Sweetie was covered in filth and sweat and just wanted to go home, but she still managed to make her way back to the pit that her friends had fallen down. She looked into the abyss, squinting to try and see into the darkness. “Apple Bloom? Scootaloo? Are you still down there?”
“No.”
The small unicorn jumped in the air and whirled around. Indeed, to her immense relief, her two friends were there, looking dirty but otherwise none the worse for wear.
"You're okay!" she cried, throwing her forelegs around Apple Bloom. Then she did the same to Scootaloo.
The pegasus rolled her eyes. "Ugh, yeah, can we just..."
And then Sweetie's hoof collided with Scootaloo's jaw. She went back, stunned by surprise and pain.
"It was your idea to come here! Do you know how much I've been worried?”
"...Sweetie..." Apple Bloom was stunned.
"Hey, you're not the one who had her head split open," Scootaloo muttered.
"Well, that's what you get for bringing us here."
"Hey, you didn't have to follow us!"
"Oh, so you were ready to just abandon me to come here!"
"Alright, knock it off!" Apple Bloom said as she moved between them. "Look, we're all worn out, why don't we get home?"
"Well, that's the first smart thing you two have said all day."
"Hey, watch it!"
“Will you two quit it!” Apple Bloom said again, the strain clear in her voice. “Now look, comin’ here was a mistake... don’t,” she said, shooting her evil eye at both of them. “Let’s just go home. This’ll seem better when we’ve all had a nap.”
Sweetie and Scootaloo continued to stare for a while. Then, they broke apart and just walked out, with Apple Bloom trailing behind.
They just missed Celestia and Luna flying in.
Rainbow Dash made a quick stop by Sugarcube Corner to pick up a dozen cupcakes for Scootaloo. Chocolate with red icing and sprinkles, her favorite. Hopefully, this would make things a bit better after having to leave her behind.
Soarin wouldn't be visiting until this crisis was resolved. Or at least, it was likely he wouldn't. This whole thing was keeping the military busy. She might be able to visit him over the next month, but she couldn't bring Scootaloo. Too dangerous.
She analyzed this statement. Surely it wasn't true. She had to be safer in the Palace than in Ponyville... but then again, Cadance wasn't, was she? But they have security now...
Rainbow Dash shook her head. She remembered Twilight and Applejack telling her that having a foal to take care of would cause her neverending worrying, but she hadn't really believed it.
"Dashie? Dashie?"
Rainbow Dash came out of her thoughts to see Pinkie standing in front of her with her order. "You spaced out, silly!"
Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Sorry, I was thinking."
Pinkie giggled. "Of course you were. Everypony thinks. 'I think, therefore I am', remember? What were you thinking about?"
"Scootaloo... I guess I was kind of all business this morning. She was really looking forward to what me and Soarin had planned, and I guess I wasn't nice enough about it. I just wanted her to learn that you don't always get what you want."
"And that's a good lesson. I'm sure she'll be fine if you just talk to her."
"That's what I'm hoping for," she said, putting the cupcakes on her back. "And I hope she understands that me and Soarin will be busy."
"Oh, she will. And you just wait, once this is over, the three of you can be family again. Scoots is going to make such a cute flowerfilly at your wedding."
Rainbow Dash blushed. "Isn't it a little early to be thinking about that?"
"Are you kidding? I've got it all figured out: you can have a double wedding with Twilight and Applejack, so the Crusaders can be flowerfillies while Spike can be ringbearer, like at the Royal Wedding, but hopefully with no changelings..."
"Uh, Pinkie? I thought Applejack and Twilight made it clear there's nothing going on between them..."
"Well, they're just in denial."
"Uh-huh. Well, look, I appreciate you being prepared, but can you not plan my wedding until one of us actually proposes?"
"Oh relax, I'm just being prepared. I can change to whatever you need."
"Right... well, I better get home. It looks like Applejack's making me head to Canterlot all the time."
"Well, of course, silly. You're the only one..."
"Yeah, yeah," Rainbow Dash waved her off. "But can't one of you give me a day off? I'd like to spend some time with Scoots."
"Well sure. As soon as the Cakes can give me a day off, I can go down. Ooh!" She dived under the counter and came up with her deerstalker cap. "I can play detective again! Maybe Fluttershy can be my assistant."
Rainbow Dash blinked. She thought back to the incident in the train. Pinkie as a detective...
"Uh... maybe you better take Rarity instead..."
Once they had arrived at the castle, Celestia immediately went toward the library, with Luna just behind her.
"What makes you so sure the intruders would be down here?"
"These books are just about the only thing of value left in the castle," Celestia said. "I took out anything I thought was worth keeping out of enemy hooves, but..." The Princess took a deep breath. "I didn't want to see any of these books. It was... too painful. And I hoped that by leaving the historical records behind, historians would spend their time chronicling the past rather than writing about you. I was... mistaken, obviously."
"But if you took anything harmful from here, what would a thief want from here?"
"Historical information, I presume. It still has the largest and most accurate archive of history. You forget, dear sister, that not everypony remembers the past quite as well as we do."
"I suppose so. So you believe they're looking for an older artifact? Something like the Amulet?"
"Perhaps. Maybe something like that escaped my notice. I thought the Amulet would be the last thing that would slip through after we took it from Sombra..."
They had arrived in the library at that moment. It was still covered in dust, like nothing had been moved since it was abandoned.
"I do not think anypony was here, sister."
"At least not for long... Look around, try to make sure nothing was disturbed."
Luna obeyed her sister's command, and the two spread out and began combing through the shelves. Old encyclopedias, travel logs, and the like littered the information sections. Luna drifted into the fiction section, figuring checking there couldn't hurt.
"I presume you removed any of Star Swirl's research?" Luna called.
"Yes. My school used it as the basis for our teachings. Every professor has built upon..." Celestria trailed off. "Luna! Something has been disturbed."
In a flash, Luna was by her sister's side. "Look, this history book... it doesn't have the same layer of dust the other books have."
"History book?" Luna looked at the picture present. Megan, the golden-haired warrior, raising a sword against some gruesome depictions of demons and monsters, while the Rainbow of Light shone overhead. Behind her were several other ponies.
"Dear sisters, these are foal's tales."
"NightMare Moon was a foal's tale." She checked the cover. Volume 5... "Sister, I want to round these up."
"But... why?"
"...I'm not sure," she said, studying the picture. "Call it an instinct, but I have a feeling we'll need them."
For a long moment, she studied the picture. Not Megan, every foal knew her image, highly romanticized she guessed. It was the ponies behind her.
They weren't familiar, she was sure. Doubtless she had met several ponies that looked a lot like each of them throughout the two and a half millennia she had lived, any memories they stirred up could be attributed to them. But still... these ponies seemed to jump out at her.
Suddenly, there was a thump. Both sisters jumped, and Luna lit her horn. "Who goes there?"
Scurrying was heard in the distance.
Immediately Luna shot off like a rocket.
"Luna, wait!" Celestia tried to stop her, but she was in the distance to quick. Then, a shrill wail was heard.
"Luna!" And she darted after her sister.
She was stopped by a grey ball of fur with eyes being shoved in her face. "Look at it! Oh, Tia, look at it! Is it not adorable?"
Celestia blinked. It took her a few seconds to realize the wail was really a squeal, emitted by her sister. "Um... I suppose."
Lune held the creature in front of her. It looked at the princess, it's long nose sniffing the air. "What do they call this creature?"
"That's a possum."
"Possum... such a fascinating creature." She smiled, rubbing her muzzle against his. "And up so late..."
"Well, they're nocturnal..."
Luna looked like it was Hearth's Warming Morning. "Adorable and they love the night? Why have I not seen these around Canterlot?"
"Well, sister, many ponies see them as pests..."
"Pests? This creature? Nonsense!" She sat the possum on the ground. "Little one, I offer you the role of pet. Come live in the palace and be my familiar!"
The possum brightened. Immediately it ran up Luna's leg and onto her back.
"Excellent! I shall name you Tiberius, and you shall be my ickle diddy widdle Tibble-kins!"
Celestia just blinked.
The three Cutie Mark Crusaders emerged from the Everfree Forest just as the sun was setting, unaware of how close they had come to being caught by the highest authority in Equestria.
As soon as they were out of the woods, Sweetie made a beeline for her home.
"Sweetie, wait, what are you doing?"
The unicorn filly glared at Scootaloo. "I'm going home."
"Are you still being a wuss? I told you..."
A swift hoof from Apple Bloom silenced her. "Sweetie... just go home an' get some sleep. We can talk tomorrow."
"But..." Scootaloo was silenced again.
Sweetie turned and left without another word, making sure to swish her tail in a snobbish manner.
Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom. "Why'd you let her go?"
"Because she was feelin' bad. It wasn't a good idea goin' there."
"Well, yeah, but did she have to act like that?"
"Maybe not, but I'm feelin' a bit ornery mahself. Just go home, Scoots. You, me an' her can talk about it tomorrow."
Scootaloo opened her mouth to protest, but Apple Bloom's glare silenced her. "...Fine."
Apple Bloom nodded with a stern look on her face. Then she walked toward her home as well.
Scootaloo scoffed and walked off. First Rainbow and Soarin, now this. This was not her day.
"Yogurt and strawberries are good for them, and be sure he gets exercise," Fluttershy said, giddiness in her voice. She certainly hadn't been expecting Princess Luna on her doorstep so soon, but the news that she was adopting a possum made her happy. The poor things were misunderstood, they were gentle and frightened creatures. Maybe a princess keeping one as a pet would get more ponies to like them. "Here are some combs for brushing, and a flea and tick bath formula if it comes to that."
"We thank thee, dear Fluttershy. Tibbles will be well taken care of with thine assistance."
"Oh, it's no problem." She had Tibbles on her coffee table and was giving him a quick flea and tick inspection. "So, um, was anything taken from the castle?"
"Nothing we can find," Luna admitted. "My sister and I looked through everything and found no sign of anything being stolen, though something was there. We are beginning to think it was simply a wild animal that snuck in. Perhaps Tibbles himself."
"Um, there aren't wards to keep the animals out?"
"We installed them when we lived there, but that was long ago. I think they simply wore out. Regardless, they'll be reinstated tomorrow."
"Oh, well... okay then."
"But at least Tia found something she thinks is of interest."
"Oh? What's that?"
"Old archived history books. I think they're merely legends, but Tia seems drawn to them. I do not know what she expects to find, perhaps some key to where the mirror came from. Whatever it is, I do hope it's worth the trouble."
Fluttershy nodded. "Well, this little guy's all checked out. He's happy and healthy as can be."
"Excellent! Come, Tibbles, a feast of fruit awaits you at the Palace!"
Scootaloo trudged up the cloud steps to her home. Rainbow Dash lowered it and put in some stairs, at least until she learned to fly.
She opened the door and was immediately granted by two things: Rainbow Dash calling her name, and Tank flying towards her for a playful nuzzle.
Scootaloo nuzzled back, then walked to the kitchen. "Yeah, Rainbow, I'm home. I... hey, cupcakes!"
"I thought this might help make up for..." she trailed off as she really looked at her and noticed how dirty she was. "What were you three doing today?"
"Oh, just... typical crusading." She made a mental note to yell at Sweetie for walking off before they could come up with a cover story.
Luckily, Dash just smiled. "A little firecracker, huh? Figures." She rubbed her head.
This caused Scootaloo to yelp as she got a painful reminder of her injury.
"What? Scoots, did I pull your... Scoots! What happened to your head?"
"Huh? Uh... I don't know. I got banged up a bit riding on my scooter. I guess I got it worse than I thought."
"Weren't you wearing your helmet?"
"Oh, uh... maybe it was when I fell out of that tree." She reached for a cupcake, but Rainbow Dash grabbed her foreleg and dragged her toward the bathroom.
"I've been there, Scoots. When I was your age, I had days when I wouldn't remember how I got messed up. Come on, let me treat that."
"Aw, it's not that bad..."
"I don't care." She pulled out some band-aids and some iodine.
Immediately Scootaloo freaked out. "No, no, Rainbow, please, it's not that bad..."
Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow. "You can handle being banged up so many times, but freak out over a little medicine?"
Scootaloo shuffled. "Well... I... ow, ow, ow!"
Rainbow Dash dabbled the iodine on, then placed the bandage. A quick kiss completed the care.
"There we go."
"Thanks, Mom," she muttered.
"I am the closest thing you have to one."
Scootaloo was silent for a moment. "I tried having a mom. I don't really want one anymore."
Rainbow Dash shook her head. "You didn't have a mom. You had a bimbo who squeezed you out of..." She caught herself. "Well, she made you, but she wasn't a mom."
"I don't need a mom, I have you."
Rainbow kissed her again. "Indeed you do."