It's been one year on the dot exactly since Rainbow first adopted Scootaloo, and Scootaloo intends to show her gratefulness towards the pegasus in spades. So, she gets the best idea ever, a cake from Sugarcube Corner! Trouble is, getting it home. How hard can it be?

(Wait, featured? How did this happen?)

It's been years since Scootaloo was a filly, searching for meaning with her friends while Twilight and her friends saved Equestria again and again. The Crusaders have grown up, and settled into adult life. The Mane Six have all found their own way to take a step back, pass on the torch, and relax doing what they love.

Except Rainbow Dash. She never stopped, never slowed down. Until recently, Scootaloo never gave it a moment's thought. But a long talk with the Wonderbolt's trainer forces her to admit what she's known for some time.

Rainbow Dash is slipping. Now to get her to admit it...

Credit for cover photo goes to Ponything and Crosspone

Scootaloo slowly opens the rusty pronged gate...
“Rainbow, you here?”
“Hey kid! ... What’s up?

*I REALLY suggest you look at this AFTER YOU READ and you still don’t understand the plot. Reading it first will RUIN THE STORY! So DON’T!

No spoilers! ;)

Nightshade is a thestral who was transferred from the Lunar Guard to Twilight's royal guard. Like Scootaloo, he was an orphan. And that bond of understanding is why he adopts Scootaloo. Also like Scootaloo, he has issues that he has to work through. Though they are not the only ones with issues. Rainbow Dash also has her issues to work through as well, having secrets about her past that she is ashamed of.

Scootaloo is a pegasus filly who has trouble flying and is a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Like Nightshade Scootaloo is an orphan. Though she has trust issues, that bond of understanding will perhaps be what helps break through her shell. But though she has her issues, she realizes that Nightshade also has issues. And she learns that holding in your feelings can be harmful.

Rainbow Dash is a pegasus who's the winner of the Best Young Fliers competition as well as being a Wonderbolt. On the surface, she is confident in herself. However, nopony can keep up a facade like that forever. And secrets about her past, and her bond with Scootaloo, are revealed. And those secrets may jeopardize her bond with Scootaloo. But those secrets, as painful as they may be, has to be explained to understand her reluctance to adopt Scootaloo herself.

[I didn't have any prereaders or editors for the first chapter. But Chapters 2 and up are preread by THMXTaylorLee. Anyone else who's willing to preread/edit are welcome to contact me.]

Scootaloo learned about an amazing trick she could perform on her scooter but she wasn't prepared for the consequences of her actions.

Editor/proof reader: SuperPinkBrony12

Rainbow Dash lost finally lost a race, and is now being interrogated by Twilight to find out why she did what she did.

When Chrysalis reappears with an army of unturned changelings to challenge Thorax for the throne, the Changeling Civil War begins. Of course, being close allies with Thorax's Kingdom, Equestria enters the war on his side, and the Wonderbolts are called into military service. On a routine scouting mission, Rainbow Dash goes down behind enemy lines and the changelings bring her to a prisoner-of-war camp, already full of captured ponies and turned changelings. Naturally, being a hero of Equestria, a veritable symbol of the nation, leads to her captors taking out a lot of aggression on her. Nonetheless, Rainbow Dash's will to return home to her friends and loyalty to her nation keeps her strong, and, with the help of a sympathetic changeling guard, she plots a daring escape to freedom. All the while, Spitfire is determined to track down and rescue her best flier--and her close friend.

Since this is November, and Veterans/Armistice/Remembrance Day is around the corner, I'd like to give a big thank-you to all those who've served/are serving, especially our dear military bronies. You folks aren't only brave enough to serve your country and put your lives at risk, but also to openly enjoy a show about small, rainbow-colored horses? That takes guts.

In addition, I'd like to warn everypony that while this story doesn't stray too far from the MLP world we all know, it does take place during a war, and in an internment camp. And some of the things that go on inside POW camps are not very pretty. The things that staying in one can do to your mind are even less pretty. Rainbow's gonna see some sht; readers, you've been warned.

A lot of the information I got about prison camps, how they operate, and how to survive and escape one came from the book SAS and Elite Forces Guide: Prisoner of War Escape & Evasion by Chris McNab. It's a very interesting book if you'd like to learn more, and I thank him for writing it.

Just a quick note about tags: "Teen," in addition to the following, encompasses some occasional sex jokes and innuendoes. Will add the appropriate tag if the audience finds it necessary. "Violence" and "death" because it's set during a war and there are depictions or references, though "gore" will only be occasional (because I don't particularly enjoy viscera), and "profanity", well, I don't plan on having too much thrown in, because the characters, to me, don't seem like ones who would curse too much, but certain words (namely "damn") will get used in-text or in-speech as intensifiers.

Danny has recently been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Along with his medication, he is assigned a very special helper to get him back on his feet with plenty of affection and a listening ear.

A story written to relax and inspire confidence in both those with mental illness and those that simply need a listening ear and a smile on their faces. Love to all of you.

Hearth's Warming Eve was one of the many holidays where Rainbow Dash would've appreciated, with sledding alongside the rest of the Mane Six and her usual snowball fights with Scootaloo. Instead she was stuck with nursing a pony who had, much to her dismay, a few problems of his own.

Through the twelve days towards the Winter Wrap Up, however, the pony, inaptly named Taciturn Bleach, began to inspire her, only by his rare and drastic talent; one that she had found out perplexed most, if not, all of the ponies around, including her.

After all, not all rainbows have to be colorful to be perfect.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note: Each chapter will be released in the twelve days of Christmas, so it's gonna be a quick one!

It's almost Mother's Day. Scootaloo comes to Rainbow Dash with a startling question, but then backs off, feeling ashamed she asked it. Rainbow Dash, taken off-guard by the question, starts to question both herself, how she feels about Scootaloo, and about her past...