//------------------------------// // Chapter 25 // Story: On the Wings of a Pegasus // by Jinzou //------------------------------// "Alright squirt. I need you to repeat the plan back at me one more time to make sure." Rainbow Dash demanded nervously. Scootaloo sighed and rolled her eyes. "If I hear the sounds of destruction, make myself scarce, if I'm with the Crusaders or other foals, take charge and lead them somewhere out of the way. Stay away from the danger. Stay away from crowds. If you can't find me when this is all over, meet back up at the library. Rainbow Dash, this is like the eighth time. I get the plan. But isn't Discord taking care of this?" Rainbow Dash paused. "The princesses did send him, yeah. But I can trust that guy about as far as I can throw him. Besides, I don't think he really cares about any of us but Fluttershy. I'm just... nervous, okay?" It had been a few days since Scootaloo had started staying with the Crusaders at Sweetie Belle's dad's place. Rainbow Dash and her friends, bar Twilight had arrived yesterday. Twilight had arrived earlier that day. She heard them loudly discussing how they were pitting Discord up against some other magical being, stating something about magical imbalances. The thing that really got to Scootaloo however, is that there was a seemingly imminent threat being held over Ponyville, and she still had to go to school. It says something when they really don't cancel school for that. At least this time they had warning. That's something new. Scootaloo stared back at the schoolhouse. Recess was almost over, and Rainbow Dash had spent the entire time freaking out. "Rainbow Dash, I promise I'll be careful, but I really gotta go, okay? Besides, don't you need to help Twilight research something?" Scootaloo tried to sound irate but failed. She was actually pretty happy somebody cared enough about her to fret over her like this, but she'd never admit it out loud. "Okay squirt. Love you, bye!" Rainbow Dash pulled Scootaloo into a quick hug with her foreleg before taking off, flying toward the Everfree Forest. Scootaloo sighed. Rainbow Dash was sure to tell her to catch Sweetie Belle and Applebloom up too. So much for recess. She padded over to her friends to relay the information Rainbow Dash had just given her. The entire day went without incident. Rainbow Dash picked her up from school, read her to sleep, and dropped her off the next day. Scootaloo had begun to think Rainbow Dash was worried about nothing. Another recess went by. Rainbow Dash dropped in again to say that Twilight had told everyone to stay inside, and she was passing the message on to Scootaloo. She then went to go talk to Cheerilee, who looked a lot more nervous than Scootaloo, and flew away again. Well yeah, it's a school. We have to stay inside. Moments later Cheerilee was calling her class back inside. "Alright my little ponies, we have instructions from Princess Twilight. We're on code red, and need to stay inside until one of the Element Bearers gives us the all clear. There's another sort of monster attack going on." The class groaned in response. They never had to use a code red before Twilight showed up, and now it happened at least once a year. Things went on normally for a while, until halfway through Equine History Scootaloo heard a giant explosion coming from the direction of Twilight's library. She gasped and jumped out her seat, running to the window. A moment later, a plume of smoke came into view. That's the library. Oh no oh no. Twilight! Scootaloo made a break for the door, until she felt a heavier body holding her back. "Are you crazy, Scootaloo?" Applebloom piped up, holding her friend against the ground. "Princess Twilight said to stay inside!" "The library!" Scootaloo cried. "I have to make sure she's okay!" The two fillies were interrupted by the resounding sound of a magical attack, and another explosion. They gaped in unison as a bit of metal plating come crashing down on the school, tearing off a part of the roof and landing in the playground, breaking and tearing everything in the playground in its wake. The schoolponies and Cheerilee gave out a scream. Scootaloo took a minute to try and calm herself down as she recalled what Rainbow Dash told her. "If you hear the sounds of destruction, I need you to get out of harm's way. Take charge, get everybody near you some place safe, and hide out. I'll come find you when it's all done." But I'm too scared! Too weak! "Nobody here could ever think of you as weak. You've lived through years of physical and mental abuse, and still put a smile on your face every day. Even with your struggles to fly, you practiced every day, and never gave up on our lessons. Scootaloo, you're probably the toughest pony here." ... An image of Thunder Chaser's sneering face flashed in front of Scootaloo's eyes. He had the same look he always did when the beatings started. Thunder Chaser thought Scootaloo was weak. But he was wrong. Scootaloo wasn't weak. Scootaloo was strong. It was time for her to prove it. To Rainbow Dash. To Thunder Chaser. To herself. Another explosion was heard and the ground rumbled. Scootaloo knew this the the moment Rainbow was talking about. Glancing around and seeing her petrified classmates and teacher, Scootaloo knocked Applebloom off her and stood up tall. She was terrified, but she couldn't show it. Rainbow Dash wouldn't show it. And Rainbow Dash thought she was tough, so she had to be tough now. "Alright listen up everybody!" She commanded. "The schoolhouse is too close to the center of town. We need to get farther away from whatever that is-" Scootaloo waved a hoof at the source of the explosions. "And group up some place safer!" Scootaloo thought idly of where they could go, but then remembered what lay the other way. Sweet Apple Acres. They could use the clubhouse! No, too small. They'd have to use the barn. "Listen, we need to make it to Sweet Apple Acres! It's a defensible area, and we should have plenty of cover! Who's with me?" Scootaloo shouted. She heard some murmurs and some ponies nodded their heads. Doing her best to channel Rainbow Dash she shouted. "Then let's go. Rows of two! Get a buddy and don't leave their side." Scootaloo opened the door and grabbed Applebloom, pulling her outside with her. As the schoolponies followed Scootaloo's instructions and ran, Scootaloo saw a mountain off in the distance shake. It looked like something just got shot through it. This is really really bad. Are Rainbow and Twilight okay? I could always go looking fo- "A normal filly would hide, not just stay frozen in terror. You respond very emotionally to everything. The way you insist to always be physically close to me I think means abandonment issues, and I just... don't want you to have to live in fear anymore." ... No Scootaloo, focus. You may think you need Rainbow Dash now, but these ponies need you. They need a leader. I can do this. I HAVE to do this. For Rainbow Dash. For myself. Another explosion rocked the town. Finally arriving at Sweet Apple Acres, Scootaloo forced the barn door open and started shepherding their classmates inside. Applebloom ran off to find Granny and Big Mac, and inform them of the plan. As the last of her classmates and Cheerilee made it inside the barn, there was a final, giant explosion that blew Scootaloo's coat back from all the way across town. The Apples in tow, Scootaloo and Applebloom forced the doors closed. Scootaloo glanced around quickly. The floors were hay, there were four supporting beams, and two windows on the right side. I think this is sturdy enough to keep us safe. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Scootaloo called out. "Do we have everyone? Is anybody missing? Do we still have our buddies?" There were a couple nods. At least nobody said no. There was a couple tense moments of silence. Sweetie Belle padded over to Scootaloo and Applebloom, an obviously worried look on her face. "Hey girls..." she muttered, not able to keep eye contact. "Do you think our sisters are okay?" Both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo, waiting for her response. Scootaloo sat down, wrapping her tail neatly over her hooves. She looked at the ground and took a moment to respond. "I don't know. I hope so. I don't think I could bear losing four parents in the same month. Or just in general." Applebloom and Sweetie Belle shared unsure glances. Finally seeming to come up with something, they sat on each side of Scootaloo, trying to warm and comfort her with their presence. Scootaloo rested her head on Applebloom's shoulder and spoke. "Without Twilight and Rainbow Dash, you girls are the only family I have. So... thanks for being here with me." Nobody said anything until the ground started to shake. Diamond Tiara ran to one of the windows. "Is that a... castle?" She asked, wide eyed. All of a sudden, everyone was crowded around a window. There was a bright, shiny, admittedly a little garish crystal castle emerging from the ground. "That must be our sisters!" Sweetie Belle squealed, opening the barn doors and making a run for the castle, everyone else quickly on her hooves. In the few minutes it took to reach the castle, it dawned on the fillies just how big this castle was. It was easily three to four times taller than the rest of the buildings around it. The main part of the castle was purple, but it has blue crystal snaking all around it and lifting it into the sky. There were two purple windows on the front, on each side of a golden door and staircases. The door had two hearts on it, situated so the hearts would split in half every time you opened the double door. As the Crusaders made their way to the front to gape, they noticed many other assorted townsfolk, and even Zecora had joined them. Scootaloo was speechless. Scootaloo was rendered even more flabbergasted as Twilight threw open the doors and started singing out of nowhere. "Each one of us has something special. That makes us different. That makes us rare~"