"What?!" Rainbow Dash's thunderous shout rivaled even the ancient Canterlot standard.
A soft glow sprang form from Luna's horn as she gently restrained the angry mare. "Do not misunderstand us. We did not snatch thy friend from her bed like a thief in the night."
"Then what gives?" demanded Dash.
Luna continued. "The ch...Scootaloo had decided to run away. The loss of the wing was... hard... for her. She pretended to sleep, late in the night, and when last checked upon, rose from the bed and left through the window. The town lay quiet and cover of night made slipping away easy."
"But... why would she run?"
"She does not appear to have planned beyond her decision. It is... difficult to relate to thee her reasons. We see in dreams what words cannot express fully. We have kept... vigil... on the child. As she entered this forest, she grew tired, and lay upon its ground. She knows of our ability, and sought to hide from us."
"We can do that?" Dash wondered.
"It is so, though it takes an uncommon will to resist, and the child is young." Luna paused. "But we are not one to... intrude... when a pony is unwilling, or desires privacy - such liberties taken would be a crude and undeserved act. But we can sense distress or find the dreamer still. It is a skill we are still recovering," she admitted, "after our long exile. We learned she had abandoned safety, trading it for flight, and came to ensure her recovery."
Dash stared hard at the Princess. "Then why is she not here? Where have you taken her?"
"She will be placed somewhere new."
Dash was incredulous. "You can't just... decide that!" She sputtered angrily. "Just because you're some snotty royal flank-head doesn't mean you can uproot your subjects whenever you see fit!"
To her astonishment, the Princess laughed in mirth. "Rainbow Dash, thou truly art the element of loyalty, not of fealty! It is Scootaloo who chose this path. It is she who spoke to us when we came. It is she who asked to be spirited away."
"I don't understand," Dash shook her head. "She wants to leave her friends? Her school? Everypony she knows? And... me?"
"Do you," Luna obviously struggled for a second, trying to match modern dialect, "have a hero, Rainbow Dash?"
A bit taken aback, Dash thought for an answer. "Well, sure. The Wonderbolts - I've always wanted to be one of them."
"One of them." Luna carefully put emphasis in the sentence. "Why?"
"I've always been the fastest, one of the best. They're like me, if I can prove myself good enough for them. And they're loyal, too - when you're a Wonderbolt, you're one for life, even when you're too old to fly in the shows anymore. When we found and used the uh... Elements," she spoke quicker, clearly uneasy at discussing Nightmare Moon's downfall, "I guess I learned I had loyalty, too."
"So you admire them because they represent the best of what you already know you possess?"
"When you put it that way... sure."
"The difference between you two," the Princess said softly, "is she worries she has nothing worth possessing. You want to be with your heroes because you believe you can show the same strengths they have. She wants to be her hero because she believes she has no strengths. You have friends who complement your weaknesses, and you have learned, or are learning, to draw upon their strengths when your own do not fit. She has grown afraid to reach out to any friend in the belief that calling upon them weakens them, as well. This has not been apparent, but was seeded long ago and has grown crooked, like her unfortunate wing."
Dash sat down on her haunch. "But if that's true... what can I do?"
"You have already given her the most important gift you can. Your offer of sisterhood has touched her deeply, though in her fear and anger she has lashed at you and anyone near. I... know something of the path that this resentment may lead to. I believe I can nurture your gift until she accepts the important truth."
"Which is?"
"That she has worth. That a hero represents what we believe ourselves capable of and inspires us to seek."
Saddened, Dash pawed at the ground, pushing bits of dirt with her hoof. "Okay. I'll... try to understand. I'll have to go back... tell the others."
"Celestia has likely already informed them. We agreed it was most important I seek you directly." The Princess placed a hoof under Dash's chin, and raised it gently to look at her again. "Take heart, young one. She will be safe, and she will remember your gift. One day, she may return it thousandfold. The two fillies will not understand as well as you, but thou must help them," she lapsed towards Ancient Equestrian again. Dash could only nod sadly.
Luna backed away, and her dark blue wings unfurled. She offered one last look at the other mare, and sighed slightly. "We can see thou art still troubled, my friend. Look to your stories. Thou hast already spoken thy new desire, which will provide thy spirit with solace through these burdens." And then she was gone.
Dash wept.
Later, she rose.
She stood staring at her wings. They looked like big, strong wings, didn't they? She didn't want to use them. It wouldn't feel right... to fly away from this place knowing what she now knew.
So she walked.