//------------------------------// // Royal Conversations // Story: I Dream to Fly // by MrDynasty //------------------------------// Twilight gave Rainbow Dash a slightly concerned look, thinking in what she meant by breaking and entering. “Into… My library?” Twilight asked, tilting her head slightly. Rainbow shook her head and her ears flopped back in shame. “They’d never put me in this place if I broke into your library, your library is also in another town completely, they would have put me to the Ponyville jail.” Rainbow Dash looks around to the filly, who is still sitting patiently with Rainbow’s hooves over her ears. Rainbow sighs and pulls her hooves away, allowing Scootaloo to hear. “I was thrown in here because I broke into Canterlot Castle.” Scootaloo just sat there quietly, thinking. Twilight scrunched her face and began questioning further. “What do you mean? How did you break into Canterlot Castle? The castle is a public attraction.” Twilight slowly sat down on the cold, hard floor. “To be more specific Twilight, I broke into the castles library. The one I’m not supposed to be in.” Rainbow lifted her hoof in motion, making gestures with it. “I was looking for information, anything that could give me leads. I spent about an hour in the library before they got me; they then immediately threw me in the dungeon. They never even allowed me to explain myself.” She pulled her hoof down and gave a deep sigh. “I thought ponies would be sent to Celestia and not thrown straight in the dungeon, maybe I’m an exception. They told me Celestia would be with me soon… it’s been about two or three days. Telling the time here is like trying to say when the next snow will start, except that’s easier.” She crossed her arms, expecting a lecture from Twilight. Twilight had her hoof on her chin, trying to play out things in her head. “No, you’re right Rainbow. Ponies are normally sent to Celestia before thrown in a dungeon, but maybe breaking into the castle is a bigger crime than stealing would be.” Her hoof lowered from her chin as she looked along the long, grey corridors that contained a plethora of cells, almost all empty. She looked back over to the cyan pony. “What were you trying to find?” Rainbow’s eyes shot up to Twilight as she uncrossed her hooves. “I was trying to find specific information, but I was probably being too specific. I was looking for leads on something; I searched through medical records, history books and even craft books. I didn't find anything too interesting; none of it was of much use… aside from this. Rainbow pulled out a small piece of paper from her mane, handed it to Twilight through the bars and proceeded to cover Scootaloo’s ears. Twilight used her horn to levitate the paper up to her. “B-but there is nothing on the paper, it’s just blank.” Twilight proclaimed. She kept looking at the paper, trying to see what it was she was meant to be looking at. Rainbow nodded at her and began to explain. “I would have taken the book, but I managed to rip that small part out before I got dragged away.” Her emotion turned to a serious manner. “That was part of a book that contained all pony names recorded. That’s part of the page of names beginning with ‘Sco’.” Twilight’s mouth dropped, thinking in what it meant. She proceeded to stutter her words as she spoke. “But… her name wasn’t in the book? It should be.” Twilight gave the paper back to Rainbow. She grabbed it with her mouth, dropping it on the ground seconds later. Rainbow began talking again. “It technically means a couple things. Scootaloo may not have had her name recorded at birth. Either that or her name wasn't Scootaloo at the time. I was trying to look for her last name, her full name; it would have been easier to find her parents if we had their sure-name.” Spike was looking around the corner towards the entrance when he whispered towards Twilight. “There’s a guard coming!” Spike began to run over to Twilight, going behind her. The guard came around the corner and stood for a second, looking at Twilight. “Visiting times are over; you’ve been in here long enough.” The guard said, waiting patiently for them to say their goodbyes to Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo came out from the cell and trotted alongside Twilight as they were escorted outside the dungeon and back to the entrance of the castle. Twilight paused before going out the castle entrance. “Umm, excuse me royal guard, but may I talk to Princess Celestia?” The guard stood still for a minute, looking at Twilight. “…It’s of an important matter.” Twilight continued with. The guard then motioned his hoof for Twilight to go forward to see the Princess. “Also, could you stay with those two back there? I don’t want them left alone.” The guard nodded and stood aside Scootaloo and Spike. Twilight slowly headed up towards the throne Celestia was usually perched on, thinking of what to say and how to word it. Twilight sat down on the floor near the throne, waiting for Celestia to appear. “I can assume you have questions on Rainbow Dash?” Celestia said, walking up from behind Twilight. Twilight stood up, nodding her head at Celestia. “Sorry if I’m interrupting anything Princess, I just wanted to ask you some things if that’s alright with you?” Celestia nodded. “Of course Twilight.” “When do you think Rainbow Dash could be released?” Twilight asked, tilting her head slightly. “I can get her out by tonight; I’ll even get her back in Ponyville around moon rise if I can.” Celestia stated, smiling at Twilight. Twilight smiled back before talking. "Umm... Rainbow Dash found a book that recorded the names of ponies from when they were born. She ripped a part of the book out just as she got taken to the dungeon. The page she ripped was apparently about ponies with names beginning with the letters s, c and o. There was nothing on the page, so Rainbow Dash assumes that Scootaloo's name may not have been recorded at birth or wasn't Scootaloo when she was born." Celestia nodded to Twilight slightly. "Well, if I'm not mistaken, the book she ripped it out of could have easily been outdated. I'm not sure we keep records anymore, the hospitals do though. But if I'm honest, Luna knows more about Scootaloo than I do, so you may want to consult her instead of me." She proceeded to sit down on her throne, looking down at Twilight. "Luna should be upstairs if I'm not mistaken." Twilight stood up and bowed her head to Celestia. "Thank you Princess." Not long after, Twilight walked up the stairs and into a small bedroom. It was dark and had wallpaper in the colour of the moonlight. The room had a balcony at the side in which Luna was standing there, looking up at the red sky. Twilight coughed before asking. "Excuse me Princess, do you have a moment?" Twilight asked. Luna looked around to Twilight, turning around as she spoke. "Of course Twilight, how may I assist?" She walked back from the balcony and into the main interior of the bedroom. "I was hoping you would be able to help me to know more about Scootaloo, Celestia tells me you know more than her." Twilight says, walking closer to Luna. Luna smiled lightly. "What I know about Scootaloo is almost just as much as you do Twilight. She is a brave, young filly who looks to have a lot of potential. Her parents are something that only time will be able to answer for you, for I do not know the answer myself. Scootaloo may be brave, but she is also shy, a lock you can't pick into. But if you want my answer, not even she may know the truth." She proceeded to walk back to the balcony, motioning Twilight to come with her. Twilight followed Luna to the balcony and looked up to the sky; it was a deep maroon and was getting darker every second. "I understand, Luna. I just wish I could help her more than I already can, I'm pretty sure Rainbow Dash wishes this too." Luna paused before looking back around to Twilight again. She lifted her hoof slightly. "The only way you can help her, is if you help her now. Every mystery unravels itself Twilight, and until it does, you should make sure that her future matters more than her past." Luna smiles before her horn starts glowing, creating small sparks around her. The moon begins to lift up as Luna pulls it above the sky, creating a dark but colourful atmosphere. The blue tint echoes inside of the room, making it all shade and blend together. Luna's horn dulls as the moon slows its ascent. "I hope my words help you Twilight. I'm afraid it's all I can share with you, as it's as much on the subject I know." Twilight smiles and nods to Luna. "Thank you Princess, you were a big help. I'll make sure to do what's right for Scootaloo." Twilight bows her head lightly at Luna before walking back through the bedroom and down the stairs, back to the entrance of the castle. Scootaloo and Spike were standing there. Spike was talking with the guard while Scootaloo sat and played with her still-short mane. As Twilight approached the two, they both stood up and slowly walked outside of the castle. Twilight stopped at the guard and thanked him for accompanying the two while she was busy talking to the Princesses. The guard only nodded and saluted her. Scootaloo jumped up in excitement at Twilight. “Is Rainbow Dash getting released? What time? Where? Will I get to see her soon?!” Twilight giggled and smiled to her. “Of course she’s getting released, and you will get to see her soon, I promise.” Scootaloo stopped bouncing up and down and just smiled as they all walked over to the train station and back to Ponyville. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was getting released from the cell. She gave the torn page she grabbed over to one of the guards; she nervously smiled as she was then guided outside the castle and out into the main area of Canterlot. After the guards who guided her went away, she galloped over to the train station in hopes her friends would still be there, waiting for her. The night was beautiful, a blistering light shone from the moon itself. The stars were an echoing bright light in the midst of the dark purple night sky. There couldn't have been a more perfect night than this.