//------------------------------//
// We Are Crusaders! 
// Story: The Flight of Scootaloo 
// by birdyluv0 
//------------------------------//

As Twilight and Scootaloo approach Fluttershy's cottage, a wave of sadness washes over Scootaloo. I don't have long to live, and I'll never get a cutie mark. How am I going to explain this to them? Twilight knocks on the door, and Fluttershy answers it.

"Girls! Scootaloo is here!" she says softly. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle barrel out the door, almost crashing into Twilight and Scootaloo.

"Scootaloo, what happened? Are you okay?" asks Sweetie Belle loudly.

"We were so worried about ya!" exclaims Applebloom. Scootaloo stares at her friends sadly. Twilight helps lower Scootaloo to the ground. Scootaloo looks her fellow crusaders in the eyes.

"I have some bad news to tell you all," she starts. A single tear rolls down her cheek and lands on the ground. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle stare at her, worried. Scootaloo continues. "I have something called 'Small Wing Disease'. It's a severe and extremely rare disease that only affects pegasi. My wings will never grow, I will never fly, and I will never get a cutie mar-"

"Never get a cutie mark? That's horrible!" says Sweetie Belle, her voice squeaking.

"That's not bad at all compared to the rest of this, uh, disease. It's fatal. I have at most a month to live, and the rest of the time I do live will be accompanied by extreme pain," Scootaloo finishes. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom stare at her.

"Is that... really true?" asks Applebloom, a tiny sliver of hope saying that Scootaloo was just teasing them. Scootaloo nods. Tears fill Sweetie Belle's eyes, and Applebloom just stands there. 

Meanwhile, Fluttershy who was just standing at the door the whole time, walks over to Scootaloo, tears in her eyes.

"Scootaloo, I promise that we will help make the rest of your life as comfortable as possible," she says as she cuddles Scootaloo close to her. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom join the hug.

"Scootaloo, no matter what happens, ya will always be a crusader. Because we are crusaders, and crusaders never give up on eachother," says Applebloom.

"Yeah! We are crusaders!" says Sweetie Belle, joining in. Scootaloo looks at them with hope in her eyes. She extends her hoof, and her fellow crusaders all bump hooves.

Fluttershy looks up at Twilight and says, "Does Rainbowdash know?" Twilight nods her head, then gasps.

"I left Rainbowdash over at the hospital! Fluttershy, can you take care of Scootaloo and the girls for me?" says Twilight as she flies off, not even giving Fluttershy a chance to answer.

"Come on, girls. Let's go inside," says Fluttershy, re-opening the door. The three fillies follow her in. But after a few steps, Scootaloo screams and falls to the floor. She writhes around in pain, and Sweetie Belle and Applebloom back up against the wall. Fluttershy approaches Scootaloo carefully.

"Scootaloo, Scootaloo... It'll be okay... Just calm down... shhh.. it'll be okay..." Fluttershy soothes. Scootaloo's cries cease to whimpers. "Come on, let's get you upstairs in the bed." She picks Scootaloo up and flies her upstairs to the bed, where she gently lays her down. "Get some rest, Scootaloo," Fluttershy says as she closes the curtains. She walks downstairs, leaving Scootaloo alone in the darkness.

After a few minutes, Scootaloo hears a whisper from the corner. "Hey, Scootaloo! Over here!" She sits up and looks around, until she sees Applebloom and Sweetie Belle hiding in the corner.

"Fluttershy told us not to bother you, but we really wanted to see you," explains Sweetie Belle as she walks over to the bed, followed by Applebloom.

"Guys, I don't want to die," whispers Scootaloo. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle give her a big hug.

"Again, don't worry, Scootaloo. You'll always be a crusader, and crusaders always stick together."