//------------------------------// // Mission Implausible // Story: Family 101 // by Kail //------------------------------// Scootaloo paced the length of her room, it had been fixed and she’d been glad to have a space of her own again. The orange filly was especially thankful she had the room so she could digest what she’d just overheard, namely that there was a trial in the works that could decide her fate. Halting her frantic pacing, Scootaloo inhaled deeply to try and reign in the hectic swirling storm of thoughts in her head. I don’t need to panic. Mom and dad will handle this. But what if they don’t? What’ll happen to me? As the question entered her mind, Scootaloo’s eyes widened in fear. Will I go back to the orphanage, or will they just stick me somewhere else? No. No, no no no! I can’t leave! I like it here, I like Lightning and Quicksilver and... Realising that she was panicking, Scootaloo shook her head and began pacing again. There’s gotta be something I can do, but what? There’s not much I can do by myself so.... Then it hit her like a train. She didn’t have to do anything alone. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle can help me! Yeah, I’ll tell ‘em about this and we’ll figure something out. Maybe we can even keep the trial from happening, it’s perfect! With a solid idea finally worked out Scootaloo hopped into her bed to get some sleep. She knew that if she wanted to pull off anything she’d need all the energy she could get. =================================== When Scootaloo woke up, she rushed through breakfast and out the door before Lightning or Quicksilver could ask what the filly was up too. Foregoing her scooter, Scootaloo flew as fast as she could toward the CMC clubhouse. Being a weekend, she was sure Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were already there. Said earth and unicorn fillies were sitting around the table of the clubhouse when Scootaloo rocketed through the window. Scootaloo collided with the wall opposite the window, bouncing off it and landing on the table where Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sat. Before her friends could ask if she was alright, Scootaloo shot to her hooves and fixed the two with an urgent look in her eyes. “Girls, I need your help!” Apple Bloom stood and quirked a brow at Scootaloo. “Why, what’s goin’ on?” Scootaloo shook her head furiously. “No time to explain right now. We need to get some stuff.” Scootaloo pointed at Sweetie Belle. “Sweetie, I need you to go to town and get as many lemons as you can fit in your saddle bags.” Sweetie Belle was confused but nodded and left the clubhouse, heading towards town. Scootaloo then turned back to Apple Bloom. “Apple Bloom, you’ve got rope at your house right?” The apple filly nodded. “Well yeah but Ah don’t see...” “Good, I need you to get a couple yards of it.” Apple Blooms eyes narrowed and she stomped a hoof in annoyance. “Dang it Scootaloo, what the hay’s got you so worked up? Yer actin’ all crazy.” Scootaloo groaned at her friends stubbornness. “I’ll tell you when we’ve got what we need. Right now I’ve gotta get our diving gear and three black jumpsuits.” Not giving her friend a chance to retort Scootaloo leapt off the table and flew out the window, leaving Apple Bloom staring after her friend. Apple Bloom ran to the window, trying to get more information from her friend. “Scootaloo, why do Ah need to get rope? What’s lemons got to do with anything? Scootaloo!?” Seeing that Scootaloo either didn’t hear, or was ignoring her Apple Bloom groaned and threw her forelegs up in frustration. ”Aww there she goes.” Leaving the window Apple Bloom muttered to herself. “When she gets back I'mma give that filly a piece o’ mah mind.” Still muttering Apple Bloom made headed toward Sweet Apple Acres to get the rope. =================================== Scootaloo exited Pinkie’s room and descended the stairs leading to the bakery, waving to Pinkie as she reached the bottom. “Thanks for keeping this for us, Pinkie, and for lending us the jumpsuits.” The party pony giggled. “No prob, Scoot. And if you happen to see a sea pony when you’re diving, say shoo be doo for me.” Deciding not to ask when Pinkie had ever met a sea pony, Scootaloo left Sugarcube Corner and began trotting down the road. As she rounded a corner and started cutting through the Ponyville Park a familiar and unwelcome voice stopped her. “So blank flank, what’s the latest idea to get your cutie mark? Maybe you should ask your parents how they got theirs. Too bad theirs are fake.” Turning her head to face her tormenter, glaring pointedly at the filly. “What d’you want Diamond Tiara? I don’t have time for this today, so just hurry up.” Not phased by Scootaloo’s glare or tone, Diamond Tiara smirked, chuckling lightly. “What’s got you all mad, Scootaloo? Is it the fact that you still don’t have a cutie mark, or that your parents are monsters that need to be thrown out of town?” Scootaloo considered herself a pretty mellow pony. It took a lot to get under her skin and she’d normally just let whatever Diamond Tiara or any other pony said roll off her back. But with the threat of losing Lightning and Quicksilver, the only family Scootaloo had ever known, Scootaloo snapped. Her heated glare became cold and sharp as Scootaloo walked closer to Diamond tiara. At first the spoiled filly wasn’t intimidated, but as Scootaloo got closer the look in her eyes made Diamond Tiara take a step back. Even when Diamond tried to keep space between them, the pegasus just kept stalking closer, the same cold look in her eyes. When Diamonds back hoof connected with the trunk of a tree she gasped. Realizing that she was caught, the only thing she could do was watch as Scootaloo closed the last few inches between them. When the fillies were muzzle to muzzle Scootaloo spoke. And just like her eyes, Scootaloo’s voice was sharp and cold. “You think this is funny? You think that it’s fine for me to lose the only family I’ve ever had just because they’re different? What if you were going to lose your family, huh? No home, no friends, just a bunch of random fillies and colts that only look out for themselves and caretakers that barely give you the time of day. I won’t go back to that, I got away from the orphanage for a reason and I won’t go back.” Diamond shivered slightly but she was confused. “What... What are you talking about?” Scootaloo quirked a brow and then chuckled darkly. “You don’t even know, do you? You don’t know how your dad’s trying to ruin my and my parents’ lives. And you’re joking about everything as if it’s no big deal? You spoiled little brat.” Diamond was shocked. Her father wanted to take Scootaloo from her family? What else was he doing she didn’t know about? Diamond had thought her father wanted to get the changelings separated from Ponyville, but Scootaloo made it sound much worse. “Scootaloo I...” “Shut it, Diamond. You’re just like your dad. You act all nice for the public but then you bully anyone different from you.” Diamond Tiara hung her head. Seeing that the filly wasn’t going to say anything else Scootaloo turned got back on route for the clubhouse. ================================= Scootaloo trotted through the clubhouse door to find Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had gotten what she’d asked for. Setting down her items, Scootaloo turned to her friends, taking a seat at the table the other two were. “Sorry for not explaining things right away but we need to get this done quick if it’s gonna work.” Sweetie Belle’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s gotta get done? I don’t even know what we’re doing!” Apple Bloom nodded. “Sweetie’s right, I think y’all owe us an explanation. What’s got yer tail in a tangle anyway?” Scootaloo sighed heavily. “I found out last night that Filthy Rich is trying to take me from Lightning and Quicksilver. He’s taking them to court.” Apple Bloom’s jaw went slack and Sweetie Belle blinked slowly before leaning forward a bit. “You wanna run that by us again?” “I was walking to my room when I heard Lightning and Quicksilver talking about something. I thought maybe they were getting worried about living here again so I decided to listen in. It looks like Filthy Rich is in a group that doesn’t want changelings in Ponyville so he’s trying to use the both of them like some kinda example. I’m not really sure but I do know that if he wins I’ll probably get sent back to the orphanage and I’m not gonna sit back and let that happen.” “Well that’s fine and dandy Scoot, but what’re you gonna do about it? It sounds like there ain't much ya can do.” Scootaloo grinned at Apple Bloom. “Simple. We’re gonna take Filthys’ evidence. No evidence, no trial.” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle traded looks before the earth filly spoke. “Not ta rain on yer parade but how in the hay do you think we’re gonna do that?” Sweetie Belle nodded. “Yeah, and besides that what do lemons, rope, diving gear and jumpsuits have to do with any of this?” Scootaloo’s grin widened a bit. “It’s all part of my master plan. See I figure Filthy Rich is keeping whatever he’s got on mom at his house. So all we have to do is get in, get what he’s got and get out.” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Well how exactly is that gonna go down then?” Scootaloo left the table and headed for the trunk that the crusaders kept in the clubhouse. After digging through it for a minute, Scootaloo returned to the table with a map they’d gotten from Twilight months ago. Seeing as their hoof drawn map had been marked excessively with red X’s, they needed a replacement. This map however was more detailed, showing all of Ponyville and not just a few landmarks. Scootaloo unfolded the map and pointed to a large house on the northeast edge of town. “This is Diamond Tiara’s house. Remember how she bragged that it was like a castle cuz it’s got that big pond around half of it like a moat? That’s our way in.” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle focused on the house Scootaloo pointed at, and noticed that a pond did partially circle the house. The body of water actually coming quite close to the rear of the residence. “Now before you ask how we’re gonna do this, here’s my plan..” ====================== After listening for several minutes as Scootaloo explained her “genius” plan Apple Bloom was giving her friend a look that said, “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Meanwhile Sweetie Belle nodded approvingly. “You know that’s not half bad.” “Not half bad? That there plan’s all bad. Yer not actually thinkin’ of goin’ along with this are ya?” Apple Bloom asked while directing the look she’d previously focused on Scootaloo to Sweetie Belle. “Well why not? We’ve gotta help, this is Scootaloo’s family on the line.” Apple Bloom shook her head. “Ah cain’t believe what Ah’m hearin’. Scootaloo wants ta break into somebody's house and yer goin along with it?” Scootaloo braced her forehooves on the table, leaning towards Apple Bloom. “Wouldn’t you do whatever you could to help your family?” The question caused Apple Bloom to pause for a second. When she decided to answer her voice was unsure. “Well ‘course Ah would. But ain’t there a better way than just bustin’ into the guys house?” Scootaloo’s shoulders sagged and her head lowered. “Maybe there is but I can’t think of it. The trial’s in three days, I can’t just sit around and wait. I need to do something and this is the best I’ve got.” Sweetie Belle moved next to Scootaloo and put a foreleg around her while throwing a pleading look toward Apple Bloom. After a few seconds Apple Bloom groaned in defeat. “All right fine, we’ll do this but Ah still think this idea’s screwy.” Scootaloo’s head rose and she smiled widely. “You’ll do it?” “Yep” “Thanks, Apple Bloom! You won’t regret it, this is gonna solve everything!” With that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle went through what they’d gathered and talked about parts of the plan while Apple Bloom shook her head lightly. “Ah got a bad feelin’ that this is gonna bite us all in the flank. Guess the only thing to do now is get on with it.” As the sun drifted lower in the sky the three fillies worked out how best to accomplish their mission. Telling each of their families that they were having a sleepover in the clubhouse, the three waited for nightfall. ================================= The night was calm in Ponyville. The houses were dark and the the ponies inside slept soundly. The only thing odd was a cloud that moved across the skyline. The cloud wasn’t odd because it moved but because it moved against the wind. The cloud continued it’s path until it hovered near the home of the Rich family. When the cloud stopped, Scootaloo poked her head from inside and quickly looked around. Seeing all the lights out in the house, she grinned and drew her head back inside the cloud. Seconds later Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, both clad in jumpsuits and diving gear, were lowered from inside the cloud on rope. Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie as they were lowered to the water below. “Ah still can’t believe Scoot was able to hold us up and push that cloud at the same time.” Sweetie Belle shrugged. “We were tied to her so all she had to do was stand and flap her wings. Good thing she finally learned to fly or someone could’ve seen us walking through town.” Apple Bloom nodded then turned her head down to see that the waters surface was only a few inches away. The fillies took a breath before untying themselves and diving into the water. Feeling the rope go slack, Scootaloo poked her head through the cloud again and watched the water below. After a while she was barely able to make out two black figures crawl onto the bank of the pond and slink to the back of the house. Scootaloo grinned, happy that the jumpsuits made them harder to see. The pegasus then gathered the rope and coiled it around her body before hopping out of the cloud and gliding to where her friends had gone. When Scootaloo got to the back of the house she found her friends beside the back door. “Ok guys now we need to get in. Sweetie, you got the lemons?” Sweetie nodded and tilted her head. “Yeah but what should we do with them?” “Well duh, we need to get the back door open and you can make lemons explode.” Apple Blooms eyes widened. “We cain’t do that! The door’d come of the hinges!” Scootaloo’s brows shot up in surprise. “Really? I thought they’d pop like a firework.” Sweetie chuckled nervously. “Less like a firework and more like Pinkie Pie after drinking coffee black with twelve sugars.” “That bad?” Apple bloom nodded. “Yup.” Scootaloo scratched her head in thought. “Shoot! That was supposed to be our way in. Wait, what if we use pieces of the lemon instead of the whole thing?” Sweetie Belle shrugged. “Maybe.” Sweetie Belle hoofed a lemon to Apple Bloom who tore off a chunk of the lemon and wedged it between the door and the curved handle just above the lock. Moving away from the door Sweetie Belle focused her magic on the lemon piece. Concentrating on levitating the piece, it glowed the same light blue as her magic before bursting with a low pop. The three fillies waited anxiously, wondering if the sound had woken anyone. After hearing nothing, and seeing no lights come on the friends approached the door. As they got closer Scootaloo smirked, giving a cocky glance to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle on either side of her she said one thing as she walked through the now open door. “We’re in.”