The Last Crusade

by Scribblestick

Change of Heart

Change of Heart

“We don’t have time!” Scootaloo shouted at the changeling that stood opposite her, slamming her hoof on the table. “Nightmare Moon could attack the Nest any day!”

“Rushing into battle will not help them, General,” Chrysalis replied, rising to her hooves as well. Her drone bodyguards bristled and growled. “Your army is not ready for this task.”

“They’re as ready as they’ll ever be, your highness,” Scootaloo spat. “Once she destroys the Nest, she won’t hesitate to come after us.”

“You act as though the Nest has already been destroyed,” Chrysalis said. “If they’re anything like your griffon friend, I doubt they will be overrun easily.”

“It’s difficult to say,” Apple Bloom said. “The Nest is well-defended. The griffon soldiers are well-trained, and they have Zecora’s potion. However, the Shadowbolts are fearsome warriors, and Nightmare Moon herself will not be easily beaten, even with her dragonfire wounds.”

“I’m not taking that chance,” Scootaloo said. “The Nest is the only home I’ve known for five years now, and I have to do everything I can to protect it.”

“Perhaps you should have thought of that before you abandoned the Nest to train a pony army,” Chrysalis replied. Scootaloo glared at her from across the table. “You may do as you please, but I will not risk my hive on your emotional decisions.”

“She has a point, General,” Braeburn said from his place at Scootaloo’s left. “Our soldiers may have spirit, but they don’t have much experience.”

“I didn’t ask you, Colonel,” Scootaloo snapped.

“Scootaloo, calm down,” Apple Bloom said from Scootaloo’s right. “We need to look at this reasonably.”

“You want reason, huh?” Scootaloo asked. “I’ll give you reason. I fought under General Dash, the greatest general Equestria’s ever seen. I’ve fought against Nightmare Moon and her minions. I’ve fought and trained with the griffons in the Nest, and need I remind you that you came looking for me when you needed somepony to lead this army? I’ve been saying it for days now, and I’ll say it again. We’re ready to take back Canterlot and take down Nightmare Moon. The longer we wait, the harder it will be.”

“A small suggestion, if I may,” said Zecora. The zebra had been sitting quietly between Apple Bloom and Chrysalis, watching the others in the flickering candlelight. “Save this choice for another day.”

“We don’t have time!” Scootaloo groaned.

“We can’t afford to make mistakes,” Zecora replied evenly. “One wrong choice is all it takes. This grave news has left you worried, making your decisions hurried.” Scootaloo groaned and pressed a hoof against her forehead. “Take a night to calm your nerves and give it the thought it deserves. In the morning when you’re rested, make your choice with feelings bested.”

Scootaloo looked from her worried colonel to the stubborn queen and sighed. “Fine. We’ll meet back here in the morning.”

Chrysalis nodded and stood, assuming a pony disguise as she did so. Though the New Appleloosans were aware of the changelings in their midst, they had decided early on not to walk the streets openly in their true forms in order to avoid pandemonium. The disguised queen and her drones walked into the cold night air and toward the jungle. “Stubborn queen,” Scootaloo muttered.

“She has to look out for her kind,” Apple Bloom replied. “She’s riskin’ a lot on us, Scootaloo. She cares about her hive just as much as you do about the Nest.”

Scootaloo knew her friend was right, but she still couldn’t help but feel frustrated. The New Appleloosans had come a long way in a month, but the queen kept demanding more. “I don’t know what she expects,” she said.

“You could try askin’ her,” Apple Bloom suggested. “In the meantime, I’m goin’ to get some shuteye. You comin’ Braeburn?”

“Eeyup.” Braeburn yawned loudly as he and Apple Bloom exited, leaving Scootaloo and Zecora alone.

“What do you think?” Scootaloo asked after a moment.

“I’ve already spoken my mind,” Zecora answered. “The answer is for you to find.”

“But what would you do?” Scootaloo pressed. “What would you do if you were me?”

Zecora sighed as she stood. “I don’t know, dear Scootaloo, the path I’d choose if I were you. My only counsel is to start by looking deep inside your heart.”

“What does that mean?” Scootaloo asked, but Zecora was already out the door. Scootaloo’s head fell to the table as she let out a loud groan. What am I going to do? she wondered. The Nest could fall any day now, and without the changelings’ help, she knew she wouldn’t stand a chance against Nightmare Moon and her army. I have to persuade the queen to see things my way, she told herself. She has to see that we have to act now.

“Scootaloo?” The orange pegasus looked up to see Sweetie Belle standing in the doorway. “Are you busy?”

“No,” Scootaloo sighed, gesturing for the white unicorn to take a seat beside her. “Just frustrated is all.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Have you decided what to do?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “We need to attack, but the changelings want a stronger pony army first. We’re going to talk about it some more tomorrow, but I don’t know how much of a difference it’ll make.”

Sweetie Belle opened a saddle bag with her magic and withdrew two apples. “Want one?” she asked. Scootaloo nodded and took one of the apples in her hoof. “They’re almost as good as Sweet Apple Acres apples,” Sweetie Belle said as Scootaloo took a bite. “It’s one of the few things I can still remember from… before.”

Scootaloo watched as her friend took a bite as well. “What else do you remember?” she asked.

Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and swallowed. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Come on,” Scootaloo pressed. “There has to be something.”

“Well… I remember Diamond Tiara’s cute-ceañera,” she said.

Scootaloo smiled. “The day we became the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I kind of remember the clubhouse and that silly song we performed at the talent show.”

Scootaloo chuckled. “I still don’t understand why you let me take the lead on that. You had a great singing voice.”

“I guess.”

“You guess?” Scootaloo gave Sweetie Belle a friendly shove. “Come on! You were awesome! Remember that time we spent the night at Fluttershy’s and you totally stole her thunder with that lullaby?”

Sweetie Belle flinched at the sound of Fluttershy’s name. “Please don’t mention her.”

“Who? Fluttershy? Why, what happened?”

Sweetie Belle took a long breath before answering. “Nightmare Moon… used her against me.”

“How?”

“Look, I don’t want to talk about it,” Sweetie Belle snapped before taking another bite of her apple.

“Okay, I’m sorry.” Scootaloo watched her friend for a moment. “How well did you know Spike?”

Sweetie Belle’s jaw slowed to a stop, and the apple slipped out of her levitation spell. She bowed her head, swallowed, and spoke. “Pretty well,” she said. “He used to send me advice on how I could control my magic when he got the chance. He always talked about Twilight and how powerful she was, and I just assumed she was the one writing the advice. Then he told me one day that Colonel Glade didn’t want him sending or receiving messages unless it was official correspondence. I think he thought Nightmare Moon would be able to track the letters or something.”

“Can she?” Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “I don’t know. Ask Apple Bloom.”

“So, why didn’t he tell you Twilight was dead?”

Sweetie Belle shrugged again. “Maybe he just didn’t want to talk about it.” The two were silent for a moment. “Listen, I know I said I didn’t want to fight, but… well, Spike helped me out a lot. If it wasn’t for him, my powers would be even more out of control than they are now. I owe him a lot, and… well, I just wouldn’t feel right letting Nightmare Moon get away with that after everything else she’s done.”

“Are you sure?” Scootaloo asked. “I can’t have you losing control in the middle of the battle.”

“I know,” Sweetie Belle agreed, “and I’m really trying to control myself. I’ve been thinking about this all day, and I know I can help you beat Nightmare Moon. Just promise me one thing,” she added quickly. “If I lose control, don’t hesitate to stop me. Knock me out, use the potion, whatever you have to do.”

“Sweetie Belle, I don’t think—”

“Promise me!”

Scootaloo stared into her friend’s fierce green eyes and sighed. “All right. I promise. But you have to promise me you won’t lose control,” she added.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

The sound of beating wings drew Scootaloo’s attention away from the conversation and toward the world outside. She stood and walked out the door, wondering what all the commotion was about. To her surprise, she found a pair of griffons standing in the square, looking around as if in search of something. “Good evening,” she called. “Can I help you?”

“Well, well, if it isn’t the AWOL sergeant,” said the lead griffon in a voice Scootaloo knew all too well. “Your captain tells me you’re training a pony army.”

“Yes, sir,” Scootaloo said, saluting instinctively as the two griffons drew near. “What brings you to Zebrica?”

“Gilda’s orders,” Colonel Glade answered. “She’s taken control of the nest, and she’s planning and assault on Canterlot. We hoped we could count on your support.”

Comments

[reader238]

that should be a slight load off of scootaloo's mind