Dead Loyalty
Chapter 3: Hurt
Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sat together in the clubhouse, face in hooves and staring lifelessly at the floor as all three of them remained quiet.
''Ah can't believe we didn't find anypony suspicious, girls. We failed...'' Apple Bloom said dryly.
''It could of been anypony, Apple Bloom. Its not our fault.'' Sweetie Belle reassured.
''I guess that means we've just gotta try and accept it then.'' Scootaloo said, looking up from the floor and at her fellow crusader friends. ''Rainbow is gone, and we're never going to see her again.''
''Yeah...'' Sweetie and Apple Bloom said quietly and sadly in unison followed by a sigh.
''G-Girls? You know what? I think I'm just gonna go home. I'm not in the mood...''
And with that, Apple Bloom got up and left, not once looking back to her friends as she walked through the door, head hung low and ears flopped back on her head.
''Scoots? Are you gonna be okay? Ya know, because you haven't really been yourself since Rainbow...''
Scootaloo waved her off with a hoof, stopping her from talking.
''Yeah, I'll be fine. Just don't bring it up again, okay? Its bad enough I won't see her again.'' She let out a heavy sigh through her nostrils. ''I think I'm just gonna go for a walk. Seeya, Sweetie.''
Not far from Fluttershy's cottage, Scootaloo was walking down her path, as usual while she tried to empty her thoughts, but her misery didn't help in the slightest. All she could think of was the good times she had with Rainbow Dash and the times they'd both hang out together. Not far behind her, she could make out the figure of her cloud palace, the rainbow flows making her smile a little bit, but making her heart ache even more. It reminded her of the trail of rainbow that Rainbow Dash made when she flew at insane speeds through the air, pulling off stunts and trying to go as fast as she could go, creating sonic rainbooms.
She continued onwards, approaching Fluttershy's cottage, and knocked on the door with three light taps. And soon enough, a butter-colored pink-maned Pegasus answered the door.
''Oh, hi, Scootaloo. Something I can help you with?''
''Hey, Fluttershy. C-Can I talk to you for a minute?''
''Sure, C'mon in.''
Fluttershy moved aside and allowed Scootaloo entry. When Scootaloo was inside, she took a place on the couch, Fluttershy coming down next to her.
''So, what is it you wanted to talk about?''
''Well, to be honest, as much as I don't like to talk about it, it was about Rainbow.''
''Um...Rainbow? Didn't we already talk about this, Scoots?''
''Yeah, I know, but I can't stop thinking about her. Every time I come here, I always see her mansion just floating there, and those rainbow flows seeping from the edges. It makes me thing about her when shes flying through the skies, performing stunts and her usual daredevil acts. I just don't know why its so hard to forget!''
Fluttershy paused, trying to process what the little filly was saying. After a moment she let out a sigh and looked Scootaloo firm in the eye.
''Look, Scootaloo. Some things are just hard to forget. I can't forget about it either! I remember all our moments together at Summer Flight Camp. How she caused me to learn my talent that got me my cutie mark, how she stands up for me to Hoops and Dumbbell.
I even remember when I found her bleeding on a-''
Fluttershy stopped, shoving her hooves over her mouth as she realized what she had just said. Scootaloo looked at her, her mouth agape as she saw Fluttershy's eyes glisten with what was unmistakably tears forming in her eyes as her eyes went small.
''Oh, no...''
''Y-You...saw Rainbow dead?'' Scootaloo said, dumbstruck and her voice near silent.
''I-I-I'm s-sorry, Scootaloo! I shouldn't of mentioned-''
''What happened, Fluttershy..?''
''No! I-I can't tell you...''
''Please? Please? Please? Please?''
Fluttershy froze as she let out a long, soft sigh.
''I...uh...found her one evening. I was out, taking some frogs to the bog when, on the way back, I found Rainbow...'' Fluttershy froze again, choking back a sob as tears fell down her face and wet her cheeks.
''I found her dead on a cloud! Bleeding! She had so many cuts and bruises...I went to go and get some help, and when I came back with Applejack and Twilight...her body was gone! All that was left was her blood staining the cloud! There was so much of it...and...and...''
Scootaloo didn't say nothing. She was frozen as a statue, tears going down her own face as she took in what Fluttershy had told her. Instead of responding, she moved closer to Fluttershy and wrapped her small, orange hooves around her waist, cuddling her close. The whole time they shared the warm embrace, neither of them spoke a single word. The only noise that filled the room were the choked sobs coming from both of the weeping Pegasus's.
About an hour or so later, it was beginning to get dark in Ponyville. Fluttershy had walked Scootaloo home, and now she was off to go see her friend, Twilight Sparkle. She thought it was the best thing to do before anything else was said about Rainbow. When she got to Twilight's library, she hesitantly placed three gentle taps on the door.
''Oh, my. Is this a bad time, Twilight?''
''No,no, its just that I've been up reading a few things. So, is there something going on? Not like you to come here often.''
''Well...we both need to talk, Twilight. Its about Rainbow Dash...''
Twilight's eyes widened a little bit, staring her Pegasus friend in the eyes. Wearily, she stepped aside and allowed her friend entry.
When she was in, Twilight closed the library door and turned to face Fluttershy, noticing her scared but sad look.
''What is it we need to talk about, Fluttershy? Did something happen?''
''Well...um...you see...Scootaloo came over earlier, wanting to talk about Rainbow, and...I kinda told her about the thing...''
''Wait...WHAT?!''
''I'm so sorry, Twilight! I didn't mean to! It just came out! Please don't be mad at me!''
''Fluttershy!'' Twilight gripped Fluttershy's shoulders, bringing her muzzle just inches away from Fluttershy's. ''I'm not mad at you!''
''Scootaloo now knows what happened to Rainbow! Me, you and Applejack are the only ones who know where she was murdered! The only things we have no clue of is who did it and where her body went!''
''Twilight, please...you're hurting me...''
''Sorry...''
She released the grip from her friend's shoulders, giving an apologetic smile, but saw that Fluttershy was crying.
''Fluttershy?''
''You're mad at me, aren't you?''
''What? No! I'm not mad at you.''
''Yes you are! Scootaloo knows the truth, and the only thing she wants back is Rainbow! This is all too much for her to handle, Twilight! Its too much for all of us to handle!''
''Fluttershy...''
Without saying anything more, Fluttershy hid behind her mane, crying hard as she ran out of the door and flew back to her cottage, leaving a stunned Twilight behind her.
''Fluttershy, wait!''