Somehow, Pinkie bounced out of the magic-restricted area and pinned Twilight to the ground. “Oh, hi, Twilight! How’s your day going?” Without waiting for Twilight to reply, she continued. “Because mine has been fine! I ran into Apple Bloom today, and it was fun! Anyway, can you help us find out who Scootaloo’s parents are? I mean, Apple Bloom can tell ya what happened to her and Scootaloo today.” Balloons popped out of nowhere. Pinkie was obviously still upset. She didn't know who that silly filly’s parents were, but she was bound to find out, even if it killed her. Which wouldn't happen; she was too good for that.
Twilight was confused at this question; what did she mean by that question? Pinkie Pie knows everypony in town, and yet she doesn't know Scootaloo’s parents? This was starting to get suspicious, but if she was going to get to the bottom of this, she would need a lot of help.
Twilight used her magic to place Pinkie next to her and moved towards Apple Bloom, who was still standing next to the table.
“Okay, before I reach conclusions on this matter,I need to know precisely what happened. Apple Bloom, care to explain it to me?” she asked curiously, levitating a piece of notebook paper from her desk. She plopped down on a purple bean bag chair that was in the middle of the room with a thud as a bit of dust settled around her.
Apple Bloom was a tad annoyed from how today was going, but spoke up and said, “Okay. First off, Scootaloo beat up Diamond Tiara. I mean, sure she's mean to us sometimes, but she didn’t deserve it. Later on, we went to Sugarcube Corner, and Ah asked her if Sweetie and I could go over to her house, since she's been over at ours a lot. Why not go over to hers this time? But then she got nervous and she said her parents were on vacation and bolted out of there like she was hiding something,” Apple Bloom finished, out of breath.
Twilight was listening carefully to what Apple Bloom had just said and had it all written down after a minute. She looked at Apple Bloom and Pinkie Pie. “Ok Pinkie,” she started, “I want you to go and gather the girls, but not Rainbow Dash. I just don't think she would be serious about the situation.” She turned to Apple Bloom. “And I want you to go home,” Twilight said, pointing a hoof towards the door.
“But Ah want to help! Ah-” But Apple Bloom was cut short by Twilight.
“I said go home. This is a concern for adults only. I understand that you’re worried for your friend, but you have to understand that we can handle this situation a lot better.” Twilight began walking towards her basement, adorned with a sign that read “Welcome to Twilight’s Laboratory”. Twilight opened the door and started trotting down the steps. As she walked down the steps, she thought to herself, I hope this isn’t going to end how I think it will. Twilight was starting to worry about about Scootaloo’s health and how this impacted the situation. With this thought, she hurried down stairs in anticipation and worry.
With a sigh, Apple Bloom headed towards the front door, but stopped when she noticed Pinkie, wearing an unhappy look. “Um, Pinkie?” she asked softly. “Are you okay? You look kind of...sad.”
W-W-What if she is an orphan? And if she is, how in the world did I not know? Pinkie Pie thought sadly. Unfortunately, her thoughts were interrupted as she realized that Apple Bloom had just asked her a question. Pinkie took a deep breath and spoke up, answering the filly. “Oh, uh, nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking about your, uh, friend... Welp, see ya later I got lots and lots of cupcakes to bake! BYE!” As fast as lighting, Pinkie zoomed out of the library like a flash of pink.
Apple Bloom wore a blank expression on her face. But Ah thought she had to find the others to bring ‘em here to Twilight, she thought before trotting off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.
Pinkie had finally made it to the Cakes’ home. She was about to open the door when a streak of rainbow tackled her to the ground. Surprised, Pinkie screamed in joy.
“Hehe, sorry, Pinkie. Just trying out a new trick. What you doing here anyways?” Rainbow Dash asked slightly annoyed at the fact that she had just slammed into Pinkie.
“Oh, thanks for reminding me! Twilight wanted me to bring the girls to her library for a meeting about Scootaloo, but she said not to tell Rainbow Dash, so please don’t tell her! Gotta go, bye!” Pinkie Pie jumped up and zoomed away, unaware that she had just spilled the beans to her friend.
Rainbows Dash’s face turned red, steam starting to pour out of her ears. “Oh, so Twilight thinks it’s okay to have a meeting without me? I can fix that.” With a flap of her wings, she flew into the air towards the library in hopes to knock some sense into Twilight. I care about Scootaloo as if she was my sister, why would she not want to tell me? Rainbow thought as she sped towards the library.
~~~~~~
Twilight had returned to her library after an unsatisfying research session, complete with an explosion in her lab and a giant mouse materializing out of nowhere, hoping to continue her research on Scootaloo’s parents upstairs. However, she was still experiencing no luck, and was starting to throw around books, not content with her findings. “Ugh, this is hopeless!” she cried. “How in Equestria am I supposed to find-” Suddenly she fell silent. The book she was looking for was right on her bed the whole time! Twilight blushed bright red, levitating the book. Quickly, she galloped to the basement door, licking her lips, but before she could open it, her friends burst into her home without even bothering to knock.
Rarity was swinging her hair around as she burst in the door. “Aw, what a beautiful day it is! I-” she started, then cut off, staring at how messy Twilight’s home. Books were scattered everywhere, bookshelves almost knocked down, and to top that off a messy bed.
“Oh my...Twilight, this is an outrage! We must get this horrid mess cleaned up!” Rarity grabbed a broom out of the kitchen and bent over, starting to clean. Suddenly, she saw Spike enter the room. Hurrying over to him, Rarity turned into a mare of distress. “Oh, Spike? Can you please be a dear and clean this mess up for Twilight?” Rarity dropped the broom on top of him, causing the poor drake to fall over. Suddenly she dropped to the ground and pretended to cry, making Spike do all of the dirty work.
Twilight sighed, and quickly walked back to her studying room to take another look at the family book she had found earlier.
If this doesn't have the answer, I might have take extreme measures, Twilight thought, opening the book. She had just started reading the first page before being interrupted by a loud bang followed by the sound of Rarity’s yelps and books crashing.
Several minutes before the crash...
Rainbow Dash had finally come close to the library, able to see it in perfect view.
“She doesn't want me to help my little sister?” Rainbow Dash snarled, and with that, she barreled full speed ahead towards Twilight’s library, her increased speed creating a sonic rainboom! However, the speed turned out to be too much for Rainbow, and suddenly she was crashing right into Rarity and Fluttershy, who had just come in and sat next to Rarity, causing books and other things to fall to the ground.
Now...
“I swear, Spike, if you just broke something I am not going to be happy! I-” Twilight stopped, mid-sentence as she stepped into the sight of her living room. The room was practically destroyed, a pile of books covering every inch of a familiar body besides the blue butt sticking out.
“Oh, no,” Twilight whispered to herself as she realized whose butt it belonged to.
Rainbow Dash burst out of the books, her face red caused by the anger towards her purple friend.
“YOU!!!” she yelled, pointing her hoof at Twilight. “How dare you not tell me about this meeting! My little sister’s life could be in danger, and you've got the nerve to say, ‘hey! Better not tell Rainbow Dash about it! Yeah, that’s a great plan!’” The blue pegasus slammed her hoof into the bookshelf next to her. “Ow!” Rainbow Dash burst, rubbing her hoof and letting go of her angry face to compensate for her pained limb. Suddenly she blushed, remembering that she was supposed to be furious. “I mean, eh, that didn't hurt one bit.” Nice save, she thought to herself.
Fluttershy knew Rainbow Dash was lying and calmly flew up to her and rubbed Rainbow’s hoof soothingly.
“There, there, Dashie. I’ll make you feel better.” The pegasus kissed Rainbow’s hoof and continued to rub it.
“Ugh! Fine, Dash, you want to know why I didn't tell you about it?!” Twilight yelled back, starting to get angry herself. She stomped her hoof on the ground before continuing. “Because you always go head first into important matters! You never use your brain, you just make matters worse for us!” Seeing the pained face on her friend, Twilight’s tone softened. “I’m sorry, Dash, but that’s the truth. I know you care for Scootaloo, but, well, so do we.” Twilight gulped before finishing with confidence. “And, in this case, we know what to do.”
Leaving her pegasus friend in shock, Twilight returned to her studies upstairs, mumbling to herself about her predicament. She plopped down on her bed to finish reading the book.
“Okay,” she said to herself, “if this doesn’t have an answer, we’re going to have to take drastic measures… Now, if I’m right, which I normally am, it should be right on page eleven-” the purple unicorn stopped mid sentence as she looked down at the book in shock. The page was missing! Finally, it registered to her what had happened, and she cried out in anger.
“WHAT!? Who in the name of Celestia would just rip the page out of a perfectly good book!?” Her right eye twitched as she paced around the room, throwing the now useless book on her bed. She had to figure out a solution to this problem! The unicorn started to hyperventilate, and soon it dawned on her that she was having a mental breakdown.
Suddenly, her now present friends burst in on her upon hearing Twilight’s screams. Even Rainbow Dash joined in as they all said in unison, “Twilight? What’s wrong?”
Twilight took short, ragged breaths and tried to put her best brave face on. “Somepony,” she started calmly before freaking out completely, “RIPPED A PAGE OUT OF MY BOOK!!!” Her friends looked at her in anticipation. “And it so happens to be on the ‘S’ page. And can you guess which one of our friends has an ‘S’ at the start of her name?”
Pinkie Pie, being the curiously strange pony she was, raised a hoof as if she was a student. “Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! I know who! Uhhhhh...is it Snips and Snails? Silly Twilight, we’re supposed to be finding Scootaloo, not those two!” The pink mare wore a giddy smile.
Twilight, however, was not feeling the same way. Finally, her fury drove her to levitate the book she was using before and slam it into the window, which broke on contact. The book flew outside while everypony inside was quiet, waiting for Twilight to speak. Finally, you could hear the book connect with something that strangely sounded like a random pony’s head and a yelp from said pony.
Twilight heard snickering from in front of her as she realized that Rainbow Dash was smiling.
“And what is so funny?” she asked with malice in her voice.
“Oh, my gosh, Twilight. You’re so funny. We’re supposed to be looking for Scootaloo, not those two clowns. Oh, you silly filly,” Rainbow replied, still holding back laughter.
Suddenly it dawned on Twilight that her feathered friend had just pulled a prank on her. Except Rainbow was the only one laughing.
Meanwhile...
Scootaloo ran as fast as her little legs could take her. The filly certainly did not want Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle or any of her friends to find out her secret. She galloped through Ponyville, unaware that a little pink filly wearing a tiara was close behind.
“There you are,” Diamond Tiara whispered to herself, not wanting to draw in any attention on herself. “Now just to find out where you live so I can get my revenge on you, Scootaloo.”
Scootaloo, however, was not worried that Diamond would be following her. Instead, she just realized that she had forgotten her scooter. Great, she thought. But, oh well. I’m home anyways, she thought as she neared her tree house home. Scootaloo quickly ran inside and closed the door, careful to make sure nopony saw her. She sighed as she sat down on her couch, preparing to sleep. But her upcoming slumber was interrupted by a peculiar knock at the door. I wonder who it is, Scootaloo thought to herself, walking up to the door.
The door flew open. Scootaloo jumped up in surprise and started shaking when she realized that the pony in front of her was Diamond Tiara! What in Equestria was she doing here?
Diamond Tiara frowned at Scootaloo’s reaction, but continued her act. “Why, hello there, useless orphan. Didn’t realize you lived in this old dump. Then again, not a single parent would want a worthless, useless, flightless runt of a pegasus anyway.” Before Scootaloo could react, Diamond jumped up and pinned the orange pegasus to the ground with all her might and force. “You’re going to pay for what you did to me, you worthless chicken,” Diamond spat, raising her hoof and connecting it with Scootaloo’s face. Scootaloo cried out in pain. “You’re so weak,” Diamond scoffed.
The pink filly continued by grabbing Scootaloo’s right leg and bending it with such force that it snapped. Scootaloo screamed in agony, saying, “I knew you were nothing more than a spoiled bitch, Diamond Tiara!” Unfortunately, she only made Diamond angrier. She decided to try out an old trick.
“Why are you punching yourself, Scoots?” Diamond taunted as she brought Scootaloo’s hoof down on herself, hitting her right on the eye.
Scootaloo did not think Diamond Tiara would stoop this low. “GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU TWISTED BRAT!!!” Scootaloo screamed.
Diamond felt red hot fury rise through her body as she prepared for a final attack, repeating “why are you hitting yourself? Why are you hitting yourself, you stupid blank flank?”
Finally, Diamond shook out a knife from inside of her mane and showed it to Scootaloo. “This is the end of the road for you, chicken.”
The orange filly braced for the worst. “Is this the end? Is this where I die?” she wailed. “After all I’ve sacrificed, all I’ve been through?” Finally, Scootaloo blacked out from the pain of it all and the impending doom that would befall her.
Ten minutes before Scootaloo was attacked...
“Wait a minute!” Twilight said suddenly. “Where’s Pinkie Pie? She disappeared!” The others gasped as the realization dawned on them. The friends proceeded to look around Twilight’s library until finally finding a note addressed from Pinkie.
Dear all my friends, If you see this, it means I’m already on my journey to help that poor filly. I’m going to find her, and I don’t care if you don’t help me, as long as I help her and succeed in my mission. Also, if I’m not back in a day, please tell Mr. and Mrs. Cake that my cupcakes have probably over baked and I’m sorry if their house burns down because of it. Thanks, Pinkie Pie. P.S. Please don’t eat all of my cupcakes.
Twilight looked at the note for a minute before saying, “She’s right. Come on, girls, let’s move out.” And with that said and done, everypony rain out of Twilight’s library. While all of her friends continued on without her, Twilight stopped for a moment and thought to herself, I hope our suspicions about Scootaloo are wrong. She let this thought linger as she started to run towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Rainbow Dash flew above the rest of them, having a bird’s eye view. A single tear slid down her face as a single thought materialized in her mind. I’m such a horrible surrogate sister for not noticing this. And with that, she started to barrel towards Carousel Boutique.