"Come on Dash, don't be like this," Scootaloo said as she stood at Rainbow Dash's door, a few cakes and candies inside her saddlebags.
"I told you to go away," Rainbow Dash said sternly. The famed pegasus looked very haggard and messy, her left wing was wrapped in bandages and she looked like she had tried to take them off a few times. Her face was streaked in tears and scars, evidence that she was on the verge of a breakdown.
"But I only want to see if you're better and if you want anypony to hang out with you," Scootaloo said as she showed Rainbow Dash the cakes and candies. Rainbow Dash took the saddlebag from Scootaloo, who was grinning at her, looked inside, and then tossed them off the cloud.
"Hey, why did you do that?" Scootaloo asked. Rainbow Dash pulled the filly over to her and stared daggers into her eyes.
"Don't you get it squirt?" she asked, "I'm sick to death of seeing you here every single day, all you do and say is 'Get better' and give me the same cakes and candies. I can't sleep because your annoying little voice keeps clawing inside my head, you always want to hang out with me and you never get the message that I can no longer fly. You are not helping with that Scootaloo, go away...now."
Rainbow Dash turned away and was about to slam the door when Scootaloo spoke up.
"What do you mean by that?"
Rainbow Dash looked back and saw Scootaloo was still standing in the doorway, tears running down her face.
"You know what I mean you flightless failure."
"Dash, why are you being so mean to me?" Scootaloo said as she teared up even more, "I only want you to get better, all I want is somepony to look up to and you're like a sist-."
"GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" Rainbow Dash yelled to the filly, "Don't you get it Scootaloo? I don't want you here anymore, you'll never be as great as I was. How can I get on in my miserable life without you constantly butting in and wanting to fly, you'll never fly Scootaloo, give up and get out of my life."
Rainbow dash slammed the door in Scootaloo's face, leaving the emotionally damaged filly on the doorstep. Scootaloo turned and ran away, tears running down her face. She couldn't live with what Rainbow Dash had said to her, she wanted to show that she was the best, better than Rainbow Dash and she was going to prove that even though she knew that she couldn't fly very well.
Scott trotted happily with the group, now with Rarity added to their ranks, and told them what life was like on the moon.
"So you spent an entire week trying to see if you could walk on the sides of the crater?" Twilight asked.
"When you get bored you get weird ideas," Scott said, "No matter how dumb they sound you're just desperate to try and get a bit of excitement in your life."
The group laughed a little, Rarity stopped suddenly and looked behind her. Scott saw her nervous look and knew what was troubling her.
"I'm sorry about what I did to Sweetie Belle."
"It's okay, I'm just a little worried that she won't forget the visions that you showed her."
"It's okay, by the time we get back she'll have forgotten about them."
"But I thought that you were going to erase her memory tonight," Twilight said.
"I was going to but after what I saw I decided to remotely erase the visions from Sweetie's mind," Scott said, "I didn't want her to suffer from what I showed her."
"Where did you take her?" Lauren asked.
"My pocket dimension, I'll show you tonight if I don't have anymore nightmares to purge."
"Nightmares? Purge?"
"It's a little something that I do at night," Scott said proudly, "When I was banished to the moon Luna visited me and gave me the power to enter the dreams of others, reason why she did this was because she didn't want me to be all alone. I ended up entering the dreams of my friends and the ponies who I helped when I planned to kill Discord, soon I used this power to help the fillies and colts who were having nightmares about Discord's wrath. What I'd do was go into their dreams and kill their nightmare monsters. It wasn't too bad, I formed a lot of trusting friendships with the kids and I also helped them whenever they got upset. After the Changeling attack the number of nightmares I had to purge soared and the kids had no idea what was going on and since they tell me what's happening I had no clue why they were dreaming what they were dreaming. Luckily one of my friends managed to tell me that it was Douglas and the Changelings that had taken over the town and were holding all the townsfolk inside cocoons of some sort. I had a helluva job trying to calm the fillies and colts down that were inside the damn things."
"Did you manage to help the kids?" Lauren asked. Scott nodded.
"I did but I still had to keep a close eye on them, at least I know what the culprit looks like."
"You saw Douglas?" Twilight asked.
"I dragged him into my pocket dimension while he slept. I tried to convince him to go back to his parents and let his memory get restored to it's rightful state. Sadly he refused and thought I was a dream brought on by his drinking. After that I vowed to find him and set things right."
"So what are you going to do if you find him?" Pinkie asked.
"I know a way to reverse the Changeling spell and, if Celestia will let me, take him home to his family," Scott said, "If this is not possible then I will have to terminate him."
"You'll kill him?" Applejack asked with shock.
"Only as a last resort," Scott said quickly and sternly.
A few minutes of walking and Scott spotted something coming over the horizon. He wasn't sure what it was but he knew that it was too small to be a threat.
"What is that?" Twilight asked.
"Dunno but it's running at a good clip," Scott said.
"It looks like a foal," Lauren said, "Maybe it's one of the little kids you helped get rid of their nightmares."
Scott allowed himself a smile as he saw the foal run over the hill and towards them.
"Hey!" Pinkie cried out, "It's Scootaloo!"
"Wow, really?" Scott said, "I haven't seen her in months."
"Hold on a second, why is she runnin' away from Dash's house?" Applejack asked.
"We'll find out soon enough," Twilight said as the filly ran closer to them.
"She isn't looking where she's going," Fluttershy said meekly, "Something is wrong."
Scootaloo kept running until she ran headlong into Scott's burned foreleg, she stumbled and fell backwards into Twilight. The filly looked up and Scott could clearly see that there was something wrong, tears were running down her face and her ears where flat against her head, Scootaloo was also sniffling quite a lot.
"Hey Scoot, something up?"
"You don't look too good." Pinkie said.
"Where's Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.
Scootaloo didn't reply but instead she started crying and then ran off before anyone else could say another word. Lauren was the first to break the silence.
"Yeah, there's something wrong with Scootaloo."
"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked.
"First off was that you said that she was running with her head down, second was that she looked like she had been crying for almost an hour, third was after Twilight asked about Rainbow Dash. Didn't you see her cry and run off? But that's not what I find to be proof that something's upsetting her."
"What is then?" Twilight asked.
"She didn't even look at me," Lauren said, "Every pony who've I met has looked at me funny or acted like I was the second-coming of Hitler or something."
"Saddam's already got that title," Scott muttered.
"We've got to see Rainbow Dash," Twilight said, "If Scootaloo was running away from Rainbow Dash and crying then Dash has really taken a turn for the worse."
The six ran towards Rainbow Dash's house, each having a different fear. Scott didn't let it distract him as he charged up the Element of Chaos and teleported both him and the rest of the group outside Rainbow Dash's house. Scott tripped up and collapsed, panting heavily he managed to lift his head up to see the could-home floating above him.
"I-really-shouldn't-do-that-when-running," he said between heavy breaths.
"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked as she helped him sit up.
"No, but I will be in a minute or two."
"Now I can see what you mean about the draining of your life energy," Twilight said. Scott smiled sheepishly.
"So are we all going up there?" Lauren asked.
"No, I do know a spell that'll allow earth ponies and unicorns to walk on clouds but I don't know if it'll work on humans."
"I've got the Element of Chaos so I'll be okay," Scott said.
"I say that me, you, Fluttershy and Pinkie all go up there," Twilight said, "All of us together might make Rainbow Dash angry, especially if she sees Lauren."
"Good point," Scott said, he turned to Lauren, Applejack and Rarity, "Miss Faust, Rarity, Applejack. I hope you guys don't mind staying on the ground until we can get Rainbow Dash into a docile state."
"If it's for my safety then I'll stay," Lauren said, "Just make sure that I get to meet Rainbow Dash afterwards."
"Sure thing," Scott said, "Okay Twilight, take us up."
Twilight's horn glowed purple and when Scott blinked he found himself standing on a cloud in front of Rainbow Dash's house. He made a little notch in the white and fluffy surface and watched as it self repaired. Pinkie stared at him in wonder.
"I though you'd be a little more stunned that you are standing on a cloud," she said.
"I've experienced it a few times in dreams. It got boring after the seventh time."
Scott joined Twilight and Fluttershy at the door. Twilight took a deep breath and stared at the door.
"Is everypony ready?"
"Do it," Scott said.
Twilight rose a hoof and knocked lightly on the door.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT NOW?!" Rainbow Dash's voice boomed. Down on the ground Lauren, Applejack and Rarity looked up at the house.
"She has changed hasn't she?" Lauren said.
"She never used to be like that," Applejack said.
"I hope they can get her back to her usual self," Rarity said. Back up on the cloud Scott pressed his ear to the door and heard Rainbow Dash walk over to the door, he backed up and stood tall hoping that Rainbow Dash would remember him. The door literally flew open and Rainbow Dash's angry face stared back at them. Fluttershy dived behind Pinkie who looked absolutely stunned, only Scott and Twilight were able to keep blank faces.
"Oh great, now you guys are here to annoy me," Rainbow Dash said, "Just make it quick."
"Dash, you okay?" Scott said, "What the hell happened to your wing?"
"Why do you want to know?" Rainbow Dash asked harshly, "Why do you care about what happened to me? It was your kind that did this to me. I still know what you once were, Scott, and believe me I'd throw you off the cloud right now if the others weren't here."
"What's up with the unprovoked hostility?"
"You, that's whats causing it. It's you and your whole stinking race."
Scott kept his mind straight and held a hoof out to Rainbow Dash.
"Let me see your wing, I'll see if I can fix it."
"No," Rainbow Dash said as she backed up, "You'll just break my other wing and then laugh at me."
"I would not!" Scott said.
"You were a human once and you betrayed me once, I'm not going to trust you."
"Dash please, don't you remember what happened in the dungeon?"
Rainbow Dash hesitated for a moment but after she saw the trusting look in Scott's eyes she allowed him to take a look at her damaged wing. Scott took the bandages off and saw her shredded wing, blood caked her sides and her feathers had holes riddled through them.
"Bloody hell, what happened?"
"I got taken out of the sky by Douglas," Rainbow Dash said, "He used some sort of weapon and it brought me down."
"What was it?" Scott asked with great interest. Rainbow Dash sighed and her ears drooped.
"I don't remember."
"I remember!" Pinkie said suddenly that it startled everyone, "It was something called an AR-15 I think. He also had a piece of sharp metal."
"An assault rifle?" Scott asked, "How did he get that?"
"He brought it with him," Fluttershy said.
"Chrysalis enchanted the weapon so that it was more powerful," Twilight added, "It's now really dangerous."
"I don't think that it'll hold a candle to my Chimera," Scott said as he probed Dash's wing.
"Can you fix it?" she asked. Scott nodded.
"Hold still."
The Element of Chaos glowed several different colors as Scott took Dash's crippled wing in his hooves, slowly the flesh started to bubble and the tissue started to reform on her wings. Dash watched as her feathers started to grow back, much stronger than before and much thicker. Scott smiled as he stood back to admire his handiwork, withing seconds all of Rainbow Dash's wing had been repaired and the other wing had been fixed up as well, the only evidence of there ever being any problem was the blood and bandages. Her face was also healed of the scars.
"You did it," Rainbow Dash said quietly.
"I knew that I could," Scot replied. Rainbow Dash hugged Scott, he held her and felt her tears run down the side of his face. "Come on, there's someone who I want you to meet."
Scott took Rainbow Dash outside and to where Rarity, Applejack and Lauren were all waiting for them, the second Dash saw Lauren she grabbed Scott's foreleg and held on. Scott pulled her closer and told her that everything was okay. Apllejack trotted over and saw that Rainbow Dash's wing was healed.
"Whoa, Dash. Ah didn't know that your wing had healed."
"I did that," Scott said, "I used the Element of Chaos to repair and rebuild her tissue and feathers. She's able to fly now."
"I didn't know that you were able to do that," Lauren said.
"I managed to gain several new powers after I assimilated the Elements of Harmony," Scott said as he let go of Rainbow Dash.
"How did you do that?"
"I destroyed them, but I managed to fix them up after I took out Discord. The strain almost killed me."
Lauren looked impressed with Scott, she didn't know how much he had done and she was eager to find out more. She then turned to Rainbow Dash who was staring back in mild suspicion and fear.
"So you're the famous Rainbow Dash," Lauren said.
"Yeah, and who are you?"
"My name is Lauren Faust," Lauren said as she knelt down in front of Rainbow Dash, "I know a lot about you."
"I'm guessing that Scott told you," Rainbow Dash said. Lauren smirked.
"No, I knew way before I met him."
"Oh really, how?"
Scott stifled a laugh and walked up next to Rainbow Dash.
"Dash, she's the one who created you."
"What?" Rainbow Dash said with disbelief, "She's the Creator? No way that it's true, the stories of the Creator are just old mares tales."
"I know they are, because I made them up," Lauren said.
"You're all just messing with me now," Rainbow Dash said with a hint of annoyance.
"She knows all about us, Dash," Twilight said, "I can guarantee that she'll tell you something about your past."
Rainbow Dash stood firm and stared at Lauren in the eye.
"Okay then, tell me something. Something that I know that the others didn't tell you."
Lauren pulled Rainbow Dash closer to her and whispered something in her ear. Rainbow Dash's eyes grew wide and Scott could see tears forming, Lauren sighed and pulled her closer.
"I didn't want to remember that," Rainbow Dash said quietly.
"You wanted to hear something that the others didn't know about," Lauren replied, "Don't worry, we'll keep this between us."
Rainbow Dash smiled a little but it turned to a look of horror, she ran to the open road and looked in the direction where Scootaloo had ran. Cold sweat beaded on her head.
"Oh no."
"Something up Rainbow Dash?" Scott asked.
"It's Scootaloo, I think that she might have gotten into trouble."
"And how can you possibly know that?" Twilight asked.
"Because-because I kind of snapped at her and well, you know what she's like."
Scott's pupils narrowed and the color drained from his face.
"We've got to save her, now!"
"What?" Lauren asked as she walked over to Scott. Scott span around to face Rainbow Dash.
"What did you say to her?"
"I...uh."
"What did you bloody well say to her?!"
Rainbow Dash sighed and lowered her head in shame.
"I said that she'd never fly like me."
Scott shook his head in disappointment and looked to Twilight.
"Are there any cliffs around here?" he asked.
"There is one I know of, why?" Twilight replied, confused.
"Just lead the way, and make it quick."
Twilight sighed and ran towards a forest, Scott, Lauren and the other ponies followed, running to keep up.
Scootaloo stood on the edge of the Ghastly Gorge and looked down into it's depths. She let out a few nervous breaths and stood back.
"I can do this," she thought, "I can fly. I don't need Rainbow Dash to tell me that I can't fly, I can do anything that I set my mind to. Why did she say all those mean things to me? I just wanted her to get better and she tells me that I'll never fly, no more Rainbow Dash, I'll show you.
Scootaloo spread her wings and stepped closer to the edge of the cliff, she looked out to the horizon and got ready to jump, this was now her moment, it was now or never. She had to fly.
"Scootaloo!" a distant yell said. Scootaloo stopped and turned around, she could see Scott and Lauren running towards her followed by Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy. Scootaloo turned back to the cliff and shut her eyes, ready to jump.
"Don't do it, kid," Scott said as he ran up to her. Scootaloo span around to face the group.
"I'm gonna fly and you can't stop me!"
"Scootaloo listen to me," Lauren said, "Don't jump, you're not going to make it."
"I am going to make it! I can fly if I want to!" Scootaloo yelled to Lauren. Scott sighed and tried to reason with the upset filly.
"Look Scoot, I know that Rainbow Dash yelled at you but you can't do this. What you're doing is suicide."
"So are you now going to tell me that I can't fly?" Scootaloo said with a few cracks in her voice. "I used to look up to you, Scott. Now I can't even look at you, good-bye guys. I'm going to fly away."
Scootaloo span around and ran towards the cliff, Scott raced after her hoping to catch the pegasus before she threw herself off the cliff. Scott was no more than a foot away when Scootaloo jumped and plummeted off the cliff.
"Scootaloo!"
Scootaloo focused on the task of flying she knew that she hadn't flown properly but she wanted to show up her former hero and prove that she was capable of doing anything that she wanted to. As Scootaloo sped towards the ground she opened up her wings and shut her eyes and waited for the moment when she would either fly or fall. As the wind whipped through Scootaloo's mane and tail she gritted her teeth and started to flap her wings, she opened up her eyes and saw the jagged rocks were no more than ten feet away and she was still falling.
"I'm gonna die!" she yelped. Just as she was about to become splattered on the rocks an unknown force grabbed Scootaloo and she shot off to the right and up over the edge of the cliff. Scootaloo was then dropped in front of the group. Scootaloo cowered and watched as another pegasus stepped into the sunlight.
"What the hay was that you were doing?" a familiar voice asked. Scootaloo looked up and saw Rainbow Dash standing in front of her looking angry and disappointed.
"I-I-I-I don't know," Scootaloo stammered.
"You could have killed yourself," Rainbow Dash said, "You know that you haven't got the wing strength to fly properly. Why did you jump off the cliff?"
"I-I wanted to fly," Scootaloo said, she then started to cry. "I just wanted to help you and you said all that mean stuff to me, why Rainbow Dash? Why did you say all that?"
Rainbow Dash sat in front of the tear streaked filly and made her look up again.
"I'm really, really sorry I said all that. I was just a little stressed and upset that I hadn't flown because of my injured wing. I know that all you were trying to do was make me feel better but I was too focused on what had happened to me but that's all behind me now, my wing is okay now. See?"
Rainbow Dash spread her wings and Scootaloo saw that they were both fixed up and looked as if nothing had happened. Scootaloo turned away and Rainbow Dash made Scootaloo face her again.
"I'm really sorry for what I said to you Scoot, can-can you forgive me?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes filled with tears of joy as she held Scootaloo. The peacefulness of the moment was then interrupted by Pinkie Pie.
"Group hug!" she yelled as she dove onto the two pegasi. Fluttershy followed along with the other three ponies, Lauren shrugged and join in. Scott was the only one who abstained, Pinkie looked up at him.
"Aren't you joining in?" she asked. Scott sniffed and brushed himself off.
"I'm not like you guys, I don't get into group hugs. But I think I can make an acception just this once."
Pinkie pulled Scott with the others, he accepted the embracement and then spoke up.
"So then, where do we go now?"