//------------------------------// // XIV. Scootaloo the Fugitive // Story: Twilight's Dollhouse // by Kaidan //------------------------------// “This is ridiculous, how much longer are we supposed to wait?” Dash asked. Vinyl lifted her head up from the park bench she was resting on. “It’s your plan. We have ponies all over town ready to help create a distraction. Octavia and Sprocket are expanding the escape tunnel, so unless you want to wait even longer this is our best bet.” Dash paced back towards the unicorn. “We’ve been standing around all day! Scootaloo’s sitting on top of the door jam waiting for Twilight to visit. I even had time to tear down all the pictures from that corkboard master plan of hers.” “Well you can try a sonic rainboom again.” Vinyl chuckled as she stretched out. “Because it totally makes sense how a little plastic toy can break the sound barrier.” “Come on, I was really close last time! If I had a little more speed I could have broke it, and I’m fairly certain it could lower the force field.” “Well there you go. Go fly in circles while we wait if you’re bored. What’s the worst that could happen?” Vinyl asked. “Fine,” Dash spat. She took off and began to circle the town. Stupid unicorns, think they know everything because they can use magic. That force field feels just like a storm system, I’m sure the rainboom could overcharge it and short it out. After a few lazy circles around town, Dash began to pick up speed. She didn’t know how it was possible, yet her lightweight body still seemed to have most of the strength and speed as her pegasus body did. Twilight had made her too well, giving her realistic wings complete with some form of polyester feathers. Her hair even mimicked her real mane, though her body still carried it’s plastic sheen. At least she’s gotten better at making dolls. Vinyl looks like a chew toy. Another lap had just been completed around the town when the air pressure changed. Dash assumed her familiar posture, using both hoofs to form a cone and lowering her head behind them. She flattened her hind legs and began tightening muscles, making herself as aerodynamic as possible. Dash had become a missile with wings, and began to beat faster. The mach cone came on quicker than normal, catching her off-guard. Before she had braced herself, she had burst through the sound barrier. A rainbow of explosions went off behind her, catching the attention of everypony in town. Had Dash not been busy trying to maintain control of her trajectory, she would have witnessed an amazing sight. The force field that circled the town was transmitting the rainbow outward over it’s entire surface. It was rippling harder with each passing second, until entire sections blinked out of existence. In a brief moment, there was a loud pop and the force field vanished. The dolls began to explore outside the barrier of the town, no longer limited to sneaking through the tunnel beneath it. Dash came to a stop near the door and landed on the floor, staring back at her handiwork. Already the citizens were celebrating, scattering around the room and wreaking havoc. “Great work, Dash!” Vinyl yelled. She lifted her sunglasses, “Heads up!” She turned and ran for cover. Dash turned around, looking out of fear at Scootaloo. The filly was still perched over the door in her familiar spot, but had come to attention, her flank high in the air and her wings spread. She was ready to bolt. The door slid open and Twilight passed through quickly, her timing impeccable. The door had shut mere seconds later, yet the orange blur had rocketed through the closing door to freedom. Scootaloo had made it. Now it was Dash’s turn to distract Twilight. If she became suspicious a pony was missing, or decided to head back upstairs, Scootaloo didn’t stand a chance. She took as many feathers in her mouth as she could and ripped them out, biting back a scream of pain. Twilight looked down to see her best friend Dash spitting feathers out. “Dash? What are you doing?” She rushed over and knelt down before her. The pegasus grabbed another mouthful, leaving the right wing nearly barren. Dash had begun to cry from the pain. “It’s over, I’m not going to let you imprison me! If you won’t let us go, we’ll do the only thing left and rebel!” “No, stop it!” Twilight used her magic to try and hold Dash still as she continued ripping feathers out. “Please, I don’t want to hurt you. I never wanted that! I want you to be happy. I want to be friends!” “We can’t be friends, not like this. Now put me down!” Dash shouted. She managed to catch a few more primaries in her teeth, ripping the feathers out. “Look around, nopony wants to be here! We beat your dumb spell and we’ll beat you!” Twilight glanced around, realizing the shield was down. Ponies all over town were tearing up shrubbery and raising a ruckus. She glanced to her master plan for Ponyville on the wall, detailing the capture order of every pony she knew. The photos were scattered around the floor in pieces. “Please, Dash, have them stop. This town—I did everything I could to make you all happy! It’s the only way we can live forever!” Twilight sat down and began to cry. “You need help, you’re crazy—” Dash bit her lip for a second and took a deep breath. The last part of her plan to buy Scootaloo the time needed to find an unlocked window hurt her as much as it would hurt Twilight. “You’re just as crazy as that bitch Cadance!” “NO!” Twilight screamed, her eyes glowing a sickening shade of green that illuminated the entire basement. “You can’t hurt yourselves, you have to stay perfect! Just like you used to be!” She lit up her horn and filled the basement with energy. Green tendrils sought out and froze all the dolls. In seconds they had all been immobilized, no longer able to hurt themselves or rebel. Twilight collapsed sobbing on the floor, curling up into a pathetic heap of fur. “Not h-how I r-remember. . .”  Dash lay on the ground, her wings burning and a tear rolling down her cheek. She’d done it: Scootaloo would have all the time she needed to get help. Scootaloo flew into the window as hard as she could, doing little more than disorienting herself. All the windows on the first floor, including the restroom, had been closed. She wasn’t strong enough to unlock any of them, let alone try to push them open. She rocketed out of the kitchen and up the stairs. There were two rooms, one which must be Spike’s was locked. She flew into the other which appeared to be Twilight’s room. Her very presence in the room was unnerving. Scootaloo quickly flew to the window and bucked it, before turning to fly back out of the room. “Hello?” Scootaloo called out. She thought she had heard somepony speaking. The faint noises came from a heavy trunk near the wall. Against her better judgement she landed next to the lock. “Hello?” “It’s Big Mac. Who’s out there?” he asked. “It’s Scootaloo.” “Ya gotta get out before Twilight finds ya! Get to Celestia or Luna and get help!” he pleaded. “Twilight already found me, but I still escaped. I need a way out of the house but all the windows are locked. I don’t know what to do!” “You're a doll? Is Apple Bloom okay?” Mac asked. “Yeah, she’s downstairs.” Scootaloo hovered in front of the keyhole, seeing a little light reflect off Mac’s eye. “If I don’t get help none of us will be okay. Silver took us home and tortured us a couple nights ago. Please you have to help me get out of here.” “Did ya try the fireplace and stove vents? There’s probably a window in the washroom too. Good luck.” Mac leaned back inside the chest. “The lids too heavy so don’t you dare stick around on my account. You’re our best shot, Scootaloo. Ah always knew you were a good filly.” Scootaloo wings straightened out and her chest filled with some pride. “Yes sir! I won’t let anypony down.” She flew out of the room and into the loft, where a small wood burning stove sat. It functioned as a fire place, being a small round steel contraption designed to safely heat the treehouse Twilight lived in. She squeezed through the grill of the stove, getting covered in a layer of black soot. Just as she finished squeezing through, she fell into even more of the soot, painting herself black. It took her a moment to get her bearings and fly up the exhaust. She followed the pipe until the vent went outside. Scootaloo hovered in the chilly air, covered in ash during the new moon. On the bright side, there’s no way anypony could spot me now. She flew over towards the train station to wait for the next train. When she got to the train station, it was packed. There were two dozen ponies—some of the only families still lingering in the town—lined up and loading their luggage onto the train. The whistle sounded twice, and Scootaloo wasted no time flying over above the conductor. “All aboard! Last train out of Ponyville, heading to Manehatten, Fillydelphia, and Canterlot!” the Conductor shouted. The train sounded a single long whistle, and two of the ponies working at the train station turned out the lights and flipped the signs over to read “Closed.” Scootaloo flew into the train and found a nook to hide in. She’d have several hours now to preen herself clean for her meeting with Celestia. I sure hope Canterlot is the first stop. It’d take me months to fly there being this tiny. “I’m sorry, Trixie, but I can’t let you go.” Luna sat down next to the unicorn and tried something Celestia had taught her. She herded the unicorn against her side for a hug. Though Luna did it emotionlessly, the unicorn still seemed to find comfort in it. “Look, I have two dozen guards loyal to me and capable of disabling an alicorn. Who ever has been kidnapping ponies, we will find them. And if Twilight is involved or responsible, we can’t reveal our hoof too soon. We are monitoring her. If she leaves the library we’ll know. If any ponies vanish while we’re watching her, we’ll have proof she did it. And if no ponies vanish, then we’ll bring her and any evidence we find to trial.” “How can you risk it? How can you let her run around when she killed Colgate?” Trixie whimpered. “The trap was not triggered, and I have walked her dreams. I do not believe she has it in herself to kill another pony. She seems to fear loss too greatly. If she is involved it’s more likely she is orchestrating a forced relocation to another town where she believes they are safe, but I still need proof.” Trixie pulled herself in closer to Luna. She had never been particularly brave or heroic, preferring showmanship and illusion. It seemed if Luna would not set her free to run for her life, her next best choice was to help her solve the case. “Luna, what if I volunteer to be bait? Leave me alone with her, but watch and if she does anything you’ll have your proof.” Luna pushed Trixie away to look her in the eyes. “I cannot ask you to do that.” “I trust you. You don’t have to ask—” “She’s right, you know.” Echo sat in a chair near the door, listening to the conversation with his heightened hearing. “It’d be a lot faster and within the law. Everypony knows you two are scared to break even the smallest law.” “Watch your tongue, Echo,” Luna commanded. “Yes, your majesty. You know I’m right. Would you perform such a ruse were the suspect Spitfire or Photo Finish? This whole charade to spare Celestia’s pupil will not be received well by your citizens.” “And pray tell, what would you do in my position, Echo?” Luna asked. “Easy, I’d throw her in the dungeon and shackle her to a wall with her magic dampened. If the disappearances stop, you’ve caught the fillynapper,” Echo explained. “And how would you convince Celestia to leave her shackled to a wall? Without proof, she’d free Twilight. If she were responsible, we have revealed our hoof and gained nothing. Twilight would vanish and continue in doubled secrecy. Or worse, were Twilight not behind it, we would have destroyed the most powerful ally we have.” “The Discord theory again?” Echo sighed and shook his head. “Just because you two haven’t seen him in months doesn’t mean he’s behind it. Hell, if you trapped me in stone for a thousand years I’d get as far away from you as possible too. He’s probably on a beach in Zebrica.” “You would tempt me down the same path I trot a thousand years ago? To let emotion and fear influence my judgement? To assume guilt before innocence?” Luna asked. “No.” Echo leaned forward in his chair. “I. . . don’t know, but I hate sitting here doing nothing. Even your illusion spells have gained us nothing.” “I also hate doing nothing, but you will continue to do as I command.” Echo chuckled. “Of course, that was never in question. You know I love to play Nightmare’s advocate.” Luna blushed and slapped her hoof to her forehead. “Damn it, Echo, what would I do without you?” “Probably wind up trapped in a basement somewhere.” “Uh. . . sorry to interrupt, but can I go to bed and get this limiter off then?” Trixie asked. Luna glanced over to the unicorn that she had forgotten about. “Oh, of course, but the limiter stays on. It’s for your own protection, and if I recall correctly you just volunteered as bait.” Trixie swallowed a lump in her throat. “Heh, I guess I did.” She walked over to a pile of blankets on top of a mattress on the floor. The guards had brought it in for her to sleep on, mere feet from the bed Luna would sleep on. “I don’t suppose you could give me something to help me sleep? I get a feeling I’m gonna need it for tomorrow.” Luna smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.” Her horn glowed, and Trixie began to glow a matching hue of blue. She got comfortable on the bed before passing out into a deep sleep. “Now, Echo, let us discuss your insubordination.” A sharp pain woke Twilight from her sleep. A pinching in her shoulder gave way to a numb leg. She rolled over onto her back, crushing one of her wings. Her hazy mind screamed in protest, leading her to find a comfortable position on her stomach. Her right forehoof felt like pins and needles were going through it, tingling all over from sleeping on it wrong. She waited for feeling to return, rubbing the crust out of her eyes with her other forehoof. Twilight’s legs were all sore, leading her to wonder how long she had been sleeping on the floor. Why am I on the floor? Twilight’s eyes forced themselves open, revealing a tattered Dash doll and a scattering of dolls across the town. Why would I go to bed in the dollhouse? Memories came back to her of hearing a noise on her way down to the basement to check on the dolls. She opened the door and found ponies everywhere, including outside the magical barrier. The barrier went down, and Dash was tearing her feathers out. They must have been trying to escape. She stood up, shaking the last of the numbness out of her right foreleg. Her eyes fell on Dash. With a flash of her horn, the Pegasus began to glow. Loose feathers began to reattach to her wings, until she had fixed her friend. Twilight then restored her movement to her. “Dash, what hap—did you really mean what you said?” Twilight asked. “That we’ll keep rebelling and don’t want to be here? Yeah, and sooner or later Celestia will come and stop you,” Dash said. “Luna is here now, and she hasn’t stopped me. I meant, what you said about me and Cadance.” Dash sighed, “No. But I had to. You cried yourself asleep and were down here all night. Luna’s probably kicking down the door upstairs to find out what happened to you. It’s over.” Dash flew away towards where the barrier used to be. “We can go anywhere in the basement we want now. You made it clear you don’t want me damaging my wings, so you can’t stop us.” Twilight looked around, seeing the scattered dolls. “Well, you still can’t get through the basement door. Even if you did, the steps are eight inches tall each. Only you or Scootaloo could escape, so I just have to bind your wings. Then, you can’t destroy them or escape.” Twilight laughed and headed over towards her workbench. Dash followed her over, maintaining what she felt was a safe distance. “That won’t do you any good.” “Sure it will.” She grabbed Dash, freezing her to slip a thick rubber band around her torso. She pinned her wings down to her side with a few such rubber bands, trapping them in place. Twilight then set her down on the ground to unfreeze her. “Hey! You know Pegasi hate having their wings pinned,” Dash complained. “Tell me where Scootaloo is now, so I can pin her wings.” Smiling weakly, Dash started to back up from her captor. “No.” Twilight advanced on Dash, looming over her. “Dash, where did she go? You know I can find her anywhere down here, and if I don’t you better have a good explanation.” She began to walk around the room, using her magic to open houses and gather ponies in the town square. Dash followed her around, trying to discourage her. “Look, she’s just hiding in town from you. I’ll tell her not to try anything.” “No, Dash, she’s not here. Neither is Octavia, Vinyl, Sprocket, Rarity, Sweetie, or Apple Bloom. Is Scootaloo hiding underground in their little cave too?” Twilight turned and glared at Dash, who looked comical with the red rubber bands circling her Wonderbolt’s flightsuit. “Uh, yeah, she’s down there. Better luck next time?” Dash giggled sheepishly, trying to diffuse some of the building tension. She bumped her back into Sugarcube Corner, and stared up at Twilight. Her shadow was now covering the entire building and all hints of humor had long since fled the alicorn. “Then bring her up here, or I’ll tear the floor apart and dig her up.” Dash met her gaze. “No.” “I knew it,” Twilight spat. She jabbed her hoof down on Dash, pinning her against the wall of the bakery. “That whole ruse last night—Scootaloo flew out the door. You planned this all along, didn’t you?” Looks like it’s time to face her wrath. “UGH!” Twilight screamed in frustration, veins bulging on her neck. She froze Dash and stomped loudly over towards the prison. “Fuck you, Dash! Do you have any idea how much your words hurt? And all for some stupid escape attempt. Damn it! I’ve done everything for you. I didn’t have to bring that damn orphan down here for you! I didn’t have to make you immortal!” Twilight levitated the lid of the prison off, and opened the steel lockbox she had used on the first night to punish Bon Bon. It was pitch black when closed and large enough to hold most of the town populace in cramped quarters. “All I wanted was to be happy, but no! Just like when Cadance died, I only get to be happy doing what you want to do. I can’t be happy reading Daring Do with you; I have to be happy doing stunts! I can’t be happy studying; I have to go to Pinkie’s Parties! No one ever gave a shit how I feel. I wish I’d never met you!” Twilight levitated the pile of dolls from town square over and slammed them into the punishment box. She closed the steel lid and had to force it closed to accommodate the nearly thirty ponies crammed inside. Once it had strained and bent a bit into position, she latched it shut and locked it. Twilight then sent a magical pulse through the box, animating all the dolls trapped inside, before storming out of the basement. She stormed up the stairs and began searching the house for Scootaloo. Twilight had made sure to lock every window, even the vent in the bathrooms, in case the unthinkable happened and a pony escaped. Now, there was a fugitive hiding somewhere in the house and she had to catch them before they reached help. After scouring the bottom floor, she stomped up the stairs, steam fuming from her nose and ears. Her eyelid was twitching and she was nearing another breakdown. Already she could barely control the rage that had overtaken her so many times in the past. She slowed down and stopped in front of her room. Breathe in, breathe out. Twilight held her foreleg to her chest as she inhaled, then straightened it out as she exhaled. It was an old trick Cadance had taught her. Since Luna was in town, she could not afford to be angry or hasty and risk being discovered. It’s okay. Even if Scootaloo got out, Luna’s guards wouldn’t know what to make of it. If they did, well I had better keep the spells ready for the contingency plan. I just need to buy time, I poisoned Luna and Trixie. I’m going to save everypony from themselves. I’m doing the right thing. It’s going to be okay. Twilight had managed to bring her rage under control and walked into her bedroom. She had passed the loft, and the bedroom window was the last one to check. It was locked. “Good, now I just need to relax with Lyra and Mac for a minute to calm down. . .” She glanced at the window sill where they had been sitting, and over at the bed. She trotted over and checked Lyra’s dollhouse and her dresser. They were nowhere to be found. Six feet away an unaware Mac was pinned in her trunk with her winter clothes, oblivious to the unstable mare until he heard the door to the room slam shut. Lyra wouldn’t run away. Maybe Mac did and he had to dispose of Lyra, but the doors and windows are still locked. . . Maybe Silver has seen them. Twilight marched over to Silver’s room and banged on the door. She tried to open it and found it was locked from the outside. “What the hay?” Twilight said. The sound of hoofsteps inside grew louder until she heard Silver at the door. “Twilight, Luna was Ec—” Twilight unlocked the door and flung it open, sending the helpless filly sprawling into the middle of the floor. “Where are Lyra and Mac? Did they escape too?” She glared at the filly, struggling to control herself. She hated losing control, yet craved a release for her frustration at Dash and Scootaloo. “Wha. . .” Silver’s mouth fell open and her eyes went wide in fear. Twilight’s mane was in disarray, each hair reaching out in a different direction. Her fur was matted from sweat, and large knots had formed in her tail. Wisps of green energy were radiating from her, a malice the likes of which she’d never seen in the alicorn. Silver’s heart seemed to freeze and she realized she was wetting herself. “Where. Are. They?” “It. . . I wanted to pla—I stuck Mac in the trunk because he tackled me! I was just gonna play with him but Lyr—” Twilight advanced on the terrified filly. “If you hurt Lyra there won’t be a circle of Tatarus deep enough for you!” Silver burst into tears and wondered where the sweet princess had gone, the one she had looked up to. “I di—L-lyra in—freezer. . .” “I told you they were off limits!” Silver threw herself prostrate at Twilight’s hooves, clenching her eyes shut tightly. “S-sorry b-but Luna k-know—” In a sharp flash the rage overtook Twilight. She didn’t know what kind of “games” Silver had played with her two best friends, but it didn’t matter. In that moment Twilight knew it was a mistake to think she could have an apprentice. It was a mistake to ever think she could be happy. With a whimper, the small earth filly felt a chill run down her back and daggers of plastic pierce through her. Her lungs and ribs became stiff in the embrace of the plastic spreading over her. She opened her mouth to scream and no sound came out. Silver looked up at Twilight in horror, trying to beg forgiveness. I’m so sorry, Twilight, but Luna knows! She knows about you! Twilight watched as the pathetic wretch writhed in agony, no doubt begging for forgiveness even in death. She had promised Silver immortality and friendship, and the filly would have it, but not as an equal. She was just another doll now. A filly to join the others until they came to their senses and paid Twilight the respect and love she deserved. Silver felt a weight pushing down on her and bones snapping. The magic was being cast far too strongly and quickly, turning her into a doll violently. It ended nearly as soon as it started, and everything below her neck went numb. Still, Silver wanted to prove her loyalty. She continued to mouth her warnings to Twilight until at the last second the plastic covered her lips. Twilight lifted the small filly doll up off the ground. No doubt Luna would stop by to resume the investigation soon, and she had to get ready. So far she had convinced the fool that Trixie was behind everything, and would have to continue until she could either capture Luna, kill her, or relocate her base of operations. She left the room with Silver floating behind her and heard a knock at the door. “Twilight, it’s Luna. You can open up.” Twilight quickly ran down the basement steps and checked the illusions and wards around the basement. She couldn’t raise the barrier or cast any new spells for fear of Luna sensing it, yet the door and steps should prevent any more foolish escape attempts. She animated Silver and flung her into the basement, slamming the door shut and locking it. Silver stood up and screamed “LUNA KNOWS!” It was too late, and she looked around. There was not a single pony in sight. The entire town was empty. Somewhere in town was her mother, and she sprinted straight to her home in the hopes of finding her there. She climbed the steps into her home but her mother was not there. She checked every room, winding up in her bedroom. It was perfect down to the last detail, it even had a replica of her own dollhouse on the floor and several tiny replica dolls. Silver left the house to continue her search. “Stupid Twilight, I was only trying to help. It’s not my fault Lyra and Mac can’t take a joke. And now I bet Luna is gonna get you for being so stupid. Why doesn’t anypony ever listen to me?” “Ah’ll listen to ya,” a voice offered. “Huh?” Silver spun around to see Apple Bloom approaching her. “What? Where’d you come from?” “Underground. Y’all have a lot ta learn ‘bout bein’ a doll.” “I think the first lesson should be about pain,” Sweetie spat. Silver turned and saw Sweetie Bloom approaching. “What? Dolls don’t really feel pain.” Apple Bloom threw a lasso towards her, narrowly missing. “Yes, we do. And now it’s our turn to play. This time, ah think the witches are gonna hang the princess in a tree.” “You can’t! It’s wrong to torture ponies!” Silver screamed. “You’re right, but there’s no law against torturing stuck up dolls,” Sweetie stated. “No!” Silver turned and ran around the corner. She collided with Vinyl, who was flanked by the other resistance leaders. They had all taken shelter in the faraday cage and not been frozen and locked up with the others. “I heard everything, Darling. We all did,” Rarity stated. “Looks like Luna is here, and she’s onto Twilight. How long do you think she’ll last?” Silver backed against a nearby wall as they circled around her. “But she’s more powerful! I’ll warn her and she’ll win and set me free! It’s just a misunderstanding, she’ll still make me a princess!” “That’s where you’re wrong,” Vinyl said. She walked up with the rope Apple Bloom had brought, cornering the filly. “You won’t be warning anypony about anything for a long time.”