By the riverbed, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack and Flake looked down to Buzz at their hooves who had just passed away. Nopony seemed to know what to say; there was only silence and tears, and an immense fear of what he had revealed to them before he died. The thought of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle being held captive by Chitin stirred in the corridors of their minds. And to think that their only way of getting them back was with Scootaloo, their fears only grew deeper.
They had no way of knowing what to do—not without Scootaloo. So in silence, they waited.
After their silent mourns, without a word, Flake reached down to the changeling and he gently picked him up. Then to the ponies’ surprise, he carried the deceased changeling away from the river’s edge, traveling further uphill. They exchanged puzzled looks with each other, uncertain what he was doing. Curious and sympathetic, they followed him.
Gently, Flake set Buzz down on the ground. He stood up, looking down into the eyes of the dead changeling, spiritually feeling the loss, despite him not knowing Buzz very well to begin with. Stepping aside, Flake began scraping his hooves into the dirt beneath him. The ponies watched as the green changeling dug a hole in the ground, understanding what he was doing.
It took him a few minutes to dig up a hole deep enough to bury a body. Once he had dug up enough dirt to his satisfaction, he looked back to Buzz, and he reached out to him, and picked him up again. Then, slowly, and with care, he placed Buzz down into the hole on his back. Taking one last look at the changeling in the hole, he then began burying him, pushing the dirt back into the hole over him, until he was completely buried.
Sitting on his flank, Flake bowed his head over Buzz’s grave, and closed his eyes.
“I apologize, Buzz, I, um… I’ve never done this before,” he said in a bit of a nervous whisper. “Scootaloo says the dead can hear you if you pray. So… If you can hear me, I just wanted to say… thank you.”
The ponies looked at each other during Flake’s prayer, astonished to see a changeling behave in such a way. Looking back to the changeling bowing over the grave, they respectfully bowed with him, and allowed him to continue his speech.
“I never knew you too well, Buzz, but… Something I was taught, was that everypony has a purpose. And I just hope you can rest in peace, knowing that you, too, had a purpose, and it was fulfilled… If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be here right now. We wouldn’t know where to turn, or who to turn to. We would be lost. You showed us the way. Your dying words, bravely revealing to us of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle… it proved to me, that in all of us, there is hope for every changeling… to become more. To be like... the Elements of Harmony.”
With that, he slowly opened his eyes, and the ponies lifted their heads.
“That was beautiful,” a voice said from behind him. Flake’s ears perked, and he turned around. Rainbow Dash was sitting off to the side, who was listening in to his prayer.
“Rainbow!” Applejack was the first to jump. “Ah’m so glad yer alright…”
“We were so worried,” Fluttershy murmured, trotting up to her.
“Heh, of course I’m alright,” said the agile pegasus, stretching her wings. “Why wouldn’t I be?” She cleared her throat, and trot up to Flake with a bright smile. Flake blinked a few times, curious about her behaviour. “Flake… I have to apologize for the lack of trust I had in you from the beginning… That was very touching what you did for that changeling. From now on, you have my full respect,” she exclaimed to him with emphasis.
Flake’s smile brightened, and he nodded. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash.” He pointed at the burn on her chest. “How are you feeling?”
“Well, I woke up covered in that gross meshy stuff, whatever it was…” She brushed her wound a few times. “My burn still stings a bit, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I feel much better.” She put her hooves down, looking around to see all the happy faces looking at her. “Sheesh, you’re all acting like I had died or something.”
“You were close…” Twilight explained. “Chrysalis put you in that cocoon to heal you.”
“And it looks like it worked!” Rarity gratefully added.
“Wait… Chrysalis??” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened at the unrealistic thought. “You mean the Queen herself showed up? … And she helped me?!”
“Yep,” Applejack simply replied. “Believe me, I’m just as dumbfounded and confused as you are.”
“Well… Where is she anyway?” Rainbow perked her head and looked around.
“Chrysalis and Scootaloo have gone looking for Pinkie Pie,” Twilight educated the pegasus. “I imagine they should return soon.”
“We just… don’t know what to tell her about Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom when she gets back,” Flake quietly said.
“Huh? What about them? I thought I heard Flake mention their names over the changeling’s grave.” Rainbow was determined to know the full story. “For Celestia’s sake, how much did I miss in that cocoon?! What happened with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle?”
There was a strong hesitation. After a sorrowful sigh, Flake tried to explain, “Before Buzz died, he told us that Chitin has them in his possession.” He lowered his head. “We’re waiting for Scootaloo to return before we are able to make a plan. Because without her, we don’t know where he is hiding anyway.”
Rainbow Dash’s jaw slowly lowered. She was clearly lost for words. This wasn’t exactly what she would have chosen to hear when she woke up.
“Chitin wants her alone, or he’ll kill Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In the depths of the abandoned tunnels, Scootaloo and Chrysalis waited in the cave for Pinkie Pie to awaken. Like all the others Scootaloo had set free, Pinkie had lost her colour. The grey party pony remained silent in her sleep, and not a sound was heard through the caves.
“So… When we bring Pinkie back to the others, we’ll have rounded up all of the Elements of Harmony,” Scootaloo broke the silence, turning to the changeling Queen beside her. “Then we’ll have to get the three Princesses, as well as Shining Armour. They are in these caves, too, right?”
Chrysalis slowly nodded, looking back at the pegasus. “Celestia, Luna and Shining Armour are in these caves.”
Scootaloo blinked. “And Princess Cadence?”
Chrysalis shook her head. “Cadence is not in these tunnels like I lead others to believe.”
“Oh… kay?” The confused pegasus shrugged. “So where is she then?”
“She is in the one place that nopony would think to search. My throne room.”
“Huh? Why would you put her there?”
Chrysalis cleared her throat before she explained, “Cadence is the Princess of Love. I keep her in a cocoon stored in my personal throne room where her essence cannot be withdrawn.”
Scootaloo raised a brow, tilting her head. “What? Why?”
“In case we were to ever leave Equestria, she has a large source of love that can sustain us for a very long time.” She exhaled a sigh. “In addition, I kept her in my sight for all these years in case something were to happen—that she and Shining Armour would get together again—and repeat what occurred years ago.”
At the corner of Scootaloo’s eye, she noticed something. She and Chrysalis quickly turned to where they had left Pinkie Pie to rest. She wasn’t there.
“Where’s the pony??” Chrysalis jumped.
“Maybe you should’ve kept your eyes on me instead!!” a loud and obnoxious voice echoed through the cave, and from above dropped Pinkie Pie, landing right on top of Chrysalis. They collapsed to the ground, with Pinkie pinning her on top. “I’ll show you, Queenie Meanie Pants!!”
“Pinkie Pie!” Scootaloo made the attempt to stop her by grabbing onto the crazy pony. Pinkie just turned around and bit her arm. “Ow!” She pulled back and rubbed the bite marks on her arm, frowning at her with an odd expression. “Who even does that?!”
Pinkie started to snarl like a caged hound, gnashing her teeth at her.
“Get off of me!” Chrysalis stood up, gripping Pinkie by the hind leg, and she flipped her over onto her back. Pinkie rolled out of her stumble, and stood back up, hopping around to play hard to get.
“C’mon, changelings! Put up your hooves!” She began bouncing on her hind legs while throwing boxing punches at the air. “I can take ya!”
“We’re not here to fight!” Scootaloo exclaimed, frustrated.
“Riiiight, and I’m not here to be Pinkie Pie!” she replied sarcastically. “You changelings are all a bunch of liar liar manes on fires!”
“I’m not a changeling!” the irritated pegasus growled. “Now would you settle down?!”
“Liar liar!” She pointed at Scootaloo accusingly. “You’re lying lies!”
“I’m… what?”
Chrysalis sighed and looked down to Scootaloo with lacking enthusiasm. “Can I please put her back in her cocoon?”
“Go ahead and try!” Pinkie shouted to her. “Make my day!” She then paused, sitting on her flank to put the situation to consideration. “Wait a minute. How come I’m not in a cocoon anyway?!”
Scootaloo groaned and tried to explain, “Well, if you’d listen—”
“No! I will not!” Pinkie yelled, skipping up to them furiously. “Now tell me why!”
“... I said—”
“Yooou shut up and tell me!”
Scootaloo blinked a few times in response, and she looked up to Chrysalis, who looked back down to her.
“There is no logic in this one,” Chrysalis stated with a grunt.
“Uuuugh!!” Scootaloo then turned back to Pinkie and stepped toward her. “We don’t have any time for your games, Pinkie Pie! We need your help!”
“Pfffffff!” Pinkie spat. “Ya, right! I’m not helping you!”
“Damnit, it’s me, Scootaloo!!” the irritated pegasus yelled.
Pinkie Pie blinked a few times in response. She examined Scootaloo with sudden fascination. “Waaait a minute. Scootaloo?”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes and nodded.
“Scootaloo Scootaloo? That Scootaloo?”
“Yes,” she replied, annoyed.
“As in Scootaloo Scootaloo Scootaloo?”
“YES!!”
“As in Scoo—”
“Yes damnit, YES!!”
“Oooooooohhhh.” Pinkie slowly nodded, quizzically tilting her head. “But you’re older…”
Scootaloo sighed and nodded, her ears folding back.
Pinkie scratched her chin with her hoof, puzzling the situation. “So you mean to tell me, that I’ve been trapped in a cocoon for ten years, and now Chrysalis needs our help because her changelings are in trouble because some mean meany pants is going to destroy her hive, and it’s up to me to save the changelings so that changelings and ponies can live in peace together so that nothing bad ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever happens again, and so we can get along and live in harmony like our elements represent and—”
“Finally!!” Scootaloo screamed joyfully and threw her hooves above her head in successful relief. “She gets it! Oh my goddess!”
“Well why didn’t you say so?!” Pinkie Pie’s grey coat suddenly flashed into her original fluorescent pink colour, and she skipped past them, making her way through the tunnel. “Let’s go!”
“I can’t decide whether this was easy or difficult,” Chrysalis said with a grunt as she and Scootaloo raced back to the others. To save time, Chrysalis picked up the irritating wingless pony, and she flew through the caves with her in tow.
“Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” Pinkie Pie squealed as they carried on, and her laughter echoed throughout the caves.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Scootaloo, Chrysalis and Pinkie Pie soon returned to the river. Pinkie continued to giggle in Chrysalis’ arms as she carried her, aggravating the changeling Queen.
“Ahahehe! I’m being carried by Chrysalis! Can you believe it, Scootaloo?!”
“Nnngh, does she ever shut up?” Chrysalis muttered.
“Uh… Not really,” Scootaloo exclaimed with a lack of enthusiasm.
Coasting through the tunnel with the rapids below, they approached Flake and the other ponies.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash is out of her cocoon.” Scootaloo pointed out the pegasus standing with the others. “It looks like your healing magic worked.”
“Heh, well let’s hope we don’t have to go through that again,” said the relieved Queen.
They landed on the shore, and Chrysalis set Pinkie Pie down. The moment Pinkie’s hooves made contact with the dirt, she began bouncing toward the other ponies.
“Hey you guys!!” she squeaked, then hit the brakes at the sight of Flake. Her eyes widened, and she glared at him.
“Hey, Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed happily.
“They found ya!” Applejack trot up to her, smiling. “How’re ya doin’?”
Pinkie kept her glare on Flake, and she pointed straight at him with an extended hoof, expecting an explanation. The others looked to Flake in question, realizing they haven’t met yet.
“Uh, right…” Twilight gestured to the changeling. “This is Flake. He’s on our side.”
“Oh, okie!” Pinkie then leapt toward Flake, and grabbed onto his hoof, shaking it rapidly. He was caught off guard by this, raising a brow in response to her greeting. “Hi there, Flakey! I’m Pinkie Pie!!”
“Uh…” He blinked, having no control over his shaking limb. “Hi.”
“Oooooo you’re different than other changelings.” Pinkie stopped shaking his hoof and spun around him to examine him. “Your cheese legs have smaller holes than most changelings, and your coat is green!”
“Cheese legs…?”
A loud and exaggerated gasp escaped Pinkie’s throat, and she put her head right up close to his, looking him directly in the eyes with fascination. “And you have irises?!” Her ears perked and she skipped back. “Wowy!! You’re almost like a pony!”
“Heh.” Flake grinned and rolled his eyes, slightly chuckling. “You’re making this weird.”
“So, what did we miss while we were away?” Scootaloo wondered, trying to get back on track.
In response to her question, the others fell silent. They exchanged looks with each other, all with very uneasy expressions. Scootaloo could see that there was something wrong, and she felt her heart sink before she built the courage to ask what the problem was.
“What happened?” she murmured.
More heavy hesitation brought the cave into a deeper silence. Scootaloo looked to the other ponies, feeling her gut turn the more she thought of the worst possibilities. But what was about to be revealed to her, she wouldn’t have been able to prepare for.
Flake stepped up, and cleared his throat to explain the reality. “Chitin came back… He has Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle hostage.”
Scootaloo stepped back, and her eyes widened with terror. “What?!”
“He wants a trade…” He chewed his bottom lip, nervously. “It was only fair that we spoke to you about it before we make a plan.”
“A trade?” she questioned him further, “What kind of trade?!”
Flake turned to the others, unsure how to put it. He cringed at the thought, and turned back to her with sincere pain in his heart. “He… wants you.” He furthered his explanation with emphasis, “He says that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle will be executed if the rest of us go after him. He wants you to go alone.” He had to take a seat from the stress. “We don’t know what to do!”
Scootaloo’s expression went blank. She was terrified without a doubt, yet there was exposed determination in her eyes. Slowly, her blank expression furrowed into a furious squint. “Where is he…?”
“We don’t know… We only got a hint.”
“Well?” Scootaloo snapped, stepping closer to him. “What is it?!”
Flake could see the fury in her eyes. He knew that this was a nonnegotiable matter to her. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were her closest friends, and she was not about to stop at anything to save their lives. Knowing he couldn’t prevent her from making this decision for herself, he sighed, revealing the hint to her, “Chitin said that you made a choice during your escape from the hive.”
“...A choice?”
“You were heading for a cavern opening, and instead of choosing the path ahead, you took a dive into the river.”
Scootaloo’s ears perked, and her eyes widened. She turned around, looking through the vast cavern upstream, then she turned to look downstream at the vortex where she was sucked down into the Equestrian wasteland. How could she forget? Then in the blink of an eye, she lifted off the ground, and flew upstream as fast as her wings would carry her.
“Scootaloo!!” Flake took off after her. “Stop!!”
“No!” she cried, racing for her destination. “I know where he is, and he is NOT getting away with this!”
Ignoring her desperation, he snatched her out of the air. She squirmed and sobbed in his grip, and he carried her back to shore as the other ponies galloped up to them.
“Sugar cube, you can’t!” Applejack exclaimed.
“Let me go!” cried the traumatized pegasus as she wiggled in the changeling’s grip. “I need to get to my friends!”
“You don’t understand! We don’t know what he wants with you when you get there!” Rainbow Dash was hysterical. “You could die!”
“I don’t care!” she cried, wiggling free from Flake’s grip. Once she broke free, she stumbled back, and stood with powerful determination. “Stop it!” she yelled, stepping back. “Don’t follow me! You know what he said. He wants me alone!”
“There has to be something we can do that doesn’t put you at risk,” Flake solemnly said.
“You don’t get it…” Scootaloo’s eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. “Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are like family to me. And… they’re probably the only family I’ve ever had...” Applejack and Rarity both lowered their heads, feeling the emotion from her words. “And now that the opportunity has risen to get them back, I am NOT going to let it pass. Don’t you see? I have to do this!”
Flake felt the power in her voice. “Why do you?”
“Because I love them,” Scootaloo proudly explained. “They are like my sisters, and I will not let them down!”
“I-I can’t lose you, though,” Flake whimpered, and tears began to fall from his eyes. Scootaloo paused to see his pain, and she looked into his crying eyes in question. He breathed rapidly, and he continued between his whimpering, “You’ve taught me so much, what will I do without you?” The other ponies fell silent as Flake’s sobs echoed through the cave. “I need you, Scootaloo,” he continued, his voice growing more hoarse. “What if… what if you don’t come back?”
Scootaloo sighed and stepped closer to Flake. “You will do just fine without me. If you had an opportunity to save somepony you loved, wouldn’t you take it? No matter what the cost?”
Flake’s damp eyes wandered as the question burned into his mind.
“Flake… this is the Magic of Friendship,” she said as she cried with him. “And this is something I need to do… for my friends.” That being said, Scootaloo took a couple steps back. “Please don’t follow me…” Then with a swift thrust, she flew upstream, away from Flake and the other ponies.
“Scootaloo!” Flake trot in her direction, and he slowed to a stop as he watched her go further into the distance. His jaw hung low, and he breathed in agony to see her exit.
“I don’t like this!” Rainbow Dash snapped. “Is there nothing we can do?!”
The words that Scootaloo had said slowly crept deeper into the corridors of Flake’s mind. It irreversibly built up inside him, and the emotions he felt grew deeper. He turned to all the grieving ponies, and looked to each of them with a feeling he has never truly understood until now. Looking back to the flying pegasus upstream, he knew in his heart what he had to do. And without a word, he lifted off the ground, and flew after Scootaloo.
“Hey, wait!!” Rainbow Dash galloped upstream in his direction as he made his exit. Flake didn’t even look back, and he moved onward as fast as he could. As Rainbow galloped in his direction, she eventually slowed to a stop. After a quiet moment to herself, she sat on her flank in acceptance, watching as Flake disappeared in the distance.
“Wh… Rainbow! Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are at risk if Flake shows up in Chitin’s hiding place!” Rarity marched toward her. “Why aren’t you chasing him?”
“You don’t think he knows that?” Rainbow turned to Rarity and expressed a reassuring grin. “After everything that has happened so far, I told Flake that he has my full respect. So I trust him. I believe he knows what he’s doing.”
Applejack grit her teeth nervously. “Ah hope yer right, Rainbow. There’s a lot at stake right now!”
Rainbow Dash nodded slowly, and she turned to look upstream. “Good luck, my friend,” she calmly said to the distant changeling.