Fearless
Scootaloo stared up at the clouds as she headed outside that morning. They drifted along lazily in the wind, all on their own.
Most days, she would catch sight of Rainbow Dash working in the morning. But, of course, she wasn’t up there this time. Scootaloo remembered the last she had seen of her, as she had retreated into the collapsing temple. There was no telling what had happened to her next. Or to the other Crusaders.
She shivered in the cold air, the complete opposite of the unbearably humid jungle, and looked around for Sweetie Belle.
Ponyville was almost like a ghost town as she sped through the streets on her scooter. Only a few ponies were walking around outside, and none of them were Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo turned around and crossed over the bridge towards the outskirts of town.
She headed out to the old path near Sweet Apple Acres, and made her way to the clubhouse. There was a good chance Sweetie Belle might be waiting for her there. It would be a more private place to discuss the dreams, less likely to attract odd stares if anypony overheard.
Hopefully that’s why she hadn’t run into Sweetie Belle in town.
Scootaloo trudged up the ramp to the entrance. The clubhouse was empty. She stood at the doorway for a moment, staring inside blankly, but then headed in anyway.
The thin wooden walls didn’t provide much of a shield from the cold, but at least the wind wasn’t getting in. Scootaloo tried to settle down and relax, but it was impossible. She began to pace from one end to the other.
“There you are!” Sweetie Belle appeared in the doorway, bundled up in what looked like a new scarf. She hurried into the clubhouse, shivering.
“Where were you? I didn’t see you anywhere around town,” Scootaloo said. “I thought something happened to you.”
“Yeah, you could say that. Rarity talked me into helping her try out her new winter outfits. She always starts to freak out around this time of year.” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. What happened last night? We lost you back there.”
Scootaloo let out a sigh of relief. “I’m just glad you’re safe. What happened to Rainbow Dash and Apple Bloom?”
“We got caved in, but we were fine,” Sweetie Belle said. “Thanks to Rainbow Dash. She was able to get us out safe. Why didn’t you listen to her about the traps?”
“Uh... I don’t know,” Scootaloo admitted. “I guess I just got caught up in everything.”
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “Well, Rainbow Dash said the important thing was that you got out with the statue. What happened to it, anyways?”
“Well, you see…” Scootaloo scratched her head. “Um…”
“What’d you do with it?”
“It kind of got… stolen,” Scootaloo muttered.
“What?”
“I was going to go back and find you guys, but I couldn’t get back into the temple. I forgot the statue behind me, and when I got back there, this guy showed up and took it,” Scootaloo said. “He’s the villain from the book. I can’t remember his name.”
Sweetie Belle stared at her in shock, then shook her head. “No way. You couldn’t just lose it. Rainbow Dash said that, no matter what, we can’t lose the statue.”
“Did she say why?”
“Well, uh… no. But it’s probably got something to do with waking her up, doesn’t it?”
“Good point,” Scootaloo said, nodding. She started pacing back and forth again. She thought of the creature that had taken the statue from her without a fight, and she wasn’t feeling too enthusiastic about trying to take it back.
Sweetie Belle sat down, and bit her lip. “And there’s something else, too,” she said in a low voice. “Did you notice anything weird about Rainbow Dash?”
“What do you mean?”
“These dreams are all supposed to be nightmares, but she’s not scared of anything,” Sweetie Belle said. “Even when the temple collapsed, she didn’t seem worried at all. It felt like she was doing more to help us than the other way around.”
“That’s just how she is,” Scootaloo said. “Rainbow Dash is totally fearless.”
“But there’s always something that they’re afraid of that keeps them from waking up. How are we supposed to know how to wake her up if there’s nothing she’s afraid of?”
Scootaloo said nothing.
“I mean, you are her sister, kind of,” Sweetie Belle said. “You should know her better than anypony else. You still don’t have any ideas?”
“Well… no.”
Scootaloo had gone up to bed a bit earlier than usual. She was trying to get herself to fall asleep, but it wasn’t coming. Everything going through her mind was making her feel so restless, but those problems wouldn’t go away unless she could fall asleep.
Rainbow Dash.
It was hard to believe, but they had ended up in Rainbow Dash’s dream last night. That last dream with Applejack had been a real wake-up call about just how important this job was, not to mention the danger they were in. And now her honorary big sister was depending on them.
It sure didn’t feel like Rainbow Dash needed them, though.
She rolled over, burrowed her head into her pillow, and tried to let her mind rest for a while. Everything around her was silent.
“Good evening, Scootaloo.” It was Luna’s voice. “I did not expect you so soon.”
Scootaloo found herself standing there in front of the princess. They were alone, and everything was as eerily quiet and still as it always was.
“Hey, Luna,” she mumbled.
“It seems you are the first tonight. I expect it will be some time before the others arrive. Until then, I would like to hear about what you saw last night.” Luna knelt down in front of her.
“Oh. Right,” Scootaloo said, taking a seat on the ground as well. She hesitated, scratching the back of her head. “Well… It’s Rainbow Dash’s dream this time. We know that much.”
She told Luna everything—from landing in the jungle, to exploring the ruins and dodging traps, up to the point when the Sapphire Stone was taken. Luna waited and listened to her quietly, her expression difficult to read.
“And you believe reclaiming the statue is the key to waking Rainbow Dash up,” Luna said once she had finished.
“It’s just like the Daring Do story. The first book was all about her trying to get the statue,” Scootaloo said with a shrug. “It’s got to be important somehow. And… I lost it. I wasn’t being careful. It’s my fault.”
Luna tilted her head. “You’ve come a long way since your first experience traveling through dreams. I am surprised that your confidence would fail now.”
“No, it’s not that,” Scootaloo said. “Rainbow Dash was doing just fine. She doesn’t need me.”
“Is that what you truly believe?”
There was something about Luna’s tone that made Scootaloo stop and think. The idea of going back into the dream actually filled her with dread. She had no clue what they would do once they got there. It really did seem like a wasted effort.
“You would understand if you had been there,” Scootaloo said quietly.
“I cannot discern many details about this dream, but I am sure the nightmares we have been facing are present there,” Luna said. “Just as I am sure that I was right in sending you to help.”
Scootaloo looked up at her. “I know we’ve been doing fine up until this point, but maybe it was just luck. I don’t know.” She let out a sigh, and hung her head again.
Luna moved closer, and Scootaloo felt a wing over her shoulder.
“It was not long after these nightmares first appeared that I realized I would not be able to face them all alone,” Luna said. “There were many ponies I could have chosen for this task, but I selected you, Scootaloo. Do you know why?”
Scootaloo blinked at her. “It’s… because of that time I had nightmares on the camping trip, isn’t it? I mean, I guess that’s the first time I really ever talked to you.”
“That is true, but I have visited many dreams over the years,” Luna said. “But when I visited yours that night, something was different. I was… reminded of something.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your admiration of Rainbow Dash. The way you look up to her as your elder sister. The way you feel you could never measure up to her, no matter what you do,” Luna said. She paused. “I was reminded of myself at a younger age.”
Scootaloo took a step back, and shook her head. “No way. We’re nothing alike. I mean, you’re a princess, and I’m just…”
“You think too little of yourself, Scootaloo,” Luna said. “I know how difficult it is to see past your own shortcomings, especially when nopony else seems to appreciate your strengths. I struggled with the same thoughts for many years, while my sister was admired by our entire kingdom.”
“It was like… nopony noticed you,” Scootaloo whispered. “Like you could never even compare to her.”
“Precisely.” Luna smiled, but only briefly. “For a long time, I struggled to gain the same sort of recognition that she did, but… we are different. Those years of feeling so insignificant took a toll. I know I do not have to tell you what happened next.”
“But you and your sister were friends. Weren’t you?”
“You would be surprised how quickly admiration can turn to envy.”
Scootaloo looked down. It was true. She wasn’t sure how many more failed training sessions she could stand. Eventually it all got to be too much.
“What I am saying, Scootaloo, is that you should not compare yourself to your sister,” Luna said. “Your potential is far greater than you realize now. I knew that, given the opportunity, you will be able to see it for yourself. And that is why I knew it should be you to help me defeat these nightmares.”
“I just wish I had some idea what Rainbow Dash was afraid of,” Scootaloo said. “She doesn’t usually talk about anything like that to me.”
“It took some time for me to realize it, but despite how she may appear, my sister isn’t perfect,” Luna said. “And neither is Rainbow Dash.”
Scootaloo nodded slowly. “So… there probably is something that scares her…”
“And there is nopony more capable than her own sister to help her overcome it,” Luna said. “You’ve done very well so far, Scootaloo. I’m honored to have you as my student.”
Scootaloo moved in closer, and Luna pulled her close with her wing. They stood there for a while, not saying anything. Nothing needed to be said.
“Um… Did I get here in the middle of something?”
Scootaloo pulled away from Luna and saw Sweetie Belle standing a short distance away, tilting her head in confusion.
“Uh… It’s nothing important,” Scootaloo said quickly.
“Okay…” Sweetie Belle gave a shrug.
Moments later, Apple Bloom shimmered into appearance at the edge of the clearing. She rubbed her eyes, and looked around.
“Sorry, girls. Babs wanted to stay up late, but I tried to get to sleep as soon as I could,” she said. She noticed Scootaloo. “You got out okay last night? I’ve been worried about you all day!”
“Yeah. I lost the statue, though.”
Apple Bloom blinked. “You did what now?”
“I would advise you to reclaim this statue, but remember that your true goal is to reawaken Rainbow Dash,” Luna said. “Find her, and discover what it is that keeps her in the dream.”
Scootaloo nodded. “Got it.”
She held her breath as she watched Luna’s horn light up with magic. Within seconds the forest had disappeared.
They were back in the jungle. It was impossible to determine where.
“So what do we do now?” Apple Bloom asked.
“We need to find that guy I ran into and get the statue back,” Scootaloo said. She stared up at the trees, but it was useless trying to figure out where they were.
“Before we find Rainbow Dash?” Apple Bloom said. “For all we know, she could still be trapped in those ruins.”
“Well…” Scootaloo bit her lip. “The guy who took the statue said something about taking over the world. We might not have much time to get it back.”
“But Rainbow Dash might not have much time to escape those ruins,” Sweetie Belle said.
“She’ll probably be fine. She was exploring by herself before we ever showed up,” Scootaloo said. “It’s my fault the statue’s gone, so I need to be the one to take it back. But for now, all this standing around isn’t getting us anywhere. Let’s go.”
Choosing a direction purely on instinct, she led the others into the jungle. She hopped over a fallen log and pushed her way past some thick vines. It looked like the forest was starting to thin out as they went along.
The truth was, she still didn’t want to meet up with Rainbow Dash empty-hooved. Apple Bloom did have a point about those collapsed ruins, but Daring Do never got slowed down by something like that. There was nothing to worry about.
Scootaloo pushed an oversized leaf out of the way, and found herself staring out at a wide vista, over the tops of the trees. They stood at the edge of a cliff, a steep drop even taller than the edges of Ghastly Gorge. The jungle stretched out below them all the way to the horizon.
“Whoa,” Apple Bloom said under her breath.
They stared out at the view for a few speechless moments. Scootaloo shielded her eyes from the blinding sun, and surveyed the endless jungle before them. Then she caught sight of something. She squinted, and saw a few canvas tents in a clearing. They weren’t too far away.
“Look down there.” Scootaloo pointed down at them. “Somepony set up a camp. Should we check it out?”
“Do you think it’s Rainbow Dash?” Sweetie Belle said.
“Seems like a safe bet,” Scootaloo said. She flapped her wings a few times, and took off into the air. “I’ll just head down there for a quick look, and—“
“Wait just a minute!” Apple Bloom said, putting up a hoof. “There’s no way you’re headin’ off on your own again. Remember what happened last time?”
Scootaloo hovered just past the drop. “I’ll only be a minute. Promise.”
“I think Apple Bloom’s right,” Sweetie Belle said. “We need to stick together, especially after what happened last night. There’s no telling what might be down there.”
Scootaloo let out a sigh, and swooped back down for a landing. “Fine. But I think we should focus on finding a way down there.”
They edged along the side of the cliff, but there didn’t seem to be a safe way down. The plateau stretched on as far as they could see until it disappeared into the mist.
“So I was thinking earlier. Do you think Rainbow Dash is afraid of something out here?” Sweetie Belle said as they walked. “I mean, last time we got lost in the jungle, we fell into a dark pit, we nearly got speared by all those traps, a building fell on top of us…”
Scootaloo shook her head. “I don’t think that’s it. She was doing fine when we saw her.”
“Then what about the bad guy? The one who stole the statue?”
“Nah. Rainbow’s always talking about how Daring Do never gets defeated. She’s read all the books, so she should know that Daring always beats him.”
“Besides, I think these nightmares tend to be a bit more complicated than that,” Apple Bloom said. “I had no idea what my sister was goin’ through…”
Scootaloo gazed off into the low-lying clouds blanketing the jungle beyond the edge of the cliff. That wide-open expanse was hard to resist when she knew she could fly out over it. Maybe Rainbow would even notice her up there.
After this was all over and Rainbow woke up, she wouldn’t remember anything that happened. It was pointless trying to impress her. But, even if it wouldn’t count for anything else, it just felt good to be able to do something right. It almost made up for all the failed training sessions in the real world.
Something was rustling in the bushes, snapping Scootaloo out of her thoughts. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were chatting, something about Manehattan and Babs, but Scootaloo put a hoof up to silence them. “You girls hear that?” she whispered.
It took Sweetie Belle a moment to notice it, but then her eyes widened. Her gaze was fixed on the swaying branches. “Rainbow Dash? Is that you?”
They heard a growl that definitely wasn’t Rainbow Dash. There was a glint of yellow eyes watching them in the shadows, for just a moment, before a tiger leapt out of the thicket. It snarled at them, opening its mouth wide to reveal pointed fangs.
They started to back away, but the edge of the cliff was right there. It was at least a hundred feet to the ground below.
Apple Bloom nearly slipped as her back hoof reached the edge. She caught herself just in time, but there was nowhere else to go. “Any ideas, Scootaloo?” she whispered.
Scootaloo braced herself, and her wings started to buzz feebly. If she could fly past and distract it, maybe the others would be able to escape in the confusion. She’d have to move fast…
“Hey, you!” Scootaloo’s ears picked up at the sound of the voice. Rainbow Dash. “Get away from them!”
Rainbow burst out of the jungle behind the tiger, and swung around to deliver a kick to its nose. It gave a snarl of pain. She glanced down at the fillies and nodded towards the trees, motioning for them to get moving. They took off into the forest.
Scootaloo sprinted as fast as she could, quickly leaping over fallen logs and exposed roots on the forest floor. She heard another roar from behind them, and Rainbow Dash let out a yell.
“How the hay did she find us so fast?” Apple Bloom said as they ran.
“Who knows?” Sweetie Belle said. “Let’s just be glad she did.”
Scootaloo took a quick look behind them, and there was no sign of Rainbow Dash or the tiger. Everything was a blur of brown and green. She slowed down to give herself a chance to catch her breath.
“Do you think... we lost it?” Sweetie Belle said, panting.
A streak of color flashed in front of them, and Rainbow Dash landed on the forest floor, brushing herself off. Her shirt was a little scuffed, but she seemed otherwise fine.
She quickly scanned the area to make sure that they were really alone. She adjusted her hat, then turned back to the fillies. “Everypony alright?”
“Yeah. Think so,” Apple Bloom said.
“We thought you were still trapped in the ruins!” Sweetie Belle said. “How’d you get out?”
“You think a little cave-in would slow me down?” Rainbow said with a grin. “Trust me, I’ve gotten myself out of way worse.” Her smile vanished, and she glanced over her shoulder again. “But that wasn’t a wild animal. It’s under Ahuizotl’s control. There’s probably more of them, and they’re probably looking for the statue.” She looked at Scootaloo. “Hey, kid, you did manage to get the statue, right?”
Scootaloo froze. She opened her mouth, but no words would come out.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened, and she shook her head. “No. No way. Don’t tell me you don’t have it.”
“I… I, uh…” Scootaloo swallowed the lump in her throat. “He, uh… Ahuizotl took the statue.”
Rainbow Dash stared at her, then gave a sigh and turned away.
Scootaloo took a hesitant step forward. “I didn’t mean to! It was an accident!”
Rainbow spun back around. “Listen, we can’t let Ahuizotl get away with the statue,” she said. “The entire world’s depending on us.”
“Uh, yeah. About that. What does the Sapphire Stone do, exactly?” Apple Bloom asked, cocking her head to the side.
“There’s no time to explain that,” Rainbow said. “Let’s see, the tiger came from over there, so that means Ahuizotl must be…” She looked around. “That way.”
“We’d better get going then, huh?” Scootaloo said.
Rainbow Dash paused, and looked down at them. “Listen, I know you’re always getting into all kinds of adventures for your cutie marks and that kind of thing, but this is the real deal. This place might be even more dangerous than the Everfree Forest, and there’s no villages for miles around,” she said. She pointed behind them. “I’ve got a base camp set up over that way. You should probably head over there and wait for me to come back.”
Sweetie Belle traded a glance with Scootaloo, who shook her head. “No, we have to come with you. It’s my fault the statue got stolen. And I can’t tell you why, but you might need us.”
“You sure?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow.
“Scootaloo’s right,” Apple Bloom said. “Besides, we made our way through that temple just fine. Remember?”
Rainbow's eyes narrowed. “Yeah, you still haven’t explained why you were there in the first place.”
“It’s a long story.”
Rainbow Dash gave a shrug and led the way ahead through the trees, moving silently as she forged a path ahead, her ears perked up to catch even the faintest sound.
The jungle seemed to go on endlessly as they cut through the underbrush, crossing rivers, climbing hillsides. Rainbow Dash wasn’t even using a map or a compass, but she seemed sure of where she was going. And, since it was her dream, chances are they would find what she was looking for.
They followed behind her as the jungle thinned out and they came to a clearing. Scootaloo had nearly spaced out, but what she saw in front of her nearly took her breath away.
The crumbled walls of some ancient stronghold were before them, covered with moss and choked with vines. Even in their ruined state, they presented a formidable obstacle. Even more impressive was the ancient pyramid rising up beyond the walls, blotting out the sun.
“And here we are. Chances are Ahuizotl is holed up in there, waiting for the chance to take the statue’s power for himself,” Rainbow muttered. “We can’t take any chances here, got it?”
The three of them nodded silently.
Rainbow edged up against the wall, motioning for them to be silent. She poked her head into the gateway, scanning the area ahead. After a moment, she raised her hoof, signaling to follow her.
“So, uh, what’s the plan?” Scootaloo whispered as they made their way into the fortress.
“I don’t have one,” Rainbow said.
“You… don’t?”
Rainbow grinned, and kept moving forward. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you’ve always got to think on your hooves. There’s no telling what might happen.”
Despite the cautious way they proceeded into the fortress, it was quiet. Scootaloo was beginning to question if these were the right ancient ruins. At the moment it seemed like this jungle was probably full of them.
They turned another corner, and then it stood before them. A long staircase in front of them, a mess of crumbling, uneven stonework leading up to the pyramid casting a shadow over the four ponies. Rainbow Dash paused at the first step.
“Chances are Ahuizotl’s at the top. He’s probably waiting for me,” she said. “He’s going to be stronger than he was before, now that he has the stone. You three had better keep your distance.”
Rainbow flapped her wings, and flew over the steps towards the top.
“She really doesn’t want us helping her,” Apple Bloom said. “I just don’t get it.”
Scootaloo tried to see where Rainbow had gone, but she was out of sight. “Luna said she’s still depending on us, even if she doesn’t think she needs our help…” Scootaloo gave a sigh, and started running up the steps.
About halfway up, she realized she’d underestimated how tall this thing was, and leapt into the air to fly the rest of the way up. She couldn’t tell if Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were still following her.
She found herself in a walled courtyard, a larger space than she had expected. Rainbow Dash stood in the center. She took no notice of Scootaloo’s presence, instead staring directly at the creature at the far end.
Ahuizotl was reclining on an ancient throne at the far end of the room. He noticed them immediately, but took his time standing up, as if he was still trying to decide if they were worth the attention.
“You were a fool to come here, Rainbow Dash,” he said. He spoke slowly, in a theatrical tone that Scootaloo might have found corny if they weren’t in real danger. “With the stone in my possession, you cannot hope to face me.”
Rainbow Dash smirked. “Oh, really?”
“With the power of the Sapphire Stone, the entire world will be under my control.” He held the statue up with the end of his tail, letting the gems sparkle in the light. “One pony cannot defeat me alone.”
“She’s not alone,” Scootaloo said, stepping up to Rainbow Dash’s side. “You’ll have to take on both of us.”
Rainbow Dash did a double take. “Kid, what are you doing? I told you not to come.”
“We’re going to face him together. There’s no way he can beat both of—”
“No,” Rainbow said. “It’s too dangerous. You could get hurt.”
“I’m not a little kid anymore,” Scootaloo said, her wings buzzing. “I know what you think of me, but you have to trust me. We can do this together.”
Rainbow Dash hesitated, then nodded. She planted her hooves into the ground, and stared Ahuizotl down. Scootaloo could feel her heart pounding, but she readied herself as well.
“Just get the statue back,” Rainbow muttered. “I’ll hold him off.”
Scootaloo gave a quick nod, and Rainbow Dash charged forward. Scootaloo made a running start to get herself lifted off the ground. She did a quick midair turn, spotted a gleam of blue in Ahuizotl’s tail, and dove towards it.
Ahuizotl turned around in an impossibly quick motion and swiped at her with one of his front claws. Scootaloo pulled away, feeling a rush of air ruffle her mane.
She caught sight of Rainbow racing around behind him, and he whirled around to snap at her with his jaws. She dodged, rolling out of the way, pausing only briefly to straighten her hat. Her eyes met Scootaloo’s for a moment, then they both jumped back into action.
With his attention focused on Rainbow for the moment, Scootaloo concentrated on the statue clutched in his tail. It swung back and forth as he moved, and it was impossible to get a good lock on it.
“Kid, look out!”
Scootaloo heard the voice and then felt herself thrown to the side as Rainbow barreled into her. She saw Ahuizotl turn around and swat Rainbow aside with his tail, throwing her hard against the stone wall with an audible smack.
“Rainbow Dash!” For a moment Scootaloo forgot about the enemy they were fighting, about the Sapphire Stone. She galloped over to Rainbow’s side.
Rainbow was collapsed in a motionless heap at the bottom of the wall. One of her wings was twisted under her, the feathers ruffled and bent. Scootaloo tried shaking her as hard as she could, but there was no response.
“Rainbow, please, you have to get up…” Scootaloo felt tears welling up, but she tried to blink them away. She couldn’t break down now. She was better than that.
“Only now do you realize your foolishness to challenge me, but I am afraid it is too late,” Ahuizotl said in a low voice. Scootaloo turned and saw him slowly advancing towards her, squinting his beady green eyes at her. “None can defeat me! I am invincible!”
Scootaloo turned back to Rainbow Dash, shaking her harder, but she still didn’t respond. “Rainbow, you need to wake up! Right now!”
The last thing she saw was the shadow slowly advancing over both of them.
Scootaloo sat straight up, fighting off whatever was tangling around her. It was suddenly quiet, and a little bit chilly. It took her several moments to realize she was back in her own room, wrapped up in her sheets, and nearly about to fall over the edge of her bed.
She took a moment to catch her breath. She was safe, for now.
But Rainbow Dash wasn’t.
Without a moment to waste, she hopped out of bed and headed outside into the cold. She grabbed her scooter and raced off across town towards Sweet Apple Acres, through the leafless woods near the farm. She hardly felt the biting wind on her face.
The clubhouse came into view, and she hurried up the steps.
Sweetie Belle was already in the clubhouse when Scootaloo got there. She was focused on a pencil lying on the table, squeezing her eyes shut, until a few green sparks shot out of her horn. She looked down at the pencil and frowned. “Guess magic isn’t as easy when we’re awake…”
“Flying’s the same way,” Scootaloo said. “I’ve been practicing a lot with…” Her voice trailed off.
Sweetie Belle looked down. “Rainbow Dash is really in trouble, isn’t she?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you sure we should keep following her?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I don’t think we’ve been much help for her so far.”
“Luna said we have to be there. Nopony’s been able to wake up on their own before,” Scootaloo said. “And, besides… we’re sisters.”
“But we don’t even know what she’s afraid of!” Sweetie Belle said. “Are we really supposed to be helping her get the statue? She won’t even tell us what it does…” She sighed, then looked up at Scootaloo. “Don’t you know what it does?”
Scootaloo paused. “Well, no.”
“But you’ve read the books, haven’t you?”
“Uh… Rainbow Dash talks about them a lot, but I guess I’ve never actually taken the time to sit down and—”
“So you haven’t read them.”
“No.”
Sweetie Belle stared at her in disbelief. “This whole time I thought you knew what you were doing! If none of us have read the books, then no wonder we haven’t been any help!”
Scootaloo shook her head. It seemed so obvious now. There had been plenty of times she had intended to start reading those books, but she usually got distracted by something more interesting. Something that didn’t involve reading.
“Listen, Twilight has copies of all the books,” she said. “Let’s head over there and we can look through them. I’m sure there must be something useful in there, right?”
Sweetie Belle let out a sigh. “Fine. There’s nothing else we can do until tonight anyways.”
They left the clubhouse and made their way through town towards the library. Even though it was late fall, the branches of the giant tree were still full and green. Scootaloo led the way up to the front door and let Sweetie Belle enter in front of her.
“I still can’t believe you haven’t even read these books,” Sweetie Belle muttered.
They went inside, greeted by the familiar smell of old parchment and dust. Twilight was at her desk, hunched over some giant old text.
“Hey there!” Spike was perched at the top of a ladder, trying to slip a book onto the top shelf. “Uh, you girls need anything? Twilight’s a little busy right now.” He leaned over to push the book back into place, teetering and nearly falling off.
Scootaloo looked over at Twilight, who didn’t seem to notice that anypony was even in the same room as her. She paused briefly to yawn, then went back to whatever she was reading.
“Um, we were hoping you could help us find the Daring Do series,” Sweetie Belle said. “The first one, of course. About the Sapphire Stone.”
“Right!” Spike nodded, and went over to one of the shelves. “I know exactly where those ones are. Should be right over…” He traced along the line of titles with one claw, then frowned.
“You do have them, don’t you?” Scootaloo said. “It’s kind of important.”
“Yeah, sure, just let me…” Spike’s voice trailed off as he glanced over at Twilight. “Just a second.”
He crept up slowly behind her, trying not to make any noise, though she probably wouldn’t have noticed either way. Her eyes moved slowly across the text, and she let out another yawn as she turned the page.
“Hey, Twilight?” Spike said. “Where do we keep the Daring Do series?”
Twilight picked up her head suddenly, and looked around like she had no idea where she was. There were dark circles under her eyes. “Spike?” She noticed the fillies at the other end of the room. “Oh, hello, girls. Looking for something to read over break?”
“We sure are!” Scootaloo said, flashing a grin. “Gotta keep our minds active while school’s out and all that.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Twilight said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. She yawned again.
“Geez, Twi, when was the last time you took a nap? I think this whole thing’s taking a toll on you,” Spike said.
“Spike, you know I can’t afford to take a rest,” Twilight said. She stretched her wings, trying to get the stiffness out. “It seems like new ponies are falling victim to, well, whatever this is every day. I can’t waste any time. And who knows if I would even wake up if I did go to sleep?”
“You’re studying the sleeping sickness?” Sweetie Belle said. “Don’t suppose you’ve found anything useful, have you?”
Twilight sighed, and shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I’m positive it’s some kind of magical affliction, but there aren’t any past cases of something like this… But there’s no need for you two to get involved in all that. What was it you needed?”
“You’ve got the Daring Do series, right?” Scootaloo asked.
“Of course!” Twilight smiled, and trotted over to the shelf. “Doing some reading for fun over break? There’s nothing like a good book during these cold months.”
“Sure isn’t.”
“Should be under Y, for ‘Yearling’…” Twilight ran her hoof along the titles. “Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone. I’m sure you two are going to…” Twilight’s voice trailed off.
“Is something wrong?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“I must have forgotten. Rainbow Dash checked that one out again about a week ago,” Twilight said, shaking her head. “I suppose you could always ask her if she’s done with it. You spend a lot of time with her, don’t you, Scootaloo?”
The two fillies exchanged a look. Scootaloo could picture the book now—sitting on Rainbow Dash’s nightstand, next to her while she slept. In her cloud house. In the sky. How were they supposed to get up there? There were plenty of ponies who could fly there for them, but it would be tough to explain why they needed it.
Twilight shrugged. “Well, there’s plenty of other great books I’m sure you girls would like. You could look around.”
Sweetie Belle bit her lip. “Sorry, Twilight, but we were really hoping to get started on the Daring Do series. You’re sure there aren’t any other copies?”
“Not of the first book. We’ll just have to wait for Rainbow Dash to return it. She should bring it back any day now,” Twilight said. “Well, if that was all you needed, I should get back to work.” She turned around and started towards her desk.
“What about the second one?” Sweetie Belle said suddenly.
“Huh?” Twilight turned and gave her a strange look. “We have it in stock, but I don’t think you’d want to start a series on the second book. The story wouldn’t make any sense.”
“Well, uh… Rainbow Dash told me the second one is the best anyway,” Scootaloo said, waving a hoof dismissively. “I’ve been really looking forward to that one.”
Twilight shrugged. “I suppose they are all pretty good stories.”
Sweetie Belle trotted up to the shelf, reached up and pulled the book down. It fell to the floor with a thud, the pages fluttering open.
Scootaloo edged closer and flipped the cover closed. Daring Do and the Griffon’s Goblet. Nothing in the illustration looked familiar—there hadn’t been any griffons or goblets in the dream—but it was all they had.
“Well, maybe it’ll have some kind of reference what happened to the first book,” Sweetie Belle said.
“I guess we could try,” Scootaloo said. She flipped the front cover open with one hoof, and began reading the opening paragraphs of the first chapter.
The story began with Daring Do in the middle of a bustling marketplace in a desert village. Scootaloo skimmed through some description, finding nothing about the jungle, Ahuizotl, or the Sapphire Stone. She scanned the next few pages, but nothing was coming up.
Scootaloo sighed. “Forget it. I don’t think this is—“
“Didn’t expect to find you here, Squirt. You’re finally starting those books, huh?”
Scootaloo’s heart nearly stopped at the sound of the familiar voice. She certainly hadn’t expected to hear it here, and now. It made no sense. She slowly turned around to face the pony standing there, her legs starting to feel like jelly.
“Uh, kid… You gonna be okay?” Rainbow Dash said.
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Welp, colour me confused.
Wait a second, it's not Rainbow Dash's dream, is it? Well, if we're going by it being the mane 6 who's dreams they're dealing with right now, it's most likely Fluttershy's dream. Oooo, now I really can't wait for the next chapter.
Hm.
Curious... If not her, then who?
The REAL Daring Do, maybe?
~Skeeter The Lurker
And now, a symphony of what...
basugasubakuhatsu.com/blog/screencaps/Naikaku%20Kenryoku%20Hanzai%20Kyosei%20Torishimarikan%20Zaizen%20Jotaro%2015.jpg
avvesione.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/kotoura_san-07-haruka-surprised-cute-adorable.jpg
i134.photobucket.com/albums/q100/TheSteveslols/My%20Little%20Pony/63456__safe_reaction-image_surprise.png
withsummerlove.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/20110531-091644.jpg
thewritingspider.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/surprise.jpeg
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw255_fluttershy_startled.png
gremlindog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/john-mccain-surprised.jpg
This has been a symphony of what...
3586315
You an' me both, brother,
i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc185/jdreyfuss/iwq4oj.gif
Ten bits on Fluttershy.
So, was Rainbow's fear accepting help, which was my original guess, or is she just possessed? Guess we won't find out until the next chapter. Also, someone should really tell Twilight what's going on. Sleep deprived, obsessed Twilight is very dangerous.
So Rainbow Dash is awake!?
...So is it Fluttershy? We haven't seen her for most of the story. Of course, it could still end up being RD, just with an interesting twist to the plot...hmmm. Interesting development here, isn't it? We're obviously going to see longer dream sequences and more complicated twists, but you're certainly pulling stops that we just aren't expecting.
Come to think of it, is it even going to be an Element's dream this time? Only time will tell...
3586232
Unlikely, in my view. This late in, my vote is a progression of the sickness. If we can even call it that.
3586858
Waking nightmare? So to speak?
~Skeeter The Lurker
Wait...what?
So...it's not Rainbow Dash? Who's dream is it, then? Fluttershy?
Scootaloo's? I know we're missing a Scootaloo dream.
What going on! rainbow dash is awake! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN!
I think they're still all asleep...it's still Rainbow's dream, but...
3586868
I doubt it's that either. It's quite easy to steal a joy-ride if the owner isn't home, wouldn't you say? It'd be the perfect cover for who or whatever is behind this.
...........Huh!?
Rainbow Dash clearly died in the dream and her soul was erased and replaced by the evil thing that now lurks in the real world, and must begin its conquest by slaughtering those who know its plans.
It's what I'd do if I was an evil dream walking monster!
Plot twist: It was actually Ahuizotl's dream the entire time.
Well...
This complicates matters.
Mwahahahaha.
Cute.
3587720
Clearly Scootaloo never escaped one of the dreams.
adamwarrock.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/aorywx.gif
Oh, oh oh oh oh ohohohohohohohohohohohohoh! I think I know what's going OOOOOOOONNN!!!! EEEHHHEEEEHHEEEEE!
...okay so I'm reading this a little late into the night and I'm tired and easily excited at the moment.
BUT STILL! If I'm right....EEEEEEEEEEHEEEHEEEHHEEE!
Anxiously awaiting for more!
Topical!
The deuce?
3589049
I've been thinking that since the words "never remembered going to sleep" a few chapters back.
Okay I think I know what rds fear was. She was afraid of accepting help from others, she felt it would make her seem weak. When she was hurt in the temple, she finally realized that she actually needed help sometimes. BAM! I just totally did that. and I feel AWESOME
WHOOOOO
3598871 Ok, so I'm the only one who thinks that this is the dream monster, who has taken over Rainbow's body and is impersonating her?
...yeah, my mind is a grim place, sometimes.
Am I the only one who thinks this is all a dream of Scootaloo's, or this recent escapade is her dream but she can't figure that out.
I can't wait another chapter
you always create an awesome story
keep it up
Zombies. Clearly.
4434496
It explains everything.
You know, I am at a loss here. I mean, great guess at Fluttershy, but I doubt it. It is hard to say anything for sure right now with how little information there is.
But oh the suspense is killing me. On to the next chapter!
Okay, so... just getting harder and harder to see ponies taking this in stride. Everypony seems far to blasie about so many ponies falling asleep and not waking up. No panic, nopony acting odd, just "Oh they're asleep, oh well." And, Luna and Tia not telling anypony anything about it... by now Twi had to ask Tia for help, so why would they hide it? Not make it general knowledge to avoid a panic, sure, but not at least tell Twilight, when Luna is extremely concerned about her and the other Bearers. Let them KNOW what is going on so they stand abetter chance of getting past it.
As to the dream.... so..... not RD? Or, was it RD's and we are in the second stage? The nightmare took over and is now controlling RD? Twisted her, did something to her mind? I figured her fear would be letting somepony else get hurt, hence all the telling the CMC to stay back, to stay safe, her failing to protect others, while being fearless about herself but... even then...... that makes no sense given the CMC were never part of the real dream so, not generated by the nightmare. Unless it's simply a fear of failure in general, but, why Daring Do? Seems if that was the idea, it would be something more public, failing at a race, an airshow, something.... or well will find out soon.
3586326 that gif... It never ends...
I love it!