//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: The Shadows Of A Crusader's Heart // by scootaloo55 //------------------------------// Back To The Present… A key. Why was it always a key? I stared at the lock before me with great curiosity. It was different from other locks, that was true, but with a little concentration, I should be able to forge a key to unlock it. I pulled a lump of clay out of my satchel and began moulding it into the correct shape. An Alicorn paced around impatiently as I continued with the clay. “Look, I know you’re tryin’ to free them and all, but I feel really uneasy about this. What if we get caught?! What’ll we do then?!” As annoying as it was, he kept walking around in circles with a worried look on his face. I didn’t look up. “your point?” I answered in a muffled voice. he just looked at me In disbelief. “My point?! My point is that if we get caught we could end up rotting in jail, or worse!” “what’s so bad about rotting in jail?” “you are unbelievable. How could you not be just a tiny bit stressed? CAUSE I AM!!!” “Shut it. You’re just gunna draw attention to yourself.” That made him stop. He may be stubborn, but he wasn’t stupid. Just a few more spikes and there! Finished! The key was absolutely perfect! “YES! WHO’S AWESOME?! I AM!” I yelled out in victory. When I heard hoofsteps galloping towards us, I only just realised what I had done. An armoured Pegasus guard grabbed the pale blue Alicorn and another grabbed me. I struggled under his grasp, I kicked, I attempted to fly, well, attempted… I had to get away before… “Well, if it isn’t the elusive Scootaloo. You have been quite the problem. you have escaped from all the jail cells in Equestria and been seen thieving from more than three hundred expensive shops. What drove you to do this, I do not know but now that you have been successfully captured, I have a better imprisonment solution for you--” I stared into the now cold, dark eyes of Princess Celestia. Fear boiled in me for the first time in years. For once I was afraid of her. “--One thousand years imprisonment in the moon!” Her horn glowed and my body started to disintegrate. I knew this was the end for me. Or was it? I mean, I could try to reason with her…. “Please!” I pleaded, “I know you don’t want to do this, but I know you have every right to. These last few years I haven’t helped anyone. The only reason I had started this ‘crime spree’ was because it was all I knew. As a filly, I had no family and nowhere to live so I stole in order to survive… when the mayor of ponyville found out what I was doing, she banished me from town. I ran to the small town of Apploosa before I realised that Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had followed me. It is my fault they turned out like this. So please, ive done everything to try to set them free, ive even lost a wing to help them so do whatever you want to me… just let them go…” I paused for awhile and then literally burst into tears. I hoped what I had said had changed her mind… if only a little. “Are you saying this sincerely?” the Princess Questioned. “y-yes! I will do anything! Get banished to the moon, get turned into a rabbit, give back everything ive ever taken… you name it I’ll do it!” Princess Celestia thought for a bit before raising her horn, making the glow around me disappear and what parts of my body that had disintegrated, return. “Okay,” she said softly, “I know everything you have done for the past eight years, which, understandably, I have to punish you severely for, but is there one thing, any one thing, you have always wanted to do? I instantly pointed towards the large banner atop the jailhouse and smiled. “I have always wanted to take my hero to see the Wonderbolts and go backstage and meet them after the performance.” I said thoughtfully. “Who, may I ask, is this hero of yours?” “Rainbow Dash… She is the one ive looked up to nearly my whole life… even now, she helps my and tries to get me to see the positive side of life…” “I myself had met Rainbow Dash numerous times and she is a good role model, I have to agree.” Princess Celestia nodded and unlocked the jail cell. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle galloped up to me and grabbed me in a tight hug. Sweetie cringed when she saw the lump on my back where my wing used to be. “Ew…” she whispered. “It’s uh… good to see you too, Sweetie.” Princess Celestia put her hoof on my shoulder and I looked up at her curiously. “Your punishment will be to return all your stolen goods, spend five days a week for two years in prison, with no escaping, am I clear?” I nodded. “And 200 hours of community service. If you agree to these terms, you may take Rainbow Dash to the Wonderbolt performance.” I could not believe my eyes as the very princess who had just pretty much condemned me to death, basically because I am not like Princess Luna and I can’t exactly survive 1000 years in the moon. Im not immortal like her… anyway, the princess gave an awkward smile as she placed two gold V.I.P passes to the latest Wonderbolt show into my hooves. “but why?” I questioned. “You may not remember, but I met you as a filly and you were an extremely happy-go-lucky kind of girl. You were so kind and loyal to your closet friends and I believe if you get the chance, you could unlock that bustling personality that had slowly fell deeper and deeper into your heart.” That comment got me thinking. I had done lots of ponies wrong, and I now intended to make amends, Starting with the ones that hated me most. “I’ll leave you with that thought” I said hastily before grabbing the girls and running off. I know that probably wasn’t the best thing to do, but still. She didn’t try to stop me. She just turned and looked at her once trustworthy game hunter, who just shrugged carelessly. The three of us galloped back through the streets of Canterlot, back through the Everfree and back into the tiny village of Ponyville. The two girls looked at me, confused, but I assured them that this was for the best. The three of us walked into a familiar bakery, the door jingling behind us. The entire bakery instantly went quiet and the familiar faces from my childhood saw us and their expressions went from happy to sour, and I skulked up towards Rarity and Applejack and managed a weak smile as they both ran up to their little sisters and squeezed them both into what seemed to be a massive group hug. “Why are you still here?” Rarity said in an annoyed tone as she and Applejack saw I was still standing there. I closed my eyes and began to leave before Sweetie Belle pulled herself away from her sister’s grasp and stood in front of me. “You heard her.” I muttered, “They obviously don’t want me here.” My friend’s loyalty shocked me, after what I had done, but I was also very proud to have a friend like her. “You cannot leave!” she cried “You belong here! I know it may take you awhile to re-gain all the other ponies trust but I believe you can do it.” I turned back to the group who was growing more and more confused. Applejack stepped forward and cast me a glance that seemed like she still really hated me. “Ah reckon she’ll never get mah trust aftah what she did tah mah sister!” Rainbow Dash walked forward and whacked Applejack over the head, knocking her hat off. “Ow! What the hay did yah do that fer Rainbow?” “Ah, no reason AJ, just that the kid really does want to make amends and try to fix what she has caused. So… just give her a chance. Even ask Fluttershy. Scoots was at my place about a week ago and she told me everything. Then Fluttershy turned up and asked what was goin’ on so I told her.” “Is this true?” Applejack asked Fluttershy sternly. The shy crème Pegasus mare cowered at her friend’s sudden outburst before saying “Yes.” Her tiny voice was barely heard and she lost her voice as quickly as she found it. Applejack closed her eyes and she knew she had to take that simple answer, for it was all she could get. “Ah still don’t trust her!” The cowpony said stubbornly. “I’m sure that if you just gave her another chance, she would prove you wrong.” The Ponies in Sugarcube corner turned to meet the gaze of Princess Celestia and a familiar blue Alicorn by her side. “Hey!” I said happily, “You came too?!” “Of course!” he exclaimed, “I never leave my friends hangin’” “Y-you consider me a friend?” “y-yeah, friend… Friend! Right…” he turned away for a split second before giving an awkward smile. All the ponies stifled a giggle and Applebloom and Sweetie Belle gave a sarcastic, “Oooooh, Scootaloo’s got a coltfriend!” Comet Frost went crimson and walked outside shyly, while I stared at them with a ‘say that again and you’re dead’ look. Rainbow Dash tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a box, I looked at her, confused. I didn’t really deserve a gift but I wanted to be polite so, I opened it. What was inside reminded me about the fun childhood days me and the other crusaders had had as fillys. My old blue scooter laid in the box and even as I lifted it out, it seemed different somehow. “I gave it a new coat of paint and new wheels.” She exclaimed, “but since you can fly now, you may not use it as much.” “Actually…” I looked at my back and flicked my one wing into the air. Rainbow looked pretty shocked, considering that she could never imagine having to lose the power of flight. I put my satchel on the ground and pulled out two fancy cut pieces of cardboard and gave them to Rainbow. She stared at them for awhile, silent. Twilight Sparkle looked over her shoulder at the tickets. “I think we lost her for good now… uh, Equestria to Rainbow? Uh… Rainbow Dash? Are you dead or something?” “S-sorry Twi… I-I…. This is AMAZING! H-how? COOL!” Rainbow’s eyes sparkled brightly with each second that passed. I winked to the princess and she giggled quietly. “I’m gunna make it up to you all by giving you each something.” I reached into my satchel and pulled out five other items. “For Rarity, a new gown, For Fluttershy, a rare breed of bird to keep as a pet, For Twilight Sparkle, the latest novel of the Unicorn Magic series, For Applejack, a new species of apple has been found so, a tree that sprouts that fruit… and last but not least, Pinkie Pie, well uhh… I got you… I wasn’t exactly sure what you were really interested in so… I got you… a ticket to the next Grand Galloping Gala and don’t worry, the Princess assured me that it has changed and it really is like a party now! Like, a proper party!” “Okie Dokie Lokie!” the bubbly pink mare said happily. I smiled and, knowing that it would take a long time to regain everyone’s trust back. But still, I knew it would be worth it in the end.