The night was quiet in front of Canterlot High School, empty with noise, animals, bugs, anything at all. The school itself lit with only a few lights inside, and all the lamps outside for the parking lots and sidewalks. There were no cars, no pedestrians to witness the rip in reality that was a bright blue light. Scootaloo slowly backed out with Sunset Shimmer holding her hands. Followed by the rest of the group. Once everyone was situated, they all looked towards Sunset, who was looking at Scootaloo like she grew a second head. Rainbow took a deep breath and began to ask, "What the buck were they—"
"She can't speak right," Celestia interrupted before turning to Sunset Shimmer who was starting to breathe deeply. "Sunset? What happened in there? Are you okay?"
Sunset glanced at Celestia and answered slowly, "Anything for Equestria." Cadance and Luna sighed in dismay. Scootaloo turned and punched the stone statue in frustration.
"Buck my life, okay," she groaned while shaking her hand. That hurt a lot. "We need to get—" Sunset suddenly slumped to the ground, breathing heavily, making everyone gasp in alarm. "Sunset!" Scootaloo kneeled down with Celestia to help her back up while Fluttershy checked her pulse.
"It's slow," she announced.
Scootaloo turned to Princess Twilight and ordered, "Get some stretchers ready in Equestria! Along with a doctor! No more time!"
Starlight Glimmer paced around the castle floors of the library in Twilight's castle impatiently. It's been nearly two whole days and nopony's heard back from the others. Rainbow Dash was really worried for Scootaloo's safety. She may be twenty-two, but she was still her little buddy. Always has been and always will be. It was mid afternoon back in Equestria while it was night in Canterlot City.
The portal in front of them suddenly flashed when Princess Twilight ran out worriedly. Everyone looked up then stood up with expectant smiles, which instantly turned to worry when they saw her expression. Ignoring them for a moment, Twilight ran out of the library and out into the castle halls.
"Who whoa whoa, where's the fire?" Rainbow Dash yelled when she caught up to her.
"No time, Rainbow! Sunset needs immediate medical attention right now!" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and zoomed past Twilight. The princess slid to a stop before she returned with Nurse Redheart, who was frozen and holding a stethoscope seemingly on a pony's chest. She gasped and looked around for a moment. Then focused her sights on Princess Twilight. "Uhhh..." Twilight stammered. "Thanks, Rainbow. Nurse Redheart. We need your help right now!"
"Okay... I guess my last pony's exam for the day that was booked two weeks ago can wait," she muttered sarcastically before Twilight teleported her back to the library. She motioned for her to wait there and for the others to stand ready before she jumped right through the portal once again. The rest of the mane six stood in front of the portal with worry.
"What do you think's going on?" Rarity asked. Applejack shrugged before the portal flashed again. This time Scootaloo jumped out with... Green hair? "Oh my goodness that is a horrible hairstyle!" Rarity yelled in horror.
Ignoring her, Scootaloo waited before someone else flew out, this time an orange unicorn. She flew out and landed in Scootaloo's magic, hefted in midair before Scootaloo slowly lowered her back down to the ground. The other Princesses and the others quickly ran out afterwards and started looking Sunset Shimmer over. The first thing everyone saw was that the leather outfit didn't leave her body. And the metal cuffs were still attached to her.
"Where is she?!" Scootaloo screamed.
"Nurse Redheart!" Princess Twilight yelled, getting the Nurse's attention. She strode forward and looked down at Sunset Shimmer's body, gasping at what she found. Sunset still had the large lacerations on her. But her face was pale, and her coat had lost its original luster. She looked really sick.
"Oh my goodness, what happened?" She exclaimed.
"Humans happened, that's what!" Scootaloo yelled before the nurse kneeled down with her stethoscope, glad that she actually brought it with her. She placed it through the top of the shirt and over what would be Sunset's heart, listening for a heartbeat.
"It's weak," she announced. Then urgently put away her stethoscope. "She needs to go to the hospital immediately. Let's—" The group disappeared in a flash when Twilight teleported them all to the hospital waiting room. "—go." She looked around and shrugged. Then quickly levitated Sunset Shimmer onto a gurney. "Doctor! We need help here now!" She yelled. Sunset Shimmer moaned and tried to sit up before Celestia put a hoof on her back.
"No, stay down, Sunset," she told her before the doctor ran into the room.
He trotted forward and stopped in front of the gurney with two more nurses. "What's going on?"
"Low heart rate," Nurse Redheart informed him quickly. "She needs an assessment. Quickly." He nodded and motioned for the nurses to grab the gurney. They grabbed hold of the handles and proceeded to push her into a hallway, moaning and groaning. Everyone else could only wait in the lobby, watching as she was pushed away.
Once out of view, Scootaloo sighed and walked out of the lobby, heading for the afternoon air outside. She needed it. While she was breathing, Rainbow turned to the other Princesses and asked, "What the buck happened over there?"
"They were holding Sunset," Celestia responded. "In a facility that was away from the public deep in the woods. They were not going to give her to us, so we decided to do a retrieval. She was in a laboratory, in some type of box with electrified walls. She was curled up in a ball and still. I have a feeling she's been through something terrible."
While they were talking, Scootaloo was outside looking at Twilight's castle in the distance, and the castle in Canterlot. She had a feeling those castles would be seeing a lot of her in the next few days. A whole lot. But before anything, she had to get the Equestrian stuff off of Earth. Those people weren't getting anything. They'd have to come here for it. Right into the fire.
Taking one last look at the hospital, she ran away towards the Castle of Friendship and shadow teleported inside. Scootaloo reformed back into her pony body and ran towards the library, where the portal was setup. Then pushed the doors open, and trotted across the floor, right up to the violet glowing spinning portal. She turned and looked behind her, just in case she was followed. Then turned back and jumped right into the portal. This wormhole is too colorful, she thought to herself before running out and immediately activating her shield spell. It was still night when she arrived. The crickets were chirping, the wind was blowing hard, and Scootaloo was cautious.
She looked around, then turned into black clouds, flying towards the apartment complex she lived in before. And the building the group slept in last night. If anyone were on the ground, they wouldn't even know she was flying over you. Good thing too, because there were a lot of police at the apartment complex. Nothing but red, white, and blue at her place. It's too late for this, she thought to herself while flying low. Then reformed and landed on the other side of the complex with the other agitated and tired tenants without being seen. Yet, anyway.
"Lareen," someone whispered. She looked over and saw Maud looking at her confusedly, obviously trying to figure out where she came from. She as well as Pink Bubblegum and Black Licorice were looking at the apartment complex.
"What's going on?" Scootaloo asked.
"They're in your apartment."
"Buck no." She started walking and pushing past the tenants, much to earn their ire, and giving her friends a bad feeling. This was about to get ugly fast. Scootaloo breached the crowd and boldly—not to mention angrily—walked across the street. She could see a bunch of police, detectives, and probably FBI based off the suits in the parking lot talking while others were walking up and down the stairs. She looked up towards her bedroom window. Sure enough, her light was on and she could make out movement through the curtain. They had crossed another line. While walking she lifted the watch on her wrist that she got from underneath her home's kitchen sink earlier that morning and twisted it. The apartment she grew up in flashed a light blue aura for a moment, then diminished without being seen. Activating a magical security measure. Sorry, Twilight, she thought. This is an experiment too.
***
One of the detectives outside, caught movement from the corner of his left eye, forcing him to stop writing on his clipboard and discussing with the other officers. A girl wearing an orange shirt and army green cargo shorts with dark green hair were headed their way.
He tapped one of the officers and motioned to her with his head. "Take her back to the others please," he requested. The officer sighed and walked over.
"Ma'am," he said. "This area is off limits—"
"Yada yada yada, I want you—"Scootaloo pointed at him then at the others by the cars. "—them, and those—" She pointed towards her room. "—away from this complex within two minutes. If not, none of you are leaving this complex until I start my own investigation."
"Ma'am, I'm—"
"Nevermind, I'm tired, I'm just doing this right now." Scootaloo lifted her hand and shot a bolt of dark magic behind him.
He looked over his shoulder before Scootaloo pushed him into the rift she just created. He fell through screaming and into her apartment on his back with the investigators. They stopped and looked at him as he got up and looked around.
"What? How the buck did I get in here?" He asked before turning and making his way out the open door. Reaching it, he slammed face first into something he couldn't see and fell again.
The detectives looked down at him before three more fell into the room in front of the broken living room television on top of each other.
"What's going on?" A woman asked from the hallway. Lieutenant Mayweather poked her head into the room with Captain Looper.
One of the detectives helped up one of his colleagues and said, "Not sure. These guys just keep—" The lights in the entire complex suddenly went off, the electrical current shutting down with a loud descending hum. Including the police cruisers and anything else with electricity in the area. One of the officers pulled out a flashlight and flipped the switch. It didn't turn on. He did it a few more times, then started to walk out of the room before he slammed into something and fell flat on his back.
"What the heck?" Captain Looper asked to no one in particular. He stepped around the officer and put his hand out. It touched something solid, but he couldn't see what it was. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at the spot he touched.
"I wouldn't do that." They all turned towards the hallway where the girl with the green hair was standing with her arms crossed. "Those bullets will bounce back and hit you straight in the face. I've tested it plenty of times. It'd make me really happy if you tried though."
"Lareen Carson," Captain Looper said. He smiled and stepped forward. "We found you."
"Not even close, you broke into my house when I wasn't home and I happened to stop by. Now let's get down to business. Equestria has every reason to come here and destroy everything you've worked hard for. Undo it all at the snap of a finger." Scootaloo lifted her hand and snapped her finger, turning their weapons into... Candles? Lieutenant Mayweather held it with two fingers then dropped it on the carpet as if it were diseased. "I'm giving you a second curveball. Drop this stupid and pathetic investigation that involves breaking and entering, kidnapping, and possibly torture, and I won't come back, grab you, take you back to Equestria and straight to Queen Chrysalis. I think she'd enjoy turning you into a bug. And I'd like to see that happen for myself, actually."
"Are you blackmailing us?" One of the detectives asked.
"Oh no, see you're mistaken," Scootaloo responded. She chuckled and added with a smile, "I'm not threatening you, I'm threatening whoever killed my parents. There's a difference." She lost her smile and gave them an angry look. "Unless you're an accomplice. Then yeah, I'm threatening you too."
"i don't think you're in a position to threaten anyone," Lieutenant Mayweather chided.
Scootaloo chuckled again and stepped out of the hallway, walking forward casually with her arms crossed. "Apparently I didn't make myself clear when we rescued my friend from your stupid compound. So I'll just make myself more clear. Have a seat." She thrust her arm out and pushed them all back into the plain metal chairs she created with her magic earlier as if she had the force. The lieutenant grunted when she nearly fell over in hers. "I also think you don't know who I am. I am Scootaloo, the Princess of Magic in Equestria. I can do everything you wish you could. My parents were legends in Equestria and still are considered the primary founders of many of the spells cast in Equestria, and have created all of the spells I used by my Dark magic. Unlike any and all Equestrians, I use both light and dark. Which is considered a taboo in Equestria, but I am given permission to use considering who my parents are. Now, what you guys want is this." Scootaloo walked into the living room and grabbed what looked like a snow globe that they had taken out of her parents' room for some reason and presented it out in front of her. It started to move and glide into a different shape, grabbing the eyes of the intruders. It changed color, shape, and density, turning into...a gun. She held the pistol at arms length with two fingers. "Ugh, too modern. For me, anyway. Here you can have it." She tossed it onto the lap of the Captain, who stared at it like it was gold.
Scootaloo walked into the kitchen and stopped at one of the cabinets. "No other creature—human, pony, Changeling, or any creature I know of—can do that. I am the only one. Because I posses the magic and skill."
"Uhhh..." The captain ripped his gaze away from the gun and towards Lareen, who was in the cabinets out of sight going through the pocket spell placed in there years ago. A portal that went absolutely nowhere but in a single area. "But you're still in the US. You're on our property and what we say goes."
"Be that as it may," Scootaloo said from inside the cabinets. "I don't think my friends, or friend—" she suddenly popped back over the counter aiming a weapon of some sort straight at his head. It was steel and had vents on both sides of the barrel that had something light blue glowing inside of it. Extremely similar to a gun that looked really futuristic. "—agrees. Do you know what this is? No? Let me show you."
She levitated the weapon off of the captain's lap that he was about to grab and held it in front of the weapon. Then pulled the trigger. A light blue beam shot out of the barrel almost silently and hit the pistol. But instead of it flying across the room, the gun began to quiver and shake. It bent in many unnatural ways and shrunk, metal bending and shaking uncontrollably in a sphere of blue light that was practically disintegrating until it disappeared in a flash. The captain had to admit. He was scared.
Scootaloo lifted the gun up and leaned it against her shoulder, keeping her calm and collected gaze on the officers who were staring at her like she was nuts. She grinned and patted the side of it. "Another experiment," she explained. "My parents made the design and I supplied the magic. It takes matter and violently rips it apart by compressing the molecules it's made out of. Imagine every single bone, organ, and everything else in you being broken, ripped apart, and disappearing. Everything has to go somewhere though, right?" She calmly and tauntingly walked out from behind the counter. "Thing is... I don't know where it's target goes. It could be limbo, Equestria, or even Chaosville where Discord resides. Maybe even the Badlands where you'll be nothing but a bunch of twisted meat for THE HUNGRY CHANGELINGS TO GRAB AND TORTURE FOR FUN IF YOU DON'T START TALKING!"
She lifted the gun and pointed it straight into Lieutenant Mayweather's freaked out face. Scootaloo narrowed her constantly color-changing eyes and said, "You're in no position to threaten me! The tables have turned and YOU, as well as the rest of you stuck in those chairs in this room are all at MY mercy! You're going to talk! What do you want from Equestria?!"
"Magic!" Mayweather admitted, not wanting to test the girl pointing a highly destructive weapon at her face. She could literally see a neon blue light inside barrel.
"Why?!"
"For power!"
"Tell the truth!"
"That's all I know, I swear!" The weapon whined up into a high pitch tone when Scootaloo pulled the trigger back halfway, then turned to Captain Looper, aiming at him now. He started shaking and slowly raised his hands.
"What did you do to Sunaet Shimmer?!"
"We wanted to see how she gets her magic!" He admitted.
"Why? Who do you work for?!"
"The US!" Scootaloo raised the weapon and pointed it at a random detective, who quickly raised his hands, eyes wide as coffee saucers.
"Why were you in here rummaging?!"
"We were looking for information on you and your family in case we missed something!" Scootaloo let go of the trigger and pulled the gun back up on her shoulder, letting them relax.
"Here's the deal," she sighed calmly. "You're coming with me back to Equestria, and you're going to explain what you did to Sunset. And you're going to fix it."
"We only dropped her off," Lieutenant Mayweather informed her. "We don't know what they did to her."
"Uh huh," Scootaloo responded sarcastically. "I heard something else." Scootaloo reached out and grabbed her by the neck. Then lifted her and the chair she was glued to into the air. "You're going to find those responsible. And you're going to bring them to the portal. Because if you don't, I'm going to find them myself, then bring you all to Equestria to hear the verdict on what you have done to an Equestrian! Every last one of you!"
"But we have nothing to do with this!" The Detective responded.
"You broke into my home on illegal grounds on both Equestrian and US law! Guilty by association!" She threw Mayweather back onto the ground so she could lift her wrist and switch off the experiment. The power in the building came back on, and the police lights outside were once again flashing. Mayweather stood up from her chair and backed away fearfully from the girl holding a gun while they were defenseless.
"You have thirty seconds to leave this complex in your cars before I start throwing you through windows. Twenty-nine—" The group immediately turned and ran out of the room, making Scootaloo chuckle.
Once they reached their cars, they jumped inside, switched gears, and sped out of parking lot, nearly hitting each other. Tires screeching. The tenants backed away when they turned and sped down the street. "REMEMBER MY WARNING, CAPTAIN! BRING THEM TO ME AND YOU AND YOUR MEN GET TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN!" Soon, they zoomed out of sight, leaving the tenants with questions. Many questions.
Someone tapped Maud on her back, getting her to turn around. Scootaloo was standing there levitating at least fifty boxes and crates behind her, filled with Equestrian information and experiments. "Tell the people they can go back to sleep now. They won't come back. See ya' later girls." Scootaloo teleported away from view, taking Maud by surprise. She looked at the spot she was just at, then at the apartments behind her, scratching her head.
Princess Twilight was pacing impatiently across the waiting room floor, the tension causing her more pain than Celestia's voice when she yells. No one else was better, all making subtle motions that displayed their current uncomfortable attitudes. The princesses had lowered the sun and moon earlier, and were now sleeping. Twilight couldn't.
A doctor walked out of a hallway with a clipboard and announced, "Sunset Shim—"
"Is she okay?!" Twilight asked. She trotted up to him with a concerned expression, followed by everyone else once the Princesses woke up.
"Erm... Depends on what you mean by okay," the doctor answered. He shifted through his notes and sighed. "There are multiple bruises on her body and she's suffered a fifty-two percent blood loss. That was why she was so tired when she came here. Her heart wasn't beating enough blood. She can barely walk without becoming winded. There are also many cutouts on certain parts of her body that have grown back in different shades of black, apart from her natural color. Next, we have her mental state."
"How bad is it?" Luna asked.
"Well, everything inside her head's been jumbled," he explained. "So much so that she can only remember a few words: 'Yes, No, Anything for Equestria, I can’t wait to learn more about friendship, and Dear Princess Twilight.' That's all she's been saying ever since we refilled her blood flow. But the worst part of all of this is those metal bands on her body. We can't get them off."
Twilight stuck her neck out. "What? Wh-what do you mean?"
"We can't get them off. We tried lazers, magic, and more to cut it. But it won't even bend."
"Can we see her?" Princess Celestia asked.
He shook his head and said, "It's best if Sunset gets her rest. What happened to her, if you don't mind?"
"She was held against her will," Celestia snarled. "By a race that I am going to track down and—"
"No need to track them." They turned towards the door that Scootaloo was walking through, yawning. She had the equestrian gun on her back, attached to her by a strap. "They'll be waiting on the other side of the portal with those who did this probably in a few hours. If not, I can go back and destroy everything they know and love. How's Sunset?"
Twilight shook her head and said, "Not well. Where'd you go?"
"Back to my old home and grabbed everything inside that house. I brought it here. It's in the library in your castle. Read your heart out, Twilight."
Twilight blinked and whispered, "Everything?"
"Everything. Even the books, notes, and anything else. I'm storing them in my parents' facility in Canterlot tomorrow."
Twilight blinked then slowly pulled Scootaloo into a hug. "Thank you."
Rainbow rolled her eyes and stepped forward. "Alright, squirt. Time for bed."
Scootaloo pulled back and gave Rainbow Dash an incredulous look. "What? You're joking." Rainbow smirked and scooped Scootaloo onto her back.
"Nope! Time to hit the sack."
Scootaloo turned back into a foal for a moment. "Aww, come on Rainbow! Let me stay up a little longer. I don't wanna go to bed, I don't wanna!" Rainbow chuckled and walked through the door. Then took off towards the moonlit cloudominium.
"All little fillies need to sleep," Rainbow told her.
"Awww!" Scootaloo groaned. She crossed her hooves and then blew her green mane out of her face. She had to get rid of that.