//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: The Secret of a Rainbow // by Little Brave Heart //------------------------------// Chapter 5: The Secret of a Rainbow After Scootaloo told Apple Bloom everything, she felt like she had a huge weight off her back. Like telling somepony would resolve the issue. She knew that wasn't true, but she held on to that thought. The purple haired filly just hoped that her friend Apple Bloom could keep the secret, knowing how hard it was for her to keep the secret in the first place. If she told Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Belle could tell Rarity, and Rarity was one of Rainbow Dash's dearest friends, and one of the elements of harmony. The pegasus still couldn't quite understand that Dash would commit something as treacherous as murder, her being the Element of Loyalty. Committing murder and lying to her best friends certainly wasn't loyal at all. But then again, none of this made any sense. But at least she could maybe sleep again. She decided she could trust Apple Bloom, being one of her best friends, and never breaking a promise. Scootaloo held onto that thought, the only link to her sanity, that, and her good memories of crusading that she had to think constantly about now. The orange filly was tired, but she couldn't fall asleep. She was afraid she would have another nightmare if she managed to fall asleep again. The sun was starting to rise in the east, bringing comforting sunlight into the small bedroom. It wasn't enough to forget about her fears, but it was enough for the filly to have a smile on her face. She got up out of bed, seeming hungry all of a sudden. Scootaloo figured to go wake Apple Bloom. She opened the door, not caring if it creaked or not anymore. To her surprise, when she whipped the door open, there wasn't the slightest creak. "Maybe I should have done that the first time." Scootaloo whispered. Apple Bloom was just getting up. The yellow earth filly stretched and yawned. She got to her hooves, and opened her eyes. "Oh, hey Scoot. Ah was just about to come and wake ya up. We got another big day of crusading ahead of us!" Apple Bloom said with joy, grabbing her Cutie Mark Crusader cape. "Oh yeah! I brought my cape too. I better go get that." Scootaloo could focus more on crusading instead of keeping her secret to herself, and not letting it slip out, and so far Apple Bloom was doing a good job keeping it. The orange filly went inside her temporary room and grabbed her saddlebag. She figured that she should just bring her whole saddlebag. But first she opened it and but her cape on, then put her bag on her back, then trotted out of the room. Scootaloo found her red haired friend standing in the small hallway. "Listen, Scoot. Ah now its probably hard knowing yer mentor is a murderer, but ah know that it would make it worse if ah tell anypony. Ah'll try my best to keep yer secret." Apple Bloom said with softness and understanding in her eyes. "Thanks. I knew I could count on you." Scootaloo replied. She knew that if she told one of her closest friends, it would be okay. "But just one thing." Apple Bloom interrupted the orange ones thoughts. "We can't tell Sweetie Belle. She's the worst at keeping secrets. But if ah start acting weird around her, ah'll tell her the secret. There's no point in hiding this!" The yellow filly said looking side to side. "Your right. Why don't we just tell her in the first place? I can't live with this secret anymore! I mean, I'm just a filly. No filly should have the slightest thought about any of this!" Scootaloo said, letting it all spill out of her mouth. "We have to tell Sweetie Belle, then she'll tell everypony even if we don't tell her to." "Scoot, ah don't think that would be a good idea." Apple Bloom insisted. "No, I don't care what you say. We need to do this. I'll begin to become like Rainbow Dash if I live with this any longer, insane." Scootaloo persisted. "Well, ah don't wanna see that happen to one of my closest friends. Ah guess we'll have ta do it." ------------------------------------------------------------- "So. That's the story. I didn't really pass my flight test.... I almost got killed in the Rainbow Facility, and they really kill innocent ponies there. The bruises and scars are from breaking free of the chains, not from a bad landing from the test. A cloud can't REALLY do that much damage. So now you know, but you can't tell a single soul about this." Scootaloo told Sweetie Belle after finishing her story about the Rainbow Factory. The white unicorn filly sat there in silence for a moment. The only thing they could hear was the soothing birds chirping, and the breeze rustling their hair and the trees green leaves from outside. Then she finally spoke. "Guys! I can't handle this secret, you should know that! I need to tell Rarity!" Sweetie Belle ran out of her room before Scootaloo or Apple Bloom could respond. They tried to run after her, but thanks to her new levitation spell, she closed and locked her door from the outside in a fraction of the normal time. The two fillies banged on the door. "No, ya can't do this! Ya can't tell Rarity, what will she think of Rainbow Dash after ya tell her!" Apple Bloom yelled through the door. "Yeah! She's right!" Scootaloo agreed. But Sweetie Belle ignored their pleas. "I'll let you out after I'm done telling Rarity the whole story!" She called. "No!" The two fillies said in unison. The white unicorn went down the stairs and into Rarity's dress making room. "Rarity! Rarity!" Sweetie Belle called. "What is it NOW Sweetie Belle?" Rarity's annoyed voice came from the other side of the room. "Rarity! I need to tell you something!" "Okay, but don't take too long. I need to finish five dresses for a prestigious top-notch fashion magazine in Canterlot. Go ahead, tell your story." Rarity said looking back at her sewing machine. "I'll sew while you speak." Sweetie Belle began her story, starting with what they do with the failures in Cloudsdale, then onto the Rainbow Facility. She told her about what happened to Scootaloo, and where Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were right now. Rarity's emerald eyes were wide open in shock. "No. Rainbow Dash couldn't be a murderer! She is the element of loyalty, no matter the cost, she would tell us!" The purple haired unicorn said looking away. "I don't know, but Scootaloo didn't get hurt on her flying test, a cloud can't to much damage." Sweetie Belle informed her. "Well, if you didn't want the secret to get out, you made a mistake telling me. I must tell my other friends, its the only way to save Rainbow Dash from further mental illness." Rarity said and trotted out the door. "Rarity! Wait! You can't do that!" The younger sibling called out, but it was too late. The older mare was now in full trot, heading in the direction of Twilight Sparkles house. She heard banging on the door, from upstairs. "Oh no! I forgot about Apple Bloom and Scootaloo!" The white filly ran upstairs and to her bedroom door, unlocking it with her magic. The two fillies came running out. "How could you do that! I thought we could trust you, even if you aren't the best at keeping secrets!" Scootaloo said in fury. "Scoots right. What'll happen now?" Apple Bloom chimed in. "I know, you guys were right. I'm really sorry. But we have more problems, Rarity is going to tell Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie pie, and Twilight about Rainbow Dash's big secret!" Sweetie Belle said with a look of fear. "We have to stop her!" Scootaloo said. They all nodded their heads and then trotted down the stairs and out the door, pursuing the unicorn mare, Rarity.