Rainbow was standing in the middle of the marketplace when Twilight found her. Twilight approached her, just happening to be behind Rainbow, when she noticed her friend had her head hung. Twilight walked around to face her friends front.
"Hey, Rainbow, I finally found you. Rainbow?" Twilight was staring at the top of Rainbows head, and she tried to see what Rainbow was looking at. She saw a piece of paper at the mares hooves, and opened her mouth to ask Rainbow about it. Before she could say anything, Rainbow raised her head and looked Twilight in the eyes, for a simple moment. Rainbow had a look of pure malice and hatred, so vivid, so livid, it scared Twilight. She was shocked into silence. This had barely even registered before Rainbow Dash took off, speeding away so fast that, on a normal day, would cause for celebration. But today was not one of those days. After flying for only half a minute, she was out of view in the sky. Or she was, until a huge circular rainbow blasted out of nowhere. It was quickly followed by a sonic boom. Rainbow Dash was not wasting time.
After a few moments, Twilight recovered herself, and remembered the paper on the ground. She turned to it, picking it up with her magic. She opened the note, and saw that it was a letter from Scootaloo. Twilight was absolutely shocked at the idea of a judge being so corrupted and doing...this to a poor family like Rainbows. She reached then end of the letter, and turned as if to speak. She then remembered that Rainbow had taken off. Wait. That look. Oh Celestia please no! Twilight's eyes went wide when she realized what Rainbow was setting up to do. She knew she had to stop Rainbow Dash, but she had so little time with how fast Rainbow was flying. Twilight gasped.
"That's it!"
The wind had numbed Rainbow Dash's face a few moments after going supersonic. She had not slowed down since she gotten up to speed, wanting to get to her destination as quickly as possible. She estimated that she had another minute and a half of flying before she reached the judges house. When everypony knows everypony else, it's hard to keep your location a secret.
She could imagine the look of surprise on the stallions face when he sees Rainbow Dash. The fear, the look of terror as he realizes that he got caught. He would probably beg to not be hurt or something lame like that. Either way, he was going to get it. She knew every place she would hurt him, starting with his disgusting face. Then she'd probably move down his body, breaking all of his bones until he cried, then break some more.
She was about to continue her morbid thoughts when she finally reached his home in the neighboring village. He was lucky that there were no other judges, or he'd have a hard time affording a normal lifestyle. Judges were few, but that was because there was so little need for them. Had there been even one more judge in the area, this guys salary would be halved.
Rainbow touched down in the front yard and trotted up to the porch. She politely knocked on the door five times, and waited. After thirty seconds, there was still no answer. So, naturally, she kicked the door down. She walked inside and switched on the lights. Apparently the judge was on the steps and roughly ten seconds from answering the door. Rainbow wasted no time, flying up to him and throwing his sorry flank down the steps. The stallion hit the floor with a loud thud. Rainbow then straddled him, getting ready to give him the same treatment she gave Mrs. Strongwing.
"Daddy?" Rainbow looked away from her prey and up the steps. There, in cute little pajamas, was a little filly unicorn, staring at the situation before her. Rainbow was now painfully aware of how this looked to a child. She was almost surprised when she heard the judge speak.
"Go back to your room, cupcake. Daddy is going to be alright." Rainbow took the hint and got off. She put a hoof in the joint of his shoulder and proceeded to drag him out of the house. In a heave of effort, she flung him five feet off of the porch. She then got next to him, and flew above him, aiming her hooves at his head.
"Talk. Now. Or I'll hoof-stomp you into oblivion."
"OK, I did it! I admit, I was paid off! Mrs. Strongwing paid me off! But please, you have to understand, there is so little need for a judge in a land this peaceful! I needed the money. I am a single parent, you saw my daughter! I am all she has please don't hurt me!" Rainbow squinted her eyes in fury.
"Oh really? Did you know my Scootaloo was an orphan for twelve years? Did you know that I was all she had? Did you know that she still had nightmares about the orphanage for weeks after I took her in, and now you're forcing her back into an orphanage again!?"
"No, I didn't, I-"
"SHUT UP!" Rainbow dropped to his side, putting up both her front hooves. "Let's see how you like being separated from your child." She began to drop them, hard. The poor male closed his eyes in expectation.
"MOMMY!" Rainbow stopped dead. She turned around, and was knocked off of her hooves by an orange and purple blur. She hit the ground hard, recoiling slightly. She opened her eyes to see the beautiful mane of her beloved child, and felt her crying into her coat. She realized that she was being squeezed very tightly, and instinctively returned it.
"Scootaloo, what are you doing here?"
"Ahem." Rainbow looked over towards the sound, and saw Twilight and Princess Luna walking to them. Rainbow looked back to her daughter, who was now smiling at her with watery eyes. Rainbows own eyes moistened, but she was going to save them for later. She reluctantly, yet gently, pushed Scootaloo off of her, and approached the Princess.
"Hi, Princess. What's the occasion?"
"Please, call us-"
"Ahem," Twilight coughed.
"Oh, uh, call me," Twilight nodded her head at the Princess, "Luna."
"OK, Luna. So, why are you here, and why did you bring Scootaloo? Not that I'm complaining or nothin'"
"Twilight here found Scootaloo's letter, and contacted me post-haste. I reviewed the letter and what documentation we had from the case, and found that the claims were accurate. This man has done wrong, and I believe that he has learned his lesson by enraging the wrong pegasus, yes?" She said the last word while looking at the still-cowering stallion. He opened one eye, then stood up quickly to properly address the Princess.
"Oh, um, yes, Luna, I-"
"That's Princess Luna to you."
"Oh no, I am terribly terribly sorry, I just, I, when you said to her, I uh-"
"Yes, yes I understand. Rainbow Dash, will you press charges on the judge?" Rainbow looked over to the stallion, seriously considering it. However, she thought immediately of the small child that almost witnessed her father get beaten to within an inch of his life.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I-"
"OHMIGOSH TAHNKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU-" The judge had jumped at Rainbow to hug her out of gratitude. Before he could complete the hug, she had slugged him across the jaw.
"As I was saying, I'll forgive this loser, but there is a certain someone I would like to press charges against."
"Oh?" Luna was genuinely confused. For the first time since arriving, Twilight piped up.
"She knows what she's doing. Trust me."
Rainbow sat with Scootaloo in the courtroom, both of them anxious to finally see true justice served. They could hear the woman who had tried to take them away from each other well before they saw her, as her shouts of anger were loud and proud. When she was finally wrangled into the courtroom, she silenced herself, noting the two pegasi in the room as well as a familiar alicorn Princess.
"Y-your Highness!? I am honored!" She gave an admittedly crisp bow.
"You may rise, subject." She did. "I am to be the arbitrator in this court case." Mrs. Strongwing looked nervous. Perfect. "You are being charged with bribery of a judge." She wasted no time in blabbering about innocence.
"WHAT!? No, nononono I have never bribed a judge, I would never stoop so low to win, that's just despicable! I-"
"SILENCE!" The roar of the Royal Canterlot Voice shook the halls of the courthouse, and shook Mrs. Strongwing to her core. Not only did she shut up, but she seemed as though she would not be able to utter a single peep for the rest of the trial. "Bring him in." Everypony looked to the entrance to the court room, and the judge came in. He avoided eye contact with the two pegasi, instead focusing on the lunar Princess. He came to the front, and sat in the booth reserved for those who were being questioned. Twilight Sparkle rose from her seat, and walked up to the judge.
"Hello again, Gavel."
"Hello, ma'am."
"Now, is it true that you accepted a bribe from this woman during the trial questioning the fitness of one Rainbow Dash as a parent?"
"Yes."
"The prosecution rests, Luna." Luna smiled at the informality, as did Twilight. Twilight walked back to her seat, awaiting the defenses case.
"Well, I never! These claims are false! He never-"
"Then what is this, then?" Judge Gavel held up a piece of parchment, and handed it to Luna, who proceeded to pick it up with her magic. She then read it aloud.
"'My dearest judge Gavel. Enclosed you will find two hundred bits. Rainbow Dash is unfit, and her daughter shall be sent elsewhere, away from that atrocious mare. Celestia Bless, -SW.' Is this not your signature?" She used her magic and literally shoved the paper into Mrs. Strongwing's face. The mare fell backward out of her seat, hitting the ground with a light thud, though it was drowned out by the sound of the chair hitting the floor as well.
"OK, OK, yes! It's my signature! But she hurt me and her daughter hurt my son! What was I supposed to do! I can't just let her do things like that!" Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight all shared the same huge expression of happiness. They finally got justice for Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo.
"Very well then. I, Princess Luna, do hereby decree that the results of Rainbow Dash's trial be annulled on the account of unfair trial. I also sentence the defense to ten years in prison for her crimes against this family." Twilight and her pegasi friends cheered. Scootaloo grabbed her mother, and Rainbow returned it. "Furthermore, Rainbow Dash shall regain permanent custody of the filly known as Scootaloo. Guard, take her away."
"No! No, you can't do this, I-" She was gone. The very same guard who took away Scootaloo days before had now taken Mrs. Strongwing far far away.
"Mrs. Dash, you and your daughter are excused. You may leave." Rainbow looked away from her daughter, and locked gazes with the Princess. Rainbow smiled warmly and began to tear up despite herself.
"Thank you so much, Luna." At this, Luna could not help but smile back.
"Anything to help one of my favorite subjects." Twilight put her hoof on Rainbows shoulder.
"OK, you two ready to go home?" They nodded in anticipation. In a flash of light, Twilight teleported them to the space below their sky home. "Here we are, have a good night you guys." Rainbow and Scootaloo were already about to take off. Rainbow hesitated when she caught Twilights eye.
"Hey, Squirt, go ahead and fly up without me. I need to talk to Twilight for a minute."
"OK, mommy." Scootaloo flew up to the cloud above and let herself into the house. She relished its sweet scent, so familiar and welcoming,
"Hey, Twilight, thank you so much for what you've done for me. I can never thank you enough." Twilight smiled genuinely at her friend.
"Think nothing of it. It's what friends are for." Rainbow had finally let a tear fall down her cheek, a rarity for sure. At least, for her friends. It was a good thing Applejack wasn't there, or Rainbow would have never heard the end of it.
"Well, anyway, thanks." With that, she sped up to the cloud home.
Scootaloo was slowly walking down the hallway that led from the entrance when she felt a huge force knock into her and lift her up, squeezing her practically to death.
"I freakin' missed you so much, sweetie. Mommy promises to never do anything that would get you taken away ever again, OK?" She relaxed her grip when she felt Scootaloo struggle, only to renew her squeeze when Scootaloo turned around and hugged her back.
"It's OK, mommy. I forgive you, and it's over now. I'm just so glad to be home." By this point, they were both crying happily, so glad to be back in their home, in each others arms, letting the familiar feelings of parent-child love affect them once again. There was nothing that could take them apart, and they knew that they'd never have to suffer anything like that ever again. After what felt like hours of hugging and crying into each other's coats, Rainbow Dash broke the embrace.
"Alright, that's enough mushy crap. You need to get to bed young lady." Scootaloo would normally protest, but instead she just nodded and flew to her room. Rainbow flew after her, and tucked her in, relishing at the experience of doing that which she subconsciously loved; she hadn't even realized how satisfying it was until Scootaloo was gone. She leaned over and gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead.
"Good night, honey."
"Good night, mommy."
With that, Rainbow exited Scootaloo's room and slowly shut the door. She walked halfway back to her own room before turning back. She opened Scootaloo's door and entered, taking a seat next to Scootaloo. She knew Scootaloo was a heavy sleeper and fell asleep quickly as well. In the thirty seconds she had been gone, Scootaloo was already sound asleep. Rainbow got into bed next to her, putting her hoof around Scootaloo's head and pulling her in close. Scootaloo instinctively hugged her mother, even though she had no idea what was going on back in the conscious world.
Rainbow thought so very hard about the filly in her arms, and how much she loved her. She could not believe she would ever do something so reckless as to get her own daughter taken away from her. She closed her eyes, enjoying the moment, hoping, knowing, that she would have her little Scootaloo forever.
"Forever."