SACRIFICES – PART FIVE
One year later, two weeks after the coronation of Princess Twilight Sparkle
Scootaloo was having a good day. Diamond Tiara was on holiday and school had seemed to fly by. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had travelled to their clubhouse and made plans, Applebloom had suggested pig wrangling and since their was a shortage of practical plans they had decided to give it a try. None of the trio were aware that they were being watched from above.
Rainbow Dash was crossing Ponyville on her way from work, setting up a rainstorm for the next morning, when she passed high over Sweet Apple Acres. Dash frowned when she saw somepony with a blonde mane and dark grey fur lying on a cloud, watching the ground with great interest. She flew over, keeping behind the strange pony until she was close by her. “What exactly are you doing?”. She asked. “I'm guessing Applejack wouldn't be happy about any old pony spying on her”.
The pony looked at her and frowned. “Quieten down. I'm not spying on Applejack”. Still watching the ground, she motioned for Dash to come closer.
Dash flew closer, then landed on the cloud as she lay down on the cloud and looked down. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were moving from their clubhouse to the main barn. She looked at the pony, still not recognising her. “So, if you're not watching Applejack then why are you watching the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”. She looked at the pony, around her neck were dog tags and a locket. Dash smiled as she realized she had seen a identical locket in Scootaloo's room at home, hanging from a mirror. Dash smiled. “You're Scoots's mother”.
The pony looked at Dash and nodded. “Captain Swift Wind”. She looked down and frowned as she saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders approaching a pig pen. “What are they doing?”.
Dash glanced down then looked at Swift. “Why aren't you down there with Scoots instead of watching her from up here?”.
Swift sighed before answering. “My squad and I only arrived from places you're not cleared to know about five hours ago. We fly back over the border before midnight. I know how rough it is for Scootaloo when I'm here on leave, it would be worse knowing I'm only here for the day”. She glanced down where the Crusaders were trying to corner the pig.
Swift smiled. “I wanted to thank you for reuniting Princess Luna with Princess Celestia. I was stuck out of country last Hearth's Warming Eve and Princess Luna somehow linked my dream and Scootaloo's so that we could spend some time together”. She looked away from Dash for a moment before looking back. “The hardest thing about my work is that it takes me away from Scootaloo for so long”. She sighed. “It's good to know she had friends in those two reprobates and, I guess, you”.
Dash grinned. “She's a good kid”.
Swift looked over at Dash. “Scootaloo writes to me about you a lot”.
Dash looked down, a little embarrassed. “All good things, I hope”.
Swift smiled. “Mostly, a lot about how you are helping her to learn to fly. When I was last in town I had to go and have a medical in Canterlot so I took Scootaloo. The doctors looked her over think she'll have big enough wings to fly after her next growth spurt. I just hope I don't miss it if I'm out of the country”.
Dash glanced at Swift, unsure of how to ask the question which was on her mind. “I know that you're a soldier, even I worked that one out, but why do you spend so much time away from Scoots”.
Swift looked at Dash and nodded. “You know that I adopted Scootaloo”. Dash nodded. “It was only blind luck that I found her. She was being hurt by her father when I heard her screaming because I had landed nearby on a courier run back from Dodge Junction for a water break. I rescued her and got her to a hospital in Canterlot. Within three days I had decided to foster her but I wanted her to know what would happen if I did. I told her that if she agreed to live with me I would quit the guard, fly away from the job as soon as my contract was over”.
Swift smiled, a proud smile on her face. “She asked me one thing. What happens to the next foal who needs help from me if I'm not in the guard any more. She told me not to quit the guard. The way Scoots sees it, I'm only protecting a lot more foals by doing what I'm doing” She looked down at the Crusaders, now covered in mud and no closer to wrangling the pig. She looked at Dash and laughed. “I don't suppose you could go down and stop them before they hurt themselves. Just don't tell her I'm here”.
Dash smiled. “On it!” then flew down to stop the Crusaders.
Swift looked down, watching as Dash started to tell the fillies off, then grinned as she pushed herself off the cloud, heading so that she would come up behind the Crusaders. She motioned for Dash to keep quiet as she landed behind the three fillies, listening as Scootaloo looked at Dash. At least she assumed it was Scootaloo, all three fillies were covered in mood from head to hoof. “We aren't doing anything wrong”.
Dash frowned. “I don't know about that squirt. I'm guessing your mother wouldn't be happy about this”. Dash smiled as she pointed behind Scootaloo. “I've got an idea. Why don't you ask her yourself”.
Scootaloo gave her a blank look, then turned around and grinned. “Momma”. She ran to Swift and jumped into her hooves, hugging her and covering her in mud as well. “What are you doing here, momma?”.
Swift smiled as she hugged her daughter. “I had to come back her for the day and I wasn't miss a chance to be with you for a few hours”.
Dash grinned as she walked over to Swift and Scootaloo. “I hate to say it, Captain but you're probably going to need a shower before you go back on duty”.
Swift looked at the cyan pegasus, a look of pure malice on her face. “Oh, that's the smugness I was expecting from the self-proclaimed 'best flyer in Equestria”. She smiled as she looked just past Dash. “Girls”.
Dash looked around, just in time to be pony-piled by Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. “Aw, come on guys. This isn't fair”. She looked down as the two fillies got off her. “I'm covered”.
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom fell back to behind Swift and smiled. Dash was just getting not so much angry as peeved. “I am so going to get you for this”. Her planned revenge was stopped by a pegasus landing next to Swift and Scootaloo, then taking a few steps backward as she caught a whiff of the assembled ponies.
Swift nodded and the pegasus made her report. “Captain, there's been a change of plan”. She smiled as she noted that the Captain had apparently decided to inform her daughter of her presence. “More than one change of plan. The payload has been delivered from Canterlot but we encountered an unknown variable”.
Swift grinned. “What unknown variable, Ice?”.
The pegasus smiled. “Pinkie Pie”.
As it turned out the bearer of the element of laughter had worked out what was happening when all the strange pegasuses started popping up in town and had requisitioned Sugarcube Corner for a 'Scootaloo's Mother Is In Town' party. Pinkie was running the party in her normally understated manner when Dash, Swift and the Crusaders arrived, having washed themselves off at Sweet Apple Acres. The room was full of military pegasi, rather surprised to be at a party instead of having a spot of cider fuelled r&r at the local watering hole.
Swift stepped inside and looked down at Scootaloo. “Why don't you go and get something to eat while I speak to Ice Heart”. She walked across to the pegasus who had delivered the news concerning the party, followed by Dash. “What did you mean by 'the payload',
The pegasus snapped to attention, and pointed to a large wrapped object behind the counter. “We, the unit and I, suspected that you would not be able to maintain the plan to keep away from your daughter so we bought her something”. She looked at the package. “I noted on my last leave that your daughter was spending a lot of time fixing her scooter so we decided to buy her a replacement”.
Ice Hearts report was interrupted by three reprobates shouting “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MILITARY TACTICIANS, YAY!”
Ice looked at Swift and Dash and they all laughed their heads off. Ice looked across at the Crusaders who seemed to be working out something involving ways of attacking something represented by a apple cupcake using forces represented by apple fritters. “I think I should go speak to them before they declare war on Dodge Junction”. She walked over to the fillies to cries of “Icy” from the Crusaders.
Swift laughed as 'Icy' frowned, then looked at Dash. “She broke the jaw of the last pony who called her Icy. She's a top-class intelligence gathering asset but my daughter can run rings around her”.
Dash nodded. “I've seen her in town before”.
Swift smiled as Icy sat at the table with the Crusaders. “She comes from here. Her leaves are generally timed to be at different times to mine since she takes over as CO in my absence. She tends to look in on Scootaloo when she's in town”. Swift turned to Dash and smiled .“Rainbow Dash, you have exceeded my every expectation of you. I'm proud that you are like a big sister to my daughter, Scootaloo writes to me about you a lot”.
Dash looked down, a little embarrassed. “All good things, I hope”.
Swift smiled. “Yes. Of course, there is one thing. If you are my daughter's honorary big sister does that make you my honorary daughter?”.
Dash nodded, unsure of the answer to that question. Swift smiled. “I can't think of many better ponies for that post”.
More hugs and a few tears were interrupted as the door opened. Swift turned and bowed as Twilight Sparkle walked up to her. “You don't need to do that. I've just been in Canterlot and have some important news for you from Princess Celestia”.
Swift looked down and grimaced before snapping to attention. “I can have my team north of the border in five hours. I'll go and tell Scootaloo I won't be able to put her to bed tonight”.
Twilight smiled. “It's not that. After my coronation I was told by Princesses Celestia and Luna that I would need a unit of Royal Guard for my personal protection. After much consideration Princess Celestia suggested you to lead the unit”. She managed to keep a straight face as she saw that it appeared the Swift hadn't worked out the full implications of the offer. “Of course, the unit would be based out of Ponyville”.
Swift looked at Twilight and grinned. “Ice Heart would make for a fine CO for the unit, I was planning to suggest a second unit for her to command”. She smiled as the thought occurred to her, “I can be with Scootaloo”.
She turned and looked at Twilight before deciding to hay with protocols and hugging the Princess. “Thank you. I should be able to start the job in four weeks, I'm due in changeling territory tomorrow”.
Twilight smiled as she returned the hug. “Celestia says that if you accepted the job you would be immediately transferred to the new post. It means that you wouldn't get two weeks leave but you would be able to see Scootaloo every day”. She grinned at Rainbow Dash as she heard Swift crying while still hugging her.
Swift with a little effort Swift managed to get her emotions under something like control. “I'm sorry, your highness, I'm not normally so sappy. I would like to accept the offer”.
Twilight laughed. “Understood, Captain. Don't you think you should tell Scootaloo and your mother”.
Swift disentangled herself from the princess and shouted in her finest parade ground bellow, “Scootaloo, come here honey”.
“Mum, we're plaining the invasion of Dodge Junction”.
“That's nice, honey but I've got news”.
Scootaloo came walking over, bowing to the princess. “What is it, Mom?”.
Swift smiled as she picked Scootaloo up in her hooves. “The Princess has just made me an offer. She wants somepony to run her personal guard. It means I'll be assigned to Ponyville”.
Scootaloo looked at her mother and grinned. “Does that mean you'll be here next week”.
Swift nodded. “Yes, why?”.
Scootaloo smiled. “It's bring your parent to school day and I think seeing you will scare Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon”.
Swift grinned as she pondered her plan for that day. “Well, those two asses may have cutie marks but you, my little pony, can call in air support. They won't know what hit them”.
i liked this story and please make a sequel for this story
Lol that last part was funny. keep it up
So we do get to see Swift scaring DT and SS at Bring Your Parent to Work day, right????? I love how Swift is looking out for Scootaloo by ensuring Rainbow is the right pony to be her big sister. I can totally see all three of them soaring through the clouds above Ponyville together.
An amazing story! Keep up the good work!
Thanks, folks. When I had the idea that the reason why Scoot's parents are never seen, the idea the his mother was in the military led to a few other ideas. I'll no doubt do the Bring Your Parents to School day story first (especially since I have a special hatred for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon) but I'll probably do a Fluttershy/Rarity fic first since they've been notable by their absence in the two stories I've done so far. I can either wait for season 4 to air in the UK (whenever the heck that is) or just decide 'what the heck, it's a alternate universe).
A one-shot story which is effectively the equivalent of the mid end-credits scene in a Marevel movie is up for approval so it hopefully will go up soon,
Ok. So I decided to give this a gander after remarking on the related one-shot... And I have to say, you do show a consistent pattern here. Both stories suggest actions by military personnel that are a sharp contrast with what would be normally expected out of them... And what`s much more grating - actions that would have them, at the very least, dishonorably discharged from service, if not standing court martial.
...Oh, and let`s not forget that the events described in this chapter are not just ill-conceived, they're also criminally negligent. A squad of military kidnapping a person of interest to the state as a test of character? If any princess had signed off on that, they would be put on the moon. If it was done without notifying any princesses? It`s high treason, for crying out loud.
What if Dash drowned in her own saliva (yes, it's a distinct danger when chloroform is in use)? What if Dash critically injured, maimed or flat-out killed some of the "attackers" prior to the ruse being uncovered (yes, she was fully entitled to do any of that with impunity, as self-defence)? What if that action caused Dash to distrust the military, and ultimately defect (because, damnit, you don't attack your own subjects you sworn loyalty to, regardless of how noble your intentions are)?
Look... I understand where you're coming from. Military deserves respect. But damn it, think it over first. Then do some research. Then think it over again. Because as far as things are right now, what you wrote is a disgraceful slander against every honest soldier. Being in army means doing things by the book, regardless of how much you may want to go nuts on people. It does not matter how good your intentions are, how much they deserve it, or how convenient it would be. When you are a soldier, you stay loyal - to the flag, to the command and to the law. No matter how personally painful it can be.
I came across the sequel to this story first, but decided to read this one first. Scootaloo is one of my fav filly ponies, as are sweetie belle and silver spoon. I hope when I read the sequel after this that diamond tiara gets what she deserves, but silver gets off easier. lol
Chapter Five is getting a big rewrite (Cytotoxin made a lot of valid points). I'll probably keep the old chapter five on site but the official chapter five is going to be less black ops operation inside Equestria and more about Dash meeting Scoot's mom.
Quiet.
Scoots' mother. You don't double the s when making something that already ends with an s into a possessive.
You have this exchange two times in this chapter. Pick one to keep, and do something different with the other.
Cracking up now.