//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Resolution // Story: The Operator // by The Legist //------------------------------// Chapter 5: Resolution "Rise and shine, Scoots!" Rainbow opened the door with a jubilant smile, "it's time for you to fly!" Somewhere among the blankets and pillows, Scootaloo rubbed her eyes and yawned. She didn't feel like getting up but maybe some flight practice could help clear the air between her and her idol. "Give me five minutes..." the filly groaned. "Okay, five minutes to get showered and get your flank outside! We’re wasting daylight!" The filly heard the door close, and sighed. What's got her so cheerful? After rolling out of bed and combing her mane and coat, the filly trotted into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard and carefully hoofed out a large portion of oats for breakfast. I could really get used to this whole 'no school' business. After eating her oats and having a pleasant exchange with Fluttershy, she opened the front door and stepped into the sun. Scootaloo smiled as she stretched her wings; the feeling of the cold winter wind between her feathers was so exhilarating. She exhaled a long, lingering, wispy breath. She felt normal. Or, at least, as normal as she had felt in days. The constant ache was gone, yet something remained lingering in the back of her head. She analyzed the treeline. Even with the high noon sun, the forest was still rather dim. The lack of Fluttershy's woodland creatures brought an eerie feeling to the entire area. Where there should be bunnies hopping, birds chirping, and squirrels playing, there was only silence. The branches were empty of leaves, of life. It was as if all life had been sucked out of the area and she could feel it. "Hey there, sleepy head!" Scootaloo flinched, snapping out of her thoughts as a cyan pegasus descended from the clouds. She landed gracefully and trotted to the filly, an excited bounce in her step. "I said, ‘hey there, sleepy head’!" "Why is everypony calling me that?" Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Because all you do is sleep! You remind me of myself when I was your age! And... my age. Anyways, lets get started with some pre-flight stretches!" Rainbow smiled and Scootaloo groaned. Pre-flight stretches were time consuming and somewhat strenuous but the filly was eager to learn to fly, so it was a small price to pay. They finished the cardio exercise and the warm ups, then they finished Fluttershy's lunch. The whole practice session went by with little words spoken between the two. Little more than minor encouragements and strained grunts passed between them. Finally, the stretches were over and Scootaloo began to speak. "So, why don't you always do these pre-flight exercises?" "Oh, these are just strengthening routines for foals who can't quite get off the ground. I know them so well because I had to do them every day for three months of flight camp." Rainbow smiled. "I was a late bloomer, too, ya know?" "You- you were?" Scootaloo exclaimed. "Yeah, you think I was just born this awesome? It comes with lots of practice. And a great teacher of course." Scootaloo rolled her eyes and smiled. She enjoyed the break from the constant paranoia and relished the chance to hang out with her hero. Just like old times. "Don't make me get the Rainbow Dash fan club back together!" Rainbow and Scootaloo shared a laugh together and Rainbow explained the next session of workouts. The mare insisted that it would be less boring but, honestly, the filly didn't care. She was spending time with her favorite mare. The mare who took her in when she needed it most. The mare who she secretly loved more than anything. After several more failed attempts at a take off, Scootaloo slumped her shoulders. Rainbow moved in to comfort her and brushed her mane to the side. Scootaloo promptly brushed it back where it was, sighing and rolling her eyes. "I promise you will fly, Scootaloo. I promise." Hours passed. Long, arduous hours of practicing. Scootaloo took frequent breaks but she still worked up quite a sweat. The pair rested while Fluttershy tended to their needs for water and snacks. It felt just like a normal day. A blissfully normal day. Yet, feeling normal and being normal are two completely different things. "You two did great out there." Fluttershy whispered. "Ya think?" Rainbow ran a hoof through her mane. "Absolutely. It reminded me of the summer... I don't know why you two stopped practicing every day." "Shy... don't pretend you don't know. Her wings... It's hard for her." "I know, Dashie. I just don't believe it should control her." "You know, she showed some real promise today. Her wings are a lot stronger than I thought they ever could be. Maybe this will actually work out." Dash sighed, "I hope to Celestia it does." Several moments of silence passed. Several blissful moments where the two mares could pretend that nothing ever went wrong. "I talked to the mayor by the way. While I was out getting groceries." "Oh, yeah? About Scoot's parents?" "Yes, luckily, I got her to pull up a few records," Fluttershy whispered. "You got somepony to do something for you?" "Very funny." Rainbow laughed and Fluttershy just stared into open space. After the pegasus quieted down, she resumed. "The father was a construction worker. He injured himself doing some heavy lifting and was forced to quit his job. Her mother was a nurse at Ponyville general hospital." "Well, I guess that helps. Do we know anypony who was close to them? Anypony who might know where they went?" "Dr. Whooves was their counselor during their first... problem. He might know." "Ah, man. Scoots is going to hate us if we bring him over here again..." "It's okay. I'll just go talk to him while you two are practicing tomorrow." "Thanks, Shy. You're the best!" Dash kissed her lover’s snout. "I'll bet you are at least twenty percent better than I am." The couple shared a long and passionate kiss, blissfully unaware of the nightmare their filly was undergoing in the room next to them. While the two mares made love, Scootaloo tossed and turned and shook with fright. Her mind was thick with visions of long, slick arms. And a blank, white face. "I want to try something." Rainbow Dash bounced into the sky, wings fully extended. Scootaloo waved her off and nursed a scraped knee that she received during a failed flying attempt. Rainbow thought it would be easier for the filly to try a running take off. She was wrong. The filly looked into the sky, the sun burning a spot in her eye. She looked back at the ground and blinked rapidly, before hearing a voice from above. "Here we go." Rainbow Dash descended into the yard with a large fluffy cloud. "I want you to climb up onto the house, and jump off into the cloud." Scootaloo gulped, "are you sure that's... safe?" She prodded the cloud with a hoof, causing wisps of vapor to swirl out. "Scoots, we are pegasi. These things are softer than most beds. Have you never jumped into a cloud before?" The filly shook her head. "Oh, right. The whole... yeah." An awkward silence passed between the two. "Anyways, let's get started." Rainbow scooped the filly into her arms and took her up to the the roof of the cottage. It looked a lot higher than it did from the ground and Scootaloo's heart started pounding. Rainbow floated back down to the ground and positioned the cloud, stretching and bending it into an appropriate landing zone. She flew high into the air, did several flips, and landed on the cloud with a poof. "There! Perfectly safe. Now what did I tell you about take off from altitude?" "Head up, back straight, hooves tucked, wings flapping," Scootaloo recited, rolling her eyes. Not hearing a response from the mare, Scootaloo prepared herself for the jump. She looked down at the cloud, then to a smiling Rainbow Dash, then back to the cloud. Her heart was racing and she could already feel sweat forming through her coat. It's now or never. The daredevil filly leapt from the roof, making sure to keep good on her form. She flapped her tiny wings with all her might, eliciting a humming sound from them. She opened her eyes and saw that she was still in the air! "Yes!" she yelled, before realizing that she was only slowly gliding back down to the cloud. "Celestia damn it!" "Hey, watch your language! And that was a great first try. Just keep at it and I'm sure you’ll make it!" Rainbow clapped her hooves together, and gave the filly a hug. Scootaloo smiled at the praise, but inside she was not settled. Not until she could sustain flight would she be truly satisfied. The mare and filly stayed out for several long hours, trying the cloud jump only a few more times before switching to more strength building exercises. At some point, Fluttershy brought them some water and snacks before departing. When asked, the mare brushed it off as a simple grocery run but Scootaloo could see right through the pegasus. What is she hiding from me? As the sun arced across the sky, the filly worked to her full potential, stopping only when her body absolutely demanded. Her vigor exceeded that of even Rainbow Dash, though the brash pegasus would never admit it. Fluttershy returned with a small sack full of potatoes, confirming Scootaloo's suspicion that she didn't spend all day just getting groceries. "Hey, Twilight! What are you doing here?" Rainbow rushed to her lavender friend who had just been trotting down the path to the cottage. "Not much, just visiting my three favorite Pegasi! How are you, Scootaloo?" Twilight giggled at the rhyme and resumed trotting towards the cottage. "Just trying to get the hang of flying. Rainbow Dash says I'm doing great, but I won't believe that until I can actually take off." The filly lowered her head. Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash who responded with a shrug. The filly was downtrodden and nothing but the thrill of success could do anything for her now. "Hey, Scoots, go do some more exercises. I gotta talk to Twi for a minute." Rainbow pointed to their training area. The filly groaned, wondering why she was going to be kept out of the loop but soon did what she was told. "Twilight, you know about her wings right?" "Her wings?" Twilight blinked. "They didn't... grow in right. To say the least. They are barely half the size they should be at her age." Rainbow sighed and closed her eyes. "There's a lot of reasons for that to happen but I'm sure it has something to do with her parents." "Muscle atrophy, huh? You know, that can be fixed with the proper healing spells." Twilight smiled and put a hoof on her friends head. "Oh my gosh! Twi, are you serious?! We've gotta go tell Fluttershy!" The cyan pegasus sped off into the house, followed by a slightly less enthusiastic purple unicorn. Scootaloo watched curiously, and kept an eye on the house. Soon after, Twilight departed, giving Scootaloo a friendly wave and smile. Dinner time came and the determined filly was adamant to keep practicing. Rainbow finally convinced the filly to come inside for the night, only after she mentioned the fact that food was the key to successful flight. Knowing how much her mentor eats, Scootaloo accepted that fact. "How was practice, girls?" Fluttershy started to set the table. "It was great! Wasn't it, Scoots?" Rainbow patted the filly on the head. The filly suddenly took an interest in the legs of the table. "It was... better. I still can't fly." "Just keep in mind, you may not be there today but you are closer than you were yesterday." The yellow mare trotted into the kitchen. Rainbow laughed, "where did you learn that?" "Oh, um... It's just something that Iron Will always said." Scootaloo and Rainbow stared at each other briefly before cracking up. They giggled quietly, although they were fairly certain that Fluttershy could hear them in the other room. After the laughing fit, the orange filly sighed and leaned back. That day had been so normal. So happy. It was just like last summer, when she trained for flight every single day of the week. No headaches, no nose bleeds, and no incessant paranoia. Scootaloo wondered if the Slender Man had given up. "It's just the calm before the storm." "Huh?" Scootaloo snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh, I was just explaining to Fluttershy why today was such a nice day. There's always great weather, right before everything goes bad." Rainbow laughed nervously. "Yeah... I know that." The doorbell rang, startling the filly and everypony else in the room. "I'll get it!" called Fluttershy, whom trotted through the house and pulled the door open. Much to Scootaloo's dismay, it was Dr. Whooves. He showed up without anyone informing the filly... again. She rolled her eyes and sat down at the dinner table. "Scootaloo, is it alright if we have a little chat over dinner?" The doctor peeked his head in the doorway. Well, at least he’s being polite about it. "Sure." The doctor bowed his head slightly at Fluttershy, took off his coat and hung it on the hook by the door. He shook lightly, making sure to mention how cold it was outside as if everypony didn't already know, and took a seat next to Scootaloo at the table. Rainbow eyed the filly carefully, trying to catch any sudden change in the young mare's behavior. After several seconds, the pegasus sat down on the other side of Scootaloo, and waited patiently for their dinner. Silence fell over the table with only the clanging of utensils echoing out of the kitchen. Scootaloo looked at Rainbow, then at Whooves, then back at the spot on the ground she had taken such an interest in. "So," Whooves was the first to break the silence, "how have the past few days been for everypony?" "They have been great! Scootaloo has made a ton of progress on her flying, hasn't she?" (She’s asking Scoots here, but Rainbow says “she” as though talking to someone else) Rainbow looked down at the filly who smiled and nodded. "Excellent news! I must say, I am quite proud of you, young mare." Scootaloo rolled her eyes and said nothing. The faster I can get rid of him, the better. she thought, as Fluttershy entered the room with a few plates of hay cakes and rye. Scootaloo was excited by the smell, Fluttershy's hay cakes were her favorite. The filly dug into her meal as soon as it was set in front of her, eliciting a laugh from the stallion. "Scootaloo! Manners!" Rainbow Dash reprimanded. Scootaloo stopped in mid bite, set the cake down, and then took a napkin in her hoof and set it delicately in her lap. She then resumed eating quickly and vigorously. Rainbow opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when the doctor held up his hoof. "This is not a formal dinner, I request that you all feel comfortable around me. Now, Scootaloo," he turned his head to her, "tell me how you have been feeling the past few days?" Reluctantly, Scootaloo began to recount the events of the last few days, leaving out the sightings and horrific nightmares. As she spoke, the doctor nodded his head several times and even shared a laugh with the filly. Fluttershy and Rainbow were content to listen quietly, happy that the meeting was going well. Just as the filly expected, Whooves brought up the seemingly popular subject of her parents. She decided ultimately to indulge most of his questions, answering them mostly in lies and half truths. After all, it's not like she will ever see them again. It's not like she wanted to, either. "I'm going to step outside for some fresh air. Can I be excused?" Scootaloo stood and stretched. "I don't know, can you?" The yellow pegasus all but whispered. The filly groaned, "May I be excused?" "Of course." The mare giggled. Silence fell over the room as Scootaloo picked up her dishes and trotted into the kitchen. Several loud clangs and crashes were heard, followed by nervous laughter. Rainbow brought her hoof to her face and sighed, eliciting a soft giggle from the yellow pegasus. Seconds later, the filly trotted out of the kitchen, her head held high. She gave them a glance and hurried out the front door, slamming it just a little too hard behind her. The awkward silence managed to ensue for several more moments until Rainbow Dash spoke up. "Well, thanks for coming over, doc. It seems she’s finally starting to warm up to you." She forced a laugh. The doctor smiled and leaned back. "Oh, she is such a bright, young filly. I believe that, in time, we will all be able to put past problems aside." He rose his glass and drank down the rest of the water inside. "So, Doctor. Do you think she is ready?" Fluttershy brought her face out from behind her mane. "Based on what she has told me tonight, maybe. I heard back from her parents last night, actually." Whooves stood up, and began to pace about the room. "I've been keeping contact with them for some time now actually. Waiting for the right moment when Scootaloo could accept them back into her life." Whooves draped his coat over his shoulders. "You see, they were bad parents and they knew it. Hopefully, they have been gone long enough to realize what they did wrong and are ready to make their reparations." The doctor tightened his coat around his midsection. "Are you leaving now, Doctor?" Fluttershy rose from her seat. "Yes, unfortunately I have quite an amount of paperwork to attend to at home. I will be by tomorrow afternoon with Scootaloo's parents." The stallion opened the door and stepped out with Rainbow Dash. Waving at the small filly on the porch, he clopped down onto the path below. Rainbow closed the door and the pair watched the stallion disappear into the distance. The night air was chilly but Scootaloo endured it in silence. The breath of both mares exited in long, wispy trails before the winter breeze blew it away. The sun had long since set, plunging the land into darkness illuminated dimly by the moon and stars. A perfect night, if not for the cold. "Thanks for putting up with him. You know he only wants you to be happy." Rainbow sat down next to the filly. "Why, though? Why should he even care...?" The filly hung her head. "He doesn't even know me." "He just cares about you, Scootaloo." "Do you care about me, Rainbow Dash?" The mares let the whistling wind do the talking for them as they stared into the dark abyss of the forest. Both mare's eyes teared up in secret, and neither one of them so much as shivered, despite the frigid atmosphere. “Yes, I do.” Scootaloo smiled and looked out into the forest. For the first time in a while, everything seemed to be looking up. And then she saw the ebony black figure, with the pale, white face. "-and that's how we colonized western Equestria! Any questions?" Cheerilee eagerly awaited raised hooves. When none came, she sighed. "Class dismissed. Make sure you remember your book report on Monday!" Among the mass of fillies and colts exiting the school house were Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, hoping that they would see their friend and fellow crusader out on the playground. Her hope was unfounded, Sweetie hung her head. "Lets just go to the clubhouse without her... again." The unicorn sighed. The trip to the clubhouse was a long and somber one. Each time the fillies spoke, it was only because they wished to avoid the subject of Scootaloo's odd behavior. The only time they had heard anything about their friend was two days ago; when Rainbow Dash dropped in to talk to Cheerilee. The two fillies watched from the window as Rainbow broke down crying to the teacher. Things were bad and they knew it. As the cold wind started whipping through the trees, the two crusaders finally made it into the clubhouse. Sweetie Belle brushed aside some arts and crafts supplies from their latest cutie mark project and sat down in a slump. Applebloom remained standing, pacing about the room. For several hours, the young mares talked about cutie marks. They even had a few books they had lent from the library that they took turns reading. Every time the turns cycled between the two, they fell silent, again realizing that their third member wasn't present. Finally, Sweetie Belle brought the topic into the light. "She has missed this whole week of school, I think we should go ask." "Ah dunno, Sweetie... Ah feel it'd be best for us ta stay outta this one..." Applebloom scratched her head with a forehoof. The white unicorn groaned and poked her hoof into her friends chest. "If I was in danger, would you stay out of it? If any of our friends were in danger? We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, not the Cutie Mark Lousy Friends!” "Sweetie, this is different... Ah don't think Scoot needs our help. She's just... sick." The farm filly backed down under her friend’s accusing glare. "An’ besides, Ah should probably get back to the house, soon." Sweetie Belle sighed and started trotting off. "Fine. Go back, I'll check on her myself." After leaving the clubhouse, the two fillies continued down the path in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. When the time came for them to split, they did so without regard to one another. The white unicorn looked back over her shoulder at her friend and wondered briefly if she was doing the right thing. This was not exactly her business but it was her friend, and she couldn't let her down. Sweetie Belle shivered and made a mental note to ask Rarity for her winter clothes. The first snow was due tomorrow and it was certainly cold enough to welcome it. The wind blew lazily and picked up briefly before subsiding to a slight breeze. The weather ebbed and flowed like the tides of the ocean, each gust bringing with it a flurry of dead leaves and a shiver down the filly's spine. It was not light outside, nor was it dark. It seemed the sun was in perpetual stasis. Covered in clouds, it was impossible to determine exactly how far it was from setting. The light, combined with the fluffy haze of the storm to come, cast a surreal grey and pink light across the sky. It was unlike anything the filly had seen before. As she walked the path, she began to feel slightly uneasy. What started as a slight notion, became an innate desire to turn around. As if her mind and body were begging her to look behind her, to run. Indulging her fears, she craned her neck and looked, eyes wide. Nothing. Nothing but the spindly branches of the orchard trees. It was not until now that Sweetie Belle understood her friend's plight. After all, she was partially at fault for this whole mess.The dare was a stupid idea but there's no way the crusaders could have known what was stalking the woods that night. The wind blew in another surprising gust that caught the filly off guard. Shivers ran down her spine and she began to feel eyes crawling across her body from every direction. She needed to run. She knew nothing was behind her, yet she needed to escape from it. Escape from the nothing before she was consumed by it. She closed her eyes and galloped as hard and as long as she could, taking brief breaks every so often to catch her breath and reanalyze the situation. The eyes were still on her and her paranoia was reaching an all time-high. Thank Celestia the edge of Sweet Apple Acres was fast approaching. Now out of the wooded area, Sweetie was finally able to calm down. Without the trees to obfuscate her vision, it was easy to forget the shadows that plagued her. Gone was the dread in her heart, allowing her to think clearly once again. If that is what she had put her friend through that night, she was deeply sorry. Picking up her pace again she galloped down the path, leaving the horrors of the trees far behind her. As she approached Fluttershy's cottage, the young mare could hear raised voices. Unable to make anything out through the wind, she perked her ears and continued on the path. She could hear a raspy, pained voice that she knew could only belong to Scootaloo. Sweetie reached the door and raised her hoof to knock but would that really be wise? Perhaps Applebloom was right; this was not her business and she was not needed here. If she knocked, she may be seen as the annoyance her older sister believed she was. Sweetie Belle turned around and started the long trot back to Carousel Boutique. Although obviously in trouble, Scootaloo was safe inside her home and was not in any danger that could be solved by the younger, white filly. All that changed when the door flew open with a splintering crack. She turned around just in time to see an orange filly disappear into the Everfree forest, followed by two pegasi and three other ponies she did not recognize. Fearing both for her friend's safety and her own guilty conscience, Sweetie Belle galloped after them. Once past the tree line, the filly stopped and listened. Silence. Then, a flurry of hooves. "Hello?" the young mare tentatively called out. Suddenly, she heard voices and the rustling of leaves underhoof. She strained her eyes around the darkness, peering out into the open abyss in front of her. "Sweetie Belle!" The voice came from behind her, causing her to jump. "What are you doing in here? We need to get you out, now!" the voice, which could be then identified as Fluttershy , called out. "But-" Without another word, the mare picked her up and set her firmly on her back. As they galloped through the trees, Sweetie didn't bother to ask questions. She was too preoccupied with the object that seemed to be following them. In between the trees, she swore she could see the ebony black figure. Extraordinarily tall, arms writhing and serpentine, with a face as blank and pale as the moon. How could they do that to me? Unbelievable. The only word coursing through the mind of the orange filly who was now galloping through the forest. The very manifestation of her recent fears. All because those mares who called themselves her caretakers decided to bring her worst nightmare to life. All her bonding time with her hero and idol, the great Rainbow Dash, ruined. How could they do that to me? Undoubtedly, her parents will want to take her back and then what? She will be forced back with them. Forced to endure the physical and mental abuse of the hell that had become her daily home life. They had run away and now they had been brought back. This time, it was her who would run. "How could you do this to me?!" the young filly shouted, tears dripping from her eyes. She heard a response, but she didn't care enough to pay attention to the words. She could barely make out the roots and broken branches on the ground and the tears weren't helping. Her hooves beat against the ground like a drum, breaking twigs and rustling leaves loudly and haphazardly. As she cried, she ran. As she ran, she thought. She thought about the source of all her woe and misery. She wished with all her might that she never found that cursed book. She was perfectly happy the way she was, and her friends and that dare ruined everything for her. The filly slowed her pace as the world started spinning around her. She was nauseous and dizzy, and it was all topped off with a dull headache. She felt the abyss gaze upon her, its demonic eyes drilling inside. It knew what it wanted and it was coming for it. “Stop following me! I hate you!” the filly screamed as she took off galloping through the dark woods, kicking up dirt and dead leaves in her wake. “You can’t take me!” She felt ringing in her ears, a high pitched whine unlike any other. She yelled out in pain and tripped on a root that was protruding from the ground. A sharp pain rang out from her front left hoof as she tumbled through the underbrush. Once she came to a stop and sat up and observed her surroundings. Her eyes darted this way and that, trying to locate her unknown assailant. She turned her attention to her hoof and whimpered in pain. It was probably broken or, at least, sprained. The whine had stopped, as had the wind and rustling of ponies following her through the trees. She closed her eyes and fell to the ground, nestled between a log and a pile of dead branches. Her ears twisted this way and that, trying to pick up a shred of proof that she wasn’t alone. Or, rather, a shred of proof that she was alone. Rather than relying on her ears, Scootaloo popped her head out from her nook. Looking just past the branch, she could see the fog was thickening. She could hardly see anything beyond the thick veil of smoky vapor. As she stared into the fog, the filly felt a sense of dread wash over her. She could feel something behind her. Its gaze pierced her like frozen daggers, igniting a carnal fear inside of her that she could not ignore. Adrenaline coursed through her veins and time slowed a certain degree. The pit of her stomach tightened and churned uncomfortably. Every hair on her body was standing straight up, reaching out to the unknown beyond her peripherals. She twisted around, praying to Celestia to protect her and fearing the worst. And the worst answered. As if playing with cosmic puppet strings, each movement of the Slender Man’s long, pulsating arms sent tendrils of fear into the filly. She was stunned, unable to move more than a simple blink of her eye. It was so close now. Closer than it had ever been. She could make out the ragged stitching of its suit. From neck to heel, the slick, black fabric flowed like a waterfall ever into the ground below it. A blood-red tie hung in the center of the jacket, tucked in and pressed properly as if it had just been tailored. Although the creature had two long, black arms, it was impossible for the filly to count the number of oily, black appendages that seemed to float out of its back. They seemed to be made of some sort of liquid but were capable of suspending its weight, as the creature stood on them like they were the legs of a spider. Scootaloo’s vision became blurry as she inspected the head of the creature up close and personal. An amalgamation of flesh and tissue, colder and paler than the surface of Luna’s moon. The whine in her head returned, as if it was being broadcasted directly into her head and not sensed by her ears. She felt nauseous and disoriented, as if she had been rapidly spun around. She blinked as the creature started moving toward her, fear gluing her in position. She was unable to scream, move, or even whimper. She could only stare into the face of the abyss as it stared back at her. Stared into her with a thousand invisible eyes from all directions, as if she was nothing but a glass box full of emotions. As the creature spindled and twisted closer to her, she began to think of the stories from the journal. Of the horrific fates and misunderstood tales of tragedy and despair. She could not endure that pain. Could not abandon herself or her friends in this dire time of need. Taking one last glance at the approaching figure she sprung to her hooves, nearly crying out in pain from her injury. Running was out of the question and she had no idea how to fight something like that. The shrill whine in her head was joined by a low pitched hum that grew in intensity at each advancing step the being took. It was controlling her emotions, forcing her to bend to its will. She was helpless, hopeless and all but broken as the Slender Man reached out to her. “No!” she screamed, unwilling to accept defeat. In one final act of defiance, the filly spread her wings wide. She closed her eyes and flapped as hard as she possibly could, keeping care to remember the proper posture for a speedy take off. With one last push of her three unbroken hooves the filly rose into the air, bidding her wings to keep pace in this time of need. She waited to touch back down to the ground, as every other take off attempt had ended. After several seconds, she opened her eyes. She was flying. Not only flying but also gaining altitude. As she beat her wings, she noticed a magic taking hold of her. Pushing her into the air like two magnets of equal polarity pushing against one another. Unlike that of a unicorn, the force did not feel as though it was altering nature. Instead, it felt as if it came from nature itself, aiding the filly in her escape. This is what flying felt like, a sensation that the flightless pegasus had ever only dreamed of. Keeping her head up and hooves tucked, the filly flapped and pushed and struggled to keep flight for as long as she could. She smiled as the wind beneath her wings gave off a cool gust with every stroke. The filly let out a cry as she felt something wrap around her leg and wrench her to the side. She screamed as she felt an object being forced into her skin. The beating of her wings subsided, but she did not fall. White flesh dominated her vision and twisted into some kind of smile as her eyelids fell, unable to endure the pain in her chest. As the filly lost consciousness, a wave of calm washed over her. It’s all over now. “Scootaloo!” Rainbow called out into the trees. She could hear the filly running ahead but the rolling fog had a way of twisting her around and confusing her sense of direction. The mare didn’t even voice an opinion when Fluttershy and Scootaloo’s parents turned back. She could have used their help and was fairly certain she had lost the trail of the filly. The mare let out an exasperated groan. She jumped into the air and flapped her wings to get airborne. “Scootaloo! Please come back!” she called, then listened. "How could you do this to me?!" a voice rang out from the ground below. Knowing how dangerous flying in the fog is, the mare quickly descended and began galloping through the sticks and leaves. She followed the direction of the voice without stopping, clinging to a quickly deteriorating shred of hope that the young filly was just ahead of her. I’m so sorry, Scootaloo... so sorry. Out of breath and run ragged, Rainbow Dash slowed to a halt at a small flowing creek. She dipped her head and mane into the water and shook it out briskly. She twisted her ears left and right, itching to hear a sound in the forest. A snapping twig, and rustle of leaves. “Scootaloo!” the mare called again, as she darted into the fog, narrowly dodging a low hanging branch. Rainbow barely recovered from the first dodge and almost slipped into another trickling creek. She panted and sighed before jumping over the small ravine and flapping twice. She landed with a thud and immediately began weaving her way through the thick branches before her. “Stop following me! I hate you! You can’t take me!” the voice came again, each word dripping with malice that wrenched Rainbow’s heart in two. She... she hates me. Her resolve shaken yet not shattered, the mare pressed on. Hate or no hate, that filly needed to be saved one way or another. The element of loyalty could clearly recognize that. The pegasus cried out as a particularly long and sharp branch brushed a little too close to her coat. She felt drops leaking from the wound and her head spun with nausea. The branches of the trees seemed to be pulsing to life around her. It was so dark, so confined. The exact opposite of the unending and unyielding sky that she was used to. The mare grunted in pain as she shook herself free of the branches. She jumped and bucked and felt them pierce her skin like tissue paper. The wounds stung but not so much as to diminish her driving determination. I have to keep going. I have to save her! Once out of the branches, the mare used both hooves to rub her eyes. Pain shot through her sockets as she rubbed the dirt and other particles across her retinas. She blinked over and over as her eyes watered and teared. Rainbow Dash collapsed in a nearby clearing, unable to continue any further for the moment. She nursed and licked her many flesh wounds, taking solace in the fact that none of them were particularly deep or painful. One stab in her left side still had a stick inside it, broken off in her skin. She cried out as she gripped the stick in her mouth and jerked. “No!” the voice called out again in urgency. The injured mare perked her ears, listening for another clue, a direction to follow. Anything that would bring her closer to her beloved lost filly. She rose to her hooves, ignoring the pain and soreness from overexertion. As if on cue, a scream rang out through the forest. A scream of pain. “Scootaloo!” The mare darted to the source of the voice, using her wings to help lighten the load on her overworked hooves. Several minutes of straight galloping flew by like seconds. The fog was getting thicker and it was getting harder to stay on course. Every time her hooves felt like they were going to give out, Rainbow thought about summer afternoons. The look on Scootaloo’s face when her idol gave her even an inkling of praise. After brushing through another patch of low hanging branches, the mare came to a clearing. She limped into the center and waited, craning her neck and perking her ears. When no sound came, she hung her head and wept. She was spent. Then, she heard a cough from above. “Scootaloo?” she called up to the filly who was hanging from a branch. “Scootaloo!” Rainbow took off flapping up to the branch. I found her! Everything is going to be okay! “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I thought-” Rainbow’s smile quickly turned to a grimace as she realized that the filly wasn’t hanging from the branch but was impaled through the chest by a large branch. “Rainbow...” Scootaloo croaked, blood seeping out of her mouth. “I flew. I did it. Just like you promised.” “Scootaloo, I-” The filly coughed up more blood, interrupting the mare “I’m not scared anymore. It’s okay.” “We need to get you out of here, it’s not okay!” Rainbow turned her head and cried out for help, her hoarse voice scratching through the forest. She listened. Nopony was coming. “Scootaloo, I need you to breathe. It’s going to be okay, just breathe.” “Rainbow,” the orange filly whispered as she went limp, “I'm sorry...” The pegasus hovered in silence, unable to pay attention to anything but the final words of the filly. Her filly. Her Scootaloo. The young mare who had captivated the heart of the Element of Loyalty. And now she was gone. I never told her I loved her. Rainbow’s wings stopped flapping. She fell from the tree and landed with a hard thud, knocking the air out of her lungs and tightening her diaphragm. She couldn’t breathe and she didn’t want to. Tears leaked out in steady streams from her dark, emotionless eyes. She heard movement entering the clearing but she didn't even lift her head to look. At least a hungry pack of timber wolves could lessen her suffering. "Dashie?" the pegasus heard a voice so soft and beautiful. It was the last thing she heard before several hooves scooped her up. Her vision became clouded, her breathing shallow. The gentile rocking of the pony's gait below her brought her into sweet unconsciousness, unable to cope with the reality that had just been laid out in front of her. You will fly one day, Scootaloo. I promise.