//------------------------------//
// Chapter FIve (Pre-Rewrite) 
// Story: Sacrifices 
// by silverthorn 
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SACRIFICES – PART FIVE

One year later, two weeks after the coronation of Princess Twilight Sparkle

Scootaloo woke up suddenly, aware that somepony was in the room with her. She backed away, aware that the pony in question was definitely not Rainbow Dash, who had kindly let  her sleep over with her. She backed away, noting that Dash was in her bedroom where it sounded like a massive fight was happening. The figure moved closer, into the moonlight from the window, picking her up and placing a hoof over her mouth.


In her bedroom, Dash was struggling like a madpony, shouting for her assailants to let her go. Whoever the ponies were,, they were all wearing balaclavas, two of them were holding on to her arms and another was sitting on her legs. A fourth walked over and placed a funny smelling rag over her face and Dash suddenly felt really sleepy.


Dash woke up with what looked like a hood over her head and immediately started to try and stand up. Her first efforts made it readily apparent that she was tied to a chair. She smiled, after the changeling invasion certain steps were taken by Shining Armour. Each of the Element bearers were given lessons in what to do in a situation like this. Dash had been angry at the time because it was eating into flying practice time but she had been instructed at the same time as Pinkie and when she took the whole thing surprisingly seriously (for Pinkie) Dash decided she didn't want to look bad. Pinkie had later told her that she thought being able to escape from being tied up might be useful if they were captured again or, as she put it, in “Pinkie's happy time”. The thought still disturbed Dash.

She thought back at what the EIB agent had told her and tried to examine the knot that was being used on her, then the hood was pulled off her head. The room was illuminated by one light above her which shone down brightly on her but left the rest of the room in deep shadow. She could see three figures, all in balaclavas, one of them had just removed the hood. “Where am I, who are you?”. She gasped as she remembered who was in the guest bedroom when she was captured. She shouted “Scootaloo, Scootaloo!” then looked around, trying to calm herself down. Her captors looked like they knew what they were doing. “Where is she you bitch”.
The pegasus in front of her nodded and laughed. “The filly is alive, for now. How long that remains true is up to you, Rainbow Dash”. The pegasus walked to a table and looked at a file before turning back. “Rainbow Dash, bearer of the Element of Harmony, weather control officer and wannabe Wonderbolt”. Some laughter came from other figures in the shadows. “I hate to tell you this but the Wonderbolts were among the first targets we hit. You'll have to find another group to want to join”.

Dash looked at the pegasus like she had grown a third wing. “The Wonderbolts can't be gone”. Knowing that the situation could be a lot worse than just a kidnapping, Dash focussed more on working out how to get out of the knot her hooves were tied with. It seemed to be one of the types she was taught about but it was one of the tougher ones to get out of, it could take some time.

The pegasus looked Dash over before, Dash guessed, smiling. “My masters forces have taken Ponyville and are outside of Canterlot as I speak. My master believes you know weaknesses in Canterlot's defences. Tell me them and I will let the filly live. She will be a handy slave in the new regime”.

Dash looked at the Pegasus and spat at her feet. “I'm not telling you or your master anything. Scootaloo doesn't know anything either, she's just a kid”.

The pegasus nodded. “What she is is useful for now. The incursions at the library”. She walked back to the file, “Sweet Apple Acres, the bakery and”. She paused. “The bearer of the element of generosity works in a boutique, unexpected. They were indoctrinated easily with the right amount of physical duress”. Turning back to Dash the pegasus appeared to frown. “You, on the other hoof were always expected to be a problem. Our best psychoanalysts suggested that you would never give us the information we wanted, no matter what we did to you. The filly is therefore useful for us to give you further impetus to cooperate”. She turned to a balaclava clad pegasus stallion. Go to the next room and beat the filly until he cooperates. We need her alive for now, what condition she is in is unimportant”. 

Dash could feel herself starting to panic, fear was being quickly replaced by anger as the stallion left the room. “Leave her alone, you mother-bucker. She's just a kid” She looked around as she felt the rope loosen on her hooves. “Scootaloo, RUN!”. Dash winced as she pulled her hooves out of the knot, then fell forward, bucking as hard as she could with her back hooves and glad she had been held on a wooden chair. She may not have had "Bucky McGillycuddy" and "Kicks McGee" to help her but her anger meant that her kick broke the chair cleanly. Not even bothering to untie her back hooves, Dash looked at the doorway in front of her and flew out into a larger room. 

She glanced around as more pegasi ran towards her. “Come on, I'll kill all of you. Scootaloo!”. Dash's adrenaline was racing through her veins as a stallion came close. Dash turned and kicked him in the face, smiling as he fell clutching his muzzle. A mare approaching took to two hooved kick to the midriff then a hoof-chop to the back of the neck.

Dash looked behind her as the talkative pegasus stepped into the room. “Hold her down, for Celestia's sake”. 

Dash smiled as she charged her, bringing to the ground and punching her in the face before she stopped. “No, Scoots”. She looked around as more pegasi came in from several directions, then looked down at the pegasus she was on top of. “Where's Scootaloo. If any of your goons have hurt her I'll kill you first”.

The pegasus spat a muzzle full of blood then motioned for the other pegasi to stop. “She's in the first room on the left side of this room. She's safe”.

Dash looked at the pegasus and punched her again, knocking her silly. “I'll find that out for myself”. She took off, acutely aware that her back hooves were still tied together. Watching the other pegasi she flew to the door the talkative pegasus had mentioned and threw the door open. “SCOOTALOO!”.

It took a split second for Dash to register what she saw. A older looking Pegasus standing over Scootaloo. At that point she was pony-piled by what felt like the whole population of Cloudsdale. She was left at the bottom of a pile of pugnacious pegasi keeping her from getting further into the room. “I'll kill you, I'll kill all of you. Scootaloo!”.

The older pegasus walked closer to her, a frown on her face as she knelt down, out of reach of the still fighting mad Dash. “This is disturbing. The finest military squad in Equestria and one wannabe Wonderbolt treats you like minimum-wage mall ponies”. She smiled. “They have disappointed me, you on the other hand, Miss Dash, have not”.

To call Dash confused was a understatement. She looked at the pegasus as she tried to get free again from the big stallion sitting on her back. “Who are you, what happened to Scootaloo?”.

“Come here Scootaloo”. The filly ran out, apparently none the worse for wear and slurping on a juice box. Dash was now even more confused.

“Just what the hay is going on here?”. She glanced at the half-dozen ponies keeping her on the ground as she felt somepony cutting the ropes around her back hooves. “Let me up and I won't kill anypony until somepony explains what is happening”. The older pegasus nodded and Dash felt the big stallion get off her back and the other ponies let go. Dash stood up as she looked the older stallion in the eyes. “Who are you ponies”.

The older pegasus looked down at Scootaloo and smiled. “Scootaloo, go and play with Ice Heart. I need to speak to miss Dash”. Scootaloo ran off into the room Dash had escaped from as the older pegasus looked Dash over. “I guess you deserve an explanation”.

“You think!”.

A slight smile crossed the older pegasus's muzzle. “I wanted to find out about you. I wanted to see what kind of pony would dare to want to be my daughter's big sister”.

Dash's jaw dropped. “What, you're Scoot's mother. But she's”.

Swift smiled. “My tour isn't due to finish for five weeks but my team and I were ordered to bring a ambassador from the changelings back to Canterlot. Princess Celestia told me I had two days with my daughter before we have to go back on duty”.

Dash looked at Swift with frank astonishment on her face. “So you broke into my house, abducted me and Scoots. Did she know about this?”.

Swift smiled as Scootaloo came running back, followed by a mare with a bloodied muzzle that Dash thought she recognised. “No. I sent Ice Heart”, motioning to the mare. “To get Scootaloo since Ice Heart has family in Ponyville. She tends to visit my daughter when she's here on leave”.

Dash could feel a migraine coming on. “But why do all this?”.

Swift smiled as she picked up Scootaloo. “Firstly, I wanted to see how good you were. Secondly, I wanted to see how much you would stick up for my daughter if push came to shove. Third, I wanted to see how my troops worked in interrogation situations. I think Ice Heart may have gone a little over the top”. Scootaloo giggled. “She was told not to use the torture card unless you seemed not to be caring what happened to my daughter”.

“So this was all some sort of crazy test. The invasion of Equestria, the attacks on my friends. It was all fake”. Dash was a little less angry, although the urge to hit Swift was still pretty strong.

“I did have some of my troops go to the other Element bearers, although that was to ensure they were ready”.

Dash looked a little confused. “Ready for what?”.

Swift grinned as she glanced at Scootaloo. “A party”.


The party was at Sugarcube Corner and Pinkie was running the party with her normally understated manner. Dash was still unhappy about the way she had been treated. Swift walked over to her and smiled. “Can we speak outside”.

Dash nodded and stepped outside while Swift stood looking in the doorway, watching her daughter. “What is it”.

Swift smiled. “I wanted to thank you for reuniting Princess Luna with Princess Celestia. I was stuck in the far north last Hearth's Warming Eve and Princess Luna somehow linked my dream and Scootaloo's so that we could spend some time together”. She looked away from Dash for a moment before looking back. “The hardest thing about my work is that it takes me away from Scootaloo for so long”. She sighed. “It's good to know she had friends in those two reprobates”. 

Her reminiscing was interrupted by three reprobates shouting “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MILITARY TACTICIANS, YAY!”

Swift looked at Dash and they both laughed their heads off. Swift glanced inside as the implications for peace with Equestria's neighbours sunk in. “Rainbow Dash, you have exceeded my every expectation of you. I'm proud that you are like a big sister to my daughter, Scootaloo writes to me about you a lot”.

Dash looked down, a little embarrassed. “All good things, I hope”.

Swift smiled. “Mostly, a lot about how you are helping her to learn to fly. When I was last in town I had to go and have a medical in Canterlot so I took Scootaloo. The doctors think she'll have big enough wings to fly after her next growth spurt. I just hope I don't miss it if I'm out of the country”.

Swift turned and bowed as as Twilight Sparkle landed. “You don't need to do that. I've just been in Canterlot and have some important news for you from Princess Celestia”.

Swift looked down and grimaced before snapping to attention. “I can have my team north of the border in five hours. I'll go and tell Scootaloo I won't be able to put her to bed tonight”.

Twilight smiled. “It's not that. After my coronation I was told by Princesses Celestia and Luna that I would need a unit of Royal Guard for my personal protection. After much consideration Princess Celestia suggested you to lead the unit”. She managed to keep a straight face as she saw that it appeared the Swift hadn't worked out the full implications of the offer. “Of course, the unit would be based in Ponyville”.

Swift looked at Twilight and grinned. “Ice Heart would make for a fine CO for the unit, even if some rainbow haired glory-hound broke her nose. I was planning to suggest a second unit for her to command and I can be with Scootaloo”.

She turned and looked at Twilight before deciding to hay with protocols and hugging her. “Thank you. I should be able to start the job in four weeks, I'm due in changeling territory tomorrow”. 

Twilight smiled as she returned the hug. “Celestia says that if you accepted the job you would be immediately transferred to the new post. It means that you wouldn't get two weeks leave but you would be able to see Scootaloo every day”. She grinned at Rainbow Dash as she heard Swift crying. 

Swift with a little effort Swift managed to get her emotions under something like control. “I'm sorry, your highness, I'm not normally so sappy. I would like to accept the offer”.

Twilight laughed. “Understood, Captain. Don't you think you should tell Scootaloo and your mother”.

Swift stuck her head inside the door and shouted in her finest parade ground shout, “Scootaloo, come here honey”.

“Mum, we're plaining the invasion of Dodge Junction”.

“That's nice, honey but I've got news”.

Scootaloo came walking out of Suglarcube Corner. “What is it, Mom?”.

Swift smiled as she picked Scootaloo up in her hooves. “The Princess has just made me an offer. She wants somepony to run her personal guard. It means I'll be assigned to Ponyville”.

Scootaloo looked at her mother and grinned. “Does that mean you'll be here next week”. 

Swift nodded. “Yes, why?”.

Scootaloo smiled. “It's bring your parent to school day and I think seeing you will scare Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon”.

Swift grinned as she pondered her plan for that day. “Well, those two asses may have cutie marks but you, my little pony, can call in air support. They won't know what hit them”.