//------------------------------//
// Betrayal and Pain 
// Story: Rainbow Of Fate 
// by Lord Drayvon22 
//------------------------------//

As the Crusaders gaze in horror at the new-comer, Rarity shoots Night-time Flare a beaming smile as if she had come over for dinner. "Good evening, darling. Please, take a seat." 

Flare casts a casual look over at the Crusaders before taking a seat on the floor despite Rarity insisting otherwise. "So, what're you planning to do to us?" Flare manages to suppress the urge to cringe at the harsh tone in Scootaloo's voice.

Rarity looks admonishingly at the Crusader who glares back. "Darling, is that any way to talk to Rainbow Dash? You two are so close."

Scootaloo shakes her head as she glares at Flare. "Whatever that... thing is isn't Rainbow Dash. It's just using her voice, body and memories. There's no way that Rainbow Dash would ever willingly do any of this." She looks back at her friends before resuming her angry look. "I can mourn later but I have others that I need to look after in the meantime."

Atta girl. Though she feels proud at her little sister's protectiveness, Flare bites her lip as she hears the empty tone in Scootaloo's voice. She has heard this many times in other ponies but only after they've lost someone that meant a lot to them. "And what would it take to convince you that I'm still the awesomest pony in Equestria?"

Scootaloo just shakes her head firmly. "Nothing. I know Rainbow Dash and everything you tell us will be lies. Just get on with whatever you want with us." Flare notices her sister side-eyeing a window with very clear intent. Pretending not to notice, she stretches out before eyeing the others who leave to give them some time alone.

Alone with Flare, the air becomes extremely tense as they look at the Alicorn. Turning to her sister by bond, Flare can't help but feel some pride at Scootaloo's defensive position in front of the other Crusaders. She knows she doesn't stand a chance against Nightmare Moon but protects her friends anyway. It's times like this where I wonder if she was accidentally given to the wrong parents and we're blood sisters. 

Silence prevails for several minutes until the door behind Rainbow Dash opens. "Good evening, everypony. I hope I'm not too late" purrs an all too familiar voice as Scootaloo tenses. Turning to her other half, Nightmare Moon eyes the fillies in disbelief. "These are the Crusaders? I see that little's changed from the Summer Sun Celebration." 

Although her tone is playful and upbeat, the Crusaders press themselves into the sofa as hard as possible. With a sigh of exasperation, Nightmare allows herself to re-merge with Flare who looks worriedly at her shell-shocked sister. "Scoots, I can explain." Her sister just looks up at her with a horrible look of terror, trauma, betrayal and lost hope even as she and her friends back towards the window. They'll only listen when they are like us, Dash. They're too scared to reason with. It's quick and it doesn't even hurt them. Flare releases a sigh just as the Crusaders reach the window before slowly turning to mist. 

Looking back, Scootaloo manages to pick up and throw Sweetie Belle clean out the window and into the street with a burst of incredible strength. As she turns to Apple Bloom though, she looks at her friend sadly. "Go arn, Scoots. Take Sweetie and get the hay outta here." Scootaloo doesn't have time to argue so throws Apple Bloom Sweetie only for the window to magically slam shut before she can make her own escape. She turns to the mist to see the calmly smiling silhouette of Nightmare Moon fade back into the smog. As it lunges for her though, she spies an opening under the cloud and manages to dive head first out of the living room. I just need to get out the front entrance and I'm home free. We'll go to Sweet Apple Acres and get Granny Smith's help or maybe we'll take refuge at my aunts' house and- 

Scootaloo abruptly rams into something and she jolts with fear when she sees what that thing ia. NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! "Going somewhere? Rainbow Dash wasn't kidding when she said that you're a fighter." Scootaloo dives into the nearest room and slams the door to find herself in the kitchen and face to face with a smiling Rarity. 

Before she can speak, Scootaloo manages to dive through the kitchen window. As she looks around the field though, she sees neither of her friends nor any signs that they left. "Guys? It's me, Scootaloo. I escaped." The dead silence that follows her hisses only worries her more.

Before she can ask again, she is pulled into a bush and squirms until Sweetie Belle pulls her into a hug. "Thank everything that you're safe, Scoots. Those Shadows came after me but left when you appeared." 

Scootaloo breathes a slight of relief but looks around after a moment as her heart sinks. "Where's Apple Bloom?" 

Sweetie looks over at the house hopelessly. "Th-they got her. W-we were running and then one of those things c-c-caught her in that mist. I-I didn't stop and maybe I should have then she wouldn't have..."

Scootaloo runs a hoof up and down the back of her grieving friend. "There's nothing that you could have done for her, Flare has her now and you would only have been caught as well. We need to find a way out of here before they come back. It's what Apple Bloom would have wanted."

Sweetie nods before they turn but instantly freeze in place. "Hai guys." They can't help but stare in horror at the black coloured pony with an all too familiar red mane topped with a bow. "A-Ah know what it looks like but it's still me, Apple Bloom." The two prepare to bolt but hesitate as they can hear the genuine fear and hesitation in her voice. Before any of them can speak again, they are abruptly teleported away.




The Crusaders find themselves in a void full of floating land masses. Though they've never been here, it isn't hard to figure out the owner. "Good evening, I hope you didn't mind dropping in." 

Scootaloo takes a decisive step back; even though Discord is reformed, he is still very unpredictable. "Why're we here? We're trying to get to safety." 

Discord condescendingly waggles a finger at them which momentarily turns into a writhing snake. "Why would you want to do that? You're perfectly safe in Ponyvile." He stops thier protest with a patiently raised finger. "I know, that big scary Nightmare Moon is there but have you ever considered that she is still Rainbow Dash? That all that has changed is her appearance and abilities?"

Scootaloo just glares at Discord defiantly. "Rainbow Dash wouldn't have done any of this. She wouldn't invade Ponyvile, corrupt her friends, trap and scare us, or do... that to Apple Bloom if she had any control. Night-time Flare is my sister in body only." She looks down sadly. "Come what may, I'm getting Sweetie and Apple Bloom to safety if I have to die in the process."

Unexpectedly, Discord chuckles before pointing to Apple Bloom. "You're so afraid of Flare but you happily let a Shadow stay with you? Even though you have seen what they can do?"

Scootaloo looks back at her nervous friend. "She may look different but she's still the same underneath." Realising what Discord is trying to say, she shakes her head. "And no, that won't convince me. Apple Bloom has done nothing like what Flare did. Now please, send us back so we can get away."

Discord looks ready to protest but relents with a knowing smile. "Okay, I'll let you go but you'll soon see. One way or another." He teleports them away before snapping to Fluttershy's cottage for thier weekly visit.




The Crusaders find themselves right back in the hedge just to see Flare smiling down at them through the leaves. "Have a nice trip, girls?" 

They spin around just to find Nightmare Moon behind them so they try to run to either side only to find an energy dome around the hedge. "Ah, ah, ah, no running away this time." Backed into a corner, Scootaloo backs herself up to the dome as her eyes dart around for an escape. Even if I can't get out, I have to save the others. I-I can't lose them too. 

As she finds nothing, she fights to control her breathing as Nightmare Moon slowly approaches. "You three have been surprisingly hard to catch, well done." Scootaloo evens up the odds of bucking Nightmare Moon in the face. If I can hit her, maybe her concentration will be broken for long enough that Sweetie and Bloom can escape. When Nightmare gets in range, she bucks but it bounces off of a protective shield. "Nice try but we're not falling for that twice."

As the other Crusaders cower with thier hooves over thier heads, Scootaloo fights to get airborne. C'mon wings, even if you only work once in my life and never again, make it today. Please. As her attempts are met only by the pain she typically gets when straining to fly, her desperation only grows until she finds her wings magically restrained to her sides. "You don't need to hurt yourself, Squirt." 

Scootaloo looks at her corrupted mentor with a snarl on her face. "What do you care?! You have us cornered so finish us!" Flare winces at the hatred plain to see in Scootaloo's eyes. Buried beneath the anger though is a deep sense of pain. When your idol apparently turns evil and hunts you and your friends down, how are you supposed to react? 

Flare's heart sinks further as she sees a look of calm acceptance on Scootaloo's face. The type of acceptance where a pony knows that they won't survive and is about to do something stupid to try and save her friends. "Scootaloo, wait!" Before she can stop her, Scootaloo bucks Flare as hard as she can. Instead of being aimed at her body or face though, it's aimed solely at her horn which causes a very powerful wave of magic to slam into Scootaloo. In doing so, the dome falters just long enough for the other Crusaders to pass through.

The two look back when they are at a safe distance to see Scootaloo barely able to stand. "G-go!" The two break down as they flee to ensure that her sacrifice is not in vain. 

As Scootaloo crumples, Nightmare does a magical scan of her body. "What she did was incredibly brave but the reflex has taken its toll. Sixteen broken ribs, both wings broken beyond any remote hope of repair, a fractured spine, two bfoksn hips, a neck broken at the base of her skull and all four legs have been shattered into powder. For most, hitting a Unicorn in the horn would be painful or at most cause a minor injury. Bucking an Alicorn though... It's a miracle that she's even still alive."

That's my sister. You can knock us down but you can't stop us for long. Nightmare Moon re-merges with Flare and the Alicorn steps closer to the broken filly who looks up at her with a look of strained defiance. "C-come to finish me o-off, Flare?" Flare allows herself to visibly cringe at the strain in her little sister's voice who fights to stay conscious through what must be unimaginable pain.

Flare shakes her head. "Your body is completely broken, Squirt. You haven't got long left but we can save you. We can make you whole again."

Scootaloo manages a defiant look as she glances over at Rarity and her parents who look mournfully at the broken filly. "I-I'd rather die than join y-you. My friends are s-s-safe and that's all that matters now." As her breathing becomes gradually more laboured, she manages to look up into Flare's eyes and speaks with a completely empty voice. "Y-you... k-killed... R-Rainbow... D-Dash... N-Nightmare. M-may... y-you... b-burn... i-in...T-Tartarus... f-f-f-forever." 

Just as Scootaloo finishes, she finally passes out and Flare looks down at her sadly. I can safely keep her alive for another day and alleviate most of the pain but that's all. What happens to her after that is touch and go. 

Her counterpart nods with a forced calm expression. "Do it. Do whatever it takes. I've come this far and I'm not going to lose her because of my own stupidity."



Outside of the dome


As the Princesses and Shining Armour watch the dome for any signs of breached entry, a private races up. "Your majesties, there's news." Forcing herself to not get her hopes up, Princess Cadance gestures for him to continue. "The eastern Guards sighted Nightmare Moon with a critically injured filly before both vanished."

Growing even more worried, and having a sinking feeling, Princess Luna steps forward. "Did they manage to get a description of the filly?"

The private looks confused for a moment before nodding. "Yes, Princess. She was a Pegasus, about three feet tall, maybe eight or nine years old, fuchsia mane, bright orange coat, and had unusually small wings for her presumed age."

Everypony's face turns grim but the look on Luna's face causes much greater alarm. "You know her, Princess Luna?"

Luna takes a breath. "Yes, her name is Scootaloo and she was one of the flower-maids at Cadance's wedding. She's also the filly we told you both about who we helped with her nightmares about the Olden Pony. When she admitted her fears to Rainbow Dash, they bonded as sisters and have been very close ever since." She takes a moment to put aside her personal feelings. "If Nightmare Moon knowingly harmed her though..."

Celestia nods mournfully. "If Rainbow Dash is even willing to hurt her own sister, who poses no threat to her, then she's too far gone for us to help. If we can't get through to her then we'll have to banish her for the sake of Equestria." She looks over at the dome. "All that we can do is hope that there is somepony left to rescue when this is all over."



Meanwhile, the Golden Oaks Library


Night-time Flare watches over Scootaloo as she lies motionless in the guest bedroom. They teleported straight here from Rarity's parents' house and Nightmare set up her protective spell but nothing has changed about Scootaloo's condition.

Although she maintains a calm visage, Flare is completely broken on the inside. If I had known that she would do this, I would've been able to stop her. No, I SHOULD have been able to stop her anyway! She's my sister! Blood or not I don't care. I'm a bucking Alicorn and I can't even stop my sister from hurting herself. She starts striking herself in the head with a hoof. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

When she goes in for a fifth hit though, she finds herself unable to move her hoof. Enough. Self-pity isn't going to help and will only make things harder for the both of you. You've done everything you possibly can for her and we can only wait. Scootaloo is strong. She'll wake up soon and then you'll both have a very personal conversation about everything. In the meantime, we have other things to take care of. 

Flare nods sadly as Shadowfright to take this moment to enter. "My Queens, everything is in place for the next stage."

Flare nods regally. "Excellent, you may proceed." Shadowfright is about to respond when he sees who occupies the bed and his head lowers before he quietly leaves. 

As Night-time Flare turns to let Scootaloo rest in peace, she looks back one last time. "I promise you Scootaloo, I'll find a way to fix you and Equestria will be even better than ever before." 

With those final words whispered, she leaves the room and the hulking Nightmare Shadows guarding it before making her way into town.