In our previous volume, Arc and Scootaloo leave the burning cottage behind as they head into the woods. Meanwhile, Dinky and her friends along with Tempest and Moonlit Dusk leave Light’s Hope. After teleporting them into a dark forest, Moonlit Dusk summons shadow creatures to protect them as the begin their journey to a dark magical spring. The next morning Twilight’s friends discover Sweetie Belle’s saddlebag next to a statue. Sensing the latent magical power, Rose announces that the statue before them is connected to the one found in the Foal Forest. As their group continues on their way, in another forest completely, Arc and Scootaloo make camp for the day. Arc recalls his camping trips with Derpy and Dinky as he lays down with the filly. Admitting that she feels safe and secure with him, Scootaloo falls asleep next to Arc. Sometime later that day, Derpy and her friends stumble upon a hidden village by following their noses. Heading for the largest hut, they find the village chief napping on a cushion. After being awakened by Pinkie, she is asked about the three missing fillies. Admitting that they did indeed come through town, she tells the mares about how they left via portal. Asking to see the sigil, they are led into the room formerly occupied by Dinky. Rose confirms the sigil was made by Arc gauntlet and traces the latent magical energies to the northwest. As Derpy looks over the map she tells everyone of a sigil at the Winsome Falls. Surmising that the fillies have gone to see Tempest, they decide to spend the night in the village and accept an escort to the western edge of the forest come morning.
As the sun sets, Arc and Scootaloo awaken together. In her half asleep state Scootaloo questions what has happened. Arc reminds her as she laments the past. Assuring the filly that he won’t do anything to her without her knowledge, they pack up the tent and eat. Agreeing to travel in their Crimson forms, Scootaloo shows Arc how to transform. Unable to fly like Scootaloo, they turn to walking. Meanwhile, Dinky and her friends reach what Moonlit Dusk calls The Nameless Font. After retrieving a new crystal from a dark pool he announces they will spend the day camping near the font. Dinky and Tempest head into the woods to gather firewood. As they work, Dinky asked the mare about her relationship with Arc. She tells the filly about the spell that turned her into a half-crazed mare some time ago as well as her affection for Decimus. Doing her best to convince Tempest of Decimus’ machinations, Dinky compares him to her father. Planting the seeds of doubt in Tempest’s mind, they head back to camp together. Eating a light meal, everyone retires for the day to sleep. Dinky sits up for a time staring into the fire. She calls out to Moonlit Dusk whom has been watching her since the others went to sleep. Tricking him into revealing his actions, the stallion asks her what she and Tempest had been talking about. Admitting that they had been talking about her father, Moonlit Dusk believes they to have been speaking of him. Calling him a sperm donor, Dinky defends Arc’s parenting methods over her biological father’s. Informing him of her plans to learn the truth and publicize it, Moonlit Dusk tells her to get over it.
Derpy and her friends are escorted to the edge of the forest by several guards. Seeing Dodge Junction from the tree line they thank their escorts and hurry to the town. Purchasing tickets, they board the train and begin the journey to Vanhoover. Meanwhile, Dinky and her friends awaken just as the sun sets. Leaving the tent, they eat a quick meal before starting out again. Quite some time later they arrive at their destination… The Castle of the Two Sisters. Entering, Moonlit Dusk leads them to a room with Luna’s cutie mark over it. Entering, he explains that it was her former room. Pointing out a sigil in the floor, he activates it and teleports the group miles below the castle. Entering a large room known as The Heart of Darkness, Moonlit Dusk gives Dinky the All-Seeing Eye and instructs her on how to use it. Being warned by her friends not to, Dinky ignores them and holds the amulet to her forehead as she speaks her request. All at once the room comes alive with magical energy. Dinky levitates a short distance above the floor as the others step back out of caution. Finding herself in Canterlot Castle, Dinky spots Decimus and Gaston approaching her father. She moves to join him as they speak. Watching in horror, Dinky sees Celestia stab Arc from behind and toss him aside before blasting him out the window. Falling to her fetlocks in tears, Dinky composes herself and calls out into the darkness, asking to see what happened next. Seeing her father floating down the river on the log, heavily wounded, she witnesses the attack by the timberwolves and her father’s futile attempt to defend himself before an unknown pony steps in to save him. Next she sees him in the Knothole Hospital and later walking out of Shadow’s barn with a filly. As she asks where he is now, reality breaks all around her as the amulet reaches the limit of its power source. Waking to the others standing around her, Dinky has but a few moments to speak before losing consciousness. Putting her on his back, Sereb carries her back to the sigil where everyone is teleported back to Princess Luna’s room. Retrieving the All-Seeing Eye, Moonlit Dusk leaves them to return to the citadel. Tempest opens a portal of her own and escorts the group back to her house in Stableton.
Derpy and the others arrive in Stableton. Walking to Tempest’s house, they are greeted by Sereb know leads them inside to the sleeping fillies. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom awaken and greet the others. Dinky however needs to be carried away. Tempest opens a portal and sends the group back to Light’s Hope. Arriving, they are allowed inside the base by Arc’s squad. Leading them to the barracks, they leave to make lunch while the others rest. Awakening sometime later they all get clean together in the adjoining showers. Forming a chain, everyone helps those in front of them wash their manes as Xenos walks in. Getting an immediate boner, he struggles to tell them that lunch will be ready soon and awkwardly leaves the room. The two fillies ask the mares what just happened, and are told what arousal is. Confessing to the fillies that they all wanted foals by Arc, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle give their heartfelt approval. Heading to the cafeteria, they eat and listen to Dinky’s story. Telling everyone that Princess Celestia stabbed Arc in the back, she is met with skepticism. Informing them that Arc is still alive somewhere in the land, she also tells them that they need to let her father come forward when he is ready. The squad leaves the room to give them some space as Max confesses his continued feelings for Shelly.
Luna and Twilight receive word that to meet their friends at Light’s Hope. Faking an intense lovemaking session, Sandstorm Mirage order the guards not to disturb the pair for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, the pair take a portal to Light’s Hope. Being escorted to the office, they watch everything Dinky saw via her father’s magical projector. Learning that Celestia did indeed attempt to murder Arc, they agree not to take direct action against her until Arc returns to do so himself. Luna also informs everyone that the Elements of Harmony were reportedly ‘stolen’ from Sunburst’s safe on order of Captain Decimus. Overhearing the conversation from outside the room, Sandstorm Mirage leaves to inform someone referred to only as the ‘Dark Lady’ of the situation.
A week later Arc and Scootaloo leave the forest that borders Dodge Junction. Entering the town, Arc remembers his time there. Telling Scootaloo to head for the Saloon for information on potential jobs, he instructs her to ask for a drink at the bar. The bartender begrudgingly gives her an apple juice and tells her about the town’s Writ Board. As she turns to leave a stallion knocks her away. Angered by this, Arc tells Scootaloo to attack the stallion. As she does so, Arc hits him sending the stallion flying head over fetlocks over the bar. Leaving, the pair make their way over to the Writ Board. Finding a wanted poster for that very stallion, they sit outside and wait for him to leave. As he does so, Scootaloo engages him along with Arc. Making quick work out of him, they collect the bounty and head back to the Saloon with the bits for a meal.
Rising early, the pair head back into town to check the Writ Board for more easy bounties. Not finding any, they spot an ad for a job at Cherry Hill Ranch. Heading there, Scootaloo enquires about night work for her elder brother. Agreeing to the proposal, Ruby Jubilee tells her to come back that evening. The pair return to their campsite to rest until evening. As the sun sets they head back to the ranch. Ruby shows them to the orchard and points out the sacks in the back of the wagon and heads back to the house to go to bed. Arc and Scootaloo transform into their Crimson forms and get to work. They fill every sack in the wagon and in turn are paid a thousand bits for their labors. Heading back to their campsite, they pack up and get a room at the Inn together in order to properly bathe. Showing Scootaloo what a shower is, they get cleaned up together before heading to bed.
Getting up the next morning, Scootaloo heads to the store alone to buy groceries for them. Testing another Crimson ability of seeing through his thrall’s eyes, the pair watch as a stallion robs the store and assaults the cashier. On Arc’s orders, Scootaloo pays for her items and returns to the Inn. That night as they visit Cherry Hill Ranch, Arc tells Scootaloo to ask Ruby about the incident. Revealing to them that they are the leftover remnants of Buffalo Bull’s disbanded gang, she tells the filly to stay safely away from them. The next morning Ruby pays Scootaloo for their work and invites the pair inside for breakfast. She refuses and heads into town. Spotting the sheriff, Scootaloo askes him about the robbery. Admitting he is unable to stop the gang, the sheriff offers to give her the stack of wanted posters if she can bring in a certain low level member who’s been staying at the hotel without paying. Waiting for the stallion outside, Scootaloo and Arc follow him out of town. When they are a safe distance away Scootaloo challenges him. Arc stealthily approaches him and proceeds to beat the stallion. Dragging him back to town, they turn him in for the bounty. Announcing herself as the ‘Scarlet Filly’, Scootaloo returns to the Inn with Arc to get cleaned up.
Returning to the sheriff’s office, Scootaloo gets her pay as a stallion hurries inside with news of missing fillies. Informing the sheriff that the parents and others are searching, he leaves to organize a search. Returning to the Inn, the pair find a note in their room from the bandits along with a slice of ear. They claim to have captured the fillies and promise to execute them if the Scarlet Filly does not turn herself over to them. Arc and Scootaloo leave town at once to find the location drawn on the paper. Arriving, Scootaloo approaches the stallion without her cloak and pretends to be lost. Being dragged into a nearby cave, she is tossed into a cage with two fillies. Pushing them to the floor of the cage, she covers their faces as Arc mercilessly kills their kidnappers in the cave before turning his attention to those outside. After dealing with them, Arc carries the fillies back to town before putting them on Scootaloo’s back to take into the town. Turning them over to the authorities, she leads the sheriff and others back to the cave to clean up the bodies. Returning to the Inn, the pair pack up and return to their old campsite outside of town. As night falls they head to the hospital together. Asking to help the fillies, Scootaloo has the parents leave the room before using her Crimson powers to mesmerize them. Forcing them to forget the details of that night, she releases her control and calls the parents back in.
The next morning Scootaloo and Arc return to the Sheriff’s Office yet again. This time he has a job for them on behalf of the town itself. The stallions whom were captured need to be transported to Canterlot for trial. Scootaloo, as the Scarlet Filly, agrees to take on the job. She and Arc head to Cherry Hill Ranch to say goodbye to Ruby before returning to their camp and packing up. Making their way to the train station, Scootaloo dozes on Arc’s lap while they wait. As the train rolls up, she awakens. Approaching the sheriff as he leads the prisoners to the car, she accepts the key and heads to the passenger car. A short time later the sheriff enters and informs her that all prisoners are accounted for. Getting underway they are beset upon by the rest of the gang whom wants to free their companions. Climbing the ladder to the top of the train, they position themselves over the hatch to the prisoner’s car and defend it from the invaders. The stallions pull the pin to detach the car from the rest of the train forcing it to stop. Unable to wait any longer, Arc and Scootaloo retreat into the prison car. A short time later the stallions force their way inside to find their companions free and the Scarlet Filly in the cage. Having mind controlled the stallion prisoners, Arc orders them to attack their former companions. The next morning when the train arrives at the Canterlot Station they turn over the prisoners with quite a few extras. Clearly impressed, Decimus gives the Scarlet Filly a wanted poster of the most wanted individual in the land before leaving. Ducking into an alley the pair unfold the paper to find that it’s for Arc’s capture.
Arc and Scootaloo quickly leave Canterlot and head for the safety of the woods to the west of the city. Meanwhile, The Mane Six meet in Luna’s room regarding the wanted poster. They discuss various methods by which they might act including kidnapping Celestia or Decimus. Failing to come up with any real plan, Luna sends everyone to a private suite as she speaks to Twilight alone. Finishing, she gives the mare a scroll and leaves the castle via dark portal. Sometime later guards storm the room. Securing the room they motion to Celestia to enter. Ordering her troops to leave, she and Twilight share a wonderful reunion before heading to her room together. As Twilight sleeps Celestia again reads the scroll from Luna. In it she cautions her sister against her current actions and implores her to listen to those around her. Throwing away the scroll, Celestia promises to never leave Twilight along again.
However, many questions remain unanswered. Why is Moonlit Dusk still a #$%&? Did Tempest really help them out of the goodness of her heart? Will Twilight and Luna be able to succeed with their plan? Will Arc be able to keep himself hidden from prying eyes? How will Arc provide for Scootaloo on the open road? What will become of the Scarlet Filly and her new reputation? Why did Decimus change his tune about Scootaloo so fast? Why is Arc public enemy number one? Where did Luna go? Better yet, why did she go? What will Arc and Scootaloo do now?
Time will tell. Sooner or later… time will tell.