//------------------------------// // Questing For Past Homes // Story: Not All Is Set In Stone // by Tails_155 //------------------------------// As the Crusaders head out of town toward Canterlot, Scootaloo catches sight of Cheerilee, now a tourmaline statue of a rearing pony. Scootaloo's ears droop and her lip quivers. She speeds up, eyes closed, to catch up with the others. "What's wrong, Scootaloo? I mean..." Sweetie Belle's ears drop down and she blushes. "Cheerilee, too..." Scootaloo fights off tears. The three look at each other and droop their heads, making their way to Canterlot in a haze of gloom. "Well, we'll make it all better, right? Right guys...?" Sweetie Belle tries to raise their spirits. "I hope so... but I just don't know... I don't know if we can do it... We're just fillies!" Apple Bloom lowers her head. Scootaloo stays silent. Apple Bloom gives Scootaloo a hug, shifting her tone to a soft, protectful one. "Sweetie Belle is right... we'll be able to do it Scootaloo!" She gives a gentile, warm smile. The trio sneaks further across the edge of the Everfree Forest, hiding from timber wolves and various crystalline creatures. Scootaloo turns, frustrated. "We have to hurry up. This is taking too long." Scootaloo jumps out. "Come on." "Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom whispers loudly. "I'll... I'll distract them. We're never gonna get anywhere if we go at this pace. Come on!" Scootaloo insists. The others chase after her, not wanting to be separated. Scootaloo directs herself toward the castle and hovers lightly, but swiftly, eyes closed, fighting her own mind for control. -------------------- "Come on, Squirt! You can do it!" Rainbow Dash calls out. "It's so tough! Maybe I'll never fly." "Come on, one more time. I've seen you hover, you're halfway there!" "I'm.... I'm doing it!" "Haha! Told you, but with me training you, was there ever any doubt?!" "You're the best, Rainbow Dash!" "Just wait until--" -------------------- THUD. Scootaloo collides with the increasing slope. "Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom call out at the same time. "Are you okay?" Apple Bloom continues. "Yeah, I'm fine, I just got distracted is all. I'm--I'm fine, really." Scootaloo shakes her head, blushing. "Rookie mistake." She forces a smile, parroting her mentor. "Well, at least we're closer. We need to get out of the open, though. Who knows what could happen if one of these things finds us!" Sweetie Belle looks around, a mild paranoia setting in. "Let's just hurry. If we take too long, we may be come a snack anyway!" "I don't know..." "Look, come on. I'm not going to argue about this." Apple Bloom looks to Sweetie Belle. They share a nervous shrug, and race after Scootaloo. After hours and hours of running, only taking breaks as long as necessary, they reach the foot of a large mountain. At its top is an enormous, though clearly marred, castle. The trio approaches a cave at the foot. They enter, and begin searching the walls and floors for anything to give them a clue of what they're doing. Scootaloo grabs some brush and grabs a couple stones and smacks them against each other, making sparks. A small fire builds, providing more light than the afternoon sun shows into the corridor. "There." Scootaloo nods. Sweetie Belle looks toward the center of the cave, where a pillar has been erected with a hymn from many Hearth's Warming celebrations of the past. At the base of the pillar is a small placard that states "Here, in the heart of Equestria, three ponies: one pegasus, one unicorn, and one Earth pony, set aside their past prejudices, and filled the land with their courage, hope, and compassion, beginning an era of friendship in the land, softening the hearts of their prideful leaders." "Well, I don't see anything too useful, here. What a waste of time!" Scootaloo stomps, sighing. "Relax. Let's just keep going. We need to head to the homes of the three pony tribes, Celestia said. Maybe we'll find something, there. It was worth a shot." "But we're wasting time!" "Scootaloo, what's the--" "Look! I'm not... not going to be alone. Not again. I..." Scootaloo slumps down, frustrated. The friends all share a hug. "But Scootaloo, you're not alone, you have us!" Apple Bloom tries to hide her own anxieties and cheer up her friend. "We have another problem, though, guys..." Scootaloo's voice sounds half-broken. Scootaloo looks off into the distance, out of the cave, to the skies, thought and worry choke her. "Y-you guys can't fly... And the Pegasi's home is in the clouds..." "O-okay, Scootaloo... but even if you are alone, it won't be long. We'll be back home before you know it, and we'll be waiting for you. We know you can do it. Besides, we still have to get there. We'll stay together as long as we can." "Promise?" "Promise. Look, we wouldn't leave you, would we? We're The Cutie Mark Crusaders! We stick together!" Apple Bloom gives as genuine a smile as she has the whole day. The trio makes their way out of the cave and takes one last look at the capitol city, marked and marred, along with the castle, with spots of varying crystals, a pony statue at the heart of nearly every spot. A stone sinks into the stomach of all three of the fillies. "From here they came from that way, up those mountains, through a forest and across some plains. So I think that's the way we need to-" Sweetie Belle freezes in place. "Guys, run!" she shouts, and barrels down the mountainside, the other two look around and follow quickly. "What is it, Sweetie Belle?" Suddenly they hear the chittering of about a dozen crystalline creatures, gnashing their teeth and following quickly behind. They reach the foot of a nearby forest and all duck inside a thick pile of brush. The creatures run into the forest and out of site, chittering and knocking over weaker trees. "What was that about?" Scootaloo asks, panting. "I don't know, but they must not have cared for us, because they just kept going." "We need to get back to the path." Apple Bloom nods, determined. "The longer we take, the more likely it is that... they will catch us!" The three nod and make their way back from the forest onto the pathway into the mountains. They continue along the pathway, constantly glancing over their shoulders. Finally at the foot of the mountains Apple Bloom gulps, the other two exchange concerned looks, and they begin to head for the top. They climb--and climb--and climb. And climb. "How big is this mountain?" Sweetie Belle, frustrated and tired, finally asks, gasping for breath. "I'll see how far we got left." Scootaloo takes to the sky with quite a struggle, and gets an aerial view. She shouts, relieved. "We're almost there, only uh--only a bit more! Then it goes downhill for a while. I think I see the forest from the map!" Scootaloo makes her way back down to the ground. "That's a relief" Apple Bloom sighs. "But it's getting dark. We better find somewhere safe to set up camp." "Are you crazy? You're going to sleep out here?" Sweetie Belle stares at Apple Bloom. "What else would we do? It's going to take more than a couple days to do this..." She replies. "We'll find somewhere safe, don't worry." The trio makes their way up the side, and creeps down the other side, hooves unsteady, until they reach the treeline, the forest proper not far below. "I think underneath these trees, if we stay really quiet--" Sweetie Belle turns to the others and points at some brush with a low clearance, before stumbling and rolling down the mountain. "Sweetie Belle!" The others chase after her. She rolls into some brush and into a tree. Wary, but taking only mild scratches and bumps and a couple bruises, she shakes her head and dusts off. "I'm... uh, I'm fine." She scrambles out from under the bushes. "Actually, guys, this seems like a good spot! I can stand under here just fine, once you get past the edge of the bush! Come on in here!" She beckons them to the brush, they all file in. It's roomy enough for three fillies, but definitely on the cozy side of size. The trio eats a small meal. They try to get to rest, but after a few minutes they hear something rustling around. "Shhhhh" Scootaloo covers the others' mouths. She peeks her head out carefully, catching sight of an amethyst creature no less than six times their size stomping around, followed by four smaller ruby creatures with pincers. They crawl their way through chittering and groaning, knocking over small trees and knocking down branches. "That was close" Scootaloo whispers. "I hope you guys sleep quietly, because we're only safe if nothing finds us." Sweetie Belle shivers, nervously. The three cling close to each other, backing up as close as they can to a large tree stump behind the brush. Scootaloo wakes in the middle of the night and checks if everyone is still okay. I don't know what I'd do if I lost them, too. She thinks to herself. Hugging the tiny pillow she packed tightly and fighting off tears. Stop it, if you start crying, then you'll put everypony in danger. Then, it will be your fault. Scootaloo decides that since she isn't getting any sleep, she may as well stand guard. If I can give my friends just enough time to get away, maybe it will be just what we need. She pokes her head out of the brush, just enough to watch the path made by the large creature, hours ago. Everypony is counting on you. Everypony. -------------------- "I'm really hungry..." One of the foals groans. "We don't have any food here." Shady Daze responds. Featherweight looks at the doorway. He turns to the filly, a pink filly with a blond mane. He turns back, and walks past Rumble and Spike, who are standing watch over the doorway. "Where are you going?" Spike asks. "We need food. Who knows how long we'll be down here?" "Woah, woah, you?" Rumble interjects. "Come on, I mean, you're a nice colt and all, but you're definitely not cut out to outrun some big crystal monsters, and you're way too lanky to be sneaking around. Think about this." "Well, what are we going to do?" "I don't know." "Well, who around here is fast or sneaky." "I reckon I'm small enough I can hide pretty well." Pipsqueak joins the conversation. "You sure? What if something--" "Look, you said it yourself, Featherweight. You stay here, you're more of a thinker and between you and Dinky, you can help out if somepony needs emotional support. I'm tiny, I can hide pretty well if I have to." "That settles it. Pipsqueak and I will go." Rumble nods. Spike turns to Featherweight. "That only really leaves me to guard the door." "Well, I can fly, too. If I need to distract something while everypony else runs, I can. I'll stand guard with you. You two." He turns to Rumble and Pipsqueak. "Be careful, and remember, I know it stinks to have to steal, but I don't think anypony will care right now. Get what you can, be safe, and get back as soon as possible. If you are gone more than an hour, I'm going looking." "Looking? What good will that be?" "I've taken so many pictures of this town, I know my way around it. I know where all the food shops are. If anypony can find somepony, it's probably me." Featherweight's face is one of determination. "I... fair enough." Rumble shrugs. "Just be careful. If you can find some bags--" "I know, I know, look, we have hungry ponies. We can talk when we get back." Featherweight sighs as Rumble pushes the door open, slowly. Pipsqueak and Rumble scan the coast and decide to head out. "Is there any way we can safely start a fire down here?" Featherweight asks Spike. "I mean, there's going to be smoke, so not really." "It's going to be so dark down here. I hope nopony is afraid of the dark, because I don't really know what else to do." "Relax, Featherweight. I've never seen you so on edge." Shady Daze turns to his Editor In Chief. "Well, in all honesty, have you ever had a situation like this happen?" "Right." Featherweight paces, looking to the door occasionally. Dinky approaches Featherweight. "Look, everything will be fine." "I just... worry about them." "They'll both be alright, I believe in them." "Not just them. I haven't seen Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, or Apple Bloom since they left this afternoon." "Don't worry about them. They must have some sort of reason for going wherever they've gone." "I know... I just-- Shut the door." Spike slowly pulls the door shut as the rumbling of a stampede of something tears through the streets. Nopony can see anything, Dinky clings to Featherweight and Spike. "Just stay still." Spike whispers. -------------------- Rumble takes to the sky immediately, using the clouds as cover to find his way to Sweet Apple Acres, where he knows plenty of apples will provide a quick and easy load. He flies to the treeline of the orchard and sees plenty of apples ready for picking. He turns his attention to the house, not far from his landing position. Surely somewhere in there is a blanket I can use as a bag, or maybe just some sort of bags that The Apples use when they go to the market. He soars across the way to where the door is open, with Granny Smith still standing in her same place. Rumble backs off for a moment, thinking the trapped elder pony is a dangerous creature. He catches his breath and goes inside. He digs around and finds a beat up old set of saddlebags. This will have to do. He straps them on and immediately realizes that these, designed for an Earth pony, will not allow space for his wings. He sighs. Night is falling rapidly as he makes his way back out to the orchard, on hoof. After bucking a few trees to no avail, he decides to drop the saddlebags and fly up to collect the apples. A couple large crystalline tigers prowl through the area, sniffing around and examining the ground. Rumble stays up in the tree he was picking, holding his breath as the creatures pass. Once he is certain they have left his area, he sighs a sigh of relief, and finishes collecting his goods, and begins the paranoid trek back toward the basement. In the dark, the town looked different from any other time he'd seen the town. He stumbles around the streets, looking for any sign that he was in the right place. He mutters to himself in frustration. -------------------- Pipsqueak took a detour to his house, he knew there was a set of saddlebags that fit him correctly on the couch. He closed his eyes as he entered the house, not wanting to see his parents. Jasmine Tea was leaning, crystallized, on the sink edge, halfway through dishes. He couldn't look at his mother. He used the wall as a guide to find the couch, and grabbed his bags, turned toward the door, and ran back outside. He used the shrubs along the sides of the neighborhood as cover, avoiding a very large opal spider as it shimmered, crawling by. He made his way around to the shops. He knew his father had worked with several residents to set up booths, and knew the houses many of them lived in. There's Berry Punch's house. He went around the house to a small berry garden, flourishing with all kinds of delicious treats. Pipsqueak's stomach rumbled. Just a couple. I have ponies waiting on me. He indulged in a couple blueberries and a hoofful of raspberries. Collecting the rest of his goods, the temptation was strong, but he fought the urge. He left the garden, headed for Peachy Pie's home, just on the Everfree edge of town. He went into the house, and checked the counter, where a bowl of fresh peaches sat. He dumped the bowl inside his saddlebags and turned away, stalling for a second. I can't do it. I can't just take this stuff. He left ten bits from his bag on the table. He made his way back along the path to Berry Punch's, where he set five bits on her garden porch step. He found his way back, knocked three times on the door, and whispered his name. The door creaked open and he let himself in. "Seen Rumble?" "Not since we left. Why?" "Well, we haven't. There's still time before sunset, but I hope he's okay." Featherweight looked out the crack in the door. Everypony gets a share of the food and they store the couple jars of preserve for the next morning. The little bit of sunlight left disappears. "Where is he?" Spike asks. "I'm going after him. He can't be out there at night. We don't know anything about these creatures. He could be in danger." "Fine, but I'm coming with you." Spike insists. "No. You protect everypony else. I know what I'm doing." I hope. "O-okay." Spike looks to where the voice seems to be. "Be careful." "I know. Just--make sure everypony stays safe here. If I don't come back soon, just stay here. Just rest. No sense in sending anypony else out there." Spike nods, uneasy feelings in his gut. "Okay?" "O-okay, Featherweight." Featherweight flies up into the sky, trying to use the moonlight to give him some clue if a foal is wandering somewhere. He begins checking around the block of the makeshift hideout. After about an hour of searching and hiding under tables, he sees a colt with saddlebags. "Rumble!" He whispers as loud as he can. "Huh? Featherweight? What are you doing out here? We need to get back!" "Yes, we do. Are you lost? You're blocks away from the basement." "Uh... no, I was just..." "Look, you don't need to impress anypony, just come on." "F-fine." A large sapphire bear roars and startles the two pegasi. "Run!" Featherweight points to the house. "That way!" He turns a different direction. "What about you?" "I can fly. You can't right now. Go to the--" The bear swats at Featherweight, who barely dodges the blow. "Go!" Rumble hesitates, but takes Featherweight's advice. Featherweight flies off, luring the bear away, dodging swat after swat. A final swing claws his right back leg, drawing some blood, but his determination keeps him moving. Once he is sure the bear is far enough from their hideout to lose the bear, he take to the sky, high as he can go. The bear roars, and stomps off to the north. Featherweight sighs, flying slowly back to the basement. He lands near the door, hobbling the last bit of the way. "It's me, Featherweight." He whispers, wincing as he put weight on his back legs. The door opens and he stumbles down the stairs, landing in a pile on the floor. The area is moderately light by a flashlight which points to Featherweight. "Featherweight, are you okay?!" Pipsqueak rushes to him, pulling one of the cloths off a pile sitting in the corner of the basement. He checks that it is clean and begins wrapping the taller colt's leg. "Yeah, fine. Just fine. Good idea with the flashlight." "I always keep a flashlight in my saddlebags. I've gone on a couple camp outs after class, and didn't want to go home to find some of that junk, so if it's quick and easy, I just keep it with me. I also have a bit of rope." "Rope!" Featherweight shouts, startling everypony. "What about it?" "We can tie the knob to the second step, fish it underneath the step and tie it down, keep the door shut while we sleep." "Sounds like a pretty good idea." Spike nods. "Who is good with knots?" "I am." Twist speaks up. "I mean, I make all kinds of candy and--well--I can tie knots." Pipsqueak pulls the rope out of his saddlebags, which are now empty. He sets them in the corner, using the pile of cloth as a pillow, curling up for bed. "Just shut off the flashlight whenever everypony is ready to sleep." Twist takes the rope and knots it around the door handle, tying slack from both ends to the second stair from the top. She ties them with all the expertise one who makes her own chocolate dipped pretzels would have. "There we go!" She smiles. "Well, everypony, I think we should get some rest. It's been.... a day." Featherweight sighs. The group all huddles together in the corner where Pipsqueak has already half-drifted off. With a click, the room goes pitch black, leaving the only sights in anypony's minds to their imagination.