//------------------------------// // Front Lines // Story: Mission Impossible: Diamond Dancer's Dilema // by RarityEQM //------------------------------// Scootaloo gave a quiet groan, pulling herself up from a restless slumber. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, plus one Diamond Dancer, had taken refuge in a bedroom that may have once been a servants room. Everything inside was dilapidated, of course, but the door was made of strong wood and shut completely. It would make for a fine position to fortify, and so they barricaded themselves inside. The pegasus had finally stumbled into her dreams, only to be awoken by a sound. Not the sound of a timber wolf, or the sound of something dangerous, but a sound she was all too familiar with. The sound of hopeless sobbing. It was slightly muffled, but she could still hear it. Down an empty hallway that echoed quiet suffering. Every warning flag Scootaloo had was going off. She knew she shouldn't leave the safety of the group. She knew it was a bad idea to follow that sound and to climb past the barricade into the night. She knew all of this, and yet she still found herself sneaking down the hallway. A few doors down, Scootaloo found an open room, which seemed to be the source of the sound. She perked her ears and braced herself up against the wall. As slowly, and carefully as she could, she stuck her head out and peered into the open room. Diamond Dancer was sitting on a cracked and element eaten bed. She was sobbing quietly into her hooves, with her back turned towards the door. Scootaloo took a few quiet steps in, but Diamond -Dee Dee, didn't seem to notice her. She could, however, make out the miserable sound of blubbering woe, though. "M-My poyfect record! Ruined. I failed da princess. She'll kick me back out into da streets! All because I couldn't make a lousy friend. And now everyding is ruined and I got everypony inta trouble and everypony haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaates me!!" The filly sniffled into her hooves. Scootaloo bit her lower lip and opened her mouth to say something, but stopped short. What was she supposed to say? Shouldn't she still be mad about getting dragged into the forest in the middle of the night by this imposter of a pony? She should have been. She should have been furious about the danger she'd been thrust into. Dee-Dee could have gotten her, and her friends killed! Instead, she coughed into her hooves and sat down. Dee-Dee sniffled quietly and rubbed her nose with a wing, before she slowly turned around. Scootaloo forced a tender smile. Maybe they could try again...it was worth it, after all, right? Friendship? "I don't hate you." She said after a pregnant pause. That was the truth, sort of. She didn't particularly like Dee Dee, but she didn't outright hate the girl either. Dee Dee sniffled quietly and peered across the room at the orange pegasus. Before drawing in a breath to try and compose herself for the following conversation. "You'se oughta. I'm nuffin but trouble." Dee Dee sighed quietly. "I shoulda nevah told you'se guys I woyked for Princess Luna as a monstah huntah. Dat...dat was a lie. " Dee Dee sputtered. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and took a slow, cleansing breath. She was less frustrated with the lie, than the fact that Dee-ee thought she would be dumb enough to fall for it. Which she did. "Yeah, we sorta figured when you ran away from the timberwolf. But, why though? We would have hung out with you. You don't need to impress us or make up stories." Scootaloo cooed quietly. Her fury for this other girl had started to melt, after seeing her being remorseful about the entire situation. Diamond looked up and tilted her head. "Really? Dat woulda been nice ta know before da fact. I figured, well, Diamond Tira said it herself. Why would you'se wanna be friends with a pony that has gunk all over her coat?" Dee-Dee sighed and Scootaloo chuckled coldly. "It's no big deal! I honestly thought it was your pelt! Actually, I think it looks kinda cool! Sorta of like freckles." Scootaloo grinned, and almost giggled at the faint tint of pink that rose over Dee Dee's cheeks. "Just so you know," she added "Diamond Tiara doesn't represent the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She's not a part of the group." Scootaloo explained. It dawned on her that Dee-Dee could have thought Diamond Tiara was a member of the CMC. It made a lot more sense to why she was trying to impress them. Especially if she thought Diamond Tiara was the leader. Scootaloo shuddered at the thought. "Just tell us the truth next time. And don't worry so much! We can-" Scootaloo began, but Dee-Dee shushed her with a sharp hiss and sat up with her ears perked in alarm. Scootaloo frowned, and prepared to give Dee Dee a piece of her mind! How DARE she shush her! But before she could say anything, Dee-Dee sat up, deathly still. Her ears twitched like radar dishes and she listened intently. Listening for something, or listening to, something, Scootaloo wasn't sure. But Dee-Dees face paled. Well, as pale as a silver pony could get. Now Scootaloo was curious. "...What are we listening for?" She whispered after a few moments. Dee-Dee listened for a second longer, before she quietly started to shuffle herself under the broken bed frame, motioning for Scootaloo to do the same. Insistently motioning for Scootaloo to do the same. Demanding, that Scootaloo do the same with the sort of body language she was projecting. Scootaloo almost shrugged it off as just odd behavior, but the way the filly scrambled so madly under the bed, startled her own nerves. What had this girl so scared so suddenly? Under the bed, Dee Dee, gestured towards the door to the bedroom. Scootaloo peered over at it, and her stomach twisted in such a way she thought it was trying to crawl out of her mouth. A large, black and brown nose slowly pushed its way into the room. A timber wolf. A big timber wolf. How had Dee-Dee known it was coming? Scootaloo pondered asking the trembling girl, but aside from visibly quaking, Dee-Dee didn't make a sound. She had become deathly still and her breathing was steady and rhythmic, whereas Scootaloo felt like she was hyperventilating. The creature slowly made its way into the room; its claws click-clacking on the cracked and broken stonework beneath it. It paused, glancing left and right, as if scanning the room for something. Them. It was looking for them, Scootaloo realized with a cold shudder. She stole a glance at Dee-Dee, who seemed to be frozen with fear. What were they going to do?! What if it saw them...what if..-She was snapped out of her thoughts when Dee-Dee elbowed her in the side, and leaned in close. Her voice was barely a hint of a whisper. "Run back to Apple Bloom and Sweetie. I'll distract it." She hissed to Scootaloo's ultimate dismay. What? She was going to sacrifice herself for her?! This filly was far crazier than she thought!! "Are you nuts?! No way, just stay here. Maybe it'll leave." Scootaloo hissed, but Dee-Dee bit at her lower lip. "No. Its got our scent. Dats how it followed us in here. I...I don't know what it's waiting for, though. It should know were under da bed...what's it doin?" Dee-Dee hissed. Indeed, the timber wolf creature was staring at the broken bed intently. It snarled, and growled, but made no move to approach or attack them. What was it waiting for? A moment passed. And then another, and another still. The wolf didn't move from the doorway. Was it watching them? Waiting to see what they would do? Dee-Dee frowned quietly. Maybe they coul- The door swung open, Another wolf joined the first, and then a third. Scootaloo whimpered. That first wolf had been a scout. It followed them from the forest. It had led the pack to their scent. Stalked them throughout the castle. Now they were trapped in the bedroom. Dee-Dee groaned. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. She should have been keeping watch instead of throwing a pity party for herself! "Dee...they're lookin' at us Dee..." Scootaloo whispered. She was right. three timber wolves stood staring at the broken bed and the delicious fillies underneath it. "Ok. Here's da plan; we go for da window. We dive outside and circle around to the otherside, and we'll carry Sweetie and Apple Bloom somewhere safe!" Diamond hissed. Scootaloo frowned quietly and swallowed a raging cry of despair struggling to free itself from her lips. "N-no! I can't...I mean w- we can't..." She squawked miserably. It was a nightmare come to pass! The safety of her friends counted on her ability to fly! And she couldn't. Dee-Dee gave a quiet sigh. "I guess if eddah' of us could fly, we'd have done so to escape dat timbah wolf." The silver filly chuckled coldly. Much to Scootaloo's ultimate surprise. But she had a point; neither of them flew off when confronted with the cocktrice. "So how did you plan to get us out of the window if you can't fly?!" Scootaloo hissed. Dee-Dee shook her head. "I was gonna do my best ta fake it. " She groaned. The timber wolves started to move in. Snarling at the two fillies with a greedy hunger glinting in their eyes. "Ok, new plan! Go for da door, and don't look back. Real quick, I'm indestructible. Yeah, I know, it's a lot ta take in, just go with me here. You'se shoot for da door, I'll distract dem, trust me, I'll be fine. Do dis all da time." Diamond chuckled sheepishly and started to wriggle out from under the bed. Scootaloo yelped, and grabbed the other fillies tail. "Are you crazy?!" She hissed. Dee-Dee rolled her eyes. "What did I just say?" the silver pegasus groaned. She batted her tail from Scootaloo's grasp and gave a little snort. "Just git ready ta run da moment it's clear!!" Dee-Dee barked. To Scootaloo's horror, she marched towards the three timber wolves.