Scootaloo glided through the sky, her orange wings stretched to their limit. A gentle breeze carried her far above Ponyville as it blew through her mane. She gave her wings a few effortless flaps, rising in the air and closing her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered.
A familiar voice came from her right. "It is your dream, Scootaloo. I merely accompany you through it." Scootaloo opened her eyes and shared a smile with Princess Luna, who flew alongside her.
"You're the one who chased away my nightmares and who's letting me fly, Princess Luna."
"You shouldn't lose hope," the princess said as she dodged a cloud and readjusted her course. "You are still young. Perhaps one day you will fly."
"My wings are too small. The doctors told me." She sighed. "As long as I can fly here with you, I'm okay with it."
The Princess stared into the distance. "There is another who used to take you to the sky."
Scootaloo shook her head as she landed on a light pink cloud. "Not anymore. Rainbow died in that battle."
Luna landed next to Scootaloo and placed a comforting wing around her body. "Listen to me, Scootaloo. You have brought me a lot of important information these past few months. It's time for me to return the favor."
"Oh?"
"Rainbow Dash is still alive," Luna said. "She isn't well, and you might not like what you see when she's found, but she's still alive."
"How do you know?" Scootaloo asked. Her heartbeat raced at the possibility, even as her skeptic side doubted the princess's words.
"The way you would expect; she continues to dream."
Scootaloo flew up, her wings buzzing in excitement. Luna hovered as well as the cloud they had rested on disappeared. "Can I see her? Can we go into her dreams?"
"Perhaps," the princess said a bit too severely for Scootaloo's taste. "Entering her dream would be difficult. She does not welcome me during her slumber."
"What do you mean? I thought you entered everypony's dreams."
"Anypony who wants me to," Luna clarified. "You could throw me out at any moment, and I would be powerless to resist your will. Rainbow Dash has been through a lot. She doesn't trust me as she once did. I will need time to figure out a way to get through to her."
"And you need my help for it?"
Luna nodded. "Perhaps. You and Rainbow share a special bond. She thinks of you like a little sister. Perhaps you may succeed where I failed. Furthermore, the world of dreams is familiar to you. You seem well attuned to it."
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "Wait, are you saying I could enter dreams just like you?"
"Not quite," Luna said. "You would need alicorn magic to do so. But with my help, you could help other ponies vanquish their nightmares."
"You can count on me!" Scootaloo said as she flew a loop. She grinned at Luna, but found the princess averting her eyes. "What's wrong, Princess?"
"I would have another favor to ask of you."
"Anything," Scootaloo said. "I told you before, we're loyal to you. Anything to get rid of that idiot Blueblood."
Luna smiled. "Let's meet with your friends. I believe it's been a while since you and Applebloom spoke with Sweetie Belle."
A door appeared in the middle of the sky and opened as Luna approached it. Scootaloo's eyes opened wide with wonder as she stepped through the opening, finding herself alongside Luna in a crystalline cavern. Every surface reflected the light in a rainbow of colors.
"Cool!" Scootaloo said as she flew around the room.
"It's a cave I found in the Crystal Empire." Sweetie Belle's voice came from the ground. Scootaloo looked down and found her two best friends standing in a corner.
"Sweetie! How's it going?" Scootaloo said as she landed.
"I'm glad to see you two," Sweetie said with a weak smile. "But I hate it in the Empire."
"What's so bad about the Empire?" Applebloom asked.
Sweetie sat down and sighed. "My parents argue all the time. We barely ever have anything to eat, and all the ponies from Equestria have to live in this terrible place, mostly in tents and little shacks. I live with my parents in a tiny room. The roof leaks all the time, and my dad snores."
"That doesn't make sense," Scootaloo said. "The Crystal Empire is this beautiful, amazing place."
"Princess Cadance showed up once," Sweetie continued. "She was nice. She gave me a blanket and some crystal corn on the cob. Most of the time though, I hate it. I wish I could go back to Equestria."
"The life of a refugee is not an easy one, Sweetie Belle," Luna tentatively said as she took a step forward. "Soon, we will vanquish Blueblood and his griffon masters, and you can return home."
"And you won't hurt Rarity, will you?" Sweetie asked the Princess.
"I might have to punish her for her actions, but no, I will not take her from you."
"Don't worry," Scootaloo said. "You know Princess Luna would never hurt Rarity. Also, she told me she has a special mission for us. I'm sure it'll help end this stupid war."
"It might," Luna said as she bowed her head. "But I do not want to force any of you into this."
"You're not forcing us. All three of us want to help," Sweetie said with a smile. "By the way, I did like you asked and delivered Fluttershy's message to Princess Cadance when she gave me that blanket I told you about. She said she'd see what she could do about the griffons. She also asked me not to tell anypony."
"Follow her advice," Luna said as she placed a hoof on Sweetie's shoulder. "It will keep you safe."
"And what about us?" Applebloom asked.
Luna took a deep breath. "I need the two of you to leave Ponyville and find Pinkie Pie. You must tell her that Rainbow Dash is still alive, perhaps with Twilight. This part is not clear."
"Really?" Applebloom said, her eyes opened wide.
"It's what I gathered from the glimpses I had of her dreams. I also do not believe it will be safe for either of you to remain in Ponyville."
"Wait, does that mean we'll get to join you in Cloudsdale?" Scootaloo asked. "Or are you sending us to rescue Rainbow Dash?"
"Are they coming with me to the Crystal Empire?" Sweetie asked.
Luna shook her head. "I need you to deliver a message, nothing more. Equestria has become a dangerous place. I will need the two of you to hide from any strangers you see on the road."
"You can count on us," Scootaloo said as she shared a determined nod with Applebloom.
"Me too," Sweetie said. "I wish I could come with."
"Good," Luna said. "You will need to leave Ponyville tomorrow, before nightfall. Travel northwest, through the Saddlefree woods." She illuminated her horn and the scenery changed from the crystalline cave to a wooden shack on the edge of the woods. "The stallion living here will help you on your quest. His name is Old Oatston."
"He'll take us to Pinkie Pie?" Applebloom said.
Luna nodded. "I will talk to you in your dreams again and give you more instructions, including where exactly Rainbow Dash is."
"Hold on," Scootaloo said as she flew in front of the princess. "Why not tell us where she is now?"
Luna sighed. "I do not yet know. That is why I believe I will need your help again, Scootaloo. I wish you to leave right away because I do not believe that remaining in Ponyville will be safe for either of you."
Applebloom raised an eyebrow. "Why? What's going to happen?"
"I cannot say," Luna replied with a sigh. "Just please, children. Trust me on this."
"I trust you, Princess," Scootaloo said. "I'm just happy we can help you, and I can't wait to see Rainbow Dash again."
"Just be careful," Sweetie pleaded.
"Don't worry," Scootaloo said with a grin. "If Princess Luna says we can do it, then I'm not scared at all."
"Let's still be careful, Scoots," Applebloom said.
"Applebloom is correct," Luna said. "I would not ask this of you if there was any other way. I do trust you to complete this quest, but be safe, and do not take unnecessary risks. This nightmare will end soon, I promise."
Scootaloo packed her saddlebags lightly. She picked a blanket and some snacks she had been hiding in her room. Ever since her parents had started talking about rationing food, she had been hiding candy and dried fruits in one of the drawers under her bed.
She had spent most of the day planning her escape. The first part had been easy; she convinced her parents to let her sleep over at Applebloom's. This also had the advantage of letting her bring a blanket without looking suspicious. She scribbled a quick letter that would let her parents know not to worry and hid it under her pillow. They probably wouldn't find it right away, giving her time to leave Ponyville.
Heavy snow had fallen for most of the week. While perfect for building snow ponies, it was too thick for Scootaloo to ride her scooter. She opted to leave it behind when she left to meet Applebloom in the playground, shortly after lunch. She wore her warmest winter clothes, expecting to travel in harsh conditions.
The two fillies met in the same snow-covered playground where Fluttershy had informed them of the griffons' plot. With their clubhouse gone and both their families opposed to their support of Princess Luna, they had picked this park as one of many locations where they could meet and plan in secret. More often than not, they would only find bits and pieces of information to relay to the princess, mostly things Applebloom overheard her sister say. This time, it would be different. Luna had entrusted them with an important mission.
Scootaloo found Applebloom throwing snowballs against the miniature wooden cabin in the middle of the park. "Scoots, there you are," Applebloom said. "I was worried you wouldn't come."
"Don't worry. My parents think I'm sleeping over, like we planned," Scootaloo said as the two shared a knowing look.
"It took a bit more convincing than I expected, but I got Granny Smith to agree. She thinks I'm sleeping over at your place."
"Perfect," Scootaloo said, clapping her hooves together. "Now we can figure out how we'll get to Saddlefree woods."
Applebloom averted her eyes as she sighed softly. "I don't like lying to our families, Scootaloo."
Scootaloo frowned. "You can't back out of this. I need you."
"I won't, but don't you think we should tell them the truth?"
Scootaloo shook her head. "Are you crazy? If we tell Applejack, we'll never be allowed to leave our rooms. No offense, but your sister turned a bit nutty ever since she became mayor."
"She just wants to protect me," Applebloom said in a weak voice.
"And that's why we can't tell her," Scootaloo continued. "You remember what happened the last time she obsessed over protecting you?"
Applebloom sighed again as she brushed the snow with her hoof. "Fine. I just hope she forgives me."
Scootaloo offered a comforting smile. "Don't worry. After this is done, we'll be heroes."
"Yeah, you're right," Applebloom said with a sheepish smile. "So how are we gonna do this?"
"We could just walk out of town," Scootaloo suggested with a shrug. "Tell ponies who ask we're going out to play."
Applebloom shook her head. "There're soldiers patrolling outside Ponyville. Caramel was complaining about it to my sister the other day."
Scootaloo's brow furrowed as she stroked her chin. "So, we need some way to hide as we leave town."
"What about a train?"
"Maybe," Scootaloo said. "They're always full of soldiers though, and I'm not sure any go to Saddlefree."
"Yeah, they always stop when it snows, too," Applebloom said as she kicked the snow.
The two friends stared in the distance for a moment. A unicorn couple was taking a stroll on one of the few cleared paths in the park. Pipsqueak and Featherweight were chasing each other and almost bumped into Cranky Doodle Donkey, who was pulling a cart full of barrels covered with a tarp on the alley in front of the park.
Scootaloo's ears perked up. A grin slowly formed on her muzzle. "I got an idea. Where do you think Cranky is taking those barrels?"
"Wait, you can't be serious," Applebloom said with a gulp. "I mean, we all know he takes food to the soldiers at the front lines."
"And you know where the front lines are?" Scootaloo continued.
"Beyond Saddlefree Woods," Applebloom slowly completed. "You want to sneak on the back of his cart?"
"Why not? It's perfect." Scootaloo grabbed Applebloom by the leg and dragged her toward the cart.
"We'll get caught," Applebloom argued as she resisted the pull.
"Not if you follow my lead," Scootaloo said without breaking a stride. She led Applebloom toward Pipsqueak, who was giggling with Featherweight in a corner.
"Hi Crusaders," the spotted Trottingham Colt said as he waved them over.
"Hey boys," Scootaloo said with a sly wink. "I have a favor to ask."
"This isn't going to get us in trouble, is it?" Featherweight asked as he raised an eyebrow.
"No, it'll just be funny," Scootaloo said with a dismissive gesture. "We just need you two to distract Cranky while we sneak behind his cart."
"We just want to prank him," Applebloom added.
"I don't know about this," Featherweight said as he shared a look with Pipsqueak.
"Come on, it'll be fun," Scootaloo teased with a playful grin.
Pipsqueak nodded at his friend. "Alright, we'll do it, but you owe us one."
"Deal," Scootaloo happily replied. "It'll be worth it, trust me."
The four of them shared nods and hoof bumps as they ran ahead to get their plan into motion. Cranky had already turned a corner, but they knew a shortcut to quickly reach him. They waited in an alley for the donkey to walk along, dragging his cart. Pipsqueak ran ahead, closely followed by Featherweight.
"I told you kids to stop fooling around," Cranky barked as one of the colts bumped into him. Scootaloo couldn't see which one.
The two friends shared a nod. Scootaloo glanced around to make sure nopony was watching before she led the way toward the back of the cart, just as she heard Featherweight apologize to Cranky. Both fillies carefully climbed on the back and made their way under the heavy tarp that protected the barrels from the snow. They found a small space between two barrels, where they managed to crawl together.
"Get your hoof out of my face," Applebloom whispered.
"Shhh," Scootaloo said as she managed to position herself in a way that wouldn't bother her friend too much.
"Alright, now shoo. Don't let me catch you bothering anypony again," Cranky's voice warned as the cart got moving.
Scootaloo winced as the movement of the cart made her accidentally bump her head on a barrel. A turnip fell out of it and into her lap. She used all of her self-control to stay quiet and not move around too much. It wouldn't do to go through all of this only to get caught by Cranky. She could feel Applebloom's chest move as her friend breathed heavily. The air felt thick under the tarp, and her body began to sweat. Do it for Luna. Do it for Rainbow Dash.
The ride felt like it was taking forever. It seemed like Cranky pulled his cart over every rock and hole, as Scootaloo and Applebloom kept being jolted around, bumping into each other. A crack allowed frozen winter air to come through and contrast with the unbearable heat that was growing underneath the tarp. If the bumps and bruises wouldn't be enough, Scootaloo might return from this adventure with a nasty cold.
Her hoof touched Applebloom's. Neither of them dared say a word. Scootaloo felt her heartbeat race every time the cart bumped. She almost jumped out of the cart on a few occasions, only finding strength in Applebloom's presence. The barrels often shook, threatening to crush them both. Scootaloo breathed in and out as she closed her eyes.
She had lost track of how much time had passed when the cart finally stopped. She heard a gruff voice coming from the outside. "What do you have inside this cart?"
Scootaloo swore under her breath. How could she had been so foolish? Of course, soldiers would search every cart leaving Ponyville. She felt Applebloom's hoof shake in her own.
"I'm taking my usual delivery to the soldiers on the other side of the forest," Cranky said.
"Turnips again?" the gruff voice said. "I'm glad I'm not posted there. I wouldn't want to eat turnips every day." Scootaloo's entire body shook as the voice got closer. She felt Applebloom's erratic breathing on the side of her face. "Let's see what you have in there."
Cold air sneaked through the barrels as the tarp was partially moved. "Yup, just turnips," the soldier's voice said absentmindedly as the tarp was returned to its position.
Scootaloo couldn't believe their luck. She dragged herself closer to Applebloom. No doubt her friend was just as relieved as she was.
Cranky got on his way again, which shook the barrel Scootaloo leaned on, resulting in her head bumping against her friend's. "Ow," Applebloom said.
The cart came to a stop again, prompting Scootaloo to remain completely silent. We were so close.
"Hey, Cranky, better oil up those wheels," the guard mocked with a loud guffaw.
"Yeah yeah, very funny," Cranky said as the cart got moving again. Scootaloo sighed in relief at their continued fortune.
The ride continued for what seemed like hours. Both fillies managed to lie down in a more comfortable position, using their saddlebags as pillows. The cool breeze made the heat more bearable, and the cart's movement almost became familiar. The two friends snacked on turnips before lowering their heads between their legs. Scootaloo eventually closed her eyes and managed to let the movement of the cart lull her to sleep.
Something didn't feel quite right as Scootaloo opened her eyes. It took her a moment to realize that she was no longer moving. She gently poked Applebloom, who groaned as she awoke. Scootaloo shushed her by bringing her hoof to her friend's muzzle.
Scootaloo perked up her ears. No voices could be heard, but the wind was blowing on the tarp covering the cart. There was no way to tell what was going on outside. "I'll try to take a peek," she whispered as softly as she could.
She rose and lifted the tarp, managing to find a crack through which she could see outside. It was getting dark, making it hard to make out anything. She spied trees. Could they have reached the forest?
"What do you see?" Applebloom asked from behind Scootaloo as she gave her tail a quick tug.
Scootaloo got back down. "I think it's safe to come out," she whispered. "There's a forest close by."
"Finally. I was getting mighty cramped in here," Applebloom said as she crawled out from their hiding spot between the two barrels.
Applebloom helped Scootaloo climb over the barrels and out of the cart. They were next to an unlit house with boarded-up windows. The cart was covered in leaves, branches and other forest detritus. Sure enough, the forest was right next to them.
"You think this is Saddlefree Woods?" Applebloom whispered.
Scootaloo nodded as she trotted toward the trees. "I think so. I know Cranky was going toward Saddlefree. He must have decided to spend the night in that abandoned house."
"I wouldn't want to spend the night in there," Applebloom said with a shiver. "What if there're ghosts?"
"There's no such thing as ghosts. I think?" Scootaloo said as a cold breeze threatened to push her off her hooves. She looked behind her and saw the house in its entirety. It was two stories tall, but the roof had caved in. At least three windows were broken. "Still, I wouldn't want to spend the night in there either."
Applebloom and Scootaloo made their way toward the forest. Snow had begun to fall, and the wind only seemed to get colder. Luckily, the trees cut off the worst of it once the fillies got between them. It was little use, however, as the light of the full moon couldn't show them the way between the thick foliage. If there was a path, they wouldn't find it before daylight.
"I wish Sweetie Belle were here," Applebloom said as she huddled close to Scootaloo. "She could use her magic to give us some light."
"We need to find somewhere to spend the night," Scootaloo said with a gulp. "It'll be just like those camping trips, right?" She forced a weak smile.
Applebloom sobbed softly. "I don't think coming here was a good idea, Scoots."
"Come on, Applebloom. We can do this. Luna's counting on us."
"I wanna go back home," Applebloom said, her voice barely a whisper.
Scootaloo sighed. "Look, I'm afraid too, but you remember what Luna said; Rainbow Dash is in danger. We're the only ones who can save her. The Princess wouldn't have asked us to do this if she didn't think we could."
"Let's just find a place to spend the night," Applebloom said.
The two friends kept on walking. The snow fell faster and faster, making the trek difficult for their small legs. Even through her winter clothes, the wind chilled Scootaloo's bones. Based on her whimpers, Applebloom wasn't faring any better. They both fell in the snow multiple times. They had to rely on one another as exhaustion quickly got the better of them.
"Scoots, we can't keep on going like this," Applebloom said, her voice shaking.
Scootaloo raised her head and spied a rocky formation in the distance. "Just a bit more, Applebloom. I think there's a cave over there."
The fillies kept on walking. Scootaloo's saddlebags felt heavier and heavier as she dragged herself toward their destination. The clouds in the sky moved, and a ray of moonlight showed them an opening in the rocky formation. "A cave!" Scootaloo cheered, tears of joy falling down her cheeks.
She managed to accelerate her pace as she navigated the deep snow toward the shelter. Even Applebloom seemed to find some energy for these last steps. Finally, they reached the dark cave. Both friends fell to the cold, rocky ground, panting in exhaustion. "We made it," Scootaloo weakly uttered as she reached up and touched Applebloom's hoof with her own.
After a moment, Scootaloo crawled to her Saddlebags and took out her blanket. "Just take one," Applebloom said. "Applejack told me that if we have to sleep in the cold, we have to huddle together for warmth."
Scootaloo nodded, too weak to reply. She unrolled the warm woolen blanket and motioned for Applebloom to come over. Both fillies wrapped themselves in, huddled in each other's warmth.
Sleep quickly came to Scootaloo, but the princess didn't visit her dreams.
Scootaloo's entire body felt sore as she found Applebloom gently shaking her. Her friend was rambling about something she couldn't understand in her groggy state.
"I'm awake, I'm awake," Scootaloo said as she pushed Applebloom away. She brought her head out from under the blanket and found Applebloom standing in front of her, wearing her winter clothes.
"We need to get going," Applebloom said. Her voice was soft, and her eyes seemed to avoid Scootaloo's.
"Just give me a minute," Scootaloo said as she groaned. "Remind me never to sleep on the floor again when we get back home."
"Look, Scootaloo, I've been thinking," Applebloom said. "I'm not so sure that doing this is a good idea."
"What do you mean?" Scootaloo said. "We're so close. Just a bit more and we'll reach Oatston's cabin."
"Are we? You don't even know how to get through this forest. I think we should head back, find Cranky, and own up to what we've done."
Scootaloo rushed toward her friend. "You're not making any sense. Just another day and we can find the cabin, I know it." She glared at Applebloom. "Are you a coward?"
"You know what, Scoots?" Applebloom said with an angry glare of her own. "Maybe I am a coward, or maybe I'm just being realistic. We're just two little fillies; we can't do this. We almost died, Scootaloo. Please, let's do the smart thing here."
"Rainbow Dash wouldn't give up, and I won't either. She's counting on us."
Applebloom sighed. "Fine, go die in the cold! I'm going back to find Cranky. I'll own up to what I've done, and I'll ask him to take me back to Ponyville."
"Fine!" Scootaloo yelled. "I hope you enjoy kissing Blueblood's hooves with your sister."
"You know what? Maybe I will. At least he's not sending me to die out in the snow."
Scootaloo gasped. "I can't believe you just said that. Just get out of my sight!" She turned back and pulled her saddlebags toward her. She heard Applebloom leaving the cave.
She grumbled under her breath as she rolled up her sweat-drenched blanket and forced it into her saddlebags. She grabbed some oats and ate a quick breakfast before heading toward the exit. There was even more snow than yesterday, and more was falling still. "I can do this," Scootaloo said under her breath.
Scootaloo took a few hesitant steps outside the cave. Her hooves sunk in the snow and she cursed herself for not thinking ahead; she could have packed snow shoes. If only her wings would work, she could fly over it all. Then again, even a strong flyer like Rainbow Dash would struggle when it snowed this much.
She tightened her scarf around her neck before getting on her way. Each step forced her to climb over the heavy snow. She frowned as she saw Applebloom's hoof prints heading back toward the edge of the forest. I gotta find the path, Scootaloo thought to herself. Luna said that if I follow it, I'll find Oatston's cabin.
She picked a random direction and got on her way. Every tree looked the same, and she had no idea which way the path could be. It had been too dark when she had found the cave. Okay, think. You can always get out of the forest. Maybe you can find the path again from the outside.
As much as she hated backtracking, it was her only option. The last thing she wanted was to get lost and be forced to spend another night outside in the cold. She placed one hoof in front of the other, constantly reminding herself of the stakes. For Luna. For Rainbow Dash.
Minutes passed with nothing but more snow and more trees in sight. Faraway voices eventually made their way to her ears. Was somepony there? If she heard voices, it might mean the road was close by. Scootaloo hurried and tried to follow the sound.
As she got closer, she was able to make out the words, and most importantly, the voice. "Please, Cranky. I know what I did was wrong, but I really want to get back home." There were no doubts; that was Applebloom.
"I'm not delaying my delivery," Cranky replied. "Hop on, and we'll have a long talk with your sister once we get back."
Scootaloo kept walking in the direction of the voices, careful to be as quiet as she could. At least Applebloom was safe. Still, Scootaloo had no desire to be seen and forced to return home.
"Thank you," Applebloom said.
"And you're here completely on your own?" Cranky said. "Your little friend Scootaloo isn't in on this? The two of you always seem to be getting in trouble together."
Scootaloo swore under her breath. If Applebloom betrayed her, Cranky might go into the woods and look for her.
A few seconds passed before Applebloom replied. "No, it was just me. I wanted to get away from Ponyville. I know that it was stupid now."
"You can hear the lecture on the way," Cranky said with a groan. "I'm late enough as it is."
Scootaloo sighed as she allowed her body to drop in the snow. Thank you Applebloom. She waited a few moments for the cart to leave before she got back on her hooves.
Following the same direction the voices had come from, it wasn't hard for Scootaloo to find the road. She even managed to find the tracks Cranky had left.
Scootaloo followed the road. She sighed at the irony of Applebloom probably reaching their destination before her. Perhaps she should have accompanied her and made a run for it once they got closer to the cabin. As far as she knew, there was only one road going through the forest, so Cranky would have to pass next to the cabin.
One hoof in front of the other, Scootaloo kept as fast a pace as she could, only stopping when she was too exhausted to continue. Her supply of dried fruits, oats, and candy kept her going, even as the snow kept falling. At least the wind had slowed down.
Most of the day went by without incident outside of countless aches from fighting the elements. The snow finally calmed down by the end of the day, although the sun going down was accompanied by the cold worsening. Scootaloo wished she had some way of asking Luna to delay the night for an hour or two.
The moon was high in the sky when Scootaloo saw her objective. The small wooden cabin stood on the edge of the road, just like in her dream. It was illuminated by a single torch, allowing her to see it in the distance. She galloped to it, excitedly knocking on the door.
A yellow-coated earth pony stallion opened the door. What few hairs remained on his bald head were white, as was his spotty beard. He gazed down at Scootaloo with pale green eyes, including a lazy one that didn't seem to register her presence.
"Uhm, I was supposed to come here," Scootaloo said. Her speech stuttered as she didn't quite know what to make of this strange stallion standing before her. "I used to have bad dreams."
The old pony smiled, displaying a dirty set of yellow teeth. "Just in time. Soup's ready."
Scootaloo followed the stallion inside, smiling at the cabin's warmth. "I'm Scootaloo," she said, unable to keep the awkwardness out of her voice.
"I know," the stallion said. "Just like you know they call me Old Oatston."
"You really know how to find Pinkie Pie?" Scootaloo asked as she took off her hat and coat.
"Oh yes," Oatston said as he walked to his kitchen stove. A pot was on the fire, a pleasant smell coming from its contents.
The cabin was relatively spartan. It consisted of a single room, with a table and the stove in a corner. A small bed was in another, with a large basket full of hay next to it. At least it beats sleeping on a freezing rock, Scootaloo thought to herself.
"Where is she?" Scootaloo asked. "Will it be long to find her?"
The old stallion chuckled as he poured a bowl of soup. "You sure are an eager one. To answer your question, I don't know. Ponies from her group often travel around these parts. We'll just ask them to take you to her."
"Wait," Scootaloo asked. "Her group?"
"Some refugee secret railroad," Oatston said as he brought Scootaloo her soup. "They smuggle ponies who wanna flee the war to the Crystal Empire or something. I never really paid them much attention."
Scootaloo's mouth watered as she smelled her soup. Pieces of carrots, cabbage, celery, and turnips floated in a thick green broth. Her worries dissolved as she started devouring the meal with gusto, prompting Oatston to chuckle again. "Traveling in the snow always builds up an appetite," he said.
Scootaloo ate in silence. Oatston smiled as he kept refilling her bowl. Truth be told, the soup tasted a bit stale, but she would have devoured anything.
A loud burp escaped Scootaloo's mouth once she was done with her third serving. "So we just wait?" she asked her host.
"That's the plan," he said. "For now, I'd imagine you'll want to sleep. I think you're due pleasant dreams soon."
Scootaloo nodded. Luna did promise she'd visit her again soon, and that she might need her to share a dream with Rainbow Dash. She eyed the basket full of hay.
"I can get you a blanket if you want," Oatston said.
"Yeah, Mine's soaked," Scootaloo said as she dragged herself to the pile of hay. The old pony placed a thick woolen blanket over her as she fell asleep, finally enjoying the warmth of a roof over her head.
A gigantic whirlwind of snow and ice quickly gained on Scootaloo. She tried to flap her wings, but they wouldn't respond. Her sluggish movements did nothing to take her away from the oncoming storm. She tried to scream, but no sound would leave her lungs.
She kept struggling, uselessly waving her legs around. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. She closed her eyes and prepared for the inevitable.
Nothing came. She felt a warmth coming toward her. "You are safe from your nightmare now, Scootaloo." She opened her eyes and found herself in her Ponyville bedroom, facing Princess Luna.
"Oh," she said. "I'm dreaming."
"I'm sorry you had to go through this," The Princess said. "I take it you're safe now?"
Scootaloo nodded. "I'm in Oatston's cabin. He said he can help me find Pinkie Pie."
"Good," Luna said with a smile. "One thing worries me though. Where is Applebloom? Her dreams are closed to me."
Scootaloo sighed. "She gave up. She's gone back to Ponyville. I'm on my own, Luna."
Luna frowned, then took a deep breath. "Perhaps I have been asking too much of the two of you."
"I can do it," Scootaloo said as she flew up. "Rainbow Dash would never give up. You wouldn't either. I'm going to find Pinkie Pie, and we're going to rescue Rainbow."
"I appreciate your loyalty," the princess said. "Shall we fly together?"
Scootaloo nodded, just as the room dissolved to make way for the open sky. She spread her wings and flew in tandem with Luna. "Thanks for taking away my nightmare."
"I was merely doing my duty," Luna said. "And now, I'm afraid I must ask more of you. I told you the last time we spoke that I might need you to enter Rainbow Dash's dreams."
"I'm ready," Scootaloo said with a determined nod.
Luna's brow furrowed. "I must warn you, Scootaloo. You might not like what you see. From what little I gleamed of Rainbow Dash's dreams, she is not well. You might have a hard time recognizing her."
"What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked. "Rainbow Dash is way too awesome to let anything get to her."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Luna said as she shook her head. "She has been through horrors that no pony should ever experience. I will admit, I'm still uncertain if showing you these horrors is something I should be doing."
"I'll do it," Scootaloo said. "For Rainbow Dash."
"Very well. As I said, Rainbow hasn't allowed me to interact with her dreams. She sees me as a nightmare, and either wakes up or throws me out. You will have to remind her who she is, and find some way to get through to her so that she may tell us where she's being held."
Scootaloo nodded. "I can do that."
Luna's horn lit up. A door appeared in the middle of the sky, revealing another endless expense, although this one was gray and covered in lifeless clouds. Luna flew through the passage, Scootaloo following closely behind.
"This is Rainbow's dream?" Scootaloo asked. "It's so gray."
"I'm afraid so," Luna said. "With every night, her dreams become more bland and colorless. We can still leave if you're not ready."
"I can do this," Scootaloo said as she observed her surroundings. "So, um. What do I do?"
"Find her and talk to her," Luna said. "As far as I can tell, she's always alone in her dreams. Just remember, whenever I try to interact with her, it ends badly. I cannot show myself in this dream. You will be on your own."
"I got it," Scootaloo said. "I just have to talk to Rainbow and remind her of how awesome she is. It shouldn't be too hard. Right?" She heard the doubt in her own voice as she spoke. She was the one who looked up to Rainbow, not the other way around. Could she really help her?
"Trust in yourself, Scootaloo. I will be close by, watching and listening." With that, the princess flew up, dissolving into nothingness.
Scootaloo gulped as she took a turn. She glided through the colorless sky, hoping to find the pony who was her older sister by every mean but blood. She saw a form soar through the sky in the distance and gave her wings a few flaps, heading in its direction. She managed to make out Rainbow Dash's features, but this pony was colorless, wore no mane, and flew in a straight line with an emotionless expression. Both her eyes were closed, and her muzzle remained stiff, without any hints of movement. More worrisome, her flank was completely blank — no sign of a cutie mark.
The pony matching Rainbow Dash's features glided dispassionately through the air. Scootaloo positioned herself next to her big sister, waving and trying to get her attention. She was ignored, even as she flew in front of her.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash," she said. "It's me, Scootaloo."
The gray Rainbow kept flying in a straight line, her expression unchanging.
"We can just fly in silence for a while," Scootaloo continued. "I always wanted to fly with you."
Rainbow slowly turned her head in Scootaloo's direction. "You're not real," she whispered in a raspy voice.
"It's not a dream," Scootaloo argued as she flapped her wings to gain altitude. The air somehow got heavier. "Well, it is, but I'm not part of the dream. It's really me. It's Scootaloo."
"I don't know any Scootaloo," Rainbow said mechanically as she returned her attention to her course.
"What happened to you, Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo whispered to herself. She then grinned as an idea flashed in her head. "Hey, maybe you don't know me, but can you do a sonic rainboom? I heard you're the only pony who can do one."
Dash returned her attention to Scootaloo. The filly thought she saw panic in the dreaming mare's eyes. "No... It's impossible. Nopony can do a sonic rainboom."
"You've done it plenty of times," Scootaloo said with a smile. "I've seen you do it. It's the most amazing thing ever."
"Not me, not me," the gray Rainbow said, her voice shaking in panic as she held her head with her hooves. "The other pony, maybe. Not me."
"Wait, what other pony?"
"It's a trick!" She said as she glared at Scootaloo, hey ears twitching. "You want to trick me, make me think the other pony is real. It's not going to work."
"I don't understand," Scootaloo said as the air got even heavier. The clouds got darker. "There's no other pony here. It's just you and me." Could she be talking about Luna? Can she sense her presence?
"Not real. Not real. Not real," Rainbow kept mumbling. "They can't trick me, I'm awesome."
"I'm not trying to trick you. Please let me help you."
Rainbow Dash curled up in a ball and held her head tightly. She fell, and Scootaloo was forced to dive just to keep pace with her. The sky got darker and darker, to the point where it was impossible to make out anything, not even Rainbow. The air got heavier and a powerful stench unlike anything Scootaloo had ever smelled overpowered her nostrils.
Scootaloo found herself standing on hard, wet stone. She tried to feel her way around, meeting a stone wall. A room. I'm in a dark room. Wherever she turned her head, no source of light was to be found.
Rainbow kept muttering. Scootaloo couldn't see her, only hear her voice. "They can't hurt me, I'm awesome. They can't break me, I'm awesome."
"I'm not trying to break you," Scootaloo argued to no avail.
"They can't trick me, I'm awesome."
"Yes you are," Scootaloo said, stepping in the direction the voice came from. "You're awesome and you can beat this. Just let me help you through it."
"They can't hurt me, I'm awesome."
Scootaloo slammed her hoof on the cold stone in frustration. There had to be some way to reach through to her. "Please, Rainbow," she whispered. An idea sparked in her head. This is a dream. Maybe I can change things here.
She closed her eyes and concentrated. Light, come on, I need some light. She opened her eyes again and gasped as weak illumination appeared from the ceiling. She was in a stone cell, the only exit being a heavy wooden door. Rainbow Dash shivered in a corner and blocked the light with one of her legs. Her right eye was closed and covered with a large scar, and very little remained of her right ear. Her mane and tail had been shaved and only seemed to grow back in uneven spots. Her graying coat couldn't hide the wounds on her skeletal frame, and there was still no cutie mark on her flank.
"Rainbow Dash, what have they done to you?" Tears welled up in Scootaloo's eyes. She averted them, only to see Twilight Sparkle standing silently in a corner, her face frozen in a horrific grimace. Moreso, her features were distorted, even blurred. Her brow was unnaturally stretched, her muzzle too large, and the details on her face lacked details, not unlike a crude drawing. "Twilight?" Scootaloo asked between sobs.
Twilight remained as unmoving as a statue. "Twilight, can you hear me?" Scootaloo asked again.
She was pushed aside by a panicked Rainbow Dash. "No, it's not here! As long as you ignore it, it's not here. It's a trick, you know." The mare's voice was filled with terror and madness as she stuttered in her speech. She was missing at least two teeth, and the others were yellowed and rotting.
"But she is here," Scootaloo insisted. "It's Twilight. Why is Twilight here with us? Why does she look so scared?"
"Put out the light!" Rainbow pleaded. "We can only hide if there's no light!"
Scootaloo found herself crying again. "But you love the light. You never hide in the darkness. You love the open skies."
"No, no, no! Not me, the other pony!"
"You're Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo said, grabbing hold of her big sister. "You're the fastest flyer in Equestria. I don't know what happened to you, but we can save you."
Rainbow pushed Scootaloo away and whimpered in a ball again. "They can't hurt me, I'm awesome."
Scootaloo took a deep breath. Again, this is a dream. You can take control of that dream. She bared her teeth as she ripped a tear into one of the stone walls as if it were made of paper, revealing the blue sky on the other side. Rainbow crawled away from it in a panic, hiding her head under her legs.
"You can beat this," Scootaloo yelled. "This is a dream. You don't have to be in this cell here."
"It's a trick, a trick!"
"It's not a trick," Scootaloo continued. "It's really me. Tell me where you are, and I can tell Princess Luna. We can save you."
"They can't trick me, I'm awesome."
"Stop saying you're awesome and be awesome," Scootaloo moved next to Rainbow and pointed toward the outside.
Rainbow took a peak at the crack and hid her face again.
"Sorry Rainbow, but I have to do this," Scootaloo said as she flew up. She took a deep breath as she grabbed hold of Rainbow. This is a dream. I can be as strong as I want to. She managed to drag the shivering pegasus toward the opening.
"No! Don't take me out there!" Dash screamed. "That isn't me! Not me!"
"You love the sky," Scootaloo continued as she kept pulling the panicked Rainbow Dash.
"Don't take me out there!" Rainbow screamed maniacally. "I don't belong out there!"
"Yes you do!" Scootaloo pushed Rainbow as hard as she could.
Rainbow curled up in a ball as she was thrown through the tear and into the wild blue expanse. Scootaloo dived after her. "Come on. Fly, Rainbow. I know you can fly."
The ground didn't seem to get any closer as both pegasi fell. Scootaloo looked in the distance and saw Twilight Sparkle drifting in the air, as silent as she had been in the prison cell. This particular mystery could wait for later. Scootaloo glided down, trying to follow Rainbow in her fall. "Please, fly."
Rainbow's kept mumbling to herself, her wings still folded. Scootaloo took a deep breath and tried to ignore her own tears. "If you won't save yourself, then maybe you'll save me." She willed her wings to retract and allowed her body to fall. She closed her eyes, refusing to save herself.
Scootaloo kept repeating to herself that it was all a dream. She kept her eyes closed as she tried to remember the Rainbow Dash she knew. Rainbow never abandoned a friend in need. How many times had she been there to catch her in the past? She smiled as she felt herself fall even faster.
It took a moment before Scootaloo felt something grab onto her. She opened her eyes and found herself in Rainbow's hooves. The pegasus flew forward, looking far in front of her.
"Rainbow Dash. You did save me," Scootaloo said with a warm smile. Her big sister's fur was warm to the touch. It felt soft, with no hint of the scars that previously marred it.
Rainbow slowed down as Scootaloo got airborne. "You shouldn't be here," Rainbow whispered. "You can't be real."
"I am," Scootaloo said as she grabbed Rainbow's hoof. "Luna brought me into your dream."
"She shouldn't," Rainbow said as she shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm not that pony anymore. Rainbow Dash is dead."
"No, you're right here," Scootaloo said. "I don't know what they did to you, but you can beat it. Just let me in."
The sky darkened as Rainbow closed her eyes. "It's better this way. Rainbow Dash isn't strong enough. Rainbow Dash would betray her friends."
"Rainbow," Scootaloo said with another smile. "I'd like to see you do a sonic rainboom."
Rainbow shook her head. "No, don't make me." Dark clouds gathered up in the distance and coalesced together. For a moment, they looked like the face of a griffon. "It's coming," Rainbow continued, her voice shaking with fear. "It always comes."
"What's coming?"
"The darkness. It always comes and swallows me."
"You can beat it," Scootaloo said. "You're the fastest flyer in Equestria. You can outrun it. Do a sonic rainboom, and get rid of those dark clouds."
"I can't," Rainbow said, closing her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks.
"Just follow me," Scootaloo said as she flapped her wings as hard as she could, flying in a straight line. "Are you really going to let me beat you?"
Scootaloo looked behind her. Rainbow flapped her wings and winced as she tried to keep pace. Further away, Twilight flew into the dark clouds and was swallowed whole.
"Keep flapping," Scootaloo yelled. "Harder! Faster! Remember the sky, Rainbow. Remember how much you love flying."
Rainbow accelerated. Scootaloo smiled as she saw her big sister had grown her prismatic mane and tail again. She grabbed Scootaloo with one of her front legs as she passed her. Everything seemed to feel lighter as a visible cone of air formed up in front of them. Scootaloo cheered as Rainbow redoubled in speed, culminating in a colorful shockwave.
Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash found themselves under a starry sky. Rainbow landed on a lone cloud floating over Ponyville. "Scootaloo," she said. "I did it."
"That was awesome," Scootaloo said. "I knew you were in there somewhere."
Rainbow averted her eyes, but failed to hide the tears. "Not when I wake up. They've done horrible things to me, Scoots. They have Twilight. She's kept behind some protective spell, and they want me to break that spell. I don't know how, or even if I ever did. Now, I'm afraid that I might."
"I don't understand," Scootaloo said.
"They broke me," Rainbow said in a soft voice. "I can't hide and pretend anymore, Scoots. They completely broke me."
Scootaloo shook her head. "They haven't broken you. Not completely. I'm here with Princess Luna. We can find you, rescue you."
"They're too powerful," Rainbow said as she shook her head.
"At least let us try," Scootaloo argued. "Let Luna come into your dream."
Rainbow stared at the horizon for a moment before she spoke. "I want this nightmare to end. I trust you."
Scootaloo smiled as Princess Luna materialized in the sky. "I am delighted to see you back, Rainbow Dash."
"P... Princess," Rainbow mumbled as Luna landed on the cloud.
"I will send help," Luna said. "We'll rescue both you and Twilight Sparkle. First though, I must know where you are."
"I don't know," Rainbow said, shaking her head. "They always keep me in a dark cell. I don't even remember what the outside looks like."
"Try to remember," Luna said. "How did you arrive? Did you overhear any conversations? I know your mind is hiding from these things, but you can remember."
"You can do it, Rainbow," Scootaloo said. "It must have happened after the battle. What happened after Ponyville?"
"Gilda," Rainbow whispered. "It was Gilda. She said she was rescuing me, but she locked me in a cage."
"Remember," Luna ordered. "Can you take us back to this day?"
Metal bars grew from the cloud they were on. The surrounding space transformed into what looked like a ship's hold. Rainbow paced back and forth inside her cage, baring her teeth as a griffon came down a set of wooden stairs. Rainbow's right eye was closed and sporting a deep scar, as it had earlier in the dream. Her right ear was also in tatters. Scootaloo noticed that Rainbow favored her right hind leg.
"Gilda," Scootaloo whispered into Luna's ear.
"You'll pay for this," Rainbow spat. "Where are you taking me?"
"I swear, this isn't what I wanted," the griffon said, her tone soft and regretful. She approached the cage. "I only wanted to rescue you, but you know how it is. I had my orders. For what it's worth, Dash, I'll do what I can to protect you."
"Right, until they order you to torture me or something," Rainbow said. "You won't be able to break me."
Gilda sighed. "They're taking you to High Roost. I don't know what we'll find there, but I know that you should talk. The prisoners they send to the tower of King's End, they don't come out right. Most of the time they never come out at all. Just please, give them what they want. I promise, I'll do what I can to get you out, but I need your help."
Rainbow spat in Gilda's face. "If you think I'll betray Equestria, you're dead wrong."
"You can be real stubborn sometimes," Gilda said as she brushed the spittle off her face. She turned around and headed out of the ship's hold. "I'll stick around. They're giving me whatever posting I want as a reward for nabbing you. I'll ask to be your jailer. Maybe I can talk some sense into you, or keep you from the worst of it."
Rainbow turned away, refusing to face her captor.
The scenery dissolved, leaving only the cloud they had previously been on. "High Roost," Luna repeated as a grin formed on her muzzle. "The tower of King's End."
Rainbow winced as she heard the names. "Does this mean you can rescue me?" Her appearance returned to normal, or at least the normal Scootaloo remembered.
"I can," the princess said. "Just hold on a while longer. I promise you, Commander." Rainbow recoiled as she heard the title, although Luna ignored the reaction. "You will get out of this."
"I don't know how far away High Roost is, but we'll come get you," Scootaloo said, her wings buzzing in excitement.
"I don't know if I can last any longer," Rainbow said. She stared away in the distance.
"You can do it," Scootaloo said as she hugged her big sister. "Just a little bit longer."
Rainbow hugged her back, the two crying into each other's shoulders. The moment seemed to last forever. Rainbow smiled at Scootaloo. "Hey Scoots?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think we could fly a bit more before we wake up? I've always wanted to fly with you."