PONYVILLE LIBRARY
MIDDAY, 2 DAYS LATER
The bright Celestian sunlight filtered gently through the windows of the Ponyville Library, illuminating the many bookshelves and the figures of Twilight, Scootaloo and a busily-working Spike, whom was carrying stacks of dusty tomes back and forth. His mumbled comments of distaste at the workload he was completing fell on deaf ears.
"Thanks for letting me look through the archives, Twilight.. It's been a big help." Scootaloo smiled, trotting past the purple-maned mare. Twilight returned the smile, flipping through a book with her magic as the teenage mare began rooting through a box of meticulously stored and archived newspapers. Her eyes fell on one issue as memories returned to her, and she held back a pained sob when she saw the printed page. The most recent issue, bearing the title,
'EQUESTRIA'S FINEST FLYER KILLED BY UNKNOWN ASSAILANT IN MANEHATTAN, POSSIBLE SUSPECTS FOUND UNCONSCIOUS AT THE SCENE'
was quickly swept beneath other volumes as Scootaloo regained her composure.
"Looking for something in particular, Scootaloo?" Twilight asked, glancing over.
"Um.. Do you have anything on Mare-Do-Well?" Scootaloo asked, a weak grin on her face. Twilight nodded, cantering over to a box next to the one Scootaloo was looking through and opening it up to reveal another pile of newspapers inside.
"After our invention of the hero to teach Rainbow about boasting, somepony actually took up the name and started taking on all the bad stallions and mares in Equestria.." Twilight gave a little giggle. "But if you're looking for information on her, I'm sure you know all that already." Scootaloo gave a little nod, beginning to shuffle through the papers. Her face had lit up once more, curiosity washing away sorrow.
"I.. I wanted to know more about her. Or at least understand her a little better. She was.. Ineteresting. And I'm thinking of writing about her. Like a biography"
Twilight trotted back over to the last book she was studying, a smile widening on her face.
"I never took you for a writer, Scootaloo! But it's lovely to hear that you'd be writing about such a heroic mare." She nodded, once again settling down to study her book. Scootaloo stared down at the headline on the front page of the newspaper at the top of the pile;
'MARE-DO-WELL RETURNS TO SAVE EQUESTRIA'
Scootaloo read onward down the page, a photograph of the hero atop a building alongside the article, the caped mare standing defiantly, ready to leap off the edge.
'Reliable sources have claimed that the previously fictional hero, Mare-Do-Well, first invented by the residents of Ponyville to teach one certain resident a lesson about humility, has become a real vigilante force of justice in our land. Her first act of heroism has been performed at the heart of Equestria, Canterlot itself.'
A photograph of the royal city adorned another spot on the page.
'An attempt has been made on the life of our fair Princess Celestia by a mare revealed to be named Skyblue Blaze, a pegasus assassin under the employ of an as-yet unrevealed client. As Skyblue lined up the crosshairs of a ranged weapon to aim at the head of Princess Celestia (Who was spending a relaxing moment away from her duties on Canterlot Castle's highest tower at the time), the hero was reported by eyewitnesses to appear atop a higher building. Swooping down to give the assassin a swift buck with her rear hooves, Mare-Do-Well knocked Skyblue away from her weapon before it could be fired, dissasembling the weapon with a quick stomp and finally bucking the assassin again, knocking her into unconsciousness. The unconscious mare was found soon after by the Canterlot Royal Guard, laying in a heap on the rooftop and bound tightly with thick, metallic cables.'
Scootaloo took the newspaper in a hoof, searching through the rest of the newspapers full of articles on the hero. Twilight stepped closer, looking up from her book for a moment.
"Take whatever youwant from that collection, if it'll help with your writing." She said, smiling brightly. Scootaloo grinned, closing over the small crate.
"Thanks, Twilight!" she picked the crate up in her teeth by the small carrying-handle on the lid and carried it out of the library.
THE CMC CLUBHOUSE, 15 MINUTES LATER
Scootaloo entered the now-old and ragged-looking Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse, setting down her new crate of newspaper articles on the desk at the back. At the generous offer or Applejack, she had been allowed to stay in the old clubhouse and use it to store any belongings she might have. Scootaloo breathed a silent thank you to AJ, giving a small smirk as she sat down at the desk and began flipping through the various collected headlines.
'MARE-DO-WELL SAVES TRAIN FULL OF CITIZENS, ASKS FOR NOTHING IN RETURN'
'APPLEOOSA ORPHANAGE CATCHES FIRE, MARE-DO-WELL RESCUES FOALS AND MAKES DONATIONS TO REBUILD SITE'
'HOOFSPIKE GANG FORCED OUT OF CANTERLOT BY BRAVE ACTIONS OF MARE-DO-WELL'
Scootaloo continued to dilligently study the actions and skills shown by the original Mare-Do-Well, scouring the articles for any useful information that might help her new career.
"Perfect.." Scootaloo mouthed, staring at a new headline.
'ORIGINAL MARE-DO-WELL OUTFIT DESIGNER, RARITY, DISPLAYS OUTFIT FOR CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE'
A smile spead on Scootaloo's face as she trotted outside, speeding to a gallop as she headed straight for the Carousel Boutique. Within a few minutes she burst through the doors, the jingling of the doorbell causing Rarity to turn and smile.
"Scootaloo, darling! Oh, I knew someday you'd come to your senses and let me give you a makeover! So what shall it be? A dress, a new hat, maybe some.." Scootaloo cut in.
"No, I.. Rarity, do you remeber Mare-Do-Well's costume?" Rarity was taken aback slightly.
"Of course I do, dear. In fact.. Follow me." Rarity gave a small smile and trotted over behind one of the counters dotted around the room, using her horn to lift the carpet away and open a metal panel in the floor, revealing a staircase. Scootaloo followed her down to the basement below the Boutique.
"I designed and assembled the costume down here.. It's my own personal workspace." Rarity explained, using her magic to flip a switch. The room was illuminated by a large flourescent strip-light on the ceiling, revealing a glass case with the prototype suit inside. Hung on the walls were complicated designs and blueprints for the costume, meticulously redesigned over and over and annotated in graceful, flowing script.
"Woah.. You really went all-out on the costume design, didn't you?" Scootaloo grinned.
"Of course, darling! the costume had to be something daring, unique, bold, strong, glamorous!" Rarity asserted, her voice raising in volume as she listed the qualities needed for the costume of such a hero. Scootaloo stepped closer to Rarity, speaking carefully.
"Listen, Rarity.. If I had a suit of my own, would you.. Be able to modify it?" Rarity turned, looking to the young mare and giving a nod. "I'd need to have the insides of the fabric armour padded, and.. I might have further modifications needed." Rarity smiled.
"My my, all of this will be a challenge.. But I'll see what I can do."
After a trip through the market to try finding assorted utilities such as some strong rope, flashlights and a fabric repair kit, Scootaloo returned to get Mare-Do-Well's bullet-punctured, now-washed costume and brought it back to the Boutique. bullet holes were repaired, fabrics thoroughly washed and cape ironed to perfection. After seeing the damage, Rarity had no doubt of Scootaloo's intentions. She spoke as she began slotting armour plating into the suit precisely with the aid of her magic, her tone grim.
"I know what you're intending to do, dear. I'd beg you not to, but.. I know it'll do no good at all. But I must ask you to do one thing, in exchange for my secret-keeping." Scootaloo nodded. "Be careful, darling. Even this armour can't stop everything."
"I know it can't, but.. Equestria needs Mare-Do-Well more than ever. Without me, who will save every unfortunate stallion, mare or foal who falls victim to the same kind of evil that almost killed me? The ones who killed.." Scootaloo choked down a sob. Rarity sighed, finishing her repairs and giving Scootaloo a comforting smile as she handed over the finished costume to her.
"Be careful, that's all I ask.. But your secret is safe with me." Rarity said with an uncharacteristically serious tone to her voice. Scootaloo only nodded, giving the dressmaker a thankful smile as she exited the Boutique.
As the darkening sun dipped below the horizon, the lone figure of Scootaloo stood over a table of assembled supplies in the old CMC clubhouse, the Mare-Do-Well costume laid out neatly in the centre of the objects. Donning the bodysuit, slipping into the boots and pulling the brim of the iconic hat over her suited head, Scootaloo felt a rush of energy course through her veins. These were humble beginnings for a hero, stood in an old building full of childhood memories. But she was determined to do her duty by taking up the responsibility of Equestria's greatest hero; Mare-Do-Well.
PONYVILLE ROOFTOPS, LATE AT NIGHT
The night air was cold, and Luna's silver moon floated high in the heavens as the new hero bounded over the rooftops of Ponyville. Inexperienced as she was, Scootaloo's knack for taking running leaps from rooftops and soaring downward to catch the wind and glide almost silently across to the next rooftop on her now-matured wings was improving. Within ten minutes of patrol, Scootaloo heard the faint sound of hooves speedily approaching the Sugarcube Corner. Gliding across a couple of rooftops, she quickly spotted the lone stallion turning to harshly buck the front door inward. Scootaloo steeled herself and put herself into the mindset that the suit demanded. She truly became Mare-Do-Well for the first time.
"Freakin'.. Open!" growled the stallion, bucking the door again, to no avail. Within a few seconds, the dark silouhette of Mare-Do-Well loomed over him. Turning, he recieved a hard buck to the head, knocking him effortlessly backward against the door, panicked voices now audible inside. The hero stood motionless in front of him, staring silently at him.
"You're going down." Mare-Do-Well uttered in a cold, harsh voice. With the title of the hero came a new identity, contrasted with the pony she became by day.
Within moments, the figures of Mr and Mrs Cake, along with a wide-awake and visibly excited Pinkie Pie pulled the front door of the Sugarcube Corner open to reveal the scene outside. A bruised and beaten stallion with a sour expression, bound tightly with ropes to prevent escape, and the triumphant figure of Mare-Do-Well standing a little further away, bathed in moonlight with her cape blowing and fluttering gently in the breeze.
"Make sure he's taken into custody." Mare-Do-Well uttered monotonely before galloping down the street, leaping over crates, onto market stalls and across rooves to disappear into the night.
ONE HOUR LATER, THE BORDER OF THE EVERFREE FOREST
"So here's how it's gonna go, lady. You give us all the bits you have on you right now, and we won't hurt you.. 'Kay?" The larger pegasus grunted. His scrawny cohort grinned.
"Well.. Not too much." She cackled, words muffled from the iron piping section she held in her teeth. Fluttershy stumbled back a little, sniffling as tears welled up in her eyes.
"P..Please don't.." She whimpered softly, stepping back even further. "I don't have any bits.. I didn't go shopping today, I.." The larger pegasus shook his head and motioned to the smaller, the skinny earth pony raising her head and getting ready to batter the butter-yellow, terrified mare. Out of nowhere, a dark shape swooped down from the nearest tree, a dark cape whipping viciously about to slap the attackers, stunning them. Fluttershy only ducked back and lay low to the ground, covering her head with her hooves and wrapping her wings around herself protectively. The dark figure of Mare-Do-Well sent a kick flying at the scrawny pipe-weilding mare, smacking her squarely in the jaw with a loud thud and an audible crack. She dropped to the floor, dazed, confused and near unconsciousness.
"Come on then, hero.." The large stallion said with a smirk, stomping closer. "Let's see how tough you really are!" Mare-Do-Well hesitated before trying another hard buck with her hind legs. This time, however, the expectant stallion rammed his body weight into her, knocking the hero off-balance. Once she toppled to the floor, pain immediately shot through her head as the opponent brought a hoof down on her skull. The world became a blur, hazy and dark with tinges of red. Dragging herself to her feet, Mare-Do-Well felt another set of hooves swiftly kick her in the side, knocking her down again. Her head felt terrible, her body battered and her mind overloaded with signals being sent to her brain, telling her that pain was being felt all over. In a moment of clarity, the hero lunged over to the discarded pipe, picking it up in a wing and hiding it beneath her cape. The stallion spoke.
"So I guess you ain't so tough.. Not surprised." He chuckled coldly. "Say goodnight." He lowered his head and dashed toward the still-dazed but now armed Mare-Do-Well, ready to ram his head into hers, doing permanent damage to her at the very least. In an instant, Mare-Do-Well leapt over the charging stallion, bringing down the pipe on his head with a loud crack. He crumpled to the floor loudly, as the heroic mare recovered from her wounds, dashing off into the night as the timid Fluttershy positively beamed.
"Thank you so much.." Her soft voice called to Mare-Do-Well as she disappeared into the dark.