Chapter Three
Gone Scootaloo Gone
“You ready Sweetie Belle?” asks Scootaloo as she stands in a tree.
It was a beautiful summers day in Ponyville, located within the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, where three fillies who would usually be up to some dangerous shenanigans in town trying to earn their Cutie Marks, where two of the fillies were instead trying to practice for an alternative goal, since one of them, Scootaloo actually, figured that in her own case, learning to fly may lead to her Cutie Mark much like how it did for her idol, Rainbow Dash, in the same vein, she pointed out that maybe Sweetie Belle's Cutie Mark had something to do with learning Magic similar to Twilight Sparkle.
The plan was, that Scootaloo would climb a tree at the farm, and then jump out flapping her small wings as fast she could hoping to fly, if that were to fail, then Sweetie Belle would attempt to catch her in mid-air with her magic. Apple Bloom didn't consider on what could happen if both plans failed, such as getting a pillow or something soft for Scootaloo to land on.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Scootaloo?” the white unicorn filly responds. “I've only had one practice session with Rarity with my magic.”
“Of course it's a good idea! It combines two practice sessions into one. Making things twice as fast!” Scootaloo responds eagerly.
“Well... O-Okay. If you're sure about this.” Sweetie Belle replies nervously.
Scootaloo jumps out of the tree that she is standing in. Trying as hard as she could, she couldn't get any lift from her wings she just kept falling.
“Quick Sweetie Belle! Ah don't think she's getting anywhere!” shouted their yellow filly friend, Apple Bloom, with a country accent.
Without a word, Sweetie Belle put everything she could into firing up her magic, a green glow started to form around her horn, and a second later, it formed around Scootaloo as well, slowly lowering her to the ground.
“Good work Sweetie Belle, ya did it!” exclaims Apple Bloom in excitement, but Sweetie Belle didn't respond. Instead her magic was still active. “Uh, Sweetie Belle, y'all can let go of yer magic now”
But it was too late, there was a loud bang and a bright flash which caused Apple Bloom to shield her eyes, as soon as the flash ended, Sweetie Belle's mana reserves died out. Both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were unharmed, though Sweetie Belle was on the floor exhausted and out of breath, but Scootaloo was nowhere to be found. Apple Bloom sits with Sweetie Belle while she catches her breath, though Apple Bloom does have a questioning look on her face having already noticed that Scootaloo has disappeared into thin air.
A few minutes later, Sweetie Belle had recovered her breath, and was looking around with Apple Bloom for Scootaloo, but the orange Pegasus was nowhere to be found, both were getting worried about her.
“Scootaloo, where are you?” asks Sweetie Belle.
“Ah think we had better tell Twahlight about this” says Apple Bloom.
“Yeah, maybe you're right. I'm worried about what I might have done Scootaloo...” Sweetie Belle says, worried.
“Ah know” says Apple Bloom.
The pair run as fast as they can through Ponyville. Avoiding everypony they can. On arrival at the Library where the studious unicorn, and faithful student to the monarch of Equestria, Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle lives, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom in their haste practically broke the door off the hinges.
“TWILIGHT!” they both shouted at the top of their lungs as they broke in.
“What the-” says a dragon as he was walking down the stairs. “Oh, hey Sweetie Belle, hey Apple Bloom what's up?” He does take note that there are only two Crusaders, not three.
“Oh hey Spike,” replies Sweetie Belle “Is Twilight here, we have a big problem”
“Yeah, sure, she's in the next room. I'll go get her. Say, I couldn't help but notice that you're missing Scootaloo, where is she?” he says.
“She's part'o the problem” says Apple Bloom.
“Oh.” He says, as he walks into the next room.
About a minute or two later, a lavender unicorn mare arrives from the room that Spike had previously entered.
“Hi girls,” Twilight says as she walks into the room “Spike said you wanted to talk to me?”
“Twilight, we have a big problem, it's Scootaloo, she's...” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle say extremely fast in unison, not giving Twilight a chance to digest the information she's being given.
“Woah, woah, girls, calm down. Now, slowly tell me what happened to Scootaloo?” she asks.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle look at each other, then back to Twilight.
“I think I may have vapourised Scootaloo...” Sweetie Belle says in a panic.
“What are you talking about?” Twilight says, shocked.
“I was practising my magic, trying to catch her and levitate her to the ground while she jumped out of a tree to practice her flying. But then... then I lost control! I think I may have vapourised her into oblivion!” she says quickly adding, “It was an accident, I swear!”
“It's okay Sweetie Belle. Calm down, we can get to the bottom of this.” Twilight says.
“W-What are you going to do?” she asks. “You're not going to tell Princess Celestia about this are you? Or worse, Rarity!” now in panic mode.
Twilight laughs at the thought that anything Rarity would do to her was worse then what Princess Celestia would.
“Heheh. No, I'll scan your horn to detect what type of spell you actually cast.” Twilight replies calmly, mentally hoping that she didn't actually vapourise Scootaloo into oblivion.
“Y'all can do that?” asks Apple Bloom.
“Yes, Apple Bloom. When a unicorn casts a spell, that spell leaves mana markers within the unicorns horn.” she says. “I can scan Sweetie Belle's horn to find out what the last spell she used actually was. For a filly such as Sweetie Belle, the horn is only big enough for one spell, while Rarity for example, her horn has grown enough cache to store information about the last three spells she used. It helps when using the same spell over and over in succession as each use makes the spell easier to cast. It's what makes raising the sun and moon easy for Princess Celestia and Luna.”
“Well, Ah never knew that! So just what kind of spell did Sweetie Belle use?” asks Apple Bloom.
“Lets find out shall we?” Twilight says “Sweetie Belle, just relax your body for a little while.” turning to Sweetie Belle.
Sweetie Belle tries her best to relax, despite still being worried about what has happened to Scootaloo. Twilight leans her horn and places it inline with that of Sweetie Belle. Twilight's horn starts to glow a light shade of purple, while Sweetie Belle's fires up too as a shade of green, a small spark flares over Twilight's horn, and then it soon dissipates. Twilight takes her horn away from Sweetie Belle.
“I have good news Sweetie Belle, you didn't vapourise Scootaloo into oblivion” Twilight says with a smile.
At this, both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle jumped with excitement.
“But if I didn't vapourise Scootaloo, then what spell did I use?” Sweetie Belle asks.
“You used a teleportation spell...” Twilight responds.
“Then where's Scootaloo?” asks Apple Bloom.
“That... I don't know. Location isn't one of the mana markers. If you have something of Scootaloo's I can probably trace her that way. But that would require some reading.” Twilight states. Knowing full well, that they probably have something belonging to Scootaloo in their clubhouse.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle turn to each other trying to think of an item that they still have around that belonged to Scootaloo.
“Where did we leave her Scooter?” asks Sweetie Belle.
“Ah think it was by the tree we were practising near.” replies Apple Bloom. “Lets go see”
“Right.” Sweetie Belle agrees. “Don't worry Twilight we'll bring you something as soon as we can!”
“Okay girls, I'll get a head start in looking for spells I can use in the library.” Twilight says as the two fillies run out of the door.