutely wrong! Who knows what type of Tartarus they are putting her in right now! Any idea, Scootaloo?!"

"They called her an illegal alien of the US," Scootaloo muttered to herself.  "Probably are treating her like she's some type of lab rat since she can use magic. Like I said, humans are desperate for magic and they'll do anything for power. They know Sunset has it. And they want it. We need to do something fast."

"But then we'll be on their domain," Cadance argued from the side.

Luna nodded in agreement. "Yes. If we go there, they may not be as lenient as we were. All we said was that we would hold them here if they responded with hostilities in Equestria until their commander came to retrieve them. Sunset has committed no violent offenses on Earth except arriving there and trying to take over it. And I doubt they know about that. Princess Twilight would've told us and she would have been  arrested way before now."

Celestia nodded and added, "If we go to Earth to try and retrieve Sunset Shimmer, we may as well be shouting a battle cry. Technically, we have one of theirs, and they have one of ours. We would have to do an even trade. These humans are monsters."

Twilight sighed and nodded. Then muttered, "There are good ones. But apparently the bad ones run everything."

"Wait!" Starlight announced while snatching the book back out of Twilight's annoyed hooves. "Somepony's writing!" Twilight glanced down and gasped at the familiar light blue scratching quickly across the pages. "It says.....'They said Sunset has no rights as a citizen. She has no human rights, no legal rights, no rights whatsoever. And the lady named Mayweather said that if she tried anything that they could use excessive force. Rainbow Dash.'"

"THEY'RE GOING TO HURT HER?!!" Celestia yelled in her canterlot voice. Everypony within a mile long radius stopped what they were doing and looked towards the castle for a moment before going back about their day. "That is it. Princesses, hold on." Celestia threw all caution to the wind when she lit her horn and teleported all the way back to Twilight's castle, landing straight in front of the portal. Then grabbed Twilight's journal  and put in place to activate the portal. Celestia pointed at it and growled, "We are all going to Earth and putting an end to this at once!" Not waiting for an answer, Celestia turned around and jumped into the portal followed closely by Twilight, Luna, and Cadance.

Scootaloo shook her head and muttered, "Ohhh, theses guys are in so much trouble." Then jumped in behind them. Heading back to Earth.