Chapter 3
Flames
Fluttershy finished her nightly routine of grooming and feeding her animals and put them to bed. She grabbed herself a glass of milk before going to her own bed. She laid down and pulled her soft covers over herself as her head hit the pillow she fell into a deep relaxed sleep.
A little while later she was enjoying a pleasant dream that was interrupted by a massive explosion that ripped through the ground floor of her cottage. She sat up in her bed quickly and smelled rancid smoke the creeped up the the floorboards. The weakened wood underneath her bed started to creak before she heard a loud crack that sent her bed tumbling down to the ground floor.
The daze she was in from the fall clouded her vision along with the smoke filling the house. She could barely make out torn bits of fur and blood but no actual bodies. Staring around her in shock she heard another explosion at her chicken coop. Crawling out of the destroyed bed, she noticed the fire spreading through the living room engulfing her couch and other furniture. Fearing none of her friends made it out Fluttershy worked her way to the door with tears streaming down her face leaving tracks through the black soot layered on her cheeks.
Making it outside she looked around at the devastation, the chicken coop was just a pile of burning rubble in a crater. Her house was halfway caved in and burning furiously, she knew she wouldn't be able to put it out herself. Still crying she looked around for her friends but still didn’t see any of them around.
Fluttershy sat down and stared at the flames, heart broken and mind fractured, not hearing the hoofsteps of other ponies coming to help her. She watched as her cottage burned down, her entire life was in that cottage and now it was all gone. There was nothing she could do to stop fire, and the fire department ponies that came to help couldn’t stop it either, it was burning too hot.
***
Hidden in the shadows Scootaloo watched the entire scene from the woods a short distance away. Her homemade bombs had effectively exterminated the animal problem while leaving Fluttershy alive, although slightly injured. As the other ponies came to help she slipped off into the woods and headed back home. She did feel a little bad for doing that to Fluttershy but it was for the greater good, it had to be done. She slipped into bed wondering what tomorrow was going to bring her.
She awoke in the morning to an obnoxious pounding at her front door; groggily getting out of bed she went to the door and opened it. Seeing Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle made Scootaloo wake up completely. Looking at them suspiciously she said, “What’s up guys? It isn’t time for me to come get you for school.”
“Scootaloo how were you still sleeping? Didn’t you hear that explosion last night?” Sweetie Belle said her eyes wide at the thought of what happened.
“Explosion? What are you girls talking about? I didn’t hear anything last night, I was out cold.”
“Oh it was the worst thing ever! Last night while everypony was asleep Fluttershy’s cottage exploded! None of her animals survived, but she got out with very little injuries.” said a very teary Apple Bloom.
“But who would want to do something like that to Fluttershy? She is the nicest pony in Ponyville; I don’t know why anypony would have a grudge against her.”
“We don’t know but they cancelled school for the rest of the week so an incident doesn’t happen there too. We were going to go see Fluttershy at Twilight’s house to see if she is alright.” Sweetie Belle said ready to leave right away.
“Alright I think she could use some cheering up it does sound like she has been through a lot. Let me grab my scooter and we’ll head over there.” Turning back inside Scootaloo grabbed her helmet and locked the door as she left.
The ride over to the library was quiet; the only thing Scootaloo could hear was Sweetie Belle’s quiet sobbing and Apple Bloom trying to comfort her. It wasn’t long before Apple Bloom was crying too; both of the fillies were pretty upset over the whole situation. When they arrived the girls had slowed their crying down to almost nothing as they got out of the wagon and walked up to the door. Scootaloo took off her helmet and joined them just when they knocked on the door. Twilight answered the door with tired puffy red eyes.
“Oh hey girls are you here to see Fluttershy? She is in the main room with Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack.”
The girls entered and followed Twilight into the main room, where they were met with a shocking image. Fluttershy was sitting on the couch with bandages spotted with blood on her front right leg and around one of her wings. She looked as though she had been crying non-stop since the explosion and probably had been. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were sitting next to her trying to calm her down, but what had happened was so devastating to Fluttershy that they weren’t making any progress. Applejack looked up and saw the girls standing there looking at them, so she stood up and walked over. “Now isn’t the best time to see Fluttershy girls, she has been through a lot and needs some time to heal.”
Through a choked voice a once again teary Apple Bloom said “Alright sis, we just wanted to see if she was doing alright and if you ladies might think you know who would do this to her.”
“No we don’t know anything yet, but we think it might be the same pony who has been vandalizing all the buildings around town for this New Lunar Republic thing.” said Applejack starting to get angry at the idea of somepony rebelling against Princess Celestia. “I think you girls should go now it’s not good for fillies like y’all to see something like this.”
“Yes Applejack.” All three of the girls said in unison turning around to leave. Going back out the door Sweetie Belle started to cry again, not being able to handle seeing Fluttershy in that state. Scootaloo got on her scooter and put on her helmet, not quite sure how she should feel about what she just saw. She definitely did feel something; not guilt, or regret, the closest she could place it was pity or disgust. When her friends got in the wagon she took off heading towards their respective homes to drop them off. This time the ride was quieter Sweetie Belle kept her crying quiet and Apple Bloom just kind of stared off into space.
After dropping them off she arrived back home to find one last letter on her desk.
Scootaloo,
We were surprised at how you decided to dispose of the little problem, but it worked very well and we are proud. We shall be there tomorrow night to take you to the training camp it is time you see what you have helped create. Be prepared and take caution when saying goodbyes you cannot let them find out about you.
Stay well, Princess Luna
After reading the letter Scootaloo started jumping up and down with excitement just one more day before she gets to go to the camp with Luna. Pulling on her amulet she started getting her stuff ready. Almost forgetting, she also burned the letter like she did with the others, so nopony could link her to Princess Luna. While she was packing Scootaloo decided that it would be best if she didn’t tell anypony about her leaving. Maybe I can just fake my death with one of my bombs. I know it would be hard on everypony but if it means a clean getaway then I am willing to do it.
After everything was prepared the rest of the night was boring, Scootaloo just paced back and forth tiring herself so she could fall asleep. When she finally did get tired she had decided on one last thing to do before she left this town behind and everyone she knew. She was going to watch Rainbow Dash perform a Sonic Rainboom, and then she would know what one actually looks like, having never actually seeing one before. She had only heard the stories that the older ponies told her whenever she asked about one. With that image in her head she fell asleep with the thoughts of the coming day running through her heat.